tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28842167709269326762024-03-17T05:30:42.929-04:00The Gardening MeMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-34063545301571977292024-02-18T17:51:00.004-05:002024-02-18T17:51:19.172-05:00Interesting Perennials I'm Growing...From Seed! (Part 1)<p>Last year I grew a slew of perennials from seed - everything from Echinacea & Rudbeckia to Salvias, Nepeta & Penstemon. While not everything was a resounding success, I had SO much fun nonetheless! And the best part? I ended up with dozens of beautiful perennial seedlings for a fraction of the cost.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBnxBDfnjmzqpqWtruIUasNdoVgzLwTfFbi4YEpwxEE1pO5Bb2SATavIjHtI04zFsTAMZlhTOy3KfabXY4TAe-rN3gVX50taZm0KFdn5qt88KT7-Hvqzi4ABUYqCwonQQVePK2W3b4Bv1U6G5gKI0onpTUxGqw0Qp6DbdD4NK_h7fHE8tBkiuMyZ4uXw/s800/20230714%20-%20Salvia%20from%20Seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBnxBDfnjmzqpqWtruIUasNdoVgzLwTfFbi4YEpwxEE1pO5Bb2SATavIjHtI04zFsTAMZlhTOy3KfabXY4TAe-rN3gVX50taZm0KFdn5qt88KT7-Hvqzi4ABUYqCwonQQVePK2W3b4Bv1U6G5gKI0onpTUxGqw0Qp6DbdD4NK_h7fHE8tBkiuMyZ4uXw/w400-h300/20230714%20-%20Salvia%20from%20Seed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A variety of 1st year blooming Salvias in last year's perennial holding bed,<br />where tiny seedlings grow over the summer before being transplanted into the garden</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Seeing those babies germinate and grow, then transplanting them to the ornamental border was so incredibly satisfying. I can't wait until it starts to warm up so that I can see them come to life and really bulk up this year. I'm expecting a casualty or two over the winter but I do have my fingers crossed that most of them make it through.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9HTdVNZ3pExU7CTCcBgFzHxKeVLfRGRnYd3FtUzpcPxQ5DQKO_ZmU9lK_Jf-HDHD00urM1eOH7KtlKFn1QjKJ4V3J3pmSXgu8D-bZFiUhqy1OHnWtc5eDpKv93NE1FNt24S4ZSITopq87InjhCuAZFdBqASlPkS7XgoMxy_0DBwYZNHP_eiWQpOuLck/s800/Nepeta%20'Pink%20Panther'.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9HTdVNZ3pExU7CTCcBgFzHxKeVLfRGRnYd3FtUzpcPxQ5DQKO_ZmU9lK_Jf-HDHD00urM1eOH7KtlKFn1QjKJ4V3J3pmSXgu8D-bZFiUhqy1OHnWtc5eDpKv93NE1FNt24S4ZSITopq87InjhCuAZFdBqASlPkS7XgoMxy_0DBwYZNHP_eiWQpOuLck/w400-h300/Nepeta%20'Pink%20Panther'.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepeta 'Pink Panther' only a few months after sowing</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Of course, now that I caught the bug, I ended up ordering a few more interesting perennial seeds this year & thought I would share. And while this may seem like a lot of seeds, this is actually me reigning it in as I tend to go a bit crazy when it comes to ordering seed. I'm on a '<a href="https://www.thegardeningme.com/2019/02/a-seed-diet.html" target="_blank">Seed Diet</a>' (sort of!) this year, after all 😉</p><p>Most of the seeds mentioned were ordered from a new-to-me local company called '<a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a>' while a handful were from <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">Baker Creek</a>.</p><p>This originally started off as one post but as I kept writing, I decided to split it up into two parts - 'cause this is a blog post, not a book 😊. The plants included in Part 1 are those I've grown from seed in the past successfully, although the one's I'm trying this year are different varieties and/or species. In Part 2 I share all of the 'never grown that from seed before' plants that I'll be trying this year.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Achillea ptarmica 'Double Diamond Pearl'</h3><p>I have a confession to make...I'm not a fan of yarrow. I had a bunch of it in the garden when we first moved in and I eventually pulled it all out (although a ton self-seeded into the grass, so I don't think I'll ever be rid of it). Here's the BUT - the species that doesn't tickle my fancy is A. millefolium which is the standard yarrow that you see everywhere with it's clusters of flat-topped flowers (umbels).</p><p>Then, a few years ago, I was in the William Dam trial gardens and was introduced to A. ptarmica with it's loose sprays of button-like flowers....and fell in love. Of course, I purchased a packet (the variety was 'Marshmallow') & it's now a resident of my perennial garden.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKQj7hMTJZrT_02EP1fxDWKeC8J1wq0n5-OewUnobICugV7Y9AhE3N-eoCOQyj15sNMOq4k_gIxhGfbX5zTEs8Ej4pfV1p_ua_ATVvoEHcld8DVA1MlD1Uh-OppVSi98GXAR2u87siV9vpYe-W0U1BcbE_0E-MhW01cWOcdaAg7mzBVcv-Wg8fPPVN1Y/s800/20230713%20-%20Achillea%20ptarmica%20'Marshmallow'.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKQj7hMTJZrT_02EP1fxDWKeC8J1wq0n5-OewUnobICugV7Y9AhE3N-eoCOQyj15sNMOq4k_gIxhGfbX5zTEs8Ej4pfV1p_ua_ATVvoEHcld8DVA1MlD1Uh-OppVSi98GXAR2u87siV9vpYe-W0U1BcbE_0E-MhW01cWOcdaAg7mzBVcv-Wg8fPPVN1Y/w400-h266/20230713%20-%20Achillea%20ptarmica%20'Marshmallow'.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Achillea ptarmica 'Marshmallow'</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So, when I saw 'Double Diamond Pearl' at Baker Creek, I had to try it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdMHx-jGkFE3-vIdkPt43n1zqL7mwxcmM9y-haJTGg5JvoSnl9Rbh9O3Ch3FtFK9CzON161OMVxCeR6Iy36z8763SjWUYecqLiBlkSiaFwOmbKMZ6xgORhw1mgKyHxmj8PfC8xGCaqJ932zxv5BBb9Vr-lDhfeoUiPyUNKB_ojje2wNE6aJ_8YVQET7U/s850/Achillea%20'Double%20Diamond'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdMHx-jGkFE3-vIdkPt43n1zqL7mwxcmM9y-haJTGg5JvoSnl9Rbh9O3Ch3FtFK9CzON161OMVxCeR6Iy36z8763SjWUYecqLiBlkSiaFwOmbKMZ6xgORhw1mgKyHxmj8PfC8xGCaqJ932zxv5BBb9Vr-lDhfeoUiPyUNKB_ojje2wNE6aJ_8YVQET7U/w400-h400/Achillea%20'Double%20Diamond'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">Baker Creek Seeds</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While Baker Creek's photo shows flowers with an open centre, other online photos of this variety have it as more of a pompom form so we'll have to wait and see how it actually looks when it blooms. This one gets to be 2-3' tall & is hardy in zones 3-10.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Coreopsis grandiflora 'Yellow Fully Double'</h3><p>This one is a dwarf (12-14" tall) coreopsis with double petals.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uBRQz2I0bxR9M3-QzwtOi8iMG6KBsnINoCQbnEzVUUFI0WYbuDr-17lh0pwVdlvXQaXAWh6FlYHqNbRsFA0wgTWmEfIyutwTI9Jy-h6MlNPgPg1Ne-un0fWdX8ERPDa0Nhgs6r6ZqJBvNj_SX7dHajYG2tVr0FBKrtTJt_tYesVkZvmJp9UxS4Lvt4I/s855/Coreopsis%20-%20'Yellow%20Fully%20Double'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="855" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uBRQz2I0bxR9M3-QzwtOi8iMG6KBsnINoCQbnEzVUUFI0WYbuDr-17lh0pwVdlvXQaXAWh6FlYHqNbRsFA0wgTWmEfIyutwTI9Jy-h6MlNPgPg1Ne-un0fWdX8ERPDa0Nhgs6r6ZqJBvNj_SX7dHajYG2tVr0FBKrtTJt_tYesVkZvmJp9UxS4Lvt4I/w400-h400/Coreopsis%20-%20'Yellow%20Fully%20Double'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">Baker Creek Seeds</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Unlike some double flowers, the center of the blooms is fully exposed so it's still easily accessible by pollinators. It's hardy in zones 4-9.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Echinacea purpurea 'Alan's Pride'</h3><p>I love Echinacea. I love green flowers. Enough said.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qs_-he_wvBXHZ42wC6xJTO6JUKTiAjs4XU79CXS5pRIfCvfSScoKRqWaUWegHW-nJooFFNMuhvN6r-sVbmsxJrvxiQudIKO3WUwGrM84LaxQtxgkhSl-yRSv564WV_v20nF9JHl1Bc5uhlvvHshQp5ChTc4axCBP5r1ptVTOKNmJag9Lew2eSDV8KyE/s855/Echinacea%20purpurea%20'Alans%20Pride'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="855" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qs_-he_wvBXHZ42wC6xJTO6JUKTiAjs4XU79CXS5pRIfCvfSScoKRqWaUWegHW-nJooFFNMuhvN6r-sVbmsxJrvxiQudIKO3WUwGrM84LaxQtxgkhSl-yRSv564WV_v20nF9JHl1Bc5uhlvvHshQp5ChTc4axCBP5r1ptVTOKNmJag9Lew2eSDV8KyE/w400-h400/Echinacea%20purpurea%20'Alans%20Pride'%20-%20Baker%20Creek.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">Baker Creek Seeds</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Alan's Pride grows to 24" tall, has apple green petals & is hardy from zones 4-9.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Penstemon barbatus 'Pinacolada Red'</h3><p>I first 'discovered' Penstemon when visiting Denver Colorado a few years ago. On my return, I promptly added Penstemon 'Dark Towers' to my garden. Throughout the season, I became more and more enamoured with it - this plant just kept on giving with burgundy evergreen leaves (even in my Zone 5 garden) and gorgeous flower spikes that transition into seedheads that are equally beautiful. So when I decided to try growing a variety of different perennials from seed last year, Penstemon was high on that list.</p><p>The one thing about Penstemon is that there are many different species available from seed - a point that's important to keep in mind since success with one species does not ensure success with another as they may have different needs. So far, I've had fairly good results with P. barbatus, P. digitalis & P. cobaea (I also tried P. strictus but that one wasn't as successful - I'm giving it another go this year). Whether or not last year's seedlings make it through their first winter is yet to be seen - fingers crossed!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1G1l69VFwx5RwbSl3dLWYffFrCDfkju1mk9r7oopfZj_EeBVNSziXtM_3ippZtJL6lKDT5HAuU1NSEWompoSn0mXDj9OEIyT3Pvu4MnIseLm23L3XIlN6z0IkpNszxsNu0MJRkeCfdDA5cnJ-d5SERdKLSVxCsr1fHVKdJwWSjdKmTpJzxqHU81MNuI/s550/Penstemon%20barbatus%20'Pinacolada'%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="489" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1G1l69VFwx5RwbSl3dLWYffFrCDfkju1mk9r7oopfZj_EeBVNSziXtM_3ippZtJL6lKDT5HAuU1NSEWompoSn0mXDj9OEIyT3Pvu4MnIseLm23L3XIlN6z0IkpNszxsNu0MJRkeCfdDA5cnJ-d5SERdKLSVxCsr1fHVKdJwWSjdKmTpJzxqHU81MNuI/w356-h400/Penstemon%20barbatus%20'Pinacolada'%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>'Pinacolada Red' has a well branched habit & is long blooming. At only 8-12" tall, it's a great front-of-the-border choice. As with most Penstemon, Pinacolada Red is heat and drought tolerant & prefers soil that leans towards the dry side, although I'm sure it will be fine with average moisture as well. It needs full sun and is hardy from zones 4-8.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Penstemon saxosorum (Upland Beardtongue)</h3><p>This is an unusual Penstemon that doesn't seem to be widely available as I had issues finding much information on it. I'm not sure why that is - perhaps it's just fussier to grow in areas outside it's native Colorado & Wyoming? I guess we'll find out!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cyGupiwABcXE5UtMT3_ZHAgXNhjHpjzKEEGSXzrzoCwtc_5Q9OcQI2jarSl8rNA_iJiuXuzrGcYC4LwmOkbXlXUvwRWL6lZm9b6_9Q10l4ThuCASnhUXA3eqQYGynpAaNlmI88hvEgqc5zEcXmJ4SknmX-szMF0tMLIGDfN7uhVV_py3ozuRRHNwK1U/s600/Penstemon%20cf%20saxosorum%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="522" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cyGupiwABcXE5UtMT3_ZHAgXNhjHpjzKEEGSXzrzoCwtc_5Q9OcQI2jarSl8rNA_iJiuXuzrGcYC4LwmOkbXlXUvwRWL6lZm9b6_9Q10l4ThuCASnhUXA3eqQYGynpAaNlmI88hvEgqc5zEcXmJ4SknmX-szMF0tMLIGDfN7uhVV_py3ozuRRHNwK1U/w348-h400/Penstemon%20cf%20saxosorum%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>P. saxosorum tops out at 32" tall & blooms from June to August with blue to blueish-violet flowers. It's hardy down to zone 5 but I couldn't find any information on it's upper zone range.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Penstemon digitalis (aka Foxglove Beardtongue)</h3><p>I'm growing a couple of P. digitalis including this one which is the species. The flowers resemble those of foxglove, hence it's species & common name. P. digitalis has one of the widest native ranges of the Penstemons, being native to most of the Eastern US & Canada.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3Ql2c83PYjQRlkkD7RXNzAvvRDvl4gdSQacnNaHZpI7mM0sTduhhRfzOQIH9XjTNEyO7d0KQaHl7LiWOnKviBoAiKOlKEtbc4aJ0AHGDMwoOYFucDXkT3D1MoIxlStuAgei23fqqZo-hpSEUnGrseNnG7MVVB0ny75a1iDft9jnQPHSlWxUY6HKodJ8/s600/Penstemon%20digitalis%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="600" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3Ql2c83PYjQRlkkD7RXNzAvvRDvl4gdSQacnNaHZpI7mM0sTduhhRfzOQIH9XjTNEyO7d0KQaHl7LiWOnKviBoAiKOlKEtbc4aJ0AHGDMwoOYFucDXkT3D1MoIxlStuAgei23fqqZo-hpSEUnGrseNnG7MVVB0ny75a1iDft9jnQPHSlWxUY6HKodJ8/w400-h359/Penstemon%20digitalis%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>P. digitalis blooms in late spring/early summer, gets 3-5' tall and is hardy in zones 3-8.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Asclepias exaltata (aka Poke Milkweed)</h3><p>I adore milkweed and each year I add more to the garden. While I do tend to pull common milkweed (A. syriaca) when it finds its way into the garden (although I do leave a few scattered plants here & there, making sure to deadhead spent blooms), A. incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) & A. tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) is another story - I can't seem to get enough!</p><p>A few years ago - I believe it was at the Royal Botanical Gardens, here in Ontario - I was introduced to another native milkweed - A. exaltata aka Poke Milkweed. With it's nodding head of white to pale pink flowers I was immediately smitten 💚💚</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDXSfcb5FQydtkKbkvfmdN76L7tvYvuMLzmmryCQh-wrEOWdBUWrm4ojuPz_A39cBRoezG-xiQol29XIkIRxTno7yFgMzAFUDbrXm0f2U8DK2kHAf4y3UoRCUFr0Jg3cd9ZVZOUH3FWX8CGTTmBNwptfPS2IdGioNEP9IxKM8iA4TTiJFzFiK9m7GefM/s600/Asclepias%20exaltata%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDXSfcb5FQydtkKbkvfmdN76L7tvYvuMLzmmryCQh-wrEOWdBUWrm4ojuPz_A39cBRoezG-xiQol29XIkIRxTno7yFgMzAFUDbrXm0f2U8DK2kHAf4y3UoRCUFr0Jg3cd9ZVZOUH3FWX8CGTTmBNwptfPS2IdGioNEP9IxKM8iA4TTiJFzFiK9m7GefM/w400-h356/Asclepias%20exaltata%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now for the exciting bit - according to a few sites, this one thrives in part-shade to shade conditions. Say what? A milkweed I can plant in my shady borders? Yes please! I am, however, taking this with a grain of salt as other sites do indicate it's best in part to dappled sun...so perhaps I'll try it out in a few areas of the garden to see how it goes. Another great garden experiment that I'm excited about!</p><p>The height on A. exaltata ranges pretty wildly from 2' tall all the way up to 6' - no doubt this has to do with the conditions it's growing in. It's hardy from zones 4 - 7.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Viola labradorica</h3><p>While most of the seeds on my list are ones that I spotted as I browsed online seed catalogues and though 'hmmmm....I think I'll try that', V. labradorica is one that I actually sought out.</p><p>This is not your average, run-of-the-mill viola. This shade loving native is smaller than typical violas & the leaves have a dark purple hue early in the season. They bloom in early spring, just as many other perennials are emerging from the ground. As the years pass, I enjoy my shade gardens more and more so am really looking forward to adding these to my shady borders.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwV9JY_Upq_6YowTb91fjRswlNa51KGMmqT1-fHw_gemmWGkXn-TFfo6-x3Mi8gbUJtO1aZ6qmvtooMVi5Fsq45fjnh53jdzQeIWDzjSAPCmqgkouXsq6odG-gClXeEd88PHlJzmO56kLqQ0hdw0N9CjkonTpNt4AebnUs_5Hcg3F7keFIO-kWYeI0xk/s600/Viola%20labradorica%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="600" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwV9JY_Upq_6YowTb91fjRswlNa51KGMmqT1-fHw_gemmWGkXn-TFfo6-x3Mi8gbUJtO1aZ6qmvtooMVi5Fsq45fjnh53jdzQeIWDzjSAPCmqgkouXsq6odG-gClXeEd88PHlJzmO56kLqQ0hdw0N9CjkonTpNt4AebnUs_5Hcg3F7keFIO-kWYeI0xk/w400-h329/Viola%20labradorica%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I do have an important PSA about this Viola: While you may find Violas labeled as V. labradorica at the garden centre, in the vast majority of cases (i.e. 99% of the time), it's mislabeled and what you are actually getting is V. riviniana. I even saw one nursery website say that 'there has been some confusion in the trade' as to whether the plants they are selling are V. labradorica or V. riviniana but 'either way it is a useful and pretty plant' - ugh! These species are not interchangeable. Firstly V. labradorica is native to the Northern US and Canada and while it does self-seed, it does so lightly & doesn't take over. On the other hand, V. riviniana, which is native to Asia, is an aggressive spreader with many gardeners expressing their frustration with its invasive tendencies. So buyer beware! And before you ask, the seed listing at Botanically Inclined specifically stated that this is the 'true V. labradorica, not the commonly mistaken V. riviniana'.</p><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Liatris ligulistylis (aka Meadow or Rocky Mountain Blazing Star)</h3><p>Liatris spicata has been a resident in my garden for a few years and it is such a joy, not only for me but also the pollinators. It has gently self-seeded throughout the bed - not in an obnoxious way, but here and there. The seedlings are quite small the 1st year so it's simple to pull out any that end up where you don't want them. And while I haven't purposefully grown Liatris from seed, it's propensity to self-sow has me including it here.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwsCxnUQq8uYH_V1D1m6zUfP9Vgx9G90RlirZm9pIKMlRixHsPpz08-zl2ITQXKr2R89CLJveMBSi7Y30wLJlov4UpGXqI8CNUgvEcdZ0W-waBLw_Ogt8Ib2tjKHXiaP2B9TBaUsPeIipuuIyF53XNSVruvMrHR_QTfzurbrKXUCAM0h61Yuop72AV9E/s800/20210715%20-%20Liatris.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwsCxnUQq8uYH_V1D1m6zUfP9Vgx9G90RlirZm9pIKMlRixHsPpz08-zl2ITQXKr2R89CLJveMBSi7Y30wLJlov4UpGXqI8CNUgvEcdZ0W-waBLw_Ogt8Ib2tjKHXiaP2B9TBaUsPeIipuuIyF53XNSVruvMrHR_QTfzurbrKXUCAM0h61Yuop72AV9E/w281-h400/20210715%20-%20Liatris.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liatris spicata in my garden</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Unlike the fairly even structure of the bloom spikes on L. spicata, the blooms on L. ligulistylis look like little pom poms all the way up the stem. And while L. spicata generally tops out at about 3' tall, L. ligulistylis, reaches a height of 4-6' tall! It prefers sun to part shade & blooms in late summer. And here's the kicker - the blooms last for up to 6 weeks - wow!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKldKHbcJ3L0KIUgzzMdxx66RhXO_6UwncDMpi581Ix4RHLV4MmCfyZb2ED8XkBO58Xzi7HEeyRljltiv1k6pN5EMzqgA6po2L0uio8dI7WA4cKWV0A7UWPgQs-oTh22b2t6lLjNIh_ESMF_NM89gj3r9mXXaFo42KEqzRLFPEgXReYXHQmYKtQ_SYpI/s640/Liatris%20ligulistylis%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKldKHbcJ3L0KIUgzzMdxx66RhXO_6UwncDMpi581Ix4RHLV4MmCfyZb2ED8XkBO58Xzi7HEeyRljltiv1k6pN5EMzqgA6po2L0uio8dI7WA4cKWV0A7UWPgQs-oTh22b2t6lLjNIh_ESMF_NM89gj3r9mXXaFo42KEqzRLFPEgXReYXHQmYKtQ_SYpI/s320/Liatris%20ligulistylis%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Liatris ligulistylis is native to the Upper Midwest and Western Canada & is hardy from zones 3-8.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Monarda fistulosa (aka Wild Bergamot)</h3><p>This is the one seed that I'm not exactly sure if I want to add to the garden or not. There seems to be a bit of disparity in terms of people's experiences with this North American native perennial. Some people warn of its aggressive tendencies while others say it's well behaved. No doubt these differing experiences have a lot to do with the environment it's planted in.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9pL0hAW5YmuBdx9FvNHxPivbdNz4ilKxnPNkTi0ruFWl8KGZPmo22VWwu-DE2WKwaXuRH1n9tgBv75UPvU0MSfwN3w88W6yGLL6ywtxg2_EhudI-Z_sGZv2RFbBOYvytzJMuGWjoiIf43QjDNWPp1SjgVF0No1CafxFLQHP_0oXi4v-4-Cu0SWBNnAw/s600/Monarda%20fistulosa%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9pL0hAW5YmuBdx9FvNHxPivbdNz4ilKxnPNkTi0ruFWl8KGZPmo22VWwu-DE2WKwaXuRH1n9tgBv75UPvU0MSfwN3w88W6yGLL6ywtxg2_EhudI-Z_sGZv2RFbBOYvytzJMuGWjoiIf43QjDNWPp1SjgVF0No1CafxFLQHP_0oXi4v-4-Cu0SWBNnAw/w400-h358/Monarda%20fistulosa%20-%20Botanically%20Inclined.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://botanicallyinclined.org/" target="_blank">Botanically Inclined</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Perhaps those that are 'well behaved' are in drier, leaner soils while those that are more vigorous reside in rich, moist soils. This has me thinking back to my experience with Lily of the Valley. It was a well-behaved plant that stayed more or less in its spot....until I started mulching the bed. All of that retained moisture and added nutrients from the mulch pretty much made it a monster which I eventually had to remove.</p><p>I've had my fill of plants that take over so I've been umming and ahhing about whether or not to try it in my garden. The thing is, I LOVE monarda and so do the pollinators, which is what prompted me to 'Add to Cart'. I'm leaning towards trying it in a 'wilder' area of the garden that I don't irrigate or pretty much do anything to. If you have any experience with M. fistulosa in your garden - one way or the other - do share it in the comments!</p><p>-------</p><p>Most of the plants I've listed here require a period of moist stratification (exposure to moisture & cold temperatures in order to break dormancy) so I'll be winter sowing them in the next couple of days. Ideally, I should have probably done this in early January to give them the longest possible exposure to cold - especially this year as we've had the warmest winter that I can remember. Luckily, the seed packets have quite a lot of seed & I rarely sow the entire packet so I'll have leftovers to try again next year should there be issues.</p><p>Have you tried growing any of these perennials from seed? If so, do let me know your experience - good or bad - in the comments! And stay tuned for Part 2 where I dive into all the new-to-me plants that I'll be trying this year.</p><p>Happy Gardening!</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-72044414984881858582024-02-02T16:27:00.004-05:002024-02-09T08:27:58.010-05:00Supporting an Awesome Seed Company - Fedco Seeds<p>Way back in the day when I started to really delve into vegetable gardening, I heard about an amazing seed house called Fedco, a co-operative seed company that's been around for over 40 years. Located in Maine, it specializes in seeds for northern/short-season growers. While the vast majority of their offerings are edibles - from veggie seeds to garlic to certified seed potatoes - they also have a nice selection of herbs & flowers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhP-rel88OKGux2QHPQKyRpECA1R7oHqFKI4mnmOdts6CnzBG7TglmYzKDHfeGEvrUSFA2cZNR3vWn4IKvy6g-LxYI3ytxuID39OiYaQquJW1ps8GMh6ZhlSQBmSic7G1G4WBv5nBccw2I0ikvLOBJF4Cf5uSaxYcld38MADu8McpCZsnt5JZ4PhUUb88/s800/2024-02-02%20-%20Supporting%20an%20Awesome%20Seed%20Company%20-%20Fedco%20Seeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhP-rel88OKGux2QHPQKyRpECA1R7oHqFKI4mnmOdts6CnzBG7TglmYzKDHfeGEvrUSFA2cZNR3vWn4IKvy6g-LxYI3ytxuID39OiYaQquJW1ps8GMh6ZhlSQBmSic7G1G4WBv5nBccw2I0ikvLOBJF4Cf5uSaxYcld38MADu8McpCZsnt5JZ4PhUUb88/s320/2024-02-02%20-%20Supporting%20an%20Awesome%20Seed%20Company%20-%20Fedco%20Seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>In years past, I would read about other veggie gardeners experiences as they thumbed through the Fedco catalogue, trying to decide amongst the hundreds (1000's?) of choices. Now this is not your typical glossy booklet filled with full colour photos & two line descriptions. Rather, it's a thick newsprint catalogue (170+ pages) with extensive descriptions and beautiful line drawings. It spoke to my nostalgic self, especially as I'm one who appreciates detailed info over colourful photos any day of the week.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkmecf-l0as-SEhwx3avgXVW8AUKs58zNhgzoNnlX4LiQz6tz12e_H9Zv5rhtUN6krmVov8TVMQA6h8jJOwSIz0utb6ND0xLkYncC2xjBERoASizjjM7u6THzMFNf8odo7aSGNRlGOexAM03D0ndz7ezIGrqFWS3UkOH0lEgJK00ejwKyYep3aU-9tr8/s800/PSX_20240202_111234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="507" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkmecf-l0as-SEhwx3avgXVW8AUKs58zNhgzoNnlX4LiQz6tz12e_H9Zv5rhtUN6krmVov8TVMQA6h8jJOwSIz0utb6ND0xLkYncC2xjBERoASizjjM7u6THzMFNf8odo7aSGNRlGOexAM03D0ndz7ezIGrqFWS3UkOH0lEgJK00ejwKyYep3aU-9tr8/w406-h640/PSX_20240202_111234.jpg" width="406" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some light reading at my local coffee shop 😊<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>You'll notice that I mentioned 'reading' about other veggie gardeners experiences - that's because, at the time, Fedco only shipped within the U.S.. That's right, I said 'at the time'. A few years ago, they opened their doors to those of us north of the border - hurray! Of course, I was one of the first to sign up for their catalogue - and let me tell you, was I ever thrilled when I received it. Call me old-fashioned (I don't mind!) but there's simply no comparison between online browsing & a real paper catalogue. Nothing beats flipping through those pages - highlighter in hand - on a blustery winter day. It's pure heaven!<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbLp-upia26iN8VA925AsvYZwj3VMxdwvANEFl9qI-azXqHGQ-XWl1kGA49Nv3zFCKdqC4VfdUPgZ0P5K4Gxln26GKN-7cGAioIr1cX5N50xrPMzXuDPWGPZ7HRl_EqTylro5XAXls7v3GQiVGpR2vfS53kuf9Wm1RBa_pbATebYxY7y2tszByTd8gzo/s800/PSX_20240202_111259.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="800" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbLp-upia26iN8VA925AsvYZwj3VMxdwvANEFl9qI-azXqHGQ-XWl1kGA49Nv3zFCKdqC4VfdUPgZ0P5K4Gxln26GKN-7cGAioIr1cX5N50xrPMzXuDPWGPZ7HRl_EqTylro5XAXls7v3GQiVGpR2vfS53kuf9Wm1RBa_pbATebYxY7y2tszByTd8gzo/w640-h350/PSX_20240202_111259.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple of my onion choices....</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Just like other U.S. seed companies that ship to Canada, Fedco only ships seeds, not tubers, bulbs or plants. See <a href="https://fedcoseeds.com/seeds/canada_shipping.htm" target="_blank">HERE</a> for their page on Canadian orders.** <i>And before I go on, I want to make it clear that this is <u>not</u> a sponsored post - Fedco doesn't know me from a hole in the wall. I just really felt great when I received their catalogue this year and wanted to share the love.</i></p><p>One of Fedco's claims to fame is their commitment to transparency and ethical seed sourcing. They cut ties with Monsanto, for example, almost 20 years ago and have now done the same with Syngenta Group. And while I whole-heartedly agree with their decisions, I do appreciate the lack of furrow-browed judgement should you, as a consumer, decide to purchase varieties from these companies. While they encourage customers to 'try something new, for the long-term benefits of autonomy, ethics and greater sustainability', they also make a point to note that 'the varieties we are dropping are widely available in other seed catalogues (as are varieties from Seminis/Monsanto, which we dropped for similar reasons in 2006)'.</p><p>In addition, they make it easy for their customers to make an informed choice. Every variety in their catalogue is followed by a 'Supplier Code' that specifies the type of company a seed is sourced from, ranging from small farmers to multinationals. So if you want to stay away from corporate suppliers and stick to small seed farmers and family owned companies, just check the code at the end of the description. Fedco is also proactive when it comes to recognizing those unsung heroes who have sustained and maintained seed varieties, past & present. Of their own accord, Fedco pays royalties to Nibezun (an Indigineous non-profit), Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust as well as the current generation of 'backyard' & independent breeders who receive little, if any, economic benefit from their work.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kX_6rIqHW8dOckCGyFEXKwhx9X0lQFy1j6O8kPSbIWdeTatIQVFCZSftc2ALp74W8tZo_4Kj5_PXK7OnFB5LFPxjzcwLIp19cVhOvZuzA7SOJs3QXhDOiP95KXZUWk164WmuOrvncHzFBjBxnWT_nYqDTxVi2gTHvWTBNOSE_s-Mgf81YczXLm_LBrM/s800/PSX_20240202_110954.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kX_6rIqHW8dOckCGyFEXKwhx9X0lQFy1j6O8kPSbIWdeTatIQVFCZSftc2ALp74W8tZo_4Kj5_PXK7OnFB5LFPxjzcwLIp19cVhOvZuzA7SOJs3QXhDOiP95KXZUWk164WmuOrvncHzFBjBxnWT_nYqDTxVi2gTHvWTBNOSE_s-Mgf81YczXLm_LBrM/w640-h402/PSX_20240202_110954.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those gorgeous line drawings!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now, I have to confess something. Much like I did a few years ago, I'm going on a bit of a seed-diet this year - take a look at <a href="https://www.thegardeningme.com/2019/02/a-seed-diet.html" target="_blank">THIS POST</a> if you have no idea what I'm talking about. I have a ton of seeds in my stash and I really don't NEED more, especially when it comes to veggie seeds. Having said that, I am still purchasing a handful of packets from various places, both to try out some new varieties but also to support a few select suppliers that I really believe in, and this includes Fedco.</p><p>I'm sure you're curious so to finish off this post, here's a list of the seeds that ended up in my Fedco cart this year:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Broccoli: 'Jacaranda' is a broccoli-cauliflower blend that 'boasts large, broad, easy-to-harvest purple heads high on tall, bushy plants' - with a description like that, I HAD to try it! And since I was low on broccoli in my seed stash and am very appreciative of any variety that claims to have abundant side shoots, I'm also trying 'Green Magic'.</li><li>Onions: These are one of the few veg where seeds lose viability after only a year or two, so they are always on my list. I'm purchasing an old favourite, 'Rossa di Milano' (red storage), as well as a few new-to-me varieties: 'Walla Walla Sweet Spanish' (I'm very late to the game in trying this popular variety), 'Clear Dawn' (yellow storage), Evergreen Hardy White (bunching). I'm also ordering seed for wild leeks aka ramps! These look like a challenge to both grow from seed & find a spot where they will reliably come back each year but hey - I'm up for giving them a go!</li><li>Basil: 'Spicy Globe' - I'm growing this one primarily as an ornamental & will be placing it in one of the ornamental borders. I also added 'Flowering Thai Basil' to my cart - this variety is grown equally for it's culinary and ornamental properties with a bushy, umbrella-like form.</li><li>Achillea: 'The Pearl' will be the 2nd variety of Achillea ptarmica that I try, after adding 'Marshmallow' to my garden and loving it!</li><li>Calendula: 'Solar Flashback' sports a variety of coloured petals from yellows & pinkish-blonds all the way to maroon with contrasting red backs - 'cause I love me an atypical calendula 😉.</li><li>Shasta Daisy: A double with quilled petals - 'cause I also have a love affair with quilled petals.</li><li>Lupine: 'Russell Hybrids Choice Mix' - I've never had luck with lupines, but I'm not ready to call it quits yet...10th times the charm?? This one is mainly purple with some bi-colours.</li><li><i>Perennial</i> (!?!) Sweet Pea: Gotta try it for obvious reasons - never mind that, just like lupines, sweet peas have also been elusive in my garden. This is the traditional sweet pea grown by Jefferson in 1771 & it's hardy down to zone 3.</li><li>Wildflowers: Northeast Wildflower Mix - A mix of perennials and annuals native to Northeast U.S. & Canada. I had so much fun growing wildflower seed mixes in an extra bed a few years ago so have decided to do it again!</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Happy Gardening!</div><div><br /></div><div>**<u><i>A Quick Note on Ordering Seeds from the U.S.</i></u></div><div>Since I live close to the border, I do have a U.S. mailbox and often ship my U.S. seed orders there to take advantage of free or less expensive shipping options. I've never had to pay duty when crossing the border but do have to pay HST if my total purchases (seeds plus whatever else I happen to be bringing back) exceed a certain amount (usually around $200 or so). This is the way I've always ordered from Fedco so I don't have any personal experience with their Canadian shipping. Having said that, in the past I have had seeds shipped to me directly from sources such as Baker Creek, Renees, etc., and they arrived with no issues & I've never had to pay either taxes or duty. It's important to note that my orders are usually fairly small, typically not exceeding $100. Also, while this has been my experience up to as recently as last year, processes and policies do change so it's important to be aware that there is a chance you may have to pay taxes and/or duties on cross-border purchases.</div><p></p></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-33326893385452886672023-11-11T18:00:00.003-05:002024-01-27T09:42:45.883-05:00My Favorite Garden Tools (aka Gifts for Gardeners that they will actually use!)<div><div>Heads up: This is not your typical 'Best Gardening Tools' internet list...you know, the type created by people that have never picked up a shovel, much less actually used the tools in an honest to goodness garden. <b>Every single item on my personal "Best Of" list is one that I actually use, year in and year out, and I'll tell you exactly why I love it. There are no sponsors, collaborations or generic lists of gardening tools here! </b>I've provided links to the actual tools I use or, if they are no longer available (my edger is 20+ years old!), I'll link to a close match.</div><div><br /></div><div>---------------</div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the season, I often find myself in conversations with other gardeners, both new and seasoned, about the tools that I use in the garden - "<i>My hose is leaking yet again...have you found a durable one</i>?" "<i>I love my weeder - which one do you use?</i>" "<i>Do you think those $80 pruners are really worth it?</i>" - you get the idea (and yes, all of these questions are answered below 🙂)</div><p>I love talking about tools that make my life in the garden easier and more enjoyable so I thought I would put together a page of some of my favourites.</p></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRA2GFTm7nN287--sYAHxEXHfQ6vDc3R4jnyUw9O0fJdPhf90iiKESeDnwwd9aRLYlhfNxGvd9X5iIJ3s4l_5hIQRA_H-f4HXh9D2hcOdfbqGiEuKnUIGHEmNRp9CSKQdSHFW8lQLGhTdoTwIhlU-BYhWzK_vyh-oCEzJsbf3YuC-VPogxLWGPmfauNGU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="744" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRA2GFTm7nN287--sYAHxEXHfQ6vDc3R4jnyUw9O0fJdPhf90iiKESeDnwwd9aRLYlhfNxGvd9X5iIJ3s4l_5hIQRA_H-f4HXh9D2hcOdfbqGiEuKnUIGHEmNRp9CSKQdSHFW8lQLGhTdoTwIhlU-BYhWzK_vyh-oCEzJsbf3YuC-VPogxLWGPmfauNGU=w400-h339" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />A few of my favourites!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div>This list is for both gardeners and those that want some great gift ideas for the gardener in their life - gifts that they will actually use! Many of the items I've listed are what I consider essential tools and there are several that I have (and need!) multiples of - you can never have too many pruners, am I right? Quite a few also have a lower price point, topping out at $30 or less, which means that you can give your gardening friends a useful gift that they will truly appreciate without breaking the bank.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is by no means an all-inclusive list - I have a LOT of favourite tools. In the next month or so, I'll be creating a permanent 'My Favorite Garden Tools' page which will be updated regularly with new-to-me favourites as well as 'defavouriting' tools that, for one reason or another, have been kicked off my list.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>And just to keep things balanced, I'm also working on a page consisting of tools that I regret purchasing - sometimes knowing what didn't work is just as important as knowing what did!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>New Gardeners: Before you dive into this list, do read my "Attention New Gardeners!" section at the bottom of this post to see why you may NOT want to start your gardening journey with a cart full of supplies🙂</i></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Background</span></u></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I've been gardening for many years and, over that time, I've tried many tools & garden supplies, always with the intention of making garden tasks faster, easier, more effective and just more pleasurable overall.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes my purchases didn't perform as well as I had hoped and they wound up in the trash or at the local Goodwill after the 1st season. Then there are the tools that I thought I 'needed' - and they worked just fine - but they were used once and then left to sit in a corner of the shed, untouched for years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other times, however, a new tool ended up on my "I'm SO glad I purchased this!" list - which is what this post is all about.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best Watering Hose</span></u></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I've tried many different hoses - and returned or trashed many of them as well. They were either too rigid (you know what I mean - you try to roll or unroll it and it's stiff as a board until it warms up in the sun), they kinked (even those that claimed they were 'non-kink'), the fittings leaked after a single season (I've returned 2 hoses to Costco because of this one) or it's just too darn heavy to lug around the garden. It took a few years, but I finally found a hose that dealt with all of these issues - a Flexilla Hose.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/511ucq6UzkL._AC_SL1200_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="800" height="247" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/511ucq6UzkL._AC_SL1200_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Flexilla Hose<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3tbLYCD" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZQjFGb" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I've had it for 4 years now and it's still going strong - I love it! It truly does not kink, it's lightweight, easy to maneuver, no leaks and it rolls up/unrolls effortlessly, even when it's cold. It's also drinking water safe which is an added bonus since I'm using it in the veggie garden. I quite love the bright green colour although this year it has become a bit discoloured (likely because I left it lying around on the ground for most of the summer, but that's on me). I have the 50' hose but it also comes in 25' & 100' lengths.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best Garden Spray Nozzle</span></u></i></div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to spray nozzles, I've tried a lot of them. Many came from the local hardware store and, if I was lucky, they lasted a couple of seasons before leaking, corroding or plugging up. Once I tried the Dramm nozzle, however, there was no going back - it became my hands down favourite. I think my oldest one is now in it's 6th year! It has a variety of different settings, all of which perform as intended, from a gentle mist to a light shower to a powerful jet (especially useful when I'm cleaning my pots/supplies at the end of the season...or washing the car!).