Artemisia -Siver Mound

Last summer my husband and I took a drive around the lake and exploring Ash Hollow.  While out I asked my sweet husband to dig up the "sage" that was so beautiful.  So with his ever present sharpened knife-he dug out what I now know is Artemisia- Silver Mound.

In the field!

Decorating and thriving in a bed in my yard.

Growing Purple Coneflower

My experiment for this spring has been starting purple cone flower, black sampson and big blue stem from seed.

How's it going?  Slowwwww.  Did you know that they are considered finicky and can be difficult?  They grow slowly.  They have a reputation for being impossible!  According to USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide "when the proper steps are taken, it has extremely dependable germination."

Once again, I've learned that I should be jotting down my observations in my journal!

I have transplanted them as they were getting "leggy" but now they seem to be stalled again.

Big Blue Stem transplanted.

I started in small seed flat but will start them in a much larger pot to begin with.

Doo Dads

While washing dishes today, I noticed two blue jars in the cupboard.  They are so pretty and need to be enjoyed.  

So with wire clippers in hand I used them to hang on a trellis.  I'm not for sure what exactly I'm putting in.  Lights?  Plants of some kind?  I think they are pretty cool!

This weekend I have been thankful for some salvaged windows keeping lettuce, radishes and carrots above freezing.  

If Gardening were easy who would do it?

Sunday, the 15th of April and was that a snowflake mixed with rain flying across the yard.  Just a little.  Last night tornadoes, hail storms, wind and pouring rain surrounded us on the plains.  

Was it really in the 70's and 80's earlier this month?  

With my hostas and corral bells and fall carrots poking through the soil and growing at full speed...I might have gotten just a little anxious with some of my experimenting as well.  Different lettuces, radishes, carrots and peas are up to defend themselves in this.  

Another reminder that gardening is all about living things and natural conditions.  It is a dynamic and sometimes hard process.  Simple.  But not easy. 

Passing Forward Passion

Following in the footsteps of previous generations includes "doing work together" and passing on a passion for gardening.  

Research in education is showing or confirming that education is way more then passing on facts.  It is about motivation, coaching, mentoring, engaging and building confidence. 

In the context of gardening it is talking, walking, pulling weeds together, planting, seeding, transplanting, watering and harvesting.  Walking through the process together.

It is not about telling.  It is about inspiring and flaming passion.  

In my home I have seeds started on my window ledge.  My boys know that they will find me in the morning and in the evening in the garden and will come out and talk for a while.  I intentionally talk about my excitement and love of learning and discovery.  I talk about why I'm growing what/where and why.

I find opportunities to pass on my love of the garden and outdoors to families I work with, to my colleagues and friends.  Teaching in my children's church, youth group by doing.  

 

Reseeding with Seed Balls...our meadow and our life.

Feeling a little like that neglected acreage out there?  Forgotten.  Sparse.  Needing spruced up?  More weeds then true growth?

Our church has several acres that leads up a steep hill to the parking lot.  While the bottom area is beginning to flourish and grow beautiful native grasses the areas that have been stressed by the environment, the elements...and us are full of weeds and erosion.

We have worked hard to pull, rake and weed eat old dead weeds and now have sandy steep barren ground.  A place waiting for trouble or for planting.  This problem has been tumbling in my mind while at work or home.  The native grass seed and  wildflower seeds sat ready to go.  

Then I remembered my Mom telling me about Lady Bird's seed balls.  Seeds rolled into a mixture of clayey soil with a bit of compost and water.   These balls dry and then are "tossed" onto the area to be reseeded.

The potting soil became a centerpiece on our cement pad with the youth group, paper plates, pitchers of water and baggies of compost and seeds staggered around it.  After a brief dusting of potting soil on my lap, water spilled, a few clumps of mud thrown at a girl and we finally got going making our own little seed balls that we will throw on the hills.

Indian Grass, Side Oats Grama, Big Blue Stem, Echinacea, and packets of wildflowers were mixed in with Miracle Gro compost and mixed up!  With a few teaspoons of heavy potting soil, a teaspoon of the seed/compost mix and water enough to make it stick together and we created small (and large) pieces of art!  Sitting on the table on paper plates drying until we throw them out on Sunday.

Hopefully this little protective pod of seeds and soil will bring some much needed life to the hills!