Seedlings Update, April 6, 2011

What a crazy and weird spring, if you can call it that, we are having this year. I want some of that Global Warming back and pronto. Some of my seedling flowers are blooming (both Snapdragons and Zinnia), one variety of tomato (Mountain Magic from Johnny’s Seeds) is ready to be planted into a bigger pot or even ground and right now we are having small snow blizzard going on! Looks like I will have to bring another table into our sunroom because lot of the plants will have to be transferred into larger container.

Snapdragons only basket.

Check the 3 nipped tips of snapdragons (pointed long leaves)

I have already done two hanging baskets – one with Snapdragon Lampion seedlings only and one with 4 Lobelias and 3 Snapdragons. Snapdragons are actually cuttings as I saved the snipped tops, dipped them in growing hormone powder and chuck them in the basket. They are doing fantastic and look just like ordinary seedlings.

Nasturtium, Lobelia, Cosmos and Snapdragons.

Red Pearl Millet, Thunbergia, Cosmos, Petunia and Zinnia.

 Zinnia in bloom.

 Snapdragon in bloom.

 Nothing leggy about these tomato plants.

Eggplants on left and three variety of peppers.

I need a miracle in order not to lose any of my plants. On the bright side, I am learning!

And, how can I forget our beautiful Bougainvillea! Only 4 leaves and rest is flowers.

Crazy Spring Weather!

Even though we were expecting it because of weather forecast, it was still a bit of a shock! Yesterday, I was raking the lawn and this morning the same spot was covered by 4” of snow! What a bummer! On top of it, yesterday we went to golf course and talked to the owner and he was expecting to open in three days. Not very likely now, is it?
Following two pictures were shot only 16 hours apart.

  

Anyway, with all the trees and shrubs covered in wet snow I got a chance to take some nice flash pictures in the dark. They came out OK, I think. You’ll be the judge.

This was taken at 6:30 AM with manual flash and all manual settings on camera. The point of light at top of Norway Fir is street light. A the top is almost full moon partially covered by low clouds.

I shot this frame on monochrome setting. You can see reflection of flash in neighbor's window. Easy to fix in Photoshop.

Snow is a good sculptor. There are two faces at bottom right and what looks like Homer Simpson at top, fifth plank from left.
I am going to have fun with this camera!

Garden and Regular Crazy Spring Weather

Yesterday it was such a nice day to work in the garden. Nice sunny day and it was warm, 17 °C.

 I even went shopping for mulch in my shorts and short sleeve shirt. Then it turned cold and extremely windy. So windy that my BBQ plans got trashed. Still, it was nice to have a preview of things to come. It is amazing how fast some plants react to warmer weather. There is one nice plant that is all light yellow green, including the flower, that Marjo calls Helleborus Lenten Rose.  It is now in a full bloom!

Also, I have planted garlic bulbils that I have discovered in paper bag, sprouting. I gave them a soak of water overnight and hope to have some garlic shoots in few weeks, 2 months maximum. Next to bulbils I have planted red-green scallions. Interesting plant: it is a green onion that has a red bulb and rest is green. I had it last year and it tastes just like regular green onion but is more attractive.

Marjo is very happy that all Heuchera plants survived the winter and rabbit attacks. Last year the rabbits decimated the flowers. They just cut them and left them on ground. We need some foxes around here.

Now I have to turn my attention to lawn. We started raking the thatch this afternoon but it was too cold to finish the job. Maybe Monday. Then I have to get it rolled because it is so bumpy, again. Never ending job that lawn is!

And, what would middle of March be without American Robins attacking our sun room door and windows. They are so persistent and it looks like most of our neighbors have the same problem. There is no point in washing the windows and doors during Spring Cleanup until robins are nesting. It is amazing how high they jump and leave marks with their feet and wings.

Spring is here, no question about it!