Still here

I promise that we are still here. The science garden is moving along. To be honest, we had left for a vacation, and we returned in a rush to begin school routines and school. We have one whole week under of belt of early mornings, lots of kids and stuff to do , and coming home to the quiet of garden. 

A message from great grandma

As a result, I will be trying to get back to updating everyone here. One thing that has been rather odd  this year is that Audrey the Morning Glory has not exploded as she has in years past. This year, we have only a few tendrils and even fewer flowers so when Pooka got a purple morning glory the morning she started school, we told her it was her great grandmother telling her to have a great first day. She looked at the flower and said "I will have a great day. I love you." before running inside to finish getting ready.

Hopefully things can settle into a routine and I will be getting back to the blog more regularly.

Getting carrots going and Audrey

One evening after school, Pooka and I decide to run outside between storms and plant some overdue seeds. We fully admit we are behind on the garden this year with school and me working so much, but it was nice to know a few more things are started. Our goal this evening was to get Pooka's carrots started and Audrey the morning glory. 

Seeds

Pooka and I ran out and put some seeds in the pot for Audrey and I promised to pull out her trellis soon, probably after they had sprouted. Personally, I hate morning glories, but they were a favorite of Pooka's Gremo so we decided to plant another one for her. This way we have something that would make her smile so we can smile when we see it. 

awaiting Audrey now

The carrots went into their square boxes. Pooka and I just sprinkled seeds this time since we were in a rush and I didn't have any tape made. Hopefully we will still get a good crop. I doubt Pooka will be able to take any before school lets out, but she can probably take them in the fall in her lunch. Pooka loves confusing her friends with her different colored foods.

Pooka's picture of her carrots seeds planted

Sunday Surprises

Today was a day full of surprises for Daddy, Pooka and I. Pooka woke up and found this little beauty on her morning glory. She was so excited but also asked where the red ones are. I told her they weren't ready yet.

 Pooka surprised me by asking if she could have "the colored leaf chard" for dinner one night. She wanted to decide if she liked it before she grew it. We checked and our store doesn't carry swiss chard right now, but for the cost of a set of seeds, it will be cheaper then trying to find a bunch to try. Granted, Pooka has always been the adventurous child when it comes to food.

Daddy was surprised that I came home with more seeds. I got the Neon Swiss Chard (I couldn't find the rainbow mix, but close enough for now), a Baby Choi seed that should work well in a pot out front as well as one more variety of spinach to try. He is so understanding and he sees that we are getting out plenty for what we are putting in.

A surprise for the whole family was this little guy. We had brought some herbs in to dry from the front planting beds and found a young praying mantis come walking out of them when I reached for the basil. Surprise. We observed him for a short time, then released him on the lemon balm to continue eating all the bad bugs.

 

Mommy's gifts from a Pooka

Now that life has given us time to actually celebrate Mother's day, I can show you all what Pooka has been working on for a few months.

In Febuary when we started all of our seeds, Pooka asked if she could grow some Tomatoes for Nainai and her other Grandma. I said sure if we kept it a surprise and gave it to them on Mother's day. Pooka loves the idea of giving people things, so this was a great surprise. So when we started our seeds, I threw a few extra tomato seeds in for the Grandmother's.


Our seeds plus Tomatoes for Grandmas

At the end of Febuary, Pooka and I found some nice hanging pots on Clearance for about $2 each, maybe a bit more. About mid March we filled them with dirt since Pooka wanted to give them flowers as well.

Pots for all 3 grandmothers

Pooka then went through and sprinkled purple morning glory seeds in each one. She was very careful and we picked out these they said they would be perfect for hanging baskets. Call it the weird weather, but the initial seedlings grew then died off, so we replanted with the same seeds and a few cosmos or something that were originally bought for Pooka's teachers, but we knew we wouldn't have time to get them grown before giving them to the teachers. (I don't remember and I don't have a picture sadly).

Seeds and more seeds.

By Mother's day, the first basket had been given away, since we don't see that grandmother as much and she got hers in April. However, the other 2 Grandmothers had these to look forward too. The tomatoes were a bit thin looking, but they should do well once transplanted. and the pots both had plenty of seedlings that had been grown outdoors and everything was well hardened off. Next year if we do this, I may try to start the flower seeds earlier, but all the grandma's got gifts straight from Pooka's garden and Pooka got to say with pride that she grew them just for her.

Happy Mother's day.

Talk about confusing

Like many people, we have been hit with late winter storms. In fact, if you look out the back door right now, you will see well at least 4+ inches of snow. That doesn't count the ice that came before it.

