Well, Good Morning, Gardeners! And a lovely morning it is with the days growing longer. This is the place for anyone who gardens indoors, outdoors, inground, raised beds, in pots, in growing bags, hydroponics. Come along, you garden browsers! And if you come just to enjoy the photos, that’s okay with us. All are welcome, always. I hope the SMGB blog provides some needed respite, maybe some inspiration, and some gardening advice, as well. Ask questions! Please feel free to post comments and your photos, indoors and outdoors. As always, we LOVE photos!!!
Today is Daffodil Day! Plus an update about what’s going on with vegetables for my garden this season. Hint: it’s still slow going…..
Finally, Spring appears to be moving ahead here in Central NYS. It’s been a seesaw of temperatures since February. 80 degrees then 30’s (and even lower) at night. Looks like we’ve stabilized in the 30’s for lows but that should be more like 40’s for this time of year. That did NOT stop the Daffodils from popping up, seemingly all at once around my neighborhood. If you’re interested in more information about them, read HERE and HERE. I took a walk around and found clusters and clusters of various Daffodils in so many yards. I am seeing more than in the past. I do wonder if some gardeners are exchanging their Tulips for Daffodils as the deer population eats the Tulips.
I especially liked this arrangement with the rock…..
A classic, butter yellow Daffodil!
I want some of these for my yard. Love the orange center against the bright yellow.
It’s so nice that someone planted a garden around these utility poles! The little puffy plants are, I think, a type of decorative grass.
Another “classic design” Daffodil. This one a different color yellow then the one above.
These are in one of my favorite, very large flower gardens near the street. Lots of things come up here that will be in photos later in the season. Daffodils are the first larger flowers up.
VEGETABLE GARDEN UPDATE: I checked back in the last diary here that I wrote and basically none of those plans panned out. The vegetable garden plot didn't get weeded. The mini greenhouse isn’t set up. No direct sowing of seeds. Why? Because it’s been too cold. Being out in the garden when it’s 40’s (or lower), drizzling rain, and windy? Nope. Rain came in cycles that didn’t allow me to weed and the soil would have been too wet to direct sow (I lost many seeds last year when the soil stayed wet for too long,) On the positive side, I did get some yard clean up done. The flower gardens appear to be coming along nicely. I’ve fended off the deer pretty well, so far (cayenne and garlic liquid continues to keep them away from anything they find tasty), so I can focus on the vegetable gardening. And I don’t feel too badly about the weather because one of the local television meteorology departments yesterday said no planting out for another week! At least. The last frost here in Central NY is generally mid May. I’ve seem it the 3rd week of May. And I’ve seen snow flurries on Memorial Day.
I was not going to start any seeds indoors in flats but that’s what I finally decided to do to get things moving/growing. Last Sunday, I pulled out all the flats in stock, a bag of Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix, and got to work starting seeds that several gardeners here were kind enough to share. I planted a lot of these and will share any extra plants with neighbors.
Prairie Spice Peppers and a cherry tomato from DownHeahMisissipppi. These starter flats are in a sunny living room window near the woodstove to keep them warm.
Lettuce from Hoghead99 — this one should winter over, too.
Kale (I forget what kind.), Tatsoi, Pak Choy from strawbale
I had some seeds leftover from Baker Creek last year so I started Tennis Ball Lettuce (really looks ball shaped!), Vates and Morris Heading Dwarf Collards.
Rainbow Swiss Chard (various colors of stems), Dill herb, and a type of pickling cucumber from High Mowing Seeds in Vermont. I chose that cucumber because of it’s small size. I will train it to climb up a tall tomato propping stand. That worked with a “volunteer” cucumber plant that showed up in last year’s garden so I thought I would see how this cuke does with that arrangement.
The flats other than the tomatoes and peppers go out on the kitchen patio if there’s sun (like today) even though the weather is cool. They are cooler temperature sproutable seeds. It’s been a challenge to keep all the flats damp as the humidity is very low because we are lacking in normal rain. I may even have to water the flower gardens which I have never done in May. Water is evaporating from my mini pond by the patio.
What’s left in seeds to direct sow?
Five kinds of Arugula! Includes one that is supposed to be as spicy as Wasabi Horseradish root. I CAN’T WAIT.
More Lettuce, a Mustard Greens mix, more Pak Choi, Lacinto Kale, Broccoli Rabe.
Thin French Filet Green Beans. My favorite! I have another more traditional Green Bean when the French bushes finish up. I love green beans because they’re easy, grow fast, can be planted in containers or in ground.
Possibly Parsnips and a short, chunky Carrot. Depends on if my space in the nearby community garden can be used. If so, I’ll also plant extras of Collards, Kale and Broccoli Rabe.
Most of what I grow like cooler weather so I can replant late Summer/September. I have found the Collards, Kale, and Arugula quite heat tolerant, too. Have to consider all possible temperature ranges.
So what are you all growing right now? Did you have to make any changes because of long term weather changes (ie. climate change)? Let us know what works and what doesn’t.
I leave you one last photo from a neighbor’s front yard — cute bird house with Hyacinths….and sometimes the resident yellow tiger kitty visits as I walk by!