What I planted/harvested in 2013

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)