My stupid Mandevilla is not doing well indoors. First it dropped all the flowers and stopped making them, which is fine, then it started losing leaves and not growing any more, and it's looking pretty thin. Now it has spider mites all over the top, so I think I should just put it out of its misery.
The Hibiscus seems fine. It's definitely not going to flower, but the leaves still look really good, and I kind of think it's still growing, although it's getting a little spindley.
The Jalapeno looks fine, I guess. It never looked great, even outside. The Ginger actually looks fine too, so we'll see how it goes.
I put the grow light on the curtain rod, over the little plant cluster, thinking if I leave that on sometimes it will give them enough light to get by. The light is still like, 4 or 5 feet away from the plants, so I don't know if it even does any good. If I could, I would love to grow greens inside this window, with the little bit of sun and the light. Although, if I want to do that, it would be so much smarter to do it in the laundry room with the light up close.
I put the Clivia in the attic, hoping it will go into whatever dormant period it's supposed to go through, and maybe flower at some point.
I also have two different containers of Paperwhites going. I don't think these look all that great, they're too tall, the flowers are not that big, but I'm going to try a few more rounds.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Bulb Time
Ok, finally planting some bulbs!
First I did a bunch of forced bulbs in little containers, like Hyacinths and mini Irises and some Crocus. They're up in the attic, which may or may not be the appropriate temperatures. I should be able to pull them out starting in early February.
I planted 40 of the Ice Follies daffodils in the other bed, along with about 20 of whatever I had in there last week. Then I ordered 25 more Daffodils, a big yellow kind called Dutch Master which should arrive by tomorrow.
I put the Foxtrot Tulips in the window box, along with a few Blue Pearl Crocus, and so far I don't think the squirrels have eaten them. I do need to water that thing, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be damp at least to start, so they can start growing some roots.
I bought 50 mixed Crocus, and planted them around the little trees above the retaining wall. I think that will be really nice, they are often planted under trees like that. And having them elevated like that should make them more visible. 50 Crocus bulbs is not a lot of Crocus. I wish I had bought 100.
I have 20 Perennial Tulips, most of which I planted in the front bed yesterday it 2 swaths. I ordered 40 more, so I guess I will kind of fill in that space with Tulips.
Now, this is the problem- Tulips especially don't hold up well if a bunch of annuals are planted on top of the bulbs, and then watered, and the bulbs all rot. So... I don't know if I should just pull them up after they're done, and then replant, or if I should maybe not even plant much on top of them, or whatever. I guess I'll deal with that later; the important thing is to get them in the ground.
I planted some of the Hyacinths in the side bed, and dug some holes for the ones that I ordered. I think it's 20-30 bulbs total. I'm going to mix in a lot of Grape Hyacinths around those.
So, we're looking at around 80 Daffodils, 60 perennial Tulips, 20 Foxtrot Tulips, 25 Hyacinths, 30 Grape Hyacinths... so around 200 bulbs total. Hopefully they will all come up. I think I ended up spending around $100 total on these.
First I did a bunch of forced bulbs in little containers, like Hyacinths and mini Irises and some Crocus. They're up in the attic, which may or may not be the appropriate temperatures. I should be able to pull them out starting in early February.
I planted 40 of the Ice Follies daffodils in the other bed, along with about 20 of whatever I had in there last week. Then I ordered 25 more Daffodils, a big yellow kind called Dutch Master which should arrive by tomorrow.
I put the Foxtrot Tulips in the window box, along with a few Blue Pearl Crocus, and so far I don't think the squirrels have eaten them. I do need to water that thing, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be damp at least to start, so they can start growing some roots.
I bought 50 mixed Crocus, and planted them around the little trees above the retaining wall. I think that will be really nice, they are often planted under trees like that. And having them elevated like that should make them more visible. 50 Crocus bulbs is not a lot of Crocus. I wish I had bought 100.
I have 20 Perennial Tulips, most of which I planted in the front bed yesterday it 2 swaths. I ordered 40 more, so I guess I will kind of fill in that space with Tulips.
Now, this is the problem- Tulips especially don't hold up well if a bunch of annuals are planted on top of the bulbs, and then watered, and the bulbs all rot. So... I don't know if I should just pull them up after they're done, and then replant, or if I should maybe not even plant much on top of them, or whatever. I guess I'll deal with that later; the important thing is to get them in the ground.
I planted some of the Hyacinths in the side bed, and dug some holes for the ones that I ordered. I think it's 20-30 bulbs total. I'm going to mix in a lot of Grape Hyacinths around those.
So, we're looking at around 80 Daffodils, 60 perennial Tulips, 20 Foxtrot Tulips, 25 Hyacinths, 30 Grape Hyacinths... so around 200 bulbs total. Hopefully they will all come up. I think I ended up spending around $100 total on these.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Clivia
I want to try to make my Clivia actually bloom. It sounds like I need to get it to go into dormancy, but the amount of time needed is variable. Sources agree that the temperatures should be between 55 and 34, but the amount of time needed varies from 30 days to 4 months. I'm thinking the attic is the best place, but I don't think it will be 55 degrees until November. And if we have a crazy cold winter, I'm worried it will drop well below freezing, but that's something I can monitor.
I think I will wait until the end of October and put it in the attic (with a water bottle to serve as a freezing indicator) and then leave it there through the end of January. Unless I know it's going to get super crazy cold... then I guess I could take it out after 2 months. We'll see how it goes. It would be pretty exciting to get those flowers.
I think I will wait until the end of October and put it in the attic (with a water bottle to serve as a freezing indicator) and then leave it there through the end of January. Unless I know it's going to get super crazy cold... then I guess I could take it out after 2 months. We'll see how it goes. It would be pretty exciting to get those flowers.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Winter is coming (kind of)
Tonight (Saturday) it's supposed to get down to 38, which would definitely kill the tropical plants, so I need to bring them inside today. I'm a little worried about that, because I'm sure I'll end up bringing in bugs. I'm supposed to hose them down pretty hard first, which should help, but I'm not confident.
I have the Mandevilla, the Terrain Hibiscus, and the Home Depot Hibiscus. I'm really unclear on how I'm supposed to take care of them. Some sources say they should both be encouraged to go dormant by not giving them direct sun and withholding water, but another source says this is stupid and it's totally easy to have a hibiscus as a house plant as long as you keep it evenly moist and your house isn't super dry. I think I will be using the humidifier this year. I don't know how I'm going to get the Mandevilla washed off, because it's kind of compact on its trellis. Which is great, I think, I want it to fill out. I heard someone on YBYG talk about an indoor palm they used as a Christmas tree, and I think I'll try something similar with the Mandevilla this year, since it has that shape already.
I also need to bring in the Jalapeno, and the Ginger. The Ginger has not impressed me so far- it's only just started to sprout. I guess I wasn't very thoughtful and I planted it too deep, and after a few weeks realized my mistake and removed an inch of soil. But they say it grows well as a house plant, so I'll keep trying. The Jalapeno... man, I don't know. It's not a very large pot, and the plant hasn't done terribly well. But there's no reason not to try, other than space.
Eventually I will need to bring in the Rosemary. It seems pretty happy right now, probably because I've left it alone all summer to soak up sun and occasional rain. Part of me wants to just keep it in a "protected area" where it won't freeze... but it's in a pot, and it's not a big pot, and it's only a year old... It's perennial to Zone 7, and I'm Zone 6, and it's in a pot and Mike says that's not going to work, which I have a hard time believing because tons of people grow other perennials in pots... I had a Rosemary in the raised bed last year and it absolutely did not make it, so I don't think this one stands a chance. I don't know what I'm doing, I shouldn't be free handing this nonsense.
So, I'll bring it inside, but not yet. Maybe in November, around the same time I plant bulbs.
If it is going to get cold tonight, like in the 30s, that should kill any tomato plant, right? (Please? I'm really sick of that guy.) And the green beans should be following suit. If it stops raining this afternoon, I think I will go ahead and rip them all out. They're really looking like shit, and I want to use that space for kale.
Also, the other annuals should be dying off, right? The Zinnias look like they're still going strong. For some reason, when I cut them and put them in jars, they aren't even lasting for a few days before turning brown and sad. Before, the same cut flowers would last me for 2 weeks; it was crazy.
The Morning Glory have been looking great this past month. I wish they would get going a little faster, I want them to be like this all summer. Maybe they don't like that hot sun. Maybe it was because they were mixed in with the green beans, and nothing can out compete a green bean. Maybe it wasn't until I pulled out all the bean plants that the Morning Glories could really get going. I've also given them some Miracle Grow which should be a bigger source of shame, but they're just an annual flower, their only purpose is to make flowers and look pretty for me, and they're not supposed to be healthy well adjusted individuals, I'm just going to give them drugs to get what I want from them and then kill them when they can't perform. I can't romanticize every plant.
About the Begonias... I think I should wait until frost kills the leaves, and then save the tubers. I could try to grow them over the winter inside, but I don't think I have space. It's getting kind of out of hand. The Impatients...I think they're pretty frost-tender and everything, but I think they are perennial? I think I will try to bring them inside.
I also have that big container with the purple oxalis that I'm very fond of, and I'd like to keep it around. I think a lot of people grow it as a houseplant. But I'm not going to bring in that big pot with the ivy and the Creeping Jenny. I mean, there's no reason I can't, but it's big, there's nothing that special about it. And, maybe I could just dig up and transplant the Oxalis to a smaller container? That seems way more reasonable.
Ok, so plants coming inside are:
I have the Mandevilla, the Terrain Hibiscus, and the Home Depot Hibiscus. I'm really unclear on how I'm supposed to take care of them. Some sources say they should both be encouraged to go dormant by not giving them direct sun and withholding water, but another source says this is stupid and it's totally easy to have a hibiscus as a house plant as long as you keep it evenly moist and your house isn't super dry. I think I will be using the humidifier this year. I don't know how I'm going to get the Mandevilla washed off, because it's kind of compact on its trellis. Which is great, I think, I want it to fill out. I heard someone on YBYG talk about an indoor palm they used as a Christmas tree, and I think I'll try something similar with the Mandevilla this year, since it has that shape already.
