Category: Garden

Terra cotta wetness guage

On By CarynIn Garden

I’m trying something. I buried a terra cotta pot in my garden because I’ve noticed that the baked clay changes color when it is wet, and it is porous, so if it is wet on one side, it looks wet on the other side. I’m using this feature to tell if the ground is wet in my garden. I tend to overwater, and this might convince me to give the watering a rest.

Photo description: Terra cotta pot buried in soil, but left empty to show the darkened clay at soil level, indicating that the soil still has moisture

I’m testing it this summer, and have witnessed the terra cotta indicator as pictured above and all the plant leaves in fully hydrated form, not wilted. I did refrain from watering.

Harvest

On By CarynIn Cats, eggs, Garden

I’m glad I found the harvest apron when I went out to the cucumber patch and coop. I hadn’t been out in a couple days and I found 5 cucumbers and three eggs!

Photo description: looking down into a handmade harvest apron loaded with three eggs and five cucumbers, muck boots just visible past the apron

Turks cap

On By CarynIn Garden

We planted a Turks cap shrub, which is another Texas native, in our front flower bed this Spring. So far it is thriving and just started producing flowers.

Photo description: Turks cap bloom, with waiting grasshopper

Depending on how much the shrub loves the corner we’ve given it, it could fill the space. We’ll see. I’ve read that they usually are 2-3 feet wide and tall, but can reach 10 feet.

Bee butt

On By CarynIn Garden, Insects

I witnessed the pollinators doing their good work on my cucumber plants: Honey bees!

Photo description: Western Honey Bee visiting a cucumber bloom

I looked up how far honey bees will fly to forage, and the general consensus seems to be upwards of four miles, with some going farther. That is a rather large circle around our area, so I don’t know if they are wild or a neighbor is keeping bees. We live in an area where either is possible.

Jewel orchid

On By CarynIn Garden

Since I put my jewel orchid in a small jar of live moss in a frosted front window, in an upside down clear cylinder vase, it has been very happy. It grew great big leaves and now looks like it is going to bloom!

Photo description: Jewel Orchid under “glass” (really acrylic) with a flower spike developing

I have heard that the flowers of jewel orchids aren’t very showy, the plants are prized more for their striking leaf pattern than for the floral display.

I may have to figure out how to get better pictures. Hm.