Moved Some Plants, Pleanty To Go

I still have quite the project ahead of me.  I moved a bunch of daylilies, coneflowers, lilies and irises to my friends house.  Hopefully they will settle in but they've been moved to an area thats mostly sand so I'm not sure how they'll do.  Oh well, we'll see what happens next year.  Tonight I plan to move another big load of plants.  There are still pleanty of hostas and daylilies and you name it that need to be transplanted.  I've been away from my house for a month so there is a lot of stuff that needs to be done.  I plan to be "home" soon so I can catch up on fall chores before the frost hits.  I should really head out to the garden and see what's there to harvest.  Maybe make some corn tonight, hopefully have a fresh melon to munch on.  It's nice to feel like things could get back to normal in the garden.  I loved digging in the dirt last night.  Bout time!

Transplanting Question

Lets say I have a BUNCH of flowers I'd like to transplant right now.  Will they be established enough by freeze time that they will come back in the spring?

I'm refering to Hibiscus, Daylilies, irises, coneflowers, etc.  Maybe they each have their own "best times to transplant" but I'm curious as to whether they will all survive.

Another question, will Irises survive out of the soil for one or two full days.  I mean at this point they are fairly dormant anyways but if I pull them now, wait a day and transplant them tomorrow or the day after, will they be okay and come back in spring?

An Entire Season Passed

Unfortunately this was the most chaotic but sometimes wonderful summer of my life.  Sadly enough a lot of real life events got in the way of my gardening.  I neglected the garden and didn't even find the time to cook with most of the produce which is the whole point.  It's sad, I feel like I missed out on a once a year event like the state fair or some great gathering that you're always supposed to go to but I just missed out on summer gardening.  I have a feeling this will effect me this winter being that I didn't get in the dirt as much as possible as usual.  I may have to buy a kiddie pool and fill it with dirt to play in all winter.  That sounds a bit odd but I know I'm going to miss it.  And the flowers :( Thank god I planted some glads on our patio at work or I wouldn't have even seen my favorite flower this summer other than at the state fair.

I plan to go out this evening or possibly tomorrow and move some things, maybe do my last harvest and call it done aside from pumpkins. 

What a bummer, my favorite thing took a back seat this summer.  Hopefully next year I won't let it pass me by.

Long Overdue.

Sorry I've been out for so long fellas.  It's been a busy few weeks and to be honest, I haven't accomplished all that much.  Moved a plant or two here or there and done some weeding but I do have some pics and my first harvest!  Zucchini's, Peppers and Squash already?? Heck yes I'm a happy girl.  Pics to follow some day, guess I never uploaded them. Bummer.

The fact is I'm trying to wait to move anything in case some black dirt magically appears at my doorstep.  I have all sand, nowhere to put the sand, no time to put dirt in and NO TRUCK to get said dirt.  What to do?

Charts and Estimated Maturity Dates

Went to the plot last night.  Everything looks wonderful, no more plant eater problems (yet) and all my plants are getting so big.  I have blooms on my tomatoes, cantaloupe, and peppers.  I can't believe they're already producing this early but I'll take it.  I'm thinking buying grown plants or starting everything is really the way to go.

I am so obsessed.  I just took about an hour figuring out when I planted everything, what their maturity dates are and when I should have produce.  Woooow.  But here they are though they're all in theory and with the weird weather we had I believe some things are simply not going to work like they were supposed to.

Jun 10: Broccoli(old)
Jun 25: Carrots (old)
Jun 26: Musclun
Jun 30: Head lettuce(old)
Jul 10: Dill(new)
Jul 18: Summer Squash, Zucchini
Jul 20: Cucumber Pickle
Jul 23: Cucumber Champion
Jul 25: Onion Sets(old)
Jul 31: Basil(plot), Bush Wax Bean(new), Dill(new)
Aug 2: Pole Bean
Aug 5: Carrots (new), Sweet pea(new)
Aug 7: Tomato
Aug 8: Corn
Aug 10: Peppers(new/plot)
Aug 15: Roma Tomato
Aug 20: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew
Aug 27: Pumpkin

