Joyce's Garden Blog

Indian Rustica Tobacco Plant

2009-07-14T08:18:00.001-07:00

This Indian Tobacco plant is blooming like crazy!

The description states that the flower are yellow but as you can

see, they are more of a pale lime green. Very pretty, actually.

First Tobacco Flower!

2009-07-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

July 8th-09- Indian Tobacco Plant

Tobacco plants update

2009-07-08T07:53:00.001-07:00

Here it is July and we have had maybe two weeks of decent hot weather for these sub tropical plants! This plant here is in my greenhouse where it is obviously the warmest and it is now 35 inches tall and the leaves are huge! I measured the one in the front and it is 25 inches long from base to tip! Not to mention it hasn't been feasted on like the plants on the porch.

Secondly, the porch plants are doing OK with the Indian tobacco plant already starting to flower and the Common Smoking tobacco still the largest plant.

I will comment that the Indian tobacco has showned the most vigor from being eaten down to a nub by slugs to making a comeback and catching up in size to the other plants and now trying to flower! Of course if you are growing for tobacco leaf production, then you need to remove the flowers heads as they appear, but we are growing them more as an ornamental so the flower buds will get to stay. I figure they will probably open this weekend when we are promised warmer weather! So look for pics cause they will be coming!

Topiary update

2009-06-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Last year I planted my Corgi topiary and showed it off with my darling dog, Toby standing next to it. I affectionately call it a "Tobiary". Well, I overwintered it in my greenhouse and the white bacopa bloomed all winter!
Now the Tobiary has been moved to the open deck of my home for the summer and is looking magnificent! The bacopa is still blooming (a year later) and has grown so long, that it completely encircles the front of the statue! A real show stopper for visitors!
Remember, this is a soiless container so I feed it liquid fertilizer at least once a week. The topiary is actually "standing" on a plastic bin lid that is lipped and is kept full of water, so the statue doesn't dry out. Very important for this project.

Lite beer vs dark stout beer!!!

2009-06-21T10:16:00.001-07:00

What's beer got to do with these plants? Everything! As you can see our garden slugs having been eating on my nicotinana (Tobacco) plants so I've been fighting back with small cups of beer.

I have found that the dark stout beer works great (got four last night in one pot) and the lighter beer didn't get any!

Brands used were Colt 45 malt liquor and Hamms regular.

Plant shown here our Common Smoking Tobacco and it's growing nicely. We see new growth every day.

Fertilize your plants organically

2009-06-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

I try to garden as organically as possible so this year I am using guano products from Sunleaves. Pictured here is the seabird guano which is high in nitrogen and phosphate which is really giving my plants a growing boost! The guano is in pellet form and frankly smells totally nasty!

I use it in a couple of ways. I mixed in a small amount of the pellets when I first planted my container plants in the spring with the theory that they would break down over time with watering. All the plants look happy and healthy.

Then I also add a tablespoon or so of pellets to my big watering can and fill it with water. Leave overnight so the pellets fall apart. Even when the pellets fall apart, the guano is still heavier than water, so I just give a quick stir before watering. This is what I am feeding the tobacco plants with.

The Peruvian Seabird Guano comes in a box with three other guanos for a diverse selection of all natural fertilizers. Here is the breakdown:

1) Peruvian Seabird Guano: 10-10-2

2) Mexican Bat Guano: 10-2-1

3) Indonesian Bat Guano: 0.5-12-2

4) Jamacian Bat Guano: 1-10-0.2

If interested in this product, just let me know as I am a distributor as well as a user!

tobacco plants update and more

2009-06-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted on this blog so thought I would bring you up to speed! The demo tobacco plants in containers are finally taking off and getting some height! I've been battling slugs like crazy with containers of cheap beer and it works! I am sure the store clerk didn't quite believe me when I bought chips and beer and told him that the chips were for me and the beer for the slugs! LOL

We are still having typical Pacific Northwest weather with lots of clouds and mild temps, so the plants are well so far. I am sure my friends in the deep south have much more advanced plants, but we are having fun growing these guys! The tallest plants in the white container is Common Smoking tobacco and can reach heights of six feet! Well, maybe not tall for us considering our location and they are being contained in planters, but we do have a few plants out in our regular garden area but they are not a big as these. Course, these plants get watered and fertilized more.

Speaking of fertilizer, I am using bird guano pellets, but that's another posting!

June's Flowers

2009-06-03T11:34:00.001-07:00

Click on the picture to see this collage of blooming plants in full size and detail!

