Saturday Gardening Thread - Working Without a Net Edition [Y-not, KT, and Weirddave]

The gardening thread's captain my captain, Y-not, is unavailable today. She sent me an email explaining that she would be "tied up" all day, so she either has more pressing commitments or an urge to experiment with BDSM. Either way, she's not here, so it's up to KT and I. So, whostaa got KT?

Hydrangeas

We love getting suggestions for topics here at the Saturday Gardening Thread. And hydrangeas are a big topic. In anticipation of Weirddave's photos from Mount Vernon, I am limiting my segment today to a discussion of the hydrangea species most commonly sold by florists. Many people want to plant hydrangeas received as gifts out in their gardens. This may or may not be a good idea. More on other hydrangea species later.

In the wild, hydrangea blooms typically feature large clusters of small fertile florets. These become little fruits that sometimes resemble ancient water jars. This is the source of the name "Hydrangea". Larger, showier sterile florets often surround the fertile florets. Modern "lace cap" hydrangeas sometimes resemble these wild forms, and sometimes they don't.

Hydrangea serrata Shooting Star

"Mophead" or "Hortensia" hydrangeas feature only sterile florets (or just a few fertile florets among the sterile ones). The sterile florets sometimes last for months on the plant, often changing color over time. Sometimes modern mopheads start out multi-colored.

Hydrangea macrophylla Everlasting Amythest

Some worries about toxicity were also expressed in the comments last week. Hydrangeas are moderately toxic (at least when raw) because they contain cyanogenic glycosides. These compounds release cyanide. There are many edible plants that contain compounds like these in small amounts.

I think the chances of a dog or cat consuming a lethal amount of a hydrangea plant are slim. People have used one species of hydrangea medicinally and smoked leaves of another species as an intoxicant. Tea is made from leaves of the second species below. But I wouldn’t put hydrangea flowers or leaves in a salad.

Hydrangea macrophylla

A painting by the famous botanical illustrator Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a contemporary of George Washington, demonstrates that "mophead" hydrangeas existed when the United States was just a new country. They are still the most popular type of hydrangea today.

From the Annual Report of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, 1890. Page 31:

The garden and grounds show the faithful care of the gardener. Eglantine, pinks, sweet lilies and roses bloom resplendent and fragrant in their quaint, stiff parterres. Some of these plants are rare as well as historic; notably, the "Martha Washington rose," named for Mrs. Washington - a sweet-scented pink rose - also a white hydrangea, a rare variety, hardy even when transplanted to New England, which was brought from Napoleon's grave at St. Helena by Lafayette, and by him planted at Mount Vernon on his last visit there in 1824."

Think of the Ladies' Association when you see Weirddave's photos. They maintained Mount Vernon and recovered much of its history for visitors today.

If you are looking for a garden-related destination, the 8th annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival will be held in Douglas County, Georgia from June 6 - 7 this year. Hydrangeas are not the only focus of the festival. Sounds like fun. The theme is French this year. "Ooh, La, La!"

Until this week, I did not know that hydrangeas had surpassed the popularity of azaleas in the South. According to Southern Living, Penny McHenry, an amateur enthusiast from Georgia, "did more to popularize these plants in the South than any other person." She gave a lot of her plants away. Her method for layering hydrangeas to produce new plants is outlined here. http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/hydrangeas-share She introduced one of the first H. macrophylla cultivars to bloom on both new and old wood, "Penny Mac".

Penny Mac at the Aldridge Botanical Gardens

Bigleaf Hydrangeas are generally well adapted to humid areas with moderate winters. They need so little winter chilling that they can even be grown at higher elevations in Hawaii. They do not appreciate the conditions in the desert southwest. The hotter the climate, the more shade they appreciate and the more water they need. Many are cold hardy through Zone 6 or even 5 with heavy protection. The cultivars which bloom on both old and new wood can bloom on new wood even if the tops freeze in winter.

Even where the top growth survives the winter, the plants can look pretty ratty in the spring. It is important not to prune away your flower buds. See a pruning demonstration for areas where the top growth of H. macrophylla survives the winter here. Brief instructions for changing hydrangea color are also given.

Yes, you can change the color of blue, pink or red hydrangeas. Flower color is affected by soil pH, aluminum content and iron content. These plants concentrate aluminum in their flowers, and aluminum compounds are apparently largely responsible for flower color. It is easiest to change the color of container plants. This process can take from several months to two years. I think it is best to start with the color of flower you aim to end up with, as colors are often murky during the transition period. In my area, pink or red would be most practical due to our alkaline soil. Naturally, I would prefer blue ones. Though there are some beautiful pale pink cultivars.

Hydrangea serrata

Hydrangea serrata Bluebird

This species of hydrangea comes from the mountainous regions of Japan and Korea. Some botanists consider it to be a subspecies of H. macrophylla. It has smaller leaves and flowers on a smaller plant and is generally hardier to cold. Enthusiasts have identified several beautiful hardy cultivars. Some have colored foliage in the fall. Common names include "Mountain Hydrangea" and "Tea of Heaven".

The leaves of mountain hydrangea contain phyllodulcin, a natural sweetener, and are used to make regionally popular herbal teas. . . Amacha tea is used in Japan in the celebration Buddha’s birth.

Below, Japanese children dipping "Tea of Heaven" to pour on a statue of young Buddha.

"In the past, people thought sweet tea had magical powers. People would write a spell in ink made of amacha and hang it upside-down outside the gate in the belief that the spell would keep away snakes and other unwanted animals and insects."

A 2010 story about the birthday celebration for Buddha in Ann Arbor (Michigan, not Japan) included several references to plants. It featured a sweet tea shower for Buddha administered by a little blond boy. It ended with the lighting of a large lotus lantern dedicated to the earth. The accompanying chant did not sound to me like Buddha wrote it. ". . Kale to the victors, for the earth belongs to our children. . " ?

Miscellaneous garden-related information

One reason many people, particularly children, don't like kale may be that they can taste the calcium in high-calcium veggies. http://www.livescience.com/17782-sixth-taste-flavors.html

JTB's daffodils were budding last week. Here's the famous poem about daffodils by William Wordsworth.

OK, thank you for that KT. Now, here's some pictures I took at Mount Vernon with an old Brownie Instamatic:

Mount Vernon by Weirddave

As I mentioned last week, Gingy took me to Mount Vernon for my birthday, and I took lots of pictures of the grounds. This is going to be more or less simply a photo essay of my visit. In order to keep oriented however, check out this interactive map of the plantation. The pictures are from the Upper and Lower Gardens.

Upper Garden.

You approach the mansion from the Bowling Green Gate:

BG GATE.jpg

To the left is the Upper Garden, and to the right is the Lower. The Upper Garden was the formal garden, with flowers and sculpted hedges. This is where visitors would have been entertained, and beautiful days enjoyed. It also contains Washington's greenhouse, which was heated by a series of ducts built into the stone floor. These ducts were fed by a large fire behind the greenhouse which was kept going 24/7 during cold months.

Second week in April was a little early to get the full effect of blooming flowers, but there were some hint as to what was to come. I imagine they're beautiful this week.

