It is March and I GOT MY SEEDS!

This year, together with three friends, we have ordered our seeds for the 2015 garden! I can't wait to get planting.

This year I plan to go back to just staples with one or two new things to see how they work. The new things I want to try are beans, black and pinto type beans, and some grains such as amaranth and quinoa.  I am quite excited as we have had a wicked winter full of negative temps, several days if not weeks worth of -25 to -30 degree temps. And as of this morning we received a dump of snow on top of a rain/melt period which turned everything under the snow to ice. To put my hands in beautiful, black soil right now sounds like heaven!

Which leads me to the next picture......

Some how a glitch in my Ipad ordered me 23 packages of sugar snap peas. Baker Seeds is gracious enough to take the ones I don't use back and credit me, but oh me and my technology woes. Just when I think I am bad at gardening, the universe reminds me that I am also bad at technology. Which am I the worst? I guess this season will tell.

F^*# Zone 6a

F^*# zone 6!  It is May 13th and both last night and tonight we have a frost warning.  I know I have been getting spoiled the past few years with warm springs and plants in by Mother's Day, but man does it suck!

The only thing I wanted to do on yesterday for Mother's Day was work in my gardens.  Instead I froze my behind off picking flowers and hanging baskets at Brenckles Nursery.  They have a great supply of annuals and besides the cold weather, I was in a good mood.

Friday of last week, I found a new garden center not far from me.  Thanks to a Groupon, my mom and I went and found some really awesome perennials.  The name of the place is Farm & Garden and is located in Allison Park.  They only sell perennials and truthfully I am looking more for them than anything.  I would like to make this yard a low maintenance but highly visual space.

There is a lot to chat about this year.  In the fall of 2011 we got a large gregarious dog named Willie.  After hubster put in our Invisible Fence, Willie has carved paths out of some of my most favorite gardens.  He has also managed to stomp some of my most beloved plants.  So this is the year of moving those plants to areas he will not be able to reach.  But it also is giving me a chance to focus, which if you have read this blog at all or know me even a little bit, you know I lack this function.

So I will leave this post with the knowledge that this year I will be back in full force!  I promise lots of pictures and everything!

Memorial Day Madness 2012- The Year The Mayans Killed Me- Part Two

So as you can tell this whole Mayan Calendar thing has got me enthralled. I feel like I am prettying up my yard for the end. End of what? Probably just the year 2012, but just in case, I'll have some food too. Back to Memorial Day Madness (MDM)........ Saturday morning was a god sent. The temp at 10 am felt like the 90's. We stood at the kids soccer game contemplating what we were going to do. The kids saw the pool and knew it was going to open, so I skipped (GASP) the MDM on Saturday. Well at least I skipped it until we got home from the pool. Hub had dug out the ditch in the back for out dry creek bed. After grabbing a bite to eat, we headed out for river rock. Lots and lots of rock later, we had our dry river bed. Sunday, I FINALLY tackled my garden. I removed all the dirt from the bed and started sifting it. In those moments of sifting on my makeshift screen, I had flashbacks of my grandfather. He would sift his dirt and we all thought it was funny. Now I sit sifting dirt. However, it became clear quite quickly that this was going to be a LONG project. This invasive weed that had taken over my garden is everywhere and has so many tiny sprouts that I easily miss. For the sake of my poor seedlings that are awaiting planting, I forgo the sifting for now. We use new dirt and mix it with manure and compost. but we need more and we are late for dinner with hubs family. Monday, actual Memorial Day, kids go with pap to see my brother, cousin, & uncle march in the Millvale parade. Hub and i go back to the garden center. Hub is beat. So we buy the last of our needed supplies and head home. I added the remaining dirt to the garden bed and FINALLY plant my plants. Well in our 4x11 garden bed I planted all tomatoes, with some to spare. I then had enough dirt to start one of my new beds. Hub agreed to tear out one section of grass by the back door to house the remaining three garden beds. So with one down, I got my crops in.... Except for my cukes..... More about that soon. I plan to set up one bed for just herbs and the other for more veggies. But to do this, I need to sift two garden beds worth of dirt. Not looking forward to this AT ALL! In the end I know it will be worth it, but the thought of it right now is making me ill. So that will wait until next week, most likely. The one thing I do have to finish though are planting my cukes. They are doing really well in their small planters. I had a bed bought a long time ago from craigslist. I planned to use it for my daughter. We ended up going a different route with her bed but I held onto it. It has an old style spring board. So I decided to dig a hole against my house and sink the spring board into the ground. I will then plant the cukes in front of it and let them climb. Yesterday when digging this hole I kept hitting an old bird house that has been here since we moved in. I never fill it and keep forgetting to take it down. Well to my surprise there was a wasp nest inside. I angered the wasp in it when I moved the nest and it literally circled and chased me the remainder of the day. So I still have to plant the cukes, but otherwise, we're good!

