So lets talk about progress thus far... a few things i've been working on...
Starting on Flowers this year.
i've started a few things: Delphinium, Larkspur (a type of delphinium i believe), Hollyhock and Columbine. I love the tall stalked flowers for some odd reason. Initially thought that these little guys were annuals, but saw in the Burpee catalog that they are listed as full sun perennials. go figure. Planted them all Jan 7th. I know, i know, way too early probably to plant them, but i couldn't help myself. I kept them inside in some containers i made (which i'll post about later) under a grow lamp but it was still a bit chilly. Read that most of what i planted germinates in the 60 degree range, but we'll see how it goes. After a couple weeks in light i found out that the delphinium required dark to germinate (according to my gardening encyclopedia); who knew?
Couple bulbs got planted
planted some Ranunculus and Daffodil bulbs back in Nov 11th of '09. Planted them under some leaves i was using as mulch and think in hindsight it was a horrible idea. the Ranunculus i put in windowsill pots are taking off now and the ones under the mulch seem very stunted. Notes for next year i suppose! I guess they needed more light?
Vegatable garden started.
made an above ground bed for my vegetables about 4foot by 8foot roughly out of some old wood we picked up somewhere and some metal sheets with holes in them to fasten them together. i have some heavy clay soil here in south texas so i decided that i was going to make a bed with layers. first i put down a layer of leaves and th
en covered it with a couple inches of not quite finished compost i was working on (i know, should have waited, but i was anxious to get this stuff in the ground!). Then i went and bought some vegetable soil (2 bags 2 cu. ft. each) by miracle gro to put over the top of it. sectioned off pieces with wood and put in lettuce (simpson elite from burpee), spinach (bloomsdale long standing from burpee), and Snow peas for my father along the back (Taichung TC11 from Ferry-Morse). I plan on building a trellis later for the peas. Oh, and one more thing: this was probably a horrible idea, but i but sweet pea flowers inbetween the 2 rows of sweet peas... horribly close too. i figured it would be pretty to have the 2 growing together, not to mention fragrant with the sweet pea, but i have a horrible feeling i'm going to have to thin them out later. Read that if they are too cramped that the veggies they bare will be smaller and the whole plant less productive.
had some planter trays come in so i couldnt help planting some more cool season crops... i bought a tray and a pot maker from R.H. Shumway's and they threw in some experimental seeds, which i was quite suprised and happy about. So of course, i had to plant some of them right away! planted some generic "bean" that is a green type and bush of some sort and generic tomato (determinate) that went into some deep seed trays with seed starting mix. Went crazy and planted some broccoli seeds in some jiffy peat pot starter trays too. its way early for the tomato seeds but they were free so i figured i would see what happens with them.
i know, a lot of stuff. i don't have room for it all yet. i have lots and lots of yard but it's not prepared yet. maybe seeing little seedlings sprout up out of my seed trays will get my butt in gear! i have a horrible feeling about overburdening myself too... they say that maintenance is a heck of a task but i hope to stay on top of it.
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