Maybe a little mould, but maybe not. Anyway, I’d put it in cold stratification on 21-02-15, and sprinkled it around the edges in the area where I planted the new common milkweed on 29-03-15. The goddamned cats will dig it up, but I have neither the time nor the energy to cover it all with chicken wire or frost blanket or whatever; I have thousands of seeds I must get in the ground, and I need to make places for them!

1030h. There. 3000 swamp milkweed seeds on the inside of the extended area, and hopefully, the blood meal I sprinkled on top will deter the cats and not burn any seedlings that may (or may not!) appear in the next few weeks. If I ever get the butterfly weed seed pods, those will go on the outside. Not sure yet where the bloodflower milkweed will go; it’s an annual, so it really doesn’t matter much.

I accomplished little; it was quite chilly with the wind, and there’s really little I can do until danger of frost has passed, but I did wander the flowerbeds. Coneflower, black-eyed susan, coreopsis and penstemon are coming along, and the tall phlox that was planted too late to do much will hopefully perform better this year.

I’m indifferent to crabapple, but I do love spring blooms, and I should see some soon.

Spicebush is blooming this year; the first time ever. First, it was too young, and then I lost a year by moving it, but it’s doing well. The new stuff I planted looks like it’s getting buds, too, but they’re very small. I’m happy as long as it lives. Spicebush blooms are tiny things.

Cropped close:

When I dug him up, he was covered with mud, and I thought he was a toad, but nope. ..grey tree frog.

Cleaned out and expanded  (a bit) the cosmos bed. I left the grass to freeze tonight; I want the dirt on the roots.

Milkweed bed is ready for seed; I worked in two bags of soil and one of composted manure.

Sent this to C.

I went to Buchheit at lunch for bone meal for the lavender. I got that, plus blood meal, a soil scoop (finally!) and…a Garden Weasel, which will henceforth and forever be know as a Mindy-Weedel because…because Dad. Anyway, it’ll be much too cold to plant anything this weekend, but not too cold to prepare the dirt. At least I hope not.

I was too tired to post these yesterday, but I wanted to document before Saturday’s 21F night temperature )and the 30F and 31F that bracket it) kill everything before it really gets a chance to start.

Clematis doesn’t seem too upset at being moved. In fairness to me, I did just haul it out, dirt and all, so it lost only a few roots. The green is a volunteer violet that came along for the ride.

Daffy-down-dillies getting ready to open. If they were in full sun, they’d be open by now, but they’re on the east side of the house.

My one brave little hyacinth.

I also went to Walmart at lunch. I was in and out in under 15 minutes because I went through the store like I was storming the beach at Normandy. I got two packs of crocosmia for C, and I bought the last one in case one of us needed it. I also got another blazing star and three blue salvia.

On my way out, I snagged a little red fittonia for my bathroom. It’ll look nice…if I ever get the painting done!

Forgot one! One of my very expensive Lonicera flava died shortly after I got it, but this one is alive, and growing! Hope the goddamned cold doesn’t kill it.

Not winter, but not time to set plants out yet, either. Anyway, that didn’t stop me from preparing, and it doesn’t stop my houseplants, either.

Preparing for hot, probably dry summer…two 50′ soaker hoses. I’ll need more, but these for now.

Still nothing from the Nicolai, but I actually have two little Reginae sprouts!

My baby California Cuties. One has two stems, but I had only two seeds…overachiever.

Three thousand swamp milkweed seeds. I’m giving at least one pack to C.

Finally…plants! Buchheit had seven lavender plants left, and C wanted four. Three is really enough for my purposes, but if they have more and I happen to be there, I may get a couple more. I got four oregano. Lavender and oregano, plus catnip that I already have, and probably blazing star will go there…I think that’ll have to be called the Bee Happy bed!

I went at lunch and bought six bags of garden soil because it’s going to rain the next few days, and it’s certainly not going to get any drier. I had someone load it, and I’m glad I did because it’s wet. I needed it out of HK, so sore from two days of uprooting grass or not, and entirely aside from the fact that I physically cannot lift a 2 cubic foot bag of dirt when it’s waterlogged, I unloaded it myself. It nearly killed me, but all six bags are stacked on the patio, under cover in preparation for the weekend (weather permitting).

MILKWEED!

Golden…whatever it is that always makes me think of Chipman’s Golden Glow…butterfly bush.

Spicebush

Also, my second Bird of Paradise broke ground. Nothing from the giant white Bird of Paradise yet, though. Bummer. I didn’t take a photo yet, but I will, hopefully tomorrow (if I don’t forget).

I finished expanding the milkweed bed yesterday, and today, I did the southwest corner bed! I’m probably going to be crippled for the next three days, but I made a place for the crocosmia I bought on Friday, and room for other stuff, too! I’m going to rearrange the evening primrose that’s already there, and maybe the catnip, too. The oregano that C gave me last fall is there, and I got some oregano seeds to expand upon it (bees say yay!). I’m putting crocosmia on the east side at the back, and I’m thinking maybe gloriosa daisy and Missouri sundrop near the front. Needs dirt because the soil is quite poor, but it should drain well. I might even put the blazing star I bought in there, too, since I don’t think it likes the teardrop bed (too wet, probably). For now, though, fuck grass, and it’s got a border on it.

Peonies making progress; I uncovered them yesterday.

Tulips won’t bloom, but I don’t care enough to move them right now.

Surprise lilies aren’t neon yellow anymore.

My one little hyacinth. I’m going to kick my own arse if I don’t plant some hyacinths this fall!

When it comes to Monarch baby food, it is! I started enlarging the milkweed bed on Monday when I planted the common milkweed I’d bought, and I made up my mind to finish it today. It nearly killed me, but it’s 12″-18″ wider, and the perimeter measures about 38’6″ because I had about 18″ left from a 40′ roll of edging. Every time I decide to make a flowerbed (or enlarge one), I’m all excited and forget just how much work it is to get rid of the grass. Especially fucking crabgrass. I remember now, and I’m sure my muscles won’t forget for at least a few days. It’s done, though; ready for whatever of the 260 butterfly weed seeds aren’t moldy, plus whatever I can get to sprout from the 3000 swamp milkweed seeds I bought from the non-profit on ebay that puts 100% of the purchase price toward saving Monarchs. I’m going to give some of the seeds to C; she wants to plant some milkweed for Monarchs, and I’m all for that!

Old lady’s lilac has some green!

Red bee balm isn’t fucking around. Hope all these little dudes live!

First, the bulbs. I went to Walmart after work yesterday to get edging, and accidentally found crocosmia bulbs that turned out to be Lucifer after I scanned the QR code, and blazing star, since I doubt mine survived the winter. Nice-looking bulbs, 20 pack for $5.38. I got two bags of crocosmia and one blazing star.

Now for crap…as in, “Crap, some of my cold-stratified seeds went moldy.” Mostly the asters, of course; I’m about ready to give up on asters, period. Anyway, I’ll throw them in the ground, and they’ll do what they do; grow, don’t grow, live, die, whatever. Grrrr!

Just one so far, and very small. I was too tired to post this last night.