Onions May 24, 2013

As a beginning gardener, I have found onions to be one of the easiest vegetables to grow.

They are available as:

Onion seeds (in packets like many other vegetable seeds),

Onion bulbs (very small dried bulbs in mesh bags), or

Onion sets (sprouted onion bulbs sold in bundles).

I like to buy the onion bulbs.

I divided this package of 80 bulbs into 4 groups. One group I gave to a friend.
The other three groups were planted 10 days apart in March.
We like long green onions so I cover the bulbs with about 3 inches (8 cm) of soil.

For larger, round onions, plant them more shallow and farther apart.

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These were planted on March 8.

We pulled the first ones to eat seven weeks later on April 27. 

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If onions are left in the ground long enough, they will bloom and make seed.

I plan to save seed from this one (planted last year) and sow them in the Autumn.
I have not done this before, so we will see how this experiment goes.

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Occassionally there are twins!

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Even if you have to buy all your other salad ingredients as I did this week,

(lettuce, tomatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms, and sweet pickles),

Adding home-grown onions makes it special!
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In case you are wondering about my Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce:
I am in the southeastern United States  zone 7.

When our temperatures go over 80F (26C), it is good-bye lettuce.

I can sow more seeds when the weather cools in September.

BTW, it is not unusual for our Summer temperatures to be over 100F (38C).

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Happy Gardening!

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If you are interested in growing your own salads,
Visit Veg Plotting for this month's Salad Days: Click Here!

Trumpet Honeysuckle May 22, 2013

Wildflower Wednesday!

Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, is native to the Eastern United States

and as far west as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Blooming throughout the Summer, it is pollinated by insects and Hummingbirds.

Notice the interesting leaf formation.

Please visit Gail at Clay and Limestone for more wonderful wildflowers: Click Here!

Snails! May 21, 2013

ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday

S is for the lowly Snail

I spotted this snail on the path near my kitchen door Tuesday morning.

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As I moved around to see his other side, he sensed my presence and drew back into his shell.

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I waited quietly, and a few minutes later he poked his head out.

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And there he goes safely across the path!
Lucky for him he was near the house instead of in my garden.

You would be reading an entirely different blogpost!
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I hope you are having a wonderful day!

For more ABC Wednesday photos: Click Here!

For more Outdoor Wednesday photos:  Click Here!

Raindrops May 19, 2013

Raindrops on Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa, Friday, May 17, 2013

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Other than cropping around all four sides

and adding my name, this is Straight Out Of the Camera.

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Have a beautiful day!
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For more SOOC photos, visit Straight-Out-of-the-Camera Sunday:  Click Here!

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For more Macro photos, visit Marco Monday:  Click Here!

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For more photos with a little or a lot of yellow, visit Monday Mellow Yellows:  Click Here!

Big Jay May 18, 2013

Six Word Saturday:
ROGL - Rolling On the Ground Laughing!

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Big Jay, 5 years old

Have a wonderful week-end!

For more animal photos, visit Camera Critters: Click Here!

To see life described in only six words, visit Six Word Saturday:  Click Here!

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day May 2013

Mississippi, USA, Zone 7

This non-native wildflower Trifolium repens, White Clover, runs along one side of my driveway.

Native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, it now grows in many other parts of the world.

It is a valuable source of pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies,

and is sometimes grown to feed livestock.

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Another non-native wildflower Trifolium incarnatum,

Crimson Clover, is sometimes called Italian Clover.

I got this started from a packet of mixed wildflower seeds a few years ago.

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On a recent trip to the Garden Center,

I could not resist buying this hanging basket of mixed Petunias.

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Another recent purchase is Verbena Canadensis 'Homestead Purple' perennial Verbena.
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I wish I could remember the name of this pretty Clematis.

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Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica, can be invasive if not kept trimmed back.

This one grows on an old stump that we mow around to keep it from spreading.

(Well, we will mow as soon as the White Clover has finished blooming!)

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I have a lot of Sweet William, Dianthus barbatus, in shades of red and pink,
but this white with purple streaks is my favorite.

It came from a mixed seed packet labeled 'Butterfly Mix' several years ago.

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And, of course, there are roses!

My favorite is Burr Rose, Rosa roxburghii.

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

To see what is blooming around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens:  Click Here!

Tupelo Farmers' Market May 13 2013

The Tupelo, Mississippi, Farmers' Market opens this Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 6:00 a.m.

It will continue to open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays until the end of October.

This huge mural covers the entire side of the building next to the outdoor market space.

It was created last June by 

Tupelo High School art students under the guidance of their teacher Anna Lindsey Garner.

Have a wonderful day!

For more Monday Murals: Click Here!

For more Monday Mellow Yellows: Click Here!