Cool!

Nice reference - thanks for sharing it, Jim!

Nice day. Cleaned a couple of sides of the greenhouse pond that tend to grow more green stuff because the sun hits both of them.

I am planning to plant 1 or 2 window boxes with Cardinal Climber going up a trellis on the southern side of the pond to offer summer shade to those two walls and keep the water cooler. I will have to keep it well trimmed since it can grow to 15 feet. It will swallow me!



I also backwashed the filter. I have to do that every two weeks. Next, I need to vacuum the pond, then change the filter pads and UV light in the filter, and finally clean the pump. That will make the pond ready for another season.

Can't get over how fast this wheat grass for the chickens is growing.



I may plant some of the Cardinal Climber in the Food Forest around the Pergola just for looks, not eating. The Magnolia vine plants that have been there for 3 years are supposed to get edible berries, but they barely grow a couple of feet, and die back each year. They are perennials. What a disappointment. The Cardinal Climber is an annual that will grow to 15 feet. I think I said that up above. It will look nice with all those red flowers.

Good luck with your vines! I have I. quamoclit that comes up behind our carport for the past few yrs. It doesn't get that big between the frosts here. I'll be curious to see how yours does in "evergreen conditions." Your pic looks like I. sloteri, but I think they are very similar. I. sloteri would be a better choice for providing some shade.

purpleinopp said: Good luck with your vines! I have I. quamoclit that comes up behind our carport for the past few yrs. It doesn't get that big between the frosts here. I'll be curious to see how yours does in "evergreen conditions." Your pic looks like I. sloteri, but I think they are very similar. I. sloteri would be a better choice for providing some shade.

Just looked both of those up. Both are beautiful! They certainly look like they would be fine. I have two packets of Cardinal Climber seeds I just bought, so I'll try these, and if I think the "shade" needs to be thicker I'll have two backups. Thank you. Note: I also thought since Cardinal Climber gets to 15', and the trellis I am using is going to be about 4-5', I can train it back over itself as it grows. It certainly will be an experiment.

I think you'll have fun with it. : ) I. sloteri & I. multifida are the same thing, the one in the pic you put above, cardinal climber. Not seeing any sprouts here yet, so it's definitely not late @ all for your location.

Let me present Cucumber Corner. I was going to make a trellis for my cucumbers, but I found this for $17.98 at Lowes. Some quick calculating and building one would cost about the same and taken more time. I bought another one for the cantaloupes.

The trellis has a thick, soft rubber disc at the top in which you place the sticks and space them. It's not the easiest thing in the world spacing five legs properly with a free-standing trellis, so I cut a piece from my old greenhouse shelving, and "locked" the legs in.

The two under the trellis are Space Masters. They only grow about 3 feet, so the trellis is overkill, but I am thinking of planting a couple of Marketmore's that grow up to 6 feet which is the height of the trellis.

The ones in the pots are Bush Cucumbers. They only grow 1-2 feet but produce 6-8" cucumbers. We'll see.

I am experimenting with indoor cucumbers to see if I can keep them from getting powdery mildew like my outdoor ones get every year. Save your breath, I have tried about 6 different "cures" for powdery mildew. That's why I am trying inside where I can avoid watering from above and high humidity since I have a dehumidifier for the greenhouse. I'll see how well they do. How long they last. If they do well, I will know the "schedule" on when to plant new seeds to replace plants that are spent.

Enough talk. Here's the picture.



Link to Lowes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Garde...

Those trellises ought to work well.
I used some similar and wrapped twine around it to give vines more purchase.
As these aren't parthenocarpic cucumbers, are you planning to pollinate in your "spare" time?

pod said: Those trellises ought to work well.
I used some similar and wrapped twine around it to give vines more purchase.
As these aren't parthenocarpic cucumbers, are you planning to pollinate in your "spare" time?

I will pollinate if I need to, but I have an "open door" policy in my greenhouse unless there are harsh winds and/or stormy weather. That means two large doors, one at either end, 4 automatic roof windows/vents, a 24" louvre that opens when the 20" exhaust fan comes on by thermostat. In addition, I plant plenty of marigolds in the greenhouse. This year I am adding geraniums, zinnias, and yellow yarrow, so I should have a lot of pollinators pass by. I'm sure they'll hit the vegetables as well. Otherwise, I better have my paint brush out. I just saw it the other day in a bin where I keep smaller greenhouse supplies.

