Bananas and Papayas, But No Rain

 We bought 2 bananas (. ) and two Red Lady papayas which have “perfect” flowers so we don’t need a male and a female tree in order to have fruit. Since one of the loquat trees, known here in central Florida as Chinese plums, was tipping over more and more, I had Grant cut it down to make way for the papayas. Of course, the sprinkler just barely kisses the easternmost one, so I’ll have Cooper adjust the sprinkler head the next time he comes. In the meantime, we are watering it every day with the hose. Please let the rains start soon.

The banana was planted over near the boathouse to replace the one I’d gotten from Spaulding which never grew. This is another place the sprinkler is iffy since I’ve grown tall rosinweed in its path. Another plant we are watering with a hose until Cooper comes to raise the sprinkler head. We planted the last banana just at the edge on the southwest corner, next to the canal. That one, at least, doesn’t need to be watered with a hose, but what the heck, we’ve already dragged the hose, so might as well water it too.

While I was deciding where to put the bananas, I realized that something had taken the tops off my native canna lilies. They’d bloomed but now they are just stubs. Hmmm, either the lawn guys with a weed wacker or my marsh hares. Not good. Some time ago (several years), I’d weeded the area and found 3 pieces of wire closet shelving, that I’d thrown against our neighbor’s fence as perhaps a way to extend it and prevent their dog from visiting our yard. Aha, I could cut them into 6 pieces and make an anti-bunny fence. Off to Steph’s to use Kyle’s tools. Even better, he cut it for me.

It isn’t the most attractive solution, however it if works, I will look for a fancier fence. Or perhaps the lilies will be big enough to withstand bunny chewing. While I was installing the canna cage, my neighbor came out to ask if his dog had been bothering my plants. Yes, the poodle mix Cappy, or as I call him, Crappy, is back. For some reason, that dog doesn’t like me, even though I have tried to be friends, keeping dog treats in my gardening pants pockets to give him. Every time he comes into our yard, he barks and growls at me. When they had moved out, I sighed with relief. But they moved back in. Who knows. However, I assured my neighbor that I doubted that his dog had done any damage unless he was eating the plants. I may have to find some more shelving to extend that fence after all.

My bunny fence around my sweet potato bed seems to be working. The marsh hare gets its head in and pulls out vines but can’t get all the way in to wreak havoc. I assume it was the culprit that ate my first sweet potato attempt this year right to the ground including the roots. Those were Georgia Jets left from my previous crop, originally given to me by vegan friend Seth. Now I have Beauregards I bought at Lowe’s. With the bunny’s help of keeping the ends trimmed, forcing the plants to bulk up rather than get stringy, I think I may have a big harvest this year. An experiment.