Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread - Daylight Savings Time [KT]

Well, the time change tonight is a sign that things are changing on the ground, too. We are seeing fewer winter scenes to come and more spring scenes. Birds may be more plentiful. The heron photo above is from BeckoningChasm:

Hi KT, attached find some photos of Great Blue Herons. They're pretty plentiful in East Tennessee. Anywhere there's a substantial body of water you can usually spot one. They tend to be skittish when humans spot them, so getting good pics is a matter of being quick with the camera.
The first two are of a female guarding her nest (I'm guessing). As I said, they tend to flee when a human approaches, but this one didn't (I got pretty close but not close enough to be a threat). I assume if I got any closer I'd have been attacked, so that's why I think eggs were involved.

These two are at a different water park. The second I think shows that they can try to look dignified but still look a bit dorky. Like someone wearing a ceremonial suit that doesn't quite fit. Still pretty gorgeous to look at.

I like those descriptions.

Featured Plants for attracting wildlife - Agastache

Planting Agastache for hummingbirds or butterflies. An enlightening summary. A few excerpts here:

Eastern Types

Blue Fortune

The various species found in the Eastern US have smaller flowers and are pollinated primarily by bees and butterflies. The various species found in the Western US and northern Mexico have larger, showier flowers that are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds.
In general, the blue-flowered varieties are more tolerant of moisture and a bit more tolerant of enriched soils. 'Blue Fortune' is a European hybrid hyssop known for its vigor, cold hardiness, and adaptability to grow across much of the US. Like Korean Hyssop, such as Korean Zest Agastache, this cultivar will also perform well outside of the West in the wetter winter climates of the Midwest and East. The Midwestern species Agastache foeniculatum (Anise Hyssop) is also reliably cold hardy.

Western Types

Muhly Pink Flamingo Grass with Agastache Ava

The native species and hybrids of Southwestern origin are famous for their large flower spikes in orange, pink, and red hues. These Agastache are unsurpassed at attracting hummingbirds. If you have them planted, the hummingbirds will find them!
Native to dry, hot, and sunny climates, these varieties are ideal for low-water landscapes. They need well-drained soil in the garden, and they are sensitive to cold, wet winter soils.

How To Grow Agastache: The Secret To Cultivation
The important thing to remember about successfully growing the Hummingbirds Mints is "tough love.". .

Apricot Sprite Hummingbird Mint

They are also featuring milkweeds for monarchs at this site right now. Be sure you don't plant the weedy ones where they can become a nuisance.

Interesting note: expect aphids with milkweeds. Don't worry. The ladybugs will eat them.

'Rose' Swamp Milkweed

Living off the Land

We got a suggestion about preparing for the hard times last week. Here's one interesting set of skills:

It's a nice time of year here in the Great White North. Temperatures are rising, the days are getting longer and its maple syrup time. When we bought this property over 40 years ago we knew we had some sugar maple trees so during one late winter weekend visit we decided to try making maple syrup for the first time. My problem was I couldn't tell which were the sugar maple trees without their leaves (I can now). I also didn't know that the ideal weather for maple sap to run is a few sunny degrees above freezing during the day and a few degrees below at night.
So, not knowing which trees were which, and having less than optimal weather conditions, we proceeded to tap a few trees near our camping shack. We got a little sap that dripped slowly from 2 or 3 of them, in total about a pint. We boiled it on our camp stove, still not knowing if it was maple sap and ended up with a bit of stickiness on the bottom of the pot. When we tasted it, eureka! Maple syrup! After that it was a favorite time of year for a family visit to the shack.
Over the years we progressed from camp stove and pot, to a giant blue porcelain canning pot on a roaring camp fire, then finally to proper boiling and filtering equipment which we have now that we live here full time. I just finished tapping our trees, early March being typical for our area. I use plastic food grade buckets with a MacGyvered lid for individual trees, and tubes for small groups of trees if they are close enough together and on a bit of a grade. The B&W photos show our old camping shack and official sap tester on that first syrup experiment 35 years ago. The other photos show how we collect now with buckets and tubes.
I'll send an update once we get rolling.

- PointyHairedBoss

Buckets

Tubes

Sap Tester

Camping Shack

Notable comments from last week

Perils of saving seeds - and depending on commercial sources to have seeds.

Being prepared may include sharing some of your seeds with friends!

Continuing the saga of starting hot peppers that take a long time to germinate (comment just above).

