Saturday Gardening Thread: Hearts and Flowers [KT]

Greetings, Horde! Valentines Day is coming up. Have you thought about growing some strawberries to cover with chocolate for someone you love?

There are at least a couple of day-neutral cultivars that you can grow from seed. Delizz is an AAS winner. Elan is heart-shaped, on long stems. But strawberries from seed take 120 to 150 days from sowing to produce their first berries. And the seeds are pricey.

I think I prefer starting strawberries from plants, whether they are the big-fruited kinds, alpine or musk types, or ground covers. There are a few pink-flowered types.

There are other ways to add hearts and flowers to the garden, too. From Tucson, here's a photo of Hearts and Flowers, the groundcover, Aptenia cordifolia.

It is drought tolerant and suitable for part shade in the desert. Full sun near the coast. 'Red Apple' is more vigorous than the species, and has brighter red flowers. There is a variegated form. Spreads easily in situations it likes. Sometimes a little too easily.

Photography from The Horde

Never let anyone tell you that there are no romantics in The Horde. Last week, a Pennsylvania moron said this in the comments:

The top picture reminds me of a photograph I wanted. I cleared a 4,000 square foot area. Planted hundreds of Shasta daisies I started from seed. It took two years to fill into the level I wanted. Then... finally, on a June late afternoon when the sun was low to the horizon and color saturation was at its peak I had my wife dress in a short white dress, bow in hair, carrying a basket with cuttings. I backed up so that the daisies filled the screen from left to right, about 100 feet altogether. Probably 1,000 flower blooms. She was about 30 feet away centered. Blew threw a couple rolls of film to get the *one* perfect photograph I wanted.
All that landscaping work. For one photograph. But it was worth it.

Then he sent in the photo, with the dress photoshopped to yellow. Is this photo dreamy, or what?

This is probably also a good week to post Kindltot's photo of Wild Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa. "I don't have much to say about this one, there are commercial varieties that are far more showy."

I rather like the delicate color of the flowers in this photo. Makes me think, "This is a wild plant". The surprise of finding flowers like this popping up all by themselves makes them special to me. I love the leaves. And these are the plants the commercial varieties come from.

Here's a profile on this species:

Don't let its delicate appearance fool you: Western bleeding heart is hardy and tenacious. This elegant, herbaceous perennial spreads slowly from rhizomes to form drifts of soft blue-green, ferny foliage in shady woodland areas. Above the leaves in late spring, pink heart-shaped flowers hang gracefully from long, arched stems, attracting scores of hummingbirds but not the local deer. It is surprisingly drought tolerant during the summer months

And a photo of a selection with darker flowers.

Gardens of The Horde

We have had more rain. Yay! Makes for mud at the upcoming International Ag Expo next week, though. You could learn about using Drones in Agriculture.

Any new garden or farming stuff going on in your neck of the woods, or plains?

Have a great week.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:31 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 1st?

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:41 PM (Sfs6o)

2 Damnit!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:41 PM (Sfs6o)

3 I'm just harvesting the white stuff. By the shovel full.

(We had a break in and our snow blower was stolen).

Posted by: plum at February 11, 2017 12:40 PM (/ZEVC)
=================

Oh my gosh - you had burglars? Were they in your house too? I'm so sorry. Being without a snow-blower is not fun.

Posted by: grammie winger at February 11, 2017 12:42 PM (bpfzP)

4 What happened to the first post, by plum?

Posted by: grammie winger at February 11, 2017 12:43 PM (bpfzP)

5 We started our strawberry patch with a few plants, now it's become a huge jungle spreading out and taking up the parts of the garden the raspberries haven't yet conquered. (both single crop and day neutral varieties).

Posted by: Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 12:46 PM (wO8Q+)

6 4 What happened to the first post, by plum?
Posted by: grammie winger at February 11, 2017 12:43 PM (bpfzP)
---------
Yeah. What happened? Now I look more retarded than usual.

This blog is defective!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:49 PM (Sfs6o)

7 That photo of the young woman in the field is excellent.

Posted by: HH at February 11, 2017 12:51 PM (DrCtv)

8 Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 12:46 PM

Sounds like your are gonna get a big crop. I have discovered that there are regional favorites among strawberry cultivars, both home and commercial varieties. Let us know which ones do the best for you.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 12:51 PM (qahv/)

9 Warm today, in the low 40s. While that's nice the fact that the yard has not been frozen most of the year isn't helping the grass situation.

The back of the backyard had pretty sparse grass, as it's shaded by the garage and a huge tree. Then the 2 yo lab got addicted to chasing her rubber ball and started tearing up the yard as she chased it. Now a good portion is just one big mudhole.

Have to get it seeded this spring and keep the dogs off it for a bit. i'd like to put sod down but after paying for it I'd have to pay someone to lay it, as my isn't gonna let me lay it. We shall see. There's a sod farm nearby where it's pretty cheap if you go pick it up yourself.