I also need to bring in the Jalapeno, and the Ginger. The Ginger has not impressed me so far- it's only just started to sprout. I guess I wasn't very thoughtful and I planted it too deep, and after a few weeks realized my mistake and removed an inch of soil. But they say it grows well as a house plant, so I'll keep trying. The Jalapeno... man, I don't know. It's not a very large pot, and the plant hasn't done terribly well. But there's no reason not to try, other than space.
Eventually I will need to bring in the Rosemary. It seems pretty happy right now, probably because I've left it alone all summer to soak up sun and occasional rain. Part of me wants to just keep it in a "protected area" where it won't freeze... but it's in a pot, and it's not a big pot, and it's only a year old... It's perennial to Zone 7, and I'm Zone 6, and it's in a pot and Mike says that's not going to work, which I have a hard time believing because tons of people grow other perennials in pots... I had a Rosemary in the raised bed last year and it absolutely did not make it, so I don't think this one stands a chance. I don't know what I'm doing, I shouldn't be free handing this nonsense.
So, I'll bring it inside, but not yet. Maybe in November, around the same time I plant bulbs.
If it is going to get cold tonight, like in the 30s, that should kill any tomato plant, right? (Please? I'm really sick of that guy.) And the green beans should be following suit. If it stops raining this afternoon, I think I will go ahead and rip them all out. They're really looking like shit, and I want to use that space for kale.
Also, the other annuals should be dying off, right? The Zinnias look like they're still going strong. For some reason, when I cut them and put them in jars, they aren't even lasting for a few days before turning brown and sad. Before, the same cut flowers would last me for 2 weeks; it was crazy.
The Morning Glory have been looking great this past month. I wish they would get going a little faster, I want them to be like this all summer. Maybe they don't like that hot sun. Maybe it was because they were mixed in with the green beans, and nothing can out compete a green bean. Maybe it wasn't until I pulled out all the bean plants that the Morning Glories could really get going. I've also given them some Miracle Grow which should be a bigger source of shame, but they're just an annual flower, their only purpose is to make flowers and look pretty for me, and they're not supposed to be healthy well adjusted individuals, I'm just going to give them drugs to get what I want from them and then kill them when they can't perform. I can't romanticize every plant.
About the Begonias... I think I should wait until frost kills the leaves, and then save the tubers. I could try to grow them over the winter inside, but I don't think I have space. It's getting kind of out of hand. The Impatients...I think they're pretty frost-tender and everything, but I think they are perennial? I think I will try to bring them inside.
I also have that big container with the purple oxalis that I'm very fond of, and I'd like to keep it around. I think a lot of people grow it as a houseplant. But I'm not going to bring in that big pot with the ivy and the Creeping Jenny. I mean, there's no reason I can't, but it's big, there's nothing that special about it. And, maybe I could just dig up and transplant the Oxalis to a smaller container? That seems way more reasonable.
Ok, so plants coming inside are:
- Mandevilla
- Yellow Hibiscus (giant pot)
- Pink Hibiscus (normal pot)
- Jalapeno
- Ginger
- New Guinea Impatints (3)
- Oxalis (transplant)
That means today I have to hose down the big guys and do the transplanting. And I really should plant those stupid Coreopsis I bought in like, August. I don't want to...
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Cleaning up and stuff
I finally cut the overgrown stuff in the front way, way back. Mostly it was Sweet Potato Vine, which has grown like crazy and was hiding a ton of plants I didn't know where there. And I pulled out a ton of dead shit off the poor day lilies, which are barely hanging on, Oh, and I cut the Black Eyed Susan and the Echinacea down quite a bit, because their dried out heads were depressing. I found a Hosta.
The container veggies are kind of stagnant. The Romaine Lettuce looks fantastic and I'm going to probably cut it soon, yay. The kale is growing very slowly, and it has some significant bug damage. The Bok Choy are getting decimated by the bugs. The stupid radicchio in the window box is growing and everything, and it looks fine and healthy, but it's not making any radicchio. It looks like I started those in early August, and while I think they are 80 or 90 day, they don't look like anything good is going to happen there. I think they might be bullshit. I may want to rip them out and put in more lettuce or spinach or something. The long container where I had the mesclun is ok, there's what looks like arugula and some stuff... I would like to replant it with another row but I need to get more seeds. There's another long container where I put the rest of the mesclun seeds a while ago, and they're germinated and sprouted, but then they did nothing for the last 2 -3 weeks.
I have like, 4 6 packs of baby Bok Choy starts but I don't know where to put them. They all seem to get nommed on by these little bugs, maybe also caterpillars. If I go through the trouble of transplanting all these, will I just attract more of these little fuckers? The ones I have are already much bigger than I thought they would be, so I'm going to go ahead and harvest those, and transplant the starts back into that container. (I should go through it first and make sure there are no disgusting caterpillars.
The container veggies are kind of stagnant. The Romaine Lettuce looks fantastic and I'm going to probably cut it soon, yay. The kale is growing very slowly, and it has some significant bug damage. The Bok Choy are getting decimated by the bugs. The stupid radicchio in the window box is growing and everything, and it looks fine and healthy, but it's not making any radicchio. It looks like I started those in early August, and while I think they are 80 or 90 day, they don't look like anything good is going to happen there. I think they might be bullshit. I may want to rip them out and put in more lettuce or spinach or something. The long container where I had the mesclun is ok, there's what looks like arugula and some stuff... I would like to replant it with another row but I need to get more seeds. There's another long container where I put the rest of the mesclun seeds a while ago, and they're germinated and sprouted, but then they did nothing for the last 2 -3 weeks.
I have like, 4 6 packs of baby Bok Choy starts but I don't know where to put them. They all seem to get nommed on by these little bugs, maybe also caterpillars. If I go through the trouble of transplanting all these, will I just attract more of these little fuckers? The ones I have are already much bigger than I thought they would be, so I'm going to go ahead and harvest those, and transplant the starts back into that container. (I should go through it first and make sure there are no disgusting caterpillars.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
I got worms.
I now have a worm bin (WormFactory) and approximately 1000 red wiggler worms. When I got the worms 4 days ago, I made the starter mix they recommended, with damp coir, shredded paper, pumice and mineral dust, and lined the top and bottom with paper. They asked for newsprint, but I used the brown paper bag material. I hope it's not too dense.
I just fed them for the first time- I put the contents of my little kitchen crock into the food processor (2 batches) to try to break it down to a manageable size and chunkiness. That was gross. But yeah, I tried to spread that around for the worms... it was quite damp, which is probably good because the paper on top and even the coir mix seemed very dry. Hm... I definitely used tap water to dampen everything, and it's definitely chlorinated. So going forward, I should probably make an effort to de-chlorinate that stuff. You can leave it to sit out for 2 days, and the chlorine evolves into the air, or you can boil it for an hour, I think. The best approach would probably be to keep a spray bottle near the bin so when things look dry, I can just mist it. I'll need to do that with some of the house plants as well. (Oh god, there are going to be so many house plants)
But I think this is going to be a good thing. I can put the majority of kitchen scraps in there. Some sources say they do not like onions or citrus or hot peppers, which worries me because I use those things a lot. Why wouldn't they like onions? What about onion skins? They like eggshells and coffee grounds, and that's great because I have a lot of that, and I don't mind hoarding it. I had a large stash of coffee grounds that I put in the outside compost, but I think the rest of them will go in the worm bin, because it sounds like everyone agrees they are the perfect for worms. That, and nutrient-poor stuff like lettuce. I am reluctant to put any fruit or tomato in there because of the potential for fruit flies, but everyone says that's not an issue as long as I keep putting in shredded paper. We'll see. I'm now getting very impatient, and I want to mess with it, but I should probably just leave it alone and check on it after a week.
I just fed them for the first time- I put the contents of my little kitchen crock into the food processor (2 batches) to try to break it down to a manageable size and chunkiness. That was gross. But yeah, I tried to spread that around for the worms... it was quite damp, which is probably good because the paper on top and even the coir mix seemed very dry. Hm... I definitely used tap water to dampen everything, and it's definitely chlorinated. So going forward, I should probably make an effort to de-chlorinate that stuff. You can leave it to sit out for 2 days, and the chlorine evolves into the air, or you can boil it for an hour, I think. The best approach would probably be to keep a spray bottle near the bin so when things look dry, I can just mist it. I'll need to do that with some of the house plants as well. (Oh god, there are going to be so many house plants)
But I think this is going to be a good thing. I can put the majority of kitchen scraps in there. Some sources say they do not like onions or citrus or hot peppers, which worries me because I use those things a lot. Why wouldn't they like onions? What about onion skins? They like eggshells and coffee grounds, and that's great because I have a lot of that, and I don't mind hoarding it. I had a large stash of coffee grounds that I put in the outside compost, but I think the rest of them will go in the worm bin, because it sounds like everyone agrees they are the perfect for worms. That, and nutrient-poor stuff like lettuce. I am reluctant to put any fruit or tomato in there because of the potential for fruit flies, but everyone says that's not an issue as long as I keep putting in shredded paper. We'll see. I'm now getting very impatient, and I want to mess with it, but I should probably just leave it alone and check on it after a week.
So Many Plants
I now have 5 out of 6 of the rectangular planters filled with fall veggies- Bok Choy, Lettuce, Kale and Swiss Chard. I think they're looking quite good, although today it's like, 90+ and sunny and humid and everything is looking a little limp and sad, including me. The Swiss Chard looks really nice, and the first set of lettuce is pretty full, but not very green, for some reason. When it's cooler, I'm going to cut back a lot, and see how it comes back. I did that a few weeks ago and made a teeny tiny salad for myself, but now the Romaine are starting to form little heads.
I think next year I could do the 3 big planters with something fast, like lettuce and radishes, and then it will be all finished by May, when I would put in the Green Beans. I don't think I would even need to clean the plants out, I would just plant the beans in there near the end of April, when the lettuce should be finishing, and they'll just succession-grow themselves.
