Itty Bitty Seedlings

Hard to say what some seeds are doing. I'm sure soil temps are key. No problem with Alyssum. These little buggers started coming up without any real sun...cold temps to boot inside my roasting pans. I have four pans of these.

Nuttin' happening in here...By the way all were started March 12 except for the Xtreme Impatiens below (March 19).  Soil looks chunky doesn't it? Five no shows here...

1- Lobelia Blue Bird- lost some seeds. Mixed with sand and shaken with salt shaker
2- Lobelia Purple- May have been too heavy seeding
3- Forget me Not Blue Bird
4- Forget me Not Blue Bird
5- Spreading Petunia Purple Wave

Oh, the Impatiens are coming out...barely visible. Looks pretty ugly in there doesn't it? Lack of sun creating some mucky stuff.

1- Extreme White Impatiens
2- Extreme Salmon Impatiens

Next? Hoop garden #1- started March 8
Cosmos Sensation Radiance - left (48 inches)
Blue Enchantment Convolvous - right (14 inches)
Cosmos Summer Dreams- not shown (36 inches)

Hoop garden #2 Started March 16
Scarlet Starlet Marigold - (10 inches)

Convolvous- (14 inches) all these damned things are hard to spell. Hey those two look the same?

Stupid Or Something?

I couldn't get Forrest Gump off my mind when I created yet...more gardens. Who can forget "...what are you stupid or something?" Plenty of room and plenty of time is all I can say. Besides I've been trying to clear out the area on the west side so I can get those guys to bring in some more cow dung. Too many leftovers from other projects. Next on the list; five eight foot by 6" x 6" pressure treated beams. Maybe a small stairway leading down the creek bank. Something mother wanted. Or maybe a rustic bench. I certainly need more sittin' places around here.

Brown doves? they showed up a few days ago...

Paper white..one survived

Some other stuff...Hyacinths with Tulips in back and Dutch Iris in the foreground. I think they came out too soon back in December; browned leaf edges. Says guaranteed to grow on the package. I must have a few hundred planted here and there.

Crocus. Not very consistent in other areas but this looks good. Pics below taken four days ago. Above, today.

Muscari...

I'm certain I have the squirrels whipped on the bird feeder, but have yet to see one try to climb the pole...probably very funny. Hopefully complete Daffodil pics next week. Most are out except the multi colored ones along the creek

Haha. Got You Squirrels This Time

Since I moved here local squirrels would feast when no one was round to chase them away from the bird feeder. It didn't really bother me until this month. I tried grease on the pole, that didn't work. Then I looked into wrapping barbed wire around it, but didn't want to spend  $60.00 for a spool...and borrowing ten feet from somebody's fence didn't sound neighborly.  Aluminum flashing used on roofs seemed like an idea. Easy to staple into and now they don't have a chance...but it's only been one day.

I wonder how well paint sticks to Aluminum? There must be something that works. Too flashy for now. It need some brown. Guess what? Yep, that's snow on the fence; small sprinkling this morning after a few delightful days in the high 60's. Daffodils are flowering here and there, but you won't see pics until the complete show is on.

Seedlings started popping through the soil in the hoops late last week. Surprises me as there weren't  any good days for warming the soil. Looks like anything grows around here, except the Paper whites. They came up too soon back in December. I think they're fried.

Oh, the lawn. Let's see if hay keeps the seeds from washing away this time. I'm not spending much time on that danged thing this spring. I put about six hours into it last week. It will probably look great in May and June, but that's it. Then comes hot, humid weather and lawn diseases. No good air circulation around here to dry it out.

Flagstone path finally done across the back of the cabin. Need bush/shrubbery ideas between stones and house where wheel barrel sits. About 24 inches space.

Sunlight. First Time Since March 7

Darned friggin' depressing when trying to get seeds going. Rain here, rain there. I've been accustomed of late  telling the folks at the Weather Channel to f--- off. Yea that's a heavy F word, not like me really. Maybe things are bound to change. One thing is clear, that groundhog in PA was on target. It has been six more weeks of winter. Today is the first day I've actually had the back door open in the afternoon.

