An RKayne Garden

How to Bonsai, tips and shortcuts

2008-12-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

Some tips on bonsai from years of experience. Make leaves grow smaller. Traditional or not? Some shortcuts have amazing results!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Hair trimming scissors or good sewing scissors
Copper wire, flat and round
good detailed point wiresnips
small pea gravel
mastic (drastic cutting)
root hormone powder
various pots
dirt

Step1

Your scissors should be a very sturdy pair with as narrow a point as you can find, the same goes for your wire cutters. The wire cutters serve a dual purpose, both for wire and tree trimming. The wire needs to be copper as it has a few specific properties I will mention later, but choose several thicknesses and at least a small amount of about 1/4" wide flat copper for bands.

Step2

Want to make your tree to grow thicker quicker? Simple! Place a loose band of the flat copper at it's base. This causes it to grow thicker! Keep an eye on it because you don't need a band mark, all you have to do is loosen it a bit when it gets tight, or remove it altogether.

Step3

To create bends and turns you can wire the branches with differing thicknesses of copper wire, keep a close eye on them as they could scar the tree. I have found a few really fun ways to create some interesting shapes. One is to set it so that it has some sort of shelving above it, balcony rails work well, turn the tree so that the branch you want to grow is pushed by the shelve and leave it there for at least 2 weeks. Windows and walls work great for this method as well. Stringing and staking are two more of my favorite, non-wire methods. With some string (and nylons work great for no scarring) you can slowly pull branches in any direction you want. To get really dramatic results, combine this with a stake, either inside or outside of the pot. One easy way that I like to do is to tie a nylon loosely on a branch and Duct Tape it to something outside the pot, or to the pot itself!

Step4

Groves. All this takes is one tree. Over a period of time, strip the branches off one side. Let the branches grow as long as they want on the side you choose to keep them. I like to let them grow about 1-2" apart and about 6 to 7 branches. Once they have gotten long enough (at least 3-4 inches) the fun starts ;). Take your tree, and a few weeks before the final planting, use the "string and stake" method described above and on the non-branched side, bend it as far as you can with out breaking it or pulling it out of the ground. A bit of wire at the base can help stabilize the direction you want to keep it as well. When you remove the wire and or string and it does not spring back, it is ready. Remove it from the pot, knock most of the dirt off the roots then strip the bark off the non branched side of the tree. You will need a long style of pot, I have found a lot of nice styles in the ceramic serving dish sections at thrift stores. Lay it out in the pot, is it deep enough to bury half the trunk and most of the roots? If so you are ready to proceed. Next, go ahead and put dirt in the pot. Don't fill it but maybe halfway and rest your tree in it to get a feel of space. At this point you will need to trim the roots almost level to the ground. Make sure at least half the roots are still there! Now, on the stripped side of your tree, give it a scrape to open it fresh, dip your finger in root hormone powder and run that down the stripped side. Place the tree gently in the pot and gently put dirt around it until it is about half up the trunk. Use some pea gravel to hold the dirt still and gently water. This is pretty drastic so expect a bit of shock. You should see some return to health in 2-3 days. You will leave it like this until you see some new growth occur. Once that has happened you have rooting. At this point you have two options. The least damaging to the tree is to take it back up, and bend it a bit here and there to create a staggered effect. You can now bury the tree until all you see is the new tree trunks. My way? Cut it apart, put a bit of root hormone powder on each cut, and just plant them around in various spots in the pot. The reason I use one tree to do this is it gives the appearance of a natural grove, all very similar trees in one spot. They will have the same growth rate and same characteristics so you can judge future growth.

Step5

Are the leaves on you little tree just too big for you? Here is a good one. It seems like torture, and maybe it is but it works great! Twice a year, cut half the leaves off (early spring and late summer work best). I like to do it to every other leaf. The next step would be to cut every leaf left in half. A year or two of this and the leaves grow smaller. Now and then one will insist on growing, but just cut it, it will only be one or two!

Step6

Repotting

Step7

Also of topiary befit, you can do many of these things to any larger tree or shrub as well. The thing to keep in mind is any large or deep wound you create should be protected with Mastic. This is easy to find at any garden supply store and will grow out as the tree or shrub develops bark. If I have decided to actually cut an entire branch off, I tend to "shave" it clean, with any sharp implement, than apply the mastic. Do this right and you won't even know that a branch was there!

Tips & Warnings

Always keep an eye on any binding, either wire or string so as to avoid scarring.
Never push or pull branches or trunks too far, it is easier to push it a bit more LATER than to deal with it breaking.
Never cut too much, you can cut more than what is "traditionally" stated, but keep in mind, the more you cut the more time you wait to "fix" an accidental cut.
Don't put on too much mastic, a little goes a long way.
Push or pull too far, you break your tree. Very sad!
Watch when you cut, not so much for the tree as for your fingers!

How to Small Container Garden (kitchen Herbs)

2008-12-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

Don't have much space and want fresh herbs? Want them to appear as appetizing as they taste? Try it this way!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Several Containers (size and shape depends on your space)
Dirt
Watering Can
A free afternoon

Step1

Decide on container shape and size, if you have the space you may consider square or round containers about 2-3 ft across (the depth can be useful, less transplanting needed later). If you have only window ledges or balcony ledges then you will want to use the window box style. Material doesn't matter, your budget does ;)

Step2

Size is going to matter later so you want to make sure you row things according to size. I do it both by size and color so as to achieve an attractive and tasty project! I will list three categories that work well by size.

Step3

Large, these will be your back rows. Rosemary, Sage, Basils, Fennel, Dill, Tarragon, Garlic Chives, and Chives.

Step4

Mediums, these will be your middle rows. Cilantro, Parsley, Globe basil (habitually grows in a globe shape on a medium height stem), Caraway, Lavenders and Greek Oregano.

Step5

Small and creeping, for your front row. Thymes, Creeping Rosemary, Creeping Oregano.

Step6

Fennel and Dill tend to be the tallest so you may want to place these in the back and centered. Put one Dill in one pot and one Fennel in the other, back and centered. This is also has nice color and a feathery herb so it stands well as a rear centerpiece. An Upright Rosemary can be a great centerpiece as well, just make sure that is is "Upright" and be patient with it, it will be around for a long time! Make sure if you do the Upright Rosemary to not have it in or near a sage pot.

Step7

Basil's come in greens and purples, what I like to do is put a Salad Leaf Basil on one side of the Fennel, a Purple Sage on the other. Put Garlic chives on both sides of these. If you are using a round container, wrap these around the back, if a square, straight across the back. If you are using window boxes, this should be all you put in one. The second container should have Dill in the back and centered, with a Purple Basil (or Thai Basil) on one side and Tarragon on the other. Flank the Garlic Chives same as container one.

Step8

Choose a container and put Globe Basil or Caraway in front of your Dill then a Parsley or Cilantro in front of the Fennel.

Step9

You should have space on the sides of the second row and space on the front row (if you are using window boxes, make row #2 and the front one box, just put the front row to the sides of the first row). In these spaces, creeping herbs look fantastic, and they have space to grow well. I would put Thyme to the sides and work a Creeping Rosemary in the front of one and Creeping Oregano in the front of the other.

Step10

Parsley and Caraway are biennial,(live two seasons, blooming second season only). You will need to plan for them to be replaced, if you don't need parsley seed, plan to replant it next year. Dill, Basil, and Cilantro will reseed itself (annuals, flower one season then die) but most people prefer fresh starts. If you do that at least it gives you a chance to put fresh dirt in. Sage, Rosemary, Oregano, Lavender and Chives are perennials (overwinter, blooming each season once established) so these will be the permanent spots for them, unless you transplant them.

Step11

Mints need their own pots, so if you want Mints you need separate pots. They will take over a pot quickly, but they don't have to be plain. Two ways to make a nice Mint pot. Spearmint tends to be tall, as well as Catnip (another mint) so they make great center pieces. Lavender grows well with Mints and is also a nice centerpiece. Lemon Balm is another mint. Peppermint is mid height so Lemon Balm and Peppermint would be good for sides, front or circling the taller plants.

Tips & Warnings

Water often.
Use organic fertilizers.
With insect problems, use organics as well.
Trimming promotes growth.
If you have a slug problem (they love Basil) try plastic lids and cheap beer. At least they pass on happy :D
Plant early in spring in order to get the most out of the season!
Do NOT place Rosemary and Sage next to each other, the Sage will most likely die. (I have never seen it live!)

How to Plant Ground Covering

2008-12-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

Have a bare area? Have a hill you really do not want to mow? Just plain tired of grass? Then groundcovers are for you!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Starts or seeds
Spade
Rake
Tiller or hoe
Patience and water!
Compost (if desired)

Step1

OK, so you have an area that will not grow grass, is too shaded...maybe too soggy? There might be paving stones and you need something in between. Could it be a hill you hate to pull the mower up? There are many different types of ground cover and they all have many uses...

Step2

If you have a hill, for example, then three-toothed cinquefoil, creeping juniper or crown vetch would work well, especially if it is a bit rocky and well drained. • Crown vetch (Coronilla varia) The cover for sunny banks that are too dry for grass, forms an intertwined mass up to 30 cm thick, flowers all summer. • Three-toothed cinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata) A creeper for rocky sites and dry sunny slopes, 25 cm high, small white flowers early summer, leaves turn reddish in fall. • Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) Grows slowly, but excellent for covering rocky slopes, requires full sun, dry even rocky soil, good air circulation. Cultivars available for heights from 20 cm ('Wiltonii') to 60 cm.

Step3

Lets say the area is too shady and wet, perhaps even grass will not grow there, then there are several great choices, these are great ones! • Ajuga (Ajuga reptans) A fast-spreading ground cover, sun to light shade and moist soil, 10 cm high, spikes of deep blue flowers in late spring over shiny rosettes of leaves, multi-coloured leaf cultivars available. 'Braunherz' is especially resistant to insect attacks. • Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) Best in moist shady spots where grass won't grow, whorled green foliage, tiny white flowers in spring. • Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) Thick-growing upright leaves 10 cm high, suppresses almost all other plants if grown in moist soil and medium to deep shade, fragrant flowers in spring. The bright-orange berries in summer are sufficiently poisonous that children should be prevented from eating them. • Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia) Grows 25 cm tall in medium to heavy shade and rich moist soil, white flower spikes in spring.

Step4

Now, for that area where you have stepping stones, plain old grass just doesn't do it, eh? Try Thyme and you will be very pleased with the results! Not only does it smell wonderful, but you will have fresh Thyme year round for cooking. • Thyme (Thymus montanus or T. serphyllum) A cover for full sun and dry sandy soil, especially useful between patio stones, leaves scented, has tiny flowers late spring, several good varieties.

