The cross vine I planted near the coop runs is happy! It has vines climbing up on two sides of the run, and has bloomed (small orange spots in the photo). The hope is that it fills in the corner to provide shade for the chicken run and since it is in full sun (one of the few places on our property that has full sun), we hope when it is established the bloom profusion will be spectacular. There are other cross vines in the area that have an amazing display of blooms multiple times per year.
They have returned! After being eaten down to nothing but stems, the passion flower vines have started to grow leaves again, hurray! This time, I am going to give the plants some time to grow and fill out before I let them be butterfly host plants. I picked off the caterpillar I found, then sprayed the leaves with my diluted neem oil mixture (neem, peppermint, Castile soap). Once the plants are well established, then I’ll let up on the neem treatment so the caterpillars have delectable bits to gnaw.
I wasn’t sure any of the school house lilies survived the freeze and the rearrangement of my container garden. They live outside the tired rosemary, which did not survive the Texas deep freeze in February. Since it didn’t survive, and I didn’t replant, I haven’t been watering that area. I was rather surprised to see some bright red blooms amongst the dead stems.
The bugs found the ripe melon. I’m not sure if the earwig dug the hole, or the caterpillars dug it and the earwig was hiding out, but the chickens really enjoyed both the insect and the fruit. I sprayed the remaining melons with diluted Neem oil and Castille soap. Maybe we will get another melon before the bugs do; there are currently two melon candidates for bug roulette.
I made the rookie mistake of letting my artemisia get too tall. The tops got too heavy and the limbs laid down on the ground in protest, ruining the pleasant full look. I’ve read that severe pruning will kill the plants, so the plan it to replace the leggy Artemisia with new Artemisia, then keep it trimmed low so it doesn’t get so large as to lay over.
Rather than buy new plants, I’m rooting out some cuttings. I’ve read that other gardeners have had success with this method, and it doesn’t hurt to try! I cut six healthy looking ends and placed them in a test tube rack (because I had it). I was thrilled to see roots starting to form after two weeks! I will keep changing out the water daily, and attempt a replant when the roots have filled in more.
A ladybug thought the cuttings were a good place to hang out, so I’m going to take that as a good sign.
Critters and Craft 