Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Dec. 9

Greetings on a cold, foggy December day (at least here)! Anything going on in your garden, yard or neighborhood? Doing any decorations? Going on a family adventure to a holiday display? The one above started the weekend before Thanksgiving and ends on New Years Eve.

USA Today has published their list of the 10 best botanical gardens to visit for their holiday displays. Many of them are in the Southeast. The one with the froggie is number 7.

Throughout the holiday season, spectacular light shows brighten up botanical gardens across the country. Instead of spring flowers, visitors find twinkling holiday lights, often accompanied by a range of other festivities.

To find the best places to visit this holiday season, we asked a panel of experts to nominate their favorite light displays at botanical gardens throughout the U.S., then readers voted for their top picks. Here are the 10 best botanical gardens for holiday lights this year.

Hanukkah began at sundown on Thursday, December 7, and continues through Friday, December 15 this year.

Happy Hanukkah!

Number 1 in the USA ratings this year is in Richmond, VA. There are special performances on some days, in addition to the lights.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Courtesy Misanthopic Humanitarian

But seriously, if you want to grow kale, try the Russian and Siberian subspecies like Red Russian. They wilt too fast to be sold in stores, but are much more tender than the kale that you can typically buy.

I like the flower buds and even flower clusters, raw, too:

What Is 'Red Russian' Kale?

This particular cultivar of Brassica oleracea var. viridis is also known as ragged jack and sweet red. Flatter than other cultivars and with jagged edges, its leaves are also the most tender and mild of all varieties.

Russian and Siberian species and cultivars are sometime left to grow for a second season and their flower buds are harvested and are known as kale rabe or napini.

Sometimes eaten as baby kale. Looks kind of attractive:

Butterflies

Butterfly Art

Hi, KT ... This image was taken in 2013, but it's still an interesting one. The text was added because it just seemed to fit with it. True, it's only a butterfly and some flowers, but things can sometimes represent a concept that goes beyond just their surface representation. That's the way I interpreted the 'gestalt' of this image and its component pieces. Is there anything that better represents 'change' or 'transformation' better than the butterfly? Probably not - or, if there is, I haven't found it yet. Simple and direct beats complex and roundabout any day. If you can use this, feel free to deploy as needed for effect. Enjoy ...

Dr_No.

Nice. Thanks. Here's an enlargement of the philosophy represented in the art, because we do have space limitations here. Metamorphosis!

Butterfly Plant

Luscious Royale Cosmo Lantana

I'll be a NEW COLOR for your PALETTE.

Puffs of small magenta flowers packed into clusters adorn the dark foliage of this plant. The extreme heat tolerance make it a winner in any warm summer climate.

Award Winner
Continuous Bloom or Rebloomer
Long Blooming
Heat Tolerant
Deadheading Not Necessary
Drought Tolerant

Attracts:
Birds
Butterflies
Hummingbirds

Use as an annual where not hardy.

Bringing Nature Indoors

A challenge for gardeners:

How to get your snake plant to bloom

This succulent plant looks simply breathtaking when it produces flowers; as an added bonus, these flowers emit a strong fragrance.

If everything goes right, you can expect to see these blossoms in spring and they may last for a couple of weeks. At the end of their cycle, the flowers will form berries.

Luckily, the mother-in-law's tongue plant won't die after flowering; if you get it to bloom, it will continue generating flowers every year.

Sometimes, blossoms won't occur even if you ensure the best possible conditions. No one can actually explain this odd feature so follow the guidelines below and hope for the best.

In 1960, David Latimer planted a spiderwort sprout inside of a large glass jar, added a quarter pint of water, and then sealed it shut.

He opened the bottle for the first time only 12 years later, in 1972, to add some water and then sealed it for good.

The self-contained… pic.twitter.com/Oy2jusB1wD

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 5, 2023

Gardens of The Horde

A little late. lol

Sharon (willow's apprentice)

A lovely Thanksgiving cactus

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? Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Dec. 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.

