The 2019 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

[22-rimfire]

I like Day Lilies. Mine are pretty much bloomed out in June but June-July is their blooming time for the most part. If you water them, they may continue to bloom for a longer period of time.

 

[taldesta]

Planted these last spring cant remember what they are ?

Yellow blooms could be coreopsis, a perennial. I've always lost them to some kind of root issue the second year. Does the name sound right?

Looks like baby's breath - tiny white flowers and one pretty lily in the mix to me.

But, I've been wrong a time or two

 

[taldesta]

Found them .

OK - I'll bite. Last time I recall you posting "soon" it meant spring (or so I thought at that time?)

and

You are such a farmer at heart - please take this only in the best way possible

 

[LEGION 12]

Yellow blooms could be coreopsis, a perennial. I've always lost them to some kind of root issue the second year. Does the name sound right?

Looks like baby's breath - tiny white flowers and one pretty lily in the mix to me.

But, I've been wrong a time or two

That area was bare last year didn't want to add any soil because it's close to the house , so I dug a foot down this spring and added some fresh dirt . I bought a pack of wild flower seeds and spread them and planted the lily's , but I couldn't for the life of me remember what bulbs I planted .

 

[annr]

Someone just showed me a free google app that identifies things. Works like a camera and google searches for matches to the thing you “photograph.”

Seems to work with plants and flowers. Also does clothing, shoes, buildings, etc.

 

[LEGION 12]

Someone just showed me a free google app that identifies things. Works like a camera and google searches for matches to the thing you “photograph.”

Seems to work with plants and flowers. Also does clothing, shoes, buildings, etc.

That would be great for someone who can't even remember what they planted 2 month's ago .

 

[taldesta]

Last evening I got my rain wish.... we had a thunderstorm that last about 1.5 hrs and it dumped about 2 inches of rain. Today, I can see the lawn sprouting new growth all over the place. The rain was sorely needed. So, we're good for another couple of weeks if necessary.

These thunder showers are very localized. You might move a half mile and there is no rain. So, my yard finally got hit with one of these showers. Here I thought I wouldn't have to mow for another week or so....

I envy the rainfall and don't see much on the horizon for here. Hot and dry - fire bans are in place. The over-window shutters are keeping the sunshine out and closing all windows in the morning when outside temps rise to just below 5 degrees C of inside temps - works well. Night temps have been comfortably low. It is when there are several days of heat without cooling temps overnight that the fans make the comfort level.

Because my 'feet' - my early learning - is in the F degree and my adulthood is in the C degree - I have my gismos telling me inside and outside temps in both systems. My sense is that I 'feel' heat and cold in F degrees. Ha.

Right now, after one heck of a day trailering drop-offs to town in the heat, I sit at my computer here in a temp of 71 degrees F - while the outside temp in the shade on the N side read 90 degrees F. I am so pleased to be managing without air conditioning in a poorly insulated house and yet being so comfortable using simple measures to block the sun. Days on end of heat with no significant cooling overnight require fans - but that's ok.

-- in fact - this post was interrupted by an overheating of the 'Bell box' on the West wall of the house - often in the extreme heat my phone is cut off midstream in conversation or dialup. I just pour a kettle of cold water over the box and = bingo! dial tone. Should post while my luck holds

 

[annr]

That would be great for someone who can't even remember what they planted 2 month's ago .

Or like us: we don’t know what it is in the first place! Just looked pretty.

If you can’t find it, I’ll ask for you.

(I want to replace some technica boots that I believe were discontinued. The app located similar boots and where to buy them. Tried it on a photo of a church in Hamburg and it didn’t find it, just similar style. But the flowers seem correct on 3–4 samples.)

 

[LEGION 12]

Or like us: we don’t know what it is in the first place! Just looked pretty.

If you can’t find it, I’ll ask for you.

(I want to replace some technica boots that I believe were discontinued. The app located similar boots and where to buy them. Tried it on a photo of a church in Hamburg and it didn’t find it, just similar style. But the flowers seem correct on 3–4 samples.)

Found one called Flower checker app .

 

[taldesta]

Glads and cosmos are thriving, at least at one end, of the new dig that separates the 'lawn' from the wild hill on the East. Wildflowers in the background have foliage similar to wild geranium but aren't matched in my guide exactly. So more mystery blooms



Veg garden finally has some tomatoes - cherry type for now - but lots of flowering too. Almost time for the Daisy fence. Same wildflower abounds in this area along with spreading dogbane which is very hard to tame.



Hollyhocks are now 7 1/2 ft tall (Yes, I measured ) Bee balm is flowering, daisies and other perennials planted last year are going strong - and tall.



Nasturtiums, annual from seed, are now starting to bloom too. Mostly I water in this heat which is unusual for here.