The ( ) are to remind me which location they are at considering I have 3 different places with veggies.
Maturity Estimates:
April 16: (horizon)

Carrots: 70 Days
Onion Set: 100-120 Days
Broccoli: 55 Days
Head Lettuce: 75 Days

May 27: (raised bed)
Carrots: 70 Days
Peppers: 75 Days
Sweet Pea: 55-70 Days
Lettuce/Musclun: 30 Days
Bush Wax Beans: 65 Days
June 1: (raised bed)
Dill: 40-60 Days

May 29: (garden plot)
Corn: 71 days
Pole Beans: 65 days
Cucumber- Picklebush: 52 Days
Cucumber: Bush Champion: 55 Days
Peppers: 75 Days
Pumpkins: 90 Days
Summer Squash: 50 Days
Zucchini: 50 Days
Mtg Lifter Tomato: 70 Days
Rutgers Tomato: 70-80 Days

June 1: (garden plot)

Watermelon Sugar Baby: 80 Days
Cantaloupe: 82 Days
Honeydew: 80 Days
Basil: 60-90 Days
Roma Tomato: 75 Days

June 7: (garden plot)

Cucumber: Bush Champion: 55 Days
Watermelon Sugar Baby: 80 Days

June 11: (garden plot)

Peppers: 75 Days (garden plot)

Although this is useless information for everyone else, it is good for me to be able to look back throughout the summer and be able to compare what was supposed to happen to what really happened.  I think it's fun anyways.

Now I'm Playing Hardball

With the Rabbits and Deer that is.
After damages to my plants the first time last week, all I needed was some more fencing and time. I visited the garden again Friday to find four more peppers without their tops (they had peppers on them already too) and my tomatoes were nibbled on. I was furious but as I had told Derek. Unless you fence it perfectly, you might as well not fence it at all. I hadn’t had time to dig the fence under so it sat there wide open for bunnies to peak their little heads through. Friday night I bought two more six packs of peppers for half off. Two more jalapenos, two habaneros, 2 big berthas and a mix of six different bells, some yellow and red/green. I also got moth balls, and deer and rabbit repellent. I am serious now, I won’t have more fatalities. Saturday I planted out the peppers and then set to digging under the fence as well as adding another 3 feet to the height. My plot wasn’t plowed completely when I started so I had a good two feet of crab grass with runners all over. After digging all of that up, I buried the fence, filled it back in and sorted through all the dirt for the runners so I don’t have a huge weed problem the rest of the year. I didn’t plan on being out there for 3 hours so I ended up with quite the burn.
I still have so many projects to do but I’ve been juggling moving, painting, organizing, planting and gardening. My next outdoor project, finally is the front plots. I need to get some sand out of there, then put some good dirt in then plant away. As posted earlier, I have so many plants to move over from the old house so I need to get started asap! While I was moving some things from the old house, I grabbed some of the blooms and made this cute little bouquet.

I cannot wait till these are growing in my own yard that I can pick every morning if I want. So exciting!

More pictures to come maybe later tonight. My work decided to ban us from use of personal email so I can't really post at lunch anymore.  Oh well.

SUMMER STARTS NEXT WEEK!

Black Dirt Where Are You?

Worried About Plants

I’m trying to think happy thoughts here. I’ve had a heck of a night and quit the crappy morning. Last night Derek and I ran out to the garden plot at about 9 pm to put in a fence. Unfortunately it looks like we were a day too late. One of my pumpkin plants is completely eaten, missing a few leaves on the other one, a few pepper plants are done for as well as one of my cucumbers. I knew it would happen, I’m on the corner closest to the woods and the only plot nearby without a full fence. I feel like I was given a warning because it could have been much worse.