Here in the PNW we have rhoadies blooming, a Martha Washington geranium starting to bloom, wegelia with their bright pink trumpet shaped flowers against a dark purple leaves, a riot of yellow with day lilies, japanese iris, red geum which remind me of carnations, bleeding heart plant with snow of summer flowers below it, and a container planting with miniature multi-colored roses and fragrant alyssum.

Now to get some serious weeding done and kick back with a chilled glass of wine later and admire my work and the beauty of nature!

Happy gardening everyone!

Summer blooms in water

2009-05-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yea for summer! Tomorrow is June 1st and I am so glad to see the warmer days. Pictured here are my first water lilies blooming. Since today is Sunday, this is fertilizing day for my potted plants on my porch. A nice shot of bird guano dissolved in water should give them a boost. I try to stay organic and there are so many products out there that it is easy to do!

Update on the beer and slugs experiment......... it worked great! Got slugs in the first night and no more since. So guess they didn't mind slithering across the diatomaceous earth and sand afterall. Hmmmm.

Slugs and Beer - Urban Myth?

2009-05-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the slugs are busy munching on our baby plants, so it's War!

I have the trifecta going on here........ a small bowl with some beer in it and yes, it works. They are attracted to the yeasty smell and slurp till they fall in and drown.

Then I also sprinkle on beach sand and diatamachus earth. Slugs being unprotected by shells, hate sharp feel of sand and diatamachus earth, so are discouraged to slither across the surface.

Diatamachus earth is acutally fossillized sea shells and care should be exercised not to breathe in the fine particle dust. Not good for your lungs.

So looking forward to seeing if we get any late night customers!

When, How, and why, to fertilize your garden plants

2009-05-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Now that you have your baby plants up and growing, you are probably wondering how to feed them and how much!

Many gardeners are very familiar with the green measuring spoon seen here found in every box of M****** Gro. Do you even know what the amounts are in each side and which to use? Chances are, no. So, let's take a moment and review. The big side holds 1.5 Tbls of product and is meant for your outside garden area. The correct dilution is 1 tablespoon per gallon of water, so this measurement is meant for 1.5 gallons of solution. I know, you are tempted to add more, but please don't! You could easily burn the tender roots and kill your plants. Not a good thing!

Now, the other side (smaller measure is 0.5 tsp) is for potted plants such as indoor plants or any plant that is in a container. Why so much smaller? Because fertilizer salts will build up in a container since they can't be washed away and diluted like your garden plot soil. So, you want a much "weaker" solution for your potted plants. Recommendations is at most half strength solution, or in the case of this product, 0.5 teaspoon per gallon of water.

Treat organic fertilizers the same. Full strength solution per manufacturers directions for your outdoor garden, and half strength or less for your potted plants including your newly sprouted baby plants. Introduce feeding fertilizers gradually so has not to put the plant into shock or worse! As for how often to fertilize, I feed my plants weekly and use plain water the rest of week. Remember, garden plot plants will be getting nutrients from the soil but potted plants are pretty much dependent on you.

Happy gardening!

Joyce

Baby Tobacco plants growing

2009-05-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Matt's baby tobacco plants are now three weeks old and growing visibly every day. Notice how "hairy" his stems are becoming. They will be moved to soil pots soon, but for now are doing very well in the hydroponic setting.

2009-04-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

Started some nicotiana (common smoking tobacco) in our Aerogarden nine days ago and already have teeny tiny baby plants sprouting! The seeds are the size of grains of sand, so are a challenge to sow. I find that my licking my index finger, I can "pick" up three or four seeds and then roll them off with my thumb. I can't imagine how the tobacco farmers sow their fields! Interesting note is that tobacco is not only related to tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, but are also related to the petunia! It's hard to fathom that these little tiny plants will grow to nice stocky plants up to six feet tall in one season!

Success! Growing peppers in Aerogarden

2009-04-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

This is too cool ! This plant is actually six months old and been my hubby's constant companion by his computer at work. He had to experiment to finally get the flowers to produce fruit. He tried "shaking" the plant like the instructions said, but the flowers did not germinate and would dry up and fall off. Then he tried Q-tips in the flowers and still no fruit. Finally, he bought a small fine bristle paint brush and swirled it around the open flowers and Presto! Now he has five developing fruits and the flowers seen here also have fruits starting to grow.

Damping off disease

2009-04-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Are you starting your garden from seeds? Prevent damping off fungus with a sprinkle of cinnamon! Cinnamon is a natural fungicide. You can also water with a half strength chamomile tea and the easiest method is to set up a fan nearby on low setting to keep the tops of your seedling tray dry. Remember, it's best to water from below than from the top.

