Running on Empty

The above picture was taken last spring at my parent’s farm in West Texas. We will be packing up the family and headed that way for Easter weekend on Friday (dogs and all!). Not only will it be interesting to see how we manage the 4 hour trip, but it is Jude’s first trip. I am excited and slightly (tremendously) anxious already.

Spring is definitely here and I have been itching to get my hands in the dirt. It was almost 90 degrees today, and I couldn’t resist throwing on the flip flops and sun dress and getting outside while the wee one napped. I managed to plant a few herb seeds before he woke.

My mind is totally focused on spring. I have tons of overwhelming ideas just bursting to get out. I am feeling good physically, and got the OK from the doc to resume all my normal activities. April will be full of change and growth but am too tired to go into much detail. I have many projects and goals running around in my head but more on that later. For now, I must see if I can get this baby to sleep more than an hour at a time…..and by hour I mean 1o minute increments.

March 24, 2009March 24, 2009

Buckets of Goodness and a Side Note of Tragedy

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring everyone! This is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year.

In celebrating the first days of spring, I spent the weekend working like a woman obsessed. The weekend was full of spring cleaning, planting vegetables, herbs and left me absolutely exhausted. I have been so busy that I just now have a moment to even blog about it.

Why all the ugly buckets?

I’ve had a garden most of my life. Most of them have been at least an acre in size (but felt like 100). I spent summers hoeing, picking, canning and complaining. Little did I know, that when I became a wizened adult, I would find the happy memories inspiring. I say wizened because when I first moved away to attend college, I wanted nothing to do with the roots that bound me to the land. I didn’t grow a tomato again for almost 10 years. It has really been in the last 5 or 6 years that I have really gotten back into growing things. The vegetable garden hasn’t been as large as when I was a young but the rewards have been fruitful. I love the idea of being as self sufficient as possible.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to work on my usual row garden, but I still wanted to have one. I also want to learn as much as I can about how things grow, so this year I have stepped outside of my traditional rows and am doing my vegetable garden in containers. I had a few terracotta pots available but mostly old 2 to 5 gallon plastic planters and buckets are what I am using. It doesn’t have to be pretty to grow, right?

So here is What I Did

On Saturday, my mother, Parks and I set off to have lunch and run a few errands. We ended up in 4 garden centers and only bought a small truckload of stuff. The highlight of the day was when I found a Brown Turkey Fig Tree at Garden Place. I spoke at length with an employee who knew quite a bit about Figs and he offered some advice for growing it in a container. Since I’m not sure where and when I want this plant to rest forever, a container will do for now.

We hit Garden World next and the favorite purchase there was a Midnight Ginger plant. Its hardy in zone 10 so it will definitely be a house plant. I then picked out my favorite veggies that I knew did well in these parts, some organic soil, and some organic fertilizer that would “do the trick”. Then it was on to Lowes where I bought shrub and tree dirt, a few hanging baskets and then it was off to Wal-Mart to get wine and terracotta pots. Both much cheaper there and I have a serious love and lack of taste when it comes to wine. (Don’t get me wrong, I like the good stuff too, I just don’t discriminate.) Back at home it was container time.

I know I said I wouldn’t plant until Easter. I still mean that. Nothing goes into the ground until Easter weekend. So I broke into the plumbing work truck, swiped a drill and a bit, went to the shop and found tons of buckets. Once I selected all the varieties I wanted, i drilled drain holes in the little suckers. That should do.

Below is a pic of the fruits of my labor. I am not sure about the placement of this bucket-o-Garden. For now, all the plant babies are taking refuge in the garage. The temps have been ok, but the wind has been awful.

My first attempt is mainly filled with the varieties of plants that I know well. One of my favorite summer activities is also canning peppers so the more the better. Therefore, I kept the garden small and stuck to what I know. Hopefully, it will be a success. If anybody out there has any suggestions or advice, please feel free to let me know.

(Magners is my garden warrior. He protects the plant babies at all cost. Even if that means laying on top of them to keep them warm. He’s not that bright sometimes, but he means well.)

Some Pictures to Illustrate the Goodness

Above are my patio tomatoes, lavender, and peppers. I am hoping for huge tomatoes this year. I am growing cherry and roma.

