Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Pepper Planter two
Welcome to my next pepper planter!
Solar Flare!
Seriously - how could I not?? rated very hot - not extremely hot though :( It is a late season 2" x 1.5" habanero type pepper. Matures from light green to orange to red. Has a mango in its future over chicken.
Banana Hot
Only a medium heat, early season 8" long by 1.25" wide, matures from green to yellow to red.
Australian Lantern Hot
A very hot 1" long by 3/4" wide late season pepper matured from green to orange to red.
Texas Black
A medium pequin 1" x .5" mid season pepper that matures from purple to red.
Relleno Equador Sweet
A sweet 6" x 1.25" mid season ( apparently it can't read a calendar as it has a pod already) matures from green to red. Then some olive oil, salt and pepper and toss it on a charcoal grill.
McDonald's Orange Grove
A hot 1.25" x 3.75 late season tabasco pepper, matures from greenish yellow to orange to red. Angie has dibs on these peppers as last summer she and her grandfather got a make your own hot sauce kit, and played mad scientist (stress the mad). I was informed they have some "ideas" for this summer. Yes, nothing like watching your child pack chem lab goggles, a mask and neoprene gloves for a day at her grandfathers!
Jalapeno Jumbo
3.5" x 1.75" hot jalapeno mid-season pepper, matures from green to red. Good for all the standard jalapeno stuff. I like to smoke these for home made chipotle peppers.
Yes, coming soon --- more plants. Amazing what I can fit on a balcony and still have room for chairs a table and us!
Quiz is seriously broken again!
Solar Flare!
Seriously - how could I not?? rated very hot - not extremely hot though :( It is a late season 2" x 1.5" habanero type pepper. Matures from light green to orange to red. Has a mango in its future over chicken.
Banana Hot
Only a medium heat, early season 8" long by 1.25" wide, matures from green to yellow to red.
Australian Lantern Hot
A very hot 1" long by 3/4" wide late season pepper matured from green to orange to red.
Texas Black
A medium pequin 1" x .5" mid season pepper that matures from purple to red.
Relleno Equador Sweet
A sweet 6" x 1.25" mid season ( apparently it can't read a calendar as it has a pod already) matures from green to red. Then some olive oil, salt and pepper and toss it on a charcoal grill.
McDonald's Orange Grove
A hot 1.25" x 3.75 late season tabasco pepper, matures from greenish yellow to orange to red. Angie has dibs on these peppers as last summer she and her grandfather got a make your own hot sauce kit, and played mad scientist (stress the mad). I was informed they have some "ideas" for this summer. Yes, nothing like watching your child pack chem lab goggles, a mask and neoprene gloves for a day at her grandfathers!
Jalapeno Jumbo
3.5" x 1.75" hot jalapeno mid-season pepper, matures from green to red. Good for all the standard jalapeno stuff. I like to smoke these for home made chipotle peppers.
Yes, coming soon --- more plants. Amazing what I can fit on a balcony and still have room for chairs a table and us!
Quiz is seriously broken again!
You Are Fabulously Friendly |
 You're nice to everyone you come across, even if they aren't being particularly nice to you. You genuinely like others. You love your friends, and you're happiest when you're a social butterfly. You always have a smile, joke, or kind word for someone. You're kind to everyone, even if they aren't very friendly back. You are simply a people person. You naturally make friends with almost everyone you meet. |
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Hope It Gives You...Ideas?
Welcome to the May 26th version of Thursday Thunks!
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want. Write about it on your blog... simple as that. Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!
Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post. Please mention us in your post, and link back to the blog here.
Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs. Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks! Thats what all this is about afterall, isn't it? We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....
This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Kimber, the color of Bret Michaels' bandana, and the number 8888.
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want. Write about it on your blog... simple as that. Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!
Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post. Please mention us in your post, and link back to the blog here.
Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs. Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks! Thats what all this is about afterall, isn't it? We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....
This week we will answer some crazy questions brought to you by Kimber, the color of Bret Michaels' bandana, and the number 8888.
1. Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself? Why does Braun's send me the reject drivers on Friday?? They are starting to really piss me off!
