My Berry Garden:
The Native Columbine:
Small flat of 6 various hot pepper plants:
My flowering & other cool plants section (Elephant Garlic trying to creep into the picture...lol):
My Herb Garden:
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
MTPS (Middle Tennessee Plant Swap)
This was my first time attending & it was a ton of fun. There was so much great Southern food & a ton of wonderful people to share it with. =) I brought about 8-10 plants and ended up coming home with about 40 or more! I took a few pictures of what I brought home. I got Chocolate Mint, Mint, Thyme, Lemon Balm, 2 Russian Sage, Elephant Garlic, 6 various hot pepper plants (budding already!), a native Columbine, 2 Wineberry Raspberry plants, a Triple Crown Blackberry plant, Baby Gold Goldenrod, Iris Cristata (sp?), a Red Dragon Flower plant (very cool!), Lily of The Valley, a small cactus, Some kind of cool looking Fuzzy Leaf flowering plant, 2 birdhouses & a few other various flowering plants. I was not going to start an herb garden this year for lack of funds, but I got quite a nice one from the kind people at the MTPS! I also got another Triple Crown Blackberry, a Hot Bannana Pepper plant, a bag full of Yellow Iris, a few Serrano pepper plants & about 4-5 others I gave to my father-in-law. He seemed to love getting the Blackberry plant! Here are a few pictures of the ones I'm keeping that I brought home from the MTPS (Middle Tennessee Plant Swap).
My Berry Garden:
The Native Columbine:
Small flat of 6 various hot pepper plants:
My flowering & other cool plants section (Elephant Garlic trying to creep into the picture...lol):
My Herb Garden:
My Berry Garden:
The Native Columbine:
Small flat of 6 various hot pepper plants:
My flowering & other cool plants section (Elephant Garlic trying to creep into the picture...lol):
My Herb Garden:
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The "Hyponex Experiment"
Recently, on a GardenWeb forum, there was a discussion regarding Hyponex Potting Soil. I think it's crap mainly because it has sand in it & clumps together too much, not allowing drainage. Well, I bought one of the $1 bags of it at a local grocery store. It's about 2/3 of a cubic foot. Anyways, I have a few pepper plants that need to be potted up. I decided, since I have some spares of them, to use one for an experiment with the Hyponex. It's a Jalapeno Early Organic plant. I filled the bucket with 100% Hyponex (no other additives, soil mixes, compost, peat, etc.). I figure also, if anything can survive being in just this soil, a pepper plant would be one of those. I did give it a shot of water-based MG fertilizer to help things a bit. I would normally do this right after transplant into what I consider a known good soil though. So, the MG doesn't affect this experiment any. The main goal is to see if the plant even survives. If it does, i'll compare it to one of my other Jalapeno Early plants to see how different fruit production, growth, etc. is from this one. Wish me luck! I'll update this experiment weekly, or sooner if anything changes (plant dies, etc.). Below are two pictures I took of the plant right after transplanting into the bucket.
Monday, May 11, 2009
2009 Garden Pictures: May 9th
A short & sweet update. Not much to discuss this time except the three weeks (after this week) straight of rain with little to no sun in between causing my bud production to come almost to a halt. Everything is still growing fine though. I'm a tad worried about my Texas Sweet Onions, as they seem to be getting a tiny bit brown. I'm sure they just want sun like everything else though. =) FYI: The pics this time were taken with my phone, so the quality is nowehere near as good.
My new additions (like I have any space for them...lol), Yellow low-acid Tomatoes. I couldn't resist at $1.50 for 4 plants at a favorite local nursery of mine.
Another new addition. My Sweet Red Peppers. They broke through a few days ago and are looking quite nice so far!
I finally received my Mucho Nacho Jalapeno pepper seeds from Jung Seeds. =) Here they are, not yet broken through the soil, after 6 days.
Here's my pepper plethera. The two clear cups & the big plant in the front left are my California Wonder Bell Peppers. The dark green cup in the back left is a Serrano Pepper Plant & the two remaining (tall back right & front middle) are Jalapeno Early Organic Pepper Plants. All of these are slow growing currently due to the unexpected almost 3 weeks straight of rain. They are still quite healthy & will take off well once the sun comes back for a while.
My "Monster Cherry Tomatoes". They are potted in hanging baskets (16x12). They are over 2 feet tall and each have at least one bud set (yet another item slightly stalled due to immense amount of rainy days lately).
