Backyard orchard: take 2

It has been crazy around here lately, folks! Do I start every post with that statement?

The past two weeks have been especially busy, but I think things are settling down a bit so hopefully more frequent posts are headed your way! I have some projects that I’m dying to share and even more that I can’t wait to pick back up.

For now, how’s about a mash-up of what we’ve been up to lately?

First things first—remember the little backyard orchard we planted in the spring? At the end of that post, I made a comment along the lines of I hope they don’t die immediately. Well, I come bearing good news! They are not only living but thriving—they all have tons of new growth, especially the avocado. I got a bit more proactive in taking care of my little orchard and, in my research, found this amazing citrus forum (and tons of other garden/home/nature related forums from this site for all your plant & yard needs!). You can search by your particular plant and save threads that you like for later reference. In fact, I felt so empowered by the knowledge gained from this database that I expanded my orchard from three (blood orange, page mandarin, lula avocado) to six (+rio red grapefruit, meyer lemon, & mexican lime)! As the end of summer neared, all citrus went on major sale, but since it’s still relatively hot here and we don’t expect cold temperatures for quite a while, it’s fairly safe to plant this late in the game (I searched the forum first just to make sure-ha!).
This is my Rio Red Grapefruit--It may look sad to you, but that's only because you didn't see it when I first bought it. This little guy is on the up-swing!

My meyer lemon and Mexican lime are in pots on our patio for now—planted in a homemade gritty mix. They may end up in the ground eventually once we decide on a master plan and start a major backyard overhaul. For now they are both happy in containers, and if we have a freeze this winter, I can easily bring them in the house or garage for safe keeping.
Left:Meyer Lemon, Right: Mexican Lime

My lime tree is very happy. It bloomed and has fruit of varying sizes all over!

I have been hit pretty hard with Citrus Leaf Miners this year. Nearly every one of my new baby leaves has some damage. From what I’ve read, the damage is mostly cosmetic, but I’d like to get a better handle on it next year. I bought a spray, but it didn’t work at all. I need to go talk to my friends at Wabash Feed Store for their recommendations. Anyone have a fool-proof cure for CLM? I’d love to know your tips & tricks!

Moving along… We went night fishing in Kemah with some friends a few weeks ago and it was a total blast! I’ve never considered myself a fisherwoman, but it was a lot of fun AND, as an added bonus, we caught a ton of fish! We fished into the wee hours of the morning (we got home at 5am) and spent the rest of the day lounging around and taking naps. I think I enjoyed the lazy day with my man just as much as our night fishing excursion! Those are the best sometimes, amiright?

I said we caught a ton of fish...I didn't say they were huge :) Sushi for one?

My little brother and my cousin got their Aggie rings last Friday! This is a HUGE day at A&M—I think I looked forward to my ring day more than my graduation day! We went up to celebrate with everyone on Friday and went back for the game on Saturday. It’s so nice to be on campus and NOT have to go to class! I don’t miss college at all (if you couldn’t tell from this post). I’m very happy with my big girl life :)

One last thing: Our 1 year anniversary is in October!! I can’t believe how quickly it's flown by, but at the same time, I can’t believe all we've done in one year’s time. Since our wedding photos came in during my blogging hiatus, I’m going to be sharing them (and other wedding/1^st year related bits) throughout the month of October to celebrate!

Happy fall, y’all!