2. Where's your picket fence?
I'm more of the wrought iron fence - plastic version.3. With a big smile on your face, you do what? Suck Curtis into one of my plans... you'd think by now he'd learn!
4. If I was to walk up to you, you'd do what? You'd have to find me first - people at work think I'm always shooting off somewhere else - it's hardwer to hit a moving target!
5. The list goes on and on. What list? Well, my "list" at work keeps growing longer, and trust me you don't want to be on it. People on the list keep asking people not on the list how to get off. Hmmmf, have I mentioned I'm half Scorpio?
6. Does every rose have a thorn or does every thorn have a rose? I went outside and counted. Every rose has at least 8 or 9 thorns. Which is fine with me - I don't like cut flowers. They are dead, people! You've decapitated them!! Might as well stick a horse's head in my bed...
7. Talk dirty to me. What kind of mop/vacuum/dust thingymabob do you use? Not getting up to check the brand, but one of those steam mop things, and a hoover bagless with the special filter thingy, and the yellow fluffy, disposable head duster thingy.
8. My Mamma don't _cook______ and my Daddy don't __breathe_____.
9. Ever had a suitcase packed by your feet, and if so where were you going? I can't wait to read Bud's response to this, and am disappointed I'll miss Thom's opinion. Seriously- you've had both of your arms broken? Forgot to pay your bills or something??
10. Have you ever ridden in a limousine? Yes.
11. I went to bed too soon and got up to ____? Pee, seriously, one of my meds is also a diuretic and since remembering pills at 230am is just not happening, I take them with dinner. I then can't go to sleep until the diuretic kicks in or I will be waking up.
12. "And this last mile I travel with you ", to where? Well, I'll be running away from you and your foot packed suitcase!
pepper planter one
Peppers are going to take a few days to post. ( thunk fans, my thursday thunks will post later today ) First let me explain that there are many basic types of peppers. Bell, Cayenne, Cubanelle, Pequin, Aji, Habanero, Blocky, Cluster, Anaheim, Ancho/poblano, Tabasco, Lantern, Banana,Chiltepin, Jalapeno, Cherry, Serrano, Peperoncini, Squash - wow. Each of these have many different types of plants whose peppers range in sweetness/heat, size, color, ripening time. So one pepper that is an anaheim can be a completely different heat/ size/ color than another. I never knew this until recently. I thought habanero was the pepper- i didn't realize there were almost 100 different habanero's out there. Granted a lot of this is due to hybridization, but still makes picking out peppers a bit tough for me.
This is Pequin Large black Chili. As the name implies, it is a Pequin pepper, it really doesn't have a large pepper IMHO, 1" long by 1/2 " wide. It is a late season pepper with purple leaves ( kinda cool) and black fruit that turns brown then red. ( here's a secret for all hot peppers - it is kind of counter intuitive. The longer you leave it on the plant and the more it ripens - the more heat it loses) This is "merely" a hot pepper.
The large pepper on the right side of the picture is a Patriot hybrid. This is a sweet bell pepper, 4-5" long by 3.5-4.5" wide., it is a midseason pepper that ripens from green to red.
This is the Jamaican Gold pepper. It is a hot, squash pepper - 1.5" tall by 1.75" wide. It is a prolific ,mid season pepper that matures from green to gold.
Meet the "Masquerade pepper". It is a hot cluster pepper ( you can see it already has a cluster of peppers) 3" long by 1/2" wide that goes from green to purple to red.
Here is bouquet, a medium heat, pequin pepper 2/3" long x 1/2" wide, matures from purple to orange to red,
This is gypsy, a sweet Cubanelle frying pepper 4.5" long x 2" wide ranges from pale yellow to orange red. Definitely a fun pepper to cook with!
Lastly one of my personal favorites- the cowhorn chili.a medium heat anaheim pepper. 6-8" long x 1 1/4" wide it matures from green to red, but sometimes green to yellow ( no idea why the color change) . It is a super versatile pepper to cook with.
This is the Jamaican Gold pepper. It is a hot, squash pepper - 1.5" tall by 1.75" wide. It is a prolific ,mid season pepper that matures from green to gold.
Meet the "Masquerade pepper". It is a hot cluster pepper ( you can see it already has a cluster of peppers) 3" long by 1/2" wide that goes from green to purple to red.
