tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13662408034897294702023-11-16T08:04:12.726-05:00rhapsody gardenDocumenting my adventures in balcony gardening and domesticating green life.jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-21681955083709903442013-09-24T23:23:00.002-04:002013-09-24T23:23:11.149-04:00late summer blooms<div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've planted a few varieties of bulbs in the spring so we may have some pretty flowers on the balcony to enjoy along side our potted veg. These included dahlias, daylilies, gladioli, and irises. A few daylilies appeared in early summer but they faded within a week, maybe a week and a half. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The dahlias and gladioli were all stalks and green foliage. I was beginning to accept that we would not see any flowers from this year but perhaps next year? But then I noticed signs of flowers about to emerge. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9845420746/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bishop of Llandaff dahlia by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Bishop of Llandaff dahlia" height="500" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/9845420746_c5844fd074.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">One of the varieties of dahlias I planted, the Bishop of Llandaff is supposed to be dwarf variety but as it turned out, it just continued to grow taller and taller. It is stands taller than TH but it's got flowers. Well, currently one has appeared. I can see buds of future flowers dotted around the tops of this particular dahlia. Unlike the other dahlias, it's foliage is dark. The color of the BoL is quite striking. You can't miss it even though it is over our heads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The first dahlia to make an appearance is the White Fawn. It is dense with white petals that have hints of fresh green. The flower head is small and reminds me of pom-poms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9845094384/" title="White dahlia by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="White dahlia" height="500" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3700/9845094384_7fb1ce3194.jpg" width="375" /></a></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have two other dahlia varieties. I don't know if they will make an appearance. One of the stalks was taken down because one of the tomato plants was knocked over by strong winds. Luckily the stalk continues to produce leaves. And maybe it has enough strength and energy to produce flowers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The mini roses I acquired last year have made a strong come back. They have been most rewarding and are among TH's favorites. The pink/mauve roses is the best at producing roses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9845320133/" title="White rose by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="White rose" height="500" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2812/9845320133_8456059f28.jpg" width="500" /></a></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />The white mini rose bush has also done well but isn't a strong producer of flowers as the pink one. And when a white rose does bloom, it's quite a sight! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The red one is the smallest of our mini rose collection and produces beautiful mini red roses. It's leaves are also tiny and dark compared with the other mini rose bushes. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9651993228/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="mini red roses by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="mini red roses" height="310" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/9651993228_d74ac52e41.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9926816355/" title="Mini red rose by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Mini red rose" height="309" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/9926816355_3d07326fdc.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9674863223/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Pink rose by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Pink rose" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/9674863223_94bf1edce9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2825/9845345525_432deae1c0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Yellow rose" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2825/9845345525_432deae1c0.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The yellow mini rose bush surprised us with a resurgence. It was down to one plant and the chances of its survival didn't look positive. It had barley any leaves and it looked quite sad. It fought on though because it's producing deep yellow mini roses! This mini rose bush is also in bed with a strawberry plant too. I recall throwing a dried up strawberry into its pot. I didn't think it was going to take. I love that they are growing together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I also planted some gladiolu bulbs. I didn't get the ruffled petal variety. Instead, I prefer the simple white petals accented with a deep purple or crimson center. They are supposed to be fragrant but I wasn't able to detect a scent. In any case, they're a nice addition to the balcony garden. I honestly didn't think the gladioli were going to show up. One day, while I was surveying the plants, I noticed that something had pierced the tall blade like leaves and realized that it was the stem that was emerging from the bulb. And then I noticed the bobbed heads of flower heads.</span>