Posted by: Farmer at February 11, 2017 12:52 PM (4bBUU)

10 I have no idea what happened to the first comment. I didn't touch nothin'.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 12:53 PM (qahv/)

11 Got some early daffodils blooming.....ornamental cherries and plums are in bloom. Because of the warm weather, peaches are probably gonna bloom early...which ain't good for the local farmers.

Posted by: BignJames at February 11, 2017 12:53 PM (x9c8r)

12 >>>2 Damnit!
Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:41 PM (Sfs6o)

Ha, ha, ha!

Posted by: m at February 11, 2017 12:53 PM (3jGss)

13 >>>10 I have no idea what happened to the first comment. I didn't touch nothin'.
Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 12:53 PM (qahv/)

Russians.

Posted by: m at February 11, 2017 12:54 PM (3jGss)

14 ...my bad back isn't

Duh

Posted by: Farmer at February 11, 2017 12:54 PM (4bBUU)

15 I tried growing alpine strawberries from seed once. Got them up. They grew very slowly at first. Something happened to them before the plants were big enough to set out.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 12:54 PM (qahv/)

16 Russians.
Posted by: m at February 11, 2017 12:54

That's who stole my missing words! Uh huh.

Posted by: Farmer at February 11, 2017 12:56 PM (4bBUU)

17 I love chocolate covered strawberries. We pack the long stemmed ones. We don't have any berries yet. Usually someone brings some for us but I think the rain probably ruined the crop.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 12:57 PM (8cEQL)

18 The comment numbering irregularities should go into KT's Permanent Record.

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:59 PM (Sfs6o)

19 Couple of warm days here in KS. Yesterday the wind was blowing pretty good out of the south, bringing the temps up.

Funny thing though on the local weather report. Sign above the weather lady said "Skirt Alert".

Posted by: HH at February 11, 2017 01:05 PM (DrCtv)

20 Yeah. What happened? Now I look more retarded than usual.

Posted by: Weasel

Not at all! On the contrary, it looks you are ashamed of your white privilege always causing you to be first, and you wish a brother would have been able to come in first.

Posted by: Al Sharpton at February 11, 2017 01:07 PM (W8bn5)

21 Don't dip me in chocolate, bro! Or I shall be berry, berry PO'd.

Posted by: Strawberry Shortcake at February 11, 2017 01:09 PM (W8bn5)

22 >>>Have you thought about growing some strawberries to cover with chocolate for someone you love?

Or, how I read this:

. . . to cover with chocolate someone you love?

Posted by: m at February 11, 2017 01:10 PM (3jGss)

23 My favorite strawberry variety is Shuksan, verrrry sweet! Nearly as sweet as Hood but last longer and less fragile. Mrs. Dall loves the day-neutral for berries up to heavy frost.

Posted by: Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:10 PM (wO8Q+)

24 This is a test.

Posted by: plum at February 11, 2017 01:13 PM (usy4h)

25 We also have in one corner of the flower garden some wild strawberries with tiny perfumey delights in July.

Posted by: Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:14 PM (wO8Q+)

26 OK. What I suspect happened with the blower was that the equipment place where we bought it had a break-in and their computer was stolen. Whoever did that then had the customer list, where they lived, what they owned, etc. Nothing else was taken. All the neighbors would have seen is a blower being loaded into a truck, being taken in for servicing.

Posted by: plum at February 11, 2017 01:17 PM (usy4h)

27 24 This is a test.

"If you see a mushroom shaped cloud in the distance, take cover immediately"

Posted by: HH at February 11, 2017 01:19 PM (DrCtv)

28 Farmer at February 11, 2017 12:52 PM

Labs are not always the best garden helpers. Heh.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:20 PM (qahv/)

29 BignJames at February 11, 2017 12:53 PM

Wow. Ornamental plums and cherries already in bloom? Our rosemary is blooming.

Hope your local farmers get by without a late frost to ruin the peach crop.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:22 PM (qahv/)

30 I hate Valentine's Day. A) It's a Hallmark holiday, and B) it just reminds me how soul-crushingly lonely I am.

Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:22 PM (0mRoj)

31 You guys, I think my posts were disappearing because the proxy-plug thingy was on.

Anyway, I'm trying these tomatoes this year: http://bit.ly/2lClWRG. Cool looking anyway.

Whoever it was that recommended the Pink Berkeley Tie Dye last year - Thanks! They were delicious.

Posted by: plum at February 11, 2017 01:24 PM (usy4h)

32 CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 12:57 PM

Sorry that the rain is causing you some crop losses. I love chocolate covered strawberries, too. I think fresh pineapple is even better covered with chocolate. Doesn't look as romantic, though. And I don't think I'm going to try to grow any pineapples.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:25 PM (qahv/)

33 I have some plum trees blooming in the south yard. They are so pretty but I think it's early.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:25 PM (8cEQL)

34 Weasel at February 11, 2017 12:59 PM

Nooooooo. . . Not my permanent record . . . .

