Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread

Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread - Easter Saturday [KT]

Hi! Above, a hibiscus from a park in Guatemala. More International content next week, if all goes according to plan.

I just wiped out most of my post. Recovered most of it.

How about another Iris from 40 miles north?

Wildlife

Hello KT, another bird photo from the backyard. This is the time of year when a lot of birds migrate through, and these are of a brown-headed
cowbird, one with both male and female.
They're quite distinctive with their two-tone color scheme - and the colorful foliage in the back are some Japanese Maples that have come out for Spring.
Take care,
Tom Servo

If you missed the series of great heron photos in the earlier comments by beckoningchasm, please take a look.

Carnivorous Plants

Entering another world, Tony Litwin's back yard:

Drosera filiformis filiformis and Sarracenia psitticina var. Okeefenokee Giant

Ready for that miniature Sci-Fi movie set.

Drosera filiformis tracyii

Close-up,

Pinguicula caerulea flower

Remind you of any non-carnivorous plants?

Below, Sarracenia oreophila var. ornata

Oreo?

Sarracenia rubra and alata flowers. I can't believe they go with those pipe-shaped death chambers. What do they remind you of?

9-)SARRACENIA RUBRA AND ALATA FLOWERS.JPG

Edible Gardening

Strawberries are on here. Mr. Bar-the-Door bought a whole flat. I'm going to need ideas. We've already had our yearly real Strawberry Shortcake (the biscuit kind, with real whipping cream). These are good plain.

We don't grow them ourselves. Around here, the big strawberries come from plants pre-chilled in the mountains. Hats off to our market farmers.

What fresh-from-the-garden or market things are you making for Easter?

Gardens of The Horde

From Thursday:

Hey KT,
The agave is still growing like mad. The flower pods are just about open. I think it has grown another 3 feet since the last update. Hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather. Ours has been fantastic.
Wee Kreek Farm Girl

This morning:

Hey KT,
The agave started to bloom today. It looks amazing up close. Got a good picture for you. When the whole stalk is in bloom it is pretty fantastic.
Wee Kreek Farm Girl

Sometimes things happen fast in the garden. What a dramatic plant! Should look great on Easter.

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 01:45 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 carnivorous plants area a drag. They need to eat one bug a year if that.

Posted by: Quint at April 03, 2021 12:46 PM (2veAp)

2 Beautiful pictures

Posted by: CN at April 03, 2021 12:48 PM (ONvIw)

3 those are some bad ass strawberries. The key is if they are red on the inside. the ones that are all white are pretty lame.

Posted by: Quint at April 03, 2021 12:48 PM (2veAp)

4
Her Majesty gave me the task of uprooting about 10 dead bottlebrushes in the garden that were killed by the February freeze. I went out today and bought a farm jack and some chain. Any suggestions welcome.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 03, 2021 12:50 PM (mht8P)

5 Can i drink champagne from flute-shaped carnivore plant?

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at April 03, 2021 12:52 PM (n/szn)

6 Planting tomatoes, peppers in pots on heat mat under grow lights in the laundry room. Someday, someday i will have a green house!

Say, can any of the horde suggest a "go to" exclusively gardening website?

I happen upon many but none seem to really stand out. Suggestions?

Posted by: Derak at April 03, 2021 12:57 PM (k0WjC)

7 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Lots to do in coming weeks, still leaves to collect and should rotate compost bin. Was working on sticks this morning and disappearing them backto carbon.

Posted by: Skip at April 03, 2021 12:59 PM (Cxk7w)

8 I just read at What's Up With That that the 17 year cicadas are due to start waking up in a few weeks.

Anyone get them?

