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Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Sept. 16

azale closee.jpg

Hi, everybody! Above, a beautiful garden surprise from Sharon(willow's apprentice):

Last fall I bought two beautiful azaleas in full blossom at Home Depot to put in the large planters on my terrace. This spring, the red one was covered in blossoms but the pink one literally had one flower and lots of buds that looked black and crumbled when you touched them. The plant looked healthy though so thought I would keep an eye on it and see what happened. I looked up every azalea disease and couldn't find anything wrong with it.

Well, last week I walked out the door to find the plant with flowers and loaded with buds ready to burst. Turns out it is an Encore Azalea which can bloom several times Spring and Fall. I think I must have failed to keep it watered during a pretty dry winter and that is why it failed to blossom in the spring.

It was like getting a surprise gift from Mother Nature.

bee n flrr.jpg

The purple one which is next to the azalea attracts these bees for the entire time the purple flowers are in blossom. It always seems strange because my terrace is a concrete island surrounded by buildings although there are lots of plantings in the communal space, see birds once in a while but not a lot of insect activity.

azale 1.jpg

Your Azalea is a survivor! I am not used to seeing azaleas bloom this time of year.

And the bee traffic to the purple flowers shows that you have one of those "plants for pollenizers". Great photo.

Anybody want to identify that flower? The bee?

*


Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

In A Guide To The Foods Of Rosh Hashanah, the first foods mentioned are apples and honey, representing a sweet new year.

As we have noted before, choosing a rootstock is as important as choosing your apple variety in many climates.

The socialists at Fedco Seeds have started taking orders for next year, for the tree, shrub and perennial part of their catalog. They are geared to northern climates. As far as apples go, they carry some interesting heritage apples, crab apples for eating (we talked about this last week), interesting apples (Frostbite), storage apples and bitter cider apples.

Probably not the perfect apples for Rosh Hashanah, but we do have some cider makers among us.

"new or back after long absence"

Quince
Saskatoons
'Major Wheeler' Honeysuckle
American Chinquapin
Sweetgum
Northern Pin Oak
'Snake' Willow and Dappled Willow
'Agincourt Beauty' Lilac

New Fruits, Berries, Grapes & Hops!
New Crabs and Roses!
New Heathers and Ericas!
New Daylilies, Irises, Peonies!
More Native Plants!

"Crabs and roses".

I think this is the first I have seen of the 2024 catalogs, except for bulb catalogs. How about you?

They like selling to growers. But they sell to individuals, too.

*

Preparing Beehives for Winter

We have some people out there who have beehives, and some who are thinking about getting them. There are a lot of sources of information on caring for bees. This one is centered in Oregon:

Winter is coming. Our bees may not be headed for an epic battle against white walkers, but the winter months are a terrifying prospect in their own right. Fortunately, honeybees are excellent planners; they have been preparing for this since the end of last winter! The colony's life cycle revolves around two things: swarming (to spread their genetics) and stockpiling enough honey to eat through the longest, coldest nectar dearth of the year.

As beekeepers, our winter preparations generally begin at summer's end as temperatures peak, humidity decreases and the nectar ceases to flow. The build-up period is over, and it is time to winterize and help our bees get ready for the cold months. Everything we do is meant to support what the bees are already doing, keeping in mind that interfering too much can be counter productive.

Here in Oregon, our honey harvest falls at the end of August. The bees have stored about as much as they're going to before winter hits, giving us a chance to evaluate their food stores and decide how much we can responsibly take from them. It is good practice to not harvest from first-year colonies, and for established colonies, the harvest amount will vary by location depending on the length of the winter season. We recommend finding out the general harvest guidelines from experienced beekeepers in your area. . .

HoneyProcessing002.jpg

Local honey is the best.

Just in time for Rosh Hashanah.

Don't steal.

Stealing Apples

Ah, Nature

Should you keep moles in the lawn?

Puttering

Learning to relate to your food:

vegantomato.jpg

*

bell pepper d.jpg

*

cutting bell peppers.jpg

Gardens of The Horde

Anything going on in your garden? Should be cooling down in ours next week.


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. 9


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 01:21 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Yay, pretty flowers!

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 01:31 PM (njWTi)

2 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Hanging a couple LED lights cast off frlm.my dad soon to be moving. So now 1 over outbuilding work table , another in garage over freezer

Posted by: Skip at September 16, 2023 01:35 PM (fwDg9)

3 My garden has been completely destroyed by heat.

Some years it's like this. Ugh.