</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsen-TUFZk3LHAcdS3YfjXVBMxF4HfaDgK75HeHH2L4E7Kv7jieluZihbHULUUtSPXjw8U0y7MxO2OYg5jk49j-gq7XqM-emVW6_Q_ieLBrBVcZzDllj8k0bupXa6fzkLR9ntgIT_hnOlNEiH8H5aciBzmZS_uyeKEsqqNXNZSRr0VZz5_IC_WSzisbpE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="975" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsen-TUFZk3LHAcdS3YfjXVBMxF4HfaDgK75HeHH2L4E7Kv7jieluZihbHULUUtSPXjw8U0y7MxO2OYg5jk49j-gq7XqM-emVW6_Q_ieLBrBVcZzDllj8k0bupXa6fzkLR9ntgIT_hnOlNEiH8H5aciBzmZS_uyeKEsqqNXNZSRr0VZz5_IC_WSzisbpE=w150-h200" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dramm 9-Pattern Spray Nozzle<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/47Nm5aR" target="_blank">Amazon.com(US)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/494Yrsy" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Another favourite is the Dramm 'Rain' watering wand. The spray is incredibly gentle yet it provides a good amount of water at the same time. I think of it as the perfect blend of the 'Mist' & 'Shower' setting on the spray nozzle. The 30" wand length also gives you added reach - for me, this is especially useful in perennial beds. It also comes in a shorter 16" length.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/402IjTY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="1125" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC6wj8RNP9CC6blfhSH8PiIu8rEJRcHkxtKyCprLEFZQ6Z4rsgqFAVRsEDwFYL-ISkp_vKnUg-EO9e7CMu8-C1NllKn-wpg4dOzJlwRP9OEzGEpCjfDe1kQAzKLgjNYUip9h97Uohz39kpLQJERiXA02kK3bi37b0anAuGsJv2lrQ0NFt2siH3IRT1E8E=w400-h45" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dramm 30" Rain Water Wand<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/49tfWSL" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/45DP0gC" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly, both the spray nozzle and the wand come in a lever version (shown on nozzle above) or 'thumb-valve' version (aka One Touch) as depicted below:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4712fsX" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1125" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1S0_9tmtVxPmPIBuPMEzU74hIcp_Nky-bkqVo1RmfVqxY-RCmak7rGKfhFxUENnF7V-eJ6HFhepXEqJFWAbE3oYPznqu8xvW5qzN8A_eW5mWCghyfHYFUdHaPOoCQghHJT65BGbXPDVgfyNDTWd0KQkWT4ixAsx0SIGJXNSCgzji0lEyXDE6U8Nr4ohk" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumb Valve</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When it comes to the nozzle, I don't have a preference - I like them both. For the wand, however, I do prefer the thumb valve as I find it easier to use then having to latch the lever if I want a continuous flow without having to hold it down.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Best Weeding Tool</i></span></u></div><div><div><br /></div><div>My favourite weeding tool, hands down, is the Cobra Head weeder. I have a couple of these guys and would be lost without them. I use them not only for weeding but they are also my go-to tool when transplanting seedlings. The Cobra Head loosens the soil which makes transplanting a breeze. I find it so much more pleasurable - and more effective! - than a trowel. You can see this tool in action as I transplant some seedlings in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6UjtyOrAB4" target="_blank">THIS VIDEO</a> (8:10 minute mark).</div><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71fdkqfLNGL._AC_SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="658" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71fdkqfLNGL._AC_SL1500_.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cobra Head Weeder<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/48St2ci" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3F56Pu4" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Both of my Cobra Heads are around 7 years old - it's one tough tool. How tough, you ask? Well, I lost one of them at the bottom of a compost pile for 4(!) years. When it was finally unearthed, I gave it a good clean and it's in perfect working order once again. Now THAT'S tough!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best Grass Edger</span></u></i></div><div><div><br /></div><div>A hand edger is a simple yet incredibly effective tool for edging garden beds. I use mine each and every year to give my beds a razor sharp edge. I also use it when I have to bury some drip line or poly in the ground - it does a much better job than a shovel. Years ago, I did purchase an 'electric edger' but it just didn't do that great a job - which is why it's ended up on my 'Regrets' list (but see the caveat to this below).</div><div><br /></div><div>When purchasing a manual (aka half-moon) edger, make sure to get one that has a sturdy blade that can be sharpened, like the one pictured below which is made of carbon steel. A sharp edger is an effective edger - this may sound obvious but many of the edgers I see in the stores are actually quite blunt. If they are made of good quality steel, however, sharpening is not an issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>The initial sharpening that takes a blunt edge down to one that's razor sharp is a tough task so I feel it's best done at your local hardware store - it's a relatively inexpensive job, usually around $15 or so. After that, however, you can easily maintain the edge yourself with an inexpensive sharpening tool (both of my favourite sharpeners listed below do a great job). I give the edger a quick once over with the sharpener each time I edge - a 30 second task that makes a huge difference.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKlRkRy62lgOuChSx0C5auba8p86HMoAV1RazEd2ri-rkkaSlknMNS6A2JU_RF0fpEs7ZpJNu4ocjzzD83HGbShzZTdtatNGNPXq2yzco6nHfrNL4g2vmxcZxb65DpRwldR6FIF9M7UbYjs__mwa2dlGfSp_6VzGoupxY2Z7mus_OzUZZDVEtREc1V2TI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="327" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKlRkRy62lgOuChSx0C5auba8p86HMoAV1RazEd2ri-rkkaSlknMNS6A2JU_RF0fpEs7ZpJNu4ocjzzD83HGbShzZTdtatNGNPXq2yzco6nHfrNL4g2vmxcZxb65DpRwldR6FIF9M7UbYjs__mwa2dlGfSp_6VzGoupxY2Z7mus_OzUZZDVEtREc1V2TI=w43-h200" width="43" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/47UwW2V" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3Q7aj5R" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Also, make sure the edger you purchase has a nice solid 'lip' at the top - this is where you rest your foot to push the edger into the ground.</div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to tools, I often think that simple is best & this includes hand edgers. Lately I've seen a lot of edgers with 'teeth'. While I've not used these, I would be concerned that those teeth would bend if you hit any type of rock (a big issue in our very rocky soil!). At the very least, you wouldn't be able to sharpen them and once the teeth are dull, your job will be that much more difficult.</div><div><br /></div><div>Caveat - While I wouldn't recommend an electric edger for edging flower beds (which is what I had purchased it for), if you have a sidewalk or driveway that you like to edge so that the grass line stays nice and clean, an electric edger works wonders. You don't need to spend a mint on one either - I had the Black & Decker Edger (below) and it was lightweight, easy to use & had multiple depth adjustments. It also has great reviews, most of which refer to it's sidewalk/driveway edging capabilities.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6sJeephpR3pfBMnDuw5zEz67IU7PgUO7WSOSXO6TfiHWp1C1WPivZr4nSnNMK8R-zNCJpun5rTwBnx-V_3lLA_pZrBk0jcjoza-XRVBO8_M25VOOX47taF0ngYVeBdunTGv8PDwX2sH0z-7WJBXWOSOoNkDROJ0wO16w08eJ7nGqYrJsTN-ZxYGweDVA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="851" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6sJeephpR3pfBMnDuw5zEz67IU7PgUO7WSOSXO6TfiHWp1C1WPivZr4nSnNMK8R-zNCJpun5rTwBnx-V_3lLA_pZrBk0jcjoza-XRVBO8_M25VOOX47taF0ngYVeBdunTGv8PDwX2sH0z-7WJBXWOSOoNkDROJ0wO16w08eJ7nGqYrJsTN-ZxYGweDVA" width="146" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3SyHuQF" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/45AE8jL" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Best Tool Sharpener(s)</u></i></span></div><div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to tool sharpeners, looks can be deceiving. My top choice may not look like much but you'll be as shocked as I was with the amazing job it does. The end of the tool has two sides - one sharpens (and does so REALLY well) while the other hones, meaning it smooths out the sharpened edge, removing any burrs.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqhZv3y6OQ34TE5TD-u69p4sI1S07ZE7EWwgSlr0aCORcKTlShj1gKsljTCARpismuxamr9FHbEgLp-GKHoxg1foER2jBbIZmSRhq6vAjNBkd4sx-TRTHTGTD6PULWm7hxctZfom9w7oi5NgCi--9cXjEDk4Z9cMe0qGsvGLeXGvvqQL7Frxhdx0gapzU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="1500" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqhZv3y6OQ34TE5TD-u69p4sI1S07ZE7EWwgSlr0aCORcKTlShj1gKsljTCARpismuxamr9FHbEgLp-GKHoxg1foER2jBbIZmSRhq6vAjNBkd4sx-TRTHTGTD6PULWm7hxctZfom9w7oi5NgCi--9cXjEDk4Z9cMe0qGsvGLeXGvvqQL7Frxhdx0gapzU" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Speedy Sharp Sharpener<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/47RdLXG" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3ROqfv4" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I've had this guy for 5 years & use it primarily for sharpening pruners and loppers. It's small size means that it can easily get in between the blades. I don't know about you but the easier something is to do, the more likely I am to do it - all it takes is a few quick swipes on each blade and my pruners are sharp as a razor. This Speedy Sharp is definitely at the top of the 'best $20 I've every spent' list. For a doggone hilarious review about this sharpener, go to the end of this post - I bet it will make you smile!</div><div><br /></div></div><div>In addition to the Speedy Sharp, I also have an AccuSharp sharpener in my tool kit. This one is great for sharpening shovels, trowels & shears - basically anything where you have full access to the blade. The benefit of this one is that it sharpens both sides of the edge at once at the perfect angle.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwCrXiNdNWE3ednp4gsYcC-ZtgN4YshnCKjV-cc1sJhPTBdLM73N6ME-Ocg_2KjR-u6ppnJpVfFfjwT-95VWDU6fOpiGAItsdjytehB6Ix4pMg8CYpQLAzcWL44i-mcyGVAthlBCiTJ-GPL8_fGZm9gpGs2Nct63YddooJqGU5zzIRrhKHS206iDOrs4Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1500" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwCrXiNdNWE3ednp4gsYcC-ZtgN4YshnCKjV-cc1sJhPTBdLM73N6ME-Ocg_2KjR-u6ppnJpVfFfjwT-95VWDU6fOpiGAItsdjytehB6Ix4pMg8CYpQLAzcWL44i-mcyGVAthlBCiTJ-GPL8_fGZm9gpGs2Nct63YddooJqGU5zzIRrhKHS206iDOrs4Q" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">AccuSharp Garden Tool Sharpener<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/497Xlvd" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3RKHMUD" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>While it does a great job, it's bulkier than Speedy Sharp, which is it's downfall when it comes to sharpening pruners & loppers - the handle prevents you from sharpening the entire blade unless you take the pruners apart.</div><div><br /></div><div>BONUS: AccuSharp also has an All-Purpose sharpener that is the BEST sharpener for kitchen knives for those of us that don't want to fiddle with sharpening steels. Again, I've had the one below in my kitchen for many years now and it still does an amazing job, sharpening all my kitchen knives to a 'cuts a tomato like butter' edge every single time.</div><div><br /></div><div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga0yu1su_LCBBW6DEVhyy1EBUee4bh6yFnqlTawz60JMZ0btDvZ_hw-3Bco103swxch4IhlGkG-EhSt6qVPnMXTg_l9UdO5EwidrTNDFFqnWMkb4Tzn-fqIF_YPNSivx4zN26RbqtMvaOaKIxykrxuMAa9TbGuaflF2yvSQkGRZO7MdOn_qGRSgzybggk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1500" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga0yu1su_LCBBW6DEVhyy1EBUee4bh6yFnqlTawz60JMZ0btDvZ_hw-3Bco103swxch4IhlGkG-EhSt6qVPnMXTg_l9UdO5EwidrTNDFFqnWMkb4Tzn-fqIF_YPNSivx4zN26RbqtMvaOaKIxykrxuMAa9TbGuaflF2yvSQkGRZO7MdOn_qGRSgzybggk" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">AccuSharp All-Purpose Sharpener<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3Oj9kOl" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3LPvMgQ" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Best Pruners</u></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">My 'Creme de la Creme' Choice - Felco</span></b></div><div>After many years of gardening, I only recently invested in a pair of Felcos. If you want the best of the best, Felcos really are the Mercedes of the bunch. They cut like a dream - of course! One other thing that I really love about them is that if you need a part - anything from a blade to a screw - you can easily get it. In this world of planned obsolescence where plastic bits are made to break and then "oops - we don't make that part anymore - you'll have to buy the latest model", this is absolutely refreshing. It's definitely a company I want to support - even if it's only for one pair.</div><div><br /></div><div>I purchased the Felco #11 - and I love using them...a true pleasure! This particular model is similar to the very popular Felco #2 but it has one advantage - the blades are attached with screws vs rivets making them easier to replace if necessary.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyAaGis13HorHnX6GhKqbEN1miqdjPwkaTjU71nUUWY7dfu6rdIPPSbnipPtexoJXhZM-MtJXuwufdZ8ZamrdW-oB8fYYHcwh6hZG6Q7KdMlOpRrkv0USxun2K3jc0MIphwhCvJIyQhJNT04EtnF03zOc6BET-Ae2IyuL7Xcn1_SdyNcgc2Z_eTAjnAOA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="102" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyAaGis13HorHnX6GhKqbEN1miqdjPwkaTjU71nUUWY7dfu6rdIPPSbnipPtexoJXhZM-MtJXuwufdZ8ZamrdW-oB8fYYHcwh6hZG6Q7KdMlOpRrkv0USxun2K3jc0MIphwhCvJIyQhJNT04EtnF03zOc6BET-Ae2IyuL7Xcn1_SdyNcgc2Z_eTAjnAOA" width="70" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Felco F11 Pruners<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3SwNs4L" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3FwwfRr" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><div>But here's the downside to Felcos - they're a bit too fabulous & not exactly inexpensive (around $100 here in Canada). I have only used them a handful of times because I'm terrified of losing them. This isn't an unreasonable concern either - I have this bad habit of putting down pruners and then totally forgetting where they are....and I'm talking this happens multiple times each and every summer. No, I'm not kidding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, if you don't want to invest in Felcos because you tend to misplace your pruners like I do, this doesn't mean that you should head down to your local Dollar Tree to grab a set of pruners - PLEASE don't do that! With cheap blades, plastic handles & fittings that break with minimal pressure, these dollar store bargains are anything but a good 'deal'. You'll instantly regret this seemingly frugal purchase the minute you cut that 1st stem. Instead, spend a bit more - $10-$30 - and get yourself some solid, dependable pruners from a reputable brand.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">My Top Choice (Great Performance/Modest Cost) - Corona</span></b></div><div>My go-to pruners are Corona's which you can get for $20-$30. They have all the qualities that I look for in a good set of pruners: They feel good in hand, they cut well & they give me years of use. The reasonable price point also means that I can have multiples without breaking the bank & that I don't freak out if I can't find the pair I was using this morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho0nPy0I0ESvqc5XRl1XAb9QElHrTEHSoT0XJJL2EjGSVi51wTIOlLtqPbCbxX3PhKjd1kiKs9JZE5vDKHeYMtmB7Wnxwa07x9RtQVc98CCbAfQzjpYH4c1XZOSYPkxTcU5arvyEMJ08vU4TU0T31b0RKgs9hlE587u24W9NnR4NJc30qH9AFJEg2wOQM" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="975" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho0nPy0I0ESvqc5XRl1XAb9QElHrTEHSoT0XJJL2EjGSVi51wTIOlLtqPbCbxX3PhKjd1kiKs9JZE5vDKHeYMtmB7Wnxwa07x9RtQVc98CCbAfQzjpYH4c1XZOSYPkxTcU5arvyEMJ08vU4TU0T31b0RKgs9hlE587u24W9NnR4NJc30qH9AFJEg2wOQM" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corona Pruners<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3tYCPyk" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3MAsSx1" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">My Budget Choice (Good Performance/Budget Price) - Fiskars</span></b></div><div>Further down on my pruner list are Fiskars and, if I'm being honest, the main reason I have quite a few of these is that I've received them at media events throughout the years. Having said that, they do just fine for day-to-day pruning. While I don't find them as comfortable to use as Corona's, if you are on a budget, I wouldn't hesitate to grab a pair as they are miles better than the dollar store guys for not a whole lot more money - I've seen them for as little as $10 at local box stores.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOH46p86hRBDwtXTCy0XZhK2gTMloSbjg7ji846bdLS4oKBVheNlEjq4VG5hn82gp73nwKoI_KrOOfhQ5XZvXG-Xxjgud-Z5T8ahK4zp1Afya2WZaJcSbxJUMr_YPYo4FJfkv2FlD2AIWtn90JpxyrGnOS7jZEHSWgRw-TaJWlbKJJEZQB2ytqPsSM_l8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="975" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOH46p86hRBDwtXTCy0XZhK2gTMloSbjg7ji846bdLS4oKBVheNlEjq4VG5hn82gp73nwKoI_KrOOfhQ5XZvXG-Xxjgud-Z5T8ahK4zp1Afya2WZaJcSbxJUMr_YPYo4FJfkv2FlD2AIWtn90JpxyrGnOS7jZEHSWgRw-TaJWlbKJJEZQB2ytqPsSM_l8" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiskars Pruners<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3vYyLhS" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/400UYXL" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best Loppers</span></u></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike the pruners which I use on a daily basis and have multiples of, loppers are only used intermittently throughout the season. Their size means that losing them isn't an issue which is a good thing since they are typically more costly than pruners. My go-to brand for loppers is Fiskars - they are affordable, available at most big box stores & online, and they do the job well. I always go for the ones that have a longer handle - usually 28" - which extends my reach quite a bit but is not unwieldy to use. I have two of this particular one that cuts branches up to 1.5" thick:</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLd6F-ATjEg9Kl2prmvHrT8tY0Sh7cCH2Duz-bXn6SrrcS1xSE14Ru2I70tHvDPACR-cFo-JrgqDA6SPYBkNiKgDWsnBXiePW1nyRMacbqGp_SEM3Mw6KGdFdpl2bl0mIuVx-IQjCGdwoSVvw2rqOkyJGep5NA44iC7ww2b1VyzIzbGN0CyTdcMVJFgl0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="886" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLd6F-ATjEg9Kl2prmvHrT8tY0Sh7cCH2Duz-bXn6SrrcS1xSE14Ru2I70tHvDPACR-cFo-JrgqDA6SPYBkNiKgDWsnBXiePW1nyRMacbqGp_SEM3Mw6KGdFdpl2bl0mIuVx-IQjCGdwoSVvw2rqOkyJGep5NA44iC7ww2b1VyzIzbGN0CyTdcMVJFgl0" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiskars Lopper<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/48U6WGb" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> / </span><a href="https://amzn.to/45JH1yy" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />When it comes to loppers, you have to be mindful of a couple of things. Firstly, each lopper indicates the maximum branch size that it will cut - don't try to push your luck and use it on larger branches as that's the quickest route to a broken pair of loppers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, be mindful of the blade design & how the loppers operate before you purchase them. I found this out the hard way when I purchased a pair of <a href="https://amzn.to/42ehdui" target="_blank">"Fiskars Power Gear" loppers</a>. The blade design required the loppers to be open so wide (almost fully open) that it was practically impossible to use as nearby branches (or the ground) were usually in the way. You can clearly see what I'm talking about in the Amazon image below:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj94-kGXxkpepoAkZpobpmnetn9zOzIIyF-G1hDZEUTGtlFdDuBvm1aPZkvI0YAq-HV51ZoDaFtciuNMB0eBcpEM5TMPtvd28fdoql2pTqP2_zZAGUOz87C4VdQNWQp7eT8GxGH4Gsup89w6HBqWi4DrZCBG_KpbaewbZ2FYXhp0_98LAcj3FnGLYnvroA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1125" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj94-kGXxkpepoAkZpobpmnetn9zOzIIyF-G1hDZEUTGtlFdDuBvm1aPZkvI0YAq-HV51ZoDaFtciuNMB0eBcpEM5TMPtvd28fdoql2pTqP2_zZAGUOz87C4VdQNWQp7eT8GxGH4Gsup89w6HBqWi4DrZCBG_KpbaewbZ2FYXhp0_98LAcj3FnGLYnvroA" width="197" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div>This particular model is firmly in my 'purchase regrets' list.</div><div> </div></div><div><br /></div><div><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">Best Snips</span></u></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's talk about cutting tools that are on the small end of the range - snips. I didn't have a pair of these for the longest time. When I was harvesting produce (think beans/peas/tomatoes) or deadheading, I simply used pruners. Then one year - many moons ago - I received a pair of snips....and I've never gone back. I will take the time to actively seek out my snips instead of grabbing the closest pruners for one simple reason - they are just so much easier to use than clunky pruners when doing these types of tasks. And easier = more fun!</div><div><br /></div><div>Just like pruners, you could go down to the local dollar store and grab a pair of practically disposable snips that will cut poorly & last a season or two. However, I would encourage you to spend a few extra dollars on a pair that will be a joy to use and last many years. My favourites are the Corona Comfort Gel and the Dramm Compact Shears. Both feel great in hand and make quick work of cutting flowers, deadheading and harvesting.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJWT0cREd-XRwUHPX7KhYM92_gC17j55KvbZPpEXBjia0FRTEgVQ_AYGyTnc8xhFc0mW3D0mAB5lIn1DvkjN683M_MdAZacouJvwb9-j4Ma0wUn6MxIPXKGU-T7xrmujjIpGglPEZuQcjJ0MKQfPev-43hVwcnxT8H93EWr4NkTX5RD69Ea69VlgBYIa4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1049" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJWT0cREd-XRwUHPX7KhYM92_gC17j55KvbZPpEXBjia0FRTEgVQ_AYGyTnc8xhFc0mW3D0mAB5lIn1DvkjN683M_MdAZacouJvwb9-j4Ma0wUn6MxIPXKGU-T7xrmujjIpGglPEZuQcjJ0MKQfPev-43hVwcnxT8H93EWr4NkTX5RD69Ea69VlgBYIa4" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Corona Snips</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://amzn.to/47TAfHN" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3tJ1B4T" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3QlKcYN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1487" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9Cu6X9Tk-t3ZOFp7qHSVkdaBicKhA76QoH9nLIKJ4Gc8WvBpNeLz3-cHoc8gjilvf4ZB-_HsK3WsOpxLJM3gzA5AP5DEqydwE-_cJqDHOL8BC-OrlIhZ143uzSpGx_FzTkx0Ct09c5N3Ya532tEhJAupn2Kmtmy_3O27Dx4iJsR5bnZReLFmV04D2S7o" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dramm Compact Shears</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/4bb5il8" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/48Z4VsP" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></div><br /><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Hori Hori - A New Favourite</u></span></i></div><div><div>Most of the tools I've talked about so far are ones that I've been using for years - the tried and true garden helpers. Every once in a while, though, I purchase a new tool that becomes an overnight favourite. That's what happened this year when I finally purchased a Hori Hori (aka Japanese Weeding Knife).</div><div><br /></div><div>As I get more and more enthralled with ornamental gardening, this guy has become invaluable, especially when it comes to dividing plants. It's so much easier to use & more precise than a shovel, which is what I used previously. I purchased the Nisaku Hori Hori shown below - which is made in Japan - for $30 Canadian. In the U.S. I've seen it for as little as $15. With a stainless steel blade & solid construction, it's an incredible deal!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0U4CMfXTFhC2DV6B9XN6_nO261lRjbnp929YMK6u_JS6W5t3aKFo86yUKcjZaAc8qKUxLeG7k3QMgowi0cz-ks0n3jUclxkS-UCwP8XY5ksK0pQz3oa2RK3WKMaECirVDYGMr0H4cKy1JigUBO7sxDTH2s-Q6Z2rJITlOPGldQ06MERRJ2eAmI_-inQ8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1125" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0U4CMfXTFhC2DV6B9XN6_nO261lRjbnp929YMK6u_JS6W5t3aKFo86yUKcjZaAc8qKUxLeG7k3QMgowi0cz-ks0n3jUclxkS-UCwP8XY5ksK0pQz3oa2RK3WKMaECirVDYGMr0H4cKy1JigUBO7sxDTH2s-Q6Z2rJITlOPGldQ06MERRJ2eAmI_-inQ8" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese Hori Hori<br /><a href="https://amzn.to/3w1C0VK" target="_blank">Amazon.com (US)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/49iCFBz" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />While I'm partial to the Cobra Head when it comes to weeding, many people swear by their Hori Hori for this task as well. There's no rule that says you can't use more than one tool for a task - for me, it often depends on what I'm in the mood for :) </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Attention New Gardeners!</span></b></div><div>I've collected the items on this list over many years and I would NEVER encourage a new gardener to buy a bunch of 'stuff', thinking it's the key to gardening success...it's not. Gardening is all about the love of growing plants - all you really NEED to start your journey into gardening is a bit of soil, some seeds or a plant and some water. Period. That's it. Nothing else.</div><div><br /></div><div>When you are starting out, there's no shame in using yoghurt containers with holes punched in the bottom to start seeds and watering with a glass. Why invest in something you may not end up enjoying? And just because you enjoy one aspect of it - such as nurturing a houseplant - doesn't mean you'll enjoy everything. I love growing from seed, but not every gardener does - some prefer to purchase their plants at a garden center and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whenever you start on any new endeavor, it's much more about the learning than about the 'stuff'. Start small and see if you like it. Want to start plants from seed? Try a few easy to grow seeds on a sunny window sill or invest in a small inexpensive table top grow light like this one:</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPOGJcjqMegFTGwyx4dfcqBnj0yRGXnLyd0Ood_dcMNPENjpvMG5mxkSBbE-BkEMZpdNgciJVywfWxZW5iDRCLOD2t6z-QssC37tG2w4POZg2Kmy0U3fiW_21xPs5IoaryBuMoZeSJxqvsru-1Hq1GomgC6FHtfIMMzBWgoeCH5fW4pyA8_2AbF5Lhw08" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPOGJcjqMegFTGwyx4dfcqBnj0yRGXnLyd0Ood_dcMNPENjpvMG5mxkSBbE-BkEMZpdNgciJVywfWxZW5iDRCLOD2t6z-QssC37tG2w4POZg2Kmy0U3fiW_21xPs5IoaryBuMoZeSJxqvsru-1Hq1GomgC6FHtfIMMzBWgoeCH5fW4pyA8_2AbF5Lhw08" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Sa7oZM">Amazon.com (U.S.)</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3MqgRde" target="_blank">Amazon.ca (Canada)</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>If you fall in love with growing from seed, then invest in shelves, more lights, etc. If you find it's not for you, at least you're not out a ton of money nor do you have a bunch of supplies that you don't know what to do with.</div><div><br /></div><div>After dipping your toe in & catching the 'gardening bug' - and I would bet that once you start growing, you'll be hooked! - then you can (if you want to!) start adding to your setup, little by little.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly, remember that everyone - and every gardener - is unique, as is their list of 'must haves' when it comes to garden tools and supplies. This is my list & the hope is that there are one or two things here that make you go 'hmmmm....that WOULD make my garden tasks easier!' Of course, we are always learning from each other so if you have a favourite or two that you can't live without - let me know in the comments 😊</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Review of the Speedy Sharp that Will Make You </span></i></u><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Smile 🙃</span></i></u></div><div><br /></div><div><b>It Works (Too Good)</b> from 'Happy Customer' on June 28, 2023 (<a href="https://amzn.to/3vTWpMH" target="_blank">Amazon.com review</a>):</div><div><br /></div><div>"I started off skeptical of this product but then I bought it to try it out. Hot. Diggitty. Dog. I’ll tell ya what, you buy this product and you’re never gonna have a dull life again. Not a typo, folks. That’s life, not knife. Soon as I took this bad boy to a knife, it made it so sharp my damn IQ went up. I sharpened a blade with this thing and my knife was sharper than my finger playing Fruit Ninja. This dang thing made my knife so sharp, I cut down ten trees and made a fort with ‘em. Just ‘cuz I could!</div><div><br /></div><div>Kidding aside, 5 swipes each side gets a standard pocket or skinning knife cutting like a bastard and I’ve even used it on kitchen knives that lost their edge. Get this product. Hell, get 10. You only need the one, but the other 9 are cool as hell to have!"</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-18504597059828080712023-10-06T09:38:00.008-04:002024-01-27T10:53:11.941-05:00Cleaning Seed Starting Supplies & Pots....Without Bleach!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2auKVvJKsLjrOKPi61brSy-rhtCOZAlxZQWBuTKrB2FhP0yLTszc78a3Ct_v2t4OqMkGiBNABGwYb_ZF7B8YNllHsYLnPOF8stTF6c16CUe0nhXRc2eQhuVgxRTeR6L-p8k8FF2NzEUdJTLw7ngDgcYaKLkodDXKNvv2NMUXgj4i7Fk7Psd-yed7Tqo/s800/All%20Clean%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2auKVvJKsLjrOKPi61brSy-rhtCOZAlxZQWBuTKrB2FhP0yLTszc78a3Ct_v2t4OqMkGiBNABGwYb_ZF7B8YNllHsYLnPOF8stTF6c16CUe0nhXRc2eQhuVgxRTeR6L-p8k8FF2NzEUdJTLw7ngDgcYaKLkodDXKNvv2NMUXgj4i7Fk7Psd-yed7Tqo/w640-h402/All%20Clean%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Over the years, I've used a couple of different methods to clean my seed starting supplies and pots. Way back in the beginning of my gardening journey many years ago, I simply rinsed everything off in the laundry room, let it dry, then put it away. Then one year, I was hit hard with Damping Off - the two words that strike fear in the heart of all seed starters. Damping off is a fungus that attacks fragile seedlings shortly after they emerge from the soil. One day your seedling is fine, then the next, it's keeled over and limp as a noodle. If you look closely, you'll notice that the bottom of the seedling (just above the soil line) looks pinched. Unfortunately, once your seedling is attacked, there's nothing you can do to save it - you have to start over.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>I lost a good chunk of my seedlings that year and, after a bit of research, I started to sterilize all of my equipment using a 10% bleach solution at the end of the season. It was effective but it was also a long, tedious process. Should you be interested in giving this method a go, I've provided a detailed description at the end of this post. In a nutshell, you rinse everything off followed by a 20 minute soak in a bleach solution, then rinse again & let dry. This cleaning process would usually extend over a couple of days, especially once my seed starting obsession grew, as you can only fit so many trays/pots/cell packs into the bleach solution at one time.<p></p><p>Then one year I read about the sanitizing power of the sun, not in relation to cleaning pots but in general. That got me thinking - why couldn't I use this power to simplify this grueling task? So I tried it out and.......it's been years since I broke out the bleach and so far so good (knock on wood!!)</p><p><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">My New 'No Bleach' Method</span></i></u></p><p>My new simplified method of cleaning up is SO much easier and, so far, it's proven to be effective.</p><p>Firstly, you need to pick the right day to do your cleaning, which basically depends on the weather. It should be hot (mid-20's Celsius/mid-70's Fahrenheit or higher), sunny and relatively calm - you don't want your supplies blowing all over your yard!</p><p>Now to the actual cleaning - you only need two tools: (1) A hose with a strong nozzle (my favourite is <a href="https://amzn.to/3UhYL1Z" target="_blank">this one from Dramm</a>) - I use the 'Jet' setting for a nice, strong spray (2) A small scrub brush to get at any stubborn soil - nothing fancy needed here...mine is from the dollar store. And that's it.</p><p>The actual cleaning involves:</p><p>(1) Using the sprayer to blast all of the soil from the pot/tray.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89sJVYbRi4ig5ks9eAHkT0VI591MeP90vFXDRcseKba-0cNqIMhsNSNrYOX9S0TOdlbZrVME_TpOk1LICSZPtlqz2UDRrjCHpGq8E5A5VYKHRCWsasb_MH5xix8OGnVPIyLxBHv8P0nMj_akqDyJAeolvvarJ0Gce9ugwVaZqIbY_z1m-Z5ZfxZ9OWx0/s800/Cleaning%20in%20Action.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89sJVYbRi4ig5ks9eAHkT0VI591MeP90vFXDRcseKba-0cNqIMhsNSNrYOX9S0TOdlbZrVME_TpOk1LICSZPtlqz2UDRrjCHpGq8E5A5VYKHRCWsasb_MH5xix8OGnVPIyLxBHv8P0nMj_akqDyJAeolvvarJ0Gce9ugwVaZqIbY_z1m-Z5ZfxZ9OWx0/w640-h360/Cleaning%20in%20Action.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using a powerful sprayer does most of the work for you</td></tr></tbody></table><p>(2) Setting the pot/tray in the sun to dry. I make sure to place all of the pots upright to let in as much sun/airflow as possible, then after a couple of hours I'll flip them over so that the undersides are exposed & allowed to dry as well.</p><p>If I have tall/narrow pots that tend to tip over, I'll place those in a mesh tray so that they stay upright.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq3MzhWXJne7A4F3HWXn-1rahzI-I8soky-bVfzAsX5nhkPsVmSlAOAgDI_lXUTv6dDhgwtjQVxwt50o5jFcdozbKStONZTAQsjk1Nycc9hzKxti6QdkXVnPH4U006KGPTI_mxCBwRYOO4SXaj_l0thcANS570BbY3ABNwOgvkmWXGsfYl8787RO7YBo/s800/Upright%20Pots%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="800" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq3MzhWXJne7A4F3HWXn-1rahzI-I8soky-bVfzAsX5nhkPsVmSlAOAgDI_lXUTv6dDhgwtjQVxwt50o5jFcdozbKStONZTAQsjk1Nycc9hzKxti6QdkXVnPH4U006KGPTI_mxCBwRYOO4SXaj_l0thcANS570BbY3ABNwOgvkmWXGsfYl8787RO7YBo/w640-h440/Upright%20Pots%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These narrow pots would fall over if they weren't in a tray</td></tr></tbody></table><p>While the sun may not 'sterilize' my pots, the shot of UV and heat 'sanitizes' them enough where I've not had any issues with damping off for the past several years. </p><p>This method saves me time, it's easy to do, it's a lot less hassle AND I avoiding the decidedly unpleasant aspect of both dealing with and then disposing of the bleachy water.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0Cq4PZkuBw-1hyCRCq-rLncV-rbCCkutBhpL1qJKMDedGF86VvcVcDPZQZg9uZMDNjPQB4kUB5d26kJ0qIZ3R5zjfA7lrnZRgmKrz1lTOBbBZ-OCLOmwF7CI0PaY3y1KYU8ElLX44lclLlUJFInZFzImlNJ2tzL7rNXJi_mmpnkKkLY0T4Ctn5pfIMs/s800/20230915_162000%20-%20Upright%20pots.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0Cq4PZkuBw-1hyCRCq-rLncV-rbCCkutBhpL1qJKMDedGF86VvcVcDPZQZg9uZMDNjPQB4kUB5d26kJ0qIZ3R5zjfA7lrnZRgmKrz1lTOBbBZ-OCLOmwF7CI0PaY3y1KYU8ElLX44lclLlUJFInZFzImlNJ2tzL7rNXJi_mmpnkKkLY0T4Ctn5pfIMs/w640-h360/20230915_162000%20-%20Upright%20pots.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A batch of pots and trays drying in the sun</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Handling a bleach solution more than once per year doesn't do you or the environment any favors so in the past, I would wait until the very end of the season to clean up...which brings me to another big benefit of the Sunlight method: I can do my cleanup in smaller batches throughout the summer instead of having one ginormous pile to deal with in September.</p><p>At the end of the day, the question that you may be left with is this: Is there a greater risk when you use the Sunshine vs Bleach method? I don't have a definitive answer so I'll go with maybe (I would love to see a study on this!). However, I'll stick my neck out and say that, based on having successfully used this method for years now, the risk is fairly small. So for me, the hours of work and hassle it saves/has saved over the years is worth the <i>possible</i> slight increase in risk.</p><p>Remember too that simply using bleach to sterilize doesn't guarantee you won't be hit with damping off as the fungus can come into your home unsuspectingly on soil you purchase or even on your hands from handling other plants or tools. So regardless if I use bleach to clean my pots or not, I always up my defenses when it comes to certain plants that are more susceptible to damping off (such as brassicas) by sprinkling the soil with a bit of cinnamon and topping it off with vermiculite when I sow the seeds.</p><p>I do have one caveat to my no-bleach method: If I do end up having an outbreak of damping off at some point, I'll most likely use bleach that year. Not using bleach in this situation would increase the risk of contamination the following year beyond the point that I'm comfortable with.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2auKVvJKsLjrOKPi61brSy-rhtCOZAlxZQWBuTKrB2FhP0yLTszc78a3Ct_v2t4OqMkGiBNABGwYb_ZF7B8YNllHsYLnPOF8stTF6c16CUe0nhXRc2eQhuVgxRTeR6L-p8k8FF2NzEUdJTLw7ngDgcYaKLkodDXKNvv2NMUXgj4i7Fk7Psd-yed7Tqo/s800/All%20Clean%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2auKVvJKsLjrOKPi61brSy-rhtCOZAlxZQWBuTKrB2FhP0yLTszc78a3Ct_v2t4OqMkGiBNABGwYb_ZF7B8YNllHsYLnPOF8stTF6c16CUe0nhXRc2eQhuVgxRTeR6L-p8k8FF2NzEUdJTLw7ngDgcYaKLkodDXKNvv2NMUXgj4i7Fk7Psd-yed7Tqo/w640-h402/All%20Clean%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>If you have an alternative method of cleaning/disinfecting your seed starting supplies or would simply like to share how you do one of the most tedious tasks of the season, do let me know in the comments!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bly_UwfVnls" width="320" youtube-src-id="Bly_UwfVnls"></iframe></div><br /><p><i><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Using Bleach to Clean Pots, Trays, Cell-Packs</span></u></i></p><p><i>Note that you should not use bleach on any supplies that are made of metal or have metal parts such as pruners, trowels, etc. as bleach is corrosive and will cause irreversible damage. If you need to disinfect these types of tools, first wash them as usual with water and/or soap, then spray them with isopropyl alcohol or a disinfecting spray like Lysol.</i></p><ol><li>Sweep/clean the area (in my case I used the garage floor) so that you have somewhere to place the cleaned pots, cell packs, etc. once they are washed. Remember you are using bleach so you want to stay away from grass or garden beds - stick to doing this on a driveway or in your garage.</li><li>Fill a large vessel (big enough to hold your largest pot/tray - I used a plastic garbage can) with water and add enough bleach to make a 10% bleach solution. <b>IMPORTANT: Please wear long rubber gloves & goggles when you are handling bleach, either directly (i.e. when pouring) or indirectly (i.e. when submerging pots). It is corrosive and you could get chemical burns (yet another reason I avoid using bleach if at all possible!)