Garden Log - February 18, 2018

Lots of little babies coming up in the greenhouse - I'm even putting some outside to harden up some now.  I'm hoping they will all be ready to go out in the garden by mid-March, provided we're frost free by then.  

We're expecting rain in the next few days, so I may put them out to get some natural rain if it's not coming down too hard.

 Green Cotton

 Mississippi Brown Cotton

 These are from some white cotton seeds I picked up on the side of the road in Brownsfield, Texas.  Probably gonna be some kind of Franken-cotton, but we'll see.

John has finished the Squash House - he made a smaller bed on the inside of each side for me to plant pole beans in.

 Turk and Grey are very interested in what he's doing....

I have about 20(something) tomato seedlings now, in various stages of growth.  Several cabbages going, some regular head cabbage and two different types of Chinese cabbage.

 Chirimen Hakusai Cabbage

 Various seedlings on the porch of the greenhouse - those are Heavenly 

Blue morning glories in the front.

I'm starting several types of basil this year.  Blue Spice, Globe, Lettuce Leaf, Licorice, Holy, Purple Ruffles, and Italiano Classico have all sprouted and are on the go.  African Tree Basil and New Guinea Basil have not and I think I'll have to start over.

The fruit trees are all budding and some have burst forth with blooms.  They are truly beautiful when in bloom - and so attractive to bees! Someone's honey bees have been here every single day just busy working these trees. They make quite a racket. 

 Nectarine tree, peach and plum trees in bloom

 Two plum trees in the orchard in bloom

I'm finally having some success with the pepper seeds - the new ones I planted have started to pop out of the dirt.  Red Cheese peppers, Lipstick peppers and I found one of the earlier ones had sprouted - one of the Stocky Golden Rooster.  Looks like I'll have some sweet peppers after all!

I found a few volunteers out in the garden have sprung up - spinach and two celery plants.  I think those are both Pink Plume celery.  I may dig them up and replant once I've got the spring garden layed out.   

I've been potting "up" all the little seedlings as they outgrow their containers, hope to have them all in their final pots soon (except for the tomatoes - they will get one more potting up.)  That's how I'm spending most of my time out there right now. More to come soon!