Garden Happiness

So even though I had read so many things that said that gardening is one of the many many things that require experience and lots of trial and error, I had thought that I was way too cool for that. And then I'd had so many summers of flops.

For the first time, I feel comfortable with where my garden is, and I have hopes that what I've planted is accomplishable. My basil seeds are sprouting, and I believe that ALL of my peas and beans sprouted as well. (I mistakenly pulled up two little plants, and replanted one of the peas when weeding -- whoops!) The potatoes either will or will not succeed. I don't care. They were an experiment that I've been intending to let do its own thing anyway.

Speaking of the potatoes, when I first planted them, something dug three of them up. It ate one the first night, and then the next night just dug up and left there two potatoes. I've been giving every squirrel in the neighborhood the stink eye. I also cut off some eyes from another patch of potatoes and planted some more of them, so perhaps I'll have potatoes from them too! I do so love potatoes.

I bought at the Farmer's Market yesterday a little Lemon Basil plant and separated the little stems and replanted them in Basil's old pot with some fresh soil and fertilizer. She's looking a little sad now, but I'll wait until tomorrow to do anything else to her.

I also received gratis two sunflower plants that I still need to put in the ground. But I already scrubbed my hands and washed my face... so I'm not itching to get out there again. :-P

I also put the trellising up for the peas and beans fully today. I had strung some denim "yarn" across each of the post sections parallel to the ground, and zig-zagged some cotton thread weight yarn all around for my little climbing plants. I'll check on them tomorrow as well to see if they need any help in the climbing department.

So I've already made one large batch of mojitos with that massive amount of mint back there. It took a mere two 15" stems. Any help for how to use up mint would be appreciated!

I've been collecting the german chamomile flowers daily, and I'm loving that ritual. It gets me outside, into the garden, and I can check on my plants and do a quick weeding. I've rigged up a screen in the pantry to dry the flowers. It may not have the best air flow, but it's out of the way.

I would like to get my compost set up today, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it. I still need to find a top for the bin, which is one of the reasons that I've been delaying.

So R -- how is this for not failing you?

Gardening 2012

Here is the current state of the garden. I finally got around to putting things in the ground (like the potatoes that were colonizing my kitchen). Except for the mint, everything is freshly planted. I'm planting potatoes based upon this method, which tells me to cover the shoots halfway everytime they reach 10-12" in height.

Because all of my seeds are so old, I've put two seeds of each type in every spot. We'll see if anything germinates.

I've made a nice bucket of compost tea with my chicken poop and I've watered all of my plantings with this.

I've also put basil seeds in a large gardening bucket that is on the front porch. Hopefully it'll grow because I do love basil.

I'm also well again into the war with the trumpet vine. I've had my third or fourth foray into the backyard to cut back everything green and trumpet vine shaped. It is friggin tough.

I would like to put vining plants along the side of the house, but it is currently full up on hosta and other type large green things. I will need more than a spoon and hands to get rid of it. A weedwhacker would be nice. But we'll see what I can come up with.

Pepper Plants

So last Farmer's Market I bought a four-pack of mixed bell pepper plants. Since most of my peas are dead and/or dying, I pulled a bunch out of one planter, and threw the peppers in. Apparently, peppers are prima donnas, and like not only well drained soil, but continuously DAMP soil. I watered them last night, and they perked right up, but when I woke up this morning, they were already dry. Sonuva...

With that in mind, I borrowed a tip from a website and put grass cuttings in the box (a.k.a. I weeded and threw the weeds around my pepper plants). I removed any seed heads, but that was the only precaution I took. I figure that they can deal with sharing the box since their new bedfellows are happily shading their soil for them.

Also, I think something was eating one of my cantaloupe plants! This is very Un Cool, and I have placed a big rock where I have my suspicions that a burrow is located. It seems like my plants are having some troubles decided to get big!

(No pictures at the moment -- too lazy to change the batteries in the camera.)

I Love Visitors and Life Update

Mister's sister S visited us for about four days, and we had a blast. Why don't Mister and I ever bother to do things without the requirement of company? We went to the Boston Circus Guild's show (actually twice) on Saturday, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus pride concert of all Beatles songs on Sunday, and the Propeller Theatre Co (from UK)'s production of Comedy of Errors on Tuesday.

