Tomorrow morning I leave for Xalapa and new adventures, so I thought I should post a garden report.
Upon my return form my trip North, which covered about 8,000 miles, five Mexican states, and seven USA states, my garden was engulfed in a sea of weeds. Once I had removed the weeds this is what I found. One expansive watermelon plant with seven developing melons. Yes, the picture at left is of one plant.
The plants in little patch of corn I planted in early July have done really well and are now developing ears.
One cherry tomato plant survived my absence and the consequent lack of water.
Papayas are developing on the volunteer plant you can see at the right and the four plants that I grew from seeds.
So in my gardening pursuits here in Merida I have had success growing watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, onions and papaya. Pretty much everything else I’ve tried to grow has been a bust.
I expect greater success in Xalapa with its cooler temperatures and more rain. Once I find a place with a garden space I’ll see what I can do.
3 Comments
August 18, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Is that an “expansive” or “expensive” watermelon plant?
Xalapa is also the home of the Jalapeno pepper. Vanilla orchids grow wild there, too.
August 18, 2006 at 7:13 pm
That would be expansive, which may be a bit of an expansive use of the word expansive. Perhaps extensive would have been better, but I think I’ll stick with expansive.
It definitely was not expensive, as every watermelon seed I have planted has germinated.
Yeah, I’m thinking of becoming an eccentric orchid gardener. Xalapa is also know for its coffee, cocoa, university, and symphony orchestra, amongst other things. A fellow at the Excelsior cantina in Merida told me it’s also know for its marijuana. I think I’ll stick to vegetables and orchids.
August 19, 2006 at 7:52 am
Xalapa also has a great Anthopology Museum, with thousands of Olmec and other artifacts, and a nice building.