Thursday, 6-August-2020

Yes, a long time since I've posted, but I've got things I want to record and this is a good place.

This spring we got a pergola sort of thing to hang Shirley's begonias from on the front entry porch. Ed modified it so that the trellis part is at the back rather than the middle, and there are only three cross-bars for hanging plants. We decided not to plant directly into the bottom, instead have some pots. The clematis that was at the end of the old arched pergola, is on the right side in a pot. and a Hydrangea petiolaris Winter Surprise on the left. I didn't expect this pant to be so big from the shop.

In the middle, there's a pot of ferns (Ed's suggestion) in the middle, The ferns are Adiantum hispidulum, Cyrtomium fortunei, and Phegopteris decursive-pinnata.

Everything looks quite new right now. Hoping they settle in well.

A month or so ago, we got some cement blocks to make a raised shelf for herbs against the end of the wood shed. This gets lots of afternoon sun, but things seems quite happy there, except for the lemon basil, which bloomed, went to seed, and dried up.

Otherwise, can't think of anything major that's new. We're enter another prolonged hot and dry spell. These seem to be the norm these days.

Monday, 18-September-2017

Tomato thoughts

This year, as we have before, we planted six Supersteak and six Coeur de Boeuf tomato plants. We've been talking about planting only six plants next year. But which? Today we realized this: In the dry heat, the Coeur de Boeuf tomatoes held up better than the Supersteaks. The last week or so has been rainy. The CdBs are split, from absorbing too much water we think, but the Supersteaks are doing well. We went out today and picked what we could. And we see that the CdBs still have more to ripen, while the Supersteaks are pretty much done for the year. Decided we'll try to plant a mixed bunch again next year, just fewer.

Friday, 31-June-2017

We dropped by a garden center while we were out today and bought a couple of veggies on sale, two cayenne pepper plants and an eggplant plant, unlabelled, so it will be a mystery.

All four squares of basil are coming up in the sandbox. I planted tomatillos seeds in three squares; one is sprouting well, the others are empty. That's a puzzle. Put the cayenne plants in two squares next to the tomatillos.

Put the eggplant in the potager. The squash looks good. The tomatoes are growing well and need to be encouraged to climb their spirals. If it every stops raining long enough to work for a bit down there.

This week we had the long hedge shortened again, and took the bottom out of the lime tree. This was scraping the shed roof and the fencing. Also had our two quinces cut down to size. They've gotten huge since we've been here. Unfortunately, our best ever crop of quince went with it. Guessing it will take a couple of years to start producing again. We should try to keep the shrubs down to reasonable size now.

Friday, 9-June-2017

Some half-hearted planting today. In the sandbox, I planted four squares of basil, alphabetically, left to right, canelle, citron, genovese, and poupre. The three squares from the poupre, I planted with tomatillo seeds.

Also put some oregano seeds in a pot. What tiny seeds those were! Hoping this will reseed like the lemon balm, which has come up in at least three pots.

The tomatoes and other veg survived last night's storm. Ed had covered over my single zucchini seed and eggplants. In the meantime I've planted new zucchini that are coming up well. No sign of eggplant, but the haricots verts, fêves, and kousebanden are coming up.

Our cherry tree has had an exceptional season. We've had only a few. What do you do with gallons of cherries. Most of them are too high for us to collect. The raspberry is also doing well.

Saturday, 20-May-2017

Well, it's been a while since I've posted here. This is just going to be a bit about what we did today, not all that much.

Potager

• Put out six coeur de boeuf and six supersteak tomato plants. Ed had already moved the stakes to the uphill side of the plot.
• Went to plant a hill of zucchini and found I had only one seed left. Planted that one (and ordered more, which I'll put in the same spot after they arrive.
• Planted some eggplant seeds.
• Planted some haricots verts on one of the bamboo hoops.
• Planted some fêves on the other bamboo hoops. (Only two are left now.)
• Planted some kousebanden on the poles at either end of the tomato row.

Much  a raspberry on the way down to the potager. Ate a couple of cherries on the way back. The cherry tree is covered. If we don't have a big wind in the next couple of weeks, we might actually be able to collect some. 

Sunday, 31-May-2015

Yard

• The hellebore I planted in January shriveled and died, the fate of many hellebores I've planted.

Pots

• Since it never got really cold last winter, we left most of the potted plants out on the terrace. My little lemon tree had a bit of a hard time of it and its pot cracked. I potted it up into a bigger pot, hoping to see some regrowth. I was about ready to recycle the pot, when it suddenly started sprouting from the base. I a week or so, we'll choose the most vigorous and cut the others off.
• Barbara's orange tree is doing well, blooming, as is the mock orange in the yard.

Salad garden

• Planted four cherry tomatoes. Counter clockwise from the rosemary corner, there's Gold, Primo, Red Pear, and Red. 

Monday, 25-May-2015 - the potager

Potager

• Last week we put in three Beefsteak and three Coeur de Boeuf tomato plants on the curly supports. They're looking fine still.
• Today, on the last three curly supports (by the fraises des bois), Haricot Fin de Bagnols. Found a frog (or toad?) hiding at one of the poles.

There are still two of the supports, between the B and the CdB free.

• Yesterday we bought an aubergine Rotunda Bianca plant at a marché des producteurs and planted it at the head of the next row. (Round, white with purple streaks.)
• Today next to that I planted two lots of seeds for aubergine Toulouse. (Long, purple.)
• Then a hill of courgette Verte de Milan Black Beauty.
• Then a hill of winter squash Green Hokaïdo (sometimes Hokkaïdo). (Roundish, green outside, yellow inside, 1-2kg. Might be similarish to acorn squash.)
• Then two lots of fêves Agaudulce à Très Longue Cosse.
• Then two lots of fêves Séville à Longue Cosse.

We'll see how it all goes.