Notes for December 29, 2008

Well Christmas has come and gone for another year. This year it doesn't seem to be as special as in years past. My kids are in their teens but I don't think that had too much to do with the way I am feeling.

I did get some things for Christmas that will be used for the garden (sort of). I got a new gas powered trimmer (the old one was one given to me by a neighbor and it leaked fuel always).

I got a new squirrel resistant bird feeder. The old bird feeder was probably 15 years old. However, in recent years, the falling tree limbs had knocked it to the ground probably once too many times and was getting bent up. Each time I had to bend it back to work. The bottom of the old bird feeder also had bite marks on it from the border collie we had. He couldn't round up the birds that would land on the feeder and it drove him crazy (his mother was similar) and he would jump up at the bird feeder and he would scrape his teeth on the bottom (at least until I raised the feeder).

I got a electric grow mat (heated mat) for seed starting. The pepper plants will now germinate earlier.

I also got a book on shade perennials. Looking through it last night I found several new plants I want to try.

It was such a warm weekend and if it weren't between Christmas and New Years, I probably would have worked in the yard. There are still dead tomato and pepper plant stalks to clear from the veggie garden and the leaves are starting to pile up against the fences around the yard.

I have been getting at least a couple of seed catalogs every week and will start looking through them soon. There is always room for another perennial but I think I may have enough Day Lillies and Iris that I may be able to be a bit more selective. I really would like to have a red Iris and an Orange Iris. In other words, last year I was going for quantity, this year I think I can go more for quality/selection. There are also several Iris and Daylilly beds I HAVE to thin this year. I am sure I can find some people at church who would be willing to take some plants.

We have been seeing the bluebirds in our yard off and on for the last month and they are always a beautiful sight.

Notes for December 19, 2008

Not much going on in the garden although the next warm day I would like to finish cleaning up the veggie patch. The tomato and pepper plant stalks are still tied to their stakes.

I have been getting a bunch of seed catalogs already. I usually start to look at them during the holidays when I'm not playing with any of my Christmas toys

Notes for December 5, 2008

I still need to clean up the dead tomato and pepper plant stalks (they are still tied to the stakes). I need to pull out the dead annuals (marigolds and cosmos) and trim the other perennials. I need to move the flower pots of browned mums off of the front porch. I finished clearing my leaves for the moment (until the wind blows more over the fences or from across the street). I still haven't drained my garden hoses and we have had some freezing weather, so I may end up buying new hoses next spring. I would like to get some grass seed now and if I got a chance I would throw some in the bare spots. There is this one area that I would like to dig up and then plant grass to see if that will work in that area.

I picked the last of my radishes two weeks ago and I picked my carrots on Thanksgiving morning for the snack tray later that day and they were good. I had two different types of carrots (one was a short variety and the other was a normal or long variety, and the long variety seemed to do better. I am definitely going to try to plant them earlier next year. I will probably again wait to pick them on Thanksgiving morning and probably make that my tradition. The idea of fresh garden veggies on Thanksgiving is so awesome. I also noticed that where I thinned more heavily, the carrots did better. I have nothing else growing now. I've already started to get seed catalogs and glanced through one while in the reading room. I was thinking of trying celery next year until I checked up on celery and it takes alot of care and takes very long, so I think that's out. I do like to try to grow something new every year. I usually take an inventory of my seeds in early January.

I am busy filling my birdfeeders every two weeks (sunflower in one and thistle in the other). The weather has gotten cool enough to put out some suet feeder blocks and I have noticed the Red Belly woodpecker has returned but still waiting on the Downy (actually I have heard the Red Belly all summer so he wasn't very far). The squirrels are busy planting acorns throughout my yard and I did get some squirrel mix to put in their glass jar feeder. The Bluebirds have returned this past week. Haven't seen them since late Spring. They like the berries on the Dogwood and the hedge as well as the suet feeders. I am thinking of getting a wiremesh screen silo feeder for the woodpeckers to put in whole corn and or peanuts. Had a wooden one with plexiglass that the the squirrels chewed up pretty good to get at the corn.

Notes for November 24, 2008

This past weekend was fairly productive. I got all the leaves done. I worked 3 hours on Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday and finished what I needed to get done. During the winter there will be a couple of times where I will blow and mulch the leaves that get blown in and piled by the wind.

I finally installed the storm door windows and put the screens in storage.

On Saturday I also picked the last of the radishes. On Thanksgiving morning I plan on picking my carrots for baby carrots. Next year I will definitely plant them earlier and maybe they won't be babies.

I've started getting seed catalogs already.

Now that I have finished with the leaves, I can get back to my garden and remove the dead tomato and pepper plants and sunflower stumps.

Notes for November 18, 2008

I never did get to the leaves on Sunday. I forgot to mention that when I woke up on Sunday, it was hard to keep my eyes open let alone try to get vertical. I felt as if my body was saying get some rest. Well, when I got home from church, my neighbor had already mulched his leaves and he had a new coating of leaves courtesy of the high winds. so I stayed inside and did other things. Sunday night as I lay on the couch watching football (the wife wasn't home), I felt my body shut down. I took about a half hour nap around 8PM and I woke up with a sore throat. I felt better Monday but still run down. I am hoping to get to the leaves this weekend.

Notes for November 16, 2008

I am hoping to get to the leaves today but we will have to see what the winds are doing when I get home from church.

I emptied 1.2 inches from the rain gauge this morning and then put the rain gauge away until spring. This morning its in the upper 30s and it supposed try to get into the 50s this afternoon and then drop into the 40s. It was nice not having to run the heater.

I noticed another flower blooming. In the flower pot by the front door an Ageratum was blooming alongside the geranium.

Notes for November 15, 2008

Its raining today, so the leaves will wait until tomorrow and then I have to battle the wind. I emptied 1.0 inches from the rain gauge yesterday and the carrots and radishes still look fine. Saw on the news last night that of the 14 days of November, 9 have been in the 60's. Today will be too. Tomorrow, Canada is supposed to give us a hint of winter and even forecasting rain/snow showers for one day this coming week. I noticed when I got home from work yesterday that I have chrysanthemums and daisies in bloom along the side of the house and a pink geranium in bloom in the flower pot by the front step next to the pumpkins. The wife carved a pumpkin three weeks ago and I put it in the compost pile yesterday. It was severely deflated and needed a shave and a haircut.

Notes for November 9, 2008

I can't believe the amount of leaves that fell this week. I worked in the yard for 3 hours today and only finished 2/3rds of the front yard!

I emptied 0.35 inches from the rain gauge today and I picked about a dozen radishes.

Notes for November 8, 2008

Haven't seen the sun for several day and it has rained off an on. It's raining again today. Yesterday I emptied 0.75 inches from the rain gauge. Its supposed to be sunny tomorrow and of course I will be mulching leaves after church.

Notes for November 3, 2008

Saturday I mulched and bagged all the leaves in my yard and this week it only took me two hours (last week it was three). There weren't as many leaves as there was last week and I even debated doing them but I did them anyway. Afterwards I picked a half dozen or so radishes and then watered the remaining radishes and the carrots. I had thought of cleaning up the rest of the garden (pulling out the stakes and throwing the plants in the compost and maybe even tilling) but I decided there was a higher priority of inside housework to do. The temperatures are forecasted to be in the 60's all week and so the leaves will be slow to fall.

Notes for October 30, 2008

Hey look at that it rained again! Wednesday morning I emptied 1.3" from the rain gauge. Pretty soon I am going to have to put the rain gauge away or its in trouble of freezing if I don't empty it in time.

