Compost

Didn't update for a while! Oops.

Sweet potato vines are taking over the garden, the former tomato patch, the fence side one too.

Harvested green beans a few times.

There's a humungous winter melon growing too (where did it come from?)

The compost is fabulous. Will start a new pile soon.

Rose bushes are crazy. Need pruning. The flowers are probably 1/2 as large as they were this spring.

Rabbit poo smells pretty bad. Spread some on the orange trees.

Sowed some Italian chard (not much)...will see how that does. Also some broccoli.

May harvests

This was from a month ago.
We've already eaten those tomatoes.

There are also tons of tomatoes coming in now.

I neglected the garden for a week or so, maybe longer....so the suckers(tomato sprouts) are everywhere and unruly. I tried tidying yesterday and ended up with a handful of them. I'm gonna start them in water and try to get some roots, then grow more tomatoes.

Earlier when my grandparents were here I also started some tomato cuttings, but then my grandma planted the cuttings literally in the shadow of the existing tomato plants! The lady who can grow anything didn't leave enough room for my new plants...So those plants have not produced much yet.

Some bean plants have started growing up and around the trellises. The snow peas died, but it's past their season anyway.

Early harvests

I've gotten about a handful of snow peas and regular green beans.

We have also eaten bok choy a few times already.

The tomatoes have set fruit (yay!)

Pepper plants planted, but no flowers yet.
Also, jalapeno isn't doing so well. Basil is growing, but still small.

I planted some cantaloupe and acorn squash but who knows if those will do well.

The cucumber is still struggling, as are the loofah.

Warm weather

After a brief chill last week it is warm again!
I should probably plant the melons/zucchini/squash/pumpkin.

The tomatoes have set some fruit.

I also picked some snow peas this morning, only a handful though. I should have planted more snow peas because there is not nearly enough to eat.

I still have some pepper plants in pots that I haven't set in the ground.

The swiss chard might have dried out because I haven't checked on it.

Springtime is here

And it is fabulous!

Today was cloudy and drizzly so I transplanted the last three tomato plants.
I have two more baby cherry tomato plants that have a ways to go, but those will be for later.

The prime spots in the garden have pretty much been taken by chinese cabbage and tomatoes. Well, there's still some room for maybe zucchini or cucumber. I can plant anything now since it isn't cold anymore.

I started a small pot of basil just 'cause and they have sprouted!

I also planted some swiss chard directly outside. Some sprouted.

The pepper plants are probably ready to be repotted into bigger pots but I haven't gotten around to that.

Transplanting

I planted the tomatoes outside today. There used to be 5 that were ready for outside, but I gave away two of them, so I planted just three today. The weather is in the low 60s with the night temperature in the 40s. It was warmer last week but the rain yesterday brought cooler weather.

Also, I dug up the bed from last year that contained sweet potatoes. There were a few small ones, but I decided to put them back and let them keep growing.

So far the cucumbers haven't sprouted yet. It's probably still too cool for them.

plans (sorta)

I'm planning on growing zucchini, cucumbers, and pumpkins later so I need to figure out where to put them. Cross bred squash are no good!

I still want to grow chard.

I also have peppers that I need to put in the plan...oops.
I will put them in the very north bed.

Heavy rain

This morning I heard a clap and saw rain outside my window. I immediately jumped up and went out to bring in my tomatoes. They can't handle a storm!

Perhaps I should check the weather more often. The next week is gonna be a bit chilly.

The garden

Warmer weather

tomato plants

I let the tomato plants stay outside last night. They seem to be ok.
I planted another pot of jalapeno seeds (like two).

Also I repotted one of the tomato plants in a bigger pot.

It might be a problem when I figure out where they will go in the garden. Well, I have figured out, but perhaps later in the summer when I plant more things there might be a problem.

how strong

Surprises abound

So the other day I planted bell peppers that didn't sprout, and then I sowed some lavender in that pot.
Well I took off the saran wrap and found sprouts! They literally came up overnight. I think they're the bell pepper seeds.

Also the cherry tomato plants sprouted.

I figure back in January when I was in dismay that nothing ever grows, it was because it was just not the season. Everything is popping up now!

Frost Date passed

I haven't been blogging recently but much has happened in the garden.
Surprisingly, I am successful with the tomatoes (patience, persistence pays off!).

