Hooray! I've finally got an alive lawn again! Blast! That means it's time to mow it. All photos in this blog entry by Althea Peterson. I wouldn't dare blame another staffer for taking any of these.
I need any and all gardening and lawn care advice, stat.
The following is a series of pictures I took after the weekend rainfall, but before the heavy downpour of Wednesday (and our slightly slower by still welcome rainfall of Thursday).
Like many of my fellow Tulsans (I suspect, but admittedly have not seen first-hand), my garden is on its last throes. My lawn was falling further and further into its deathly winter look, despite my voluntary-water-rationing-rules-compliant watering.
Any and all advice is welcome. Please let comments, even if they're telling me the situation is as doomed as it appears:
Usually by this time of year, there are cascading blossoms on all of our crape myrtle plants. This year, however, these are the only blossoms around. And aren't they tiny?
My parents brought my Althea bushes (yes, because of the name) when I first moved in, and this is the first year they haven't blossomed. I hope they're not dead?
This used to be cilantro. I think. Hard to tell at this point.
It's usually fall before this happens, but this year, much like neighboring lawns' beautiful magnolia trees, the backyard tulip tree shed like crazy. So, if you see leaves in the pictures, I guarantee you that's where they're from.
I have never tried a fuschia plant before, but it was too beautiful to pass up. After a finch family failed to kill it when they attempted to nest there, the 100s certainly seemed to. I'm still watering it with rain and Miracle Gro water, just in case.
The dog in front is Edison, but behind them were once the most gorgeous accidental sunflowers that I've ever seen. They sprang up after the sunflower hearts (shell-free sunflower seeds) in the feeder weren't all getting eaten by the birds. The blossoms and the birds have unfortunately both vanished with the heat.
I think the fescue grass normally gives up during the summer, but monkey grass around the trees also?!
Don't let the green fool you: This geranium hasn't blossomed in weeks. It's in a pot thanks to a minor vole problem back in May.
The only healthy grass is exactly where it shouldn't be: between the cement cracks. It's getting Roundup as soon as it stops raining.
There is even more green now after Wednesday's rain. Yes, this means I'm going to have mow now for the first time in months. Oh well.
This pathetic pepper is the green bell variety, but wow does it look stressed. I haven't checked it since this photo. It's still green, at least.
Another pathetic pepper plant, this time of the jalapeno variety. Yes, I forgot to pick the peppers. I bet they'd make a big splat against the fence, because I'm sure not going to eat them.
If you are as bad at gardening as I apparently am, choose rosemary. This plant has survived a transplant operation, the minus-12 freezing temperatures of this past winter, and the 100s of this summer, yet looks as alive as ever. And it smells good too. Go, rosemary.
Yes, this is the weather dog I mentioned in a previous blog. He likes to run circles around the tree when squirrels are in them. There used to be fescue where Simon's running path is now.
There's hope where there's a tomato! Behold, one tiny yellow pear tomato!
These plants got taller, but never got any tomatoes. They are the better boy, big boy and cherokee purple varieties. And I really, really hope they can still yield some fruit. The little green plant up front is a basil plant.
Again, any and all comments and advice are welcome. My garden and lawn need you more than they need me.
--Althea Peterson
