Last week, I woke early and headed out to hone my photography skills.
While I would like to put all of my award-winning photos in one post, I realized a picture truly is worth a thousand words and decided to break up the posts.
Click on a photo to open a larger version.
Patriotic Lambsquarters
I love how this lambsquarters frames the American flag. I should feel guilty for not weeding my gardens, but I don’t. The weeds keep coming, and all we can do is our best.
Last year, when I walked Lafayette Square in Washington D.C., the wax begonias were thriving in the summer heat. The memory motivated me to plant Cocktail Vodka Wax Begonia this year.
Wax begonias are easy to grow and provide interest from the moment they’re planted until first frost.
Cocktail Vodka Wax Begonia
Here are my Cocktail Vodka Wax Begonia in early September. We’ve had a damp and humid summer, and they’re holding up admirably.
The begonias at the back of the bed, where the sun doesn’t dry off morning dew, have some leaves that melted from the damp conditions.
Where to Plant Cocktail Vodka Wax Begonia
Wax Begonias tolerate a wide range of light and soil conditions. They can be planted almost anywhere in the landscape, from full sun to shade, average to damp soil.
Wax begonias prefer moist soil. If they dry out, some leaves may wither and turn brown.
The Begonia Cocktail Series has other flower colors, including white, pink and red. Foliage colors range from green to bronze.
Plant Cocktail Vodka Wax Begonias to illuminate your landscape with maximum results and minimum care.
I stumbled on a corn plant while maintaining a client’s garden a couple of months ago. Most people would have pulled the plant.
I love it when volunteers show up in the garden! Whether animal or vegetable, it doesn’t matter.
Nature is Random and Ordered
Nature is both random and ordered—certain plants like certain conditions. If conditions are right, those plants will grow.
In nature, plants grow in groups with some overlap. There will be fewer plants on the edge of the group than in the center. Different plants with similar requirements can grow in the same group.
Nature is not neatly sheared balls with perfect spacing and a mulch bed. Nature is quite the contrary.
Parts of a Corn Plant
Corn plants are wind-pollinated. You’ll never see a farmer grow a single row of corn. You’ll see corn growing in blocks so that the wind can spread pollen among the plants.
Wind knocks pollen off of the plant’s tassels, the male part, at the top of a corn plant.
Pollen falls onto the silk, the female part of the corn plant. There is one strand of silk for each kernel of corn.
Corn plants can have more than one ear of corn.
Where Did the Corn Plant Come From?
I would guess one of the neighbors had a bird feeder in their yard; and a raccoon, squirrel, or bird brought the corn to the garden. The animal must have missed a kernel, and it grew.
We’ve had a very wet summer with no drought—excellent conditions for corn.
I asked if it was okay to leave the corn plant when weeding the gardens in June. I forgot about it until my client sent a picture of the mature corn plant.
This photo was taken on June 30.
By August 22, the corn plant had matured.
When I gently rubbed the ears of corn, I could feel the plump, tasty kernels. I look forward to returning with the barbecue and some butter!
If soil and light conditions are right, Petunias self-seed readily. The secret is to avoid accidentally weeding tiny petunia seedlings in late spring.
Self-seeded petunias germinate around Memorial Day here in USDA Hardiness Zone 6. Right when spring rains start to dry out and the air temperature is on the rise.
Petunia seedlings outgrow weeds in late spring. The seedlings become established before summer annual weeds, such as crabgrass and lamb’s quarters.
Here’s the original planting from three years ago. Note how the flowers are the same color before (below) and different colors after (above).
I added five additional Wave Petunias this year. The Wave Petunias are the purply-lavender flowers on the bottom right.
If you’re letting your petunias self-sew, be patient. Initially, the tiny seedlings seem to take forever.
However, you’ll begin seeing flowers in a few weeks, and the fun begins.
Self-Sown Petunia Flower Variations
I enjoy the variation of colors and shapes of self-sewn petunias more than planting one cultivar. Note the pinks, whites, and a gradient from pink to white.
White with a touch of lavender and rounded petals.
A bold lavender pink. Note the white center.
Deep red with pointy petals and a lighter-colored center.
Lavender-to-white gradient with a white center and pointed petals.
Lavender-to-white gradient with a white center and rounded petals.
Tips for Self-Seeding Petunias
I haven’t mulched my gardens for a few years. The lack of mulch may be why petunia seedlings thrive.
I can’t say if petunias will self-sow if you mulch around the plants.
Where to Plant Petunias
Petunias like soil on the drier side, although once in bloom, I water and fertilize them regularly with bloom booster.
Although petunias like full sun, they tolerate less light. The petunias below are growing in partial shade.
I plant petunias and other annuals next to a walkway or seating area where they can be viewed often.
Can Petunia Self Seed in My Garden?
The first year my pansies self-sowed, I was unsure how they would do. They grew only because I didn’t weed for a few weeks, giving the seedlings a chance to grow.
Initially, I thought there weren’t enough seedlings to fill the space.
I also believed self-seeded petunias wouldn’t look as good as plants from the garden center.
I was wrong on both counts.
If, by chance, the petunias seedlings don’t make it, you can always fill in with some fresh plants from the garden center.