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 01:36 PM (njWTi)

4 Saw bags of bulbs at Costco the other day. Nice selection and good price.

Wanted soooo badly to buy a few but it's just more w*rk and they'll just die like the all the others. Bah.

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 01:41 PM (njWTi)

5 Stealing Apples...very nice.

Googly eyes? LOL

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 01:42 PM (ynpvh)

6 Now that's finished
Got a handful of chili peppers so maybe make chili tomorrow, getting enough tomatoes but garden by this time only gets a few hours of sun anymore due to trees getting so tall.

Posted by: Skip at September 16, 2023 01:45 PM (fwDg9)

7 Tomato's were just in their prime and the rats came and ate them.... Beautiful heirloom varieties.. garden is surrounded by every kind of trap

Posted by: It's me donna at September 16, 2023 01:49 PM (bs+z0)

8 From Boise area: Lows 52-63, highs 81-91. We canned peach jam and peach pie filling. I'm freezing paste tomatoes, and the occasional ever-bearing strawberry. Husband's picking green beans and a few red raspberries. We continue the Gopher War.

My 'Dwarf Bolero' marigold plants got huge - we keep cut flowers in the house, along with flowers from the black oilseed sunflowers I planted for the birds.

I found a small black snake, possibly 2, next to the marigold/tomato bed, but haven't seen it recently since I pick in the morning, and mornings are getting cooler. Husband found a small toad hiding in the garage, in a box of targets - we put it outside so it wouldn't starve.

Posted by: Pat* at September 16, 2023 01:49 PM (wd7fb)

9 7 Tomato's were just in their prime and the rats came and ate them.... Beautiful heirloom varieties.. garden is surrounded by every kind of trap

Posted by: It's me donna at September 16, 2023 01:49 PM (bs+z0)

You may needs some cats out there

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 01:50 PM (ynpvh)

10 Stealing Apples...very nice.

Googly eyes? LOL
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 01:42 PM (ynpvh)

That was very cool. You don't hear enough vibraphone anymore. Here's Downchild Blues Band with the late Jane Vasey on piano, and the late Peter Appleyard sitting in on vibes. He and Jane trading licks is pretty sweet.

https://youtu.be/cCR1KDxAnZ4

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 01:51 PM (YMhCy)

11 I am averse to moles in the garden because they eat flower bulbs and earthworms. Plus, they don't help with the doctor bill when you sprain your ankle in one of their holes.

Posted by: Emmie at September 16, 2023 01:51 PM (Sf2cq)

12 they'll just die like the all the others. Bah.

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 01:41 PM (njWTi)

Channeling Dildo's black thumb?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 16, 2023 01:51 PM (lQONO)

13 11 I am averse to moles in the garden because they eat flower bulbs and earthworms. Plus, they don't help with the doctor bill when you sprain your ankle in one of their holes.

Posted by: Emmie at September 16, 2023 01:51 PM (Sf2cq)

Them and gophers are 'holes, alright.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 01:52 PM (ynpvh)

14 Not gardening today. Just puttering. Suburban needed an oil change. Mostly done that. Might fire up the weed whacker and knock down a few weeds.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 01:54 PM (YMhCy)

15 All in all not bad growing season here, total drought for over a month but that was before things were growing, rain been plenty since then. If my location had more sun would be better.

Posted by: Skip at September 16, 2023 01:54 PM (fwDg9)

16 Just a brief note: Paxton acquitted on all counts. Remaining 4 counts, which had been held in abeyance, dismissed.

Sorry for polluting the thread with politics.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at September 16, 2023 01:57 PM (uvymP)

17 Sorry for polluting the thread with politics.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at September 16, 2023 01:57 PM (uvymP)

Eh, it's good news; means we don't need to rant about it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 01:58 PM (YMhCy)

18 Fedco has Spitzenberg and Winter Banana apples! They carry Spotzenberg on dwarf rootstock but not the other. I did not want to put in fruit trees but I do love Spitzenbergs.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 01:58 PM (Ds/Wi)

19 16 Just a brief note: Paxton acquitted on all counts. Remaining 4 counts, which had been held in abeyance, dismissed.

Sorry for polluting the thread with politics.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at September 16, 2023 01:57 PM (uvymP)

Well, look at them apples!
:::trying to tie into current thread:::

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (ynpvh)

20 Channeling Dildo's black thumb?
--------

I guess so. Didn't used to be this way. As the years have passed and my burdens increased, I've lost ambition.

