A Summary at Hand

Boy has time flown during this uber busy season. I see it has been over a month since my last post, but not for a lack of trying. I have a couple of unfinished posts ready to be completed, but those will have to wait.

Its garden time.

Things were going so well. I transplanted 10 of the tomato plants out in buckets to the porch. Then, BOOM! a cold snap with freezing temps had me shuffling the tomato and every other plant into the two upstairs houses. It was like a jungle in my living room as they refuged from the cold. Now I am skeptical about putting anything outside that can't be carted back in the house if need be. For some odd reason the frost free day is really late in April for this area. Arizona, go figure.

The beginning of the tomato army.

This beautiful thing survived the frost too.

Plants happy outside.

I did bite the bullet and put the mystery plants outside. I am still in wonder about what they might turn out to be, a squash, a watermelon, S thinks okra. I guess this is what happens when a person composts. Whatever they are, they want to GROW! They have beat everyone in the cycle and are rocking and rolling.

Anyone have a guess as to what it is?

And check out what I found growing, the bundling sage. I tried so hard last year to get this silly plant to grow to little such luck. This is the second plant I have found randomly. I guess it needed a couple of seasons to start.

Growing in a crack.

The potatoes finally started to emerge from their blanket of comfort. I was gifted a bale of 'straw', come to find out it is hay, so I pick out little hay sprouts daily from the potato bin. Not too worry though, I am on it. The hay will not impede the growing of the potatoes.

Super stoked about these guys' arrival into the world

I did the adult chore of a thing to do and bought a new set of tires for the land turtle (car) before my big trip next month. The guy at the place thought I was going to pay him $10 to take my tires away. Yeah right, silly goose. So far it is home to a few dianthus, another flower I can't remember what it is, and a cherry tomato. I have heard mixed reviews about eating plants grown in tires, and haven't really made up my mind on it, so the tomato will stay til I make up my mind. The other two tires will house hollyhocks and marigolds when they are ready to transplant. It lies in the path of the back entrance, so a bit of color to go along with all the edible plants that will soon be out there.

Since this has become a summary of sorts I will continue with what else has been done to fancy up the outside space for this year's garden. The few coldish months that I took as a break allowed the yard to really start to look icky, so getting it back to show time has been in my mind. S is great at building things and had me help in building a structure that will attempt to keep frieda paprika in the compound walls. She is smart and will probably not take her too long to find an escape route, but a nicer fence was needed and it was a good thing for me to learn.

The fence, lettuce and spinach tray, sage, onion and carrot and garlic boxes

You think you can keep me in...

 And totally ungarden related, but really cool, the hummingbirds are back. I have seen about 3 different species, and the Broad-billed is such a beaut with its bright red beak.

So, I guess it is time for summer to roll in. If not yet, then I would call this porch season, for today I can't seem to do anything other than sit on the porch and let the cool breeze blow against my face. Well, that and a little guitar pickin' (on the porch, of course).

And since we have hit on a couple of non-gardening things, here is a small list of what has been going on outside the gardening world.

Ranger Michael has come up with an awesome idea, Ranger Recipes, and my 'Yummy to the Tummy Vegan Nachos' is recipe #7. You should check it out, there are great recipes on this site.  I veganized the 'Mrs. Liang's Ginger Crackle Cookies', and they were awesome and replaced the already stellar ginger cookie recipe I had on hand. I am sure for you egg eating folks they are just as good with eggs.


I again joined artistic forces with S. Lee for an 8-hour drawing event at Heather Green Studios. It was a jewel of a time working among others while they create, and everyone's piece was amazing to view. There are alot of talented folks in this community. There is a time-lapse video at Heather's blog, where you can check out the progression of the pieces as the day unfolds. This was my first real go on wheat pasting (the man hunched over) and I can't wait to put up a couple of more pieces around town.

What 8 hours can do.

With the amount of plants still housed in the bathroom the next few weeks will keep me pretty busy as I ready the beds for them to move outside. The end of the bathroom is going to look really lonely when all of the plants vacate.  

Its a Repurpose kinda day...

Now that I am on the flower side of things I am a dangerous being. I just can't be trusted at the hardware store now that plants are being displayed and I took the plunge and purchased a few to brighten up the compound. Plus, the colors makes it feel like spring. I have desperately tried to start cosmos two years in a row, never a success. So it was a given that when seen, I got. I didn't have a planter that could be placed in full sun and a tad bummed about the possibility of not being able to plant these beauties today. One walk through the area where I keep the hopefully usable wood scraps and low and behold a couple of drawer fronts and a couple of other spare pieces were sitting there waiting to be used. Cut a bit and shoot a few brads in for good measure and, viola! An appropriate box for cosmos.

Chillin next to the salvia

Up close and personal

It seems as though when picking out flowers my eager beaver attitude did not look at the tags of the plants and many need direct sun. I see a few more boxes being made in the future. I think if I look hard enough I might have enough materials for 2 or 3 more boxes.