Tuesday while at work it snowed! Of course where I was it didn't accumulate except for slush on the parked cars of the parking lot. But on my drive home (heading south) about halfway home I noticed a dusting in the grassy areas. Then when I got home I couldn't believe how much the northern suburbs of Philadelphia got.

Notes for October 26, 2008

Hey we finally got some rain too! I emptied about an inch from the rain gauge. I should probably put the rain gauge away soon. Last Monday morning it was 28 degrees and Friday morning it was 26 degrees. It was Friday morning that burnt my tomatoes and peppers. Today I picked the last bunch of tomatoes and a few small peppers. All of the tomatoes were green or starting to turn orange. In any case the tomatoes will sit on the windowsill to ripen.

Yesterday the wind blew pretty good and I had a few branches to clean up in the yard. It only sprinkled or showered all day and it wasn't until the evening that we finally got some heavier stuff. Which was exceptionally nice since there were forest fires not too far away and the fire fighters needed the rain. Friday morning the fog get the smoke next to the ground and it was kind of spooky.

Today I finally was able to mulch the leaves in my yard and start piling up the mulched leaves in my compost pile for next years mulch. I use a leaf blower to get the leaves out of the driveway and into the grass and then mow them over with my mulching mower with the bag on. It took me about three hours to finish. The leaves were a little heavier since yesterday's rain. There was also some grass clippings in with the leaves which was a bonus. The next mulching I will lower the deck of the mower to its lowest setting (now that the crabgrass has been frosted).

I also picked a handful of radishes.

Notes for October 19, 2008

I'm still picking and yesterday I picked tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and a few small peppers. I will probably be picking radishes next week. My radishes and carrots are looking nicely and I did water them too.

I had every intention of mulching the leaves that have fallen either today or yesterday but I cut my thumb pretty good yesterday so that's out of the question until next week.

The weather has gotten seasonal again and we turned the heat back on yesterday.

Notes for October 15, 2008

Its now officially mid October and I'm still picking. Last night I picked tomatoes (cherry and regular) and a couple of peppers. Then I watered my radishes (which are starting to form) and my carrots (which are getting bushier).

What kind of made my day yesterday was when as I entered my veggie garden, I waited for the monarch butterfly to finish as he was on the cosmos drooping over the gate into my garden.

Notes for October 13, 2008

Yes its hard to believe that we had the heater on for two days last week. We had two days where the temperature when I got up was 36 F. Since then we haven't used the heater. Its been in the 70s during the day and only 50s at night. I think its supposed to nearer to seasonal temperatures by the weekend.

Notes for October 11, 2008

Yes its October and I am still picking. Today I picked tomatoes and a pepper and then watered the tomatoes, peppers, radishes and carrots.

I didn't cut the grass or mulch leaves. This morning I had to go to my mothers place and do some work for her, so pushing a mower will have to wait until next week.

I still have flowers in bloom, but its any of my perennials. I have marigolds all over the place (kind of nice that I started them from seed and planted them all over) and my cosmos are in bloom (red, pink and white). Did I mention that they are 7 feet tall. I swear to you that I did nothing to them but water them every few days as I did my veggies. The stems are an inch thick at the bottom.

Notes for October 8, 2008

This morning and yesterday the temperature started at 36 degrees F but I'm still picking veggies. I picked tomatoes and peppers yesterday and then I watered the carrots and radishes.

Last night we did turn the heat on for the first time this season (it was chilly when I got out of the shower).

Notes for October 6,2008

Saturday afternoon I was able to work in the yard. I first used the leaf blower and cleared the leaves out of the driveway into the grass and then cut the grass throughout the yard (mulching the leaves along with it). There weren't that many leaves yet, not enough to bag really for mulch. I had a scare with the lawn mower. I ran over something (a stick I think) that bent the inner mulching housing. I was able to fix it by using a hammer and bending the housing back away from the blade which was hitting it. I had to do this one more time after I bumped into a stump. So I kept the hammer close by for the rest of the day.

I picked tomatoes and cherry tomatoes and peppers. I pulled the Lima beans and the string beans. The Lima Beans weren't really worth it (what I picked wasn't enough for a serving). So I may have learned that I need to plant them earlier. I then thinned the radishes and carrots and weeded the carrots as well. Then I watered the carrots and radishes.

Notes for September 29, 2008

We had a damp weekend and so, not much was done outside except to empty the rain gauge. Sunday afternoon I emptied 0.5 " and this morning I emptied 0.8" from the rain gauge. We had light showers on and off all weekend but it was more like a heavy mist. Sunday morning we woke up to showers and Sunday evening around dinner time we had some heavy showers. All in all, I was happy with the rain we got. Its been too infrequent the last two months.

Notes for September 26, 2008

Its been a few weeks but we got some rain last night and today. I emptied 0.6" from the rain gauge this afternoon.

I noticed that most if not all of the radish I planted last weekend has sprouted.

I heard an owl the other morning (while I was getting ready for work). I seem to remember hearing them every fall.

Notes for September 24, 2008

Last night I picked tomatoes and cherry tomatoes and peppers.

I then watered my Lima Beans, Green Beans, radishes and carrots.

The radishes I planted on Saturday have not germinated yet.

Did I mention that some of my cosmos are nearly 7 feet tall?

The sunflowers in my garden are starting to get eaten, there are sunflower shells all over my veggie garden.

Notes for September 21, 2008

I forgot to mention in yesterday's entry that after I cleaned off the back patio, I used the mower to grind up the leaves that I swept up off the patio. No big deal? It became a bigger deal (just to run the mower for one minute) when the pull cord came off the mower in my hand. Luckily it started on that pull. I finished mulching the leaves and then repaired the pull cord (the knot at the end broke).

Notes for September 20, 2008

Look at that... I got done today more than I thought I would. I picked tomatoes, planted more radishes (to replace what didn't sprout; seeds were marked for 2004), did some weeding, cleaned off the back patio to get it ready for fall and then I removed to stumps. Granted the stumps were 8 years old and the last few years I had been breaking up whats above ground. These two stumps, I just dug around them and hammered them with a sledge hammer and they eventually broke up. Now I have two less obstacles for when I cut the grass. Yippee!

Notes for September 19, 2008

Tuesday evening I picked tomatoes and peppers and the last of the cucumbers. Then I watered the lima beans, green beans, radishes (which have sprouted) and the carrots.

On Thursday I watered everything in the veggie garden and realized why about 2/3rds of the radishes sprouted. One-third was one particular packet of seeds.

Tonight I cut the grass, thinned the radishes and pulled the cucumbers and their support fences. Tomorrow I plan on planting some more radishes, picking veggies, pull some weeds in the front flower beds and put the picnic table up against the house. And when I water the radish seeds, I will probably re-water the beans and carrots.

Notes for September 15, 2008

Silly me, I forgot to mention that it rained on Friday and I emptied 0.4" from the rain gauge on Saturday. It is one of the reasons I started this blog to keep track of rainfall during the growing season so I know how much and when I need to water my gardens. It looks like we're going into another dry period which is strange with the temperatures dropping to near seasonal today/tonight and no precipitation.

Notes for September 14, 2008

I finally got outside on Saturday. It was hot and humid like it was August. Today we are close to breaking high temp records. Anyway yesterday I picked tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers and pulled out the wax beans and then planted two rows of radishes. I also thinned the carrots.

Notes for September 10, 2008

When I got home from work I emptied 0.25" from the rain gauge.

I never did get into the garden the other night. Our home computer is giving us problems.