Mags is guarding the stash. left to right we have a pot of misc herbs, cucumbers (hanging baskets), two white varieties of crepe myrtle, figs, leeks, jalapenos, banana peppers, tomato (r0ma), tomato (cherry) lavender, various bell peppers, more jalapenos, and hot banana.

This is my wee, hundred plus pound baby. He wants to be in every shot (and even poses! u see that?!). Otherwise, Magners is a great garden buddy. No one else is able to stand my gardening OCD and follow every footstep as if it is the best thing in the world. It’s my own personal fan club.

OK working with dirt is not glam, so I look……well, not glam……and eerily alot like my dad…..yikes….MAKE-UP! Anyway, my fan club rested his head on my shoulder and decided we needed a pic together. so CHEEESE!

Meanwhile, in the house…Catastrophe Strikes

On the seedling front….CATASTROPHE! I went away for a fun filled spring break. In the mean time, my hardy little seedlings were growing away in a specially designed, self watering container. I guess that’s what I get for trying to take the easy watering way out. We have mold people!

It hit with a vengeance. Two of my trays have been infested. I hope I got to it in time. So I don’t loose the whole crop, I immediately removed the plants and bleached all my trays. I then flushed out my plants with water. It’s is the only thing I can think to do without spending any money and still maintain my organic principles. It is survival of the fittest around here. It is a week later and It looks like the remaining plants will be survivors. I didn’t loose too many.

These guys are still kicking butt! go purple basil and zinias!

March 6, 2009March 17, 2009

Goddess of Gardening Update

Ok! Maybe Goddess is a bit much! But still……….

I included lots of pics in this blog because I just lurv clicking away at my flower babies. It’s all I can do at the moment, since the more I leave them alone, keep them watered and sunbathing the better they will be.

A few observations about my wee little seedlings :

Zinnias planted in first planting are way too leggy. I am not sure if it had to do with amount of sun exposure but I kept them in the same window as Zinnias planted in # 2 tray.
The fennel are not as strong grown indoors as they were when I started them outside last year. I’m going to put a fan on them for a few hours a day in order to develop some strength to their stalk. I’ll just have to keep an eye on the water. I don’t want them to dry out.
So far everything has sprouted beautifully

My mother, being a master gardener herself, brought a few store bought herbs because they were a steal…but can you see how jealous the plant babies are sitting next to them?! Total Performance anxiety; but I told them that size didn’t matter….it’s the ability to photosynthesize that gardeners look for. I think they feel better.

Grow herby babies! Grow! The purple basil looks good enough to eat already. I love to plant purple basil in my show beds for their deep color. It adds a beautiful contrast to the vibrant colors of spring blooms and bright greenery. Also, infusing your beds with specific herbs are a natural pest deterrent. Less chemicals and more smarts peoples. I plants herbs everywhere (outside and inside) The nature woman in me believes in the innate healing properties of herbs just by proximity alone.

These guys are reaching for the sun. I have to rotate my flats so everyone can get enough full sun. I seriously need a green house as big as a house. Currently, I house my seedling nursery/overwinter storage/plant hospital in the south facing utility room. There is a washing area and a huge window that allows for an abundance of light and protection. It’s a pretty smooth operation, but I’m greedy. I want more! I ran out of room for my overwintering facility in the Utility room, so a good portion of my non-winter hardy, containerized plants are in my bathroom. It is literally a jungle in there!

So what’s going on outside?

We’ve got pink buds! Peaches are all set for go. Please, Please, Please no freeze! Last years peaches were amazing. We still have a freezer full ready to go for cobblers and ice cream toppings! The apricot and plums have leaf nodules but since they are only a few yrs old and were planted last year, I’m not expecting a crop. The grapes are budding as are the Wisteria and roses. I am so excited to see the bees out and about and the Mud Finches back. That means Spring is almost here. I won’t officially be excited until after Easter. Then I will let superstition pass and dig like a mad woman.

