some stuff outside

Working around the garden outside, took a few pics of plants peeking out of the leaf mulch. Sensitive fern fiddleheads- at the base of rock edge, inside the garden plot. Time to dig up and move!

Parsley growing back! But as it's a biannual, I have a few seedlings in the tray for a new start, too (they came up yesterday).

Lemon balm is alive under there.

Lavender looks rather dried-up and dead, but looking close I saw it has a few new leaves on the tips of stems- dusty mauve and gray color. It's another plant I'm thinking of moving this spring.

Seems that my scat plant is dead- but I really didn't expect that one to survive the winter. Maybe I'll get another, and take cuttings in fall, keep them under bottle cloches in the basement? I wonder if that would hide enough of the scent from my nose.

transplants and plans

I dug two volunteer viburnum out of my back garden, and planted them in the naked side yard (downhill from the nandina).

They were right next to this patch of 'scat plant' I've stuck in the ground as cuttings. Surprised me how well they did. My leaf pile has shifted, since I emptied it out mulching the garden further. I moved the fencing to this blank area of the back perennial bed, figure it will feed the soil well for whatever I decide to plant there next year. Already filling up from raking the yard, it kind of makes a wall behind everything now.

The potted 'scat plant' I upended and planted on one edge of the herb bed- with two small cuttings on either side. I am still not sure how well it will survive winter, but already learned I can't stand the odor if it's in the house. So it has to live outside anyway.

On the other side of the herb bed is the rue. It's grown amazingly, around three feet high now. For all the heucherella and hosta get munched in other parts of my yard, nothing nibbles near the vegetable garden (except the bugs) so I am pretty darn sure this plant -and/or the 'scat plant'- is keeping the culprits away. (Squirrel doesn't seem to care, still digs everywhere, gah).

So- in spring I plant to buy more of this! or take cuttings and start more. I want to plant it in my front yard, on either side of the back perennial bed, next to my hydrangeas (something has been nipping the ends of stems off), in the side yard where the gladiolas grow and the naked side yard where I think the deer pass through. Maybe deer hate rue.

left outside

I've been doing prep for the approaching hurricane... We're not in the direct path, but still expect lots of heavy rain and quite likely to loose power- trees around here come down a lot when the ground is super soggy. I've lashed my tithonias to the fence, and my tomato cages (even though there's only a few green tomatoes left). I brought a ton of potted plants inside so they won't get thrashed by the weather- but couldn't fit them all in window spaces. Outside got left my large pot of 'kiwi fern' coleus (the healthiest it's ever looked, this year) and one pot of nasturtium (don't know why I bother to try and shelter it, doesn't look so great anymore)

and all the pots of marigolds. I moved them to under the deck, against the wall, where they might not get beaten by wind and rain so much.

This one I wanted to take in the house- I'm not sure if the cuttings of it I planted around the yard are winter-hardy, so intend to save my original potted plant. But the scent is so strong it makes me feel unwell if it is inside for long- even from a different room, it pervades the house. So I wedged it outdoors between the woodpile and the house wall, where it should be protected from most of the weather.

Other plants I just tried to take some harvest so it's not a total loss if they get ruined. Picked a few nearly-ripe tomatoes. I cut back the lemon balm

and have the cuttings inside now- it's nice to not have to go out in the dark when it's time to make tea in the evening.

I cut back the sage and brought tops of stems inside to dry

I ought to dig carrots- they might start rotting- and cut green onions but first I had to bring indoors and find storage space for all the things like empty pots, rakes, shovels, etc and tie down the deck chairs and other stuff. My wheelbarrow is surprisingly lightweight. This was all before the weather forecast changed- when we were expecting 30+ mph winds here. Now, not so much. But I've already got it all stashed away or secured so might as well leave it so until the bad weather passes.

I also bought several battery-operated air pumps as backup for my aquariums. It will keep my filters running like normal if power goes out- the betta and angels would feel lack of heat, the others will be fine. I haven't used these before so I got different brands- two online, two from chain pet store A- and they ran fine, if a bit noisy. I still needed another (one for each tank plus two for the 45 which is still low flow but it should keep everyone alive) and stopped at chain store B- they carried a third brand. It was more expensive than the other ones, but I'd bought the last pair store A had.

