Main reason I wrote earlier was just because i finished the book I was carrying. First and then second buses were late, causing me to miss the third by a few minutes and had to wait for another one for about 40 minutes.
Looks like that last frost finally killed most of the tomato plants. Only three are showing outward signs of life now. Not going to pull the other ones up. Maybe they'll still recover. If not, the count of plants inside is 25 and they're getting to be a good size. Still be a couple months before they produce, though.
First flowers have bloomed in the new flower bed! They're tiny pink and yellow flowers. But I note that dozens more small plants are now sprouting. Maybe this flower bed will wind up looking something the way it was planned! Yay!
Now still hoping the other two flower beds start growing. Makes sense if they bloom later, as they're both in partial shade.
Happily, a couple dozen more lettuce sprouts are visible.
I went ahead and added height to a couple of the trellises because the green bans are nearly at the top of the lower section. Lots of little white flowers and I'm guessing I should be able to pick the first green beans in about two weeks.
Looking more optimistic!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Disorganized
I have to say the clinic where I am working is rather disorganized. And with very good reason. The way things are set up, depending on the diagnosis of the patient, that one patient can have up to four charts (which I am aware of). Now, that is counting a central computerized chart. Then, on the computer, it can take as many as four computer programs to handle charting, labs, orders, scheduling, profiles (military medical limitations) and with information scattered in various files in different places.
I find it rather amazing the place functions at all.
I was told when I started that if I saw how something could be done more efficiently, to speak up about it. I think next week I'll put that to the test. I'm sure I can come up with methods to streamline all of this, condense it and make it easier to handle. Dependent, of course, on how much resistance I encounter.
I find it rather amazing the place functions at all.
I was told when I started that if I saw how something could be done more efficiently, to speak up about it. I think next week I'll put that to the test. I'm sure I can come up with methods to streamline all of this, condense it and make it easier to handle. Dependent, of course, on how much resistance I encounter.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Deep roots
So far, the things doing best are those items with deep, well established roots. Trees. The grape vine isn't doing badly at all.
Still, more rebounding happening. The large tomato plant is forming new leaves.
More lettuce and spinach growing while existing ones bush out more. Now comes the problem. Temps are now climbing into the 80's. So, more of the spinach is bolting. Older plants which have survived for months but still, may not be a good sign. Afraid more lettuce may not germinate.
Turns out most of the cucumbers survived, after all. Least, I think it's cucumbers. I co-planted with peas and peas aren't coming up anywhere else. So, I think it's a valid assumption.
Potatoes are picking back up. Guess they tolerate cold better than heat. Too bad the corn isn't growing fast enough to give them more shade. Probably have tiny taters again this year.
There is one good thing. In late afternoon, with the trees getting large and bushy on the west, the temperature in the back yard is much cooler than the sunnier areas. By 6 PM, the shadows now climb most of the way up the back wall of the house.
Too bad it wouldn't work to dig the whole back yard down by a few ft and let the water seep up from below. But too much rock and too much risk to contaminate the aquifer by doing so.
Much less expensive and easier will just be getting a pump. There's one on sale at Harbor Freight which I think I'll buy. Has good reviews and pumps up to 650 gals an hour. About $40. Probably won't last for many years but will pay for itself in no time.
Still, more rebounding happening. The large tomato plant is forming new leaves.
More lettuce and spinach growing while existing ones bush out more. Now comes the problem. Temps are now climbing into the 80's. So, more of the spinach is bolting. Older plants which have survived for months but still, may not be a good sign. Afraid more lettuce may not germinate.
Turns out most of the cucumbers survived, after all. Least, I think it's cucumbers. I co-planted with peas and peas aren't coming up anywhere else. So, I think it's a valid assumption.
Potatoes are picking back up. Guess they tolerate cold better than heat. Too bad the corn isn't growing fast enough to give them more shade. Probably have tiny taters again this year.
There is one good thing. In late afternoon, with the trees getting large and bushy on the west, the temperature in the back yard is much cooler than the sunnier areas. By 6 PM, the shadows now climb most of the way up the back wall of the house.
Too bad it wouldn't work to dig the whole back yard down by a few ft and let the water seep up from below. But too much rock and too much risk to contaminate the aquifer by doing so.
Much less expensive and easier will just be getting a pump. There's one on sale at Harbor Freight which I think I'll buy. Has good reviews and pumps up to 650 gals an hour. About $40. Probably won't last for many years but will pay for itself in no time.
