Free Rice

This was fun www.freerice.com

Beautiful day.

It was a beautiful day. I prepared the bed for the new Swiss chard. Going to head back out in a minute and make room for spinach, lettuce, beets, and greens. I would like to get these in the ground before Monday to take advantage of a possible rain. I brought the before mentioned veggies home from the greenhouse. When I got home my in-laws were here and I sent almost all of it home with my mil. That's fine, there is plenty more where those came from. Nancy had a row ready to put some in her garden too. Word of advice, don't ever let bone meal get wet PEE-YEW (even worse than Logan's tennis shoes).

Care of container plants

rIf you begin to notice container plants not looking their best, it is likely time to repot them. Some plants need to be moved up to a larger container, some can be replanted in the same container. First, take the plant out of the pot (I know duh). Inspect the roots for problems (rot or root bound). If the plant is root bound gentle tease the roots apart. A little root pruning will not harm a potted plant. If it appears the rots have begun to rot, it is likely that the plant is over watered or the container does not adequately drain. This may smell bad. Check the drainage and make sure to allow the plant to get to the damp side of dry before watering again. If the plant is too large for the original container, repot it one size up. If it is a good size for its pot, return it to the original container. I like my plants to be level with the lip of the container. I add enough potting mix to raise the plant to about 1/4 below the lip level, place the plant, and add more mix around the plant and just over the root zone. Don't plant the too deep. The plant should begine to recover soon. Container plants may be mulched just like bedding plants. Some choices are cedar mulch, colored wood mulch, expanded shale, and washed rock. Mulching helps retain water and prevent soil from being washed from the pot during watering.

For a quick fix to refresh the containers simply add a layer of the potting mix to the top of the container and water with fish emulsion or other liquid fertilizer.

I like to customize my own potting mix. To make one gallon of potting mix use two parts soil less mix (the cheap stuff) and one part screened compost. To this add 1/4 cup bone meal and 1/4 cottonseed meal or blood meal. Watch out for cats if you use the blood meal. I also like to water the plants once a week with fish emulsion. This smells bad but works great (again watch out for cats) There are plenty of good commercial products that allow you to skip these steps.

Cold Weather

It's still cold. I was hoping to work today, but it is still too cold. Hopefully, tomorrow will be warmer. The greenhouse had a few frost burned plants even though we had it heated. Most everything is okay, though.

Jake, Livie, and Jack

Dont really know what I'm growing

Okay, I think I might have actually been falling into comfrey. The flowers are white not blue.

Almost went down in the night.

We keep the rabbits in the back of the garden between the regular compost bin and the worm bin. I felt sorry for them tonight because it is so cold and went out to make sure they had plenty of water and food. Well they were out of water and they are always hungry. On my way back inside to refill the water bottle, I tripped on an old 6" container and almost fell into the borage (a medicinal herb). I made it inside and got their water and food back out to them, but boy was I embarrassed. I don't know who I think will see me out in the garden on a freezing Tuesday night at 10:00, maybe just the rabbits. I guess I just gave anyone who happens on this blog a pretty funny visual.