Archive | May, 2020

Indigofera Suffruticosa Roots

18 May

I usually don’t pull up my precious Indigofera Suffruticosa until grudgingly certain the plant has given up the ghost. Last time I pulled up IS was about three years ago when I got hit by a hard freeze. I lost all of my plants and did have to pull everything up. I remember that was difficult but they’ve been in the ground for three or four years. So this past winter I did lose a two year old plant, but the same vintage plants around it survived. So, here is a replay of the pull..

Two year plant succumbed to winter 2019/20 freezes.

So, the plant broke at ground level, not surprising since I have been doing spring watering. Rot has set in with the irrigation moisture on deadwood. So here is our second try at pulling the root.

So, yes, after two years full growth, the roots are deep. I won’t take a shovel to it due to its proximity to other plants. That root will stay in place.

And for those who remember my sad plant ravaged by caterpillars, it lives. Transplanted to a pot and spoiled for a couple of weeks the leaves are making another appearance. This will go back into the ground soon. It still looks sad but with the increasing warm temps and a permanent home in the ground it will thrive.

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Seasons of Indigofera Suffruticosa

3 May

The seasons move on and we decide how to spend them in the garden with what they have left us. I am working with my Indigofera Suffruticosa seedlings and getting them ready for the Texas Hill Country summer sun. I soaked the seeds in hot water overnight. The seeds were planted in seed trays about April 8th. The seedling pushed out in 80 degree F weather but slowed to a crawl with 60 degree F. The past week we’ve pushed the low 90’s so the seedlings are much happier and growing. As of May 2 I moved them from the seedling tray into larger pots and let the root system grow. It seems that with our hot dry weather this gives the plant the strength to grow and thrive thru the hot 100 degree F in the summer months when I put them in the ground.

Lower left seedling tray
Lower right combining seedlings
Top left larger pots

Over the winter my husband and I covered our plants twice to protect them from several early mornings of a hard freeze. Of all the plants that survived one succumbed in late April to caterpillars munching away on the leaves. I moved the plant to a pot to try and give it care but I think I’ve lost this second year indigo but I still hope. It is rather pathetic looking. Send healing thoughts please.

Finally, looking at my 1 & 2 year plants that we did successfully defend from hard freezes this past winter, the spring growth is pushing out from last year’s hard stems and is looking good. Sun and time will yield plenty of Indigofera Suffruticosa leaves for processing and hopefully seeds at the end of the season.

Excuse the spring wind, here’s a clip of the growth pushing out. I usually leave my dead wood in place early in the season so the hummingbirds can perch. Once I harvest the leaves in the first harvest in late June I will trim it back. Some folks have asked me what a 2nd or 3rd bush looks like. Here ya go.

Example of spring growth on 2nd & 3rd year plants
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