At Home Depot, I bought some Coreopsis, which were 3 for $12, and I'd been thinking about putting them in the sad bed. Right now the grasses are so huge I feel weird about putting anything in there. But I will. I would do it today if it wasn't disgusting outside. I also got a new Hibiscus from Terrain, because it was on sale, and put it in a bigger pot. Yet another plant I can bring in over the winter.
I'm starting to pull off any new flowers on the tomato. It's not that we don't have time to get them ripened up, but I am sick of the ugly plant. And I want to clear out some space for the next round of planting. I want to get more Kale up in there.
I think next year I could do the 3 big planters with something fast, like lettuce and radishes, and then it will be all finished by May, when I would put in the Green Beans. I don't think I would even need to clean the plants out, I would just plant the beans in there near the end of April, when the lettuce should be finishing, and they'll just succession-grow themselves.
At Home Depot, I bought some Coreopsis, which were 3 for $12, and I'd been thinking about putting them in the sad bed. Right now the grasses are so huge I feel weird about putting anything in there. But I will. I would do it today if it wasn't disgusting outside. I also got a new Hibiscus from Terrain, because it was on sale, and put it in a bigger pot. Yet another plant I can bring in over the winter.
I'm starting to pull off any new flowers on the tomato. It's not that we don't have time to get them ripened up, but I am sick of the ugly plant. And I want to clear out some space for the next round of planting. I want to get more Kale up in there.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Fall Veggies
Yay, my Burpee order came yesterday, so I can get some more seeds going. I got...
- Radishes, "Crimson Giant," alleged days to maturity: 29. (Not 30, why would you even say that.)
- Pak Choi, "Toy Choi Hybrid," days to maturity: 30 ("Radish, stop being an overachiever.") The Bok Choy I planted already (the only one that is actually growing; what did I do with the others?) is looking kinda big, more like a grocery store Bok Choy. I want the babies, the ones that are twice the price by weight.
- Chicory (Radicchio), "Red Verona," days to maturity: 85. That's a long time. That's like... almost 3 months. If I plant them now, I don't get them until mid-November. Well, I better do it right now.
- Spinach, "Harmony Hybrid," 42 days. Why did I buy these again? Oh, right, they were on sale. If I plant these today, I should have spinach in early October, so that's cool.
I planted a tray of the baby Choy and put them under the light. And now I'm reading the package and it says "Harvest in 30 days," and also "seedlings emerge in 10-21 days," but they're supposedly direct-sow, and usually Days to Maturity refers the sowing as the start date for those. How could you go from germination to maturity in 2 weeks, for anything that's not lettuce? I guess I should keep an eye on it and see what happens. I'll also do a tray of the Radicchio.
I planted 2 rows of Radishes next to the Kale that I have in a long container. I figured the radishes would be a quick turn-around, and the kale can be a longer standing plant. I also put a row of radishes behind the basil in the raised bed, but now I'm thinking that might not be so great- the basil is going to be there for a while, and I don't want them to block the sun for the radishes. But whatever, I can keep sowing them every week or two.
I transplanted a tray of Romaine into another long container, the 24" one. (Actually just 5, the 6th never germinated.) And I added some of the Mesclun seed tape around them, so hopefully that starts to look nice. Next I need to transplant the other Radicchio starts into a container, I guess the 32" ones. Maybe I'll add Spinach in next to it. And I have some Kale starts in various containers.
I started what I hope will be a pretty container I can give to mom. It's that big square one, and there's a border of Mesclun, and then a border of Spinach inside, and then I'd like to put a Swiss Chard in the middle. I've only got like, 3 weeks. If I can't pull it off, I guess I'll just be getting her a real present.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
August Update
Raised Bed:
The Tomatoes and the Green Beans are producing like crazy. I'm on an every-other-day picking schedule, and I get a quart sized bag of Green Beans every week, at least. I really can't eat the tomatoes fast enough. I should bring them to work...
The old Swiss Chard plants are kind of done. They didn't get enough sun, they didn't get any attention, and I just kind of left them there, so, whatever. I ripped em out, to put them out of their misery. (In the process, I saw the roots were like, a foot long or more, so I'm concerned about my Swiss Chard in containers...) The Chives are still chive-ing, Parsley is still going, although it keeps trying to go to seed. The Cilantro is of course long gone. Of the little starter plants that I have, I don't even know if it's worth it. I guess if I start some seeds now, they'll be good to plant in September, which is when cilantro can actually grow.
There is a Jalapeno plant in there, and he's alive, but no more peppers. The one I bought recently and put in a pot is doing much better. The mint looks like shit, I think I should put it out of it's misery. I never used any of it, either.
The Basil plants are kind of hanging on. I don't know what their problem is- why can't they just grow well, like mom's? The one that rooted and then planted in some potting stuff seems to actually have some new growth, so I planted it in the bed- it was practically root bound, and it had only been a week, maybe 2. Time to start another!
Obviously my raised bed is overcrowded. I think this is mainly because of the beans. The purple beans seemed to do quite well in the itty bitty containers, and that was with some pretty poor watering. They get a lot of sun, which is cool, and I guess I could get pretty far with this if I give them a compost layer after the first round of beans, or at least some of that 231 fertilizer. I'll use those 32" self-watering containers, and based on the Square Foot Garden charts, I could get 16 plants in each one. I gotta do some purple beans, they're so cool, maybe one container of all purple, and the other two just the regular green beans. If I didn't have the beans in the raised bed, I think it would be very nice and orderly, not this mess of leaves.
Everything gets morning sun, but the majority of it gets a lot of shade from the tree right around noon. I don't know, I mean... Should I even be growing vegetables there? Um, I'm getting a pint of tomatoes and a quart of beans a week, I think it's ok. And it's been a more cool, rainy summer than usual, so I would be ok, overall.
Anyway. I'd like to get the whole thing really packed with those nice little cool season veggies as soon as the tomatoes come out. Tomatoes usually go through September, right? Meh. It comes out when I decide it looks too shitty to live.
Front Bed:
Yeah, the Black Eyed Susan are great, so are the Echinacea, and the Day lilies are kind of underwhelming, in comparison. I think they need to be divided next year, along with the Liriope. The annuals are great- Sweet Potato Vine is awesome, so is Vinca, and that's pretty much all you need to look like you know what you're doing. I'm going to put another Echinacea in there soon, when they go on sale or whatever. I'd kind of like to move stuff around a lot more, but that's going to be tough because I won't remember where anything is.
Oh, shit, if I'm going to plant a ton of daffodils, I need to do that in like, November, but I could move some other plants around at the same time? I mean, for something like a liriope or a day lily, I think whatever you do is fine.
The Tomatoes and the Green Beans are producing like crazy. I'm on an every-other-day picking schedule, and I get a quart sized bag of Green Beans every week, at least. I really can't eat the tomatoes fast enough. I should bring them to work...
The old Swiss Chard plants are kind of done. They didn't get enough sun, they didn't get any attention, and I just kind of left them there, so, whatever. I ripped em out, to put them out of their misery. (In the process, I saw the roots were like, a foot long or more, so I'm concerned about my Swiss Chard in containers...) The Chives are still chive-ing, Parsley is still going, although it keeps trying to go to seed. The Cilantro is of course long gone. Of the little starter plants that I have, I don't even know if it's worth it. I guess if I start some seeds now, they'll be good to plant in September, which is when cilantro can actually grow.
There is a Jalapeno plant in there, and he's alive, but no more peppers. The one I bought recently and put in a pot is doing much better. The mint looks like shit, I think I should put it out of it's misery. I never used any of it, either.
The Basil plants are kind of hanging on. I don't know what their problem is- why can't they just grow well, like mom's? The one that rooted and then planted in some potting stuff seems to actually have some new growth, so I planted it in the bed- it was practically root bound, and it had only been a week, maybe 2. Time to start another!
Obviously my raised bed is overcrowded. I think this is mainly because of the beans. The purple beans seemed to do quite well in the itty bitty containers, and that was with some pretty poor watering. They get a lot of sun, which is cool, and I guess I could get pretty far with this if I give them a compost layer after the first round of beans, or at least some of that 231 fertilizer. I'll use those 32" self-watering containers, and based on the Square Foot Garden charts, I could get 16 plants in each one. I gotta do some purple beans, they're so cool, maybe one container of all purple, and the other two just the regular green beans. If I didn't have the beans in the raised bed, I think it would be very nice and orderly, not this mess of leaves.
Everything gets morning sun, but the majority of it gets a lot of shade from the tree right around noon. I don't know, I mean... Should I even be growing vegetables there? Um, I'm getting a pint of tomatoes and a quart of beans a week, I think it's ok. And it's been a more cool, rainy summer than usual, so I would be ok, overall.
Anyway. I'd like to get the whole thing really packed with those nice little cool season veggies as soon as the tomatoes come out. Tomatoes usually go through September, right? Meh. It comes out when I decide it looks too shitty to live.
Front Bed:
Yeah, the Black Eyed Susan are great, so are the Echinacea, and the Day lilies are kind of underwhelming, in comparison. I think they need to be divided next year, along with the Liriope. The annuals are great- Sweet Potato Vine is awesome, so is Vinca, and that's pretty much all you need to look like you know what you're doing. I'm going to put another Echinacea in there soon, when they go on sale or whatever. I'd kind of like to move stuff around a lot more, but that's going to be tough because I won't remember where anything is.
Oh, shit, if I'm going to plant a ton of daffodils, I need to do that in like, November, but I could move some other plants around at the same time? I mean, for something like a liriope or a day lily, I think whatever you do is fine.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Weekend
I finally took out the finished compost, and it seems pretty great. It's super dark and damp and heavy, but crumbly, and there are so many worms! The hardest part of this was definitely getting the worms out, so I could put them back in the compost bin. I ended up leaving a significant amount of what is probably really good compost in the bottom, because at that point it was like, worms held together by compost. (And meanwhile, Mom is throwing away multiple bags of leaves! I can't even.)
So, I put a layer on the Mandevilla (it's so neglected) and on the Rosemary, and I put 6-8 handfuls into the raised bed, trying to spread them near the back.
