Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Sept. 9

Tiger Swallowtail

Greetings, everybody! Don in Kansas took some great end-of-summer photos last month:

Recent snapshots, mainly of aerialists: Butterflies are plentiful right now. Here are some I spotted in gardens and fields around town.

Swallowtail caterpillar on parsley

Not a Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar.

Buckeye

One of my childhood favorites

Gulf Fritillary

The gulf fritillary supposedly is found mainly in Texas, Florida and the other southeastern states, and it's usually not included in lists of Kansas butterflies. However, it's common here, too.

It has to migrate for the summer, as it can't survive cold weather. They tend to be bolder around people than many butterflies. Great photos.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

From an aunt, Jonathan apples for pie:

Here's a recipe for Easy Apple Pie, with more apple recommendations. Do you have a favorite?

There are some new varieties now that I haven't tried, either fresh or for cooking.

Our selection for growing apple trees is limited here due to hot summers and limited winter chill.

Interesting facts about asparagus reproduction, though they overlap with current events.

Ah, Nature

Alpine Plants

Easy Alpines for the Rock Garden ~ Hepatica.

Today, we'll share with you two beautiful & easy plants for the rock & woodland garden: Hepatica nobilis 'Apple Blossom' & a pink form of Hepatica x schlyteri.

Hepaticas are good plants for a rock garden or woodland area. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/akyyHt6PZD
— Alpine Garden Society (@AlpineGardenSoc) September 7, 2023

Puttering

Adventure

A niece and her family recently rented a big condo on the shore of Bear Lake for a vacation.

Bear Lake is a big lake on the Utah/Idaho border. It is 208 feet deep. It took a long time before they found the bottom. The water is pale blue. Some people may find the canyons and other areas around the lake to be more interesting than the lake itself.

Nearby Garden City is famous for big raspberries.

Gardens of The Horde

From Don in Kansas again. He has great information on growing other flowers at the link at the top of the post.

Lilium speciosum rubrum 'Uchida'

The first lily opened at the end of May. The last one is still blooming, over two and a half months later.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

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? Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Sept. 2

Any thoughts or questions?

I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:22 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Butterflies, now that's just beautiful! Even the caterpillar.

Posted by: Eromero at September 09, 2023 01:28 PM (z3WCn)

2 Preserving and canning season has arrived and I am running out of jars and pantry space. This is a good problem, but it bothers me to no end.

My wife is off to see her childhood friend who has a beauty salon, I sent along tomatoes, chilies, basil, plums, pears, apples, catmint, Marigold flowers, squash, Asian pears, and a couple of ears of Indian corn for decoration.
Her friend has a busy shop and she will probably give lots of it away and give it out at church.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 01:31 PM (xhaym)

3 It seems to be a butterfly time of year around here, too. Though we had a little cloudburst last night.

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 01:31 PM (rrtZS)

4 Don really takes some amazing photos.

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 01:32 PM (rrtZS)

5 Don In Kansas...

Gorgeous photos!

Thank you!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 09, 2023 01:34 PM (lQONO)

6 A small oak tree came down in a thunderstorm yesterday. My garden is poorer one PeeGee hydrangea.

I can't start the chainsaw, so I am not a happy gardener.

Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:34 PM (86W+h)

7 And I know I am kind of boring on the subject, but I bought a brand new in-sink garbage disposal and mated it to a sink in the back yard so I can grind up apples for cider.
It is awesome to use, though it tends to overheat and shut itself off. If I replace it, I will get the one horse power or greater motor.
I used it to grind up pears to press cider from pears last night, and to be honest pear cider is very sweet but lacks the flavors that apple cider has. I will make some more and try making pear vinegar from it. I can see why it is used to make fermented cider and pear brandy, though.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 01:36 PM (xhaym)

8 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Getting lots of tomatoes, lots of green but waiting hot peppers. Just minutes ago one Anaheim pepper was chewed up, suspect crickets, never saw that before.

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 01:37 PM (fwDg9)

9 >>> Don In Kansas...
Gorgeous photos!

Worth repeating.

Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:37 PM (86W+h)

10 Pondering how to turn a old hot water tank into a wood stove

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 01:39 PM (fwDg9)

11 I grew up with an ancient Gravenstein tree in the yard, and it was the best example of that variety I have ever had. I have another, slightly different version of it, and I suspect there is a wee bit of genetic drift from the grafts, though they are about the same age.

I finally got grafts going of both trees, but they are next to each other, and now I have to figure out how to manage the two trees together. I have an apple thicket at the moment.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 01:39 PM (xhaym)

12 >>> And I know I am kind of boring on the subject

Not boring at all

>>> I can see why it is used to make fermented cider and pear brandy,

How much copper tubing does your 'friend' need?

Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:40 PM (86W+h)

13 love those butterflies! I always loved the Swallowtails. A lot of the black ones around here, too.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 09, 2023 01:41 PM (S6gqv)

14 Lovely pictures, Don.

Posted by: huerfano at September 09, 2023 01:45 PM (7zEAH)

15 How much copper tubing does your 'friend' need?
Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:40 PM (86W+h)

Copper tubing is the easy part, and you can get a decent run from minimal equipment. My problem is lack of space and nothing to use as fermenters. I might just do fermented cider with a guy I know who has the set up to brew his own beer. That is a next year thing, though.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 01:45 PM (xhaym)

16 >>> Copper tubing is the easy part, and you can get a decent run from minimal equipment.

I was kidding, but that could be good to know.

We have a crabapple tree that we put in for decoration, but it puts out lots of fruit. A like cider better than I like beer, so I have pondered putting those apples to use.

Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:49 PM (86W+h)

17 Ok, I want this freeze to come quick.

I want all these fricking bugs to die.

Posted by: Werner von Braun at September 09, 2023 02:01 PM (zZu0s)

18 Over the years, the pop up drain emitters have been "sinking" below the turf such where the turf has grown over them and I have to probe the ground to find the downspout drains.

Now that I have dug them up, trying to figure out how best for them to not disappear again.

Posted by: Reuben Hick at September 09, 2023 02:01 PM (p8A+W)

19 If you are looking for types of apples to plant in your climate, or just like looking at fruit, there is a website indexing as many varieties of apples that they can.

Pomiferous.com

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 02:02 PM (xhaym)

20 I made a pear sherry just a couple of times years ago, then farted around for decades trying to found a stand of pear trees to work from. You won't have to worry about further distillation; a sherry yeast that gets going without competition will yield a very strong wine with all the nutlike side flavors of sherry or port. If you're drinking for effect, you can jack the mix with other sugars and their oddities will be covered.

Like any sweet fruit, be wary of wild yeasts early in the process. Homemade vinegar is fine, but there's a limit to how much of it you can find uses for. Requires acetic acid testing.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at September 09, 2023 02:02 PM (4PZHB)

21 We have a crabapple tree that we put in for decoration, but it puts out lots of fruit. A like cider better than I like beer, so I have pondered putting those apples to use.
Posted by: fluffy at September 09, 2023 01:49 PM (86W+h)

I am told that crab apples are wonderful for mixing in with regular apples to give the cider an deeper flavor, if you can find a neighbor with apple trees they often will give you the apples in exchange for you picking them up. (please, come pick mine up for men)
The nice thing about cider is that it really doesn't need the best or prettiest apples. Make sure they are not rotten since that taints the flavor.

There was an old comment I heard once: "Cider is such cruelty to the worms"

Posted by: Kindltot at September 09, 2023 02:06 PM (xhaym)

22 Kindltot,

My friend said they just aren't designed for continuous use. He rigged a foot switch so he could just run it when it had apples. When I posted that, AOP said to also rig a switch to turn it off by hand.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 09, 2023 02:17 PM (ouTlx)

23 There is an orchard in Hood River area that will sell you a bin of cider apples. They sell to the cider places in Portland. This was preCovid but pretty sure the orchard is still in business

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 09, 2023 02:20 PM (ouTlx)

24 https://kiyokawafamilyorchards.com/

Think this is the place.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 09, 2023 02:23 PM (ouTlx)

25
Resurrected and cleaned up a misting attachment for the hose and got it going in the garden. The hummingbirds and dragonflies are making good use of it.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 09, 2023 02:26 PM (MoZTd)

26 The lily's are dramatic, they are mostly Asian, I have a bunch in the yard they got almost 7 feet tall this year.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:29 PM (/BBNv)

