It’s Been Awhile
December 20, 2008 at 4:38 pm (Composting, Marigolds, Peas, Rain barrel, Tomatoes)
Wow, I haven’t posted since June.
I had a great first season gardening. I got a water barrel. I didn’t use anything but rain water in the garden – woohoo! I also got a composter. It took awhile to find a container to keep in the kitchen that worked for us, something with a lid that we could keep on the kitchen counter til it was time to take it out and empty it in the composter. But once we found a container that worked it was a super easy system to maintain. I’m amazed at the amount of kitchen waste we were able to put in it, not to mention how happy the garden will be this spring with all the good compost.
What were some of my best growers? The red Robin tomato that I got at Seedy Saturday from Casey’s Heirloom Tomatoes. I wish I had gotten some seeds from him too. That was the only tomato plant I was able to get more than just a few tomatoes from. It ended up getting sick but I’m sure it would have yielded a lot more tomatoes if it were healthy. I’m definitely going to get some seeds from him for the upcoming growing season.
The Marigolds I started from seed were great too. Although they didn’t get too big they had lots of flowers and were really pretty. I still have a bunch of seeds left so I’m definitely going to plant them.
Another one of my best growers were my peas. I planted them in three spots in the backyard, but only one – along an east facing fence yielded any peas. The peas that I did get though were really yummy – and big. I’m excited to try some more varieties this spring.
So, what were some of your best producers of the summer?
Rain, Rain, and More Rain
June 11, 2008 at 5:47 am (Peonies, Rain barrel, seedlings)
For the last week or so it seems like it’s been raining almost non stop. It’s supposedly supposed to stop by tomorrow but I’m not sure if I trust the forecast. It’s kind of strange to see things so green and yet so gloomy and sunless too.
The Peonies still haven’t opened yet. If I thought they looked like they were going to burst before I was wrong, they’re huge now.
I’ve officially lost two of the morning glories. I’ll have to plant seeds to replace them once the rain stops. My Red Robin tomato plant that I bought at Seedy Saturday is slowly dying. It’s so sad because I had two tomatoes and 5 or 6 smaller ones coming along.
I’ll post some more pictures too once the rain stops.
Rain and Planting
June 2, 2008 at 6:35 pm (Planting, Rain barrel, seedlings)
We’ve had some rain the last few days, mainly showers and overnight so the plants are happy, as is the rain barrel. Since I’ve gotten it it hasn’t been more than 3/4 empty.
The flowers on the chives are coming out. The purple looks ss pretty against the green. The peonies has blooms already. And that means that the ants are all over them. I hope they bloom soon. The Morning Glories that I planted last week have been looking pretty happy. That is for two. One has died and the other one’s leaves are all shriveled up, and I think it’s just a matter of time for him. I have more Morning Glory seeds though so I’ll replace those two.
I planted a few radish seedlings a couple days ago. They don’t look so great though. I think I’ll plant a row or twp of radishes and carrots. The radishes will be ready before the carrots will so once the radishes are harvested the carrots will have more room.
I also planted two hanging baskets with petunias. I forget the variety, but they’re supposed to trail over the side of the basket and look really pretty.
On the last trip to the garden centre I got cushions for the two loungers in the backyard. They’re SO much more comfortable with the cushions than without. I know I’ll be spending more time sitting in them this year.
Peas!
May 9, 2008 at 1:14 am (Peas, Planting, Rain barrel, Spring)
So, I’m brand new at gardening. This is my first season. I’ve been itching to get into the garden and do some planting but there are still a couple more weeks left before the last frost. It feels like it’s going to take forever. Just to drive home the fact that I still have to wait it snowed today. Yes, snow. In May. But then again May has a reputation for bringing crazy weather to this city.
I was looking through my packages of seeds tonight and I opened up the peas because it said “Look inside for tips”. So I tear it open and lo and behold it says to plant 6 weeks before the last frost! How come it doesn’t say this on the OUTSIDE of the package? I could have planted them a couple weeks ago! Tomorrow (hopefully the snow will melt in the morning) I will plant the peas and finally be out in the garden.
On a side note we got a lot of rain along with the snow and our new rain barrel is already full of water. We didn’t have to wait very long for mother nature to fill it up.
I was also planning to post of pics of what’s already coming up in the garden, but it’s been pretty miserable the last day or two with the rain/snow. But pics are coming.
Rain Barrel and Composter
May 6, 2008 at 8:03 pm (Composting, Rain barrel, Uncategorized)
I bought a rain barrel and composter on Friday. We set both of them up as soon as we got home.
We already have quite a few kitchen scraps in the composter as well as some leaves leftover from the fall. Now I’m just not sure if I can wait long enough for it to be turned into actual compost.
Today has been pretty yucky outside. It can’t decide if it wants to rain or not so it’s cloudy and the sun won’t come out. It was raining a bit this morning and I went out to check to see how the rain barrel was doing and it’s collecting water! Woohoo. I’m surprised how much water is in it already.
Yeah, so I’m excited about my rain barrel and composter.
