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| Cornflowers/Bachelor's Buttons |
The one cornflower plant has several flowers blooming on it, now. I am hoping to collect some of the seeds to plant elsewhere in the garden, next year.
Today was another cloudy, cool day. I watered the back yard and started to weed one of the other flower beds. Very slow going and I need to find some more cardboard boxes to put down there, once the weeding is done.
When M came to tend to the garden in the early evening, I asked him to plant the four sweet potato slips I had rooted. We planted them in the area near the side wall that I had weeded, earlier. There is room for the vines to grow and it will be easier to dig up any sweet potatoes that might actually grow:
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| Sweet Potato Slips |
Then, we thinned out some of the zucchini seedlings that are growing around the peach tree, spaced about four inches apart:
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| Zucchini Seedlings |
There are twelve seedlings, altogether. We kept the majority of them in place until they are a little bit bigger, but, removed four of them.
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| Zucchini Seedlings After Being Thinned Out |
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| Two of the Transplanted Zucchini Seedlings |
Tomorrow, I will need to place some sticks around the transplanted zucchini plants, because, already, one of the garden cats have decided that the cardboard makes a good bed:
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| Making Sure No Weeds Grow! |
Today, I am grateful for:
- Cool, cloudy days for gardening
- M helping with the garden
- Cardboard boxes for weed control
- Water for the garden
- Pretty flowers to brighten up the garden
Today's joyful activity was gardening.
What are your garden plans?
I love blue cornflowers - especially alongside red poppies. Scientists have discovered that of these are growing round the edge of a wheat field, fewer pesticides are needed!
ReplyDeleteI have some orange California poppies growing mixed in with the blue cornflowers! But, that's so interesting that they seem to be a natural pest control! How wonderful is that?
DeleteHahaha - I am chuckling about the cat in the bed. Cats are so funny aren't they?
ReplyDeleteWhen the company I worked for was sold they were throwing away so many useful items. Among the things I grabbed were a few of those wire baskets that might sit on the edge of an office desk for mail and paper work.
I turn them over and use them to protect seedlings coming up from rabbits in my yard.
They work great. I've also used a wire mesh trash can as a sort of cloche.
We get creative when we have to don't we? lol
Oh, those wire baskets sound like an excellent idea! The wire mesh trash can is a good idea, too! In fact, when I feel it will be safe enough for me to go to the dollar store, I might get a few to act as critter guards for the plants!
DeleteLet the battle with the garden cats continue 😂
ReplyDeleteI'm very tempted to add some cornflowers to my garden but I will have to wait and see how much room there is once the existing plants have grown.
Oh, those cats are going to try and thwart my gardening efforts! The all white one (Snowball) has decided that right next to the newly planted fig seedling in the front garden is her favorite place to be! I found the poor seedling squased flat, one day, and had no idea what had happened, but, have since spotted her sitting right next to it, many times!
DeleteI think you might be able to get a few cornflower plants in a pot - so far, I have two plants that came up from the wildflower seed mix and they are both tall but, not very big around.
You have a lot activity happening in your gardens. I saw the first bachelor button bud yesterday. They were quite prolific last year. I hope it's the same this year. I really like their purple color.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year growing bachelor's buttons and I really like them! I think I might buy a packet of seeds, next year and scatter them around! I hope you have lots of them in your garden this year, too. :)
DeleteI hope the kitties don't squish them before you can get sticks around them!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha! I watered them, today, but, haven't got around to getting some sticks for them!
DeleteI hope you get lots of zucchini! Bachelor buttons are among my favorite flowers. I will sow seeds when the danger of frost is over, mid May. Celie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie! I'd better be careful what I wish for when it comes to zucchinis, I guess! :D But, I'm hoping I'll get more than two! I am definitely going to grow more bachelor's buttons, next year! Hope yours grow well and produce lots of flowers for you!
DeleteThe cornflowers are so pretty and worth saving seeds to grow more. I'm thinking maybe I should look for some seeds and try them. The garden cat probably finds that the cardboard is warm from the sun. Maybe his pals will join him for a feline mulch on top of it all!
ReplyDeleteWe have warm weather again, but we could use some rain I think. I probably should water the rhubarb but all the native plants are handling the drought well.
I will buy a packet of the cornflower seeds next year, I think, along with more California poppies. I have spots in the garden that could do with a bit of color! Ha, ha, a mulch of garden cats! Would that qualify for a new collective noun, I wonder? Enjoy the warm weather. Ah, the beauty of native plants - they are able to handle the weather very well, aren't they?
DeleteGood luck growing your zucchini. I have had success with them a few times. They are just wonderful to eat! Yours look promising.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephenie! I do hope the plants will grow well and produce some zucchini. Are you planning to grow any vegetables, this year?
DeleteI love cornflowers!
ReplyDeleteLast year I had so much zucchini I threatened to sit on the front porch and throw it in any car that drove by with iit's windows down.
Ha, ha, that's funny about the zucchini! Some years, that's me with lemons! :D
DeleteWhat beautiful colour the cornflower is! Thanks for sharing the photo!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely color, isn't it?
DeleteThe cornflower is looking lovely and what a great idea to collect some of the seeds. I might just try that myself if mine are successful. X
ReplyDeleteIt is such a pretty color! It's supposed to self seed, too. I hope you will be able to collect the seeds from your plants, too. In any case, I think I might buy another packet of seeds for next year. :)
DeleteThere is every chance you will be inundated with courgettes if all that lot come to maturity!! I think cornflowers selfseed very readily but not sure about your climate - you might be better off intervening as you say!
ReplyDeleteWe shall see how well the zucchini plants fare when we get to summer and triple digit temperatures. Today, we got up to 96F and the transplanted seedlings looked a bit wilted. Hopefully, they'll pick up (I watered them this evening).
DeleteI'm hoping the cornflowers will self seed, but, I will try to collect some seeds, anyway. :)