Christmas lights

While I have yet to put any up for decorative purposes, I have them strung around the inside of my greenhouse to create a little extra warmth. I am also using them on some plants that are outside of the greenhouse. So far, they have proven to be both pretty and useful, especially during our recent and unexpected snow!

Brugmansia

Also known as Angel's Trumpet and (somewhat erroneously) Tree Datura.

There is a useful post about this plant over at Huntingwick Gardens. Check it out.

See my previous post on this plant.

Moderation in some (if not all) things.

Sorry, folks. I got two spam comments for that ubiquitous little blue pill today.

Looks like I'll have to turn on comment moderation.

For now, it's only on posts older than two weeks. Hopefully, that'll keep some of the riff-raff out of the comboxes.

I don't like it when people are annoying. It irritates me.

When Life gives you a lemon...

...You get out the cookbook and see what you can do with just one!

Yes, not much going on in the garden lately. Very busy times these days. Several potted things have dried up from neglect, but the strong are surviving, thanks to a few well-timed rain showers.

I got one meyer lemon off of the tree today. The other two aren't quite ripe yet. The little Miho Satsuma orange tree has six more this year. Last year it produced six as well, but three of them were stolen (I presume by hungry fruit-eating critters of the non-human variety), leaving us with very little. Better luck this year I hope.

What kind of flower are you?

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

Fort Bend County nurseries re-opening!

Enchanted Forest has been open since Tuesday.  When I went in earlier this week they were still without power, but they were still smiling and happy to help. 

Caldwell's is open as well. CayDee and her staff were also busy cleaning up, but still happy to help. I dropped by for some grafting tape and was quite happy to find that they stock it!

Calling your locally-owned nursery ahead of time can be a good idea, since some of them may be out of certain things that are in high demand after a storm. If they are still without electricity, cash is usually much appreciated. 

If the local places do not have what you need, the big box stores are also open.  If you need fencing material to stake your trees, Lowe's of Richmond/Rosenberg is well-stocked with u-posts.  Home Depot's selection is usually not as good as Lowe's anyway, and this week it has been even worse.  If you need anything sturdier than a bamboo stake for your trees, save yourself the trip.  

Posting Post-Ike

Looks like most of the other Houston area gardeners whose blogs I read have made it, even if some of their plants didn't!

Brenda Beust Smith
Nancy
Herself
Scott Head

Taking Stock after Ike: We're very fortunate.

Well, the important things came through fine (husband, house, cat, electricity, running water).

Some of the fun stuff, not so good. No cable. Which means no internet. Which means I had to find a public place to use the web and e-mail relatives to let them know we haven't been sent tumbling off to Oklahoma by any hurricane force winds.

Most of the damage in the garden was minor. Potted plants were all sheltered and/or turned on their sides, so nothing in containers blew away.

Treewise, things are a little more interesting. Our larger trees (the ones that would be really dangerous if they fell) appear fine, having only dropped a few small to medium-size branches. Amazingly, none of these damaged the house. Other people in our subdivision did not fare so well. Some have similar-sized trees that fell on their homes.

My little trees are interesting cases. The Methley Plum is still shorter than I am, and planted in a protected area, so it appears untouched. The fig and the pomegranate were slightly uprooted, so fixing them should not be too difficult.

The worst damage was to my Saigo (Saijo?) Persimmon tree, which was snapped like a toothpick just above the graft. It was not broken off entirely though. About half of the trunk is still attached. Even though it is nearly four days after the fact, it still looks alive. The rootstock appears fairly healthy, and (as I was told at the plant sale where I got it) has pretty good structure. I hate to let even part of a good plant go to waste.

I have no idea what to do about this. Stand it back up, and see if it heals? Take cuttings and re-graft? (Which means I have to learn how to graft, and fast.) Call a tree expert? Go back to the plant sales and replace?

Since the next major plant sale around here isn't till January (and will likely be very crowded, since I'm sure many people lost fruit trees to Ike), I figure I have nothing to lose by trying.

I just wish I knew what to try.

Ideas, anyone?

Preparing your landscape for a hurricane

Here is a useful article from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times with some advice that makes sense:

http://www.caller.com/news/2008/jul/19/have-a-landscape-plan-in-case-of-hurricane/

At this point, all of the potted plants that I can pick up and carry, along with several ornamental items have been moved into the garage. Those that cannot be moved easily are under our covered porch or in other sheltered areas.

