Achla Compost Bin

Since becoming a passionate gardener, I've learned a lot about composting. [If you want to learn more about the basics of composting or even what composting is, then check out this really cool website: http://compostinstructions.com/]. Last year I even tried to create my own composter with diasterly results (my mate will testify to the stench my "compost pile" created).

I blame my failed attempt at composting on my lack of having a proper composting bin. Now a bin doesn't have to be super fancy nor cost a lot of money to make. I, however, had certain specifics, such as the need to keep rodents out of the compost bin and a bin that I could easily rotate the composting material. So after my failed attempt, I fianally broke down and purchased a rolling compost bin made by Achla. I figure that it's a good investment considering how much money spend on aged manure and other soil amendments. By composting all of my kitchen scraps and yard waste, I not only save money but also minimize my contribution to the landfills. Yay, composting!

Lady Slipper

Oh My Peony

I don't know why, but it took me such a long time to appreciate peonies. I knew of their existence, but just never really paid any attention to them (did you know that peonies are very revered by the Chinese and symbolize wealth). Since then, I've really learned to appreciate the beauty that they are and the variety (some look like mums and others look like multi-petaled roses).

Last year my mate's sister gave me several plants from her yard. She was looking to get rid of the plants and I opted to take them. I planted them into pots and into my yard. I got some leaves out of the plants but no flowers (I read somewhere that this is normal and a newly transplated peony may not bloom until two or three years later). This year, a co-worker gave me her peonies too so I had to rearrange my garden again. So far, I've been very surprised with the plants vigorious growth. Two weeks ago they were little red buds (known as "eyes") in the ground and this week they are shooting forth stems and leaves. Hopefully this year these plants will bloom and send forth fragrant flowers. Since I have no idea what color or shape these flowers will be, I'm highly anticipating their arrival. I'll definately keep you posted.

Happy Earth Day

Rain, Rain, . . .

Don't go away. It's been cloudy and drizzling the last couple of days, but no real rain storm yet. Right now the state really needs rain (despite the snow we received this winter) in order to avoid forest fires and maybe even a drought. This might sound odd, but I find Midwestern thunderstorms quite frightening; definately nothing like a California thunderstorm. For some reason, the thunder here is much louder and the lighting is much more fierce. I'm glad that I have a home to shelter me from the storm and a bed with lots of blankets to keep me warm. With that comment, I wish you well and hope that you have someone to shelter you from the thunderstorms in your life but also to provide you with the nourishing rain you need to grow.

Garden Path

[Atlanta, Georgia, taken March 22, 2009]

My Garden in Spring 2009

Since an avid reader of my blog (BTW--thanks for reading my little blog) requested that I post before and after pictures of my garden, today's blog post will refelct some of the things I've done to my garden so far (which isn't much). In a couple of months I will post more pictures of my garden again. Hopefully, it will be much more spectacular in the coming months.

I'll try my best to not bore you with my descriptions of each picture and the details. With that said, here is my first picture, which shows the southern side of my garage. I put in a path last year on this side of the garage, which was placed in a checkered fashion (e.g. a square stepping stone with a square patch of dirt next to it, followed by a square of dirt followed by a square stepping stone next to it, and so forth). In the dirt squares I've decided to plant peonies. I've dug up the first square stone in the path with an intent of rerouting the path and growing raspberry canes where the square stone was laid. So far, my rose bush in the blue pot is still alive and well.

The following picture is a picture of my blueberry bushes grown in tubs. Some of the braches on all three of the bushes were trimmed by rabbits in the winter. Luckily, they've all survived the winter and the rabbits. Prior to taking this picture I had just finished clearing out the leaves from each of the tub, put in new peat moss and fertilizer, water, and mulch.

Further to the south of my blueberry bushes and on the other side of my yard is a clothesline pole (seriously, I do not know why I only have ONE clothesline pole, nor do I know what happened to the other pole). Since I am unable to hang a clothesline with only one pole and it may be semi-costly to remove the existing pole, I decided to finally put the pole to use as a potential trellis for my roses. I planted two climbing roses near the western base of the pole, a Joseph's Coat (the one on the left in the picture) and a hardy William Baffin. On the other side of the pole is my patch of dirt (which I've just aerated and added composted manure to) where I hope to grow lots of tomatoes.

The next picture is a close up of little green onions growing near the Jacob's Coat rose bush. Apparently, rose bushes do not mind onions and garlic planted near it.

Lastly, this sad picture is of my cherry tree and the sad, sad, state of the eastern part of my yard. At the end of last month I pruned my cherry tree and today I added mulch to the base of the tree. Around the base of the fence, on both sides of the fence, I've planted lots of prennials around it (although it does not look like it). The irises are struggling to send up new shoots, I see new growth from various lilies, and I'm just waiting for the poppies to come up.

So, I've done a lot of cleaning in and around my garden, but nothing too wonderful to show. I like to think that I'm setting the foundation for a beautiful garden to come. Thanks for taking a tour of my garden with me.

Cherry Blossoms

[Atlanta, Georgia, taken March 21, 2009]

Will Garden for Free

Despite the wonky weather in my neck of the world (yesterday we got two inches of snow that got melted by the afternoon sun), spring is coming. Since I was not a diligent gardener in the fall and failed to clear out my garden before the winter, my chores as of late has been clearing out my garden of organic debris.

I have also started planting some roses into the ground. For a while there, I wanted to grow my roses in pots—that way, I can move my roses around. However, I have since decided to plant them in the ground because they will flourish so much better, provide more blooms, and probably survive the winter months. I am a bit nervous because I am not really a rosarian and I worry about my plants succumbing to all types of rose afflictions (e.g. mildew, black spot, thrips), but I guess I should have some kind of faith that my roses are going to be okay.

Other than my roses, I have been very surprised at what has survived in my garden. Seriously, I am always left in awe of various plants in my garden and how hardy they are. I see signs of life peeking out from the dead and rotting organic debris. For example, I see new shoots of green coming out from my mums, new growth from my irises and lilies, and even green leaves from the perennial poppies I planted last year. Once more, I am very excited to see what pops up in my garden. I have a feeling that the colors in my garden will be mismatched shades of blue, pink, red, yellow, orange, and green, and will look like it’s been planned by a bunch of kindergartners. I, however, do not care. I wanted a cottage garden, an exuberant garden, abundant in color, with the majority of the plants hardy to my zone. I may worry about how my garden looks in the future, but at this point, I just want to garden.