Surrounded by Squash

First, check out the picture of my "Siamese Twins" squash. This is a budding Zephyr squash, in actuality, but I guess the flower was double-pollinated? Pretty cool...I'd be interested to hear from any of you who have seen and/or experienced this before.



Here's the rest of my harvest...the yellow crooknecks shown are what I picked just from this week...just from one plant! I've already resorted to pushing some off on the neighbors, since hubby doesn't care for squash in any form, color or shape. I also used quite a bit making this yummy casserole.



Lastly, please check out my new Organic Gardening newsletter. Some of it is Texas-exclusive advice, but most is not. There are tips on feeding hummingbirds, composting, and a brief product review of my new Neuton electric lawn mower.

Dallas Councilman Chokes the Chicken

Dallas' most progressive nursery, North Haven Gardens, is facing a fight with local (soon to be former, thankfully) councilman Mitchell Rasansky about supplying chickens at its store. The nursery did everything right but still got slammed by this idiot who, in the past has disputed the use of bat houses around the city. Read more here.

Creaky Knees? Aching Back?

You're not aging...you're gardening!

Apparently gardening isn't just really physically good for you - it will extend your life too.

Please tell that to my body after a marathon weeding and raking session.

Conflicting Reports

Everything seems to be "off" this year weather- and garden-wise, in one way or another.

I saw a hummingbird today - the earliest ever - yet the juncos are still here. Some of my Louisiana irises are swelling with buds...at the same time as their usually-earlier German bearded and Siberian iris cousins are blooming.

Nearly all of the tomatoes planted at the Community Garden perished in sub-zero, wind-whipped temperatures last week. Because of the presence of the aforementioned juncos, I continued to hold off on planting my half dozen or so tomato plants, and am trying not to be smug about my foresight. But watching the birds was something my mother taught me from a very young age; our feathered friends possess a sixth sense about weather conditions that we do not. At least, the winter birds have it, anyway. I'm not sure what that crazy hummingbird is doing here already.

Anyway, lots of plant orders are trickling in. I don't consider myself old enough to be even close to senile, but I can never seem to remember/envision what I ordered from these companies when they get around to finally shipping the order to me. I save invoices, make notes, etc., but by gosh I still find myself tearing open boxes like a kid at Christmas because I truly don't know exactly what's inside. A Salvia Pachyphylia 'Blue Flame'? Great! Thanks! (What the heck does that look like??)

I am expecting a 10 lb. box from Bluestone Perennials tomorrow. Ten pounds of plants sounds like a lot to me...! So I guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend. Besides that order, I have six Agastaches and Salvias from High Country Gardens to plant, plus two daylilies and 30(!) Gladiolus bulbs from Dutch Gardens that need to taste soil pretty quick.

And, in what must have been a lustful tropical plant haze, I also ordered several plants from Logee's, including one of those incredible-looking Diamond Head purple elephant ears. Not sure when that order will arrive. I'm trying my hand with a more common red Passiflora (other than Margaret, which didn't do well for me in the past for some reason) plus another round of Tarnok Sarrencia for the water barrel garden and a 'Chad' hibiscus just because it was stupifying.

Call me a multitasker, but I'm also managing several vegetable projects around the backyard. I have two new 3' x 3' beds by the driveway which now host radishes, peas, carrots and beets, and a couple of half whiskey barrels around the pool area with cabbage, bok choi and radicchio. All of these are doing well; the squirrels and/or rabbits are keeping their chewing to a minimum. I've planted nasturtiums around the containerized plants and the marauding rodents seem to be repelled by it. Amazing.

So there's a nice big, fat update about what's been going on with me in the outdoors arena. Spring might be here around Dallas...we're still not sure. But one thing is certain: I'm ready to plant!

Going Dutch

I'm always a little embarrassed to admit when I've ordered from Dutch Gardens. In my book, they're about one step above Spring Hill Nurseries as far as plant quality and reliable customer service...and that's not too good. But gosh, the pictures in their catalogs are intoxicating.