Here in Fort Bend county, we are starting to see more cloud cover, and more breezes. Nothing major yet. I'm sure time will fix that.

Stay safe, everybody.

Y-Ike-s!

It looks to be headed straight for us:

Image source: Weather Underground

We shall see how it goes for those of us southwest of Houston.  Keep an eye on Nancy's blog for news of what's happening to the north.

Looks like I'll probably need to shelter some of my more delicate potted plants. Our more experienced neighbors are planning to ride it out, as are we, with a disaster supply kit for ourselves and our kitten at the ready, of course.

Do it yourself Rain Barrels?

It's getting tempting...



I have looked around for ideas for a do it yourself rain chain as well, but unfortunately tools I do not have, and some I'm not even sure I should use (blowtorch, anyone?) are usually involved. Rats. Gotta keep looking.

Sunny skies!

And a few (slightly curvy) wisps of cloud and a light breeze over here southwest of Houston. Our little kitten Chico is sitting on the windowsill by my desk as I type, birdwatching.

As predicted, Gustav is directing most of his fury at the residents of the Louisiana coastline. Keep them in your prayers!

Boston Ferns and your Cat

The Cat Fanciers association lists the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata--a.k.a. Sword Fern) as a non-toxic plant for cats.

Today, our little guy taught us differently by munching on my boston fern last night while we slept, and getting sick afterwards.

Non-toxic does not necessarily mean "edible". We all know what happens when cats eat things they aren't meant to swallow.
 

Yuck.

We took him to a veterinary ER, to make sure he would be OK.  Apparently Boston Fern can cause gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. We've seen all but the last one in our cat.

Yummy.

Cat's not happy about it either, but he seems to be recovering, getting his appetite back late this afternoon. (Right after we got home from the vet hospital, of course.)

From now on, only "edible" plants in the house.

Good thing I live in a semi-tropical climate, because my ferns are about to be banished to the warm shadiness of my back porch, where they will probably be just as happy anyway.

For a longer list of plants poisonous to your cat, see this list from the Cat Fanciers Association.

Just a spoonful of sugar...

Or is that a spoonful of raindrops?

That's about all I got from Edouard in my rain gauge today.  Almost exactly one inch in 24 hours. 

I feel like Ben Stein in the Clear Eyes commercial.

Wow.

Looks like I'll still be doing plenty of watering this week.

On the bright side, no flooding!

So far, so good over here.

Things are still pretty quiet southwest of Houston. Plenty of rain, very little wind.

Nancy has been seeing 

more action from Edouard today.  She has posted twice so far. Here, and here. See all of Nancy's Tropical Storm posts.

Not nearly as bad as Tropical Storm Allison, which stuck around dumping rain long enough to turn this:

Photo Source

Into this:

<

Photo Source: Rice.edu

Photo Source: http://www.srh.noaa.gov

That's right.  Full up to the top. This was before I came out here.  Just gives you an idea of the possibilities, though.

Edouard, however appears to be moving at a decent enough pace to avoid repeating this.

Smells like rain...

Lots of it. And Wind. Nasty wind. 

Never been through a tropical storm, so this will probablly be an education.

I'll be bringing many of my lighter weight plants and my outdoor furniture into my garage tonight so they don't get too blown around.

The containers that are too big for me to move will just have to wait it out, I suppose.

Oh yes, and the wind chimes? They're coming in too. 

Hopefully the new little trees I planted last winter will be okay.

Hopefully the big trees won't drop anything on my house.

Tomorrow, definitely staying inside.

On the upside, at least we need the rain.

Post-storm thoughts to be posted later.

"Aqua Globes"

I have to get really tired of watering before I go out and buy some gimmicky TV product.

But the two-pack was only 10 bucks at the drugstore, so I took a chance.

I like 'em.

Do they replace watering? No.

