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Saturday Gardening Thread: The littlest pets [KT]

lilyrednyel.JPG

Hello, gardeners and friends of gardeners! The lovely photo above is from NaughtyPine, whose favorite red lily is always the last to bloom.

Today, we have a special feature from a member of The Horde who has some special pets. I know this isn't the Pet Thread, but these pets are bees. In the garden. There are some nice things from other folks, too. Flowers and food.

Bees

We have had some interesting things come in on insects lately, but this feature from long-time lurk-o-ron Larro has some really great information! Take it away, Larro:

Well, I guess bees aren't great pets...

They won't come when called
They can put some hurt on you
They wont bark to warn you of danger
They wont welcome you and sit on your lap.

All and all, they just as soon you stay the hell out of their way and leave their Queen alone. "THEY" are referring to the most common members of the hive, the worker bees, and they are females, and they can get to number 50,000 in a hive.

They are very busy, you understand. I've read their average life is about 90 days this time of the year. After they crawl out and learn to fly, they are trained to work, and work they do. They spend the first part of their life doing chores in the hive, then they go out and spend the last part gathering pollen to bring back to store. They work themselves to death, literally. Just so the hive can survive.

Who are the other members of the hive? How hard do they work? Well, the Queen numbers only ONE.

There can only be one Queen, and she runs the joint hard and fast. She hands out orders through scents she emits (pheromones). I've never smelled them, but a friend said the attack command smells like bubblegum. All I know for sure is the result of that command; it's perhaps a circle Dante could not reach....

The queen works very hard. To maintain roughly 50,000 workers at one time, of which only live for 90 plus days, she better be laying 1,200 or more eggs per day. Consider she only breeds once early in her life, stores the sperm, and lays eggs until her body starts giving out... at which time the colony will replace her by supersecdure.

Then, there's the lazy bum drones. These are the only males, and mostly they hang around and eat. The only thing they are good for is mating. Period. There may be 300 or more ( I heard because I never tried to count) hanging around in the hive... every time a new queen is hostaed ( I heard every 2-4 years0 the queen takes her maiden flight, and is inseminated by about 10-15 males. She stores their sperm, and the lucky males now get to die.

beeee2.JPG

My Pets

The drone is always the first to get thrown out when times are hard.

I've heard about colony collapse disorder, and pesticides killing bees, and mismanagement. I can't do much about outside my realm. I do like to watch the girls work the blooms in my flowerbeds and gardens. They will let you come close and don't mind you as their only job is to get home with a load for their hive.

Besides, if they are provoked ( and my observation it must be really threatening) they will sting, which means they will die shortly thereafter, and not get their load back home.

They just want to work.

How do I benefit? Not much- I have some tomatoes that may get pollinated, some flowers, maybe some peppers. I only have less than 1/4 acre in a developed neighborhood (my yard...)

In California, crop pollination is a huge deal. Almonds are a $5 Billion industry there, and many bee hives are trucked in expressly for cross pollination.

beeee1.JPG

A frame of brood and capped honey

Here's a slo mo movie I took of rush hour traffic.

Thanks to CBD for the video edit. And for Larro for all the extra work.

Back in June, we posted a link to an article sent in by Hank Curmudgeon on saving the bees, with notes on their need for a variety of pollen. It's under the photo of the honeybee on Lantana, not a favorite flower of honeybees, but one they will visit if no more tempting flowers are available.

They like sunflowers better. Here are some now, sent in by Island Girl. Sunflowers are a great source of pollen for bees, as long as they aren't those pollen-free hybrid florist types:

Aloha, this is at my parents house in Cottonwood AZ elevation 3500?? They used to grow in our side yard in So Cal many many years ago, Mom still has the touch.

sunflowercot2.jpg

And here's a honeybee coming in for a landing on a Digitalis (foxglove) sent in by Admirale's Mate:

The excess rain has been good for the flowers this year.

digitbee.jpg

I see some pollen showing on the peonies growing with this foxglove, which I think may be a perennial type. Not sure if the one above is a biennial or a perennial.

digitpeon.JPG

We have had some great photos of peonies from The Horde this season. We posted this photo from Dr_No a while ago. The color is altered. Think it is a peony? He says the open blooms are about 3 to 3.5 inches across.

long and winding.jpg

Here is the natural color:

Peony Doublet.jpg

And here is a peony from the garden of LurkerLou Here for Five Minutes in Fairbanks, Alaska:

