Saturday Gardening Thread: Flamboyant Flowers (NTTAWWT) [Y-not and KT]

**Please use DrewM's Open Post below for non-gardening talk. Thanks!**

Y-not: So, boys and girls, this week is basically all KT, because of this:

We (the Y-not family) are moving!

I will put up a funny thread about the whole experience at a later date (probably at Cut. Jib. Newsletter.), because I am certain that there will be some good stories to tell of our multi-day trek across the country with our "zoo" of cats and dogs. Hilarity should ensue. I just hope no (major) disasters strike us.

Until then, we are blessed as always with another great contribution from KT, who has come through #LikeABoss:

Flouting the Heat while Flaunting Flamboyant Flowers

It was 108 degrees here on Monday, and the smoke from the wildfires not too far away is irritating my eyes a little. It is not my favorite season for gardening. But it was 118 degrees on Monday where my cousin was, near Palm Springs. People still grow things in the desert. And there are even plants that bloom now. Courage! I am not going to let the weather get me down.

I am planning some drought-tolerant ornamentals for next year. I am also preparing for a tiny fall garden. We are still in a drought.

A while ago, Lindafell de Spair mentioned that she had, in her own garden, two varieties of Pride of Barbados, a good plant for heat and drought. She also mentioned two native plants, Turks Cap (Texas Mallow) and Esperanza (Yellow Bells). The colors of both would harmonize with Pride of Barbados.

Turks Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus or M. a. var. drummondi) is an adaptable plant. It can take some shade. Hot shade is one of the more challenging garden situations. The young leaves, flowers and ripe fruits are edible. You can tell from the photo below, and from Linda's photo in the comments, that it is related to Hibiscus. It should not be confused with Turks Cap Lilies.

Turks Cap

Esperanza (Tecoma stans) has been designated as a Texas SuperStar for its performance in challenging Texas gardens. If you like those invasive trumpet vines but are afraid to plant them, and you live in USDA hardiness zone 8 or higher, give this plant a try. Both Esperanza and Turks Cap are listed as deer resistant, though deer resistance is sometimes relative. Both, along with Pride of Barbados, attract hummingbirds.

Esperanza needs some heat to perform well, though it can grow into a 25-foot tree in coastal Southern California, if given deep soil and frequent feeding. Where it dies back or is cut back in winter, it forms a small shrub. There is a more drought-tolerant form, T. s. angustata, from the hottest regions of Arizona and Texas and into Mexico. It has narrower leaves than the species and can grow 4 to 10 feet tall.

Esperanza (Yellow Bells)

Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is also a Texas SuperStar. I like this description from Dave’s Garden. Read the whole thing if you are interested in growing this plant, either in the ground or as a potted specimen:

With its ruffled flowers and hot Caribbean color, Caesalpinia pulcherrima is the mambo dancer of the subtropical garden. Some of the common names for this plant include pride of Barbados, red bird of paradise, dwarf poinciana, peacock flower, and Barbados flower fence. In Creole French it is flamboyan-de-jardin. In Mexico it is called caballero. . . . .

Do you think this flower looks flamboyant?

The name "Dwarf Poinciana" comes from its similarity to Royal Poinciana, a truly tropical tree that some consider the most beautiful in the world. "Red Bird of Paradise" seems quite self-explanatory to me.

Science Corner: Want to teach kids the parts of this flower now that they are back to school? This photo and the ones before and after it could help teach some plant morphology. Not every flower has its own "banner petal". But many flowers in the Pea Family do.

While taking photos, one blogger wondered why this flower attracts so many insects, large and small. She found evidence of nectaries (below the unopened buds) that attracted wasps and bees. There is also nectar inside the flowers and pollen far from the nectar, on the tips of the stamens. But how could an insect of that size drinking nectar pollinate the flower? Could dragonflies chasing the smaller insects pollinate the flowers?

She did some research and found that large butterflies and hummingbirds are the primary pollinators. I want more butterflies and hummingbirds in the garden, so that is a point in favor of this plant. There is also a recommendation for a children's science book about flowers at the link.

One thing I like about desert landscaping is that designers tend to think of plants as focal points more than they do in a lusher environment. I think that the use of Pride of Barbados in the photo below is striking, considering its simplicity. Our author also points out that there are at least four popular species of Caesalpinia, both trees and shrubs, grown in the Phoenix area for various landscape uses. You can get yourself into trouble by using common names. All of these species do best with well-drained soil.

"Pride of Barbados" is pretty much reserved as a common name for C. pulcherrima. This flower is the floral emblem of Barbados. But it does confuse matters that there are several color variations.

In addition to the typical red and yellow or orange and yellow cultivars, there is a cream-colored version and a yellow and cream one called "Lemon Lace". There are salmon cultivars in Hawaii. A very common cultivar, Phoenix, is pure yellow. There is a pink and cream one called Pink Peacock. Note the yellow banner petal. There is another pink cultivar named "Compton". You can see a large specimen at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Straight Outta Compton?

Since I learned that Barbados Pride is probably root-hardy in my area and has some tolerance for salinity, I might try it next year. But it is thorny, so closer to where people walk, I could plant Desert Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii), which is thornless. It is more hardy to cold than Pride of Barbados. It is tap-rooted and very drought-tolerant, though it blooms better with deep, infrequent watering (like others in the genus). It may be hard to remove, so plant it where you want it.

