Today’s gardening efforts are kind of mixed. We went to the nursery so that Ralph could pick out the plants he wants in the bed he’s in charge of this year (it’s nice that he likes gardening enough to want a bed each season to plant himself). I picked up a few things but almost all of them need to wait until after next weekends low temps before they go in the ground. So, after weeding, I transplanted some lamium (Pink Pewter and Beacon’s Silver) to some shady spots. I’m happy they’ve survived the spot they have been in. Fortunately, they even grew, so I was able to make two plants out of it.
Some of my tulips have bloomed (yay!). I spent a good chunk of time trying to create the frame for the false weeping cherry. Ralph wants it to “mushroom out” like a miniature tree rather than have the typical weeping shape. This will require the frame to hold up the branches until they naturally grow out, rather than down. He was supposed to do this the last couple of years, but couldn’t decide the best way to prop up the branches. They are too heavy for the metal wires we bought (that are for this specific purpose. Should have gotten a thicker gauge). I don’t know if what I did will help. I do know it’s ugly and has to stay there for at least a year. boo!
I’ve noticed some nasturtium sprouting in between the broccoli, onions and cabbage. I think I see marigolds sprouting, but I can’t be sure that they are not some of the clover I planted as a cover crop. Sugar snap peas are growing well, but it looks like the seedlings got moved by watering because I planted them in a specific pattern for the trellis and now they are scattered.
I see at least one Sugar Baby watermelon popping up out of my second to last batch of indoor sowing. My lemon cucumbers and some zucchini seedlings look like they’re suffering a little. I’m very tempted to transplant them and find a way to cloche them.
I’ve been moving my dahlias outside during the day. They are all about 1.5″ out of the soil. I can’t seem to find any signs of my blackberry lilies. I’m hoping something didn’t get at the bulbs. Today, of course, would have been perfect to try my ladybug experiment, but we forgot to pick some up at the nursery.
A day of a few setbacks and some progress forward. I don’t feel accomplished, but I don’t feel like it was a waste of the day either. Will spend some time trying to find less-unsightly ways of training the cherry tree branches. Let’s hope tomorrow is more productive. I want to take pics to share with Angela.