Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Aug. 17

Hi, everybody! Our high temperature was under 100 degrees yesterday!
We celebrated with chili followed by fresh plums.

Anything new in your garden?

About the photo above:

I’m often amused by the names certain industries give to their products. Paint companies, for example, seem to look far and wide for color descriptors - like Pidgen, or Hale Navy. This also applies to plants. How did they come up with Better Boy tomatoes, or Gala apples?
At any rate, I laughed out loud this spring when I came upon this variety of caladium, FROG IN A BLENDER. Of course, I had to buy a few! Liz953

Of course!

And there's more important information from Sabrina:

A plant for a true Moron:

I debated mightily about sending this in but then I said "Self, the Horde will want to know." For the record I do not have one of these, I just saw it in a rare plant catalog and couldn't stop giggling. And wondering how long it would take a True Moron to complain that the spines are in exactly the wrong place . . .
Best Regards,
Sabrina

Boobie Cactus (Myrtillocactus geometrizans 'Fukurokuryuzinboku')

May flower in summer. Which would alter its "boobie" appearance.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Due to massive rabbit assault I have started growing lettuce, radishes and spinach in a self watering container (actually plastic bin with PVC
pipes for drainage). Lettuce is first up and doing great. Haven't watered it since I first wet the soil and planted. And no rabbit predation. :-)
Skating Judge

Looks great! Time to pinch off some leaves for some baby lettuce? Mmmmm.

I have this crabapple tree in my yard. I didn’t plant it, so I have no idea what it is. The birds like the fruit. I’ve noticed for a while that in the spring, I will get mostly pink blossoms, but some white blossoms. I’m thinking the original root stock was some kind of apple tree, and the branches that grew below the graft are actually apples. This year I have a lot of apples. Any idea what kind of apple they might be? -
Nancy@7000ft

That's kind of a reverse situation. Often, crabapples are used as rootstock for apples!

Anybody familiar with apples used as rootstocks at high altitudes?

Ah, Nature

By-Tor, Bee in Flower

Photo opportunities can be found in your neighborhood.

Gardens of The Horde

Sunflowers Again!

Hi KT
These sunflowers have grown so very tall this year. Haven't done much of anything other than stake them up. I like having them around our little patio structure. When I sit in there I am surrounded by green and yellow and bumblebees. Beautiful on summer nights with the moon and the bats.
Thanks as always for the Garden Thread!
Mrs. Leggy

Massive! And fun!

Thanks for sharing them!

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, Aug. 10

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 01:23 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 3-B day. Buscuit, bagel, and burrito. No beer at work.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:29 PM (o2ZRX)

2 Sunflowers make me hungry.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:30 PM (o2ZRX)

3 Love the frog in the blender. Missing red, tho, innit?

Posted by: Appycay at August 17, 2024 01:30 PM (EdYR/)

4 Several weeks ago, I split a bunch of cherry pits to extract the actual cherry seeds in the hope that I could be able to succeed in growing some cherry trees (They are Ranier cross, Cross what? Don't know!).

I put one in each cell of my seed trays and tossed them in the fridge. The extras I dropped in a random flower pot of dirt.

Well, the extras have sprouted and are coming up just fine.

Apparently they didn't need more stratification than they'd gotten before I cracked them out of the pits.

So I took one tray out of the fridge to see what it would do.

Probably ought to take the other tray out as well.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at August 17, 2024 01:31 PM (kvrZb)

5
I so want to grow giant sunflowers on one side of my house, but my red thumb simply kills everything. I'm thinking of painting them on. They'll "bloom" year-round! Even be permanently visited by a few lovely bees if I can find the right stencils.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at August 17, 2024 01:32 PM (lCaJd)

6 I harvested 13 pounds of Contender beans yesterday, and cut off a bunch of okras that got away from me in the past week. There are tons of buds and blooms. The burgundy okra is about 5 1/2 ft tall, and the Clempson (!) spineless is about 4 1/2 ft. I think next year I'll need wider rows, because okra is prickly enough to make it somewhat uncomfortable to go between the rows for harvesting. I cut a bunch of leaves off in the middle of the row, just to make room and to see better. Those things hide well.

