Friday, April 22, 2011

Peas' Progress from Seed Pea to Pea Pod


Happy Earth Day!

The peas are growing! All eight of the peas I planted in the pot with the amended commercial potting soil are up and looking eager and robust. As of the 21st, they were all at least an inch tall. Granted, I would have much taller plants by now if I had simply purchased starts, but then I would have missed out on the fun and gratification of seeing the tiny green shoots first emerge from the soil. It definitely brings out something of the fond and doting parent in me.

Only four of the eight seeds I planted in the peat-free soil mix are up. They are about the same size as their brethren in the other pot. Could just be random. I think it’s too soon to draw conclusions.

(If you’ve just joined us, we’ve been following the progress of peas planted in two different potting mixes on March 25th. One pot contains a commercial potting mix amended with compost and perlite. The other pot has a peat-free mix of compost, coconut fiber (coir), perlite and pumice. See post of 4-8-11 below for complete details.)

8 peas up!


Because there was so much empty space in the large recycled nursery pots, and I had some salad starts I’d bought that needed a home, the peas now have company. They’ve been joined by Red Bib Lettuce and “Spicy Salad Mix” (mesclun). So far, the starts are doing equally well in both mixes.

If the missing four peas ever show themselves above the soil line, you’ll be the first to read about it. I’ll also keep you posted on the rate of growth and general robustness of all plants in the two different potting mixes.

Meanwhile, I took advantage yesterday of this relatively dry spell we’ve had to haul out the weed whacker and the heavy, ornery coil of orange extension cord to whack what passes for lawn into submission. In the backyard, that is mostly moss. And this year the moss is doing very, very well! I’m hoping that if I continue my general policy of lawn-neglect, the moss will eventually choke out the grass completely. With a little luck, this will happen before I have to invest in a new weed whacker!




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Tutus in the trees


I set off yesterday morning in search of Yoshino flowering cherries (Prunus x yedoensis), the type celebrated in the other Washington, and famed also on the University of Washington campus. I knew that they were at their peak the previous week, and hoped to get some pictures in better focus than my two fuzzy previous attempts that were more reminiscent of claims of Bigfoot documentation than nature photography.

Something about standing under a dense blossom canopy of flowering cherries feels like walking in clouds. No wonder that cherry blossom time inspires festivals.

It rained earlier today, and in typical Seattle fashion, the sun now graced us through shifting blue windows. The five-petalled flowers hang in clusters like a swarm of ballet dancers in tutus. They are the shyest pink, made all the more fetching by sun-shimmered raindrops still clinging to them. The exquisitely blue sky, peeking through branches, sets them off perfectly. (Here in Seattle, where we see the sky so rarely, when
the clouds break I’m awed by what an absolutely gorgeous color Earth’s sky is.)

Yoshino flowering cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)

Recently, I found that thinking about the beauty, the constancy, the dependable sequencing of the spring parade of flowering trees is better than counting sheep. A few nights ago, I was stressing about something, feeling like an overwound spring. I imagined gazing up into a canopy of flowering cherries, then remembered seeing saucer magnolias (Magnolia x soulangeana) newly in bloom, and that the pure white Mt. Fuji flowering cherries (Prunus serrulata ‘Shirotae’) were poised for their glory. Suddenly, I realized I was smiling and my breathing was deep and even, and I happily drifted off to sleep.
Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana)
Mt. Fuji flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae')

Friday, April 15, 2011

Surprising juxtapositions


Surprising juxtapositions in the garden delight me. Yesterday, I spotted sky-blue anemones dancing in front of a mustard-colored pot that sat empty and neglected in the bed all winter. Now, with the bloom of windflowers, the pot provided an unexpected color backdrop that makes the pale blue pop.
Anemone   

And in a forsaken bed between my neighbor’s driveway and my trash cans, a fragrant clump of light pink hyacinth sweetly blooms, surrounded by a forest of blackened stems of last year’s Shasta daisies. Searching for metaphor, I think first of resilient life after a forest fire. But then, letting imagination run silly, I see a band of barbarians in mold-blackened hides holding hostage a party of perfumed maidens in pale pink silk.