Note: Where to buy native seeds.

Chicken Egg Gourd

(Note: I don't think I would plant pawpaws from seed, except maybe to pollinate a named variety. Unless I had a lot of land.)

60 gallon harvest of raspberries! Sock Monkey* may want to look through these 70 recipes to make with fresh raspberries, including this award-winning recipe for raspberry cream pie.

Wonder if he has some recipes for "putting raspberries by" for winter?

Edible Gardening

Something to serve with all those raspberries if you have a lemon tree:

How to eat Murcia lemon leaves

Puttering

It's National Jewel Day. Anybody in The Horde collect rocks or make jewelry?

Gardens of The Horde

From 40 Miles North, purple plants:

An unlabeled penstemon recently purchased from Home Depot.

I have an African export with an unfortunate name: osteospermum

and one of your least favorite plants, Vinca Major:

Okay, fine. Don't listen to me. Heh.

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

ktinthegarden
at that g mail dot com place

Include the nic by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ,
unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:25 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 st

Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 01:26 PM (iTXRQ)

2 Time to get out and rake up all the winter debris. But nah, I'll just sit out there and have a few.

Let's call it a mental health day. Yeah, that's it.

Posted by: Tonypete at March 13, 2021 01:26 PM (Rvt88)

3 I don't have a garden
y'all got this

Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 01:27 PM (iTXRQ)

4 I'm hoping we get some hummingbirds back - I've seen reports that the Great Freeze killed thousands of them.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 13, 2021 01:28 PM (bxPTJ)

5 The next place we have will have to have a decent sized plot to put in a garden. I just have one raised bed here now and it simply isn't big enough to do much.

Posted by: Tonypete at March 13, 2021 01:29 PM (Rvt88)

6 Tom Servo at March 13, 2021 01:28 PM

That sounds terrible.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 01:30 PM (BVQ+1)

7 ok now it's snowing

Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 01:31 PM (iTXRQ)

8 It's under a foot and a half of snow just now, but the back 40 is fixing to become the garden of the century this spring. By 40, I mean 40 feet, not acres. And by garden of the century, I'm hoping it is at least as good as the garden I built in Wisconsin. Raised beds, raised plank walkways so I can get out there earlier, fence to inhibit doggie visits, and space for the "eventual" greenhouse. I will need to establish a strawberry bed, everbearing of course. Potato crop, green beans, peppers if I plant them against a warm wall, snow peas certainly, lots of carrots since they grow so sweet here, a few herbs. It should take the better part of a month to build the darned thing, and I'll have to peel of the layer of grass first, which is backbreaking work. But this garden will be...an oasis.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at March 13, 2021 01:35 PM (N5Tno)

9 What's up 40 Miles North?!

Posted by: DeathBirdsFly at March 13, 2021 01:37 PM (V4K2K)

10 >> What's up 40 Miles North?!
Dude! Great to hear from you! Hope you're still managing to do well in the People's Republic of California.

Posted by: 40 Miles North at March 13, 2021 01:39 PM (uWF4x)

11 As a nominal prepper, which most Alaskans are, I also need to get my canning mojo on. I need a new waterbath canner, since the old one is chipped and dinged from moving too many times, but I swiped my mom's big pressure canner when the folks moved to the care home, so I've got that going for me. I also need a better smoker for my dipnet salmon. We need to go a bit bigger on production. Any advice on that front?

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at March 13, 2021 01:39 PM (N5Tno)

12 I love herons. I saw an HD video of one on YT back in like 2012. The guy couldn't have been more than 10 or 20 feet from it, just doing it's thing at the edge of the water.

I'll admit, I was jealous. So jealous.

A year or so later wifey and I took a ride out on a Sunday afternoon and stopped at an antique shop. We decided to walk downhill from the parking lot to a small stream and noticed three people there stopped in silence. We said "what's going on?". The lady points and says "Heron. right there".

If it was even 10 feet away I'd be surprised. And guess who has his camera 95% of the time, but didn't have it that day? That said it was still fairly miraculous. And I guess some things live better only in our memories.

Posted by: ... at March 13, 2021 01:40 PM (Sq5xa)

13 Still here. I retired end of January. Made three out of state offers - all rejected. Crazy market up there right now.

Posted by: DeathBirdsFly at March 13, 2021 01:41 PM (V4K2K)

14 I'm hoping we get some hummingbirds back - I've seen reports that the Great Freeze killed thousands of them.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 13, 2021 01:28 PM (bxPTJ)

Have you ever seen hummingbird moths? They are just what they sound like. They move at flowers just like hummingbirds. It's uncanny. I have some of *those* on video. Really cool.

