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Sunday, March 13, 2016

My Gardening Diary Part 1

         Welcome.  I hope your weekend has been Blessed.
              Today I am starting a new Sunday feature.
                           My Gardening Diary
                Sharing My Frugal Garden 
I've always enjoyed having a garden.  But I haven't had much opportunity the last few years.  This year I'm changing all that.
                                          T:
                                                                     Cyclamen
                                    (click on the name for a link to how to grow and information)
This is the first  plant I bought this year in January.  I had a $5.00 bill (I'd already spent the rest of a $20.00 at Hobby Lobby) and stopped at a nursery.  I wanted something pretty and pink for Valentines Day.  I was afraid it wouldn't last till Valentines.  I was so happy that it did.  It's a little spent in this photo I took yesterday but it was beautiful until this week!  The is my new favorite.  I had seen these lovely plants around Christmas time.  I didn't realize that they would last so long!

This isn't really a nice shot.  I realize but I wanted to share it and keep a record.  Do you notice it's sitting in dirt.  That is one of the negatives about living in an apartment.  I can't count how many times we've asked for them to replace the grass.  I've given up! 

Next I want to share a plant that's on my patio right now.  It's kind of a crazy story.  And a crazy plant.  
                       T:
                                                                       Poinsettia
This one was very frugal!  I got it out of the dumpster.  Actually it was beside the dumpster on a pile of trash.  There were two.  I only got one.  Wish I had gotten the other one.  I keep thinking it'll die.  I left it outside one day when it was really hot.  I have forgotten to water it and it still hangs on.  It outside now in the beating sun.  I think I need to move it!  
          Pointsetta cropped:
Here's another shot from a different angle.  If you look close you 
can a marigold peeking through.  And on the edge is one of the 
tomato plants.  This one is a Red Brandy Wine Heirloom I bought this one at the local feed store.  It produces a large tomato.  The Cowboy wanted some for hamburgers.
Pointsetta cropped:
These plants are sitting in the vintage wagon that the Cowboy got off the curb.  He saw it during work one evening.  And thankfully it was still there when he got off!  Actually there were two.  He got them both!
Plant mosaic 2: I have two helpers.  Of course Daisy is always right where I am.
We've recruited our grandson to help with some of the planting to encourage him to eat veggies!
 Pointsetta cropped:


From this angle you can see the Marigolds.  Zuchinni which needs to be potted yet.  In the front is a pot with carrots.  The first planting did not sprout.  I planted a second planting  a week later with different seeds.
On the edge you can't see is one pot of lettuce that isn't doing real well.  
Garden Mosaic:

So far I have:

  • 3 different varieties tomato plants
  • 4 different varieties of onions
  • 1 Zuchini plant
  • 2 varieties of lettuce plants
  • 1 Romaine lettuce from the kitchen I am rooting
  • 2 plantings of carrot seeds
  • 1 cucumber plant
  • bush green bean seeds to plant
  • Okra seeds to plant
  • Corn seeds to plant
Need to get because I forgot some radish seeds and I'd like to start some seed potatoes if it's not too late.  Hopefully next week I can make it to a nursery to try and get some.  

So are you thinking that this is a long list for a patio garden?
I'm totally not sure about the corn or okra but we'll give it a try!

Did you see this review?
Image result for the rooftop growing guide
My Review is here.

I was blessed to receive this book to review. I really got a lot of tips.   

And I've gotten a lot of ideas and tips from Pinterest for container gardening.  Did you know you can grow potatoes in a laundry basket?   
Another addition for my garden - potatoes in an old laundry basket.  One basket supposedly yields 8 - 10 lbs of potates.  Now that is worth a try!:
                              Source

My plan is to plant vertical.  Of course I'm using containers.  

I have a plan in my head how I want the patio to look.  

All my pots will either be bright blue and silver.  This is my inspiration piece for the color scheme . . . 

T:
I plan to paint the chair brown.  Eventually I want to recover the cushions with the same blue stripe.  This photo was taken last summer.  The chair is another 'freebie' from the dumpster. 
My cat loved this chair.  We got it shortly before moving into this apartment and it was so shabby the Cowboy wanted to take it back to the dumpster.  But since the cat loved it I convinced him to keep it! 

Here are my ideas for the pots . . .
Spray paint a flower pot to give it new life!  |  unOriginalMom.com Galvanized containers for the Garden. I love the one in front with the curly legs!:
                               Source                                                           Source

Since we decided to use the wagons there will be some red.  But 
right now I don't plan to add any other red.  But maybe I'll surprise myself!  

I have a lot of things on my wish list but I'll just share one here.
I'm looking for something like this for some of the pots.  
I plan to paint it blue . . .
            Old china cabinet converted to a potting bench:
                                                              Source


So if you have any experience container gardening please share your tips!   

Thanks for visiting.  Come by soon and see how the garden is growing!

                                   



17 comments:

Michelle said...

You have some great plants and nice to see your grandson getting into the planting vibe!

Denise said...

love your plants.

Kim said...

Your veggie garden is going to be wonderful. Very soon you will be enjoying the fruits of your hard work. It's great to get kids involved in the planting of vegetables. It gives them insight into where our food comes from and how it is grown. My goodness, you discover amazing treasures by the roadside. Good luck on finding a wonderful cupboard to showcase your plants.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, it is nice to have your grandson there helping with your planting. Your plants are beautiful, love the poinsettia. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

Linda Kay said...

I have a few things planted in pots, but want to pick up some African violets to see if I can keep them alive. My grandmother used to have them.

Small City Scenes said...

You have some great ideas. My Mother used to container garden and had some veggies all year round and you can do it too. Make a salsa garden container. I used to---
Patio Tomato, pepper plant and lettuce--easy peasy. Used to sell them at the nursery. Have fun.
MB

Denise said...

help, please. other people can see my blog, but when I go there, it is gone.

Denise said...

cannot see my blog, it says the page you are looking for does not exsist.

Nora @ Teacup Tales said...

I think it's great you are keeping a gardening diary. You are certainly growing many things. How fun to see a poinsettia outside of December. I'm curious how it will do in the summer heat.
I really like the laundry basket idea for the tomatoes-really clever!

bj said...

I don;t know a stinkin thing about container gardening other than flowers...
our little tiny greenhouse if full of things blooming...so fun
xoxo
O, and i would LOVE to have a potting bench just like that....so so cute

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

You have a lot started for the season and it's nice to see a young one interested in helping. I do a fair bit of container gardening, mostly flowers but this year I have a new wicker looking container on legs for the deck that will be full of herbs - right by the kitchen door.

Lisabella Russo said...

Your plants look lovely! I'm glad you rescued the poinsettia, hopefully someone else rescued the other one! I'm afraid I'm not very good with plants...

Patricia said...

How big is your balcony? Mine is about 4 1/2x11. I am about ready to plant but want to paint the old pots first.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I love your terrace garden! It's nice your grandson likes to help take care of your plants. I used to grow tomatoes and peppers in flower pots, in my past state but I can't do that here as the deer and rabbits would eat them all! I live in Colorado, so it won't be until late May that I can plant anything, as we can get snow until then.

Klara said...

the whole project looks promising - with your resourcefulness, determination and helpers.

Light and Voices said...

Your garden planted on the balcony is just amazing. I like how you saved the plant and how it grows even if it is hot and left out there forgotten but loved. You have a green thumb, have a plan and helpers. You are blessed!
JM, IL

Valerie Cottage Making Mommy said...

I love your blog I just found it. I'm a frugal gardener too. My grandma could keep poinsettas alive for years.