February 24

2015

Gardening in middle Tennessee

Record-keeping has been spotty this year as we have been moving. Hope to catch up on that this weekend. I am happy to see that some of my tomato seeds from 2006 and 2007 have germinated, even if rates are low as expected. If I can get tomatoes off of one or two plants, then I can have fresh seed. I am also pleased that peppers are doing well.

I put seedlings under lights this last few days. They have turned from pale yellow to green. Today will be their first full day in light. Hopefully they are a dark greens you in a day or two. 

Moved to The Little Biddy Henhouse 12/12/18

January 23

2006

2012

2006

1:03 AM

Gardening in the High Desert
Germination:
5 of 8 Sweet Baby Girl Cherry Toms
7 of 8 Mortgage Lifter Toms [1/31/2006 - one more germ'd]
Snapdragons germinated but did not survive my [business] trip
6 of 8 Steak Sandwich Toms [1/31/2006 - one more germ'd]
2 of 4 Morning Glory - Heavenly Blue
One Steak Sandwich Tom did not lose seed shell

21:54

Skinny, spindly, leggy seedlings. That's what I get for starting seedlings and not being there to see them sprout. Removing the cover & leaving the lights on seem to have helped. Need to find my grow light.

Can I start spinach yet? I've read it will grow in partial shade and tolerates frost.

Onalee says my lavender and white moon flowers have shipped. [2012 - Note - Seeds from both the lavender and white moon flowers were successfully grown out in the summer of 2011 from the 5 year old seed]

2012

Gardening in the High Desert
Weather: Snowed on the overnight
Traffic: 2 1/2 hours to get to work
Looks like it will be warming up so that the snow will all melt. Trees getting some sweet water today.

January 22

2006

2008

2011

2006

Gardening in the High Desert

Seed Orders

Bought 200 seeds of a lavender moonflower.  Never seen lavender ones advertised before.  [Finally got a few blooms in 2011 from a rabbit ravaged vine.] [Purchased from Onalee's Seeds] Also bought a few more seeds.  We'll see.

D has put up 10 more fence posts and is out of concrete now.

Should I get a Mantis Tiller? [2011-11-18 I did not, and I'm glad I didn't.  The sand is easy enough to just hoe up, and I do not have that big of a plot.]

Ordered some [used] "backyard bird" and "backyard wildlife" books from Amazon.com.  Had so much fun watching birds and such with my brother at his house.  Ordered a bird ID book, too.

From Onalee's Seeds - $27.50 Onalee@aol.com

• $15.00 - Impomoea Alba - White Moon Flowers
• $12.50 - Impomoea Turbinata - Lavender Moon Flowers

Plants of the South West $28.50 (Rec'd 1/28/2006)

• $2 - Lemon/Apple Cukes [2011-11-18 - Grew this in 2011 - seeds still viable - did not check germination rates, but it was over 50%
• $8 - High Desert Wildflower Mix 1 ounce
• $5 - 2 Pkt Blue Gama Grass
• $2 - Yellow Pear Tomato [2011-11-18 - These were also still viable in 2011]
• $2 - Sugar Snap Peas
• $2 - Mexico Miget Tomato [2011-11-18 - These were also still viable in 2011]
• $5 - Shipping

Prairie Garden Plant Ideas

(medium tall)

• Butterfly weed
• Columbine
• Cream False Indigo
• Narrow leave purple cone flower
• Nodding pink onion
• Orange Cone Flower
• Prairie Smoke
• Prairie Spiderwort
• Purple Con Flower
• Purple Prairie Clover
• Western Spiderwort
• Wild Petunia
• White Aster
• Prairie Dropseed Grass
• Blue Sky Aster (short)
• Downy Sunflower (tall)
• Little Blue Stem Grass
• Prairie Blazing Star
• Blue Gama Grass
• Big Blue Stem
• Prairie Sage
• Common Ox-eye

[2011-11-18 Note: Need to check if they are on the state "invasive" list.  Also, need to see what is poisonous to livestock, incase some escape from the "Prairie" to the "Pastures."]

Prairie Garden Tips

• Grow some samples in know places so you know what the seedlings look like
• Photograph samples for future 

Sweet Potato Storage

• Wash/Dry
• Grease with crisco, prick w/fork
• Bake 350*F until done
• Let cool & then wrap in foil (regular)
• Put in plastic bag and freeze

To Use

• Run under hot water and peal
• Prep as if fresh boiled
• Or microwave and will be like fresh baked

2008

Gardening in the High Desert
Need to start tracking weather in N TN and S Ky.

Remember: Procrastination Kills Plants!

2011

Gardening in the High Desert

00:46

I swear it feels like the tomatoes grew 2 inches in the last few days. Looks like the weather will be warm enough to put them outside a spell again.
Started, yes, more tomatoes. Also started some peppers. 12 weeks ahead of transplant time - just about right. Tomes will be leggy for sure, by then. But still, the more important thing is that they'll be old enough to start flowering as soon as they're in the ground. And set fruit before the scorching season arrives. Hopefully sunflowers will shaw and contain them.

22:17

Got so much done today; it was a good day for gardening

• Toms and basil and some ivy went outside
  
• Potted up some more basil from lettuce tray
  
• Potted sweet potato cutting in old Jack In The Box cup and put in a [decorative] tin pot
  
• Brought small daffs in for forcing
  
• Turned compost
  
• Hoed under some weeds in future beds
  
• Can't believe how much bigger the transplanted basil is