Torch Mexican Sunflowers November 1, 2015

I didn't plant these, they re-seeded from last year.  I threw the stalks over the Vegetable Garden fence into the compost pile and that's all it took to get volunteers this fall.  They get tall - about 10 feet tall if they grow in healthy soil.  The ones that sprang up in my compost pile have fallen over and are laying prostrate on the ground.  Since they are laying over the compost pile I don't really care.   They are so colorful, and welcome color at this time of year.  The butterflies love them.  Although they have stems that are about 6 inches long, they are unfortunately not good cutting flowers because the stem are hollow and they fall over very easily.

Day at the Farm November 1, 2015

Here is my Vegetable Garden with my Elbon Rye growing.  I'm not growing any winter vegetables.  I'm (hopefully) curing or reducing my nematode problem by frowing this grass.  Nematodes get trapped in the roots and die.  Then I turn the grass under and make green manure about a month before spring planting time.

Gretchen and Beckett came in town.  Dinner with the family Friday night.  Bert and I went to Nancy and Lisa's house on Halloween and helped them set up a tunnel that we decorated with terrifying images and fluorescent spray paint and black lights.  On the porch we set up a "machine" complete with lights and spinning gadgets and electrodes that were stuck in the head of a Frankenstein that Gretchen stuffed with newspaper.  Bloody heads on stakes in the front yard.  The Heights is insane with the trick or treaters, hundreds of them.  Mom, Dad, Gretchen, Beckett, Nan, Lisa, Bert and I, Josh and Amy and baby Koy, Ann and Andre, and Nathan, Jess and their kids all were there.  To the farm on Sunday morning.  November is a busy month,m lots to do to get ready for Thanksgiving and a party the week before Thanksgiving.

• I raked and raked and raked, mostly in the Star Garden.  And I spent most of the day cutting away cannas - the yellow ones that seldom bloom (boo, I don't like them) and the red ones.  I removed about half of the cannas because they were crowded.  I didn't remove the tubers, just cit them so they weren't leaning into paths  I cut away branches that were leaning into paths, I trimmed back all my salvia and pulled it up wherever it was leaning into paths.  I dumped the leaves that I raked into the unfinished parts of the Star Garden to keep the weeds down.  I plant to dump lots of the leaves in those areas so that the winter weeds and the summer weeds will be suppressed.  I haven't tried that in the Star Garden, but it worked really well in the area next to the Long Border.  And I can use all the fallen leaves that I don't shred.  In the past Bert has always ended up burning them once I got burnt out on the leaf shredder.  But this year I'm going to use them all.  
• I created a huge pile of debris for my compost pile - cannas, etc. and hauled it to the compost pile.  Stayed there for a while and watched the butterflies.  They were all over my Mexican Torch Sunflowers - fall bloomers that are at their showiest right now.  There were Monarchs on the flowers, and it made a pretty sight with the bright orange flowers and the orange butterflies.
• Bert blew all the leaves around the pool area and the wisteria arbor.  I raked up armfuls and loaded them in the back of the cub cadet.  I had a huge over-flowing truckload of leaves and drove over to my daffodil border next the Rose Garden and dumped them in the border.  Again, to suppress the weeds.  That area got pretty out of control last summer, and I don't want it to happen again.  I will sow the area with seeds, but only in spots that I clear.  The rest will be leaves.  And soon the daffodils greenery will appear.  Hopefully this idea will be an improvement over last year.
• While I was over there I raked up a truckful of pine needles.  I spread them around the entire bed where my Pink Vitex is planted and around my Veilchenblau rose.
• I pulled up lots of my perennial ageratum that was looking ratty and loosed the soil.  Then I mixed some of my Tickseed, bluebonnet, red corn poppy, larkspur, and cornflower seeds with some sand that Bert bought for me.  It's a lot easier to spread and will spread more evenly when it's mixed with sand.  I sprinkled that over the area where I pulled up the ageratum.
• Walked through the Rose Garden at twilight to admire the fall flowers and noticed some black spot on the leaves.  I immediately went to the greenhouse and got my fungicide.  I sprayed all the roses in the Rose Garden.  I need to keep my roses looking good through Thanksgiving.  Of course if we get a freeze before Thanksgiving, its all over.  Some years there is a freeze before Thanksgiving, and sometimes the first freeze is later.  It can't be predicted.

