What I'm Growing

As promised in previous post, here are the photos of my plants from seed and those that I did not have seeds for (better yet my compulsion to buy starts).

Seedlings Before (store bought Swiss Chard in the lower right)

Store bought starts

The after....It is a lot, but believe it or not, this year I am cutting back what is going into the garden (unless I come across something that I can't resist, WINK WINK).

Store bought plants

As of yesterday I transplated all the tomaot plants that were moved to the 9 oz cups to 16 oz cups.  I hope to put everything in the ground next month when hope of all frost should be gone.

I started these from seed:
Started 01/21/13:

• Jelly Bean Hybrid Tomato (2 seedlings)
• Black Krim Tomato (1 seedling)
• Black Plum Tomato (2 seedling)
• Early Girl Hybrid Tomato (2 seedlings)
• Jubilee Tomato (2 seedlings)

Started 02/13/13:

• Poblano Pimento Pepper (1 seedling)
• California Wonder Pepper (2 seedlings)
• Jalapeno Early (1 seedling)
• Jalapeno Hot (2 seedlings)
• Salad Slicer (2 seedlings)
• Tender Green (2 seedlings)

I purchased these as starts:

• Serrano Chili Pepper
• Santa Fe Grande Chilli Pepper
• Cubanelle Sweet Pepper
• Phoenix Hybrid Tomato
• Husky Cherry Red Tomato
• Super Sweet 100 Tomato
• Pink Girl Tomato
• Mexican Tarragon
• Ichiban Japanese Eggplant
• Lying Saucer Summer Squash
• Black Beauty Eggplant (2)
• Quimalt Strawberries
• Cilantro (I currently have a pot with seeds, but just in case they don't take, plus when it is gets too hot it bolts)
• Rainbow Swiss Chard (already planted)

White Dinner Plate Hibiscus.  First time starting these from seed (could not find the actual plant at my local nursery).  Luckily during a Christmas card swap with gardeners in a group I was in last year, these were added to the card.  One plant took and now that is over a month old it looks great.

That little plant above was the only one that made it from about 10 seeds planted and now look her below.  I still plan to do this again, so that eventually, I could have a row of Hibiscus along the side of my house.

What's in the garden:

Amaryllis



Multiplying onions, given to me by a fellow book club member.

Ice King Daffodil

Pride of Barbados

My agave plants that reside on my front porch are doing great.  I am not sure if the stalks that are coming out the center will be flowers or if it is making more spines.  In researching them, I "THINK" mine are americana, I could be totally wrong. 

I am going to try again growing blueberries and blackberries.  Last time I tried, they only fruited a tiny bit, then ants invaded the container they were in, however in looking at them yesterday there are leaves forming, so after I kill off the ants, I will transplant them somewhere else.  In the mean time I planted last month the plants below.

Things seems to be progressing quite well.

Happy Gardening...



Guess What I Have Planned For This Weekend.....

I will be starting my tomatoes from seed.  Yes, according to our gardening calendar this is the weekend to start the seeds.  So looking forward to the new season and working the soil to produce some lovely vegetables.  I will be back later with what tomato seeds I decided to start this year.

I don't plan to go mad crazy with tomatoes as I did last year.  I have come to realize that my garden is small and the area it is located in only gets so much sun due to the house, shed, and fence, so most of the tomatoes struggled and the ones that did well shaded the rest of my vegetables, plus I have to move their location to help prevent disease.

I will also do some clean up in the garden and hopefully finish purchasing the soil and compost to fill the rest of the beds.  My husband helped me unload, re-cardboard the flooring (due to the excessive grass escaping through the cardboard/newspaper from before) and reload the soil back into the beds, so some of the depth is gone.

I HOPE (fingers crossed) I can go into the new season with a clean garden area and a clean shed (I know my husband would appreciate it).  Over the last week we have gotten drizzle to complete 2-4 inches of rain, so my garden area is well watered and hopefully Saturday/Sunday are good days to clean.  Also, this will give me a new outlook on where to plant the vegetables as last year I rushed to get everything in and the plan was haphazard.

Wish you all well and happy gardening.

Cynthia