But my thirsty indoor ferns do not suffer quite as badly from my neglect. 

~~~~ Houseplants and your Cat

My hubby and I finally took the plunge and adopted a kitten. He typed the "~" symbols in title of this post by walking across my keyboard.

He is everything that kittens generally are, especially with respect to cuteness and curiosity.

Which means I have to make some decisions about my pothos vine and my poinsettias, both of which are toxic to kitties, should they be ingested.

A hanging basket will probably keep the pothos out of reach, as long as it does not drop leaves.

Not sure what to do with the poinsettias though. They may have to go outside. He doesn't seem interested in them now, but they drop leaves, and those might make tempting toys.

Cats should also be kept away from philodendrons, crotons, ivy, polka-dot plant, chrysanthemums, cyclamens, castoroil plant, cherry laurel, azalea, Lily-of-the-Valley and diffenbachia. Here is a list of other plants known to be toxic to cats, along with the symptoms they produce. Also, the University of Nebraska has a page with a list of many common indoor plants, with their toxicity noted. PetPlace.com has a useful list as well.

I will probably start an indoor herb and grass garden for my kitty so that he will have some safe plants to chew on. Hopefully making him less interested in the purely ornamental ones.

I find that daily applications of cat repellent (purchased at the pet store) work for keeping him away from dangerous places/objects until I can finish "cat-proofing" the house.

Here are some indoor plants that some people suggest as safer alternatives for homes with felines. It is still best to keep your kitty from chewing on your plants. It's still not the best thing for her to eat. Plus, it's not so great for the plant.


**Please Note: I am not an expert on this, I merely draw from other resources. When in doubt, talk to a vet or toxicologist for expert info.**

African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula)
Peperomias (multiple varieties)
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata, also known as Crassual argentea)
Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis)
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
The Prayer plant (Maranta spp.)
Rattlesnake plant (Calathea insignis)
Grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis spp.)
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Wax plant (Hoya carnosa and varieties).


Sources:
Brian's Garden
Suite101.com

Also: see CatTraining.com for info on training kitty to stay away from the houseplants.

-------------------------------------------

Update: While some websites lists plants that are not fatal to cats, that does not mean that you should let your cat munch on them.  Ours had a little too much fun with a boston fern, included on the "safer" list above, and while it did not do any permanent damage, it still made him quite ill for a little while.

Texas may be hot enough for this..

..but I am not.

Therefore, in the interests of the general public good, and of protecting myself from sunburn and insect bite, I shall not be participating in next year's World Naked Gardening Day (If you follow Ljmacphee's link in her post, be aware that the official site has pictures).

This takes natural gardening to another level.

Chick Food

Some days it seems like I put more work into maintaining and improving my garden than I do into actually enjoying it.

Not today.


Today, with the weather being so mild, I took the opportunity to just sit around out there with my crochet work, watching cardinals come and visit the bird feeder. (By the way, for those of you wanting to attract cardinals to your gardens---they LOVE safflower seeds!) I saw my first juvenile cardinal in person. Accompanied by both of its parents, it waited for them on a nearby brick wall, hidden by tree branches while they made trips back and forth to the feeder to bring seeds back for it. Sometimes they would set the seeds down and let the baby pick them up himself, other times they would simply feed him.

Now I need to work on attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

Checkerboard Fuchsias

Keep them nice and shady, or they will begin to wilt. I will need to move mine. The sun shifts just enough during the summer to make what used to be a shady spot sunny. Grr.

Leaf Miners

These annoying insects apparently love to eat sweet basil. Grr. Fortunately, they haven't destroyed it.

They also like Pinto beans.

So far, no new damage on any of my citrus trees this year.

I have heard that companion plantings of Columbine can be helpful.

I may try this. I do not relish the thought of using insecticides in my herb garden.

Incidentally, June is also supposed to be a great month for planting Basil seeds.

Talking to my plants...

...and my husband has been the primary outlet for my gardening concerns lately, as I have had little time for blogging. Much of my free time, such as it is, has been spent outside, taking advantage of every remotely tolerable moment of decent weather to get as much heavy outdoor work done as possible before the summer heat confines me to light weeding, seed scattering, and small container gardening. However, plenty has been happening, so while I wait till I have a little more time for more detailed posting, here are a few things I have learned during my (monthlong now) blogging silence:

