The Other Deck Flowers

 Its not all just regular potted plants here.  I mentioned I bought some really cheap Mums at Walmart and the flowers all died.  So I snipped them clean, but didn't really expect much.  Well, hurray, they are sending out blossoms!

The buds are pale now, but will bloom orange.

And I have a real gem of a self-sowing annual in 2 pots...

It's called Tithonia and grows about 3' high.  Usually 5-6 flowers on a plant.  I am going to save the seedheads and scatter the seeds around in the meadow bed Late Winter.  If only a few grow, they might spread slowly.  

The meadow bed has not been very successful, but I keep trying.  I'll get in there with shears soon and snip around between where the meadow flowers are "supposed" to be (according to the labels and landscaping flags I stuck near them).  

If I find some, I will surround them with cardboard to reduce competition with the weeds.  And plant new ones next Spring.  It has to start working eventually!

Meadow And Pollinator Beds

 You may recall that I decided to establish a 30'x15' Meadow Garden and a separate 10' diameter Pollinator Garden in the back yard several years ago.  Both have failed.  I got great results at first from broadcasting seed mixes on the newly-tilled soil.  The annuals did well.  But the perennials never got established.

The 2nd year, scattering thistle seeds in one and saved marigold seeds in the other produced a flush of flowers in each, but those were also annuals.  Nothing grew the next season.

I was disappointed, of course.  It is my fault.  I always try to do things too quickly.  I should have covered the beds for a season after tilling to smother all weeds before I planted anything.  I am impatient sometimes.

This past Spring, I ordered a selection of potted assorted self-sowing meadow flowers from Prairie Moon Nursery.  They are a quality nursery and no blame to them.  I planted them according to instructions but saw no flowers this year.  But I had labels for each in front of each transplant.

A slight aside, I planted seeds of Maltese Cross and Butterfly Weed (a dryland type of Milkweed) elsewhere 2 years ago (where I had smothered the weeds for a year) and this year, most bloomed.  So sometimes it takes a couple of years for some perennials.

With that in mind, I mowed the Meadow Bed just above label height.  I crawled through the bed carefully on hands and knees, searching for labels.  I found 32 of 38 labels and marked each with a landscaping flag.

I'll find the other 6 when the frost kills the weeds and they decay over Winter.  Then, I'll put a 10"x10" slotted holed cardboard (I have cardboard from some stuff I order regularly) around each plant to keep the weeds away.  That should give them a good chance to grow.  Most of the meadow plants grow 3-4' so (once established), they can shade out the grass.  Well, that's why there are flower-filled meadows in some places rather than just grass.

And knowing where the flowers are will allow me to cover much of the spaces between them with that 2' wide brown paper often used as packing material by shippers.  I save it and must have about 1,000' folded and stashed.

The Pollinator bed has nothing useful growing in it.  I mowed it as short as possible yesterday and will transplant the Butterfly Weed and Maltese Cross in a couple of weeks when they go dormant.  I'll add a few pollinator-friendly annuals next Spring.  Maybe get a few different perennial pollinator-friendly seedlings too.  Some good ones are just difficult to start as seeds.  So I will leave the seed-starting to the professionals and pay for actual plants.  Once established, they are basically self-sowing.

I am determined to make both beds succeed!

Garden and Yard Plantings

I mentioned the tree saplings yesterday.  But there are also veggie and flower seedlings to start inside each week (for the past month).  I started the tomatoes and peppers and cole crops weeks ago in individually set-up flats of plastic cels.  But 4 weeks ago, knowing I needed numerous flats at 7 and 4 weeks before last frost date, I set up 8.

That meant filling the cels with my self-mixed potting soil mix in flats set into sturdy plastic holders (those planting flats are thin and bendy), adding rainwater I saved in jugs (seed-starters can get obsessive) to soak the potting soil, and stacking them up on my basement potting bench. 

Hey, when it gets to actual planting day, that can save a LOT of time.  And in spite of giving individual attention to planting, assembly-line procedures make it go faster.  But there is ALWAYS something that has to be done you don't expect.

