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My cousin J called to see if I was OKAY because I have been lacking in posts...YEPPERS, I am OK and this is a Midwest Gardening Post for Spring.
SO, Dear readers, Happy Easter,...Happy May, Mom's Day, and hoping a wonderful Memorial Day, etc.
Here at OldNewGreenRedo...we have been pretty much been doing the OLD, as in growing older. We are finding that full work days are now only 3-4 hours long, LOL.
Also...everything around here is a REDO. Same old, same old and more. Fix, repair, move it around, rinse and repeat.
Spring here has been cold, fitful and dreary in NW Chicagoland. Winds off chilly Lake Michigan reached far inland, where we are and kept the frosts and gray days continuous. Our Hostas braved the early weather and many have iced now brown, leaves. When everything is planted, I'll have to thin out all the ugly leaves.
I took these photos yesterday as it was sunny and bright yet still jacket weather.
Our homemade greenhouse finally got plants in the week after Easter, correction half our plants from the kitchen.
We had our trusty thermostat heater going in the greenhouse every night for 6 weeeks. It's adjustable to 1300 or 1500 watts, an adjustable thermostat (set to 45-50) and a dusk to dawn timer. I confess we had to run it a few days because of the cloud cover and temps.
It was too cold to hook up the greenhouse with water, (we already froze and cracked half our water system in the backyard) due to un-forecasted hard freezes, so schlepping water was a pain to all those thirsty plants.
Like many in the Midwest, Tornado warnings and the dreaded high winds kept the trees from opening up, stripping them of tender leaves, and tore down old branches. We still have a few late tulips trying to survive the temps of 80 plus today, while the Iris are in full bloom, but they won't last long if it stays this hot. Forecasters are willy-nilly and it is definitely a crap shoot here in Spring. Yes, we lived in the 40-50's just two days ago and high 30's at night...and now it's a blister.I HOPE you all have your planting done or started. I took some photos of the greenhouse before I started planting on May 15. It's crazy how happy plants are in a greenhouse. But with temps up now it's time to move them out.
Tomatoes and Peppers...YIKES, they have to go in the ground tomorrow!!!
A few Peppers got into Pots, yesterday. We've found peppers like the large pots better than in our ground soil. Think Mediterranean climate..and they are happy --a bit hotter.
I filled the pots with soil from our compost pile which is lovel, loose and rich with organic matter.
One thing very happy with the temps is the Rhubarb, num, Rhubarb treats coming this week!
I also have some pots with Dahlia and Caladium bulbs in, many which didn't survive their winter in the heated garage. Lots were mushy or shriveled and dried up. I planted what looked viable, but so far no Caladiums made it.
Peppers and a few perennials. Golly the seed manufacturers were stingy with seeds this year, a pack barely started 10 small containers. And, the germination wasn't that great either. 12 Better Boy Tomatoes produced 4 inferior plants at 40cents a seed..UGH! Name brand, too!
Dill survived in four heavily seeded containers. a feww Larkspur made it also. Hoping to nurse these into nice perrenial plants. I have a fenced in flower bed that doesn't get too hot..just for nursing first year perennials or plant splits.
Some late starts, Alyssum which grows so fast, some more perennials and Coleus which I misplaced the seeds, I'll be lucky to get any from last years package and started too late.
Supposedly eggplant and some Echinacea. I'm hoping these make it.
More Tomatoes and Peppers, and the round pot??? I have it written down somehwere, but the plants looks weird the pot on the left?
I planted my Dahlias in these big pots to see which would survive. They will now have to be trimmed back and transplanted, recover a day or two in a sheltered area outside and then moved into their summer locations. These are all big bloom Dahlias, focal points for the front of the house and a few by the patio.
I had two pots on the left that really did nothing...with lettuce seeds, spinach, ??? Will probably put Dahlias in them also.
We did have an easier time holding heat in the greenhouse due to the concrete blocks we used for the floor and the new foam insulation we used last year on the lower half. Everything really needs cleaning now though.
I concentrated more on produce this year (with food prices so high) but, purchased these flowers...Geraniums were a leader and only .99cents, the 8 packs were $2.99 so that helped. I bought some Wave Petunias for 2.49 each (a steal) and that will be the plantings for the front too.
First time ever growing Larkspur (back skinny plants)...anxious to see them flower., I forget what's in front.
I have vowed to do some decorating on the greenhouse this year, and a fresh coat of stain...you are witnesses, hold me to it! Time to make her cute and pretty, too!
We have 5 windows and a storm door with screen in the greenhouse..and this huge fan to help control temps. The fan has three settings, and I use the lowest, circulating air helps plants grow very strong stems.
Outside, we used vinyl thermo-paned basement windows, which are just held open with sticks, and they seal tight from the outside. Perfect for a greenhouse. The North window is and up and down thermo-pane which opens from the inside.
Well...Hope you are all well and doing well, .
now it's time for GARDENING!...All those plants and seeds have to go somewhere...soon!
NEXT POST: IN THE GARDEN!
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