Morning Glories and Gourds. 8.1.15

 The dark pink morning glory was a volunteer from last year.  The pastel ones are a different variety that I started this year.

This spring Ning bought some gourd seed packets which I started for him.  This is his garden.  The gourd flowers are surprisingly beautiful, and the entire picture is very peaceful for me to view.

My camera somehow automatically adjusted the color saturation.  They are nicer in person than on here.

Rehydrating Peach Seeds. 7.30.15

Rehydrated El Dorado peach seeds.  7.30.15

When I cracked open the El Dorado peach pits, the seeds looked like tiny dried out potato chips.  I soaked them for 2 days in water.  Now they are plump and heavy.

I don't know if they are viable.

Now they go into the fridge in a wet paper towel.

Seedling genetic dwarf peach trees, 3rd year.  7.30.15

 This is the 3rd year for the seedling genetic dwarf peaches.  I don't know the source variety - either Sungold or Honey Babe.  They were in-ground the first and 2nd years.  Last fall I transplanted them into containers and kept under cover for the winter.  The foil reflects light from the black nursery pots to keep them from overheating.

Fresh Fruit. 7.30.15

King Figs.  7.28.15

Petite Negri Figs.  7.28.15

Hollywood Plums, Oregon Curl Free Peaches, figs, Pristine Apples.  7.30.15

Egyptian Walking Onion Starts.  7.28.15

Buckwheat at one week.   7.28.15

 I don't know if these will work.  If I don't try, I won't know.

The Egyptian Walking Onions were eaten by rabbits.  I covered them with chicken wire.  They grew back, but then I was ill and could not get in to pull weeds.  The plants appear to have small bulbs at the bases, although dried out.  I divided some and planted in one of the "wells" that I originally set up for potatoes.  Basically, cinder-block circles stacked on top of each other, chicken wire bottom to deter moles, and filled with garden soil.   I think they will grow.  I have more to plant in container at home, and still more to dig out soon.  Technically these are not seeds, I know.

The buckwheat germinated thickly, in both 1-week-old plantings.  I watered well, and also watered the 3 day old plantings that are not germinated.  Prediction for today is mid 80s or higher.

I planted bean seeds in a raised bed that I cleaned up and topped off with yard soil.  Most of the seeds are old.  I planted 3 rows of Ning's Chinese pole beans, alternating the 2 packets so if one is bad, but the other is good, they will be evenly spaced.  Those seeds are several years old.  I did the same with Roma bush beans.  The Romas are 1 to 4 years old.  The Romas claim 53 days to harvest, which would be mid to late Sept.  If they grow, they should grow fast in the current heat.

Bean Bed, with bird protection.  7.28.15

Summer Seed Planting. 7.27.15

Image via Commons.wikimedia.org, old botanical illustration, public domain due to age.

Today I am off work, although I need to do remote work plus study.  For a brief break -

Cleared dead nasturtiums out of deck barrel.  Planted fresh nasturtium seeds in same barrel.  These were a mixture of ages, may not be viable.  I mixed all of the packets together and planted close together.  I can thin if too many germinate.

Did the same with swiss chard.

The plan is to have some fall greens and color.

I have one more half-barrel to plant.   This week, I also want to start some bush beans for fall.

If they don't do well in the heat, that's OK.