Premature Spring

It was 80°F for the second day of this weekend. I had to spend some time outside in Pergola-tory. I trimmed the creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) back from the stones in the back yard, sprayed my golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea) down to kill some extra mealy bugs, sucked up some black widows with the shop vacuum, and chopped back the neighbor's bougainvillaea which was encroaching on my yard over the fence and loaded with aphids as I discovered. I didn't even bother pulling the aphid covered boughs through my yard to the trash can. I just lopped them off at the fence line, and let them drop into their yard, which is over grown and not often used except as a parking lot for a motor cycle. I don't think they'll even notice, and I will protect all my hard work and investment from pests. The shop vacuum has been more useful than I even imagined. After I trimmed the thyme, I sucked up everything that I couldn't grasp to throw away. For an urban garden, I highly recommend a powerful shop vacuum.

While I was surveying the yard, before I started any of the aforementioned chores, I noticed that the chocolate vines (akebia quinata) had little buds at each of their nodes. I was really happy to see that. They're in pretty rough shape after the pests, chemicals, and lack of sunshine during the Fall and Winter months. But, they're alive! And, even the one in the far corner that gets blasted by dryer vent heat and the least amount of sunshine has a couple of partly green leaves. I think now that they're established and the sun is moving back North, that they'll be great! I also have an indigofera in pot with much of the same issues. But it too has some life peaking forth.

It was such a nice day that I continued my gardening in the front yard. I propagated some bromeliads that had sizable pups on them and pruned the hibiscus. I felt bad doing it because there were buds ready to bloom in a could of days, but they were getting leggy and out of shape. That's tough love. I'll definitely share more of the front yard once the bromeliads start sprouting their inflorescences. I assume that they will since some of the pups that propagated a few months back have themselves started sprouting pups. That says to me that they're doing well, but I don't know for sure. The three original plants went in having already sprouted theirs, so all I can do now is feed, water, and wait.