Saturday Gardening Thread: Double, double toil and trouble [Y-not and KT]

Y-not: Greetings, gardeners!

1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
3 WITCH. Harpier cries:--'tis time! 'tis time!
1 WITCH. Round about the caldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.--
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
ALL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
--W. Shakespeare, Macbeth

In honor of the day, how about some Smashing Pumpkins?

Where were you in 1979?

My contribution this week is a CONTEST. (In other words, I'm copping out and not giving you much content!) Winner gets an all-expense paid* trip to the dumpster in the alley behind Ace's apartment.

*Send your check paying for this glorious trip payable to me at Acme Hobo Vacations in Schenectady, New York.

Now, for the contest. Identify this tree which I spotted during a walk last week.

Here's the bark:

Here are the leaves:

Here is another structure (a flower perhaps?):

Here is a fruit (or pod, perhaps?). It was about the size of a golf ball:

Finally, here's the whole tree viewed from a distance:

Name the tree.

Answer here: Hey, if I knew the answer, I wouldn't need to hold this contest!

Winners will be announced at midnight tonight.

Now for some actual content, let's hear from KT:

Happy Halloween, Horde! Whether you are getting ready for a festive night or trying to figure out ways to hide from bad witches and kids in costumes, the Old Farmers Almanac has an assortment of Halloween trivia, recipes and crafts that might interest you. There is still time to make your own pumpkin spice mix.

But it is probably too late to turn your dog into a Chia Pet for that big party tonight. None of our dogs is small enough to leave on the windowsill while those little microgreens color up, so I have not tried this myself.

Has anybody tasted Chia Microgreens? I can find growing instructions, but not a description of the flavor. Is there a good reason for this?

Salvia hispanica is the species of sage whose seed is generally sold as Chia. It is suited to making Chia Pets because the seeds form a slimy gel in water. This allows them to stick to the clay figurines. The gel has been used in beverages for centuries and is now used to make things like gluten-free chocolate pudding and slimy concoctions to scare blindfolded kids on Halloween.

The seeds are also eaten dry, often ground with other ingredients. The Tarahumara Indians are famous for running long distances, allegedly fueled by small amounts of such mixtures. You need to be careful to drink fluids along with the dry seeds, so they do not suck moisture from your innards. There is a lot of doubtful information out there about chia as a "superfood". But it has some healthy attributes.

Chia is an annual sage which is short-day flowering, so it may not produce seed in northern climates. It is grown commercially at intermediate elevations, as in Arizona and Kentucky. An early-flowering type was developed in 2012 to improve yields. Eden Brothers sells seed of S. hispanics.

Gardeners should be aware that "Many plants cultivated as S. hispanica are actually Salvia lavandulifolia", a perennial sage native to Spain and southern France. Gardeners in Europe appreciate this small-growing sage in the dry garden. It is closely related to common kitchen sage, but has narrow foliage (more like lavender). It is used as seasoning in Spain and sometimes has overtones of Rosemary. It is also used in the "scent industry".

A few other species of Salvia were also used for edible seed in the past, like S. hispanica. Salvia columbariae is the one identified as "chia" by the USDA. It is sometimes still gathered as "golden chia" or "desert chia". Various tribes in the Southwest used the seeds for disinfecting wounds and for removing foreign objects from the eye. If you are thinking about growing it in the garden, note that "California sage smells distinctly skunky". It is not grown commercially for food.

Well, enough about ancient subsistence foods. This is a holiday. Last week, we discussed two plants for witches who are just learning to garden. I have found the subject of magical gardening to be strange, but fascinating. What is the difference between a hedge witch, a kitchen witch and a green witch? Does the land really appreciate a gift of tobacco tucked into the soil when you harvest?

Today, I thought we could learn about a plant for witches with intermediate garden experience. I would never grow it myself. But since it is naturalized in parts of the country, this plant could show up in some of our gardens uninvited.

Belladonna -- Deadly Nightshade

"In gardens, beauty is a by-product. The main business is sex and death."
Sam Llewellyn, storyteller

Heavy on the "death" aspect, in the case of Atropa belladonna. Considering its deadliness, this plant plays a surprising role in current popular culture. Or maybe it is not so surprising, considering the nihilism abroad in the land.

"For many, the star of the poison plants. Most people have heard of deadly nightshade even if they have never seen it. The combination of its ability to kill with its use to beautify by dilating the pupils gives it a romantic attraction which is hard to beat. Add to that the hallucinations it may also cause and its fascination is complete." This 121-second video provides a nice factual summary on the plant.

Many poisonous berries taste nasty, but not Deadly Nightshade. Unfortunately, the berries are also the most attractive feature of the plant.

Atropa belladonna has a reputation for springing up unbidden in places like woodlands, old quarries and along cemetery walls. But it can be a challenge to grow where you want it, partly because the seed can take a really, really long time to germinate when not fresh. Slate has growing directions if you want it in your perennial border. A celebrity plant!

I think deadly nightshade flowers look quite mundane, in a depressing color. Yet they are the frequent subject of beautifully exaggerated, stylized illustrations. These are often used as inspiration for tattoos. But if you also feel moved to dance naked in front this plant, you may be a witch.

A. belladonna was widely used medicinally in the past, and is still available in many herbal and homeopathic preparations. Though these terms are often used interchangeably, the safety concerns with herbal preparations of this plant are more important than with true homeopathic preparations, which use extreme dilutions. Among the unapproved homeopathic uses of A. belladonna, according to the NIH, are tantrums and whining, pinching and biting and speech therapy.

Because of the relatively small difference between therapeutic and dangerous doses of the active substances in Deadly Nightshade, I would prefer to use a standardized pharmaceutical product than an herbal product. A true homeopathic product might not help with kicking and screaming, but it would not pose the same potential danger as an herbal product. The latter could contain a real dose of the herb.

The active agents in belladonna; atropine, hyoscine (scopolamine), and hyoscyanime; have anticholinergic properties. Deadly symptoms are caused by atropine disrupting the ability of the parasympathetic nervous system to regulate involuntary activities, such as sweating, breathing, and heart rate. On the other hand, among the many medical uses of atropine is formulation for an autoinjector to counteract nerve poisoning.

