I Love Bargains

Just had to share these pictures of my bargain hanging baskets.  I picked up these beautiful baskets for $10.00 each at a road side stand on my way home this evening.  The price at the local farmer's market was $25.00 each for a basket this size and and $36.00 at my favorite garden center.  I love a bargain.  Looks like I may have to get a taller pole for the pink one this week-end! 

Veggie Plants are Blooming

Last week-end I headed out to cut bamboo for my pole beans and squash/zucchini.  My brother has a yard full of bamboo, and offered a few pieces for my garden.  

We cut 7 foot pieces for my pole beans and tied them at the top with twine, and about 10 pieces of various sizes for my other vining veggies.   I planted Blue Lake pole and bush beans and several bush Wax beans in this area.  All are coming up nicely. 

This is the squash trellis I made.  It's amazing how a pole can look straight while you're in one position, and totally off when you're in another.  That will teach me to wait until I have help.  I'll straighten it out tomorrow when I have another set of eyes, lol.

I found this fabulous old peach orchard ladder and decided to put it the garden this year.  It contains my $2.00 clearance daisy from Lowes.  I have more bush beans and Roma tomatoes under it.  I'll pot up a few plants to place on the other steps of the ladder this week-end.  I have just about everything in,  I need to add a few more cukes, dill, red onions and some additional flowers.  Can't wait to make pickles this year.   

My peppers are flowering.  I planted 15 chili, cayenne, Hungarian, jalapeno and  2 sweet.  I have 2 pink Brandy Wine, 1 Hillbilly, 2 Paul Robeson, 1 Beefsteak, and 1 German Johnson that survived.  Didn't do well with my tomato germination, hopefully next year I will be more successful.  I was truly hoping for a few Cherokee Purple.  I searched the local garden centers, and none carried Cherokee Purple for replacements.  Heirlooms are rare in most garden centers in my area.  Not sure where I went wrong.  I think next year, I won't attempt to transplant them as early.  I'll wait until their stronger.     

I'm hoping that my cages will hold the heirlooms.  How do you cage your tomatoes?  I may add a few of the bamboo poles for reinforcement this week-end.  If they get as heavy as the Amish Paste did last year, I'll need it.   What's in your garden this year? 

Strawberry Grahams

I worked diligently last night to slice 2 flats of strawberries.  I am proud to say, they are securely in the freezer waiting to be used in soothies and whatever recipe I can find.  We made Strawberry Grahams this afternoon and they were wonderful.  My daughter was the first to grab a Graham from the plate.  She practically inhaled them.    

We used Graham crackers, whipped cream and fresh strawberries to make this wonderful treat.  I modified the original recipe, which called for sugar and vanilla to be added to the whipped cream.  We just used the whipped cream as is.  My 4 year old grandson does not need a sugar rush believe me.  Especially, when his mommy is looking on.   

My 9 month old granddaughter enjoyed the delicious treat too as my grandson looks on.  This was her first taste of whipped cream, and she loved it.  She was still smacking her lips long after it was gone, lol.  If you have children or grandchildren, they will enjoy making them as much as eating them.  Great way to use fresh strawberries! 

Strawberry Fields Forever

Strawberry Fields Forever.   Love that song by the Beatles and I love the strawberry fields for the wonderful strawberries they produce.  We visited my favorite Farmer's Market today for an afternoon of strawberry picking with my grandson.  The strawberries were at their peak and becking to be taken home by strawberry pickers.  I did indulge. 

My grandson had never been to a strawberry patch and had a wonderful time helping Mawmaw pick berries.  Not one  green berry in the bunch, lol. 

Now what to do with all these berries.  We picked two flats today; I see lots of smoothies on the horizon during the hot summer months ahead.   They will be perfect after a day of working in the garden.  What do you do with your frozen strawberries?   How do you freeze them?   I slice mine in  half before freezing them.  My blender doesn't handle frozen whole berries well.  I also like freezing them individually on a cookie sheet and than placing them into freezer bags.  They're perfect as ice cubes in my lemon-ade in the summer.  I prefer not to use tons of sugar on my fruit while preserving since I'm a diabetic, so I'll be using  Ball Fruit Fresh Produce Protector.   Because jam recipes call for so much sugar, I decided not to turn any into jam.  The thought sure is making my mouth water though. 

