A Seed Saver's Garden

[flowerbug]

i think those pink clematis will fade towards more white as the blossoms age, but they are still beautiful. we have the same type here.

irises can sure take over in the full sun.

just for grins, i thought they looked like a big fan tail goldfish...

i don't know why, but Mom did not like the large yellow irises and so when i had to move some of them she didn't want them out front, but instead i just put them along the fence in the back along the big ditch (and by put, i don't mean planted and cleared a spot for them, i just pretty much dumped them in a pile and let them sort themselves out). they've happily bloomed there for the years since then (including this year) and i did ask Mom again this year if she wanted me to move a few out front. no. no explanation, just no... *shrug*

 

[heirloomgal]

Stump progress!

Last ones standing, soon to be gone too! Pressure blasting the roots and then making strategic cuts.

 

[heirloomgal]

The

i think those pink clematis will fade towards more white as the blossoms age, but they are still beautiful. we have the same type here.

irises can sure take over in the full sun.

just for grins, i thought they looked like a big fan tail goldfish...

i don't know why, but Mom did not like the large yellow irises and so when i had to move some of them she didn't want them out front, but instead i just put them along the fence in the back along the big ditch (and by put, i don't mean planted and cleared a spot for them, i just pretty much dumped them in a pile and let them sort themselves out). they've happily bloomed there for the years since then (including this year) and i did ask Mom again this year if she wanted me to move a few out front. no. no explanation, just no... *shrug*

They do, not quite to white but very pale pink. When they're born they are deeply, luxuriously pink & gorgeous tho.

 

[heirloomgal]

Adventures with a dog. At some point I feel like I should make a post about the last month, and how important pet health insurance can be. Mostly because I don't have any. And vet clinics really have changed in a big way, it's so much more corporatized. Some of the diagnoses are 3rd party now too.

If the rush of planting season coming to an end isn't enough of a mind frazzle, today's first dog walk was. My dog had a splenectomy almost a month ago, and so we've been under strict instructions for extreme limited mobility. He's basically been allowed on the floor, indoors, for weeks. Can go out for business and right back. The exercise increase allowed over time was to be reflected in the healing of that big gash on his underbelly. Today it looked pretty darn good, so decided to take him on his first real walk in the bush.

The thing about something never happening to you is that you kind of assume this will be a permanent situation. I've walked in this forest area countless times, and while my dog is never off leash we do allow him to drag his lead while remaining in close proximity to us. This has worked 100% of the time. For 6 years.

(I should mention here that 2 1/2 wks post op, my dog developed a serious complication. This resulted in a hideous skin wound to his throat due to infection. Things were really not looking good. But we got him some pharmaceuticals that seem to be improving things, though the wound is still terrible looking. Thankfully, he isn't as deeply uncomfortable as he was.)

So, after a month of recovery, and then another partial recovery, finally a taste of freedom. We found ourselves back on our favorite trail. Where my dog picked up a scent he couldn't resist and ran off about 40 feet. This almost never happens. He bayed and bayed at a tree, and we got up to him fast, to find him trying to tree a small.....porcupine. He has never encountered one not actually IN a tree. This young one clearly didn't get to the tree in time and by the time I showed up my dog had a neck full of small quills. Thank heavens they were not in his wound, and that he also had the sense to not keep getting quilled. He got one quill dose and backed off, which many dogs don't do. I was able to pluck them all out with my fingers right there, only one gave me trouble and had to be worked at. Got lucky the porcupine was a juvenile with small prickers.

But what are the darn chances!? Of all the days to have this happen!

 

[heirloomgal]

My new pea protection. It's amazing how fast the starts are taking off, since I took this photo a week or so ago many have already gotten through the wire. Pea transplants are truly awesome. I'm SO excited about this year's peas, such a great line up thanks to @Decoy1 and @Triffid ! I planted all of them! I plopped the sapling across the top just because a bear has been coming around every morning and messing with my stuff, whacking corn down and a bit of other mayhem. I don't think he'll want to cross it, and that pole helps pin down the whole row. They aren't usually this pesty, but this guy is getting annoying.

Got this slightly damaged cedar planted at Rona, it was originally $120 but because someone broke one of the top edges so they knocked it back to $20! Ha! I'll take it thank you! DH is going to put a new little edge on there for me. He thought the original price was preposterous, and I agree. But the knock down is definitely worth it, and it ties in with the trellis. She's planted with Babcia Aniela bush beans.

While most of the tomatoes are now 3 feet long or tall, Ojo is but a wee seedling. I'm surprised it survived, the other one died. I believe I've finally figured out why this tomato acts so bizarre. The seller felt it's inability to grow well in a pot was due to it's dislike of the small root space, but I think it has nothing to do with that. I abandoned this last seedling in the greenhouse expecting it to die because it looked so bad, but a few days later I noticed it had actually, finally grown a little. It's the heat. It can't grow with temps below 75 degrees. As soon as it started to bake in the greenhouse it came to life. So, now the question is do I put it outside or grow it in a pot in there. Interesting, a tomato that acts like an eggplant.

I really felt I had figured out the way to keep leaf miners at bay - tons of water. But I've been pretty good with the water with my chard seedlings and I'm still seeing some small track marks. I dunno, maybe they need even more water than I'm giving. I loathe leaf miners, such a hard pest to be rid of. If anyone knows of an organic cure, please share. I'd not like to see my leaves all riddled by those beasts.