Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Jan 4

Happy New Gardening Year! Above, a striped rose growing in Turkey, of all places, a couple of years ago. Is everything frozen where you are?

Art

Snow Patterns from Nature Nomad

Morning Shadows from Eromero

Old art:

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

From Neal in Israel:

The mango gave more fruit than last year, but still not much. The fruit to flowering ratio is very low, perhaps depressed by the fact that there was already intense heat in the spring/early summer when the fruit was just setting. Also, the tree isn’t from one of the varieties which produce dense clumps of small fruits. Instead, it produces much larger fruits, each of which dangles its own long stem.

They look wonderful to me.

Ah, Nature

Humans are blind to ultraviolet light. But bugs can see it! Ever wondered what a flower looks like to a butterfly or bee? Well, now we know.
Photographer Craig Burrows snapped photos of flowers in ultraviolet light. No wonder bees and butterflies love them so much!
Growwithnith Dec. 25

Puttering

We have some grafters in The Horde. Planning any grafting projects this year?

Types of tree grafting. pic.twitter.com/HCqF38FVYk
— FunFacts (@funfacts_avatar) December 28, 2024

Adventure

Bergen, Norway

Gardens of The Horde

From burnthewitch, Eupatorium was once used for fever and other maladies. It is still described at drugs.com.

Traditional/Ethnobotanical uses
Boneset has been used as a charm and as a medicinal remedy for centuries by indigenous North Americans. As a charm, the root fibers were applied to hunting whistles with the belief that they would increase the whistle's ability to call deer. As an herbal remedy, American Indians used boneset as an antipyretic (to reduce fevers). The early settlers used the plant to treat rheumatism, dropsy, dengue fever, malaria, pneumonia, and influenza. The name boneset was derived from the plant's use in the treatment of breakbone fever, a term describing the high fever that often accompanies influenza. Boneset was official in the US Pharmacopeia from 1820 to 1900.

It has some liver toxicity.

NCSU describes some companion plants and:

Description
Boneset is a large herbaceous, clump-forming rhizomatous perennial herb in the aster (Asteraceae) family that is native to the eastern USA and Canada and as far west as TX, NB and the Dakotas. It can be found in various kinds of wetlands, including marshes, bogs, fens, seeps, edges of rivers, sandy flats and ditches. The plant will grow 4-6 feet tall with a 2-4 foot spread and can form colonies.
The Latin name, Eupatorium, is derived from Eupator, a 1st century BCE king of Pontus, famed for his herbal skills. The species name, perfoliatum, means "through the leaf" since the stem seems to grow through the paired leaves.
Boneset has small white flowers that appear in late summer and fall. The plant grows well in average, medium to wet soils with a consistent water source. It prefers full sun or part shade and tolerates both sandy and clay soils with plenty of organic matter. It will tolerate short-term occasional flooding.
Use this plant in the native pollinator garden and wetland areas such as ponds, streams, marshes or rain and water gardens.
This plant was selected as the 2003 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, Dec. 28

The famous Pat* has some lovely personal follow-up on one feature from last week:

Shiny-Brite ornaments!!, from Pat*
My husband and I were very interested in the article about the WWII-era ornaments and the Shiny-Brite name, because we actually have some of those ornaments.
Many years ago, when I’d just graduated college and we’d just gotten married, we bought a house in Michigan. Our neighbors were a widow of 95 or so, named Mrs. Kleinhans, and a maiden lady of Swedish ancestry of 75 or so, named Miss Lundahl. (God give them good rest; they were always kind to us.) When Miss Lundahl was moving (I assume to an assisted living facility), she asked if we’d like to have her Christmas ornaments, and told us some of them were very old. They’ve had places on our Christmas trees every year since then, but now we know part of their story.
In the first photo, the bottom two ornaments aren’t metallic inside, and have stiff paper caps - these are surely the ones made later in the war, when metals weren’t available for civilian uses like this. The ornament with blue stripes shows a seam, and I’m guessing this was an earlier version - it still has a metal top, but it doesn’t say Shiny Brite on it.
The second photo has three post-war ornaments - you can see part of the Shiny Brite logo atop the snow-capped ornament.
Thank you for giving us this insight into our treasured ornaments!

Those ornaments really mean something! What a great story.

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.

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.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:27 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 01:29 PM (fwDg9)

2 I keep saying I won't be happy until May, I H8 winter.
Have snow blower out front inside garage as might need it Monday

Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 01:32 PM (fwDg9)

3 We've got two pots of pansies, and some romaine lettuce, that are still toughing it out here in Brunswick County, NC.

Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 01:33 PM (mADJX)

4 Paco at January 04, 2025 01:33 PM

Impressive!

