The hazelnut flowers now have bright magenta protrusions popping out of the buds
And the pollen is starting to emerge too.
Category: Gardening
Crocus Time
Crocus flowers are starting to sprout up around the yard — years ago, Anya and I planted crocus bulbs randomly throughout the front yard. Some have split into three or four plants already, and some are still single little flowers. We’ve even got some sprouting up elsewhere — maybe they’re spreading seeds too?
2022 Garden – Seeds in Dirt
The pepper seeds are in their little pots and (hopefully) will sprout in the next week or so. Anya put a few of her herb seeds into pots as well … but she’s got more seeds to start.
Next up, I want to get the broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, ground cherries, and tomatoes going.
2022 Garden – Seed Starting
We started soaking our first seeds for the garden this year — Anya has quite a few herbs getting ready to be started, and I have an assortment of peppers.
Home Automation and Gardening
Something like 20 years ago, I tried to grow a plumeria flower in my apartment. I had a broad-spectrum light, plenty of heat, and plenty of humidity. But getting the light turned on and off at the right times wasn’t easy (especially if I was at work all day!).
This seems like a really good use for home automation — our home automation system tracks the sunrise and sunset times for our zip code. It’s possible to essentially cron “stuff” off of these times — e.g. get the birds ten minutes before sunset. I could easily track sunrise and sunset in Honolulu then have my light turn on at sunrise (or first light) and off at sunset (or last light). Voila — “sunlight” that runs for the proper duration every day.
2022 Seeds
We’ve saved seeds from the garden (and seeds from both ground cherries and hot peppers that we picked up at the farmers market) that will make up much of our garden this year. I purchased a bunch of flower seeds to expand the bee garden, and a few new vegetables. And I really hope to get asparagus established this year!
| Seeds for Honeybees | ||
Autumn Beauty Sunflower Seeds – XL Packet |
Ballerina California Poppy Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Ball’s Orange Calendula Seeds – XL Packet |
Butterfly Weed Seeds – 1/4 Oz |
California Giants Zinnia Seed Mix – 1/4 Lb |
Globe Annual Candytuft Seeds – XL Packet |
Fairy Bouquet Snapdragon Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Dwarf Shasta Daisy Seeds – XL Packet |
Swiss Giants Pansy Seed Mix – 1/4 Oz |
Single China Aster Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Painted Daisy Seeds – XL Packet |
Money Plant Seeds – XL Packet |
Ice Plant Seed Mix – 1 Oz |
McKana Giants Columbine Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Indian Blanket Seeds – XL Packet |
Imperial Rocket Larkspur Seed Mix – 1 Oz |
Imperial Pincushion Flower Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Iceland Poppy Seeds – 1 Oz |
Sparky French Marigold Seed Mix – XL Packet |
Common Milkweed Seeds – 1 Oz |
|
| Seeds for Food | ||
Sugar Beet Seeds |
Anise Seeds |
|
Chioggia Beet Seeds |
Easter Egg Radish Seeds |
French Breakfast Radish
|
Sparkler White Tip Radish |
White Icicle Radish Seeds
|
|
 Hickory King Corn |
 Pencil Cob Corn |
|
 Triticale |
 Winter Rye |
 Dundale Pea |
 Hull-less Barley |
 Burbank Hull-less Barley |
Oats |
Wheat |
||
German Extra Hardy Garlic |
 Chesnok Garlic |
Music Garlic |
Dutch Red Shallot |
Dutch Red Shallot |
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Hazelnuts!
Our hazelnut bushes are finally growing the male part of the flower that comes out in the Autumn! Fingers crossed, we’ll be harvesting hazelnuts this time next year. It’s been seven years since we planted the bushes, but deer and rabbits chomped them down to little nubs the first year they were planted.
Garlic Harvest
The garlic that was growing in the front bed for two years made some nice, large bulbs. The garlic that had been growing in the garden bed just this year, however, was pretty small. Each plant had a couple of cloves, but I think there was too much clay in the soil still. And growth was stunted. Or growing for two years help a lot!
I ordered more garlic for next year so we can expand the bed: 1 lb of German Extra Hardy, 1 lb of Chesnok Red, and 1 lb of Music. Also got half a pound of dutch red shallots and half a pound of French gray shallots.
Dilly Beans
We made dilly beans tonight.
Ingredients:
- Fresh string beans
- 1.25c vinegar
- 1.25c water
- 2T salt
- Whole dill
- Whatever spices — garlic cloves, peppercorns, hot pepper flakes, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, maple syrup, mustard seeds
Method:
- Clean beans — wash, trim stem end, remove string if there is one
- Pack beans into wide-mouth canning jars
- Add in a sprig or two of dill along with other spices
- Put brine ingredients into a measuring cup & microwave until boiling, pour over beans.
- Put on lid, allow to cool, then refrigerate
Strawberries!
The strawberries I planted two years ago are starting to produce! Anya picked fourteen ripe strawberries a few days ago, and she found a handful again today.
