Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Jan 10

On December 20 (scroll down), we saw some lovely wildflowers, including alpine flowers from Neal in Israel, from photos he took in Montenegro. We continue with his adventures today:

The other location where there were some attractive plants to photograph was one of the country's oldest monasteries, which is known for its gardens, as well as its antiquity.

They seem to use shaping of shrubs to lead the eye.

And the hanging baskets are magnificent.

Striking entryway

Awww - A tiger under tiger lilies!

This is obviously not in the alpine regions of Montenegro.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Went up north here in Israel to get away for a few days and check up on our vacation home. The current crop of lemons on our tree is a few hundred fruit. I need a few Horde members to fly over and help us pick them.
Best regards from northern Israel,
Biden’s Dog

They look great!

We also had a bleg last week to get the Japanese going on development of tomato varieties (other than Momotaro?), so here's one:

CHILLING WITH THE RED 🍅 FRUIT/VEGETABLE and new blockbuster tomato variety called CANOVA at the Seed Co Vegetables trials site in Zimbabwe this afternoon. CANOVA is suitable for open field and green house tomato production.

📝Product Description
🍅Growth Habit:Indeterminate… pic.twitter.com/ofjpjs4GLb
— Wendy Matashu Madzura (@WendyMadzura) January 8, 2026

Gardens of The Horde

Anything going on in your garden or your catalogs?

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening 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, Home and Nature Thread, Jan. 3

Any thoughts or questions?

I closed the comments on that post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:16 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Could it be?

Posted by: Pat*'s Hubbie at January 10, 2026 01:20 PM (UlUfm)

2 It could

Posted by: actually inside the beltway at January 10, 2026 01:22 PM (aKh6S)

3 Spectacular photos! The top flower reminds me of a trumpet vine we have around here, but the foliage doesn’t look at all like it. Other than that I recognize hydrangeas, tiger lilies, oleander, and of course roses. I wish I could stay there for a while!

Posted by: Tom Servo at January 10, 2026 01:22 PM (UXPSq)

4 Ah, the first drops of a storm system that stretches from the Gulf of America to Greenland are starting to fall here.

We are supposed to get an inch of rain today.
Posted by: toby928(c) at January 10, 2026 01:24 PM

Posted by: toby928(c) repeats himself at January 10, 2026 01:25 PM (jc0TO)

5 I recently leared that you can eat Tiger Lilies. And not die, I mean. If you eat the right ones.

Supposedly they taste like green beans. Blech.

Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:32 PM (vFG9F)

6 There might be some other inedible lilies that look like Tiger lilies so don't go making a casserole without doing some research.

Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:34 PM (vFG9F)

7 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:36 PM (Ia/+0)

8 Day lilies are edible.

Posted by: Emmie -- be strong and courageous! at January 10, 2026 01:37 PM (FMtrg)

9 No flowrrs here for s few months
Rhodies look nice

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2026 01:38 PM (Ia/+0)

10 I wish I could help Biden's Dog pick lemons! Then I'd make for his family my (famous in our household) lemonade.

Posted by: Emmie -- be strong and courageous! at January 10, 2026 01:39 PM (FMtrg)

11 We have what we call lilies here in the south that are edible. They are not lilies, though. They are delicious. Taste like squash. You have to gather them quickly or else the deer will eat them in one evening.

Posted by: Pudinhead at January 10, 2026 01:40 PM (1D2Ie)

12 Talking about gardening when ICE is out killing citizens in Trump's name?

Posted by: Sid at January 10, 2026 01:40 PM (6o3yh)

13 Japanese tomatoes that make it to home markets tend to be commercial varieties, flavorful but having characteristics like firmness and disease resistance that allow them to make it in the commercial marketplace. I can't remember what the name of the pink tomato "Momotaro" means in Japanese, but it reflects this, as I recall.

