Growing Season 2023
The occasional rainy afternoon and a gradual climb in temperatures have late-spring and early-summer flowers blooming in Central Texas. This rare extended spring, while I know has been disappointing in colder regions around the country, has allowed our plants more time to establish and grow before the heat arrives. I know the wildlife appreciates the slower build toward summer heat as much as we have!
This season we discovered a set of caterpillar triplets (hornworms, to be exact) nibbling on the butterfly gaura near our porch. We were able to look them on our Seek app and found out they were white-lined sphinx moths also known as hummingbird moths. I was intrigued by their description and spent some time doing research (page 223 if you have the Native Host Plants for Texas Moths book). We watched them grow into the largest caterpillars I’ve ever seen (larger than my pointer finger!). According to our research, once the caterpillar is ready to make its transformation, it burrows under the ground and waits for 2-3 weeks before emerging as a moth that moves, drinks nectar, and even looks like a hummingbird. Unlike hummingbirds, hummingbird moths are nocturnal, so the best time to look for them is at dawn or dusk. At our bird bath, we spotted an immature male Summer Tanager (learn more about Summer Tanagers), a young Blue Jay, and, to our surprise, what we think is an Eastern Screech-Owl.
Wildlife hasn’t been the only surprise this week. The tubular plants I planted this spring, like Texas Betony, salvias, sages, penstemon, and even hibiscus, have already been attracting hummingbirds this season. I was able to harvest seeds from the little leafy cups along the Texas Betony stems and plan to put them in the fridge for a few weeks to mimic winter, as they require cold stratification before planting them. We’ve been impressed by the longevity of blooms for the ‘Peter Pan’ Agapanthus, an African lily variety I tried out in the front landscaping. We waited patiently for the profusion of blue blooms that, while taking their time to open, have lasted for weeks!
Our new perilla plant put on huge leaves. Perilla leaves are a staple in South Korea, and ever since I saw Hamimommy cooking with it on YouTube, I’ve wanted to try them. I knew Korean summers were similar in temperature and humidity to our area, and I thought I would try growing our own. I ordered seeds from Kitazawa Seed Company in Oakland, California (read the story of their company here), and direct seeded them in one of our containers earlier this spring. We had a successful harvest this week and used them for making rice and fish wraps and served them with bulgogi. We also plan to make perilla leaf kimchi with them very soon. They have a refreshingly mild mint flavor that is divine!
Creating a diverse garden that attracts a wide variety of wildlife is key to supporting a thriving ecosystem, but it does mean more complexity when it comes to keeping track of all the plants and their needs. I’ve been using an online workspace called Notion to document what is growing in our garden with growing notes, photos, website links, my wishlist for future growing seasons, and a log of seedlings waiting in the wings when we’re using our greenhouse in spring.
I’m a visual person, and Notion allows me to see how combinations of summer flower colors might look together in one bed or area by tagging the flowers with assigned container/flower bed numbers or names. I have a tag for plants that are out of season that I will rotate back in for our fall and winter gardens. If I’ve grown the flower before, I use my own photo, but if not, I take a screenshot from the website where I purchased the seeds, or if it is a variety I purchased at a nursery, I do a quick online search to find out more information.
If you’re curious about using Notion, I recommend watching the YouTube video by Eugenia Diaz explaining how she uses Notion to organize her garden. She also has a discount code for getting started with Notion.
Now that my garden tasks have slowed down and I’ve organized my garden notes, I’m enjoying the show outside while I watch everything grow and bloom. I’m using this time to dive into a few nature and gardening books and audiobooks to become more knowledgeable about my passion for plants and wildlife. Below are a few recommendations for books I’m currently reading or listening to while I watch nature’s choreography in the garden this season.
Nature Obscura by Kelly Brenner in audiobook format (I love the narrator for this one)
Kelly Brenner also has a new release called The Naturalist at Home (which I’ve already ordered, of course!)
I heard about the book below from a blog I follow called Cakes, Tea, and Dreams: Savoring the Beauty in the Everyday. The poetry by Camille T. Dungy, and the description of her book immediately spoke to me.
In Soil by Camille T. Dungy in audiobook format
Gardening for the Senses by Kendra Wilson in audiobook format
I enjoyed this article and can attest to gardening as a great workout for your body, brain, and soul: The Secret to a Great Workout is in Your Garden! by Karen Hugg
Enjoy this season’s video, and let me know what you’re watching grow in YOUR garden in the comments below this post.
The music featured in the video is Growing Up by Raymond Grouse, Muted Rain by Amaranth Cove, and The Spring by Sebastian Winskog on Epidemic Sound.
WEEKEND READING
Libro.fm had an amazing audiobook sale for Independent Bookstore Day last week, so I picked up a few titles on my TBR (To Be Read) list, but I also found a couple of new books that looked intriguing. I already shared a few of my audiobook picks at the beginning of the blog post, but I’m sharing two others that I’ve loved so far.
Flowers of Fire by Hawon Jung in audiobook format
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh in audiobook format
What are you in the mood for reading during this spring or season of life? Comment below this post. I’d love to hear from you!
You can also follow along on my reading adventures and pick up a few book recommendations on my Instagram account @52SeasonsBlog
You’ll notice I’ve changed the way I title each blog post. After reading about the names of moons that represent changes in the seasons, I’m naming each blog post after a subtle transition in the natural world around me, such as blackberry picking season, bluebonnet season, blossom season, migration season, etc. If you’re interested in learning more about the names of the moons as they change in various seasons, you can pick up the Lunar edition of Taproot Magazine.
What’s my simple joy this week? Spotting the hummingbird moth and owl pretty much made my week, but I’ve also enjoyed finishing up some of the last garden tasks before we settle into summer (or what feels like summer) in just a few short weeks.
Purchasing items from the links below helps to support this blog AND some incredibly talented authors, illustrators, small businesses, and makers:
52 Seasons Libro.fm Audiobook List
I read once that if there is something that you want to do, but you're not sure how to get there, just begin.
Writing blog posts for 52 Seasons is a creative journey into the expressions that come from my heart: writing, photography, tending a garden, immersing myself in nature, reading stories from voices that need to be heard and sharing them with others, keeping a home, being an advocate and supporter of education and basic human rights, and sharing resources with others.
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