Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, June 11

Welcome to the Gardening Thread!. The photo of Rhododendrons in part shade looks inviting to me today, with our forecast of 104 degrees. How is the weather treating your garden? The photo above, and the two below, are from Halfhand:

Spring is in full swing here in southern Oregon.

Edible Gardening

Dear K.T.,
Here in Kenosha, in SW Wisconsin, it's been an unusually cool, grey
spring. But with the calendar flipping over to June, we're now having
days of bright, warm sun, made pleasant by the cool breezes off Lake
Michigan. In my backyard, the fruit trees and plants have set very
nicely, with what promises to be nice crops of peaches, pears,
raspberries and strawberries. I've attached a photo of some infant pears
and strawberries; the berries should be ready to eat by Independence
Day, and the pears will need until late September to be ready. As for
the peaches, this is my first go-round with them, so I'm not sure;
perhaps late July. My next job is to spread polypropylene mesh over them
all, to keep the birds and the tree rats from feasting on the fruits and
berries.
Regards,
Nemo

NICE.

Wildlife

Back at the end of April, Naughty Pine sent in a photo of an Eastern Gray Squirrel (a black one) that has taken up residence, serving as a substitute thosta rake. Here is the squirrel again, ready for action:

Preparedness

Not everyone has positive experiences with rodents in the yard. Last week, Farmer wrote this in the comments:

Late as usual, but I'll still share my frustrations. Some d--- critter ate all my planted taters out of the VegTrug, I suspect a ground squirrel that lives in our gravel driveway.
Then something was eating my sweet corn as it sprouted. I'm trying the square foot gardening thing w/ sweet corn. I miss growing it from when I farmed so this is an experiment, as we have little room here w/ sufficient sun. There's enough left to pollinate so this may work.

For those frustrated by squirrels, this is one possibility:

Got a recipe?

Any other preparedness or preservation tips to share this week?

Rodent Pests

We have had some problems with rodent pests over the years - ground squirrels and gophers in particular. Something ate the wiring in our truck. We think some sort of rodent took up residence in a nearby over-grown rosemary hedge, which we planted because it is gopher-resistant. Avoid one rodent, attract another.

Anyway, not long ago, our wonderful Garden Kitty, Jack of Spades, brought us a vole as an offering. A big, fat one. It looked quite a bit like the rodent caught by the blue heron in last week's thread. Voles look a lot like mice or rats, but have short tails.

Pest of the Week - Voles

Got voles? Here are some tips from people who have struggled to control them.

Plants voles will avoid

How to protect flower bulbs from voles

California meadow voles: a sustainable gardener's nightmare

Garden control methods for voles

Young voles reach maturity at one month of age and can have up to 10 litters a year with five to 10 in each litter. They can multiply very quickly if they find an area that can provide enough food.
To avoid predators, voles limit their time above ground by burrowing near the base of a plant and feasting on the roots until there is nothing left. Voles can live from two to 16 months.
Pine voles or woodland voles nest underground and meadow voles nest above ground.

Environmental Benefits
Although voles can be pests, they do have a role in nature. Their habits and behaviors ensure that nutrients are spread and integrated into the upper layers of soil. Mycorrhizal fungi, a soil nutrient, is dispersed by the vole.
Voles are a food source for many predatory birds, snakes, foxes, and cats.

Puttering Adventure

From Tom Servo:

I know this isn't gardening, and it doesn't really fit the subject matter. But I don't
know who to ask about these photos of a very unusual fossil I found on the banks
of the Trinity River, in an Austin Chalk bed full of ammonites and echinoids.
I'm not bad at identifying fossils, having hunted them many times, but this has
me stumped; I cannot identify it at all. As you can see it looks like it is made of
hundreds of tiny tubes (see the detail on the end) but it does not look like any
bone I've ever seen. tiny worms? plants? From where I found it, I know it's
cretaceous, but that's as far as I can go.

Anybody have some clues for Tom?