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<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/9891012015_28077c193a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Abyssinian Gladiolus" border="0" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7450/9891012015_28077c193a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9845456804/" title="Lucky Star Gladiolus by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Lucky Star Gladiolus" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/9845456804_6c1ac1cbe4.jpg" width="375" /></a>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-54922265838390104192013-09-02T22:50:00.000-04:002013-09-02T22:50:17.178-04:00the summer growing seasonSummer is coming to an end, and we're now seeing tomatoes on our plants. The summer started with tomato plants growing slowly and when they showed flowers, they didn't set fruit. The flowers withered or dropped. It wasn't until late into summer that the tomato flowers began to set fruit and eventually signs of tomatoes were popping up all over the place.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9631519823/" title="Heirloom tomatoes by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Heirloom tomatoes" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5338/9631519823_7cb66c9b4a_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9634764358/" title="Early stage by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Early stage" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9634764358_1cc1d03ee0_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9634771538/" title="Todd County Amish by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Todd County Amish" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9634771538_2b821dba83_z.jpg" width="480" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9639959656/" title="Green zebra by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Green zebra" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7428/9639959656_ab3f685da5_n.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9648691874/" title="Heirloom tomatoes by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Heirloom tomatoes" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5442/9648691874_2296bb8060_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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One of the black zebra variety finally ripened after hanging on the vine all summer. TH and I enjoyed it sliced into wedges, with a bit a quality fruity olive oil, basil, and salt. It was the best tomato we have had in a long time! So much so that's it got TH excited and pleased. Before he was a bit annoyed that the tomato plants weren't producing tomatoes.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9648626468/" title="This guy finally ripened and he looks beautiful! He tasted even better; a little bit of sea salt and fruity olive oil - yum! This is one of the zebra varieties that we bought. by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="This guy finally ripened and he looks beautiful! He tasted even better; a little bit of sea salt and fruity olive oil - yum! This is one of the zebra varieties that we bought." height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/9648626468_71cd44a5f5_z.jpg" width="480" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9652049224/" title="Isis Candy by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Isis Candy" height="240" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/9652049224_cd4e828cbf_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9648812913/" title="Heirloom tomatoes by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Heirloom tomatoes" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/9648812913_a65a7a52ab_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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The chili pepper plants have done well too. The jalapeno plants didn't produce to many peppers. The cayenne pepper plants are full of hanging cayenne peppers. They're long and still green. They should be turning red soon. And it's still producing flowers! The cherry pepper plants did well and produced some nice red peppers. Unfortunately, they were not producing enough to collect so I can pickle them. And it was susceptible to spider mites, too! And they too, continue to produce flowers. And the habenero plants are finally producing flowers, which will in turn become habenero peppers. I'm looking forward to collecting these hot babies!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9652030266/" title="Cayenne by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Cayenne" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7285/9652030266_a73651f26a.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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And lastly but not least, one of our pots of strawberry plants are producing another round of strawberries. This time, these are bigger than the last ones I collected. However, they lacked flavor and sweetness. Regardless, the fact that they are still producing fruit is welcomed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9652012886/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Strawberries by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Strawberries" height="500" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/9652012886_c66dfa1a3d.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9589422149/" title="Winged insect by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Winged insect" height="500" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2829/9589422149_15b0373a12.jpg" width="375" /></a>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-80699521770338051122013-09-01T03:33:00.001-04:002013-09-01T03:33:06.421-04:00personal notes on growing tulips in containers<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8734255666/" title="White tulip by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="White tulip" height="376" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/8734255666_32ae947419.jpg" width="500" /></a>
Despite my brief and limited success with growing tulips in containers on the balcony followed by an aphid infestation, I'm not giving up. I admit it was frustrating but the limited success I did have was inspiring. I can grow tulips, in containers, and on the balcony.<br />