Plants I am growing:
7 tomato plants (currently hardening off 5 of them)

1 cherry tomato plant
2 cherry tomatoes (just started)
1 bell pepper (sprouted recently)
1 bell pepper cutting (an experiment...dipped in honey)
1 bell pepper just sowed
3 cucumbers just sowed
some lavender sowed
mint
broccoli (outside)
snap peas (outside)

These are just mine.
My dad is also growing stuff: (outside)

bok choy
beans
loofah
potatoes
spring onion

I put some newspaper over a spot of grass, covered with leaves and dirt. I hope it's kinda like a "lasagna" garden; I don't have enough "green" stuff for it to compost well...We'll see.

I"m hoping to plant some more beans outside in a few days when it's spring break. I will also transplant the tomatoes!

Pepper

Planted some more pepper seeds since the last ones didn't grow.

I found worms in them...

I made an account on folia it is pretty useful.

I'm going to plant the tomatoes outside in two weeks or so.

A bed has been prepared for cucumbers, except I don't have much organic material to put in as compost.

Tomatoes and peppers

My tomato plants have more leaves. Still only two sets of true leaves. I'm not sure if they're growing at a normal rate.

I haven't watered them

The peppers haven't germinated.

More stuff

My windowsill is positively full. Maybe there isn't enough light there... but oh well.

I planted some more peppers.

The others  haven't germinated, but it's been two days so it's expected.

The tomatoes have some yellow tinge; I read that that is caused by overwatering. I will lay off the water for two days. I watered them today again.

Peppers

I discovered this thing, sproutbot, that tells me what to plant and when.

It's pretty handy. So I have planted some pepper seeds (from 2008...) today and hope they grow!

I transplanted the tomato plants from the kiwi box to some pots today. They are all sitting in the window sill.

The tomatoes that I transplanted a week ago have one true leaf and thicker stems.

It has been rainy and gross these past two days, so not that much sun comes through the window sill. Earlier in the week it was sunny though.

The mint that I planted into a bigger pot is really thriving. That is an accomplishment.

February 10

Yes! I don't kill everything I grow!

The soybeans are duds, still haven't grown. Whatever.

The tomatoes are doing nicely...true leaves appearing. Except I planted a bunch in that shallow kiwi tray, and they're getting big...I don't know what to do with them. Transplant?

A cherry tomato sprout came up in a pot that I thought was done for.

The peas are growing.

The broccoli looks like it's not going to make it before the bugs eat it all.

Tomatoes are growing

There are lots of sprouts!
Neato!

Things have germinated!

I was disappointed at last weeks no show of stuff, but this week things are better.

Tomatoes have sprouted. I planted them in a kiwi box so It might be too shallow...

Also, the snow peas have grown. They're about an inch tall with probably two pairs of leaves, and I hadn't checked in a while...

The broccoli has sprouted too. The leaves are bug bitten so I hope they will survive.

Last night there was a cold front which will be good for the peas and broccoli.

The soy beans have not come up. I didn't water them after planting them so they probably dried out, but who knows.

I also planted amaranth the other day but I can't tell if there are weeds sprouting or the amaranth. It grew really well when my grandpa sowed it.

The pot of lavender has sprouts but those are probably weeds. It is too early to grow lavender probably, and it is outside.

My seeds NEVER START

Why don't my seeds ever start....never have they.
for real, why don't they ever grow? Once during the summer my sister went to some "tomato party" where they threw tomatoes at eachother. She took a shower, and then two weeks later we have tomato seedlings in the drain.

UGHHH

I planted some cherry tomato seeds (those clay-covered seeds) from a packet a week ago in pots, and NONE sprouted yet. Maybe it's also just not time yet, but I dug one pot of them up and the seeds showed no signs of any growth. The clay came off.

Jan 19

Planted cherry tomato seeds in three pots

Planted lavender seed in a pot

Planted chives in a pot

Planted sweet pea outside

Planted broccoli outside

Watered broccoli, sweet pea

Jan 20

Move tomatoes inside at night

Lavender stays outside

Chives stay outside

Jan 21

Plant soybeans outside after soaking for 2 hours

       Did not water soybeans

Jan 22

Dirt outside is dry

Jan 23-25

Cover tomatoes with plastic

Leave tomatoes outside

Jan 26

Water everything

Sweet pea has germinated (dug one up)

No broccoli yet

No cherry tomatoes (one pot completely did not even germinate)

Seeds may have all been planted too deep