Step5

A few others that need to be mentioned and have various uses would be: • Periwinkle (Vinca minor) Medium to dark shade, 15 cm high with shiny green leaves, many blue flowers in spring, withstands drought once established but young plants must be watered, some weeding required. • Goutweed (Ægopodium podagraria) Sun to medium shade, spreads very rapidly (even invasively) by underground roots, cream-coloured leaves, 15 cm high. Control by mowing along edge of patch three times a year. • Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) Best in light to dark shade and well-drained soil, 15 cm high, some have variegated leaves, excellent to combine with bulb plantings to hide the ripening bulb leaves after flowering. Control by mowing. • Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) Forms dense clumps of spreading stems, many small blue, pink or white flowers in spring, best in light to medium shade such as under trees, moist soil. Phlox subulata, also called creeping phlox, forms a moss-like mat 15 cm thick with flowers in early spring, needs full sun, well-drained soil, and some weeding, the middle of large plantings tends to die off.

Step6

Now that you have decided where you want ground cover and what you are going to use in it, now you have to figure out how! I am going to take you through the various steps for different areas and some tricks that should make it fill out the quickest. The hard part is really waiting, not the doing as we all would love instant results...

Step7

Step one: Decide how you want to procure the starts, you can start many from seed, buy larger plants and separate pieces (the many rooted sorts) or buy flats of small starts. I usually start things like thyme from seed as it is the cheapest way to go, but there is the waiting time! When I separate or plant from seed I need a good bag of soil as well as a lot of small pots. To decide how many you need, plan on using twice the recommended amount. If it says to give 6 inches in between the plants, figure it on 3-4" instead. Once you have the plants, progress to the next step!

Step8

Now you will need to prepare the area, at least a little bit. If it is a hilly, sandy area and you have chosen to plant the varieties that handle those conditions right, then you really are just going to need to plant. If it is that area that is wet and shady, all you are going to need to do is clear it. The same will go for if you are planting in a walkway with stepping stones. If it is not a large area a hoe will do the trick, try to get it as even as possible, a rake helps with this. If the area is large, the a tiller would make life easier and make the project go a lot faster! It wouldn't hurt to work a bit of compost in, but it isn't really needed.

Step9

Now that your area is ready and you have the starts you need, don't follow the directions completely. You want to plant them too close, so they fill the area faster! Start at the farthest away area and plant them evenly and outwards (like painting yourself into a corner, you don't want to plant yourself into a corner!). Water well, and remember to water regularly until they have started to grow. Now you have ground cover that is interesting and makes your life easier!

Tips & Warnings

Don't rush the starts if you start from seed, you really want them to establish.
They will fill out if you plant them further apart, it really depends ho fast you want them to fully cover.
Junipers grow slow so if you need fast erosion control for a hill, you may want to plant them but put something in between until they have established fully.
Epsom salts are an excellent and cheap fertilizer, one TBSP to every one gallon of water is a good mix. To start though, when you have just planted if you sprinkle them by hand liberally everywhere you have planted and water it in that can speed up the plants taking to the area sooner!
Some of these covers are very drought resistant but at the start if you do not water them regularly, they WILL die.

How to Get Seeds From an Artichoke

2008-12-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

This is how you can grow your own artichokes and get them to seed so you can produce you own from home grown seeds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Starter artichokes or seeds to start.
Spade.
PATIENCE!

Step1

You can start from starts or seeds, but it is obvious that you need to buy them before you can produce your own!

Step2

Patience is very important as it can take an artichoke up to two years before it will produce it's first bulb! At this point you are no doubt going to want to eat some so plant twice as many as you think you should.

Step3

If you are starting from bought seed (the easiest way) sow seeds one inch deep, spaced 5-6 inches apart in full sun. Rows should be spaced 5-6 feet apart. Thin plants to two 2/12 feet apart. Make sure this is a 'quiet' low traffic part of the bed as they will be there for quite some time.

Step4

Slugs really like the seedlings so keep a close eye one them, a great trick I like to use is to place a copper strip around the bed as slugs will NOT cross copper. Just make sure nothing leans over it and no dirt covers it when you are watering because they will make their way in!

Step5

The growth time is 90-100 days, but you will not see a bulb or flower the first year, once it does grow the bulbs you can harvest some for yourself and let the rest 'go to seed'. The flowers are very attractive. They are related to thistles which are also edible.

Step6

When you cook an artichoke, there is fuzzy stuff inside that you have to scrape off the heart before eating it. That 'fuzzy stuff' is a huge mass of seeds. If the artichoke is not picked when it is ready to eat, the petals (which we usually think of as 'leaves') open. The 'fuzzy stuff' grows, becomes purple, and makes a beautiful display. The petals fall off, and there is that glorious purple soft-looking mass of seeds! After a week or so, the seeds dry, and blow away in the wind. The best way to save the seeds is to take an extra large sized knee high nylon and carefully place it over the flower when it starts to look dry. This can be a tricky time but well worth daily checking as this way you will lose none of them!

Tips & Warnings

Artichokes like a lot of space so don't crowd them!
Artichokes need to be grown and harvested quickly for best results. You will need a high quality compost and well rotted manure in generous amounts each season. Sand and organic material should be worked into a soil that is “heavy.” Well-drained soil is significant for good production.
On a monthly basis side dress each plant with a high nitrogen fertilizer.
Artichokes require frequent irrigation during the growing season. Moisture deficiency will result in loose buds of inferior quality. On the other hand, artichokes won't tolerate standing in water, so plant the artichokes either on mounds or in rows with irrigation furrows. Irrigate the artichokes about once a week; irrigate more often in warm areas and less often in areas with heavy soil. Inexpensive Water timer systems are available

How to save your own Tomato Seeds

2008-12-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

Get that perfect tomato? Find a great heirloom tomato at the farmers market? Here is my way to keep the seeds and grow them the next year. Make one tomato equal hundreds!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tomato
Water
Plastic wrap
Glass
Spoon
Paring knife
Fine mesh sieve
Paper plate
Small envelopes (paper is best!)

Step1

Find that perfect tomato! This is a brandywine, an heirloom that I am particularly fond of.

Step2

Cut the tomato in half, across the tomato, like this. This is the inside of a brandywine, note the lack of pith, they are a great tomato but you won't get as many seeds (worth the effort!). This photo is by Laurel Garza: Owner, Laurel's Heirloom Tomato Plants (look them up!). She told me they forgot to save these seeds, after this pic was taken...they couldn't help but eat it...yes, that is how good a brandywine is!

Step3

Scoop out the seeds and goo with either your finger or a spoon and put them in a glass.

Step4

Add a bit of water and give it a stir.

Step5

Now you want to cover the top of the glass with plastic wrap. Put a small hole in it to promote air flow, a paring knife works great! This helps them ferment, that will give you the separation you will need.

Step6

Put this glass of seed stuff/water on top of the fridge or in a sunny window.

Step7

The process of ferment/separation takes about 2-3 days so every night take off the plastic wrap and give the mix a stir, if you use new wrap DON'T forget the hole!

Step8

The top of the water will look "scummy" when the fermentation process has removed the goop from the seeds. It also helps destroy many of the tomato diseases that can be harbored by seeds.

Step9

Take a spoon and carefully scoop the goop/scum off and discard it.

Step10

Dump the rest in a fine meshed sieve and carefully rinse. Stir while rinsing, carefully with your finger to remove any bits of pulp that may still be attached. Tap the sieve against the sink a couple times to help get rid of any water left.

Step11

Spread them out in a single layer on a paper plate.

Step12

Set them somewhere safe, such as a nice unused cupboard area.

Step13

Stir them around every day. Make sure to spread them out in a single layer again! They can take a week or more to dry.

Step14

If you use paper envelopes to hold them you have a bit of leeway but if you are using plastic envelopes they have to be DRY or you will have useless, moldy seeds!

Step15

Save till next year, share with family and friends and grow them yourself!

Tips & Warnings

If you are doing more than one kind of tomato, make sure to label them!
Utilize the internet for sowing and growing instructions, there are different ones for different tomatoes!

How to repot your Bonsai and give it basic maintenance

2008-12-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! Time to do some maintenance on your bonsai. This isn't too hard, and will give it a lot of needed love for you little tree :D

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Sharp, tightly pointed scissors
Wire cutters
Wire wrapping pliers
Small needle nose pliers
New, well draining soil
Root hormone powder

Step1

Gather your tools in one spot.

Step2

Get your tree, and put it on the table with all your stuff handy, you'll be working quickly, so you'll want everything in reaching distance!

Step3

Take the tree out of the pot (you can use a new pot but it is not necessary) and gently squeeze the soil all the way around it till the roots are almost completely exposed. I have a nice moss carpet going on this one so, since it keeps the tree insulated and keeps it from drying out I chose to keep it.

Step4

Get the scissors...and...cut off the roots! Sprinkle root hormone powder on the roots.

Step5

Test the depth in the pot - The tree should rest so that the base is even with the top of the pot. If there is any 'gap' then fill under, and around that with soil and pat it down well. Trim as desired :D

Step6

If you decide that it needs some wiring, grab that copper wire and wrap a coil (I love coil wrappers, makes it so easy!).

Step7

Pull the coil loose and work it carefully onto where you want it.

Step8

Water well and as soon as you see any new growth, you will know you have made your tree happy!

Tips & Warnings

A good rule is never remove more from the top than you do from the bottom!

Showing off a bit :D

2008-11-28T14:48:00.000-08:00

There will be rather a few posts, but this is a great teaser, lol. So, since we got the camera it has been hectic here (we hosted Thanksgiving). But, I did manage to get a few pics of some things around here. That is the view out to our balcony. The must have, hunted for one because I can't give up my bonsai!

This is a Southern Magnolia. Seems pretty happy here in Seattle! This was sent to me by YardGranny in SC. I potted it up a while back and it has loved the weather here, frankly it surprises me as it has gotten rather cold here.

Here is the White Snapdragon. I don't grow flowers normally but this one has it's place here. Shannon fell in love with it so I will do all I can to keep it alive. It has grown on me since it flowers when it gets cold. How random is that! I guess I will have to do some research on this bugger so I know it's habits and whatnot :D

YardGranny also sent me two Mimosa's, they were happy but just to make sure, since they are babies, I have done what I normally do for my coffee tree at work (the one I am bonsai'ing) and placed their very own mini greenhouses over them. These will stay on until the last possible frost. There are a lot of mimosa here, not this color...but they seem happy to live here. I figure once they get older, perhaps next winter, they will not require this (and I will get a Bay tree to do this for instead, hehe).

I had these at the house and took them with me (note...MINE!). There is a Purple Sage, a standard Silver Sage, some Garlic Chives (thanks again Poe!) grew from seed from Ohio and a Mother of Thyme. It is so nice having fresh Thyme at any time. Yes...I had to do that ;)

And one last shot for now, the Japanese Elm with a few leaves left, my favorite Japanese Maple (about 7 years old) and some Provencal Lavendar. Shannon is a freak for Lavendar so I think this will get a bigger pot come spring so it can go wild!

