a note from the Label Queen

Okay, I acknowledge that I’m not great at labeling things.

But in my defense, I grow a lot of the same stuff year to year, and I don’t have a real need to know each and every variety.

And yet, similar to sesame, I do like to try some oddball things, not for cuts, just because why not.

I give a moderate effort in tagging & labeling those. But even then, I only try a couple of new things so it’s usually one or another, that I don’t stress when the tag inevitably disappears.

Such was the case for Snail Vine.

This photo belongs to Baker Creek, btw.

If you’ve ever read the Baker Creek Seed Catalog — it’s so gorgeous, like a once-a-year magazine versus catalog. The pictures and layout are oh-so-yummy. And they as self-described peddlers of rare seeds, they’ve got some really bad ass stuff.

So when I glanced upon the snail vine photos, I was captivated.

I do have a raggedy wire fence that is ugly to look at when sitting on the porch.

So I figured this would be a fun way to cover it up a bit, and try something new.

Plus the snail spines they leave behind would for sure make some interesting art come winter!

This photo also belongs to Baker Creek.

Just look at that lush vine and intriguing collection of thingamajigs!

So I tucked it in between a few of the bushes, and even ran some scrap baling twine up to the fence so that it could eventually scramble up the jenky fence.

This allowed me to grow the plant in a bed that already had drip tape, which in turn, ensured it’s survival!

And it seemed to take forever, despite starting the seed in mid March and planting out in late May.

But it eventually did scramble up the twine and onto the fence. And then took another month to start blooming.

The flowers looked real interesting…

But the craziness of the season meant I never looked back at the seed packet to verify or inspect further.

Such is farm life.

And as soon as things slowed, it seemed to set fruit.

Or I should say — that’s when I noticed!

I hadn’t expected a long dangling fruit, but then again, it was early fall by this point and my brain was fried.

Maybe I was mistaken and it leaves the cool spine after this fades?

As someone who admittedly doesn’t label well, it strangely also never crossed my mind that perhaps I had mixed things up?

LOL

No, of course not!

Nevertheless, I continued to watch it grow.

And continued to call it snail vine.

I’ve since sent an email to Baker Creek to see if they knew.

To see if perhaps…they mis-sorted the seed and I got something else by accident.

OMG. I cringe just thinking about having done that.

A professional seed company — and me — a self-described bad labeler.

DERP.

And bless their hearts, Baker Creek replied within the same day!

And they correctly identified it as snake vine…which coincidentally…I had purchased…from them… in the same order that I purchased the snail vine.

My work here is done!