Captain’s Log: March 19th 2020

So- it’s been a fun few days taking stock of what I have and what I would get in a normal environment and what I can make do with.

Trellises! Not that hard to make if you have old bamboo stakes!

I do have a new bed to replace the not so great fabric bed that is 90% dandelions and poppies, but that’s a whole day’s work so I’ve been putting it off.

Though one advantage of a weed bed is happy bumble bees.

Alright- I’m trying to keep the captain’s log happy since you know- everything sucks right now. Anyways- here’s some blueberries! Or rather blueberries to be- on my pink lemonade blueberry plant. It had a bit of thrips, but removing the damaged leaves, putting it out in the sun, and giving it a touch of spinosad seems to have fixed it.

Wish I could fix the shitty camera in my phone that can’t focus right but that’s not super important right now.

Here’s something neat- my broccolini! Or rather my harvested broccolini with the side shoots ready to give me more yummy tasties!

Not bad right?

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Gai Lain and it tastes… like broccoli! But it’s much quicker to harvest and takes less space.

Which are very positive attributes in my book.

Anyways I tried to save a borage sprout that I found in my new bean bed.

I like borage and it’s propensity to regrow itself forever in a truly weed-like way, and I like that I can put it in a pot.

Speaking of things I shall soon be putting in pots, buddy aloe has a baby that’s ready to escape the nest.

I think I’ll give it to my similarly isolated coworker when this is all over. He loves Aloe vera and despite his youth, is at a higher risk then average.

I am just taking cuttings and sowing seeds for gifts left right and center. Looking forward to as much social contact as possible- later.

Now here’s something super cool.

That’s my anise hyssop- the herbal form of agastache- which I thought had died! It lives- though it’s getting attacked by slugs. It’s blooms are so pretty- and it makes a lovely tea!

Now here’s my comfrey- and herb you should never make tea with! But supposedly it makes a good bruise salve and I’m gonna try to do that this time.

While more than one comfrey that I had pulled beneath the blackberries have… regrown. Oh good I love a good phoenix plant. If it would only stop me from having to pull the darn oxalis…

As for the Blackberries.

Yeah. My pie dreams are going to be super fulfilled.

I’m beginning to realize why folks were warning me against this!

My sweet darling perfect tree collard is loving it’s new spot and it’s new pot and is rewarding me with some delicious looking leaves for dinner tomorrow.

I’m so glad it survived it’s move- It is easily one of the tastiest things in my garden right now.

Moving from edibles to jokes- this is the baby redwood I bought to play a joke on dad. It’s growing!

Like a lot.

Oh dear.

Anyways back to potential gifts, this is the runner of the alpine strawberry that is already setting fruit despite the fact that it’s a runner in a tiny pot.

Well it’s got verve!

I will leave you all with a truly beautiful chrysanthemum- the edible shungiku which has gone from salad and soup green to the prettiest flower in my garden.

It faces the afternoon sun, and warms my heart with the thought of better days to come.