I tried growing Naranjilla in 2012 in a flat in Hungary. The temperature in the flat varies between 72 and 84 degF depending the season. For some reason my plant kept growing upwards and it was foreseeable that it would hit the ceiling at the height of 8,6 ft. At some point I decided to air layer the main stem to make the plant shorter. At first, I thought that the stem of Naranjilla would develop roots even without a wound on it, just like the stem of a tomato plant. That assumption costed me a month wasted. My second attempt, when I made a wound on 2/3 of the circumference of the stem was successful. The plant had about a month of time for new root development. After cutting the stem below the ball with the roots, the shortened plant looked real bad for a month. The leaves were so saggy that I thought the plant was going to die. I think I should have given more time for the new root development before cutting off the top of the plant. Eventually the shortened plant recovered and continued to grow. To my disappointment the plant grew upwards so fast that the prepararion for the next air layering was due in a short time. I found this to be ridiculous, and did not wish to carry on. My plant kept blossoming for months, but it was unable to set fruit no matter what. I found out that Naranjillas are pollinated by humblebees in their natural habitat. The humblebees vibrate the blossoms for a short time and that helps release the pollen inside the blossom. I made a small device for vibrating the blossoms to no avail. Some time later I got fed up with the situation and discarded the plant.

I have two sides going so far--lots of seedlings going in the areas that look bare. side 1 (this was the 1st side I did back in March): And this is side 2 (I had a bunch of herbs and potatoes but decided to go above ground with those (I just threw together the wood planters from scraps we had laying around-now ISO soil): I have corn, greens, beans, and a few other sprouts coming up--I threw the straw down (from when I cleared our side yard in May) to give them a bit of shade and extra water---this side gets like 6 hours of INTENSE sun this time of year (especially this year). I have some raspberries to plant in the back corner on side 2--I'd love to have a little berry patch. But through research I've found very few varieties grow in a 10a zone (this part is all new to me) Those retaining wall planters are my next big project but the dirt is so compacted I can't even dig---but I'm thinking of just top filling it after I pull everything...just can bring myself to get rid of all my aloe and succulents that grow up in the shade. I'd love to do something vertical... (Side 1) (Side 2) This is the first year I'm doing this---I pulled the existing shrubs (2 10 year old hibiscus, a 10 year old rosemary, among others) all by hand and turned the soil myself---my husband's around to help but it's mostly a project I've taken on myself. I'd like to get a bit more organized as far as what grows where and when, more vertical growth, etc...one thing at a time I suppose. I've shown you mine--who's showing theirs? (I apologize for any typos, I didn't proofread this)

I found one today that looks much like the one in the pictures, except that it has vestigial legs (both front and back). I live in Southern California. It isn't moving quickly, though it's a little cool (I'm not wearing a jacket but I am in long sleeves). Maybe 65 degrees out? It's maybe 5 inches long. I first mistook it for an earthworm, but then I noticed that it wasn't moving much, and that it was a little thicker. Then I noticed eyes and legs! I haven't been able too find a picture, so I will try to post one here. Anyone know what it is?