I am not aware of any color variations beyond yellow with prominent red stamens

Once, on a family vacation, we draped a few items of laundry we had rinsed out over Desert Bird of Paradise shrubs near a motel in Mexican Hat, Utah. This town is at the edge of the Navajo Reservation. These plants were growing in extremely dry conditions. It seemed like that laundry dried in 15 minutes because the air was so dry. Desert Bird of Paradise seems like a logical choice for consideration during a drought.

Hoodoo, Mexican Hat. I denounce myself.

As Linda had noted in the comments concerning Pride of Barbados, Desert Bird of Paradise is easy to grow from seed. In fact, it can self-seed. As with others in its genus, the seeds are mildly toxic. Plant something more inviting to munch in your garden if you worry about this.

Is it time to put in your fall veggie garden?

Even if frost comes as early for you as it does in Great Falls Montana, you could plant some selected vegetables in August for a fall crop. On the other hand, if you wanted to plant broccoli from seed in that sort of climate, you should have started in June. This video has some tips for protecting seeds from hot summer temperatures and for protecting your fall crop with floating row covers:

In our second video, from California, the importance of knowing the best germination temperatures for various crops is emphasized. I recently read that turnips will germinate at temperatures from 40 to 105 degrees, but their optimal germination temperature is 85 degrees. Many crops have a much narrower temperature window for germination. Incidentally, fancy garden set-up here:

The video above did not mention the possibility of starting seeds indoors for fall. I sometimes do this for fall crops because our soil in summer gets too hot to kneel on -- even in jeans. Imagine yourself as a poor seedling in soil that hot. If you can.

Counting back from your first expected frost date to determine if you have time to mature a crop, then adding two weeks, is pretty standard for fall gardens. But you may be able to find a local planting guide for vegetables. They come in different formats. Here is a Master Gardener Planting Guide for my area. I also like the guides for the Sacramento area from Farmer Fred. The one here includes flowers as well as veggies, but I like the interactive one at the link.

There are also low-tech sliding charts, reminiscent of a slide rule, that work from your first expected frost date (for fall). There are many interactive tools. I think the ones that calculate your planting dates from your zip code are especially convenient.

My local Master Gardener Planting Guide is a pretty reliable. It seems strange to be planting Brussels Sprouts when the temperatures are so high, but if we want a crop, we are nearing the end of the planting season here. I have never been successful with Brussels sprouts here, but I know people who have been.

Sometimes it is possible to get lucky here with a few summer squashes or cucumbers planted in August. You may have to learn things like this from an old-timer. My Master Gardener planting guide does not include a fall season for these veggies. I generally start these indoors and plant them out as soon as they emerge. It is important to choose cultivars adapted to fall conditions.

The Master Gardener's Planting Guide also does not show a fall bean-planting season, but there is one. It is something of a risk, but if the weather cooperates, beans may be tastier than they are if the weather heats up too fast after spring planting.

It can be a challenge getting beans to germinate in hot soil. I have better luck with white-seeded beans than with dark beans, because the latter do not absorb water as fast. For the same reason, dark-seeded beans are recommended for spring when the soil is up to 5 degrees cooler than recommended for white beans. White-seeded beans may rot at cool soil temperatures which dark-seeded beans can tolerate. I planted a few seeds indoors to avoid these issues. I will need to wait until the plants get a couple of sets of true leaves before transplanting.

As a follow-up to last week's continuing "Bean Thread", if you were inspired to leave some beans in your garden to pick as shellies, or if you want to buy some shellies at the Farmer’s Market, choose pods with stems that are still green, even if the pod is somewhat faded and leathery. The seeds will be easier to shell out then.

I believe that flageolet types are typically shelled out when the pods are fat, but still green. That is how I prefer fresh-shelled limas as well, even though they are harder to shell then.

I hope there are some good things going on in your garden this week. If you have had a discouraging week, maybe you could plan for something new and interesting.

Y-not: Thanks KT!

To close things up, here's Ray Charles with an appropriate song:

What's happening in YOUR gardens this week?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:01 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 My apologies to KT for not embedding a couple of the videos. I am dealing with packing and whatnot and simply ran out of time.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:06 PM (RWGcK)

2
The problem with flowers is that they just bloom for a short period and then poof they're gone, like a WD post.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at August 22, 2015 12:06 PM (ODxAs)

3 BIG to do at the Denver Botanical Gardens - the coffin flower was blooming. The had viewing w/members starting 6:00am and people streaming in all day long. Had barf bags handy.
I was content to just see it on tv, thanks.

Posted by: Lizzy at August 22, 2015 12:06 PM (NOIQH)

4 KT's section on Mexican Hat makes me have the sadz. It was on my bucket list of places to visit while we were out there.

Many moons ago, Mr Y-not did an internship in radiation physics and the group was stationed at Mexican Hat for about a week, I think. It's a truly tiny place. I think he said that at the time there was one restaurant that had a menu similar to the diner in "My Cousin Vinny." (IOW, three items: breakfast, lunch, and dinner!)

