Happy July

Things are coming along well! A lot of flowers are about to bloom in the next week or so while others are coming along slowly but surely. I'm so impatient, I just want some instant beauty. One of my rose bushes bloomed with two beautiful but small roses. I am not complaining though, I'm impressed they come up at all. The other bush however seems to have given up on life. I will replace it next year. The bean vines I planted are almost reaching the gutter along the roof. I'm so excited, it looks great. Also the cathedral bells I planted there are doing splendidly. Everything else will come in time. I hope to have more time next year. My busy schedule keeps me out of my garden way too much. I miss it. I have a day or two coming up though that I will make sure to spend in the garden. There is so much to do but with the rain, I have been lucky enough to not have to water often and spend my time out there doing more important things than watering.
The peppers are getting big, and still blooming away. The tomatoes are getting bigger and I swear everyday there is another one growing on those plants. The zucchini started blooming as well as the beans. I have my first white raspberry growing, just waiting for it to gain color. The onion foliage all fell to the ground with the extreme weather we had but they are still growing. I am starting to see the size of the bulbs and I am so excited. That is my most exciting crop (other than the peppers of course). I noticed that my garlic leaves have lost their...life or luster at least. They all seem wilted but possibly it is out of season for them and now they just need to cure. I will pull them and use what I have. Having small garlic cloves is better than having nothing. Harvest season is fast approaching. Excitement in my own backyard!

Getting Things Done, Adding More to the List.

I am unfortunately realizing how much shade is actually in my garden spaces. Because of this I am trying to find plants for that habitat. I remembered that the woods at my parents house, there are many Jack in the Pulpit which I plant to go and dig up to bring to my house. I've also done a bit of research for what works best in the shade. Here is what I came up with:
Monkshood
Astilbe
Hellebore
Lungwort
Lamium (should have grabbed some at the plant swap)
Bigroot Geranium
Toad Lily
virginia bluebells
Jacobs Ladder
trollius
Coral Bells
Heuchera
and of course some grasses or ferns

This doesn't include what I already have, these are simply thing I hope to have growing there one day.

On another note, everything is coming along greatly! Gladiolous is popping up everywhere as well as cosmos, marshmallow, violas(late I know) and a few others.
My broccoli is doing okay, slightly eaten but they will survive, Garlic is about 6 inches tall which is great because I planted it late. Peas are getting taller and taller everyday. My carrots have been showing for a few days, Hibiscus I planted in the front are shooting leaves up and last but not least my anne raspberries (sadly 2 out of 3) are throwing out leaves as well. The third I am getting replaced. I planted a few peppers that I didn't mark in one of the only sunny spots by the driveway, we'll see how those do. Everything is coming along very nicely. I'm excited to be finished and only have upkeep for the rest of the summer. That is far away though, and knowing myself, I will simply keep improving even if there is nothing left to improve(won't be the case for years). I'm excited for tomorrow, hopefully I will get everything put in the ground that I wanted, get the compost pile built and at least prepare the last 2 spots in the garden. I might be being ambitious but it's better than being lazy.
Happy Gardening

May Weekend Freeze, Why Minnesota?

As a little reminder to myself, these are the bulbs that I will need to pull up before winter:
2 Cana bulbs
6 Calla Bulbs
84 Gladiolus Bulbs (about)
15 Dahlia Bulbs (about)
20 Peacock Orchid
20-30 Fairy Lily
15 Ranunculus
40 Double Anemones
20 Twinkle Toes

Before Jumping into the real reason I'm writing this post, I'd like to put up some pictures from around my garden that I've been meaning to get to for a week or so. And for the record, these looked much better before I uploaded them to snapfish:

I know this looks terrible with all of the weeds but I assure you those are gone now. I didn't have time before but it has been taken care of :)

I'm worried this little bloom will be dead now because of the frost.

I got to use some of this lettuce last night on my tacos, how exciting!




I am very worried from the freezing this weekend. I don't have a whole lot out but a few things are finally starting to come up. Well, before yesterday I didn't have too much out, and whatever is out is mostly perennials. Since the weather was nice yesterday afternoon though, I ended up planting a whole lot of stuff. I'm curious though if I need to worry or not. They were from seeds, I didn't put any seedlings out so am I safe? I have no idea. I again wonder why I still live in Minnesota.
I took a few pictures last weekend though. Lots of things are happening out there though. I can't wait for the weather to warm back up. My raspberries are starting to bud along with my Hibiscus. Flowers on my strawberries, a few tips poking out from gladiolus bulbs(one of the things I'm worried about), a few sprouts of which I hope to be Violas, carrots, broccoli and the wildflowers I planted. We'll see though. I just hope everything survived but I won't know for awhile.
Friday night I heard there could be a freeze so I gathered my buckets and boxes and bags and covered the things I was worried about. I uncovered everything on Saturday around noon, thinking we were in the clear as the forecast Friday predicted warmer weather Sunday night. Apparently I need to check into this more often because I had no clue whatsoever that it would freeze Sunday. Luckily, I had been hardening plants off for the last couple weeks and decided to bring them in since it was fairly cold...thinking I was just being safe. Well had I known, I would have been out there covering everything. Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it now. Just wait and hope.

