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February 2008
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October 2007 ArchivesNotes from Gardenland
Have you seen what's been at the farmer's markets lately? Some really good looking summer squash. We picked up crookneck and zucchini on our last couple of visits, which have been oh-so delicious in stir fries and soups. My mouth just waters each time to walk out to my own garden to inspect the goods. The crookneck squash plants have at least 4 little squash growing on them -- which isn't bad considering how late we planted them. I'm starting to get worried about the night-time temps, so the floating row covers will probably make a reappearance this weekend in order to extend their growing season. The biggest surprise?
Continue reading "Notes from Gardenland" » Plum-good persimmon
I read a blog yesterday that talked about how kids love homegrown veggies. It talked about a study that showed the benefits of homegrown: I can testify to the idea that kids love food out of the garden. My Luke makes a beeline to the tomatoes EVERY TIME we're outside. And it's a good thing I'm there to watch, because he'd eat the green tomatoes if I let him (of course, I don't). He also loves fruit, and when I noticed this weekend that one of the persimmons on the tree was finally ripe, I got out a knife and plucked it off the branch. He had his hand out sooner than I could cut him a piece off the fruit. Continue reading "Plum-good persimmon" » The tomato cages ran awayThis morning I woke up around 4 a.m. to the sound of pecans pelting my roof. I can hear them especially well in my bedroom -- which is right underneath the pecan tree -- because it has a flat roof. The wind was whipping the tree around good and sending those pecans flying. Continue reading "The tomato cages ran away" » Building for butterflies
I checked out the Fall Plant Festival at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center over the weekend and walked away with almost a dozen native plants and a couple of ideas for my own garden. We first walked around the center and stumbled across the butterfly garden. Lately, I've been especially interested in planting for the butterflies, so this was an area I lingered in. There was one spot that had been built up with rocks and soil and other plants. The placard said the rocky outcrop was great for giving butterflies a sunny, dry area to hang out. Continue reading "Building for butterflies" » Mmmmmm... pecansMy pecan tree is stuffed -- STUFFED, I tell you -- with nuts, and the first ones that are ready to eat are just beginning to fall. Continue reading "Mmmmmm... pecans" » Really cool insect site
I found the COOLEST website the other day while trying to identify that little worm that was devouring my bean plants. Whatsthatbug.com is site full of photos and letters from people who have found interesting, creepy and weird bugs and need help identifying them. The folks at What's that Bug? do the research and even label some bug encounters as "unnecessary carnage." I found myself cruising the site for a few hours looking at photos or caterpillars and butterflies -- not even scratching the surface of all that's on the site. And I love the message -- learning to appreciate the beauty of insects and other creatures, rather than just mindlessly killing what we don't understand. It was while look through What's that Bug? that I finally identified a butterfly that has been hanging out in my front yard by the dozens for the past several months. The Queen butterfly has some of the same markings as a Monarch on the underside of its wings, but when it spreads them out, you can really see the difference. Continue reading "Really cool insect site" » Name that worm
I've been keeping a close eye on my bean plants for the past week after noticing something had been eating them. One day I found this (the worm in the photo on the right). Well, they were actually a little smaller (I guess they grew since I first discovered them). They were on every leaf, but I had to look really carefully for them because they had curled an edge of the leaves over themselves and made a little tunnel to hide in. They had made mincemeat of the leaves. Continue reading "Name that worm" » Big cages, big dreams
The row covers are gone, the cages are in place... now grow! Grow! Wishful thinking, I know for my tiny little seedlings. I'm not sure they will have enough time before the first frost to grow large enough to set fruit, but I have to say that I'm impressed with their growth. I think the row covers helped protect them while they were getting established in the soil. The one in the picture to the right is the largest of the group. It's twice as big as it was when I first planted it. Yeah, I know. It's still tiny... especially compared to that tomato cage... but the optimist in me says there's still hope. I made my own tomato cages. I think the ones they sell in the big box nurseries are way too small and flimsy. I actually use those for my pepper plants. Tomatoes can be large and sprawling, and they need to be caged to get the fruit off the ground and keep the vines manageable. Here's what we did: Continue reading "Big cages, big dreams" » |
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