I was able to pick up the mostly empty compost bin and move it to the space between the AC and the house, where it fits perfectly. It might actually stay kind of warm there, for a little longer. So now there's this big empty spot where I can ultimately extend the raised bed and grow tomatoes and stuff.
Then I took the plastic planters with the Zinnias out of the window box, and put the containers in the spot where the compost was. I thought about planting them right in the ground, but it's super compact clay, and since I'm going to build a raised bed on top, I don't see the point in amending the soil. The plants are at least 2 feet high, so they look totally crazy in there. I back-filled it with compost and more old potting soil, and I put in the starter Radicchio. I'll also put in some Mesclun or something like that. I think it should get enough sun, hopefully?
The green beans are finally producing at the rate I was expecting. I filled a quart sized bag with less than a week's worth of beans, that I will probably give to mom.
I do need to figure out where to put all the seedling starts I've got. The things under the light, I kind of want them to get farther along. They should stay undisturbed until their roots are pressing up against the sides. Right now I have a 6 pack of Radicchio that look nice, very compact and a little bit of red. And there's a 6 pack of Kale that looks pretty good, but I wish it would grow a bit more. I guess it's just making roots, which is good, right? But yeah, it does not look like I should mess with it anytime soon. I have a 6 pack of Swiss Chard that only has 2 plants in it, so I guess the other 4 didn't happen for some reason? so I should go ahead and re-seed the other spots. Then I also have the leftover nursery starters, 2 10-packs. There's one with Bok Choy, and one with Swiss Chard. I guess I need to get those transplanted.
So, I put a layer on the Mandevilla (it's so neglected) and on the Rosemary, and I put 6-8 handfuls into the raised bed, trying to spread them near the back.
I was able to pick up the mostly empty compost bin and move it to the space between the AC and the house, where it fits perfectly. It might actually stay kind of warm there, for a little longer. So now there's this big empty spot where I can ultimately extend the raised bed and grow tomatoes and stuff.
Then I took the plastic planters with the Zinnias out of the window box, and put the containers in the spot where the compost was. I thought about planting them right in the ground, but it's super compact clay, and since I'm going to build a raised bed on top, I don't see the point in amending the soil. The plants are at least 2 feet high, so they look totally crazy in there. I back-filled it with compost and more old potting soil, and I put in the starter Radicchio. I'll also put in some Mesclun or something like that. I think it should get enough sun, hopefully?
The green beans are finally producing at the rate I was expecting. I filled a quart sized bag with less than a week's worth of beans, that I will probably give to mom.
I do need to figure out where to put all the seedling starts I've got. The things under the light, I kind of want them to get farther along. They should stay undisturbed until their roots are pressing up against the sides. Right now I have a 6 pack of Radicchio that look nice, very compact and a little bit of red. And there's a 6 pack of Kale that looks pretty good, but I wish it would grow a bit more. I guess it's just making roots, which is good, right? But yeah, it does not look like I should mess with it anytime soon. I have a 6 pack of Swiss Chard that only has 2 plants in it, so I guess the other 4 didn't happen for some reason? so I should go ahead and re-seed the other spots. Then I also have the leftover nursery starters, 2 10-packs. There's one with Bok Choy, and one with Swiss Chard. I guess I need to get those transplanted.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Annuals
It's too hot and humid to do anything outside. I should be emptying out the finished compost so I can load it up with more stuff, but I really don't want to. Actually, there is a long list of things I should be doing.
Instead, I want to think about what annual flowers to grow next year. I'm still not sure how I feel about the gladioli. I think they're very cool, they do make everything seem very lush and colorful, but they're a little... I dunno, tacky? I still have two boxes I didn't plant this year, so I will probably end up doing something with them. But DON'T buy any more.
The Morning Glory are not worth it. I'm getting like, 2 blooms at a time, 3 tops. And if I had bean plants in their place, that would be so much more productive, and so easy. I mean, seriously, I put way too much work into getting those things started, and this is the 3rd year I've tried it, and I think I should just stop. The Moonflower were even worse.
I'm very enamored of Zinnias right now, so I say let's do a bunch of those. They can be in containers, or whatever, but now that I know what I'm doing, I think it will be really nice. Just don't put them in the window box again. And the ones I got from Home Depot are some sad little fuckers. I should have ripped them out after a week.
The nasturtiums aren't that bad, the ones in the grow bags. The raised bed really doesn't have space for something decorative like that. I mean, maybe petunias or something would be more graceful, but I think these are cute. I will definitely do all one color again.
Everything about that wall planter seems kind of shitty. It obviously dries out like crazy. Everything I put in there dies, except the Thunburgia which looks like a messy weed. (Um, that's cause I need to cut it back.) I think next year I will put a plastic liner in it so it doesn't get so dried out. And I don't know what to put in there...
The Mandevilla was not a great choice. I wish I had gotten a Clematis. Not that they're really comparable. I'm just disappointed that he's not actually climbing. Putting a container in that spot in the bed was fine, I guess, although I think it looked weird for a while. But the big hole in the bush has filled in, so I think we're good! I was planning to bring the Mandy inside for the winter. I think I still will, because it sounds easy to care for over the winter (unlike the Clivia...) and it would be a plant that I could have inside, which would make me happy, and because reasons.
Let's see, what else did I plant... The Vinca look great in the front bed. I am kind of starting to understand the way people who are serious about gardening want to have purely perennial beds, but it really works well to just fill out the front with little annuals. They look so good with the Sweet Potato Vine. And they were cheap, and they live forever no matter what you do to them. The ones I put in the container look good, too.
I bought that pack of...um... Lantana? And they were supposed to be pink and yellow, which were my colors for the front bed, but then they looked more red, so I put them in the Bed of Neglect, where there is a red and yellow yarrow, but then they started to turn more pink, and now they're kind of pink and red and yellow? Google Images seem to have the same problem. But they are tough as nails. I have basically ignored them (I mean, I banished them to the Bed of Neglect) and they're growing all happy, with their weed friends. Ha, weed friends)
And... I put some calibroachia in the front bed, because it was pink and yellow, and I guess it's fine? I never look at it, because it's on the other side, but it had a few rounds of flowers with no attention from me. I guess things in the ground are pretty safe in general.
Now, on the patio- the hibiscus is so sexy with its big-ass flowers. I want to try to overwinter her inside, as well. I just asked the internet how that would go, and the internet was like, "Ooh, yeah that's going to be tough, she needs 2-3 hours of direct sunlight a day." Relax, internet, I got this. I have southeast-facing sliding glass doors, and I actually get more direct sun in the winter. I did learn that it is in too big a container. (The container is insane, it's like a bathtub) So I think I'll transplant it first, which I would have done anyway.
Both the Mandevilla and the Hibiscus need to come inside before nighttime temperatures drop below 40. So, Mid September.
And... I also have some New Guinea impatiens and some begonias that never flowered and some coleus. Coleus is fucking amazing, and that's why I'm going to grow it my damn self next year, because I couldn't find any this past spring. I see they have it all over the place at work, so I think they must have hoarded it all. I think I will not be doing the plant stand next year, just the raised bed that I set up. And I would like to fill that with primarily hostas and ferns, but I kind of know that's a bad idea. I mean, I know Mike McGrath would tell me not to do it. He'd probably be like, "They might not necessarily die, but why try it when you could just leave them in the ground where they'll be happy and healthy?" And he would be right.
The smart thing to do would be to fill that spot with things like Begonias, Caladiums, Coleus and Elephant Ears. 3 out of those 4 are tubers that can be dug up and stored inside over winter. So I could develop this really lush patio landscape of big leafy things, a Hibiscus, and a Mandevilla, and as long as I pay a little attention, I don't have to keep buying them.
(BTW- remember that container at Mom's, with the gorgeous foliage plants for shade, like the begonia and the other weird thing? If she doesn't want to save it, I should try to get a hold of them and save them, and then repot them for her in her own containers next year. So smart! Good Mother's Day gift!)
Other annual flowers (god, I did not realize I had done so many)- the Sunflowers. Ok, so I have like, 6 of them, in a nice little patch in front of the AC. They're like, 4 feet tall, which is not too offensive. But, like Mom said, they are fucking ugly. (Actually what she said was, "I think they look best when there's a big field of them, far away." But that's because they are ugly.) And it's the end of July and they don't really show any signs of blooming. The ones at Pete's looked great the first week of July, and 3 weeks later they're looking a little spent. So, best case scenario is still not great. I don't think they're that awesome for home gardens, unless you have a lot of land, and you want to entertain kids with them. Because I can see how it's a good project for a kid, this tiny seed can grow a total monster of a plant. (which looks like a nasty weed and has an unremarkable flower, woo!)
But wait, there's more! I threw some Sweet Alyssum seeds into the Side Bed around April, and they're actually growing and it makes a nice border. I kind of want to put Thyme there, though. The Thyme is so low-growing that it just does not stand a chance in the raised bed. I don't think it gets any sun. But if I put it along the side of the side bed, next to the sidewalk, it would get great sun, it would drain well, and it would be more likely to perennialize because it's close to the house. And it could be pretty, I could get some flowering kind. Or I could also get some Sweet Alyssum seed, and start them inside. (Calm down, you have one grow light.)
Instead, I want to think about what annual flowers to grow next year. I'm still not sure how I feel about the gladioli. I think they're very cool, they do make everything seem very lush and colorful, but they're a little... I dunno, tacky? I still have two boxes I didn't plant this year, so I will probably end up doing something with them. But DON'T buy any more.
The Morning Glory are not worth it. I'm getting like, 2 blooms at a time, 3 tops. And if I had bean plants in their place, that would be so much more productive, and so easy. I mean, seriously, I put way too much work into getting those things started, and this is the 3rd year I've tried it, and I think I should just stop. The Moonflower were even worse.
I'm very enamored of Zinnias right now, so I say let's do a bunch of those. They can be in containers, or whatever, but now that I know what I'm doing, I think it will be really nice. Just don't put them in the window box again. And the ones I got from Home Depot are some sad little fuckers. I should have ripped them out after a week.
