June 9 , 2011
Summer romance, sizzling color, The Grackle on tour
I ’m in love with my first slight white potato . I always get some from the compost quite a little , but these were “ sort of ” plan planting .
I did n’t do this the good way at all . In previous January , I had grocery store spud bourgeon . So , I write out them up , permit them dry a few days , and stuck them in the lettuce bottom . Within seconds ( well , seemed like it ) , up popped the leaves .
I plant way too early , and most of them froze , even though under lettuce course cover . The leaves give back , but no go at harvest . In February , I stuck in more . This was so soft that I ’m planning a spot to do this right on next winter ! Here’sTrisha to show you howif you like to plan ahead , like me .
right on now , I have a puppy love on my kiddie pond . Plumbago and ‘ New Gold ’ lantana will cover that side finally . Like when we get some pelting .
I implant that lantana about 100 years ago when that area was sunny and ‘ New Gold ’ was the hot affair as aTexas Superstar plant . When that spot got shady , it go away . Last year , it showed up again . Sort of like the air-sleeve you thought was gone for good .
There are two thing you may say about this kind of heat . One : it ’s rebound to cool off off finally . Two : summertime ’s drama queens take over . Well , there ’s a third , but not appropriate on a blog .
Let ’s go positive with drama!Tom meet with Amanda MoonfromIt ’s About Thymefor sizzle summer romance and how to keep the passion alert . She ’s got tips to keep that bougainvillea boogie-woogie .
For a hang basket under a tree or on a terrace , what about soothing Angel Wing begonia ?
Go for fragrance with plumeria . With its tidy substance abuse , it ’s perfect for a large container on your sunny patio or poolside . Ahh , whiff !
Amanda reminds us of the lovely shrub duranta , audacious to Zone 9 and usually for us . Depends on its locating and what wintertime bring our means .
I consider I ’m fit to add together it to the caducous bulwark that frames one side of the cat cove . I opine its refined shape as a background to my entering plumerias .
Imagine Dipladenia for a knockout yearly vine , suitable even for a average pot with a mini - trellis or cunning backup you craft . Or wind up a patio post . I ’m most familiar with the pinko , but this Edward White would show up so nicely on patio night .
To stand off summertime lethargy , you ca n’t flap Pride of Barbados , a favourite with beneficial insects too .
Amanda also shows off nativeTecoma stans . remark the unlike parting from the hybrids we usually find in nurseries . This one gets more MPG in winter , too .
Every yr , CTG gets questions about how to get them to blossom . Full sunshine ! Brutal sun ! Here ’s a duo I fuck in my neighborhood every summertime .
Get Amanda ’s plant listfor your own summer whirl .
On hitch , we ’ve got a COOL garden!Meet Lee Clippard and John Stott ofThe Gracklefame , where they chronicle their hands - on work and revelation since they made east Austin habitation in 2006 .
Inspired by Japanese excogitation , native plant , and important milestones in their lives , see how Lee and John changed their viewpoint .
We dearly give thanks Austin instrumentalist , Balmorhea , for the medicine that Lee and John love . I reckon you ’ll agree that “ We Will Rebuild with Smooth Stones ” was the perfect choice for this garden composition .
There ’s one good thing to say about the want of rainwater : fewer stinkbugs on our tomato plants . That ’s not really such a great thing , since the drought touch all our wildlife . But we thank Mark and Janna Wilkerson forDaphne ’s Question of the Weekabout their tomato : is there a problem ?
alleviation here : their plants are okay . There may be some dirt ball damage , but in the main , it ’s merely heat energy and drought emphasis . To help our love apple get through all this , foliar feed with swimming seaweed . Spray underneath the leaves , too , to stand off wanderer jot , which is what can get ’em in such dust-covered , teetotal times .
Daphne ’s Plant of the Weekis heat - eff beebalm , Monarda fistulosaxbartlettii‘Peter ’s Purple ’ .
Commonly known as lemon balm , there are many native monardas , likeMonarda fistulosa(wild bergamot ) , which are outstanding naturalizing perennials for your drouth - ruffianly garden . As its name implies , its flush attract bees , but also hummingbirds and butterflies .
‘ Peter ’s Purple ’ is a new hybrid , so you may only find it online . But with its long flowering achiever without powdery mildew , I bet we ’ll find it on glasshouse shelves in the near hereafter .
Since hanging baskets and containers need lightweight grunge with perfect drainage , John Dromgoole shows how to mix up your own . Even if you do n’t require to start from scratch , you could lighten up the load with perlite , coir fiber , and compost .
Until next week , Linda
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