I hated to cut them but my mother in law was coming and I wanted her to have a treat. Stunning. These lasted about two weeks in the vase.

peonAK.png

We're getting behind in posting photos of lilies from The Horde. Here's one from Don in Kansas. He is not a fan of fake plants in botanical gardens. There are some lovely photos at the link. Have fun.

liilydon.jpg

The Edible Garden

Wee Kreek Farm Girl sent the following update from the desert earlier in the month:

The trellis has been a huge success. It is like a treasure hunt finding things on it as they are all intertwined but that makes it fun. I am glad I made a map of what I planted in there because it helps identify some of the things. I have cushaw squash, crenshaw melon, a cucumber called Jibai, Armenian cucumbers, and the last is a Richmond green apple cucumber.

richmond.JPG

cushaww.JPG

cukee2.JPG

This looks like a real cucumber, with spines and all. Not a melon like the Armenian Cucumber.

cukee3.JPG

I'm pretty sure this is the Crenshaw melon.

crennshaw.JPG


There are also lemon cucumbers growing in there somewhere. Also a picture of my Dorsett Golden Apples, I am having a bumper crop this year. We have been eating apples for over a month, I have made a pie, pork and apples, applesauce, and just eating them on a daily basis and we still have at least a hundred more apples on the tree. Only two years in the ground as well. My hot lemon pepper plant has been producing so many peppers (it is three years old now) I have taken to making hot sauce. I am trying a fermented hot sauce recipe, but always interested if the horde has any homemade hot sauce recipes they like.

dorsettt.JPG

Stay tuned for a blueberry zucchini bread recipe.

OOPS. The one that may have come from The Horde seems to have disappeared into computer limbo. But here are two others that look pretty good.

This one has some some applesauce, a little whole wheat flour and cinnamon/nutmeg.

Here's one for lemon blueberry zucchini bread. No applesauce, so it uses more oil. You could add a thin lemon glaze or syrup if you wanted too.

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

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:24 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 first?

Posted by: lin-duh at July 20, 2019 01:32 PM (UUBmN)

2 Oh yay! You remembered about the blueberry zucchini bread recipe.

Posted by: My life is insanity at July 20, 2019 01:33 PM (Z/jzm)

3 Beautiful flowers. I'm sad that mom's peonies didn't bloom. Nice healthy looking plant, but no buds this year. Not sure why.

Posted by: My life is insanity at July 20, 2019 01:34 PM (Z/jzm)

4 Only thing going on in my yard is the figs ripening. Not a whole bunch but I did manage to make some preserves for Ben Had with lemons I harvested over the winter. I didn't make the preserves as sweet as many recipes call for, I think it kills the flavor of the figs. Otherwise it's too hot for anything else in Texas now.

Posted by: lin-duh at July 20, 2019 01:34 PM (UUBmN)

5 Speaking of bees - how much truth is there, if any, to the "OMG THE BEES ARE GOING EXTINCT" thing?

Posted by: Insomniac at July 20, 2019 01:35 PM (NWiLs)

6 Plants are stupid.

Posted by: Serious Cat at July 20, 2019 01:38 PM (Xqo6t)

7 Cool gardening thread, KT!

Great information about bees.

Posted by: blake - my preferred pronoun is: Pronoun! at July 20, 2019 01:38 PM (WEBkv)

8 Good afternoon everyone. We got the errands done earlier and are now ensconsed in the air conditioning. And we have no intention to go out until Monday. The heat and humidity in this area is terrible and has been for a few days. It's supposed to break next week. (I hope!!)

Of course, there are the usual proclamations (settled science) about global warming. Apparently, they can't remember a few months ago when the country was having a very tough winter. It should be noted that the record for this time of year was set in 1930. So it took 89 years for the global warming BS to catch up.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 01:40 PM (bmdz3)

9 5 Speaking of bees - how much truth is there, if any, to the "OMG THE BEES ARE GOING EXTINCT" thing?
Posted by: Insomniac at July 20, 2019 01:35 PM (NWiLs)
-------------

Considering the information comes from the same people claiming, "we're all gonna die from global cooling, I mean, global warming, I mean, global climate change," I'd say it's probably close to nonsense.

