Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, April 13

Happy Saturday! Still having variable weather here. How about where you are?

Well, we have another very talented gardening lurker in The Horde. Love that beautiful photo above. Would like to visit!

Enjoying my front yard this spring in Washington.

Always enjoy the "Gardening, Puttering and Adventure thread".

Prefer to remain a long time lurker

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

By-Tor:

Lemon marmalade. It's fairly easy. It tastes like limoncello, or maybe lemonade.

Should be nice on toast or with crackers and cream cheese on a charcuterie board.
I got seven half pints from about 13 lemons.

I see strawberry jam in my future.

They look great. It's the season . .

Anybody growing their own? How do you pick a variety?

Also By-Tor:

Container garden is coming along, and hope with warmer weather will take off.

The tomato is coming right along. More plants there than I remember from the last update.

Hiyya KT,

The first picture is of my Ts Li asian pear which I got about 3 years ago to pollinate what I thought was another asian pear that I had that turned out to be a Quince. All I can say was I was sold an asian pear. So last fall I tracked down the best mate for my pear which turned out to be a Ya Li, and there was only one in the state of Arizona, 80 miles from me. So Mr. WeeKreek and I got in the truck and drove to the San Tan Valley to get her.

As you can see from the second picture, it worked, you can see a little pear starting. There are at least 10 pears that I can see, but I bet there are more, as they are pretty hard to find. The third picture is our Ya Li, she is small but she did the trick, she had 5 blooms on her which I plucked off and hand pollinated the other tree with. I read you aren't supposed to let a fruit tree fruit the first year in the ground as you want to encourage roots to go down and not put energy into fruiting. I have done that with both the new peach and pear as much as it breaks my heart. The last picture is of the original tree, my quince which seems to like the company of pears and it is forming tons of fruit this year.

I will send another email with a few other things going on in the garden here...

WeeKreekFarmGirl

Great to hear about the pears and quince. We just happen to have some photos in the "adventure" section from friends who took a hike in the San Tan Regional Park. Interesting that they have grown cotton in that valley.

Below, a couple of flowering quinces that caught my eye. Didn't say anything about fruit quality. They are a different species from the ones usually grown for fruit, but many have fruit that are edible with some effort.

Puttering

Satisfying ground maintenance
pic.twitter.com/Qz2cGJ4uU5

— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) April 9, 2024

Adventure

Hiking the Dynamite Trail, San Tan Regional Park, while the flowers are everywhere:

If you spot a distinctive black and red bug among the plants and flowers when you're exploring the outdoors, don't touch it.

Seriously. Touching that blister beetle can hurt you, leaving a burning sensation on your skin.

These insects, also known as blister bugs or master blister beetles, are showing up in Arizona's wild spaces every spring. While the beetles may be striking to look at, their blood emits a foul smell and causes painful blisters on human skin.

About 150 blister beetle species exist in Arizona. One thing they have in common is how their blood contains a harmful chemical called cantharidin, which not only can harm humans but also pets and livestock.

Here's everything you need to know about blister beetles in Arizona.

Gross:Black beetles are swarming metro Phoenix yards. Here's why, and how to get rid of them

Don't touch them or let your pets touch them. Details at the link.

More California Wildflowers

More suggestions for Southern California sites, but I think you can see owls clover in parts of both northern and southern parts of the state. Shown below with lupine. There is more than one species. It grows in vacant lots near our house.

Moving on to specific Northern California spots:

Buttermilk Bend Trail in South Yuba River State Park near Penn Valley. The easy path runs 2.4 miles alongside the granite-lined pools of the South Yuba River, and interpretive signs identify the flowers. Berry says to look for fairy lanterns, live forever, redbud, and the elusive Dutchman's pipe, a vine with a distinctive saxophone-like flower.

The Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly is not native to all parts of California, but if you live where this plant (or some ground gingers) grow wild, you may be able to attract it to your garden by planting a Dutchman's Pipe or nectar flowers. They have a wider range in the South and East, though.

More from the University of Florida on Pipevines and Pipevine Swallowtails

Aristolochia species are commonly known as pipevines or Dutchman's pipes because the flowers of some species are shaped like tobacco pipes (Figure 13). They are also known as birthworts ("wort" is Old English for herbaceous plant) because of their historical use in child birth. The name Aristolochia is derived from the Greek roots aristos (best) and lochia (delivery or child birth) (Crosswhite & Crosswhite 1985, Flora of North America undated). All Aristolochiaceae are believed to contain pharmacologically active aristolochic acids (Chen & Zhu 1987).

