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Fresh produce
Jul 25, 2009 | 8:32 AM PST
Tags: fingerling potatoes , peas , carrots , onions , dill

C has done a great job of keeping such a large veggie bed weed-free in my absence.  While I regard weeding (especially hand-weeding) as a necessary evil, C calls it his relaxation.  He gets down on his hands and knees with a little L-shaped hand tool and winkles those nasty weeds out from between the plants.  He even worked away at my cutting bed despite his assertion that he won't tend any plants that can't be eaten.  I shouldn't cut him up so much.  Thank goodness he finds his carelessness as amusing as I do, but perhaps not as annoying.

Early this week, I dug three hills of fingerling potatoes - enough for a meal for us, one for the old gentleman who mows our lawn ( Before any of you think I'm taking advantage of him, he does it with a ride-on mower to keep hiself active. In return, besides paying him, I bake sweets for him.) and one for the friends who introduced the species to us. They were yummy.  Next week, I'm going to make 'Spring Stew' which is simply small new potatoes, fresh peas, baby carrots and small onions in a basic cream sauce.  I add fresh dill to the sauce sometimes, but it can be left unflavoured or any other herb can be subsituted for the dill.  I'm a dill freak and there's way more in my garden than I can use.  The recipe works only with veggies fresh from the garden.  I've tried using purchased produce in the past and produced a dismal failure.  I don't understand why.  That's just the way it is.

Today, C and I are off to watch one of our granddaughters compete in a horse show.  According to her mom, and judging by the number of ribbons on display in her bedroom, she's a very accomplished rider at 9 years of age.  We are supposed to get thunder storms this afternoon.  I hope not.  I really want to see her ride in competition.

Take care, everyone, an happy gardening.


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What happened to May?
Jun 11, 2009 | 12:46 AM PST
Tags: Peas , Lettuce , Minchow Iris , Mystery Plant

So I realized today that I had not posted photos or a blog entry in all of May and noticed that June is going fast. Here is the most recent set of photos I took. The mystery plant is not a peony. Here is the photo of it all grown up. It is in full shade.

 

Last year my mom sent some of her "Minchow" Iris divisions in a large bag. I cleaned them up and planted as many as I could then hoped for the best. Out of the newly planted (last fall) I had 3 sets bloom. They all looked like the one below. However my mom claims there should be some yellow ones. I will have to wait til next year to find out!

Lastly my vegetable garden is doing well. I have decided that I will not try radishes again next year. This is the third year that they have failed miserably in my garden and I am tired of trying. Other things are doing really well. The peppers are in and growing along with the 5 tomato plants. I have been harvesting lettuce for 3-4 weeks and I just started harvesting the sugar snap peas last week. My daughter has decided that mommy doesn't get any and proceeds to eat them faster than I can pick them. We have had lots of storms this week and some strong winds. I went out on Monday to find all of my peas knocked over. I propped them up as best as I could, hopefully they will continue to produce. Anyway, here is the pic of the peas and lettuce patch.


Happy Gardening everyone!


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Daughters' Gardens, Fishing Weekend
May 27, 2009 | 7:57 AM PST
Tags: daughters , fishing , potatoes , tomatoes , onions , peas , beets , beans , Swiss Chard , parsnips , Sunflowers , gourds , pumpkin , cucumbers

Now that you've had a peek at Melissa's Secret Garden, I'll have to post photos of Jacquie's.  (I have to photograph it first, though.)  Hers are very different from mine and Melissa's, but lovely, just the same.  My eldest daughter, Dawn, studied landscape design and had beautiful beds when she lived in Ontario.  She hasn't adjusted to the growing conditions in Georgia yet, but I'm confident she'll eventually create something terrific down there.

 It's raining here today, so I won't be outside, which is probably a good thing because C is preparing to go fishing for pickerel (walleye) with several of his buddies this weekend. 

We got all 40 lbs of seed potatoes (Banana Fingers, Yukon Golds, Cal Whites and Chieftains) in the soil, finally.  That makes ten 40' rows.  I may have bought too many, don't you think?  We will share with family and friends, but I think I'll cut back to 30 lbs next year.  I'm just not sure which variety to eliminate.