I brought one home, and out of the box it was missing some parts (I suspect it had been returned and put back on the shelf). I took it back, got a replacement. Put batteries in it to test- it ran, super irritatingly noisy, but didn't push air through the filter, when I hooked it up to the corner filter in the 33 to see (the other battery pumps made this filter run just fine). So I took that one back as well, for a refund. Gah. I don't know why the more expensive pump failed me. I'm short one now, so if the power does go out, my tetras will just have to take their chances, and get extra water changes if I can.

In readiness- when I was still expecting the weather to hit us this morning- I did small partial water changes on all the tanks, in conjunction with rinsing out filters so crud wouldn't be sitting in the tanks if I couldn't hook up the battery pumps right away. Not sure if I'll need to use them anymore, but it's good to have around- can be used to transport fish safely in a bucket on a long drive, too, if needed someday.

things around the yard

I thought my fanflower was all dead, but here's a little one hanging on.

I took cuttings of 'scat plant' and just stuck them straight in the ground, before a rainy day. They didn't flinch.

My younger heartleaf brunnera have grown a bit.

Hellebores are still steady plants. I appreciate their everlasting foliage.

My ferns in the back perennial bed did much better this year. I am not sure if it is due to all the heavy rains we had, or because I squashed a lot of those boxelder bugs- which I did see crawling all over the ferns. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell if the plants are withered from dryness, or illness.

Rhubarb is still plagued by - slugs? I need to spread coffee grounds. I still put those regularly around the vegetable/herb garden and have no slug troubles there. But I often forget to do the same in the back beds.

Rumex got hit, too. Probably won't grow this again, since it didn't do so great, isn't visible unless I'm up close, and I've decided not to eat it.

Iris sure is happy in its new outdoor spot! I'm glad I finally figured out what it was, and would be thrilled if it got established and started multiplying.

Unsure if I will grow salad burnet again. I haven't found many dishes I like to use it in, and I constantly have to remove older stems from the base of the plant that get sickly-looking (probably from leaf hoppers).

I do still find the leaf pattern and shape very pretty, but I don't often get an up-close view to appreciate it. Also, it seems to need a lot of water to keep in good shape. Maybe it would do better in the garden bed, than in a deck container.

Something not a plant: fungus on one of the wild cherry logs I have sitting around the yard (they're handy as makeshift seats, or places to set things down on). I think it's called turkey tail.

Also, a happy note: today I saw a monarch butterfly on the tithonia, and was able to approach it very closely. Its wings looked bright and new, vivid contrasts and no worn or faded areas like the previous butterfly I photographed. I wonder if this individual hatched from one of the caterpillars I fed. That sure would make me happy. I've also seen a swallowtail butterfly in the yard several days in a row, so beautiful- one that's dusky, with blue on the trailing edge of the wings.

the garden clockwise

Here's my garden spot that got overwhelmed by sensitive fern- well, at least on the left side. Swiss chard is under the fronds. I still have some arugula to far left, behind the pot of chocolate mint (I moved some containers off the ground and just set them in empty garden spots a few weeks ago. All the bolted lettuce is long gone). Marigolds to the right, nasturtiums on the stump, bright turtlehead behind.

This spot had potatoes- now it's just a few pots of marigolds and coleus 'gay delight' (wilted in the sun- I had just given it a late drink, it revived). Pot of ginger mint on the corner. My wooden edges are starting to collapse already. I intend to rebuild if I can find some cast off bricks again.

Middle spot against the wall, full of carrots and carrots! and a few remaining borage at back.

This spot had beets- half didn't do well, the other half we mostly ate already. There's 'watermelon' coleus far left in the back, a volunteer celosia, a dying pot of marigold (attacked by bugs), orange cosmos overshadowing the remaining beets, and my happy potted geranium in front.

Herb bed- photo from upper deck- kinda sideways. There's rue with ferny leaves of pink comos next to it, sage barely visible below the rue, green bunching onions next to them. Lemon balm has swallowed everything in the center. Can't see the few parsley or basil at all. Lemon verbena fell over in its pot and is covering the thyme, which I need to cut and hang. I set other pots into the far right (back) end of this garden plot- the 'scat' plant, curry plant and russian sage.