Posted by: blake - my preferred pronoun is: Pronoun! at July 20, 2019 01:40 PM (WEBkv)

10 As usual, the photos for the thread are wonderful. I'm going to reread the section on bees. Like Sherlock Holmes in retirement, they fascinate me. I can say we have had a lot of bee activity around flowers and the clover in the grass. Thanks to all for the submissions.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 01:45 PM (bmdz3)

11 Interesting details on the honeybees ... queen gets one orgy and stores all that sperm for a couple years? Pretty amazing ... will need to learn more via YouTube I guess.


The Japanese beetles are here now, and I have to spray Sevin after each rain or they'd strip leaves from all my grapes and raspberries, and a few other things. I stay away from the flowers, so hopefully don't lose any bees. I empty four traps of the beetles a couple times a day ... they keep coming, I think the scent brings them in from a distance, but maybe that will save some soybeans (another plant they will chew up, and corn silks at times).

cheers to the growers ...

Posted by: illiniwek at July 20, 2019 01:50 PM (Cus5s)

12 Also, bees also never know the lyrics to any song so they just hum

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 01:52 PM (vJw+j)

13 Also, bees also never know the lyrics to any song so they just hum

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 01:52 PM (vJw+j)

Now you're just winging it....

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at July 20, 2019 01:54 PM (wYseH)

14 https://tinyurl.com/yypmzf8w


Posted by: ibid at July 20, 2019 01:56 PM (0sukT)

15 Also, bees also never know the lyrics to any song so they just hum

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 01:52 PM (vJw+j)

Now you're just winging it....
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at July 20, 2019 01:54 PM (wYseH)

Oh, buzz off.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 01:57 PM (Ct55T)

16 We are getting enough cherry tomatoes each day to suit our needs, which is nice. BTW last week I said we had Sweet Thousands. Turns out they are called Sweet Millions. A bit smaller and sweeter than the Thousands with a softer skin. It's a good thing we ony put in a few plants. I could overdose on these very easily.

The crepe myrtles in the area are in full bloom in white and all those different shades of purple. Our own little crepe is thriving and heavily in bloom. Lovely. Now if they just had a fragrence like lilacs do.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 01:58 PM (bmdz3)

17 Food thread/ garden thread crossover:

I made a salsa out of some veggies from warai-onna's garden. Jalapeno, cherry pepper and garlic wrapped up in foil with olive oil, s&p, and bay leaves. Roasted on the grill and left to rest, then deseeded and mashed up with more o.o. and s&p.

Delicioso.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:00 PM (Ct55T)

18 Tried beekeeping this year, lost the queen, tried to requeen, hive was decimated by mites and waxworms. Took the hive apart, froze it in the freezer for about a week to kill any waxworms or mites I missed. Then scrubbed it good with bleach water.

My mistake was only starting with 1 hive (packaged bees). Its too late to start again this year so I will retry next year with at least 3 hives, maybe 5. I can take from the healthy hives to help ones not going as good.

Also I have joined a local beekeepers association and am going to the meetings. They are free and a great resource. It helps to have mentors.

BTW I put in my pw for my agricultural business and got an AG number so its all good down here.

Posted by: The Walking Dude at July 20, 2019 02:03 PM (sPoVZ)

19 94 degrees here.
Getting lots of cucumbers but no ripe peppers or tomatoes. I thought they are supposed to like hot weather.

Posted by: Skip at July 20, 2019 02:05 PM (BbGew)

20 I've always wanted to try beekeeping, but I don't think I could handle 50,000 deaths on my conscience.

I can't even keep a pet rock alive.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:05 PM (Ct55T)

21 nasty storms rolled through. 50,000 without power. ours has been out 2 hours. trees down everywhere.

Posted by: chavez the hugo at July 20, 2019 02:07 PM (KP5rU)

22 Is it super rainy where you are Skip? I don't think they like being over watered regardless of temperature.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:07 PM (yaDQy)

23 Always amazed by honey bees, they absolutely love my watermelon vines and could care less when I work around them - I look at a bumble bee and it's game on.

Posted by: rammajamma at July 20, 2019 02:10 PM (SwWMX)

24 My sister had some kind of lilac sort of plant that local honey bees would congregate around.

You could walk up and pet the things without them batting a compound eye.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:12 PM (Ct55T)

25 21 ... chavez, Hope you are okay. We tracked the storms last night to see if they would be a problem for Mrs. JTB's relatives in the Waukesha area. Didn't know there was a repeat performance today. Stay safe.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 02:12 PM (bmdz3)

26 Also, bees also never know the lyrics to any song so they just hum

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 01:52 PM (vJw+j)

Now you're just winging it....
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at July 20, 2019 01:54 PM (wYseH)

Oh, buzz off.
Posted by: Warai-otoko


No, it's true. One day we heard this buzzing to the tune of "We've Only Just Begun". Worst infestation of Carpenter bees ever.