My teenaged tomato plants (21 of 'em - the rest were shared with family and friends) are nestled all snug in their beds surrounded by eggshells and makeshift cloches.

Our onions, peas and beets are up, and I put a row of Swiss chard and one of parsnips in yesterday after I transplanted more volunteer sunflowers and seeded my shade bed with amaranth.  I still need to plant three varieties of beans, cucumbers, pumpkins and several different gourds.  We sell the gourds at a roadside stand.  I found a new variety of gourds yesterday.  They resemble apples in shape.  Had to buy a packet of seeds to try them out.  Tri-coloured pears used to be our best seller, but last year crown of thorns took over.  I also purchased a new, expensive hand trowel.  It seems to me that I break the cheaper ones on a regular basis.  I broke one of mine and bent one of Melissa's during our All Girls' Weekend.

I'm looking forward to having this weekend to myself.  No meals to prepare!  No interruptions!  No working on someone else's agenda!  I want to concentrate my efforts on edging up my shade bed and getting the last of the seed into my cutting bed, then weeding and mulching the beds at home.  That is, if I survive the preparation for C's fishing weekend.  I need to make several dozen of his favourite chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.  That's the easy part.  C tends to leave a lot of his preparations till the last minute then gets hyper about getting everything packed and ready to go.  I'll likely have to help him search for some of his stuff and undoubtedly have to assist with putting new line on his reels, etc.  He's just gone to town for some new swivels because he can't find the packet he bought last fall.  Ah well, it's a small price to pay for three days of peace and quiet in my flower beds and, hopefully, fresh pickerel for dinner Monday evening.


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Trellis Pictures....
May 20, 2009 | 4:01 AM PST
Tags: clematis , vegetables , radishes , carrots , zucchini , peas , daffodil , tulip , grape hyacinth , trellis , oregano

Hello Everyone! 

Yesterday (Tuesday), I spent a long time in the garden. I concentrated mostly on the continued amendments of the veggie patch, but also planted some of the morning glory starts. I had started them in a cottage cheese container between damp paper towels, they ended up growing through the paper towel and up the container). I planted them under some of my bushier plants in hopes that they will get shelter if it does get overly chilly.

I fiddled and faddled adding more horse manure, 2.5 bags of top soil, peat moss, sand and ash. Working back and forth, turning the soil in over and over, and back and forth some more. My blisters returned! I hadn't been digging to that extreme in at least 3 weeks! I will have to purchase a nice rototiller when I get a larger garden area, it would be well worth it! Just think, I will have so much pride when I get to harvest my veggies though! It's all done by hand, every bit of it!

After working in the garden for most the mid-morning to afternoon, we went for a walk to visit my Mother-In-Law and see what she was up too. She had to head out to town so we didn't stay long, instead we wandered around looking at some of the flowers blooming in her yard. She has a really pretty area with red tulips, grape hyacinths, the prettiest daffodiles (they must be called a "double" or something, I will look it up tomorrow) and oregano. Below are some pictures, I really recommend this time clicking on the images to make them larger to see the lovely details (especially the daffodil):

Above: Grape Hyacinths, Red Tulips, Daffodils and Oregano (I think it is since I smash it between my fingers and I smell oregano) and my daughter stopping to smell the flowers.

Above:  What I think is oregano (not sure) because when I squish it between my fingers it smells like oregano and my Mother-In-Law thinks that is what it is (she's the one who planted it).  It's a pretty little plant and I transplanted some more into my garden (from my Mother-In-Law's garden).

While my daughter napped, I did some more fiddle-faddling in the veggie patch amending like crazy. When I felt I had done my best I decided it was time to build a natural trellises. My trellis has 3 pine branches and Jute natural string. It turned out really neat! I am going to make some more only slightly modified for my cucumbers to climb in the few days. Below are a few pictures:




After I finished the trellis I planted a row of peas (only half the length of trellis) with some older pea seeds I had from 2 years ago. I watered them in and by then it was dark out (above pictures show how dark it was, my daughter was using a flashlight...lol) I figure it was natures way of saying to go inside and take a break, the day is done.

