Six on Saturday: April 2nd

Joining the Propagator and other gardeners from around the world (see the Comments section on the Prop’s post) for another Six:

1. Mulching with spoiled straw. Used up my bale on the perennial fruits and vegetables after recent weeding. Hoping that the mulch will aid in moisture retention during the dry months to come.

2. Dragonfruit (Selenicereus sp.) moved outside. Maybe too early? But I’m prepared to move it back inside if freezing weather threatens. My hope is that it will wend its monstrous way up the porch.

3. Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) planted out, after getting hooked on my skirt and dragged unresistingly from its pot, where I had fondly and mistakenly imagined roots were growing. Now doused in root growth hormone, its soil amended with cactus mix, and thoroughly watered, it has been planted outside, and we shall see what transpires. There is still a greenish tinge to the trunk that inspires a measure of optimism.

4. Desert Museum Palo Verde (Cercidium x ‘Desert Museum’) planted out. This plant arrived in the mail in far better condition than its counterpart, the ocotillo, and has put out substantial new growth since being potted up. The question of where to place this tree was troubling for a time, but ultimately I settled on the other end of the big perennial bed from the olive.

5. Overview.

The garden May 2020

April 2021

March 2022

6. Restio transplanted. This year, my Giant Cape Restio (Rhodocoma capensis) suffered damage from the cold, with exposed foliage turning brown. After a little research, I ascertained that this restio is only hardy to USDA zone 9 (we are in 8). Yes, it seems like I should have determined hardiness before buying/planting the restio, but I was distracted by its beauty and incapable of considering mundane practicalities. The restio was accordingly transplanted with a degree of difficulty to a barrel planter next to the house, where I hope it will benefit from the added warmth.