The nasturtiums aren't that bad, the ones in the grow bags. The raised bed really doesn't have space for something decorative like that. I mean, maybe petunias or something would be more graceful, but I think these are cute. I will definitely do all one color again.
Everything about that wall planter seems kind of shitty. It obviously dries out like crazy. Everything I put in there dies, except the Thunburgia which looks like a messy weed. (Um, that's cause I need to cut it back.) I think next year I will put a plastic liner in it so it doesn't get so dried out. And I don't know what to put in there...
The Mandevilla was not a great choice. I wish I had gotten a Clematis. Not that they're really comparable. I'm just disappointed that he's not actually climbing. Putting a container in that spot in the bed was fine, I guess, although I think it looked weird for a while. But the big hole in the bush has filled in, so I think we're good! I was planning to bring the Mandy inside for the winter. I think I still will, because it sounds easy to care for over the winter (unlike the Clivia...) and it would be a plant that I could have inside, which would make me happy, and because reasons.
Let's see, what else did I plant... The Vinca look great in the front bed. I am kind of starting to understand the way people who are serious about gardening want to have purely perennial beds, but it really works well to just fill out the front with little annuals. They look so good with the Sweet Potato Vine. And they were cheap, and they live forever no matter what you do to them. The ones I put in the container look good, too.
I bought that pack of...um... Lantana? And they were supposed to be pink and yellow, which were my colors for the front bed, but then they looked more red, so I put them in the Bed of Neglect, where there is a red and yellow yarrow, but then they started to turn more pink, and now they're kind of pink and red and yellow? Google Images seem to have the same problem. But they are tough as nails. I have basically ignored them (I mean, I banished them to the Bed of Neglect) and they're growing all happy, with their weed friends. Ha, weed friends)
And... I put some calibroachia in the front bed, because it was pink and yellow, and I guess it's fine? I never look at it, because it's on the other side, but it had a few rounds of flowers with no attention from me. I guess things in the ground are pretty safe in general.
Now, on the patio- the hibiscus is so sexy with its big-ass flowers. I want to try to overwinter her inside, as well. I just asked the internet how that would go, and the internet was like, "Ooh, yeah that's going to be tough, she needs 2-3 hours of direct sunlight a day." Relax, internet, I got this. I have southeast-facing sliding glass doors, and I actually get more direct sun in the winter. I did learn that it is in too big a container. (The container is insane, it's like a bathtub) So I think I'll transplant it first, which I would have done anyway.
Both the Mandevilla and the Hibiscus need to come inside before nighttime temperatures drop below 40. So, Mid September.
And... I also have some New Guinea impatiens and some begonias that never flowered and some coleus. Coleus is fucking amazing, and that's why I'm going to grow it my damn self next year, because I couldn't find any this past spring. I see they have it all over the place at work, so I think they must have hoarded it all. I think I will not be doing the plant stand next year, just the raised bed that I set up. And I would like to fill that with primarily hostas and ferns, but I kind of know that's a bad idea. I mean, I know Mike McGrath would tell me not to do it. He'd probably be like, "They might not necessarily die, but why try it when you could just leave them in the ground where they'll be happy and healthy?" And he would be right.
The smart thing to do would be to fill that spot with things like Begonias, Caladiums, Coleus and Elephant Ears. 3 out of those 4 are tubers that can be dug up and stored inside over winter. So I could develop this really lush patio landscape of big leafy things, a Hibiscus, and a Mandevilla, and as long as I pay a little attention, I don't have to keep buying them.
(BTW- remember that container at Mom's, with the gorgeous foliage plants for shade, like the begonia and the other weird thing? If she doesn't want to save it, I should try to get a hold of them and save them, and then repot them for her in her own containers next year. So smart! Good Mother's Day gift!)
Other annual flowers (god, I did not realize I had done so many)- the Sunflowers. Ok, so I have like, 6 of them, in a nice little patch in front of the AC. They're like, 4 feet tall, which is not too offensive. But, like Mom said, they are fucking ugly. (Actually what she said was, "I think they look best when there's a big field of them, far away." But that's because they are ugly.) And it's the end of July and they don't really show any signs of blooming. The ones at Pete's looked great the first week of July, and 3 weeks later they're looking a little spent. So, best case scenario is still not great. I don't think they're that awesome for home gardens, unless you have a lot of land, and you want to entertain kids with them. Because I can see how it's a good project for a kid, this tiny seed can grow a total monster of a plant. (which looks like a nasty weed and has an unremarkable flower, woo!)
But wait, there's more! I threw some Sweet Alyssum seeds into the Side Bed around April, and they're actually growing and it makes a nice border. I kind of want to put Thyme there, though. The Thyme is so low-growing that it just does not stand a chance in the raised bed. I don't think it gets any sun. But if I put it along the side of the side bed, next to the sidewalk, it would get great sun, it would drain well, and it would be more likely to perennialize because it's close to the house. And it could be pretty, I could get some flowering kind. Or I could also get some Sweet Alyssum seed, and start them inside. (Calm down, you have one grow light.)
Friday, July 25, 2014
Longwood
My trip to Longwood yesterday was great. I could wander around, thinking thoughts, and walking and totally different paces at different sites.
Their perennial beds actually looked a lot like mine- lots of herbaceous perennials blooming like crazy with no real order or scheme. By that point, my phone's battery had died, but I would have taken lots of pictures otherwise. It kind of looked like there wasn't a ton of care taken- like, an above-average amount of care, for sure, but not the Longwood type that I would expect. (I also think the vegetable garden looked a little under-tended, but we don't have to talk about that.)
All I want in the world is to get that front bed to be the bestest perennial bed, where it just fills out and looks lovely, no maintenance. It's 80% of the way there. I just need to put in another Echinacea, or maybe they'll even self-sow and things will be good.
Their perennial beds actually looked a lot like mine- lots of herbaceous perennials blooming like crazy with no real order or scheme. By that point, my phone's battery had died, but I would have taken lots of pictures otherwise. It kind of looked like there wasn't a ton of care taken- like, an above-average amount of care, for sure, but not the Longwood type that I would expect. (I also think the vegetable garden looked a little under-tended, but we don't have to talk about that.)
All I want in the world is to get that front bed to be the bestest perennial bed, where it just fills out and looks lovely, no maintenance. It's 80% of the way there. I just need to put in another Echinacea, or maybe they'll even self-sow and things will be good.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Vegetable Plants Aren't Here to Make Friends
Let's talk about the veggie and herb growing situation that I hope to have next year.
First, what did I do this year that was awesome? Well, that tomato is kind of insane. Last year I grew one in a large container, and that was cool, and I got some tasty little tomatoes. So this year I was like, a) I can't put it in the same place again, because reasons, and b) let's try it in the raised bed, even though it isn't the most sun ever, and see how it does? And I bought a Sun Gold type something cherry tomato and Lowe's (the Bonnie Plants brand) instead of the yuppy place with my mom like last year, and I planted it after drawing a lot of pictures on graph paper of the one square foot it would need! See, on the paper, how many pictures of plants I can fit into that space? HahahahaaaAwesome!
So I put a tomato plant and a jalapeno pepper plant side by side, like lil buddies, with matching trellis...ess...s that were 15 in wide. and like not even 4 feet high, thinking they would grow up side by side and make nice little vegetables-that-are-really-fruits together.
And the pepper was like, "Tomato, you're my best friend," and the tomato was like, "Hahahah you little bitch. I mean, sure, you too buddy."
The tomato obviously grew a little faster, which is fine, everyone grows at their own rate and that's ok. You just do you, lil pepper.
But then, 2 months later, the tomato is like 10 feet tall and has taken over the world, and is carrying with it a bunch of thug pole bean plants, and the pepper is nowhere to be seen. I planted like, 20 seeds, but then there was hail and a bunch of them looked like shit so I pulled out about half and still they're kind of out of control.
A lot of this happened in the first week of July. I went to Utah for work, then to DC for fun, so I was gone a solid week. The day before I left, I watered everything like crazy, gathering up the empties from the summer festivities, peeling off the labels for decency, and filling them with water and inverting them into pre-drenched soil. Everything survived, which is amazing, so let's do that again, but the tomato and beans were flopped over on to the lawn, unable to support their own massiveness. Which is normal, right? How many times did Mike McGrath explain to me that the tomato is a huge plant? And that if you want a tomato that tastes good, at has to be a total fucking monster?
Mike McGrath is always like, Get some industrial strength steel and build an actual WWE Octagon cage-fight cage, because anything else, your tomato plant will TAKE IT DOOOOWWWWN. And I was like, ooh you know what would look pretty, some little wooden trellis things; but not too big! Maybe I could make it out of reclaimed 18th century toothpicks! Blah blah Pinterest!
So I bought these cages (2), for tomatoes next year. They at least fold up, so they don't have to just hang out in front of my house like so much garbage. And I like that they are square. They are 14 1/2" square, 20" diagonally, which is how I plan to arrange them in the rectangular, 24" deep bed, as a reminder of how much space they need to do their thing and to not think they're going to be friends with a pepper. Come on. (Actually, I got Tomato Towers, not Tomato Cages. They are tall.)
I also got these "self watering" containers (3) and I will use them for something? Something that's going to climb up patio walls. The Morning Glory are lovely, but I'm not sure they are getting along with the pole beans. I think I'm getting more bean plant and less flowery plant. The purple pole beans are so fucking cool. The stems are purple, the leaves have purple streaks, they have purple flowers, it's awesome. And I've already gotten like, 1/2 lb of beans, while I haven't had one bean yet from old Kentucky Wonder over in the raised bed. And Kentucky regular-ass-green bean plant has grown a lot, like it makes me nervous hanging out near it cause it might strangle me, but no beans yet? Is that a "too much nitrogen" thing? But the tomato is messy with fruit, so that doesn't make sense. The best explanation I can come up with is sun- the ones on the patio (purple) get beaten with sun, so they don't need to make crazy leaves, but the raised bed gets dappled sun for a minute and then some shade after about 3. So I think they get just barely 6 hours. The other reason to not grow pole beans in a tiny raised bed is that they take that shit over.