It talks
Creepo finally spoke to me this week. Couple days ago, he walked up to me and started asking where I work and what I do. By this time, I've become too wary to give any more than terse, generalized answers. Along the way, he also gave implicit knowledge that he had watched what direction I walk after arriving at work. He never introduced himself or asked for my name. I kept the conversation short, saved by the bus and sat far away from him. No further conversation since then and he seems to have backed off a bit, gradually.
Still, I am carrying my pocket knife with me. Just for mental comfort. Doubt it will be needed but better safe than sorry.
Warmer this morning, above 40. Least I don't need long johns any more. Still wearing long sleeves and a jacket and hat.
Knee is nearly well but still have to wear the knee support to reduce spasms. Common for injured ligaments to spasm a lot when almost healed. Not painful but irritating and can make my knee feel really weak at random moments.
Bus is here.
Still, I am carrying my pocket knife with me. Just for mental comfort. Doubt it will be needed but better safe than sorry.
Warmer this morning, above 40. Least I don't need long johns any more. Still wearing long sleeves and a jacket and hat.
Knee is nearly well but still have to wear the knee support to reduce spasms. Common for injured ligaments to spasm a lot when almost healed. Not painful but irritating and can make my knee feel really weak at random moments.
Bus is here.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Recovering
Good news. Only took until today for the garden to recover from the cold spell. Well, except for the tomatoes.
More things are already coming up here and there. Looks like corn is sprouting. I haven't had the bravery to check the cucumber plants. But I did plant more seeds not long ago, so hoping they come up. If the current ones died off, I still have a couple of packets of seeds I bought when they were cheap. Still have lots of corn, also. Once things grow, I'll harvest seed for next year. Now I know that cucmber seeds have to be fermented like tomato seeds.
The "climbing strawberries" and "tomato trees" I ordered have been shipped, so hoping they arrive soon. Of course, also hoping they have some kind of value. Of course, I'll write about them either way. Of course, I was hoping they would be here today but they weren't.
More things are already coming up here and there. Looks like corn is sprouting. I haven't had the bravery to check the cucumber plants. But I did plant more seeds not long ago, so hoping they come up. If the current ones died off, I still have a couple of packets of seeds I bought when they were cheap. Still have lots of corn, also. Once things grow, I'll harvest seed for next year. Now I know that cucmber seeds have to be fermented like tomato seeds.
The "climbing strawberries" and "tomato trees" I ordered have been shipped, so hoping they arrive soon. Of course, also hoping they have some kind of value. Of course, I'll write about them either way. Of course, I was hoping they would be here today but they weren't.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Damage done
Seems like there was probably frost last night. Some plants which were not covered seem to have died off. They look frostbitten.
Worst part is that every single tomato plant outside has either gone dormant again or simply died off. That includes the big vine. Should have brought that one inside.
Aside from tomatoes, everything which was covered is okay. Amazingly, most of the green bean plants seem to be okay. In fact, most still have flowers and some are getting tall enough that I'll have to extend the trellis higher this week.
Some spinach plants are coming up in unexpected places. That's because of the dog running over the tops of the mounds right after earlier plantings. Oh, well. Long as it's growing!
At the very least, I'll have green beans, lettuce, spinach, carrots, onions, garlic, pumpkins (optimistic) and some potatoes. Not so sure about the rest but keep trying.
Worst part is that every single tomato plant outside has either gone dormant again or simply died off. That includes the big vine. Should have brought that one inside.
Aside from tomatoes, everything which was covered is okay. Amazingly, most of the green bean plants seem to be okay. In fact, most still have flowers and some are getting tall enough that I'll have to extend the trellis higher this week.
Some spinach plants are coming up in unexpected places. That's because of the dog running over the tops of the mounds right after earlier plantings. Oh, well. Long as it's growing!
At the very least, I'll have green beans, lettuce, spinach, carrots, onions, garlic, pumpkins (optimistic) and some potatoes. Not so sure about the rest but keep trying.
No frost last night
I'm sure that many farmers in the north central and northwest would gladly change places with my concerns right now.
I feel really badly for them and all they're going through. However, their plight makes it even more important for my own garden to have some success this year. With their land being flooded and no knowing if they will be able to produce crops at all, we can be certain that grocery prices will skyrocket soon. Those prices will remain high for quite some time. Look at a current weather map and you see nothing but snow, ice, flooding and drought all the way across the country. Almost like we're heading into another Dust Bowl.
