Monday, January 4, 2010

This and That

My garden Buddy. He loves digging as you can see.


I am so ready for some gardening. I started some seeds for lettuce and broccili. OK guys I know you aren't gonna believe me but I have never started seeds inside for planting outside before. This year there will be a lot of that considering I have an abundance of seeds this year thanks to blogging friends.

These are the seeds I will be working with this year:
From Tatyana at My Secret Garden I received Red Melon Poppy's and foxglove.

These are seeds I received from Catherine at A Gardner in Progress: Yellow Columbine, Verbena Bonariensis, Larkspur 'shades of blue' and Red Breadseed Poppies.

These are seeds I received from Raingardener at Gardening by Trial and Error:
Sweet William 'sooty', white columbine, malva zebrina, lupines, silver dollar/money plant, hardy geranium, snapdragons and columbine rose.

These are seeds I received from Hometown Seeds:
snapdragon, Alaska shasta daisy, wildflower mix and four o'clocks-Marvel of Peru.
Plus some veggies: broccoli, cilantro,tomato,lettuce,carrot and melons. There will be more veggies as they become available this year.

So this weekend I was ready for something to plant so I planted my lettuce and broccoli seeds. I used this starter mix.



I purchased these foil pans with lids and poked holes in the plastic cover for drainage. The clear cover will hold the seeds and foil pan is for excess water to drain.
The starter mix was purchased last year and each pan soaked up 3 cups of water before planting. I added water and mixed and let it sit for a half hour before checking it for moisture and added more water so that the soil is good moist all over and is the perfect consistency for planting seeds. I did 12 holes for each pan. I am planning on planting these at the end of Jan in the flower beds since they are so dismal right now.




I found a little color in the yard this weekend. This volunteer flower just showed up. Don't know what it is but there were 3 flowers.


You see the briars in my flower bed. This is the hardest thing to get rid of. It is such a pest and so hard to get out of the ground and still you never get the roots. I have some plans for those thorny weeds - I'll get em.

Can't believe this azalea is still holding on and producing new flowers. I wonder if it is going to keep blooming into spring.

I visited my favorite gift shop that I mentioned was going out of business. Another hit by the economy. Just before the final closing of the doors I scraped up these pots and iron bird feeder. I stole the pots for $10 for the pair and believe me they are heavy and thick. I picked up the heavy iron bird feeder for $7. I so love a bargain.


Well that's about all I've got for today. I have been writing and planning and more writing and more planning for spring and summer. I know it's a ways off but I'm dreaming of pretty colors and warmer temperatures.
I am starting something new for me on my sidebar. I needed to make a plan for the year ahead - something I failed to do last year. I put up my goals for Jan which are certainly slim considering how cold it is and is going to be. I have been journaling and making lists and lists of lists. Are you a list maker too? Anyway I'll be sharing some of my gardening goals for 2010.
I know you all are just as excited as I am.








21 comments:

Dirt Princess said...

I cannot beleive those deals! Wow!!! That is awesome! If they come up missing from your house I don't know what happened to them
;-)! LOL!!! Your mystery plant is a zinnia. They will re-seed. I am soooo ready to start seeds! my greehouse should be here any day!!! YEAH!!!!! I have tons of stuff for you. I was going to go ahead and get it started, or I can just give you the seeds. Whatever you would like

Chicken Boys said...

I'm with you on the planting season. It is soooo coollllddd here. Even if I don't plant this year (and I will) I'm ready for planting season, just so it will get warmer!!
~Randy

Lona said...

Buddy looks to be ready to help with the outdoor digging and planting. All that pretty white fur. LOL.

Hey, some great bargains there girl. Way to go.
I used foil pans for my impatiens last year because I ran out of container and they work wonderful. I wish I would have had the plastic lids like you are doing it would sturdy up the pans. Great idea!

Deb said...

wow you are really getting ready for spring..

Dee said...

Wow, and I thought that I'm getting ready. :) I'm really excited for you.

You just have to promise to put some pictures when time will come.

Kay said...

You will have to let me know if your lettuce produces. I planted lettuce seeds several months ago. Here in SoCal, we have warm weather 85% of the year, so we can grow just about anything anytime of the year, but I have not seen any 'balls' of lettuce yet. Just a bunch of leaves. I planted iceberg lettuce.

Anonymous said...

I follow Catherine @ A Gardener in Progress and I love her poppies and verbena. At our last home, I grew that variety of verbena and the butterflies loved it! Hope you have great success and I adore your garden helper!

Debbie's Garden said...

LOL, I completely GET the making lists of lists. It clears my head to get stuff down on a list.

I'm so jealous you're starting seeds!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Becca, Looks like you are going to have a marvelous garden this year --both veggies and flowers.

Hope you don't get the horribly cold weather like we are having. It's going to go down to 7 degrees tonight. Brrrrr.

Hugs,
Betsy

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Becca, Looks like you are going to have a marvelous garden this year --both veggies and flowers.

Hope you don't get the horribly cold weather like we are having. It's going to go down to 7 degrees tonight. Brrrrr.

Hugs,
Betsy

Tamara Jansen said...

We're into full swing production at the greenhouses. I am also looking forward to Spring!!!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Your garden is going to be just beautiful!! I can't wait to see how everything grows. I'm going to get started on winter sowing pretty soon.
You did get some great deals on the pots and feeder!

Tootsie said...

I am getting myself ready to start planting too....have to pick up some bales of soil...and let them thaw in the garage...and then I am off to the planting races!!!
your puppy is adorable...doesn't look TOO spoiled ...nope not at all!

Maureen said...

Hi Becca, Happy New Year to you and thanks for the comment on my blog. I start a lot of my seeds indoors, I have them all over the place, on window-sills, in the garage,in a cold mini- greenhouse. I think it's harder work than sowing straight into the ground as they take some looking after. You have had some great seeds from your blogging friends, I look forward to seeing how they grow.
I haven't started sowing yet,but hope to get my broad beans started next week. Happy sowing.
maureen :)

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Becca: So nice to see the blooms, our snow is piling up pretty high.

Darlene said...

Buddy is so cute!! Lucy my poodle likes to dig in the yard. It is so cold here no flowers are blooming right now. We had a high of 22 with a wind chill of 9 and our temp. tonight is supposed to be 9. This is going on until Sunday....BRRRRR!!

Prospero said...

Happy new year Becca and Little Buddy! About your seed starts - make sure that you acclimatize your plants to outdoor conditions before planting them out in their final location.

Rosemary said...

Lucky to be starting seeds. Too cold here !

Kimberly Wright said...

This is so awesome. this brown thumb is so envious of your green one. I would like to do some container gardening this year but we will see. Should I already be starting this project with the kids?

Far Side of Fifty said...

Buddy is so cute! Sounds like you are anxious to plant! We still have to wait months yet..so I will enjoy your adventure! Yes, I make lists too..:)

RURAL said...

Got my first gardening catalouge today. Pored through it, dreaming, thinking, and then realizing that it is still too early to start seeds.

No matter how warm it is today.

Jen

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