Tomato Watch 2008
The tomatoes are starting to get leggy again... although not as bad as last year. I definitely need another grow light next year if I want to grow this many tomatoes. And I'm considering the idea of a cold-frame that would allow me to put them outside a lot earlier too.
I've given quite a few plants away to my mom and aunt, which takes the pressure off finding space for all of them. Currently I have most of my plants sitting outside as often as the weather will allow, but I've also had to set up a tomato infirmary back under the grow lights for some of the ones that aren't doing as well. All in all it looks like I'll have (after recent give-aways):
-15 good healthy plants - a little leggy, but ok
- 6 shaky plants currently in the infirmary (general ward) that will probably rebound
- 1 really shaky plant currently in the infirmary (ICU) - broken stem, repotted above the wound, might rebound
- 1 critically shaky plant, I've made it comfortable, but I don't think there's much I can do... broken stem, high on the neck... ouch.... but miracles do happen, we'll see.
I will likely put these guys in the ground early next week, and be prepared to cover them at night if there is a risk of frost. It is supposed to be really warm this weekend though, so if I get really ambitious I will put them in on Friday, but I don't want to rush.
Cool Moth ??
We saw the coolest thing buzzing around my Forget-Me-Nots the other day. My first thought was that it was a very small hummingbird, as we could see what looked like a long beak. The flight pattern was very hummingbird like too, but it had more of a moth-like appearance. My dad found some info on it, and we think it is a Hummingbird Moth (and what we thought was a beak was a proboscis). VERY cool - I've never seen anything like it. Here it is - if anyone knows for sure what this is, please let me know.
The picture almost doesn't do it justice, because it really was the way it was flying around the plant that had us really fooled. Once I saw the picture, it looked a lot more like a moth. I wish I would have taken a video.... oh wait, that's what youtube is for. I love the internet, and especially other geeks like me who would take a
2 and a half minute video of a Hummingbird Moth. Enjoy.
Perenial Bed Overhaul
Last weekend we did a major overhaul of the perenial bed at the side of the yard. I had an old overgrown perenial bed that was far too large for me to keep ontop of. It had become completely overrun with weeds, so I decided to tear it apart and plant the perenials from the bed, plus some new ones from my mom, in a smaller bed along our side fence. Here is the final product (left), which I am much happier with.
I also added some more plants to the shade garden at the back of the house - hopefully I can keep this clear of weeds (the full bag of cedar mulch should help). Here is the final product so far:
Bad news on the nest front is that there is no more nest to speak of..... there were signs of a struggle .... I'm not pointing any fingers, or should I say paws?