Things I planted yesterday(that I remember):
Sweet Corn
Zucchini (burpee and T&M)
Pumpkin (burpee)
Popcorn
2 Canna Lilies
Columbine Barlow Mix
Chianti Sunflower
Marshmallow
Aztec Gold Sunflower
Foxglove-Apricot
Taiyo Sunflower
Johnny Jump Up
Cosmos
Cilantro

(and the week of april 25th included: Coneflower, Lupine, Pink hollyhock, Gaillardia, Oriental Poppy-Red, Broccoli, Garlic, Carrots)

On a better note, my two shipments from Gurney's and Michigan Bulb Co. are sitting on my doorstep as I type. I have a bunch of goodies in there:
Hardy Carnations
Double Anemones
White Bleeding Heart
Fairy Lilies
Peacock Orchid
Ranunculus
Rosemary
Dwarf Pomegranate Tree

Michigan Bulb Co. Emailed me back about my dead bleeding heart and strawberry and has already shipped the new items. It's nice to see a company actually functions like they say they will. Thanks guys.

I also got some seeds from them as well. I can't wait to get them into the ground but I will be patient and wait for this icky weather to pass. In the meantime, I will purchase any cheap cheap sheets I run across, in case the weather drops again. I will be prepared and be better at checking the weather every day and night.


This is the only Iris I have that is showing buds.



I believe this is Creeping Baby's Breath. I got it last year after the blooms were gone so I don't remember what it really is now.

Best of luck to those of you in Minnesota!!! Or in the north in general.

Different Problems

It seems I keep running into little problems. Which all gardeners do I assume. Of the plants I have ordered I am somewhat disappointed. I thought everything was great with the bareroot plants that I got from Michigan Bulb Co. but my Old-Fashioned Bleeding heart went from doing absolutely nothing, to drying out and wilting to the ground. It has been in the ground for 3 or 4 weeks now and everything (almost) else I got from them is showing new growth. I emailed them almost a week ago to ask about a replacement and still have not heard anything. I wouldn't mind so much but it is a spring plant, as soon as it warms up, it won't flower and I've wasted a month of growth time. Along with that from MBC. One of the 6 Strawberry plants I received has also not done anything, while the rest have new leaves and are doing well. 1 out of 6 isn't very good odds I don't think. The last thing I have to complain about is my packet of seeds from Park Seed for some Hibiscus. The packet had 10 seeds in it, and it instructed me to soak them overnight which I did. Only 3 came up. Which is a huge and ridiculous dissapointment. 3/10 is terrible. I have emailed them too and am waiting for a response. I'm trying to be optimistic since both companies have guaranties but I have very bad luck with things like that...there are always conditions and such. Boo.
On another very different note, it is cold here this weekend. My boyfriend and this years gardening buddy has the entire weekend off with me which hasn't happened for probably 2 or 3 months. Being that next week is our last frost date, I was hoping to get all of the final preperations done for the garden beds. There are 3 more beds that need to be cleared and prepared with compost and fertilizer. Two should be simple and the other one is the largest and hasn't been touched in 4 years. That should be quite the chore. And we don't have a wheelbarrow :( That problem needs to be fixed. Anyways, with the first plant date being so close, I had hoped to have much more done but I only have the weekend and a few 2 hour nights per week that I can work outside so I have not been as productive as I wanted to be. I might have to push things back so that I don't rush into planting in the wrong places just because it wasn't prepared yet. I have a bad tendency to do those things, always getting overly excited.

Reading blogs from other zones makes me very jealous, and makes me wonder why I am still living in Minnesota/Wisconsin. I am seeing pictures of all kinds of flowers and wonderous things that have come up and already in bloom while my yard is very sad with the only color being the wild (what I believe to be) violets and dandelions. Luckily for me we have lilac bushes in the backyard or I'm simply be going crazy. Hopefully everything will fall into place this next week, I know I will get anxious and probably end up working till dark every night that the weather permits. There is nothing wrong with that but I should really learn not to procrastinate.

Starting The Season

I have been productive this last week, which is why I haven't found time to update my blog. But here I am.
First off, there is a 4-H Plant Sale in my county in May that I will probably attend. Why not help out the community and benefit from it myself? I think it's a great idea.