And this is at Longwood! (So, I don't wanna be a bitch, but did anyone else thing Longwood's vegetable garden was actually not that impressive? I mean, did you see the tomatoes? They've kind of let themselves go. And cut back your kale already, it's July.)
(Longwood: "Remember those zinnias that were bigger than your fist?" Me: "Shut up, Longwood.")
So, pole beans are really better suited to covering up ugly things than sharing space. And clearly they do not mind being in little tiny containers that dry out. Since so much of my space is concrete, I should be doing more in containers.
But, also, the opposite of that- there's no reason I can't have vegetable plants near flowers. The spaces that are already established as planting areas get the best sun, and no matter how many graph paper pictures I draw, I can't come up with a way to set up a raised bed in the good sun. So maybe in makes sense to put some of these lettuce and greens plants in the planting beds? And the herbs, too? The thyme is really perfect for an edging plant, the basil would probably do a lot better if it didn't have to compete with those assholes Tomato and Pole Bean, and maybe a pepper and and eggplant could find a home in there as well.
The jalapeno I thought was lost in the gang violence of the raised bed is actually still there, surviving, not quite thriving, but fruiting. I did buy another one today from Wedgewood. He was suffering from another kind of struggle- sprouted as a seedling and potted up in about 6 fl oz of soil and left in the sun, fertilized excessively, and laden with more pepper fruits than his little pepper body could handle. My first pepper is like the kid from the bad neighborhood, and this one is the affluent over-achiever who was planning to hang himself in his parents' finished basement. And I'm about to pot him up with some perlite and compost, while I leave the other one in the raised bed, swarmed by bean plants? He was able to squeeze out a few little stumpy peppers to get my attention, so now I'm like, "Clearly you're fine, sorry your friend Tomato turned out to be such a dick" ? I should think more about my choices.
Compost
I bought this lovely raised bed thingy for my patio, and I'm delighted with it, it's perfect. But I haven't planted anything in it. Right now, I'm just throwing in all the cuttings from any plants, including all the cut-back liriope from 3 months ago. It's like a pre-compost, I guess.
My actual compost bin has this dark, steamy, unctuous mass sitting at its bottom. When I went outside a few days ago, it was 7 am and relatively cool, and the sun was not yet on the bin, but the thing was so hot I could barely touch it. So I think that's going well.
Since it's almost done, I could just take it out and pile it up in some container, and start another batch. I could pretty much get it finished before winter, right?
My actual compost bin has this dark, steamy, unctuous mass sitting at its bottom. When I went outside a few days ago, it was 7 am and relatively cool, and the sun was not yet on the bin, but the thing was so hot I could barely touch it. So I think that's going well.
Since it's almost done, I could just take it out and pile it up in some container, and start another batch. I could pretty much get it finished before winter, right?
Spring Bulbs, am I crazy to think about that?
Cause, White Flower Farm lists them as "ALREADY SHIPPED get your shit together." And then I'm like, but wait guys, it's July, and I can't plant them until November, so, shouldn't you, as the distributor, hang on to them until I can plant them? How bout YOU get YOUR shit together?!
Anyway, I guess it's good to think about this stuff sooner, and not when everything's died back, because then I do things like plant all the daffodils in a row along the edge of a bed.
(Off all the gardening mistakes I've ever made, this is the most egregious. It's just so goofy looking.)
Anyway, I guess it's good to think about this stuff sooner, and not when everything's died back, because then I do things like plant all the daffodils in a row along the edge of a bed.
(Off all the gardening mistakes I've ever made, this is the most egregious. It's just so goofy looking.)
Sunday, July 13, 2014
July- vines and things
Well, the tomato is growing like crazy, so that's fun. The purple beans are doing great, I get lots of beans already and they look lovely. They have little purple flowers and it's super cute. The regular green beans aren't as far along, I guess they don't get quite as much sun. I was thinking next year I would only plant the beans along the wall, because they look so lovely and they get too crowded in the raised bed.
I was very seriously considering getting the patio wall removed. I think it's basically useless, and ugly. I need to get a quote on that, and if it's like, $100, I'll get someone to do it, but the internet seems to think I can handle it. I'd need a pry bar and maybe a sledge hammer. If I end up keeping the cinder blocks whole, I could pretty much use them for another bed? Or should I build a smaller wall there that's hollow through so I can plant in it? Or, I can make a bench! That could be kind of nice. I will probably need to ask the HOA.
The Morning Glory are finally blooming, I've got two flowers and they're beautiful, and it's 2:30 and they're still out. I kind of thought they were shorter lived than that. So I guess I'll just grow the same things again. It's very possible they don't like sharing space with the beans.
I was very seriously considering getting the patio wall removed. I think it's basically useless, and ugly. I need to get a quote on that, and if it's like, $100, I'll get someone to do it, but the internet seems to think I can handle it. I'd need a pry bar and maybe a sledge hammer. If I end up keeping the cinder blocks whole, I could pretty much use them for another bed? Or should I build a smaller wall there that's hollow through so I can plant in it? Or, I can make a bench! That could be kind of nice. I will probably need to ask the HOA.
The Morning Glory are finally blooming, I've got two flowers and they're beautiful, and it's 2:30 and they're still out. I kind of thought they were shorter lived than that. So I guess I'll just grow the same things again. It's very possible they don't like sharing space with the beans.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Ah stop planting things!
Whelp, I went away for a week and was all like, oh no, what about water? And soaked everything all I could, and then gave them all upside down wine bottles of water to slow-drip. And I mean, that seemed fine, and even the vines and stuff seemed to be alive? BUT! The tomato plant had collapsed under its own weight. What did Mike McGrath JUST SAY?!
So, how about next time do a better job of anticipating how ginormous they get. I mean, maybe we wanna put it somewhere else entirely, and get some kind of beautiful trellis? I actually still don't know where I should put a tomato plant. I just don't.
The gladioli are kinda meh. I should probably just not do them. Hm, but they're so easy, and they make such nice cut flowers! I would just need to be a lot more selective about where I put them.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Veggies
My raised bed is looking very happy, overall. The tomato is growing like crazy. A week ago, I tied some of the branches onto the trellis to keep it upright and growing in the right direction, and I think that looks very nice. The jalapeno plant was kind of lagging behind, but it has gotten bigger. The green beans are shooting up super fast, as well, and I feel like I should have given them more room... I did thin them out quite a bit after they were all established, especially because some of them lost all their leaves from the hail. But the smaller trellises I used are already too short. I mean, they would grow 30 feet high if you let them, so I guess anything is going to be too short.
Actually! Fuck it, they don't even need to be there. If I get the right sized containers, I should just grow them all over the patio walls. I put some of the purple beans in the containers with the morning glory, figuring it would help fill it out, and it would be a stronger climber to carry the flowering plants along, but I wasn't really thinking it would take off like it did. I have at least 3 feet of height there. If I'm a little more vigilant about weaving them back and forth through the wall, I could cover a lot of space. And I would cover that whole wall, the short one, with the planters inside the patio where I can keep an eye on them, but ideally the plants would grow to cover both sides. And it gives me a lot more space to grow other things in the raised bed. Like more tomatoes maybe. Square Foot Gardening says 9 bean plants per square foot, so each plant needs 4x4 inches. So in a long planter, like the one the morning glories are in now, you could have like, 15-20 plants. And you'd be able to control the soil and you could start it a little early...
Anyway, the raised bed. The tomato looks amazing, the jalapeno's good, the Swiss chard looks like it's getting on fine. I think if I grow that again, I need to grow a lot of it for it to be worthwhile. Because you get a couple of big leaves a week, not enough to make a meal for one person. Well, I think that would be an easy one to start from seed, so, yeah let's do that. The parsley is amazing. It looks so good, I don't know why my parsley couldn't look like that last year. The chives are good, I almost feel like I should use them as an ornamental grass somewhere else. I just planted more purple basil and Thai basil, so, we'll see, but the regular basil seems ok. I may really regret wasting space on Thai basil. I just want tons and tons of Genovese basil. But the purple basil helps the whole thing look more attractive. I don't think the thyme is doing so great. I think it's getting kind of shadowed by the big leafy things. So I guess I'll see if it makes it. Maybe it will be really nice in the fall. The cilantro of course went to seed already. I planted another one like 2 weeks ago and it's fine, but won't be for long. I planted some seeds in there, hoping I'd get little cilantros that were picking up right when the big plants were quitting, like Mom did, but I was too late. But I think I could start those from seed pretty well! And there are a few nasturtiums, just plugging along. No flowers yet, I think not until July.
I ordered a grow light. So, when that gets here, I'm going to start some cilantro seeds, and I think some of the bok choy I bought. I have a few late-season seeds to start, but those say to start in June-July. Like, outside. And then you have bok choy to eat in 2 months, which sounds kind of amazing. But if I start them like, now, and they're ready to be transplanted within a month, where would I put them? I guess I could just put them in containers. I don't see how they could need that much space, if they grow in like 2 months. It's not like they could create a huge root system. I guess I could even start the first round right in the container? Sure, why not. I guess I need to be more thoughtful about what I use as a growing medium.... So excited about my grow light!
Actually! Fuck it, they don't even need to be there. If I get the right sized containers, I should just grow them all over the patio walls. I put some of the purple beans in the containers with the morning glory, figuring it would help fill it out, and it would be a stronger climber to carry the flowering plants along, but I wasn't really thinking it would take off like it did. I have at least 3 feet of height there. If I'm a little more vigilant about weaving them back and forth through the wall, I could cover a lot of space. And I would cover that whole wall, the short one, with the planters inside the patio where I can keep an eye on them, but ideally the plants would grow to cover both sides. And it gives me a lot more space to grow other things in the raised bed. Like more tomatoes maybe. Square Foot Gardening says 9 bean plants per square foot, so each plant needs 4x4 inches. So in a long planter, like the one the morning glories are in now, you could have like, 15-20 plants. And you'd be able to control the soil and you could start it a little early...
