This is my year
to start everything from seed.
Last fall we used some of the old windows
that we removed from our home
and used them to build a potting shed.
I have been enjoying the process
of growing all my garden plants.
It's all new to me and I am learning so much.
Come inside . . .
I saved all the plastic containers
from last year's purchases . . .
and I have friends saving them for me, too :)
I've also been planting in peat-moss pots.
I'm journaling my adventure . . .
recording what works and what doesn't.
Just below the tomatoes in this photo
are some toilet paper rolls that I filled
with soil and used as starter pots.
I didn't have good luck with these,
but cannot understand why.
Do any of you have an answer for me?
are some toilet paper rolls that I filled
with soil and used as starter pots.
I didn't have good luck with these,
but cannot understand why.
Do any of you have an answer for me?
These are the boxes that I built this year,
and in the background you can see
my recycled pallet board compost bins.
Also, the box with the fencing on the edges
contains three blackberry bushes . . .Yum!
Also, the box with the fencing on the edges
contains three blackberry bushes . . .Yum!
The scarecrow is guarding the raspberry patch.
If you have a riding lawn mover . . .
then you must buy one of these carts for it.
I bought mine at Lowe's.
It is a back saver and I love it.
Last, but far from least . . .
our first rose of the year.
It's a busy week . . .
I just finished washing all my windows,
and I steam cleaned the living room rugs.
Today I'm working in the yard with the weed eatter
and going to Home Depot to buy steer manure
for the garden.
Steve has already rototilled it twice,
but is going to do it once more
to work in the manure.
It will soon be time to plant.
I do hope that you are all having a great week!
Keep Smiling!
Your blogging sister,
Connie :)
Planting time was always a good time for me to start a garden, I loved the smell of the dirt as we prepared it
ReplyDeleteI use to start plants from seeds when I worked at a nursery, we would plant seeds in peat pots and they all seemed to come up
I really like your potting shed looks
Working in a nursery must have taught you a lot about caring for plants . . . I would think that it would be a nice job. I love getting my hands in the dirt, too :) I'm delighted that you like my potting shed, it's a relaxing place to spend time.
DeleteGoodness Connie! You have been a very busy girl! It looks like you are going to have lots of tomatoes. What else are you planting? I will look forward to watching all those yummy fruits and vegetables as they grow in your garden all summer. I hope your scarecrow does a good job of keeping the critters out of your berries. Happy planting! :)
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Gloriade, I'm not sure if my scarecrow is a worker or just a looker. She might just invite the birds to sit on her outreached arms and enjoy eating the berries, LOL. I hope not! Our garden will contain everything but the kitchen sink . . . summer squash, winter squash, hot peppers, mild peppers, carrots, beets, cucumbers, onions, water melons, cantaloupe, peas, green beans, pumpkin,etc. The only thing that I don't grow is radishes and lettuce . . . I've just not had good luck with them. We share our garden with our neighbors and I'm starting plants for our daughter, too. So that's why there are so many tomato plants :)
DeleteHi Connie! I love your garden shed....the woodwork around the windows looks very nice. I also like your chalkboard signs and board. Your plants are coming along very nice and your first rose! I have to clean my windows now...I was going to skip that if we were moving but now I must get started! Andrea
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, thanks for stopping by. Oh, my windows were a mess. The county decided to sweep our road this spring and it stirred up a cloud of dust, which then stuck to the screens. Then when we got rain and wind, it also stuck to the windows. They look wonderful now . . . we live outside the city limits on a country road. I haven't heard one single neighbor say that they liked having the road swept and many that didn't appreciate the dust. Oh, if I would have had the windows open when the cloud of dust came, I would have truly been upset. I guess that's our tax dollars being spent, LOL.
DeleteHi Connie! I have serious Potting Shed Envy! But actually very happy with y little potting table - needs must! I wonder what medium you are using in your toilet-roll holders? Perhaps that could be the answer - ordinary soil often to right for seedlings. (Says me, who knows ZILCH about gardening! But I have been reading and watching TONS over the last few months, picking up tips from here and there. Your seedlings look great- looking forward to seeing how they get on! Lxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Lynne, you know I bought some of that enriched potting soil. I don't know if I planted too deep or what, but one out of 15 or so sprouted. I did get lots of mushrooms or toad stools ( I don't know the difference). Anyway I saw this idea on Pinterest, but will not do it again next year. I too am reading all kinds of gardening articles. I sent away for "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving And Starting". It should be here this afternoon. So you know what I'll be reading :)
DeleteOh Connie it's lovely to see your potting shed coming into its own this year, after all the hard work making it - so enterprising using recycled stuff to do it too. You have even managed to make the potting shed pretty and welcoming, as only you could do! It's so charming and pretty. I wish you well with all your seeds and hope they all grow into marvellous plants. Thank you for your visit and your sweet comment about our little garden - yes, it is quite private, which is amazing since we live in the middle of a built-up area, and we're not that overlooked. Both kitties really enjoy being out there in the sunshine and spend a lot of time just rolling around on the warm concrete path.
