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Recent Entries to this Blog
Summer is here
Posted: 26 May 2008 Posted: 22 Mar 2008 Posted: 08 Mar 2008 Posted: 24 Feb 2008 Posted: 18 Feb 2008 All Entries |
trudy's Blog
Summer is here
Category: May 2008 | Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 7:34 pm We BBQ'd for Memorial Day yesterday because DD an DH would be on the road taking DD back to school. So my oldest DD an her family came over also. It was a nice day for just relaxing an cooking out. The boys played under the sprinkler for a while an of course we had to ride the 4 wheeler an hunt for huckleberries down the dirt road. For supper we had BB Chicken on the grill, cabbage I had frozen from last season (experiment success), carrots (white, orange, an yellow) made a colorful pretty dish sauteed in some olive oil an real butter, throwed a couple leeks in the last couple minutes of cooking. I've laid off margerine due to the info I found here: http://www.stop-trans-fat.com/how-is-margarine-made.html > Along with it my first picking of snap beans an fresh dug new potatoes. Today I have planted Jade Beans after pulling the sugar peas, Turtle Beans an Mayflower Beans. All new to me this year an will be interesting to see how they do an taste. All from trades so there isn't an abundance of them but enough hopefully to at least taste them to see if I want to save enough seeds for next year to plant more. I am also working on a spot at the end of the house to plant some Cream 8 peas. I've been reading an hearing about with the fuel rising in cost that the food is also going to be going up to ridiculous prices. To the point that the average person won't be able to afford food. Its early enough in the growing season that there is plenty of time to still plant a lot of stuff. I dug a lot of my garlic, so pleased with them also. Usually I have a good harvest but the sizes just aren't all that. This time they were nice size heads. I put them in the greenhouse on the wire tables to dry/cure. I still have some yet to dig that aren't quiet ready yet. My strawbale garden is doing pretty good, I'm having to fertilize it weekly cause they really aren't in enough soil to hold nutrients, but they need watering daily for sure. My red plum tree is loaded with plums this year, gonna make some good jelly this year. Also my Santa Rosa Plum tree is loaded for its size. About a year or two ago a friend of mine an I were talking about her apricot tree an how sickly it looked an wouldn't bear fruit, the Lichen had taken it over. She said she hand picked them off an sprayed a fungicide all over it an by the following season it had put on new growth an was loaded with fruit. I got home after our talk an got to looking at the SR an noticed the lichen was on it an was trying to take it over. I got busy picking them off an gave it a fungicide treatment an it wasn't to long I started seeing new growth. Last year it only had 9 plums on it, the year b4 that only 5. This year it is loaded with delicious, juicy, sweet plums. No bug holes or marks on them. I am so pleased I took the time an gave it the extra attention I did as it has well rewarded me for my efforts. I am discussed with the Mayhaw Trees though. At $15 a gallon (may be going up to) I really wanted these trees to do right. That isn't gonna happen as long as there are cedar trees within a mile of them. Cutting them all down isn't an option. So I've decide to cut them down an replant some Hybrids that are suppose to be disease resistant an produce larger fruit than the native trees do. I have just about finished picking strawberries, they are now coming in sporatically now. I have enough to do awhile so I don't mind. Not that it would do me any good, lol. I finally acquired a Tree Dahlia an it is growing good. I had potted it up for awhile til it had some growth on it, I planted in the front flower bed on Saturday. I can't wait for it to get mature an bloom. Well I've bored yawl long enough, just came in to cool off a bit. Gonna go try an work on the bed for the peas awhile. Later, T This blog entry has been viewed 702 times
Getting things ready
Category: March | Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:27 pm I finally got to feeling better about mid morning an thought I'd get out an try to get some things done. You know how you feel like if you could throw up you'd feel better but can't. When I laid down last night it hit me all at once. But I feel better now, just hungry. Yesterday coming back from getting DD from school there was a farmer selling produce from the back of his truck an I bought some rutabagas, tomatoes, an red new potatoes. Got home an got the rutabagas cleaned an cut up with the greens that will be cooked for tonights supper. DH is picking up some chicken an of course I'll fix cornbread. Back to the garden, I raked up all the leaves from the pathways of the garden an added some to the compost pile, got the pile turned an burned 2 large piles of leaves. Never woulda thought there would be that many leaves. Still not done raking, but it does look better. Got the soil turned in 3 beds an part of another. This morning I had gotten all my seedling trays outside so they could harden off an counted 145 tomatoe plants. Still have some to bump up, will need to give some away. No room for all those. I struggled last year to find room for the 114 plants. I still have a lot to do out there b4 planting can be done, but I'll get there slowly but surely. I know tomorrow is out, will be egg hunting with the grandkids. Happy Easter everyone. This blog entry has been viewed 446 times
Seedlings an Ma Nature
