Texas Hill Country Garden

Fanicks Pear Tree

La Feliciana Peach Tree

 

 

After the snow, when the sun came out, it was time to uncover the plants and fold up all of the tarps and old blankets.  Our basset decided this would be a good time to lay down.  So, I took a break too.  Sometimes, God tells you to slow down and enjoy your hound dog.

I’ve heard it said that one Barbados Cherry has all of the vitamin c you need in a day…They have a similar look, but you do not want to get these confused.  Chili Pequin is hoooooot.

We planted a few natives and some not so native trees this month: Mexican Redbud, Arroyo Sweetwood, Goldenball Leadtree, Mexican Buckeye and Mutabulis Rose

I think I only took a picture of the Redbud…It is tiny.  $4 plant.  =)

We planted this berm a few years ago to provide some privacy.  We planted white plumbago and white mistflower on the side that faces our neighbors so that it looks pretty from their side.  I look forward to seeing what it will look like when it fills in.  Must resist the urge to over-plant.  lol.

This is the second flush of fruit from this tree.  I think it is 3 or 4 years old.  We started it from a cutting.

The first photo is of a mature fig.  The second one of some immature figs on the tree.

The first two pictures are from August.  The light purple picture is what the fruit looked like in May.  This is the first year we have had these.  We bought them in March and they did not have any leaves.  We had faith and sure enough, they leafed out and even produced fruit this year.  I hear the mockingbirds will take all of these, but they are edible.

We finally put in a rain catching system.  This is our first barrel and it is 500 gallons.  It is located up the hill from the vegetable garden, so we do not even need a pump.  It rained recently and was full in about an hour!  Woohoo!

We bought our frog friends a lily pad.  They were skeptical at first, but now they love it.  Why did we wait so long to buy one?  Oh, that’s right.  We looked earlier in the year and they were $80.  We found one the other day for $20, and we had a half off coupon.

Mexican bird of paradise, Passionflower, Dewberries (flowers and fruit)

This is bee balm.  I bought it last year and planted one plant.  I always buy one plant when I do not have any experience with it.  I let it grow for one full year before I decide whether or not to plant more.  Well I love bee balm.  It is beautiful and covered in bees.  Next to it is dill.  I planted that last year and it made it through the winter and is a giant this year.  I guess it also spreads easily by seed because I have little dill plants all over my veggie garden.  They are easy enough to pull out.  I think I planted it to sacrifice it to the caterpillars…

Do you know you can eat squash when it is very small?  It is delicious.  Thinking about picking them small before the squash bugs arrive.

And this is a volunteer sunflower from sunflower seed we feed the birds…

 

Planted this tree last year.  It was only about 18 inches tall.  It is now about 4 feet tall and is producing fruit already!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update 4/30/2017:  Berries are gone.  Suspect birds stole them.

June’s gold peach, La Feliciano peach and Loquat

Agarita and Mexican plum

Plant something to draw the bugs away from your veggies.  These are monarchs eating Rue.  I do not know what Rue is really used for.  I just bought it at a flea market on a whim.  I’m so glad I did.  Feed the monarchs!

The bees love cilantro when it blooms.  This pic is from March and in April, they are still blooming and covered in tiny bees.

Had to take off the little fig.  It puts too much strain on the plant.  Thanks to my friends in the Rare Fruit group for the good advice.