Today we spent most of the day inside because it was sunny but overly chilly outside. I found it hard to "want" to go out there and work, PLUS I was so sore all over! My left calf is extremely sore (is that the way you spell the body part...hum???). I am currently applying heat to it since it's been sore the entire day.

After deciding we needed some fresh air despite the fact that the day hadn't improved (it was supposed to be an amazingly beautiful day, but to our disappointment it was not nice!), we headed out to the garden. I still have lots of flower seeds to plant and I have been wanting to get my veggie patch planted. I have been so cautious not to plant until I am totally convinced that my soil amended to the best of my abilities, but I really needed to get my veggies in.

Today after a bit more amending I planted some my veggies!

I started out by planting the other half of the natural pea trellis with new seed (that way I can compare germination time and if the old side doesn't germinate in a reasonable time period I will re-plant with the new seed).

I decided I was going to plant my bush beans and chose an area I could get to easily enough so I could have access when I needed to pick the beans. I only planted 9 seeds since I don't know if I like fresh beans or not and I don't want to waste them or waste the space. Plus I will be planting a ton of Scarlet Runner beans for a decorative plant and I will have all those beans too.

After that, I decided where I wanted to plant a few carrot rows. I planted them on the far left of the veggie patch seen below, Yes, it is a tiny amount of carrots, but I hope to make a few more rows/areas after I plan it out more and place other veggies where I want them, then I will see where I have room.

Next, I decided to plant a small section of radishes (I don't like them, but my hubby and Father-In-Law eat them. They are in the next section to the right of the carrots.

I didn't quite know what to plant next so I decided to plant the rest of the zucchini seeds I had. They were old seed, but they germinated for me inside (all but one seed), so I figured they will work outside as well. I only had 9 seeds, so if I want to plant more zucchini I will have to buy another packet of seeds. I know zucchini gets so big if it's in a happy place and I am already short on space so I may just go with what I planted outside and with the plants I started inside.

I have a few more spots to add veggies, but I am not sure what I want to plant in those spaces. I have quite a few more to plant. I have more cucumber seeds (which I will be building a modified natural trellis soon), more carrots, lettuce (I have two kinds and would really love fresh lettuce), and tomato (I doubt I will get fruit off of them, but I still want to try, I will probably plant them in pots instead of in my veggie patch that way I save space, can move them to sunny spots, and can bring them to a safe space when it gets frosty...oh-how I do not want to think about frost....).

I placed two rocks in my veggie patch so that I had places to step when checking my vegetables and doing my weeding.

Above is a picture of my clematis (Nelly Moser). First year having it grow in my garden and I can't wait to see how it does!

Well, I hope your all doing well and that you have a wonderful gardening day!

~M~

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Mixed weather
May 8, 2009 | 8:39 PM PST
Tags: weather , thunder , tiller , peas , beets , Lily-of-the-Valley , wide rows , weeding
The past couple of days have been rainy off and on, so I haven’t got much done in the garden.  The up-side to this, of course, is that I have given my house some much needed attention.

This morning dawned sunny and warm.  My favourite weather forecaster, Frank Ferragine on Breakfast Television, warned of the possibility of pop-up thunder storms, but that seemed highly unlikely.   So after getting the morning’s chores out of the way and feeding my dear hubby, I grabbed my treasure trove of seeds and headed to the farm.

Ever since I acquired Dick Raymond’s book, ‘The Joy of Gardening’ several years ago, I’ve wanted to try his ‘wide row’ method of planting.  C has steadfastly resisted, preferring to stick to tried and true methods, but I finally convinced him to try it as an experiment.

The dreaded tiller has been in the repair shop since my last mention of it.  When the repairman called to say it was ready, I asked what was wrong with it.  “Water in the gas,” he responded, being a man of few words (unlike yours truly, who tends to ramble on.)  Who wudda thunk – just because it sat outside all winter?  C intended to put it into the shed, but never got around to doing it.

Now, C absolutely hates putting seed into the ground without going at the soil one more time.  That, and the fact I had virtually bullied him into trying the ‘wide row’ method, caused him to be a little grumpy.  Well, actually, a LOT grumpy, but he helped me prepare the 15’ row with a minimum of grumbling.  I planted half the row in peas and the other half in beets, scattering the seed randomly but fairly uniformly.  I’ll share photos when the plants emerge from the soil.  Hopefully, the block planting will be beneficial to the peas, making them better able to withstand the wind.

