Blog Archives | Page 73 of 116 | Diana's Designs Austin

Back home in Indiana

We arrived in Indiana for a family visit on Friday evening, where the weather was cold and in the 40’s, just like back at home in Austin, albeit dry.
Today, it was 58 and sunny and beautiful. We had some fun on the farm doing some chores, cutting down trees (I say we, I really mean the guys – I only watched from afar!), burning wood, taking horse photos (they breed and show Belgian Draft Horses) and watching my sister and brother-in-law’s dogs run amok around the farm. This is Chief in the photo above, who came out for an improptu photo op!
As terriers, these little dogs are always looking for something, and it was a hoot watching them try to dig their way to China in search of a mole. Here they were convinced that they had someone cornered in this hollow tree!

Not much garden news to report. I’m seeing some bulbs peeking up in the yard and grass is starting to turn green.

I’ll have a full report on Tuesday, when I’ll get a private nursery and greenhouse tour from a family friend who works there. I am hoping to get some photos to share with you.

We’ll be here until Wednesday. The rain was supposed to stop in Austin today or tomorrow — I am eager to get home and see all the growth that came as a result. I know that the radish leaves in the garden went from a few inches tall to the size of leaf lettuce in the three days of rain we had before we left — shoot, I might even be able to eat one when we get back.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00March 15th, 2009|Blog, dogs, horses, Indiana, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Sweet things to come …

Wow. My Wisteria is gearing up for a big bloom up on the back fence. This is the most advanced of the blooms, coming onto the fuzzy buds that cover the branches today.

She’s intermingling with the Crossvine on the other side of the back fence. This is the first open bloom on that side, and there are thousands of little buds just waiting … waiting for RAIN.

Which we did NOT get today.

In spite of being promised rain. (well, technically not promised, but I foolishly hung my hat on the 30% chance in the forecast. I guess I only hear what I want to hear!)

This Euryops Daisy is very happy with our spring-like weather, and has burst into bloom.

And here are all the big plants in their new, albeit temporary, corner of the patio. I still have about 1/2 of the smaller plants inside the greenhouse and am bringing those out a few at a time.

And now the forecast for next week includes a 37-degree night.

Aargghhh!

But I also know if I had left everyone in the greenhouse the forecast would have been for 91 degrees like it was last week.

[I know, I’m NOT in charge!]

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00March 8th, 2009|Blog, cross vine, euryops, patio, Sharing Nature's Garden, wisteria|0 Comments

It’s veggie time …

The veggies are all in.

The decision to empty out the greenhouse also meant that the veggie seedlings had to have somewhere to go — namely, the garden.

So I spent all day yesterday and most of today weeding, mixing in fresh compost, and plotting where to squeeze in all the plants and seeds I’ve been collecting.

I wanted to show you a picture of the 17, yes, count ’em, 17 nasty grubs that I dug out while digging 8 holes in the first bed. Can you believe that? Ewww. I put them all in a pot in the sun as a holding place and they died. But before I could take a picture of my “collection” they all disappeared. Weird. The wind was blustery yesterday, so they could have blown away once they dried up, or a bird could have swooped in and eaten them. Ewww…

Speaking of the wind, the poor little tomato plants were all being whipped about and I am worried about them being under such stress. But the fact is that we are on a hill and our neighborhood is called the Overlook, so we always have wind here. This will just have to toughen them up since they can’t stay in the greenhouse any longer.

These are the strawberries, planted last spring, spilling out messily into the mulch pathways. I have to do quite a dance in the garden to step around them, but I just can’t prune them back. (As you know, I have a problem with this!)

And all but one these tomatoes were grown from Tomato Bob’s Heirloom seeds. In this bed we have Black Krim, Omar’s Lebanese and Hank. I also grew a Big Boy from seed and he’s in there, too, along with dill, cilantro, a red bell pepper, a jalapeno and six marigolds for pest control.

In the other two beds I have:

radishes
green onions
lettuce
cucumbers
okra
bush beans
edamame
chives
cilantro
leeks
curly parsley and
strawberries

Yum!

We are supposed to have a chance of rain for the next 5 days, and nights will be in the 50s and 60s, days in the 60s and 70s.

Grow, veggies, grow…

Are there veggies in your garden yet, or in the garden in your mind? Little seedlings starting in the windowsill? What’s on your veggie list for 2009?

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00March 7th, 2009|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, vegetable garden|0 Comments

Ah ha — garden guest uncovered!

Ok…this post is from Tanner.

I’ve been trying to help my mom decipher the garden salad bar thief mystery.

I keep snooping around…

looking…

sniffing…

barking…

and, yes, eating.

Today I finally led her to the best clue. She was sneaking up on me, hoping to find me doing something mischievous (who, me?).

And I had my nose deeply buried in the grass, chomping on a little snack.

What did she find when she came over? Rabbit turds! Yumm-o.

She was grossed out, needless to say, and shoed me away for further inspection of the clues.

So, now she can set about fixing some of the gaps under the garden fence and keep that little bunny out of the salad bar.

I mean, if she put up that fence to keep ME from eating tomatoes, and I LIVE here, then no rabbits should be allowed in there to get what I can’t have.

Don’t you think that’s only fair?

I’ll be on careful watch now to make sure the bunny doesn’t come back in the yard, either.

That’s my job, after all!

I’m a good boy. That’s all for my post today, now I’ll turn it back over to Mom!

— Tanner

Mom, here. Ok – I decided everyone needs to come out of the greenhouse before next week’s trip to Indiana. Here’s the last photo of the plants all nestled in their winter beds.

A few plants are happily blooming in the warmth of the greenhouse, like this hibiscus.

Bougainvilla

Geranium

Dutchman’s pipe in full, fragrant bloom.

In addition to the tropical plants, now all the veggies have to go into the veggie garden. So I have been composting and planting and digging out grubs today.

Took a lunch break, but now I have to get back out there. We’re supposed to have chances of rain, glorious rain, from Sunday through Thursday and I want to make sure the veggies are ready for it.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00March 6th, 2009|Blog, greenhouse, rabbits, Sharing Nature's Garden, Tanner, vegetable garden|0 Comments

Should I, or should I not?

Ok.

It’s the 5th of March. It’s going to be 83 today and the lowest forecasted temp in the next 7 days is 50.

I’m leaving town for spring break for 6 days at the end of that 7-day forecast…

Plants in the greenhouse are VERY hot in the afternoons and require a lot of care to keep them cool — like hosing down the whole place and wetting the gravel at least once a day.

Our “official” last chance of frost is March 21st.

What are the chances that some freakish front with frost decides to frown upon us if I DON’T take the plants all out before I go?

What are the chances that the plants BOIL in their own skin if someone forgets to open up the greenhouse or isn’t around to cool them off?

Decisions, decisions.

Then there is this wind. Probably 30mph at least – I’m afraid to bring some of the plants out because they will get beaten up. I think they will need temporary homes up on the patio where there is windbreak. Which means moving furniture to make room for them…and then moving them yet again later.

Gardening is a lot of work.

(I know, I’m a master of the obvious. I’m just cranky about it because I would so rather be planting than hauling.)

So, should I, or shouldn’t I?

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:44:39-05:00March 5th, 2009|Blog, frost, greenhouse, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

She’s just peachy…

My tiny little peach tree is loving this warm Spring weather, and showing me her lovely blooms.
So many little buds — but generally, no real peaches. I usually get a few little walnut-sized balls that don’t ever mature.
But, she’s pretty anyway and I may give her some extra TLC this year to try to help her make some fruit.
In any case, she’s feeding someone, as this bee is happily slurping away on his dinner.