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| Female Zucchini Flower Bud |
We have a female flower bud forming on one of the squash plants and it looks very much like it is a zucchini! You will notice the slight swelling on the stem, just below the flower bud and that is how I know that this is a female flower. The smaller flower bud just below it is on a slender stem and is a male flower. So far, Eenie seems to be a butternut squash and Meenie is a zucchini! No idea what Minie might be, but, I suspect it will be another zucchini! Moe is completely lost between Meenie and Minie!
Friday was a lovely sunny and warm (a high of 96F/35C) and I loved it! The house was quite cool in the morning, although it warmed up in the late afternoon. But, I was comfortable and didn't even need the ceiling fan on! I know, I'm a hot house flower! Which is why I freeze when it is 70F/21C! It's 94F, right now on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.; the high will be 96F again, according to the forecast.
I took it easy on Friday, because I didn't know if I had done too much the day before, processing the Asian pears, etc.
Gardener friend M arrived earlier than usual to tend to the garden, on Friday, and he started to prune the bottlebrush tree in the backyard. It had grown quite tall and I was worried that branches might break and fall if we have another wind storm. Also, the tree itself is leaning a little bit towards the house and if the tree fall, it might fall on the back of the house! So, I've asked M to prune some of the tall branches. This photo was taken on Saturday, after M started the process of pruning:
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| Bottlebrush Tree |
M has to climb up on a ladder and use a type of saw at the end of an extension pole to cut the branches, so, the plan is to do a few branches at a time, over the next few weeks.
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| Some of the Cut Branches |
I might ask him to save some of the longer lengths of the branches to use as poles to build a trellis or to prop up the branches of the peach tree, later. But, the smaller bits might have to be disposed of in the yard waste collection bin; not sure if my compost pile can handle it all! We shall see.
I gave him a jar of the preserved Asian pears and he tried a few pieces right away! He could tell that there was another flavor, but, couldn't quite identify what he was tasting, until I told him it was ginger. He took the rest of the jar home and said he'll return the jar next week.
Today, Saturday, I stripped my bed and washed the bed sheets, etc. They are hanging up to dry and I will remake the bed once they've dried.
I'm planning to have another relaxed day, today. Maybe do some reading and watch some videos. The library emailed me saying that one of the books I had requested has come in. I think I'll go in on Monday to pick it up - that gives me enough time to finish the book I'm currently reading and I can return that when I pick up the other!
Today, I am grateful for:
- M's help with the garden
- The sunny, warm days
- Working appliances
- Garden plants
- Relaxed days
Joyful activities include reading and relaxing!
How is your weekend coming along?
Your bottlebrush tree is so pretty! Glad it’s warming up for you a little! It is actually a little cooler here and I am so thankful! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mandy. I like the heat and am glad it's warm. But, you've had some really hot weather where you are, so I'm glad it's cooled down a bit for you. :) Hope you, too, have a lovely weekend.
DeleteYay for your female zucchini bud. It's a difficult job pruning tall trees, I have one in my garden that I have started to worry about. Good that you are taking things easy and enjoying your warm weather, it's still too hot here for my liking :)
ReplyDeleteI was excited to see the female flower bud! Let's hope it will get pollinated and there will actually be enough time for it to produce a zucchini before the weather gets cold!
DeleteHope the weather turns cooler for you, soon. :)
Happy Sunday. I’m ready for cooler days too. Regine
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday to you, too, Regine. To be quite honest, I prefer the warmer days! But, I know that many people enjoy the cooler weather, especially after a hot summer. :)
DeleteIt's too cold here to grow a bottle brush tree, but I've seen them when we've traveled. They are very pretty. We had all of our trees trimmed when we moved in here, but it's probably time to do it again. Another thing to put on the list.
ReplyDeleteIt never ends, does it? I need to schedule the eucalyptus tree to be trimmed, too, this fall. I have it done every 2 years or so.
DeleteThe bottlebrush tree grew from a seed from neighbor T's bottlebrush tree! I used to have potted plants growing along the side wall I shared with her and one day, a seedling appeared in one of the pots and I transplanted it! I had another seedling appear, later on, but, that died. The hummingbirds love the bottlebrush flowers.
Zucchini/courgettes will be planted next year. Lots of tomatoes and salad leaves throwing well. But unlike you, I find this heat debilitating
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll enjoy growing your own zucchini/courgettes next year. Don't make the same mistake I did and plant too many! Or you'll be inundated with zucchini! LOL! Glad your tomatoes and lettuces are growing well; my lettuces bolted very early in the spring! They are winter plants for me. I hope the weather cools down soon for you. :)
DeleteOh that's too hot for me. I really enjoyed the weather while I was in England. It was comfortable until the end when it did get a bit hot. Most of the time it was lovely to be able to sit out and enjoy the weather, not too hot, not too cold. I think I'm more like Goldilocks lol
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Sharon! Glad you were able to enjoy some lovely weather while you were in England. I hope you had a lovely visit.
DeleteLooks like you will get some zucchini afterall! I don't think I've ever seen a bottlebrush tree, other than pictures. Very pretty flowers, and I can see how it got its name.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my fingers crossed that the bud will actually develop into a zucchini!
DeleteThe hummingbirds love those bottlebrush flowers! There are not flowers on the tree right now, though.
That is quite a large tree and I am glad that M was able to prune it, but concerned that he had to be on a ladder and still had to use a saw on the end of an extension pole! Anyway I'm sure he was careful.
ReplyDeleteYour squash plants are surprising you with their different flowers!
Yes, he was careful and I kept watch from the doorway. If, at any point, he says he can't manage it, I will have the tree trimmers tend to it.
DeleteMama Cat has taken to sleeping in the squash patch and I am worried that she might damage the flowers, but, I guess it is cooler under the plants than in her bucket!
I always loved seeing the first female flower on both the squash and cucumber plants. Fingers crossed it develops into a pickable squash.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's rather late in the season to grow squash, but, we shall see if any squashes develop. :)
DeleteThat's good that M is undertaking the tree trimming and will get it done over time. It saves you from hiring a tree trimming company.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting tree, one I haven't seen before but have heard of. So it's an evergreen then- It's branches look like a pine. Is it part of that family?
Are the zucchinis, etc part of the 10 year old seed experiment? Wonderful to think you're going to get something to eat from those 10 year old seeds.
I'm very grateful that M is willing to prune the bottlebrush tree for me. If not, I would have to ask the tree trimmers to tend to it when they come to do the eucalyptus tree.
DeleteThe bottlebrush tree is native to Australia, I believe, and belongs to the myrtle family. There are upright species and the one I have is a weeping one.
Yes, the squashes and zucchini are from the 10 year old seeds! Not sure if they will actually produce anything, but, they are flowering quite a bit! I've never tried eating squash flowers, but, I'm thinking I should try them - that way, even if I don't get any squash, I'd still have harvested something to eat! I've some tomato plants coming up, too! :)