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| My niece, Layla |
(Keep reading to understand why there is an old grill in the strawberry box...)
I wasn't even bothered by Mexican bean beatles this year. I saw a few, smashed them, and put out more diatomaceous earth, and that was that! That was the ONLY thing I used on or around the plants this year - no fertilizer, no pesticide - nothing!
Also, I was more patient with the limas - and we have had some big, yummy lima beans as a result! I haven't touched the sweet potato since planting. I'll try to be patient with those this year too.
Everyone always asks, so I know you are wondering: "What is under the tarp?"
Answer: "Weeds. That is our redneck version of weed control."
Instead of veggies, veggie garden soil, veggie pests and weeds, this summer my obsession has been with the flowers.
I decided plants are too expensive and I want to grow new things, so I have decided to go with seeds. I've only tried to grow perenial plants from seed once several years ago, and they were doing fine until I decided to harden them off and burnt them all up in one afternoon. I think I cried.
But I'm stubborn, so I'm trying again. So far I've learned that reading the directions on the back of the package is very important. So when they say, "direct sow", that means really, do that. I learned this lesson with carrots.
They all died once I put them out in the veggie garden box. Oh well.
I didn't start this seed planting project until July - really too late for most everything here in Georgia, so I have killed at least one flat, but most of the Rudbekia (Black-eyed Susans), Lupine, Delphinium, and a few painted daisies seem fine - so far. (I say so far because I also did not direct sow like the directions said to do in some cases.)
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| Rudbekia beginnings |
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| Hum...I think most of this I have already killed |
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| painted daises, left |
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| Lupine! I've never had any of this before! |
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| Delphinium that I thought would NEVER germinate! Yay! Still might be too hot here for these... |
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| Ghetto Greenhouses - I love this idea! |
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| My babies - delphinium...grow...grow...grow! |
The seed thing was really just another way for me to avoid
cleaning out my basement, and eventually it didn’t ease the pain of avoidance
(because really, I think watching for germination is a little like watching for
the water to boil). So I settled on one
little corner of the basement and focused on that to start.
Who could have imagined what cool things I would find down
there!? My husband had collected tons of
spray paint for a job he once did – awesome colors too – turquoise, blue, red,
pink, yellow, green, orange, and purple!!
I had been telling myself I would buy myself a new, big
flower pot for my birthday, but I got serious sticker shock when I saw how much
they cost at the local hardware and plant stores.
So Pinterest gave me the idea to spray paint lots of things I found in the basement!
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| My treasure chest started off as an old cookie tin and the clay flower pots came from the thrift store! |
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| My daughter, Julia, called this "Aphrodite's Throne" |
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| Old grill turned herb garden |
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| Square foot gardening in raised beds - color coded! |
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| Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)- another new obsession. Haven't decided what to plant in the tire yet. |
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| Old baskets turned planters |
Who needs flower pots when you've got old junk? Horders of the world unite!!
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