Sweet Corn Update and Planting More. And Some Dill Seeds. 5.23.2021

Most of the sweet corn that I planted earlier has germinated.  There are always a few spots that don't come up.  I don't know if it's the seeds, or if birds or other animals have stolen the seeds.   Since I plant them with some to spare. I move plants to empty spots while still very small.

I also planted some main season sweet corn seeds, Ambrosia.  Since I read that sweet corn seeds don't usually keep more than a year or two, I planted new seeds.  These are hybrids and also it takes a lot of sweet corn plants for genetic stability if saving seeds, so I don't plan to save seeds from these.

I also planted seeds for some dill weed.

I keep fencing tunnels as protectors until the corn plants are about a foot tall, or more.  Deer or rabbits eat them when they are small and tender, but not when larger. 

The Trinity seems to have grown better than the Suglow. Next year I should just go with Trinity for the early type.  I think it's more productive and better tasting.  This year I can compare side by side.

Here is the new block of Ambrosia, an SE type.  I also have a packet of the variety "Delectable" which will go into the remaining blocks in about 2 weeks.  The roll of fencing is there to annoy and frustrate birds that sometimes dig out corn seeds.  I can make more fencing tunnels in a few days;

I'm trying not to spend too much time outside due to neighboring properties burning so much wet brush (and other stuff), the air is smoky and breathing cn be difficult.  Country air here in Battleground is not necessarily cleaner than city.  In fact, it's often far worse than Vancouver :-(   I hope they stop burning stuff for a while so I can get back into the garden.  For what it's worth, countryside here is much noisier than the city too - leaf blowers, big mowers, chain saws, and other power equipment.  But it's worth it for now, for the garden size and option to have chickens.

I had some old dill seeds (Burpee) and new (Victory) so I mixed them together in the row.  Dill isn't hybrid, so no problem saving seeds.

Shirt Fabric Quilt Top Assembled. 5.22.2021

 I finished assembling the shirt fabric quilt top.  This is seven shirts, plus the border binding will be one more, a dark blue.  In keeping with the repurposed fabric idea, I want to find a sheet or similar fabric in good shape, before doing the quilting, so that may be a while.  Alternatively, I might find something on sale.

There are things I like and things I don't like about the result.  I'm still new at it, and self-taught at that, so need to be forgiving with myself.

This is an old, traditional quilt pattern.  I found an example online from 1910, Illinois  State Museum.  

Most of the Pickle Cucumbers are Planted. 5.22.2015

Most of the various types of pickle cucumbers are planted.  The exception is Alibi which I haven't decided where to plant.  As with the tomatoes, this year is a test of different varieties, and Im hoping home saved seeds give me a good result.  Alibi is hybrid so is only a backup for the others.  Also Im not sure about the vine length.

Most are in barrels with mix of garden soil, compost, and a little potting soil.

These are "Bush Pickle", short vine pickling cucumber.

Edit: These didn't survive. I don't know why - maybe too cool? I planted bean seeds in this barrel instead.

Dwarf Tomato Update and Disease Protection. 5.21.2021

 I was reading that some gardeners are reluctant to grow dwarf tomatoes because the bottom leaves are low, and other leaves are not widely separated, rendering them more susceptible to fungal spores that splash up from the soil during rain.  That may only be theoretical, I don't know.  So I started adding a brown paper cover for soil under the dwarf tomato plants .  Im only doing that if they have real soil, not ones that are growing in artificial potting soil media.

I hope the paper makes a difference.

I have not figured out how to label photos uploaded via ipad.  The first tomato plant, in the round container is BrandyFred, and the next two, in the rectangular black container are L to R, Improved Dwarf Champion and Extreme Bush.  The last two, in the teal plant box, are Alpatieva 905A.

I've also noticed that most of the dwarf tomatoes have flower buds at their growth apex.  I wonder if that is significant?

A New Cadet Cap Made With Recovered Fabric. 5.21.2021

This was kind of fun. I like using fabric that had a previous life as something else. This was duck cloth that I harvested from the back of an old couch that was in very bad condition. However, the fabric on the sofa back was not exposed to wear and tear, and was in excellent shape.

 I used a box cutter to remove the fabric from the old sofa. There were a couple of yards. Before using it, I prepped the fanric. I soaked it in hot water and detergent, squeeze but don't crumple or wring it out, drain, Repeat several times over two days, until the water came out completely clear. I wanted to cleanse the fabric of potential chemicals as well as soil.  I also wanted to pre-shrink it as much as it would shrink.  That was a lot.  Then I washed in the washer with a load of clothes with some all fabric color safe bleach. After drying at high temperature, I ironed the fabric.  The treatment brightened the fabric significantly.

 For the sides, I fused on a heavier, woven inferfacing. I made the liner with a muslin weight cotton. I made a quilted inner top, as I have done with other caps. I did not make a hat band or sweat band.  I like the less cluttered appearance.  This cap is a little loose, so I might add those. Otherwise it'a fun cadet cap, and much cooler than the denim or flannel ones that I made bedore.