The first surprise of growing plants indoors is lack of good light.  Well, I set up a light rack years ago.  But of course, some bulbs burn out and for some reason that escapes me, they do it over Winter when they aren't even turned on!  At the end of the indoor growing season, they all worked; at the beginning of the new one, about 25% are dead.  Which is why I buy tube bulbs by the case (somewhere between 5000-6500 Kelvin and 2900+ lumens.  They last about 2 years (on 16 hours per day for a couple months) and gradually get weaker over time. 

I'll be buying LED tubes in the future.  They are 2x the cost (but coming down), last 4-5x as long, and stay at full lumens until they suddenly stop.  So, anyway, I had to replace several of the old bulbs and it can get awkward.  I seem to be a bit inept and changing them.  I suppose I need to just use more force turning them into the connections, but I'm always afraid they will break.

So I had 3 requirements (not counting changing the tubes).  First, I replanted cels where the seeds didn't germinate.  If I think I need 12 marigolds and only get 8, I replant quickly.  Seed companies are weird.  If I order celery seeds, I get 1,000.  and what do I need with 1,000 celery plants?  Yet if I order zinnias for a mass planting of 60, they put 25 seeds in a package and I need to order several.  LOL!

Second, I had to move flats around on the light stand AND 6-pack cels from flat to flat.  Some plants grow faster than others.  You want the seedlings close to the lights, so taller ones have to be together.  I keep a label in every 6-pack cel for that reason.  A flat of all the same plants only needs one thankfully.  But mostly I have mixed seedlings in a flat so they need to be moved around.

Third, I built wooden stands of various heights the size of the flats.  That allows a lot of easy height adjustment to keep the seedling near the lights.  And for other adjustment, I cut a few 2"x4" boards the width of the stands so I can raise them 2" or 4" easily.

So I had a choice (this was Monday) to plant some seeds outside or plant a lot more inside.  It was chilly and windy out; guess which I chose to do?  Yes, inside.  I'm planting a LOT of self-sowing annuals for either "just" flower or butterfly/bee/hummingbirds.  I tried scattering butterfly/bee/hummingbird (BBH) flower seeds and covering them lightly per package directions 2 years and they didn't grow much.  This year, I am starting a lot inside and will transplant them into the BBH bed in hopes of better growth.

I'm not depending on the transplants except for first year growth (and hopefully "self-sowing").  But I HAVE to have enough to attract them and get them used to coming here.  The meadow flower bed did reasonably well the first year and "OK" the next.  But I think it needs more help getting started, too.  So about half the seeds I started are for there.  Its not like BBH don't like meadow flowers too, just that they aren't as dedicated to producing what BBH need.  Though I suspect some will be good plants for caterpillars to eat. 

Still, the meadow bed is mostly for ME to enjoy looking at.  And partially, the meadow bed is so that I have something to enjoy looking at while I renovate my 25 year old perennial bed along the fence.  It has slowly lost ground (literally, LOL) to invading fosythia, poison ivy, some vine I don't recognize, old age. and changes in sunlight.

Parts of it are undisturbed and thriving (hurray for Stoke's Aster and Autumn Joy Sedum and some individual plants like Brunerra Jack Frost), but it mostly need to be ripped up and started over.  Ans this time as a cottage garden, I think.  Tall flowers (that self-sow) so thickly-growing that they shade out the weeds.

I've change my flowerbed habits several times over the years.  It's always a decision with ups abd downs.  Annual flowers need transplanting every year, but they bloom all year.  Perennials last years (for most) and decades (for some) but flower briefly.  Self-sowing annuals might be an interesting combination.  The pictures I've seen of self-sowing cottage gardens suggest that they might flower like annuals bur last for years.  I know that in a house I rented for 4 years. Four O' Clocks (annuals) reliably filled the space all the time I was there.

I may be an interesting growing season...

