No. 39: Grow a Vegetable from Scratch AGAIN!

No. 39: Grow a Vegetable from Scratch AGAIN!!!


Last year about this time I attempted to accomplish No. 39: Grow a vegetable from scratch. Planted some seeds and hoped for the best.

The best did not happen.

The seedlings withered and dilly-dallied and did everything but grow. And then they up and died.
A very unsuccessful challenge.

But it's Spring again and I'm running out of time so here I am at vegetables again.

This time I am trying potatoes. Got a big patch of really good earth behind a rock in the garden. So somewhat hidden from my view but easily accessible with the water hose. I've got the starter potatoes and they will go into the ground tomorrow.   Cross your fingers.

 I'm also going to try tomatoes on the patio along with some peppers. But for now, potatoes.

In other garden news, I have some daffodils up.

 Two varieties this year.

 The poppy is up also and it needs some friends.

 It also needs some weeding....

 The peony -which I was SURE was not going to show- has sprouted.

Doesn't look like much but this year I am convinced there will be flowers. 

Maybe.

 There are tulips waiting in the wings along with another as yet unknown group of bulbs that have foliage but no blooms yet. Part of the 200 pack of bulbs I planted last fall. Once again, I forgot to label what went where.

 The little volunteer grape hyacinths have come up too. Last year I was weeding and realized..oops!... those weren't weeds, they were tiny bulbs. Fortunately plenty survived.

Not only have they survived, they have naturalized. These are popping up in the grass. And from the looks of the grass, I need to invite Martha and Maizie over.  They are the neighboring goats and always in search of a meal. 

And the grass is in search of a haircut!

Happy Spring everyone.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers.....

Invasion of the Body Snatchers....maybe

Apparently we are getting out of Colorado just in time.

Remember this?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers?

Little Shop of Horrors??

Everyone told me it was a poppy but I wasn't so sure. My neighbors have assured me that the aliens come to visit around here.

And then yesterday morning, I looked out the window...
And there was a HUGE red eye staring back at me....

Creepy, yes??? 

I thought for sure I was a goner.   Not gonna escape Colorado in one piece.

Imagine my relief when I woke up this morning.  No more glaring, creepy eye. 

Just one beautiful poppy that decided to bloom before I left town. 

What a relief.

.......................

And now we really are on the road back to Texas. The girls negotiated an extra day here but I finally told them that we would have to leave if we wanted to come back. It's hard for them to leave those nice boys and all their new friends. It's hard for me to leave my gardens and new friends and mostly my TWIN SISTERS. I love those mountains. But we will be back!!!

The Twin Sisters
 under the snow-

the two mountains outside my front door.

Love those girls.

See you soon!

No. 39: Grow a vegetable from scratch

No. 39: Grow a Vegetable from Scratch: Update

Back in March, I planted some seeds in hopes of getting a jump on No. 39: Grow a Vegetable from Scratch.

I planted tomatoes and peppers and had high hopes. 

Bah humbug.

After three months, you want to see what those seeds look like?  Three months of love and care and water and attention...

and this is what I've got:

Tomatoes on the left, peppers on the right.

This picture was taken last week. 

THREE MONTHS and this is it. 

I am such a bad mother.   I have such underachieving seeds.   It's embarrassing.

I gave up and threw them out with the rest of the plants in the big gardens.  They will either shrivel up and die a quick yet painful death or get with the program and flourish. No more coddling for these babies.   (I'm kind of getting that attitude towards my actual kids now, also, but that's a different post.) 

And out in the big gardens, what is going on?

Apparently the Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Scary looking, yes? 

This plant popped up with these amazing buds/pods. I did not plant it, it's a volunteer. I've been told it's a poppy.  We'll see. I think those pods are people replacements.  If the girls start acting strange, I'll know I was right.   O wait.  I probably won't be able to tell if they are acting strange....

My only hope right now for a veggie from scratch is this lone pea blossom.

There are quite a few of these Dwarf Gray Sugar Pea plants but only one is blooming.

One blossom which I presume will result in one pea pod. And I won't even be here to see it most likely. Or water it. Which makes me think it won't make it either.  But I will have my neighbor check on it and report back. Cross your fingers. 

Once I get back to Texas I think I will just go buy a tomato plant. 

Will that count?