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Saturday Gardening Thread: Seeing Red [Y-not, WeirdDave and KT]

Earlier this week when I was drafting my portion of the Gardening Thread, I was inspired by this:

Schlumbergera_truncata3061778201.jpg

Mister Y-not and I had dinner at some friends' house and, unable to bring them a bottle of wine, I brought a spectacular Christmas cactus as our thank you gift. As you probably know, Christmas cacti come in all sorts of colors, but this red one was particularly striking. So my "theme" was going to be red "holiday" plants and favorite plant gifts.

Then I saw that one of my partners in crime, KT, was working on a cranberry post, so all was well. We had quite a good little theme going.

But after Thursday night, I am seeing red for an entirely different reason:

President Obama's primetime speech Thursday night caused feelings of anger for many, and not only because he granted de-facto amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.

During the speech the president referred to illegals as "workers who pick our fruit and make our beds." Astounding when you consider this was a prepared speech written, read and edited by a team of professionals who somehow allowed that line to get through.

He also mentioned a young woman named Astrid Silva, who was brought to America by her parents at the age of four, became a great student and is working on her third degree from college.

"Her father worked in landscaping. Her mom cleaned other people's homes," he said in describing her parents.

That was enough to set the Twittersphere on fire with at least one person referring to it as the most racist speech since Woodrow Wilson.

And that, dear friends, is why there was no Politics Thread today. As Steyn pointed out Elections Matter... except when they don't. My heart just wasn't in it after Obama flipped the entire nation the bird, so we'll pick up the review of 2016 candidates next week. (Probably.)

Now on to nicer things...

Thanksgiving and Christmas Cactus are possibly the second most common plants (after poinsettia) enjoyed in North American households in December, but they had their origins in the tropics. They are from the plant family Cactaceae, or cactus, and the Genus is now known as Schlumbergera, but older works may refer to the prior name of Zygocactus.

These are succulent perennials which lack spines and are native to the South American tropics of Brazil, high in the Organ Mountains north of Rio de Janeiro. Like many tropical cacti, these holiday favorites are epiphytes, which means they live on other plants, using the other plant as substrate, or a place to live. (As opposed to a parasitic plant, which uses its host for nutrients.)

It turns out the plant I gave my friend was probably a Thanksgiving cactus based on what I learned in this article.


My mother-in-law has a great green thumb and always has a wonderful collection of Holiday cacti in her sunny sitting room. If you know what you're doing, I gather these plants can become real family heirlooms, passed on from generation to generation. (My friend reported inheriting one from her grandmother and estimated that it was at least 50 years old, possibly much older.)

As for their connection to winter holidays, I found this:

A young boy who lived in the Amazon jungle had asked God to give him a small Christmas sign in his hot and oppressive world. On Christmas morning, he awakened to the realization that the jungle had filled with flowers in the course of the night. The cactuses which grew on the branches of the ambient trees had all started to flourish at once.

As much as I enjoy the poinsettia displays that are common at this time of year, as a single plant, these holiday cacti are hard to beat. What are some of your favorite holiday plants?

And now, take it away, KT!

CRANBERRY CORNERS, USA

Considering that they're not very tasty out-of-hand, cranberries are remarkably popular in the USA. Of course, they do play a part in American history and culture. Would you like to grow your own cranberries? You might appreciate these plants as a small-scale evergreen ground cover, in hanging baskets or as a specimen planting if you live in the North. There are some stand-ins that work in other climates and situations, too.

In the USA, the only true cranberry most people know about is Vaccinium macrocarpum, the Large Cranberry or American Cranberry. Cranberries traditionally cultivated in Europe are small, pale pink and grow in acid peat bogs. What farmers here mean when they say "cranberry bog" is something very different: a carefully engineered (and expensive) field that can be flooded (for harvest, weather protection in winter and weed or pest control) then drained during the growing season. How about a little wakeboarding during harvest?

Of course, if you are going to flood cranberry bogs, you need a river, reservoir or lake to supply the water. Better stay on the good side of the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA. If you do not want to tangle too much with regulatory authorities, you can still set up a serious cranberry bed in full sun without even a mud puddle, if you're really into cranberries and your soil and climate are compatible. The plants need ample water, so they are a good choice if your water table is on the high side. But you will have to use a dry-harvesting technique.

Jonathan_eastman_johnson_cranberry_harvest.jpg

The Cranberry Harvest on the Island of Nantucket, 1880
Jonathan Eastman Johnson

LINGONBERRY

lingonaugusti2008.jpg

Lingonberries, as featured by IKEA, are related to cranberries, but are a little taller and grow in part shade or shade. AKA Foxberry or Cowberry. They are nice in woodland settings with organically-enriched soil. Avoid phosphate fertilizers. They need ample water, especially if grown in the sun (in cool-summer climates). Some commercial European selections produce two crops a year. The little American Lingonberry is hardy into arctic regions and can be grown in containers.

Raintree is one reliable source for unusual garden fruits. Note the berry rake. It is useful for harvesting either lingonberries or cranberries. Raintree also sells more conventional fruiting trees, shrubs and perennials, especially those adapted to the Pacific Northwest.

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY

highbushcran_may.jpg

Another stand-in for true cranberries in the North is the Highbush Cranberry, usually sold as Viburnum trilobum. It has a single heart-shaped seed in each fruit instead of the tiny seeds in cranberries. Therefore, its most common use in the kitchen is for jelly.

