Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, April 20

Well, we have definitely seen some warm weather here now. The Lady Banks' roses have finally faded. But it is going to cool down again for a few days in the south-central San Joaquin. This is a change from recent drought years. How is the weather in your yard, garden and neighborhood?

We have some interesting stories and photos coming in from The Horde!

I love the Brugmansia photos from Neal in Israel.

Such a striking plant!

Sudden Excitement in the Garden

NOT THE BEES!

This could go in the garden thread, or maybe the pet thread, if I decide to try catching them and succeed in doing so.
This is my 3-year-old pear tree hosting a swarm of honeybees, who will probably be staying for at least another day as we are forecast to have lots of rain Saturday all day and into the night. I was out before sunset today giving the berry bushes and fruit trees some fertilizer in advance of tomorrow's watering, which is how I found these visitors.
Helena Handbasket

We had a swarm sort of like that in an apricot tree once, and The Mister moved it to a box without wearing gear, but he's used to being around bees, and can judge their moods. Not sure if I would advise you to move them yourself, or contact someone with experience. One trick is figuring out where the queen is.

Sometimes if you locate a box they find attractive near the tree where they are swarming, they will move themselves. That's fun to watch.

Let use know if you decide to keep the bees as pets.

p.s.: Watch the suckers at the base of your pear tree.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Maple Syrup Report

Maple syrup season is over for another year. A two day cleanup has returned the buckets, collecting gear & boiling/bottling equipment to storage, ready for next year.
It was an atypical year, starting with tapping the trees 2 weeks earlier than normal, then a 10 day cold stretch in the middle which shut down sap flow, followed by a "second season". We ended up bottling 99 liters, a record for us. This year we had more sediment than normal in the bottom of the jars, despite boiling, filtering & bottling the same as we do every year. The sediment, which some call "maple sand", doesn't affect the taste & consists of dissolved minerals in the sap which precipitate out & fall to the bottom of the jars when the syrup cools after bottling. We get some every year, usually with the first batch or two, but this year it lasted all season.
One photo shows our crop for the year with the full crew: Mrs. PointyHairedBoss, myself & our 3 helpers, Maggie, Candi & Molly.
The other photo shows the typical colour change of the syrup from light to dark over the course of the season.
PointyHairedBoss

Fascinating to learn all these details. Maple syrup deserves our appreciation.

And we have a nice bonus prequel to the Pet Thread as well!

Scapes

Hey KT,
It is garlic scape season here. I promptly made them into garlic scape pesto, which I freeze and then use for pizzas, and pasta sauce, or even throw into some hummus. It is delicious, but you do end up with a very bad case of garlic breath. It is worth it though.
WeeKreekFarmGirl

WeeKreekFarmGirl somes up with lots of interesting uses for her crops. Here are some other things that have been going on in her garden.

The first picture is Garden Huckleberry that I started from seeds. It was pretty easy to start and seems to like where I have it. They are perennial and I am trying to grow more perennials in the garden.
The second picture is of our Blackberries. A gardening friend brought me a little plant from hers last fall and it is doing great. It really likes the warmer weather as it has doubled in size in the last month. I have flowers so hopefully I will get the berries before the birds do. I planted them against an old bed frame so I can have a bed of blackberries.
This morning I was transplanting a bunch of volunteer tomato plants. Not sure what kinds they are, but I have a bad habit of throwing any pecked tomato into a nearby pot and they seem to grow for me the next spring. Hope all the horde is enjoying the warmer weather and dreaming of all the things they will plant...
WeeKreekFarmGirl

Passover starts Monday. Maybe for next year you might think about growing your own endive or romaine lettuce to avoid having to pay big bucks for veggie gift baskets.

Northern Utah, Zone 7, Figlets and pomegranate trees survived the winter

Ah, Nature

From last week, WeeKreekFarm Girl says that she is definitely going to stay away from the desert blister beetles:

but I am more worried about the tarantula wasps. Most painful sting in the world they say, and we have lots of those. And they are fairly aggressive.