Memorial Day Madness 2012- The Year the Mayan's Killed Me

I am currently sitting here in a semi coma from pizza and I have just cracked my first beer.  Here are the gory details on our Memorial Day Madness from the past two days.

First, we had about 4 yards of mulch delivered.  Hub thought this would be enough to cover the entire length of our property where a "flower bed" had be made by previous owners.  We also planned to mulch five other areas, including a new area under the kids new swing set.  After two days, we came up about a yard short, if not more.  UGH!

Second, the above mentioned area hasn't been touched in two years.  Last year, I was working as I had a retail shop with my tea business.  I have since closed it to spend more time with the kids, but I would have done anything to be sitting at the shop these past two days!  Anyway, since it has been so long everything was over grown, horribly over grown.  Instead of spreading mulch, we ended up splitting hostas, cutting forsythia that had tumbled in from the neighbors yard, trimmed the bushes back, pulled weeds, and removed dead plants.  We were able to unleash our poor quince tree which had been gobbled up by the forsythia.  I am hoping we can trim it in the fall and get a good harvest next  year.

Third, we split some of our tall grasses.  They are over 6 feet tall and have grown insanely thick.  One thick grass was split into 6 or 7 smaller grasses that we replanted to hide the neighbors unsightly area behind his garage.  Also so the other neighbors can't look straight down into our yard.  We still have 3 or 4 more of these big grasses to split.  I am dreading this as one of the blades of grass cut my neck.  It stung horribly all day.  I may be allergic.  That sucks!

Fourth, with the grasses we started planning for our next project which is to turn the water runoff ditch into a stone brook.  Well at least when it rains it will be a brook.... other than that it will be a stoned ditch.  I eventually want to install a rain garden, but that is on the back burner for now.  I can't wait!

Fifth,  Hubster was able to fix some of the holes that our new dog, Willie, had dug.  Hub has never had a big dog and so he is learning, sometimes unhappily, about how big dogs work.  Willie has dug a ton of holes in our yard.  Hub should have gone to school for lawn care for how much he LOVES grass.  He did graduate from Penn State so he could have, which I pointed out during a very heated conversation today.  In any case, as we took back pieces of our landscape, he took the sod and replanted it around in the holes.  He was very happy, which is good.

Sixth, some of that said grass from number 5 came from underneath the kids new swing set.  Last fall, well labor day, hub rented a truck and bought a big swingset from someone on craigslist.  It is massive and took 5 grown men and a u Haul to get it here.  It is not part of the cottage garden I envisioned, but it makes my kids happy.  They are only little for a short period of time.  The cottage garden can wait.  However, there is a tower of sorts.  We think underneath is meant for sand, however, my kids are too big for sand AND we have cats.  No thanks!  So today, hub recycled the grass for his holes and we mulched it.  Then we put their picnic table under there.  They love to eat outside!  It was perfect!

Lastly, we mulched my newest shade garden and sun gardens, only I forgot what I had planted.  So I was carefully trying to figure out what I had planted and what I wanted to pull out.  Unfortunately, I had shopped last year at the local nursery that specializes in local plants, which most people think are weeds.  By the end of that, I had enough.  My stomach hurt, I was over heated, slightly dehydrated and exhausted.  I could have  cried right there.  In all fairness, we took a short break to go to the nursery to get another yard of mulch since we ran out.  So after sitting for about an hour, the last thing I wanted to do was spread more effing mulch.  But we wanted to get it done!