Posted by: TANSTAAFL at April 03, 2021 12:59 PM (fBtlL)

9 Wee Kreek's Agave is certainly putting on a much better show than the one we had up the street from our house.

Shockingly, the tomato plant I nursed through the winter is now growing quite well, as is the bell pepper. Not sure if the Anaheim pepper came through, but, so far, looks good.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing at April 03, 2021 01:01 PM (2SdPm)

10 Any suggestions welcome.Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 03, 2021 12:50 PM (mht8P)

Backhoe

Posted by: Ronster at April 03, 2021 01:03 PM (4mg10)

11 It was in the 20s at night beginning of the week so I waited to take my hose out today. Almost had a little fire incident with my flame thrower torch for weeds so that'll be near by.

Posted by: dartist at April 03, 2021 01:06 PM (+ya+t)

12 As always, the photos in the gardening thread are outstanding. Thanks to KT and all the contributors.

Posted by: JTB at April 03, 2021 01:07 PM (7EjX1)

13 Hadrian, head on down to the Home Depot and hire a couple day laborers. IYKWIMAITYD

Posted by: AlmostYuman at April 03, 2021 01:10 PM (U3YFP)

14 Derek, I look at thespruce dot com, or sfgate.

Planted my sweet peppers today from the tiny seedling compartments to bigger containers, the 4-inch kind, and they have all wilted down, which is disheartening. I have 17 and I sure hope they perk up. My tomato plants are big and ferny, and will plant them in the big outside containers on Monday.

Posted by: skywch at April 03, 2021 01:10 PM (Y/Ps0)

15 hiya

Posted by: JT at April 03, 2021 01:14 PM (arJlL)

16 FenSpouse and I spent part of the morning putting out flowers in the church-Hyacinths, narcissus (sp), Easter Lillies, tulips which people gave in memory of people or in honor of them or to the glory of God. (Yesterday we picked up the flowers). It looks very nice. I suppose it must be good to have a big congregation because then the florist delivers the flowers and volunteers set it up, instead of the pastor and spouse.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 03, 2021 01:15 PM (VP4Cd)

17 Backhoe
Posted by: Ronster at April 03, 2021 01:03 PM (4mg10)
--
Don't forget the quicklime. Wait, what was the question?

Posted by: BunkerintheBurbs at April 03, 2021 01:17 PM (HE/Rc)

18 Derak, I visit these frequently:

sunset.com/ home-garden (remove space)

and

gardenguides.com

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 01:18 PM (09wCi)

19 Almost all the ornamental trees bloomed in the last week or two. I swear they were slight buds on the branches one day and in full bloom the next. We had some unusual high winds a couple of days ago and some of the blossoms blew away already. Our Virginia redbud is still waiting to open. But the brilliant yellows of forsythia and daffodils are in full view and are gorgeous.

Posted by: JTB at April 03, 2021 01:19 PM (7EjX1)

20 We have a bunch of seedlings growing in laundry room as well, nearly read to transplant some up to bigger pots. It's still to cold for much to go in the ground, but will likely get onions and potatoes going tomorrow.

Posted by: BunkerintheBurbs at April 03, 2021 01:19 PM (HE/Rc)

21 Once again, great photography. About that cowbird ... they came to my feeder last year and I thought they were quite attractive with their coloration. Now I hate the bullying bastards. They managed to run away every other bird that USED TO visit my feeder. They also ran away the SQUIRREL. That's pretty damned bad-ass, 'cos squirrels ain't easy to get rid of. So, yeah - the colors are nice, but the behavior, it sucks. The only good cowbird is a dead cowbird.

Posted by: Dr_No at April 03, 2021 01:21 PM (mu5GU)

22 The chives overwintered in fine shape (it was a relatively mild winter) and are well over 6 inches high already. And we are seeing the tops of dill showing and those were planted two years ago.

Posted by: JTB at April 03, 2021 01:22 PM (7EjX1)

23 Brown headed cow birds are nasty. They lay an egg in a song birds nest. The BHCB hatchling being larger than the song bird hatchling pushes out baby song bird.
Song birds raise BHCB free of charge. They don't know any better. I shoot BHCB every chance I get.

