[gardeners] Wednesday in the garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 04 Apr 2001 12:35:05 -0500
First thing out this morning I noted that the red LA iris we salvaged from a
ditch a couple of years ago was blooming. We have three blooms now and three
more forming. It is a distinct red with tinges of purple in it and is a welcome
addition to our garden. The bronze, purple, lavender, and yellows are also in
full bloom.
The big red amaryllis are starting to fade and the other colors of amaryllis are
just now pushing up some big strap-like leaves. Did also note that the !@#$%^
Rose of Sharon has seeded all over the knoll out front. Been trying to get Miz
Anne to let me eradicate the things before they take over the world.
My friend Sam came over before noon and we picked him a big batch of chard for
his dinner and a couple of dozen scallions, he likes them with everything. The
bunching onions are going to seed so reckon it's time to pull them and let them
dry a bit. It's been a long time since I've done that chore so someone refresh
my memory. Do I cut the tops back when I pull them or after they dry. Seem to
remember it was when I pulled them in the "olden" days.
This weekend the tomatoes and chiles go in the ground, they're all anywhere from
four to eight inches in height and the temps have been hitting 80-82F here this
week with lows in the upper 70's. Think I'll hold the eggplant a little longer
though as they do love the warm weather. Planting six Ichiban variety eggplant
as they are most prolific here. The tomatoes are: Yellow Bell, Burbank,
Hungarian Paste, and Heatwave II. Chiles are: Sweet Paprika, Longhorn, Long
Thai, Thai Hot, Numex, and a couple of different sweet peppers I bought from
Burpee's that I can't remember the name of right now. There's also one lone
Corno di Toro plant up and it doesn't look healthy. That's the same amount that
germinated last year. Reckon I better buy some seed from another company if I
want those big boys. Luckily my long Corno di Toro from last year survived in
the greenhouse and is putting out new leaves and blooms already.
The boysenberries are setting fruit and the raspberries are blooming profusely.
The early blueberries are also setting fruit. The mayhaw, peach, Fuyu persimmon,
and the plum tree all have fruit, no figs as yet, need a little more warmth.
In my spare time I'm designing an arbor to run 12 feet wide and nearly 30 feet
long out to the garden from the patio area. Miz Anne has decided she wants some
grapes and the end closest to the house would be good for a couple of climbing
antique roses she has her eye on. We're thinking Flame seedless grape, Cowart
and Fry muscadine varieties, all of which do well in the south. Any other ideas?
Particularly for zone 9b Louisiana.
It's back to work I go and then, when it cools off a bit, out to the garden to
pull those onions.
George