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:26 PM (qahv/)

35 Love those photos. The one with the young lady in the daisy field is great. The bad part is I started thinking about the other set ups and frames I would have tried with that theme. (The curse of serious photographers: the next shot might always be better!) I like the way kindltot was able to capture the subtle colors in the flower. That's not always easy to accomplish.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 01:27 PM (V+03K)

36 Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:10 PM

Thanks for the strawberry recommendations. What region do you live in?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:29 PM (qahv/)

37 The drip off the bottom of that dipped strawberry is obscenely triggering.

(Lick)

We had a couple of strawberry beds for a couple of years. Not a lot of produce, but what we got was so delicious!

Posted by: mindful webworker hanging on by my toenails at February 11, 2017 01:29 PM (v6tPi)

38 It's been so warm here (DC area) that the maple in our back yard has little buds opening.

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 01:30 PM (Sfs6o)

39 Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:14 PM

Did those wild strawberries come up by themselves, or did you plant them?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:30 PM (qahv/)

40
Not at all! On the contrary, it looks you are ashamed of your white privilege always causing you to be first, and you wish a brother would have been able to come in first.
Posted by: Al Sharpton at February 11, 2017 01:07 PM (W8bn5)
--------
Always an upside!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 01:31 PM (Sfs6o)

41 Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:25 PM (qahv/)
Our friends usually drop long stemmed berries off for us for valentines day. They grow berries down south too. I haven't asked but I'm sure everyone is having problems. When I drive around there's standing water in everyone's fields.

We've had 15 1/2 inches of rain at this ranch since 10-28-16.
We are a month behind on our planting schedule.
I'm sure markets will be high in a few months but we have to meet our contracts before we can sell on the open market.
We sell our stuff for value added. Or bagged salads.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:31 PM (8cEQL)

42 Maybe it's a guy thing but I prefer fruit, especially fresh, without chocolate. I believe Mrs. JTB doesn't agree with that. She does think that fruit makes a fine way to convey chocolate to her lips.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 01:34 PM (V+03K)

43 Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:22 PM

There are a lot of people who have similar feelings, and not just about Vanlentin's Day. Hope you can develop some additional social connections soon.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:34 PM (qahv/)

44 CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:31 PM

Wow. That is a lot of rain, given the amounts we have been getting in recent years.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:37 PM (qahv/)

45 Insomniac. Well I suppose as a guy you don't appreciate Feb 15 as "cheaper chocolates day" like I do. I find V-day is no worse than New Years for the "great, a couples celebration" feeling for me. It also helps that I'm getting old enough to think of all the folks I know with anchor spouses or exes making it hard to enjoy life and appreciate having my freedom.

Actual gardening. We've been unseasonably warm and dry so I've been watering my baby trees and even some of the established ones. The babies have tire towers or turned tires to shelter from the drying winds. I hope I get a good survival rate. The micro climate for trees is harsh, time will tell if my mitigation efforts worked or not.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 11, 2017 01:38 PM (Jen0I)

46 There are a lot of people who have similar feelings, and not just about Vanlentin's Day. Hope you can develop some additional social connections soon.
Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:34 PM (qahv/)

True. Vday just pushes the knife in a little further and gives it a twist.

Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:38 PM (gEMIK)

47 45 Insomniac. Well I suppose as a guy you don't appreciate Feb 15 as "cheaper chocolates day" like I do. I find V-day is no worse than New Years for the "great, a couples celebration" feeling for me. It also helps that I'm getting old enough to think of all the folks I know with anchor spouses or exes making it hard to enjoy life and appreciate having my freedom.

"Anchor spouses" isn't a term I'm familiar with. Like a ball and chain, or that helped get a spousal visa?

Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM (gEMIK)

48 Love the aptenia cordifolia.

Will be looking for it when time comes to make up hanging baskets.

Might put a few cuttings into the mat of mixed succulents out back... I hear that it tends to overgrow or not play nice with other plants, but those other little creepers are sturdy and might just be a good match.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM (044Fx)

49 Fresh strawberries are such a treat but we never had good results growing them. The birds left them pretty much alone but the damn squirrels were overly enthusiastic. The very few that survived and ripened, maybe three of them, were delicious.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM (V+03K)

50 plum at February 11, 2017 01:24 PM

I've never seen Brad's Atomic Grape Tomato before. Striking. Hope it turns out well for you.

About Pink Berkeley Tie Dye: It is especially recommended in cool summer climates. Do you live in one of those?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM (qahv/)

51 I'm thinking of the weight dragging you down, or keeping the boat from sailing to new adventures. I know marriage can be wonderful, but being single thinking of the instances I know where it is not or was not helps me with keeping an even keel.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 11, 2017 01:42 PM (Jen0I)

52 We sell our stuff for value added. Or bagged salads.
Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:31 PM (8cEQL)
---------
Hi CaliGirl - do you supply any east coast distributors?