Gardens of The Horde

From Rodent

Good morning KT
Usually a lurker but have sent in some pics in the past.
Spring is here in Southern New Hampshire. A few shots from around the yard. I don't know the name of all these and Mrs. R is the main gardener, but I'm hoping to get wiser with each Ace gardening thread :-)
Thanks for doing that and all the other threads. Much appreciated.

Beautiful plants, yard and brickwork, Rodent! Regards to your wife.

What's growing in your garden?

Hope everyone has a nice Weekend. If you didn't see your photos here today, check again next week.

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

ktinthegarden at g mail dot com

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

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? June 4, featuring Capers in Israel, Allium and Lilacs in Kansas, Asian Jumping Worms, a Blue Heron hunting in San Francisco, an interesting garden technique in Oregon and wild-ish Irises.

Late in the comments, we learned about making garden-fresh Green Goddess Dressing, a bumper crop of strawberries (mmmmm), future blueberries and frustrating losses, probably to ground squirrels or other rodents.

Any thoughts or questions?

The comments here are closed so you won't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:21 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good morning KT!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:26 PM (uEfm6)

2 We saw a forest of rhododendrons at the Englisher Gardens in Dunedin. I've seen them in the West; but, those were much bigger. Those gardens have been cared for for over 200years (IIRC).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:28 PM (uEfm6)

3 Good afternoon all.

Posted by: Jewells45 at June 11, 2022 01:28 PM (nxdel)

4 Old ramen noodles. Just add some boiling water and a spice packet and you should be good.

Posted by: banana Dream at June 11, 2022 01:29 PM (t/4Zp)

5 Since this is the gardening thread, why can't we use milkweed sap for baby formula? It's organic.

Posted by: Eromero at June 11, 2022 01:29 PM (gktX6)

6 No gardening here the past week or most of next week.
It's just a tad on the hot side.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:29 PM (uEfm6)

7 Good morning KT!

Says you!

Posted by: Jewells45 at June 11, 2022 01:30 PM (nxdel)

8 I am experiencing a drastically reduction in deer damage. Helping coyotes are on the job

Posted by: CN at June 11, 2022 01:30 PM (ONvIw)

9 Since this is the gardening thread, why can't we use milkweed sap for baby formula? It's organic.
Posted by: Eromero

Works for Monarchs!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:30 PM (uEfm6)

10 The cats regularly kill shrews. I've only seen one mouse kill, one chipmunk.

Posted by: SamIam at June 11, 2022 01:31 PM (oasF3)

11 Good morning KT!

Says you!
Posted by: Jewells45

Okay, for you "Morning Jewells".

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:31 PM (uEfm6)

12 It's a triple-digit weekend here in SE Texas. My plants will just have to take it.

Posted by: Count de Monet at June 11, 2022 01:32 PM (4I/2K)

13 >>> We saw a forest of rhododendrons at the Englisher Gardens in Dunedin. I've seen them in the West; but, those were much bigger. Those gardens have been cared for for over 200years (IIRC).
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:28 PM (uEfm6)

I have large 50yo azalea bushes growing right outside three sides of my house. When they're in bloom and it's a sunny day I open the wood blinds and they cast pink and purple tones across the interior. I guess they're semi-related to rhododendrons.

Posted by: banana Dream at June 11, 2022 01:35 PM (t/4Zp)

14 The flowers are lovely!

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 11, 2022 01:35 PM (oeVy+)

15 I have large 50yo azalea bushes growing right outside three sides of my house. When they're in bloom and it's a sunny day I open the wood blinds and they cast pink and purple tones across the interior. I guess they're semi-related to rhododendrons.
Posted by: banana Dream at June 11, 2022 01:35 PM (t/4Zp)

yeah, kinda

Posted by: REDACTED at June 11, 2022 01:36 PM (us2H3)

16 yeah, kinda
Posted by: REDACTED

I think you might be right!
Azaleas /əˈzeɪliə/ are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:37 PM (uEfm6)

