Living in The Sun

Plumosa Fern

There are two plants on my balcony that I have been monitoring for any signs of sun burn. I got them and the signs at the nursery said full sun but the internet and their tags said other wise. The Plumosa Fern and the Chenille Firetail are the two. Online the Plumosa Fern I think says partial shade. I don't really have partial shade on my balcony. I tried to shade it some by putting it by the cocktail vodka begonia. So far it's doing wonderful.


Plumosa Fern and Torenia Leaves

I'm a lover of the light airy texture of Plumosa Fern. Ferns are a favorite of mine but I can't ever get any since I have no shade or even partial shade. I should just buy some and keep them inside but so far I haven't been a good indoor plant grower. The Plumsa Fern looks great will the Torenia Planted next door. The Torenia has started to trail around the Plumosa Fern. It looks great when there is a bloom by the fern.

By the way according to my research notes the Plumosa Fern can get up to 4ft tall and isn't really a fern at all. The Plumosa Fern is in the asparagus family.


Chenille Firetail

I chose the Chenille Firetail for my hanging basket. The sign for it said it could take full sun but the tag and internet said shade to partial shade I don't really have a place of partial shade to hang it from. It's done great so far and has another bloom and the previous blooms have gotten longer. No signs of burn yet. I hope these two plants do well because I love them so far

Any other gardeners out there experience this with some of their plants? I'm so very surprised that they are doing well in full sun.

Making Babies

Jovibarba hirta f/Belansky Tatra

No I am not making babies...but my Jovibarbas are. I plucked some jovis from my container and put them in the container that has my weeping dwarf crape myrlte. I want them to spread in that corner so I can put them in pots and maybe spread the joy. I love jovibarbas and maybe someone else in San Antonio does too. I'm glad to see that these two are making babies to roll away from home one day and continue the cycle.

Wordless Wednesday: Fence

A fence of the Kumamoto En Garden at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens
Do click to enlarge and see it bigger and better.

Fabric of Petals

Mt. Fuji Morning Glory Lt. Blue

I am always amazed by the blooms of the Mt Fuji Morning Glory. This has been the bloom with the truest color and probably the biggest so far. Previous blooms were more purple, but this time it really was blue. The flower was so big the little vine just tipped over from the weight on the end.



When I picked up the flopped over vine with the bloom on it there were about 8 ants crawling all in the bloom. I managed to get a few bad shots of some of them. I really liked how the petals looked like fabric. It was just stunning to me. I wish I could have gotten better pictures but I was just not having a good time with the lighting. These are the times I wish I had a great macro lens.



I have started to build an invisible trellis for this vine. I had thought of putting having it twine up the railing. This was my original plan until I got some winter squash seeds and planted those. Those winter squash will need the railing, I'm sure. So now I have to figure out where to situate the winter squash. I want to put the winter squash were the morning glories are right now. But I have no where else to put the morning glories. I could have them climb up one corner but I have no room to put that pot in that corner. It's the corner by were the storage door opens. If I put the pot there the door will not open all the way and I won't be able to move it once the vines get going up the trellis. So I might just put the winter squash to the left of the morning glories so they cross in a section then go their separate ways. The morning glories will go towards the wall and the winter squash will go on the railing creeping it's way towards the corkscrew vine. I'm a vine addict and just bought way to many vining things for my own good.

For those that do not know what an invisible trellis is I am more than glad to inform you. It's just a trellis using fishing line. That is what makes it invisible. Normally you would run the fishing line vertically but since I have no ladder Mine will be horizontal and I hope that works out just as well. I'll probably add fishing line vertically but I'll have to attach it to the horizontal fishing line instead of attaching it to an eye screw. I got 2 eye screws in right now. I stopped putting them in today because I noticed the morning glories have spider mites .I don't want to put the screws in and the fishing line if the morning glories won't make it there.

Results of Not Researching

Angel Wing Begonia 'Frosty'

A few weeks back at the beginning of June I purchased two plants and a wind chime. I was looking for some shade plants to place inside and by my front door. I didn't research before I went to the garden center as I didn't plan on going there at all that day. Anyways, I asked the lady at the register what kind of lighting these two plants need. She said shade and I took her word for it.

