tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10262755716203213652024-03-14T02:36:09.702-04:00In the Garden With Sow-n-Sow ...Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-38729273945318080072020-05-07T09:25:00.002-04:002020-05-07T09:27:22.541-04:00No Guts, No Glory ... or, Repurposing Throwaways as Planters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've still been busy starting more seeds, but since it was a cloudy and rainy day yesterday, I took some time to finally get the coleus and impatiens into their forever homes in the containers in front of the house. I'm surprised they survived as good as they did in the tiny pots, especially since I bought the coleus on the 'scratch and dent' rack at Lowe's on sale. Even being root bound, they look amazing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just prior to planting</td></tr>
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I have a fire pit in the backyard, but since I never use it for its intended purpose, I took the 'guts' out of it, and <a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2020/04/planting-this-n-that.html" target="_blank"><u>put flowers in the remaining block structure</u></a> instead. The guts (the piece that looks like a giant wok) was rusted through in several places so I almost threw it out, but then had an a-ha moment and decided to put flowers in it too. I planted the three different variations of coleus and impatiens in that and my old washtub, but it's the fire pit planter I'll share photos of today.<br />
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The parts that were rusted through were big enough that I knew it wouldn't keep the dirt from falling through, so I put a layer of weed cloth in it first.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too hole-y to hold the dirt</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt in place</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yIUQRAdBDsY/XrQGP5u26hI/AAAAAAAAGnM/_RJJIOCr3-sQFl3seGGAfYOBIX06adscACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/During.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yIUQRAdBDsY/XrQGP5u26hI/AAAAAAAAGnM/_RJJIOCr3-sQFl3seGGAfYOBIX06adscACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/During.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now to decide what goes where</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Results</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfmPuMTfbeE/XrQGlaK7Y9I/AAAAAAAAGnY/AUovADnT2YYsqdWPIenW0gmZAjdtkjeDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/After%2Bporch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="960" height="284" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfmPuMTfbeE/XrQGlaK7Y9I/AAAAAAAAGnY/AUovADnT2YYsqdWPIenW0gmZAjdtkjeDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/After%2Bporch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit of color near the porch</td></tr>
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It was chilly overnight, and temps are still going to be lower than normal for a couple of days, but they all survived ok, and look great this morning. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiY5wUWRP1g/XrQGzgRcWDI/AAAAAAAAGnk/grGy-hBEkyczqbg2CoeEE0TxdX2n2HvNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Next%2Bmorning%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="960" height="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiY5wUWRP1g/XrQGzgRcWDI/AAAAAAAAGnk/grGy-hBEkyczqbg2CoeEE0TxdX2n2HvNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Next%2Bmorning%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rB0QkJHTbbc/XrQGzgigfdI/AAAAAAAAGng/PTouhVAQfyQy5VFEfFUmTS5XlPM_N__ggCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Next%2Bmorning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="960" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rB0QkJHTbbc/XrQGzgigfdI/AAAAAAAAGng/PTouhVAQfyQy5VFEfFUmTS5XlPM_N__ggCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Next%2Bmorning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put a brick under each of the back legs to tilt it forward just a little, and I'm really happy with the way it looks so far. I need to decide on mulch for a finishing touch, and since it's a shallow container, that should also help keep moisture in. I tried not to crowd it too much in hopes that the roots would be able to spread out, if not down, so hopefully the plants will forgive me for, and tolerate, the lack of depth.<br />
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Keep an eye out for my post about the old wash tub. I'm pretty pleased with that project too.<br />
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~ Marie Anne</div>
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-60810703510570615372020-04-30T07:25:00.000-04:002020-04-30T07:25:12.987-04:00It's in the Bag!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tea bag, that is.<br />
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Four days ago I stuck one bean in a used black tea bag, and planted another in a green tea bag the following day. As of this morning, the first one doesn't appear to be doing anything, but the later one has already busted free of the casing - green tea for the win! I just moved that one to a small pot and I'm hopeful that I'll see a spot of green poking up from the dirt in a few days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea bag nurseries ... green tea has nurtured its baby bean well</td></tr>
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It's about time that I see some amount of success with these stupid bush beans. I lost a few that I planted in little pots that never germinated, and a couple more in the <a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2020/04/maybe-its-just-not-meant-to-bean.html" target="_blank"><u>paper towel</u></a> that sprouted but got mold, but I have two coming up nicely in pots now, and I'm hopeful for the one I planted yesterday that did well in the paper towel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planted 9 and 6 days ago</td></tr>
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We're expecting a storm to blow in soon, so none of us will enjoy Vitamin D therapy outside today. I did get a nice walk in the sunshine yesterday, but I guess it'll be the treadmill in the gloomy garage today. It's also time to start looking for bigger containers for my little garden.</div>
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~ Marie Anne</div>
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-3738084115622653772020-04-29T08:27:00.002-04:002020-04-29T08:28:18.085-04:00It's Bean a Trial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After several false starts, I finally had two little bean sprouts that broke soil yesterday afternoon ... hooray! I don't know what was different about these two, but I'm hopeful that I can get a few more to follow their lead, as just two bush bean plants will hardly be worth the effort to keep them alive. I also planted the single bean that didn't mold in the paper towel, so hopefully that'll pop up in the next couple of days, and I still have two beans sitting in teabags that I'm keeping an eye on, but see no signs of life there yet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two beans and a couple of tomato seedlings<br />
(Click to enlarge)</td></tr>
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It was a beautifully warm and sunny day, so I took advantage of it and put my little pots outside to enjoy some natural light. Both the beans and tomato seedlings soaked up the warmth and reacted favorably. One of the little tomato stalks had been looking a little droopy, but perked up nicely after some Vitamin D therapy, and by the time I brought them in late in the day, the beans were visibly taller in just that couple of hours. They continued to do well overnight, and are both even stronger this morning. It's supposed to be another hot one today, so they'll go back outside in a bit.</div>
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The five lettuce sprouts are still hanging on. Since they're a cooler weather plant, I haven't brought that pot inside at all, and it hasn't been cold enough overnight to bother them. I'm hoping to keep it going through the summer by moving that pot around to where it won't scorch in the NC heat. I need to thin these out soon too; two of them are right on top of each other, and two others are also too close to grow to maturity where they are. I'll probably yank two of them and see if this pot can hold three, at least until large enough to transplant safely.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce sprouts</td></tr>
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If I decide to plant more lettuce, I'll probably do so in a bigger, light-colored pot where it will take a little longer for the soil to absorb the heat. I don't know if it'll make any difference, but it sounds logical and won't hurt anything to try.<br />
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On today's agenda is to get a couple more tomato seeds and beans planted, and maybe I'll get the first cucumbers planted too. The yard is badly in need of a haircut (me too!), but first I'm going to head out for a much needed walk, something else that I've been neglecting, before it gets too hot.</div>
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~ Marie Anne</div>
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-526229083071621752020-04-27T06:32:00.000-04:002020-04-29T07:32:59.150-04:00Maybe It's Just Not Meant to Bean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've mentioned a couple of times what's happening, or rather, NOT happening on with <a href="https://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2020/04/lettuce-talk-beans-and-teabags.html" target="_blank"><u>my beans</u></a>. So far I've planted three directly into soil, soaked one overnight first then put into soil, tucked four in a damp paper towel, and just yesterday decided to try one in a used teabag. None of the four that are in the dirt have sprouted at all, and it's long past time for something to have happened there.<br />
