(no subject)

[coraa]

Things I want to do, hobby-wise:

• Garden. It's the wrong season to be putting plants out, since it does get cold in Seattle, but I'd like to get some indoor herbs in pots. I've bought basil and rosemary a few times, and I know I can grow those plants myself with little trouble -- and fresh herbs are expensive. (I'd also like to find some wintering-over plants to put in the porch box, since the porch looks a bit barren).
  
• Beads. I joined a Beads of the Month club, but I'd like to hit a hobby store and get some basic seed beads, wire, needlenose pliers, and findings. I used to do a lot of beading, but not so much anymore.
  
• Weaving or knitting. I was going to sign up for a class at this fiber store near the Ave, but I just missed the deadlines. Next round!
  

Comments

[triath.livejournal.com]

I've never personally had a winter garden in Seattle, but since it doesn't snow all that much, heartier plants can apparently grow just fine according to Sarah.

If you drive down here sometime, I'll take you to Shipwreck Beads (who claims to be the world's largest bead store). I still have a $50 gift certificate. It was a Christmas gift that I've never found a use for, and you're welcome to take a chunk out of it.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

I know there must be wintering-over plants for Seattle... there were plants that survived the winter in Idaho, which is a lot colder (the ground freezes hard). I just need to do a bit of research to figure out what to plant....

*drools on the bead store* Yes, definitely!

[clairebaxter.livejournal.com]

Rosemary should do just fine outside. Mine does. We also have sage, thyme, and mint growing in the ground outside. Basil is strictly summer or indoors, though.

[cwendy41.livejournal.com]

Both N and I had horrible luck with basil two years ago. Mine died within a week or two of getting it and I think his did as well. I jumped to the conclusion that they're hard to grow. What's your tip for growing basil?

I had a rosemary plant that grew pretty well for two years, but I threw out all of my plants when I moved except for one cactus and one plant that I had kept inside. I should start getting some plants again, or at least a rosemary plant since N likes eating bread with rosemary and olive oil.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Good to know! I'll pick up some rosemary for sure, and mint (I should've thought of mint -- our problem was always getting it to stop trying to take over the garden; it never had any problem surviving), and thyme and sage are also good ideas. I use them frequently in cooking.

Basil is very summery. I'll keep it in mind for when I'm planting the front bed next spring, though.

[triath.livejournal.com]

May I recommend picking up a copy of the Western Garden Book by Sunset Magazine. It's the bible of gardening for Washington, Oregon, and California. It knows everything.

You can even pick up a copy used because although it's updated (for instance on pest control stuff) the majority of it stays the same.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I've had reasonably good luck with basil in pots -- it needs a lot of sunlight (like, 6-8 hours per day), and watering about twice a week, but it hasn't given me any trouble if I do that. Do you know what yours died of?

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Good idea! Definitely something to keep an eye out for.

[triath.livejournal.com]

I recommend keeping mint in a pot. Then it can grow like crazy without hurting anything else.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Our spearmint and chocolate mint were pretty well-behaved, but we used to sink peppermint into the ground in a big terra cotta pot. Otherwise it would send huge tentacle-like runners all over the garden (and up onto the sidewalks, driveways, etc). Mint wants to take over the world, I swear.

[cwendy41.livejournal.com]

Maybe not enough sunlight? I don't remember.

My oregano would grow really well but every year around August, bugs start eating its leaves (I leave my plants outside). They started eating the tomato and strawberry plants too. They didn't do any damage to the rosemary plant. The basil died before it got eaten by bugs.

[triath.livejournal.com]

I don't know where you live, but when I was in the SoCal desert, slugs & bugs ate my basil to the ground. I tried many things to dissuade them, with no luck.

However, here in Washington, my basil plant flourished into a huge bush and I couldn't use even a small fraction.

[sithjawa.livejournal.com]

It's the right season to plant or pot bulbs and bareroot plants (roses, fruit trees/shrubs) though you won't get any gratification until spring. :)

[coraa.livejournal.com]

Bulbs! I wonder if tulips grow well here. I love tulips in early spring.

[sithjawa.livejournal.com]

It just wants the world to smell minty-fresh!

The snails keep eating mine.

[http://users.livejournal.com/greensleeves_/]

Heehee, I do the first two, (that reminds me, time to bring the more expensive herbs in so they don't croak) although actually I haven't beaded in ages. Probably the last time was back in 2001 when I made myself a pair of huge Elizabethan style teardrop pearl earrings, one of which has vanished. :(

Ebay seems to be an awesome source of semi-precious beads and chips at reasonable prices. I bought myself some loose freshwater pearls that I still haven't done anything with. I wonder where they've gotten to... *scratches head*

[clairebaxter.livejournal.com]

Lots of compost, lots of sun.

[clairebaxter.livejournal.com]

I can bring you rosemary.

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

I know daffodils love your area! I'm pretty sure most bulbs enjoy it there. You should start getting them nice and cold now (plant outdoors, or stick in the freezer and plant in a month or two) and they should pop up all pretty in the early spring.

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

Oh.. incidentally, since you are in the Seattle area now, this bead fair is pretty cool (at least the one in Santa Monica is):
http://www.gemfaire.com/beadfaire/index.html
if you get on their mailing list, they will send you a flyer to get in for free!