I guess we'll be canning tonight. I've got a few rows of Blue Lakes, too.

The tomatoes are disappointing this year. June was a very hot and dry month, and I failed to keep them evenly watered/fertilized.

Squash pooped out early, and the melons as well.

As always, I vow to do better next year.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:33 PM (w6EFb)

7 As always, I vow to do better next year.
Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:33 PM (w6EFb
Miley, have you ever planted Purple Peacock beans?

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:36 PM (o2ZRX)

8 I so want to grow giant sunflowers on one side of my house, but my red thumb simply kills everything. I'm thinking of painting them on. They'll "bloom" year-round! Even be permanently visited by a few lovely bees if I can find the right stencils.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at August 17, 2024 01:32 PM (lCaJd)

Try scattering the seeds this fall, and rake them in. "Volunteers" seem to be the strongest plants. We're trying that out in the vegetable garden this fall, in the flower rows.

We are blessed with tons of bees and butterflies.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:36 PM (w6EFb)

9 We are getting a lot of tomatoes, plums, apples and I'm starting to get some green beans. I wish I would have planted the skinny type of green beans, I like them better.

The puffy green beans remind me of the difference between sno peas and snap peas. I thought I might try to pick them before theyre huge and I'd probably like them better.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 17, 2024 01:37 PM (Go6qm)

10 At any rate, I laughed out loud this spring when I came upon this variety of caladium, FROG IN A BLENDER .....

I read caladium as cadmium. Nice metal

Mixed with bismuth and tin, each in the right proportions, it forms an alloy that melts below 40°C (104°F) so a teaspoon made of it will melt in hot coffee or hot tea ..... you got the idea? Yeah, schoolboys with too much Chemistry know-how and too much time on their hands, bored to tears, no girls (boarding school), .......

Posted by: Ciampino - back to School Deals - Beer & More Beer! #02 at August 17, 2024 01:37 PM (qfLjt)

11 Miley, have you ever planted Purple Peacock beans?

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:36 PM (o2ZRX)

Never heard of them. I do have a packet of Dragon Tongue beans that never made it out to the garden this year.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:37 PM (w6EFb)

12
Try scattering the seeds this fall, and rake them in. "Volunteers" seem to be the strongest plants. We're trying that out in the vegetable garden this fall, in the flower rows.

We are blessed with tons of bees and butterflies.
Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:36 PM

Thanks Miley, my sunflowers never do very well, I'm going to try that.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 17, 2024 01:38 PM (Go6qm)

13 CaliGirl, all of our Mexican sunflowers this year were volunteers and did really well. Eventually they became top heavy and started to fall over. Be prepared to give them support if needed. The flowers are smaller than the standard yellow sunflowers, but they grow in freaking BOUQUETS on the plants.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:41 PM (w6EFb)

14 Purple Peacock beans can reach a foot long, about 3/4 inch wide, and are picked purple, turn green when cook. Dang they are good!

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:43 PM (F1LYU)

15 Or maybe they were the chocolate sunflowers, I forget. Dark red mottled with bits of yellow.

We try a handful of new things each year. My brother has loofahs and bird house gourds growing on an overhead lattice.

Damn, I need to get photos to send to KT.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:44 PM (w6EFb)

16 Eromero at August 17, 2024 01:43 PM

I've grown Purple Peacock beans before. Yes, they are good.

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 01:49 PM (xekrU)

17 Better Boy tomatoes are part of a name lineage. Prior to them were Big Boy tomatoes. Pre-dating them, in the Deep South all you found were Marion and Beefsteak. I remember Cherry 100s not being around until the early to mid 70s.

Posted by: The Guy at August 17, 2024 01:50 PM (CEKnM)

18
Banner year for cucumbers. My wife just sat down and had a salad with an entire cucumber in it. I told her that was the equivalent of me eating half a jar of pickles in one sitting. I think I have a small rabbit who is sneaking into the plastic crates we cover them with every night.

Okay year for all other crops, but watering daily 9 days out of 10 on average.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at August 17, 2024 01:52 PM (RKVpM)

19 Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 01:37 PM

Dragon Tongue is not particulary heat tolerant. Pretty though. You could try starting it early, maybe indoors.

