The 2020 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

[taldesta]

taldesta That winter wonderland is ideal for long-distance enjoyment, and it is very beautiful after freshly fallen snow.

Many of our plants made a comeback after that one brief snowfall melted and daytime temps edged back up to the 60's.

Thanks to the woodstove, the temp in the house was over 60F this morning

 

[annr]

Thanks to the woodstove, the temp in the house was over 60F this morning

That is some thick blood!!

How is the indoor humidity with the wood-burning stove?

 

[taldesta]

That is some thick blood!!

How is the indoor humidity with the wood-burning stove?

Indoors a full load of laundry on a rack will dry in 4 hours Otherwise a big kettle sits on the stove and evaporation keeps the humidity level comfortable. Funny you should ask because I do monitor the temp/humidity level in four areas of the house including the loft, the kitchen, the utility closet (water pump enclosure) ... weather/temps - a Canadian obsession.

 

[annr]

Indoors a full load of laundry on a rack will dry in 4 hours Otherwise a big kettle sits on the stove and evaporation keeps the humidity level comfortable. Funny you should ask because I do monitor the temp/humidity level in four areas of the house including the loft, the kitchen, the utility closet (water pump enclosure) ... weather/temps - a Canadian obsession.

So, I can see you are going to make me work for this. What would those 4 humidity(s) be? Inquiring minds NEED to know. (We can get to temp, next...)

 

[taldesta]

So, I can see you are going to make me work for this. What would those 4 humidity(s) be? Inquiring minds NEED to know. (We can get to temp, next...)

OK, gotta pencil?

... at this moment, no windows open, no humidifier on stove ... wet and overcast outside
[first kitchen gauge ]
10 ft from woodstove temp 73.7F & 27%
sleeping loft temp 66 F & 37%
pump room temp 57 F & 57%
fridge temp 41 F & 23%

[second kitchen gauge reads 23.5C inside, 0.9C outside]
[second temp gauge in loft ... just a sec, I'll be right back ... reads 20.0C]

Yes, imperial and metric both, love divisible by 10 yet I am one of the transition generation. Yes, the gauges only 'sort of' agree. I had the alarm set on one gauge to alert me as the outside temp dropped to 4C so I would have time to bring in the tender plants from the porch earlier in the fall. Can't tell you how many nights it woke me up since freeze-up as the temps rose to 4C - must figure out how to turn the alarm off

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[annr]

OK, gotta pencil?

... at this moment, no windows open, no humidifier on stove ... wet and overcast outside
[first kitchen gauge ]
10 ft from woodstove temp 73.7F & 27%
sleeping loft temp 66 F & 37%
pump room temp 57 F & 57%
fridge temp 41 F & 23%

[second kitchen gauge reads 23.5C inside, 0.9C outside]
[second temp gauge in loft ... just a sec, I'll be right back ... reads 20.0C]

Yes, imperial and metric both, love divisible by 10 yet I am one of the transition generation. Yes, the gauges only 'sort of' agree. I had the alarm set on one gauge to alert me as the outside temp dropped to 4C so I would have time to bring in the tender plants from the porch earlier in the fall. Can't tell you how many nights it woke me up since freeze-up as the temps rose to 4C - must figure out how to turn the alarm off

Ask and ye shall receive!

We use a digital indoor/outdoor temperature/humidity device placed on the kitchen table (first floor). Try to keep humidity 30-50%.
The analog gauge is portable and we can check other areas of the house.

This is the first year that I have not (knock wood) run the humidifier, yet. Usually I have it running full-time by the end of October.

We also use a dehumidifier in the basement which is also running still. Temps must be generally warmer, less heat, etc.

What's your target range, lowest, highest.

BTW, I use metric with measurements all the time, but temps, forget it!

 

[taldesta]

Always a pleasure to see Laurence decked out for the season ... such a dapper soul and timeless. He's been looking after your gardens for a dog's age as I recall.

 

[taldesta]

Ask and ye shall receive!

We use a digital indoor/outdoor temperature/humidity device placed on the kitchen table (first floor). Try to keep humidity 30-50%.
The analog gauge is portable and we can check other areas of the house.

This is the first year that I have not (knock wood) run the humidifier, yet. Usually I have it running full-time by the end of October.

We also use a dehumidifier in the basement which is also running still. Temps must be generally warmer, less heat, etc.

What's your target range, lowest, highest.

BTW, I use metric with measurements all the time, but temps, forget it!

Talking winter, within one degree I can guess the house temp by the cool on my face when I wake ... tell if the woodstove banking for overnight was too dry and burned out early ... or held a few good coals for the morning fire. I like a mix of large and small logs, dry and crackling and also not so dry and a little more long lasting. Art in comfort.