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The paper towel beans finally started to break free of their casing yesterday, and I had intended to plant them today if I saw a little more progress this morning. Well I just looked; there is definitely more progress, but not exactly the type that I was expecting.<br />
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The roots have popped out nicely, but the stupid things have mold on them! Three of the beans have a small dark spot on them, so they will get tossed out. I'm so disappointed. I've never planted a bean that didn't come up and result in a plant, so all of this is very puzzling. These beans are organic, so maybe they're more delicate, not having been treated with anything? I dunno. And I'm sure I've planted organic beans in the past, although I couldn't swear to it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VtUaJ9Erek/XqaywG2ibtI/AAAAAAAAGlM/3lZCyIQ0BEQOCYmd3UQLhzaE3TYCIji2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Bean%2Bmold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VtUaJ9Erek/XqaywG2ibtI/AAAAAAAAGlM/3lZCyIQ0BEQOCYmd3UQLhzaE3TYCIji2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Bean%2Bmold.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moldy beans - who'da thunk it?</td></tr>
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I'm going to try to salvage the last paper-towel bean and watch it for a day, and if it doesn't show any signs of mold, I'll pop it into some dirt and see if it'll do something productive. I still have the one I put in a teabag yesterday, and I put another one in the bag from this morning's cup of tea, so I'm not giving up, but I'm honestly not sure what other methods I can try.<br />
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On a good note, when I checked on the lettuce seedlings last night, I thought I saw another popping up, and this morning I see that there are two new ones, making a total of five that germinated out of the six I planted. I'd like to say that that made up for the crappy bean situation, but I'd be lying. I'm still bummed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9m5pUg55Cw8/Xqay-E1HSSI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/Xy2TP7M31vwWJ79vcwYJqh5dSd-kAbWsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Lettuce%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9m5pUg55Cw8/Xqay-E1HSSI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/Xy2TP7M31vwWJ79vcwYJqh5dSd-kAbWsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Lettuce%2B5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good germination rate on lettuce, 5 out of 6</td></tr>
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My tomato seedlings are still doing ok, so if I could figure out how to grow bacon from seed, I could subsist on BLTs this summer. Well, I could if I liked tomatoes, which I don't.<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-47251011608731678162020-04-26T10:10:00.000-04:002020-04-29T07:33:08.296-04:00Lettuce Talk Beans and Teabags<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Quite a combination, don't you think?<br />
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For some reason, I'm having really bad luck with sprouting beans this year. I planted three beans in little pots the same day I started my first tomatoes, and they still haven't sprouted. The package said you could stimulate sprouting by soaking the beans overnight before planting, so I tried that a couple of days later. Still nothing. Beans are supposed to sprout anywhere, and they always have for me before, so I began to wonder if I had a bad batch. I mean, anyone can grow beans, right?<br />
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A few days later, I decided to try the paper towel method of getting beans to germinate, something I had never done before. I placed four beans in a saturated paper towel, and put that in a plastic container that I could cover. It's been probably 3-4 days and I'm finally seeing one bean that looks like it's going to break out of it's casing. Woo. Hoo.<br />
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This morning as I went to put my recently brewed teabag into my compost container, I paused and thought a minute ... hadn't I read somewhere about starting seeds directly into a teabag? A quick online search led me to many sources that said people do it all the time. Ok, I'll give that a try too and see if I have better luck with my beans. Maybe they need a jolt of caffeine.<br />
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I cut a slit in the teabag and tucked one bean inside, then put it in the same container as the others in the paper towel, watered it a bit, and put the lid back on. Will keep you posted on how that works out.<br />
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Last week I planted some lettuce seeds in a pot, and I'm finally seeing sprouts this morning. I planted in three areas, I think two seeds each.<br />
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The three little buggers that poked their heads out this morning give me a 50% germination rate so far, and I'm good with that, and there's still a chance others will show up soon. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep lettuce going through the hot summer here in coastal NC, but I'm going to try. As long as I keep it in pots, it'll be easier to move to a cooler location throughout the day. Fresh lettuce on a tuna sandwich is a real treat, and I need to get my cucumbers planted so I can have salad too.<br />
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But that's a project for another day.<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-61591334237154181052020-04-25T15:49:00.000-04:002020-04-25T15:49:07.097-04:00Planting This-n-That<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">I'm supposed to be working on the front containers today, but I haven't fully given up on the frame/bottom of the washtub, so don't want to get that planted until I figure out what to do. In the meantime, I had a couple of things that needed to be re-potted, so decided to get that out of the way first.</span></div>
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The sedum a friend gave me needed to go into a larger pot, so I tackled that first. It was root-bound and STUCK in that little clay pot, and even watering it well wouldn't get it to budge. After saturating it, I had to dig around the edges with a teaspoon to get it to loosen even a little to where I could yank it out. Good thing it's a sturdy succulent ... a more fragile plant would have disintegrated.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sucker was stuck in that little pot</td></tr>
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Since this sedum (which I believe is Autumn Joy) does better in full sun, I don't think I'll put it in the containers in front of the house after all, as they only get late afternoon sun. I settled it in a larger pot for now and we'll see how it goes, and maybe later I'll put it in the little circular flower bed in the middle of the front yard that does get sun pretty much all day. Today it's enjoying the company of the flowers in my old fire pit in the back yard.<br />
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Next were tomato seedlings that have shot up out of their eggshell cribs. I planted one of them by cracking the bottom of the shell and planting the whole thing in a pot where I could put it deeper and put soil higher up around the leggy stalk, like I explained in<a href="https://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2020/04/tomato-seed-planting-tips.html" target="_blank"> <u>this other post</u></a>. I still haven't seen any true leaves on them yet, but they should be starting to show up soon.<br />
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The other egg had two seedlings in it, and it was a bit more challenging to get them both into a new pot. They're still very fragile at this stage and I would have liked to have had them be a little stronger before potting up, but there was no room left in the shell to put more dirt around to strengthen them, so it needed to be done. I managed to bust open the eggshell, but the two seedlings were so close together, I couldn't nudge them apart without damaging them both. I set the tiny clump with both of them into the new soil, then added a little more around each of the stalks, gently moving them to opposite sides as I did so. That seemed to work to separate them on the surface a bit, but the initial roots at the bottom are still right next to each other. I'm hoping that as new, sturdier roots grow just under the new soil, that that will be enough to keep them safely separated until I transplant again later, even if the initial roots end up tangled. Time will tell.<br />
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I also did a thing ... I cut two small pieces of strawberry from the grocery store and stuck it in some dirt. I did some searching the other day and while most 'real' gardeners will tell you that planting a strawberry isn't a good way to grow new plants, there are many people who have done just that and ended up with nice strawberry plants, so who knows? If I don't get anything from doing it, no big deal. If I get one or a couple of strawberry plants that come up, I'll stick them in bucket - maybe a hanging basket that I have on hand - and see what happens.<br />
