Strawberry Boom

Hanging the Topsy...

Today was another chilly and windy day. It was sunny, though I just wasn't up for much gardening, I didn't sleep well. What I did have to do was set up the Topsy Turvy on the shorter shepherd hook, again. So I took the large hook out went into Potagar grabbed the small hook and put the chimes and lure hanging on it on the ground and trucked back over to Patch. I dug the small hook into the ground, on a level spot, as deep as I possibly could then I grabbed the Topsy, off the chair, and hung it using the new hanging hook so that it was able to turn and put the painted rocks back on top. It's funny because this time even though the Topsy seems to weigh more the shepherd hook didn't lean forward as much. It seems like the issue was more the hanging hook than the S. hook. I rearranged the lantern so that it filled in the spot that used to be filled by the large hook and the Topsy Turvy. 

5 Gallon Boom...

When I was done I took a look into my 5G bucket and noticed that I had the most beautiful strawberry flower, yet. It even looked like a strawberry because it had that big green stem and leaf part that top strawberries from the store. After I saw that I noticed that the there were at least 15 other big buds that look exactly like the flower did when it started. It's amazing because the 5G bucket took, at least, 3 weeks longer to produce any buds than the Topsy and the 8G bucket so I thought it either wouldn't produce at all or that it was setting up a stronger base and would produce better. I sure it'll be my second thought, now. It's producing what I believe will be my first berries. The other two containers have produced several flowers and buds but none that look like the ones in the 5G bucket and none of which have that leaf and stem formed; largely or properly. The flowers that seemed like they'd turn into strawberries have shriveled and aren't growing. I'm hoping that the flowers that die now aren't going to continue to die as more are produced. I hope that they're setting up a stronger base and will start producing flowers that look more like the 5G bucket flowers. 

Tonight is supposed to get down into the high 30's. I thought about bringing the 5G and 8G bucket inside but seascapes can handle as low as 55 degree soil temperatures, with ease, and I don't think one cold night will bring the soil temp. down that far. If it does I hope they are resilient enough to take it and perk back up during the sunny 80+ degree weather we're going to get the rest of the week.

5G flower and buds. Notice the large green leaves behind it. Looks just like a store bought strawberry's top. 

Building Completed

I spent the afternoon in the rain finishing the building and filling portion of my garden. It was wet and cold but I was determined. I started by adding the cinder blocks in place of the bricks on the right & back wall. Then because the garden is on a narrow-ish flat that leads to a hill I started sledge hammering stakes into the concrete block holes. One for every block. That didn't go smoothly at all. I slammed my middle finger with the sledge hammer and slid down the hill in what were now soaked and slick garden boots. After hammering 2 stakes in I decided to try a medal rod on the 3rd. That was quick and easy but wasn't going to hold. So, I went looking for something more & found some black plastic fencing (the type you click together) in the shed and put that up for looks and blockage.

The snaps broke as I was trying to hook them together and a piece of the fencing lanced me in the face. I was fine but immediately decided they looked just as good without being snapped together. I hammered the pieces in and moved on to adding the rest of the soil to my raised bed.

I was under the impression that I would have an overload of soil. As I dumped bags 1, 2, & 3 into the bed I realized that the soil I'd bought wasn't going to be enough. I then had a DUH! Moment. The backside was sloping because of the hill and in turn deeper. The only plant I plan on growing that needs any real depth is the sweet potato. So I made a quick decision that I wasn't going to buy another 6 bags @ $3.33/bag. I was going to move the back row up so that it was flatter and the bed would be smaller. That bummed me out because instead of having 9 sq. feet in my square foot garden now I'd only have six. It was worth it though because I wasn't wasting an enormous amount of soil on filling in a hill and I had 1 full bag left over with the same depth all the way around. Moving the blocks meant scooping all of the soil from the back to the front of the bed and removing the stakes I had just busted my fingers to get in... It was disappointing to say the least but overall a much better way of going about my raised bed. The fear of the back wall toppling down the hill was gone and my bed would be completed, today (although my original intention was to get my container of spinach planted which I didn't).

Finally, I mulched the right side of the bed, repositioned the black plastic fencing further in, and placed my shepherd hook a few inches off to the right. Patch Market is ready for the plants!

I grabbed the tools that did not fare well outdoors, took my muddy boots off and washed up. My hair was dripping my nail was throbbing and I was exhausted but I was proud of the work I had done. Hopefully my plants flourish and all of the days and days of hard work aren't for nothing.