Monthly Archives: September 2011

Observation

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The vines might have suffered from lack of nourishment this year.  None of the boxes supporting morning glories were replenished with any kind of slow release ferts.  Next year, if there’s a next year, we’ll put at least 10% mushroom compost into the mix.  The alley planters cubic feet are:

Box 1 = 1.5*1.5*4 = 9 cuft

Box 2 = 1.5*1.5*3 = ~7 cuft

Box 3 = Box 1 = 9 cuft

Box 4 = 1.5*1.5*6 = ~14 cuft

Total = ~40 cuft

Total Mushroom Compost = 4 cuft @ 10% , 8 cuft @20%

= 2 – 3 2 cuft bags for alley planters.

NW corner veranda

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Status update of northwest corner veranda.  Morning glories have topped the pergolas and this is about as dense as they get.  The morning glories are waning.  I haven’t seen a Heavenly Blue or Moonflower so it looks like the purple and pinks took over and won.  The morning glories seem much thinner than previous years.

Note to future Mark:  veranda level container mix needs to be turned and planted with more variety next Spring and then weeded properly.  It might be a good idea to introduce mushroom compost as well to aid in water retention and provide better nutrition.  I think veranda level boxes drained and dried out too quickly this year.  This seems counter intuitive since I didn’t turn or touch the container mix in the veranda main boxes.  Perhaps there also might have been lack of proper nutrients provided in both alley and veranda level main planters.  No added slow release ferts were added in Spring and MG soluble fertilization was added infrequently.   Need to come up with a proper proportion of compost/cubic foot.  A 10% ratio would mean 3 cubic feet of compost to cover two veranda level main boxes.

The purples, which I consider the weed of the MG family, is all I got this year.  They look nice in certain light but can’t compare to Heavenly Blues which are absent.

Cosmos in debris clump

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Cosmos grow amongst two year old debris clump occupying the western edge of main roof.  These clumps are going through drought periods.  I haven’t been diligent watering since the tomatoes died.  The wildflowers are still popping up however and blooming.  I cheated and seeded these.  The grass and most all other plants in these clumps comes from whatever seeds make it and survive.

Update

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No posts in awhile.  No pictures.  The garden is waning mid August again and I don’t know why.  All tomatoes and cucumbers are dead.  The morning glories were thin this year from the alley.  Clearly neglect has taken its toll there.  Right now, like the Cubs, I’m planning for next year.  Maybe the year the Cubs win the World Series will be the year I can get a tomato plant to survive until October.