ReplyDeleteI have actually managed to get back into my studio this week after all the busy-ness of recent weeks, and started some English narrow boat painting on some flower boxes my hubby wants to hang on the summer house. We have now had our sitting room decorated and it's all complete except for the new chandelier that we are waiting to arrive. I've done blog posts on all these recent activities!
Have a great week.
Shoshi x
Hi Shoshi, thanks for stopping by to visit . . . I will have to look back at your past blog posts. I really want to see your garden boxes, they sound delightful :)
DeleteI love your potting shed! I look forward to following your gardening adventures! Gorgeous rose!
ReplyDeleteHi Rebecca, This is my third year to have a garden and each year it gets bigger and bigger. I love watching things grow in the garden and love, love, love doing my grocery shopping in the backyard :)
DeleteLook at you go, girl - this is awesome!!!! Love your potting shed and your seeds look like they are doing great! Obviously it's much warmer in your neck of the woods than mine, my potting shed is too cold to start seeds, despite my dreams of a greenhouse!
ReplyDeleteWell, I started my first batch of tomato and pepper in the mudroom back in March. Then when April rolled around it was warm enough to start more seed out in the potting shed and to take the ones from the mudroom out there. I do have grow lights on them at night . . . they don't give off a lot of heat, but I'm sure that they help. Our nights are still cold and we still could have frost. I'm waiting until May to transplant, although, I do have peas, green beans and carrots planted outside. They like cool weather.
DeleteThere's wish you some warm weather very soon :)
Wow Connie! You are one busy lady! I just love your potting shed. It is not only functional, but also adorable! Everything looks awesome! I hope your blackberries produce well. I need to plant some of them. I love blackberries. WHen I was a kid, they grew wild all over but you can hardly find them anymore. I have been buying them at the grocery store, but they are so expensive. I paid $6 for a small package the other day. Ridiculous, but they were the biggest and best ones I have ever had! Hope you have a lovely end to your week. Hugs to you my sweet friend!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Vicky
Hi Vicky, it says that it taking two or three years for your berries to get established and producing well. I found beautiful plants for less than $10 each at the nursery, so I'm excited, I love them, too! I purchased some last year that were bareroot . . . planted them and they died and when I took them back to Lowe's all they had were raspberries, so I planted raspberries last year and they are looking beautiful this year. I really enjoy gardening and I am probably going a little bit hog wild about it; each year my garden gets bigger. There is nothing better and fresher than going grocery shopping in the backyard :) I love it when you visit . . . your warm heart radiates through your comments and your blog . . . have a glorious weekend, dear friend.
DeleteYou have been busy! I love your potting shed! xxx
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Chris, thank you and thanks for stopping by to visit :) You know how it is . . . we always have a check list and lots of things we want to get done. Windows and rugs are a big once a year (sometimes twice) project that I love having checked off my list :)
DeleteOh how I wish I had your ambition and energy. I'm exhausted just reading about all you've done. Your garden is going to be amazing and I can't wait to see it's progress. As for the toilet paper rolls, I have no advice. I don't even have a green thumb
ReplyDeleteHi Ann, you have to remember that I don't have a 40 hour a week job anymore, so I just consider this large property, my full time job . . . but it's a job I love and I'm my own boss, LOL. I think that the problem with some folks is that when they retire they stop . . . I have a need to stay active and I enjoy staying busy, it keeps me young, or at least it has me fooled into thinking it does, LOL.
DeleteWow! What a bundle of energy! Your plants look like they are doing well. Beautiful first rose! I didn't have luck planting in toilet paper rolls either. They fell apart from watering. I didn't get around to starting anything inside this year. Just couldn't seem to zero in on it. Enjoy your garden season! Nancy
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy, yesterday I received a book that I ordered from Amazon, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving And Starting". One of the things that I read last night was a germination table. Most plants germinate in 7 to 14 days, some plants take 21 days, but peppers take 21 to 90 days. Now, I know why my peppers are so far behind my tomatoes. Next year I think that I'll start them in the mudroom in January or February. I started them on March 1st in the mudroom and then transferred them to the potting shed in April. They are only about three inches tall. I may have to purchased my pepper plants this year, if they don't get to growing :) Then again they might take off when the weather gets hot, they love heat. Well, enough about that . . . thanks for stopping by. You are a sweet friend :)
DeleteYou've been very busy!! Washing windows is my least favourite job. If I do get around to doing it it's bound to rain followed by lots of dust in the air and the windows look as bad as ever.