A little thing I made last year that was super easy to make and quite a handy object in keeping track of gardening costs is my chalk board. One of my favorite things about the tiny little town where I live is the availability of found items. Treasures can be found on the side of the road all the time by folks who don't need the anymore. There's that re-use lesson of the day... Last year I picked up a window frame that had tin instead of glass. One quick layer or two of chalkboard spray paint, a few knick knacks (knobs and wire) to make it personal and hangable, and a you have a board waiting to be chalked. Usually it keeps either a to-do or grocery list, but I want to keep track of how many bags of soil are used during a planting season, so it has been forced into keeping stats this year.

Strawberry knobs are  just a delight

One Mississippi, Two Mississippi...

Flowers are not the only thing I have been tootaling around with today, I am also readying the grounds of the compound. The plants are just doing so well in the nursery, it wont be too long before they make it outside. If my calculations are correct the weather should be past the chance of frost when the plants are big enough to be transplanted. All the plants that have been outside are doing great also and I might be eating garlic from the garden soon. YEAH!!! It is hard to tell in the picture, but 20 of 24 plants have sprouted. Not too bad of a ratio so far.

Plants a plenty

Give me the sun!

La capacidad del sol

The sun is shining and I have been graciously called outdoors by its solar powers. The last few weekends have been nice enough to provide ample time to get to all the outdoor activities I hid from during the cold snap of winter. I am trying to keep ahead of the game because once the plants are ready to be moved outside, full force gardening will take place and I won't have time to do all the piddly preparation stuff. And to be honest, it is one of my favorite past times, piddly anything. I chose a strawberry Topsy Turvy at work's holiday White Elephant gift exchange. I have wondered how these things work, so it was a given I would choose this to take home. I finally assembled it yesterday. How cute! So much more piddly business needs to take place in the next couple to three weeks.

Hung and proud (I went there, yes)

A flower!

The garden provided a bit during the winter, but in reality it was a rest period and the compound shows this in appearance. Picking up and thinking up ideas for best practices of the garden this year is what I am digging at this time. Since I am giving up on gardening up top sans fence I am bringing the soaker hoses from up top to the plants in the fence. Only one plant thrived up top, the tomatillo, so condensing the middle area and bringing down the hoses will be new and different from last year.  A little test, if you will.

Last year I got over the stigma I had with growing flowers. At the time I didn't think I could or should foster the growth of a plant that didn't provide food. Thank goodness for garden evolution and my neighbors having the most kick ass flowers (can we say jealous?). Since I fell in love with the beauty of the colors from last year, I couldn't resist. I have started flowers this year, YEAH! A couple of folks are selling flowers at the Farmer's Market to raise money for a documentary so I picked up a couple of dwarf snap dragons and then a geranium from the hardware store. The new plants, coupled with a set of new pots I have been eying for months, and KA-POW! Slowly but surely the plants are making their way outside and beautifying the porch. I give it about two weeks before the others begin to emerge. I feel one more cold snap is in the future...

Little by little they emerge from the house

During last week's body fluid expulsionary sickness I found Pinterest and the introduction to all the wonderful ideas people put in one convenient location. The fever stricken moments allowed for the searching of gardening genius, and this weekend I started on the ideas. I have wanted to grow potatoes for some time now but the ground here is a tad sketchy and try my best to not grow directly into it if I don't have to.  A potato tower? Yes, please.  I saw the pin before I really had the whole Pinterest idea, so I lost the original instructions and found a random one on the internet. I am not as satisfied with the look on the one I made versus the one in the link above (the original pin), but I don't think looks really matter in this game. I only have two blue potato plants that were a test at the current moment. I will pick up a plethora of kinds of potatoes today at the Co-op to add to the bin. I will then add the soaker hose to it, the lettuce tray, carrot and chive box, and the garlic box.

'Hog wire' fencing

A couple of blue potatoes in straw and a bit of dirt

Another pin showed me a method of onion end re-purposing. Let's see how it does. I added an end of a celery stalk too,  just to see how this might work also. Although the celery and onion ends were sharing a space oh- so- well, I moved the celery to its own container post picture for optimal success.

Celery and onion get an 'A' in sharing.

Little plantling update: About 20 of 24 plant varieties have popped up and are doing well. This just proves with the right conditions this seed sprouting business can occur with the fastest of the fasts. In no time I will be moving them from their nursery to outside like big plants should, sniff, sniff. Aaahhh gardening, I have missed you...Let the good times roll (again).

Progress Fosters Renewal

Aah, President's weekend. It was supposed to be a 3-day weekend that turned into 5 days off with a touch of flu and a visit to the dentist. Ok, in all fairness the trip to the dentist was scheduled, but the flu was a flat out sneaker upper and took me as its victim in the wee hours of Friday. Ick, is all I have to say about this thing. It was a horrible, horrible 3 days and I sure hope the next flu is not as bad as this one.

I had high hopes for this weekend too. I missed the Mystery Ball but didn't feel like I should share the joyous feelings I had been experiencing. Lots of work and time went into the project with no gratification with seeing people interact with the piece. I must say it turned out pretty damn good from what I could tell when we set it up Thursday night. I was also hoping to get a bit of birding in, but no. No new life birds added to my list. I did, however, get to a bit of gardening. After being in bed for 3 days (the third was a 'just in case' day) I just had to not lay down for a bit.  I found gardening can be done at a snail's pace, so snail's pace it went. Since I had over half a bag of soil left, planting was on the top of the list.