Posted by: Ronster at April 03, 2021 01:23 PM (4mg10)

24 Beautiful irises ... can't wait for mine to come out, but we have a late start this year, maybe a couple weeks behind, soil temp wise. Wanted to spray down some grass/weeds in the garden today but the wind is howling. ... tomorrow early maybe.

-- Farmers are out putting down anhydrous, most years they'd be planting corn now. But ground is dry and warm for next 10 days, so they'll be rolling. .. cheers to the growers -- edibles, ornamentals ... all good.

Posted by: illiniwek at April 03, 2021 01:24 PM (Cus5s)

25 8 ... Northern Virginia is supposed to get the cicadas in a couple of weeks.

Posted by: JTB at April 03, 2021 01:25 PM (7EjX1)

26 Any suggestions welcome.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Flamethrower. Or napalm.

Posted by: answers required by the style guide at April 03, 2021 01:25 PM (P1f+c)

27 I just started seeds for morning glories, poppies, and stock.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 03, 2021 01:26 PM (Dc2NZ)

28 Hadrian-- I couldn't find that vid showing the guy pulling out a stump and it came flying up, only to land in the back of his truck.

Sorry, that's not much help.

Dig around the bushes and cut largest roots before trying to pull.

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 01:28 PM (09wCi)

29 Any suggestions welcome.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Soak the ground before attempting to pull roots.
And I wish you luck!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 03, 2021 01:31 PM (gtatv)

30 Chives being a grass do well over winter but I seem to lose mine all the time.

Posted by: Skip at April 03, 2021 01:35 PM (Cxk7w)

31 I like how to get the agave picture WKFG has to back up each week to get the whole plant!

Garden report:
Tomatoes are already taller than the high, heavy wire, cages. They have set a bunch of fruit. Yea!
Any Swiss Chard leaf that doesn't get cut when small turns into Bird of Paradise sized leaves.
Snow Pea has really started producing.
Eating all 3 types of lettuce daily. I never knew home garden lettuce tasted so good!

I think the carrots might be due to be harvested.

Cactus in front yard has popped, pictures to be sent for next week (if they measure up to all the other outstanding flower pictures!).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 03, 2021 01:38 PM (gtatv)

32 Anyone get them?
--------
We get the 17 year cicadas here. In between years we get the ear splitting other kinds. The 17 year ones are kinda cool to watch from coming out of the ground, up a tree and hatching. Other than that they harsh my mellow.

Posted by: dartist at April 03, 2021 01:39 PM (+ya+t)

33 Will likely plant lettuce and peas in earthboxes and other containers next week. No tomatoes till early or mid-May.

Posted by: Mrs. JTB at April 03, 2021 01:40 PM (7EjX1)

34 The agave blossom is lovely!

A couple of years ago, we stopped at the Judge Roy Bean Museum in Langtry, TX. They have a fine garden there filled with rare plants local to the area, which is a very, very dry place. It was just about this time of year, and all the cactus and succulents were in bloom. The place was practically humming with bees, zillions of them! We later purchased some honey from Marfa, which was some of the best honey I have ever tasted!

Posted by: Brewingfrog at April 03, 2021 01:40 PM (cjlB3)

35 The place was practically humming with bees, zillions of them!
Posted by: Brewingfrog

The pollinators for many cactus are, stingless bees and flies. The blossoms do *NOT* smell good.
Bats are the main pollinator for Saguaro cactus and most of the other tall cactus too.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 03, 2021 01:44 PM (gtatv)

36 Mrs. JTB, hello! Do you like the Earthbox system? What do you plan in them?

Posted by: bluebell at April 03, 2021 01:46 PM (/669Q)

37 KT, beautiful pictures as always. Looking at the gardening thread pictures each week always lowers my blood pressure.

Posted by: bluebell at April 03, 2021 01:46 PM (/669Q)

38 Spent the morning putting screens on some of our gutters after cleaning out *cough* years of accumulated crud. Now up to 2/3 or so of the house done. And calves sore from propping self on ladder.