Notes for September 8, 2008

The opportunity presented it self and so I cut the grass (or lowered the crab grass) yesterday in the late afternoon. As I was pushing the mower I noticed some more storm damage to the garden. Several of my cosmos and nearly all of my peppers had fallen over so after I finished with the mower I tied them up. I had placed stakes with the peppers when I planted them and I tied the cosmos to the fence. I also lost a sunflower which now makes two broken over and leaving about ten still standing.

Tonight I plan on pulling the remaining wax beans and maybe plant radish or spinach or both.

My Sedum is in bloom and they look great.

Notes for september 7, 2008

Well so much for Tropical Storm Hanna, I've seen plenty of common garden variety Thunderstorms worse than what we got yesterday. Yes it was windy but I don't it was anything near what was forecasted. There were just a few small limbs on the ground and few small bunches of leaves still on their twigs. The best part was that I emptied 1.5" from the rain gauge this morning. Very nice, although I will have to lower the crab grass one night this week.

Yesterday I went to check the rain gauge in the morning and their was only a trace from the sprinkles we got late Friday night. As I checked the rain gauge I noticed that my carrots have started to sprout.

Notes for September 5, 2008

Last night I picked a pepper, a couple of cucumbers, a bunch of tomatoes and a heaping of cherry tomatoes. After picking I watered the veggie garden.

I noticed last night...

... that the cosmos which most are in bloom are getting unruly (they are getting wider at the top and blocking my path.

...am I the only one who has to reach UP to pick cherry tomatoes?

...I wonder how well the sunflowers will fair tomorrow in the wind and the rain expected from Tropical Storm Hanna?

Notes for September 1, 2008

What a jam packed weekend (situation normal here). Always too short and tomorrow its back to work and my son goes back to college (he's commuting this year). My daughter goes back to High School on Wednesday.

Saturday I picked vegetables (tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, couple of cucumbers and one green pepper). I also planted carrot seeds and I had to water them five times before the water started to soak in instead of just run off (we haven't had rain for 17 days). I think next year I will plant the carrots as soon as I clean out my onions.

Also on Saturday I went through the onions I had drying in the shed. I threw away (into the compost pile) about one-third of them because they were getting soft and rotting. I wonder if I left them in the ground too long, or on the picnic table too long or in the shed too long? Is it too hot for them in the shed?

I also tried to transplant a 30" tall dogwood I had growing up against the house but the roots were entangled with a nearby bush and were about an inch from the house so it was hard to isolate the roots. So I ended up just digging it up. I think I found another one but its much smaller. Next time I am working outside I may dig that up and give it to a friend.

I also found some garlic chives growing on their own next to the flower pot I have the chives in. I did dig them up and placed them in another pot and I will pass them on to one of my flowering friends.

Sunday was another picnic day but later in the day I watered everything in the veggie patch.
Today I picked tomatoes and cucumbers and wax beans. We had some of the wax beans with dinner and again I swear they are sweeter tasting than green beans. I also watered the carrots.

Notes for August 29, 2008

We haven't had any rain in two weeks... so I watered the veggie garden last night.

All of my sunflower heads are pointing at the ground now and half of the plants are leaning pretty good from the weight which makes it intersting to move around the garden. The other night when I picked the wax beans I remember hitting my head on a sunflower head as I was on my hands and knees.

The stalks of my cosmos are about a half an inch thick.

Notes for August 28, 2008

I picked about 30 tomatoes and about 60 cherry tomatoes last night and about 6 cucumbers.

Some of my cosmos are about 5.5' feet tall. they come up to my nose.

The wife cooked up some of the wax beans for dinner last night and I actually thought they tasted sweeter than green beans (if that's possible).

Notes for August 26, 2008

Last night I picked wax beans and filled two large Ziploc bags.

I pushed the mulch back along the latest planting of green beans (I had to clear the mulch along the row when I planted them).

And I turned over the onion garden using a shovel to get it ready for planting carrots. Since we haven't had any rain in over a week, it was easy to turn and the soil didn't clump, it just fell apart as a turned the shovel over. I was happy when I saw that there was one earthworm enjoying the organic material although it didn't look very happy being disturbed.

Notes for August 25, 2008

Well we returned from vacation on Saturday after a week at the Jersey shore. We had great weather and had a great time (at until the alarm went off this morning).

And what equaled great weather on vacation meant that the garden didn't get any rain while we were gone. So in addition to picking, I had to water. The tomatoes and peppers didn't look bad but the cucumbers were really wilting so I watered them and the beans again on Sunday.

On Saturday I picked about 60 tomatoes and about 150 cherry tomatoes and about 8 cucumbers. We took a bunch of the tomatoes to church on Sunday and I took the rest to work this morning. My wax beans are ready to pick and I plan to pick them either tonight or tomorrow.

Sometime this week or this weekend, I plan on planting carrots.

Sunday afternoon I cut the grass, or at this time of year... I lowered the crabgrass.

Notes for August 15, 2008

Hey, haven't seen that in several months... we had rain last night and it was just a four days since the last time we had rain. I was going to water tonight if we didn't get any but I emptied 1.1" from the rain gauge this morning. Neat! Just in time for our family vacation. I will be away from my garden for a week starting tomorrow and hoping we get rain at least once while we are gone.

I also noticed that the green beans I planted on Saturday were starting to push up the ground yesterday.

Notes for August 14, 2008

Here is a picture of my Hosta I bought at a roadside stand. This is the one I split when I planted it and the smaller split died. This one seems to be doing better.

I cut my grass last night (or maybe I should say I shortened my crabgrass, but at least my yard is green). Since we haven't been getting enough rain when the yard needs it, there were some areas that I didn't cut last night (just really didn't need it). And to my surprise, my 19 year old son came out and helped me (I have two mowers. My mom gave me hers when she downsized to an over 55 community and has a service do her lawn). Well we got the other mower started (I like to start it up several times a year to keep it running so I have it as a back up, its a smaller one so I don't use it that often) and we plowed through the thick crabgrass.

I did notice something last night in the veggie garden. I have mentioned before that I have a problem with growing peppers in that I don't pick any until September. I am pretty sure it is because they only get about 3 to 4 hours of good sunlight and since they are a tropical plant they need more. But come September the plants decide that they aren't going to get more sunlight so they decide to start making peppers. In September I pick a bunch of small to medium peppers (the size of one is good to cut up for two salads). So anyway, last night I noticed that I had a medium sized pepper growing on one of my plants and its only mid August! Then I remembered that I had planted two varieties of peppers this year to experiment. I grew Parks Seeds "Whopper" and Totally Tomatoes "Fat and Sassy". The "Fat and Sassy" had a shorter maturation time. And guess what, the plant with the pepper was the "Fat and Sassy". I also noticed that the F&S plants had little peppers in the blossoms where the Whopper only had blossoms. So it looks like next year I will continue with the F&S. But I am thinking of moving them into the area where I grow my beans (I think it gets more sun there).

Notes for August 13, 2008

Here is a picture of some the Sedum I have. It seems to done very well in my yard with very little care.

Last night I picked a bag of cucumbers (although they are slowing down now), a bag of cherry tomatoes and a bag of regular tomatoes. I also noticed that one of the cosmos has a small bloom on it, a white one.

Notes for August 12, 2008

Okay, here is the picture I promised. Here is the picture of my veggie garden with the 8 foot tall sunflowers in the front. Right in front of the sunflowers is my row of wax beans with room in between where I planted the green beans this past Saturday. right behind the sunflowers are the Lima Beans and then a row of green peppers. Behind the peppers are my tomato plants which range from 6.5 to 7 feet tall. Some of them are even taller and are laying over on top of other plants. The empty space in the front with the bricks is where I had my onions and where I am going to plant carrots in a couple of weeks. The fence is only 3 feet tall. The fuzzy green plants along the fence to the right are cosmos. The cucumbers are planted along the fence to the left and in the back.