Meadow Bed

My error.  I mentioned the meadow bed last time, but didn't show a picture of it.

It is lush with perennials.  There may be flowers in a month.  More pictures then...

Simple Useful Work, Part 2

The other minor project was to re-install the sunflower seed bird feeder.  There were problems.  The feeder itself needed some repairs (being 25 years old and damaged a few times), the pole was loose in the ground (just set in soil), and when I had some tree work done recently, one of the crew pulled it up (in case of an errant falling branch).  He leaned it against another tree and it fell over.  I've damaged it twice myself, taking it off the pole and trying to use it on the deck ahead of serious snowstorms for easier refilling. 

Anyway, It has been reglued and rescrewed several times.  I wasn't sure it could be again.  But with some work and more screws, it should last another couple years. 

The pole is designed to thwart Evil Squirrels.  It WORKS!  Just below the feeder, I have a wide flat baffle 5' up the pole.  Immediately below, I have a barrel baffle.  It works perfectly, no Evil Squirrel has been able to get at the feeder.  If you have a problem with the tree-rats, just do THAT!

But it means I have to haul out my 8' stepladder every time I want to refill it.  So I had this idea that if I could put a hinge on the pole, bend it over 90 degrees, and refill it from ground level (with a large funnel though the output opening).  I finally found a pipe hinge designed to do that.

After finally cutting the pole to attach the hinge, it wobbled when attached.  I decided the fitting was actually metric, so I used some metal strapping to tighten it.  It wasn't easy.  And it didn't work!  THe wobble was in the hinge itself.  It allows very little wobble, but over a 5' pipe, that adds up.  It was unsatisfactory.

So (having cut the old pole in half, I needed a new one.  But at least this time I could make sure it would come loose in the soil.  It needed sideways braces in the soil.

So I went to the DIY store and looked at pipe-fittings.  I came up with this...

The aboveground pipe is 6'.  There is a 10" extension, a 4-way connection with  3" pieces out the sides, another 10" extension, and a 3-way at the bottom with 3" pieces out the sides at 90 degrees.  I dug a 2' hole, set the post in it, propped it up level N/S and E/W and added soil back in 6" at a time with water and hard tamping with a 2"x4" board as I went.  When I reached ground level, it was still perfectly vertical.  I gave it a day to dry in place, then rotated the birdfeeder (there is a screw on flange on the bottom) and when it was tight it (wonder of wonders) was facing straight toward the deck.  HURRAY!

It is perfect again.  I still have to use the stepladder to refill it.  I guess I'll have to live with that.  Sometimes you have to do some work just to get back to "normal".   But with those pipe extensions at 90 degree angles in the deeper clay soil, I bet it never leans or twists around in the wind again, LOL! 

So, being pleased with my work and it being only 4 pm, I decided to remove weeds from my butterfly/bee/hummingbird bed.  It is hard to tell, but it is a 10' circle with edging around it.  There were some mock strawberries.  AND some viney weed with similar leaves but small sharp thorns along the stem.  I had to dig them out individually with a trowel.  The roots don't have thorns, so I got down in them to pull.  I got mostly roots, so those are set back a few years at least.

On the other hand, there isn't much growing there either.  I think the seed mix I bought was mostly annuals.  Fortunately, I bought several kinds of perennials that fit the butterfly/bee/hummingbird requirements and will be adding those soon.  And I saved seeds from there that I will scatter tomorrow and cover lightly with compost.  And I planted 4 sunflowers in the center around a 2' tall 12' wide cage to support them.  Being clipped to the top of the cage really helps support them when they reach full height (6').

The meadow bed is growing like mad.  It is mostly perennials, but I am growing some self-seeding annuals that are natural to meadows.  It should look good this year and better next year. 



The separate meadow bed

Seeds

Today I went around and snipped off all the flowerheads I could find in the meadow bed.  I figure they will do better if I keep them in the fridge over Winter, and spread them out next Spring.  I filled up a continer of rubbed-aoart seed heads.

Then I did the same for the bee/butterfly/hummingbird bed flowers. 