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After consulting with the seller who I bought some of the bulbs from, I learned a few things about better care and growing tips for tulips. I will be amending the soil to make it lighter so it will not compact over the bulbs. I have read that tulips bulbs like a sandy soil. As an alternative, I can use perlite. This will help with drainage as tulip bulbs do not like sitting in wet soil. If I decide to plant them again in the rectangular planter, I will drill more hole at the bottom. </div>
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The seller recommended that I feed the bulbs and flowers with a water diluted fertilizer instead of using compost. I'm not sure why she recommended a liquid fertilizer. I am guessing that it may have been too much nutrients and/or that compost compacts, which I have noticed. </div>
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And aphids apparently love tulips especially the leaves. They infested and attacked my ailing tulips; growing colonies were found on the underside of leaves. It was a frightening sight. They really do serious damage to tulips if not proactively dealt with to get rid of them. The seller explained that aphids attack weak plants. I think there is some truth in that. I have read that aphids like to cling to new growth. New growth is more vulnerable and can be easy pickings for pests like aphids. I have seen clusters of aphids gather on my mini rose plants wherever there is new growth.</div>
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I know it's possible to grow tulips in containers. There are tons of blog posts and articles about growing tulips on containers. However, the seller mentioned that certain varieties are harder to grow in containers like the parrot tulips. Despite the warning, I plan to try again. One parrot tulips popped out of the container and blossomed. I know it's possible. Difficulty will not deter me. </div>
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Another lesson I learned is that tulip bulbs are susceptible to mold during storage if not clean of dirt and allowed to dry completely. The tulip bulbs I was able to recover were beginning to be covered with white mold after storing them in paper bags and kept in a cool and dark room. I decided to dispose of them. It wasn't a huge loss for me as I'm not sure they will return next year given how their leaves dried up sooner than normal because of the aphid infestation. </div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-41139700327842471622013-08-30T18:44:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:51:31.978-04:00the good and bad news of carnivorous plantsWell, I'm down to a single carnivorous plant, that's the bad news. The sundew dried up for whatever reason. The butterwort, aka <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pinguicula, is the surviving plant</span>. Both were brought outdoors when the weather was consistently warm enough especially after we transplanted our tomato plants. They were a great help in capturing flying pests last year. This summer, the Ping did all of the work.<br />
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The good news is that my Ping is growing a flower! Woo-hoo! I'm excited about this as I didn't think it would happen. As with most plants that flower, they're reproducing. Maybe I'll be able to harvest a seed?</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9594977399/" title="Flower bud by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Flower bud" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7352/9594977399_52af93169f.jpg" width="375" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I expect that it will blossom soon. Stay tuned for photos is the Ping flower. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">UPDATE: Well, the flower didn't make it. I don't know what happened. I checked the next day and the stem of the flower had fallen over. :( </span></div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-90616662453668230132013-08-25T11:32:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:39:18.535-04:00beautiful pink mini roseI just wanted to share this wonderful photo that TH sent of our mini pink rose bush. She's a beauty!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oxJWp8FixvSxOR7kp5vb3icEGLI4yVXEi7e1R8WLOmXDwoBU4_vkK6W-r0tengEmsrAiRA3ouHRwkVMo3C8pZpeHDOec8GxF5MPivVAvdDFDCknbKYUM5WF7X-YQoRJJFoI-bHk5FRAt/s640/blogger-image-459765391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oxJWp8FixvSxOR7kp5vb3icEGLI4yVXEi7e1R8WLOmXDwoBU4_vkK6W-r0tengEmsrAiRA3ouHRwkVMo3C8pZpeHDOec8GxF5MPivVAvdDFDCknbKYUM5WF7X-YQoRJJFoI-bHk5FRAt/s400/blogger-image-459765391.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-26491608113735088272013-07-28T21:43:00.001-04:002013-08-30T22:50:53.112-04:00first harvest summer 2013Here is our modest harvest of summer 2013. The cayenne pepper finally ripened! As did one of the cherry peppers. Several cherry tomatoes and a yellow plum tomato - I think it's a plum tomato. Do they come yellow? Anyways, we expect more later this summer.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/9390089512/" title="First harvest summer 2013 by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="First harvest summer 2013" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/9390089512_6dbe37b095.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-64110250177909382242013-07-06T22:08:00.001-04:002013-07-06T22:11:30.997-04:00good bye Beni HimeWe determined that our beautiful beni hime was dying or was dead. The leaves had shriveled up and the branches looked dried up. When I bent the dried benches, they broke off with a snap. We pulled the dwarf maple up from the planter and the root ball was almost non-existent. At that point, we knew it was a goner. <div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdC4Qj1zHvHMhFI3G3biUGwLVo5fWDbYeX7gwhmaWbWNDxwxOqYXoG9jHKwcFsDXKzI37M15FtfvQdmV-efpPb7Ut-MzX4bzB_Avf7cJV-ldO8FUHLLmJ0MOijbCWYjgyDbwpfqRw15yy/s640/blogger-image-838230610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdC4Qj1zHvHMhFI3G3biUGwLVo5fWDbYeX7gwhmaWbWNDxwxOqYXoG9jHKwcFsDXKzI37M15FtfvQdmV-efpPb7Ut-MzX4bzB_Avf7cJV-ldO8FUHLLmJ0MOijbCWYjgyDbwpfqRw15yy/s640/blogger-image-838230610.