Radishes do not always grow as fast as the book says they will.

Squash plants grow very fast when planted in good conditions.

Round-up (despite its drawbacks) is by far the most efficient method I have yet tried for getting rid of unwanted areas of lawn.

Containerized Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis) does not like neglect. Do not allow to dry out for more than a couple of days, or risk losing the year's fruit crop.

Containerized feijoa's hate drying out, too.

It is possible to neglect a bougainvillea too much.

Thornless Prickly Pears like south facing Houston walls in the springtime

Cherimoya seeds can be sprouted by wrapping in a wet paper towel kept constantly moist.

Sophora Secundiflora sometimes drops its immature seed pod crop, thwarting plans to send ripened seeds to waiting relatives. Cause as yet unknown. However, happy plants grow well. Next year's flowers may come from this year's growth.

Double Knockout Roses are awesome.

So are "Wave" petunias.

Checkerboard fuschias are both collectible and hardy, and look great growing in the shade near star jasmine and Southern Maidenhair ferns.

Pinto beans can sprout in the bottom of a wet kitchen sink, if left long enough.

Air potatoes can, apparently, sprout in a dark closet in a plastic bag with no soil, no water, and next to no light while certain persons try to decide whether to plant them at all due to their potentially invasive qualities.

That just about covers it!

California Rare Fuit Growers, HOUSTON chapter!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen. They have a chapter in Houston! This page gives contact information for a person in Katy.

I don't know how long it has been since the CRFG main website was updated, or if the chapter is still active,so I cannot verify the accuracy of the information, however it is good to know, for those interested in rare fruit.

Apparently, the Houston chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers does not have its own website. The Phoenix chapter does, however.

It's Alive! Bwhahahaha.

The Saijo Persimmon, which I obtained at last January's Urban Harvest fruit tree sale, and planted a mere two days after (if I recall correctly--it's been so long!) has finally begun to sprout what may soon become....drumroll please...

leaves!


It's about time. Since I planted it, it has pretty much been looking like a big stick standing in a pile of dirt. Maybe soon it will look like a tree. All of the other plants I purchased there began sprouting leaves some time ago, so I was a little worried. However, my mother, who is also a plant lover and much more experienced with fruit trees than I, looked it over on a recent visit and told me not to give up yet. She was right. :)


Pictures will be forthcoming, as soon as new developments become big enough to show up on film, and I have the time to get said film developed. The trusty digital camera seems to be developing issues. I have, of course, suggested that it should talk to someone, but it never listens to me.

Fungus, bacteria, and how to tell the difference.

"Herself" gives us another useful post on fungal and bacterial plant diseases, as well as other problems that may look like diseases.

When will your garden be perfect?

Hmm.

"By the time one is eighty, it is said, there is no longer a tug of war in the garden with the May flowers hauling like mad against the claims of the other months. All is at last in balance and all is serene. The gardener is usually dead, of course."

~Henry Mitchell, The Essential Earthman, 1981


For more gardening-related quotations, see The Quote Garden.

Tea Scale

I never heard of this type of fungus before I read this post over at Herself's Houston Garden. One more thing for me to file away for future reference. :) With the humidity going back up, it is good to keep one's eye out for fungus.

What's this?

Whatever it is, its days are numbered.


I still have no idea what this is. I'm praying it's not poison ivy, which is entirely possible given the huge specimen growing down the street. :(

I zapped it with the Roundup today, just in case. It is sprouting up all over one of my flowerbeds.

Anybody out there have any clues as to what this might be?

Happy Easter!

Ok, they're not Easter Lilies, but by golly, they're pretty!

Photo by Aaron

Search: Viewing Bluebonnets in California

I posted before on bluebonnets growing in California. I got another Google-related hit, this time from someone in Texas, wanting to know where to go in California to see the lupines there.

Bluebonnets are commonly called Lupines in California, so if you are visiting from out of state, it is handy to know both names.

They grow prolifically in many open fields along the Central Coast, where I was raised. If you have never been there yourself, you may have seen portions of the region in films like The Ten Commandments (1923), The Rocketeer (1991), Of Mice and Men (1992), or Sideways (2004).

These flowers are also quite common in most other regions of the state.

