Shrub Order. Trial for Bee Forage and Deer Resistance. 1.2.14

I placed an order from forestfarms.com.  I want to try some additional shrubs for bee forage and deer resistance.

The sterile Buddleias grew very nicely last year.  By far the fastest growing shrubs in the yard, bloomed later into the summer and fall, and deer didn't touch them.  We want to fill in between them, for a hedge.  I want multicolored flowers.  Currently, the hedge consists of Buddleia X Flutterby Peach Cobbler (3) and Blueberry Cobbler (1); Miss Ruby (1) and a yellow unknown I suspect is Buddleia globosa.

Image Source: wikipedia Buddleia "Honeycomb"

 To fill in the Buddleia hedge, I ordered one sleeve of Flutterby Vanilla (off white), two sleeves of Honeycomb (yellow), and one sleeve of Asian Moon (purple).  Combined with the current varieties, that will make a good color mix.  They grow so fast, the sleeves - small starts - should fill in fine and bloom this year, and next year catch up with the older shrubs.

The down side for the sterile Buddleias, so far, is they can look weedy, and the early flowers on the long flower clusters dry up and turn brown, before the last flowers open.  Which can look shabby, unless they are deadheaded despite the unopened end flowers.

Image source:  Wikipedia Philadelphusn

I also ordered 2 sleeves of Philadelphus lewisii - Mock orange.  Mock oranges are considered excellent bee attractants.  The single-flowered ones are considered more bee friendly than modern double ones.  They are native.  They are reported as variably deer resistant.

And 2 Hebe hybrids.  No photo - not available in public domain.  Hebes are also thought to be good bee forage and deer resistant.  They will go into the bee garden.

Okra Seedlings and Fig Cuttings. Progress Report. 12.31.13

Carini Fig Cutting 12/31/13

 I was concerned about the Carini Fig tree after freezing to 8F a few weeks ago.  Today the tree looks like there might be some frost damage, but not dead.  Frost damage is visible on several fig trees as withered, blackened stems.  The main stems are OK, including the Carini fig.

I noted a branch which I had pruned off earlier, but did not save the cutting properly and it dehydrated in the fridge.  Today I cut it back closer to the trunk.  There are roots, and a small green bud.

Carini Fig Cutting 12/31/13

Dominick Fig Cuttings 12/31/13

 I cleaned the cutting, rinsed, pruned a bit, and potted in seed starter medium.  This is how I handled a start from Sal's Fig last year and it grew nicely.

This looks OK.  That looks alive bodes well for the main tree as well.

Okra Seedlings and Fig Cuttings 12/31/13

I would be disappointed to lose this tree.  It has a great story, grows nicely, and developed delicious figs the first year of growth.  It did so well, I gave away 3 starts.  I regretted not saving one for myself as a backup.  This cutting is now the backup.  I hope it grows.  It looks like it might.

The Dominick fig cuttings have nice root initials along the stems.  They look like they are ready for a great start.  It's only 2 weeks after starting them.

I rinse the cuttings every other day in plain water.  When the paper towel starts looking stained or mildewed, I discard it to compost and replace with another water soaked, not quite dripping wet paper towel.  This time I used a diluted houseplant food, designed to use as a weak solution.

All cuttings, and the seedlings, are on the heating mat under a one-bulb fluorescent light.  I need to get a timer for the 2-bulb system.  Someone who I won't name liberated the previous timer, leaving me with this one.

The Baby Bubba Okra seedlings are not as lanky as the Dwarf Green.  They probably don't have enough light.  The light is on 12 hours, off 12 hours.

Late December Gardening. Seedlings, Kitchen Garden Prep, Raised Beds, Lime. 12.28.13

Okra Seedlings

Seed and Cutting Setup

Today didn't do much.  In winter garden work can be when I feel like it.

Noted the okra seedlings have germinated.  That's 4 days.  See warming mat makes a big difference.  I had soaked them 1/2 day before planting.  That probably also helped.

I don't know how they will do inside.  That's why it's an experiment.

Chili pepper seeds have not germinated yet.

Opened fig cutting bags 2 days ago, and rinsed them.  Anticipate doing the same tomorrow.

Today -

1.  Spread lime in raised beds and around trees and shrubs.  I calculated the amount as 1 pound per 4 X 8 raised bed.  I estimated the area around the trees and shrubs, and orchard trees, and applied similar amount.  Two 25 pound bags.  Will need another later.

2.  There were some garlic plants and perennial onion volunteers that I pulled out a week or two ago when I cleaned up that raised bed.  I had set them aside.  Today I separated them into individual plants, and planted them.  They did not look the worse for wear despite sitting outside a week or 2.

3.  Spread blood meal around onion starts.  Something has been eating them.  Maybe the blood meal will be a deterrent.  The amount is the recommendation of nitrogen supplement.

4.  Cleaned up the strawberry raised bed.  Removed the fencing.  Raked out the deteriorating straw.  Pulled the few weeds.  Did not cut off dead leaves.  That can be later.  Plan:  Mulch this winter with compost.  Later this winter build a better fencing system, maybe a hinged box with chicken wire sides.  Wait until growth starts, to add straw again.

That's about it.  Sounds like a lot, but non of it was difficult and none took very much time.

More kitchen garden planning. 12.28.13

Image source:  vintageprintable.com

This is a table, template originating from about.com.  I edited out the vegetables I don't want, added others, changed for family of 4 to the 2 of us, and made some other changes.

In the raised beds, one row is 4 feet.  A bed is 4ft by 8 ft, a half bed is 4 ft by 4 ft.

Over-planning but have been sick and this makes me feel better.

Beets	1 row	Spring + Fall plantings.  Trying again. Protect.
Bush Beans	1½ beds	Succession Plant.  Experimenting with varieties.
Pole Beans	½ bed	Single Planting.  Northernmost bed due to height.
Carrots	1 row	Succession Plantings.  Experiment with varieties.
Swiss Chard	1 row	Re-Grows after Harvesting Outer Leaves
Sweet Corn	1 row?	If there is room.  Needs deer protection deer.  Needs to be on north side so not shading other plants.
Cucumbers	1 row	Single Planting.  Experiment with varieties.  Pickles + fresh.
Mesclun	1 row	Spring + Fall Crop for greens.
Lettuce	1 row	Succession plantings.
Onions	1 bed	Winter onions already planted for winter growth + scallions. Perennials are June harvest, October re-plant.
Snow Peas	1 row	Succession, Spring and Fall plantings
Okra	1 bed	Multiple varieties, experiments.  Needs soil warming method.
Garlic	1 bed	Already planted.  June harvest, October re-plant.
Sweet + Chili Peppers	½ bed	Multiple varieties, some known + some experiments
Winter Squash + Pumpkins	5 hills	Outside raised beds due to sprawling vines.  Multiple varieties.
Radishes	1 row	Succession Plantings
Summer Squash	½ bed	Multiple Varieties.  3 hills.  Bush types.
Tomatoes	1 bed	Multiple Varieties. 1 to 2 each.
Turnips	1 row	Spring + Fall plantings.

Some Old Botanical Illustrations. 12.26.13

These are selected images I liked from vintageprintable.com public domain downloadable images. The illustrate the topics very well.

Onion

Pelargonium, zonal geranium

Peppers

Red Mulberry

Fig