Posted on October 1, 2021October 1, 2021Fall for sure A cold front with rain! Maximilian sunflower in full bloom!
Posted on September 27, 2021September 27, 2021Frostweed It’s about to bloom! I saw some in the wild today at Lexington WMA and it was finishing blooming. It was by a wash so perhaps got more water.
Posted on September 26, 2021September 26, 2021Sort of a rainbow ‘Diane’ purple Salvia greggii and purple moss verbena (non native, bought it by mistake), mealy blue sage, ‘Fordham giant’ Swiss Chard and lacinato kale for green, marigolds for yellow (but they turned out more orange…), Linnaeus burning embers marigolds for orange, and ‘Will Rogers’ zinnias for red. Needs some work on colors, but not bad for a start!
Posted on September 25, 2021September 25, 2021Fall begins Maximilian sunflower! The neighborhood school’s are already blooming, but mine are slower and this is first one, today.
Posted on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021A second cantaloupe and more sad caterpillars/happy wasps Second Madhu Ras melon and there are more on the vine!! The “cleaner” side of one caterpillar. The more parasitized side of the caterpillar. Now two angles on a second cat. Note that the pupae have opened, because of the little can lid looking parts. Last night I sprinkled some more basil behind the cherries on the ground and also in the planter. This saguaro cactus was given to me and had been over watered, so it’s got some rot on top and near bottom. Hopefully it will recover now that I’ve put it in hot sun and just watered it once after transplanted. It should rarely get rain on it on the porch.
Posted on September 19, 2021September 20, 2021Surprises Missouri Yellow Watermelon split open partially, so we split it the rest of the way to eat the unexposed part. Very nice! Spider lilies started blooming today. Not native, never see anything on them, but they were already here and they’re weird! Closeup of spotted euphorbia (Euphorbia maculata). Paula spotted this exciting find: a hornworm with parasitic pupae on it!! Dolba hyloeus also known as the pawpaw sphinx. One of the host plants is yaupon holly, which is where Paula found it. Mom said to save it in a jar so we can see what kind of wasps come out. She recently had a parasitized tobacco hornworm from Judy.
Posted on September 19, 2021September 19, 2021Afternoon things More pink flowers on succulent Beans and okra
Posted on September 18, 2021September 18, 2021Haircut Salvia greggii sure looking nice after Paula suggested we trim a pathway in back.
Posted on September 18, 2021September 18, 2021Water Finally a tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) blooming. Turns out they appreciate a bit of water.
Posted on September 16, 2021September 16, 2021Texas mallow doing well in drought The Texas mallow Caterpillar on oregano. Potentially a male Bombus pennsylvanicus from yesterday.