Posted by: ... at March 13, 2021 01:42 PM (Sq5xa)

15 Tomatoes have blossoms and one has 2 fruit.
Thinned the lettuce and it was luscious, carrots are growing well. Swiss Chard's giant leaves removed.
I caught the birds eating the leaves at the top of the Cherokee purple, might be why it is staying puny. Netting goes around/over it today.
Guess I'll have to put the netting over the large plants too; but, I have a snow pea in there and expect to have *issues* with the snow pea and the netting, sigh.

Posted by: AZ deplorable isolated nor/mal Very SuperStraight at March 13, 2021 01:42 PM (gtatv)

16 I think our glorious spring snow storm is going to be half or less what they were predicting earlier. I'm praying for conditions to come together for us to get a goodly amount here. I spread some grass seed on a strip the utility company dug up last winter that was just a burr patch last summer.

If we don't get several inches of nice wet snow to give it a start I'll probably have 90% weeds there again this year. Its over 1000 feet from the nearest hydrant so I can't run a sprinkler if nature doesn't give it moisture.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 01:43 PM (Aashi)

17 Thank you for the heron pictures. Seeing a Great Blue Heron in flight always makes me stop and watch. TWO in flight together, I have decided is a harbinger that something good is going to happen, but not what you expect. Just west of I-25 near Fort Collins, Colorado, there is an honest-to-God heronry you can see from the Interstate. You wouldn't think they would be in Colorado, as it is so dry here, but here they are.

Posted by: Nancy at 7000 ft at March 13, 2021 01:44 PM (0tmoY)

18 Watching herons land is really neat too. I know it sounds obvious but their long legs which they hold back so daintily, come down like landing gear. It looks so cool.

Posted by: ... at March 13, 2021 01:46 PM (Sq5xa)

19 Those are cool photos, BeckoningChasm! Thank you for sending them in!

Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 01:48 PM (ofYez)

20 Time for a trip to the fabric store. Gotta make the quilts.

Posted by: That Guy What Always Says Yeah Buddy TM at March 13, 2021 01:51 PM (R5lpX)

21 Jewells45 makes gorgeous jewelry, which I guess is obvious from the nic.
Thanks folks!

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 13, 2021 01:52 PM (OU+8W)

22 Have you ever seen hummingbird moths? They are just what they sound like. They move at flowers just like hummingbirds. It's uncanny. I have some of *those* on video. Really cool.
Posted by: ...

We have some usually every summer that visit our butterfly bushes. For the longest time, I didn't know what the heck they were.

Posted by: Tonypete at March 13, 2021 01:53 PM (Rvt88)

23 Nancy, your nic is unfamiliar to me, but it appears you may be in Colorado. I would like give you a heads up that WestminsterDogShow is planning a Colorado Morondezvous event this spring if we can figure out how to circumvent Polis.

Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 01:55 PM (ofYez)

24 I miss floating down the Colorado and seeing Blue Heron on the wild.

Another note, I have been looking without luck, for a small patio shelf I can grow some herbs on. I found one a while back, but can't find it now.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 01:56 PM (E0OEG)

25 Infidel, is the shelf you are thinking of covered? Outside or inside a window?

Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 01:59 PM (ofYez)

26 Yesterday, I had to have 10 trees removed from my yard (6 Washingtonia robusta palms, 4 Japanese Blueberries). Most of them were over 30 ft tall. This was due to the freeze we had in Texas. The week before that I had a bunch of shrubs and landscaping plants removed. I have to admit...tears were shed. I loved my yard. Right now I don't.

The cost to remove and to replant is astronomical and it's getting really hard to find replacements. Also, the prices have been jacked up because of the demand.

Posted by: redridinghood at March 13, 2021 01:59 PM (NpAcC)

27 Saw a roadrunner the other day. They're pretty cute. And they will actually attack and kill a rattlesnake.

Posted by: La Mujer Vieja Sobre Derecha at March 13, 2021 02:00 PM (/28Sz)

28 a small patio shelf I can grow some herbs on. I found one a while back, but can't find it now.
Posted by: Infidel

Free standing or attached to a wall?