A selection with large berries and red fall color is "Wentworth". When picked after a couple of light frosts, it is "easily adaptable to recipes for low bush cranberries". "Hahs American" also has large fruit. Along with Redwing ("J.N. Select"), it is shorter than Wentworth - 6 to 8 feet. You will have a better fruit display if two different cultivars of the same species are planted within 100 feet of each other.

You might want to avoid the similar European Cranberry Bush (V. opulus), which is invasive, has very tart, astringent berries and is more susceptible to aphids. It has escaped into the wild in North America, and is sometimes mistakenly sold as a native plant.

FLORIDA CRANBERRY, OCTOBER HIBISCUS, ROSELLE

Mezzanine_363.jpg.fit.344x192.jpg

The calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa can be used like cranberries in sauces and such. But they are most commonly used to make fruity drinks like Agua Fresca (Agua de Jamaica), Margueritas or herbal teas. Grow like tomatoes, spacing 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart for a temporary hedge. Otherwise, plant 3 feet apart or in a container or border. This hibiscus flowers as the days shorten, and the calyces may not ripen if there is an early frost. Great reference here at Dave's Garden.

The Cranberry Hibiscus, H. acetosella, is often confused with Florida Cranberry. It generally has striking red leaves. The young leaves are eaten like sorrel and have a tart, lemony flavor. The flowers are used in drinks to provide color rather than flavor. If you've ever wondered what's in the purple lemonade in Central America, now you know.

Some people grow this plant as an annual ornamental, even in Wisconsin. It is resistant to root knot nematodes. There is a selection called Haight Ashbury with sort of tie-dyed leaves. Those were the days. Heh.

NATAL PLUM

nata10.jpg

In the USA's mildest climates, Natal Plum grows into an attractive, usually thorny bush with flowers that smell like Star Jasmine. It tolerates salt spray. When fully ripe, the fruit is much larger and tastier than a raw cranberry - slightly sweet. Before it is fully ripe, you will see white latex when you break or cut a fruit. It's not nearly as flavorful at that stage, and the latex is a bit unpleasant. When I lived in So. Cal., I learned to judge when they were fully ripe.

If you want to grow this plant for the berries, choose the upright cultivar "Fancy" for large fruit or compact 'Tuttle' for prolific flowers and fruit. The latter is probably better for firescaping.

Wow! That was awesome, KT!

Finally, here's WeirdDave!

So, I've been in the market for an old pickup truck for a while now. It's not a need, it's a want. It's nice to have a truck around, just for those times you need to haul something. Strange to think of a beater truck as a luxury, but in my case it is. I used to have an old '78 f-150 with a stake bed that was a tank. I loved that truck, but 7-8 years ago I thought "I never use this", so I sold it. Ever since then I've thought "why did I sell that truck?"

So I've been looking, primarily on Craigslist. Late 80s to early 90s is the sweet spot. In Maryland, anything 20 years or more old can be tagged historic, no inspection necessary. I'm not averse to something newer, but inspection adds a whole additional layer to the calculation. I almost bought a '98 Dodge Ram, but the seller got hinky on some claims he had made WRT inspections. There was a long bed Chevy with an extended cab that seemed just the ticket...but it had a BIG rust through on one quarter panel. And so on. The watchword has been patience. Good deals are to be found for the patient.

Anyhow, this week has been nuts. Sister in law's husband was killed in a snowmobile accident in the NWT and so wife is crazy running around packing for an emergency trip to the arctic. Work is busy with open enrollment. I'm looking at two weeks of being a single parent, so I have to make sure I know school schedules, etc.

Yesterday I see an ad for a '94 Ford Ranger XLT. Looks pretty good, good price, 83K miles. I squeeze in looking at it this morning. It's pretty clean, runs well, good acceleration, no wobbles, no real rust. It needs new shoes, but I got a guy. Drivers door has to be slammed, but I can see where it was sideswiped (small dent), so understandable. Seller tells me that the door hinge bolt is loose and can just be tightened. (P.T. Barnum smiles).

So I buy it. Title & tags, drive it to an appointment and then home, total of about 50 miles. I realize that ergonomically, it's not comfortable (big guy in a little truck!), and that had not been obvious on the test drive. Second, I look closer at the door and realize that the left front quarter panel has been replaced, and that door frame is creased, and that's not a simple fix, there was a significant accident. That's body and a little doorframe damage, but mechanically the truck is sound. I can live with it. I'll slam the door. $1500 for a serviceable truck isn't so bad. I ended up with what I set out to get, a beater truck that I'll use occasionally.

Still....I'm disgusted with myself for getting impatient. In the whirlwind stress of the week, I forgot the watchword. Looking back I'd rather have the Chevy with the rusted quarter panel. That I could fix, and it had an 8', not a 6' bed. I spent all this time determined to do this right, and in the end I did it wrong. It's fine. I just wanted to do so much better. Ahh well, such is life.

So now I have a farm truck. All I need is a farm.

Thanks, WeirdDave!


To close things up, how about a song? This one seems to fit our theme:


Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:50 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 A lot of links... so let me know if there are broken ones or if you experience loading problems. That last video was not available on YouTube.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 01:48 PM (9BRsg)

2 My mother has a cactus like that... the blossoms are quite striking.

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 22, 2014 01:49 PM (/mTq0)

3 I LOVE that Natal Plum. Wish we could have them here, but I doubt it'd work in our climate.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 01:51 PM (9BRsg)

4 Kickbutt thread. Thank you.

Posted by: fastfreefall at November 22, 2014 01:51 PM (RqjZv)

5 "workers who pick our fruit and make our beds."

