Another one of those crazy non-weekends. Rainy, windy weather wrapped up my Saturday. I came home to a couple of dead trees that came down. They needed to and thankfully it was harmlessly. Also a large dead hardwood limb just inside the gate. I squeezed by and was thankful that it didn't knock out the electricity or damage my yard fence. I spent a portion of time off just cleaning up the storm damage. At least those trees won't come down again.
When I did get to pay attention to the plants, I find everything doing well. The tomato vines are reaching for the heavens.
Cucumber blooms are profuse.
The lettuce is winding down and I will soon plant the sweet taters in that bed.
On Monday, I started seeds for more Picklebush cucumbers, Sugar Cube muskmelon and soaked the Jambalaya Okra which I planted Tuesday evening.
Also potted up the red Epazote, the new Camphor plants
catnip, scented petunias, added more dirt to the Appel tomato containers.
I also dug LA iris, Narcissus & Daffodils as well as included an Aloe plant, catnip, shampoo ginger and snowbells for my sweet young mail carrier.
Potting up the catnip was a major ordeal. The foliage being brushed brought intense attention from some of the feline residents.
I had to put the gift pot in the truck and my keeper pot on the top shelf in the shade house. It needs to get bigger and better established before the cats get to molest it. Dumped the water from the brom vases and added mosquito bits to all standing water ~ bird bath, dog water bowls, drip trays. Trying to stay ahead of that season.
On the agenda will be repotting some of my potbound friends but for now ~ off to work to rest up.
This evening I started the repotting. My camphor plant and the Cuban oregano
were both large and gangly. After my Monday acquisition of the vicks plant, I realized how bad they were so took major cuttings of both. When the cuttings have rooted I will compost the main plant.
I also repotted the Bay Laurel, removing some of the old soil as well as moving it up a step in pot size. Lots more to go but maybe I can keep going in the right direction. Too much going on last year with the house rebuild and that caused the plants that weren't totally in dire need to be neglected.
Hopefully keeping up the pace although Wednesday evening is projected to be ill weather again. We'll see...
Well, it has been a day or two since I posted to my blog. Let's see how much my grey hair has let me forget.
I did intentionally break the glass container that the Euphorbia tirucalli was in. I moved it to a larger container and it has seemed to take the adjustment in stride.
Sunday I planted the pink Azalea that was given to me. I tucked it into a corner behind the pink/yellow Lantana. Hopefully I can remember to keep it watered till it gets established.
I have cobbled the bromeliad shade house together, using a black shade cloth that I had because I was unable to find what I wanted in stock. Now I am researching and sorting the broms to see who needs more or less light.
I have moved the Alcantera outside as well as the pineapple plant.
I also placed the Achmea Perez in a hanging birdcage, using soil for the base but lining the cage with sheet moss.
Delighted to find four tiny Kalanchoe Donkey Ears in a community pot. I thought I had lost that one as had my neighbor who asked for another. I removed three and potted individually. Will save one for Ms. Nancy.
Today I harvested garlic chives and replanted in a pot.
I have also planted the four Appel tomatoes in their containers, adding soil as they shoot up with growth.
I also noticed yellowing of the older citrus leaves so gave them all a dose of magnesium in the form of epsom salts. 1 Tbsp dissolved in 1 1/2 gallons of water.
I am harvesting lettuce like a madman. I overplanted and will loose it shortly with this heat. I've been delighted that it has had no major problems... not even snails. I suspect it was because I planted it so close together. It is as sweet as can be.
The Cilantro is also getting ready to bolt too which will be o.k. I'll save the seed for corriander.
This is my first year to grow Papalo but I'm not sure I will warm up to the taste of it. It is a bit different.
I only had two peppers germinate, one Red Skin and one Aleppo. I planted them at opposite ends of a raised bed.
I also have rooted slips for sweet potatoes and will plant them in the bed where the lettuce resides.
I have officially moved all the plants out of the greenhouse.
I also assembled the three new plant racks I had purchased. I will love them... they have more shelf space and yet are narrower so my clotheslines will be accessible even when the greenhouse is full.
Clothesline in a greenhouse? Yep, when it is too hot for the plants, I open two retractable clotheslines for a total of 40 feet of line. On a hot summer day I can dry 3-4 loads in no time flat. A bonus is no worries about rain, no bird poop or bugs and if I drop an item, it is on a concrete floor. I have shadecloth up so it prevents bleaching out from the sun. Harvesting the power of the sun...
Right now, I am enjoying my misery. The Privet hedge is in bloom and I got exposed Saturday evening. Now I am teary eyed, sneezing, sore throat.
Oh why, oh why do I love spring so much!?!!
Beautiful moon but accomplishing things have been an uphill battle this weekend. Company has headed north and my next company will be here in May so I have a reprieve to get some outdoor things done.
