Saturday Gardening Thread: Impatient for a change in the weather? [KT]

Aug 10 after an early morning rain at Salishan resort on the Oregon coast
Please list me as a dedicated lurker on your marvelous site.

Wish I were there, Dedicated Lurker. It's been a long time since we've seen rain in the San Joaquin Valley. That photo is a beautiful reminder of what we're missing. It's been hot for too long, too. I'm ready for a change. You happy with your current weather?

To increase my envy, here's another lovely photo of Impatiens after the rain. The bicolor ones above are interesting, but the flower form of the one below makes me think that maybe it is a New Guinea type, or a New Guinea hybrid. They have substance. Especially nice in the rain.

Birds, Butterflies and Moths in the Yard and Garden

Seamus Muldoon has sent in a great update on the Elephant Hat (nest):

The hummingbird babies are now a tad over two weeks old. Much bigger, the nest is nearly overflowing. Feathers much better developed. Beaks elongating nicely. Will probably be out of the nest within a few days.

Those little hummers are starting to look like birds now! Saw a photo of a hummingbird nest built on a peach this week. Muldoon's elephant looks like a much more secure location.

Illiniwek has lots of bird visitors. This is from earlier in the season.

I've observed a lot of robin nests, and some bluebirds, but this is the first time I've seen cardinal eggs ... they are right in the garden, though in a thick bush.

And this young robin was caught on a security camera early this month.

One reason Illiniwek gets lots of bird visitors is that he has things for them to eat.

I encourage the chicory in a few places.

Chicory is often used in forage mixtures for wildlife plots intended to attract deer, quail or turkeys. I like the look of the individual flowers, too. Reminds me of childhood walks through the hills.

As penance for missing National Moth Week recently, here is a photo of the Ceanothus Silkmoth. The photo is from British Columbia. There are some other nice photos you can enlarge at the preceding link. These big moths are as showy as any of our big butterflies. It is a Western moth, and some of its larval host plants include Ceanothus species, commonly knowns as California Lilac, Wild Lilac or Buckbrush.

Western species of Ceanothus are also host to the caterpillars of a number of butterflies, including Hairstreaks, Blues, Spring Azure, a Duskywing, California Tortoiseshell and the Pale Swallowtail. This is the Pale Swallowtail, a "devout puddler".

Ceanothus is from the Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). Its close relatives in the West used to mostly be called Rhamnus, but I don't know what they are now. The name of the California Coffeeberry has been changed to Frangula californica. There are other buckthorns with holly-shaped leaves and such. Most of them are grown for their toughness, sometimes for their showy berries. And as thorny barrier planst. Flowers of the ones called "buckthorn" tend not to be too showy. Another relative is the Jujube. I have a Jujube tree. It isn't native, of course. Mine is thornless, but the suckers from the root stock are wickedly thorny.

Western Ceanothus species and cultivars are grown both for their flowers and foliage. Some have flowers that smell like fresh popcorn. If you live in the West, I suggest consulting with a good nursery, buying from a specialist or at least looking your cultivar up in the Sunset Western Garden Book. These plants vary from one another wildly. Some are creepers that need no water in the fog belt, others are 15-foot shrubs. Some need no water (and languish with water) in summer. Others accept summer water. Most are evergreen, a few are cold-hardy and lose their leaves in winter. As a group, they don't live very long, generally about 5 - 10 years.

The low-growing ones provide nesting spots for quail. All of them provide seeds for quail and smaller birds. In addition to being hosts to butterflies and moths, and providing nectar to many insects and to hummingbirds. This one is a hybrid called 'Dark Star'.

The most well-known Ceanothus in the East is New Jersey Tea, AKA 'Redroot'.

New Jersey-tea is a low, upright, deciduous shrub that grows to only 3 ft. tall. Pubescent leaves give the entire plant a grayish cast. Small white flowers occur in 2 in., branch-tip clusters. A low shrub with tiny white flowers in oval clusters rising from the leaf axils on the new shoots. The base is woody, while the upper portion of the plant is made up of herbaceous, spreading branches. Fall color is insignificant.
The dried leaves of this nitrogen-fixing shrub make an excellent tea that was very popular during the Revolutionary War period.

After the Boston Tea Party . . . .

New Jersey Tea and its Eastern relatives are tough and adaptable. They recover quickly after fire. Wild turkeys and quail like the seeds.

The Eastern Ceanothus species host the caterpillars of the delightful little Spring Azure and Summer Azure butterflies, and the Mottled Duskywing, which you might mistake for a moth because it perches with its wings open. Here's a Summer Azure. Photo taken in Massachusetts. I love the facial profiles of the little Azure, Blue, Copper and Hairstreak butterflies. And check out the striped antennae and legs on this one.

Gardens of The Horde

Got some Flavor King Pluots this week from a friend. There are few fruits in the world more flavorful than a fully ripe Flavor King. I bought the tree for them. Glad I did now. They had a plum tree which could serve as a pollinator. I recommend giving fruit trees to friends and family if you know that the recipient wants the tree, and if the tree would go in a good location.

Our own Flavor King Pluot died some years ago, along with our beloved Emerald Beaut Plum and some other stone fruits on the north side of the house. We suspect a soil fungus.

Anything going on in your garden?

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:48 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 My garden....and yard, and even acres of the woods have been taken over by Japanese Stilt Grass. This invasive plant doesn't seem to be eaten by deer and is crowding out everything in its path.