17 What's growing in your garden?
------
Weeds, I just spent around $60 for some killer spray. Done picking weeds.

Posted by: dartist at June 11, 2022 01:39 PM (+ya+t)

18 Anybody have some clues for Tom?

It's a nickel.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko Solutions at June 11, 2022 01:39 PM (/Ym0t)

19 Hiya

Posted by: JT at June 11, 2022 01:40 PM (arJlL)

20 Hiya KT !

Posted by: JT at June 11, 2022 01:40 PM (arJlL)

21 Got Rodent's photos formatted!

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 01:40 PM (rrtZS)

22 What a yard!

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 01:41 PM (rrtZS)

23 Hiya, JT!

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 01:41 PM (rrtZS)

24 Tom Servo will eventually get curious enough to chip away at his fossil and release those alien brain worms from their long stasis. It was nice knowing you, Tom.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at June 11, 2022 01:42 PM (KFhLj)

25 Commissar @ 18-
I was gonna say prehistoric wormcast.

Posted by: Eromero at June 11, 2022 01:42 PM (gktX6)

26 Fossil: Cretaceous tentacle pr0n.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 11, 2022 01:42 PM (aaGzp)

27 Beautiful flower beds up top I wish I had. I'll learn one day.

Posted by: dartist at June 11, 2022 01:42 PM (+ya+t)

28 "As you can see it looks like it is made of hundreds of tiny tubes (see the detail on the end) but it does not look like any bone I've ever seen. tiny worms? plants? From where I found it, I know it's
cretaceous, but that's as far as I can go."

Mama mia! That's some old-a spaghetti! Boil it for 13 minutes in 3 quarts of water with a little salt, brown some brontosaurus burger, and you're set!

Posted by: Fredo Flintston� at June 11, 2022 01:43 PM (NCgXW)

29 Spring is in full swing here in southern Oregon.

You're in Southern Oregon ? Once, on the Tonite Show, Vikki Carr mentioned that she was from East Oregon. Doc Severenson said he was from West Oregon. Rodney Dangerfield interjected with "I'm from Downtown Oregon !"

Posted by: JT at June 11, 2022 01:43 PM (arJlL)

30 Hiya, JT!
Posted by: KT

Posted by: JT at June 11, 2022 01:44 PM (arJlL)

31 My newly planted Giant Miscanthus continue to grow at an incredible rate. The weather has helped as have the prayers.

Posted by: Marcus T at June 11, 2022 01:44 PM (ZeDNp)

32 Got Rodent's photos formatted!
Posted by: KT

You did a good job KT, those pics are very pretty! And green! (as I look at the desert (it's xeriscaped!) around this place!)

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 11, 2022 01:45 PM (uEfm6)

33 If you walk without rhythm, Shi halud is not the one.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at June 11, 2022 01:45 PM (Jubev)

34 Tom Servo will eventually get curious enough to chip away at his fossil and release those alien brain worms from their long stasis. It was nice knowing you, Tom.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at June 11, 2022 01:42 PM (KFhLj)

-------------

Well, the youtube likes would probably by lit!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 01:48 PM (5pTK/)

35 Lots of rain in our MT valley this weekend which means no sprinklers need to run. Yay! Also, very good for growing hay. Squirrels are cute as the devil unless they are Columbian ground squirrels, the ones currently ruining our parish cemetery. They've been allowed to run wild for years and we've spent the last 2 months trying to reduce the population. Plus they just gave birth to their first round of babies with a second batch up soon. Good thing is if you do kill them, they eat their dead so no cleanup. They are Satan's minions.

