Sempervivum

For many years, I had a patch of Sempervivum (Hens and Chickens) under a cherry tree. The area against the tree is raised. Grass had taken over the area. Over the past 2 years, I haven't watered it. The area is in direct sun. Yesterday I picked through the grass and found these specimens. The ultimate goal is to remove anything recoverable, then either let it go to grass, or clean the area completely and mulch. The tree is gradually dying, so maybe remove the tree and start over. Meanwhile, here are the Sempervivums. This is a testament to their rugged nature - covered with grass, full sun, and no watering for 2 years. These plants came from my parents' yard in Illinois, years ago. My Dad told me he got them from his parents' yard long before that. I have quite a few others, from the same original two starts that I brought here - but nice to recover these too. They are soft, dried, wrinkly, but I think they are alive. The "tap-root" may just be stem. Blurry. It was evening. These were planted in the Battleground place, in a bed that I recently improved with compost and planted. Planting just involved using a trowel to make a slit in the ground, insert the "root" so that the plant is a ground level, then firm the soil. I did water it in to settle the soil and get them started. As always, "We'll see". I read that Medieval European peasants throw Sempervivum onto their straw roofs to grow and deter lightening strikes. If true, they survived very dry conditions to grow on the roof. So maybe these will recover too.

Asian Pears

Just when the plums are finishing, the Asian pears are ripening. Cool!

Rescuing a Sick Bearded Iris

This one was 'Diety'. It is a new rhizome. I noted the leaves were turning yellow, and on inspection saw that the leaves were rotted at the base. There are 2 options. Actually, 3. First, I probably watered too much. I've taken this lesson to heart, and with the start of cooler weather have stopped watering all of my iris starts and rescues. Time to let them meet the fall, anyway. Option two, it came with a bacterial or fungal infection. To that end, I sliced off the growing end, leaving this portion and a couple of buds. That may not be enough to grow, but why not try? Then, I let it dry for 2 days out of the sun. Yesterday I let it soak in a 10% bleach solution = 9 tablespoons water plus 1 tablespoon bleach, for about one hour. Then I let it dry overnight. Now, I will plant in a container in a well-drained growth medium. If it rots anyway, I'll throw it into the trash to avoid spread of disease. If it grows, that's a sign of how tough bearded iris can be. Option 3. I did see a slug in the container. If it was just slug damage, this may be an over reaction. This is a timely lesson to me, it's time to let nature manage the irises. I was taking extra care of them due to the heat, and starting new beds, and recovering irises from neglected areas. I don't want to overdo it and cause rot. So time to let them be. Except for removing weeds - that is a given.

Heritage Iris Varieties

These varieties are from Old House Gardens, and the photos are theirs. I hope it's OK that I post them - given that I link to their website. They have an interesting was of shipping iris - they grow them through the winter, then clean the plants and ship in the Spring, for same-spring bloom. This is what they say: "They’re freshly dug the day we ship them, they can take light frost, and to bloom their first summer they must get growing again ASAP. If necessary, store in the fridge for 2-3 days or “heel in” briefly in moist sand or soil." They take orders now, and payment is with the order. There is faith on my part that I'll be alive and growing plants in April. If not, then it doesn't matter. I'm trying not to obtain any two that are too similar to each other, and aiming for classic form and fragrance when possible. My plan is to have the heritage irises in a bed of their own, separate from the modern hybrids. That way they stand out on their own without being overwhelmed by the flashier new hybrids, and I can appreciate their fragrance as well. These may also serve as sources for hybridizing, if I feel so inclined. There is the issue of diploidy (most old varieties) and tetraploidy (most new varieties) making them genetically incompatible so I'm not sure where I will go with that. Caprice, developed in 1898, reportedly strong grape fragrance. Caprice is also described on the Historic Iris Preservation Society website as having a "sweet grape fragrance". Florentina, collected in 1500. Not a variety, but a species. Unclear from the site about fragrance, although that's one of the reasons I'm buying it. From the Old House Garden's site, "since at least the 1500s its rhizomes have been dried and sold as orris-root, a prized ingredient in herbal medicines and perfumery."  Pacific Bulb Society states this iris is 27 inches tall (good, I do't want more super tall varieties that dominate the garden and fall over in the rain), is a natural hybrid, not a species, and is fragrant.  Also a species, and the description includes, "Fragrant and tough, it was grown in ancient Rome, carried east on the Silk Road..." Indian Chief, 1929. Not as old as the first two, but still a heritage variety. HIPS does not mention fragrance. Iris Dalmatica 1597. From the web site, "Pallida Dalmatica, 1597 ...tall, pale lavender, tough as nails, with a Concord grape fragrance that, as Elizabeth Lawrence wrote, “fills the borders and drifts into the house.” (Also from a 1597 description)... “exceedingly sweet” scent.