Comments

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1 I rarely have kale, but I like kale chips.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 09, 2023 01:25 PM (z1kLw)

2 Perfect timing, about to go pull weeds out of the bar ditch in front of the other property. Funny how they were all "wildflowers" until they dried out and became a fire hazard.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at December 09, 2023 01:29 PM (dZVON)

3 Just another Rookie!!!

Nice pictures K.T.
You have reminded me of all the Tule fogs that I suffered through in the San Juaquin Valley. Lived in Merced, Visalia and then Carmichael. We were glad to get to Auburn CA and then to Tempe AZ. We rarely have fog here. Santa Barbara coastal fogs are completely different from the Tule fog of the valley.

MisHum has the correct usage of kale nailed!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at December 09, 2023 01:30 PM (C4gg/)

4 Lovely christmas lights! Out to go finish mine.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 09, 2023 01:35 PM (i9ffA)

5 I don't get the Kale derision, especially from MisHum!

Posted by: John Kale at December 09, 2023 01:39 PM (vFG9F)

6 I'm not super fond of greens in general, but they are nutritional powerhouses, so I'm trying.

In the fall, I planted a mix of Russian Red, Siberian Dwarf, some blue thing, and Lacinto Dinosaur. It's growing slowly, and since I harvest it while it's still baby kale, it's easily palatable in salads.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at December 09, 2023 01:40 PM (OX9vb)

7 Somebody needs to prime the comment pump.

Posted by: Ronster at December 09, 2023 01:57 PM (PxJlx)

8 Going to Eahrlie? Gardens in NC next week. Tickets are hard to get, but my gal is persistant. Actually looking forward to it.

Posted by: DOYLE at December 09, 2023 02:06 PM (Z8Yh2)

9 Somebody needs to prime the comment pump.
Posted by: Ronster

Off-season.
We quit on kale. Isn't nearly as versatile as a lot of the spinaches and butter-type lettuces.
I'm making mead from honey our bees produced. Does that go in gardening, hobby, or the food thread?
I was told it would be good at 3 months, and wonderful at 1 year.
First batch ain't gonna make it to 1 year. It's wonderful now!

Posted by: MkY at December 09, 2023 02:25 PM (cPGH3)

10 The kale-to-trash cycle needs to be broken.

Heading to the Morton Arboretum light show in Chicagoland tomorrow. Also, if you’re dodging bullets and gun confiscations around here, I highly recommend Cantigny/Big Red One museum in Wheaton

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at December 09, 2023 02:31 PM (I80YN)

11 Good afternoon garden enthusiasts.
Making spinach quiche for my Hannukah brunch party tomorrow. Some how spinach and cheese just seem like the perfect combination. I am also making a bacon one. Don't laugh. It's not like I wouldn't eat it any other time. The rest of the menu is pretty traditional. My DIL even making jelly donuts and latkes.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at December 09, 2023 02:31 PM (t/2Uw)

12 Heading to the Morton Arboretum light show in Chicagoland tomorrow.
Posted by: Big Fat Meanie

We have an Arboretum? In Chicago, of all places?

Oh, "Morton." Nevermind.

Posted by: mikeski at December 09, 2023 02:35 PM (DgGvY)

13 Kale looks like something used to bait rabbits.

I'd be willing to bet kale tastes better with butter.

Posted by: Dr. Bone at December 09, 2023 02:38 PM (klzFH)

14 The photos in the post are gorgeous. The Christmas lights are spectacular and the butterfly picture is lovely. We really get spoiled with the photos KT uses on the thread.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 02:39 PM (7EjX1)

15 I can never see anything about kale without thinking of the Cheers episode where Woody gets involved in selling a kale based drink

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 09, 2023 02:40 PM (wukIh)

16 I think burying kale in a drink is the only way to ingest it.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at December 09, 2023 02:45 PM (t/2Uw)

17 I'm going to be laughing at the kale joke for the afternoon. The girl's smile, inviting you to join in her gardening efforts is the perfect contrast with the caption.

