bay okay

I've been a tad concerned about my little bay leaf tree all winter. Most of its mature leaves got damaged by cold when I left it out too long one day- and they're still brown, crispy or blackened on the edges, some over half the leaf. Today I saw the plant is growing plenty of new young leaves, so I think it will be fine!

remembered plants

Some pics from last year, that reflect this year. I lost one of my pink geraniums (it died) but the two looked so similar, I shrugged it off.

Never grew nasturtiums this year, so I look at this photo with nostalgia.

Right now my bay laurel (which comes indoors on the coldest nights) and basil (fading fast) look just like this. But what strikes me about this picture is the madagascar palm houseplant behind them on the other side of the window. Look how lovely the foliage! It's all dropped. The plant looks like a cactus stick now. It just barely started growing leaves back a week ago, but they're very small. I don't know if it's temperature not right for that plant in my house, or lack of direct sun.

I'm sad about my rosemary, too. It looked pretty good last year (this pic). Now thinner, needles anemic and yellowish. My first thought was: not enough sun, but I also suspect an insect pest might have gotten to it.

Sigh. Another plant I miss is the pretty, diminutive alyssum. I didn't grow any from seed this year- hoping a few might come up of their own accord in the front bed. Nope. Not a single one- or if they did, got choked out by the mock strawberry and sedums. This purple one was from the year before:

winter spot

Most of the plants I've been overwintering by the basement sliding glass door have been doing well. I have not paid much attention to them this year, aside from weekly watering and once in a while misting the palms. In previous years I had moved the cardboard that blocks the draft on sunny days, and closed the curtains between plants and glass on the coldest nights. This year I had a taller sheet of cardboard and didn't shift anything at all.

Only lost one geranium, not a big deal. Here two geraniums, the cuban oregano between them, grown back from a severe trim when some stems got nipped by the cold (I brought it in too late back in the fall).

Citrus geranium doing really well- I'll just cut it back come spring and replant some of the stems.

Bay leaf is lovely, glows with health. I didn't cut any to dry for cooking this past season but will soon.

Arp rosemary looks pale to me, but definitely survived its first winter! Have used a few sprigs for tea to fend off colds in the past months.

My parlor palms might look sad, but they're actually doing much better. All the new green growth is since I repotted them with wood ash for potassium boost (um, a whole year ago). The older leaves are fading now and I'm hoping any new foliage remains green- there's new fronds unfurling on each.

Happiest is to see one of my fig trees breaking out spring leaves! Just yesterday. It feels time to start planting stuff, now (indoors).

from garden to table

No cowpeas yet, but I'm still impressed at how healthy these plants look. Barely touched by the insects, while I'm picking leaf hoppers, stinkbugs and cucumber beetles off the green beans right next to them. Still no sign of little beans yet, but they've begun to send out thick runners. I put up a few poles but will need more- and taller!

One huge cucumber, and a short but very fat zucchini. 

Baked it with tomatoes from the garden! 

 Also made this lentil dish, finally cracking open one of my cookbooks. (The cucumber slices were added as an afterthought, not part of the recipe). Lentils cooked with (among many other things) peppers, bay leaf and ginger mint from the garden. Fresh basil garnish. So the meal had seven things I grew.

My kids were not too keen on the zucchini boats, but they liked the lentils! It was work to prepare but definitely worth repeating.

things happening among the plants

My 'Lavendar Magic' african violet bloomed and it is so pretty.

The runners on my plain spider plant have tiny babies now, and another one is sprouting. 

The 'wandering dude' plant (haha) is growing upwards against the window- I am wondering at what point the stems will become too heavy for themselves and fall over to make the trailing habit. 

Outside I thought the sweet peas were done since I left some pods to go to seed, but there's another round of flowers blooming. 

Zucchini and the others in the melon bed are getting big fast, so I hope I actually have a decent amount this year.

The unknown plant in my garden is getting huge- it's up to my hip now. And cardinal climber behind it have wound all the way up the trellis, so lovely, but I still haven't seen a hummingbird visit.

Some of the rumex I moved look shabby, but others are growing new leaves!

Monarda and echinacea are blooming-

Cicada noise is diminishing, and though the oaks and maples have lots of "flagging" with dried leaf bunches hanging down, all my smaller shrubs seem okay- even the youngest rose of sharon

and the two-year-old ones- have taken no harm.

Summersweet-

Bay laurel-

Oakleaf hydrangea- all okay!

Daylilies are blooming on the top of one sideyward by the driveway,

and on the opposite side, turtleheads are making a nice thicket,

and gladiolas coming up strong- though I do need to go out and pull some weeds

more growth

Up on the sideyard- finally the shoots of lovage are showing- this is the smaller one

and the bigger- so in a few days when it's overcast and/or rainy, I will dig and move them.

Vinca is thick 

and full of flowers this spring

On the deck, my bay leaf (which is staying outside twenty-four-seven now) has new leaf- very red

It's doing so well. There's the chives visible just behind it- 

My figs and cuban oregano are staying out all nights now, too. The last ones I bring in/out from the basement window area for gradually extending sun hours are geraniums.

ladybird beetle

Hanging out laundry, found a ladybug on the wicker chair.

Coaxed it onto my hand and moved it

over to a plant

my miniature geranium! because yes the geraniums got to come outside yesterday too-

In the morning bench is on one side of the deck to stay in shade, 

and by afternoon when I move it to the other side, it's warm enough to bring out the geraniums too