Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, June 15

Here are some pictures of ginger flowers from my garden here in SW FL.

Note that the flower spike comes up and then in the small cups another "blossom" occurs that can be pollinated, On the white flower the blossoms are purple and on the large red flower the blossoms are orange. The blooms last a long time and the large leaves are very showy also.

The need only filtered light; the Florida sun can toll a toll on them.

I prefer to remain a lurker for now.

Beautiful and fascinating. Thanks for sharing some flowers most of us can't grow.

Here's a a couple of the flowers from my yard.

The large red flower is a scarlet swamp hibiscus flower that is a native SWFL plant and member of the hibiscus family.

The red veined flowers are tiger eye Chinese lantern flowers.

I think these have a wider climate range than the gingers. I have grown something related to the Chinese lantern flower. It was fun. Yours have much more intricate markings.

Always love to see our native hibiscus, too. That one is gorgeous.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

From 40 Miles North:

6 foot Parsley tree

Don't let this happen to you:

KT, I need to pull a bunch of weeds to I can take a picture for you, unless of course you have a 7 footer.

After many hours of weeding, I have some pictures for you KT. Here is the foliage at the base of the parsley plants. I believe that is flat leaf Italian parsley. There is a Penstemon behind it

It starts to get bitter when the plant bolts like that.

Here is a close up of the buds on top:

That's more parsley seed than anyone needs.

I have a couple of two footers, one three footer, and these are the 5 and 6 foot parsley trees next to each other

Nice flowers behind it, too.

What a crazy year. Without pictures, it would seem like a fisherman's tale. Take care

Yes, gardening can get crazy.

Questions about a Garden Favorite

Miley recently asked about the adaptability of Centaurea montana, or Mountain Bluet, which she grew in Sweden. Here's the profile from the Missouri Botanical Garden.

It's a perennial relative of Bachelor Buttons. It is also related to one of the plants we call Dusty Miller, which has a very different look.

It looks more similar to Stoke's Aster, which is not as closely related.

I kind of like the look of a newer cultivar, Amethyst in Snow:

A perennial flower with soft, mildly-fuzzy gray/green leaves that pushes up Dr. Seuss-like spikes of blue-purple flower cones with white fluted petals protruding from around each cone. Main bloom is late May through June but reblooms somewhat if cut back in early summer.

* Great partner: Salvia 'May Night' or 'Marcus' or at the base of purple clematis vine.

The Missouri Botanical Garden lists it for Zones 3 - 7.

This vendor is more optimistic about growing it in warmer climates.

Hope this helps.

Puttering

Knot tying. A few more examples in the responses.

Useful knot tying tip
pic.twitter.com/JS1jYA27OU

— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) May 7, 2024

Garden Defense

You may not actually need the battery.

Protecting tomato plants from snails 🐌

pic.twitter.com/CXzq1yfDyl

— Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) June 12, 2024

Gardens of The Horde

From NorCal Sierra Foothills Lurker:

Fairy Lanterns

Such magical wildflowers

Some people can read a lot into a Fairy Lantern:

Thus, we see in the growth habit of the plant itself an expression of the soul qualities addressed by the flower essence. The delicate sensitivity of the blossom is kept in a semi-closed protected space. The blossom never fully opens, never fully raises itself up to the light, never fully matures. It appears to hold itself back, hiding from the sun in the woodland shade. Spying a population of Fairy Lanterns lighting up the rocky slopes with their cool moon-like glow, we are struck with their fragile beauty. Yet, these appearances may be deceptive: the plant is more robust than it appears, clinging to rocky slopes, persisting for many years in its chosen habitats.

The challenge for those needing Fairy Lantern is to find their strength and self-confidence as mature individuals, while honoring the beauty, innocence and interior sensitivity that such soul types most naturally express.

There's more.

Blue iris from 40 Miles North

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, June 8

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 afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 01:27 PM (fwDg9)

2 I'll let the others know this thread is live.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 15, 2024 01:27 PM (O7YUW)

3 Some wonderful pictures this week. This thread is always a bright spot in my wife's week and I'll be sure to show this to her when she gets home today.

Thank you for running this K.T.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 15, 2024 01:29 PM (O7YUW)

4 Besides dutifully called
Have lots of peppers, hot and sweet growing, but rarely ever have the first ones ripen. Actually scaring me as that is the first are slow to start then afterwards the bulk of them grow. Now have lots.
Only starting to see tomato blossoms and two toys can't get dill to grow

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 01:30 PM (fwDg9)

5 Love those Chinese lantern flowers.

Container tomatoes seem lackadaisical this year, not a lot of blossoms. We had so much rain until last week, that I think they just didn't get enough light; they are tall and slender, like they were reaching. Now that we're in the 90's, and I've fed them again, maybe they'll take off.

