Getting started on 2014

Depending on your perspective, I am frugal and thrifty or a hopelessly cheap tightwad.  This character trait (or flaw) also applies to my gardening habits.   My goal is always to garden with a minimal dollar budget.

Being frugal means "always thinking ahead" so now is the time for me to start working on next year's gardens. 

The most important project in the fall for me is to prepare cuttings from expensive annuals.   When I make my initial purchases,  I always choose annuals that are easy to propagate.  The goal is to only purchase a particular plant one time.

If a plant is the type that will grow roots from its leaf nodes, propagation by cutting is easy.  Simply cut a healthy, 4-5 inch stem near a node, cut off all but the top leaves, and if those leaves are large, cut them in half to maximize plant energy going to root production.  I like to dip the cut stem in a little rooting hormone but it really isn't necessary if you don't want to spend the money on it (cheap, cheap, cheap).  I use fine compost for rooting but a nice potting soil will work too.  Poke a hole in the soil with a stick first so the stem is not damaged when you insert
it in the soil.  Set the stem deeply so that at least one node is covered.  Keep the soil moist and wait.  Some plants will root within days, others can take up to two months.  You will know the plant is rooted when the stem resists a gentle tug and the plant begins growing new leaves.

My favorites to propagate in this way are mosquito plant, coleus, wax begonia, lantana, euphorbias,  and sweet potato vine.  You can also use this method on some shrubs and roses but woody stems are trickier, requiring more time and attention. 

Frost report

After three days of anxious thermometer watching, we finally had a little frost last night.  I wrapped some pots in plastic tablecloths, brought some into my kitchen, moved others from decks onto the ground and let the rest take their chances.  I'm happy to report that all survived with no damage.  The new forecast has temps rising for the next week so my "frost watch" is over for now.

I hope all of your plants are thriving too.

Evergreen chysanthemums

This is the time of year when everyone purchases a pumpkin or two and pot of chrysanthemums to display on their front porch.  While I have nothing against this practice, I've always been disappointed with the potted mums.  Although the blooms are dense and pretty, they don't last long and the plant is soon withered and gone.

Several years ago, while shopping at Petals from the Past in Jemison, I noticed a fabulous display of mums growing right in the ground by their shop.   There were hundreds of blooms wrapping around the background shrubbery.  The plants available for purchase were a little expensive so I only bought three that year and three more the following year. 


I planted my six little mums around the base of my crepe myrtle tree.  My husband smiled sweetly and sent me to the store to purchase some "real" mums for our fall colors.

He doesn't send me to the store any more.  My six little mums have multiplied a hundred times over into a carpet of lovely fall blooms.  They bloom for about 3 weeks and the rest of the year provide a lovely evergreen ground cover to complement the crepe myrtle tree.  I wish I could tell you the exact variety but unfortunately the labeling stake is lost in the planting--its in there somewhere, but I can't find it.

Frost watch!

The forecast for central Alabama this evening is for a low in the upper 30s.  It is a little early for a frost but with a forecast this close to freezing I must think about my plants.   There is no question that the tropicals must come indoors--they become unhappy at temperatures below 40 degrees.

The challenge is for my annuals and tender perennials.  I know this cold snap is just temporary, the weather will warm up and stay moderate for weeks to come.  If we have a frost tonight, I will lose flower beds, a couple of tomato plants, and some lovely containers that would otherwise live for at least several more weeks.

I have two real options.  One is to cover as much as possible with sheets, tablecloths, and blankets.  This option works but any foliage that touches the fabric will probably receive some frost damage anyway.

The option I am choosing is to water everything well this morning.  This will give the plant a chance to be at optimum strength to withstand some frost.  There will still have some foliar damage, but the plants will have a fighting chance. 

It is also pretty breezy today.  If the breeze continues through the night, the wind will offer some protection from the frost as well.

Good luck to all my gardens and gardening friends.

Glorious morning glories

On September 17th I posted a story about my heavenly blue morning glories.  I thought they hadn't grown this year, but discovered several blossoms shining in the morning sun.

