April 23

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

2013

Neighbor's bearded irises are beginning to bloom. Their daffodils are done.

The first born Red Cherry Large Fruited has it's first pea sized tomato forming. The Red Cherry Large Fruited have been, by far, the most vigorous under poor circumstances - planted to early, transplanted to cups too late, left under lights too long, put outdoors before it was really warm enough for tomatoes to thrive... and yet, it thrives.

Lawn needs mowing twice a week when it rains and its warm. Our neighbor has a lawn care business, so does it for us cheap; however, I am seeing a riding lawn mower in my crystal ball...can't wait for my own place. All that grass will make some awesome compost.

December 20

2010

Gardening in the High Desert

• Separated the Ivy into 4 coir 6" pots.  One has lovely long branches - I should cut some and make even more plants.
• Wet, relatively warm weather means more weeds are sprouting.  Good for fallow beds - turning them under.  But not so goo for the garlic.
• Have not planted tomatoes yet, the the urge is strong.  Soon.  Soon.
• Turned my damp compost. It smells so sweet.  Need to sift it and hoe it into my beds.
• Collards are pretty much kaput.  I wonder when I should winter sow them.
• Probably I should start a new JAN-FEB-MAR [hand written book] journal for 2011, but there is still some bit of space to fill in the one started in 2006.  Not so much as to be frugal, although there is that - but more for the companionship of year over year notes.
• Farmers dream of the deep, slow rains of this past weekend.
• Fall planted spinach still small, still green, still growing at a tiny pace.  Will they go crazy in the spring?  I need a LOT of plants for daily salads.  Survived negative temps, they did. 
• Will empty snaffle bottles lined up like wall-o-waters help protect early toms?  Or, if all danger of freezing, really freezing, is past, perhaps I could fill them.  I am thinking that since they are heavier than plastic, they won't blow over.  They should be a decent mini-heat sink and wind break.  And maybe help keep critters out, too.
• Looking forward to spring daffodils.  I wonder if the ones for forcing have had enough chill hours yet?
• DONE - Make new labels for my garden books [journals]

07 – July 30 - Journal Entry

2006

2006

Can't believe we've been here [in Nevada] nearly a year. So much accomplished, a few disappointments and so much more to look forward to.

• Watered
• Front trees
• Fruit trees
• Veggie Bed
• Little Lilacs
• Bird Bath
• Ficus
• Kitchen Window Plants

While watering pines out front, I noticed that each has its own resident lizard. They looked like some sort of anole Eat bugs, eat bugs and go forth and multiply.

Smooshed a grasshopper.

• DONE – mulch hybrid poplars (2006-07-30 – ½ done; 2006-08-13 Front done)
• DONE – Get rid of dead indoor plants
• Pot up houseplants into dirt
• Clean bird feeders
• DONE – Pick up trash [along fence line] – 2006-07-30
• Put away tree pots
• Build bird houses
• DONE – Make soap [glycerin; not home made, but I did combine the ingredients and set it up in molds]
• Concrete [plant] markers
• Suet pinecones
• kiddie pool to burry for bog garden [at some point I realized I lived in the desert and gave up on the idea of a bog garden]
• Order [driveway] gravel – 2006-08-24 delivered 12 tons $265 [12 tons is nothing; could have used 3 times as much]
• DONE – sow clover and winter rye – clover done 2006-9-3
• [Buy] thick plastic from Wal-Mart
• DONE – Take more photos – 2006-08-06
• Make map
• DONE – Order Garlic – 2006-08-06 due to arr mid September
• Order small river rock
• Dig a compost pit
• Inventory seeds – 2006-09-08 started
• Plant out lilacs
• Russian Sage Cuttings
• Sweet potato cuttings – 2006-08-11 – it's dead
• DONE – Clean bird fountain
• Raspberries for fall planting
• Get site ready for bulbs – 2006-08-20 will use old day lily site [chipmunks and/or mice ate them all]

The list goes on and on. I am currious to see if the daffs survived our brutal summer and if they will return [in] Spring. I hope, I hope

08 – August – To Do – Week 1

2007

2010

2007

• DONE – Water Trees – Back yard, Gala Apple, [September Wonder] Fuji Apples
  
• DONE – Finish tacking fence wire (2007-08-12 started)
  
• DONE – Return [extra roll of] fencing to HD [Home Depot]
  
• Spray Deer-Away
  
• Fill bird feeders
  
• Transplant Russian Sage
  

2010

• DONE – Turn compost
  
• Clean Chicken Coop
  
• DONE – Deep Water Trees
  
• DONE – bag sunflowers [to prevent wild birds from eating the seeds off of the ripening heads]
  
• Dig compost into future garlic bed
  
• Start another compost heap – include more browns – dried stuff