Posted by: KT at January 04, 2025 01:36 PM (xekrU)

5 There's some of that boneset growing in the "native plant garden" part of our yard.

Posted by: fd at January 04, 2025 01:40 PM (vFG9F)

6 The mangos take me back to when we lived in Miami. I planted one in my back yard, and it gave us delicious fruit every year, although I was constantly fighting an infection of anthracnose or something similar. With respect to gardening, Miami was always my favorite place. We had avocado trees, a honey-bell tangelo, and various exotics (nispero, lychee, and several more, including a mamey, which never did very well because the Japanese beetles absolutely devoured the leaves). I could grow poinsettia throughout the year, and could cut canes off of hibiscus bushes and just stick them in the dirt - they'd sprout roots and new leaves every time.

Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 01:41 PM (mADJX)

7 I have a new garden plan. I've ordered plants and seeds. It's not how I like to garden but I need fruit and greens. It was fun and I ordered from Renee's Garden, which has a lovely catalog.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 04, 2025 01:45 PM (NQtI0)

8
Everything is frozen in SW Wyoming except fir trees, lol. It's snowing again, what a surprise, lol.

Posted by: four seasons at January 04, 2025 01:48 PM (3ek7K)

9 the ultraviolet flower photography...stupendous!

Paul Hollywood of baking fame went to Bergen, Norway and experienced Christmas there:

https://tinyurl.com/49j3mr4a

(my Christmas extends to January 15, so...relevant)

Posted by: kallisto at January 04, 2025 01:49 PM (dCxaZ)

10 No freeze here yet, but it’s coming soon.

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 04, 2025 01:50 PM (7MHHr)

11 I have some of those very ornaments down in the basement, and many more! We always used them on the tree when I was a kid and I still find a place for them to this day.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Agent of Chaos at January 04, 2025 01:54 PM (kpS4V)

12 It's freezy and windy here so it's another week of seed-buying and catalog-perusing.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Agent of Chaos at January 04, 2025 01:58 PM (kpS4V)

13 I thought the striped rose was pretty, but those ultraviolet pictures put it to shame. Very nice.

Posted by: tankdemon at January 04, 2025 02:02 PM (FVLcK)

14 A neighbor moved recently and gave us her potted Meyer lemon tree. We moved it into the house, and it is doing well under the plant light. It had a dozen or so very fat lemons on it, most of which I have harvested..

I planted a couple of cotton seeds this past summer, and, while I didn't harvest enough cotton to ship on a blockade runner to England, I did get enough to stopper an aspirin bottle or two.

Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 02:05 PM (mADJX)

15 If you want some seeds for colored cotton, let me know. I have four varieties. Found out after I bought them that there are restrictions growing cotton in KS. Email in the nic

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 04, 2025 02:16 PM (NQtI0)

16 Great thread today, and some great images to go with it. As for the cold, I'm fairly certain that, should I venture outside, I'd soon be looking at the loss of (ahem) 'certain body parts' I'd just as soon keep as lose ... yeah, it's that cold ...

Posted by: Dr_No at January 04, 2025 02:16 PM (ayRl+)

17 The grafting looks so easy.

I lost a bunch of young apple trees to severe cold 2 years ago. I left them to see if they would throw out a shoot above the main graft. Most did, but some just suckered from the root stock.

I left them to grow this past year. I think I'll try that graft onto the leader coming out of the root stock.

Posted by: Derak at January 04, 2025 02:20 PM (Oq3mj)

18 When is the best time to graft?

Posted by: Derak at January 04, 2025 02:22 PM (Oq3mj)

19 Answer:
Apples in spring,cherries in summer.

Though I'd bet anytime right before bud swell is best. I'd guess cherries are more prone to late freezes and frosts, thus later in the year.

Edjumacated guess,

Posted by: Derak at January 04, 2025 02:29 PM (Oq3mj)

20 i have a variety of vintage ornaments too!…thanks Pat, you always share good stuff!

Posted by: cherries are the best at January 04, 2025 02:38 PM (Ts066)

21 Talking about Meyer lemon trees this time of year makes me think of my late aunt. She inherited my grandmother's untutored green thumb and could grow almost anything. She had an enormous Meyer lemon tree by her garage (in the country near Austin) that she would protect with bales of hay in the winter.

