2018 Gardening, Landscaping, and Plants

[jill jackson]

1st ripe husky cherry

 

[jill jackson]

Sweet corn is 7-8 foot tall, tomatoes well over 4. Added a lot of support for them should have some coming on strong soon.

 

[22-rimfire]

The sweet corn looks great. You need a fairly large garden space to grow corn. To me you need more than a single row as they usually develop two ears on them. Pick twice and chop them down.... Jill, the tomatoes look very healthy! I have a couple tomatoes that I can pick on my container grown tomatoes on my deck. I'm kind of taken with how well they do. Container size and good soil seems to be very important. My tomato containers hold right at a big bag of Miracle Gro potting soil. So, pretty large.

 

[taldesta]

Sweet corn is 7-8 foot tall, tomatoes well over 4. Added a lot of support for them should have some coming on strong soon.

Jill. Looks like one smiling success of agriculture - all of it! Send food , love corn on the cob ...

neighbour to north

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[taldesta]

Just goes to show that all your work with the raised bed and all the good soil is paying off big time. Now my plants are not thriving like yours, but they are toughing it out and fruiting earlier than I would have expected, given the conditions here. Next spring I hope to have more time to put into conditioning the soil in the veg garden as well. I see your owl remains on duty.



Also the brick and aggregate treatment along side your raised bed stays very tidy and weed free. I thought I noticed that you put landscape fabric under it in an earlier pic - saves time and looks great.

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[22-rimfire]

Thunderstorms and lots of wind today. Blew down a couple of my concrete wire tomato cages and I lost some fairly large tomatoes. Staked the cages down after they blew down. Got back from a job and was home, so I was glad to be Johnny on the spot. Should have done this weeks ago, but I was lazy and now I paid the price. Yesterday, we had 60 mph winds associated with one thunderstorm.... yeah, very strong wind and the cages were okay.... good wind today (but no 60 mph), and they blew down. Oh well.

Rain is a funny thing... I was crying for rain two weeks ago and now we have gotten about 3 inches total of rainfall over the last 4-5 days with afternoon thunderstorms blowing through. That should bring my month's tally to about normal for here.

Planted a couple crooked neck squash a couple weeks ago and they are thriving... maybe a bit shaded, but seem to be okay.

My wife has been eyeing up a couple of ripe tomatoes on my container grown plants on the deck. I said... pick 'em if you want to.

 

[LEGION 12]

These came out well .

 

[taldesta]

Thunderstorms and lots of wind today. Blew down a couple of my concrete wire tomato cages and I lost some fairly large tomatoes.

Must have been one heck of a wind. That's too bad.


The rain has been falling gently all day here. No wind. The hillsides were sounding crunchy underfoot in the dry so the rain is needed. Not that I was pitying the grass

My little garden in the afternoon shade of the maple tree where I feed the birds has become the gathering space for all the birds and critters ... and now all their kids. The population has quadrupled it seems. When I step outside my kitchen door, the ground literally explodes in all directions ... tails, wings and tiny feet.

In the heat the other day, I was checking out the repair on a hose ... and a chipmunk rushed up to lick the gravel that was wet from spray. So I moved a rock birdbath to a spot under the maple ... and instantly the little bums took to it. Mini waterpark. Most pics through window, so not the best.



Grackles brought the kids. These parents went after the suet, just savaging it so that it snowed suet for the whole crew waiting below. Two bricks per day - they are now cut off.



Robin brought the kids.



Grosbeak brought the kids.



The Hairy Woodpecker must have been watching the sapsuckers because he was spending a lot of time on the hummingbird feeder.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have never seen a wood pecker hit a hummingbird feeder, but the Grosbecks will feed heavily.

 

[taldesta]

I have never seen a wood pecker hit a hummingbird feeder, but the Grosbecks will feed heavily.

Best investment in entertainment - birdfood ... acrobatics and camaraderie ... a lot of laughs and learning

Trimmers - battery vs gas

Is this a property I can ... or want to manage?

