2014 Pumpkin Crop

This year's harvest.  Overall, a nice growing year with plenty of rain throughout the summer.  As always, I'd like to thank the honey bees for doing their part.

 

Sunflower Fiends

Chickadees are not shy when raiding my dry sunflowers even though they know I'm not far away.

Fresh Pesto

While some of my other plants are not faring well in the sizzling heat that we've been having, my basil plant has been thriving in full sun.  That means one thing:  time to make some pesto!

Found this recipe as a first hit on Google, and tried it out.  This plant was started indoors, in March, and is shared with some chives:

After harvesting:
 

It takes a surprising large amount of leaves to make two cups, packed.
I

I'll need more basil plants in the future if I ever want to make pesto regularly.  

Thumbs up to the recipe.

Hydrangeas in Longmont

Did you see the Johnny St. Vrain column in the Times-Call last week where a reader was having trouble getting hydrangeas to bloom, and wondered how the city grows them so well in the downtown breezeways? The reader also wondered which hydrangea variety was planted by the city.

Here's a shot of the downtown breezeway hydrangeas:


The city downtown landscaper Bill Paul wasn't sure but thinks this could be the Anabelle variety (there are 1200 varieties).

Hydrangeas grow from Florida to Newfoundland, so what does it take to grow them in Longmont? Paul says:

• Good morning sun
• Protection from afternoon sun
• Rich loam soil, neutral in acidity
  
• Well-drained soil
• They don't like wet conditions
  
• Some protection from harsh cold temperatures

I regularly pass by some blooming hydrangeas so let's see how these stack up to the formula above.

In the Prospect neighborhood, these are on the east side of a house and this picture was taken in the middle of the afternoon. So they definitely get the morning sun and are in the shade during the afternoon. They are close to the house and next to a sidewalk which provides some winter protection.


And still in Prospect, another block away, these are on a east-west sidewalk and get a little more afternoon sun, but are still thriving:


Finally, these hydrangeas in Southmoor Park stray away from the formula a bit as they are in direct mid-afternoon sun but there is a bank of tall trees to the right (west) which will provide some shade in a few more hours. And, they likely get some winter warmth from the surrounding rocks:


I'll be on the lookout for colored hydrangeas (blue and pink) in Longmont.

This Year's Pumpkin Crop

Time ran out for the green one, especially after last weekend's deep freeze

Velvet Queen Sunflower

Maybe I should plant more than one of these next year!

First tomato of the year, 2009

First tomato this year, from a six-inch plant put outdoors on Mother's Day:


Two weeks later than last year, perhaps due to the cool and cloudy May this year.

Hops coming up!

Two months ago, at the beginning of March, a nice coworker dug up some of his hops rhizomes and gave them to me.

From the March planting (the rhizomes look like sticks):



And now they are coming up.


The vines love to climb, so I'll be needing to come up with a staking system real soon now.

Signs of Spring, Part 1

Some tulip bulbs coming up:

This year's crop

This year's crop. In the spirit of last year's report card, here's one for 2008:

• Regular pumpkins (no Lumina's this year): B+
• Tomatoes: A
• Green Peppers: D
• Cucumbers: A
  

Big pumpkin the back weighs about 95 pounds.

First ripe tomato of 2008

Living up to its name, an early girl tomato was picked and enjoyed this evening:


Started from a six inch seedling that was planted on Mother's Day.