I've done quite a bit of work outside since my last post. These are the things I have planted:
Dahlia
Viola
Gladiolus
Coneflower
Purple Carrots
Multicolored Carrots
Broccoli
Garlic (late)
Runner Beans
Viola
Honeycrisp Apple Tree (named Richard)

Transplanted:
2 Morning Glory plants

I had meant to attempt to start a greenhouse but I think if I've held out this long, I can wait another 2 weeks when everything will go out anyways. I have begun hardening off a few plants, mainly my peppers because I am so worried about them doing well. This is my most treasured crop so I don't want to take any risks. Not to mention, I don't have the best setup inside. The plants are in front of a window, yes, and I DO have a grow light on them but for how much I have, I should probably have at least 3 lights on the table. I know this, I just don't want to spend so much money. BUT when I know it will be nice out, I will put them outside.

Now to go over some individual planting problems I am faced with.
I failed myself a bit earlier this year by not labeling things that I planted. I have a general idea what some are but guessing is not that accurate. I don't believe my pansies came up, nor my poppys. Things that I misplaced: Bergenia Roses, Bellflowers and canterbury bells. I'm sure there are more. If I can find pictures of seedlings, I'd be able to identify them but it's hard to find those. Some of the flowers haven't been showing much growth in the last few weeks which worries me but I just re-arranged the table so that may help. Being that some of these plants are perennials, they might not get established and flower until next year which is fine.

I believe I just found out that what I had thought to be my hollyhock growing big is actually a bunch of pansies. That's great because I believe the ones I planted are black. Well maybe. So many seedlings look alike. I have some fuzzy-type seedlings and I have NO idea what those are. I'm going to have to do some mega research. Bummer. This will definately not happen next year. Lable lable lable.



I will get pictures up later this weekend hopefully. I need to document this year better so I can learn from it all next year.

Mail-Order Plants

I received my plants from Michigan Bulb Co. yesterday. This is the first time I have gotten actual plants (not seeds)mailed to me. Not what I was expecting except for my lilac bush. I planted everything yesterday except the bush. I put the strawberries with my original strawberry plant and onions next to that. I also pulled some hostas out of the ground and moved them to a boring spot that nothing else can grow in. I tilled some of the front where a mojority of the flowers will be planted. I planted my new old fashion bleeding heart as well as the 6 new hibiscus plants. Last but not least I put all 24 Iris bulbs in the ground. I'm unsure if they will come up this year or not...maybe not until summer, we shall see.

I took some string and created a ladder for the peas to grow on and transplanted the sweet peas that I had started indoors, they aren't looking too healthy but hopefully will be fine. The rose bushes, lettuce and sweet peas that are planted outside have quite a bit of growth, it is exciting!

Planting Calculator

I just found this wonderful planting calculator that tells you based on frost dates when you should be: planting, starting, hardening off and transplanting all of your plants. Not that it's THAT hard to make your own calender but why not have someone else do it for you :) I have also thrown together a list of vegetable plants that can be planted outside before last frost. If you can't tell, I'm getting to be an anxious gardener with all of the nice weather and would love to start putting some things outside other than my peas and lettuce.

Here is what you can plant before last frost, once the ground is workable:
Vegetables:
Snow Peas
Lettuce
Beets
Turnips
Radishes
Kale
Onion Sets
Potatoes
Garlic
Spinach
Cole
Broccoli
Leeks
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Kohlrabi
Mustard Greens
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Onion Seeds
Brussels Sprouts
Dill

Flowers:
Pansies
Bachelor’s button
Larkspur
California Poppy
Sunflower
Sweet Peas
Rose Mallow/Tree Mallow
Sweet Alyssum
Bells of Ireland
Forget-Me-Not
Mignonette
Black-Eyed Susan
:::::::(Cold-tolerant seedlings)
Snapdragon
Ornamental Kale
Dusty Miller
Dracaena/spike
Pinks(Dianthus Chinensis)
Stock
Cupflower
Cape Daisy
Phlox
Violet
Johnny jump-up
Viola

Hopefully that will help a little, I know I will end up glancing back at this list occasionally to see what I can put in the ground this early. I do have some poppys started, I wonder if I can put those in now? I guess I will have to do some more digging.
Also my first outside bloom today was a daffodil, hopefully the tulips will start to soon.