Pat* held the ladder, and will be along later after some actual gardening.

Posted by: Pat*''s Hubby at April 03, 2021 01:46 PM (2pX/F)

39 Gutters, shmutters, who needs 'em?

We do. Icy snow falling off our roof took out most of our longest gutter last year.

*sigh*

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 01:50 PM (09wCi)

40 Always very lovely photos on this thread.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at April 03, 2021 01:53 PM (OU+8W)

41 I only have a few items in my raised bed garden this year. 2 types of tomatoes, 1 eggplant, 3 types of peppers, tomatillos, and the leeks, cilantro, chives, and horseradish that grows on it's own. My Meyer lemon, kumquat, satsuma, and calamondin all were killed in the freeze. I have a new Meyer lemon that probably won't produce for several years and a new kumquat on order.
I'm excited that my finger lime tree I got about 2 years ago is finally looking like it might bear some fruit this year for the first time since I'm seeing the beings of flower buds.

Posted by: lin-duh 27-4 at April 03, 2021 02:18 PM (UUBmN)

42 Bluebell, Yes we use the earthbox system. It is important to drain them before the freeze sets in. We have used them for lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, chives, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, etc. Also important to fertilize and plant like their online guides. Avoid boxes with wheels. Corners break easily on those.

Posted by: Mrs. JTB at April 03, 2021 02:26 PM (7EjX1)

43 >> I just wiped out most of my post. Recovered most of it.
>> How about another Iris from 40 miles north?

Nice recovery, KT!

Posted by: 40 Miles North at April 03, 2021 02:30 PM (uWF4x)

44 lin-duh, best of luck on the lime ...

Our lemon just got old. Need to finish the stump removal.

Posted by: Adriane the Crazy Years Critic ... at April 03, 2021 02:31 PM (LPnfS)

45 Thx for garden blog suggestions!

Posted by: Derak at April 03, 2021 02:36 PM (k0WjC)

46 That agave is a towering symbol of masculinity.

Posted by: 40 Miles North at April 03, 2021 02:36 PM (uWF4x)

47 The earthbox looks interesting. might have to try a few on the deck.

Posted by: BunkerintheBurbs at April 03, 2021 02:50 PM (HE/Rc)

48 @38 ... Once upon a time, in the days when I was a Proud Homeowner, I grew wroth and tyred of climbing the ladder to remove the Gutter Crud only to find that there was also a Forest-in-Waiting growing in the leaves which had become soil. New pecan trees were rooting from being caught in the 'leaf compost bin' that were supposed to be my gutters. After about two years of dealing with that, I pulled down all my guttering (and ignored the dire warnings of Unfortunate Things Happening made by friends) except for the run over the front and back doors. Only thing that happened was a groove in the soil under where the gutters USED to be. Problem solved, and no 'dire consequences' ...

Posted by: Dr_No at April 03, 2021 03:00 PM (mu5GU)

49 Posted by: Dr_No at April 03, 2021 03:00 PM

This has been our experience as well. Full disclosure: we do not have a basement. But slab has not flooded either.

We need a bit of gutter over front door, however. Sucks when it's raining! Might build a small portico or something instead.

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 03:15 PM (09wCi)

50 We have decorative rock garden along front of house, the water hits there and doesn't splash up dirt/mud.

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 03:18 PM (09wCi)

51 @49 ... My house was also on a slab, and there were never any 'unforeseen consequences' of removing the guttering save for the Ground Groove dug by the runoff.

Posted by: Dr_No at April 03, 2021 03:45 PM (mu5GU)

52 We're over a crawlspace, and the builder didn't get the interior level far enough above the exterior in a couple places, so leading the water away from those is kind of necessary.

Posted by: Pat*''s Hubby at April 03, 2021 03:48 PM (2pX/F)

53 Yay, my first seeds are up! Apr 1 I planted some lettuce mix and it's already up today. I had it covered w/ a plastic bag nd placed fairly close eto a heating vent.