Lots of good times, and I re-learned that I LOVE jugglers -- they were my favorite part of the circus (although the bellydancer/housewife skit was fabulous... :-P).

So food-wise here's whats going on: my spiced fig vinegar is finished and fabulous, my chive blossom vinegar will probably be strained tomorrow and is BRIGHT PURPLE!, I have some basil blossom oil infusing, lemon balm in 63% vodka, and I just started two batches of kimchi (one with napa cabbage and this recipe and one with some napa cabbage and spring onions with this recipe). We'll see how it all turns out!

Also, my peas are pretty much all succumbing to something called Fusarium Wilt.

The first signs of fusarium wilt and root-rot disease are the yellowing and wilting of the lower leaves and stunting of the plants. Infection of older plants usually results in the plants producing only a few poorly filled pods. These diseases are not as prevalent on well-drained soils. Double-dug raised beds amended with abundant organic matter can greatly improve soil aeration and drainage. Fusarium wilt can be avoided by growing wilt-resistant varieties.

Uh, yeah. I've nearly given up on the Lincoln Shell peas as only three plants are even green, and I'm trying to see what I wind up getting out of them. After the Lincoln Shells die, I'll replant that pot with the four pepper plants I bought today (bell pepper mix). The beans however, are doing lovely. I cannot wait to have beans!

I also finally popped in the ground the 8 black cherry tomato and 2 cantaloupe (one pixie, one athena) plants that I bought last week at the Farmer's Market. I hadn't gotten around to it as a) it was raining for most of that time and b) I was sick as a dog Wednesday and Thursday (remember the fainting?) and was still not 100% until today. I coughed continuously and took way too much Robitussin during the Beatles concert :-P.

I guess that's about it for now!

First Seedlings!

5 out of the 20 Dwarf Grey Sugar Snow Peas that I've planted have sprouted! Three had by this morning, and another two by the time I got home from work/dinner at midnight. :-DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

I'm so excited. And I'm expecting the beans soon -- apparently, 5 days with perfect growing conditions is average for beans sprouting. It was the fourth day today.

The question then is, how soon after sprouting should I be readying trellis' for them?

I'll let you know as it happens!

New Member of the Family

Meet Rosie. She and Basil are on their way to becoming good friends. As you can probably tell, Rosie is a Rosemary bush, and Basil is Basil. I've heard many times that if you talk to plants they grow better. I'm hoping that if I talk to them, I'll remember to water them.

At Long Last

I have finally planted the few little seedlings I have! The leeks and cabbage need some more soil, but are in a long planter, the basil is in a cute little round basket I got from a friend, and the broccoli... needs to be planted...

So clearly I'm no where's near done.

Hot

It is very ... WARM out here. I have been wearing shorts and tank tops, regardless of my shaving schedule. I have to say this weather is doing great things for my fear of non-conformity. :-P

Work is being a pain. I have a girl who is literally unreliable. She contacted me this morning at 9 am to tell me that no one got back to her to work her evening shift. I calmly told her that the day person was working a double and went back to bed. So at the advice of an older manager, I'm hiring another person. Because I need reliable people -- period. But, I've wanted to hire this girl, and am happy that I'm able to.

I bought 4 little seedlings. Broccoli, cabbage, basil and scallions. Mister and I had gone a week before buying these and looked at a bunch and I was like "let's buy now!" He was like 'well, it seems like a rushed decision' and we didn't buy any. When we went back, all of the vine plants (melons, cukes, zucchini, pumpkins), the beets, and many things were missing (a.k.a. sold). I was not particularly happy. :-\

But I still haven't planted these little seedlings -- I don't know where to! I've been at Mister's house almost everyday (which is where the 6-packs are located), and don't want to plant them at my house if they're to be neglected, and need pots to replant them here. Gah.

Making brekkie now -- Eggs in a basket and bacon. I love eggs and bacon. It really carries me through the day.

Tea

OMG I'm totally going to try to grow tea when I get my farmstead -- with the zones changing, temps warming up overall, and a little care, I could probably get it to grow -- and have my own tea! (*glee)