Brugmansia

 A few weeks back this brugmansia dropped its buds and some leaves.  I was having a difficult time keeping up with watering.  I repotted into a container about twice the volume.  Now it stays moist longer, and is blooming like crazy again.

Kitchen Garden

Watermelon

Pepper Barrel

 I think this is the Idaho-developed Cougar Mountain watermelon.  Watching closely for signs of ripeness.

Minnesota Midget Canteloupe

Fruit harvest

Container-grown Peppers

The pepper barrel grew great this year.  It always does well.  I'm happy with these.  The reds are "Italian Roaster".  The little red is "Thai" pepper.  There are others.

Also watching closely for the "Minnesota Midget" canteloupe.

Loved the fruit harvest.  That was from the Vancouver back yard.  Lattarula figs, Hawaiian Pineapple tomatoes, Italian Roaster peppers, various Asian pears, and a few peaches - forget the variety.  Genetic dwarf peach.  Was surprised to get any.  The tree has quite a few more, not ripe yet. 

Those "Hawaiian Pineapple" tomatoes are really good.

"Hawaiian Pineapple" Tomato

Madrone roots

Here is the madrone, taken out of the container.  I felt disappointed - the roots were so minimal.  The tree had been dug close to the trunk, and shallow  The remainder was added compost / soil.  It did look like there was mycorrhizae growing through the medium.  I mixed the medium with soil and placed that around the planted tree.

It will be pretty surprising if this tree grows.  I'll try to water it enough, but not too much.  I added a stake given how little root mass there is to anchor it.

I will also order some more Plant Success mycorrhizal inoculant to add to the soil and water in when it arrives.

Madrone, planted

Planting a Sourwood Tree

Out of the nursery pot, showing root ball

 Here is the sourwood tree I bought.

When I bought it at the nursery, I thought these trees had been sitting in the containers for the season.  Taking out of the pot, I see that's not true.  They were dug up from the nursery row, balled and burlapped, and transported to the nursery.  There, compost soil was placed in the container, the tree added, then more compost.  So they looked like the root mass was much bigger than it was.

That makes me think it will be harder to establish.  The tree is quite large for its root ball.

Planting.  Daffodil bulbs surrounding the tree.

Soaking in.

 Planting the tree - I surrounded it with mixed varieties of daffodil bulbs.  During the summer this tree should be mulched, with no competing plants.  However, daffodils grow their roots in the fall and winter, and the tops during rainy season.  I don't think they will be much competition for the tree roots.

Daffodils are reportedly deer and rabbit resistant, so I'm hoping they will have a bit of a protective benefit for the tree.

Planted and mulched.

Planted, watered in, and mulched.

I hope it grows.

We are heading into the rainy season.  That should help this nice tree establish roots and settle in.

New Trees. Madrone and Sourwood.

Madrone Arbutus menziesii

 Yesterday I bought 2 trees.  Each has a commemorative purpose, and each may be a challenge.

The first is a Pacific Madrone . Arbutus menziesii.  Native to Pacific coastal areas, including Pacific Northwest.  I don't see them very often.  They have a Dr. Seuss appearance.  I like the peeling bark, sort of like a Sycamore.  According to most web sites, Madrones can be very difficult to establish.  The reason I'm hopeful for this one is I am thinking it's been in the container for a season and so has some fine roots.  I could be wrong.

I also read that Madrones depend on mycorrhizal fungi.  So I will transfer some soil from other trees, if I don't have any innoculant on hand.  Which I might

I started to regret buying the Madrone, after reading how hard they can be to establish.  But if it grows, it will be a conversation piece and something to be proud of.

I read that Madrones are good bee forage. 

This should be a good time to plant.  Start of rainy season and cooler weather.

Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum

The second is a Sourwood.  Not native here.  They originate in the US Southeast.  Oxydendrum arboreum is a fairly cmall growing tree, with clusters of flowers that look like Lily of the Valley.  The nectar is considered one of the best for fine honey production, at least in the Southeast.  This tree also may be hard to establish - reportedly likes a soil with a lot of humus, and always moist.  Does not like competition - prefers a well mulched surround.   Sourwoods are described as having brilliant red fall foliage.

So we'll see.  So far I've had good successes.  These sound more challenging.  Other tree species that are said to be difficult to starts, that I managed to establish, so far, include pawpaw and persimmon.  The pawpaws are in their second summer, and the persimmons are finishing their first.

I might have to ask Ning to dig the holes and help me move them.  I tire too easily.  But these will give me something to ponder so are worth the effort.

Today's harvest

 

 

 

Today's Harvest

I was happy with today's harvest.  A zucchini, a cucumber, a nice batch of tomatoes, pole beans, and the first two okra, ever.  Tomorrow:  Barley / tomato soup with home-grown okra, home grown garlic, and home grown onions.

Bees do have a smell, you know.....

 

“Bees do have a smell, 

you know, 

and if they don't they should, 

for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.” 

-Ray Bradbury, "Dandelion Wine"

Image from commons.wikimedia.org

Today's Harvest

Not bad.  Yesterday there was a colander full of pole beans, plus a bowl of tomatoes.  Today, more of both, and a cucumber.  A little thyme on the side.

Sedum Autumn Joy with Honeybees

Italian Honeybees forage Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Italian Honeybees forage Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Italian Honeybees forage Sedum "Autumn Joy"

This is the clump of Sedum "Autumn Joy", I moved Tuesday.  It was wrinkly and grey from drought.  Light as a feather.  Watered every other day.  Now, Saturday, flowers are opening and the honeybees are foraging.

On this sedum, I see only honeybees.  Some of the other plants have bumblebees, small bees, or combination of all three.

Lessons learned:
1.  Sedum "Autumn Joy" is very drought tolerant.
2.  Even so, it's possible to make it wilt by not watering.
3.  The wilted sedum can be dug up and moved easily.
4.  With several good waterings, the plant will plump up and make a handsome "shrub" in a few days.
5.  Sedum "Autumn Joy" is very easy to transplant when dry.

Hollywood Plums

Ning harvested the plums

Hollywood Plums

Ning harvested the Hollywood plums.  Nice big bowl of plums.  Very sweet and full of flavor.  I love these plums.