Branching Out's Seeds and Sprouts

[Branching Out]

We have a sloped flower bed that is in the hot sun, making for difficult gardening during the summer. Heirloomgal, I was thinking of you when I placed these black tubes in the ground as drip irrigation for my Fiaschetto di Manduria tomato plants. They are seedling tubes that are intended for growing trees, and are about 10" long. I have had a big stack of them hanging around for years, and never thought of using them for irrigation before. So far it is easy to fill them, and I think they will be very good watering ports for this dry slope.

 

[heirloomgal]

Looks like a great set up! Keep us posted how well it works.

 

[Branching Out]

The smallest tomato plant that I am growing is a 6" tall micro-dwarf called Andrina. I have a couple of them in a low tub, and their branches cascades over the edge. Today we found a bunch of ripe tomatoes buried under the thick foliage. The tomato skin is quite tough, but the plant is absolutely loaded with fruit. This could well be a good candidate for growing tomatoes indoors over the winter, given the plant's diminutive stature.

 

[Branching Out]

I have been considering removing this echinacea plant, and now I am so glad that I didn't do that. It looks great in the garden blooming alongside the lavender.

And the 'Prairie Fire' snapdragon seeds that I got from Revival Seeds have not disappointed. They are in full bloom alongside my chick pea patch, and I am loving them. I hope I can save seeds from this variety as I would definitely like to have them in my garden again next year.

 

[heirloomgal]

I have been considering removing this echinacea plant, and now I am so glad that I didn't do that. It looks great in the garden blooming alongside the lavender.

And the 'Prairie Fire' snapdragon seeds that I got from Revival Seeds have not disappointed. They are in full bloom alongside my chick pea patch, and I am loving them. I hope I can save seeds from this variety as I would definitely like to have them in my garden again next year.

There are a number of perennials that every fall I tell myself 'I'm going to pull that out', and then when I forget about it, it blooms in summer again & I think, yeah, I'm glad I kept it. Must me a gardener's mind thing.

 

[Branching Out]

In my quest to find good shelling peas I have been most impressed by Maestro peas. The pods are huge (see photo below) and the big peas that they contain are tasty and tender. As a bonus they hold very well on 2' tall vines. I will save as many as I can for seed. Citadel was another variety that did well for us this year, so it will also be invited back.

 

[Branching Out]

Our first patch of sunflowers!

 

[Branching Out]

Yesterday we found a really funky anomaly in one of our sunflowers. It is growing full-sized ray petals from the centre of the disc. How odd!

 

[Branching Out]

In early spring I sprinkled dill seeds liberally along one of my ranuncula patches, and the dill really took off. The ranunculas have all been dug up now, but I am having a hard time terminating the dill stalks because the lady bugs really like them-- so I will try to keep the dill forest for as long as I can. We are also hoping to make a few batches of pickles this year, and the seed heads could come in handy for that. The dahlias planted nearby are having to really stretch their necks to find sunshine beyond the dill fronds.

 

[flowerbug]

In early spring I sprinkled dill seeds liberally along one of my ranuncula patches, and the dill really took off. The ranunculas have all been dug up now, but I am having a hard time terminating the dill stalks because the lady bugs really like them-- so I will try to keep the dill forest for as long as I can. We are also hoping to make a few batches of pickles this year, and the seed heads could come in handy for that. The dahlias planted nearby are having to really stretch their necks to find sunshine beyond the dill fronds.

i use the yellow flower heads when making pickles, but i also like eating them at that stage too. yes, many bugs love those flowers. i get them all cut off before they can drop seeds all over the place as they'll easily do so.