Update

In the front beds, the cosmos continues to grow and appears to be thriving. The dwarf sunflowers are also coming up, as are some of the marigolds. Grass is growing back like mad, so I am weeding like mad! I am not seeing any chives or alyssum, and I've decided to order some canna lillies to fill in some of the blank spots and possibly plant seedum at the border to ward of the grass.

We planted radishes in 2 large containers on the front porch. They have sprouted! I am hoping that soon we can have a delicious radish salad to celebrate our harvest. I hope to grow some more radishes in the fall, as well as carrots.

Hope to get our raised beds in this weekend. Decided to buy potting soil rather than the cheaper topsoil. I don't have any compost yet, and I really want my plants to grow well.

My container blueberry bush came and looks adorable on our porch. It is very small.

I have plans to order blueberry and raspberry bushes and strawberry plants. (Our family loves berries--with whipped cream, they are a tasty Atkins-friendly treat.) I do want to test our soil's pH. The blueberries need acid. I may order a grape vine too. Many of these fruit plants seem to need years to reach their peak, so I feel some pressure to go ahead and put them in.

We've gotten started with our compost bin--hurray! We bought a hoop compost bin.

We have started some more seedlings in a little seed starter. Some of my seeds were so tiny that they needed bottom watering, including coleus and pink polka dot plant, good houseplants. We've got tomatoes growing that I intend to grow in containers. My ponytail palms did not sprout in a regular pot, so I am hoping I'll have more success this way. I really love growing things from seed.

Our birdhouse gourd plants have been started as well! That's what everyone will be getting for Christmas!

Our only problem is that the container dill keeps dying. I think I have been taking the seedlings outside too soon or something. I'm doing to try again and put it in a more sheltered location, I think.

IA seems to be really liking watching the plants grow. He likes to visit the sunflowers and cosmos and talk to them. He talks to all the plants. They are his "plant friends."