New year, new chances for success!

Well, last year was the driest year we've had in a long time, and this winter was one of the coldest on record.  As the snow melts and I can see what is underneath, it looks like we lost some of our landscaping over the winter, including the beautiful dwarf blue spruce tree. It's sad and brown.

The rabbits were ruthless, they ate the top off of the Colorado Spruce I planted last summer (it was only about 10 - 12 inches tall) so I had to bury it in snow to save what was left. Now that there is some grass exposed it appears that they are leaving it alone.  The ate halfway up one side of the pyramid bush so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with that poor thing :(

I'm sure there is more loss and damage that I haven't seen yet.  I didn't have a chance to get the calla lily bulbs dug out so I'm sure I lost all of those this year too.  I did plant some crocus and daffodil bulbs in the plot last fall so I'm hoping they come up, and the irises should be fine as well.  We'll see what happens and I'll figure it out once I see what I have to work with.

I moved a plot of purple coneflowers and black eyed Susans late in the summer and the rabbits mowed them down within two days so I'm curious to see if they will come up or not.

Between Venus (one of our dogs who thinks she's a landscaper) and the rabbits, I don't know how many of the hostas will survive either.  Many of them were eaten to the ground by the rabbits or dug up by Venus.  We got a new puppy in November so I'm hoping he doesn't learn that bad habit from Venus.

I keep waiting for spring to come, we are still below average for temperatures and it's almost April.  I did buy a bunch of seeds for the garden so I can't wait to get them in the ground.  I'm going to try growing my tomatoes in pots this year so that will free up a whole bed in the garden. 

Here's to warmer days and a good growing season!

First Gerbera daisy!

Finally, after months of waiting, and the rabbits eating most of them, I have a flower!  It looks more pink in the picture than it actually is, but it's beautiful. 

There are some other ones on the other two plants in the container and I can't wait to see what color they are. 

I know I promised a list of what did and didn't work with my winter sowing, and I'll get to that soon I hope...

Weeding & planting

Well,the weekend started off with me spending over 90 minuted pulling pickers out of one area of the yard.  Right now, we do NOT have the yard of a master gardener!

Today I planted three different types of Heirloom tomatoes, one grape tomato plant, two red, two green, two chocolate and two jalapeno pepper plants.  I also planted two different types of burpless cucumbers.

The highlight of my shopping today was the purchase of my first  hibiscus plant.  I picked an orange one, but it isn't budding right now so I don't know what color it is - I hope it's no ugly...

A lot of the stuff I winter sowed didn't come up.   I think next year I will just keep everything on the front porch so it's slightly warmer than outside and I can control the water for the plants.  Either that, or I will have to set up lights in the basement so I can grow stuff doen there, but then I will have to harden it.

I think the grasses did ok, and I did get some sunflowers which I transplanted already.    Some of the other flowers did ok, but I didn't get as many as I hoped to.  I'll include a list later of what did & didn't grow.

For now, I'm hoping for ample rain and sunshine for my new acquisitions.

Everything is coming up daisies!

I'm a happy girl!  It's finally starting to feel like spring and the Gerbera daisy seeds I planted and moved inside are coming up.  Of the 50 seeds I planted, I think so far 35 - 40 have sprouted.  The area next to the driveway is going to look amazing this year!

Hopefully the rest of the wintersown stuff will get some warmth and start to sprout soon as well.  I'm hoping to get some stuff worked into the garden in the next few days so that it's ready for planting after Mother's day.  I'm itching for some nice fresh veggies to eat!

Come on Mother Nature, keep up the good work!!

Is spring ever going to come??

Well, today is April 20th, and apparently Mother Nature doesn't know that yet.  I was able to get out and give my plants from last year a haircut and get some of the leaves from fall cleaned up even if it's still below freezing. The sun was nice and warm and that really helped keep me motivated (and warm) while I was working.

There are some little green leaves poking up under the dead leaves and old plant parts and the daffodils are starting to look like daffodils instead of poor frozen half alive plants, and the tulip leaves are looking great.  I am bummed that we normally have lilacs by Mother's Day, and there aren't even leaves on the trees yet and it's three weeks away.

I had to move the Gerbera daisy seeds inside since it just wasn't warming up, and I'm pleased to report that I have some seedlings coming up!  I can't wait to see how many plants I end up with.

Hopefully it warms up soon, I'm itching to get going in the garden - I did take a look at it today and it looks pretty good.  I definitely need to get some stuff in to loosen the dirt up, I'm thinking I'll add some Milorganite.  

I'm hoping to get some stuff in the garden after Mother's Day - that would make me a happy girl :)  

Daisy time!

50 Gerbera daisy seeds planted and waiting to sprout next to Bruce the Colorado spruce who is waiting to be planted.

Come on warm weather!

Gerbera seeds are here!

I'm a happy girl!  50 Gerbera daisy seeds came today.  Gonna start them inside so I have some ready to go whenever spring decides to come.