I don't care about the landscaping, it is the wildflowers I fear for.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at August 18, 2018 12:50 PM (FTlwv)

2 Great photos.

Posted by: HH at August 18, 2018 12:51 PM (mIJBI)

3 hiya

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 12:53 PM (DLK3N)

4 Jinx the Cat at August 18, 2018 12:50 PM

Great. Another Grass from Hell.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 18, 2018 12:53 PM (BVQ+1)

5 Great. Another Grass from Hell.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor

Wasn't that an Englebert Humperdink song ?

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 12:56 PM (DLK3N)

6 A now-deceased aunt told me that chickory was also used as a coffee substitute during the Depression. Don't ask me how that was done, but it's an interesting side note.

Posted by: dad29 at August 18, 2018 12:57 PM (7Kti7)

7 My garden....and yard, and even acres of the woods have been taken over by Japanese Stilt Grass. This invasive plant doesn't seem to be eaten by deer and is crowding out everything in its path.

Godzilla Grass !

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:00 PM (DLK3N)

8 A now-deceased aunt told me that chickory was also used as a coffee substitute during the Depression. Don't ask me how that was done, but it's an interesting side note.
Posted by: dad29 at August 18, 2018 12:57 PM (7Kti7)

I'm pretty sure Café du Monde is still blended with chicory.

Posted by: hogmartin at August 18, 2018 01:01 PM (y87Qq)

9 Godzilla Grass !
----
I'm fighting something called quack grass. It's invasive as well and almost impossible to kill. So not fun.

Which is why... Winter Rocks!!!

And yes, I am saying this as someone who lives in Michigan and does not ski.

Posted by: shibumi at August 18, 2018 01:07 PM (SbIX4)

10 We had a hummingbird nest in the eaves off the back porch. Lots of babies there through the years, until the Stellar Jays found the nest...
We are on a hummer migration path and get dozens at a time around our 3 feeders. We had one of the feeders on the back porch, until the roadrunners found it...
Nature is beautiful, but she is also a b*tch.

Posted by: Aeric at August 18, 2018 01:07 PM (ZbgGv)

11 Most of the veggies are done for now except the Heat Master tomatoes. We are still picking them green and letting them ripen on window sills. That is working well and they taste terrific. We are supposed to have much cooler temps this week (about damn time) so we will put in some more leaf lettuce seeds for a hoped for fall crop. With all the reports of contaninated packaged lettuce, we are bit paranoid about any we haven't grown ourselves.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 01:08 PM (V+03K)

12 And yes, I am saying this as someone who lives in Michigan and does not ski.
Posted by: shibumi at August 18, 2018 01:07 PM (SbIX4)

*mittenbump*

Posted by: hogmartin at August 18, 2018 01:08 PM (y87Qq)

13 Thanks for the ongoing photos and reports on the hummingbird babies. I've been following the saga like the old Saturday afternoon serials when we were kids. "Tune in again for the next thrilling installment."

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 01:13 PM (V+03K)

14 Chicory here in Central WA is considered a noxious invasive weed. It is a pretty flower.
I looked it up and one has to pull the roots. Wash the dirt off. Let them dry. I then roast them briefly, grind them. Use a heavy duty grinder because they're tough and will fry a smaller one, ask me how I know, and then add the grounds into your coffee of choice. It is tasty but kind of dull by itself.
It's not too laborious a process. It is kind of interesting to make use of on otherwise despised, locally at least, plant.
Mt self seeded tobacco is coming along but it's been very hot and dry here so I won't see much useable leaves I think this year. I am getting a fair amount of millet growing, thanks top the bird seed I've been putting out for the birds in the yard.

Posted by: Winston at August 18, 2018 01:14 PM (wgCUV)

15 Boy, do I need to proofread before posting... Duh...
Mt=my, to, not top.

Posted by: Winston at August 18, 2018 01:16 PM (wgCUV)

16 Sometimes it is easy to lose track of the dates. The 2019 Old Farmer's Almanac comes out in a few weeks. This is an annual ritual for me and I've already pre-ordered my copy.

BTW, last year the OFA forecast for our area was reasonably on target. Certainly better than the long range forecasts from the local news stations. I wouldn't bet money on it but at least the OFA isn't trying to gin up viewers with hyped predictions like the TV stations.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 01:18 PM (V+03K)

17 Why do they call it quack grass ?

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:19 PM (DLK3N)

18 Update on my NYS container garden (transitioned from ground to all containers this year):

I harvested a few cabbages this week. I have a few left growing and will allow those cabbages to continue to grow a while longer. The last thing I need is my husband eating cabbage day after day for a week or two. blech

The tomatoes are looking like they are done producing... and done turning. I guess they are getting pulled and put on my windowsill to see if they will redden.

The Brussels sprouts are still growing well. Total shock on how well these appear to be doing. I think harvest time is soon and I'll see how well they REALLY grew (empty sprouts or not).

And my peppers... the banana peppers just won't quit which is fine as we really like them. The bells (red, green, and orange) are still growing nicely.

And the Carolina Reapers I want to pull... after being lobbied by Hubby and my son to keep them, we went to a party last weekend and the story got around that I wanted to pull them out. We had several friends practically begging me to keep them and give them some when they ripened.

I have not yet yanked them (I am up to 8 people that want them!) so they continue to grow and flourish - against my better judgment. I hope I don't regret not pulling them before word got around.