I figured I couldn't go too wrong with daylilies and gladiolus - two of the toughest plants in existence. Here's what my order looked like; these should be arriving in about a month:



Gladiolus 'Black Surprise'


Gladiolus 'Dandy'


Daylily 'Thundering Ovation'


Daylily 'Lori Goldston'

Flower Seeds - Old and New

I was going through my collection of flower seeds and was truly amazed at how old some of them were. Sunflower seeds from 2001, marigold seeds harvested from plants I had...gosh, I can't remember when. Maybe from before I was married, even. I ended up pitching most of the old seeds, as they probably weren't viable anyway, but I decided to try the sunflower and marigold just for the heck of it. The datura was also harvested from a plant and is only a couple of years old. The rest of the list is brand-spanking new seed from either Burpee or Select Seeds. Seeds were started yesterday, 2/14.



Sunflower 'Sunspot'


Marigold 'Jaguar'


Datura 'Double Purple'


Ornamental Millet 'Jester'


Scabiosa 'Beaujolais'


Scabiosa 'Dark Knight'


Maltese Cross


Gentian Blue Sage 'Cambridge Blue'


Amaranth 'Oeschberg'


Gomphrena 'Fireworks'


Coreopsis 'Mardi Gras'


Calendula 'Oktoberfest'

Lead Us Not Into Temptation...

...but deliver us from weevil?

It's a difficult time of year for gardeners, at least, Southern gardeners. Spring is so close we can almost smell it.

I look around the yard and see my daffodils blooming and I want to start doing things. Things like cleaning up dead plant debris and trimming off ornamental grasses and planting stuff. You know...gardening. But alas, it's still a bit too early.



After suffering through last week, which started off with ice storms and ended with 75° temperatures, I know not to trust Mother Nature this time of year. She is naughty and treacherous and won't hesitate to freeze unprotected plants to the ground.



So, seed starting and garden planning has filled some of the void. I finally got the three lightweight half whiskey barrels out of the garage, positioned them in the backyard around the pool and filled them with potting soil and some homemade compost. My seedlings are looking good and it'll be tough deciding what goes into the barrels, what goes in the new beds by the driveway and what (besides the tomatoes) gets sentenced to the wild confines of the Plano Community Garden. Sheesh.

Digging the Blues

Well, I've placed my bi-annual plant order with Bluestone Perennials. I hope some of you took advantage of their 15% off early bird special. I had a bunch of little coupons from them too, so I ended up saving over $30. When you consider that many of these plants come as 3-packs, the value is outstanding. I've had good luck overall with their plant quality as well - a couple of disappointments over the years, but not many. They are Garden Watchdog Top 30 company, after all.

Here's what my order contained:

VERONICA teucrium Royal Blue
RUDBECKIA hirta Cherry Brandy
AGASTACHE Purple Pygmy
COREOPSIS rosea American Dream
KNAUTIA macedonica Red Knight
BUDDLEIA davidii Harlequin
HEMEROCALLIS siloam Irving Hepner (shown at right)
ASTER oblongifolius October Skies
SEDUM spurium Fulda Glow (Fuldaglut )
THYMUS x Highland Cream
HEUCHERA Purple Petticoats
HEUCHERA x villosa Miracle

Seeds of Change

Yesterday's inauguration has brought a feeling of hopefulness and much-needed change to our country. Kind of like how seed-starting does for me during winter's doldrums.

And that's not to diminish the importance of either occurrence. Just as I am in awe of our new president's sense of fairness and humility, I am always humbled by the simple yet hopeful task of starting seeds for the coming season.

Here's the list of what I started in Jiffy pots this past Saturday:

Tomato 'Valley Girl'
Tomato 'New Girl'
Tomato 'Yellow Cherry'
Tomato 'Orange King'
Radicchio 'Red Surprise'
Cauliflower 'Cheddar'
Cabbage 'Deadon'
Cabbage 'Alcosa'
Pac Choi 'Red'
Broccoli 'Purple Peacock'
Purple Orach
Mustard Greens 'Purple Wave'

Yeah, I still love growing weird-colored veggies, as you can tell. Orange cauliflower? Purple broccoli? Yellow cherry tomatoes? You betcha. For one thing, purple vegetables are said to contain more antioxidants than their common green or white or whatever counterparts. And to me, anything different and unique is usually way cool.