Posted by: neverenoughcaffeine at June 11, 2022 01:49 PM (2NHgQ)

36 18 Anybody have some clues for Tom?

a very long time ago, golfers on Tennison Park, a public course in Dallas in which the Trinty River meanders through, used pieces of dried pasta to mark their ball cause they didn't have any coins on them

so probably a bunch of old spaghetti

Posted by: REDACTED at June 11, 2022 01:49 PM (us2H3)

37 What's growing in your garden?

Something happened this past winter that took out all my agastache plants. They were potted, on my deck, and the hummingbirds loved them. This year...nothing. It's like there was an agastache blight or something. I'd been growing them in the same pots for six years, maybe the soil is depleted?

Anyway the other day I saw a couple little teeny agastache plants sprouting where their daddies used to live. I know it's the same plant from the scent of the leaves.

I also discovered a little teeny mushroom in one of my pots this a.m.

Posted by: kallisto at June 11, 2022 01:50 PM (DJFLF)

38 Great pics, by the way. I should send in some pictures of some of the local desert stuff in our area.

(we no longer lived in CA)

There is this really weird desert plant, looks like alien tentacles with thorns, which turns green and sprouts flowers from the tips in the spring. The plant looks terrible during the winter, but, in the spring, looks weird yet strangely attractive.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 01:50 PM (5pTK/)

39 I think Mr. Bar-the-Door may have found a piece something like Tom Servo's, too. Don't know what it is.

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 01:51 PM (rrtZS)

40 That top photo is just spectacular. It's worth getting on the gardening thread just for the beauty.

Posted by: JTB at June 11, 2022 01:53 PM (7EjX1)

41 Emerson very nice, colorful, sharply-detailed pics. Nice to look at, unlike some recent Art Threads. 😉

Posted by: Count de Monet at June 11, 2022 01:53 PM (4I/2K)

42 We have a voodoo lily that took root in the garden- not sure how it got there. Mrs Rex is cool with it. It has the cadaver smell for a day or two when it blooms. I call it the purple penis plant. When we first discovered it I thought one of our cat’s trophies hadn’t been discarded properly. It’s due to perform its annual “perfumance” in about a week or two.

Posted by: Rex B at June 11, 2022 01:54 PM (prZbw)

43 If Tom has crushed limestone on his property (like we do) it's definitely a fossil. We find them all the time in our driveway.

Posted by: Eromero at June 11, 2022 01:56 PM (gktX6)

44 Contrary to my expectations, we have banana peppers and tomatoes starting. The squash plants have plenty of blossoms (pretty in their own way) and the herbs are doing great. The dill and chives are usable, making a delicious addition to our morning eggs.

Yippeee!

Posted by: JTB at June 11, 2022 01:57 PM (7EjX1)

45
There is this really weird desert plant, looks like alien tentacles with thorns, which turns green and sprouts flowers from the tips in the spring. The plant looks terrible during the winter, but, in the spring, looks weird yet strangely attractive.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 01:50 PM (5pTK/)

I hope you send them in, I love the desert.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 11, 2022 02:05 PM (oeVy+)

46 Spring is in full swing here in southern Oregon

Don't think it's going to be a banner garden year up here in NE Washington. I've had a grand total of two days with tenps in the seventies. Third week of May was below 30 every night. I had three 2+ inch snowfalls in April. We are also having the wettest spring in at least a decade.Cabbage is going gangbusters. Carrots are coming along and the second planting of onions appears to be doing ok. Every thing else stinks. Planted spinach and lettuce twice. Nothing to show. Only a third of the peas and spuds came up. Tomatoes, with the Alaska Fancys being an exception, don't look like they will amount to much. I decided to skip planting beans and cukes. They will just be a waste of water. Guess I'll be hitting the farmer's market more than normal this year.

Posted by: Sock Monkey * Ungovernable at June 11, 2022 02:05 PM (jh8o2)

47 There is this really weird desert plant, looks like alien tentacles with thorns, which turns green and sprouts flowers from the tips in the spring. The plant looks terrible during the winter, but, in the spring, looks weird yet strangely attractive.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 01:50 PM (5pTK/)

Ocotillo maybe?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at June 11, 2022 02:06 PM (7bRMQ)

48 Serious question... why can't that be wormy scat? I've seen the scat of dogs with worms bad... and if that were brown and stinkin' it would look like that.

