THE GARAGE CAFE - JANUARY 2011

Wow, that's the first time I've heard you mention the zamboni all winter. That's serious stuff when you mention the "z" word. Clear out them pots with the stragglers from last year!! Ya gotta make room for the newborns of 2011.

No signs of winter here and no cold fronts passing through this week. Slowly climbing back up to the low 80's by tomorrow and the rest of the week. Blow some cold air this way. Don't like 80 degrees in February.

Still have some more "hanging around" seed grown stuff that needs a home. This is a new 2011 variety of Gaillardia named "Arizona Red Shades". A nice glossy burnt orange/red with yellow tips.

Be the fourth time on the BIG Z this season
well, that is if we-ins can get her out of the barn.
Last I looked I had an ice build up at the bottom of
the door from the white slime falling off the roof.

They are talking 11-16 inches Tues...with wind guts up to 55mph.


Yeah, I said wind guts.. its the kind of wind that sticks in your craw. BITTER

Im calling in stuck.... dear Boss, due to an act of GOD. So ok, fire me. PLEZZZZZZ!

Dontcha just love this yankee weather that drops everyone to there knees... dang ice.. ouch... just when my bum knee started to feel better.....

Love that thar gail of yern.....

Yeah, maybe I will do some birthing.. Alright you dead poits, beat it

Gone sledding.

Good luck with the blizzard coming your way. I doubt the old ground hog will even bother coming out tomorrow to tell you if winter is over or not. I think you already know that one. Gather up some pots and go through the seeds and plant a few. I think you might be inside for awhile. My guess is you're gonna surpass 16 inches by Wedn and the dogs will be starring at you with that "what do we do now" look.

You'd never know there is a storm North of us this time. No fronts with rain and dropping temps coming through here this time.

Arroyo Lupine & Crown Of Thorns

Well, theres plenty of livestock for the dogs to eat if worst comes to worse....heard a bunch of coyotes this morning when the trains were passing through. They always howl when the whistle goes... sounded like a bunch of young whelps in that group too. I think this is one winter I am going to be real glad we dont have any sheep. Lambing season is NOW and I have had my share of being a mid-wife in years gone by.

Pretty good the first day of spring.. well any way the first day i call spring is when the robins return, they came in in drones today... figure they got pushed up here by that BIG SNOW DOVE..yipes, saw hundreds of them this morning, they were eating the last of the crabapples... Wonder where they are going to hide for the next day or so....poor birds.

Snow is blowing, driftin, whiting out and just enough to be a nuisance. Think I bruised a rib falling... I just cant ever get through a winter with out a dip.


regarding the weather.....Its not so much the snow, its what comes after.. the bigger winds, the ice, rain and power outages. Pray that those dont happen. If this storm is as bad as all the talk.. it could top the big snow of 1967... eeks.. that was some storm. Have not seen one like it since.. but I remember drifts over the house. We kids had a blast and teh "old" folks took a hike 2 miles into town to get yummies. Weather predicting back then was not so sophisticated as now. Had analog tv... black and white no less!

Well, honkering down.

Aaaaah finally got the BIG 'Z" out... if I had to guess on inches, 8-10 fell.

It was not the big storm they thought it was going to be. Surely did not put '67's to shame.

Winds a coming in tomorrow.. gonna get cold next.

Yeah, it was hit and miss with that storm. They overestimated on snow predictions for the Northeast. They underestimated on snowfall predictions North of you in Wisconsin. It still looked nasty/cold with all the snow and blowing wind. The weather here has been very boring compared to that.

Well, Chicago had 20 inches and heard that 1500 vehicles were stranded up on LakeShore Drive... boy it only takes one to mess up a parade.... those poor people stuck intheir vehicles for a long time.

We had about 8-10 inches... had to break out the heavy artillery to blow snow.

Looks like it was powdery type snow that moves easier. Looks like it must have taken awhile with that blower. Do the dogs like the snow or do they get wimpy? Jaws ain't never seen snow. Don't think it would go over too well. Probably would freeze up just like the iguanas did last winter when they became paralyzed and were falling out of the trees.