We've had really Sybil-like weather here in North Texas, i.e. 70° one day and a high of 45° the next. So, when things even out a bit, I'll go about the task of direct sowing things like carrots, beets, peas, lettuce, etc.

Good Intentions Make Good Mulch

So I'm starting off 2009 with a few personal gardening resolutions that have been posted for all to see over at Dave's Garden.

Some are ambitious (like not killing any more orchids), while others are just plain necessary (like being more active at the Plano Community Garden). But I'm optimistic about the new year, and not just for good gardening.

After building two 2'x 2' raised beds and filling them with soil the other day, I felt 100 years old. Every part of me ached. So 2009 will be a year in which I also hope to become stronger physically by returning to regular weight training and elevated cardio routines...and lugging bags of compost doesn't count!

Finally, and as my Dave's Garden article mentions, I promise to post here more. Many times I considered shutting this site down since I almost never update it. But then I would hem and haw and never do that either, mostly because I don't want to. I like writing about gardening and I like reading about other people's gardens. So I hope there are a few of you out there who are still interested.

Riding the Rue

Found this little fella lounging on my blue rue this morning, even though the plant is small and still in a nursery container. I moved it under my patio rocking chair when the weather suddenly turned windy and chilly. Hopefully he'll hang around and pupate. I believe he is a 4th instar Black Swallowtail.

Easy to Grow? Let's Hope So...

I am trying a new bulb company this year, Easy to Grow Bulbs. They come highly recommended by Garden Watchdog reviewers.

My order is supposed to arrive Wednesday. I'm taking Friday off to celebrate my 46th birthday by playing in the dirt...teehee!

Here's what I'm getting:
Anemone Lord Lieutenant
Dutch Iris Bronze Beauty
Lily, Trumpet Black Dragon
Tulip Saxatilis
Tulip Clusiana Cynthia
Iris Pallida Variegata

Of course, I also put in a hefty order with my own Master Gardener's association for our annual bulb sale. From what I can remember, my order includes Tulip Clusiana Lady Jane, Leucojum aestivum Gravetye Giant, and my favorite, the lovely and incredibly fragrant Narcissus Thalia (pictured above). We already have a nice bunch of Thalia in a street-side berm in our front yard, and I had to have more. Few daffodils (and tulips) will naturalize in North Texas. Thalia is one of them.

Plants Are Smarter Than We Are

Calgary man gets a year for growing opium poppies

I just ordered some seeds of Papaver Somniferum, but not for umm...."high tea" purposes. I just think they're pretty, and a big challenge to grow here in Texas.

Stressed Plants Release Aspirin-like Chemical

"Fascinating," as Mr. Spock would say. I especially love the part about plants communicating with each other.

Kinda Like Louisiana

Well, Ike is headed this way this weekend, probably in the form of a Tropical Storm. My particular area is expected to get 2-4" of rain and some pretty good sustained winds, but nothing terribly major, although the soil is already a little swampy from recent rains. Areas to the east and south of us could see some bad stuff, however.

The National Weather Service is warning people to prepare by filling up gas tanks, checking generators and stocking up on water in case widespread power outtages occur...even to the point where sewage pump stations lose power. I guess I never realized that having two 75 gallon rain barrels full of water could help us in that department. Hopefully it won't come to that. The older I get, the less I am into "roughing it", if you know what I mean.

I received my Louisiana Iris order from Iris City Gardens today. Once again, they sent big, fat, healthy-looking fans and a couple of extra freebies. My experiences with them have been nothing short of stellar. And, well, you've all seen the results of my previous purchases from them.

Here's what I got this time...and here's hoping I get these guys in the ground before Ike arrives so they can get a really good soaking...

Late Summer's Glow

I like the glow of my backyard gardens in late summer. The white flowers of the autumn clematis on the back fence really sparkle, and in the morning light, the swaying brooms on the Zebra Grass catch the sun in a lovely manner.


And here's a look at the afore-mentioned woodpecker. Actually, there might be a pair of them; this looks like a female to me, and I know I've seen a male with the complete red "hood" on his head. It's possible this is an immature male, however. Anyway, I'm always glad to see some new and cool birds in my yard.

