December 30, 2013:
In the end, I got a handful of Ground
Cherries (enough that I'll plant again), a handful of Black Jalapenos
(again, I'd plant these), about 10 Red Demons (which I love), and I
pulled enough Raspberry Miracle and Roma tomatoes at the end to make a
half-batch of green tomato chutney. When I pulled the Roma Tomato, I
found that it had been infested with root knot nematodes - and it was in
the newer bed, which now means that both of my beds have nematodes
(fie!). I did get 3 small eggplants (if we had had a winter like a few
years ago, they would have gotten much bigger). The lavender plant did
die, and I dug up and gave away the large garlic chives plant. I didn't
collect any chile pequins from the plants (left them for the birds),
but they did produce. I planted a pacman broccoli, a marathon broccoli,
a green jade brussels sprouts, and a cauliflower plant in the east
garden bed (sometime in late October/early November). The west one
still has a bunch of oregano and a bunch of lemon balm, plus the swiss
chard and one small garlic chives plant.
October 15, 2013:
I
can harvest Red Demons and Black Jalapenos (I've actually pulled a few
of each to use in cooking). I continue to get a small amount of Cossack
Pineapple Ground Cherries
. The tomatoes appear to be setting fruit.
September 8, 2013:
Harvested
a handful of the Cossack Pineapple Ground Cherries. weeded the gardens
and pulled dead tomatoes (Berkley Tie Dye and Black Krim). The
eggplants are finally starting to flower, and the Renee's Black
Jalapenos and Red Demon peppers are starting to set fruit.
August 14, 2013:
Harvested
the remaining J.D.'s CenTex tomato and went ahead and harvested the
Berkeley Tie-Dye as well. It's official that the Roma and Krim tomatoes
in the pot are toast, as is the Berkeley Tie-Dye in the garden. The
Berkeley in the pot isn't looking too good either. We've been
harvesting some of the Aji Crystal peppers for a while - they're spicy,
but not spicy enough for our tastes. The Lavender plant is half
dead...mostly dead, whatever.
August 4, 2013:
Harvested
all the remaining garlic (Burgundy, Maiskij, Red Inchellium)...I really
need to start things like Broccoli for the fall... Put up some news
paper on the tomato cage in the garden to try to shade some of the
plants.
July 28, 2013:
Watered all the edibles with seaweed fertilizer (trying to get them prepped for the hot weather of August).
July 11, 2013:
Harvested another J.D's CenTex tomato and Berkeley Tie-Dye. The Raspberry Miracle will be harvested tomorrow.
June 30, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Good Day For Transplanting.
Edibles:
Transplanted Nadia Eggplant to the potato box. Transplanted the
Cossack Pineapple to the potato box. Transplanted 2 of the 3 Orange
Fogo to the potato box. Transplanted one of the Red Savinas to the
potato box. Transplanted 3 of the Red Demons to a bigger pot and placed
next to the Aji pepper. Transplanted 1 of the Red Demons to the west
garden. Transplanted the Renee's Black Jalapenos to the west garden.
Watered everything in with fish emulsion.
June 29, 2013:
Watered
everything in the front yard and back with fish emulsion. It only took
me like 3 hours and almost the entire . I also used ALL of the water
that was left in the rain barrels and cleaned out the southern one (it's
be a while since it was cleaned). Here's hoping it actually rains
tomorrow like predicted.
June 26, 2013:
Edibles:
Pulled 3 elephant garlic to use in recipes. Dug up some ginger to also
use in recipes. I really need to transplant the peppers and eggplant
that I have sitting in the little 4" pots.
June 17, 2013:
Ornamentals: I watered everything in the back yard well. Also deep watered the possumhaws and the elm.
June 16, 2013:
Edibles:
Harvested another Raspberry Miracle (for a total of 4) tomato and a
JD's CenTex (for a total of 2). [edited: Ended up having to throw out
one of the Raspberry Miracles because I let it go bad]
Ornamentals: I watered everything in the front yard well. Also deep watered the Red Oak and the Bradford Pear.