Our dog likes the snow.. I think Pattys chew-wowa-chew (SP) has some serios issues with it. Dont ask.... dont tell. Its not a happy camper.

The horses for the most part like it too, except the old ones.. they have some issues. The rabbits seem to be plentiful by the tracks and we have seen hundreds of returning robins.... I think they beat the snow in.

Oh yes. I remember some of the robins arriving a bit early from days up North. They were not liking the idea of hopping around in the snow. I remember seeing them hopping around on any type of surface that had been plowed.

They were going boinkers for the last of the crab apples in town. Have not seen any today.

We are finally all plowed out.

Was at the local hardware looking at those seed starter kits... well, it was a though.

My indoor hyacinths are about 4 inches tall today. The pink dafs are only about 1/2 inch.

Let the seed starting begin...........pretty soon. Are the seed packs out yet? They must be coming in I would think. Oh I wish the daffs and hyacinths would work down here. It's strictly buying forced ones and then tossing after they bloom. Your hyacinths are probably only 2 weeks away from bloom.

Oh yes. lots of seed paks are out, they are getting all the spring goodies out. I refuse to pay $10 for so called "greenhouse" that consists of 72 peat plugs, a black tray and a clear lid.. that is ridiculous. Price of potting soil is ridicoulous too.

A couple of my indoor hyacinths have three major leaves... no sign of the head yet though.

I've bought those greenhouse things before. Only thing I like about them are the plastic trays. I have saved mine and use them to put my own small seed starting containers on. Have a bunch of 2" X 2" square plastic ones I bought a couple years ago. My brother uses the small plastic dixie cups and puts a whole or two through the bottom of them.

I take the old flats fill with pottnig soil. scatter seeds on top, sprinkle with a litle more soil, water, cover with saran and whalah.. Do the same with pots and other containers.....

I thin and transplant the seedlings lter to cell paks or whatever...For $10 I can start a lot of plants a heck of a lot more cheaper than buying that garb.

I save and recycle flats, cells, plastic pots... wash and re-use until they cant be used anymore.

got 2-3 inches more of snow... with a 70% chance for more today.. aint spring fun!

Those are good ideas Blossom. I save some of the containers, just so there are different sizes around for repotting things. Everyone always mentions covering things with saran wrap. I've never done that and wondered why it's done. Is it to retain moisture/humidity? Sunny and 80 here today. Wish it was 70 though. Too warm for early February.

Yes, the saran is to retain the humadidty and some moisture.. you wil have to watch for damping off though after germ as too much of a good thing is detrimental. I take sandwich baggies and put them over my 4" pots and pooch the sack up and that works nice.

Yea, I heard about your weather.. you guys been getting toad stranglers... run Jaws.. RUN! That winds liable to smack you against a rock.

I need to get started on loofas... It seems sooo early, but man they were forever and a day growign out in the garden and I would like some earlier maturity..

It's only too early to start stuff indoors if the plants will not grow properly and maintain themselves until you can safely get them outside. I try to start cooler weather flowers inside in the summer and move them outside in October once the weather begins to cool off. Gives ya an earlier first bloom date.

Jaws has been on the lookout for wild hogs. Them razorbacks are up the street in a vacant lot and better stay there. Don't need them oinkers tearin up the yard.

Thats purdy!

Jaws, you keep watch there boy.

Talked to a gal the other day.. she asked me if I canned.. I said nope, never have... Im a sower. grower and a gobbler, but not a canner. I think her and I are gonna get to get together and do some serious gardening.

Im just not in the mood yet. Even though I have spring fever and should so something, there are a few things coming ahead... I have been horrible on watering this winter... If I cleaned of the shelves I am sure I could get several flats started. Cleaning off the shelves turnes into housework.. vacuuming, dusting, growling and grumbling! LOL!

Yeah, I best get at some anyaway. Hate to lose what I have left.