(Citation here.)

In addition to its use on poison arrows, Deadly Nightshade was once used for assassination because food tasters and others can build up an immunity to its effects. Plus, the berries do not taste bad. Several historically important poisonings are attributed to this plant.

More recently, the Swiss nurse who used it to murder patients had apparently experimented on herself first and built up tolerance. She then experimented on patients to see if she could bring them back from the brink of death before finally killing them.

Years ago, when J.L. Hudson did not even have a telephone, I saw in his seed catalog a note that Macbeth used deadly nightshade to kill an invading army of Danes. There are historical records which relate this story. But historians now seem to believe that it was Duncan I who was responsible for the poisoning. Macbeth, then a general loyal to Duncan, had his army waiting nearby. They participated in the slaughter of the incapacitated Danes.

But back to 2015, when symptoms of overdose with this plant are much too obvious to make it a good murder weapon. A gothic writer has suggested (with an illustration of A. belladonna) that a guide to local plants is one of 5 things you should acquire to prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse. So you can avoid poisoning yourself. Seems like good advice. There are some creepily ambiguous literary vignettes for Halloween at the link if you would like to do a little light reading in preparation for this evening.

The entire belladonna plant is toxic to all carnivores. Watch your pets. Some livestock, including cattle, can eat it safely. So can rabbits. Snails and slugs like it.

Deadly Nightshade is one of several toxic members of this plant family. We have also previously discussed edible berries that resemble Deadly Nightshade. Some members of The Horde grow them. I think it would generally be a good idea to plant Garden Huckleberries, Wonderberries or Jaltomato berries from commercial seed rather than saved seed, to avoid growing any possible hybrids with toxic nightshades growing nearby. Always wait for these berries to ripen before picking them. Flavor may improve when they go from shiny black to dull black.

Accept no Wonderberries, or apples, from strangers tonight. Just to be safe.

Deadly Nightshade berries. They look luscious.

Y-not: Thanks KT!

OK, I figured it out. I think this is the tree. Unless it's this one!

The picture here sure seems similar to what I saw. This side-by-side comparison of the bark from the two trees in question also makes me think my first guess is correct. Interesting story about that tree here.

There's even an appearance in song:

What's happening in YOUR gardens this week?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 02:31 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 That bark looks redwoody....

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at October 31, 2015 02:30 PM (Zu3d9)

2 Type of Yew. Dawn Redwood?

Posted by: There's Something about Mary at October 31, 2015 02:32 PM (K68qw)

3 Shagbark Hickory.

Posted by: nannyhag at October 31, 2015 02:34 PM (Queum)

4 Hey! I are smart! Dawn Redwood it is. u a pretty fart smeller, too, cbd! (off ceiling sock)

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at October 31, 2015 02:37 PM (K68qw)

5 Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Posted by: nick at October 31, 2015 02:38 PM (EMQZg)

6 Squirrels love Shag Bark Hickory nuts.

Posted by: nannyhag at October 31, 2015 02:38 PM (Queum)

7 in March of '79 i was enjoying the first ever "radiation" break for a US college compliments of 3 Mile Island.

Posted by: qmark at October 31, 2015 02:39 PM (wkUEj)

8 Looks like some type of Cedar tree. And where was I in 1979? Probably on shift working right here in Hooterville.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 31, 2015 02:39 PM (t2KH5)

9 in March of '79 i was enjoying the first ever "radiation" break for a US college compliments of 3 Mile Island.

Posted by: qmark at October 31, 2015 02:39 PM (wkUEj)
=========================================

In March of '79 I was having my first baby

Posted by: grammie winger, uff da at October 31, 2015 02:43 PM (dFi94)

10 Which Garden thread do we post in?

Looks like cedar bark.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at October 31, 2015 02:44 PM (AgHOl)

11 Among the unapproved homeopathic uses of A. belladonna, according to the NIH, are tantrums and whining, pinching and biting and speech therapy

Why isn't the entire Dem Party on this stuff? I suppose because of the dire consequences of an overdose. Still......

Posted by: pep at October 31, 2015 02:45 PM (LAe3v)

12 In 1979... I wasn't around until the end of November.

Posted by: Moron, preparing to be stepping off lots of lawns at October 31, 2015 02:45 PM (eteeV)

13 Archives down below.

Thx to CBD for posting the threads!

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at October 31, 2015 02:45 PM (E67Aw)

14 Had our first killing frost a few days ago. No more gardening this year. Wife picked lots of green tomatoes before the frost. Hope they go ahead and ripen.

Posted by: Ronster at October 31, 2015 02:46 PM (0qASP)

15 Comments should be closed in the other thread. Unless I did it wrong!

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at October 31, 2015 02:46 PM (E67Aw)

16 I nurtured a Datura Stamonium (jimson weed, loco weed) in the garden this year. Beautiful white trumpet-shaped flowers opening at nite. I knew a kid in Kentucky that overdosed and died from the seeds of this plant while trying to get high.

Also have Cicuta sp. (water hemlock) growing at the back of the house near the river. Bad stuff.

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at October 31, 2015 02:47 PM (K68qw)

17 Quick update before I go for a 1.5 hour run.

Last winter, the dog peed in the area I cleared out for him during our long, Canadian winter killing the grass leaving entire bare spots. I finished reseeding and watering for an entire month.

To prevent this again, without giving the highly allergic dog any chemicals to make his pee less acidic, I'm covering the front lawn in his area with a huge pile of leaves and am watering it down. I've told one neighbour, the next door neighbours won't care and snow will soon cover everything up until February or March anyways.

There's a nice blanket of leaves watered down there now. I'm going to keep watering for a week. It doesn't look too bad, kind of pretty and the rest of the yard will be mowed and well taken care of - there's just going to be that curious patch until snow sets in.

I'll let everyone know how my little SCIENCE experiment turns out. I'm happy to be a pioneer in the 'urine blocking properties of snow covered fallen leaves to protect grass' field. It's actually kind of an interesting experiment and it's GREEN so the lefties will love it.