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 01:42 PM (Sfs6o)

53 mindful webworker hanging on by my toenails at February 11, 2017 01:29 PM

The drip of chocolate off the bottom of that strawberry reminds me of the shape of the Bleeding Heart flowers.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:43 PM (qahv/)

54 I live in NE Oregon, snow has melted/compacted down to 18" in the garden. We are high enough to easily grow berries (with irrigation). The wild berries were from seed collected in the mountains and grown in pots, then planted in my (now defunct) rock garden.

Posted by: Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:44 PM (wO8Q+)

55 51 I'm thinking of the weight dragging you down, or keeping the boat from sailing to new adventures. I know marriage can be wonderful, but being single thinking of the instances I know where it is not or was not helps me with keeping an even keel.
Posted by: PaleRider at February 11, 2017 01:42 PM (Jen0I)

That's what I figured. I was trying to make an oblique and ultimately lame joke. Being married then divorced blasted a large chunk of my soul into oblivion. I would just like to be happy someday. I don't know if that's possible any more.

Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:45 PM (0mRoj)

56 PaleRider at February 11, 2017 01:38 PM

Good luck with those baby trees.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:46 PM (qahv/)

57 JTB at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM

Squirrels are worse than Farmer's lab in the garden. Heh.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:48 PM (qahv/)

58 Thanks KT. Having decided I'd like to establish some trees in those spots I guess I will go shopping at a nursery if these die.

Posted by: PaleRider at February 11, 2017 01:50 PM (Jen0I)

59 Hal Dall at February 11, 2017 01:44 PM

Wow. Native wild strawberries! Impressive.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:51 PM (qahv/)

60 I have a small front garden, maybe 10 by 11 or so (townhouse). This past summer we had to take a flowering cherry out (old age); plants got trampled and there is a spot of nothing but woodchips there and the shade perennials around it were almost gone. Then the HOA had the sidewalk in front replaced, the framing took maybe a foot out and then without notice filled it back in with basically common clay. Yesterday our water meter had to be replaced (leak) and the hole dug took out a miniature rose and the small clump of Iris, I suspect the patch of snowdrops and most of the Pleione orchids are gone too. They did replant the rose but I don't hold out much hope for it!

Posted by: Lirio100 at February 11, 2017 01:53 PM (JK7Jw)

61 Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 01:42 PM (Sfs6o)
Yes, we sell to a company that does bagged salads and we sell to chain restaurants. Like McDonald's but not McDonald's. We ship everywhere in the US. I'm sure most everyone has eaten our produce. You just don't know it.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:54 PM (8cEQL)

62 Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 01:40 PM (qahv/)
Define 'cool' ;-)
I'm on the NE coast just about midway between Boston and Portsmouth. It can get hot during the day in summer, but usually cools down at night. A few years back my mum wanted some tall bearded irises, so she picked some from the catalog (I think it was Suttons) and we ordered by phone. The gentleman who took the order asked about the weather in MA and I remember complaining "it's sooo hot, it's 85!" He then told me it was 120 where he was. But NE coastal is usually anywhere from the 50s/60s at night to 70s/80s during the day. It's also cloudy in the am, but it burns off. We have a short season.

Posted by: plum at February 11, 2017 01:55 PM (usy4h)

63 30 I hate Valentine's Day. A) It's a Hallmark holiday, and B) it just reminds me how soul-crushingly lonely I am.
Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:22 PM (0mRoj)

Can you take you kids to dinner that evening? Maybe start a Valentine's tradition with them, and make it a family day?

We aren't much for the whole "Valentine's day" stuff, so we celebrate with Chinese food, and then get day after 1/2 price chocolate, like PaleRider.

Anyways, it might help with the loneliness, to have your babies with you. And you know that bluebell, and the rest of us prayers are praying for the right woman to come into your life, and give you joy.

Posted by: moki at February 11, 2017 01:56 PM (gfRCk)

64 O/T Moki,

A couple of days ago you posted about your daughter believing the diplomatic 'pouch' was delivered by a kangaroo. Thanks for that. Mrs. JTB and I are still smiling about the image.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:00 PM (V+03K)

65 61 Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 01:42 PM (Sfs6o)
Yes, we sell to a company that does bagged salads and we sell to chain restaurants. Like McDonald's but not McDonald's. We ship everywhere in the US. I'm sure most everyone has eaten our produce. You just don't know it.
Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 01:54 PM (8cEQL)
--------
I work for the parent company of a large east coast wholesale distributor which has a significant fresh cut operation. Small world!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:02 PM (Sfs6o)

66 Lirio100 at February 11, 2017 01:53 PM

Your HOA hates plants! Boo!

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:02 PM (qahv/)

67 My ex used to do that, Moki.

She had a younger boy & a slightly older daughter. Her thing for years had been to take a special day or road trip with just the girl (both pre-10).
I was honored, after 2 or 3 years to be invited to come along. We made a pretry cool weekend in DC out of it. The mall, museums, ducks in the hotel lobby, the works.
*and a side trip to Arlington for selfish reasons.

It a great suggestion.