Posted by: MkY at June 11, 2022 02:07 PM (cPGH3)

49 Most likely a plant though.

Posted by: MkY at June 11, 2022 02:08 PM (cPGH3)

50 Most likely a plant though.

Posted by: MkY at June 11, 2022 02:08 PM (cPGH3)

Well, I considered them my fruits.

Posted by: Fossilized Elmer at June 11, 2022 02:10 PM (7bRMQ)

51 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Light drizzle here. Garden doing well but only daily herbs so far.

Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 02:13 PM (2JoB8)

52 we have a bird feeder on the deck that we call our cat entertainment system. the chipmunks and squirrels would scavenge the spilled seeds on the deck floor and i was pretty cool about them doing that. then one day, a smart one from rick & morty began chewing on the shield and discovered he could get at the bird seed directly versus second hand. he trained several others as well. thrre-ish weeks ago i retaliated with total eff ewe warfare on the squirrel population. to date, i'm up to 17 of the little tree rats with no apparent drop in the population.

ssmash has taters growing, right under the cat entertainment system. so far nothing has decided to dig around in them.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (UgAdJ) - at June 11, 2022 02:14 PM (UgAdJ)

53 43 If Tom has crushed limestone on his property (like we do) it's definitely a fossil. We find them all the time in our driveway.
Posted by: Eromero at June 11, 2022 01:56 PM (gktX6)

LOL! I found it on the banks of the Clear Fork of the Trinity in Ft Worth, a spot I found some years ago. Every time there's a big rain new things turn up. All of the Austin Chalk can contain fossils, but there is one bed about 30' thick, and if you can find where the river cuts through it, you will find ammonites packed on top of more ammonites, spiral sea snails, and piles of echinoids (cretaceous sand dollars, more like little balls with a star pattern on top) Within 2 ft of where I found this fossil, I picked up 15 fossil echinoids, it must have originally been an entire bed of them.

Still, I've never been as lucky as the 12 year old boy digging in a creek behind his house in North Dallas, who stumbled onto a complete mosasaur!

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:15 PM (r46W7)

54 Weather changes in the PNW after the longest day of the year. That way, you miss out on the extra light and your cool weather crops can bolt.

I just planted ten Indian Chief irises, in a pot for now. I've been on a FB iris group but restrained myself. These are small enough I can move them. I will dig up a few of the irises I planted here. Those are nothing fancy but I have some nice yellow ones.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 11, 2022 02:19 PM (YynYJ)

55 Taking a short break from mowing. Got about 4 acres done and another 1 to go. We have "wild" tiger lilies at the edge of some woods that are in bloom. Orange with darker spots. I think I've relocated the wild black berries too. They're also in the woods but I believe I caught a glimpse of some berries just starting to come out.

Gotta' get back to it...

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 11, 2022 02:21 PM (BFigT)

56 Drizzling here as well.....

Posted by: JT at June 11, 2022 02:22 PM (arJlL)

57 Test.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 11, 2022 02:22 PM (MZCzQ)

58 Test.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 11, 2022 02:22 PM (MZCzQ)
-------------

Fail!

Remedial commenting and posting class for you!

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 02:24 PM (5pTK/)

59 the scariest thing I ever found turning up rocks over there was a giant Texas Centipede (picture at this link)

https://tinyurl.com/2hx4ttds

not only is it deadly poisonous, but it is a hell of a lot faster than anything that size should be (well it does have a hundred legs). Plus it moves in a way that nothing born on this earth should move, really hard to describe. One of those things that automatically scares anyone who sees it shitless.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:24 PM (r46W7)

60 One of those things that automatically scares anyone who sees it shitless.

Yeah, I can see why!

