A Weekend at the Farm October 27-28, 2012

This weekend I planted some red cannas with burgundy leaves that were given to me by Janine Snapp.  I planted some in the spot in the above photograph, and I planted some in another area of the Star Garden.  I was looking for some height in this area, and Janine offered me these cannas that she was digging up in order to pour some concrete.  She also gave me some crinums.  Based on her description of the flowers, I believe they are milk and wine crinums.  Milk and wine crinums are true old fashioned crinums.  I partially created a flowerbed in which to plant them.  I don't have any soil right now, so I turned the soil over and mixed in a wheel barrow of compost  in an area I created with some landscaping strips.  I planted the crinums in that area. It will have to do until I get another load of soil and mulch.  I think it's the perfect spot for the crinums.  They will be shaded from the hottest part of the afternoon sun.  Thank you to Janine for thinking of me and taking the trouble to haul them to work and give them to me!    

• Soaked parsley and cilantro seeds overnight in water.  They germinate more easily that way.  Planted them in the Medicine Garden around the Venus Sweetshrub.
• Dug up some Flame Anicanthus that was growing in a path and moved it to another flowerbed where I had a big empty spot.
• Pulled up zinnias in the Star Garden and The Orchard.
• The daffodils are starting to emerge.  Very exciting!
• Moved 4 large shovelfuls of Mexican Sedum from the Star Garden (where I planted the cannas) to the Long Border. 
• Repaired the stone edge of a flowerbed in the back of the house and turned over the soil.  Seeded the area with Sublime Dark Blue Larkspur and Nigella (Love in a Mist).  It might be a little early to set out larkspur seed, but the soil was freshly turned - it was the perfect time from that perspective.
• Seeded the Star Garden with Nigella seeds.  The doves were all over it later that day - hope they didn't eat all of it!  Hard to get mad at the gentle doves. 
• Seeded a few spots in the Star Garden with Cambridge Blue Lobelia.  The seeds are like dust.  Don't know if I'll have any luck with lobelia, never tried to grow it before.  We'll see.
• Watered all my shrubs.
• Added compost to several beds in the Orchard and planted some Snowball cauliflower, some Snow Crown cauliflower, 1 Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage, 1 Copenhagan Market cabbage, and 3 brussel sprouts.
• Picked gallon baggies of okra and green beans.
• The weather was so beautiful this weekend.  I sat in the sun and read a book on Sunday afternoon.  No humidity, cool and sunny.  Such an amazing weekend!
• Fertilized all the roses.
• Deadheaded roses.
• The Zeolite Calendula seeds I sowed last weekend are starting to pop up. 
• Cut branches along the Boardwalk that were laying across the space where we walk.
• Weeded, weeded, weeded.  Always.