GOT the camera!

2008-11-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

WOO HOO! And is it ever nice. Sent it off with Shan today so she could play with it (this is the one day a week that she and a single co-worker, one she should probably be separated from, are alone for the day so I knew they would have fun as they do get a lot done but play all day!). There will be many pics on the way. Lot of updating to do. Dang, but I got my work cut out for me as this is not the only place that gets pics, haha. Look towards a lot of new posts, in a rather steady way :D

Thanksgiving.

2008-11-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

I have a lot to be thankful for yet have never truly gotten into the Turkey thing. We are going to have a few friends over and instead of the 'traditional' turkey day thing, I am going to do my Cornish Hens. This way we each get our own bird and yet it is a gathering of happy, thankful people. I am most thankful for Shannon, having her in my life completes it. Having known each other for so long and now being here for each other is what makes my day, each and every day.

I might also make my Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeno Poppers.

Looks like I get out of being the bartender as I normally am, that is being taken care of. We got some nice wine and one of the couples coming is bringing *danger!!* Jello Shots! That makes me thankful for something else...I have Friday off, lol.

On another note, hopefully our new camera shows up today (it is scheduled for delivery!). Soon, we will get back into writing (all over!) since we will be able to simply take great pictures again!

Planting Ground Covering.

2008-11-21T14:56:00.001-08:00

Nov 17, 2008 | 1:23 PM PST

It never ceases to amaze me the simple things (the ones you think are simple) are not necessarily so. What I mean is, things I know how to do, or about, that are not so 'simple'. Take ground covers, I think it makes sense to plant something like Crown Vetch on a sunny hill that won't get a lot of water. It flowers, it takes care of itself. I say something like that and I get that look from people, that look that makes me want to run to a mirror and see if a second head popped out of my shoulder.

So I wrote it up as well :D Ground Cover Guide

Yes, those things we think are so obvious are things other people seem to be oblivious to, haha.

Kitchen Herb Garden, anyone?

That was hard, only because I tried to 'simplify' it. You, all you smart people out there, don't even think about it. Share that knowledge, spread it far and wide. You might be surprised what you know about that other people do not. One of the things I have written that gets major views?

Boil an Egg

Take that and run with it! Yes, boiling an egg. So, yes, if that does not prove a point, I don't know what does!

Share what you know, while you still have it in your head is my theory.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-11-21T14:55:00.001-08:00

Nov 17, 2008 | 1:10 PM PST

Yes, it is that time again. How I love those first few and last few tomatoes. Fried.

Fried Green Tomatoes

That is MY way of fixin them :D

Either way, that has been something I have NOT had in some time as I no longer have space for tomato plants. I gave that space up to a smoker grill, lol. That is headed to storage here in about a week when our firepit gets here! FIREPIT! WOO!

I thought about asking around the farmers market, then got distracted, then I thought, hey...I COULD make room. And got distracted. Maybe I really did not want any? haha. Not so much. I did zucchini instead. I make them the same way as I do in that recipe and they were SO yummy. Guess maybe I should write that out. And Okra. I do my Jalapenos different, though. I can get okra, no problem, from the store around the corner (Heck, I can get White Truffel there!). Maybe what it is...is I just love FRIED stuff :D

My weird cat

2008-11-21T14:53:00.001-08:00

Oct 31, 2008 | 3:18 PM PST

So, he acts like a dog. As I understand, typical of the Maine Coon breed. So I decided to treat him like one. At this point, he will sit on command. Next month (I am going to take it slow, just like the puppy he wants to be) will be 'Shake'. lol. Max, the weird cat...

7 days...8 hours

2008-11-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

Oct 29, 2008 | 7:49 PM PST

And STILL no camera. It is frustrating but the flu has been outrageous. My seller was in the hospital, they are in CT. Here we are in Seattle and as I watch the flu ravage the city...I have to admit, it has to be bad there too. I am just now getting over it and Shannon is too, my poor honey. Even Max had a cold or flu or something. He has fought it off, the tough fuzzy *bleep*. Tippy? Oh, you have not met her yet, she is a rescue dumpster kitty from downtown Houston, Bayou Kitty. She is tough, not a problem.

I promised myself I would get in here and post more often, camera or no. So...here I am!

OK, so the terrarium needs a new light, I know I put pics up once but don't want to drag them out as there are different things in it now. I will get a light and when I have the camera SHOW you :D The peppers are doing great and my little coffee (Nigerian) is very deep glossy green, I think it is enjoying the fact the light is out (well, it is working but Shannon was right, the plants are scared when it is on...it's like a haunted house...all the ghosts of plants gone by..running around...it's all spooky and flickery). The Dragon Fruit trees are happy as can be too. I know rather a few of you out there got some of this particular seed, did you plant them? How are they? What kind of light/soil/pot are you using? We should share our knowledge because I for one, have ~~complete confidence~~ no idea what I am doing with them! They live, they grow, that is good, eh?

We got a new aquarium, the old acrylic one was on it's last legs, well...at least as a filled to the brim with 60 gallons fish tank. It has gone to new pastures with a new lease on life and has already become a turtle tank. The woman who came by (it was cute, she had this HUGE truck she borrowed and normally drives a PT Cruiser) was so excited, she had contacted me (I used Craiglist, for inner city dwellers, Craigslist is THE thing, got my place there, my job *all of them both in the last 6 years or so*) second and the first guy flaked so I called her. She lives south of here like a half hour or so and immediately said "I can be there in about an hour and have GPS". Cool. They went to the pet store first it seems because when I was helping her with the tank and light she mentioned they went and adopted turtles already, lol. It will be perfect for that, I am so happy it gets to be used again.

So, anyways, back to the tank. I have a thing for LIVE plants in my tanks, water or no, haha. The big tank, the 60 gallon is great. It had this hodge podge disco dayglo ick for gravel. We ditched it. 120 pounds of that crap...dumpster bound right away. I got river rock and DAMN it looks good. I was hesitant and it seems Shannon was too but she was NOT going to say anything. Then it got wet and wow...I have to get pics, all I can say. I had her arrange the 'furniture' in it (we have this great castle that is going to go in it, just have to afford it) and that worked great. Don't you love convincing someone to do something they think they don't want to do and then finding out they really liked to do it? Yep :D That reminds me...must blog about the pumpkins but NEED PICS! (they came out really cool, traditional cool, yo).

So, got all the fish moved, everybody is happy. Then I got to the plants. I had a couple plants I refused to move, all they did was constantly SHED crud in the water, leaves all over the place *note, water onion cool looking, puts out neat flowers like lilies...going all the way to the top...do NOT want* and they did NOT move with everything. But..I have what appears to be an Amazon Sword but I have more correctly ID'd it as a Peruvian. The leaves are slimmer and not so big. So I will get an Amazon, lol. There is another neat looking bugger that I don't know the name. It builds it's offspring on the tips of it's deep green leaves..little leaves with roots and all cute...I can tug them off and plant them all over. So I have.

So, I finally get to the point of this story. I have some lava rock, red lava rock, in there for...um...ambiance! Yeah...that's the ticket. So I guess that is what the brick is, eh? Ambiance? Well, you do find them on the bottoms of river beds! And Sea Monster and Count Francis love the brick!!!

Oh..yes...
no ADD here..no way. The story! That is what I was getting to!

The lava rock and the neato babies on the ends of it's leaves plant. So it has been multiplying. To the point I am thinking I could hedge it together, maybe it could act as well as Sedge (grassy bottom level water plant) and protect the babies that I know are getting laid in there and just being Caviar!) or sell them. So I put them all over. The fish do like to tell me where to put them since they will leave them some places and constantly uproot them in certain spots. Fine, I listen. I looked at that lava rock tonight and a couple plants rolling through the bubbles (we have about a foot and a half air stone that I hooked a two hosed air pump to one hose with canula tubing) that flood the back, it was neat but I had to replant them. No, not there, the fish don't want it there. No, not there. Already plants there!. The rock! yes! They will root in it if they stay on more than a couple days. I found some good spots that had cracks or a depression and weighted them with a piece or that river rock.

Just. Need. Pictures.

No patience...

2008-11-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

Oct 22, 2008 | 10:53 AM PST

Lordy I hate waiting. No camera yet, lol.

I want to get a pic of my Herb Pot. I have two sages, one silver, one purple. A Mother of Thyme and some Garlic Chives (Thanks, Poe!) that were all potted separately. So I tossed them in a big pot and wow, the space. Amazing how much space a couple pots take up! I have two Purple Thai Peppers (thanks to the seed exchange!) I had started in that pot and I repotted them to take inside as it is starting to chill a bit around here. Here is my method of herb pots. It will be great because this means we will have something green out there all winter. I am going to put a firepit out there, yes, it's a balcony. In an apartment building. My building manager was going through an abandoned storage unit and found a small smoker grill and gave it to me. With the lighter fluid. WITH the charcoal. So...we can have FIRE! Been using the heck out of the smoker, first time in years I had my OWN Carolina BBQ. The real stuff. Alder plank smoked fish...oh yum.

I have two new plants out on the balcony, two 'liberated' plants. My excuse? They SAID they wanted to come home with me and we were wandering by...and had been 'out'...and well, they came home with me. A Hardy Fern, I don't do ferns. What is wrong with me? I kidnapped adopted a fern?!? I put it in the hanging basket, and as Shannon said the fern is all 'I'm a FERN! I'm up HIGH! It's COLD and WET and I LOVE IT! WOO! I'M A FERN!' So...guess it has grown on me, it is a family member now. I am sure TIppy would love to meet it but I think the fern is safer outside (she is good about *most* plants, it is the ferny types she just can't help herself about, lol). There is another plant and Shannon has fallen in love with it. It has no use that I know of, it is just pretty. It seems to be getting happier the more it cools down (as if it ever really warmed UP this year, lol). I will take a pic of it...when I get the camera...and it is flowering (several blooms are begining to open) as I am not really a flower growing type either (too selfish with the space) so I know it is simple, but I don't know what it is!

Oh, and as a side note, I have had a few messages and comments about bonsai. If you really REALLY want to get into it, read here: BONSAI! I give a few great tips about them :D

Still no Camera, let's talk BONSAI!

2008-11-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

Oct 20, 2008 | 11:16 AM PST

Yeah, no camera yet. Stupid mail, lol.

This is the best time of year to devote some time to your bonsai. Thye do need to be repotted now and them, depending on the tree either one or two years. The pots are small so they tend to get rootbound a bit faster and use most of the nutrients faster. Some people insist on keeping them just as they are but I do NOT recommend that at all! Make the tree's happy. I am never the same about it, I tend to repot half in Fall and the other half in Spring. Whatever strikes me at the time.

