Friday, October 25, 2013

WHAT I DID TODAY

I was surprised....... by flower on the crinum lily, Crinum procerum 'splendens' in my water garden.


I emptied......... the three outside water tanks, filled the rain barrels in the garden and watered all the plants. It's going to rain this weekend!


I watered.... the flowers growing between the pavers in the potager.


I collected.....seeds from the red spider zinnia.


I potted up.......snapdragons and violas from their 6 packs into 4" pots. They will spend a couple of weeks in the greenhouse until they have made new roots, making them easier to transplant.


I noted.......that the wonderful, fragrant Felicia might need a trellis on which to twine next year.


I jumped over...... the narrow leaf zinnias growing in the pathways between the vegetable beds.


I decided........ that the Philippine violet was at the peak of its bloom.


I resolved ..... to  thin the baby pak choi for tomorrow evenings dinner.


I gave.... the Aloe marlothii a new pot.


It is so happy.

I realized....... that it is time to take lots of cuttings to save for next year.


I did a lot of other things too. Like tackling the fire ant problem and weeding and sowing but the fun bit is always just walking around with the camera.
What did you do today?

19 comments:

  1. Sounds like a very productive day! Always good to stop and appreciate what DID get done and not just dwell on what's next on the list.

    For what it's worth, I'm following your blog from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan -- where I do not have a garden but am still vicariously enjoying yours.

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    1. Welcome Michelle. Do you grow plants in the house or have a balcony? I often wonder how I will feel when I can no longer garden because of age. Will I be satisfied with looking t other gardens. I do hope so. I can certainly get a lot of enjoyment out of looking at gardens in books.

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  2. I guess I'll just need to start out every comment here with a word of thanks! Jen, I'm continuously inspired and informed by your posts. For instance, it never (EVER) occurred to me to move those teeny six-pot plants into larger containers to further develop their roots and make an easier transition into the soil. We even have a greenhouse and The Hub is a most attentive caretaker. What an obviously good idea that again, never occurred to me! : ) That will be my modus operandi from now on.

    I'm wondering - what plants are you able to successfully take cuttings from? We have a fair number of the same plants and I'd certainly appreciate being led a good direction there if you ever run out of ideas for posts!

    What I did recently? Dug out weeds. On the roster for today? More of the same. And again, with feeling - THANK YOU!

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  3. I guess I'll always start my comments out here with a word of thanks because you so consistently inspire and inform what I do in my own garden spaces.

    It never occurred to me to put those teensy six-pack plants into larger containers prior to transplanting into the soil. We even have a greenhouse and The Hub is a most attentive caretaker. It is such an obviously beneficial move that I never thought to do. I certainly will from now on!

    I'm wondering - we do have a lot of the same plants in play - would you consider posting about your techniques and choices for taking cuttings? I'd be happy to soak in that guidance as well.

    What I did today? It is early today but yesterday (and the day before that) I spent time weeding and gently watering bluebonnet babies. Today will hold weeding, seed gathering, and culling out of invasives. Thanks for everything Ms. Jen!

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    1. I notice Deb that you often write two posts. Are you thinking the first doesn't post? I do have moderation on because of all the spam. I don't do a lot of cuttings just the easy ones and most of the ones I do I just stick int he ground over the winter. Rosemary, germander, roses. I root that lime green coleus in water and then pot up. The potting up is more successful than putting them in the ground. Too stressful for them.

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  4. Your agave is a dream ...

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  5. work...............play............? We don't associate 'work' with such beautiful results. Play? sure, maybe, but these results are way too good to be simply 'playing'? What is an appropriate word? mmmmmmmmmmmm
    Excuse my newbie lack of plant knowledge, in the pic of the white, narrow leaf zinnias, what is that hot pink flowering plant to the right?

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    1. Lots of work I can assure you. The flower is a large flowered zinnia( annual as the narrow leaf). I was given a few seeds by a gardening friend many years ago and they keep showing up. This one is also in the pathway. I do save the seeds of the narrow leaf zinnias every year and start them myself. In a mild winter they do reseed.

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  6. You were busy! I think you deserve a nice evening out (or in, if your preference) with a healthy glass of your favorite beverage. Instead of doing real work in the garden today, I went plant shopping (again) - I have a lot of digging, moving, rearranging, planting and watering to do over the next few days. (I probably need to have a glass of wine tonight just to prepare.) We have a forecast of rain for Monday night and fingers are crossed this becomes a reality.

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    1. If truth be know I have that glass every night. I am good at shopping too and rearranging. That is one of my favorite things to do. It is raining today so I may have to go and clean out the potting shed. A job I am not excited to do but must prepare for upcoming guests..

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  7. I'm slowly removing the overgrown zinnias from the graden. I have such a hard time removing plants if they're still blooming. But the stems and leaves look terrible. They have put on quite a show and the butterflies have made many visits to them!

    It was time to collect some seeds and remove them. I did leave a couple of plants that were full of blooms.

    How do you "store" your coleus cuttings?

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    1. I have the same problem removing things that are not truly dead. I try to wait for the zinnias to really ripen before I pick them or I pull out the plant and hang it to dry. I take the cuttings, rrot hem in water and then pot them up in the greenhouse for the winter.

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  8. Today was a regular work day, but thanks to the wonders of computers and telecommuting, I was able to get outside early today instead of sitting in traffic. Extra time in the garden is always much appreciated at this busy time of the year.

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  9. I have noticed that it usually rains right after I have watered the garden thoroughly. If I water well, those 'chance of showers' turn into a downpour. (Thus I try to grow plants that can tolerate a wide variety of conditions!)
    I love those days where I feel like I've gotten a lot done! Things are winding down in my garden, as I'm on to bulb planting before the winter, but it looks like your garden still has a lot going on!

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  10. Your days that you share are always so filled with beauty, ideas, and inspiration! Thank you! And I love that red zinnia.

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  11. Love the red spider zinnia! And also the Aloe and baby pak choi. There is no better day than a morning in the garden and an afternoon in the kitchen :)

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  12. Love the red spider zinnia! And also the Aloe and baby pak choi. Makes me miss my Texas garden but I'm happy to see what you are growing in yours :)

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  13. Every time I see your pics of the flowers growing between the pavers I'm inspired. Love the way you've blended life into hard angles and rock.

    We're in the process of downsizing. I'd love to come visit your garden before we start landscaping the new place.

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    1. Kathleen. let me know when you are in Austin next.

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