That was enough experimentation for C.  He prepared two conventional rows for me and I planted them with yellow beets.  We’ve neither grown nor eaten yellow beets, so I didn’t tell C about this new variety.  I’ll report on his reaction after we’ve eaten some.

By this time, his good humour restored, C went to weed the strawberry patch while I turned my attention to cleaning up my holding bed yet again.  Those darned weeds just keep a-comin’.  After I got that bed weeded, I decided to attack the weeds in my new lasagna shade bed.  They’re few and far between, but I’m a fanatic about getting my flower beds weed-free in the spring.  I firmly believe that it saves a lot of work later.  I planted some lily-of-the-valley (I hope I don’t end up regretting that.) and finished edging the first ‘link’ (the area between each of the spruce trees).   Yahoo!  Only five more to go!

C went to harvest some more asparagus.  I was leaning on my shovel, admiring my handiwork, when the skies darkened, the wind picked up considerably, and I felt the first large drops of rain on my shoulders.  “Oh, well,” thought I.  “I’m not made of sugar nor salt, so a little rain won’t hurt me.  I’ll just pull a few more weeds before heading home.”  The thought had barely passed through my brain when a tremendous thunder boomer sent me scurrying out from under those tall spruce trees.  (‘Scurrying’ is probably not the appropriate word to describe the way a chubby old lady runs for cover, but I really like that word.) 

C had considerably more foresight than I.  He hates to get wet, and had headed to our truck when he felt the first drop. He had the good sense not to laugh, although I noticed him struggling to suppress a grin at my hasty retreat.  I should have given more credence to Frank’s forecast.

So much for gardening for a while!  The soil will likely be too damp for a day or two.  Maybe I’ll actually get around to cleaning my stove and fridge.


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Zipper Cream Peas/Peppers
May 3, 2009 | 10:15 AM PST
Tags: peas , peppers , marjoram

While I was staking and planting butterbeans I fiquered I might as well get my luscious zipper peas in the ground.I chose another wide row to plant my peas in.

I soaked them for about 30. min .I was in a hurry. Then I installed store bought  wooden stakes .Peas were planted around the stakes ,watered and finally mulched with spoiled hay.

I almost forgot the companion plants.Around the edges of the wide row I planted petunias.Nearer the peas were planted a small strawberry plant.

On the leftt side of my walkway are several single rows. One of those rows were chosen to plant a banana pepper,bell pepper and jalapeno pepper plant .In between  each young plants I planted marjoram as a companion plant.

The plants were mulched with hay and watered thoroughly.

I  pray they do well I so love peppers.

Netx to the peppers I planted a single row of onion plants.I plan to try adding parsnip in that area of the garden soon.

A new entry is coming soon. Happy Gardening.


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Composting with Oma-Gro®
Mar 20, 2009 | 6:54 AM PST
Tags: compost , Oma-Gro® , onions , peas , radish , lettuce , local economy , Omaha , Nebraska
I took a couple of days off of work and the weather is going to cooperate and allow me lots of time in the garden. Yesterday I purchased some Oma-Gro® compost and was very excited to find out that it comes from Omaha, NE, only 60 miles away from here. It makes me feel like I am supporting our local economy and providing jobs to people in the area. We will see how much it helps, it looks nice. Dark and crumbly a few 6-8 inch stick here or there, but overall very easy to work into the soil. I am hand turning my garden this year and yeaterday I managed to turn about 1/3 of it. I am getting ready to head out again as it is now 40º and will be near 60º later today. The ground temperature is holding right about 50-55º. So I will be planting some onions, peas, radishes, and lettuce. They are calling for rain for the next couple of days, so I should be golden if I can get them in the ground today. Wish me luck. I should have photos later of my hard work in the garden.
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Peas are coming up!
Mar 10, 2009 | 3:56 AM PST
Tag: peas

I thought that I would show off the latest growth in the garden.  I was out repairing some water line the other day and I noticed that some of my peas had begun sprouting.  We have had some really great spring weather here lately.  Lots of sunshine and an occasional shower.  We had a pretty good rain last Saturday night and i think that helped the garden out quite a bit.  Anyway, that's all for now.