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSX9KL9Vl0rGPYXB_F8xHWm6Bf8lPPyzNV1GTYYhKaU7GZt2ehWGagr0LvY0S5BhYgBB-irvQriMZa0CYtIVwdVUBXLMgW7zneEI6al_CtTGlZSPn6y03xCM-fwp0SDR0a-FvMfDYhDoF/s640/blogger-image-61456835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSX9KL9Vl0rGPYXB_F8xHWm6Bf8lPPyzNV1GTYYhKaU7GZt2ehWGagr0LvY0S5BhYgBB-irvQriMZa0CYtIVwdVUBXLMgW7zneEI6al_CtTGlZSPn6y03xCM-fwp0SDR0a-FvMfDYhDoF/s640/blogger-image-61456835.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOzrkj-UC7O33S5JTvc_MZJhpoLqua909q5oUkMA-RjYF0FaYkyLAC4sP1eIW1MRXh4EhRffFRNxfh1Mu-zs7hHauUAyzlRelLXzyT40OfpeRuM0BGNRNoHRrKhbkEh1i-QuF6kDeYQqU/s640/blogger-image-1698043115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOzrkj-UC7O33S5JTvc_MZJhpoLqua909q5oUkMA-RjYF0FaYkyLAC4sP1eIW1MRXh4EhRffFRNxfh1Mu-zs7hHauUAyzlRelLXzyT40OfpeRuM0BGNRNoHRrKhbkEh1i-QuF6kDeYQqU/s640/blogger-image-1698043115.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">We don't know what caused it to die after it started to leaf again in spring. The soil wasn't water logged. It was moist but not soaked. We didn't notice any apparent signs of disease or pest infestation. I have read that some varieties of dwarf Japanese maples are difficult to grow in containers compared with others. I did not find specific information on Beni Hime. </div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br></div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">TH is especially saddened by the loss of the beni hime. It was a cute dwarf Japanese maple. Anyways, we'll give it some time before we acquire another. </div></div>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-25194494369195626912013-06-30T23:22:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:41:33.141-04:00corky is hereI have been waiting for this day when Corky would appear, and I'm glad I was there when she showed up today. She looks ever so pretty - such a pretty yellow!<br />
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Her sisters should be arriving the rest of this week. Perhaps I will see them all on Independence Day?</div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-19688863565637900122013-06-29T22:40:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:43:30.388-04:00strawberry plants: year 2 June updateStrawberries are a sign of summer. Im pleased to report that our alpine strawberry plants are doing quite well - constantly producing fruit. Unfortunately they're left hanging on the plant because TH doesn't think to pick and eat them. <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">The alpine strawberries are tiny and hidden under the layers of large strawberry plant foliage. </span>I have been eating the white ones, which have an unusual mix of pineapple and strawberry taste.<br />
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Some of the alpine strawberry plants are doing very while a few did not and I finally decided to pull them out of the planter. I think I will plant borage in those empty pockets, which are good companion plants. </div>
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The pink galore strawberry plants have not been doing well. I was beginning to worry when I noticed the flowers fading without any berry production. Then towards the end of June, I noticed their signature pink blossoms dotting the top of the planter. A few have already started showing strawberry development. </div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-63426010665417168402013-06-04T13:58:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:44:11.330-04:00tulips: May updateAll 6 bulbs of the white tulips bloomed at the beginning of May. It was a very pretty sight!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8730827202/" title="White tulips by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="White tulips" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/8730827202_d68e74bb6f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8730822334/" title="White tulips by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="White tulips" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/8730822334_d23caf19d5.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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The black T. Paul Scherer and black parrot tulips bloomed though with
limited success. Only two black TPS tulips bloomed and one black parrot
bloomed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8733211765/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Black parrot by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Black parrot" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/8733211765_93d231644b.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="375" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8737483982/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="T. Paul Scherer tulip by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="T. Paul Scherer tulip" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/8737483982_c709dc9d47.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8737460308/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Black parrot tulip by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Black parrot tulip" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7285/8737460308_349c0a8886.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did not have any issues with the tulips while they developed and grew until it blossomed and I found aphids on the underside of the leaves! I was horrified and dismayed. I only know this because one of the black parrot tulips was drained of color and withered-looking. When I went to inspect, I discovered a colony of aphids sucking the life out of it!<br />
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I was fortunate enough to take descent photos of the tulips because as soon as the tulips bloomed, our zone was hit with heavy rain and strong winds. We have a balcony garden so our plants are sheltered from the rain but the winds really beat our plants especially the tulips. All the petals of the white and black tulips were blown off. A couple of the white tulip stems snapped off, too. The black parrot survived the windy abuse.
