Gardening Junkies:We've got the fever (Lilacs, veggies, peppers, cold)
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Well, I cleaned out my beds today. It was great getting out and playing in the dirt. I wasn't going to plant lettuce, but someone just gave me a few plants. Can't refuse that. Lettuce always seems to come out bitter, I don't know why. Anyone have any ideas? I'm going to plant alot of basil. I dry it and have it all year. It's to early to put anything outside, so I have planters all over my house.
I grew mesclun mix for the first time last year in zone 7. It wasn't bitter. But in my culture, bitter things are usually given for health reasons. I've been drinking bitter bush and other similar cr@p since I was little so maybe I'm immune LOL. I've heard lettuce can be bitter if it "bolts" or starts producing seeds. I'm in zone 7.
Today I got new plants! I was supposed to only get soil and mulch, but danged Lowes had plants I wanted. I got an apricot tree, carolina jessamine, a double hellebore and erica darlyensis. I love these ericas which bloom in winter and I only got one last year. I got two more. UGH Totally blew my gardening budget for the next two months!
I did build the new raised bed with the frame for the cucumber fence. It is hilariously lopsided! I should post a pic to make people feel better about themselves. I got more spinach seeds too. I'm going to plant them and more of the snow peas to see if I can get a head-start on some home grown veggies.
My new experiment is to try to find things that will actually germinate when I get the urge to start planting...which is right about now. I got a new edger for myself for Christmas, and it is part of the plant to edge my beds. Probably in the next couple of weeks.
If I have a last frost date of May 15, can I put zinias and petunias in pots in mid April on my porch and just tuck them in the garage on frosty nights or will this shock them?
Packer, my first try at veggie gardening was in an area that only got morning sun. I grew some small, stunted and spindly spinach and kohlrabi. The majority of vegetables really do a lot better with sun. One "vegetable" which does great in shade is burdock. But a lot of people consider it a weed.
Started some zinnias the other day inside, they're already coming up. I usually sow them directly but I want some early color and I usually buy a flat to start out the season. My goal is to not buy any plants this year...well, except I want a few bananas in one area...and one more palm...or two...I need to stay away from my nursery!
cdcdguy, I think the flowers will be fine as long as you put them in the garage when there's frost. Sometimes it's enough just to cover them over with an old sheet but the garage would be safer.
I can't get motivated. We just had a horrible blizzard on top of another blizzard and it doesn't feel like spring at all. I pushed the snow away from the daffodil place (just in case the daffs ever decide to come up) but that's the extent of it. I can't even get outside to throw the compost out.
cdcdguy, I think the flowers will be fine as long as you put them in the garage when there's frost. Sometimes it's enough just to cover them over with an old sheet but the garage would be safer.
I can't get motivated. We just had a horrible blizzard on top of another blizzard and it doesn't feel like spring at all. I pushed the snow away from the daffodil place (just in case the daffs ever decide to come up) but that's the extent of it. I can't even get outside to throw the compost out.
Thanks. The potted flowers will be on the porch and would be real easy to put in the garage at night here and there. And I know how you feel about winter. We had a storm of 10 inches a week ago, but it's all gone already!
ok, the weather is just about warming up enough to give serious thought to weed pulling and cleaning up, plus adding top soil. Tomorrw is out: busy day and Thurs is the "go to town" day, so I think I will start on Friday and consider buying top soil, etc on Sunday, after church..
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But a lot of people consider it a weed.