There are also multiple varieties of lupines to see. The USDA plants database lists 165 species of Lupinus growing in North America. California is home to roughly 97 of these, so I will not be listing them all here. Have a look at the many listed species at the USDA Plants Database. Many of the species listed grow in California. You can click on the smaller maps for profiles of individual species, and each profile contains links to maps which highlight the counties in which each species grows.

The ones that I remember, which look the most like the bluebonnets of Texas can be found growing in many open fields in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, as well as in other coastal counties in the state of California. I suggest the areas around Nipomo, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez, and Lompoc.

I have also seen a paler variety growing in the sand dunes around Oso Flaco, a state park along the coast with gorgeous sand dunes, lakes, and nature walks. It is worth the visit, even without the lupines.

Lupines occur all over the state of California, so one need not confine herself to the central coast. However, as I have not spent as much time in the Northern regions or int he central valley, I cannot suggest specific areas. However, in any part of California the best way to see them is to hop in a car, and go for a pleasant drive in the country. When in doubt, ask the locals!

Incidentally, the Central Coast is also a great place for wine tasting!

Sophora Secundiflora (Texas Mountain Laurel)

Right around the first of March, I saw these on my Sophora secundiflora (a.k.a. Texas Mountain Laurel or Mescal Bean):


I had been somewhat concerned, since this plant has done nothing since I planted it last June. I was hoping that I had been able to keep the soil alkaline enough for it when I added amendments. (This species, being native to Texas, actually likes alkaline soils.) Somebody I met recently said that her landscapers made the mistake of planting hers in soil that was too acid, and the plant refused to grow until this was rectified.

Above is a later shot, taken some days later when the flowers opened more.



The photos below were taken toward the end of last week





Already, as of last Saturday, the flowers began to wilt, and seed pods are forming in their place.

There is also new growth on this plant. I will post pictures of this later.


I saw several larger specimens of Texas Mountain Laurel during a recent trip to San Antonio. They appear to be quite common over there. Some were trained as trees, and others were left to grow as large shrubs. Either way, there is nothing quite like being downwind from a large one of these when it is in full bloom. The fragrance is incredible! Some say resembles grape kool-aid, but I'd say I like it even better.


I believe I read someplace (I can't remember where now) that, as a legume, S. secundiflora fixes nitrogen, making them good neighbors for nitrogen-loving plants.

Incidentally, the seeds and pods from this plant are very poisonous and should not be ingested.

Easy(er) Orchids for Houston

There is a good post over at The Lazy Gardener on this subject.

Winter color still performing

I really like the way the ornamental kale (Brassica oleracea) looks alongside the pansies here.


Here is a close-up of the kale. Is this stuff really edible? That has to look stunning on a plate.


I will have to find more wasy to use foliage for color.

These are all growing near my little Texas Mountain Laurel, which I planted last year. It is now putting out its first flowers, making this little corner of my garden quite purple.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. :)

I haven't done anything to these plants since they became established. I think the leaf mold compost that I added to the flowerbed might have a little something to do with their happiness in this location, as they have been growing (and blooming, in the case of the pansies) very steadily.

Why I read gardening blogs

I never know when I will learn something.

For instance, self-styled "Lazy Gardener" Brenda Beust Smith posted last week about ball moss, which I have in abundance on my trees. Before I read her post, I had some preconceived notions about this plant. Because it has some features in common with Spanish Moss, I assumed it was just another variety, and since of the two this was the only one that produced visible flowers, I guessed maybe there was a male/female thing going on there.



Hey, I'm sort of new around here.

New or not, I was still mistaken. :)

While both plants are in the same genus of the Bromeliad family, Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is harmless to trees, and the thickness of its growth can even help to indicate air quality (Smith). According to the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers, Spanish Moss does not qualify as a parasite because it uses photosynthesis to make its own food.

By contrast, Ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata), while also not a parasite, can damage trees by strangling the branches that it grows in with the tendrils it uses to maintain its grip.

Unfortunately, my trees are full of the stuff.


