Coming home I was excited to see the corn all sprouted, except about 10 of the 60 I planted.
Last night I planted white tepary beans by the every other corn mound. The other corn mounds I planted with rattlesnake green beans. The beans will climb the corn stalks and support them from the winds.
In between the corn mounds (5 corn mounds per row, 4 seeds per mound) I planted 3 different squash-like plants, Tohono O'Odham squash, yellow flesh watermelon, and dipper gourds. Each mound had only one species, 3 seeds each. Then diagonally the same seed in the next row. So I have 5 mounds for each species.
Something I'm excited about is I found a beautiful bloomed agave perryi "artichoke" and planted the seeds in a little home greenhouse and they sprouted right before we left.
Right before we left I planted some seeds from a few agave geminiflora blooming over by Wal-Mart at Pinnacle Peak and Lake Pleasant Pkwy.
Now I have tons of small sprouted agave seeds and not sure how to get them from seedlings to viable plants!
Another thing, right before we left I stopped by a nursery in Wickenburg, Cactus Ranch Garden and Nursery. It was the best nursery I've ever seen, by far. The owner Gilbert is creating a museum, and I'm pretty sure some of his customers have no idea what kind of amazing place he has there, other than it's beautifully designed.
I bought a pedalanthis macrocarpis (slipper plant), I put in the ground this morning
and a fire barrel cactus.
He gave me a cutting from a specimen succulent arrangement he has that is rare and gorgeous. Here's an image I found courtesy of this site, it's not exactly how Gilbert had it arranged, but close:
I'm excited to go back up with Lori and wander around with her there. I was so overwhelmed by the spectacle he has I didn't think to document it for the blog.
The heat also did it's damage while we were gone.
The red hibiscus I've been nursing along in hospice care finally checked out. Hopefully the roots are still alive and I can cut the dead wood off and let it come back.
I'm excited to go back up with Lori and wander around with her there. I was so overwhelmed by the spectacle he has I didn't think to document it for the blog.
The heat also did it's damage while we were gone.
Tragically, one of my very favorite agaves, the variegated attenuata burned up, and I'm pretty sure it's toast.
We hardly knew ye fox tail. Hopefully you will have just enough energy to sucker a new one.
Wow, I really enjoyed your posts on Athens, great photos. The whole economic crisis going on there, did it affect your vacation at all? Sounds like they kicked the can down the road yet again, but perhaps that is all they can do.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family and must be very proud of them.
Sorry to see you lost your beautiful variegated attenuata. I have one and it is one of my favorite plants. From what I have read from Arizona growers, most Agaves need some protection in the Arizona desert. You might think about some shade cloth structures or placing them under the shade of Parkinsonia trees. Gregg Starr is a grower and Agave expert, you might look up his nursery in Arizona and go visit him and see how he grows his plants. As I understand it, Agaves are mostly higher elevation plants--the cooler nights give them relief from desert heat and they are often found in open pine/oak forests.
Happy gardening and have fun with your veggies and Agave seedlings. You have a bunch sprouted! They look great!
Thanks for the message! I love your blog and it's the reason I'm keeping my blog! Sorry I didn't reply soon, I missed any notification it gave me.
DeleteI have a large sissoo tree that doubles as my rehab hospital. My new attenuata is doing great there! Along with a bunch of other plants. I'm going to put it in a different area, under the shade of a tree.