Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, June 18

Summer is coming! Are you ready? Neal in Israel says his Amaryllis were not so great this year. I think they look wonderful. There are some similar to the striped ones just fading in the north planting bed in front of a little church near us.

Edible Gardening

Also from Neal in Israel

Where olives come from

How many members of The Horde have an olive tree?

Where mangoes come from

How many members of The Horde have a mango tree?

Wildflower Adventure in the Woods

Spring is almost over, and I have missed some of Kindltot's spring wildflowers! If it's hot where you are, a nice reminder:

White Trilliums are blooming, and the Lambs' Tongues too.

The thing that surprised me was that I found a Calypso orchid blooming too. Oregon has an amazing number of boring orchids, they are generally tiny boring white or green flowers, but the Calypso is the pretty one. It is tiny, the flower stem is about as long as my middle finger.

Also the big leaf maples are blooming and spraying pollen all over everything and when that washes off the pine trees will start. Then the grass seed fields will start blowing pollen too.

The red leaves are poison oak. It is so cute when the leaves are small like that, This is the season it starts really being sappy and is extra nasty on your skin.

Problematic Plants of the Week

From Kindltot's lovely photo above, Poison Oak and Poison Ivy.

Bird Dog at Maggie's Farm has some recommendations: Let's celebrate poison ivy! Not by playing in it! He recommends Dawn dishwashing liquid for washing skin after a hike.

And More on poison ivy (and poison oak).

A sign to deter trespassers at the link. Heh.

I react to Poison Ivy, but manageably. Mrs. BD reacts with hives if she gets near it. (Poison Oak is a southeastern US thing and I don't think I have seen it.)

Cape Cod is full of Poison Ivy the second you get off a trail. We found a solution for her. After a hike, wash her legs with Dawn or some other dish detergent. Then use this magic stuff.

It saves a trip to the ER to get steroids.

Any experiences/recommendations for poison ivy or poison oak?

When Wildlife Adventures Come to You

K.T.,

Here are some of my vulture pictures attached. I already know the
window, patio door and screen door need to be cleaned. I was told.

Background:

We have had vultures perch on our roof ridge line for years. We have
good winds here. This year some took to being on the deck railing. Up
to six were looking in on my wife eating breakfast. No worries, right?
They are hard to catch on camera, as I make them soar off if spotted. I
like that new skill set.

The bird with the wing spread and exalting was just after presumed
vulture sex, as I watched a courtship display, then mounting, and a
short time later I took this picture.

Finally, thank you so much for your garden thread, the most sacrosanct thread on the blog (yes, I was the one to say that), and your
heart-warming pet thread.

Maybe the turkey vultures consider my wife their pet?

Have a wonderful day, with good stuff growing and weeds dying of
despair.

Ciao, NaCly Dog. Or as Anna Puma says, Salty Dawg. Must be a SEC thing.

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 11, featuring magnificent gardens in the Oregon and New Hampshire, pears and strawberries starting up in Wisconsin, squirrels, voles and exotic rock samples.

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 03:02 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Up on roof again

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 01:32 PM (2JoB8)

2 Courtship, not courtyard.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:34 PM (u82oZ)

3 I guess now I've seen it all.

Post-coitus vultures.

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:35 PM (DJFLF)

4 Still nodded
Puttering doing shingle repairs, 2 today so far not sure going g to do last 2 that are not critical

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 01:36 PM (2JoB8)

5 NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:34 PM

Fixed it. Wonder if Google changed it?

Posted by: KT at June 18, 2022 01:37 PM (rrtZS)

6 And if I had my phone last trip up the Broad Wing Hawk was no 30 feet away on a branch beside me

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 01:37 PM (2JoB8)

7 The comparison between the oak and the poison oak is useful.

Posted by: KT at June 18, 2022 01:38 PM (rrtZS)

8 KT

Thanks. And I don't care what Google does. They could EABOD, but they would like that. Except the women on the team.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:39 PM (u82oZ)

9 My bird story is a little more charming and a lot less sexy.

Last eve I saw my first Eastern Bluebird ever...except it was the female, not the brightly colored male. But it's a start!

