Re: lurking

I confess, I'm still lurking.  I didn't realize the list had dropped to so
few contributors.

My dock garden is just about at the end of it's time.  It's been so hot here
for so long, then we have afternoon showers, which just make it hotter.  The
combination of 90 plus temps and humidity, and things are nicely steamed.
The lemon basil was first to go, then a couple of pots of petunias, then we
had the storm and had to move everything to keep the seawater out.  Lost the
nicotiana and 4 o'clocks, even the marigolds gave up.  Nothing worse that a
collection of dried out, burned up container plants.

So I'm thinking about a late summer crop.  Thought I might plant some
tomatoes toward the end of the month, and more lemon basil.  Maybe some
other kitchen herbs, though the oregano, chives, sage and parsley have
managed to survive, and I think cooler weather will revive them.

In the meantime, I'm trying to save my miniature roses, the jasmine, some
verbena and a beautiful hibiscus a neighbor gave me. Sometimes I really wish
for a nice shade garden!  Lovely cool ferns and hostas.

And my husband is fulfilling a life long dream of growing orchids (under the
awning on the boat).  This is great, except the boat looks like it is
growing green hair, and he expects me to do most of the watering and
feeding.  He takes over on weekends, and presents me with lists of things to
do for the next week.  On the other hand, the vandas are blooming, and the
Lady of the Night (B. nodosa) seems to stay in bloom and wafts it's
enchanting fragrance over the deck as soon as the sun goes down.

The best news is he is so taken with the orchids he is considering moving to
land and getting a greenhouse for his 'babies'.  I will benefit, because
I'll get a kitchen, bathroom, and a closet, and best of all the rest of the
yard to garden in.   I read the post about 4 o'clocks last week and thought
how wonderful it would be to grow them again; they're one of my favorites.

So, if I end up with a real garden, I'll probably start quizzing you guys
for ideas, especially those of you in our hot, humid, very looooong summers.

Any body do fall gardens?  I know many of you have suffered with more rain
than you can handle; are you thinking about doing a fall planting?
Unfortunately, most of the things I planted in the fall in Colorado won't
take the heat here, so I'll have to be creative.

Where there's a will, there's a way!

Scottie
Texas Gulf Coast
(still) aboard Betelgeuse
docked in Kemah, Texas

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