WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE GARDEN

I got a message from a friend and blog reader the other day who asked, "How come you aren't blogging about planting?"

It's a fair question, this being primarily a gardening blog. The fact of the matter is that it's still really cool here and there is very little to plant. I did sow a few very small areas of peas, lettuce and argula a couple weeks ago and there's pretty much nothing to report on those.

But there are other, somewhat random things happening in the garden that I don't feel are worth a post, but maybe worth a little update.

I took my first trip to a nursery over the weekend. The whole world is out shopping at nurseries because of course Mother's Day is this weekend and people equate Mother's Day with the time to plant. That couldn't be further from the case here, but old habits die hard. I think the nurseries here push annuals and hanging baskets for Mother's Day in part because they know things will be set back by the cold and people will buy more later. Our last frost date isn't until May 10, so it's way too early to be thinking about planting annuals here.

That said, I, of course, bought a handful of annuals, because I just couldn't resist and I suffer from plant-related FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). So I grab things when I see them and nurse them along in the greenhouse until it's time to plant, usually around Memorial Day.

A lot of people have asked about my greenhouse. Here's an affiliate link to it. I really love it, but it's important to keep in mind that this is a temporary structure. The plastic cover ripped quickly last year and the company sent me a replacement, but the same thing happened again this year. It's a tiny tear on a seam that I easily fixed with tape, but I think it's worth mentioning.

Oxalis 'Molten Lava'

I'd been to neither of the two nurseries I visited on Sunday, which is rather alarming as I thought I'd been to every nursery in a 50-mile radius. The first was not great, but unbeknownst to me they were holding a sale with very small, single plant hanging baskets for $5 each. There was a cop directing traffic into the parking lot! It was really no way to experience a nursery for the first time. Mostly it was just chaos.

The second nursery was amazing and I eagerly signed up for their frequent buyer program because I have a feeling I'll be going back many times. Even my husband knew about this place and it was completely unknown to me. I'm so disappointed in myself. They were still waiting for a lot of deliveries but they had a huge, clean, well organized annuals greenhouse with exceptionally well cared for plants that were not overpriced. I picked up three Oxalis 'Molten Lava', which is not new, but new to me. I love its mounding habit and orange to lime foliage.

Speaking of the greenhouse, it's starting to fill up and I'm happy to report that everything seems to be doing well despite the cool weather. The exception is the sweet peas which are looking a little anemic and I think they desperately need some feeding.

That is only about half of the dahlias. The tubers that haven't sprouted yet are still in the house. Where in the world am I going to put them all?

I worked on the garden to the north of the house this weekend for a long time and looking out the upstairs window it looks like I've made very little progress. I did, however, repaint the obelisk we built several years ago. I finally found a spray paint line with better color selection: Montana Gold. Granted, it's about twice the price of a regular can of spray paint (about $8), but the colors are worth it and the coverage is great. The old apple green faded and I gave it new life in a bright turquoise.

The new color is a bright turquoise.

The old apple green was great too.

I think this year I'll grow some climbing nasturtiums up it for some additional color. I removed the goji berries from this raised bed because they got too big and their big, thorny canes, were reaching out and grabbing me. I'll find another spot for them, but for now they are living in very large nursery containers.

That's the report from here. I've been gardening until dark, setting a goal of filling a tub trug with weeds after dinner every night that it's not raining. I'm so happy that the sun doesn't set until about 8 these days.

What's up in your garden?

FAILURE, AND SUCCESS, COMES EARLY

We're well into seed-starting season at this point. I can tell because I'm bored with it. Well, not bored with it, but it is lot of work to check on those little guys multiple times a day to make sure they are feeling happy.

Overall, I would say my seed starting has not been as successful this year as it was last year. Granted, I'm starting way more different kinds of seeds this year and fewer of each variety (although probably more overall), so I think I'm noticing when one fails.

I sowed three kinds of basil (two rows of each). Only two on the far end germinated, but this was seed from last year  (a successive sowing suggests that's the problem as none of that variety germinated). In the second group, six of the 10 germinated, but all on one side. In the third group, five germinated (some with multiple seeds per block), mostly in the middle.

As far as cute plants go, I think few things are cuter than baby basil.

Lacinato kale is looking great and is ready to make the move to the outdoor greenhouse.

I've had more germination problems than I recall last year and have lost more than a few when they went under lights. I'm blaming that on the heat from the lights, so I've been gradually acclimating them to the big light. Still it's strange to me that even though I pretty much always put two seeds in each soil block it seems that both germinate in some blocks and none in others, but rarely does just one germinate. This leads me to wonder if I don't have a problem with my soil block mixture. I can't imagine how I could as I'm using the same ingredients and "recipe" as last year.

