BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: MAG
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 01:05 AM

No green hornworms here for awhile. I just went at 'em with the good pruners. like slugs.

My first brandywines are about ready to eat. I have the bacon in the freezer waiting. I generally don't bother with the lettuce.

*Big Orange Splot* is the name of a picture book by Daniel Pinkwater, so I think your book title might raise hackels, SRS.

I am not keeping ahead of the weeds before they drop their heavy ol' seedheads. except the buttercups. I think I finally turned a corner on the buttercups.

Since I don't spray anything except for rose funguses the birds love my yard but I couldn't tell you what all they are. They sound nice though.

I keep getting these vounteer wild plum trees my yard is not big enough for. Surely the birds aren't ...?? nah.

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 01:05 AM

I don't know about that dust--down here Howard Garrett recommends diatomatious earth for lots of things. Do you think it would work for you in this application? Visit http://www.dirtdoctor.com and do a search on the many uses.

I worked one summer at San Juan Island National Historic Park in Washington State's Puget Sound, and out there we had lots of owls who took care of the voles. As a park ranger, I used to take visitors through a wooded area where the owls used to perch. You could literally pick up a dried felt-like owl pellet under the trees and talk to the visitors about the wildife, then pick this apart to show the entire skeleton (dismantled) of the vole, packed in it's own undigestible fur.

Our tomatoes here have been ripening for weeks, and we're not fending off predators and trying to keep the fungus (turns the leaves yellow) at bay. I have some "super fantastic" (maybe "super terrific") type tomatoes, not the largest around, but nice and it resists some of the hot weather. I also have a hedge of cherry tomatoes. The skins are tough, but blanched and peeled they are soooooo good in anything you want good tomato flavor in.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: MAG
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 01:15 AM

I like early cascade, because they are such heavy producers; and with homegrown, any variety is better than storebought. (anybody know that song?? "Just two things that money can't buy, and that's true love and home-grown tomatoes.")

Bobert, early this year something totally ate my delphimiums. Overnight there was nothing left but a hole. Whatever it is likes daffs too, so I think that lets squirrels out.

(I have to say that shooting the squirrels is more humane than other ways of bringing them under control.)

Any ideas what might be gobbling bulbs like a hog in a gourmet deli?

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Joybell
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 06:59 AM

It's cold and wet here. Our winter wetland is full of singing frogs. Mountain ducks - (like your mallards) are floating over the paddocks around us. Wattles are starting to flower and Coreas - lovely little bushes covered with green and red bells are a mass of blooms. Honey-eaters all have yellow-dusted faces from the pollen.
The exciting news from us is that we think we may be able to visit New Mexico next Spring. I'm studying up on the desert and grassland wildflowers of America. It's all so overwhelming. Didn't think we'd see America again. More about that closer to the event.
For now we're tree planting as fast as we can before the weeds take over. Happy Summertime everyone. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Grab
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 07:18 AM

Our lawn is looking good. Dug the whole damn thing over (by hand) in Jan, mixed in a load of sand and compost, dug the whole lot over again, top-dressed and seeded it (thank god we only have a small garden!). Now we finally have a lawn that's a lawn to be proud of, instead of a dandelion plantation... Very glad I put all that sand in to improve drainage - we're on solid clay here which doesn't drain at all, but it's been raining hard for 2 days now and no sign of waterlogging, so that's worked out well.

Nose-wise, we're doing good. The weigela and lilac have long since come and gone, and the philadelphus has just about finished now, but the night-scented stocks are still going strong (they've been out the last 2-3 weeks and show no sign of fading), the lavender's in full bloom and the buddleia is just coming out too. Honeysuckle is disappointing though - didn't prune it this year and as a result it's looking distinctly sickly with hardly any flowers. Looking forward to our ceratostigmas coming out - no scent, but gorgeous blue flowers. If the summer's nice, we might get lucky and get a second lot of flowers on our little lilac (macrophylla lilacs flower twice in a good year).

Graham.

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 10:41 AM

MAG--I had The Big Orange Splot in mind when I suggested the story (but I was pulling your leg). As it happens, my yard and garden are such a unique collection of plantings in the neighborhood that the individuality expressed there is something Daniel Pinkwater would no doubt appreciate. I love that book--we read it many times when my children were small.