Not after companies have to start filling out paperwork and taxes on them.

There used to be a Poinsettia Bowl, maybe a Red Cactus Bowl would have a place as the play-in game for the 64-team NCAA tournament.

Posted by: t-bird at November 22, 2014 01:52 PM (FcR7P)

6 WeirdDave... act in haste... repent in leisure.

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 22, 2014 01:53 PM (/mTq0)

7 I'm generally a good speller, but I keep wanting to stick an extra "t" in "poinsettia." I know I always wind up *saying* an extra "t."

*hangs head in shame*

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 01:55 PM (9BRsg)

8 WeirdDave, I had an old '88 F150 with the straight six 300, FWD. When I gave it to my ex son in law, it had 288,000 miles on the original motor. Only blemish was the paint was flaking off. Loved that motor. I could put it in first gear and four low and climb a telephone pole. I should have kept that truck.

Posted by: Old Blue at November 22, 2014 01:58 PM (vVSOO)

9 I have a crop of Hippie Heads that exploded all over the garden a few weeks ago. What a mess.



Posted by: Thin veneer of civility at November 22, 2014 01:58 PM (XzRw1)

10 We had one day at 31 degrees and it knocked the tops off 2/3s of my white potatoes.

Posted by: toby928(C) has some jokes at November 22, 2014 02:07 PM (rwI+c)

11
Does my recipe for poinsettia souffle belong here or in the cooking thread?

Posted by: Ed Anger at November 22, 2014 02:07 PM (RcpcZ)

12
Hillary's in on the stereotyping, too. See WeaselZippers.

More Stereotypes, Now From Hillary: People We're Talking About With Immigration "Served Us Tonight"

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:07 PM (IXrOn)

13 When I planted sweet potatoes, I didn't really understand the curing process. Guess I should have harvested them starting in September. Setting up racks over the bathtub in the back bathroom so I can maintain them at 85 degrees and high humidity. Or as close as I can come.

Anybody know where to get those pinprick-perforated plastic bags for produce?

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:08 PM (qahv/)

14 SoCal is full of those natal plants, though we called them jasmine bushes. Never knew you could eat the fruit. As kids we thought they were poisonous, so we just picked them to throw at each other during neighborhood wars.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at November 22, 2014 02:08 PM (s9AKD)

15

Funny, speaking of Red, after the French Onion and Potato Leek soups (which we just finished today), tomorrow I'll make a Red Lentil Soup that I love, and it so quick and easy.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:09 PM (IXrOn)

16 We're having rain today. It has become increasingly dark as the day has progressed. Brighter outside at 7 am than it is now at noon.

I screwed up and let the ground freeze before I pulled my shallots, so they were a fail. I'm going to try again next year. I don't know if I planted them too late or in a bad spot or chose a bad variety, but the bulbs never got very big.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:10 PM (9BRsg)

17

I never liked poinsettia's.
Dunno why.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:10 PM (IXrOn)

18 Setting up racks over the bathtub in the back bathroom so I can maintain them at 85 degrees and high humidity. Or as close as I can come.

They will cure in a dark closet at ambient temperature, it just takes longer. I put my late crop in brown paper sacks and stick them in an interior closet for a couple of months and they sweeten right up.

Posted by: toby928(C) has some jokes at November 22, 2014 02:11 PM (rwI+c)

19 (My friend reported inheriting one from her grandmother and estimated that it was at least 50 years old, possibly much older.)

Very cool.

It's similar to wine growers, passing on vines throughout the family history.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:12 PM (IXrOn)

20 I have put the bags in the car during the day and parked in the sun, taking them in at night. That does speed the process.

Posted by: toby928(C) has some jokes at November 22, 2014 02:13 PM (rwI+c)

21 I buy lingonberries by the gallon. We eat them on rice pudding and on Swedish pancakes.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:13 PM (3B+O8)

22 So sorry to hear about your family's loss, WeirdDave. My cousin's daughter lost her husband in a kayaking accident not long ago. Those are times when it is nice to have friends and family to help, as you are doing.

DH would love to have a farm. He had a farm truck not long ago. Gave it to a friend. But then, we still have a pickup.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:13 PM (qahv/)

23 Insty has a link to an article about baby Daleks coming soon to fine parking lots near you.

Posted by: eman at November 22, 2014 02:14 PM (MQEz6)

24 Hrm. Lingonberries (also called heatherberry) and Preiselbeeren seem to be the same species, Vaccinium vitis-idaea.

This solves something I've been wondering about for about six years now, since the first time I had Schnitzel in Salzburg. Also looking it up was more fun than cleaning my house.

Posted by: HR -- BEAT IOWA! at November 22, 2014 02:16 PM (ImIut)

25 I think those Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses are day length-sensitive. Makes me wonder if they bloom at Christmas in the Amazon. Maybe, if the boy in the story was not too far from the equator.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:16 PM (qahv/)

26 Little known fact: Although people tend to associate cranberries with New England, Wisconsin is the nation's leading producer of cranberries, harvesting more than 60 percent of the country's crop.



Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:16 PM (3B+O8)

27 We used to have a poinsettia at our house every Christmas when I was a kid. We had cats, so it was a constant battle to find a place to put the plant where it could be seen but the cats couldn't get to it.

