Weekly Update; Busy Week (GDD 992)

Somewhat surprisingly, it was a busy week. The peas keep producing, the tomatoes keep growing, and my fascination with Man vs. Wild deepens. Did he really eat a sheep's eyeball?

July 2 - Front hosta in full bloom; green beans begin bloom
July 3 - Echinacea begins bloom; Garden lightly fertilized with Colorburst 15-30-15
July 4 - Alpine strawberry; oregano, sedum, and mint planted.
July 6 - First green bean emerges; oxalis blooms; first beet harvested (big letdown); more beets planted
July 7 - Romaine lettuce Paris Island Cos and Grand Rapids leaf lettuce planted
July 8 - Spirea blooms begin to fade; daylilies planted, hydrangea macrophyla endless summer planted; hosta moved

Update: Lost Hosta Makes It

Planted three weeks ago, this puppy was in sorry shape. It quickly turned the corner and today it suavely conceals its lowly origins.

Lost Hosta; Will It Survive?

Wandering the "wooded" part of the yard, I found another hosta that had been abandoned last fall. Resting upside down for the entire winter, above ground no less, the shoots had started to bend back toward the roots, which were now on top. Snatched from certain death or, at least, complete lack of attention, it was quickly planted on the shady side of the garage. Anyone think it'll make it?

Dividing Hostas

Hastily planted early last fall, this hosta (pictured is 1/4 of the original plant) was dug up and divided into quarters to fill out a newly created garden bed behind the garage that receives only a very few hours of direct sunlight.

Dividing hostas is very easy and seemingly hard to mess up. Spring appears to be the best time, although I've read that it'll handle division just about anytime of the year, maybe with the exception of winter. Dig up a clump and cut it in half or quarters with a spade so that the final clump has five or six shoots. Return them to the soil and before long they'll root and spread their leafy wings once again.

Hostas' tolerance for neglect, unlike baby chicks, is astounding. While walking through a somewhat wooded section of yard, I came across an old hosta that had been tossed in the woods last fall. Despite sitting out all winter on top of a pile of leaves, the plant was actually sending up shoots. It's since been planted in a far corner of the yard and we'll see how it does.

Sources: Bob's Hostas, HGTV, Royal Hort. Soc'y, Ohio State