Phaedra's 2021 Garden

[Phaedra]

I finally made up my mind to finish the cutting propagation this morning. In the past, I used to put many cuttings in one pot. However, I have many modular trays for early spring sowing. These cutting will stay in the greenhouse for the coming months, and I don't think their root balls will become too big. The modular trays have big holes in the bottom, and it helps to check the growth of roots. Besides, they can work with drip trays (capillary watering) and upper covers to hold the moisture.

Rose, Blueberry, Forsythia, Begonia, Azaleas, and Butterfly Bush - instead of going to the compost, they became a tray of hope.

I put them on the lowest shelf in the greenhouse, giving them sufficient but indirect light and protection even when frost attacks.

Another task is to cut the Swiss cheese plant, which I have never taken a closer look at in the past two years. It grows well but becomes too heavy and unstable.

Besides two younger plants growing from the bottom, there are six eyes on the main stem.

So I got five cuttings, and each cutting has an eye and its root. Now the cuttings are soaking in the water with seaweed extract and enjoy sunlight in the greenhouse.

 

[baymule]

I like your greenhouse. did y'all put it up or was it there when you bought the house? How do you heat it during the winter? All your cuttings will sure make a lot of beautiful blooms for the garden next summer.

 

[Phaedra]

I like your greenhouse. did y'all put it up or was it there when you bought the house? How do you heat it during the winter? All your cuttings will sure make a lot of beautiful blooms for the garden next summer.

When we bought the house, it had a terrace - connected with the main building with a glass wall and roof. It looks like a half greenhouse in the beginning.

However, after two years, I realized such a design causes more trouble than brings any benefit. The wind and rain will sweep anything into the area under the roof. The worse is, the rooftop has a pointed structure (like the upper part of a pyramid). Every summer, it becomes the paradise of spiders because most insects get trapped in that structure.

I knew it would cost a lot to close the entire terrace and make it into a greenhouse (or here people call it a winter garden, acting as a space we can still use even the weather sucks.) But if we don't fix it, it will be nothing but a waste(and I hate to clean a spider paradise!). So last spring, we found the company that built this semi-open glass structure 40 years ago, and the owner was still on duty. After waiting for six more months, the customized elements were all ready; the space was reborn.

It has two compartments now: the smaller one for my sowing and propagation works and the bigger one for a dining area facing two ponds. The screendoors facing the ponds and the backyard solve the ventilation issue while keeping most insects outside.

We don't have a heating system, because most of the wintertime we stay indoors. But as the greenhouse is made of thick glass and metal, it can handle the winter much better than the ordinary ones.

We also found a craftsman to build two raised beds with bricks and concrete, where became home for my citrus plants and Sweet Osmanthus.

 

[Phaedra]

Another busy day - I covered some raised beds with homemade compost late afternoon, prepared dinner, and made a few scented candles.

This one has a mixed scent from pure grapefruit, rosemary, mint, and geranium essential oil.

Be a Light - it's the name of my candles, but also a reminder for myself.

The weekend is coming, good night!

 

[baymule]

What a great story on the origin of your green house-and the original owner of the company still being there. Getting the green house restructured into such a wonderful green house and living space combination is awesome.

 

[Phaedra]

Gradually, we can feel that Winter is approaching. The Japanese Maple leaves turned from burgundy red to a much brighter red.

It's their last costume of this year.

Few roses are still on the stage.

The leafy greens grow very well in the greenhouse. I will start harvesting the outer leaves tomorrow.

Those who were transplanted from the tabletop mini garden also enjoy their second chances.

These few days, I sowed some more seeds and planted more scallion cuttings.

 

[Phaedra]

What a great story on the origin of your green house-and the original owner of the company still being there. Getting the green house restructured into such a wonderful green house and living space combination is awesome.

Yes, at the end of each month, the greenhouse becomes a hair salon. From the beginning of lockdown, I became chief haircut officer for my husband and my father-in-law. I had never done this before and had no idea how they have such a "faith" in me. Anyway, I didn't screw up their haircut so far, haha.

 

[baymule]

I love the Japanese maples, they are pretty all year, then gorgeous in the fall. How fortunate that you have some in your yard!

 

[digitS']

Not a twisted-stem or a "southern giant" mustard type? At one time, I thought that the "southern" mustard must be from the southern US. Then, I read that it was from southern India . I'm sort of not a mustard fan and like other greens more, but we have been rather happy with one twisted-stem type. It has been very easy to save seeds. That is also true with a "better liked" choy sum. I might be happy with others available but I haven't found any but ones that grow only very small and then bolt. Of course, it's the stem and buds that are especially wanted but harvesting tiny plants that are only 7 or 8 inches tall is not what I want for stir-fries.

Haircuts: My hair-dresser mother cut my longish hair for years. I came to prefer that it was shorter but she was more comfortable with longish and did a very good job. Really, I'd mostly like convenience. DW began cutting my hair last year. That could be fine but she doesn't take direction well, especially since she is really uncertain of her skills. Short here, longish there. Convenience in the middle of the kitchen floor and that's #1 with me .

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Not a twisted-stem or a "southern giant" mustard type? It also belongs to the mustard family, but not southern giant. It's "green in snow." The reason I chose this one is the outstanding tolerance of frost and cold. I only use mustard greens in stir-fry dishes or soup. They don't taste so pleasant (for me) as salat.