Posted by: The Penguin at February 11, 2017 02:03 PM (ly0z5)

68 Weasel,
We sell to chain grocery stores too. Wegmans, Safeway, publix, and any others I'd have to ask. I don't do billing anymore so I'm not sure. We also ship to Canada and do export to Japan. It's a special cut. Export broccoli and we export berries to Japan as well.
The store in Montreal we used to sell a lot to was Hudon et daudelin (sp?). The buyers from there were nice.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:04 PM (8cEQL)

69 plum at February 11, 2017 01:55 PM

Most tomatoes love temperatures up to 85 degrees. I think you qualify as a "cool climate" as far as tomatoes are concerned.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:04 PM (qahv/)

70 Oops. Blowing Penguin sock go away...

Posted by: Chi at February 11, 2017 02:05 PM (ly0z5)

71 Cut off the dead of my oregino thd other day, some new shoots coming up, afraid my chives died from covering it with plastic so if nothing by spring will replace it.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:05 PM (Frvrc)

72 Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:04 PM (8cEQL)
------
Our subsidiary is Lancaster Foods. I did a lot of the initial work related to financing the production lines - primarily bagged salads - but they do a lot of other value added products too.

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:07 PM (Sfs6o)

73 Skip at February 11, 2017 02:05 PM

Have you thought about growing some thyme, too?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:08 PM (qahv/)

74 Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:02 PM (Sfs6o)
I'm sure my husband knows who that is. The value added plants we ship to are around here. We have a sales company too.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:09 PM (8cEQL)

75 It wasn't so much the HOA--that was one thing--but the string of events! That little rose was a miniature 'Verdun' I've had for over 20 years, and I've never seen since. My iris clump is a mess, it's a Cobra's Eye that I've had for at least 10. I had planned on digging out the clay this spring and moving the shade plants but at this point I'm debating about just raking it out and covering with mulch!

Posted by: Lirio100 at February 11, 2017 02:09 PM (JK7Jw)

76 Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:07 PM (Sfs6o)
I'd haven't ask my husband and the salesmen. I don't want to say on here who our value added and bagged salad people are.
My husband just told me we grow a lot of the kale for the bagged salad. A lot. And cabbage too.
I don't want to say the name here. My husband wouldn't like it. I can say we are a Driscoll grower.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:14 PM (8cEQL)

77 30 I hate Valentine's Day. A) It's a Hallmark holiday, and B) it just reminds me how soul-crushingly lonely I am.
Posted by: Insomniac at February 11, 2017 01:22 PM (0mRoj)

May you be blessed with Health and Healing ...

Posted by: Adriane the Sci Fi Critic ... at February 11, 2017 02:14 PM (AoK0a)

78 Weasel,
I'd have to ask is what I meant to write. I will.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:15 PM (8cEQL)

79 73 ... Skip, If you have the space, thyme is an easy to grow and delicious herb. We use it in salads, soups (sprinkled on top after cooking) and on spuds, eggs, and rice. Not sure what variety we have. I assume if we can grow it in northern Virginia, you can in PA.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:16 PM (V+03K)

80 Would like to expand my herbs, hoping dill will come up on its own will get curly parsley ( last actually lasted 2 years) so maybe thyme. Thinking of cutting back oregino, is close to 3 feet in diameter.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:18 PM (Frvrc)

81 I do put my herbs in salads, nothing like fresh.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:19 PM (Frvrc)

82 Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:14 PM (8cEQL)
-------
No worries!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:19 PM (Sfs6o)

83 What does value added mean?

Posted by: Ronster at February 11, 2017 02:20 PM (CDUSe)

84 Strawberries, yum!

About 5 or so years ago, I planted a clay 'strawberry jar' with a dozen bare root plants and they grew nicely -- tons of greens and berries, and *many* runners. It was pretty, too!

The pot was so heavy and (being plain terracotta) a bit fragile, I placed it in the landscaping out front, berries and all. Runners went everywhere, and a great crowded patch of strawberry plants came the next year. Looked... weird, out of place.

I transplanted little berry plants to become a sparse 'border' along the street-- all the way across the front row of wall-blocks (no real curb, no sidewalk) so they could tumble a bit, then onto the street/ driveway.

They're still going! Bunnies eat the new green leaves, cars run over most of the runners, squirrels and birds and neighborhood kids get most of the berries. (But if I'm quick, sometimes I get a few!)

Old/dead plants get renewed from surviving runner plantlets and the strawberry border isn't so full and lush that it looks *weird* among the junipers.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at February 11, 2017 02:21 PM (044Fx)

85 64 O/T Moki,

A couple of days ago you posted about your daughter believing the diplomatic 'pouch' was delivered by a kangaroo. Thanks for that. Mrs. JTB and I are still smiling about the image.
Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:00 PM (V+03K)

Thanks JTB!

We laughed at that, because she was in college when she told us that. She never once questioned that fact that a variety of large and small kangaroos were employed by the State Department to deliver mail, all over the world.

The minds of kids.