Maybe I should try eating kale some time. It almost has to be better than the jokes about it. On the other hand, I've learned not to expect much from hipster fads.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 02:45 PM (7EjX1)

18 So how does spiderwort taste? Like arugala?

Posted by: Eromero at December 09, 2023 02:48 PM (iRheJ)

19 Trader Joe's had a decent kale and cranberry (??) and other stuff salad, which I haven't had in forever.

I bet chickens would eat kale, and then make some nice fertilizer for your garden. It could be composted too.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at December 09, 2023 02:52 PM (llON8)

20 I thought "arugula" was the sound an old timey car horn makes.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Aspiring Codger at December 09, 2023 02:52 PM (T/Lqj)

21 I mentioned on the previous hobby thread that I was intrigued with terrariums and how they are assembled and maintained. I didn't expect that a major side part of the hobby was propagating the plants that are used. I find that even more interesting. This winter I'll be doing some research into the methods on a small scale. The idea of new, independent life from a simple leaf cutting, graft or seed is fascinating. And the persistence of life it shows is encouraging.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 02:53 PM (7EjX1)

22 So how does spiderwort taste? Like arugala?
Posted by: Eromero at December 09, 2023 02:48 PM (iRheJ)

No.

Eat ze bugs!

Posted by: Klaus Schwab at December 09, 2023 03:01 PM (AiZBA)

23 We decorate work for the holidays, this includes traditional Christmas decor as well as Jewish. This year ownership decided against any Jewish decor due to the issues in Israel. They are Jewish, I consider it their call but I admit it bothers me that they felt they have to keep their traditions out of sight this year.

Posted by: Inogame at December 09, 2023 03:02 PM (D/9Qo)

24 Callaloo> kale

Posted by: Jamaica NYC at December 09, 2023 03:03 PM (Eeb9P)

25 KT, Thanks for including the info on the better types of kale. I'll plan to include them while making a list of salad greens for the spring garden. Wonder if the seeds can go out as early as the leaf lettuce and radishes. Well, plenty of time to learn.

We've seen so many reports of problems with bagged salad fixings, we only use what we grow ourselves or from reliable local farmers.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 03:04 PM (7EjX1)

26 hiya

Posted by: JT at December 09, 2023 03:04 PM (T4tVD)

27 Somebody needs to prime the comment pump.
Posted by: Ronster at December 09, 2023 01:57 PM (PxJlx)

I said hiya !

Posted by: JT at December 09, 2023 03:05 PM (T4tVD)

28 Slappy Obama popularized arugula with his geekish hipster charm. What has the Biden administration done for kale?

Hunter could smoke it in a glass pipe, but would anybody younger that a 40 year old crack whore listen?

Posted by: Dr. Bone at December 09, 2023 03:07 PM (klzFH)

29 Saw a funny Bee headline about a man who converted to Jehovah's Witness to avoid putting up Christmas lights.

Fortunately my wife doesn't really care if I put up lights or not. We do a nice tree setup, but nothing outdoors.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Aspiring Codger at December 09, 2023 03:09 PM (T/Lqj)

30 There's a community lightshow thing at one of the parks every year. Bazillions of strings of lights all over treetops and wound around their trunks. Every imaginable color, blinky and not blinky... they put hoops up over a walkway and put lights on those too.

It's a mess.

It's a multi-colored, spastic wreck of over-embellishment.

Posted by: JQ at December 09, 2023 03:10 PM (njWTi)

31 Which reminds me, I need to grab the Christmas stuff out of the shed. No waiting until December 23 for us THIS year.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Aspiring Codger at December 09, 2023 03:12 PM (T/Lqj)

32 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Might be done work for day
Have maybe the last leaves chopped up for this year, some left but not priority but still need to get them in bin.
Long way home nkw

Posted by: Skip at December 09, 2023 03:16 PM (AN2CF)

33 Local yahoos here decorated the old bridge with holiday lights, but you wouldn't want to drive anything over 3000 lbs on that relic unless you want to risk ending up in the Missouri River.

Posted by: Dr. Bone at December 09, 2023 03:16 PM (klzFH)

34 /sock

Posted by: Napoleon XIV at December 09, 2023 03:18 PM (AiZBA)

35 Well, it's that time of year for fewer comments on the gardening thread. People are out doing holiday stuff, most outdoor gardens are moribund, and (horrors) the seed catalogs haven't started arriving. At least ours haven't yet. That last one is serious as it delays the overblown dreaming phase of planning the gardens.

