Solstice Stroll - Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

Who says you can't enjoy gardens in the winter? Kruckeberg Botanic Gardening hosted a solstice event with snacks, caroling, and a lit path with artwork.

Late Season Planting

Ok, so I know it is pretty late in the year to be planting bulbs, but Sky Nursery was selling bulbs 50% off. So, I planted 16 more tulips in the front of my plot.

Putting the Plot to Bed

Autumn Update

As the middle of October is just around the corner I figured I should post an update. The weather has become considerably colder and wetter making Summer a thing of the past. I have no more vegetables currently growing. The 70sf plot is empty except for mulched corn stalks. Also, I dug up the calla lily and transplanted it to the corner of the 70sf plot. It was getting too big to remain in my main plot and kept expanding.

I also began a new pile of compost about four weeks ago and it is coming along nicely (plenty of worms). I plan to spread it (regardless of completion) in the coming week, adding to the plot in spots needing help.

There is a perennial bulb sale at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture tomorrow. The bulbs I buy (and some from Sky Nursery) will replace the calla lily spot. Also, I need to acquire burlap in the next few weeks to put the plot to bed. Pictures to come as well.

Mark and the Beanstalk

Ok, the temperatures have been both hot and muggy lately (sort of like other parts of the country). I am picking beans and corn like crazy. Everything else has sort of fizzled out as we are now in the middle of Summer. The fuschia is still in full bloom, and the bees love it.

On my deck, the cyclamen purpurascens and hederifolium are currently blooming. Also, I filled the hanging baskets with a bunch of annuals. I got tired of watching the bluejays bury peanuts in the planters.

Beans and Corn

Warm Weather Ahead

The weather this year for June has been warmer than usual. In fact, the last few days have been mild and muggy. The combination of heat and humidity have done wonders for all my plants. Also, the forecast for this coming weekend promises temps in the 80's, with a possible high of 90 degrees.

As you can see in the pic below my broccoli grew enormous this year. So, I need to begin picking it before the temps promote it to flower. Also, the beans are doing quite well and growing quicker than the before can do enough damage to hinder them. The corn is progressing along nicely, certainly faster than last year at this time in the month. Finally, my bleeding hearts are really "going to town" with plenty of new blooms.

June Update

I spent three hours working at the p-patch today and accomplished quite a bit. The green trimmings from the hellebores were bagged up, taken home, and disposed of. The six-week-old compost was completely removed from the bin and spread around the main plot as well as the corn. I have two extra piles of compost covered and plan to use it in the coming months as more space becomes free (btw, the birds were going to town on my compost worms. Any time I was more than a few feet away the birds would chomp away on my unprotected worms. I hope a few worms survived, as they really help to aerate the compacted soil).

The remaining spinach in the main plot was also removed, as well as more weeds.On anther note, you can see in the third pic that the foxtail lily is blooming. I also planted a lupine (blue) in the center of the plot and hope to see it bloom in the coming months but at this point really just want it to get established.

I planted more bean seeds about a week ago (under remay next to the hellebores) to replace the ones that didn't come up (well, only one sprouted). I'm hoping to see some development any time now. The weather has been quite warm and everything is doing well.

Veggies!

The cool-weather vegetables are coming along nicely. The peas are finally taking off, the broccoli looks great, and the spinach is ready for harvesting. I already planted corn and beans even though the temperatures continue to fluctuate. Fortunately, all of the corn seeds have sprouted and are covered with remay (see pic). I hope this will protect them adequately from cooler overnight temperatures.

Early Summer Plants

foxtail lily

dicentra 'burning hearts'

Summer is Here

Temperatures are reaching 80 degrees in the first week of May this year. This is promising. I hope this means Summer will have record warm weather. I already have Walla Walla onions growing, as well as spinach and Alderman peas. The peas are taking quite a while to take off and are pretty chewed up by birds. I'm still planning to plant corn, peppers, and green beans (I just need to find space to plant them all). Also, my bleeding hearts are coming along nicely, and the foxtail lily too. Sometime in the coming week I will need to trim all of Spring perennials as they are finished blooming for the year.

Spring Color

Spring Update

Well, I have finally got around to publishing an update. A lot has happened in the last couple of months. First of all, my extra garden space (on the South side of the property) is no longer. It seems that a rep from the city doesn't like that folks are gardening near the edge of the hillside and it may be contributing to soil erosion. So, I no longer have an extra 70sf. As for my main plot...the peas are surviving, although slugs/snails are snacking on the leaf edges. I've planted a couple of batches of Walla Walla onions. Also, the various groups of tulips are starting to show color. 

On another note, and pictured below, I finally managed to get my single Cyclamen Repandum corm to produce leaves and blooms. It only took two years :-P

The Winter Garden

The winter corner of my p-patch plot is coming along nicely. The hellebore are beginning to hit their stride, with just the 'Ivory Prince' yet to fully bloom. There is also a smattering of cyclamen coum nestled in the shade of the taller hellebore. The hundreds of tulips scattered around the plot have all broken through the soil, but will probably begin blooming in another month (in staggered succession).

On another note, one of my dicentra 'Burning Hearts' survived another Winter and shows signs of new growth. I've harvested the broccoli as much as possible, and disposed of the remainder, along with the spinach. I plan to plant new spinach from seed in a couple of days, as well as plant Alderman peas.

Note: pics were updated on 03/07/13

 

Seattle Arboretum - Winter Garden

I joined a tour the other day at the Seattle Arboretum. The property's winter garden is in bloom and in its prime.

January Update

Well, it's the middle of Winter and it definitely feels like it. Temperatures have dropped to freezing many nights. But, plants outdoors seem eager for Spring. Many of my perennials (tulips) have poked up, and the hellebore all show signs of new growth. I have removed burlap covers from areas that have developing plants. Now I'm just waiting for Spring to spring...