Back From a Chilly, Rainy Week in Michigan

The boys and I went back to Michigan last week to hang out with my brother while he was home on leave from Afghanistan.  It was a lot of fun, chillin out in my old hometown with the fam, cooking out and drinking.  Of course there were other activities thrown in as well - I went to work, hung out with a couple other relatives, etc.

One of the things I wanted to accomplish was moving some of my more meaningful Michigan plants from the old house to my boss/friend's yard, where they could flourish until I have a place for them.

There are a lot of plants in here, including several roses, a big mountain daisy bush in the middle, chives and mint that are a couple generations old, winter and summer savory, lemon balm, lillies that my mom planted decades ago - representing a bouquet of flowers my dad bought her when he was deployed over seas, borage, and a few more meaningful plants.

I didn't have a camera, so I used the crappy one on my phone to take some shots.

I bet this spot will be gorgeous in a few years.  *sigh*



I miss my garden!  But I'm determined to get over it and move on.  What else can you do?  

I was out digging in pouring rain in a blue and gold dress, surrounded by poppies and roses and flowering sage and irises and so much more flora that I had spent hundreds of dollars and hours coaxing out of cold Michigan mud, feeling sorry for myself, when my neighbor friend came over.  She told me I looked like a garden fairy.  We chatted and laughed in the rain, and I offered plants like I have for years.

At least my mark on Grand Rapids isn't doomed to degenerate into wildness forever, given that at least half a dozen yards in the place have blooms originating from my tangled collection.  That makes me feel a little better:)

A few last shots from my former Leonard St. garden.

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Don't stick your toes in the holes and other lessons...

I’ve learned a few things about patio gardening, and southern gardening, that I didn’t know before.  For instance:

When you see a 8” mound of mud in the middle of your three sisters planting in your community garden plot, don’t stick your finger in it.  It’s not an anthill.  It’s a crayfish hole.  You know – the tiny lobsters with big claws? (No, the boys didn't get pinched, but someone yelled a warning at them before they could.)

It’s not a good idea to put a string between your seedling morning glories and the hummingbird feeder, led by some misconception that the birds will like the flowers and the cover.  It just turns into a trapeze for more ants than you knew were in 100 yards of you to climb up and invade the feeder.  And drop on your head while you’re drinking coffee.  

Running a hose from your kitchen sink to the patio is a much more efficient way to water your plants… but beware the tightening process.  Water is expensive in the south, and the squealing the pipes make when you’re not releasing the pressure except by leakage will have folks looking at your apartment with “Take cover!!!  It’s gonna blow!!!!” written all over their faces.  (Yes, that's my actual contraption.  A $5 connector on a $10 hose.  Totally worth it:D)

And speaking of neighbors and watering, have you ever wondered if some uptight businessman in an expensive suit three floors below you might sue because you accidently aimed a little too high when trying to water your red geraniums?  Creating a shower on the walkout three floors below?  I have.  Luckily, he ducked.  And I looked wicked contrite.  

But the learning process is paying off!  Check out today's view:

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The Beginnings of a Patio Garden

Before I came back to MI, I got my patio garden off to a start.  I didn't have time to make it pretty, but that doesn't matter as much as actually having things growing:D

Gerber Daisies from Harris Teeter, a sock grass man Torin made at school, a variety of morning glories (to be spread out in different pots later), and a white pot with a moonflower that hadn't sprouted yet.  You can see my hummingbird feeder in the background.  I have no idea if hummingbirds come through my area at all, but better safe than sorry;)

Before I had found a community garden plot, I went on the assumption that I wouldn't have one.  So the terra cotta pots have pole bean and wax bean seeds that hadn't sprouted yet.  I think I'll leave them - what's more fun then going out to the porch an picking some yummy treats?  I have no idea if the smaller pot is big enough, but let's just call it an experiment!

The metal wash bin has a variety of salad fixins - a lettuce mix, green onions, radishes, etc - and two types of nasturtiums (which are edible too!).  There are some cucumber seeds under the wire cage - I'll let the healthiest plant climb up the cage instead of the porch.  Once the greens are over with, I'll fill it with later season crops and/or flowers.

 

Lettuce, spinach, flowers, parsley, dahlias from Harris Teeter... I would have to look at the seed packets to remember what is where.  There is another bird feeder there too.

See the cardboard underneath?  Well, the last apartment I lived in (about 5 years ago) taught me a lesson in remembering to be aware of drippings... the stuff that falls between the wooden floorboards on unsuspecting neighbors below.  It was a incident involving one of those small blue wading pools full of water on the patio, Torin, and neighbors coming in with groceries at just the wrong moment... I don't like to speak of it now.  :D  So, in a preemptive move to avoid patio wars, I used some giant cardboard strips left from new mattress packaging to prevent an invasion of dirt and compost raining down on the neighbor below. 

 

Finally, some basil.  Basil needs more light than my patio is able to provide, I think, so I took a different approach.  I bought one of those kitchen rod hanger sets from Ikea, bolted it to the outside rail, and wired the pots to it so they wouldn't blow off.  I'm going to do more of that, I think... the pots already have holes in the bottom, and the rods are pretty inexpensive!

I'm going back this weekend, so I'll have an update on how things are doing soon.  I'm such a geek - I can't wait to see how many true leaves have emerged!

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