Spring Activities... (pic heavy :) )

This is the first sunday i've actually been able to get out and actually do something in the yard. out there for about 3 hours and i still have to rake up some leaves for the compost pile.

Planted Balsam

leftover balsam

Planted much of the flat i had of the Balsam. I didn't look before i transplanted them and they actually require evening shade, which this bed does NOT get... woops. they say they're a heat resistant variety so maybe they'll still be ok. I'm aware of how pitiful the rose bushes look. the one in the container is my first propagation ever from a cutting and it seems to be just fine. the ones in the ground to the sides are aromatherapy roses that are just hating life and the one in the center of them is the moondance that is such a little trooper. And why are the sticks in the ground you ask? Dog deterrants. they just love to lay in that bed. i think they like the cushy leaves i use for mulch :(

Verbascum roots

Verbascum in SIP planter

 This is the Verbascum that got planted in the SIP container. The roots are growing out of control. I figured it was about time to put that baby in the ground. I thought there was a rock or something in the container when i finally realized that no, it was root. How crazy is that big fatty root system?

 I was very pleased to see it was finally putting out some sort of flower stalk. There's two that got planted too close in this one so he's sideways atm, but i'm sure he'll straighten up as he gets a little bigger.

New home for the Verbascum 

Verbascum shoot

 Put them in the ground. The double planting on the right and his retarded cousin on the left...

crocus blooming!

magnolia soulangiana first blooms!

 I was so scared that my little japanese magnolia was a goner but it's back! The crocus and ranaculus i planted around it are coming up as well.

Lavatera seed

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 and this has to be the weirdest seed i've seen yet. they look like tiny little notched snail shells.

Spring(ish) tomato planting

Had a horrible time of growing tomatoes in the off autumn season so i'm hoping spring will be much more promising. I planted only one store bought transplant, a Parks Whopper. Had some small tomato seedlings growing in the compost (pretty sure thats what they are), so i transplanted one of those too. i'll see how it does. I planted borage around the tomatoes b/c i read that borage:

 "Deters tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. One of the best bee and wasp attracting plants. Plant near tomatoes to improve growth and disease resistance. After you have planned this annual once it will self seed. Borage flowers are edible.Borage deters tomato worm, improves growth and flavor."

so it got planted around both plants. Don't know if it will make much of a difference.


also read from Kathy Huber's blog at the chronicle that: 

"Fruit sets when night temperatures are 50-70 degrees and days are 60-85. Fertilize when you see the first tiny tomatoes. Continue applications every week or two through the growing season.To discourage tomato-pecking birds, hang shiny red Christmas balls on the plants. A bird bath may distract the thirsty fliers."

which is good to know b/c the last time i planted them in the spring i think i tried it WAY too late and it got too hot for the blossoms to produce fruit instead of falling off :(  and i just thought that the red christmas bulbs was a super funny idea.

I don't have enough good quality soil to plant what i want (nor do i have the time), so i think everything veggie is going to be very limited this year and i'm just going to focus on flowering seed this season mostly. I'll be piling up on grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps as much as i can so i can do things right and have no excuses. i don't want to plant in horrible soil and then feel so jaded when things dont grow as i want them to. Soil is the major foundation to grow anything worth much of anything so preparation is key.

Seedling pics

Random ladybug i saw on my hibiscus leaf. Had to get a picture. :)











The balsam seedlings have grown a little "leggy" probably from growing too long indoors under light that was too weak. arg.

Coleus sprouting

Balsam seedlings

I have a lot of random growings happening in my compost. i know a lot of them are tomato seedlings too. I think i'm gonna let some of them grow just out of sheer curiosity of discovering what in the heck they are.

Got a lot of seeds in from Park. I want to start planting them all and the temperature is right to do it but i just don't have everything set up to start planting right now. Its such a bummer that school and work consume so much of my time...

update snippits

The Balsam seeds i planted have already sprouted and are getting their first sets of true leaves. had them in a jiffy greenhouse and i dont think they were getting as much light as they needed b/c some of them have grown a bit lanky (tall and thin). The coleus are just now starting to sprout too but are only in the beginning stages. put them outside since the weather is warmer now. They have plenty of light now. i should be starting many other seeds right now but i just haven't had the time with school and work...

The crocus bulbs i planted a while back are starting to poke their pointy little leaves out of the surface too which was a pleasant surprise. Only 4 of the ranunculus have made a repeat appearance this year and have a bunch of little leaves sprawling out everywhere.

All the cold weather we had froze the firespike, cannas, angel trumpet and datura metel pretty good not to mention my ponytail palm. Hopefully they make a comeback. The hibiscus i brought inside and they seem to still be doing well. Snowpeas were completely devastated. you would think with a name like that they could stand the cold but no. The carnations from long ago are still hanging in there, i'm extremely surprised since they've been so ill treated.