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Oh, while playing with the tomato seedlings, I had a visitor. I was scooping soil from the bag into the pot when I saw a tiny flash of something wiggling. It was a tail and it was moving to scoot deeper into the dirt. Since I didn't want to plant a lizard in the pot, I dumped all of it it into a larger container to scoot him out of there. A couple different types of lizards have always loved that particular spot alongside my house, even before I had my potting supplies there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I knew I saw something shiny flashing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He buried himself good!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">But I found him! (and of course set him free)</span></td></tr>
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<br />I'm sure I'll be seeing him, or some of his family members, another day.<div>
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~ Marie Anne<br /><br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-31122907321350176532020-04-25T07:17:00.000-04:002020-04-25T07:24:48.494-04:00Gardening Means Having to Be Flexible<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I ended up visiting with a friend yesterday so I didn't get the goodies from Lowe's planted in the front containers yet. We traded some plants and seeds, and I came home with a cute little sedum plant that I think will make a good addition to the containers, so I'm excited to get my hands back in the dirt today.<br />
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I did try to get the antique washtub situated in a good spot, but without much success. Because of its age, it's no longer square or very sturdy, so getting it to sit well on solid ground has always been a challenge. No matter how I maneuvered it, I was never able to get more than three of the legs to make contact, and that wasn't going to work. I even dragged regular and landscaping bricks over there so the legs would be on something solid, but all of my efforts were for naught. It doesn't help that the tub itself doesn't sit square on the base either, so even if I think the legs are sitting solidly enough, once I put the tub on, everything moves and I have to start over.<br />
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I finally threw in the towel and thought maybe I'd just set the tub itself on the ground without the base. It's not what I want, but I guess that's what it's going to be if I want to use the tub at all. I leaned it on a couple of bricks to get a bit of a tilt to it, but left it at that for the night and will play with it again today and see if I can come up with something a little more to my liking, and get the plants into their new homes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely washtub waiting to be filled</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plants waiting to get their roots in the dirt</td></tr>
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I'm certainly not going to get rid of the base of the washtub, so I need to figure out what to do with that too. Any ideas?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely, naked base needs a new purpose</td></tr>
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-79843317550621350842020-04-24T07:44:00.000-04:002020-04-24T09:40:07.685-04:00Front Yard Projects in the Works<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had four large azalea bushes in the front of the house, but they were much too big for my tastes, at least where they were located. I wasn't a fan of them being right in front of the windows close to the house, where someone with nefarious intentions could hide. A neighbor pulled out two of them for me, and we trimmed the other two way back, and I'll watch them to see what they'll do before deciding whether to pull them out too.<br />
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The whole area needs to be cleaned up - roots pulled, weed cloth tidied up, new soil added, etc, and I have the two blanks spots where the pulled bushes were that need something .. but what?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yucky area that needs work</td></tr>
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I pulled the guts out of the fire pit in the back yard to plant flowers there, and figured since the innards already have holes rusted through the bottom, it could have a new life as a planter of some sort. Hmm ... put that in one in the front of the house?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmRUHWciK3M/XqLKK7Gx8dI/AAAAAAAAGhk/8lzW4Nem1kgs8y3s54f3q25EYaC0WMJSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fire%2Bpit%2Bempty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="960" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmRUHWciK3M/XqLKK7Gx8dI/AAAAAAAAGhk/8lzW4Nem1kgs8y3s54f3q25EYaC0WMJSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Fire%2Bpit%2Bempty.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now empty fire pit needs a new life</td></tr>
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I think either of the areas would be big enough for a small bench, so I think I'll put the fire pit with plants and flowers on one side, and a bench on the other. I stuck the fire pit to the right of the stairs under my bedroom window, but I think I'll move it to the left under the dining area window, where I can enjoy the view when I have the blinds pulled up in that window.<br />
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I had to pick up seed starter mix at Lowe's yesterday, so shopped for plants while there. That area of the yard doesn't get good sun until late afternoon, and most flowers require full sun, so it took some time to find something that might work. Even those I found that say they like moderate sun said morning sun was best, so I don't know what'll happen, but I'm going to give it a go.<br />
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I found some pretty coleus flats and picked up enough to fill the container, then happened on the 'scratch and dent' racks in the back of the garden area, and found coleus there too. I've always had decent luck with the misfits, and since I like the idea of $3.00 instead of $15, you know what happened next. 😊<br />
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I ended up with two large flats of a variety of coleus, then searched for something with more color to put with them and settled on some impatiens. The stuff I planted in the washtub when I moved in two years ago didn't make it, so I bought enough that I think will fill that container too. (Still need to figure out something to keep the squirrels out of the tub, though).<br />
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The coleus on sale still had some life left in them, but they definitely needed a little TLC. I left all if it out overnight with the intention of getting my hands dirty this morning, and when I checked on them this morning, saw that the gentle rain overnight had them perked up and in great shape. They look every bit as good as the ones I was originally going to pay $15 for. I'll take that any day of the week!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elV7ail5mks/XqLNKEYyUgI/AAAAAAAAGh0/TTg8ZlK8IIs7N3UJozN3sElwiX6b4xYawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Coleus%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elV7ail5mks/XqLNKEYyUgI/AAAAAAAAGh0/TTg8ZlK8IIs7N3UJozN3sElwiX6b4xYawCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Coleus%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scratch n dent coleus perked up beautifully</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique wash tub to get a splash of color too</td></tr>
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So today's project will be trying to clean up the front area a bit and plant the coleus and impatiens in the fire pit guts and washtub. Stay tuned for a follow-up post with the results.<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-91242420905736029372020-04-23T07:11:00.000-04:002020-04-23T07:11:37.408-04:00Water Tiny Seedlings Carefully<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Watering plants seems like a no-brainer that shouldn't need any special instruction, right? Well when your seedlings first start to sprout, they'll be pretty fragile, so you'll need to water them carefully. Turning the hose or faucet on them isn't a very good idea as you'll risk damaging the little fellas, so you'll need something that will provide a more gentle flow.<br />
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Two things I always have on hand are contact lens solution and witch hazel, and after their initial use, these containers work perfectly to water my little seedlings. I can direct the tiny stream straight into the base of the plant rather than flatten it with a heavier gush of water from above.<br />
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If the container you choose had a different use in another life, make sure to wash and rinse thoroughly so as not to introduce anything into the soil that might be harmful to your fledgling plants.<br />
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What other containers do you have around the house that might work? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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~ Marie Anne</div>
Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-70121619495827208652020-04-21T09:33:00.000-04:002020-04-21T09:33:21.630-04:00Tomato Seed Planting Tips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I let this blog go to the wayside some time back, but since I planted my first seeds in NC a week or so ago and have been sharing with friends on Facebook, I figured I might as well put a little more detailed information here where it might help others too.<br />
