Deirdre's Garden Diary: 2006 April

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:: 04.29.06 ::

Rain!

I love me some loud scary thunderstorms and slow drizzly rain, just right for napping! The last couple of days have been a relief from the early heat wave and it isn't too humid...at least not yet. Today everything is overcast and cool and slightly breezy. The plants and grass are happy having had a nice little drink and a bath.

I finally managed to get the new blackberry bushes planted last week. They were terribly root bound and not happy to have been confined to their pot so long. but they are looking good for now (crossing fingers).

As you can see, I still have a few things that need to be put out...two bare root Rose Bushes, a small Forsythia bush, some Purple Cone Flowers, Gulf-Brazos Penstemon, and a Hinckley Columbine.

I am keeping everything stacked by the front stairs so that I trip over it every time I exit the house...this serves as a reminder from the plants that, "Hey we are still sitting here waiting for you to pick a spot for us in the yard! We really would like to stretch out a bit!" I know...it's not good when you think your plants are talking to you. BUT THEY DO!

I don't know why, but one of my worst gardening habits is "placement procrastination". I get a new plant and then can't decide where I want it planted. I am never confident that the spot I am choosing is the best choice. I have a lot of plants that I have put in inconvenient spots that are waiting to be moved...Star Jasmine, the Agapanthus, and Cannas, just to name a few. Digging those plants up and relocating them is also on the "to do" list. They are holding in there, struggling to keep their leaves and waiting to be replanted. They refuse to bloom until they get a new spot with more sun. I have that problem around here...too much shade, not enough sun.

Part of the problem is that whenever I go to buy shade loving plants, the nursery doesn't have anything and I get hypnotized by the cheery blooms of some flamboyant sun loving plant on sale... whispering to me, "You NEED me"!

I know, I know...that talking thing again.

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:: 04.10.06 ::

What's Up & Growing

I've been grumpy lately, a grumpy gardener. I really miss my bluebonnets... I know I need to stop harping on that loss, especially when so many other plants are doing well, but it really did depress me that almost every single bluebonnet was wiped out.

I am feeling a little bit better now that I see the Crinums and Irises are starting to bloom. the crinums are probably my favorite flowers on the property. The purple Iris at the left were the first ones to open this year. Their petals look like velvet. I keep wanting to rub my fingers over the petals!

It was also a relief to see that the Coreopsis I planted last year made it back, and the fern leaf lavender I recently picked up at the nursery is digging in roots and putting out new flowers.

The rose bush in the front flower bed has a number of big beautiful blooms this spring even though I forgot to prune it in the fall.

The vegetable garden lettuce broccoli seems to be doing good for now. The plants look healthy, but there are subtle problems. It is a fine line between the "growing" and "bolting". It looks leafy and nice, but I think it might be bitter because the weather is a bit too warm. I haven't tasted it yet. The didn't make it, again the stalk is pretty, but the florets that were forming bloomed! They are putting out new side shoots and the plants are still prett; but I don't think I will get any broccoli to eat this year unless I buy it at the store.

The verdict is still out on the cabbage and brussels sprouts. The cabbage heads are leafy but the heads haven't started to get compact yet, even though they are getting larger. I planted strawberries this year, but the plants seem to be in some kind of limbo...no shoots, no berries, no growth, but still green and alive.

I will be planting a bunch of new stuff next week, so there is a lot more to come. I hope it all gets done!

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