Some bud pics from all three of them (third one shown below in plant swap pictures). These are best seen by clicking on the image to get the larger version.
Second branch on right...at the V, take a left & it's about an inch down on the bottom.
About 2 and 1/2 inches from the top, on the right side of the stem.
Follow the bottom branches of the plant & it's right before the final V.
My Early Girl Hybrid Tomatoes. Hopefully, they will start budding soon.
My San Marzano Organic Tomatoes. They are a type that takes a bit to bud (I'm hoping they will start growing some by end of this month, as I want to can some of them).
My Bush Strawberries. They should just grow into early adulthood this year & start producing next Spring. Hopefully, they'll be worth the long wait. Only 2 seeds out of 6 sprouted so far. They are hurting a bit with all the rain (badly need to dry out...you can see the mold forming on them). Hopefully, at least one or two more will eventually sprout.
Indian Princess Nasturtiums. These are growing quite well. They should start flowering in a month or so.
One of these two will probably travel with me to the MTPS this weekend.
Garlic Chives, still doing quite well. They are on their second set of the year. I imagine they'll be ready in 2-3 weeks.
My Texas Sweet Onions. The ones in the brown container are not doing as well as the ones in the white container. I think the fact that they're deeper into it may be the problem. I guess i'll find out soon enough.
My Yellow Bell Peppers. This plant has 3-4 buds on it. One of them dropped off recently due to the weather and the plant not being ready to fruit yet. It's growing very nicely though. =)
A few plants awaiting the local plant swap (MTPS - Middle Tennessee Plant Swap). See the link on the top right of my page. Some of the plants pictured above will also be traveling to the swap. Next post on here, I should have some nice additions to my garden that I received there! :) One of which will be a Native Columbine. I can't wait!
As always, please feel free to e-mail me wwith any questions, comments, etc. that you have or post them on here. - Steve
My new additions (like I have any space for them...lol), Yellow low-acid Tomatoes. I couldn't resist at $1.50 for 4 plants at a favorite local nursery of mine.
Another new addition. My Sweet Red Peppers. They broke through a few days ago and are looking quite nice so far!
I finally received my Mucho Nacho Jalapeno pepper seeds from Jung Seeds. =) Here they are, not yet broken through the soil, after 6 days.
Here's my pepper plethera. The two clear cups & the big plant in the front left are my California Wonder Bell Peppers. The dark green cup in the back left is a Serrano Pepper Plant & the two remaining (tall back right & front middle) are Jalapeno Early Organic Pepper Plants. All of these are slow growing currently due to the unexpected almost 3 weeks straight of rain. They are still quite healthy & will take off well once the sun comes back for a while.
My "Monster Cherry Tomatoes". They are potted in hanging baskets (16x12). They are over 2 feet tall and each have at least one bud set (yet another item slightly stalled due to immense amount of rainy days lately).
Some bud pics from all three of them (third one shown below in plant swap pictures). These are best seen by clicking on the image to get the larger version.
Second branch on right...at the V, take a left & it's about an inch down on the bottom.
About 2 and 1/2 inches from the top, on the right side of the stem.
Follow the bottom branches of the plant & it's right before the final V.
My Early Girl Hybrid Tomatoes. Hopefully, they will start budding soon.
My San Marzano Organic Tomatoes. They are a type that takes a bit to bud (I'm hoping they will start growing some by end of this month, as I want to can some of them).
My Bush Strawberries. They should just grow into early adulthood this year & start producing next Spring. Hopefully, they'll be worth the long wait. Only 2 seeds out of 6 sprouted so far. They are hurting a bit with all the rain (badly need to dry out...you can see the mold forming on them). Hopefully, at least one or two more will eventually sprout.
Indian Princess Nasturtiums. These are growing quite well. They should start flowering in a month or so.
One of these two will probably travel with me to the MTPS this weekend.
Garlic Chives, still doing quite well. They are on their second set of the year. I imagine they'll be ready in 2-3 weeks.
My Texas Sweet Onions. The ones in the brown container are not doing as well as the ones in the white container. I think the fact that they're deeper into it may be the problem. I guess i'll find out soon enough.
