Lazy FL Gardener

February 17, 2009

What did I spy while walking by my garden bed this afternoon? My first flower of the season!
:)This would be a Verbena. (Look, Mom, I know what it is!) lol
It's supposed to be a trailing variety. I have it planted in a corner of my first garden bed. The idea is that it should drape down the side. It didn't do that last year, but looks more promising this year.
I plant flowers in the midst of my vegetables in hopes of making it look more attractive to bees and other helpful bugs. Plus, they're just pretty.

February 8, 2009

Since I started some seeds yesterday, I figured I'd better get busy making sure there was somewhere to put them in a few weeks. Luckily, the weather was agreeable - sunny, breezy 70's.
Getting ready was a three part process.
1) Pull out any weeds
2) Dump in some old manure mix and trowel in
3) Cover with wet newspaper so no weeds grow back
This is another place container gardening comes in handy. It only took about 30 minutes to get my fallow containers prepped.
The container above is a former animal water tank. Luckily for me, it sprang a leak, and a farmer gave it to me for free. :) The green on the back right is spinach and a cauliflower. Looks like I'll need to repair my 'trellis' in the back before the next batch of sugar snaps goes in.

February 7, 2009

I planted some seeds inside, in hopes of an early start for spring. Mostly tomatoes. :)
This is my high tech seed starting space.



Yes, in case you weren't quite sure, that's the top of my stove. Well, it has a light, and might be a bit warmer than other places. :)
Plus, you'll note they're in containers, so easy to move if I actually decide to cook something.
The cups are new this year, based on suggestion from a master gardener. There are slits cut on either side of the bottom for drainage.
The box on the left contains seeds I started on a wet paper towel in a cake pan covered with plastic wrap. When it works, I rather prefer this method, as you can really see when the seeds start sprouting. Once they get some leaf going, you can move them into the dirt. The 5 on the left are bunching onions - really just as easy to direct sow, but I was playing. The two on the right are a couple of kohlrabi, and the upper left is from the other batch I just started.

Next up, I'd like to get some peppers started...

I planted sugar snaps yesterday morning. In the rain.
Why, you may ask, was I out in the rain planting?
My mother informed me Wednesday evening that the moon was in the right phase to plant above-ground crops Thursday and Friday. Well, I certainly don't want to plant during the wrong moon phase, so it had to be done!
Of course, it helps that I'm planting for one, so deemed 10 plants sufficient for this rotation. It really didn't take that long to stick 10 peas in the ground. :)
I'm planning to add a second planting later - when the moon comes 'round to the right phase again.