The sad aspect of gardening this year is the lack of a vegetable garden. I made the decision to not do a veggie garden this year, due to the fact that I will be moving during the critical summer gardening period. I love having a garden and have had one most of my life. So a good way to make me jealous is to talk about how good your tomatoes and onion sets are doing! I am still maintaining and caring for whatever is currently rooted in the ground, but will not be adding anything to this property. I am propagating my seeds for my new residence, family and friends, the buzz garden for the zoo, and plant sale.

Never fear, I have my perennials and annuals on order for April and my seeds are set and it looks like all the cutting back and hedging has done its job and I see more and more sprouts every day.

February 27, 2009February 27, 2009

Garden Of Delight

February is already coming and going! It’s time to fertilize, prune and hedge back all those shrubs, trees and perennials that bud on new growth. It’s also time to do any repotting of houseplants or anything overwintered in containers. Then, it’s more of a watch and wait scenario. So much of my plant babies are already showing signs of buds and new life, but I don’t really have much going on in terms of gardening at the moment. I have mainly been slowly getting around to pruning and hedging anything that needs it and starting my seeds. I am desperate to start digging in the dirt, but I know what a bad idea that would be. I’m sure we are in for at least one more good cold spell before Easter. I am also superstitious enough to know that the second I stick a spade in the ground, snow will fall out of the sky.

I never start spring planting before Easter. However, that doesn’t include indoor propagation. I am deeply satisfied as a gardener, and humble servant of the land, when I know I raised a beautiful plant from a tiny seed to its mature state (plus, it’s 95% cheaper and just as easy to do it yourself than buying specimens from the nursery). I started my seeds indoors several weeks ago, and have been attempting a picture diary. Unfortunately, my pictures are spread across 3 cameras and haven’t been organized well. Currently, I am growing a few varieties of Zinnias (seen above), as well as Columbine, Hollyhock, Salvia, and Blue Flax. My herb selection includes various colors of Basil, Oregano, Cilantro, Parsley, Mint, Fennel, Lavender,Lemon Balm and Rosemary. So far, all of my seeds have come up, and I am doing the dreaded thinning. It makes me so sad to kill the innocent, but it’s better to not have an over-crowding issue.

Calling the local Agricultural Extension office is a great way to get information about one’s county or area’s zone hardiness. They also know what’s been proven to grow well in my neck of woods and are the hardest plants to kill. They do actual trials of specific plants and situations and will always have recommendations and tips. Twice a year, they also have plant sales in which one can order top growing specimens that would normally be rare and hard to find in local nurseries, at a fraction of the cost. Yesterday, I put in my order with the AgLife Extension Office for some of Texas’ best and finest plants for my hardy zone 7b that I would be less likely to murder.

In the ornamental grass category: I chose Little Blue Stem, Mexican Feather Grass and Autum Glow.

In the perennials category: I got White Oxalis. These are a fantastically hardy plant that is drought resistant and attracts butterflies. (Butterfly attractiveness is one of the main things I look for in a perennial.) I also ordered passion flower vines. This vine features a super spaceship looking blue flower. I was told to order 2, one for the butterflies and one for me. I also chose Cotton Lavender and Green Santolina. These make amazing ground cover and fillers in a natural landscape.

In the Shrub category: I added a Hardy Flare Hibiscus that I plan on babying in a container for a few years, and an American Beautyberry. I have heard wonderful thing about this bush and it produces long stems of beautiful and tasty berries.

In the rose category: I chose a few eye poppers and nose tempters. The Antique Cadenza is an amazingly hardy, deep red, climbing rose shrub with an out-of-this-world fragrance. To compliment this rose shrub, I added the Duchesse de Brabant rose. This rose is cream to pink and equally fragrant. Maybe later on I will add some white Knock-Outs to add more ooompf….Phases…phases! I have to learn that I can do things in stages and not all at once.

One of the main issue I am having right now is garden confusion. I’m still working and planning stuff for the farm here….but we will be moving this summer to Anna with Simon, and so my main area of gardening concentration will be there. I guess I will have to have a hard lesson in consolidation. I am used to having acres to do what ever I wanted to. Soon, I will have to figure out how to fit 5 acres of plants and veggies in one main bed…….surely it won’t be a problem…….. DANG! Never-the-less, I am really looking forward to adding more urban landscape to my green thumb experience. It is so exciting!