Thru My Garden Gate

Aquacone helping sad plant

Time to Catch Up

We had a nice quiet Memorial Day weekend.  I had lots of time to garden and sew.  However I did find it kinda weird when people wished 'Happy Memorial Day' - maybe they've forgotten what it represents.

Here's a product that I use every year when planting in warmer weather.  It's 
called the 'Aquacone' and I get them from
Gardener's Supply Company (not a paid endorsement).  I have 6 and have used them for years now.  Just cut off the end of a 2 liter soda bottle and attach the cone where the lid was.  It comes with holes that can be punched out to  regulate the amount of water.  Then push it in the ground near the roots of the new plant.  It really helps get plants settled and promotes deeper rooting.    

Just push it down near the roots

My lavender harvest is off to a fantastic start this year.  Right now I hang the bunches to dry on spring tension rods in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room.  Hubbie had me order a different type of rack which should be here some time this week.  That way we can use the doorway instead of going around the 'long' way. 

This is just half of what's hanging now

 Gardening Tip:

          Use rubber bands to tie the bunches together - as the herbs dry
          the bands stay tight and you don't have them falling all over the 
          floor.  I just loop the rubber band over the rod and back around
          the stems.

 I finally finished a wall quilt that I've been working on.  We've had lots of wind and smoke from a huge wild fire in New Mexico.  That made it difficult to work outside so I made an indoor garden quilt.  The pattern is "Wonky Wildflowers" from Pine Mountain Designs.  It was a lot of fun learning some new blocks and I love incorporating embroidery in designs.  The button centers on the flowers were my own touch.  I used scraps from my stash and just had fun with the colors.  Notice that I also made a scrappy binding.