Wildflower Seeds October 23, 2015

This year I'm going back to my beginnings and planting the seeds that have done well for me in the past.  I'm not planting anything new.  When I see a field of wild flowers on the side of the road, I know what most people don't realize - that field is probably seeded every year, for many years, before a predictable solid mass of color appears every year.  Persistence and patience are required before that gorgeous show happens regularly - and you also have to throw in a healthy dose of steady rain.  As I drive by those pastures carpeted with Bluebonnets, sunflowers, and Indian Paintbrushes along Highway 290 after you pass the Brazos River or amble along the scenic highway 390, I know that the owners of those properties have poets' souls. Because that beauty doesn't happen accidentally.  It takes child-like wonder (and money and patience) to produce those memorable displays.   This year my seed selections are:    

Cornflowers / Bachelor Buttons - I planted these the first year that I had the Orchard built.  They were beautiful, all pastel colors with the color blue as the star of the show - a rare and elusive color.  They weren't good re-seeders, and I only had a few here and there in the coming years.  I haven't planted them since that time.

Lance-leaved Tickseed - the first year I began expanding my Star Garden off of the original star, I built a long bed, maybe twenty feet or more.  I seeded the whole thing with Tickseed.  It was a beautiful show of golden yellow.  They still pop up here and there. So beautiful.

Red Corn Poppies - some of my favorites.  They suit the loud, strong-willed corner of my soul.  This year I will mix them with sand and spread them with a hand held spreader so I get good distribution.

Rocket Larkspur - I have grown them every year since the Orchard was built, and they are very good re-seeders.  Last year they didn't come back well, a phenomenon which I attribute to the rainiest season in recent history (too much of a good thing, compacted muddy soil) , so I'm going to re-seed this year.  They remind me of my mom who in turn sees them each year and thinks of her mom. 

California Poppies - the cool blue of the leaves is my favorite part of these pretty plants.  But the gaudy gold color of the flowers is what most people love.  I remember the first winter after I built the Rose Garden, I seeded the whole thing with California Poppies.  It was a riot of gorgeous gold.  It has never looked like that since that time.  Actually, it was too much of a good thing.  There were poppies everywhere, no discipline whatsoever.  I love them still, and plan to have a good show this spring as well - just in a bit more organized fashion.

Bluebonnets - this year I'm planting Lady Bird Royal Blue Bluebonnets.  They are such early bloomers that no one sees them except me.  They bloom before our annual crawfish boil.  True Texas flowers, I have to grow them even if I'm the only one that sees them.  I am, after all, a very important guest at this spring display, so they are not a wasted effort.

Corn Poppies - these flowers are like snow flakes.  Every one of them is different.  Delicate and extraordinary.  They hold a special place in my heart.

Weekend at the Farm October 23 - 25, 2015

Rainy weekend.  Came up on Thursday evening.  Bert and I drove back into Houston for Sam's one year old birthday party.  Time is flying away and taking it with me as an unwilling hitch hiker. Back to the farm on Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon.

• The weight of the rain brought down a very big water logged limb off the dead tree in the Rose Garden.  It fell on the Dame de Coeur roses, but the damage wasn't too bad.  Bert and I picked up all the debris and hauled it to the bonfire pit.  I raked for a while and dumped all the debris over the fence.  
• Raked up pine needles in the pine tree patch and spread them in several beds in the Rose Garden.
• My Elbon Rye seed in the Vegetable Garden has sprouted.  It looks like a green dust across the tops of all the beds.  Sure hope it doesn't attract deer!  
• Sowed some bluebonnet seeds in a couple beds in the Rose Garden.  Seeds from past seasons have already sprouted.  
• Saturday morning couldn't sleep, up before the sun.  Sat on the porch with my coffee and listened to the rain.  Left for Houston about 10 and returned about six.
• Sunday morning, still raining steady.  A huge oak fell over across the driveway.  We had noticed that it was pulling away from the earth and leaning to one side when we were having the huge rains last spring.  The rains over the last two days finally did it in.  We spent some time Sunday morning clearing away enough of it so that we could get the cars out.  And we worked until the burn pile was so massive that we thought we needed to burn some debris off before we loaded more debris on top of the pile.
• Since I was already soaked through, I decided to seed some of the beds in the Rose Garden with the wildflower seeds I ordered.  I loosened the top soil and spread California Poppy, Tickseed, and Corn Poppy seed in six or so of my beds.  The rain will beat them down.
• I dug up Ox Eye Daisy plants that were growing in paths and re-planted them in the Star Garden and the Greenhouse Gardens.
• Mopped the master bath and bedroom and the kitchen.  Vacuumed everywhere.  Cleaned the shower in the master.  
• Walked around once more - in the rain.  Headed home about 4:00.  The rain never let up all weekend.  Didn't get much of anything done outside.  I'd sure like to spray herbicide one more time before the temperatures drop.