Thanks to KT for such a wonderful weekly thread.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 03:19 PM (7EjX1)

36 Not to be a contrarian, but we like kale as an ingredient in a salad with other things like jicama, shredded carrots and beets.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at December 09, 2023 03:20 PM (MeG8a)

37
One year I had a nice evergreen tree growing on the property, it had to be about 20 feet tall and someplace that I really didn't want it. So as Christmas approached I thought, "I'll take that down this year, I think I have a 15' ceiling in the living room.'' So I cut it down and took enough from the bottom that it should fit. Measure twice, cut once? For wimps.

Barely, barely dragged that thing in the living room through the front door. Too tall, damn. Drag it outside again or fire up the gas powered chain saw and cut it right here?

Sure, some smoke detectors went off but in the end it fit. Barely. Most impressive Christmas tree we ever had. We had to use an eight foot ladder to decorate the top.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at December 09, 2023 03:25 PM (enJYY)

38 Local sports this time of year include stealing or vandalizing Christmas ornaments in front yards, even thefts of trees from atop cars.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in solidarity with the struggle to maintain Moron standards at December 09, 2023 03:25 PM (WQlnC)

39 Just came in from final weeding and late fall clean up. We left a few flowers out just to see if they will overwinter without too much damage.

Also strung up a few, emphasis on 'few', strings of Christmas lights. Let's see - what else? Winterized the lawn mower. I guess that's it.

Posted by: Tonypete at December 09, 2023 03:25 PM (J47y1)

40 Maybe I should try eating kale some time. It almost has to be better than the jokes about it. On the other hand, I've learned not to expect much from hipster fads.
Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 02:45 PM (7EjX1)

I had some once. Pretty bitter and tough, there's better salad fixins for me when I want them.

Posted by: Oldcat at December 09, 2023 03:26 PM (eoQWY)

41 It's a multi-colored, spastic wreck of over-embellishment.

It sounds like something I would thoroughly enjoy! The children probably think it's a blast too.

the IBEW hall puts on a nice display, also Rose Tree Park in Media. But the real show stopper in this area is Longwood Gardens' show, which is probably on the ten best list, I haven't checked.

I'm surprised to learn that snake plants bloom. I have a few however I don't know if they're the blooming type because they were gifted to me.

I like Dr. No's butterfly pic/text

Posted by: kallisto at December 09, 2023 03:26 PM (y87dX)

42 We got a surprise yesterday: our nephew and his wife sent us a 'Christmas tree". It's a Norfolk Island pine suitable for our small space. I know it is a tropical plant not appropriate outside for our area.

It's a sweet gift and now begins the efforts to keep it going as a house plant. It's a foot and a half now. I don't care if it gets much bigger just want it to do well.

Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 03:32 PM (7EjX1)

43 We quit on kale. Isn't nearly as versatile as a lot of the spinaches and butter-type lettuces.

Its taste is hidden really well in smoothies, especially if you're using apples in the concoction. And it truly is a nutrition powerhouse, as someone upthread noted.

Diablo Burrito in DE has a really good kale salad with pineapple salsa, black beans and some other stuff, oh goat cheese. Topped with tortilla strips and honey jalapeno dressing.

I've also had it with dried cranberries, candied pecans, blue cheese and celery. Tasty!

Posted by: kallisto at December 09, 2023 03:33 PM (9XM3s)

44 No kale content here, but boy doggie... hell of a thunderstorm just rolled through. Lots of close lightning strikes.

I mentioned this before, but this time of the year we seem to have some of the most severe weather. Back in 2021, almost exactly on this date we had to evacuate to the town's storm shelter due to tornados. That was the storm system that spawned the tornado(s) that leveled Mayfield, KY.

We're under a tornado watch until 8PM EST.

Oh, and we still have viable sage, rosemary and chives in the garden. The basil bit the dust a month or so ago.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at December 09, 2023 03:34 PM (Q4IgG)

45 Posted by: JTB at December 09, 2023 03:32 PM (7EjX1)

as I understand it, they are not particularly high maintenance. And that is a lovely gift, seasonal for sure. I hope yours lasts for a long time to come.

Posted by: kallisto at December 09, 2023 03:35 PM (9XM3s)

46 You can make some really awful salads with kale, especially the tough, curly blue Scotch type from the stores.

Kale is one of those things that tastes better after a light frost. And it really makes a difference which variety you grow. How you grow it, how old it is when you eat it and how you prepare it.

Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:43 PM (rrtZS)

47 wait, what...the Longwood Gardens light show didn't make the USA Today List?

I must correct that oversight forthwith.

https://tinyurl.com/4re4sws6

the link doesn't have the outdoor nighttime images but it does say they're doing a mid=mod theme this year. We had intended to go but all the nighttime tickets are sold out, so decided to pass. But this mid-mod theme intrigues me, maybe we'll go to the available times in the morning.

Posted by: kallisto at December 09, 2023 03:43 PM (9XM3s)

48 Not my adventure, but my wife ran a 10K "Trail Run" in Helen, GA this morning. Apart from the rain, the fog, the mud and the darkness, it sounded like a fun time.

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 09, 2023 03:44 PM (2cS/G)

49 Does "spiderwort" mean that the plant is good for spiders or good for spider bites?

Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:46 PM (rrtZS)

50 I always figured that kale was the John Fetterman of leafy greens, - like a roadside lamb's quarter.

Posted by: Dr. Bone at December 09, 2023 03:48 PM (klzFH)

51 You can also make cream soups with kale (and usually potatoes and onions), putting through a blender after cooling.

Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:51 PM (rrtZS)

52 Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in solidarity with the struggle to maintain Moron standards at December 09, 2023 03:25 PM

I put some lights inside windows.

But around here, lights can serve as street guides in the fog if strung on fences, too.

Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:57 PM (rrtZS)

53 No mention can be made of kale without a recall of annoying poster Killgore Trout on the old blog of footy greenballs, and his sad effort at growing kale in Oregon.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 09, 2023 03:58 PM (58k0U)

54 It would be nice to know if that lantana variety is totally seedless, if you have to grow it away from other varieties, etc.

Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 04:01 PM (rrtZS)

55 Does "spiderwort" mean that the plant is good for spiders or good for spider bites?
Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:46 PM (rrtZS)

Maybe if you sparge it you can brew spiders?

Posted by: Kindltot at December 09, 2023 04:05 PM (D7oie)

56 You can grow kale in Oregon, I know several people who have. It overwinters ok.

I looked at my garden yesterday and realized that some of the "cabbage" I got to grow from seed was actually broccoli.

It would be neat if I could get some decent heads, the stuff I grew in the Spring did very poorly

Posted by: Kindltot at December 09, 2023 04:08 PM (D7oie)

57 You can also make cream soups with kale (and usually potatoes and onions), putting through a blender after cooling.
Posted by: KT at December 09, 2023 03:51 PM (rrtZS)

Thanks for the tread KT and the kale soup idea. That sounds pretty good.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at December 09, 2023 04:10 PM (C+qoT)

58 Last May (I think) I posted that I tore up every bit of lantana from the front of the house. It was overly mature, falling down, blocking the sidewalk. Filled a pickup truck bed with it. My goal was to get it all out, every speck. Another commenter told me that if I left one single root or tendril, it would be back. Well...
It's back, about 2 feet tall. Lots of purple blossoms.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at December 09, 2023 04:39 PM (MeG8a)

59 From Boise area: lows started in the mid-40's, dropping toward freezing - highs in the low 60's dropping to low 40's. Some rain this week.

We canned up the final tomato sauce of the year - the extra month with no frost gave us plenty of paste tomatoes to work with. Husband is waiting for a hard freeze before he removes the tomato plants and their currently icky mushy tomatoes.

Leaves continue to be stuffed in the trash.

First catalog arrived today! (Territorial Seed Company) We traditionally sit around a winter fireplace and start our garden planning. We already know we want more onions, and we'll skip the butternut squash since this year we got a big crop. We may even skip poblanos, since I made a lot of frozen rellenos this fall.

Christmas lights and homemade wreath are already up. We bought the tree today, and may decorate it tomorrow.

Posted by: Pat* at December 09, 2023 04:40 PM (WAYaX)

60 Tried to prime the comment pump hours ago, thought I hit 'post' and wandered off.

Spiderwort is proof that horticulture can be done in space.

Need some exo-framing content but wouldn'y know where to start...
... In "The 100" they made algie skum to eat for years.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 09, 2023 05:15 PM (cOq4q)

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