Frogleg wrote:

On Tue, 22 Jul 2003 08:36:23 -0400, DigitalVinyl
wrote:

Growing everything from seeds made it more interesting. All
my failures were in never getting some things to germinate at all.
Sanvitalia, Basil, Lovage, Lavender, Convulvus, French Vanila
Marigolds, Blue Lace, Cumin, Rosemary, Spinach, Flamenco were all on
the no-show list. PLus I had ground that was uneven and flooded out
what seeds I planted. The clematis & tomato plants I did buy--didn't
realize i needed to start tomatos early. Everything else was seed.

In my experience, basil is pretty easy.
That's what I heard--I just had no luck. Planted 6 seeds-no
germination.
Never got cumin to grow from
seed (although I *did* grow a sesame plant).
Sesame...theres one I didn't think about.
Rosemary is hard. I think
I got one plant from seed that flourished encouragingly and then died.
Oh, and I was starting in a greenhouse with heating mats and whatnot.
Tomatoes were pretty never-fail in that atmosphere.
SNIP
Peach Melba is the yellow with red centers and it has a much smaller
bronzed leaf with wine red outline. You can see the red in the leaves
just below the center flower. It doesn't fill out like the Alaska Mix
Nasturitums. They are taller than wider for me. There are three in the
basket and they aren't anywhere near as full as two Alaska's.
http://members.aol.com/digitalvinyl6...PeachMelba.jpg

Gorgous picture.
:-) I do love this camera!
I love nasturtiums, but have never had a day's luck
with 'em. Good soil, poor soil, full sun, part shade -- they hate me.
But I'm going to try again.
The ones in the ground became round bushes. They were all green and
the very last to blossom, but when they did they were covered. The
wooly aphids love them and I'm always chasing after them. I can't tell
you what I did right or didn't screw up.

Milkmaid is the pale yellow/cream one. There are two in the basket.
One grew way out of the basket--reaching for sunlight I think. The
ceiling is ten feet high and when we hung them they were over my head
and getting less sun because of the roof overhang. That's when the
Milkmaid through out that long arm hanging off the side. I extended a
chain down so they would get more light and I can see them better.
http://members.aol.com/digitalvinyl6...m-Milkmaid.jpg

And again. BTW, nasturtium leaves and flowers are edible. The leaves
are pretty spicy, but the blossoms are nice decor for a salad.
I haven't eaten them but I have read it.

The back wall of the house faces SW. The entire patio gets full sun
from 11 to 6 then shadows start affecting things.

I was thinking that if you can protect that baker's rack a bit and the
pots, you may get enough heat-sink effect with the stone(?) side of
the house and brick patio to keep those perennial herbs going. Sage
and thyme (was that thyme?) are perennials. If the thyme is oregano,
then that is also perennial. My late lamented rosemary bush survived
for years against a SW-facing red brick wall through a number of harsh
winters.
Actually that is an interesting idea. I actually have room to bring
some stuff inside, but the baker's rack could work. It is Thyme. There
is also some parsley and dill in there (hidden behind the pepper).
I've got a bowl with oregano, thyme and parsley. I could relocate that
to the rack.

I have to research some things to grow up on the landing

Now where are you going to establish your compost pile/heap/bin?
uhmmmm...

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
1st Year Gardener