Gustav On the Way

It's inevitable that DFW will see some much-needed rain from Hurricane Gustav in a couple of days. As I write this, my beloved New Orleans seems to be hanging in there, and that's great news.

Speaking of weather, I really wonder what kind of winter we're going to have here in North Central Texas. One Farmer's Almanac is predicting slightly colder and drier than usual, while NOAA says the opposite.

All I know is, a red-bellied woodpecker and a pair of chickadees have already shown up at my bird feeders.

September Should Be Busy

I've got several plant orders scheduled for early- and mid-September. Much as my darling husband hates to hear it, it's nice to have the plant-buying bug back again!

From Digging Dog Nursery:
Eupatorium rugosum Chocolate
Helictotrichon sempervirens Sapphire Fountain
Origanum Rosenkuppel
Panicum virgatum Heavy Metal
Penstemon mexicali Sunburst Ruby
Penstemon Thorn
Salvia argentea

From EasytoGrowBulbs.com
Anemone Lord Lieutenant
Dutch Iris Bronze Beauty
Lily, Trumpet Black Dragon
Tulip Saxatilis
Tulip Clusiana Cynthia
Iris Pallida Variegata

From Bluestone Perennials
BULB Allium Schubertii
BULB Dracunculus Vulgaris
VERONICA teucrium Royal Blue
ARTEMISIA Schmidtiana Silver Mound
EUPHORBIA Tasmanian Tiger
PENSTEMON heterophyllus ELECTRIC BLUE
PENSTEMON mexicale x Red Rocks
AGASTACHE Black Adder
AGASTACHE Tutti Frutti
ECHINACEA purpurea Coconut Lime
ECHINACEA purpurea Pink Double Delight
CHRYSANTHEMUM superbum Crazy Daisy
LIATRIS Spicata Kobold
SEDUM Lynda Windsor
VERONICA Fairytale

Zephranthes Labuffarosa

Notes to Self: Tropicals

Notes to Self is a new section that serves as more of a to do list for myself than anything. You see, while I'm good at lecturing other gardeners about keeping lists, it's not something I do consistently. And I should.

My collection of tropicals and otherwise tender plants has boomed in recent months. I've kept (and neglected) a couple of lemon trees in containers on the driveway for several years; it was easy to just roll them into the garage when cool weather came around. Now...well, it's going to be quite a project in getting all of the new non-hardy members into the house. So I figured an action plan would be helpful.

1. Clean Out Garage

2. Already in Pots - Move to Garage or Sunroom
Meyer Lemon
Variegated Lemon
Satsuma Mandarin
Plumaria (2)
Pride of Barbados
Brugmansia (2)
Black Olive
Barbados Cherry
Yellow Shrimp
Hibiscus (2 non-hardy)
Cactus


3. Already in Pots - Move to Protected Area of Patio
Sago Palm
Agave (2) - 'Mr. Ripple' & 'Jaws'


4. Dig Up, Pot Up, Move Inside
Variegated Tapioca (2)
Alocasias (2) - 'Hilo Beauty'
Colocasia - 'Illustris'
Passionflower (2)
Cuban Oregano


5. Propogate
Coleus

Target date for completion: November 1.

Not in MY Garden...

Ok, back again after a trip to England and a bout of sheer blog laziness.

I took almost as many photos of plants as I did relatives while visiting family across the Big Pond. Here are some of the more interesting/appealing ones (of plants, not relatives):


These Giant Gunnera are pretty common creekside sites around the southwest part of England, where we spent part of our trip. That's my DH posing by this specimen. He was convinced I'd order one of these upon our return to the States, but I know better.


The English are crazy for gardening, and most of them are pretty darn good at it. I had terrible dahlia envy while passing through the many lovely neighborhoods.


These gorgeous clematis were growing all along a fence outside of Dunster Castle.


Inside the castle grounds were some lovely landscaping displays.


I'd never seen a variegated maple tree before; they are apparently pretty common in Europe.


The formal garden outside of Kensington Palace in London.


Another view of the Kensington Palace formal garden.


Back soon with news about what's going on in my own backyard...