How is the garden?

[kammy]

You have inspired me to start my seeds. Today I wicked out a lot of the dead weeds in the garden and got my Tomatos and peppers started. I also planted some lettuce seeds, as well as a couple of strawberry plants and onions.

If all goes well I should have a bumper crop this year. ;D

I do wish I could find a deal on the solar lights. Here they are $ 18 for a pack of two.

[Noofies]

I got the red raspberry and blackberry starter canes in yesterday (no raspberries until next year, no blackberries until the year after that), and the asparagus roots (harvest-able crop next year), and a couple of phlox bulbs (for the butterflies, should get some nice flowers from that later in the summer). Also got what I think is a lilac bush fertilized yesterday, and will get the other possible lilacs and all the roses fertilized tomorrow. (It's cold and raining today.)

I found some old "Parks-Starts" a couple of weeks ago - they're styrofoam trays with 18 round peat plugs with pre-drilled holes. One of the five was previously used (but if I remember correctly, nothing grew because I never watered them after the initial planting) and there were still some seeds in in 6 plugs (don't remember what they were) so I got those watered and some "iffy" seeds (old, but hermetically sealed packaging) in the other dozen plugs and will see what, if anything, sprouts. I've got the other 4 out and will get some seeds into them when I'm done taking this little break I'm on. (I'll use one of those to start the heirloom red brandywine tomato seeds I have - a free "bonus" with my heirloom herb seeds, and probably use the others for my lavender, catnip, and morning glory seeds.)

I've also got a couple of bags of soil-less seed starting mix and two 36-cell seed starting trays; I'm going to get one of those planted with herb seeds today. (I'll save the other one for the vegetable seeds I haven't gotten yet.) I'm hoping for a break in the rain so I can run out to the "training center" and grab a collapsible dog crate; I'll put all the started seeds in there to germinate and begin growing; that'll prevent curious doggies from getting into them. I have to put them in my den; I keep the thermostat in the rest of the house down to 68 which is too cool to germinate seeds, but I can keep a little fire going in the den's woodstove (or turn on the little electric fake radiator in there) to keep the temp warm enough for germination. Once germinated, I'll move them out to my dining room table where they'll get sufficient - but not direct - sunlight to continue growing. They'll have to stay in the dog crate, though, to prevent feline interference. (Especially since some of the baby plants will be catnip!)

Plus I found some old calla lily bulbs, I don't know if those will grow, but I'm going to plant them and see. I can't put those in the ground outside as they're not hardy in this area, but I've got a couple of "planters" I'll put them in and, if they grow, will just bring them inside in the fall. (One of my "planters" is an old spaghetti cooker, a pot with holes that fits inside a non-holed pot, should work well for indirect watering.)

The other thing I'm thinking about doing this evening is trying my first mosaic stepping stone. We'll see. I'll post a pic of it when it's done, whenever that is.

[kammy]

I always found morning glorys very easy to grow. I usually soaked the seeds for a little while and sprinkled them where I wanted them and away they went. One year I had a low garden fence around my property in BG. I trained the glories to run along the fence and the result was beautiful. It looked like a hedge of flowers.

I usually have no luck at all with the tomato seeds but I am trying this year. If worse comes to worse I will purchase some at the green house in late may if I can't get the seeds to grow.

This weather is really rotten isn't it? Yesterday was so beautiful and today just well, you know. I have a bad feeling we are going to have another cool and wet spring that will suddenly turn into a hot summer.

[kammy]

I put the seeds near the fireplace and under a flourecent bulb. In just the few days since I posted I have tomato sprouts, and basil sprouts. Peppers haven't done anything yet.

Did you try the stepping stone

[Noofies]

kammy said:

Did you try the stepping stone

No, I took a nap instead. LOL! But.... I printed out the stepping stone instructions. I can't decide what to do first, so I think maybeI'll make a boot brush stepping stone, so I'll have something to scrape the mud/dog poop off my shoes before I come in the house. Just gotta get a couple of sturdy scrub brushes, first. Will check at the dollar store tomorrow. Here's where I got the instructions: www.rebeccasgarden.com/articles/Crafts/Step_by_Step/606.html

My hummingbird feeder came in today's mail. I've got water on the boil even as I type, to make nectar for the feeder, and will get it filled and hung out very shortly. Can't wait to have little hummers coming to feed right outside the window here. Will also re-fill both the thistle feeder (which I just filled Tuesday afternoon, but which is already more than half empty - those finches are voracious little birdies!) and the regular feeder. And I really need to get the compost pile turned!

Have had the morning glory seeds soaking since last night, will get them put into an 18-plug seed-starter later today. By the time they need to be repotted, it'll be warm enough to move them directly outside. I think I'll put some around the base of the trees so they'll have the trees to climb on, and the rest along the outside of the patio fence.

A couple of the dog books I ordered at half.com came today too, so I've got some good reading material when I need to take a break from seed-planting.

Also, did some research last night on building a bat box. Got instructions for what looks like an easy, inexpensive bat box, and already have half the materials I need. Just need to get a half-sheet of plywood (will check at the lumber yard and see what they've got available in their "remnants" section), a tube of latex caulk, and some water-based black stain. www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/bats/batecon.asp Will probably hang it on the pole for the sodium-vapor light in the back yard - I don't plan on using that light much, if at all. Would prefer to attach it to the pole barn, but can't because the pole barn exterior is metal.

[kammy]

I don't need a bat box. I am batty enough as it is. Actually we have quite a few around. Being the night owl that I am, I always catch a glimpse or two of them during the warmer months. I don't tell a lot of people cause there is still the phobia about them.

That link looks good I will have to check it out. I hope it has the boot brush on it. I am interested in that.