Lazy Gardening, Cosmos Blooming.

I haven't had much energy these past few days. I'm not exactly sure what it is but I have severely neglected the garden to say the very least.
A very kind friend on a gardening site send me seeds that I've yet to try previously. It was very generous. I've had a lot of really nice friends recently sending me seeds to help me grow a wonderful lush patch of earth and it really means so much to me! Specifically my friend Sadie Sams! She has sent me Eggplant and Kohlrabi, in addition to tons of flower seeds that I am really excited to try out. My favorite out of all of them are the Red Sunflowers. I've never seen them around here at all.

The few cosmo seeds that I scattered under my front window are finally blooming! I hope a few more open up, and I'll take a photo. They are shades of magenta and lilac. Cosmos are such cute little flowers, they grow up tall about 2-3' and then have very sweet delicate little flowers. Very colorful!

One of the packet of seeds that I was sent by my friend at MyFolia that I am especially excited to try is the "Purple Cape" cauliflower. This variety is meant for colder climates as I hear. Overwintering is something I have never made an attempt at but it is how to grow this particular cauliflower, so I will give it a shot! Nothing like a new adventure in gardening. Kale is another plant on the list that I have no grown before, which I now have the opportunity to grow.
I HIGHLY recommend anyone check out MyFolia, there are tons of kind and caring people there that LOVE to swap seeds! There is even a map showing you where the seeds traveled from to you, and a note for the person receiving the seeds if the sender chooses. It's very awesome.

I just enjoyed the first cucumber of the season. It was so tasty! I forgot to take a photo, as it is very dark out but I don't think it was ready yet.

Photo Update: Lemon Flowers, Baby Pumpkins, & Siamese Cucumbers

Improved Meyer's Lemon Flowers

I love this photo! This is the lemon tree I purchased for $10 on sale. Yay! I am really happy to see the flowers, I think they are REALLY pretty.

Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin

I am so excited to see the first pumpkin finally pollinate! The plant produced a few female flowers however at the time there were no male flowers on it or other plants. Thankfully the pumpkin pot in the front yard flowered profusely with male flowers, and suddenly I had a golfball sized baby pumpkin. It is now the size of a grapefruit!

Siamese Boston Pickling Cucumbers

As you can see in the photo, I have 2 baby cucumbers connected! They both look pollinated, it just looks like they sprouted off the same stem. I have heard of this before on MyFolia!!! I believe it is called a mega-bloom.

A very bottom heavy Boston Pickling Cucumber

This cucumber looks very bottom heavy. I've never seen one like this, and I'm not sure if it is an issue because it wasn't completely pollinated.. But the thing is the bottom looks much larger than those of others.

Orange Habaneros

To add a bit of color to the post, my habaneros are ripening like crazy!! Yum. They are perfect to give away as 1 goes a long way for some people.

Word of the Day.. ouch! & Greenhouse Brainstorm

My hand is still very sore, but life will go on!

I've been a bit busy lately, and slow. I smashed my hand in a door about a week ago and have been trying to continue on as if it's okay, but it's not!! I'm sorry for my absence!

I don't want to make this off topic, as it is a Word of the Day.. but it's a bit lackluster I do admit.
I am planning a project! It is pretty ambitious but I am soo pumped to give it a try. My plan is to build a small greenhouse out of hopefully re-purposed items. It needs to be adequate in size however I want to be able to take it apart and move it when the time comes to leave this rental house. I hope to use PVC pipes as the structure, as it is easy to stick together and take apart as long as you have proper connectors.
My intention with this project is to grow enough food to provide for my parents, as well as plenty of surplus to donate to the local Food Bank. There is also a church in my town that does a a weekly lunch for anyone, free of charge and it would be fantastic if I could provide healthy, nutritious food to the people in my community. The food bank currently has a greenhouse that they grow food in, but it doesn't seem like a sufficient amount to help everyone in need. There is always a need for food and there always will be.
I myself have had to pick up things at the local food bank and I'm not embarrassed by it. I am a 22 year old and I don't make much more than minimum wage so I understand how important it is to eat healthy and have good food but maybe not always having money to buy it. As a child, my parents understood this and reached out for help when they were in need from the food bank. While there are fresh veggies included in the food you receive, it is very limited and seems as if there are excesses of some items and not enough of others. I hope to try and grow a healthy and colorful variety throughout the year to offer as many vitamins and nutrients as possible.

The problem with this is I am still a very poor young adult. I do not have money to spend on supplies, nor the gas to find things for free from craigslist. My passion for gardening and for helping others won't let this die. I will come up with a solution, it will just take time.