Does anyone know what these flowers are? They are so pretty.

Lower Gardens

These gardens are to your right as you approach the house from the Bowling Green Gate. These are the working gardens, vegetable and fruit gardens, that kept the mansion fed. I just love the way that they are laid out, with paths of grass delineating each section of the garden, providing access and separation. If I'm ever in a position to garden on a large scale, I'm going to model my garden on this one.

I also appreciate how well utilized the space is here. Fruit trees are rigidly pruned to form the borders between the paths and the individual gardens, and also trained onto trellises around the perimeter. The whole thing is a marvel of efficient uses of available space.

There are other areas of the grounds that are interesting, such as The Pioneer Farm and the Fruit Garden & Nursery, but these fall more under the category of "farm" rather than "garden", so I'm omitting them. Really, the entire place is worth a trip, why don't you just go see for yourself?

And that's it for this edition of the garden thread. Next week, Y-not should be back, so hopefully it won't suck so badly. Until then, have a great week!

What's going on in your gardens this week?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 02:34 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Pretty pictures of flowers slavery to humanoids. Just fantastic.

Posted by: Yip at April 25, 2015 02:36 PM (84SRe)

2 Y-Not tied up?

I'm not sure that's legal in Utah.

Posted by: Garrett at April 25, 2015 02:36 PM (hJei/)

3 Mt Vernon: Doesn't it take a lot of slaves to maintain those gardens?

Posted by: Generic Gender Genie at April 25, 2015 02:37 PM (ECUyd)

