Well, we planted our vegetables for the spring and I hope they all grow. We planted 4 types of tomatoes, beets, onions, raddishes, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, butter lettuce, leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli, green beans, peas, cucumber and strawberries. They've been in the ground for about 3 weeks now. Tomatoes and strawberries were plants, and the rest seeds. So far, everything seems to be sprouting, except one of the lettuce.
The weather has cooled off a bit again, with temps in the 50's. This should be good for the cooler weather plants like the broccoli and lettuce. Will post pictures when the plants get a little bigger.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Almost a year since the last post!
Well, It's been a busy year! I started working outside the home in March, and got wrapped up in planning my daughter's wedding which took place in November. Now that the holidays are over, it's time to turn my attention back to gardening.
Not much got done this past year, however, we did finish the 8 raised vegetable beds last spring, just before the rainy season hit. The trenches we dug for the watering system stayed full of water for weeks if not months. We didn't get them filled with compost until early November. I received 10 free tree saplings when I joined the Arborday Foundation, and so far that's all I have planted in one of the beds. Hopefully I will be able to transplant them after they establish a larger root system.
I also got tired of battling the bagworms on my junipers in the front landscape beds...so I cut them down last summer, along with almost everything else in front. The only things I left were a crepe myrtle and my bridal wreath shrub. The Japanese Maple died from last year's snow (and perhaps not enough watering the summer before), so I replaced it with a Ginko tree. In the landscape beds along the foundation, I transplanted some Burford Hollies from the back yard, added a couple of palm trees, some Asparagus Fern, Black and Blue Salvia and a couple of Hummingbird Bushes. I can't wait to see how they bloom next year. There are still some bare spots to be filled in this spring.
I'm busy planning what to plant next, and where. I do want to plant fruit trees, and actually, they can be planted now. This is the time of year that the fruit trees are balled and burlapped (when they're dormant). However, container grown trees can be planted any time. I'm not sure I will get to them this year. I think more urgently are the vegetable beds.
Winter here in Texas is the time to amend our soils. It's important to add organic matter to your vegetable beds and flower beds. When looking for inexpensive materials...cheap or free is preferable for me, if possible. Many tree trimming companies have to pay to dump their loads and will sometimes be glad to bring them to you for free. Also, all the leaves that fell off the trees...they can be used to mulch the beds. Leaves shouldn't be left on the the grass, but they're great in the vegetable or flower bed. If you don't have enough in your yard, whatch when your neighbors are bagging theirs up (or their landscape maintanence companies are). Pine needle straw is good too, and if you know anyone with pine trees, they will have lots.
Bluebonnets are starting to come up now. Watch for seedlings sprouting that should be transplanted, like the ones coming up in the crack of the brick walkway.
Another thing I learned recently, is an organic, non poisonous way to deal with grubs and fire ants. If the soil temperature is about 55 degrees and moist, add beneficial nematodes to the soil at night. They live underground and feed off the larval type insects that are underground. I understand they are inexpensive and non harmful to animals. I haven't tried them yet, but plan to. I understand that if they are applied in the fall or early winter and again in Spring, there should be a good year round supply of them. When their food supply is gone....they'll leave (or die...not sure which!) You should be able to find them at any organic garden supply, or feed stores. They come refrigerated and are microscopic. They like cool, moist soil.
Not much got done this past year, however, we did finish the 8 raised vegetable beds last spring, just before the rainy season hit. The trenches we dug for the watering system stayed full of water for weeks if not months. We didn't get them filled with compost until early November. I received 10 free tree saplings when I joined the Arborday Foundation, and so far that's all I have planted in one of the beds. Hopefully I will be able to transplant them after they establish a larger root system.
I also got tired of battling the bagworms on my junipers in the front landscape beds...so I cut them down last summer, along with almost everything else in front. The only things I left were a crepe myrtle and my bridal wreath shrub. The Japanese Maple died from last year's snow (and perhaps not enough watering the summer before), so I replaced it with a Ginko tree. In the landscape beds along the foundation, I transplanted some Burford Hollies from the back yard, added a couple of palm trees, some Asparagus Fern, Black and Blue Salvia and a couple of Hummingbird Bushes. I can't wait to see how they bloom next year. There are still some bare spots to be filled in this spring.
I'm busy planning what to plant next, and where. I do want to plant fruit trees, and actually, they can be planted now. This is the time of year that the fruit trees are balled and burlapped (when they're dormant). However, container grown trees can be planted any time. I'm not sure I will get to them this year. I think more urgently are the vegetable beds.
Winter here in Texas is the time to amend our soils. It's important to add organic matter to your vegetable beds and flower beds. When looking for inexpensive materials...cheap or free is preferable for me, if possible. Many tree trimming companies have to pay to dump their loads and will sometimes be glad to bring them to you for free. Also, all the leaves that fell off the trees...they can be used to mulch the beds. Leaves shouldn't be left on the the grass, but they're great in the vegetable or flower bed. If you don't have enough in your yard, whatch when your neighbors are bagging theirs up (or their landscape maintanence companies are). Pine needle straw is good too, and if you know anyone with pine trees, they will have lots.
