After a long absence, we are back! Unfortunately, after our last update life hit a few bumps in the road for our family. My dearest darling broke his arm, requiring rods and pins and 6 months of rehab. Then after a couple rounds of flu in the house we found my husband's much loved father had advanced cancer. Of course everything got put on the backburner while we cared for and treasured our last times with him. Our garden this year is dedicated to his memory with love. We miss you Dad!
BUT! We are back with more hope for our jungle then ever! We will be updating the different areas of the website and let you know how the Jungle Garden faired through the winter and spring. There are many pleasant surprises in store, so visit often as we continue our gardening journey.
11/5/04
Been a quiet gardening week. The girls are going to do a thanksgiving seed swap... Can't wait to see what they are thankful for. And Destiny started a Vermicompost box. She just LOVES her new little worm pets. I'll admit... it's kinda cool if a little wierd at the same time. Should end up with interesting worm stories. Was kinda funny to see her laugh as big sis and big boy cousing grossed out. Could tell she felt like a big girl to be braver then kids older then her. LOL Hollyhocks still looking really awful, and they are calling for possible flurries next Thursday. Not ready for that! Even if the girls are!
11/1/04
We wrapped up 95% of major 'must do' gardening for the season on Sat/Sun *cheers*. Got the grape hyacinths and Iris in. Hollyhocks moved ...there were 31 total!!! (they are very very unhappy campers right now), The remaining 150 bulbs daff/ crocus bulbs planted and a couple of nonhardy plants dug up. Sam potted some more lovely trade plants she recieved. The generosity people have shown her is amazing. Even brought me to tears at one point! *blushes* Samantha also shared a plant with lil' sis Destiny so she could join in the planting fun. Saturday was very funny. The winds were absolutely amazing (but not complaining as it brought down most of the leaves from the 30foot tall cottonwood)... both me and hubby each fell on our bottoms once! But... just couldn't put off planting any longer for fear of losing everything. Besides cutting down an apple tree (a very sad/heartbreaking thing for the hubby as his mother had planted it) and winter sowing everything else can wait for spring. Our next goal is to figure out exactly how to do cuttings. That will probably provide some extremely amusing updates!
10/28/04
Planted all the mums around the cottonwood tree yesterday with help from Destiny. Boy they sure look pretty except for 2 that have really pretty flowers but were a bit limpy in the pots. Hoping they pull through ok. Also recieved another trade package yesterday for Sam *cheers* after much discussion, she agreed to likeing the idea the idea of planting that one together. It had a couple of iris's and about 30 grape hyacinth!! Those alone would fill up her whole garden box and she wouldn't of been able to plant any seeds. So the old hollyhock bed (once they are moved) will be perfect for the new package and can be a Mommy/Daughter bed. She's excited about the hyacinth, I'm gaga over the Iris's. Little timid about them though after reading a bit at GW. Seems to be mixed thoughts on how easy they are to grow. Just gotta hope they will do good. Our thinking is to put 5 hyacinth between each Iris (now 7 total) so showcase each one. Don't know how it will look but figured it's worth a try, can always fix it next fall if it doesn't work.
We also discussed maybe doing some kind of experiment comparing growth of a plant by different cutting systems, indoor Flat, wintersowing, and in the flower bed fall sowing, and some kind of put the seeds in wet paper towels germating thing she read about. Think it a pretty big experiment ... but all for helping her since that's what she wants. Told since she is doing that mightest well document it and maybe she could use the info for her next science project.
It's raining this morning :( disappointing as it is quite warm and would of been great to work a tad out there. Also free days are so rare it's a shame to not take advantage of it. John has big plans for tomarrow though. Hoping to get everything needing immediate attention done by the end of the weekend as there are other household projects needing attention, but had to be postponed to attend the yard before the really cold stuff hits. Can't wait till spring and it's not even holloween yet! *giggles*
10/27/04
Potted up the cuttings today. Have decided to wait on placing them in the garden after discussing with hubby the work still needed on the bed (adding the border, making sure pests under control, and some 20 year old dull glass still burried from old buisness). Since we are going that route hoping maybe a couple will do well and can try cuttings for extra plants over the winter. They would make awsome borders. Made more detailed plans with hubby and started a plant spreadsheet to keep track of everything. :) Hoping this will save future headaches. The lunar eclipse was fantastic... Sam agreed!