4 Hey, I actually have an on topic question for the gardening thread!!!
~~~sob~~~

So I want to get herbs for the kitchen
Basil, thyme to start
But I also have large cats
If they eat it can they get sick and should I keep them in the kitchen or on the patio?

Posted by: Navycopjoe betting on Da Cubbies at April 25, 2015 02:40 PM (QK70D)

5 I was going to get my Roma tomatoes out into the garden today, but the weathercromancers are saying we're in for some violent thunderstorms, over 2 inches of rain, high winds, and maybe some hail. The 'maters can wait til tomorrow.

Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 02:40 PM (nL0sw)

6 NCJ, those are both fine for cats. Also, given your growing environment, I'd have them on the patio.

Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 02:42 PM (nL0sw)

7 I think your mystery checkered flower is a fritillaria, Weirddave. They are related to lillies. The name means "dice-box".

Not to be confused with fritillary butterflies.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 02:45 PM (qahv/)

8 So how many ~~slaves~~ ~~illegals~~ laborers does it take to maintain Mt. Vernon?

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 25, 2015 02:45 PM (3eZI/)

9 6. Sweet
I'll pick up them up on the way home from the range

Posted by: Navycopjoe betting on Da Cubbies at April 25, 2015 02:45 PM (QK70D)

10 This year I've decided to take the "Jerusalem Artichoke plunge."

I've been reading the little-known fact that Jerusalem artichokes produce the most calories in the least space with the least effort of almost any plant you can grow in your garden. Each plant (which are closely related to, and thus look a whole lot like, sunflowers) can produce up to 10 pounds of underground tubers (the edible part). And they will do so with minimal (and even NO) watering, and essentially no tending. You just need to find a place for them to grow in the sunshine.

To plant Jerusalem artichokes? All you do is go to the store and buy a bunch of broken up little Jerusalem artichokes pieces in the grocery section (if your store is comprehensive enough to carry them). For a dollar you can get, like, 20 small pieces, which you just put in the ground, and they will sprout. Even "better"? They will sprout year after year, unless you are thorough at removing every single tuber each season.

So, for a $1 initial investment, I hope to make a lifetime's supply of delicious tubers with almost no effort!

Posted by: zombie at April 25, 2015 02:47 PM (K4YiS)

11 Navycopjoe, grow some cat grass for your kitties. They will prefer it to most other plants, except maybe catnip, catmint, kiwis and oregano.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 02:48 PM (qahv/)

12 I felt micro-aggressed by the word 'plantation'.

*hides behind peonies*

Posted by: Special Snowflake at April 25, 2015 02:50 PM (16bOT)

13 NCJ, you'll notice a huge difference in the taste of your food if you've been cooking with dried herbs prior to now. I've been growing my own for about three years now and love being able to walk outside and just pull what I need off the plant. Plus, my dog like to nap next to the rosemary bush, so she often comes into the house smelling like rosemary instead of roadkill.

Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 02:51 PM (nL0sw)

14 Oh, also:

The reason I decided to go all j-choke this year is that I finally discovered a fabulous simple fool-proof technique for cooking them that COMPLETELY eliminates the "intestinal gas" problem usually associated with Jerusalem artichokes. So, they go from being a vegetable to avoid, to being a favorite, because they are super-duper delicious. And the cooking technique not only eliminates the gas problem, it makes them taste even better! So: time to embrace Jerusalem artichokes as a go-to food!

Posted by: zombie at April 25, 2015 02:52 PM (K4YiS)

15 Not quite gardening, but the wife and I were at the Leesburg Plant Show last weekend, and I bought a very nice Bonsai. It really is true that a nice specimen, which this is, induces serenity. It's calming to just sit and look at it. It's even better to do so with a glass of Jameson's.

I don't have a good history with these plants, so I'm trying to be more diligent with this one than I have with others in the past.

Posted by: pep at April 25, 2015 02:53 PM (LAe3v)

16 zombie, I've grown Jerusalem Artichokes. It was so long ago that I can't remember what they tasted like. Like you say, easy to grow. I probably got the starts from Gurney.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 02:53 PM (4NtAn)

17 Well tell us how to cook them Zombie, sheesh!

Posted by: Weirddave at April 25, 2015 02:54 PM (WvS3w)

18 Those lovely amethyst checkered tulips are here:
http://www.lovethatimage.com/blog/2010/03/checkered-tulips-or-fritillaria/

Posted by: Miley's Tongue at April 25, 2015 02:54 PM (+Y3QE)

19 Thanks to the gardening thread a couple of weeks ago, I realized I had three mulberry bushes, and that I *had* to remove two of them due to where they were. The other one is in a bed I had intended for fruit trees anyway so gets to stay.

I was going to get rid of it after the fruit ripened but, the fruit is *really* good. I knew I liked it as a kid, but had forgotten how much. At least two of my kids like it now too so it gets to stay.

Because it was staying I researched to see what other things it was good for and found out that the young leaves can be dried for tea (not the mature leaves though as apparently those are hallucinogenic) and the wood is good both for smoking meat and for wood turning. All of those things work very well for me (well, except that I need to find a wood turner who can make stuff for my shop).

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 02:57 PM (GDulk)

20 Zombie, Jerusalem Artichokes are invasive. You might want to put them in a big tub. I think the "no watering" thing is for places that get a little rain.

Pick tubers that are relatively smooth if you want yours to be smooth.

"If you want to try other varieties than what is found in the grocery store, there are a few available online (sold as tubers of course). Stampede is an early, heavy producer. Red fuseau produces maroon colored tubers and is also early-producing. Pink Crispy is the best selection for eating raw. There are also other species of sunflower, like Helianthus nuttallii that have tubers that can be eaten and taste somewhat similar. Oikos Tree Crops has all of these and a few more.

http://tinyurl.com/payqnqv

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 02:59 PM (qahv/)

21 Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 02:57 PM (GDulk)

We had a mulberry when I was a kid. Absolutely delicious with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on, but hell on us kids. Why? Because birds loved the damn things and my brother and I were the ones that got to wash purple-red birdshit off of the vehicles.

Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 03:02 PM (nL0sw)

22 On a less positive note, Son and I finished our redneck garden tower, got it all set up, and I planted in each space. And then it rained, a lot, a lot a lot in fact. And then the tower fell over. Aaaand we can't get it upright again because it's filled with a couple hundred pounds of soaking wet soil. So I guess the stuff on the top and sides will grow as best they can until it gets to summer and dries out the soil enough we can relift the thing.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 03:02 PM (GDulk)

23 They say that the "Shooting Star" hydrangea is sold with poinsettias for Christmas, but I've never seen them offered. Of course, I seldom visit "the better florists".

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:03 PM (qahv/)

24 Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 03:02 PM (nL0sw)

Fortunately, the tree is in the back yard and well away from the vehicles. What's really amazing though is that I had cut the entire thing back to a stump a year ago and now part of it is well over 10 feet tall. As a tree for both fruit and wood harvesting though, this works very, very well.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 03:05 PM (GDulk)

25 I had fun looking through the annual reports of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union. They were so meticulous. Somehow, one of them persuaded schoolchildren in Louisiana to collect money to buy one donated item.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:05 PM (qahv/)

26 Polliwog, your Garden Tower story is classic.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:07 PM (qahv/)

27 Those who want to avoid squishy fruit over the sidewalk might want to try "Pakistan" mulberry, which has big (long, actually) firm fruits.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:08 PM (qahv/)

28 Fortunately, the tree is in the back yard and well away from the vehicles.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 03:05 PM (GDulk)

Ours was, too! About 50 yards away. Everyone in the neighborhood had a purple-red birdpoop problem. Fortunately, I don't think most of them knew where it originated from.

Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 03:10 PM (nL0sw)

29 Those are some impressive espaliered fruit trees at Mount Vernon.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:11 PM (qahv/)

