11:20 AM My poor legumes

I think my beans and peas are on their way to little legume heaven. The vines are turning sickly colors and not much is happening with their growth. Honestly, I think it's rot. They're container planted and they're in the only container with a tray to hold water in. Add in the weeks and weeks of pouring rain we've been getting and they've been well over watered. Not to mention that a couple of those hard storms broke many of the vines.

So I guess we'll try again next year or in the fall. I think I'm going to try the bush variety of many of those guys instead of the fragile vines. That or I'll try the vines in an upside down hanging container.

Unfortunately, my Sage is also not doing so hot. But my African Basil from last year has bounced back rather well. And so has my oregano. In fact, all of the plants I bought last year in seedling form are still doing well. The two trees I bought this year as well. I think this may be a lesson for me. I just may not be cut out to raise my own seeds.

12:43 PM The Oregano Problem

In my apartment complex I am not the only person who has an interest for gardening. My upstairs neighbor also dabbles in urban container gardening. From time to time we will care for each other's plants when we go out of town. I really enjoy this kind of community.

Over Christmas, I was home and so I was asked to care for his potted oregano. This particular oregano plant had been raised from seed. My neighbor prides himself on raising all of his plants from seed. I like to cheat and buy the plant from a nursery.

When I received the plant, the oregano was spilling over the side of the container nearly touching the ground. And although the leaves were a touch dry, the plant looked quite healthy. Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way. Within a couple of days, the oregano began showing signs of drying up. I was completely confused by this as my own oregano plant sitting less than 3 feet away looked Lovely.

(my oregano)

At this point, I just did what I could to keep it watered and hoped for the best. Despite all my best efforts, the whole thing finally just dried up entirely and began to die. I, of course, felt horrible for killing this lovely plant.

My neighbor has been back for two weeks now and has yet to come get his oregano. Either he has forgotten about it or he was disappointed that it was on its way to herbal heaven and just left it with me.

Just before my neighbor came back, I pruned out all of the obviously dead branches and left the ones which had some green left in the stem or actual green leaves hanging on. This morning I removed all of the dead leaves from the remaining branches. Boy does it look pitiful now, haha.

(neighbor's oregano after the death removal)

As you can see, it's not ALL dead. Some of it did survive, but just imagine that plant being full and lush and almost reaching the ground. It is a pitiful sight compared to what it used to look like. Although, the remaining green gives me hope that it can be resurrected. And Look! There's some totally New growth popping out!

(the small leaves in the middle are the new growth)

I always thought that I was incredibly lucky that I've resurrected my Memama's Ivy plant no less than 4 times over the last 3 years. But if I can pull off the resurrection of this oregano, then I may start to believe I have some sort of Gift of Plant Resurrection or something. It sure would be nice if in a couple of weeks I could walk up to my neighbor's apt and present him with a renewed oregano plant!