Beautiful country though, if you like desert landscapes.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:10 PM (RWGcK)

5 Congratulations on your move!

Posted by: chemjeff at August 22, 2015 12:11 PM (2XMpf)

6 Figure since my tomatoes and beans kinda sucked this year I will try to grow some ganja next year and see how it does.

We got to legalize it......I think I can grow it for my own consumption and give to friends in baked goods and such. Anyone know where I can order a sack of seeds?

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at August 22, 2015 12:12 PM (ej1L0)

7 Thx, chemjeff!

And thank you for the input on the travel route.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:13 PM (RWGcK)

8 I would really prefer you not use this thread to discuss growing marijuana.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:14 PM (RWGcK)

9

I have a handful of Potentilla's scattered throughout the property. You simply cannot kill them. I first learned about them when I tackled Xeriscaping one of my previous homes. Very low maintenance.

http://bit.ly/1MEYGLv

I found a lot of spreading plants with beautiful flowers, too.

Now, I have some of the same, spreading and potentilla's etc.

I planted Orange, White and Yellow potentilla's this round. The orange was planted in a shady spot, because I read if it has full sunshine, it washes out the orange. Indeed it does. You can let them grow and grow, given the space, or prune them down. I just cannot kill them, and the bees love them.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 12:14 PM (qCMvj)

10 Where are you moving, Y-not? Good luck. I am still in recovery mode for most of this year.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, aging supermodel Redneck Queen at August 22, 2015 12:15 PM (akaHw)

11

Spent some of the day yesterday making Tomato Puree from another load of tomatoes. I mixed up a few different varieties, blanched, skinned, then simmered a few with some lemon juice, salt and a pinch of sugar.

I ended up using it last night in a quick creamy pasta dish, and I was in heaven. What a difference fresh tomatoes make.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 12:18 PM (qCMvj)

12

Yes, good luck on your move, get their safely. Moving can be stressful.

Hope you have your travel music lined up!

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 12:19 PM (qCMvj)

13 *there - gosh, making a lot of grammatical errors lately. I'm always flyby'ing my posts.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 12:21 PM (qCMvj)

14 I'm finally getting some tomatoes...haven't picked any yet. The plant that got shredded down to the stalk by the hail earlier this summer is the biggest and healthiest one going. The cherry tomato plant is booming, but nothing to pick yet.

Posted by: model_1066 at August 22, 2015 12:22 PM (WEvvb)

15 >>10 Where are you moving, Y-not?

Next week!

I am melting.

I have thought of you often, Christy, and hope that your relocation is going ok. I wish we'd gotten together to trade stories, but feel free to zap me at bailesworth at gee mail if I can help somehow.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:25 PM (RWGcK)

16 >>Hope you have your travel music lined up!

YES! Mr has been making some playlists, that include a lot of Delbert McClinton... one of my favorite artists.

We also have five books on "tape": a Brad Thor, some Jeeves & Woosters, a Sherlock Holmes, one of the "One for the Money" series, and a McCullough American history book (forget which one).

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:27 PM (RWGcK)

17 Y-not, best of luck with the move. Hope it all goes swimmingly and there are some fun stories about it.

KT: Thanks for those gorgeous photos. Those flowers are not suitable for my area but they are worth looking at. It would be fun to draw them in pastels or water colors. Our fall garden will consist of leaf lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson Elite) and other salad greens. We're already making plans for next year's garden and hope to apply lessons learned from this season's mistakes, i.e., too much crowding.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 12:27 PM (FvdPb)

18 I will put up a funny thread (along the lines of "Where's Waldo?") about the new location sometime.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:30 PM (RWGcK)

19 Y-not...I have advice: throw away everything but the clothes on your back. ha. Am still sorting things out in construction zone. Sorry we did not meet.

Where are you moving? Out of state? I must have missed this at some point.

Good luck and hope all goes well with the move. I like it here when I am not moaning and whining about something. Looking forward to fall and have ordered bulbs and seeds and am excited now that old deck is gone and new one almost done. I still wonder if I will ever be the same.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, aging supermodel Redneck Queen at August 22, 2015 12:30 PM (akaHw)

20 So you're leaving the safest possible place for the burning times? Eesh. No, I'm gonna hang on to these mountains like a life preserver.

Posted by: Bob's House of Flannel Shirts and Wallet Chains at August 22, 2015 12:31 PM (yxw0r)

21 Y-not: great choice of music and books.

For those who care, the 2016 Old Farmer's Almanac comes out Sept. 1st. Never planted by it but, damn! it's a fun read. I look forward to it every year.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 12:32 PM (FvdPb)

22 I love desert plants and flowers.

Many years ago we almost moved to Phoenix/Tempe. Did a little house-hunting as part of the recruitment/decision process. I was in awe of the vibrant desert flowers and how lovely they looked against the soft greens of cacti and other desert plants.

Some people don't like arid landscapes (my dad is one of them), but I love them.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:33 PM (RWGcK)

23 Gah I hate moving.

Good luck to you.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 22, 2015 12:35 PM (oFCZn)

24 I should have added that moving is an excellent opportunity to go through your things ruthlessly and throw out everything you don't need.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 22, 2015 12:36 PM (oFCZn)

25 I always like having the bunnies doing the gardening! I used to tend my grandpas huge garden. Hard work, but I look back on it and smile.