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Even after the petals were blown off, the tulips were attacked by aphids. The planter with the white tulips were infested. I turned over leaves and saw a colony. It was a gross and upsetting sight. Whatever is left of the foliage looks terrible. I was going to wait for the leave to yellow before digging them up but now that the leaves are ruined, I will dig up the tulips and inspect their condition and store the good ones until autumn for replanting. </div>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-68294532228914791852013-06-04T08:18:00.001-04:002013-06-05T01:16:05.222-04:00heirloom irisesTH just sent me these photos he took of the irises that have finally bloomed. I did notice the flower buds this weekend but didn't think they would blossom so soon.<br />
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Aren't they pretty?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HONORABILE</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MRS. HORACE DARWIN</td></tr>
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-52478309319695270472013-04-28T22:48:00.001-04:002013-05-11T23:35:57.271-04:00sprouting forthSomething has finally sprouted from one of these two pots that have laid bare while the other planters have sprouted forth green life. I still don't know what is growing. It's either the florentine tulip or coral lilies. Eventually, the mystery will be revealed. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPuANPjAGXGeCuc3Kvwb5D4m3kBth65iTDOMtKiGpMUkhGzAcNJFtTXRVLJ5eRilgj2abryaZYuFt5jxpFHXWOlLmXMD8S-iBT1UxALvM8QyBHH8D7L1zBFsw8UMzCZYZtOH4uVfC49a9/s640/blogger-image--2125147574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPuANPjAGXGeCuc3Kvwb5D4m3kBth65iTDOMtKiGpMUkhGzAcNJFtTXRVLJ5eRilgj2abryaZYuFt5jxpFHXWOlLmXMD8S-iBT1UxALvM8QyBHH8D7L1zBFsw8UMzCZYZtOH4uVfC49a9/s640/blogger-image--2125147574.jpg"></a></div>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-77202870176059432662013-04-28T22:47:00.001-04:002013-05-07T00:56:57.785-04:00tulips: April update<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8713356046/" title="white tulip by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8258/8713356046_9540dbb579.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="white tulip"></a><br />
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The white tulips were the first to peak and two have officially bloomed since I started this post. The other white tulips are at the brink of blooming. It's quite a sight to behold - a planter of white tulips! On closer inspection, the insides have a beautiful yellow accent. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8713350286/" title="white tulip by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8139/8713350286_c6814dd9b3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="white tulip"></a><br />
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The next tulips to bloom will be the purple ones. The flower head grew fuller since last week. The color is also more developed. Hopefully when it blooms, the white hyacinths will still be around and not faded. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8691881846/" title="T. Paul Scherer by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8691881846_7c529bf15a.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="T. Paul Scherer"></a><br />
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The tulip I'm most excited about is the parrot type. At first I wasn't too keen on parrot tulips but after a bit of research and seeing images of the parrot variety, I became infatuated with their petals that showed so much flair! I am waiting for this black parrot to bloom. I love that I can see the feathering feature of this particular tulip. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8713368916/" title="IMG_4643 by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8545/8713368916_88f34e5823.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="IMG_4643"></a><br />
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The Orange Favorite tulip that I bought with the Black Parrot turned out to be disappointing. I planted both these varieties in the same planter but I don't see signs of the Orange Favorite. I'm wondering if these heirloom types require a bit more nurturing before they bloom or they bloom in the second season after initial planting? It makes me wonder about the condition of the bulbs. I don't want to dig them up just yet. I'll wait until tulip season ends. I was really looking forward to a purple and orange arrangement of flowers on the balcony. <br />
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In any case, growing and planting tulips have been an interesting experience. I realize now how to better plant them for next year. I read that tulips prefer a sandy soil so I think i will mix in some sand in the soil for replanting in fall 2013. And I definitely want to layer the bulbs again so the planters will seem like the have continuous show of flowers. <br />
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-18166664894381862062013-04-25T08:18:00.001-04:002013-05-07T01:16:39.519-04:00strawberry plants: year 2 April updateThe strawberry plants are coming back and they seem to be returning with a bushier growth. I noticed one of the plants has a flower already! <br />
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There are a couple of strawberry plants that look like they may not have made it to the 2013 growing season but I remain hopeful.<br />
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From my reading sources of growing strawberry plants, the second year is supposed to yield more fruit as opposed to the first year. I'm looking forward to some tasty strawberries especially of the alpine kind. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8691876794/" title="Strawberry blossom by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8399/8691876794_292a8849ac.jpg" width="310" height="500" alt="Strawberry blossom"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8691885924/" title="Strawberry plant by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8541/8691885924_5f313c849f.jpg" width="376" height="500" alt="Strawberry plant"></a><br />
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-29237608925581996422013-04-20T14:14:00.003-04:002013-04-20T22:53:31.026-04:00hyacinthsAs the Jeanne d'arc crocuses faded, the white hyacinths bloomed! They're such a pretty sight to see amongst the surrounding green foliage of other plants. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8666458644/" title="White hyacinth by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8262/8666458644_be2d430ca8.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="White hyacinth"></a>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-45824609554495238492013-04-20T14:14:00.001-04:002013-04-24T15:59:14.376-04:00our japanese maplesOur dwarf Japanese maples are doing very well ever since we applied compost and rearranged their location on the balcony. They seem to be happier. Their leaves are coming in with such vibrant color. <br />
