7:00
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sun Pattern - June 11 - 2:00
No picture available. While I was trying to find a video of my 6 month old on the camera to show MW, I deleted a blurry picture and then accidentally deleted the 2PM edition of the Sun Pattern. I must work outside the house over the next few days, so will unlikely be able to take the 2PM picture. I think it will be OK, though.
Tomatoes
Love them! I have planted at least seven varieties which accounts for just under 20 plants. I got a late start this spring in planting my own seeds, so I had to buy some seedlings. I am hoping to avoid that mistake next spring. Interestingly, I had several plants come up from the plot where I planted heirloom tomatoes last summer. I have no idea which variety is growing, but in a month or so I expect to learn. I'll keep track on this blog.
I planted the following:
I planted the following:
- Big Boys
- BeefMasters
- Heinz
- 4 varieties of heirloom cherries, including:
- Peacevine
- White Currant
- Fox
- Black Cherry
Peppers
I do not think these plants are doing that well. I have always been under the impression with most full sun plants, they really only need about 6 hours of direct, which after having done my
sun pattern today, is about what these plants get. I also decided to try the weed fabric, so it is really difficult to tell exactly what is holding these plants up from growing bigger. I planted them several weeks ago now. The one on the far left, in the back, seems to be showing a blossom, which is too early, and the plant is too small. You cannot see it in this picture, but maybe I should get a picture of it later. Anyway, I am a little miffed. I think I planted enough pepper plants, with some roasting and freezing or straight out freezing, to get the family through most of the winter. Now I am not so sure.
As for what IS planted (from left to right, roughly). I have Sicilian sweet peppers (I have never planted these before.), green bell, and red bell.
I am not sure what I am doing with the sticks of wood or the rock. I turned a leaky hose into a little irrigation system. It works OK, but as you can see from this photo and in the ones showing the whole garden at once, this hose... comes up a little short.
sun pattern today, is about what these plants get. I also decided to try the weed fabric, so it is really difficult to tell exactly what is holding these plants up from growing bigger. I planted them several weeks ago now. The one on the far left, in the back, seems to be showing a blossom, which is too early, and the plant is too small. You cannot see it in this picture, but maybe I should get a picture of it later. Anyway, I am a little miffed. I think I planted enough pepper plants, with some roasting and freezing or straight out freezing, to get the family through most of the winter. Now I am not so sure.As for what IS planted (from left to right, roughly). I have Sicilian sweet peppers (I have never planted these before.), green bell, and red bell.
I am not sure what I am doing with the sticks of wood or the rock. I turned a leaky hose into a little irrigation system. It works OK, but as you can see from this photo and in the ones showing the whole garden at once, this hose... comes up a little short.
The Grass
You can see the shots of the garden have some grass in them. Well, the grass is a whole other issue entirely. I pretty much cut it and try to use some "weed and feed" type things occasionally, but with little success, and I do not really like to do it. It is the VG that matters back there.
Mystery Plant
This came up this year, and MW does not remember planting anything there, and we cannot figure out what it is. Any ideas?
Japanese Maple
There were no leaves on this tree last summer, which was our first summer in our house. MW received some advice to bring it back. There will be more pictures in the future, with information on exactly what she did. Perhaps I can even get her to explain.
Columbine in the Driveway
What an odd place to grow. Not sure whether it was planted or simply grew on its own, but we like it there, so it stays. Besides, how are we going to dig it up?
Comments on the GW
The granite typically looks a little better. As you may recall from one of yesterday's posts, I just planted a few things there and filled in the rest of the gaps between stones with new soil. I sprayed it down to clear some of the soil off the stones, but decided the next rain will take care of that.
More Lathe and some other stuff
Again, here is the lattice I made. The white thing on the far right is also for things to climb. Last year I used it in service of my cucumbers, which did not thrive. I understand from fellow Urban Gardeners in my city that last year was not such a great year for cucumbers, anyway. Anyway, this item is made with the legs of an A-frame pool later, held together with screws into a 2"x6" and covered with chicken wire. It may not look pretty... OK, well, it DOESN'T look pretty, but I believe in its news service this year, I should be able to keep the zucchini from taking over my garden.Obviously, I made the wooden items below right as well out of lathe. I will be keeping track of how well these, and other tomato supports, hold up over the summer. I aim to conclusively determine which of the things I have worked best and how.
Granite Walk - June 11, 2007
This is the Granite Walk (GW).
The GW is pretty small, maybe 3'x3'.
As it turns out My Wife (MW) disposed of the labels. Do you know what this is?
And this?Peas and Beans
Last fall, as MW and I were expecting little M.O., I did some remodeling. I wanted to increase the insulation is his room, so I pulled down all the lathe and plaster, inculated, and sheetrocked. This spring, I pulled out all the lathe pieces that we just about 4' long and made these lattice so my peas and beans would have something to climb. I also reused the nails. These cost me $0.