Posted by: prescient11 at August 22, 2015 12:36 PM (VMZsK)

26 good luck with the move!

Posted by: phoenixgirl, i was born a rebel at August 22, 2015 12:37 PM (0O7c5)

27 My tomatoes last year were great up until about his time. A tropical storm came by and dumped 7 inches of rain on us. Soon after, late blight set in, and within two weeks all plants were dead and fruit spoiled. These were all Celebrities. Trying to avoid a repeat, I planted two varieties with high resistance to late blight, Defiant and Mountain Merit. Plants have done well and produced (and still producing) large quantities of tomatoes. The Defiants have very small fruits with very tough skins but the taste is good. The Mtn Merit are larger but still small and the taste is weak and watery. Any suggestions for coastal SE NC? Farming is over for me until next year since I had foot surgery Tuesday and will be out for 6 months or so.

Posted by: Agitator at August 22, 2015 12:41 PM (jBhVw)

28 i bought a bird seed block and a bird bath.....we have quite a few quail in the yard and although very very dumb they are such cute birds.....we haven't had many coyotes around this year so the quail and bunny population is booming around here......the bunnies have done a number on the lawn but they are adorable....so my yard is currently a bird and bunny sanctuary........

Posted by: phoenixgirl, i was born a rebel at August 22, 2015 12:42 PM (0O7c5)

29 so my yard is currently a bird and bunny sanctuary........

---

Awesome!

We have quail here (Utah), but I have never seen a bunny in the yard. I think we had a skunk a couple of years ago. Yikes!

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:43 PM (RWGcK)

30 " Congratulations on your move"

I completely missed this. Are you moving, Y?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 22, 2015 12:49 PM (b36ee)

31 I've taken up bromeliads, which seem to absolutely love my apartment. The first one I've raised from a pup is flowering now, a beautiful purple sword. I've got another that looks to be itching to go. Just came in from buying two more, with nice orange flowers, that I'll be repotting after lunch.

They like moderate light, and are pretty robust little plants. It takes them a couple of years to flower, which they do only once. After flowering, they make babies called pups, which you can detach from the main plant when they're about 5 inches tall; this takes a year or so, but seems to vary from plant to plant. I use a mix of regular potting soil and orchid mix. Don't overwater, as they can get root rot and die.

One trick is to find plants in the store where the flower is dying; I've gotten $20 plants marked down to $3-$5. Use them as a source of pups, and bingo, a year later you have 2-3 bromeliads for just a couple bucks investment.

Posted by: Agent J at August 22, 2015 12:52 PM (ueOgE)

32 this is the first year we've had rabbits .....but like i said, we haven't had many coyotes around.....so the bunnies are safe this year....i'm sure that will change as soon as the coyotes run out of food in their current location.....my neighbor hit the diamondback jackpot last week.....he had two of them in his yard....he's now in the lead with 4 to my 2....

Posted by: phoenixgirl, i was born a rebel at August 22, 2015 12:52 PM (0O7c5)

33 I got a *pink* Turk's Cap this spring for an area by the front porch that is shady and dry. Also got an Esperanza for an area by the garage that is sunny and dry. Both are being trained on treatises because I'm a glutton for punishment.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at August 22, 2015 12:57 PM (/UM/a)

34 Get well soon, Agitator!

All I'm harvesting right now are cucumbers and a few cherry tomatoes. My big tomatoes won't be ripe for a while. I hope whoever buys our house here enjoys them!

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:57 PM (RWGcK)

35 I lie. I've also gotten a few bell peppers.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:58 PM (RWGcK)

36 better luck with white-seeded beans than with dark beans, because the latter do not absorb water as fast.

You so funny.

Ever cook dry beans by soaking them overnight first? Same dealio. Put them in the ground fully plumped and sitting there overnight in warm mud and they will explode into germination sometimes in one day. I did that by leaving them wet in the jar for one day, boom, germination (and fermentation) begin right off.

Posted by: bour3 at August 22, 2015 01:01 PM (5x3+2)

37 my neighbor hit the diamondback jackpot last week.....he had two of them in his yard
--

Yikes!

When we lived in Houston we enjoyed the little lizards (anoles?). We were in an apt complex, though, so no yard and no sign of snakes.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 01:02 PM (RWGcK)

38 We have gotten some bell peppers but they are smaller and later than previous seasons. The flavor is excellent. However, we have to pick them while green. The ones that matured to red all developed rotten spots on the bottom. Too bad as I love red bell peppers.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 01:03 PM (FvdPb)

39 The garden is 90 percent done for the summer, except for the herbs. The dill has self seeded AGAIN and we will dry some more in the next month or so. Mrs. JTB and I have already had a few discussions about techniques and what to plant next year. This vegetable gardening is slightly addictive. Or maybe we're just strange (a real possibility) to start thinking this far ahead.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 01:10 PM (FvdPb)

40 Y-not, your move seems to have come up rather suddenly. Are you running from the law?

Posted by: Ronster at August 22, 2015 01:11 PM (HxnGr)

41 On CNN:

Biden meets privately with Lizzie Warren.

*dramatic music*

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 22, 2015 01:14 PM (oFCZn)

42 "Y-not, your move seems to have come up rather suddenly. Are you running from the law?"

