sweet po and syngonium

Pinched a few anemic-looking leaves off my smaller pot of decorative sweet potato vine. Caught a whitefly. Looked for more, flattened a few with my thumb.

Then inspected the larger plant. Crap. It had lots of whitefly, aphids and at least one tiny leafhopper. I doused that one with soapy water solution.

Pinched back my arrowhead plant. I haven't done this before, but do prefer the bushy habit and it's starting to grow longer stems- I thought before this was it going leggy from not enough light. 

On the contrary, it's just following its natural inclination to becoming a vine. Cut some of the lengthier stems and stuck them in water to root.

windowsill plants

the coleus are cheerful greens

though of course like usual I took cuttings too early in the fall- these photos from a week ago

already they are starting to get top-heaving in their pots

soon I will have to take cuttings to reduce height, and decide if I want to grow those on as well- 

which quickly becomes too many plants really

sweet potato vine fits in that category too, although I don't mind just letting it sprawl all over the place until spring

coleus pots

The ones outside are all still alive, so yeah I did this earlier than neccessary again this year, but already my coleus cuttings have grown roots- potted them up this week!

Took more cuttings of the 'watermelon' variety than I'd planned-

once again intrigued that a few stems had rounded leaves, but as soon as they're inside start changing back to pointed tips

Also the sweet potato vine got a pot:

fall work

I've been busy doing things to prep the garden for winter- spreading loads of compost on the beds. Emptied my secondary outside compost pile, an old metal garbage can with holes drilled into it, into the newly-started compost pile (it wasn't 'finished' yet) and then refilled the can with finished compost to save for the last few beds that still have plants occupying them. (It's going to rain tomorrow, so I didn't want to leave some of the finished compost out to get washed away).

Bought a small load of concrete blocks (16) to redo one of the newer raised beds, and have been waterproofing and painting them in stages. Raked out the bottom of the vacated compost pile spot, sifted out the twigs and leaves, and scattered on the lawn. Watered the patch of newly seeded grass, waiting to see it grow . . . 

Meanwhile, here's some inside stuff. I took another set of 'rodeo drive' coleus cuttings. The ones on the left, paler yellow green and more prominent purple veins, is from the back deck. The slightly darker grass-green one with thinner purple markings, was on the front porch. 

Took cuttings of the sweet potato vine.

Moved the madagascar palm to join other plants on the bench by sliding glass door. I think it hasn't been getting enough sun.

Zygo cactus isn't too happy. Getting a bit yellowish. I moved it back from the window- too much light?

The solid-color spider plant next to it- has grown an offshoot with a baby plantlet!

And small joy- one more violet cutting is starting to grow a new tiny plant. It's called 'Lady in Red'.

these are leaves

The one sweet potato vine I had, is filling up its planter box. Wish I had the other still. 

Of all the coleus on the deck, this one alone suffers from sun. I think I need to move it to the other side.

I have this little houseplant on an edge of the cat tower that never did well, and is kind of ignored.

 A week ago doused it with soapy water, several times in a row. Maybe I finally got rid of the microscopic pest that had been making its leaves so anemic? It has new growth!

plants on my deck

All my herbs in the row- left to right: chocolate mint, bay laurel- on the shelf three basils, tarragon in the white pot (which died), thyme, ginger mint, chives, wild mint, summer savory, one pot of coleus. On front deck level: two pots of dill (now gone to seed), pot of mixed basil, rosemary, chervil (which flowered and just died back this week) and parsley.

Closeups on some of those- chocolate mint isn't as prolific as last season- I think because I didn't dig out the runners circling the rim of pot earlier. I'll have to upend and divide this coming spring.

Bay leaf looks really healthy- almost has a glow

Basils- have yet to taste the ruffly one

Purple amaratto is just for show

but we are eating the sweet basil!

Here's ginger mint and unnamed one, chives and other pots behind.

Other side of the deck has some coleus, marigolds and figs in corner:

Fenugreek is growing well now

but it doesn't smell as strongly as I remember from last year

Citrus geranium- pleased with this one again

We aren't eating the kale anymore, but I still water it and will cut down end of august to have fresh growth for fall.

My lime-and-orange coleus is very red and yellow now!

Sweet potato vine is doing great considering how far gone it was this past winter.

Nasturtiums are all in flower. I like these deep orange/red ones.

Other fig shares a corner with 'gay delight' coleus.

Nicotiana is stunning. This was a week ago-

and today:

the flowers started out peach colored, 

but now are white.

It's almost too big for its pot!

One of my favorites is still the lime geranium. 

Before

and after a bit of cleanup.

Delicate flowers.