Big, too. From DesertUSA:

What is a Tarantula Hawk?
Meet the tarantula hawk - a remarkable species of wasp that has earned its name and reputation through its formidable presence and one of the most excruciating insect stings found in North America. These imposing insects are far from ordinary wasps. In this article, we'll introduce you to the world of tarantula hawk wasps, shedding light on their distinct characteristics, behaviors, and the origins of their intriguing name. Get ready to explore the world of these impressive wasps and discover what sets them apart in the insect kingdom.

Tarantula Hawk Wasp Sting: The Most Painful of any North American Insect
Tarantula hawk stings are considered to be the most painful of any North American insect. Christopher Starr wrote an article entitled, "A Pain Scale for Bee, Wasp and Ant Stings." On a scale of one to four, Pepsis formosa was one of only two insects to rate a four. This compares with a one for a Solenopsis xyloni (desert fire ant), two for a Apis mellifera (honey bee) and three for a Dasymutilla klugii (velvet ant). . .
Although painful, the Pepsis sting is not especially lethal. It rates a 38 on a lethal capacity scale. This compares with 5.9 for a Dasymutilla klugii, 54 for a Apis mellifera, and 200 for a Pogonomyrmex maricopa (a desert-dwelling seed-harvester ant).

A researcher described the details of the pain after a sting. Sounds like some fun science! Other highlights from the article:

Habits and Habitat of Tarantula Hawk Wasps
Tarantula hawks are most active in the summer, during the day, although they avoid the highest temperatures. Females give the wasps their common name. Like all members of this genus, they require a spider to serve as host for their larvae, and in the case of the local species, tarantulas are the preferred nursery.
A female wasp finds a tarantula by smell. Generally, she scampers across the ground to locate a burrow. She will enter the burrow and expel the spider, then attack it. She may also encounter a male tarantula during his search for a mate. . .

Further details of the behavior of the female wasp and the hatched wasp egg at the link may be Not Safe for Lunch. The video below is oddly less dramatic than the text.

Male Tarantula Hawks and Their Territorial Behavior
Male tarantula wasps also lead an intriguing life. They engage in a behavior called "hill-topping," where they perch on taller vegetation or high points. They are strongly territorial at these sites because of the good view of the surroundings and in particular, of newly emerged virgin females, which may be receptive to mating. Once again we see that males of another species act quite like males of our own species; think of males posted up at a bar keeping an eye on the door.

Sorta goes along with the details below.

Predator and Prey: Tarantula Hawks' Unique Behavior
Only a few animals, such as roadrunners, eat tarantula hawks. The wasps are "nectivorous," and they have been known to become "flight-challenged" after consuming fermented fruit.

See the link for instructions on what to do if you are stung by one of these wasps. I don't know if the male wasps sting.

I read here that bullfrogs will also eat these wasps. Don't know if it's worthwhile setting up a pond for bullfrogs in order to combat tarantula hawk wasps. But it seems like a good idea to make the garden less attractive to tarantulas. There are some other ideas for consideration too, and photos. You don't want these wasps coming into your house.

Some of the same advice is useful for keeping other spiders and creepy-crawlies in their place. You may not even know it when the potentially dangerous bite of this spider occurs:

Brown Recluse

More information than I expected from the Poison Control Center. Treatment details from the Cleveland Clinic.

Gardens of The Horde

Here's a Calla Lily from our neck of the . . . grasslands.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden at g mail dot com

Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, April 13

Compare Mileys clematis last year

with this year

Any thoughts or questions?

I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:26 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 This week I topped out and trimmed two silver maples on the south side, it's not a good idea to let those get too big. They make a great shade tree but the trunks turn brittle and they can do some real damage if you let them get tall.