I'm thinking that I may plant a few rolls of strawberries in my own back yard next year.  I think my grandson would love to have a strawberry patch of his own.  



   

One World Trade Center

Spent some time in New York this week-end with my sister.  It was an honor to see One World Trade Center towering toward the beautiful blue sky while I was there.  I don't think I could have gotten a better shot of this majestic building if I had tried. 

I enjoyed the sights in the big city, the wonderful food and shopping.  I love to travel, but I was reminded that I'm a country girl at heart.  No matter how many times I board a plane, train, or the automobile I always think there's no place like home.  There was no space for a garden or for my grandchildren to run and play.  I switched my purse for a small bag that I could cross over my chest to ensure my purse wasn't snatched.  I don't concern myself with this issue when I'm at home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The Manhattan and Queensborough bridges had nothing on the Shenandoah River that John Denver wrote about.  The lines were so long for various things that I decided it wasn't worth the wait for items.  The traffic was incredible, I had nightmares of yellow cabs running over me.  

No matter how much money I'm offered for a salary, I could never live in a place that has more asphalt than grass and more people than cars.  Trading in my high heels for Wellies was so worth it.  There's no place like home, there's no place like home.

Hardening Off My Veggies

Finally set out a few of my plants today for a few hours. Everything is looking good with the exception of the tomatoes.  I have a few that are hanging on for dear life.  I lost 3 Cherokee Purple, but started a few more last week.  They've sprouted and doing well.  Hopefully I will have better luck with these.     

My peppers are doing great.  I have 20 cayenne, Hungarian wax, chili, and jalapeno that look healthy and are ready to go.  Two sweet minis are finally taking off.  I will definitely have to start those earlier next year.  I didn't realize how slow they are to grow.  When the packet states to start them in February that's what they mean!

Here's a few of my tomato plants, a beefsteak and Hillbilly.   I have a few others that are doing well, but others are struggling to make it.  Not sure what has happened with the tomatoes, as I provided the same care and maintenance for all of them.  Next year, I will plant far more that I need to ensure that I don't have to start over.  I'm sure somebody at the office will take the extra off my hands.  I still have a few weeks to see how they progress.  I won't put my garden in until the end of May and may stagger the planting through mid-June.  We've gotten frost in these parts in the middle of May.  So my philosophy is, when it's warm enough to swim it's warm enough to put the garden in. 

The squash, zucchini, watermelon and pumpkins are doing great.  I need to get them in the ground soon.  My guest room is starting to look like a jungle.  I've had to move most of them out of the pots and into these Hefty cups.  Thanks to Granny at Annie's Kitchen Garden, I used her idea of punching holes in the bottom of the cups with a glue gun.  We drink out of these cups regularly because Mama don't have time to be washing dishes all day, so we have plenty of plastic cups around.  The hot glue gun works wonderfully for the holes, and they're nice and deep and strong.  Perfect for the plants once they take off.   

This was my first year starting seedlings.  I have to say,  I really had a great experience.  I'm learning bunches visiting your blogs and taking a tip here and there.   Next year, I'll start the peppers and tomatoes a little earlier and the squash and zuchinni a little later.  I need to invest in another 4 foot grow light, other than that I'm getting the hang of things.  

Cherokee Purple Near Death?

My Cherokee Purple plants aren't looking good.  All three of them are losing or have lost their leaves.  The rest of the seedlings are striving.  They are full, lush and happy.  Oh what to do.   I've researched, but can't find anything on why tomato seedlings lose their leaves.   I started 5 - 6 different varieties and I'm not having a problem with any of the other plants. 

The peppers, squash, zucchinni, pumpkins and watermelon are all doing great.  I gave them all a nice dose of fish emulsion and lowered the grow lights on the Cherokee Purple again.  I'm hoping this will help, but I would like to get to the root of the problem.  No pun intended, lol. 

Does anyone know what the problem could be?  My taste buds are set on Cherokee Purple this year, so I'm working hard to save them.  Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

On the other hand, my Dogwood is in full bloom and just beautiful.   I had a white one several years ago, but lost it.  It was close to one of my down spouts when I planted it.  I think it was getting too much water.  I love this tree so much, I've decided to replace the white one this fall.  This time I will plant it in the side yard, hopefully it will survive. 

Spring makes me happy.  Everything is awaking and turning green, that is except my Cherokee Purple seedlings.  How's everything going with your gardening plants?