by Dirt Simple
Here is is, next to the 1st day of Spring, and I'm desperately still searching for evergreens that like (or don't mind) containers for Zone 8. It's not looking good, I'm afraid I'll have to re-do the garden each year after all. Maybe it's just the rainy storm getting my mood settled into pessimistic. Time will tell.
I started re-doing the front yard edges yesterday in the cool 50 degree temperatures and that lead me to remember I really don't like re-doing plantings. There must be a way to have and keep evergreens here.
Scents of Clematis
Clematis, Golden - Clematis tangutica
They smell like coconut... and they're $12 cheaper than at the local store. I'm definitely ordering these so sharing my excitement!
I had seen some clematis in the local store's gardening center and was astonished they were asking $19.95 a piece! Granted, they were about 2' tall already, but there's no way in the world I'd pay $20 for a plant that may or may not survive where I plant it. That lead me to searching online & finding this most wonderful option.
They smell like coconut... and they're $12 cheaper than at the local store. I'm definitely ordering these so sharing my excitement!
I had seen some clematis in the local store's gardening center and was astonished they were asking $19.95 a piece! Granted, they were about 2' tall already, but there's no way in the world I'd pay $20 for a plant that may or may not survive where I plant it. That lead me to searching online & finding this most wonderful option.
So Many Worms!
I saw so many worms in the dirt where the beans grew last year. I wasn't sure if it was a problem or not - there were about 3 worms for every scoop of dirt. So then I searched & found this and sharing just in case you find an extraordinary number of worms in your dirt, too. People have started worm bins, too, in case you want more worms than you already have.
Spring Seeds
Last year was my first try ever at growing veggies outside. While I had a few big wins, there were some harsh losses, too. Like the broccoli that was eaten to disfigurement by bugs, the cucumbers that grew to be edible yet refused to flourish, the corn that grew about 8" high and stopped dead in its tracks. I went in head first knowing that I didn't know what I was doing! I figured if 50% of the plants lived that'd be great. And I was about right with that 50% guess.
I think the ants ate many corn seeds, I'm sure the cucumbers were ransacked by squirrels, oh and the poor broccoli - the countless bugs of some type I still don't know - it was hardly even recognizable by the time the cauliflower planted right next to it was beautifully ready to pick. The squirrels got the strawberries, though the bugs didn't, and the beans, well, the pole beans made it, the bush beans didn't. The carrots did beautifully but I planted them too late (and still the slugs really tried to eat the tops off). The lettuce suffered from slugs, too. It was a really big fat learning experience it was.
This year, is going to be different, very different. Because this year, I know about companion planting- which simply means planting things together that help each other in some way. Mints discourage ants, tarragon helps just about everything it's planted by flourish, borage repels many pests that attack veggies, nasturtiums repel aphids, cabbage looper, squash bug, white fly, and cucumber beetles! So I did some seed shopping on Amazon for flowers that will protect my precious veggies later in the summer.
Sharing the latest seed purchases for this Spring:
Yes, some are "weeds" but they're supposed to be "good" weeds! They don't discourage squirrels, unfortunately, but I do have chicken wire for that.
I think the ants ate many corn seeds, I'm sure the cucumbers were ransacked by squirrels, oh and the poor broccoli - the countless bugs of some type I still don't know - it was hardly even recognizable by the time the cauliflower planted right next to it was beautifully ready to pick. The squirrels got the strawberries, though the bugs didn't, and the beans, well, the pole beans made it, the bush beans didn't. The carrots did beautifully but I planted them too late (and still the slugs really tried to eat the tops off). The lettuce suffered from slugs, too. It was a really big fat learning experience it was.
This year, is going to be different, very different. Because this year, I know about companion planting- which simply means planting things together that help each other in some way. Mints discourage ants, tarragon helps just about everything it's planted by flourish, borage repels many pests that attack veggies, nasturtiums repel aphids, cabbage looper, squash bug, white fly, and cucumber beetles! So I did some seed shopping on Amazon for flowers that will protect my precious veggies later in the summer.
Sharing the latest seed purchases for this Spring:
- 500 Calendula "Mixed" (Calendula officinalis) Seeds
- 200 Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) Seeds
- 100 Borage Herb (Borago Officinalis) Seeds
- 1,000 Creeping Thyme "Mother of Thyme" (Thymus serpyllum) Seeds
- 200 Wild Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) Seeds
- 100 Lavender "Italian" (Lavandula angustifolia) Seeds
- 70 Nasturtium "Jewel Mixture" (Tropaeolum majus) Seeds
- 200 Aster "Ostrich Feather" (Callistephus chinensis) Seeds
- 350 Russian Tarragon Seeds
- 200 Pennyroyal Mint (Mentha pulegium) Seeds
Yes, some are "weeds" but they're supposed to be "good" weeds! They don't discourage squirrels, unfortunately, but I do have chicken wire for that.
Radishes Over Winter
Today I found this in one of the smallest raised garden bed containers I made at the end of summer last year. The seeds for these radishes were planted mid-to-late fall. We've had freezing temps, snow, and ice, but these made it all winter - though they're awfully small they don't take much room to grow and I did nothing but water them for the 1st few weeks they were planted. After that the fall rains came and nature took care of the rest. I didn't even do anything to protect them from the cold. Maybe the radishes would be bigger if I did, I'm just not sure. At this point I'm happy I got to them before the squirrels got hungry enough to eat them.
I had lost a lot to slugs I didn't get off as quickly as I could have, darn things do eat leaves so quickly! Next time I'm going to sprinkle crushed up egg shells along the perimeter of the planter boxes. Rumor has it slugs don't like the sharp egg shell edges, so it's worth a shot. I'd rather torture them with shells than tempt them with beer. Why should I open a bar for them, nasty things they are! Squirrels are bold little creatures, too! Just look at those darn teeth marks!
I had lost a lot to slugs I didn't get off as quickly as I could have, darn things do eat leaves so quickly! Next time I'm going to sprinkle crushed up egg shells along the perimeter of the planter boxes. Rumor has it slugs don't like the sharp egg shell edges, so it's worth a shot. I'd rather torture them with shells than tempt them with beer. Why should I open a bar for them, nasty things they are! Squirrels are bold little creatures, too! Just look at those darn teeth marks!
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