Then I chopped back the mulberries, which were waaaay too big and spread out, and made The Kid cry because she likes them and now thinks they'll be harmed in some way, a belief with which I am unsympathetic.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 01:43 PM (43xH1)

2 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 01:43 PM (fwDg9)

3 I read the content.

Posted by: Outside of Life at April 20, 2024 01:47 PM (89Sog)

4 Have a yard hack for you
For weeks had a good size branch broke above my outbuilding. Though a few wind storms it didn't come down though about 6 good size evergreen branches did.
Well went up on a 45 degree roof and was about 8 feet above the roof. So saw a 14 foot 1 1/2" pvc pipe, ran a 1 inch rope through it with hook on end. Hooked the hook on branch, untreated the rope from pipe, climbed back down and from side with a few efforts pulled branch down with no damage.

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 01:48 PM (fwDg9)

5 You will just have more mulberries. I have two at the side of the house, chopped down to about five ft high. They are still surviving and will likely fruit again. The other one is about 20ft tall, behind the house, and there's one branch that you can reach for fruit.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 20, 2024 01:48 PM (yeEu9)

6 Paraphrased conversation:

-Dad, you hacked them to pieces!
-They'll grow back.
-It'll take YEARS!
-Exactly.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 01:48 PM (43xH1)

7 HH has beezerz!

Posted by: Eromero at April 20, 2024 01:49 PM (o2ZRX)

8 Should sift out 2 years ago compost soon to put in garden before planting.

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 01:50 PM (fwDg9)

9 Good morning again KT.

BIL was bit by a brown recluse in bootcamp. He still has a chunk/divot out of his calf from the bite.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 20, 2024 01:51 PM (Z9zQK)

10
According to soil temperature guide (60 degrees F in SE PA) I can start planting, but I think I'll wait the suggested two weeks. Spinach and lettuce and arugula (have you seen the price of it?) are in the planters and doing okay. Eventually the plan is to have an area of my south facing dining room devoted to some level of year round growing. I paid a lot when I impulse bought a house with a southern exposure across the back but over the years it's been a really good decision.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 20, 2024 01:51 PM (RKVpM)

11 You will just have more mulberries.'

IKR? These are not 'little' mulberry outfits, they were over 25 feet high with spindles reaching for the sky, they had to be chopped back. They are just going to make more berries. There is absolutely nothing to worry about here.

Taking down really tall, big mulberry *TREES* is a horrific nightmare, there is no way I'm letting that happen on my immediate property.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 01:51 PM (43xH1)

12 For weeks had a good size branch broke above my outbuilding. Though a few wind storms it didn't come down though about 6 good size evergreen branches did.
Well went up on a 45 degree roof and was about 8 feet above the roof. So saw a 14 foot 1 1/2" pvc pipe, ran a 1 inch rope through it with hook on end. Hooked the hook on branch, untreated the rope from pipe, climbed back down and from side with a few efforts pulled branch down with no damage.
Posted by: Skip'

Taht's a god ide thinks skap 67

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 01:53 PM (43xH1)

13 had a swarm of bees set up house (temporarily) in a dwarf orange tree maybe 15 of 20 years ago. I didn't bother 'em, as we are in killer bee territory here, and they seemed a little agitated when I slid open my back door to look at 'em, even though I was more than 20 ft away. They left the next day.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 01:57 PM (ynpvh)

14 Cut back a good portion of my blackberrys a few months ago. Will have a decent amount with all the flowers I saw. Don't have them trellised or anything, except the fence between me and the neighbor. I think he purposefully pushes the canes over into my yard if they extend the least bit over the fence...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 01:59 PM (ynpvh)

15 Irises are about to pop. Peony too. After I dragged the gravel driveway last week I noticed an increase in weeds. Not unexpected, but I am disappoint,

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 20, 2024 01:59 PM (Q4IgG)

16 hiya

Posted by: JT at April 20, 2024 02:00 PM (T4tVD)

17 Pecan tree is starting to get its "flowers" (catkins). Won't see any nuts until probably late October this year (but the damned crows will be her in early October to eat them before their ready).

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:01 PM (ynpvh)

18 16 hiya

Posted by: JT at April 20, 2024 02:00 PM (T4tVD)

Howdy back at ya.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:01 PM (ynpvh)

19 I planted a bunch of old carrot seeds (probably 15-20 years old) back about 2 months ago. Got ONE to sprout. LOL.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:02 PM (ynpvh)

20 19 I planted a bunch of old carrot seeds (probably 15-20 years old) back about 2 months ago. Got ONE to sprout. LOL.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:02 PM
It is a warrior carrot. Save the seed.