Here is an amazon link for ideas that I found interesting:
https://is.gd/UdJtah

Posted by: AZ deplorable isolated nor/mal Very SuperStraight at March 13, 2021 02:02 PM (gtatv)

29 I just love Beckoning Chasm's photos of the great blue heron. The photos are beautiful. The GBH is a very special bird to my family. It is our symbol for my beloved late husband, Bohdan.

Posted by: Ladyl, Insurrectionist at March 13, 2021 02:02 PM (TdMsT)

30 Commenter Flyover mentioned black currants earlier today, and so I ordered two. Always wanted berries but don't have enough full sun for most. Currants need less. So I'll see if I can get them to grow. If not, I didn't spend too much and I'll at least have learned something.

Posted by: skywch at March 13, 2021 02:03 PM (Y/Ps0)

31 It is our symbol for my beloved late husband, Bohdan.
Posted by: Ladyl

What a nice way to trigger memories.

Posted by: AZ deplorable isolated nor/mal Very SuperStraight at March 13, 2021 02:04 PM (gtatv)

32 Nancy, your nic is unfamiliar to me, but it appears you may be in Colorado. I would like give you a heads up that WestminsterDogShow is planning a Colorado Morondezvous event this spring if we can figure out how to circumvent Polis.
Posted by: Emmie

Yeah! I will see her next wknd.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:05 PM (E0OEG)

33 Herons. We call them fish stealers. They hang out at our pond all the time. Beautiful birds.
Hopefully the hummingbirds will return. The Great Blizzard took its toll on several small birds despite my efforts to help them. I kept the feeders full and even made DIY suet. Bigger birds simply wouldn't let them feed unless I stood outside like a security guard or something. Circle of life I guess.
Time to clean up the garden. Again.

Posted by: TwentytwoLR at March 13, 2021 02:05 PM (0edVT)

34 I'll have a slice please.

Good afternoon Greentumbs
See I have oregano trying to come up, no chives yet.

Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2021 02:06 PM (Cxk7w)

35 Small, black, and freestanding on a covered front porch. I have looked everywhere online, for hours. Either too big or too small. I will find something. Only need two shelves.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:08 PM (E0OEG)

36 Infidel,
Some of the small shelves at the amazon link look like an easy DIY project if you DIY projects.

Posted by: AZ deplorable isolated nor/mal Very SuperStraight at March 13, 2021 02:12 PM (gtatv)

37 I do. Will search more. It's only for rosemary, chives and basil, maybe some tools for the front yard flowers.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:14 PM (E0OEG)

38 Love the "Sap Tester" photo sent in by PointyHairedBoss.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:15 PM (BVQ+1)

39 National Jewel Day?

So Jewels45 has her own day?

Impressive! And she makes jewelry, too!

Posted by: LeftCoast Dawg at March 13, 2021 02:16 PM (sy5kK)

40 I was going to go clean out my beds and trim everything back but it is wet and windy so maybe next weekend...

Posted by: lin-duh 27-4 at March 13, 2021 02:16 PM (UUBmN)

41 I'm pretty sure my kumquat and Meyer Lemon didn't make it through the week long freeze.

Posted by: lin-duh 27-4 at March 13, 2021 02:18 PM (UUBmN)

42 I just clicked on the National Jewel Day link.
Wow, those pieces are gorgeous.

Posted by: redridinghood at March 13, 2021 02:19 PM (NpAcC)

43 Heard tales of the likes of a Blue Huron wiping out a fish pond in a few minutes.

Posted by: Skip at March 13, 2021 02:20 PM (Cxk7w)

44 Pretty feeble start to the OMG Storm of the Century!! in Colorado. Some flurries and a little misty rain. Might pick up a bit soon.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Skwerls Stomping on My Roof at March 13, 2021 02:21 PM (x8Wzq)

45 Thanks for sharing the Blue Heron photos Beckoning Chasm. They are awesome.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 02:25 PM (Aashi)

46 By the way, speaking of birds, there's a strange YouTube channel called LeopARTnik where he takes footage of birds and other small animals and animates arms and googly-eyes and such over them. It's pretty cute.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at March 13, 2021 02:27 PM (OU+8W)

47 People! Do you really think we should we go on and on about the heron? Heron this, heron that?

That drug ruins people's lives!

Posted by: Derek Zoolander at March 13, 2021 02:28 PM (Qg9qv)

48 lin-duh 27-4 at March 13, 2021 02:18 PM

So sorry. We get those kinds of freezes here, too. That's why citrus is not grown commercially on the valley floor.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:28 PM (BVQ+1)

49 tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at March 13, 2021 01:35 PM
Wow! That is ambitious!

