Orchids. 12.21.13

Cymbidium hybrid

Oncidium hybrid

Some of the orchids are blooming nicely.  This is a great thing to have on the gloomy winter days.

Today is Solstice, the day when the Northern Hemisphere starts facing the sun again, bathing us in the star's radiation.  Longer days will follow, then warmer and ultimately Spring will come.

Meanwhile, it's nice to have some flowers blooming in my room.

Each plant summered outside with minimal attention.  They are so beautiful, this year I should give them some TLC.  They are all several years old.  So that means I can grow orchids.  Cool.

Sauerkraut. 12.21.13

Making Sauerkraut

It's not gardening outside.  But making sauerkraut is a way to grow something - lactic acid bacteria ferment the cabbage and juices to make the sauerkraut.

These are 5 pounds of organic cabbage, finely sliced with 3 tablespoons of coarse seasalt.  Pounded a bit in a big bowl, packed firmly in the jars.  The airlock was via the internet.  I think it's not necessary, having read about other ways to seal the fermenting concoction.  So the other jar has a plastic bag filled with water to seal the top.  I placed in on a plate in case there is overflow.

I miked in a few spoons of kraut and a few spoons of liquid from the last batch, to jump-start the fermentation.

Now it sits for a few days or few weeks in a cool place.

If I can protect them from cabbage worms, rabbits, slugs, and deer, I want to grow cabbages and use my own to make sauerkraut, next year.

Arbor Day Foundation Trees. 12.19.13

Crepe Myrtle

White Dogwood

Golden Rain Tree

Eastern Redbud

Last summer I joined the Arbor Day Foundation.  As a  bonus, they sent a tree package, which arrived yesterday.

The package contained 6 to 12 inch seedlings of:  Eastern Redbud, Golden Rain Tree, Crepe Myrtle, and White Dogwood.

I heeled them in, in the vegetable bed, pending actual planting.

These were all 6 inches to a foot.  We will plant them along the edges of the property.  Given the small size, they will be movable for a few years if we don't like those locations.

(All images source:  Commons.wikimedia.org)

Soil sample sent off for testing. 12.19.13

I sent the soil sample to "Simply Soil Testing".    Since the raised beds are collected from mole hills, I went around the yard collecting soil from multiple mole hills, let it dry for a couple of weeks indoors, then packed in zip-lock bag.  Tues I went to the post office and mailed the sample.

WA State extension doesn't test soil for gardeners, so I went with this commercial firm.

This is their instruction:

 How to Test Your Soil

1. Print out the Soil Submission Form

2. Collect soil samples from the areas to be tested. Follow the simple recommendations in our Sampling Guide to obtain soil samples that are truly representative of your soil.

3. Choose a soil test option (see table below).

4. Fill out the submission form and send it together with your soil samples and a check to the address listed on the form.

Now it's just a matter of waiting a week or two for the results.

Testing for organic content, pH, phosphorus, potassium, and major and trace minerals.  They don't test for nitrogen, which varies too much.

Honeybee order for 2014.

Today had to call in sick.  Don't like doing that but miserable.  Just on line a few minutes then back to bed.

image source:  vintageprintable.com

Checked beehive yesterday.  Happy to see bees still there and healthy looking.  Just pulled one bar, briefly and partially, to check.  They started flying out instantly.  So closed again.

I have foam and newspapers in the roof of the beehive to help with warmth.  Only one of the 3 openings is open. 

Went online to check varieties to order for beehive #2.  The main choices are Italian and Carniolan. 

Reading up (also here) on advantages and disadvantages of the subspecies - Italian honeybees are gentle, forage widely, less likely to swarm.  Numbers are slower to build up.  Resistance to disease and mites might be an issue. The queen has a light golden color that is easy to see.

Carniolans build up populations quicker but swarm more quickly too.  They may be more disease resistant than Italian bees.  The darker queen is more difficult to see.

Image source:  Vintageprintable.com

I decided to go with Italian bees again.  The deciding issues were swarm tendency.  I still don't know why my numbers dropped so much late fall, but I wonder about swarming.  

Disease resistance and cold tolerance would be major reasons to go for Carniolan bees.  I am still thinking about them for future hives.

So I reserved a box of Italian honeybees.  They arrive in April so it's a long way away.  I like to plan ahead.

Buddleias after the freeze

Buddleia globosa

Buddleia hybrids, Peach Cobbler and Blueberry Cobbler

Buddleias are partially hardy. I've read in cold winter climates, the tops are killed.  They grow back rapidly from the roots, so act as perennials.