Anyway, the raised bed. The tomato looks amazing, the jalapeno's good, the Swiss chard looks like it's getting on fine. I think if I grow that again, I need to grow a lot of it for it to be worthwhile. Because you get a couple of big leaves a week, not enough to make a meal for one person. Well, I think that would be an easy one to start from seed, so, yeah let's do that. The parsley is amazing. It looks so good, I don't know why my parsley couldn't look like that last year. The chives are good, I almost feel like I should use them as an ornamental grass somewhere else. I just planted more purple basil and Thai basil, so, we'll see, but the regular basil seems ok. I may really regret wasting space on Thai basil. I just want tons and tons of Genovese basil. But the purple basil helps the whole thing look more attractive. I don't think the thyme is doing so great. I think it's getting kind of shadowed by the big leafy things. So I guess I'll see if it makes it. Maybe it will be really nice in the fall. The cilantro of course went to seed already. I planted another one like 2 weeks ago and it's fine, but won't be for long. I planted some seeds in there, hoping I'd get little cilantros that were picking up right when the big plants were quitting, like Mom did, but I was too late. But I think I could start those from seed pretty well! And there are a few nasturtiums, just plugging along. No flowers yet, I think not until July.
I ordered a grow light. So, when that gets here, I'm going to start some cilantro seeds, and I think some of the bok choy I bought. I have a few late-season seeds to start, but those say to start in June-July. Like, outside. And then you have bok choy to eat in 2 months, which sounds kind of amazing. But if I start them like, now, and they're ready to be transplanted within a month, where would I put them? I guess I could just put them in containers. I don't see how they could need that much space, if they grow in like 2 months. It's not like they could create a huge root system. I guess I could even start the first round right in the container? Sure, why not. I guess I need to be more thoughtful about what I use as a growing medium.... So excited about my grow light!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Mapping the Sun
I'm trying to remember to take pictures of my shit throughout this summer, so I know what grows where, and I don't end up planting a ton of things on top of each other and leaving other spots bare. (At least, not any more?)
I'm also hoping to figure out where the sun ends up at different times of day/ year. I think I spend a lot of time in February and March watching what got sun, and when, and how long, and making charts on graph paper, and starting seeds and other wastes of time. But, yeah, the sun is different in the summer, and the trees have leaves.
Today, May 31st
I'm also hoping to figure out where the sun ends up at different times of day/ year. I think I spend a lot of time in February and March watching what got sun, and when, and how long, and making charts on graph paper, and starting seeds and other wastes of time. But, yeah, the sun is different in the summer, and the trees have leaves.
Today, May 31st
8:00 am: Wow, lots of crap sitting in front of my house. Awesome.
11:00 am: Perfect sun!
2:00 pm: Still good...
8:00 am: Shady for now
11:00 am: Yay, sun!
2:00 pm: The wall isn't shading anything yet...
8:00 am
11:00 am
2:00 pm
8:00 am
11:00 am
2:00 pm
8:00 am: Well, that is a strange posture
11:00 am
2:00 pm
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Front Bed is kind of under control
The front planting bed is really starting to come together. Today I pulled out all the daffodils, and I think I got like, 90% of them with the bulb and all. There's still an issue with the way back, where we cut back the conifer. But whatever goes back there has to be something permanent. That means something perennial, but also something evergreen. Like, one of those little trees...
Right now what's in there...
Large Shrubs: The big hedge (Laurel?) and the low conifer (that's what we're calling it)
Variegated Liriope (like, 10 of them?) the small one in the back should be moved to the front next spring. There's also one totally underneath the hedge that could be salvaged.
Daylillies, tons of them. I've been wanting to move them further back, because they look kinda dumb. I could really think about doing that this fall when they die back. There's also a larger day lily that I think is red and yellow? I can't decide if I like it there.
Black Eyed Susan- 3. I think they'll do well. They get tons of sun, but I'm starting to worry it's not draining well. (Then stop soaking it to death!) I think the height will work, they'll get to like, 2 feet high. The one that's around the right side could be moved maybe. They're supposed to bloom in July, so, we'll see!
Echinacea: I was really excited to get these. Same deal as the Black Eyed Susan, but these should get to about 3 feet tall. I hope they spread. If they look good this year, I'll get more. They're going to kind of dominate the color scheme at that point, when they bloom (July). The Liriope blooms around then, too, so the purple will be somewhat cohesive?
Creeping Jenny- just dug it up from where it was spreading into the grass and put it in. It's a nice way to cover some ground, but I hope it doesn't spread too much.
Daffodils- so they've been all pulled out now... I'll put them back in, but near the back/ middle. I'll have to draw this out in a real plan.
Annuals:
Gladioli- I think I need to be a lot more restrained with these. It's easy to get carried away in March when nothing's really growing yet but I'm just so excited oh my god and I put in 100 gladioli. Maybe if I really feel the need to do this, I can just cram tons into containers. Oh, but the ones that are in there now- they're dark pink (almost red) and light pink with dark streaks. They won't come up until July. Next year, I would plant them even earlier. When they do bloom, I'll just pull out the whole things.
Vinca- bright pink vinca, big flat of em from Home Depot. I think vinca usually do pretty well, they're tough. I had put Lanthana (?) in, but they ended up being way too red.
Corabells (mini Petunia things)- pink with yellow streaks.
Sweet Potato Vine- chartreuse green, hope it will tie in with the Liriope and the Creeping Jenny
Mandevilla- in a big container with a cool obelisk thing. I'm hoping it will be a focal point for now, so that gaping hole in the center isn't too upsetting. It's growing like crazy, but it hasn't really bloomed yet. Not enough sun? I'm hoping to bring it inside over the winter.
So the only thing I can do this year is re-plant the daffodils, and maybe add more. I should probably do a few rounds of pruning on the hedge so it keeps growing the way I want it to.
Next Spring- move the liriope in the back to the front. Put something in the back/center. Maybe move the day lilies back a little. Maybe more of the green and yellow hostas.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Instead of doing work, I'm going to think about doing work
I'm fucking sick, and it sucks. With enough drugs, I start to feel ok, but then I stand up and start doing something and it's like, whoa I need to go lie down again. Yesterday I planted....
- 3 Yarrow plants
- 3 New Guinea impatiens
- 2 Creeping phlox (actually I made Drake do that)
- the Mandevilla
- the tomato and the pepper
I also cut back a lot of the stupid tree-bush, and then felt like I was going to pass out, and then Drake finished off more of it. Now I can see what's going on in that area, and it's kind of crazy.
First of all, I have a pretty well-filled out border of day lilies along the outside, which looks totally fucking stupid. (There are also some even stupider daffodils) Then, there are the liriope, all mature and healthy, distributed around the back. Two have been totally covered by bushes for the past few years, so they haven't grown much, but the seem like they're hanging on. Then I have the Black Eyed Susans I planted a few weeks ago. The Black Eyed Susans should be the farthest back, because they will get the tallest, like 3 feet tall, I believe. Although they probably won't do that this year, so no reason to move them yet. The day lilies also need to be moved further back, and clumped together more densely so they don't look like a weird little trail.
But really, the area will need a focal point, something permanent with some height. Getting a clematis or something like that, and just using the trellis to get the height, might be the best move. Either way, not doing anything about it this year.
So, things to do in the future:
This Fall:
- grow some cool-season veggies like arugula and kale
- collect lots of fall leaves
- move day lilies
- move the daffodils
- move the hyacinths so they aren't in the way of the phlox
- plant some more daffodils, maybe some other bulbs, maybe tulips
This Winter:
- Probably buy a grow light
- Move the mandevilla and the rosemary inside, so I can get another year out of them
- Force spring bulbs inside, it will be so much more rewarding that growing from seed!
Next Spring:
- Cut back Hellebores right away, like, early March
- Cut back Liriope (power tools?) and move whichever seem like they should be moved
- Start growing Morning Glory in full sized containers indoors, none of this peat pot shit
- Use plastic window box planters for the window box, so they can easily be switched around
Saturday, May 10, 2014
It's starting to look like a garden center run by crazies over here
Flower Market:
- 3 Yarrow, red and yellow flowers- planted in the Bed of Neglect across the sidewalk
- 2 Vinca Vines- maybe the wall planter?
- 1 Thunburgia - wall planter?
- I feel like there was something else?
Lowe's (literally never stop improving)
- 4 Creeping Phlox (light light purple, not the color I wanted, but on the clearance rack for $3) - not sure yet where to plant these. I might give them to mom.
- 3 Stella D'Oro Daylilies- in the front, but I need to think more strategically about that whole area
- 3 New Guinea Impatiens- in containers on the patio on the trellis. Done.
- Sun Gold Cherry Tomato plant
- Jalapeno plant
- another trellis thing for pole beans
Wedgewood:
- 2 Creeping Phlox, to match my candy stripe pink ones- will plant just in front of the existing ones.
- 2 Echinacea (the regular purple-pink kind. Probably should have gotten 3) - well, I was thinking it would go in the front bed, but now I'm kind of thinking the side bed needs some late summer flowers.
- 1 Mandevilla, the standard bright pink kind- planted in a larger planter with the beautiful obelisk, placed in the middle of the bed.
- A gorgeous obelisk trellis for the Mandy for only $30
- 6-pack of small Coleus- in containers on the patio
- a cocoa liner to fit my giant wall planter
Obviously I've gotten a little carried away. I mean, I spent probably $500 so far. As long as I actually take care of everything, I think it's justified.
Still to do....
Raised Bed:
- plant tomato and pepper plants
- put in new trellis frames, plant more pole beans
- I pulled the flower buds off the chives so they'd keep growing... that's ok, right?
Containers:
- transplant begonia bulbs to larger pots
- transplant coleus to pots
- plant nasturtiums in window box planters
- water the Mandevilla
- water the other containers
- get more potting mix for the wall planter
- figure out what to put in the wall planter
Side Bed:
- Plant the new creeping phlox. I want to dig up all the hyacinths as I'm doing this, because I don't like their current location. I want them clustered in the middle.