Here is bouquet, a medium heat, pequin pepper 2/3" long x 1/2" wide, matures from purple to orange to red,
This is gypsy, a sweet Cubanelle frying pepper 4.5" long x 2" wide ranges from pale yellow to orange red. Definitely a fun pepper to cook with!
Lastly one of my personal favorites- the cowhorn chili.a medium heat anaheim pepper. 6-8" long x 1 1/4" wide it matures from green to red, but sometimes green to yellow ( no idea why the color change) . It is a super versatile pepper to cook with.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”
Click here for info and background on this weekly event!
The basics:Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)
This week’s theme is: Reflection
Angie graduates
Just yesterday she was my
cute little baby.
I remember well
holding her hand crossing streets,
kissing her boo-boos.
Room mom made cupcakes
chaperoned all her field trips
not much homework help.
Dance recitals and
competitions far and wide,
switched over to sports.
Good times and fun times,
Sad times, mad times and now she's
an awesome woman.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tomatoes Today
So meet the tomatoes today. Next year I am definitely hitting this place early. They were sold out of a few types I really wanted to try including the coyote tomato. But, as you probably guessed I did make up for it and find others.
First I got a regular patio tomato- from Home Depot. I had to keep it inside for a couple weeks , because it was still to early to put it outside, but I couldn't resist. Some of the lower leaves are a tad rough, because I should have waited another week, but over all it is doing well:
Next ironically, currently my smallest plant is the "Big Zebra". This is a mid-season indeterminate tomato, that is a large flattened globe shape that ripens red with green stripes. Should look great on salads!! And salsa's.
Next ( just a tad blurry- but it was breezy) is the Japanese Black Trifle. It is an indeterminate, mid season pear deep flavored tomato. It's leaves are more potato than tomato shaped. It is supposed to be a rich sauce tomato.
You've already met the grape tomato. ( the tomatoes are getting bigger!)
And you've met the sweet 100's (the flowers fell off during that cold windstorm)
And finally the Siletz. It is an early season, determinate, globe tomato.
Here's a quiz for y'all. Good thing I'm a "natural beauty" cause leaving the house at 3 am - means that's all you're going to get!
First I got a regular patio tomato- from Home Depot. I had to keep it inside for a couple weeks , because it was still to early to put it outside, but I couldn't resist. Some of the lower leaves are a tad rough, because I should have waited another week, but over all it is doing well:
Next ironically, currently my smallest plant is the "Big Zebra". This is a mid-season indeterminate tomato, that is a large flattened globe shape that ripens red with green stripes. Should look great on salads!! And salsa's.
Next ( just a tad blurry- but it was breezy) is the Japanese Black Trifle. It is an indeterminate, mid season pear deep flavored tomato. It's leaves are more potato than tomato shaped. It is supposed to be a rich sauce tomato.
You've already met the grape tomato. ( the tomatoes are getting bigger!)
And you've met the sweet 100's (the flowers fell off during that cold windstorm)
And finally the Siletz. It is an early season, determinate, globe tomato.
Here's a quiz for y'all. Good thing I'm a "natural beauty" cause leaving the house at 3 am - means that's all you're going to get!
You Are a Natural Beauty! |
 You're the kind of beauty that every guy dreams about... One that looks good in the morning - without a stitch of makeup That's doesn't mean you're a total hippie chic though You have style, but for you, style is effortless |
Monday, May 24, 2010
My New Plants!
Today I'll show you my eggplants and tomatillos.
First meet Kermit. I was a bit concerned that maybe I damaged the plant when taking it out of the container, because it was all wilted for a couple days. But it's been picking up, and I think with some TLC (almost wrote TLV- only my NASCAR friends would understand) Kermit is a hybrid eggplant out of Thailand. It's supposed to be an early season eggplant - it is a round -2.5in, green and white fruit.
Next is my Striped Tioga Eggplant. It is a mid-season teardrop shaped eggplant. I'm not 100% sure where it's from. When ripe it will be 3-4 in long by 1-1.5 in wide ( yes I prefer the smaller eggplant varieties not the regular purple one you see most often in the grocery store) And get this - it will be orange with green stripes - how much fun is that??
