trudy's Blog

I stopped procrastinating
Feb 17, 2008 | 6:34 PM PST
Tags: wooden , raised beds , cider blocks , herbs , chives , lemon balm , leeks , orange tree

What a beautiful day it was today.  Sun was shining this morning, then stayed cloudy an a slight breeze the rest of the afternoon.  I finally got one of my wooden raised beds torn apart due to it rotting away.  My FIL had given me a good many cider blocks so I lined them up around the wooden bed, then ripped it apart.  I couldn't believe I had the perfect amount of soil.  The new block bed is 10 blocks long by 5 blocks wide.  I planted the herbs that were in that bed into the holes of the cider blocks.  I had thyme, parsley, chives, lemon balm, curry an some leeks.   I hope they will survive in them holes,  if not I'll just have to move them.  I still need to add some amendments to that soil,  it has so much sand in it that it seems to repel water.  

Then I tore out the frame I had going around the Hamlin Orange tree that had rotten badly an put the red bricks around it an the Prosperity rose.  Those came from my FIL as well.  I went 3 levels high on the tree just to get them organized an not scattered all over the yard.  I will change that later on.  I still have one more wooden bed I want to tear down, but I would kinda like to keep that as a raised bed.  The grass hasn't taken it over so I know its still usable an not a lot of work like the others were.

Then I decided while I still had some energy left to rip out the Cross Vine I had growing on a post with latice.  It had gotten so the runners were wanting to go every direction under the grass, so they couldn't be seen easily.   I had debated on that one for a few years now, an just couldn't make up my mind. 

We got a really good rain tonight,  the storms that were coming from Texas an Louisana.  Lost power for about 3 hrs,  still raining.  But I haven't heard of any tornadoes touching down yet.

2008 Seeds Sown
Feb 16, 2008 | 10:19 AM PST
Tags: tomatoe , eggplant , leeks , chives , cabbage , broccoli , homemade greenhouse

Back on the 11th (Feb.) I sowed some seeds, then today the mood hit me again to sow some more in the greenhouse. All so far are either from gardeners sharing there bounty, so thanks in advance to those I've traded with. Or some I had bought here an there an collected/saved myself an participated in round robins. Heres what I've sown so far:

Purple Millet Grass
Short Mixed Marigolds
Pacific Giants Delphinium
Hungarian Paprika Peppers
Black Pearl Hot Peppers
Sweet Banana Peppers
Roman Chamomile
Feverfew
Heal All
Toothache Plant
Super Beefsteak Tomato-sown 2/11
Beefmaster, hybrid-sown 2/11
Dr. Carolyn Cherry-sown 2/11
Green Giant=sown 2/11
Mortgage Lifter-sown 2/11
Red Brandywine-sown 2/11
Rosa Bianca Eggplant-sown 2/11
Thai Green Eggplant-sown 2/11 (frost may have gotten these b4 matured)
Romanesco Broccoli-sown 2/11
Chinese Chives (onion)
Tai Jio Garlic Chives
American Flag Leeks
Flat Dutch Cabbage-germinated by the 17th, sown 2/11
Arugula-germinated by the 17th, sown 2/11

When I got to the greenhouse mid morning it was 80*, I cut the heat back so I could stand to be in there for a bit, plus didn't need it on today. I had to spray for ants to so I'm blogging while the smell gets gone. An to eat lunch. Fixin to get back to seeding, will update what else I get sown in a bit. Besides I'd like to keep my list all in one blog if possible. Its way to nice outside to be inside doing anything.

ADDED ENTRY:

Although all these seeds sounds like a lot they really aren't. I'm only seeding out what I think I can plant in my gardens, then if I have some things left over I will give away to neighbors, friends an such. I just can't see buying seedlings when I can seed out what I want with more choices cheaper, Well cheaper is debatable, lol.

Added:
Neem Tree-may not grow here
Spaghetti Squash
Zucchetta Rampicante Tromboncino
Bennings Green Tint Squash
Early White Bush Scallop
Blue Hibbard
Early Prolific Straightneck
Goldentender Yellow Squash
Borage
6 colors of columbines
??Frit. Lanceocata (don't know this one)
Mixed Foxgloves
Yellow Tansy
Nigra Hollyhocks
Love in a Puff
Yamoto Cucumbers (Questionable seed viability)
Painted Lady Beans
Chartentais Melon
Exotic Melon Mix: Super Dew Hybrid, Chartenais, Early Silverline, Spanish Moon
Giant Belguim tomato
Black Krim
Black Pear
Hendersons Pink
Abe Lincoln
Wayahead
Striped Cavern
Novococoshary
Campbells 1327
Big Rainbow
Watermelon Beefsteak
Porterhouse Hybrid
Giant Delicious
Narajilla Garden Berry

Well thats it for now, still have a few more mators I want to grow again this season. Just have to find them.

As requested here is my greenhouse built in early spring of 2007. It survived the tornado that come thru my back yard in March 2007. It is mostly recycled material. I got the windows from my cousin who was updating the windows in her home, 7 total with one being a big picture window. The plastic is double layered on the top only, due to tears in the plastic that was given to me when we retopped the greenhouse at work. The lumber an the wire for the shelves were purchased.  To see the inside you will have to go to my album,  when I tried to add multiple pics I would loose the first one I had already posted.  You know I don't know what I'm doing, lol.