This is the other defunct potato bed. It has a few volunteer celosia and tomatoes that came up late- but the rest is containers I just set in there on top of the ground. The cut-down stevia top left, then planter boxes of dill, planter box of summer savory in center, rosemary to the right of that. Lower left is the chives- finally I have chives grown from seed! (Delicious in eggs with cheddar, or mashed potatoes) I need to transplant those to a pot that can come indoor for winter.

I've taken my third cutting of stevia this season. It did so well for me this year.

Here's some carrots. We ate them. Short stubby Nantes variety this year- and a few other longer ones. They definitely did better when I turned the soil all nice and loose in spring.

Washed clean, ready for cooking!

heat and thunderstorms

Lettuce bed with borage near the back edge, sensitive fern coming up inside too. 'Scat plant' on the stump and turtlehead behind it. The garden doesn't look like this now, though- I just made the floor of all green with grass clippings (which will soon dry out and look tan).

I remembered a bit too late that there is another good reason for using the clippings as mulch, besides water retention

It also keeps the soil from splashing onto everything in heavy rain, which is what happened to this borage during a thunderstorm last night!

I tucked the clippings around the lettuces and young swiss chard, the beets- which are nicely spaced through their bed- and the buching onions. I transplanted the leeks and moved around a few little cosmos plants. My carrot seedlings came up but got dug and tossed around by a mammal pest. Gah. Not sure if the scat plant and rue are doing the job.... I might dry some rue and sprinkle it into other beds, or see if using the citrus scented geranium would help deter visits as well.

And I planted potatoes. Bought seed starts- they are awfully shriveled but supposed to be okay.

Also planted two russets (organic) that sprouted in my crisper drawer.

I didn't quite realize how much space potaotes need until I read the instructions and measured it out in the garden. Not to disappoint my oldest (who loves potatoes) I did plant them all (it will probably be too many)- but used two entire plots. So the cucumbers, basil, tomatoes and green beans are going to grow in containers. Which is a shame because I think green beans belong in the garden, so their nitrogen-fixating properties can benefit the other plants that follow...  I am scheming to make another two or three raised beds...

outside in pots

The 'scat plant' has grown larger. It's still in a pot, hanging out by the garden. Not sure if it is this plant, the newly-set out rue or the quickly growing borage, but the squirrels are mostly staying away. I see them rummaging in the perennial beds which is fine. Of course- maybe it isn't the plant scents at all. Maybe after digging through when I turned the soil and added compost, they realized all their horded nuts were removed, and gave up? Regardless, they make a few holes here and there among my lettuce, not nearly as disruptive as it used to be.

My largest pink coleus, the one I 'took as a stump', is the best-looking so far. I might not even keep the other pink ones I grew as cuttings.

This plant, the russian sage, is meant to go in the yard but I can't decide where to put it yet. I like it but I'm afraid someone else might think it looks like a weed.

Ice plant is spending warm days outside now. Its color doesn't look great against the red decking planks. I think next time I photograph it I'll put something down under it...

Boston fern spends cloudy days on the deck table, and sunny ones on a tall section of log I set up under the deck, near the garden. I like it in that spot. I hope it likes this spot too.

some new herbs

A few days ago I visited the lfs. Around the corner is a farmer's market and I like the plant vendor there. Unfortunately I didn't note their name. I was looking for stevia but they didn't have any ready yet. I picked up a small pot of lavendar and a new rosemary (mine died in the garden again).

Also this pretty citrus-secented geranium

And something the vendor called "scat plant". She said it repels deer and rodents, is easy to propagate as well. It does have a very distinctive, skunky smell when you get close.

I was kind of in a hurry so didn't inquire more, I mean how wrong can you go with five bucks? I like the leaf shape, too- it's rather like my cuban oregano plant. Came home and went to look up more info- I have no idea how large this plant gets, if it likes sun or shade, if it's cold-hardy or I need to keep it in a pot and bring inside overwinter. I couldn't find anything. "Scat plant" got me all kinds of search results that are obviously not this. I wish I'd asked the scientific name. I'll have to go back to the market in a few weeks for stevia, and ask for more info.

Further search: it might be the plant called "kitty scat" or "scaredy-cat plant" which is rue. But mine looks a bit different: has shorter, rounder leaf habit. I wonder if it will change form once settled outside.