Plant Those Tomato Seeds

Yes, the time is now. Plant those tomato seeds. Claudia has started her "Better Boy" seeds. and today she will plant the "Romas". Better get to work, Spring will arrive, and the sooner we start preparing for it, the sooner we can get this hard Winter behind us.
There are plenty of different kinds of seed mixes available, but we like to make our own. It is important to sterilize any pots, and trays with a mild bleach solution, and just as important to use new planting mixes to avoid any soil borne problems.

Our mix is made from:
1 part Peat Moss
1 part Perlite
1 part shredded Sphagnum Moss

January is a Dull Month for Gardeners

At least the seed catalogs are starting to arrive, and we can dream of gardens yet to be. It will soon be time to begin planting tomato seeds indoors for Spring transplanting. Just a few more weeks to go.

Yesterday and Today

No, not an album by The Beatles, but a reference to the nice weather of the last 2 days. The thermometer registered 72 degrees yesterday, so it must be broken, as the official weather report called for 65 degrees. I really tried to go outside and get one last day in. cleaning up the gardens. It seems my heart just wasn't into it. Any work done this time of year would benefit next year's gardens, but it just seems like an investment in Winter.
In case you thought this was a post about The Beatles, and you are disappointed, this is for you.

Bromeliad Centered Social Network

I have just created a new "Social Network" centered abound Bromeliad collecting. You can visit it, or even become a contributing member by clicking here.

Planting Bulbs in the Fall

Now is the time to plant Spring flowering bulbs. They are now available at garden centers and other stores now. Place similar bulbs together for a mass of color, or mix them all together, then plant. Be sure to pay attention to the proper planting depth for each type of bulb, and if planting against a wall or foundation, pay attention the the growth height characteristics. A simple rule for bulb planting depth is three times its size. In other words, a 2 inch bulb should be planted 6 inches in the ground.
Do it now, most bulbs reproduce quickly, and will give lasting pleasure for years, far more than the time and expense it takes to put them in the ground. Plan to dig up and divide the bulbs about every three years, as they will flower less as they become crowded.
For more information we have just added a section about bulbs in our Gardening Store.

Harvesting Herbs

Well, the herbs are overgrown, and needed a trim, so we havested some for drying for use through the Winter. Today, we cut some mint, lemon basil, lime basil, oregano, dill, and cilantro. You need to do this to keep the herbs contained in their own area. or they will drift around and become a tangle. We use bricks to contain them, but some herbs such as mint will just send roots under, around, and through spaces between the bricks.

Collecting Bromeliads

Bromeliads are epiphytes which means that they mostly grow in the canopy of trees. There are also types that grow in soil, or on rocks. Bromeliads are also native to the western hemisphere, and are mostly from Central and South America. Also, in the U.S. they are native to Florida, California, and Hawaii, anywhere they have good light warm temperatures, and humidity. I have managed to collect about 40 of these plants. One of my favorite sources has a nice video on youtube, so watching it is the best way to see why these plants are so popular with collectors. If you buy from them, you will be extremely pleased with both the plants and service. Here is the video.

End of Year Clean-up

Well, the first frost date in our area is about 2 weeks away, so there is much to do. We have begun to gather any vegetables that remain, and continue to prop up the green bean vines, weighed down by the abundance of beans. We have to cut back the herbs, and raspberry vines, and grapevines. We need to bring the Dahlia and Canna bulbs inside for storage through the Winter. Remove any weeds that remain in the vegetable bed so they cannot reseed for next year. Clean and sharpen your gardening tools, using some WD40 on the metal parts to help them resist rusting. Clean up dying plants and put them in the compost pile.

Iris in September?

Well, here it is September 7th, and all the reasonable Iris plants have stopped flowering at least a month ago. And here in the garden, by the rear door, are 2 white Iris in full bloom. What a thing to see in September!
(And for an update... The last Iris bloom of the year was on Sept. 15th.)

Time to...

Time to weed, and weed, and weed. Get rid of the weeds before they re-seed for next year. Time to rip out the spent cucumber vines, and prop up the pole beans after yet another wind storm. Time to get rid of the lettuce that has gone to seed, time to turn the compost. Time to tie up some more growth on the tomatoes. Time to watch the green bell peppers turn red. Time to feed the birds. Time to rest, time to do it all over again...