10/26/04
We got our first trade package today! *waves* You know who you are!!! *GREAT BIG HUGGERS IN THANKS* Everyone in the house was drooling over the lovely package a new garden friend was so kind to send. Had some fantastic cuttings in it. Des was going bananas over the lambs ear (along with mom) It's soft velvety leaves attracted her twitching 4 year old fingers like a bee to honey. Sam kept counting the packages of seeds and debating where to put them all. Can't decide if I drooled over the first Iris tubers I've every seen or Black Hollyhocks I just can't wait to push into fresh turned dirt. And hubby just shook his head at us all. I know what he's thinking..... he know's I am going to become an addicted trader already and have barely even started yet. My sweet darling knows his wife too well! Sent out 3 more trade packages this afternoon. *giggles with manic glee* Shhhh ... don't tell though!
Tried 2 times yesterday to run out and start planting bulbs, but both times dad-in-law called me back in after only a couple were placed in the dirt due to the baby waking after only 15 minute naps. Worried about getting them in and the hollyhocks moved in time as such lovely weather can't last too much longer. I will miss the warm summer days when cold stuff sets in for winter. :( But then can try wintersowing... yes found that forum last night! Maybe an answer to my gardening prayers?
Here's hoping to nice long naps tomarrow so some progress can be made! :) *crosses fingers*
10/24/04
Today was a beautiful day for late October and much progress was made on the yard. My dear hubby worked very hard today expanding the front flower bed and cultivating it so to it could be a true flower bed instead of a bare patch we threw flowers in. Also added a flower bed to move the hollyhocks to. After much debating have decided to move them this week as it will be unseasonably warm. Hopefully most will pull through ok with some TLC.
Hubby found some FANTASTIC potted mums on sale at Home Depot for only 1 dollar a piece. Think they will go around the cotton wood tree. He also came up with a cute idea for the new front flowerbed. I want to try to make a more country looking garden so he wants to put a tiny white picket fence as a border and then to make a very small foot path that goes into the middle and ends at a birdbath. But don't really want standing water in the middle of the garden because of the bugs or even the birds pooping in the middle of the garden too. Maybe a mini size bench? Something to ponder on.
Kiddos got a kick out of picking morning glory seeds. Was really blown away by how many seeds came from the one vine. Des was so proud to be able to pick seeds. Think she needs her own 'patch' too! The other 2 vines were very small and few seeds. Sam went on a seed picking hunt around the yard and discovered yet another new plant called a velvet leaf. While it may technically a weed maybe someone may want it's seeds for the pretty yellow flowers it makes. She also grabbed the rest of columbine seeds. Feel really bad I limited her earlier last month from picking 'gobs' of them but that was before we were positive they were columbine and had found GW trades. :(
Too tired to answer some email from my new garden friends. Hopefully they will forgive me waiting till tomarrow to reply! The thought just occured to me that this is the first time the whole family has worked together in a long time on a 'project'(even baby Katie was 'supervising' from her entertainer) and without complaining (ok Katie did cry a few times for Mama but that don't count!). Seems gardening isn't considered a chore so even though it was work we all had fun together! Now if only inside the house could be that way! *giggles*
10/23/04
Samantha sent out her first 5 trade packages today! How exciting to be able to share the fruits of her labor with others! Weren't able to rent the cultivator today due to heavy storms last night and this morning which brought down many sticks and branches along with mounds of leaves to be raked.
Took pictures of the plants for identifcation by the lovely people at GardenWeb. The good news... we have more of a treasure trove then I thought!!! The bad news... we ended confirming that hollyhocks line the patio. Realized that they will be 5 to 8 feet tall if they come back next year. Hoping people at GW will be able to offer advice on if we can transplant them all to along the front fence. Lets cross our fingers the answer is yes or will have to dispose of them. ;( Well tomarrow is going to be a VERY busy garden day!