My Yellow Bell Peppers. This plant has 3-4 buds on it. One of them dropped off recently due to the weather and the plant not being ready to fruit yet. It's growing very nicely though. =)
A few plants awaiting the local plant swap (MTPS - Middle Tennessee Plant Swap). See the link on the top right of my page. Some of the plants pictured above will also be traveling to the swap. Next post on here, I should have some nice additions to my garden that I received there! :) One of which will be a Native Columbine. I can't wait!
As always, please feel free to e-mail me wwith any questions, comments, etc. that you have or post them on here. - Steve
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
2009 Garden Pictures: May 4th
Everything is starting to come together! =) I have hardened off & planted in their final homes, about 2/3 of my plants. My porch container garden is looking beautiful already. Here are the updated pics. My Serrano Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, California Wonder Bell Peppers, Yellow Bell Peppers & Sweet Red Peppers are not shown in this post because they are indoors soaking up some artificial light thanks to 6 days in a row of rain! They are still perfectly healthy though (with 3 buds on the Yellow Bell Plant!).
Ok, after a LOT of hard work this past weekend, here's my current setup...
My babies (e.g. "Monster Cherry Tomatoes") at over 2 ft tall now are in the biggest dang hanging baskets I could find on each side of the porch. The baskets are 20x15.
I purposely "leaned" them a bit when transplanting to these baskets, to promote a single-side type method (meaning, they don't try to grow up the wall). One on each side wall of my porch.
My Indian Princess Nasturtiums (still babies, somewhat) in the center of it all.
Another two pots with Nasturtiums on the right side of the rail, along with an impulse buy $3 flower plant from a local nursery...pretty little flowers on it. My daughter loves them. =)
My garlic chives (on their second set of the year) on the left side of the rail. You can't see the bush strawberries growing to the right of them.
Ok, back to tomatoes...My "spares", Monster Cherry Tomato towering over the other two (San Marzano & Early Girl). They are awaiting the local plant swap. Next to them on the right is the experimental seed plant (attempt at getting some hybrid seeds at the end of the season).
A lonely Early Girl also awaiting the MTPS (see link at top right of page).
The left side of the porch floor. My Texas Sweet Onions & Strawberry vine plants (These leaf sets/vines grow at about 1 every 5 days currently)...beautiful green when they pop through the soil!
Next to them, my best two San Marzano's in the green containers. They leaned this much towards the tiny bit of sun we got today, it looks like they're touching their toes...lol...leaned most of the way back tonight.
In the middle, more Texas Sweet Onions.
On the right side, my two best Early Girl plants.
Soon to come in the next day or so will be an updated picture of my various pepper plants, which have not grown much in the last week due to 6 days of cloudy rainy bleh weather.
Please comment or ask questions (send me an e-mail). - Steve
Ok, after a LOT of hard work this past weekend, here's my current setup...
My babies (e.g. "Monster Cherry Tomatoes") at over 2 ft tall now are in the biggest dang hanging baskets I could find on each side of the porch. The baskets are 20x15.
I purposely "leaned" them a bit when transplanting to these baskets, to promote a single-side type method (meaning, they don't try to grow up the wall). One on each side wall of my porch.
My Indian Princess Nasturtiums (still babies, somewhat) in the center of it all.
Another two pots with Nasturtiums on the right side of the rail, along with an impulse buy $3 flower plant from a local nursery...pretty little flowers on it. My daughter loves them. =)
My garlic chives (on their second set of the year) on the left side of the rail. You can't see the bush strawberries growing to the right of them.
Ok, back to tomatoes...My "spares", Monster Cherry Tomato towering over the other two (San Marzano & Early Girl). They are awaiting the local plant swap. Next to them on the right is the experimental seed plant (attempt at getting some hybrid seeds at the end of the season).
A lonely Early Girl also awaiting the MTPS (see link at top right of page).
The left side of the porch floor. My Texas Sweet Onions & Strawberry vine plants (These leaf sets/vines grow at about 1 every 5 days currently)...beautiful green when they pop through the soil!
Next to them, my best two San Marzano's in the green containers. They leaned this much towards the tiny bit of sun we got today, it looks like they're touching their toes...lol...leaned most of the way back tonight.
In the middle, more Texas Sweet Onions.
On the right side, my two best Early Girl plants.
Soon to come in the next day or so will be an updated picture of my various pepper plants, which have not grown much in the last week due to 6 days of cloudy rainy bleh weather.
