Sharing Nature's Garden Archives | Page 122 of 124

Oops — Time to water again!

After our wet and wonderfully cooler early summer months, it’s time to water again. Unfortunately, I got distracted this week and neglected some plants in planters and, lo and behold, they are strangling in the heat! After apologizing profusely (and a nice dousing of H-2-O), they are coming back to normal. But I did feel them giving me dirty looks when I walked by this morning…

My Dad sent me to a great website this morning – it was like garden eye candy! It’s http://www.tomatobob.com and it’s full of vegetables and heirloom tomatoes. It’s got me fantasizing about next year’s tomato crop — or, maybe even the second summer crop here in balmy Texas. We’ve so enjoyed my Cherokee Purple Heirloom tomatoes this year – they are just delicious. I think one of the things I like about planting heirlooms is the history entwined in their roots and vines. It’s somehow gratifying to think, that in all the hustle and bustle and modern convenience of our lives today, we can still till the soil and plant the same healthy foods our ancestors enjoyed hundreds of years ago.

Happy planting!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:28:02-06:00August 5th, 2007|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, tomatoes|0 Comments

Curious…

This is my giant, overgrown, “dwarf” oleander. It was here when we moved in, and much smaller. In 4 years, it has grown quite large, but now I am seeing an unusual phenomenon — there are large, “full-sized” oleander leaves growing up from the bottom of the shrub, while smaller, dwarf-like leaves come up the middle. Any clues about what’s going on? And, I’m sad to report, that one of the two has that common oleander disease, so I think its days are numbered. I cut out all the dying leaves and limbs, but it’s still coming back. I just hate to dig them up because they the prime bird and lizard habitat in front of the garage. If you have any ideas on what’s going on or suggestions on how to save it, please let me know!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:48:17-05:00August 3rd, 2007|Blog, disease, Sharing Nature's Garden, shrubs|0 Comments

Does he look GUILTY ???

I’ve had my suspicions for a while…and today, I finally caught him! My dog, Tanner, has been eating tomatoes from our garden! He kept taking too long to come inside when I called him, and he’d come from that side of the yard behind a little fence, licking his chops. But I thought, “surely not.” Surely. Today I caught him over there with a little porter tomato in his mouth! I made him spit it out – half eaten. Maybe that’s where his horrific gas has been coming from… (I know, TMI!) So, now I am faced with a dilemma — do I sacrifice a few fallen tomatoes to the birds and the dog, or put some sort of fence up? Trouble I expect from the wild critters we share our space with – bunnies, birds, grasshoppers, but not my own mutt. Ah, ya gotta love him.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:48:18-05:00August 2nd, 2007|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, Tanner|0 Comments

This “summer’s” topsy-turvy weather has confused some of my plants — my very young wisteria vine thinks it’s been getting April showers and has begun to bloom again! I love it, because I always wish the wisteria blooms would last longer in the springtime. My newly-landscaped shade bed in the back has thoroughly enjoyed the rains, and the cooler-loving plants are thriving and got a really good start. And I think I actually heard the sun-loving xeric and native plants breathe a sigh of relief today, as the sun beamed down on them.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:48:18-05:00August 1st, 2007|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, Uncategorized|0 Comments

How great it feels to be back in the dirt with the sun on my back! I was finally able to plant the little pots sitting around waiting for a home – 8 pink Texas Skullcap, 2 salvias, a Muy Grande native Hibiscus, and few smaller hibiscus. Even worked on some weeds — it’s amazing how everything is relative — even weeding seems o.k. after a long-awaited sunny day!

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:48:18-05:00July 31st, 2007|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Camo-Toad!

While moving some plants on the edge of the driveway yesterday, I discovered Mr. Camo-Toad, hiding against the rocks and under the wet foliage. He was HUGE and I just kept walking outside to peer at him, in awe of his size and color. He perfectly matched the mossy green and cream that the rock edging has taken on with all the rain, and he was about the size of a saucer! He’s moved on today, but we ooohed and ahhhed over him for quite some time — even my 4-year old daughter was checking him out.

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:48:18-05:00July 30th, 2007|Blog, Sharing Nature's Garden, wildlife|0 Comments

Sharing Nature’s Garden

Oops — Time to water again!

Curious…

Does he look GUILTY ???

Camo-Toad!

Escape in the garden