Plant Impatience

I'm plant impatient. Through the generous help of my husband, father and neighbor, I was able to get my flower beds going this year. I tried to choose a lot of perennials to save money over the long run. All the plants are so little! I can't wait for them to fill out and have more blooms. I can already see the front yard needs more water and the back yard...the dogs and I are still battling for supremacy over the plants.

I didn't pick last year's onions so they grew back. I gave up a bit on doing vegetables this year and only put in one tomato plant. The rest is herbs: thyme, rosemary, basil and oregano.

What a mess this is. Last year the crab grass took over and the dirt was hard as cement. My husband dug it all up again for me and we planted a peony root, five coneflower roots, sage and lavender. If the roots don't come up I will try putting in established plants one more time before I mulch. If those die off, I'm saying hell with it, covering the area in mulch and making it look more like a tiny park. I'll put various sizes and shapes of potted plants there instead of trying to put more plants in the unforgiving soil. I would also like to try attaching a lattice to the fence behind it and seeing what I can get to grow up the fence.

The front yard is starting to come along. I hope the summer sun is kinder to us this year because last year it was way too hot. Here is what I have done so far.

Last year's lavender is really growing! And a zinnia to keep it company.

This is part of the bed on the side of the garage. Coneflowers and a peony have started growing. I have another lavender started, more zinnias and a few petunias.

This was a real eyesore but it looks 100 times better already. I'm worried that the next big rain storm will wash it downhill. I'm hoping that the plants will establish well and prevent too much erosion. I have lavender, dianthas and coral bells.

Roses are going crazy. Not sure what the other bush is called but it doesn't have much going for it. I need to get them trimmed up more.

This is a beautiful bloom on the tree in our front yard. I have no idea what it is, do any of you??

Welcome! This solar doggy doesn't work. Kind of a POS but I will keep him around anyway. That's all for now. Hurry up and grow already!! G'night.

Poor garden!

Oh my poor, poor garden. I'm not sure how the weather is affecting your plants where you all live, but my little neck of the plains is not very hospitable. Our heat index has been over 100 for about two weeks and we have at least 10 more days of this Inferno. The automatic sprinklers go off about 5AM four days a week. Also, I think we have a bug problem. I'm hoping you all can look at the photos and give me a little advice.

First, here is my little bird/flower garden:



Most of my daisy flowers and one purple coneflower have died.

And here is my vegetable garden:



Yikes. The tomatoes are still producing fruit but the leaves are crispy.

Rotten? Bug infested? What the heck?



The zucchini plant was thriving. Tons of blossoms, huge leaves, etc. Today I found it wilted, rotting. I tried to move the plant a little to see under some leaves and the stem broke right off. This is what I found inside. Gross.



It looks rotted to me. Like how it should look in the fall.



This is the leafy part of the plant.

But I got one, giant zucchini that had hidden itself away!



Rest in peace green pepper. I shall avenge you with insecticide. Organic, of course.



This year is my experimental year. Seeing what works, how the light falls in the yard, how freakin' hot can it get, etc. It doesn't help that I'm pregnant enough to not want to be gardening outside in the heat. I do plan on picking up some organic garden spray to kill the bugs and will do so this weekend.

So what is the verdict? Other than the bugs, is this a heat related zucchini-side? Too much water? I welcome your thoughts, oh wise friends!

Stay cool, stay sane. Tschus.