1) on any trimmer or mower, I hugely resent the unpleasant time, environmental and personal energy spent - and I also value land left naturally growing.
... that said, I have standards that please me - I know this is open to diverse opinion. My minimum is for:

upper level (3 hours approx)

a) a clear sightline to the rockeries from the front lawn so I can watch the bird baths there
b) pathways to the veg garden and campfire pit on the hill
c) clearing of weeds that set seeds around the house, shed, veg, rockery and other gardens



and on the lower level (3 hours approx)

d) sides of the laneway
e) roadside and tree line (still leaving a lot of natural land)








Considerations of trimmer use, either type:

Footwear and clothing all turn fuzzy green and become the trimming wear for each session requiring a shower and change for other normal activities - do I suit up for one long day or would I do more sessions over many days over time to accommodate a battery recharge?

Right now I am leaning to 'getting a noisy, dirty crap job' overwith in as short a time as possible, using a more unpleasant gas trimmer - rather than re-suiting up and losing energy over more frequent sessions.

Funny how age and values over how time is spent comes into play. More clearly now than ever, although these new digs are close to it, I still want my cabin in the woods. Just enough light filtering through in a patch to grow a little ... no sun maddened acreage of weeds to fight! More free.

 

[22-rimfire]

I wear low rubber Lacross boots if I am trimming around the yard as it is frequently in the early morning when the grass is wet with dew. If I had higher "weeds" to deal with, I would wear taller boots. The boots keep all or most of the green crap from trimming being carried inside the house. I don't "suit up", but I don't have the large area you do either.

I would leave as much of the property natural and focus near the house and along the driveway. Mow as much as I could reasonably do with the amount of time I typically have available. You could also just mow often the important areas with the riding mower and hit the field area once a month perhaps... But you would have to make sure that there is not a lot of obstacles to hit with the mower. Maybe have somebody come in every year to do a bush hog mow job on the tall weeds to keep the little trees, brush, and briars from getting a strong foothold.

Folks that don't like yard work should probably live in condo's or houses on "zero lot lines".... urban or suburban setting. I thoroughly enjoy looking outside in the morning and watching the birds and other activity in my yard. Your choice obviously on the weedeater type.... I tossed a gasoline one that was in my garage for about 5 years before I had the nerve to just get rid of it as I never used it. I have gone all battery myself and it isn't for environmental reasons; it's for my convenience.

Hummingbird sightings are few and far between this year in my yard even though I have a feeder out.

I visited Cades Cove (Smoky Mt NP) about a week ago for the day to hang with my sister from PA. We saw a number of black bears and I got a big kick watching one gorging on black berries that were just ripening. I generally don't visit the park in the hot high traffic summer months (between Memorial and Labor Days). But my sister was there for the biggest part of a week and I wanted to visit with her and do something we both love.

 

[taldesta]

Nice that your visit with sister was fun - and with bear sightings. Hummingbirds ... perhaps there is only the one coming here so I keep the one large feeder going - this is the one with the ant moat that seems to come in handy in this location on the tree. Here's another surprising fancier of the nectar. Who knew? Through two windows, so not the best ...




We're under a prolonged heat alert here in most of Ontario. Thunderstorm and rain overnight cooled it off a bit. Rain was welcome. Today I may stop off in town and check out more trimmers. Thanks for info. Not considering a condo just yet

 

[LEGION 12]

First batches of basil .

 

[22-rimfire]

Looks good Legion. I usually have a crop of Basil in a container, but don't this year. The only herbs that I have this year are spearmint and peppermint mixed in one large container. I sometimes drop a leaf or two in my iced tea pitcher for a bit of flavor (for a change). But really strong mint tea doesn't work for me.

I yanked out my broccoli plants the other day. They were rotting from the inside which is kind of strange. Onion green parts are just about done. I'll leave them for a another week or so and then pull them and allow to dry out more. Green peppers are coming along really well like yours.

Bought a watermelon today. Used grow both cantalopes and watermelons. They are fun to grow and good to eat if you like them.

 

[taldesta]

Tomatoes and basil

 

[taldesta]

Looks good Legion. I usually have a crop of Basil in a container, but don't this year. The only herbs that I have this year are spearmint and peppermint mixed in one large container. I sometimes drop a leaf or two in my iced tea pitcher for a bit of flavor (for a change). But really strong mint tea doesn't work for me.

I yanked out my broccoli plants the other day. They were rotting from the inside which is kind of strange. Onion green parts are just about done. I'll leave them for a another week or so and then pull them and allow to dry out more. Green peppers are coming along really well like yours.

