Persian Lime is growing well. No flowers at this time but we are hopeful for the upcoming year.
Grapes are ripening. This year we are making an effort to enjoy them before they go bad. A visit to the garden every couple of days gives us a snack of Muscadine grapes.
The pineapple grows slowly but it gets larger. I can’t wait until it is ready.
Goodbye grapes. We didn’t really get around to enjoying you much this season. Catch you next year!
Somebody, or some thing, has been eating our blueberry crop this year. I have only tasted one and even that one was not quite ripe. So it has been a little disappointing this year thus far in blueberry land. I suppose I should get some sort of netting installed. I don’t think I will be motivated enough to do this before blueberry season is over. Perhaps it is a project I can take on next year?
Leaves as mulch
This is our second season of using dead leaves from our oak as mulch in the backyard. I love the multicolor look of the leaves on top of the mulch. Hopefully it will assist keeping the weeds at bay. 
Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation helps keep these herbs hydrated so they can be of use culinary wise. 
Broccoli is Bolting
We say goodbye to the broccoli for now. It has decided to flower. 
Trying to bring spring to the backyard
Palm Fronds
I use newly trimmed palm fronds to help shade fragile plants from the harsh sunny days. 
Mimosa strigillosa
Mimosa strigillosa is in bloom again and filling in nicely in the areas where the grass has died. Perhaps one day the whole backyard will be covered in the pink flowers.
Grapes
We will have many grapes this season. I have been working on training the grapes so they will provide shade as well.
My Garden Oasis
My garden retreat is almost complete. It should be a nice shaded area to rest from the hot summer sun once the grape vine has fully grown.
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| From Photo Challenge |
Hello December. So far we haven’t had a major chill. The garden seems to be doing well. Tomatoes are very slow to ripen because the winter sun doesn’t warm the tomatoes enough during the day. Just this week we are finally seeing some tomato ripen action.
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| From Photo Challenge |
Those tomatoes will be great on all the lettuce we still have growing. I need to start more seeds of this so I can continue the crop.
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| From Photo Challenge |
One of the figs became ripe this week.
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| From Photo Challenge |
The blueberry bushes are beginning to bloom for some early spring blueberries.
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| From Photo Challenge |
Finally, as you see in the picture at the top, the muscadine grape is dormant for the winter. See you in the spring!
We have figs…
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| From Photo Challenge |
And muscadine grapes ….
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| From Photo Challenge |
Getting the garden in shape
Today was the first day of the awesomeness that is called fall. Finally we got a break from the heat and I took this opportunity to get some gardening done.
First I cleared all the dead plants out of one of the square foot gardens to make room for young healthy plants. I kept one tomato plant and some borage (for companion planting).
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| From Photo Challenge |
Next I added some peat moss and compost to the soil that already existed in the bed. I additionally threw in some Perlite I had sitting in the garage. Perlite helps aerate the soil.
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| From Photo Challenge |
I planted half a dozen random tomato plants, a squash, and a watermelon (totally out of season – this is an experiment). In between the tomatoes, I planted random small plants in a survival of the fittest fashion. It will be interesting to see what survives the next few weeks. Eggplants, basil, and corn are in this group. Finally I staked the tomatoes to prepare for the growth.
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| From Photo Challenge |
Infirmary
Here is what is leftover from my summer seedlings and purchases. I have them in what I now call the infirmary. They are sickly and need constant care. What survives out of this group will fill later holes in the garden and share the cool weather garden with the leafy greens.
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| From Photo Challenge |
Growing With Leala 