Field trip and zucchini update!

 Took a morning field trip to Walter Andersen Nursery in Pt. Loma to help my daughter shop for a 'smelly flower' for her patio. She chose a star jasmine vine and bought two basil plants to add to their three pathetic ones that survived their move.

Begonia richmondensis

"Kong" Coleus?

Two excellent shade plants to brighten any darker areas, some people think coleus are too ordinary but really with those colors??? They are used a lot because they are effective in brightening shady areas and last all summer long. Like geraniums in the sun they are a good plant for what you need. Speaking of geraniums:

True geranium

What we know as 'geraniums' are actually a different family entirely than this one. This is a true geranium variety which I don't remember which one is is. Johnson's Blue perhaps or another one. Lovely ferny looking delicate foliage and small purple flowers earlier in the season.

Kenilworth Ivy

 

This dainty plant is a sentimental faovorite of mine from when I was in high school. It was growing around the sidewalk of the apartment we lived in and I learned the name then and somehow associated it with my mother. It's not a commonly cultivated plant but here it was growing in the moss of one of the staghorn ferns. I remember when I was there several of them had it in them but we couldn't figure out how to cultivate it to sell. Dainty white and blue flowers could take over but it's easily ripped out. Seeds are the biggest spreader so likely that's how best to grow it.

I reconnected with three or four people that are still there and I realized how much I miss the incredible variety of plants and products they sell. So if you have a good size independent nursery in your area, go there. My daughter spent about twice what it would have cost going to The Big Orange Box story but let me tell you, it was totally worth it. 

I have too many pictures to put up in one post to be reasonable but will likely sprinkle them through the next few posts on interesting plants. I took a picture yesterday of my hand comparison to the new zucchini growing and apparently I didn't. Very odd, will have to do that today. Needless to say the new fruit is thriving and twice as big as the first one so I broke off the one with the blossom end rot. Growing my own garden is giving me a better appreciation for what actually goes on in odd soil conditions for new gardeners. Typically we would tell someone they are watering too much or don't have enough calcium in the soil. Well I know for a fact that neither is likely true for me so I have to chalk it up to odd soil composition. I am not going to pay the $50 to have it professionally tested for absolutely everything in it and go with just what my experience says it needs. If the second fruit or the tomatoes start developing it later then I know it's possibly lack of calcium, except I am using a food that has extra calcium in it. So I have no clue and will figure that out when I get there.

One last picture I do want to share is an amazing passion fruit vine growing on the back fence of the nursery property. 

 Previously there had been a fig tree in the corner (the 'tree' on the left is actually a bush being overtaken by the vine) and a gigantic full grown rubber tree to the right of the first photo.  I've been gone for close to four years now and it doesn't seem that long but apparently long enough for this vine to totally take over the world and thrive. I couldn't even find where the main trunk was! Tons of fruit on this thing which means that there were hundreds of flowers and it would have been an amazing sight. Actual edible passion fruit flowers are nothing spectacular compared to the ornamental varieties but still pretty.

Passiflora edulis 'Frederick'

 Oh and there is enough vine that it didn't show any problems with caterpillars either. 

Deep breath... I miss so much variety of things at that place. Not just plants but pottery, fertilizers and soils as well. I didn't see if they still sold MG, they had in the past but only saw the organic brands which is fine by me. I now know why so many people would come in and be amazed at how big the place is and how much variety was to be had. Sorry still geeking out about it. Been too long and I plan on going back just to visit and take pictures.

The little plant store near me is struggling and looks like it's on it's last legs in comparison and I will try and frequent there as well but when you don't have quality and quantity you lose customers even if they are walking distance from where I live.

 

I gave most of my jalapeño harvest to one of the guys at the nursery who would appreciate them and kept three. The plant is still putting out flowers but seems to be struggling for water which is likely due to the roots being too loose from getting pushed over. I know what could grow there but not anything I would eat in great quantities. Bell peppers, radishes, onions, I almost bought a cucumber or bean plant but again, I don't have the room or structure to put them in. As soon as it starts cooling down and the pepper and tomato are done I'll be putting more soil and fertilizer in and adding a fence structure for peas. The soil isn't very level either as it has to slope away from the building which makes growing seeds almost impossible. 

 

Just so much that needs to be done to make that an actual thriving garden area and I can guarantee you I would be the only one caring about it. 

Maybe I should put a note up near the sign up board for the laundry asking if anyone wants to help with it..  am one of the youngest there as far as ability and freedom is concerned. They take people 55 and older but anyone who's that young (like me when we moved in) they have a full time job.  It's worth a shot though and, of course, have to clear it with the manager.

So it was a great day that fed my soul in the garden corner of my brain. Loved being with my daughter and just wandering around and wish we had more time but she had to get back home and to work.

Peekaboo!

Almost 3" long!