Posted by: Ann at August 18, 2018 01:19 PM (e59uY)

19 JTB at August 18, 2018 01:18 PM

Seems kind of early for the Almanac to come out, but I guess with cover crops and all . . . .

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 18, 2018 01:20 PM (BVQ+1)

20 if someone comes up with the perfect chemical to kill the grasses, but not the rest ... they will be a billionaire overnight. Various chemical approaches are probably helpful ... I did a little early but a good rain brings up another flush.

Straw or plastic may be a preferred method next year, and more consistent chemical application. Certainly slothfulness does not work, as I can attest. My strawberry plants still look healthy, when I pull the grass back. Can't pull the grass (yet again) now or the strawberry roots come up with it. Will try wiping chemical on the high grass ... which has kinda worked. I did get some nice turnips that self seeded from last year.

Chickens are roaming free across the garden now, which is entertaining. Melons ripening, more eggs in a small pecan tree, but think these are from wrens, brown speckled but smaller I think. Will need to sit and observe ...

Only did 3 gallons of wine, fermentation kinda "stuck", not sure where I'm at on that score. I added some "wild yeast" via more grapes from the garden and it is going again ... time will tell.

too many tomatoes ... no canning this year. Picked 100 pears, another 60 out there up high. Lots of deer food plots under way ... life is good. cheers to the growers, pickers, "devourers".

Posted by: illiniwek at August 18, 2018 01:22 PM (bT8Z4)

21 The tomatoes are looking like they are done producing... and done turning. I guess they are getting pulled and put on my windowsill to see if they will redden.

Put them in a brown paper bag in a cool dry place and they will redden.

or tell them dirty jokes.....

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:23 PM (DLK3N)

22 "Seems kind of early for the Almanac to come out, but I guess with cover crops and all . . . . "

Hi KT, It usually come out early September. My problem was in not realizing how close that is. I think all this damn heat and humidity has warped what's left of my brains.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 01:24 PM (V+03K)

23 Chicory was added to coffee in order to extend it a bit.
You can still get coffee-chicory blends in places like New Orleans.

Posted by: navybrat, sometime commentater at August 18, 2018 01:26 PM (w7KSn)

24 We have chicory but I've never harvested the stuff.

Trying to eradicate it. It laughs at RoundUp. Best way is to pull the long taproot but they usually break off if I don't presoak and dig around first.

Best I can do when it's this hot is just cut back the ugly stems before they set seed.

Too bad the whole plant isn't as pretty as the individual flowers.

Posted by: JQ at August 18, 2018 01:26 PM (yD/Pf)

25 Put them in a brown paper bag in a cool dry place and they will redden.

or tell them dirty jokes.....
Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:23 PM (DLK3N)

I'd have to go to Trader Joe's to get a brown bag. And we quit the newspaper last month (Hubby could no longer take the Trump bashing), so that won't work. I "may" have a roll of raw newsprint that I use for wrapping gifts, so that would work. Thanks for the reminder!

Posted by: Ann at August 18, 2018 01:29 PM (e59uY)

26 My Bee weed patches, AKA as horse pens are still blooming away. They like me spot spraying the burrs which tend to hog all the water and stuff. The tater plants look good, I'm not ready to mess with cooking any yet so I have no idea if its all tops or I am actually getting some tubers.

Took a walk break yesterday at work along the creek path and the wild plums are in fruit and starting to turn red. I had to remind myself they are too sour to eat out of hand and I'm not going to carve out time to make jam.

Posted by: PaleRider, simply irredeemable at August 18, 2018 01:29 PM (cLj/v)

27 Thanks for the reminder!

Posted by: Ann

You're welcome !

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:32 PM (DLK3N)

28 From Idaho's Treasure Valley: We got back this Tuesday from husband's family's reunion in NC. The air here is smoky - not horrible, but it makes it hazy all day. (Could be much worse - I have a friend in Clearlake, CA, where it's awful.)

I asked multiple friends to pick vegetables while I was gone, but I don't know if they did. On Thursday, I processed 12 pounds of green beans into 1# freezer bags; that doesn't count all the ones that were too big and became compost. The cucumbers continue to produce WAY too much - husband has some ideas for further recipes, but a lot of them may be destined for compost. We haven't even gotten around to picking the Romas yet-

Because the salad tomatoes have gone nuts. Plus, I thought I knew which plant was which, but looking at the fruits, I think I was only right about one of them! I believe the one with rounder, redder, larger fruits is the one Big Boy. The other 3 have smaller, more oval fruits, with an orange or brown tinge, and they often have some green to the shoulders - I believe these are the heirloom Nyagous. Has anyone grown those, does that seem like a good description of a Nyagous? We still need to wash them, scald to remove the skin, and start filling the freezer with them, so we can can up some tomato sauce later - but not too much later, since the basil looks great now.

Since in our cloth bag row, we only have one butternut squash left, I pulled out the 2 dead zukes and the other butternut squash, and put all 4 drippers on the one live plant. I also put on a bit more fertilizer. I'll see if the plant looks perkier this coming week.

Of course along with tons of tomatoes and cukes, the corn is ready now. We processed 15 ears yesterday, got only 2.5 pounds into the freezer... corn involves so much waste... if it wasn't so good, we'd all have given it up a long time ago.

