completely...

at loose ends for a couple of days. Deliberately not planning anything, due to the expectation that I would be going out of town. That did not come to fruition, so I will have to devise plans for my own entertainment. Which is usually not difficult. I could spend the day in the house cleaning and not get it all done. I could spend the day in the yard, picking up trash and planting things and not get it all done. Or I could just fritter the time away, and get nothing done. Which sounds like a much better plan than the others! So much for productivity...

I was lying in bed last night thinking about some things that need planting, and decided that is what I  will do. Plus we've had several thunderstorms with lots of wind that have caused limbs to fall.  I could easily spend all day with my wheelbarrow getting stuff picked up, to roll tree trash up the driveway and dump near the street for city pick up.

Some of those unlikely asparagus starts I planted a few weeks ago are at least three feet tall: a complete surprise. I did not expect anything to happen there, much less such remarkable results, amazing growth.  Followed the planting instructions, digging a trench and putting in good rich dirt to replace the red clay, and have kept them watered. But the idea of putting them out at such a completely wrong season caused me to have no expectations whatsoever. I know they take a couple of years to mature, but I am amazed that they even came up out of the ground.

If I'd had any idea of such amazing growth, I'm sure I would have put far more effort into their environment! I did get that zero-fertility red clay out, and put good dirt in. But I thought there were only three 'starts' in the pack. And there were eight. Apparently several of those did not come up, but still, they should be spaced out better. Expecting only three, I did not have enough space prepared for so  many, so they got kinda' stacked up, forced to accept less than ideal growing conditions. A classic example of what my mom would call: "20/20 hindsight." The crystal clear vision we tend to exhibit when the situation that needed better judgment is long past. 

I don't recall specifics, but I am sure the day they got planted was hot, buggy, muggy and by the time I did that hard clay digging, and was ready to plant, I was tired and desperate to get back in the house away from ravenous mosquitos and heat. So they did not get that 'perfect situation' I now wish I had devoted my time to creating: bigger, deeper, longer trench with lots of good dirt - but honestly - my expectations were so low, I was amazed anything at all came up.

Four of the five tomatoes I planted at the same time are still alive, to create great optimism about the likelihood of a fall crop. Hopefully they will start producing before the first serious cold/freeze. I think they are all Big Boy and Better Boy, so we will see what happens there...

I have some daisies in pots that need planting. And will put out behind the house where some holly ferns grow. The ferns are in a very shady area, but I think with some decent dirt and a bit of attention, the daisies planted along the edge, in the sun, will like being there and hopefully thrive. Several rescue mini-roses, that need to go in the ground, while it is wet enough to dig. I put some out early summer, that have done remarkably well: a testament to that good homemade soil combo. I create, mixing things together in the wheelbarrow and storing in five-gallon buckets. (The secret ingredient is probably Osmocote, time release fertilizer, in little pellets that dissolve when they come in contact with water.)