Squash and Sand

Squash

I learned a lot about plants this week.  Our early prolific yellow squash is finally ripening though I'm learning the hard way about pests.  Some of the squash is rotting from the flower end so while cutting them open I discovered pickleworms eating away.  I haven't used any pesticides so I'm not surprised about the pickleworms but I have been very impressed that the larger squash have been growing well without any problems.

Freezing some of the smaller squash that was ripening quickly.

Squash, pole beans, and sugar snap peas growing strong.

Tomatoes are growing slowly.  Red potatoes on the left have leaves that are starting to yellow so I'm thinking of digging them up.  I've also noticed that the sweet potatoes are starting to come back from last fall.

Cuttings

One of my favorite things to do is take cuttings and grow new plants.  I've been experimenting with rose cuttings since I was little and now I'm trying to take cuttings of everything that will grow.  Currently I have lots of Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia), Spiderwort, Crape Myrtle, and Firespike (Odontonema cuspidatum) taking root.  Some of these plants root very quickly while others take some time.  I'm real excited to see how well Crape Myrtles grow from cuttings.  Today I bought some silica sand (labeled as pool filter sand at Home Depot) to use as my new cutting soil.  I've read that silica sand is course and drains well which will help the cuttings take root better.

Angel Trumpets plants all started from cuttings and newly taken cuttings on the bottom left of the picture.  

These spiderwort cuttings were taken from a plant that fell over.  They have already rooted.

Here are the firespike cuttings all growing well.

Crape Myrtle cuttings

Thoughts

We decided to plant roses along our front walkway and under the bedroom windows so I've been thinking a lot about how we are going to do this.  First I need to finish pulling up the rest of the boxwood hedge and find some rose bushes decently priced.  I found a larger Peach Drift Rose at Walmart this week and will begin looking for some more.  I also came across a cheap Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) that we had fun planting in the front yard.  

Planting the new dogwood tree.  The John Deere is full of compost.  It's easy not having to drag a wheelbarrow around the yard!

Roses and hibiscus staring to bloom.

Took the family blueberry picking, it was a blast!

Springtime Tallahassee

It's definitely Springtime Tallahassee.  My vegetables are growing strong, our bluebird eggs have hatched, and blooms are opening everywhere.  I visited Native Nurseries last weekend and came home with a native Florida Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) and pretty Coral Nymph (Salvia coccinea), a cultivar of Tropical Sage.  Now I'll have to add red Tropical Sage to our our flower garden and Pinxter Azalea to the Florida natives section of our backyard.  Plants need companions!  The Mountain Laurels (Kalmia latifolia) were blooming at the nursery and this shrub is definitely on my wanted list.

Here are some pics of our new additions and beautiful blooms that we want:

Florida Azalea

Coral Nymph along with some Tropical Sage

Mountain Laurels

Now for what's happening in our yard:

Coral Honeysuckle, Amaryllis, Milkweed, Spiderwort, and the newly planted Coral Nymph all blooming.  I made some cuttings of the spiderwort and milkweed that are beginning to grow. I also have some Four o'clock seeds sprouting in this garden and our butterfly garden.  

Amaryllis

Hello Yellow Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

I cleaned up the nursery section of the yard and would like to start adding a lot more in the near future.  Here I have lots of Angel Trumpets, Crepe Myrtles, Firespikes, and a section of miscellaneous plants that started on their own.  

Yellow squash, pole beans, snap peas, and carrots are all growing well.  I have also planted a section of herbs that have yet to sprout.  In our other garden we have red potatoes and tomatoes growing.  

Look at that little squash growing under the bloom!

Our new garden truck!