Posted by: KT at January 10, 2026 01:42 PM (7vIsy)

14 Trolls bring the best manure.

Posted by: fd at January 10, 2026 01:42 PM (vFG9F)

15 I suppose they will be planted afterwards.

Posted by: Boss Moss at January 10, 2026 01:42 PM (7tVLI)

16 I took semi-hardwood cuttings of boxwood, back in August; put some in moist potting soil, others in water.

Roots are starting to appear on some of the in-water cuttings, yay! Looks like some of the in-soil cuttings have died.

No new growth yet on *any* cuttings, but I remain hopeful.

Posted by: JQ at January 10, 2026 01:45 PM (rdVOm)

17 Talking about gardening when ICE is out killing citizens in Trump's name?

Posted by: Sid at January 10, 2026 01:40 PM (6o3yh)
-

Pushing up daisies is very on-topic.

We're proud of you, Sid!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 10, 2026 01:45 PM (Tm6bq)

18 Wonder if our troll has any compassion for the thousands of people who are victimized (including murder) by criminals illegally in our communities.

Posted by: Emmie -- be strong and courageous! at January 10, 2026 01:46 PM (FMtrg)

19 Love Neal's photos from Montenegro, especially the balconies with the hanging baskets. The view and the aromas must be gorgeous.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 01:46 PM (yTvNw)

20 Montenegro

That's pretty racist. They should rename themselves Monteafricanamerican.

Posted by: And don't get me started on frijoles negros at January 10, 2026 01:48 PM (TbWk/)

21 I wish I could help Biden's Dog pick lemons! Then I'd make for his family my (famous in our household) lemonade.

Posted by: Emmie -- be strong and courageous! at January 10, 2026 01:39 PM (FMtrg)
-

To keep my kidney's shining new, shortly after waking up every morning I gulp down a pint+ of water mixed with the juice of a lemon or 2.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at January 10, 2026 01:48 PM (Tm6bq)

22 Took down my outdoor Christmas lights yesterday. It was sunny and almost 50F. Cloudy & windy today.

I need to pot-up my coleus cuttings, they've had roots for several weeks. Now that the boxwoods are also rooting, it's time to start that messy project LOL.

Posted by: JQ at January 10, 2026 01:52 PM (rdVOm)

23 The first seed catalog arrived a couple of weeks ago. That always feels like the real start of the new year. So much possibility to dream about.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 01:53 PM (yTvNw)

24 Duke’s mayo, salt, pepper, bacon, avocado, tomato, on whole grain bread. Please.

Posted by: Eromero at January 10, 2026 01:57 PM (LHPAg)

25 Top pic appears to be [campsis radicans], aka 'Trumpet Creeper,' it is pretty, attracts hummingbirds, and I would recommend never ever ever planting it.

Planted one almost 20 years ago and am still trying to eradicate it. It can destroy a lawn with its persistent spreading and sprouting habit, and will show up 20+ feet away from the original planting site.

Most successful cultivation of this vine I have ever seen is where it was planted against a very tall trellis in a small island bed in a large stone terrace area, then paved around with more flagstone.

Otherwise, do not want!

Posted by: lauraw at January 10, 2026 01:57 PM (zAdpG)

26 One Japanese tomato I grew years ago was Pink Odoriko. Good flavor and uniform pinkish-red fruits.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 01:58 PM (kpS4V)

27 Christmas decorations still up inside. It's not March yet.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 01:59 PM (kpS4V)

28 LOL, Eris! Same here. Indoor stuff can stay a while, but outdoor stuff had to come down while weather was decent.

Posted by: JQ at January 10, 2026 02:07 PM (rdVOm)

29 I haven't killed the houseplants I planted, yet, which is a good start but not a sure thing. Took a couple of stem cuttings from the healthiest example. Yes, small roots are evident. Feels like watching a quiet birth in slow motion. Combination of fun and the thrill of seeing new life.

Posted by: JTB at January 10, 2026 02:09 PM (yTvNw)

30 Trolls bring the best manure.
Posted by: fd

Takes a long time to thoroughly compost them.

We have new fruit trees, and old trees, already budding out. Well, it is almost February. Almost. Been a really nice, mild, even warm winter here in NE Oklahoma. So far. Doubtless will get some arctic blasts before full-blown Spring.