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Summer is here!
May 26, 2008 | 11:23 AM PST
Tags: beans , peas , cabbage , strawberries , strawbales , carrots , plums , Mayhaws , Dahlia

We BBQ'd for Memorial Day yesterday because DD an DH would be on the road taking DD back to school.  So my oldest DD an her family came over also.  It was a nice day  for just relaxing an cooking out.  The boys played under the sprinkler for a while an of course we had to ride the 4 wheeler an hunt for huckleberries down the dirt road.  For supper we had BB Chicken on the grill,  cabbage I had frozen from last season (experiment success), carrots (white, orange, an yellow) made a colorful pretty dish sauteed in some olive oil an real butter, throwed a couple leeks in the last couple minutes of cooking.  I've laid off margerine due to the info I found here:       

  http://www.stop-trans-fat.com
/how-is-margarine-made.html>
Along with it my first picking of snap beans an fresh dug new potatoes.  

Today I have planted Jade Beans after pulling the sugar peas, Turtle Beans an Mayflower Beans.  All new to me this year an will be interesting to see how they do an taste.  All from trades so there isn't an abundance of them but enough hopefully to at least taste them to see if I want to save enough seeds for next year to plant more.   I am also working on a spot at the end of the house to plant some Cream 8 peas.  I've been reading an hearing about with the fuel rising in cost that the food is also going to be going up to ridiculous prices.  To the point that the average person won't be able to afford food.   Its early enough in the growing season that there is plenty of time to still plant a lot of stuff.   I dug a lot of my garlic, so pleased with them also.  Usually I have a good harvest but the sizes just aren't all that.  This time they were nice size heads.  I put them in the greenhouse on the wire tables to dry/cure.  I still have some yet to dig that aren't quiet ready yet.

My strawbale garden is doing pretty good,  I'm having to fertilize it weekly cause they really aren't in enough soil to hold nutrients, but they need watering daily for sure.    My red plum tree is loaded with plums this year,  gonna make some good jelly this year.   Also my Santa Rosa Plum tree is loaded for its size.   About a year or two ago a friend of mine an I were talking about her apricot tree an how sickly it looked an wouldn't bear fruit,  the Lichen had taken it over.  She said she hand picked them off an sprayed a fungicide all over it an by the following season it had put on new growth an was loaded with fruit.  I got home after our talk an got to looking at the SR an noticed the lichen was on it an was trying to take it over.   I got busy picking them off an gave it a fungicide treatment an it wasn't to long I started seeing new growth.  Last year it only had 9 plums on it, the year b4 that only 5.  This year it is loaded with delicious, juicy, sweet plums.  No bug holes or marks on them.  I am so pleased I took the time an gave it the extra attention I did as it has well rewarded me for my efforts.

I am discussed with the Mayhaw Trees though.  At $15 a gallon (may be going up to) I really wanted these trees to do right.  That isn't gonna happen as long as there are cedar trees within a mile of them.  Cutting them all down isn't an option.  So I've decide to cut them down an replant some Hybrids that are suppose to be disease resistant an produce larger fruit than the native trees do. 

I have just about finished picking strawberries,  they are now coming in sporatically now.  I have enough to do awhile so I don't mind.  Not that it would do me any good, lol.  I finally acquired a Tree Dahlia an it is growing good.  I had potted it up for awhile til it had some growth on it,  I planted in the front flower bed on Saturday.  I can't wait for it to get mature an bloom.

Well I've bored yawl long enough,  just came in to cool off a bit.  Gonna go try an work on the bed for the peas awhile.   Later, T


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2008 Spring Time Gardening
Apr 7, 2008 | 9:49 PM PST
Tags: spring , srping time , spring time gardening , lettuce , cabbage , cauliflower , broccoli , spinach , peas

Now is the time to start the spring time gardening.  Here in IL, we have received so much rain that there has even been some flooding.  We are fortunate to not have had any flooding right where we live, but all the rain has slowed us up in being able to till the garden and plant our seeds and small plants.  I am so looking forward to being able to get out into the garden.  I just love gardening.   And last years garden was such a success, that I am praying this years will be as great, if not greater!  I want to plant similar things as I did last year, like lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach (which I think I love the most of all the spring crops), peas and so forth.  In addition to my garden being a success, I pray your is a success as well.  God bless all who read this post.

