EARLY APRIL OBSERVATIONS

The month of April has arrived once again here in South Florida. It begins the two month period that I call the blow dry months here at the Sandpit garden. April and May here are consistently hot, dry and windy. Just as a blow drier works the warm winds evaporate all the moisture out of the soil and the lack of rain compounds the drying effects. We are in a drought here now and the government has imposed water restrictions. The next two months will require dedicated watering to keep the garden going until June when the rainy season starts up.

I have started getting away from containers for most of the plants and put them directly in the soil. It keeps them at a more constant moisture and temperature and seems to be working better for me. The containers have their advantages but during this time of year will dry out overnight. With the plants in the ground I can stretch a couple of days between watering's which can save the plants when away from the garden.

Anyway since we are speaking of Orchids I found this guy stuck in the middle of some other potted plants outside. This phalaenopsis Orchid is trying its best to bloom for me but I was remiss in watering it and it has been getting too much direct sun.

I brought it inside to get some much needed attention, kinda like Orchid CPR. I hope that it soon perks up and the when the buds on the flower stem open they will show its true form. This bloom was just wilted over itself. How do you say Orchid guilt.

I had last month brought inside some of the other Phalaenopsis Orchids and put them by a window so they get the morning light.

This guy is solid yellow with a tinge of lime surrounding a purple throat. It is quite simple but striking. It has been blooming for over a month now.

The Phalaenopsis like it inside in the air conditioning seems like. These Orchids like daytime temps between 70 and 80 degrees so they are much like people. During the heat you can bring them inside without worry to enjoy their spectacular bloom. They will get to stay inside while in their bloom cycle then get returned outside to the harsh world that is the Sandpit. Plants here have to be tough .

This Phalaenopsis Orchid has been around the Sandpit now for several years. I call it freckles.

It has smaller blooms than some of the others but is my favorite of the Phals that I have.

And speaking of the Sandpit raised beds the Jubilee heirloom tomato plants are looking really good. No sign of disease or other Tomato malady's that seem to plague the tomato plants here. I have been feeding them with liquid tea made from the Comfrey leaves. These are yellow tomatoes and so far so good. Of course by writing this I have probably doomed them but they look good for now.

They are growing amongst the Collard plants and both are competing for space. Maybe that is a good thing and the competition makes them grow better.

That's the sitrep for early April here at the Sandpit garden.

Just a reminder that now is the time to plant some Moonflower seeds. It is my unscientific theory that the Moonflower plants will bend Hurricanes away from your home and garden. Even if they don't the plants are super cool opening their white flowers at night. With Hurricane season just a short time away some Moonflower plant seeds will cost you a lot less than what your windstorm damage insurance deductible in Florida is. Urban legion or not I have never been struck by a hurricane when The moon flower plants were growing at the Sandpit. Believe it or not.

--SANDDUNE--

THE VENERABLE HILLBILLY ORCHID AND OTHER JULY STUFF

Mid- July seems to be the favorite time with just the right conditions for my oldest Orchid. It is a Dendrobium. It was given to me round six years ago when it was just a small plant.

I tied it to the bark of my Avocado tree with some twine and the roots attached themselves. It has been there ever since surviving hurricanes and freezes. Every summer it comes alive with purple blooms emerging from the canes.

Being a Orchid novice I put it's picture on the Garden Web Forum where a fella from Australia identified it as a long cane Dendrobium. He did not know the name as there are so many Dendrobium Hybrids.

I decided to name it my Hillbilly Orchid from a line in a favorite Hank Williams Jr. song. It seemed appropriate as the line from the song goes," he never called me by my name just Hillbilly".

Here is the link to the Hank Williams, Jr song video. Check it out fits in about right for these times we are livin in.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2043099/v40129884

I also got another mid-July surprise from one of the Orchids that was given to me from a Freecycler last year. This guy was identified to me by another Orchid fella as a Brassavolla Orchid after I posted it's picture.

This is the first time that it has bloomed since I got it. Several folks that know about Orchids told me this type needs lots of bright light . I was always kinda hesitant to expose it to the intense sunlight here as the sun here quickly sunburns plants. But I took their advice and apparently this orchid loves the sun here evidenced by its new blooms.

After looking at the delicate blooms and some further research I was able to identify it as Brassavola Nodosa also called the Lady of the Night Orchid. It's blooms give off a perfume fragrance in the evening hours, hence the name.

This Orchid is native to Mexico south to Central America. It was susposed to be the first Tropical Orchid to be brought back by ship to Holland in the year 1698.

Other new blooms for mid-July in the sandpit here is the Butterfly Flower. I picked up a packet of seeds for this Parennial and planted a couple back in April.

This one is up and blooming now in the garden. It is actually an Asclepias Tuberosa for those so inclined although it didn't state that on the seedpackage.

It's common name is Milkweed. It didn't say that on the seedpack either. I suspect this was on purpose seeing that most folks wouldn't purchase Weed seeds. Them advertising fellas got it all figured out.

Whatever the name it is a kinda neat plant with golden- orange blooms that seems to be pretty rugged. The Milkweed is susposed to attract the Monarch Butterfly but I haven't seen any on it here but there have been other Butterflys on the plant's flowers.

For mid-July the Florida State Butterfly is the most prolific at the sandpit.

It is the Zebra Longwing which seems to like my wild Lantana bush the best.

The Lantana bush I dug up in Jacksonville and brought back to the sandpit. It is pretty much carefree except for some pruning to keep it inline and not growing wild.

Lots of folks see the Lantana as invasive but I have never had a volunteer spring up from this plant. It is wild and produces seeds which the birds like. It covers itself with flowers and has one type of butterfly or another on it most of the day.

That's the mid-July ramblings from the South Florida sandpit where it is now hotter

than a June brides featherbed { as they say in the south }.

Oh yeah, Almost forgot it is now time to start some Tomato seed. I figure one seed every week from now till September will give a good staggered planting. That gives them about six weeks to germinate and get up to planting out size when September rolls around.

I am going to start some heirloom Jubilee yellow Tomato this week. They go back to 1943 and I figure to give them a try this year. I plan on putting them in the ground instead of a container this season to see how that will pan out. Yes I know that is tempting a hurricane to strike for sure but I will keep my fingers crossed.

--SANDDUNE--