Although they are now officially banned in many countries, Aristolochia-derived herbal products or parts of the plants themselves are still used in many areas of the world for various conditions including snake bite, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory problems, wounds, infectious diseases, and fever (Austin 2004, Chen & Zhu 1987, Duke 2001, Schaneberg et al. 2002).

Virginia snakeroot, Aristolochia serpentaria L., has been used for many medical applications (Austin 2004, Duke 2001, Heinrich et al. 2009, Moerman 199, and preparations made from it are still for sale online. An extract of the southwestern pipevine, Aristolochia watsonii Wooton & Standl., was the main ingredient in the snakeroot oil sold by traveling "snakeroot doctors" at medicine shows in the Old West during the 19th century (Crosswhite & Crosswhite 1985). . .

All of our native species of Aristolochia within the range of the pipevine swallowtail are documented larval hosts . .

Aristolochia tomentosa bud Credit Donald W. Hall

Various exotic Aristolochia species are planted as ornamentals because of their unusual and sometimes beautiful flowers. Some of these may be too toxic (or too distasteful) for pipevine swallowtail larvae and may be "death traps" for the larvae.

Much more at the link. Including mimicry between pipevine swallowtails and black swallowtails, other swallowtails, red-spotted purples and . . millipedes?

Gardens of The Horde

Hi KT,
The clematis is going gangbusters this year! Wanted to share with the horde.

Thanks for the gardening thread, it's my fave.

Miley

GORGEOUS

These are blooming right now. The yellow and white are miniatures, the flowers are slightly smaller than a dime. The white ones are more the expected size.

Lirio100

So charming . . . .

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, Apr. 6

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

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good morning again KT!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:29 PM (Iq0J2)

2 Oh, a first, imagine that.
I'll go fetch them.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:29 PM (Iq0J2)

3 Alerted the others.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:30 PM (Iq0J2)

4 Variable weather in NorCal.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO, AI Expert at April 13, 2024 01:34 PM (snyZJ)

5 Buatiful, beautiful, beautiful! Much more than the 25 year old taken down by last weeks storm. But hey, it missed the deck

Posted by: Eromero at April 13, 2024 01:34 PM (o2ZRX)

6 ‘ It was a mimosa, Officer.’

Posted by: Eromero at April 13, 2024 01:36 PM (o2ZRX)

7 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Had tomato soup with fresh chives and grilled cheese, fitting for this chilly day. Supposed to be in 70s for next week after today.

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 01:36 PM (fwDg9)

8 There's dog dirt on the bayside beach.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at April 13, 2024 01:38 PM (+eR0l)

9 Those flowers are beautiful.
I'm bit jealous of all the vegetable and fruit success.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:39 PM (Iq0J2)

10 That's an elegant looking pipe in that pic. Someone care to identify it by name?

Posted by: Oddbob at April 13, 2024 01:39 PM (/y8xj)

11 Any guess on the lemon used in the jam?
Improved Myer, or ?

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:40 PM (Iq0J2)

12 those photos are all gorgeous! My mother is in Phoenix, she said for the first time she remembers, Squaw Peak (or whatever they call it now) is Green this spring. Desert is blooming like crazy.

Posted by: Tom Servo at April 13, 2024 01:41 PM (q3gwH)

13 Just took out stuff to compost bin, saw a lettuce starting to grow so planted it in the greenhouse. See if anything comes from it.

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 01:42 PM (fwDg9)

14
I have about 50 red solo cups filled with seedlings ready to pop in the soil. Despite experts agreeing, and 'the science is settled' about global warming I'll probably consult historical charts for planting times. Then wait a week.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 01:42 PM (RKVpM)

15 hiya

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 01:44 PM (T4tVD)

16 Glad WeeKreekFarmGirl seems to have a successful pollination pair of pears.

Posted by: KT at April 13, 2024 01:44 PM (rrtZS)

17 Dunno if this is a Gardening Thread question or a Hobby Thread question but I'll start here. Does anyone here keep bees? We're currently house hunting and wherever we wind up, I'll want to put in one or two fruit trees and maybe keep a single hive to make sure they're pollinated. The problem is that 1) it will probably be in a subdivision with a small lot and 2) as I understand it, hives are either growing or dying and I will be severely limited.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 13, 2024 01:45 PM (/y8xj)

18 Supposed to be in 70s for next week after today.
Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 01:36 PM (fwDg9)

GOOD !

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 01:46 PM (T4tVD)

19 >> Enjoying my front yard this spring in Washington.
Great job on that garden!

Posted by: 40 Miles North at April 13, 2024 01:47 PM (uWF4x)

20 Satisfying Ground Maintenance

What in the world is happening there? Is it fertilizer paint?