Hollywood Plums

A good crop of tree ripened plums - enough to share with friends and coworkers, who loved them. Grocery store plums are hard and sour. The tree-ripened plums are tender, juicy, sweet, and so flavorful!

Iris Seeds / New Hybrids

Here is the result of my hybridizing effort from this Spring. This pod is on the variety Spiced Custard, the pollen parent is Immortality. I think. Seed pod on plant. This is an Iris Pod, not and I-Pod.  They would be cool in a bowl of pine cones and seed heads, or as part of a dried arrangement. A little closer. Cut, envelope labeled Seeds shelled out. They are so loose, they just fall out.

Heritage Iris Order

These are heritage Irises from Green Thumbs Galore in Chattanooga Tennessee. The variety pics are from their website - should be OK since I provide a link. I went Bonkers with irises this year. Not clear on where they will all be planted. These went into containers, for now. New Irises are flashy, with bright, diverse colors and patterns, big flowers, and ruffles. Some are not great in the rain, becoming malformed globs of petals, and stalks that fall over. Fragrance has not been retained in hybridization, except for a few. Heritage irises have simpler form, fewer more muted colors, and smaller flowers. This is a generalization that is not be 100% true. They are more likely to be Fragrant, I think. I hope the smaller simpler flowers and stems will hold up in the rain. I consider this my "test garden". I plan to give away the ones I don't like. That may be a few years down the road. It's not so Darwinian with Irises. They don't die off, even with neglect. They may quit blooming, but so far I haven't had one variety die off. Some - just a couple - did not grow at the outset - all dried out rhizomes from big box stores, planted in late fall. One might have grown but was in a bad spot and hasn't bloomed yet in 3 years. I moved it, we'll see if that's the one, when it blooms. The rhizomes arrived nicely packaged. They appear freshly dug, with no drying of leaf tips. The packaging was slightly moist but no mold or mildew. I get the feeling they were dug up for my order - nice thought. There were fewer roots and more top than some other orders - I don't think that's a problem, just a difference. Transplanting them from the humid summer of TN to the dry summer of WA, and the differences in soil and winter climate, they may have a bit of a shock. No place set aside for them yet. Irises have limited root systems, so I planted in containers. As long as I keep them watered they should be OK. I can moved them into a sheltered spot this winter, if needed. If I get a location cleared and prepared, I'll move them into the ground. I'm curious about how they will do in containers, anyway. The largest really should go into the ground. Loreley. Heritage Iris Preservation Society (HIPS) lists Loreley as developed in 1909. It appears to be a much smaller variety. Hybridized by "Goos & Koenemann" Unknown Variety, "NoID" listed as "purple with silver beard, bitone". Unknown Variety, "NoID" listed as "Lilac". Helen Collingwood. Heritage Iris Preservation Society (HIPS) has better pics. They list Helen as developed in 1949. It's big (40 inches) which is opposite of what I said about old varieties. Also very vigorous. No comment there about fragrence.

Baby Plum Tree

This looks to me like a plum seedling. I planted seeds in this pot in June. No expectations as to germination. These were not pits that I removed seeds from - separate batch - an the seeds were mailed to me from a friend in Georgia. They are a wild, native yellow plum. I'm surprised it did not need stratification, and I don't know how to manage it through the winter, but shouldn't be too difficult. That's assuming it's really a plum and not a weed. Does look plum-like.

Little Orchard revisited

Now I'm thinking about adding another row. There is room. That would be 5 more fruit trees. Which types? Maybe... - Asian Persimmon? I can't get the idea of astringent American varieties out of my mind, even though, apparently, when fully ripe they are very sweet and not astringent. I need to research a bot more. I don't want one that needs a pollinator. Maybe Early Jiro? Pretty fruits, pic from One Green World. Black Sea Jujube. All of these pics are from One Green World. Li Jujube. Chinese Haw That leaves room for one mulberry, probably the same as I have at home, Illinois Everbearing. I love the flavor and the "everbearing" aspect is attractive. So far my home tree has minimal production but is only in its 3rd year.

Mini Orchard Plan

Most of this is just thinking. I have a mulberry that needs to go somewhere, and would like to add a black mulberry. With need for apple pollinator, maybe a multigraft would be best. Similar for Asian plum. I'm fairly firm on the paw paws, although I don't know if they will survive and thrive. Similar for the peaches. If they suffer major leaf curl, I should give up on those. The "unknown" gets one chance to bloom and/or fruit. If nothing, then I want the space for something productive. I would like a good Asian plum. What else? Pear? A lot of the pleasure is in the thinking.