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Tomato plants love calcium, so rather than spend money on little peat pots or other seed-starter containers, I start my tomato seeds in eggshells. Eggshells are free, and will give the tomato starts a calcium boost as the shells compost over time. Win-win!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGXXf-mQ9AM/Xp7sGXEh5yI/AAAAAAAAGf8/mBHGDHPq8Y8IZSv0v4EWtdvbJBt7atpBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Tomato%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="960" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BGXXf-mQ9AM/Xp7sGXEh5yI/AAAAAAAAGf8/mBHGDHPq8Y8IZSv0v4EWtdvbJBt7atpBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tomato%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This year I put two seeds in each of two eggshells, which probably wasn't real smart since I usually have a pretty good germination rate. Yep, all four came up several days later, so the crib's getting a little crowded. I'll probably try to separate them when they're a bit older and stronger, but I could forfeit some in the process. It wouldn't be a great loss, as I have plenty of seeds to start more.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTiHkKEpAnw/Xp7sV4jztYI/AAAAAAAAGgg/E4w5MFbmtkEP45iNHDWG3DvyErDUKn8XACEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqwIjruKNhGH09NdKP_iJF0nah0EViXEwTleDmqvgSmRV9allZpQDY6VvgrGUXWqWa1bWQEeQK-vdsteGhdxz0xvFN6MFZvAPD76ocfj_U0pn7NiyF7U7uR8uNYyyuufWiLH6eOONXpLoH-0K1AqAynOqlTFhx20kRjTjdRDK9MD75UcIJRPC87z5GTTe0r-tSTErFk7TnOdZECT7Hk-uNw5gwxwIEucS78fmadRMKyHABnHgIv1aN_9gaMkk8Mp7n7P4R6ITRFc5E3Vr2xr3J5MvivEnyJj9KC67rZwCMKC9ob4pBVFD6i-84fXfJp4HbweJPMNrhjw66ojlrjOyR79QbMnrM4Moi6_20RvEMPbsTsWGDGKNVf3qCCEusqGQp2p2N9GfJ3Fcg5E026S9dT-AOoVptX0-yK6gE-zDZ_DD-sZARu5LfHcZQUbaWhFhVw2lRQflt7cj2dCueR9Z5M_4BGZ80UGXWuVDep4-Tw_AbvwT9eCxdeOOuYpXUSU7bG_7wAqBmHV-WwIyabdKjt_5loaI6sN_X6z1NrSSLKSpvJTcaxdBHxPCw0GFGu2jmBL92CTtatCmC8i6ZiiFaP5EDsXqxEHw-Mw39779AU/s1600/Tomato%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTiHkKEpAnw/Xp7sV4jztYI/AAAAAAAAGgg/E4w5MFbmtkEP45iNHDWG3DvyErDUKn8XACEwYBhgLKs0DAL1OcqwIjruKNhGH09NdKP_iJF0nah0EViXEwTleDmqvgSmRV9allZpQDY6VvgrGUXWqWa1bWQEeQK-vdsteGhdxz0xvFN6MFZvAPD76ocfj_U0pn7NiyF7U7uR8uNYyyuufWiLH6eOONXpLoH-0K1AqAynOqlTFhx20kRjTjdRDK9MD75UcIJRPC87z5GTTe0r-tSTErFk7TnOdZECT7Hk-uNw5gwxwIEucS78fmadRMKyHABnHgIv1aN_9gaMkk8Mp7n7P4R6ITRFc5E3Vr2xr3J5MvivEnyJj9KC67rZwCMKC9ob4pBVFD6i-84fXfJp4HbweJPMNrhjw66ojlrjOyR79QbMnrM4Moi6_20RvEMPbsTsWGDGKNVf3qCCEusqGQp2p2N9GfJ3Fcg5E026S9dT-AOoVptX0-yK6gE-zDZ_DD-sZARu5LfHcZQUbaWhFhVw2lRQflt7cj2dCueR9Z5M_4BGZ80UGXWuVDep4-Tw_AbvwT9eCxdeOOuYpXUSU7bG_7wAqBmHV-WwIyabdKjt_5loaI6sN_X6z1NrSSLKSpvJTcaxdBHxPCw0GFGu2jmBL92CTtatCmC8i6ZiiFaP5EDsXqxEHw-Mw39779AU/s320/Tomato%2B3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When they germinate, tiny tomato stalks are very fragile. When you plant the seeds, leave a little room in the eggshell (or whatever container you're using) to add more soil around the string-like stalks. Roots will begin to develop from every part of the seedling that is under ground (even the part that was previously exposed), which will strengthen it. Continue to do this each time you pot up, and you'll eventually have strong, sturdy stalks that rival small trees. I've also heard it said that you can push the seedling very gently onto it's side and add a bit of soil along the now-horizontal stalk, which will cause more roots to grow downward along the length of it. I haven't tried that myself, but it sure makes sense, so maybe I'll try it with one of mine this year and see how it compares to my other tried-and-true method.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LttElRZOtVY/Xp7sWPbEXBI/AAAAAAAAGgI/ET_Ikhb3jd8ukLhd2cxPIW9nvqrhLtDNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Tomato%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LttElRZOtVY/Xp7sWPbEXBI/AAAAAAAAGgI/ET_Ikhb3jd8ukLhd2cxPIW9nvqrhLtDNACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tomato%2B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These babies went nuts literally overnight!<br /></td></tr>
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When ready to pot up, gently tap the bottom of the eggshell on the counter or other hard surface, and pop the whole thing into the next size container. Remember to put it deep enough in the pot to add a little dirt to surround the stalk now, also leaving room to add more later as the plants get taller.<br />
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And that is how to successfully start tomato plants from seed. I hope you'll follow along as I chronicle my little tomato-farming journey, and the few other things that I hope to grow. Funny thing is, I don't even like tomatoes, but I do love growing them. I'm sure my friends and neighbors will enjoy the eventual fruits of my bounty.</div>
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-82335393518736515932017-02-09T08:52:00.000-05:002020-04-21T09:21:59.609-04:00Time to Sow Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Marie Anne St. Jean</td></tr>
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A friend asked last night if I still had my gardening blog, and I was ashamed to admit that while I did, I hadn't posted in a long time and had allowed it to lie fallow. I was even more embarrassed when I popped in and saw that it's been almost three years since I posted here. :::: gulp ::::<br />
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I guess now is as good a time as any to sow a few seeds on the blog and see if I can get it to sprout again. Since I hope to get a decent garden in this year, it should provide ideas for fresh material to share with you. <br />
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Watch for posts about my own adventures with this year's garden, as well as -<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Seeds vs seedlings</li>
<li>How to start plants from seed</li>
<li>Starting indoors vs sowing directly in the ground</li>
<li>Hardening off</li>
<li>Container gardening</li>
<li>Gardening on a dime</li>
<li>Raised beds vs traditional gardening</li>
<li>Straw gardening</li>
<li>Composting</li>
<li>Putting up the harvest</li>
<li>Various other gardening, sustainability, hobby farm, and homesteading topics</li>
</ul>
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I haven't decided yet whether I want to get chicks again this year, but you can bet there will be a blog post or two about chicken farming somewhere along the line. I'll probably throw some pet-related and livestock articles in here too.</div>
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While I don't claim to be an expert in any particular subject, I've picked up a thing or two over the years, so if you have a topic you'd like to learn more about, please leave a comment. If it's not something I'm knowledgeable enough to write about from my own experience, I can certainly research and network with friends and get some answers for you.<br />
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See you soon!<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-3340252850975815432014-04-07T14:17:00.002-04:002014-04-07T14:17:58.155-04:00And Then There Were Sprouts!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I posted the other day that I had <a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" target="_blank"><u>planted a few things</u></a> - four lettuce seeds in a large flower pot, and a couple of old Big Boy Hybrid tomato seeds in flower pots - and that several days before that I had stuck one or two tomato in an eggshell. The one in the eggshell still hasn't sprouted, so I tossed it in the compost this morning and see no sign of activity from the tomato pots yet, but all four of my lettuce seeds have sprouted!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pTy08yjsd_A/U0LoOq_rftI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/iLKSP0SNOXo/s1600/Lettuce+seedlings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pTy08yjsd_A/U0LoOq_rftI/AAAAAAAAD8Q/iLKSP0SNOXo/s1600/Lettuce+seedlings.png" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce seedlings</td></tr>
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The photo was taken a few minutes ago but they actually popped through the soil day before yesterday, so germination only took four or five days.<br />
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I'm not surprised about the tomato since the seeds are several years old, and the ones I planted the other day have been sitting in the mudroom where it's chilly. Lettuce doesn't mind cooler temps as much and those seeds came from this year's packet, so it's no wonder they germinated when the tomatoes haven't done anything.<br />
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After poking through my old seeds, I planted a couple of bell pepper, cucumber, and Roma tomato seeds in eggshells this morning, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if any of them germinate, because like the Big Boy, they're all a couple of years old. If they don't, no big deal, I'll just get more seeds and try again. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTQYCocime8/U0LpFpCmrhI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/MPKJKq_0Mv4/s1600/Egg+plants.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTQYCocime8/U0LpFpCmrhI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/MPKJKq_0Mv4/s1600/Egg+plants.png" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burpless cucumber, Roma tomato, <br />
and bell pepper seeds planted today</td></tr>
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I've moved the egg carton closer to the light I have over the brooder for the six chicks, so the warmth from that should help them sprout, if they're viable.<br />
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I got two new chicks after losing two of the original six the other day, and all of them seem to be doing well. I've been wanting to post about them, but having trouble getting decent photos since they don't listen when I tell them to hold still!<br />
