| April 3, 2004 One of my clematis (Jackmanii) hasn't been looking very happy, so I added some more leaves around its base, thinking maybe it's been too cold. It may be that its not getting enough sun? Or, since I used a different potting soil on each plant, perhaps the Miracle Grow potting soil used on the Comtesse clematis made the difference? Or? I've been taking the asylum seedlings out every day, to acclimate. The seedlings in the Jiffy containers are doing well. The seedlings in terra cotta pots with potting soil aren't going to make it, I think. I planted all the seedlings today. It's probably too early, but they were hardly thriving in the house. Unfortunately, BiMart sold out of the mini greenhouse I wanted to buy from them for $30. The seedlings are all planted along the street side of the bed. I bought asylum seeds (the exact same kind that I bought for the seedlings) and direct planted them in the soil near the sidewalk. It will be interesting to see if any survive, and how they fair compared to the seedlings. I purchased 15 small pots of Snow in Summer (Cerastium Tomentosum) on Friday (at Roger's Nursery, $1.99 a pot). I was tempted to go for the more showy Candy Tufts, but it seemed the Snow in Summer had better foliage, and one of the helpers at the nursery said she has Snow in Summer in her yard and its very hardy and doesn't even mind being stepped on. This is important, considering its near where hubby does a lot of his wrenching! (The bed next to the driveway.) I dug up all the iris in the afforementioned bed�and all the terrible, terrible weeds! There were four large garbage bags of stuff to throw away. I transplanted the daffodils in that bed so they're all clumped together, near the street. I also replanted some grape hyacinth. Then I planted the Snow in Summer, gently raking through the roots and watering in well. I need to dig up and plant the second half of this bed, near the carport. I also direct planted seeds for Oriental Poppies (90 cents at BiMart) and Zinnias ($1.49 at BiMart) in this bed. Who knows if they will take off. When we moved to this house, there was a climbing rose bush near the carport; it never does very well because it doesn't get enough sun. I dug this up and discovered it was really two rose bushes! I moved them into the same next-to-the-driveway bed today. The climber has a tree nearby that it can lean on. I planted both with � cup rose food. I don't know how well they will do, because I really had to crash into the roots, cutting off a lot. The roses had obviously been there for quite some time, even though the bushes are small. In addition, I direct planted Baby's Breath seeds (90 cents at BiMart) near the rose bushes in front of the house. Also, California Poppy seeds (84 cents at BiMart) and some more Oriental Poppy seeds in the front flower bed. I'd seen some gorgeous poppies at Roger's Nursery, but didn't feel I could spend the money on them. If I'm lucky, the seeds will spurt flowers. We also went to Territorial today and purchased a cherry tomato plant ($1.79) and some full-sized tomato (The Legend) plants ($2.95 each) , along with two pepper (Italian Pepperoncini) plants ($1.79 each). I plan on buying a tomato tree, too. We also purchased vegetable garden seeds: Territorial gave us a free packet of mixed lettuce seed, then we purchased seeds for Bush Crop Cucumbers, Royal Flush Hybrid Sunflowers, Early Dawn hybrid Cauliflower ($1 each packet at BiMart), Broad Leaf Sage, Garlic Chives, Poinsett 76 Cucumbers, Waltham 29 Broccoli, (90 cents each packet at BiMart), Buttercrunch Lettuce (89 cents at BiMart), Copenhagen Market Cabbage, and White Lisbon Bunching Green Onions (45 cents each packet at BiMart)/ I am so enjoying the tulips this year; I'd like to get many more tulips to plant this fall, perhaps in the bed near the driveway. I'm also considering planting some ornamental cabbage this fall, just underneath the brick flower pot. The evergreen clematis blooms are spent now, as are the daffodils. The grape hyacinth are still blooming, but are near their end. The primroses on the porch and in the back yard continue to bloom nicely. The primroses in front are mostly spent. I think I'll have to move them to a cooler spot and replace them with�.? Pansies, perhaps. April 4, 2004 Last night, I finished weeding the second half of the bed near the driveway, and today, I finished planting Snow in Summer and Zinnias there. Purchased six pansy plants today (94 cents each at Walmart) and planted them in the urns I painted last year; I mixed some rose food into the dirt, and placed the urns in the backyard, near the entrance. REMINDER ABOUT BULBS: Below is front bed. Side bed only has yellow daffodils and grape hyacinth in front of the pink rose bush. |
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