New, New, New

It's been two busy days again. I went to the Adkins Farm and I took a class on Grow Box making and bought my new Red Worms. I have tons of pics from the Box making class. Everyone was really great there. I think I may switch exclusively to Grow boxes after seeing their yield compared to the other methods. I already owned one Grow box but after making one I can only tell you they are work but LESS work than ground gardening.

From garden

That's a picture of the tomatoes growing in one of the boxes. I wish I had taken MORE pictures - I always forget - then you could have seen their 25-35lb Cabbages!! Also they use a different mix in their Boxes. They use a Fafard 3B - which is mostly Sphagnum Peat Moss, Vermiculite, Perlite and some Pine bark. It is soil-less soil which you would then add a fertilizer too.

I really want to switch to using this. After filling my new box I emptied the Lettuce out of my old box and dumped the old soil (which was potting mix) and replaced it with the Farfard. It is so light and airy I have to start adding that to my yard. My Soil is too THICK!!! Apparently this is why my plants are not doing as well. All of the Organic Miracle Grow stuff I've bought is just TOO thick. I thought maybe the boxes would keep out ALL bugs - but today I found this jerk (cutworm?) living in my old box. My mom thinks he could have been already present in the soil.

From garden

From garden

I don't expect to know much at this stage about gardening so I'm glad to be getting all of this sage advice from people. Apparently my Tomatoes and Peppers are all a goner within the next few weeks as the days get hotter. This goes for all of my plants not currently flowering or ones that have tomatoes on them. This Totally SUCKS! because I have all of these baby Amish Creamy Tomato babies which are WAY too small to produce flowers and fruit. This also means NO peppers either as they are all babies.

This really is a learning experience for me....that's all I can say. AND That I will be better prepared for a fall planting and for spring next year.

I have to give credit to my gardening buddy Barbara. She is awesome - she has been doing this for a bit and she continues to donate wonderful seeds to my garden like: Decorative Gourds, Speckled Butter Beans, Blue Lace Bush Beans, Poblano Peppers, Lemon Drop Tomatoes and Clemson Spineless Okra. I just removed the seeds from the Lemon Drop Tomatoes and I will explain the seed saving technique for tomatoes later. I have no audience in my house for Okra - no one will eat it - so it isnt getting planted. Neither are the Poblano Peppers. I want to be on a growing schedule from now on.The Beans and Gourds are planted in what I like to call my Bean Bed! I cant put them directly in the ground - I dont have it ready yet.

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From garden

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Things are flowering like crazy too - the Cilantro and the Basil!

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From garden

I like to keep a Full List of Plants I am currently growing/trying to grow/at least seeded and in some dirt, alphabetized as any mildly neurotic gardener would.

Veggies:
Carrots (Purple Dragon)

Cucumber (Boston Pickling, Straight Eight)

Gourds (Decorative)
Lettuce (Parris Island Co Romaine)

Onions (like chives), Onion - from my kitchen, Onions (Sweet Spanish Utah Jumbo)
Peppers (California Wonder, Chocolate, a Florida Heirloom, Long Red Sweet, Purple Beauty Bell)

Pumpkin (Small Sugar)

Radishes (Cherry Belle)

Squash, Summer (Zucchini Dark Green)
Squash, Winter (Delicato)

Spinach (Bloomsdale, Long Standing)

Legumes:
Bush Beans (Blue Lake)
Butter Beans (Speckled)
Gandules (Pigeon Peas)

Fruit:
Bananas

Blueberries
Pineapple

Pomegranate

Strawberries
Tomato Varieties: Beefsteak, Plum, Patio (hybrid), Bradley, Creamy Tomato (Amish Heirloom),

Herbs:

Basil (new Sweet Basil seeds)

Catnip

Chamomile

Cilantro

Oregano

Parsley (Italian flat leaf)

Rosemary
Sage
Stevia
Tea (Red Tea is the name although it is a Chinese Tea)

Flowers:
Angelica
Amaryllis
Gazanias

Gysophilia (Convent Garden)
Marigold, Crackerjack, Mixed Colors (from seed and one planted)

Morning Glory (given to me so no breed name)
Sunflower (Double Sun Gold, Mammoth)

White and yellow daisy looking plant (unknown)

Zinnias (Giant Double Mixed, Giant Violet Queen)

Random:
Brown Seed Plant

As for the Random Brown Seed Plant - we found the seed and planted. So we will wait and see what happens.

From garden

Picture Time!!!!!!!

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From garden

From garden

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From garden

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From garden