Posted by: Jewells45 at June 11, 2022 02:28 PM (nxdel)

61 One of those things that automatically scares anyone who sees it shitless.

What is the purpose of that disgusting thing?

Posted by: Infidel at June 11, 2022 02:29 PM (E0NVW)

62 well I mowed one yard this morning when it was still in the 80's, got one more to do this afternoon, suns out and it's pushing past 90 already. weatherman says triple digits tomorrow!

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:29 PM (r46W7)

63 Eeeew, fossilized dog turd of a pooch that had a bad case of worms. That's exactly what that is!

No Safe-Guard way back then.

Posted by: JROD at June 11, 2022 02:29 PM (0jZnq)

64 Looking at fossil, seems worms yet why would be lumped like that? So thinking a coral possibly

Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 02:30 PM (2JoB8)

65 We had a rodent overpopulation issue including the tree rat and chipmunk variety. Into the breach came natures rodent sweeper, foxes. Those little opportunist murder machines cleaned up the place in no time. They're omnivores so an unfenced garden could be fair game, but there is enough four legged meals and wild berries around here that they don't touch planted gardens. My neighbor who lost a Yorkie might disagree. But, whatever.

Posted by: Marcus T at June 11, 2022 02:30 PM (ZeDNp)

66 What is the purpose of that disgusting thing?
Posted by: Infidel at June 11, 2022 02:29 PM (E0NVW)

Punishment for the Sins of the World, is all I can figure.

I remember a line in Tolkien where he mentioned the existence of some hidden monstrous things, left over from a much more ancient version of this world that should never have survived, but somehow a few did.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:32 PM (r46W7)

67 Nice garden, Rodent.

>> What's growing in your garden?
Grapes, nectarines, figs, gladioli, one columbine, and a couple different lilies. I need to finish pulling weeds and take some pictures.

BTW: The White House resident appears to have left Southern California this morning. I'm sure he was working the baby formula crisis the whole time.

Posted by: 40 Miles North at June 11, 2022 02:34 PM (uWF4x)

68 I hope you send them in, I love the desert.
Posted by: CaliGirl at June 11, 2022 02:05 PM (oeVy+)
------------

I'll try to get decent pic and send it in.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 11, 2022 02:36 PM (5pTK/)

69 Ocotillo has always been a very useful, if odd desert plant. Early ranchers made their fences out of the dried sticks, it was like having a barbed wire fence before barbed wire was around.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:37 PM (r46W7)

70 not only is it deadly poisonous, but it is a hell of a lot faster than anything that size should be (well it does have a hundred legs). Plus it moves in a way that nothing born on this earth should move, really hard to describe. One of those things that automatically scares anyone who sees it shitless.
----------
George MacDonald Fraser, in his Burma memoir, tells a hilarious story about a two foot long centipede that fell out of a rotten tent they were trying to unfold. He wanted to preserve it as a scientific curiousity (how, God alone knows) while his squaddies were chasing it around with machetes. He craftily tried to appeal to their cupidity by implying they could sell it for a lot of money (all the while dodging the vicious thing) but, alas, it had already been sectioned into three pieces.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at June 11, 2022 02:47 PM (aaGzp)

71 I'm focusing on the puttering today.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 11, 2022 02:47 PM (8On0t)

72 >>> not only is it deadly poisonous, but it is a hell of a lot faster than anything that size should be (well it does have a hundred legs). Plus it moves in a way that nothing born on this earth should move, really hard to describe. One of those things that automatically scares anyone who sees it shitless.
Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:24 PM (r46W7)

Coyote Pete lets himself get bit by one. He's said it was close to the top of anything pain-wise above that of bullet ants and executioner wasps. It was on his bucket list because he had always been mortally afraid of them. I think it's one of the rare episodes where he had to stab himself with an epi-pen.

Posted by: banana Dream at June 11, 2022 02:51 PM (t/4Zp)

73 I'm focusing on the puttering today.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at June 11, 2022 02:47 PM (8On0t)

If the damned rain would stop, I'd be working on my middle irons.

