A potted live Christmas tree I purchased a few years ago, and set outside in a sunny spot after the holidays, has started producing little pollen cones. I'd forgotten what variety of tree this is, so looked online and discovered a guide to identifying conifers. From what I read there, and the information fellow gardener Frugal Simplicity shared on Twitter, it looks like a spruce.

In my search, I also found this article about eating the tips of the needles! I'd never heard of doing so before.

Since I use the GrowIt! app (and am an enthusiastic gardener with a web presence), their team asked me if I wanted to participate in another sample plant program, like the Megawatt begonia one. I certainly did; I'm always up for anyone giving me free plants.

They arrived on Sunday, and I was pleasantly surprised at how tall, leafy, and healthy these coneflowers (Echinacea) are. I don't have many open spaces that get full sun in the yard, but I managed to find spots for all six, mostly around the front porch area. I watered them with a bit of Envii's Deep Rooter fertilizer, and will establish them in medium-sized attractive containers soon.

As I tended to my garden this past weekend, I conscientiously applied an insect and disease repellent spray to my roses, and to other flowering plants that pests are finding very tasty. Not having any of my homemade coffee-, garlic- and milk- based solutions on hand, I used a neem oil spray. It's not cheap, but at least organic.

Then I tackled the task of cutting back the hedge under the front window once more. It's a thick tangle of rosemary, sweet pea, oleander, jasmine, dark red geraniums, escallonia, and blackberry bushes. Halfway through the project I remembered to put on my new gloves.

Up next on the list, in addition to re-potting the coneflowers, will be scouring moss from the asphalt pathway and digging grass/weeds out of the cracks. This isn't one of the more pleasant garden chores, but it is rewarding to see the surfaces looking tidy, and it makes the landlady happy.