Category Archives: Gardening

2015_Day 249: Marigolds DO rock! 

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My mom taught me that marigolds were a great flower to plant around tomatoes because their strong scent kept away some insects and sometimes even rabbits and squirrels. And until recently, that’s all I really ever used them for. But they were a great addition on their own to my Texas garden this year, and I really enjoyed their color, their tolerance for the heat (with a little TLC) and the fact that I could harvest their seeds by the dozen for replanting. Continue reading →

2015_Day 248: Of pumpkins and tomatoes 

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Weekends are good for the soul in so many ways, and for me, gardening plays a big role. Like this morning, when I walked out to see beautiful yellow flowers on Wanda and Cosmo, my two pumpkin plants. Continue reading →

2015_Day 247: Flowers bring peace, calm to end of busy week

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“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole world would change.” — Buddha

I’m constantly amazed at how productive zinnias are. Just when I thought the zinnias in my pots were on their last legs, I see more buds popping out of the leaves. Continue reading →

2015_Day 246: Meet The Fairly Oddpumpkins

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Daughter liked to name my flowers in Wisconsin, so I figured I’d let her name the pumpkin that’s been keeping company with Wanda, my bigger, wandering pumpkin. So, we’re proud to introduce you to Cosmo. If you didn’t catch on from the title of this post, the names are a nod to characters in one of daughter’s favorite cartoons, The Fairly OddParents. Continue reading →

2015_Day 243: Win some, lose some applies to houseplants, too

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I replanted a struggling aglaonema (lower left) in January. Almost seven months later, it's strong and beautiful (upper left). On the other hand, I'm afraid my impatiens (right) is nearing its end.

I replanted a struggling aglaonema (lower left) in January. Almost seven months later, it’s strong and beautiful (upper left). On the other hand, I’m afraid my impatiens (right) is nearing its end.

When I bought the New Guinea impatiens back around June, it was really pretty, with deep purple leaves and a few bright pink flowers. I potted it and displayed it on my front porch, sure it would soon be full of blossoms and the prettiest flower on the block. About a month or so later, I noticed a few of the leaves on the bottom of the flower were turning brown. Continue reading →

2015_Day 242: Pumpkins got their groove on

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It’s early, but I think pumpkins just might be my veggie of choice this fall. Don’t get me wrong, I really, really want fall tomatoes, but pumpkins are just looking more likely at the moment.

Wanda (yes, I’ve named one of my pumpkins) is three or four times her size of two weeks ago (photo above, today on top, Aug. 17 on bottom). Overnight, she stretched into the adjoining raised bed. No doubt the inch-and-a-half of rain we got late this afternoon helped. 

And the yellow leaves on the second pumpkin plant have been replaced by a bunch of new green ones. I wouldn’t be surprised if it started making a move on Wanda soon. That’s one wrestling match I’m looking forward to.

2015_Day 241: Another reason to like weekends

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As if there weren’t enough reasons for me to like weekends, here’s another. The flowers on the purslane plant hanging on my patio are beautiful, but they usually are closed by the time I get home from work during the week. Continue reading →

2015_Day 240: Late bloom on pepper a surprise 

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My pepper plant looks pathetic. It has for quite awhile now, but I keep watering it because the peppers were still growing and the wilting leaves didn’t seem to be an indication that the peppers wouldn’t keep growing. So imagine my surprise when I noticed one offshoot whose leaves don’t look like they’ve spent the day (er, weeks) under sunny skies in 90-something-degree heat. Continue reading →

2015_Day 239: And then there was a flower 

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It sure doesn’t take long for pumpkin plants to flower. Just a day or two after I saw little curly Qs on Wanda, she now sports at least one flower. No, the flower hasn’t actually opened yet, but I can see the yellow. I know it’s there. I’ll just give it another day, maybe two, and I bet it will be open. Continue reading →

2015_Day 238: Two tomatoes better than none

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It’s a week after one of my downtrodden tomato transplants looked like it was getting its second wind, and guess what? Now there’s a second tomato plant that looks like it might be coming around, too! It would be wonderful if both keep growing, especially since one is a cherry and the other a big-tomato variety. Continue reading →