A Seed Saver's Garden

[flowerbug]

one of the hardest things for us with the clematis is that they like cooler roots and enough moisture and we have full sun and it can bake here at times and we don't get them enough water.

also the deer sometimes will come through and eat them (and one kind the bunnies went after repeatedly).

 

[heirloomgal]

one of the hardest things for us with the clematis is that they like cooler roots and enough moisture and we have full sun and it can bake here at times and we don't get them enough water.

also the deer sometimes will come through and eat them (and one kind the bunnies went after repeatedly).

Interesting about the moisture; I think what killed my clematis (mostly killed it, maybe one vine of the lot is not wilting) is I gave it too much water. I think I'm wrong that I killed the other, looks like it got hit and a piece of vine broke off - so relief on that (and less guilt). But you're in a hotter location than me to some extent, so that may be the difference, because we have one old clematis vine (18 yrs) which has not been watered in it's life, in a perennial island in the center of the front yard, and it's huge. It bakes dry every summer. So, I guess our annual rainfall is sufficient for them. But the one I killed is against the house under the eaves, so no rainwater there really. I must say, I wish I could thank that rabbit for the clematis trimming because that vine is exploding with growth now. It actually needs to get tied up because it's flopping right over away from the support.

 

[heirloomgal]

The stumps are all out & gone! Our neighbour came over today and we loaded everything up on his trailer, he's going to burn everything at his camp. It was all cut up into manageable pieces. DH did all the worst work as usual, cutting roots with a saws all, the chainsaw, using a come along - all the while feeling cautious about the gas line lurking below. Now, it looks like several small bombs have been detonated in the lawn. So, levelling and landscaping and reseeding the lawn next.

The rain today was a nice boost for all the plants. All the cruciferous veg in particular appreciated it I'm sure. The mosquitoes have been just vicious this year so my weeding has been done only in short stretches because they start driving me nuts. Peppermint oil has been working decently to keep them off my face. I'd love to get out there and do one clean sweep, this is the worst time of year for them because the flowers & veg plants are so small they can't yet compete with them.

I see the mock orange & peonies are just about to bloom, and the poppies are in full swing. The peach and white are especially nice, truth be told I'm not as crazy about that orangey-luminescent red color of the other poppy plants. It's not a color that harmonizes with anything, just pure clash power. I think I'm going to be digging them up and moving them next year. I'm kind of going with a pink, white, purple, yellow cottagey theme and these do not make the cut.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

First cherry tomatoes have flowers, as do a few of the red nightshades.

Few rice beans are developing tendrils.

Something are the chickpea pod, but there are a lot more flowers (though maybe I should put the pot on a pedestal to protect any future pods.)

 

[heirloomgal]

First cherry tomatoes have flowers, as do a few of the red nightshades.

Few rice beans are developing tendrils.

Something are the chickpea pod, but there are a lot more flowers (though maybe I should put the pot on a pedestal to protect any future pods.)

What type of chickpea?

 

[heirloomgal]

I'm very late to the game when it comes to breathtaking perennials. For the better part of 17 years all I had were the rugged types; echinacea, shastas, lady's mantle, cornflowers and so forth. But when I got rid of most of the perennials I kept only what I really felt was special or especially attractive (peonies, delphiniums, clematis) and purchased a few that I thought fit that description for a flower and vegetable landscape garden. Iris was one I bought, as I had another that I had quite liked given to me by my neighbour. The picture on the tag of my new iris was quite pretty, but it failed to bloom for at least 2 seasons after planting. I may have put it in too deeply, or kicked dirt on it's base. I was almost going to throw it out this spring. Whatever the case, it did nothing. Until today. I'm in love! Puts my other iris to shame! First fancy iris!

ETA: I think I figured out what variety it is - 'Discovered Treasure'!

 

[Decoy1]

I'm afraid I only ever see the occassional track on a pea or tomato leaf here. But my general long-term advice to any gardener is to attract parasitic wasps and give them somewhere to hibernate. The adults love Umbellifers - celery, dill, coriander, carrot, orlaya etc. Since I've been letting celery go to flower the smaller flying pests have almost disappeared. Used to especially have an issue with allium leaf miner, onion fly and leek moth which would destroy my crop but I haven't seen them in the past 3 seasons.

Interesting. Allium leaf miner arrived here about three years ago. I had always assumed they only like alliums. So allium leaf miner flies will make for celery flowers? I’ve begun to have more celery and dill flowers around so will hope that has an effect.