Yesterday's Harvest

 another day's feast. This third generation of Summer Sandwich variety from cuttings is still

kicking it.

After a rough start, one of two possibilities, new potting mix that was allegedly from scratch,

as in being composted. I didn't think after getting it home that this compost was ripe enough.

The other factor might also have to been about the timing, as in season when these cuttings 

were put into this new medium.  The cuttings struggled in getting established, even with a

healthy set of roots that were water born. The growth of these cutting were slow and in my

eye, not healthy looking, as if they had a bad case of wilt.

The constant gardener that I am only took it as a challenge and motivated to get these cuttings

to produce, no matter what. Not matter how easy tomatoes grown from seed can be, they are

not always with a challenge.

You might ask, was it worth it...oh yeah! 

After cutting back this year's plants back to a salvageable scrappy bunch. I even planted some

new seeds along for insurance from this late Fall batch of tomatoes you see above. Also I've taken 

some cuttings from a two year old second generation cutting of this same variety.  

 

                      Snap shot of my indoors prop collection, tomato cuttings at bottom.

You see a pattern

here on how great this tomato is to me and what's gardening if there aren't challenges.

Orchid Showing Off?

 

Who is doing the showing off, me or the orchid?

Two Monstera Pups

 are better than one. I was beginning to wonder if they were going to any?

This monstera bromeliad lived up to it's naming reference. 

Five or six years in the making, if my memory serves me right. 

    

        Years ago a frog would be making the same perch but free to come and go as they please.

Yesterday's Success Or Folly

 Late in to our  Fall most growing things come into a slow down that meets with

our natural dry season. For me it means its time to test out new themes and or changes

in the landscape.

I sometimes beg for a change in my local landscape to help get into the mind of wanting

a change in my every day life,  no matter how minor or grand that might lead to.

Some people might rearrange furniture, you might get the idea.

This patch was covered with oak tree suckers as thick as a mat, a well trimmed mat mind you.

The short blue agave pups sprouting just past that large parent, barely shown above the mat

of mat suckers, until yesterday that is.  Having come back from a bicycle ride and I don't how 

you might get your ideas, mine are what I refer to pictures in my mind that lets me know what 

in this case what this patch will look like in the very near future, if that makes sense. 

I trimmed back the mat of oak suckers to give light and a visual impact to the young agave.

This spill over Blue Juniper that is still in it's pot is the second element to this transformation.

Along with some selective trimming this looks like it will be it's inground forever spot for this

spilt juniper.

All For The Love

 of Jack, that is Jack Fruit, as in Jack Fruit Tree that I started from seed.

When I learned that these trees grow fast, they weren't kidding. Last year 

this time It gets a similar lop off, standing nearly the same height as last

year at over twenty feet tall and instead of a single trunk there were two.

This time I had trimmed and tied it to reach my ideal of what I envisioning

and we did not disappoint, so says the constant gardener. Actually, the tree

had no say in this gardener's whim? No, just happens to be good at trimming

that a lot gardeners can never get enough of practice, imo.

 

 Every sculpture usually has at least one good side, and I would say that this is it. For those that

are not in the know, Jack is in the middle.

This pic shows where it was lopped off  and if you look closer you will see the tie backs. I

also took advantage of some of the drooping growth and trimmed around those to emphasize

this droop effect. Like an excellent hair trimming, one should not notice a trim and from this

view it looks pretty normal, if you ask me.

This trimming, sculpting did it's magic and in a day or two I will rub some dirt onto the bright

white cut  point at the top to not only darken up the unnatural cut point but let the bacteria 

in the soil do it's magic, to aid in the cuts healing.

Just one of many fruiting bodies over the past year that have yet to actually mature into it's iconic

humongous fruit known in this world. This stage has managed a minor sweet fragrance that only

adds to it's exotic nature. The size shown without a banana for scale, it's length about the size of 

an apple.

Foggy

 looking doesn't always mean that it is foggy out.

 

 

This foggy appearing photo gave me pause when I took a peek at it, to just how well the photo

and my intent came out. Looking at this picture and saying to myself, hey it's not foggy out and 

proceeded to wipe the lens, plural, there are three lenses.

 

Something portrait photographers did in the day was to smudge their lens with whatever they had

in their bag to create a similar effect. 

This composition was challenging enough, with only a dash off western sun to spotlight the new 

leaf and blossoms, little contrast and yet plenty of texture. While still wanting to record my

modifying this scenery by tilting over the cement pot and giving the pot the cornucopia of plant 

effect and on top of that to make it look like it's always been like this.

Thus presenting the first, hardly spontaneous, late Fall scenes from this constant's gardeners garden.

Hopefully more to come, or not...

Thank You

 tropical storm nichol ,with intentional little initial spell check,ok? Formerly known

 as Cat1 Huricane Nichol for allowing me to fill four and a half fifty-five gallon 

rainbarrels, in less than two hours. Woo hoo!

