Bearded Irises. Progress report.Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris bed #2

Bearded Iris "Alcazar" 1910

 I did some minor puttering in the bearded iris beds.  Bed #1, the first historic iris bed, is too cluttered.  As we move into fall, I want to remove some extras.  Buddleia grew like crazy.  Oregano is too big for the irises.  The iris seedlings need to move too.  Too crowded.  I need a place for them.

Bearded Iris bed #2, also heritage irises, with a couple of exceptions.  Marigolds and sweet alyssum grew larger than I expected, very nice but too much crowding.  Still it will be ok to wait for frost when these annuals die off.

I did add some "step-over" plants.  Hoping they stay small.  A Sempervivum, alpine geranium, and a couple of others. 

Bearded Iris "Owyhee Desert" 1997

Bearded Iris "Romeo" 1912

 The iris starts are sending out new sprouts, and the original leaves are growing larger.  They are settling in.

Alcazar was via Heritage Iris Preservation Society.  From the separate, historic iris blog - "Color effect light hortense violet, velvety pansy-violet bicolor viened on bronze haft; size large; form long; open, oblong ; flowering habit free ; tall bearded class ; height 32 inches ; branching wide at center or above ; A flower of extra substance ; firm texture ; slightly crêped surface ; good fragrance ; An outstanding specimen plant, with very large well balanced flowers and excellent foliage."  I like that description, "hortense violet".

I suspect "Romeo" is mislabeled.  The prior blossom did not look like the web identification for this variety.  It bloomed in the winter.  It is about to bloom again.  Why is this a fall blooming variety?  Strange.


"Los Angeles" is in a shadier spot.  Not good for new iris starts, but it is what is. 

I'm continuing to clean up bearded iris bed #3.  That is mostly new varieties, some were established clumps moved from the Vancouver yard.  Some exceptions.  A few unrelated plants need to be moved from that bed as well.

Bearded Iris :Los Angeles" 1927

To make a prairie....

Image via commons.wikimedia.org

“To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,

One clover, and a bee,

And revery.

The revery alone will do,

If bees are few.” 

-Emily Dickinson

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.

Ginkgo biloba seedlings.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.

 These are Ginkgo biloba seedlings growing among the irises and herbs.  I planted the seeds last fall.

There are around 5 or 6 seedlings.  I'm guessing I planted a couple dozen seeds.  There was evidence some seeds were dug and eaten by birds or squirrels.

These received no special care after planting the seeds last fall.  Whatever the irises and herbs got, the ginkgo seedlings got.

They are small enough, they can stay put for a couple of years.  Then transplant to another bed or someplace more permanent.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.

Moving an established Sedum Autumn Joy

Sedum "Autumn Joy"

This is the 2nd Sedum "Autumn Joy" or similar cultivar, that I moved.  It must be 10 years old, up to 13.  Since I've been concentrating on the Battleground gardening, I have not been watering in Vancouver.  It was very dry, feather-light.  I wrapped it in a large dog blanket, drove it to Battleground, and planted in front of the house.  Soaked a couple of times.

The first sedum's leaves plumped up nicely.  I expect the same from this one.

The plant is barely starting to bloom.  Even so, honeybees almost immediately found it, and are collecting nectar.

Bearded Irises. Historic Iris Preservation Society rhizomes.

Irises from HIstoric Iris Preservation Society

Bearded Iris Bed #3, mostly modern varieties.

 This package, of Historic bearded iris varieties, is from the Historic Iris Preservation Society.  The rhizomes are grown by members, and sold to provide funds for the organization.  A package with several varieties, may be grown by various gardeners.  I requested specific varieties.  There was one substitution, and one bonus variety - Gay Geisha - which looks very nice on the website.

The varieties were:
Los Angeles 1927.
California Blue 1929.  From the HIPS site:  "From The Iris City Gardens catalog for 1940: "...vigorous...long blooming season... well branched and early. Rich bluish violet with a glowing beard. It is the most delightfully fragrant which we know. 4½ feet."
Gay Geisha 1959.
Frost and Flame  1956.
The substitution was Bourree, for Beverly Sills.  Bouree is described at "Nola's Iris Garden" as " 1984... 35½ inches... light lavender and the falls are white ground with ¼" petunia purple plicata band and speckles at hafts; lavender beard tipped bronze; ruffled; sweet fragrance."