Brenda Beust Smith suggests hitting the ball moss with a baking soda solution (see her post for more specifics, and her recent update on this issue in another post.) either after a rain or after watering the ball moss yourself.

The trouble for me is, my trees are pretty tall, and I am fairly certain my hose will not spray that high. Time to contact the county extension office!


For more pictures and details on this plant:
University of Texas, Austin
Texas A&M

Eugenia Aggregata seeds

Here is what they looked like prior to soaking and planting:


Some of you may recall that these were sent to me late last June, before I learned that they can take up to a year to sprout. It seems to be more time efficient to just get one at a plant sale, or by mail order.

Tiddlywinks!

It's not just a game anymore. I don't have any recollection of when I first heard this word, but I do remember being fascinated by the mere sound of it as a small child. For more on the game, you can visit the website for the North American Tiddlywinks Association (Tiddlywinks.org). It seems there is a website for everything these days.

The game of Tiddlywinks reminds me of "POGs" which were popular back in the 90's. (Does anybody else remember those?)

Tiddlywinks is also the name for a miniature rose that I fell in love with this week at the nursery (pictured above). I couldn't stop staring at it, which of course meant it had to come home with me! Hmm. I wonder what a "pog" rose would look like.

According to the label, this one is grown on its own roots. I just hope they are resistant to blackspot.

WeeksRoses, which grows these, gives the following factoids about this plant on their website:

* Height / Habit: 12 to 18 inches/Bushy & round
* Bloom / Size: Medium-large, semi-double
* Petal Count: 15 to 20
* Fragrance: Slight
* Parentage: (Golden Holstein X Livin’ Easy) X Neon Cowboy
* Hybridizer: Carruth - 2008
* Comments: Deeper colors in cooler conditions.

The Cardinals have Returned!

I saw the first cardinals I have seen yet this year yesterday morning. They were chasing each other through the air above my garden and perching in the trees, singing their lungs out.

I never heard cardinals before I moved to Texas, and I think their song is among my favorites now.

I am also seeing what looks like woodpeckers.

Spring must be coming!

Thoreau on Weeds

Spent some time in the yard today building beds, planting seeds, and pulling weeds, which made me want to share this little passage from Walden:

Consider the intimate and curious acquaintance one makes with various kinds of weeds — it will bear some iteration in the account, for there was no little iteration in the labor — disturbing their delicate organizations so ruthlessly, and making such invidious distinctions with his hoe, levelling whole ranks of one species, and sedulously cultivating another. That's Roman wormwood — that's pigweed — that's sorrel — that's piper-grass — have at him, chop him up, turn his roots upward to the sun, don't let him have a fibre in the shade, if you do he'll turn himself t'other side up and be as green as a leek in two days. A long war, not with cranes, but with weeds, those Trojans who had sun and rain and dews on their side. Daily the beans saw me come to their rescue armed with a hoe, and thin the ranks of their enemies, filling up the trenches with weedy dead. Many a lusty crest-waving Hector,(12) that towered a whole foot above his crowding comrades, fell before my weapon and rolled in the dust.

Poison Ivy in the Fall

Someone I know identified this plant growing near (but not on) our property as poison ivy. The tree that it its using for support is taller than a two story house. The vine itself has grown up to about two thirds of the height of the tree.



The pictures were taken in fall, before the plant dropped its leaves, which scattered everywhere.

Unfortunately, the vine grows in somebody's front yard, near the street, where the leaves fall all over the sidewalk.

Yet another mystery weed.

This is popping up all over the place in one of my flowerbeds. Anybody have any ideas?

Waiting games.

No digging until the ground dries out some more. Rats.

For some reason the rain does not check with me before it comes. :)

Knockout Roses

I am looking forward to seeing these in my garden again:



Right now my Double Knockouts are taking a blooming break. In the meantime I suppose pictures will have to do.

I still love these plants. They have already survived a significant episode of leaf spot with most of their leaves intact.

More Bauhinia Pictures

Here are some photos I took of the Bauhinia I saw last December:





I'm still determined to get one if I possibly can, once I get my new fruit trees in the ground.

For more info on these, see my other post.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Time to prune those roses! (And other shrubs)

Photo by Aaron. Used with permission.

This is also a great time for transplanting any tropical fruit or citrus trees.

Template Annoyances

Excuse the fluctuating colors as I try to restore my old background here. For now, at least, I have managed to get some color displayed. :)

Bauhinia variegata (Orchid Tree)

While out walking with my husband last December, I saw one of these (or something very similar) in someone's garden. I think I'm in love!

