When Birds Attack!

These birds are relentless! I put up bird netting and they still found a way into my tomatoes! I have lost aver 50 tomatoes! Oh and did I mention one pepper?! This is crazy. I re-netted my tomatoes and we'll see if I can salvage a few after all my efforts.

This would be one of the guilty little monsters helping himself to some of the tomatoes I had to throw out just this morning!

I hope birds do not eat lemons!

My squash and cucumbers are still untouched!

This is the ruined pepper!

Maybe my garden angel needs a BB gun??? Hmmmmm!

Garden Pests !!

Today I spied the first squirrel I have ever had in my yard! So I have decided that it must be the squirrel and birds that are helping themselves to my tomato buffet. I have just ordered some plant pest netting (it will arrive tomorrow) and I hung two aluminum pie tins to try and scare them off as well.

I have read suggestions of feeding the birds and squirrels but I believe this will only attract more to my yard.

I'll keep you posted!

Holes in my tomatoes!!!

Something invaded my tomatoes!!! I did not encounter this problem last year. These are the affected tomatoes. I sprayed all my plants with Garden Safe Fruit and Vegetable insect killer. It is safe to use up to day of harvest. I inspected all my plants and saw no sign of the guilty intruders.

Flooding rain did not harm my "crop"

ALL THE RAIN WE HAD...9 inches in one day...did not harm my babies!!!!!!!!!!


Carrot seeds are sprouting in my windowsill "GREENHOUSE"

Radishes started from seeds are sprouting.
Oregano started from seeds is ready to transplant

This is my recycled, repurposed, makeshift planter. It contains yellow crookneck squash and cucumbers.

This is my new dwarf Meyer Lemon tree.

Meyer Lemons are wonderful large lemons that have an orangy taste! Yummmm

THIS IS MY NEW STRAWBERRY IN A SELF-WATERING POT

THE RED AND YELLOW PEPPERS ARE DOING JUST FAB!!

HERE WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF TOMATOES

April Showers were great!

We had a few rainy day, but now the sun is shining again and my garden plants are happy.  Sofia is happy too...she can play outside in her playhouse and sandbox while I putter around.

 

This is my new lemon tree...I need to repot it.
 

The romaine is really good....I have been using it for salads.

Tomatoes galore!   I counted 41 total on all my plants.  Wow!!

My red and yellow peppers are producing as well.

I have a few more plants to plant:  Strawberry, watermelon, yellow squash (my squash did not do so well last year they were mutant looking), and cucumber.  I need to go out and get more pots.

Happy planting!!!

Salad anyone?

Tomatoes up close

The romaine lettuce is growing like crazy

Lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, kumquat tree

2 containers of tomatoes growing strong.
Tomatoes

Green onions, tomatoe, herbs doing well.

We survived the cold snap

lettuce and peppers


Peppers ready to bloom


I see tomatoes

Has the the cold snap hurt my plants?

We've had a very wet and cold week. Rain and temperatures in the 40's and 50's. Today it is finally sunny and warm. Looks like my plants have all held up well.

I believe that unless the temperatures fell below 35F, there probably is no permanent damage to the plants. Just give them a week or two to recover. They should then produce a normal harvest. It's just that it will be a couple of weeks later than normal. If you had just transplanted very small plants, they may go through a shock period but should do fine.

My tomatoes still have blooms but overall look pretty good.

How my garden grows

Pictures from this morning.

Cilantro, parsley, basil, marjoram are doing nicely.

Romaine lettuce is looking lush.
Yellow pepper has a bloom.
Potted tomatoes are blooming.

I also planted 3 more tomatoes in my empty earthbox container just before the rain arrived.

Houston area spring planting guide

Planting Guide

Asparagus. 36-48 inches between rows; 12-18 between plants; plant after Feb. 1; 360-730 days to maturity.

Beets. 12-24 inches between rows; 2-3 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-May 15; 60-70 days to maturity.

Cabbage. 24-30 inches between rows. 12-20 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-March 1;70-100 days to maturity.

Carrots. 12-24 inches between rows. 2 inches between plants; plant Jan. 15-March 1; 80-90 days to maturity.

Cauliflower. 24-30 inches between rows. 12-20 inches between plants; plant Feb.1-March 1; 80-100 days to maturity.

Lettuce. 12-24 inches between rows. 2-3 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-April 1; 50-90 days to maturity.

Peas (English). 18-30 inches between rows. 1 inch between plants; plant Feb. 1-Feb. 17; 65-105 days to maturity.

