2018 Gardening, Landscaping, and Plants

[22-rimfire]

Taldesta, I'm impressed with the Fisher picture!! I've seen mink and weasels.

 

[taldesta]

Thanks ... the pics are a gift because I caught sight of the fisher out back and grabbed the camera for pics through a back window, anticipating w here the sniffs would take him. The fisher would have seen only woodsy reflection from the window where I caught the frames. He was comfortable, thinking he was unobserved and carried on as usual. Like I said, a gift, pure and simple. Still and thoughtful helps.

In this tiny home my camera is never more then four feet from my hand it seems ... but that has been a constant for me forever. Never without my camera since I was a kid.

This property taught me to hate grass with a vengeance ... and now I am back, a little wiser .... I am just working to keep from being overwhelmed just now.

Raking downhill ...




A concrete and rock birdbath from < 2006 remains in great shape. Birds prefer solid footing (like rock or concrete), fresh but shallow bath, open view for predators ... and are attracted by ripples on the water surface caused by drops falling to surface.

 

[3fifty7]

After sunset pics, first time I've been home with any daylight out in about 3 days.

...and a big thanks to my fertilizer suppliers...

 

[taldesta]

Gotta love the 'little poopers" too. Looking forward to seeing the crops grow!

 

[taldesta]

Yum!

I always enjoy the turtle avatar ... is there a story there?

 

[annr]

I always enjoy the turtle avatar ... is there a story there?

Thank you. Yes and no...

This is my brother's turtle, Sally Rocket. (Sally in case it was a girl, Rocket in case it wasn't.) The turtle is about 10 years old now (very young in the picture), eats nothing but lettuce, is healthy and HUGE.

As to why I posted it, I'm not sure. I like the slowness of turtles?

Actually, you would like my brother. He can grow anything, and I mean anything! And has a good eye for this type of thing. (The gene skipped me!)

 

[taldesta]

Neat story ...

This one pictured here was no pet, just a snapping turtle up from the river looking to lay eggs in some sandy spot on the property. Every spring they would knock over garden fences and dig rounds in the laneway ... until redirected to a safer location - safer for me, and the pups and the turtle I agree, they do hold a certain, slow charm! BTW most the little streams that intersect with roadways in this area have turtle crossing signs.

 

[annr]

Nice story! And funny about the crossing signs! (Never seen one here.)

Sally is very child friendly. I hear that kids like to rest their feet on her shell (nice footstool). She is about the size of a sofa cushion and about 1' tall. It amazes me that all she eats is lettuce (vegan diet!) and has that wonderful hard shell. Also, these turtles have a LONG lifespan. (I like the "slow and steady wins the race" aspect--something I can relate to.)

I don't think I'd want to tangle with your snapping turtle--not as docile as Sally.

 

[eisman]

I've been on the road for the past three weeks and returned to find the plums all in blossom.

Also showing, to my extreme pleasure, are the tall (6') lilies that I lost to last years heavy rains. I expected them to have completely died out, and yet here they come...

Last, a friend gave me a bag full of daffodil bulbs left over from his wife, and I stuck them in the ground during a rainstorm in January thinking if they came up I'd have a boarder in a couple years, and if not, no great loss. I was late to be getting them in. But they too are showing, and since they go native very well here, as seen by some showing up all over my yard in strange places, I expect these will do well.

Here's to a nice, warm, spring...

 

[taldesta]

I've been on the road for the past three weeks and returned to find the plums all in blossom.

Here's to a nice, warm, spring...

The work and thought you put into your property certainly shows! What a beautiful sanctuary to return home to

 

[taldesta]

Nice story! And funny about the crossing signs! (Never seen one here.)

Sally is very child friendly. I hear that kids like to rest their feet on her shell (nice footstool). She is about the size of a sofa cushion and about 1' tall. It amazes me that all she eats is lettuce (vegan diet!) and has that wonderful hard shell. Also, these turtles have a LONG lifespan. (I like the "slow and steady wins the race" aspect--something I can relate to.)

I don't think I'd want to tangle with your snapping turtle--not as docile as Sally.

Definitely not a footstool kind of turtle like the lovely Sally for sure ...

Here is one of the signs, a pic taken in past about mid March. In early to mid May, especially when it rains, the snapping turtles are on the move.



Here, this morning the sun is bright, sparkling off a light dusting of newly fallen snow. Temp at -6C or 21F just now. Spring is in the air!

