So I cleaned up his mess, then went to sit down a minute. When I woke up, it was pretty much time to start dinner. Didn’t sleep well the night before, I guess…*sigh*.

Today I actually did get some stuff done. When I pulled out all the going-to-seed lettuce, broccoli, etc., I just threw it all in my amazing-laundry-hamper-composter. I knew I needed to dump it out, chop it some, and remake the pile properly. Since it was cooler today, I decided to do that first.

I needed to get some SWC’s ready, so mixed the dirt for and filled 4 of them. Noticed that the cosmos seed I planted a few days ago is sprouting, as are the mini-morning glories I put in the top tipsy pot. Lots of teensy-tiny baby chamomile, too! Oh, and the dwarf Unwin’s Dahlia are sprouting.

But last night was the first new Bones show in a couple months, as well as some of my other shows coming back after re-runs…hence the wasted night…

On the up-side, one of the bachelor buttons bloomed today, a pretty pink one. I was hoping for blue (I like blue), but you take what you get in the mixes. It’s still pretty.

Oh yeah, planted some zinnia seeds in one container, and globeflower in another. So, some progress, but not as much as I’d hoped…

Later, guys…

Got all my SWC’s cleaned out and mixed some new dirt, getting ready for Round 2, which should commence shortly. Got tomatoes, peppers, and some broccoli, among other things, big enough to harden off. I put them on Hubby’s picnic table, in the shade, but am slowly exposing them to a bit more sun every day. Really gotta watch ‘em, though; this wind and heat will fry the poor little babies faster than I can blink.

Got some seeds sprouting to fill a couple off my new containers, and just got an idea for another one last nite while I should have been sleeping. I’ll start the seeds in a bit.

A couple weird things, though. I was about to pull my cukes, as they just aren’t fruiting, and are infested with whiteflies, among other things. All of a sudden they have just started growing like gangbusters, so now I’m debating. The watermelons in the SWC’s are doing the same thing. For a while it’s looked like they were barely hanging on, so I was babying them along hoping the melons would ripen before they expired. Now they’ve started growing new vines and blossoms, too. We’ll see what happens.

Later…

My shade arbor is done, SWCs filled and planted, including the pole bean seeds that are supposed to grow up the poles and shade my tomatoes.
Here’s a pic, even though you can’t see the baby plants in the SWCs.

The leftover part of the big blue SWC is planted with a sweet potato, while the blue SWC has two Silvery Fir Tree tomatoes. The white SWCs have Heatwave tomatoes, while the two SWCs in the back are watermelon and Kentucky Wonder pole beans. I put a couple gallon pots by the middle legs, on the outside, and put some pole bean seeds in those, too.

Oh yea, I put some more pins into the landscape fabric to hold it down better, too. The area will be mulched eventually, but before I can mulch I need some edging. If I just dump mulch, it’ll wander into the lawn instead of staying where it needs to be. Before I can do edging, I’d have to wet the ground, as it is so dry and hard it’s impossible to dig. In fact, in order to get the landscape pins into the ground, I had to poke a couple small holes in a gallon milk jug, fill it up, and let it drain. Then I could actually get the pins in the ground.

Ok, on to the tomatoes…one of the Silvery Fir Tree tomatoes actually has a blossom. I’m excited about that, even though I won’t be here to see it if it survives and turns into a tomato. Hubby will be happy, though. Here’s a pic:

I repotted an oregano and a sage plant, too, which I would have done at some point in the next week or so, but had to do it now. Don’t think they would have made it if I’d left them be until I get back.

Also had to put the cuttings from my SIL’s shrubs into yogurt cups; they rooted nicely in the Parks Biosponge thingy, except I used seed-starting mix instead. The sponge things don’t impress me at all.

While I’m thinking about it, remember when I told you I planted lettuce in a window-box under lights? Well, they are doing fine and growing well. I’ll post a pic if I have time before I leave.

This is it for now. Still got laundry and other stuff to do, and time keeps ticking away…

When I got home, I got started on my shade arbor, but it was miserable hot out there, as usual. I did decide where I want to put it permanently, got landscape fabric down, moved it, and fastened all the SWCs to the legs with tie wraps. It seems pretty sturdy, so maybe it’ll work.

Still have to get some wire fence over the top, to serve as the lattice support for the pole beans and whatever else I decide to grow. Hubby said he’d help me with that tomorrow. Could’ve done it tonight, but I suddenly realized I was very hungry and tired, so just called it quits about a half hour or so before I had to. I guess enough is enough.

I also got the squares in the garden bed amended, watered, and turned the soil over. Had to really soak the dirt, as it was dry as a bone. I don’t water unplanted dirt, naturally, so had to do a thorough soak. Was going to plant the peppers tonight, but the dirt was still too wet, so I guess I’ll transplant them tomorrow night. If I do it during the day, the poor things will fry.

Tomorrow I plan to fill the SWC’s and plant them, as well as sow the pole bean seeds. Hopefully they’ll survive and start climbing with Hubby’s help. Pics tomorrow, too, I hope.

That’s as far as I’ve gotten so far. I’ll post again, probably tomorrow, after it’s finished.

So, Jen, I’m making Self-Watering Containers into which to plant 2 watermelon, a zucchini, and a cantaloupe. Should have taken a “Before” pic, but here’s the “After.”

I did manage to accomplish part of my To-Do List today. I planted 5 baby basil, a baby dill, and a baby sesame into the garden, as well as painting the ugly orange buckets. Doesn’t sound like much, until you consider the 97-feels-like-102 temperatures today. Considering I had to dig 7 holes and amend the dirt in the midst of that heat, it was a major exercise in self-discipline to get it done. Oh, I also potted up the hummingbird shrub into a pot that should hold it for a while, until I can get the beer cooler pot done.

Sure wish some of the rain flooding the rest of the country would come our way; we sure need it.

Well, PHOOEY…I just realized I’m gonna miss the Bones season finale…now THAT totally sucks! Thank goodness for Tivo. Oh well, guess seeing the grandsons will make up for having to wait all that time to watch it!