Monday, April 23, 2007

Updates on My New Chacala Flowerbeds

It is so satisfying to be garden here in Chacala, especially since I am now planting in the ground, rather than only in pots. I love having a real year-round growing season. But I am worrieda about the strength of the sun's rays here, and the intensity of the rainstorms during the rainy season.I have to remember, I am on the starting end of my learning curve here. I have been gardening for 3 and 1/2 years in Chacala now, but I still have alot to learn. I mostly watch what other people seem to be doing, and experiment with my own plants.Sometimes I am just amazed about how last things grow here. Especially the succulents. But almost everything grows very quickly now.I have to spray the dust off the leaves of all the plants everyday. The dust from the dirt trucks is pretty heavy. In my mind, i think the plants like having clean and shiny leaves, and clean and fresh blossoms. But who knows, maybe it's hard on them to be washed off. Or bad for them.
This is my newest little bed, which is only half planted. I don't know how I want to use this last bed. They are surrounded by rocks, and filled with about 10 inches of soil, over pickaxed clayish stuff. As the papaya tree grows it will offer less and less shade, and I don't know how fast the plumbago and bougainvilleas will grow. Quickly I hope.

The following two photos are of my first two beds at this house in Chacala. Things are growing very quickly, and I am getting ready to move things around. To plan different kinds of plants in each the four new beds. Based on their sun and water needs, and their tolerance for rain. I don't know how this will work yet, but things are looking pretty good so far.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I read your posting from May and saw the picture of the Jasmine and how it has grown, nice. I love Jasmine and glad it is happy living in the ground at your casa. Love, Mary