</b></li><li>Before placing your pots in the bleach solution, rinse them off so that they are relatively free of any soil.</li><li>Add your pots and other plastic/terra cotta/ceramic supplies to the bleach solution, making sure they are completely submerged.</li><li>Allow the items to sit in the bleach for about 20 minutes or so.</li><li>Remove each item from the bleach, then rinse it thoroughly with clean water. You can either have a 2nd container with clean water (disinfect the 2nd container with bleach first, then rinse it out and fill with clean water) or do as I did - simply rinse each item off thoroughly with a hose sprayer.</li><li>Place the freshly clean pots, cell packs, etc, on a clean surface to dry in a single layer. Stacking things will just delay the drying process. I would simply lay everything out on the garage floor (see #1). Drying usually takes a day or so, depending on the ambient temperature - when I left this task to the end of the season when the temps were a lot cooler, it would often take a couple of days for everything to thoroughly dry. Also, you may have to flip things over about halfway through so that the undersides also dry.</li><li>Once they are dry, stack them up and put them away...and this was usually accompanied by a big sigh of relief that this task was (finally) done and I wouldn't have to do it again for another 365 days!</li></ol>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-21203936912434387392023-09-15T09:04:00.001-04:002023-09-15T09:13:31.319-04:00Five New Perennials I've Added to my Garden<p>In late July I went to Niagara Falls for the 2023 Perennial Plant Association (PPA) Symposium and, as is always the case when I attend a plant/garden event, I’ve come back inspired.</p><p>The symposium includes a trade show where new perennials are showcased & speaking to the growers/breeders is always a highlight for me. I saw so many plants that intrigued me and in this post, I’ll be highlighting five that I’m particularly excited about.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8rwWbs5wgGFt1NXH9yZlXndJ0I_E05dCjg0JlhXeDvY7sm9DhlWkKVOVrm3L3j4KQyb63Ig2EG2nbYlCXLAbcYbUA_HdeYBZOpnBg8O5gTRRz_Nka1HtshFJO23_TdKy89UhEGgggUTT04ICAR5XBE4ksVrnu2z7R0HrWIMa5QpeMiMMc7ANsxgBoMM/s800/Jacobs%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="800" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8rwWbs5wgGFt1NXH9yZlXndJ0I_E05dCjg0JlhXeDvY7sm9DhlWkKVOVrm3L3j4KQyb63Ig2EG2nbYlCXLAbcYbUA_HdeYBZOpnBg8O5gTRRz_Nka1HtshFJO23_TdKy89UhEGgggUTT04ICAR5XBE4ksVrnu2z7R0HrWIMa5QpeMiMMc7ANsxgBoMM/w640-h421/Jacobs%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spoiler alert - this is one of them...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><i style="font-size: large;"><span></span></i></p><a name='more'></a><i style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></i><p></p><p><i style="font-size: large;"><u>Stachys byzantina ‘Little Lamb’</u></i></p><p>When I approached the Darwin Perennial booth there was a LOT to look at – but among the vibrant Echinacea, floriferous Salvia and Leucanthemum covered in blooms, it was this guy – aptly named ‘Little Lamb’ - that first caught my eye:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqCAER6sLs--XJ72nDiMiX-jqqLZP65J4emxIYvRBEaJg8BeDW2PNzOJtqwWi3Z1ZfcAOx1C4JiaPGA4RFfH28ikGX5BuMU507j5n8kAxi9M3uNTYppiiZ2MBXYexKtYJFq-VtBiqGZGhaX1mmoTVHUy3dmSl6D7N9Q-FC_Tut8I7LKg9VPC0qa5P93A/s800/20230811%20-%20Stachys%20'Little%20Lamb'copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqCAER6sLs--XJ72nDiMiX-jqqLZP65J4emxIYvRBEaJg8BeDW2PNzOJtqwWi3Z1ZfcAOx1C4JiaPGA4RFfH28ikGX5BuMU507j5n8kAxi9M3uNTYppiiZ2MBXYexKtYJFq-VtBiqGZGhaX1mmoTVHUy3dmSl6D7N9Q-FC_Tut8I7LKg9VPC0qa5P93A/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Stachys%20'Little%20Lamb'copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacys byzantina 'Little Lamb'</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When it comes to Stachys byzantina, I had the species in my garden for many years but I always found it a bit unruly – not that I’m a formal garden gal, quite the opposite actually. Give me a cottage garden overflowing with masses of plants going every which way over a perfectly trimmed topiary any day. I did enjoy the species especially at the beginning of the season when the new growth came in, but it was pretty aggressive in it’s spread and I was really not a fan of those fuzzy flower spikes – they just looked strange and messy to my eyes. After a few years, I ended up pulling it all out.</p><p>So imagine my delight when I saw this gorgeous diminutive Stachys with a low, almost layered habit and those beautiful silver-green leaves. First thing I did: Reach out and touch it, of course! It’s just as delightful as you would think. Second thing I did: Approach Marion & Brenda*, the Darwin reps, and ask them to tell me all about it.</p><p>So let’s get to the nitty gritty. ‘Little Lamb’ enjoys full sun and is hardy from zone 4-8. Just like the species, it’s also drought tolerant and deer/rabbit resistant. It only gets 2-5" tall and 12-15" wide and when it comes to the flower spikes, they are a lot shorter and ‘neater’ than the species. </p><p>It’s a low spreader and it does spread at a good pace (but not aggressively so), making it a great groundcover in a sunny spot. In addition, it’s low stature and touchability factor means this is the perfect plant to place along a walkway...which is exactly what I did.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz0KAUKJqJvWkcRU6o5IEz2j4Bdu33hy7kfvVqv9UsoHedV6B1Lq9uoPwcQAYEkt0-Cf8jUZxVwmSHtQb6UNb1NoB_L8pMKFBg0daCgw3VXlkJRI_nBBYgc9SPe7JgHQ8WOXpVW42WWnsCIMtw3vAuZyoiflS4op9-UNp4AZ4lO3lVsjNVGV9fRyb8no/s800/20230811%20-%20Stachys%20'Little%20Lamb'2copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz0KAUKJqJvWkcRU6o5IEz2j4Bdu33hy7kfvVqv9UsoHedV6B1Lq9uoPwcQAYEkt0-Cf8jUZxVwmSHtQb6UNb1NoB_L8pMKFBg0daCgw3VXlkJRI_nBBYgc9SPe7JgHQ8WOXpVW42WWnsCIMtw3vAuZyoiflS4op9-UNp4AZ4lO3lVsjNVGV9fRyb8no/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Stachys%20'Little%20Lamb'2copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The touchability factor - irresistible!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The bad news is that ‘Little Lamb’ won’t be available until 2024. The good news is that I have a feeling this one will become very popular, very quickly, so it likely won’t be long until you are able to find it at a nursery near you.</p><p><br /></p><p><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Polemonium ‘Golden Feathers’ (Jacob’s Ladder)</span></i></u></p><p>A Jacob’s ladder that not only has beautiful bluish-purple flowers in the spring, but also provides all season interest with gorgeous, variegated leaves that get tinges of pink during cooler weather? Yes please!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHIZ-nwWKfMV4GdvdyO16BMsEpWLz4F87K1N3l7xNAmwTPwwe157dZEE6ObiKjr1GWX_j_19Zpq_jgd_-VexJoaus7bxq0E_mlOAFyRMGm53zJniQIPWC2lpJsheTURA78MxYa2aToMmKuNtqzDiB6lkQ1SO1q15XvFqs2Ec_BXm0rOHkSCm1PO_LpxY/s800/20230811%20-%20Jacob's%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHIZ-nwWKfMV4GdvdyO16BMsEpWLz4F87K1N3l7xNAmwTPwwe157dZEE6ObiKjr1GWX_j_19Zpq_jgd_-VexJoaus7bxq0E_mlOAFyRMGm53zJniQIPWC2lpJsheTURA78MxYa2aToMmKuNtqzDiB6lkQ1SO1q15XvFqs2Ec_BXm0rOHkSCm1PO_LpxY/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Jacob's%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polemonium 'Golden Feathers'</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I do have another variety of variegated Jacob’s ladder in the garden – ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – which is incredibly pretty. The one difference between that one and ‘Golden Feathers’ is its habit. While ‘Stairway to Heaven’ has a decidedly upright habit, ‘Golden Feathers’ is a mounding variety – which I love!</p><p>This is the perfect plant to brighten up a shady spot, which is where it’s happiest.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tv2rSIbk-GKMco2dEqxqf8f0G7MtesmgdwsluLUEVBD0yqgvGsDunoeiVnUUIP3lkYY2I-PmacPoFvgor-BYy_4qfkVm_IZcVQnoNDbN6Fsd__Op4xOGabvVLzWfvY5u7KVV6_mwIqcZ1_Uejufe-9ZFnyqPzTsD_gMyvCCbZdAQCkYBJax4A4G1Yfo/s800/Jacobs%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tv2rSIbk-GKMco2dEqxqf8f0G7MtesmgdwsluLUEVBD0yqgvGsDunoeiVnUUIP3lkYY2I-PmacPoFvgor-BYy_4qfkVm_IZcVQnoNDbN6Fsd__Op4xOGabvVLzWfvY5u7KVV6_mwIqcZ1_Uejufe-9ZFnyqPzTsD_gMyvCCbZdAQCkYBJax4A4G1Yfo/w640-h360/Jacobs%20Ladder%20'Golden%20Feathers'1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pink tinges on the leaves add yet another layer of beauty</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Darwin rep did say that she’s heard of some people having success with this one in a partly sunny spot but this is most likely in cooler areas – I wouldn’t try that in the south!</p><p>‘Golden Feathers’ gets 6-8” tall & 12-14” wide, is hardy from zone 5b-9a and is deer resistant.</p><p><br /></p><p><i style="font-size: large;"><u>Nepeta x faassenii 'Junior Walker'</u></i></p><p>This is one of the ‘older’ varieties on my list, introduced back in 2014, but I don’t really see it out there that often so I wanted to spread the word and give it it’s rightful shout-out as a ‘must-have’ for nepeta lovers like myself.</p><p>Nepeta is one of my favourite drought tolerant, long flowering summer perennials. Many varieties do, however, get rather large and sprawly – I’m talking to you ‘Walker’s Low’. Despite its name, Walker’s Low is a beast, getting 3' tall & wide. It also tends to splay open unless you give it a really good cut back in early summer and even then, there’s no guarantee that it will behave. Fun fact: Walker’s Low is actually named for a garden in England, which totally explains the dichotomy between its name and actual size. Now you know 🙂</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrq1QA4d5WgZHDbPNAy8Rpth1COLWdIuu2gAxigqoHh9m0cTXWA4u64pOweXbnf0rX8738MPeMr5xxbYLsLJxegDEDQEjrah1Q43IpVSGmM564zYOc0qR5CYvA3y5m_F1POirp7WGTUTgO63hTSQptfQhLXFDMyfzKAVXMCt6vGAv5ImHpXCp4fQpyMs/s2766/20230811%20-%20Nepeta%20'Junior%20Walker'2copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2003" data-original-width="2766" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrq1QA4d5WgZHDbPNAy8Rpth1COLWdIuu2gAxigqoHh9m0cTXWA4u64pOweXbnf0rX8738MPeMr5xxbYLsLJxegDEDQEjrah1Q43IpVSGmM564zYOc0qR5CYvA3y5m_F1POirp7WGTUTgO63hTSQptfQhLXFDMyfzKAVXMCt6vGAv5ImHpXCp4fQpyMs/w640-h464/20230811%20-%20Nepeta%20'Junior%20Walker'2copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepeta faasenii 'Junior Walker'</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was at a friends garden a few weeks ago (Hi Helen!) and we were standing in front of her Walker’s Low that had done the ‘splits’ so to speak. Both of us lamented that while we ‘want’ to cut our splaying Nepeta's back in mid-summer, we often procrastinate in doing so since they are still buzzing with pollinators. That’s one conundrum you are less likely to face with ‘Junior Walker’.</p><p>‘Junior Walker’ is just as it sounds – it’s a smaller, more compact version of ‘Walker’s Low’. But lack of splay is not the only reason to get this one in your garden – it’s also an early bloomer AND it’s more floriferous than comparable varieties, a boon for humans and pollinators alike.</p><p>Both Walker's Low and Junior Walker are sterile varieties of nepeta, meaning they don't produce viable seed. They do, however, produce nectar - and plenty of it - which is why both are magnets for bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEvNk5Svs_o5P-TtlDBodCC9-XQMImwpB7QhUmLnZjQds7n5-yhjUW6IBA0nynxawwAlenr_SADLtv6Jq4BXQrcRVglQe-VytfPe2NH2iDcP2J2Vb_MD1iyjhFF9vNQnUUUzrvu1Af9Q9mNchCbCobtYROTyTeCY8ctJhdxiZIS973FJoZKWmwdRR-eY/s800/20230811%20-%20Nepeta%20'Junior%20Walker'1copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEvNk5Svs_o5P-TtlDBodCC9-XQMImwpB7QhUmLnZjQds7n5-yhjUW6IBA0nynxawwAlenr_SADLtv6Jq4BXQrcRVglQe-VytfPe2NH2iDcP2J2Vb_MD1iyjhFF9vNQnUUUzrvu1Af9Q9mNchCbCobtYROTyTeCY8ctJhdxiZIS973FJoZKWmwdRR-eY/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Nepeta%20'Junior%20Walker'1copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Junior Walker' in it's new home ❤️</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>‘Junior Walker’ needs a spot with full sun and is hardy from zone 4-8. It blooms from early spring all the way through the summer and is heat & drought tolerant as well as deer resistant. And while it doesn’t specify this in the literature, I would venture that this one, much like other Nepetas, is likely to be less attractive to rabbits due to it’s scent.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><u>Carex oshimensis ‘Ribbon Falls’</u></i></span></p><p>Over the past few years, people are getting more and more excited about grasses, and rightly so. They add texture and movement to the border that's unlike any other perennial. Now, while Carex isn’t a true grass, it is ‘grass-like’ and treated in more or less the same way, being an awesome addition to any garden.</p><p>I have several varieties in my borders from the “Ever” series, and I love them all. So when I saw this guy in the Trixwood Nursery* booth, I was immediately drawn in.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPlyHVVj28ii7o9XcY3NXgfeX0L2IoYtAY4qLxmzIfAt7CH62JZk7LnMm5OFHIZfhuK8-fUDrl2Ui6pPKNU_nFUGpR2jBhLqcnZw8ul2DfjId5phb0KI6oiaDMcaof40RwOkjYKes4BUNSU6_LuIbDEgA7wWHP2rcRMvbLnmYrOuGtFyEQllaaKiEy5U/s573/20230811%20-%20Carex%20'Ribbon%20Falls'%20copy2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="573" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPlyHVVj28ii7o9XcY3NXgfeX0L2IoYtAY4qLxmzIfAt7CH62JZk7LnMm5OFHIZfhuK8-fUDrl2Ui6pPKNU_nFUGpR2jBhLqcnZw8ul2DfjId5phb0KI6oiaDMcaof40RwOkjYKes4BUNSU6_LuIbDEgA7wWHP2rcRMvbLnmYrOuGtFyEQllaaKiEy5U/w640-h438/20230811%20-%20Carex%20'Ribbon%20Falls'%20copy2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carex oshimensis 'Ribbon Falls' </td></tr></tbody></table><p>In addition to ‘Ribbon Falls’, there were also a few booths showcasing the variegated 'Feather Falls'.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5KhBrNbB_7Zp23q0rgopHYmaGEPM-boHq20ititthzICUeoGUheoh76u2qrYLAwUANDTaAoRRiVp0vLWStQwBIZGXfURM7VE6LhGxOJWJkTZlByFA5W-Z9TTkhpYqJvKMKDGFR0JUccCFVxutcxVoD2sqmRHKGKdva6BS8yA14HGPTQEIR7FU5aUsOg/s600/Carex%20'Feather%20Falls'%20photo%20credit%20Walters%20Gardens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5KhBrNbB_7Zp23q0rgopHYmaGEPM-boHq20ititthzICUeoGUheoh76u2qrYLAwUANDTaAoRRiVp0vLWStQwBIZGXfURM7VE6LhGxOJWJkTZlByFA5W-Z9TTkhpYqJvKMKDGFR0JUccCFVxutcxVoD2sqmRHKGKdva6BS8yA14HGPTQEIR7FU5aUsOg/w640-h640/Carex%20'Feather%20Falls'%20photo%20credit%20Walters%20Gardens.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carex oshimensis 'Feather Falls'<br />Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=CARFF" target="_blank">Walters Gardens</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While many folks were going gaga over the variegated version - and it is glorious, no doubt - I was particularly enthralled with the solid green variety. The dark green colour really allowed the incredible glossiness to 'shine' (see what I did there😉).</p><p>The leaves are sturdy & fairly wide, resulting in a beautiful arching nature. When it comes to size, this is definitely not one of those Carex that you can tuck into a small hole in a garden bed. It can grow into a 2’ tall x 5’ wide clump within a couple of years!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCmsc0DPVqbfuEjy1T2qDjX3tvl9q-U8s4ey6hqONRRdf8f_US8scHdkC856zpxgb1RvqKmRzULVKJtO0AGqFVoPsVajngGLEivAhizx9gxAZRK5PW4ZV3ckzjE6qimesK-kU54lzxBO1pIMz6GvtAS32nTx19oJZr9mCGzeOPJAIhUrQXV4EBiUI97w/s800/20230811%20-%20Carex%20'Ribbon%20Falls'2copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCmsc0DPVqbfuEjy1T2qDjX3tvl9q-U8s4ey6hqONRRdf8f_US8scHdkC856zpxgb1RvqKmRzULVKJtO0AGqFVoPsVajngGLEivAhizx9gxAZRK5PW4ZV3ckzjE6qimesK-kU54lzxBO1pIMz6GvtAS32nTx19oJZr9mCGzeOPJAIhUrQXV4EBiUI97w/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Carex%20'Ribbon%20Falls'2copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that gloss!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>‘Ribbon Falls’ flourishes in part sun to light shade. Just as with some of the ‘Ever’ series of Carex, I’ve seen the hardiness zones for this one listed as going down to both zone 5 and 6 (up to zone 9). I’m in zone 5b so, just to be on the safe side, I've put it in a more protected spot so that it doesn’t get the brunt of our westerly winter winds.</p><p>I do have one word of warning when picking a spot for Carex in your garden. While 'Ribbon Falls' & 'Feather Falls' are listed as being rabbit resistant, I have not found that to be the case with the other Carex oshimensis varieties in my garden. I have lost many Carex to the local bunny population & have resorted to only planting them in my fenced-in veg garden border or in garden beds that the rabbits don’t normally frequent, such as those that are closer to the street, although this latter option is definitely a riskier proposition.</p><p>One thing I did notice about both of these varieties compared to the others that I grow, however, is how thick and sturdy the leaves are. I’m wondering if this is why they are listed as rabbit resistant.</p><p>Originally, I was going to place this guy in my fenced-in area but then decided to take a chance and plant it in a garden bed that's right beside our driveway. If all goes well (and the bunnies stay away!), I bet it will rise to the top of the list of plants that our guests ask about.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><u>Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’</u></i></span></p><p>Each year, the members of the PPA vote on the perennial that will become the next ‘Plant of the Year’** and the winner for 2024 was Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fbb2s6ekP7_Aynkk3QHLWidvKZf1ibf94bpSSK5AVBUZxjftfJUmw3qKNPFpXSuk_FgdVLsogByi7gRm4sbE9zGPPHggI45NuPRhTqPHhzAmvQfVxQxp1jYyDgtAGyyZoX2ONGwP6ASGN-X32UjmAmaeHP80zgjy2YVnewgvmX7W4zqUWTRp0GHwKy0/s1067/Jeanna%20Phlox%20-%20Photo%20Credit%20Saunders%20Brothers,%20Inccopy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fbb2s6ekP7_Aynkk3QHLWidvKZf1ibf94bpSSK5AVBUZxjftfJUmw3qKNPFpXSuk_FgdVLsogByi7gRm4sbE9zGPPHggI45NuPRhTqPHhzAmvQfVxQxp1jYyDgtAGyyZoX2ONGwP6ASGN-X32UjmAmaeHP80zgjy2YVnewgvmX7W4zqUWTRp0GHwKy0/w480-h640/Jeanna%20Phlox%20-%20Photo%20Credit%20Saunders%20Brothers,%20Inccopy.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phlox paniculata 'Jeana'<br />Photo Credit: Saunders Brothers, Inc.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I did add phlox to the garden a few years ago, but the variety I purchased didn’t last long. It always ended up with a bad case of powdery mildew each and every year, getting weaker and weaker until, eventually, it just didn’t come back.</p><p>I do have two other phloxes in the garden, both of which are 'mystery' plants. The first is a 3' tall magenta beauty that has been in the garden since we moved in many years ago and comes back reliably every year with zero care and zero mildew.</p><p>The other one is a tiny guy that has come up every year for about 4 or 5 years. I have no idea where it came from and my best guess is that it was a hitchhiker on one of the other plants that I purchased at some point. It’s super small, only getting about 6” tall & wide, but it brightens up that spot in the garden with some ‘unexpected’ colour each spring as I usually forget that it’s there.</p><p>‘Jeana’ is anything but small – it gets to be 5’ tall x 4’ wide! Unlike most other popular phlox varieties, however, the individual flowers on Jeana’s bloom spikes are quite small – which I actually love.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y-UzsAZmYOh9RMQY6SUO5AlkaEtQ8p3W-fjb_1qDbtA-nvehVZqHcpjudO7sraqwmFod7oQhg6pRVTKmA93TpJDbPNO5jFhUft04kasYp4U9dyxDiyFyTY5uz0wmYKz-Y1eQRjE5r2qYX1Kf9OOhmySr3cshehsltPOQwvrSt00mnWomlp2aBX1DTrA/s800/20230811%20-%20Phlox%20'Jeana'copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y-UzsAZmYOh9RMQY6SUO5AlkaEtQ8p3W-fjb_1qDbtA-nvehVZqHcpjudO7sraqwmFod7oQhg6pRVTKmA93TpJDbPNO5jFhUft04kasYp4U9dyxDiyFyTY5uz0wmYKz-Y1eQRjE5r2qYX1Kf9OOhmySr3cshehsltPOQwvrSt00mnWomlp2aBX1DTrA/w640-h360/20230811%20-%20Phlox%20'Jeana'copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 'Jeana' seedling, newly planted into the border</td></tr></tbody></table><p>‘Jeana’ was a chance find by Jeana Prewitt (hence the name) amongst a colony of phlox growing along the Harpeth River in Nashville, Tennessee. What really stood out about this particular plant was that the leaves were powdery mildew free compared to all of the other phlox in that area. <a href="https://mtcubacenter.org/" target="_blank">Mt. Cuba Center</a> conducted trials on a large number of phlox varieties and Jeana flew to the top of the list for that very reason. In addition, they found that, despite having smaller flowers, Jeana attracted more butterflies than any other variety being trialed. It’s no wonder PPA members voted it as ‘Plant of the Year’!</p><p>Jeana needs a full sun spot but prefers a bit of afternoon shade if you are in a hot climate. It blooms from mid-July to early September and is hardy from zones 3-8.</p><p>------------------</p><p>Most industry events in the North American gardening world are held in the United States & there are restrictions on bringing plants over the border. This year, however, since the symposium was held on the Canadian side of the border, I was lucky enough to bring home some plants to trial, including the ones in this post. I got all of them into the ground shortly after returning and now comes the fun part - seeing how they settle in and (hopefully!) thrive in my Southern Ontario garden.</p><p>Happy Gardening!</p><p><i>*A big thank you to Marion Meesenburg and Brenda Bliss-Cooling from <a href="https://www.darwinperennials.com/" target="_blank">Darwin Perennials</a> and Homer Trecartin from <a href="https://twixwood.com/" target="_blank">Trixwood Nursery</a> for their generosity, not only with their plants but also in the time they spent answering my seemingly endless questions 😊</i></p><p><i>** Perennials chosen for this honour are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest and are relatively pest/disease free – for more info, visit the <a href="https://perennialplant.org/page/2024PPOY" target="_blank">PPA website</a>.</i></p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-16176448792496321792023-07-01T17:18:00.000-04:002023-07-01T17:18:13.232-04:00I Think I'm a Hosta-holic...<p>I'm not sure what it is about hostas but it seems that lately, I've become somewhat of a hosta-holic.</p><p>I can't really put my finger on it, but there's something about them that I simply can't resist. Is it the way that the beautiful, fresh foliage comes up in spring and just keeps going all season long, always providing a cooling respite from the heat & blazing sun of summer? Is it the different shades of green & blue, some plain while others are streaked with cream, white, gold or gray? Or is it all of the leaf shapes, sizes and textures - smooth, puckered, corrugated, wavy? Large as a dinner plate or small as a quarter? Narrow, rounded, heart shaped? Maybe it's the way that they are all just different enough to make it interesting, but still similar enough to blend together. Or the way that they can be easily divided and moved around the garden to fill in shady gaps in the borders. Or perhaps it's how each clump seems to keep getting better and better with each passing year. How about all of the above!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOe4WjBmjKXHplb3Z1XQRMGWedNbPh7Me7j7k1jyKxAfC6z058n5V5-hXBBPOuWBsnpaOAVvFFp0NBI5pmcuaj3n-lXYS5s56shm0UpZWOAQ0Nj1_HNydK4YDcXm-R2i-jENvN90SdeJu6BOpkJcOJWZDyxUJv_2eR0r1GQCUBSKaqeixSU0gsuzUWEE/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20OG%20beside%20porch%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOe4WjBmjKXHplb3Z1XQRMGWedNbPh7Me7j7k1jyKxAfC6z058n5V5-hXBBPOuWBsnpaOAVvFFp0NBI5pmcuaj3n-lXYS5s56shm0UpZWOAQ0Nj1_HNydK4YDcXm-R2i-jENvN90SdeJu6BOpkJcOJWZDyxUJv_2eR0r1GQCUBSKaqeixSU0gsuzUWEE/w400-h266/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20OG%20beside%20porch%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several OG to the garden hostas, variety unknown<br />Practically zero care in the past 14 years (I don't even water it<br />in the heat of summer) and it's still going strong</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whenever I'm at a garden center lately, I inevitably end up in the hosta section. And more often than not, one or two end up in my cart. This morning I was going through all of the hostas I've added to the garden this spring ('cause I keep a running list of all the plants in my garden - don't judge!) and realized that I've added a whopping 16 varieties 😲. I knew I had added quite few but even I was surprised when I realized just how many.</p><p>So today, I thought I would quickly run through each of the varieties I plonked into the garden in the past couple of months. Some have further to go than others when it comes to reaching their full size as they were bare-root plants (a first for me). I have to say that the ability to purchase bare-root hostas was a bit of a revelation - so much less expensive (read: I can get more😁)! If you go the bare-root way, however, you do have to be patient as they'll take 1+ years longer to bulk up than their potted counterparts. That's ok with me - watching them grow and flourish is such a satisfying part of gardening!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bRPg5MCuEcc" width="320" youtube-src-id="bRPg5MCuEcc"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Unboxing bare-root hostas plus a few other goodies</span></div><p>While I do have a running list of varieties I want to add to the garden, most of the time my purchases are of the 'see it-love it-buy it' type. Then I find out more about it - and figure out where to squeeze it into the garden - after the fact. Yes - I'm one of THOSE gardeners. But when it comes to the garden, it's all about whatever makes you happy, right???</p><p>Now to the meat of the matter. All of the photos in this post are of the plants in my own garden, so just be aware that they are still babies - some more than others! This, coupled with the fact that we are still in the early part of the season, means that their leaf structure and/or colouration may not yet be fully developed.</p><p>For each variety, I've listed their (anticipated) final size as well as one or two interesting tidbits to pique your interest. In terms of hardiness, a couple of sites indicate that hostas are only viable up to zone 8, but the vast majority rate them as hardy from zones 3-9.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Abiqua Drinking Gourd</span></u></i><br />18-24” tall x 3-4’ wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heavily corrugated & twisted leaves are quite large (up to 11") and nearly round. This variety was registered by Dr. Purtyman who saw a dog drinking from the leaves after a rainstorm, giving it the 'Drinking Gourd' portion of it's name. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yoDeo-MlBT4nu0McZ1ug3YtEIW2dBPyaTZsFrmCzD3j1xooYraxdZcTapIqYKn8g1UJjSuX_iTJYpURzVRNmuK3dSpBlYr_dciR0FKo8gOU38niAkgGr9gPF-4YZV-1jpUX3NrMKdw49PDH2y82CtoYfoSK-ZR3lgztiESmI1j9UYbYA3P57eMKzdPw/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Abiqua%20Drinking%20Gourd'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="800" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yoDeo-MlBT4nu0McZ1ug3YtEIW2dBPyaTZsFrmCzD3j1xooYraxdZcTapIqYKn8g1UJjSuX_iTJYpURzVRNmuK3dSpBlYr_dciR0FKo8gOU38niAkgGr9gPF-4YZV-1jpUX3NrMKdw49PDH2y82CtoYfoSK-ZR3lgztiESmI1j9UYbYA3P57eMKzdPw/w400-h333/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Abiqua%20Drinking%20Gourd'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><u>August Moon</u></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">16-20” tall x 36-42” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Opens chartreuse green but matures to gold in the summer if given some sun exposure. This cultivar is more tolerant of sun than most other hostas.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbcWLdXSHvEvlzSC-ztT828sMDQkBsuiwlBmH8gWFRewZZV3Y1FCpMa3ugGX9Iku4PaM1M0Ydu5bgxFLXjYeW2XO_aDkMuOCID8Jy2WEHRZatqkJKDzlk2ilHx_v7L9CEWKHYGUuaFp5NKiqiiRp8DpPnCbtScDzEthtE54xmNEJPL8aQR0QaJtZ90Ws/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'August%20Moon'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="800" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbcWLdXSHvEvlzSC-ztT828sMDQkBsuiwlBmH8gWFRewZZV3Y1FCpMa3ugGX9Iku4PaM1M0Ydu5bgxFLXjYeW2XO_aDkMuOCID8Jy2WEHRZatqkJKDzlk2ilHx_v7L9CEWKHYGUuaFp5NKiqiiRp8DpPnCbtScDzEthtE54xmNEJPL8aQR0QaJtZ90Ws/w400-h339/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'August%20Moon'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Barbara Ann</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">24” tall x 48” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heavily corrugated blue leaves are slightly cupped and have large, irregular pure white margins.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZdxKc3nrV2Cg_0i_qKOFnjI3jWE9L-iJwhd-_SCkVnlOytxzyYHvpX1UJ8E1cxgpCIRRpkOcSFH-rD8QXYLJqjzob6EXyff1LQEWxTwNjaHRUE1VAL5EupQZU7p5SiN9BtExja_1J_1guxW7kfRhT29VnFLu30RNg4pLZQgiMLJ22SB4TsQEkQsBc0k/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Barbara%20Ann'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="800" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZdxKc3nrV2Cg_0i_qKOFnjI3jWE9L-iJwhd-_SCkVnlOytxzyYHvpX1UJ8E1cxgpCIRRpkOcSFH-rD8QXYLJqjzob6EXyff1LQEWxTwNjaHRUE1VAL5EupQZU7p5SiN9BtExja_1J_1guxW7kfRhT29VnFLu30RNg4pLZQgiMLJ22SB4TsQEkQsBc0k/w400-h319/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Barbara%20Ann'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Blue Angel</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">2-3’ tall x 4’ wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Slightly wavy blue-green leaves with gentle corrugation. Emerges blue but will turn blue-green to green by mid-summer - holds onto the blue colour best if it isn't exposed to direct sunlight.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeplDIYG0POF4k8Cu4lJUekFRoDKFTZ7Gc63IFoC4Ls2rFrkXDGV04pVWl7n2HisFFhGuH5mkd1S3XYDcvYaZGkJlthSKNEgZVeigZ9xnlDmbL9k90klW0cW1wrJ3wIpPNxDMczwlbbrv11kj_k_Dd_PyPRvMi6jiNnt1nbebeBHVxDY_U0CbAXgc_94/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Blue%20Angel'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="800" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeplDIYG0POF4k8Cu4lJUekFRoDKFTZ7Gc63IFoC4Ls2rFrkXDGV04pVWl7n2HisFFhGuH5mkd1S3XYDcvYaZGkJlthSKNEgZVeigZ9xnlDmbL9k90klW0cW1wrJ3wIpPNxDMczwlbbrv11kj_k_Dd_PyPRvMi6jiNnt1nbebeBHVxDY_U0CbAXgc_94/w400-h384/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Blue%20Angel'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Blue Hawaii</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">30” tall x 45” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Upright, vase shaped form with corrugated powder blue leaves. As with most blue hostas, it holds it's blue colour all season if kept out of direct sunlight.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPHLSrkGbf-8hHZDfFaZl6Ob1qDlBpjsMAjk8mAGh0MhyYc4gbdckeCvBgppmFZaXSpTETZfA8FRama1VdUuqwy1-s7rfWcdN_1C13iLzAwv1NcouBh6MtP-TGZnIKhPBZ9z6_1hLdvAoW_eh_tFrVR4K5431Zr-GqHB_j9M-0uoRp6F0PFBgclr4oE/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Blue%20Hawaii'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPHLSrkGbf-8hHZDfFaZl6Ob1qDlBpjsMAjk8mAGh0MhyYc4gbdckeCvBgppmFZaXSpTETZfA8FRama1VdUuqwy1-s7rfWcdN_1C13iLzAwv1NcouBh6MtP-TGZnIKhPBZ9z6_1hLdvAoW_eh_tFrVR4K5431Zr-GqHB_j9M-0uoRp6F0PFBgclr4oE/w400-h266/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Blue%20Hawaii'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Brother Stefan</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">28” tall x 62” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heavily corrugated leaves are green with a gold centre. When it emerges in spring, the edges may have more of a bluish tint with a chartreuse centre.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfBxNskIRQSGrHZQzaB3_q2LdYtj8xcxfpXKMoaQ0Ry78rl9GmtQtyOr2SiipRi9iOjJ_xTK93IY1Wr7jimkfluYSW8aoR_2S_JrUvVkjDQWg66a_t6A5HEbXxMFmIUbqRUThA42BIaKG6GsHCm0yamGGChWEbuHl3RgkSwbDe424_ze0m9YTs_dX8NI/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20Brother%20Stefan'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfBxNskIRQSGrHZQzaB3_q2LdYtj8xcxfpXKMoaQ0Ry78rl9GmtQtyOr2SiipRi9iOjJ_xTK93IY1Wr7jimkfluYSW8aoR_2S_JrUvVkjDQWg66a_t6A5HEbXxMFmIUbqRUThA42BIaKG6GsHCm0yamGGChWEbuHl3RgkSwbDe424_ze0m9YTs_dX8NI/w400-h320/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20Brother%20Stefan'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>Glad Tidings</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">15” tall x 25” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">The thick leaves emerge chartreuse and mature to yellow, becoming more pebbled as the season goes on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wGmMwCdkCsunrUt4vVXHwRFT4Yg2E-FvOxBVgpZNv__f5h9DtfCJQ8dbOKDRos16MMd5NwZORDYIFMGcvO6Q-xFqaA2gxiIaQZkO65nVnNhLD7tQddcsiCs-ggYSDTYjZi0aFEEfKbukFt_FWeg6mPH-dw_vRD2-EXFuXa8wZURbrbHeA7xMbEvb0V4/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Glad%20Tidings'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wGmMwCdkCsunrUt4vVXHwRFT4Yg2E-FvOxBVgpZNv__f5h9DtfCJQ8dbOKDRos16MMd5NwZORDYIFMGcvO6Q-xFqaA2gxiIaQZkO65nVnNhLD7tQddcsiCs-ggYSDTYjZi0aFEEfKbukFt_FWeg6mPH-dw_vRD2-EXFuXa8wZURbrbHeA7xMbEvb0V4/w400-h285/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Glad%20Tidings'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>Guacamole</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">22” tall x 38” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">A classic that I can't believe took me so long to finally get into the garden! Huge apple green leaves with dark green margins (just like an avocado, apparently!). One of it's claims to fame are the flowers, which are said to be very fragrant - can't wait to see for myself!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOMKCLtf-Dz6ng_3cYkFA1kI-f3OWQ6C34X7ajcH3bNLQf80peDlRRooQ3N0vPBfxrS9LdBRWC5gK9bE1g4kC9H6_8F62Dg1FXjYkG7vySCPsV-mHIZMkyYCx2nj2XIaJPskp6WWrVtWX_mI8xOmcmLsW8UhPSKYDWZpxBQa8fLk4yZHnQeQXbTenMu0/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Guacamole'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="800" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOMKCLtf-Dz6ng_3cYkFA1kI-f3OWQ6C34X7ajcH3bNLQf80peDlRRooQ3N0vPBfxrS9LdBRWC5gK9bE1g4kC9H6_8F62Dg1FXjYkG7vySCPsV-mHIZMkyYCx2nj2XIaJPskp6WWrVtWX_mI8xOmcmLsW8UhPSKYDWZpxBQa8fLk4yZHnQeQXbTenMu0/w400-h368/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Guacamole'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>Hans</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">12” tall x 32” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gorgeous ruffled leaves with glaucous blue-green margins and creamy centre. I love all of the hostas I added this spring, but if I had to pick a favourite, this would probably be it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2zJb4pQeGPWnoh5D23-vVnzTQky-JivKMv35CS4Zm-G8B6plvI56_OpLGp3vhBkcdzO4Xu798gxXgyaTtYhzHetC1AOUkYAbAZIeNDCW2QmpO5i_chQDYUfeRnNMUr-E1HLlTWiZqzFPIqW2sXmPO6yIP7f6ba4K6Oaxd7FMVe38C6JDR1GhGnH95rQ/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Hans'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="800" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2zJb4pQeGPWnoh5D23-vVnzTQky-JivKMv35CS4Zm-G8B6plvI56_OpLGp3vhBkcdzO4Xu798gxXgyaTtYhzHetC1AOUkYAbAZIeNDCW2QmpO5i_chQDYUfeRnNMUr-E1HLlTWiZqzFPIqW2sXmPO6yIP7f6ba4K6Oaxd7FMVe38C6JDR1GhGnH95rQ/w400-h343/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Hans'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>June</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">16” tall x 3” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue margins that transition to green then continue onto a yellow centre. If sited in full shade, the leaf centre will be more of a lime-green shade.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy3XU-ht7brN6ZvYpQBcQepbcQxUl2OUWX2WM0Yt75LuoAhpHd04wgAi_yw9aONni9Y4EJ6o1_Qn3Vlkavn_ZPCbvqlQU1Sc_PbDqS4N3zBGJF6ntPptY8JVPV7KmNDjfr9XYJmlOSCUrXMZpi5FRmae1f4vgrawYLCiLC5QnNkQ6dO-bI2_J4yEhRCI/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'June'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy3XU-ht7brN6ZvYpQBcQepbcQxUl2OUWX2WM0Yt75LuoAhpHd04wgAi_yw9aONni9Y4EJ6o1_Qn3Vlkavn_ZPCbvqlQU1Sc_PbDqS4N3zBGJF6ntPptY8JVPV7KmNDjfr9XYJmlOSCUrXMZpi5FRmae1f4vgrawYLCiLC5QnNkQ6dO-bI2_J4yEhRCI/w400-h315/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'June'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Lipstick Blonde</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">12” tall x 20” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bright yellow leaves with equally bright red petioles. This one colours up best if sited in a partly sunny location. Mine gets a good amount of sun but doesn't have the red colouration yet, I'm thinking because it's still a baby. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidll8rpAkzLigc7CSvEdwaYDm2mLZjKUqzc8EDQ5JfKVL_t4_tkT0vKtugv2LovnFqEEjVEmh3t75-SnEX8daBP92zPbcVyZPWXM2Fur06pGesaSobx5g0BSTa6T_pI_SmW32Np9_zd7x88sul0oXR54BdGNjyTNukGwkLhG-C53RLnefira0b4U4rcG8/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Lipstick%20Blonde'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="800" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidll8rpAkzLigc7CSvEdwaYDm2mLZjKUqzc8EDQ5JfKVL_t4_tkT0vKtugv2LovnFqEEjVEmh3t75-SnEX8daBP92zPbcVyZPWXM2Fur06pGesaSobx5g0BSTa6T_pI_SmW32Np9_zd7x88sul0oXR54BdGNjyTNukGwkLhG-C53RLnefira0b4U4rcG8/w400-h255/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Lipstick%20Blonde'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Paisley Border</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">16” tall x 33” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Long, tapered leaves are green with creamy white margins that get more streaky with age. Leaves are lightly cupped, dimpled and wavy. This one is the tiniest of all the bare-root hostas I purchased - it currently measures only 2" across.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxD1u33JAgJYgb7NIebsqz1Iq7ymKAX-GIQb3ifmpzh7b-c0n15JwomDD5G9Jg4Xt5_jZnO1kr5Bd0Yc1Vstsqdx0vd0DfNhAcdJw3PJMxqHLG19suzzOrSS7TPimgVhU0-GDqm5YTCwhT1gLMSNi7ywGO6LqXVTIyew7jHSec-AgbDFhpB4pWXmojqo/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Paisley%20Border%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="800" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxD1u33JAgJYgb7NIebsqz1Iq7ymKAX-GIQb3ifmpzh7b-c0n15JwomDD5G9Jg4Xt5_jZnO1kr5Bd0Yc1Vstsqdx0vd0DfNhAcdJw3PJMxqHLG19suzzOrSS7TPimgVhU0-GDqm5YTCwhT1gLMSNi7ywGO6LqXVTIyew7jHSec-AgbDFhpB4pWXmojqo/w400-h318/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Paisley%20Border%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Paul’s Glory</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">25” tall x 55” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Leaves emerge chartreuse with a blue-green margin. The leaf centre brightens to gold as the season progresses. It can apparently handle a lot of sun in the northeast, where the centre of the leaf becomes almost white by the end of the season.