Mini Rose Update. A Bud And Some Aphids. 15 Apr 25.

 The first of the yellow mini rose, that I think is SunMaid, has a nice bud.

I check every day for aphids.

It helps to hold the plant on its side, so the aphids don't just fall onto to soil and climb back up.

Last year with the peppers, the only satisfactory solution was to spritz off the aphids, so that's what I'm doing now.  As the season progresses, I think they will go away.

Another observation - some of the plants have new shoots coming from underground.  

So I think they'll become more bushy as the plants mature.

This is a fun project.

Planting The First Dahlia and Four O'Clock Seedlings. 15 Apr 24.

  The seedling cart is pretty full, so I wanted to test to see if I can plant a few seedlings in the garden.  Nights continue to be in the 40s F.  I forgot to measure the soil temp. 

I planted two dwarf dahlia seedlings is a container that has rose cuttings and some onions for seed production.

I planted two four o'clock seedlings in the outside (outside the veggie garden deer fence) border.

My plan is to watch them for a week, then maybe plant more.  If the soil temp is 50 or above, I might sooner.

They have slug bait and bird / deer / rabbit fencing for the usual reasons.

Rehabbing / Restarting a Garlic Chive Colony. 15 Apr 24

 

Yesterday I mostly cleaned out a planter box where I had transferred a patio pot of garlic chives that was waning.  Unfortunately, the load of grass seed in soil was so high, the grass took over.  I was  never able to pick out all of the grass, which took over and killed off most of the chives.

So,I cleaned it out, dug out the top layer, which was all grass, except two bunches of garlic chive.  Then I mixed in a bucket of compost from the bin.  Then worked on cleaning up bunches of garlic chive, two from this planter and the rest from a large container I had in the back yard.

These were from the back yard container.

The bottom photo is what I saved from the planter.  I split the large bunch into two.  

 They might be too close together, but I think OK for a year or so,  After filling in the soil, I covered with about 1/2 inch of the too-fast-drying potting soil that I had already, for mulch.  Then leaves, as shown in the top image.  I gave some dilute low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer.  When they look settled and have some vigor, I can up the nitrogen.

Fig Bars, Using Home-Grown Figs. 15 Apr 24.

 Here is my new permutation of fig bars, using figs that I picked last summer, dried, then stored in freezer.

There are several changes from the original, Betty Crocker recipe.  I like these better, and this recipe uses figs from my own trees.

There are three layers (sort of like a quilt, only edible)  - crust, filling, topping.

First the filling.

9 ounces dried figs (One cup)

1 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar.

Heat the water and figs together in a pan, about 5 minutes.  Enough to hydrate and soften the figs.  Let cool.  

Then transfer figs and liquid to food processor.

Pulse until roughly chopped. The figs absorb all of the liquid.   Add the 1/4 cup sugar and mix together.

Now preheat oven to 350 F.

The crust.  

The original recipe called for adding sugar and vanilla.  It also stated, use butter, not margarine.  I think the added sugar was too much, and the vanilla is too cloying and detracts from the flavor of the figs.    This is kind of almost a pie crust, but not rolled out and different proportions.  So, I left out the sugar and vanilla, and added 1/4 tsp salt.

1 stick margarine, chilled.  (1/2 cup)

1 cup white flour.

1/4 tsp salt.

I used the pastry blender to chop it together until pebbly, like a pie crust.

Press into greased 8" x 8" pan (I used a pyrex glass storage dish, similar size).

Bake 350 F for 15 minutes until center feels dry.  (I had to add about 4 more minutes).

Topping

While that's baking, make the topping.

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup white flour

3 tablespoons cold margarine.

I used the pastry blender to combine the flour and margarine, then the sugar, then mixed in the nuts and oats.

Now when the crust is ready, take out of oven.

 Slightly tan color but not brown.  Center is dry, not gummy.

I transferred the fig mixture to the microwave (glass bowl) and  warmed it up.  I don't know if that was necessary.  It is a bit easier to spread that way.

Then pour on the topping and spread evenly (forgot to take photo).

Recipe states bake 20 min until slightly browned and juices are bubbling.   For me, it was about 24 min.