I asked. Didn't get an answer.

Posted by: Ricardo (Chpped Liver) Kill at August 22, 2015 01:14 PM (b36ee)

43 Agitator at August 22, 2015 12:41 PM

You might try Mountain Magic, a cocktail-sized tomato with late blight resistance. It gets good reviews for flavor. If you are into plum tomatoes, Plum Regal does, too. Haven't read anything about its flavor, but then, it is a plum tomato.

I believe that Juliet has some late blight resistance, too. It is firm and sweet, a little larger than the typical grape tomato. There are a couple of open-pollinated ones, also, but I can't remember which right now. Maybe we can make a list before planting season.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:15 PM (qahv/)

44 We have picked a few Tomatoes and Cucumbers. The Tomato skins are rather tough, but the flavor is OK. The Cabbage Butterflies or their babies are making many holes in the Cabbage leaves.

Posted by: Ronster at August 22, 2015 01:16 PM (HxnGr)

45 Just here for the Brian Regan. I am to gardening what Hillary is to populism.

Posted by: SolidFPlus at August 22, 2015 01:16 PM (6x2Zk)

46 Picked plums for first time after planning three trees last year. Yum. Boone County White corn topped out at 12 feet. Just wanted to see a tall corn grow this year. Hot peppers are pulling out after all the torrential rains beginning in end of May. Cucumbers about finished. Next year will stagger planting to extend the season. Planted beets and Turnips several weeks ago and they are looking good. The secret to growing good beets is a constant supply of moisture, so during dry periods I will take the watering can, a little borax and miracle grow to them.

Posted by: Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at August 22, 2015 01:20 PM (7eQGn)

47 I believe that Juliet has some late blight resistance, too. It is firm and sweet, a little larger than the typical grape tomato. There are a couple of open-pollinated ones, also, but I can't remember which right now. Maybe we can make a list before planting season.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:15 PM (qahv/)

Juliet is my favorite for pico de gallo. The plants will grow up a trellis or cage until frost. Last year we grew a 9 foot plant.

Posted by: Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at August 22, 2015 01:24 PM (7eQGn)

48 We also have five books on "tape": a Brad Thor, some Jeeves & Woosters, a Sherlock Holmes, one of the "One for the Money" series, and a McCullough American history book (forget which one).
Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 12:27 PM (RWGcK)

Oh, that's a great idea. I never think of the books! That is very cool.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 01:26 PM (qCMvj)

49

I'm also freezing a lot of jalapenos this year. Bumper crop for some reason. Never had to freeze them before, and they are strong little buggers.

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 01:27 PM (qCMvj)

50 Most people don't consider getting evicted from your trailer as moving.

Posted by: Dr Spank at August 22, 2015 01:27 PM (HXzvr)

51 Y-not, no problem on the videos. I recommend the first one for northerners. Same techniques work in the south, but later.

Mexican Hat really is tiny. Where we were there, about the only store I remember was an Indian Trading Post. Had washtubs and stuff like that. The upcoming rodeo was the big news.

The motel consisted of single-wide trailers. The motel owner was happy to have running, rather than dribbling water after prospectors drilled into the river bed (looking for oil, I think). They hit an artesian well instead.

Tony Hillerman wrote a short story about a skinwalker following a trucker into or out of (don't remember) Mexican Hat. Kinda creepy. It ran in the Lands End catalog.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:29 PM (qahv/)

52 Most people don't consider getting evicted from your trailer as moving.
Posted by: Dr Spank at August 22, 2015 01:27 PM (HXzvr)

heh, YOU!

/waving hello,
now, /waving goodbye

just popped in to talk about jalapeno poppers

Posted by: artisanal 'ette at August 22, 2015 01:29 PM (qCMvj)

53 "Most people don't consider getting evicted from your trailer as moving."

The address changes. Normally.

Posted by: Ricardo (Chopped Liver) Kill at August 22, 2015 01:29 PM (b36ee)

54 Pepper crop consists of one (1) tiny little hot pepper. Like almost every thing I do, another failure.

Posted by: Ronster at August 22, 2015 01:32 PM (HxnGr)

55 "Pepper crop consists of one (1) tiny little hot pepper. Like almost every thing I do, another failure."

Now, now, calm down. Manure? Till your garden?

Posted by: Ricardo (Chopped Liver) Kill at August 22, 2015 01:34 PM (b36ee)

56 We have gotten some bell peppers but they are
smaller and later than previous seasons. The flavor is excellent.
However, we have to pick them while green. The ones that matured to red
all developed rotten spots on the bottom. Too bad as I love red bell
peppers.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 01:03 PM

Try spraying the plants with foliar calcium. It can help prevent blossom end rot. I use it on the tomatoes and the peppers and it works great.

Posted by: huerfano at August 22, 2015 01:36 PM (bynk/)

57 "Most people don't consider getting evicted from your trailer as moving."

OK, I'll fess up.

I'm being transferred from Utah State Prison to the FCC in Allenwood.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 01:39 PM (RWGcK)

58 Damn, this ankle bracelet itches!

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 01:39 PM (RWGcK)

59 What a beautiful day here on the eat coast.
I should be out there enjoying it & doing yardwork, but a John Wayne movie just started, and I'm having a hard time getting off my keister...

