Just Be There Blog

Patio Garden Started

Wow~Today started at 11:00am and a quick trip to the Post Office to buy some MOs to pay bills. (Local PO closes @ 11:30am on Saturday and since working days I go to work before the PO opens and don't get home until it closes during the week--my rent is due before next Friday so I needed to get the MO today or be late with my rent payment. A late rent payment is not an option.)

Then back home and getting my container/Porch garden started. I've three tomato plants with a decent head start (one still going strong from Last year and having survived as a house plant all winter--two started from seed around the first week of March [Heirloom:Big Red]) Last Monday I planted some Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum) in a small pot for part of my summer herb garden. Also planted some spearmint (Menta Verde: Mentha spicata) in a cut down milk carton (the waxed cardboard 1/2 gallon carton) to be transplanted into a larger container later when the weather warms up. I also have one 20 qt pot with the "three sisters" (a native American planting technique of planting corn/beans/winter squash in a single hill all together [Precious Gem Hybrid Sweet Corn (6 plants)/Ejote Silvestre: Provider Garden Bean--a bush bean not a vining bean which may not work well as far as competing for the sun (14 seeds)/Buttercup Acorn Squash (6 seeds)]). Well, the 20 qt pot represents a single hill. If I have good luck with the "three sisters" this year I will plant more than one pot next year. I've also planted a 20 qt volume planter with beets (for the salad greens) and a Mesclun green salad mix (20% each mustard greens/Swiss Chard Orange and 15% each Endive/Lettuce Danyette/Lettuce Royal Oakleaf/Lettuce Silvia). I also planted a 20 qt planter with Nasturtiums to attract butterflies. Also Nasturtiums have edible (peppery flavor) leaves and flowers--an addition to my fresh summer salads.

I ran out of potting soil so will have to make my other additions after next payday. I plan to add carrots, Marigolds, bell peppers, thyme, savory, zucchini, peas, oregano, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, sage, lavender, catnip, bunching onions, chives, and cucumber--all of which I successfully grew last year with surprising success. I enjoyed fresh salads all summer and into the fall. With some moderate shopping with the summer farmer's market I can cut down the cost of my food bill with my patio container garden. I'm excited...I may even add strawberries this year.

added 10:37pm
In the Writing.com activities--I am a member of the Dark Dreamscape team in the up and coming Game of Thrones Competition and I've recently been accepted into the Art of Criticism Group. My writing life is just about to get very busy.