- cut back camellia
- Figure out what the hell I'm doing. The hostas in there are kind of a mix of things that don't makes sense together. The fern, oh my god, that fern is so stupid there. It's really getting crowded by the rhododendron and the hosta. The thing is, he seems to be thriving.
Front Bed:
- finish dealing with the tree-bush
- plant new day lilies, figure out if and where to move the old ones.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Soooo, I got some grow bags. They seem like they're going to work very well, but they are not pretty. I mean, it's a cinder block wall, so it really can't look worse, but, yeah, it's just a big black pile of plasticy felt. Filled it up with regular potting mix, 2 strawberry plants per pocket, and some of the Thunburgia seedlings I started forever ago. They look SAD! They are not nearly as green as they should be, and leggy as fuck. So, if they die in there, I won't be surprised. I don't know if they'll get enough sun? like, 5 hours? 6? It's on the outside of the patio wall. I got a vertical one for the inside that will just be flowers, I think.
Raised Bed Time: Drake took me to Home Depot in his fun new truck, and helped me carry a fuck ton of garden soil in, to put in the bed. (Garden Soil is WAY heavier than Potting Mix) Fuck Ton = 5 cubic feet. I thought I was going to need more, but after getting two of the 2 cubic feet bags into the cart, I was like, absolutely not. 5 pretty much did it, although I may need another small bag later.
Like a dummy, I had started the early Spring veggies already, although later than I should. (DBNY- start that shit in like, February) But more importantly, I hadn't put any soil in, so they'd started to grow about 6 inches lower, and I pretty much had to bury them. I left a little space for the radishes, because they were actually growing, and they seem like good kids, and it's not their fault. But, in three weeks, I'm throwing another bag of dirt on em either way, and planting basil in that spot.
After spending a shameful amount of time drawing to-scale-kind-of diagrams of my raised bed of graph paper to try to work out the best plan, I think I finally committed to one. It was kind of dictated by what trellis sizes I'd bought.
Raised Bed Time: Drake took me to Home Depot in his fun new truck, and helped me carry a fuck ton of garden soil in, to put in the bed. (Garden Soil is WAY heavier than Potting Mix) Fuck Ton = 5 cubic feet. I thought I was going to need more, but after getting two of the 2 cubic feet bags into the cart, I was like, absolutely not. 5 pretty much did it, although I may need another small bag later.
Like a dummy, I had started the early Spring veggies already, although later than I should. (DBNY- start that shit in like, February) But more importantly, I hadn't put any soil in, so they'd started to grow about 6 inches lower, and I pretty much had to bury them. I left a little space for the radishes, because they were actually growing, and they seem like good kids, and it's not their fault. But, in three weeks, I'm throwing another bag of dirt on em either way, and planting basil in that spot.
After spending a shameful amount of time drawing to-scale-kind-of diagrams of my raised bed of graph paper to try to work out the best plan, I think I finally committed to one. It was kind of dictated by what trellis sizes I'd bought.
Chives came back beautifully from last year. I planted the Swiss Chard, Parsley, Cilantro, and Thyme. I'd like to add another Thyme and another Cilantro. The space where the radishes are now will be the Basils. I want pretty much as many as I can fit. I should definitely not plant any Basil until the weekend after Mother's Day (May 17th).
The front bed looks so sad! Liriope is all shorn and stumpy, just a few scant Daffodils. I guess we need some evergreen perennials in there? It just looks like such shit.
I decided to plant the Rosemary in its own pot, between the compost bin and the air conditioner. It gets butt loads of sun, the container will drain well, and it will be pretty well protected from cold winds later on. I want a perennial rosemary bush, goddamn it! I also really want to get more Creeping Phlox, make a nice border with it.
2014 so far (or, Don't start no shit, won't be no shit.)
March 16th: I'd started starting some seeds. Do Better Next Year (DBNY) Tip- Buy a grow light. Burpee has one with a stand for $150 that's 12" x 30" and would fit perfectly on a shelf in the laundry room, and they do little promotion things all the time, so, just saying.
8 little pots of Thunburgia (new, Wedgewood), 4 Cilantro, 2 Rosemary and 2 Thyme (old, Burpee).
Several (like, 12?) of "Flying Saucer" (striped) Morning Glory (new, Wedgewood)
Used Wedgewood Black Gold Seed Starting Mix, and peat pots.
Cut back one liriope, pulled out a lot of leaves, especially around saddy sad sad Hellebores. (DBNY- prune hellebores back in early March, so they grow big and pretty)
Spring Bulbs- Hyacinths were "crowning?" daffodils were starting to peak out.
March 30th: I went to California for like 2 weeks and everything was fine! I covered the peat pots with an upside down plastic box- I worried it wouldn't allow much light in, it's a little translucent, but the Morning Glory were all sprouted and grew like 4 inches. (DBNY: it's not good for them to be tall- they're tall because they're not getting enough light and this is the only way they know how to get your attention. Stop being obsessed with tallness.) Last year, it seemed like it took a thousand years (literally) for anything to even germinate, and I had stuff on the ground in front of the glass doors. It's probably warmer on my desk upstairs than on the tile up against a glass wall.
Even though it rained like fuck all weekend, I sowed some Arugula and Radish seeds in the raised bed
April 6th: Started 12 pots of Zinnias (multi color, cut and come again), 6 blue Morning Glory, 6 Moonflower, 3 green Zinnias (all Wedgewood)
Sowed Kale in raised bed, cut back more liriope, "planted" begonia bulbs (tubers?) in small pots inside, to hopefully get them started.
SO MANY FUCKING PANSIES! Bought a flat of pansies at Wedgewood. Basically crammed the window box full of pansies, then put some in that raggedy-ass terra cotta pot that sits next to the steps, then pulled out those wooden rectangular planters that look nice but kind of fail, and put the rest in those.
Tried to make a nice container arrangement with pansies and oxalis. Oxalis is an indoor plant, ok? Creeping Jenny came back nicely!
April 11th: Maybe it was listening to so much Mike McGrath, but I really tried to get the compost started. At this point it was just a pile of garbage. I eventually added more leaves, but it needed a lot of manual mixing (manual = with my hands.)
Planted a little bed of gladioli in the side, right in front of the AC. Put in a new soaker hose for the side bed and raised bed.
April 18th: Started more Zinnia seeds.
April 20th: Planted a bunch of Gladioli and 3 Black Eyed Susans. Daffodils are starting to bloom. Day Lillies are coming up and they look healthy and all.
So, what have we learned....? I should just bite the bullet and buy a grow light and just go ahead and commit to being That Guy. I haven't yet successfully started something from seed indoors I couldn't have just as easily direct sown (green beans and nasturtiums, basically. Seeds that are the size of marbles, that are recommended for teaching 6 year olds how plants happen.) Since I don't have a lot of space to grow vegetables, I'm really more interested in growing annual flowers from seed, particularly ones I never see in garden centers. The Morning Glory and Moonflower in particular I should just start the seeds in whatever container will eventually go outside. I'll get way more in there, too. I don't know about the Thunburgia and the Zinnia. I guess I'll see what happens.
8 little pots of Thunburgia (new, Wedgewood), 4 Cilantro, 2 Rosemary and 2 Thyme (old, Burpee).
Several (like, 12?) of "Flying Saucer" (striped) Morning Glory (new, Wedgewood)
Used Wedgewood Black Gold Seed Starting Mix, and peat pots.
Cut back one liriope, pulled out a lot of leaves, especially around saddy sad sad Hellebores. (DBNY- prune hellebores back in early March, so they grow big and pretty)
Spring Bulbs- Hyacinths were "crowning?" daffodils were starting to peak out.
March 30th: I went to California for like 2 weeks and everything was fine! I covered the peat pots with an upside down plastic box- I worried it wouldn't allow much light in, it's a little translucent, but the Morning Glory were all sprouted and grew like 4 inches. (DBNY: it's not good for them to be tall- they're tall because they're not getting enough light and this is the only way they know how to get your attention. Stop being obsessed with tallness.) Last year, it seemed like it took a thousand years (literally) for anything to even germinate, and I had stuff on the ground in front of the glass doors. It's probably warmer on my desk upstairs than on the tile up against a glass wall.
Even though it rained like fuck all weekend, I sowed some Arugula and Radish seeds in the raised bed
April 6th: Started 12 pots of Zinnias (multi color, cut and come again), 6 blue Morning Glory, 6 Moonflower, 3 green Zinnias (all Wedgewood)
Sowed Kale in raised bed, cut back more liriope, "planted" begonia bulbs (tubers?) in small pots inside, to hopefully get them started.
SO MANY FUCKING PANSIES! Bought a flat of pansies at Wedgewood. Basically crammed the window box full of pansies, then put some in that raggedy-ass terra cotta pot that sits next to the steps, then pulled out those wooden rectangular planters that look nice but kind of fail, and put the rest in those.
Tried to make a nice container arrangement with pansies and oxalis. Oxalis is an indoor plant, ok? Creeping Jenny came back nicely!
April 11th: Maybe it was listening to so much Mike McGrath, but I really tried to get the compost started. At this point it was just a pile of garbage. I eventually added more leaves, but it needed a lot of manual mixing (manual = with my hands.)
Planted a little bed of gladioli in the side, right in front of the AC. Put in a new soaker hose for the side bed and raised bed.
April 18th: Started more Zinnia seeds.
April 20th: Planted a bunch of Gladioli and 3 Black Eyed Susans. Daffodils are starting to bloom. Day Lillies are coming up and they look healthy and all.
So, what have we learned....? I should just bite the bullet and buy a grow light and just go ahead and commit to being That Guy. I haven't yet successfully started something from seed indoors I couldn't have just as easily direct sown (green beans and nasturtiums, basically. Seeds that are the size of marbles, that are recommended for teaching 6 year olds how plants happen.) Since I don't have a lot of space to grow vegetables, I'm really more interested in growing annual flowers from seed, particularly ones I never see in garden centers. The Morning Glory and Moonflower in particular I should just start the seeds in whatever container will eventually go outside. I'll get way more in there, too. I don't know about the Thunburgia and the Zinnia. I guess I'll see what happens.
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