Patio Garden Update

I wanted to share a quick update on the patio garden. All of the seedlings have now been transplanted to their summer home. A week ago, I even added a few more items to my cultivation list: mixed lettuce, dwarf carrots, oregano, dill, bush kidney beans, etc. I sowed these directly in the soil, as winter was obviously over with a week's worth of 90+ degree temps and the heat of another Georgia summer was just around the corner. The lettuce was the first to sprout, and shortly thereafter the remaining herbs and veggies had sprouted, reaching their way towards the sun. And then late last week, old man winter stuck his foot in the door with a resounding "I'm not dead yet!", with overnight lows in the lower 40's, and in some spots upper 30's! Seriously?? It's MAY for Heaven's Sake! Being the diligent "plant parent" that I am, I covered the veggies that could take the lower temperatures, and brought it the freshly sown seeds. (Mental note to self - cut back on next year's planting; overly ambitious is an understatement for 2011.) It's warming up again, and the planters are all now back in their appropriate sunny locations. I may even be able to harvest my first squash my the end of the week.

Two good things to note about the cooler temps: 1) I was able to turn off the A/C and open up the windows to the house. I sleep so much more soundly with cool fresh air blowing in the windows, much like my childhood summers on the farm. And 2) the rose bushes have shot forth new growth! After an explosion of fiery, fragrant blooms this Spring, I was certain the roses were done until later summer when they usually put forth their second show. But maybe this year the Joseph's Coat will give me an extra blessing of its beauty. The bloom gets its name from its color transformation, in reference to Joseph's Coat of Many Colors. The bud begins as a fiery red/yellow combination; opens to a dazzling orange, and slowly fades to a yellow, tinged with shades of pink.  I'll try and find a photo to post - it really is an beautiful rose.