RubyRedTomatop>

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First signs of life!
Mar 31, 2008 | 6:35 AM PST
Tag: peas
I peeked in on my peas yesterday, Yay! Three little babies are emerging from the earth. Our weather is unusually cold right now, snow in spring is a rare thing in this valley, so I'm happy to see my row covers are working nicely. now, to figure out how to put pictures in a blog... first peas emerging
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~~Onion, Shallot, Garlic~~
Feb 9, 2008 | 7:33 PM PST
Tags: Shallot , Yellow onion , Sweet onion , Peas

I took advantage of a warm afternoon and went out into the garden. 

I really wanted to work on getting a couple more beds cleaned, and free them of some weeds.

I added fertilizer.  My fish fertilizer had run out.  I bought some Organic fertilizer made by Miracle Gro. 

One of the beds I did not plant.  I did add some composted cow manure to that one.  It was very wet so I decided to just let it rest for a few day and dry out a little.  Then I can mix the manure in a little easier. 

To the second I added fertilizer, then scratched it in with a small hand rake.  In this bed I planted Shallots, Yellow Onion sets, Sweet Onion sets and Garlic sets.  I put the sprinkler in low for a couple of minutes to help settle them in.

I spread some old hay in the aisles around these two beds to help hold down weeds.

While I was out I saw that the peas are all up and doing nicely!  Yeah!!!


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~~Spring Work Brings Sore Hands~~
Feb 4, 2008 | 3:11 PM PST
Tags: raking , weeds , grass , fertilizer , Swiss Chard , cabbage , garden snails , thyme , golden beet , kohlrabi , peas , radish , romaine

Every year when we have our first big day of outdoor work, I always come away feeling satisfied and of course sore.  LOL  Thats just part of it.  A pair of good sore hands and knowing that you did a good job on the projects you worked on.  Todays weather was especially beautiful.  Temps got up to 78F with a nice breeze that was sometimes a little gusty.  Just a very beautiful day.  So outside I went, and outside I stayed, until my stomach insisted that it MUST be fed.   I got quite a bit done....so here it is.

I loosed and raked the soil in the second raised bed, removing any weeds and grass along the way.  There weren't many weed though.  I mixed in fertilizer as well.  I planted peas, parsley, kohlrabi, radish, parsnip and romaine lettuce.  It may sound like alot, but the way I planted it should work out great. 

I transplanted two small Swiss Chard plants that overwintered.  They are the Neon Lights variety...so pretty!  I put them into the first bed that I had planted peas in last week.  I also transplanted a small thyme plant into the same bed, next to another one.  Maybe they will make a nice clump of thyme this summer.  In that first bed I also finished out the remaining space with some golden beet seed.  I would like to try some of those fresh, and roasted.  Yummy!  Some of the greens that I planted last week are up and I think that the peas are going to be quick to follow. 

Baby arugula

Swiss Chard, Neon Lights

The remaining cabbages were picked and cleaned of their holy outer leaves.  There were alot of garden snails hangin' around that area.  I will have to remember that for this fall. 

The flower bed that is near the chickens was in desperate need of attention.  I raked(which is what caused the sore hands), pulled out and transplanted, added new plants and bulbs, planted seed, and so on and so on.  I think the changes will be great.

This is a clump of baby Shasta Daisies that my girls planted last summer.

Narcissus/Paperwhite buds are coming up.

This oregano has overwintered and stayed green.  Its spreading and going up and over the edges of the pot.

These are the Angel Trumpet stumps that were left after I trimmed them back.  Now they are starting to sprout from the base.  It looks like it will be alot fuller this year.


