I Kid You Not

God really does have a sense of humor. For about three years, I've been unsuccessful in getting portulaca to thrive in my yard. I can root cuttings like nobody's business, but once they leave the pot, fuhgeddaboudit. Then out of nowhere, while weeding my garden path, I notice a familiar looking young plant. After close inspection for a few more days, I discovered that it certainly is a young, thriving portulaca plant. Unbelievable.

I can only imagine a bird dropped the seed that resulted in this gorgeous, though misplaced succulent. No matter. I plan to enjoy it the rest of the summer. If I can fight the urge to transplant it.

Is it HOT enough for ya?

I cannot believe how brutally hot it is. With 100+ degree temperatures the last few days, my younger plants can't help showing stress, no matter how much I water them. It also seems the heat is also making insect infestations multiply exponentially. Case in point a green, soft-bodied insect (I have yet to identify) chowing down on my bean plants, and another unidentified (and yet to be seen) bug eating my asiatic lilies. I am not amused. Also, I suspect I will have to replace one of my crab apple trees on our extremely steep hillside that simply doesn't receive sufficient water to establish a good root system.

In other news a combination of regular applications of Sevin dust, and companion planting with basil and marigolds have keep the dreaded tomato hornworms away. YAY! We've been blessed to enjoy deliciously rich heirlooom tomatoes for the last month. I finally transplanted my blueberry bushes into a raised bed. After digging them up and potting them last fall because the soil pH was too high, the raised bed and numerous bags of soil conditioner and other organic amendments should be just the fix they need. Finally, my control mechanisms for aphids and slugs/snails are working. Makes working in the heat worth it.

Finally, my always sweet and exceptional smart husband helped me create this guard for a young amaryllis bulb (that he kept stepping on when reaching for the hose). I just love a man who appreciates the power of recycling. :)