Category: March | Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:51 pm Its been very nice weather lately but today is windy an cold. DH had to work an called to say it was snowing an with the wind it wasn't sticking. I had planned to work in the yards but Ma Nature changed that, so it looks like I'll be cleaning the house, laundry an if my energy holds out I may wash the walls which I try to do every year or two. My seedlings are doing well, more popping thru almost daily. I have bumped up the arugula, some tomatoes, flat dutch cabbage, marigolds, love in a puff. I direct sowed 2 packs of Nasturiums an red Sweet Peas the evening before we got so much rain. My seedlings had perked back up by the next day. I also bought another 5 lbs of seed potatoes. I try every year now for the last 3 years with poor results. Not sure what I'm not doing right, but come harvest time the potatoes will be smaller than the seed I planted. I'm changing up where I've been planting them to see if that will make any difference. While at DD's school yesterday I got some cuttings of a White Camillia an a Red Camillia, don't know the names but I don't care they were pretty. Got them home an stuck them, hopefully they will root for me. This blog entry has been viewed 555 times
A busy week end
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:09 pm Well yesterday I wrote a blog but when I submitted it nothing showed up. So to recap that entry I will sum it up some cuz it was a little long. I took a walk around my yard an noticed a few things budding an blooming. Blooming was daffodils, jon quills, daphne shrub, loripedulum, blueberry bushes, some crocus, Lenton Roses an a very few on 1 of the 2 Mayhaw trees. Noticing the buds trying to break on the Mayhaw trees I went ahead an sprayed a fungicide for Cedar Rust. That has been such a problem for me since I planted them over 10 yrs ago. I keep hoping I start my spraying in time. I have threatened to cut them down every year. For just a handful of berries for all the work I put into them is frustrating. I checked on my seeds I had sown an some more have sprouted, wha whoooo. I sowed a few more mator seeds an repotted a Lemon Tree, A Palm tree an a few other things I can't remember. Today: After DH an DD left to go back to school I got busy outside. I planted 5 of the six Camillias I had rooted last year. I kept them in pots due to the bad drought we had last summer. Also planted a blueberry bush an American Snowbell tree I had bought last year an held off on planting due to drought. I am hoping they will have enough time to get established before our summer heat. I think they will be ok. I still have other things to plant but will have to wait til another serge of energy hits me. I also cleaned up the chicken pens (5 total), hope they are happy now. They were'nt that bad, but needed done anyway. As much as I like to be as organic as I can be, I do use round up occasionally around the borders of my flower beds. So I got that done as well. It keeps DH away from my plants with the weed eater. This blog entry has been viewed 579 times
I stopped procrastinating
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:38 am What a beautiful day it was today. Sun was shining this morning, then stayed cloudy an a slight breeze the rest of the afternoon. I finally got one of my wooden raised beds torn apart due to it rotting away. My FIL had given me a good many cider blocks so I lined them up around the wooden bed, then ripped it apart. I couldn't believe I had the perfect amount of soil. The new block bed is 10 blocks long by 5 blocks wide. I planted the herbs that were in that bed into the holes of the cider blocks. I had thyme, parsley, chives, lemon balm, curry an some leeks. I hope they will survive in them holes, if not I'll just have to move them. I still need to add some amendments to that soil, it has so much sand in it that it seems to repel water. Then I tore out the frame I had going around the Hamlin Orange tree that had rotten badly an put the red bricks around it an the Prosperity rose. Those came from my FIL as well. I went 3 levels high on the tree just to get them organized an not scattered all over the yard. I will change that later on. I still have one more wooden bed I want to tear down, but I would kinda like to keep that as a raised bed. The grass hasn't taken it over so I know its still usable an not a lot of work like the others were. Then I decided while I still had some energy left to rip out the Cross Vine I had growing on a post with latice. It had gotten so the runners were wanting to go every direction under the grass, so they couldn't be seen easily. I had debated on that one for a few years now, an just couldn't make up my mind. We got a really good rain tonight, the storms that were coming from Texas an Louisana. Lost power for about 3 hrs, still raining. But I haven't heard of any tornadoes touching down yet. This blog entry has been viewed 532 times
2008 Seeds Sown
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:23 pm Back on the 11th (Feb.) I sowed some seeds, then today the mood hit me again to sow some more in the greenhouse. All so far are either from gardeners sharing there bounty, so thanks in advance to those I've traded with. Or some I had bought here an there an collected/saved myself an participated in round robins. Heres what I've sown so far: Purple Millet Grass Short Mixed Marigolds Pacific Giants Delphinium Hungarian Paprika Peppers Black Pearl Hot Peppers Sweet Banana Peppers Roman Chamomile Feverfew Heal All Toothache Plant Super Beefsteak Tomato-sown 2/11 Beefmaster, hybrid-sown 2/11 Dr. Carolyn Cherry-sown 2/11 Green Giant=sown 2/11 Mortgage Lifter-sown 2/11 Red Brandywine-sown 2/11 Rosa Bianca Eggplant-sown 2/11 Thai Green Eggplant-sown 2/11 (frost may have gotten these b4 matured) Romanesco Broccoli-sown 2/11 Chinese Chives (onion) Tai Jio Garlic Chives American Flag Leeks Flat Dutch Cabbage-germinated by the 17th, sown 2/11 Arugula-germinated by the 17th, sown 2/11 When I got to the greenhouse mid morning it was 80*, I cut the heat back so I could stand to be in there for a bit, plus didn't need it on today. I had to spray for ants to so I'm blogging while the smell gets gone. An to eat lunch. Fixin to get back to seeding, will