My love of flowers and fresh food remains, but I have no extra energy to devote.

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (njWTi)

21 Fedco has Spitzenberg and Winter Banana apples! They carry Spotzenberg on dwarf rootstock but not the other. I did not want to put in fruit trees but I do love Spitzenbergs.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 01:58 PM (Ds/Wi)

When I was a toddler, the family lived in a house with a large apple tree that was grafted to produce both Gravenstein and Winter Bananas.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (YMhCy)

22 I have my new hydrponic batch started. This is Adaptive's Bitter is Better, mosty endives and chicories. The first mix I grew was mostly romaine. I need to do a stir fry mix for winter too

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (Ds/Wi)

23 20 Channeling Dildo's black thumb?
--------

I guess so. Didn't used to be this way. As the years have passed and my burdens increased, I've lost ambition.

My love of flowers and fresh food remains, but I have no extra energy to devote.

Posted by: JQ at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (njWTi)

CBD should stop using Brawndo to water his plants.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (ynpvh)

24 Virginia Mayo.

I know you guys were wondering about the blonde who is always center-frame in the Stealing Apples clip, so I thought I'd tell you.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 16, 2023 02:01 PM (klJTj)

25
When I was a toddler, the family lived in a house with a large apple tree that was grafted to produce both Gravenstein and Winter Bananas.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (YMhCy)

Is this one of those apples/oranges things?
Or apples/bananas?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:02 PM (ynpvh)

26 I know you guys were wondering about the blonde who is always center-frame in the Stealing Apples clip, so I thought I'd tell you.
Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 16, 2023 02:01 PM (klJTj)

She'd look good on a sammich.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:02 PM (YMhCy)

27 Googly eyes? LOL
Posted by: jim

I can see my siblings reaction to these and I'm loving it.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 16, 2023 02:03 PM (0QYO+)

28 When we moved to Portland in the 70s, they had all these wonderful varieties I hadn't heard of. That's where I learned about Winter Bananas. The orchard I bought from in Hood River still had Spitzenbergs but no more. Owner retired and turned it over to someone else to manage.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 02:03 PM (Ds/Wi)

29 Is this one of those apples/oranges things?
Or apples/bananas?
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:02 PM (ynpvh)

No, Winter Banana is a heritage variety of apple that has good keeping qualities. Very sweet, IIRC, best used in pies.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:03 PM (YMhCy)

30 26 I know you guys were wondering about the blonde who is always center-frame in the Stealing Apples clip, so I thought I'd tell you.
Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at September 16, 2023 02:01 PM (klJTj)

She'd look good on a sammich.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:02 PM (YMhCy)

Virginia Mayo >>> Mayo Clinic >>> plain old mayonaise

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:03 PM (ynpvh)

31 If you go to that Fedco site, click on apples and scroll down, you can see what they look like. Big yellow and red apples with a faint banana scent. Good keepers.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 02:06 PM (Ds/Wi)

32 Well, back to the salt mines.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 16, 2023 02:07 PM (YMhCy)

33 I have to grow fruit and veggies here. Not much selection locally.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at September 16, 2023 02:08 PM (Ds/Wi)

34 beautiful azaleas! Mine took a beating from the drought and the heat, even though I kept them watered. Had to pull up one of the old ones yesterday, Mr. Dead had jumped it. (at that point they get easy to pull up because the roots are gone)

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 16, 2023 02:09 PM (i9ffA)

35 Garden is done for the year. Lows in the low 40s and headed toward frost. I'm cleaning it out and putting it away for another year. It produced an awful lot of peas this year, and carrots, lettuce and strawberries, but the slugs mostly got the green beans. The tomatoes I tried produced a lot of flowers but no fruit. No idea why. Maybe not hot enough on a regular basis to make them really do their thing. The onions were a complete loss. Also no idea why. Maybe I have cutworms but I saw no evidence of that.

I'll be rotating things next year to make another go. In the meantime, I have lots of carrots to pickle.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at September 16, 2023 02:21 PM (LOVUx)

36 I have lots of carrots to pickle.
Posted by: tcn in AK

Sorry to hear of your garden woes.
I had some pickled carrots (with onions and jalapenos) at a Mexican place yesterday.
Love them.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 16, 2023 02:23 PM (0QYO+)

37 Should you keep moles in the lawn?

Nope. Almost broke my ankle stepping on their tunnels.
Also, they destroyed the roots to the grass leaving dead patches in the yard.

