I have tried many times to grow my own lettuce without success. Sometimes it would grow and look nice but it was too bitter to eat. This year I scattered seeds randomly in containers and in the ground (among the strawberry plants) and I am harvesting it!
I’ve learned that lettuce can be eaten when it’s fairly small. I cut off the larger leaves, rinse them and eat. New leaves grow to take their place almost immediately.
Lettuce likes cool weather, so I’ll try to get it planted sooner next spring. I can grow it in my little greenhouse on the deck, or next to the house. In fact I plan to plant some parsley early too.
Another trick I’ve discovered is to plant it in a pot like the one here. Then the lettuce can be moved out of the full sun on hot days. I set mine between two tall Tansy plants (weeds, really) that are shading it nicely. I also don’t have enough room to grow everything I’d like to in the ground.
I think I’ve planted buttercrunch in the strawberries (below) – I read somewhere to do that for shading. It’s growing and I am eating it! I’m so happy to finally be able to grow good, tasty, lettuce.
As I walk around the yard getting photos of what’s growing, I realize how fast things are changing.
The potatoes planted in the fabric pot are now huge. The zucchini and cucumber seedlings (they are in this photo) are now twice the size they were. Many of the tomatoes now have little yellow flowers. And all the strawberries are loaded with unripened fruit.
That is how it’s suppose to be. Everything has to hurry up and grow – Fall is not far away! Really, the growing season in New England is so short. It’s been difficult for me to adjust to this fact after gardening year round in Florida.
But having a garden blog means updating could literally take place every day – with new photos! Sorry, can’t handle that schedule. As I get ready to write about something I photographed last week, I realize I’m already behind. Continue reading “Gardening: Now it’s Moving Fast”
It’s the beginning of June and the hydrangea buds are beginning to form on my mophead varieties. The paniculatas are full of leaves, but no buds yet. Last year this plant had very pretty, light blue flowers which I used to create some nice wedding stationery in the design set I named “Blue Heaven“. You can see the RSVP postcard below. I hope the flowers will be just as pretty this year, but the truth is, you never know for sure what color blooms the macrophyllas will have.
Last year the Blushing Bride began with white flowers that ended up turning green. I am wondering what color they will be this summer.
Brides tend to prefer either the blue flowers or the light green of the panicled (or elongated) flowers like the ones that grow on the Limelight bush.
Way back when I began writing this blog I lived in New Hampshire. I was new to blogging and I understand why I wondered if it was worth the effort.
I loved living in New Hampshire, but I haven’t had good fortune in this life. Instead of being able to stay where I love and putting down roots, I’ve done a lot of losing (things) and moving (so much moving). It’s understandable that my writing was sometimes depressing, especially when it seemed no one was reading anything I wrote.
My comment to this: Blogging is worth it if you enjoy doing it. Don’t pay attention to the stats too much because everything you do online takes time to pay off. In the meantime, become a better writer. Make more links – within the blog and outbound. Don’t write because you feel you have to, write when an idea pops into your head and you need to write it down.
Now, I am re-reading this post and am answering myself! Just for fun. Life is not much better (but it’s a little better in some ways) and one thing I have learned is that acceptance is very helpful. Whether or not the future (if I dare look) holds hope … or nothing good at all, I keep on breathing and therefore I must keep on going. There is no point in feeling lousy and depressed. Let those days slide on by. Onward! There is no other choice.
Responding to Myself
The “Old Me” is the original post.
Old me: Quite often when I check the blog stats I get a bit depressed. Gardening blogs are numerous. So many of us love to garden and share our backyard adventures, but at the same time gardeners know everything other gardeners know – don’t they?
New Me: Well, not always. And as a gardener, I like to see what other people are growing and doing in their yards. It’s a good way to find help (if needed) or maybe try growing something new.
This used to be my yard! Short-lived fun.
Old Me: This blog began as a hydrangea themed blog. The only trouble is, I have hydrangeas growing in my yard for about 6 months and flowering for about three. So what to write about the rest of the time?
New Me: I think I eventually figured this out because I turned the blog into a general gardening blog. It’s a good thing too because I had to move away and go back to Florida. All my New Hampshire gardening information was suddenly irrelevant! So the blog changed, there was no choice. Grow, change, accept.
Old Me: I write this blog because I love to dig in the dirt. My grandfather did it, my father did it, and so do I. I have the chance to share what I love to do with others from around the world, even if visitor numbers are small. So it’s worth it to blog and share my photos as I plant and harvest. The stats seem to say “you are failing at this”, but I’ve decided I won’t pay attention to that. The outdoors is calling and I’m taking my camera (right after it stops raining).
New Me: Now I have an i-phone and that makes photo taking and sharing sooooo much easier!
This weekend I ordered more dirt and filled up my larger fabric “pot” to create a raised garden for some tomatoes and basil. The smaller one in my photo is planted with beans, and next to that I have used one for growing potatoes. What I love about a raised bed is the fact that there is plenty of good dirt for the roots of the plants. I guess that is one of the great things about a raised bed. Digging in the ground means creating layers of great dirt, over time – and it can take a while if the dirt under the garden is fill dirt, or something else that is not good for growing.
My house was built on the side of a big hill. Fill dirt was brought in to make the site level, as often happens. Fill dirt, is usually sandy stuff and that is what I find when I dig down a few inches in my back yard. You can see that there is little growing in the spot of yard where I put this bag. I used the loam mix that was delivered from Agway along with my own compost and added a little bonemeal, so I know that my plants are in good soil.
This garden has four tomato plants with some basil and one Italian oregano plant. I don’t know if four tomatoes are too many for this space, but I have other tomatoes planted in the ground too. In fact I made another raised bed using cinder-blocks and set that up out front where there is more sun.
That is the great thing about using these fabric pots and gardens – set them up anywhere! Find a sunny spot and add a little vegetable garden. They have allowed me the chance to plant more while I continue to expand my gardens in the ground.
If these black pots can be used year after year, the investment will be worth it. I don’t know much about them at all. Can they stay up all winter, or will I have to empty it and store it? If they don’t last, I will stick to the smaller ones only.
I’ve entered a phase of experimental gardening with fabric pots. Right now I think these things are the greatest idea ever. I’ve wanted raised beds but haven’t had the time to create any so little bags to hold dirt is the closest I’ve come. I planted two pieces of potato in this bag a few weeks ago and as you can see, they are growing nicely.
I am going to admit that I am a dummy when it comes to potato growing. I always thought the potatoes grew off the roots, but I guess they grow from the stem as it shoots upward. I do know that when the tops die, it’s about time to harvest the potatoes. This page at the Food Gardening Guide site has a good explanation of what to expect when growing potatoes.
Next year I will get my potatoes planted earlier as they like the weather cool. I hope this fabric pot works out because it is certainly an easy way to grow them.
Next to the potatoes I have planted some green beans that haven’t sprouted yet. On the other side I have one more pot where carrots are sprouting.
Another plus to using these pots, for me anyway, is that my cats stay out of them. I wondered about that, since they seem to think my gardens are the best place to do their business. I was hoping they wouldn’t think a pot of dirt was their litter box. Next you will have to see my large fabric garden. It’s like this potato holder, but much bigger.
Hydrangeas Blue 