This week I began to move plants out of the greenhouse. It is too blessed hot in there and the plants demand too much moisture. I decided to rebuild the plant haven using it for a shade house in summer to harbor the bromeliads. I moved the two old bacon racks out and got them situated. Now in search of shade cloth but it appears to be made of nonobtainium. I want the 60% to 75% in wheat or beige and I'm not having success at finding that combination.
For now I had some black shadecloth, unsure of the UV rating but I covered it and introduced the majority of the bromeliads to it this evening. If all works out, I should be able to cover with plastic and winter the more hardy plants in there as well.
Still have most of the succulents to move outdoors. I just need to decide where to put them. And once again, I couldn't resist an additional unidentified Haworthia ~just because! Found it when I made a quick trip to the vet.
Next I can assemble the three new racks I got for the greenhouse. They will hold more plants and take up less real estate in the greenhouse so more efficient. Easier access to the clotheslines as well.
I notice I have many plants that need repotting. One that amazed me is the Euphorbia tirucalli. It is in a miniscule container and when I set it on the floor, it is taller than I am at 5'6"!
Harvesting lettuce, onions & cilantro before they bolt. I'm eating it as fast as I can. So far, the lettuce hasn't turned bitter.
The tomatoes, cucumbers and Roselle in ground are doing good and the Papalo looks sturdy even though it struggled to germinate.
Mowed for the umpteenth time! Spring growth is good and more rain tonite so glad the grass should keep growing...
Woo hoo.... March 23rd and I saw my first hummers. I knew they were here but hadn't seen or heard one till tonite
On Thursday evening I planted a raised bed with 10 Hispanola tomatoes, 8 cucumbers, 8 Roselle, a clump of caraway, a clump of Affina cutting celery, rosemary, 4 meager Papalo plants & a partridge in a pear tree.
It is supposed to rain this weekend so I wanted to get those plants situated in their beds. I also installed cattle panels for a tomato trellis as the Hispanolas are indeterminate. The panels were here and time efficient. The bamboo would have to have been harvested. I did fetch a large container of pine straw to mulch this bed with when the plants start growing and the soil has been saturated.
I found some seeds were slow to start so will need to reseed them. And I am finally getting some growth on the sweet potato slips.
Ordered three more rolling racks for the greenhouse at a bargain. I have made up my mind that the two old 'bacon' racks will be reassembled outdoors to be used as a summer shade house for the bromeliads. In winter, I can cover with plastic and use it for the overflow of hardier plants. I still have ample plastic but in researching the shade cloth, I want a beige color and want at least 60% UV rated.
I am also looking at shade sails for the back patio as I lost so much shade when trees were removed. Getting ready to start the outdoors improvements now that the house is finished.
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End of the week (aka weekend) I did get 1 1/2 inches rain and 6 inches lightning with incredible winds. Had most of my nearby trees removed only to have a large oak from the neighboring property crash across my fence, narrowly missing the garage ~ whew! But left a mess to clean up. I've worked on it for the weekend and will let a friend have the large stuff for firewood. Mowed for the 5th time trying to keep the weeds from seeding and we are still in March. Company on the way... wondering how long they will stay
My stolen pleasure for the week was (of course) time spent in the greenhouse with my friends. I need to start moving them outside but unsure where I will place them all.
The difference between Deuterocohnia lorentziana and Deuterocohnia brevifolia
Immature Aechmea Perez
Immature Billbergia Darth Vader
Cool weather gardening. Not sure how long it will last at these temps. I'm eating lettuce as fast as I can...
And a spoiler... but it was tasty!
And on a final note, as the Aloe blooms wind down, the Allium gets ready to share their blooms.
The weather today was a nice way to greet the first day of spring. The air is fragrant with the Carolina jessamine and phlox blooms scenting it. I am convinced every spring that my favorite all time fragrance is phlox.
Company headed north and I settled back into a normal pattern with mowing (4th time this spring) and spending some self nurturing time in the greenhouse. I have also reworked four of the raised vegetable beds into two larger ones. Hoping they will be easier to keep watered. We are too dry already and I am watering on a regular basis. Needing to move plants out of the greenhouse as there is no inclement weather in the offing but am unsure where to place them with so many shade trees being removed.
Some different bromeliads:
Vriesea saundersii I really like the mottled reptile pattern on this one.
Vriesea racinae ~ love this little curly girly.
Neoregelia "Red Tiger" hoping I can maintain the intense color this summer or maybe even intensify it.
Neoregelia "Small Wonder" The wonder here is why I chose this rather nondescript brom.
I love the intense purple of Aechmea guaratubensis. I believe the color is more pronouced on the left plant as it is blooming.
And some candid brom shots for posterity...
And I think there is a color theme here. Nuff said....