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fpwecjQPW2zuqykm-9cTCpbtQWEiUHk9DTi8_gb2_T8lKeXzvSoOh6H4h2JS5_GJJneaIHVvnbOv2Ayx_lXCaL0SzzfL7HYo-wPJbRgqsgXhvyIdaovZqKo-N5FwzkRBO2Y2BM_nBbZtV7Jaos-Uo6ws4PEIGDKfnSexF2dkLKJjmyGl5uuOTcUmOOo/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Paul's%20Glory'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fpwecjQPW2zuqykm-9cTCpbtQWEiUHk9DTi8_gb2_T8lKeXzvSoOh6H4h2JS5_GJJneaIHVvnbOv2Ayx_lXCaL0SzzfL7HYo-wPJbRgqsgXhvyIdaovZqKo-N5FwzkRBO2Y2BM_nBbZtV7Jaos-Uo6ws4PEIGDKfnSexF2dkLKJjmyGl5uuOTcUmOOo/w400-h300/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Paul's%20Glory'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>Rainforest Sunrise</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">10” tall x 25” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Corrugated leaves are slightly cupped and emerge light green, then quickly develop dark green borders & a golden centre. If grown in heavy shade, the centre remains lime-green.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvkeCgPvySGmrO9AfTiL3HJwcRlIw8VcjSQX83T4BN-m8boT2gx-36H2nCcRvB1vvXKlBREaXWzeefGLVeUySKoG48bQGv6owouk2EaiRbymjpZYYdxVqeRo10s-uF9i7UV4VlcrkrnDAc7w_g9eXPjsTRrT66AQzTBG5aey1_2jegzZKRyQPgjbiR_8/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Rainforest%20Sunrise'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="800" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvkeCgPvySGmrO9AfTiL3HJwcRlIw8VcjSQX83T4BN-m8boT2gx-36H2nCcRvB1vvXKlBREaXWzeefGLVeUySKoG48bQGv6owouk2EaiRbymjpZYYdxVqeRo10s-uF9i7UV4VlcrkrnDAc7w_g9eXPjsTRrT66AQzTBG5aey1_2jegzZKRyQPgjbiR_8/w400-h325/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Rainforest%20Sunrise'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Stained Glass</span></i></u></div><div style="text-align: left;">15” tall x 48” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Huge 10" leaves with golden centres and dark green margins. Prominent veins give the leaves a 'stained glass' look as they mature. This one is a sport of Guacamole & it's flowers are also fragrant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfcwUmirphKReDXL4GfnVqvoRZc2-A_9QKF4HHOmV2-YnFxVemOKR_EUZf24QT7B3luLgIo66LVUlBLP0AREennx1AP45lvwCbEwFVCzF9VeXEZ0lbuu5E0eUgnWvbWcy_k2r02KWR6wKNy570kfnNFitd79OtKHo4ykoVviM03u8J80bmlFg3X0wosA/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Stained%20Glass'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNfcwUmirphKReDXL4GfnVqvoRZc2-A_9QKF4HHOmV2-YnFxVemOKR_EUZf24QT7B3luLgIo66LVUlBLP0AREennx1AP45lvwCbEwFVCzF9VeXEZ0lbuu5E0eUgnWvbWcy_k2r02KWR6wKNy570kfnNFitd79OtKHo4ykoVviM03u8J80bmlFg3X0wosA/w400-h299/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Stained%20Glass'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><i>Sting</i></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">13” tall x 24” wide</div><div style="text-align: left;">Leaves are very thick and dark green with creamy streaking (that turns white by mid-summer) running down the middle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu63SM1_-pdGIWMR2QsvtF_VLOezxMiG4ptMQlWhke4BZLkgtvA0xI6PD4GDVUhTx2p-O61tgMh5QRjrjIbojpvteX4tI6lZlfccO-Ccsx3Xd2OFdtXiB0LaucU1-gRItMzBbydme7h03obTNVLoj9GtGoYua7eTPMEXdnagsbr4FOIEl7_REizRefCow/s800/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Sting'%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu63SM1_-pdGIWMR2QsvtF_VLOezxMiG4ptMQlWhke4BZLkgtvA0xI6PD4GDVUhTx2p-O61tgMh5QRjrjIbojpvteX4tI6lZlfccO-Ccsx3Xd2OFdtXiB0LaucU1-gRItMzBbydme7h03obTNVLoj9GtGoYua7eTPMEXdnagsbr4FOIEl7_REizRefCow/w400-h266/20230623%20-%20Hosta%20'Sting'%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that's the rundown of all the new-to-the-garden hosta varieties this year.....so far anyhow. We're only in the 1st week of July after all 😉. I still have to get the drip irrigation hooked up to all of them (moist soil is one of the keys to success when growing hostas, especially in the first few years while they are getting established) but once that's done, all I have left to do is sit back & enjoy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy Gardening!</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-79415727217138155702023-03-24T19:42:00.003-04:002023-09-19T10:37:57.492-04:00A Gardener's Changing Mindset: From Production to Enjoyment<div>Those of you that have been around my blog for a while know that my main focus for many years has been edibles – they will always be my first love when it comes to the garden. But then there was 2020 and the world stopped – or slowed WAAAAY down, at least. The lockdown(s) and everything that ensued over the next couple of years had everyone, including myself, re-evaluated priorities and taking a hard look at how we wanted to spend our time, both in and out of our gardens.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1yY8jvlfEvQoaQ-pMBipOY-fZqRHFmVqL2ts5fbvEcneQaXxgYD81ig-yCt3y3_y0-YKC6L0Sm4TMyrpJSoHqaG7vMmNn1Zx-TW6TUecwsEoBcNIKwS68Dt9fnZ4_ZWhgS63Ia0j5D85Tl4HdnQ_QXnf6JSytWQOAmQk_vvAoZg3JoFOizZrLgPrNxE/s800/IMG_20230711_073217_302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1yY8jvlfEvQoaQ-pMBipOY-fZqRHFmVqL2ts5fbvEcneQaXxgYD81ig-yCt3y3_y0-YKC6L0Sm4TMyrpJSoHqaG7vMmNn1Zx-TW6TUecwsEoBcNIKwS68Dt9fnZ4_ZWhgS63Ia0j5D85Tl4HdnQ_QXnf6JSytWQOAmQk_vvAoZg3JoFOizZrLgPrNxE/w320-h400/IMG_20230711_073217_302.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornamental border in the raised bed area (2023)<br />Spoiler Alert: Can you tell that I've become enamoured with perennials??</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Growing veg is a lot of work. Just as with growing ornamentals, you have the initial investment of time: Sowing, transplanting & maintaining. However, when growing edibles you also have the added task of keeping up with the harvests, which is usually not as easy as picking a veg and plopping it onto a plate (although, sometimes it is). More often than not, harvesting involves picking, cleaning, preparing and/or preserving. The more you harvest at any one time, the longer all of this takes.</div><div><br /></div><div>In addition, there’s also the timing factor – harvesting is all about picking veg at their peak – neither too early nor too late. Not a big deal if you are picking a few beans for dinner – but a much bigger deal if you have to pick an entire bed because they’ll be overmature otherwise.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pGUwrS6kI67ANosrT27wobadFRD5A7MjE5XMXZ8guMy2S5jBNgiVUzJcOfpr1J_1-Oc92IZA9qCS2DaiUqvKhuKiMbXU2AsttL28MmhiUzMKR68FJBbuOoHMmXEi__YN7odfOXXMiZHqpt4sU1vOfhKB5-dmPk1LpyMOmDxj1jKly77p6vQJSWo1/s1632/2014-06-20%20-%20Lettuce.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pGUwrS6kI67ANosrT27wobadFRD5A7MjE5XMXZ8guMy2S5jBNgiVUzJcOfpr1J_1-Oc92IZA9qCS2DaiUqvKhuKiMbXU2AsttL28MmhiUzMKR68FJBbuOoHMmXEi__YN7odfOXXMiZHqpt4sU1vOfhKB5-dmPk1LpyMOmDxj1jKly77p6vQJSWo1/w400-h300/2014-06-20%20-%20Lettuce.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I remember sowing an entire bed of lettuce at one point.<br />These days, I'm down to a small 4' x 3' section &<br />even that produces more than we can use.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In the beginning, it was all about numbers – how much could I grow, harvest, preserve. My goal was to have homegrown produce to enjoy throughout the entire year. The funny thing is that I was growing SO much, that I usually still had a good amount of practically everything I grew & preserved the year before when the current seasons harvest began. I was so focused on the numbers that I lost sight of why I wanted to grow veg to begin with – the joy that growing and eating homegrown produce gave us.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Don’t get me wrong - having all those homegrown goodies in the pantry, freezer & cold cellar is amazing – beyond amazing actually. In the past 12 years, I can count the number of times I’ve purchased canned tomatoes on one hand (maybe 2 or 3?). But harvesting, preparing and preserving all that produce takes time. A lot of time. Quite frankly, it was becoming more of a burden than a joy.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovLU7ZQem2vZdm0QNyxmovSkEbQu8bakB6fwekwNg3s7LsiYMH87eDlbUEJMuGwn4IY0s-IyHuUd5Q8WF3zSTFVjgjLafwHkoUq-ibQ520BGYLi5_J4tNhfaNy4JmXsHKgDsBVPnZqtQ2ASel2ocOV41ZvMIpYGDRJ3cx5AJdtxGtnSXtsKOqhj8f/s2412/2014-09-08%20-%20Table%20Full%20of%20Tomatoes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="1788" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovLU7ZQem2vZdm0QNyxmovSkEbQu8bakB6fwekwNg3s7LsiYMH87eDlbUEJMuGwn4IY0s-IyHuUd5Q8WF3zSTFVjgjLafwHkoUq-ibQ520BGYLi5_J4tNhfaNy4JmXsHKgDsBVPnZqtQ2ASel2ocOV41ZvMIpYGDRJ3cx5AJdtxGtnSXtsKOqhj8f/w296-h400/2014-09-08%20-%20Table%20Full%20of%20Tomatoes.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A single harvest from 2014 - 67 lbs. of tomatoes 😮<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Over the past few years, I have found my priorities shifting. Initially, this started as a temporary thing when I decommissioned a few raised beds that were rotting and needed to be replaced. This necessitated that I adjust what I grew in the remaining beds, obviously growing less than before. And that’s when the realization came – I was harvesting less but enjoying it more. And, ironically enough, we were actually using MORE of the fresh harvest than we had before because I wasn’t spending nearly as much time cleaning /preparing /preserving a ton of ‘insert any veg here’. I could pick a bowl of kale for dinner and not be worried that if I didn’t get to the other dozen kale plants in the bed (which would then need to be prepped for the freezer), they would end up going to waste.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I also found was that I thoroughly enjoyed growing those veg that were sown once, harvested once, then easily stored with minimal prep - think onions, squash, dried beans. I could easily grow and store a year's worth with minimal fuss. When it came to most other veg – specifically those that needed to be sown multiple times (i.e. lettuce), constantly picked (i.e. snap beans) or needed some form of prep to store such as blanching (i.e. kale), I realized that growing less was more…much more.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4MAkA84Zh6LvvjFBFhK9bqaE4XRbMrjFLnX3c66hN5KkIAq0Hw-K1fC7Q6FMug9bWLi4TiZFZuazqq2N3rJoh668onuavkpQsiqP1fQ6Re9xyOCjCsofgKlhajDN0J2XIHXg45DOnMP9wg7mZ2InNWAMcbKQ5yOZSo_-3FgmtmH4v0CvMUXofWHb/s1392/2014-07-28%20-%20Contender%20Beans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="1392" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4MAkA84Zh6LvvjFBFhK9bqaE4XRbMrjFLnX3c66hN5KkIAq0Hw-K1fC7Q6FMug9bWLi4TiZFZuazqq2N3rJoh668onuavkpQsiqP1fQ6Re9xyOCjCsofgKlhajDN0J2XIHXg45DOnMP9wg7mZ2InNWAMcbKQ5yOZSo_-3FgmtmH4v0CvMUXofWHb/w400-h398/2014-07-28%20-%20Contender%20Beans.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I grew a 4x4 section of green beans last year....and we still have some in the freezer<br />This year, I'll be cutting that in half.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>For a couple of years now, I’ve been cutting back on the space that I give to many of these time-hogging veg. I'm searching for that sweet-spot - growing enough to enjoy ‘at the moment’ (plus a bit to preserve over the winter for a few select veg like chard and kale) without having so much that I’m forced to deal with gluts or wasting space on produce that ends up in the compost because I don’t get to it in time.</div><div><br /></div><div>This change in mindset has been rather liberating & in turn, I’ve been enjoying the garden SO much more, especially the ornamental borders. The ones I’ve been working on have been getting better & better and they provide me with the optimal amount of fiddling – enough to get my hands dirty throughout the season but not so much that I’m constantly stressed out about what needs to be done.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi2v3-j2l5VDsuWeS_b25dgyGVT0RAIjbx0IjsoyKcQPY66xTO4noOf5use8DI_CbHL5M9Hq6M_wUpY20-fPF9Wn4R0OLX8Gcu8nphMx-EhKte3Atfgh2jdDWYFPBYaMocz1fvFh6Bvwk8AissPUk17Wub66_fYqp39d-q4-x0lBQiWmmq354kYJy/s800/20220519_Dicentra%20Pink%20Diamonds%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi2v3-j2l5VDsuWeS_b25dgyGVT0RAIjbx0IjsoyKcQPY66xTO4noOf5use8DI_CbHL5M9Hq6M_wUpY20-fPF9Wn4R0OLX8Gcu8nphMx-EhKte3Atfgh2jdDWYFPBYaMocz1fvFh6Bvwk8AissPUk17Wub66_fYqp39d-q4-x0lBQiWmmq354kYJy/w300-h400/20220519_Dicentra%20Pink%20Diamonds%20copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new-to-the-border perennial that I absolutely adore<br />Dicentra 'Pink Diamonds'</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>That’s it for now – I’m off to the basement to tend to the MANY seedlings under the grow lights. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed – my love of growing from seed. While I’m only growing 3 varieties of kale this year (Starbor, Red Ursa and Lacinato, in case you’re wondering 😉), I have several perennials that I’m trying from seed for the 1st time and am super excited! More on those in a future post 😊</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy gardening!</div><div><br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-62213581959301844232022-04-27T16:09:00.005-04:002022-06-12T14:28:41.216-04:00Finally - Reisentraube!<p>I know what you're wondering right about now - what on earth is Reinsentraube? Well, let me enlighten you:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV1ZdL37Rxird5FsCft6r6-XQLss6kt7XiGmKIt79ajeVCTucODTokROCz7EjFoicDXNdrZ2tw9fg2lVfh-PWP7kQEZSyBPYY482BxvPkbx6o7Ii--0GpWzfkNYE5aXwtn2VU5Xi4eeJUOeSDA-z0R0Fcuk_7-SOgVlqXdZY1_sIQlk3elnbYAzXQ/s600/Tomato-riesentraube1_jpg.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV1ZdL37Rxird5FsCft6r6-XQLss6kt7XiGmKIt79ajeVCTucODTokROCz7EjFoicDXNdrZ2tw9fg2lVfh-PWP7kQEZSyBPYY482BxvPkbx6o7Ii--0GpWzfkNYE5aXwtn2VU5Xi4eeJUOeSDA-z0R0Fcuk_7-SOgVlqXdZY1_sIQlk3elnbYAzXQ/s320/Tomato-riesentraube1_jpg.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">Baker Creek Seeds</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Reisentraube is a lovely little tomato that ended up in my stash 5 years ago....waaaaay back in 2017. It's been on the grow list for almost as many years, but it's never ended up in the garden for one very sad reason. Every single time I sowed it - even up to 5 seeds at a time - it never once germinated.</p><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>I knew I would have issues the minute I opened the packet. The seeds were in clumps, most of them stuck together as if they hadn't been rinsed off properly. In fact, I purchased several different tomato varieties from this particular vendor and every single packet had this issue. <i>Just a note that while the photo of this variety (above) was from Baker Creek Seeds, I did NOT purchase my seed from them.</i><p></p><p>Fortunately, I was able to get some germination from the others. Reinsentraube was the only holdout. I've decided not to tarnish this vendors reputation by naming names as this was 5 years ago and I have a feeling they likely received enough complaints from others and this type of thing is no longer an issue. Well, I would hope so, anyhow.</p><p>This year, I decided to try one last time & sowed 10 seeds. Once again zilch. The thing that bothered me the most was that I REALLY wanted to try this German heirloom, a cherry tomato which is supposed to have amazing flavour. It's also not one that you normally see in seed catalogues.</p><p>So what to do (short of throwing the seeds away). Well, I did the only thing that I could do...dumped the entire packet of seed into a single cell, topped it with a bit of soil and threw it on the heat mat. Lo and behold, one seed germinated.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzlvl3ZhiHGyNE8k4yMktkM7evcLobGSLaNkMpEnYdmINPXVvaUJzFNXDU7beBXdZGI_xAH_jTgqkv_hevMpL8YSpYaM6QhzfpAyTc-XCTHVnFqtJq51irIgUoz96pjYOYNa5ThQ0c6PYs1NqPNXgvvqbgCPXOuWRYG0z50NjdAB_U0I5cAfvUj8d/s800/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20-%20Biggest%20Seedling%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="629" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzlvl3ZhiHGyNE8k4yMktkM7evcLobGSLaNkMpEnYdmINPXVvaUJzFNXDU7beBXdZGI_xAH_jTgqkv_hevMpL8YSpYaM6QhzfpAyTc-XCTHVnFqtJq51irIgUoz96pjYOYNa5ThQ0c6PYs1NqPNXgvvqbgCPXOuWRYG0z50NjdAB_U0I5cAfvUj8d/w315-h400/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20-%20Biggest%20Seedling%20copy.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That first seedling after being potted up just today....<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>After a few days, another germinated, then another - until I had a congested mess of seedlings. Still nowhere near the number of seeds I put in - less than 10% I would say - but I was thrilled. This would be the year when I finally grew (and tasted!) Reisentraube.</p><p>I wish I took a photo of the seedlings in the cell - I totally forgot to do that - but this is the next best thing:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2FKPtkIqCXKKYwISwRln1yYwfnpPfvrV6EPIo3XRdq4jm1gu5Ucx4Akf_sFB-E0S2vD_YYrG5ZaP5jI1m2FPCRHx3Tbm-OG37LT63n5n5TmPTuiMfjpHHb3DYtGITavJbHbCqOjAdJlPMOiCibFrNLQkBjHpw-D9ibCyugur-ebmkFE8YGwl0hla/s800/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20seedlings%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="800" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2FKPtkIqCXKKYwISwRln1yYwfnpPfvrV6EPIo3XRdq4jm1gu5Ucx4Akf_sFB-E0S2vD_YYrG5ZaP5jI1m2FPCRHx3Tbm-OG37LT63n5n5TmPTuiMfjpHHb3DYtGITavJbHbCqOjAdJlPMOiCibFrNLQkBjHpw-D9ibCyugur-ebmkFE8YGwl0hla/w400-h379/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20seedlings%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reisentraube - Those left behind when potting up...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I potted up the seedlings this morning, selecting the biggest/best ones. While I'm only growing one plant for the other 15 varieties of tomatoes I chose this year (don't judge!), for this baby I decided to keep 4 seedlings. I'll place one in a tomato bed and then I'll figure out a spot for the other three.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xULsSJV88yXLlu3XTbVaIkm8H3pFE_1LkComfqYEgcJPFGLlAVYUUmm60pDOe0Zz_Z_zIIpsebogX59qpaGiGaJGyqG6rQ4pjw9bm9s9efMx2QoBEP5TeEr1Y6pV_1R8e8geU97VN1beXM-9RE-jtz_W5mgwkxS-Juz5slTqt_Zxc9IQxnUbyPa4/s800/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20Seedlings%20Potted%20Up%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="800" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xULsSJV88yXLlu3XTbVaIkm8H3pFE_1LkComfqYEgcJPFGLlAVYUUmm60pDOe0Zz_Z_zIIpsebogX59qpaGiGaJGyqG6rQ4pjw9bm9s9efMx2QoBEP5TeEr1Y6pV_1R8e8geU97VN1beXM-9RE-jtz_W5mgwkxS-Juz5slTqt_Zxc9IQxnUbyPa4/w400-h345/20220427%20-%20Reisentraube%20Seedlings%20Potted%20Up%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being too lazy to label them all,<br />I know that the popsicle gang are all Reisentraube ;)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Stay tuned...I'll let you know whether it was worth it later in the season!</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-79244130220782817502022-04-13T13:49:00.004-04:002022-04-13T16:37:40.782-04:00Six Varieties of Lettuce....for now<p>First things first. In my last post where I spoke about <a href="http://www.thegardeningme.com/2022/04/putting-it-all-out-there-eeek.html" target="_blank">my new nail-biting venture</a>, I also indicated that I was finally changing the email subscriptions from feedburner to Mailchimp...aaaand of course I messed something up. It looks like not everyone that subscribed under "The Gardening Me" (vs. those that subscribed under the old website name "Homegrown - Adventures in my Garden") received a notification. Apologies to those that were affected by this. I have since fixed it (I hope!) and we should be good now. Once again, if any of you notice any glitches with the notification, are receiving duplicate emails or have any other issues, do let me know. Thanks so much :)</p><p>Now, on to todays post...</p><p>This year, much like with most other veg that I'm growing, it's all about variety when it comes to growing lettuce. I actually went a little overboard when refreshing my lettuce seed stash and ended up getting a few packets in every single order that I placed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkWvoc6Yj8zrivydijGfV6PU6lqRUEPRmMc6NmWymjOyG_u9sD-Cat5ZC7YawPm4FjGz8YtGm2bo28xhkAUgvkKKsBaUQ1mFqjpM2wY169cZ21pJIjzqaGsnd4NPnz2xL0IZKd3mADyNhTmWLwSc03_zYORUExXWU8-7LIsbSmUbuPr5OCDu6mUOD/s800/20210513%20-%20Lettuce%20Seedlings%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkWvoc6Yj8zrivydijGfV6PU6lqRUEPRmMc6NmWymjOyG_u9sD-Cat5ZC7YawPm4FjGz8YtGm2bo28xhkAUgvkKKsBaUQ1mFqjpM2wY169cZ21pJIjzqaGsnd4NPnz2xL0IZKd3mADyNhTmWLwSc03_zYORUExXWU8-7LIsbSmUbuPr5OCDu6mUOD/w400-h300/20210513%20-%20Lettuce%20Seedlings%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last years lettuce starts<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Lettuce seed does not have the greatest longevity - if it's any older than a couple of years, germination is iffy. Sometimes it's fine, but more often than not I have issues so I decided to purge any leftover packets in my stash that were older than 1 year - which was most of them - and start fresh. I ended up with 12 varieties in total which is WAY more than I needed - I'm blaming it on forgetfulness and tempting seed catalogue photos and descriptions 😜<span></span><p></p><!--more--><p></p><p>I sorted through the packets and decided to grow six varieties right now and six later in the season. Those that I chose to grow this spring are as follows:</p><p></p><ul><li>Concept Batavian - Sweet, crisp, heat tolerant. In the past, Batavian has been my hands down favourite type of lettuce although I've not grown this particular variety before.</li><li>Blushed Butter Cos - Combination of butterhead and romaine - intriguing! 10" heads with savoy leaves in shades of red and green.</li><li>Flashy Butter Gem - Romaine type dappled in dark red with crisp leaves; slow to bolt. </li><li>Lollo Rossa - Very curly leaves are light green with red edges</li><li>Devil's Ear - Crisp, bitter free, huge leaves, slow to bolt.</li><li>Slobolt - The name says it all 😉. Green frilled leaves, never bitter.</li></ul><p><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrx7UhZB7hsIXqeHRTEZh3jK5cRFfjrRcYE-k86scS5fTLs5BaMRurzbvFROIrcycxV3RMV0wktVblQ3t7mrao8Rl1vmK_rT_lj_xtgpZ4A3TjKmOqvKGg4yZqhZir7Zcd0cnKz97qF_jqUdkwfiP4ba1sLRiNTCvm6r4WBtII14B5TDNOX4mFocF/s800/20220412%20-%20Lettuce%20Seedlings%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="800" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrx7UhZB7hsIXqeHRTEZh3jK5cRFfjrRcYE-k86scS5fTLs5BaMRurzbvFROIrcycxV3RMV0wktVblQ3t7mrao8Rl1vmK_rT_lj_xtgpZ4A3TjKmOqvKGg4yZqhZir7Zcd0cnKz97qF_jqUdkwfiP4ba1sLRiNTCvm6r4WBtII14B5TDNOX4mFocF/w400-h323/20220412%20-%20Lettuce%20Seedlings%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This year's lettuce starts - about 1 week old<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I sowed the seeds on April 5th and I've had fairly good germination on most of them except for Flashy Butter Gem (3 of 6 seeds germinated) and Blushed Butter Cos where only one teeny tiny seedling is just popping up now.</p><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuJJffVbQF1dFW2Dis7Lj1OomVy7gih0MKBK91gJpHzg0bw588ggr4mwwS_N-YlT0IrB0QgKlQhZmtczqJKdH5deZszrfByv0lXNTldPo0vfwQ6KY8avgc9_ZNNWcP0cHUgBBLryuLomWuv9w7vHiAE4MRmiO5RhRoiF1zaMc6O01l9Cxpk4U76T6/s800/20220412%20-%20Blushed%20Butter%20Cos%20Lettuce%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuJJffVbQF1dFW2Dis7Lj1OomVy7gih0MKBK91gJpHzg0bw588ggr4mwwS_N-YlT0IrB0QgKlQhZmtczqJKdH5deZszrfByv0lXNTldPo0vfwQ6KY8avgc9_ZNNWcP0cHUgBBLryuLomWuv9w7vHiAE4MRmiO5RhRoiF1zaMc6O01l9Cxpk4U76T6/s320/20220412%20-%20Blushed%20Butter%20Cos%20Lettuce%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blushed Butter Cos seedling<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Since the other varieties did so well, I'm thinking that there may be an issue with the Blushed Butter Cos seed. Yesterday I decided to sow a few more seeds (20 actually, just to be sure) & see what happens.</div><div><br /></div><div>The lettuce seedlings may be small now, but it won't be long until these babies will be ready to go into the ground - no more than a couple of weeks, I would say.</div><div><br /></div><div>There may be a hold up, however, as I'm waiting on a soil test. Since all of the new raised beds were filled with bulk triple mix last fall (a combination of topsoil/humus/compost), I have no idea what the nutrient levels are and want to get some idea of that before adding amendments/preparing the beds for planting.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also waiting on the materials that I need to reinforce the picket fencing to keep out rabbits as well as install drip irrigation - both high priority jobs that I need to get started on this month.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97rkxPZvEyt9vkIDyuijKP1Wr6NK4ni3phCnkpxKQL5AJk88PMVKxHXIewjKVNSiSDLS00BtU_21PnYCHF0TUpUeN4lgZaOlnUAtFSm8LWPhlOjBD2__JYpgYkAxPDeNS-tFROgQD_JVuHjFmzA3ehhAuY6RADI3Ad43KVlWTO_w_P3jmK75pV5mu/s800/20220412%20-%20Picket%20Fence%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="800" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97rkxPZvEyt9vkIDyuijKP1Wr6NK4ni3phCnkpxKQL5AJk88PMVKxHXIewjKVNSiSDLS00BtU_21PnYCHF0TUpUeN4lgZaOlnUAtFSm8LWPhlOjBD2__JYpgYkAxPDeNS-tFROgQD_JVuHjFmzA3ehhAuY6RADI3Ad43KVlWTO_w_P3jmK75pV5mu/s320/20220412%20-%20Picket%20Fence%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting the pickets any closer together would have resulted<br />in a more "solid" look, which I didn't really want,<br />which means that I need to address the gaps.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The fencing has 2.5" gaps between the pickets which is nothing for young rabbits to get through. I'll be adding hardware cloth to the back of the fence which, once painted black together with the fence, will be barely noticeable. I'll also be adding hardware cloth along the bottom edge which will be partially buried (in the mulch that is now sitting on my driveway, waiting to be spread).</p><p>It's been quite a long time since I've had this much "preliminary" work to do in the garden before I can plant - not since I set up the drip irrigation in the old beds years ago. It's always so nice to have everything in place at the beginning of the season - the only work, really, is adding compost to the beds and running the water to the vegetable garden. And that's what I'll be reminding myself of in the coming weeks as I'm fiddling with cutting & installing hardware cloth, laying down the drip irrigation system for the new raised beds and running a poly mainline to both the main vegetable garden and the hilltop veg area. Oh, and there's a whole pile of cleanup left to do from the fence installation & one raised bed that has yet to be put in place and filled. Yup, a lot of work yet to do - and spring is so very busy as it is! - but SO very worth it once it's done.</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-56336927911065186522022-04-02T09:53:00.004-04:002022-04-02T10:07:53.374-04:00Putting It All Out There - Eeek!<p>Hello my bloggy friends. Well, I've decided to finally do it - and it's a terrifying step. I've been thinking about doing this for a few years - literally. Back in 2018, I was at a Garden Writers conference and speaking with a sales rep about the drip irrigation in my raised beds. During that conversation, she casually said I should make a video about it. I shook my head - I hated being on camera. Even home movies made me cringe and I always shooed the camera person away, be it at a wedding or a birthday dinner. I much prefer being behind the camera than in front of it - and that goes for photos as well.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpmuYlhSrA9XGRLPV4iLU12MGHlpT940g7c_tOZkk0fJDgTfQgkET4DExrs9IOksOTt-ZEE_Mjr324OZnBg_UgZcL8_nzFBw9Pgqd30iOBqqSo6wuU6kQptFgvg_Ho_6uSKtiQIOBc4y6GzRtKdm_NVp18LOJ_z2w5u9gUKVPuRZ9nGA3kifZR0Fd/s800/2018-08-17%20-%20Chicago%20Botanic%20Garden%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpmuYlhSrA9XGRLPV4iLU12MGHlpT940g7c_tOZkk0fJDgTfQgkET4DExrs9IOksOTt-ZEE_Mjr324OZnBg_UgZcL8_nzFBw9Pgqd30iOBqqSo6wuU6kQptFgvg_Ho_6uSKtiQIOBc4y6GzRtKdm_NVp18LOJ_z2w5u9gUKVPuRZ9nGA3kifZR0Fd/w400-h268/2018-08-17%20-%20Chicago%20Botanic%20Garden%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That 2018 conversation happened in Chicago<br />Pictured: Chicago Botanic Garden</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>The thing is, ever since she mentioned it, I've had it in the back of my mind. Last year, I started to consider it more seriously. I thought back to when I started this blog and how terrified I was of putting myself out there for all the world to see. It took a long time for me to hit that "publish" button, but oh my goodness, am I ever glad I did. That one click literally changed my life. Of course, this didn't happen overnight - it took many posts over many months before I felt as if I was a 'proper' blogger with at least a few people reading what I wrote. And, as with most things, the more you do it, the more comfortable you feel.<p></p><p>At this point, you probably guessed what I did - I created a YouTube channel and posted a video. Actually, I created the channel a year ago but it took me a full 384 days to get up the courage to post.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBr_wUrS6haLz10hVuZzsCXCN2S5O-PSdd4DYkTI4j9F-1hA6TswmcCtYchuF0FUBCc0v2V57OtovKMDWw11uiFaCzFtiRkySDcxmK0NLaiAxaKl27PVDnnhVX-DcFWcLfzo9HXTvEwEvYycI-joqX4o6iYpJ9g9ZPMlRyPEIzwY6uhdLmlMAtt42w/s165/Started%20Channel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="99" data-original-width="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBr_wUrS6haLz10hVuZzsCXCN2S5O-PSdd4DYkTI4j9F-1hA6TswmcCtYchuF0FUBCc0v2V57OtovKMDWw11uiFaCzFtiRkySDcxmK0NLaiAxaKl27PVDnnhVX-DcFWcLfzo9HXTvEwEvYycI-joqX4o6iYpJ9g9ZPMlRyPEIzwY6uhdLmlMAtt42w/s16000/Started%20Channel.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The channel was all set up...<br />and there it sat for one year</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Around mid-March, I decided to bite the bullet and recorded a video. Then I watched it...and it was terrible. I hated every.single.minute. The lighting was weird, the sound was weird, my hair was weird....it was just plain awful. And for a minute there I considered calling it.</p><p>I had to sit down and think about this logically rather than emotionally. I was taping a video with zero experience in, well, anything. And while I have no issue speaking as part of a group in a discussion, put me front and centre as a "speaker" and I'm like a deer in the headlights. Think Fred Flintstone in the "Frog Mouth" episode where the only thing coming out of his mouth when the cameras turn on are chirps.</p><p>The thing is, everyone says that your first few videos are usually pretty bad...that's just how it goes. You learn and get better - but it takes time. A lot of time. The most important bit is to simply do it....so I did.</p><p>Everything was new to me. Not only shooting the video but editing it which is a whole other animal - I had no idea what to expect. I downloaded the editing software to my computer the day after I shot the main bit of the video and started at ground zero.</p><p>While I do my research (to 'overload' levels usually) I'm very much a "learning-by-doing" sort of person. It took me an entire week to edit that first 11 minute video - and I'm talking a couple of those days I worked on it for 8+ hours. Of course, there was a ton I could have done better, starting with the sound - I used a separate mic but there was such a steep learning curve just doing the basic editing that I didn't even bother trying to figure out how to add separate audio.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQNfImUpvD0Sd2xp8DyXZpj4FtAkYrNA-XMWum2JLvcOU6qRJUm3Vk8iktR7PYYR3wXh61wtBbzmc1b8mGac9nQFmIwOA8-UKL72Xxwz3RU-cRjJddZYYaZeNlJNL2TGrXAKjawPKy8WmEOSVmfJGPaI_QgANcCzJcNpzOnBmQtMc4ahbsw0608os/s4032/Thumbnail%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQNfImUpvD0Sd2xp8DyXZpj4FtAkYrNA-XMWum2JLvcOU6qRJUm3Vk8iktR7PYYR3wXh61wtBbzmc1b8mGac9nQFmIwOA8-UKL72Xxwz3RU-cRjJddZYYaZeNlJNL2TGrXAKjawPKy8WmEOSVmfJGPaI_QgANcCzJcNpzOnBmQtMc4ahbsw0608os/s320/Thumbnail%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first video was on the #singleseedchallenge<br />where you grow a solitary seed of one plant and then document<br />how it does on YouTube throughout the season<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>After that first video was out there, I was wavering as to whether or not to mention it here. It took a few days but I finally decided to bite the bullet - it almost felt like a blind date (not that I've ever been on one, lol). You talk to the person on the phone, you read their letters or emails but it takes a bit of courage to finally decide to meet them in person 😬</p><p>Today is exactly 8 years after I published my first blog post on "Homegrown - Adventures in my Garden" (Remember that name? Seems like ages ago!). I actually didn't time it this way intentionally - I just happened to get up the courage to hit the "record" button in mid-March. Once I decided to write this post, I realized that my blogiversary was only a few days away so felt it would be appropriate to put it up on that day. Call me sentimental ;)</p><p>I'm not sure where this new journey will take me, if anywhere. As I said in the beginning, this is all about trying something that I've been contemplating for a long time and seeing where it goes. I may end up loving it & you'll see me here next year celebrating the 1 year anniversary of this new endeavour or I may end up hating it and retreating back to solely doing garden blogging, which is tried and true. Time will tell. The one thing that I'm sure will not happen is the regret of not even trying.</p><p>I know that some people that read my blog aren't necessarily YouTube watchers, but for those that are...as that old Kenny Logins song goes....This is it!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChyB4nJ3SJ76aKcI3MKuCBQ" target="_blank"><b>The Gardening Me on YouTube</b></a></p><p>P.S. As most of you know, Feedburner has been winding down their services for a while. Being the non-tech person that I am, it took me forever and a day to transition away from Feedburner for email notifications. I've now switched to Mailchimp and am hopeful that I've set everything up correctly. If for some reason you are no longer receiving email notifications or you notice anything weird or glitchy in the notifications, do let me know. Thank you 😊 </p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-14000567089248298212022-03-26T06:00:00.002-04:002022-03-27T10:43:36.657-04:00More Coleus Please<p> Last year I had the most gorgeous display of shade tolerant annuals on our front steps.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuHpTS3TUF3H16N7LLDQ2_q7QOrtwTiQx6tCibIYCLHc-c577rvWvBV_piZpbqh7yjj0nZy-zw15cSvo4IiW8j3QhmehosxgwpxAXPzCImsCipYf-Cs8ePlQ50fIvjkMYLbXx5Ib9kpj_BoeOgpGmesmmZiJ-VDOtQSQSyA0rrpJcJ1VBCpoqVR3B/s800/20210717%20-%20Full%20Front%20Entrance%201%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuHpTS3TUF3H16N7LLDQ2_q7QOrtwTiQx6tCibIYCLHc-c577rvWvBV_piZpbqh7yjj0nZy-zw15cSvo4IiW8j3QhmehosxgwpxAXPzCImsCipYf-Cs8ePlQ50fIvjkMYLbXx5Ib9kpj_BoeOgpGmesmmZiJ-VDOtQSQSyA0rrpJcJ1VBCpoqVR3B/w400-h315/20210717%20-%20Full%20Front%20Entrance%201%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shady Front Steps Loaded with Annual Pots<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While most went into the compost pile at the end of the season, I decided to see if I could keep a few over the winter.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>The Pegasus Begonia is in a spare room, looking rather sad & sparse after I continually forgot about it, then gave it a good drink, then completely forgot about it once again.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwyBCDlkTlJqUqL8pGXcf8a3VRJigjfsMf58Vr67vDYWsjsBalIj6b23G7h8wFRHBx-ocMfgF6Bi_SIfb8TK6o6F6IBxxhO7c2il1kA1iJtbXFyMzImuB4WaNDkADoNQ6ni0hDVqp_fZfFaa24GzRaUqq8NrBlYyyqLbN7jt92r9RJoGoBn3M-yRC/s800/20220325%20-%20Overwintering%20Pegasus%20Begonia%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwyBCDlkTlJqUqL8pGXcf8a3VRJigjfsMf58Vr67vDYWsjsBalIj6b23G7h8wFRHBx-ocMfgF6Bi_SIfb8TK6o6F6IBxxhO7c2il1kA1iJtbXFyMzImuB4WaNDkADoNQ6ni0hDVqp_fZfFaa24GzRaUqq8NrBlYyyqLbN7jt92r9RJoGoBn3M-yRC/w400-h300/20220325%20-%20Overwintering%20Pegasus%20Begonia%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little worse for wear after a winter of on & off neglect<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>There is a tiny bit of new growth coming up at the bottom, though, so that's a good sign.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICXNEJPhQT2GMmFWJ--5DHysnB1-ScKeXcc4Ze9CdupoOJ7E7_Q6Clu1OGgRkpx2FXDoVdu4zXLxeI2d4adGSc3xTe9RDgPgVDZLHlTe7T0rWNzSZ_-hY936Rrtil5Yvt38PssvFumvNy-rI7j3XcNHPwFN5Vr1MP5SfpHM-NK8SBrcavSm316hi0/s800/20220325%20-%20New%20Growth%20on%20Pegasus%20Begonia%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="744" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICXNEJPhQT2GMmFWJ--5DHysnB1-ScKeXcc4Ze9CdupoOJ7E7_Q6Clu1OGgRkpx2FXDoVdu4zXLxeI2d4adGSc3xTe9RDgPgVDZLHlTe7T0rWNzSZ_-hY936Rrtil5Yvt38PssvFumvNy-rI7j3XcNHPwFN5Vr1MP5SfpHM-NK8SBrcavSm316hi0/s320/20220325%20-%20New%20Growth%20on%20Pegasus%20Begonia%20copy.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New growth at the base...very promising!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I am also overwintering a caladium that I dug up and the corm is sitting in the closet in a paper bag. I'll have to look into when I should be taking that out and planting it up - I have a feeling it's something I should be doing right about now.</p><p>Then there's the tuberous begonia that I simply left to die back in the pot and placed in a corner of our basement...and there it still sits. Good thing I'm writing this post as it's reminding me of things I have to do. I'll be back in a minute....</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15xzooopf0xRyiKrdindRRGE5j37PJfc2P09qdW31HVMYv9HRqGjJZsQ8iqndDbcfPb72O-1yapR70e756KsHbWPNfOkQIeHdnIECrpe9Zyc8rascMLO5S0TbVt9dLSe88bsX_qDq-j-SjogzNJKnZdW8h9RX2FKIHfO6GoJy1iT4ln3eWop4NMhA/s800/20220325%20-%20Tuberous%20Begonia%20After%20Winter%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15xzooopf0xRyiKrdindRRGE5j37PJfc2P09qdW31HVMYv9HRqGjJZsQ8iqndDbcfPb72O-1yapR70e756KsHbWPNfOkQIeHdnIECrpe9Zyc8rascMLO5S0TbVt9dLSe88bsX_qDq-j-SjogzNJKnZdW8h9RX2FKIHfO6GoJy1iT4ln3eWop4NMhA/w300-h400/20220325%20-%20Tuberous%20Begonia%20After%20Winter%20copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuberous begonia - placed under lights & watered<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I literally just went to the basement, took the pot out of the corner, placed it under the grow lights and watered it.