New USDA map

Well it looks like they have updated the Hardiness Zone map the first time since 1990.  I have been changed from zone 5 to 6,  Time to go shopping for new plants that will survive in the new zone....

For all my Gardeners that read this here is a link to the new page.  You can type in your zip or even zoom in to your state.

Harvesting Edible Garden Tour - January 2012 1 Year Anniversary

It's been one year since I started this tour and I was actually able to post every month about something that I harvested from my garden.  I can't believe it.  Granted as of yet no one has joined me in the tour and posted about what they are harvesting but hey thats ok.  I am doing it and I am proud of me.  So what have I harvested this time?

 Why a bunch of Carrots of course...Ok so not of course but still.  Big ones, small ones, none as big as your head.

 Although this guy is the biggest around I have grown to date....so we are getting there.

And I still seem to get these crazy ones....crazy 2 legged carrots...  I even made sure that the ground underneath was nice and loose.  I got some nice long ones this time...skinny but longer.  But still some of these crazy ones.  Guess I will just have to try again in a few months.

Now that we have snow on the ground finally all the gardens (but the greenhouse) are now finally frozen..the greenhouse remains soft as it still gets quite warm in there on sunny days....so February I may or may not have anything to harvest....we will see.

So do you have anything that you harvested this month?  Anything edible that is.  Herbs, veggies, fruits....an edible flower?  Let us know so we can see.

Apple seeds and kids

I am sure you have eaten an apple and wondered if you planted the seeds would it grow an apple tree right?  Well my 5 year old son also wondered this.

 Around the 1st of the year (may have been late December) Aiden guy wanted to save his seeds.  So he took it upon himself to place his treasures into a wet paper towel where I placed it in a bag and hung it on the cabinet.  A few days ago we noticed that two of them sprouted.  So into a container they went.

 The next day seed number 1 looked like this....

 and seed number 2 like this

 Today after just 3 days in the dirt you can begin to see tree number 1 growing it's true leaves.

And Tree number 2 although much smaller also shows signs of true leaves emerging.

Aiden is extremely happy with himself and his 9 year old sister Shannon is unhappy...she has been trying to grow and orange tree from seed and thus far no luck.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - January 2011

It's that time of month again around the blogospere....time to show off what we have blooming in our gardens.  Although this winter has been very strange.....Snow in October and 50/60 degree weather in December.  Now it's January and we are below freezing.  Nothing outside is blooming but inside...

 My African Violets are blooming up a storm.

This is my favorite as it looks like a mini rose.

 Any color other than the traditional dark purple is high on my need to have list.

 Then soon after the solid colors this type ranks right up there.  I just love the way the colors blend.

Or how they blend here but also have a different petal texture.....all wavy.

Although it's only one flower in different colors I can still say that I have flowers in the middle of winter.  My garden is outside and inside.

So if you want to see some more pictures of blooming plants then head over to May Dreams Gardens and see what Carol has blooming or one of the many other bloggers that participate in GBBD.

New year been busy

It's been a while since I have posted and I am truly sorry for that my friends.  I have been a busy little bee.  See as most of you already know I have decided to start a business - Irish Gardens.  And this spring will be the official grand opening so I have been busy ordering supplies and updating the website.  Racking my brain trying to figure out how it will all fit together.

But in doing so I have left my readers here in the dark of what is going on.  Well let me tell you this year I will have lots to talk about here.  Because of the business I have many new plants...and just about every new plant that I have to sell will also be a stock plant for me to grow and learn about.  See I want to offer advice on the business site (although some links will just bring you back to the blog....why rewrite what I wrote) but I can't offer advice if I don't know about it.

Like the one big thing I am learning about this year is rooting cuttings.  Taking part of one plant and creating a new one.

I haven't forgotten about GBBD Carol so don't worry that post will be coming tomorrow....I have blooms...I really do....I just need to take the pictures....so sad even the camera is being neglected.  So I promise to get more posts up as I have lots to talk about soon.

Hope you are all having a good year so far.

Good bye 2011 a year in review

2011 was an interesting year.  A lot was  grown and a lot was harvested.  Take a walk with me through Irish Gardens and see what the year was like here.

Colorful foliage was found and pictures were taken in January

 February brought Daffodils into the house

 as well as coke water bottle greenhouses were introduced.

 March brought in sweet n neat tomato's inside the house and.........

......and signs of life outside as the Daffodils began to grow.

 Hosta's began to show off their strips in April....

....and new gardens were created as the others began to be planted for the season.........

......the Greenhouse got a new look and then was planted.

 The front porch got some fresh new color in May after the Rhodadendrun was transplanted by the front porch.....

....flowers were found on the polk-a-dot plant from back in January

 June brings flowering grape buds......

 .....another new garden bed.....

.....and the gardens showing lots of new growth and begun to burst at the seams.

 July shows up with heat and a whole lot of growth in the new beds so a new look was needed.....

.....a few back aches and sore thumbs later it looks a lot nicer...

 ....a new wild herb was found growing like crazy in the back yard.....

.....and the Strawberry Spinach plant began to ripen

 After hurricane Irene in August, large Cucumbers were found growing in the garden.....

.....Eggplant was harvested in multiple sizes.

September came in with new baby spider plants beginning their new life......

....and the chives found them selves blooming beautifully.

October brings in changing leaves and cooler weather....of course this October brought a foot of snow too.

 Novembers abnormally warm weather brings new growth to the mint in the Greenhouse

Although still no snow in December the Holiday Cactus inside is right on time.


Hope you had a nice tour through the gardens.