This is the tale of a garden in north florida, about using native and friendly plants with all the challanges of gardening in zone 9.
Still Growing
reuse, rework, redefine
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Hi all, its been a little while since I last posted. The garden is continuing to do well, but the freeze the week of Thanksgiving, took out my bellpeppers, eggplant and beans while I was away for the holiday. And oh yeah, my heading lettuce has bolted. Not too disappointed though. There's only so much that one can eat.
I've gotten a year older and was gifted with this awesome gardening flower pot. The gnome is so cute, but unfortunatey it scares our miniture dashund. But, the up side is that I now use the gnome to guard the christmas presents under the tree to keep the dog from chewing on the boxes.
I have been looking at seed catalogs to see what i will plant this spring, right now my "wants" are greater than my budget. Not to worry though where there's a will there is a way. see ya'll later and happy gardening.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Vegetable update
All is well in the fall garden. Having some problems with some bug eating the leaves of my bush beans, but otherwise all is ok. The bell peppers are fruiting like crazy and the single eggplant is well on it's way to maturity.
The Patio tomato has 8 fruit on it now, I can't wait to eat them. The tomato on the left seeded itself from last season's variety. I belive this is purple prince or something similiar, can't really remember. It's like christmas, can't wait to see what it will be.
Can't wait for the Mustards to be ready, they are growing by leaps and bounds leaving the two variety's of collards in the dust. I wonder if it would be tasty to mix the mustards, kale and swiss chard? Probably not, just thinking about it. Also got new plants of parsley (can't find my seeds), purple basil (can't find my seeds) and cilantro (didn't have seeds for this). While walking past the front garden, I noticed that my Thyme plant is now dead. After four years of living in one spot, I moved it and it died. Sorry to see it go, but this is an opertunity to try something new.
Happy Gardening!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Vegetables, Vegetables, Vegetables
Good Evening all. It has been a busy start to the fall gardening season. This year i decided to repurpose the dogs swimming pool, after extensive cleaning of course. I planted it with purple kohlrabi, bulldog collards, rainbow swiss chard, and kale. I can't wait for everything to get big enough to eat.
In this bed I mixed in a heading lettuce with bell peppers, eggplant, and jalepeno peppers. These few hot pepper plants have produced quite a bounty of peppers. I am also growing a patio tomato plant that I can move indoors with the nights get to cool.
Lastly this bed contains mustard greens, georgia hybrid collards and garden bush beans. The carrots aren't up yet. I am so looking forward to the season. But on a side note, my mallow finally bloomed, it's late but it is here. By the end of the day it was completely pink.
Happy Gardening.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
New Visitor
Hi all just heading out to pull up a monster cucumber vine that is taking over the right side of the back yard, when I saw this little frog sitting on the porch railing. It looks like a green tree frog with black spots. I also have lime green ones and off white ones. With all the rain we have had here every thing is still getting out of hand.
The garden is still producing a steady stream of bell peppers and jalepeno peppers. The cuban oregano, has had to be cut back several times. The sweet basil was pulled up today also. I spent some time this morning at home depot, getting new soil for the raised vegetable beds. And of course the weed pulling never ends. Say hello to "Tilk" the speed racer dachshund, the newest edition to the family. So far he has throughly investigated all of the back yard, and just loves the vacant raised vegetable bed.
Here's to the start of the new fall gardening season. YaaaHoooooo. See you in the gardens.
Monday, September 3, 2012
The beauty of the "red" passion vine is really poppin today. I was actually sittin outback enjoying the slightest of breezes when this caught my eye. With all the rain lately this vine which normally does well without a lot of water, has really taken off this year. I have to keep a close eye on it, so it does not invade my neighbors yard. A humming bird nest in it. Also saw my tiny tenant chasing off a butterfly. Still to fast for me to catch on film.
This bleeding heart is fighting for it's spot on the arbor too. It would be nice if they shared equally, but I guess that's not going to happen. Anyway the summer is almost over and I am looking forward to the slightly cooler days of fall. Fall garden seeds have been purchased and are being prepped for the trays.
Roses are still producing new buds. This has been an awesome summer for them. Well gettin past my bedtime. So, I will bid all a good night. Happy Gardening.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Busy Sunday
Good evening all. This weekend was very busy for me. I spent sunday cutting overhanging live oak limbs, that were threatening to cut all sun from my roses.
Now my roses will get plenty of sun, bush up and thrive again. Then i tackled removing the oak limbs from over the shed and almost disturbed this visitor. Yeah, you got it a male eastern tiger swallowtail. It took a long time to find this guy on the net. He seems to really like penta's and giant zinnia's.
It trully was a beautiful sunday and coincidentally, as I was sitting on the porch just watching the yard. A tiny movement caught my eye. It was my resident humming bird. Still moving way too fast for me to get a photo. But it was a very beautiful sight. Happy gardening ya'll, every day in the garden in trully a blessing.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Still hanging on in the dog days of summer. This orange crossandra seems to just love the heat, along with the vinca. Surprising though is the margarita sweet potato vine. You just can't beat it's color. Today we had one of those late after noon thunder showers. A whole lot of thunder and dark clouds but very little rain. Starting to day dream about the fall planting season. I have a few raised beds in the back yard that I am solarizing to get ready for the fall.
Looks like the crape myrtle is really loving the heat this year. It is covered with these pretty pink blooms. I have a lavender one in the back yard, but it doesn't seem to do as well as this one. I enjoy looking at this plant every year. It never disappoints.
Lavender angelonia, never disappoints. It is one of those plants that can take the heat without giving up. The two plants are crowding out their fellow bed fellows. They will be here next year to keep the blooming show going. I hope ya'lls summer is as beautifle as mine. Happy gardening!!!!!!
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