So what's new? Daffodils about town are in full bloom. Mine are trying. Must be the time I put 'em in the ground that's causing the delay? They look happier with some good sun today. Shown in the background are some Tulips raising their heads.

Down by the east pathway. Looks like I don't need the markers anymore.

I have oodles of Crocus here and there but only one lone flower.

Moving to the west side of the house I finally finished this garden. Ready to go for something come late April. I decided to cut down a few skinny Poplar trees for the border. It was supposed to be a raised garden area, but I got tired of bringing in more dirt. It's kind of raised. Good soil! Mulch, great black cow dung, and that other stuff from Canada...

And the hoop houses. Got some seed planted about 10 days ago in one. Lotta good that did with clouds and low temps. Oh well, at least I'm about 6-8 weeks ahead of just tossing it in the soil after the "last frost," providing winter does not continue.

Almost forgot these buggers. Filled with low growing stuff like Forget Me Not, Allyssum, Lobelia. Yellows, white, blues...purplish.

Oh, the Dianthus are flowering. They must like that cow crap too!

It should be an interesting spring.

Conestoga Wagons Train Stuck In Mud

Or that's what it will almost look like once I finish the hoop gardens. Windy weather has prevented the completion. Windy? I thought you didn't get wind down there in that valley? When it blows big time in the area I get some of it, but too much to try wrapping plastic around the hoops. Besides I have other stuff to take care of.

Finally got some cow crappings. I wish I had taken the camera along. I was referred to another dairy farm (started in 1840 or so the sign says) in a gorgeous valley setting. Homer Wright Road, about eight miles from home. They had oodles of wonderful stuff to enrich the gardens around here. For twelve bucks a scoop, I consider it a good deal, but I had to hand shovel it in the back of the truck. Heavy crap indeed. I was plum tuckered out, but not being in shape with all this cold weather has much to do with it.

I'll take up the offer of having it delivered when I need more. Two yards for $45 delivered by Yolando. I don't think he's a native. There were plenty of those guys around on the farm. Story has it the weather may get into the 60's this weekend. Yea, I keep looking and looking for warmer weather...but. Last March about this time there were for four straight days over 70 degrees...topping out at 82 one day.

More seeds on the way.  I won't be able to get all of them under the hoops, as I figure I have only 78 square feet to work with. Each little greenhouse measures 4 foot by 6 foot. If all goes well I may just do this up on top of the hill next year on a larger scale by clearing out some trees. Need firewood anyway.

Seeds ordered:

I got a case of click here for more..they're inexpensive. Now I have doubts if I can grow Begonias.


Swallowtail Gardens

IMPATIENS, XTREME WHITE 100 SEEDS
IMPATIENS, TEMPO WHITE 100 SEEDS
IMPATIENS, XTREME SALMON 100 SEEDS
ASTILBE, SHOWSTAR 25
BEGONIA, ILLUMINATION PEACHES 'N CREAM 25 PELETTED SEEDS
BEGONIA, GO GO SALMON 100 PELETTED SEEDS
BEGONIA, GO GO CHERRY 100 PELETTED SEEDS
SWEET PEA, MAMMOTH NAVY BLUE 50
SWEET PEA, FIREBRAND 50

Previous Order (Feb 25) From TM Seeds. Lousy service so far...no word

GRASSES ANEMANTHELE LESSONIANA
AQUILEGIA YELLOW STAR
COSMOS BIPPINATUS RUBENZA
DELOSPERMA STARDUST
SWEET WILLIAM SOOTY- black flowers!!
DIANTHUS MICROCHIPS
GRASSES: PANICUM VIRGATUM
HOLLYHOCK ROSEA HALO WHITE
LOBELIA QUEEN VICTORIA
VERBENA ST GEORGE