update what else I get sown in a bit. Besides I'd like to keep my list all in one blog if possible. Its way to nice outside to be inside doing anything. ADDED ENTRY: Although all these seeds sounds like a lot they really aren't. I'm only seeding out what I think I can plant in my gardens, then if I have some things left over I will give away to neighbors, friends an such. I just can't see buying seedlings when I can seed out what I want with more choices cheaper, Well cheaper is debatable, lol. Added: Neem Tree-may not grow here Spaghetti Squash Zucchetta Rampicante Tromboncino Bennings Green Tint Squash Early White Bush Scallop Blue Hibbard Early Prolific Straightneck Goldentender Yellow Squash Borage 6 colors of columbines ??Frit. Lanceocata (don't know this one) Mixed Foxgloves Yellow Tansy Nigra Hollyhocks Love in a Puff Yamoto Cucumbers (Questionable seed viability) Painted Lady Beans Chartentais Melon Exotic Melon Mix: Super Dew Hybrid, Chartenais, Early Silverline, Spanish Moon Giant Belguim tomato Black Krim Black Pear Hendersons Pink Abe Lincoln Wayahead Striped Cavern Novococoshary Campbells 1327 Big Rainbow Watermelon Beefsteak Porterhouse Hybrid Giant Delicious Narajilla Garden Berry Well thats it for now, still have a few more mators I want to grow again this season. Just have to find them. Last edited: Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:22 pm This blog entry has been viewed 714 times
Score!!!!!
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 11:35 pm Today we had a little family get together at my FIL's for lunch. It was the first yr anniversary of my MIL's passing. Everyone else had gone to church, DH, DD an myself arrived about 30 min. b4 everyone else got home so while we were waiting we got to looking around the back yard an noticed back behind the shed a good many cider blocks, an couldn't imagine what he would be doing with them an they looked like they had been there for some time. Also noticed how much pinestraw was on the roof, along with some limbs. So DH decided to help his dad out an rake off the straw. B4 he finished everyone else arrived, we ate lunch an I got the chance to ask him about the blocks. DH's parents has owned a mom an pops grocery store for 40 yrs at least. Anyway he told me they didn't belong to him, but I could have them if I wanted them. According to him theives would use them to try an bust the plexiglass at the store an he'd haul them off the store property. So after lunch we all pitched in an finished cleaning up the mess the pinestraw made an loaded I think it was 15 blocks an no telling how many red bricks. Over the weekend he was backing out of his driveway an hit a very large terra cotta planter an busted it up. His youngest son cleaned all that up an gave me 2 5 gal. bucket fulls of potting mix that was in the planters, an nice flower pot. My MIL was the flower lover of the two so my FIL had no use for any of this stuff. Then on the way home I stopped off at a Walmart an in the garden section they had Stargazer lillys for less than $5 an of course I had to get at least one. So I got home an unloaded everything an now I'm pooped! Just gonna piddle around online awhile. This blog entry has been viewed 574 times
On the Lane
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:56 am We got a really good rain yesterday, couldn't work in it which makes for a long day. So I left work a couple hours early an of course it finally did stop. Gave me the chance to get those 80 onion bulbs in the ground. This time I planted them in the flower beds, I have limited veggie garden space an really wanted to use that space for other veggies come spring. I think I'm caught up for now on my planting, except for that bucket full of Jon Quills to go. I know they are very late getting in the ground, but they should bloom next year anyway. On the way home though I did notice a Japanese Magnolia almost in full bloom in a ladies front yard. Not sure if thats good or not. Spring very well could be early this year, or are we having another year of false springs? Its almost time for me to get my seeds to germinating, have plans to do that this week end. Will see! This blog entry has been viewed 519 times
Welcome to my Blog: My Day today
Category: February Gardening | Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:06 pm Well I did get some things on my list done today. The red onion seedlings, shallots, asparagus (went with the in ground method this time) all planted. Cut back some of the roses, esp. the one at the front porch. And one bed of lantana, an my grape vines, hibiscus an some of the lavender obiedient plant stems that had gotten bit an cut the suckers off the 2 magnolia trees I had cut down last year, they were in a really bad spot. I am noticing a lot less tree roots where I have some raised beds at by cutting them down. Got 6 trays filled with some potting soil, now to go thru some seeds an decide what to start seeding out. Added compost to the existing asparagus container beds that didn't get it in the fall. One thing I did notice when I was loosing the soil where the red onion sets were being planted was how rich the soil is looking. Back in the fall I had planted brocolli an cauliflower there an had added composted manure an it has finally paid off, I hope. So far its not looking so sandy, but nice rich soil. I hauled the cuttings to the woods an burned the other pile while looking around for a place to experiment with the Strawbale Garden method. I think I'll put it either on the side of the house an use a somewhat level area near the garden to grow some corn. I don't ever have much luck with corn, but I keep trying. Thank goodness I have a BIL that farms in case I fail at it once again I can get some from him. Will try an get the red onion bulb babies planted tomorrow if I'm not to tired after work. Now to call it a day! This blog entry has been viewed 409 times
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