Last fall I planted a pumpkin vine in the hope that I would have a beautiful fall display on my front porch. The vine did well and did in fact produce pumpkins, however I planted it too late in the season and the frost killed the vine and the pumpkins before they had a chance to mature.
Fast forward to this summer. I planted my vine in late June. I have had a gorgeous, healthy, blossom-laden vine for months, but no pumpkins. I'd all but given up on it when I spotted this beauty:
It's the only one I've noticed but I'm hoping under all that foliage are a few more. Hopefully they will have another eight weeks to mature and I can start decorating away!
I am a wife, Mom to two precocious tots and a Certified Master Gardener. Gardening is my therapy and one of my greatest joys. I make mistakes of course, but do my best to learn from them and move forward with as much grace as muddy jeans will allow.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Updates
It's been raining and hot here in the southeast, a combination which makes gardening next to impossible. After a very full day (nay, weekend), I finally ventured outside around 6pm while the DH and kids were happily watching a movie in the air-conditioned house.
First task was watering all the potted plants with found water from the HVAC unit. Five gallons later, I began repotting several plants that had been forced to wait on me for far too long. I also did a little cleanup in the veggie garden area, mainly trimming vines and a little weeding. Finally, I ended the evening transplanting a volunteer crape myrtle that sprung up near my fire hydrant. (God really does have a sense of humor as he saw fit to multiply a tree that I have unsuccessfully tried to for years.)
There's one change inside, being the absence of a 50lb bird of paradise plant in my entryway. I was gifted it by a co-worker a few months ago and have been trying to nurse it back to health. I repotted it and tried to make it work in the entryway, but alas the lighting was not right. After little to no success in coaching new leaf growth, I did a little research and learned that these plants are best left outdoors when the weather is warm enough. The DH was kind enough to transfer it to the patio, which I hope will be just the fix I need.
As I type this, I notice it's raining outside my office window. Again. But as I think about southern Louisiana's devastation, this is nothing to complain about. It will dry up and I will once again find a small window in which to tend to my garden.
First task was watering all the potted plants with found water from the HVAC unit. Five gallons later, I began repotting several plants that had been forced to wait on me for far too long. I also did a little cleanup in the veggie garden area, mainly trimming vines and a little weeding. Finally, I ended the evening transplanting a volunteer crape myrtle that sprung up near my fire hydrant. (God really does have a sense of humor as he saw fit to multiply a tree that I have unsuccessfully tried to for years.)
There's one change inside, being the absence of a 50lb bird of paradise plant in my entryway. I was gifted it by a co-worker a few months ago and have been trying to nurse it back to health. I repotted it and tried to make it work in the entryway, but alas the lighting was not right. After little to no success in coaching new leaf growth, I did a little research and learned that these plants are best left outdoors when the weather is warm enough. The DH was kind enough to transfer it to the patio, which I hope will be just the fix I need.
As I type this, I notice it's raining outside my office window. Again. But as I think about southern Louisiana's devastation, this is nothing to complain about. It will dry up and I will once again find a small window in which to tend to my garden.
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