30 17 Well tell us how to cook them Zombie, sheesh!
Posted by: Weirddave

The short, simple version:

Boil for 15 minutes in lemon juice.

This only is worthwhile if you have your own heavy-producing lemon tree (as I do), because the most undiluted the juice is, the better the technique works.

Squeeze about 6 lemons into a pot, add a little water (maybe equal in volume to the juice, or perhaps a little more), and boil the pre-slice j-chokes in it for 15 minutes or until almost soft.

Then take out and use in recipe as normal (including any additional subsequent cooking).

Extra bonus: the acid makes the j-chokes keep their creamy white appearance (no oxidization happens). And they taste EXTRA sweet after this, as the citric-acid-cooking process converts the gas-producing starch into a sugar.

Posted by: zombie at April 25, 2015 03:11 PM (K4YiS)

31 "If you want to try other varieties than what is found in the grocery store, there are a few available online (sold as tubers of course). Stampede is an early, heavy producer. Red fuseau produces maroon colored tubers and is also early-producing. Pink Crispy is the best selection for eating raw. There are also other species of sunflower, like Helianthus nuttallii that have tubers that can be eaten and taste somewhat similar. Oikos Tree Crops has all of these and a few more.

http://tinyurl.com/payqnqv
Posted by: KT

Great info! Thanks!

Posted by: zombie at April 25, 2015 03:12 PM (K4YiS)

32 We had neighbors once who had a row of pink hydrangeas on the north side of their house. They seemed to do well even in our hot summers. They would have gotten a little morning and late afternoon sun in midsummer in that location.

Temperatures usually max out about 10 degrees cooler here than in Phoenix. There are some hydrangeas rated for Phoenix, which we can discuss in a future thread.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:19 PM (qahv/)

33 I finally made the plunge and bought one of those too expensive Garden Towers. It was delivered a couple days ago. I still haven't put it together. Next thing to do is buy some worms and wait for warmer weather.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 03:20 PM (4NtAn)

34 Posted by: Country Singer at April 25, 2015 03:10 PM (nL0sw)

Lol, guess it's a good thing our cars are generally in the garage I guess. I suspect I won't be warning the neighbors though.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 03:22 PM (GDulk)

35 That is a fascinating cooking technique, Zombie. I have heard that garbanzo beans can be cooked with a little lemon juice added. Wonder if that also limits gas formation?

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:24 PM (qahv/)

36 We have lots of choke cherry bushes which the Robins harvest then leave dark red bird exhaust on the walk way.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 03:26 PM (4NtAn)

37 'Bird exhaust' trends purple in summer here: Wild blackberry. Everywhere.

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at April 25, 2015 03:28 PM (rhjQp)

38 I should have said purple. I don't think the Robins have the 'roids.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 03:30 PM (4NtAn)

39 It rained a little here this morning. We sure needed it. I will be limiting my garden area this year because of the drought. Thinking about a few drought-tolerant plants to add to the front yard.

The Farmer's Almanac predicted average rain and "normal" temperatures here for April. We have had a couple of hot spells, but other than that they have been on track.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:33 PM (qahv/)

40 36
I have the choke cherries as well. They make a big mess in our driveway. I am going to remove them after our new privet hedge fills in. We need wind and dust protection.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 25, 2015 03:34 PM (BHl9S)

41 I had no idea about any of this stuff about hydrangeas or Mt Vernon, so that was fascinating.

As far as what I've been up to in gardening, well this is only kind of related. Yesterday I helped put on the Battle of Flowers parade, the biggest parade in Fiesta and one of the biggest in the country. It started in 1891 as a parade to commemorate the battle of San Jacinto and honor the Alamo heroes. The carriage/floats threw fresh flowers at each other.

Now the floats are decorated with paper and foil flowers made by a family of ladies who've been making them for several generations. Since October, I've been in charge of one high school and its float, band and pep squad, so that's how long all this takes to put together. Last month I had to get a crew together to help me staple on the flowers, although the rest of the float work is done by a contractor

Big parades really are organized chaos. I couldn't find my band for awhile yesterday, because the police told them to go to a different drop-off. Of course my school was scheduled to go first of our group of schools. Lots of running around and group texting, and lots of help from the Texas National Guard, bless them.

Then the float broke down, but it was towards the end of the route, so no biggie, and by that time not my problem.

Posted by: stace at April 25, 2015 03:35 PM (CoX6k)

42 Thanks again for another fun gardening thread. We don't have hydrangeas but I love learning about plants.

If you can visit Mount Vernon, it is definitely worth the trip. There was so much more to George Washington than being general and president and it shows with what he did at Mount Vernon. It's been a few years since my last visit but the care and detail put into the restoration was fascinating. I think only Jefferson's Monticello tops it.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 03:35 PM (FvdPb)

43 We have a white mulberry tree so the fruit doesn't stain everything. However, the fruit is pretty much eaten by all the mockingbirds. So we just look at it as a bird feeder now.
And....as I suspected last week we have a damn gopher in the yard who is invading my flower bed and really pissing me off. If my better half can't take care of it in a week I am getting a real guy to do it like Bill Murray in Caddyshack!

Posted by: keena at April 25, 2015 03:40 PM (wumlz)

44 My Vernon is fantastic. Every kid should go, right on the river banks. Great views, great museum, great gardens, great history. He freed all his slaves when he died. All the founders did, except Jefferson who was always broke and would have ultimately left nothing to his kids if he freed his slaves

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 03:44 PM (zOTsN)

45 13. Sorry I was on the line
We buy our herbs in bags at the store then when cooking we crush them with the knife or cut them up

Posted by: Navycopjoe betting on Da Cubbies at April 25, 2015 03:44 PM (QK70D)

46 I was trapping pocket gophers this week and I think a coyote stole one of my traps after it caught a gopher. Damn luck, now I have to buy another trap.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 03:46 PM (4NtAn)

47 Our gardening is in a bit of a lull. I'm getting the ground prepped and the containers. But aside from the cool weather crops like the salad greens and beets it's been too chilly to even start hardening off the seedlings. According to the forecasts it will be at least another week before that can begin. We are about 3 weeks delayed for a lot of things. The OFA had it right so far.

Our shrubs, redbuds and wisteria, look great. And the dinky little crepe myrtle is starting to leaf out. Wasn't sure it would survive this harsh winter. Even the fig sapling is showing signs of life, which gives me hope for the growing season. As I mentioned last week, if the fig survives, it will qualify for a Biblical-level miracle.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 03:47 PM (FvdPb)

48 Washington had the biggest fishery, sold beer and made money on the farm. Engaged in experimental horticulture to create more hardy plant breeds, something poorer farmers couldn't do, and then shared the results. Just fantastic

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 03:48 PM (zOTsN)

49 The planning and attention to detail by Washington reminds me that giants founded this country. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin. Where do we find such men?

Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at April 25, 2015 03:50 PM (epd7B)

50 trying to figure out what to plant where in my backyard, using two plantboxes. mostly just what constitutes partial vs full sun.

is it more important to have full sun in the afternoon? if its sunny from 6 to 2pm is that too shady? enough to drive me nuts

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 03:51 PM (Cq0oW)

51 ". . Kale to the victors, for the earth belongs to our children. ."

Doesn't seem to follow logically, but then again they are Zen buddhists.

Posted by: Sunni LeBeouf at April 25, 2015 03:51 PM (cIoI4)

52 I mean he could have just sat on Martha's money but he didn't. It's an unfair criticism to say he married a rich widow and that set him for life. He worked. He was a surveyor and a second son. He always worked

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 03:51 PM (zOTsN)

53 Ronster what manner of trap are you using because nothing I've tried is all that successful.

Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at April 25, 2015 03:53 PM (epd7B)

54 53
I have used gas, spring traps, bait, water in the hole and hit them with a shovel. The gas works they are supposed to die underground but I find them dead above ground. We plant everything in gopher wire. Not chicken wire. Still have gophers.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 25, 2015 03:57 PM (BHl9S)

55 I started tomatoes and peppers in the house about a month ago and today I put them outside for the first time to harden off the stems since the wind is under its usual 25 mph. I hope they like it, because my dad is hell-bent on planting them in the next week or so even though he's never planted earlier than the weekend of Mother's day.

Posted by: huerfano at April 25, 2015 03:57 PM (bynk/)

56 I use strychnine bait to kill gophers. This is allowed even in California because the gophers don't re-surface after eating the bait.

Dig into a tunnel, put bait way down the tunnel both ways with a measuring tablespoon taped to a ruler. Add a few leaves (carrot tops, parsley, tender grass) near the tunnel openings you have uncovered. Try to avoid adding human scent.

Carefully place dirt clods over the openings and cover with dirt to eliminate light. If you have dogs, cover the whole thing with a tractor disc or a weighted cover of some sort.

Did that make sense?

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 03:57 PM (qahv/)

57 Dave at Buffalo Roam, it depends on what you're trying to catch. For pocket gophers I use one that has spikes that go into the sides of the gopher and is tripped by a paddle in the front. Bing pocket gopher trap and you should get a picture of one.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 03:57 PM (4NtAn)

58 A question for the HQ gardeners.

I'm looking for flowers or shrubs that can stand full shade.

It's an area directly adjacent to the north side of my house, and gets zero sun.

Will part shade plants survive there ?

Posted by: seamrog at April 25, 2015 04:00 PM (0Vds0)

59 For those interested in Mount Vernon, Monticello,
etc., check out "Founding Gardeners" by Andrea Wulf. She describes what a number of the founding fathers, most of whom were farmers, accomplished and hoped for the future of their farms. Interesting stuff which shows a scientific and entrepreneurial aspect to these giants.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 04:02 PM (FvdPb)

60 KT and Wierddave are the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human beings I have ever known in my life.

Posted by: Man from Wazzustan at April 25, 2015 04:11 PM (uPxUo)

61 Thanks KT. Giving it a shot later today after the drizzle stops.

Posted by: keena at April 25, 2015 04:11 PM (wumlz)

62 seamrog

I'm in zone 6 and have a north facing house. I've got rhododendrums growing there. personally i think they're butt ugly but they do fine.

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 04:15 PM (Cq0oW)

63 Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich,

If you are in a hot-summer climate, morning sun is preferable. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. would probably be suitable for many "full-sun" plants unless they are real heat-lovers.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:16 PM (qahv/)

64 kt thank you!

I'm placing cranberry bush and blueberry so sun is kinda important.

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 04:18 PM (Cq0oW)

65 Man from Wazzustan:

Heh.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:19 PM (qahv/)

66 Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich: Those both like acid soil and moisture. Especially the cranberry. Blueberries need good air circulation. They can get mildew otherwise.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:23 PM (qahv/)

67 Thanks for the Founding Gardeners book suggestion, JTB.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:25 PM (qahv/)

68 Camellias do great in nearly full shade in SoCal

Posted by: keena at April 25, 2015 04:26 PM (wumlz)

69 There are probably Washingtons, Jeffersons, Adamses, and Franklins out there right now, but circumstances are not right (in so many ways) for their talents to be appreciated. None of the Founders set out as kids to be revolutionaries and founders, the times called for leadership and some people stepped up. The rest is history.

Gardenwise, dogtooth violets and forsythias are waning, daffodils and hyacinths blooming, and tulips getting ready to open.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 25, 2015 04:26 PM (go6ud)

70 Those who don't have a lemon tree might be able to use Zombie's Jerusalem Artichoke cooking method with powdered citric acid. I got some from the "winemaking" section at the Nichols Nursery catalog. They sell Jerusalem Artichokes and other tubers, too. They's out of Jerusalem artichokes right now.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:27 PM (qahv/)

71 Seamrog, what is your climate like?

For short plants, you might try Pigsqueak in full shade.
http://www.hortmag.com/plants/plants-we-love/pigsqueak

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:30 PM (qahv/)

72 I'm in N. Illinois, zone 5.

I've tried hostas and ferns, but still have a lot of blank spots.

Thanks.

Posted by: seamrog at April 25, 2015 04:34 PM (EBa8G)

73 The education, experience, and character of the Founders was and is today unsurpassed. These lilliputians ruling over us today are inferior in every way.

Posted by: Eromero at April 25, 2015 04:37 PM (go5uR)

74 Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich: You might find some helpful information on growing cranberries here:
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/353214.php

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:44 PM (qahv/)

75 I love reading about your parade experiences, Stace.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:45 PM (qahv/)

76 Seamrog, I have similar no sun at all situation for the front of the house. Last year I planted there ligularia (Britt Marie Osiris), persicaria (Firetail), ginger (Bicolor Wonder Indian Surprise), physostegium (Miss Manners), hellebore, a lilac bush and astilbe. I planted too late to get blooms, but so far, everything's coming up already except for the astilbe --- I'll have to wait a few months to see if anything will actually flower. Oh, as I had way too many bulbs, I threw a few in and I've got a huge daffodil in bloom in total shade.

If you want to bother with annuals, begonia, tuberous begonia, and New Guinea impatiens should work.

Posted by: Trotsky w/an icepick in his head at April 25, 2015 04:45 PM (LaZ5x)

77 Impatiens do well in shade.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at April 25, 2015 04:48 PM (yxw0r)

78 Pigsqueak is hardy to USDA Zone 3, they say. Be careful about invasive plants for shade. I'm drawing a blank on shrubs for shade in Zone 5. Maybe in a future thread?

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:51 PM (qahv/)

79 I planted Jerusalem artichokes this spring also - got a pound of tubers from Amazon. They're already about two feet tall, and leafing out ferociously. I am going to encourage them where they are because it's half-shaded, and the soil is almost pure clay, riddled with mulberry tree roots, and absolutely useless for growing anything else.
We have the hope of tomatoes soon, also the pole beans are vaulting up the poles and will bloom any day now ... and I found a squash plant this morning with some tiny squashes on it. I've been experimenting with different kinds of squash over the last few years, and counted myself lucky to get one or two squash. They tell me to experiment with different varieties, until I hit on the one which suits the climate.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 25, 2015 04:51 PM (95iDF)

80 thanks again

doing the highbush cranberry. less concerned with the actual berries though, more using it as a bird feeding hedge. its local/native so...

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 04:54 PM (Cq0oW)

81 interesting site for esp. northerners
http://uncommonfruit.cias.wisc.edu/

if you want berries anyway

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 04:58 PM (Cq0oW)

82 Went out and fired the smoker up to try some ground beef jerky and noticed my asparagus is coming up already. The weeds were ridiculous bad last year so I have to get at it. Stoked for asparagus and the parsley that survived.

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 05:01 PM (ahBY0)

83 Friggin' deer have eaten all my blueberry buds. Already got bagworms on my apple trees. Break out the chems! Yargghhh!!!!

Posted by: Manolo at April 25, 2015 05:02 PM (NCVM7)

84 82: Weeding in winter is the key to keeping the garden clean.

Posted by: Manolo at April 25, 2015 05:04 PM (NCVM7)

85 I think camellias and hydrangeas would make good garden companions in much of California, on the north side of a house at our latitude. Don't think it would work in Illinois. Hope I can come up with some more suggestions later.

Azaleas or rhododendrons and blue or white hydrangeas should work well together in the Southeast.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 05:05 PM (qahv/)

86 Jake Tapper just tweeted that TSA says ISIS is planning an attack in the US