I have pictures here that include basic maintenance as well, right here --> BONSAI

Always keep in mind, you feel better with a great haircut. So do they, but that should include the roots as well, consider it giving your tree a great haircut and pedicure. That would make YOU feel great, wouldn't it :D

Who wants Pumpkin Pie?

2008-11-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Oct 16, 2008 | 3:51 PM PST

Never have understood why I go to this much trouble. I LOVE to make pumpkin Pie from scratch. I have to make them, it is a mission every year. Then I eat one piece. And Shannon does not 'do' pumpkin (she is a Key Lime Gal) so I have to figure out...what to do with pies. Ah! That's right! Coworkers! I do one thing that is ofter different, I will make a couple regular....and then I make my personal favorite. A savory one. Simple, leave out the evaporated milk!

This is my recipe (easier than reposting!) RKayne's Pumpkin Pie

I have to admit I am rather proud of it.

My other thing is I love to CARVE pumpkins. Every year, no matter where I am, must carve pumpkins. The ones in the pics I took in the recipe are from last year. This weekend I will be hitting the Farmers Market and getting a couple to carve. I can't wait! I am going for a big, heavy one...I want seeds.

And there is the OTHER thing I must have. Fresh Pumpkin Seeds. (My Recipe Here)

They are so wonderful...crispy fresh hot and tossed with any dang flavor you can think of. Something so yummy, and good for you too!

Last Post 210 days, 7 hours Ago ...Wow...

2008-11-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

Oct 15, 2008 | 7:04 PM PST

That long. Since I have had a camera. It's in the mail (I had a minor setback that took a month, a month mind you to get my money back on an 80$...paperweight. It would not power on and brand new. Process takes FOREVER to get done, and now it is.). We have a Sony Cybershot on it's way so I will actually WRITE again. How I have missed writing, so much. Not just here, man I got some stuff going on. BIG time. OK, so soon you will see what has become of the Bonsai, and meet some new plants :D Wait till you see this balcony, I got SO lucky. Nice space for an avid gardener in an apartment, haha.

Going to miss the garden

2008-11-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

Mar 19, 2008 | 11:57 AM PST

But guess ya'll will see me hitting the container gardening a lot more soon. *sigh* I gave away the baby self supporting, stringless sugar snap peas I had sown in a winter box a few weeks back this morning...to someone who will be in one location and able to harvest them.

I am going to miss having fresh peas and lettuces and spinach (don't know who will get to enjoy them). Nothing like putting a lot of work into something and finding out it is for naught. That being on MORE than one level. I will be the balcony gardener for awhile, but maybe get at least two tomatoes going as it will still be early enough in the season for me to get some going?

I do have to have a balcony, my bonsai must stay outside so that is a given...wish me luck on the hunt, mourn the lost garden for me. A bit o good will never hurt anyone...

New tree thingy

2008-11-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

Mar 19, 2008 | 11:47 AM PST

So, I have a friend and they had this huge succulent (that I should post in ID) that was a bit sad. Perhaps I should have taken a pic of it before I 'helped' it out. I gave it a nice trim....I gave it a nice shower....and here it is! My new plant thingy!

Got pics?

2008-11-21T13:20:00.000-08:00

Feb 11, 2008 | 3:12 PM PST

Allright! Got some pictures finally so you can see why I had so much fun, haha! This was last year, start to *halfway* finished. Go Here.

So, anyways, my post last year about why I stopped halfway, Here.

Well, now I have claimed the full space. That blackberry got a bit too happy where it was, guess I should have taken a pic, it had grown halfway up the space!

SO, now I have THIS space!

See the happy happy Parsley? All that soil..begging for plants!

There was a surprise, you can kinda see it down there. There was so much overgrowth under that blackberry that I had no clue it was there....

A rosemary bush. A very tough one who just now sees the light of day....

That was a serious chore that I felt, for sure :D

Here is a nice shot of the garlic, I had some flower bulbs coming up (I *thought* I had gotten all those tulips out!). As I know garlic really does not like to be transplanted I made sure to take it ALL up, get out the garlic and then replant the garlic by digging the hole REALLY deep and dangling the roots down while filling the dirt around them.

So, I proceeded to plant the entire area. In the garlic area I planted Early Radishes and towards the end I planted Spinach, then some Walla Walla sweet onions.

On the other side I put in a *tad* bit of spinach, some more onions, some butterleaf lettuce and greenleaf lettuce. It's time...time to grow!

Emergency Cow Poop.

2008-11-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

Feb 10, 2008 | 4:24 PM PST

I really wanted to put in Walla Wallas today but the soil is still 'dirt' so I went to the local Home Depot and got some 'emergency cow poop', came home and I dumped about a bag and a half between the two spaces.

At this very moment I am reading a book called 'Cubed Foot Gardening' by Christopher O. Bird. Well, I really like what he has to say. So, I am doing an intensive seasonal rotation garden. Going through it I decided to ignore the packets suggestions (I know! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???) Either way, I looked through our last frost, possible first frost...and found that for some reason (Ring of fire? Could it be the volcanoes? Hmmm...maybe ;) ) that our growing season is actually LONGER then where I grew up in NC! Maybe a month or so longer! Wow.

So, I planted! I planted the Walla Walla's that I was going to anyways, but also planted the smooth leafed Olympic spinach according to the 'cubed' ft design. Spinach is kinda tall so it gets the north side of the garden all over! Then I put the onions in front of the spinach to fill the area on the north side. On the south side I planted all the lettuces and some onions. I put the butterleaf and greenleaf through my newly opened area and then a 'garlic rectangle' and early radishes. So, assuming things work the way I have been reading, both online and in the book, and from what I saw last year....I should have solid green in about a month! wOOt!

Next week? Cold Frames based out of the containers that our greens come in.
I shall plant the tomatoes, I have Brandywine and my cross breed black prince/brandywines from last year, and some cherry sweets :D

Honestly....pics...
soon. I took some but the batteries need to charge up a bit, had to charge them a tad to take pics. Damn I need a new camera, haha.

The extra veggie space

2008-11-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

Feb 10, 2008 | 9:20 AM PST

Last year, when I moved it, I started reclaiming the section of 'gardening space' next to the house. These were fallow sections, with an odd assortment of flower bulbs that were in weird places and a lot of grass. I could barely see the walkway between the two raised beds. Granted, this is a rental house but how could I possibly NOT use them?

So, at the end of these beds was a HUGE nasty, mean and thoroughly entrenched blackberry, one of the sorts that makes you understand why they are the bane of the PNW. I figured, go ahead and clear what I could and then cut it back, at the very least. No way, there *is* also a nest of yellowjackets, who knows how long they have been there!

Being the organic gardener I am, and having turned rather a bit of the soil already and seeing all the 'wonderful' (note sarcasm) grubs that were here and there...I had an odd idea. I left the yellowjackets alone! They eat grubs so we had an understanding, I leave you alone, you leave me alone :D That worked out great, I think there was only one time I went around the corner and thought, hey...not today...not going in there! Otherwise, we were out there all the time so it balanced well and I didn't have to go through the trouble of wiping out an entire colony, haha. I know...yellowjackets, and ground ones at that, the kind that if it stung my Mom, she would be dead...but still, didn't want to kill them, especially since they were such a help in the end.

I know they are still there, but they are hibernating so I went ahead and did the clearing. I really don't know exactly were they are, I am not sure they are actually in the garden itself but maybe in some bushes that are very thick at the end, which is actually the top of a rockery beside our very steep and very narrow (pretty much the Seattle norm) driveway. Guess we will find out when it warms up! I really need to take pics, still have one somewhere I can dig up to show where I stopped digging last year.

So, cutting that blackberry, I started cutting sections and tossing them back in the yard waste...and cutting...and cutting. The grass was long enough that when it died out for winter there were a couple sections that I just pulled it up with NO weeds below. Of course where there were weeds they were seriously there, and then the bulb thing. Shouldn't you have a rhyme or reason to placement? No...that was what whoever had put these in thought :D

The best thing was, in the corner I *think* the yellowjackets might be, under that blackberry from Hades...was a 2-3 foot tall Rosemary. Healthy, happy...and I had a chicken in the fridge so I went out to get some rosemary, thyme and a handful of parsley and stuffed them all into the chicken. So, lot of work, but immediate benefits. I will try to get some pics later, it has been raining pretty much ever since I was out there (started sprinkling while I was still out there but needed coffee grounds!).

Wow...tired...beat.

2008-11-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

Feb 10, 2008 | 12:34 AM PST

I beat the rain! It was NOT raining for a sec, so I dashed out, got all the diggy tools, and reclaimed about 25-30 sq ft of gardening space...too tired right now to go into HOW it was to be that it was not claimed last year, will do so tomorrow. Maybe take a pic or two, show off the disgustingly happy parsley and garlic...lol. Let us say there was a lot of coffee involved, well, grounds, worked into the soil....

My Max Kat

2008-11-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

Jan 21, 2008 | 1:42 PM PST

The Max is back, he is as ~~bad~~ 'normal' as he was before the broken hip...to all who are involved, Max loves ya ;)

Jungle Fever Exotics

2008-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

Jan 21, 2008 | 10:35 AM PST

I happened to be south of Seattle this last weekend and stopped by Jungle Fever Exotics. He doesn't have a web presence, no website...not even his own computer! So, looking around, I saw what a wonderful place this must be, granted it is January but all of us gardeners know potential! He gave me permission to take some pictures so I will share those....I got a card, the address is 5050 N. Pearl, Tacoma, WA 98407 and phone 253-759-1669. The selection, now, in Winter was amazing! There were rather a few things that I am going back for, I can't even begin to name all the goodies, all I can say is if you are in the neighborhood, stop in. Keep in mind, this is ALL outside, right now.

Spinach!

2008-11-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

Jan 17, 2008 | 9:40 PM PST

WOO HOO! Time to plant spinach, been pretty well staying around 40 during the day and got a pack of slow bolting spinach. Going to keep an eye on the weather and if it cooperates there will be spinach soon!

Poinsettia.