Every Christmas we'd gather at her house for dinner and would go home with a sack of lemons all larger than softballs. They were delicious. She was quite a character, too. Very peppery.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at January 04, 2025 02:43 PM (FEVMW)

22
My grandmother has a very happy Meyer lemon tree that produces so much fruit we have lemon-this and lemon-that year-round. I'm going to make some Lemon Bars today.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at January 04, 2025 02:51 PM (5Sj/K)

23 18 When is the best time to graft?
Posted by: Derak at January 04, 2025 02:22 PM (Oq3mj)

When Donks are in power?

Sorry! I'll show myself out now.....

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at January 04, 2025 02:52 PM (QGaXH)

24
I enjoyed Pat's story and pics. I also have some old Shiny Brites, but without the cool backstory.

There are still a few roses, salvia, and shrimp plants blooming in my yard. This weekend I am working on bringing indoors some porch plants before the freeze. Also need to mulch around some native plants I planted in October. I hope they have had enough time to establish.

Posted by: Scarymary at January 04, 2025 02:56 PM (a8Yoi)

25 We have quite a lot of shiny bright brand Christmas ornaments.

Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 02:57 PM (IDphi)

26 14 F and snowing here in western South Dakota.

Posted by: Archer at January 04, 2025 02:59 PM (IDphi)

27 15. Notsothoreau: that's very kind of you to offer; however, I have some colored cotton seeds, too, that I just haven't planted yet.

Posted by: Paco at January 04, 2025 03:08 PM (mADJX)

28 We went last 2 winters with hardly a flake, certainly none to have to move. So guess without Global warming it was going to happen sooner or later

Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 03:13 PM (fwDg9)

29 What colors does cotton come in?
I could look it up but...

Posted by: Reforger at January 04, 2025 03:13 PM (xcIvR)

30 I'm going to plant a few seeds. If they grow cotton in KS, it's in a different part of the state

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 04, 2025 03:14 PM (NQtI0)

31 With the recommendation of Rep. Becca Balint (Vt) I am awarding Mary Clogginstein from Brattleboro the Medal of Freedom for her work with the Gay and Transgender Community and especially for her work with Gay Children of Color.

We are all proud of Mary's work and call on all Americans to live up to her/it/they/them standards.

Posted by: Joe Biden at January 04, 2025 03:14 PM (hdvue)

32 I'm just garden-dreaming this time of year. Ordering some seed, planning the plots. I have about four times the garden area and twice the greenhouse area at this new place than I had at the old one, so, more planning and maybe doing it a bit more scientifically this year. Also paying more attention to the growing season and low temperatures, hence the greenhouse. Will have to engage in timed planting as well so we don't get 40 heads of lettuce in one week, etc. I think landscape improvement will be done only as time permits. This will be a production year. I expect to have 18 months of food put up by fall.

Posted by: tcn in AK at January 04, 2025 03:18 PM (7mUz7)

33 I always enjoy seeing the fruits of others in this thread, even though I'm one of those people who can (and have) killed a cactus.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at January 04, 2025 03:18 PM (VNX3d)

34 We are all proud of Mary's work and call on all Americans to live up to her/it/they/them standards.
Posted by: Joe Biden at January 04, 2025 03:14 PM (hdvue)

Mr. Biden, I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Posted by: tcn in AK at January 04, 2025 03:18 PM (7mUz7)

35 I'm debating getting a duck or two to eat the slugs. Not sure the dogs would be copacetic with that.

Posted by: tcn in AK at January 04, 2025 03:19 PM (7mUz7)

36 PET NOOD

Posted by: Skip at January 04, 2025 03:19 PM (fwDg9)

37 22
My grandmother has a very happy Meyer lemon tree that produces so much fruit we have lemon-this and lemon-that year-round. I'm going to make some Lemon Bars today.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia

Have you ever made preserved lemons? It's just lemons and salt. The process makes the lemon rinds amazingly tasty in all sorts of salads and pastas. Just look it up on the interwebz. It's very easy.

Posted by: nurse ratched at January 04, 2025 03:22 PM (7Lfjw)

38 From Boise area: lows 28-36 F, highs 34-48. We got snow on New Years Day, rain and fog all the next day.

I've mentioned the Shiny-Brite ornaments to a friend, who said she has some, and I see some commenters here have them as well. It's wonderful that so many of these little pieces of our country's history have been passed down!

Nothing to say about the garden, except that we're still getting rid of leaves. Husband has mowed some areas, but he is now Puttering, trying to clear a fuel line in the riding mower.