We installed what we could last night while being chewed on by mosquitoes. I didn’t have enough fencing to finish but there’s only a 2 foot gap between my fence and the tall contraption/fence of my neighboring gardener. I went to Menard's right before they closed last night to get a few more posts and the last of what I needed for fencing with a plan to get up at 5 and go install the remainder while also heightening the existing fence I put in. I think I bought 3 foot chicken wire before so it’s not very tall and I’m still worried they will be able to get at whatever they please. It’s all or nothing. You can do all this work but if you don’t do it exactly right, they can walk right in and it’s all pointless and your plants are gone.

My alarm went off at 5 AM, I got up, ready to go. I loaded the car with a shovel, posts, fencing, wire ties and went to grab the wire cutters. Nowhere to be found. I made the mistake of handing them to Derek at one point and now they’re gone. He nor I have any clue where they went. My garden sits vulnerable and possibly more damaged and now I’m at work hoping and nervous about the state of my plants. I already have to replace some veggies and would hate to have to spend a bunch of money again because I couldn’t find those darned wire cutters.

I wish I could go home after work like normal people and take care of things like everyone else can but instead I have school until 8:30, home at 9. Not my best day, I’m sure to most normal people think it’s silly to get so stressed out about plants but give me a break. I’ve been babying peppers since March and spend lots of time and money and thoughts on these silly plants.

Wish me luck that the deer will stay away.

225 Plants?!

Wow I have a lot of work ahead of me.  I'm trying to get organized and plan my front and back garden spots where the rock currently is.  I used my memory and this blog to tally up just how many plants and what kinds I have at the old house that need to come to the new house.  That's how I came up with 225 and I am absolutely positive that is a low number compared to what it really is.  How the heck did I accumulate 225 plants and where on earth am I going to put them all?

I have drawn up a rough and embarrassing sketch of the front and back planting spots and plan to divide out the plants by height, color and necessity (shade/sun).  Where on earth do I start?
I'm going to make a list on here for my own reference and so you can see what a ridiculous chore I have in front of me:
Hostas x 13
Foxglove x 6
Purple Coneflower x 5
Lupine x 7
Daylilies x 16
Phlox x 2
Aster x 2
Bee Balm x 3
Columbine x 5
Lillies x 12
Misc. flower started 10’ x 5
Tulips x 12
Dianthus x1
Mixed spring bulbs x 40
Iris x 18
Rose x 1
Hibiscus x 6
Ornamental Strawberry x 6
Baby’s Breath? X 3
Rose of Sharon x 1 (if not dead)
Salvia x 2
Squigly grass stuff x 1
Evening Primrose (if not dead) X 1
Flowering perennial bush x 2
Yellowing flowering perennial x 1
Hollyhock x 6
Delphinium seedlings x 7
Red, White, Blue Hydrangea x3
Shade:
Jack in the pulpit x 5
Trillium x 4
Spiderwort x 4
Lamium x 4
Other:
Strawberries x 6
Raspberries x 3
Rhubarb x 2
Ferns
Snow something

Some of these may end up in a plant sale when we have our garage sale or maybe I'll just give a bunch away whenever I get a chance.  What I don't have included on there is all of the flowers I started this year, some of which have died since I forgot we don't have gutters in a certain spot of the house where my poppies were sitting.  If those survive I have 4 or 5 different kinds of poppies, snap dragons, carnations, penstemon and coreopsis.  Yes thank goodness some of those are annuals but that adds up fast as well being that I have 8 or so of each. 

Once I get my little drawing all sketched in with plants maybe I'll post those, in the meantime I am studying this website to better design my perennial gardens.

::Edit::
Of course I forgot 3 or 4 peonies. How I'm not sure.

Feeling a Little Guilty

I'm thinking I should have just taken some time off from school during planting season. Yesterday I was feeling a little under the weather and way too exhausted to go to school. I called in so that I could go home and sleep. But did I? Of course not, not with more gardening needing to be done. Silly me, of course I wasn’t going to sleep when there were things to be done. But I feel accomplished now and got some final things done.

Ran over to Bachman's last night and oh boy do they have some cool things. I guess I never knew they had so much! Hundreds of types of plants, many different seeds from different companies, everything you could ever need in the way of trellises, poles, netting for vines. You name it. I’ve been gardening for quite some time now, I’m kind of ashamed I haven’t shopped there before. I found a healthy looking watermelon plant and some honey dew seed that I’ve been trying to track down for days. I didn’t find popcorn seeds but I expected I could only get that online. Oh well, guess I’ll save that for next year.