</p><p>Last but not least was the gorgeous 'Wicked Witch' coleus - it was definitely my favourite of all the coleus varieties I grew last year. I kept it going over the winter under the grow lights and it did really well. I pinched it back a few times and it stayed fairly compact. I didn't think to take a before picture, but I'll give you an after picture:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ1TdXFtiwTY16GZuQbJIo3fPnl2bSMA3DA75aILKeGAgbJ8cPwyL3ErmiCpi89bUwmvTLFCE9v01pN3yqRsCIJnsBVEhICG4WU5LPjzfAc_GEVwrxJigKi10QCo1fK_9G_7GxhXMCjp6cp9LXzP7VjziuoakqpUyvxkX_rLnKKKay9cSAczR62KC/s800/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20-%20Cuttings%20Done%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="646" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ1TdXFtiwTY16GZuQbJIo3fPnl2bSMA3DA75aILKeGAgbJ8cPwyL3ErmiCpi89bUwmvTLFCE9v01pN3yqRsCIJnsBVEhICG4WU5LPjzfAc_GEVwrxJigKi10QCo1fK_9G_7GxhXMCjp6cp9LXzP7VjziuoakqpUyvxkX_rLnKKKay9cSAczR62KC/w323-h400/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20-%20Cuttings%20Done%20copy.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'Mother' plant...it's job was done<br />and it was tossed into the compost pile shortly thereafter<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>So backtrack to when the 'Mother' plant was still intact. I looked it over and took 6 nice cuttings. They weren't too big - ranging in size from 2-3" long - but they all had beautiful, dense leaves.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zkxMld0YjNnCTkciJ09KJKEcAvZiLbyyfURWcwbzc30s_TP6FHh8VNAjJBkestiZI9ZLBUKQofpoN531XovGglLYNN-l-pSubFxHhROBZ1IDWA2H98wCC5RhAMAY9PcikbY2LtTfmAN-GAKHpqgK9Ra2F7nGqBZeC4jz_73exIaw8hGGqeI3mZRh/s800/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cutting%20Closeup%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="800" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zkxMld0YjNnCTkciJ09KJKEcAvZiLbyyfURWcwbzc30s_TP6FHh8VNAjJBkestiZI9ZLBUKQofpoN531XovGglLYNN-l-pSubFxHhROBZ1IDWA2H98wCC5RhAMAY9PcikbY2LtTfmAN-GAKHpqgK9Ra2F7nGqBZeC4jz_73exIaw8hGGqeI3mZRh/w400-h318/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cutting%20Closeup%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those large, healthy leaves!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I stripped the bottom of the stems and re-cut them just below a node.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouy90pgP1wNPjvt3TK46bS0AdoxjE27PMIlAqPQ7UQ7BX0kYqORSHcI15MveOPIFR94T05nFVM8JX2XdZwHhq-50gn0Rs_7zr4_nmjOWz9LxrWmua7G3aWFm5H03IDGaBj3PCNYsEeZEJg-Weu_aDvC3RBLLFUiB6qOiFnGQ_0563Gg07kZRL-F-b/s800/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Node%20Closeup%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouy90pgP1wNPjvt3TK46bS0AdoxjE27PMIlAqPQ7UQ7BX0kYqORSHcI15MveOPIFR94T05nFVM8JX2XdZwHhq-50gn0Rs_7zr4_nmjOWz9LxrWmua7G3aWFm5H03IDGaBj3PCNYsEeZEJg-Weu_aDvC3RBLLFUiB6qOiFnGQ_0563Gg07kZRL-F-b/w400-h300/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Node%20Closeup%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower leaves removed & snipped just below a node<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68ArxNvgCHl6EFULBpCludotK4lnb_cvBrnANaslSfuphpHLBGiYC5isEhGf9ZtuQNblTGO0n5z_sRymzPAIsQFeyPCLyuiOGht5SM9s4G42y4YOOpe5cwXAYuzg6eqWxysynIbzauzZOD60_VHBd6ow2zzIRXh2haXBMBSI3L8W-r0jBcSWfhJUx/s800/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cuttings%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="800" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68ArxNvgCHl6EFULBpCludotK4lnb_cvBrnANaslSfuphpHLBGiYC5isEhGf9ZtuQNblTGO0n5z_sRymzPAIsQFeyPCLyuiOGht5SM9s4G42y4YOOpe5cwXAYuzg6eqWxysynIbzauzZOD60_VHBd6ow2zzIRXh2haXBMBSI3L8W-r0jBcSWfhJUx/w400-h335/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cuttings%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stem cuttings done<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I used a large, deep cell pack & filled it with my normal seed starting mix, ProMix HP. I could probably also have used potting soil, but I already had the HP ready to go so I went with that. I then made a hole into each cell with a chopstick, dipped the bottom 1/2" or so of the cuttings into rooting hormone, and stuck in into each hole.<div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MIgjDH_jQVhAU2BK6MNGP-1MCSzGQl5-Ono2_pj7wNhC_KedMVqJmlw2v3HdZGstzJqtMsdZdYuiEyfSRu9thgvhiwJBHlgIPQ-vPIrWmXPJgJg6xuwYGCumEckK2CkyE-reXVDjAx9o2Md5u7dZzWKpEaEzYqBY3X4a-VA1ciqA52YdYyWsrfUJ/s800/20220325%20-%20Rooting%20Hormone%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MIgjDH_jQVhAU2BK6MNGP-1MCSzGQl5-Ono2_pj7wNhC_KedMVqJmlw2v3HdZGstzJqtMsdZdYuiEyfSRu9thgvhiwJBHlgIPQ-vPIrWmXPJgJg6xuwYGCumEckK2CkyE-reXVDjAx9o2Md5u7dZzWKpEaEzYqBY3X4a-VA1ciqA52YdYyWsrfUJ/w400-h300/20220325%20-%20Rooting%20Hormone%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coleus does root quite readily, but I had the rooting powder on hand and<br />after nurturing the plant all winter, I wanted a bit of added assurance<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Then I pressed the soil around each stem and watered them in to make sure they had good stem-soil contact. Done.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ8TnXvTMQbJiN7GXIp4OgEoWxbctp05FofIyYl6snsXGKX6pf6WZvXbnfGCqZQgyCXDpsNIXY4Xc7e1FJpGD_MS_CuRnOzxoJ6DGI30GhVECD8PhBdEWo8I97lhLocIdvwZLFvIm60r-JaILndXkG4FqxUKFzo57AcEMdT7MoYyxbckdg2yCXcOn/s800/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cuttings%20Under%20Lights%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ8TnXvTMQbJiN7GXIp4OgEoWxbctp05FofIyYl6snsXGKX6pf6WZvXbnfGCqZQgyCXDpsNIXY4Xc7e1FJpGD_MS_CuRnOzxoJ6DGI30GhVECD8PhBdEWo8I97lhLocIdvwZLFvIm60r-JaILndXkG4FqxUKFzo57AcEMdT7MoYyxbckdg2yCXcOn/w400-h300/20220325%20-%20Coleus%20Cuttings%20Under%20Lights%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the lights...now we wait</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I remember a couple that we visited in Minneapolis that overwintered dozens of coleus each year...it was inspiring and their garden is where my opinion of coleus went from "meh" to "wow!". While I'll likely never overwinter that many, I'm really happy with my experiment this year...but I'll leave it at that as I don't want to jinx it 😊<br /><br /><p><b><u><i>Sidebar - Patents and Plant Propogation</i></u></b></p><p>Many plants that you see out there in garden centres are patented which prohibits asexual propagation. So technically, if you have a patented plant in your garden, it is illegal to divide, layer, or take a stem cutting from it. That being said, breeders are far more concerned about propagation for profit, especially if it's on a large scale, than gardeners taking a few cuttings or dividing a plant for their own personal use. If you are at all concerned - or if it niggles at you as it does me - then do a simple search to see (1) if the plant in question is patented and (2) if it is patented, how long ago that was since patents expire after 20 years. In my case, a quick google search revealed that 'Wicked Witch' - developed at the University of Florida - is not patented, so all was good.</p></div></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-39088098451127571372022-03-21T17:18:00.005-04:002022-03-22T10:36:29.232-04:00Happy First Day of Spring!<p>It's the first day of spring and I am raaaring to go! And while the garden is still a muddy mess from all the snow melt, my plans are in high gear.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBbe_6M6VvtkStNZI2zf9Hr8Q9iYLZmpw_tbogo8opxwLzDwfl4O51S1pi84uBI3mvF-9l3Obv6bSbv5eooX6PFjv6HJf4rmqmz5SVEMdG4y2eDC7qy_7LUb4znVVegxyQXymFmUfpVp7sZPfIdoaukkFmN04HZaq1XmovKcQ9cMgtWe_Bgfc4xPHD=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBbe_6M6VvtkStNZI2zf9Hr8Q9iYLZmpw_tbogo8opxwLzDwfl4O51S1pi84uBI3mvF-9l3Obv6bSbv5eooX6PFjv6HJf4rmqmz5SVEMdG4y2eDC7qy_7LUb4znVVegxyQXymFmUfpVp7sZPfIdoaukkFmN04HZaq1XmovKcQ9cMgtWe_Bgfc4xPHD=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st sign of life in the garden<br />The gorgeous pink catkins of the Mount Oso Pussy Willow</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>This year, I'm growing a whole bunch of new ornamentals...from seed, of course! There's still a lot more to be sown, including the bulk of the veggies, but currently under the grow lights I have:<p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Peppers (Shishito, Fiarello, Doce de Espanha, Brazilian Starfish, Odessa, Chervena Chushka, Pepperoncino, Anaheim)</li><li>Eggplant (Ping Tung, Farmers Long, White Princess, Thai Long Green)</li><li>Parsley</li><li>Echinacea (Pallida, Green Twister, Tennesseensis, Mellow Yellow)</li><li>Dianthus (Rainbow Loveliness)</li><li>Snapdragons (Potomac: Dark Orange, White, Lavender)</li><li>Gomphrena (Mandarin Orange, Globosa Mixed, Audray White)</li><li>Hollyhock (Majorette Double Champagne)</li><li>Nicotiana (Bronze Queen, Perfume Mix, Starlight Dancer)</li><li>Strawflowers (Tall Double Mix, Rainbow Bouquet, Swiss Giant: Silvery Rose, White)</li><li>Achillea ptarmica (Marshmallow)</li><li>Venidium (Orange Prince)</li><li>Scabiosa (Purple Black, Summer Fruits, Black Knight)</li><li>Giant Yellow Scabious (Cephalaria gigantea - a perennial)</li><li>Trachelium (Lake Michigan: Violet, White)</li></ul><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV0Om7s_JXz4GQkebQotFsBoTuM60kx-1e1nW_PYNxsr0KI9JoSD-83wTBBWRIvYSMIoNPqxVvyN6DVQaVt7hALADFZ9Sm5yFcq4ThPn-QWr2yQ0LS3kCrB_KrtVJBLOxTEn_ySc6CU0xYt_u5GoSKeN4rpDRqVpUsJgN9gH16gW6pKhJacT3af-KD=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV0Om7s_JXz4GQkebQotFsBoTuM60kx-1e1nW_PYNxsr0KI9JoSD-83wTBBWRIvYSMIoNPqxVvyN6DVQaVt7hALADFZ9Sm5yFcq4ThPn-QWr2yQ0LS3kCrB_KrtVJBLOxTEn_ySc6CU0xYt_u5GoSKeN4rpDRqVpUsJgN9gH16gW6pKhJacT3af-KD=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Echinacea Pallida<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I'm also trying winter sowing again. I did do some last year with about half a dozen varieties, but it didn't work out well so this time round, I was selective and only grew 3 things that I think have a higher likelihood of being successful using this method: Poppies (7 varieties!), Bupleurum and Verbena bonariensis - the latter two are new-to-me.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDtBIbxQ3127y8ypkUw5uiHqm8Xc7LBpzyH-xw3VRoQaAE7tRRDOgvgRGGKFfc5wNcT_74If6UGi-fAqLmmqasZzt3an2O_VhQYol7wNPi7pn55IE9d3ZyPvZLXg6mMADXdmxVb4qifvoQOKb_9GNG9lOBZh4D9hSw3reNhcyerpcNaqUco7rW-nVi=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="800" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDtBIbxQ3127y8ypkUw5uiHqm8Xc7LBpzyH-xw3VRoQaAE7tRRDOgvgRGGKFfc5wNcT_74If6UGi-fAqLmmqasZzt3an2O_VhQYol7wNPi7pn55IE9d3ZyPvZLXg6mMADXdmxVb4qifvoQOKb_9GNG9lOBZh4D9hSw3reNhcyerpcNaqUco7rW-nVi=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pepper & Eggplant Seedlings<br />This year I'm concentrating on variety - a little of everything<br />(instead of a whole lot of any one thing!)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>When you grow something for the first time, it's always a bit of a learning curve. And while Google is full of useful information, sometimes it's a little TOO full. More often than not, when I'm doing research on sowing a particular type of seed, I'll see varying opinions on everything from how deeply to sow it to how many weeks before my first frost I should start it.</p><p>As with most things, experience is the best way to figure out what will work for you.</p><p>Speaking of things that are new, this year I also decided to try something that I had been ummming & ahhhhing about for a long time - soil blocks.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWGFNMhim7LAsZ4NwT5VoyRPVDEHmgSw_l7BugIzaEbQvnofQkuU4evq-aplIvTFsb86blPnqho3Z3f7L5t-WnRPh1J4XXcy3o8DX5pdiBcOseCxHjxyJ9MuCR2vcFXkV9VpqVJxvj1PNg7L2NJV3SVTuy-YIOt7re3tSz0jkuLmaEZZEcvXl5ufxR=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWGFNMhim7LAsZ4NwT5VoyRPVDEHmgSw_l7BugIzaEbQvnofQkuU4evq-aplIvTFsb86blPnqho3Z3f7L5t-WnRPh1J4XXcy3o8DX5pdiBcOseCxHjxyJ9MuCR2vcFXkV9VpqVJxvj1PNg7L2NJV3SVTuy-YIOt7re3tSz0jkuLmaEZZEcvXl5ufxR=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First ever soil blocks - a bit wonky but not bad</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In retrospect, I probably should have only used them for a few "reliable" ornamentals that I had grown in the past instead of starting a bunch of new-to-me seeds. I've only had one "oops" (so far!) when there was a "drying-out" incident which resulting in my resowing all of the nicotiana, otherwise, it's going ok.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7uGrHAg55fXPHwufh8Lp2RxeH_QaV0mypaTs-l83_2ItzACUSU5Ga-itPvuWKM_EXE45MuxqCsCk7zjVhF2PUfp8theWkoOCHB99IPqCEFu4q3vJkJh1t1yi_MoivQItn1vUUXo0MbUSKdMSOxa6Yo4mHNoEKJ364YUj9m-gktvvg_eM7xGPN6ngs=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="800" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7uGrHAg55fXPHwufh8Lp2RxeH_QaV0mypaTs-l83_2ItzACUSU5Ga-itPvuWKM_EXE45MuxqCsCk7zjVhF2PUfp8theWkoOCHB99IPqCEFu4q3vJkJh1t1yi_MoivQItn1vUUXo0MbUSKdMSOxa6Yo4mHNoEKJ364YUj9m-gktvvg_eM7xGPN6ngs=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicotiana babies - 2nd sowing is coming up</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The 3/4" blocks are incredibly space saving & I have seen some people grow their seedlings to transplant size in blocks this small. There are numerous other benefits of using soil blocks but, at this point, I feel as if I've done enough experimenting with them for this year and will be doing the rest of my seeding in cell packs, which I feel much more comfortable with. Don't want to put too many eggs in a basket that I have virtually no experience with and regret it later!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYZ55b_t-LCQktFmyXpP6cQQJRX-wDAEuweWRhj_V2T-Cw63qnzfLIS7ibHQoSuo85j-XujXzHG99cO0bWGjvYVx9mN29UYIXIvkNwgd6Cc3ppkd3sVsRb6LEhFisxqUyLcqMWweR6ItsIL9BDOlnlJWLs5ymUmFe-YL26BzRo_aKA475fbf1so-r6=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="800" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYZ55b_t-LCQktFmyXpP6cQQJRX-wDAEuweWRhj_V2T-Cw63qnzfLIS7ibHQoSuo85j-XujXzHG99cO0bWGjvYVx9mN29UYIXIvkNwgd6Cc3ppkd3sVsRb6LEhFisxqUyLcqMWweR6ItsIL9BDOlnlJWLs5ymUmFe-YL26BzRo_aKA475fbf1so-r6=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snapdragon seedlings</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>I'll be sowing a few more ornamentals tonight - gomphrena, gaillardia, milkweed and statice - as well as a batch of kale. But what I'm really itching to do is get into the garden and start my cleanup. Gotta be patient though - it will take at least a week or two for things to dry out. But then it will be full steam ahead!</p></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-80654939299937069322021-12-16T10:14:00.002-05:002021-12-16T10:20:22.348-05:00So Darn Exciting!<p>I'll be doing a post on the changes to the veg garden in the new year but there is one big change happening as we speak that I am SO darn excited about. After 10 years of dealing with rickety, makeshift fencing supported by u-posts and a plywood "gate", we are finally ditching the lousy chicken wire and having an honest to goodness fence put in!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzfg06IhumUaaQyyy3tk2Hp9GWm0VvCICl9hr8pqsPto5LGcVMktX666_Zs3erqyzB1569zte0AvACbKHJv5eVf-LxgA-XCCnqmWLYIdJr2F-gQX_gSVqjkZFm1UnU_MM3OLZdZZlWa4MtYQw3LPr9EyAVst78hkLDNQVUoeWUzslvxQBc-tjIfB_7=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzfg06IhumUaaQyyy3tk2Hp9GWm0VvCICl9hr8pqsPto5LGcVMktX666_Zs3erqyzB1569zte0AvACbKHJv5eVf-LxgA-XCCnqmWLYIdJr2F-gQX_gSVqjkZFm1UnU_MM3OLZdZZlWa4MtYQw3LPr9EyAVst78hkLDNQVUoeWUzslvxQBc-tjIfB_7=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These openings are for two 8' double gates that will swing completely open<br />giving me easy access when dealing with compost, mulch, etc.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>If the garden was in our backyard, I would have likely gone with rectangular panels with some sort of mesh such as hardware cloth. But since it's in our side yard which faces both the street and our neighbours driveway, aesthetics was just as important as functionality. I wanted something classic so decided to go with picket fencing.<p></p><p>The gap between the pickets will be 2", which is good for keeping adult rabbits out, but babies would still be able to get through so I'll be lining the bottom 12" or so on the inside with 1" welded wire mesh which will be painted the same colour as the fencing (black) so it should blend right in. I'll also be doing some plantings at the bottom of the fence which will further obscure this added layer of protection. I did consider doing a smaller gap between the pickets, but I wanted an airier feeling, instead of one that's too "solid" & busy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4O6x6Ettk_Ap-6TqcJnCQFkCUEYeN7DJgEOjCbSxtdVPyzNf_9ZycQZXl3_WV837ocyEJEK0Fxe3DWGfLo2GB9sgJs4HZz06EN9YaNtzO63cMHMksh3lvnpjozA88oMIpmzqMji0Cr1XW6Eiwp4FzpCKmeGYJo-2_2z1JU3y7sCEoShWpWXybbonP=s800" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4O6x6Ettk_Ap-6TqcJnCQFkCUEYeN7DJgEOjCbSxtdVPyzNf_9ZycQZXl3_WV837ocyEJEK0Fxe3DWGfLo2GB9sgJs4HZz06EN9YaNtzO63cMHMksh3lvnpjozA88oMIpmzqMji0Cr1XW6Eiwp4FzpCKmeGYJo-2_2z1JU3y7sCEoShWpWXybbonP=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There will be a standard 4' gate at the "front" main entrance<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The one thing that I didn't realize when we started this project was just how uneven the ground was - the overall area slopes down towards the street but the fence line also has a number of high and low spots aside from that. In the end we decided to do a gentle slope that ensures we take into account the highest bits, while still keeping the sections around the gates level. There will be some pretty big gaps under the fence in certain areas, but those will be easy enough to fill in come spring. In fact, this may actually be of benefit as I want to sink the wire mesh a few inches into the ground and it's a lot easier to build up the soil level to cover the bottom of it rather than having to dig down.</p><p>There are a few more cross beams to go in on the back section of the fence, but after that, it will be time for the pickets & gates. I'm just so thrilled to finally be at this point - it was definitely a long time coming.</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-73292013765037597612021-10-07T07:18:00.109-04:002021-10-07T19:51:35.965-04:00Colour In the Fall Garden<p>I was having my coffee in the garden yesterday morning - a habit that I've recently adopted, rain or shine - when I became inspired to document the colours that I'm seeing in the garden right now. While we normally think of deep oranges, yellows and reds when we speak of fall colour - and indeed there are a lot of those mixed in here - there are also a lot of other colours splashed around the borders.</p><p>Trees are usually top of mind when it comes to fall colour but this post focuses on perennials, although I couldn't help including a couple of my favourite annuals and shrubs as well.</p><p>P.S. I'm really trying to up my game when it comes to including proper botanical names (à la Kris from <a href="https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Late to the Garden Party</a> - she is the botanical name goddess!) as it really does ensure we are all talking apples and apples vs oranges, if you get my meaning. And while I may never refer to a nasturtium as a Tropaeolum - even if I could pronounce it 😄- I 'm going to try my hardest to at least mention the botanical name in my blog posts.</p><p>So here we go - first up is one of the biggest pleasures in the garden right now - Seven Son Flower. This cultivar is Proven Winners "Temple of Bloom":</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgu3tJcyhhlgK4N9KVdGFvUdNyvJpWVkW4-hkVBUoVrS8YjR3PiO0vEkPw_yEr8ANoPT4Z733hjzOgt_8SZ3-EBsaUXkMTDwcBPsDm81jM5tFb_NbblZ58GrhyRCxrDrghhSdmIm4Ldk/s800/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="745" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgu3tJcyhhlgK4N9KVdGFvUdNyvJpWVkW4-hkVBUoVrS8YjR3PiO0vEkPw_yEr8ANoPT4Z733hjzOgt_8SZ3-EBsaUXkMTDwcBPsDm81jM5tFb_NbblZ58GrhyRCxrDrghhSdmIm4Ldk/w373-h400/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+copy.jpg" width="373" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heptacodium miconioides (Seven Son Flower)<br />'Temple of Bloom'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>This is one of those shrubs that eventually becomes a tree. It's taken about 3 years for it to truly display it's floral magnificence and boy, what a show it is! At the moment, it is showing off all three B's: Buds, blooms and bracts. The bracts are particularly dramatic.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUG7N4-3p1kQ0JD52JTSbshR71r_9n8yvn-r6xiBErdCwrWxvBTKHEXJe2nq1g4CNDqUqtwuO0TJM9Pdn2pq0mKx4FfzX-Wre20_v4UuF-A5DkyptA9RQMBv_Mnj9MZ1Cgak0n2esCBKg/s800/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Buds+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="637" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUG7N4-3p1kQ0JD52JTSbshR71r_9n8yvn-r6xiBErdCwrWxvBTKHEXJe2nq1g4CNDqUqtwuO0TJM9Pdn2pq0mKx4FfzX-Wre20_v4UuF-A5DkyptA9RQMBv_Mnj9MZ1Cgak0n2esCBKg/w319-h400/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Buds+copy.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buds<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eXd7T1IoiGH-bB17IjuqelIcu76Ei313xm8oRylE0dthDxWgxakbyeEfR8VZ2itSLZ8uf7tedX9T1QpVUniQYNHdIl2LxGCBcHTYvi_EI8DhTrXvRpDOIp3-A-CRrzp8H8fQajoNOhc/s800/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Blooms+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="693" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eXd7T1IoiGH-bB17IjuqelIcu76Ei313xm8oRylE0dthDxWgxakbyeEfR8VZ2itSLZ8uf7tedX9T1QpVUniQYNHdIl2LxGCBcHTYvi_EI8DhTrXvRpDOIp3-A-CRrzp8H8fQajoNOhc/w346-h400/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Blooms+copy.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blooms<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2rusXQag0mWzSKu4Z4-hJVBb2y7krky0BeqL6nVmXz58Jh5CNrU5yIcpmzCY9a_o2BQKbzLAUkoMf9E1ECcY9t96y2XVDSOBSc7Tjm4t3s1Uafn4WDe_y-IGLIatLB028ZjjWL8D-go/s800/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Bracts+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="693" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2rusXQag0mWzSKu4Z4-hJVBb2y7krky0BeqL6nVmXz58Jh5CNrU5yIcpmzCY9a_o2BQKbzLAUkoMf9E1ECcY9t96y2XVDSOBSc7Tjm4t3s1Uafn4WDe_y-IGLIatLB028ZjjWL8D-go/w346-h400/20211006+-+Heptacodium+miconioides+%2528Seven+Son+Flower%2529+%2527Temple+of+Bloom%2527+-+Bracts+copy.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bracts<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The "Moonrock" hydrangea that I received from 'Bloomin' Easy' has also put on a big show this year for the first time. I was even able to pick a few blooms for drying. <div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNRVbAfoP8-xO5rCv8hHbpmwyQvErSzLEPWOSqFPaWHnc4mLiSk1ftUGZ2N23xebhw4kSS_7_ORTlrJG7PRM7DVTYtlNXcM6oGKXlt7seh-UEJi3ReyoyBA6UjfiuqSVukgaOVp8-Y08/s800/20211006+-+Hydrangea+paniculata+%25E2%2580%2598Kolmakilima%25E2%2580%2599+%2528%2527Moonrock%2527%2529+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="800" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNRVbAfoP8-xO5rCv8hHbpmwyQvErSzLEPWOSqFPaWHnc4mLiSk1ftUGZ2N23xebhw4kSS_7_ORTlrJG7PRM7DVTYtlNXcM6oGKXlt7seh-UEJi3ReyoyBA6UjfiuqSVukgaOVp8-Y08/w400-h358/20211006+-+Hydrangea+paniculata+%25E2%2580%2598Kolmakilima%25E2%2580%2599+%2528%2527Moonrock%2527%2529+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydrangea paniculata<br />‘Kolmakilima’ (aka 'Moonrock')<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Another surprise is the recent flush of flowers on this no-name rose, that's been here since we moved in. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ids7rcGb8PvHGR6Z2NGRApObxUez71dXoAupNvne09_KcRbbEyMzfnCsKEeIUCk8-3c4amWFjAHS0gWU12d4SJM8Sclutjq-D-BRrvgqqV69ZBpZatuaLK_irhP4SPvFYmiVaa76BYY/s800/20211006+-+Mystery+Rose+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="672" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ids7rcGb8PvHGR6Z2NGRApObxUez71dXoAupNvne09_KcRbbEyMzfnCsKEeIUCk8-3c4amWFjAHS0gWU12d4SJM8Sclutjq-D-BRrvgqqV69ZBpZatuaLK_irhP4SPvFYmiVaa76BYY/w336-h400/20211006+-+Mystery+Rose+copy.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>Over the years, this rose has been overshadowed - literally - by the hydrangeas beside it. This year, I finally cut the hydrangeas back significantly so that this rose could finally breath. It's now over 6' tall - at least a couple of feet taller than it's ever been before - and it's been so happy all season! The colour is so fluorescent that it's incredibly hard to get a good photo.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another surprise that we had after I cut back one of the beds were these turtleheads. We've been here 11 years and I had no idea they were there!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xU90bh4vVxtLNmOrzaYYIvmdPbJXrqoy2D2EquaGKklHNNwbBiTuC7DBQF9_10iji21c2V4oH-oQ7uM0TctLWGTyTKoGssWLZYATC-9qBYUEvHmYrwjl0kvX49lCJhQtw7xEXb_QV9s/s800/20211006+-Chelone+obliqua+%2528Turtlehead%2529+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xU90bh4vVxtLNmOrzaYYIvmdPbJXrqoy2D2EquaGKklHNNwbBiTuC7DBQF9_10iji21c2V4oH-oQ7uM0TctLWGTyTKoGssWLZYATC-9qBYUEvHmYrwjl0kvX49lCJhQtw7xEXb_QV9s/w400-h300/20211006+-Chelone+obliqua+%2528Turtlehead%2529+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chelone obliqua (Turtlehead)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>After figuring out what they were - the Pl@ntNet app is amazing! - I quickly looked them up to make sure they weren't invasive, which they don't appear to be.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a section of the same bed that I cleared & planted up a couple of years ago, I am absolutely thrilled with this Strobe Weigela, another shrub that I received from Bloomin' Easy:</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot4hFtO-8PDaREyVKb8LA5K5Hbd9ITraUhOZ5ieXsfXR_onVpJdMx9gi7zyufAipbn9ViJffOpna-K6K5UjR46lfsFmOfC4IVS-aF9Kj-ctGKzSVhwuSt757bzYX-M4Wmd6Sv-DeY4lw/s800/20211006+-+Weigela+%25E2%2580%2598Verwof+1%25E2%2580%2599+%2528%2527Strobe%2527%2529+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot4hFtO-8PDaREyVKb8LA5K5Hbd9ITraUhOZ5ieXsfXR_onVpJdMx9gi7zyufAipbn9ViJffOpna-K6K5UjR46lfsFmOfC4IVS-aF9Kj-ctGKzSVhwuSt757bzYX-M4Wmd6Sv-DeY4lw/w400-h315/20211006+-+Weigela+%25E2%2580%2598Verwof+1%25E2%2580%2599+%2528%2527Strobe%2527%2529+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weigela florida ‘Verwof 1’ (aka 'Strobe')<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>This Weigela has bright pink blooms in the spring which I'm not a huge fan of as I prefer softer shades, but it's drop-dead gorgeous foliage is what it's all about for me - this photo really doesn't do it justice.</div><div><br /></div><div>Further along in this bed is a Chocolate Joe Pye weed. This guy was transplanted from another area of the garden last year and is doing SO well!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgvG8GCM5SmzNqNREJMh2jk0M1LAxSWJWLAPo2BOxg2fXbi4kBVIiBCPwNvFyKjy4rb-Fqu0rReVK7DQfHApcEG03t7bsvmVFrRI_3a1pG8Kw96l0OqZgb1oYGV55CWdApNWBlguWLg0/s800/20211006+-+Eupatorium+rugosum+%2528Joe+Pye+Weed%2529+%2527Chocolate%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="685" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgvG8GCM5SmzNqNREJMh2jk0M1LAxSWJWLAPo2BOxg2fXbi4kBVIiBCPwNvFyKjy4rb-Fqu0rReVK7DQfHApcEG03t7bsvmVFrRI_3a1pG8Kw96l0OqZgb1oYGV55CWdApNWBlguWLg0/w343-h400/20211006+-+Eupatorium+rugosum+%2528Joe+Pye+Weed%2529+%2527Chocolate%2527+copy.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eupatorium rugosum (Joe Pye Weed)<br />'Chocolate'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Another plant that I moved - a Purple Pillar Hibiscus - has bounced back valiantly. I transplanted it this year at the worst possible time - in mid-summer - but it had to be moved one way or the other, so I took the chance. Quite frankly, I'm shocked at how well it's doing. It dropped all of it's leaves initially and I was certain that it was a goner. Not only has it leafed out again, but it's now blooming.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUOQQS71IRFoGvHYVwpHQljtyrOdR25lXBLXnBKf3jv3V7M0dsMeTFBfiVI0lmI5H2MDkfEfHdQYo2dl_km_BljFaJF1Elr5XKMLLB_hf3MJlEw4fxhCFXL9i3pNvbcQKvULHLGPaZP4/s800/20211006+-Hibiscus+syriacus+%2528Rose+of+Sharon%2529+%2527Purple+Pillar%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="611" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUOQQS71IRFoGvHYVwpHQljtyrOdR25lXBLXnBKf3jv3V7M0dsMeTFBfiVI0lmI5H2MDkfEfHdQYo2dl_km_BljFaJF1Elr5XKMLLB_hf3MJlEw4fxhCFXL9i3pNvbcQKvULHLGPaZP4/w305-h400/20211006+-Hibiscus+syriacus+%2528Rose+of+Sharon%2529+%2527Purple+Pillar%2527+copy.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)<br />'Purple Pillar'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>Of course, no fall garden would be complete without Autumn Joy sedum, now would it?</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLOIcKWEYl2_gXtIG9Ll7p91bDcSz2kMpwX_dyDG0a-hmcEfC7nIM11tDz0DIRrchkgXs8tMNbONxT5mtwbuWy_gBDKKTk_be_RqwfAlHDhNTinIzXM7ty-Pw4s91lKnYeZSF7Ocghkg/s800/20211006+-+Sedum+%2527Autumn+Joy%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="788" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLOIcKWEYl2_gXtIG9Ll7p91bDcSz2kMpwX_dyDG0a-hmcEfC7nIM11tDz0DIRrchkgXs8tMNbONxT5mtwbuWy_gBDKKTk_be_RqwfAlHDhNTinIzXM7ty-Pw4s91lKnYeZSF7Ocghkg/w394-h400/20211006+-+Sedum+%2527Autumn+Joy%2527+copy.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedum 'Autumn Joy'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Another plant that is settling in well is the Autumn Carnival obedient plant. When I purchased this particular plant, I did my homework first (i.e. standing at the garden centre, phone in hand 😄). This cultivar is truly "obedient" and doesn't take over like standard varieties.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tKBx5hVJqr4Ocf2rImSlce4R0yAqwoxHOHcQuc_1OoM6yAWVWMPndDmD0dBJdTEW-gQTcTwduElDpR_Mrd5YpUSEd5oTw_Q5ApeUcZomb5UUXnSRlfwAepmkJH1WIbUW-ti1bqhMlXM/s800/20211006+-Physostegia+virginiana+%2528Obedient+Plant%2529+%2527Autumn+Carnival%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="637" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tKBx5hVJqr4Ocf2rImSlce4R0yAqwoxHOHcQuc_1OoM6yAWVWMPndDmD0dBJdTEW-gQTcTwduElDpR_Mrd5YpUSEd5oTw_Q5ApeUcZomb5UUXnSRlfwAepmkJH1WIbUW-ti1bqhMlXM/w319-h400/20211006+-Physostegia+virginiana+%2528Obedient+Plant%2529+%2527Autumn+Carnival%2527+copy.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)<br />'Autumn Carnival'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Also purchased at the same time as the obedient plant was a Woods Pink aster. Unfortunately, all of my asters were pretty much decimated by lace bugs this summer. I tried to keep on top of them with insecticidal soap, but it was not overly successful. The only thing that I can say at this point is that the plants are still hanging on. I wasn't sure I would see any flowers at all, so was pleasantly surprised when I saw a few Woods Pink blooms peaking out from underneath the oat grass foliage. I have my fingers crossed that the asters have enough energy to return next year.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtOVrTme_-Rx_hZ5dA_4nSE3FiBM5bXziVMB_kaUxztar9f42-3_4BUObs4U3m0fAwBiRP8qU1AYtgWe_5pYkgjKmEGFelNtRtzfB8ZQzmWV4ZrAayYVtF6O_x26FmV31XauZgqMlhcQ/s800/20211006+-+Aster+%2527Woods+Pink%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="696" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtOVrTme_-Rx_hZ5dA_4nSE3FiBM5bXziVMB_kaUxztar9f42-3_4BUObs4U3m0fAwBiRP8qU1AYtgWe_5pYkgjKmEGFelNtRtzfB8ZQzmWV4ZrAayYVtF6O_x26FmV31XauZgqMlhcQ/w348-h400/20211006+-+Aster+%2527Woods+Pink%2527+copy.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aster 'Woods Pink'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The lavender - of which I have several varieties - is pushing a few late blooms here and there. And they are still quite fragrant...so lovely!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhVRnfIcLeAE48K1_9qR-1rLlgDsE_TKgZSvfOHOeWfkbg_ML5FT2z1G8hyg3EAXv4YDB1SD-cKyZVdXbcaE-u1IvvFm9NzPo1veLAo4uXR5cogCOS7CEWNGmI5kRw7zl0jFMewDcPlQ/s800/20211006+-+Lavandula+angustifolia+%2528Lavender%2529+%2527Ellagance+Ice%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="529" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhVRnfIcLeAE48K1_9qR-1rLlgDsE_TKgZSvfOHOeWfkbg_ML5FT2z1G8hyg3EAXv4YDB1SD-cKyZVdXbcaE-u1IvvFm9NzPo1veLAo4uXR5cogCOS7CEWNGmI5kRw7zl0jFMewDcPlQ/w265-h400/20211006+-+Lavandula+angustifolia+%2528Lavender%2529+%2527Ellagance+Ice%2527+copy.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)<br />'Ellagance Ice'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>While many of the annuals I planted this year show no signs of slowing down, there are a couple of standouts. Firstly, the cosmos that have self seeded in the west border. I think it's been over 3 years since I actually planted cosmos here and they are now throughout a good chunk of the bed and I'm getting all kinds of lovely colour variations.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK0ebfFTnYG3h_DqaWmwyUTJIAaJxmtFZlEyBJQVHDE1xAN-7Aby2MCeJHqUydcsYYN33F9sel8hjxZ-htnsTVn5m1bjAz2wmi3G8G0TSwbOIBJI5XKzy3mOe7M2NOCeimIcaFS9ENSw/s800/20211006+-+Self+Seeded+Cosmos+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwK0ebfFTnYG3h_DqaWmwyUTJIAaJxmtFZlEyBJQVHDE1xAN-7Aby2MCeJHqUydcsYYN33F9sel8hjxZ-htnsTVn5m1bjAz2wmi3G8G0TSwbOIBJI5XKzy3mOe7M2NOCeimIcaFS9ENSw/w400-h300/20211006+-+Self+Seeded+Cosmos+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-seeded Cosmos bipinatus<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And lastly, the nasturtiums planted in a window box on the shed.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39qlrdoqhMJvFs0M_b3IrZnr7MQe1nZ9W6q4OrX1OnbkyQrcv8WSxhyCZLRGtz7dTGqR8Ovvw6nyoLYBiFZQ80UAgb5Pyip_3glE9br3jkNxrxQdtbwRmolYaY-VKYQLjf1AOxtL_MJ8/s800/20211006+-+Nasturtium+Windowbox+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="800" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39qlrdoqhMJvFs0M_b3IrZnr7MQe1nZ9W6q4OrX1OnbkyQrcv8WSxhyCZLRGtz7dTGqR8Ovvw6nyoLYBiFZQ80UAgb5Pyip_3glE9br3jkNxrxQdtbwRmolYaY-VKYQLjf1AOxtL_MJ8/w400-h297/20211006+-+Nasturtium+Windowbox+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium)<br />'Orchid Cream' and 'Tip Top Apricot'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>They put on a show for a good part of the summer, then had a bit of a lull for a while, but are now obviously totally in their element, enjoying the cool, rainy days of fall. This planting is definitely on my repeat list for next year.</div></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-19804223622334050732021-09-28T16:41:00.000-04:002021-09-28T16:41:22.416-04:00Overwintering Caladium<p>It's been a minute, hasn't it? In the past couple of months, we've been busy getting the new vegetable garden ready...and, as usual, it's taken a lot longer than we anticipated. But we are almost at the finish line. So exciting!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3qGkq3LfQBTalgwbTt1a_k9u_3Jvo5VyBQlsauD5MgoOtpkKBMj9lt18YBGH7NDuzsSi2KtbEGFsfoS5YXUyPFo0tmwu4Ezu61SANmy5bAeJ5ygFyfuvxoY1-AMmbcwKx3cuscTCo90/s800/20210928+-+New+Raised+Beds+in+Area+1...Nearing+the+Finish+Line+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="800" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3qGkq3LfQBTalgwbTt1a_k9u_3Jvo5VyBQlsauD5MgoOtpkKBMj9lt18YBGH7NDuzsSi2KtbEGFsfoS5YXUyPFo0tmwu4Ezu61SANmy5bAeJ5ygFyfuvxoY1-AMmbcwKx3cuscTCo90/w400-h333/20210928+-+New+Raised+Beds+in+Area+1...Nearing+the+Finish+Line+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11 new beds plus a good 3" layer<br />of chunky wood chips in the paths....</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We also decided to take a much needed vacation at the beginning of September - and we all know how that goes. A one week vacation actually eats up 3 weeks when you take into account the amount of time spent getting ready for the vacation, going on the vacation, then catching up after the vacation 😎.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>A garden renovation post is on the way, likely when the garden is put to bed. Todays post is about something I did just this morning - digging up the caladiums. I've never grown nor overwintered them before so figured a little bloggy journal entry was in order.<p></p><p>I purchased a generous pot of Proven Winners Heart to Heart 'White Wonder' caladiums back in May and they have lived in a pot by my front porch ever since. They stayed on the small side until mid-summer when they finally poked their heads out of the surrounding annuals as if to say 'here I am!'</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HbmUe33Z_ApGitIzdpe2Im_qixZxzkHP3hwZ51NWU5P9GDI-OWO4SbmEYiUeojm-F-Fj7qC_q-6rql4E1ibweVm6zm_eg96l8OzgzrAp_0j48yQpnr7_XUYA1459W1roN7CPMqyn88w/s800/20210706+-+Switched+up+the+Begonia+for+the+Caladium+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HbmUe33Z_ApGitIzdpe2Im_qixZxzkHP3hwZ51NWU5P9GDI-OWO4SbmEYiUeojm-F-Fj7qC_q-6rql4E1ibweVm6zm_eg96l8OzgzrAp_0j48yQpnr7_XUYA1459W1roN7CPMqyn88w/w400-h360/20210706+-+Switched+up+the+Begonia+for+the+Caladium+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early July</td></tr></tbody></table><p>For the past week or so the nights have been getting cooler so it was time to pull them up. My plan is to overwinter the tubers so that I can plant them up again next year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPntm-KB_eUARWayeuMmdV_Md5Wwk_NborDtTeNknaurc0FFQ3daDJLAjLCTSAVO18M7cj243mCI2DyyYuXnoxs0kA6Azfr1xnMtHLVLPMSCzeQfFC7cXoH5vw8QeCOEA36VLThOj3QI4/s800/20210928+-+Caladium+dug+up+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="800" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPntm-KB_eUARWayeuMmdV_Md5Wwk_NborDtTeNknaurc0FFQ3daDJLAjLCTSAVO18M7cj243mCI2DyyYuXnoxs0kA6Azfr1xnMtHLVLPMSCzeQfFC7cXoH5vw8QeCOEA36VLThOj3QI4/w400-h325/20210928+-+Caladium+dug+up+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tubers dug up</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One thing that I did not know about caladiums is that the sap can be irritating - using gloves when digging and trimming them is a good idea.</p><p>I did a bit of research and, as is usually the case with things like this, I saw differing opinions on how to prepare them for curing. Some said to dig them up, then cut off both the roots and the stems.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyagIDz2jGobLUXwzCjN-U2SJQTlIB7S7fkQwljyTy3JoBGLd_m2Os9O0m-JcUqnwu2E0dZ2LBqb7XURdYceW-DcJ2ss3H-wGCUM-2fK51HgVSsy37vb7PljRZ3uCUt3VxeTzFqHEVQM/s800/20210928+-+Soil+brushed+off+Tuber+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyagIDz2jGobLUXwzCjN-U2SJQTlIB7S7fkQwljyTy3JoBGLd_m2Os9O0m-JcUqnwu2E0dZ2LBqb7XURdYceW-DcJ2ss3H-wGCUM-2fK51HgVSsy37vb7PljRZ3uCUt3VxeTzFqHEVQM/w300-h400/20210928+-+Soil+brushed+off+Tuber+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I gently shook most of the soil off to reveal the tuber</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Other sites said to leave everything intact and cut everything off only after the tubers had cured. Well, I decided to do a hybrid. I cut off the roots, but left the leaves on.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd9JErnJH28wHhc_bD5BsAXT57TpaPXWl8H4Cqguv5T-uXh1pao07n_QDwmLfkM_tAKN3yPFsskSKn09thMpL7XTi5VTmt6aeCpRpA-clcUmt0CiELeq889qWClNHriSHctpqy5pHB0s/s800/20210928+-+Roots+trimmed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd9JErnJH28wHhc_bD5BsAXT57TpaPXWl8H4Cqguv5T-uXh1pao07n_QDwmLfkM_tAKN3yPFsskSKn09thMpL7XTi5VTmt6aeCpRpA-clcUmt0CiELeq889qWClNHriSHctpqy5pHB0s/s320/20210928+-+Roots+trimmed+copy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots cut off to within about a cm of the tuber,<br />so as not to damage it.