Thursday, July 16, 2009

Droopy and Dry--Plants and People!



This is what people in my part of the country feel like--droopy and dried out!!! This is the last of the zucchini--it sure was good while it lasted!





This plant came up in May and I have waited for a flower or vegetable to identify it but not even a runner has appeared. Anyone have a idea what this is? Someone who visited suggested Cantaloupe.






I have one zinnia plant left. It is in full sun and doing well while all the others have burnt to a crisp!



A close-by field of fresh cut Alfalfa ready for baling rivals the fragrance of the wonderful desert rain! Alfalfa flowers are a beautiful lilac color and also have the most delicious scent. When Alfalfa fields are in flower and a breeze is blowing, it is beautiful and looks like waves of lilac.



Rows of cotton thrive in our heat. Two types of cotton are grown in Arizona, Upland Cotton and American Pima Cotton. Upland cotton is a shorter staple, or length cotton than Pima, which has an extra long length. Pima cotton produces a more finely woven cotton fabric. This is Pima Cotton, at least I think it is.


I picked a couple rows of cotton as a child. At three cents a pound, picking two rows didn't amount to enough to get a ticket to the Saturday afternoon matinee, and in those days, tickets were only 10 cents for kids under twelve. Never tried it again! However, I did envy the regular cotton pickers' abilities. They could pick a sack of cotton in no time. My uncle or a hired foreman would stand in the cotton trailer to make sure the sack that was dumped didn't contain any rocks or bolls. That was a favorite trick of some of the pickers to up their sack weight.




My Orange Jubilee is still blooming and attracting plenty of bees and wasps. Thank goodness for Orange Jubilee for adding some colorful flowers to my droopy garden.




Vincas that love our hot Arizona sun! I plant these each June and they will last until I am ready for fall planting. Not much longer, I tell myself...but three months can feel like a lifetime in this weather! I just wish time would speed up in summer and slow down in the fall and spring. Winter can stay about the length it is because it is so mild here.

5 comments:

Julie said...

My husband loves to look at cotton fields when he goes home to Louisiana! After watchig that one movie (can't remember the name) where she plants cotton and they have to go out and pick it all in a quick amt of time, I never would want to have to deal with it. YIKES!

Your flowers are amazing...even in that heat. I am taking notes on what to plant here!!! I am a huge vinca fan...tey are so sweet!

Do you have Crepe Myrtle trees out there? They are blooming everywhere here and my Mom just bought me a small light pink one! I like the white ones best, so we are keeping our eyes open for them now.

I am so ready for fall to arrive. The only thing is that I like the longer days of summer! I get depressed when it is dark at 5pm in the winter...but those cool days...ahhhhh...I can just feel them now.......

kesslerdee said...

Isn't it the truth! This monsoon season has been pretty much a bust so far in Tucson. We've had some rain but not near what is normal. I'm dyin in a house with only a cooler and no A/C!

Pudgeduck said...

Julie- I wish we could grow crepe myrtle here-but no we can't. ditto on FALL!!!
Dee-Wish we would get some rain here- doesn't look promising though!

Aiyana said...

Pudge and Julie,
Actually, Crape Myrtle does grow here. It's hardy in Phoenix, but it needs moderate water. In irrigated settings, i.e., yards with lawns or flood irrigation, it does very well. 'Watermelon Red' is a popular cultivar for this region. Desert landscape xeriscape purists don't recommend it normally because of the water needs. It's hard to resist as the are such beautiful trees when in bloom.
Aiyana

Chris said...

We have a lot of the same plants. Your mystery plant definitely looks like a melon. Hope all is well!