Geranium Blog

Geranium Blog Set For Wild Gardening Frenzy

I'm completely manic with new geranium projects this spring:

• Set up fluorescent light for rooting and seed growing
• Super tough scented geraniums - I'm developing a list of scented geraniums that gardeners in desert cities can count on. Stay tuned for these sizzling recommendations.
• My little online store is now operational. Drop by Sunshine Hill Gardens for scented geranium seeds and cuttings. I've got canna rhizomes, too!
• Scented geranium leaf gallery - 'nuff said.
• In the name of better organization, some of the articles on Scented Geraniums will be moving to the Geranium Blog over the next few days.
• And how about an update on Gracie the Grackle?
• Plus more, more, MORE preying mantids, deformed vegetables, desert tortoise antics, new scented geraniums and lovely pictures.

Squeezing Into The Sunshine

Max the desert tortoise fits himself into a little block of sunshine.

Now that the morning low is getting down around 70 degrees, Max needs a serious dose of sunning to get going every day. Sun for the tortoise is like coffee for people. Once he gets warmed up, he spends his time patrolling the perimeter of the yard and eating, eating, eating. The mulberry tree is dropping leaves right now and Max couldn't be happier! YUM! He eats the yellow ones first.

The Munching Mischief

Max enjoys a tasty appetizer of fruitless mulberry leaves

Max the desert tortoise accepts an offering of mulberry leaves to dissuade him from eating the rest of the yard immediately.

Scented Geranium Buffet

Newly potted up scented geraniums

I moved a bunch of scented geranium babies - the larger growing ones - from 4" pots to 6" pots. They are lined up by the back of the house while they adjust. Everything was looking great the next day except for one Pelargonium 'Brilliant'. Looks like someone had a tasty snack! The culprit is Max, the big desert tortoise. He went back under the shed to think about what he will eat next. Strange as it may seem, this doesn't bother me at all. If he can reach it, he can eat it. But usually he leaves the scented geraniums alone.

Looks like a salad to me!

Who Gets the First Bite?

Hot Banana Peppers and Juliet Tomatoes

These peppers and tomatoes are container-grown. I always grow Banana Peppers, but this is the first time I have ever grown Hot Banana Peppers. I think we can safely say they are vigorous producers! The same goes for the Juliet Tomatoes. They are described on the tag as an oblong-shaped cherry variety. The two biggest ones are almost as big as a Roma Tomato!

Tiny Elvis dines on a hot banana pepper

Tiny Elvis is a desert tortoise who resides in our backyard. We are growing a variety of peppers and some collard greens especially for the tortoises. They also like grass, tomatoes, gaillardia, roses, scabiosa, squash, and zonal geraniums. Fortunately for me, they are not too interested in the scented geraniums - just an occasional bite now and then.