According to the weather report, there was no frost in my area last night. There was no frost obviously visible this morning. However, the thermometer outside indicated the temp was in the 20's when I went to catch the bus. So I am happy I covered things up.
Forecast says it should be warmer from here on. But it said that before. We actually did have an early spring..followed by late winter fronts multiple times. Many wild things just won't grow this year and many crops will be late, if they grow at all. So I'm far from alone in my struggles. Doesn't make me feel better.
I feel really badly for them and all they're going through. However, their plight makes it even more important for my own garden to have some success this year. With their land being flooded and no knowing if they will be able to produce crops at all, we can be certain that grocery prices will skyrocket soon. Those prices will remain high for quite some time. Look at a current weather map and you see nothing but snow, ice, flooding and drought all the way across the country. Almost like we're heading into another Dust Bowl.
According to the weather report, there was no frost in my area last night. There was no frost obviously visible this morning. However, the thermometer outside indicated the temp was in the 20's when I went to catch the bus. So I am happy I covered things up.
Forecast says it should be warmer from here on. But it said that before. We actually did have an early spring..followed by late winter fronts multiple times. Many wild things just won't grow this year and many crops will be late, if they grow at all. So I'm far from alone in my struggles. Doesn't make me feel better.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Freeze alert (amended)
Well, we had frost here last night, after all. Spotty frost. Only damaged a few things.
However, there's a freeze warning on for tonight. Of course, I didn't see that until I had planted out the giant pumpkin sprouts. Not too much difference. They had rooted all the way to the bottoms of their containers and roots were wrapping around each other. If they freeze, I'll just have to get more seeds and replant in a few weeks.
It'll still upset me most if the tomatoes and green beans freeze. Of course, won't be happy about anything else but those will distress me more than anything at this point.
Not too much to do now. See what happens and check things out tomorrow evening.
After writing the above, I realized I did have something I could do. All those plastic buckets would serve well to help insulate plants for a mild frost. It's supposed to be warm tomorrow. So, between the buckets I've stockpiled and the mail containers that "J" gave me the bunny compost in last year, I had enough to cover a number of plants. None of the green beans, since they're climbing the trellises. I did cover most of the tomatoes, though a couple were too tall. Covered many of the pumpkin plants. And I cannot disappoint my daughter, so no small number are covering flower plants. With 31 plastic containers covering the garden, it looks like a plastic bucket garden. But if it works, that's quite alright!
Oh, forgot to mention. The Nurse Practitioner who is my boss wasn't there today. Some kind of training or meeting. But I did finally get the computer access I need to do my job. Not much use for it today. I got paid for making two phone calls and otherwise sitting on my ass all day, doing nothing. Unless I was in orientation, I cannot think of a single day before this in over 16 years of nursing when I got paid to do so little. She's supposed to be gone tomorrow, also.
That's okay. I can use the time to finish getting signed off on the rest of my in-processing paperwork. Would have done that today but my knee was in sharp pain. Not such a bad thing. In this case, it's a sign my knee is almost well. Besides, the novelty was worth something in itself.
However, there's a freeze warning on for tonight. Of course, I didn't see that until I had planted out the giant pumpkin sprouts. Not too much difference. They had rooted all the way to the bottoms of their containers and roots were wrapping around each other. If they freeze, I'll just have to get more seeds and replant in a few weeks.
It'll still upset me most if the tomatoes and green beans freeze. Of course, won't be happy about anything else but those will distress me more than anything at this point.
Not too much to do now. See what happens and check things out tomorrow evening.
After writing the above, I realized I did have something I could do. All those plastic buckets would serve well to help insulate plants for a mild frost. It's supposed to be warm tomorrow. So, between the buckets I've stockpiled and the mail containers that "J" gave me the bunny compost in last year, I had enough to cover a number of plants. None of the green beans, since they're climbing the trellises. I did cover most of the tomatoes, though a couple were too tall. Covered many of the pumpkin plants. And I cannot disappoint my daughter, so no small number are covering flower plants. With 31 plastic containers covering the garden, it looks like a plastic bucket garden. But if it works, that's quite alright!