This year hubster took off yesterday, today and then obviously gets off on Monday, so goodie for me, Memorial Day Madness is extended.  Tomorrow we will tackle the garden, which needs so much work, I could die.  It was great in the spring and then Willie jumped in it and dug out all of my spring crops.  Not to mention,  I have some kind of weed that keeps growing in it.  So I have to remove all the dirt and start over. We are also moving one garden bed.  My body is rejecting all offers, but I have to get this done.  The vegetables are one of the main reasons I garden!

Advil tonight...... Until tomorrow......

Sometimes Procrastination is Good

Back in the 10th grade I had a teacher, Mrs. Weber, who triumphantly told my class that, "Procrastination is the thief of time.".  While that statement has haunted me many a times as I pulled all nighters or late nighters before a big test, event, etc there is one time that she was wrong.  Yesterday.

We've had a warm winter and a warm spring.  Many days of 80 degrees followed by colder days of 60 or so.  None of which are too cold for most plants.  I was planning on planting my tomatoes, peppers and the like early this year thinking I would be in the clear.  However, Sunday into Monday parts of PA got blasted with snow and not just a little, but a LOT!  We were forecasted to get 6 inches and we got zero, but the air was cold and the rain was sleety.

Since I procrastinated putting my seeds to dirt, I never did get to plant early as I wanted.  But you see here is where I win because by procrastinating, I saved time and money!  I saved money by not having to buy more seeds or plants and time by not having to redo my garden.  So take that Mrs. Weber!  Us procrastinators aren't always wrong!

Spring of Armageddon

It's the year of Armageddon, or it is supposed to be according to the infamous Mayan Calendar.  As interested as I am in figuring out why the Mayans stopped on December 21, 2012, I had finally put the whole "world ending" on a back burner of my mind.  That was until today.

As noted in this blog on a prior posts I hate when trees are removed.  Trees to me symbolize life, earth, air, and they tug at my inner hippie heart strings.  Their beauty is striking and symbolic.  We bought a house built in 1926.  Trees back then were planted along the property lines as a green living fence.  These trees grew to twice even three times the size of our house.  Along the way someone hired an arborist that topped the trees.  Apparently, when you top the trees instead of pruning them, the tree can't heal itself properly.  When this happens, the wood begins to rot.  So now we have BIG beautiful trees, two to three times the size of our house rotting from the inside out.  This means I will eventually have to be the person I wrote about in the other posts.  The person who chooses to take down not one but three monumental trees.  I am sick, sad and overall feel like this is my armageddon.

Whether it is lucky or unlucky, I am not sure, but we currently do not have the money to remove them.  I think for now, they will stay and hopefully not fall and kill anyone.  When the day comes to take them down, it will be a very hard day for me.  Until then, I will just photograph them and enjoy their beauty.

Just When I Thought I Wanted to Live in the City....

I spent time in my garden.

Last night I attended a meeting about the fate of a historic building, in which my business is located. All of the insanity aside, the plans were quite beautiful. I envisioned selling my house and moving into the waterfront condos. With basically no need for a car, I would be living in my green heaven.

I should also mention I am at a point in my life where I want to do what makes me happy in the moment. Nothing else matters than this moment. So with that attitude I awoke today wanting to be outside and outside I went. I started with some simple weeding, followed by planting some plants that were given to me months ago by friends. I then got out the mower and mowed the front lawn. During the mowing process, I believe the humming put me into a trance. In that trance, I realized, I'm happiest in my garden. Even when it is back breaking and exhausting, my yard brings me such joy that losing it all together would be awful.

I am not going to worry about the future, but one thing I know...... I always need a garden.

The Long, Hot Summer

After the cold, snowy winter, I promised never to complain about the heat. So I'm not gonna. But what I will say is that I haven't been in the garden much. Between my business, my kids and my house wife duties I've slacked off big time. Since slacking off, I have noticed a change in my personal being and it hasn't been for the better. Gardening grounds me. I feel at one with mother earth when I'm digging. Overall, I just feel calmer when I'm in the garden.

A few days ago, I was out with my mom. She mentioned that on her scooter ride around the neighborhood she found a house with unusual plants. So we took a drive by to see them. They were not only unusual, but honestly I had never seen them before. So I took some pictures and then swung into the driveway to ask what they were. The gentleman was so sweet. He came out and cut me off seeds for both of the plants we liked. He said he had been gardening for over 20 years at his home. He said he would come home from work and go straight to the garden. He said he wouldn't come in until dark every night.