Things are looking sad on the tomato front.

This is my first year growing tomatoes and I just started them a week ago (well, 10 days now) as I didn't want huge transplants because I'm convinced that's not great for plants. I planted six soil blocks of each variety, figuring I'd lose one of each, have up to two for myself and two to pass along to friends and maybe a spare. But they are germinating unevenly, some are not coming up at all and others seem to be succumbing to the dreaded damping off. So I'm not really sure what's happening, but I think I'm going to start a few more in a more traditional plug tray and see if that helps.

The greenhouse is open and accepting guests!

Nicotiana is happy to be outside.

So far, I'd say parsley has been my most successful sowing this year.

Sweet peas are on a roll.

I set up the temporary greenhouse last weekend and have moved several flats of seedlings that had already been potted on out there. (Some of you have asked about the greenhouse: It's the Flowerhouse Pro and I really like it. All the shelves come with it and store flat when not in use. It has big pegs to hold it down in the wind too, but I'm not sure how it would work if it were not on grass where it could be pegged down. That's an affiliate link; thanks so much for your support!) There was just too much in the house and not enough light to accommodate them all so something had to brave the up-and-down temperatures. Everything that I moved out there seems to be doing well. My guess is that the additional light they are getting there is making up for the chill.

Those sad little shoots where there when I opened the bins I was storing tubers in. They are coloring up in the sun.

I also started some dahlia tubers last weekend. I was very encouraged when I went to my parents' house to retrieve them (they have a cool but heated garage) and they were busting out the top. Unfortunately only the top layers in each box survived. I buried them in peat, but I think they were too dry, so I bet I lost at least 15 tubers. I'm glad that the 'David Howard' tubers were on top because I didn't buy any more of those this year. I also ordered a few new dahlias, which I potted up and have in the house until they sprout.

Gardening is always full of victories and defeats. Might as well get some of the latter out of the way early in the season.

FRIDAY FINDS

Before we jump into some great Friday Finds, a quick update on bathroom renovation planning progress (for the downstairs bathroom renovation that may or may not happen this winter). I have now found two accent tiles that have been perfect ... until I ordered them and they were discontinued. I can only assume that the universe has some amazing accent tile sitting out there waiting for me to find. If I get all the pieces pulled together, at some point I'll show you a mood board of what I'm thinking but so far it exists only in my head (or dreams).

Onto the good stuff.

You saw my review of the Troy-Bilt TB60044 Straight Shaft String Trimmer and the fantastic Trimmerplus attachements, now check out what Eric thinks about it (consider it another opportunity to see his cute dogs too). And while you're at it, enter to win a copy of The Practical Pyromaniac (certainly one of the best how-to book titles ever) from Eric as well.

Having read so many horror stories about paint sprayers I've been resistant to buying one, but seeing the difference between the brushed finish and the sprayed finish here had me forwarding the link to this recommended sprayer to Mr. Much More Patient as a Christmas gift idea before you could say, "It's not even Thanksgiving yet."

Traditional Landscape by Quakertown General Contractors Lewis Brothers

I thought that perhaps my greenhouse obsession of this summer might pass, but it's only getting worse and pictures like this are not helping.

I warn you, do not click on this link until you have a lot of time, because this blog is a rabbithole of amazingness that I lost half a day to last weekend. Also, good info on mixing and matching pillows.

Here's a good rundown of great gray paint colors. Other than the trauma with the garage color, I find grays easier to pick than whites or navy, but any paint color selection feels like a leap of faith.

I love seeing expensive rooms recreated for less so I check out this site often. Speaking of this room, there is a neat bed in it. I have never had a full bed, just a headboard. Am I missing out on something? I feel like beds must be nicer looking because you don't have to deal with a bedskirt. Talk to me people, I'm curious.

That's it, gang. Have a great weekend. I'm not sure what's on the agenda for the weekend, but at least I can safely say it won't be cleaning the fireplace.

A BUSY AND HOT TIME IN THE GARDEN

Sorry I've been blogging so intermittently lately; things are busier than I would like and I have been working on this week's window box post for a really long time!

Anyway, allow me to catch you up on what's happening.

First off, the most exciting thing to happen in my garden perhaps ever.

