Caged position 1 contains two Cleome. These were put at the two ends of the tomato line to help protect against whatever plagued end tomatoes in the past and to attract bees. The Cleome blooms are big and colorful and receive lots of bee business. These Cleome are about to have their first bloom. They bloom all summer long.
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Tomato status
Caged positions 10 and 11. Position 10 (left) is a Better Boy. Position 11 (right) is a Celebrity. All other tomatoes of similar size at this time. Pic taken on 6/25. Celebrity and Better Boys are the only types of tomatoes planted this year.
Catnip
Here’s a nice shot of catnip in full bloom in sunset light on veranda level north wall. This is catnip’s glory days. After seeding out it pretty much dies and should be pulled. Cats go crazy for the white flowers.
First Lily Blooms
For some reason I planted lilies this year and here is the first bloom (I forgot the exact name of this lily — they all look the same to me IMHO) on the very north west corner veranda. I don’t think the lilies will survive the onslaught of morning glories that have begun to amass in force.
Raspberry and Catnip Blooms
A raspberry bush and catnip grow in the front parkway container. This raspberry bush (foreground) is in its third year and started from a single root purchased at Menards. The white flowers in the background are catnip in bloom.
Logbook Entry: First fertilization 6/13/2012
I never recorded when I start fertilizing so not sure if I’m early or late this year. I use that Miracle Grow 3-1-2 blue water soluble fertilizer that comes in packets. One scoopful into a two gallon bucket is good for 2 1/2 tomato sized containers. My main concern are the tomatoes — the only plant that has been a perpetual failure for me year after year. Everything on the main roof was fertilized and all house plants on the veranda. I’m debating whether or not to expand the fertilizer regime to other plants.
I normally try and fertilize once a week.
Unknown Veranda Perennial
Not sure what plant this is but it keeps coming back on the veranda, west wall, center right container. This is I think year 4 of this plant in that container and its growth has accelerated. I see it growing in neighborhood yards like a weed. The flower turns into some kind of berry. Not sure if it’s poisonous or not.
Tomatoes in morning light
This photo shows the tomatoes at around 7:30 am on 6/3. They’re still shaded nicely. Sunrise is around 5:16am so they get over 2 1/2 hours of morning shade. The south side of the roof gets no shade. The debris clump in the sunlight is suffering from drought. We’ll see how these fare this year under drought conditions. I have identified two leaks in the roof that need repair — exact location not completely known. I do not suspect the debris clumps however. The tomato patch and two corners are the only things growing up there this year giving me room to do some roof repairs. Much of the roof needs that silver paint. I might look into white instead.
The following is for log book purposes. The 14 caged positions have been planted with the following:
1 – two Cleome 2 – Celebrity 3 – two eggplants 4 – Big Boy 5 – I’ll fill this in later.