Although, to be fair, some of the boxes we received looked like kangaroos delivered them.

Posted by: moki at February 11, 2017 02:22 PM (gfRCk)

86 I should see if my sisters greenhouse has extra room for some tomato and peppers but not sure. Ishould get her to visit here, her garden is maybe 50 by 100 feet.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:22 PM (Frvrc)

87 83 What does value added mean?
Posted by: Ronster at February 11, 2017 02:20 PM (CDUSe)
-------
Well, it's when you modify a product and 'add' value to it in the process. Like bagged salad or sliced apple wedges - that sort of thing.

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:24 PM (Sfs6o)

88 Weasel,
How do you manage to work in that industry, but still only get a crop of 4 cherry tomatoes in an entire season?
Something doesn't add up...

Posted by: Chi at February 11, 2017 02:25 PM (ly0z5)

89 And on topic, I was reading about planting "mother plants" for strawberries in Southern Living. They mentioned that you plant a mother plant, and after it produces "babies," you dead head all the flowers the first year, and wait for the second year to harvest.

I don't think I have the patience for that-I want the dang strawberries! Would it be better to plant them in containers, rather than in ground?

Posted by: moki at February 11, 2017 02:25 PM (gfRCk)

90 We have a light pink Bleeding Heart variety, a really pretty plant when blooming. But, holy cannole, can they take over.

Posted by: George V at February 11, 2017 02:25 PM (LUHWu)

91 88 Weasel,
How do you manage to work in that industry, but still only get a crop of 4 cherry tomatoes in an entire season?
Something doesn't add up...
Posted by: Chi at February 11, 2017 02:25 PM (ly0z5)
-------
I'm an accountant! And I can tell you I very accurately and precisely recorded the crop yield!

Posted by: Weasel at February 11, 2017 02:26 PM (Sfs6o)

92 Can anyone point me to some good examples of rabbit fencing to put around my square foot gardens?

Posted by: ETF3 at February 11, 2017 02:27 PM (/pOrN)

93 rabbit fencing to put around my square foot gardens?

Posted by: ETF3 at February 11, 2017 02:27 PM (/pOrN)

Chicken wire would work.

Posted by: Ronster at February 11, 2017 02:30 PM (CDUSe)

94 Heard on radio long ago a college girl went into a tizzy hearing unicorns were gone, asking how could they let them go extinct?

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:31 PM (Frvrc)

95 JQ Flyover at February 11, 2017 02:21 PM

Sounds like a happy way to grow strawberries.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:35 PM (qahv/)

96 Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:31 PM (Frvrc)

Song about that years ago. They didn't make it to Noah's Ark.

Posted by: HH at February 11, 2017 02:37 PM (DrCtv)

97 Moki,
We get rid of runners on strawberries. Whatever that means. Long skinny stems that I think may have flowers. I forget why.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:38 PM (8cEQL)

98 85 ... "The minds of kids."

Moki, it reminds me. We got our first TV when I was 4 years old during the Eisenhower administration. I heard commercials talking about 'the Good Housekeeping seal of approval'. I was convinced there was a corporate seal passing judgement on the products. I loved that image and was bummed when I learned what it really meant.

BTW, Mrs. JTB agrees about the delivered conditions of some diplomatic pouch parcels.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:39 PM (V+03K)

99 moki at February 11, 2017 02:25 PM

Those directions are for keeping a strawberry patch going. If you just want berries the first year, just grow some plants anywhere you want. You may get more the first year from the day-neutral types.

Another possibility is to plant one of the runnerless types, like Alpine strawberries. The fruits are small, though.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:40 PM (qahv/)

100 I have 2 inch x 4 inch fench doubled up with the opposite laying down and zip ties holing them together. A section is 1 inch squares, aso have them dug into the ground maybe 6 inches. To get into it you must step over a fence section with a fence overlap. Rabbits are not my problem.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:40 PM (Frvrc)

101 @31 plum. I am the pink Berkeley tie dye fanatic. Another one I tried and loved this past year is Brown Derby. Going to get a bunch of those too for this year!

I cannot bear to hack back my passion vine because it's got a bunch of fruit on it but I'm wondering if they won't ripen because the weather is too cold. I may end up having back if nothing happens in a couple weeks.

I love bleeding hearts but here in SoCal I can never get them to come back the next year. They're once and done here.

Posted by: keena at February 11, 2017 02:41 PM (J+Qkj)

102 CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 02:38 PM

Do you re-plant strawberries every year?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:42 PM (qahv/)

103 Its 46f and sunny, should go out and burn up some dead pine branches, do some metallurgy while I'm doing it.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:42 PM (Frvrc)

104 Bunnies will dig under chicken wire. You have to dig it into the ground at least 6 inches or more.

Posted by: keena at February 11, 2017 02:43 PM (J+Qkj)

105 Iirc, removing strawberry runners improves berry production because plant energy is not wasted on supporting new plantlets.