Posted by: t-bird at April 13, 2024 01:48 PM (mCroq)

21
I'll want to put in one or two fruit trees and maybe keep a single hive to make sure they're pollinated.

I've never had a single problem with fruit trees being pollinated by whats on the wind. Decades of experience in my 29 years. If you grow it they will come.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 01:49 PM (RKVpM)

22 What in the world is happening there? Is it fertilizer paint?
Posted by: t-bird

Just green paint.
The resorts around Phoenix have done it for years. They don't do any colors other than green though.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:50 PM (Iq0J2)

23 Well, we have another very talented gardening lurker in The Horde.

How is he or she with a leaf blower and Round-Up? That's the mark of a true professional.

Seriously, though, they should charge admission to walk thru that garden.

Posted by: t-bird at April 13, 2024 01:51 PM (mCroq)

24 SiD mentioned a "blowtorch" for kudzu "control" earlier. Various flamethrowers are popular; I'm trying to decide whether the topic belongs here, in FWP, or the gun thread.

I've found them...bootless...for spot weed killing, but have some fencelines that cry out for coldbloodedness.

Removal of some creeper tendrils (called "Virginia creeper" around here but I don't think it is, really) got me into a light encounter of poison ivy last week -- also probably not really poison ivy, but that's the only itchy one listed for this climate zone. It's been around awhile but I can remember not having any, so that's my 'invasive' definition. No further mercy shall be shown.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at April 13, 2024 01:51 PM (zdLoL)

25 Look into Mason bees for pollination. They are native, don't make hives. They come out in the spring, mate and lay eggs, then die off. The eggs develop over the summer and overwinter as pupae. There are couple of companies that offer the supplies (tubes, houses) and a lot of information about keeping a colony going.

Posted by: Lirio100 at April 13, 2024 01:55 PM (I5U35)

26 Before committing to hive-keeping, look at bee-attractant side plants. Lavender is one; there's a bunch, most nice to have around. If there are any bees in the area at all, planting their favorites near your trees will get their attention. Of course, make sure any fruit spray you use is not dangerous to the bees, too.

Lilacs are on the list, but I took some out because I looked across one at sunset and saw the size of the mosquito swarm. b

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at April 13, 2024 01:57 PM (zdLoL)

27 tilling today. Lovely weather for it, and I am tilling today

Posted by: Kindltot at April 13, 2024 01:58 PM (D7oie)

28 I love the top photo It reminds me of Seattle, long ago

Posted by: LASue at April 13, 2024 01:59 PM (Ed8Zd)

29 My hostas and toadflax are coming back strong!

Yes, I'm excited about toadflax.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at April 13, 2024 01:59 PM (3e3hy)

30 The eggs develop over the summer and overwinter as pupae.

Is that pronounced "Poop-AY "?

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 02:01 PM (T4tVD)

31 Our Hosta are well up and growing

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 02:02 PM (fwDg9)

32 Asian flowering quince does have fruit on it, and lovely coral flowers in the early spring, but it is very spreading and has wicked thorns on it. I can't say what the fruit tastes like but they do have some.

I have two bunches in my front yard and I dislike them. I will be trying to dig them and the holly tree up to put in something I like better. Probably a daphne and cherries.

The new cat has brought in snake #11 by the way, I hope that is is the last, they snakes are fully woke up now.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 13, 2024 02:03 PM (D7oie)

33 Lovely weather for it, and I am tilling today

Well here is a lovely earworm for you, and you'll thank me later:
https://tinyurl.com/ymkwh6pc

b

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at April 13, 2024 02:04 PM (zdLoL)

34 OddBob, we are low on honeybees this year, but I saw the fruit trees full of the native bees and what I think are hoverflies. I think it will be ok.

Hoverflies look like bees and are native pollinators, but they are flies and they have maggots that like anoxic water and compost. I keep a bathtub worm bin as a composter/source of worm tea, hoverflies lay eggs in it and the maggots look like fat translucent maggots with a really long snorkle-tail. They are called "rat tailed maggots" in the gardening books.
So it seems I am doing my part for pollinators and I will continue until the neighbors complain.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 13, 2024 02:09 PM (D7oie)

35 I have a question, does anyone grow canna lilies in the north? I am thinking of putting some in, the flowers are lovely and they seem to be easy to grow.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 13, 2024 02:10 PM (D7oie)

