Seedling update

I have some different seedling I started this year to challenge my skills with germination.

These are Artichoke seedling which I thought I would take a stab at to experiment with.

Overall I had a 80% germination rate. I Threw the seeds in the fridge for two weeks to trick them and seemed to work. 

Here you have some Orange Cosmos Growing from seed, which in the fall I five finger discounted from a neighbor. Never would know the seed heads were missing, and in my greedy paws.

In the back tray are some snake gourds which are the easiest to get started. 

Or any other gourd as I have found. 

    

These are birdhouse gourds growing. I must have hundreds of these seeds. so far I already made some birdhouses and shipped them out to family members.

Still have plenty more. I will post Pics soon with the knew ones I am working on.

Here I have my new Cat that likes to pic on all the other cats in my area.

Dubbed "Bully Boy" 

Like a dog can smell you,

You may run from sorrow as we have,

Sorrow will find you,

It can smell You.

B.G.  

New Plantings for Spring

I have recently planted some string beans, which are the purple Italian variety, as well as some cucumbers for pickling for someone I know that has put me on the back burner, but anyway.  They will get to good use either or. I also am experimenting with starting artichokes from seed and went thru the proper instructions so lets see what happens. 

  

I also have some bird house gourds from last season I am working on as well which should be ready soon. 

Not sure if I wanna paint them or just put a coat of poly on them. If anyone I know is interested in grabbing one , let me know. Have a bunch, picture is a small sample.   

Long due updated photos

I wanted to post a bunch of updated photos that I took all summer but thanks to my iPhone and downloading an update on my phone I lost all my pictures that were taken since June. Gotta love it

Here is a couple of snake gourds that I picked last week growing along a fence. I grew them from seed and just left them alone.

I also grew some bird house gourds and some long dipper gourds which are drying out now.

You need plenty of space to grow these vines, they will take over an area in weeks. 

Here is a beauty berry shrub or callicarpa which I have found to self seed in my garden.

Hopefully I will be able to post more as this fall season goes.

Weed mimicking

I was walking a garden of an old friend of mine today and noticed the great amount of weeds that I encountered and how maintenance was absent with this garden in that regards. I think the number one reason is the fact that weed recognition is the major problem. People at times are reluctant to pluck up certain plants in fear of ending the life of a cherished or welcomed perennial or biennial in the garden. 

Weeds I have observed will change there appearance and shape at times to blend in with surrounding "good plants" to make sure their survival is a success.
I look at in a way of knowing your garden, what you planted and what doesn't belong as an intuition.
Looking at leaf structure is probably the single most important weed recognition there is, case closed. 

Memorial Weekend Garden Pics

Memorial Weekend Garden Pics

Lost one of my nice 15 ft Japanese Maples that would be center of pic thanks to Sandy.
Used stump as a foundation for a trellis in following pic to brace up old fence post. 

Below pic is rebuilt Tower One
Little known fact is that Garden was built after 9-11 so acts as a memorial as well.
My rock formation was smashed to 1/3 of its original size by Sandy pushing down the 200 Yr Old + Oak Tree 

Garden restored.

I must say that hurricane Sandy did a great deal of damage like you saw in previous pictures I have posted.  I have finally ,up to my standards, have restored my garden back to normal.  With a new design for a deer fence I will not have the same problem I experienced with wire involved as a horizontal deterrent for the deer.  The new fence is mainly wood where only certain sections will break instead of a slingshot reaction as before.   Original fence was built with wire and with the mighty oak tree coming down on fence it ripped it to shreds.

Memorial Day

Let us not forget of all the men and women who have fought and sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedom and well being to make this great country of ours to not perish from this earth.

 

Also, leave a space in your heart for the brave men on both sides, North and South, that they made it to their maker without judgement, All 600,000+ of them. We tend to forget about that War that helped to preserve this Union of ours and keep this country intact.  

I've never seen so many men wasted so badly.

 

"Clint"

 

 

Another Lost Blog Friend

I am sorry to announce the loss of my best animal friend, "Kahlua" which I have posted and mentioned on my Blog.

He was my own cat after adoption at age six and lived nearly 20 years old.

He will be greatly missed by all who had a chance to get to know him.
Especially myself

R.I.P
Buddy

Iris update

I made a post last year about dividing irises and the pictures I published made them seem sort of lonely.
The post was call "dividing iris and care" from March 2012.
From those pics you can see the big difference one year makes.
Following pics are from last week and you can see what one year can do for irises with my technique.

You cry and moan and say it will work out
But honey child I've got my doubts
You can't see the forest for the trees

S.P.

Spring Planting Update

I have been busy away with planting and experimenting with seeds I have collected last Fall

Looks to be somewhat of a success with the germination rates that I have.

For starters I saved some purple pole bean pods which I dried at room temp on a clay dish. Nothing fancy.

Planted six seeds and all six are about 4 inches high already well into their secondary leave stage.

I have last years zinnia seeds which I can imagine have been cross pollinated by the bees so lets see what new colors I get. They all germinated rather quickly in days.

I took some Baptisia seeds off a golf course last year and you can see how they are all doing along with a variety of coreopsis from seeds took walking around my neighborhood.

This salvia I started actually last fall and made it through the winter on my deck in a starter seed tray. I forgot the variety, have to go back to nursery where I took the seeds from. 

 I don't need no arms around me
And I don't need no drugs to calm me.
I have seen the writing on the wall.
Don't think I need anything at all.
No! Don't think I'll need anything at all.
-R-W