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Since it's chilly and rainy here today, I guess I'll have to amuse myself watching TV (both chick TV and my large screen) instead of putzing outside. I hope you're having a blessed day!<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-14619716014929150422014-04-01T14:32:00.000-04:002014-04-01T14:32:03.182-04:00Let the Seed-Sowing Begin!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've taken one more step towards getting my garden in this year, albeit a small one - I planted tomato and lettuce seeds today.<br />
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I only had one good eggshell from breakfast the other day, so planted one Burpee's Big Boy Hybrid yesterday from seeds that I had on hand, then bought more dirt and some lettuce seeds when I was out yesterday. I grabbed some pots this afternoon that I had saved and planted four Simpson Elite lettuce seeds in the larger pot, then two more Big Boy tomato seeds in each of three slightly smaller pots.<br />
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I prefer to start seeds in something a lot smaller (like eggshells) and then pot up, but I didn't have anything smaller on hand, so I went with what I had. I still only filled the pot partially with dirt so that I can add more as the seedlings grow taller and get more leggy. Adding the dirt higher up the stalk helps them develop more roots there, which makes them more sturdy. This slideshow shows how I've <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/photos/how-start-tomato-seeds-eggshell-5668158.html?cat=32" target="_blank"><u>started tomato plants from seeds using eggshells</u></a> in years past, and I've always had great success with it. I explain more about starting small and potting up, adding more dirt as you go, in "<a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/how-start-tomato-plants-seed-1568097.html?image=701973&cat=32" target="_blank"><u>How to Start Tomato Plants From Seed</u></a>". Click to check out the <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/image/701973/index.html?cat=32" target="_blank"><u>size of one of the tomatoes</u></a> from that harvest!<br />
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If the seeds germinate, I won't pot up the tomatoes since there's enough room in these containers to allow them to grow tall and sturdy as I add more soil, so they'll go right into the ground when the time is right. I'm going to leave the lettuce in the pot and not put it in the ground at all. If all four lettuce seeds germinate and become too much for that size pot, I'll thin and plant more in another pot, and keep the harvest going through the summer.<br />
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I'm getting a late start this year, but at least I AM starting!<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-82493233932384362202014-03-31T08:14:00.000-04:002014-03-31T08:14:28.264-04:00Old Seeds - Will They Be Viable?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I found my bucket of old seed packets last night and realize that I had a lot more seeds than I first thought. I have a couple of different peppers, several varieties of beans (some bush, which is good), a packet of cucumber, and tomatoes - both Roma and Big Boy Hybrid. I have sweet corn too, but don't think I'll plant any this year because I'm supposed to be staying low-carb and shouldn't be eating it. Same goes for the cantaloupe, but we'll see. I'd want to plant that directly into the ground after it's good and warm, so there's no rush to make that decision anyway.<br />
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With all the seeds that I found, I don't think I'll buy more just yet. Some of them are a couple of years old so I don't know how viable they'll be, but since I've got plenty of them, I figure that some of them are bound to sprout. The only thing I'll need to buy is lettuce, so after buying a couple of bags of dirt, I should be all set to get my little garden started with very little expense.<br />
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I'm excited to get going and will probably start tomatoes today, if nothing else. I saved my eggshells from breakfast this morning, so if I can scrounge around and find some seed starter medium and/or good garden soil in the garage, I'm ready to go. <br />
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I never buy tomato plants, but <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/how-start-tomato-plants-seed-1568097.html?cat=32" target="_blank"><u>start my own tomatoes from seed in an eggshell</u></a> and have always had great success with it, so as long as these seeds are viable, I expect this year to be no different. Stay tuned to see how things turn out!<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-73802567940052404562014-03-30T17:40:00.000-04:002014-03-30T18:04:07.118-04:00New Beginnings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since I haven't written to this blog in a very long time, I figured that with spring almost here (I don't care what the calendar says, it's not here yet!), it's a good time to dust it off and get things rolling again.<br />
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After a horrible winter in south/central Ohio, it's fairly pleasant today with partial sun and temps in the 50s. I spent some time outside with the dogs, and decided to figure out where I might want to put a small garden this year. I planted a patch here 2-3 years ago, but I haven't had anything in the ground at all the last two years. Last year I used that area to burn some brush, so it's the likely spot to plant a few things this year. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DccIFi0RIsU/UziJ3rNL8QI/AAAAAAAAD7c/lQ5zV5V3T90/s1600/Bare+patch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DccIFi0RIsU/UziJ3rNL8QI/AAAAAAAAD7c/lQ5zV5V3T90/s1600/Bare+patch.png" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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I raked some of the brush (and cat poop) out of the way, then remembered I had some plastic left so dragged it over to cover it in hopes that it'll keep anything from sprouting until I'm ready to tend to the soil and plant. I might go just a bit bigger than what I show in the photo, but not by much. I do have another piece of plastic, but it's got some junk on it still and I didn't feel like messing with it today.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lq9hr8KXjHs/UziJ3X1T2EI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/fH2HNp-MulU/s1600/Plastic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lq9hr8KXjHs/UziJ3X1T2EI/AAAAAAAAD7Y/fH2HNp-MulU/s1600/Plastic.png" height="202" width="320" /></a></div>
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My back started to hurt after dragging just those few cement blocks around, so as out of shape as I am, I opted to stop there before I hurt myself further. After the knee injury 18 months ago (that never did heal completely), I'm not taking any chances. I played with the pups a bit more, while brainstorming what else I want to do.<br />
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I don't need a big garden, and there are many vegetables that I don't eat anyway, so I'm keeping it small. I don't eat tomatoes but love growing them (and have a friend who'll take all I can harvest), so I'll definitely put a few 'maters in, and probably a mound or two of cucumber. I want lettuce for sure, but will probably put that in a container since roots are shallow, and again, it's just me so I don't need much. I might put a row of beans or snap peas in too.<br />
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I suppose if I expect to grow anything at all, I should get some seeds started, huh? I'm a bit behind in that department too, but better late than never. I'll be going to Tractor Supply in the next day or two to look at chicks (yes, I'm seriously contemplating chicken farming again!), so I'll pick up seeds while I'm out and about. I do have some seeds left from previous gardening adventures, but I'm not sure how viable they are.<br />
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So, it's not much, but it's a start. I hope the good weather holds out so that I don't lose motivation. I'm determined to spend more time outside this summer, and after the cabin fever that came with the crazy winter weather, I need it!<br />
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~ Marie Anne<br />
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Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-57384902909751615712012-06-07T15:44:00.000-04:002012-06-07T15:44:40.861-04:00With Molly and Jethro, Off on a Jaunt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There's nothing really exciting to see around here, but since I'm easy to please, I still enjoy it when Molly and Jethro take me for a walk. There is plenty of flora and fauna in our little neck of the woods, and I tried to capture a little of it with my cell phone camera to share with you.<br />
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There were more pictures of various wildflowers and such, but my cell phone is being ornery and not letting me have them. Some of the photos aren't the best, but here's what I was able to get.<br />
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<embed height="360" src="http://w4.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw4.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy138%2FLdyjarhead%2FWalk%2F60a9ac17.pbw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" wmode="transparent"></embed><br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="border-width: 0; float: left;" /></a><a href="http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/Ldyjarhead/Walk/?action=view&current=60a9ac17.pbw" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif" style="border-width: 0; float: left;" /></a></div>
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I hope you enjoyed our little jaunt!