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Since we always leave leaves (hee hee!) to die down on bulbs so that they supply them with as much energy as possible, I figured I would do the same for the caladium. I then placed the tubers on a few sheets of newspaper in our spare room. The windows in this room are south facing & if I leave the blinds open, it heats up quite a bit during the day creating the perfect temperature for them to cure, which takes 3-4 weeks. Just a note, though, that the tubers themselves are in a corner of the room that does not receive direct sunlight...I want them to cure, not bake!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8G14zm7EIJNfkcK1XpVW88XcNGzwdNxIZzytT4OGiWsLq1ca4_v_WnpbkRA8H1KmffR55HLM8q8JePOGmlTkL6ATbieqYxhowYY-kUfDkVadKyhkVu7TxKMwvXrUQmF2EQsXMiqUb1U/s800/20210928+-+Caladiums+set+out+To+cure+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="715" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8G14zm7EIJNfkcK1XpVW88XcNGzwdNxIZzytT4OGiWsLq1ca4_v_WnpbkRA8H1KmffR55HLM8q8JePOGmlTkL6ATbieqYxhowYY-kUfDkVadKyhkVu7TxKMwvXrUQmF2EQsXMiqUb1U/w358-h400/20210928+-+Caladiums+set+out+To+cure+copy.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a warm room to cure</td></tr></tbody></table><br />One final note - caladiums are toxic to both pets and humans which means it's important to keep these away from children, both the two and four legged kind 😁<div><br /></div><div>I've marked 4 weeks on my calendar, so that I remember to pack them up once they have cured. Caladiums aren't the only annuals that I'm planning on wintering over...there are a few more that I'll write about in the coming weeks.</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-69292329661188373812021-07-29T08:34:00.099-04:002021-07-29T08:34:00.256-04:00Limbing Up<p>Pruning advice for most ornamental trees indicates that it's best to do so in late-winter - for us, that would be around February/March. The problem is, the last thing I'm thinking about at that point in time is pruning so I either end up doing a bit of tree maintenance at the wrong time of year or it doesn't get done at all.</p><p>This type of thing happens all the time - I look at a plant in the garden and think "I want to prune / divide / move that plant next winter / spring / fall, and then I completely forget. This year I decided to start a monthly list of things that need get done the following year, which includes pruning trees that require a bit of tidying up in late winter.</p><p>There are a couple of trees on our property, however, that do best when pruned in early to mid-summer: Maple and birch. The fact that maples "bleed" if injured in early spring (maple syrup!) didn't even occur to me until just this week. Sort of a 'duh!' moment 😉. This, of course prompted me to do a bit more research which lead me to find out that maintenance on birch trees was also best done during the summer. So both of these trees were removed from my winter list & added to my July list. And since we are still in July, I tackled the maple trees that have been a right pain (literally) for years now.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4Dw7TaIVTSDEuf1fv1KeL6HZWUz0zXlYoyXc39AJ_kO_ma7FUv4XD8qH_dUiOJUK0lTHktjj1C1wK3J3K7VL07jLMsZ9SLo6BRE2n0eC-uYB6w2wcktAG14QKuLn7qglYv96wFLDILU/s800/20210728+-+Before+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="611" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4Dw7TaIVTSDEuf1fv1KeL6HZWUz0zXlYoyXc39AJ_kO_ma7FUv4XD8qH_dUiOJUK0lTHktjj1C1wK3J3K7VL07jLMsZ9SLo6BRE2n0eC-uYB6w2wcktAG14QKuLn7qglYv96wFLDILU/w305-h400/20210728+-+Before+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mowing underneath the maples was not easy<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>All of our maples are planted in the lawn, and I am constantly accosted by their lower branches when I mow. I prefer to mow as close as I can to the trunk and then trim next to the trunk with a pair of shears rather than let hubby loose with the weed wacker. I'm really not sure why I had not thought to limb up these trees - for years I simply put up with it. Well, not anymore.<p></p><p>Certain sections of the tree had gaps that were much more apparent once a low hanging branch was removed. In a few cases, instead of eliminating the branch entirely, I simply heading it back in the hopes that it would branch and the gaps would start to fill in a bit. Since this was the first time I had pruned the tree, I erred on the side of taking less off.</p><p>So the end result is not completely even but it's a good start.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYnFGMY4QI46l5VcCa9jOZbO_boxyW-lb_fTKmaD1yWA_TTtjYPhj9pHBMaWgvey-NkHyCbrJ5400mL3zAk5A8mzxA9oM3AwyNMf1rFk3bS_G_lhBQvP3SMZwIQV84ceyG7HLvltItTg/s800/20210728+-+After+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYnFGMY4QI46l5VcCa9jOZbO_boxyW-lb_fTKmaD1yWA_TTtjYPhj9pHBMaWgvey-NkHyCbrJ5400mL3zAk5A8mzxA9oM3AwyNMf1rFk3bS_G_lhBQvP3SMZwIQV84ceyG7HLvltItTg/w306-h400/20210728+-+After+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plants beyond the tree clutter up the photo,<br />but you get the idea...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I also limbed up a couple of other maples that had branches that hung down to within a foot of the ground. The one pictured below was the worst of the bunch and I actually needed a chainsaw. I pruned this one first but unfortunately didn't think to take a before photo.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN2pliZ-wvyIMiHtYNfZ8i2G2Bmbi921Fx6zNhd6SnmViJkeRtcUAjj1X0FsgSTu8Slv2rEeQPtj0fS4uKviTkpRb2Gp3uVHuUPsOn4jHpczbBEMkRN6QfrIXkKWgIYaBfH2B6NTxf5g/s800/20210728+-+Tree+By+Driveway+-+After+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN2pliZ-wvyIMiHtYNfZ8i2G2Bmbi921Fx6zNhd6SnmViJkeRtcUAjj1X0FsgSTu8Slv2rEeQPtj0fS4uKviTkpRb2Gp3uVHuUPsOn4jHpczbBEMkRN6QfrIXkKWgIYaBfH2B6NTxf5g/w300-h400/20210728+-+Tree+By+Driveway+-+After+Limbing+Up+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First tree to get a trim...<br />so much better than before!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm looking forward to mowing this week. I'll still have to bend down a bit when mowing, but compared to before, it will be a pleasure 😊</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-59296159684536727512021-07-26T07:28:00.001-04:002021-07-26T07:32:25.155-04:00Front Entrance Pots - Success at last!<p>This is the tale of my front porch. I've been meaning to write something up about my journey for a while now so, heads up, it's a bit lengthy...you may as well grab a cup o' something 😉</p><p>I am absolutely thrilled with my front entrance pots this year. I have made a go of this area - albeit as more of an afterthought than a concerted effort - for a few years. This time, however, I wanted to do a better job - plus I was able to get out to the garden centre a bit earlier than usual and actually snag some lovely plants, which definitely ignited my enthusiasm.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxfcnW0c6SdfdqwN4qYaAMV80-3QA0BGT7K09xMl4abnSNYok8gOhUr83LBFs3Wo9JGMJ8ajrF9XcVSgUsaWS8BjQrI8rxgYjg4XM4XQqJiMTEsStz4rDqR8VkqfnJdZl9n8UY3nsGes/s800/20210528+-+Collection+Purchased+for+Entrance+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxfcnW0c6SdfdqwN4qYaAMV80-3QA0BGT7K09xMl4abnSNYok8gOhUr83LBFs3Wo9JGMJ8ajrF9XcVSgUsaWS8BjQrI8rxgYjg4XM4XQqJiMTEsStz4rDqR8VkqfnJdZl9n8UY3nsGes/w400-h251/20210528+-+Collection+Purchased+for+Entrance+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to the garden centre early in the season means that there is still<br />plenty to choose from & I ended up with a couple of trays of goodies<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Back in 2017, after years of decorating the porch solely with a wreath and perhaps some evergreens at Christmas, I decided to add a bit of colour to our front entrance. I purchased a large pot, plonked it beside the front door and did a bit of experimenting.<p></p><p>The first year, I planted it up with a couple of coleus and begonias as well as the obligatory dracaena spike in the middle. Having gone from a bare corner to a bit of green, I was really quite happy with it, even though it was rather "meh" being neither original nor exciting.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4a-R1CwGvQKpe8K8TsKqMqdc6P-gTwj4061ryxLZvALhKTi1xfAOvTnsUxVCy0EsEua67LUX5J5dMAQ7Pfr3dN_yR6vhngUn4Nngskaz5Oef4SdEqENXWUmJIawgLbnMBz3x6M5f8Kc/s800/2017-08-16+-+Front+Entrance+Pot+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="671" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4a-R1CwGvQKpe8K8TsKqMqdc6P-gTwj4061ryxLZvALhKTi1xfAOvTnsUxVCy0EsEua67LUX5J5dMAQ7Pfr3dN_yR6vhngUn4Nngskaz5Oef4SdEqENXWUmJIawgLbnMBz3x6M5f8Kc/w335-h400/2017-08-16+-+Front+Entrance+Pot+copy.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better than nothing even if somewhat generic<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I obviously didn't know how to take care of container plants that well either. This photo is from mid-August - I failed to pinch back one of the coleus, which is blooming, and the overall growth on the plants in general is underwhelming.</p><p>In 2018, I decided to forgo the dracaena spike and tried a different combination using sweet potato vine, coleus and euphorbia. All of the tags indicated that these would do well in both sun AND shade. The photo below was taken right after planting. I didn't get a photo during the season but suffice it to say that the coleus did ok but both the euphorbia & sweet potato vine didn't do much of anything.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMyuYHJPdm2vp1HAbZMqykOphNangKI8oO3y45XGhSkbUEODYL75tG1eVApxgiuvpBFtNB5LCW8IAkna2qk6OQrVi2p295cIDF4krbGXggsPmtlxOt9zIB3ZAs4DpSPskdHmXu7Gh8U0/s800/20180528+-+PW+Euphorbia%252C+PW%2527Sweet+Caroline+Bewitched+Green+With+Envy%2527+Sweet+Potato+Vine+and+PW+%2527Colorblaze+Sedona+Sunset%2527+Coleus+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="800" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMyuYHJPdm2vp1HAbZMqykOphNangKI8oO3y45XGhSkbUEODYL75tG1eVApxgiuvpBFtNB5LCW8IAkna2qk6OQrVi2p295cIDF4krbGXggsPmtlxOt9zIB3ZAs4DpSPskdHmXu7Gh8U0/w400-h395/20180528+-+PW+Euphorbia%252C+PW%2527Sweet+Caroline+Bewitched+Green+With+Envy%2527+Sweet+Potato+Vine+and+PW+%2527Colorblaze+Sedona+Sunset%2527+Coleus+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a good try, but still not what I would call a success<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Once again, this was a lackluster display, although I'm not sure if the lack of light or my so-so tending was to blame. Maybe it was both. Needless to say I'm definitely skeptical about the "sun OR shade" claim on both the euphorbia and sweet potato labels!</p><p>In 2019 I went a completely different route. I was planting up the west border with perennials and decided to use a few of them in the front porch area as well, instead of going with annuals. Since this is a full shade area, I went with a couple of varieties of hostas and heucheras. The plan was to use them on the porch over the summer, then plant them up in the garden once fall arrived.</p><p>I'm kicking myself for not getting photos when I first planted them or what they looked like in the end. And not for the usual "they were amazing!" reason. In fact, it was the exact opposite - my plan was a huge failure.</p><p>The idea itself was a good one (I'm still planning on doing it again at some point) and the plants were great - the problem, it turned out, was the soil. I purchased a new soil mix that year and used it in all of my pots...and it was a disaster. Absolutely nothing thrived and I even ended up losing a few plants.</p><p>At some point, I began to suspect that there was an issue but didn't realize that the culprit was the soil until mid-summer. I removed the pitiful looking hostas and heucheras & planted them in the ground in the hopes that they would recover. I then replaced the soil and replanted the pots with a variety of coleus. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrn3jJWEsuV67yy1pFlFEbBQt1-OzZMVljQ-NhVuBQEAkTWqFE1KSF2B7yqmmsxvJ6wmQjOYzC-U92zv1iUoOJ5FiXrqScJjWrp7yXas6uQ6n5z3JPP6OusFiW4r15GFVs9UD-i0E2fc8/s800/20190824+-+Coleus+By+Front+Door+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrn3jJWEsuV67yy1pFlFEbBQt1-OzZMVljQ-NhVuBQEAkTWqFE1KSF2B7yqmmsxvJ6wmQjOYzC-U92zv1iUoOJ5FiXrqScJjWrp7yXas6uQ6n5z3JPP6OusFiW4r15GFVs9UD-i0E2fc8/w384-h400/20190824+-+Coleus+By+Front+Door+copy.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A trio of coleus in a single pot<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3pwirz1zOyvNLl4beKiiZjMCVA5BCGpjs1rAdLv3Ftfk4-q9y2clFdN8n_LwawxuOoYn7u45I0ckOCspNZ8CcqZwB5nHY4IxldyBcQjUrzuXXJsnsUMVvLdxUGFU5rRNEHKvDk8cOyk/s800/20190824+-+First+Ever+Coleus+Grouping+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="800" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3pwirz1zOyvNLl4beKiiZjMCVA5BCGpjs1rAdLv3Ftfk4-q9y2clFdN8n_LwawxuOoYn7u45I0ckOCspNZ8CcqZwB5nHY4IxldyBcQjUrzuXXJsnsUMVvLdxUGFU5rRNEHKvDk8cOyk/w400-h376/20190824+-+First+Ever+Coleus+Grouping+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A trio of pots, all with different coleus varieties<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The groupings of all-coleus were inspired by a garden I had seen at the Garden Bloggers Fling with a TON of different coleus (turning me from a "they are ok" to an "I love them all!" fan 😁). In addition to the one large pot, I added a few small pots on the other side of the door with a different coleus variety in each one. Once again, I was happy with the results compared to what I had done before (in fact, I was very happy with this attempt), but it still didn't tip my happy meter into the super-excited zone.</p><p>As a sad side-note, both the hostas & heucheras that I transplanted into the ground were too far gone and none of them made it to the following year.</p><p>Then there was 2020 which was, well....2020. At one point, I do recall going to the garden centre looking for annuals but it was pretty late by then - I'm thinking June. The shelves were empty and, quite frankly, I just wasn't motivated so I didn't bother with pots by the entrance at all.</p><p>This year, I started with a clean slate...and renewed enthusiasm.</p><p>Our front porch faces north and the steps get about an hour of evening sun while the covered porch gets virtually no direct sunlight. Having a shady area poses the obvious challenge in that your plant choices are limited, but it also has one big benefit - pots dry out at a much slower pace than they would in full sun. A couple of years ago, a friend of ours was moving and I gladly took a box of small, well-aged terra cotta pots off her hands with visions of grouping them somewhere in the garden. The shady entrance was the perfect spot to try this.</p><p>Instead of limiting the display to the porch, I decided to also place either a single large pot or a grouping of 3 small pots on each side of the stairs. Lastly, I purchased a new square planter for the porch and moved the round one to the ground beside the stairs.</p><p>While I had already done a mini-grouping of 3 pots of coleus in 2019, pictured above, I planted them up part way through the summer. Keeping small, terra cotta pots going all season, especially during our hot summers when temps are consistently in the high 20C's (80F's), was something I hadn't done before.</p><div>So here we go with the show. I've provided a couple of photos for each pot/grouping - the first is when they were first planted in late May. The 2nd photo shows them in mid-July.</div><p>Left side of stairs:</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sSJ9NbHfPKbs5Yul2evZBuTFHi5LbTEu7DJIP3f07Idf4WPYX4iOCh09Sgl1kK_yNFvgU0I8YWeN-yX-08O7Y2frajHJLlDOIwcpnG9Il9L8pGu92b6NYBXlDIpa39vpZwQoCoZJxcc/s800/20210604+-+Left+on+Stairs+1+-+Includes+Double+Up+Begonia+at+top+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <span> </span> <img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="469" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sSJ9NbHfPKbs5Yul2evZBuTFHi5LbTEu7DJIP3f07Idf4WPYX4iOCh09Sgl1kK_yNFvgU0I8YWeN-yX-08O7Y2frajHJLlDOIwcpnG9Il9L8pGu92b6NYBXlDIpa39vpZwQoCoZJxcc/w235-h400/20210604+-+Left+on+Stairs+1+-+Includes+Double+Up+Begonia+at+top+copy.jpg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_SkWRxhyE72MdHnU4ecPczutTR5L7zT9Yzu1S-icnpX6OTYaYecFLul7MtUmA5iHdB2jjrNV4LWMKCyLlZAjiGKW7heQb2KeBCnD8InHcgtuWH_AIE88NY2GV8sor7KJnb9i208NzHc/s800/20210706+-+Left+on+Stairs+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_SkWRxhyE72MdHnU4ecPczutTR5L7zT9Yzu1S-icnpX6OTYaYecFLul7MtUmA5iHdB2jjrNV4LWMKCyLlZAjiGKW7heQb2KeBCnD8InHcgtuWH_AIE88NY2GV8sor7KJnb9i208NzHc/w245-h400/20210706+-+Left+on+Stairs+copy.jpg" width="245" /></a></p><p>Right side of stairs:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4qzQsRt2WxWteRC-ngj9tqozMxQ0ZDH3jVTQmAYayrpGFU2ILh204PDMEa3zviiTT3la6MNon-oQ-CFGyp2GNWKXboHsyP4R-wTSPYDjXaOdNXMdhiFPNEVIPNK9ClcDvHB1g45Usw4/s800/20210604+-+Right+on+Stairs+1+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4qzQsRt2WxWteRC-ngj9tqozMxQ0ZDH3jVTQmAYayrpGFU2ILh204PDMEa3zviiTT3la6MNon-oQ-CFGyp2GNWKXboHsyP4R-wTSPYDjXaOdNXMdhiFPNEVIPNK9ClcDvHB1g45Usw4/w306-h400/20210604+-+Right+on+Stairs+1+copy.jpg" width="306" /><span> </span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozKQ1ziS76poaPn6jvRQ_peqHs5CXCTtf0I7yfFIyrKkKdAhoElJKrGpb5eYaGMLOTPlPhqMRyE-Mp8_9fwPRK_qGOU6WF_iCY8Vzt84qKDHg2EQhB58catf7f3TQmmNPJtcoo1x3sxQ/s800/20210717+-+Right+on+Stairs+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="551" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozKQ1ziS76poaPn6jvRQ_peqHs5CXCTtf0I7yfFIyrKkKdAhoElJKrGpb5eYaGMLOTPlPhqMRyE-Mp8_9fwPRK_qGOU6WF_iCY8Vzt84qKDHg2EQhB58catf7f3TQmmNPJtcoo1x3sxQ/w275-h400/20210717+-+Right+on+Stairs+copy.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Left side of door:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb7JLQcH3QQe371WJwf0fZCWy_DPtoLEdQ8j3LjbwoWY2X-HznN_aLjoJstQuwIl2SDYylqB-8wHSkXMySAh2YgXo2qRLrAaxyqArutJPeXqbCgNHKk8VIKTajzztJjzR_0gCnUI0Wyc/s800/20210604+-+Left+of+Door+1+copy.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="800" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb7JLQcH3QQe371WJwf0fZCWy_DPtoLEdQ8j3LjbwoWY2X-HznN_aLjoJstQuwIl2SDYylqB-8wHSkXMySAh2YgXo2qRLrAaxyqArutJPeXqbCgNHKk8VIKTajzztJjzR_0gCnUI0Wyc/w400-h393/20210604+-+Left+of+Door+1+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQv7RraooR_qer8uuUdaBH0tn4ZL3atDOLjwbEwVC9osxaWBdzaG9MiEbfT82o2PDQDvCRV1_0m_rt8wEeWC99ke8jZcz1jlpObBqaHkBUHV8gDqHz-gQWUZV5Hd6O0JmrS4GXRsQIQ38/s800/20210720+-+Left+of+Door+2+copy.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="800" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQv7RraooR_qer8uuUdaBH0tn4ZL3atDOLjwbEwVC9osxaWBdzaG9MiEbfT82o2PDQDvCRV1_0m_rt8wEeWC99ke8jZcz1jlpObBqaHkBUHV8gDqHz-gQWUZV5Hd6O0JmrS4GXRsQIQ38/w400-h291/20210720+-+Left+of+Door+2+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Right side of door & square planter:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ua47IVmRN9tTlbJVhtzHDo2ci2Vs-jvHU4tRPSjko6QgWTXLLzSi4fqDcxknSWA_O1qZibps3QKe2ifa_aKX7PwmJHs2_0AaDnbR8lckKCwpr_v8ckdjjc81759UbvMTtJpahBc6BKQ/s800/20210604+-+Right+of+Door+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="800" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ua47IVmRN9tTlbJVhtzHDo2ci2Vs-jvHU4tRPSjko6QgWTXLLzSi4fqDcxknSWA_O1qZibps3QKe2ifa_aKX7PwmJHs2_0AaDnbR8lckKCwpr_v8ckdjjc81759UbvMTtJpahBc6BKQ/w400-h353/20210604+-+Right+of+Door+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IBaQ-JewZjsUraxJIV49Bu_FWDN5LoXLrtEQO0b3x9yy_kFgzXqSvKNe56IMUIfzT-doA8la1rP1RK3C-H6o5-De53kQcFmH5uO1ozg9hCSL1b9yaMCuUWCMCiVCTaeHhSlqpIuwUpo/s800/20210720+-+Right+of+Door+3+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="800" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IBaQ-JewZjsUraxJIV49Bu_FWDN5LoXLrtEQO0b3x9yy_kFgzXqSvKNe56IMUIfzT-doA8la1rP1RK3C-H6o5-De53kQcFmH5uO1ozg9hCSL1b9yaMCuUWCMCiVCTaeHhSlqpIuwUpo/w400-h375/20210720+-+Right+of+Door+3+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><p>The round planter:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dkdjW-LUSpdBQ3g38F4ZQsIkFv_e4SiefJAuk0QHU_KFBBx0SYWDL-ixVDcWWlPQ6jCG1LYS_D85_OvKtW9p90ecnymMd1CvMdvI9IytHyyOte2gZf5vc-e3TOsF_0YN36dRrb9x7KU/s800/20210530+-+PW+%2527Proven+Accents+Pegasus+Begonia%2527%252C+Impatiens%252C+Lobelia+%2527Regatta+Marine+Blue%2527+copy.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="662" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dkdjW-LUSpdBQ3g38F4ZQsIkFv_e4SiefJAuk0QHU_KFBBx0SYWDL-ixVDcWWlPQ6jCG1LYS_D85_OvKtW9p90ecnymMd1CvMdvI9IytHyyOte2gZf5vc-e3TOsF_0YN36dRrb9x7KU/w331-h400/20210530+-+PW+%2527Proven+Accents+Pegasus+Begonia%2527%252C+Impatiens%252C+Lobelia+%2527Regatta+Marine+Blue%2527+copy.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VfmQT_PNIGZ8RltR-RVn-muqf-7_wpjn2sF00KUOjY8HmC609eTCo0U0lX7b3D597t0T_jwSnlljGMmgZzl8N1KQ7GyXkg9FV99W5_Oz0XhNfYenKL7EpWF8Kmtg-Aj3hIlcYuQeGOY/s800/20210706+-+Switched+up+the+Begonia+for+the+Caladium+copy.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VfmQT_PNIGZ8RltR-RVn-muqf-7_wpjn2sF00KUOjY8HmC609eTCo0U0lX7b3D597t0T_jwSnlljGMmgZzl8N1KQ7GyXkg9FV99W5_Oz0XhNfYenKL7EpWF8Kmtg-Aj3hIlcYuQeGOY/w400-h360/20210706+-+Switched+up+the+Begonia+for+the+Caladium+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You'll notice that I originally had the rex begonia in the round planter and the caladium in the square one, but after about a month I ended up swapping them as the caladium was shorter than I had anticipated and, conversely, the rex begonia was taller. I much prefer them in their new homes.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliwQPyMnHp54fNq4QDYeWIbLem5vxoP1VcAPSsKf7Xn5d9mjt97aQdqD_GIcfL0AnA51InoDr7_WblMYNvz-r3ExSU02Hq94iS9p5Xppm70eNQ7yqw5ayQzO2TzUDo44TxyK6Rsf6Xm4/s800/20210717+-+Full+Front+Entrance+1+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliwQPyMnHp54fNq4QDYeWIbLem5vxoP1VcAPSsKf7Xn5d9mjt97aQdqD_GIcfL0AnA51InoDr7_WblMYNvz-r3ExSU02Hq94iS9p5Xppm70eNQ7yqw5ayQzO2TzUDo44TxyK6Rsf6Xm4/w400-h315/20210717+-+Full+Front+Entrance+1+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pic was taken a few days ago - love it!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As for my care regime, it's much improved. Not only did I do the almost painful pinching back of coleus and impatiens when they were first planted (pinching off the impatiens flowers was so hard!), but I'm also using a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks or so and keeping on top of the watering like a champ. Speaking of watering, it's been a hot summer once again, but I've only had to water these guys once per day at most. In fact, I often skip a day as a "finger" test indicates that the soil is still moist.</p><p>One other plus that I didn't even really think about until we had a few bad storms is that our front entrance is fairly well protected from the elements, particularly when it comes to wind. The porch is recessed and a huge spruce on the west side of the house plus a dwarf spruce on the east provides the perfect windbreak for the entire front entrance area, including the steps. Definitely something to consider when growing in pots, especially those that are smaller and/or on the narrow side.</p><p>I'm happy to say that my excitement meter is definitely in the red zone when it comes to our entrance pots this year & I've taken lots of notes, both on things I want to repeat and things I will change up (the PW Colorblaze Wicked Witch coleus has almost gobbled up the New Guinea impatiens!).</p><p>But the best part is the fun I've had both creating & watching this area "bloom", so to speak. Every day I look forward to going out there, watering can in hand, and seeing how things are doing. This is definitely the most I've ever enjoyed our front porch in the 11 years we've been here & I can't wait to continue experimenting in the future😊.</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-89793691614790793862021-07-19T09:08:00.001-04:002022-01-09T13:11:23.123-05:00An Earlyish Garlic Harvest :)<p> It's not surprising that with all the heat this year, the garlic harvest is about 2 weeks earlier than usual.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_Z7-gxPBnTuD3oBuRm120CEHbr_hJrXqdagXCMpf_QxpB3OEx1zQWZZnooboyf5T8iv_yY84UR_U2bcYw-HIIiVKCehsHtojzvpQo2djsendc4CjLR84oaKF8s2loXwkwJW9WB_n2Qk/s800/20210718+-+Garlic+Ready+To+Harvest+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_Z7-gxPBnTuD3oBuRm120CEHbr_hJrXqdagXCMpf_QxpB3OEx1zQWZZnooboyf5T8iv_yY84UR_U2bcYw-HIIiVKCehsHtojzvpQo2djsendc4CjLR84oaKF8s2loXwkwJW9WB_n2Qk/w400-h300/20210718+-+Garlic+Ready+To+Harvest+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The garlic bed before harvesting</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When to harvest garlic is all about the visual cues rather than a set time on the calendar. Once there are only 3 or 4 green leaves left (these will form the wrapper surrounding the cured garlic bulb), that's my signal that it's time to harvest.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhijH0xu7Vvp4DFtIVy65sKAZXR4LRfxH6RLEdx6-Qxp7r72khmcVZAYFJlgkgCWdqMC1HxMkJ3FOVYrbQkU9K_XRY7ML7NjpNrH9Wf5AFQWb2zm9Y6kyYwm9wbyeIXJJHMIDQSjfZgU/s800/20210718+-+Bottom+Two+Leaves+Are+Brown+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhijH0xu7Vvp4DFtIVy65sKAZXR4LRfxH6RLEdx6-Qxp7r72khmcVZAYFJlgkgCWdqMC1HxMkJ3FOVYrbQkU9K_XRY7ML7NjpNrH9Wf5AFQWb2zm9Y6kyYwm9wbyeIXJJHMIDQSjfZgU/w338-h400/20210718+-+Bottom+Two+Leaves+Are+Brown+copy.jpg" width="338" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom leaves have dried up<br />but there are still 3 or 4 green ones<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another cue comes from the leave tips, which should be starting to brown...check!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPmXKI9YnOVvC-Jz6jwTkFr6jKzGZIyTqCEKPGVz8r6souAZemUT5S9r81efh_NvY_FUj507Rn3roORMCdAwj0qupmDqjVorkYQ3hSsOz_cGX1Hj_Usg8bYYIsFojTXhdfeo-he2I81k/s800/20210718+-+Tips+are+Brown+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="727" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPmXKI9YnOVvC-Jz6jwTkFr6jKzGZIyTqCEKPGVz8r6souAZemUT5S9r81efh_NvY_FUj507Rn3roORMCdAwj0qupmDqjVorkYQ3hSsOz_cGX1Hj_Usg8bYYIsFojTXhdfeo-he2I81k/w364-h400/20210718+-+Tips+are+Brown+copy.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practically all of the tips are browning<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I could have waited another week or so to harvest but I decided that I had better take advantage of the couple of days of dry weather we've had. The water to the garlic bed was turned off about 3 weeks ago but I was getting a bit worried as it has been raining here consistently ever since then, practically every other day. In fact, just over a week ago I turned off the drip irrigation to the entire garden.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Thankfully, my worry was for naught - the bulbs looked awesome! As in every year past, I've grown a bunch of different varieties: Music (of course!), Pitarelli, Portugal 1, Duganski, Wild Puslinch, Persian Star, Sweet Candy and one simply sold (waaaay back) as Porcelain, which is more a type of garlic rather than a variety name. My first impression is that this was a good garlic year - there wasn't a dud in the bunch, unlike in years past when I could see right off the bat that one or more varieties did poorly.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqSHwdJuqqHdVeZ805qNqbdxz1iQxhgjVEYh0IkvKGQIAKsg89pnLbpR4B0SESWbJRXnwt8lXsD_JOL7YC_n-f8nK34Zw43PAz-QJh7OZY4O5bKxy-e1gA_Vy7VlQ7cZnbKYxhM6xMk/s800/20210718+-+Duganski+-+Bulbs+are+Looking+Good+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqSHwdJuqqHdVeZ805qNqbdxz1iQxhgjVEYh0IkvKGQIAKsg89pnLbpR4B0SESWbJRXnwt8lXsD_JOL7YC_n-f8nK34Zw43PAz-QJh7OZY4O5bKxy-e1gA_Vy7VlQ7cZnbKYxhM6xMk/w300-h400/20210718+-+Duganski+-+Bulbs+are+Looking+Good+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duganski<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Garlic, just like every other veg, comes in a range of sizes. There are subtle differences between the different varieties I grow, not only when it comes to taste, but also how well they store, etc. I really enjoy growing a wide variety, so even if a particular one doesn't get that large, I'll likely continue to grow it if it has other redeeming qualities.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wLW6zNbnSR_aomSSs70AuAmmjxsWl3JXw9yPa-Gps_5YTogO34yBBtcEh9WE2QUKL4rlR-8yf0iCFc1gDn4jZcz642dW818iaR2zAW2tVw9feJFcYr1lRXSZRHrqbGa3xP91z9YwUxc/s800/20210718+-+Harvest+is+Done+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wLW6zNbnSR_aomSSs70AuAmmjxsWl3JXw9yPa-Gps_5YTogO34yBBtcEh9WE2QUKL4rlR-8yf0iCFc1gDn4jZcz642dW818iaR2zAW2tVw9feJFcYr1lRXSZRHrqbGa3xP91z9YwUxc/w266-h400/20210718+-+Harvest+is+Done+copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic harvest<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My acceptance of smaller bulbs, however, does have it's limits. A few years ago, I had a particularly bad year with absolutely tiny bulbs. There were a couple of varieties that did particularly badly and were on the verge of being kicked out (Persian Star and Porcelain) - some of the "bulbs" were no bigger than large cloves! At that point, I changed a few things up such as which amendments (and how much) I used. Since then, all of the varieties have improved significantly, including these two which allowed me to give them a reprieve for the time being.</p><p>While I no longer weigh the majority of my harvests, I still enjoy tallying up the garlic and comparing how each variety did compared to years past. But first, the garlic has to cure. This year, the space normally allocated to curing garlic in the garage is being eaten up by a slew of wood that I'm using for the new raised beds. I had to improvise and decided to tie up the bundles and hang them in one of our sheds. Looks like I'll be spending the next couple of weeks trying not to hit my noggin on them - let's just say that in the few hours they've been up, I've been less than successful with that, lol.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqatjNK2DVAZk_eYIo6d9fHxO_N-hXQ2UysZdmyA_p9Nj11c3l2WFt2KJxm2PhbgWJvRPHgZCb3b3sK8YPgRWXKDMb9c1JnDZkMfhfSmWAYNm1AOvDE0J3NjJrXvLAAFZvWfsuA9wqiaY/s800/20210718+-+Hanging+Up+In+Shed+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="591" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqatjNK2DVAZk_eYIo6d9fHxO_N-hXQ2UysZdmyA_p9Nj11c3l2WFt2KJxm2PhbgWJvRPHgZCb3b3sK8YPgRWXKDMb9c1JnDZkMfhfSmWAYNm1AOvDE0J3NjJrXvLAAFZvWfsuA9wqiaY/w295-h400/20210718+-+Hanging+Up+In+Shed+copy.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I should put up a hazard sign 😁<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm linking up to Harvest Monday at the <a href="https://happyacres.blog/2021/07/19/harvest-monday-july-19-2021/" target="_blank">Happy Acres Blog</a>, where you can see what our host Dave and a whole lot of other bloggers from near and far have been harvesting this past week.</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-45623598845194317272021-07-11T12:19:00.005-04:002021-07-13T14:57:20.745-04:00A Lightbulb Moment? Getting to the Cherries before the Birds.<p> </p><p>About a year after we moved here, we planted a cherry tree beside our house. At only 4' tall, it was a tiny thing but it was nonetheless a very exciting moment as this, together with a plum tree, were the first edibles that I planted in our garden. My kids were toddlers at the time, but we needed the mandatory stand beside the cherry tree pic. I obviously picked the worst time of day as is evidenced by my son's "the sun is so bright, I can't open my eyes!" squinting, lol.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnjt7ISLuw5AnX-0-cymah2hGHdWEfO6gO3YK71LQU9U6TyVlrro8vPgjajIycM9Yk5YXhLStNONrgH0Jm3oaJH6ujAT4gcAyG8yesMz9mYKZ1Vg2VJ_FTC-UxW9RxHimgvH5xNx8jJI/s800/1st+Cherrie+From+the+Cherry+Tree+in+2010+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="560" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnjt7ISLuw5AnX-0-cymah2hGHdWEfO6gO3YK71LQU9U6TyVlrro8vPgjajIycM9Yk5YXhLStNONrgH0Jm3oaJH6ujAT4gcAyG8yesMz9mYKZ1Vg2VJ_FTC-UxW9RxHimgvH5xNx8jJI/w280-h400/1st+Cherrie+From+the+Cherry+Tree+in+2010+copy.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tasted the first cherries that year<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>By 2017, while the tree had grown, the harvests had not. We were lucky to enjoy even a few cherries in any given year.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm__BAKASwnuobSswCxiI20LGx7kcVu_sYMUvQNQlbbSA5ibv6uGrgcM-grS0FUsmQ4iqWej7LgB7mYFDHTcjS6u2UhvPc_B4QkYh3p3gaZ89TmG6RwF6MxOuf1XQqRcAxwCs15OdQoE/s800/2017-06-13+-+Cherry+Tree+beside+birch+in+2017+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="770" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikm__BAKASwnuobSswCxiI20LGx7kcVu_sYMUvQNQlbbSA5ibv6uGrgcM-grS0FUsmQ4iqWej7LgB7mYFDHTcjS6u2UhvPc_B4QkYh3p3gaZ89TmG6RwF6MxOuf1XQqRcAxwCs15OdQoE/w385-h400/2017-06-13+-+Cherry+Tree+beside+birch+in+2017+copy.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 2017, the tree was now a teenager<br />(and was a little lopsided...nothing a good pruning couldn't fix, though)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Fast forward 4 more years and here we are - the cherry tree is now a full-fledged adult and stands at around 15' tall and wide.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLlgrcuWUB6Ig8gTm88TA_HM7MvyO6GKD7POVVO3Bdvq8w_J17_pOv0Ohxd92COR-UktTbQWtNvY1qSsDa2og8IgkEa4_3Ur6kPh2vjm3vu1-B7_ilk0GQTIP2El5Sj1XwRZioh9YArI/s800/20210622+-+Cherry+Beside+Birch+Now+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLlgrcuWUB6Ig8gTm88TA_HM7MvyO6GKD7POVVO3Bdvq8w_J17_pOv0Ohxd92COR-UktTbQWtNvY1qSsDa2og8IgkEa4_3Ur6kPh2vjm3vu1-B7_ilk0GQTIP2El5Sj1XwRZioh9YArI/w400-h300/20210622+-+Cherry+Beside+Birch+Now+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm standing much further back here than in the 2017<br />photo where you can just barely see the birch that's on the left.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>For a little more perspective, here's a pic of the tree when I was harvesting - note the large bowl and the grabber (for reaching some of the higher branches) on the ground:<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomaz9Cd6ndE5_J-zzf9H2CSpYtTZrKGZdXqhUWEC-xY64ESmiZEZtCSzUONsA-sBK7lCSBHHD7IuIzGBMF_5Sh5CjveL2EZtgOzS8rgrgrUw66b3EcGlQRf7v1j8TlXoOOGNcrn0CecM/s800/20210620+-+Cherry+Tree+Now+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="732" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomaz9Cd6ndE5_J-zzf9H2CSpYtTZrKGZdXqhUWEC-xY64ESmiZEZtCSzUONsA-sBK7lCSBHHD7IuIzGBMF_5Sh5CjveL2EZtgOzS8rgrgrUw66b3EcGlQRf7v1j8TlXoOOGNcrn0CecM/w366-h400/20210620+-+Cherry+Tree+Now+copy.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's all grown up<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sweet cherries are not 100% reliable in our area as late spring frosts may result in no fruit and this has happened quite a few times. But frost is not the only culprit when it comes to cherries. As anyone who has a cherry tree will tell you, more often than not, the birds are the main reason for cherry-less years. The combined effect of late frosts and birds means that, after all this time, we have only had one small (i.e. more than a handful) harvest, which was about 3 or 4 years ago. And when I say small, I mean small - as in a small bowlful.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjpJkebtWPMh9IjNZ3SudHgfWWn2tHXX1SIoCMiOHd0NirdeOxxkV5RNXAffu5v_DLB9urmo6mhQfwZ4boYR8C_l7Gt4GxyM8Lqrn_IZaWtCtEKyRouy8R8WkuIu5SDlxb2NPT0J8Wxo/s800/20210623+-+Example+of+Spoiled+Cherry+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjpJkebtWPMh9IjNZ3SudHgfWWn2tHXX1SIoCMiOHd0NirdeOxxkV5RNXAffu5v_DLB9urmo6mhQfwZ4boYR8C_l7Gt4GxyM8Lqrn_IZaWtCtEKyRouy8R8WkuIu5SDlxb2NPT0J8Wxo/w326-h400/20210623+-+Example+of+Spoiled+Cherry+copy.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most years, practically all of the cherries end up eaten or with bird damage,<br />like the ripe cherry in the middle<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Birds will descend just before the cherries are fully ripe. Each day you go out to see the progress. "Almost there" you think, as the pink blush starts to deepen. Then the next day, most of the nearly ripe cherries are either gone or pecked at. I came to realize that you really don't stand a chance without netting of some kind.</p><p>A few years ago, I tried to do just that and net the tree, but it was a dismal failure. The tree was much too big & it was a right pain to do as I had to "sew" two large sheets of netting together, get it over the tree with the help of hubby and a ladder, and then peg it to the ground. Even with this huge, double sized net, though, there were still numerous gaps. The birds ended up getting in and eating all the cherries so we essentially had no harvestable fruit. I still wanted to try the old "hang a bunch of CD's" trick (which I've always been skeptical of) but at this point, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I would get few, if any harvests from this tree and it would be relegated to ornamental status.</p><p>And here we are in 2021 and I don't know what happened, but the tree was absolutely loaded.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFN6encJsKamgHYXawyVJ80umRO1Cveyim3WGm7WM5CCJeG2GGLyHZg0nH1Ixk3eWz-uWTnTk3ufIA76dTgxRFztXiARmdyp1S4UVDYn5vdJOpHt1AZJ_GXgL-CJtk11xidl-dywrxhY/s800/20210618+-+Cherry+Bunch+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="800" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFN6encJsKamgHYXawyVJ80umRO1Cveyim3WGm7WM5CCJeG2GGLyHZg0nH1Ixk3eWz-uWTnTk3ufIA76dTgxRFztXiARmdyp1S4UVDYn5vdJOpHt1AZJ_GXgL-CJtk11xidl-dywrxhY/w400-h356/20210618+-+Cherry+Bunch+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunches upon bunches of cherries - it was crazy!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I had never seen so many cherries on the tree before - easily 4 or 5 times more than anytime in the past 10 years. It really bothered me that we would lose such a large crop to the birds, so I started to think. What would happen if I didn't wait but picked the cherries when they were half ripe, before the birds were overly interested. I went out and tasted a half-ripe cherry - it was no longer green, but yellow with a pinkish blush (like those pictured above). Yum! I really enjoy fruit that is on the tart side - I'll take a Granny Smith over a Red Delicious apple any day of the week - so this was definitely my jam. The half-ripe cherries had a sweet/tart flavour with the same juicy texture as a ripe cherry. I would have no problem eating them this way...so a-picking I went.