Societies have always been moved forward by creative individuals noticing problems and developing solutions. ...

Time to run, literally. Everyone have a great day!

Posted by: Stateless Infidel at October 31, 2015 02:48 PM (AC0lD)

18 That Chia dog looks like he wants to cut a b1tch!

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at October 31, 2015 02:49 PM (E67Aw)

19 Thanks for the archive, Y-not.
First impression from the fruit of the mystery tree is that it is a cedar or cypress.

Dawn Redwood is an interesting tree. Almost extinct when discovered, as I recall.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 02:49 PM (qahv/)

20 Belladonna was, or is an ingredient in a medicine called Asthmador, I think for people who had asthma . If you mixed it with water and swallowed it, you would hallucinate.

Posted by: nannyhag at October 31, 2015 02:50 PM (Queum)

21 where's the link to the video of Hillary cackling when Jake Tapper or someone asked her about the emails the other day? Make a great sound to play when the kids come trick or treating and you're out of candy.

well, here's one, about 50 seconds in:
https://youtu.be/-0PPWJk_MLs

Posted by: Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 02:52 PM (qSIlh)

22 On a happy note my fall blooming camellia bushes are now in full bloom. That means that Winter is just around the corner.

Posted by: Vic-we have no party at October 31, 2015 02:52 PM (t2KH5)

23 When I was in the military they said that if you got hit with nerve gas, you were supposed to take an atropine vial that you were to carry and jam it into your leg. If you didn't get exposed to nerve gas and treated yourself you would probably die. Decisions, decisions.

Posted by: Ronster at October 31, 2015 02:54 PM (0qASP)

24 We will cover the daturas and brugmansias sometime.

Water hemlock is really, really bad stuff. And it looks like a lot of edible plants, like wild carrot. It has spots on the stems, for anyone preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 02:56 PM (qahv/)

25 wasn't belladonna used to make Digitasis, the heart med? too lazy to look, cackle cackle

Posted by: Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 02:56 PM (qSIlh)

26 Nice experiment, Stateless Infidel. Dog pee could be beneficial if it were only spread out.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 02:57 PM (qahv/)

27 Bald Cypress, I think.

Posted by: kaf at October 31, 2015 02:58 PM (rd/bK)

28 Fox reports Luthansa and Air France will avoid flying over the Sinai Peninsula until the A310 crash is explained.

Posted by: Fox2! at October 31, 2015 02:59 PM (brIR5)

29 nannyhag at October 31, 2015 02:50 PM

Datura is used for asthma, too.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:00 PM (qahv/)

30 We had a light frost this week. I'm still waiting for a hard freeze that will kill flies. I should do some yard work today but fall allergies are keeping me stuffed up and feeling lazy so I may punt on it.

I've been enjoying blueberry oatmeal zucchini waffles all week (sort of garden related since I grew the zucchini) I froze several pints of grated zucchini so I can repeat the treat until next season.

Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 03:01 PM (iA/+T)

31 wasn't belladonna used to make Digitasis, the heart med? too lazy to look, cackle cackle

Posted by: Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 02:56 PM (qSIlh)
======================================

I thought it was Foxglove, but yeah , I'm too lazy to look too.

Posted by: grammie winger, uff da at October 31, 2015 03:03 PM (dFi94)

32 Thank you for the gardening thread!

Posted by: chemjeff-husker at October 31, 2015 03:03 PM (uZNvH)

33 Shitapple tree.

Posted by: Jim Lahey at October 31, 2015 03:04 PM (/f6Nd)

34 Among the unapproved homeopathic uses of A. belladonna, according to NIH, are tantrums and whining, pinching and biting and speech therapy.
============================================

Not getting the connection to speech therapy.

Posted by: grammie winger, uff da at October 31, 2015 03:05 PM (dFi94)

35 1979 ? -East Anglia
On garden front still cleaning the two year old compost and piling it in the garden to be turned over into soil.
Another thing I have is on my out building a fifty gallon drum with hose bib built up on a four foot stand for watering during no rain . Emptied it last week and need to take it down for winter.

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2015 03:06 PM (gE2Li)

36 Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 02:56

II think that would be foxgloves. Their genus name is "Digitalis".

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:07 PM (qahv/)

37 I'll let everyone know how my little SCIENCE
experiment turns out. I'm happy to be a pioneer in the 'urine blocking
properties of snow covered fallen leaves to protect grass' field. It's
actually kind of an interesting experiment and it's GREEN so the lefties
will love it.
[...]
Time to run, literally. Everyone have a great day!
Posted by: Stateless Infidel at October 31, 2015 02:48 PM (AC0lD)

Last time I ran I was on fire.

Lime is the traditional way to counter-act dog pee.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 31, 2015 03:09 PM (3pRHP)

39 And yep, Bald cypress per the cone.

Dawn redwood has a cone that sort of looks like a floppy Hemlock cone and has that really soft bark.
We don't have the cypresses around here, so I was thinking Arborvitae. Just the needles looked like Dawn Redwood.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 31, 2015 03:11 PM (3pRHP)

40
In Parade's End there was this huge cedar tree where they would hang ribbons and bells and other trinkets to ward off troublesome fairies.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 31, 2015 03:12 PM (iQIUe)

41 Grammie winger, there is no connection I can see, either. They are just random uses suggested, I guess by sellers, for Atropa belladonna.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:12 PM (qahv/)

42 That's no tree.

Posted by: Obi-Wan Kenobi at October 31, 2015 03:14 PM (RU5ki)

43 Belladona drops were used to dialate pupils, which is why it has the name "beautiful lady" in Italian.

I used to irritate my optometrist calling the dialation drops Belladona, since the stuff she uses is less toxic, causes less headaches, lasts a shorter time, and is approved by the FDA.

On a side note, why do they put the drops in your eyes and THEN ask you to look at frames?

Posted by: Kindltot at October 31, 2015 03:15 PM (3pRHP)

44 There are reports that Chia seeds can lower your blood sugar or your blood pressure. Maybe too much for some people.

And there are other reasons not to over-do consumption.