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</div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-64675019392532944722012-06-03T11:08:00.000-04:002013-05-06T09:35:33.117-04:00New Windows = Stunned Oriole (Not a Goldfinch After All)
<a href="//pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fgallongarden.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F06%2Fnew-windows-stunned-goldfinch.html&media=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-z8dkVMDozjw%2FT8t7Aa-V3WI%2FAAAAAAAAC1U%2FC4fgACEUnvw%2Fs320%2FFlowers%2B220.JPG&description=Baltimore%20Oriole" data-pin-do="buttonPin" data-pin-config="above"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pin_it_button.png" /></a> <br><br>
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I finally have all the windows in my house replaced, much to the chagrin of my feathered friends. I don't think there's a window in this house now that hasn't been christened by a bird, usually with a loud whack.<br />
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Just now as I was reading email, a bird hit the window beside me. I knew it was a hard hit, so I opened the window and looked down and sure enough, the pretty little Baltimore Oriole (originally was thinking it was a goldfinch) that had been playing in the quince bush was on the ground.<br />
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<center> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&npa=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=marannspla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0618966145" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;" target="new"></iframe>
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I went out to look and at first she appeared ok, was sitting upright and looking around, but not moving. I bent to pick her up and she didn't even flinch. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty little Baltimore Oriole let me pick her right up<br />
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When I turned to get a better look, I could see that she had blood on her beak on both sides, so she must have whacked her head good.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oriole after flying into my window</td></tr>
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I had a friend hold her so I could get a better photo.<br />
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After a couple of minutes she still showed no signs of wanting to fly away on her own, but I couldn't leave her in the back yard for my dogs to get her. I still had shavings from when I had my chickens, so I tossed a few into a plastic tub and set the oriole in that, then put the tub inside my large chicken coop with the pop door open. She'll be safe from the dogs, and if she can fly up out of the tub and out of the coop, she should be able to make it to safety.<br />
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Sure hope the little gal makes it ok. I'd hate for word to get out that it's dangerous to visit my bird feeders.<br />
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<i><u>Update</u>: About ten minutes later I saw movement in the quince bush and a flash of yellow. I checked the tub and my little friend was gone, so apparently she was ok after a bit of a rest. As I walked over to the quince bush, she flew off.</i><br />
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<i>After looking at the photos again, I don't think this is a goldfinch at all. The beak is too long, and the bird is larger and I think the tail is longer than a goldfinch. A friend suggested she might be a Baltimore Oriole and after looking at other photos, I agree.</i></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-5754796802162187992012-05-31T08:50:00.000-04:002012-05-31T09:13:17.396-04:00Why White Armbands and Banners?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With each passing year, the atrocities that occurred in Nazi death camps become fading memories for all but those who were touched personally by the monster known as Hitler. What many don't know is that similar atrocities occurred in much more recent history. <br />
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The words of my friend, Nina Rotz:<br />
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<i>On 31 May 1992, the Bosnian Serb authorities in Prijedor, a town in north western Bosnia and Herzegovina, issued a decree for all non-Serbs to mark their houses with white flags or sheets and to wear a white armband if they were to leave their houses. This was the first day of a campaign of extermination that resulted in executions, concentration camps, mass rapes and the ultimate removal of more than 94% of Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from the territory of the Prijedor municipality.</i><br />
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Nina lived through this horror. Many did not.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White banner displayed on my front window</td></tr>
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Nina has created a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/343763182361089/" target="_blank"><u>Facebook event</u></a> for you to join and share with your friends. Please consider wearing a white arm band or displaying some sort of white flag or banner on your home today, May 31, to show your solidarity against similar massacres throughout the world. Such a simple act to remember not only those who died, but those who relive the horror.<br />
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<a href="http://www.my%20livesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-39107213811642989612012-05-28T09:17:00.000-04:002012-05-28T09:18:34.734-04:00*&#*%! Canadian Thistle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Click photo to enlarge ... not that it needs it. Sigh ...)</div>
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<br /></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-13308071588178152552012-05-27T15:08:00.000-04:002012-06-21T08:12:54.862-04:00What a Difference a Year Makes!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, I guess it's been two years or better.<br />
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I was plundering through old photos today, looking for some 'before' pics to add to another post I was going to write, and came across one I'd forgotten.<br />
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This is a photo of what one of the flower beds looked like more than two years ago. Ewwww.<br />
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First things to go were that big honking tree that was half dead and the poor, sickly-looking variegated shrub in the middle. I dug up and moved one of the Rose of Sharon from the back yard and added a few more hosta, but that was about it.<br />
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(Click photos to enlarge)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6EtM-CG0pk/T8J4VbRmXgI/AAAAAAAACzM/xu8EG73mghA/s1600/Before+Hosta+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6EtM-CG0pk/T8J4VbRmXgI/AAAAAAAACzM/xu8EG73mghA/s320/Before+Hosta+Bed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last year a friend replaced my front door and also got rid of the landscaping timbers and put new edging around the space for me. It was much better, but still not 'done'.<br />
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Just a little different, huh?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUbDqsVoBAg/T8J6lpcZ0OI/AAAAAAAACzk/DqGHHacdQaM/s1600/Flowers+122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jUbDqsVoBAg/T8J6lpcZ0OI/AAAAAAAACzk/DqGHHacdQaM/s320/Flowers+122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-15838952880373022772012-05-26T11:09:00.000-04:002012-06-21T08:05:35.991-04:00Japanese Quince Bush Isn't Quince-ing This Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The crazy weather we've had this year with mild winter, early spring, then a few days of below freezing temps after everything started to sprout has left several things lacking around here.<br />
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My Japanese Quince bush in the back yard is usually the first to bud, right around the time forsythia makes its showing, and sometimes before. This year, everything started to green up nicely, but it never did flower. It's normally come and gone by now and I'm sure no flowers means no quince fruit. It's a huge shrub, probably 8ft tall or better and at least that wide, and there are two lonely little flowers side by side at the top of the bush. It should have been a mass of color in a peach-y pink and I was truly disappointed, especially since I moved my home office to where I see out that window from my desk.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two lonely flowers on my Japanese Quince bush</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3WCKO40u1A0/T8Dvd8GoBmI/AAAAAAAACy0/Ji-hMRmsgt4/s1600/Flowers+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3WCKO40u1A0/T8Dvd8GoBmI/AAAAAAAACy0/Ji-hMRmsgt4/s320/Flowers+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this a sad sight? My poor Quince bush!</td></tr>