Posted by: Brother Cavil, something something punk at July 20, 2019 02:14 PM (lLeln)

27 Long way to go for that one BC....

But worth the trip

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:14 PM (Ct55T)

28 Although we don't have the wisteria anymore that attracted bees, they LOVE our row of Rose of Sharon.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 02:15 PM (bmdz3)

29 There is a honey bee farm about 1/4 mile away, found a dead bee in my yard the other day. Wondered why.

Posted by: Skip at July 20, 2019 02:15 PM (BbGew)

30 There is a honey bee farm about 1/4 mile away, found a dead bee in my yard the other day. Wondered why.
Posted by: Skip at July 20, 2019 02:15 PM (BbGew)

He was not to bee.

Posted by: Hamlet at July 20, 2019 02:16 PM (Ct55T)

31 Considering the information comes from the same people claiming, "we're all gonna die from global cooling, I mean, global warming, I mean, global climate change," I'd say it's probably close to nonsense.
Posted by: blake - my preferred pronoun is: Pronoun! at July 20, 2019 01:40 PM (WEBkv)

Probably. I just wonder what they latched onto for this new impending ecological disaster that will, like all the others, probably never come to pass.

Posted by: Insomniac at July 20, 2019 02:16 PM (NWiLs)

32 Posted by: Insomniac at July 20, 2019 02:16 PM (NWiLs

It's not the disaster, it's the latching that matters.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:18 PM (Ct55T)

33 Bees don't bother me. I have tons around here. lots of small local beekeepers around here. I've though about it myself...I'm still thinking...

Posted by: lin-duh at July 20, 2019 02:18 PM (UUBmN)

34 I grow cayenne and Thai peppers, and for various reasons, I have been grinding the dry peppers and then adding a teaspoon of each to about a half a cup of sesame oil in one of those tiny Ball canning jars, (4 ounce type) and put a lid on each one and pressure cook the filled jars at 15 lbs for about 5-10 minutes. (let cool naturally, you don't want the jars boiling over in the cooker)

It makes a chili oil that will strip the lining out of your throat, but is very, very tasty.

I have my girlfriend's recipe for gochujiang, but I never have the ingredients so I let her make it.

I will can tomato juice with one pepper and one clove of garlic, and basil. I can either drink it or I can use it during the winter for making a potroast.

Oh, and a word of advice on grinding dried Thai and Cayenne peppers: Do it outside or you will feel like you have been gassed.
Remember to clean up outside as well, no sense in being so careful and then gassing yourself over the sink.

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 02:19 PM (vJw+j)

35 Watching Gavin McInnes interview Tommy Robinson.

God damn Britain.

Burn that country to the ground.

Posted by: RKae at July 20, 2019 02:20 PM (ry4Ms)

36 I'm a huge fan of gochujiang

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:21 PM (Ct55T)

37 I once made what amounted to a shrimp scampi, and finished it with a big glob of gochujang... good stuff

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:23 PM (Ct55T)

38 God damn Britain.

Burn that country to the ground.

Posted by: RKae at July 20, 2019 02:20 PM (ry

Do not worry. The Brits are pretty much taking care of that. Bring their nukes and the queen over here for protection

Posted by: Nevergiveup at July 20, 2019 02:23 PM (yWXpx)

39 25; we are fine. no damage. a few tree limbs down. no power. that's minor.

Posted by: chavez the hugo at July 20, 2019 02:23 PM (KP5rU)

40 You know, bees may not make great pets, but they make great employees.

1. They don't complain.
2., You don't have to pay for their retirement, health insurance, or unemployment compensation.
3. Even thought they are female, you don't have to worry about sexual harassment lawsuits.
4. They work till they drop and you don't have to send a sympathy card to the hive.
5, Last, but no least, they make honey. Yum.