Oh and here is the scoop, the dawg park is clear now...but we cant find the garden.. I cant even get to the GPS!

That's a lot and a long distance of snow to be moving. Keep trying to keep up with the watering. Lots of nice stuff there you don't want to lose. At least you get a break from the outside gardening. It gives you some time to build up some energy and motivation for the next year There are no breaks down here. It's a 12 month of the year commitment. That can be a good thing or a bad thing.

You'll get around to the seeds Blossom. No need to rush. Start small initially and just do a few. Space it out a bit so it doesn't seem overwhelming.

I got around to moving a few pots to the outdoors... the imps really did lousy indoors.. but still have a few tha might have hope... need to vacuum and water....all that snow chugging though whoah.. need a break and a cuppa cocoa (_)? Kettles on grab a cup too.. course you might not like it hot with your weather.

Been spying at the GPS... what a groan there.. Easter is not far off and gonna be here quicker than we think.

Going here.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1157588/


or trying to anyway.. grab your hats, gloves and shovels, and I dont mean dirt shovels! HA!

(edited to add linkage!!)

This message was edited Feb 7, 2011 2:01 PM

This message was edited Feb 7, 2011 2:02 PM

Well im back... still snowed in at the gps. gonna toss some more pots today and clean shelves, prun some indoor plands and do the usual manual labor.

Yes, I like a cup of hot cocoa when it gets cold at night down here (below 55). Only difference is I like to sit outside on those nights and drink it.

Did some plant cleaning up stuff yesterday. Moved all the plants to outside the screening around the pool. Swept up all the dirt, and then hosed down and scrubbed the tiles. Now it all looks super clean. Need to bring all the plants back into that area today/this afternoon.

Hopefully you'll be able to save some impatiens Blossom, but its tough to get annuals past a year unless its new plants via rooted cuttings.

Yeah, I did not do any cuttings on the imps... so lotsa baskets got set ouside just to clear space indoors..

Some pf the indoor pots and baskets lost half the plants so I tossed some seeds in them that I haad layign around that were pretty old.. I will have to make some markers and a list of what I sowed in the bare spots of the pots.

Cleaned off and wattered 2 of three shelves, picked leaves and re-arranged the shelves to fill in the holes. Hope to finish that bottom shelf and the one stand today and clean that area up.. it takes so long as I have to remove all the pots water, pick and clean, clean the shelves and restock them.. as I multitask in the office with other things too.

Heres what I sowed in the bare spots in the baskets and pots... I will probably have to transplant them later, well that is if anything germs.. time will tell.. old seed.. over seeded...! and really some of this stuff has no business in a haning basket! LOL!

Well letsee,
digitalis - Apricot - 2 pots
balsam - touch me nots - 2 pots
mexican hats - red and yellow - 2 pots
viola fuji dawn - 2 pots
pansy - antiqua shades - 2 pots
casoptarsis divertica (dont know what this is or if its spelled right.. ) - 1 pot
puple majesty millet - one pot
coreopsis sea shells - 2 pots

Sounds like all perennials except the pansies and I think they are some of my old stash from patty!

Guess I best go search for some plant markers.....

Hmm, sounds like everything other than the violas, pansies and coreopsis are things that are going to get big and will need to be repotted, especially the millet. Looks like it grows to 4-5 feet tall.

Did just a little bit of seed sewing last night in 2" "starter" size containers and stuck them under the grow light. Sewed "Cinderella Yellow", "Cinderella Blue" and "Rainy Red Bicolor" Lisianthus seeds. They are tricky flowers to start from seed, and grow so so slowly the first month or two. I've found I can only bottom water them the first month or so until they get a little bit established.

Well if they germ I will transplant them to some other pots.. I just figured I had spaces in the pots and instead of mesing around transplanting things to fill pots.. just chuck the seeds in and what comes comes..

Man was it cccccold today.. I had to run water to the torugh and the water froze in the hose about as fast as it got to the other end..