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Since the quince isn't much to look at, I thought I'd stick something else outside this window for a bit of color. I found a nice double shepherd's hook and hanging basket at Aldi's a few weeks back (the basket was only $2.99, I believe), and I picked up some flowers on sale at Lowe's when I got the garden soil and mulch for the<a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/putting-hosta-bed-to-bed.html" target="_blank"> <u>hosta bed I just finished</u></a>. Added a pretty glass hummingbird feeder for the other hook, and here's the finished product. It's a lot fuller and prettier than the photo shows, but I never could get the light just right to make the colors pop, no matter what angle I shot from.<br />
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It's a far cry from a fully bloomed Japanese Quince, but it's better than nothing. I've made a promise to myself that I'm going to spend more time outside in the good weather rather than chained to this desk anyway.<br />
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Let's see just how long that lasts.<br />
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/208/1A44B807892517B641A516750AC10052.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /><br />
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</div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-45108498712605383322012-05-25T09:12:00.000-04:002012-06-17T21:46:10.578-04:00Putting the Hosta Bed to Bed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I posted a few days ago on where I <a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/canadian-thistle-youre-history-i-hope.html" target="_blank"><u>attacked the Canadian Thistle</u></a>, and again when my <a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/hosta-bed-round-2.html" target="_blank"><u>hosta bed</u></a> was almost finished. The only thing left to do was mulch, and mulch I did.<br />
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(Click photos to enlarge. It's worth the closer look!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUNBbeLOj-4/T7-B-mhTDpI/AAAAAAAACxw/7z7Dhbi9230/s1600/Flowers+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUNBbeLOj-4/T7-B-mhTDpI/AAAAAAAACxw/7z7Dhbi9230/s320/Flowers+113.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to tackle the last step - mulch</td></tr>
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I've got one last little thing to add to this little garden area, but it won't be in until next week. I'll share that surprise later, but until then, here's the finished hosta bed with a few impatiens tucked in.<br />
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<center> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=marannspla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1552978869" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;" target="blank"></iframe> </center><center><br /></center>
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I'm pretty pleased with the way this turned out. Now to keep the cats from using it as a litter box and digging up my hard work.<br />
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Many more home and garden projects still to tackle, so watch for what's up next!<br />
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/208/1A44B807892517B641A516750AC10052.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.my%20livesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-17288239718381550412012-05-23T08:52:00.000-04:002012-06-17T21:44:33.213-04:00Hosta Bed Round 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I posted yesterday about what I was doing in my hosta bed to (hopefully)<a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/canadian-thistle-youre-history-i-hope.html" target="_blank"> <u>get rid of the Canadian Thistle</u></a> for good. After taking the hosta out and digging up the thistle and other weeds, the little garden by my front door was ready to be amended with good soil and for the hosta to be replanted.<br />
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(click photos to enlarge)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Q_V7QuRm7s/T7uMXHnmyRI/AAAAAAAACtA/aTHe9zxB9rs/s1600/Yard+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Q_V7QuRm7s/T7uMXHnmyRI/AAAAAAAACtA/aTHe9zxB9rs/s320/Yard+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where I left off the night before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqopIARZwuY/T7zVgT9EYhI/AAAAAAAACts/tV9vswWb_Pc/s1600/Flowers+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqopIARZwuY/T7zVgT9EYhI/AAAAAAAACts/tV9vswWb_Pc/s320/Flowers+074.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's add some good Miracle Grow garden soil </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GgtxpYyBJj4/T7zVhXg31bI/AAAAAAAACt0/sELeqlJej1Y/s1600/Flowers+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GgtxpYyBJj4/T7zVhXg31bI/AAAAAAAACt0/sELeqlJej1Y/s320/Flowers+075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.. and spread it out real nice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9gCuYZErEkk/T7zVinUuZII/AAAAAAAACt8/oxAWhAHFTKw/s1600/Flowers+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9gCuYZErEkk/T7zVinUuZII/AAAAAAAACt8/oxAWhAHFTKw/s320/Flowers+076.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... until it looks like this.</td></tr>
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<center><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=marannspla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0881929603" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;" target="blank"></iframe> </center><center><br /></center>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iE2SDgO7pSE/T7zY5lTqCuI/AAAAAAAACug/ypCSgPnci4g/s1600/Flowers+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iE2SDgO7pSE/T7zY5lTqCuI/AAAAAAAACug/ypCSgPnci4g/s320/Flowers+070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make sure to get rid of the thistle and other weeds </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3sQc3ocAUE/T7zY7kWkHnI/AAAAAAAACuw/t6aJCzTvTHA/s1600/Flowers+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V3sQc3ocAUE/T7zY7kWkHnI/AAAAAAAACuw/t6aJCzTvTHA/s320/Flowers+072.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... then take the hosta</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Uo3wJJDYK4/T7zZXizw78I/AAAAAAAACvA/MXzjPX5vXig/s1600/Flowers+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Uo3wJJDYK4/T7zZXizw78I/AAAAAAAACvA/MXzjPX5vXig/s320/Flowers+079.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and start placing it in the flower bed</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mGLEL2IX9cw/T7zZYy8y3iI/AAAAAAAACvI/WnDBD1bA86Q/s1600/Flowers+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mGLEL2IX9cw/T7zZYy8y3iI/AAAAAAAACvI/WnDBD1bA86Q/s320/Flowers+080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and reposition as necessary.<br />
(Warning: still step can take a LONG time)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDvviDwSsvI/T7zZaCUToBI/AAAAAAAACvQ/CCG-nk-1PJs/s1600/Flowers+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDvviDwSsvI/T7zZaCUToBI/AAAAAAAACvQ/CCG-nk-1PJs/s320/Flowers+081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Move this one over here, and swap that one with this one</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rMJaxlKzQIg/T7zZbC8GLvI/AAAAAAAACvY/86TqcCC4jiI/s1600/Flowers+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rMJaxlKzQIg/T7zZbC8GLvI/AAAAAAAACvY/86TqcCC4jiI/s320/Flowers+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... until you think you have them all just right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yRYuhvSkOr4/T7zZduhIszI/AAAAAAAACvo/VfJKCnzYXZs/s1600/Flowers+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yRYuhvSkOr4/T7zZduhIszI/AAAAAAAACvo/VfJKCnzYXZs/s320/Flowers+084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Add a few pops of color with impatiens </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Js9lCndre5Q/T7zZe3oiESI/AAAAAAAACvw/hHXzRwm_aNY/s1600/Flowers+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Js9lCndre5Q/T7zZe3oiESI/AAAAAAAACvw/hHXzRwm_aNY/s320/Flowers+085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and the hosta bed is done.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9X5BVnLO7M/T7zbgTpKaMI/AAAAAAAACwQ/Z_pKn1WMCBA/s1600/Flowers+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q9X5BVnLO7M/T7zbgTpKaMI/AAAAAAAACwQ/Z_pKn1WMCBA/s320/Flowers+095.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give it a bit of a drink before retiring for the night</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qCnVW2BCwgc/T7zbiLDsYTI/AAAAAAAACwg/b1JuGuiBzQ0/s1600/Flowers+104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qCnVW2BCwgc/T7zbiLDsYTI/AAAAAAAACwg/b1JuGuiBzQ0/s320/Flowers+104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and wake up to bright and cheerful plants.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDrxe-wQ-nY/T7zbjkOcCvI/AAAAAAAACwo/dEqUAO2hFTE/s1600/Flowers+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDrxe-wQ-nY/T7zbjkOcCvI/AAAAAAAACwo/dEqUAO2hFTE/s320/Flowers+105.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
