Seedling and Rooting Update

I have the seedlings transplanted and I am acclimating them to the outdoors now.

The strawberries are still very small but should start taking off now.

I have put the pineapple seedlings in their own little containers. I am using recycled pint sized cream cartons for them.

The pineapple tops that I have rooted are also in their own pots now.

I recently bought an organic lemon. It was very small and had wonderful seeds inside, so I planted six seeds and so far three have taken to root. Here is one of them.

I am hoping I can keep it trimmed and grow it as a miniature lemon tree so that I can bring it indoors in the winter.

My tomato and pepper plants are doing very well.

So are my leeks!

Today I put some apple seeds in pots to see if they will grow. They will be planted on the grove side of my house with the plum tree that I started and the cherry tree that has been growing for a few years.

This coming week is going to be dedicated to working outside in the garden. My aim is to make it a cozy and useful space.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dee Dee

Planning Next Year's Garden -The Pond #1

I have been collecting things for a pond for a few years now.

I have been checking thrift and surplus stores, garage and estate sales, and that wonderful online group called Freecycle!

I started out with a 40 gallon water trough from a feed store. I knew it was not quite big enough for fish on it's own so I started looking for other options. I found a fountain pump. I forgot how many GPH this pump runs but it should have more than enough to handle this project.

I think I got this at a surplus store.

Then I came across this pond shell on Freecycle.

The white coloring is mineral deposits, the circle in the center is where I scrubbed some of the deposits off. It isn't really like a third depth.

 I have no idea how many gallons this holds so I will post the next to pictures to show the comparison between this and the 40 gallon tub. I am think the pond is close to 150 gallons.

As you can see the 40 gallon tub is not as deep as the center part of the pond.

Now that I am aware of aquaponics I am hoping that I can use these things to set up a system that looks more natural for an enchanting feel in my garden.

I am hoping that the pond is big enough to raise some yellow perch in.

I also picked up some bags of pea gravel and I have an assortment of things from tubes and hoses to some pond pots.

I have more boxes filled with things that I can use on this project but, I realize I have many things that I still need to get to complete the system. The first goal is to figure out the placement of the pond and how to make the whole system as natural looking as you can with a preformed pond shell. Then I would like to construct a geodesic dome to enclose the whole system so that I can have it going in the winter time. 

Be sure to watch for more garden and pond updates!

Thank you for stopping by!

Dee Dee

Planning Next Year's Garden -The Beginning

If you are in the Northern hemisphere Now is a great time to start planning next year's garden. If you are in the Southern hemisphere I would think that you would have your planning complete and you are either putting things in the garden or waiting to.

"Why start now?", you may ask.

Let me share a few things with you.

These are some of my left over seeds. Some, I am sure, are no longer viable but I have decided to try to use them up next year and maybe a few this fall.

My garden will be done in cooperation with a few neighbors and not only will we be sharing the fruits of our labor, it will be a wonderful opportunity to learn from others and share knowledge and to just enjoy the company of others. 

The first part in planning is deciding what to plant. "They" say  "Plant what you eat!" 

I say, "Why limit yourself?"

While many people won't try new things, there are others that are bravely forging a new food path. In the USA we have people here from all over the world and those who are Indigenous. They all have brought their different foods and a piece of their own cultivation experience and we learn from each other. When I was young I did not like garlic, today I love it. Some day you might like spinach. Why not grow it and try it from time to time.

Many of us are looking back at the old ways of growing as the best tasting produce, and most responsible to the planet. No Chemicals, all natural. I know that some of you will be able to pick out the fact that I have some old hybrid seeds in my basket. I will be quickly using them up and starting heirloom seeds when all the hybrids are gone. Some of the hybrids are so old I am sure they won't sprout. I will be getting into seed saving as time goes on.

So I need to sit down with my lovely neighbor and go through the planning of planting. What to plant and where, and how much should be planted.  We will draw out designs so that we can have a beautiful garden that will feed the eyes and soul as well as the body.

In the mean time, here is a tip for this time of year.

Start saving the empty toilet paper rolls and clean out empty one pint (milk, half & half or cream) containers.

Rinsing out and cutting off the top of the pint container, then poking some holes in the bottom make great starting pots. The thrifty have been doing this for decades.

The toilet paper rolls are for putting collars around plants to prevent cut worms from wiping out your seedlings.

Now to show you what we are up against and what we have to work with.

This is what happens when you have a garden and you get sick and have no one else there to help with it.

That lush growth there is where my compost pile was. It is weeds now.

These just happen to be my raspberry bushes.

At least I am providing a nursery for Monarch Butterflies.

This is my Asparagus row on the back side of the garden.

My Strawberries are lost and the Rhubarb is close to dying too. I couldn't even find the onion beds I had.

So as you can see there is much work to be done to get it ready for next year and I am still hoping against odds that I can just maybe get something this year.

What is needed is hard work. I hope I can rise up to the challenge. 

I hope you come back to watch the progress. I will try to post on it at least once a week.

Thank you for stopping by.

Dee Dee