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 05:05 PM (zOTsN)

87 Posted by: seamrog at April 25, 2015 04:00 PM (0Vds0)

Maybe dwarf dogwood? It's also called bunchberry I think. Supposed to like full shade and the berries are edible by humans.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 05:06 PM (GDulk)

88 Doesn't asparagus take a couple of years? We used to raid the nearby farms for it in college in the spring. Not a proud thing, but a tasty thing. And onions so sweet you could eat 'em like an apple.

I think they're all vineyards now.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at April 25, 2015 05:06 PM (yxw0r)

89 Outlaw Josey Wales just staerted on AMC. There go the next two hours of my life.

Posted by: weew at April 25, 2015 05:06 PM (0tmLY)

90 I had wonderful hydrangeas in NJ. I recall they need a lot of water.

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 05:07 PM (zOTsN)

91 How big is your highbush cranberry cultivar, Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich? The really big ones would need a really big container.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 05:08 PM (qahv/)

92 Just planted hydrangeas in Zone 9, in the partial shade of some oaks.

Zone 9 sucks. Northern plants fry and tropical plants freeze.

Posted by: weew at April 25, 2015 05:09 PM (0tmLY)

93 Ok but I heard that Super Lemon Haze requires more loam in the soil then other sativas. What is your opinion?

Posted by: bestie21 at April 25, 2015 05:13 PM (qifmL)

94 82: Weeding in winter is the key to keeping the garden clean.

I'd need a pick axe here around Chicago. I'm going to try more mulch I guess, I hate to put Preen down or any chemicals around stuff I'm going to eat.

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 05:17 PM (ahBY0)

95 Doesn't asparagus take a couple of years?

Yep, even if you buy 2 year old plants it'll take another 2 to get them going around here at least. You can almost cut them twice a day when they do though.

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 05:20 PM (ahBY0)

96 not large kt

called a north country it's supposed to be compact, about two three foot tall but fat. basically curls into itself, could fit in a 4 by 4 box

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 05:20 PM (Cq0oW)

97 Rain sez the weather report on Wednesday. No rain.

No rain sez the weather report on Friday. Rains.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 25, 2015 05:25 PM (KhFZp)

98 re dogwoods

theres one called a redstick i think but it may need more light than you have.

theres another called the purpleleaf sand cherry you can find on arborday dot org for cheap, could give that a try.

or just give up and plant boxwood lol

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at April 25, 2015 05:25 PM (Cq0oW)

99 Is she done yet?

http://tinyurl.com/owce2l5

Posted by: The Great White Snark at April 25, 2015 05:27 PM (sQMc7)

100 bestie21
There are lots of sites out there where people obsess over details like that. They're the experts.
Heh.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 05:28 PM (qahv/)

101 One good thing. The ground thawed enough to work the in-ground garden bed. This will be the third year and the soil was pretty easy to work, especially compared to the unbaked brick we started with. Nice to see results for all the effort. Hopefully it will continue to improve.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 05:31 PM (FvdPb)

102 Lazy Saturday song:

boom boom ba : Metisse
youtu.be/gBNYAyqX4M8

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 25, 2015 05:37 PM (KhFZp)

103 Jerusalem artichokes are supposed to be good to plant for cattle or pig forage. There are articles about the founding fathers using them in this manner. IMO that would the best way to avoid any gas issues if one had the space to raise pigs.

Posted by: PaleRider at April 25, 2015 05:40 PM (7w/kf)

104 weew @ 89- Outlaw Josey Wales!
I have my own copy. It was in the discount bin at WALMART. Can you believe it? I'm watching it anyway. Probably my most favorite movie ever, with The Shootist a close second.

Posted by: Eromero at April 25, 2015 05:41 PM (go5uR)

105 @104

Fav movie ever.

Shut up, Lige...

Posted by: weew at April 25, 2015 05:42 PM (0tmLY)

106 Jake Tapper just tweeted that TSA says ISIS is planning an attack in the US

That's news like 'Jews plan to take it easy this Saturday' is news

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at April 25, 2015 05:44 PM (AVEe1)

107 This just in: Bill Clinton plans to get a little something on the side during his next trip to the Caribbean

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at April 25, 2015 05:47 PM (AVEe1)

108 George R R Martin figures he might open up that second bag of cheetos after all

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at April 25, 2015 05:48 PM (AVEe1)

109 I actually got a potted "gift hydrangea" from my church a few years ago, and planted it in the garden. Started out blue, but bloomed lavender the next spring, and then deep pink for the next two seasons. So, hey, if you have one, give it a try. I gave the poor thing very little TLC, and it was at the base of a brick wall in the back of a New York tenement building.

This spring it's showing woody stems only so far, but we had a tough winter. I don't know if it will bloom again, but I've enjoyed it, and so have my neighbors.

Posted by: Beverly at April 25, 2015 05:49 PM (65xQv)

110 I just watched the Sinatra documentary, a two parter. Just terrific

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 05:49 PM (zOTsN)

111 Do not trim the woody stems from the hydrangea

Do not.

They look dead but they will give you the most and biggest blossums

If you want it to turn blue again, you need to add alkaline to the soil. You can get some at a nursery or hardware store. It the flowers change pink when there is not enough alkaline in the dirt

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 05:52 PM (zOTsN)

112 Alkaline soil makes hydrangeas pink, and acidic soil makes them blue, yes?

Posted by: weew at April 25, 2015 05:53 PM (0tmLY)

113 Oops. Aluminum to the soil

Posted by: ThunderB at April 25, 2015 05:54 PM (zOTsN)

114 46* with a band of sleet in NW Virginia. I don't think I'll put out the pepper plants just yet.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at April 25, 2015 05:54 PM (l3vZN)

115 Not to go too much off topic, but,,,,
Back in the mid 70's, I was in the cropdusting business and Boone Hall Plantation (along with Stono-Grimball and many others along the coast) was one of my customers. Back then they planted soybeans, corn, and vegetables among other things. It was one of the best preserved plantations in S.C. with beautiful kitchen and flower gardens. The plantation house itself was beautiful and my service truck driver and I got to a private tour. I'll treasure that forever.

Posted by: Eromero at April 25, 2015 05:56 PM (go5uR)

116 Have you ever been near a pigpen, PaleRider?
Heh.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 05:57 PM (qahv/)

117 75 I love reading about your parade experiences, Stace.
Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 04:45 PM (qahv/)

Thanks KT. I kind of sleazed it into the thread using the "Flowers" excuse.

These Fiesta things are just so goofy, which is what makes them fun. It's not a parade unless floats break down or horses get loose, or some such drama.

While looking for my band, I was stopped by the Grand Marshall of the parade, who's the owner of the Spurs. He was kind of annoyed because he was lost too, but I just pointed him at another group of volunteers and ran like a bunny. I hope that didn't make things worse, but I'm sure it all worked out whatever happened with that.

Posted by: stace at April 25, 2015 06:02 PM (CoX6k)

118 Insty with a tip for seasonal allergy sufferers: take Quercitin.

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/205744/

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:03 PM (qahv/)

119
I am employed by a Middle Eastern progressive group, and my specific job description is Travel and Entertainment Coordinator. I am preparing our new brochure while living temporarily in Mexicali, Mexico, located in Baja California just south of the State of California.

My organization provides the opportunity to travel the world, and make a dramatic impact on those who disagree with our ideology. We stand for Social Justice and the ISIS way.

To contact me for further information, use #DontFuckWithAllah or email AchmedThePacifist@ArabicNet.Boom.

Posted by: Achmed the Arabian Lover at April 25, 2015 06:06 PM (P330y)

120 Same as always. A humiliating experience reading the gardening thread! Goddammit! How much for a green thumb?!

Posted by: goon at April 25, 2015 06:07 PM (A53Jp)

121 My knitting student gave me a bag of loquats (her tree is completely loaded and she hasn't had time to pick even half of them) as well as some pineapple sage and savory. I'm definitely going to dry the herbs and I think I'm going to dry some of the loquats too.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:10 PM (GDulk)

122 Not off topic, Eromero. Farms are just big gardens. Sort of.

We had a neighbor who was a cropduster. He went up to Sacramento every year to plant rice by plane.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:11 PM (qahv/)