Posted by: Anonymous White Male at July 20, 2019 02:24 PM (m79Dg)

41 Do not worry. The Brits are pretty much taking care of that. Bring their nukes and the queen over here for protection
Posted by: Nevergiveup at July 20, 2019 02:23 PM (yWXpx)

I'll take the nukes, but Brian May can f**k right off.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:25 PM (Ct55T)

42 I'll take the nukes, but Brian May can f**k right off.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:25 PM (Ct55T)

Ah the old broad always did her duty for G/D and County. Always stood by us. Can not blame her her kids and grand kids are tools

Posted by: Nevergiveup at July 20, 2019 02:27 PM (yWXpx)

43 Not farming this weekend. Trying not to melt in the heat. According to the thermo-meter its 104 on the deck but feels no more than 103. Humidity must've dropped.

Posted by: Weasel at July 20, 2019 02:28 PM (MVjcR)

44
My corn is starting to get tall, and the plot I put into the "three sisters" of corn squash and scarlet runner beans is growing very strong. I will have to get you a picture, KT.

It also has volunteer tomatoes, volunteer pepper and a volunteer sunflower.


I scraped up hills to plant on, and I think it was a mistake. I suspect a hill the size of of mole hill is not enough volume to keep the roots moist, and I would need to scrape one much larger.
The squash leaves in that plot are starting to wilt in the late afternoon which tells me there is not enough moisture. Normally this is not an issue with our clayey soil, so I suspect it is the hill.

In my more traditional garden I have been planting in shallow bowls I dig out, that allows the water to be kept at the plant instead of running all over. I will try that if I do a three sisters next year.

Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 02:30 PM (vJw+j)

45 Neighbors have hives and harvest honey. It is yummy.

Posted by: Infidel at July 20, 2019 02:31 PM (BLFnH)

46 Did I mention getting stung on the nose by a wasp last Saturday? Not recommended.

Posted by: Weasel at July 20, 2019 02:32 PM (MVjcR)

47 eugh saw some spotted lanter flies yesterday

Posted by: vmom happy to have read a good book! at July 20, 2019 02:33 PM (dm05u)

48 lin-duh at July 20, 2019 01:34 PM

Figs are great!

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:33 PM (BVQ+1)

49 vmom happy to have read a good book! at July 20, 2019 02:33 PM

Oh, no. Not those lantern flies.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:34 PM (BVQ+1)

50 I'm allergic so if I encounter a bee I'm the one getting hives

Posted by: vmom happy to have read a good book! at July 20, 2019 02:35 PM (dm05u)

51 43 ... "Not farming this weekend. Trying not to melt in the heat."

Weasel, Glad you are being careful in the heat. Besides, you have to hold yourself in reserve in case WeaselWoman needs assistance. (Seriously, hope her wrist is coming along okay.)

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 02:38 PM (bmdz3)

52 first diogenes, now weasel
who will be the 3rd wss sting victim?

Posted by: vmom happy to have read a good book! at July 20, 2019 02:39 PM (dm05u)

53 Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:00 PM

Sounds delicious. Do you oil the foil first?

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:42 PM (BVQ+1)

54 Love the slow-mo bee video.

Mr. Bar-the-Door has kept bees. When they start to move fast, sometimes you have to be careful.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:43 PM (BVQ+1)

55 46 Did I mention getting stung on the nose by a wasp last Saturday? Not recommended.
Posted by: Weasel at July 20, 2019 02:32 PM (MVjcR)

next time hold him by the wings.

Posted by: ibid at July 20, 2019 02:44 PM (0sukT)

56 From Idaho's Treasure Valley: At this time of year, when temps regularly stay over 90 F (often above 95, sometimes over 100), I get up at 7, go outside to work for a few hours, then come in and eat breakfast. This week was nicely cool (80's) but next week is supposed to be a scorcher.

Husband reminded me last week after I'd written my post, that whenever we're gone, our local California Quail decide we've left for good and "move in" to our paddock. Sometimes they hang out in the corn patch, but this time, they've been hiding (with babies!!!) in our future burn pile.

My current harvesting is mostly shelling peas, lavender buds, and chamomile. The shelling peas have very few flowers, and some of the vines have died, so we're approaching the end of those. Husband is in charge of harvesting red raspberries. I do get to nibble occasional blueberries, on the one bush that's producing.

We did just start harvesting zucchini this week (6 so far). I've spotted some golf-ball size tomatoes on 2 of the 7 plants. Two of the potato vines are wilting, so we might harvest those within the next two weeks. The 2 'Sugar Baby' watermelon plants have various tiny melons, but 3 of the melons are approaching softball size - amazing how fast they expand, once they get going. The butternut squash vines are growing rapidly.

