Patchwork, Aquaponic, Pragmatic Delight

Tomatoes in Earth-boxes

This week has been all-out gardening weather around here. The weather is warm and fine and things are growing fast. At work I have been clearing out the greenhouse getting ready for hot weather. It is already hot in the greenhouse. When I remembered to check it was about 87 degrees F. I only have a box fan for an exhaust fan so I try to empty out the house as much as possible because it will soon be too hot for most things in there (including me). I put as many things as possible out in my shaded shrub yard and I try to get everything planted out that I can.

After that the race will be on for watering. At work, I water thoroughly 3x a week. Right now I can slide a little if it is cool, or if it rains, But in a couple of weeks, it will be water or else. I would like to install a constant drip system but that will have to wait a little while. I am still finishing beds and reconstructing shrubs that have been improperly pruned for several years.

Peppers in homemade boxes from storage bins

I took a few minutes to swing by a family-friend, fellow gardener's homestead. He has been telling me about his Earth-boxes and how much he likes them. He even copied the idea and made some up using other materials. He said he will let us know if they do as well. He hinted that it might not be that much cheaper to make your own if you had to buy most of the materials new.

One of my co-gardeners heard about a plastic tub clean out that a landscaper friend's mom was conducting. He swung by and scored a huge pile of storage bins and tubs. He will probably convert some of these to planters. Unfortunately he missed out on the large plastic pool that he was wanting to incorporate into his aquaponic plan.

The last garden shot is of the other co-gardener's square-foot design. It is turning into a delightful patchwork effect garden. He has had excellent germination of seed. It is fun and educational to be able to compare the different gardening approaches and attitudes.

Square-foot bed (Larry Gray blog)

I am pretty pragmatic about gardening, food production first and experimentation second. But I always try to incorporate some new things and some beautiful things. I think a lot about the results and I watch other's efforts closely. Wait... that sounds like a sound approach for daily living- pragmatism about the basics, learn as you can, include something new and something beautiful, pay attention to what is going on around you. Yeah, not bad, not bad at all.

First Violet and Vincas

Violet

The first violet of 2012 was spotted beside a brick wall at work. There are surely earlier blooming ones out there, but this was the first one that I saw. I've left the violets under the azalea bushes for the most part. They don't really fit the flower bed arrangement, but it goes against the grain to jerk out a flower enjoyed by so many people just because it is in the wrong place. That reminds me of the weed definition that goes something like..." a weed is a plant that is in the wrong place". The violets are in mulched beds underneath hollies and azaleas, but they don't stick up and their only negative is making roundish patches of green that could make the bed seem un-weeded. I am willing to live with that.

Variegated Vinca

Last week my variegated Vinca in planters began to bloom, and this morning I saw the solid green leaved Vinca blooming in my yard along the steps. Periwinkle is a common name for Vincas. This is the blue that gives us the name “periwinkle blue”. Perennial Vinca is a tough customer that is hard to stamp out once it gets a foothold. It works well in shady locations here in the South. Don't confuse these perennials with annual Vinca.  

Annual Vinca

The annual Vinca is another robust grower that can take amazing amounts of heat and full sun in growing situations. It is especially useful in planters and beds along concrete. If you can keep it watered it will bloom and bloom. The annual Vinca flowers in shades of white, pink, red, and purple. It is a rewarding beginner plant.  One of my favorites is a solid white flower with a yellow eye.  Many of the whites have a pink or red eye (the eye is the little circle around the center of the flower).  Some of the newer colors, like the pink example from last year's garden, seem unnatural and harsh.   I prefer blooms to look natural rather than garish.  Just my preference.

Spring just came through my door. Our latch isn't working well at the moment and a strong gust of wind opened the door and sunlight, warmth, and a few dead leaves pushed inside the house. It is a welcomed intruder.