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 01:54 PM (xekrU)

20 That's a busy bee on that beautiful flower. Bringing home the groceries for Mama and the kids.
The sunflower privacy screen is nice, for the folks and the bees.
Thanks,KT, for the beauty and information you bring us every week.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at August 17, 2024 01:54 PM (bj34f)

21 Might be possible to check with a local nursery about apples used as rootstock in the area, if it is high altitude. Or in a specialty catalog.

Any idea what the apples are like? Are the crabapples bitter?

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 01:59 PM (xekrU)

22 Purple Peacock beans can reach a foot long, about 3/4 inch wide, and are picked purple, turn green when cook. Dang they are good!

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01

M (F1LYU)

So are they like extra wide Italian beans?

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:02 PM (w6EFb)

23 That bee looks like Tony Montana on a bender.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at August 17, 2024 02:03 PM (kpS4V)

24 Frog In A Blender sounds like a quaint British entree, a la Toad In The Hole.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at August 17, 2024 02:05 PM (kpS4V)

25 Do you realize that the pollen-covered bee would be NSFW if we were insects or flowers?

Posted by: Eeyore at August 17, 2024 02:06 PM (1bNHn)

26 KT, they were recommended by a vlogger in midlands SC, which is zone 8. Maybe I'll try them under a shade cloth.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:06 PM (w6EFb)

27 Tomatoes are winding down production.

Most disappointing/least productive were Rebel Starfighter Prime and Cosmic Eclipse (talk about wild names!). The Brandywines, Aunt Ruby's German Green, and Paul Robeson were great.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at August 17, 2024 02:08 PM (kpS4V)

28 Local small market has dried loofahs on shelf

Picked one up and told the lady "this bread is stale".

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at August 17, 2024 02:11 PM (6veKA)

29 Lovely close-up picture of that bee - covered in pollen; food for the hive; eaten with nectar, digested and regurgitated - voilá Honey, it's honey. You know, bee vomit, wonderful stuff.
Just beautiful, congratulations.

Posted by: Ciampino - Your job is to feed the hive -- The Borg at August 17, 2024 02:11 PM (qfLjt)

30 Paul Robeson were great.

Stalin's favorite tomato!

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at August 17, 2024 02:12 PM (6veKA)

31 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Just leaving work,, be home in a hour

Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024 02:13 PM (g6ZHC)

32 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Just leaving work,, be home in a hour
Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024 02:13 PM (g6ZHC)

*starts stop-watch*

GO!

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Icky Weirdo at August 17, 2024 02:16 PM (Ad8y9)

33 Stalin's favorite tomato!
Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at August 17, 2024 02:12 PM (6veKA)
----

Cosmonaut Volkov tomatoes are terrific roasted!

Posted by: All Hail Eris at August 17, 2024 02:16 PM (kpS4V)

34 Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:06 PM

I don't think you need shadecloth. I think timing is the answer. Maybe even a fall crop, if you time it right.

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 02:20 PM (xekrU)

35 Cosmonaut Volkov is wonderful.

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 02:21 PM (xekrU)

36 Also, Miley, it's probably hotter early here than where you are.

Posted by: KT at August 17, 2024 02:22 PM (xekrU)

37 My tomatoes are just starting, had slice of only 3rd one at lunch

Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024 02:24 PM (g6ZHC)

38 Thanks for posting the pictures! Good thing too, because a squirrel has knocked one the tall ones down and has been climbing a really "gone to seed" one and making a big mess. Squirrels love sunflower seeds but I am much fonder of the the cardinals and goldfinches. This year most of the seeds were grown in peat pots and then transplanted when they were big enough to avoid critters like bunny rabbits. Love the idea of painted sunflowers!

Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at August 17, 2024 02:25 PM (Vf4Y7)

39 I could start them now under a grow light, maybe. There's broccoli coming up now in the garage.

First frost calculations here are 20% by Oct 24 and 50% by Nov 4.

Or should I sow them in place?

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:26 PM (w6EFb)

40 22 Purple Peacock beans can reach a foot long, about 3/4 inch wide, and are picked purple, turn green when cook. Dang they are good!