All those Chia Pet kits sold and nobody seems to be willing to say what the greens taste like.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:16 PM (qahv/)

45 Weard, second time today I wrote 1979, first was on EMT

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2015 03:17 PM (gE2Li)

46 I think the perennial sage that looks like lavender sounds kind of nice. I am allergic to lavender.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:18 PM (qahv/)

47 Red Cedar? (Or certainly some sort of cedar or cypress).

1979?

Galena AFS, AK, where it took a week to send a letter to the CONUS and another one to (hopefully) get a response.

NFL games were a week 'fresh', flown in via T-33, to be broadcast on the AF TV station...

Posted by: Spun and Murky at October 31, 2015 03:21 PM (4DCSq)

48 I think your tree is a bald cypress, YNot. The only thing is, I thought they turned color come Fall, so maybe not. But I'd say a cypress of some sort.

I have a severe case of Late October Gluttony and Despair.

The last two weeks, I have put in a little over a thousand daffodil bulbs, hundreds of little anemone bulbs, and God knows how many crocus.

I went easy on perennials this year, because I wanted to concentrate on trees and shrubs, (which I should have done years ago, but I am a woman what needs her flowers), so I only had a couple dozen flowers to plant, but it's now getting chilly enough to plant the bigger stuff and I can no longer put it off.

Even after suckering some nephews into planting the really big stuff, I still have a dozen crape myrtles, 6 lilacs, four witch hazels (I FOUND A JELENA LOCALLY!) 8 maples, 3 hydrangeas, 6 viburnums and an autumn flowering cherry to plant.

They're all fairy small, and I have a tractor with a bucket to dig with, but I still dread it. Plus, I did everything assbackwards, and forgot to save some of the bulbs for under all the trees and shrubs.

And I frankly still don't have a real concrete idea of where I want to put all of it, and it also looks like I didn't pay very good attention to heights when I was ordering, and most of the shrubs will get to be about 6 ft, and most of my crapes about 15 feet. I wanted everything kind of staggered and offset, but now it looks like I'm going to have to order more and hope I don't get distracted by color again. But of course you can't ignore color, because I like things to go well together, which is how I got in this mess to start with.

I am so damn excited about my Jelena, though, you just don't know.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:21 PM (JqEq4)

49
Woman strips naked and sits on London roof for FOUR HOURS - all in the name of art

http://goo.gl/ppgKa2

She straddled a gable...

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 31, 2015 03:23 PM (iQIUe)

50 Ah, Smashing Pumpkins, who puts out a debut DOUBLE album with 2 good songs on it. Who the heck greenlighted this?

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 31, 2015 03:24 PM (39g3+)

51 Has anybody tasted Chia Microgreens?

I'm old enough I remember when those were just called "sprouts"

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 31, 2015 03:25 PM (39g3+)

52 Belladona drops were used to dialate pupils, which is why it has the name "beautiful lady" in Italian.

Yes, large pupils used to be considered a sign of beauty, so ladies would take it on purpose. My optometrist in CA used to call me Bella because mine are naturally pretty big. I have really good night vision and I have always wondered if that was the reason. (Mind you, I have trouble driving at night because the glare off of the lights really effects me)

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:26 PM (JqEq4)

53
She's really into stripping and straddling:

https://goo.gl/lfWx3y

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 31, 2015 03:27 PM (iQIUe)

54 re 41 and 36: yeah, I looked, foxglove it is. As usual, I stand corrected, but what difference at this point does it make?? Cackle Cackle.

Posted by: Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 03:28 PM (qSIlh)

55 My wife who grew up on a small farm had sheep, she always tells me as soon as spotted was destroyed as the sheep would want to eat it

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2015 03:29 PM (gE2Li)

56 Here on the Gulf Coast, we can get a fairly late end to the gardening season. We have radishes and sugar snap peas growing well. Carrots and garlic just sprouted.

Posted by: Advo at October 31, 2015 03:33 PM (7hUS8)

57 Oh and peonies. I have a dozen peonies to plant.

I meant for them to be in front of and off to the side a little of the lilacs, but it turns out the peonies are a tallish variety ( 4ft as opposed to 3 ) and the lilacs are dwarf (6ft instead of 10-12)

The proportions are more or less the same, but the bed is going to have to be bigger so I can put them further apart.

And lilies to go in with them, lord I forgot about all the damn lilies I have to plant, too. Thank God I opted to wait on the clemmies til the shrubs got full sized.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:33 PM (JqEq4)

58 Belladonna was also used in rituals honoring the Roman goddess of war, Bellona. "Even now, parts of the plant are useful inclusions in fumes dedicated to making war".

This is per the guy who sells belladonna seeds to witches. Interesting that Pacifica Radio is so witch-friendly. I wonder if they have ever discussed fumes dedicated to making war?

It is also used in flying ointments (so witches can fly, or think they are flying). Its effects on the human body are "highly unpredictable". Allluring, for sure.

It should be planted on a Saturday. What better day than Halloween on a Saturday?

AKA "Naughty man's cherries". "

http://www.alchemy-works.com/atropa_belladonna.html

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:35 PM (qahv/)

59 In 1979?

I can't remember anything between 1972 and 1987

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:35 PM (on01m)

60 wow Tammy, you really go full throttle with the flowers and decorative trees. I do like Lilacs, I'd plant some here if I thought they had a good chance to live. Hmm, maybe I should try to replace the dead Pfitzer Juniper shrubs with lilacs. Couldn't be worse than the current dead spots.

Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 03:37 PM (iA/+T)

61 Christopher Taylor at October 31, 2015 03:25 PM

I used to call them sprouts, too. But now I like to differential between sprouts grown by rinsing in water and microgreens grown on some medium. Contaminated organic sprouts have killed people.