Happy Earth Day to all!

Yesterday I introduced you to Cucumber Corner. Today, we take a look at Bean Boulevard, another experiment to see how well bush beans grow in the greenhouse. They are a bit shocked from transplanting. They should be perked back up by now. Blue Lake Bush Beans.



I am currently soaking 24 Contender Bush Bean seeds. Plan to get them started tomorrow, so we can plant them outside for a 2nd crop.

I decided to make cards to hang in different areas with the particular info of what I am doing (or supposed to be doing) to care for the plant, since I tend to forget and start treating all plants the same after up potting them. These cards may be revised as the season goes and I do more reading or have to adjust for my particular greenhouse, but the cards will be reminders. How senior can you get?!?!?!

Here are the first two:

The cards should also come in handy for next year as you can refer to what you did and maybe even make notes on the outcome.

Unless on course they get misplaced.

pod said: The cards should also come in handy for next year as you can refer to what you did and maybe even make notes on the outcome.

Unless on course they get misplaced.

I saved copies on my computer that I can print if I add new info or they get dirty. Notes on outcome could go on the back! Thanks.

I already see I should have printed "Blue Lake Bush Beans 16"-18" tall" and Marketmore 4'-6', Space Master 2'-3', & Bush Cucumbers 1'-2'.

Jim, that makes me smile because you are one who pays such attention to detail and organization Clever idea!

aspenhill said: Jim, that makes me smile because you are one who pays such attention to detail and organization Clever idea!

Thanks. It's a family trait...OCD! I redesigned the cards after I posted them to include more info and different pictures. Decided to do away with Cucumber Corner, Bush Bean Boulevard, Tomato Turnpike, etc. Cute but I decided to stick with basics. Here are the revisions on the first two. Like I said, I'm sure they will be revised for my particular situation and saved.

I think you are going to be all set for a garden tour, Jim! (and I'm sure there would be plenty of people interested in touring your food forest and greenhouse... maybe you are actually already planning to do that?)

Weedwhacker said: I think you are going to be all set for a garden tour, Jim! (and I'm sure there would be plenty of people interested in touring your food forest and greenhouse... maybe you are actually already planning to do that?)

Not sure if I want strangers knowing we have all this in the back as times get tougher. Might have to bury someone in the garden if they try to steal! Hmmm, cheap compost.

Oh, and a few people in my local gardening forum like the street names better! I did look for blank old signpost templates but couldn't find them. Maybe I will go back to the "street names" anyway. Just might be more fun, huh?

Can Tomato Turnpike, Pepper Parkway, and Cantaloupe Court, etc. be next?

Nice day, but windy. I was able to work outside without a jacket, which was nice, upper 60's!

I backwashed the filter for the food forest pond. Then we both pulled/cut all the dead vegetation around the southern side and pulled out a bunch of leaves tangled in. There must have been 1000's of tiny tadpoles just born, and a lot of egg sacks got disturbed. We had a bunch last year. Most probably died or were eaten by the goldfish. Some grew up and left. A few stayed all summer. They are very loud at night! We also cleaned a lot of leaves from the bottom, and I added 24 ounces of concentrated beneficial bacteria.

Shot of the food forest and cleaned pond. Still have to vacuum the pond.
Plants are starting to come alive. I should take some closeups.



We are happy to announce that the residents of Bush Bean Boulevard are expecting a new brood. I planted 20 Contender bush beans in 10 pots. This will give us new plants about 5-6 weeks behind the present crop. Some will stay in the greenhouse; some will be planted outside; we'll compare them as they grow to see which do best.



Just some updated pics in the greenhouse from 3 angles.

I'm thinking that GH is going to be quite the lush paradise once the beans and cukes get going... and having the frogs in there sounds like fun!

Only thing missing are some tropical birds to sing and talk to you!!

Weedwhacker said: I'm thinking that GH is going to be quite the lush paradise once the beans and cukes get going... and having the frogs in there sounds like fun!

The tadpoles/frogs are in the food forest pond.