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 01M (F1LYU)

So are they like extra wide Italian beans?
Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:02 PM (w6EFb
Yes they are, a few go a long way.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 02:26 PM (o2ZRX)

41 Am coming home with another bottle of scotch

Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024 02:28 PM (g6ZHC)

42 Am coming home with another bottle of scotch
Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024 02:28 PM (g6ZHC)

*discretely slides glass under USB port*

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Icky Weirdo at August 17, 2024 02:32 PM (Ad8y9)

43 One whiskey, one scotch, one beer.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 02:33 PM (DpCRb)

44 41 Am coming home with another bottle of scotch
Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024

We need milk, too! Thanks!

Also a frog in a blender plant.

Posted by: Piper at August 17, 2024 02:34 PM (GMx4K)

45 25 Do you realize that the pollen-covered bee would be NSFW if we were insects or flowers?

Posted by: Eeyore at August 17, 2024 02:06 PM (1bNHn)
----
Bukkake bee?

Posted by: Ciampino - Your job is to feed & protect the hive -- The Borg at August 17, 2024 02:35 PM (qfLjt)

46 I need some help. I'd like to grow some naturally colored cotton. I have seeds on the way. The problem is that it's restricted in some states. KS is one although there's no cotton grown anywhere around here. It is a fairly long season crop although it can be started inside. If anyone is interested, I can get you the list of restricted states.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:37 PM (dDSBl)

47 44 41 Am coming home with another bottle of scotch
Posted by: Skip at August 17, 2024

We need milk, too! Thanks!

Also a frog in a blender plant.
Posted by: Piper at August 17, 2024 02:34 PM (GMx4K
And saddle soap

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 02:37 PM (o2ZRX)

48 That reminds me, I need rum.

Later today, we're going to visit Mama's good friend to pick up another box of peaches, in exchange for okra, tomatoes, peppers and beans.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:38 PM (w6EFb)

49 Took a little drive this morning to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and bought 3 female jojoba plants. Planted them on the drip system that we planted one on last Nov (it is doing well). So now we'll have 4 females, we might get enough to press oil. It'll be a couple of years though before we get enough of a crop.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at August 17, 2024 02:38 PM (O1yA5)

50 The problem is that it's restricted in some states. KS is one although there's no cotton grown anywhere around here. It is a fairly long season crop although it can be started inside. If anyone is interested, I can get you the list of restricted states.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:37 PM (dDSBl)

SC is one of those. I was interested in trying some, but it's about keeping boll weevils under control.

What about flax?

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:39 PM (w6EFb)

51 46 I need some help. I'd like to grow some naturally colored cotton. I have seeds on the way. The problem is that it's restricted in some states. KS is one although there's no cotton grown anywhere around here. It is a fairly long season crop although it can be started inside. If anyone is interested, I can get you the list of restricted states.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:37 PM (dDSBl
Cotton restricted? I had bumper stickers promoting cotton on my trucks over half my life. Kansas. Josey Wales outside should have told us.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 02:41 PM (o2ZRX)

52 Or should I sow them in place?

Re previous words thread:

Sow like seeds.
or Brood Sow, like FBI agent.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at August 17, 2024 02:43 PM (6veKA)

53 naturally colored cotton

I wish Cotton was a monkey.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at August 17, 2024 02:44 PM (6veKA)

54 No, I'll tackle flax later. I will check with the local extension office as it seems some states will grant you a license for a small amount.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:45 PM (dDSBl)

55 I was just on my deck, enjoying the sight of my plantings and the pollinators, when a notification arrived on my feed.
It was El Trumpo and Elon unwinding after their record- shattering interview:

Link goes to YT
https://tinyurl.com/4jr65yrn

Posted by: kallisto at August 17, 2024 02:48 PM (nui4Q)

56 I'm getting a charkha (actually two of them) and they are designed for short fibers. I have a fair amount of cotton fiber, including some of Sally Fox's colored cottons. That's why I'd like to try growing them

Most of the colored cottons are green or brown, but there is supposed to be a lavender colored one. Light will cause the color to fade, so you set it by washing in something akaline, like detergent. Was common for folks in the South to grow a little brown cotton but I don't think it was grown commercially.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:50 PM (dDSBl)

57 Loving the sunflower pics!

I have a sad sunflower tale though. I had planted a sunflower at work and some miscreant pulled it out of the pot, complete with the morning glory winding around its stem.

