Wednesday, May 10, 2017; Marigolds, okra and Skimmer Level

I took my weekly walk through the Missouri Botanical Garden (MoBot) this morning. I noticed in their vegatable garden, they had their kale, chard and lettuce beds ringed with both marigolds and impatiens. Last year, after the rabbits started chewing on our Swiss Chard, I planted marigolds and we had no other issues all summer long. Looking on-line today, many sites down play the notion that marigolds will repel rabbits.

Anyway, I stopped by the local Lowe's and picked up 24 marigolds (12 of two different colors) which I brought home and used to ring the area where I have planted the Swiss Chard. Even if the marigolds don't repel the rabbits, maybe their appetite will be satisfied before they reach the chard.

I also picked up some 1/2" PVC fittings so that I can relocate the water level valve in the pond skimmer. Its current position is on the pond side of the screen, is not amendable to being adjusted and holds the water level too high. The new arrangement moves the float into the skimmer chamber where the pump is located, which eliminates the potential for the pump to lose suction just due to plugging of the skimmer screen. It is also holds a lower pond level and makes possible small adjustments to the level to be maintained.

I was planning to wait until I returned from Houston at the end of next week before I planted the okra outside, just to be sure it did not get too cool for them. I went ahead today and planted all three. I put them in the same general area we had the ones last year that yielded so much fruit.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017: Chard and Lilies

Around 90F today. Clear with a slight breeze.

I decided to try planting some more Swiss Chard. In March I planted two rows of different varieties. Today I planted 12 seeds, three inches apart between the previous two rows. The variety I planted was the "Ruby". Optimistically, tomorrow I will go out and get some Marigolds (rabbit deterrent).

The foxglove is blooming nicely.

So is the common sage.

The Purple Fountain beech has leafed out and the leaves are a deep dark color.

Today I read a bit on the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) we received late last year. Like the Poinsettia, there is no reason it cannot persist. The Farmer's Almanac says typically they will grow to 16" tall, but the "larger" ones can reach six feet tall. The Almanac recommended re-potting every spring. So, I did so, using a slightly larger pot and adding some potting mix. It seems to be quite happy in its location up on the hot tub deck.

Monday, May 8, 2017; Peppers and Leeks

It appears that NONE of the 15 peppers, NONE of the Swiss Chard, NONE of the kale and NONE of the scallions I planted outside on March 18 have survived. I fear I transplanted everything a bit too soon. I replanted more peppadew seeds inside today. All but one of the ones I planted before sprouted.

Last week I found some okra but was warned not to plant outside yet as it still gets too cool at night. I think I will not take them outside until I return from Houston next week. I also picked up six jalapeño plants which I did plant today. They are five or six inches tall and one already has a blossom.

Jalapeño 

The leaks we planted in the Spring of 2016 have survived the winter and today, I harvested two leeks to see if they are worth eating. We planted both leak plants and leak seeds. The plants were about the diameter of a pencil, now they are over 1" in diameter. The plants originating from seeds have not grown to nearly the size of the ones from plants. In fact the plants from seeds look more like scallions.

Leak from plant

Leak from seed

Update on the poinsettia plant that I received from out west neighbors last Christmas and I severely pruned back on March 30, leaving only eight leaves. As hoped, it has leafed out nicely with dozens of new leaves. According to my research, I will pinch the growing tips back by an inch or so in late June to further encourage branching. Then in early September I will prune it again.

After pruning on March 30

Today

The Peace Lily I received from my younger brother last year is, amazingly, still alive and seems to be happy. It needs frequent watering.

Peace Lily

Once again today I noticed a rabbit in the east raised bed. I went out and asked the rabbit to leave. It did but a few minutes later, it was back. This time I noticed the rabbit was carrying a batch of grass in it mouth and that it essentially disappeared in the growth of thyme. Going out again, the rabbit dropped its mouthful of grass and left again. I looked and found that it was preparing a burrow underneath the thyme. I tried to back fill the hole. A few minutes later, here was the rabbit again with another mouthful of grass. This time, after chasing "her" off, I built a bamboo fence along the mouth of the would be burrow. This really rubs salt in the wound of having raised beds to make them rabbit-proof. Not only can they access it, but they were building a home in the raised bed. Last year, I planted marigolds which seemed to protect the swiss chard from the rabbits. I don't think either the peppers or the okra will be bothered by the rabbits, but if I do plant some more chard, I will need to get more marigolds.

Rabbit burrow under thyme