outside in the gardenS E A S O N A L notes and musings, with relevant linksHibiscus: the Extrovert- October 19, 2003 My friend M. says he will share his gardening observations in this space now and then. Well, I suggested he start a garden blog, but he demurred, as follows:As a matter of fact, I have always enjoyed the 'agricultural' side of life. What is commonly called Gardening. I do keep an eye on the local vegetation, what is flowering, how it is doing and so forth. Unfortunately, my personal territory is reduced to a rather small balcony. True, it is crowded with plants on behalf of which I go to...http://bronzefrogs.com/blogs/2003/10/hibiscus-extrovert.html Bird-feeding tip- October 18, 2003 To foil the squirrel who eats a weeks worth of bird seed in an hour or so, Gardener's Supply suggests mixing the seed with hot pepper powder. The birds don't taste it at all, but the squirrels will avoid it like the plague.Alternatively you could spend $60 on a squirrel-proof feeder ;-)And if you happen to have a swimming pool on your property, as nearly everyone in Texas and California seems to, you can avoid having little animals fall into it while seeking water by providing for them...http://bronzefrogs.com/blogs/2003/10/bird-feeding-tip.html Post heat wave: the Euro weather report- October 16, 2003 A friend living in the second smallest independent state in the world writes: After Europe's Heat wave which, from a gardening point of view only, destroyed baclony plants, window boxes and gardens and their shrubs, some of those poor plants are struggling to come back to greenery and flower. Now - in the middle of October. Plants which should have currently been becoming leafless are now sprouting new greenery and also bursting into flower. The Season is crazy: anemones and daffodils are also..http://bronzefrogs.com/blogs/2003/10/post-heat-wave-euro-weather-report.html OctoBrr- October 9, 2003 October is full upon us and the leaf fall is going on in earnest. we've ahd some very crisp cool nights. Two of our cats, the adult ones, prefer to stay out overnight now.<br ><br >Surprisingly (to me) my tomato plants, which I staked up better and added dirt to about 5 weeks ago when it first began to cool off, have been doing quite well. Honestly, they could use restaking adn the new fruits are small and slow, being as how they arenot getting hot sun any more. But lined up out...http://bronzefrogs.com/blogs/2003/10/octobrr.html |