123 He went up to Sacramento every year to plant rice by plane.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:11 PM (qahv/)

That's cool, hadn't realized it was possible.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:13 PM (GDulk)

124 Pineapple sage loses its fragrance when you dry it, Polliwog. Enjoy some now. Maybe start your own plants. The flowers attract hummingbirds.

I think you can just stick some stems in water (strip off the bottom leaves), give them light, and cover them for a while when you plant them out in the ground.

I don't know anything about drying loquats.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:15 PM (qahv/)

125 To contact me for further information, use #DontFuckWithAllah or email AchmedThePacifist@ArabicNet.Boom.
Posted by: Achmed the Arabian Lover

Dearest Mr. Achmed ThePacifist,

This is a most fortuitous coincidence!

I have recently come into possession of several bank accounts located in the United States of America. Unfortunately, the United States of America Department of State forbids exchange or transfer of funds between the United States of America and my country ...

Posted by: General Commander Abdullah Mosinanunu at April 25, 2015 06:15 PM (KhFZp)

126 The education, experience, and character of the Founders was and is today unsurpassed. These lilliputians ruling over us today are inferior in every way.
Posted by: Eromero at April 25, 2015 04:37 PM (go5uR)

*****************
If it weren't for all the cool tech we have, I'd say we've already degenerated to the level of barbarism.

Posted by: Sunni LeBeouf at April 25, 2015 06:16 PM (XrHO0)

127 Belated thanks for all on the gopher smiting. I've used all those techniques with low result. We gotz lotz gophers.

I'm on the prairie west of Houston and we have what I call carpet stickers. Not sand burrs or the dreaded goat heads but the little brown stickers with a single barb that grow from a low plant that kinda looks like parsley. I bet you know what I mean. What lethal chemical kills that stuff reliably? I've used Ortho for Southern Lawns with some result. I can even selectively kill bahia grass with Ally or Cimmeron but carpet stickers return. Spraying 20-0-0 nitrogen greens up the common Bermuda and helps choke out most weeds. I have an applicators license btw.

Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at April 25, 2015 06:16 PM (epd7B)

128 I'm definitely going to dry the herbs and I think I'm going to dry some of the loquats too.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:10 PM (GDulk)

I have a ton too, and never thought about drying them. They seem to me to not keep very well compared to other fruit, but drying them sounds like a good idea. They do make good jelly too, though I haven't made it myself.

===
One more thing about my silly parade, then I'll shut up about it. It's the biggest parade in the US run by a women's organization, and at the parade we have to wear yellow dresses and huge yellow hats. Picture all these women running around dressed like that, directing floats, cavalcades, military bands etc. into the flow. Fear the ladies in yellow.

Posted by: stace at April 25, 2015 06:20 PM (CoX6k)

129 One more gopher technique I used to some good result involved a lawn chair, a sawed off shotgun and an adult beverage. Pro tip: Pre-sight the target, where the dirt flies out.

Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at April 25, 2015 06:22 PM (epd7B)

130 I'm definitely going to dry the herbs and I think I'm going to dry some of the loquats too.

My buddy used to give out oregano plants that his ma grew. She passed and no one knew where she got them from and he just assumed she brought them back from Italy. The leaves look like limp rosemary leaves and is the best oregano I've ever had. Tried looking it up but could never find out what or where it came from. The best thing about it is that his mom's oregano is all over the place in everyone's garden. Pretty cool tribute.

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 06:22 PM (ahBY0)

131 WD the Frittilaria is also called a checker lilly, it is a fairly rare lily in the Willamette Valley. I loved finding them at a friend's house once upon a time.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 25, 2015 06:23 PM (t//F+)

132
OMG, OMG, OMG! It's raining. Real rain.

Posted by: Bruce J. at April 25, 2015 06:25 PM (iQIUe)

133 Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:15 PM (qahv/)

I want to use it in tea and am including the blossoms. This batch will be dried so I can experiment with it but my student said she would see if she could get me a section with roots to plant for later. As for the loquats, I'm going to halve them, remove the seeds (and maybe the skin) and dry them in the dehydrator. I'm already drying a bunch of spearmint and chocolate mint for teas so it's not a lot of extra work.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:28 PM (GDulk)

134 Posted by: Dave at Buffalo Roam at April 25, 2015 06:16 PM (epd7B)

Might your carpet sticker may be a type of black medic? I noticed around here that once the flowers left there were a bunch of burrs.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:30 PM (GDulk)

135 Dave at Buffalo Roam, I don't know what kind of rodent you have. If you can see them digging in daylight, probably not a pocket gopher. Maybe some kind of ground squirrel.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 06:31 PM (4NtAn)

136 82 Went out and fired the smoker up to try some ground beef jerky

===

Ooh, I'm so glad you mentioned that. I made ground beef jerky in the oven years ago, and it was good, but I forgot all about that! I now have a smoker and about 20+ lbs of HB meat from a steer my mom had fed out for the family, so that'll be the next hamburger meat project.

Posted by: stace at April 25, 2015 06:32 PM (CoX6k)

137 Tom Bombadil ate my petunias!

Posted by: Saruman the Extra Fancy at April 25, 2015 06:34 PM (mmOk6)

138 Posted by: stace at April 25, 2015 06:32 PM (CoX6k)

I've got to find someone to partner with on a beef around here. Don't know where to start looking or how to tell if someone is reputable though.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 06:37 PM (GDulk)

139 Your mints should dry fine, Polliwog. Don't use boiling water if you use them for tea. You may be disappointed in dried pineapple sage. It's wonderful with a cool drink when fresh.

Let us know how your dried loquats turn out. Do you know which cultivar they are?

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:38 PM (qahv/)

140 Ooh, I'm so glad you mentioned that. I made ground beef jerky in the
oven years ago, and it was good, but I forgot all about that! I now
have a smoker and about 20+ lbs of HB meat from a steer my mom had fed
out for the family, so that'll be the next hamburger meat project.

Nice, I was a little worried it wouldn't be as good as sliced meat, but I was wrong. Good stuff, I'm thinking of trying some cheese in it next time. Everyone seems to like the recipe I used.

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 06:40 PM (ahBY0)

141 My BIL is making some ground beef jerky. Maybe he will bring me a sample tomorrow.

Posted by: Ronster at April 25, 2015 06:42 PM (4NtAn)

142 I've got to find someone to partner with on a beef around here. Don't
know where to start looking or how to tell if someone is reputable
though.

Here's a start.

http://eatwild.com/products/index.html

Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 06:42 PM (ahBY0)

143 Stace, I love the image of all those ladies in big yellow hats and yellow dresses ordering everybody around. They will have a Ladies in Big Hats thing at the hydrangea festival I posted about, too.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:43 PM (qahv/)

144 Just got the first planting in this weekend.
Tomatoes, peppers and greens.
I also planted sprouting potatoes in my "resting" compost heap. I do a compost heap for a year and try to turn it about three times to keep it loose and churned up while adding to it. I then let it rest for the second year to let the weed-seeds sprout out. This year I decided to plant potatoes in it too.

I am sprouting my Indian corn prior to planting it again, this year. It seems to give it a leg-up

Posted by: Kindltot at April 25, 2015 06:48 PM (t//F+)

145 My rhubarb is starting to turn red. I planted it 3 years ago so should be able to harvest all I want this year. Yum!

Posted by: rusticbroad at April 25, 2015 06:49 PM (FjF3P)

146 Polliwog the Ette @ 123- possible?
We had a seeder about 15 feet wide that was shaped like a wing hanging on the hangar wall for years. It hung under the bottom wing of a Stearman (capable of huge loads). It belonged to an old cropduster buddy. We used side-saddle hoppers for liquid and dry stuff on Hughes or Bell helicopters. Helicopters were not generally able to carry as much as a fixed wing so we had to make up in speed of turnaround, parking the service truck next to the field, and working our ass off. Plus we had the advantages of turning right at the end of the swath (instead of the next county, mr. airplane!), and no need of runways. On helicopters, liquid was pumped to spray booms, and dry stuff (seed or fertilizer) dropped onto turntables similar to a spreader truck. Worked up a sweat, made lots of money which we mostly wasted, but spent some wisely on alcohol.