In that simple conversation, I realized how much I missed my garden. So starting this week, i am getting back into the game! Pictures and stories to follow!

The Evil Minty Plan

I have an evil plan.  And that is to take over my yard with mint starting with my path.  I planted a few small sprigs that I dug out of pots that they were in last year and planted them along my herb patch.

I also planted a few different mints in the side of my yard.  They were mostly transplants from last year's stash including White Peppermint, Black Peppermint, Chocolate Mint, Peppermint, and a few others.  I thought I had them all when I stumbled upon a website that had at least 10 varieties that I don't have and in most cases didn't know about.  

My neighbor is astonished by my mint plants.  I told her about the website in which I found more.  I thought she was going to fall over.  It seems my evil minty plan is underway.... bwahahahahahahaha!

Sylvania Natives

My gram passed away a few weeks ago.  She was one of the people in my life who made me love plants and their medicinal properties.  In fact she sent me a list of herbs in which one should grow in their garden for almost all ailments.  I came across the list recently and in the wake of her death I thought I should honor her in the best way possible..... through a medicinal garden.

The only sign denoting the existence of this gem.

I had started looking on line for places that offer unique herbs such as Arnica, Boneset, Black Cohosh, etc.  I found one place that I plan on using, however, a friend suggested I try Sylvania Natives.  Ironically, one of the ladies who works there, Jessica, happened to be at my work over the weekend.  We chatted like old friends and she told me she'd be working Monday.  I called up my mom and away we went to find this gem in the city.

Wild Strawberries 

Upon driving down Ira Way, we almost passed it up as it literally looks like someone's yard.  I quickly pulled in proud of the fact that I actually found it!  When I opened up my door, there were wild strawberries growing right outside of my door.  I wanted to pick some and eat them, but I resisted!

Tupelo Tree

We then entered in past the enchanting wooden etched sign into a raised bed garden haven.  I was especially taken by the first sign I read, which said "Tupelo" which also happens to be the name of my business.

View of the Gardens

I ended up with several native plants with the want to find room for more.  In the end, I didn't find many of the herbs I was looking to add to my medicinal garden.  Cathy, the owner, said she only grows what is literally local plants... meaning if it isn't found in Pittsburgh, she doesn't carry it. She said some of the "native" plants could have been local to a broader region than what she carries.  I was intrigued, though by all of the edible plants as she has a variety of bushes and trees that fruit.

Lots of native plants for sale!

I came home and immediately planted my findings.  Including two different kinds of local bergamot, a wild ginger, boneset (one of the items she did have that I wanted), black cohosh (which I also wanted), local columbines (one of my favorites) and several other plants.  I'll photograph and put them in another blog post.  I am still looking to do my medicinal herb garden but I'll have to save that for another time.

Cathartic Gardening

This morning I woke up with my new goal at hand.  Each morning I wake up between 6 and 6:30 and head right out to the garden to weed.  I figure even a few minutes pulling weeds will make my garden prettier and will keep me on track.  Plus, with that as the goal, getting out of bed will hopefully be easier.

So I went out and started pulling some weeds in the front yard.  A few minutes in I realized I needed to weed another portion of the yard.  So I moved there.  Pretty soon my Adult ADD set in and I couldn't stop moving from space to space pulling all the weeds.  In front of the house, on the side, behind...... OH MY!  I also got other tasks done:

I finally got the Lily of the Valley planted from my grams funeral.

I dug up some Lillies to give to a friend who gave me some Allium.

Then I delivered the plants and went onto the nursery.  There I bought a butterfly bush and a beautiful daisy along with some more hot peppers and annuals for my planters.

I planted my boots and my three tiered planters plus a watering can and bucket that I never got around to planting last year.

I staked my tomatoes for the first time EVER this early in the season.

I almost completely weeded my garden bed.

I planted EVERYTHING I bought.

I raked up the weeds and tidied up the garden area.

I planted potatoes for the first time.

I dug up and turned over one garden bed area where the ivy keeps coming back.... pulling out all of the roots.

