Late Season Tomatoes

I finally just cracked open my fall issue of Gardening How-To Magazine and inside was a short article on caring for your tomatoes late in the season. I wish I had read this earlier! Maybe if I remember I can try this next year. It said a month efore the first frost date to pinch off all flowers, new shoots and as well as any small fruits keeping only those that are about a month from maturity. I don't know about everyone else, but I have a hard time doing so! I even kept the small green tomatoes this year when I hacked down my Black Krim tomato plant to give to my neighbor's chickens to feast on. They seemed to really like the foliage on the plant as by the next day it was GONE!

Macadamia, Plumeria & Ginger

On September 13th I planted 10 Macadamia seeds. Today is exactly 4 weeks and 5 days. Two seeds have sprouted, but only one has anything above the soil. They supposedly take up to six weeks to sprout. Good thing I bought two packets if the germination rate is only 20% after almost five weeks!

These past few days I also found my red plumeria cutting had rotted completely :( I was really disappointed as the red is so beautiful! The white one is fine, knock on wood! It hasn't rooted yet tho.

The Ginger I brought back from Hawai'i is growing like a weed, which is to be expected! It will outgrow my lights soon as well as the little pot I have it started in! I can't wait for this beautiful Ginger to bloom as it has really pretty flowers that are different from normal Ginger flowers!

What's in Bloom this October

Found in bloom on 10.14.11

Bloomed 10.10.11, even has a second spike coming!

Nice to have some that don't bloom just in the spring!

Today my Neomarica caerulea 'Regina' came in the mail! Looks pretty healthy! Got four orchids at the Orchid Festival this past weekend, a Bulbo, a tropical terrestrial, a hardy terrestrial and a Darwin's orchid!

Garlic is Planted!

So this post will show up a bit late....I really planted them October 11th! I decided to put the super big cloves of the unknown garlic back in the shade. I figured that would give them a helping hand to grow in the shade. I also put German Red next to it since they are good, but I am still in love with Music! I planted some of Music in the area with more sun so the cloves can get bigger next year and I will rotate in the German Reds, maybe. I might just get rid of the reds and unknowns to grow solely Music as that seems to be my all time favorite for flavor! I so need a larger yard with more sunlight! I'd love to have a huge garlic patch! Now I just need to get more pine mulch as it seems they love that stuff the best!

Last year, in the shade patch, I put in cow manure and pine mulch and they grew bigger, but nothing like the area that got more sun with just pine mulch. Maybe I just have to move my plants in that area to the other? The shade patch gets a ton of compost too! I really think it's just the lack of light. Only thing is my peonies can't go into the shade and I'd hate to move my Cypripediums... I need a new yard!!!

Columbus Day = Garlic Planting Day!

Unfortunately I did not get to planting my garlic today. Maybe tomorrow! I still need to clear out the area for them though. My neighbor's chickens will be having a feast! I've already given them some tomato plant cuttings to feast on and they preferred it over the collard greens I gave them! I don't blame them, honestly! Those Black Krim tomatoes are yummy! Their leaves have to be just as good too :)