Gardening

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Starter Pumpkins: Countertop Seeds

Seed Starter

For the past several years, we’ve purchased a variety of pumpkin seeds for my son’s Christmas stocking.  We start the seeds indoors in April or May to give them a fighting chance against birds and squirrels.  We have them in the ground by June, ready to harvest in August or September.

This year we started our seeds in a Burpee Self-Watering Seed Starting System®.  The kit comes with 72 cells, a planting medium, a moisture-mat and a greenhouse-styled dome.  Everything you need for success except water!  Our new crop includes Lumina (white), Baby Pam (pie), Magic Lantern (20 lb orange), Munchkin (miniature, orange) and Howden Biggie (40-60 lb. orange).

In the past the seeds were usually jumbled together, so we never knew what was what till they started to produce.  We were more methodical this year now that my son is older and more interested in the varieties.  I photo-copied the seed packets on heavy card stock and taped them to chopsticks.  When we transplant outdoors, the plant labels will be ready to go.

Every year we hope for one large pumpkin, but we’re never willing to sacrifice the other fruit to nurture just one plant.  Once again, I imagine we’ll simply let nature takes its course (except for the squirrels of course).  The chicken wire barrier keeps the nibblers at bay till the young plants begin to grow.

Pumpkin Seeds: The Start of Something Big

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The Plants are In!

Resident (Self-described) Hole Digger
My Husband, Mike

We’re sore and tired but content with the satisfaction that comes from an honest day’s work. It’s been a few years since we’ve planted for the better part of a day but we did it. Mike prefers sailing to gardening, but at the start of our marriage, he designated himself the resident hole-digger. Am I ever lucky!

The plants near the house went in quickly. The soil is free of roots and was easy to work. The challenge was the planting area under the neighboring pine. I cut away several surface roots before digging was under way, but the roots are invasive, in some cases two inches in diameter. We ended up tag-teaming the larger holes, digging a little, cutting the roots and then digging some more.

Getting Started

We made a quick run to the local Home Depot for redwood mulch, but underestimated by about 10%. Otherwise, the planting and mulching are done.

I can’t wait to get started on the vegetable beds!

Plant Placement

Putting Down Roots

Planting Area Adjacent to the Steps

Planting under the Living Room Window
Don't the plants look cozy under all that mulch?

Abutilons Along the Fence Line

View from the Corner of the House

Paradise Found

Plant Legend

Corner Near Steps:

Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ Coral Bells
Liriope muscari “Variegata” Lilyturf
Phormium hybrid ‘Maori Sunrise’ New Zealand Flax
Hemerocallis hybrid ‘Evergreen Yellow’ Daylily

Under Window:

Azalea kurume hybrid “Hino crimson” Azalea
Campanula poscharskyana Serbian Bell flower
Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ Coral Bells
Liriope muscari “Variegata” Lilyturf

Fence Line:

Abutilon hybridum ‘Flowering Maple’
Campanula poscharskyana Serbian Bell flower

Back Corner:

Campanula poscharskyana Serbian Bell flower
Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ Japanese Frost Grass
Hemerocallis hybrid ‘Evergreen Yellow’ Daylily
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nikko Blue’ Garden Hydrangea

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The Bad News…

Broken Ladder, Wounded Pride

I fell off a ladder trying to net the fruit tree.  The good news: I landed in a soft growth of ferns.  The bad news: my son saw me fall and he’s a bit worried.  The good news:  no real injuries other than my wounded pride, a bruise on my shin and a tender tailbone.  More  bad news: I broke the ladder.  The good news:  this paragraph has drawn to a close.

We bought bird netting for the fruit tree and I was attempting to drape it from the top.  The leg of the ladder sank into a soft patch of dirt, fell sidewise into the fence and deposited me backwards. It’s hard not to feel like the village idiot. It’s not the first time I’ve been up on a ladder.  I should have made sure that fourth leg was stable.

So, the netting is now unceremoniously stuffed around the tree.  Next time…I’m glad I get to say next time.

Ladder Safety according to the OSHA Quick Card complied by the United States Department of Labor.

Kitty Decided to Net Himself

Practicing His "I'm Innocent" Look

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Ready to Plant: Our Trip to Almaden Valley Nursery

Doug Reviews Our Order

The planting begins!  The stars aligned this weekend and we had the time and the weather to begin filling in all the planting spaces created earlier this year when we re-did the hard-scaping in our back yard.

We placed our order with Almaden Valley Nursery, a locally owned nursery and gift shop in San Jose.  Our friend Doug is a nurseryman there.  He pulled the order earlier in  the week, then loaded it into the van with my husband’s help.  Turns out we needed to make a couple of trips, but by late Saturday afternoon, all the plants were home and lined up on the back steps.

After this morning’s Easter egg hunt and a pancake breakfast, we got to work.  Details tomorrow, along with photos of our progress.

Talking Shop

Admiring the Fruit and Dreaming of Another Fruit Cocktail Tree

Soaking up Some Vitamin D

Tucked in Among the Plants in the Van

Plants: This Makes me so Happy

Almaden Valley Nursery is located at 15800 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, California.

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New Page: Container Garden Inspiration

Last Summer's Patio Garden

I added a new page to my blog today: Container Garden Inspiration

If you’re short on space or living a more transitory lifestyle in a dorm or a short-term rental, container gardening might be for you. Container gardens are great for:

  • Kitchen herb gardens
  • Patio color
  • Deck top privacy screens
  • Fairy gardens
  • Your office

If you have a favorite container garden to share, please let me know in the comments section below.

