'Oversummering"

Here's a thought. Some plants are grown for their summer appearance, and ave overwintered in order to maintain them for the next year. Or at least, to have new and larger specimens the next year, and save money.

Others are grown for their winter appearance, indoors. They can be oversummered. In this case, oversummering is a chance to grow them larger and more lush. This is in contraast to overwintering, which is basically keeping them dormant or at least not growing rapidly.

Most are left in a shady place or northern exposure, since they aren't really designed for full sun. Some may have started their species as under-story plants in the forest. The epiphytic cacti were suited for growing high in the trees, wlthough there may have been higher branches shading them (speculation on my part). Even plants designed for full sun, were not designed by nature to grow in containers, where they are more likely to dry out and become sunburned. Leaving them in protected locations, they don't need quite as much attention.

These are sort of accidental houseplants. Looking around the yard, I found a tulbagia ("Society garlic") that survived last winter in the ground. The oxalis is somewhat tender but somehow escaped into the bean garden. Today I potted up both, to see how they will do in containers again. This photo is basically a 'before' picture.

Some cactus cuttings. These fell off of the Brasilopuntia when I repotted it. This is all it takes to start them.

One year old epiphullum hybrid. It's increased in size, no flower buds yet.

Another epiphyllum hybrid. Same story as the other one.

Here's an aloe that I bought last week at an estate sale. It wasn't labeled for sale. Some poor old soul had left it in a corner of the house and it hadn't been thrown away yet. For 50 cents, something different for the window.

This is like the Carly Simon song, "Anticipation". Epiphyllum oxypetallum, see prior entries. I think it will bloom in a few days. I hope that I dont miss it!

Sanseveria, about to bloom.

Progress Notes - Kitchen Garden

Beans are done. New beans not yet blooming.

Cucumbers bearing like crazy.
Pattypan squash started bearing.

Grapes are starting to ripen. Price is first, then Venus. Each year, I can't wait for the grapes beause I know how good they will be, then I am amazed anyway with how good they taste. No comparison with grocery grapes, not even close.

Tomatoes bearing. Ive had a few Lemon Boy, and some of the "Black" varieties (Black Krim, Black Cherokee). For the first time in my yard, blossom end rot has taken some of the larger tomatoes. Like the grapes, the flavor amazes me. They are so very, very good.

We get a bowl of cherry tomatoes every day now.

What's Blooming

I'm not getting outside much this summer. The recent cool trend and rain started the grass growing again. It's not a sea of green, but enough to cut.

Rose of Sharon

No-name oriental lily. Nice fragrance.

Garlic chives are a favorite for the bees.

Species oriental lily. This is my favorite. Sweetly scented.

Heliotrope, wafting scent around the entrance.

Deck Plants Progress Notes

Today is the day for progress notes.

I have been diligent about keeping the deck plants watered. They are on the North side of the house, although some receive either full sun or morning and evening sun.

Most of these were overwintered by "cheap+easy" methods - click on labels below for that history.

Epiphyllum bud - looks like this will be the only bud. It's growing rapidly. It looks like buds form on secondary branches. Since it grew substantially, but most growth involved production of primary stems, the promise is for next year. Behind the epiphyllum is a clivia in bud. They have been blooming nicely this summer, too.

There are also 2 hybrid epiphyllums. They were bought last year as rooted cuttings. They are growing, but I doubt that they will bloom this year.

I suspected that this Euphorbia "Burgundy Wine" was dead. It was overwintered dry, in the garage.

Cannas, now blooming. They seem to like container growth, and overwintering inside. This is the best that they have grown and bloomed.

More cannas.

Euphorbia splendens. I've always thought of this as a house plant. It's doing nicely outside, with more flowers than it has had before.

There have been occasional brugmansia blossoms. I think that the best is yet to come, wtih more buds forming now. Very fragrant in the evening.

Fig Progress Notes

One of my biggest gardening anxieties this year related to the figs. They got off to a late start, and lost their initial leaves to late frost. I wondered if I would get any figs at all this year.

The main crop figs started late, and seemed to grow slowly. With the recent hot weather, they seem to be taking off and growing.

Hardy Chicago - The figs are the size of a quarter. This variety is supposed to take a freeze that kills the top, and still grow back fast enough for a fall crop.

Petite negri - I thought about cutting this one down this year. The new growth did not look promising. Now it has more small figs than any of the other trees.

"Vancouver" fig - probably Brunswick. These are the largest of any of the main crop figs.

"Vancouver" again - The one and only breba. I ate it today. Very yummy! Sweet and tropical tasting.

Lattarula" - I wondered if this would have any. These are now the size of blueberries. They seems to enlarge from "almost-too-small-to-see", "almost-overnight". Will they be in time for a fall crop? Being on the South side of the house, this location may be warmer and encourage faster growth. Or not.