I know, so is everyone else's... but I NEVER get things to grow from seed! This morning I went out to check on our seedlings, and it's time to transplant the peppers & tomatoes into their bed. They grew! My herbs are becoming monsters already... everything except the basil. And everything I've started from seed has the teeniest little feather seedlings sticking up out of the soil! Every single pot!!! This is the left side. You can see my happy peppers & tomatoes. That monster in the front center is transplanted chives - and I think I saw a stray mint growing in the middle of the clump, too. The long low planter is our carrots - and I can distinctly count 23 fuzzy little sprouts coming up! And the big blue bucket has cups with pumpkin seeds - and I can see sprouts in both! And this is the right side. The cherry tomato in the back is big enough I'm considering getting a cage around it before it takes off. The lefthand strawberry pot is my mint! I've got two more baby pumpkins in the blue bucket - both just peeking out of the soil right now. The pots around the tomato are where I started some lettuce, and FINALLY this morning I can see it coming in! And on the table I've got lemonbalm & lavender - both doing well, and that lemonbalm is THREE TIMES bigger than when I planted it! The pot behind them is where I started cilantro, and again - just today I can see seedlings sticking up! I can't believe it... I am growing plants... from seeds... and they're GROWING!!! Oh yeah - the kids are excited too They think they're mom's lost it. I whooped so loud when I saw that lettuce! love, mom
I think my poor basil was drowned. Our garden was under the eaves of the house and two days after we planted everything we had a MAJOR thunderstorm. We had to run out & drill extra holes in the big bed, and I had to re-pot my tomatoes - they were swimming! The basil pot was right where water was pouring off the roof, and it hasn't looked okay since. I'm not giving up on it yet - it hasn't completely died yet either. But my mom did just pick up one more plant for me too So maybe I'll have TONS of basil, but I'll have one plant for sure. The arch running through the pumpkin pots has a 10' soaker hose wired to it. We turn it on for about an hour every evening... it sprays everything with a fine mist, and it seems to be working really well Even my mom thought it looked good, and she's pretty hard to please in the garden! love, mom
That is cool. I'm reminded of something I read, Who plants the seed beneath the sod and waits to see, believes in God. I'm not a believer really but it does kind of speak to me.
Ohh, that is a wonderful quote! I just might have to use it when we scrapbook these pictures later this year! My daughter has been running out the back door all day to pinch mint leaves to munch on. This, from the kid that hates mint!!! She's loving the garden as well. My son is a bit more laid back about things too - he says "I'll be happy with it when we have our first pan of pumpkin custard Mama!" love, mom
My little garden: It's laid out around an old stump (covered by lettuce bed) in concentric circles, the paths are 2 ft wide, beds 4 ft. The cross path is oriented due North and South. When I was laying it out the "dope helicopters" went over 2 or 3 times a day, I thought I'd give them a compass so they could find their way back home. Sorry, guys, ain't no dope here, just vegetables. The empty hills are where something (???) absconded with the melon, squash and watermelon seeds, it's been replanted. I think it must have been goblins, there was no sign of disturbance and I sifted through the dirt - no seeds, no sign of what took them.
Gaston, that's a wonderful garden! I like how nice & neat everything is... and it's ROUND! We blamed missing seeds/plants on hungry elves until we found the real culprit - a whistle-pig! love, mom
Gaston I think your goblins may have been snails. They've made off with over 30 cucumber plants here this year. Funny thing is I've really been watching for them, but I guess they don't sleep and I do. What the hell is a whistle pig momma?
A whistle pig is a... hang on, I don't remember their common name! Got it - it's a woodchuck or groundhog. We call 'em whistle pigs 'cause of the sound they make. Looks like that term must've come from my mom... it's an eastern/Appalachian term for them! love, mom
With all the rain my area has been getting, our family garden is starting to sprout, and it's lovely... the first year I've really taken a part in the process and I'm very pleased.
Our garden is doing really well. Still a work in progress. The veggies are in but I haven't finished the flowers or the herbs. Can't do as much in a day as I used to so I do what I can. This is the second year we have had a garden here. Last year things got out of hand because my dad was in the last stages of Alzheimer's so I spent most of my time at my sister's helping out. My husband is a sweetie and loves the garden but isn't a bundle of ambition. Remembering to weed and harvest are totally beyond him.
(((((((((hugs!!!))))))))) I have arthritic days where I can't get into our gardens either. Our flowers are really suffering this year because of it. I am SO grateful the kids are willing to do the veggies for me on those days! love, mom
Hi Mom Have you tried taking cold pressed hemp seed oil capsules to help with the arthritis? Isn't it a great feeling when you get to grow from seed!! I have had some non starters this year - Wormwood and Good King Henry....very sad. But that's the luck of the gardener I guess. Hugs Bee
Nice garden, Gaston! Hmm...you live in southwestern VA....any way near Abingdon? I am in NE TN. Had some little harvest this week from mine - string beans, sugar snap peas and a cuke that I are in the garden! Squash are coming along nicely - ready to pick this weekend. I am really surprised by my garden - didn't expect it to grow so well! It is a raised bed garden with straw around it for the trailing vines. Probably need to water tomorrow. Will put up some pix when I can figure out how(LOL)
I'm a bit west of Grundy in a little dark hollow, you get about a month's head start on me. I moved here from Johnson City a year or so ago, I'll have to admit I miss the sunshine. Nice garden! The squash vine borers are working overtime here, I've been busy shoveling dirt/compost on the runners hoping they'll root in time. Sounds like you got your seeds in the ground early enough to beat them.
Homeschoolmama, yes, but now I am getting blossom end rot. I am not sure why. Maybe because these were the really early squash? Still have some nice yellow and zucchini almost ready to pick and a cucumber that is 5 inches long! Lots of beans today. I actually planted them late because we had a late freeze. I think that planting them in the raised bed warms up the soil earlier. I am as surprised as you that it is growing so well! Thanks!