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:30 PM (BVQ+1)

50 tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at March 13, 2021 01:39 PM
Sounds like you are doing pretty well on production! Thought about sprouts/microgreens for winter indoors?

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:31 PM (BVQ+1)

51 redridinghood at March 13, 2021 01:59 PM

That storm system did so much damage! Hope things start looking up in your yard.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:34 PM (BVQ+1)

52 PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 01:43 PM
Any chance you could solarize that strip when it gets warmer?

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:37 PM (BVQ+1)

53 I startled a Blue Heron out on a hiking trail once (startled me too!) I was walking quietly, came around a corner to a deep hole along a bend in a trout stream. Took off in a hurry, must have been over gross for take off weight as he simultaneously let loose about a half gallon of bird shit right into the pool. Thankfully I kept my underoos clean.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 13, 2021 02:37 PM (YtsCi)

54 AZ deplorable isolated nor/mal Very SuperStraight at March 13, 2021 01:42 PM

I've never heard of birds eating tomato leaves before.

Arizona!

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:38 PM (BVQ+1)

55 redridinghood at March 13, 2021 02:19 PM
Yes, there are some beautiful jewels there.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 02:40 PM (BVQ+1)

56 A friend calls Great Blue Herons shittacorts, based on their excretory habit...

Posted by: Roger at March 13, 2021 02:40 PM (wLtJD)

57 Only need two shelves.
Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:08 PM (E0OEG)

IKEA often has interesting possibilities, but their shipping is stupid. I recently tried to buy something from them without driving to the Centennial store. They don't just send it to your house via UPS or FedEx or USPS. They either deliver for over $100 or send it to a FedEx office for pickup. And since the FedEx tracking is currently a mess, you never can tell when it has arrived unless you call the FedEx office daily and pester them.

Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 02:40 PM (ofYez)

58 Have your CO MoMe any way you want, and to hell with that sodomite governor's edicts

Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 02:40 PM (iTXRQ)

59 38 Love the "Sap Tester" photo sent in by PointyHairedBoss.

Good thing it wasn't a hemlock tree. (I didn't know much about trees back then but that much I knew)

Posted by: PoityHairedBoss at March 13, 2021 02:43 PM (+lIr1)

60 about a couple of hundred yards from the end of my drive there is a GBH rookery, many dead trees in a swampy area on the other side of of the Konkapot river.

It is an ideal setting for the GBH, must be 3 or 4 dozen nests in that area.

I have a small outcropping on the front of my land

I set there with my Bichons and a bottle of booze, watching the GBH gobbling marmots

they are vicious killers

Posted by: REDACTED at March 13, 2021 02:44 PM (6iURM)

61 Pale Rider - in most areas of the country, mainly where bluegrass is grown, it is not really advised to try and grow grass seed in the spring.

Sounds counterintuitive but it's true, there is a lot of competition going on with weedier species, and even provided it germinates right about the time it starts to get well established, summer arrives, with typical high temps and drought conditions.

Early Fall is the best time to try and establish bluegrass seed. Temperatures (soil) are perfect, weed species are reduced, and precipitation is more favorable.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 13, 2021 02:45 PM (YtsCi)

62
Last month's freeze killed just about everything in the garden. Now we have to dig all of it out and start over.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at March 13, 2021 02:46 PM (mht8P)

63 Speaking of great blue herons, husband once used our 2-person kayak to help rescue one trapped by fishing line. We saw him, went back to our car, called Wildlife Rescue, and then he ferried the rescuer to the site where the heron was marooned. Husband learned on the trip out that the herons' stiletto-like bills are VERY dangerous. In the end it was OK because the poor bird was so exhausted when they freed him that he didn't fight back.

In current news, we have a lovestruck black-capped titmouse that has been pecking on our kitchen window and singing (loudly) for 3-4 days now. Hoping he finds a girlfriend soon. So loud you can hear him from the back bedrooms.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at March 13, 2021 02:47 PM (fTtFy)

64 Freezing raspberries is easy. Just lay them out on a cookie sheet or plate, so they freeze individually; then, once they're frozen, bag them up and keep them in the freezer. Last summer, we had a bumper crop from the canes in our yard, and this method worked very nicely. This works for blueberries, too.

