Sunday Porch Blogging No. 5

Hello chums!
Yes it's the porch-blog fantastique once again. I'll tell you one thing about a regular blog feature that you probably don't care about - it makes you realise how quickly the weeks pass. It seems like only yesterday that I was posting the first SPB and here we are on number five already! Notice too that my self-deprication has waned since those first heady posts. Indeed it would be safe to say that there is a now a discerable note of confidence in my porch-blog posts - well that will soon pass, don't worry. Of course the demise of this misplaced self-assurance could be sped up immeasurably if anyone cared to leave some suitably demeaning or derisory comments. (The shameless appeals for attention on the other hand will remain a fixture of the SPB for the foreseeable future)

On to business then! I'm pretty sure the tomato didn't suffer any lasting damage from tropical storm Alberto. To make sure the wind won't trouble it again I put in two new 6ft bamboo poles and tied it up very tightly. The tallest two vines are about a foot above the top of the bamboo, and they were the longest poles I could find, so I might have to top the plant if it keeps growing. There are lots of lovely tomatoes though, and they're getting bigger by the day.

The courgettes and squash are masssive now. Although the courgettes lost a few leaves after getting bashed about by the wind they seem fine now, there lots of flower buds and several look like they'll open soon.

The squash are doing well too, in fact they’re beginning to compete with the courgettes after a their slower start. I'm not entirely sure what to do with butternut squash to be honest, but at the rate they've been growing I'll have to find some use for them sooner rather than later. About a week ago the courgettes and squash took over the whole trough and completely shaded out the bell peppers. So to give the peppers a chance I thinned them out, moved them to a pot on their own and put them up high so they'll get lots of light.

All the other plants are doing pretty well. The rosemary has new shoots on it, the basil is getting bigger all the time, even the tree-fern seems to be thriving. Finally, there is a new addition to to the porch family. About two weeks ago my mate Meg came to visit and she gave me a jalapeno pepper plant, which already has two small peppers on it. I'll post a photo of it next week.


Mantid News

I found a second Mantid on my porch the other day - this one has made my mint plant it's home. I named her Myrtle, here are a few photos:





And finally, here's another look at MIlton. He's been pretty reclusive lately so this is the best shot I've been able to get. He seems to be doing very well though, he shed his exo-skeleton two days ago and he's much bigger now.



In summary then, breezes. And that's all the weather!

- Mr. Ed
(Note this entry was edited - quite heavily - on 23/06/06 by Mr. Ed)