Delayed Seed Starting

I should've started my seeds months ago! Especially those hard to grow super hot pepper seeds! But it has been SO cold that I just had not felt like gardening! I'm not sure what today's temperatures was, but it was MUCH warmer than it has been! So....I finally dug in! 

My Cymbidium Hunny Bunny has finally bloomed! 

This Dendrobium has decide it's not waiting for the spring show any longer! 

The Best Thing About Gardening...

Neem tree seeds sprouting!

Dyakia in bloom! Opened up yesterday!

Seed Sprouting

First seed from second tray has sprouted! Sunflower - American Giant!

Seed sprouting

Last night, Carolina Reaper #3 popped up!

My first time ever starting kale and collard greens! These were sown for a Phipps initiative to get more fresh veggies into lower income areas where they don't have access to it. Phipps is providing everything! Raised beds, plants, tools, etc! Anyhow, these are incredibly easy to start of you have never tried them from seed. These started for me in two days on a heat mat! Can't wait to start the other seeds!

Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion Sprouts!

The first Jay's Peach Ghost Scorpion has sprouted! Unfortunately my excitement was quickly tempered when I saw that the last of my Black Krim tomato seedlings got smashed by the lid :/ I still have plenty, but it still sucks!

Seed Starting Update

All of the Black Krim and Patio Tomato seedlings have sprouted! One of the Asplecias has as well as the sweet peppers for a few days now. I see my first Jalapeño sprout today. Still no signs of the basil or the hot peppers!

Falling Into Winter

Last Sunday I was finally able to see the forsythia mess up by the street. It turns out there are really only three bushes, but the one closest to the house has been left unchecked to grow wild. There were branches all the way to the sidewalk! Even though you are not supposed to prune more than 1/3 off, I figured this thing has grown enough over the years to have enough energy stored so I hacked away! I even got the chainsaw out! Inside that mess was a wild grape vine that was as big as my wrist! Anyhow, it has not been cleaned up well, but it is tamed at least! 

All the plants I couldn't figure out where to put since I didn't really have time to figure out the garden were dug in for the winter until hubby decided he HAD to do certain projects outside and had to move them. If I can't find any of my plants next spring, we'll know why! Now some of them are uncovered and winter is arriving this weekend! I need to get a new bag of mulch. This was the last thing I wanted to do when winter hit! *sigh* 

As for winter, my first seed catalog came in the mail today! Time to dream! What shall I plant next year????

Progress & New Plantings

Flower tree my old neighbor created, which apparently my clematis likes!

Black berries ripening up! There are SOOO many this year!

Sweet potatoes tubering in the cell packs already!

Sweet potatoes 'Beauregard' planted finally and some Sugar Baby watermelon seeds! Planted some Blue Lake Bush Beans on the other side also.

Patio tomato ripening up! Big fruit for such a small plant!

A wee baby apple growing at the new house.

Preying mantis egg cases

This morning I spent it planting new grass seed in the bald spots that we had created for the down spout diversion project. Got the one side all done and viola! Rain happened! How sweet was that?! I had planned on watering it before sunset so the grass nearby it wouldn't get burned. Thanks nature! 

Macadamias & Plumeria

Well, according to the computer, I am a day late, or not in the case of the Macadamias! Today on the 12th, I planted the red and white Plumeria cuttings and tonight, the 13th (2:05am), I planted the Macadamia seeds that I had soaking for 24 hours in water with a rooting solution hoping to give them a head start! I hope they sprout for me!

On another note, I came home to my acorn squash plant not looking quite as perky as when I had left it. I hope the fruits are done growing if it is indeed thinking of kicking the bucket!

Seedlings!

Left: Pomagrante seedlings! Right: Bhut Jolokia seedlings!

These seeds were from a store bought Pomegranate. I have no idea how they will turn out. I saved about 10 seeds while I was eating one and planted them all in this container figuring that a lot of them won't sprout. I guess I was right! Two sprouted out of 10! One is above the soil surface and one is below that you can see through the side of the cup.

I honestly did not think these seeds would've sprouted. I traded for them and they did not look very fresh and took quite awhile to sprout. I realize it is not summer and that temperature might've not been high enough, even on a seedling heat mat, but when I saw that my Pomegranate seeds sprouted I checked on my Bhut Jolokia cup that was under another cup for added warmth and there they were! I am excited :D

On another news....my Paph. lowii looks like it might be finally growing a spike after all these years! This was my first plant that I had bought at my first orchid society meeting in 2001. I remember that it was a lot of money for me to spend on a seedling at $20! Boy have I come a long way from loosening the purse strings since LOL Anyway, I suspect that it is a spike because leaves grow alternately, but the up and coming growth is coming out of the same side as the last leaf! Keep your fingers crossed! I have been waiting forever for this beauty to bloom!

Bhut Jolokia Seeds

Wow! Just got more Bhut Jolokia seeds in the mail along with samples of the pepper dried! First off....REALLY fresh seeds! Two....you can smell just how spicy those samples are in the little plastic bag without even opening it! Came with some nice tips too. Can't wait till it is warmer so that I can start the seeds! Already have one seedling growing....would like a few more!

Tomato Catalog

WOW! I got this catalog that is all about tomatoes! AND....they had my favorite! Black Krim! Check it out:

www.totallytomato.com