The nursery had tomatillo plants - which I was not prepared to see. They didn't have them listed in the quick reference guides they had. SO I randomly picked two Zuni Tomatillo's. Then after I got them home, I realized I had no idea how to grow them. So after a bit of research I discovered that they basically thrive under the same conditions as tomato plants, but don't want to be crowded and like to have some air flow around them. I can do tomatoes so it should be ok. They are native of New Mexico - named for the Zuni tribe that comes from the region. They bear small cherry sized fruit that are supposed to be quite tasty. They are indeterminate, so they continue to grow ( up to 4' tall and 3'wide) and bear fruit all season. They have very delicate , yellow flowers ( same color but different shape than a tomatoes flower)
Apparently they are pretty happy as they have little baby tomatillo's already. Angie is already planning salsa- but I think she'll need more than 2.
Tomorrow, you'll get to meet the tomatoes, and it will probably take a couple days to show you all the peppers ( I just love peppers!)
First meet Kermit. I was a bit concerned that maybe I damaged the plant when taking it out of the container, because it was all wilted for a couple days. But it's been picking up, and I think with some TLC (almost wrote TLV- only my NASCAR friends would understand) Kermit is a hybrid eggplant out of Thailand. It's supposed to be an early season eggplant - it is a round -2.5in, green and white fruit.
Next is my Striped Tioga Eggplant. It is a mid-season teardrop shaped eggplant. I'm not 100% sure where it's from. When ripe it will be 3-4 in long by 1-1.5 in wide ( yes I prefer the smaller eggplant varieties not the regular purple one you see most often in the grocery store) And get this - it will be orange with green stripes - how much fun is that??
The nursery had tomatillo plants - which I was not prepared to see. They didn't have them listed in the quick reference guides they had. SO I randomly picked two Zuni Tomatillo's. Then after I got them home, I realized I had no idea how to grow them. So after a bit of research I discovered that they basically thrive under the same conditions as tomato plants, but don't want to be crowded and like to have some air flow around them. I can do tomatoes so it should be ok. They are native of New Mexico - named for the Zuni tribe that comes from the region. They bear small cherry sized fruit that are supposed to be quite tasty. They are indeterminate, so they continue to grow ( up to 4' tall and 3'wide) and bear fruit all season. They have very delicate , yellow flowers ( same color but different shape than a tomatoes flower)
Apparently they are pretty happy as they have little baby tomatillo's already. Angie is already planning salsa- but I think she'll need more than 2.
Tomorrow, you'll get to meet the tomatoes, and it will probably take a couple days to show you all the peppers ( I just love peppers!)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Finally have some knitting pic's and a faulty teapot quiz.
I decided that the best way to get my knitting mojo back, I needed to knock out some short attention span projects. And what is quicker than dishcloths? So first is the dishcloth of the week on my Squares Squared group on Ravelry- Boxy dishcloth
And Americana ( in the new issue of Creative Knitting Magazine)
Now anyone who knows me would totally disagree with the results of this test - with the exception of being 1/2 japanese I do drink green tea occasionally, but white tea is my fav.
And Americana ( in the new issue of Creative Knitting Magazine)
Now anyone who knows me would totally disagree with the results of this test - with the exception of being 1/2 japanese I do drink green tea occasionally, but white tea is my fav.
You Are Measured |
 You believe in moderation, and you're pretty good at practicing it too. You avoid all extremes. You try to live a sustainable life. You believe in conserving both your energy and your resources. You're the type of person who puts a pot of tea on when you need some energy. You don't depend on it, but it gives you a boost. Your signature tea: green tea - any and all kinds |
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Your Life in ABC's
Welcome to the May 13th version of Thursday Thunks!
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want. Write about it on your blog... simple as that. Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!
Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post. Please mention us in your post, and link back to the blog here.
Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs. Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks! Thats what all this is about afterall, isn't it? We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....
The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of black coffee, which I need more of and the number 8,299,598,330.
(which we always seem to post on Wednesday)
Where we make you think a little bit before you blog!
We pick a subject, and your job is to interpret it anyway you want. Write about it on your blog... simple as that. Maybe you can interpret it as a picture - we don't care!