 

[annr]

Kudos to all of you. When things shape up a bit maybe I can share some scenery—we’re still in that not so attractive stage between winter and spring but warmer than Canada!! 56*F @ 11:00 AM.

I lost some of my steam for planting after the guy who mows my yard mowed down ALL of my blossoming flowers in the flower beds— go figure.

 

[taldesta]

-15.8C (3.5F) this morning. But the sunshine is glorious. Winter revisited us yesterday ...





... and just when I had managed to rake the front 'lawn' into submission i.e. awaiting the mower to tame it a little more. Lawn?



Before yesterday's wind-whipped snowfall, the proposed location of Daisy's tomato garden (& veggies) had cleared of snow. I think it looked less hostile buried in the white stuff, honestly. To the left there is that huge pile of logs, branches and twigs that have accumulated over many years. Great for kindling this spring and has possibilities for an experiment in hugelkultur if I can find the time and energy.



12 caragana have survived (left) and are thriving. Perennial tree/shrub. Two shown here are just coming and two were lost when I had tried to untangle the roots during transplanting when three were growing together in one little pot. These guys can grow to 15' - 19' and they grow fast. On the right there are 4 thunbergia vines, a multi-coloured variety. Here's also a pic of the seed pack so you understand why I like them so much.





One of the 10 begonia corms that are leafing on windowsills. I have ordered a bunch more from BC and they should be shipping them about now. The first year the plants are beautiful ... but just overwinter the corms and stand back - because they become immense in successive years.




Not the least ... there are a dozen or so bee balm seeds sprouting (bloom in second year). A member of the local horticulture club will call when the ground has thawed so that I can gather some native plants for blooms this year and there are 10 more plants coming in my order from BC soon as well. Outside planting date here is the 24th of May.

I am so living in a greenhouse with these huge geraniums in every window that I checked my past pics to see when they can go outside in a trailer ... at least in daytime. April 20th looks good. My trailer greenhouse. I am singing my usual spring song, "Can't wait to get the House Back!"

 

[eisman]

Taldesta - You can have all that snow. The rare 3"-4" "storm" we have is more than enough for me. I never want to shovel snow again...But I love all the space you have.

My place is around 1/3 acre, and that's a lot for me to take care of. Still, I love sitting out back and watching the birds. Hummingbirds are just starting to arrive, red headed sapsuckers are back. Jays all the time with lot's of ravens and some crows. Everything is starting to bloom and my Mason Bees are coming out. I started some last year just to see it they'd take to the "house" I built from an old log. They did, and now I've got them around when the sun is out. (Of course it's raining all this week.) I got into this not because I need the pollinators, but it's just a way to increase the native species locally. Here's one on a daffodill:

I added this cedar in a box along my fence line with the hope it'll take okay and add some color where there's not much but the gravel drive. Put the gravel in to clean up the area between me and a neighbor who just let his side go to weeds. I got tired of dealing with that. Now I'm working on getting him to dispose of the three vehicles he has that don't run. I wouldn't mind if he'd park them in the back (he's got room) but they take up his whole driveway and their cars that do run end up in his yard or spotted around the street. Since he just got married and they have a kid on the way I expect there will be some changes coming...

 

[22-rimfire]

I feel the same way as Eisman and snow. I like to see it, but I hate driving in it or being forced to drive in it due to responsibilities/commitments. Taldesta, when that last storm blew through I was thinking of you and what you were probably experiencing. We had some wind, but minimal rain (this happened at night). Thought the neighborhood was spared this weather until I noticed a portion of a tree down the street that broke and had blown into his house. Tis one of the reasons I only want hardwoods in my yard, but they blow over/break too sometimes.

Planted my little Japanese Maple next to the black cherry stump (cut about flush with the ground level) in the back yard. The cherry is sprouting out at ground level and I'll have to cut them off until it gives up the ghost. That tree looks so tiny. Looks like a shrub now until it grows for a few years.

Next in the planting line other than the garden is a few shrubs along the one side of my property adjacent to the neighbors who cut all their trees down last fall. It won't be so much a privacy screen as just something to add interest. I haven't decided what the actual plants will be.... probably a mix of things.

I bought my tomato, green pepper, and other misc items the other day. It frosted two nights ago and predicted freeze for Saturday night. So, the garden will probably follow this coming weekend. It's time for the freezing to be over. But I'm glad we haven't had any snow from these odd storms the last week or so.

