fun things in the garden

Just a few pics- look close!

The above bird is a migrating Western Tanager- there was a pair of them.

End of May

Well, we had record highs in the 90's around the 18th, and then the daytime temps went down to 57 degrees! One day I was fighting to keep everything in the garden happy, everything in the greenhouse alive, and the next it was back to the rainy, cloudy, cold Portland days! I can't believe it. I go away to Medford for Memorial Day and come back to a jungle! Unfortunately, the weeds grew too! The spinach needs to be composted. The last of the spring lettuce needs to be eaten now, or tossed as well. Peas are love 'n it though :)


Here is the spring lettuce- it was yummy!

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Clematis is doing really well this year- in fact it's out of control. Hmmm, maybe it's because I've been fertilizing it?











The new lettuce I'm growing this year is supposed to do well in warmer weather- a Romaine type. It really is a pretty lettuce. The south fence bed could use some weeding. I don't know what to do with the Johnson's Blue Geranium getting all floppy- any suggestions? (see below)

Peony is about to burst and looks great this year!

The black-eyed susan I started, and was being eaten, looks like it might just make it! Sunflower looks good too.

Garden 2008 Slide Show

Here is the garden in 2008. The weather has been so weird this year- I'm ready to just give up- the weeds are growing fine though! Remember to take a glance at this slide show whenever you check out my blog because I add to it all the time.

favorite tool for germination!

So, last year or maybe the year before, I found the neatest tool- soil block makers! No more pots!






The best thing about starting seeds in these is the plants are naturally air pruned (roots) so when you pop the soil blocks in the ground- bingo! they take off! No more transplant shock, no more roots growing around the pot. These work for plants that don't transplant well too. And for very small seeds- or seeds that take forever to germinate, the micro soil block maker is great. When they are getting bigger, you make the 2" size soil blocks and they pop right into the next size- if you have the inserts in the 2" block maker. :)



If you get the soil mix right, the blocks stay together really well. I tried using Black Gold this year- some coco blend stuff, and I had 100% germination.

Now if I can only get the 4" soil block maker- I'd be set!

See post 'Soil Block Makers' to see how easy these are to use! Or click on the label 'tools' to locate that post.

garden happenings

Well, the weather got cold again...surprise, surprise! I did manage to plant a few things out.
Something is eating a few of them- I put slug bait out, but they are being munched anyway. I guess it's time for a midnight flashlight check!

Black-eyed Susan (or what is left of it)

I planted some tomato, sunflower, marigold, cupid's dart, black-eyed susan, nicotiana, cosmos, and some zinnia. Oh, and morning glory- they aren't real happy.



We'll see how everything does with the colder weather. I guess the local farmer's markets aren't able to grow much. A friend of mine told me every one they've been to it's the same story- the farmers are having a hard time growing anything because of the weather- everything they have is small and not very healthy looking. Just a weird year!

You know you're an obsessed gardener when...

1. You wish you had flood lights in your yard so you could work in the garden at night.
2. You can give plants away easily, but compost is another thing.
3. You'd rather go shopping at a nursery that a clothing store.
4. You can be found outside at midnight- salt shaker in hand.
   
5. You wash your hair to get your fingernails clean.
6. You grab other people's banana peels, coffee grounds, apple cores, etc. for your compost pile.
   
7. You enjoy crushing Japanese beetles because like the sound it makes.
8. You find yourself feeling leaves, flowers, and trunks of trees where ever you go, even funerals!
9. Your neighbors recognize you in your pajamas, rubber clogs, and a cup of coffee.
10. You spend more time chopping your kitchen scraps for the compost pile than for cooking.

My greenhouse ('07 and '08 slide show)

This is my 6x10 hobby greenhouse, put up in the fall of 2006. I've had a lot of fun with it, and frustration, but I'm glad I got it. I use it to start flowers and vegetables early- last year I started my tomatoes a little later than i should have, but we had great, very large beefsteak tomato on the 10th of July!

They were so meaty you could hardly see the seeds!

Now That's a tomato!

The green house is a EZ2build 6x10. I found it on the internet about 6mo. to a year before I purchased it. By the time I could get it I found it at Costco. The one I found on the internet didn't include the the benches or the 2 big smart vents- those had to be added. The one at Costco included both for the same price- $600.00 total! I need to find out if it has an extension kit, if not I will replace it some day with one that is wider and longer. I liked this design because it was simple, easy to build, and it was the only one that placed the vents properly. Maybe when I'm ready to replace or extend it- I might just build my own.
Greenhouse 2008

2006-07

garden slide show 06-07

garden happenings in 2006-07

Garden 2004-'05

Here is a slide show for 2004-05

Happy Gardening!

Tessa