Posted by: Eromero at April 20, 2024 02:06 PM (o2ZRX)

21 1. Neal - beautiful work, as always ...

2. Brown Recluse Bites - no fun. Ask me how I know.

Posted by: Dr_No at April 20, 2024 02:26 PM (ayRl+)

22 Burned up a couple wheelbarrows of dead sticks this morning while it was very damp, should have had a pot of charcoal ready

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 02:31 PM (fwDg9)

23 I planted a bunch of old carrot seeds (probably 15-20 years old) back about 2 months ago. Got ONE to sprout.'

Is this carrot seed okay to eat?

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:31 PM (43xH1)

24 Re: trees and whatnot, The Kid is experimenting with cameras around the yard, and is catching a variety of critters climbing all over everything. She tried using a webcam I got for cheap but didn't like it and it has an app, so at F&F she bought a trail cam.

When the aforementioned mulberries come in it's a frenzy and she wants footage of what eats them, which I've told her is pretty much anything and/or anybody.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:36 PM (43xH1)

25 We've still got a month yet before the official last frost date.

This hasn't stopped the grass and weeds, of course.

I've been starting to beat them back by dumping boiling water on them, which is somewhat potentially hazardous, as it involves lugging a stock pot of boiling water out of the hose, up the stairs and along the sidewalk to wherever I'm dumping it.

It mostly works, though I think I should probably break out the weed eater and then parboil what's left.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at April 20, 2024 02:39 PM (SXCRk)

26 I have a few days off so plan to finish putting the Mantis together and get my berry bushes and fruit trees planted. I have seed potatoes too. All the stuff I bought from Burpee looks good, with the exception of a Rosa Rugosa. That might recover.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 20, 2024 02:39 PM (yeEu9)

27 I doubt frost here, but wouldn't plant for a couple more weeks.

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 02:40 PM (fwDg9)

28 It's amazing to me that a Brown Recluse bit doesn't hurt at first, but is much more dangerous than the very painful Tarantula Hawk wasp sting.

Posted by: KT at April 20, 2024 02:40 PM (rrtZS)

29 I've been starting to beat them back by dumping boiling water on them, which is somewhat potentially hazardous, as it involves lugging a stock pot of boiling water out of the hose, up the stairs and along the sidewalk to wherever I'm dumping it.

It mostly works, though I think I should probably break out the weed eater and then parboil what's left.
Posted by: FeatherBlade'

Get a cheap electric single hotplate, usually about USD$8. It's a coil like on a range. Carry it out with you and put a kettle on that. They don't draw a lot usually, because the makers know they'll be plugged into 16-2 extension cords in SROs, so they're pretty safe outside. With any orange-type extension cord they are quite safe.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:42 PM (43xH1)

30 It's amazing to me that a Brown Recluse bit doesn't hurt at first, but is much more dangerous than the very painful Tarantula Hawk wasp sting.
Posted by: KT'

A very, VERY rare example of the Horde here's advice, 'Slap a hot iron on it!' not being far off the mark.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:43 PM (43xH1)

31 The spider bite thing is quite real, I've worked with a few guys missing chunks of flesh on hands, feet, etc. from necrosis from spider bites.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:45 PM (43xH1)

32 21 1. Neal - beautiful work, as always ...

2. Brown Recluse Bites - no fun. Ask me how I know.

Posted by: Dr_No at April 20, 2024 02:26 PM (ayRl+)

We have the widows of color here.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:54 PM (ynpvh)

33 24 Re: trees and whatnot, The Kid is experimenting with cameras around the yard, and is catching a variety of critters climbing all over everything. She tried using a webcam I got for cheap but didn't like it and it has an app, so at F&F she bought a trail cam.