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The Koto No Ito seems to have tiny blossoms as they sprout forth new weeping foliage. The beautiful red leaves of the Tamukeyama fan out like delicate blades. And the initial feather like foliage of the Beni Hime have revealed their small star like leaves. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8670093755/" title="Koto No Ito by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8670093755_c48128521e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Koto No Ito"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8668146701/" title="Tamukeyama by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8391/8668146701_f45b51ea3e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Tamukeyama"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8671192886/" title="Beni Hime by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8671192886_27f5a83b86.jpg" width="310" height="500" alt="Beni Hime"></a><br />
jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-59992494866292111502013-04-20T13:25:00.001-04:002013-04-24T18:30:57.483-04:00heirloom irises and dayliliesI planted the heirloom irises and daylilies I received from one of my favorite places to obtain flower bulbs. They do a great job carefully packaging the various rhizomes. The irises and daylilies were shipped with their roots intact and clean. The irises were very different looking from the irises I bought and planted last autumn. The ones I got last year will most likely shoot one flower stalk whereas these look like they may shoot multiple flower stalks. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8677477759/" title="Iris rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8677477759_474010f5f0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Iris rhizome"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8677476315/" title="Iris rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8538/8677476315_e9fbc3f047.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Iris rhizome"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8678579990/" title="Iris rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8395/8678579990_21f8c30670.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Iris rhizome"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8677472491/" title="Iris rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8677472491_bdd230f676.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Iris rhizome"></a><br />
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Planting the bare roots of the irises and daylilies helped me to understand what is required for these plants to grow. They seem to require a lot of space at the roots. I'm also weary about exposing the iris rhizomes though that is what was instructed when planting. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8678681034/" title="Daylily rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8535/8678681034_19093e00be.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Daylily rhizome"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8677573873/" title="Daylily rhizome by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8261/8677573873_88663b2d6f.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Daylily rhizome"></a><br />
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I'm looking forward to them growing tall and flowering. I got some pretty colors. These include jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-3977306114338264292013-04-20T13:18:00.001-04:002013-04-21T21:51:42.511-04:00no peach blossomsOur peach tree is studded with buds but none have bloomed except one. In fact, the buds would fall when I gently brushed them during a recent inspection. We were very excited for the day when the buds would open because we like how the blossoms look especially when the peach tree itself is not very attractive looking as is. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8669609709/" title="Peach Blossom by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8395/8669609709_ffb191ab1e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Peach Blossom"></a><br />
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Searching on the world wide web for why the blossoms are not blooming helped to address our concern and confusion. The findings were enlightening and informative. <br />
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Fertilization:<br />
Apparently peach trees prefer soils that are not heavily fertile when it comes to blooming. We had added a half inch layer of compost a few weeks ago. Fertile soils promotes growth instead of blooming and fruiting. <br />
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Weather:<br />
Cold snaps or late spring frost when the tree has buds may cause the buds not to bloom. There were a few days that got chilly in early spring. <br />
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Location:<br />
Peach trees like a sunny spot though we haven't moved the peach tree from the location since we placed it on the balcony last year. It bloomed last year though it may be because the buds were already established when I bought it. <br />
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If you have a similar problem with your peach tree you may find these links helpful. <br />
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http://gardening.about.com/od/fruitsberriesnuts/a/NoFruit.htm<br />
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http://www.ehow.com/info_8111787_peach-trees-not-blooming.html<br />
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http://www.gardenguides.com/105322-reasons-peach-tree-did-not-bloom.htmljeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-27438012910941873412013-04-18T02:01:00.001-04:002013-04-18T02:01:09.716-04:00the return of comfreyI bought a comfrey plant last year because I read that they make great fertilizer for plants. Their leaves break down faster than most other plants because they absorb lots of nutritious minerals from the soil. Of course, due to the excitement of learning about the comfrey plant and the benefits it offers to a garden, I failed to realize that the comfrey plant is more beneficial when planted in the ground where it's deep roots can absorb the minerals plants love. <br />
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The comfrey plant is mostly a leafy plant with coarse hairs that can prick if not careful when handling. It also produces pretty pink flowers. The comfrey plant is also a perennial. The leafy parts die back on its own. I planted mine in a Root Pouch planter and when it died back, there were almost no signs of the comfrey except for a few dried stems. It looked like a pot with just soil. We watered the comfrey plant even though it looked like there was nothing to water. <br />