Using alternative products for feeding your Aerogarden

2009-04-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

A customer inquired about using liquid nutrients instead of the tabs included with their Aerogarden so I thought I would answer this question here on the garden forum.
********************
Yes, you can bypass the nutrient tabs and use any commercial hydroponic solutions. Just be sure that your ratio of product is correct to the amount of water in your aerogarden reservoir. I personally use the liquids and have had great success. I feed my aerogarden once a week and it's a good practice to change out all the solution in your reservoir once a month. The reason being is that nutrients levels can get concentrated over time, so once a month just empty out the reservior and replace the water with a new solution of nutrients. During the week, only add plain water to the reservoir as the plants take up solution.

That being said, Aerogarden's tabs are formulated for your specific volume in your Aerogarden and also contains buffers to protect the plant from harsh chemicals. They are easy to use and make feeding your plants super easy and accurate.
The home gardener who choosed to use other brands must be sure to mix the nutrients to water ratio correctly. Not a big deal, but is generally taken on by a more experienced gardener who understands how to calculate formulas. The up side is that by using liquid nutrients you come out with a much cheaper way to feed your plants and since they are liquid, not likely to gum up pumps inside the reservior.
Happy gardening!
Joyce
Pictured above is my three pot Aerogarden in my office planted with a mini marigold, Forget-me-not, and Johnny Jump-up violas.

Yaktrax

2009-01-06T13:44:00.001-08:00

I heard raves about "Yaktrax" from the on the street reporters in Portland, Or during the big snow event a couple of weeks past. They loved them! Yaktrax are heavy duty metal coils and stretchable rubber that fit over your shoes or boots. So mine arrived via UPS today and they look very sturdy. Of course, ALL the snow has melted so I can't try them out, but winter is not over. The next time we get snow and ice on the deck, I will be ready!
I am pleased to report that I have growing tomatoes in my hydroponic garden in the greenhouse. The leaves of the plants look pretty damaged from the below freezing weather we had for days, even though I had the grow lights on 24/7. At least they came through.
Now that the new year is here, I tidied up my webpage and am busy updating price changes from my suppliers. I think with the economy in a mess, more folks will turn to gardening not only to supplement their higher food costs but to get back to some basics. Anyone can grow a pot of flowers or herbs whether indoors in a window or on a deck or yard. Baby steps....... just try one plant and see how it goes. A little care, a little water, a little plant food, and you may discover that you love it! Seed sales are already picking up, so I think that is a good sign.

My Review of iRobot Roomba® 530 Vacuum Cleaning Robot

2008-12-19T18:40:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at iRobot

The Roomba 530 features our newest innovations in vacuum performance, room navigation, edge and corner cleaning, advanced anti-tangle technology and transitioning from carpets to hard floors.

Covers 3 rooms on a single battery charge
Self-charging Home Base®

Nickname: Servo (after Mystery Science Theater's robot Tom Servo).

Pros: Pet Friendly, Cleans Under Furniture, Covers Entire Room, Cleans Effectively, Long Run Time

Best Uses: Carpeted Rooms, Small Rooms

Describe Yourself: Pet Owner, Homeowner

Nice! Left it running in my home office while we went to dinner and came back to nicely vacuumed room. As soon as I opened the door, it headed out into the living room. My dogs are curious but not scared of it like with the upright vacuum and it is not as loud either. I think this unit will be a nice compliment to my upright and cleans under chairs and tables where I can't reach easily with a larger unit. I plan on using it in the bedrooms and home office mostly as I can take it in, turn it, shut the door and walk away. Cool!

Con: It couldn't find the docking base even when placed in it's vicinity but that is a minor issue. Maybe next time! Perhaps there is a "learning curve"

(legalese)

Do you have Hydroponic Seeds? Final Thoughts for 08

2008-12-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

I am often asked about seeds specifically for hydroponics, so thought I would take a moment to address that.
Very few seeds are developed specifically for hydroponics. What is more common is to buy seeds that have limited growth and self-pollinate. For example, you want to grow a determinate AKA bush tomato rather than a indeterminate AKA vining tomato. A bush tomato will grow a specific height, generally 18 to 24 inches and produces all it's fruit at once. To pollinate a tomato plant just gently shake the plant once a day when the flowers have opened. Some folks go so far as to use a soft bristled paint brush to hand pollinate each flower and probably get closed to 100% pollination that way.
Look for self-pollinating vegetables such as bush beans, peas, loose leaf or small headed lettuces, mini bush eggplant, sweet or hot peppers, and bush variety tomatoes.
Finally I want to thank all my customers now that the year is coming to a close. 09 is going to be a challenge for all of us, but we will persevere!
My corgi, Toby and I wish you the happiest of holidays and we'll see you in 09!
Joyce

Wii Fitness on a Gardening Page?

