Natives, Herbs, & Peppers

I re-potted all the peppers today.  They are still fairly small (but have some true leaves) but should start bolting up if the weather stays in the mid-80s some days!  I have: 1 Purple Beauty (if it's true), 2 Jimmy Nardello, and 6 Goat Horn. I'm planning to buy a Serrano, possibly a Jalapeno, and a Poblano or 2.

I can cross off some herbs from my list.  Hopefully I can get them planted sometime this week.

Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon Balm, Curly Parsley, Flat-leaf Parsley, Chives, Lavender, Variegated Lemon Thyme (my fav!!!)

I still want to get some basil (Thai and Italian), Thai mint, and probably sage to replace what I have from last year.

The native plants are showing signs of life.  The Oakleaf hydrangea is putting out light green, super fuzzy leaves.  And the Scarlet hibiscus is coming back up after I chopped off all the dead stems in the winter.

It is still pretty windy.  I don't remember it being so breezy last year. It also seems to shift a lot, so it's really trying for the taller plants, I bet.

Pile The Potatoes

Added a lot of dirt to top off the potato plants. Will continue to fertilize them about once a week.

I also harvested the two cabbages before they get too warm.

No rain last night, although it was forecasted, so all the tomatoes and seedlings got some water from the hose.

Little Tomatoes

I re-potted the last of the tomato seedlings today.  I have quite a few of each variety I grew this year.  Some of the peppers are almost ready to re-pot, probably next week.  There's no sign of the eggplant seedlings I planted w/ everything else... I may have to buy plants if I want them.

I fertilized the potatoes & carrots, as well as the tomatoes.  The potatoes need more soil piled on them very soon.

I have some herbs that need potting, probably together (a planter w/ dry soil lovers and a planter w/ wet soil lovers).  For the wet soil lovers, I'm not sure if I want to use one of the large containers I have now (all are currently busy) or buy more.  I will probably try to wait and push some plants out of the existing ones... the cauliflower needs to go, and I can get rid of the extra peas I planted there, too.  Plus I like the idea of using one of the metal tubs as a permanent herb garden.  I have one more long elevated planter I will use for the dry soil lovers.  I just need to drill drain holes, which I hate having to do.

I need to clean out the raised bed soon.  There's a bit of nice-looking small lettuces still there, but it's getting too warm for them to stay much longer.  Some of the older lettuce and tatsoi is starting to bloom.

Dove

A dove decided to take a rest on the tomato seedlings today...

Taken through glass and screen. The first guilty look.

Was able to get closer.

It finally flew away when I got too close.  It has been very windy today, so I also wanted to make sure it wasn't injured. 

A viola volunteered in the yard.  It's probably from the current plantings.  I imagine some seeds have blown all over the yard.

Springtime

The weather definitely seems to be turning the corner to spring. The cold-weather plants are waning. A good example is the tatsoi, which was so beautiful only a week or two ago and is now turning yellow and looking wilted.

The most-mature tomato seedlings I purchased a week ago are trying to bloom already.  I pinched them off for now so the plant can concentrate on growing.

    

The Berkley Tie-Dye is shorter, and I buried it more.  It should develop a good root system.

The potatoes are growing quickly now that they're up.  These are the Red Pontiacs, but all look similar right now.  I've given them a couple of feedings of phosphorus-based fertilizer to see if they develop roots (potatoes) better this year.

The spring carrots and onions are looking good. I thinned the carrots just after this.

More onions...

The sugar snap peas are doing fine.

The seedlings I've grown are all looking OK.

Starla likes to "help."

One last look... the remaining cauliflower plants are heading, but I suspect I will only get a couple of sprigs.  The weather's getting too warm; winter was too short.