Some of the numbers are still a couple of trips behind but I think that the species list is mostly caught up-- Missouri/Kansas/Oklahoma Red milk (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)------------------------38 Central plains milk (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis) -----------21 Prairie king (Lampropeltis c. calligaster)----------------------------8 (3 DOR) Speckled king (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki)--------------------29 (3 DOR) (and speckled/desert intergrade) Osage copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster)---------15 Broad-banded copperhead, (Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus)--6 (3 DOR) Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)------------------------------4 (1 DOR) Western Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)-------2 (1 DOR) Western Cottonmouth, (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma)----1 Western massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus)------------10 (DOR) (dead lifer) Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis)-------------------------------1 (DOR) (dead lifer) Northern Scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea copei)---------------1 (DOR) Western coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus)------------ 2 (1 DOR) Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum)------------1 (DOR) Black rat snake (Elaphe/Pantherophis o. obsoleta)-----------------12 (2 DOR) Great plains rat (Elaphe guttata emoryi)-----------------------------8 Bull snake (Pituophis catenifer sayi)---------------------------------20 (8 DOR) Northern water (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)---------------------------1 Blotched water (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa)-----------------2 Rough green snake (Opheodrys a. aestivus)--------------------------6 (5 DOR) Graham's Crayfish Snake (Regina grahamii)-------------------------1 Smooth earth snake (Virginia valeriae elegans)---------------------8 Rough earth snake (Virginia striatula)--------------------------------1 (lifer) Flathead snake (Tantilla gracilis)--------------------------------------4 (lifer) Plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix)-------------------------------1 (lifer) Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)------------------------13 (8 DOR) Collared lizard (Crotaphytus c. collaris)------------------------------11 Western slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus a. attenuatus)------------4 Prairie lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus)--------------------------------7 Gray tree frog (Hyla Versicolor)---------------------------------------15+ Smallmouth Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) --------------------10 Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)------------------------1 (lifer) Eastern Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma t. tigrinum)-----------------1 (DOR) (dead lifer) Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris)-----------------------------------------2 (lifer) Great plains toad (Bufo cognatus)--------------------------------------1 (DOR) Midland Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica mutica) ---------- ? 1 Too many to counts: Yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris) Prairie ringneck (Diadophis punctatus arnyi) (1000s) Texas brown snake (Storeria dekayi texana) Red-sided garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) Western worm snake (Carphophis vermis) Great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus) Five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus) Chorus frog (Pseudacris t. triseriata) Cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi) Southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala utricularius) Plains leopard frog (Rana blairi) Bullfrog (Rana Catesbeiana) Central newt (Notophthalmus viridens louisianensis) Uncounted species (laziness) Ribbon snake (Thamnophis p. proximus) Lined snake (Tropidoclonian lineatum) Prairie racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis) Fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus) Ground skink (Scincella lateralis) Ornate box turtle (Terrapene o. ornata) Three toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Common snapping turtle (Chelydra s. serpentina) G.P. narrowmouth toad (Gastrophryne olivacea) American toad (Bufo a. americanus) Woodhouse's Toad (Bufo woodhousii woodhousii) Northern Spring Peeper - Pseudacris crucifer crucifer (heard) So. California Southern Rubber Boa (Charina umbratica) 1 Desert Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata gracia) 1 Coastal Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca) 3 Rosy Boa (Charina/ Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca x gracia) 1 California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata) 3 California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus californiae) 2 (1 DOR) Striped Racer/whipsnake (Masticophis l. lateralis) 2 (1 DOR) Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes) 3 Red Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum piceus) 6 (DOR) Southwestern blind snake (Leptotyphlops humilis humilis) 1 Desert Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans eburnata) 8 (3 DOR) Shovelnose snake (Chionactis occipitalis annulata) 4 (1 DOR) Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus deserticola) 5 (DOR) San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus annectens) 7 (3 DOR) Spotted Leafnose Snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus) 15 Desert Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata deserticola) 2 Desert Patchnose (Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis) 1 (DOR) Western Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus l. lecontei) 2 (1 DOR) Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus helleri) 3 (1 DOR) Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber) 1 (DOR) Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus) 1 (DOR) Colorado Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes laterorepens) 2 Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) 3 Southern Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum) 2 (1 DOR) Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii) 1 Desert Iguana (Diposaurus d. dorsalis) 2 (1 DOR) Western skink (Eumeces s. skiltonianus) 15+ Western Zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus) 2 Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansbutiana stejnegeri) TMTC Granite Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus orcutti) (and probably S. magister uniformis also) TMTC Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes) TMTC Desert Banded Gecko (Coleonyx v. variegatus) 46+ (5+ DOR) Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii) 1 Colorado Desert Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma notata) 20+ Southern Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus vandenburgianus) Granite Night Lizard (Xantusia henshawi) 4 Western Red-tailed Skink (Eumeces "gilberti" rubricaudatus) 1 Orange-throated Whiptail (Aspidoscelis hyperythra) 1 Great Basin Whiptail (Aspidoscelis t. tigris) 5+ Coastal Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris stejnegeri) 3+ Mountain Yellow-legged Frog (Rana muscosa) 1 California Treefrog (Pseudacris (Hyla) cadaverina) 1 Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris (Hyla) regilla) 1 Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus) 1 California Toad (Bufo boreas halophilus) 1 Large Blotched Ensatina (Ensatina eschsholtzi klauberi) 1 Ensatina (Ensatina eschsholtzi klauberi x E. e. croceator (or x E. e. eschsholtzi?)) 1 ("+" after a number = counted to that number then lost count)