The Back Yard in July

The Back Yard in July
(taken at 10:40 a.m., from the patio)

"It's not fair", complained the back yard, "She's always taking photos of the front yard."  So, this morning, I took some pictures of the back yard, but, I didn't realize just how much the sun would bleach out the colors. 

These are the two newest plants I've acquired in the last couple of weeks:

West Indian Lemon Grass

Pineapple from a Rooted Top!

I had given M the money to buy me a bag of potting soil and the lemon grass plant and he gave me the pineapple top he had rooted and potted up.  I use lemon grass in my cooking.  These two plants are being sheltered under the patio roof overhang.

Out in the garden, the vegetables are trying their best:

Beetroot

Broccoli

I'm surprised that the beetroot haven't bolted in this heat!  The broccoli has bolted, of course, but, I am still picking tiny side shoots and the leaves, of course!

Zucchini

I'm down to three zucchini plants, now, with the fourth plant consisting of just one leaf!  This year's plants are not producing as well as last year's plants did (a different kind), although M said he's harvested quite a few squash from his plants.  I think his garden has a different micro climate than mine!  Or, he just waters his plants more than I do!

Okra

Serrano Chili

The okra seedlings are still deciding if they want to keep going or not (several have died out), but the serrano chili plant is in its second summer and still producing.  

Tomato Seedlings

The two tomato seedlings that I grew from seed seem to be picking up after being wilted for the heat.  I'm hopeful that they will grow and produce some tomatoes - I've no idea if these are from Roma tomato seeds or Early Girl!  I forgot to take a photo of the "wonky" tomato plant M got on discount, but, it is still growing, too, under the moringa tree.

The moringa tree is the star of the vegetable garden, right now!  It spent the winter and early spring leafless and playing dead, but, as soon as the temperature went up, it flowered and leafed out:

Moringa Leaves and Flowers

Moringa Leaves and Flowers

And, with the help of the bees and the hummingbirds that visited the flowers, it has started to set pods!

Moringa Pods Forming

Both M and I cheered when we saw the first signs of pods forming!  

The fruit plants are coming along, too:

Passionfruit Vine

The passionfruit vine has yielded four ripe fruit, so far and there are another four, maybe five fruits ripening on the vine, still.  

Peach Tree

Nectarine Tree

The peach tree had a smaller crop, this year, and the nectarine tree didn't have any fruit, but, they are both alive and well and, hopefully, both with produce well, next year!

Avocado Tree

The avocado plant had some leaves scorched during our recent triple digit days, but, new leaves are emerging and I think it will continue to do well.   It has a long way to go before it produces any fruit, but, I'm happy to have it in the garden because I grew it from a seed!

Blueberry Bushes

The blueberry bushes have more or less finished producing their berries (I picked three ripe berries this morning, but, I think they were the last).  They seem to be happy in this spot under the patio and I don't want to move them.  I might have to get them bigger containers, next year or the year after!

Volunteer Lemon Plant

Apple Seedling

The volunteer lemon plant (probably a sucker growing from a root of one of the bigger lemon trees) and the apple seedling I grew from an apple seed!  I'm surprised that the apple seedling survived the recent heatwave, but, it seems to be doing well!  

I didn't take pictures of the other fruit trees (the plum, the persimmon, the feijoa/pineapple guava, the calamondin, the orange, and the three lemon trees) or the loquat seedlings - the two that neighbor S gave me and the one that the other neighbors planted in the parkway (which M uprooted, potted up, and moved to the back yard as they had not asked my permission before planting it in my side of the parkway!), but they are all doing well, although only the lemon trees have any fruit still.

However, I did take a photo of this:

Asian Pear Tree

My Asian Pear tree, with its four types of Asian pears grafted onto the main trunk!  I planted it (well, M planted it for me) last year and we had a total of seven fruits from it.  This year, it looks like we might have a few more!  They are all rather small, right now, but, I'm hopeful that they will continue to grow and ripen without any mishap!  

As for flowers - there aren't many, as I am not focusing on them.

Sunflowers

Squill

Very Sorry Looking Guara

White Osteospermum

Light Purple Osteospermum

Pale Pink Oleander (which looks white here)

There are also some gazania growing near the persimmon tree and plumbago near the shed, but, that photo didn't turn out well, at all!  Too much glare from the sun along the side wall!

Plumbago Hedge

The green plants in the foreground of the photo are a mixture of day flowers (Commelina variety) and gazania.

And that is a tour of the back yard in July!  Hope you enjoyed the tour and the sun was not too strong for you!