What's Growing In Your Garden? Horticultural Science

[Turtle]

The outside garden is nearly done, and I have started tilling up and adding some compost. I put in 13 cloves of garlic yesterday, and today I'm putting in my Winter wheat.

 

All in all, I estimate I grew 20 to 30 pounds of my own food this year.

 

I brought in my herb pot with basil and I think either thyme or rosemary. :smart: it is already happy in the sill. ;) I love having a green finger. ;)

 

[palmtreepathos]

I am Gardening under Siege! I guess it is the drought and maybe cuz my retriever is old, but the big brazen rabbit and I are at war! I planted 21 cabbages and he got 5 so far. I had to build a pen around the cabbages and collards too (6 out of 9 gone) grrrr....

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

I planted 50 spinach 3 days ago and 30 were gone the next morning. But 20 is actually plenty if they make it. I have tried to block them off rather that anymore fencing in the garden but time will tell. We had rain today(1 1/2 inch) so maybe there will be grass for the rabbit soon.

 

I am still picking green beans! last year they were bug-eaten and gone by now. With a dedicated drip hose and spraying fish water on them they are doing better than they did during the summer. They look sad with fewer leaves but the energy seems to be going into veggies. I noticed the little tails got longer within a few days of spraying the first time and the beans are sweeter too!

 

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

guess which end of the beet bed was sprayed with fish fertilizer?

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

I am growing tithtonia for seedstock. Each flower head is worth a couple dollars to me, at least. Last year I paid $3 for one packet of 10 seeds. I am going to use them as a green manure for mixing with crushed charcoal next season.

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

Also, I did a hard trim on my avocado tree and I am wondering if the trunk can be persuaded to a more upright form? Maybe one of you bonsai fella's can advise on this?

 

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

Public Gallery Picture - AOL Pictures

 

My barrels are full of water and I am looking foward to the winter garden. Thank you Turtle for reminding me to get the garlic in the ground! Your herbs are looking good!

[Chacmool]

im curious. in Aus, do you guys call say december summer? in the northern hemisphere thats winter, i know the weather is reveresed, but do you actually CALL december winter and july winter? or jsut as a comparison? always wondered about that.

Northern Hemisphere Superiority Complex... :doh: In the southern hemishere - including countries such as South Africa, Australia and Argentina - we not only CALL December summer - it IS summer! Similarly, July IS winter. That's right - we have a wonderfully hot and sunny Christmas.

:evil:

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Northern Hemisphere Superiority Complex...

Actually "inferiority complex"

seems more appropriate:hihi: Already the dread is setting in as the cold and wet now will soon be towards foot upon foot of the white stuff, blizzards, hail, freezing rain, 45+mph average winds (60-70+ at times) and as the lake freezes sub-zero temps wondering down from Canada.

 

Is it cold in winter in Aus.? (30Deg.F and colder)

[Ganoderma]

Northern Hemisphere Superiority Complex... :hihi: In the southern hemishere - including countries such as South Africa, Australia and Argentina - we not only CALL December summer - it IS summer! Similarly, July IS winter. That's right - we have a wonderfully hot and sunny Christmas.

:naughty:

 

HAHA yaya...i know. just need to get all my facts in line...which way does the water spin in the toilet? (joking)...one question, how does santa ride a sleigh without snow? is he different than the North american santa? ;)

 

while we are on "Northern Hemisphere Superiority Complex." DFINITLYDISTRUBD, Aus uses metric, like almost all places....Freezing is 0 :D

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

DFINITLYDISTRUBD, Aus uses metric, like almost all places....Freezing is 0

Oh YEAH!!:) Well we use Fahrenheit!!:);)(0-Deg.C. is 32-Deg.F. from there things get comprikated:lol: BTW... I knew that...And besides I never said we were superior:rotfl:)

...which way does the water spin in the toilet?

:)

:hihi:Counterclockwise:hihi:

[Turtle]

The Winter wheat has sprouted and today I harvested my gourds. Reading up a bit, (source)I followed directions from an extension service and washed the gourds with mild disinfectant soap, rinsed them, dried them, and now have them drying in a dark well-ventilated spot. :shrug:

 

[Racoon]

I started Japanese Maple Bonzai

We'll see how it turns out..

 

I think I have a good grasp on how the tree likes to be handled.

 

I started a small little bit

 

 

[freeztar]

I started Japanese Maple Bonzai

We'll see how it turns out..

 

I think I have a good grasp on how the tree likes to be handled.

 

I started a small little bit

 

Awesome! They're looking good! :confused:

You've got a stalk of holly there as well?

 

On a side note, my roomate bought a Jap maple not much bigger than your own (+2-3yr) for $175 from the nursery. It's lucrative business it seems!

[freeztar]

I harvested my gourds. I followed directions from an extension service and washed the gourds with mild disinfectant soap, rinsed them, dried them, and now have them drying in a dark well-ventilated spot. :confused:

I, for one, am looking forward to:

Le Gourd Symphonique op.5 del Tortutissimo. :hyper:

[Racoon]

Awesome! They're looking good! B)

You've got a stalk of holly there as well?

 

On a side note, my roomate bought a Jap maple not much bigger than your own (+2-3yr) for $175 from the nursery. It's lucrative business it seems!

 

 

I dug up the Baby seedlings from a Jap Maple in my yard. :) (as opposed to mowing over them)

Put 'em in little containers..