Bought a watermelon today. Used grow both cantalopes and watermelons. They are fun to grow and good to eat if you like them.

Any problems with powdery mildew on the leaves? I loved growing squash ... made me look like one heck of a better gardener than I ever was for sure ... but at their peak, every day I came to dread the grey spots on the leaves and the downturn I couldn't seem to stop no matter what treatments I tried.

 

[taldesta]

Under the maple tree, just outside my kitchen window, there is so much baby bird open-beaked squawking, demanding wing flapping ... and when everybody jumps into the air, you know a chipmunk has charged through to a favourite feeder. Bird food is worth its weight in gold to me.

I suspect that something larger than a fat chipmunk is coming to the maple tree/bird feeders unseen after dark.

1) the 28oz capacity glass hummingbird feeder was completely emptied overnight - this would take come muscle to hold it upside down for the length of time it would take to empty (it had held a full level all day and was not leaking). Also, this would explain why one squirrel has been licking the sides for the nectar, would it not? He's back again trying for more BTW.

2) the tree hung bird bath/waterer was flipped, one of three chains was off and the pan was left hanging sideways, emptied and with a hole chewed in the bottom - this is not the chipmunks and squirrels work to be sure - they don't have the weight or strength.

3) the metal mesh (no chewing possible) sunflower seed feeder, with metal secured lid ... was lifted over tree branches where two lid locks were undone to access the seeds to clean them out completely.

4) the pups are telling me what their noses are telling them ... every morning. I always watch them to gather intelligence.

Sounds like the panda bandit to me. Racoon. I don't think the fisher is necessarily a nightime visitor and I suspect the clamshells left at the dock are more to his taste anyway. I will dig out the game cam and find out.


Food and critters ... makes life go 'round

Daisy-bite-itis has hit the Better Boy tomatoes ... caught her gnawing on three others - so the pole fence must be finished even though the heat is laying in here. In the heat, Dez refused breakfast day before yesterday but did take dinner - which didn't stay down. Sorry if overshare. It's hot here by our norms. Humidity is lowering and slight relief on way Thu with storm.



Sweet million and Roma haven`t caught Daisy`s attention just yet. The BB's must roll around in her mouth just right!






I`ve mentioned the deck here that will need a lot of work to get proper supports under (was built on skids from looking at it) and to get it properly levelled.

As a temporary fix for this summer ... for shade on the west side where the deck is, I extended the old canvas (on last legs) overhead canopy, secured it with uprights, altered its level to shed water along the channel to the grass rather than onto the deck, ran cord for beans to climb. Also did a levelling adjustment to right one corner of the deck itself ... and attached a shelf to support scarlet runner pole beans that I have been growing for this. Eisman had suggested perennial wisteria, and I`ve researched hardy ones which would be beautiful - just need to learn if shallow soil on rock would be suitable. Also considering lilac and caragana ... whichever can thrive. Yes, the 'shelf' is a skid.

Now, beans ... start climbing ... let's see some leafy shade




Planters are going wild. Nasturtiums will start to bloom shortly. I actually like them placed here on the lawn where they are shaded from the hottest afternoon sun. Perhaps getting them up on some movable step/bench type of thing ... easy to make from pine perhaps. Sunflowers will be out soon as well al bee balm and hollyhocks. Dwarf bee balm blooming already.







Addendum: In keeping with homestead bent of turf garden ... lashed in pole supports for fencing needed as tomatoes ripen. Daisy fence of course, but I have learned something about her stealth thievery. Whenever I could not see her outside, I assumed she was raiding the veg garden and I would shoot up there to stop her ... I never once found her in the veg garden ... just found her gnawing on better boys. So, she's been hitting the container tomatoes on the deck where it was like hiding theft in plain sight - I had not suspected until I finally counted the emptied stems! Isn't that nice, Daisy is laying relaxed in the shade on the deck waiting to go inside, not stealing from the veg garden. Yah, right. Dog 3, person 0. 0 but wiser

 

[Murphjd25]

Made the wife two flower pots for Mothers Day this year, they are finally filling in very nicely. Also planted four tomato plants this year. They started out really well but have been hardly doing squat the last couple of weeks, been raining and hardly any sun. Excuse my lawn, it is almost all weeds. If I wasn’t renting I’d care more about my grass.