I don't think I would eat Chia sprouts grown like, say, bean sprouts because the slime looks like a good medium for bacterial growth to me.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:39 PM (qahv/)

62 The voles are systematically eradicating all the small trees and shrubs I planted myself over the past decade. They haven't taken out any large trees yet, but I don't put it past them.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:39 PM (on01m)

63 Damn voles

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:40 PM (on01m)

64 Bastages

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:40 PM (on01m)

65 stinkin vermin

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:40 PM (on01m)

66 When in doubt, cook those sprouts.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 03:40 PM (qahv/)

67 Yes, large pupils used to be considered a sign of beauty

Still is, in Japan.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at October 31, 2015 03:41 PM (39g3+)

68 on the other hand, from webmd:

Rectally, belladonna is used in hemorrhoid suppositories.

see, you come to Ace of Spades and learn things.

Posted by: Mallfly Cloggenstein of Bratwurst Vt at October 31, 2015 03:41 PM (qSIlh)

69 You need some outdoor cats Tobacco Road.

Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 03:42 PM (iA/+T)

70 Damn voles
Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:40 PM (on01m)

Totally agree. I'm fighting them too.

Posted by: Ronster at October 31, 2015 03:42 PM (0qASP)

71 Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 03:37 PM (iA/+T)

I do love flowers and trees. I have only recently become a fan of shrubs, because we now have enough space for them. I am very particular about my shrubs though, and expect them to give me at least two good seasons, and preferably three or 4.

I obviously made an exception for the lilacs, because come one, lilacs.

Remind me again where you are? I mean generally.. up north, out west? Lilacs need some cold weather to do right.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:43 PM (JqEq4)

72 You need some outdoor cats Tobacco Road.
Posted by: PaleRider
--------------------------------
True. I need an army of them. I live at the edge of woods covered in English ivy which means the Varmint Cong have endless hiding places from which to mount their daily attacks.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:44 PM (on01m)

73 3 or 4 seasons of interest, I should have said, Pretty for longer than just a week or two.

My kittehs are forever bringing me some sort of rodents, Road, you probably do need to get a couple cats!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:45 PM (JqEq4)

74 Bald cypress

Posted by: HirsuteCypress at October 31, 2015 03:46 PM (L0Q36)

75 In 1979 my granddad died and my parents divorced.

Shitty year.

Posted by: logprof at October 31, 2015 03:47 PM (vsbNu)

76 HirsuteCypress commenting on bald cypress. God I love this place.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:47 PM (JqEq4)

77 My kittehs are forever bringing me some sort of rodents, Road, you probably do need to get a couple cats!
Posted by: Tammy al-Thor
-------------------------------
I am wildly allergic to them if kept indoors but I am okay with them outdoors. I have avoided acquiring any due to the quirky retired "bird lady" next door who keeps an indoor cat, and actually feds feral cats at a remote location, but she has bird feeder everywhere in her yard. If a cat of mine were to kill a wild bird in her yard it would be, er, awkward. I wish that dang raptors would get busy. We have falcons, hawks, even a bald eagle down at the lake a mile away.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:50 PM (on01m)

78 Uh, half a dozen Mt Airy fothergillas and 9 buffalo currants, too.

My God.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:50 PM (JqEq4)

79 Western Red Cedar.

Saw a funky tree when I was in Iraq. Asked local national I was with, "What kind of tree is it?" The guy didn't like to admit he didn't know something. After several failed attempts to evade a direct answer he finally said, "This tree has no kind."

Posted by: hairless mule at October 31, 2015 03:51 PM (EqmTZ)

80 Still alone in o-hell-o
See the deadly nightshade grow...

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at October 31, 2015 03:51 PM (HMt16)

81 Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:50 PM (on01m)

Oh, yes, I suppose you ought not have cats around the elderly little bird lady.

I love my kittehs dearly, but they are savage. And cruel in their killing.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:52 PM (JqEq4)

82 1979 - graduated college and into the wonderful workfarce of the Jimmah economy.

Just got my first trick-or-treaters. Didn't know how to plan for this year because it is raining. Next week I am hoping for the young strong young men who belong to me to help put the yard to bed for the winter.

Posted by: mustbequantum at October 31, 2015 03:52 PM (MIKMs)

83 **talking to bald cypress**

Embarrassed of being bald? We can help at Hair Club for Trees.

Trust me, I should know, I'm not only a client, I'm also the president.

Posted by: Cy-press Sperling at October 31, 2015 03:53 PM (eteeV)

84 Tammy al-Thor that's some work. I sure love peonies, my dad had beautiful ones back where I grew up. I don't get enough chill hours here to make them bloom most years, they'll set about every fourth year here in general.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 03:53 PM (Onvc5)

85 ...but they are savage. And cruel in their killing.
Posted by: Tammy al-Thor
----------------------------

If it weren't for our opposable thumbs and can openers, cats would kill us all and take over the world.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:54 PM (on01m)

86 hmmmm...
looks like I missed the lady-parts surgery thread.

Oh wait - is that creepy?

Halloween!

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 03:54 PM (KG0mU)

87 I lay in the catmint while putting the cover over the air conditioner. I thought one of the cats was going to draw blood in his enthusiasm to sniff me.

Posted by: fluffy at October 31, 2015 03:55 PM (AfsKp)

88 After the first frost, some wild fruits such as grapes and apples are at their best.

There's an apple tree in the little woods behind my office building that's just bursting with fruit. I grab one every day to have with lunch. The weird thing about that tree...there are virtually no wormholes or other blemishes on any of the apples. Just about every apple on that tree is perfect. You don't usually see that. It's usually a chore to find non-wormy apples on an apple tree in the wild.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at October 31, 2015 03:55 PM (HMt16)

89 traye, I love them, too! I have especially fallen for one called Coral Sunset, which coincidentally does well in the South because it's an early bloomer. You might try looking for it, or any other one labelled early bloom.

Peonies are another thing I make room for despite the lack of more than one season of interest. (You could argue they contribute Fall color, but the color they get doesn't do much for me) I mostly have mine in a row in my cutting garden, but I want to put some in the mixed borders I'm starting to put in.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 03:57 PM (JqEq4)

90 I have varmints, but my outdoor kitties get eaten by coyotes.

Why don't the coyotes eat the varmints?

Mr Know-It-All, are you here?