Please only leave a link if you have written a Thursday Thunks post. Please mention us in your post, and link back to the blog here.
Don't forget to go visit the other participants' blogs. Read and comment about all their Thursday Thunks! Thats what all this is about afterall, isn't it? We'll have so much fun and become lifelong friends....
The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of black coffee, which I need more of and the number 8,299,598,330.
This week is going to be easy... just one question. Ok, well maybe not so easy. Take each letter of the alphabet and describe something in your life... don't skip any!
A-ngie!!
B-raun's (grace may be the only one who gets that)
C-urtis
D-ave
E-ntertaining- I will make you laugh
F-amily & friends
G-race
H-ome Depot
I-ncredible - I'm slowly getting used to my Droid
J-ohn
K-nitting
L-aughter - see the letter E
M-arriage
N-ASCAR
0-bsessive
P-ain in the Ass
Q-uestions
R-acing
S-moke (Go Smoke!!)
T-ony Stewart ( Go Smoke!!)
U-nusual
V-iolin
W-ater
X-box - ok I like my playstation 3 and wii better
Y-arn
Z-00. Ok that's cheating a bit but my life has been a zoo lately - can I have a few cages for people at work please?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sensational Haiku Wednesday
Welcome to “Sensational Haiku Wednesday!”
Click here for info and background on this weekly event!
The basics:Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)
This week’s theme is: Ego
Bruising male egos,
Such fun and easy to do,
Put them in their place.
Dealing with people,
different personalities,
juggling their egos!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Mystery Flowers
Last spring I bought these two plants and put them in my flower box on the front steps. I don't know if they didn't have an info tag or if I lost it. ( I usually keep them for future reference) But I have no idea what they were. I want more. I've been to the 2 nurseries I buy most of plants at and didn't see them. I did get a late start last year, so maybe closer to MemorialDay. They were awesome. Flowered all summer. Thrived through all the wet in July the dry heat in August, the chill of September and October.
Does anyone know what they are??
PS- just heard the dumbest quote "Why does the burden of taxes have to fall on the people?" So the squirrels have been holding out?
Does anyone know what they are??
PS- just heard the dumbest quote "Why does the burden of taxes have to fall on the people?" So the squirrels have been holding out?
Monday, May 17, 2010
I have almost tomatoes and a cool gadget
Last week we had temps as low as 35 degrees at night and wind gusts over 40 miles per hour. When I noticed yesterday that the petals were gone off of the flowers on the grape tomato, I was pissed. The weather this spring has been pissing me off, and that just topped it all. So this afternoon, while checking out my baskets I noticed the reason the petals had fallen off! I have three little itty bitty grape tomato babies. So I ran inside to get my camera and it took me 6 attempts to get the camera to focus on the tomatoes.
Tomorrow is my field trip with Curt to chileplantshe's a bit concerned that I may get out of control with that many choices ( me? out of control? if i was the kind of woman who got out of control there would be a giant corner filled with yarn.... oh right.... oops) So he made me figure out how many plants I could put in my pots, including the fact that I still am looking for bush cucumbers. So I have to write down how many total plants, how many pepper plants, tomato plants, eggplants etc etc. And give it to him to hold...... sigh....
On a different note, I must confess my love of gadgets. Seriously, I can't be trusted around the gadget section of cooking stores. And infomercials.... Let's just say I have a titan peeler, and a brownie pan with dividers, and caps for cans of soda, the rib cooker ( a rectangle crock pot with rib racks) etc, etc.
So there was a particular gadget mentioned on the beer lovers forum on Ravelry. ( beer and yarn - not always the best combination) about a bottle opener ring being sold on etsy. For those of you not familiar with etsy, it is an online marketplace for handcrafted, vintage items or supplies. SOmeone on etsy is marketing these rings ( they didn't make) and selling them for $20. i had remembered getting one for $4 at le Gourmet Chef in the mall. So when I was in the mall getting a charger for my phone ( love the droid incredible - but after a phone which went 2 days between charging this one is on red in 12 hours) I stopped in - shhhh unsupervised. They had a whole display for 99cents!! and unlike the etsy seller in sizes from 8 to 15!! So I just had to get one for my friend C. ( LOL)
The ring works really well. I wear it when we tailgate at the races. You just put the cat shape on the inside of your finger ( middle works the best) and its sooo easy to pop the top off another bottle of beer.