Oh, forgot to mention. The Nurse Practitioner who is my boss wasn't there today. Some kind of training or meeting. But I did finally get the computer access I need to do my job. Not much use for it today. I got paid for making two phone calls and otherwise sitting on my ass all day, doing nothing. Unless I was in orientation, I cannot think of a single day before this in over 16 years of nursing when I got paid to do so little. She's supposed to be gone tomorrow, also.
That's okay. I can use the time to finish getting signed off on the rest of my in-processing paperwork. Would have done that today but my knee was in sharp pain. Not such a bad thing. In this case, it's a sign my knee is almost well. Besides, the novelty was worth something in itself.
Just above freezing
When I went to catch the bus this morning, checked the weather for the temp. It was 34 degrees. Seems I just barely missed a freeze last night. Chances are good some light frost occurred in small spots, so some smaller plants may suffer damage.
Sucks. Beginning of May and still getting this cold. So much for the long growing seasons of the south. If all goes well from now until fall, I'll have five good months of growing.
Sucks. Beginning of May and still getting this cold. So much for the long growing seasons of the south. If all goes well from now until fall, I'll have five good months of growing.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Wind and cold
Not a highly exciting weekend but not a bad one by any means. Main issue is that it's been cold and windy all day today. Rained a small amount this afternoon but not enough to count for much.
Yesterday, daughter and I went to a movie. Yogi Bear. Not the best movie I've seen but she liked it. Brought a book along and did a lot of reading on the bus.
Today we didn't do a whole lot. Played around here. Watched videos, read, went for a short walk. She seemed to have fun.
The giant pumpkin seeds the ex gave me sprouted yesterday. By this evening, they had drown 2-3 inches taller. Going to have to transplant them out tomorrow. Would have done it this evening but temp is supposed to drop even further tonight. But can't wait long at this growth rate!
Even with the schizo weather the garden is looking more like a garden every day now. More tiny lettuce sprouts coming up. Some flower plants are getting quite large. Zinnia, I think. Lots of smaller ones. No flowers yet.
There is something which has caught my attention. The pattern of the trees around the back yard shortens the direct sun to most of the garden once they leaf out. This means the soil warms later than normal for the season. It's a good thing for later in the summer because it means the garden won't get overheated too much. Should help with moisture retention a bit. May even help keep some crops growing longer. Maybe. Much is because the trees to the west keep getting taller and thicker. Ones on my property and the adjoining property, the dance studio. Late in the day, it will shield the house from late day sun in the hottest days of summer. Guess those trees have a reprieve of a few more years. Until I get some fruit trees growing to a decent size or get the solarium completely built.
In the front yard, the rose bush is looking much better. Trimmed off a bunch of dead or injured branches, brown and yellow leaves and old dead roses. Have at least a dozen roses budding and blooming now. And the little red and pink flowers are budding as well.
So, things are looking up. Hope they stay that way!
Yesterday, daughter and I went to a movie. Yogi Bear. Not the best movie I've seen but she liked it. Brought a book along and did a lot of reading on the bus.
Today we didn't do a whole lot. Played around here. Watched videos, read, went for a short walk. She seemed to have fun.
The giant pumpkin seeds the ex gave me sprouted yesterday. By this evening, they had drown 2-3 inches taller. Going to have to transplant them out tomorrow. Would have done it this evening but temp is supposed to drop even further tonight. But can't wait long at this growth rate!
Even with the schizo weather the garden is looking more like a garden every day now. More tiny lettuce sprouts coming up. Some flower plants are getting quite large. Zinnia, I think. Lots of smaller ones. No flowers yet.
There is something which has caught my attention. The pattern of the trees around the back yard shortens the direct sun to most of the garden once they leaf out. This means the soil warms later than normal for the season. It's a good thing for later in the summer because it means the garden won't get overheated too much. Should help with moisture retention a bit. May even help keep some crops growing longer. Maybe. Much is because the trees to the west keep getting taller and thicker. Ones on my property and the adjoining property, the dance studio. Late in the day, it will shield the house from late day sun in the hottest days of summer. Guess those trees have a reprieve of a few more years. Until I get some fruit trees growing to a decent size or get the solarium completely built.
In the front yard, the rose bush is looking much better. Trimmed off a bunch of dead or injured branches, brown and yellow leaves and old dead roses. Have at least a dozen roses budding and blooming now. And the little red and pink flowers are budding as well.
So, things are looking up. Hope they stay that way!
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