My earlier post should have said we're now fending off predators (something is eating green tomatoes and squash).

I've done a little searching on some of the flowers mentioned that I haven't seen. No images of "ceratostigmas" easily found, but I did locate philadelphus and
buddleia. They're lovely!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 10:51 AM

tomatoes have begun to flower and set fruit - squash (zuchinni, delicata and butternut) are flowering but only male; lavender in flower, lawn mowed (it took 10 days - between rain, three broken belts, etc,etc)

Deer still eating the lilies just as they are about to flower - both the asians and the daylilies.

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 01:24 PM

So why aren't you eating those deer? (In season, of course!)

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 01:26 PM

because even though we have a lot of people who hunt our property the deer seem to breed faster then they can shoot them! We had a doe with TRIPLETS this year!!!!!! (seems no one told her how unusual that is)

I've actually been eating venision stew the last couple days -

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Bobert
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 05:02 PM

Mag<
The deer generally won't heat plants down to the ground. The love aeting buds and top growth but ain't into bending down to the bottom of the plants unless its winter and there's nuthin' else to eat..

Sounds like the work of Mr. Vole, a mouse sized rodent who uses the moles tunnels to get around. They love roots and the lower parts of the plant. They uswually will just eat that part and not the entire leafed out are. They can eat from under the ground or on ground surface and will kill yer plant if you dn't recoghize the damage early denuff to get it out of the ground and into yer plant hospital.

As fir killing the voles, mouse traps work best. Whereever you see mole activity (hills above the tunnels) who will probably see holes about 1 1/2 inch round. Thesew are vole holes. Set the trap with peanut butter as bait and be sure to put an empty flower pot over it so the cat doesn't home with a messed up paw, or yer nocternal critters don't ket their feet cuaghted either...

There are other products for voles and moles but chenicals and poisons which you don't really need to be using...

BTW, we have a dozen traps set and have been avaeraging 3 voles a day.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 05:24 PM

Bobert,

Are you skinning the little guys? Make yourself a moleskin vest. :)

I just harvested some chocolate mint and spearmint and now have bunches hanging from the knobs on my kitchen cabinets. They were just getting ready to put out flowers. I have yet to harvest the lemon balm. I've heard about this herb for years, but never used it. Is it the same as with the other mints, dry it and make tea with the dry leaves? Or is this one that is better used fresh?

Has anyone used hibiscus for food? I know it is used in teas, and it is a wonderful red color. But it doesn't work for dye because when you add the vinegar it turns muddy. So if I've been saving the Texas Star hibiscus flowers adequately, is it safe to use them in tea or other foods for color? I suppose I would remove the pistil and stamen and just use the petals. Any thoughts? I pick them up each day from the lawn after they fall off of the plant.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Bobert
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 06:58 PM

Well, SRS, up here in these mountains, the native habiscus don't bloom much so I don't remove any of them. The one I have in bloom now has only one flower....Last thing I'm gonna do is eat the danged thing.

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Joybell
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 07:28 PM

Our kids loved "The Big Orange Splot". We shared their love of it. Now we live in a place where nobody worries if we paint the house in rainbow colours. I painted an old car that had been abandoned in one of the paddocks too. It's covered with bright birds and rainbows and stars and flowers. The place is full of interesting bits and pieces collected from the local tip (rubbish dump). They closed it to "scavengers" like us, sadly. No imagination! Now it costs people to dump stuff and you're not allowed to make withdrawls.
Our kids on the other hand are quite glad we live so far from them. I think we are heading for old, quaint and harmless. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: MAG
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 09:15 PM

Bobert, I hadn't really considered voles, as I am in a small town on a residential sidestreet.

Howsumever I HAVE seen holes of the size you describe. Moles   occured to me, but they are not supposed to be that destructive to plants; they are just supposed to eat the livestock they come across as they tunnel. No hills, just the occasional hole a mite too large to be an ant hole, and now the Peruvian daffs are gone, too.


grrr. Diatomaceous earth works great on the slugs.