 

as soon as winter sets in I'll prune them back accordingly..

Its funny how they're all different but from the same tree.

 

Yeah, baby Holly too..

Holly's don't like being in containers. It will be a challenge. I've failed several times trying to tame a Holly. I have 1 medium sized deck tree I succeeded with.

 

I have a few Medium sized/several year old Japs that I'm grooming already.

Porch and deck container trees.

 

This batch will be all Bonzai however.

 

I thank Turtle for helping teach me about Bonzai many years back! :)

Turtle was quite the accomplished Bonzai Guy. :hyper:

 

 

Of course I already had a working knowledge.. But you should have seen Turt's back yard. :D

[Turtle]

I, for one, am looking forward to:

Le Gourd Symphonique op.5 del Tortutissimo. :P

 

:note: :note2: Composition underway. :)

 

I thank Turtle for helping teach me about Bonzai many years back!

Turtle was quite the accomplished Bonzai Guy.

 

 

Of course I already had a working knowledge.. But you should have seen Turt's back yard.

 

:P I was a little out of control there. :tree: :tree: :tree: :tree: :tree: :eek:

 

Maybe we should combine your working knowledge & my out-of-contollness and start collecting, reproducing, and distributing native Pacific Northwest plants. :shrug: :P

 

So I did get some Indian corn after all, and after drying I'm going to set the best ears aside for next year's seed and the rest I plan to pound up in my mortar & pestle and make some corn meal. :)

 

Indian Corn Harvest:

[Racoon]

Nice corn Turtle...

 

Unfortunately for me, thats how it ends up coming out the other end in the morning too. :naughty:

 

The squirrells got all my corn this year, the buggers; so I hope it was GMO seed ;)

[Turtle]

Nice corn Turtle...

 

Unfortunately for me, thats how it ends up coming out the other end in the morning too. :D

 

The squirrells got all my corn this year, the buggers; so I hope it was GMO seed :D

 

:) Danke schön Racön. :) My luck that the corn was late & my squirrels were busy with my sunflowers. I'm planning to turn up more yard over the Winter & put in a bigger patch of corn in the Spring.

 

My garlic hasn't poked their heads out yet, but here is a shot of my Winter wheat all up & hunkered down. :) :shrug:

 

 

Back in a bit with a few more garden shots from the darkroom. :)

 

Here we goes then:

My last two cherry tomato plants

One of my 2 small patches of leeks:

Part of my wildflower bed:

Garden overview

cornstalks for compost & to retard erosion

jack-o-lanterns for compost & to retard witches:

[simcha]

Last fall, I gave away the next to last Bonsai tree I had; my remaining tree I kept by someone's request. It is a 7 year old varigated cypress which I started from a cutting. I'll try to get a picture for you soon.

My obsession for Bonsai lasted about 8 years, during which time I collected over 120 trees with more than 60 varieties. I collected from the wild, collected & planted seeds, & started some from cuttings. I did not strictly adhear to Japanese traditions, either in my selection of species or manner of display.

It was good therapy for a few years, but then became a burdensome entanglement. Twice a day, everyday, they had to be watered... Anyway, I have just the one now, & an uncomprable connection to trees still.

 

Wow, Turtle! ... i'm impressed. Ha'Kavod! ["(with) The'Honor(s!)"]

... i'm also a horticulturalist & a tree and fruit-tree planter from the age of 8 or 9.

... i've tried also to make Bonsai's from willows and myrtles in the past.

Just asking: ... Do You remember the "Sand-Terrarium-Fad" that swept the east coast of the United States during the mid to late 70's ??

I was in to it!

Simcha.

[Turtle]

Last fall, I gave away the next to last Bonsai tree I had; my remaining tree I kept by someone's request. It is a 7 year old varigated cypress which I started from a cutting. I'll try to get a picture for you soon.

My obsession for Bonsai lasted about 8 years, during which time I collected over 120 trees with more than 60 varieties. I collected from the wild, collected & planted seeds, & started some from cuttings. I did not strictly adhear to Japanese traditions, either in my selection of species or manner of display.

It was good therapy for a few years, but then became a burdensome entanglement. Twice a day, everyday, they had to be watered... Anyway, I have just the one now, & an uncomprable connection to trees still.

 

Wow, Turtle! ... i'm impressed. Ha'Kavod! ["(with) The'Honor(s!)"]

... i'm also a horticulturalist & a tree and fruit-tree planter from the age of 8 or 9.

... i've tried also to make Bonsai's from willows and myrtles in the past.

Just asking: ... Do You remember the "Sand-Terrarium-Fad" that swept the east coast of the United States during the mid to late 70's ??

I was in to it!

Simcha.

 

Danke Simcha! :doh: I vaguely recall 'sand terrariums' from the 70's, but I never tried them. On the willows as bonsai, I had good luck as long as they were kept watered, and I don't recall trying any myrtles. In the unlikely event that I get into potted trees again, I would be doing it to produce native tree/shrub stock for planting in the wild. Cuurently I have zero, nadda, zilch potted trees. :shrug: :eek:

[Racoon]

We just had over a foot of snow and ice...

Several bonzai's were completely buried.

 

I uncovered them yesterday and set them in a safer place next to the house.

A couple turned reddish brown.

 

I hope they're still alive in springtime

 

:)

 

:keepsfingerscrossed: