FF: 7/20/12

 What would have me up before the sun??? 

 THIS!!  New plants, and new soil!!  (I went shopping:)

  Also trying to 'play' in the dirt before THIS 

Grandboy Kale, 19 mos old

 woke up. 
Didn't happen. 
SO after grandboy, Kale, had some breakfast, we went back out to the front porch to do some 'dirty' work.  Ok, not really work, but we did get good and dirty. 

Kale models the Scheurich Sprayman aka Grandma's new toy

 Mr. Kale stayed on the porch while I re potted. 
First playing with this super cool watering can-sprayer thingy.
Kale demonstrating how NOT to use the watering can:). 
Shortly after I had to put it up, because SOMEONE was chewing on it. 
Little beaver boy.   

 Mr. Man enjoyed watching the machinery from the work site next door.  Wish this little guest house had a glass door so I could leave the wood one open and he could watch the activity all day. He is able to catch some action from a side window.  Poor tortured soul. 
 
 Then we upgraded to a dog water bowl full of water and a cup.  This lasted the longest. 

Horse herb, ???, strawberry, squash, Pigeon berry and Horehound along back

 I decided to add my new treasures to this grow pot (which is so cool).  It is a self watering pot. I brought three with me, but since the homeowner already has a garden, and all my food plants were murdered died, I don't think I will be using two of them. 

 The pooches watched from inside, until SOMEONE started pouring water on the screen door, and I had to close it.  Poor pooches.

 When we went on our road trip to Wisconsin, I saw one of these at Target, and bought it for a souvenir.  I decided it would make a nice 'salad bowl'.  (I have a smaller one with succulents back at home)  I'm going to try salad greens in the summer.  They are not recommended here in our hot weather.  We'll see-won't hurt, that's for sure:). 

Today's players:
 At the Lowe's clearance rack I found:
healthy rosemary (which I needed)

And three different verbena (which I wanted;)
We have a solid red and purple at home. 
These are hardy in our neck of the woods. 

Shampoo Ginger

 I hope these live.  They were in one of the pots hubby DID NOT water while I was away.  Shampoo Ginger. 
Mail order. 
Cha-ching.
Boo hoo.
Boo hoo. 

 Took him a while but, he finally sat in the bowl.  Fun, fun, fun!

Added: purple and lt green sweet potato, verbena, coleus, Mexican flame vine.

 Ta-Da!!  Over planted, and I don't care.  I'll be taking it home this fall and putting it in the yard, so right now it is 'intense' planting.  :)

Orchids up front

 Now to my sad sad orchids. 

 My mini Sharry baby, who bloomed so well for me this spring.  No medium left.  how long can the poor dried up thing function on nothing?  So shriveled.  :(  I'm trying a new orchid 'soil'  we will see how it does. 

 My other Sharry baby.  I took a deep breath, and just ripped all the shriveled parts off.  All that was left was these three tiny babies.  :(  At our old house (before we moved to mom's) this was in my bathroom, and was thriving.  Then it got neglected and it is barely surviving. 

 Currently I'm using the bottom of a plastic cup, later I'll switch to one of those small clay pots.  *sigh*

 I put them back in the planter they sit in, used the cut off part of the red cup as a 'brace' for the orchid.  Nothing else holding it up.  *sigh*  Like I said, I hope they like the new orchid soil. 

 That stack a pot thing in back (REAL hard not to put my new flowers in it, but its only for edibles:), window box planter, and dumb cane.  Had to move that dumb cane before the sun REALLY hit it. 

 Went thru my seeds.  Can't decide what greens to plant in the salad bowl.  Other than mescalin, spinach, kale (the plant not the grandchild) beets, rocket, any suggestions?   I've got lots of spots.

New watering can, and tomato starts that go in the garden

 One more look at my new watering can.  First, its purple.  I love purple.  Second, its thick plastic.  Third, it has a SPRAYER on it!!!  Fourth, its see through!!!  Fifth, its got a nice handle for hanging. 
And sixth, its cool looking:) 
Gonna enjoy this one. 
{Silly son asked why someone would want a sprayer on their watering can!!  I have failed as a mother.;}

 Back inside everyone was frolicking on the bed.  Oh, the silliness!!

 The dumb cane (b-day present from hubs) was upgraded to this cool planter.  (Just plopped in)   But, I'm going to have to remove all that plastic wrap and ribbon, it hinders my watering skills. 
(and we don't need that hindered:). 

 Pretty birds. 

Tired baby.  He is so wore out.  Water does that for some reason.  Kale likes to suck his thumb and rub a 'silky' when he is tired.  Here he is using Reba's ear, she doesn't mind. 

Hope your Fertilizer Friday is fabulous. 

