Fall Happenings

Earlier this month, on Columbus Day (October 8th), I planted my new Music garlic bulbs. These were HUGE! I got them from Enon Valley Garlic. I mulched them heavily so they ought to be happy campers! I still need more mulch, but have yet to get more. I need to not procrastinate as winter is fast approaching and I will lose things if I don't!

Today was also the first day of the Orchid Festival. I walked in with every intention of not buying everything I like, but I admit, I have an addiction. LOL I am not going back tomorrow! LOL I did pick up a few unique items: Cynoches Wine Delight 'Jem', Bulbophyllum makoyanum, Tuberloabium woodii, Bulbophyllum Ambrosia, Bulbophyllum medusae, Trias picta and Dendrobium peguanum. Looks like I picked up mostly species! I'm not sure why I picked up Tuberloabium woodii though. It's not something I normally would pick, but I guess it looked sweet enough! I will probably tire of it quickly though. Trias picta reminded me of Masdevallias so I had to try it! Bulbophyllum medusae I had once upon a time....but it died. I bought a new one this past spring (quite a large one too), but it didn't do so well with me. It is just barely hanging on, so I got a new one. Dendrobium peguanum I couldn't pass up for $15! It was interesting enough and it was even in spike also that I had to try it! Cynoches Wine Delight 'Jem' was a stunner that I kept eyeing and figured I would regret it if I didn't buy it. I'm not doing awesome with those types, however, I haven't killed the one I have a relative of yet! Knock on wood, I won't! Bulbophyllum Ambrosia just had a really pretty flower I couldn't pass up! So there you have it, my addiction!

I came home and settled my newbies in and went outside to bury my pitcher plants...got one small one buried and got tired of it! I'm going to try something new this year instead....I brought them indoors and placed them in my basement in the old coal cellar. It stays pretty chilly in there....40s? It probably won't like being so dark in there, but we'll see. They are just too big to bury anymore! I filled the bird feeder and called it a day as I was just exhausted from being woken up too early by my husband's alarm and the dog jumping on the bed! :S

Columbus Day = Garlic Planting Day!

Yep, you read that right! A few years ago, I was on a garden tour and this German couple grew the most beautiful and LARGE garlic bulbs ever! I just had to pick their brains! They said:

- Full sun
- Compost and lots of it!
- Plant on Columbus Day
- Harvest on July 4th

I'm a geek, so I had to read about how the pros do it too and it pretty much coincided with the above advice only I do a bit more per the book. I don't get great harvests, but I do get some! I lack the full sun :( I keep trying to convince my hubby we need to move. I need garden space!

Anyhow, I got some great bulbs from Enon Valley Garlic this year to plant since my crop was just non-existant! I highly recommend them because the cloves were GIGANTIC! So I planted them today. Six in my sunniest spot and the rest in my patch with tons of mulch on top! Let's hope they like me better next year!