Saturday, March 8, 2008

Finally a few pictures













Here's what it looked like when I got started. This is a spot that was overgrown with cannas. Couldn't give those darned things away, so they were thrown out.























And here it is now. Seedlings are getting started, and I'm ready to cover it with plastic for yet another freeze. I've been tossing a tarp over it, but the plants are getting too large for that, so yesterday I added the PVC hoops to make a little shelter for them. That'll warm up the soil, too.

No luck with plants started from seed. About half of them sprouted, and none grew. They just sit there... a month old, and still as small as the day they sprouted. I didn't have a warm place to keep them, so it turned out to be a wasted effort. I'll have to get bedding plants to catch up on the time I lost. Lesson learned.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Planted first seeds today!


I had a pack of little 3 0z. plastic cups and used them as seed-starting containers by burning a drain hole in them with a soldering iron.

Started today:

Artichoke, Green Globe
Eggplant, Black Beauty
Sweet Basil
Tomato, Marglobe
Pepper, Big Dipper
Chinese Eggplant
Arugula, Roquette

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Getting ready for Spring

Today we finally had warm weather, though winter is still looming. I bought five 10-foot 4X4 timbers and framed up half of the beds. I also bought ten 2 cubic foot bags of StarGreen garden soil from Lowes. It's the lower-cost equivalent of the Miracle Gro soil.

I built the frames and added a little of the soil to the beds, but time was a factor, since we have other obligations today. Hopefully we'll have all the soil improved by the end of the weekend.

No seeds planted yet. I need to get them going soon!

Received 40 artichoke seeds from eBay last week. Hope we can get them to produce in our climate.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Still too cold to plant

I stopped at Hebert's Nursery today and bought some seeds. They said they can get large bags of vermiculite for $25 each. Need to be ordered.

Bought these seeds:

1/8 oz. Hybrid turnip -- Service Seed Division
Sweet Basil -- Livingston Seed
Okra Clemson Spineless -- Livingston Seed
Cowpea California Blackeye -- Livingston Seed
Pea Sugar Snap -- Livingston Seed
Arugula Roquette -- Livingston Seed
Tomato Marglobe -- Livingston Seed
Carrot Nantes -- Livingston Seed
Chamomile German -- Livingston Seed
Catnip -- Livingston Seed