Monthly Archives: October 2013

Tender plants take cover!

Posted on by

_DSC0138

According to the Weather Underground forecast for Ithaca, NY, the temperature will be dipping down close to freezing tonight. Mom has moved some of the tender porch plants into her back room where they will hunker down for the next five or six (!) months. These Begonias, Fuchsias, and Pelargoniums looked big on the porch but now that they’re inside they are really huge. Some will sulk and suffer through the dark days of winter.  Some will bloom straight through. Many leaves will curl and fall. But as the light and warmth return, these plants will live to see another summer.

What is that vine??!!

Posted on by

_DSC0295_DSC0289

Introducing the amazing and fabulous Mina lobata, otherwise known as Firecracker Vine or Spanish Flag. The question of the day at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market last Saturday (and for the last two months) was “What IS that?!” and who could pretend not to notice the humongous vine forming a curtain around our booth and up to the roof, and snaking across to our neighbor, Leslie’s, booth as well? It is a sight to drink in and savor before the first frigid night turns our Mina to compost….

Mina lobata is a relative of the Morning Glory that is also an annual, loves sun, and can grow 20 feet tall in a short growing season. We planted a little pot of Mina on each post of our booth with a wire leading up the post for support and off it went! From a July planting (so late!) we had giant green vines in August, but no flowers until almost September. Since then this vine has earned its name, exploding with more and more flowers each week. Thankfully we’ve had a warm fall without much frost but soon the real cold will arrive and our Mina will be gone until we replant next year. Let’s not forget to collect the seeds!

_DSC0293