Another approach is to dunk them into liquid nitrogen; just be sure to do it in a well-ventilated room. Also, liquid nitrogen makes wonderful ice-cream: just mix it into the batter and stir. The flash-freezing makes those tiny crystals that produces really smooth ice-cream. Again, do this in a well-ventilated room.
Here in SW Wisconsin, the weather has been very pleasant for the last few weeks. Crocuses are blooming, and the salad greens in my cold frame are coming up quite nicely. We're expecting snow on Monday, but [touch wood], that won't last too long.

Posted by: Nemo at March 13, 2021 02:48 PM (S6ArX)

65 Have your CO MoMe any way you want, and to hell with that sodomite governor's edicts
Posted by: DB- just DB

Imma thinking we need to invite COMountainMarie.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:48 PM (E0OEG)

66 Thing is with grass seed, it does need to be lightly watered, sometimes several times a day if it's hot and kept that way for about 2 weeks though without water logging the soil.

If you can't get a hose or sprinkler out there, it's almost impossible. Fall or even late winter sowing might work.

Posted by: Common Tater at March 13, 2021 02:50 PM (YtsCi)

67 Spring is springing here in the inland NW. 50s the last couple days. Unfortunately, we are still finishing our build, and the only planting we may be doing this year is grass.

Posted by: 4 at March 13, 2021 02:51 PM (KnJdm)

68
Got a military jet doing loops on afterburners down the Jersey coast making a racket, even back here in Pennsylvania. Anything in the news?

Posted by: Bill from Attainder at March 13, 2021 02:51 PM (N/gDA)

69 National Jewel Day?

So Jewels45 has her own day?

Impressive! And she makes jewelry, too!

Posted by: LeftCoast Dawg at March 13, 2021 02:16 PM (sy5kK)

Only the best people here at the HQ.

Posted by: 4 at March 13, 2021 02:53 PM (KnJdm)

70 Not watching or hearing any news, heard a lot of military refuels taking off last night and this am. Out west.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:53 PM (E0OEG)

71 Usually available around the 4th of July, Sussmann's wild blueberries are the best I have ever had

my first house in New England was about 2 miles from their place. I live about 15 miles from there now

and the added bonusi is they are cheap and they ship

and they freeze great

Posted by: REDACTED at March 13, 2021 02:54 PM (6iURM)

72 The pics of the blue Herons brought back memories of fishing at my BILs lake outside Wilmer, MN.

The herons had been nesting, creating a lot of traffic. BIL caught an invasive species fish, and after I turned way to my rod, I heard thumping and a splash. I returned my gaze to the front of the boat (the pointy part) and my BIL says *watch this*.

I could see (what I thought was a dead fish) floating 15 yards away. Then, in less than 3 minutes, a gorgeous Heron swooped down, grabbed the meal and returned to the tree top. I said something like, *you killed his food for it?* he says, *nah, just knocked it out*.

Thanks for the memories, that was a great vacation!

Posted by: socalcon at March 13, 2021 02:55 PM (Roy2Z)

73 as an antique dealer, I am known to sell any thing I own

but I'll be damn if I'm parting with my jewels

Posted by: REDACTED at March 13, 2021 02:56 PM (6iURM)

74 When I was stationed in England, out in the Fens, I could watch from my garden the big ole cranes taking off and landing like B52s.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at March 13, 2021 02:56 PM (OjQRT)

75 if your trees are killed by cold, is that covered by insurance?

Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 02:56 PM (iTXRQ)

76 I didn't know that great blue herons are shy. Growing up, they would stalk across the lawn while we were swimming. When we were inside - but could see them from the window - they'd eat everything in our livebox. Still like them anyway.

It's warming up here but I'm just sweeping out the loose leaves that are covering the daffodils and crocuses.

I am looking forward to visiting my favorite parks and lighthouses this summer. I am tempted - if you don't have a ton of photos you're already sorting through - to send you a few photos I took in August. All of the lighthouses were closed, but volunteers came out and tended the grounds and gardens (and ran giftshops!) last year.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at March 13, 2021 02:57 PM (/+bwe)

77
when I lived in Surfside Beach, there were a pair of GBHs that "wintered" about 50 feet from the end on the driveway

Posted by: AltonJackson at March 13, 2021 03:00 PM (poDdg)

78 I have a watering set up for trees and stuff, a trailer with 2 300 gallon tanks and a 3 inch water pump in between

with a couple of swimming pool valves , you can fill your tanks ( takes 5-6 minutes) and the pump the water out to 3 or 4 sprinklers

could be modified to a smaller set up

if you're interested , let me know and I'll help you with the set up

can be used to water anything, grass, shrubs, trees etc

Posted by: REDACTED at March 13, 2021 03:02 PM (6iURM)

79 Imma thinking we need to invite COMountainMarie.
Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 02:48 PM (E0OEG)

Also Screaming in Digital.

Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 03:02 PM (ofYez)

80 Nood pets

Posted by: Duke Lowell at March 13, 2021 03:03 PM (kTF2Z)

81 Also Screaming in Digital.
Posted by: Emmie at March 13, 2021 03:0

Didn't know she was in CO. WY? I really hate that 4 hr drive to denver.

Posted by: Infidel at March 13, 2021 03:04 PM (E0OEG)

82 75 if your trees are killed by cold, is that covered by insurance?
Posted by: DB- just DB at March 13, 2021 02:56 PM (iTXRQ)

in a word

no fucking way

Posted by: REDACTED at March 13, 2021 03:04 PM (6iURM)

83 Emmie

Depends on the timing, but I can make it if there is no conflict with school.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 13, 2021 03:05 PM (u82oZ)

84 It's Sandhill crane flyover week here in NWI.
Incredible.

Posted by: DaveA at March 13, 2021 03:05 PM (FhXTo)

85 I'm hoping we get some hummingbirds back - I've seen reports that the Great Freeze killed thousands of them.
Posted by: Tom Servo at March 13, 2021 01:28 PM (bxPTJ)

No doubt that freeze had a devastating effect on the population. Hummers are barely alive at the best of times. Strange little animals. I noticed the 2-stroke hummers returned, way early. Normally we only have Anna's in my area (green with ruby throats) and get the Allen's traveling through (tan with orange/ruby throats). I call them 2-stroke because they compare to the Anna's like a 2-stroke engine next to a 4-stroke. Super high-pitched loud buzz, but the call is pretty similar.

Was wondering why they seem to be early, and if they're setting up nests this year and shifting habitats (I'm on a cusp area and some species come and go). Sadly, the gardeners cut down all the flowers they're crazy about, so it's just the feeder. Not sure why the boys feel compelled to hack these things back just when they're in full bloom in the dead of winter, but there you go. Anyway, keeping the feeder clean and full.

Posted by: clutch cargo - tuna free dolphin for political porpoises at March 13, 2021 03:05 PM (46GDR)

86 pretty birds ... haven't noticed the herons here yet, but the lawn has turned mostly green after 2 weeks of daytime in the 60's. Rain coming in a couple days, so trying to get a few things done ... but right now am watching calico cat perched and watching for mice where I just exposed some bare ground. ... Got the wood chipper on the tractor to chip up limbs from winter, and some trimmings. ...

Nice to read of everyone's spring action plans ... cheers to the growers.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 13, 2021 03:10 PM (Cus5s)

87 Dad made maple syrup...a whole tablespoon...from the sap of the box elder tree in our back yard. Turns out box elders are members of the maple family.

Do you think the Murcia lemon leaf recipe would work with Meyer lemon leaves?

I moved all the plants back outside and reclaimed the house. Everything survived the lack of enough light (and the occasional kitten attack) but they're all a bit the worse for the experience. They'll perk up plenty fast now that they're out. Daffodills are blooming and iris are right behind. Yay, Spring!

Posted by: creeper at March 13, 2021 03:11 PM (XxJt1)

88 "Not sure why the boys feel compelled to hack these things back just when
they're in full bloom in the dead of winter, but there you go."

yeah, and I think it is usually healthier for the plant to leave the tops on over winter ... I suppose they store some reserves in the stems, not just the roots. And they look nice ... some do at least, like the tall grasses.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 13, 2021 03:13 PM (Cus5s)

89 Our strip is 10+feet times 500 ft along the pasture. Fall sowing is iffy here cuz sometimes it is dry as a bone until hard winter comes plus that would be a lot of space to try to get mulch over so the birds didn't just have a feast. If this dry land pasture grass mix fails I may look into having someone come to hyrdro-seed.