Posted by: Chi at August 22, 2015 01:39 PM (knIc4)

60 50 Most people don't consider getting evicted from your trailer as moving.

Posted by: Dr Spank at August 22, 2015 01:27 PM (HXzvr)

Staying one step ahead of the process server.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at August 22, 2015 01:39 PM (oFCZn)

61 Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at August 22, 2015 01:20 PM

You got plums the second year? Are they Asian plums? What region are you in?

We get plums the second year sometimes when we plant a tree out here in California, but the trees are prone to problems in much of the country.

Sounds like you know what you are doing with the beets. I don't think we would need the boron here, though.

I have some Hakurei turnips started, but it may be too soon here; Prime turnip planting season is just coming up.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:43 PM (qahv/)

62 Now, now, calm down. Manure? Till your garden?
Posted by: Ricardo (Chopped Liver) Kill at August 22, 2015 01:34 PM (b36ee)

Hi RK. Yes Chicken manure (not too much, maybe not enough) and tilled in with some organic stuff.

Posted by: Ronster at August 22, 2015 01:44 PM (HxnGr)

63 JTB,

You might consider freezing some still-green dill seed heads if you do pickles. The dried seeds just don't make it. Dried leaves for other stuff could work out fine, I think.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:47 PM (qahv/)

64 Love me some BR in the morning, thanks

Posted by: mbruce at August 22, 2015 01:48 PM (YtWJn)

65 The eat coast?
Really, autocucumber?

Well, we DO have good seafood, I guess...

Posted by: Chi at August 22, 2015 01:49 PM (knIc4)

66 "I'm being transferred from Utah State Prison to the FCC in Allenwood."

Prison. I knew it. Your sort.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 22, 2015 01:50 PM (b36ee)

67 "Yes Chicken manure (not too much, maybe not enough) and tilled in with some organic stuff. "

Now you guys got water up there this year. Hmmm.....

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 22, 2015 01:52 PM (b36ee)

68 Agent J at August 22, 2015 12:52 PM (ueOgE)

Bromeliads produce some fascinating flowers. The plants are interesting, too.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:52 PM (qahv/)

69 Try spraying the plants with foliar calcium. It can help prevent blossom end rot. I use it on the tomatoes and the peppers and it works great.

Posted by: huerfano at August 22, 2015 01:36 PM (bynk/)

Most home gardeners peppers are phosphorus-starved. Miracle grow really is a very good thing to have around.

Posted by: Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at August 22, 2015 01:53 PM (7eQGn)

70 I had never heard of Turks Cap before I read Linda's comment. There is an orange relative in the high desert to our east. After it rains.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 01:53 PM (qahv/)

71 KT,
Check email.
Thx.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 01:56 PM (RWGcK)

72 Northern Indiana. two are Asian, Santa Rosa is one of them. Green Gage is the third we planted. My cousin and I wanted to make plum wine.

Posted by: Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at August 22, 2015 01:57 PM (7eQGn)

73 Y-not,
I worry about your sweet kitty. Sometimes they take off from a new home. The recommendation I have heard is to keep the cat in a bathroom with some of your dirty clothes and move her into the rest of the house gradually. Be careful that no one opens the bathroom door when an outside door is open.

When we moved to our current abode, we brought over an outdoor cat, Wild Panther Mama, who had given birth to a couple of sweet kittens in our brick barbecue at the previous place. We tried to keep her confined for a while, but she escaped and began living under a little church across the street. She still came over to eat, though.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:00 PM (qahv/)

74 Prison. I knew it. Your sort.
Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 22, 2015 01:50 PM
----

A lot of the moronettes are in women's prison. You've probably watched some of our movies! ;-)

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 02:01 PM (RWGcK)

75 Y-not,
I worry about your sweet kitty. Sometimes they take off from a new home. The recommendation I have heard is to keep the cat in a bathroom with some of your dirty clothes and move her into the rest of the house gradually. Be careful that no one opens the bathroom door when an outside door is open.
--

Thanks. We have harnesses that they'll wear (plus they are chipped and tagged) and they will travel in crates. Plus, someone recommended a pheromone that calms them, so I'm going to try that, too.

Now the question is how will Mr. Y-not keep ME from running away?!!

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 02:03 PM (RWGcK)

76 Polliwog the 'Ette at August 22, 2015 12:57 PM

Those should be some intelligent plants if they will be trained on treatises. Did the Garden Thread Autocucmber get you, or was it the Autocarrot?

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:04 PM (qahv/)

77 Foliar calcium ... Makes a note. I'll get some in for next year. Thanks for the tip. Tomatoes and bell peppers are 2 of our garden favorites and anything that helps them is welcome.

KT: We used our fresh dill for the pickles last year and it makes a real difference. No cukes this season so all the dill is getting used on fish, in salads, and (a growing favorite) on breakfast eggs. We had enough to dry but most of it gets used fresh.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 02:05 PM (FvdPb)

78 ynot.....blue state?

Posted by: phoenixgirl, i was born a rebel at August 22, 2015 02:05 PM (0O7c5)

79 artisanal 'ette,

Some of the Potentillas are very hardy to cold, too. There is a white one I like. Blossoms remind me of strawberry blossoms.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:06 PM (qahv/)

80 @78

Patience...