Potatoes (Irish). 24-36 inches between rows. 8-12 inches between plants; plant Feb. 15-March 1; 90-110 days to maturity.

Radishes. 12-24 inches between rows. 1 inch between plants; plant Feb. 1-May 1; 35-50 days to maturity.

Spring planting guide

Beans (Snap bush). 18-30 inches between rows; 3-4 inches between plants; plant March 5-May 1; days to maturity 50-70.

Beans (Snap pole). 24-30 inches between rows; 12-18 inches between plants; plant March 5-April 15; days to maturity 50-90.

Beans (Lima bush). 30-36 inches between rows; 3-4 inches between plants; plant March 15-April 15; days to maturity 65-80.

Cantaloupe. 60-96 inches between rows; 24-36 inches between plants; plant March 15-April 15; 85-100 days to maturity.

Collards. 12-24 inches between rows; 6-12 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-March 25; 60-90 days to maturity.

Corn (Sweet). 24-36 inches between rows; 8-12 inches between plants; plant Feb. 25-April 15; 80-100 days to maturity.

Cucumber. 36-48 inches between rows; 18-36 inches between plants; plant March 5-April 15; 60-80 days to maturity.

Eggplant. 18-30 inches between rows; 18-24 inches between plants; plant March 15-April 10; 90-100 days to maturity.

Kohlrabi. 12-24 inches between rows; 3-5 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-March 1; 65-85 days to maturity.

Mustard. 12-24 inches between rows; 4-8 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-April 1; 40-50 days to maturity.

Okra. 30-40 inches between rows; 18-24 inches between plants; plant April 1-July 15; 65-75 days to maturity.

Onion. 12-24 inches between rows; 2-3 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-March 1; 90-130 days to maturity.

Peas (Southern). 24-36 inches between rows; 3-5 inches between plants; plant March 25-May 1; 70-90 days to maturity.

Pepper. 24-36 inches between rows; 18-24 inches between plants; plant March 15-April 10; 70-100 days to maturity.

Potatoes (Sweet). 30-36 inches between rows; 10-14 inches between plants; plant April 10-June 1; 110-140 days to maturity.

Pumpkin. 60-96 inches between rows; 36-48 inches between plants; plant April 1-May 1; 75-100 days to maturity.

Spinach. 12-24 inches between rows; 3-4 inches between plants; plant Jan. 1-Feb. 15; 50-70 days to maturity.

Squash (Summer). 30-40 inches between rows; 14-30 inches between plants; plant March 5-May 1; 60-70 days to maturity.

Tomatoes. 24-40 inches between rows; 18-30 inches between plants; March 15-April 10; 80-100 days to maturity.

Turnips. 12-24 inches between rows; 2-3 inches between plants; plant Feb. 1-May 1; 40-70 days to maturity.

Watermelon. 72-96 inches between rows; 36-72 inches between plants; plant Feb. 20-April 1; 80-100 days to maturity.

Transplants Source: Harris County Agricultural Extension Service Chronicle

So far sow good

I know I disappeared for the winter but I just had so much going on. Yada yada yada.

Well, my fall tomatoes grew well and produced a nice crop but the squash and peas were a bust. So I am trying a few new things this season. I actually have one of my tomato plants coming back. I added another tomato plant to the container. Oh and by the way, remember the Veggie Tomato Supports I used were just terrible. I am going to use something else this year. Just the plain cheap metal cages.
last season's tomatoe

New tomato

I am also trying to grow some herbs which I have started.
Parsley, Cilantro, Marjoram, Basil
Marjoram, Sage, Basil



Rosemary

Here are the yellow pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, and lettuce I planted in the ground, yes I am trying the ground for these you heard right. I added some good soil, dolomite and fertilizer to the bed and planted my plants.

Puttin up

This is something I posted on another one of my blogs a few months ago. I also made fresh pasta sauce with all of the tomatoes I grew in the fall.

In my life I do alot of "Puttin' Up". This time I am "Puttin Up" in the old fashion sense of the phrase... storing food, canning, freezing and such. Since I like to cook I often need fresh red, yellow, and green peppers but only a small amount of each. I got tired of having to throw out the unused portions so now I buy a bunch, chop them up with onion, put them into these mini muffin pans. I then put the pans in the freezer to freeze them then take them out of the pans and put them into freezer bags. Now I alway have them ready to add to whatever I am making!!! Ta da!!!