Notes for August 11, 2008

Saturday I did get some yard cleaning done and planted another row of green beans (hopefully October will be nice to me). I did take some pictures over the weekend and I hope to put some up soon. I also picked cucumbers, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.

Yesterday was an interesting day. The rain that usually passes us by didn't. When I got home from church it started raining and I had to take down the two loads of laundry I hung up before church. Luckily we have room in our basement to hang clothes (which we do all winter). But it rained off and on all afternoon and the thunder and lightning never stopped. It would have been a beautiful thunderstorm had it not knocked out our power. When we got home from church the clocks were stopped at 11:30 and power came back on around 1:30. Power was only on for an hour before going out around 2:30 and not coming back until 5:15 (as I was headed out the door to pick up something for dinner; since the local delivery place was backed up and said delivery would be an hour). Any way, I emptied 1.7 inches from the rain gauge yesterday afternoon and I emptied another 0.6 inches this morning. Very nice!

Notes for August 8, 2008

Looks to be a gorgeous weekend weather wise and I hope to get some done outside. Even though if I plant now, I won't be harvesting until October, I want to plant another row of green beans. And of course some housekeeping as well (trim some bushes, pull out the dead daylily stalks, weeding, etc.)

In early September, I am planning on planting carrots again like last year. Hopefully this year I won't be as lazy and water them when needed (last year the carrots came out small, I think from the lack of water).

I did look again at that dogwood I transplanted and it does have some leaves that have grown to normal size.

Yesterday I also noticed that seven of my sunflower plants are in bloom. I hope to take some pictures of them, people don't believe me when I say my sunflowers are 8 feet tall.

Notes for August 7, 2008

I watered the veggie garden and some of my flower beds last night. My cucumbers in the shady side are doing much better than the ones that get more sun. The ones in the sun seem to be getting burned, I guess I'm not watering them enough.

While I was watering my flower beds, I also did some weeding. The funny thing was that some of the weeds were tomato and watermelon plants (not surprised since I throw the rotting tomatoes and the water melon rinds in the compost pile).

Earlier this spring I transplanted a Dogwood tree. I transplanted it when the leaves were still small. I guess I should have waited until the leaves were mature because the leaves stayed the same size. Last night I noticed from a distance that half of the leaves appear to be of normal size. I will have to check this out closer.

I purchased a large green Hosta late this spring and thought it was big enough to split. I wrote earlier that the smaller one died. Last night I noticed that the larger remaining plant was in bloom. It has three stalks with white flowers.

Notes for August 6, 2008

I picked cucumbers and and tomatoes (cherry and regular) last night. I wanted to water but I had an annual appointment with the veterinarian for the dog so he can go in the kennel when we go on vacation. And the forecast was for rain last night but I think all we got was sprinkles this morning while I was at work. So I will be watering tonight. I also put my two racks of onions in the shed. The third rack remaining on the picnic table will go in the shed next week.

Notes for August 1, 2008

Watered the veggie garden last night and picked a bunch of cucumbers, a couple of large tomatoes and a couple dozen cherry tomatoes (after eating about 6 while picking).

I ought to get a couple of pictures of my sunflowers, they are all at least 8 feet tall. One of them is now in bloom. My daughter asked how come they are so tall. My answer was that "I water them?" I planted a row of them in my veggie garden (sacrificing a row of beans) just for my wife and daughter to enjoy because they like them. It was rather ironic that I read this week that sunflowers make wonderful trap crops (meaning they attract the bad bugs away from other crops). I thought that was pretty neat.

Notes for July 29, 2008

It looks like I'll need to pick tomatoes and cukes every other day now. I picked cukes, cherry tomatoes and a couple of large tomatoes yesterday.

Notes for July 27, 2008

I was going to water this afternoon... but mother nature did nicely...1.5" in about an hour. Very Nice!

Notes for July 26, 2008

Had a busy day today. Picked cucumbers and a few cherry tomatoes and green beans. Trimmed tomato plants and tied the new growth to the stakes. Picked the last of the onions and now I have three trays of onions on the picnic table. Pushed the mulch back so that its now up against the Lima beans. Finished mulching the yellow beans. Then I cut the grass. The grass wasn't tall but it was thick in spots so it took me longer. I stopped about every half hour for a drink break. I plan on watering tomorrow if we don't get any rain tonight.

Notes for July 25, 2008

Finally got something. I emptied 0.6" from the rain gauge yesterday.

Notes for July 24, 2008

We didn't get any rain during the day yesterday but we did get some thunder. There were some really heavy storms that passed by to our west (watching the radar they traveled from southwest to northeast, passing to our west) but we didn't get any of that. I had to pick up my daughter and a friend of hers last night and went through some really heavy stuff only to find that it had hardly rained at our home.

But this morning its raining. Nothing heavy but a nice gentle rain. I didn't empty the rain gauge but curiosity got the best of me. I walked up a took a glance and it looks like we have near a half an inch so far. So the grass and the gardens are enjoying it. It looks like the rain will be stopping some time in mid morning but I had hoped for more to alleviate some stress on my well. All signs of a half an inch in my yard will be gone in two dry days, but I will take it. One less day to water.
I picked some cucumbers last night and ate a couple of cherry tomatoes.

Notes for July 23, 2008

I emptied 0.2" from the rain gauge this morning. They are forecasting quite a bit more for this afternoon and evening ("we'll see" said the blind man).

Notes for July 21, 2008

I hated to do it but it was the only time open in my schedule. I had to water during mid day. I had about an hour and a half after I got home from church and it was the only I had yesterday. I watered everything in my veggie garden. I did not water the flower beds. We haven't had rain for a week now and last night I saw a line of thunderstorms on the weather radar come across the state of Pennsylvania. This morning everything was as dry as it was when I went to bed. No rain. Again the line must have died at the Delaware River or shortly thereafter. I swear this is the only drawback living in the coastal plain in the summer time. The ocean has quite a moderating effect on our weather.

Anyway, I did pick about 8 cucumbers and three cherry tomatoes yesterday. I also picked about 2/3 of my onions. They are in "flats" used to hold trays of plants (like when you buy a flat of annuals). I am going to let them sit there for a week and then put them in the shed to continue drying for two more weeks.

Notes for July 18, 2008

Last night I picked green beans from the second row. I almost hated to pick them, they were kind of limp. Everything needed water. I really should pick beans the day after I water. But unfortunately, we all have to deal with the cards we're dealt with and last night was the first chance I had this week to tend to the garden since the weekend.

After picking beans, I watered. I watered everything. When I say everything I mean everything in the veggie garden (tomatoes, cukes, peppers, cosmos, marigolds, beans, sunflowers, beans and onions) and then I water all the flower beds in the backyard (watering mainly the perennials I planted this year and not so much the iris or tiger lillies that are already established).

My lima beans have sprouted and looks like I got good germination. The yellow beans I planted two weeks ago are ready to be finished mulching. The cosmos are looking healthy (nice thick stem). Most of my tomato plants are averaging 6 feet tall (remember they only get about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight, so its like they are looking for sun, which gives me later season tomatoes but I am usually picking until frost in November), my sunflowers are over 6 feet tall. I will be picking some of the onions this weekend (about 97 percent of the stems have fallen over and some of them have turned brown, and that's when I know that they are ready to be picked). I plan on leaving them on the picnic table for at least a few days and then putting them in the shed for a couple of weeks. Anyone else do onions?

