Bearded Iris Cleanup. 8 Sept 2023.

 I cleaned up some of the bearded iris rhizomes.  There are only a few remaining in the large bed I tried to grow a few years ago.  I moved most to other locations.  Some of that area was also potatoes last year.  I will downsize, converting that to easily mowed lawn, over the winter.  Meanwhile, I'm looking between thistles and grasses for remaining bearded iris clumps.

This clump lost its label.  If this variety blooms next year, I can figure it out.  With all of the ones I dug up, I hosed off all of the soil that I could.

Then separated rhizomes to pull out grasses and remove burnt-out old rhizomes.

Trimmed, and selected the healthiest appearing ones.

And planted into a container with fresh potting soil.

Here's another container.  These were mostly in worse shape.  Two are new rhizomes that I bought.

Bearded irises should be really easy to grow.  The challenges here are the aggressive thistles and grasses that invade the clumps, which have to be pulled by hand.  Also, in rainy spring weather, they get fungal spot and bacterial rot.  My hope here is they will be much easier to give TLC in the big containers, and I can keep them on the back patio when in season, then move to the vegetable garden the rest of the time.  

I con't know if they will bloom next year, or thrive in the containers.  I hope they do.

Buffalo Grapes, Harvest to Jelly. 8 Sept 2023

 Here is how the Buffalo Grapes looked a couple of ago.  I planted this variety because it is a Concord type that can be grown and produces in my area.   This vine has been growing for ten years.

I picked a tub of grapes.  There are more than that, still on the vines.

I cleaned up about 5 pounds of the darkest and bluest.

And made grape jelly.

The flavor is really rich.  I have to wait until tomorrow to see how well it gelled.

Buffalo is the most prolific of my grape vines, so far.  The same row also has Himrod.

Those are very tasty, but don't have that "grapey" Concord type flavor.  Some of the others had a few clusters.  They might grow faster with irrigation and fertilizer.  But I think the flavor is richer without those, and I don't need that many grapes.

Planting Bulbs in Planters. 31 Aug 23.

I emptied some containers of their former occupants, removed the top half of soil, mixed fresh potting soil with the bottom half, and added some Osmocote slow release flower fertilizer, then planted these tulip bulbs in one.

Then I covered with more fresh potting soil and a little more Osmocote.  These are settled in for the fall and winter.  They do need to be kept away from squirrels, voles, and feral cats.

This time, I'll also treat the bearded irises as container plants.  I think it will be a lot easier for me to take care of them.  I bought two more, but will also try to clear out the rest of the old iris bed, which is taken over by thistles, and recover what iris rhizomes I can, from there.  Then that bed will become mowed lawn once again.

The daffodils will also be planted in a container.

Repotting Some Dendrobiums / Planting Keikis. 31 Aug 23

 I have a couple of dendrobiums that survive all the neglect that I give them.  I decided to restore them, and have been watering them and fertilizing for a couple of months.  I repotted them now.

One had several babies (keikis) growing on old stems.  I cut off those stems at the red lines.

Then I planted in orchid bark.

I mostly covered the old stems with more orchid bark.

Now they just need regular care again.  The keikis will grow fine with no special treatment.

Today's Harvest. More Apples & Sauce Tomatoes. Orcas Pears. 27 Aug 23.

 Today the temp was mid 90s, so I wasn't up to a lot of garden work.

The Gravenstein Apple tree may have as many apples remaining as I have harvested.  I cleaned up some fallen apples (chickens eat them, whereas if left on the ground, yellow jackets thrive on them).  I picked all I can handle at the moment.  These are just from today.

Also, the sauce tomatoes.  There is probably another crop as big, ripening in about a week.  Then they will be done.

I picked Orcas Pears, most of that tree's crop.  All I need is a batch or two, to can.

They are still pretty firm, but starting to fall from the tree.  It's a challenge getting them when they are ripe enough to can, without being so ripe they become mushy.