36 Weather in SC WI is still very variable, have much 'yard work' to do but my local municipality has approved that No-Mow-May thing again which I'm going to do, again, as I hate mowing grass and most of it doesn't get that long.
Personally I consider the closely-cropped Good Person Suburban Lawn to be among the biggest wastes of human effort in world history, that's my personal opinion so I don't live in a Nice Place with an HOA.
The legal height with NMM is 12" but when most native grasses here get long, at least in my yard, it all just lays down like a carpet and then the snakes get into it, and there are no mice into my basement. Snakes, yes.
Lots of snakes.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:11 PM (43xH1)

37 Greetings!
2 types of plants no garden should have, kudzu and English Ivy. Maybe 3 if you count bamboo. Simply because they proliferate like mad and you can never completely get rid of them.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 02:12 PM (MeG8a)

38
The most important thing for fruit tree, well any tree planting, is preparation. Take the size of the root ball and excavate an area about four times that size. Dig deeper then necessary. Chop that dirt up in a wheelbarrow until its nice and soft. Throw some of that soil at the bottom of the hole. Dump water into the hole and create a slurry mess. If height is low or high adjust. Then back-fill and lightly tamp soil. Add mulch. Keep that root ball damp until winter arrives. Some people use a hose set to trickle constantly. The main thing is providing soft damp soil for the roots to expand quickly out into. After the first year of baby treatment you should be good for the next 20 to 40 years. Sadly fruit trees aren't the longest lasting.

Eventually you'll have firewood of the most pleasant scent. I have an apple tree that provided Granny Smith apples for three decades, sadly done. Still standing and waiting to be taken down and burned in the fireplace on special occasions or given away.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 02:12 PM (RKVpM)

39 I have a question, does anyone grow canna lilies in the north? I am thinking of putting some in, the flowers are lovely and they seem to be easy to grow.
Posted by: Kindltot'

I'd take the chance, lillies

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:13 PM (43xH1)

40 Whoops Comment 39, I put Lillie's (see? some kind of autocorrect setting) out years ago and still get weird stuff. I'd do it and see what happens.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:15 PM (43xH1)

41 We have calla lilies, they are in full bloom right about now.
Cineraria in hot pursuit.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 02:15 PM (MeG8a)

42 The problem is that 1) it will probably be in a subdivision with a small lot and 2) as I understand it, hives are either growing or dying and I will be severely limited.
Posted by: Oddbob'

In places I go in Southern Europe there is no shortage of bees at all. There is a thing that bees go through cycles and right now it is a low cycle. It's entirely possible there is no critical deal with honeybees at all. Do some research. I will warn you that the majority of people are wholly ignorant of the behaviors of stinging insects and cannot tell the difference between a hornet, a wasp, and a bee, which are completely different animals, and will blame anything that happens on you.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:19 PM (43xH1)

43 We have been doing landscape stuff since about 0930 today. Moving gravel around (Hubbymayhem got me gravel for the driveway for our anniversary!), finishing the walkway from the porch to the driveway, finish putting the rocks in the rock garden. Lots of shoveling and raking. Do you know that level between "everything hurts" and "gotta feel better to die"? Yeh it's that level.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 13, 2024 02:19 PM (4XwPj)

44 Our Hosta are well up and growing
Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 02:02 PM (fwDg9)

Hosta la Vistas ?

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 02:19 PM (T4tVD)

45 Canna lilies will retreat into a large, flat bulb cluster at the end of their season, and in a harsh climate that bulb doesn't lie deep enough to survive the frost. You just pick them up, put them in plastic disposable bags and keep them in a garage or basement in a bucket. Re-bury, shallow, in the spring.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at April 13, 2024 02:20 PM (zdLoL)

46 >>>>2 types of plants no garden should have, kudzu and English Ivy. Maybe 3 if you count bamboo. Simply because they proliferate like mad and you can never completely get rid of them.
Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 02:12 PM (MeG8a)
————-
Bamboo is a nightmare once it gets a foothold in your yard. On the other hand, ornamental bamboo is very nice and a low maintenance plant for those who don’t want to do a lot of hands on gardening.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at April 13, 2024 02:22 PM (Z8Xq7)

47 Re: honeybees.
In Serbia, all the Churches and monasteries have beehives, all the better to make honey-based products, like high-octane booze.
I've seen beehives set right next to children's playgrounds, like, a few feet away and there are no problems.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:23 PM (43xH1)

48 That lemon marmalade looks delicious!

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 13, 2024 02:24 PM (XjtdB)

49 Do you know that level between "everything hurts" and "gotta feel better to die"? Yeh it's that level.
Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench)'

You left out the 'sweaty-itchy' intolerable.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:24 PM (43xH1)