The Begonia above is started to get brown edges. I think it's just not getting enough sun I have a feeling. Why do I feel this? I have another Angel Wing or Rex Begonia that my teacher had said would do well in shade. Lets say it's not looking great right now and has lost a majority of it's leaves. This just started happening a few days ago. I just took some cuttings of each to root in water. I might have to take more cuttings of the red and silver one I have because it's almost a goner.


Variegated Woolly Plectranthus

This is the other plant that has started to lose it's lower leaves. I just did some research and I think it needs full sun or more sun then it was getting. I had it near my sliding doors on my entertainment center and it wasn't doing well. I just put it outside a few moments ago to see if it fairs better. I feel like they should have these light requirements on the tags or make signs or something. Even though I asked I just think they spit out something according to where the plant was situated outside. These two were under some light shade but who knows how long they have been there. I know when I did merchandising we would put plants under conditions they will not do well in the long run but will be fine in the short time until they get sold. I just wish these businesses would better educate their employees or at least put up signs. Some of them do don't get me wrong but others don't. I'm not that angry it was mainly my fault for not doing my normal research when I got home and for not sticking with plants I know.


Wind Chime

I finally found a wind chime I thought was worthy enough to buy. Even though I do like it I don't really love it. I'll probably replace it or just buy another one when I find one that I just swoon over. I've very picky about my wind chimes. I wanted one with a high tinkle or close to high but not one that hurts my ears. I wanted a simple design with no frogs birds bits and baubles on it or handing from it. I wanted a neutral earthy color like dark brown or light beige. Doesn't sound like too much right. Well it took many stores to find this one and I could do without the round Asian bit on top. I do like Asian themed things though but still I could do without it. I had looked at getting a bamboo wind chime because I like the sound of the bamboo it's a low hollow sound but it's not loud. I love the deer chaser fountains and can't wait to get a house just so I can get one.

The Vines Are Coming

Corkscrew Vine

Above is the Corkscrew Vine on the trellis I bought for the Hyacinth Bean Vine. A couple of parts of the corkscrew floated their way to the trellis and had started to climb inbetween the siding on the wall. I twined it around the trellis at the top and not sure what to do with it after words. Maybe I can hook some fishing line upwards or over the sliding screen door. This Corkscrew Vine has been doing good. I have tried to get it to twine downward but every time I do that the piece will die back. It just doesn't like going down. The other corkscrew I think is about to get a growth spurt. It has been slow compared to this one.


Hyacinth Bean Vine

The Hyacinth Bean Vine has been slow it has just reached about maybe 6" tall now. I thought it would be large by now. I think I need to fix the potting soil since it looks like it might need more perlite and bark fines. The leaves are far lighter then they should be. I know it is getting enough light as my balcony gets much light all day long. I still need to find actual bark fines. Everytime I look and think I found bark fines, it is not the right size at all. Tomorrow I will go to Lowes and see if I can find it there were many people say they find it.


Winter Squash

Even though the Winter Squash got off to a bad leggy start it has really started to do well. It's starting to grow faster then most of my vines when they started out. I'm going to need to find somewhere to place it. The place I was going to put it in I temporarily put the Mt. Fuji Morning Glories there. I guess I need to buy another trellis for the morning glories and use my railing for the squash like I intended.

My Jasmine vine is doing well and it has grown a bit but has slowed down since it's initial growth spurt. I do hope it keeps on going.