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 22, 2014 02:16 PM (2cS/G)

28 HR - why do you want Iowa to get beaten? Aren't you an Iowan by heritage?

Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:19 PM (3B+O8)

29 Very true, GW. Massachusetts used to have a near monopoly on cranberries, but apparently Wisconsin also has a suitable climate. Which is weird, because I was always taught that the brackish nature of the water is what allowed them to grow in Mass. When I drive to the Cape, I see the bogs on either side of the road in a few spots, always felt a bit proprietary over them.

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 22, 2014 02:19 PM (2cS/G)

30 I used to love those paper whites you'd see at the holidays... until I was given one one year and discovered they're kind of stanky. At least the one I had was.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:19 PM (9BRsg)

31 Thanks for the tips, Toby.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:20 PM (qahv/)

32 Funny, speaking of Red, after the French Onion and Potato Leek soups (which we just finished today)
-----

YUM!

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:20 PM (9BRsg)

33 Anyhow, this week has been nuts. Sister in law's husband was killed in a snowmobile accident in the NWT and so wife is crazy running around packing for an emergency trip to the arctic. Work is busy with open enrollment. I'm looking at two weeks of being a single parent, so I have to make sure I know school schedules, etc

oh how horrible

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:21 PM (IXrOn)

34 Anyhow, this week has been nuts. Sister in law's husband was killed in a snowmobile accident in the NWT and so wife is crazy running around packing for an emergency trip to the arctic. Work is busy with open enrollment. I'm looking at two weeks of being a single parent, so I have to make sure I know school schedules, etc

oh how horrible

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:21 PM (IXrOn)

35 Paper bag with apple trick is working well for my green tomatoes. I put some on the windowsill, but my loss rate for those has been higher. (Some of them are shriveling.)

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:21 PM (9BRsg)

36 Second, I look closer at the door and realize that the left front quarter panel has been replaced, and that door frame is creased, and that's not a simple fix, there was a significant accident.

Isn't against the law to not disclose accidents when selling a car?

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:22 PM (IXrOn)

37 OK
Thanks for the names
Now let's kick Astrid Silva's illegal parents out, then

Posted by: TexasJew at November 22, 2014 02:22 PM (aMV0K)

38 That's tragic. Prayers for the family.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:23 PM (3B+O8)

39

Very nice thread, y'all.

thankies

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:24 PM (IXrOn)

40 Isn't against the law to not disclose accidents when selling a car?

How else are you going to get the car that you need?

Posted by: Jon Gruber at November 22, 2014 02:24 PM (FcR7P)

41 HR - why do you want Iowa to get beaten? Aren't you an Iowan by heritage?

I got beat up at recess by Iowa fans when I was 7 and we first moved to my mother's hometown, which turned me into a lifelong Iowa State fan (which I think I would have been anyway since farmers and engineers > Marxists and lesbian studies).

Posted by: HR -- BEAT IOWA! at November 22, 2014 02:24 PM (ImIut)

42 I used to buy several Christmas cacuses from our local university horticulture club as gifts. Unfortunately, they stopped carrying them several years ago and started selling "holiday" cactuses.

Posted by: olddog in mo at November 22, 2014 02:24 PM (6hrmc)

43 cacuses = cactuses

Posted by: olddog in mo at November 22, 2014 02:25 PM (6hrmc)

44 Weft cut-loop: Natal Plum (the plant) is poisonous. You probably don't want to eat the fruits if they're really green. Fine when ripe, though.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:26 PM (qahv/)

45 I unashamedly prefer the "shaped like the can" jellied cranberry sauce, but I do love orange-cranberry bread. It's one of the few things I bake, although I still haven't been able to translate the recipe for high altitudes. I've had surprising difficulty finding high altitude versions of my favorite baked goods. But that cranberry bread is really good, so I should just hunker down and use trial and error.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:26 PM (9BRsg)

46 farmers and engineers > Marxists and lesbian studies



You chose wisely.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:27 PM (3B+O8)

47 Sorry to hear that, WD. Thoughts and prayers.

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 22, 2014 02:28 PM (2cS/G)

48 I used to buy several Christmas cacuses from our local university
horticulture club as gifts. Unfortunately, they stopped carrying them
several years ago and started selling "holiday" cactuses.
--

The holiday in holiday cactus refers to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, which is when these plants bloom. It's not a slight at Christmas.


As soon as we hit mid-November, I start referring to the holiday season, which for me encompasses Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years. I really don't get this need to be offended by the use of "happy holidays." And, given that I spent three years at Brandeis, I have no problem acknowledging that there are good Americans who don't happen to celebrate Christmas.

There are four major holidays in a span of about two months. Ergo: "holiday season."

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:29 PM (9BRsg)

49 I have a large Christmas cactus. It is cuttings of cuttings of cuttings from one either my maternal or paternal grandmother had. They both had them, and my Aunt was a little fuzzy on which one I was getting cuttings from. This makes this one in my family for at least 75 years. They were already large, old plants when I was a tender young'un.

And, by-the-by, it is powering up for a major bloom this year.

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at November 22, 2014 02:33 PM (55Ed/)

50 I buy lingonberries by the gallon. We eat them on rice pudding and on Swedish pancakes.
Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:13 PM (3B+O


Your home always sounds like such a nice, cozy, homey home.