Posted by: olddog in mo at September 16, 2023 02:27 PM (ju2Fy)

38 11 I am averse to moles in the garden because they eat flower bulbs and earthworms. Plus, they don't help with the doctor bill when you sprain your ankle in one of their holes.

---

I learned to ride a bike on a lawn with mole tunnels. Nothing like getting the hang of it and then CUNK your front wheel totally completely sideways and you're over the handlebars.

At least the ground was soft.

Posted by: The_Hoser at September 16, 2023 02:36 PM (N66D6)

39 CBD should stop using Brawndo to water his plants.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at September 16, 2023 02:00 PM (ynpvh)

But it's got electrolytes!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 16, 2023 02:36 PM (lQONO)

40 I saw Crabs and Roses open for Aerosmith at the Niagra Falls Park Winery and Hot Air Balloon Bungy Jumping Festival in '98

Posted by: I'm Gumby Damn It! at September 16, 2023 02:39 PM (C4xAj)

41 Hey whats wit da googly eyes? Thats my schtick.

Posted by: Johnny Cold Cuts at September 16, 2023 02:43 PM (C4xAj)

42 fake environmentalists and the naive who believe their propaganda would have had me never spray herbicide on my goats head burrs. The Bee weeds, sunflower cousins, and the bees that enjoy these flowers that replaced the burrs join me in pointing and laughing.

However the burrs are not eradicated. I didn't get them sprayed enough this year with an unusually wet early summer and not having the energy to tackle the spraying after dealing with other needed stuff this year. Now I'm picking burrs to burn them. If I hadn't been spraying in past years I wouldn't be able to make any dent, but it is just patches so I am trying to not lose 'territory' claimed in past years.

Posted by: PaleRider at September 16, 2023 02:45 PM (3cGpq)

43 Breezy. Sunny but only 74 degrees

Posted by: Skip at September 16, 2023 02:46 PM (fwDg9)

44 We have a you pick orchard here in NJ in Freehold. It's named Battleview Orchards.

Monmouth Battlefield State Park Overview
The Battle of Monmouth marked a crucial turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

On a blistering hot day on June 28, 1778 the land that is now Monmouth Battlefield State Park was the site of one of the longest battles of the American Revolutionary War. Here at Monmouth, Washington restored a reputation battered by defeats in 1777. In the day-long battle in the hills, wood lots, farm fields and meadows, the main Continental Army, retrained at Valley Forge, repulsed attacks by the main British Army. By the end, over 600 men were dead, dying or wounded and the Continental Army held the field.

Posted by: I'm Gumby Damn It! at September 16, 2023 02:48 PM (C4xAj)

45 Nood Paxton thread.

Posted by: olddog in mo at September 16, 2023 02:49 PM (ju2Fy)

46 I am done with apple cider this year, I still have apples but I am out of storage space. Next year I may get some fermentation jugs or rig up some five gallon buckets, but this year I am done. I even filled some gallon jugs with juice and pitched some apple cider vinegar mother in to make vinegar.
Those jugs are now bubbling like an opened bottle of soda

It is the Concord and Muscat grapes next. The bunches are getting so big I feel like one of the spies returning from Canaan in the old woodcut when I pick them!

Posted by: Kindltot at September 16, 2023 02:57 PM (xhaym)

47 Do you dry apples or do apple leather, etc Kindletot?

I am amazed at all you grow and harvest, just wondering about the dehydration since you mentioned lack of space.

Posted by: PaleRider at September 16, 2023 03:02 PM (3cGpq)

48 Do you dry apples or do apple leather, etc Kindletot?

I am amazed at all you grow and harvest, just wondering about the dehydration since you mentioned lack of space.
Posted by: PaleRider at September 16, 2023 03:02 PM (3cGpq)


I built a dryer out of a half size chest freezer. It uses a "reptile" ceramic heater unit for heat, and I have some holes and a salvaged computer fan for the air flow. I am drying apples, pears and plums right now. I have some seedless grapes that I dry for raisins too. I was never one for fruit leather, but I put the dried fruit into jars.
Eventually I will get a UV element to add to the dryer and one of those in-line thermostat to regulate the heat better

I did try drying tomatoes and turning them into dust in the blender, it is supposed to be good for stock and adding to soups.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 16, 2023 03:15 PM (xhaym)

49 It's me donna at September 16, 2023 01:49 PM

Losing lovely tomatoes to rats is infuriating!

Posted by: KT at September 16, 2023 05:23 PM (rrtZS)

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