Wordless Wednesday

Corkscrew Vine

Petunia Sketch

Petunia Sketch

I have been slacking off on my goal to do a sketch everyday. I did okay for a few days before going on vacation. All you mothers and full time house wives will laugh when I say this next sentence. I am having the hardest time trying to do what I need to do after working an 8 hour day. I have no energy to make food, clean, walk the dog or anything. When I get home I just want to vegetate and read about plants and tend to my little space. I feel horrible, not because of being tired but because I get home at 4pm and have 6 hours to do all the things I need to, yet I can't. Please tell me I'm not alone in having a problem balancing things. I'm sure a lot of women start out this way. Maybe I'm just lazy. Anyone with tips do share. And also anyone with tips on getting rid of headaches fast on those many days I come home with them do share also. I do have a husband but he is hard to motivate when I'm not motivated. He gets to sit behind a computer though, I get to work in the hot sun, but that was my own choice.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: Daylily Overload

Penta 'Graffiti White'

It's that time of the month again....No not that, but Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Every 15th Garden Bloggers all over the world post their wonderful blooms. Thank you to Carol from May Dreams Gardens for putting together such a wonderful event. Please do visit Carol and other wonderful garden bloggers to see their wonderful blooms.


Daylily

I have daylilies but I'm having a hard time finding out which is which. I badly labeled them and now my labels are all washed out. The only clue I have is the ones with labels I got from Gilbert H Wild. While the ones without labels are unknown ones I got for a dollar each on ebay. I think they are all beautiful regardless if they were a dollar and more than a dollar. So if you know maybe which one is which do say. I bought abstract art, cold harbor, eruption, lovely naomi, raindrop, ricky, ruffled valentine, sacred way, saucy sue, and windsor castle. I will put the name I think it is but it's just a guess since many pictures online vary in color.


Windsor Castle Daylily


Abstract Art Daylily


Daylily


Daylily


Bella Red Grapefruite Abutilon


Daylily


Daylily Eruption


Cocktail Vodka Begonia


Gaillardia Razzle Dazzle


Torenia


Weeping Dwarf Crape Myrtle Sacramento


Vinca


Laura Bush Petunias


Purple Fountain Grass


Mexican Heather


Candytuft


Balloon Flower

2,000 Year Old Seed

A 2000 year old Date Palm seed was sown in 2005. It is now 3 years old and 3 ft tall. Go read the article on the oldest seed grown so far. Read Here

Daylilies

Daylily

My Daylilies have been doing well.I think some of them I won't get to see this year because of my vacation and the lack of water. They had buds then they dried out and the scapes have dried too. Will they come back this year or no? I've enjoyed them anyways. I have some unknown varieties that I think are pretty nice even thought they are common orange. I should have put my own labels on my daylilies. i kept the plastic lables they came with but with the water and sun the writing has disappeared, lesson learned.


Windsor Castle Daylily

Sorry I haven't been posting everyday like my usual self. I even missed wordless wednesday which is my favorite day of the week. My internship is going well but I am exhausted. I'm not used to the heat and to working full time. Also on top of that I'm not used to waking up at 5:30 am. I'm finding it really hard to stay happy when all I do is work all day and then come home and pass out. I find no time and no energy to do anything when I get home. Really if it were my choice I would never work full time because it makes me very depressed. When I work part time and have time to do the things I like to do at a not rushed pace when I am exhausted I am perfectly happy. I wish I could be like the rest of the working force who don't seem to have an issue working full time.


Daylily

Do please check on the right side for my twitters. I have an easier time updating them then my blog. It's far easier for me to just go online and drop two lines then to upload and edit pictures then upload them on photobucket then put them on blogger and write an entry. I never had a hard time before but I can't even stand being online for very long. Plus so far everyday but today I have come home with a migraine. I don't have prescription sunglasses so haven't worn them. I caved in today and said screw the glasses, I can see fine just things are a tad blurry far away. Now I need to gather cash to get some sunglasses so my vision won't decrease.

Wordless Wednesday

Maple Tree at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

Some come and go...

I'm back from vacation. I would like to say it was a good vacation but I came back home to quite a few dead plants. Sadly my plant keeper/friend didn't go one day and that destroyed many plants and seedlings. Strangely the ones that went were the ones I had moved indoors. You think the plants on the balcony would have fried themselves but they were fine.

The Hibiscus I thought I had lost because it was so severely wilted. But it bounced back after a deep watering. A few things were near death like my crape myrtle and bougainvilleas and I'm sure many more plants. Most of those that were withered bounced back but there were casualties...many. Here is the list on those gone.