Sustainability Starts At Home: Steps YOU Can Take

These days, there are a huge number of reasons why people are choosing to try and switch over to a more suitable or sustainable way of life. To get a better idea of what this means, I'd like to first introduce the definition of sustainable.

1 : capable of being sustained

2 a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable techniques> <sustainable agriculture> b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods <sustainable society>

 

By this definition, sustainable living would be living in a way that relates to using and harvesting resources so that they will continue to be here for many lifetimes to come. Just a few of these examples include food, water, fiber, fuel and energy. 

It seems a lot more people are concerned with this topic especially because of many recent events featured in the news and media. Many issues are coming to light in the world, and individuals are wondering what they can do in their own homes to try and make a difference. While the planet will NOT be saved purely by doing these few simple things, it can be very helpful in the long run if we all try to practice some of them diligently.  

 

To Avoid GMO foods, Grow at Home! 

This is simply the easiest way to avoid foods that have the added gene to resist roundup weed killer. 

There are many many resources for growing gardens indoors (Such as the BathroomFarmer) 

It can also be fairly inexpensive to get started at home. Recycle food containers to make mini-greenhouses, and plastic bottles to grow plants in. They can also but used as a drip irrigation watering system for potted plants as well as those in the ground. 

Simple fill a plastic bottle with water and either poke small holes in the bottom and place it on the ground, or push the opening of the bottle deep into the soil so it will slowly drain. Both work well, but some soil conditions may not work with one or the other so test out both methods!

Avoid Plastics as much as possible!

It is much easier these days to avoid plastic than you may think. There are now reusable water bottles that include a filter for water INSIDE. While you do have to change the filter, this is much less waste than if you were to simple drink bottled water.

When you go to the store, ask to use your own bags for your items. Most of the time people don't even buy a considerable amount of groceries yet they still get a plastic bag. If you have a purse on you, why bother getting a bag for your drink and candy bar?! All you need is a recipe that shows you paid. Actually, if it's possible, see if they can keep that, TOO! Some will just give you sticker to say you're good to go. I'd rather have a sticker than a yucky chemical soaked recipe any day of the week. 

Tying in gardening, when you grow your own lettuce mix it tastes SO MUCH better, and you save the plastic bag it comes in! Many vegetables are packaged in plastic, and it wastes fuel to make as well as to drive the produce to the store. Reuse those plastic bottles & food containers!!

Share Books, Newspapers, and Magazines!

This will cut down on the number of paper products being purchased. There is also the option of viewing many of these syndication type papers on the net for either free or a small monthly fee. Usually less than getting an actual paper! Magazines tend to be a waste of paper for vain and selfish reasons. Many would love to see what you have to pass on, sometimes when it's even out of date. There are also doctor's offices, libraries, school libraries, and other resources that would love to read what you no longer have an interest in. Why support constant destruction? 

And OBVIOUSLY, Don't use Energy you don't NEED

When you are at home, do not use lights that are not necessary. If you enjoy lights outside your home, purchase small solar panel outdoor lights. There are tons of options (that are visually appealing, even!) that don't cost a lot of money. Most times, you don't even see the solar pad in the light. 

When you are home alone, only leave the light on in the room you are occupying. No one needs a fully lit home. Don't leave the outdoor porch light on unless you absolutely have to, but you probably won't after you get solar outdoor lights. :)

I know these aren't much, but it can add up. If everyone stopped and just thought about their personal impact on the world I think this would be a much better place. Think about how your actions effect other people, and consider how you would feel if it effected your own self or family.

Zone 8 Gardening.. AKA "Dude, Where's my Summer?"

Amusing title, isn't it? Sad thing is, it is absolutely true. This summer in my lovely zone 8 area, we've had virtually zero days above 80 Fahrenheit, which is also 26.7 Celsius for all my Marvelous Metric friends. Shout out to the UK, and the western park of Canada! You my friends, may also be in a zone 8 area.
Anyway, this is AUGUST for crying out loud. Where is my summer? It was cloudy and blag on the 9th, my birthday. I am prepared for at least a few days of heat, whereas my tomatoes on the other hand seem to really love this weather.