2008-11-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

I know, what's going on and what does it have to do with gardening? Well, my friends, every now and then I come across a product that I absolutely love and the Wii Fit is one of them! As gardeners, we know that we need to be in some degree of fitness in order to accomplish our gardening goals. From standing a step stool which requires good balance to lifting and hanging a flowering basket or being able to dig up a flower bed, we all need to have good balance as well as stamina.
Since getting the Wii console and Wii Fit, both my hubby and I have noticed that our general balance is improving which leads to better posture, better strength, better eye and hand coordination, and a feeling of accomplishment! Did I mention that we are having fun and losing weight too!
I think Nintendo got this one right. Even your kids will get into it. Fun balance games to play that are sneaky in getting them up out of the chair and playing! What kid wouldn't love to snowboard down a mountain slope or carefully walk a tightrope from one building to another while avoiding the "chomping jaws" machine. Very cool graphics too.
For adults, there is both a great yoga section with good instructions to increase your flexibility and a strength section that works everything from the all important core abs to arms, legs, and back.
Lastly there is an Aerobic section where you can do a step aerobic program along with a chorus line of Wiis or if you prefer, run in a mini marathon on a beautiful tropical island.
There's definitely something for everyone on Wii Fit. Check it out ! Happy Holidays !

Finally! Affordable Supplemental Lighting

2008-10-19T13:42:00.001-07:00

Now that winter is just around the corner, gardeners are looking for ways to grow plants either indoors in their home or in a greenhouse setting. Unfortunately supplemental lighting can be quite expensive. Most often lighting requires not only a light unit, but expensive bulbs, a reflector, and a ballast! This can easily add up to hundreds of dollars.
I am thrilled that Sun System addresses this problem with the Sun System 150 Watt Grow Light Fixture. What you see in this picture is my unit which I have hanging at an angle as to give this tomato plant full spectrum lighting and I have it on a household timer to come on at 11 PM and turn off at 9 AM. Why those hours you ask? Because my greenhouse is unheated so I am using the light not only for supplemental lighting but also to generate enough warmth so my plant isn't susceptible to the early morning freezes we have been getting the last few nights.
I am pleased to report that the plant is nice and stocky, and has lots of flowers on it. I am looking forward to having tomatoes during the winter months this year!
Oh yeah, and the cost of the unit? Only $79.95. It comes with a 150 watt high pressure sodium bulb - that delivers an amazing 16,000 lumens! Nice!
Sun System 150 watt unit is available here for purchase.

Update on my Corgi Topiary

2008-10-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

We are having a nice Indian Summer Afternoon so I thought I would snap this photo of my corgi dog topiary that I planted in early summer. He has a wonderful blanket of mini white bacopa that is draping down onto the deck. It is just full of blooms and buds. I think I will definitely use that plant in my hanging baskets next year. Very nice!

I will be moving the topiary into the greenhouse in a couple of weeks so it won't get frozen at night. This has been a fun "container" planting!

Replanting your AeroGarden on the Cheap!

2008-09-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

For under a $1.00 I was able to replant my standard AeroGarden unit. I found that dividing one 2 inch rockwool cube into four segments would fill four AeroGarden baskets perfectly! I bought four loose 2 inch rockwool cubes from my local store for $1.00 and used less than two of them to fill my seven port Aerogarden. Just took a slight trimming at the base and they slipped right in. A poke in the middle for the seeds and they were ready to be planted.
Remember to document what you planted and when. I just jotted down the date planted and what the seeds were in each pod. Each pod has three seeds in it so I can be certain of germination. Extra seeds that come up will be clipped.
I am using my AeroGarden to start tomato and pepper seeds that will be transplanted to my larger hydroponic set-up in just a few weeks.
The other two rockwool cubes will be segmented and will be growing romain lettuce and basil in my kitchen's Aerogarden unit during the coming winter months. Yes, it's true, I have two AeroGarden units, and oh, a mini Aerogarden (3 port) in my office growing the colorful bouquet mix in it. It has the prettiest maroon/yellow monkey flowers and a gorgeous burnt orange/yellow marigold blooming! The mini geranium is playing catch-up but is finally growing well. No signs of blooms yet on it.

Time to Winterize your Roses

2008-09-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Winterizing roses is an essential maintenance practice, undertaken to ensure healthy and constant growth of the plant so that it is strong and ready for spring.

