Productive and Beautiful Day!

I feel like today was a very productive day! It was beautiful outside and we spent this morning riding along the water on the "marley" (My "adopted" daughters name for our scooter -  a moped/Harley), transplanted a few plants, planted a few seeds, made a nice little bread/cheese tray (absolutely free and will show you below), and managed to fit in a few batches of mini chocolate chip cookies and pineapple cookies (experimenting with the recipe to perfect it). The only thing missing was my Skype date with my sisser...another day...hmmm hmm

I am very pleased so far with the progress of the peas and with Brussels sprouts. Knock on wood. Throw salt over shoulder. etc etc. The peas have grown a few inches and have a few blossoms on it and even a couple peas! The Brussels sprouts are starting to sprout...well...Brussles sprouts. If you have never seen Brussels sprouts grow...they grow between leaves and when they are starting to grow, they almost look like little growths on the base of the leaf. (see below)

Peas

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts

     There are also a few baby peppers starting:

And beautiful flowers on the sweet potato vines:

The seed pods on the broccoli looked like they were about finished so I pinched off the pods and am allowing them to dry so I can harvest the seeds from inside.

Today I had several tomatoes that we started last month that are ready to be transplanted into buckets. This time I am using my usual peat, but am mixing with organic Black Kow (cow manure and compost mix) I gathered buckets and drilled several holes in the bottom, as well as a drain hold on opposite sides and a few inches up to allow for proper draining of access water. As we will get into some rainy weather here in Florida this is important. Some vegetable plants rotate rather quickly but others can last a very long time. Tomatoes are one of those crops. We can grow them year round here as long as they are taken care of properly! (I still have a tomato plant from last years spring garden that I just pulled a tomato from this morning!)

 I usually don't worry much about plant food but as I had a little of this left, I figured I may as well use it. Tomatoes are the perfect plants to use it up on! It is just an organic plant food that is safe for vegetables or any other plants. Basically supplies good Nitrogen (which is essential for a lot of your veggies), as well as some Magnesium, Calcium and other goodies.

 I filled the buckets with 2 parts peat and 1 part Black Kow. I carefully removed the tomato starts from the plastic pots they were started in and placed them in the buckets. I buried the tomato plants all the way to the first leaves. As you can see below, I left several inches at the top of the bucket. Tomatoes should be planted deep. This helps gives a good strong root structure as well as good base support for the growing stalk. As these plants grow, I will fill the bucket more with the peat and manure mix.

I also had a few seed starters sitting around and we all know my OCD will not allow them to sit around empty so I started a few more seeds. (Continuing with 2 week rotations). These little plastic containers that lettuce and greens come in at the grocery make AMAZING little greenhouses! The seed starting pods are made of peat and coconut. They start like little discs. You just soak them in water and they expand, providing the little hole in which to drop the seed. You move the top around just enough to cover the seed. I placed one seed in each pellet, placed it inside the plastic lettuce container and put the lid on. When doing this just be sure to open it every day for a few minutes to let fresh air in. If you don't remember to let it breathe a little each day you run a risk of developing some mold /mildew.

As always...I had plenty of company around watching (I won't share the nasty giant spider or the dead mouse covered in ants I had to pull from the garden area as...well....ah no)













I also FINALLY cleaned off the shelves and moved some lettuce and a few of my little gnomes over. For those who know me well, you know I am obsessed with these little guys in my garden! (and I am resisting the urge to go to Joann's who has a whole section now for gnome and fairy gardens!!!)

Ok...as promised...here is my little trick for making a FREE bread/cheese tray, trivet, or whatever the heck ya want to use it for!

Step 1: Go to Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Step 2: Go to the flooring department

Step 3: Look at the flooring samples for these little suckers! Find the ones that are smooth on all 4 sides and grab them up! (FREE samples!) (Then while you are there if you don't have any pick up some Gorilla wood glue - like $3)

Step 4: Lay them out in a pattern that you like (if you got different patterns/colors)
Step 5: Glue them 2 at a time. Allow to dry then continue to glue sections together until you have achieved the desired size!

Tonight, mine is being used for tea and cookies!

Enjoy! I'd love to see pictures if anyone makes one!

As always....I wish you PEACE!

jojo

Nature visits

     It has been a beautiful day today! I was blessed with many visitors. The last couple mornings, my yard has been blanketed with robins. Their little orange bellies glowing in the sun. We usually don't see may around here until it gets super cold up north, so I will enjoy them while I can. We have a bunny who has been coming around and I discovered he/she has stolen a few of my bean plants. Looks like it's time to wrap my mesh fence on the other side also. I was hoping with my noisy dogs the little critters would stay away, but it appears they know the barks are behind doors and windows.

     I have told you before about how difficult it has been for me to grow good peas. I have stuck to growing new pea starts every 2 weeks and so far so good. They aren't super tall but I am starting to see some pretty little flowers and even have my first pea! Fingers crossed they continue to do good and at least give me a good meal this year. (vs the snack last year) I am going to keep starting and planting through the next couple months in hopes of finding all the right balances of soil, weather, combo-plants, etc. Fingers crossed!

