A Prickly Situation..

We have a prickly situation here....

 a Prickly Pear, situation.

This is the Prickly Pear 

(Opuntia engelmanii)

 I transplanted from the Deer Grove.

It has grown a lot, since then. In fact, this is just HALF

of it, when we moved it from the side yard,

to the Drive Bed.

This is how it looked last year,

This is how it looks now.

It's really spread out.

It's full of buds.

But, this is how they end up.

They try to open, but they get the life sucked out of them.

By these...

Hesperolabops gelastops.

In other words, Cactus bugs.

They suck the juices out of the pads.

See the damage to this new pad?

They've been making a mess, out of the whole thing.

The treatment is blasts of water, or soapy water...

or Neem...

There are hundreds of these vile little creatures.

And, they're fast...running to the other side of the pads,

when you walk up.

So far, I've been trying soapy water...

going around and around the cactus, trying to hit them.

More entertainment for the neighbors.

Maybe they think it's some kind of 'Cactus Ritual'...

So far, the bugs are still there.

I'll keep trying the soap.

Then, I may have to go to the big guns.

I'll let you know, how it goes.

The marks on this cactus are from the hail we had a week or so ago.

Can't do anything about that.

But, at least no bugs....

yet.

With gardening...

it's always something.

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

The Last Week....

The last week of August.

In my mind, the last week of Summer.

Yes, I know...even though the official last of summer is

Labor Day Weekend,

in Texas, the heat will continue.

These guys will still be hungry, and chomping my plants.

But, there's hope in the air.

Well...maybe not today.  It's forecast to be 102.

But, soon.

Actually, we've had MUCH worse summers lately.

But, age and other incurable conditions, have made me more and more

heat intolerant.  Just can't hack it as well I used to.

But, a gardener's gotta garden.

So, I hauled (with muscle from Mr P) some rocks from the creek.

I had an artemisia Powis Castle up and die.

So, decided to replace it with an agave Lophantha.

About the only thing you can plant this time of year is cactus, agaves,

and ROCKS.

I put extra ones around this to hold it down.

Things get pulled up here, if not anchored.

Speaking of pests.

Yep...Leaf Footed Bugs on the prickly pear.

Research says the best way to get rid of them is pick them off.

Sorry....not on a cactus.

This is the only cactus they're on.

I haven't seen any on any other one....big or little.

We still have some tomatoes getting ripe.

They set long ago.

No bugs on them, and the squirrels have left them alone this year.

Even though I haven't been too happy with the way the garden looks, 

all in all, it's been a good summer.

We sit on the porch every evening, once the heat lets up.

Fans help.

But, I'm ready for fall to show up.

Just hoping to keep things alive until then.

Stay cool....

Happy Gardening...

~~Linda~~

Foliage Follow-Up, June 2014....

The day after Bloomday.....

time for Pam's Foliage Follow-Up.

I'll do the same as for Bloomday...

photos with few words.

 'Gold Dust' Acuba

 Yucca 'Color Guard'....thought this was a goner...deer & flood.

But, it's putting on pups.

 Lots of figs this year.  We'll see if they make it to ripeness.

 Yucca 'Color Guard' in New Front Bed.

 Grass Bed from back.

Purple Fountain Grass, Lemon Grass, African Iris...salvias & yarrow.

 Grass Bed from side.

Mexican Feather Grass, Gulf Muhly, prickly pear and Spanish Bayonet yucca, rosemary, etc.

 Grass Bed from front.

Agave Lophantha in front.

 Sago Palm...this poor thing had a hard time this last winter.

Along side, in Fenced Yard.

Aralia, purple heart, lamb's ear, dianella, liriope, asparagus fern.

Filling in slowly.....

 Yucca Rostrata in Island Bed in front.

This is really growing.  I hope I'm not sorry about where it sits.

 Soft Leaf Yucca....thought this one wasn't going to make it back 

from the Halloween Flood.  But, it's looking good.

 One of my new succulent pots.

 The other one...

 Fits into the 'Tropical Corner', on the porch.

So, that's it for this month.

We have more foliage here, than blooms.

But, we like it that way.

Go over to Pam's, and see more great foliage.

Digging.

***********

'Til later...

Take care...

~~Linda~~

Blending Blooms and Foliage...Again...

Again, I'm combining 

Garden Bloggers' Bloomday

and 

Foliage Follow-up.

We've had some 'interesting' weather, lately.

87F one day, and down to freezing the next morning.

I'm hoping all this excitement is over.

I got out before the cold hit, to take photos.

Glad I did.  Some of the blooms were nipped.

See here's what we have.

The Crossvine is blooming.

Oh...this isn't mine.  This is our neighbor Elli's.

This is mine.

But, hey....two blooms are more than it's ever given us.

And, I have iris blooming.  

Thought this was supposed to be peach.

But, I'll take this pretty purple.

And, there are several white ones still blooming.

This Snapdragon volunteers each year.

Not where I would plant it. but it's pretty.

It's in a pot with pansies.

The little yellow violas have perked up.

Gulf Coast Penstemon

A newly planted Mystic Spires Salvia.

Our one rose...a red Knockout.

A Spiderwort I thought was gone.

Primrose Jasmine.

Jerusalem sage.

This is full of buds.  Love these Dr. Seuss-like blooms.

Now, for some foliage.

Mexican Feathergrass.

Agave Lophantha

Prickly Pear putting on new pads.

Yucca 'Color Guard'

The small Golden Barrel Cactus.

The large Golden Barrel Cactus.

Yep...that damage was fatal.

I think is was more the six hours under water, during the flood,

more than the cold.

And last, but not least...

new leaves and those lovely catkins (a.k.a. Brown Squigglies),

on the Live Oaks.

We've had the leaf drop...twice.

And, there is yellow pollen all over everything.

Next these little green things will turn brown,

and cover the ground, the outside furniture, the plants...

THE DOG.

It's a mess. 

But, I still love the trees.

There is more here....especially foliage.

But, that's it for this time.

Be sure to visit Carol, at

May Dreams Garden

for Bloomday, and

Pam at Digging.
for Foliage Follow-up.

***********
'Til later...
Take care...
~~Linda~~