Karma and Morning Glories

I have been gardening most of my life. As I have said before, I was introduced to gardening by our grandfather, Daddy Jake. I used to spend spring break with my grandparents on their ranch. If you have ever visited a farm/ranch in March, you know it is one busy place with gardens going in, lambs being born, cattle to be worked. It was a lot of work. I loved following Daddy Jake around while he put in the vegetable plot. My love of gardening started right there in central Texas.

Although I have been gardening a long time, I have made some monster mistakes along the way. The mistake I make every year is over planting. Crowding is just something I cannot seem to avoid or learn from. Morning glories are another one of my weaknesses. I love morning glories. My favorite is heavenly blue, although Grandpa Ott’s purple is a real beauty. We have some that come back every year that are a different pink. I think there must have been some cross pollination between the Ott’s and something else.

The first time I planted morning glories was along the fence in my first vegetable garden. My dad had a peach tree a few feet from this fence. My morning glories grew right up off of the fence and into the peach tree. Dad wanted to pull them out. I had a fit and fell in it, so the vines stayed in the tree. Did I mention that I was 13 and a real teenage drama queen?

This was the same garden that our Great Dane, Missy, decided to jump around in on a fine afternoon. Ever tried to stop a 100 pound Great Dane from dancing on your squash? Good times. That same dog had thirteen puppies a few months later. Karma paid her back.

Ok, here is the real rookie mistake I made about four years ago. I was out for a walk and came across a really pretty blue morning glory growing on a fence out in the middle of nowhere. I really liked this little blue morning glory, so I gathered some seeds and brought them home with me. I dutifully scattered them along the fence of my vegetable garden, just like I had done with the heavenly blues that grew into the peach tree in my first garden. That’s right; I intentionally planted wild morning glories in my tiny garden. I didn’t know. I really had no idea that they would try to take over the universe. I did not know that they make a bazillion seeds and these seeds spread everywhere. So now, every year for months and months, I try to get rid of all the wild blue morning glories. Looks like Karma paid back that teenage drama queen.

My Garden After The Storms

Yesterday we had thunderstorms all day. I did not put my rain gages out, so I don't know how much rainfall we had, but the ground is saturated. I was grateful for the timing of these storms as I had just sewn some seeds. I planted corn, beans, and squash in the Three Sisters style as well as purple hulled cow peas.

I went outside this morning to check and see what had gone on overnight and discovered a lot of seedlings. Some were from the seeds I had planted but most were wild morning glories. That's right, WILD MORNING GLORIES-CRAP. I am going to be really busy taking care of this problem or they will take over the garden in just a few days. These morning glories are my fault, but that's another story.

I am always amazed at how green and lush my garden looks after storms. I always thought that rainwater was just way better for the plants than city water. However, after doing a little reading, I found another reason why plants may thrive after a thunderstorm. Air is 78% nitrogen. Lightning fixes some of this nitrogen. The fixed nitrogen is dissolved in the rain and falls to earth. This "fixed" nitrogen is in a form the plants can use. Pretty cool.


BTW we have baby bunnies again. I kind of let the subject go before, because the first litter did not make it. First time rabbit mom's are not usually successful. This litter is four days old and mom is doing a good job. Mario is again banished to the dog kennel. Starr is much happier with him out of the hutch. I can't imagine why.

I am Going to Put Their Weenies to Shame

I got the call. Will you bring beans to the cookout? My family is going to have a pot luck Memorial Day party. The meat course is hot dogs-cricket chirps. Apparently, wedding dress shopping is more important than, say, brisket.

Do I go to the store, buy a couple of cans of baked beans, and call it a day? NOOOO. I buy four cans of pork-n-beans and add BBQ sauce, molasses, spicy brown mustard, onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar, bacon, and about a pound of brown sugar. These beans are dessert.

The sour dough bread is rising on the counter. I fed the starter last night and left it out to make a sponge. The kitchen smells like yeast, yum. I have tried to teach someone how to make this bread. No one will learn, sad. The tricks are honey and kneading with a very soft hand. Grandpa M taught me how to knead bread when I was a little girl. He just couldn't stand by and watch me pound on the bread dough like it had done something bad.

Baby Monkey is home alone with me today. He had to come home from a sleepover last night because of an earache. Poor Baby Monkey, first a wasp sting and then an earache. He can't win. We are enjoying the day together. He found some ripe blackberries earlier and we are going to make cobbler.

Eat your heart out other sisters. I AM the cook.

Just so you know, the other sisters could care less about competitive cooking. All they care about is the bread. Well, eating the bread not making it.

Wedding News.

Here is Baby Sister beginning to look for a dress. She had five of us there with her "helping." She didn't kill anyone or cry. Very brave girl.

Here is Baby Monkey yesterday. It was the first day of swimming for the cousins. Somehow he was stung by a wasp on the lip. He is fine, but it hurt a lot.

An hour or so later, he was jumping with an uncle and a baby cousin.

I Thought This Would Be Fun

Bog Garden

This is what I have been working on instead of blogging.

Do you have a low-lying area in your landscape that is a nuisance because it holds water? Consider creating a bog garden. This garden style contains interesting plants that thrive in a very moist environment. These plants include grasses, perennials, and water plants. It can be an area full of blooms. Building a bog garden provides a habitat for frogs, butterflies, hummingbirds, dragonflies, and many other animals.

In addition to providing interest in the landscape, a bog garden plays a role in rainwater management. The bog slows the movement of the rainwater and filters the water. This can help with storm water management by reducing flooding and pollution caused by storm water run off.

To create a bog garden begin by selecting an area that naturally holds some water and excavate about two feet of soil. In this area add a layer of stone or rubble and then a layer of course soil. The bog will begin to fill with decaying plant matter over time and create a natural bog. The bog should not hold more than one foot of water. Use flat rocks as planting shelves. Place the most moisture loving plants in the lower lying areas of the bog and more drought tolerant plants toward the edges. Provide visual interest by contrasting color, texture, and plant height. Be careful not to overcrowd the garden. It is essential that a bog garden stay moist. For more information on building a bog garden go to http://www.ee.enr.state.nc.us/garden/boggarden.htm

Some Bog Garden Plant Choices
Iris
Lily
Umbrella Sedge
Bog sage
Zebra Grass
Pickerel
Lizard’s Tail
Ribbon Grass
Elephant Ear

The Votes Are In

The sock poll has closed. Fifteen readers participated in this silliness. Forty percent of those who voted want to keep their socks. Therefore, I can keep my fuzzy socks without fear of a visit from the sock police. Anklettes with pompoms were the least favorite socks. Five voters said we should ditch them. Only three people wanted to get rid of knee socks with the colored bands. I was surprised at this. Everytime I see someone wearing them, I think of the 70's and shorts that were waaay too short. Finally ourfriendben was all by himself in wanting to get rid of socks completely. Cinj did say she agreed with him in the comments, but her vote did not show up on the poll. So sorry ourfriendben, socks are here to stay, but we can't make you wear them.

I promise to try to take this blog a little more seriously, but don't count on it.