    With almost nightmarish regulatory near the end of setting a timer with ever changing

intervals, alternating left and right side hauling to even out the where and tear on this 

beast of burden. Throw in some determination and anticipation and getting wet and

blasted with gusts of winds that were nothing like Ian's, thank goodness.

    This last haul is a great reset of stored rain as we get into our natural dry season, with

some intermittent showers hear and there, if we are lucky, says the constant gardener.

My Lucky

 green charmer. A face only a constant gardener could love.

Today will be an exceptionally wonderful day.

Looky Looky

 what I found digging in my backyard while installing a new garden art installation.

Early forty's, Dura-Gloss nail polish bottle, no cap. that pink residue you see inside the bottle

has been called Tropical by said manufacturer. Patent shown on the bottom and it's variation puts

it about 1938 and according the advertisement that I found, yours for ten cents. Mine was free while

digging in my backyard for a reimaging of a former garden installation due to Hurricane Ian's

remodel of my back side yard.

This garden alter that was formerly my original back steps to my porch and painted accordingly.

  This alter , altered said event by guiding this downed thirty foot Podopcarpus tree to where

you see it resting between the alter and it's neighboring Crinum flowerless lily, long story

there.

  This constant gardener needs no push and shove to gets things in their place, new place.

Where upon, I find my current buried treasure, shown above.

 Alter has been moved an reimaged into a new/old ruin. Not to take away from it's former 

intended purpose but, lets say a transformation.

                        Note the three portals, I mean plant holders on the side, now ruin and not easily 

discerned is a small crevice of an opening on it's new face, for another plant candidate. The always 

present and close by native Florida Mayhop vine is waiting to give this ruin some greenery. Besides

this constant gardener's itchy green thumbs.

   This now ruin, revealing it's former face looks as if Hurricane Ian had spawned a tornado and

just tossed this into it's new location, good shot Ian, albeit with some new steel reinforcement 

thrown in for safety measures too, who knew.

                                           Let  the   plantings   begin . .  .    ..    ..       .     .       .

Two Young

 Bald Cypress, already a few years old and perhaps wondering what is my future.

    Well that was then and the here is now and you get to fill a void that this once

tall standing Podocarpus tree graced this very spot, where your roots have not yet

taken to, these sacred grounds  o f   t h  i   s     c  o   n    s  t  a  n    t      g   a    r   d   e   n    e      r   .   .    .

This Flowering

 volunteer vines up this potted citrus, and in two days the number of blooms increase exponentially 

as does it' ever entwining vine. 

 

                         Beauty will present it's self in surprisingly stunning ways. 

                 

 

Critter Condo

 gets an addition, complements of Ian to doubling it's always in creasing in size.

     I just used my sweat acuity, barely broke a sweat to be honest and viola.

Second Batch of Coonties

 ready for transplant.  Wrestled from the soil at the base of my giant Bald Cypress tree,

safe from what ever Ian can blow at it. I also have a really great pot that was gifted to me

that has a calling to nurse these seedlings into strong healthy plants.

With a perimeter of branches to deter the squirrels from unknowingly subjecting these newly 

planted seedlings from being harassed.

Note the little seedling in the middle that almost got over looked, not even in the same league,

a league of it's own.

                                 A Coontie seedling in the urban wild, that almost got passed over to 

                               joining the big league.  Note the seed at the top of the soil at the base

                              of this seedling. I must of missed this one when I made an attempt to

                              push these seeds into the soil for improved germination, which explains it's

                              late blooming status. It has a lot of catching up to do too.

Rescue or Folly?

 Before our uninvited guess who's initials start with 'I', as in Ian...oops! 

      My neighbor had this at the curb, 

took them home the same evening and since trimmed them up and letting the cut ends  

harden up before sticking them in the ground.

    Yucca Elephantipes (Spineless Yucca)  I've admired these that had been planted at our local 

Taco Bell for many years, not realizing that my neighbor had these in his yard all along.

   This plant will hardly be considered a folly, as it will almost be a guarantee to be a successful

rescue. I shouldn't be so bold to suggest such, anything can happen in the gardening world.

 

 

These two spent pots sitting ideally, grab my attention yesterday. As much as I vowed not to plant 

freeze sensitive plants in ginormous planters.  

   No pressure, new stick plantings and now that I have a picture of my garden renderings.  Let's

see what you got, no pressure.

As Ian

 you know who, the hurricane bearing down on us Floridians, as I type...

that appears to be trying to blow us humans off the face of Florida...or blow the state a new

hole...

 

and with little doubt, leave us soaking wet...

 

 

Compliments to the Windy and Mirror Lab apps, and my imagination... hehe

Rescue or Folly

 This...

beautiful portrait of today's Props Shot showcasing emergency measures taken to try to ...see title above...

