Daniel's Pacific NW Garden

Thursday, December 19, 2013

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.

Monday, December 16, 2013

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.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

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.