Sunday, July 22, 2018

How Does Your Garden Grow?


The lobelia isn't doing well.


The Heavenly Blue Morning Glories are thriving in the heat.


Hydrangea


The only blossom on the bush. Seems every couple of years, the bush produces just leaves and few flowers. Last year, the bush was heavy with blossoms. Guess we'll have to wait until next year.


Bunny One and 


Bunny Two came to weed the Zensical Garden.


The Cardinal is King and rules the bird feeder 


Heavenly Blue Morning Glories reaching for the sky


A bloom from Reggie's Magic Seed Morning Glories greets the day 


The birds, chipmunks, or squirrels planted two sunflowers.


Fierce thunderstorms brought heavy rains. My area was spared the flooding, but we still got nearly 3 inches of rain in one go.


The weeds are loving the hot and humid weather.


A couple of cherry tomatoes almost ready for picking


Little bell peppers


Last of the honeysuckle


Wild raspberries tangle with the honeysuckle vine.


The Blue Jay has been an elusive visitor, and I finally captured him.


The past few days the birds have been flocking to the bird feeder like it's an airport. Mourning Dove and Blue Jay share the ground while the Cardinal has his fill.

How does your garden grow?

20 comments:

  1. Goodness, CJ, your garden is doing far better than mine, although I have a couple of birds that visited me this week. Your feeder is getting more usage and your rain gauge got a workout. I have NO veggies or fruit this year. Everything died that I purchased. I am SO in awe of those peppers and tomatoes. Keep them coming.

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    1. The rain gauge may be getting another workout today.

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  2. CJ i worked in a Garden Center for many years so i like to 'trouble shoot' garden problems...lol Those hydrangeas... You might consider cutting the dead stalks off from last year.. For one it would help its appearance.. Most varieties enjoy shade, especially in the hot afternoons.. (unless they have come out with some new varieties i don't know about, entirely possible) Do you fertilize them with a fertilizer for acid loving plants?? Those are the main things i can think of.. That lobelia likes shade too and well drained soil... It likes a good soaking then let the soil dry out some before you water it again. Ok.. thats all my wisdom...lol Hope maybe something helped.. Beautiful morning glories and yeah for tomatoes and peppers... :) Happy Garden Day ! Hugs~ deb

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    1. I did cut a lot of dead stalks, but some of them had little green leaves on them so I was afraid to cut them. The hydrangeas are on the north side of the house and get shade early morning and in the late afternoon. We have several oak trees so the hydrangea is mulched with the leaves as the oak leaves are acidic so will keep the flowers blue. I'll go out with the pruning shears to see about removing the dead stalks. Thanks for the tips.

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  3. Your garden is looking good. My loneliness died too, I think they don't like it so hot. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

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    1. So relieved to know I didn't kill my lobelia. I don't have much of a green thumb. :-D

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  4. Looking good! (I'm glad I don't have to do the weeding in the zensical garden! ) ;)

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    1. It's easy. When the rain stops, I'll get out there with a gallon of vinegar and pour it over the weeds. The plants shrivel up and then are easy to pull out

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  5. Your hydrangea is huge! I have a little one I'm hoping I can nursemaid through its first year. We see cardinals and blue jays but not regularly. I'm not sure why they don't like this space more. It looks like you've made a hit with King Cardinal :) Congrats on that. They are wonderful to watch. What a treat to get those volunteer sunflowers.

    They keep promising thunderstorms and we keep getting occasional showers. I'm watering every day. I think the heat is responsible for my failure this year to root plants from cuttings. I don't usually have trouble with that, but they're dying all around me this year.

    I love your garden posts!

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  6. The hydrangea started from a little potted plant that was a Mother's Day gift many years ago. Are you feeding the birds to encourage them? Regular bird seed wasn't appealing to the birds in my yard. I switched to a premium Pennington blend and also a Pennington fruit and nut blend which I mix together.It also takes a while to attract them if you haven't put out seed before. I started seeing cardinals after my parents passed away. Someone told me seeing cardinals means a loved one who has passed is thinking of you. So when I see cardinals, I think of my folks. The King Cardinal is my dad. He would have loved that title :-D The sunflowers attract goldfinches. Last year, I learned from Magic Loves Crow, that goldfinches enjoy nibbling the sunflower petals. We were supposed to get heavy rains today, but it looks like they bypassed my area. That's ok as some area towns had flooding from all the rain last Tuesday. Thank you for visiting my garden.

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    1. We keep out suet, niger seed in a sock, safflower seeds, and hulled sunflower seed. We get sparrows and finches and woodpeckers regularly. I'll try the Pennington seed blend. Thanks for recommending it :)

      Yes, rain in moderation, that's what we're needing. Flooding is scary.

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  7. Such a nice selection of photographs …
    Those raspberries look good!

    All the best Jan

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    1. I’ve never tried them. I leave them hopimg the critters will go for them and will leave the veggies alone

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  8. Lots going on in your garden. That morning glory is too glorious for words. Your bell pepper is about the size of mine.
    Have a great one.

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    1. Good to hear about the bell pepper. We’re on the right track

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  9. Some beautiful garden pics you shared with us! I love morning glories ... so pretty.

    Question ... do you guys have the spotted lantern flies where you live? They are getting very bad here in PA. My mom is beginning to see them all over her tress lately!

    Take care!! :)

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    1. I haven't seen those. The invaders to our area has been the Longhorn Beetle and Gypsy Moths

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  10. I am always confused too why some years the hydrangea has lots of flowers and why some years it doesn't. Is it trimming, fertilizer....I don't know. Mine are blooming great this year, although one hardly grew back and it has flowers. Hmmm. Love seeing your photos. Happy new week CJ. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Maybe I didn't trim early enough. Maybe the snowy and cold March and April effected my hydrangeas. Stay cool and dry this week

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  11. Great post CJ! We have two little bunnies too! They are so cute! They keep scaring me when I go outside, because they jump out of the long weeds! LOL! That's weird about your bush, but then, it might all depend on the weather! My hostas aren't doing well this year! Great photos! Thank you!

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