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 03:57 PM (KG0mU)

91 "Among the unapproved homeopathic uses of A. belladonna, according to NIH, are tantrums and whining ..."
----------
Hmmm. Could be worth a try on my moonbat relatives.
Risky though.
I wouldn't want to kill them or, worse yet, get caught doing it.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at October 31, 2015 03:58 PM (JfN61)

92 My cat is very angry at me right now because he has to eat wet canned food (bladder blockage). He hates it and his revenge has been to try to destroy the only plants he allows in the house -- cactus. Poor dog is so jealous of all the attention the cat got he is whining and trying to act sick. Maybe I should just try to feed him with the eyedropper as well so he doesn't feel left out.

Posted by: mustbequantum at October 31, 2015 03:58 PM (MIKMs)

93 Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:54 PM (on01m)

The majority of mine are still in the kitten stage and very affectionate, but one of their mothers and their father definitely view me as staff.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:00 PM (JqEq4)

94 mustbequantum :

I dunno. If your cat can destroy cactus, that is a talented cat.

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:00 PM (KG0mU)

95 I thought the tree might be some kind of hyperthyroid cedar. Shows what I know.

1979. Hmmm. I was working two jobs, including overtime on one of them, smoking 4 to 5 packs of Winstons per day and drinking gallons of coffee to keep going. (I quit the cigs, cold turkey, a year later.) Between that and Jimmy Carter, I do not miss that time. It does make me REALLY appreciate retirement.

Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2015 04:03 PM (FvdPb)

96 Posted by: mustbequantum at October 31, 2015 03:58 PM (MIKMs)

Isn't it funny how they get used to the crunch? Or more likely, the stuff they coat the dry food with.

There is a product called ..crap, I think it's called something like flortifor or hell, I'll look it up, but you can sprinkle it on the dry food to get them to eat it.

I need to look it up because it's a similar name to a probiotic for cats, too, and I get them confused.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:03 PM (JqEq4)

97 Tammy I am northeast of Denver. In an extra dry microclimate which is pretty hostile to trees and shrubs. Tulips and other bulbs do fairly well for flowers. I like the climate overall, but I am not an avid gardener but prefer to be off riding most of the time.

I would like to find something tough as an old boot to put agains the house where the grasshoppers killed a couple of the pfitzers. I'm not over fond of Pfitzers, not going to take on the job of cutting out the dead ones to replace with the same thing any time soon.

Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 04:03 PM (iA/+T)

98 I have no varmint and no outdoor kitties, they get eaten by the coyotes. I've seen feral cats, but I've found their leftovers after the coyotes came through.

I haven't seen any sign of coyotes in several months near the farm but I doubt I'll see any cats now either since Patrick Henry keeps the wild dogs away I'm sure he'd do the same to the cats.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:04 PM (Onvc5)

99 I think faster than I can type
55 - was writing about nightshade though I think most people could figure it out

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2015 04:04 PM (gE2Li)

100 Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 03:57 PM (KG0mU)

I'm sorry about your kitties. I go to bed terrified of that every night, but mine will not stay inside, they start screaming and howling after an hour or so.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:05 PM (JqEq4)

101 Tammy Al-Thor:

There is a product called ..crap,

Now there's an honest product name.

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:06 PM (KG0mU)

102 Thanks Tammy. We have a kitty now who longs for the outside. Born feral. What can you do?

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:07 PM (KG0mU)

103 Posted by: PaleRider at October 31, 2015 04:03 PM (iA/+T)

Oh, lilacs will do fine there!

You MUST call High Country Gardens and ask for advice. One of my favorite online nurseries, ever, and they specialize in your type of climate!

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/

Also, got thee to the Denver Botanical Gardens, they will also help you pick something. (A call would be fine, too, but it is soo worth the trip to see it)

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:08 PM (JqEq4)

104 and just to buff my gardening creds before I go away, I mixed a bunch of chicken manure into my garden today. A couple days of sun therapy, then carrot seeds go in for the winter (southern cal)

love you morons.

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:10 PM (KG0mU)

105 Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:07 PM (KG0mU)

I know, they hate being locked in.

If I only had one or two, I'd just put up with it at night and let them out during the day, but I have 12 and they get insane and start tearing everything up.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:10 PM (JqEq4)

106 Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:10 PM (KG0mU)

You're a brave man, that can't have smelled too good!

You need to come around more often, btw!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:11 PM (JqEq4)

107 Although everything else is done in the garden, except some herbs, the Brussels sprouts are actually growing. They did almost nothing all summer. I know they are supposed to taste better after some frost but I thought they would be full grown at that point. We've had a couple of frosts recently.

I'm in the 7a zone. Maybe this is normal for the area.

Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2015 04:12 PM (FvdPb)

108 All this hallucination talk has given me a visual migraine. Maybe. Actuall, they come out of the blue about twice a year.

Thank God for triptans. And the agents that help them do their magic.

I think I may avoid the pain phase. But if I write something strange or miss something, it is due to my current neurological state.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:13 PM (qahv/)

109 Who is growing Buffalo Currants? Named cultivars?

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:14 PM (qahv/)

110 WhatWhatWhat? at October 31, 2015 03:55 PM

It is even more rare to find an apple that tastes good in the wild. Sounds great.

We don't get many worms in apples around here, because most people don't grow apples or pears.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:17 PM (qahv/)

111 2 new ones up

Posted by: ManWithNoParty at October 31, 2015 04:17 PM (gdiBW)

112 Just three more days and we won't have yo worry about the bogus AP rankings.

Posted by: logprof at October 31, 2015 04:20 PM (vsbNu)

113 KT,that was me with the buffalo currants, I think it's Gwen something let me go check.. got 'em at High Country

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:20 PM (JqEq4)

114 Oops, wrong thread!

Posted by: logprof at October 31, 2015 04:20 PM (vsbNu)

115 Gwen's Buffalo, KT:

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/ribes-aureum-gwens-buffalo

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:21 PM (JqEq4)

116 thanks again you people out there. You have no idea (some of you do) how I get sanity from you!

