trudy's Blog

My Day
Feb 3, 2008 | 2:58 PM PST
Tags: red oinions , shallots , grape vines , hibiscus , magnolia trees , suckers , obiedient , roses , compost , brocolli , manure , seeds , asparagus , lantana

Well I did get some things on my list done today.  The red onion seedlings, shallots, asparagus (went with the in ground method this time) all planted.  Cut back some of the roses, esp. the one at the front porch.  And one bed of lantana, an my grape vines, hibiscus an some of the lavender obiedient plant stems that had gotten bit an cut the suckers off the 2 magnolia trees I had cut down last year,  they were in a really bad spot.   I am noticing a lot less tree roots where I have some raised beds at by cutting them down. 

Got 6 trays filled with some potting soil, now to go thru some seeds an decide what to start seeding out.  Added compost to the existing asparagus container beds that didn't get it in the fall.   One thing I did notice when I was loosing the soil where the red onion sets were being planted was how rich the soil is looking.  Back in the fall I had planted brocolli an cauliflower there an had added composted manure an it has finally paid off, I hope.  So far its not looking so sandy, but nice rich soil.  

I hauled the cuttings to the woods an burned the other pile while looking around for a place to experiment with the Strawbale Garden method.  I think I'll put it either on the side of the house an use a somewhat level area near the garden to grow some corn.  I don't ever have much luck with corn, but I keep trying.  Thank goodness I have a BIL that farms in case I fail at it once again I can get some from him.  Will try an get the red onion bulb babies planted tomorrow if I'm not to tired after work.  Now to call it a day!

Trudy's Chores today
Jan 27, 2008 | 7:42 AM PST
Tags: rain , compost , bulbs , pinestrawing , lantana , gully

This is the third week end in a row that it has rained,  but today so far it hasn't an is suppose to hit near 60* so I'm hoping to get outside an get some things done.  My truck is loaded with hay that isn't usable except for compost that I need to unload b4 tomorrow.  I have a pile of Jon Quill bulbs that need to go in the ground. And I haven't finished pinestrawing my beds yet.  I can't decide if I want to do away with one of my large beds or not  an turn it into another veggie bed.  Either way I go it'll have to be watered this summer an chances are this summer will be like the others, hot an humid an probably dry.

I still have some lantana to cut back an here I thought I had it all done b4 it got cold.  Yesterday we unloaded DH's truck full of crush an run to fill in the holes in the driveway where the water beat a gullly in.  Still have a few roses to prune the dead out of.  Dang I'm tired just thinking about this,  anyone wanna come over a help?   I can at least feed you good!   

Getting closer to being done
Apr 30, 2007 | 2:44 AM PST
Tags: potatoes , beetles , veggie , coffee , papaya , cocoa , Lady Banks , compost
I got some more out of the greenhouse an placed about the beds.  I lost a couple of Hawaiian Papaya plants, Cocoa Tree and Coffee Tree from the winter.   Just couldn't keep it warm enough in the greenhouse I reckon.  Got all the new plantings watered good.   Late yesterday after noon while watering the veggie garden I noticed some beetles on my tators,  went an got the shop vac  an sucked them up.   I really don't want to use chemicals if I don't have to, so will see what happens next.  I had read that works somewhere online and thought it made sense.  I plugged the end of the vac hose up so they can't crawl out.  Hopefully they will die in the tank.   Got the compost pile going again,  noticed I had several potatoe starts in there so I moved them to the tator bed.  They most likely won't make it, but figured why not try.   They even had little tators on the roots.  They sprang up from some peeling I had thrown in there over the last few weeks.  Also some other stuff I didn't fool with I just turned them into the pile.  For some reason my flowers bloom about a month later than everyone else around here,  my Lady Banks rose is just now starting up.   I've had to cover some of the later cabbage seedlings to keep them from getting chewed down.  Guess its a rabbit feasting on them.   Still have some more planting to do,  but oh so close to being finished with that to.  I think!!!

Got warm out today
Apr 8, 2007 | 3:11 PM PST
Tags: squash , tomatoe , compost , foxglove , Hydrangea , storm

I added some of the compost to the bed I was gonna plant the yellow squash in, planted all the squash which I hadn't planned on planting that many. Ole well, what I don't want I'll give away (I hope). Still have lots of other stuff to plant. I did get the "Black" tomatoe bed planted. Still have 1 full bed I can plant in, so plan to plant it full of melons. Just gonna amend the soil first, just to tired this afternoon and still had supper to cook. I make myself stop around 6 so I won't be so late getting outta the kitchen. But I got a tray of Pupura Foxglove and a Mixed of colors of Foxglove planted near the pond area. 2 Red Stem Hydrandreas planted that I rooted from a friend of mines mother plant. If I could ever figure out how to post pics I'll add some. Its suppose to storm here for the next couple of days, one reason I wanted to get as much planted as I could. trudy