Posted by: Eromero at April 25, 2015 06:51 PM (go5uR)

147 Seamrog, look at Snowberry (Symphoricarpos)
It is a fairly pretty understory shrub that has white berries (that are considered only slightly poisonous, but I have never heard of anyone getting ill from them)
that have a small pale blueberry type flower, and small oval leaves.

They do get leggy and sprawly if you let them. They keep fairly under control in the woods but I suspect they are a major browse for deer.
I planted one once but it turned out to be susceptible to powdery grey mildew in the corner I put it in

Posted by: Kindltot at April 25, 2015 06:54 PM (t//F+)

148 Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 06:38 PM (qahv/)

Not a clue on cultivar. I can try to remember to ask if she knows though.

I'm willing to take my chances on the pineapple sage, especially since it's too late for this batch anyway. Once I have some growing I can try various ways of using it fresh. It's a prodigious producer in this area, so I should get plenty to work with.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 07:00 PM (GDulk)

149 Any good recipes for that ground beef jerky? Never heard of it before.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 07:07 PM (FvdPb)

150 Polliwog, you might think about freezing some pineapple sage in ice cubes. Don't know how long the fragrance would last, but it's worth a try.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 07:10 PM (qahv/)

151 Sorry I wasn't around for the thread, but thanks everyone for participating, and for the info on Frittilaria.

Posted by: Weirddave at April 25, 2015 07:24 PM (WvS3w)

152
Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2015 04:02 PM (FvdPb)
Late to the thread, but I second Founding Gardeners! Such a great book. Her previous book, The Brother Gardeners, is equally as good. Explains how a small group of men on two continents changed the face of gardening forever, and made Britain into a nation of gardeners.But back to Founding Gardeners. Two anecdotes on Washington from the book I enjoyed

uring the winter at Valley Forge, the most dispirited time of the revolution, we have letters Washington wrote back to his farm stewards about what to order and suggestions for the plantings for the upcoming year. I loved that. Washington still had hope and plans for the future, still planned for his beloved home despite the uncertainty of the war's outcome in that dire period and despite not knowing for sure if he would ever see it again.
Also, apparently his initial plans for Mount Vernon were veddy veddy British, lots of traditional British plants and layouts. (Washington had a little bit of an inferiority complex, which he worked his whole life to overcome and did so by trying to be the impeccable British gentleman. Everything reflected this, the character he molded himself into, his home, even the cut of his clothing which he was extremely fastidious about.) But after he committed himself to creating a new nation, one of the first things he did? Ripped out a huge amount of British plants and trees on his plantation and replace them with native plants. Which means that one of the greatest symbols of his commitment to forging a new nation can be viewed in, what else, his beloved plants and his beloved home.Sorry, that's extremely long. But I loved the book and I love Washington! If you are ever in the DC area take a day trip to Mt Vernon, it is very close and very beautiful. Am a little jealous WeirdDave!

Posted by: LizLem at April 25, 2015 07:31 PM (LiMbk)

153 Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 07:10 PM (qahv/)

I was wondering about that. I know they say to do it with basil because of losing flavor when dried. I have a vacuum packer so that might help maintain the flavor as well.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 07:41 PM (GDulk)

154 I'm in N. Illinois, zone 5.
I've tried hostas and ferns, but still have a lot of blank spots.
Thanks.
Posted by: seamrog at April 25, 2015 04:34 PM

Seamrog,
If you or anyone else is going by Dixon, IL in the next few weeks I have La Roma tomato plants more than I can use. Along w/ sprouted Yukon Gold potatoes and an old heirloom tomato variety we found in a privy that dates from the 1850s.

My email is in my nic if you want any, I hate to dispose of young plants I've nurtured so far.

Posted by: Farmer at April 25, 2015 08:10 PM (o/90i)

155 Ok, I'm really late but here is a picture of my hydrangea I put in the ground about 3-4 years ago from a potted gift. It's full of buds and the flowers should start opening in several weeks, for Mother's Day is the general guideline I've always heard but mine are usually a bit later. Hopefully blue this year since I dumped a whole bag of soil acidifier around it earlier this year. This is in Austin. You can see my amaryllis about to bloom in the back too.

http://tinypic.com/r/2zecill/8j

Posted by: lindafell is Cruzin' at April 25, 2015 08:13 PM (xVgrA)

156 82: Weeding in winter is the key to keeping the garden clean.
I'd need a pick axe here around Chicago. I'm going to try more mulch I guess, I hate to put Preen down or any chemicals around stuff I'm going to eat.
Posted by: dartist at April 25, 2015 05:17 PM

Yeah, and dig thru 3 ft of snow to get to the ground!

Posted by: Farmer at April 25, 2015 08:14 PM (o/90i)

157 Polli,
I have a friend in Blanco raising half a cow for me. I'm not sure when they are going to butcher it, maybe in the fall. Hopefully it turns into some nice beef.

Posted by: lindafell is Cruzin' at April 25, 2015 08:16 PM (xVgrA)

158 Seamrog, here's a shrub for full shade, Aucuba Japonica (Gold Dust):

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/130/

I see that you're in zone 5, but if your spot is sheltered, you'll probably succeed with it. I am in zone 5b and haven't killed them yet-- planted out in the open with no special treatment during winter storms.

Good luck!

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at April 25, 2015 08:42 PM (rhjQp)

159 I've pierced, strung and will be drying some of the loquat seed. Going to see if they make decent beads.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 08:45 PM (GDulk)

160 Oh, and on Hydrangeas...

Mom would 'enhance' the blueness of hers by giving them "pickle juice" -- she'd dump out the leftover liquid from canned pickles around their rootzone and water it in -- basically acidifying the soil, without spending any extra $.

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at April 25, 2015 08:48 PM (rhjQp)

161 154 farmer

Thanks for the offer, but I always overdo the peat pot plantings too.

I usually have "extra" seedlings that are distributed to appreciative family and neighbors.

Also, thanks to all who answered my north side shade dilemma.

Posted by: seamrog at April 25, 2015 08:57 PM (5FNyw)

162 Thanks for the history lesson, LizLem. The native plant part is interesting.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 08:57 PM (qahv/)

163 I asked and the loquat cultivar is "golden nugget". I believe that's the same type I got, so hopefully I will have lots of yummy fruit in the next year or so.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 25, 2015 08:59 PM (GDulk)

164 JeanQ,
Pickle juice wouldn't be good here because our soil is already salty. Innovative, though.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 09:19 PM (qahv/)

165 Nice hydrangea plant, Lindafell.

We can grow florist's amaryllis (hippeastrum) here, too, in protected locations. It isn't possible in too many places in the country.

What is the vine behind your plants?

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 09:21 PM (qahv/)

166 Now I want a mater sammich, Farmer.

Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 09:22 PM (qahv/)

167 KT,
The vine is Coral honeysuckle. I have 5-6 of them I planted when we moved in 5 years ago. I wanted lots of hummingbirds and it one of their favorites.

Posted by: lindafell is Cruzin' at April 25, 2015 09:24 PM (xVgrA)

168 To muddy in the swampy to put in all the plants and seeds I have, maybe I'll take a stab at the plants tomorrow but the corn seed will have to wait a day or two more till it drains off.

I hate hardpan clay substrates.

Posted by: Gmac- Pulling in feelers in preperation... at April 25, 2015 09:44 PM (4CRfK)

169 I just spread 1400 pounds of horse barn sweepings on my plot. Lots of horse clods and urine soaked sawdust. I'm tilling it in tomorrow morning and then it should be delicious veggies soon.

Posted by: Gordon at April 25, 2015 09:59 PM (MghG1)

170 Posted by: KT at April 25, 2015 09:19 PM

Oh, gosh-- I hadn't considered the salt... great point!

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at April 25, 2015 10:27 PM (rhjQp)

171 Polliwog,

Gold Nugget sounds like a yummy variety of loquat. If you are planning another tree for yourself, a friend or neighbor, you might consider one that ripens at a different time. "Champagne" is supposed to do well in hot climates.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/loquat.html

Posted by: KT at April 26, 2015 12:51 AM (qahv/)

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