June 15, 2013:
Edibles:
Harvested 3 "Raspberry Miracle" tomatoes over the last few days. Have
not eaten any yet. Will likely be thrown in a pasta sauce with chard
(which is still growing in my garden) and some yellow squash from a
coworker. There aren't any more Raspberry Miracle tomatoes on the plant
at this juncture, and there are 2 left on the JD's CenTex. The Krims
and Romas do not have any tomatoes on the plants either. The Aji pepper
has a bunch of peppers on it, but I have not harvested any yet. The
Cossack Ground Cherries have some fruit on the wee tiny plants...Don't
know when they'll be ready.
May 27, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
Ornamentals: Transplanted
Pale Pavonia, 2 verbena, 3 Arizona Blanketflower, 3 Scabiosa, 2 pink
guara, the Summer Snow, the Russian Sage, the Red Sage, the Pink
Skullcap, the Pink Salvia Gregii, and the Lion's Tail.
Edibles:
Roma and Krim tomatoes planted, Pot Douglah and Chocolate Habanero
transplanted. Harvested the first Tomato of the season - a JD's CenTex
Special. It was very good. Kinda like the Black Krims, but a bit more
of that acidic tomato flavor. Ate it in pasta sauce with my friend's
Golden Jubilee tomato I got for taking care of her garden whilst on
vacation - it was good, but not as good as my CenTex.
May 23, 2013:
Finished harvesting the onions. Cut back the lemon balm, oregano, thyme and garlic chives.
May 17, 2013:
Harvested
most of the onions this week. As per usual, they aren't exactly big,
but they sure are yummy. Cut back the parsley (again).
May 8, 2013:
Cut back the parsley (only in the back yard) so it wouldn't shade out the tomatoes. Removed the peas since they were toast.
May 4, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Favorable Time For Planting Late Root Crops.
Also Good For Vine Crops That Can Be Planted Now. Set Strawberry Plants.
Good Days For Transplanting.
Edibles: Transplanted
the Cossack Pineapple Ground Cherry, Nadia Eggplants, Red Savina
Habanero, Renee's Black Jalapeno (F1), Orange Fogo, and Red Demon into
4" pots (except for the ones that I didn't have space for - those were
spread out within the seed sprouting box - Orange Fogo, Red Demon and
one lone Nadia separating the two). It's so late in the season I doubt
I'll get anything from any of the plants, but that's how it goes,
doesn't it?
Ornamentals: I picked up some bi-color iris
from Diana. I actually specifically got it for my inlaws/parents, but
neither are in Texas at the moment so I ended up planting the iris out
by the gas meter - I figure plants would rather be dug up again at a
later date than sit around with their roots not in the dirt.
May 3, 2013:
Weather
been crazy, yo. On the 1st it was 80-some-odd-degrees, then the cold
front moved in and it was crazy windy and kinda chilly (night-time temps
in the low 40s). It's finally starting to return to normal, though we
did set records for coldest temperatures the last two days (mid 40's at
night).
April 27,2013:
So one of the
problems with using a grow box is that one doesn't have to water the
plants every day. Because of this, one does not have to inspect the
plants everyday and, as such, one will be completely flummoxed when one
finally sees a tomato - one as big as a golf ball on the plant (JD's
Special CenTex). When did that show up? Also, we've been eating peas
out of the garden all week. I call it "standing in the garden eating
peas." Really we just stand in the yard pulling peas off the vine that
look ripe and eating them. The butterflyweed has some issues with both
aphids (expected) and spider mites (not expected) so everything got
hosed down good and proper. Also watered the ornamentals in the back
yard. Not deeply though...which means I really should water again
tomorrow. Considering I haven't watered everything for a while (looks
like the 1st was the last day that I noted it), it all looks amazing.
It should be noted that I forgot to mark down when I made compost tea
and watered all the veggie beds and new(ish) plantings with it...it must
have been the 13th since that's when we mulched the possumhaws.
