The Tomato Hornworm Strikes Again!!!

I did pretty good this year considering it's the end of June and I've only now encountered my first tomato hornworm. After reading about it in a Lowe's Creative Ideas magazine last year, I diligently planted marigolds (btw French marigolds are the most pungent, therefore best for repelling hornworms) around my tomato bushes to keep the hornworms at bay. So far so good. But one of my potted bell peppers was not so lucky.

Just yesterday I picked robust bell peppers from the same bush and didn't notice anything amiss. 24-hours later I check it out and the entire top portion of the plant lost its leaves. Upon closer inspection, I found an enormous mature hornworm sucking away at a remaining unripe bell pepper. This thing was so huge I was able to notice its white sucker feet which left their imprint on my poor bell pepper. Gross. Hope it enjoyed its last meal.

There he is...dead center.

So where did it come from? I don't know. Everything else looks fine but apparently looks can be decieving. Need to break out the BT and Neem oil pronto! In the meantime, guess I'll be planting marigolds with the bell peppers too. Think Lowe's will pay me for that tip?

Kimberly Ferns

I have officially given up on my Kimberly Ferns. Yes, they were filling in as evidenced in earlier posts (see http://gardeningalabama.blogspot.com/2011/04/kimberly-ferns.html ), however the process was just taking too long and I chose to reuse the pots and soil to display other plants in better shape.

My Boston Ferns on the other hand are doing spectacularly and have to be trimmed almost every other week. Guess that bird poop is still working it. lol!

Rare Cahaba Lily

I'm so pleased my Cahaba Lily is in bloom in my rain garden. It's so unusual and smells divine.

The natural environment for the Cahaba Lily is rivers across the southeast United States, namely Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. However, if grown in full sunlight and moist soils, they usually last for many years in rain gardens. In its natural environment, bloom time is early May to late June, but flowers later otherwise. The flowers last for one day and seeds germinate to produce new plants.

As the rate of Cahaba Lilies are in decline, it is important to note that they should not be picked from riverbanks. If you are lucky enough to know someone with this plant already, patiently grow one from seed. (see http://www.cahabariver.net/lily.htm ) It's well worth the effort.

More Babies On The Way

The DH and I haven't been empty nesters for long. A few weeks ago the kids and I discovered a bluebird nest in my newest birdhouse. Yay!

This one is too high though for daily viewings. Still, can't wait to see the babies.

Desert Storm

Please Lord, send more rain.

Amen