Surprisingly I did not find any hornworms on my tomatoes last night. I have two cherry tomatoes getting ripe so it won't be long. I'm pretty sure that both of those tomatoes probably won't make it out of the garden. I love to eat a few when I am outside. When I am picking, I usually eat about a half a dozen (at least, yum).

Notes for July 14, 2008

I just emptied 0.3" from the rain gauge. Looks like I will watering later this week (nothing forecasted until next weekend).

I removed another hornworm from the tomatoes too.

Notes for July 12, 2008

I watered everything again last night and in between watering I trimmed and tied my tomatoes.

I pulled off two hornworms last night and two this morning.

I picked two cucumbers last night.

I pulled out the first row of green beans and picked off all the beans this morning and then planted a row of lima beans.

The wax beans I planted last week sprouted during the week and are about 4" inches tall today. I am not very pleased with the germaination (only about 70 percent, which is low in the warm weather), so after the wax beans I have are used up, I may just stick to green beans.

Notes for July 9, 2008

This past Saturday I was able to get caught up in the yard.

I had a pair of yellow daisies growing in my veggie patch (the seeds must have been in the mulch) and so I transplanted them first.

I planted the double bloom orange tiger lillies after I split them into nice handful sized plantings. I planted eight bunches overall.

I turned the next area for planting beans using the spade (I didn't want to get the tiller out of the shed).

I had previously trimmed the tomato suckers on Thursday but I still trimmed and tied the tomato plants.

Then I planted a row of wax beans in the area I just turned.

Then I mulched. I mulched the row of cosmos I have planted along the inside fence of my veggie garden and then mulched the row of wax bean seeds (just stopping short of the row, which I will mulch just after the beans are about six inches tall). I then continued and finished mulching the remainder of my flower beds.

On Sunday, all I did was water everything and pull renegade weeds.

On Monday night I picked green beans. I picked about two large Ziploc bags full. I let them dry out on the kitchen counter before I put them in the fridge since we had rain earlier in the day. The wife made green bean casserole with the first picking, and it was good. I will get one more picking from that first row of beans (I will do that by pulling out the plants and picking off the beans). Then I will probably plant a row of Lima Beans in its location.

Notes for July 8, 2008

I finally got some measurable rain yesterday. When I got home from work, I emptied 0.7" from the rain gauge.

Friday on the fourth of July my family and I went to our family picnic which on the 4th is always at this particular Aunt & Uncle's house. I have been married for 23 years so I have been going to this picnic for lets say 25 years and I have gotten to know their neighbors (at least by name). This year as we are pulling in the driveway, the neighbor on that side is cleaning out a garden of its daylillies. At first glance, they appeared to be the common orange variety. At second glance, I noticed they were the double bloom orange variety (after one of the cousin's husband went over there and began helping the neighbor and took several clumps for himself). So I went over there and got a few too (since the neighbor was just throwing them out and I don't have any double bloom orange daylillies). Would any of you done the same?

Notes for July 7, 2008

Had a very nice weekend and started to get caught up on the work at home. But in all the showers around us, I managed to get only 0.1" of rain Friday night. So I ended up having to water the gardens on Sunday. I did get to the gardens on Saturday and I will give the details later.

Notes for July 3, 2008

Here is a picture of a Daylily in bloom right now.

I watered everything last night and did some weeding.

My onions will be ready to pick in a few weeks, the stems have started to fall over.

I hope to plant another row of string beans and mulch this weekend. The second row of string beans is starting to flower.

My sunflowers are about 4-5 ft tall now.

The Hosta I bought a couple of weeks and split, the smaller split has died completely. Haven't a clue why

Notes for July 2, 2008

Here is some Joe Pye Weed. The woman I get a bunch of my perennials from gave it to me for free when I asked about it. When she dug it up it came out like a brick, an 8-inch thick brick and a foot and a half square. Had to use a hatchet and cut it into four squares. Planted two of them next to the mailbox. Noticed this morning that some bug has been eating it.

Notes for July 1, 2008

Here is some Primrose that was in bloom a few weeks ago.

In addition to the 65 hours a week I have been working, I forgot to include the 12 hours of travel time (an hour each way to the office). Needlessly to say, things are piling up at home (inside and outside).

Notes for June 30, 2008

Here is a picture of Salvia I purchased a few weeks ago and planted in a garden I just started this year.

It rained last night. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to wet the ground under the trees.

Saturday afternoon, after working at the office for 7 hours, I got a chance to cut my grass, tie up and trim my tomato plants and pick some green beans. Nearly ran over a toad with the mower but I saw him just in time. After I finished, I took my customary 10 minute rest sitting on the back patio to enjoy my backyard. I have about 12 Bee Balm flowers in bloom and it was just buzzing with hummingbirds (ok it was just one at a time, but it was there quite often).

Notes for June 28, 2008

Here is a picture of Yarrow. This one has really taken off.

We got a little bit of the wet stuff yesterday. I emptied 0.4" from the rain guage this morning.

Haven't done any work outside lately. I've been working close to 65 hours a week and this week looks like another.

Notes for June 24, 2008

Here is a picture of a Pincushion flower that I purchased. Ironically, I just noticed this morning a Pincushion in bloom somewhere else that I had forgotten about that I had grown from seed and planted last year.

Notes for June 23, 2008

Here is a picture of another Hosta.

I got a few hours yesterday (literally only a few hours). Went to church in the morning, got home at 1:30 and then went back for a farewell picnic for our associate pastor at 5 PM. But I think I made the most of it.

Watered everything, but I did it in stages (didn't want to have the pump straining to keep up since we've been lacking in rain, I know my well is fairly shallow or at least shallower than my comfort level).

Tied up my tomato plants (which is nearly a weekly thing from now until August). I would have to read my blog to remember when I did it last but I had about 18 inches of new growth since I tied them last.

When I first came out of the house, on my way across the yard I saw a hummingbird visiting the Bee Balm that is now in bloom (and that the primary reason I planted the Bee Balm). If you ever want to plant it, watch it, it spreads easily.

The cucumbers I planted last week are growing nicely so I mulched them and I transplanted the Cosmos seedlings along the inside of my veggie garden but I didn't mulch them. I want to give them a week to get their heads up.

My sunflowers are about three feet tall now and I adjusted them so that they are being supported by the twine I have strung between some posts just for them.

I also mulched some more of my flower beds, but I still have one more that really needs to be done but it has a bunch of new perennials that I am waiting for them to get a little bigger but I did weed that garden a little so it doesn't look too bad. While mulching the flower beds I came across a baby praying mantis. it was about an inch long. Friday night I was outside and noticed a toad in the yard.

Notes for June 21, 2008

Here is a picture of the red rhododendron. Ok its not in bloom anymore so its not impresive. But I really fell in love with the red last year when I discovered that rhodos come in more colors than just the common lavender or white. It was a challenge for me to find a place to plant it (the wife didn't want any more new flower beds, can you believe it?).

Notes for June 19, 2008

I have been working late hours and unable to do any work in the gardens but I am happy to report that we got just a little bit more rain yesterday than the last two times combined. This morning I emptied 0.4" from the rain gauge. I'll take whatever I can get.

The picture today is of one of a few Hostas given to me last year. This one is doing rather well.

When I got home last night the mother Robin did not leave the nest as I walked past her only a few feet away.

Notes for June 18, 2008

Of the four Robin's eggs, one had hatched some time yesterday. This morning, three had hatched and one of those was out of the nest and obviously not living. The other two were flopping over each other and the other egg.