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJGygZMe9ccBW5Bwxmw90sUkMwVesHmgd10UAdXNI-u9FlsNDaDfbmnVYz3_LShqoHfhX5s0hyphenhyphenBWcDGCpJTwpMjMTadyVYTMLMPyzKhvZ6MfB5kgF9cVoOTQngm7AjuT7Z-JRgg_HGXA/s800/20210620+-+Bowl+of+Underripe+Cherries+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJGygZMe9ccBW5Bwxmw90sUkMwVesHmgd10UAdXNI-u9FlsNDaDfbmnVYz3_LShqoHfhX5s0hyphenhyphenBWcDGCpJTwpMjMTadyVYTMLMPyzKhvZ6MfB5kgF9cVoOTQngm7AjuT7Z-JRgg_HGXA/w400-h300/20210620+-+Bowl+of+Underripe+Cherries+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even if the harvest had stopped with this one large bowl,<br />it still would have been a record<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then I though of something else - would the cherries continue to ripen after they were picked, like other fruits such as bananas and tomatoes. It was time for a Google search. What I found was that most sites indicated that cherries were "nonclimacteric", which means that they will not continue to ripen once off of the tree. But I also saw the odd site that contradicted this and claimed that, so long as they were partially ripe, cherries would, in fact, continue to ripen off the tree.</p><p>A little experiment was in order. I picked a yellowish/pink cherry pair and took a photo. Then left it on the counter for a few days. And lo and behold...it did continue to ripen.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9ozhAaPa1kjKssy5NMSQXIX0UL5evlHHR-CG8BX4GiB8nHKFVU6PMf0Igl4YNGmHo5ZLNXJmtDmRcwgECHHyF1Nt98HCDKNCLnmdM7HVYlZOXvw7Fz6cAZSWxJQyS-rbgT7VfCuBk20/s2048/20210622+-+Ripening+Cherries+every+2+days+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9ozhAaPa1kjKssy5NMSQXIX0UL5evlHHR-CG8BX4GiB8nHKFVU6PMf0Igl4YNGmHo5ZLNXJmtDmRcwgECHHyF1Nt98HCDKNCLnmdM7HVYlZOXvw7Fz6cAZSWxJQyS-rbgT7VfCuBk20/w284-h400/20210622+-+Ripening+Cherries+every+2+days+copy.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripening experiment: Day 1, 3 and 5<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I left the stem on as the cherry may continue to draw from it as it ripens. Also, removing the stem could damage the cherry flesh which would lead to rot instead of ripening.</p><p>The other thing about picking cherries before they are ripe is that you have to be extra careful not to damage the fruiting spurs on the tree. If cherries are fully ripe, they come off the tree easily. If they are harvested before this stage, however, they do not come off as easily so I didn't pull them off but simply cut them off, by using my fingernail at the top of the stem.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga38qrsK99ZeE64a8xmP96WaRWazQ9kwsjiLdLDtpDBEuIVWEf5FNgIyO-S_HNvj9nvuCpbnF46GgMG4gKqEQ4QrFiUZDwgCHmmucMCKpDK1NjdWIfD8oowSI6mXbArPQqATzz1FyjTR8/s800/20210623+-+Bowl+of+Cherries+Before+and+After+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="800" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga38qrsK99ZeE64a8xmP96WaRWazQ9kwsjiLdLDtpDBEuIVWEf5FNgIyO-S_HNvj9nvuCpbnF46GgMG4gKqEQ4QrFiUZDwgCHmmucMCKpDK1NjdWIfD8oowSI6mXbArPQqATzz1FyjTR8/w400-h308/20210623+-+Bowl+of+Cherries+Before+and+After+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly picked cherries vs. those left in the bowl for a couple for days<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>So I could harvest the under-ripe cherries before the birds were interested and still end up with a bowl of ripe cherries on the kitchen counter - another revelation! You don't want to overdo it though - I left the cherries out for 4-5 days max, until they were just red, otherwise they tended to start softening.</p><p>Back to the the harvest - each day I picked a bowl or two and the following day, there were more to harvest.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgH-ZX8zzHD0MQX3w67A9cvMELLi7NUeYyfK1Ue0BOUItCpn47eCA4_RtU13JhKv0JGvoaa44i11ZlB7NL2aVHggjBKhqR5K_HwnxALYpTH5WoMJpb2w8DyY9rTuOmAP_0ayd7azQJNo/s800/20210625+-+More+Cherries+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="770" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgH-ZX8zzHD0MQX3w67A9cvMELLi7NUeYyfK1Ue0BOUItCpn47eCA4_RtU13JhKv0JGvoaa44i11ZlB7NL2aVHggjBKhqR5K_HwnxALYpTH5WoMJpb2w8DyY9rTuOmAP_0ayd7azQJNo/w385-h400/20210625+-+More+Cherries+copy.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They just kept on going...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The cherries were on the underside of the branches and it was always a thrill when you lifted up a branch and found it to be especially full:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9VJvIyHu5achpfzzjnAVNhSK307ZY1Goz-1kFvfUDshOEhp83S2G6mObKuTKzgOSW6f9QH0SuwdV0-sjHsR0Dvgr1_GFc8KVWJJI_Ji4Tr-6o07JoR7xaWJm_TbaJdUODLwTS-JnqF0/s800/20210623+-+Branch+Lifted+Up+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="682" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9VJvIyHu5achpfzzjnAVNhSK307ZY1Goz-1kFvfUDshOEhp83S2G6mObKuTKzgOSW6f9QH0SuwdV0-sjHsR0Dvgr1_GFc8KVWJJI_Ji4Tr-6o07JoR7xaWJm_TbaJdUODLwTS-JnqF0/w341-h400/20210623+-+Branch+Lifted+Up+copy.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....and going, and going.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>At one point, I graduated from a bowl to a bucket:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1tWUHT9qn1iy0l2IqGpmRgExdhffubGJ5ADqmDluQVpgAPC49isIdgYHMAKiZhy9d3KXRlyNU2DK2QYEjLLH6W8VIzHf7xpRS9qgDRH2qfW1JsPIJBo6s923IsdvinypXSicyovP3jg/s800/20210625+-+Transition+from+Bowl+To+Bucket+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-1tWUHT9qn1iy0l2IqGpmRgExdhffubGJ5ADqmDluQVpgAPC49isIdgYHMAKiZhy9d3KXRlyNU2DK2QYEjLLH6W8VIzHf7xpRS9qgDRH2qfW1JsPIJBo6s923IsdvinypXSicyovP3jg/w300-h400/20210625+-+Transition+from+Bowl+To+Bucket+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had to pull out the 5 gallon bucket<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I quickly gave each cherry a once over before picking it, so that I could avoid picking those that were already damaged; may as well leave those for the birds, no? </p><p>The clincher, though, was that all of the harvesting was done with my feet firmly planted on the ground - I didn't use the ladder once. About 80% of what we harvested was within easy reach (I would say perhaps 50% of the tree limbs), but I wanted to get some of the bunches that were higher up too. At first, I used one of those grabber thingies (pictured earlier in the post) but the soft tip didn't "grab" the branches well enough so I switched to a long-handled cultivator, which was much more effective.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_DnDt2xqLzfJTDYW6w1yleCFUhJk_kEPFIPNNaDst7NjKMICSD_TRRXRGRlim7YPGCOWmiye6N5cSTHhK2OaDVg2wOpkPEQUjQF0Kf42RF7xtlZ1yRVhYvs9mNepKueiO8_BPk2zIGI/s800/20210620+-+Cultivator+Allows+For+a+Longer+Reach+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="800" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_DnDt2xqLzfJTDYW6w1yleCFUhJk_kEPFIPNNaDst7NjKMICSD_TRRXRGRlim7YPGCOWmiye6N5cSTHhK2OaDVg2wOpkPEQUjQF0Kf42RF7xtlZ1yRVhYvs9mNepKueiO8_BPk2zIGI/w400-h385/20210620+-+Cultivator+Allows+For+a+Longer+Reach+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The long-handled cultivator was a great tool<br />to gain access to some of the higher branches<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To avoid damaging the tree I only used the cultivator on lower branches that were long and flexible enough to easily pull down to harvest. This allowed me to add another 3' or so to my reach - it was pretty darn awesome. The branches near the top of the tree or those that were too thick for me to easily bend down were left untouched - with a bumper crop within easy reach, there was no need to even attempt going higher up.</p><p>So what was the final number, I hear you ask 😃. Well, here it is: We harvested just under 27 lbs of cherries and, in fact, we could have kept going. By that point, however, we were pretty much harvested-out and decided to leave whatever was left, which was still quite a lot, for the birds.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NJzvsNZyRVei4xEuu3HGtXex4j_nUkzkmCcr_ZkfUnM8If1PT_gpYhmdwwMDa8eKFqIMBqoQBKArEC0Q7BCnFmUr82vPB0NDKLYm6m-B5SOJsXqlsahrBLQom2tm-I2pJHHKkmt50YI/s800/20210625+-+Leaving+the+Rest+to+the+Birds+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NJzvsNZyRVei4xEuu3HGtXex4j_nUkzkmCcr_ZkfUnM8If1PT_gpYhmdwwMDa8eKFqIMBqoQBKArEC0Q7BCnFmUr82vPB0NDKLYm6m-B5SOJsXqlsahrBLQom2tm-I2pJHHKkmt50YI/w400-h300/20210625+-+Leaving+the+Rest+to+the+Birds+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest was left for the birds<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>As much as we love fresh cherries, however, 27 lbs is a bit much for out of hand eating so most of the harvest was preserved. This, in turn, meant that I spent hours (literally), pulling stems off and pitting (yet another reason why we didn't keep harvesting!).</p><p>Initially, I started off hand pitting but as the harvest increased, that was no longer an option, so I purchased something I never thought, in a million years, I would - a cherry pitter.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX-Iu7wObCeNcgxVsl_pghW7jWlhBCVNU7ierJJouBlIWVCHXRz19cgniK4gUQRnT-nF6-m0gphruOY-C1uQcSdL9bwWSbW_bXCtNm68ZfgtcQPlP104X_IkIz_MYZy1bFdtfqceAyCM/s800/20210628+-+Cherry+Pitter+in+Use+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="800" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaX-Iu7wObCeNcgxVsl_pghW7jWlhBCVNU7ierJJouBlIWVCHXRz19cgniK4gUQRnT-nF6-m0gphruOY-C1uQcSdL9bwWSbW_bXCtNm68ZfgtcQPlP104X_IkIz_MYZy1bFdtfqceAyCM/w400-h261/20210628+-+Cherry+Pitter+in+Use+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry pitting operation, much more efficient than hand pitting<br />but still hours of work, hence the tv remote 😁<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>And there you have it. I'm obviously beyond happy with our harvest and can only hope that this isn't a one-off. Now that I have a few cherry picking "tricks" in my back pocket, I have a feeling that cherries will no longer be as elusive a crop as they have been in the past, even if we don't end up with a bumper crop each year.</p>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-42121793845796715912021-06-18T09:15:00.001-04:002021-06-18T16:19:03.769-04:00My Favourites Right Now<p>As I work around the garden, I can't help but stop and smile. So many of the plants that I've added in the past couple of years are starting to really take off and it just makes my heart sing. While I have always loved strolling through the garden, my little walks have been especially joyful this year. So I decided to take my camera with me and snap a few pictures of my mid-June favourites.</p><p>Each year, the solitary David Austin rose in my garden just gets better and better - I believe it's in its 4th year now:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XMs1MZRXcmxVGNxSLXuVpR1Zs1ON-HWtELo4dmMxw20bi8eSf3NG1YaUSodwTCdlJ_IUgAEEaQK6P0gK3hroQAC_2vlKoVZ1hWGOAMpvbWbB1u_qCkn_NcoTEMy_IxZpRhEJTYpuLLc/s800/20210611+-+Crown+Princess+Margaretta+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XMs1MZRXcmxVGNxSLXuVpR1Zs1ON-HWtELo4dmMxw20bi8eSf3NG1YaUSodwTCdlJ_IUgAEEaQK6P0gK3hroQAC_2vlKoVZ1hWGOAMpvbWbB1u_qCkn_NcoTEMy_IxZpRhEJTYpuLLc/w300-h400/20210611+-+Crown+Princess+Margaretta+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Crown Princess Margaretta'</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>There is a ninebark (I'm guessing 'Diablo') in the front walkway bed that's been here since we moved in. One of the branches rooted a few years ago so I dug up the seedling (which was no more than 5" tall) and transplanted it into the west border. And ta-da! Here it is now:<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_8kAGKnqN8113cDsz5tW8S1OZT-M6NAxf92Zn4Jf-LmXzYodYZrJUyBtFw7wkFQVK4AXS4YXDG5SvOlVi2FdgT-iQuF15ittjOa1TkZ9xYEONBJ6Gpo3sKM-8DGGRx-B42z5GGw2qjM/s800/20210611+-+Ninebark+grown+from+seedling+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="800" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_8kAGKnqN8113cDsz5tW8S1OZT-M6NAxf92Zn4Jf-LmXzYodYZrJUyBtFw7wkFQVK4AXS4YXDG5SvOlVi2FdgT-iQuF15ittjOa1TkZ9xYEONBJ6Gpo3sKM-8DGGRx-B42z5GGw2qjM/w400-h326/20210611+-+Ninebark+grown+from+seedling+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a 5" seedling to a 6' shrub...It needs a bit of pruning but<br />I'm holding off for now as building bulk as a privacy screen is the priority at the moment.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>A few other oldies - as in they've been in the garden for a while - are also spreading the joy. The next few photos are of plants that were actually here when we purchased the place, so I'm not sure about specific cultivars.</p><p>We have several weigela but my absolute favourite is a variegated one, seen below peaking out from the right side of the spirea:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsVk7s_ryNvZLf4r07Zc1fpWZPOcnWO-lXp-y7nKkYCo1aYZ0kVuoH9x2WILvInPDWK6ph_jkZ5jFKc-XqnVrs1AtiKE5_kCF83ErmDtayp9cEHGbmCV1iM_etCaCJBpbrYt9nIqgPAs/s800/20210611+-+Spirea+%2526+Variegated+Weigela+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="605" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsVk7s_ryNvZLf4r07Zc1fpWZPOcnWO-lXp-y7nKkYCo1aYZ0kVuoH9x2WILvInPDWK6ph_jkZ5jFKc-XqnVrs1AtiKE5_kCF83ErmDtayp9cEHGbmCV1iM_etCaCJBpbrYt9nIqgPAs/w303-h400/20210611+-+Spirea+%2526+Variegated+Weigela+copy.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spirea and variegated weigela in front garden bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Not only do I love the foliage, but I have to say that I enjoy the pale pink flowers more than the other cultivars with darker blooms.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpySiG4zZ0P0l_IQJET9sOXcIDzItY0uhmDIsypCEk-dlHV7HBqhJmnDd-cCx2JQdjaOb3OgXGxx3ezLgGB71DrAXt5g7_0vLeoWojh1k8xylTa3NrS9zRcp2q1UrdWje3tG6_tHYcPQ/s800/20210611-+Weigela+Closeup+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpySiG4zZ0P0l_IQJET9sOXcIDzItY0uhmDIsypCEk-dlHV7HBqhJmnDd-cCx2JQdjaOb3OgXGxx3ezLgGB71DrAXt5g7_0vLeoWojh1k8xylTa3NrS9zRcp2q1UrdWje3tG6_tHYcPQ/w300-h400/20210611-+Weigela+Closeup+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Variegated foliage and pale pink blooms...<br />I need more of this one!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>There was a stand of iris in a very shady area of the front garden that always produced leaves, but we rarely saw a bloom. In fact, I couldn't even recall what they looked like. A couple of years ago, I decided to transplant them all to a sunnier spot. And wow - do they ever love their life now!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26DAW8iC0evb54yBnt1qPOom4Wfm37lFB1k-jCwAl_PAhqzd-gdK3ASx2BFGzUTxd-DmlU3dhCGqJ3GhQoiAEBn-Tfd1yhM4ynbJwX4k7dAYQh24fuz2ozUyWPrViwjFtbSoa6e3WMHY/s800/20210611+-+Iris+Abundance+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="800" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26DAW8iC0evb54yBnt1qPOom4Wfm37lFB1k-jCwAl_PAhqzd-gdK3ASx2BFGzUTxd-DmlU3dhCGqJ3GhQoiAEBn-Tfd1yhM4ynbJwX4k7dAYQh24fuz2ozUyWPrViwjFtbSoa6e3WMHY/w400-h341/20210611+-+Iris+Abundance+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transplanted Iris in full bloom<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>There are also a few iris in another shady section that I plan to move soon. These, however, are not a mystery as they do bloom sporadically each year:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrs7XaX_HYwrJY4yU7N5OaTEClx3ayWnJ65C3YdVgudzpgFqf5KWDHo74jxWrY7ujwxph4gEZEwQ0KOTk0Oeus-o5nS5qEURwOkbCOfPPJfdK1DtThR4wCrKn8p75TDVnbE9T4xhXF73s/s800/20210611+-+Another+Iris+Find+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrs7XaX_HYwrJY4yU7N5OaTEClx3ayWnJ65C3YdVgudzpgFqf5KWDHo74jxWrY7ujwxph4gEZEwQ0KOTk0Oeus-o5nS5qEURwOkbCOfPPJfdK1DtThR4wCrKn8p75TDVnbE9T4xhXF73s/w300-h400/20210611+-+Another+Iris+Find+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another iris that's been here since the beginning...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>And then there's the rose that has come back each year despite my having done absolutely nothing to encourage it - not even watering during dry spells:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmNztlwfki-3IckeDU2pxsfDFRjinWF5PjNC-Y9H2LMAisI-aWsKiQysdj1jQup_MkrsqBIA79qoiftwLEXwQdJUZLIA1rqp0izRkQnYIEA8rzCSuFa8gAhyEfRV7JMwDMlFGgpl-K8/s800/20210611+-+Roses+By+Living+Room+Window+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="682" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmNztlwfki-3IckeDU2pxsfDFRjinWF5PjNC-Y9H2LMAisI-aWsKiQysdj1jQup_MkrsqBIA79qoiftwLEXwQdJUZLIA1rqp0izRkQnYIEA8rzCSuFa8gAhyEfRV7JMwDMlFGgpl-K8/w340-h400/20210611+-+Roses+By+Living+Room+Window+copy.jpg" width="340" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rose is a real trooper<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now on to the newer plants that I've only had for a year or two. I've purchased dozens of new-to-me plants and/or varieties so these are only a handful that stood out on my stroll through the garden. I'll just quickly run through them, otherwise I'll be here all day!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEE3HgDsjz2Z1jky2NmdDzE-oWS7laDz-4LCX5r2Yp-gxO6oZblrIOtnDU9RfF1m-1vm7bBz3zlUVfqDbS52404Y1NHXzBDj0YbctvaDVsZF2Xq44-9nX6yhcHscEYILX9tGwit_5zL4/s800/20210611+-+Artemesia+%2527Silver+Mound%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEE3HgDsjz2Z1jky2NmdDzE-oWS7laDz-4LCX5r2Yp-gxO6oZblrIOtnDU9RfF1m-1vm7bBz3zlUVfqDbS52404Y1NHXzBDj0YbctvaDVsZF2Xq44-9nX6yhcHscEYILX9tGwit_5zL4/w400-h299/20210611+-+Artemesia+%2527Silver+Mound%2527+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artemisia 'Silver Mound'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB7viNiAa-8PGquvhSyMyOKVGu3ZDk1aDeqSpWuhveXAbLMc_lf9BJ4mpFkxgN0_MbfBP82asBhAMlxIQAtKZdccqRsiOTtGYfEsaMWLMc2SHugAigODgf7KBzZKNyu6ES_iQzKMifGs/s800/20210611+-+Baptisia+Lunar+Eclipse+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB7viNiAa-8PGquvhSyMyOKVGu3ZDk1aDeqSpWuhveXAbLMc_lf9BJ4mpFkxgN0_MbfBP82asBhAMlxIQAtKZdccqRsiOTtGYfEsaMWLMc2SHugAigODgf7KBzZKNyu6ES_iQzKMifGs/w281-h400/20210611+-+Baptisia+Lunar+Eclipse+copy.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baptisia 'Lunar Eclipse'<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-hcwmvUKEJmGB3VR3Qltx049cYtdn0JsIIcIzQyEPs1Pd7KlRANOga9CSnFcQ_1AhvjotnzpvRBN0mm56HWQ9uRMLZjxbYrvgw4ifLGfkWUFNgwu-KnV9KhBPkRuGi4yoXabFJzbRII/s800/20210611+-+Heuchera+Lime+Marmelade+%2526+Forever+Purple+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="496" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-hcwmvUKEJmGB3VR3Qltx049cYtdn0JsIIcIzQyEPs1Pd7KlRANOga9CSnFcQ_1AhvjotnzpvRBN0mm56HWQ9uRMLZjxbYrvgw4ifLGfkWUFNgwu-KnV9KhBPkRuGi4yoXabFJzbRII/w248-h400/20210611+-+Heuchera+Lime+Marmelade+%2526+Forever+Purple+copy.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heuchera 'Lime Marmelade' & 'Forever Purple'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmj2ESFW8yUxQM38ywbbBOs75XTiXT0LZTMSPu7qufv0VDZ9-SWVIGJdHgLCfZvNE5Bs5KxxWLJqYSkp_9KjbK3M5NQHugB37u5OTl0jJVaxt62qzgbu06PzF4EevTaZxm9PCdZooXiJI/s800/20210611+-+Lemony+Lace+Elder+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmj2ESFW8yUxQM38ywbbBOs75XTiXT0LZTMSPu7qufv0VDZ9-SWVIGJdHgLCfZvNE5Bs5KxxWLJqYSkp_9KjbK3M5NQHugB37u5OTl0jJVaxt62qzgbu06PzF4EevTaZxm9PCdZooXiJI/w298-h400/20210611+-+Lemony+Lace+Elder+copy.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemony Lace Elder</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI82yB6HdVENuKqMO8O-OadLHxWATRGnNxbAG6aWQhJn36ld7kdKkLcMcflnep0j3TxxNjSvHiuPit6Xqwpb8kJzLnnQzop7gziwNNagM2N7c0EUZTKF-L-9crW7Kg2aEWVaIUjZ6xsnc/s800/20210611+-+Mystery+Allium+from+Assorted+Pack+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI82yB6HdVENuKqMO8O-OadLHxWATRGnNxbAG6aWQhJn36ld7kdKkLcMcflnep0j3TxxNjSvHiuPit6Xqwpb8kJzLnnQzop7gziwNNagM2N7c0EUZTKF-L-9crW7Kg2aEWVaIUjZ6xsnc/w300-h400/20210611+-+Mystery+Allium+from+Assorted+Pack+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This mystery allium was part of a mix</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEWXjRavnE8xL1D5GNV5eVzZ-os_N0ddiXZKTAon5NAFtn936zF0RAIBiRgP3LG-om5yW2zTEt_lyDO2INPcZNAWGG8ha-cegLCBxA_spvgUZ_HX_UOKXrWEtCvOcBqfVAu5WfWpMUrU/s800/20210611+-+Sedum+Lime+Twister+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="800" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEWXjRavnE8xL1D5GNV5eVzZ-os_N0ddiXZKTAon5NAFtn936zF0RAIBiRgP3LG-om5yW2zTEt_lyDO2INPcZNAWGG8ha-cegLCBxA_spvgUZ_HX_UOKXrWEtCvOcBqfVAu5WfWpMUrU/w400-h329/20210611+-+Sedum+Lime+Twister+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedum 'Lime Twister'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvygLL1stYD8gPFiCfV24_iaX6xV09mGdb0Or1us8zDpeByIObYPGQBbtWcAnsNhHsE1JidQiowqHRh1x-XNKUtfhNQmamAh89S9wpRjAuzSZEUNNJAACT4W_CcW4QlbiyU9_UsYIWKOs/s800/20210611+-+Nepeta%252C+Blue+Oat+Grass+and+Savlia+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="800" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvygLL1stYD8gPFiCfV24_iaX6xV09mGdb0Or1us8zDpeByIObYPGQBbtWcAnsNhHsE1JidQiowqHRh1x-XNKUtfhNQmamAh89S9wpRjAuzSZEUNNJAACT4W_CcW4QlbiyU9_UsYIWKOs/w400-h286/20210611+-+Nepeta%252C+Blue+Oat+Grass+and+Savlia+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salvia 'Swifty Rose' on the right, together with<br />Nepeta faassenii 'Purrsian Blue' & blue oat grass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I've added 15 different 💚 hosta 💚varieties to the front garden (at last count) in the past couple of years, but that's a whole other post. These three along the front walkway are new from 2020:<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFpeh6rXGrLOKvv3o1h6Fot0tvSqk5zuu9XC418iGTP-cnE_R3uJXGBy18QpvAJfMkX_Fc5LtmFfK0d-aZdkGlUD5R6xIfHMVCSZ-bBPOsZEHpKrN20uB7GKt4DSA_emFK1GWzi7sMiA/s800/20210611+-+Banana+Kid+Hosta+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="800" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFpeh6rXGrLOKvv3o1h6Fot0tvSqk5zuu9XC418iGTP-cnE_R3uJXGBy18QpvAJfMkX_Fc5LtmFfK0d-aZdkGlUD5R6xIfHMVCSZ-bBPOsZEHpKrN20uB7GKt4DSA_emFK1GWzi7sMiA/w400-h389/20210611+-+Banana+Kid+Hosta+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosta 'Banana Kid'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sLPZyBhbTnuZcnrTqKyBHLlcL1Ej6r77nhQ-fpM_vhCOnA06HxnRQetEDsYWUt343OpyYKJYYxEw933YqqGtra7UpNm2ljy9pZJVoTteedzIH9zk-an_Iq1dW24W_CtkWZfdCXurlAo/s800/20210611+-+Dixie+Chickadee+Hosta+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="800" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sLPZyBhbTnuZcnrTqKyBHLlcL1Ej6r77nhQ-fpM_vhCOnA06HxnRQetEDsYWUt343OpyYKJYYxEw933YqqGtra7UpNm2ljy9pZJVoTteedzIH9zk-an_Iq1dW24W_CtkWZfdCXurlAo/w400-h385/20210611+-+Dixie+Chickadee+Hosta+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosta 'Dixie Chickadee'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MApdMFOeQXwaNKI_CZlWrth588aQ0I7AL7VIB4QMVU2G6D41DVglWUvLY-nrhv1W_ojPc9y4BqT1zEPAWLqxxucPrjg0pQMf7w2PMvKHnoVK2qS6sUFr_6aAjZN87ltrVpa9J4dCWJE/s800/20210611+-+Frosted+Dimples+Hosta+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="800" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MApdMFOeQXwaNKI_CZlWrth588aQ0I7AL7VIB4QMVU2G6D41DVglWUvLY-nrhv1W_ojPc9y4BqT1zEPAWLqxxucPrjg0pQMf7w2PMvKHnoVK2qS6sUFr_6aAjZN87ltrVpa9J4dCWJE/w400-h333/20210611+-+Frosted+Dimples+Hosta+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosta 'Frosted Dimples'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div>And this year, instead of just one big pot by the front entrance, I decided to plant up a bunch of smaller terra cotta pots and place them along the steps. They are still sizing up, but one unexpected joy is this tuberous begonia - I've never been a huge begonia fan, but I'm beginning to change my tune:</div></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2jF0nFfmMZjSOpw_h1ysrTI0Znbhpv2bZpOrz3X991alyOOUNXb99Z0VcmWHAmBb3Tstk0-mfzj_peHFOY9-fh8jw1rnXi-OwAdgoQadq9NrhfxS0K7p8Kqy5qKWEiBxZfv9UW5P9iw/s800/20210611+-+Nonstop+Mocha+White+Tuberous+Begonia+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="613" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2jF0nFfmMZjSOpw_h1ysrTI0Znbhpv2bZpOrz3X991alyOOUNXb99Z0VcmWHAmBb3Tstk0-mfzj_peHFOY9-fh8jw1rnXi-OwAdgoQadq9NrhfxS0K7p8Kqy5qKWEiBxZfv9UW5P9iw/w306-h400/20210611+-+Nonstop+Mocha+White+Tuberous+Begonia+copy.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuberous Begonia 'Nonstop Mocha White'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This concrete urn was in need of a plant so I figured I'd try a grouping of sedums & see how it goes.</div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBtuk3VqQwFgdxfMkTHxlp12vGDkYoZXK4fuPY9nZQ_TwY7jhPaTP2bUSdIuhMK8NA-Q13SgjSR4E-264MRYrzsvZBjLosfBhgsuA8POiOUbefzk_zKmQhIhObNK-RCggcjjn2ZemClU/s800/20210611+-+Planted+a+few+succulents+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBtuk3VqQwFgdxfMkTHxlp12vGDkYoZXK4fuPY9nZQ_TwY7jhPaTP2bUSdIuhMK8NA-Q13SgjSR4E-264MRYrzsvZBjLosfBhgsuA8POiOUbefzk_zKmQhIhObNK-RCggcjjn2ZemClU/w300-h400/20210611+-+Planted+a+few+succulents+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedums picked from the garden and plopped into an urn<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>These sedums are tough as nails and all of them have been thriving in various containers in the garden for years with essentially zero care (not even watering during our often hot, dry summers). I may have to pull out the occasional weed or blade of grass that comes up but that's about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And lastly is a small mass of green in one of the beds that's slated to be replaced this year.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrp4Y8ytMmg7auWiyELGZcKMTqcA9TCbl5iCl0b_1atR7Qr4Nn1Ffo7b1PFB8wcatTPyCbp3XU86nR4HPsJ9bV7JVpXg9wGd6vdhFQqAziWRRS_Z_Ij6d3USYTS60T3ISJl5xRkpVAwQ/s800/20210611+-+Volunteer+Parsley+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrp4Y8ytMmg7auWiyELGZcKMTqcA9TCbl5iCl0b_1atR7Qr4Nn1Ffo7b1PFB8wcatTPyCbp3XU86nR4HPsJ9bV7JVpXg9wGd6vdhFQqAziWRRS_Z_Ij6d3USYTS60T3ISJl5xRkpVAwQ/w400-h300/20210611+-+Volunteer+Parsley+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-seeded Parsley</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I've been weeding these beds, but leaving a few things like self-seeded calendula and this stand of parsley. Even though I started 3 new parsley plants this spring, you can never have enough, am I right? Based on this beds location in that area, it will be one of the last to be dismantled so I have plenty of time to get a few harvests from it.</div></div><div><br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-44073696085719208772021-05-31T21:36:00.001-04:002021-05-31T21:36:15.506-04:00End of May Update<p> As is always the case at this time of year, things have been busy in the garden. Our first frost date is on May 10th, so the two weeks before and after always see a flurry of activity with lots of transplanting, seeding and, of course, weeding.</p><p>Last week, however, we ran into a bit of a glitch when we had a string of truly horrible weather that was cold, wet and windy. One day in particular really did a number on newly transplanted seedlings. It started out a bit chilly, at 11C/52F, but then the weather kept getting colder as the day progressed, a rare occurrence. By early afternoon, we were sitting at 1C/34F which is unheard of for this late in May. Unfortunately, I had put the cucumbers in the ground only a couple of days earlier. They survived but are definitely worse for wear. We'll have to wait and see if there is any lasting impact.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RY0JGlcBeKnwBUMdOxwxUi4up5tMOPG9z8iIPVDUypMcObM5IQtP_gvf9dAAnpnUK01h378a7HAauJ3YzNLUszzgb1-_K1rrdzIAiqdTOf9zjrcGXoBmUUmT1QS_SJsDJZpmwIo0H70/s800/20210531+-+Weather+Damaged+Cucumber+Plants+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="800" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RY0JGlcBeKnwBUMdOxwxUi4up5tMOPG9z8iIPVDUypMcObM5IQtP_gvf9dAAnpnUK01h378a7HAauJ3YzNLUszzgb1-_K1rrdzIAiqdTOf9zjrcGXoBmUUmT1QS_SJsDJZpmwIo0H70/w400-h289/20210531+-+Weather+Damaged+Cucumber+Plants+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumbers took a beating during the recent frigid/windy weather<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>The basil (which I had transplanted a week or so earlier in the soon-to-be tomato bed) fared a lot worse. Many of the seedlings were completely fried. I pulled all of those that had no hope of recovering and left those that still looked like they stood a chance. I also direct seeded the resulting empty spots. I've actually never direct seeded basil before so this will be a nice test to see how well it does. Thankfully, the tomatoes had not yet been transplanted, so they spent a few days indoors.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLilPjqRM45hv8daWCA1Od1zTzPSeBqSu6Hbfkymj-GxJN-EmlJ69iwBfy5WW8JnCiju0W1a2sZMoyifnkmZNebc1zeRJg3X7TWyk_LpOSPkPy_FvvvQhQY9F_qs9kK7oI0U6F1OWDprw/s800/20210531+-+Tomato+Transplants+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="717" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLilPjqRM45hv8daWCA1Od1zTzPSeBqSu6Hbfkymj-GxJN-EmlJ69iwBfy5WW8JnCiju0W1a2sZMoyifnkmZNebc1zeRJg3X7TWyk_LpOSPkPy_FvvvQhQY9F_qs9kK7oI0U6F1OWDprw/w359-h400/20210531+-+Tomato+Transplants+copy.jpg" width="359" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tomato plants were safe and sound inside<br />while 'the weather outside was frightful' 😜<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>So today, I thought I would do a quick tour of the 7 beds that are being used this year for veg. As I mentioned in a previous post, this summer I'm working on replacing the beds in the side garden with 12 new raised beds so I've pared the vegetable garden down to the few available beds in the other areas of the garden.</p><p><u>Bed #1</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuzLjL5PVOtzNIxuoxafGVJ0h7Pjq2Odssq6bZM94uAAatcSDP7GnmH1WjEWhRTjvWML1BG3FNe-RLXGFYgjVAyPMvrkbWe03mjSdSgboZ30_LLw3WhUCKeYxAECxvRaryJiNnQnJ3ZA/s800/20210531+-+Basil+and+Tomato+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuzLjL5PVOtzNIxuoxafGVJ0h7Pjq2Odssq6bZM94uAAatcSDP7GnmH1WjEWhRTjvWML1BG3FNe-RLXGFYgjVAyPMvrkbWe03mjSdSgboZ30_LLw3WhUCKeYxAECxvRaryJiNnQnJ3ZA/w350-h400/20210531+-+Basil+and+Tomato+Bed+copy.jpg" width="350" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato & Basil Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>This is the only bed in the main garden area (all the others are on the hilltop) and it will house the basil and tomatoes. It's currently covered with Agribon, more to keep the rabbits out than anything else. Once the tomatoes are planted, I'll be putting a barrier around the perimeter.</p><p><u>Bed #2</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_YtJfh2o5SPxUQ-EbHFoaKUJZAX6yB1G-WX_9Zff5h7dQkYhQ77qnK7m5l8SlMwyWj5dqApUENw8u4idTqqTW__ktwAtcTjc96h2qvlezEqBF27IXRRgm2hWHNOiQCpZlayEBG8j8ZM/s800/20210531+-+Garlic+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_YtJfh2o5SPxUQ-EbHFoaKUJZAX6yB1G-WX_9Zff5h7dQkYhQ77qnK7m5l8SlMwyWj5dqApUENw8u4idTqqTW__ktwAtcTjc96h2qvlezEqBF27IXRRgm2hWHNOiQCpZlayEBG8j8ZM/w400-h300/20210531+-+Garlic+Bed+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The garlic bed just received it's 2nd feeding of fish emulsion and it's looking amazing with nice thick stalks.</p><p><u>Bed #3</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGCphSj3GZvP9CaNHB4Tcx0YJc0_zf8etvVFIsmPIBt7qxVyQJleweLRNrwUINW-3Jipi1RUMLUppe0TyDuguu8TmmrO70GdR81SHaJ-5XTBjZKD72Wcfg9hVdiWpz0M-bRNZhYWscI0/s800/20210531+-+Onion+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="747" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGCphSj3GZvP9CaNHB4Tcx0YJc0_zf8etvVFIsmPIBt7qxVyQJleweLRNrwUINW-3Jipi1RUMLUppe0TyDuguu8TmmrO70GdR81SHaJ-5XTBjZKD72Wcfg9hVdiWpz0M-bRNZhYWscI0/w374-h400/20210531+-+Onion+Bed+copy.jpg" width="374" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onion & Shallot Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The onion bed also houses the shallots (at the far end). The onion seedlings were planted later than usual this year, but they should start to bulk up soon.</p><p><u>Bed #4</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOXzjs0OJER3DsnkWA9OH8Znv8h3qzWXdq4ZYkytrgESI_Fab7wq2Kron1KkVvqW5rx9-L-ilJCML7R7qcaLhTHg92HK3vG2uZsry5YRpnbqcjAhjoiqcqSWEqHG6E8PjgdeWae19UPA/s800/20210531+-+Broccoli+and+Carrot+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="643" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOXzjs0OJER3DsnkWA9OH8Znv8h3qzWXdq4ZYkytrgESI_Fab7wq2Kron1KkVvqW5rx9-L-ilJCML7R7qcaLhTHg92HK3vG2uZsry5YRpnbqcjAhjoiqcqSWEqHG6E8PjgdeWae19UPA/w321-h400/20210531+-+Broccoli+and+Carrot+Bed+copy.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broccoli & Carrot Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm growing 6 broccoli plants this year, including a new-to-me variety from Baker Creek called "Purple Peacock" which, apparently, has prolific side-shoots (my favourite part of the broccoli harvest!). At the bottom of the bed, I'll be squeezing in a few rows of carrots.</p><p><u>Bed #5</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRICIMcRwOswTj1ryuGFQ3q6iBWMRQSIdu0s94yHBZlObhIt1aJlcrTA1_tBn2uvDfLK57vSJg0spKVajpl8ZVJY8S7d4fHdWZAfvtmOsnP3t3v0YsT1Nn7MbdWUfs46hsRrDpW-azuc/s800/20210531+-+Potato+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="674" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRICIMcRwOswTj1ryuGFQ3q6iBWMRQSIdu0s94yHBZlObhIt1aJlcrTA1_tBn2uvDfLK57vSJg0spKVajpl8ZVJY8S7d4fHdWZAfvtmOsnP3t3v0YsT1Nn7MbdWUfs46hsRrDpW-azuc/w338-h400/20210531+-+Potato+Bed+copy.jpg" width="338" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potato Bed</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The potato's have just barely emerged from the bed....</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDRd_dn21Qdpkn9wmwWvpagLGiZM4ZPgcvNfm0N2VOJU4U9fLCLjkm3u7Aeq6xsDl7P80_aqCnN7IZCmnj1zG_ANJcjZOkG1FNiosa61kO7JCe17rp7L7ZupBXH17fIILW30D_k8MDac/s800/20210531+-+Potato+Peaking+Out+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="716" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDRd_dn21Qdpkn9wmwWvpagLGiZM4ZPgcvNfm0N2VOJU4U9fLCLjkm3u7Aeq6xsDl7P80_aqCnN7IZCmnj1zG_ANJcjZOkG1FNiosa61kO7JCe17rp7L7ZupBXH17fIILW30D_k8MDac/w358-h400/20210531+-+Potato+Peaking+Out+copy.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly Emerging Potato Plant<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>.....and so has something else<div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO2A_ljsgufPUvas371ppSAzomlZ9SW_BgMi-KyxJtkvfE_6HQJC2LK4FfGQLwZ1FaytIWh_9KvghZzbF3rAqJ3BHiSaE1X5H864QCSdhu0ggOGEfRD_9TD5hbOfgDukITwmX-Sa1DFw/s800/20210531+-+Critter+Hole+in+Potato+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="789" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO2A_ljsgufPUvas371ppSAzomlZ9SW_BgMi-KyxJtkvfE_6HQJC2LK4FfGQLwZ1FaytIWh_9KvghZzbF3rAqJ3BHiSaE1X5H864QCSdhu0ggOGEfRD_9TD5hbOfgDukITwmX-Sa1DFw/w395-h400/20210531+-+Critter+Hole+in+Potato+Bed+copy.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mystery critter hole that won't go away<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm not sure what this is, but I've filled in the hole a few times & whatever it is keeps coming back. I'll be setting up the sonic device tomorrow - it seemed to help when I had a similar issue a few years ago.</p><p><u>Bed #6</u></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNH71X2sBoUdRcm5IzZTAk0v8QFC3pEKFPbb7-RUN6JhhKdmGdJ0mEXGuCkSFozp9HKHI-kxq0VGfMCpJByiFKrnlCH1OXyx54AzCqh_ldT-N6s4-gMN3Ke0fO_x9tLA729-Z8sOZD-4/s800/20210531+-+Cucumber+and+Bean+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="621" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNH71X2sBoUdRcm5IzZTAk0v8QFC3pEKFPbb7-RUN6JhhKdmGdJ0mEXGuCkSFozp9HKHI-kxq0VGfMCpJByiFKrnlCH1OXyx54AzCqh_ldT-N6s4-gMN3Ke0fO_x9tLA729-Z8sOZD-4/w310-h400/20210531+-+Cucumber+and+Bean+Bed+copy.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber and Bean Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p>My original plan for this bed was to grow cucumbers and squash/melons on one side and beans on the other. I ended up deciding to forgo the squash/melons as the cucumber beetle invasion last year is still front of mind.</p><p>I couldn't go without cucumbers, though. I'm covering the plants with netting which will be removed only when it's absolutely necessary in the hopes that, by that time, the beetles have found somewhere else to set up camp. I also direct seeded a few more cucumbers on the other side of the bed, just in case the recent blast of cold has stunted the existing plants.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgI6yO_p6mgBRPwE6lXhdXMJvziwRVPDMQvoa4Vp06x9iHtRBSu9QVMAR3oNZd40ugmV3g16DNEZSrVi83jzdcBdefantgLcCK61u0yKhZaXxfiuoLpgdt2zdkx1dFdqDTLepTImmrwQ/s800/20210531+-+Cucumbers+are+Covered+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgI6yO_p6mgBRPwE6lXhdXMJvziwRVPDMQvoa4Vp06x9iHtRBSu9QVMAR3oNZd40ugmV3g16DNEZSrVi83jzdcBdefantgLcCK61u0yKhZaXxfiuoLpgdt2zdkx1dFdqDTLepTImmrwQ/w300-h400/20210531+-+Cucumbers+are+Covered+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covering the cucumbers for now, in an attempt to avoid a repeat<br />of last years cucumber beetle invasion</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><u>Bed #7</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpqEuzWb1-l6IUIHQLt0AVElR1X5y4oFUG4L1uWo0plhTawPNaRy7m3dl_auLWl2gFYg5lIZpaVnBi79UeIWvFEMSLLxO0OZ_OvwDPcSNx5pNkuB5ap29oQ7xceUQIsC9l33EgG2UEUk/s800/20210531+-+Lettuce+and+Brassica+Bed+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="641" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpqEuzWb1-l6IUIHQLt0AVElR1X5y4oFUG4L1uWo0plhTawPNaRy7m3dl_auLWl2gFYg5lIZpaVnBi79UeIWvFEMSLLxO0OZ_OvwDPcSNx5pNkuB5ap29oQ7xceUQIsC9l33EgG2UEUk/w320-h400/20210531+-+Lettuce+and+Brassica+Bed+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce and Brassica Bed<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The last bed is filled with lettuce, kale, kohlrabi and heading cabbage. I've had seeds for heading cabbage for a while but this is the first time it's made it onto the grow list, so I'm quite excited. Even though I'm not growing anywhere near as much as usual that doesn't mean I can't try something new 😊</p></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-57839878586214581342021-05-09T13:47:00.002-04:002021-05-09T13:47:35.160-04:00Tomatoes are Potted Up<p>This weekend, I potted up the tomatoes. They are not as far along as they normally are but I'm not overly concerned. They tend to grow really quickly once potted up, so much so that I've moved their sowing date up by at least a couple of weeks over the years as they were getting too big before I could transplant them outside.</p><p>This year, however, I had a few issues with germination. I'm not sure what was going on, but most of the seeds ended up on the tail end of what I would consider the normal germination time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKeXU4fH0HuRXR6PGOu7qes6ERwtp4ZHoC0pKTzZ8kUtGTqiWvucB0jgJrzCGWogiWJy0YKF5edNfVK57oM4DXtS0yDfjQlorEtDJLzY1qJElwLzo3t_Q4IuOgpmvIwXbJVmhz7G6fYA/s800/20210508+-+Tomatoes+to+Pot+Up+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKeXU4fH0HuRXR6PGOu7qes6ERwtp4ZHoC0pKTzZ8kUtGTqiWvucB0jgJrzCGWogiWJy0YKF5edNfVK57oM4DXtS0yDfjQlorEtDJLzY1qJElwLzo3t_Q4IuOgpmvIwXbJVmhz7G6fYA/w350-h400/20210508+-+Tomatoes+to+Pot+Up+copy.jpg" width="350" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Usually the seedlings are at this stage by the end of April<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span>As far as I could tell, there was no difference this year from any other in terms of the basics such as how I sowed, the temperature, the soil mix, etc. Just one of those quirky gardening mysteries, I suppose - every year seems to have a few.