His other Puttering - our tradition is that the first fireplace fire of the year should be lit with flint and steel, so he did that last night.

All I'm doing is filling the seed feeder, watching birds at (and squirrels under) it.

Posted by: Pat* at January 04, 2025 03:34 PM (W3wFp)

39 Got extra lemons?

SUGGESTION 1: LEMON POPPYSEED DRESSING
1-1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Karo white syrup
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
juice of 2 lemons
lemon zest (to taste)
2 tbsp. diced onion
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions: Using a stick blender, combine all ingredients listed above. Stir in (by hand) 1 tbsp. poppy seeds. Delicious if tossed with leftover roasted chicken (or rotisserie chicken), mixed salad greens, slivered almonds, diced red onion, and either mandarin orange pieces or sliced strawberries.

SUGGESTION 2: LEMON GLAZE FOR GINGERBREAD
Lots of recipes on line for this glaze ... Poured over gingerbread cake while it's still warm in the pan makes this a wonderful dessert for cold winter nights!

Posted by: Kathy at January 04, 2025 03:41 PM (qpw89)

40 Mostly browns and greens. There is a sort of mauve one that I found. They darken with alkaline, so the colors get better if you wash with detergent. They will fade if exposed to light before set.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 04, 2025 03:50 PM (NQtI0)

41 I love the ornaments Pat! I love old ornaments like these, especially when they have a nice story.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 04, 2025 04:04 PM (A/s+Q)

42 Love the post!

Does Mary Cloggenstein still post here? Hilarious!

I grow a lot of everything when there is not snow on the ground, as it currently is under 4" or so.

My love is David Austin roses and I have about 30. They grow wildly into little trees in spite of pruning and neglect. Birds build nests in them. Rebloomers, lovely fragrance and very ruffly vs florist roses. I have been told by my husband I no longer have room for anymore in any yard. They are healthy and totally worth planting.

Love the old ornaments. Mine all have a story, altho not all on my tree are old but have stories. I do have a Santa and oddly a clock striking midnight...glass lights that no longer light, I assume. They were my grandmother's and I guess from the 20's or so. I wish I had more but we never found them.

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at January 04, 2025 05:13 PM (gi+MR)

43 Dropped to 32 degree C the other night Coldest so far. Short lived cold spell. Just 5 weeks away from starting my tomatoes from seed. Central AB Can

Posted by: Polimath at January 04, 2025 05:17 PM (2rbYh)

44 I wish our eyes were adjustable to see all plants like butterflies! And see underwater.

Those are beautiful photos.

My gardening this week consisted of picking up branches. Two are still snagged in the limbs of the maple. One is about seven-foot, but slender.

If tomorrow is less windy, I'll take a pole-saw to the oak. Some branches are almost touching the windows and the lowest ones have started a game of Limbo with me.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 04, 2025 05:32 PM (93YMr)

45 Regarding vintage Christmas ornaments, I found a glass spire tree topper on eBay that's very nice. Publius' Mama has about a dozen old Doubl Glo ornaments in a box from her mother (I think these are from the 60s). The box has "10 cents" written on it with pencil. Probably price per ornament. Candy bars were 5 cents back then, seems right.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at January 04, 2025 06:16 PM (w6EFb)

46 I bought a bunch of tiny, 1 to 2 inch, molded glass ornaments at the Schofield Barracks Exchange-- 25 cents each. Got extras of silver walnut and tiny pinecone shapes. Think I spent $10.

Mom & Grandmother gave me various old ornaments, some from ww2 era but mostly from 50s & 60s. So pretty!

Gardening:

2 cuttings of my clematis montana have rooted, and they are now potted into soil. Yay! I thought the parent plant was killed over last winter as we'd had a very late, very severe freeze in Feb. Parent plant didn't bloom at all, didn't make *any* shoots until end of August. It still may not survive, so wanted to propagate it while I could.

Posted by: JQ at January 04, 2025 07:30 PM (YoCnN)

47 Meant to add: bought the little ornaments in the mid 80s.

Posted by: JQ at January 04, 2025 07:31 PM (YoCnN)

48 Posted by: Kathy at January 04, 2025 03:41 PM (qpw89)

Kathy I use lemon poppyseed dressing on a tuna pasta salad I make in the warm weather. The brand I use is Whole Foods, and it’s just right for the ingredients in the dish, which includes peas, capers and red onions. Your recipe has inspired me to make the dressing from scratch. Thank you!

Posted by: kallisto at January 04, 2025 09:04 PM (4lyso)

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