Notes for June 17, 2008

Here is a picture of the corner of the first flower garden I started. The Tiger Lilly and the Iris are well established. The two Sedums to the left I planted last year and the one to the right I planted this year. They are doing so well, I bought more this year and now have a total of six in the yard. The little Hosta in the middle was a transplant from a friend of mine. They gave it to me because the deer in their neighborhood were not letting the Hosta grow.

Thunderstorms passed all around yesterday afternoon and evening but Moses was still at work. We didn't get any rain and all the storms passed either to our north or south.

Notes for June 16, 2008

This picture is of a 4 foot tall evergreen by our front door. Now we know why the male Robin has been going psycho on our cars in the driveway!

Over the weekend we got about only 0.1" inches of rain. It seemed like Moses was living in south Jersey. The rain went to the north of us to near Trenton and to the south of us like Delaware. So I had to water this weekend. That makes about 0.2" in the past two weeks. Thunderstorms are forecasted this evening, maybe we'll be the target.

Yesterday (yes on fathers day) I worked in the yard for a couple of hours. I had too, since I had to work on Saturday and then went directly to our church to help out with our annual chicken barbecue. I left the house at 6:30 and didn't get home until Saturday night around 8:30. So on Sunday afternoon I planted 26 cucumber seedlings and then mulched my sunflowers and my second row of green beans. In between I watered everything. The ironic thing was that we had a five minute shower while I was planting the cucumbers. It was heavy enough for me to stop and open up a folding chair in the shed and sit for a few minutes. All it really did was successfully make me look as if I was wading in the creek, my pants were wet from the knees down from kneeling.

Notes for June 12, 2008

Here is a picture of the Coreopsis I recently purchased. Notice that it is planted between two Iris that I planted earlier this year. The Iris is looking pretty small and they usually do the year that you transplant them. next year it will grow tremendously in size but not bloom. the following year they will bloom.

I forgot to mention that last night I also thinned the sunflowers a little bit and made sure the taller ones were being supported by the twine fence.

Notes for June 11, 2008

Here is a picture of my yellow Stella D'Oro Daylily in bloom.

Watched the rain dissipate as it crossed the Delaware River last night (it must be summer now) and so we only got a little bit bit of thunder and 0.1 inch of rain.

Was able to tie each of my tomato plants tonight as well as trim off the suckers. I bought an old sheet from Goodwill thrift shop to make the ties for the tomato plants.

Notes for June 10, 2008

Last night I noticed that my yellow Daylilly (Stella D'Oro) is in bloom.

Also, last Friday night I saw my first lightning bug of the season and on Saturday I heard the first cicada.

Notes for June 9, 2008

I was able to cut the grass Thursday night albeit later than when I wanted to start. But if I was going to get any other yard work done this past weekend, I had to cut the grass Thursday night and with the current heat wave (we've been in the 90's the past two day and is forecasted today and tomorrow) it was better sooner than later. I wanted to bag the clippings but since I got started late I didn't (one of my compost piles is completely empty and I wanted to start filling it again in order to bury kitchen scraps this summer).

Saturday in the heat I did work outside but I took a gallon of water with me and drank it all during frequent breaks. I got all of my tomatoes and peppers staked (but not tied). I will need more stakes next spring due to the amount that broke during installation (I start with 8 ft 1x2's for my tomatoes and as they break I use them for the peppers and other posts). I planted the remaining perennials I started from seed (Cupid's Dart, Dames Rocket, Yarrow, Pyrethrum and some Columbine). Then I continued mulching. I mulched one and a half flower beds. Wanted to do more but I was starting to get a headache (which is my body signal to stop working in the heat) and the flower beds I was going to do next, I had just planted the perennial seedlings, so I wanted to wait for them to establish themselves a little bit.

I did notice on Sunday the cucumber and cosmos seedlings were starting to come up in the six packs I started them in last week. However, the germination is still not that great, about 10 have not sprouted yet. I think next year and every year after, I am going to start them in six packs and not in the ground and start them in early May.

Before I mulched, I used up my fish emulsion fertilizer and gave all of my tomatoes and peppers a drink and I noticed the bottle starting to leak and so I used it up and gave a bunch of my new perennials a drink as well.

Notes for June 5, 2008

Yesterday when I got home from work I emptied 1.3" from the rain gauge and this morning I emptied 0.3". Hopefully for the seeds I just planted, we'll get some sun today.

Notes for June 4, 2008

Was able to work outside last night after dinner. It was such a wonderful evening, not hot and there was a breeze most of the time. I didn't water much since rain was forecasted (and it did rain throughout the night and was still raining this morning and more is forecasted today). I watered the newest perennials and the seedlings still in pots.

I am not happy with the germination of my cucumbers. I had 5 sprout out of about 50. The same goes for the row of cosmos I planted along the edge of the veggie garden. I counted two. So the first thing I did last night was to start some more cucumbers and cosmos, but this time I started them in the six packs and will transplant. I really don't understand what happened to the cukes. The past years I have had no problem with germination in place. Maybe next year I will start them in the six packs and transplant them.

My sunflowers are about 5 inches tall and I thinned them some but will have to thin them some more.

Then I started to mulch some more. The first area I mulched was my row of yellow marigolds in the veggie garden. I thinned them fist and transplanted the ones I thought worth saving (I now have about 8 in pots to transplant later) and then weeded the area before I mulched. Then I mulched two of my flower beds.

My mulch is probably really considered leaf mold. It is in three compost piles and is a combination of ground up leaves, grass clippings, pulled weeds, shrubbery trimmings and sometimes kitchen scraps.

Notes for June 3, 2008

By the way, we turned on our Air Conditioner Sunday night. It will probably be on from now until September.

Notes for June 2, 2008

We had thunderstorms on Saturday that gave me 0.35" of rain.

Took off from work on Friday for other reasons and was able to spend the day working outside. I was happy with the work I got done but I was not happy on Saturday. I am 45 years old and I can't do as much as I once did and not pay for it the next day. It made me concerned but I was better on Sunday (still sore but better).

Friday I was able to plant another row of green beans after I finished picking my spinach. I planted about 12 volunteer tomato plants (probably all cherry tomatoes, yum). Each tomato plant was planted in the same way ( a 2 gallon hole filled with manure and sprinkled with wood ashes mixed thoroughly with the excavated soil and the remaining soil used to make a bowled wall around the plant to channel all watering). On Thursday on my way home from work, I bought a Coreopsis (tickseed), a purple/blue Salvia, a Pincushion flower and a green Hosta. I planted all these on Friday. I found several more volunteer marigolds in my veggie patch and transplanted them back in to my veggie patch between the tomato plants. I have more coming as seedlings that I will plant in with the cucumbers and peppers.

Then I mulched. I had ambitions of mulching my veggie garden and all my flower beds but of course, I didn't get that far. I ended up only mulching all the tomato and pepper plants and their walking rows and the row of green beans that is about 8" tall. I will mulch the rest as the plants mature. I used up one compost pile completely, but I still have the big one and another of the same size I used up. To use up the remainder of the wood ashes I had, I sprinkled it heavily in the walking rows before I mulched it over. That way it will get into the soil. While digging out the compost pile I saw plenty of earthworms.

Some of the cucumbers are starting to sprout and it looks like all of the sunflowers have sprouted (so I will have to thin them).

Friday afternoon I called a friend up and asked him if he wanted some tomato plants. he came over and I gave him about 12 volunteer tomato plants and the remainder of my radishes.

