April 19, 2009

Well, I must say, I am extremely exhausted, but not in a good way.  My sore arm is on fire and I'm dead on my feet.  Unfortunately, it had nothing to do with gardening.  Nothing at all on my to-do list got done.  About the only thing I did for my garden was to take the plants (my wife won't let me call them seedlings anymore) for a walk.  Oh, and I've decided since we're supposed to have a mild 40s night, the plants are staying outside for their first camp out!

While on their walk, I noticed something quite surprising and unexpected.  The only potato leaf variety (I think it's a Bloody Butcher) is blooming!



So much for burrying that stem too deep when planting it out.  It wouldn't look right to have tomatoes growing on the ground.  Of course I couldn't help but shake it a bit to try to pollinate them, hehe.

Also while I was out there, I knew it was going to be a hot one, so I opened the hoop cover.  I didn't want a repeat of the 100 degree weather under there.  While it was open I couldn't help but take a snapshot of the salad greens.



Notice the green leaves on the right... I just noticed that three of those plants are Italienshier rather than Salad Bowl. That's great because I have four Salad Bowls elsewhere in that row.  Now I will have a great variety of greens for my salads!  I can't wait to harvest them. 

Speaking of which, I am serious, no Southerner can post a comment without telling me when I should harvest those mustard greens for my salads.  They're an experiment and I want to like them in my salads... hehe.

The weather was great, in the upper 60s for sure.  I'm positive the plants loved it.  I was of course, inside sanding drywall and priming the walls of my folk's den.  As necessary as it was to do, it was heartbreaking watching their former neighbors working in their yards and tending their gardens.  /sigh And to top it all off, we are nowhere near done.  Such is renovating an entire house with three people, two of which are gimpish, hehe.  I will be so happy to see that house done and sold!

Actually I did do some gardening, just not vegetable gardening.  My Aunt went with us to work in the yard to boost curb appeal, and to get some more plants out of there for their new house.  I got to help dig up a few plants, including one for me.  I've wanted it since we knew they were going to move.  It is a shade loving plant with beautiful big purple flower bundles.  Don't ask me what it's name is, plant names go in one ear and out the other with me. 

When I got it home, the kids and I planted it in the middle of the island in my front yard.  I sure hope it likes constant shade, because I'm not sure it gets any sunlight, but I need something there.  I have two rhodies on either side of the island and nothing in between.  I sure hope this works.  It was good to use some of my new compost to plant it.  I just love not having to buy compost!

So, I just KNOW you all had a great day out in your garden.  Try not to rub it in too much, but tell me about your weekend so I can garden vicariously through you (oh, and tell me about the mustard greens).

Enjoy your garden (I can't wait to enjoy mine)!