Got out last Friday (Good Friday) to Cades Cove (Smoky Mt NP) to cruise around and explore a little. The black bears are reportedly coming out of hibernation, but I didn't see any. Saw whitetail deer but they looked pretty scruffy as I suspect they are loosing their winter coats now. Even saw two bucks that hadn't dropped their antlers which I thought kind of odd. No pictures.... all were boring field shots.

The wild flowers are coming into bloom here. I missed the Bloodroot blooming last friday, but the white and yellow trillium were blooming or just coming into bloom. Love this time of the year.

 

[taldesta]

Taldesta - You can have all that snow. The rare 3"-4" "storm" we have is more than enough for me. I never want to shovel snow again...But I love all the space you have.
....

OK - I'll keep the snow It isn't going anywhere soon with the temps anyway ... lucky it is not deep enough to bring in the snow plough guy; a penny saved.

I had never heard of Mason Bees so I googled them - they sound like perfect yard mates and should be very interesting to watch with their particular nesting traits. I've photographed what I believe were mud dauber wasps at one of my small water features and I watch for insects and nests ... and I'll look more closely. One of the seed houses I purchase from carry houses for them so they must be around me here. Maybe the ones in yellow jackets are getting all the attention.

The young maple by the house here, where the bird feeders are, just seems decorated for Christmas with the peacock blue of the jays and the bright yellow of the goldfinch males who are migrating through just now. The yellow feathers of this recent bunch are much more noticeable than the ones that came through several weeks ago. They are in good numbers, flocks of about 10 - 20. Common grackles are arriving just after the mourning doves; slate juncos, sparrows in large numbers, purple finch. I thought I heard a woodcock as well ... very distinctive call. Regulars over winter at the feeders - chickadees, jays, hairy and downy woodpeckers, charming and bold little rose breasted nuthatches and the larger white breasted nuthatches.

First robin Mar 25. Yes ... always a sign of spring when the leaf turners arrive anticipating dinner of insects under debris on the bare ground. Hawks too, just before the robins, expecting to nab the little critters in the fields. Their food supply is made difficult to access now with a depth of snow.

Great looking cedar/planter. As to neighbours. I've always thought I would like best living in the dead centre of a square 200 acre parcel of the woods; no neighbour's lights to mar the night sky, no barking dogs, no aggravations ... not there yet ... and running out of time! I think you will see a change with the new circumstances too.

 

[taldesta]

I feel the same way as Eisman and snow. I like to see it, but I hate driving in it or being forced to drive in it due to responsibilities/commitments. Taldesta, when that last storm blew through I was thinking of you and what you were probably experiencing. We had some wind, but minimal rain (this happened at night). Thought the neighborhood was spared this weather until I noticed a portion of a tree down the street that broke and had blown into his house. Tis one of the reasons I only want hardwoods in my yard, but they blow over/break too sometimes.
<....> Love this time of the year.

The storm. Thanks. The wind was the worst of the entire winter. All it did here was lift the tarp off my riding mower - twice! No pleasure out there trying to tie it down either. The tarp shed stayed planted. Others weren't so lucky with power outages and damage.

All the sticks and poles leaning on the poplar tripod in one of my pics above are poplar saplings that were marching toward the house ... not going to happen. I couldn't agree more about keeping the fast growing softwoods at a distance from structures. I have more to take out ... including some overhanging birch that I will need chainsaw help with.

You will enjoy watching that Japanese Maple grow in place of the lost cherry tree for sure. Trees are so special in giving shade and wildlife and privacy ... hard to lose any of the mature ones. Here I just wish evergreens had been planted before the two big balsam firs that shaded the house were lost a few years ago.

White Trilliums are the Provincial flower of Ontario.

Spring ... ah, yes

 

[eisman]

Well I took some time this weekend and drove down to Oregon for the knife show. Just got back and found my tulips starting to bloom. It's been raining (haven't had a dry day on over a week) but they must like it. The ones out back that only get afternoon sun are going to be a while yet. I think I'm going to take these out of the pots and add them to the bed out back later this year. Hopefully most of them will survive and "go native" and I'll have a good mix of colors in that corner.

 

[greentrout]

I live in a very shared portion of NW Tennessee. Signs of life from my woodland garden so far.

 

[22-rimfire]

Ah, Virginia Blue Bells. Nice. What are the yellow shrub looking ones in the bottom picture? I took pictures of two forms of trillium blooming just before Easter in my area.