50 Last few years been watching bamboo groves growing substantially, often with pandas to be congregating in them

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 02:24 PM (fwDg9)

51 Bamboo is nice in a water feature landscape installation where it is allowed to grow but is reliably contained with concrete or some other impenetrable material.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 02:26 PM (MeG8a)

52 The new cat has brought in snake #11 by the way, I hope that is is the last, the snakes are fully woke up now.
Posted by: Kindltot'

You too!?
The Old Cat loves snakes. Best toy ever.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:26 PM (43xH1)

53 You left out the 'sweaty-itchy' intolerable.
Posted by: LenNeal

That's a level lower than 'everything hurts'. Blew past that by 1100.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 13, 2024 02:27 PM (4XwPj)

54 Back to the yard work! Have a great day hordelings!

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 13, 2024 02:29 PM (4XwPj)

55 Happy week in the back garden. The hibiscus, rose, verbena, pansies, hyssop and lavender are all blooming.

The birdbath also had it's first *bathing* customer yesterday as a male finch had a very good time hopping in and out of it for several minutes.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 13, 2024 02:29 PM (XjtdB)

56 This year I need to top out the silver maples on the South side, to keep them under control, trim the Mulberry bushes that are quickly turning into trees, chop some of the walnut branches in the back, and rebuild the fence. None of this is going to take all that long, really.
My big problem is what to do with all the brush. I do live in a city and it's hard to deal with.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:32 PM (43xH1)

57 I've seriously considered using the brush to make a fence.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:33 PM (43xH1)

58 Wattle fencing would solve a lot of problems of my usual yardwork, nobody here seems to care, and anything I cut can then just be added to it.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:34 PM (43xH1)

59 What a beautiful Washington garden! Thank you for sending.

Posted by: m at April 13, 2024 02:34 PM (o3SCB)

60 22 What in the world is happening there? Is it fertilizer paint?
Posted by: t-bird

Just green paint.
The resorts around Phoenix have done it for years. They don't do any colors other than green though.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 01:50 PM (Iq0J2)

Really? That's wack!

Posted by: m at April 13, 2024 02:37 PM (o3SCB)

61 Yes, I'm excited about toadflax.
Posted by: All Hail Eris at April 13, 2024 01:59 PM (3e3hy)

I looked it up, they're very pretty.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 13, 2024 02:37 PM (XjtdB)

62 Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:32 PM (43xH1)

I always cut the mulberry we had back to almost nothing after the fruit was gone. They only fruit on new wood, so this made sure there was a lot of (easy to reach) fruit every year. Also, the wood is lovely for use in a smoker, and decent for woodworking, as well as the bark being good for cordage, and potentially useful in paper.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 13, 2024 02:40 PM (XjtdB)

63 Nice clematis.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 13, 2024 02:41 PM (vtRd1)

64 Think winds are getting worse
Who will stop the winds?

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 02:42 PM (fwDg9)

65 Got the first jalapenos and a bunch of peas this week as well. Saw the first blossoms on one of the tomatoes as well. Hopefully we'll get more rain than last year, without it being enough for flooding.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 13, 2024 02:43 PM (XjtdB)

66 I always cut the mulberry we had back to almost nothing after the fruit was gone. They only fruit on new wood, so this made sure there was a lot of (easy to reach) fruit every year. Also, the wood is lovely for use in a smoker, and decent for woodworking, as well as the bark being good for cordage, and potentially useful in paper.
Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette'

People just let them go, when if you just trim them back into you know, a Mulberry Bush, like they're supposed to be, they are awesome. And yes, mulberry wood dried is a really tough but supple wood for various projects.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:44 PM (43xH1)

67 Spent the morning running a land plane over the driveway. It was getting a bit rough. Then, replaced the blades on two push mowers. I do need to change the oil in the Toro.... but not today.

We had about 3" of rain earlier in the week, so the garden plot is too wet to till again. Maybe in a couple days if it stays dry.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 13, 2024 02:45 PM (Q4IgG)

68 Think winds are getting worse
Who will stop the winds?
Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 02:42 PM (fwDg9)

Not me.

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 02:48 PM (T4tVD)

69 Puttering - tearing down very poorly built chimney. This one is wood framed and penetrates the roof (shingles on all sides). As always the builder pooched the flashing and not only water got in, but have to replace two sheets of sheathing, so ~64 sq ft. Shingles are running $50 a bundle, or $150 a square (100 sq ft). So $150 for shingles, plywood near $50 a sheet, plus replacing the chimney itself. About $500+ in materials. Because builder saved himself $10 on flashing and a cricket (from scrap).