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~~Seed Planted~~
Jan 28, 2008 | 4:42 PM PST
Tags: composted manure , fish fertilizer , greens , peas , rosemary , herbs , asparagus , leaves , mushrooms

Today I was able to work outside.  Outdoor temps were in the mid to upper 60s.  Very nice to be outside without shivering like a chihuahua! 

I picked up a few bags of composted cow manure at the Home Depot before heading home.  Two of the bags of manure were mixed into the soil in one the beds that I had already cleaned up.  I also mixed in some fish fertilizer. 

I planted a variety of greens across the back of the bed.  Right against the wire fencing I planted some early sweet pod peas.  The soil is still pretty damp from the last few days of rain, so I didn't soak the pea seeds. 

 I also spread some of the manure around the Rosemary plant that I moved into that bed last fall.  I was hoping that I didn't kill it.  Its looking pretty good though.  I want to plant some more herbs across the front of that bed that can just stay there. 

One of the asparagus beds got some extra treatment.  I spread out about 3 inches of compost/topsoil mix.  I want to do that to the other two as well.  They will all get some fertilizer mixed in before they start coming up too much.  I can't wait!!!

I still have some leaves in the yard that fell over the last few months.  I decided to make some immediate use of some of them.  I raked them into the aisles between the beds.  Hopefully that will keep the spring grass from springing forth in those areas.

I also noticed some very strange pinkish red, tubular...things laying in the perennial bed.  I think they are some sort of fungi / mushroom.  They were all laying on their side, like they were from this morning, but had fallen over.  I am going to try to take some pics in the morning if they are still there.

Sunset ended my outdoor fun.  The girls and I had a very nice evening outside.  Gardening is most certainly good for my soul.


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Good things...
Sep 21, 2007 | 4:57 AM PST
Tags: veggie , fall , tomatillo , red , bell , pepper , okra , flower , spinach , kale , carrot , beet , parsley , brussel sprout , mesculin , peas , broccoli

Good things are happening in the garden! The other day I pulled out the spent veggies in one of the raised beds and added some compost. This weekend, my hubby is going to make some frames to support the necessary chicken wire barrier. Hopefully, this will make it much more attractive. When he has them made, I will then put down my seeds. I plan to plant spinach, kale, garlic, onions, mesculin, brussel sprouts, parsley, raddishes, beets and carrots. I am so excited!

Some things in the other bed are still producing, so I haven't yet pulled them out.

An okra flower:

The peppers are looking good and some are even starting to turn red!

 

Once this bed is finished, I will clear it and make way for broccoli, peas and probably more greens :)

Here is a fun picture of what happens to a tomatillo when the ants find it....

 

Almost prettier than the fruit itself :)

Happy weekend everyone! 


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Peas! and other stuff
Sep 18, 2007 | 9:36 AM PST
Tags: Peas , Mice , Weather , Hummingbirds

I've got sprouts! At least one in each of my plant buckets. I wasn't expecting to see sprouts so fast, but there they are. 

The weather has been quite lovely the past week. Not cold, but pleasant with no humidity. The lack of HOT has made it so I have not had to water the pea buckets since I planted them. Why? Well the buckets are in my pool garden, and the pool is still full nearly to the top with water from the previous week's rain. So the soil in the buckets is staying nice and moist, and I haven't had to do a darn thing to them. Gotta love it when Mother Nature actually does all the work for you.

 I believe I have stopped the mouse invasion. I woke up to #7 in the trap (well, we trapped 6 and I got that lucky ricochet shot with a seventh) and I've not heard or seen signs of another one. The landlord was up here today and I told him about the mice. He's checking the outside of the house for signs of where they may have been getting in, he replaced the screening over the dryer vents (even though there were no signs of holes), and is putting down poison in the crawl space under the house to hopefully prevent any more from getting in. I'm just glad that's over with. I can actually take the groceries out of the rubbermade storage boxes and put them away now.

The hummingbirds have returned! I'm so excited about that. I love being able to sit here at my desk while I work and watching them buzz back and forth between my feeders and the neighbor's feeder. Once in a while one will sit on my herb 'trellis' or the trellis support for my Hyacinth Beans and just chatter away. Since the weather is cool enough, I can keep the door open and listen. I was a little worried that I wouldn't see them anymore since there is a lot of noise coming from the gas drilling operation on the back property. Most of the birds left in the spring while they were cutting down all the trees and burning all the brush.
 