April 20, 2013:
The Hinckley's Yellow Columbine was blooming this morning (it actually
bloomed last week, but the flower stalk was not strong enough). I find
it fitting that it's blooming today.
April 6, 2013:
The
Zilker Gardenfest was today, and I picked up a Tropical Butterflyweed,
Almond Verbena, and Summer Snow plant. I planted the Tropical
Butterflyweed and Almond Verbena when I got home.
Now I just need to find a place for the Summer Snow plant.
April 1, 2013:
Since I had to go to the dentist this morning, I watered all plants well (except trees).
And found a fire ant mound and a carpenter or acrobatic ant mound...YAY!
Edibles:
I found a strawberry the other day and told Shawn to go ahead and eat
it. He said it needed to ripen for a day or two more and lo, when I
went to pick it this morning, it had been entirely eaten by
slugs/caterpillars/snails.
And this is why I shouldn't listen to
him when it comes to 'when things are ready to pick'...sure they may not
be primo, but when you only have 2 plants, you better take what you can
get when you can.
March 30, 2013:
Shawn
pruned up some of the trees and then chipped the limbs. The only
problem? He did so in the area right where I planted all the yarrow.
Stomp, stomp, stomp on the poor yarrow. Instead of freaking out, I just
let him continue until he was done and then watered the poor plants
with fish emulsion again. I also prepped some 4" pots so I can
transplant peppers/eggplants from the seed starter thing (maybe they'll
grow faster if they're more spread out...even though the plants are only
maybe half an inch tall...I probably could have left the growing bin in
the little green house for a little longer than I did since the
peppers/eggplant like the heat).
March 28, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Favorable Day For Planting Root Crops, Fine For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.
Ornamentals:
Planted the milkweeds by the second rain barrel; planted the white and
red yarrows as well as the recently purchased betony in the shady area
by the Firespike plant per the plan. Watered all new plants with the
fish emulsion.
Edibles: Noticed a strawberry today. Which
is good. I hate planting plants and then getting NOTHING from them -
it's one thing if the critters get the fruits of my labor, it's another
when the plant just doesn't do anything.
March 24, 2013:
Went
to Natural Gardener and Barton Springs Nursery today with my parents
(we're trying to figure out which plants they like and dislike). Bought
2 4" 'Paprika' yarrows and a gallon of Alaska Fish Fertilizer.
Currently NG is out of milkweed (they'll have more on Thursday). At
Barton Springs Nursery, I got 6 - 4" milkweeds, 3 - 4" Betony plants and
1 - 4" Caldwell Pink Rose. Due to projected lows being in the
mid-30's, I will not plant anything until later in the week (everything,
including the tomatoes in 4" pots, are inside for the next two
nights). Watered all the seedlings, veggie plants, ginger and butterfly
bush with the fish emulsion.
March 17, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Favorable For Planting Crops Bearing Yield Above The Ground.
Edibles: Separated
and planted the Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (there were two tomatoes in one
pot), 2 Krims and 2 Romas. Planted the Scorpion Pepper. Planted the
Sage, the Dill, and the Marjoram. Broke apart the Ginger pieces and
replanted them.
Ornamentals: Watered everything well except trees.
March 16, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Favorable For Planting Crops Bearing Yield Above The Ground.
Edibles: Planted the Raspberry Miracle and J.D.'s Special CenTex Tomatoes in the Grow Box.
Ornamentals: Planted
the Ruby Crystals Grass to the Hell Strip. Dug out the area by the
rain barrel, again. Backfilled with rock instead of dirt.
March 9, 2013:
Who would have thought
that
the little decapitated tomato would have made it? Waiting for the
storm to roll in so I didn't water any plants except for those that I
planted today. Planted the Yaupon Holly, Carolina Buckthorn,
Hummingbird Plant, Gulf Coast Penstemon, Blue Penstemon. Moved the
Philippine Violet (unfortunately not really where it's final place is
supposed to be...)
