Gourd

These gourds come from a "large bottle mix"... the picture on the package looks quite a bit like those ones that you carve into birdhouses. Since it's a mix, I'll end up letting at least 2 plants grow in the pot... it says 3-4 per hill, but also says to have the hills 8 feet apart! These should be climbers, so I have a larger type of trellis in the pot.

We plan on carving some around October, and possibly using them in displays. I was given a gourd curing/carving/art book since I appreciate what my grandpa does with them, so in several months I may get to try my hand at gourd crafts as well.

Lavender

This French Perfume Lavender was marketed as a container herb, needing an 8-inch pot.

I figure it'll balance the predominance of orange and yellow flowers nicely, as well as attracting pollenators. Hope it sprouts soon!

Marigolds

I planted mixed (red, orange, yellow) french dwarf double marigolds in a ring around the base of the avocado tree... it seems that something (weeds) was determined to grow there anyway (plus they help keep moisture in the soil, the tree is happier that way), so it might as well be something special!



These plants will serve a triple purpose... brilliant happy flowers, pest control, and a bright edible garnish.

Nasturtiums

One pot contains Spitfire Nasturtiums (bright orange climbers), and the windowbox holds Empress of India Nasturtiums (scarlet with blue-green leaves). These are growing faster than any of the other seeds, which is really rewarding! I plan on using them to spice up salads... the flavor has a bit of a kick, and both greens and flowers are edible.

They're prolific and easy to grow, repell certain things like beetles, and are often used as a "trap" for pests and will attract pollenators which is very important around gourd-pollenating time. They're definitely working at being tastier than the vegetables and herbs... already I caught a slug munching this poor Spitfire (far left leaf).



The Empress of Indias are in a windowbox attatched to the railing because they're more bushy than climby, and they're likely to be the most beautiful color so I wanted to be able to see them easily from my room. You can already see the red tint along the edge of the leaves on this 1-inch seedling.


I nibbled one of the spitfires... tastes a lot like spicy watercress, but with more heat!

Poppy

Poppies are a reminder of being home in the country, and will really go well with the splashes of red, bright orange, yellow, and purple in the porch garden. They serve no other purpose in the garden!

This seedling is 1/4th of an inch tall... already giving me glee!

And this one is about 2.5" tall.