Yardwork!

[seashell]

Hangers, I hope you've had some rain by now!

My garden is doing wonderfully. We had about a week of overcast skies and some good rains, and it grew like crazy. I've only had to water it once in the past week or so, but the weather is now hot and dry (102 today), so I'll be back to carrying buckets. I have my first ripe cherry tomato ready to pick and more coming along behind. One pepper is growing nicely, and it looks like several more are about to get going.

This morning I was greeted by a hummingbird--the first one I've seen this year. It feasted on my pink Wave petunias, lantana, and pentas. It was so close that the only thing between us was the glass in my window. I stood very still so as not to scare it away.

I have two miniature sunflowers growing strong--I hope they will bloom before too long. I finally did plant a few zinnia seeds under my front window; they are sprouting and should be blooming in a month or so.

[seashell]

Well, I went out and bought more plants. Three containers of red verbena, and two containers of red geraniums. I think it was from the shock of my neighbor's sudden passing that did it. I reverted to shopping. I've done some rearranging and have the verbena planted, but I haven't figured out what to do with the geraniums yet. The verbena may not get enough sun where I put them; if they start looking unhappy, I'll have to move them. They are currently on the top shelf of a plant stand in a window box. If they are happy there, they will be beautiful cascading down the front of the container. I'm hoping!

[sidestep]

Good luck with your plants seashell, & sorry to hear of your neighbor's passing.

[seashell]

Thanks, step.

[seashell]

Well, the verbena are only getting an hour of direct sunlight where I have them on the top shelf of the plant stand, so my hopes for beautiful red flowers cascading down may not come to fruition. I am going to leave them there for a bit and see if with the heat and indirect sunlight, they might be happy. If not, I will have to move them. I still need to move my geraniums from the front door area to the back, where they can get some sun. I think I will pot them up and put them in the back of my garden for some still-needed height.

I found a volunteer sunflower growing beside my patio near the AC units--apparently, the birds missed a seed from the feeders upstairs. I'm looking forward to its blooming.

[seashell]

Well, pooh. I had planted some zinnia seeds under my front window, and the "monkey grass" was starting to fill in the dirt area under the window, so it was going to be pretty. Today I found that the landscapers had pulled up my seedlings and the "monkey grass." Rats.

[seashell]

This morning we are having thunderstorms and some good rain, so my garden and most of the potted plants will be happy. And I won't have to water, which makes me happy, since my back is messed up.

[sidestep]

Sorry to hear about your back & that the landscapers pulled your zinnias & monkey grass. Glad you're getting rain!

[seashell]

Thanks, step. It also looks like someone weed-whacked one of my potted plants. Parts of it are lying on the ground, and the rest of the plant (I don't know what it's called--it's a foliage plant) has fallen over. I hope it will recover.

I picked one more cherry tomato today, and there are more on the plant that aren't ripe yet. One of my peppers is changing colors, so it should be ripe before too long. It's been so nice having overcast mornings, even though it gets really sunny and hot later in the day. I finally got around to deadheading my wave petunias; there were lots of seeds on them, so I hope they don't quit blooming. If they do, I'll have to cut them back.