March 3, 2013:
Watered all plants well (except
trees). Based on advice from Roberta, I watered all my sad little
tomatoes with seaweed (okay, actually she recommended fish emulsion, but
I don't have that, I have seaweed though).
Watered the betony plants with the seaweed as well. Seaweed stuff purchased from Barton Springs Nursery on Feb 16 for $11.
March 2, 2013:
Sunshine and AOG plant sales today.
Purchased JD's Special C-Tex tomato, Pink Berkeley Tie Dye tomato,
Raspberry Miracle tomato, Dill plant, Marjoram plant, Trinidad Scorpion
Pepper Plant from Sunshine for $2 each. Purchased white yarrow plants
from AOG for $2.50 each.
February 25, 2013:
We had a crazy windstorm today -
windy all afternoon and night. Gusts up to 51 mph in the area by the
house. And of course I had just moved the tomato seedlings to a less
protected area in the yard. They look sad and pitiful and aside from
one, are all still alive.
February 24, 2013:
Watered all plants well. (did water possumhaws and elm, but no other trees)
February 18, 2013:
Transplanted the tomatoes from the
little seed bed starter container into 4" pots. A grand total of 7
Romas and 6 Krims were transplanted.
February 16, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Fine for planting aboveground crops where climate is suitable.
Ornamentals:
I'm going with the theory that anything that you plant for whatever is
growing aboveground is an 'aboveground crop', even if you never harvest
it. I purchased a Big Muhly, Augusta Deulberg Sage, 2 Ruby Crystals
Grass, and a Coral Honeysuckle vine from Barton Springs Nursery today
(already planted all but the Ruby Crystals). I purchased two Gulf
Muhlies (and planted them) from the Natural Gardener. I also planted
the 2 Big Muhlies I already had as well as the 2 Texas Betony plants.
February 8, 2013:
Some of the peas have sprouted...as
have some of the quinoa? carrots? I don't remember what I planted
where...oh well, I'm sure I'll figure it out when they get real leaves
on the plants. All of the greenhouse plants have come up, save one
little Naga. That's okay. If I actually get the number of habanero
plants to actually survive, it won't be that big of a deal.
February 4, 2013:
Even when I'm trying to keep track I
do a crappy job - I think most of the seeds (in my greenhouse) have come
up... the only ones lagging were the Naga Jolokia and Cossack Ground
Cherry, so I need to make a concerted effort to check on them. I don't
think anything has come up from what I planted in the garden...but it's
only been about a week.
January 26, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: A Most Fruitful Time To Plant Beets, Carrots, Onions, And Other Hardy Root Crops. Also Good For Transplanting.
Edibles: Red
Savina and Red Demon peppers have sprouted. Transplanted the onion
starts into the east garden bed. Sowed Quinoa, Carrots (Sunshine Mix),
and Peas in the west bed.
Ornamentals: Purchased and
transplanted 3 Dianella plants by the deck. Transplanted 2 Bluebonnets,
2 Ruby Crystals Grass, and 1 Verbena in the Hell Strip.
January 16, 2013:
Noticed the Black Krim and Roma seeds sprouting. Cat grass sprouted over the weekend and is now approximately 3" tall.
January 13, 2013:
The Cat Grass planted on January 6 have sprouted and are about 1" tall (last night there was nothing, today, BOOM! Cat Grass).
January 6, 2013:
Farmer's Almanac: Today is a good day to plant root crops and leafy greens. Start seed beds.
Ornamental Seeds Sown - Candy Tuft (white pinnacle), Cosmos, Coneflower (Purple), Gomphrena (Eleanor's), Grow Green Wildflower mix, Larkspur (from
Caroline), Marigolds (tagetes), Scarlet Flax, Cat Grass
Edibles Seeds Sown - Eggplant (Nadia), Ground Cherry (Cossack Pineapple), Habanero Chile (Red Savina), Naga Jolokia,
Renee's Black Jalapeno (F1), Thai Chile (Orange Fogo and Red Demon), Tomato (Black Krim), Tomato (Roma)