Posted by: skywch at June 15, 2024 01:40 PM (uqhmb)

6 Puttering all over, cleaned up a cart full pf sticks from just a wind storm yesterday this morning
Now have 2 holes in upper corners of my basement doors so Bondo patching

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 01:41 PM (fwDg9)

7 Is this thread strictly for gardening, or hobby inclusive?

Posted by: sven at June 15, 2024 01:45 PM (X0I7i)

8 The red ginger is spectacular. The Chinese Lantern Flowers should do well in pots, so you can elevate them for closer viewing.

Posted by: KT at June 15, 2024 01:46 PM (rrtZS)

9 Love the Mountain Bluets, if only for the name. And I like the Dr. Seuss variation, too.

Posted by: KT at June 15, 2024 01:47 PM (rrtZS)

10 sven there is always downstairs for other stuff

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 01:51 PM (fwDg9)

11 The ginger is lovely! I have considered throwing a few into my weed bed, but it is so danged hot here in the Third Coast (deepest Coastal Bend Texas) that I fear they would simply evaporate.

Posted by: Brewingfrog at June 15, 2024 01:52 PM (OwNwQ)

12 Thank you K.T. for the lovely gardening thread. As always the pictures are beautiful. Now, I’m feeling guilty and will go outside to water and tend my plants.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at June 15, 2024 01:57 PM (VQa9+)

13 love those bluet pictures!

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 15, 2024 01:57 PM (S6gqv)

14 Those are the fastest snails I've ever seen.

Thanks for the beautiful flower pics.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 02:12 PM (pUmP9)

15 Some people can read a lot into a Fairy Lantern:
===

Same people to imbue rocks (crystals) with magical properties.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 02:14 PM (pUmP9)

16 Question for 40 Miles North and the rest of the horde. I was TDY in Clackamas Oregon last month (beautiful place, shame about the people) and there was something similar to the blue iris. Plant snap said they were Siberian iris. Question is, will they grow in Texas? They had what looked like seed pods and I 'acquired' probably between 100-150 seed pods with enough seeds to fill a sandwich size ziplock bag.

Posted by: Stacy0311 at June 15, 2024 02:14 PM (m5P/4)

17 All of today's pictures are so pretty and colorful!

Posted by: CaliGirl at June 15, 2024 02:14 PM (uHd5d)

18 10 Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 01:51 PM (fwDg9)

Not being ornery, I'll bring it up later.

Y'all have a good Saturday

Posted by: sven at June 15, 2024 02:20 PM (X0I7i)

19 Siberian iris
Posted by: Stacy0311

I found: Hardiness Zones 3–8 (USDA)

They will not grow here.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 02:20 PM (pUmP9)

20 "That's more parsley seed than anyone needs."

Yes, but you can use the root for bug bites! Wash and mince it up a bit and squeeze the juice using a garlic press.

KT, thanks for the centauria montana info. I got some seeds and if they don't thrive here, I'll try the variety you linked. They're beautiful!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 02:24 PM (w6EFb)

21 Actually did some gardening yesterday. Bought two 'mater plants, big ones, and two strawberry plants from WalMart, and set them out in the garden bed on the south side of the house, where they can get plenty of sun. The strawberries were in hanging baskets, but I tried hanging them, and the wind blew them around so badly, they would not have lasted 24 hours, so I set them into the ground (sans basket).

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 15, 2024 02:26 PM (WGkKU)

22 I've been thinking about trying my hand at ginger. Maybe it needs to be on the front porch, because full sun is rough on a lot of plants. I'm trying to figure out a safe place for my basil plants.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 02:27 PM (w6EFb)

23 Beautiful photos!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 15, 2024 02:28 PM (csT1u)

24 As always, I have more than enough to do gardening-wise. Now it's time to hoe the weeds.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 02:30 PM (w6EFb)

25 My tomato plants are pushing out lots of little 'maters now. Can't wait for the first beefsteak of the summer!

My Black Brandywine and Sart Roloise might be first to hit the dinner plate.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at June 15, 2024 02:32 PM (FkUwd)

26 Of for Pete's sake. Frost warning tonight, and tomorrow night.

Will be scampering all over hells half acre tonight covering tenders. Global warming my butt.

Also, have had so much trouble getting Fruit trees to survive winter. We're supposed to be a zone 5b.
Last two winters had -30 below plus! which is 10 degrees colder than the average extreme low for that zone.

Again, globull warming my butt.

I'm now looking at fruit tree varieties that are conducive to thriving in zone 4. Not many in that category.

Posted by: Derak at June 15, 2024 02:32 PM (5p7XG)

27 I have grown ginger in a planter against a south facing wall here in Oregon, but it never blooms. Here I suppose it is an indoor plant, I had a friend in high school who grew some in his window for the fun of it.

I am currently trying to get a decent growth of taro, three of the corms I bought at the asian market survived and put up leaves. After years of unpromising attempts, this year I am trying growing it in an old bathtub full of compost and worms on the hope that it will be warmer than a planter.