The "Hummingbird Mix" I bought from Territorial Seed Company is a big success. I've been trying to identify the flowers that came up. The show started with Spurred Snapdragon, in colors from white and yellow, to shades of lavender to magenta. They're about 1-2 feet tall, and rather thin-stemmed. The Wild Petunia, in bright magenta-purple, seems pretty aggressive and... not particularly pretty (but then, I'm no petunia fan), but there sure is a lot of it. I'm now getting the Scarlet Sage, which seems most likely to attract any hummingbirds that may be around - that's up in the 2.5 to 3 foot range. (The packet info sheet lists 16 species, but either they didn't show up, or I haven't been able to ID them yet.)

My herb garden really needs shearing, but I'm waiting until after the Western Idaho Fair. I thought, since this is the first time I'm going to enter their contests, I'll keep it simple and just enter in one category - since my herbs look great, that's where I'll start. I'll figure out how the entry system works, see how it goes, then decide if I'll enter more categories in the future.

Posted by: Pat* at July 20, 2019 02:44 PM (2pX/F)

57 The Queen is the most important piece on the board.

***


...... what, wrong thread? hmph!



Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at July 20, 2019 02:45 PM (QzJWU)

58 I don't usually come to this thread, but I really enjoyed the write up on bees, thank you. I was surprised at how much pollen was on their legs in the video. They looked like little pollen balls. Cute!

Posted by: Max Power at July 20, 2019 02:46 PM (q177U)

59 Wee Kreek Farm Girl does an amazing job with her desert garden.


So does LurkerLou in Alaska.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:47 PM (BVQ+1)

60 What I've learned today is that queen bees are gangbang freaks!

Posted by: Insomniac at July 20, 2019 02:51 PM (NWiLs)

61 Probably due to the miserable heat but I've been thinking about the earliest plantings for next year. So far I've listed leaf letuuce, peas, and radishes.

Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 02:52 PM (bmdz3)

62 Don't forget the other hard working bee species. We keep Mason and leaf cutter bees plus we have a number of local ground bees.

Earlier this year I counted eight different bee species pollenating my blackberries. From honey bees to tiny little black ones.

Posted by: Embarrassing Stain at July 20, 2019 02:53 PM (6BeZO)

63 Also I have joined a local beekeepers association and am going to the meetings. They are free and a great resource. It helps to have mentors.


One of my favorite thing about the existence of humans is subcultures. You'll stumble on something you've never heard of and it turns out that people are devoting their lives to narrow sections of it.

Of course there's a beekeepers' association and of course they would welcome new members and try to pass on the knowledge.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at July 20, 2019 02:54 PM (fuK7c)

64 The foliage on NaughtyPine's lilies looks so healthy. Adds to the beauty of the flowers.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:59 PM (BVQ+1)

65 I love Crenshaw melons. Good choice for the desert.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 03:01 PM (BVQ+1)

66 51 43 ... "Not farming this weekend. Trying not to melt in the heat."

Weasel, Glad you are being careful in the heat. Besides, you have to hold yourself in reserve in case WeaselWoman needs assistance. (Seriously, hope her wrist is coming along okay.)
Posted by: JTB at July 20, 2019 02:38 PM (bmdz3)
-------
Thanks JTB. She's fine really. She had the other wrist done a couple of months ago and seems to be bouncing back faster this time.

And no joke about the heat. I've learned not to mess around when it's this hot!

Posted by: Weasel at July 20, 2019 03:01 PM (MVjcR)

67 53 Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 02:00 PM

Sounds delicious. Do you oil the foil first?
Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 02:42 PM (BVQ+1)

I just lay everything out on a big piece of foil first, glug some olive oil all over everything, the wrap it all up. Let convection do the work.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at July 20, 2019 03:03 PM (Ct55T)

68
what if Michael Avenatti had a Press Conference & absolutely no Press people showed up??? well here it is ********
http://bit.ly/2Z3ggDH
********
HAHAHAHAHA

Posted by: Deep State is in DEEP SHIT at July 20, 2019 03:03 PM (BqBId)

69 2 years ago I had a pretty good hive going in an unused compost bin. I had beekeepers fighting to come take the hive. They all also offer to help me start if I ever decide to start a hive myself. Nice people.

