tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes

Tomatoes were planted yesterday after the last frost (hopefully)! The trays have been outside enjoying sunshine and spending nights on the south window in the garage. We put up shelves to hold our plants over winter, but they have a use in spring as well during frosty nights.

There are over 100 extra plants - the germination rates are in excess of 90%.

Alexa's venture (Tulip Tree Innovations)is set to kick-off at the neighborhood garage sale on May 18. She has a bazillion different herb arrangements in unique, up-cycled and re-purposed containers. They're pretty neat.

We have days with temperatures in low 80's and nights with low 60's for the next few weeks. A true spring but about a month late. Last year (2012) we didn't have a spring - just jumped into 80's and 90's. It was hot!  No idea what the weather pattern will be this year.

transplanted tomatoes and peppers into bigger pots

Transplanted tomatoes and pepperss.

potato harvest...not good so far

red potatoes still growing strong

  The reds look good so far.

The gold potato plants were dead when we got home from vacation. we had a drip system set up to give them water. So we pulled the pile. 


















At least 6 bigger potatoes had started rotting in the wet earth. I dug through 100 pounds of composted soil and straw to the bottom to find a few potatoes.

We did get bigger potatoes but not very many and they were only at the bottom of the barrel. I don't see how people gets "hundreds" of pounds of potatoes from a vertical system.

I followed directions. Oh well. We'll have to maybe throw the potatoes into one of the boxes and try rows next year. 

Homegrown new potatoes taste wonderful!

potted plants

herbs

planter

Herbs in pots: clockwise...stevia, dill, thyme, and baby basils

Bonus planter: calladium and double tap petunias.

raspberry parfait!!

raspberry parfait dianthus

Alexa's raspberry parfait flowers came back from last year in their pot!

Gorgeous!!

The Dianthus Raspberry Parfait, 'Dianthus chinensis' has petite pink flowers with a dark crimson eye that grows equally well in patio pots or beds. The Super Parfait series has a compact growth habit that flowers earlier than other varieties.


True story.

We had in order of appearance this year: daffodils, tulips, snowdrops, peonies, and now dianthus.