Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts

Yesterday I ran by MFA to see what they had for plants. I was happy to see the lady who worked at Sands there to know that she has a job.

I picked up a six pack of broccoli (Pacman) and a six pack of Brussels Sprouts. I didn't necessarily want 6 of each, but that was the size that they had!

I got them in the ground today while it was sprinkling. One in the raised box garden, a few in the wall by the driveway and then the rest in the garden area.

We have so many rocks! Being at my mom's and pulling out a few rocks...I find that many rocks in a square foot!

There are some radishes that could be picked! Peas are growing well but no blooms yet.
The sugar snap peas are coming up nicely.

I think some of the pea plants in the garden have been a little big of a snack!

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Started planting annuals

I am thinking that it is going to be above freezing for the season now!

Today I walked the wagon to Suncliff and spent over $40!
I splurged on a fuchsia. The lady there told me I should bring it in when it gets really hot and humid and then bring it back out in the fall.

JL planted in the square garden that is not elevated. He planted two cucumbers, a jalapeƱo and some marigolds.

I planted a sweet 100 tomato in the front new bed. A bunch of annual flowers in that bed too though I don't remember what they were. I also planted zinnias in hanging and non-hanging pots for the porch. I planted a gerbera daisy in both of the front big pots. I planted a zucchini where the garbanzo were last year and then a celebrity tomato in the garden. I planted three marigolds in the garden too.

I pulled out the dead rosemary and that made me sad. I planted a red pepper plant there. I have a feeling that rosemary may not be a companion to peppers, but we will see. I'm thinking that I'm not going to get another rosemary this year. I'll wait a year since I didn't end up using too much of it.

Some of my sugar snap peas are poking through the ground on the north side of the garden! Two of the first planting by the compost are coming up. I hope that the bunnies stay away.

I have some iris buds on the plants on the south side of the house. One of John Hall's iris is blooming, but his always bloom way earlier than mine. Not much for buds along the fence. Too many weeds and not enough sunshine I think.

I planted some grass seed in the front and where the forsythia was in the backyard.

I want to map out more of the garden to know what I want to buy. I would like to plant:
- more tomatoes
- more pepper plants
- Brussels sprouts
- green beans
- black beans
- garbanzo beans
- pumpkins
- basil (use the plant that I have? That wintered over)
- dill (have seeds)
- tomatillos (Louise thinks that I will have lots of them come up in the yard anyway so I'll hold of buying them maybe. I didn't see any at Suncliff) I used to get Brussels sprouts at Sands. I will need to look for some elsewhere in town now.

I'm not sure if I really have room for all of that. I will plant more vegetables in the front bed. I will need to get some more soil if I want to plant on the west side of the yard. I need to look where Todd cut out the branch from the maple tree, I may have less shade in an area than I thought that I did.

I have tons of tiger lilies coming up. The bush with the big flowers that I am drawing a blank on the name... where we moved it to on the other side of the rain barrel is coming out. Hydrangea! I'm happy that it survived it's move. Nothing else under the boys window has seemed to survive.

So far this year, I have bought two hanging plants. I went around and collected all of the empty hanging pots that I had. I had way too many. I dumped all of the excess soil in a bucket and mixed it up and planted some of the annuals in those. I still have one or two that I may try and hang in the back porch but I need hangers.

Everything that I bought this morning is planted! Now more planning before I go and buy more. I am thinking that I can wait until Suncliff vegetables go on sale maybe, but really it doesn't make that much difference in price between .69 and .50 or 35. Planning is actually more important in what I'm buying.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Yesterday I planted 5 hills (maybe 6) of potatoes. These were sprouted potatoes that mom had when we were there Easter.

I planted the half dozen sweet onion sets that mom had given me at Easter too. I put those in the back box garden between two rows of green onions.

Before Easter, I planted more sugar snap peas. I planted on the north and east side of the garden and around the fenced box garden. I had soaked way more seeds than I needed so I put a bunch on the south side of the garden. Don't know if any will grow there or not.

I am wondering if my peas don't do so well because of the garlic chives? I'm working at getting rid of them all around the garden.

Peas are up 4 inches or so.
I find it funny that I carefully planted the peas that has sprouted from soaking. Then there were like 20 left in the bin and I had kind of run out places that I had planned to plant. I put all of the peas in a small row because I didn't necessarily expect them to grow. A bunch of them sprouted and they are taller than the ones that are individually planted!

6-May-14
Potatoes are not up yet. Though in another part of the garden, there were some growing. I was pulling out black eyed Susan and realized that there were potatoes!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Daffodils are still blooming

I was really hoping that my daffodils were still going to look nice when we got home and they are beautiful! Thank you God for allowing me to see them. The hyacinth smell amazing. The pink daffodils are not up yet. It's supposed to freeze tonight and be cold for a few days so we will enjoy those later!


The Grape hyacinth look great under the oak tree and the phlox is starting to bloom too.

We mowed some and I cut grass around the garden, but haven't worked in the garden. There are peas and beets up where we planted them. I want to plant some potatoes soon.

Oh, and I saw some tiny tiny little asparagus spears!


The sugar snap peas did not come up. The seeds were in the garage all winter so I didn't know if that made a difference where the other pea seeds were in the frig.

The area where the pine tree used to be and where I had chickpeas last year received a deluge while we were gone. I need to pick rocks out of there again before I attempt to plan anything. I hope that all of the good stuff that I put there didn't just wash away.