Potentially confused plants waking up

The hibiscuses are coming back again! Grrrr-reat! Except that if I recall... it feels a little early?  With all this mid 80 degree weather I think some of my plants have become disoriented!

First it was the really cold winter and now unseasonably warm spring, I suppose I can't blame them for being in a hurry to get up and out and enjoy the heat.

Both hibiscuses are looking spry, though the Red River one's buds are growing relatively slower than the other hibiscus's.  I suspect because the Red River's in a shadier region of the garden.

The small numerous buds makes me think of sad thoughts of an acne ridden teenager (oh will those days never end?!).  On a happier thought, though some might contend this as something to celebrate, the morning glories are coming back up around it too, self seeded all over, including under the Red River hibiscus where it will wind its way up the branches and flower among more exotic looking flowers.  Almost like congregating with angels, hmm guys?  If they start getting a little too strangle-y of the hibiscus I'll just yank some up.  It's fun though to see the 2 different flowers on one plant though.

(you can see about 4 little morning glory seedlings popping up around the hibiscus base.  I think I saw yet more popping up later today)

More confused plants include the stevia/sweetleaf.  It that came back!  Dude, it's a zone 11 I found out (not a zone 9 I thought for a while) and so my super mulching methods worked, I am still startled to see it coming back and with so many numerous and strong shoots.  I thought for certain that there was no way it could survive that winter especially as I was convinced I mulched too late.  I have suspicions that the first year I mulched (a couple of years ago) I also piled LOTS of dirt around the base of the plant and so maybe that it some good increased protection to make this zone 11 plant essentially perennial for me here?!  Just to be sure too I did a taste test and yep, it was the painfully sweet stevia I remembered it to be.

Always nice to see things persevere in the garden.  Makes me think I actually am too, though I haven't been doing much work to help them along!

Stevia Concentrate

I have had a stevia (sweet leaf) plant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia) for over a year now and have been lucky that it came back after generous mulching on my part.

I consider it mostly a novel herb, as I am not in the habit of calorie counting, but the premise of a plant that evolved to taste intensely sweet (for what purposes?) is fascinating to me, and so when I remember I add to my herbal tisane mixes for a refreshing drink that doesn't make me have to get a cut of sugar or deal with gooey honey, but take a snip of the herb with my others I am gathering in the garden.

As I have a tendency to forget about it and use it within a good amount of time I always seem to end up with more than I need or it grows all rambly and not bushy like I'd like.

So this time around I know quite a few people who would appreciate this wonder herb and I've made some stevia concentrate for us all.

I used the following recipe from this site:
http://www.jeansgreens.com/stevia.pdf

Mostly I covered a large bunch of stevia I had with water, let it boil to the prescribed time the recipe listed, cooled, strained and voila, concentrate.


I made the mistake of tasting a spoonful just to be certain it was sweet enough and gagged at the ridiculous nectar-like ju SUPERSWEET flavor. I'm more of a savory bacon type of girl, not cakes and brownies, so I am sensitive to sweet. I mean, 40 drops equals 1 cup of sugar it says!

I only wish I had a dropper bottle I could use to gift this in so that people could measure properly. This re-used capers bottle is still pretty spiffy looking and I think its plenty for people who are experimenting. I wrapped a budding stevia stem around it to make it even spiffier :)