thequiltedgardener's Blog

Miscellaneous garden goodies............
Apr 9, 2008 | 4:32 AM PST
Tags: houseplants , bird house gourds , chamomile , seedlings , rain

     This morning is cloudy and the weatherman is calling for rain-but how often is he right anyway?  This evening I have a few hours at home alone and am torn between playing in the dirt and sewing, the weather will decide or maybe I will play a bit if it is only drizzling and them sew-indecisios!
     Since I had divided the outside tasks in my mind yesterday, there was a great sense of accomplishment not only for what I had done, but for managing to keep it managable.  In the past I have been known to spend hours outside after hibernating all winter and then find it difficult to walk~or at least stand up straight at first try...........but it is all worth it. Pacing is the plan this year, pace myself.......do a little here, do a little there.......and vary the tasks so that all the muscles ache not just one or two  :)!
     I can't help but look out the window each time I come to the kitchen, looking out at what is and what will be-it makes me smile.  All winter I stood in these windows looking out dreaming and planning about the colors and the smells and the sounds of spring.  Where I am going to move this and wouldn't that look nice if combined with that over there and oh-maybe I should do this...............  Now it is here, I simply love being in the garden.
     There was a stop to the garden center yesterday for green bean seeds, it seems I didn't order those through the mail and while I was there a little rosemary plant took a ride in my buggy-I love rosemary.  This afternnoon she will take her place in her special square in the garden.
     If it decideds to rain there are a few tasks that can be done to continue my gardening quest.  Last year I grew birdhouse gourds and during the winter I dried them in the utility room.  Perhaps I will drill the holes so they can be hung up.  This year I am not going to varnish them.  Everything I have read says they will last a year or two unvarnished.  As I am unsure that a bird will come back and nest in the same gourd over and over I have decided not to varnish this year and see how it goes.  Now that I understand more about the growth and ways to encourage more gourds, less vines, perhaps this years harvest will be more substantially sized fruits.  We have been saving the dryer lint in a net bag so I think we are ready to assist our feathered freinds with their nesting.
     Maybe this would be a good day for the rain, less chance of physically overdoing it in the yard and now that the debris is cleared from the gardens a good soaking may be in order.
     On my way to the car this morning I am going to pop into the greenhouse and see if anything is happening.  Most of the seeds have somewhat lengthy germinatiion........except maybe the chamomile [ I love chamomile], anyway that will be the first gardening task for today.  At work I have some houseplants that I am going to repot -at lunch of course-and bring home a few clippings for a garden friend.
  

Spring is here and I am getting dirty....................
Apr 6, 2008 | 5:11 PM PST
Tags: seedlings , greenhouse , planting

While mother nature has provided many challenges over the last month, garding is finally in full swing. The greenhouse was set back up and is filled iwth trays of cells full of seedling mix and seedlings waiting to spring to life.  I love to play in the dirt!!

In the greenhouse I have started a variety of flowers, herbs and veggies.  Some old favorites and some I am trying for hte first time.  They are: Birdhouse gourds, luffa gourds, acorn squash, spagetti squash, two cucumber varieties, yellow squash, zucchini, garden salsa pepper, basil, dill, cilaantro, parsley, giant lavendar zinnias, candy cane zinnias, dwarf zinnias, blanket flowers, red impatients, swee peas, scarlet morning glory, eggplant, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, califlower, marigolds, and purple salvia. 

The strawberries have been planted and three beds have been sectioned off and labeled.  The cool weather crops have been planted in the bed-spinach, red sails lettuce, buttercruch lettuce, green leaf lettuce, scallions and two variety of peas.  By applying the square foot gardening method I am hoping to increase the bounty.

Photos at this point could not express the  sense of satisfaciton, the joy and contentment that was gained by spending this time gardening.  The birds were singing and while it was cool, I enjoyed every moment spent outside this weekend.

After strolling around the yard, I made a list of things that I can work on after work each day that will allow me time outside and work towrd my gardening goals for the year.  I think the biggest challenge will be the digging, ammending and replanting of a garden that is near the pool  This is a challenge because I have yet to get this garden to look like it does in my mind. That picture has chnaged several times over the years but the common denominator is to have scented things that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  The hard part seems to be planting a variety of items whose bloomtimes are staggered with variying leaf shapes-and NOT overplanting.  I tend to overplant.

gardening is something I do because it feeds my soul, and tonight when I go to sleep I go there happy and filled with a sense of contentment and satisfaction of my accomplishments.  I am also reassured that there will be a garden and months to play in it.  It was a long winter and welcome spring with open arms~ I have embraced it.