New Additions

So I went to my local greenhouse and picked up some plants that are on sale.
I went there because i had gone to 3 stores looking for a pepper plant.. here i finally found one.. But it had no stick to tell me what kind of pepper it is..

We shall see



These are Gypsophila

Salvia & Diascia

Dianthus & Argyranthemum

I think i'm done buying plants now.. aghaaa

MY very own Container

I made my own container today... Bought 4 different types of flowers / fillers in the discount bin and made my own container.

The middle is begonia dragon pink, 2 dusty millers, 2 bidy gonzales & axillaris.

it's a little sick right now.. But it will fill out.

I'm so proud! :)

So, Don't do this..

I had some little black bugs living on most of my plants so I googled this "natural Recipe" where you spray vegetable oil, soap & water onto the leaves and it gets rid of the pests ...

well ! it did work .. i don't see any more bugs but..

it seemed to have "cooked" the leaves of my plants. Now they are all burnt and sad looking. I will have to go prune tons of leaves off..

I later read to do this in the evening or you will ruin even more of your leaves.. whoooops.

hmf.

Summary. Failed Garden.

Well. This year was a total bust. Between it being my very 1st year growing in the ground / sfg'ing.. and the horrible summer we had. I barely had a harvest. My garden looked like a "wild jungle" vs any form a garden. We only had a handful of sunny days and only got to +30 a few times all summer long. I harvested a small bowl full off golfball sized tomatoes, a few cuc's and some carrots that were the size of my pinky finger.

Some things I learned from this year of gardening is...

- Tomatoes take over - grow them in pots. My tomato plants were over 6 feet high, exept I couldn't stake them so the were flopped over covering EVERYTHING else.

-Carrots must be in front. Other plants will shadow them.. no matter what they are.

-1-2 lettuce per square. Not 4.

-Too many kinds of lettuce. Just grow what you will use often.

-1 cucumber plant per square. takes over. Best in a pot as it vines.

- Keep peas away from cuc's and tomatoes. Again get all caught up in eachother

- No spinach. Unless baby small bush type spinach exists.

- Don't grow things you won't use. Waste of money & time & space.

Also, I will not be growing from seed this year ( well only ground things like peas,carrots, lettuce ) Tomatoes, onions, cuc's are all such a pain to grow from seed in my house and cost so much more money.

Ie. 1 5 inch plant at beggining of june ~3$ at local supermarket/box store. Already is grown, is past delicate seedinling stage & can be revived if a little sick looking. Total cost of plant = 3$.
OR seed = 3.99$ a package. 20$ for seedling house. 10$ seedling fertilizer. 10$ for electricity for light being on 20h a day. Time and energy watching seedlings. Trying to time when to start seedlings and time they can be planted. And then they end up dying as soon as transplanted because they were too tiny.

Anyways. Thats my summary. I have no pictures because it was a total mess from july on anyways. All you can do is learn from your mistakes.

I DID LOVE rescuing things. Rescuing vegi plants and flower plants from the evil boxed stores. Will do more of that this year.

So long time no... Blog

Sorry! just when things get exciting and start growing.. i stop blogging. Anyways.. It has rained most of the time the last week and a half.. But here is the updates :)





Hanging planters - petunias - Down because the wind was blowing really hard






Box #1 - And i've harvested the lettuce at the front a few times.

Middle part - Strawberries, mint, pansies & marigolds.

My rosemary plant looks weird? I think it looks more like a weed. I hope not.

Middle box. Radishes are invading. But there roots aren't growing yet.. so I thinned them out a bit. :(

Peas need a teepee.

Pots. Basil has recovered very well :)

3rd box. Spinach and lettuce are exploding.

Early girl in the pot.

Potatoes are huge! This is the top peaking over the potato tub!

Baby cucumbers!!

Pretty Petunia!

more RESCUES!

HAHAHA.

So this is my new hobby. Not Gardening, but rescue gardening! So many plants given a half hearted chance at life.. and then given to the hands of teenagers running the "garden" sections of the department/box/hardware/grocery store. Anywho. I REALLY ENJOY comments. Makes me so happy knowing other people are out there saving the rejects / neglected plants out there!

So here's Todays findings:

Petunia hanging basket with a few sad looking purple with white lines. I believe they are called violet stars :)! I LOVE THEM but refused to pay such outrageous prices.. Well I got this sad and mildly diseased plant for 10$ YEY!


And from the same store is this other petunia.. a "plum crystal" version.



SO I combined them. As I thought they would look amazing together ( oh and I found a white petunia in the mix! ) I think with a little love this plant will be AMAZING, and better then any 50$ hanger thoose stores are asking. ( The other petunia plant I rescued is behind it )

OH and according to some websites on the internet Petunia's represent : Resentment, Anger & "Your presence soothes me"


Rescued Marigold. I loved the colors. You can see some of the sick flowers and leaves.. And the pot it was in before I transplanted it.. .Can you sat ROOT BOUND! Sad.
Here is her new home.. Again.. weird meaning of marigold is : Cruelty, Grief & Jealousy. And another site claimed they bring you money! taking care of this girl!

Here is a picture of the little guys who started it all. The Matrix pansies. I bought them because I liked the name Matrix ( like my new car! ) and bought them, not knowing anything about flowers. Well now ..10 varieties of flowers later... here they are happy as can be!

RESCUE BASIL

Here is the basil plant I rescued from my local grocery store today. Actually I was out looking for basil.. as I had a sudden intrest in making homemade / homegrown caprese salad. S0 5 stores later I find this pooooor basil barely hanging on. I didn't take pictures of how I got it.. but it was squished in a can sized pot ... dry as could be and with 75% of the plant dead sticks. Only a few plants could be saved. But I'm sure she will recover. So this is my what? 6th rescue plant? hahaha






Here is some updates of the petunias ( not morning glory.. )
June 12:





June 28th:

See what a little love can do!

Updates and new plants!

June 26. Everything seems to be so happy.

Here is what the potatoes look like in their little tub..
Early girl got some support.

3rd box.

2nd box. The sweet 100 got supported too.

Middle strawberries and squished pansies.

it's turning red!

Rescue pansies got a new box. a window box!

1st box.

THE NEW ARRIVALS! - these are all rescues from my local grocery store.. The are selling little flowers for next to nothing, sadly they are all not looked after well... Plus these are all new to me..

This is a spring aster.. in really bad shape. But I want a bit of a... challenge.

This one is the healthiest of the bunch.. a "burgandy Ice Geranium"

annnnd this is a calibrachoa.. I can't even try to say that.

Here they are in their new pots :)

Death!?

So some things are doing really well.. or at least the same.. And some things are not so happy.
After doing some things I realized my problem may be

1. I am overwatering.. But I feel so bad for thoose dry little guys!
2. I am overfertilizing too.. Again, Wanna give the babies SO many vitamins.

So I now I am more educated. And hopefully everything will forgive me from my mistakes.

AND now for pictures!

Sweet williams got too hot! ahhh. Had to cut off their leaves as they were too far gone. I hope they grow back? ( this is before I cut them )

most of my squares/ garden looks like this. Some teeny tiny green leave has appeared!

Roma tomato is coming back! I saved him I think!

RADISHES! I wish gardening was this easy....