Figs Already?

The fig trees in the yard do not even have leaves. Several of the little fig trees in the greenhouse that were started last fall have little figs already. They should probably be pulled off so that the tree can concentrate its strength in plant growth. Of the two volunteers that appear to be sunflowers, one is over a foot tall. The other is about 6 inches. The greenhouse is getting crowded. Maybe the parsley and the cilantro can go in the garden this weekend.

The “nuc’s” for the bee hives have been ordered. It is hoped that bees will improve the pollination of the garden. A “nuc” is a nucleus hive. It consists of 5 frames of brood, covered with bees and a queen. It is placed into a 10 frame hive with a feeder in hopes of getting a head start on the honey flow season. A trip to Brushy Mountain Bee Farm yesterday, helped Michael and I identify the equipment we need and we hope to order this weekend.

The ground is still soggy and cannot be worked, but the soil in the beds is about 45 degrees. Waiting much longer on the planting will make the ground too warm for the early development of the crucifers. The broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts will be purchased today. The cilantro and parsley will be put outside to “harden off” in the afternoons. Sunday, depending on the predicted temperature, they will be left out overnight.

Blooms and Swollen Buds

The narcissus plants in the front yard are blooming as are the cherry trees (I think that’s what they are) on Sardis Rd. The blueberries in the front yard have swollen bulbs. The cherries in the front yard are doing nothing. The new bulbs that were planted this fall are doing nothing. Perhaps with the hard freezes we have had over the weekend, it might be a good thing.

Today it has rained all day. This afternoon will probably be a greenhouse day unless the rain stops. If the rain stops it will be a good day for digging postholes. The garden really needs to be tilled so some new beds can be built, but with the constant rain, who knows when that will happen. That is the good thing about raised beds. There are still places to plant the spring garden.

The mustard that was planted this fall has pretty much succumbed to the weather or something. The volunteer mustard is doing great. Fortunately the collards are growing fast enough that we are not without greens. The spinach is still growing as well. The onions are doing great of course. We haven’t been eating many of them so they have not been replanted in over a month.



David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/

Still Full

The mats have arrived and been placed, but the shelves are still full. The shelf that has no mats or lights has been covered partly with cilantro, asparagus, parsley and marigolds. I don’t think the cold will bother them and they are growing so fast that they may do just as well without the artificial light. Many of the plants are almost big enough to transplant now. By Good Friday, there will be a problem.

It snowed Friday and turned everything white. My yard actually looked good for a change. Most of Saturday and Sunday were spent in the greenhouse dividing and transplanting. Some cabbage was planted, but the lesson has been learned. One seed per container. The cabbage was not put on a heat mat. It will not germinate well at over 70 degees.

Sunday afternoon things had warmed up and melted off enough that the two sections of privacy fence to hide the lumber pile were installed and the trench for the power and water to the greenhouse was deepened and covered. The fence on the other side of the yard from the garden was started. That will just be a rail fence with no wire. Its purpose is strictly aesthetic. The property line will be planted with fig trees and camellias.



David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/

Sunflowers, I Think

About a month ago a little plant appeared growing in the bed of my truck. It had seed leaves like a cucurbit, so it was assumed that that is what it was. No. Now it looks like a sunflower, but it is not growing very fast. Another plant jumped up in a pot where camellias were being rooted. It is definitely a sunflower. Where do they come from?



It rained on Friday, so it was too wet to stretch fence on Saturday. The fence for another section was put in place and the stretcher was hooked up to have it ready to pull. Sunday afternoon the ground had dried enough to stretch the fence. It was stretched but not nailed. Yesterday it was nailed, but it had rained all night Sunday and most of the day Monday, so the last section was not installed until Tuesday afternoon. Everything is done now except for a strand of wire on the top and the gate.

The new greenhouse is getting full with the plants that are being divided or repotted. The new seedling heat mats have not arrived yet so the parsley, cilantro, thyme and marigolds were put on a shelf with light but no heat. The greenhouse is pretty warm anyway.



David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/

Too Fast for Me

The new greenhouse is rockin’. Unfortunately the old law about everything growing to fill available space is especially true in the greenhouse. The plants are growing so fast that the two new heat pads and two new shop lights that were bought are not enough. Two new heat pads were ordered today. There is only room on a heat pad for one more flat right now, and there are still two flats with pots that need to be divided and quite a few plants that need bigger pots.

The Bambi fence is about 1/3 stretched. The next segment is very hard to access; and last night it rained and softened the ground too much to pull wire. Maybe it can be gotten into place this weekend anyhow so it can be easily stretched when the ground dries up.

Duke power sent their boys by last week and they chopped the limbs off a bunch of the trees in the front yard and made it look even worse than it did before. That won’t stop the power from going out when we have an ice storm. Why can’t they be sensible and bury the lines. Whatever ugliness there is in this city can be charged to Duke Energy.

David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/

Is it Really January?

Yesterday the temperature got up to 70 Degrees. The greenhouse was so hot, the vent had to be opened. This morning the temperature was 61 degrees and today (1/30/13) it is rainy and should go to 72 degrees.

Most of the green stuff in the garden is doing well. The mustard is looking ratty, but the collards are doing well and the turnips have nice bulbs even if the greens have seen better days. Bambi ate the sugar peas, but he evidently doesn’t want the cabbage. There has been enough rain that the deer and rabbit repellant needs to be renewed.

The Lenten roses are blooming profusely, but the pansies are looking sad. The red chard did nothing. Only about ½ of the front yard has been prepared for spring grass planting and Duke Energy uglified the trees at the front and left the wood just laying there. Needless to say the front yard is not sightly.