PICTURES!!

Pictures - Finally!!

My Porch Garden:

The Wine Barrel: the whole caboodle:

The Heuchera 'Caramel':

Seems to be doing pretty well... hasn't grown too much, but may be becuase of the heat and it's growth rate?*

The Hosta 'Cameo':

All the leaves are drying out and dying. I read that Hosta's don't usually do well in zones 9-11, becuae it's too hot. So that may be why it's not doing well. I will continue to water it and fertilize it and hope it comes back.
















Brunner 'Looking Glass':

Looks to be doing better. Especially since there are so many smaller leaves appearing in the center. So I'm hopful this is a sign it's doing well!

The Hanging Plant:

Hasn't moved an inch. Doesn't look to be dying - but it's definitely not growing...

The Saved Tree:

Ryan actually got this tree from a Free Garage Sale. It was in a small pot with 2 fragile leaves on it. He brought it home with him and started watering it. Then I moved in and repotted it. It remained on our porch (with not much light) for about 1.5 years. It was doing OK. I wasn't very good about watering it. So about 6 months ago I bought a MUCH bigger pot and replanted it. Then I moved it off our porch to the front yard. It's doing the best I've ever seen it. So... when we move - we'll have a tree to plant!!!

I also bought ground covering plants to plant under the tree...

The "grass":

I don't remember what the name of this plant is. It was a lot prettier a month ago. It looks really dried out. I think the bugs or heat got to it. I just put plastic bottoms underneath each of the pots outside my porch, so this should prevent bugs in the roots - so we'll see who the real culprit is shortly, I think.



The green ground cover:

I don't remember the name of this plant either - but it seems to be doing really well. It grows really slow, but it's growing! It gets some shade during the day because the "grass" is taller and thicker next to it.



And last... and least... the plant Mom gave me for my birthday (Pink Kalanchoe)...



It was on my desk at work for several weeks, then I left it inside for several more weeks. Also, it came in a basket lined in plastic - so doesn't allow for good airation. So I repotted it in a bigger pot and put it outside in full sun. It slowly died... so I put it on my porch in full shade and it hasnn't changed in look. I keep watering it not sure if it's dead or not becuase the leaves are still green.....

and there is one flower left on it...

haha! Maybe I will prune off the dead stems and hopefully it will start coming back to life??

This is what it's supposed to look like:

I just found these tips for this plant:

They tolerate most light levels and they prefer temperatures between 50-70 degrees F. Never allow the plant to stand in water or dry out completely. Usually a once a week watering is sufficient. Water carefully near the bottom of the plant--do not water the leaves-- only the soil. (Whoops!!! :D )

After all the flowers have died, remove the stems and cut back to the second or third leaf below the flowers on the side stems (Will Do!). Repot the kalanchoe in late February or early March after the flowers have finished blooming.

The addition of a little limestone will also benefit the plant (Which I have, and will use this week). At this point cut back on the watering and do not fertilize until new growth begins. Then start watering regularly again, and fertilize every 2 weeks with a standard houseplant fertilizer.

I wonder if it should be inside and not outside, becuase it says to use a "houseplant fertilizer"? We just don't have any windows to put it next to!! Hopefully my porch will suffice.

Anyway, that's my small potted garden!

Oh, and as for the BUGS! I put plastic bottoms underneath, after spraying away any visible bugs. Under one pot I found an empty snail shell, 1 inch in diameter... i guess the bugs ate it. But I want to know is how it got there in the first place!! The pot was flat on the grass! Also, underneath the same pot were black spiders, and more on the way (there was a white sac of spider eggs - EEK!). I hosed them all away, but somehow the black spider kept coming back. Not sure if it was the same one - or it's brother - or sister!!! But it seems, unfortunately, it was an ideal place for spiders.... :/ I am hopeful the plastic bottoms will help!