Then I did the same for the odd huge marigold that volunteered this year. 

3 containers of hopefully "self-sowing" seeds and I will try to help them in Spring.  I figure spreading them around rather than just letting seedheads fall in clumps will be a good idea.  We'll see.

Other Flowers And A New Moth

First,  there was a moth I have never seen before. 

Then there are the Venus Fly Traps I transplaned from tiny pots from Walmart to good ones according the instructions from several sites about caring for them.

I have to undo the potting!  The sites said to use 2 parts peat moss and 1 part sand.  I did that. Then one site mentioned not using "regular sand" because it comes from beaches and has lots of dissolved solids in them, which are bad for Venus fly traps (and explained why).  They said to use perlite instead.  I have perlite.  I will repot them. 

Meanwhile they are catching flies and seem happy.  I caught and fed each one a fly when I first bought them, but now I see that there are at least several traps on each plant closed and showing a dark lump in the traps.  I guess they can do well enough on their own.  On the other hand, I will feed them a caught fly once a week just because it is so strange to watch them close up on the flies.

And the meadow flowers are blooming nicely.  The first ones were all yellow, then sweet williams appeared.  Now I have some blanket flowers.

There are Queen Annes Lace emerging, but not in full bloom yet.  The goldfinches are starting to find seeds to eat in there, which is a natural event.  I have 2 niger seed feeders for them, but I'll bet a variety of seeds is better for them.

And the tomatoes are thriving.  They seem healthier than in years past, so I am hoping for a good harvest.

Too Muddy To Dig

After a week of rain, it is still to wet to do much.  Can't rototill the site for the new compost bin, can't mow the grass, can't walk on the soil around the flower beds to weed them.

So here is a picture of the meadow bed as seen from the house...

It is a joy to see every morning, a joy to see when the afternoon sun shines on the flowers, and wonderful to stand next to watching the cloud of happy pollinators visiting all the flowers. 

I am amazed at all the insects!  I have hummingbirds and large butterflies (I really should learn to identify them) but the number of small bees (neither Bumbles nor Honey) is amazing.  I knew OF them, just never saw them in any numbers before.  I think there are some I can encourage more.  Mason bees like nesting in straw-packed cluster.  I have straws.  Carpenter bees like 5/8" holes in scatterred blocks of wood, and I can make those.  Other minor bees and fly pollinators just need the flowers that are growing there. 

This may be the best use of some yard space I've ever done.  I'm generally organic.  This may be the best place they have for a mile around. 

My little neighborhood used to be surrounded by fallow farmland plots and wild fields.  It seems all developed now.  I may be their last good spot to live.  If I ever had a better reason not to move, that's it.

And if they also want to pollinate my veggies, Yay!

Various General Work

Some days are just catching up on small things. 

1.  I spent an hour pulling grass up from the new front yard island bed.  With 3" of Fall leaves topped with 3" of compost, the weeds don't have a solid grip.  But they were lots of small weeds and it took a while.  Better now than when they good good roots into the soil...

2.  The pole beans and cucumbers are up.  But there were a few spots where a seed didn't grow.  So I soaked a few replacement seeds in water for 4 hours and then planted them. 

3.  I can't BELIVE I forgot to plant a cherry tomato seedling with the regular ones.  So I planted it 3 days ago and shaded it from the direct sunlight for 2 days.  It wilted a bit the first day but is happily hydrated now. 

4.  I have a 2'x8' framed bed against the southern side of the house.  Hottest part of the yard.  I planted 2 blocks of bico9lor corn there today.  One matures 2 weeks before the other, so I'll have a staggerred harvest.  And I'll plant 2 more blocks in 2 weeks, for more staggerred harvest.

5.  The Meadow bed is full of several dozen large bright yellow flowers, some dozen multiple flowers in reds/pinks.white, some white daisies, and some small blue flowers.  The plants are listed on the packet; I will look them up so I know what they are called.