2008-11-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

Jan 17, 2008 | 1:01 PM PST

My landlady brought a huge, beautiful...overgrown and rootbound poinsettia right before Christmas. So it sat, and I looked at it for a few days. In my office building wholesale slaughter was occurring. The plant people brought in tremendous amounts of poinsettias and placed them all up and down all the halls. This is a 15 story building, mind you. After they started suffering, they THREW THEM AWAY and placed NEW ones there. They would not allow anyone to take the 'refuse' as they have to account for each and every one. That killed me. I thought about that as I looked at this beastie whom I have never had, nor tried to keep. I am a sucker for things with leaves (ok...and fur...and claws...that go 'Meow') so I just couldn't do anything BUT decide to actually keep it. I took it outside, I had a big square pot that was going to eventually be a banana pot but the banana has rather a bit of growing to do before it is ready for a pot this size anyways, haha. Then I find out it has a 'cage' of sorts to keep it upright (are these even MEANT to be kept alive???) and to get it out of this there was going to be some loss. Several of the branches did break off, but not too bad. The roots? There was NO way to break them up, it will take awhile but I hope it just 'gets over it'. I cut a bit but that was all I could do. Bring it in, it seemed happy, still does. I have decided this plant will live. We shall see :D Otherwise, I got a nice big pot for something else ;)

Dragon Fruit Trees

2008-11-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Jan 17, 2008 | 12:49 PM PST

Why do they call it a tree if it actually is more of a vine? Good question but they sure do taste good as well as seem to grow good too, haha. They just popped up, and were doing their thing and stopped so I figure, ok, maybe it is just cold...perhaps they just start fast and grow slow? So there they sat, with the cute little 'baby' leaves (what is the term for those???) and doing....well...pretty much nothing but taking up windowsill space! So...I started watering them with cold black coffee. That is ALL. No water. Nope. Just my old, cold coffee.

They went NUTS. In the past two weeks they decided to grow, lol, so that is what they get. Coffee.

On another note, the cuttings in the green glass are Cuban Oregano. The only ones I have as, for some reason, the parent plant just died. Who knows? Que Sera, Sera. My motto? If it grows, great, if not, plant something else there! I figure it this way, they are very healthy and rooting nicely, seem to be content to stay in the water (maybe I should give one some room...set it the top of a flared vase and see what happens?) so I have no great rush nor need to plant them as of yet. Thinking I am going to wait till it gets warm enough outside for them. The one in the shot glass is a piece of my orange tree, I will put a pic below as it is the one I am making bonsai. It shot that piece UP right in the center and that is not an allowable thing, in my book, so I cut it off :D There I was, standing, looking at this nice...green growth. Yard waste? Why not give it a chance. We shall see what happens!

Ah, heck with a pic, here is the orange tree :D ORANGE TREE TRAINING

So, the citrus and banana are in a winter tank. I like to give them a nice, full spectrum bulb and everyone is very happy so far.

I know it shows the banana and mini rose outside of the tank, but I have shuffled them in now.

So, that is that for now.

Fall storms...beauty and destruction.

2008-11-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

Nov 8, 2007 | 3:04 PM PST

So we had an amazing wind storm not that long ago. I even cleaned up the yard and battened down the hatches, so to speak. Got all the potted stuff down in a protected spot (will be the winter spot too!) and all the furniture and bikes nice and tidy and close...

Max is a dumb cat, I love him so but he is CRAZY. The wind started blowing HARD but it was not raining yet so I decided to give him some outside time. Nut job goes running around with the WILD KAT look in his eyes. You know the drill...run run run...mad dash...STOP! look around madly with flashing eyes.

He does not have that collar anymore, little jerk keeps losing them. This time was the worst as it had his license and a name tag. Jerk.

Then he did this and I was thinking 'Ain't he cute!'. As you can see all the brown in him, he snuck in as a regular cat and once he was established he is letting the Maine Coon out.

Then he FLEW over to one of the cedars and ran on the roof. Not happy. Wasn't happy a bit. He had no clue how windy it was, and how fast he could fly off! So I ended up standing in the raised bed while he teased me by coming to the edge when I was whistling and calling and finally came down so I promptly tossed him inside! Jerk. Cute, fuzzy, lovable jerk.

So, on to the destruction,

The dahlia. It took one hell of a beating...

My tomatoes, oh dear, my poor Black Prince...

The radishes I let bolt? So close to get my seed? Not a chance in hell. The wind snapped every single one of them and it was going so well. They would have had SO much seed. Damn. I had a fit and went ahead and cleared them out. They are now mulch. See all those seed heads? I don't even want to look.

So, upset as I was, daunted by the greenery that needs to be cut, tossed...all of the above, I started looking around. I have pretty much missed the nice fall foliage that so many are harping on as our nicely colored leaves have been passing us at about 90 MPH. I looked at my Bonsai and had to take another glance (and pictures!) as they are most gorgeous! Here is one where I took two different breeds and literally wrapped the Female around the Male to create a piece I call 'co-dependence'. hehe. Her color is amazing! He has just started to change a bit.

And one of my favorites, these are all about 4-5 yrs old. Such a nice yellow! Guess we have to keep our trees behind a wall in order to be able to see the colors!

The Japanese Elm has lost most of its leaves so gets to show off it's corkscrew nicely!

And the Cotoneaster is showing off it's berries, the wind took off a lot of them but it still has a few ;)

Then I notice the thyme and sages, how happy they are...it has finally cooled down enough for them.

And yes, I will get in there and weed them!

My herb pot looked a little unhappy, then I looked closer and changed my mind when I saw the flowers :D

The Parsley is happy finally, it does NOT like it hot-hot-hot, haha!

I come out of the garden area and see this, a cool little volunteer. One of the great things about a rental is you really don't know what is there so it is always a surprise

Yes, I know the buggers next to it have to go, lol. I *promise* LMAO!

Heading up the hill I see the dahlia in a different light...and that bush behind it? Never stopped flowering, it was leggy, like 8 ft tall and I cut the bejeezus out of it. So it flowered and has not stopped since early spring. Oh, how the honey bees and bumble bees love it!

Then I look over and see that the yellow rose a kid decided to trim this summer, with a toy sword *eek!* gave us something.

I look to the left and see fall colors on the hydrangea with a guest that really set it off!

Much better mood. What can I say, there is good in everything...I think. Excepting our present government, hehe. I decided to FINALLY plant the alpine strawberries that have been floundering and mocking me continuing to flourish despite my treatment of them. They will be great here, this spot is full of bulbs so is interesting for about 5 minutes then Blah.

So, I lost power. It was cold, windy and rainy and the power cut off while my non tv watching butt was in the middle of Grays Anatomy. I will not get radish seed this year from my crop. My tomatoes are a mess...the dahlia is half broken and the yard is a basic mess. A basic beautiful mess!

Pot Stash!

2008-11-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

It is getting cold and much cleanup must be done. I need to get some mulch to help the fact that I have a neighbor cat that pooped in the bed! Once I get some mulch I will plant Garlic and Walla Walla sweet onions. I already picked up some Brussels Sprouts and Purple Kohlrabi seed for spring too so that will be fun!

And now, for fun, my pot stash!

I have dragon TREES?

2008-11-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Oct 22, 2007 | 3:42 PM PST

OK, they call them dragon trees. But they are a vine, a succulent vine that likes to climb. I got the idea to save the seeds so asked and Spiceoflife had some growing. Taking their advice and my own weird ideas...I have SEEDLINGS! Rather a few in fact...and more popping up...and the good thing is I have people who will like them too, haha!

The Plant Tank!

2008-11-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

Oct 22, 2007 | 3:35 PM PST

Well, here it is, the overwinter home for my tropicals. The Nigerian Coffee tree's were truly pissed so they have lost the leaves but due to the lighting they were already getting happier and have new leaves growing. So, here I have a Banana, Tangerine, Orange, Key Lime, Nigerian Coffee and Lemon. The Banana has been moved in the tank since I took this pic, but the mini rose can stay out there, I just put it in there for the ambient light!

Water Gardening...indoors!

2008-11-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

Oct 19, 2007 | 10:19 AM PST

I have a couple tanks (ok, a bunch, but only three for water!) and in the kitchen I decided to set up the ten gallon and put in some plants. It got a bit crowded, Red Ludwigia...Parrot Tail...Bamboo...Amazon Sword...the fish can barely move, haha.

So, I decided I need to move them. I have a 40 gallon tank in the bedroom that is now empty. I set up the 55 gallon tank, but had to make a lid (cats). So I did. No trim on it yet, but I did this with a Jig Saw! Yes, I am damn proud of it. Give me a circular saw or a table saw and I will be downright dangerously handy! HAHA!!

The plants in the ten gallon, well, most of them are going to the 40 gallon soon (would have been last night but with the wind I lost power so DAMMIT I MISSED HALF OF GRAY'S ANATOMY!! I DON'T WATCH TV but I do watch that...and House...I couldn't move the plants because I will not do that by candle light! I am going to separate the Sword, looks like I should be able to make it become 4 or 5 Swords, I am good at that :D the little ones I will keep in the ten gallon for now. I will move the Bamboo, but I am going to play, and chop one of them into canes the length of each section and see what happens, haha. The 40 gallon is mostly going to become 'just for plants' with maybe a few fancy guppies, a catfish and a sucker fish. This is going to be fun :D

And Yes, those are Goldfish, I get feeders (those were..and see how they have grown) and put them in the small tank until it is ready for pricey fish (usually about 2-3 months) and do the same all the way to the biggest (or last) tank that needs to be set up. After that I find someone with a pond to take them!

Seed Tape.

2008-11-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

Oct 9, 2007 | 12:00 PM PST

I need to get a picture, at first I thought something thought they were WAY tasty but a couple got through and are growing. I took regular cheapo masking tape and made seed tape. This would work with any small seed and since the masking tape degrades it would be PERFECT for planting, as I found out with the oriental poppies. For all those out there that got these strips they work great! I should get a pic soon, I just looked at the pot yesterday and was surprised to see a couple avoided being eaten and they are big enough I can tell what they are now! I cold stratified them (I won't do that to the dragon tree seeds I promise!) for 2 wks and planted with a touch of soil over them, watered them well and forgot about them, haha. Here is the strips before I mailed out the freebies, I kept about 4 of these.

The perfect pot!

2008-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Oct 9, 2007 | 11:49 AM PST

I put one of my Nigerian Coffee trees in the perfect pot. When I got them, they were suppose to be one, but they one ended up being seven...see all those trunks?

So I had to separate them!

So...I have to bonsai at least ONE of them...right?

Tropical paradise...

2008-11-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Oct 5, 2007 | 8:11 AM PST

I have a 45 gallon tank.I got a pic but didn't bring it with me. I decided it needed to be for my trees, my baby trees. My orange, lemon, key lime, nigerian coffee...tangerine. I was able to get them all in it, with the banana and a mini rose sitting just outside of it. There is a full spectrum bulb in it as the person who gave it to me was growing a wide variety of water plants in it so this is good. Very good. They have light, heat, they should all do SO well this winter. I used to take a drop down shop light and put full spectrum bulbs in it on a basic frame for winter time and my tropicals but this is way better. Don't know why I never thought of it before, maybe it is because I never had a large, empty tank laying?

