More winter vegetables

A comment on a post made in December about winter vegetables and an after-school program this afternoon have me thinking about change-outs in vegetable garden beds.

I had harvested some Tuscan and redbor kale, spinach, and purple mustard from the kitchen garden next to the visitor center to show a group of 2nd graders from a nearby school learning about eating and growing vegetables as part of a Clemson University Healthy Campus Initative outreach program.

It was a fun program; three Clemson students in a nutrition class had talked to the kids at their school last week about eating a rainbow of colors and will do a follow-up next week.

We sniffed herbs, sampled flowers from the bolting collards, looked at lettuces, saw strawberries in flower, and tasted garlic chives. Another three Clemson students (student athletes) helped with the kids, too, and were great (they're part of a group called Tigers who Care -- we're the Clemson Tigers in our athletic programs.

I showed them my flat of spicy salad mix (they all tasted young purple mustard leaves), spinach seedlings, and had them 'plant' in dry potting mix seeds of scarlet runner beans and yard-long beans.

We're about two weeks out from our average last frost date.

The variable temperatures and moisture levels have the kales and collards bolting (some years they last until May). So we'll be pulling out (and giving away) the greens in the visitor center vegetable garden over the next couple of weeks, to make room for the warm-season transplants.

Easter Bonnet Parade.

Today the children had their Easter Bonnet parade. It always used to be a competition but it was impossible to judge as so many hats are made by adults so this year it was a creme egg for everyone.

There was a great variety of bonnets, hats, caps and creations for all the proud parents and grandparents to see.

I know that gulls are a pest but these 2 in the supermarket, trying to take eat an empty cake box in the supermarket car park, had such lovely clean lines I had to take some photos.

Those buzzards wait until I slow down and then ... take off.

The hens also wait around looking for some more scraps. The daffodils in the garden are looking pretty good at the moment.

Bathroom mood expressed by detail

How to improve the mood of your bathroom? Do you think it is need much money? It is not sure. Some ornament which cost a little money may make the bathroom looks elegant. Such as a delicate mirror with a beautiful frame or a dried flower pluged in a crystal bottle.

Just like in the rest of the house, a cleverly placed ornament can lift the mood of the bathroom. The wonderful chunky gold mirror pictured above is a superb example of how you can bring a touch of opulent elegance to your bathroom with the simple addition of an always necessary mirror. Likewise, a place for hand soap and a glass is essential… so why not select a pair of gorgeous, gold flecked glass holders? Also available in black and transparent options, they made a subtle yet intriguing decor statement.

Early spring flowers

Not only are all the deciduous forest trees (oaks, beeches, etc.) producing catkins and other sorts of flowers, and expanding fresh young leaves, but our native early spring flowers are making an appearance.

The Gelsemium sempervirens (Carolina Jessamine) vine outside my study window is flowering, cascading down through the windowpanes.

The Iris cristata, shared with me by a wonderful former volunteer and SC Master Gardener, is starting to flower.




And Hexastylis arifolia (Little Brown Jugs) is producing its long-lasting jug-shaped flowers (pollinated by fungus gnats). That's if the plant is lucky!

Those Pesky Buzzards.

It was so hard to wake up this morning. Every cell in my body was screaming 'It's only 5.00' and I couldn't even open my eyes till 6.30. I think it'll be an early night tonight. There was a pretty sunrise this morning but not special enough to have me running up the hill before I was fully awake.

School was fine apart from having staff meetings at lunchtime as well as after school because a book rep was coming to see us. Actually the books were very good and fitted in well with the phonics scheme we are using but they are not cheap.
On my way home the buzzards were teasing me again. They always seem to perch on the one telegraph pole on the bend in the road where it would be dangerous to stop and when they're on the other poles they wait until I slow down to take a photo, (driving while trying to look into the camera and focus is not to be recommended), and then they fly off.

Girl's Bedroom

Sugar and Spice
Every little girl I know loves pretty colors! For a room she'll cherish, select fabrics with flowers, trellises, cute animals, or butterflies. You might stencil flowers, vines, and butterflies on walls as a colorful accent, using paint colors matched to your fabric or wallpaper choices. Don't forget soft, airy curtains for the windows.

Ocean
If you live near the beach, or just wish you did, create an ocean theme using watery blues for the wall, sand colors on the floor, and clouds in the sky (ceiling). Take color cues from a beachy border wallpaper, art print, or piece of furniture like this colorful stool. You 'll almost be able to hear the waves!

Stars
Starlight is a great theme, and you'll find many fabrics, wallpapers, and bedding with star patterns. This theme appeals to both boys and girls, and is available in many colors both bright and pastel. Wonderful theme pieces can be the "star" in a room. You might get star-shaped rubber stamps (or sponges) and dip into wall paint to create your own star border, decorate furniture, or make random stars all over the walls or ceiling. A star quilt or rug will complete the theme.