We haven't had good luck with blueberry bushes, so next year, we'll quit buying new ones, and just pull out whichever are obviously dead. I planted chamomile in one of the blueberry beds, and it's flowering all over the place - I'm trying to grab some flowers to make tea with.

Husband found a yellow jacket nest along the back property line, which explains how the traps in the apple trees end up so full. He'll have to go after that nest sometime soon.

Just to top off my lack of time to do anything other than process vegetables (or trip over containers of them on the kitchen floor because the refrigerator just can't HOLD it all) - I'm reporting for jury duty on Monday...

Posted by: Pat* at August 18, 2018 01:34 PM (2pX/F)

29 chicory has nice color that lasts for quite a while, which I like. Birds and bees also approve.
The flowers close up in the middle of the day. I don't have them in pasture/prairie areas that I mow just a couple times a year, and they have never been a problem in the fields with crops ... but I guess in some situations they are considered noxious.

I try to go through my little patches and pull Queen Anne's lace and several other competitors. Chicory has enough "flair" to earn its place. color ... I want lotsa color (other than green).

Posted by: illiniwek at August 18, 2018 01:38 PM (bT8Z4)

30 I'm reporting for jury duty on Monday...

Posted by: Pat*

George Carlin once advised about jury duty....

Just tell the judge "I can tell if a person is guilty just by LOOKING at them !"

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:39 PM (DLK3N)

31 Our soil here in eastern PA is drenched. It seems as though I've driven through more downpours in the past month than in all of my previous experience. Trees are falling because the soil they're rooted in is saturated.
Plus we're inundated with lantern flies, possibly the most serious disaster to hit PA agriculture in modern times.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 01:46 PM (txw6d)

32 In Iowa State Fair news, today is the annual State Fair chili contest. This is an International Chili Society sanctioned event and draws a large crowd. Today's competition was marred by controversity when one of the entrants was found to have adulterated his chili with carrots. The offender was disqualified, banned from future competitions and ejected from the fairgrounds.

Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 01:47 PM (AOpTF)

33 Our soil here in eastern PA is drenched

AMEN Sista !

I've lived here for 27 years and don't recall such a rainy August.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:49 PM (DLK3N)

34 I'm baaaaaack

Posted by: Hillary Clinton's Commemorative Presidential Panties at August 18, 2018 01:54 PM (PCb3o)

35 illiniwek at August 18, 2018 01:22 PM
Thanks for the report and the photo of the blue chicory flowers. They really are blue.
So are some Ceanothus flowers. True blue is sort of rare in flowers. I appreciate it.

Posted by: KT at August 18, 2018 01:54 PM (BVQ+1)

36 Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 01:47 PM
A cautionary tale.

Posted by: KT at August 18, 2018 01:55 PM (BVQ+1)

37 The offender was disqualified, banned from future competitions and ejected from the fairgrounds.
Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 01:47 PM (AOpTF)
----------

I hope you said hi to BCochran before they bounced him.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 01:57 PM (JJZzu)

38 Big wedding next door. We even cleaned up the weeds and debris so that their yard adjoining ours looks relatively (!) kempt. Difficult for me, because I am a very casual gardener, but our adjoining front yard look nice. Time for a shower and youngest kidlet is going to have a beer/wine stash just for our driveway. Never thought that people really attempt to 'landscape' inches, but here it is.

Posted by: mustbequantum at August 18, 2018 01:58 PM (MIKMs)

39 I adulterate my chili with Chardonnay

Posted by: Hillary Clinton's Commemorative Presidential Panties at August 18, 2018 01:58 PM (PCb3o)

40 I know I always say this, but it's always true: this thread has the most beautiful pictures, week after week. I'm happy for everyone else's success in the garden, even though my basil has pretty much drowned this year *sob*.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 01:59 PM (JJZzu)

41 AMEN Sista !

I've lived here for 27 years and don't recall such a rainy August.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:49 PM (DLK3N)

I'm maybe 20 miles south of Allentown.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:00 PM (txw6d)

42 I can only manage to grow aloe

Posted by: Hillary Clinton's Commemorative Presidential Panties at August 18, 2018 02:00 PM (PCb3o)

43 Miley, my dear!

Posted by: Ladyl at August 18, 2018 02:01 PM (v4pQ0)

44 Speaking of Bluebells...

Years ago I plant mint plants along the strip of ground between my driveway and the neighbor's fence.

Today, I noticed ONE bluebell in amongst the mint.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:02 PM (DLK3N)

45 Pat* at August 18, 2018 01:34 PM
Thanks for the report, Pat*. Sorry about the blueberries. Don't know if the real northerners would do better or not.

Nyagous is a slightly elongated salad-sized tomato (not as long s a Roma) that is generally flaw-free in appearance. Dark-hued. May start out with green shoulders or show orange in some weather conditions.

Posted by: KT at August 18, 2018 02:02 PM (BVQ+1)

46 I'm maybe 20 miles south of Allentown.

Posted by: Miley,

I'm just outside of NE Philly.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:03 PM (DLK3N)

47 I'm happy for everyone else's success in the garden, even though my basil has pretty much drowned this year *sob*.
Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 01:59 PM (JJZzu)

Oh no! Poor bluebell. At least it didn't bolt, which is what happens to just about any herb I try to grow.