There is nothing natural about cultivating a garden, and nobody promised us no work.

I would not call mya garden large, but I DID mulch outt all the grass and do flowers ...

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Janie
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 11:55 PM

Something is getting under my fence and nibbling on the bush beans. I can't figure out where. I suspect baby rabbits. I can't spot trails or tracks, though, so I don't really know.

This weekend will be time to start seeds for cole crops for the fall here. I know I'll start kale, but maybe not much else that I can't wait and direct seed. Broccoli is not a crop with which I seem to have much luck. Insects and four-leggeds always seem to beat me to harvest.

Couldn't help myself---began spot watering the dahlias and irrigating the first of my big front mixed beds and borders. It has been consistently hot and dry for too long. Even the cone flowers and Stoke's Asters are staying wilted until it is dark out. I'm not willing to let the perennials die.

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 10:53 PM

I let a broccoli go to seed out back, so I may have a lot of it this fall. We were curious to see what the "life cycle" of broccoli was like. It's big and messy at this point, with occasional bizarre stalks shooting up from the bulk of the plant and waving yellow mustard flowers.

Something is nibbling at my rudbeckia, and I've had to set up the sprinkler where normally the plants are tough and used to dry conditions. I think all of that rain in June threw everything off.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 03:35 AM

Whew. Had to rescue a tiny house gecko from the cats before posting this. They're cute little things and so small they sometimes wiggle in under the door (the geckos, not the cats!)

Here's something to think about next time you're working in the yard morning or evening (high mosquito activity time):

Flicking Mosquitoes May Prevent Infection

July 18, 2004 03:28 PM EDT

TOLEDO, Ohio - Flicking away pesky mosquitoes may be better than swatting the bloodsucking insects, which can risk infections if their body parts are smashed into human skin, researchers say. The issue is reviewed in an article published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine that focuses on a 57-year-old Pennsylvania woman who died in 2002 of a fungal infection in her muscles called Brachiola algerae.

Doctors were puzzled because the fungus was thought to be found only in mosquitoes and other insects. But it's not found in mosquito saliva like West Nile virus and malaria, so a simple mosquito bite could not have caused the infection. The article's authors concluded that the woman must have smashed a mosquito on her skin, smearing its body parts into the bite. "I think if a mosquito was in mid-bite, it would be wiser to flick the mosquito off rather than squashing it," said one of the authors, Christina Coyle of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Many people already take similar advice when removing ticks. Doctors have long cautioned that squashing a tick on skin could put a person at greater risk of Lyme disease, said Dawn Wesson, a tropical medicine specialist at Tulane University. Despite the Pennsylvania woman's case, Roger Nasci, a mosquito expert at a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facility in Fort Collins, Colo., said there is no scientific basis for switching to flicking.

He also pointed out that flicking the bugs off is not a permanent solution. "Unfortunately, then the mosquito often goes on to bite another person, or bites you again," Nasci said.

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Joybell
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 09:53 PM

Just when we thought there was a simple solution to something. Still it's worth thinking about. Perhaps we could flick and then squish. A sort of mid-flight clap and squash. With undamaged hands. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: Bobert
Date: 20 Jul 04 - 10:14 PM

MAG,

We are under siege by voles... We're using mousetraps with clay pots over them around their holes. We've caught around 70 of them this year.

The vole is half the size of the mole or about the size of a mouse. The vole eats plants and uses the moles tunnels. The moles just make tunnels which are irriitating enough but the moles only eats grubs and other things other than plants. ''We plant everything in permitil but the voles will sneak out of a hole and walk right up to a hosta and start eating the stem where it comes out of the ground. They love hostas... Some folks have taken to planting their hostas in a steel mesh cage that extends above the ground with the top bent outwards like a little vole wall...

Man, I hares tme critters....

Flox (white-"David") is in full bloom. Deer ate a couple nast night so we sprayed everything with "Liguid Fence" tonight...

Don't like the deer either...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Summer 2004--Yard & Garden
From: MAG
Date: 21 Jul 04 - 01:19 AM

well, at least, if you hunt, you can eat the deer ...