Seeds, Seeds, Seeds

Which should I plant first??? So many seeds, so little time...

Morning Bed Update

Our morning bed we created earlier in the spring, now has a veggie and some flowers planted in it. We have zucchini, tomatoes, bush beans, lavender, peppermint, marigolds, peas that tolerate heat,oregano and other plants. We sure are hoping for a large crop.. I did have some problems with yellowing zucchini and decided perhaps they needed some nitrogen, since they are heavy feeders. The leaves are now a beautiful green.

Forget Me Not (Myosotis alpestris)

Forget me not, has been around for years. This year is the first year I planted and am kicking myself , trying to figure out why I haven't planted it sooner. It blooms so early and nothing can match it's dainty blue clusters of flowers. My neighbor Miss Terri tells me it can be invasive here in the South, because of it self sows, rather proficiently. Here is considered a herbaceous perennial. I put down more seed in hopes of more flowers. Other areas like Southeastern Idaho where I grew up my grandmothers had to plant it every spring. My grandmother Eva had a magnificent garden, that was featured in the local newspaper many times. I remember as a little girl on the back of the garage a small garden of just forget me nots. Blue as the eye could see. It matched the brisk days and bright blue skies of springtime in the Gem state. Everytime I see the little blue flowers it makes me think of the previous green thumbs in my life.

Neighbors.. Miss Terri

Havoc performed by the Pileated Woodpecker. It took off all that bark in less than 48 hours. She said it sounded like a jack hammer and the bird was the size of a hawk.
Me (left) Miss Terri (right)
Moon Vine Seeds and instructions from her huge plant last summer.
Frog Pond

You have read about Miss Terri in my blog over the past year. Here are some pictures of her yard and of her and me this past week, while it was so warm outside.. We both have the spring fever bug.

Seed Planting Day (first of many to come)

We commenced our first of many seed planting days. We had a family meeting and talked about the garden we want to have as a family, not just moms flowers and stuff. It is going to be an undertaking with railroad ties, lots of mulch and sand and top soil, but it will be worth it.. We put the peat pots with seeds in the teenager's room. Where it is warm, no direct sunshine and NO Visitors allowed. Some may wonder "who would want to go into a teenage boy's room that plays sports?" Sometimes it just has to be done, and we hope the seedlings don't wilt. ;)

Planting Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas can't handle the heat here in the South. So today we sowed them by the mailbox, hoping they will provide lots of blooms and sweet scents before it heats up.. We also planted Forget Me Nots. Both are firsts in our garden.

I Just Couldn't Resist!

As the snow was falling outside, I ran into the store for a pair of jeans for the baby. I came out with jeans, but spent most of my time looking, and salivating at the seed packets. I just had to buy some. I came home with 8. I had been looking for the Candy Cane Red on White Zinnia and I found it!! They get huge and I love the color on them.. So different. Spring is around the corner, even if it is snowing today.

I bought the cosmos in honor of Jack (see below), he always had a grand Cosmo garden.

Centerfold Lily Seeds

My first set of seeds have ripened and I have put them away.. My Centerfold Lily seeds. Lilies you typically don't think of having seeds, more as bulbs.. They can reproduce both ways. Seeds and baby bulbs as I call them.. The seeds I plant them in dark moist soil. They really don't need light until the first leaves are sprouting through. Some germinate quicker than others, like the Asiatic and . I have grown a couple lilies from seed and it takes a good three years to get hardy stalk and many blooms. I have been successful with the Asiatic species. I am so fond of lilies that I am a member of the North American Lily Society..

Ladybird Beetle and Angel Trumpet

Angel Trumpet seed pod.. Don't touch it will prick you.. Frightening looking really.

I use ladybird beetles, AKA ladybugs in my garden to naturally dispose of aphids and other such pests.. KC MO garden guy over at Midwest Gardening tried some out for his first time not too long ago..

I am very careful as to what ladybugs I introduce into my garden.. I make sure they are the native to North America ones. There are some on the market that sell Asian ones and they can interupt the environment. Kind of like Kudzu and Wisteria down here in GA.

I release about 1500 of them at a time three times throughout the summer. In the morning so they have a chance to settle in.. As for the Angel Trumpet, ONE STINKING bloom. It really didn't like the triple digit temps here.

The Baby's Plantings

His very own tomato plant.. He thinks he is so big!!

Reminders to water daily, because they dry out fast!!
Yes we started this little project late in the season.. I could not help buying the pot and seeds in a package for a buck at Wally World..
he is thrilled with the tomato and how it is growing.. We may not get tomatoes this year, but maybe he has the planting bug, from our little experiement.

Four O Clock (Marvel-of-Peru ,Beauty-of-the-Night (Mirabilis jalapa))

So heavy the stalks are close to breaking.


I love this flower.. Every year it comes back with abundance.. Here in my garden it is an annual/perennial depending upon where it is planted.. I have stalks of it that come back bigger and bigger every year. Large bush sized that are South facing.. The North facing ones are annuals, that reseed themselves hardily.. Mine are all the hot pink color.. I love the smell of them when they open up in the evening.. Hence the name Four O Clock. They sleep like I do in the morning and day and then come out to play at night..

Sweet Peas at Grandma's in Idaho

My dad sent me this picture today.. The picture brings back wonderful memories of my grandmother Bessie.. These sweet peas come back every single summer. These are truly old fashioned, and have been growing amongst her wire fence since I was 3 (the earliest I can remember).. They have a sweet scent that lingers early morning and at dusk.. She passed away in 2001 at the age of 94, but her garden still produces the seeds she planted decades ago.. And her green thumb was passed on to other generations. I am sure this makes her smile.