6.  The Hummer/Bee/Butterfly bed is too new to have flowers.  BUT, on a whim, I scatterred old veggie seeds in there too.  I am harvesting the best sweetest radishes ever!  And there are a few corn plants coming up.  It is going to be a weird bed this year.

7.  I've been growing bok choy to harvest young for stir fries.  Some are old even to flower.  I just discovered that the pre-flowering heads are like brocoli, only sweeter.  I coukld grow them just for THAT!  But I also like picking the young leaves for the stir-fries...

8.  Got one major project done I meant to do last year and waited too long.  And almost waited too long this year.  The Spring Bulb bed has daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths.  The Tulips and Hyacinths are in wire cages to protect them from the voles.  But there is unused space between the wire cages and I want to plant daffodils to fill the bed (except for the tulip and hyacinth cages).

So I had to mark the spots of the tulips and hyacinths.   It was a close call.  The tulip leaves were still just barely visible.   I thought because the tulips bloomed after the daffodils; the leaves would last longer.  Nope.  I had to to some careful searching to find the spots.  I did. 

Which led me to how to mark the spots.  Well, first, I found the cardboard cutouts I used to make the cages.  12'x14".  Then I had to find cardboard to cut to size to place on top of the cages (so I wouldn't auger in to them in the Fall while planting daffodils around them.

An aside...  I keep things the are of similar size because they seem useful that way.  A dozen liter juice bottles, a dozen plastic jars that hold mixed nuts, etc.  Well, I buy the same wine by the case and I had a dozen of them stacked up in the basement (thinking they would be good for storing stuff fitting together perfectly in tight spaces).

Well, guess what exact size they were with a wide side and flap?  The size of my tulip and hyacinth cages!  And I have a weird curved linoleum cutter my Dad made.  It sliced right down the corners of the boxes perfectly. 

And guess what I also had?  Fifty 10" tent stakes!  Perfect for holding the cardboard down.  I cut them to size, put the debris in the recycle bin, poked a hole through opposite corners with an awl, and carried them all outside.

It was hard to find the remnants of the tulip leaves, but I had pictures of the bed from 2 directions from the blooms last year.  Between the few leaves and the pictures, I set down the cardboard covers and stuck the tent stakes in the holes to keep them in place.

Then I weed-whacked the whole area.   Why?  So that I can cover the entire area with black plastic to kill all the weeds.  The bulbs won't care; they don't like rain while they are dormant.  When the weeds are dead, I'll uncover them in Summer so the bulbs won't overheat (they are shaded all day now).

9.  All this work has been awkward.  I like to keep my kitchen knives sharp.  Stele them once a week to straighten the edges (they curl with use), and sharpen them every few months.  You know that test about tossing a ripe tomato at a sharp knife and it cuts the tomato in half?  Mine do that.

It does that to fingertips too.  I'm careful.  I have brushes to keep my fingers away from the sharp edges while I clean them.  But OOPS!  I cut my fingertip badly a week ago.  I hadn't seen that much blood in 30 years.  It was 15 minutes before enough pressure even stopped the bleeding.  Fortunately, I coagulate fast.

Anyway, I finally managed to get enough coagulation to put a bandage on it.  I have some of that triple antibiotic ointment on it first, then a large bandaid, then some adhesive cloth bandage along my finger to hold the bandaid in place. 

It HAD to be the index finger of my right hand of course.  The MOST inconcenient finger for a right-handed person.  Makes even putting on my velcro-strap watch difficult, never mind tying shoes.

But I may be a bit lucky there.  I think I was a natural lefty, taught to be right-handed in the 1950s (a common practice in the US, then).  I still do some things with my left hand naturally and deliberately do some things left-handed for practice.

It has certainly helped. 

10.  Making progress on the compost bin.  Nothing to show, as I was just collecting boards and posts for cutting and assembly tomorrow.  I looked at the boards and posts I already had and adjusted my design slightly to account for those.  Might as well use up what I have rather than buy new boards!  I'm always flexible about designs.