Posted by: Diogenes at June 11, 2022 02:52 PM (anj39)

74 There are some things that it is very wise to be mortally afraid of.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 03:01 PM (r46W7)

75 Only very light drizzle, wish it would rain a bit harder

Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 03:01 PM (2JoB8)

76 Maybe the fossil is some sort of anemone?

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at June 11, 2022 03:04 PM (koWTx)

77 Petrified rabbitfoot keychain.

Posted by: Eromero at June 11, 2022 03:08 PM (gktX6)

78 My German friend concedes there's a lot to be said about roof rabbit. He's 90 years old and never met a cat he didn't like.

This isn't the pet thread, is it?

Posted by: Dr. Bone at June 11, 2022 03:12 PM (BP3/z)

79 "As you can see it looks like it is made of
hundreds of tiny tubes"

It was the first rudimentary internet.

Posted by: Ted Stevens at June 11, 2022 03:12 PM (t/4Zp)

80 While working at Princeton University on a carpentry job I saw black squirrels and was informed they were brought over from England to please the founders of the college in the day...

Posted by: commentor what bought a F'n shirt in 2006 at June 11, 2022 03:13 PM (0CF1W)

81 We've had days of good hard rains followed by lots of sunshine, so my garden plot is in overdrive. It's astounding how my little seed-grown mater plants are now triffids. I've trimmed back some of the foliage to let some air circulate (yes, I overplanted).

I had good luck with my seeds from Hand Me Down Farms and Baker Creek. I follow Patara at Appalachian Homestead and she's reported very poor germination from some store bought seeds (several folks in the comments said they've also experienced poor seed germination). Anybody else? Is this yet another grim milestone from the Usurper?

Another reason to be a seed saver.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 11, 2022 03:17 PM (Dc2NZ)

82 >>> While working at Princeton University on a carpentry job I saw black squirrels and was informed they were brought over from England to please the founders of the college in the day...
Posted by: commentor what bought a F'n shirt in 2006 at June 11, 2022 03:13 PM (0CF1W)

To this day tiny little sharks still follow the route of the squirrel trade ships.

Posted by: Zombie John Lewis at June 11, 2022 03:18 PM (t/4Zp)

83 59 the scariest thing I ever found turning up rocks over there was a giant Texas Centipede (picture at this link)
---

Pffft. Hawaiian centipedes get to be a foot long. And they always seem to operate in pairs.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 11, 2022 03:20 PM (Dc2NZ)

84 Love Rodent's violas. Rodent the Moron. Not the other rodents.

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 03:25 PM (rrtZS)

85 Totally forgot, repaired my original wheelbarrow with 2x4 and wheel from a broken one found in dumpster.

Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 03:27 PM (2JoB8)

86 kallisto at June 11, 2022 01:50 PM

Agastache is often a short-lived perennial. It's a good idea to take cuttings after a couple of years. I think this is especially true of the desert types.

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 03:27 PM (rrtZS)

87 Thanks for posting my pics, KT! It's a lot of work to keep up with this yard.

Posted by: Halfhand at June 11, 2022 03:29 PM (twkq4)

88 Anthozoa fossil?

Thanks for posting the squirrel pic, KT. She built a drey in the maple tree and kept her litter there. When she abandoned them last month, they hung around together for a time. Some of them had the instinct to freshen it with more thatch. It was kind of fun to watch them gather together when not all of them could fit. The bigger ones spent the night stretched out nearby.