There were 4, technically 5 since mesclun mix comes from 2 packages, kinds of seeds that I had yet to plant from this year's seed purchase. Chives, carrots, spinach, and the mesclun mix were put to soil. There were also a few plants that were planted back on January 9 that needed to be transplanted. Hogheart paste and Peacevine cherry tomatoes are in full force and look quite happy in their bigger space.

This gardening season is starting off GREAT! I am glad I started so early on the seeds and able to apply a few mistakes learned from last year. I can almost taste the yummy goodness already...

And We Have a Winner!

Not that there was a said competition going on or anything, but if there was such a competition yesterday would have had a tie for the first plants to have popped up from their comfy beds of soil. But, if that non-competition, that wasn't going on in the first place, would have continued overnight we would have A winner of who grew the most! And if the only organizational thing I have in my life right now is working properly (the veggie planting chart) the winner is....drum roll please....the cucumber! And runner up...kale. Yep, it has only been one week since these little guys went in soil and nourished with water.

On the road again...

And wouldn't you know as I look in other plantings around the house I continue to find surprise compost plants in with freshly transpotted plants. The mystery continues....

Let the guessing and wagering begin!

A bit of planting snuck in...

The piece for Central School Project 's Mystery Ball is nearing completion. Good thing, it is due in a few short days to be in place for the upcoming weekend. I was out of town for work a couple of days, which means I spent most of last couple of days finishing up the few things I lacked. A few more touches, a frame, and this thing is ready to be hauled down and assembled. I hope the damn thing isn't too heavy to carry down the stairs...Yikes!

The moisture is stuck in the air and when you add painting to the mix the results are slow drying. These little rest spots from the project gave the perfect amount of time to plant 24 new kinds of seeds, 6 of each actually. Yep, that's 144 little plants started. Many of these I have not grown before and am really looking forward to the test. Keeping the excitement on its toes. Then again, there are a few others that are repeats. Champs of the garden if you will. When I opened the packets to place the seeds in their respective holes it was like saying hello to an old friend. Like the tomatillo, which was a crazy producing plant last year and offered the best salsa many times over. And let us not forget the German thyme that accompanied many 'a scrumptious morning bagels...I think I am memory drooling.

Getting ready to be planted

I am hoping to be a bit more organized this year than last. I doubt this lasts too long, but for this mass seed starting venture I went the extra mile and charted out the layout of the planter. My hopes are to lessen the confusion in the coming weeks.

Hanging out with the more progressive plantlings

Its all about the organization

Good thing the weather stepped in and gave a few moments of non painting where the new plants that will (hopefully) provide me with yummy to the tummy goodness could be put in soil. So, don't forget folks, the CSP Mystery Ball is this weekend. Come on out, bring your cameras, and interact with this new project that has been in the works for weeks. It is a good fundraiser for this non-profit and the pieces are always so fun.

"It's a Mystery to Me.."

Slow start. Yes, it has been a slow start for this year's gardening season. I guess when you look at it in terms of starting months earlier, the slow start can be a good pace. And good it is. I love Fedco Seeds, and used them again this year since last year's plants were amazing, but they don't necessarily rush the seeds out the door upon ordering. At first I was a little disappointed that I was not going to be starting seeds this weekend. But, come to find out the lapse in time was much needed, and in hind sight, muchas appreciated.

The sweet, little plantlings are trucking away like champs so early in the game. I started these guys using quite a bit of compost mixed with a little soil I had lying around. This past week while checking on the itty- bitty goodness producers I noticed a bit of oddness. And to my surprise some sort of squash-type plants had infiltrated the pottlings.  There must have been seeds in the compost that wasn't quite made into new nutrient rich soils by the worm farm. BONUS!, mystery plants on the loose. I can't wait to see what this enigmatic creation has in store for the future.

Blue potato and tomato plantlings

the piggy-backers now have their own pot in which to grow

The lapse in time from gardening proved to be very inviting this weekend, and the time was filled creatively through long hours. The Central School Project's Mystery Ball is around the corner, and SLee asked if I would collaborate on a piece. She had a great idea, so I was game, and how could I not be? Most days after work and each weekend since has been spent hard at work building a wall, working it to look like concrete, and then stenciling and mosaic-ing the piece to make it look like it is a structure that would be in this crazy little town. SLee's portion of the piece is an interactive scene where the participants can take be apart of the scene in numerous ways. So come check and interact during the Ball and support a local non-profit while having loads of fun.

Warning: The pictures below are of an unfinished piece, progress remains, many, many hours of progress...

Being legal and building a wall to stencil, take that

Messy work

HUAR

Slee's piece is shaping up

Don't fear the reaper fear the robot

Although the extra time this weekend didn't go into the garden, it was productive and downright exhausting. I am sure once the piece is finished and delivered the seeds will magically appear for a perfect timing arrival and the next period of planting can begin. The different stages of the plants might just fall into my master plan...and the gardening season will provide for my table once more.