More plants

Eagerly awaiting the vegetables to mature enough to be eaten. Have been picking a few leaves here and there to have with my dinner.

Amaranthus cruentes is a wonderful lush plant that adapts easily to the rough mountain weather. Grows well in the pots and also on the flower bed.  I will report on the quality of the grains once it's ready. Worse comes to worse, if I found it unpalatable, they can always feed the birds. The leaves are wonderfully tasty though! The Hopis (supposedly) used Amaranthus cruentus for red dye, as well as a nutritious food staple.

The Fractal Broccolis are doing well in the wet, cool, summer this year. Usually, it's scorching hot and dry in August, but it's been very wet -- a bane for the grain farmers, but a boon for those growing vegetables. Still no sign of the flowering heads -- but I think they are getting ready to bloom judging from the way the apical leaves are bunching and clustering.

Bill

Ted

Very tight apical leaves cluster. Is there a broccoli floret hiding in there?

I definitely have to grow more potatoes next summer! Maybe several different strains. This one came from a wrinkly, old, redskin potato from the kitchen. I'm glad it didn't have to end up in the bin and into some landfill site. Perhaps it's showing it's gratitude by bushing out like a plant on steroids.

Bigger container in the future, Mr Watson! It's elementary!

Close relative of the Amaranth, the Celosia. The use is similar, but historically it's grown more in the Asian continent. Amaranth are more of a New World plant.

This is a strange strain. It doesn't have the reddish veins like the rest of the celosias.

Red Asian Mustard (Gai Choy), Red Beets and Swiss Chards are doing well. They should be ready for harvest in a couple of weeks or so. I should start a few more seed batch as they are pretty tolerant of frost, being cold weather crops.

Red Mustard, Chards and Beets in the longer trough, keeping company with the
Bolivian rainbow pepper, strawberry, lavender and basils.

Gai Choy

Swiss Chards

I did start a few other seeds just to see if they will germinate at all. I do not anticipate any harvest from them, but will be growing them early next year before the last frost so they can mature in time.

Okra

Pumpkin

Sunflowers are hard to go wrong ... except if you get freak weather that pound them to death, blow them over ... and being eaten by squirrels and mice.

Some new strains that I'm germination testing: Joker, Moonshadow and Paquito Dwarf.
The Tithonia (Mexican sunflower) seed is still pushing it's way out of the soil surface.

Peter's flower bud. Supposed to be good eating (taste like artichokes) but I think I'll leave this one be.

Cocot showing new side shoots

Cocot is showing tight apical leaves formation. Flower bud in formation!

Cocot : named after my best friend's nickname :)

Curly's decapitated stem. There's a slight bump that's getting bigger. Will it form a new bud?

The herbs are doing well. Borago officinialis is a favourite of the bumbling bees. Catnip is a favourite of the cats and myself -- makes a nice relaxing tea -- the ancient Romans used to use catnip as a mild sedative. Rosemary is sloooowly getting bigger.

Borage flowers maketh a good colourful salad enhancer. Nectar rich sweetness!

Nepeta cataria. I wonder if Thundercats also swoon with catnip?

Bolivian Rainbow pepper showing flower buds!

Rosmarinus officianalis

It's been rainy ... and then very sunny. The triffids are really thriving!

I'm starting to notice a change in weather - I think in a couple of months, growing season will come to a close! Then, it'll be time to obsess about mushrooms, and hunting, and fishing.

The stars of the show still haven't flowered yet - I guess next year I'll have to start them sooner. Bill and Ted the Romanesco Broccolis looks pretty delicious as they are anyway, so at least they'll make their ways to my dinner plate.

Bill looking sleek and glossy in the rain

Ted's sprawling out of his container!

 The ones that are planted in the ground are not as fast growing, due to not getting direct sunlight. But considering how *poor* the soil they are planted in, they are doing pretty well! Again, maybe transplant them once they have at least 4 true solar panels (leaves) might be a better approach for next year -- or even a dedicated vegetable patch that gets at least 7 hours direct light.

In a shaded flower bed - gets about 2 hours direct light a day.

On the lawn ground, under the spruce tree. Gets maybe 3 hours
direct light a day. Doing better than above.

Strawberry plant is getting very established. I think this guy will need to be planted on a roof planter if I'm to see any fruits.

Catnip plant is starting to jump up. Had them repotted after this photo was taken.

Surprisingly potent. Goosey Lucy swoons on this stuff. Vaska just noms them.

The lavenders are doing well in the wet weather, which is surprising as they are hot and dry climate plants.

Still no sign of flowers. I wonder if it needs some feeding?

English "Vera" lavender grows soooo slowly ... compared to the Dwarf "Munstead"

Dwarf English "Munstead" lavender bushing out nicely. I suspect I might see them flower soon!

Seeing how the Munsteads are bushing out, I repotted them together into a bigger terracotta container.

Munstead looks glossier and greener than Vera.

Peter the Sunflower was also repotted. He's looking really healthy and strong - I felt that he might burst out of the pot if I don't repot him soon! Looks very Jack-in-the-Box like.

Sproing!

Larry, Curly and Moe.

Cocot!

Potatoes will need a bigger container next year! I think the cut up rain-barrel will do nicely. I tried to repot, but changed my mind as I don't want to disturb any growing 'taters in the soil. I did poke my finger into the soil a bit and noticed a few tiny lumps. I wonder if 2 more months will be enough time to "fatten" them up?

The leaves look nice and glossy. When will it flower?

My alien abduction plants (dug out from the wild, that is! Can you imagine what they must be thinking? "Aaaaargh! Heeeelp! I've been abducted by aliens!!") are doing well, mostly. The Wood Lily should be ok to winter over in the garage, and the Indian Paintbrush have perked up. The White Camas looks a bit sad though. I hope it started to root and have a little rhizome forming. Couldn't dig deep enough.

Indian Paintbrushes. The seeds will be used for a prank project ...

Nice wood lily! I managed to prove Paul wrong by getting them to survive the abduction.

Finally managed to identify the mystery plant. It is Siberian Wallflower (Cheiranthus allioni) - hoping to be able to save some seeds for next year. So far I haven't seen any signs of seed pods... hmmm ....

Such a mis-named plant! The petals seems to glow neon-like in the sun.

Some in the rosebush plot

NEON YELLOW!

Even the ones in a shady flower bed flowered!

Amaranth are going strong, too. There's been a few aphids, but not too serious. There's some signs of the tassel flowers in the apex! 

Little tassel formation. How big will it grow?

The poppies are bloomin' their heads off! Definitely will have more next year.

I call this the Stawberries 'n' cream flying saucer.

Multi-petaled flying saucer.

Need a better background for this trio!