Somewhere in the midst of all this work, I sat and cried.  I cried and cried and cried.  I have some reasons and I also have some nonsense reasons for crying, but it felt good.  Six and a half hours later, my yard looks better and my heart is a little less heavy.  How is that for cathartic gardening?

Herbs and Ferns and Plants

Yesterday I cleaned out my herb garden.  It is right in front of my house and was such an eyesore from the plants wintering.  I may have made a few mistakes as I turned over the dirt and found the plant markers from last year.  I had purchased all perennial herbs but hadn't realized this as I over turned the dirt.  I salvaged several of the plants and I'm hoping some of the smaller portions I found with roots will grow.  I need to go back to the garden center for more plants... DH is going to LOVE that!

Two years ago and then last year I bought ferns to place into the woodland gardens.  I successfully killed at least two of the 5, however, today from the window in the basement, I saw the one on the right.  How excited was I that they were coming back.  

 Lastly, this plant is killing me.  I bought it last year and I swear it had a name like Uncle Joes, or something of that sort.  It is a Pennsylvania Woodland Plant, or so I think.  It now has cute little white berries or maybe they are white flowers.  In any case, I planted it late in the summer and am DYING to know what it is.  I guess I should have taken pictures and posted them on this blog.  Noted for future reference.

The Grass is Definitely...... Purple and Yellow

I was driving home today and as I turned onto my street, I noticed my neighbor's lawn wasn't just green but also purple and yellow.  I had seen the little purple flowers in my yard, but never really stepped back to see it from a far.  It looked beautiful.  Where is the yellow from?  Dandelions of course.

When I first started this blog, I was looking for ways to get rid of dandelions.  That was before I friended bee keepers.  It seems dandelions as well as other early blooming flowers help the bees feed after a long winter.  And here we were trying to get rid of them.  At least the hub was and is always trying to get rid of them.  The dandelions greens are good for you and good for helping with digestion.  The root is a good liver detoxifier and tastes best when they are roasted first.  I don't know what all the fuss is about.  Sure hub wants a lush green lawn, but it's prettier with a little purple and yellow thrown in.

Spring Show

I hadn't noticed until someone mentioned we have had a VERY wet spring here in Pittsburgh.  Now it is all I think about as I prepare my day.  Today started out wet but warm.  It is slowly getting cold again and the wind is whipping so hard against my windows that at times I'm afraid they are going to break.

Before we get dumped on again, I decided to run out and document my Spring Show.  After all this is my favorite growing season of the year.  Mostly because we've just come off of a cold, snowy winter and here Mother Nature is promising us that the weather is changing, even if it is really slow going.

These pictures are probably some of my worst pictures, but it's cold and the wind is the devil.  I hope to post more soon.

Sage is coming back!

All of my Daffodils are droopy.  I think it is due to the crazy weather we've been having.

I used SCRAM to keep the deer away from my Tulips. So far so good!

Hyacinth.

Lillies!

Not sure what this is, but it makes a semi circle of growth.

I must have planted this last year, but have no clue what it is.

I believe this is a Hosta. 

I think this is either a Black Eyed Susan or Echinacea.

Never planted these that I know of but they come up each year.

Aren't they pretty?

My transplanted Day Lillies from last year are coming up!

Even though the deer ate the buds, the blueberries are hanging on!

Blueberry #2

Forsythia tumbling into my yard from the neighbor's yard.  Isn't she GRAND?!?

Clay- Good for Sculpting. Bad for Plants.

Yesterday as I dug the two holes needed to plant my blueberry bushes I reconfirmed the knowledge that my ground is all clay.  I mean I knew this, but I've been concentrating on digging around in the beds in which have been maintained in the past.  This soil is light and perfect making it hard to imagine that a mere 6 inches below the surface everywhere else in my yard is thick with clay.  I literally could take the clay out of the ground here, mold it and fire it.  It is that thick.  My goal is to eventually turn all of this clay land into viable land to plant.  Until then, I see a lot of pottery in my future ;)

Blueberries

This entire blog is about me buying things and then promptly killing them.  It is amazing how bad I am at gardening, however, I feel like I am learning things.  When I'm 80 years old, I'll probably be the best gardener thanks to 50+ years of trial and error.

