posted June 08, 2013 01:00 AM            

This is the woman's blog: http://seattleseedling.com/
I don't know how educated she is about gardening, but she seems helpful and into what she's doing.

I've got two watermelon sprouts now. I'm sure I don't have enough room.

posted June 08, 2013 08:44 AM            

My spaghetti squash is amazing since it warmed up some.

I`m trying to find a recipe for roasting the squash on the grill for Labor Day family get together....

Thinking ahead

posted June 08, 2013 08:39 PM            

I started digging holes this morning, and I relocated two mammoths closer to the house. These nice looking seedlings also fell over upon transplanting, so I propped them up. I just used a twig for one, and for the other I made a slightly more elaborate spiral wire thing to hold it up. When I transplanted them, I just scooped a big chunk of soil with them, so I didn't really have to touch the plant itself.

I haven't moved any of the side yard ones yet. I've only dug some holes that they can go into. It's over a hundred degrees here today, so by 8:00 I was already sweaty. It was probably 80 degrees at that time.

I have four baby pumpkin plants now. Three in one hole, and one in another. The single one may be in jeopardy from encroaching water from our neighbor's backyard sprinklers, perhaps. I haven't seen it reach this far before. I'm not sure how the pumpkin will respond to that. The other three show progress every day. One's already got a good-sized true leaf.

An older lady came walking by this morning right after I'd transplanted the mammoths closer to the house, and said that she loved our yard. "It's like a little oasis," she said. That was cool.

posted June 09, 2013 07:37 AM            

I can`t imagine it being "too hot" to play out side.

posted June 09, 2013 11:56 AM            

One of yesterday's transplants still looks droopy.

posted June 10, 2013 07:44 AM            

This cold, gloomy and over wet spring season has me, fauna and the flora confused.

The Bluebirds seasonal first borns died from the cold so they are starting another family. I cleaned the nests out and buried the babies . It is always a sad thing when Nature fools us yet it is the cycle of life.

No travel planned this summer (as Thunder can`t travel) so we will host most family get togethers here.

posted June 10, 2013 08:16 AM            

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted June 10, 2013 11:59 AM            

I'm seeing sprouts of individual seeds in spaced holes I created.

posted June 11, 2013 08:46 AM            

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted June 11, 2013 08:59 AM            

Transplanting them would be too much of a shock and they would die so I plucked them and fed them to the chickens.

Cycle of life....

posted June 11, 2013 10:51 AM            

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted June 11, 2013 04:59 PM            

Native Lady Slipper Orchids are lighting up the dark woods (finally).

New grass seed is sprouting ,
my lanky Lobelia transplanted nicely and the cabbage is doing fine;almost.

Mama coon tore open the garden gate netting and ate what she wanted and pulled the rest up. I replanted, watered and prayed they are safe from more attacks . Life in the fast land

Hurray for June and 10 days to summer solstice!!

posted June 15, 2013 08:54 AM            

Mid June and the news said we are running 8.2 degrees below normal. Wait til the solstice ; it will warm up and the earth will laugh in flowers

posted June 15, 2013 08:56 AM            

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Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted June 17, 2013 08:29 AM            

Baby birds are showing up at the feeders in groups now. Their clumsy antics and goofy looking fledgling feathers are a hoot.

A small Chipping Sparrow has a giant Cow Bird baby to feed and her hopping up to meet babies mouth is too funny.

posted June 17, 2013 02:41 PM            

This is where I initially planted the sunflowers, outside my wife's office window.

I wasn't thinking straight when I put the mammoths on the right, away from the wall, with the shorter varieties closer to the wall. That Mammoth trough is the one that could still use a bit more spacing (supposing that everything survives). The haven't concerned myself with spacing the ones closer to the wall. I think I will just wait and see what happens there, because there are a variety of flowers possible, and I'm interested to see what makes it.

One of my front yard pumpkins is growing like crazy. I love it! It's the one that started under the bird feeder. I see it sending out its tendrils, so I've grabbed some dead stalks of this reedy water/soil plant we have (which is also growing like crazy), and I angle them out of upside down pots (sometimes bending them) to give the pumpkin a sort of trellis, so it can get off the ground if it wants. That plant in particular is responding super well. It grows in the direction of its trellis. Since it worked there I'm trying it with the other two in the front as well. No female flowers on any of the pumpkins yet.

In the side yard, I've got four pumpkin plants growing now. I should probably transplant or get rid of two of them. I have three plants growing in one hole, and one in another.
3:

The first sprouts are growing beautifully. They started producing leaves right away. Actually, even the ones that came later are also growing beautifully.
1:

posted June 17, 2013 05:55 PM            

We also got our first ear of corn in the making:

posted June 18, 2013 08:08 AM            

Treat the aphids asap. They are garden thugs and will kill or maime every plant. Watch for squash bugs too.

Make your self some insecticidal soap or purchase Safers Soap. I prefer making my own

Mix up 1 qt. of plain tap water.
1 tbsp. of plain liquid dish soap.
put in spray bottle , gently shake.

Open the spray bottle and add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil such as corn, canola or safflower. Replace the spray bottle top and gently shake the contents again.

*a few hours before spraying, test a plant leaf first .

spray lightly and evenly the top AND underside of the leaves with the soap solution.

Never spray in heat of day!!

Wait one week and examine the plant for signs of insect activity. If insects are still visible, respray the plant .

posted June 19, 2013 07:48 AM            

GARDEN SAFE: FUNGICIDE, INSECTICIDE MITICIDE 3 in 1 spray.

With the long cool damp spring, I suspected a lot of probs with my roses so on a whim, I bought some. Wow, this stuff does it`s touted job (insect wise).

When the rose chafers arrived in town, that was the test. While it didn`t kill them, it replelled them and kept them contained.

No matter what the conditions, I should be mildew, black spot, pest and rust free this season.

http://www.gardensafe.com/Products-and-Solutions/Fungicide/Garden-Safe-Brand-Fungicide3.aspx

posted June 21, 2013 12:44 PM            

I read about the eucalyptus yesterday. It's supposed to be hardy and drought resistant. I put my hand in the soil, and it felt pretty dry to me, so I gave it a good drink today. I'm hoping that was the right move.

I also stuck my hand in the orange's soil, and found it to be really dry as well, so I did the same thing.

My wife has given me conflicting information partially because of the care instructions. On the one hand, she says that potted plants dry quickly. On the other, the care instructions claim that neither require much water.

Help!