Comfort food and warmth.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:33 PM (IXrOn)

51 Wisconsin has lakes and produces cranberries. I kind of liked this example of dock jamming at Cranberry Lake (Canada?). Old time fiddling, pre-bluegrass. Kind of relaxing for dance music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK0idJKXWgA

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:33 PM (qahv/)

52

I like greens over the holidays.
Evergreens.
Mistletoe...

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:35 PM (IXrOn)

53 Sell the truck and get another Dave. I would. The Ranger is too small for me too.

Posted by: freaked at November 22, 2014 02:36 PM (JdEZJ)

54 And speaking of heirloom plants, I have a house iris my one grandmother brought from Florida, and a peperomia that the other one had on her window sill. Again, they have had to be in the family for at least 60 years.

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at November 22, 2014 02:36 PM (55Ed/)

55 It's not a slight at Christmas

Y-Not did not take it that way. I caught your drift re: holiday cactus. The university's not so much. It was a PC move on their part.

Posted by: olddog in mo at November 22, 2014 02:36 PM (6hrmc)

56 The house iris can bloom as early as Christmas, but it usually is later in the winter.

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at November 22, 2014 02:37 PM (55Ed/)

57 >>Y-Not did not take it that way. I caught your drift re: holiday cactus.

Oh, ok. Sorry I'm a grumpypants today, olddog.

I'd hug you if the Head Ewok had not forbidden such PDA. ;-)

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:38 PM (9BRsg)

58 We have a Holly bush that is supposed to have little red berries this time of year. I don't see any berries. I think the birds ate them all.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:38 PM (G/NXs)

59 When I lived in Southern California, my neighbor had epiphytic night-blooming cactuses growing under the fiberglass roof of her patio. Spectacular, but they only bloomed for a night, two with a few species.

Y-not, your photo is beautiful. For more plant porn along the same lines, look up a specialist in night-blooming cactuses.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:38 PM (qahv/)

60 Holly.

I love holly. But I'm not sure it grows here.

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:38 PM (9BRsg)

61 Well, my LAPTOP BATTERY is dying... so bbl.

Be good, fellow babies!

Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:39 PM (9BRsg)

62 My favorite Christmas plant is marijuana.

Posted by: Ron Paul voter at November 22, 2014 02:39 PM (mx5oN)

63 How is getting three college degrees progress. What is her debt? Who pays for it?

How is getting three college degrees more productive than yard work or house keeping?

It is laziness, it is work avoidance, it is running up debt with no way of paying it back.

This is not something to brag about.

Posted by: petunia at November 22, 2014 02:40 PM (M1eBo)

64 And, given that I spent three years at Brandeis, I have no problem
acknowledging that there are good Americans who don't happen to
celebrate Christmas.


After what they did to Ayaan Hirsi Ali I don't know if there's too many good people at Brandeis, but I get what you're saying. I've worked with Hindus and Buddhists and at a company owned by escaped Russian Jews. None of them were offended by the word "Christmas" but in a mixed group I'm cool with "winter holidays."

Although I went to a Yule celebration once, and except for the chocolate cake it felt kind of silly.

Posted by: HR -- BEAT IOWA! at November 22, 2014 02:42 PM (ImIut)

65 I love holly. But I'm not sure it grows here.

I think it likes warmer Winter temperatures than where I live, but it does OK. It is planted on the South side of the house in a sheltered area.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:42 PM (G/NXs)

66 Ronster, many female holly bushes need a male plant nearby to produce berries.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 02:45 PM (qahv/)

67 Sell the truck and get another Dave. I would. The Ranger is too small for me too.

I probably will. Here's hoping someone as stupid as me is looking.

Posted by: Weirddave at November 22, 2014 02:46 PM (9422s)

68 And just a little fact for those that think NJ looks entirely like a view from the NJ turnpike near Newark Airport, NJ is the nations third largest producer of cranberries, after WI and MA. It is the nations second largest producer of blueberries. The areas that these fruits are produced are rural-near or in what we call the "Pine Barrens."

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 02:47 PM (RZlSA)

69 Ronster, many female holly bushes need a male plant nearby to produce berries.

It has produced berries before, so I'm going with the birds ate them.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:48 PM (G/NXs)

70 My mother had a Christmas cactus in the old log house I grew up in. Brings back some memories. Thanks.

Posted by: fairweatherbill bucking the wind at November 22, 2014 02:48 PM (vvqdk)

71 I'd hug you if the Head Ewok had not forbidden such PDA. ;-)
Posted by: Y-not at November 22, 2014 02:38 PM (9BRsg)



*hugs* all around =p

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:49 PM (IXrOn)

72
Most holly plants need a male and female plant to produce berries. They are hardy in zones eight through five.

Posted by: Ed Anger at November 22, 2014 02:51 PM (RcpcZ)

73 That's not a bad little truck for the right person. You ought to be able to get your $1500 out of it.

Posted by: freaked at November 22, 2014 02:51 PM (JdEZJ)

74 Ronster, many female holly bushes need a male plant nearby to produce berries.

It has produced berries before, so I'm going with the birds ate them.
Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:48 PM (G/NXs)


I've owned a few Holly bushes in different locations.

I always look for the self-propagating ones.

The one I have now, is huge (beautiful) with berries every year, so far. It's all by it's lonesome. Hidden from strong winds, and sorta nearby a warm/moist release vent from the house It seems to love it's own little climate sweet spot.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 02:51 PM (IXrOn)

75 We had an old Christmas cactus that was beautiful, then a year or so ago the plant got a reddish tinge and pretty much died. Mrs. Ronster is hell on plants.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:53 PM (G/NXs)

76 Most holly plants need a male and female plant to produce berries.



They got free birth control from Obamacare. No more worrying about accidental berries.