Here they are usually a large woody shrub. 

I wondered with the big freeze, whether they would die to the ground.

Most of the large summer leaves were frost damaged.  Many were shed.  The smaller, axillary bud leaves still look OK.

I don't know if the complex hybrids have been tested in such a cold winter.  It will be interesting to see what they do.

Similar for Buddleia globosa.

Fig trees after the freeze.

Brunswick fig after the freeze

 After the freeze to 8°F or 9°F, depending on what site you believe, I wanted to to a welfare check on the fig trees.  It would not surprise me if all of the buds were frozen and twigs dessicated.

Hard to say, but so far, so good.  Many of the terminal buds are frozen and dessicated, but lateral buds seem less affected.

Brunswick, so far, looks good.  I don't see any chewing damage, either.  On this or the other trees.

Champagne is a hybrid of Celeste, which is considered cold tolerant, and an unknown variety.  Developed at Louisiana State University.  Again the terminal buds look dessicated.

Champagne fig

 Give the rapid growth, it would not surprise me if this tree was unprepared for winter.  First year trees are often the most affected.  But so far, it looks OK.

Similar situation for Atreano.  Atreano is more well established for Pacific NW.  But again, this tree grew rapidly and the growth was not hardened off before winter.

Carini is completely untested for Pacific NW, being a family heirloom variety from Pennsylvania / New Jersey.  Those states get some cold.  Growth for Carini was not as rank as Champagne and Atreano, so it may be better lignified.  Looking OK, there are still lateral buds.

Smith, a Louisiana bayou heritage variety, is also untested in the NW.  One site speculated Smith was brought to the US from Yugoslavian immigrants, centuries ago.  So it may have more cold hardiness than one would guess.  Also grew rapidly, maybe a little better lignified than the two in the former chicken yard (Champagne, Atgeano) .  The twigs are an interesting light brown. 

Atreano fig

 LSU Tiger, similar to Champagne in origin, and also untested here.   Also, with growth not as rank as the former chicken yard trees.  South of the house - as are Carini, Sal's, Smith, Petite negri - so maybe a degree warmer. 

Carini Sicilian fig

Smith Louisiana fig

 Sal's fig has come through winters here in adverse conditions - in cotainers, frozen solid.   It should be more established now.  I have it wrapped for rodent protection, and sprayed with hot pepper wax - as with all of the other trees.  It looks OK.  Next year I want to train Sal's into a more vertical, less bushy shape. Easier to manage.

Louisiana Tiger fig

Sal's Sicillian fig

 So in summary, with high probability of future freezes ahead, and a historic, 40 year freeze behind us, so far, so good.  Better than expected.

Ginkgo Trees in China, October 2013

Me, sitting in front of wrapped ginkgo tree at Xi'an

Row of gingko trees at Xi'an emperor complex

A classic form for ginkgo tree at Xi'an.

Outside Xi'an Muslim temple

Wall at Xi'an Muslim temple.

At Chengdu

At Chengdu Wuhou temple

Chengdu Wuhou temple

Chengdu Wuhou temple

Chengdu Wuhou temple

Chengdu  Wuhou temple

Ginkgo at Mt. Emei, Sichuan

Ginkgo tree at Mt. Emei, Sichuan

Ginkgo tree at Mt. Emei, Temple, Sichuan

Signs from China

I enjoyed reading signs in China.  These photos are from late Oct, 2013

In the US, of course, we don't have any signs in Chinese.

Pink Banana Squash and other seeds. A nostalgia vegetable.

Pink Banana Squash image from wikipedia

Searching the web, I found seeds for pink banana squash.  Cucuberbita maxima. 

My dad's aunt Emma grew these and saved the seeds, which meant I grew them when I was a kid. I remember my mom being overwhelmed with what to do with the yield, cut it up and froze to make pumpkin pies.

I found a few sources, and added one to my seed "burden" for Spring

From www.rareseeds.com
Order Number: 100353504

 

Item Name
Jumbo Pink Banana Item No: SQ138	For nostalgia.   If we can't eat it all, the chickens will like it.
Anise Hyssop Item No: HB122	For the bees.
Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum Item No: HB129	Something different.
Red Round Turnip Item No: TN112	Ning likes turnips.
He Shi Ko Bunching Onion Item No: ON111	I like scallions.  These will be a change.
Chioggia (Bassano) Beet Item No: BT104	Ning likes beets
Tall Mixed - Marvel of Peru Item No: FL444	I'll compare to the other seeds.