Composting on the Cheap
Again, this is not too pretty, but I have found few compost container which are. Many compost container cost a lot of money, but I made this one. I purchased an inexpensive trash barrel and a cup drill bit
which is about 1 and 1/2" in diameter (I already had the drill). I drilled a bunch of holes and starting adding organic matter. Now, I am not any kind of expert on composting. In fact, last summer I did nothing to this thing other than add matter. When I checked it out this spring, there were many, many worms (an excellent thing) and some very rich-looking black soil (a very excellent thing). I dumped it out onto the driveway and turned it with a shovel and put it all back. Again, I am no expert. For some reason, I thought it needed more time.
One word of advice about composting, as a general rule do NOT put weeds in your compost. I am sure there are some that actually are good for it, but since I do not know which ones, I put none in there. The seeds and roots of weeds are very hardy and will come up when you use the compost.
Well, that is my compost container.
which is about 1 and 1/2" in diameter (I already had the drill). I drilled a bunch of holes and starting adding organic matter. Now, I am not any kind of expert on composting. In fact, last summer I did nothing to this thing other than add matter. When I checked it out this spring, there were many, many worms (an excellent thing) and some very rich-looking black soil (a very excellent thing). I dumped it out onto the driveway and turned it with a shovel and put it all back. Again, I am no expert. For some reason, I thought it needed more time. One word of advice about composting, as a general rule do NOT put weeds in your compost. I am sure there are some that actually are good for it, but since I do not know which ones, I put none in there. The seeds and roots of weeds are very hardy and will come up when you use the compost.
Well, that is my compost container.
Sun Pattern - June 11, 2007 - Dawn
According to timeanddate.com, the sun rose today at 5:37 AM. I had to check with the internet, as I was not yet awake.
Ideas Don't Always Come at the Right Time
You know what, though? As long as ideas come at all is usually what matters most to me. As the idea to track my garden's 2007 progress just came to me yesterday, there is no hope of seeing shots of the early days of this Spring, when I tempted the frost to get some tomatoes in early.
June 11, 2007 - sore from weeding
Me? I am an eclectic back yard gardener. I grew up with strong gardening roots and a strong sense to use what you have, when you have it. I am sure more will come later about just who I am.
My garden space is not very big, but I do what I can with what space I have available. These past two days have been brutal. I have been spending a lot of time weeding my wife's flower beds (I am all about the vegetable garden); I am a little sore. Today, however, I was able to transplant some things in the vegetable garden, some cucumbers and tomatoes. I also worked on the step off the deck – at grass level. (We have some granite from the original foundation under the kitchen of my parent’s old farm house in Maine. They live behind it now in a house the whole family, with a lot of expertise and long hours from my brother-in-law, built.) I am rambling quite a bit, here, sorry. Anyway, MW (My Wife) and I had decided to plant some low-growing ground cover type plants between the granite pieces. Last year we planted some Corsican mint, and earlier this spring we transplanted some Scotch moss there. Well, today, we found some more Scotch Moss, and a couple other things, the names of which I cannot currently remember. I will have my first pictures of my VG (vegetable garden), and the GW (granite walk) tomorrow, with the correct names of the ground cover I planted.
Now, why the blog? I thought of doing this blog for three reasons.
My garden space is not very big, but I do what I can with what space I have available. These past two days have been brutal. I have been spending a lot of time weeding my wife's flower beds (I am all about the vegetable garden); I am a little sore. Today, however, I was able to transplant some things in the vegetable garden, some cucumbers and tomatoes. I also worked on the step off the deck – at grass level. (We have some granite from the original foundation under the kitchen of my parent’s old farm house in Maine. They live behind it now in a house the whole family, with a lot of expertise and long hours from my brother-in-law, built.) I am rambling quite a bit, here, sorry. Anyway, MW (My Wife) and I had decided to plant some low-growing ground cover type plants between the granite pieces. Last year we planted some Corsican mint, and earlier this spring we transplanted some Scotch moss there. Well, today, we found some more Scotch Moss, and a couple other things, the names of which I cannot currently remember. I will have my first pictures of my VG (vegetable garden), and the GW (granite walk) tomorrow, with the correct names of the ground cover I planted.
Now, why the blog? I thought of doing this blog for three reasons.
- I am a big fan of my garden;
- J B.S. is on assignment and cannot see the progress in person; and
- I thought it would be interesting to chronicle the growth of my VG and the creepings of the GW.
Some day, I may post some pictures of my wife’s FGs (flower gardens). I will definitely take some pictures of some things she is trying to coax back to life and probably her cooler varieties of flowering plants.
My posts will always seek advice, irrespective of whether I specifically request it. This blog is not, however, pure of heart entirely. As you may see in the future, I could have some Google Ad Words, feel free to click them. Interesting thing about Google, you sometimes get things you would not expect to come up on the page based on the text on the page. You see, as I understand it, they mine the website for keywords and place ads, which may be related, on the page. I will do my best to limit what you might find, as I believe doing so is possible and necessary.
I hope to post at least one or two pictures a day. Sometimes there will be words, other times only pictures. Thanks for coming; come again to keep track; and leave some posts.
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