Posted by: mindful webworker - need to watch out for bud-nipping at January 10, 2026 02:12 PM (z2cM0)

31 Good afternoon! Cold and breezy here today, but all the trees in front are trimmed and teh cuttings are taken away. Just gotta get all the leaves raked up but that's a later thang. If the warm weather keeps up we may have to consider getting the flower beds prepped.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at January 10, 2026 02:24 PM (3Ope8)

32 "If the warm weather keeps up we may have to consider getting the flower beds prepped."
-----

*Stares out window at snow falling*

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 02:29 PM (kpS4V)

33 I did some initial planning for this year's vegetable patch. Gonna keep it down to six tomato plants instead of last year's dozen (I'm a shameless tomato freak), maybe ten hot pepper plants, and the rest will be lettuces, celery, carrots, radishes, and other snackables.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 02:32 PM (kpS4V)

34 We have cardinals, wrens, jays, titmouses (titmice?), dove and sparrows at the feeders every day. Probably go through a 20# bag of bird feed every 7-10 days.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at January 10, 2026 02:34 PM (3Ope8)

35 And the daffodils and tulips have begun to emerge. The daffodils are 4-6 inches so far....

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at January 10, 2026 02:35 PM (3Ope8)

36 Ditto, CrotchHead, except it's turkeys. There are about twenty of them on the hill outside my window, placidly enduring the snow like Russian peasants. I bet I go through a bag a week.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 02:40 PM (kpS4V)

37 I got the Southern Exposure seed catalog. Amd thinking about getting slips for Japanese sweet potatoes. They might do well here. I have grow bags for potatoes that I didn't use last year. I need to decide exactly what I want to plant. I have a lot of seeds.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 10, 2026 02:43 PM (+mUZM)

38 Beautiful gardens in Montenegro

Posted by: San Franpsycho at January 10, 2026 02:57 PM (RIvkX)

39 36 Ditto, CrotchHead, except it's turkeys. There are about twenty of them on the hill outside my window, placidly enduring the snow like Russian peasants. I bet I go through a bag a week.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at January 10, 2026 02:40 PM
Yeah, CrotchHead,
Eris, you made the cat laugh.

Posted by: Eromero at January 10, 2026 03:03 PM (LHPAg)

40 Trolls bring the best manure.
Posted by: fd

Totally predictable: wrong and proud to be stupid.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at January 10, 2026 03:04 PM (XXQL5)

41 Great garden, Neal!

KT, I have tomato plants growing and I have blood oranges that are ripening I'll send some shots ASAIC Have to work today though.

Posted by: 40 Miles North at January 10, 2026 03:07 PM (EaLNz)

42 Last weekend of Christmas, so lots of the indoor stuff came down - trees hauled out. The lights outside will go through Sunday. Then off they go, and if I can get a decent sunny day over 40 degrees I can get them into the garage. I wrap a fair number of evergreens with white lights - they will stay lit during the darkness of January and February.

But I already have the garden work started. I was ahead of the game with garlic planting in the fall. I've ordered all my seeds for the spring and mapped out where everything goes. Next month I start the seeds indoors. Before we know it, it will be spring.

Posted by: Black JEM at January 10, 2026 04:25 PM (UVyKP)

43 From Boise area: lows 28-46 F, highs 37-57. Trendline is toward mid-20's/mid-40's. I did see a dozen snowflakes on my windshield Thurs. morning, but that's been it for snow. We do have Johnny Jump-Ups flowering by the shed, because they haven't been covered by the snow we haven't got, or frozen out by the single digits we haven't got (yet?).

My amaryllis 'Ice Pink' has 4 open flowers plus 2 small buds. The bud stem reached 15 inches.

We packed up the tree ornaments and most of the lights. The tree still has to go outside - I will wear lots of layers, since the marks on my right arm from the blue spruce needles have only just faded, and I'm not interested in going for Round 2. I could do some raking as well - there are still sycamore leaves in the street side drainage ditches.

Posted by: Pat* at January 10, 2026 04:39 PM (UlUfm)

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