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About three weeks ago, I noticed tiny green shoots though I wasn't certain. It was my first time with a comfrey plant and didn't know what to expect. Last week, the leaves grew a bit more and surfaced above the soil. I was very happy to see the comfrey return. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8650398777/" title="Comfrey by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8545/8650398777_96415936a0.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Comfrey"></a>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-43187371514757835302013-04-17T19:21:00.001-04:002013-04-18T08:03:01.350-04:00jeanne d'arcCrocuses are usually the first to pop ip from the ground and bloom; a sign of spring. Our white crocuses, Jeanne d'Arc, have finally bloomed! They looked beautiful! Sadly, they lasted about a week, which was disappointing. Their petals looked very delicate, almost as papery as poppies. Perhaps their blooms don't last as long in their first year? In any case, they were nice to see while they lasted. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8651475104/" title="Jeanne d'arc crocus by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8404/8651475104_d3fc64d7a3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Jeanne d'arc crocus"></a>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-10527919964371884972013-04-06T23:19:00.001-04:002013-04-09T23:38:12.917-04:00spring balcony garden 2013Last weekend, we bought a bag of compost at the Union Square Greenmarket. I thought it was a good time to lay down some nutrients for the plants as they were beginning to come out of the soil, sprout new foliage, and buds. The seller advised us to apply a half inch of compost to each planter. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8626849444/" title="Tulips springing forth by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Tulips springing forth" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8108/8626849444_a913b9d671.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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A week later, there were visible improvements to their development and growth. The tulips shot up some more. The planter with hyacinths and crocuses are more lush and green. The new growth of the irises are also doing well! <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8626843202/" title="Crocus shoots and hyacinths by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Crocus shoots and hyacinths" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8626843202_352e373ca1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8626950374/" title="Mini rose bush by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Mini rose bush" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8385/8626950374_a03b3258b3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I also pruned back the mini rose bushes though left some tall stems because I could see potential growth. They too got a sprinkling of compost, which seemed to help with their foliage. Lots of new bright green leaves. I also didn't notice anymore black aphids. I had sprayed all the roses neem oil based solution. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8625840865/" title="Mini rose bush by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Mini rose bush" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8625840865_4cafe444dc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Unfortunately, it's not all goods news. We lost a bunch of 'Pauline' dwarf irises last weekend and I believe it is due to a couple of factors over watering and/or the pot sitting in water, and apparently, they needed to be planted closer to the surface. I noticed the green shoots looked dry with yellowing tips. When I tugged on them, the shoots easily pulled away leaving a hole where it sprouted forth. <br />
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A couple of bulbs have not shot through the soil, which has me concerned. These are the Florentine tulips, delicate yellow tulips, and coral lilies. After searching online for other people who have experienced or have knowledge of growing these particular flowers, I learned that the florentine tulips may need a bit more sun and the coral lilies comes out later in the season. Well, I hope that is the case and I will see something in the near future. <br />
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The Japanese maples and peach tree loved the compost. The Beni Hime JM is doing especially well! It's leaves are bright pink, almost fuchsia, and like delicate feathers unfurling. It's really quite a pretty sight!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8630673762/" title="Untitled by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8539/8630673762_cb4dcddda4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The buds of the peach tree are showing their blushing pink color. They are ready to explode open! I'm looking forward to these blossoms opening soon!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8626932406/" title="Peach blossom buds by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Peach blossom buds" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8546/8626932406_99dc56901b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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It won't be long until the garden will be filled with color and sweet fragrance from the flowers. <br />
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<br />jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-89045228252505378602013-03-11T23:01:00.002-04:002013-03-11T23:01:39.273-04:00garden plans 2013We are going to cut back on the "grow your own" in 2013. We will buy a limited number of starter plants, which will include heirloom tomatoes and a variety of chili peppers. We may include a few herbs like basil and lemongrass though our basil crop from last year was ruined by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_miner" target="_blank">leaf miners</a>. I love lemongrass! Besides enjoying them as an aromatic in cooking, I like them as ornamental grass. And at the end of the growing season, I collect the dried grass to use as mulch. <br />
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In addition to the fall planted bulbs, which have already begun to pop from the dirt filled planters on the balcony, I think we will grow more flowers in 2013. Flowers in summer will be great especially if they are fragrant! We tried to grow dahlias last year. They started out great but was infected with both the white powdery mildew, spider mites, and aphids. I'm going to try to grow dahlias again this year. Other flowers we will grow in 2013 are <a href="http://www.daylilies.org/" target="_blank">daylilies</a>, <a href="http://www.gladworld.org/" target="_blank">gladiolus</a>, and more <a href="http://www.irises.org/" target="_blank">irises </a>though I planted some in the fall for what I assume will bloom in the spring? I guess I will find out sooner or later.<br />
