This week has felt entirely too cool for the time of year it’s supposed to be. When you think of summer in Southern California, it’s all sunny beaches and… sun. This week’s been a bevy of clouds, fog, and dew so thick that it watered my plants one morning. I can’t deny that it’s been absolutely beautiful, and that I much prefer cloudy coolness to summer heat. I just worry that my plants are getting confused.
Among the trees, there doesn’t seem to be any confusion. The Ginkgo is throwing out leaf after leaf, trying to set a new record for thickest canopy under 4 feet tall. I have a feeling it’ll win. It hasn’t gained much height over the past couple of years, though it’s gotten wide enough to block out a significant portion of the balcony. I’m very proud of it.
The olive tree isn’t one to disappoint. After I pruned two of the more uneven branches (each about 18 inches longer than the rest of the bundle), the olive rightened up and started filling in more evenly. I think the pruning cured some sort of tree-equivalent back problem. Now that it’s standing up, it’s been accelerating the greenery. The dew and mist haven’t been slowing it down in the slightest.
Over with the herbs and such, the mint is really coming into its own. It missed Spring for the most part, but has been making up growing time in the Summer. The pepper, however, went too strong too soon. I think it became a little too pot bound when I was growing the seedling on the balcony. I couldn’t move it out for a while due to the high wind sudden cold spots, and Winter seems to stretch on and on. Now the peppers are growing lopsided, way too tall and bending under their own weight.
Even indoors, I’ve decided to give the plants the misting that the outdoors were experiencing. I’ve transplanted most of my desk plants into one planter – a combination of red emerald philodendron, Burle Marx (potentially) philodendron, Boston fern, and piled. They’ve all responded by becoming much happier than they’d been in their own individual pots. It probably helps that they’re packed close enough to enjoy the humidity coming off the all the sphagnum moss. Previously they’d all been unsupported and growing in relative indoor dryness. They’re such tough things. I’m glad they’ve held on long enough for me to get around to transplanting them!
If you’ve got a garden you want to show off, don’t hesitate to write your own Six on Saturday post! They’re easy to make and I’d certainly enjoy taking a look at more gardens. If you want to learn how they work, check out where it all started!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you had a pleasant time checking out the plants. If you’re in the mood for more nature, please stay in touch!
Mindful Foliage 