Old-timey gardeners like my grandma, would cut runners for a few years-- until production fell off-- and *then* allow runners to go, forming new plants for next season.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at February 11, 2017 02:44 PM (044Fx)

106 And Moki,

Removing the runners (if you want berries the first year) directs more energy to berry production.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:45 PM (qahv/)

107 A testicular shaped strawberry dipped and dripping chocolate..is that a metaphor for lick my balls or a Madonna hidden message?

Posted by: saf at February 11, 2017 02:47 PM (+zN6H)

108 Regular strawberries from seed are kind of a new development in horticulture. I think the little seeds on the outside of most strawberries are sterile.

If you can plant directly in the ground, though, some of the wild types like alpine strawberries could be rewarding grown from seed. There is a yellow Alpine cultivar called "Pineapple". Supposedly less attractive to birds than red berries.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:53 PM (qahv/)

109 CaliGirl...one of my go-to desserts is a platter full of strawberries, and bowls of creme fraiche and brown sugar.

coat berry in the creme, and roll in the sugar for pop in your mouth goodness.

...i'll need some of your crop!

Posted by: concrete girl at February 11, 2017 02:53 PM (WEUqS)

110 Thanks, y'all. I may do a container with plants for this year, and set out a mother strawberry plant in the bed we are planning.

BTW, Mrs. JTB agrees about the delivered conditions of some diplomatic pouch parcels.
Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:39 PM (V+03K)

Do you mind my asking where you served? We've been all over, and may have crossed paths!

Posted by: moki at February 11, 2017 02:54 PM (gfRCk)

111 Pet thread up.

Posted by: HH at February 11, 2017 02:56 PM (DrCtv)

112 Moki, I was on the civil service side for over 30 years. Washington only due to medical reasons.

Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:58 PM (V+03K)

113
Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 02:31 PM (Frvrc)

Song about that years ago. They didn't make it to Noah's Ark.
Posted by: HH

https://youtu.be/_EPsuOEH1fY

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 11, 2017 02:59 PM (IqV8l)

114 112 Moki, I was on the civil service side for over 30 years. Washington only due to medical reasons.
Posted by: JTB at February 11, 2017 02:58 PM (V+03K)

Bless you!! You kept us FSO's going. Sorry about the medical stuff. We've been stateside since 2010 due to hubby's quad bypass and my cancer. We gave it a shot for one last overseas tour to Vienna-my dream post- but were actually laughed at by Med. Seriously, they laughed.

Posted by: moki at February 11, 2017 03:05 PM (gfRCk)

115 So very sorry to hear about your family's medical situation. Thank you for your service. I retired about the time you returned stateside. And yes, Vienna would have been lovely for you.

Posted by: Mrs JTB at February 11, 2017 03:11 PM (V+03K)

116 Another very crazy week in the Banana Belt of Idaho. Tuesday morning I shoveled 2 inches of snow off my driveway. Thursday morning I raked leaves off it! As recently as Jan. 30th, the low was 5 degrees F. On Thurs. Feb. 9th, the high hit 58 F. This thaw weather means the street ice is melting off, which is nice; it means we can have a full lane in each direction soon!

My back patio pots have been freed from the ice, and put out in the sun. If the Siberian Squill survived, I should get at least sprouts by the end of the month. No idea if there are any surviving grape hyacinths in the other pot; they looked poorly last year. I wonder when the front sidewalk hyacinths will pop up. The ones out back were already trying to come up before the snow even fell, so I covered them with leaves - the sprouts still look OK, so when it gets warm enough that they decide to pop up through the leaf cover, I'll let them. Still way too early to worry about tulips.

Today my husband and I went to 2 local stores to write down info about seed availability. We're thinking of adding spinach, onions, shelling peas, and poblano peppers to the crop list this year. If we can't find a variety that suits us, we have several catalogs to go through as well. (This reminds me, I should inventory what seeds we have left from the last 2 years.)

I made another "test pumpkin pie" for the neighborhood Super Bowl party - recipe came out OK. Sugar pumpkin flesh seems wimpy compared to the flavor of butternut squash, though - but when it set fruit last summer, they ripened faster than butternut squash. So maybe one plant of each this year. (I still have a ton of squash from the 2016 crop to cut up...)

Oh, and your pretty Aptenia cordifolia? That's an ice plant! I'm more familiar with its uglier roadside and beachside cousin, Carpobrotus edulis, from when I lived in central California. We called it rubber band plant, because walking on it is like walking on a big pile of rubber bands. (And believe me, after seeing it, you will not feel bad about walking on it.) The Aptenia type of ice plant was used in a lot of beachfront house front yards, to avoid having to worry about salt-resistant grass varieties, and to give bright color during its bloom season.

Posted by: Pat* at February 11, 2017 03:14 PM (qC1ju)

117 Tangentially related to gardening: Botany Photo of the Day is finally active again after a 17-month hiatus.

http://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd

After a ten-year-plus hiatus, I've got my indoor garden set up again. At the moment it consists of a single four-bulb T5 flourescent fixture on a timer, which will probably suffice for the first year. Initially I'll be starting oddball plants for my little outdoor garden that the local nurseries don't carry, but once those are planted, I'll devote the space to cacti and other succulents. Down the road there will likely be some nice, fuzzy gesneriads and perhaps some less-persnickety orchids.

