I spend a lot on my garden. City water is the biggest thing I pay for, followed closely by plants. I could spend a heck of a lot more, but I'm a dumpster diver at heart. The other day I was coming home, from dropping my youngest at school, and I saw this sink in … Continue reading Trash To Treasure
This month is heavy on the picking and light on the work. Why? Because I worked hard in the spring to create this exact scenario. Water-wise, deep beds have yielded incredible amounts of produce. See how we built them here: Hugelkultur, Keyhole Gardens: Bridging Ideas and here: Mother’s Day Raised Hugelkultur Bed! Instructions for creating … Continue reading Reaping The Rewards Of Spring Planning
I usually hate wild morning glory. It's called "bind weed" in the Midwest because it gets tangled up in equipment (like mowers) and has to be cut off. I've been trying to get rid of the wild morning glory for twelve years. I've finally learned to just enjoy it. It doesn't take up much space … Continue reading In The Garden
I grew a few bush, and vine habit, winter squash this year. I only grow squash that are squash vine borer, resistant. There are two squash borer invasions per season here in my part of Texas. I only got one green one this year. If I like it significantly more than the yellow ones I … Continue reading Winter Squash, Texas Style
I love my bananas, but still no fruit. If you keep the water up, you can have a jungle too! Giant fig One of my little friends! Meet you out in the garden to sample our produce! Crazy Green Thumbs
This is awful for trying to juice pomegranates. In fact I think it would be awful for citrus, which is what it is made for. This does not compress enough to be worthwhile. I used my fingers to juice what was left and it shot out from under my grip and spilled what little the … Continue reading Yes Or No: Pomegranates?
Can you grow and fruit pineapple in south Texas? Absolutely! The plants need to be brought inside for winter, but you can definitely grow your own pineapples. This one was grown from a pineapple top from a fruit from the grocery store. You can use tops from the grocery store, but you will get smaller … Continue reading Pineapple, Texas Style
Took this photo on a cross country trip. My mother and I have remarked that we each have seen clouds that we've never seen before, in the past ten years or so. My mother is in her mid seventies. I'm in my early fifties. That's quite a span for two outdoorsy women to draw from. … Continue reading Strange Rainbow Cloud
This is a G.E.M. avocado. It's supposed to be hardy to zone 9. Thanks to the warming temperatures over the last ten years we have been moved from 8b to 9a. As most people know: we are still in the tail end of an ice age and when you are coming out of an ice … Continue reading Avocado, Texas Style
Feel like today is 101°F. I'm currently hiding out in the air conditioning. However, I was out there about an hour ago moving stuff so the mowing crew can weedeat the gravel area. Right now it looks like the Serengeti. Grass as tall as my torso. The grass got out from under me this year. … Continue reading Fall Garden Happenings
Both flowers seem to have been well pollinated, even though I didn't see anything on them. Seems like I don't need to worry about hand pollination, since: I wasn't home to mess with the first one and the fruit still set. Interested in seeing what the flavor of this is. Hopefully better than the ones … Continue reading Developing Dragon Fruit
One of my family's favorite summer foods are often called either "quick" or "refrigerator" pickles. These make the crunchiest pickles because they aren't cooked. I grow Armenian cucumbers, which are actually melons. They taste like cucumbers and they don't get bitter in our high heat like actual cucumbers do. So, I always have fresh additions … Continue reading Quick/Refrigerator Pickles
We went on a tour of different universities. My boys had to deal with me excitedly saying, "Mushrooms!" as I ran across the street to take pictures. Yes. I am that embarrassing as a parent. But, they had a lot of patience for their goofy mom. I can't go places and not notice things in … Continue reading Great Links About Fungi
OMG! I am so glad I stuck with the annoying, ridiculously hard to train (to move indoors for winter), tropical vining cactus: the dragon fruit! I have only seen one other flower that rivals a dragon fruit flower. It was also a type of night blooming cereus. My mother had it as a house plant … Continue reading Dragon Fruit: Texas Style!
My dragon fruit has finally flowered! I missed the flower opening because we were college shopping. However, I only missed it by a day, so I got to see the flower before it completely died back. There's a second one. (If you were wondering, the forks in the soil were to keep my cats out … Continue reading First Flowers: Dragon Fruit
We went to three universities over four days. University of Texas at Austin was first (we were there specifically to look at the Cockrell Engineering School, which is number 5 in the nation.) If you are considering some South Texas Colleges and are looking for a university to go with a kid who has passions … Continue reading College Shopping: South Texas
So. Yes. I am having a new experience in my garden. As my grandmothers were, I'm also usually always home. I visit my family but mostly around Christmas time when my garden is asleep. This year I'm finding out what happens when you aren't home to stop disasters! There were bees and hornets all over … Continue reading Crazy Happenings In The Garden
We're going to go down a goofy road today. Do you know Monty Python? I used to hand tune my TV to PBS where they would show things like Doctor Who and Fawlty Towers. I loved British humor! Everyone should see: Monty Python And The Holy Grail. One of the funniest, goofball movies ever. It's … Continue reading Crazy Great Links
My best friend grew up in India. She's invited me to go to India several times over the last 23 or so years, and I still haven't done it. However, I have visited several temples with her in Colorado (Denver: plan on attending Sunday evening for the feast they serve. Castle Rock: this is a … Continue reading Personal Thoughts: A Christian’s View Of Another Religion
So. Yeah. Bad issue for me this year. I usually spray round up outside, in the play yard area. I have to hit it about three times a season. Last year I had issues with my sprayers and I only got the area sprayed once. Now, with my late start this spring (because of illness) … Continue reading Recovering A Gravel Area From Weeds
Chronicling a delusional gardening experience.
Crazy Green Thumbs 