Organic gardener growing food and flowers, lovin' pollinators and birds.

A Year Without Tomatoes?

I'm pretty sad - all the tomato seedlings I started in mid-March have taken a turn for the worse. The first batch ended up dropping most of it's leaves and looking sad, so they were moved out to the cold frame (they're not looking good). Then another batch, the Rosso Sicilians and the New Yorkers (both determinate) are now starting to get yellow leaves or curled leaves, and the newest addition to the party, the Isis Candy, is starting to drop lower leaves.

It seems that every year I am a gardener, the harder it is for me to grow tomatoes. What boggles my mind is that these were not even set out when they started having problems. I am (99%) sure I used new or disinfected seed trays when I initially sowed them.

I'm putting them outside tomorrow in the heat, on the off chance that the central air is affecting them (it's set to 71 in the house). My resident plant guru from the local nursery suggested I take a few of them, replant them in bigger pots, and then spray them with a copper sulphate fungicide and to cross my fingers. But I think I'm getting used to the idea of having to discard them and purchase seedlings from a greenhouse.

What a bummer. I feel like I failed Tomato 101. It's also times like these that I wonder why the hell I even bother with vegetables. Why can't I be content with just a pretty flower garden?

New Yorker tomatoes... see the beginning of yellow leaves?

This is the Rosso Sicilian that got my attention with the curling leaves.
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I spy

Tonight I was installing another trellis out front for the Sweet Autumn Clematis. Over a month ago (at least) I had purchased another trellis for the honeysuckle vine, also out front (see below).



Tonight, after installing the trellis, I was walking behind the honeysuckle vine and did a double take. There tucked among the vine was not one, but two, bird's nests!




There are not any eggs in either nest, but with the help of the Certified Wildlife Habitat Facebook page, I've narrowed it down to a yellow warbler (who I've never seen) or a cardinal. At first I thought it was a Carolina wren, since I've read that the male makes several nests and then shows these off and "shops" with his lady friend until they find the right nest. But based on photos I've found online, these look pretty big to be for the wrens. Any thoughts?
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Monday Roll Call

I love my red poppies. They remind me of Georgia O'Keefe.

The witch hazel mulch has been delivered,  I planted the plum trees (finally!) last Monday, and the peas are starting to form flowers and pods on the plants. And the flowers- they are peaking now! It's so lovely at this time of year.

Columbine doing its thing.

Wisteria Amethyst Falls- the look of wisteria without being invasive!

Baptista and Clematis together.

The view along the driveway.


The peas are blooming.

On the other side of the garden bed, with new mulch.

Love!

One of my beautiful David Austin Roses.

View from the front arbor. Some of the beds are mulched. One of the new
plum trees is in this shot, too.

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Monday Roll Call

Winky columbine (back garden)

Allium (back garden)

Love this! Daisy I grew from seed last year.

Full house! Only cannas were purchased!

Iris

Little Lime columbine

Iris along neighbor's property line (needs moving because a large buddelia is in front of them).

BEAUTIFUL iris!

Clematis (Jackmanni)

Iris

Black Barlow columbine.

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This used to be my kitchen table

Now it's my seed headquarters. Well, it has been since about January.

Good thing we don't use the kitchen table for anything else... right honey?


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Yellow Tree Peony


I brought this blossom in to put in my mom's crystal rose bowl. So pretty!

And it looks like the irises are going to bloom any day now. What an early spring!
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Butterflies in the Garden

This is the earliest I've seen butterflies in the garden - found out one is a Red Admiral, but not sure if the spotted one is, too. There were four in total. It's so nice to have butterflies back!

Hanging out on the roof of the shed.
Displaying his lovely wings in the sunlight.

Lovely ruffled columbine by the back patio.


I love when nature cooperates!
Even better!

The azalea out back began to bloom May 4!

Another view of the Red Admiral.

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Vegetable Garden Update

It's been a wacky spring. Finally, now that it is May, the peas are finally looking normal (and growing taller), but the spinach hasn't really grown at all (do we count a 1/2 inch tall?) and the swiss chard and radish seeds I planted in early April are practically non-existent. Was the mistake direct-sowing outdoors?  (I'm frustrated that the easiest crops are not working for me.)

Here's the newest grow bed along the driveway with beets, carrots and lots of different types of lettuce sprouting.

Mowed down! Oh no!
The broccoli seedlings I started seem to look more robust today (as if they came from a nursery instead of my kitchen) but imagine my surprise when three of the plants were nibbled in half and left to die. I don't believe we have rabbits... is it that woodchuck causing problems? Luckily there are still plenty of plants left to grow.

I feel as if last spring I was further along at this point, even though it was colder and definitely snowier than this past winter. What gives?
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