Posted by: JohnnyBoy at October 31, 2015 04:24 PM (KG0mU)

117 And to clarify, I have yet to actually grow them, all nine are still in pots awaiting planting!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:25 PM (JqEq4)

118 Everything has been pulled in my garden. I am going to plant some tulips in the beds. I have zinnias sprouting in the kitchen herb garden. I still need to finish cleaning up that part. It's 88 right now. I am ready for the cold. CA cold I should say.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:25 PM (BHl9S)

119 KT
I have a pear tree that didn't bear fruit this year. Can that be from incorrect pruning?

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:27 PM (BHl9S)

120 Cali, I'd think you'd have to cut off a ton of the tree to get where it wouldn't produce because of that reason.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:31 PM (Onvc5)

121 I'd say something else happened, Cali.... did it flower well?

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:33 PM (JqEq4)

122 The Gwen Buffalo Currant sounds great, Tammy. You might think about one 'Crandall' for cross-pollination, to increase yields. I don't think the flowers are particularly fragrant. I have them on the north side of the house.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:34 PM (qahv/)

123 I suppose if it was pruned reeeeeally heavily it might leaves at the expense of flowers, though.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:35 PM (JqEq4)

124 I'm looking at the tree and it looks like the grapes with mealy bug damage. I am going to ask the grape PCA to look at it. My bay laurel is infested with some sort of white bug that is related to aphid and mealy bug. They treated the tree systemically with something. the PCA said rain will help.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:35 PM (BHl9S)

125 Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:34 PM (qahv/)

Oh, I'm not growing them for the fruit, KT; I'm growing them for the fragrance and the Fall color.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:36 PM (JqEq4)

126 121 no flowers this year. Last year it had only a few pears.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:37 PM (BHl9S)

127 Cali, are there other pear trees?

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:39 PM (Onvc5)

128 Posted by: Tobacco Road at October 31, 2015 03:35 PM (on01m)

Nice to see you present.

And that we have more than one common bond.

Posted by: Golfman - Xenophobe Extrodinaire at October 31, 2015 04:40 PM (48QDY)

129 Well, if it didn't flower, it won't bear fruit.

How old is it? Young trees seldom bear well, I'd say 5 years at the earliest for a good fruiting.

But bugs (or a late freeze) could have gotten to the buds/flowers, which would prevent fruit from forming.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:40 PM (JqEq4)

130 CaliGirl,

It's supposed to get to the low 80s here today. But it has been in the 50s at night, which is a nice change.

I just went out with the dogs and there are tiny blue butterflies flitting around the lambs quarters (weeds). Actually, they are kind of brownish, but the species is a Blue Butterfly.

As Tammy suggests, if your pear bloomed, it was probably not because of pruning. Unless someone cut down a tree that cross-pollinated it.

Pears bear on fruiting spurs that can last from year to year. Here's a video on pruning them. To control the size of the tree or wild branches, prune it when it has leaves, after fireblight season.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:42 PM (qahv/)

131 Just saw on Twitter JeffB just lost his father in law

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:45 PM (Onvc5)

132 I'm not sure how old it is. here are pics.
http://tinypic.com/r/ndmzas/9

Pest damage?
http://tinypic.com/r/2afdie0/9
The grapes looked the same. The bugs kill the vines. We have them under control in the grapes, but I am noticing them in other places.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:46 PM (BHl9S)

133 CaliGirl,

If you have aphids or mealybugs, dormant spraying with oil this winter may help.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:46 PM (qahv/)

134 Forgot the video, CaliGirl.

I'm not quite all here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2QJ7ABrEI

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:47 PM (qahv/)

135 Your photo could indicate pest damage, CaliGirl. Or it could be a fungus or something. Here is the appropriate page on pear pests and diseases from UC Davis.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.pears.html

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 04:52 PM (qahv/)

136 KT
Thank you. It has not been touched in at least 2 years. We forget about it.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:52 PM (BHl9S)

137 I know very little about fruit trees, but I don't think bark damage would affect fruiting right away.

The tree is certainly old enough to fruit. If there were no flowers I'd say it was bugs or cold weather at the wrong time.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:52 PM (JqEq4)

138 I would think bark damage would cause more systemic problems...problems with the entire tree...in other words, entire limbs would be effected or the leaves would show stress, too. The tree would look like it was in shock or dying.

The tree actually looks pretty good.

But again, I don't know much about fruit trees.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 04:55 PM (JqEq4)

139 The pest control advisor is my friend. He will come and look and take it to a lab if he doesn't know what it is. He looked at the bay laurel tree for me and took a sample. The same thing is on my roses now. He told me to pray for rain.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:55 PM (BHl9S)

140 Neem oil. I love the stuff and spray the shit out of my trees, apples, peach, pear, Asian pear, plum and blue berries and I have no issues with bugs or diseases.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:57 PM (Onvc5)

141 137
I am going to look at KT's links and also show the grape guy when he comes and my friend because I know nothing. The damage looks just like the mealy bug damage. It also was a very warm winter. And no rain.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 04:58 PM (BHl9S)

142 Ask your friend about neem. It's the only hippie thing I've ever tried that I think is worth a damn.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 04:59 PM (Onvc5)

143 The warmth and lack of rain may have kept it from flowering. How lucky you are to have well placed friends!

Keep us updated, I'd love to learn more about fruit trees!

Hopefully El Nino will visit soon.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:00 PM (JqEq4)

144 Am I too late for the contest? Did anyone say Taxodium Distichum? That's my guess.

Posted by: olddog in mo at October 31, 2015 05:00 PM (O4m/D)

145 Is neem oil the same as tea tree oil, traye?

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:00 PM (JqEq4)

146 I have neem oil traye, I think I will spray that today. The pear tree is away from the fruit trees, it has been neglected.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:01 PM (BHl9S)

147 Cali, you might want to wait til the guy comes to look at it, so he has an idea of what it is.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:03 PM (JqEq4)

148
I haven't seen it mentioned yet, so 'Chill Hours' for fruit trees...

My apple trees only bear fruit every couple of years or so, because we don't always have enough days where the temp stays below ~45* or so. The pear trees bear most years. They must need less.

The deer and raccoons appreciate the bountiful pears...