Rosemary, Lavender, Audrey's empty pot

Basically, our dog loves it, Pooka went out and played in it this morning for a few minutes before deciding it was cold.  I am okay with it, (but I desperatly need a snow day), but it reminds us that winter is not yet over. Although one would think heading into March we would be past most of it. The rosemary in that small red pot is pretty much dead, the lavender in the green pot may come back and the stuff in the tan pot was the dirt from Audrey, so I have nothing to worry about in it.

On the flip side you walk into the house, and you see spring everywhere. Pooka's Grow um seeds are very busy sprouting left and right. Daily I go through and turn them 90 degrees since they are reaching for the sun outside.  Here you see the lettuce, bok choy, Peas, broccolli, cilantro all fairly well established. The basil is just starting to really grow.

Half the grow ums.

At the other end of the table you will see the rest of the Grow ums.  The oregano has tiny tiny sprouts. I didn't see them but Pooka did since she takes her magnifying glass to them daily to watch for changes. This is her favorite part, she loves planting the seeds on top so she can watch the roots come out and go into the dirt. I also placed the clearanced herbs here so they are all in the same spot.

Rest of the grow ums and clearanced herbs

We have been very busy around here. We also got most of our veggies seeds started. I was worrying that the peppers would take too long to germinate, so I wanted them done early. Pooka and I did it very rushed on a Saturday night in those 16 cell starters. Those are an interesting contraption and I will get a post up on them later.

Seeds seeds at least they are started.

Then I realized I was well into the window to start tomatoes. Except I didn't realize till after I started to hydrate the pellets, did I realized I grabbed the 72 cell starter instead of the tomato starter, so Pooka and I just went with it and spent an entire afternoon on Monday starting the tomatoes, sunflowers, and well everything else. Now we wait. I still need to start the snapdragons, and most of our herbs, but those will go into peat pots probably this weekend. Right now, Pooka is having plenty of fun watching her plants change and grow, and I am running out of places to put seeds. Plus, I think if I have to use a third card table, Daddy may have something to say about it.

Audrey is PINK??

What we normally see. 

Some days, I swear that plant is out to drive me insane. There are days I swear it is mocking me. But today, I swear this plant took it to another level.

Today I noticed that Audrey the morning glory had pink flowers. We originally bought a blue flowered plant. Now granted, we have seen light blue flowers with purple stripes before, but this was a first.

Did it HAVE TO BE PINK? Pooka's picture. 

What is even more interesting is there seem to be quite a few of these pink flowers. But whatever, more then likely this is a result of the genetics and it mixing something. What, I don't know, but something. Oh well, but of all the colors did it really have to be pink. Can you tell I don't like pink?

Pooka hasn't noticed YET, but I have a feeling a discussing about genetics is in my future.

Scary

I am coming for you.... 

You all recognize Audrey the morning glory right. I haven't really been keeping her little arms under control the last 2 days, and this is how much she has grown. I swear she is waiting for Pooka to stop moving so she can grab her. I also love how Pooka chose Audrey for blue flowers, but most of the flowers are purple striped (which is better then pink ones according to Pooka).   I would go into more today, but the world is a strange strange place and my brain is not here. Maybe Audrey ate it. I don't know, but I know that today it is more lost than usual.

Have a great weekend all.

Audrey the Morning glory

Some of you may be wondering why we call the morning glory Audrey. The easiest answer to that question is that it's growing scarily fast. To the point Daddy is pretty sure it is about to say feed me. (If  you don't know about Audrey the plant, watch Little Shop of Horrors. Good movie, but it will make you see plants in a whole new light).

Innocent Morning glory just standing there

The Morning Glory doesn't look too scary here. It is just growing up it's trellis very quietly. It looks like just another plant. Until you get up close...
 

 It could probably eat a Pooka if she stood still long enough

That is how many vines are around the OUTSIDE of the trellis. The inside and the top are denser. I have actually spent alot of time training Audrey to climb up one side of the trellis and down the other and back up. I don't want to think of the number of hours I have spent on this. I would get you a picture of the top, but I can't get a good one in focus. But take it from me. It is super dense. I have promised to have another one next year, but I will be building a bigger trellis and it will still live in a pot. I do not need it going wild in the yard.

A busy few days

After a super busy weekend, and a even busier week (Daddy and I realized this week and next will be nuts, then we will hopefully fall into a routine for the summer). The garden has been a bit neglected. Not horribly, it was still being watered more days then not (missed a day or 2 over the weekend).

Anyway, I went outside yesterday and actually looked at it. Strangely enough, I have lettuce growing. I was shocked. I never expected it to grow, but hey, luck is on my side, since it's certainly not skill. One of the 2 window box planters I planted it in is growing like mad. The second hasn't sprouted yet, but I think thats mostly due to it only being 7 days yesterday and the package said 7 to 10 days for sprouts. And while I don't remember which seeds I planted where (I really need to pay better attention to that next year). It is growing.

