Phaedra's 2023 Adventure

[Alasgun]

@Phaedra , this is s wee bit ironic; your seeds traveled half way around the world, to a happy home and look great. Mine are still under roughly 14 inches of snow and i won’t even be able to see the pots for several weeks!

Good job, they look great; but then all you’re stuff looks great! Thanks for showing them.

 

[Branching Out]

First year trial on Ranunculus bulbs - they also sprout and grow well.
View attachment 56223

Your ranunculas are looking great Phaedra! Very lush healthy foliage.

 

[Phaedra]

I bought a Lawn and Edge Cutter from Gloria, and it's amazing! Edge cleaning (for flower or raised beds) is no longer a nightmare. I don't have to drag a mower and try to find a proper angle or use grass shear manually all the time.

With the edge cutter, leaf rake, and grass shear, I can save a lot of energy.

Besides cleaning the garden bit by bit, I also started pinching the young plants. Many of them have to stay in the greenhouse until the end of May, so pinching is a nice strategy to encourage side shoots and further strengthen the root systems.

Catmint, after the first pinching

Snapdragons after the first pinching

Spring is gradually taking over.

In another one or two weeks, we will enjoy some tulips.

 

[Phaedra]

Romaine Lettuce 'Rosha'
Same seed, different growing conditions after transplantation

The seedling on the left side was transplanted outdoors without any cover, and the one on the right side was repotted into a 13cm pot and stayed in the greenhouse.

The left is dark red, while the right is a mixture of colors.
The right one is 3 times bigger (and I already harvested the outer leaves once) than the left one.

Housekeeping! Time to check the second batch of ox-eye daisy plants I divided on April 5th. So far, 15 pots are all doing well.

I cleaned and removed the spent leaves again.

I gave them some seaweed extract after cleaning up. They will be transplanted to the chicken-run areas with the divided chives in mid-May after the roots are more established.

Housekeeping for the geranium propagated from cuttings - The young plant itself is healthy, and the roots are doing fine.

Taking care of these plants is a priceless hands-on experience after reading and watching how others did. Having the opportunity to enjoy what I want to do is absolutely a blessing.

First, I removed the fading flowers and some leaves so the overall structure could be seen better. Then, I cut one stem as the rest two have a more reasonable growing space in the same container. The cut one was propagated immediately. It's an ordinary garden geranium, but the delights it can offer from successfully rooting, growing, flowering, and becoming the next mother plant are never less than any rare, expensive, and fancy cultivars.

The 2-year-old Mexican orange blossom in the greenhouse, how splendid

The divided sedums, daylilies, ox-eye daisies, and black currant that I transplanted 10 days ago in the soil - as the roots are pretty established, they are adapting fine, too.

 

[Phaedra]

Another busy but fruitful Monday
I re-painted one table and a small plant stand and was satisfied with the results.

After the second painting, better than a new one!

Look so nice!

Besides the ranunculus, the rest were grown from seeds or cuttings.

When I was painting, the bread machine was doing its work and created a nice loaf as usual.

The first chili in 2023, really early

Then, I made some flower seed bombs. In fact, I just put all the seeds I am not willing to sow one by one all together.

Candyleaf - The first sowing wasn't successful, but the second time was ok - I got two pretty robust young plants and a smaller one.

 

[Phaedra]

The last batch candles were sold out, so I made a new batch. i am glad to find a new 300ml glass.

Be a Light N°1
Cedar, Black Spruce, Eucalyptus, and Orange

 

[ducks4you]

OK, I am searching for YOUR edge clipper, and these are my results. Whatcha think?

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-LE750-Landscape-Trencher/dp/B00004DTNH/ref=asc_df_B00004DTNH?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80814156492390&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584413735478638&psc=1

and

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Lawn-edgers-Trimmers-edgers-Outdoor-tools-equipment-Outdoors/3494071564

I LOVE YOURS!!! **Ducks being VVVEEEEERRRRRYYYY JELLY!!!**

 

[Phaedra]

OK, I am searching for YOUR edge clipper, and these are my results. Whatcha think?

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-LE750-Landscape-Trencher/dp/B00004DTNH/ref=asc_df_B00004DTNH?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80814156492390&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584413735478638&psc=1

and

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Lawn-edgers-Trimmers-edgers-Outdoor-tools-equipment-Outdoors/3494071564

I LOVE YOURS!!! **Ducks being VVVEEEEERRRRRYYYY JELLY!!!**

Hi Ducks, the type I am using is a bit different from the ones you posted. This new model came from such a 'grass shear.' Before this year, this is what we could get from the market. Unfortunately, it is too tiny and difficult to trim the edge, especially for the raised beds.

This new model is about three times larger in width and works nicely. I kept some areas for the grass and weeds to grow so the pollinators have their living spaces. However, for the main working areas with cut flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees - this device can help me a lot to keep things tidy.

 

[Phaedra]

A lovely view - Pak Choi 'Yorokobi' sown on Feb 3rd
The seed company recommends growing this variety in the end of summer (I guess it's comparatively easy to bolt in spring.); however, the pest issue then will be quite a headache. Anyway, I tried a small batch in February first.

It's a lovely variety that has a good balance between the leaves and stems.

They were transplanted in the Lily bed, and Lilies start emerging. So, it's time to start harvesting the bigger leaves.

Cherry radish harvest - the different but adorable shapes might have resulted from multi-sowing.

Purple asparagus seedlings from home-saved seeds - the germination rate is 95-98%! They are eager to grow. Compared with growing from crowns, it will take 1-2 more years to harvest from growing from seeds. However, I am not in a hurry to eat them.

Although I plant to re-do most of my raised beds this year, they came back as usual. I will make an asparagus patch this time for the new seedlings.

Unfortunately, the weather here this spring keeps changing. A few warm days, a few cold days. Besides some perennials, most plants have to stay in the greenhouse for a longer time.

Scented Pelargonium (Geranium) 'Madame Nonin' - I bought this last year as the mother plant, and now is a good time to start taking cuttings, as the plant is very healthy, with a good amount of side shoots. I pinched the top and propagated it immediately.

DH and I also kept working on the new chicken run when the weather was good. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon in the garden today.

 

[Phaedra]

After chili plants, I also repotted the first four cucumbers and two luffas. The roots are ready to be transplanted, but it has to wait a few more weeks.

My first nine tomatoes start flowering - one is San Marzano (for making sauce/ketchup), and the other is an outdoor cherry tomato variety. I will repot them into 10L bottomless containers first and then bring them to the hoop tunnel after May 15th.

The annual flower seed bombs - some seeds just can't wait and have germinated already. I will bring them to the garden tomorrow morning.

Overwintered chili plants (Cayenne) start flowering and fruiting. Chili is one of the essential plants we need for seasoning purposes, so a stable and earlier output is my priority.

Meanwhile, I also grow an alternative, 'Red Gunda,' a new variety from the seed company I like. It's pretty and productive.

I sowed them one month ago, and this is the biggest one (among four seedlings). Together with the overwintered ones, they will create sufficient chilis we need in the coming months.

The rose cuttings from Lidl and a random flower shop keep growing. As the new leaves and roots (already visible from the bottom) keep growing, I believe they will become two lovely plants. The other seedlings around them are purple-leave Pak Choi.