Posted by: grammie winger at November 22, 2014 02:54 PM (3B+O8)

77 Northern Lights.

Though Morning Pearl and White Widow are right on its heels.

Posted by: garrett at November 22, 2014 02:57 PM (IIBch)

78 Condolences to your family, WeirdDave.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, Curmudgeon Extraordinaire at November 22, 2014 02:58 PM (0HooB)

79 My Holly has produced little bushes from berries in the past, so it must be self propagating. The thing I don't like about it is the thorny leaves.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 02:58 PM (G/NXs)

80 My family likes the can shaped cranberry sauce but my mom used to make a delicious fresh one with oranges.
My Swedish au pair introduced us to lingonberry jam, great with Swedish meatballs on Christmas eve.
I will always love the poinsettia as my favorite Christmas plant but I do put some bright red Christmas cactuses around the house for variety.
I got a lovely butternut squash from the garden this week. Made it with an orzo and sage side dish with venison for the main. Delicious!

Posted by: keena at November 22, 2014 03:01 PM (RiTnx)

81 I know this isn't the football thread, but if anyone here suffers from insomnia, I'd suggest getting a DVD of today's Wake Forest-Virginia Tech game. 0-0, 6 minutes left in the game. A total stinker. VT is playing for bowl eligibility, WF is playing for a bit of respectability in the conference. Should have been a much better game.

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 22, 2014 03:05 PM (2cS/G)

82 My giant bush has produced little hollies.

Posted by: Sandra Flook at November 22, 2014 03:05 PM (Dwehj)

83 Speaking of farm trucks, I always wanted an old, beat-up pickup truck. I never figured I'd be able to "age" one myself, but I did it over 24 years and 228K miles. Bought Becky new back in the summer of '90.

It rattles, has that old truck smell and if it could talk, I'd be in jail. Neither the A/C, the defroster or the radio work. The door seals aren't in too gooda shape either, there's always water in it after a rain. Frogs and lizards live in it during the summer and the open bed with liner serves as a mobile rain gauge.

Have I mentioned that I love my old beat-up pickup truck?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, Curmudgeon Extraordinaire at November 22, 2014 03:06 PM (0HooB)

84 My giant bush has produced little hollies


Those are probably dingle berries.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 03:08 PM (G/NXs)

85 Prosecutor can't even get 9 out of 12 to indict Wilson.

Posted by: SpongeBobSaget at November 22, 2014 03:09 PM (zauWW)

86 Those are probably dingle berries.

Frankly, I don't know what's going on down there.

Posted by: Sandra Flook at November 22, 2014 03:09 PM (Dwehj)

87 Although I went to a Yule celebration once, and except for the chocolate cake it felt kind of silly.


Posted by: HR -- BEAT IOWA! at November 22, 2014 02:42 PM (ImIut)


Yes, I enjoyed the birthday parties, while they lasted.

Posted by: zombie Yul Brynner at November 22, 2014 03:12 PM (7MWCL)

88 The Pine Barrens of NY are also known for their cranberries.

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at November 22, 2014 03:12 PM (55Ed/)

89 Black Activists Speak Out against Obama Amnesty Agenda

I'm famous!

Posted by: King Narcissus at November 22, 2014 03:12 PM (FcR7P)

90 There are Pine Barrens in NY?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:14 PM (RZlSA)

91 Pine Barrens of NJ (sheesh).

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at November 22, 2014 03:15 PM (55Ed/)

92 Sorry about your BIL, Weird Dave. May grace and peace and strength be with your family and I'm sorry you won't have Gingy with you for TG.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:16 PM (RZlSA)

93 You can eat a pine tree, you know.

Posted by: Zombie Euell Gibbons at November 22, 2014 03:17 PM (Dwehj)

94 You can eat a pine tree, you know


I did not know that.

Posted by: zombie Carson at November 22, 2014 03:21 PM (G/NXs)

95 Cranberries. I love em.

http://bit.ly/154b7Pe

Lord. She sings like a bird.

Now if you're talking about edible Cranberries...

Let me try again.

This is a nice addition to Thanksgiving.

http://bit.ly/1t7prKM

Posted by: Golfman in NC at November 22, 2014 03:22 PM (awxXc)

96 Pine nuts are fine, but nothing beats a hickory Daiquiri, Doc.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2014 03:22 PM (7MWCL)

97 You can? When I was in high school back in the Middle Ages and Euelll (sp?) was doing commercials for grape nuts or some kind of granola cerea some wiseacre scrawlesd on one of the inside school doors, "Euelll Gibbons ate my tree trunk" but I think they had something else in mind. ;^)

We have pines in our yard. What of a pine three can you eat? It is is probably good information to have on hand.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:24 PM (RZlSA)

98 Hummingbirds really love red. And if you have them flying about, if you wear red, they will maddog you or flirt with you. Cant tell the difference.

When I moved to SoCal in the late 80s, Poinsetta trees were popular. The trees look like gray wood with red bows tied to them. It's really strange but beautiful.

http://goo.gl/Wcavak

Not the best photo but the best I can find.