Let completely cool before cutting.

I bet the filling could be changed to any fruit, if some starch is added as a thickener and water reduced or eliminated.  I would use a pie filling recipe to start out, with proportions changed to match the fig filling's proportions.  Likely need a few tries to get it right.  NY Times had an apple bar recipe that involved cooking down the apples until thickened.  I'm sure there are lots of others.

Two More English Roses, Plus Two Climbers. 14 Apr

 Here is the Vanessa Bell English rose that I planted last year.

Hete's the Silas Marner English rose that I planted a month ago, situated similarly.

Here's the Tropical Lightning climbing rose that I planted last year.  Amazingly vigorous.

And the unknown red climber that I grew from a cutting, three years ago.

That will need some training.

David Austin Roses, @ Not Quite A Month. 13 Apr24.

 Here are the three David Austin Roses on the deck.  The Bring Me Sunshine rose has pretty much recovered from its tender, in-warehouse growth being singed by the March sunshine.  It hasn't caught up with the others, yet.  But it's growing nicely.

Darcey Bussel.

Boscobel.

Bring Me Sunshine.

I'll have to post separately on Silas Marner.  It's doing well too, but slightly behind the two most vigorous.  I think that's the location in my garden instead of on the deck.

Garlic Chive Harvest. 13 Apr 24.

 Today was the first garlic chive harvest.  These are growing in a half-barrel size, open bottom container.  They are a bit affected with weeds, but not too bad.

Not bad, a crop in mid April! 

Having harvested these, it will be easier to de-weed the container pretty thoroughly and mulch to prevent more weeds.

With care, this Chinese Chive colony should give another crop or two this year.

Planting a Hardy Kiwi Vine. 12 Apr 24.

 I bought this vine at a big box store with an orange sign, last year.  You never know what you are going to get until you open the box, and it was sealed.  Here's what it looked like when I opened it in May.

Plants are always a gamble, but I mean, really?

I decided not to return it, although I should have.   I planted it in potting soil, kept it in shade to prevent burning of tender leaves, fertilized with house plant soil.  Basically treated it as a somewhat abused seedling,  In a way, it sort of was.  I imagine these are tissue cultured starts.

In July, it looked like this.

I repotted.  By about September, it looked like this,

I overwintered the vine in my vegetable garden.  It's starting to grow. 

The roots were good! and not root bound.

 I planted it in the duck yard against the fence.  It's at the top of a hill, facing west.

I think it should do fine there.  

It's great to transition a plant through TLC and finally get it into its new home.

I Found A Clematis. Time for TLC. 12 Apr 24.

 This was sort of an opps but sort of a discovery.  I asked for some help, planting the hardy kiwi vine, against the fence.  I told my helper to choose a spot, which turned out to be where there had been a dead clematis vine.

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The roots were still there.  Here they are.  Guess what?  The roots have a living white center and green  cambium layer under the bark!  They are fleshy and flexible, not brittle like dead roots!

OK, time for some TLC.  I potted it up, using fresh potting soil.  Watered thoroughly.  Now see what happens.

An aside, that area is the duck yard.  And rose garden.  It's great for growing lots of things, but filled with  native (not Himalayan) blackberry.  Which makes doing anything, even walking, much more difficult.  I think all I can do is pull it out by hand, and try to dig out any roots, then be vigilant.

Pruning An Asian Plum Multigrafted Tree. 12 Apr 24.

 This tree was originally Methley.  When I moved it from Vancouver to Battle Ground, I grafted on a Shiro  Plum from the Vancouver yard too.  Over the years, I added a Beauty Plum and a purple leaf plum for pollenation.

My Asian plums have a very low spreading, umbrella shape with long willowy branches.  Most seem to droop quite low, giving deer a nice salad bar, plus making it difficult to mow.

I've never done a lot to shape and train this tree.  Today I pruned back the lowest branches, shortened the long willowy branches, removed too-low, deer-tempting shoots and spurs, removed some crossing branches and cleared some of the center.

I left some newer branches longer, to tie down and train in the future.

No "Before" shot this time.  I forgot.