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 13, 2024 02:48 PM (cOq4q)

70 I blew up my old gas lawnmower, that I bought used off some guy in a trailer park, last year by not checking the oil and got a new one, like, Brand New, first one I've ever owned, and then ended up mowing my grass twice.

The city did that No-Mow-May, then it got hot and the grass didn't get long, then when it did rain again it was October and it was too wet, so, I for-real mowed my grass twice in 2020. With this brand-new Briggs & Stratton really nice deck mower.

I do feel slightly guilty.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:51 PM (43xH1)

71 Because builder saved himself $10 on flashing and a cricket (from scrap).
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher'

I feel this. On purchase my house had an aluminum flex pipe running up through a fireplace chimney from both NG hot water heater and the furnace, with a cheap cap on the top. It got eaten away and the fumes and moisture ate away the mortar from the inside and the brick too. I thought the chimney looked like it was leaning in, so got up into the attic and pulled away a board to find most of the bricks GONE, missing completely, from the house side of the fireplace chimney from the living room ceiling to the roof.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 02:56 PM (43xH1)

72 Been looking thru some satellite weather videos. We in CA are in for some serious precipitation here soon. I'm seeing snowfall in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 03:00 PM (MeG8a)

73 These high wind episodes are always nail biting for me, too many tall pines on my property

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:00 PM (fwDg9)

74 Quick Quiz, from above posts: What is a 'cricket', re: chimneys?
I bet a lot of people don't know.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:01 PM (43xH1)

75 gourmand I look at Dailytimewaster.blogspot.com every day, he often posts snow pictures taken where he lives

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:01 PM (fwDg9)

76 >>>About $500+ in materials. Because builder saved himself $10 on flashing and a cricket (from scrap).
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 13, 2024 02:48 PM (cOq4q)
*******
Your builder must of built our house. Every time we do a repair or an upgrade it turns into a sh!t show. Oh well, I like the house, so there’s that.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at April 13, 2024 03:01 PM (Z8Xq7)

77 These high wind episodes are always nail biting for me, too many tall pines on my property
Posted by: Skip'

The trees that overhang my property are leaning certain ways and aren't all that dangerous to the house, but I'd love for something to fall on my garage. I'm not saying I have plans, I need to have 'A' garage, but if something were to fall on it, I would not cry.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:03 PM (43xH1)

78 Looks like a Peterson pipe. I don't know the style but my first husband smoked one of those.

I need to finish putting my Mantis together so I can fire it up. I have stuff that I need to plant. I should have someone till this with a big tiller, then take over from there.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 13, 2024 03:03 PM (yeEu9)

79 Quick Quiz, from above posts: What is a 'cricket', re: chimneys?
I bet a lot of people don't know.
Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:01 PM (43xH1)

I doesn't know.

Posted by: JT at April 13, 2024 03:04 PM (T4tVD)

80 It's a huge warm front that starts down in Mexico and is looping northward as far as Oregon.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 03:05 PM (MeG8a)

81 Also, The Kid has announced her intention of unearthing all the sidewalks on the property. I let them go as when the yard grows over the walkway, the snakes love to lurk under the dead grass and etc. between the matted grass and the cement.

She wants to make it all nice so whatever.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:05 PM (43xH1)

82 https://fullservicechimney.com/chimney-crickets-on-your-roof

This. Ultimately, your roof will leak. But this idea might keep it from not leaking for longer than usual.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:08 PM (43xH1)

83 I should have someone till this with a big tiller, then take over from there.
Posted by: Notsothoreau

Rent a big tiller for a day and then tidy up with the little mantis.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 03:10 PM (7j3f3)

84 Building houses it always astounded me how people thought upon buying a house that it was some kind of product, that it would be maintenance free. No, weather and existence is constantly going after your home, or as you consider it, 'your investment', and it is not permanent.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:10 PM (43xH1)

85
These high wind episodes are always nail biting for me, too many tall pines on my property

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:00 PM

In the storm a couple weeks ago I had a green tree of about 90 foot split at about the 30 foot mark (above ground) break free, hit a cement patio, split again, hit a huge rock, split again and about a thousand pounds landed on first three feet of roof, destroying downspout. I know I'm up for a new roof and gutters soon. But the sound of a thousand pounds of tree branch landing on the roof in a wind storm? Not pleasant.