Oh Blossom....are climates are so completely different. It was a clear sunny 70 degree day with a light breeze on Tuesday. I'd take that every day. Stopped by a nursery and noticed they had some nice Delphinium plants so I bought two. Unfortunately they are annuals in our climate so they'll only last a few months.

woke up this morning and it was 4 above... I think we got another blizzard that is on its way from like Oklahoma...so much for digging the GPS out. And its warmer today than yesterday.. I was out for a few minutes walking the hound and you could just feel it was warmer......i'm dreading going to feed the critters... hoping my hose will flow today becasue the trough is getting too far down.

Probably will do some more cleaning up of plants today.

Grrrrr... the hydrant to the barn froze again.. been dragging hoses from the house to the barn and will have to dig that pipe up again. Jeeeeez. Not a happy snowbird.. then the Okees are talking blowing their snow up here again.. not wanting that....since space is getting tight on where to put it.

Then the air compressor hose broke....made a fix on the one connector there, but the hose is gonna have to wait for the hub to do.

Got light burnt out, nope, make that two.....dang cold weather is reaking havoc.

Put the new Redneck Gardening thread up, theres a new coleus thread and of course now the Garage thread is now up and running....

Need to get back to work so catch ya's later... grumble grumble...!

Delphiniums huh! Love those....been a decade I think since I had any of those... oh grumble! LOL!

Jon, you guys and Jaws better start putting the big fans to work and get blowing that Nanook Wind to whence it came.

Poor Patty.. she got her hands full too. She does not need any more headaches.

Problems, problems, problems. Always one after another. I think that Oklahoma snow is going to dip South of you and keep you ok. The weather patterns are about to change, so you may not see any more super cold weather for the next few weeks. Hopefully all that snow won't melt too fast and give you "high tide".

Well, I wish the tide was in. Be easier to dig that pipe out....seems to be a re-run of last year now dont it! Twice in 10 years with 2 years running.. UGH! . but we will take the days as they come.. were good as long as the pipes in the hous stay warm! Which reminds me.. LP time.

well for hoopla at the new 2011 Redneck Gardening thread.. go here

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1157807/

Seems to me the boyz and the gurlz there are conspiring some fun thar!

minus 7 this morning.....

That doesn't sound like fun. Sunny and 75 degrees here late in the AM. Started a few warmer weather flower seeds last night (Salvia, Balloon Flower and Amaranthus).

A pic of some flowers on the side of the house this AM. Front to back are: Browallia (American Bush Violet) "Heavenly Bells" and "Silver Bells", Achillea (Yarrow) "Apricot Delight" and Delphinium "Guardian Early Blue".

Very nice! - all this sun here on that white is makingme blind, so nice to see the blues and whites there Jon.

Guess Ima gonna try to cwarl in the crawlspace to shut the water of just incase that thing did burst. Gonna have to move my cannas out of the way so may as well bring them up to the living quarters.. maybbe they can get growing.

Well see ya later. Im going down under.....

Thanks Blossom. I had forgotten about how blinding it is when the sun hits the white snow up North. It's enough to make your eyes water at times.

Might be a little bit early to get those Canna Lilies going inside. Most of them are rapid growers and they might get too big before you can safely get them outside in May...........unless they are dwarf varieties. When I started gardening back in 2007 I had lots of Cannas. Only problem is they are so susceptible to Canna leaf roller caterpillars in South Florida during the summer months. The foliage gets devoured rapidly if they are not sprayed at least every other week. This past fall I stumbled across a very unique looking one named Canna "Australia" and decided I'll add just the one to the garden. Here's what it's looking like today with it's chocolate brown colored foliage with bright red blooms.

Well a funny thing happend on the way to the underground.. I never made it and was called on another detail. Ugh, I hate getting pulled of a job, but it was more priority so maybe today I wil get to those cannas.

I like that cannathat you got there Jon. very pretty.l Love the chocolate and red.

Ok, trying the crawl again.. dive dive dive!