After Bachman's I ran over to the community garden and planted the remainder of the garden. I added basil, 3 different kinds of watermelon, cantaloupe, a Roma tomato donated by my grandma and 2 honey dew plants. My garden is mostly full though I need to do some hand tilling on the edge where the grass has taken over a good 12 inches of my dirt. That will be a project for this weekend.

Once I got home I started on the new garden bed along the patio. I pulled out some of that dirt, filled it with good garden soil and evened it out. I replanted the carnations, added my white delphinium, and planted seeds for marigolds, and 2 different kinds of zinnia. I also planted something I don’t know the name of which is supposed to get tall and produce purple flowers. This was also a donation from my grandma and I think it starts with a v or something. I’m sure I’ll find out later. Next step is to finish that whole area, add more good soil and plant my hundred or so gladiolus. Yes this should have been done already but what can I say, I’ve been a little busy. I’ll just have a late crop to look forward to. This year I think I’ll follow the rules though and plant them in 1 or 2 week intervals so they are continuously blooming all season.

It’s amazing how much time I spend thinking about flowers and gardens and vegetables. Who knew I’d become such a devoted gardener. “I won’t rest until the garden is planted” haha TGIS (summer)

Community Garden!

Fridley Community Garden is Open!  Enough Said.

This is what happens when I let my fiance do the labeling.

Derek's work again.

Zucchini, tomatoes, jalapenos, habaneros, california wonder pepper, sweet corn, pumpkins, cucumbers, pickle bush cucumbers, summer squash, green beans.

Creating Planting Space

Yesterday was one of the most exhausting days I've ever had.  I'm super sore in my arms, shoulders and legs, I feel like I ran a marathon.  Maybe I should work out before I do any heavy gardening.  I had a shovel in my hand all day but boy did I get some things accomplished!

I found this small area on the side of driveway #2.  I thought to myself, that would be a great place to put some flowers, we never use the driveway and it's right on the patio. I had no idea this tiny area would end up being such a huge job.  Turns out it's full of rock.

I spend at least two hours trying to sort out the rock.  At least the dirt is pretty okay and not pure sand like there is everywhere else.  However it was a much bigger project than I had in mind.

After a few hours and tired dirty hands, this is the outcome.  I ran back to the new house and grabbed some plants I though would look nice there.  I ended up with all of my pansy's (yellow, purple, black and a mixture) and 3 lupine plants.  In this picture it looks like I killed my lupine but I promise you they have perked up since and it looks like they will be spending a long and happy life there. 

 By this time it was probably around 1 or 2 pm and I decided to start my other huge job, creating planting space around the curve of the patio.  My fiance had the idea, which is great!  So here's the before and almost after:

I'm obviously not done yet but my hands hurt too much and it was 7:30 by the time I got to this point.  Another issue is that the dirt is so sandy and I bought some good dirt last night but I'm going to need to get rid of my sandy soil somehow. Not sure how you go about disposing of dirt/sand.

 On a less exhausting note, there are some pretty things going on in the garden and some tasty things at my old house.

Today I plan to go to the community garden.  I drove by last night and there are plots already planted so I'm guessing it's been open for at least a week but no one told me.  Oh well, this is the first weekend I could plant it anyways.  I cannot wait to get over there!

So Many Things to Do!

I have done so much the last two days!
To start, I resurrected the overgrown raised bed in the back.  It looks great now but it took me about 2 hours just to pull the weeds and mix the dirt.  I planted quite a few things that I had planned to bring to the community plot but if I can have it at home, might as well.  Originally it looked something like this:

Now it's all pretty and planted with peppers, carrots, lettuce beans and sweet peas, not to mention the Clematis, lillies that were here when we moved and a few red fox veronica.

That was project number 1.