Photo by P. Shontelder. Click for photo source.

Why grow tropical flowers in a greenhouse when you can have them on trees?




Factoids:

Common Names: orchid tree, purple orchid tree, mountain ebony, poor man's orchid
Height: 20-40 ft (sometimes smaller if subjected to winter freezes)
Width: 10-20 ft
Spacing:
Habit: Tree
Nativity: Introduced to US from Asia (I have heard some say it is a Texas native)
Duration: Deciduous in freezing temperatures or winter drought
Flowers: Pink, variegated. Winter-Spring.
Light: Full sun-light shade
Moisture: Keep moist during summer months, water less frequently in winter. (Fortunately for us in southeast Texas, this happens quite naturally). Needs very good drainage.
Hardiness Zones: USDA 9-11, Sunset: 13,18-23
Propagation: Seed, cuttings, suckers (occasional)
Soil:


This tree is categorized as invasive and disruptive of native plant habitats in Florida, and should not be planted in that state.



Another tree with flowers resembling orchids is Texas native Chilopsis linearis (a.k.a. Desert Willow or Desert Catalpa), which, according to its USDA profile, likes the drier regions of West Texas. It has also been known to grow in other parts of Texas, including the Houston area, and in parts of California.


Bauhinia Variegata Links:
Floridata
Dave's Garden
Wikipedia
Desert-Tropicals.com
USDA Plants Database
Stanford University
University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants

------------------------------------------------------------
Update: I have posted pictures of the actual specimen I saw. Maybe someone who knows more about this genus can tell me if they are the same species or not.

Troublesome background...

Blogger has for some weeks now flatly refused to display either background images or colors on this blog. I have no idea why this glitch is happening only here, as the graphics on my other blog are unaffected.

Template changes may be in order.

Catnip update

So last spring I planted some catnip plants I picked up at the home improvement store.

They did great until the heavy rains came. Then root rot took them.



But not before they went to seed.


Little tiny catnip plants are now making appearances in the bed where the original two plants were.

The lessons here?

1. The people who tell you not to put good soil below ground level in gumbo are not kidding.
2. Catnip seeds grow spontaneously (and happily from the looks of things) when scattered in summertime.
3. Some plants do okay with their roots in gumbo, as long as they are in an area that is slightly higher than others, allowing for drainage.

Bluebonnet update

I scattered the seeds in the fall this time, and there are now several little baby bluebonnet plants popping up in my flowerbeds.

Rather than meticulously starting them in peat pots, I decided to just toss them out there. I figure if that works well enough for mother nature, it's good enough for me. After that, I did little else to them. I figure if they're Texas natives and I'm not, the bluebonnets probably know what's good for them, especially since they've been around here longer. :)

They began to come up in December, and they are still there. Even some of the Russell hybrids (which were all eaten last year) are surviving so far. Hopefully, we'll have flowers this time around!

Playing in the dirt.

The ground finally dried out enough to allow me to plant the two muscadines I obtained at the fruit tree sale. I've been keeping them in mulch up till now. A few of the roots (but thankfully not all) did get a little dry on one of them, so I hope no permanent damage was done. Time will tell.

Either way, it was a perfect day for it. Warm, with just enough of a breeze to keep me from getting overheated, and ground that was moist enough that I could dig in it, but not so moist that my digging would damage the soil structure.

And I cannot overemphasize the usefulness of wheelbarrows when one is taking out grass and putting in even themost slightly raised of beds.

There is something wonderful about being tired, covered in smudges of dirt, looking at a brand new bed with fresh plants in it and thinking, "Yeah, I did that.".

Search: Bluebonnets in California

I got a search hit from Google from someone looking for "bluebonnets in cal".


California has its own native variety of Lupinus, known here in Texas by the common name "bluebonnet". People call them "Lupines" out there. The California variety grows wild in many parts of the state. It has a mild, sweet scent, and if you find yourself in the immediate vicinity of a large field full of them, the experience will be very pleasant for your nose.

People living in California who want to grow them can easily find seeds at local nurseries. The more adventurous can try to collect the seeds from wild ones themselves (watch for rattlesnakes and wear plenty of deer tick repellent if you do).

Garden Tools and Poetry

This poem makes me think William Carlos Williams must have tried to build raised flower beds at some point. :)

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.



-- William Carlos Williams

Crassula Gollum: A Plant for Hobbit Lovers

"Herself" posts about her own specimen of Hobbits Pipe Jade Plant.