Tomorrow is my field trip with Curt to chileplantshe's a bit concerned that I may get out of control with that many choices ( me? out of control? if i was the kind of woman who got out of control there would be a giant corner filled with yarn.... oh right.... oops) So he made me figure out how many plants I could put in my pots, including the fact that I still am looking for bush cucumbers. So I have to write down how many total plants, how many pepper plants, tomato plants, eggplants etc etc. And give it to him to hold...... sigh....
On a different note, I must confess my love of gadgets. Seriously, I can't be trusted around the gadget section of cooking stores. And infomercials.... Let's just say I have a titan peeler, and a brownie pan with dividers, and caps for cans of soda, the rib cooker ( a rectangle crock pot with rib racks) etc, etc.
So there was a particular gadget mentioned on the beer lovers forum on Ravelry. ( beer and yarn - not always the best combination) about a bottle opener ring being sold on etsy. For those of you not familiar with etsy, it is an online marketplace for handcrafted, vintage items or supplies. SOmeone on etsy is marketing these rings ( they didn't make) and selling them for $20. i had remembered getting one for $4 at le Gourmet Chef in the mall. So when I was in the mall getting a charger for my phone ( love the droid incredible - but after a phone which went 2 days between charging this one is on red in 12 hours) I stopped in - shhhh unsupervised. They had a whole display for 99cents!! and unlike the etsy seller in sizes from 8 to 15!! So I just had to get one for my friend C. ( LOL)
The ring works really well. I wear it when we tailgate at the races. You just put the cat shape on the inside of your finger ( middle works the best) and its sooo easy to pop the top off another bottle of beer.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
For Min
My friend Min has an upstairs neighbor who , every weekend, moves furniture around. And apparently from the sound of it, not just some of the furniture. Massive I'm about to move kind of furniture moving sounds. WE have speculated ( with a lot of ROTFLMAO ) what could possibly be going on up there. SO any ideas??
In the meantime - as she has 2 cats ( one slightly psychotic) I think she should get a cat cam and find out once and for all .
In the meantime - as she has 2 cats ( one slightly psychotic) I think she should get a cat cam and find out once and for all .
I always wanted a hawk or falcon!
You Are a Hawk |
 You have a fighting spirit, and you don't back down from any challenge. You aren't scared of getting in the mix. You aren't necessarily violent, but you understand why violence sometimes is necessary. It's a cruel world out there. You are a natural debater. People may find you belligerent, but you just like to argue. It's not personal. You rather have conflict than pretend to go along to get along. You stand up for what you believe in. |
Saturday, May 15, 2010
A how to - hanging tomatoes
I'm in kind of a funk right now. Only knit 8 rows on my sock at lunches all week, haven't touched Robin since last weekend. Yes I have lost my knitting mojo. I'm not doing Sharon's next KAL. Two reasons - first - it's colorwork. I can do colorwork. I've done projects with intarsia, with entrelac, fair isle and stranding. I just really don't enjoy doing it. And I really don't wear it much. I'm more of a texture and pattern through stitches kind of knitter. Second I may possibly finish the second robin by the end of this new KAL and maybe I'll be ready for KAL 5. I kinda knew from previous experience, that once I fell behind finishing was going to be rough. And that's where my knitting mojo went. I want to finish so I'm not going to cast on something new. And none of my other wip's or ufo's are looking good. So tonight I am going toknit on robin for at least an hour.
Since I have no knitting to show you, and people have asked how I do my hanging tomato baskets, today will be a how to post.
How to plant your own hanging tomato basket.
Step 1. If you have never done this before, get a metal hanging basket lined with coco-fiber (coir) make sure there is a circle on the bottom not x's or floral shapes - you need to get the tomato through there. If you have baskets from previous years, buy new liners. The old liner can harbor, mold, fungus, disease etc. In prior years I used pre-formed liners, but like an idiot, this year I bought the wrong size and then the store was sold out of the correct size. So I was forced to use these liners.