Nice and rainy

2008-11-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

Oct 3, 2007 | 11:11 AM PST

So, I have a new cam, so pics will be forthcoming. We have been getting rather a bit of rain (about time) but it is finally the end of the 'real' gardening season. If I can figure out a way to do it with minimal dirt (I know I should use at least a 5 gallon container but am willing to take a risk) I may cold stratify some of the tomato seeds I saved and start them up here in the office. That would be kind of cool, having some fresh tomatoes here. I kept some Black Prince and Brandywine seeds, although who knows what they will end up being as there were a few different varieties of tomatoes out there and I did not bag them so they are no doubt cross pollinated. I really don't mind, as long as they are fresh! I am planning on starting up some of the Jalapeno seeds I saved, I know it will do fine in a relatively smaller pot. I have all this sunshine here at my desk so I might as well take advantage of it, right?

I brought a couple Schefflera's in to the office.

My favorite story about Schefflera's...A pal of mine owned a hotel on the NC coast and the hurricane wall they had put in was coming down after a particularly nasty storm so the hotel had to come down. The people who were hired to take all the furniture and whatnot out and put it in storage really were not all that smart as they put all the plants in the storage unit as well. Three months later we opened up the unit, having already assumed the plants were living in the movers homes (nothing to quibble about, this all had to be done fast so the owner just figured a home is a home) and there they were. No water, no sun, three months...they were fine. They were Schefflera.

Time to get going on some winter gardening. I got seed for Walla Walla sweet onins, Garlic cloves, Purple Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts and Spinach so far. I have cleared the sugar snap pea bed so now all I need to do is take down the trellis (I used screws so it is basically collapsible) and recondition the little plot o'dirt and wait for the maters to finish up, collect the radish seeds from the early radish's that I let bolt and do that soil as well. I want to put in garlic, onions, Brussels Sprouts and Kohlrabi. They are very neat looking plants.

I will plant the spinach and plan on several lettuce varieties for this fall and come early spring in my tomato and radish bed, yum!

Fall goodies

2008-11-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

Sep 11, 2007 | 11:28 AM PST

I got excited about doing some cold weather planting, now I just have to figure out what else to put in when the tomato's are done! I know I will be planting some Walla Walla onions in between the maters as they need to be there now, and then get some of the best sweet onions in the world come spring. But for the other spot, there are the sugar snap peas that are done, and I need to go pick the seed off of them and the early radishes I forced to bolt for next spring and clear it out. So, I will clear it, take down the trellis and stir in some compost and manure. I got some broccoli and brussel sprout seed, and there was something else! And I can't remember! OH! YES! PURPLE KOHLRABI! I love this, love tasty stuff that has odd appearances, these will suffice, hehe. As the tomatoes are finishing (I have time) I will probably throw spinach in..fresh spinach, yum! I am on the lookout for some material to make a cold frame as that is move able, I may lease on for the next year but if not I want to be able to move it! That would be great, having fresh lettuce all winter!

My Itty Bitty Maters and the Weird Radish

2008-11-21T11:44:00.002-08:00

Aug 15, 2007 | 10:03 AM PST

So, we had some odd weather a bit ago...got to like 90 in the day time then would shoot back down to 60 at night (the sugar snap peas HATED it) and it seemed to do some odd stuff...hasn't rained in FOREVER, my lawn (well, the RENTAL lawn, hehe) is so dead it is developing dirt instead of just the browned grass. The only watering that is getting done at all it the veggy patch and my little tree's, to hell with the lawn. Anyways, to get back to my point. The cherry tomatoes did the strangest thing, the first ones decided to just not grow. The rest of them did, but then they started ripening...I am looking at them thinking wtf? Either way I ended up with a few handfuls of the CUTEST maters EVER!

And, well...this really needs no explanation...

Black Prince Tomato

2008-11-21T11:44:00.001-08:00

Jul 20, 2007 | 11:18 AM PST

Isn't it beautiful? The first one...all pretty, and smoky...this is fully ripe, oh so fully ripe. I cut it in half, I drizzled on some Olive Oil, some garlic...mozzarella and a tad of italian breadcrumbs...broiled....yum. Why do people insist on the standard sterile taste of commercial tomatoes? Why can they not 'think outside the box' and realize the best, tastiest tomatoes are not the 'pretty' orange beasts that is all you can find at the supermarket? Get yerself to the local Farmers Market this weekend and find some heirloom tomato, the weirder or uglier the better and treat yourself to a wonderful taste! Here is my article on how I save the seeds (next one, I promise!) SAVING TOMATO SEEDS

I am ALMOST a bonsai!

2008-11-21T11:43:00.001-08:00

Jul 19, 2007 | 11:14 AM PST

Well, it has been a little bit of time and I feel great! Those first couple of days were hard. All I could say was OW, that was a lot...more than I anticipated. Those smug bonsai, the Japanese Maples...the Elm...that Cotoneaster, they didn't really tell me how MUCH was involved!

But now I am HERE! I look forward to the day I get my own special pot. I know my gardener will wait until she sees something very special for me and it might sit and wait but it will be all mine!

This is what happened, I don't remember it much because I was sedated but she told me all about it.

First off it seems I had a little brother or sister so an emergency pot had to be gotten!

After taking out my sibling I got packed back in my pot. It will be at least 6 months before I get my own bonsai pot, I will be inside by then because I know the winters are a bit harsh here for my tender leaves!

Once we got done with that I got repotted and cut and wired...I am told that it will probably be a year, but then I get to be true bonsai, with my own special pot! It may be sooner, it depends on the rate of my root growth...I am gonna try REAL hard to grow FAST! Because I am a fast grower, I got a really loose coil for my first bend. I am happy about that I really don't want any scars!

Japanese Maple repotting, part deux.

2008-11-21T11:41:00.002-08:00

Jul 12, 2007 | 8:31 AM PST

Well, here I am in my new home! It was a quick operation for which I was grateful. I don't like being out of a pot long and this, well, it made me feel a little naked! First I got taken out of the pot and almost all my roots exposed (see me blushing!)...

Then they got CUT OFF..even my tap root...that was weird! I got root hormone powder on them to help them heal and grow again. There is not much room in my new pot but I don't mind, the Elm and Cotoneaster tell me it will just be 'Cozy'.

Then I got put in my pot and got some new soil (YAAY!) and a trim and some wire, it has been years since I got wired, this was a little one compared to what I have had done in the past!

One little coil was all I needed, I had a 'wild branch' that wanted to go one way and we wanted it to go the other way! This is 16 ga. copper.

And here I am wired, before being bent...

And here I am, done...I really like it in this pot, but I was told I can have a pot just like this one that will be more plain (I like the grapes design...but my gardener thinks they are hideous!).

Some people think you need REALLY expensive tools to do this with, but not really. You just have to have a few basic tools. My gardener uses these, predominately. A simple pair of hair cutting scissors (gets in nice to trim close in small areas), a pair of flat wire nips (no sharp edges), a pair of needlenose pliers and a ring winder like the one you saw above. Simple, and found at any decent craft store at minimal cost. That way you have more cash to play with for pots...soil...trees....LOL!

Japanese Maple, bonsai potting.

2008-11-21T11:40:00.001-08:00

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:19 PM PST

Well, while my brethren beside me, Orange and Japanese Elm, have their own things going this weekend, I get to do something VERY exciting!!! I Get potted! I get to have my very own bonsai pot. I have waited over 3 years for this to happen and now I get to have it!! YAAAY! I have been very compliant and a happy grower this whole time thinking 'pick me! pick me!' and now is my time. For the last year I have felt like a bonsai, I have looked like a bonsai...down to making sure I have a nice, natural mossy ground cover, but there was the 'pot thing'. I will make sure they get pictures for I am very happy I get my pot!!! After I get potted I will be getting a trim, but not to downplay Japanese Elm, it is nothing like that...just a few clips here and there!

Japanese Elm. A haircut.

2008-11-21T11:39:00.002-08:00

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:14 PM PST

Hi, I am 'Japanese Elm'. I was once just a regular tree but someone looked at me and said, Bonsai... you must be. Here I am and enjoying the new 'digs'. I have gotten a little happy though and been getting a tad 'leggy' so I am scheduled for a haircut this weekend. I am looking forward to it as I have been feeling a bit 'full' lately! I understand there will be a photo journal of my cut :D

Orange tree, or Bonsai to be...

2008-11-21T11:39:00.001-08:00

Jun 27, 2007 | 2:08 PM PST

Hi, my name is 'Orange Tree'. That's my new pal, 'Clover' behind me. I know this is a good home when someone realizes the importance of clover! I have been promised a glorious future. As my new owner, RKayne has taken note...I am taking very quickly to my new home, I love it here in this new pot that is SO much bigger than the one I lived in for so long. I know I don't get this pot forever so I am taking advantage of it and growing very fast, she put me in this pot about a week ago and I already have new growth sprouting all over. The ploy worked and she took notice of my very fine efforts. Guess what? I get to start training to be a bonsai this weekend! I am so proud, wonder what my parents would think. Maybe the old grove owner will see my progress and let them know! RKayne told me she would take a photo journey of my progress so this weekend you get to see what becomes of me, I know this won't be easy but I am eager to join the ranks of some of the finest trees on this planet, Bonsai!

Catnip.

2008-11-21T11:38:00.001-08:00

Jun 26, 2007 | 3:04 PM PST

So, anyways, I got a good sized chunk of catnip.

Yep.

So it WAS. Overnight, how does that happen?

Damn Cat. LOL!!! So, I unplugged what was left, and got a hanging basket...and hung it, WELL away from the edge of the roof or patio. There is an area that has plexiglass over it so it gets plenty of sun, as of now it is recovering nicely, but here is what I found...the carnage...in it's new basket!

And what I did to keep it from the edge of the roof at ALL!!! LOL!!!

All thanks to Max. "I rip up your plants" *quote from Max* WHO BROKE ONE OF MY BONSAI THE OTHER DAY THE LITTLE SHIT. Not the one he is 'walking' over... OK, now I feel better.

Something new for the house.

2008-11-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

Jun 22, 2007 | 2:45 PM PST

I love having houseplants. So there I am, at the store...getting a hanging basket (you will find out soon enough WHY) and I look over and see some succulents, so I grabbed a Jade that I will bonsai, and an Aloe because NO house is complete without it.

Trellis!

2008-11-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

Jun 22, 2007 | 2:34 PM PST

The long overdue Sugar Snap Pea trellis is built! I had scrap wood. Dowels (thick) and some runner poles I picked up off the side of the road! After I measured out the height of the dowels (so my short self could reach the top!) I measured out the width and then notched the dowels evenly, on both sides. I ran Hemp twine all the way around each pole at the notch then all the way around the 4 poles, then criss-crossed it on 4 platforms. They are already reaching for the second platform of twine! I plan on, when they reach the top, cutting the twine so I can reach in and pick them easier. I figured a platform would be best with the limited space as they can spread out across the top nicely! It sits a bit over 4 ft tall by itself, add a foot for the raised area. Max likes to hang out in the garden with me :D

New trees.

