Christie C. NOTE: Sorry I’ve been MIA for 4 months! I have so many gardening adventures to update you all on! I’m an essential worker, so the pandemic and my full-time job have me busier than average. But, I still have been keeping track of my garden’s progress! I’m back on the blogging scene. Thank you all for being such wonderful readers!
May 18th 2020
Buying plants is starting to become an addiction! Thank goodness my space is very limited! I went to the garden center one last time for a bag of composted cow manure; I had been looking the cow manure for 2 weeks. It’s been out of stock during the pandemic, and even by the time I got to the store, the pallet was nearly empty.
I also decided to purchase one more herb and one more marigold since they’ve been attracting some really nice pollinators. After pruning back some of the leaves on my tomatoes, I could fit them on the front side of my garden bed. It might be a little tight, but the bed is deep, so the tomato roots should be fine.
I bought this amazing little plant called Pineapple Sage. And when I rub the leaves, it actually does smell like pineapple! Apparently, a lot can be done with it; I haven’t tasted it yet, but it is supposed to have a citrus-like minty taste that goes well with smoothies, salsas, and sweet drinks. I’m most excited about trying it as a tea.
In addition to some fresh new flora, I’m beginning to see so much life—especially ladybugs!
I’ve seen at least 5 lizards a day. The one that stuck out the most was the Broad-Headed Skink or Broadhead Skink . There was a male one lurking around my patio as I was pruning. He won’t let me get too close, so I had to be strategic about getting a picture of him. He’s a handsome fella with a crimson colored face.
I like them around because they eat the pesky insects. So they can hang around my garden as much as they like. They aren’t venomous and run away if you get too close to them.
I’m also seeing bunnies! They’re definitely around my neighborhood, but the last one I saw was huge shiny brown fur. I think he was an Eastern Cottontail, but he ran too fast. They usually dart across my neighbor’s lawn and into the bushes. As cute as they are, I’m ready to cover my tomato plants with a net to keep them and the squirrels out just in case.
I’m ecstatic about seeing more wildlife in my little yard. We used to see a lot of lizards and rabbits when we first moved in, but the last two summers were absolutely parched of any cool animals. The only things we got were carpenter bees and dragonflies. But this year, it was exciting to see an abundance of life. I’m wondering if my small garden has something to do with it.
I live in a townhouse complex where the homes are positioned like a miniature village as opposed to streets with blocks. So, there are other gardens in my neighborhood, but they are sporadic with most people making do with hedges and knockout roses (not that knockout roses aren’t gorgeous. I’m planning on getting some myself!). But, there aren’t any vegetable gardens until the next complex over, and other gardens are mostly made up of flowers.
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