The BF had told me he was seeing lots of bluebirds in his back yard, and I couldn't understand it because he has none of those nesting boxes in the tall grassy fields that one sees in these parts. Yesterday, he called to me because there was a bluebird pair in the birdhouse he'd installed in the front yard. And sure enough, there was.

I learned from youtube that the little blue darlings like to nest in tree cavities carved out by woodpeckers, so that would explain why he is seeing them in the back. (His house backs up to the woods.) So now my objective is to see the daddy of the family because I've never witnessed one IRL.

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:39 PM (DJFLF)

10 hiya

Posted by: JT at June 18, 2022 01:40 PM (arJlL)

11 Wife has a 5gal? pot w/lotus, water lillies and tadpoles...she's working on relocating the tadpoles.

Posted by: BignJames at June 18, 2022 01:40 PM (AwYPR)

12 Bluebirds have a pretty song.

Posted by: davidt at June 18, 2022 01:40 PM (NqOsP)

13 I don't think I would want to be a pet to a flock of vultures.

Posted by: KT at June 18, 2022 01:41 PM (rrtZS)

14 Hiya, JT

Posted by: KT at June 18, 2022 01:42 PM (rrtZS)

15 Any experiences/recommendations for poison ivy or poison oak?
-----
Mix salt, vinegar and Dawn dish soap and scrub the daylights out of it. Pack it with salt and wrap it with an Ace bandage. This is for bad cases of it but it works.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 01:42 PM (+ya+t)

16 KT

4 days to strip a large deer to bones. Nature's recyclers.

My wife ignores the vultures. So not a pet.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:43 PM (u82oZ)

17 We have some Amaryllis in the front yard that Mr Arthur planted 3-4 years ago.
They are only in bloom for 2-3 weeks a year and are appreciated for their short appearance.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at June 18, 2022 01:44 PM (vuisn)

18 Beautiful pictures, KT. Nice to have with my lunch tortilla at work. Sshhhh.

Posted by: Eromero at June 18, 2022 01:44 PM (gktX6)

19 Poison oak, pure misery.
Right up there with shingles... maybe childbirth.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at June 18, 2022 01:45 PM (jTmQV)

20 I wish I had an olive tree. Still experimenting curing them.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 01:46 PM (+ya+t)

21 Leaves of Three, let them be.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:46 PM (u82oZ)

22 Mix salt, vinegar and Dawn dish soap and scrub the daylights out of it.

Dawn dish soap. What can't it do?

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:47 PM (DJFLF)

23 Not to be that guy, but birds do not have sex. There's no "mounting" and they only do it in nests. It's mechanically very similar to fish.

Posted by: Ian S. at June 18, 2022 01:47 PM (1TuZk)

24 Leaves of four, eat with SMOREs.

Posted by: Eromero at June 18, 2022 01:48 PM (gktX6)

25 Locally all I'm doing is trimming off the brown and dying parts. Although we've had some late moisture, it isn't enough. All the grass is dead, some CA poppies are toughing it out. The succulents are hanging on. I do what I can for them.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at June 18, 2022 01:48 PM (jTmQV)

26 Good morning and thanks for the Gardening Thread KT!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 01:49 PM (j0JO3)

27 Ian S.

I saw something. Trying to research Turkey Vulture sex was surpassingly difficult.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:49 PM (u82oZ)

28 And the other day took scraps out to compost bin and jumped when a 2 foot Garder snake was in it under the plastic covering it. Ran back to get phone but was gone

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 01:49 PM (2JoB8)

29 Leaves of Three, let them be.
-----
Unless you walk off the golf course to take a pee in shorts.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 01:49 PM (+ya+t)

30 Kallisto, we have bluebirds all over the place here. I love them. Beautiful little birdies.

Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:50 PM (aeePL)

31 Does bicycling count as puttering?

Posted by: Joe 'Ouch' Biden at June 18, 2022 01:50 PM (NqOsP)

32 Shingles are not so bad as long as you have extra and know what your doing.

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 01:50 PM (2JoB8)

33 Neal in Israel always sends such beautiful pictures. What a great garden.

Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (aeePL)

34 Vultures, ravens, Harris Hawks, dove, and quail coveys this week.
I think I need to pull some pics off the camera and send them in to KT.

A bit warm during the week and as I type I just heard the 1st boom of thunder.
Yea, bring on the monsoon!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (j0JO3)

35 I built a bluebird house in shop class. Didn't know what made it so specially for them in particular -- it was just a little taller than a standard tree-mounted birdhouse.
But lo and behold, bluebirds happily nested in it for several years before it eventually rotted and squirrels chewed it up.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (vuisn)

36 Have a great rest of the day, everyone.

May your flowers look as nice at K.T.'s display.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (u82oZ)

37 And Salty, thank you for not sending in turkey vulture pron pics.

Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (aeePL)

38 Hiya KT !

Posted by: JT at June 18, 2022 01:52 PM (arJlL)

39 Kallisto, tell your boyfriend to be sure to clean out the birdhouse after the baby bluebirds fledge. Then he might get another nesting pair.

Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:53 PM (aeePL)

40 Not to be that guy, but birds do not have sex. There's no "mounting" and they only do it in nests. It's mechanically very similar to fish.
Posted by: Ian S

Nope, quail and dove do the 'mounting' thing around the yard. The season just ended so we have a lot of coveys.
They don't build a nest until they need one (eggs on the way).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 01:54 PM (j0JO3)

41 How many members of The Horde have an olive tree?


I do not, however the fam in Italy has them. My aunt used to sell olive oil from them. But she's no longer with us.

I have no idea what will happen with the olive grove.

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:55 PM (DJFLF)

42
I bought two strawberry plants at Lowe's a couple of weeks ago. From the number of 'runners' these guys have sent out already I should have at least eight plants next year. So, if I spent $10.00 on two plants but net eight, it puts the cost per plant at a little more than a dollar.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at June 18, 2022 01:55 PM (dQvv7)

43 Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:53 PM (aeePL)

He's meticulous about that. The bluebirds wouldn't have nested there if he hadn't cleaned it out from the wrens that usually brood there.

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:56 PM (DJFLF)

44 The most erotic garden thread in AoSHQ history.

Posted by: banana Dream at June 18, 2022 01:56 PM (0fVbu)

45 I really like the sound of mourning doves but have never been able to find where they nest.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 01:57 PM (+ya+t)

46 bluebell @ 37-
I bet they they puke afterwards instead of having a smoke.

Posted by: Eromero at June 18, 2022 01:58 PM (gktX6)

47
I half expected the vulture in the post-coitus picture to be smoking a cigarette with a balloon "Was it good for you, too?"

Posted by: Divide by Zero at June 18, 2022 01:58 PM (dQvv7)

48 30 Kallisto, we have bluebirds all over the place here. I love them. Beautiful little birdies.

Posted by: bluebell at June 18, 2022 01:50 PM (aeePL)

You're so lucky! I just think they're special and am excited at the chance to finally see one in their natural environment.

I was almost as excited when the BF returned the two tupperware dishes I'd sent over food in. I was only expecting one!

(I have no life).

Posted by: kallisto at June 18, 2022 01:59 PM (DJFLF)

49 Leaves of seven, I'll look for a job tomorrow, ma, I promise.

Posted by: That 80s Public Service Ad at June 18, 2022 01:59 PM (KFhLj)

50 So, last week, I said I'd get some pictures of the alien tentacle plants of the desert where we live, as they look really cool when they're in bloom.

And, of course, those plants are no longer in bloom.

Sigh.

Next spring, hopefully,

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (5pTK/) at June 18, 2022 02:01 PM (5pTK/)

51 I really like the sound of mourning doves but have never been able to find where they nest.
Posted by: dartist

Every and any flat spot more than 4 feet off the ground as far as I can tell.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 02:02 PM (/NKts)

52 Alien tentacle plants, don't turn your back to them.

Posted by: Eromero at June 18, 2022 02:03 PM (gktX6)

53 Olive not allowed in southern Nevada.
I've sprouted many a mango seed only to have it die after growing about 2feet. The heat is just too much. I may try it indoors this year.

