Red Leaf Lettuce, Bolting

This red leaf lettuce has bolted, meaning that the seed stalk has elongated  and will soon produce flowers. The leaves on bolted lettuce are rendered bitter, so the plant should be discarded. Lantana are pictured on the right of the lettuce.
For detailed information on lettuce bolting and its prevention, please refer to: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1994/4-6-1994/let.html
CONSUMER ALERT UPDATE: Lantana is highly [...]

Dragon Tree Cutting, Rooting!

This is one of my dragon tree cuttings, in a petite 5-gallon container. Click on the photo and look at the bottom, slightly left of center – you’ll notice a very healthy root! This cutting was taken nearly one year ago. The wait was definitely worth it. The only care I provide it is water it [...]

Tomato Container Garden: Seeds Planted!

I bought three 2-cubic foot bags of potting soil this afternoon. In the past, I filled six 5-gallon containers per bag, with each container filled near the rim. Today, I decided to take a chance, driven by my fondness for thriftiness. Filling the containers about 2/3 full, I was able to fill seven 5-gallon containers per bag. As you [...]

Tomato Container Garden

This weekend, I’m heading to a home improvement store to get a few bags of potting soil. From previous experience, each 2-cubic foot bag provides enough soil to fill six 5-gallon containers, a few more if I filled the containers less abundantly. I saved up several of these containers over the years, but may need [...]

Backyard Cleanup and Design

Today was a beautiful afternoon for continuing with my backyard cleanup. Stubborn weeds were further treated with Roundup Super Concentrate. Overhanging tree branches from the neighbors behind me were trimmed. Leaves and other debris were raked and placed into the green waste bin.
With much of the garden maintenance stuff behind me, I now have a [...]

Mourning Doves, Trio of Visitors!

Too sweet! I don’t often get to photograph multiple birds at one time in my yard, so this is a very lucky shot. Click on the photo for a better view. Notice the black spots on their wings. One challenge for birders is identifying birds when they are at different angles, oftentimes obscuring their faces and more [...]

Japanese Aucuba: Cutting Has New Leaves!

In late September of last year, I took a cutting from my Japanese aucuba plant and placed it in a small bottle of tap water, hoping it would root (nothing else added but TLC). It’s been almost 7 months later and now is forming new leaves at the base. I’ve done nothing with it yet, but will be transferring it [...]

Gardening Tools Replaced

Eventually, gardening tools need to be replaced. Today was that day for me. I purchased a new lopper, to trim some overhanging thin branches. It’s a bit of an upgrade also since the handles can extend up to 27 inches and lock in place, a bonus since I’m short!  The one I had previously was on [...]

Mourning Dove, Visiting

Amidst the chaos of my fading weeds is this beautiful mourning dove.  I took this photo from behind a bedroom window and its been here for at least 30 minutes, enjoying my garden. Mourning doves are regular visitors to my garden.
Though this bird may seem common, it is a most welcome visitor to my garden. Its soft cooing [...]

Golden Celebration Rose, in Bloom!

This rose is simply divine.  My rose garden is in various stages of bloom, which ensures color every day! I snapped this photo about an hour ago, just after sniffing its oh-so-sweet fragrance. Notice the stunning red color of the flower bud that is destined to bloom into this golden loveliness!