The African daisies have died...

[thrillingdetectivetales]

...as have roughly two of the Gerbera daisies. (Technically it's a half each of two separate Gerbera daisies, plus one smaller pot, but, semantics and what have you.)

Anyway I continue to be cursed with a black thumb for flowers even while the edible plants under my care seem to be doing very well indeed. Something (possibly the cucumber beetle I found on the smaller, completely dead Gerbera daisies) has been eating one of my lemon balms, too, which I don't appreciate. Here's a quick list update of everything I've got on the go at the moment:

• African Daisies: Dead. Both dead. No idea why. May have overwatered, could be that the weather was too up-and-down, perhaps they just decided, "Nah." I am at a loss as to the minds of flowers, as always.


• Bee Balm: Slaying. Looks happy and hale and hearty even with the sudden spike in temperatures, if a bit on the thirsty side. Have watered and cooed over.


• Boston Heirloom Pickling Cucumbers: Perked right up once I got them in out of the cold. Have been watering regularly because they get listless fast. Moved them outside to enjoy the weather.


• Carnival Peppers: Likewise planted seeds today. Hopefully they take.


• Cherry Tomatoes: Fine but listless. Repotted them to a larger pot this afternoon and gave them a good water and pride of place on the patio ledge in the hopes that a little outdoor sunshine and room to stretch their roots will help.


• Clemson Okra: Likewise perkier after a few days indoors while 40-degree temperatures had hold outside. Watering on the same schedule as the cucumbers and have shuffled outdoors for the same reasons.


• Dwarf Honeycrisp Apple Tree: Heart of my heart, she has eight leaves now instead of just the two she came to me with, and all have quadrupled or septupled in size since they first appeared. New growth continues to bud at the ends of her branches. Have high hopes for her. Have named her Enid.


• Gerbera Daisies (Pink): One plant has died completely, the other has lost a blossom. Am honestly not hopeful for its survival. Flowers continue to escape me. Suspect the possibility that the cucumber beetle I found on said dead plant may be the culprit and might have moved on to one of my lemon balms, in which case I will declare war on cucumber beetles.


• Gerbera Daisies (Red): Lost one of four blooms on the single plant. Am not sure why though suspect over-watering may be at play.


• Gerbera Daisies (Yellow): Single plant is thriving for no reason I can discern. Will continue to be mystified but delighted so long as they hang on.


• Hot Burrito Pepper: Continuing to reign as king of production. Now has three half-grown peppers in addition to the original little baby pepper (now full grown and then some) that I bought it with. Blossoms regularly and seems to enjoy the heat, so haved shuffled it back outside and given it a drink.


• Lavender: First buds appeared on one plant mid-last week but are finally showing purple!!! Second lavender plant not yet showing buds but otherwise appears cheerful and in good health. Have watered both and will continue unabashedly smelling them and making a general fuss about their beauty.


• Lemon Balm: Though both seemed to dislike being repotted a great deal, what was damaged in the move has started visibly die off and leave room for new growth, which is nice. Have also wilted some in the temperatures so watered them and moved them to a lower table like the pepper- and spear-mints. As mentioned, something has eaten a good deal of one of them. Plan to keep an eye on that problem and address accordingly once the source has been determined.


• Peppermint: Both plants appear to be doing well, if they were a little wilted this afternoon with the sudden thirty-degree heat jump up into the seventies. Have watered them and pulled them into direct but slightly more protected sunlight in the hopes that it will get them on the mend.


• Scarlet Runner Beans: Planted some seeds (beans?) today, will see how they do.


• Slicing Tomatoes: Looking a bit down now that they're big enough to need a cage for support. Tried to build them a smaller, more reasonably sized one but did not succeed. Have jury-rigged a makeshift support for the moment but will need to come up with an actual solution soon.


• Spearmint: Still alive but suffering the same sudden onslaught of summertime Texas temperatures as the above and not coping as well. Have likewise watered them and pulled them into direct but slightly more protected sunlight.


• Strawberries: Despite being absolutely certain I had killed at least two of them, all three strawbabies are showing new berries and new growth. Didn't water as they caught quite a bit of run-off from the storm today/last night, but did chat with them a bit and tell them how pretty they are and how well they're doing. Am beginning to suspect I must flatter the strawberries a great deal more than I have been if I aim to see them truly thrive.


• Sweet Mint: Arguably doing the best of all my mints. Watered them and left them in their happy sunny table spot.

Put out the bees last week and most of them hatched. Will have to stick my fingers around and check on the remaining cocoons but want to give them another day or two of warm weather to emerge. None of them have stayed, so far as I can tell, but I didn't really expect them to. One of them came for a buzz about my ears while I was tending to the plants today, which was nice.

I'm glad to have a hobby that gets me out of doors with my hands in the dirt again. If everything goes according to plan, I will have to actually start space planning my patio in preparation for full-grown plants. Berry bushes should arrive sometime this week. Package tracking has them on the 21st but things have been coming in earlier than expected so I live in hope.

Will come around with another, non-garden related update later, but this about all I have energy for at the moment. Ta!

Comments

[zippitgood]

So many plants! I aspire to that same ambition one day.

Also, cucumber bugs are the WORST! Look into preventive measures now. They ruined so many cucumbers of mine.