Posted by: kallisto at August 17, 2024 02:50 PM (nui4Q)

58 From wiki: Machine guns were lubricated and maintained with jojoba oil.

Posted by: Ciampino - Your job is to feed & protect the hive -- The Borg #01 at August 17, 2024 02:51 PM (qfLjt)

59 I like that video better with Staying Alive for the song. It's well done

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:52 PM (dDSBl)

60
Planted tomatoes way before recommended time. It worked well for the Big Ben variety but stunted the cherry tomatoes. Live and learn. Probably have already have had 20 ripened Big Ben's but no cherries. Cherry tomato plants put all their energy into growing tall. October harvest should be awesome.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at August 17, 2024 02:55 PM (RKVpM)

61 I can't listen to Staying Alive since trying to resuscitate Timmy. Song is ruined for me forever.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:55 PM (w6EFb)

62 Sorry to be a downer.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at August 17, 2024 02:56 PM (w6EFb)

63 Np. It's not my favorite song but really seemed to work with the dance.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 02:57 PM (dDSBl)

64 lubricated and maintained with jojoba oil.
Posted by: Ciampino

The oil is used in cosmetics as well.
There is a place in AZ that grows jojoba commercially. I don't think we'll plant that many!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at August 17, 2024 03:00 PM (O1yA5)

65 I'm going to hit two threads with one post! Sweet!

I have some pet spiders outside. Spidey has built a large web on the porch within a fairly large arch. I discovered the web by accidentally walking into part of it, but dude rebuilt. He's a pretty big spider; I've seen him in the middle of his web.

There's a large web between 2 trees so i'm avoiding mowing that area. Haven't seen the spider.

And there's a little baby spider with a tiny web in some tree branches.

We're all coexisting nicely....so we're good.

Posted by: Stateless at August 17, 2024 03:00 PM (jvJvP)

66 We sure could use some rain in Houston . Seems like it’s always either or. Flooding rain or a period of drought.

Posted by: polynikes at August 17, 2024 03:01 PM (B1dzx)

67 59 I like that video better with Staying Alive for the song. It's well done

I had never seen it. Skinny Trump looks good and AI gave Elon quite the package.
I guess that’s on topic because upthread someone mentioned the birds and the bees.

Posted by: kallisto at August 17, 2024 03:02 PM (aFMDx)

68 The second Sunflower photo looks exactly like a specific Van Gogh painting.

Posted by: polynikes at August 17, 2024 03:03 PM (B1dzx)

69 The photos on the gardening thread are always great but that bee covered in pollen is spectacular.

Posted by: JTB at August 17, 2024 03:13 PM (zudum)

70 I harvested ONE zucchini, waiting on a second, and three tomatoes are growing. I will not plant heirloom tomatoes next year. They had blight and most didn't produce.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 17, 2024 03:14 PM (NWJig)

71 Our crepe myrtle has some lovely blossoms. Not a lot but some and that's an improvement since we didn't have any last year. Lots of buds but few opened. I'm enjoying this year's partial success.

Posted by: JTB at August 17, 2024 03:15 PM (zudum)

72 65 I'm going to hit two threads with one post! Sweet!

I have some pet spiders outside. Spidey has built a large web on the porch within a fairly large arch. I discovered the web by accidentally walking into part of it, but dude rebuilt. He's a pretty big spider; I've seen him in the middle of his web.

There's a large web between 2 trees so i'm avoiding mowing that area. Haven't seen the spider.

And there's a little baby spider with a tiny web in some tree branches.

We're all coexisting nicely....so we're good.
Posted
You probably won’t see that spider until it latches onto your face.