27 Right now I took video and people ask What is that intense, piercing buzz, and I have to explain Cicadas!
They are not everywhere and quite regional.
A lot of people have no idea what they even are

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:31 PM (/BBNv)

28 Fort Smith, AR downtown is adorned by some murals, well painted, on the sides of buildings. Most have something to do with Fort Smith's western past but one entails a lot of butterflies, well done. It's on the side of a building housing a bar, and everybody knows what kind of bar it is. Look up Maricon and Mariposa.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at September 09, 2023 02:32 PM (0EOe9)

29 Ooh! Booze fruit! Where humans looked around at God's Creation and said, What I get fucked up on, around here?
The answer being
EVERYTHING

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:35 PM (/BBNv)

30 I need eggplant recipes! I already have a good eggplant parmesan recipe but I'm buried in eggplants because I didn't need to plant so many of them. Newbie Gardener, over and out!

Posted by: Beverly at September 09, 2023 02:38 PM (Epeb0)

31 27 Right now I took video and people ask What is that intense, piercing buzz, and I have to explain Cicadas!
They are not everywhere and quite regional.
A lot of people have no idea what they even are
Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:31 PM (/BBNv)

To be fair, some varieties (most?) are nightmare fuel.

I had one get in an apartment one time that was about the size of my palm. Did not want to have to clean up the guts, so I had to use a giant margarita glass and a clipboard.

I hate bugs.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at September 09, 2023 02:39 PM (zZu0s)

32 Baba Ganoush and hummus. Try those

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 09, 2023 02:41 PM (ouTlx)

33 Honestly I moved to electric chainsaws for minor work years ago. I know, but for real. Plug it it in and Voila. If it's under 3 inches you're fine.
Gas machines are for the bigger stuff and battery chainsaws are for very stupid people.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:41 PM (/BBNv)

34 30 Bev, excess eggplant, zucchini, cukes and 'maters are to be taken to the corner bar and placed in a booth. All the guys down there for two beers and an episode of "The Price is Right" will take some home.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at September 09, 2023 02:41 PM (0EOe9)

35 Cats love cicadas Hissy Fit caught one once and the buzzing and yowling was worthy of a Spanish 1960s horror director.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:43 PM (/BBNv)

36 Jess Franco: CICADA 3

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:44 PM (/BBNv)

37 WI is now at the Zucchini Stage where you don't even leave your sunroof open, you'll get a bag of zucchini.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 02:48 PM (/BBNv)

38 The proudest cat I have ever seen was Wally, AKA Don Magnifico, prancing through the grass with his first cicada trophy. Wasn't the last. Neighbor lady found a few more, neatly placed in a row when she decided to vacuum under the bed.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at September 09, 2023 02:53 PM (0EOe9)

39 Ok, I want this freeze to come quick.

I want all these fricking bugs to die.

Posted by: Werner von Braun at September 09, 2023 02:01 PM (zZu0s)

That's the upside to cold weather! Which I am not a fan of. But I need a break from garden pressure.

In about 5 months it's all going to begin again...

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at September 09, 2023 02:59 PM (Mzdiz)

40 Have a plan to cut tank down about 2/3, maybe not at all, cut a square out, hinge it and put a handle on it. And have a grill slightly smaller so could bend tabs on top inward or bolt through to keep grill from falling in.
Use it to burn up sticks laying around, emergency stove too.

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 03:01 PM (fwDg9)

41 23 There is an orchard in Hood River area that will sell you a bin of cider apples...

Speaking of Hood River, saw a video by Blancolirio on the Western Antique Aviation Museum there, and it looks amazing! And of course there's McMinnville, with the Spruce Goose and a lot more!

Went to the latter museum for the first time many years ago, totally unplanned. Turned out I only had enough money in my jeans to get me in, and nobody else in the family, AND that had to also get us home to WA. So the young lady sez "You a veteran?".

As I was, she then sez "Vets and their families are free on Wednesdays!" Her boss at the other end of the counter just looked away and got busy elsewhere. Cute kid, and kind.