2008-11-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

Jun 22, 2007 | 1:47 PM PST

Have to get pics, have more on the way...My Mom got me tree's for my Birthday! So far, I have an Orange, Tangerine, Key Lime, and BONUS Lemon. I say BONUS because I took it out last night to pot it, and go 'Hm, that's odd'...and grabbed an *emergency* pot...it had a little one next to it. So I go to plant it again, after potting the little guy. Think...'Hm, that's odd'...and get ANOTHER emergency pot. I have 3 Lemon tree's! WOO HOO! These are all bound to be bonsai.

I will put up pics soon as I take them!

Thanks Mom!

Bonsai Update.

2008-11-21T11:28:00.001-08:00

Jun 12, 2007 | 3:34 PM PST

So, tis the season for Bonsai to look great! Decided to have an update on how they are doing.

Needs a trim, hehe...

One of the Wisterias...

One of my Favorite Japanese Maples (almost 4 yrs old)

Babies...and strawberries that are going in the ground tonight!

New Family Members...

2008-11-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

Jun 11, 2007 | 12:52 PM PST

I got two new family members and am so excited! I got a....wait for it...BLACK PRINCE TOMATO!!! WOO HOO!!! Not just that, but I got a Brandywine! Of course I got them at the Farmer's Market. They are not the most attractive things but damn sure are when you are eating them. I bought a couple of Black Prince that were so wonderful, and I enjoyed a guilty pleasure of mine for dinner, tomato sandwiches. Next it will be drizzled olive oil and herbs on halves, covered in mozzarella or parmesan and a bit of breadcrumbs then Broiled, hehe...oh it is going to be grand to have REAL tomatoes this year!

I also got garlic curls, sugar snap peas, baby bok choy and some broccoli and am going to stir fry them up, hehe...

Bird Feeders

2008-11-21T11:26:00.002-08:00

Jun 8, 2007 | 3:38 PM PST

I am so sad. I was all set to get bird feeders, enjoy them out in the yard...nice cat proof ones. But no, now I can't. Seems that some birds here in Seattle have contracted Salmonella and the birds are dying.

Seems they are passing it by sitting on the feeder then the next bird gets it by stepping in the last birds 'mess'.

Oh well, hopefully (for the birds) this will pass soon.

Sweet Peas!!

2008-11-21T11:26:00.001-08:00

Jun 8, 2007 | 3:25 PM PST

I decided to put some Sweet Peas in the bed that had the Tulips in it, they just do not last long and the bed is SO bare now. The second level is where they are going.

Since there were so many seeds, I figured they would go well next to the sugar snap peas well and bring a bit more bee happiness to that area as well! I have some coming up for the 'Tulip' bed...

Projects and Oregano

2008-11-21T11:25:00.001-08:00

Jun 7, 2007 | 2:37 PM PST

So, bet you are wondering how the hell I link projects and oregano together? I can! REALLY! I have a lot of projects going on, the trellis, the 55 gallon FISH tank top...this will be it when I finish the last two
cuts.

I was granted some oregano from the lady who gave me the garlic, onions, and pots. I took her some Japanese Maple babies and some Basil. This oregano is like a blend of french and greek, I think it will be a welcome addition. I really want to get some Cuban to grow inside...

So, now between four people I have all the pots I need...for the moment. And that is how I get the subjects together! :P

Radishes, Sugar Snap Peas and Garlic! YEAH!

2008-11-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

Jun 7, 2007 | 2:31 PM PST

My baby Radishes...they are an early variety, harvest in 22 DAYS! So I will plant a second round when it is time for these...I love snacking radishes :D

Then there is the garlic, I went to get some free pots (I love free pots, I use SO many) and she gave me some garlic...and some of what she thought might be volunteer garlic but when I dumped them out of the pot I very carefully separated them and planted them...sweet white onions :D

So there were a few days here that SERIOUSLY baked and I got worried about the sugar snap peas I had sowed so I tossed them epsom salts and watered it in really good and KABAM! Let there be sugar snap peas! I have the material I need so I will be building a nice platform/Japanese style trellis for them this weekend. I was working on the fishtank cover but HAVE to get the trellis done...will try to get them both done as I really want to get that tank going, it is 55 gallon.

Oriental Poppies

2008-11-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

Jun 1, 2007 | 1:53 PM PST

I grew up on a farm, I am growing some veggies right now (have some radishes going NUTS right now) but I love to Bonsai. Since I am no longer on a farm it is nice to just grow something 'just because' :D Here is am example of a 'just because', granted this is a rental but there will be a lot of these seeds not only going with me but going to several people around the states (at least when the seed pod dries!). You HAVE to let the pod dry, completely. Collect the seeds and keep them in the garage (or similar) for the entire winter. Sow with just a tad of dirt over them in the early spring, past frost. Simple. Then you get these!

Planted in full :D

2008-11-21T11:20:00.002-08:00

May 30, 2007 | 12:54 PM PST

So, I don't have a lot of space. I decided to actually LEAVE half of the space unused, I will just cut back the heavy overgrowth. Two reasons, I really don't need a lot of space because I would just plant too much (veggies) and then I would have too much to use! Another reason is due to the fact that there is an ABUNDANCE of Yellow Jackets who are nesting at the far end of this area and I really don't have a problem with them as they can be very beneficial and they are not bothering me so I will leave well enough alone.

I planted the basils, the garlic chives, some radishes and sweetpeas. Put in some sugar snap peas (I checked the dates and this is JUST the right time for me to get them in the ground, I will get a second harvest of the radishes! YAAAY!) and some regular chives (couldn't pass up the price on the seeds!). Now all I need to do is build a trellis, I need some blades and a power cord as I have the wood I want to use. I am planning on a Japanese Style to the trellis...

I gots pots

2008-11-21T11:20:00.001-08:00

May 25, 2007 | 1:21 PM PST

I got POTS I got pots, all so many empty pots....hehe...so..what to do...PLANT STUFF! This weekend:

Basils, both Spicy Globe and Provencal (some to go to my PILE OF POTS benefactor, hehe)

Japanese Maples (have WAY too many, but now they can have their own homes as they have been living in big pots, one has like 25 in it...)

Mini Roses (we have two new ones, one for each of us Moms for Moms day, mine is pink, hers is red)

Daisy (of a variety I have no damn clue, but is sho is purty)

Now all I need is....MORE DIRT! WOOT!

Another good thing is I have several Bonsai that need to be repotted, so this will help with that as well.

Birds...cherries...ack

2008-11-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

May 24, 2007 | 9:36 AM PST

I can't deny them the cherries but DAMMIT will they leave me any? I sat out on my patio this morning drinking some coffee (should have had the cam I guess, will make note *take cam out on patio more*) just looking out at the yard...and what do I see, a BEAUTIFUL Blue Jay (why I should have had the cam) sitting on the edge of one of the edged beds, little pretty fucker cocks his head, looks at me, hopped up in the cherry tree and proceeded to PIG OUT. Fine, I keep threatening to get a bird feeder..I WILL, now, haha. Save The Cherries! I saw a hummingbird yesterday, he stopped...still...looking right at me, I swear he said "So, wheres the hummingbird feeder you been promising?". Fine, I heed the birds but as there are *rats with furry tails* AKA Squirrels, I will have to get something for THEM as well. Geeze, it never ends, feed the birds, feed the squirrels, feed the cats, yeesh, lol.

Finally, RAIN!

2008-11-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

May 23, 2007 | 2:24 PM PST

Now, you would think, "Hey, Seattle...Rain!", right? Not so much, this is not quite the rainy place people think it is. Kind of odd to explain as we did get 33 days of rain in a row last year, but when it gets dry, it gets DRY. It finally decided to rain properly last weekend. For those who are unbelievers about it being dry here, EVER, take a look at this pic of the yard and tell me that is not dry, hehe...

Bamboo.

2008-11-21T11:17:00.002-08:00

May 18, 2007 | 2:59 PM PST

So, I have a fish tank that I consider my growing tank, it has an interesting array of plants but so far I love the bamboo!

I had to share a pic of 'Bonk!' and how much he loves it too! He is an African frog and I named him Bonk! because when I had him in the big tank he would swim very fast to the top, grab some air then Bonk! hit the bottom nose first, hehe. He is much happier being in my plant breeding tank now, as you can see :D

I have Cherries!

2008-11-21T11:17:00.001-08:00

May 15, 2007 | 6:08 PM PST

I am so stoked, have NO clue what kind they may be, but hey...don't care! There is the roof Max figured out he could get up to...bad cat...bad...lol.

Now I know!

2008-11-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

May 15, 2007 | 6:05 PM PST

Parsley!!

And...Garlic Chives!

Parsley or chives...hmm

2008-11-21T11:15:00.002-08:00

May 8, 2007 | 5:04 PM PST

Oh, how I wish you could tell what they were when they first sprout...bet I am not alone in the fact that for some reason I get so busy with seeds, transplanting and whatnot that I sometimes don't think, HEY, I put these in the same container. Hm, they are in rows, but which side was which? Well, shall be a few before I know which side is Parsley and which side is Garlic chives! I didn't even worry about the basil's either and they will take even LONGER to tell which is Provencal and which is Globe, haha.....think I would learn? Hell no, bet I do it NEXT year too!

Basil, chives and parsley OH MY!

2008-11-21T11:15:00.001-08:00

May 7, 2007 | 1:44 PM PST

I sowed some salad leaf basil, globe basil, garlic chives and triple curled parsley about a week ago and I have sprouts! I know the basils are up but in the other box (I like to use the cardboard flats like you get bottled water in) I am not sure if it is the parsley or the chives that are starting to come up yet! I would take pics, but as those here know, they don't look like anything yet. I will be sharing these a lot, I am sure...something came over me and I sowed the whole dang pack of seeds...all of them...some scattered here and there in the yard as well! We shall see what comes up. As for Basil, I take it when it gets heavy growth, chop it up and freeze it in cubes with just enough water to create 'basil cubes', bag them up and have fresh basil year round. I don't think it dries all that well...I have a few requests for baby herbs so guess that will help a bit...or I will be standing downtown with a tray of herbs asking for people to adopt them! No, worse case scenario and craigslist will get that listing (bring own dirt and pot!), hehe.

The only survivor.

2008-11-21T11:14:00.001-08:00

Apr 30, 2007 | 2:20 PM PST

Alright so I will NEVER EVER Again try to sprout my Pride of Barbados without my Drop Down Full Spectrum Light setup! NEVER.

Here it is, the only survivor.

So the Peace lily lives!

2008-11-21T11:13:00.002-08:00

Apr 30, 2007 | 2:18 PM PST

Seems fine to me, now...

Some of the goodies in my yard.