All that's left to do now is mulch, and I think I'll wait a day or two to let everything settle in good first.<br />
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I fixed this particular bed last year, but life got in the way and I didn't tend to it as much as it needed, and I paid the price for it. It took a bit of work, but I'm very happy with the way it turned out. If the Canadian Thistle doesn't get a foothold again, it should be much easier to maintain after I get the mulch in.<br />
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More projects to follow!<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.my%20livesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a></div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-73102953464420726152012-05-22T09:20:00.000-04:002012-05-23T09:25:29.859-04:00Canadian Thistle? You're History - I Hope!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hosta. Everywhere. Problem is, so is Canadian Thistle.<br />
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There were established hosta beds on this property when I bought it three years ago, and two years in a row I sold and gave away a lot of it, and still have plenty left for what I need. I've dug up, divided, and moved much of it more times than I care to admit, and they're still going strong. Can't kill this stuff.</div>
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Unfortunately, the same can be said of the Canadian thistle that has invaded the area, particularly my one hosta bed in the front corner of my house. I've dug it up almost daily, digging as deep as I can to get to the runner, and it's been a fruitless effort thus far. Nothing seems to work because I can't get to the root of it (literally).</div>
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I'm tired of wasting time every day with it, but if it's not tended to, it runs rampant, so time to bring out the big guns.</div>
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I wanted to rearrange the hosta and perhaps stick in an annual or two, so decided to just dig up the whole bed again and start over.</div>
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(Click photos to enlarge)</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LgypBOGwJUU/T7uJkZJlzSI/AAAAAAAACqw/HJ4rwmYvpAE/s1600/Flowers+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LgypBOGwJUU/T7uJkZJlzSI/AAAAAAAACqw/HJ4rwmYvpAE/s320/Flowers+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's what I started with</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F0q8Ih8iJZw/T7uLAYMN0UI/AAAAAAAACrQ/0uCuFbM1CAE/s1600/Yard+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F0q8Ih8iJZw/T7uLAYMN0UI/AAAAAAAACrQ/0uCuFbM1CAE/s320/Yard+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's no way to dig up that thistle without<br />
digging up and splitting the whole plant</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjVfTbxN1b8/T7uL7gC59xI/AAAAAAAACsA/OQh59Sh6Fpo/s1600/Yard+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjVfTbxN1b8/T7uL7gC59xI/AAAAAAAACsA/OQh59Sh6Fpo/s320/Yard+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Canadian Thistle is everywhere!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKsDw6SqAJw/T7uMQQWlKcI/AAAAAAAACsI/UF4spHhX6MA/s1600/Yard+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKsDw6SqAJw/T7uMQQWlKcI/AAAAAAAACsI/UF4spHhX6MA/s320/Yard+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hosta gone ...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fve4JpNl-5U/T7uQFslw8yI/AAAAAAAACtU/WlE52I0nVv8/s1600/Yard+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fve4JpNl-5U/T7uQFslw8yI/AAAAAAAACtU/WlE52I0nVv8/s320/Yard+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... to its temporary home on a tarp.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fNPj8_iYDro/T7uMREMT24I/AAAAAAAACsQ/cGBgyCx9utM/s1600/Yard+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fNPj8_iYDro/T7uMREMT24I/AAAAAAAACsQ/cGBgyCx9utM/s320/Yard+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now to work on getting rid of the thistle</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SvhuOjVrLjE/T7uMSFvFC6I/AAAAAAAACsY/-69U0KOC1E8/s1600/Yard+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SvhuOjVrLjE/T7uMSFvFC6I/AAAAAAAACsY/-69U0KOC1E8/s320/Yard+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm getting there</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gjFj_8YLI5U/T7uMTNHTi7I/AAAAAAAACsg/1JWNZHP9gXM/s1600/Yard+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gjFj_8YLI5U/T7uMTNHTi7I/AAAAAAAACsg/1JWNZHP9gXM/s320/Yard+013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost done</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6aM8pC12jNg/T7uR0Mt74dI/AAAAAAAACtc/MUrPmKKRuDw/s1600/Yard+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6aM8pC12jNg/T7uR0Mt74dI/AAAAAAAACtc/MUrPmKKRuDw/s320/Yard+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now to fix border, amend soil, and replant</td></tr>
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This is where I had to leave off last night. It was threatening rain a couple of hours earlier than predicted, so no time to get garden soil and the hosta back in there properly before it hit. It's supposed to rain again this afternoon and evening, so I'm going to try to get out there and put things back in place before it does.<br />
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Lots more to do, so stay tuned for more before and after shots of other projects.<br />
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(<a href="http://gallongarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/hosta-bed-round-2.html" target="_blank"><u>Round 2 of the hosta bed</u> </a>challenge already posted).<br />
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</div>Marie Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838079550433002806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1026275571620321365.post-21127048823880738842012-05-08T11:25:00.000-04:002012-06-21T08:17:10.902-04:00Saving Mom From the Killer Turtle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I went out to do some weeding and play a game of 'bring it' with the dogs, and it was only a few seconds before they alerted me that we had a visitor.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBf2uShId1U/T6k2RrqNNRI/AAAAAAAACnA/VPNw-m9UwoY/s1600/Turtle+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CBf2uShId1U/T6k2RrqNNRI/AAAAAAAACnA/VPNw-m9UwoY/s320/Turtle+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is this?</td></tr>
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Molly getting up close and personal</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JqlaDwuqwnU/T6k2Vc1RrQI/AAAAAAAACnI/uGt2DyVOKcg/s1600/Turtle+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JqlaDwuqwnU/T6k2Vc1RrQI/AAAAAAAACnI/uGt2DyVOKcg/s320/Turtle+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't recognize the smell</td></tr>
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Then Jethro got in on the act and his barking sent </div>
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the poor turtle scurrying to get under my car</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9OV1sn8MKs/T6k2XzQVP4I/AAAAAAAACnY/gKO7X0-jMiw/s1600/Turtle+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9OV1sn8MKs/T6k2XzQVP4I/AAAAAAAACnY/gKO7X0-jMiw/s320/Turtle+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dang! Who knew they could move so fast?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62VwgJQAJoM/T6k2aEKMMHI/AAAAAAAACno/vAMUAeAXUvQ/s1600/Turtle+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62VwgJQAJoM/T6k2aEKMMHI/AAAAAAAACno/vAMUAeAXUvQ/s320/Turtle+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's tag team him</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HudZ6OAXU2k/T6k2Y2-tTKI/AAAAAAAACng/Re3-oHMzqjk/s1600/Turtle+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HudZ6OAXU2k/T6k2Y2-tTKI/AAAAAAAACng/Re3-oHMzqjk/s320/Turtle+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You hold him there, and I'll go this way</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IwvZwUfos1w/T6k2bTr_rUI/AAAAAAAACnw/UsPlSYNalZA/s1600/Turtle+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IwvZwUfos1w/T6k2bTr_rUI/AAAAAAAACnw/UsPlSYNalZA/s320/Turtle+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've got him pinned now</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IttDRsHfKkg/T6k2fKt-VOI/AAAAAAAACoI/ljDrzMhTXIU/s1600/Turtle+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 16px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IttDRsHfKkg/T6k2fKt-VOI/AAAAAAAACoI/ljDrzMhTXIU/s320/Turtle+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where'd he go?<br />
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And that is how my fearless pups saved me from the killer turtle that dared to infiltrate our space.<br />
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