After all the bolls (8) had opened, the plant began to lose leaves as expected. However, it also began to put out new growth, so we've tried accommodated whatever it seemed inclined to do. It's no longer bushy as before, but the new leaves seem healthy and it has produced a number of new blooms and bolls. It's diminished number of leaves seem unable to sustain the ripening of many bolls (there were 6 at one point on this second round), but it self prunes and now it is successfully maintaining 2 average size bolls plus one brand new baby boll. There are currently at least 4 squares (the precursors to blooms) and, at 4 feet tall now, for all the world it looks like it's picking up speed again. This continues to be an interesting experiment.
We keep wondering if we'll see Jack climbing to the top soon. We may have to re-write the famous tale!
Our little garden is doing well. I'll post photos in a few days. Unfortunately, we're having a terrible year for moles. I get fairly upset when they burrow through my flower beds, but when a series of tunnels appeared all through our small vegetable garden-- it meant war. So, essentially, I celebrated Earth week by poisoning moles (in the tunnels outside the garden of course). Drastic times call for drastic measures, but that doesn't mean I feel good about it.
Along those same lines we had been thinking of trying corn gluten meal to help control weeds on the lawn this year without chemicals. (Because of where we live, weeds--including thistles and other prickly things-- tend to take over if we don't do something to the lawn each year. Since we spend so much time outside, it's important to us to be able to be in the grass without being injured by it. Alas, further research taught me that corn gluten is only effective as a preemergent weed killer. If it's applied after weeds are well set it will only fertilize them. We'll make a go of it next year though. If you're interested, check out some information about the usage of corn gluten.
5 comments:
Did you ever see that 80's movie Places in the Heart, with Sally Field and Danny Glover and John Malkovich?
Anyhow, with you talking about cotton I couldn't help but think of it.
erin- i don't believe i saw that one. why did cotton make you think of it?
You'd have to see it...but in the 1930's Sally Field's husband dies...they are cotton farmers...and she has to try to harvest without him....anyhow...it's this huge struggle....good movie...would completely recommend it.
I'm enthralled with anyone who can grow anything - everything I touch dies. Plant-wise anyway, luckily.
rick- thanks! Truth is, though, that most anybody who grows things well does so because he/she has killed many things well first. I have killed many plants!
I keep saying this is my absolutely last year to grow butterfly bushes as annuals. (It's a shrub, but mine never last more than 18 months.) I've ordered an expensive one this year so that either 1) it will be sturdier and live or 2) the cost will break me of my addiction. check back with me next March to see which it turns out to be... I know that was way more than anybody wanted to know. Gardeners are like that. oops.
it is lucky that your death touch only applies to plants though. what a relief for your family.
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