A Big Tomato Harvest after a Wet August

Fresh Harvest of Cherry Tomatoes

We had a lot of rain in the last 30 days. 8-10 inches in fact. My gardening friend quoted "17 inches in 16 days" so results vary. The good or the bad part of it, depending on your perspective, is most of the rain would fall overnight. There was no progress made on indoor projects. I remained outdoors mucking around wet grass and picking over-plump tomatoes.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Vegetables

Tomatoes were splitting with the excessive rain, but mostly edible. I harvested a nice bunch of eggplant to make my eggplant with garlic side dish. The eggplants are small, about 6 inches long, but I'm happy to have them. It looks like another group will be ready for a September harvest.

Tomato Harvest

Tomato and Eggplant Garden

Tomato Plants

The jalapeños are plentiful. My summer's first serving of jalapeno poppers were so intensely hot, however, it scared us away from one of our favorite dishes.

Pests

Hornworm Eating Green Tomato

There was an uptick in hornworm and other caterpillar activity on the tomatoes. This is a challenging game of trying to spot the very well-camouflaged worm on the plant. Clues are a stripped stem or a chewed green tomato (see photo) or waste material on leaves.

False Dragonhead Flower

Flowers in bloom

The late summer flowers are starting to bloom now. A couple of days ago, the first False Dragonhead bloomed. When several of these bloom together, the color impact of the purple is amazing.

Crape Myrtle Tree in Bloom

The flowers on the Crape Myrtle tree are a deep pink or fuchsia color. The tree has been allowed to grow tall so that the blooms are at the second story windows. Cleomes have finished blooming and I've collected seeds.

American Beautyberry

The American Beautyberry is known more for its purple berries than flowers. The green berries are starting to change to a dramatic purple.

Coming Up Everywhere

Wind and birds have reseeded several plants across the yard.  Lemon Balm, Crape Myrtle, and American Beautyberry plants are popping up everywhere.

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I hope you are having a great August! You can find rainfall totals for U.S. locations here.

The Joy of Growing Sunflowers

Sunflowers Make Me Smile - Garden Lady Blog

Sunflowers were something I admired in other people's gardens and in roadside fields. Occasionally one had sprouted near my birdfeeder. The anticipation of seeing the bloom mounted only to be dashed by a grazing deer. This year we grew a patch of sunflowers inside our vegetable garden fence. Protected by an electric current, this garden has been a joy to observe.

In this blog post, I'll share photographs of my sunflowers. The monetary investment was minimal. I planted two Burpee seed packets: Fun 'N Sun Hybrid Mix and Girasol Mammoth variety. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I've enjoyed and am still enjoying the flowers.

Sunflower Garden - Garden Lady Blog

Mammoths on left; Hybrids on right - Garden Lady Blog

Girasol Mammoth Blooming - Garden Lady Blog

Girasol Mammoth

How tall will they get before blooming? Most of the plants bloomed at 8 - 9 feet. An exceptional plant measured 12 feet! Just before blooming it bent in a graceful arc. Photography without a ladder became possible!

Giant Sunflower - Garden Lady Blog

How Tall Will It Get? - Garden Lady Blog

Measurement of Giant Girasol - Garden Lady Blog

12 Feet Tall! - Garden Lady Blog

Sunflower Curved Gracefully Before Blooming - Garden Lady Blog

Girasol Mammoth Bloom - Garden Lady Blog

Fun 'N Sun Hybrid Mix

The Hybrid Sunflowers started blooming at 3 - 5 feet. Mixes are so interesting because different colors and types of blooms surprise the gardener with every flower.

If you haven't grown sunflowers before, I hope I have convinced you to give it a try. More of my sunflower photography is available at iStock.

Camellias

             

Camellia sasanqua

            Camellias are perfect for filling in the gap between late summer and early spring flowers.  Starting in October, Camellia sasanqua begins a delightful show of rose-like flowers.  Blooming continues through January. Later in the winter season, Camellia japonica starts its show and blooms as late as April. Under ideal conditions, camellias can bloom 6-8 weeks and survive for generations.
       