Posted by: lin-duh at July 20, 2019 03:04 PM (UUBmN)

70 KT, both of those look pretty good. Thanks! I will let you know how they turn out. It won't be 'til this heat wave breaks, though. Too hot to bake right now!

Posted by: My life is insanity at July 20, 2019 03:04 PM (Z/jzm)

71 Another good thread. I like Don's lilies, and Wee Kreek Farm Girl growing melons in the desert? Now that's dedication. I wonder if they have one of those Dorsett Golden Apple trees in a nursery around here... I'd like to give one of those a try.

Posted by: 40 miles north at July 20, 2019 03:07 PM (o2vOl)

72 >> 6 Plants are stupid.
Yes trolls are smarter than plants, but not by much.

Posted by: 40 miles north at July 20, 2019 03:14 PM (o2vOl)

73 Oh, and a word of advice on grinding dried Thai and Cayenne peppers: Do it outside or you will feel like you have been gassed.
Remember to clean up outside as well, no sense in being so careful and then gassing yourself over the sink.
Posted by: Kindltot at July 20, 2019 02:19 PM (vJw+j)

Heh. I dehydrated a few pounds of Scorpion tails two seasons ago. Yep. Dehydrator went on the table outside! a friend from the pub bought every grain of scorpion tail powder I ground. I have 10 plants again this year and a non-hot habanero type called 'Roulette'. Gonna make the boys at the pub think im eating one of those hot bastages!

Started two flats of peppers in the closet beneath flourescents. have 4-6 of 15 varieties: Jalapeno M, Mucho Nacho (this is probably my favorite in the garden), Paquimi Jalapeno, Serrano (some newer type as the 'old' types should be pubescent, 'hairy-leaved') Red Peter, Cayenne 'Thick, Red', Hungarian Wax hot, Corbaci Sweet, Garden Salsa (always the first one to bear mature fruits) and 3 types that I brought back with me from the Philippines: Little upright flaming-hot rascals.



" I have taken to making hot sauce. I am trying a fermented hot sauce recipe, but always interested if the horde has any homemade hot sauce recipes they like."

Here is my taco sauce. Not 'salsa' but a kind of 'Ortega taco sauce' clone:

3 1/2 pounds red-ripe Jalapenos or whatever red ripe hots you have on hand. Stem and seed, chop coarsely.

Tomatoes. Enough for 20 cups after parboiled, cored, skinned.

2 medium onions. Coarsely chopped.

10 cloves garlic. Coarsely chopped.

1/4 cup vegetable oil.

A big enamel pot. Heat oil in pot, add onions and just cook 4-5 minutes. Add peppers and heat through until beginning to soften. Add garlic until fragrant. Add tomatoes. Cook until soft and mixture is RED. Run through a food mill to remove seeds. Return to pot, bring to simmer and cook down until fairly thick, maybe 45 minutes?. Add:

2 cups white vinegar, 2 Tablespoons canning salt, 12 oz can tomato paste, 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon cumin, 3 tablespoons lime juice. This may look a bit loose, but it will thicken when it is canned and cooled, but you may simmer a few more minutes if you think it is not thick enough). Remove from heat, add some freshly-ground black pepper.

This will make 'about' 10 pints. I actually bottle and can mine in small Coca-Cola bottles, capped, and processed in a boiling-water bath. Then I store in the refrigerator just to be sure the caps are sealed. They make cool gift presentations. Process 1/2 pint jars 15 minutes.








Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid. at July 20, 2019 03:15 PM (Vy7tf)

74 I garden in eastern TN, and benefit mightily from neighbors with bee hives. I do find it amusing that the types of people (and not meaning anyone here at all) lecturing us on high from their ivory towers about only planting native plants fall into such hysterics about the decline of the honeybee population; honeybees are not native to the continent, let alone the US. Our native bees are solitary, and there are a plethora of other insects besides bees who do a great deal of the pollinating of native plants, and those pesky non-natives as well.

Posted by: Velvet glove, iron fist at July 20, 2019 03:22 PM (TWYSF)

75 Two Bees or not Two bees?
Fun watching those returning with pollen and one getting a boost up by a mate.The punks were just hanging around looking for easy honey's and a quicky with the queen then a dirt nap.Aaah 3 months of bliss for some 3 months of buzzing around till ya croak and the queen gets a speedy 15 Players early on then lies around and fertilizes thousands of eggs with stored sperm for 4 years....must say she has some balls.
had many a sting as a youngster walking barefoot under our grape vine arbour where the lil b'tards were supping on the downed fruit.