Posted by: Spun and Murky at October 31, 2015 05:03 PM (4DCSq)

149 Neem oil is from a tree that grows in India. Tea tree oil is from a shrub/tree from New Zealand or Australia.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:04 PM (qahv/)

150 I'm not sure what he used for the laurel trees. They made a well around the trees and used something that they mixed with water and watered the trees. I'm sure it needs to be reapplied if we don't get rain. The bay laurels are under a huge red oak. They are huge.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:05 PM (BHl9S)

151 First trick or treaters driven to the neighborhood. Five pre-teens. Only one seemed to really know to say trick or treat.

Posted by: Y-not at October 31, 2015 05:08 PM (t5zYU)

152 Spun and Murky.

Thanks for mentioning chill hours.

Knowing the chill hour requirements for fruit trees is important when choosing cultivars. There are some apples and pears with high chill requirements and others with low chill requirements.

The high-chill ones may bloom later and miss getting killed by frost in cold climates. The low chill ones may dwindle away and die eventually without bearing fruit in warm-winter climates.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:08 PM (qahv/)

153 We don't get many trick-or-treaters out here on the edge of town, Y-not. Too scary at night.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:10 PM (qahv/)

154 Woman strips naked and sits on London roof for FOUR HOURS - all in the name of art

http://goo.gl/ppgKa2

She straddled a gable...

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at October 31, 2015 03:23 PM (iQIUe)

Sorry, ain't gonna fit.

Posted by: Burnt Toast at October 31, 2015 05:12 PM (NaeCR)

155 Clemson and NCSU have great resources for the south about which types of tree/bush fruit to plant based on your chill hours.

Alas, there are no cherries that will work for me.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 05:14 PM (Onvc5)

156 This is the bay laurel tree

http://tinypic.com/r/2r4sw2q/9

It is infested.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:14 PM (BHl9S)

157 Ace, 'ettes and 'rons busting on Kaboom Halloween on Twitter are killing me.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 05:20 PM (Onvc5)

158 I told you I was not thinking exactly straight. HIGH CHILL fruits may dwindle away without bearing fruit in warm-winter climates.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:21 PM (qahv/)

159 CaliGirl,

We have had problems with spider mites, and maybe something else, in our trees during the drought, too.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:23 PM (qahv/)

160
Knowing the chill hour requirements for fruit trees is important when choosing cultivars.

Also, avoid buying fruit trees from your local big box store unless you've done your homework. The local nursery is usually a better option, if pricier.

Posted by: Spun and Murky at October 31, 2015 05:24 PM (4DCSq)

161 KT
I looked at the UC Davis site. It may be a combo of some sort of mite damage and blossom blast. The picture looks like my tree. i should have shown my husband earlier.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:28 PM (BHl9S)

162 True, Spun and Murky. Big Box stores are a gamble when it comes to fruit trees, and around here, even for berries. Local nurseries can be a real contrast.

Some catalogs are good, too. Especially if they identify the rootstock and explain its characteristics.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 05:31 PM (qahv/)

163 Woohoo, I just text from a bee guy that kept his nuc colonies here last year, he's bringing them back this winter. I'll have my own someday but for now it's nice to have them.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 05:33 PM (Onvc5)

164 I am sorry to hear about JeffB's FIL. I am following too many people, and can't seem to find him to pass along my condolences.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:35 PM (JqEq4)

165 Big box stores are your friend. They always get way too many and the smart stalker can get trees for next to nothing. I have a ton of $5 trees.

Just make sure you know which are the right types for where you are

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 05:35 PM (Onvc5)

166 163
traye, we rent bees for the blueberries and raspberries. They are really expensive. They give me honey from the bees near me. It's supposed to help with allergies. The bees are so expensive other ranches have had the bee boxes stolen.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:36 PM (BHl9S)

167 I love bees and I'd love to have a few hives, but I'm not very diligent and have a fear of responsibility on top of that.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:36 PM (JqEq4)

168 167
We had an employee who had a swarm on his back for over an hour. The bee guy had to come get the bees off him. They were either trying to make a new hive or the queen was on him. I don't remember. He was not stung thank god. I don't like when it's hot and they swarm.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:39 PM (BHl9S)

169 Yea, I'd prefer they not swarm me! Good lord, now I have the willies. I am not in the least bit afraid of them, but my God!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at October 31, 2015 05:41 PM (JqEq4)

170 When I was a kid we had one bee hive. It must have been there for years, brought in by a previous owner. My dad never paid any attention to it. Eventually the hive died out. Lack of food or a bad Winter.

Posted by: Ronster at October 31, 2015 05:43 PM (0qASP)

171 My husband showed me the picture. The field safety manager talked to him the whole time to keep him calm. He was sitting down with his head down and thousands of bees on his back. I would have freaked.

Posted by: CaliGirl at October 31, 2015 05:45 PM (BHl9S)

172 Holy crap, California really is like Mad Max.

Posted by: traye at October 31, 2015 05:47 PM (Onvc5)

173 Sometimes the bees in a beehive get kind of cranky before a swarm leaves, too. Mr. Bar the Door has transferred swarms to new homes. That's a little much for me.

Posted by: KT at October 31, 2015 06:33 PM (qahv/)

174 I'd like to remark on that vacation agency in Schenectady.

Except... I have nothing in particular to say.

Is the office in the Stockade district, perchance?

Posted by: Philip at October 31, 2015 09:50 PM (iirat)

175 We have some really serious gardening neighbors down the block. This year they installed a hive. Our flowering shrubs and cucumbers were very popular with the hive folk.

Posted by: Gordon at October 31, 2015 11:44 PM (0VsKj)

176 I know that I am way late, but that tree looks like a Bald Cypress. On a gardening note, I am hoping that it dries out enough tomorrow that I can rake some leaves. We are overrun with fire ants because the ground is so soft-easy digging for them.

Posted by: dreadpirateroberta at November 01, 2015 12:14 AM (z1kKI)

177 With the exception of the panicles it looks like the bald cypress in my backyard.

Posted by: GPHanner at November 01, 2015 01:10 PM (CuTfa)

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