The Mountain Laurels are in full bloom in my area and there are many in the woods all around. I wouldn't mind finding one in the woods to transplant into my yard. I had one at my home but it died. I still have a Mountain Pink and it is beautiful.

Notes for May 28, 2008

Little thunder and lightning and 0.4" of rain last night. Got home late last night, but I did notice the sunflowers sprouting.

Notes for May 27, 2008

Raining this morning and some heavier thunderstorms are forecasted this afternoon into early evening. If it does then it would be perfect timing (otherwise I'll need to water tonight).

I did pull a tick off of me last night and darned if it wasn't in nearly the same spot where I pulled one off several weeks ago (about three inches to the left of my belly button). And again it was one I had to use needle nose pliers to get a hold of the little bugger.

Notes for May 26, 2008

What a beautiful weekend!

Saturday...

I went and got some manure, didn't have use of any family owned trucks, so I ended up using my car and five gallon buckets. Cleaned out my trunk (been wanting to do that for three years) and fit seven buckets in the truck and 8 inside my car. I made two trips.

Picked some radishes and spinach. Had cooked spinach with dinner, delicious!

Dug a trench under the cucumber fences and filled it with manure and placed soil back over top and planted cucumber seeds.

Transplanted marigolds. I started mixed marigold seeds in my veggie garden to transplant throughout the yard and transplanted about six. I have a fair amount of freelancing marigolds coming up in my veggie garden and since I have planted only yellow in my veggie garden, I suspect they are yellow.

Planted two rows of tomato plants (about 14 total plants). For each tomato plant, I dug a hole and filled it with the aged manure along with a pinch of Epsom salts and a sprinkle of wood ashes and then added in half of the excavated soil and mixed it all by hand. The rest of the soil I used to build a bowl around the plant to channel water to the plant when I water (since my soil is sand).

This morning (Monday, Memorial Day) I was awakened by a Robin attacking our front window and my wife's car at 7 AM this morning and so I got up. I continued planting my tomato plants and then my pepper plants. I have room to plant about a dozen more tomato plants and the are more than enough freelancing volunteers to transplant. I hope to transplant them during the week or by the weekend. Then I cut the grass and after a shower it was off to the family picnic.

During this weekend, I noticed that my tiger lillies are starting to bud, the rhododendrons are in full bloom, my yard has chipmunks and today I saw a toad in my yard.

Next week I hope to plant some more green beans (the next wave) and mulch, mulch, mulch.

Notes for May 21, 2008

Emptied 0.75" from the rain gauge this morning.

Notes for May 19, 2008

I emptied the rain gauge this morning with 0.55" from two showers we had yesterday (one in the afternoon and the other around dinner time).

I still believe there ought to be an ordinance that every home sprinkler system should be installed with a moisture sensor. I saw two of my neighbors with sprinklers going this morning.

Notes for May 18, 2008

Wanted to get a quick entry before going off to church...

Emptied 0.9" from the rain gauge yesterday. Planted sunflower seeds and cosmos. Transplanted marigolds and planted my red Rhododendron. And I picked some radishes. I also moved my tomato and pepper seedlings from indoors to outside so I can plant them next week (hopefully).

Never did pick up the manure for planting my tomatoes and peppers (I have a good chance of using a pick up truck late in the week).

Its a beautiful sunny morning today but its supposed to be gray and thunder storming this afternoon.

Notes for May 16, 2008

Its raining this morning but looks to be a nice weekend. Hopefully I can get over to my local horse farm tomorrow and get my annual supply of manure. I dig a two gallon hole for each of my tomato and pepper plants and mix in one gallon of manure (so my sandy soil holds moisture better).

My dogwood tree in my front yard has nearly lost all of its flower petals and according to some almanac I read previously, its now time to plant tomatoes.

Notes for May 15, 2008

Last night I planted 19 blades of Iris, 2 Sedums, 2 Geraniums and one red Spiderwort. I also planted some annuals into flower pots for the front steps. I moved the red Rhododendron to a place where I am thinking of planting it and then outlined a small garden around it with some edging I had leftover. I finished at 8:20 and it wouldn't have been so dark and it not been cloudy.

My Bleeding Heart plant is doing well. I have a white one and since its doing well in my yard, I am thinking of getting more.

I have four more dead trees in my yard, two are small and all the way in the back, and the other two I am thinking of having cut down.

This morning's temperature was in the 50's and cloudy. I also did hear the crop duster spraying somewhere nearby (I suspect for gypsy moths). He got my place yesterday as evidenced by the white spots all over my car.

I probably won't work outside again until Saturday and if the weather cooperates I am planning on making trips to the horse farm for manure. Unfortunately I don't have a truck so I load it into 5 gallon buckets and put them in my car (or the wife's van). I am also probably going to place my seedlings from under the light into the back yard. This is the weekend I like to plant my tomatoes and peppers but it doesn't look like that's going to happen this year. If I get the manure on Saturday then I will plant any and every evening I get a chance to in the week.

Notes for May 14, 2008

Again it was 38 degrees F this morning and was awakened to crop dusters spraying for gypsy moths (5:30 AM). My car is covered in white specks. I am complaining about it being cold in the morning and yet my northern friend I think is still waiting for snow to melt?

There is a woman from church of retirement age who has a perennial flower business. The Iris are starting to bloom and so I stopped by her place. I bought a bunch (about 18 stalks) of Iris, two Sedums (large variety), two hardy Geraniums and a red (more like fuscia) Spiderwort. I plan on planting them tonight.

It was a nice sunny day yesterday and its supposed to be today and even warmer (low 70s). Hopefully it will be enough to get my green beans to germinate. I looked at them last night and it looks like they will today (anyone who has planted green beans will know that when they start to break out of their seeds the ground cracks and last night I saw that the ground had started to crack).

Notes for May 13, 2008

I emptied the rain gauge this morning with 0.5 inches. This morning was also cold for a May morning, it was 38 degrees F and was awakened to the crop duster spraying the township for gypsy moths.

I was really annoyed to see a sprinkler system on one of neighbors homes after we just got some rain on my way to work this morning. Every sprinkler system ought to have a moisture sensor!

I did pick a few radishes on Sunday and with this cool weather I will be picking more.

I have not been having good luck getting my green beans to germinate. Its been too cold or we have had several days of warmer weather together to get them to germinate. I guess I should have used black plastic mulch to warm up the soil. I take a black plastic trash bags and cut it into strips. But I was lazy this year and I have planted the beans twice now and hardly any has germinated (so far).

Notes for May 12, 2008

A bit stormy today. Saw more wind than rain on my way in to work today. Didn't do any yard work over the weekend. Saturday it threatened to rain all day (but none fell that was measurable if it did) and Sunday was Mother's Day with a full schedule (but the 20 minute nap felt great). However, I did pick up some annuals to put in the flower pots that we put on our front steps. I haven't planted my red rhododendron yet but I think I know where I am going to plant it.

Notes for May 10, 2008

I emptied 1.2 inches from the rain gauge this morning. Not a bad start, especially for my sandy soil.

Notes for May 8, 2008

It's raining this morning and that's good. We never really got the "April Showers" so we are a bit dryer than we should be at this time of year. Hopefully we'll get the one to two inches forecasted for tomorrow.

My Iris are starting to bloom as well as some of the columbine I planted this year. I got a clump of Joe Pye Weed from some one and split it up into four pieces. Two of those pieces have sprouted. I bought two Yarrow plants and they have started to grow.