Posted by: The Progs at November 22, 2014 03:25 PM (iQIUe)

99 oh, sorry; I didn't realize that was a jokester post from Ewell. I just read zombie and I thought it was from the actual poster zombie and that he/she was imparting some knowledge about foraging .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:26 PM (RZlSA)

100 Christmas cactus.... sigh. I'd had a huge one potted up on my front porch a few years ago. 4' x 4'. It started to come into bud at the end of October as usual, but then someone walked off with it on halloween. Haven't been able to find anyone that still has cuttings from it that I'd given away, alas...

Thanks giving cactus are a different matter... I always seem to end up with everyone's leftovers when the go out of bloom. Have 53 of them of various colors cycling in and out of bloom from early november to the end of march.

Try budding them in cold temps and then in warmer spots... the flowers will take on different hues. Yellows will take on more pink in cold, for example.

Posted by: Phil at November 22, 2014 03:27 PM (gTSL/)

101 For Fenelon:

http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqpinenuts.htm

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2014 03:29 PM (7MWCL)

102 Thanks, AOP-

I like pine nuts. I was stupidly thinking they were talking about something other than the pine nuts.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:30 PM (RZlSA)

103 I like pine nuts. I was stupidly thinking they were talking about something other than the pine nuts.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at November 22, 2014 03:30 PM (RZlSA)


That would never happen here!

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2014 03:31 PM (7MWCL)

104 Oregon coast, down by Bandon, has cranberry growers. They also grow Easter lilies too.
They don't have cranberry bogs too far inland though, the bogs would slide off the 45 degree slopes of the Coast range.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 22, 2014 03:35 PM (t//F+)

105 http://goo.gl/Wcavak

Not the best photo but the best I can find.
Posted by: The Progs at November 22, 2014 03:25 PM (iQIUe)


they look pretty, actually

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at November 22, 2014 03:41 PM (IXrOn)

106 I always worried about getting a poinsettia since I have cats, but the greenhouse owner said one would have to eat the whole plant instead of a nibble to get sick. Fortunately, my cats stick to grass and catnip for their snacks.

Posted by: aud at November 22, 2014 03:48 PM (PGpgl)

107 I like the hybrid Poinsettias that have glitter on them.

Posted by: Baldy at November 22, 2014 03:51 PM (+35FH)

108 We used to vaca on a lake near Hayward, WI when I was a kid. Old Mr. Bachmann was seriously pissed when they put in a cranberry bog across the lake. No idea why but I never liked cranberries because of that. As a kid I thought he was the baddest, coolest dude on earth with Popeye forearms and a dog that would dive under the water to fetch rocks. What can I say, I was a kid.

Posted by: dartist at November 22, 2014 03:51 PM (ahBY0)

109 Wake wins on an OT field goal!

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 22, 2014 03:54 PM (2cS/G)

110 Who is paying for Astras college and working on her third degree tells me she is not a producer, but a professional student. Just what this country needs. What are all these degrees in?

Posted by: palolojo at November 22, 2014 03:54 PM (IweXx)

111 FTSB: Amy Ridenour's National Center Blog: Black Activists Speak Out against Obama Amnesty Agenda

Surprise! The party of the KKK is not your friend.

Posted by: toby928(C) has some jokes at November 22, 2014 03:57 PM (rwI+c)

112 Here's some information on eating pine trees. Pretty much a famine food, I would say. Other than pine nuts.

http://tinyurl.com/ediblepine

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 03:58 PM (qahv/)

113 Another fun thread. I learn something new every time.

I've managed to keep our Christmas cacti going for 5 years now and they are starting to bloom: deep ruby red blossoms with highlights. Gorgeous. Think we paid two bucks for the four of them at an after holiday sale.

I have a paperwhite bulb in water that is blooming. They lack the fresh green smell of new daffodils but do have a warm, spicy aroma that is pleasant. I'll use the glass to root baby spider plants later this winter.

The 2015 Pinetree catalog arrived yesterday. It got me thinking of spring and seed starting already. Too soon really. The other catalogs usually show up around Christmas or New Year.

Posted by: JTB at November 22, 2014 03:59 PM (FvdPb)

114 Cranberry farmer here and you aren't off on the EPA bit. I'm going to give a fairly accurate comparison for the cost of regulation for you all when it comes to the EPA and clean water act:

Let's pretend you are a union member teacher at a high school earning $56,000 per year for teaching, $5,000 for coaching a team and pulling in about $24,000 a year in benefits including health and retirement and paying $1000 a year in Union Dues.

If you were me on my cranberry farm, this is what would happen to you:

1) You no longer can be paid for coaching but by regulation you must continue to put in the time to coach.
2) Your salary remains the same but you must purchase your goods and services all at an over priced store that sells things for 30% above the prices you normally buy them from.
3) Same salary, but you need to work about 40% longer days in order to earn it.

How can I say that? Simply, that is the about the amount of crop I lose each year to their regulations and the amount of extra work I have to put in to meet those requirements and the extra costs I have to pay to purchase products that meet their new requirement....and I really am not overstating the effect. But then again, we are a water dependent crop so we are affected far more by their regulations than other commodities.

