Sunday, April 24, 2011

Hope

 DSC_2542_6395 Sweet Pea – Old Spice

The 1st bouquet of sweet peas was harvested this weekend to enjoy in the kitchen while preparing Easter dinner.  These were planted so late, December 12, 2010, that I really didn’t have much hope that anything would come of my meager effort.  The seed packet describes this variety as  a single and bicolor tall heirloom.  A bean support used last summer for beans remained to support the sweet peas.  Once they have faded, beans will be planted for a late season harvest.  The success of the sweet peas is more than I had hoped for.

 

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Lavender – Lavendula Angustifolia

On September 23, 2010, seeds of lavender from Burpee were sown with hopes of a quick germination.  After more than a month I gave up hope and forgot (kinda) about another failure in the garden.  This weekend I notices a few signs of success along the corn bed.  There is hope that the garden will have more lavender to enjoy.

DSC_2540_6393 Bell Peppers

A visit to the Farmers’ Market this weekend was fruitful.  I returned with three new Bell Peppers – Red Beauty, Red Marconi, and Super Heavyweight.  The Tomato Lady unveiled some of the peppers she has been germinating for here weekend business.  My hands were full of produce bags and a puppy lead; so I let the Tomato Lady’s daughter select three different varieties of bells for me to try.  Oh, she tried to educate me on these varieties; but I was distracted with all the shoppers wanting to pet Ajax.  My hope is that these peppers will be abundant and be used to stuff and grill.

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The pea patch was cleaned out this weekend to make way for tomato transplants.  A few carrots and onions will remain until they mature.  In the meantime, the soil will be amended, deep holes dug, and a variety of tomatoes will take up residence until the fall.  I’m using the same method as last summer for plant supports.  Stringing.  The strings will run vertically and I’ll wrap the plants upward around the twine as they grow taller.  This post has an example of what the supports look like when they are full of tomatoes.  Hopes are high that this year’s tomato varieties will flourish.

DSC_2543_6396 All in all, this Easter weekend is a pretty good one for hope.

 

Journal Winner:

Helen said...

I think I'm in love with that journal! And my favorite month is October.

 

Helen, shoot me an email with your preferred delivery address and the journal will be on its way.  Congratulation.

5 comments:

Lo said...

I adore sweet peas....my neighbor brought me a bunch from the farmers' market last weekend and the scent was so gorgeous I nearly fainted.

Next year I must plant some of my own again.

Helen said...

Hooray! I just sent you the email with my address. Thanks so much, Maybelline!

Love, Helen

Maureen said...

Your sweet pea photos are beautiful...can just imagine the wonderful smell:) We are still refining our tomato staking methods and yours is one of our favorite 'must try' options. Maybe this year we will actually get them built!

Christine said...

Your sweet peas are lovely. I never seem to get mine in early enough!

BTW I just saw a post by you on The Californian's web site. Lois Henry is a good friend of mine from days gone by. Small world... look at me dropping names, oops.

MAYBELLINE said...

*Lo - Put it on your calendar as something to do each Labor Day or so.
*Helen - You lucky dog you.
*Maureen - Give the stringing a try on at least one of your many tomatoes.
*Christine - Planting them early enough didn't seem to matter. Those sweet peas weren't supposed to do anything being that they were planted 2 weeks before Christmas. If you have any influence on dear Ms. Henry, I would appreciate that garden project at Standard Middle School being researched. I'll call them this afternoon and find out myself though. At one time, the facility must have been beautiful and kept some children interested in learning in a different environment. PS - I bought the sweet pea seeds at Floyd's.