 

[taldesta]

I'm only feeding sunflower seeds in the two feeders - nothing on the ground, so the squirrels are not coming and the chipmunks only check out the seeds that fall from time to time. The jays and grackles are definitely not bothering these feeders.



Mostly the finches, gold and purple along with the nuthatches and rose breasted grosbeaks are the entertainment now. Hummingbirds - yes! The racoon stops by for a sugar hit every three nights or so which is fine because fresh nectar is replenished frequently anyway.

Later this summer I want to do more with water for the birds. Maybe a drip feed that they find so attractive. I've added a small child's wading pool for the pups - but after several baths with the hose, they are suspicious ... can't imagine why.

The birds definitely prefer good traction in shallow water for bathing - they drink from the pretty glass birdbath but don't bathe in it. They do love the fresh water in the concave rock and often there is a lineup or a couple of them in there, splashing around together.





Yesterday I mowed and gas trimmed and the place looks tidy. It's a challenge to not expect every wild area here to look maintained, but if I want to enjoy it here, I will have to compromise and accept the wild - and that's not a bad thing.

 

[annr]

First strawberry! Is it time to pick and eat? Or do I need to wait until it all turns red?

 

[LEGION 12]

View attachment 1160710
First strawberry! Is it time to pick and eat? Or do I need to wait until it all turns red?

I think you should wait . A few eggplants.

 

[taldesta]

I agree with waiting for most flavourful taste in ripeness ... but watch for what may snack on it in the meantime Looks yum to me.

 

[annr]

but watch for what may snack on it in the meantime Looks yum to me.

EXACTLY the basis for my question! I'm not sharing!!!

 

[taldesta]

Do what you must to protect that berry ... and enjoy!

 

[22-rimfire]

Protect that berry with your life!

Today, on a whim I stopped at Ace Hardware to see if they had any "fresh" tomato plants. I learned my lesson about tomato plants being old... even if they are still small... they are still OLD and will not develop properly with vigor.

I saw a couple and asked one of the sales people in that area how long they have been there. She said probably a couple weeks. I bought two large plants ($6.49 each) and will replace the two Patio tomato plants that are just about spent. I had cut one completely off and the other cut most of it. Now I will remove both of them from the container, condition the soil, and re-plant. I have other tomatoes that are getting ripe on other plants now. So, we'll see how they do and IF they can produce before frost which traditionally is mid-November. Should be plenty of time to grow.

Added: The variety is called "Solar Fire" a determinant variety. Supposed to be heat tolerant. Planted them in containers and I hope they grow! Regardless it will be fun to see this new variety (to me) grow.

We should see some rain out of Hurricane Barry that made landfall in LA earlier today. They project that the core will move way west and north of us, but we should see perhaps a couple inches of rain over the next day or so. Normally hurricanes and tropical storms have to hit between Western FL and MS for us to see much impact.

I pulled some red beets yesterday and will make them as part of dinner probably tomorrow. They simply didn't do very well in my garden and took forever to grow.

 

[eisman]

I haven't posted much here lately, mainly as this summer my job seems to be intent on getting me out of town. I;ve been averaging 2 weeks out of every 4 and it looks like August is going to be (at least) the same. I like my job, but I had plans for this summer that I haven't even been able to start. The negelt is showing in some places, and I'm going to have to make some changes in plantings over the fall months.

First, and a perpetual worry for me is the need for the Aspen to propagate. They do this by sending up shoots from their roots, and they make a mess out of anything like a yard. If I ever get far enough ahead I'm taking the dang things out and putting some spruce in their place.

The big lilies have started to bloom (all the day lilies too) but I expect they'll need some water. Of course it's been nice dry weather all the time I was gone.

The yellow ones are coming along too.

I don't remember what this orange stuff is called, but the hummingbirds really like it. I started this patch with just a couple plantings three years ago and it's really taking off.

Really surprising me this summer is this little white oak. It's spent most of the last 4 years as a twig, and this year has more than doubled in height. I'll never see it reach anything like it's true potential, but I like to think it'll be around long after I'm gone.

The other major problem this year is moles. Much worse than any previous year, they have reached into areas of the yard that never had them before. I have a guy who traps them, but he's earning his coin this summer.

 

[LEGION 12]

Zucchini was not producing planted some peas in there place .

 

[22-rimfire]

No blossoms on the zucchini? Big step yanking them. But I am about to yank mine as well. The squash bugs are bad. Learned that you can kill them easily with Raid ant & roach spray. Doesn't seem to hurt the leaves in small doses. The garden is changing as the mid summer heat and so forth impacts things. I think the red beets shaded out the onions. They are small, but usable. So, I will in the future only plant them in the new containers. Got potting soil for them the other day, so I will be ready when the time comes to plant quickly with onions.

Peas are normally a cool season veggie. They might not do very well with the summer heat. It will be interesting to see how they do.