Sunday, April 06, 2008

Sunday Garden Report


So, look at this!! After only four days, I've got a nice variety of seedlings bursting forth from the sunflower plantings! Not bad for year-old packets of seed.

Of course, there are plenty unheard from as of yet However, of the Mammoth Gray seeds, who's package indicate 5 - 15 days for germination, there are four. Amongst the assorted varieties (pictured, left) there are 7 seedlings already climbing...and their package suggested 7 - 17 days. Not a bad showing at all.

In another ten days or so, I should be able to weed out any dud seedpots and maybe plant a fresh wave, so we can keep those sunflowers blooming throughout the summer.

I should also find myself a package of morning glory seeds and get some of those going, as well.

It was a late night at work, and then I got into photo working/blogging...and then I found myself surfing to catch up on my favorite blogs far into the wee hours and didn't end up finding my way into bed until around five...but still crawled back to life around 11.

A couple cupsa Joe later, I got myself properly moving and headed outside for the tasks at hand. As you can see above, the bleeding heart is up almost five inches, and that pinkness down near the center of the plant is, I believe, the first glimpse of the flower stalks to come.

Today's real floral moment comes courtesy of this lovely buttercream pansy (no, I don't have a dessert problem...I could stop any time I wanted).

I did get the pansies dead-headed today, so as to encourage some heavy blooming in the days to come. I was a little bit at a loss, not having Thumper George to munch up the spent flowers.

As I've mentioned, I have seen evidence of Nibbling in the garden out front, and I suspect its the neighborhood wild bunnies. So I left a pile of the deadheaded flowers in tribute to them across the driveway from the garden, in hopes of distracting them (tho it appears more likely I'll just be giving them a taste of the sweet garden's rewards).

In a more practical effort to divert them from their garden dining, I did collect a bag full of salon sweepings when I got my hair cut the other day. I've heard that human hair, discretely introduced to the garden, will deter such nibblings with the human scent it carries. We'll see.

Anyway, I sprinkled a little of that around (particularly around the crocuses, who've been chewed somewhat hard, as well as the other emerging bulbs), and tucked a few tufts into the edging rocks, as well. I've got more if I decide to re-apply later on, or as I finish off addition sections of the garden.

I also did some work on adding some more soil to the part of the bed that flooded this past week, having found a nice pile of fill behind the house which seemed well suited to the purpose. It's a little on the sandy side, but also pretty dark and rich looking. Since I'll be adding coffee grounds, etc., as the season progresses, I'm not too worried.

A call for assistance here, if you please. Does anyone recognize this plant?

I happened across it growing in the lawn on the east side of the house and it looks familiar, but I'm at a loss. That's its woody stem snaking into the ground just below the "little red floret".

Meanwhile, as I spread and leveled the new fill in the front garden, I noticed some new growth...particularly this tulip foliage, with a first flower bud in the center. This looks to be from among the "bunch" variety of tulips that put out a branching bouquet of blossoms, instead of just one.

Looks like I'll know it's identity (or something about it, at least) soon.

And to finish off, here's that columbine foliage I mentioned the other day. I've spotted the other columbine plants beginning to emerge further along the fence, as well. Additionally, today I spotted some more rudbeckia, a little more phlox and the first signs of what I'm pretty sure is beebalm.

As you can see, it was a bit of a dull gray day, but it's amazing how okay with that you can be when the temps in the low 40s and you're working with a lack-of-sleep hangover.

7 comments:

Butch said...

Up at the "crack of noon," eh?! ;-)

You've been quite productive since I wrote you last. I went out and took some more pictures of our "Weeping Cherry" Wedding tree now that more of the blooms have opened. I'll do another entry of the same plants I took recently once they start blooming as well.We've had intermittent rain all day and it appears as though that will be the forecast for the rest of the week. The lawn in the back needs a good cutting, ( at least where the moss didn't take over this year.) and I can see a bunch of raking in my future. It's Springtime, la la la, and all that happy stuff. I guess I'll quit procrastinating and get to,
" gettin' to it." Have a good evening. ( your sunflowers popping up out of the dirt are good to see.) Can't wait to see them towering over everything else this Summer.

Greg said...

Funny how that works...against all odds, it was a pretty productive day hereabouts.

I was thrilled to realize the sunflowers had popped up, as I'd been studious NOT checking them the last few days...thanks for the visualization...if we all concentrate, we can make them tower!

Can't wait to see your bloomin' cherry tree!!

Unknown said...

BOIIING!

That is the sound of seedlings springing up. :)

I think you'll have to get used to the sound, too. Because there will be much "boing" based on the number of seedlings you have there.

May they grow in good health.

dykewife said...

i love your garden bloggings. up here in the great white north (where it's not so white) i can see the grass greening up a teensy bit, the canada geese are noshing on the grass in the park area near the river and the crows are coming back. otherwise, i've not seen anything green growing, even in the university perennial plantings of tulips on the south side of the residence near the bus mall. usually they're the first i see.

i loved your semi-wild garden of the last place you lived at. i have very little lee-way for gardening since the landlady planted a pile of perennials where i wanted to put annuals for a pretty showing. sad to say, but i'm hoping none of them survive so that i can lay a little.

Greg said...

Hi DW!! So glad to hear that things are finally starting to green up in the Great White North...or even that the dull grass of winter is showing itself to you again! Until those tulips make their appearance, I'm glad to offer you a first glimpse of spring...

Is the landlady interested in sharing?? If her perennials are newly planted, they might not yet put on a grand show...and a few annuals tucked in amongst them by you could only improve the show this summer...maybe some sweet allyssum at their feet, a few complementary cosmos in between...

...or you could just dig up the perennials by the light of the moon and mail them here, claiming anonymous vandals as you sweetly offer to replant the devastated bed for her!

dykewife said...

oh, greg! you're deliciously devious! :) is it wrong of me to hope that the peonies she planted didn't survive the winter? i'm really allergic to them, the attract ants and we already have an ant problem in the house.

Greg said...

Oh, dear, conflict. I love peonies, so it'd be hard for me to join you on your hard line, all sympathies about the allergies.

Has she planted them right up near the house? Otherwise, the ants shouldn't be a problem...it's the teensy ones they attract...maybe the peonies will tempt them out of doors...and you can spread some Ant-Be-Gone behind them.

Deliciously devious...I like that.