Posted by: Eromero at August 17, 2024 03:17 PM (o2ZRX)

73 I can't believe how good the photos have been.
Every Saturday, there's another professional quality pic from someone's garden.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 17, 2024 03:17 PM (NWJig)

74 Gardening Cliff Clavin trivia.

I think everyone is aware of Norway’s huge seed bank but there are about 1700 seed banks around the world.

That’s comforting in a way.

Posted by: polynikes at August 17, 2024 03:17 PM (B1dzx)

75 I am not sure what root stock would be used for crab apples, though there is a flowering crab apple in the landscaping for the local post office that is that same condition, the decorative crab apple died off and the root stock popped out and has apples every year. (One of the neighbors of the PO goes out there and picks up the apples for her own use and she doesn't want to talk) It has green/yellow apples just like that.

I would guess it is just a standard apple root stock, and it clearly does well. If you wanted you could try grafting a variety you like better than the apples you have now, or contacting either a tree nursery or the extension service and asking how to find someone who can do some grafting for you.

In the early 1900's the nursery people would either use whatever they had on hand, or would use a variety like Antonovka as a root stock. I have an old tree I think with that root stock. Antonovka is a Russian variety that is both very sweet and very acid, with little tannin. It is a late apple and is a good keeper.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:18 PM (D7oie)

76 Is there a way to post the Elon/Donald break dancing someplace on site so we could hit on it whenever we need a giggle?

Posted by: Wenda at August 17, 2024 03:20 PM (A65Zh)

77 speaking of apples, I have been making and canning apple juice and I am out of allotted shelf space. I am now making apple cider vinegar, and dried apple chips, and at the moment, apple butter. It is one of those years that I can feel relieved that I have a bad year on pears.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:21 PM (D7oie)

78 Another Cliff Clavin. There are about 7500 varieties of apples.

Posted by: polynikes at August 17, 2024 03:26 PM (B1dzx)

79 It's on Tiktok and I don't know the link for that. It showed up on FB today but a link for it goes to FB. I'd have to find it on X. I know Elon retweeted it

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 03:26 PM (dDSBl)

80 If you want to browse apples, you want to go to the Pomiferous database. It is not complete, it may not have the pictures of the less common apples, but it is sort of searchable.

pomiferous.com

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:27 PM (D7oie)

81 This is the link to X

https://tinyurl.com/5476y4t8

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 03:28 PM (dDSBl)

82 This is another good site for apples

https://adamapples.blogspot.com/?m=1

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 03:29 PM (dDSBl)

83 I hope the Western NY [and Southern Ontario] horde members are all okay.

Huge rainfalls in the Toronto area; flooding in my basement in areas that have never been hit before even in worse rainfall. Books safe it seems.

I had a backflow 'controller' installed in 2021 so I shouldn't have to worry about that shit. Sump pump installed at the same time but I don't know if it's helping or not!

Basement flooding in 2013 saw us replace the ruined [30-year-old] parquet flooring with large tiles that shed water well from the few leaks we've had since then.

I have a [wheeled] dehumidifier in the basement but I unplugged it for the duration in case of electricity problems. [It's on dry tiles.] Sun just came out.

Posted by: andycanuck (i0CiB) at August 17, 2024 03:29 PM (c39uV)

84 I thought that first pic was a monstera, Surprised to see it is a caladium!

Posted by: kallisto at August 17, 2024 03:29 PM (aFMDx)

85 So if I end up missing for a while, it's because of house problems and nothing worse!

Supposed to be moderate rain all day Sunday but good for the rest of the week.

Guys coming to relay interlock bricks and fix the drainage scheduled to begin the week of Monday, August 26th.

Missed it by >< that much.

Posted by: andycanuck (i0CiB) at August 17, 2024 03:32 PM (c39uV)

86 I will try cracking my cherry pits next spring, then. I have been trying to get them to sprout, and the few that did also died. It is disappointing because there are wild volunteers all over, they just have tiny bitter fruit.

