Generous fall harvest, tomatoes, peaches, chives

Also mint, basil, volunteer cilantro, bell peppers, chilis (still green).

A couple dozen fell off with the heavy rains the past few days. They taste very 'peachy' although not super sweet. There are also about 2 dozen left on the tree. Cool!

Tomatoes continue to produce. The heavy rains caused splitting of the cherry tomatoes, and a few big tomatoes. The Better Boys have given us some humongous juicy tomatoey tomatoes, and the others have done well, as well. "Fourth of July", while not producing until mid august, has been quite rewarding with plum-sized juicy fruits.

This is very late for a chive crop. These gave enough for a big batch of chive-filled dumplings.

Spring Bulbs, time to plant.

With so much demanding my time, I'm not planting as many Spring bulbs this year. More than that, I'm not ordering via mail order. I did pick up some packages at a big box store. There was a big bag with 75 daffodil bulbs (standard yellow "Dutch Master" and the ones below. Doubtless I'll add some more this fall. Not wanting to overdo it. Plus, there are hundreds in the ground from previous years, and some have probably multiplied.

The price is lower than last year. These don't seem to make it. I have about 25% or 50% survival, then it takes a couple of years to reach blooming size. Not sure why. They are usually quite dried out by the time I get them, which I think stresses the plant significantly. I planted this one in a slightly raised area, to avoid rot during the rains already happening and soon to increase.

Irises are a challenge even when established. The rhizomes need to be at soil surface. It's difficult to weed under and around them, so the tend to be very weedy. I plan to reduce the number somewhat this winter, keeping groups of each variety but not letting them roam all over the garden beds.

I've given up on bulb planters, and instead use a shovel, dig a hole about 1 foot diameter and 6 inches deep, and plant 5 or 6 at a time. That way there are nice bunches the following spring, instead of one bulb here and one bulb there.

According to my study program, I should take a 5 min break per hour. I'm taking about 10 min, enough to plant a few bulbs.

Orchid Blogging

Still learning about orchids, and watching their progress over the past year. It's been about that long since I started becoming more interested in them.

The way I look at it, the first part is to not-kill them. The second part is to get them to grow. The 3rd part is to get them to bloom. Propagation is optional, but fun. If purchased in-bloom, another aspect of the first part is to keep them blooming as long as possible. That seems to be rather easy.

This unlabeled Paphiopedilum hybrid, Maudiae type, was one of the first that I obtained. I need to check - I think it's a green flowered type. Should be back in the links (labels). I've been treating it as the books instruct, medium light, general orchid plant food weakly weekly. It added a couple of new growths. I count the leaves, thinking that if a growth reaches 5 or 6 leaves, it will be time to bloom. Not certain it that's true, but last week I noted the appearance of a bud. Cool!

Close-up of the bud. Another may be headed there as well, I'll add it if it really is a flower bud. I understand that the process from bud to blossom is gradual, and patience is needed. The upside of that slow process, is that once in bloom, the flowers can last a month or more. Regardless, I'm excited!

The books and the Yamamoto website (see prior posts) promote a season of coolness in bright light to promote Dendrobium nobile hybrid blooming. These are under eaves (out of the rain) south side of house (bright light). One can hardly call the light here in the Pacific Northwest "direct sunlight" so I'm not concerned about sunburn, and anyway these plants were in full unfiltered sun all summer long. This treatment, allowing coolness at night and not soaking them, keeping them in bright light, is considered key to obtaining nice flowers on these hybrids.

Of course, this NOID Dendrobium nobile hybrid continues to cheerfully violate the rules, blooming and blooming and blooming. It is indoors in a south exposure, but spent the summer in the same location as the others.

Dendrobium phaelenopsis "Genting" obtained last month at Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, after traveling to midwest for my dad's funeral. It continues to bloom cheerfully. I'll hold off any repotting until it finishes blooming.

This Cymbidium has been in a full-sun exposure, all summer. I generally gave it "weekly weakly" feeding, but on occasion provided some higher nitrogen plant food, because most instructions suggest higher nitrogen in summer. I'm keeping it outside for cool nights, per standard instructions for this genus.

Here's the question now - Is this a flower bud? Or another growth spurt. Watchful waiting!

Now we get to "the problem with impulse buying". Last year I bought this plant on impulse at a big box store. It was in a tiny plastic bag. The label is below.

I didn't know anything about Vandas or Ascoscendas at the time. Both are probably inappropriate for this setting and my house, needing more light than I can provide.

Instructions not too helpful either. Can't even tell, is it an Ascocenda or a Vanda? Peobably should throw it away, space is valuable. But, it stays alive, growing slowly, so I'll keep it for now.

Backyard Orchard: The payoff!

Studying diligently for my recertification, not spending time in the garden. Always some reason to neglect it! That's one of the great things about the backyard orchard - it doesn't need care at the time of harvest, and the harvest is great if the weather permits and prior preparation was good.

Late frost and chilly spring meant a lot of grapes didnt set. Even so, there are plenty odf sweet flavorful grapes to eat now and for the next month or so.

Tomatoes are doing great! The delay just made them all the sweeter in my mind!

Oh man, the pears! Luscious, sweet, a dessert in eveyr bite! Eating one every day.

Still some Asian pears remaining. I think they'll last a little longer on the tree while I eat the European pears. The first of the asian pears were wonderful!

I don't know if I posted on the Trilite peaches, now they are long gone. Very good! Now the genetic dwarf peach is almost ripe, a bit crunchy and slightly tart but very peachy!

Peppers are the best I've ever grown! Container gardening rocks for these warm season plants! THe eggplants are producing as well! Cool!