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Shadows and Light

In my youth, I entertained myself in a variety of ways.  Watching and manipulating my shadow was one of them.  When my shadow was long and thin, I imagined that I was really that tall.  I liked the play of shapes, guessing what a shadow might be when it wasn’t obvious.  Shadows added variety and dimensionality to an otherwise flat landscape.

Poppies in Shadow

When I researched a few shadow quotes, it surprised me to learn that most of them were “gloom and doom,”  or about moving out of the shadows and into the light.  Shadow is synonymous with shade, which certainly explains my bias.  Growing up red-headed meant I had a lower concentration of photo protective melanin, a fancy way of saying I freckle.  I spent my youth seeking the cool shadows by day or my ineffective skin faced the painful consequences.

Flowering Maple

Earlier this week, when the rain gave way to the sun, I looked at the shadows through the camera lens. Instead of avoiding them, I focused on them. It’s challenging getting the camera to record what the eye sees. In the end, only the shadow knows for sure.

Light with Minimal Shadow

Here Comes the Sun

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Blooming Thursday: Fairy Garden Flowers

It’s another cold, crisp day in the Valley with the bright sun belying the chilly wind. Yes, we Californian’s are weather wimps. I made a quick dash between appointments to a nursery to gather a few small plants for the fairy garden. I chose Hypoestes for the soft, pink vibrant color, Lamb’s Ear for its softness and Sweet Alyssum for the incredible honey-like fragrance. Color, scent and texture make for lovely landscapes.   Won’t the garden fairies be pleased?

Sweet Alyssum, My Signature Flower

Lamb's Ear, The Closeup

"Silver Carpet" Lambs Ear

Pink-Lined Walls

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Fairy Garden: The Rolling Stone Gathers Moss

Moss Carpet and Inlaid Tile

Success!  With a little help from my spade, I transplanted a patch of moss and some baby tears to the fairy garden floor.  The lush green carpet is soft and inviting.  The main floor features inlaid tile, formerly ceramic treasures from my son’s art class. I added a maroon bedspread, a must on these chilly spring days, and a door mat made from matted grass clippings.

Lamp in the Window

Fairy Blanket for those Chilly Nights

Grassy Door Mat

Aeriel View

House on the Hill sets the Standard
(Hand-made bird house, a gift from friends)

I built a fence between the two large rocks, with nearby steps up the hill. The walkway, paved with broken pieces of tile meanders with an edge of smaller rocks and clay balls. Do you think the fairies will stop by tonight to see the improvements?

Additional Links:

♥Here’s what professional fairy gardens might look like.

♥Every fairy garden needs a fairy flower, right?

♥A wee bit of inspiration from Enchanted Gardens.

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Fairy Garden Improvements

According to the ancient art of Feng Shui, a home’s entryway is critical to our well-being. Kathleen McCandless, author of Feng Shui That Makes Sense says:

 “The entry is not only the first impression of your living space, it is also a key component in whether or not you will experience comfort, safety and happiness while you live there. The most important consideration in Feng Shui is whether or not a space allows us to feel ”safe”.  If we do not feel 100% safe in our environment, we will not relax…”

To ensure the well-being of the garden fairies,  I created what I hope will be an inviting entryway.  I braided three soft branches from the overhead pine, then wrapped them in tender shoots of Asparagus fern creating a gentle arch.  A pair of pine cones flank the arch for stability.  The airiness of the ferns should appeal to the light-hearted nature of garden fairies, so that crossing the threshold is a delight.

Braided Archway

While my fingers remained nibble, I braided a lavender bed. Lavender contributes to a calm sleep, also essential to general well-being. I lashed the corners with tall grass using simple knots to keep the corners united. The bed is tucked into a sleeping loft in the crook of one of the rocks .

Knotted Corners

Lavender For a Restful Sleep

I found a beautiful mound of moss under the garden swing. If I’m successful transplanting it, the cool moss will make a lovely addition to the fairy home interior. More news tomorrow.

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Breaking Ground in Fairyland

Breaking Ground

I’ve been gathering materials for my fairy garden and today broke ground on the site.  It was amazingly simple: I didn’t need a permit, a contractor, a surveyor or an inspector.  No bank loans, points, appraisals or hassles.  Life is good.

I unearthed a few tiny bulbs and was happy to see a worm or two as I dug right in.  After removing the remaining bulbs and rocks I sifted the soil, saving the rocks for a small border.

Last Christmas we received a flowering bulb planted in a wide-mouthed drinking glass with clay-like pebbles.  Now that the bulb is dormant, I removed it from the glass and  lined the walkway with the miniature clay balls.  We also received a  plant that resembles a miniature pine tree, perfectly proportioned for the tiny garden.

Lindy Approves

"Towering" Pine

When I shared my plans for a fairy garden, my friend Susan said the following:

“This reminds me of ‘spirit houses‘ built for the spirits disrupted when the break ground to build a new (human) house. You’re supposedly supposed to built a small house (a miniature the size of a bird house, maybe) and place it on a pole or post at the front corner of the yard. If you don’t build this spirit house for the little beings you’ve dislodged from their homes in the soil (or in the foliage?) in acknowledgment of them, they can get angry and bring bad luck to your home.”

I love the idea of making amends with the earth, much as Native Americans did whenever they took from the land.

I can’t wait to get back outdoors again tomorrow.  Meanwhile I’m pondering a variety of ideas, including a woven lavender rug and an archway built with pine cones.  More tomorrow.

Porous Clay "Pebbles"