Are you doing the sad ice cream cone thing?
https://stoatnet.org/icecream.jpg

Posted by: hogmartin at August 18, 2018 02:03 PM (y87Qq)

48 City says I must prune back the junipers-- I take it to mean *now* (which is the WORST time to do it)-- or they will send in a crew to butcher them for me, as well as overcharge $$$ for it.
Damn. Guess I'd better get after it.

Posted by: JQ at August 18, 2018 02:04 PM (yD/Pf)

49 Ladyl! I'm certain that you're suffused with joy being where you are right now.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:05 PM (txw6d)

50 I'm just outside of NE Philly.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:03 PM (DLK3N)

Have you been infested with lantern flies yet? Apparently this is a very serious APB for them. Aggie folks have traveled to China to find out more about how they feed and propagate. No predators here, really. Although spiders still catch them in webs, along with anything else flying by.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:07 PM (txw6d)

51 I didn't do a garden this year.
But my rosemary and thyme, have hung on to do well.
I can't walk past them without thinking Italian for dinner.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:09 PM (0tfLf)

52 Miley-

I don't know what a lantern fly is.

Lantern flies...quacking grass....what's the world coming to ?

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:12 PM (DLK3N)

53 37 The offender was disqualified, banned from future competitions and ejected from the fairgrounds.
Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 01:47 PM (AOpTF)
----------

I hope you said hi to BCochran before they bounced him.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18,

******

If they find orca in the mix I hope they shoot him.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:12 PM (0tfLf)

54 But my rosemary and thyme, have hung on to do well.

Scarborough Fair ?

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:13 PM (DLK3N)

55 Oh, we have a bat that sleeps between the raised storm window and the screen of the kitchen window. He takes off every evening around 8. He yawned the other night as he began to stir. So cute! His body is about 2 1/2" long.
Back into plant talk - my geranium was going gangbusters in July. I commented to my SiL that I'd never seen it looking so fine. 3 stalks over a yard tall, and nicely filled out, with plenty of flower buds just beginning to open.

It's a naked and bedraggled mess now.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:14 PM (txw6d)

56 Scarborough Fair ?
Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018

****

No parsley or sage.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:15 PM (0tfLf)

57 Buy now.

Posted by: President Hillary Clinton's Commemorative Panties $79.99 at August 18, 2018 02:18 PM (PCb3o)

58 So Miley is talking about a nekid and bedraggled mess with bats in her belfry.

Hhhmmmm.

The things you can read on a Saturday.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:18 PM (0tfLf)

59 No parsley or sage.

bummer

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:18 PM (DLK3N)

60 Something just for gardening amusement. Well, plant related anyway. Do a search on Youtube with "making tiny native terrariums". The poster does other terrarium videos but this one uses TINY bottles. The biggest is perhaps the size of a pill bottle. Others are smaller. If you have appropriate size plants available it could be fun. Certainly the cost would be minimal. The tools are a piece of paper, some tweezers, and a shaped bamboo skewer.

The next time I'm at our favorite nursery, I'm going to look at their alpine plants. Some of them are very petite and stay that way. Could be a hoot.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 02:19 PM (V+03K)

61 I should send in a picture one of my yard creatures.
Well my 2 Honey Dew plants didn't produce a thing, so disheartening.
Getting tomatoes, squash, some peppers and cucumbers. Made refrigerator pickles last week and took some in for co-workers to try, they loved them. Going to throw in one of my hot peppers to spice up the next batch.

Posted by: Skip at August 18, 2018 02:21 PM (lxZ71)

62 Today, I noticed ONE bluebell in amongst the mint.
Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:02 PM (DLK3N)
----------

If your mint is still alive, it wasn't me.

Posted by: bluebell, killer of mint as well as basil and pretty much everything else at August 18, 2018 02:22 PM (JJZzu)

63 Late August is when I start to look up winter weather forecasts and check out Christmas cookbooks from the library.

Posted by: JuJuBee at August 18, 2018 02:23 PM (vXMB2)

64 Very OT and not garden related

Today, I taught myself to use a pnumatic stapler!

Note to all morons: do not leave your power tools and my projects unfinished in my garage.

Posted by: shibumi at August 18, 2018 02:24 PM (SbIX4)

65 *slightly used

Posted by: President Hillary Clinton's Commemorative Panties $79.99 at August 18, 2018 02:24 PM (PCb3o)

66 My parsley and rosemary are doing well. My sage is in its nascent stage - it should be well advanced from where it is. My thyme, which usually runs wild, I had to start from seed again this year because it died. It all came up nicely, and the constant rain just killed it. There is one tiny seedling in the barrel. I took a picture and sent it to a friend and I had to magnify the tiny thing so she could see it.

Not a good year for my herbs. Oh, my chives are okay!

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:24 PM (JJZzu)

67 Also still getting rained on at least every other day, rain barrel has almost not been used in a month.

Posted by: Skip at August 18, 2018 02:25 PM (lxZ71)

68 Our desert willow has bloomed very nicely despite efforts of deer to destroy it. The bloom period is quite long, apparently; there's been a constant succession of fragrant orchid-like blooms. Another plus is the hummingbirds come to visit. All the drama without having to maintain a feeder!

