Friday, May 7, 2010

Fertilizer Friday

Good Friday Morning. It's Friday and that means it's time for Fertilizer Friday hosted by Tootsie. Ya'll go head on over and check out who else is flaunting their beauties this week.

There isn't much to flaunt at my place so I'm kinda winging it. The daffodils have died off and so has anything else at my place. I say it is time for some color - so what's a gardener to do - head over the local nursery or Home Depot and purchase color. That is what I intend to do this weekend. It'll be a while before the seeds put on a show if at all this year.

Imagine my delight when I found this little baby from last year. It survived this harsh winter we had. Most of the time begonia's are treated as annuals. Actually I have always had such good luck with begonia's. They are resilient and they surviving the harsh winters and the unyielding heat in the summer. With a little trimming they grow fuller with flowers that just keep on giving. When you trim the begonias if you take the trimming and just stick the ends into the ground they usually will take root.
I am about over the seeds now. This is all I have left and they are going into the ground or pots this weekend. Some have made it and some just didn't do anything at all. I have discovered that seeds are peculiar. This is what I did. My first batch of seeds I sowed some of them did very well and some nothing. When I did the second batch of seeds I sowed some seeds that I did the first time that I had good success with and they didn't do anything and some that did nothing in the beginning did the second time. Oh well I have plenty to deal with and some have not made to the gardens yet. I am planning to get started on the newly tilled area that I showed on Tuesday's post. Many of the seeds that have yet to be started will go into the new garden space.

The dahlia's just can't stand not having a daily dose of water. We had rain last week so they should not be so greedy but they are. The empty areas you see here will be filled up this weekend with some newly purchased blooming plants. I can't stand not having color in any of the beds.


The lupines are such strange plants. They have interesting leaves and the leaves are always face up. Even when they flop over like this one has. They just simply lay on the ground. I can't wait to see some blooms on this.

The yellow hibuscus with a red eye from Darla is doing very well. Hope they put out some flowers this year.

Darla's milkweed is also doing well. Hope they mature and the butterflies are able to use the plants this year.

That's it for the gardens this week. I hope everyone has a super good weekend. I'm ready for the weekend now. Just a few more hours to go. We get off at noon on Fridays.
PS Has fuel prices jumped where you are? Gas has gone up 8-10 cents a gallon overnight this week. There isn't even a shortage of gas. I bet we see prices of at least $3. a gallon before Memorial Day.


22 comments:

Unknown said...

I know what you mean Becca, I hate it when there is nothing colorful in my flower beds too. I just want color every minute - guess I should have planned better then. LOL

April said...

Hey Mom, I hope there's some color to your garden soon! I miss you! Wish we could come down for a visit this weekend. The kids say "Happy Mothers Day and we love you!" (with Ben singing it in his usual faux opera voice, LOL).

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Becca,

I wish I could grow those lovely lupines. I have never been successful with them.

Eileen

Lona said...

Good morning Becca. I think you have done a wonderful job with your seeds. I always have some that just will not germinate for me. This year it is the hibiscus seeds. They have got me really puzzled. Maybe I will try them outdoors when the weather up here stays warm. I think the lupine leaves are wonderful. Your are twice the size of mine. Happy FF and Have a wonderful weekend.
Lona

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

You had a lot of success with your seeds. I've had similar issues with mine. Some things germinated quickly and then all died off. I'm anxious to start planting my seedlings too.
I've never had begonias survive the winter.
Have fun plant shopping :)

Patsy said...

The broccoli is up and looks happy.
The cilantro is peeking up I think a couple of the poppies seeds are just showing and some of the shasta daisy are peeking out.
Have a good day at work
Patsy

Darla said...

You have a busy weekend ahead of you..have fun!

Jennifer Juniper said...

You have been busy and you have more to do! I can't wait to see all the beautiful flowers soon :)

Noelle Johnson said...

I just love plants that are so easy to propagate like Begonias. I can't wait to see your Lupines blooming. Ours have begun to dry out as summer heat is on it's way.

Diane said...

I still have colour from the bluebells and the snow ball bush is stunning in white at the moment. We have been threatened with storms over the next week so I hope we do not get any damage like we did last year. Your garden is going to look beautiful very shortly. Diane

Lemon Lane Studio said...

Every year I say I'm going to plant seeds indoors but again this year, the time got away from me. Next year for sure. I do still sow them directly in the garden. Mostly the easy ones, cosmos, zinnias, nastartium, allysum and larkspur. I look forward to seeing your garden as it comes to life.

Avalon's Garden and Mewsings of Garden Cottage Cats said...

Hi Becca, I didn't know that about begonias, how nice it came back for you! For me I had planted some dianthus in those deck rail planters last year and was amazed to see they came back this year!! I thought they were annuals ??? Especially after the Winter we had! Sometimes you get nice surprizes! haha:) Have fun getting some color from the plant stores .... it's like going to the candy store ... you want everything! haha:) Happy Gardening!

Connie said...

Your plants are doing well, Becca, even if you don't have color on them right now. I know what you mean, though. I like color in the flower beds as much as possible too. Hope you have a nice weekend. Happy Mother's Day! :)

Martha said...

I have to get back to my gardening soon! Thanks for stopping by Becca and hope you have a wonderful weekend :-)

Unknown said...

Wow! Becca! Your plants look fabulous! Mine are starting to finally look like something ... I just love watching them in the growth process.

Your pooch is adorable ... oh, rub my belly pul-eez Mommy! How cute!

Have a beautiful day.
Hugs, Marydon

Beth said...

You got ambitious with the seeds - you'll be busy and you'll have much to enjoy as you watch them grow and bloom!

Alea Milham said...

Amazing little begonia! I love when an "annual" survives the winter. Most of my snap dragons last late intot he fall, die back to the ground in winter and reemerge in the spring. I am thnkful for all of the little beauties that find a way to survive the winter. Amazingly enough, I lost a lot of roses last winter, but the snapdragons survived.

Bonnie said...

That is just crazy that the begonia survived. That is wonderful! Have fun planting. I really enjoy your visits.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Parts of my garden look so drab with nothing blooming but I don't dare put annuals in yet. We had a hard freeze last Sunday the the weather will remain cool this week.
Marnie

Millie said...

You have a great start on your garden...those dahlias will be full of blooms before you know it!

Rosemarie said...

Hi Becca - thanks for coming back to my blog after all my time away!

I am very impressed with all your gardening - I am hopeless when it comes to planting and maintaining. The girls got little potted pansies for Easter and I cannot get them to bloom for the life of me.

I am looking forward to seeing the pictures once your colors start coming in!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Becca, I too have Begonias --and like them. They like the full-sun --and will live through a scorching summer!!!!! I have kept them in the house or garage during winter --to keep them alive. It has worked on some but not all.

Hope you had a good weekend. Looks like you had your work cut out for you...

Unfortunately our fuel prices will really rise due to that horrible spill in the gulf. It's such a huge mess.

Hugs,
Betsy

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