Moonlight
Create a wonderful, soft look with by the light of the moon. The ceiling might be midnight blue, with painted moon and stars, or use some of the stick-on glow-in-the-dark stars. Embellish a colorful painted bookshelf with crisp white stars, or liven up a plain white chest with a rainbow of star shapes. Find a moon and star quilt or fabric to use for window treatments. Then add a moon cutout headboard.
Next: More Ideas for GIRLS Rooms including a look at colors, feline friends, and the very trendy butterfly.

Children Bedroom Designs

When it comes to the best in custom childrens bedroom design and childrens room furniture you need to turn to retailers with imagination.

Dropping by a local furniture store, taking a virtual visit to an online retailer or flipping through the pages of the latest children’s bedroom catalogues or magazines will provide you with a ton of inspiration for everything from multi-purpose childrens room furniture to accessories and general room decoration concepts.

childrens bedroom furniture stores are an excellent place to start. Today’s furniture manufacturers are coming up with some great multi-functional pieces with kid’s needs in mind.

Double and triple function furnishings are a real blessing. Any childrens bedroom furniture item that has double or triple duty status is tops in my books. You may wish to consider a custom childrens bedroom design that features a sleep, study and storage unit all in one.

Now I realize your toddler isn’t old enough to have homework but his or her time will come soon enough. It’s wise to consider both current and future needs when looking at custom childrens bedroom design furnishings.

Convertible and multi-purpose furnishings can save floor space and enhance the play value of a children’s bedroom. You no longer have a need for extra furniture that takes up valuable space. A further bonus is that it’s usually less expensive to buy one opposed to two pieces of furniture.

Great 2-in-1 designs like bunk beds that reassemble as single beds and seating units with concealed storage are ideal for a children’s bedroom.

When looking to make a major childrens bedroom furniture purchase, it’s best to comparison shop furniture sales and give some thought to how the furniture will be able to serve your child’s needs in the years to come.

Convertible furnishings can be purchased for baby right up to teen rooms. Today’s cribs often come as a combination crib and storage unit. Features may include a standard crib with rails attached on one side to a multi-drawer chest. Here, both the crib and chest would sit on a foundation of dual blanket drawers.

Once out of the crib, your toddler can sleep on an extension mattress (and spring) that is added once the rails and chest are removed. On some models this is standard. Other models have this as an option only. Consider the price difference of both.

Such a configuration offers up years of usefulness - a single bed and a freestanding chest of drawers. Other chest/crib combos feature a detachable changing station on top of the storage unit. If considering this design, give some thought as to the most comfortable height for changing your baby. Most are between 30 to 40” high.

Trundle beds (with a roll-out sleep unit) are ideal for sleepovers, extra storage and additional play opportunities. You can remove the bottom mattress and use the frame for off season storage or for a train or car track set up.

Topping the list of the best custom childrens bedroom design units is a loft system. Features of a loft system include storage and study areas in addition to a sleep area. A great 3-in-1 loft arrangement may also feature book shelves and reading lights.

Childrens Bedrooms

Sunshine !

It's been a day of sunshine and amazing blue skies. I stopped at Burridge to take this photo on my way back from town this morning, I'll admit I didn't notice the buzzard soaring overhead at the time. I've been to this farm a couple of times to get work done on my first landrover. It's one of those ultra tidy places where even the wood pile was incredibly tidy. Some people are like that ... I'm not.

On the top of the hill just before Ashelford Corner.


Looking out towards Exmoor from the top of the drive.

With such glorious weather I had to spend the afternoon gardening. Every year I plan to have the whole garden weed free before the spring growth starts, and every year that doesn't happen. The clocks went forward this morning so perhaps I can fit in a little gardening each evening or at least do more on the weekends.

Linas was home for the weekend but went back to Plymouth this afternoon. He has various plans for after he finishes his IT degree this summer but we'll have to wait and seen which plans work out.

The afternoon sun created the right conditions for interesting reflections on the pond .

This is the white variety of skunk cabbage. Most of the plants in and around this pond are white, yellow or orange though there is a blue and white water iris as well as the white ones just because I couldn't resist buying it.

Here is another of my videos, apologies for the poor quality but I'm only just getting to grips with the video option on my camera. I was trying to show some of the views I see every day on my way to work. Having started life right by the sea in Cornwall and then having to live for over 20 years in London, it lifts my spirits being able to get a glimpse of the sea every day.

This evening we watched the second episode of Number One Detective Agency on BBC 1. It's well worth watching and is also available on BBCiplayer on the internet.

Vegetable seedlings

Working out in the garden this morning (mostly weeding winter annuals), I was admiring my flats of salad mix, Asian greens, and young spinach and radicchio seedlings.

Of course, there are young plants in the ground, too, but the flats are particularly pretty!