   The parent African violet leaf that was in the end stage of rotting and threatening the life of 

it's preemie sprout...see green dot below...

it's really really tiny, I know...

                 Once again, we find ourselves at the crossroads where time will tell.  

    The finely ground sphagnum moss and it's needed moisture's double edged sword of 

life sustaining or life rotting capabilities, along with some captured humidity, more moisture,

 in this recycled plastic container.  

                                   This strategy hopefully will provide the needed outcome and

                             environment for this minuscule green life form to thrive.

Today's

 props shot...mini African violet gets second amputation and may loose flower buds that are

 taking their sweet time opening up, unlike it's big brother showing off with some spectacular

color.

These minis can and are more challenging and more so under challenging conditions. Two 

amputations in, you get the picture, which reminds me I need to get some new AV potting soil,

a must have if want a starting chance at these flowering wonders.

                         BTW, our patient is basking in a jar of filtered water, look mom no roots.

Hmm...

 other uses for some marble chunks...

   the beginnings of a rain garden catchment and .  .  .   .   .   .    .    .    .     .     .       .         .

 

 Who needs a garden gazing glass ball when you have one of these....

 

.     .   .  . .  if your not careful, you can be get loss in this deep green abyss. 

This Bundled

 quartet of gifted tropicals that were rescued from a freeze that didn't happen, and thrown in

together in case there is another threat of an over zealous weather new's caster who's only interest

is in ratings and not real science for once, but I digress.  They appear to be thriving in this location

and it's watering needs are be supplemented by their human caregiver

                and now seeing this plant at the right makes me want to add something to the bottom

level...oh yeah...just to have the thing, as in Publix market green marble that might have have

had it's day being used for their trim work to a bygone era of Publix market murals.

                          ++ 888 Viola 888 ++

Lets Just

 invert this heavy gifted cast concrete planter and an inherited Angel Wing Begonia gets a new throne is 

just the visual upgrade that this constant gardener strives for at times. Now whether this plant enjoys the 

new placement/elevation, who knows.  Not even this plant whisperer can know all the goings on in this 

plant fiefdom.

One Of Many

 and here's two wonders of gardening.  

                                             The     possibilities      of        discoveries  , while     in

       the        w i  l d s     o  f     a n    urbane   urban     garden.

Look at that face, it looks like it wants to be discovered. That primary leaf is a stranger

among others and wait till it gets it's  notable belly on, that will take many years to appear 

and guess what, that belly requires no beer. 

This little 'Buddha Belly' is one of only four self seedings in as many as nearly forty years.

This one may have found it's forever home right here where it sprouted amongst these native

boulders.

These native Coonties, planted directly in the ground and with out the time consuming

fruit peeling of the flesh away from it's large seed. The germination rate as not as well

as the peeled ones, along with some other varying factors make the flesh striping 

unnecessary. 

These here will get the transplant treatment and see if it they can catch up with the other 

Coontie seedlings planted earlier, no pressure!

After days and days of light rain, our mini monsoon did it' s magic on this rescued log teaming

with Resurrection Fern and off to the right is a teenage Buddha Belly plant with well documented

belly, that was one of four seeds that escaped the squirrels and or what ever foraging fauna there 

might have been.

   Here is the Resurrection Fern's typical face that it shows the world that was taken just moments

ago and looks like it was camouflaging a dead branch of rat tail cactus that needs to be replaced with

another sacrifice. 

Perhaps some extra needed moisture is called for this succulent cutting to take hold in an otherwise

hostile environment, but not to the other succulents and orchid.

 

 

Today's Props Snapshot

 The two African violet plants that were lopped off at their base from being leggy

 are coming into bloom.

Just brought on board two rescues, Leeks and a unnamed Dragon are getting some 24/7 light

therapy before they go outdoors.

Today's Color Theme Is?

 and in the order of discovery....

                       I'll give you a hint, it's not green...Ha!

The hunt begins with a paler shade of?

and variations of a similar color as the first....this was not planned, either, more like a subliminal switch

a-rue.

   

Giving this one lots of breathing room.

     If you stare at this long enough and your experiencing

our ninety degree heat and humidity, this color will seem to make your present existance

   just a wee bit cooler.

 

 There is no in between with the color rendered here, unless your deficient in your ability to see blue.

Our color doesn't get any deeper on our hunt today, that what is rendered in front of your eyes.

I will just have to keep you in suspense, not unlike the anticipation of the grand opening of this African 

Violet flower, whose  name sake has given us another clue as today's color theme.

Companion or Nuisance

 Well we just have to ask this couple that was introduced to each other several months ago.

                              They couldn't be more content as one embraces the other.

Let's see if this constant gardener can make another match. 

                  

                               Introducing the twins to an epiphytic plant aka Anthurium plowmanii that just 

wants to companion with another, with hopes that this location will be beneficial for at least one and 

it sure beats sitting on 

the ground in a 

plastic

pot.

Just one more where only time will tell.