Garden Resolutions

Each year in the dead of winter I get inspired to garden, and of course, I can't since it's too early! Sometimes I can barely wait and start seedlings, only to have them grow too leggy before I can get them transplanted into the garden. Then when I try to hold off and wait, I forget and start them too late. What's a gardener to do?!

Here are my garden resolutions for this coming season:

-To get my seedlings started at the right time
-Grow more veggies and herbs
-Try doing more container gardening (since my plants get fried come May when the temperatures soar into the 80s)
-Remember to water and fertilize

I didn't do any of that last year and I had a pretty sad looking garden. It was just too hot to spend much time in the garden. I'm hoping my trees I planted this fall grow quickly so I can have some much needed shade!

What hopes or resolutions for change do you have for your garden?

Wordless Wednesday

A little cottage with gardens in Colonial Williamsburg. There's a cat sitting in the downstairs window.

Luna Moth

Each morning I check on "my" preying mantis and this particular morning got a surprise! As I walked by with a casual glance I had to stop and do a double take. I almost dropped my cereal in the floor! A luna moth!

I grabbed my camera and got these shots. What a gorgeous insect!

Here she is in her glory...a full 4 inches! It looks like she's not quite 4" but it was a bad angle. And a bad photo...blurry...sorry!

She stayed for three days. Day two she laid these eggs (dark clustered spot under the left side of her wing). That night the beetles ate them. :(

Day three she laid some more, stayed a few hours and then left. I ran outside and gathered them before the beetles could eat this batch. Now what the heck am I going to do with luna moth eggs?? I suppose I'm going to have to learn! 

I found this webpage which seems to be a wealth of information on hatching luna moth eggs, so I guess I'll give it a try. I have sweet gum trees (seen in the background of the photo) for them to feed on once they hatch. Wish me luck!

The Preying Mantis Saga

Headline: Giant Preying Mantis attacks house!!

I couldn't resist this shot! :D

This female mantis has been residing on our porch for about a month now. When I first noticed her, she was on the inside of the screen.

After several nights of watching her wear herself out attacking bugs on the opposite side of the screen who were flying around the floodlight, I took pity on her and moved her to the outside of the screen. She was not happy with me but seemed to get the idea after I shoo'ed her up toward the floodlight. Since then it has been feasting and festivities for her.

The day I moved her, a male mantis came along and they got happy together. That is, until she was finished with him. Then she ate him. What a sad ending!

Then we had another visitor arrive...a luna moth (which will be another post). She and the luna got friendly and hung out together. I suppose she thought of the luna as camouflage.

Yet another arrival...a baby lizard approaches on the far left side! What a shot, three in one!

Today the mantis left, I'm assuming to go lay her eggs. It was sad to see her go but duty calls. Maybe her offspring will visit me next year.

A New Start

I have been an avid gardener for many years but never have I faced challenges like the ones I am up against in my new garden!

Here is a shot of 4 o'clocks in my old garden, where everything is lush and green.

We moved from an older neighborhood with a nice mix of trees and sun and good rich soil to a barren wasteland of new construction housing. No trees. Compacted clay soil. A slightly sloping yard (which means all our topsoil washed off into the neighbor's yard). Weeds in abundance. And fire ants. Lots of fire ants. No other insect life to speak of.

A trailer full of plants came along with me to our new house--I wasn't about to leave all my heirloom rose bushes and peonies behind! My husband claims I had 400 potted plants, but that includes little cuttings stuck in those six packs annuals come in.

After getting settled somewhat in the house I planned the garden, setting the pots down where I intended to plant things. The first moment my shovel hit the soil I knew I was in trouble!

This section of the garden was a little sand mixed with topsoil, disguising the hard clay underneath, 

but certainly much easier to dig in!

It was quite a sight, me hopping up and down on the shovel like a pogo stick, trying to dig a shallow hole for a 1 quart pot. The soil was rock hard and so compacted I finally gave up and enlisted my husband's help.

 The only shade to speak of, just off the deck. Here are my hostas and hydrangea collection.

Together we got everything in the ground in time for winter. We dig the holes a bit larger and deeper than needed and worked sand, rocks, and anything else we could find to assist with drainage for the larger plants. I kept my fingers crossed my plants would survive until spring when I could try to amend the soil.

Particularly of concern was the lack of insect life in the soil. No earthworms, sowbugs, or even grubs. Not even an ant--at first! They moved in about a month later. Which is a another post!