2. The biggest issue with this type of liner is forming it to the basket. If you were just planting flowers on top, you could fill it with potting soil and that would help work it into shape. So, once you get pot and liner, work the liner into the pot and make an x shape cut into the bottom of the liner.
Don't worry if it seems large, the plant and the soil will keep it closed.
3. Choose your tomato plants. I try for slightly willowy plants over stocky ones, and you want to choose younger rather than more mature plants. i don't think it would be a huge issue with a more mature plant, but working the rootball will be more difficult and having the roots messed with may cause stress and shock your plant. This is the plant I planted yesterday. It is a sweeet 100, I also did a grape tomato as well.
4. Take the plant out of the pot and squish the rootball into an oblong, footballish shape.
(that frayed cuff is attached to an equally frayed, "holey" sweatshirt I won't give up from Tony's 1999 rookie season)
5. Work the rootball up ( some books/mags tell you to put the plant through - but I never can do that without roughing up the leaves too much) into the hole, it will push the points of the X up into the basket. Once the rootball is in the basket, the points go back down to secure the stem. DOn't worry about excess soil on the outside - it will wash away after a watering or 2.
6. Fill basket with well draining light potting soil. I mix moisture control ( yes well draining and holding moisture at the same time is a tall order) potting soil by miracle grow, mixed with 25-33% miracle grow perlite. Be very careful at first to get the soil evenly around the roots. Then fill to just over 1/2 way.
7. Get some basil - these 2 pots have sweet basil, others will have lemon basil, thai basil etc. But use what you like to eat.
plant the basil in the basket and fill with more soil.
8. Hang water and (sigh) wait.
Since I have no knitting to show you, and people have asked how I do my hanging tomato baskets, today will be a how to post.
How to plant your own hanging tomato basket.
Step 1. If you have never done this before, get a metal hanging basket lined with coco-fiber (coir) make sure there is a circle on the bottom not x's or floral shapes - you need to get the tomato through there. If you have baskets from previous years, buy new liners. The old liner can harbor, mold, fungus, disease etc. In prior years I used pre-formed liners, but like an idiot, this year I bought the wrong size and then the store was sold out of the correct size. So I was forced to use these liners.
2. The biggest issue with this type of liner is forming it to the basket. If you were just planting flowers on top, you could fill it with potting soil and that would help work it into shape. So, once you get pot and liner, work the liner into the pot and make an x shape cut into the bottom of the liner.
Don't worry if it seems large, the plant and the soil will keep it closed.
3. Choose your tomato plants. I try for slightly willowy plants over stocky ones, and you want to choose younger rather than more mature plants. i don't think it would be a huge issue with a more mature plant, but working the rootball will be more difficult and having the roots messed with may cause stress and shock your plant. This is the plant I planted yesterday. It is a sweeet 100, I also did a grape tomato as well.
4. Take the plant out of the pot and squish the rootball into an oblong, footballish shape.
(that frayed cuff is attached to an equally frayed, "holey" sweatshirt I won't give up from Tony's 1999 rookie season)
5. Work the rootball up ( some books/mags tell you to put the plant through - but I never can do that without roughing up the leaves too much) into the hole, it will push the points of the X up into the basket. Once the rootball is in the basket, the points go back down to secure the stem. DOn't worry about excess soil on the outside - it will wash away after a watering or 2.
6. Fill basket with well draining light potting soil. I mix moisture control ( yes well draining and holding moisture at the same time is a tall order) potting soil by miracle grow, mixed with 25-33% miracle grow perlite. Be very careful at first to get the soil evenly around the roots. Then fill to just over 1/2 way.
7. Get some basil - these 2 pots have sweet basil, others will have lemon basil, thai basil etc. But use what you like to eat.
plant the basil in the basket and fill with more soil.
8. Hang water and (sigh) wait.
You Should Work with Things |
 You are a very hands on sort of person. You like doing physical work and moving around. It would kill you to be at a desk job all day. You don't like to sit still for too long. You are very energetic, and you get bored if you aren't able to channel your hyperactivity. You are good at mastering difficult tasks. You have excellent eye hand coordination, and you are quite graceful. |
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