Hey all!

I pop in from time to time to check out some pics, but have been really busy with work, my garden, and volunteering in the kids' preschool garden. Thanks so much to Tom for the purple podded pole beans. Didn't end up using them this semester, but stashed them away for next fall. They should be a good thing I can start with the kids in September while we wait for the temps to drop for cool weather plants. It has been a lot of fun for me and the kids. And their garden is doing better than mine! LOL! But that's good. They've picked radishes and beans. Have huge sunflowers and zinnias. And peppers and eggplant are starting and should be able to pick carrots too before school's out.

At home, my big projects have been adding some bahamia cassia and a walter's viburnum, and starting my succulent garden. It currently has prickly pear, agave, red yucca, and dessert rose. Everything's small, but doing good.

Today I picked up some cosmos and a miniFamous Calibrachoa off the clearance rack at Lowes (love the clearance rack for annuals). Anyone have any experience with those? I just was going for cheap color. All my perineals have ended up being yellow. :) I do love a yellow flower, but needed to spice it up with some purples!

Believe it or not, I have blackberries producing! Yes, in zone 10! I was shocked. Bought them off clearance last year for $2 a piece just thinking for that price it was worth a try. ....so far so good. What's not so good is my Emerald blueberry bush. My Sunshine Blue and Misty Blue are fine! They budded and I plucked those since it was their first year, trying my best to follow bamboorabit's advice. But in the last few weeks the Emerald has lost all leaves and is just a bunch of sticks! Am I going to lose it? Anything I should/could do? I fertilize with the MiracleGrow for acid lovers once a month, tbsp. I've been watering every day or every other day, because we're getting no rain. It's well weeded. I just don't know what happened.

Last question, I have four hibiscus on the property that were here before I was. :) None of them are very pretty. they are in different locations. All get about a half day of sun. One, probably less. All are leggy and rarely flower. I tried looking on the hibiscus forum, and got so overwhelmed with the complicated stuff that I thought I needed to just pull them all if they are that much work. Anyone have some easy advice for a lazy gardener? ;) I have ferterlized with the acid loving stuff I use on the blueberries about 4 times a year. I covered one of them for our one cold night this winter, but it's as sad as the others.

My spring veggie garden went ok. Tomatoes were great. I did Early Girl, Roma, Jelly Bean, Better Boy, and Better Bush. Have done really good, and I'm still getting 'maters from my Beefsteak from the fall that's in ground!!! I've gotten a few summer squash, but still had a lot of problems with my plants. Got a lot of beans! I've started some Everglades tomatoes, again thanks to Tom, and Seminole squash for this summer. But after all the gardening at preschool and home, I'm kind of looking forward to a few months of less gardening. :)

Becca

Oh, one last thing, I've applied for a grant for the preschool garden! Cross your fingers for us. I really need some more planter boxes!!! The kids just love it and I hate limiting them when they are so into it. I've just gotten such great feed back from teachers, parents, and most importantly the kids! It's so cool! Wish us luck!