2008-11-21T11:13:00.001-08:00

Apr 30, 2007 | 2:15 PM PST

OK, so I am not sure what flowering tree is what, as I have ID'd the east coast ones, they are not the same here! I have a couple nice trees in my yard, I think at least one is a cherry LOL and I have a lilac as well as a Pieris Japonica, Japanese Aucuba, and now a place for my Bonsai besides them being scrunched all on a patio. I like the tulips but must figure out what to put there that will be appreciated year round (and cheap...this IS a rental).

Not white wisteria?!?!!

2008-11-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

Apr 24, 2007 | 12:23 PM PST

OK, This guy must not notice much! Where I got the cuttings of wisteria, he insisted it was WHITE. Well, I prefer Black Dragon, the purple, and it seems that is what I got! As the picture shows, that is PURPLE!!!

And here is my favorite so far, a true keeper!

My Rose...it BLOOMS.

2008-11-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Apr 24, 2007 | 12:10 PM PST

Hmm, indoors, mini rose...I haven't killed it yet! It is blooming for the first time since I got it (and YOU know they COME with blooms, why else would ya buy it).

Plantings.

2008-11-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Apr 24, 2007 | 11:38 AM PST

I sowed Triple Curl Parsley (some will go between my tomatoes, they really do have a great effect when planted together) Garlic Chives, Spicy Globe Basil and Genovese Basil (salad leaf-like) yesterday. I like to use cardboard flats to do this with, then transfer the sprouts as they start going...but I had that classic problem. Too many seeds...so...looking around the yard I realized that I could just put them 'here and there'...so I did. On another note, I love Lavender, so I grabbed a Provencal Lavender and put it is a spot close to the back door on the patio.

Halfway there!

2008-11-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

Apr 24, 2007 | 11:25 AM PST

So, 2 days of work. The first day clearing half of the overgrown mess, the second day tilling in some worm castings (vermicompost). This is all hand done, due to lack of space & equipment, haha…I worked it all with the garden fork. Weeds, grass, various bulbs that I have no use for…some volunteer blackberries (bane of the PNW) and spiders…and here I have some garden space. This is only half done, but the hardest part has been done, IMHO. I planted some Tomato’s, an Early Girl, Beefsteak and a Cherry. I plan on putting in some Sugar Snap Peas after I build a trellis for them. Personally? I think I should have a ‘Get Out of Hell Free’ card for doing this…it IS a rental house, after all! Check out the pics, tell me what YOU think! This spot does get FULL sun, so at least it will produce!

Before:

After:

Tomatoes:

Ow.

2008-11-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

Apr 23, 2007 | 9:38 AM PST

Ok, so...grass, and a garden fork. Bulbs that do not need to be there...LOTSA spiders, knowing that SPIDERS ARE GOOD, I am the organics kind of gal. I am still like...ok...um...spiders good, fine but don't make me touch them! Haha. I did enjoy the ladybugs though, happy happy JOY JOY, I have breeding ladybugs! There is nothing is better than baby ladybugs! Well, maybe some baby praying mantis...my next want on my list. I will get a couple of Mantis egg sacks (love hatching them). So, after a nice back breaking session, the spot is HALF done and not completely done. All I want to get DONE right away is the spot for a couple of Tomato plants...I have not had fresh tomato's (at least out of my OWN yard) for quite some time. As soon as I get the pics downloaded (killed the batteries taking pics, hehe) I will post them. This spot, omg....way too left alone, and it looks like the only thing that has been planted there has been flowers and I want veggies, so if I have to recondition a garden spot at a rental house, I am GOING to have VEGGIES, dammit. lol. All I can say is. Ow. If it were not for the garden fork, I would not have gotten anything done, lol. Would have been POTTED maters. I got a Jalapeno that will be in a pot, just haven't decided how big of a pot. So, next week, maybe I will get that overgrown MESS finished.

Here is the Jalapeno,

Banana!

2008-11-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

Apr 19, 2007 | 2:45 PM PST

My first Banana Corm has sprouted, they said 'Up to a YEAR'...a year...omg...I was thinking it would be forever, and it may be, but here it is, 3 months or so AND I HAVE ONE! I will snap a pic soon, I have rather a few pictures to take and post, it seems!

Got my Work cut out for me ;)

2008-11-21T10:11:00.002-08:00

Apr 9, 2007 | 4:20 PM PST

Here is a pic of the bit o' yard I get to plant my veggies, I have already decided where to move those Tulips :D I have to weed out all that grass (and some blackberries, bane of the PNW) and till it, then I will vermicompost it.

And for some comic relief, the cats are looking forward to moving as well :D

My Elm and Easter

2008-11-21T10:11:00.001-08:00

Apr 6, 2007 | 2:19 PM PST

LOL, not quite what the title implies, eh?

I got a pic of my Japanese Elm and Cotoneaster.

Rock Layering Bonsai

2008-11-21T10:05:00.001-08:00

Apr 6, 2007 | 1:35 PM PST

So, this is what I am going to do during the course of the year, my BIG project for the year. I am going to take THIS rock :

And I am going to put one of these White Wisteria Bonsai on it:

I have two of them that are cascading over and don't know which one to do it to. What I need to do is take the one I want and put it in a DEEP pot for awhile, then take it OUT of the pot and put it on the rock where I want it (towards the bottom in a crevice) with a bit of peat in the crease of the rock and the roots all over the place, haha. Then I will bury the whole thing in course sand for about a year. Then it will be ready...not a slow project but I can already see it in my head and am thinking it could be less than a year as I decided to use wisteria. I have had this rock for almost 5 years now waiting for the right project, so I know it is frost proof.

Got the house!

2008-11-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

Apr 5, 2007 | 11:07 AM PST

So I get a veggy patch! WOOT! I move next weekend so I won't be much online for about 4 days (I won't be able to help but to login now and then, keeps the work email lighter and I am going to get Clearwire). First thing I will do is weed it, till it and work the vermiculture (worm poo) in. I plan on tomatoes, runner beans, some peas and maybe corn. If I have room left, I will put carrots in. I can't wait to get started, but my Bonsai's will take precedence as the move will not be kind. I have a lot of white wisteria cuttings that will have to be babied after the move as they will most likely shift in the transfer. I plan on sitting in the back seat with them to minimize this from occurring, but figure it will take a bit more than just the move to harm them for wisteria is notorious in it's hardiness! The maples will ride well, I am sure...the real fun part will be to find a new spot for the African Violets, there are two really healthy ones and they love where they are at, but I understand they are rather picky about their permanent living spot, so I bet I will have to move them...alot...till I find the perfect spot for them ;) I do have a few schefflera cuttings that 'followed me home' recently, but it is almost impossible to kill them. The one cutting I worry about at this time is a prayer plant cutting I have. It is alive so that is all that matters right now, right?

Minature Rose bloom and why the rose lives at my office.

2008-11-21T10:03:00.004-08:00

My Mini Rose has a bloom starting, I am so going to bring in my camera...success with a plant I never thought I could grow well, but hey, I saw it this morning so no doubt it is a happy rose! Now I just need to get the peace lily happy, I had it up in a relatively dark shelf as my CAT, Max would eat it, so I brought it to the office for safety, and it will get happy now, I am sure it can use some nitrogen. Here is Max climbing his first tree! He will be a year old in May.

Peace Lily

2008-11-21T10:03:00.003-08:00

Apr 4, 2007 | 5:00 PM PST

I think my peace lily needs nitrogen.

New Yard

2008-11-21T10:03:00.001-08:00

So it may be a rental, but it does have a garden area. Looks like I have decided to take the more expensive place, but I will have room to vegetable garden and I will have plenty of space to keep my Bonsai's. The only real downfall of the 'mature landscaping' is it has massive junipers and rhododendrons. Not particularly my favorite, and I will not have much option on how the yard looks...it does have two fireplaces and a great kitchen ( I GET GAS!!!). Good news is the side of the house that has the veggy patch is in FULL sun, so I may be one of the only people who has ever had success with tomatoes in the Seattle area! If I get this house, I will so be taking pictures! Maybe I will be able to talk them into letting me plant one of my Japanese Maple Bonsai's...set it at FREE, it would be such a boon to a yard as 'simple' as this one is, at this time.

Japanese Maples

2008-11-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

Apr 4, 2007 | 4:05 PM PST
=

I have a couple Japanese Maples set aside for MamabearBSA and Mainegal because they cost SO much away from here (Seattle area) that are 3 years old. They will be getting a couple baby maples as well, but I wanted to make sure they get to take something back with them that is established and there is nothing more beautiful than a Japanese Maple Bonsai! I will take pictures of them soon, as well and update...at the very least they will be able to see the tree's that are going home with them! I have some before and after pics so they get to see how drastic a cutting the tree's will take as I have been informed by them both that they are concerned about how tough they are. I will put it this way, they are 3 years old, and I am just NOW going to repot them! A bonsai, as average, will be repotted at least once a year, but Japanese Maples THRIVE on neglect! So, on that note, here are some of my Japanese Maples at three years old. I have before and after pictures with the winter growth and then their 'spring/summer coat' :D So now is where i get to tease Mamabear and Mainegal....as these are some of My personal babies, hehe...

Before :

After :

Mini Rose...

2008-11-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

Apr 4, 2007 | 3:57 PM PST

I have a mini rose, I got it for Christmas and I know nothing about them AT ALL. So I figured, why the heck not? If it dies, I will just plant something ELSE in the pot :D. Well, it lives, it lives in the office right now along with a peace lily and a plant I should put on an ID thread! It not only lives, but it is FLOURISHING. Have yet to see blooms other than the ones that were on it when I got it, but I figure some phosphorous should do it. I will take a picture of it soon and keep an update going on it's progress! I was told banana peels are good for roses, but I don't think I will try that one in the office! Last thing we need is fruit flies all over the place.

Bonsai!!!

2008-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Apr 4, 2007 | 3:46 PM PST

I recently had a large amount of baby maples 'follow me home' as I love to bonsai, this is fortunate :D I love to bonsai almost any tree but for the maples there is a plan. We have a NW GTG planned and they will have future homes when I take a bunch of them down for a 'training course', an VERY quick one, albeit, but they will be happy tree's! Maples will bonsai just as readily as any other tree and can be very beautiful in the process.

Northwest Garden Show

2008-11-21T09:57:00.001-08:00

Apr 4, 2007 | 3:36 PM PST

Everything green and growing! I loves all kinds of plants, trees and flowers. Right after the holidays I went and bought a whole bunch of exotic seeds to start her own. I love to bonsai as well. So I got tickets to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

I had a really great time! I was there for most of Saturday, ooohing and aaahing over everything there. I bought two bonsai trees (one Japanese Elm and one cotoneaster ) and some lavender and lemon grass products (soap and body spray, yum!). I took a ton of pictures, here are a few of my favorites...