That bloomin' Banana

The banana, after two winters of wrapping it in Christmas lights, has finally started to produce a bud! I noticed a "flag" leaf comming out a few weeks ago. The flag is a small leaf that comes right out on the flowering stem. It looks like flag or the shape of your hand. I can't wait to see the stem and the blooms. The bananas are not very edible because they are full of seeds but I am sure they birds and animals will enjoy them. I may also try to germinate the seeds, too.

Tomatoes

http://www.burpee.com/text/content/email/2009_03_HeirloomTomatoes.html

For those of you who are tomato lovers, Burpee has a great collection of tomatoes.

We have had plenty of rain this winter and I hope the trend continues!

Spring is near. You know how I can tell? Last night the frogs were singing. This means that they are starting their breeding cycle. In addition, our last hard frost is usually mid-March. Its been so warm lately that the daffodils are blooming, the Asian magnolias are budding out, and the bananas have even begun to grow!

A chill.......

The banana is wrapped in the c9 Christmas light to help it get through the Winter. I hope to have bananas next Summer! I also found some nice 3 gal Sabal Minors at Home Depot so I purchased about 7 of them!

State Fair

This is a great reminder that its time to prepair your garden for the Fall. Its also time to clean up and spray the house plants that are outside to prepair them for comming inside. Purchasing new trays to prevent floor and shelf damage, too!

A chill is in the air!!

Its time for mums, bulbs, and anything else you can get! Winterize the ponds and rain barrels and clean out those gutters!

Low water lawns.

Even though I have replaced most of my lawn with beds of perennials that are drought resistant I still would like to maintain a small area of lawn about 30 feet by 20 feet near the street. I have been researching low water lawn grasses and here is a great website and provider of alternative grasses that are more drought tolerant than the common Mediterranean grass so common today!

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/catalog/product/27053/

Best Regards

Arthur
www.arthurinthegarden.com