Seed Shopping Tip

I'd like to give a little hint to all of you internet users. If you are ever shopping online at Park Seed, Burpee, Michigan Bulb Co. or anywhere else (even not for seeds), take a second before you check out and pull up a google screen. Type in whatever website you are using and the words "Coupon Code" There is generally something for (virtually) every website out there. My last order with Michigan Bulb Co. I did this and saved myself $20 on a $45 order, just for looking it up. You can often get free shipping, half off products, free with purchase products or percentages off the entire order. I have probably saved myself 300 dollars this year alone(so far) from doing this. Granted it makes me want to buy more but that's my own problem ;)

Here are some current coupons out there for the websites I use, Enjoy:
Burpee
Park Seed
Michigan Bulb Co.
Thompson and Morgan
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Harris Seeds

Hope this helps.
Some may not work everytime, but it's always worth the few seconds it takes. Anything I can do to help out my fellow seed/plant shoppers.

Spring Shopping

Just ordered a few new things for the garden. I decided to check out Michigan Bulb Co. for some actual plants vs. seeds, which I try to avoid doing. With some plants, it's just a better idea to buy a started plant. These new plants consist of an Original Bleeding Heart plant for along the garage with the ferns. This spot gets no direct sunlight (if only an hour maybe) and needs some color. I also purchased a few new Hibiscus plants-6 total--Perennials Including this Sub Zero Hibiscus mix including light blues, reds, pinks, dark reds and purples and a Hardy Perennial mix of reds, pinks, and whites. I found a deal for buy 12 get 12 free for Mixed Dutch Irises which will be wonderful!


I also found a deal for 3 strawberry plants for $3 something and some cheap onion sets. Lastly (if I remember right) I finally got a lilac bush for the backyard, though I may try to convince my boyfriend to let me put it in the front yard, we'll see. I have wanted a lilac bush for years, I am glad I finally have gotten one.
These should all ship within a few weeks. Being that they are plants, they have to wait until mid april or so but I will try to be patient. I am also waiting on some garlic and a white raspberry plant which should also come soon. So Exciting!

As for my plants and plans for this last weekend to get a lot done, we're making our way slowly to having the front grow spot ready. Derek and I pulled out 90 percent of the roots from the old large bushes. We are almost done which is exciting. I can't wait to have flowers growing there because it looks very dull and bare now. Our nosy neighbors asked what we were doing in that nice but obviously worried tone. "You going to plant flowers there?" which was meant in the "you better be doing something there!" kind of way. But yes of course we are and I can't wait for him to be impressed by the Hibiscus and Gladiolus and a million other flowers this year.

I forgot to mention I splurged the other day and bought one of each-red tulip, white/orange daffodil, pink hyacinth, just to add some different color to my small spring flower display. Along with that I got 2 rose bushes. If I remember right, they are both Hybrid Tea Roses, one is orange/pink/white, the other is scarlet colored red. I hope they grow fine, this is my first time with roses and they were pretty cheap. Wish me luck and cross your fingers. :)

Oh Sweet Pea!

After finding out more about my sweet peas yesterday, I was inclined to do more digging on the subject. I glanced outside on Sunday morning and noticed a few of the seeds have started growing. Either they are snow peas, or another variety of sweet pea that I did not start indoors. I planted both in the same spot as I realized after sowing that the snow peas I purchased are not compatible for my zone. I figure it won't hurt to leave them in the ground, if they decide to come up, I'll simply have more peas. If they do not, I won't risk the use of space and decided to plant over them. We shall see how that works out. So, after noticing these have already started growing, I took a look at the package for the sweet peas that are started inside(These are getting very tall and somewhat ridiculous to have inside). I think I should be starting to harden these off since peas like cold weather. I'm just worried that a hard frost will kill a somewhat grown plant versus just a sprouting one. I guess I will find out, at least one variety is growing well.

Any idea if I can put my started sweet peas outdoors before the last frost?

Along with the sprouting peas outside, both varieties of lettuce has started to come up with tiny little leaves. As well as my red/green peppers inside that I was worried about, all is well in the gardening world for me.

This weeks' forecast in the twin cities consists of 70 degree weather, currently being 69, said to reach 73. This, I'm sure will encourage some spring growth with my planted seed, as well as the tulips and daylilies. I am so excited.

On a completely different note, I bought myself a "sorry about the allergies" plant for my desk at work. It consists of 3 pixie lily plants. The best part is, I have no idea what color they will be, except for the hint of a pinky/red/possibly orange color starting on the inside of a few of the pods. Along with that, I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my boyfriend this morning consisting of aster, 2 pink/yellow roses, some form of Lilly and some pink snapdragons. And of course hugging the vase is an adorable little bear. I certainly feel special.

After tomorrow, I will have all the time in the world to dig in the dirt and I am sure I will have something much more interesting to blog about. Until then, I am going to enjoy inside garden I am starting at my desk.:)