Next I moved on to figure out what the heck to do about this rock.  Then I found out that my cousin started doing landscaping and could use some work. The fact is, I have so much to do and very little time left before everything needs to come out of my old garden.  The months are ticking by but there's no where to put things!  So he came out to look at the job and quoted me $150 to pull out the shrubbery that is ugly and just takes up my flower space.  I don't know if that's too much or cheap but I figure it's better than loosing all of my plants or having to wait a super long time to move them.  Here's what they're going to pull out.  In reality it is a LOT of rock.

That concludes my yesterday other than 3 hours of painting our basement.  More to follow when I get home from dinner with the fiance. :)

Fridley Community Garden

I did not choose my spot for my community garden plot because I called from Florida and had no idea what the layout was. They just posted the layout and fellow gardeners on their website. I'm number 30, looks like I'm as far from the parking lot as possible (almost) and on the very end. It will be nice to have 2 corners to myself but it's annoying to be so far away and on the far end from the water as well. Can't complain though, at least I get to plant this year still!

I went to home depot today on my lunch break and grabbed my seeds and some plants for my garden including the following:
Plants:
Pepper-Big Bertha
Tomatoes- Mortgage Lifter
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Cucumber

Seeds:
Morning Glory- Scarlet O' Hara
Sweet Peas
Sunflowers
Wax Beans
Mixed Lettuce
Pumpkin -Pie/sugar
Carrots
Sweet Corn

I think I'll have plenty of room for everything I want. Lots of people got two spots too which I thought was interesting. I hadn't even thought about that but maybe next year I'll have my yard all ready to plant and won't need the extra space.
This weekend is going to be great. Dirt on my hands and plants in the ground, that's exactly what I need right now.

Michigan Bulb Co.- One of My Favorites

I have used Michigan Bulb Company for the last few years and they continue to impress me. Though I can complain away about other companies, they have always been a solid, good-service company. They offer a wide variety of plants, bulbs, pre-selected gardens, vines and things of the like. I have found new fun things on their website every year. They also offer specials every day or weekly that blows me away. Order $80 and pay $40, free shipping, 67% off half of their inventory, and they mean 67%, it's not marked up and then dropped, I've watched for this kind of thing. Their shipments always come in good condition and with "extra care" packaging. I just can't say enough good things about them.

As oppose to Burgess who I have put in the "don't buy from" pile of seed and plant companies, Michigan Bulb Co. offers lifetime guarantee on their plants. This is directly from their webpage and is exactly how it works:

"Michigan Bulb Company's Risk-Free Lifetime Guarantee

If you're not happy with any item you order from us, notify us anytime for a full refund or replacement, whichever you prefer.

What's more, any item that does not grow and flourish to your complete satisfaction will be replaced free--with no time limit--for as long as you garden."

I have taken them up on this and everytime I get a responce by the end of that day at least with no complaints, questions or requirements. All I have to do is email them with "Hey MBC, my plant has died, could you replace it" and within hours I get a "Sure Tina, sorry for the problem, here's your order number, they'll be shipped tomorrow." That is how customer service should work. Easy Peasy.

Michigan Bulb Co. I love you.

Morel Mushrooms

I have these growing in my backyard. Apparently they are valuable to many people but I am not one of them, I don't do mushrooms on anything. I'm wondering how I can get these into the hands of someone that wants them. Do I sell them, find someone who wants them, dry them? Maybe I could go to the farmers market and see if someone wants to sell them. I have no clue but we're waiting to mow the lawn until we find out.

Let me know if you have any ideas or know someone who would want a bucket full of morel mushrooms.

Tornado Touch Down

I'm so glad we moved. This all happened at our "old" house today while we were at the new house a few blocks away standing in the garage. I don't have pictures of the backyard but a huge tree split in half and broke through our neighbors fence. This is my front yard:


This is unfortunately my roommates car.






Gotta love tornadoes and minnesota weather. Our street area got the worst of it in Fridley or so it looks. A block over someone lost their roof and we got insulation all the way over at our house and after driving around, it's all over Fridley.

