...is a demanding mistress.
Yesterday I....
Transplanted watermelon seedlings outside. Two years ago we saved seeds from the best melons we ever tasted, purchased from an Amish family up on Lynk St. Last summer I tenderly sprouted them, planted them out and watched them grow into lovely grey-green circles of fuzzy leaves with cute little yellow flowers. I couldn't wait to see the melons come.
And then something...woodchuck, deer, bunnies, pixies, or garden sprites ate them right to the root. I was sad. Yesterday there were two deer right on the lawn, listening calmly as Liz lectured them on the folly of eating our veggies and fruits. They did not seem impressed.
So this year I put the melons in a barrel. A lot more care but maybe...just maybe.
Planted a few green and purple beans, also in a large container. You can't fight Mother Nature.
Watered everything. There are a LOT of things.
Made a set of deer repellent devices out of parts of broken laundry bars, fabric softener sheets and rubber bands...maybe
Uncovered the tray of paprika peppers I am attempting to grow for Becky. Remind me to never try peppers in peat pots again. Peppers do not like peat. Germination was abysmal and there are only a couple of spindly sprouts, only one in true leaf stage, after weeks and weeks in the big windows and a couple in the mini greenhouse on the porch. Ugh.
Pulled leaf segments off the various holiday cacti we have and stuck them in the vacant peat pellets. Maybe...
Built, with Ralph's help, a little plant table out of stuff that was lying around the yard and stuck two of the 11 sweet basil plant pots I for some reason, known only to my gardener heart, started this year.
Planted more cannas in front and side yards. And yes, there are more if you want some...maybe you do!
Potted the new yellow mini canna I indulged myself with and set it out. I think it is done blooming for this year, but the leaves are pretty....next year...maybe.....
Finished the destruction of the Ginger Mint barrel, which broke really badly when I tried to move it earlier. Potted a big pot for me, stuck some in the ground, and made a pot for Liz, as a ready made herb garden is part of her birthday gift this year. So far I have Sweet Basil, Orange Mint, Catnip, Golden Lemon Balm, Chives, Thyme, and now Ginger Mint. I have a couple more mints to pot up ready for her. And Walking Onions if she wants some. Ooh, and Garlic Chives too. We usually have lots of them from seed each year. Matt brought me pots! What fun to fill them!
Moved two half barrels Matt brought me, weeded same. Oddly enough I lost my last Wall Pepper last year. It is a kind of soft, creeping sedum, which I have carted from house to house since I was 18 and in college. Matt was cleaning up and asked if I wanted these barrels. As I container garden as much as possible (dog lazy I am) of course I said yes.
Lo and behold, two of them were full of Wall Pepper from plants I gave him previously.
How nice is that?
Ate the volunteer lettuce in the green planter so I can stick a mater in there. It was tasty.
More stuff too, I just can't remember. I was outdoors playing in the garden almost all day. Made meatloaf burgers and mashed taters for supper. Crashed. Slept.
Today...hopefully...more cannas to plant. Seven tomato plants that need to get in the ground.
May and June are my favorite months, what with migration, gardening, and generally bearable weather. They never last long enough.
Posts
7 comments:
Whoa! I felt exhausted just reading about all your gardening! Sometimes I feel lucky I have neither space nor adequate sunshine to grow a garden myself, which leaves me free to wander Mother Nature's garden instead. Or I'd be laboring out there, too. But I sure am grateful that others garden. The older and lamer I get, the days seem to grow shorter and shorter to do all I want to do. I haven't been by your blog in way too long (family illness has kept me distracted), but I now look forward to catching up on your Northview Diary.
Jacqueline, I am flattered and delighted that you took time from all you are coping with to stop by for a visit. I have been following along on your blog whenever I can and my heart aches for you. I love to garden and, having made some changes in my life lately, find that I can do so better than any time since we retired. Hugs.
I love every month, March through October, then it's pretty much downhill from there.
Linda, I don't do well in the heat, so July and August are rough on me. When the weather is moderate I love them too.
I have a deer problem here too. Hence my container garden is fenced, bt I may have to add a hot wire to the top of it too.
Plant basil with the tomatoes
Deer don't like highly scented plants, so you can plant lemon balm, sage, and strong mints around plants that are susceptible to deer nibbles.
Now if only I can keep the cats out of my garden!
It is hard to keep critters from enjoying gardens. They like to eat the good stuff.
I've never had to fence a garden in, but that might change. We are SO dry this year that the deer started coming up by the house and clear cut my strawberry plants (growing in raised beds). I have a silly looking set up of random stuff in the strawberry bed to deter them. I keep changing it up. So far, so good.
Do you harvest your mint?
Shirley, I really can't fence, as my garden runs right next to the driveway, but it would sure be a help. Woodchuck had a litter under one of the porches, but we are weeding them out. No cats though. lol
aurora I'll have to try that with the scary things! Deer are becoming really bold here too!
Post a Comment