As the lackluster summer starts to come to an end, and I hear more and more reports that we will have a cold and all together tough La Nina winter again.. I wish for a green house and some crops that will grow beautifully during the chilly season. The few very cold months we have can sometimes be a bit brutal and I am really thankful that the Pacific Northwest does not drop in temperature more than it does. It could be much worse! Wind is more often than not the worst enemy around these parts with the vast number of trees known to grow here.The heat lovers that are not annual will be coming inside soon, my peppers and honestly unsure of my artichoke still. It could easily be potted up but I worry about hurting it.
My Brussels sprouts are getting heavy mulching even though they sweeten up with frost. I'm also searching for seeds for frost hardy vegetables, including the purple sprouting broccoli I hear is a wonderful crop to grow here. I'm not sure if I could get over the purple heads though.. there is also purple cauliflower, which I read turns green when cooked. SO weird!! I'm searching for some cold hardy cabbage as well.
Brassica family seems to really thrive in this area is cared for right.
Winter Squash is next on my list, with Spaghetti Squash in the lead!! I am so so excited for this plant. I only obtained 4 seeds and sadly one singly little guy sprouted. This one will be treated like my baby, that is for sure. I absolutely need to research a bit more about the care of these but it is called a winter squash, hopefully it's for a good reason. Butternut squash is another I am interested in trying as it is also a winter squash variety.
Not all members of the Cucurbita family are hardy in the winter so it is very important to check what kind you are planting and when.
Many of the Allium family can be sown in this season, late summer and successfully grow through the winter.

Most of this I have not tried. This is my first winter season trying to garden, and I will most definitely report my successes as well as absolutely failures. I'm not sure which way it'll go, though. Might be more failures than successes ;)

We interupt this regularly scheduled Word of the Day to say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

I love you very much, as I've talked about before. I wish I could have spent more time with you, or gotten you a nicer gift but you mean a lot to me!

The Word of the Day is Distracted!!
Because I have been non-stop lately. I hurt my hand by shutting it in a door (brilliant!) and have been neglecting a lot of things. The pumpkin in front is flowering, the cucumbers are growing like mad and I'm sure there must be a pea or three or ten to pick. Yikes..

The Whole Picture: My yard at a glance, Garden from afar

I'm very unorganized.

This is the scene when you pull up the driveway of my home. My little personal corner of the natural world. The shed is home to my boyfriend's "man cave" in which he has a stereo and a recliner, ha! Next to it we have the can used for misc garden tools and whatnots. There is a small bed along the fence, with peas and popcorn planted but they're either small or covered in the shade in this shot. You can make out the string tied to the cherry tree, all with a viney plant of some kind attached. Boston Pickling cucumbers, Sugar Baby Watermelon (this one will probably do nothing for us..), and Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkins. Barely visible is the trellis i fashioned from string and sticks. The green beans are going to overtake and concur the entire thing. Most of the rest of the garden from here looks like a large singular green bush. That is fine with me, I dont care if people can't make out what I am hiding within. Less issues with unwanted vegetable pickers, in my opinion.

Before it turned into the unrecognizable bush.

Current day bushiness.

 I think the dense planting of my garden has helped a lot with keeping some parts shady, but the soil remains so warm! Everything thrives, and flourishes. I'm really excited! Next year I intend on planning my placement much more carefully to accommodate some plants I discovered are very space demanding.

Tomatillo Monster

Next year I intend to give my tomatillo plants their own space. They want to grow over and on top and into just about every single vegetable plant in the garden. I cannot find my strawberries, and it is giving the chives full shade. As much trellising and tying that I try, nothing prove to solve the issue. They are here, and they are going to take over the garden! At least, that is the message they've given me.

Bush Beans

My bush beans are filling up this home-fashioned trellis very nicely. There are so many tiny, itty bitty baby beans on these plants and it makes me feel just like a kid again. I remember eagerly checking the bean vines often for my mom, seeing if there were any I could steal away without her noticing. Even now, I get equally as giddy seeing a half inch long green slender vegetable starting to grow.

Jack-O-Lanterns in a pot

This is perhaps my favorite planting. These were started from seed and are growing to be huge! There were about 6 seeds planted and 5 sprouted. There is also a mini-sprout from a seed that had split. it is a plant half the size as all the others. Anyway, this is sitting under a willow tree settled by my front door. It was in the sun, but started to wilt too frequently from the August rays. Since being moved to it's shadier, cooler location the plant has thrived and not wilted once. It seems to need much less water.

And my dorky cat.

My cat Cheech is the official mouse, rabbit, and otherwise critter chaser. He does a wonderful job!!

The Word of the Day is Perceptive!

This one is a bit different than my other word of the days, but I think it is a very important one! Here is a quick definition of the word.

Having or showing keenness of insight, understanding, or intuition: a perceptive analysis of the problems involved.

