No More Room

Yesterday morning I went to Home Depot to use my gift card from Christmas. I picked up nine peppers:  three spicy ones (each different kind), three yellow bell peppers and three "snack-size" orange sweet peppers. I also got a pot with three basil plants, a rhubarb, a Japanese eggplant and three different zinnia seed packets. Then, since I was already in the neighborhood, I stopped for a very quick (really!) visit at Marrifield Garden Center where I scooped up lemongrass and eucalyptus. Oh yea, I also had ordered unthinkable number of dusty miller and celosia in the neighborhood plant sale (the best deal all around BTW, I got 48 plants for $20 and that included $2 donation!) The afternoon was spent planting and seeding everything. My little garden plot is filled to capacity. Right now everything looks orderly and neat, but that will change as plants grow. I'm glad I used plant markers; they have been very helpful.

 Rhododendron 'Nova Zembla' that I planted in March is now blooming.

 It should grow much bigger in the coming years.

 Azalias in backyard

 Catmint

Early May

On April 30 I planted tomato seedlings outside in the garden. I did not plant every single one, smaller ones were thrown away. A few days later I can tell that not every seedling I planted will survive, but there sure should be enough tomato plants that will strive.

Last Saturday, May 4 I went out with intentions to seed several things, but ended up spending all my time turning compost pile and distributing compost around the garden. There might have been eight wheel barrel loads I could take. I sure hope there aren't too many weed seeds in the compost, although I know there will be some.

And tonight I went out "just for a little bit" and ended up having a very productive evening. I seeded marigolds (seeds kept from last year), second helping of beans, cucumbers 'Straight Eight', and summer squash 'Fordhook.' I also planted dahlias that were kept in peat during winter. I'm not very hopeful that they have survived well, but at least they are now in ground and we'll see what happens.

Dogwoods have almost finished blooming. Weather stays cool and pansies love it--they keep blooming. Everything seems to stay in bloom longer because of the coolness. Wrens have built a nest on top of the bush near the front door, and I believe chickadee family has occupied the birdhouse in the backyard.

No pictures this time. Garden looks the best right now, though--fresh, clean and kept.

What Happened in April

I'm not keeping my own intentions to keep garden diary... Let's see if I can recall what was done in late March and April.

Sometime late March/ early April I finished mulching. Yeay!

April 6 I seeded sorrel and this one herb which name is escaping me right now chervil.

April 13: seeded beans and planted potatoes ('Carola').

April 20: cilantro. Anything else?

The last Saturday in April I did not have a chance to do anything in the garden as I was leaving for business trip the next day.

My memory is very faulty. I most likely missed something.

Mulching Part I

Saturday, March 23: started mulching

 
Sunday, March 24: did some more. After about five hours total work there is a little dent in the full-size (5 square yard) load.

  

Monday, March 25: seeded tomatoes and seeds from a flower (need to look up what exactly it is) that I collected from a garden around the hotel where we stayed while visiting Zion National Park last summer.

March catch-up

March 20: mulch delivered
March 17: seeded lettuce mix, caraway, arugula, parsley. Planted second part of sweet onions. Turned the soil in a few places.
March 10: cleaned up front yard. Planted pansies in planter on the porch and rhododendron in side yard. Planted broccoli, Brussel sprouts and about half of sweet onions bunch.

Digging up Spearmint

About 7 pm I decided to go out and dig a little bit the part between raspberry bush and where butterfly bush used to be. Spearmint has spread all over there and I need to get rid of it. Halfway thru I pulled up some perennial that I must have planted last fall. I have no recollection of it. Resolved to record things I do in the garden in more detail. Kept digging until it was too dark to see the roots I need to pick out.

Garden in Early July

Early July is green beans time! One day I picked about two pounds of green beens. I've been sharing them with my neighbors. I've also picked some cucumbers and pulled small beets.

 Front yard flowers

 Lords and Ladies in sideyard

 Backyard veggie/flower garden

 Cucumbers

 Parsley gone to seed

 Garlic is ready to be dug up amongst eggplant

 A little bit of everything

 PIcked my first tomato today, July 9

 ...and it was added to salad.