Fertilizer Friday: 7/6/12

I have been away from this house 3 weeks.
I left the hubs in charge of loving caring watering my plants.
What did I come back to?
Death and destruction.
{before:  Lush and Happy }

Dead.  Luckly most was bean plants, but my starts from MD were in there too.  :(  

Boo Hoo. 
Watering plants is not hubbys thing.  
AMAZING any thing lived. 

Sad house plants, and another grow pot

 Most the homeowner's house plants were laying down, and after a good soaking they stood up.
Gonna have to cut off all those dead leaves.

 I brought another grow box from home, it already had two squash plants (I may or may not keep), green beans, strawberry, pepper, and three starter plants from our trip to WI.
I decided to use this one for starter plants from this area.

 Pigeon berry.  These do well in our area of Texas.

 

 LOTS of horseherb. 

from: www.catnapin.com

almost dormant horseherb

 Here, in west Texas, this is an awesome shady ground cover.  When it gets regular water, it is glossy green, prostrate, soft on the feet, with tiny little yellow blooms.  During dry times it rolls up and waits for rain.

 Then when it gets water, it unrolls, fluffs up, and bloom bloom blooms.
Almost right before your eyes.
I've heard of it being used as a ground cover for dog pens, and I know it does well in east Texas. 
At home it does well in the sun or shade. 
I have two really great places to try it at mom's this fall. 

 Also, growing wild here, is horehound (gray fuzzy in back).
I mean every where.
I've had these before in east Texas and they do very well.
Three awesome plants I won't have to buy:).

Day three and the horseherb (left) is already fluffing out,  pigeon berry (back) not so much.  

Guess it will have to shed it's leaves.  

 These babies were inside, and like I said, amazingly survived...whew.

 The homeowner has been watering the garden, and it is looking good. 

Probably a Dumb Cane, Dieffenbachia

Back in June, while I was at mom's, the hubs surprized me with a flower deliverly,
I HATE cut flowers.
Well actually I hate that money was spent on cut flowers when I could have bought a live plant.
All I really ever want from him on holidays is money.
Money to spend where I want, on what I want.
Anyways...
When they were delivered, I was VERY pleased to see this plant!
Different pattern, proven tough,
Good job hubby dear!!!
{don't know WHY hubby was surprised I brought it to the guest house with us,
he should have known I would,
it and the grow pot rode 8 hours to the work site guest house...
along with the two bassets and the chimix!:)


Have a Very Happy Fertilizer Friday!!

FF: 6/1/12

While the hubs is working out in west Texas, we are staying in a neat little guest house, with a nice front porch.

Front porch of our little guest house, home owner's cool rockers and table. 

I was planning on bringing my orchids (that sit in the kitchen window planter box at my mom's) because I water them daily and didn't want my mom to have to do it for me. 

Peek-a-boo frog holding mini Sharry Baby orchid in planter box.  Notice the shriveled up orchid to the right of it?  That is my big Sharry Baby orchid that I nearly killed during our move last year. Since the little one bloomed and the big one survived, I really wanted to keep an eye on them
(and daily tell them how much I love them:).

Mini Sharry Baby Orchid re blooming for me!!! The blooms lasted a very long time.  3/12 

Kitchen window sill planter at my mom's 3/12

Mom said to take the whole thing so she wouldn't have to worry about it.  So, I did.:)

Peek-a-boo frog planter that holds mini Sharry Orchid

Behind this planter box is my newest purchase, an perennial  vine, Mexican Flame Vine.

Mexican Flame Vine Senecio confusus, Mormon Tea in front

The orange is amazing.  Nursery guy said it likes water, sun, heat, and is not hardy below 30 degrees. 

I also brought two 'grow boxes' from my uncle's estate.  I just couldn't resist them, then I couldn't resist planting them, knowing I would have to bring them 8 hours on the road to where we are staying.  (I'm on a veggie kick and I can't stand the prices.)  This is my first serious food gardening, and I say it's going well.  I have two more planters to bring next time we come.  Wind whipped, I lost a few leaves, but the blooms are still on the plants.  They are planted with zucchini, summer squash, beans, and greens. 

Silver beacon ground cover and privet from Maryland

Since they are self-watering pots, I decided to try starting some cuttings.  This side has silver beacon vines, and privet my son helped me gather when we went for a walk together in Maryland.
(Yes, I FLEW home with these cuttings in my carry on bag, why wouldn't I?)

thornless locust trees

On this edge are baby Thornless Locust trees from home. I want a grove of these. Love the precious babies leaves. I'm thinking of using bush cuttings to prop up my bush beans. 

I couldn't pass this cutie up. This is my souvenir, meet Sonora, the groovy one. 


Have a groovy Fertilizer Friday.