I will write up a funny thread along the lines of "Where's Waldo?" when I come up for air.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 02:07 PM (RWGcK)

81 Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:04 PM (qahv/)

Argh! Yes, AutoCucumber got me. Typing on newish Kindle and haven't turned auto-fill off yet. That'll teach me to not be so lazy.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at August 22, 2015 02:08 PM (GDulk)

82 "A lot of the moronettes are in women's prison. You've probably watched some of our movies! ;-)"

That probably explains it.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at August 22, 2015 02:08 PM (b36ee)

83 i lost all patience when i had my children....i try to practice deep breathing but all that gets me is hyper ventilation and then i either get dizzy and/or pass out......

Posted by: phoenixgirl, i was born a rebel at August 22, 2015 02:10 PM (0O7c5)

84 We usually put some Epsom salts or book matches when we plant the peppers. This year we forgot. Another lesson for next time.

Posted by: JTB at August 22, 2015 02:11 PM (FvdPb)

85 WOW KT, thanks for the shout out. I feel like a celebrity!

Where's Christyblinky to teach me how to do that Ms. America figure 8 wave?
Seriously, if anyone wants to try growing either Pride of Barbados, let me know and I'll collect seeds. Some of the seed pods are starting to mature. They are expensive if you buy one potted from a nursery.
Y-not, can't wait to hear about your "adventures in moving."

Posted by: lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 02:12 PM (xVgrA)

86 bour3 at August 22, 2015 01:01 PM

Soaking the beans before planting can give you a head start, and it is probably a good idea with dark beans planted in hot soil.

But you don't want the fermentation you mentioned to start. Better to treat them as if you intended to sprout the seeds (to eat them), with a short soak followed by repeated rinsing. Which is not a bad idea sometimes if you intend to eat them, even if you just barely sprout them.

If they are soaked for too long, some beans will start to fall apart at the seam.

I tried planting soaked vs. unsoaked peas one year, and the unsoaked ones came up first. I was really surprised.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:12 PM (qahv/)

87 my neighbor hit the diamondback jackpot last week.....he had two of them in his yard....he's now in the lead with 4 to my 2....
Posted by: phoenixgirl

One thing about farming in the swamp here is the snakes. Every venomous snake on the east coast can be found right here. So far I've run up on 4 cotton mouth, 5 copperheads and a rattlesnake that I couldn't see because the brush was too thick and thigh high, but I could hear him so I just slowly reversed course in my steps I came in on.

Last fall my neighbors were "you crazy if you walk in the woods before winter." So now I'm the crazy white man in the community.

Posted by: traye at August 22, 2015 02:15 PM (50uSB)

88 This is for your move, Y-not

http://tinyurl.com/oh9unhp

Posted by: chemjeff at August 22, 2015 02:17 PM (2XMpf)

89 NOOD ace post.

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 02:19 PM (RWGcK)

90 lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 02:12 PM

Since you have a red and an orange Pride of Barbados, some of the seeds could be hybrids! I wonder if either the red or orange color is dominant?

I have been thinking about the Lemon Lace one. But I probably should try to find "Compton". I used to work near that city.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:33 PM (qahv/)

91 Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. A good thing. They don't supply much phosphorus. The "Bloom and Fruit" type of Miracle Grow has less nitrogen relative to phosphorus than regular Miracle Grow. It may be more suitable than the regular stuff when you have blooms or fruits on the plant.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:39 PM (qahv/)

92 Phoenixgirl and Traye,

Pit vipers in the garden are a little much for me. I have had a couple of gopher snakes pretending to be rattlers. They are the same color as the local rattlesnakes.

The vet once thought one of our dogs had been bitten by a rattler in the yard, but it turned out to be something unrelated.

I love quails in the yard, though. Wish I had them here.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 02:44 PM (qahv/)

93 O/T, but maybe close. Gardening produces fresh produce, and this is about food.

Went to a restaurant this week in the chi-chi Cherry Creek district of central Denver, to celebrate a birthday.

The restaurant was True Food, which is the Whole Foods of the restaurant world. Everything organic.

I enjoyed an organic martini. Made with sustainably grown organic potatoes or something.

Posted by: the littl shyning man at August 22, 2015 02:58 PM (U6f54)

94
Stop me if you've heard this one...

"My dog has magical powers. He can turn 50 pounds of dog food into 25 pounds of dog, er, 'stuff'."

Well my dogs are magic! Been rainy this week and got a bit behind on my chores.

So, that's my mundane "gardening" story this week.

But, btw, is there any approved, safe way to compost dog manure? I compost chicken manure for a year because it is too "hot" to use straight from the coop. Dunno about possible parasites and such from the dogs...

Posted by: Spun and Murky at August 22, 2015 03:08 PM (4DCSq)

95 /Spun and Murky,

Dog manure would be subject to infestation by parasites. There is a septic tank kinda deal for dogs, though. You could use Ace's Amazon thingy.

http://tinyurl.com/pfhurdz

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 03:46 PM (qahv/)

96
95
KT, as suspected. Thank you, though!