My #2 temp target simple comfort over my morning coffee - on the coldest days sipping right beside the stove until it warms the ground floor .... or on warmer days, checking bf at the computer desk with my morning coffee 25 ft from the stove - also in comfort. So 60 F is comfortable to start. Over 70 F and I start opening windows

My #1 temp target in the frostiest, deepest winter depths ... is to keep the water pipes along the N & W walls from freezing. -22C is the magic outdoor temp to watch for ... and wind force.

I tend to believe a local amateur historian that this 'house' began as a depression era out-building on a homestead. It is a sweet home to me, yet I do acknowledge its quirks.

Humidity I don't target at all. I know to have some evaporation going on top of the wood stove. I mist my overwintered plants when I think to.

C or F, I have a mental 'foot' in both scales.

 

[eisman]

Well we finally have a clear day, cool but clear, and sure as anything the moles are back. How to limit moles? Number one tip is "don't over water the lawn". That's not much help here in Western Washington.

Along with moles it's mushroom time.

And as for the birds, well the wood thrush have made their appearance, they usually show up when the snow level drops far enough. the Blue Jays, Flickers, Starlings, etc are everyday visitors. I can usually count over 50 birds in the yard once or twice a day. We have a Coopers Hawk living somewhere near, and there was a Bald Eagle overhead (very low, maybe 20 feet) the other day and things got very still. I have 3 hummingbird feeders out this fall (all heated) and we have a fair number of birds. They are starting to get used to me sitting on the porch and just zip past my head. A couple of the neighbors have started putting out feeders too, so I expect we'll have them all winter long. I really need a good camera and lens.

 

[taldesta]

eisman the lawn looks good under what looks like a bird feeder pole in your first pic. Do you feed seed in this location? I only ask because the seed hulls and squirrel activity around the base of my feeders make one heck of a mess and must be raked up to save the grass. And, yes, the moles here mine underground tunnels making the area spongy underfoot - but save the big hill excavations for the wilder, unkempt areas in the patch of weeds nearby.

Three heated hummingbird feeders! Keep on spoiling them

 

[taldesta]

Bridge on a barge - soon the new installation spanning the river will restore my shortest route to town. Looking forward to it. Flip phone pics. It's not a swing bridge in spite of appearances



Closer look ...

 

[taldesta]

Before the tall grasses and weeds go under for the winter, they have their moments sparkling with frost in the morning sunshine. Winter gardening ...

 

[annr]

Before the tall grasses and weeds go under for the winter, they have their moments sparkling with frost in the morning sunshine. Winter gardening ...

View attachment 1470056

Poetic! Now, that is gardening I can handle!

Our grass is still coming up green despite the 0.2" of snow. The lawn guy mowed yesterday, and I thought I would lose my mind (what's left of it) listening to the mower, blower, and whatever else. Took him over 1.5 hours, just when I had settled in to do some computations. How do they know?

 

[taldesta]

Holy cow - never thought to equate the omniscience of the 'grass mowers' there with the 'snow ploughers' here before - yet the mystic/forecast abilities do tend to impact pocket book balances either way on the scale - although proof in snow depth seems more demonstrable when I can't get my vehicle out of my laneway. My grass I can drive over, wishing it an early demise in passing. Apologies to grass lovers - my lawn is 'moose-pooped' weeds.

Snow! ... spend hours to clear the lane with a 'walk-behind' to the ploughed road .... or pay. Presently I am physically able to defy the 'pay or stay' snowplough contractors. And because I am sort of defiant in my advancing years. Badass retiree, yup.

 

[drj211]

Not a lot of activity in here lately, so here’s a couple for my snow blanketed Northern friends! Taken this morning!

Juvenile Meyers lemon tree


Seedlings of Mango, Calamondin, Suriname Cherry, and Avocado.

 

[LEGION 12]

Christmas parrot's .

 

[eisman]

Christmas parrot's

Are those from the flock that escaped back in the 80's? If so they used to mob my plum tree in Altadena.

Very wet this year, but too warm (by a couple of degrees) for snow at my level. I did catch this fat possum in the back yard today. scrounging under the bird feeders. (The black thing is a mole trap. I've got a big one out there digging.)

Didn't get much done for Christmas this year, but I did put up the lights.

 

[taldesta]

As winter winds blow and the white stuff deepens outside my door ... across the many miles ... I wish the warmth of the season to everyone!

 

[annr]

As winter winds blow and the white stuff deepens outside my door ... across the many miles ... I wish the warmth of the season to everyone!

View attachment 1479474

Thanks taldesta! And it's in the 60's now--so dragging out the fans.