Seed Orders For 2017 Outdoor Garden ... Part 2

This is part 2 of the post: Seed Orders For 2017 Outdoor Garden ... Part 1

I bought these seeds from Park Seed  Park Seed  during a sale and free shipping! They are Zinnias, Rudbeckia, Marigolds, Basil, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Coleus, Cosmos, Radish.

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Cilantro will be used to make pesto. cilantro pesto recipe

Basil will be used to make basil pesto. basil pesto recipe

Nasturtium will be used near the vegetables because they deter some pests and is a great tasting edible flower. Nasturtium .

Marigold will also be used because it looks good and deters some pests and attacks pollinators.
marigolds

Cosmos will be used to attract pollinators

Coleus will be used in shady areas. 

Garden Flower Pictures And Red Currant Harvest 7/20 - 7/27 2016

I harvested the red currants during this time period. I just glide my had along the cluster and gently pick the currants. I also pick the entire cluster and put it in the pot. It takes me about 2 days to do 2 bushes.

I sit on the porch to take a break from the heat or rain and remove the stems and leaves.

I ended up with 7 quarts of red currants. I froze them to make jam doing the winter.

Red Currant harvesting underway

                                          

Here are some pictures of the different flowers blooming in the garden at this time. Enjoy !

Rudbeckia and coneflowers

Coleus

                                         

The garden gets many animal visitors. A grasshopper is on a flower on the left and a deer is walking down my street. I surround the gardens with deer fencing. But every night the deer pass by looking for an opening to the all you can eat 24/7 snack bar!
                                         

                                         

Seedling Status 4/26/16

The process I use to start all plants from seed is basically the same. Go to the links below to see the sequence. I get good results from this process and have been using it for 10 years.

To see seedling status on 3/14/16 go here: Seedling Status 3/14/16 

To see how I start zinnias from the beginning go here: Seed Saving And Starting Zinnias 

To see how I start lettuce from the beginning go here: Seed Starting Bibb Butter Crunch Lettuce 

I also water the plants very sparingly every day. Remember to water the soil, not the plant. Cuts down on potential for spreading disease.

Full trays of the same thing are labeled with one name tag until they are transplanted into bigger peat pots. Then each plant is given a unique tag with its name and start date. You may have to shift things around in the trays and not labeling each one will cause planting errors.

I keep the lights on 12 hours a day using an automatic timer.

All seedlings shown were started on 3/14/16

Collard Greens and Kale left, balance Zinnias

Zinnias left, Nasturtiums in the back, Coleus foreground

Mixed tray left, Zinnias left rear, Cilantro front, Marigold in rear

Mostly Zinnias, few Nasturtiums in rear 

Zinnias with 2 Marigolds in the center

Tomatoes, Rudbeckia in tray

Marigolds on left, Calendula rear right, some Kale and Nasturtium

Seedling Status 3/14/16

The process I use to start all plants from seed is basically the same. Go to the links below to see the sequence. I get good results from this process and have been using it for 10 years.

To see the seedling status on 4/26/16:  Seedling Status Post 4/26/16

To see how I start zinnias from the beginning go here: Seed Saving And Starting Zinnias

To see how I start lettuce from the beginning go here: Seed Starting Bibb Butter Crunch Lettuce

I also water the plants very sparingly every day. Remember to water the soil, not the plant. Cuts down on potential for spreading disease.

Full trays of the same thing are labeled with one name tag until they are transplanted into bigger peat pots. Then each plant is given a unique tag with its name and start date. You may have to shift things around in the trays and not labeling each one will cause planting errors.

I keep the lights on 12 hours a day using an automatic timer.

All seedlings shown were started on 3/14/16

Zinnia in the front, Calendua in the rear

Calendula left, Coleus foreground, Nasturtium in the rear 

Zinnias

Zinnias, Cabbage and Kale in  the rear

Bachelor Buttons

Cabbage, Kale, Cosmos, and Zinnias in the rear

Zinnias with Nasturtium in the rear

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums and Broccoli

Tomatoes

Seedling Update - Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia, Nasturtium, Peppers, More Marigolds, Coleus - 04-16-2013

More current pictures of the seedlings. They are chomping at the bit to get in the ground. But they have to wait another month, at least!

Cherry Brandy Rudbeckia

Nasturtium

Peppers

More Marigolds

Coleus

Flowers From The 2012 Garden 4 And Picture Of A Frequent Special Guest To The Garden

Some pictures from the past years:

Here is a picture of a frequent guest to the garden for the past couple of years. I first saw her as a little Bambi with her spots. Now she is all grown up and has a couple fawns of her own.  She always gives me the same look.

Lettuce and Bulls Blood:

Somewhere under the snow is a garden and a hoophouse:

Coleus:

Zinnias with raspberries in the background:

Buttercrunch lettuce:

Iris:

Mesclun mix:

Flowers From The 2012 Garden 3

More pictures by popular demand !! I seed save all of these flowers and re-grow them every year.


Zinnia after a little frost:

Coleus, zinnia, cosmos:

Zinnia:

Zinnias:

Rudbeckia Goldilocks:

Bright Jewel Cactus Zinnia:

Rudbeckia:

Lime Zinnia:

Calendula:

Bright Jewels Cactus Zinnia: