Showing posts with label garden updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden updates. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Pumpkins!
I picked up a whole basket full of pumpkins from the garden at my sister's last night. I'll post recipes soon. So happy it's Fall!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Garden Update...flowers
April showers bring May flowers
When I first decided to start a garden on my balcony, I envisioned it mostly containing herbs and maybe an occasional veggie plant. Flowers were much lower on my list of priorities. Plus it seemed like too much effort to try to find pretty flowers that do well in full shade. I’m really glad that I decided to make the effort though because the flowers add so much color and life to my balcony. They make me smile every time I come home.
This bacopa is a relatively new addition to the garden. It was a gift from my parents because they knew I was looking for shade plants. When I first got this one it was a little bit battered from being outside in the garden center and part of it actually broke off when I touched it. But I replanted it in a bigger container with good soil and it is doing great now. So don’t be afraid if your flowers are a little windblown or tired looking when you buy them. Most likely they will come back with some TLC.
The lavender is continuing to grow well. I had read online that lavender can be kind of tricky to grow, but so far I’ve had no problems with it. It’s got tons of buds now and some of them are already developing flowers.
This last container started out as a bit of a garden fail. I planted seeds (impatiens and coleus) weeks ago and have been waiting for them to sprout. And waiting. And waiting. I’m not the most patient person when it comes to this kind of stuff, but it really seemed like nothing was going to happen with these. So I told the seeds that if they didn’t sprout by the time I can back from my New York trip last week I was going to replace them with new plants. Still nothing. So this past weekend I planted these fully grown impatiens and coleus plants. I can be a pretty tender hearted gardener sometimes, but I don’t feel bad about this decision at all. I don’t think those seeds were ever going to do anything. Plus, it’s not like I didn’t warn them…
When I first decided to start a garden on my balcony, I envisioned it mostly containing herbs and maybe an occasional veggie plant. Flowers were much lower on my list of priorities. Plus it seemed like too much effort to try to find pretty flowers that do well in full shade. I’m really glad that I decided to make the effort though because the flowers add so much color and life to my balcony. They make me smile every time I come home.
What’s blooming now: Early May
I’m happy to report that my hydrangea is still alive. Not only is it still alive, but it is actually starting to get new flowers. I’m crossing my fingers that my good luck continues with this.
This bacopa is a relatively new addition to the garden. It was a gift from my parents because they knew I was looking for shade plants. When I first got this one it was a little bit battered from being outside in the garden center and part of it actually broke off when I touched it. But I replanted it in a bigger container with good soil and it is doing great now. So don’t be afraid if your flowers are a little windblown or tired looking when you buy them. Most likely they will come back with some TLC.
The lavender is continuing to grow well. I had read online that lavender can be kind of tricky to grow, but so far I’ve had no problems with it. It’s got tons of buds now and some of them are already developing flowers.
This last container started out as a bit of a garden fail. I planted seeds (impatiens and coleus) weeks ago and have been waiting for them to sprout. And waiting. And waiting. I’m not the most patient person when it comes to this kind of stuff, but it really seemed like nothing was going to happen with these. So I told the seeds that if they didn’t sprout by the time I can back from my New York trip last week I was going to replace them with new plants. Still nothing. So this past weekend I planted these fully grown impatiens and coleus plants. I can be a pretty tender hearted gardener sometimes, but I don’t feel bad about this decision at all. I don’t think those seeds were ever going to do anything. Plus, it’s not like I didn’t warn them…
Monday, April 23, 2012
Garden Update: Late April
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
~Peter, Paul and Mary
It's been about 3 weeks since I planted my garden and I'm already getting excited by how well it's growing. Although it is still pretty early (i.e. cold) in the season for gardens in Illinois, I'm very encouraged by how well my little plants are doing.
What growing now: Late April
The biggest change in the garden is that I had to replant my herbs in bigger pots. I had planned to keep them in this cute little 3 pot planter, but they were already getting too big for it. The parsley especially wasn't doing very well in the small pot. The leaves kept wilting and turning yellow. Its doing much better since I moved it to a bigger pot and has a bunch of new leaves coming in. All of the herbs have been growing well and they seem big and sturdy enough now for me to start harvesting some to cook with.
You can really tell in this picture of the thyme how my plants have been growing in the direction of the sun. I have been turning the pots fairly often to try to help them get sun on all sides of the plant.
The strawberry plant has been growing a bunch of new leaves too. And 2 tiny berries and a flower! Serious gardeners tell you to remove the first couple berries to help the plant grow stronger and have a bigger yield later, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet.
The lettuce and spinach seem to be doing well. They still seem very fragile and delicate (actually 'wimpy' is the word I keep using) so I'll be excited when they get stronger and more substantial.
The cubanelle pepper plant has been my 'problem child' in the garden so far. It has been extremely finicky. It hasn't been growing as fast as all the others and it wilts constantly so I have it water it more often than the rest of the plants. In the last few days though it has seemed more stable so hopefully it won't give me much more trouble.
Finally, the tomato plant has been growing very well. It also seems very hardy so far which has been nice. I don't have to do too much to it and it just keeps getting more leaves.
The tomato plant also is getting these little buds, which I'm pretty sure are going to eventually open up into flowers.
Coming soon...updates on the flowers in the garden!
Gonna make this garden grow
~Peter, Paul and Mary
It's been about 3 weeks since I planted my garden and I'm already getting excited by how well it's growing. Although it is still pretty early (i.e. cold) in the season for gardens in Illinois, I'm very encouraged by how well my little plants are doing.
What growing now: Late April
The biggest change in the garden is that I had to replant my herbs in bigger pots. I had planned to keep them in this cute little 3 pot planter, but they were already getting too big for it. The parsley especially wasn't doing very well in the small pot. The leaves kept wilting and turning yellow. Its doing much better since I moved it to a bigger pot and has a bunch of new leaves coming in. All of the herbs have been growing well and they seem big and sturdy enough now for me to start harvesting some to cook with.
 |
| Parsley |
 |
| Chives |
 |
| Orange Mint |
 |
| Dill |
 |
| Thyme |
The strawberry plant has been growing a bunch of new leaves too. And 2 tiny berries and a flower! Serious gardeners tell you to remove the first couple berries to help the plant grow stronger and have a bigger yield later, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet.
The lettuce and spinach seem to be doing well. They still seem very fragile and delicate (actually 'wimpy' is the word I keep using) so I'll be excited when they get stronger and more substantial.
 |
| Lettuce |
 |
| Spinach |
Finally, the tomato plant has been growing very well. It also seems very hardy so far which has been nice. I don't have to do too much to it and it just keeps getting more leaves.
 |
| Black cherry tomato |
Coming soon...updates on the flowers in the garden!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)