Posted by: Emmie at August 18, 2018 02:26 PM (4HMW8)

69 Really, I'm just here so all the rest of you can feel better about your gardening skills.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:26 PM (JJZzu)

70 JT - Lantern fly:

https://preview.tinyurl.com/ybye4gvq
If you see this, report it at once. It's a PIA, since you'll be inundated with scientific folk.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:27 PM (txw6d)

71 My chives hung in pretty well for the year but the long dry stretch we are having has tapped it out.
I don't use it that much but it's fun to grow. Good for filling and empty spot in the herb bed.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:27 PM (0tfLf)

72 If your mint is still alive, it wasn't me.

Somebody gave me 2 kinds of mint plants about 20 years ago.

One was a spearmint and I have no idea what became of it.

The other mint plant just went crazy... I've given away mint plants over the years and I have to cut it back when it gets too close to my strawberry plant.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:28 PM (DLK3N)

73 Most of our tomatoes are a really weird shape. Don't know what causes that.

Posted by: Ronster at August 18, 2018 02:29 PM (Ha3L0)

74 So Miley is talking about a nekid and bedraggled mess with bats in her belfry.

Hhhmmmm.

The things you can read on a Saturday.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:18 PM (0tfLf)

To cap it off, my mother sleeps 16 hours a day, and does nothing but watch Fox News, eat and poop. She's turned into a cat. And my brother has lost part of his mind. We're going to have to become his guardians.
But at least the last set of rain clouds passed over without effect.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:29 PM (txw6d)

75 Really, I'm just here so all the rest of you can feel better about your gardening skills.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:26 PM

*****

We are why they have farmers markets everywhere.
Grab some fresh stuff, newly baked things and a couple bottles of wine. Yum!

Some assembly required.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:30 PM (0tfLf)

76 10+ pound groundhog or something in neighbor's back yard again. He picks up a bus and throws it back down as he wades through the buildings to the center of town.

We're gonna need a bigger trap.

Posted by: Burger Chef at August 18, 2018 02:30 PM (RuIsu)

77 The next time I'm at our favorite nursery, I'm going
to look at their alpine plants. Some of them are very petite and stay
that way. Could be a hoot.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 02:19 PM (V+03K)

Those little air plant things are fun, too. Brain fart, can't recall the name.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:31 PM (txw6d)

78 I took a picture and sent it to a friend and I had to magnify the tiny thing so she could see it.

I've done that with fish that I've caught.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:31 PM (DLK3N)

79 Diogenes, I go to our little local farmer's market almost every single Thursday. There are other ones that are fancier but I like this one because it is small and it has been here the longest, at least 30 years.

There are maybe only a dozen or so stands, and of those, only four of those are produce farmers. I buy something from each one of them every week, and have a nice chat about their families, new babies, grandson at my old college, etc. Plus I get great veggies. I drop a bundle but I don't care - it helps them and we eat it all so it helps us.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:33 PM (JJZzu)

80 Really, I'm just here so all the rest of you can feel better about your gardening skills.

Posted by: bluebell

Pshaw !

You're a breath of flower-scented air wherever you appear.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:33 PM (DLK3N)

81 I am not sure what is going on. I have a Mockingbird Chick chirping and it is the middle of August. I want it gone or dead.

Posted by: Pamazon at August 18, 2018 02:33 PM (GhKPS)

82 53 If they find orca in the mix I hope they shoot him.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:12 PM (0tfLf)

No okra detected in the chili, however there's a stand here selling various kinds of breaded deep fried vegetables and one of the choices is . . . okra.

Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (AOpTF)

83 A year or so ago I was walking in a park and saw a swarm of butterflies (Yellow swallowtails) on the ground. I got closer and could take pictures of them while practically on top of them.
And what was keeping them there? Turns out that goose poop is to butterflies as bacon and alcohol are to humans.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (l9m7l)

84 BBells,
I used to go to the one in Leesburg. A German guy there with the best beef EVAH!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (0tfLf)

85 We are only at the "Gee, I wonder if ..." stage. The containers did a better job than expected this year. (Admittedly, low expectations.) We may do an expanded version in the future and look at things to let us extend the growing time both early and late. If that ever works out, we'll probably turn the old in-ground plot into a butterfly and bee attracting patch.

Yeah, I know. Clouds in my coffee. But the wondering could be fun.

Posted by: JTB at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (V+03K)

86 Why do they call it quack grass ?

*******

'Cause instead of growing up it grows down?

Posted by: Muldoon at August 18, 2018 02:36 PM (m45I2)

87 53 If they find orca in the mix I hope they shoot him.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:12 PM (0tfLf)

Killer whale chili?

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:36 PM (txw6d)

88 So the papa hummingbird of our little nesting couple is doing his part. The feeder hangs from a pole off the side of our deck. He has staked out about three different perches roughly 30-40 feet away from the feeder, in bordering trees. He will sit on a branch and just wait. And wait. And wait.

The instant that any other hummingbird dares to approach the feeder he makes a straight line attack, flat out at 100 mph to chase off the intruder. Once he overshot his approach and flew to within about 3' of my face before swerving off.

Then he flies back up onto one of his three branches and sits. And waits. And waits.

Good job Dad!

Posted by: Muldoon at August 18, 2018 02:36 PM (m45I2)

89 And what was keeping them there? Turns out that goose poop is to butterflies as bacon and alcohol are to humans.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (l9m7l)

They love minty toothpaste spittings, too. We discovered this while camping.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 02:37 PM (txw6d)

90 JT - Lantern fly:

https://preview.tinyurl.com/ybye4gvq
If you see this, report it at once. It's a PIA, since you'll be inundated with scientific folk.