Bluebonnets are starting to come up now. Watch for seedlings sprouting that should be transplanted, like the ones coming up in the crack of the brick walkway.
Another thing I learned recently, is an organic, non poisonous way to deal with grubs and fire ants. If the soil temperature is about 55 degrees and moist, add beneficial nematodes to the soil at night. They live underground and feed off the larval type insects that are underground. I understand they are inexpensive and non harmful to animals. I haven't tried them yet, but plan to. I understand that if they are applied in the fall or early winter and again in Spring, there should be a good year round supply of them. When their food supply is gone....they'll leave (or die...not sure which!) You should be able to find them at any organic garden supply, or feed stores. They come refrigerated and are microscopic. They like cool, moist soil.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
First Robins of Spring
I know it's still officially winter, but for the last three days, just around noon, my yard is bustling full of robins. I've never seen so many all together. They better not be pulling out all the worms from my soil!
After a colder than usual winter (so much for global warming), I'm looking forward to watching things start to bloom. The bluebonnets and Easter lilies are starting to grow (along with the weeds), last years deadwooding is almost complete, roses and trees starting to bud. Oops! I still have 4 bags of spring bulbs to plant:( I hope there's still time to plant them for a spring show.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
I'm a fool for any kind of bloom! I got my love of flowers and growing things from my mom and dad. They grew up in a large city but moved to a 1/4 acre lot in the suburbs right after I was born.
Mom had tulips, daffodils, lily of the valley, lilacs, pussy willows, and roses. Dad had his vegetable garden in the southeast corner of the yard...which we had to weed...and the strawberry patch in the Northeast corner. Between the two gardens was a small pool, our life size dollhouse that Dad made, and the gate that led out to the creek where he kept his compost pile and asparagas patch. Through the middle of the yard we had two apple trees (Jonathan and Golden Delicious) and a crabapple. Mom would make applesauce with our apples every fall to eat with potato pancakes. For me, autumn officially arrives when it is cold enough to enjoy the greasy potato pancakes and applesauce.
Even today, I still have dreams of harvesting fruits and vegetables from that garden. It usually involves clearing a forest of weeds to find that the vegetables have grown to an enormous size over the last 30 or 40 years. Well, Dad is long since passed on, and Mom and my next Dad moved to a much warmer climate where they continue to have a showcase yard. They have instilled a fascination with growing things, and still inspire me today.
While my yard is far from showcase material, I enjoy everything I can watch grow and bloom, and all the critters that go with the territory. I've been blessed with many gardening friends, and a few complete strangers, who have shared plants, cuttings and seeds. Gardeners are the sharingist people I know. For the past 15 years, I have been planting a cottage garden in my back yard on a $0 budget. Beyond the cottage garden is where I (with the help of my hubby) am in the process of putting in raised vegetable beds and have plans for a mini orchard. Eventually, I would like to get rid of all the grass all the way around the house so that my wonderful husband won't have to spend hours and hours each week cutting and trimming. If I plan correctly (and plant enough stuff) we would only have to do major work about 4 times a year or less:)
So, welcome along on the journey to my little Garden of Eden. I hope you enjoy the ride!
Mom had tulips, daffodils, lily of the valley, lilacs, pussy willows, and roses. Dad had his vegetable garden in the southeast corner of the yard...which we had to weed...and the strawberry patch in the Northeast corner. Between the two gardens was a small pool, our life size dollhouse that Dad made, and the gate that led out to the creek where he kept his compost pile and asparagas patch. Through the middle of the yard we had two apple trees (Jonathan and Golden Delicious) and a crabapple. Mom would make applesauce with our apples every fall to eat with potato pancakes. For me, autumn officially arrives when it is cold enough to enjoy the greasy potato pancakes and applesauce.
Even today, I still have dreams of harvesting fruits and vegetables from that garden. It usually involves clearing a forest of weeds to find that the vegetables have grown to an enormous size over the last 30 or 40 years. Well, Dad is long since passed on, and Mom and my next Dad moved to a much warmer climate where they continue to have a showcase yard. They have instilled a fascination with growing things, and still inspire me today.
While my yard is far from showcase material, I enjoy everything I can watch grow and bloom, and all the critters that go with the territory. I've been blessed with many gardening friends, and a few complete strangers, who have shared plants, cuttings and seeds. Gardeners are the sharingist people I know. For the past 15 years, I have been planting a cottage garden in my back yard on a $0 budget. Beyond the cottage garden is where I (with the help of my hubby) am in the process of putting in raised vegetable beds and have plans for a mini orchard. Eventually, I would like to get rid of all the grass all the way around the house so that my wonderful husband won't have to spend hours and hours each week cutting and trimming. If I plan correctly (and plant enough stuff) we would only have to do major work about 4 times a year or less:)
So, welcome along on the journey to my little Garden of Eden. I hope you enjoy the ride!
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