Please comment or ask questions (send me an e-mail). - Steve
Thursday, April 23, 2009
2009 Garden Seedling Pictures: April 22nd
A lot of things have changed since my last garden update. The most upsetting was that my Southport White Globe Onions I attempted to start from seed did not work out. They all just seemed to fall over and die. :( I may try again with them, directly sowing the seeds in their final/only home. I'll have to wait a week or so until I do my next Home Depot run though. My Mucho Nacho Jalapeno seeds arrived last week! I also have some Cayenne pepper seeds I want to plant too. This will all be done towards the end of the month, when I get paid again. I have also trimmed down the amount of plants I have, since i'm limited to my apartment porch for planting them. I gave several away to friends & co-workers that I know will take good care of them.
I decided on 3 store bought plants this year (not including my Dwarf Lime Tree that may or may not arrive in the next few years...Spring Hill Nursery will not be ordered from again by me). I bought a bunch (set) of Texas Sweet onions to make me feel a bit better about loosing all of my Southport seedlings. They seem to be doing quite well and also growing at a nice rate. I had to toss about a 1/3rd of them and clean-up/trim the ones I planted. I also bought some strawberries (vine type). I have a 4 ft tall trellis for them to climb on. I don't like to buy plants from any store/nursery that already have buds, flowers, fruit, etc., so it took me a while to pick those out. Most of the strawberry plants had nasty looking mini-fruits or plant damage. Good news!!!...I found one runner this morning when checking out this plant, so I may have strawberries soon! I also bought a Yellow Bell Pepper plant just cuz I love bell peppers. =) They were all purchased at Home Depot this past Friday, April 17th.
Anyways, here are some pictures of all my garden plant types (a few of each) as of yesterday. As always, comments, suggestions, questions, etc. are welcome. -Steve
Store bought Strawberries:
Store bought Texas Sweet Onions:
Store bought Yellow Bell Peppers:
California Wonder Bell Peppers:
My "Monster Cherry Tomatoes":
Mammoth Dill Weed:
Bush Strawberries:
These took their stated 4 weeks to sprout...makes me wonder if it's going to take them a year to grow an inch tall, at this rate...lol.
Early Girl Hybrid Tomatoes:
Indian Princess Nasturtiums:
I didn't get a picture of the best set of these, in my hanging basket, but will try to soon.
Garlic Chives:
These continue to self-seed babies!
Awww....ain't they cute! =)
Jalapeno Early Organic Peppers:
San Marzano Organic Tomatoes:
Serrano Peppers:
I decided on 3 store bought plants this year (not including my Dwarf Lime Tree that may or may not arrive in the next few years...Spring Hill Nursery will not be ordered from again by me). I bought a bunch (set) of Texas Sweet onions to make me feel a bit better about loosing all of my Southport seedlings. They seem to be doing quite well and also growing at a nice rate. I had to toss about a 1/3rd of them and clean-up/trim the ones I planted. I also bought some strawberries (vine type). I have a 4 ft tall trellis for them to climb on. I don't like to buy plants from any store/nursery that already have buds, flowers, fruit, etc., so it took me a while to pick those out. Most of the strawberry plants had nasty looking mini-fruits or plant damage. Good news!!!...I found one runner this morning when checking out this plant, so I may have strawberries soon! I also bought a Yellow Bell Pepper plant just cuz I love bell peppers. =) They were all purchased at Home Depot this past Friday, April 17th.
Anyways, here are some pictures of all my garden plant types (a few of each) as of yesterday. As always, comments, suggestions, questions, etc. are welcome. -Steve
Store bought Strawberries:
Store bought Texas Sweet Onions:
Store bought Yellow Bell Peppers:
California Wonder Bell Peppers:
My "Monster Cherry Tomatoes":
Mammoth Dill Weed:
Bush Strawberries:
These took their stated 4 weeks to sprout...makes me wonder if it's going to take them a year to grow an inch tall, at this rate...lol.
Early Girl Hybrid Tomatoes:
Indian Princess Nasturtiums:
I didn't get a picture of the best set of these, in my hanging basket, but will try to soon.
Garlic Chives:
These continue to self-seed babies!
Awww....ain't they cute! =)
Jalapeno Early Organic Peppers:
San Marzano Organic Tomatoes:
Serrano Peppers:
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