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at September 09, 2023 03:01 PM (8Ta2Y)

42 The proudest cat I have ever seen was Wally, AKA Don Magnifico, prancing through the grass with his first cicada trophy. Wasn't the last. Neighbor lady found a few more, neatly placed in a row when she decided to vacuum under the bed.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at September 09, 2023 02:53 PM (0EOe9)

The victims of our three cats are never laid out nicely. It's a bloody mess of mice, chipmunks, frogs, cicadas and grasshoppers here on the back porch.

I may not be around - people are coming by bringing funeral food etc. Please pray that Publius' mama is not so sore for the funeral on Monday (she had a fall on Thursday and bunged up her back).

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at September 09, 2023 03:03 PM (Mzdiz)

43 Most excess squash variants can be sliced up and sauteed and or fried.
I cannot stand boiled squash variants I would genuinely have to be starving to death to choke that down and it's what most of one half of the Fam would do. Feed that to the pigs.
But if you put it in a pan and bread it, it's not only edible it's quite good.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:03 PM (/BBNv)

44 I love the butterfly photos. They are beautiful.

I keep seeing a big butterfly or moth that acts like a hummingbird. When it was hot and humid I found 4 of them dead on the ground. They were really pretty. There was one yesterday eating the hummingbird food.

Posted by: CaliGirl at September 09, 2023 03:04 PM (Br8mK)

45 Even more beautiful than the butterflies are Luna Moths,
they are quite spectacular under a full moon, late at night.

Happy Gardening....

Posted by: Mister Ghost at September 09, 2023 03:06 PM (TGPs7)

46 I had a seed pod on one of my amaryllises and it opened last week. There were about 20 or so black seeds and I put them in some soil.
I watched a video and you can pollinate the flowers. It showed the seed pod and said you have to wait until fall and the seed pod will dry out and open. When I think of fall I think Nov. not August. I wasn't prepared for that.
Fingers crossed I get some new flowers.

Posted by: CaliGirl at September 09, 2023 03:09 PM (Br8mK)

47 Ray Van Dune @ 41-
That's the coolest thing.

Posted by: Eromero at September 09, 2023 03:11 PM (z3WCn)

48 Bev, I have been making a great pasta dish with eggplant. Peel and slice eggplant, brush with oil, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant in a 375 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown, flip it so both sides get golden brown. Cube it. Brown sausage in a pan, when cooked through add granulated garlic, crushed red chili pepper flakes (I use a lot because I like spicy) a can of crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and let that simmer for about 15 minutes, finish it off with a splash of heavy cream, maybe a little more than a splash and then add in the cubed eggplant. Serve over pappardelle noodles or any other pasta you prefer. Really delicious.

Posted by: WeeKreekFarmGirl at September 09, 2023 03:13 PM (u7LzX)

49 I got a seed pod on an amaryllis back in 2019. Do you think the seeds are still viable? They've been stored cool and dark.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at September 09, 2023 03:14 PM (Mzdiz)

50 I've been puttering along the Umpqua River on my motorcycle for a while. Now I'm taking a lunch break before heading back home. Hope everyone is having a good Saturday.

Posted by: PabloD at September 09, 2023 03:14 PM (4+nRb)

51 Miley planted dill seeds I think were years old and many sprouted, the rabbit did its part long after coming up but sure yours will sprout

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 03:17 PM (fwDg9)

52 Seed pods can last eons. Worth a try.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:18 PM (/BBNv)

53 Moth that acts like a hummingbird- might be a Hawk Moth. I have some datura/moonflower - big beautiful white flowers that open at night - and Hawk Moths love those. They have this incredibly long proboscis that unrolls to get into the flower.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 09, 2023 03:22 PM (8huF7)

54 Now I need to get rid of the insistent mouse that seems to think my car is it's home. It's trying to build a nest on the valve cover and on the drive to work popped out of the hood/windshield gap and started running around.
I wonder if the dash cam caught it.

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:22 PM (/BBNv)

55 Nobody has bats? I have aerial flotillas of them, little browns, big browns
But there is a river nearby

Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:24 PM (/BBNv)

56 LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:22 PM

We had a rodent chew through the wiring on one of our vehicles. Had to deploy rat poison.