In other surprising news, the herbs I had literally given up on (and bought plants of) started sprouting too. So now we have Basil and Oregano sprouting. I really need to stop giving up on things. Oh well, more herbs means more to eat right and maybe at the end of the summer I can keep them alive indoors since they are in pots.

I also have some cucumbers really getting to good size. I haven't really seen much for the tomatoes or the peppers, but I know they are blooming and just hoping I will walk out there and see signs of color in the mass of tomatoes. Or maybe I am hoping for too much. I just don't know yet.

All in all, its growing, and with this cooler weather (Compared to the GIANT heat issue we had a few weeks ago) I think its helping but I don't know for sure. I know its helping the stupid morning glory. That thing has climbed the entire trellis and is almost taller than me. But it is Pooka's garden, so as long as she is happy with the darn thing (And she is, she checks every morning for new flowers) then that's all that matters, I guess. (these were there yesterday morning).

Oh and one last science experiment since I could. I pulled some garlic out of the fridge yesterday and it had sprouted. I took it outside and put 2 cloves in the ground. I found a bit of space around the pepper plant the most beat up from the bugs. Maybe the garlic will help protect it, or it will be fertilizer. We will see.

In the beginning

So yeah, I wasn't going to go there. I guess as my first post, this would be a good time to kinda go over whats going on up till now. I'm Mommy, and I have a 4 yo Daughter we shall call Pooka. She's a sweet and curious girl so when she asked to know more about plants, well I obliged.

So Pooka and I started a garden (which seems easier then starting this post). Most everything began as seed that Pooka placed on seed starters. Some took, some didn't. Some took much better then others. But in the end, we have plants.

We currently have out there from seed:

Big Tomatoes (Real scientific there huh)
Green beans
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Sweet Peppers
Green peppers
Broccolli
Cilantro
Sunflowers
Morning Glories
SnapDragons



Since then, due to either not growing from seed starters, or wanting instant results, we now have:

Parsley
Oregano
Basil
Strawberry plant
2 Pablano pepper plants




And today I went to the store to buy some chives and came home with a second Strawberry plant for $3. Its perfectly fine, but its starting to get  to the end of the time for planting them and the nursery wanted them gone. And seeds for chives which may or may not grow, but its better then the empty pot we had for green onions (We think Daddy accidently watered the onions too hard and threw them out of the pot).

Something we litterally started 2 days ago was celery.  I heard that you could grow celery if you just chop the end off (as you normally would for breaking it down) and place it in the ground. So I did. We are waiting to see what happens there.

So far the results are kinda spotty. We have only gotten 2 Green Beans (Off a plant I had started to give up as a casualty of me, but its coming back) and alot of cilantro out of the thing, but everything is blooming like mad.  I guess I should try and remind myself here that its still early. That it's only the first Tues of June (as the tornado sirens reminded me this morning). This is earlier then I have gotten things before, but I think its also I am actively watching it instead of throwing in the ground then wondering what that is a month later. That whole watched pot thing. Although the Cilantro is flowering so I may end up with Coriander as well.


Oh and this is a picture of Pooka's first Morning Glory, it lasted about 4 hours before a rain storm came and beat the tar out of it. There are other buds on the plant as you can see in the picture. (Let the record show, I don't know why we planted a flower that I can't eat. That darn thing is a pain since its tried to climb the cilantro, the deck, the tomatoes. I am pretty sure if Pooka looks at it too long, I will need shears to get her out. Its behaving better with a trellis, but I have my eye on it).

Now to be completely honest, I don't know a darn thing about what I am doing and I am hoping here that Mother Nature will make up for where I seem to kill things. I know Pooka has a green thumb since I couldn't grow a thing before she started helping me.

If you have any advice, I would love to hear it. Granted most of these pictures show containers, but alot of the bigger plants (tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers) are in the ground in a quasi-raised bed/planting bed all around my deck. Even with our yard being larger, we have a big dog and 2 kids so play space is essential (And if I put a giant garden in it, it means everything in it will get trampled at least once.)

Oh and anyone with a good Kid friendly/safe pesticide or repellent I would appreciate. The peppers are getting  picked on since they are still small (Gotta remember to start those earlier). All I can say is the leaves are being eaten, and there are some small type of bug flying around. Beyond that, no clue.

Maybe next update will have pictures of the peppers and the landscaped planter bed. Don't know when that will be, but apparently I have a blog now. Thanks for checking us out.