Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Back from yet another trip south

We have ended up making two trips to Alabama in the last week and a half. The first was to visit my grandmother and family. She had recently been placed in a nursing home. We had the most wonderful visits. One week to the day after returning, we were on the road again for her funeral. It was truly a blessing to know that she was no longer suffering and with the Lord in heaven.

All this traveling means that something has to slide. That would be the potting up of my peppers and tomatoes. They may just burst their little roots out in rebellion soon. I want them to be strong and have good root systems before I plant out in mid May. These sayings won't comfort my plants....Good things come to those who wait, patience is a virtue, hurry up and wait, etc. Rather I think of this...only the strong survive!

On the other hand, it was nice to see all of the green. I had once heard that for every 100 miles that you travel north or south that there is a one week difference in the seasons. The trees are very leafed out. My uncle already has corn and beans planted. Something that I would not do until mid May in central Illinois.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Is this an old hummingbird nest?


Lauren found this in our spruce tree which just happens to be near my hummingbird feeder. It looks small enough to be a hummingbird nest. It is made with very fine twigs/sticks. I would like to think that our hummingbirds were nesting nearby.

Seedling status

Lettuce sprouts on the bottom of this picture and pea pod plants, toward the top, just starting to sprout
newly planted potatoes - Dark Red Norlands and Yellow Finn. I planted an extra row than I really should have, but I couldn't help it. I didn't have room for an extra bed of potatoes. I had a few left as it was.
Broccoli plants just put out today
Pepper plants still in the shed. I didn't think it was warm enough for them yet outdoors. I was wrong though. It got into the low 70's.
Small container of Southport red globe onion plants and broccoli seedlings before I planted them out.
Onions seedlings - Southport Red Globe, Ailsa Craig Exhibition, and Australian Brown
Hardening off
more hardening off....
And yet more hardening off of plants

Monday, April 13, 2009

Tiny field peas

We had some of the best food in Alabama! One of the things that we had were "tiny field peas"with snap beans. I am trying to figure out if these are just a regular crowder type/black eyed pea that are picked immature or if they are a particular type of pea. We found them in a can and bought some, but I would like to grow my own. Any thoughts?

Water well and return

I did what any other seed starting gardener would have done...panicked!! Why, you ask? At the thought of going away on vacation and leaving my seedlings at risk of certain death! I have done this before, but it is much like raising children (how close the analogy is), no one can care for them as well as you can. Ultimately, you come home to dead or half dead plants or ones that are screaming to be pulled out of their watery graves.

This year we were only going to be gone for four days, so I took a chance and watered extra well prior to leaving. Alas, when we came home, my seedlings looked as if I had never left. They did need a drink, but all are still doing well.

I am now in the process of hardening off my broccoli and onions. The weather is quite cool today in the low 40's.

I checked my lettuce, beets, peas, spinach and radishes today. It appears that the mesclun and white radishes are peeping out of the soil. I am anxious to see more!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Great day for gardening

Today was a beautiful day to be in the garden! The temps were in the 60's with plenty of sunshine making it nice to be out without a jacket.

I pruned back dead and unruly raspberry canes. Bill tried to get me to wear his long sleeves, but being stubborn, I didn't listen. So here I sit with what looks like some sort of allergic reaction to the scratches that are now welts. I have never had that happen before. Anyway, five hours after taking 50 mg of Benadryl, I am still awake at 3 am. I bet I will sleep in in the morning! I will feel a Benadryl hangover....

I planted my snow peas as well a multiple varieties of lettuces, spinach, and radishes. I am using an innoculant this year for the first time. Is that organic?? I hope that it works as well as it is supposed to. I had the onions out to start the hardening off process. I forgot to take the broccoli seedlings out too.

Tomorrow I will be potting up my pepper plants. They are needing more room than the cells that they are in now.

We are having a nice thunderstorm now. My seeds will be well watered in by morning.