In the month that has followed, my morning glories have outdone themselves.  The vines have engulfed everything around them and each day hundreds of blooms brighten my morning.

Now that the days are getting shorter and cooler, the blooms sometimes last all day so my morning glories are now "all-day glories."  They are glorious to behold!

I love live oaks

400 years old

The Wedding Tree--600 years old.

This branch sagged to the ground, appearing to have grown legs.

These trees do not grow in my back yard.  We live just a little too far north to grow these amazing trees.  Live oak trees grow short trunks and support massive lateral branches.  They also host resurrection fern and spanish moss, creating an ecosystem all of their own.  Given space and time, they grow to immense size and age.  While on vacation last week, I was privileged to visit Florida's Eden Garden State Park.   This old estate has some of the most beautiful live oaks I've ever seen.   Even though they aren't in my backyard, I thought you might enjoy seeing photos. 

Best of show

Some of the best plants in my garden are the unexpected surprises that come from gifted plants and seeds.

Last fall I picked up a plant labeled as "turks cap lily" at a swap.   The first summer it looked sweet, with goofy little red flowers that never quite opened.  This year it grew into a loose-growth shrub and has been covered with those delightful red flowers all summer long.  It is STILL blooming.

Of course, I was not satisfied to merely enjoy my silly bush.  It was time to do some research to find out what is growing in my backyard.

Right away, I learned that this plant is not a lily or even a turk's cap lily.  This is a perennial shrub that is native to the southeastern United States and although one of its many common names is "turk's cap,"  this plant is really a hibiscus.  Its petals just don't unfurl.  For those who are interested, its Latin name is "malvariscus arboreus."  (I like "turk's cap" better.)

The flowers are actually edible, with a sweet taste similar to honeysuckle blossoms.  I found one

blogger who posted a photo of turk's cap blossoms as a topping for pancakes!  They also produce a berry that is supposed to make good preserves.  My shrub hasn't produced any berries yet.

Butterflies also love my turk's cap shrub.  They just add to the glorious show.  This shrub definitely wins "best of show" in my garden this year!

Ssshhh . . . there are naked ladies in my yard

There are actually naked ladies all over town.  My husband's grandmother introduced me to this delightful fall flower--she called them hurricane lilies because they always seemed to bloom after a hurricane.   I've also heard them called surprise lilies and red spider lilies.  For the plant purists, they are lycoris.   They are originally from China but thrive so well here that they are almost entirely self-sufficient.  Officially they prefer well-drained soil but
grow just about anywhere here in central Alabama.  The flower stems seem to magically appear overnight, bloom for a few days, and then disappear until next year.  Watch carefully, however and you will see the grass-like leaves of the lilies sprout shortly after the flowers fade away.  Enjoy all the naked ladies dancing around town this week. 

Symphony in C Major

Several years ago dear friends gave us a set of Corinthian Bells for Christmas.  I've always enjoyed the sound of wind chimes in my yard, but it was immediately obvious as I unwrapped the box, that these bells were no ordinary wind chimes.  The first obvious difference is that they are extremely heavy,  I used a chain to hang them from a sturdy  branch in my oak tree.  They are also tuned, which means each tube is a note in the key of C major.

In spite of their weight, even a light breeze catches the paddle resulting in a quiet melody that hums throughout the front gardens.   On windier days, the bells ring out in a glorious chorus.  During this time of year, when my windows are open, the symphony can be heard easily indoors, as well as out.

This is my never-ending symphony, orchestrated by God himself. 

Flowers worth waiting for

Some flowers make a big splash in my garden; blooming with abandon; getting raves reviews from all who see them.

But some are shy, quiet plants; growing quietly in the shady corners.  One of these little jewels is my toad lily.  I have no idea why anyone would name these lovely blooms for a toad, but a lily is a lily no matter what inspired its name. 

My toad lily is small, only about 12 inches tall; and most of the year, it is only  a modest arching stem but come the fall, the
toad lily launches this amazing display of tiny, orchid-like blooms.  It is definitely worth waiting for!