New Plants and Texas Heat

We have reached the 42nd day of 100°+ temps in this glorious state of Texas. I am not amused, and neither are my plants. I admit that a busy weekend and general forgetfulness has caused some drama in the garden - I forgot to water the plants for two days, and that was a critical error.

All the hanging baskets were severely wilted, the birdhouse gourd I planted by the back fence crisped, and various herbs and large-leafed plants wilted and fell over.  Extensive watering for the next few days has saved everything (although the catnip has some permanently dried leaves, which I suppose I can feed to the cats) except the birdhouse gourd.

This is sad.

Trumpet vine hanging in there!

My biggest concern right now is the red oak we planted earlier in the year. It suffered the most, with all its previously bright green leaves totally yellow and crisp. The branches are still flexible and moist, and we've been watering it like mad, so I think it will be all right. My cedar elm suffered a worse fate years ago (neglected in a pot on the front porch, lost leaves, branches dried out, etc) and while we planted it thinking it was totally dead, it did come back a couple years later (miraculously) and is doing the best out of all the little trees today. I think the oak will do fine, as long as the watering keeps up.

:(

Everything else is fairing well. The plumbago and vinca are blooming again, and the purslane is thick and delicious. I had a branch of it in my salad this morning, and now it's asymmetrical! I will have to eat more to make it match again.

The greenhouse is installed and waiting for cooler weather. It can supposedly reach 120° + in there in this weather, even with the door wide open, so we'll wait for fall to put the shelves and plants into it. It sure will be nice to have that housing the delicate things this winter, instead of cramming them all into the garage like we've done in past years.

I'm excited to see more of the neighbours' plants too - they have this vine growing through the fence that has gorgeous purple blooms. I suspect it's a morning glory. If I'm lucky maybe it will go to seed and I can have some myself!

I installed tomato cages finally, after one of the plants fell over. I picked up the pair at Home Depot this afternoon, and while there I found more broken plants and lost leaves in the succulent section - this means it's time for celebration, for they always let me take the sad bits and pieces for free, since they'd just sweep them up anyway and put them out with the trash. I have a sprig of Elephant Bush, a pair of leaves that look like Jade plant, and a little piece of cactus which currently resembles a caterpillar. I hope they make it. I have the succulents in water to rehydrate and the cactus on very moist soil to encourage roots.

Tomatoes soon, I hope!

Sad plants :(

The caterpillar cactus

In other news, the newest member of the family, Lord Stark of Winterfell, is six months old this week. In celebration, we have purchased him a collar and a name tag. I suppose this means he's staying permanently; I don't know if that's a good thing or not!

Oh, last week - I realize I'm rambling here, but I promise this last bit is the best - I was with my mother-in-law at a nursery getting some portulaca and purslane, and by the register they had this weird cactus-looking thing. Being a total sucker for succulents, I brought it home. I don't know what it is yet, and am actually awaiting a reply from a local expert, but the thing looks like a series of pickles. It's absolutely adorable.

I have named it Picklepants after a misheard lyric from a song my husband likes. It's highly amusing and makes me smile every time I look at it. I can't wait for the current bud to bloom so I can see the full potential of flowers on this thing!

Great, now I'm hungry.