Mild damage to my plants but nothing they won't recover from I hope, though a huge branch took out one or two of my irises.

Hope everyone in the area made it out okay. I know North Minneapolis took quite a big hit too. It's great to see everyone out helping each other and talking to one another. I met a few people in my "old" neighborhood during the process.

Best wishes to all effected by the storm

I'm So Anxious!

I can't stand the waiting anymore! We close tomorrow morning, 24 hours from now and though I'm excited to move, all I can think about is gardening! I must have a gardening sickness of some kind, maybe an addiction but I can accept that. Acceptance is good right? Here is my new house, it's glowing!


See the rock I'm talking about. Soon to be all flowers I promise!

I've already planted 2 rose bushes in front of that AC unit in attempts to beautify the curb appeal.
And here's the back yard. .23 Acres


What you don't see is the super long driveway that extends to the very end of the back yard minus a few feet. The more I've visited it, the more I think I'm going to tear that out too.
Here's an idea:


See that trailor back there? Way back there? Yeah the driveway continues on another 8 feet or so.

How sad. But it will be my future raised garden bed (or 4) whether I tear it up or not. So, good things to come. Oh my gosh I can't wait!
I tore out my purple clematis last night, lots of work untangeling it from the lattice and other viney thingamagigs but I think I did okay, and only pulled off maybe three of four leaves in the process. It had to be done though, they are my favorite. Or one of my favorites anyhow. The plant is about...well taller than me so over 5 feet!

I did some last minute weeding as well so the neighbors don't hate us. And gave a quick flower lesson to my sister. I guess I did some productive things last night, just not exactly what I'd like to be doing.

24 hours!

Things To Do At The New House

As I have mentioned there is rock in the front yard for landscaping. It looks nice but it's just not practical for the type and amount of plants I have. I was talking to a co-worker and she said "you know you're just going to pull that all out." I guess I hadn't actually thought that far but now that she mentioned it, why not? It's my house, it's my yard and I need a place for all of my beautiful flowers. So in a few months or sooner I may have a bunch of rock to give away. I thought about keeping it but it's not practical at all, where the heck would I keep all that rock?

I would much rather have the freedom to plant wherever I want and I love the look of red mulch.

So many projects but it's already planting time. Thank goodness I got that community garden plot or I would be out of luck.

My Lovely Response from Burgess

All I am going to say is:
How annoying.

"We are sorry to hear that you are unable to return the original shipping
labels. The guarantee is VOID unless the original shipping label is
returned.

However, we are willing to make a single EXCEPTION and send a replacement
order if you will send us a COPY OF YOUR CANCELED CHECK or CHARGE CARD
STATEMENT as proof of purchase. You will need to send this information via
mail. Please include a letter that states you no longer have the shipping
label and are therefore sending the proof of purchase in its place. Also
include a full list, by item and quantity, of what item(s) need to be
replaced.

This is a single exception and applies only to nursery stock and not
replacement orders.
Thank you,
Customer Care Department "

And that I'm moving, I dont have time for this.

My First Time at the Minneapolis Farmers Market

I am just blown away! And found my new favorite place- The Minneapolis Farmers Market Maybe I'm a nerd but I'm absolutely in love with the farmers market. I probably couldn't have picked a worse day to go but it was still packed with a hundred people. I'm sure I looked like an idiot walking around with a huge smile on my face just taking it all in. "cool, wow, oh my gosh" I was just taken aback.
Two words, Flowers Everywhere! I definitely got my fix of flowers this morning. Five dollar bouquets, two bucks for soap, a buck for a tray of potatoes. I got a bunch of stuff and didn't spend much at all and what's better is it supports someones small business which I am all for.



I would love to be there someday. Maybe with my pottery or plants or food. Who knows but I would just love to be there.

I had a wonderful morning.

Finally Photos

I can't believe this is my 3rd post today. Unfortunately there has been no sun to speak of for the last few weeks so these pictures aren't anything impressive. Also because of the lack of good weather, it's all greens and hardly any color yet. This year is so different from last year's blog. So far behind.