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Hopefully growing flowers on the balcony will make a nice little haven for us to enjoy. And in order to enjoy the garden, we will need a place to sit so acquiring furniture is a must for 2013. I have had my eyes on this French bistro set by <a href="http://www.fermob.com/en/Browse-our-furniture/Flagship-collections/Bistro/Chair" target="_blank">Fermob</a>.<br />
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Here's to an exciting new gardening year!jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-42732533158104570512013-03-11T19:26:00.000-04:002013-04-06T23:20:09.931-04:00strawberry plants: year 2The strawberry plants are still alive and are getting ready to sprout forth new leaves. I noticed one of the plants continued to produce berries even through winter. It was dried by the time I found it when I was clearing the plants of its dried leaves. Then again, the winter was pretty mild but good to know that one of them can still produce. <br />
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I also found annoying tiny black aphids hiding out on the underside of some leaves and definitely on the stems. Fortunately, I spotted them and did my best to spray the plants with a neem oil based repellent to kill and prevent their return. Will make sure to spray again next week. <br />
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We have two strawberry planters on the balcony. One of the strawberry planters was attacked by a pigeon, at least that is what TH told me. I also noticed the pigeon poop around the damaged planter. As TH explained, the pigeon was pecking the planter and bits of the glazing came off. He further added that the pigeon didn't seem right like maybe he flew into something and got screwed in the head as a result. It would explain the pigeon's odd behavior of attacking the planter. This particular strawberry planter contained the pink galore strawberries. <br />
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jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-6481669209203039172013-03-09T16:35:00.001-05:002013-03-27T22:29:00.730-04:00ranunculusI finally got some ranunculuses! They are such beautiful flowers with an odd name! They're also called Persian Buttercups. The scientific name is Ranunculus asiaticus. I've seen some beautiful arrangements with these flowers especially when grown in clusters. I find the white ones are so pretty because they have a touch of green. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8541905457/" title="A bag of ranunculuses by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="A bag of ranunculuses" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8531/8541905457_93b50084c3.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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The ones I picked up were available at the Union Square Greenmarket. One particular vendor was selling them $3 each, or 2 for $5. The colors were limited but I picked out some nice ones; a goldenrod yellow, two white ones, and this pretty mauve. It's always best to pick out potted flowers that have not blossomed and have multiple buds when possible. The ones I got were opened with some buds. I did get one that was a single flower but I liked the color. It was the only one of its color that I saw. The flowers stay in bloom for about 4 to 6 weeks; at least that is what I am told. <br />
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Ranunculuses are spring bloomers and return each year. Their corms look like mini bunches of bananas, which can be divided. I'm hoping to also get some seeds from these flowers. I'm not sure what the seeds look like or how easily I can acquire them but I'm sure I can find out through the World Wide Web. <br />
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I've planted them in one of the Root Pouch planters and they look great together. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8543212435/" title="Transplanted ranunculuses by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Transplanted ranunculuses" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8375/8543212435_9eb7cb354e.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8543420983/" title="Persian buttercups by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Persian buttercups" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8112/8543420983_b434ed6200.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1366240803489729470.post-70027120320400902382013-03-04T21:34:00.000-05:002013-03-04T21:34:22.962-05:00spring is upon us!<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, it's 2013 and spring is upon us! Late last year, I purchased and planted a lot of bulbs despite TH's warning of not over gardening on the balcony again. And now that winter is basically over, the bulbs have started to sprout!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8529040599/" title="Emerging by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Emerging" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8530/8529040599_6bf31a8242.jpg" width="320" /></a></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8530157848/" title="Pushing up daisies... by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Pushing up daisies..." height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8530157848_6936062b95.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8530160968/" title="Pushing up irises by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Pushing up irises" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8530160968_edfe298f6e.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The bulbs included tulips, irises, hyacinths, and crocuses. The flowers range in color. I wanted to stick to a color theme, black and white, but failed once I started doing research and seeing so many different colors of flowers that I wanted to plant instead. Some people may say I should be concerned with having too many colors on the balcony but I'm not worried. I was very conscientious about the colors I selected. And seeing as I planted to them in a variety of planters, I can arrange them accordingly once they blossom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not only are the bulbs showing signs of renewed life, so is the peach tree! The branches are studded with blossom buds! Admittedly, the tree isn't aesthically and physcially appealing but it's growing - you will see new green branches. I'm looking forward to when the weather starts to warm up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8527355566/" title="Peach blossom buds by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Peach blossom buds" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8521/8527355566_1c818b0470.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/somewherethereisjeannie/8527469946/" title="Studded with buds by jeannie*, on Flickr"><img alt="Studded with buds" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8527469946_f753de026c.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span>jeanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04464367513509346014noreply@blogger.com0