Captive Hyacinth
 
Hmmm… I think I need to get some fresh air - and clean up last year’s perennial remnants.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Hummer and Pea


An Anna’s hummingbird perched on the very tip of the tallest upright branch of my still leafless plum tree while I ate breakfast this morning. It just sat there for the longest time. I marveled that the tip of the branch offered enough surface for the bird’s tiny feet to grip. Suddenly, it turned its head toward me, and with a ruby flash of crown, lifted my heart. The beauty of rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds inspire awe, greed, high prices, and sometimes cruel behavior by humans toward each other. But those stones all pale compared to a face-to-face moment with a male Anna’s hummer.

At the right angle of reflected light, even on a dim gray Seattle morning, his entire head glows iridescent crimson, an entire jewel box of rubies. This gem of Nature’s takes my breath away every time like no rock ever could. If more people would just take time to watch and appreciate these tiny birds…

Peas, continued
Yesterday, 4/12, the peas I planted on 3/25 finally showed a tiny green arch of nascent stem just barely surfacing. A proud parent, I naturally took pictures (and not very good ones). More were showing in the pot with the commercial soil mix than in the peatless mix on this first day. I’ll let you know what happens over time.

out-of-focus, just born pea, 4-12-11

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Getting started


Hi. My name is Maia Eisen and this is my first blog post. This is a big technological leap for me. It’s also a big leap to commit to writing. I want to thank my dear, departed friend Jenny for giving me the push; but that’s another story for another post.

For more about me, see “About Me”.

Ostensibly, this blog is about gardening in Seattle, about growing food in small spaces (very small, like pots!), about plants and flowers and changing seasons, and, actually, anything happening in Nature that grabs my attention and moves me when I’m out in my garden or taking a walk. I hope that my thoughts and observations will inspire other people to get outside and look around and see things they hadn’t seen growing in the world before, or perhaps see them in a new way, or maybe just learn a name to call them by.

 Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). New leaves are bright salmon.

And in my more idealistic, loftier moments, I even hope that when more people see and care about Nature’s creations, they will notice how joyful and peaceful it makes them feel, and will be motivated to take even better care of the Earth. I truly believe that when we connect with Nature, a critical healing happens, both in ourselves and in the world.

First Edible Container Experiment
Back to growing food in containers: I’m experimenting this season with different potting soil mixes and fertilizers. I’m being only quasi-scientific. If I were truly scientific, I’d only change one variable per pair of containers. But that takes too many containers, too much space, and too much patience. Still, I think it will be informative. And I’ll be reporting on my experiments as the season progresses.

newly planted peas with trellises

Experiment #1 – Peas – Planted 3/25/11
Purpose: try a potting mix without peat moss (a resource with serious sustainability issues,) and compare to an amended commercial potting mix. Also try different fertilizers.

2 large, black plastic nursery grow-pots, 13” in diameter, 11.5” tall
Soil:
Pot A: 2 parts commercial potting mix (I used Gardener & Bloome)
            1 part compost – Gardner & Bloome Harvest Supreme
            ½ part perlite
            Fertilizer: Dr. Earth Tomato and Vegetable and Osmocote

Pot B: Peatless Mix, recipe:
            1 part compost (from my compost pile)
            1 part coir (coconut fiber)
            1 part pumice
            1 part perlite
            ½ Cup of Steve Solomon’s Complete Organic Fertilizer* per gallon of soil
*this recipe is readily available on the web. Just google.

I constructed trellises from bamboo stakes and jute garden twine and sank them to the bottom of the pots.
Planted one pea on each side of each vertical stake.

After two weeks, still nothing doing.

Two full weeks later there is still no sign of peas.

April 8th: checked the package for germination time today.  8 to 25 days. And the package does say they need 40 degrees and above to germinate. It has been absurdly cold for April so far, definitely in the 30’s at night. (I don’t even want to get out of bed when it’s that cold; why should my peas?) Too soon to conclude that my peas are duds, or I’m a failure at this – even if I did totally forget about coating the withered little darlings with “inoculant”* before planting.

*live rhizobial bacteria to enhance nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots.

But the sun is shining; it’s a beautiful day today. Maybe soon?