Random Update & Gardening

Wow, I just want more time to do the things I want to do. People think since I only work four days a week that I have so much time on my hands. Well, the fact of the matter is I have crammed so much into my life that I just don't know what to drop to make it any less full and complicated.

I've added another 4-5 hours into my week with my gardening fever. I check my baby plants that are growing in my bathroom every day and it gives me such joy to see how well they are doing. Target planting date for the tomatoes is February 15th, I've got 10 days to get 18 holes dug, prepared and lined with chicken wire to protect the tomato babies from the gophers. That's two holes nine days in a row if I space it out. Here's a wideshot of all the baby plants I have growing in the seed cage.

They are doing so well! I caved and had dh buy Miracle-Gro seed starting potting mix. I don't really like to use Miracle-Gro because it is artificial, but I just didn't feel I had any alternatives, considering that my energy level was so low. The baby plants need nutrients and plain potting soil doesn't provide it, so they get a sluggish start. Usually I figure out some way to feed them but this was the easiest route. This is one of my biggest tomato babies. They are all doing great!


You can see the roots are crawling all over the place!



I was very methodical about labeling the containers and the tomato plant above was one of the Black Krim tomatoes.

Now here is another "Black Krim tomato" but notice how different the leaves look. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say this is a pepper plant of some kind. I lightly pinched a leaf and there is no familiar tomato plant smell.



Here you can see them side by side. Click on the photo for a larger image. The leaves are definitely pepper looking. This isn't the only "pepper" plant that came up. I know there are three that look this way, maybe four. And they did not all come from the same seed packet. Of the Black Krim tomatoes that I planted, all but one look like tomatoes. If I remember correctly, two of the Prudens Purple tomatoes look like these pepper plants, and I think one of the Anna tomatoes does also. I am mildly excited by these mystery plants. This is also a closer shot of the left side of the seed cage.Here is the right side. There are more eggplant babies than tomatoes on this side. They are also much smaller than the tomatoes, even though they were all planted on the same day.

I just love this next photo. I bought some Hyacinth Bean Vine seeds a couple of years ago, and I came across them and wanted to see if they would germinate. I soaked them for three days, instead of one (I forgot about them!) and then I planted them. I couldn't help my curiosity tonight, and dug into the containers to see if any had germinated. Interestingly enough, the very first one that I dug into had sprouted!! But none of the other six seeds show any sign of life. These seeds can take from 7 to 20 days to germinate. I bought them initially because I thought it would be neat to use a vine to shade the garden from the hot summer sun. I am hoping I can get at least one more to germinate - I might end up planting some more just in case.



I also have some Cobaea Monastery Bells/Cathedral Bells vine seed from 2005. This seed also can take 3-4 weeks to germinate.

I also decided to try germinating some old watermelon seeds that I had leftover from either 2004 or 2005. So far one Malali watermelon has germinated, and three Yellow Pony. I was hoping to plant about four of each variety, so I should try to start a few more seeds germinating. I also have some Sweet Diane watermelon seeds, and Early Dew melon. I was so excited to see them coming up! The soil was not warm enough, so I rigged up a lamp with a bare bulb over them for a few hours one day, heated up the soil and that did the trick, because a couple of days later several seeds had germinated.

I just love gardening. One problem I am realizing that I have is that I never plant enough, because I'm always afraid too much will come up. But I'm trying to get past that, and trying to plant LOTS and LOTS of seeds - because my fears have never once been realized. It is also labor intensive to plant 50 seeds, rather than a dozen. But I know it will be worth it.

The newest garden bed has been in since last Saturday, but no signs of germination yet - most of the seeds planted are packed for 2008. I just recently learned there is a way to store seeds that will extend their lifespan. In a glass jar, in the refrigerator! The perfect environment in which to save seeds. Dark, cold and dry. The opposite of what you want for germinating seeds: light, warmth and moisture! So I am now keeping all my seeds in a one gallon jar. I don't foresee having to buy seeds for the rest of this year.

Maybe tomorrow I will see some green babies poking their heads out of the new garden bed. I have been keeping the bed nice and moist. I planted spinach, carrots, radishes, swiss chard, lettuce and beets. I was very methodical this time with putting the seeds into the ground. Usually I scatter the seeds and there is a lot of weeding to do with that method. So this time I used a dowel to make an indention in the earth for where I would put the seeds. I hope this will work better. I still planted intensively, but with more organization.

I can't wait until my seed order arrives. Everything that arrives will be planted on Valentine's Day, at least that is my goal. I listed what I'm planting in my previous post Gardening Fever.

That means I need to prepare another bed. I have started the process of removing the weeds from the area I've chosen, but the hardest part is going to be figuring out a way to get chicken wire under the bed, to protect the plants from the gophers. I wonder if those electronic devices that are supposed to keep rodents away work. It would certainly be worth it to be able to just plant into the ground, without first planting chicken wire a foot deep! This site discusses the method for using traps to eradicate gophers. I was worried about trying this as my kitty guard spends time watching for gophers and I was concerned she could get trapped, but as I read further, I will need to cover the area with a board so it will be dark. I might look into some Gopher Traps. I know I don't want to use poison.

Well, it is way past my bedtime, and I need to get to bed so I can get an early start on my day tomorrow.

Until next time.