My tomato and pepper plants that I started indoors under the lights are looking great and I am going to move them outside soon and hopefully have them planted before Memorial Day. I figured out the secret quite by accident last year. The grow light must be as close as possible to the seedlings or they grow long and spindly and its ok for the light to touch the plants.

The daffodils I transplanted along my fence lines last year did look great this spring when the were in bloom. The stalks are still there, I haven't mowed them down yet. When they start to die off I will cut them down. I planted this years Easter flower bulbs each with a couple of teaspoons of bulb tone and hopefully they will respond by lasting longer. I have been giving my holly trees some Holly Tone in the spring and fall and the smallest looks most appreciative.

The grass seed I put down in February looks nice but looks like its needs some rain to survive. The grass seed I put down at the end of March is struggling (lack of "April showers").

Notes for May 6, 2008

Sorry that I have not written as often as I did in the past. I recently lost my job and found another and so life has been an adjustment.

I have onions, radish, spinach and green beans planted.

I have started another perennial flower bed.

I have had seven trees cut down in my back yard (all were dead from the gypsy moth damage).

I bought a red rhododendron (now I have to figure out where I am going to plant it.

I have transplanted a dogwood tree (3 ft high) and found two other small ones to possibly transplant.

About half of the perennials I bought last year lived through the winter. The Bee Balm has taken over its spot.

The grass seed I put down in late March is still waiting for the April showers (April was dryer than normal and so far so has May).

Notes for March 25, 2008

Yesterday I did notice some of the grass seed I put down in February is starting to sprout. But not nearly as much as I hoped.

The male goldfinches are starting to get their summer (bright) plumage. The bluebirds are a daily visitor at the moment.

I started some seeds indoors over the weekend: tomatoes, peppers and several perennials.

The daffodils are in full bloom and the forsythia are starting to bloom.

Notes for March 19, 2008

Last Friday I took the day off and by the afternoon it was around 60 degrees and nice enough to work outside. I emptied two five gallon buckets of horse manure (which I had saved from last fall) into my onion bed (second year). Then I turned it under by hand (shovel). Then I emptied four 40 pound bags of composted cow manure into the onion bed (2.5' x 15') and turned it under. I leveled it off and then planted about 100 onions (four rows), leaving room on the end to plant some parsley.

Saturday was again nice in the afternoon and I worked on the big veggie garden. I raked the leaves piled along the fence away from the fence into the middle of the garden and then mulched them with the lawn mower. I then spread a 30 pound bag of bone meal over the whole garden (using a trowel and not remembering that I had a lawn spreader in the shed that some one had given me that I have yet to use). I then spread a thin layer of finely mulched leaves over the whole garden (the mulched leaves were from my compost piles of ground up leaves gathered by the mower from the rest of the yard last fall) and turned it under using my tiller. My veggie garden is approximately 20' x 36'. I tilled in one direction and then I tilled it a second time at 90 degrees.

I spread some grass seed on President's Day back in February but it hasn't sprouted yet. Maybe I put it down too soon and its been too cold for germination. But I know we've had good moisture since and some warm days but I guess it hasn't been warm enough in a long enough string of days for germination. So it seems to be a lesson learned, don't put spring grass seed down until late March or until April (at least in my zone)

Notes for March 12, 2008

It's getting closer! My daffodils alongside my house have started to bloom. The ones out in the yard are up but have not bloomed yet.

I've sent out my seed and plant orders this week and I should start my indoor seeds next week.

I am hoping for a relatively warm day this weekend and I will get my onion bed ready. Unfortunately it looks to be another wet weekend and then colder.

Notes for February 27, 2008

Yes its been over a month... so here goes...

We've had thunderstorms THREE times this winter which is unusual. I think I have only seen about one every other winter.

Earlier this month I stopped by my local garden center to get my supply of vegetable seeds (radish, spinach and green beans). They get them in in February and that's the time to go, otherwise the selection is gone when you want to plant. I also bought two bags of onion sets and hope to get them in the ground next month. To go with them I bought four 40 pound bags of composted cow manure. I have planted onions with the bags of composted manure and had fairly good results. This year will be second year I have this onion bed, so it still needs lots of organic matter and manure. I still have several five gallon buckets of horse manure and I may mix one of them in the onion bed and save the rest for the flower beds I never finished last year. I also bought a 25 pound bag of bone meal to add to my larger veggie garden. I will add the bone meal right before I make the second pass with the tiller when I till the garden. I have also asked my aunt and uncle to save the ashes from their wood burning stove for me to also add to my veggie garden.

I plan to purchase and plant the following perennials this year: Bee Balm, Sedum, Yarrow, Butterfly Weed, Daylillies, Iris, Hardy Geraniums, Columbine, Spiderwort (Trinity plant?), Joe Pye Weed, Lobelia, painted Daisies and Hosta.

The Daffodils are coming up already as they do every year. They are up about two inches. I transplanted numerous daffodils last year and they are going to look nice. I lined my back fence. I planted in three rows in a diamond pattern. I will try to get a picture when they bloom.

A week ago Monday it was Presidents day and I had off. By the afternoon it was 60 degrees F. Unheard of for February. So I did some work outside. I mulched up all the leaves that had piled up in the spots where the winds collects them. I ran over them a few times with the mower and then bagged them with the mower, making a nice fine mulch. Then I spread some grass seed in some bare spots (after raking the spots to loosen the soil). I bought about 25 pounds total of several different blends. I think I have a three pound bag left. Since I put down the seed, we've had precipitation about every three days, which is great for grass seed in the winter. The first dousing was just as I was finished spreading the seed and thinking of gathering up the branches in the yard that the winter winds had blown down. So the branches are still out there.

On Friday the kids were home from school due to snow and forecasted changing over to freezing rain. I also stayed home from work just to stay out of the mess. On Friday and Saturday we were visited on the suet feeders by Bluebirds. There was nothing special about the suet blocks. They were just the cheap ones that you can buy anywhere which I put up to attract the woodpeckers and nuthatches.

I am still going to order a bunch of other vegetable seeds and start them under the grow lights next month. I hope to have the order out next week. Mainly the varieties of Tomatoes and Peppers I want and want to try.

Can't wait to get out there again!

Notes for January 11, 2008

The weather has been warm and wet and we even had some rumbles of thunder this morning. The dog is our thunderstorm proximity alarm and he visited us at 1:30 and 5:30 this morning.

I have started to look through the seed catalogs and painted daisies have caught my eye.

I think I might also purchase daylillies and iris from different companies several times this year. I will have the space for them and I want to keep the catalogs coming.

Notes for January 2, 2008

Hope everyone had safe and wonderful holidays.

Not much going on in the garden at this time but I do have a few nuggets of info.

The winds blew again in the last few weeks and I had to repair the bird feeder wire for a second time. We saw a Red Tailed hawk in our yard on Christmas eve. It was scanning the back yard from our fence.

I did get to do some more leaf collecting for the compost pile the week before Christmas. The same wind that blew the branches down on the bird feeder wire also piled leaves up in my yard which I was able get cleaned up before the holidays. I did find something interesting. Instead of bagging right away, I mulched them with the mower first (like I was going to leave them in place) and then bagged them. This made the bag heavier and I was able to fill the wheelbarrow with more (since the leaves weren't as big) and now the compost pile has leaves that are much smaller and will be quicker to decompose or work as better as mulch in the spring.

I did get a couple of gardening books for Christmas that I had asked for. One was for shade perennials and another was for perennials requiring less water. I haven't looked through them yet but I will soon.

I do have some shade grass seed leftover from last spring and if I get a warm day I will scratch the ground and spread some seed. It worked well last year. I spread some seed back in April and most of the areas are looking much better.