Do you see that? That's the temperature of my compost pile and one that I'm pretty sure it has never reached before. After months of just piling stuff in there but paying no other attention to it, last week I spent about an hour getting that thing in shape. I peeled off the whole top layer and put as much as I could fit in a wheelbarrow. Then I took the rest of it and put the left side on top of the right side and then shifted it all back and threw the wheelbarrow stuff back on, watering in between every layer. Five days later I was flirting with 140 degrees! That hot will discourage worms but for now I'll take the heat because I think I have a few weed seeds in there. I'm noticing that some of the places where I put compost last year seem to have new garlic mustard weed plants and I think the compost was the culprit.

Last weekend was not great for us weather-wise (would you believe we are still having frost warnings?) but I did get a fair amount done in the garden. I've been slowly making my way around the garden edging, weeding and mulching, and the areas that are finished look so good I can hardly take my eyes off them. Even parts of the garden that are pretty bare either because perennials there didn't come back or because they are waiting for annuals look fantastic.

I planted an Aralia 'Silver Umbrella' over the weekend. I've been looking for this plant for a long time and finally ordered it from Broken Arrow Nursery. I hope it will be a stunner.

The portable greenhouse is utterly behind capacity. I need the weather to warm up so that I can move some things out.

I'm way behind on the vegetable garden and really need to carve out some time for that. So far all I have planted is peas, which have germinated poorly, and parsley grown from seed this winter.

'Thundercloud' sedum

I spent Monday helping move plants from a wholesale nursery near the Wisconsin-Illinois border for our master gardener plant sale. Mr. Much More Patient built a couple of elevated trays so I could almost double the capacity in my car. We fit about 130 gallon-sized perennials in there! I also picked up a few plants I was planning to buy, including some 'Thundercloud' sedums which are supposed to stay in this lovely ball shape and appeal to my bizarre love of meatball plants.

Me and Ted, the creator behind this Katie's Krops garden.

I spent Thurdsday at the grand opening of a Katie's Krops garden in Wisconsin as part of my partnership with Troy-Bilt. I can't wait to tell you all about the great kid who is behind this garden and my day there.

This coming weekend is our master gardener plant sale. We've gone totally nuts this year and we'll be selling 15,000 plants in THREE hours. If you're in southeastern Wisconsin, please come and shop until you drop! The plant sale tends to take up all my time between now and then, so my own garden will have to continue waiting for awhile. We've got a bit of a weather delay anyway. Have a wonderful weekend!

FRIDAY FINDS

Next week I'll touch base on the progress on all the seeds I've been starting this year, but thanks to this new mini greenhouse, I'll be able to get most of the plants out of the back room this weekend. For about $130 this was gardening money very well spent.

Great. First I wanted pygmy goats, now I want this cool pygmy goat house.  (Sidenote: I found a chicken in the woods the other night and it followed me home but Mr. Much More Patient told me I couldn't keep it and had to take it back to its house, which happens to be down the road a bit.)

Home-ology Modern Vintage photo

I don't have kids, but I think these woodland creature face masks are just the sweetest. I bet kids would LOVE them.

How many of Martha Stewart's favorite clematis (clematises?) do you grow?

Speaking of Martha, blogger extraodinaire and man of all things related to great taste Loi Tone is going to be featured in MS Living. I can't wait!

I've been putting up each new episode of the fabulous Gardeners' World on the Youtube channel every Friday, usually by 10 p.m. or so (depending on how well the Internet is working). You can watch them all here.

Patti's sharing some suggestions on her favorite annuals for containers.

Have a great weekend! What's on your agenda?

No room at the inn

My co-op buying has reached epic proportions this year. Through the co-op I have access to oodles of great perennials at great prices. The only catch is that they are plugs—what most local nurseries buy from wholesalers, then pot up and grow before selling them to the public, for up to four times what they paid. I don't begrudge nurseries that money at all. It's hard work to pot up all those plugs, and care for them until they are saleable. Plus, pots, dirt, heat, fertilizer and help doesn't come cheap. But I want in on that action.

So I've started buying a lot of perennials through the co-op. It's the only way I could afford so many of them. When they come I pot them up and grow them out in this thing I call a greenhouse. They call it a Flowerhouse, but make no mistake, it's a glorified pop tent.

I've got most of what I've purchased this year all potted up and settled in. The only problem? I ran out of room in the greenhouse, so a few thing are just going to have to tough it out in the big bad outside.

Here's a close up of what things are looking like in there.

And here's the whole "holding area." The larger pots are hostas I bought through the co-op last fall. I buried them in the ground, covered them in a bunch of leaf mulch and they ALL made it. I'll plant them in the new shade bed this summer. This is also the location of the aforementioned "pit of despair." Dealing with it is on this weekend's agenda, but today was rough, and frankly, it's lower on the priority list so we'll see what happens tomorrow.