Peas

     The temperatures have continued to be very bi-polar so I have pretty much given up on the broccoli and cauliflower at this point. The broccoli gives me such tiny florets (pic below) that it would starve the bunny, let alone provide a meal for us. I had one decent floret early on (should have ate that one!) and let it go to seed for next time. The seed pods are coming along nicely and should be ready to de-seed within another week or two. I decided to pull a couple of the broccoli and cauliflower plants from the containers and started squash in their place.  I had a few good starts of both green and yellow squash so transplanted them into containers and started more seeds.(again starting new seeds every 2-3 weeks until I find the magic combination)

Sad broccoli and broccoli seed pods

     The pepper and tomato starts are coming along. (drives me crazy how slow they get started!!!)  Lettuces are perking up their beautiful leaves, cabbages are almost ready to be thinned, and more seeds planted in starter containers. Cucumbers, squash, peas, were started AND I started bean seeds today! (they never let me down!)

     I have been so busy with cookies that I needed a good garden day! One day...I shall grow a HUGE garden! It WILL happen!

     The evening is setting in and my furbabies will be demanding their evening rituals from me very soon...so for now I will put my feet up and take 5 minutes to absorb all that is positive about this beautiful day and be thankful that I am able to live the life I have. Too often we don't look up and see how good we got it and I have it pretty good!

As always:    

                                    

I wish you PEACE and HAPPINESS!

jojo

A Tiny Vent....and Garden Photo Update

We started today off cold! Tommy had to play today at the SRQ market (starting at 9 am after not getting home until after 1 am from last evenings gig) (UGH), so I decided to tag along. I love hanging out in Sarasota, even if it is just to people watch. 

     Tiny (but HUGE) vent: These farmers markets are great for so many things...however...fresh produce is not always one of them. Sure there is "fresh" and "helping local people"  but in all the markets I have been to (and there are many) there is maybe one (if your lucky) vendor who sells ORGANIC produce. Sure all the others look fresh and pretty and you are helping local vendors and produce companies....but you are still buying the same chemical crapstorm that you get at your local store. Now I know that it is "harder" to grow organic and it is more expensive (which still makes absolutely no sense to me - less chemicals, etc less money...no!?), but come on! I also wonder how many people don't even think about it and just assume they are getting great veggies. I actually overheard a conversation today where a lady discussed with someone how it was great to get fresh organic produce from a local person here...at a regular NON ORGANIC stand. The non commercial presentation has some people fooled... I personally choose to grow as much as I can myself and ..as there was no organic produce, I walked across the street from the market to the Whole Foods market. Would LOVE to support more local vendors (as I am a huge supporter of many local businesses and vendors!) BUT....


Now for the garden... ;) This bi-polar Florida weather has my garden so confused it's not sure what to do. With 80 degree temps one day and 40's the next, I am just as confused as my poor little vegetables.

   

A new friend or foe...no idea what he is

Baby Cabbage

new carrots starting

carrots

new cauliflower trying to form

Add caption

peas (still so far so good)

                

nasty spiders and ants I'm fighting on the cranberry hibiscus - have been hand removing and spraying off...time to get out the Dawn (more later)

broccoli going to seed - almost ready to seed

Cool little buttons I picked up at the market today! Each is about the size of a nickel

     I have been so busy lately that I haven't been writing as much as I would like. I've been working on a compilation cd with Tommy and another venture coming as well. I am hoping to be able to let everyone know on Monday what is going on....but I am super excited!!!

     Until then...

jojo

Holes...Holes...and More Holes

     I really feel as though I am boring you all to tears these days. The fall/winter can be such a boring time for talking about gardening. While there is a lot of preparation and seed starting...it is like trying to watch water boil. I get excited about every new little baby that pops its little head above the dirt and every new leaf of a fresh start, but that is hardly anything to share.

     I have been debating for a while on whether to make a raised bed or just get more containers. I have decided to just keep on using a zillion containers. I had a fairly good size garden last spring/summer, but this year, I am concerned it may look as if Home Depot threw up orange "Let's Do This" buckets all over my yard. (Sorry neighbors...but I promise to share the bounty!)

     Today I drilled holes and transplanted some cucumbers, peas, and a few zucchini (experimenting) into buckets. I used a few 2 1/2 gallon buckets a friend brought me (Thanks again Deborah!!!)(All old containers and buckets are always welcome at my house - I am not above trash picking you for them) and a few HD buckets.

Drilling buckets

      I like to make sure I drill plenty of drainage holes. I learned this lesson the hard way as well. Once I only drilled a couple holes and after a good rain I managed to drown a few good plants. I drilled 5 holes in the bottom (one in the middle and then 4 at the cross) and one on 2 sides of the bucket about 3 inches from the bottom.

Bucket drill holes

I filled the buckets with my usual mix of peat and manure/compost mix and put a cucumber plant in each smaller bucket and added a small cage for support as it grows, and added baby zucchini to the larger buckets.

Also added 2 squash plants to a recycle bin. I previously had broccoli here, but as discussed previously, I am having a lousy year with broccoli production. I moved those broccoli plants in with some of the others. I am sure they may be a little crowded, but at this point I feel there is nothing to lose. 

squash

broccoli

peas

      Over the next couple weeks I will be making trips to HD gathering more buckets and working on the transplants. Currently, it appears as if almost all the tomato and pepper seeds have sprouted which means I am going to need quite the supply of buckets!

     A good water to everything and rewarded with yet another beautiful sunset!

As always....I wish you peace!

jojo