Posted by: saf at July 20, 2019 03:23 PM (5IHGB)

76 "Also I have joined a local beekeepers association
and am going to the meetings. They are free and a great resource. It
helps to have mentors.
BTW I put in my pw for my agricultural business and got an AG number so its all good down here."Posted by: The Walking Dude


awesome ... we need many more producers, instead of consolidating into a few MegaFarms or MegaHort. Good luck ...


There is a beekeeper association I might join, but it is like an hour trip one way ... might do it, but there is a lot online. Some human contact might be nice though, despite how convenient my digital friends are.

Posted by: illiniwek at July 20, 2019 03:36 PM (Cus5s)

77 40 miles north at July 20, 2019 03:07 PM

Actually, some melons are easier than most squash or cucumbers in the desert. But she still does a remarkable job. You are right.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 03:50 PM (BVQ+1)

78 Cicero Kaboom! Kid. at July 20, 2019 03:15 PM

Thanks for all the great pepper information!

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at July 20, 2019 03:51 PM (BVQ+1)

79 Great stuff today. I loved the primer on honeybees.

Posted by: Cumberland Astro at July 20, 2019 04:06 PM (d9Cw3)

80 Thanks for all the kudos everyone, but mostly I think it is just water. Everyday. No missing a day or all is lost. 40 miles is right, some are much easier than others. The Mahdu melon, Crenshaw and Tigger melon all really seem to like the heat so they aren't much trouble. Armenian cucumbers thrive in the heat, and lemon cucumbers seem to like it fine as well. Some of the other cucumbers are getting a bit bitter with the heat but still producing. Zucchini still going strong, but I am doing fish emulsion every other week and that has helped. Getting some kohlrabi finally, took forever to make a bulb and the papalo is coming along nicely. Getting ready for my next big planting time which is August 15th. Oh, and I got my Dorsett Golden Apple at Summerwinds Nursery in Phoenix, not sure if you have them where you are 40 miles.

Posted by: wee kreek farm girl at July 20, 2019 05:45 PM (FPsBl)

81 Pat* at July 20, 2019 02:44 PM
Keep us updated on your brood of baby quail.
It's typical to only get germination of a few kinds of flowers from flower mixes.

Thanks for the great report. Have fun at the fair.

Posted by: KT at July 20, 2019 08:31 PM (BVQ+1)

82 wee kreek farm girl at July 20, 2019 05:45 PM
I'm surprised you have kohlrabi forming bulbs this late. Wouldn't be surprised if you were in Oregon.

I had never heard of Papalo until today.

Posted by: KT at July 20, 2019 08:34 PM (BVQ+1)

83 Late to the thread but I just wanted to share. We've talked here about planning remnants of vegetables we used and I tried it again this year as I have in the past. Tried the cauliflower and it grow but bolted. Well at least now I have seed for cauliflower although it doesn't do too well in this Zone unless the year is just right.

But the two onions that I planted did great. Each produced 6 onions and some of them are the biggest I've ever grown. We had a lot of rain earlier and then I got warm I attributed it to that and they were all planted in well-drained circumstances. Don't know why I bother Planting onions their cheap but it's handy to have one around and not have to run to the store when you need one. Be well green thumbs.

Posted by: Farmer at July 20, 2019 08:49 PM (2+yJZ)

84 Wee Kreek has got quite the green thumb. Our Idaho weather has kinda sucked. Apricots are just ripening and only one tomato (black prince) so far. All the hops fields around are growing like there's no tomorrow. At least everything is green.

Posted by: S.Lynn at July 20, 2019 10:18 PM (A2szq)

85 Farmer at July 20, 2019 08:49 PM
Cauliflower is touchy. Nice to know about your experience with the onions.

Posted by: KT at July 21, 2019 01:07 AM (BVQ+1)

86 Another fantastic year upon us !

Vine plants, use cattle paneling as arches for the vines to climb. Basalt with tomato fertilizer and hydro gel to keep plants from drying out easily. 5 gal pails with small tubing to water the plats easily and quickly, with economy of water. weed mat and a little weeding now and then. Fantastic yields and couldn't hardly get any easier. (kill a few bugs now and them)

Posted by: ron n. at July 21, 2019 03:03 AM (om5HK)

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