I decided to try sprouting peach pits too, the price from the farmstands is not about 3-4 bucks a pound, which is too high.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:34 PM (D7oie)

87 And I see a power fluctuation reset my router and changed my hashtag.

Posted by: andycanuck (c39uV) at August 17, 2024 03:39 PM (c39uV)

88 Here is one of the Rumble links to the stayin alive videos

There seem to be more of these on Rumble than on Yutoube for some reason

https://tinyurl.com/mpne3tnv

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:39 PM (D7oie)

89 after I dig my potatoes, I have taken to sewing in Roma (or Cranberry beans) in the bare spot as a cover crop. They are a bush bean that has a nice green pod, and makes a nice dried bean as well, if you plant it earlier than I do. They are quite aggressive, the first year I grew them it was as a mix of old seeds that I needed to clear out of the bucket, and I threw the beans in as a legume. They pretty much crowded everything but the radishes out.

the nice thing is that I buy them at the Mexican market, Goya sells them pretty cheaply and they had a good germination rate, especially for the prince.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 03:46 PM (D7oie)

90 From Boise area: Daytime temps finally dropping to low 90's, nights low 70's or high 60's. Air quality still questionable.

Currently harvesting SunGold cherry tomatoes, green beans, basil leaves, occasional zucchini and paste tomatoes, and all the black chokecherries I can reach.

I can't keep calm, it's Fair week! Monday I dug my carrots - took 2 hours! Tues. I washed and sorted them, found a yellow I named "Hand of Buddha" (4 equal tails), and a Largest, and a set of yellows and of short oranges (plus a surprise 3# of potatoes) - picked SunGolds and a cluster of them - and picked chokecherries so I could snip them off stems with a scissor (needed stems attached for Fair entry...). Wed. I prepped herbs and flowers, cut the largest zucchini, and entered 21 categories at the Fair.

I don't get to bring home my ribbons until after Mon. 26th, but I'll send photos eventually. More entries than last year, but fewer ribbons - 3 blues, at least - the novelty carrot got a Best Novelty ribbon to go with its blue. Two 2nd places, two 3rd places, one 4th, and an Honorable Mention. Herb garden didn't produce well, and that cost me, in both number of entries and number of ribbons.
(#1)

Posted by: Pat* at August 17, 2024 03:59 PM (JLQwb)

91 After bragging about my Fair ribbons, I have to brag about Husband too! He got a bronze medal for his "Old Trees Cider"! (The beer/cider/homebrew judging is run by Snake River Homebrewers - the awards dinner was last night, and the lists of winners will be displayed at the Western Idaho Fair.)

Posted by: Pat* at August 17, 2024 04:01 PM (JLQwb)

92 Thanks Kindletot! I am trying to figure out when they will be ripe. I've also been thinking about Apple Cider Vinegar, since I heard that Bragg's got bought out by a corporation and isn't as good as it used to be.

Posted by: Nancy@7000ft at August 17, 2024 04:02 PM (qFnnL)

93 We had a volunteer peach when we were in Stevenson. Was in a compost pile after processing some peaches. It did bear fruit before we moved out.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 17, 2024 04:08 PM (dDSBl)

94
Seeing the picture of the container with the leaf lettuce growing in it reminds me that people who are envious of the green thumb types don't realize that we all started out small and kept expanding. If you wanna start small without breaking the wallet, buy a mid-size container, enough bagged soil to fill it, and a packet of lettuce seeds. Follow instructions on seeds and keep wet. If you get a good crop you've probably earned back 10% of your outlay. Do it year round and you'll break even the first year. I can easily grow lettuce year round. Plant arugula (have you seen the cost?) and you'll break even in less time.

From that success go onto something else you'd like to grow. Lather, rinse, repeat for as long as you live. It could be a valuable skill in the coming years.

I was walking down a pathway recently in St. Peter's Village in Pennsylvania. There among all the pretty flowers to attract the tourists was a zucchini plant growing.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at August 17, 2024 04:10 PM (RKVpM)

95 Thank you for the links, Kindletot. Sometimes a girl just needs a laugh.

Posted by: Wenda at August 17, 2024 04:14 PM (A65Zh)

96 My judge of when apples are ripe is when they start falling off the trees. This doesn't work for the winter apples since they hold tight until January of course.

Apple cider is sort of fun, I am brewing it on the counter in the kitchen. I may start making sauerkraut soon, too.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 17, 2024 04:15 PM (D7oie)

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