Posted by: Mitch probably at June 18, 2022 02:04 PM (zMYGS)

54 Every and any flat spot more than 4 feet off the ground as far as I can tell.
-----
I wish raccoons were that easy to get at by predators.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 02:06 PM (+ya+t)

55 40 Not to be that guy, but birds do not have sex. There's no "mounting" and they only do it in nests. It's mechanically very similar to fish.
Posted by: Ian S

Nope, quail and dove do the 'mounting' thing around the yard. The season just ended so we have a lot of coveys.
They don't build a nest until they need one (eggs on the way).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 01:54 PM (j0JO3)

++++

A couple weeks ago I was sitting in my son's backyard. Up on a a cable two birds were having sex. The male would mount the female for a few seconds from behind, fly up, she would move down the cable a couple feet, he would return to her and mount her again. They did this action about six times. I am no good at identifying birds without a book,but they looked like about the size of a wren or a sparrow.

Posted by: washrivergal at June 18, 2022 02:07 PM (7G3Ae)

56
For the first year in decades I have day lilies that the deer have not eaten. I suspect the Covid did a number on the herd as reports I read said somewhere around 50% of deer tested in this state had antibodies.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at June 18, 2022 02:07 PM (dQvv7)

57 I have old olive trees here and an old olive mill/press thing that was the Hollisters of the Hollister Ranch. The historical society of Santa Barbara wants it.

I also have a ton of poison oak. One plant in the trees is so big it's like a tree. I just don't walk in there. I know where all the poison oak is around my house and the toughest thing is keeping kids from walking through it. They always take off in the trees right for it.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 18, 2022 02:10 PM (wRauk)

58 I've been container gardening for my veggies this year. So far , so good. I been growing my lettuce in the plastic things you put under pots for drainage. They love it.
I cut three holes in the top and bottom of a soil bag and planted my cucumber seeds
They are roaring.
Any tips?

This old bod can't bend down much anymore for weeding.

Posted by: mpfs at June 18, 2022 02:11 PM (R8uWY)

59 I have old olive trees here and an old olive mill/press thing that was the Hollisters of the Hollister Ranch. The historical society of Santa Barbara wants it.
Posted by: CaliGirl

That's very cool!
Did you ever attempt to use it and press the olives for oil?

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 02:14 PM (/NKts)

60 Well, AZ deplorable beat me to it. The doves love sitting on my brick fence, cooing the day away. If they aren't mounting then it must be leapfrog. We have two dove hunting seasons each year. All the Californian hunters show up for the weekend in camo, hunt early, then off to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Think they love playing outdoorsman.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at June 18, 2022 02:15 PM (0mgRU)

61 Garden has some tomatoes and peppers started, many have buds , lots of hope will be a good year

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 02:15 PM (2JoB8)

62 If you've never seen modern olive harvesting, it's kind of fun.
First, tarps are laid under the tree. Then a modified tractor comes over, grasps the tree and shakes it, a good vibration, maybe 100rpm and the olives come down.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at June 18, 2022 02:15 PM (jTmQV)

63 My bike has a flat, going to see if can figure out where

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 02:17 PM (2JoB8)

64 Cali girl,
I lived in Ventura/Oxnard years ago.
It was a joy to garden there. Just plant whatever and it grew. I miss it. The soul was incredible.

As for the SB historical society. If the want it make them pay for it. They have the $$$.

Posted by: mpfs at June 18, 2022 02:18 PM (R8uWY)

65 Soul = soil

Posted by: mpfs at June 18, 2022 02:19 PM (R8uWY)

66 My niece called me yesterday and asked about my dehydrator as a present for her dads bday. Reminded me of all the things it can do besides jerky, including everything from the garden and fruit roll ups for the kids. Maybe he'll finally retire.

Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 02:19 PM (+ya+t)

67 66 My niece called me yesterday and asked about my dehydrator as a present for her dads bday. Reminded me of all the things it can do besides jerky, including everything from the garden and fruit roll ups for the kids. Maybe he'll finally retire.
Posted by: dartist at June 18, 2022 02:19 PM (+ya+t)

I've seen dehydrated fruit used as garnish in drinks. It looks really pretty.