When the aforementioned mulberries come in it's a frenzy and she wants footage of what eats them, which I've told her is pretty much anything and/or anybody.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 02:36 PM (43xH1)

Any nearby neighbors will hate you...the purplish-red spatters everywhere from the birds.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:56 PM (ynpvh)

34 Lilac that looked dead has leafed out. Which means I won't have to dig it out, yay!

All sorts of stuff has turned green in the yard the last few weeks. Now I need to break out the weed killer, because there's green where I don't want it.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at April 20, 2024 03:01 PM (dZVON)

35 @33: Any nearby neighbors will hate you...the purplish-red spatters everywhere from the birds.
_______________

I love mulberries but there are none in my AO - and as for the purplish-red splatters from the birds? Yeah - every morning there's a new spatter pattern on the trunk deck. If there were mulberries around to blame it on, I could at least make jam when they're in season. All I can do now is wash it off before it eats thru the paint ...

Posted by: Dr_No at April 20, 2024 03:02 PM (ayRl+)

36 My clever plan to catch the BEES is to place the new hive with the lure near the tree and hope they decide to move in. The temperature is currently below 50 degrees so they're not in the mood to travel.

There's a store not very far from me that specializes in bee stuff:
https://shorturl.at/gMO37

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 20, 2024 03:04 PM (llON8)

37 Any nearby neighbors will hate you...the purplish-red spatters everywhere from the birds.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)'

If you saw my neighborhood you would see why I don't care.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 03:10 PM (43xH1)

38 When a kid we all knew where the fruit trees were in town, mulberry were good just eating them off the trees

Posted by: Skip at April 20, 2024 03:11 PM (fwDg9)

39 When a kid we all knew where the fruit trees were in town, mulberry were good just eating them off the trees
Posted by: Skip'

The technique I learned was laying sheets all over the ground below and shaking the branches when they were nice and ripe.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 20, 2024 03:14 PM (43xH1)

40 Radishes and lettuce are up outside in north central Indiana. Now if it can just get dry enough to prep the next vegetable bed.

Posted by: Black JEM at April 20, 2024 03:15 PM (UVyKP)

41 I'm trying to figure out how to get rich on this clematis.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at April 20, 2024 03:17 PM (w6EFb)

42 Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 02:02 PM
It is a warrior carrot. Save the seed.

Posted by: Eromero at April 20, 2024 02:06 PM (o2ZRX)

This is true.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at April 20, 2024 03:20 PM (w6EFb)

43 As always, the photos in the gardening thread are gorgeous. Thanks to KT and all who submit them.

Posted by: JTB at April 20, 2024 03:25 PM (zudum)

44 Your Grace,

Beautiful and bountiful clematis. Good job.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 20, 2024 03:26 PM (u82oZ)

45 This week most of the flowering trees have gone to leaf. But the crabapple trees are in full bloom and are just as lovely. When the sunlight shows through the blossoms revealing the various shades of reds, pinks and white it is glorious.

Posted by: JTB at April 20, 2024 03:28 PM (zudum)

46 Tarantula Hawk wasps are way cool, also known as Pepsis wasps. I used to see them a lot in Arizona; there's a Texas version that I have only seen once (hence I think it's kind of rare) that is a brilliant purple, like a metallic chrome purple all over. It looks like an art project, not a living thing! And it's almost 3 inches long, huge. They prey on the same kinds of things.

Love Neils brugmansia, mine bloom in our fall here.

Posted by: Tom Servo at April 20, 2024 03:30 PM (i9ffA)

47 Your Grace,

Beautiful and bountiful clematis. Good job.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 20, 2024 03:26 PM (u82oZ)

Thank you, Salty! All I did, apparently, was find the right place for them. I haven't done anything else (fertilize, or even water since the rain has taken care of it).

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at April 20, 2024 03:33 PM (w6EFb)

48 FYI bullfrogs eat small birds. So it's a tradeoff.

Personally, I hate spiders with a passion borne from living in an old house and getting bit while sleeping. But I will tolerate orb weavers, wolf spiders, and even those darned zebra-striped jumping spiders that like to sun on the door frame. AS LONG AS THEY STAY OUTSIDE.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at April 20, 2024 03:34 PM (9i8sy)

49 48 FYI bullfrogs eat small birds. So it's a tradeoff.