Posted by: doug at November 22, 2014 03:59 PM (uJ8q7)

115 We bought a 95 Sierra with a bad engine. It's the step side. Then we bought a 95 Silverado with a good engine, bad tranny. Had the same interior and no title. So we had a friend put the engine in the Sierra and fix a lot of little things. We thought we were set. Except that we hadn't been able to start or drive the Sierra. We were told the tranny had been redone but that seems to be a lie. It has a bad tranny. It turns out to be common with this tranny. There is a You Tube video of a guy that shows you how to rebuild the thing. We have the spare to work on. And, given that these trannies are in a bunch of Chev/GMC vehicles, it's a valuable skill. Meanwhile, we drive every place in second gear.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 22, 2014 03:59 PM (Lqy/e)

116 Poinsettias only grow big outdoors if the climate is nearly frost-free. They won't bloom if there is a street light near them at night in winter.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:08 PM (qahv/)

117 Oh and here's the other truck story. My boyfriend got a '54 Ford flatbed for $200. It runs well but there's significant body rust, as in you can see the road through the floor. There wasn't even a seat in it. The guy told us he had the title. Then he said he'd been in the hospital and would get us the title. At this point, it's clear we'll never get a title. My boyfriend thinks it's too far gone but I love that truck. I'm trying to convince him to apply for a sherrif's title and see if there's a way to deal with the rust. He likes project cars after all.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at November 22, 2014 04:10 PM (Lqy/e)

118 Did the blog go down? Or maybe just my connection.

Posted by: Y-not, deluded loon at November 22, 2014 04:12 PM (9BRsg)

119 114 doug

That sounds messed up, sorry they're down on your business like that. It seems to me the bog I mentioned was owned by one of the big guys and they all thought it would ruin the lake somehow. This was in the early 60s and the old German who owned the resort pretty much retired and sold the place not long after that. They started stocking the lake with muskies around that time too so I'm sure that had an impact too.

Posted by: dartist at November 22, 2014 04:12 PM (ahBY0)

120 Government is really hurting the farmers out here in California with water regulations too, Doug. Though the most dramatic over-reaches tend to be related to the Endangered Species Act right around here. The Elderberry Longhorn Beetle makes rational water control very difficult in some areas. We've also had problems related to kangaroo rats and fairy shrimp in ponds that dry up in summer.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:14 PM (qahv/)

121 2 many toos...

Posted by: dartist at November 22, 2014 04:15 PM (ahBY0)

122 Let's say the Kangaroo rat was wiped out. I wouldn't give a rats a**.

Posted by: zombie Carson at November 22, 2014 04:18 PM (G/NXs)

123 Nood

Posted by: Y-not, deluded loon at November 22, 2014 04:19 PM (9BRsg)

124 Dumb sock.

Posted by: Ronster at November 22, 2014 04:19 PM (G/NXs)

125 It's OK to like cranberry sauce out of the can, Y-not. I used to like the raspberry-flavored jelled kind. Can't eat it now because I'm allergic to corn syrup. I prefer to make whole-berry sauce now.

This cranberry salsa is also nice for football time. Colorful. I use less sugar and cilantro and more jalapeno.
http://tinyurl.com/oxolclw

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:20 PM (qahv/)

126 It's not Thanksgiving without dingleberries, I always say.

Posted by: @PeeteySDee at November 22, 2014 04:20 PM (VY+Om)

127 I got a "kill page" message a bit ago, Y-not.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:21 PM (qahv/)

128 Kangaroo rats are dang cute, considering that they are rats. They can make their own water by eating seeds. But the enforcement efforts to protect them are irrational, and State agencies nearby avoid "do not plow" regulations by burning off the land every year. So, fried endangered kangaroo rats are OK if you're a government entity, I guess.

The "authorities" like to invent new sub-species if they want to target a certain section of land for control. Because it's not enough for kangaroo rats to live. They have to live on the property where the authorities want them to live.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:29 PM (qahv/)

129 I really like that hibiscus agua fresca, with a little lime. Maybe I'll try growing some Roselle.

Posted by: KT at November 22, 2014 04:32 PM (qahv/)

130 Canned cranberry sauce, with which I grew up, ended over thirty years ago when Mrs. JTB and I got married. She makes it with whole berries, orange rind, etc. Really easy, even I have done it. But now she uses Splenda in place of sugar. (Mild diabetes.) Same good taste. I use it with turkey, chicken and ham. Some day I should try a cranberry sauce omelet.

Posted by: JTB at November 22, 2014 04:47 PM (FvdPb)

131 Damn, Dave, condolences to Gingy and SIL.

Posted by: stace at November 22, 2014 05:22 PM (ImzkZ)

132 We went to Port A few weeks ago with some other old friends, who introduced me to poinsettia cocktails (with migas for breakfast!), and cosmopolitans, so I'm a new convert to cranberry juice at this advanced age. I'd been stuck in a rut with nothing but wine and margaritas.

I have a three year old Christmas cactus that's not only survived, but bloomed every year, but I think I better fertilize it today.

Posted by: stace at November 22, 2014 05:23 PM (ImzkZ)

133 Still....I'm disgusted with myself for getting impatient. In the whirlwind stress of the week, I forgot the watchword. Looking back I'd rather have the Chevy with the rusted quarter panel. That I could fix, and it had an 8', not a 6' bed. I spent all this time determined to do this right, and in the end I did it wrong. It's fine. I just wanted to do so much better. Ahh well, such is life.

*****

So sell the truck and start again.

Posted by: Taco Shack at November 23, 2014 09:36 AM (C+qQ0)

134 You will rue the day you did not get the 8' bed though.. I did. All my friends seems to have gone with the 6' and call me for my 8' bed to transport mny things.

Posted by: richard at November 24, 2014 03:10 PM (qWojY)

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