So this year, I promised myself and my husband I would not buy anything more.  I meant it.  But yesterday I took my mom to the nursery to get dirt for her square foot garden and to get starter pods for her seeds.  I thought I was safe because hell it is March in Pittsburgh.  Nursery centers have squat..... WRONG!  There were three pallets of blueberries.  I've been wanting blueberries.  So I caved and bought two plants.

This morning, before we get our rain and in the next few days snow, I finally got them planted in what I hope is the perfect spot.  It is hard to tell because our yard is so sunny in spring until all of the leaves grow back in.  For now, I think they are planted in full sun.

If You Aren't Square Foot Gardening, You Are CRAZY!

This time of year comes and I want to be out in the dirt as much as possible.  I want to dig and plant and dig some more.  However, with my recent change in work, I'm now working most weekends.  This is the time my husband and I used to set aside in spring to get the garden going. This morning, I woke up late and had a lazy Sunday off from work.  At about 1:30ish after fighting with the hub about a project, I went outside to clean the clover out of the garden from last year.

Last year, we built two square foot gardens the right way.  We put down cardboard and then topped it with soil and peat and vermiculite just the way it said in the square foot gardening book.  The year prior to last we kind of did the square foot thing, but in a more lackadaisical way.  We failed two years ago, miserably, however last year I think we would have done better had we known how to garden.  You see, no one tells you when to start picking.  So we spent the majority of our time thinking our items needed time to grow and by the time we were picking them, they had already gone to seed.  This year, we are wiser.

So today, hub says, "There's no way you are going to have time to plant today.  That garden bed needs so much work, you are going to be out there cleaning it out forever!"  He ate his words, for one hour later my garden was cleaned out and spring seeds were planted.  Honestly, this was the easiest space to weed and plant.  I don't know why more people aren't using this method!

Tomorrow, I plant some swiss chard and I begin to tend to my containers..... Let Garden Season START!

Spring AGAIN!

A few days ago we "sprung forward" giving us more time to spend in the daylight.  While my body is still adjusting to this time change, Mother Nature is sending up signs of love.... Starting with crocuses.  But I also have Daffodils and Tulips coming up.  In the back I see the signs of my Daylillies and I'm so excited!  I need to get my seeds going for the season as I'm behind.  But I can finally see the light at the end of this crappy winter!

This and That. Wrapping up Summer.

As usual, I haven't blogged in some time.  I forget or get tied to other things and just never blog, even though I have every intention of doing it. 

Summer went by and was very dry.  As such, a lot of my plants died.  I am just awful at maintaining them.  It is a wonder my children are alive and well. 

In any case, the one area that did well was my herb garden right outside of my front door.  I'm REALLY hoping that all the plants come back next year.  I am also searching for somewhere to plant my mint.  I want to put it in the ground and let it go.  I know it is a bear to get rid of, but I could not see myself wanting to get rid of that plant EVER! 

Our garden wasn't as exciting this year.  I need to fix our stake problem.  We just never get the tomatoes staked right.  I ended up buying tomatoes this year from the farmer to make salsa.  We never got a chance to make any plain tomatoes.  I'm quite bummed about it. 

I did however, get about a bushel and a half or almost two bushels of apples.  I'm planning on making apple butter and can't wait to get started on it.  The kids, I think will really enjoy helping do this. 

The Secret Garden

Since moving into this house, I've attempted to turn the front area into something of a hidden treasure.  A few years back I made a patio from reclaimed bricks. I planted and killed a large amount of plants but finally I've had success in a few of the rogue plants returning.  My thought for that area is that I want it to look like a treasure that someone stumbles upon..... a secret patio in the woods somewhere.  Yesterday, I finally took another step in achieving this.

Connected to this area is a war zone of about 5 foot by 12 foot.  It had some remaining ivy and the left over bricks from the patio and a few weeds.  I pulled out the ivy, moved the bricks and hit the nursery center.  Too much money later, I returned with the goods. 

At this point, I'm hoping that my secret garden grows in to what I envision in my head.  The husband is having heart failure at the amount of money I spent and truthfully I am feeling a bit bad myself.... only because of my track record.   I love the way the plants look and once they take over and fill the space, I'm going to be very happy.  Especially because everything I bought is a perennial.  My musings include not only the secret garden but a low maintenance garden too.  One I can just enjoy but not be tied to every waking moment.