Personally, I hate spiders with a passion borne from living in an old house and getting bit while sleeping. But I will tolerate orb weavers, wolf spiders, and even those darned zebra-striped jumping spiders that like to sun on the door frame. AS LONG AS THEY STAY OUTSIDE.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at April 20, 2024 03:34 PM (9i8sy)

They'll eat anything smaller than them.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 20, 2024 04:12 PM (ynpvh)

50 It's Morel Mushroom season...usually I find about a dozen or so.
THIS year I have gathered about 50 so far, maybe more. About a half full plastic grocery bags worth.
Even found a couple of deer sheds...bit late on them, eaten down to nubs by the squirrels.

Posted by: birdog at April 20, 2024 06:27 PM (+Fkyb)

51 I have big time morel envy. I've gone out a few times in the woods here, no luck.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at April 20, 2024 07:26 PM (w6EFb)

52 From Boise area: Last week was a 2-day Project t Appleseed rifle event - today was a one-day 4-H smallbore match... So to heck with the low/high temp report, I'm too tired. Let me think about the flower report.

The hyacinths are all faded. The daffodils in the new forsythia bed are just past peak (the forsythias are done), but the daffodils in the planter pots may or may not even come up... The tulips are starting to open. The crabapple is fragrantly clothed in clouds of white. The peach tree is done, the pears are going now, the apples are being shy. Johnny Jump-ups are blooming by the shed and in a corner of the paddock. The strawberries are actually starting to flower!
(post 1)

Posted by: Pat* at April 20, 2024 08:46 PM (mXQ/T)

53 Boise: Outdoors, I planted about 146 onions (based on success last year), and the 1st planting is all sprouted, the 2nd planting is starting to. All 9 shelling peas sprouted. Only a few radishes came up (planted too early? Not watered enough?). 2 of 3 spinach sprouted. No lettuce yet. Yellow carrots germinated nicely, oranges are from 2014 seed and germination was about half - I'll fill in the row after the irrigation water is turned on tomorrow.

Chives are putting out flower buds, which I'm pulling off since I have too many already. Other herbs have not been tended yet.

Red raspberries have some leaves.

Husband found gophers and voles in the back paddock - exterminator has been called in.
(post 2)

Posted by: Pat* at April 20, 2024 08:54 PM (mXQ/T)

54 Boise, surviving seed starts indoors with grow light: 2 broccolini, just 1 cucumber, 2 small poblanos, 2 medium cantaloupes, 1 each small and large Super Beefsteak tomato, 3 medium and 1 large SunGold cherry tomato, 1 medium San Marzano paste tomato. - One pie pumpkin on the kitchen bar.

Outdoors in mini-greenhouse with heating pad underneath: 2 broccolini, no cucumbers, 1 small poblano, 3 large cantaloupes, 2 large Super Beefsteak, 2 large SunGolds, 1 large and 1 medium San Marzano, 1 medium Roma paste tomato.

At this point, no sense starting more cucumbers indoors since it's nearly time to just direct-plant seeds!

Potatoes - the leaves got nipped by a cold night, alas. Once we get water turned on tomorrow, we hope they have enough energy to resprout, otherwise we'll have to buy new starts.

(Forgot about the redbud and dogwood out front, former is at peak, latter is just starting to flower. - Husband has started mowing. - Pot of yarrow and of miner's lettuce survived unprotected this winter. Not sure about the rosemary I kept indoors - have I been watering a dead plant?)
(post 3/end)

Posted by: Pat* at April 20, 2024 09:06 PM (mXQ/T)

55 Remember when the killer bees were going to kill us? I am told that all of the bees here in Arizona are Africanized. But perhaps they have been influenced by our gentle democracy, as I don't see them behaving differently from the Minnesota bees.

Posted by: Gordon at April 21, 2024 03:42 PM (1go4m)

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