They've moved on since then, but the darn chipmunks are everywhere. They are territorial, but there are so many of them, it seems there's always a fight.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 11, 2022 03:32 PM (/+bwe)

89 82 >>> While working at Princeton University on a carpentry job I saw black squirrels and was informed they were brought over from England to please the founders of the college in the day...
Posted by: commentor what bought a F'n shirt in 2006 at June 11, 2022 03:13 PM

They are merely black variants of American squirrels. The Eastern gray squirrels can be gray, brown or black. Some of the black ones around here had rusty brown tails, but I haven't seen that particular variation in a while.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 11, 2022 03:39 PM (/+bwe)

90 Not-so-fun aside: Some European idiots imported our Eastern grey squirrels, which exploded in population and pushed the native red squirrel into a decline The solution was to re-introduce pine martens (do click on the link: it has gifs!)

https://tinyurl.com/mptjsk3j

The only drawback is that pine martens don't like urban areas.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 11, 2022 03:44 PM (/+bwe)

91 nood

pets

Posted by: banana Dream at June 11, 2022 03:48 PM (t/4Zp)

92 Halfhand at June 11, 2022 03:29 PM

It looks like a lot of work! But it's gorgeous. Love the snapdragon bed also. Not as majestic as the rhododendrons, but cheerful and fun!

Posted by: KT at June 11, 2022 03:50 PM (rrtZS)

93 85 Totally forgot, repaired my original wheelbarrow with 2x4 and wheel from a broken one found in dumpster.
Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 03:27 PM

Good job! I can't believe the prices on the flimsy ones I looked at.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 11, 2022 03:54 PM (/+bwe)

94 I planted almost 50 tomato plants in the past week (mostly Rutgers, San Marzano, Black Strawberry and Terra Cotta, but also a few Big Beef, Better Boy and assorted others). My corn transplants are doing very well.

Publius has sown more corn, peas, beans and okra. He also sowed a few dozen hills of cucurbita (squash, zucchini and cukes) since my transplants didn't make it. Lesson learned. I tried to get a head start since the garden wasn't plowed until May this year.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at June 11, 2022 04:02 PM (Mzdiz)

95 Voles wreaked havoc on my perennials in Sweden. We got one of those vibrating stakes that seem to annoy them, so they relocate. It was really bad only that first year, and I haven't seen them do anything in my flower beds here in SC. Maybe because the house is at the edge of a field, and they have enough distractions, what with the cats killing everything within reach.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at June 11, 2022 04:05 PM (Mzdiz)

96 "I am experiencing a drastically reduction in deer damage. Helping coyotes are on the job"

Last year, I had trouble with rabbits. This year, no rabbits at all. I did see a fox in the garden, however, so it's likely that Peter et al. are now inside Red.

Posted by: Nemo at June 11, 2022 04:14 PM (S6ArX)

97 Just greased up all three of my wheelbarrows, cart maybe tomorrow. Can't believe how wel, they roll now.

Posted by: Skip at June 11, 2022 04:41 PM (2JoB8)

98 From Boise area:
Dear Horde,
Husband and I have spent yesterday and today running some shooting matches. We spent a total of 11.5 hours on it yesterday, 8.5 hours today, and ran both days on not enough sleep. I would consider posting about the garden tomorrow but there's supposed to be a thunderstorm. And I'll be unable to post for a while. If I can get outside this evening I may post if there's anything really significant, otherwise I'll get back to you when I can.

Stay Ungovernable out there!

-The Famous Pat*

Posted by: Pat* at June 11, 2022 09:05 PM (2pX/F)

99 Posted by: Tom Servo at June 11, 2022 02:32 PM

-------

More like H.P. Lovecraft. Perhaps larval shoggoths.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

Posted by: Pat*''s Hubby at June 11, 2022 09:17 PM (2pX/F)

100 I feel for rodent damage - pretty much wiped out my raised asparagus bed. The spring in the midwest was cold and wet too, but June has brought more sun - with 90's forecast for next week.

We've been picking strawberries like crazy. Leaf lettuce has been especially good. Tomatoes will love the heat. Everything is a bit late, but I think we will end up ok.

Posted by: Black JEM at June 11, 2022 11:03 PM (LyTO1)

101 Fossil looks like a crinoid.

Posted by: Sean Ferrell at June 12, 2022 03:50 PM (cn+fK)

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