Solarize sounds like cover in black plastic to kill all vegetation underneath the plastic. That is not happening since there is a wee bit of grass there and 2-4-D ester is fairly cheap and I have a backpack sprayer that works well.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 03:30 PM (Aashi)

90 I am envious of the watering setup Redacted but too lazy to pursue it this year. Not sure how much irrigating our well could handle regardless.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 03:37 PM (Aashi)

91 tcn in AK-- re: sod removal.

If you're taking out a large portion of lawn, I highly recommend renting a sod cutter. Beats digging!

Good luck with your ambitious project!

Posted by: JQ at March 13, 2021 04:52 PM (09wCi)

92 I planted Anaheim pepper and Brandywine tomato seeds yesterday. Peppers will grow in containers but the tomatoes will go into the ground instead of their usual pots.

Also remembered to prune back the Poinsettias this year. Hoping they'll be nice and bushy next Christmas.

Bought some lily bulbs. They'll go into those big pots formerly used for tomatoes.

Daffodils are blooming now, tulips soon to come.

Posted by: JQ at March 13, 2021 05:01 PM (09wCi)

93 Once again, I'm late to the thread, but I have a great heron/egret story.
The missus and I were sitting in our back yard, some years back. A white egret was on our sage brushy hillside at the back of the yard, about 20yds away.
We watched as he swayed his head and neck laterally from side to side for about a minute, ever so slowly.

We thought he might be sick, but just then, he darted his head forward in a flash, and snagged a little lizard in his beak off of a rock.
He was triangulating the distance, so he wouldn't smash his beak into the rock !!
Who says there is no God?

Posted by: Jimmy Doolittle at March 13, 2021 05:25 PM (x04Sm)

94 Very cool story JimmyD

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 05:42 PM (Aashi)

95 From Boise area: Composting of dead sod strips finished. Bunchgrass & Siberian Iris leaves all cut down. Tomato stumps all pulled out. Still raking sycamore leaves out of front drains. (Next: removing dead strawberry leaves in 2 beds...)

I dug/smoothed last of 6 raised beds. Removed debris from 1.5 of the 2 nominally blueberry beds so far - one also has hollyhock & chives; both have various flowers from Hummingbird Mix. (Hummers LOVE scarlet sage; also my purple Siberian Iris.) Chives are up to 6" tall. Hollyhocks overwintered.

We put up 2 more pieces of gutter screens. Husband changed oil in riding mower, after mowing whatever alfalfa stems wouldn't burn - taking care of mowing it before the little green sprouts get any bigger.

First hyacinth bloomed today! 3 daffodil sprouts (thought dead) & multiple tulips (thought moved) coming up in that area. Friends have crocus blooms.

Outdoors, winter-sowed more onion seeds. Indoors, tomato & poblano sprouts looking strong.

I'll have to move to multiple posts as season gets busier...
***
Modern Age gardening tip: Remember, when you bury a body, cover it with endangered plants, so it's illegal to dig it up.

Posted by: Pat* at March 13, 2021 06:19 PM (2pX/F)

96 Remember: We are not The Deplorables. We are The Unconquerables! We won't be lied to, and we won't live under the lash.
Stay alert, stay prepared, stay safe out there.
Be ready to build over, build under, build around, and have Unfettered Conversations!
***
My usual encouragement to all here: improve survival skills, build a trustworthy network of friends/allies, keep up morale, resist oppressive "FedCoats", and mock gov't officials & media (without getting caught red-handed). Also, write to your Senators/Reps to express opinions (politely will work better to get them to listen).
****
What can you do this week to become more resilient, more prepared, in the face of the unexpected?
*****
Do people want to discuss prepping on the Garden/Puttering Thread? If so, what subjects? - growing our own food, canning and preserving, other forms of food storage, raising our own meat animals, personal defense (other than guns - that's another thread), making our homes hard targets, ham radio, secure communications? Or do we mostly want to stick to anything garden/food related?

Posted by: Pat* at March 13, 2021 06:26 PM (2pX/F)

97 PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 13, 2021 03:30 PM
I understand. But solarizing actually works better with clear plastic. A couple of layers. If anyone else is reading this.

Posted by: KT at March 13, 2021 06:39 PM (BVQ+1)

98 KT,
There is no time that we can't come back to the gardening thread!
Thanks for your work for all our enjoyment.
JimmyD

Posted by: Jimmy Doolittle at March 13, 2021 09:39 PM (x04Sm)

99 The Green Heron uses Bait when fishing

Posted by: Tamaa the Drongo Bird at March 15, 2021 05:39 PM (FLiOE)

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