One beneficial effect of the current marijuana boom is that grow-lights have undergone rapid develpment. The most comprehensive discussions of growing plants under electric lights were at websites featuring pictures of plants with palmate leaves. I considered a set of LED lights, but I calculated that could illuminate twice the area for the same price with newfangled flourescents instead.

Posted by: Don at February 11, 2017 03:26 PM (iFXhh)

118 Pat* at February 11, 2017 03:14 PM

Thanks for the report. Hope those containerized bulbs make it.

I got a kick out of your description of Carpobrotus edulis. The fruits are edible, but apparently don't taste real good. Never tried one.

There is quite an assortment of plants called "Ice Plant" out there. I like the ones that make a sheet of color when in bloom. Some of them are fire-retardant if maintained properly.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 03:31 PM (qahv/)

119 Great thread again. How about some content over the coming weeks that tells us how to grow food. There will be fertilizer, it will be laying out there in the streets (knock on wood that I'm wrong) but how do we start? Where do we get plants or seeds for things that can see us through the blm winter? Those folks in the city, they gonna get hungrrrry. Rather shoot'em, but feeding them might turn they tiny little heads around. Those placard carrying morons might make good farmhands, given half a chance and a growling stomach. Just wondering. I used to be garden-slave-labor as a child, so I have purged my memories of all of the things that my forefathers tried to teach me so earnestly. Isn't it strange how that works...

Posted by: goon at February 11, 2017 03:36 PM (EaQ6/)

120 Don at February 11, 2017 03:26 PM

There are some beautiful photos at that site. Thanks for the link.

I will also be interested to hear about progress with your indoor garden. You may be called upon to advise others on lighting in the future.

Since it is seed-starting season for some people, do you recommend different lights for starting plants vs. getting plants to bloom?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 03:37 PM (qahv/)

121 goon at February 11, 2017 03:36 PM

What region do you live in? Are you interested in starting to plant now, or are you wanting to store seeds?

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 03:40 PM (qahv/)

122 And Don,

There's some fun stuff at the link in your nic, too.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 03:42 PM (qahv/)

123 I bought a strawberry plant about 3 months ago for my window box. Would have done it sooner if I knew how brilliant and pretty their flowers are! THe strawbs are only smaller than a small grape at this point, but still fun to eat, and tasty.

Posted by: Wry Mouth at February 11, 2017 03:59 PM (fbyfQ)

124 Anyone planning on growing glass gem corn this year?

Posted by: Sticky Wicket at February 11, 2017 04:17 PM (+2COg)

125 I cart of dead branches gone, 33 musket balls to show for it.

Posted by: Skip at February 11, 2017 04:29 PM (Frvrc)

126 Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 02:42 PM (qahv/)
Yes we re-plant strawberries every year. We were supposed to have a spring crop but I don't know if they'll make it.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 04:41 PM (8cEQL)

127 In the past I got good results with the traditional warm white/cool white pair. Right now I'm using four 6000K bulbs on sixteen hours a day, which should be fine for promoting seedling growth. To encourage blooming you might want to tinker with the color temperature of the lights, e.g., switch out half the 6000K bulbs for 3000K, and the day length. The strategy will depend on the particular plants. It's been over ten years since I last had the grow lights running. I never claimed to be any sort of expert then, and the technology has since advanced a bit.

Posted by: Don at February 11, 2017 05:02 PM (iFXhh)

128 Posted by: concrete girl at February 11, 2017 02:53 PM (WEUqS
Buy driscoll berries. They have their own varieties. The blackberries we grow are huge.
Driscoll was supposed to have the barcode on the clamshell if you scan it with a qr reader on your phone tell you where the berries came from. I've tried it and it doesn't work yet.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 05:13 PM (8cEQL)

129 Posted by: Don at February 11, 2017 03:26 PM (iFXhh)
I looked at your site. I'm going to the big island next week and I hope the volcano is still flowing like that when we are there. We are doing a helicopter tour and I really want to see that.

Posted by: CaliGirl at February 11, 2017 05:20 PM (8cEQL)

130 Please, do feel free to post more about grow light experiences. I'm trying to learn.

Also, if Sabrina Chase is around, more info on your bees!

Posted by: Gordon at February 11, 2017 05:34 PM (vXUzT)

131 Can't wait to see if the hops survived winter out on the deck!

I have good spots chosen for their permanent homes, but it's too cold and mucky to move them right now. Will move them as soon as sprouts show, probably around end of March.

Posted by: JQ Flyover at February 11, 2017 05:57 PM (044Fx)

132 Don at February 11, 2017 05:02 PM

Thanks for the grow light info.

Posted by: KT at February 11, 2017 05:59 PM (qahv/)

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