I planted out 2 semi circle beds on either side of the entryway of my driveway during Spring Break. I mainly planted bulbs, with a few annuals & perennials for instant color.
Here are the beds about a month later. Some of the bulbs are emerging. I have added a few more annuals that I have found on sale at various nurseries.
Here is the bed almost 2 months out. Amazing at how fast the bulbs are growing and filling out (of course more annual plants and a few perennials have since been added for color).
Last week I noticed my Gladiolus are starting to put on bloom stalks
These started to bloom last week and are are filling out more and more each day. The yellow color is so vibrant and attracts bees and butterflies.
I came home today to discover these beginning to bloom red.
Can't wait for the flower show to really start blooming.
Remember, I am a beginner at all of this and decided to experiment....This weekend I tried my hand at pickling cucumbers. I wanted to do this last year, but never got any cucumbers from the various plants (well lets just say my planting style at that time was the problem, but it was my first time).
So I decided to just buy some cucumbers from the grocery store (I priced the ones at the farmers market and they were wayyyyy to expensive). I purchased the regular cucumbers, although the English cucumbers would have been better (the ones I got the skin is quite thick, so not sure if that will have a bearing on the flavor of the pickle). I came home Saturday afternoon and checked on the garden and this is what I found. The one cucumber that I had been watching (straight eight) was ready (from what I could tell).
I found this video on YouTube to make simple pickles, however I omitted the dill, because I don't like tart pickles (will see in about 6 weeks if that was not a good idea).
Here was my process:
Added 4 store bought cucumbers with my 1 from the garden
White vinegar, pickling salt, peppercorns, clove garlic, and onions from my garden (ones I pulled early as they were bolting)
1 extra large pot with lid to put the pickled jars in to seal them, 1 medium pot for the brine, 1 small pot to sterilize the ring, and 1 extra small pot for the lids (I know the lids and rings could go in the same pot, but the extra water in these pots were needed after the pickles were put in the extra large pot and more water was needed to cover them).
These were the extra jars I had left over (small ones from jelly making and the 3 tall ones, were from a preservation class I took and got these as part of the class). Have to buy another case of the jars before the next canning time period.
Cut the cucumbers into wedges, any slices that were too tall for my jar, I cut off the ends and used those in the little jars. If they are good, this is what I would call single serving size jar of pickles.
I skinned the onions and garlic.
After following the canning instructions from the video, the jars were ready to be sealed.
Here is an up close up of what the jars looked like inside
If you have an easy pickle recipe please share. My next attempt will be the cold pack method to make kosher pickles (my favorite).
I started this one sweet potato spud back in late March. I was cooking dinner and realized this spud was still in the brown paper bag in the bottom of the pantry. I noticed it had already started to sprout and I figured I needed to get it in some water so that more sprouts would be produced.
In about a month, there were a lot of slips and they were getting taller and taller every day. I figured that within a few weeks they could go in the ground.
Finally it was planting day. The story on the blue tote....I was headed to work one morning and while still in the subdivision, I noticed this tote sitting next to a neighbors trash can (trash pickup was that day). I pulled over and grabbed it. The tote had cracks in the bottom and the sides were slightly dented. However, I knew exactly what job this tote would serve. My husband on the other hand was looking at me like a crazy woman....picking up trash and putting it in our car, within our neighborhood. I had to laugh. On planting day I gave him the task of cutting the bottom of the tote out so that I could sit it on the soil to plant my potatoes. When it is time to harvest, I can just lift the tote up to reveal all the potatoes (well lets at least hope there is a good amount).
Newly planted sweet potato slips. I was able to get 6 slips (4 were tall and 2 were small).
About 2 weeks later, major growth has occurred.
An additional week later more growth. So far this bucket is off to a good start (cross your fingers, eyes, toes).
Well....I thought that I did not have snails or slugs, but low and behold, I guess I have something. I was out watering the plants on the side of the house and I noticed something on the wall. I thought it was a stick that blew up on the wall from the water hose. When I took a closer look, I saw the antenna and was amazed at how big it was and wondering where did it come from and how long it planned to stay. I'm sure that I sure have killed it as I have read on the web and in books that snails and slugs can real do some damage on plants. However, I have seen frogs (ick) in the yard and wondered may this slug would feed a few of them (not sure).
While pruning the Salvia Greggii, I found this plant hiding underneath. It surprised me because It was so green and pretty. Amazing that something would survive under that overgrown plant. I thought at first this plant may be a weed, but after checking on the plant for a few days, I noticed all of a sudden the other day that it started to bloom. I took a closer look and I discovered these beautiful purple flowers opening up. I literally saw them start to open. I am not sure what this plant is, if you know let me know. Also, if you have a suggestion of a book that have a lot of common plants that I could use to identify my mystery plants, please let me know as well. Thanks.
Now I know for sure this is some type of flower bud, but what will it look like?
Then I saw these and I thought this sure looks like flower buds, but of course I have seen this to on weeds.
Great green foliage, was not sure if this was a weed or something worse.
UPDATE 06/07/10: Thanks to Linda Lehmusvirta with the Central Texas Gardener. This is a Balloon Flower or Platycodons. I also realize that my blues and purples sometimes blend together (I am color blind). The plant I have may be blue, anyway, I am glad to know what it is. Such a beautiful plant and a strong one too. I plan to look for more of these after I see what this one does in the middle of July and during the winter season.
It is truly amazing how fast a plant or 2 can spread and make such a beautiful impact. I planted a couple of about 4 inch potted daisies here last year and this year they are showing off and showing up some of the other plants. I am now considering moving some of the other plants out of that bed so that they are not choked out. Also, I may dig up some of the daises and plant them in other places. In order from bottom up this is how the plants/bed look this year...March, April, May. The first photo is a close up shot of the daisy. What I thought was a bee, turns out to be a big fly. Oh well, he is part of the nature.
Don't mind the bucket (ha ha)
Also, if anyone could tell me the name of the gray plants on either side of the tree, that would be great. I planted these a few years back, but so far they keep coming back. They are sending up stalks, which now have yellow buds in them.
UPDATE 06/07/10: Thanks to Linda Lehmusvirta with Central Texas Gardener, the gray plants are Dusty Miller. I am happy to know that I can choose to keep the flowers or cut them off. However, I think I will keep them on because I think that is why the plant keeps coming back due to reseeding itself (supposedly this is an annual in our zone). I really did not think that it would have come back with all the freezes we had and the large amount rain, but of course nature has a mind of its own.