Weekend at the Farm October 16 - 18, 2016

Arrived Friday afternoon.

• Picked green beans right after I arrived.
• Drove around the property several times with Bert.  Sat on the porch swing together and rocked.  Walked around the gardens together.  Later we sat in the cub cadet in the cul de sac and watched the stars.  The grey kitten that we have been seeing around (and fed a few times) jumped up into the cadet and let us pet him.  Very affectionate.
• Got up very early on Saturday morning.  Cool morning, fall is in the air.  The leaves are starting to fall.
• Watered in the Rose Garden.  Deadheaded the zinnias.  Weeded.  Raked up pine needles and mulched several rose beds.
• Planted a Martha's Vineyard Rose in the Long Border.  I went home to pick up the cat to bring her with me to the farm, and I had her in the carrier when I stopped at Arbor Gate to buy a rose.  I was buying a rose to replace my dead Duchess de Brabant.  I was in a hurry because the cat was in the hot car, so I chose Martha's Vineyard because the sign read that it was an Arbor Gate favorite.  I wanted another Duchess because she makes such pretty flowers, and her spring flush is stunning.  Alas, they didn't have it, so I came away with Martha.  When I got to the farm I googled Martha's growth habit, and she is too small for that spot.  Three by three is her size.  So I planted her in the Long Border. The ground is incredibly dry about a foot down where I was digging the hole for this rose.  Of course I filled the hole with water - twice - before I planted her, but it is dry!  It hasn't rained for several months. 
• Watered in the Star Garden, the small hydrangea I planted from Amy's baby shower, my Climbing American Beauty Rose, my Climbing Pinkie, my gingers, all my new iris plantings, and the bed with the small Althea that Debra gave me.
• Dug up my dead Duchess de Brabant rose which is no small feat since it was about 7 years old.
• Cut back the Pringle Aster, it's finished blooming.  Dumped the cuttings in the compost pile.
• Drove to the Antique Rose Emporium and bought a Duchess de Brabant to replace my dead one.
• Planted my Duchess in the same spot as the dead one.  Dry, dry soil.  I filled the hole up with water before I put her in the ground.
• Turned over two beds in the Vegetable Garden - the 2 x 16 and one of the 4 x 8s.  I'm experimenting this winter with Elbon Rye grass.  I ordered 10 pounds of seed.  It is supposed to be good for getting rid of nematodes.  They get trapped in the roots apparently.  Then about a month before planting time in the spring you turn the grass under as a green manure.  I seeded the two beds I turned over.  I will do the rest of the beds tomorrow.  I'm pretty excited to see if it's effective.  The one disappointing thing about it is that I can't grow any winter vegetables.  But if it works maybe I'll get some of the plant vigor back.
• Bert and I got up about midnight, got the spotlight and the gun, and went hunting for armadillos.  Didn't see one, unfortunately.
• Up with the sun Sunday morning.  Coffee on the front porch listening to the birds.
• Worked in the Vegetable Garden.  Raked fungus - disgusting.  Turned the soil over in four more beds.  Spread Elbon Rye grass seed.  Pulled weeds.  I pulled up all my green beans and zinnias and transplanted the Ox Eye dausies that were growing in there so I could seed the space with rye grass seed - it's a scorched earth project.  The only thing I allowed to stay were the Tabasco pepper plants (because they are so pretty), the Torch Mexican sunflower plants, and the marigolds.  I even cut down all the asparagus fronds.
• Walked around in the Rose Garden and drank a mimosa.  Looks pretty in there.
• Worked for the rest of the morning in the Vegetable Garden cleaning up and seeding the rest of the beds with the rye grass.  Looks good in there!
• Spent some time in the Orchard deadheading zinnias, cutting back blackberry vines that were growing in the paths, and pulling weeds.
• Napped in the afternoon. 
• Worked for a little while in the Star Garden cleaning up after the armadillos.
• Left around 5 for home.

Black and Orange Bugs October 18, 2015

 I think these are milkweed bugs because that's the plant I found them on.  They are juice juice suckers - pests.  But I'll let them go about their business.  I have plenty of mikwees.

Fall Flowers October 9, 2015