One year I am going to build an Orangery and grow guava, coffee, taro and cassava out of spite. "Darn you, cool Mediterranean climate, how dare it be suitable for apples, pears, grapes and blueberries!"

Posted by: Kindltot at June 15, 2024 02:42 PM (D7oie)

28 We've been working in our own yard, and also in the
neighbor's in back. She had one of the most interesting and beautiful yards in town, but it has gone native in the last few years. She's 96 and unable to do anything in the yard now.
So he and her next door neighbor mow and weed-eat, and we are now cutting down the saplings that have taken hold in the beds, clearing out the worst of the weeds, trying to get the grapevines out of the pecan tree by the fence- that sort of thing.
I am making grapevine wreaths from the cuttings and some smudge sticks from all the rosemary trimmings.

It has been an exceptionally wet spring, so everything is beautifully green. It's been so wet that all the fruiting plants are just lolling around and doing very little work.

We put the new deluxe leaf bin frame together, then realized that the 2x4s had been cut to fit in the car, and now need to be trimmed down.
Next up, new compost bin. Six years was a good run, but it needs some work.

Posted by: sal: tolle adversarium et afflige inimicum at June 15, 2024 02:47 PM (y7DxH)

29 Derak, you could try cherries and the Antonovka variety of apple since it is supposed to be very cold-hardy

Posted by: Kindltot at June 15, 2024 02:48 PM (D7oie)

30 The rhododendrons are done blooming. Now it's the hydrangea's turn. I have blue and purple and pink and white all with if viewing range of my front windows.

The clematis is also blossoming.

Next door neighbor has some hanging fuscias that the hummingbirds love.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 15, 2024 02:54 PM (csT1u)

31 Pleased to report that I am nurturing 4 new runner bean vines. They are the only ones to survive the insect onslaught which devoured at least 4 other sprouts.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 15, 2024 02:56 PM (RIvkX)

32 Have 2 volunteer tomatoes I am letting grow, see what comes from them

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 02:58 PM (fwDg9)

33 My clematis is doing really well too, growing inches a day in several directions. If I can train them all I will have clematis, runner bean vine, and nasturtium all on the same 3x3 lattice.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 15, 2024 03:00 PM (RIvkX)

34 I am going to build an Orangery and grow guava, coffee, taro and cassava out of spite. "Darn you, cool Mediterranean climate, how dare it be suitable for apples, pears, grapes and blueberries!"
Posted by: Kindltot

I never new what they were called but I've been in a few.
The last Orangery was in Dunedin NZ's Englisher Gardens. What a pretty botanical garden, highly recommend.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 03:00 PM (pUmP9)

35 My Cherokee Purple tomato plant appears to be quite healthy. But the tomatoes have split skins.

Am I watering too much?

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:08 PM (VuZH8)

36 Those flowers are gorgeous!

When I was a little kid, my grandma took me to her favorite attraction in Florida: Cypress Gardens. I saw flowers there that I never saw anywhere else. My brothers were not as impressed, but I was enchanted. I hear that Legoland maintains the banyan tree.

I have to transplant a few peppers seedlings and plant squash today. The local garden gurus say to avoid squash bugs, plant after they've metamorphosed past the squash-eating stage. And that time usually corresponds to the mayfly swarms, which began occurring this past week.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 15, 2024 03:08 PM (Ggb3b)

37 I just spent half an hour wrasslin' 300 ft of hose to the end of my Hell's 0.4 acre. There will be water this evening.

I've got my straw hat, which has been propped on the back of a chair out here on the back porch. There's a half-inch wasp's nest in the crown. I chucked it out.

They won't have a chance to build anymore, because I use this hat all the time. I wet a facecloth and wrap ice cubes in it, then plop it onto my head. The hat holds it in place.

That should last for a good half-hour, which is all my 29-year-old self can handle at a time.

I used to love to sunbathe, but now I settle for a farmer's tan.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 03:10 PM (w6EFb)

38 I got a lot of basil from a small planter box. The cilantro went to seed, so I guess that I will be harvesting coriander soon.

I plan to pull everything out of the planter and try some green onions and parsley.

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:11 PM (VuZH8)

39 The local garden gurus say to avoid squash bugs, plant after they've metamorphosed past the squash-eating stage. And that time usually corresponds to the mayfly swarms, which began occurring this past week.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 15, 2024 03:08 PM (Ggb3b)

We planted ours 2 weeks ago, so maybe we're safe.

OK, back out into the garden!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 03:13 PM (w6EFb)

40 Who knows anything about wells and pumps?

My Hunter lawn sprinkler controller says "P Err" There is a fault in the wire to the pump start relay or the relay went bad. Or? The pump is 17 years old and died?