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Too late the rain
Sep 5, 2007 | 6:19 PM PST
Tags: Rain , peas , lettuce , radishes

We went away for a little vacation this past long weekend. I left everything but the tomatoes were pretty much dead, the heat wave was not kind, even with me schlepping water every day. Came back, the tomatoes were done too. Yesterday started much needed rain, heavy at times, but steady. It's rained off and on today as well. Too late to save my plants though, but the grass and trees need it too, so I guess it's good.

As soon as the rain stops I'll be pulling up the dead stuff so I can plant peas in the pool garden. I've got two kinds: Oregon Sugar Pod, which I know I can use/freeze in shell; and Thomas Laxton, which says on the package is a heavy producer. I'm thinking from what I'm seeing on the package that these are a pea that I'm going to have to shell these before I cook them and/or freeze them. Anyone know if this is true? I'm also going to plant another batch of radishes. I'm not going to bother with the mixed lettuce/salad greens seeds I planted in the spring, as I wasn't really happy with them. Next spring I'll probably just stick with a green leaf lettuce and skip the other mixed stuff.


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2007 08-12; All my 2007 Gardening and Canning Photos
Aug 12, 2007 | 8:41 PM PST
Tags: vegetables , peppers , tomatoes , corn , squash , onions , lettuce , cucumbers , water melon , cantaloupe , okra , peas , pumpkin , radishes , green beans , spinach , cabbage , jalapeño , Habanero peppers , banana peppers

I currently have uploaded all of my photos online that I have taken during the 2007 gardening season.  I have taken photos from the spring time to the present.  You will be able to see my husband’s and my progress in the garden, including some of the canning that we both have recently completed.  This year, we grew roma, beef steak, and Better boy tomatoes; jalapeño, chili, bell, Anaheim, banana and Habanero peppers; cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and broccoli; Sugar Snap peas, carrots, and radishes; spinach, Romaine, Black Seeded and leaf lettuce; red and white onions, green beans, okra, and corn; cucumbers, summer, and zucchini squash; pumpkin, water melon, and cantaloupe.  Of my entire garden, the only vegetables that did not produce, due to insects were the brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli.  We did have only one head of broccoli and that is all.  Otherwise, our garden was truly blessed by the Lord.  Our neighbor’s gardens were blessed, as well.  This year has been a great year for planting and harvesting!   Please feel free to take a look at all my 2007 Garden Photos and enjoy what I have enjoyed this year! 
 

P.S.  As I finish my canning season, I may add a few more photos of the vegetables and fruits that I can during the 2007 Gardening Season!


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Peas Please
Jul 26, 2007 | 3:37 PM PST
Tags: seeds , peas , garlic , compost

Soooooo many Peeeeeeeeeaas!

And some garlic.  Yum!

Clearly the bed that has lots of compost in it grows everything and anything 10 times better than the bed with no compost.  Except beans.  My beans are sad all around this year.

 anybody have any good ideas about how to dry/save seeds over winter for next year?
 


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July Bounty Begins
Jul 6, 2007 | 11:34 AM PST
Tags: compost , beans , tomatoes , garlic , peas

It's been a while, and everything's growing so well.  I should have given the peas something higher to climb up because now they are climbing out.  But they are delicious, and they seem happy enough. 

The raspberries are getting close to their end, but they have been so delicious.  Kudos to the previous tennents who planted them.

The parsley is looking happy inbetween the tomatoes, though I'm not sure the tomatoes in the terrace are going to bear fruit.  I think the soil could use some compost in a bad way, but it's probably going to have to wait till fall.  The beans are struggling on too, and so far one of them is trying for a bean.  I must have kept them inside too long, because once I planted them outside, they all got eaten and sunburned (despite my shade cloth and soapy water spray), only to recover slowly with new, darker leaves that can handle the outside clime.  Not sure if they'll get around to many beans, but I'm glad they struggled though. 

And lastly, I pulled a garlic up yesterday.  Not sure if it's too early, but next time I cook, we'll find out!


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