Re: First-timer results...

[DigitalVinyl]

>

> > >>Well that's enough self-indulgent rambling for one post. >>Thanks to all in the group for the help. > >Digital, it's *beautiful*! I wish *my* first garden had done so well.

Thanks! Growing everything from seeds made it more interesting. All my failures were in never getting some things to germinate at all. Sanvitalia, Basil, Lovage, Lavender, Convulvus, French Vanila Marigolds, Blue Lace, Cumin, Rosemary, Spinach, Flamenco were all on the no-show list. PLus I had ground that was uneven and flooded out what seeds I planted. The clematis & tomato plants I did buy--didn't realize i needed to start tomatos early. Everything else was seed.

The pictures are lovely. The "flower platter" is so nice and colorful.

Another learning lesson-- "burgundy" in flower catalogs usually means purple and not wine-red. I had wanted all red/orange colors in the bowl. The california poppy seed were yellow instead of advertised red, the petunia are a purple not a deep red, the silene is light violet. I'll know better next year.

Qs: what is the yellow flower in the hanging planter with the >nasturtiums? And what's the variety of the yellow-with-orange-centers >nasturtium?

Actually they are both Nasturtiums.

Peach Melba is the yellow with red centers and it has a much smaller bronzed leaf with wine red outline. You can see the red in the leaves just below the center flower. It doesn't fill out like the Alaska Mix Nasturitums. They are taller than wider for me. There are three in the basket and they aren't anywhere near as full as two Alaska's.

is the pale yellow/cream one. There are two in the basket. One grew way out of the basket--reaching for sunlight I think. The ceiling is ten feet high and when we hung them they were over my head and getting less sun because of the roof overhang. That's when the Milkmaid through out that long arm hanging off the side. I extended a chain down so they would get more light and I can see them better. Which side of the house is the patio on? The back wall of the house faces SW. The entire patio gets full sun from 11 to 6 then shadows start affecting things.

Thanks for the report and pics.

Thank you. DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound

1st Year Gardener

[Lee]

full summer in my new location and it is so cotton pickin' hot many of them look like they've been dried and pulled through a knot-hole. Amazingly some of the cuttings i potted are coming on,though, so more hope for the future. you did good. love... lee.

[Frogleg]

In my experience, basil is pretty easy. Never got cumin to grow from seed (although I *did* grow a sesame plant). Rosemary is hard. I think I got one plant from seed that flourished encouragingly and then died. Oh, and I was starting in a greenhouse with heating mats and whatnot. Tomatoes were pretty never-fail in that atmosphere.

YMMV. Mistakes happen. I once ordered a dozen "mixed color" iris, and they were all white. Funny how, to me anyhow, there are color combinations in decor or people clothing that are perfectly ghastly, yet a purple flower next to an orange one can look just fine.

with 'em. Good soil, poor soil, full sun, part shade -- they hate me. But I'm going to try again.

are pretty spicy, but the blossoms are nice decor for a salad.

I was thinking that if you can protect that baker's rack a bit and the pots, you may get enough heat-sink effect with the stone(?) side of the house and brick patio to keep those perennial herbs going. Sage and thyme (was that thyme?) are perennials. If the thyme is oregano, then that is also perennial. My late lamented rosemary bush survived for years against a SW-facing red brick wall through a number of harsh winters.

Now where are you going to establish your compost pile/heap/bin?

[DigitalVinyl]

That's what I heard--I just had no luck. Planted 6 seeds-no germination.

Sesame...theres one I didn't think about.

:-) I do love this camera!

The ones in the ground became round bushes. They were all green and the very last to blossom, but when they did they were covered. The wooly aphids love them and I'm always chasing after them. I can't tell you what I did right or didn't screw up.

I haven't eaten them but I have read it.

Actually that is an interesting idea. I actually have room to bring some stuff inside, but the baker's rack could work. It is Thyme. There is also some parsley and dill in there (hidden behind the pepper). I've got a bowl with oregano, thyme and parsley. I could relocate that to the rack.

I have to research some things to grow up on the landing

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound

1st Year Gardener

[Frogleg]

I've re-thunk the rack. You probably want those plants nestling close together and the pots heavily mulched. Maybe all on bottom shelf with straw stuffed around. Same spot -- sun and heat-sink -- but wrapped up warm with the pots as little exposed to wind and weather as possible Things in pots are more vulnerable than things in the ground. Dill (and basil) is an annual. Parsley is a biennial, and pretty hardy. You usually want to treat it as an annual and start new plants each year, because the 2nd year, when they flower and go to seed (giving you a lifetime supply), the leaves are less useful, but you *can* have a little nice fresh parsley over the winter. Oregano, sage, and thyme are perennials if conditions are right. I searched on "sage herb hardiness" (without the quotes) and came up with a number of useful references. What zone are you? Looks as if thyme, oregano, parsley, and possibly sage are good candidates. Rosemary would definitely need to be brought indoors. When you achieve a rosemary. :-)