Building my garden

I've been slowly getting the hang of remembering to water and keep up with plants.  So far, I have 6 tomato plants (4 approx 6 inches tall and 2 approx 4 inches tall) and 4 Christmas trees (working on their 2nd rows of pines).  Yesterday I planted some 'forget me not flowers around my mesquite tree, in the back yard, and a small pot with lemon basil and another small pot with cucumbers.  I've been buying the Buzzy Grow Kits and I'm just loving them!  I haven't seen any buds just yet --but at least I haven't killed them yet either!

Now, I don't exactly know much about planting them into the ground and how to care for them after that.  I'm hoping I can keep mine potted for a long while.  I'm afraid that bugs and weather will kill the plants --or my forgetfulness with watering outdoor plants...  I guess I'll be setting a permanent alarm on my phone.

Today, I told KJ she can help me start the Sunflower and Strawberry grow kits.  We are super excited for the strawberries!!  I had been wanting the As Seen On TV strawberry plant --I believe it grows upside down.

I'll post pics once the start sprouting.  :)

I think my thumb might be turning green

Some of what I've been working on:

4 "Christmas Trees" that I have been growing since around March.

My mom bought KJ a little tiny pot that comes with a pellet of soil and a bag of seeds.  I promised that I would pant them and help take care of them hoping to see some real Christmas Trees come out of it . . . so far, so good.

I've moved them to a larger pail-like container.  Three of the trees are already getting their second row or pines.  I have no idea what they are supposed to be looking like at this stage.  But they are still green and that's what matters!  lol  *since moving them outside, only one is starting to get brown tips.

(Picture taken on 5/26/10)

 5 Tomato Plants that were planted on 5/17/10

*the brown pot has 5 new seeds that I planted on 5/23/10

When I was a kid, I remember picking cherry tomatoes from my mom's "tomato garden".  I remember loving to go out there and pick tomatoes, like I knew what I was doing!  hee hee

My mom and I were just reminiscing the other weekend about how much we all enjoyed the experience of growing tomatoes.  So, I saw this at Target, in the dollar spot, and I was so excited to test my tomato growing skills.  ;)

So far, wonderful!!  I get sooo excited to see them getting taller and taller.

(Picture taken on 5/24/10)

 Tomatoes on 5/26!  :D

I love rotating it through out the day, watching how they change direction to lean towards the sun.  

 woo hooo!!  :D

Tomatoes on 5/27.

When do I have to replant them in a larger pot?

Chris brought this vase with approx 4 different bamboo sticks all stuffed inside.  He was the one "in charge" of it at his work place.  I was really excited that they decided to 'do away with it' because I had been looking to buy some bamboo.

I never liked the set up, in that vase. (I couldn't find a picture of what it looked like when he first brought it home --but if and when I do, I will def. come back and post it.  It was ridiculous LOL :(  Someone had thought it would be a great idea to throw some random pieces of curling ribbon in the water.  It looked as though it was a spare trash can, with random stuff/junk floating around in the water.

So, I read up on how to properly grow bamboo and I have been doing my absolute best since about May 3rd or so.  This is the 'best' I could do back in the beginning of May --but it still seemed like a nasty eye sore on my kitchen window sill . . .

but now . . .

Some sand art and a new vase!

"straight bamboo" 5/27

This is the best that I was able to do for the "spiral bamboo".

However . . .

I really LOVE the make-over I gave it today!  :)  I took out all the clear stones.

So far, this one is my favorite bamboo.

Now, as for my favorite flower . . . I have about 6 bushels of gerber daisies that I have been growing, around our front tree, for 3 years now, I believe.

I LOVE watching them bloom!  I wait until they are nice and tall and full of color; right before they start losing their beauty, I cut what I want and bring them inside --they last about another week!!  I just LOVE them!!!  It was one of the best gifts Chris has ever given me . . . not the typical flowers that come wrapped in paper and only last a week.  I got the whole plant -to keep giving me my favorite flower!!

I bought this vase during January or February, at Target's Dollar Spot!  I just couldn't wait to put a daisy in it...

I found this vase in our garage, yesterday.  All those clear stones that came out of the 'spiral bamboo' vase look so much nicer in this vase with more daisies!  :)

I can never get enough of these daisies . . . any color.


So this is what my kitchen window sill currently looks like.  I told Chris that it's my "granny-sill" (I just remember growing up seeing our grandma's window sills full of plants. hee hee)

*I'm currently trying to revive some small bamboo stems, in that little medicine cup...in case you are wondering.

*Now, I have a tiny tree that is growing in our backyard.  I will post the pics soon.  I also planted some sunflower seeds around another tree, in our backyard, and I just haven't had any luck with seeing those bloom.  Nothing . . . absolutely nothing.  :(  Either they somehow "expired", because they are about 8 years old, if not older.  OR I just don't have the "green thumb" for growing one of the easiest flowers . . . they grow on the side of the highway, for goodness sakes!!!  Every time I see them along the highway, I just scream in my head "WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!"  I think I am going to try starting them in smaller pots.

Next, I would LOVE to plant an apple seed that KJ saved and brought home a while back.  It's dried out and I don't know if it needs to be or if it will even grow at all.  That's my next little experiment --that's what the Christmas Tree and Tomatoes started as, experiments.  hee hee  and I'm happy to see them live and grow!! :)