Bearded Iris Bed #2, mostly historic varieties.

Irises among the peppers.  Bearded Iris Bed #3.

These came in the mail yesterday.  I planted them today.

I did rearrange one variety.  At the back of Bearded Iris Bed #1, was "Eleanor Roosevelt" - which is a small variety, and has been shaded by a Buddleia plant that grew way out of bounds.  The Buddleia will be moved this fall.  Meanwhile, I pulled the last of the Swiss Chard, and planted "Eleanor Roosevelt" in Bearded Iris Bed #2, at the front.

Meanwhile, the marigolds and sweet alyssum have both been overgrowing their places as narrow edging.  Very nice, but crowding the irises.  So I pruned the plants, and fed to the chickens.  They seem to like sweet alyssum plants, but were wary of the marigolds.  Oh well.  I was hoping the yellow petals would translate to darker yellow yolks.

Bearded Iris bed #3 was meant to be modern varieties.  I did not have room in beds #1 and #2, so a few historic varieties went into Bed #3.  I don't have to be rigid about what goes where.  At some future date, I can trade - remove a couple of modern varieties from #1 and #2, and replace them with the old

There are some chili pepper plants in Bed #3.  They will grow until frost, which is plenty of time for the new rhizomes to establish and start to grow.

Maple Seedling 9 Months Later

Maple seedling 8/15/13

 This is the maple seedling, I moved Oct 7, 2012 from the Vancouver yard to the Battleground place.

I expect next year it will start to branch out and form a canopy.  I'm amazed at how fast a small tree can grow, when grown from seed, on its own roots.

Maple Seedling 10/07/12

Maple Seedling 10/07/12

Random photos from today

Mostly fruits

 Wild blackberries, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, Black Prince tomato, Hungarian Wax pepper, and a Parisian Market round carrot.

Buddleia X Lilac Chip

Meyer Lemon

 Miniature buddleia hybrid "Lilac Chip".  This one is in a bed that I have not been caring for, only a few flowers.  If I give it better care next year, it might be dramatic.

Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon grew nicely this year.  Often in bloom and when it is, the honeybees are there.

Me, approx 1979

Cakmakli Turkey

Thinking about the past today.  Nothing to do with gardening.  Life is a journey.  Cliche, but true.

Moving an established, dehydrated Sedum clump.

Sedum, unknown variety

More for the apiary garden.

I recovered this sedum clump from a grass-filled area under an old cherry tree.  It has not been watered this year.

Sedum is dry tolerant but given the very dry location, that was extreme.

The advantage of the dry soil, is it was very light.  It required a couple of slices with the shovel, and came out easily.  Part of the clump broke off.  So now I have a small clump and a larger clump.

After getting them to the Battleground place, I soaked them for a while, then planted.  THe wilted leaves firmed up a little, not much.   I think they will do fine.  This year is too late to make the leaves nice looking and plump, but there will be a few flowers for the bees.  Next year I expect they will be impressive.  It was an old, well established clump.

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon with bee

Rose of Sharon December 2012

 This is the Rose of Sharon - Hibiscus siriacus - that I moved from the Vancouver house to the Battleground place Dec 2012.  It was very late leafing out.  I thought I killed it.  Now it is covered with buds.

Growth this year was about 6 inches to 1 foot.  I imagine next year it will grow faster, having established new roots and adapted to the new location.  It is sunnier and more dry here, so it growth may be more compact.

The prior location was adjacent to the North side if the house.  Now it's in full sun.

Rose of Sharon seedling

I'm impressed with the resilience of some of the shrubs and trees that I moved last year.  It was difficult to get a good root mass from this shrub.  I've pruned it back each year to make it more bushy.  So the trunk was thick.  Even so, I cut about half of the growth.

The white flower, red center, is a seedling grown from the original shrub.  It is about 4 years old.  I planted it at the Battleground place as well.  Not many flowers this year.  Deer ate most of the buds.

The flower is larger than last year.  Might take a while to establish.  I think i like this one more than the original.

The only care these are getting now is some occasional watering.  I may add a deer cage for the winter.