Posted by: Miley,

Ok. Thanks.

If I see one, I'll report it to Insomniac.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:37 PM (DLK3N)

91 'Cause instead of growing up it grows down?

Posted by: Muldoon

lol. Nice.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:39 PM (DLK3N)

92 Miley.
Sounds like my MIL and my nephew who has severe epilepsy.
Sigh....

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:43 PM (0tfLf)

93 pneumatic stapler!

What are you making with it? I have some chairs to recover and my little hand stapler, labeled power super leverage wonder stapler, is still just a hand stapler and I never get very far with it.

Posted by: sarahw at August 18, 2018 02:43 PM (Sp1NT)

94 When I had my Hummingbird feeder hanging from a beam on the front porch I used to get a ton of them coming around. But when I had the house covered with vinyl siding the beam was covered and I couldn't see putting a hole through that siding after I had just paid $13,000 to have the house covered. I still get a few coming around when my magnolia tree is blooming. But other than that I rarely see them anymore.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at August 18, 2018 02:45 PM (mpXpK)

95 In 1972, MR Paul Anka made his only appearance on the grandstand stage at the Iowa State Fair. Reserved tickets were $3, $4, and $5. The poster for the show does not specify if the guys got shirts.

Also appearing at the Fair grandstand that year were Sonny & Cher, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, and the Guess Who.

Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 02:45 PM (AOpTF)

96 No okra detected in the chili, however there's a stand here selling various kinds of breaded deep fried vegetables and one of the choices is . . . okra.
Posted by: Iowa Bob at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (AOpTF)

****

Alert SWAT.
Call the National Guard.
Launch the B-52's and get the dog catcher out there.
It's a Super Fund site now.

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:47 PM (0tfLf)

97 My kids would gobble up deep-fried okra. So would I.

Deep-fried orca though, not so much.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:49 PM (JJZzu)

98 Finally finished the chicken wire and lumber rat proof tomato enclosures.

And now the cherry tomatoes are tapering off, and the hybrids are about finished.

I figure maybe two more weeks at most, and the 'maters will be finished for the year.

But they made a damn fine LGBT sandwich, on white toast.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 18, 2018 02:50 PM (wldC6)

99 Never tried deep-fried okra. I usually pan-fry it after coating with flour and cornmeal.
Not for the faint of heart, lol!

Posted by: JQ at August 18, 2018 02:51 PM (yD/Pf)

100 Deep-fried orca though, not so much.

*****

Ok. Ok.
OKRA.
Sheesh. Misspell one word...!!!

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:51 PM (0tfLf)

101 Love the teensy hummingbird babies! Great photo!

Posted by: Emmie at August 18, 2018 02:52 PM (4HMW8)

102 Whenever I read this thread, the theme from Green Acres echoes in my head.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:55 PM (DLK3N)

103 I'm gonna go get some stuff done.

Have fun, everyone .

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:56 PM (DLK3N)

104 Growing okra is a mystery to me. My plants will flower and produce pods, but the plants stay about a foot tall with four leaves. I don't see how it can produce pods on such a wimpy plant.

Posted by: Emmie at August 18, 2018 02:56 PM (4HMW8)

105 one of these days, i will remember to submit the pics i've taken of my Coffeeberry, and the Ceanothus, the Bear Bush, and all the other natives in our front yard...

likely in about #twoweeks

Posted by: redc1c4 at August 18, 2018 02:57 PM (Usfbf)

106 Diogenes, I actually thought you were just joking. It never crossed my mind that you meant okra.

Iowa Bob, however, knew right away. Behold the power of eating deep-fried food on a stick for a week.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:58 PM (JJZzu)

107 Sounds like my MIL and my nephew who has severe epilepsy.

Sigh....

Posted by: Diogenes at August 18, 2018 02:43 PM (0tfLf)

Ah well, prayers all around. I'm taking a day to recuperate from stress, and just focus on non-family stuff.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 03:00 PM (txw6d)

108 If I see one, I'll report it to Insomniac.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 02:37 PM (DLK3N)

LOL!

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 03:01 PM (txw6d)

109 I figure maybe two more weeks at most, and the 'maters will be finished for the year.

But they made a damn fine LGBT sandwich, on white toast.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at August 18, 2018 02:50 PM (wldC6)

I guess they aren't an endangered species any longer.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 03:02 PM (txw6d)

110 Pet Thread is up. Gardening Thread still accepting comments.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at August 18, 2018 03:03 PM (BVQ+1)

111 Not sure I have had okra, I guess I might have but couldn't tell you what it tasted like.

Posted by: Skip at August 18, 2018 03:07 PM (lxZ71)

112 I've lived here for 27 years and don't recall such a rainy August.

Posted by: JT at August 18, 2018 01:49 PM

I have another decade or two on you and can honestly say this is the very worst summer, ever. SE Pennsylvania is barely one protracted rain event away from disaster.

It seems that every day I get from one to six warnings on my cell phone of impending doom. I live on the upper ground so it doesn't bother me too much... except I have to traverse the lower ground -- which has often been cordoned off and underwater -- to get home.

Posted by: Forgot My Nic at August 18, 2018 03:09 PM (LOgQ4)

113 Was talking with co-workers that we were thinking this could be a record wet year in se Pennsylvania. I know sometimes it's very spotty who gets rain, one town lots others next to nothing. But this weather pattern sure seems to be saturated so no one is missing any.