First, I turned on the backyard light one night and saw an orange and white cat patiently sitting under a shrub by the bird feeders.
Then, a few weeks later, as I walked across the side yard, I spotted a black and white cat carrying something.
I ran toward the cat assuming it was holding a bird. The cat dropped its prize, a partially eaten roll, and ran.
I felt like a heel after that.
I Leave Food for Cats
In elementary school, perhaps fourth or fifth grade, I spotted a cat under one of the cars. I investigated and saw a white and grey cat that looked down on its luck.
The cat’s white fur had a yellowish tinge in some spots on its legs. While the cat wasn’t well groomed it wasn’t overly scruffy either.
I remember looking under the car at the cat, and it looking back at me. Neither of us moving. Neither of us sure what to do next.
I ran into the house to get something to feed the cat. All I could find was a piece of American cheese. When I returned the cat was gone so I left the cheese.
When I got off the school bus the next day, the cat followed me to the house door. From that day on, he was part of our family.
Cyrano was a feral cat who decided it was time to live the good life. I hope we gave it to him.
Back to this Century
Getting back to where the story started.
After chasing the black and white cat away, I put some dry food on a paper plate and left it for the cat.
Although I never saw who was eating it, the food was gone daily, so I kept putting it out.
Eventually, I was refilling the plate two to three times a day.
I don’t remember exactly when or how, but over time I had two cats showing up daily for meals. Every time I fed our indoor cats, I brought food to the outdoor cats.
Phantom
Eventually, I named the black and white cat “Phantom” because he’s a master at not being seen. He hides in shadows and under plants to avoid detection.
In this picture, I caught Phantom at a bad time, so he looks a little irritated. He’s keenly aware I’m encroaching on his space and taking his picture.
Initially, Phantom was the more timid of the two cats. He wouldn’t touch the food until I was at least 50 feet away. He would watch me while eating, and if I moved toward him, he would back away.
As a matter of fact, I told my children Phantom is a wild animal and will never be interested in people.
I’m not sure when it happened, but gradually Phantom let me get closer and closer.
Phantom learned his name and started coming when called.
He ‘lived’ under an abandoned shade canopy in my neighbor’s yard and slept on an old lawn tractor seat with some plywood remnants overhead.
Below is Phantom lying in catnip, looking at Chloe, our rescue cat.
Phantom’s go-to body language is rolling on his back and side looking for attention. Generally, he follows me daily while I feed the birds.
Snowball
Initially, Snowball was the more friendly of the two cats and more comfortable with people.
Snowball has a left ear tip, meaning they have been spayed or neutered.
Further, Snowball spent most of last summer sleeping next to our shed. If you walked by the shed, Snowball watched you go by. Things are fine if you don’t get too close or walk directly at them.
Snowball enjoys sleeping in the catnip growing on the side of the house.
Last summer, as I was working in the garage, Snowball kept meowing, hoping for a snack. Snowball knew the exact tone that sounded the most helpless. I’m sure it worked!
Snowball has a very calm personality and is quite content to sleep and eat with some hunting mixed in. Snowball is a master at finding warm places to sleep.
Lastly, Snowball’s go-to body language is a long, slow blink. I have learned that means a cat feels comfortable.
I’m fairly certain Snowball was a monk in a previous life.
The Irony
I occasionally wonder what brought these two beautiful creatures to me. The answer is quite hilarious.
Yesterday, I spotted a grape hyacinth, Muscari armeniacum, growing on the lawn. I have no grape hyacinths growing in my yard. To the best of my knowledge, none of my neighbors do either.
The plant is seven feet from a grouping of snow crocus that also self-sewed on my lawn.
I made a couple of observations based on the plants growing on my lawn.
First, mother nature is a better gardener than I am.
Second, if we seek something, it will manifest. For the last week, I’ve been seeking a grouping of grape hyacinths to display.
Plant grape hyacinths in tight groupings spotted around the landscape. Muscari will tolerate shady spots in the landscape.
Grape hyacinths are an excellent choice for early spring bloom in your garden.
Yesterday, I cut a fresh edge around a couple of sugar maples with my favorite grass edging tool. We had rain and fog in the morning and the soil was soft. Perfect for edging!
Spade for Grass Edging Tool
Sometimes, I prefer to use a sharp spade to edge the lawn. I don’t always use an edging tool.
Sharp, clean and oiled tools make me a better landscaper.
It’s easier to edge a curved bed with a spade than a grass edging tool. The curve of the spade works with the curve of the bed. Don’t get me wrong, I can cut straight or curved edges with either edger.
When cutting edges with a spade, keep your cuts close together to avoid a sawtooth edge. You can see each individual c-shaped cut of the spade below which is acceptible.
I like edging with a spade better but it’s rough on my shoulder and takes more planning. The tighter the curve the more I prefer the spade for an edging tool.
Cleaning up Edgings
It didn’t take long to re-edge these two tree rings with my grass edging tool. I decided to wait to clean up the edgings. In a day, or two, the edgings will dry out becoming lighter and easier to clean up.
I use a flat shovel or pitchfork to pick up the large pieces of grass and rocks—a light raking levels out the remaining soil.
Edgings are great for filling low spots in the yard. Further, if you’re lucky, there’s a low spot closer than where you would dump the debris.
