4th Week of April
We have had a couple of cold, windy days. My office mate says it froze south of town last night, and I think that was true in the Valley where Gloria lives too. It was 37-degrees when I got up this morning. (6am).
Things are very dry and there is a huge fire in the east mountains. They get it contained, then the wind kicks up, and off it goes again. Folks are being evacuated from the little towns on the back side of the Manzanos.
In the bed along the house, the yellow snapdragons at the front opened today. And the pale pink ones at the back are a recent development. The darker red is smaller this year, and has buds, but it's "behind" its bedmates.
The big news is that the Coriopsis and chocolate flower are getting ready to bloom! And there are all these adorable snapdragon seedlings in funny corners. I tried green onion seeds this year, and have half a dozen that can go in the bed or in a pot soon.
In case I forgot to mention it, the sun choke Gloria gave me last year actually survived the winter! I transplanted it in a deep pot with one dwarf marigold and one small purple lobelia, think that it will probably want to take over the world.
Ditto for the dwarf red Dahlia bulbs I bought and planted to try this year. I really did admire Linda Johansen's enormous yellow one last year. One might even use the word "covet." grin. I suspect they will all want bigger pots before this is over.
Last weekend I did not take any pictures, but I did repot the fern/ palm thing with a new red geranium and some lobelia this year. Though it's likely that the portulaca from last season was a better choice since there is a lot of competition for sunlight in that particular container. I'll have to watch and see.
I'll have to give more thought to winter breaking my pots. I have several that will need to be replaced this year. It was kind of careless of me... I'll admit. I kind of perversely wanted to see what would happen. And I did! grin.
(I wonder if I have repeated myself here? Repeated myself? Repeated myself? Repeated myself...)
Inside, waiting to go out...
The basil on my window ledge inside is huge. I finally managed to get the aphids under control and it is looking robust and lovely. The wandering jew is actually looking a bit threadbare. It really needs to be put out for the summer. And the Coleus exploded all of a sudden, and lost its coherent shape in big loping branches that are now leaning out like arms akimbo. Not a good look. It needs a bigger pot desperately. And maybe I'll put it down under the elm this year. I suspect it doesn't need the intensity of that west corner. Need to plant a new batch of Cat Grass for the "kids." The old one is looking really ratty. My chartreuse sweet potato vine has tons of roots and can be planted, though the plum variety finally died out on me. (My cuttings did not survive a couple of winter weeks where I accidentally let the water level get too low in its vase/ home on top of the entertainment center.)
Things are very dry and there is a huge fire in the east mountains. They get it contained, then the wind kicks up, and off it goes again. Folks are being evacuated from the little towns on the back side of the Manzanos.
In the bed along the house, the yellow snapdragons at the front opened today. And the pale pink ones at the back are a recent development. The darker red is smaller this year, and has buds, but it's "behind" its bedmates.
The big news is that the Coriopsis and chocolate flower are getting ready to bloom! And there are all these adorable snapdragon seedlings in funny corners. I tried green onion seeds this year, and have half a dozen that can go in the bed or in a pot soon.
In case I forgot to mention it, the sun choke Gloria gave me last year actually survived the winter! I transplanted it in a deep pot with one dwarf marigold and one small purple lobelia, think that it will probably want to take over the world.
Ditto for the dwarf red Dahlia bulbs I bought and planted to try this year. I really did admire Linda Johansen's enormous yellow one last year. One might even use the word "covet." grin. I suspect they will all want bigger pots before this is over.
Last weekend I did not take any pictures, but I did repot the fern/ palm thing with a new red geranium and some lobelia this year. Though it's likely that the portulaca from last season was a better choice since there is a lot of competition for sunlight in that particular container. I'll have to watch and see.
I'll have to give more thought to winter breaking my pots. I have several that will need to be replaced this year. It was kind of careless of me... I'll admit. I kind of perversely wanted to see what would happen. And I did! grin.
(I wonder if I have repeated myself here? Repeated myself? Repeated myself? Repeated myself...)
Inside, waiting to go out...
The basil on my window ledge inside is huge. I finally managed to get the aphids under control and it is looking robust and lovely. The wandering jew is actually looking a bit threadbare. It really needs to be put out for the summer. And the Coleus exploded all of a sudden, and lost its coherent shape in big loping branches that are now leaning out like arms akimbo. Not a good look. It needs a bigger pot desperately. And maybe I'll put it down under the elm this year. I suspect it doesn't need the intensity of that west corner. Need to plant a new batch of Cat Grass for the "kids." The old one is looking really ratty. My chartreuse sweet potato vine has tons of roots and can be planted, though the plum variety finally died out on me. (My cuttings did not survive a couple of winter weeks where I accidentally let the water level get too low in its vase/ home on top of the entertainment center.)
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