Amorphophallus konjac out of dormancy after 2 years!

Hibiscus in Bloom

My sugar snaps are not tolerating drying out a little at all. A couple
vines have perished. I think I will put new seeds in.

The lilies are blooming slowly this year instead of one big flush of
flowers. The Stargazers still have a ways to go.

Garlic is getting there. It's almost July so almost time to harvest!

Starting new Nasturium and Columbine seeds since neither of which came
up this year. Guess my Nasturtium seeds were too old. My Columbine
just plain didn't come up. Winter must've done it in.

All my mushroom compost washed away in the stormin the front yard.
Gutter needs fixed and Justin wants to put up a divterter too, which
is probably a good idea.

Paph. moquettium is about to bloom! The bud is opening up! Can't wait!

Seed grown herbs are tiny still except for basil. That is catching up
to my store bought plant! Chives is weak as well as parsley & cilantro.

Marigold from seed is doing well. Started 6 and 5 made it. They are
about 3" tall and very pretty, but a ways from blooming!

One of my Amorphallus leafed out after being dormant for two years!
I'm excited! Lots of things growing. Just wished the summer heat would
stay away!

Stay cool!

Post-Storm Mess

So after work today it was nice and sunny....thank god! I came home and noticed that the water washed away my soil in my front yard! There were like grooves in the soil where the water had been! All the soil (I think all?) washed down (it's a hill) and gathered at the bottom covering up all my plants! I had to dig my plants back out as best I could. The storm also knocked all the flowers off my bush! :( Some saffron crocus bulbs got washed out too. Not sure how many I lost...I'll know if saffron crocuses grow in anyone else's yard! Luckily they were dormant so no biggie. I just dug a hole and threw the ones I found into it. Didn't even bother to make sure they were right side up lol They'll figure it out!

A branch fell on my lily/garlic patch in the backyard and broke a lily bud off as well as some petals off a flower. Had to stake 4 of them cuz they were all bent over. A miniature iris of mine in the backyard got washed out! Good thing I looked because it would've died! Looks like a lot of work this weekend besides studying for my test on Monday!

Vermicomposting: Another Method

I thought this was interesting....not only did I see a do it yourself version of this, but if you aren't the DIY type this is pretty cheap too. Not sure how well they work, but I wouldn't mind testing one! I just don't want to pay $60 to test it LOL If anyone is willing to try this, please let me know what you think!

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/the-worm-inn-continuous-flow-vermicomposting-system/

Tornado Warning

This is what I came home to after class. Had to step into the river
that was the sidewalk in front of my house to get inside! My shoes are
all wet! The corner of my front yard in the pic is also flooded.

Honeysuckle in Bloom

This was the part shade honeysuckle I found last year and it has
bloomed for me in exactly part shade! Worth getting if you love this
plant, but don't have full sun! The fragrance is just delicious!

Sweet Peas are BLOOMING!!!!

I can't believe it! Look what has actually FINALLY bloomed for me here in Pittsburgh!!! SWEET PEAS!!! :D It sure has been a long couple of months! I think I started the seeds in March or so? I think next time I will have to start them indoors and hopefully transfer them so that I can enjoy their blooms more!

The Pretty Bug ID'd!

Remember the pretty little bug on my lilies in my May 31st post? It's an immature form of a longhorned grasshopper! I was told they aren't much of a pest problem in the garden, but they do eat plants. So what's the definition of a pest? Cuz I consider anything that eats my plants a pest! LOL Too bad they are so pretty....supposedly they sing too! I hope they at least share my honeysuckle and lilies if I am willing to share with them!

Vermicomposting

Found this on my worm list tonight and thought it was an interesting idea!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Worm_bin_bag_for_indoor_vermicomposting_and_easy_s/

Success!!!

The sweet peas are about to bloom! YAY!!!

Black Krim Tomatoes & Sugar Ann Snap Peas

I just tasted my first sugar snap pea the other day....YUM! I can't wait for MORE! :D

Today I also found 3 baby Black Krim tomatoes growing! YIPEE!!!

Basil is doing well. Something is eating it. Oregano did not come back surprisingly. It did last year from the year before...guess our winter this year was worse?

Rarely Seen

My neighbor was showing me her plants when we came across this bug. Not sure what it was, but then I got an email announcing that we were to have an entomologist at our Master Gardener meeting next! Unfortunately, I was going to be unable to go since I have class during that time. I did snap some pictures of this bug...pics are below. Do you have any guess as to what it is? Since I couldn't go to the meeting, I asked if the entomologist could ID this bug for me. Are you ready for the answer? It's a rare sighting....BUT...it is the pupal form of a ladybug! So if you see these guys hanging around your garden....DO NOT kill them! :D Made sense since we found two near a patch of aphids...their favorite food!

'Sugar Ann' Sugar Snap Peas

The peas are growing! Can't wait to pick them! Something tells me I
won't have enough to cook with cuz I'll eat them before I have enough
to cook with!

First Lily Bloom

Lillies

Look how tall they are getting!

Sugar Snap Peas 'Sugar Ann'

I forgot to write about this! My Sugar Ann sugar snap peas are blooming! Can't wait for FRESH sugar snap peas! Yipee!

Post #100!

Yup, this is my 100th post! :o That's a lot of typing!

Anyhoo....today I went to Lowes to get sticky traps. Found a white peony and a red hydrangea! I had planted a red hydrangea from Park Seed's once, but as with all of the other plants I bought from them, none of them survived. Seeds are ok to buy there, but not plants! I also got two of these little fern like ground covers. Forget what they are called, but I had wanted two blacks, but got a black and a normal green one. Oh well! They supposedly grow in part shade/full sun and do well in drought! So it's perfect....I can do the part shade since it is really dry underneath. I will probably have to water them a bit till they get settled in though. Speaking of which, I forgot to do! Watered some other plants that needed water though. Oops? Oh well....later!

I think I'll plant the red hydrangea up front. I'd like to plant the peony in the back, but not sure I have the space.