Having trouble navigating and posting here.

Posted by: Farmer at April 03, 2021 05:03 PM (55Qr6)

54 Another wonderful thread to lurk at. I should visit way more often. I could use any gardening info for high altitude. I've learned many things growing at altitude; lots of success and failures. If anyone lives at 7900ft or higher, I would so welcome any input. I will of course share my experiences.

Posted by: COMountainMarie at April 03, 2021 05:09 PM (GV6ps)

55 COMountainMarie

Here are a couple of places to start:

gardening.coloradohighaltitude.com
and
bit.ly/3rRUDns (goes to CSU extension)

Good luck!

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 05:32 PM (09wCi)

56 Couple of late questions for posters-

Has Tom Servo ever said the source of his carny plants? Anyone know of a source in NW IL?

Dartist, what do you specifically use for your weed flamethrower? That sounds like a fun idea. Maybe I'm still a pyro from when as a kid my Sat job was burning the paper trash. In fact did that most of my life as we had a burn barrel on the farm.

Posted by: Farmer at April 03, 2021 05:48 PM (55Qr6)

57 Farmer, we got this weedburner from homedespot:

thd.co/2Opm9v2

Posted by: JQ at April 03, 2021 05:54 PM (09wCi)

58 Thank jq!
I've learned many growing techniques over the years for 8000 altitude. Root vegetables always do the best, and they contain the best concentrations of nutrients.
I so appreciate all of the input I can get for growing in the Rockies.
Thanks to all my Rocky friends!

Posted by: COMountainMarie at April 03, 2021 06:15 PM (HC+O2)

59 Farmer at April 03, 2021 05:48 PM

Farmer, it's Tony Litwin, not Tom Servo. He's a specialist. But I'll ask anyway.

Posted by: KT at April 03, 2021 08:11 PM (BVQ+1)

60 COMountainMarie 06:15 PM

Wow! That's high. I have a friend who lived in the mountains of Peru for a while. I'll ask.

Posted by: KT at April 03, 2021 08:12 PM (BVQ+1)

61 Skip #30: Chives = Family Amaryllidaceae. Grasses = Family Poaceae.

From Boise area: I'm declaring winter sowing a bust for us. The only thing that did well was onion seeds. Fortunately the indoor starts of tomato and poblano are doing well this year.

We had a windstorm Sun 28 to Mon 29 - good thing we staked the 2 new trees with the smallest root balls. Husband put together the irrigation lines for new trees, but neighborhood irrigation not on yet; all depends on me carrying buckets of water from the house. Heat spike Thurs 1, Fri 2, Sat 3 - over 70 F - I managed to finish pulling dead strawberry leaves off one bed (husband sprayed it with Sevin to kill millipedes) but I only got started on 2nd bed. Developing a serious tan already.

I planted the carrots - 4 colors again but only 1/3 of an 8 foot row each.
We put up more gutter screens this morning (continuing project).
We chainsawed up some limbs lying around, but someone else rented the log splitter so the short thick chunks have to wait.

Locally, forsythia blooming, flowering trees starting, earliest trees are leafing out.
A Blessed Easter to those who celebrate!

Posted by: Pat* at April 03, 2021 08:27 PM (2pX/F)

62 Today's prepping suggestion: medical supplies. Do you have boring stuff like band-aids, antibiotic cream, some larger bandage pads, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide? If if you operate dangerous equipment, hang out at gun ranges, or are far from medical facilities, do you have what you'd need to stop a major bleed? Do you have vitamins/supplements in case your regular nutrition supply is disrupted? Do you have a first aid instruction book? Is all this where you can *find* it? Consider your family's needs in case of emergencies/disasters, and plan accordingly. (Don't forget prescription medicines.)

Posted by: Pat* at April 03, 2021 08:35 PM (2pX/F)

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