This one is probably worth planting just for the name.

Water, Water everywhere--almost

It's the winter rainy season on the west coast.

I often track the weather in places along the Pacific where I know people. Today, it would seem, rain is predicted for all of the locations I watch, with the exception of Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. Quite the opposite of what most would expect given the sunny reputation of California, and the damp, rainy reputation of the Pacific Northwest.

Speaking of rain, my lawn is super-soggy right now. I stepped outside yesterday, only for a couple of minutes to check on a few plants, and when I returned to the house, I had mud spatters up to my knees, and caked mud around the cuffs of my pants. It's amazing what that Gumbo can do.

Fruity Madness

Yesterday was my first time at an Urban Harvest fruit tree sale. The stories are true. They have lots of trees, and LOTS of people. It was crowded, and the many people there were quite determined to get their trees, even to the point of pushing and shoving. I overheard at least two people saying that the plants they had picked up had been taken right out from under their noses.

I suppose when you get that many people in one place who are willing to stand outside in 40-something degree weather for over an hour just waiting for a tree sale to start, things are going to be pretty interesting.

It wasn't all rudeness though. Many of the customers took the madness in stride. The volunteers were very friendly and helpful, and I suspect that one of the ones that helped me out was Bob Randall himself, but I didn't want to ask him. The entire scene was surreal enough without me behaving like a garden groupie.

In any case, I am now the proud owner of a Saigo (Saijo?) persimmon, a Cloud Pomegranate, two muscadine vines, and a banana fig. Thanks to my husband, who assembled the wheelbarrow ahead of time, I was able to get that persimmon in the ground today. Now to get the others planted before the end of February! Woohoo!

When you have a little lawn in your winter weeds...

Someone at the home improvement store recommended a liquid post-emergent broad-leaf herbicide for Southern lawns over a granular one for this time of year.

Randy Lemmon, host of GardenLine, strenuously recommends against those very tempting weed-and-feed treatments, as in the long run they can damage other plants, including trees. Click here to see his lawn care schedule. The herbicide tips are toward the bottom. Or, if you prefer, he has an alternate Organic lawn care schedule. In both the organic and synthetic schedules, he recommends that a pre-emergent herbicide be applied in November, to prevent the rather astonishing weed growth that takes place in December and January if nothing is done. Ooops. I guess we'll do better next year. :)

Search: Tomato Varieties for Houston

Someone dropped by while Googling (I can't believe that's actually a verb now) for "Tomato varieties Houston Texas"

Your county Extension service or local Master Gardener should have some good information on tomato varieties. Also check with your nurseryman.

In her Lazy Gardener's Guide, Brenda Beust Smith recommends the following:

• Champion
• Celebrity
• Dona
• Early Goliath
• German Johnson
• Hawaiian
• Sweet Chelsea
• Texas Wild

In Year Round Fruits and Vegetables, Bob Randall recommends these (In order from large to small, with some repeats from Smith's list):

• Super Marmande (early)
• Dona (early)
• Carmello
• Big Beef
• Arkansas Traveler (late)
• Sweet Chelsea
• Sweet 100
• Texas wild (Produces in summer)
• Viva Italia (cooking)
• Sunmaster (Produces in summer)

For those of you growing your tomatoes iin pots, the Houston Garden Book recommends these for containerized tomato growing:

• Patio
• Pixie
• Tiny tim
• Saladette
• Stakeless
• Atom
  

For better information on growing tomatoes here in the Houston Metro Area, I strongly recommend getting copies of the books by Smith and Randall. These are most easily obtained by going to Urban Harvest.

Tomato Forum!

There is a discussion forum at Chron.com on tomato varieties for the Houston area.

Check it out.

Basil in the Greenhouse

Apparently, basil can survive the winter (or at least, what winter we have had so far this year) if kept in a greenhouse or indoors.

The only trouble with the greenhouse strategy, it would appear, is that pests become more of a problem. Something has been nibbling at mine quite enthusiastically. When I had it outside in the summer and fall, it has almost no pest problems at all. There is still plenty left for us to eat, however.

Companion herbs for tomatoes

While you are getting your seeds spouted and considering where to put your tomatoes once they are ready to be transplanted, here is some interesting information:

According to the Houston Garden Book, tomatoes like to be planted with onions, parsley, carrots, chives, asparagus, marigolds, and nasturtiums. avoid planting them next to cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, potatoes, fennel, and corn.

January is for tomato seeds!

This is the month to start your tomato seeds indoors or in a greenhouse to get the earliest possible jump on the tomato season!