Not fun here today and tomorrow may only be a little bit less wind. Neither my wife nor I had a good nights sleep last night. Country living as they say.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 03:11 PM (RKVpM)

86 I once visited the house my great grandpa built in 1906,
a 2 story house with a porch and crawl space underneath.
He claimed to have built it himself. Anyway my visit was in 2010 with the present owners and they let me look around. Not a plumb wall or 90 degree angle remains, but somehow it still stands.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 03:14 PM (MeG8a)

87 Spent the past week in Huntsville, AL. Rained all damned week. And still the grass was brown. What's up with that?

Got back last night to see all but about a foot of snow has melted off, and my new greenhouse has been delivered to Home Depot, so let the season commence.

I've got some cukes and tomatoes started in pots, those giant sunflowers are still in peat pots but getting a nice head start. The greenhouse will probably get started up in less than a month, but the outdoors stuff won't get into the ground until the very tail end of May if not the beginning of June, weather dependent.

Now, to pretreat for slugs. Any good advice? The rainy end of season last year led to slugs eating every damned thing except they hate strawberries, so there's that. I get everbearing strawberries up here and eat them all season.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at April 13, 2024 03:15 PM (sRfrW)

88
Not fun here today and tomorrow may only be a little bit less wind. Neither my wife nor I had a good nights sleep last night. Country living as they say.
Posted by: Divide by Zero'

A few years ago had lightning hit a silver maple happily growing with roots into my sewer, split it in half and killed half the tree but not the other half. Also destroyed a computer plugged in at the time. I thought it might recover but after two years had to cut it down.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:15 PM (43xH1)

89 A roof cricket if framing to stop water being dammed by chimney. Can occur other places as well

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:16 PM (fwDg9)

90 'your investment', and it is not permanent.
Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:10 PM (43xH1)

My dad told me when I was a teenager that any house is a money pit. Buyer beware.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at April 13, 2024 03:16 PM (sRfrW)

91 I would rent a big one for the day but am an old person and couldn't deal with it. I am inclined to think I can do more than I can.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 13, 2024 03:16 PM (yeEu9)

92 Our 2 Fraser Photinia shrubs died... that January subzero cold snap did them in. They're only 8ft tall, kinda lanky, so won't be difficult to cut down. Not gonna pull the stumps, they're small and will rot quickly.

Posted by: JQ at April 13, 2024 03:17 PM (njWTi)

93 89 A roof cricket if framing to stop water being dammed by chimney. Can occur other places as well
Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:16 PM (fwDg9)

I wonder why builders are such idiots about shedding rain from structures. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out where you need crickets and even how to avoid the need for them. Or to avoid dumping water on the heads of folks at the front door. Gutters only do so much. Put the door on the gable side, or provide a separate gable for them.

Or use the mid-century modern cop out of flat roofs with scuppers. But not where it freezes, or you carry the entire load of ice for the winter.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at April 13, 2024 03:18 PM (sRfrW)

94 Now, to pretreat for slugs. Any good advice? The rainy end of season last year led to slugs eating every damned thing except they hate strawberries, so there's that. I get everbearing strawberries up here and eat them all season.
Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief'

I do not, other than get chickens. I'm seriously considering it due to earwigs in my locale.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:19 PM (43xH1)

95 I used to put out saucers of beer for the slugs.
They die happy.

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 13, 2024 03:21 PM (MeG8a)

96 I do not, other than get chickens. I'm seriously considering it due to earwigs in my locale.
Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:19 PM (43xH1)

I already have two dogs. I don't need more poo in the yards.

Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief at April 13, 2024 03:21 PM (sRfrW)

97 Way-ull, I should be getting a new refrigerator tomorrow. Please think happy thoughts that the delivery goes well and that it fits into the allotted space.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 13, 2024 03:23 PM (Be/+i)

98 I would rent a big one for the day but am an old person and couldn't deal with it. I am inclined to think I can do more than I can.
Posted by: Notsothoreau

Heh, I didn't say I'd rent one any more!

When we repaired the gravel drive we bought 120 tons and then rented tractors to move it, plural because the 1st one broke after an hour and then 2nd one after 7 hrs. We said 'good enough' at that point. I had rented for 3 days and didn't get over 8 hours out of them both.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 13, 2024 03:23 PM (7j3f3)

99 Working building for decades I've had a few people ask me what my ideal house is, and I always draw a children's crayon diagram of the square/rectangular box, with the upside down V roof, with a chimney at the peak.

"There."

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:23 PM (43xH1)

100
Anything that kills a tree with roots growing into the sewer is a mixed blessing. I have to keep adding some solution into my septic tank every three months to keep the roots out. Roto-rooter guy suggested it. It works. No more problem. But I should cut those nearby trees down for good.

