Blooms & Beans

The beans are getting bigger!

Top dressed with compost. Looks a whole heck of a lot better!

Bulbophyllum bicolor in spike!

Vanda (Neofinetia) falcata 'Shouju' in bloom. 

Rain = Growth!

So my volunteer tomato is growing a bit oblong...?

Forget the type of bean this is, but it is finally blooming! So pretty!

The other beans are flowering too! Beans are growing too! 

Red Currant tomatoes are growing like crazy! The plant is over the stakes already!

Got these row stakes on sale at Target for a little over $3! They were originally $12.99!

These are sprouted! Not sure if it is a pumpkin or watermelon...

The Harvest Has Begun!

Another Patio Tomato harvested! Just got my first ripe Black Prince tomato too!

Had a volunteer tomato sprout in one of my large pots at the old house! Thought I needed that pot so I transplanted it into this smaller pot. Finally moved it to the new house to see what it is! Probably a cherry tomato of some sort as they seem the most prolific! 

I forget where I planted what, but I know I planted watermelon and pumpkin seeds here so we'll just have to wait and see what it is that really sprouted!

Check out our grapes! Not sure what kind they are or when they might be ready. 

Some of my plants that I dug up from the old house. The one that is quite brown is an Itoh Peony that went into shock. I'm hoping it recovers...

I totally forgot to harvest my garlic! Went to the old house, saw them and finally thought to myself "Hey! It's past the 4th of July!" Doh! So I dug them up! Some of the ones in the shade didn't look ready yet. At most, they had only one to two brown leaves. I'll give it another few days.

Potted Plants

Bought banana plants to replace the tired pansies growing. I had really wanted Black Elephant's Ear, but they were sold out already. :\ However, these hardy bananas were on sale for $5 each! I got some black Petunias to add to it, but they still felt like they were missing something... So I went digging in my seed box and found a packet of Nasturtiums from 2010! Not too old so hopefully they will sprout! I think that would finish the look and fill the empty space that is bothering me. I planted the whole pack so something has got to grow!!!

I finally ate my first ripe tomato yesterday, a Patio tomato! It was pretty darn tasty! Even my dragon liked it! 

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! 

Weird Summer!

It's been such a weird start to summer! It's been POURING! It was just super nice this morning! Great part about it is that I just planted new grass seed and now they are being watered! Yipee!

What's Growing....

Black Krim tomatoes on the way! YEAH!

Carmen red sweet bell peppers!

Growing & Dead

Sweet bell peppers!

Rotted Bhut :'(

Corn has sprouted!

Czech Black

Ripe Alpine Strawberries...they're like nature's PEZ! So sweet!

Zucchini blossoms in the early morning.

Veggie garden today...Black Krim and Black Prince are VERY slow growing!!! The Red Currant is growing like MAD! The sweet bell peppers are growing steadily. Mystery hot pepper one is staying compact, which I find surprising. Mystery hot pepper #2 still hasn't sprouted leaves. I don't expect it to survive, but I water it anyway! The acorn squashes haven't done jack since sprouting. Mustard greens sprouted poorly and I direct seeded a jalapeño, which I think has sprouted as I see pepper-like seed leaves this morning! I still have no place for the sweet potatoes and my back is not up for yanking the weed fabric up. :(

Unusual Year

This year has been especially unusual. It had to have been the coldest Memorial Day weekend ever! It is still cool, which I am not complaining! I am loving the lack of humidity!

Cooler Than Normal Memorial Day Weekend

We're having the most unusual Memorial Day weekend! It is SO cool that I've had to bring in the few plants that aren't tolerating the low temps and having to cover up others! Usually by this time of year it is scorching! Very unusual!

I've got Black Prince, Patio, Black Krim & Red Currant tomatoes planted! I also have Carmen and Flavor Burst sweet bell peppers, mystery hot peppers, collard greens, mustard greens, basil, acorn squash, and sweet potatoes as well as corn to plant! Started my Sugar Ann snap peas, however, not many sprouted :( I did plant some beans too.

New House, New Garden!

Today I finally got to plant a new garden at the new house! Two Black Krim tomatoes, a Red Currant tomato, a Black Prince tomato and a Patio tomato were planted along with two Carmen sweet bell peppers (red) and two Flavor Burst sweet bell peppers (yellow). I also planted my two mystery hot peppers, a collard and my favorite, basil! Need to figure out where to plant my Valerian and Oregano since they will be perennials. My Sugar Ann sugar snap peas have sprouted. There aren't as many as I had hoped for. Will need to plant my beans too. I think I will have those climb the tomato cages. 

Other than that, I moved all my high light plants out into full sun. My Stenosarcus is about done blooming and my Cyprepridium pubescens has been in bloom for a few weeks. Hopefully it won't be mad at me for transplanting it! 

Spring is Here!

Cyp. pubescens in bloom!

Variegated Soloman's Seal in bloom!

This was the most unique find I found at May Market this year!
A Blood Lily! 

Garlic is growing BIG! Peony and Clematis is ready to bloom too!

Tree Peony 'Kopper Kettle' has two buds this year! This stuff blooms SO little! I cannot wait for it to bloom more and to grow more! I have a yellow one too! 

Miniature irises in bloom!

Thornless blackberry has a ton of buds this year! Too bad I won't be able to enjoy them :(

This is why I hate weed block fabric! When your mulch decomposes enough, it all of a sudden forms perfect compost for weeds to go hog wild! 

Got this red Trillium at Hahn's Nursery today. Saw them last time and regretted not getting one so I did this time when I went to get more compost!

My May Market finds! Tomatoes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, herbs and a collard green! I can't wait to remove that stupid weed block fabric and plant these! I just need some of those good tomato cages!