How much winter protection you need to give your roses depends on your climate and the particular rose. Winterizing roses should be done in late fall after a hard frost, for most folks in the north, but for us here in the Pacific Northwest, we may not have true “hard” freezing weather until mid winter. So, for me, I usually will prune my bushes back around Halloween. By then we are starting to get some frosty nights and since we have lots of rain, the plants are done blooming anyway.

The standard advice from most rose experts is to prune your plant back by a third of it's size. Well, I am guilty of pruning mine back nearly to the ground and they have come back even stronger! As a general rule with pruning hybrid tea roses, any cane thinner than a pencil should be removed. DO remove the oldest stems that are no longer productive.

As a group, hybrid tea roses are more tender and are most vulnerable to winter cold and need the most preparation. The timing and extent of protective measures for more fragile hybrid tea roses depends on how cold your winters are.

It is very important here with our mild rainy weather, to remove all foliage from the ground as roses are very susceptible to fungus. Diseased leaves left on the ground will allow spores to bounce back up onto the plant when the rain hits them and keep infecting the plant.

If you live in an area with relatively mild winters, you may simply mound the mulch over the plant crown 6 to 12 inches. For sudden freezing nights some protection may be needed. I have heard of everything from bed sheets to bubble wrap! Now, the bubble wrap sounds like a great idea! You have the insulating air pockets of the wrap and it's light enough in weight than it won't break your plants branches, like bedding may do if it becomes weighted down by a heavy dew or gets rained on.

If you don't cut back the leaves and remove the foliage, when the freezing weather hits the frost will travel down to the roots and most likely, your plant will die. Growers understand the importance of summer watering their roses and having rose beds with good drainage, however, the plants can also be stressed if they enter the cold weather season too dry.

Many shrub roses and species roses may be hardy enough to endure your winters without protection. Check with your local Extension office for specific information. In areas where winters are unstable, with freeze/thaw cycles, roses can be weakened or even killed off. This is because the natural anti desiccant in the plant blocks in moisture, which protects the plant from the damage caused by freezing, thawing or refreezing in winters.

How your rose fares in winter depends on a number of factors--the weather, the plant's location in the garden and, of course, the type of rose it is. The thing to do is monitor the weather reports and have your mulch and cover materials (see notes in a previous paragraph) ready to go should a cold snap be predicted.

Ready your Pond and Fish for Winter Now

2008-09-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

Fall Cleanup in Your Pond

The calendar says it's Fall now and I have to agree. The days are getting shorter and nights colder. So today I decided it was time to get the pond winterized. I put on my rubber wader suit and joined the fishes in my little pond. I pulled up the water lilies and trimmed off all the long stalks and spent flowers. I left the smaller leaves that were just emerging from the plant so not to put the plant into total shock and those leaves will still synthesize oxygen and carbon dioxide for the plant as it shuts down for winter. Then I dropped those plant containers in the deepest part of my pond for the winter. I also removed all the floating plants and they will be composted on my strawberry plant beds to add nutrients to the soil.

The floaties (ducks, frog and turtle) were removed and will be stored away till next year. Lastly, I added some “good” bacteria product back into the pond. The bacteria will help decompose the plant material in the bottom of the pond and also the fish waste. It also reduces ammonia and nitrates which of course, are harmful to your fish! This is a very important step both in spring and in the fall.

Remember, you want to leave your pumps running all winter. Your fish still need oxygen and circulation. I have a 350 gph submersible pond at the far end of my pond that flows through my UV light, through my bog garden which acts as my biological filter, and dumps back into the pond in the opposite corner. This way I know I have total water circulation throughout my pond. I also have a small external air pump that bubbles air into the deepest part of my pond through an air stone. This insures that the fish will be adequately oxygenated through the cold winter months when they are down in that section and not moving around. Their metabolism slows down as the water gets colder and they go into a semi-dormant state.

Speaking of fish, have you taken your pond's temperature lately? Seriously..... once the water temperature dips below 50F, stop feeding your fish commercial high protein fish food. I know, just like small children, they want to be feed constantly, but their digestive systems shut down in colder water and they can't digest properly. You can kill them if you continue to feed them! If you can't take it, you could toss in some green peas. Fish love them and since they are mainly carbs, no harm will come to your fish. It's the high protein in fish food that that they can't process properly in the colder winter months. Chances are they will naturally disappear to the bottom of the pond and you can rest easy. In the spring, again, feeding them high protein fish food is temperature dependent. Remember, 50F is the magic number.

Lastly, I cover my small pond with some netting as we live in an area where herons routinely fly over and the fish have lost their natural cover of the lily leaves. Protection is key when natural cover has died back or been eliminated.

Thanks for reading and I will author more pond info in the spring, only six months from now!