     Most plantings in my yard were experimental. 19 years after they were planted, my camellias are a success story. I planted 3 Camellia sasanquas in different locations around the house. Due to varying microclimates, each camellia blooms at a different time. This allows us to enjoy each bush individually in its glory. Microclimates are caused by location-related variables that affect plant growth.  Examples are sun and wind exposure, warmth or protection from a brick wall, rain off a gutter, and soil drainage or slope conditions.

     Camellias are available in white and various shades of pink and red.  Select the healthiest plants from reputable suppliers.  New cultivars and hybrids with double blooms and increased winter hardiness may be available.  Alternatively, camellias can self-seed near a mother plant.  Check with your gardener friends to obtain a free plant.

     Camellias are perennial evergreen bushes. Each year the number of flowers increases with the size of the bush.  Keep the future tree-like proportions of a camellia in mind when choosing the planting site.  Like azaleas, camellias prefer acidic soil of 5.5-6.5 and partial shade. Many area soils are naturally acidic, but you can have your soil tested through your county extension office. 

     I have found camellias to be low-maintenance plants.  There is little deer or insect predation.  They grow big enough to offer cover for birds visiting a bird feeder. Place the feeder far enough from the camellia so it can’t be used as a launching pad for squirrels.  Prune wayward branches and unwanted growth after blooming in late winter or early spring.

     If you’re already a camellia owner, take the time to appreciate this winter color, and, if you’re not, plan on obtaining one soon.

This article is an update to one I published in the Franklin Times on January 6, 2012.

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My Favorite North Carolina Wildflowers

Asiatic Dayflower

The bloom on the Asiatic Dayflower is only 1/2 inch long. Upon close inspection, it's a beautiful royal blue flower resembling an orchid. The foliage consists of healthy green leaves that tend to be invasive. My crop appears in clusters along my gravel driveway.The name alludes to the fact that blooms appear only during the day .

White Yarrow

I seldom see the blooming on my White Yarrow, but the feathery, fern-like greenery is a favorite of mine. I had a cluster start along my garden gate, and transplanted some of it to other areas. I've heard it described as invasive, but that hasn't been my experience. One of my reference books calls this plant Common Yarrow.

MYSTERY PLANT-CAN YOU IDENTIFY?

This plant has small delicate lavender flowers mounted on top of a triad of fuzzy leaves. It is blooming now (August in North Carolina).

At the base, large leaves lie flat on the ground. A stalk grows about a foot tall and holds the flower stems.

This image shows a group of the flowers clustered among my azaleas.

I have checked my reference materials, and have been unable to identify this plant. It may be in the Plantain family. Please comment on this blog if you know the name. 

A gift of an Amaryllis

I received a boxed Amaryllis bulb before Christmas and planted it. In photographs, I've chronicled its progress.

Week 3

                                                     

   Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

At Week 8, the flower stem is 17 inches long. The leaves have separated from the stem. The swelling flower bud should be blooming soon. I am adding a small amount of water anytime the potting medium is dry.

Week 8

The plant is changing very quickly now as it prepares to bloom. I'll take photos as frequently as I can.

The images above and below were taken a day apart during week 8.

The plant is getting ready to bloom and changing on an hourly basis. The next photos represent rapid changes leading up to a bloom.

These were taken during week 8 day 4.

Week 8 Day 5 (a morning,afternoon, and evening photo)

Week 8 Day 6 (2 morning photos and 2 afternoon photos)

Week 8 Day 7 (morning and afternoon photos)

Week 9 (morning and afternoon photos)

At 9 weeks all four flowers are in bloom. Beautiful!

Care of Amaryllis after Blooming

The instructions that accompanied the Amaryllis bulb are:

1. Remove flowers and stems. Continue watering and add liquid fertilizer.

2. In September, remove the bulb from the pot, cut away any leaves, and remove excess soil gently. Store bulb in a cool, dry place.

3. In November, replant bulb to start a new flowering cycle.

I'll follow these instructions and report back on the results.