OmahaJB's 2011 Garden Journal

[OmahaJB]

Debated with myself (and wasn't that quite the conversation!) about whether to even have a garden journal this year since I wasn't able to start seeds for tomatoes and peppers, but decided to have a mini version of one. I just wont post in it very often since it'll be a very small garden. I enjoyed posting updates the previous two years, so would probably miss not having one for 2011.

The only thing I was able to start from seed: cucumbers, beans, and melons, because I could put them out pretty much as soon as they germinated.

After reading the great comments on Armenian cucumbers I've been waiting impatiently to grow them this year. They are actually considered a melon, but eaten like a cucumber. I'm not a huge fan of cucumbers so became intrigued by Armenian since it's not technically a cucumber. Can't wait to try them. I set out several seedlings yesterday, and hope at least a couple survive.

Beans - I'm growing Tiger's Eye and Ireland Creek Annie. Both sound very good. I set out a few of each yesterday. Not expecting a big crop since the plants wont get very big. But I did want to try growing them, and if they turn out well, maybe increase the number of plants next season.

Melon - The variety of Kansas has garnered my interest the past 3 years. I purchased seed of it from Baker Creek two years ago, and didn't have any success with growing them out. This year they had it in their catalog again so wanted to give it another shot. Something just appealed to me about this variety. I planted seedlings of this yesterday as well.

Watermelon - Ali Baba has gotten alot of praise in catalogs, and I've also read good comments about it. So I planted some seedlings of that one yesterday. I've never had luck with melons or watermelon, but have only tried for a couple of years.

I'll be buying a hybrid tomato plant and pepper plant this week. There are two good spots left to put them in, while still leaving space for what my mother wants to do with her yard. This will be the third year I've used her yard to have a garden in. It's only about 10 minutes away. Originally, one of my main reasons for wanting to have a garden there, is because I wanted to try to get her interested in having one again. At the time she was dealing with my step-father who was around 80 and had Alzheimer's, so needed something to help her get through those days I felt. First year she took very little interest, but has become a little more interested each year.

As for me, I'm sad to say my physical conditioning has gotten bad enough that it's difficult for me to get things done in the garden. I probably spent less than two hours in the garden yesterday and felt I was about to have a heart attack. It was another wake-up call for me to increase my physical activity to try to get in better shape. I used to be heavy into physical fitness, but life had a way of interfering with that. Injuries mainly that prevented me from continuing with my running and weightlifting that I enjoyed doing so much. So now I'll have to start a sensible workout routine that my body will be capable of. Simple things that will help me lose weight and hopefully make my heart a little stronger.

Back to the garden, the daylillies I started from seed a couple of years ago are looking nice and healthy. They have grown thicker and stronger. Last year only one produced a flower, but have a feeling a few of the others will this year. Had planned on moving them to a sunnier location, but garlic came up unexpectedly in the spot I had planned on transplanting them. Either the garlic sprang forth from cloves I planted in the fall of 2009, or squirrels took some of the cloves that I planted in grow bags, and buried them in the ground, which I doubt happened. They like to dig the cloves up after I plant them, but once they realize it's garlic they drop them.

That's all for now, Jeff

[OmahaJB]

Quick update. Looks like I wont be able play in the garden much this year. My car has a serious issue with the anti-theft device which prevents the car from starting. Have had it reset, and when the problem immediately came back I had the ignition switch replaced at the advice of the mechanic who told me that would clear up the problem. Well, that may have been part of the problem but there are obviously other issues with it. Whenever I pull the hood release lever that causes the warning light to come on. Also, when I use the electric locks on the car itself (not the remote that's on the key ring)that seems to cause the problem also. Usually the car would start but twice it didn't. Fortunately, one of those times was at work and a co-worker gave me a ride home, and then on Friday it happened again at home. What's odd is that warning light would come on while I was driving and all but two times started again the next time. So now my car is dead in the water, so to speak, until I can save enough money to have more work done to it. Would really like to get the anti theft device taken out but heard it's very expensive to do so, over $700 if I'm remembering correctly.

So that's a long way of saying my car wont take me to the garden this summer. Glad I didn't start a bunch of tomatoes and peppers only to be unable to care for them. My sister lives on this side of town now and is helping my mother with the garden.

Of the things I did plant, I noticed the Kansas melon, and three or four other things (Armenian cucumber mostly), were not there any more. There is a raccoon living in the brush at my mother's next door neighbor's house, and she saw it in the garden. It's pulling seedlings out of the ground, including a caged tomato plant. So that's probably what happened to my melon and cucumber seedlings. Not cool. Someone must have called the health department because the neighbor's neice and her husband were over there cleaning out some of his front yard, although they hadn't touched the backyard (yet?). I did start more Armenian cucumber's so should have enough of those.

I guess this year will be a success if:

1) Most or all of my daylilies bloom. Started those from seed I believe two years ago and had one bloom last summer. I did notice two plants that haven't bloomed before had unopened flowers on them last time I was there about a week ago.

2) Ali Baba produces. I haven't been able to even get melon or watermelon vines to survive long enough to produce. The young vines die off or 'disappear'. Hmmm.

3) The beans, the beans! First year for growing them outside. Tried once indoors without success. Would like to get enough of the Tiger's Eye and Ireland Creek Annie to use in at least one meal. Although I only have a few plants of each.

4) Armenian Cucumbers produce in abundance. If they are as good as some say they are then they'll be a treat.

5) To have at least one rhubarb pie from the variety Victoria, which I started from seed two(?) years ago, and one from Valentine. I just purchased Valentine (rootstock) this year, but bought two in hopes of sacrificing one to have rhubarb this year from it. I'll wait until next year for one of them, but the other I may just use the rhubarb from knowing the plant may not survive. Only problem is one of the two Valentine plants is not doing so well, and looks very stunted in comparison to it's sister (brother?).

Not sure when my next update will be. Could be awhile all things considered!

[OmahaJB]

Only thing I can be positive about with this summer's garden, is that the year I couldn't start seeds and had my car get totalled with the replacement being undriveable all summer, it was also very hot much of the growing season. So the plants that were planted did very poorly. I had started a few things like Armenian Cucumbers which did not produce, rhubarb which likes cooler weather so did poorly, and melons which saw the seedlings disappear, most likely from a critter digging them up.

At least a couple of the daylillies bloomed but I wasn't able to get over there to see them while they were in bloom. Sounded like the blooms were similar to last years, kind of faded pastel type colors.

Hopefully I'll get alot of good breaks before next growing season and can have my best garden yet.

[Sherry_AK]

Good luck for next year ... sounds like it can only get better!

Sherry

[OmahaJB]

Thanks Sherry. I can use all the good luck I can get, and even that may not be enough. Good time for a miracle!