I just ordered a new pump start relay. It's cheaper than a new pump. I will buy a new pump, if necessary. But I have to try this first.

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:15 PM (VuZH8)

41 I have a golfer's tan.

Dark legs. White feet.

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:16 PM (VuZH8)

42 Way out of my understanding

Posted by: Skip at June 15, 2024 03:17 PM (fwDg9)

43 My back neighbor was talking to me over the chain link fence and casually tore off my dead-looking clematis. I didn't say a word. He was my late neighbor's favorite nephew; he means well.

Ironically, he did this before I hired my awesome lawncare guy LG. LG told me he got a little too exuberant with the trimmer last year and had to buy a customer a new clematis.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at June 15, 2024 03:18 PM (Ggb3b)

44 Who knows anything about wells and pumps?

Posted by: No one of any consequence

I know wells are a hole in the ground you throw money at but that is about it.
I do know that when the well/pump doesn't work life becomes very dry.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 03:22 PM (pUmP9)

45 I never new what they were called but I've been in a few.
The last Orangery was in Dunedin NZ's Englisher Gardens. What a pretty botanical garden, highly recommend.
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 03:00 PM (pUmP9)

technically, since it will be for guavas, it will be a "guavary" but no one but me would understand the joke.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 15, 2024 03:23 PM (D7oie)

46 Posted by: Kindltot

Heh, we grew guavas in the yard in Santa Barbara and made jelly with them. Pretty plants and the jelly tasted great on scones.
S.B. was great for gardening.
The backyard in Tempe was great too; just add water.
This place across the street from a desert park invites every herbivore within miles to devour anything I plant.
I'm still hesitating to build a solid 1/4" mesh enclosed raised garden because of the cost...

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 03:31 PM (pUmP9)

47 Nood Pet land!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at June 15, 2024 03:33 PM (pUmP9)

48 Stacy, I grew a blue iris that looked just like the photo, in Fort Worth back in the 80's. It didn't get a lot of sun and was very pretty.

Posted by: skywch at June 15, 2024 03:34 PM (uqhmb)

49 "I'm now looking at fruit tree varieties that are conducive to thriving in zone 4. Not many in that category."

Look in the online socialist Fedco catalog.

Rootstock also makes a difference. You may do better with a standard rootstock, controlling tree size by pruning while the tree has growth (not while dormant) than with dwarf rootstock.

Also, if there are any good local nurseries around you, check with one of them (not the big box stores).

Posted by: KT at June 15, 2024 03:49 PM (rrtZS)

50 No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:11 PM

You can plan on cilantro going to seed fast. Just plant it at intervals as a routine.

Posted by: KT at June 15, 2024 03:50 PM (rrtZS)

51 No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:08 PM

It's certainly possible to water tomatoes too much. Restricting water near ripening will increase flavor, but inconsistent watering can cause splitting.

Cherokee Purple may not be the best split-free tomato, either. Pick it while the shoulders are a little green and bring it inside for best flavor. A lot of the dark tomatoes (and some old Italian types) are best this way.

Posted by: KT at June 15, 2024 03:55 PM (rrtZS)

52 I have a golfer's tan.

Dark legs. White feet.

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 03:16 PM (VuZH

I have a flip flop tan. It's funny.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at June 15, 2024 04:12 PM (w6EFb)

53 From Boise area: We were gone for a week, supporting our students at a state 4-H match. They won the top 3 places. My motto for our group is "We train champions". Since one of our students just took the top spot at that competition for the 8th year in a row, it's not an idle boast.

It was around 90 F while we were gone. Husband turned up the irrigation before we left, knowing that would happen. Everything went nuts, including the weeds in the garden beds. So far today, I've weeded the 2 tomato beds, 2 beds of vines, and one bed of strawberries.

Husband mowed the lawn, then swept it because the grass went nuts too.

Time to go back out, do more weeding. I'll probably post again later.

Posted by: Pat* at June 15, 2024 04:13 PM (iH7uW)

54 Thanks for the advice. The watering has not been inconsistent.

Posted by: No one of any consequence at June 15, 2024 04:35 PM (VuZH8)

55 From Boise area, part 2: This afternoon, I weeded the bed of beans and peas - the other strawberry bed - the 4 foot row of orange carrots - and around the row ends where I put 3 poblanos and 4 broccolini. I weeded the area where I had put basil and parsley (there's only one tiny parsley sprout) - I dug out 12 oregano starts and will have to figure out how to give them away.

The lupines are covered with both powdery mildew and aphids... The larkspurs have started blooming. The Sweet William pinks and the yellow columbines are in glory. The faithful Johnny Jump-Ups by the shed are beautiful. I went out to gather wild rose petals, but the returns are diminishing - being gone for a week, I missed some of the best gathering time...

The strawberries have started producing!

Posted by: Pat* at June 15, 2024 07:02 PM (iH7uW)

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