No, not that drought. My personal blogging drought, combined with my drought of interest in my garden. Entirely coincidentally, it's actually raining today.
Of course, my prolonged lack of concern was not without collateral damage. The cauliflower seems to have taken it on the chin.
The broccoli seems to have adopted Austin's schizophrenic weather as its personal mantra. Forming a head and flowering at the same time. Oy. At this point it's become a science experiment. I'll just wait to see what happens.
I'm still holding out hope that some of the other broccoli plants may grow larger enough to constitute an entire serving.In other, happier areas of the garden, the garlic (knock wood) seems to be surviving. I'll know more in May, when coincidentally the drought MAY be over (knock, knock, knock wood).
The herb garden I planted this fall continues to be the happiest part of my garden, probably because it's making me the happiest. Every time I snip a spring of thyme, grab a few sage leaves, or cut some cilanto, I remind myself, "I'm saving two dollars." 
I could be saving even more if I found some more uses for my dill, but for now its flowers are paying its rent.Elsewhere in the garden, I've got some seedlings that are making me happy simply because they are growing. Last fall I threw out some flower seeds in the full sun bed and lo and behold some germinated. The slight problem I have is that I have no idea what kind of plants they want to grow up to be. I didn't even keep the seed packages. (Remember folks, sometimes this blog is a cautionary tale . If you want to actually know what you have growing, I suggest you follow Zanthan Gardens meticulous methods, not my sow and let grow approach.)
This plant kind of looks like a buttercrunch lettuce I grew last year. Maybe one of its seeds was in my compost? I nibbled on one of the leaves (see lower left) and decided it wasn't lettuce. It's far, far less tasty than lettuce. Maybe it will be a pretty flower?
And this one might be a weed, who knows? For now its leaves are pretty enough to keep it safe from the circle ho'.Heck, it would have to far more offensive for me to consider yanking it out. The drought may be over, but I'm still not a fan of weeding.
The schizophrenic broccoli sure is pretty, though!
ReplyDeleteEntertaining post, Vertie. That bite out of the mystery plant made me laugh out loud!
ReplyDeleteGlad your back! Droughts happen with weather and
ReplyDeleteblogging. One of those seedlings looks familiar! gail
That flowering head of broccoli is something I've never seen before. It's pretty cool-looking.
ReplyDeleteYour second mystery seedling looks familiar, but I'm totally blanking out on what it is right now. None of the wildflower seeds I've thrown on my lawn have germinated, and I spent quite a bit on bluebonnet seeds. Maybe next year, if it ever rains again. :)
If you were my kid you'd be in big trouble, Vertie - our rule was no eating unidentified stuff out of the garden!
ReplyDeleteSome of the seedlings look familiar, but the brain cells aren't clicking. Is there you planted Gaillardia? That's my guess for the last photo.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
My broccoli started flowering yesterday too. Could it be all these 80 degree days? We've gotten two good heads and I hope for some more. But they've seemed to have decided that they will not get any bigger and would rather flower.
ReplyDeleteHi Vert.
ReplyDeleteThat flowering broccoli is really cool. No wonder it is confused after the ups and downs of our recent winter weather, it dosn't know if it coming or going!
Perhaps you could charge for your services and become a local garden tasting service for home owners with unidentified plants:)
Regards,
ESP.
I'm just so happy that I'm not the only vegetable gardener who lets food go to seed before she harvests! If I remember correctly your broccolli and cauliflower will sprout with some funky alien growths - that sight usually spurs me on to remove them from the garden.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty darn confident that last mystery photo of a wildflower is Gaillardia (Indian Blanket).
ReplyDeleteI would vote with the gaillardia too. I have them coming up everywhere. I'm sometimes concerned that some of the salad we eat is not really mesclun because there are bluebonnets and poppies and all sorts growing in the vegetable beds.
ReplyDelete