ReplyDeleteThe red red rose is absolutely perfect. Love your scarecrow too.
Oh, I dislike washing windows, too. My husband says that I should buy a squeegee, but the hardest part of doing windows to me is removing the screens and putting them back on. Windows would be easier to wash without screens, but in the spring and fall when the weather is crisp and cool and hot cold or hot I enjoy having the windows open, so screens are a must.
DeleteYes! a great week for sure.
ReplyDeleteI love your potting shed!!! I bet it makes gardening so much easier. We've had a really wet winter and spring. Now, with my classes, I opted out of a garden this year. The Honey took down all the bed boxes and we'll have to rebuild before starting another garden.
I'll cheer you on with all your doings in the yard... wait eagerly to hear about your harvest! ;)
Hi Patricia, I don't know about easier, but certainly more interesting and enjoyable. Starting my plants from seed has been a new experience . . . I'm taking lots of notes on what works and what doesn't. I would love to become a well seasoned gardener. If you lived closer I would be happy to share my vegetables. I am sure that we will have surplus, but time will tell :)
DeleteBusy, busy, busy you are! Love the photos of your potting shed and it looks like things are really goin' to town in there. We've been busy here digging holes for trees. They should be delivered tomorrow afternoon or Saturday morning. Can't wait! I love your gorgeous red rose. It looks so pretty with your green pieces on the window sill. That cart with the riding mower looks quite handy. It seems your really enjoying yourself, Connie. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy, Trees how exciting! I love the way you have been landscaping and it will be fun to see what you have chosen for trees and where you plant them. It's a lot of work, but so rewarding, right :) The little dogwood tree that I purchased in Enterprise made it through the winter . . . it was give and take last summer, but now I think it has established itself and will be much stronger this year.
DeleteI just love seeing all that you and Steve are up to! I would love to have you two as neighbors so that I could see your property in person and learn things from you. I am "in love" with your potting shed and can't wait to see how all your seedlings do. Sorry, but I don't have any answers for you as to why the toilet paper rolls didn't work. The weather here in northern IL is still crazy...it's only in the 40's today, but Sunday it will be in the 80's. It's up and down like that all the time until later in May when the temps settle a bit. We even have a freeze warning tonight, so I will have to cover my rose bush and bring in my potted pansies.
ReplyDeleteSpring can be so mischievous that way. We have been having beautiful weather, but I'm still not planning on putting my plants out until at least the second week in May. You just never know when the frost will come along and ruin everything.
Deletehi connie,
ReplyDeletea busy week. love your potting shed.your seedlings look well.the red rose is wonderful.
you have a beautiful blog.
wish you a nice weekend,
regina
Hello Regina, Welcome! I am so happy that you stopped by to visit.
DeleteI love your potting shed, I’m so envious, I bet its warmer than a greenhouse. Last year I sowed carrot seeds in toilet rolls using potting compost, they germinated well but when I transplanted them to my allotment the cardboard didn’t break down as I thought it would, and something (I think it was a small animal) kept disturbing them. Eventually I had to remove the cardboard. I won't use that method again.
ReplyDeleteHi Polly, I'll not be using the toilet paper rings again either. I'm thinking that maybe they perfume the paper and that could be in the rings . . . I don't know, but it isn't worth it and the peat moss pots work wonderfully. Plus, I save and have friends that save all the plant containers from purchased plants . . . so I have a good supply of them. Thank you so much for stopping in to visit. I love reading all the comments and getting to know my sister bloggers better :)
DeleteLove the tour, my started seeds are just beginning to come up, but it won't be warm enough here to plant yet for 6 weeks or so anyway. Yours look like they are doing great!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year to start my own plants from seed, so it is an adventure into the unknown . . . I'm taking notes and journaling my process and my failures in order to become better each year. My goal is to be an awesome gardener and to have knowledge of the earth, climate and plants that grow well in my area. Besides that, it's fun and so wonderful to go grocery shopping in the backyard :)
DeleteSo nice to have a potting shed.
ReplyDeleteIt seems you have been very busy and you look organised too.
Happy planting, it will be so nice to see your garden grow...
All the best Jan