Posted by: Skip at August 18, 2018 03:13 PM (lxZ71)

114 Deep-fried orca though, not so much.

Posted by: bluebell at August 18, 2018 02:49 PM (JJZzu)

Nom, cetacean rinds.

I started making apple sauce this week, it has been to hot to cook during the day in the house, so I have been using a propane camp stove in the back yard, and I strung a light bulb so I can work.

Today I picked up a five gallon bucket of pears, so it looks like today I will be canning pears.

My GF picked 6 quarts of blackberries from the back fence, but fortunately she is taking them to a friend so I won't be making blackberry jam.

If anyone wonders where I am this weekend, I am canning, canning, canning.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 18, 2018 03:15 PM (2K6fY)

115 What are you making with it? I have some chairs to recover and my little hand stapler, labeled power super leverage wonder stapler, is still just a hand stapler and I never get very far with it.
---

I've done chairs with a hand stapler before. Maybe you need a better hand stapler?

I have a Craftsman hand stapler and it was fine for doing the upholstery on my chairs. If the staple doesn't go in all the way, you can tap in with a hammer.

I'm putting shingles on a cupola on my roof. It's super easy to use the pneumatic stapler, however, you do need a pneumatic stapler and a compressor. I have borrowed both.

Posted by: shibumi at August 18, 2018 03:16 PM (SbIX4)

116
The thing about the rains in SE Pennsylvania is that the storms are traveling from south to north. Usually it's west to east, which blow over pretty quickly. If you happen to be in the direct line from north to south, it's bad news. Really bad news. Five or six hours of rain at an inch or two an hour is almost hurricane levels of rain.

I've seen local conditions this summer which rival Hurricane Floyd. Not just once, but more then three times. When the police are directing traffic and looking at how high your vehicle sits above the flooding to decide whether you should advance or turn around, that's bad.

And with that, the rain begins again.

Posted by: Forgot My Nic at August 18, 2018 03:23 PM (LOgQ4)

117 Broccoli finally producing - seeded with radishes (!) and no worms or aphids.Corn almost ready. Cukes overdoing, neighbors may have had their fill. Best zucchini, ever. Blight took out the yukon gold; russets blooming but stunted.Same with tomatoes; blight caused stunting. Early cabbage done (last heads split), but large core and very loose in the centers? Matured too fast? Various strange squash with butternut; first year no squash beetles - yay!

Posted by: stonecutter at August 18, 2018 03:31 PM (Bfr22)

118 And, raspberries and blueberries are pathetic and blackberries have enormous vines but few berries.

Posted by: stonecutter at August 18, 2018 03:34 PM (Bfr22)

119 Ceanothus was (is?) a popular shrub and groundcover in California. During our landscaping years the popular name for it was Tick Bush. Walking under some of the taller forms growing in the costal hills is definitely a way to collect a few ticks.

Posted by: John Allen at August 18, 2018 03:40 PM (xCQUN)

120 I don't care about the landscaping, it is the wildflowers I fear for.
Posted by: Jinx the Cat at August 18, 2018 12:50 PM (FTlwv)

Late to party.

Seems to be an annual. I suspect much of your wildflowers are as well.

There may be a strategy where if you are diligent in noticing when which plant sprouts it may be that you could apply a pre-emergent at just the right time.

Otherwise, diquat is your friend. Gone. In a day.

Posted by: Apple or Pixy is making golfmans punctuation meaningless at August 18, 2018 04:25 PM (OhmbU)

121 I had some grass killer spray that I use in the flower beds. I used it up and ordered some online but it never arrived. Did anyone else notice a shortage of grass killer this year?

Posted by: PaleRider, simply irredeemable at August 18, 2018 04:30 PM (c0w18)

122 I'm putting shingles on a cupola on my roof. It's
super easy to use the pneumatic stapler, however, you do need a
pneumatic stapler and a compressor. I have borrowed both.

Posted by: shibumi at August 18, 2018 03:16 PM (SbIX4)

Is this an Ohio cupola?

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at August 18, 2018 04:42 PM (txw6d)

123 Would think these staplers we're talking about are two different animals. A electric stapler for furniture should be shooting 3/4 " at most, roof shingle stapler should be 1 1/4 " at least.

Posted by: Skip at August 18, 2018 05:09 PM (lxZ71)

124 83 A year or so ago I was walking in a park and saw a swarm of butterflies (Yellow swallowtails) on the ground. I got closer and could take pictures of them while practically on top of them.
And what was keeping them there? Turns out that goose poop is to butterflies as bacon and alcohol are to humans.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at August 18, 2018 02:35 PM (l9m7l)

If that were true my neighborhood would be covered in butterflies. I soooo want to send those horrible Canadian Geese back north. My town does not allow for hunting, otherwise, I'd become proficient and shoot those squawking, pooping, traffic-stopping menaces. They are worse than the deer.

Posted by: Ann at August 18, 2018 05:51 PM (e59uY)

125 I was lucky enough to see a pale swallowtail feeding on yard flowers a couple times this summer. They sure are pretty.

Posted by: PaleRider, simply irredeemable at August 18, 2018 06:24 PM (cLj/v)

126 stonecutter at August 18, 2018 03:31 PM
I would guess that your cabbage was growing too fast. Was the weather warm?

Posted by: KT at August 19, 2018 11:43 AM (BVQ+1)

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