-Dimorphotheca aurantiaca 'African Moon'
So withered it just didn't make it. It was my favorite, all planted from seed sown in Feb I think. I have more seeds so I'll try again
-Armeria formosa
Got dried out and just didn't make it
-Petunias
They were past their season but were still looking good.
- Celosia
It hadn't grown for a while but it didn't make it.
-English Lavender Dwarf Hidcote
These were still seedlings. They have just gotten about 4" tall and smelled like lavender. They fried to a crisp
-Nemesia Mello Red and White
This was sad because they really had started to grow but they ended up dried
-Phlox
It didn't do well in the container and just wasn't growing good so I ripped it out. I'll try again with the remaining seeds. I do still have 2 seedlings that are looking good.
-Candytuft
This was the giant purple ones. They had lost all their leaves and I got seeds enough seeds from one plant. I still have the smaller ones that are making seeds. It was time for something new
-Venus Poppy
I was so heart broken. This was my second maybe even third time trying to grow poppies from seed. The Venus did well this time, but it got dried out an I thought I had saved it only to accidentally flip the container over and it didn't recover from the disturbance.
- Sweet Peas
They grew great for months then got yellow and just sad looking. I think they didn't like the heat and sun. I got one bloom out of 4 sweet pea plants. Maybe indoors they will do better.
-Godetia
It had lost most of it's leaves but it was doing well and still blooming and making some seed. Came back to twigs and some pods but didn't bother to save them
- Candle stick Plant
Sadly this guy had a hard life. it has some wilted branches and I thought it would make it but soon the whole stem browned.
-Aeonium Kiwi
I cam back to a black mushy thing. I don't know how my succulent died. My computer desk seems to have a curse that any plants I put there will die no matter what I do even when I move them away.

All those are gone now. I repotted the corkscrew vines into the rectangular pots that became free from the dead plants. They were in dire need of some more room to spread their roots. I was surprised they did not die while I was gone. One of them was attacked by something and half of the leaves are chewed. I split the mint in half and stuck it with the knot weed. The mint got really leggy from being in doors. I took out a snake plant from the knotweed pot and put it with the other snakeplants where it belongs. I tossed out the columbine because it had already put out seeds and it was time for something fresh and new. The campanula got hit hard but I think it will make it. When I was leaving the campanula had many buds and had just gotten a bloom. I put some better soil in the parsley and put one of the plants in it's own pot and I should do that with some of the others they are getting crowded. I put the laura bush petunia who also got hit hard by my leave with the corkscrew vine in the large green planter.

Today I went to the garden center and bought some plants to replace the dead ones. I'm not sure how they will do but we'll see. I tried again to find some fine bark chips since the soil conditioner has not been working well. The soil conditioner was shredded bark and I want some pieces. I needed something so I got this bark nuggets and I break them down a bit but it's still a lot of work. Anyways here are the newbies I bought all of them small probably all in 4inch pots. I'm a cheapy and low on doe, I have no problem starting out with small plants.

Just Purchased
Balloon Flower
Plumosa Fern
Torenia-purple pink color
Mexican Heather
Abutilon- a salmon peachy color
Penta- white
Polka Dot Plants- 2 of them one darker the other lighter but both with green and pink
Chenille Plant

I'll try to get pictures in soon and maybe do a memorial for those plants that were lost by my leave.I do hope my new plants will like their new home .I haven't potted them yet, but I will be putting them in spots I think they will be good in and see how they do before planting them in their pots.

By the way I start my internship tomorrow at the wholesale nursery. I think I am just doing paperwork to update my new position. My pay rate got knocked down sadly to I think minimum wage. The good news is that I get experience and the GM asked me if I planned to stay. I told him I would like to but I'm not sure how they would deal with me having a class that meets in the morning on two days of the week. He said they could easily work around that and I could chose to be part time or full time and not to worry about it. So I'm glad I won't be kicked out when I got to school in fall and have to find another job somewhere else.