<div><br /></div><div>So this weekend, the starts were finally at the perfect stage to pot up into extra deep cups (I use rinsed take-out coffee cups that I horde in the garage). I pinch off the seedling leaves and bury the plants as deeply as I can, while still leaving a nice bit of green at the top. Tomatoes tend to go crazy with growth once they are potted up as they develop roots along the entirety of the buried stem. It's amazing, quite frankly, how quickly they grow at this stage.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0To_zKzIzHGarOSo9PUx7MIYHDjVJynkMxkSfkarZsrNXlWjhsVyH7TC_1kMRATDMGhMp712bgMeYnzPyEOp4D1LgA1o_l_ulY_0_xoCcQACL20ALf1GTmFiWAzx3yX2Ou_kEZKLK0Wk/s800/20210508+-+Chico+III+Potted+Up+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="706" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0To_zKzIzHGarOSo9PUx7MIYHDjVJynkMxkSfkarZsrNXlWjhsVyH7TC_1kMRATDMGhMp712bgMeYnzPyEOp4D1LgA1o_l_ulY_0_xoCcQACL20ALf1GTmFiWAzx3yX2Ou_kEZKLK0Wk/w353-h400/20210508+-+Chico+III+Potted+Up+copy.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Chico III seedling, which was about 3" tall,<br />now has most of it's stem buried in the soil</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The smallest of the bunch was a true straggler - Apple Yellow. It took almost 2 weeks to pop up and I had basically given up on it and was prepared to use an extra from the other varieties.<div><br /></div><div>I would normally wait until a seedling is at least 2" or 3" tall before potting up but decided to go ahead and do this one anyhow (even though it was barely 1" tall), just to make my life simpler. It won't hurt the seedling at all and burying it, even just a bit, will hopefully give it's growth a much needed push.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRy4zaA7lUu7IvYVFpkfehhkQvOM2Z_DxlQTmWtR_wriYFLjOFRpVsQ0iSB1vOGUpayzBVjgq9o6yi7A_rqFNNJZw1N1XFhyoSIT8L0JtKVYIkz4eMXAvIIMrnrlBkoa3TZS8WxemHd0/s800/20210508+-+Apple+Yellow+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRy4zaA7lUu7IvYVFpkfehhkQvOM2Z_DxlQTmWtR_wriYFLjOFRpVsQ0iSB1vOGUpayzBVjgq9o6yi7A_rqFNNJZw1N1XFhyoSIT8L0JtKVYIkz4eMXAvIIMrnrlBkoa3TZS8WxemHd0/w326-h400/20210508+-+Apple+Yellow+copy.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only about a 1/2" of the stem was buried,<br />but even that little bit is bound to make a big difference.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>With the reduced bed capacity this year, I'm only growing a handful of tomatoes and concentrating on paste varieties: 2 each of Amos Coli & Chico III, as they were the largest producers from last year, as well as one Opalka and Speckled Roman.</div><div><br /></div><div>While having enough to preserve is a priority, I'm also squeezing in a couple of fresh eating cherry types - Mexico Midget and the aforementioned <a href="https://all-americaselections.org/product/tomato-apple-yellow/" target="_blank">Apple Yellow</a>, an All-America Selections winner. I first tried it last year and fell in love with the bright taste and crisp texture.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbskPOsZRazo_LsWmoMbIuAZZrBDM9oZULgzFWAcY2LI12xJ7LSg7hWhIgFVLaBohSvhoIM5s8l2FtNCMx0X8XnQJZWZxcQMQIcTV-aWYGNrG3IgGoFSMep6tUhp_0j57X_iGB4KroFc/s800/20200805+-+Tomato+Harvest+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="800" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbskPOsZRazo_LsWmoMbIuAZZrBDM9oZULgzFWAcY2LI12xJ7LSg7hWhIgFVLaBohSvhoIM5s8l2FtNCMx0X8XnQJZWZxcQMQIcTV-aWYGNrG3IgGoFSMep6tUhp_0j57X_iGB4KroFc/w400-h246/20200805+-+Tomato+Harvest+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tomato harvest basket from 2020 - <br />a handful of Apple Yellows are on the bottom left</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Yum....can't wait!</div><div><br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-81715521409008243902021-05-01T06:52:00.150-04:002021-05-01T06:52:00.271-04:00Cucumbers - Hoping That This Year is Better Than Last<div><br /></div><div>I sowed 3 varieties of cucumbers this week and, together with a few squash varieties that are yet to be sown, I am totally psyched for a great cucurbit year.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JwdE7z0HGNLi7_gjwV0n1pOS14F6ix4BG9Rz0l1lDOzC56sgQYwzPks_beu32dtgARZB_oJ48RfGuFW1uUHjiGVjHrzdip8ewfOCD193TVH0h2oOW_5HE3-41n0kFlWtFlqwtnmI07Y/s800/20210429+-+This+Years+Cucumber+Varieties+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JwdE7z0HGNLi7_gjwV0n1pOS14F6ix4BG9Rz0l1lDOzC56sgQYwzPks_beu32dtgARZB_oJ48RfGuFW1uUHjiGVjHrzdip8ewfOCD193TVH0h2oOW_5HE3-41n0kFlWtFlqwtnmI07Y/s320/20210429+-+This+Years+Cucumber+Varieties+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden Sweet (pickling) & Chelsea Prize (slicer) are two long-time favourites<br />while the Tasty Treat Slicer is a new-to-me variety<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Cucumbers are one thing that I've always had pretty good success with. While there may be some hiccups every once in a while, overall the harvests have been good to great. That was until the disaster that was 2020, where I had the absolute worst cucumber harvest ever. How bad is bad? How about one cucumber. Yup - short of zero harvest, you can't get much worse than that.<div><br /><div><span><a name='more'></a></span>And the one cucumber I did get - well, it wasn't exactly a looker:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9F6KNPrPCjh1LBPH-9qpfY2UfncicZYxXIqR1qU7vZ1KRGOlnsv8YOlBQ70dxXHKB9peaNVxl-Va7nlY7akaGH5zo-qrzWSpSdj9PycCOp2Xq9AIi38MupfbLJhVBTMyNhotdhVi9cI/s800/20200720+-+One+Pitiful+Cucumber+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="800" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9F6KNPrPCjh1LBPH-9qpfY2UfncicZYxXIqR1qU7vZ1KRGOlnsv8YOlBQ70dxXHKB9peaNVxl-Va7nlY7akaGH5zo-qrzWSpSdj9PycCOp2Xq9AIi38MupfbLJhVBTMyNhotdhVi9cI/w400-h318/20200720+-+One+Pitiful+Cucumber+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber #1 - Not pretty but still delicious<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>There was, at one point, the possibility of harvesting a second cucumber but that hope was quickly dashed when it was eaten by something other than me - likely the squad of ravenous rabbits that inhabited my garden all season and snuck into the veg area on more than one occasion.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLNx3NCP30JkjPumn1l4FWr_wzwqiM6PvM3iBCzIsBay8DOkeGTCi3jQ5oLaoejXbc8USnFjX2UNBGjore_7EF6dGgYEbFYwbhmEcDLOeeVo9TgTLVLsMgP1DM1vRyySazkBpJaKFX-8/s800/20200811+-+Eaten+Cucumber+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="726" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLNx3NCP30JkjPumn1l4FWr_wzwqiM6PvM3iBCzIsBay8DOkeGTCi3jQ5oLaoejXbc8USnFjX2UNBGjore_7EF6dGgYEbFYwbhmEcDLOeeVo9TgTLVLsMgP1DM1vRyySazkBpJaKFX-8/w363-h400/20200811+-+Eaten+Cucumber+copy.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber #2....or what was left of it<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>So what happened to the dozens of cucumbers that normally grace the trellis each summer? Two words: Cucumber beetles.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsGHpD_mUTO6KVJ1E9gUgBBToSykMsguotYCiOppDzYZTM2xu3akQ6M7ZJsZN_e4UnTzUrBkWVOoqecBwJw7pMwrfKoEIsObOKzBwFv_tdATwzunDivTngwFZpDglpw3Gt-HXigR0woY/s800/20200704+-+Dang+Cucumber+Beetles+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="758" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsGHpD_mUTO6KVJ1E9gUgBBToSykMsguotYCiOppDzYZTM2xu3akQ6M7ZJsZN_e4UnTzUrBkWVOoqecBwJw7pMwrfKoEIsObOKzBwFv_tdATwzunDivTngwFZpDglpw3Gt-HXigR0woY/w379-h400/20200704+-+Dang+Cucumber+Beetles+copy.jpg" width="379" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They were everywhere...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This was the first time that I had ever seen them in person, much less in the garden, and they went to town. It was party central on the vines & flowers.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloxF3CWNmNuVSLWNc4a4oExU1P_OwYZBwTM0hdQpFxB7ciyNTJDNqNdotgFQuIXBpTFUQc2G-29YOvNO7TGq0tsSm5pCtIuYttB4n3Kvi7O8utlB8_p4llUb3D2q3wPNHcwa-i5GtLNk/s800/20200707+-+Cucumber+and+Melon+Bed+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloxF3CWNmNuVSLWNc4a4oExU1P_OwYZBwTM0hdQpFxB7ciyNTJDNqNdotgFQuIXBpTFUQc2G-29YOvNO7TGq0tsSm5pCtIuYttB4n3Kvi7O8utlB8_p4llUb3D2q3wPNHcwa-i5GtLNk/w300-h400/20200707+-+Cucumber+and+Melon+Bed+copy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cucumber & melon bed<br />just before the beetle invasion took it's toll</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Doing a bit of research on cucumber beetles in Ontario, it seems that they settle in and do the most damage during the "first wave" which runs from mid-June to early July. This being the case I'm going to try control through exclusion. I'll cover the plants until mid-July & hopefully this will do the trick.</div><div><br /></div><div>The one issue I can see running into is trellising. If I let the plants sprawl until July, I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to get them onto a trellis at that point without damaging the vines. Just in case this does turn out to be an issue, I'll be sowing some additional seeds directly into the bed in early July.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcfyaFWbZ-mX_RKfXecniNEEO5biZlLdzHdmuqNH9hEtZQrPrJ7Q1HwWYlBxV87tg617rxVpHsqz76MYf9c0cZnRf26tO8aFbsg6nVdYJNv7cCahGNrwdH2EjN0WBNZeLz1ZaEDytuZc/s800/20200811+-+Cucumber+Bed+After+Beetle+Infestation+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="764" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcfyaFWbZ-mX_RKfXecniNEEO5biZlLdzHdmuqNH9hEtZQrPrJ7Q1HwWYlBxV87tg617rxVpHsqz76MYf9c0cZnRf26tO8aFbsg6nVdYJNv7cCahGNrwdH2EjN0WBNZeLz1ZaEDytuZc/w383-h400/20200811+-+Cucumber+Bed+After+Beetle+Infestation+copy.jpg" width="383" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The melon and cucumber bed a month later - the end is near<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>One thing that I won't be doing is growing melons on the same trellis, which I did last year. Perhaps all that deliciousness, side by side, was what enticed the cucumber beetles to hang out in the first place. Since I've never had an issue with them before, I'm really hoping that last year was an isolated incident and I'll be able to go back to growing cucumbers "normally" in the future.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also have an update on the Blue Oat grass that I trimmed back this spring before realizing it wasn't necessary. Much to my relief, it's growing back quickly & quite nicely too.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3y7rwTgbY6HxTmq6P-HgiOmVbr2d_OvM5ABjy6JMPGJvGjjQNCkTDqGytL06-x8Q1rfH-pddP7jgF8JdEWj4wfPNRUECQkm4jUxotF8-90Pg3Gebkz6W6OAEH0eqb67rK5zwWvYUbZI/s800/20210317+-+Blue+Oat+Grass+Cut+Back+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="733" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3y7rwTgbY6HxTmq6P-HgiOmVbr2d_OvM5ABjy6JMPGJvGjjQNCkTDqGytL06-x8Q1rfH-pddP7jgF8JdEWj4wfPNRUECQkm4jUxotF8-90Pg3Gebkz6W6OAEH0eqb67rK5zwWvYUbZI/w366-h400/20210317+-+Blue+Oat+Grass+Cut+Back+copy.jpg" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A haircut by mistake...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXkWEoxRaw1N-FDY34syKzydkO9P2LSflVpYb7p1iSbLPnqlYPa-gDK5tMBmE3aOoYsQGxiClqqfGP7TMdJEhMAxsBIHIga9wz1ixixVJ1cEv1igoenb2STx7MLbWK56v8IfiTAcOf_Q/s800/20210428+-+Blue+Oat+Grass+Recovered+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXkWEoxRaw1N-FDY34syKzydkO9P2LSflVpYb7p1iSbLPnqlYPa-gDK5tMBmE3aOoYsQGxiClqqfGP7TMdJEhMAxsBIHIga9wz1ixixVJ1cEv1igoenb2STx7MLbWK56v8IfiTAcOf_Q/w400-h300/20210428+-+Blue+Oat+Grass+Recovered+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">or maybe not....it's well on it's way & lookin' good!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So in future, I'll comb it with my fingers to remove most of the brown blades, but if it really needs a refresh, bringing out the clippers is not a bad idea. Now I know 😊 #alwayslearning </div></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-22118029096813301372021-04-26T07:23:00.001-04:002021-04-26T11:19:46.271-04:00Under the Grow Lights<p>This year, just like last, the grow lights are nowhere near as cramped as usual. The main reason for this is that we are revamping the side yard vegetable garden which contains 8 of our raised beds (Area #1). The original plan was to redo that area last year...and then we had a pandemic and most plans, including that one, flew out the window.</p><p>So 2021 is the year. All the beds (old and new) in that area will be out of commission for most, if not all, of the season. While the actual building of the beds is a relatively quick process, everything else that goes along with that (such as filling them, mulching the paths and redoing the drip irrigation) takes much more time. And just like last year, I'm planning on doing this at my own pace & not stressing myself out with deadlines. I spoke about my <a href="http://www.thegardeningme.com/2020/07/a-new-approach.html" target="_blank">New Approach</a> to the garden last July and I intend to stay the course on that - more enjoyment & less pressure is the name of the game.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRrvALSvNyDkpIkZe_CvIpxq4O4EQglRJyT7LeOoioySukicgCZO1PjyhSy-1RSRfAoaQ27encRnu6DtW7sM6QXkxxi4f10QPu2Ei4jTrb40o6059bPAAeMSEHCDwB6iO8Rv5L2blgrc/s800/20210423+-+Lettuce+set+to+be+hardened+off+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRrvALSvNyDkpIkZe_CvIpxq4O4EQglRJyT7LeOoioySukicgCZO1PjyhSy-1RSRfAoaQ27encRnu6DtW7sM6QXkxxi4f10QPu2Ei4jTrb40o6059bPAAeMSEHCDwB6iO8Rv5L2blgrc/w400-h300/20210423+-+Lettuce+set+to+be+hardened+off+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce will be on the hilltop this year - a little less convenient,<br />but you gotta do what you gotta do<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Most of the vegetables will be grown in the 6 hilltop beds this year, plus one of the beds in Area #2. This last area has 4 beds, but one is occupied by strawberries and another is completely falling apart and has to be removed. Since my husband is not fond of the beds in that spot, I'll likely not be replacing them and that area will eventually become an ornamental bed or I may plant a fruit tree or two. So that leaves 2 beds, one of which will be for cutting flowers while the other will be for vegetables.<p></p><p>Going from 18 beds all the way down to 8 means that I've had to be very selective when it comes to what I grow, both in terms of the "what" as well as "how many". No need to juggle with trays, pots and cell packs under the lights this year - there is more than enough room to spread out.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6vLX1i7Urgve4pthlj5WNhurEsB0UV__LI6L3zaKLhXggnkJ-uO3tIXTM0TSOhSoiL4UyDLzLO8IM-6r9VF8EU9cwzZPAy2Ckku4vZwhOyrKbYPR5RZufaWafD9N9h6QS0nWlUlrEZM/s800/20210423+-+Grow+Lights+Half+Empty+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="665" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6vLX1i7Urgve4pthlj5WNhurEsB0UV__LI6L3zaKLhXggnkJ-uO3tIXTM0TSOhSoiL4UyDLzLO8IM-6r9VF8EU9cwzZPAy2Ckku4vZwhOyrKbYPR5RZufaWafD9N9h6QS0nWlUlrEZM/w333-h400/20210423+-+Grow+Lights+Half+Empty+copy.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eye spy...the final tray of last years onions underneath the light stand, lol!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>So on to the main event - a quick rundown of what's under the grow lights right now. Ironically, you'll have to excuse the lighting - as anyone who has ever taken photos of plants under grow lights knows, what's good for plants isn't ideal for the camera 😁<p><br />We'll start with the ornamentals, some of which are going in the ground while others are going in the cutting flower or vegetable beds. First up are the Gaillardias - I'm growing 3 different varieties this year:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJYUO2CJm_sZdg9hkpcF3zGZO2WsnOH5zxz26gNvTqMm16mvNj-TclcsQ2BuNUawd4-FRdc6w-Butsia6BMzYKOCcinP9f_aBEcyVdjC7jxQfz6zbBGYDdNUQ1JmZA604EaUVd2J3Qcw/s800/20210423+-+Gaillardia+%2527Double+Sunset%2527+and+%2527Indian+Blanket%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="800" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJYUO2CJm_sZdg9hkpcF3zGZO2WsnOH5zxz26gNvTqMm16mvNj-TclcsQ2BuNUawd4-FRdc6w-Butsia6BMzYKOCcinP9f_aBEcyVdjC7jxQfz6zbBGYDdNUQ1JmZA604EaUVd2J3Qcw/w320-h234/20210423+-+Gaillardia+%2527Double+Sunset%2527+and+%2527Indian+Blanket%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaillardia 'Double Sunset' & 'Indian Blanket'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjA345MTUwU2gDJ8nqlT9KEH5PIyWKoVDU2EQTSscLgqfhivIlQL3yDmYrqCvmG84AM1bb5IDLB99XPDGhzU5flRcYvzVW01z8vrifL0Qcw0oQaS4D0DELo_uVt69ciyaIh2OheN4APE/s800/20210423+-+Gaillardia+%2527Lollipop%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="800" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjA345MTUwU2gDJ8nqlT9KEH5PIyWKoVDU2EQTSscLgqfhivIlQL3yDmYrqCvmG84AM1bb5IDLB99XPDGhzU5flRcYvzVW01z8vrifL0Qcw0oQaS4D0DELo_uVt69ciyaIh2OheN4APE/w320-h221/20210423+-+Gaillardia+%2527Lollipop%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaillardia 'Lollipop'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I seeded 2 varieties of marigold, but only the Orange Flame germinated. Not surprising as the Janie series marigold seeds were pretty old.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvSecUC2zUSNIDQoASSRlsVuM5ddnJWTG89yi8PWBFMPa7JoFcKC003fCjZh2VV6xrS8X7mXEhKJeMTAvGkwff4XveWrqH-IvWXZLnkFRW_2JtLwJmWsHga98PRtfYThJQs4xRxTdUPU/s800/20210423+-+Marigolds+%2527Orange+Flame%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvSecUC2zUSNIDQoASSRlsVuM5ddnJWTG89yi8PWBFMPa7JoFcKC003fCjZh2VV6xrS8X7mXEhKJeMTAvGkwff4XveWrqH-IvWXZLnkFRW_2JtLwJmWsHga98PRtfYThJQs4xRxTdUPU/s320/20210423+-+Marigolds+%2527Orange+Flame%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marigold 'Orange Flame'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Five different varieties of nasturtium were sowed, three of which ('Papaya Cream', 'Pheonix' and 'Tip Top Apricot') have yet to make an appearance.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEwJPEMm7O08Ne4Y7UOXXIH55flKNI9TExUSppJjReXsdBvkggsqTDCm30m1F2xiVsIBUOKSLw7cUdq-nm4XgOhYaiGtGstA__scYoX1W_gVrCBNgaFRo3supq1jOvFvidp27WcLJtlg/s800/20210423+-+Nasturtium+%2527Orchid+Cream%2527+and+%2527Moonlight%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEwJPEMm7O08Ne4Y7UOXXIH55flKNI9TExUSppJjReXsdBvkggsqTDCm30m1F2xiVsIBUOKSLw7cUdq-nm4XgOhYaiGtGstA__scYoX1W_gVrCBNgaFRo3supq1jOvFvidp27WcLJtlg/s320/20210423+-+Nasturtium+%2527Orchid+Cream%2527+and+%2527Moonlight%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasturtium 'Orchid Cream' & 'Moonlight'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>And the Gomphrena is just beginning to pop up - this one will be a first for me:</div><div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NrLLIU_n73XI1BOhcXeSUfCc09qUZ2_9eU1ukGMSxoYJHn3EzjSkMUdnzSu2G_v4yh_ck0XO9B4rWO4JbignL_CH3K3I4VsNkqAJVMbwqGK4NaLUK4AAYAer5Y8SIbk6G8hSjsMjj0o/s800/20210423+-+Gomphrena+%2527Mandarin+Orange%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NrLLIU_n73XI1BOhcXeSUfCc09qUZ2_9eU1ukGMSxoYJHn3EzjSkMUdnzSu2G_v4yh_ck0XO9B4rWO4JbignL_CH3K3I4VsNkqAJVMbwqGK4NaLUK4AAYAer5Y8SIbk6G8hSjsMjj0o/s320/20210423+-+Gomphrena+%2527Mandarin+Orange%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gomphrena 'Mandarin Orange'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Two 'Summer Jewel' salvias, Lavender and Pink:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mc5q9y4fFTzYMk-gL0KnctvWP8M3DAYlqZbjOFxHJii9dMXrTMfrRW_mfiRwIUQqHSiTt5utH5zg_ZkNp1SVu7z-ub1fQL7uarfkCSCrwK27A5Q9y-u3p1QZM9yTpTlIYM2g317E5r8/s800/20210423+-+Salvia+%2527Summer+Jewel+Lavender%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mc5q9y4fFTzYMk-gL0KnctvWP8M3DAYlqZbjOFxHJii9dMXrTMfrRW_mfiRwIUQqHSiTt5utH5zg_ZkNp1SVu7z-ub1fQL7uarfkCSCrwK27A5Q9y-u3p1QZM9yTpTlIYM2g317E5r8/s320/20210423+-+Salvia+%2527Summer+Jewel+Lavender%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Lavender'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9wfAUPBsf14C31a1gGNaJJe2TB6EVsaR-sZmz6APNS2IgpJAJnyQFPnPLJwMSJ058_kkiS41e3Hc5SGk3OEoagUYJlZTJifYTSJrarX0KOWNPSAupebmMOabu5oouYF5SJC9aWbyZXs/s800/20210423+-+Salvia+%2527Summer+Jewel+Pink%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9wfAUPBsf14C31a1gGNaJJe2TB6EVsaR-sZmz6APNS2IgpJAJnyQFPnPLJwMSJ058_kkiS41e3Hc5SGk3OEoagUYJlZTJifYTSJrarX0KOWNPSAupebmMOabu5oouYF5SJC9aWbyZXs/s320/20210423+-+Salvia+%2527Summer+Jewel+Pink%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Pink'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>I'm not sure what it is about Tithonia, but I always seem to have issues getting them to germinate. Out of 6 seeds (and they were freshly purchased this year), only 2 have come up. I think of bit of research is in order.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXs1uYUiBfKYhZxpg-fwJQjtL3F8v-VZEqinXbEWXSNmAg_-NYlQ_Zv6oUob6aBZoeKvJb5v4NTymNASA33uGp9Xqy6w2XJIRUxZv4gmaFQoaDznCoLpAQc9gpiW8P5ptgmQWy9ux1jk/s800/20210423+-+Tithonia+%2527Red+Torch%2527+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXs1uYUiBfKYhZxpg-fwJQjtL3F8v-VZEqinXbEWXSNmAg_-NYlQ_Zv6oUob6aBZoeKvJb5v4NTymNASA33uGp9Xqy6w2XJIRUxZv4gmaFQoaDznCoLpAQc9gpiW8P5ptgmQWy9ux1jk/s320/20210423+-+Tithonia+%2527Red+Torch%2527+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tithonia 'Red Torch'<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Of course, I wouldn't be without my zinnias, although I am cutting back a LOT on those - this year, I'm only growing 4 varieties: Cherry Queen, Lavender Queen, Orange King and Carousel. And while 4 varieties isn't bad, it doesn't quite compare to the twelve I grew back in 2019 (pre-Covid, which will from here on in be referred to as "the good ol' days"!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also growing a few sweet peas - can you believe I've never grown them before?? I can't believe it either! I actually did try growing them last year but I sowed them directly into a garden bed and they never ended up doing much, which I'm convinced was more user error than anything else.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9qJ9vii05Dv5jIOudxMEpafxt93pbVHQWwdgYxO3BJNlQ2h8LK69dbAMobecNqNAUCv-STj4NfPgCH_szUuJ2cItyh7J6CTGaJlljRrGDmqefisERqTQZ-DS84_ZXd3rcFpnyaRnhGE/s800/20210423+-+Zinnias%252C+Cherry+Queen%252C+Lavender+Queen%252C+Carousel+and+Sweetpeas%252C+Saltwater+Taffy+Swirls+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9qJ9vii05Dv5jIOudxMEpafxt93pbVHQWwdgYxO3BJNlQ2h8LK69dbAMobecNqNAUCv-STj4NfPgCH_szUuJ2cItyh7J6CTGaJlljRrGDmqefisERqTQZ-DS84_ZXd3rcFpnyaRnhGE/s320/20210423+-+Zinnias%252C+Cherry+Queen%252C+Lavender+Queen%252C+Carousel+and+Sweetpeas%252C+Saltwater+Taffy+Swirls+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of the zinnia varieties are keeping<br />'Saltwater Taffy' sweet peas company<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div>And while I didn't go crazy with other ornamentals, I can't say the same about sunflowers. All that pent up seed starting energy had to go somewhere. I'm growing 8 different varieties: Evening Sun, Fantazja, Autumn Beauty, Fun 'N Sun Blend, Moonshadow, Royal Flush, Birds & Bees and Lemon Queen. By the way, did you know that it's the <a href="https://ngb.org/year-of-the-sunflower/" target="_blank">Year of the Sunflower</a>? I'm pretty sure that's what spurred my sunflower purchasing frenzy this year - not that I'm complaining 😉</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBhPAn1zxw3Q-9penUFo6EbuPkVic5IamUBxrg3NdZv-OYRLImN3ZhFMR7I7BfqNmblFaIerne1bdiFjo0OWQbliQPDGskFRQ4FuHLsX24kH3joS3Z1MYUOXpm4RjwBZZ2ta6HeDnIMM/s800/20210423+-+Sunflowers+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBhPAn1zxw3Q-9penUFo6EbuPkVic5IamUBxrg3NdZv-OYRLImN3ZhFMR7I7BfqNmblFaIerne1bdiFjo0OWQbliQPDGskFRQ4FuHLsX24kH3joS3Z1MYUOXpm4RjwBZZ2ta6HeDnIMM/s320/20210423+-+Sunflowers+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tray of sunflower starts<br />I just have to figure out how to keep the bunnies away from them<br />so that they don't get decapitated like they have in years past!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Now we are on to edibles & first up is the basil I posted about last time:</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMK1H9wNp0pNtBw4pPCD2QLaeRcwUr1X2ebQrUqCrTdW4HmpL7yuWnWBTiRiGRAq1ZKVGniAUYZ3Bml_vvzB91UZ7-kKa9r3KnFZDfTY9mcjza2soQPV-byBEuFZ6VWzWuj4XKecAfQ8/s800/20210423+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMK1H9wNp0pNtBw4pPCD2QLaeRcwUr1X2ebQrUqCrTdW4HmpL7yuWnWBTiRiGRAq1ZKVGniAUYZ3Bml_vvzB91UZ7-kKa9r3KnFZDfTY9mcjza2soQPV-byBEuFZ6VWzWuj4XKecAfQ8/s320/20210423+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon & Custom Blend basil <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchM5i4Xz5Udb1zqNOsnQx7rAYqK7zfQdhH2HjnuNu7efm4breekPYkyLa_hREWKbIJiNcJEV4_BWC1Bte_ewva3ZZ5aDaZS6P2fH05WVWayjL4xLrctpJ69mN5XZy5J1-wO6UkoEzfOU/s800/20210423+-+Profumo+di+Genova+and+Dolly+Basil+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchM5i4Xz5Udb1zqNOsnQx7rAYqK7zfQdhH2HjnuNu7efm4breekPYkyLa_hREWKbIJiNcJEV4_BWC1Bte_ewva3ZZ5aDaZS6P2fH05WVWayjL4xLrctpJ69mN5XZy5J1-wO6UkoEzfOU/s320/20210423+-+Profumo+di+Genova+and+Dolly+Basil+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Profumo di Genova & Dolly basil<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeW9XFE_pJJPTYb_G2zQxdtc7IVUMaQHz72XRqPmd5E3nlhGC3MkAAYNt0R6cAyKrUgKBDSV3jp6yPFRjU1jvv3nEfBo34EGUOdNugnsSP_YRn2jgs_7wYchHc2Yl84dL5NnNJ8zhvzA/s800/20210423+-+Thai+Basil+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeW9XFE_pJJPTYb_G2zQxdtc7IVUMaQHz72XRqPmd5E3nlhGC3MkAAYNt0R6cAyKrUgKBDSV3jp6yPFRjU1jvv3nEfBo34EGUOdNugnsSP_YRn2jgs_7wYchHc2Yl84dL5NnNJ8zhvzA/s320/20210423+-+Thai+Basil+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai basil<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The onions were a bit touch and go there for a while - but that's a story for another time:</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIN2dluJqwJmxQ0yK-8PDr_heVHiqluDsNi3wBqZHt-bZpD4rfGHkuzzzW-4Q18HY3j5QATKcPjBVXg36Hc-8OgQEFOklswo4MJ7VeBNcGsZXcEPAonS7WR1VAqBhZ7isge4gDtaOZmM/s800/20210423+-+Onions%252C+Wetherfield+Red%252C+Brunswick+and+Stuttergard+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIN2dluJqwJmxQ0yK-8PDr_heVHiqluDsNi3wBqZHt-bZpD4rfGHkuzzzW-4Q18HY3j5QATKcPjBVXg36Hc-8OgQEFOklswo4MJ7VeBNcGsZXcEPAonS7WR1VAqBhZ7isge4gDtaOZmM/s320/20210423+-+Onions%252C+Wetherfield+Red%252C+Brunswick+and+Stuttergard+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuttergard, Wethersfield Red & Brunswick onions</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I'm only growing one bed of tomatoes so will be concentrating primarily on the paste varieties: Amos Coli, Opalka, Chico III and Striped Roman. I've also included one of my favourite cherry types, Mexico Midget, as well as a new AAS favourite I first tried last year, Apple Yellow. I have my fingers crossed for a good tomato year as I need to restock the freezer!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLlTVVAdp1_BFBB6b0lgDxXLoD29AOmoe4037hJQkQqWhEe-owug4HgMpIBUKyL4uIEKI-JWjuiStQqMexfMZef6vZEKr9XklwBTbJNRX697zd-7ezcbO3AOAdnbByrV5-3k9J77eIbc/s800/20210423+-+Tomato+seedlings+-+Chico+III+and+Striped+Roman+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimLlTVVAdp1_BFBB6b0lgDxXLoD29AOmoe4037hJQkQqWhEe-owug4HgMpIBUKyL4uIEKI-JWjuiStQqMexfMZef6vZEKr9XklwBTbJNRX697zd-7ezcbO3AOAdnbByrV5-3k9J77eIbc/s320/20210423+-+Tomato+seedlings+-+Chico+III+and+Striped+Roman+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tomato starts have been sluggish this year - so far,<br />only Chico III and Striped Roman have germinated<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>And then there was the organic ginger and turmeric that I picked up at the grocery store, thanks to some inspiration from <a href="https://happyacres.blog/" target="_blank">Dave's blog</a>. I had been planning on throwing them into a pot all winter long and finally got around to it a couple of months ago. These will need to be repotted soon:</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWxMl8aVJnOlXnK9Vytkt1riSpBvGtJHD8qEsWVatKqH5QI4dHSE1wsaaX7BDViEvyPAJ7uWfU9rDJY11A1tSIbcTDEZlbQRDKT4pCi7l18ccy8CPIlgmIK7wA2euTaOFPuFt-fRXNVY/s800/20210423+-+Turmeric+and+Ginger+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWxMl8aVJnOlXnK9Vytkt1riSpBvGtJHD8qEsWVatKqH5QI4dHSE1wsaaX7BDViEvyPAJ7uWfU9rDJY11A1tSIbcTDEZlbQRDKT4pCi7l18ccy8CPIlgmIK7wA2euTaOFPuFt-fRXNVY/s320/20210423+-+Turmeric+and+Ginger+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turmeric (front, left) & ginger (back, right)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>I have one tray of spring crops that are finally hardening off, after having to hang around inside for the better part of last week because of a sharp cool down with snow and chilly temps. I had to start the hardening off process all over again, but now they are well on their way.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpWsYyy51wuFCEKKkIWJsgcA0HiTtK7gUtGzO6WVthEcHpOqBUnLlvJfmguAE82vKGL3rRdzi3MR0xvZ-dCgTEW5HwXLhD53bgnHOyWMkhIktO_ii74H9r1JSbNlf3Y6evzGQZSUbCmM/s800/20210423+-+Seedlings+to+Harden+Off+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="800" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpWsYyy51wuFCEKKkIWJsgcA0HiTtK7gUtGzO6WVthEcHpOqBUnLlvJfmguAE82vKGL3rRdzi3MR0xvZ-dCgTEW5HwXLhD53bgnHOyWMkhIktO_ii74H9r1JSbNlf3Y6evzGQZSUbCmM/w400-h229/20210423+-+Seedlings+to+Harden+Off+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On this tray we have:<br />Kohlrabi (Kolibri & Vienna), lettuce (New Red Fire, Black Seeded Simpson,<br />Mignonette Bronze, Tropicana), heading cabbage (Coracao de Boi Temporao),<br />kale (Red Ursa & White Russian) and flatleaf parsley.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I am so looking forward to finally getting something planted outside. Hopefully, the weather doesn't thwart my plans again!</div></div><div><br /></div><div>While this may not seem like a lot of starts for 7 beds of vegetables, there are quite a few that have either not been sown yet (i.e. cucumbers, squash) or are sown directly outdoors (beans, potatoes, carrots). There are also some veggies that I'm simply not growing this year, such as peppers (I still have several bags in the freezer) and eggplant.</div><div><br /></div><div>When your bed space is cut down by more than half, you have to be brutal when deciding what and how much you REALLY need. And yes, I do NEED the full tray of sunflowers, thank you very much 😆</div><div><br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-64428178306179054042021-04-22T06:39:00.001-04:002021-04-22T06:39:00.247-04:00My Approach to Sowing Basil<p>A couple of weeks ago I spoke about the basil varieties that I'll be growing, namely Profumo di Genovese, Dolly, Lemon, Thai and the Botanical Interests Custom Blend. When it comes to growing basil in my area, you don't technically have to start seeds indoors. If I sow directly in mid-late May, which is a couple of weeks after our last frost date, I could start harvesting by the end of July. But we all want our harvests earlier, don't we? And that means that I'm starting my basil indoors about 5 weeks before our last frost date.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8B3qRUAIKPHOVwAvXv8RUEys4188cT5KYwA5JksQs41EoG4dnm7mPHkMrFf8IjObX7YBB1Iq3Ss43WeioC9M1X55mpAtK5hyphenhyphenm2LChgRl0AQYbmk0wwtqYV_07uXvsIJXx4HjxJ67Q2E/s800/20210412+-+Profumo+and+Dolly+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="800" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8B3qRUAIKPHOVwAvXv8RUEys4188cT5KYwA5JksQs41EoG4dnm7mPHkMrFf8IjObX7YBB1Iq3Ss43WeioC9M1X55mpAtK5hyphenhyphenm2LChgRl0AQYbmk0wwtqYV_07uXvsIJXx4HjxJ67Q2E/w400-h265/20210412+-+Profumo+and+Dolly+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12 day old basil seedlings</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>We use a lot of basil so I always grow a few dozen plants. Since I need so many, last year I tried growing it in groupings using larger 4"x2" cells, instead of individually in 6-cell packs. What I found was that growing them this way was just as successful & took up a lot less space under the grow lights, which is the main consideration.<div><br /></div><div>I split each cell into two using some sort of divider (a popsicle stick, in this case), then sow one variety on each side. For half the cell, I'll sow fairly heavily - 15-30 seeds (depending on how old the seeds are) - then thin down to 10. I lay the seeds down, one by one, instead of sprinkling them on so that I can get a bit of space between each one - this makes thinning a whole lot easier. Then I simply cover with a thin layer of soil & a sprinkling of vermiculite.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhw8pNvrhUs7KWyUE03X-85HBWZ2wjOO0YSHMThvM7jKTBEtLkUpRpnat5fGqs08KAnr0NC7oqZLMni__m3Ucp8UQPO3IjGiJ19n1iEuqQDXk3P8krtjjXnggraDB0CZ9qXkEzYdO7zQ/s800/20210405+-+Profumo+di+Genovese+and+Dolly+Basil+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="800" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhw8pNvrhUs7KWyUE03X-85HBWZ2wjOO0YSHMThvM7jKTBEtLkUpRpnat5fGqs08KAnr0NC7oqZLMni__m3Ucp8UQPO3IjGiJ19n1iEuqQDXk3P8krtjjXnggraDB0CZ9qXkEzYdO7zQ/w400-h258/20210405+-+Profumo+di+Genovese+and+Dolly+Basil+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basil just starting to emerge, about 4 days after seeding<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This may seem like a ton of seedlings for such a small spot and it is, but it helps with my goal of growing enough to fill one side of my tomato bed without giving up too much grow light space. Which brings me to the one caveat using this method - you can't start your basil too early. I'm giving them about a 5 week head start which is plenty of time. Too much more than that and they would probably start to suffer in such cramped quarters. This is only my 2nd year growing basil this way, however, so we'll see how it goes - I'm still considering it an experiment at this stage.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIfFmpJuAbjCwBdnEG470Sq7mnXhRpoYIQuEVpD255T6DzvZSAy8-oQ6B9Gg5vCVuWngEvQn3w3IMsvGfiWsJXNqLq_J7gma0DyhUJoFpMKF9bYlq-w6ehpfnpenFKCZEQ0U6uBQ1bfc/s800/20210405+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="800" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIfFmpJuAbjCwBdnEG470Sq7mnXhRpoYIQuEVpD255T6DzvZSAy8-oQ6B9Gg5vCVuWngEvQn3w3IMsvGfiWsJXNqLq_J7gma0DyhUJoFpMKF9bYlq-w6ehpfnpenFKCZEQ0U6uBQ1bfc/w400-h319/20210405+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since we LOVE lemon basil, it gets about 3/4 of the space<br />with the Custom Blend making up the rest<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I came to the realization that I could grow basil much more compactly a couple of years ago. At that point, I was using 6-cell packs & didn't notice much of a difference between plants that grew one to a cell vs those that had 3 or 4 seedlings which I didn't bother to thin out. This was especially apparent once they were transplanted outside - smaller seedlings quickly caught up to the larger ones and in a few weeks time you would be hard pressed to tell which was which.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gP-8hKq479sP1L6X4kXcUpKStzgZLgghHiiQBiOJM6hoRFBWIaPxQDd6gWWonC93WR8WtFD_nOKhvDfl-M7Gq1Ft1LTCHjK1hZPz9XrO1vRraMwLJhXSXCnpToYPN0nbpcIYxxJ7Os4/s800/20210412+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="800" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gP-8hKq479sP1L6X4kXcUpKStzgZLgghHiiQBiOJM6hoRFBWIaPxQDd6gWWonC93WR8WtFD_nOKhvDfl-M7Gq1Ft1LTCHjK1hZPz9XrO1vRraMwLJhXSXCnpToYPN0nbpcIYxxJ7Os4/w400-h305/20210412+-+Lemon+and+Custom+Blend+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I must have sprinkled a seed or two from the custom mix<br />in the lemon basil side as a rogue burgundy seedling appeared amongst the sea of green.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The only basil that I sow separately is Thai basil. I surface sowed this one as at some point I had read that it requires light to germinate. I only need a handful of Thai basil plants so it gets sown in a small 4-cell pack.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q9tuybqeSJLL3ej8Likw8JUglt50x418jvdN_r7NBdUpLHyvzyGgjayIIOUjFFbKksK2T9E0_THeHCC9Oa8wBodJstq2lYyTyNbCgM6mgzLnpw4ibL4iYtrrnsrAKXNtLp9nJRuqG1Q/s800/20210405+-+Thai+Basil+Beginning+to+Germinate+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="800" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_q9tuybqeSJLL3ej8Likw8JUglt50x418jvdN_r7NBdUpLHyvzyGgjayIIOUjFFbKksK2T9E0_THeHCC9Oa8wBodJstq2lYyTyNbCgM6mgzLnpw4ibL4iYtrrnsrAKXNtLp9nJRuqG1Q/w400-h283/20210405+-+Thai+Basil+Beginning+to+Germinate+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can just barely see the bits of green as they start to germinate<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Surface sowing Thai basil is one of those things that I've always done - with great results - and not questioned. It would be nice, however, to simply sow all of the basil the same way. Most sowing instructions out there for Thai basil use the standard sowing method, so I may do a bit of a test next year to see if surface sowing is actually necessary.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENrAJWcKBOgaHLy1iaTeYWHEDAFXRPPf-hkksmD219YGsWpKvQKQvXTEOI3uhPtcW0Q3-WAZplnZz71vdaU18298nZL36EFA5_OgN4jiI0dg2u7d2qfUc_N2JQrLrB9rwrZuNJAnaHf8/s800/20210412+-+Thai+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="800" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENrAJWcKBOgaHLy1iaTeYWHEDAFXRPPf-hkksmD219YGsWpKvQKQvXTEOI3uhPtcW0Q3-WAZplnZz71vdaU18298nZL36EFA5_OgN4jiI0dg2u7d2qfUc_N2JQrLrB9rwrZuNJAnaHf8/w400-h235/20210412+-+Thai+Basil+Seedlings+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai basil - Thinned to 4 per cell<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And lastly, since we are talking basil, I want to give a shout out to Mother Nature's handy work. Take a look at this monster that came up in my patch of New Zealand spinach last year:</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWohr6B2CbHwGEOGz_Cw4hJDFcmM7RNHVNwRlxQKvIhOUVLCAoxRxBHPQF6PQO2XgObQ2YmUnkxoMjYb5kSekPYhPniCPd-T3TUj3zAVwICVsVjZw7SPzDxXASnINWib_gJjMDR1stpM/s800/20200811+-+One+Self+Seeded+Basil+Plant+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="800" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWohr6B2CbHwGEOGz_Cw4hJDFcmM7RNHVNwRlxQKvIhOUVLCAoxRxBHPQF6PQO2XgObQ2YmUnkxoMjYb5kSekPYhPniCPd-T3TUj3zAVwICVsVjZw7SPzDxXASnINWib_gJjMDR1stpM/w400-h376/20200811+-+One+Self+Seeded+Basil+Plant+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's right - this is ONE basil plant!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This guy simply showed up on it's own, self-seeding from the basil planting I had there the previous year.</div><div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61PgEAMRyyTVpDPay9OSrs6UPW0JZZf_uuj-R0LpLval5cwqsjVZGdcwOaDE9evmmY56kULh3bPdRbK-Po8Vulqjci_hPpWK5_4Z23a13gjBBDi1Aol56vdidDaR2LpxHgLRsFHiqTMU/s800/20200811+-+Self+Seeded+Basil+Harvest+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="783" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61PgEAMRyyTVpDPay9OSrs6UPW0JZZf_uuj-R0LpLval5cwqsjVZGdcwOaDE9evmmY56kULh3bPdRbK-Po8Vulqjci_hPpWK5_4Z23a13gjBBDi1Aol56vdidDaR2LpxHgLRsFHiqTMU/w391-h400/20200811+-+Self+Seeded+Basil+Harvest+copy.jpg" width="391" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basil harvest from that one plant</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Gotta love a surprise, no-effort harvest!</div></div><div><br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.com5