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 18, 2022 02:23 PM (wRauk)

68 nood


Ace


Fall

Posted by: banana Dream at June 18, 2022 02:25 PM (0fVbu)

69 I was riding along in NH a few years back and saw what looked like two black plastic trash bags swirling in the wind up ahead. As I got closer, it was two vultures doing some kinda courtship dance. They're kinda ugly up close, but in the same way turkeys are, so I'm okay with them.

Posted by: normal at June 18, 2022 02:25 PM (obo9H)

70 Found the leak, wonder if can be patched

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 02:28 PM (2JoB8)

71 Found the leak, wonder if can be patched
Posted by: Skip

They sell those old vulcanizing patches, they worked a treat when I was a kid.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 18, 2022 02:34 PM (/NKts)

72 We had a lot of vultures (both black and turkey) at our old house. Mostly black vultures here. They perch on our chimney cap and drive the dog insane. She will bark at them incessantly until I chase them off. Then she prances around the yard so happy at her success in repelling the airborne invaders.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at June 18, 2022 02:43 PM (fTtFy)

73 Deck thermometer reads 66 degrees

Posted by: Skip at June 18, 2022 02:49 PM (2JoB8)

74 We had super low tides this last week.

I saw tons of sea stars and sea cucumbers and anenomes. Geoducks were showing their siphons, flopped over on the sand. Clams would squirt you as you walked over them. There were crabs and worms everywhere under the rocks. We had the lowest tides since 2009. It was really incredible.

The Seattle Aquarium had some naturalists out walking around and answering questions and they had a gaggle of kids following them around.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 18, 2022 03:01 PM (U2p+3)

75 Poison oak. It's an oil that irritates your skin. When you use soap to remove it, use COLD water! Warm water will make it penetrate your pores.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at June 18, 2022 03:05 PM (YynYJ)

76 35 I built a bluebird house in shop class. Didn't know what made it so specially for them in particular -- it was just a little taller than a standard tree-mounted birdhouse.
But lo and behold, bluebirds happily nested in it for several years before it eventually rotted and squirrels chewed it up.
Posted by: Dr. Varno at June 18, 2022 01:51 PM (vuisn)

I probably need to look up the dimensions for a bluebird house. We've had several in the backyard over the years. One big factor is always the size of the entrance hole.

In the meantime, my Carolina Wrens are back. Looks like we've got at least 2 families this year. Although one pair is nesting right outside my bedroom window, so as soon as the sun peaks over the horizon, the male is "joyfully" announcing his presence (at 6:00 on a weekend) every couple minutes....hrrmmmmm.

-SLV

Posted by: Shy Lurking Voter at June 18, 2022 03:32 PM (SEa82)

77 PET NOOD

Posted by: Skip's phone at June 18, 2022 03:33 PM (2JoB8)

78 If it hasn't been mentioned, Zanfel is the best thing in the world if you get a poison ivy rash. One of the many things I have learned here.

Posted by: fd at June 18, 2022 04:08 PM (vrz2I)

79 I don't think Bluebirds are that picky. We have birdhouses that look like a boot and a hat and they nest in those.

Posted by: fd at June 18, 2022 04:09 PM (vrz2I)

80 I react very badly to PI. I would like to eradicate it in the areas where I would like to walk.

It's one thing to wash yourself assuming that you've been exposed, but not on a daily basis. We have a lot of undergrowth near buildings and in the woods, and I want to enjoy the property, not be leery of it.

Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at June 18, 2022 04:13 PM (Mzdiz)

81 Beautiful Amaryllis from Neal in Israel. Love the color.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at June 18, 2022 04:21 PM (0mgRU)

82 I really don't catch poison oak *cross fingers* any more, but I know people who use babywipes out in the field, they say to wipe down every half hour or so.
Baby wipes are made to remove oils.
I also use the goo out of benedryl gelcaps if I get a rash, that seems to quiet it down

Posted by: Kindltot at June 18, 2022 04:54 PM (xhaym)

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