Thanks to my sister for the memories of a camping trip she and my brother-in-law took me on. It was a great reminder of how beautiful mesquites are.
I gathered dozens of seedpods while we were there at the lake and I've been germinating them six at a time, simulating the grinding teeth of wildlife by hacking my way through four hard brittle layers to get to the actual seeds.
I'm glad I scooped up as many as I did because, being an incurable fusser, I planted my desert babies in rich potting soil and watered them frequently (as any good mother would do) and I managed to drown several of my precious offspring. I figured that desert flora would be thrilled to have lots of drinks of water and nice rich soil. Not so, of course.
I've finally got it down I think. I'm planting them in some of that ugly concrete-like soil from the yard and in an effort to behave more like a desert sky, I'm giving them no more than a few drops of water a day.
Out of twenty four, I have about a dozen that just might make it. I just might be able to enjoy those beautiful bushes right in my very own frontyard if I continue to neglect and abuse them the way Mother Nature would.
3 comments:
Hi JEAN
Keep this up and you'll have to beat your way to the front door with a machete!
June in Oz
You're right June! And they bite too. I can't remember if they have thorns or just sharp branches, but they bite. Should be quite an adventure trying to bring the groceries in from the car.
I have 9 babies that are thinking about getting their second set of leaves now. I'm really excited, although since I'm an inveterate fusser, it's really a challenge trying to emulate Mother Nature at her most authoritarian and austere.
This year, my mesquite bed is going to be an herb/tomato/tomatillo bed, and I'll raise the mesquites in pots until they're ready to compete. I'm also going to dig up some of the volunteer daisy-like plants that are growing around my yard and add them to the flower bed too in an effort to go native.
Nine babies! How many machetes in your shed?
Post a Comment