This is something that I think a lot of people experience problems with. A lot of us are mindful of our own day to day lives, it's rare that we stop to think about our surroundings. I always find it odd when driving with someone, and even if they pass by something on a daily basis never notice their local landscape changing until it directly has an impact in their lives.  I feel as if it is our responsibility, as members of any community, to pay attention to the problems we often times overlook. Take a moment to think about a situation or issue in your local area that could use your attention. Are there public areas often times covered in litter? It is not very difficult to organize community clean ups, or join in on ones already organized in some areas. Starting your own community projects is insanely fulfilling, it brings such a feeling that can't be described! Even alerting officials of problems in local areas that others have not made reports of can be helpful. Not to mention the option to donate any surplus garden harvest to local food banks (and even those cans and boxes that sit there forever, they'll usually take them.)

There is a lot that can be done if only we take a few moments, even just an hour or two once a month to give back to our community. Helping out a neighbor or a local public area can be contagious but don't worry, this kind of spread won't be invasive.  

Artichoke.. I really want you to do something!!

My Glorious Artichoke, with a wall of sunflowers for shade.

Ever since I was a little girl, I remember my mom boiling up the most tasty dish ever. Usually when she'd cook it, it would be the "first course" then we would have a main dish a bit after it had settled. I recall forgetting what it was a lot as a little kid, but eventually learned that one of my favorite vegetables is the Artichoke!
When I first saw this plant at the hardware garden center (the locally owned one, at that!) I was sure it was some kind of odd fern. It was sort of brown, wilting, and had one tiny little bitty green leaf inside. 3 leaves total, perhaps no more than a foot high out of the ground. After a closer inspection, I made out the handwritten tag stating the plant was in fact an Artichoke! I eagerly ran over to my boyfriend to present it to him, and ask ever so politely if he would buy it for me. I'm just sweet as pie.. sometimes.
He happily bought it for me, as he is equally excited about the results of my gardening. He does tend to stay away from the actual garden work, but he shows just the right amount of enthusiasm for my hobby to make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Now that I HAD this poor little, wilting artichoke.. I needed to do something about it!

The young artichoke, perhaps a week old in this photo.

At first, the plant did not seem incredibly thrilled about it's new home. The outter leaves turned completely brown, and I was completely devastated in thinking I had lost my precious new addition. After doing some research, I discovered that the artichokes love lots of water. I wet the soil very well, and continued to do so until it started perking up. On a few very sunny days, the young plant actually wilted to the point where it was laying flat on the ground. I SURELY, most DEFINITELY lost the plant this time.. absolutely, I thought. I covered it with mesh and watered the sucker until I was sure now it would just drown.
Somehow my beautiful plant did not die. I grew some sunflowers in front of the 'choke to give it some permanent shade without really having any negative effects on other plants.. Just have to make sure to water well as they're both very heavy feeders.

I discovered that some people grow these as annuals.. but I have no idea how they would bloom here in time. I didn't realize the amount of time this guy needed when I puchased him, and I worry that I may need to pot it up when it gets cold out. However, I have ready that if mulched well and cared for, someone in my Zone 8 could possibly overwinter (as long as the winter is not too harsh.. uh oh, I heard we're getting a visit from La Nina Again..) to produce for a few years. The artichoke is a perennial, after all.

After establishing a bit. Tiny sunflower sprouts below!

More new leaves! This is about a month after planting.

I am so excited to eat up an artichoke from my own home garden. I really hope that this plant overwinters, and perhaps multiplies. I would love to be able to divide it and share a plant with my mother. If you would enjoy a more detailed post about how to grow Artichokes, please check out this other great blog! I don't run it, or know them, but it is very useful.

The Word of the Day is Optimism!

I know, I know, motivation! Optimism!! I'm a big cheese ball. Didn't I ever tell you guys, I'm totally sappy?!
Well, I'm at a point where these very very cheesy concepts are really helpful to me. They make my day to day life a little better. My days have themes and it cheers me up, gives me a focus I suppose.

The word for TODAY is Optimism, because today is the day my boyfriend goes into his first interview (AND wishful thinking here ONLY) since losing his job. It is at a very nice establishment and we're both very excited, and hopeful that he gets the job. The pay is also a lot better than his last position so we're crossing our fingers.

Today I will be thinking happy thoughts, keeping the future in mind, and trying to be optimistic for the outcome of the day!! My mothers gardens will be in my thoughts as well, as I am praying the animals don't think I cleared them a giant poo-box.