5 Hurrays & A Big BooHissBoo

Six on Saturday is a weekly get together of gardeners all over the world.  Be sure to drop by The Propagator for links & guidelines.

Not sure when it happened, but I've gone from wondering if my mid-winter gardening plans were madness, to seeing the results.

There'll be tweaking next year (who knew tithonia was such a brute?  What, everyone?  Really?)  Even so, most of the plants have done a mighty fine job.

But there's always that one.




1.  Sweet corn.

Last year was the first time I bought corn plants rather than start from seed.  About a third of the plants died early on, so there was a scramble to replace them, in order to maintain their block planting.  The replacements never caught up, & produced poorly.  Despite that & a drought year, we had some cracking cobs.  Nothing like fresh sweet corn.

Ever the optimist, I bought plants again this year, ordering a double batch just in case some died.  They arrived a month later than promised, which meant the companion pumpkin plants were well ahead of them.  I figured this could be managed w/trimming a pumpkin leaf here & there.

Within a week, all but 9 of 44 plants died.

I always hand pollinate corn just to give things a boost, so 9 stalks is better'n none.  We're now down to 6, but we've got tassles!

Unfortunately, none of the stalks have silk. There'll be no corn this year.  Next year, I'm going back to seed.


2.  Maters.

On a happier note, we've got maters - 6 different types courtesy of a seed kit given to me for Christmas.  I'm the only one here who eats them, but last year I fell so hard for the rosella cherry tomatoes, the non-mater-eating gift giver thought this would be a very good thing 6 times over.

We shall see.  These are Black Russians, which I've yet to taste.  They're a dark cherry tomato, so it's gonna be a while before I do.

In fact, the only ones ripe enough to eat are the rosellas, & they're just as good this year as last.

I've started pruning the new growth & flowers so we're not left w/a bunch of green tomatoes come the first frost.


3.  Pumpkins

The pumpkins've produced well, too, so they've been getting vines & flowers pruned.

Prompting one to make a break for it.


4.  Scottish flame flower.

After 5 years failing to propagate one of my own, I bought a tropaeolum speciosum this spring.  Once the heat came upon us, it looked poorly, so I moved its pot to the shady front garden.  It thrived so well, I decided to sink it.

So Flame Flower slides easily out of its pot, but before I can drop the empty pot & put my hand under its roots, a good third of the compost breaks off & takes an equal amount of root w/it.  I'd never seen anything like that in my life (which has been quite sheltered, I do admit).  I'd read they didn't like to be moved & now I know why. 

The corn-plant optimist in me figured w/2 thirds of its roots intact, I should still plant it.  It died completely back in a few days.  Optimism doesn't die as easily, so I left it where it was.

The phoenix rises.


5.  Saxifrage & orphan pot.

This saxifrage got left behind by a previous tenant, I don't know how many gardens ago.  I've never bought a hanging basket in my life, so this poor thing's been living here for all those long years.  It's been a good performer, knocking out a mass of pink flowers earlier in the year.  It used to cover all the soil but sadly, it's had enough of me taking it for granted.

Last year, one of my new pots didn't suit anything & so suffered the indignity of acting as a tray to carry small potted plants from A to B.

Now the 2 are happily brought together.


6.  Verbena hastata.

My name is Lora & I don't regret buying this plant.  Not one single bit.  But if there is blame, it's because Mr P featured his hastata several weeks ago.  In case I didn't take the bait, a few other SoSers've shown theirs as well.

These 3 photos are all of the same plant, but taken from different angles to show it w/flowers that provide a white complement, are in its own colour spectrum, or its opposite on the colour wheel.

Achillea Pearl, a few out of focus verbena bonareinsis, & some sedum buds (left background).

More bonareinsis, the same sedum, & a zinnia that promises hastata will look good w/the sedum when it blooms.

Achillea Pearl in the background, cousin bonareinsis, & calendula.  I adore this plant.

And that's me done talking.

Thanks so much for dropping by.  As always, I'd be tickled hastata pink to hear your comments.

See you next time!