It's so easy to sow mixes of lettuce and greens in flats or containers or window boxes, it's worth doing even if you aren't really a vegetable gardener.

Community Gardening.

Congratulations to Kate, (Vytas' fiancee). She is currently doing her Masters at Leicester University and she has just been accepted to do her PhD (something to do with genes/ insects) there once she has done her Masters.

Although it was Saturday today we were conscripted (volunteered) to help at school with a community gardening day. We've had a large grant from the lottery fund to develop our environmental area. Today was the final main work day finishing off the (fenced) pond, spiral paths and willow tunnels and story area. About 60 adults and kids turned up and half-way through the day we stopped for bacon/sausage sandwiches and tea in the school hall. I think this collection of wellies tells the whole story.

We cleared turf, loosened soil and added smelly compost before planting 2 types of willow and weaving/tying them together to make this tunnel which spirals round to the central story area. The children are just going to love this.

I left before the final push in the afternoon but all the paths were going to be covered with wood chips ( a large pile of which can be seen in the first photo.)

I decided to drive home by a longer route going down Zig-Zag, a series of sharp bends down into a steep valley. I was hoping to get some good photos of a field/garden behind a cottage that is covered with primroses at this time of year.




I managed to find a place to park nearby and was greeted by these friendly sheep.

It's a bit early yet but when the primroses are at their best the whole hillside is covered with the yellow flowers.

Looking back up towards Zig-Zag.

Beneficial nematodes

There are many different species of nematodes, but since a couple of blocks in my main vegetable garden have developed a root-knot nematode problem (primarily affecting susceptible tomatoes and peppers), I've been interested in ways to reduce their numbers.

Root-knot nematode damage on tomato (University of Missouri Extension)

Rotation management is the primary organic method, using non-susceptible crops and varieties to decrease numbers, prior to trying some susceptible sort of heirloom tomato, for example (actually, my heirlooms are going to go in containers this year). Using trap crops such as rape seed (canola) and French marigolds is another recommended strategy.

But, beneficial nematodes that are supposedly parasitic on root-knot nematodes, sting nematodes, and ring nematodes sounded particularly appealing. The notion of having good guys take care of the bad guys in an underground soil contest, hmmm -- sounds promising to me.

So I plopped down my credit card for a supply of 5 millon Steinernema feltiae (Sf) nematodes, supposedly enough for 100-150 square feet, about the size of my main garden area. The company suggests that this variety might achieve 100% control of root knot nematodes. We'll see.

They're shipped at exactly the right time for your area, and mine arrived yesterday. More seeds, my gardening companion asked? No, it's my beneficial nematodes, I said. Woo-hoo! We'll see if they're effective at all. I hope they're hungry. I haven't been able to find a great deal of credible research information about their effectiveness, but figure it's worth a try.

Fortunately, conditions were perfect this morning for application (use immediately (√), early morning is best (√), soil should be damp (√), over 55° (√), during a rain was ideal (√), and additional watering or rain expected next few days (√).

I'm still only going to plant resistant varieties in those blocks, so this isn't a great experimental test (I suppose I could try ONE non-resistant pepper, but that gives the bad guys food). Hmrph.

Nutrients for vegetables

A question in a recent kitchen gardening program has had me thinking about nutrients and vegetables again. Vegetables are so much more nutrient-intensive than perennials, shrubs, trees, or any 'landscape' plants, it's hard to realize sometimes how much they appreciate excellent, fertile soil to grow in.

The person who asked the question wondered why her vegetables just seemed average, in their compost-enriched raised beds (but with no added fertilizer). Her soil test was 'fine' for vegetables, according to our state Ag Services Lab.

But another participant had just told us about her two Early Girl tomato plants last season that produced so many tomatoes that she was giving them away to her friends, neighbors, people at her church, etc. But she was fertilizing her plants.

Hmm. Most of my vegetable plants are a lot more in the average category - nice and productive, but nothing overwhelming. But I don't fertilize much either, after adding compost at each rotation or bed preparation. It's hard (as a plant ecologist) to get my head around nutrient and water hungry vegetables.

I think the key is that if you look at the advice for sustainable gardening using compost and green manures, it takes a LOT more than you'd ever think to keep soil nutrients high. 4-5 inches of compost is often recommended for additions to each year's bed -- that's a lot of compost!

And actually, now that I think about it, the Ag Services Lab recommendations are probably assuming that you'll add fertilizer (whether inorganic or organic) to your vegetables over the growing season.

Travelling Hen.

Some people carry dogs in their cars. I drive around with a chicken on the front seat. This was one of my ex-battery hens returning home after a day in school. No more pet visits but it has been fun for the children.

Lots of heavy showers today , I'm sure there was hail in the rain that soaked me first thing this morning. The rain clouds do make for dramatic skyscapes, this one was on my journey home tonight.