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 03:26 PM (rrtZS)

57 I would see bars if they came out before my bed time, just no idea where they live

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 03:27 PM (fwDg9)

58 Miley, okravangelist at September 09, 2023 03:14 PM

Regular amaryllis seed sprouts quickly when fresh. May need to be filed or soaked in warm water with a couple of drops of peroxide when old.

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 03:28 PM (rrtZS)

59 Good afternoon, horde.

Kindletot, I have to thank you again for suggesting the crock pot to simmer my tomato sauce. What an easy way to cook it down! Next morning it was perfect thickness.

I was unhappy with the taste of my pizza sauce, though. Not sure if I had too many not-super-ripe tomatoes in there, or old spices, or what, but it's just not quite there.

I picked another giant bucket full of tomatoes today, and I'll make sure they get good and ripe this week, then I'll make plain sauce with them and can that.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at September 09, 2023 03:30 PM (OX9vb)

60 Bats you stupid phone

Posted by: Skip at September 09, 2023 03:32 PM (fwDg9)

61 Beverly at September 09, 2023 02:38 PM

Try Moussaka. You can use all eggplant, combine eggplant and zucchini or eggplant and potatoes (I've never tried the last one).

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 03:32 PM (rrtZS)

62 Kindltot at September 09, 2023 02:06 PM

Not all crabapples taste the same. There are crabapples bred for eating. I really like some of them that have some zip.

And some of the bitter ones are used like hops along with sweet apples in cider.

Gotta taste them.

Posted by: KT at September 09, 2023 03:34 PM (rrtZS)

63 55 Nobody has bats? I have aerial flotillas of them, little browns, big browns
But there is a river nearby
Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:24 PM (/BBNv)

Oh, yeah, we have bats. Kitty catches one once in a while. I live in a very old house, so they find ways in.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at September 09, 2023 03:34 PM (OX9vb)

64 I did can my jalapenos today. Eight half-pints, which will easily last me until next summer's harvest.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at September 09, 2023 03:37 PM (OX9vb)

65 55 Nobody has bats? I have aerial flotillas of them, little browns, big browns
But there is a river nearby
Posted by: LenNeal at September 09, 2023 03:24 PM (/BBNv)

Oh I have bats, there is one on my front porch hanging from the window frame as we speak. If I walk outside as it's getting light they hit me in the head.

Posted by: CaliGirl at September 09, 2023 03:41 PM (Br8mK)

66 Cats for bats?

Gracias.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at September 09, 2023 03:43 PM (zZu0s)

67 hiya

Posted by: JT at September 09, 2023 03:50 PM (T4tVD)

68 It has begun to rain here.

HEAVY thunder !

Posted by: JT at September 09, 2023 03:50 PM (T4tVD)

69 Thank you for the generous words, everyone.

Posted by: Don at September 09, 2023 04:34 PM (tnIBS)

70 I see bats every night (East Texas) I even found some living in my eaves during a repair project a couple years ago. They were very small, went in and out through a hole about 1 inch across. I don't mind them, I love the work they do.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 09, 2023 04:41 PM (8huF7)

71 We can’t get Jonathan apples here anywhere. I would pay someone for 5 pounds and shipping if you were willing to do that for me? They make the best pies…

Posted by: Nan in cool AZ at September 09, 2023 04:44 PM (Qq5Rf)

72 From Boise area: Lows 57-63 F, highs 72 at week's start to 88 now. Rain on Sunday.

We canned 5 pints of three-bean salad (our green beans) - 7 half-pints of chokecherry jelly (our chokecherries) - and 4 quarts of peach pie filling (our peaches - leftover fruit pieces went into tonight's tarts, and we'll can the leftover goo as "peach syrup"). The peach tree isn't done yet, so we'll probably end up making jam too.

We've been picking green beans, slicing and paste tomatoes, SunGold cherry tomatoes, and Elberta peaches. Got one ripe cantaloupe. Have only harvested 2 potato bags so far.

We picked up our lamb meat from the butcher - one of our 4-H students sold us her backup lamb.

The Scarlet Sage is finally starting to bloom - hope a late hummingbird will find it. The linden leaves have just started to turn gold, so fall is coming...

The gopher war continues. We hired Mercenaries (professionals).

Posted by: Pat* at September 09, 2023 06:21 PM (nBCCV)

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