Posted by: Spun and Murky at August 22, 2015 03:49 PM (4DCSq)

97 The restaurant was True Food, which is the Whole Foods of the restaurant world. Everything organic.

I enjoyed an organic martini. Made with sustainably grown organic potatoes or something.

---

Interesting.

So do you think you'll go there again? Was the food noticeably different/better? How were the prices?

Posted by: Y-not at August 22, 2015 03:58 PM (RWGcK)

98 KT,
I'm pretty sure they aren't a hybrid. I collected seeds from the yellow Pride from a neighbor when I first moved in five years ago. I had never seen a yellow one before that. I got the red/orange seeds from a different neighbor on another street.
Now that I know there are cream and pink ones, I must have them!!!! No one around here has that color. They are just getting the yellow ones. I never really thought about them having thorns, I just thought they were stiff thick "hairs." They have never really bothered me. Now, Bougainville have thorns from hell!!! One other difference in the pride of Barbados is the Orange/red ones have thinner branches and are more like bushes. The yellow has a thick stem/truck and is more like a small tree. It's about an inch and a half in diameter now. The orange dies back and I cut it to the ground in winter and it comes back bigger and bushier in spring. The yellow one I just trim the upper branches as they dry out and it grows back. Also, The leaves on the yellow are a lighter green and smaller.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:04 PM (xVgrA)

99 I remember "The Good Earth" in SoCal as interesting. " True Food" sounds like the next generation.

But I have to wonder if there was something about the potatoes being grown "sustainably" that made them more suitable for vodka than for, you know, a tasty potato dish.

I know a couple of potato-farming families. Sometimes potatoes just don't meet specs to sell as potatoes.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 04:07 PM (qahv/)

100 I use this for my dogs poop. Remove space.
http://www.doggiedoo drain.com/xcart//home.php

Posted by: lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:20 PM (xVgrA)

101 lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:04 PM

So, you have a pure yellow one? Wonder if it is "Phoenix"? I wouldn't be surprised if some cultivars are more hardy to cold than others.

What I meant about the hybrid was that, since you have two different plants in your back yard, if one's flower is pollinated by the other, the seed will produce a hybrid. If the parent plants were stabilized strains, their babies (hybrids) should all be the same in the F1 generation, but different in the F2 generation.

The "Pink Peacock" link is to a place that sells seeds. If you hit the back arrow, you will also see a cream one. I think the forward arrow goes to Desert Bird of Paradise.

You are right about Bougainvillea being thorny! I love a crimson one next to powder-blue Cape Plumbago and something in pale pink.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 04:21 PM (qahv/)

102 I was wrong about the link. The Previous arrow will take you to red and cream Pride of Barbados and to the Desert Bird of Paradise. The Next button goes to a species we did not discuss today.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 04:27 PM (qahv/)

103 Thanks KT,
I just ordered the pink seeds. I'll go back and look for the cream.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:36 PM (xVgrA)

104 Darn, they were out of the cream seeds.
I almost forgot that there is a wild pride of Barbados that is all yellow, even the stamens. It is small, usually under two to three feet. It's leaves are bigger and darker. It grows wild in the green belt behind my house. The Pride of Barbados I planted are in the front yard and the flowers look nothing like the wild one but the leaves are similar and it has the same type of seed pods, albeit smaller. I just realized what they were about 3 years ago. I thought it was just another weed until it flowered. I'll take a picture next year when it's in bloom, if I remember.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:46 PM (xVgrA)

105 My tomatoes were doing very well. But we've had a lot of rain, and it looked like late blight was hitting some. So I've been cutting out any leaf branches that show any ugliness.

It's probably not hurting mine at all. They need more pruning anyway.

It's raining again today.

Posted by: Gordon at August 22, 2015 05:52 PM (hjyNY)

106 Homemade fries tonight from some of my huge Yukon Gold potatoes. Best crop ever, guess all that rain earlier made a difference. Harvested most of them the last few days, just plants still living and left.

Posted by: Farmer at August 22, 2015 07:50 PM (o/90i)

107 Duh, just 2 plants still living.

Posted by: Farmer at August 22, 2015 08:12 PM (o/90i)

108 Yukon Gold: Looks as good as it tastes.

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 09:05 PM (qahv/)

109 lindafell de Spair @ San Jacinto at August 22, 2015 04:46 PM

The wild one might be another species. I like one of the common names of C. mexicana: Mexican Holdback. It could stay short where it freezes in winter.

http://gardenoracle.com/images/caesalpinia_mexicana.html

Posted by: KT at August 22, 2015 11:40 PM (qahv/)

110 Y-not,
If you would like to take another kind of trip to the Mexican Hat area, you could do so through the Tony Hillerman novel, "A Thief of Time".

Posted by: KT at August 23, 2015 08:47 AM (qahv/)

111 I spent my childhood in a desert, specifically the Gran Chaco, Paraguay. A plant I remember is in the hibiscus family, Roselle. The German and Russian immigrants taught us Americans how to use the leaves and the fruit. My mom would make the leaves into pie, and the fruit makes the best jam ever. Flavor is kind of a cross between rhubarb and cranberries. Tart and oh so good. My sister in TN was actually able to start seeds indoors and she harvested some fruit in September, last year.

Posted by: Rachel at August 23, 2015 12:45 PM (V6RNE)

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