My to-do list never stops. For every item I cross off, within days I add a new one.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 03:23 PM (RKVpM)

101 I already have two dogs. I don't need more poo in the yards.
Posted by: tcn in AK, Hail to the Thief '

Have a neighbor with chickens?

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:27 PM (43xH1)

102 I'm seriously considering it due to earwigs in my locale.
Posted by: LenNeal
------

Never mind chickens-- hang a bird feeder, LenNeal. Or several.

Don't hurry to refill it when empty-- wait a day. Any and all birds will happily peck around & eat those bugs!

Posted by: JQ at April 13, 2024 03:27 PM (njWTi)

103 Isn't lids of beer around yard supposed to attract and kill slugs?

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:28 PM (fwDg9)

104 Isn't lids of beer around yard supposed to attract and kill slugs?
Posted by: Skip
------

Supposedly.

Posted by: JQ at April 13, 2024 03:29 PM (njWTi)

105 Oh, fun fact. My locale got into a huge conniption about lead water pipes and did a whole deal about water bills, which was a camel's-nose-in-the-tent to do inspections of houses. I knew it, you can fight it, etc. but anyway the City Water came out and looked at my water meter and flat out told me it is lead buried in limestone and old as S*** and should be changed.
However, I did my research and learned that once lead gets a coating on it it is inert. The amount of lead getting through into taps is so low it is not measurable.
So I talked my way out of getting hit for a whole new water line, on my own dime, from the street.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:31 PM (43xH1)

106 I have this feed of historical pictures that crops up in FB. Anytime I worry about something in my house, I think of those shacks standing on stacked rocks.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 13, 2024 03:31 PM (yeEu9)

107 PET NOOD

Posted by: Skip at April 13, 2024 03:31 PM (fwDg9)

108 Don't hurry to refill it when empty-- wait a day. Any and all birds will happily peck around & eat those bugs!
Posted by: JQ'

The Kid has been doing bird feeding for a year or so, sparrows, junkoes, etc. they seem aggressive. So maybe that's a thing. I never fed birds but now am skeptical of people using phrases like 'eats like a bird' as birds eat like pigs.

Posted by: LenNeal at April 13, 2024 03:34 PM (43xH1)

109
My neighbors have a farm and need my help installing a chicken coop and run. Not a problem at all and by the way, can we donate some hens and feed? The price of eggs seems to be stuck at Biden levels. It's gonna cost me the price of some boxes of $7.99 screws and a few hours labor. Free eggs forever. Brown, but who cares?

I'm sure Biden will enact some excess profits tax on Big Egg pretty soon which will reduce the price from $2.75/dozen to $3.50.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 13, 2024 03:35 PM (RKVpM)

110 I have been reading Grow a Little Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph. It's very good. I got a few Tractor Supply fruit trees to play with.

I used to try and concince by husband to let me prune back the apple tree so it would bear fruit again. He wouldn't go for it, even though I'd pruned in a commercial orchard. When the kids got the house, the stepdaughter treated the bugs and had it pruned way back. They have apples again.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at April 13, 2024 03:36 PM (yeEu9)

111 A bit of a crossover with the book thread but hoverflies are a murder weapon--no really--in the first of the Anty Boisjoly mysteries that I enjoy reading. They are modern novels but written in a P.G. Wodehouse style. The hero is what Bertie Wooster would be like if he were smart.

If you want to know how they'd be a murder weapon, well, you have to read the book.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at April 13, 2024 03:54 PM (FEVMW)

112 Back on break...
Nice to see I am not the only one with inept builders.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 13, 2024 04:25 PM (cOq4q)

113 Late to the thread because I was actually gardening today after picking up the branches last night's storm brought down.

I cut and pulled out a lot of woody vines that sprang up from under the cover of the rhubarb. Happy to report that pigskin gloves really are perfect for thorny things.

Thatch-raked the front yard but the back has been taken over by creeping Charlie and burrowing critters. I had to tip over a couple of big pots because the drainage holes plugged. I hope the sedum inside aren't dead.

The final big task was moving the birdbath from the backyard to the front, where the oak tree was taken down and the garden looked so bare.

Going to burn the brushpile now.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at April 13, 2024 06:54 PM (hfth+)

114 I won't lie: I'm envious of the top photo. My garden will never look that nice unless I dynamite the neighbor's garage.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at April 13, 2024 06:59 PM (hfth+)

115 Everything's very pretty. Thank you KT and photo-posters.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 03:46 PM (o3SCB)

116 From Boise area: Project Appleseed event kept us very busy. Will try to post next week, after 4-H district smallbore rifle match.

Posted by: Pat* at April 14, 2024 10:52 PM (ffcdl)

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