House Finch Color Variation

I think this is a house finch variant, although when I snapped the pic, I thought it was a grosbeak.

Seed-starting Prep

Seed-starting season gets underway this month. I'll be using toilet paper tubes this year. The important thing to remember here is that the cardboard will try to wick away the moisture, so I'll soak them in water first. Some folks would just plant the whole tube later, but I will peel it off before re-potting in "teen" pots - the size when the seedlings receive normal potting soil and fertilizer, getting them ready for the real world.

Plant Propagation

An African violet leaf, two sprays of Christmas cactus, two spider plantlets and one stem from a rosemary plant - all nestled in sealed plastic bags in hopes they grow into new plants. Each one was propagated with a different method. The rosemary had a "heel' on it, meaning a bit of the mother branch was torn away with the stem. The African violet leaf stem was lightly shaved in hopes of producing several new plants. The spider plantlets were secured on top of the soil with hairpins. The Christmas cactus planting end was trimmed flat and allowed to "heal" overnight before planting. This is all experimental and it could take up to 12 weeks before I know for sure of "success" or "failure."

Landscape Planning

My presentation board for my landscape planning assignment in the Master Gardener class. I planned a re-do of most of my front yard. One of the drafts on the left is my crazy "accept the rectangles" brainstorming, although the final has some added curves and less grass. Will I carry it out? Maybe. Pricing out the two small trees I want shows I'll need an extra $300-$400. Plants will be in the $600 range. And there are still more plants I would need to buy, along with outdoor lighting and a year-round bird bath. Plus, the time and labor. But dreaming is fun.

"Year of the Watermelon" Sparks Harvest Trepidation

The National Garden Bureau has declared 2013 the Year of the Watermelon. Yes, everyone loves watermelon, especially my kiddo, but growing them? Or, to be more clear on that question, growing them and harvesting them at the right time? Well, I have successfully grown watermelons in my garden. The melon above was part of the 2011 crop that encircled the bed of strawberries. I had one plant that produced 4 melons that year. I fretted about when to know if they were ready to harvest. I researched online. I spoke with neighbors and other gardeners. I tapped. I checked the bottom for a little yellowing. I checked the skin "toughness." I checked the stem for a bit of withering. And I harvested every single one of those melons at the "wrong time." Three were not entirely ripe, and the fourth was overripe. So a declaration of "Year of the Watermelon" means a new challenge. What tips do you have for ensuring a perfect pick?

Fresh Coat of Fluff

More moisture for our lawns and gardens today, while they're still sleeping. I do have a friend who told me she saw her daffodils poking up. I didn't see any in my yard yet. You?

There's a Radish Growing in my Bathroom

A carrot is growing in my bathroom, too. I had an assignment in my gardening class to start some seeds. I didn't have the heart to toss them into the compost pile when they reached the goal of 5 inches. Looking forward to a sliced radish in my salad, soon. A carrot is also growing, well, mostly struggling. I hope to eat it, too.