Monday, March 21, 2011

My green thumb is happy!

Today, Hubs and K- went to go check out migratory water fowl (yes, that is a Sunday afternoon activity when your dad is a park naturalist) and I decided to opt out.  I'm not much a ducker.  I'm more for the May migration of warblers and whatnot.  Anyhow, this afforded me some much needed alone time so that I could be one with my dirt and seeds. 

A few years ago, Hubs bought me this most wonderful little greenhouse with a seedling heat mat.  I guess that he wasn't all that thrilled that I was using our heating pad to try to get my little seedlings moving along. 

So, what's in here?  I have Sungolds, collard greens (for our iguana), hollyhocks, marigolds, Chinese lanterns, red peppers, ground cherries and basil.  In the little silver side pot (a growing kit Mom gave me for Christmas), I have lavender, oregano and thyme. 

I've successfully wintered over a few plants.  I half-heartedly plunked a chunk of pineapple sage into water and left it in the window all winter.  She was looking a little displeased, but then she greened up.  I've planted that and cross my fingers that she'll make it just fine.  Off to the left is the geranium that Julia gave me.  I wintered it over, brought it up about a month and a half ago and nearly gave it a horticultural heart attack.  I lost a little bit of it from not easing it into full sun, but she pulled around.  The little green square is the solar battery for K-'s reading light.  I found her sleeping with it on in her bed last night.  I knew that there was a reason we bought her a cool-burning LED solar light!  :S
I admit that I planted my lovely organic seeds in Miracle Grow seed starting soil.  Now, I realize that the Miracle Grow part negates the organic part, but I've used organic soil and got everything else growing in there (including mushrooms), but not what I originally planted.  We do organically garden by about 95% or so.  That's a lot better than my neighbors who provide the lawn services their payroll every month so that they can spread lovely poisons in their yard.  Yarg. 

I'm excited to get growing!  My sister and I are trading seeds.  I'm giving her my leftovers of last year's seeds (what I used this year) and in trade, she'll get me the starter potatoes that I need to get rolling.  Potatoes are my new addition this year.  I'll be growing them in a large plastic laundry bucket.  I need to read up on what potatoes require.  I know nothing about sun, food or whatnot.  I do have organic veggie food, so I figure that to toss that in won't be a bad thing, but we'll see what the instructions tell me.  Anyone with previous potato growing experience, feel free to give me some guidance. 

Smiles in my weekend:
-  Decent weather.
-  Hubs and I were able to tackle the puppet show project and came up with a pretty good show between the two of us.  He had a skeleton of a program that needed to be tweaked and re-worked in some spots. 
-  I've had a crocus in a vase in the middle of the table for the last few days.  Silly, I know, but you have to use what you've got.  K- brings them to me and though it is only the bloom, I can't bring myself to pitch it.
-  My seed soil was on rebate at Ace Hardware and I had a $5.00 coupon that I earned.  Between the two, for $13.00 worth of merchandise, my cost is 35 cents.
-  Blueberries on sale at the store for BOG2.  K- was very pleased.  They also had giant grapes on sale. 

Have a great day!

To note:  I'm really not that precious about my photos.  If they end up being picked up on internet searches (which they have), at least it gives someone a reference point of where to go for the original post. 

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