Orchid Update

Summer may not be the time to expect a lot of flowers on home-grown orchids. I'm still not ready to say that I know how to grow them in my circumstances. However, one Dendrobium nobile gives me a lot of hope.

This unknown variety is on its second rebloom. According to the web information on D. nobile hybrids, they usually require a period of sun in the summer, dormancy in the fall, and then bloom in winter or spring. This plant keeps putting out new flowers. Not a lot, but that doesn't matter. In addition, it has many buds. It just doesn't know the rules. I did have it in full sun, but now it's in a shaded south window. The other D. nobile remain in the sun, and seem to be more conventional. Currently I'm giving them a low-N plant food, continuing the weakly-weekly method.

Dendrobium phaelenopsis hybrid, purchased at the Missouri Botanical garden in St. Louis. My selection was restricted by size. I wanted small, so that I could keep in the carry-on. I made a loose tube of newspaper, seemed to protect this plant well enough. They had no problem with this at the St. Louis airport security. It fit well under the airplane seat. Label gives variety as "Genting". Given the appearance of the plant, and the shape of the flower, I wonder if the gift plant that I identified as "Vappodes" is really a D. phaelenopsis hybrid? If it blooms, I'll have a better idea. The leaves are somewhat different but that may be due to age of plant and my culture conditions.

I like showing the whole plant, for general morphology, and a close-up of the flower. That gives a nice idea of what the plant really looks like

Also from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, same transport idea. There were several that were much taller and full of flowers. I chose this specimen for the same transportation issues above. It did suffer a little in travel, but not too much. The variety is listed as "Anching Lubag". This plant has a nice fragrance. I liked the green color of the flower, and the shape of the flower.

Some of the cool-loooking arial roots were damaged in transport, so I snipped them off. When this plan finishes blooming, I'll repot in the same medium that I use for all of my orchids.

This Zygopetalum was from Trader Joe's, I purchased it a few weeks ago. It's a demonstration of how tastes change. I didn't like these before. It's nicely fragrant.

This photo shows the tubby pseudobulb. The growth habit is similar to Oncidium orchids.

Orchids at the Missouri Botanical Gardens Climatron

These were in the Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. I was there this weekend. I enjoyed seeing the orchids growing on the tree branches, much as I imagine they would grow in nature. These are probably all hybrids, but that doesn't matter. Also, not labeled so I have to make broad guesses about variety.
Schlumbergkia. This plant is very, very large. The flowers are interesting and beautiful.



Cattleya hybrid.

Miltonia, Angraecum, and Cattleya hybrid. Don't count too much on my knowing these species.

At a distance, orchids and other epiphytes growing on tree branches.

Im not sure - an Cattleya hybrid?


Another view of epiphytes on a tree branch.

The Master Bath is completed!

Here is the last installment on the Master bathroom. Some lessons learned:
(1) Even if you CAN do it, if you can't get it done, hire a contractor.
(2) Having done so, make sure you watch them thoroughly. It's not THEIR bathroom, they won't care as much as you do if the tiles don't match, or if the hinges are broken on the cabinet, or if the plumber cracks the drainpipe in his vice when cutting it.
(3) There may be such a thing as a plumber who takes professional pride in their work, but they are very rare. I suggest you look for a unicorn first, that would be easier.

(4) No matter how closely you watch, you wont get 100% of what you want. You have to accept that and know where to draw the line.
(5) If you think it will be great, give it a try. It might seem strange to remove the top from a credenza from Pier 1, add a stone counter top to it, and plumb it to make a vanity, but I think it looks a zillion times better than anything I saw premade. Plus, many of the premade ones are formaldelhyde-urea products I didn't want in the house.

(6) When you tell the contractor to cover the tub and shower pan with plastic so that it won't get grout and tile adhesive on it, and the contractor tells you "Not needed - it cleans up easily", ask him "on what planet" and insist. It doesn't clean up easily, it's a lot of work to do it without causing scratches, and some may never come off. This really is a case of them BSing me just for the sake of BSing, because putting down a sheet of plastic only takes a few minutes, but cleaning up the mess from not doing so takes hours.

Despite those comments, it would not be done if I hadn't hired someone, I'm glad I did, and this one did a great job (except for comments above).

Critters

It's great to see that there are critters around, especially beneficial ones.

Toad was hanging out in the Schlumbergera. I see toads or frogs now and then. They eat insects, so are good to have around.

Studying diligently, but I occasionally look up form the window. Hummers have been actively hanging out at the feeder. Difficult to take photo due to sun behind the bird, and window between me and the bird, but here it is.

Hard to say if same or different hummer.
Lots of birds going after the seeds as well. They are quite wasteful, throwing seeds around. I don't know if they are also on the ground picking up spilled seeds - that is below my view.

More on critters....

Kitty Cat decided that a freshly applied area of barkmulch, front border, was the world's biggest and best litter box, adding little hills and thereby bringing weed seeds back up to the top - violating the principle. I found an old bottle of chili pepper, probably over 10 years old. I sprinkled the chili pepper all over the bed - we'll see if that spices it up for her, or if she decides to move on.

Slugs are still active - bed of newly planted beans sowing evidence for slug feasts. I sprinkled around a generous helping of organic slug bait.

Back to studies. Currently studying >8 hours per day. Nice change from the usual schedule.

Figs at last! Figs at last! Oh my god, figs at last!

The black ones are called "Petite negri". The green ones are called "Lattarula". Supposedly, Thomas Jefferson grew Lattarula at Montecello, under the name "White Marseilles". They sound so much better in French!

Usually there are fewer brebas (summer crop) than main crop (fall crop). I am very appreciative of these rich-tasting summer figs. They are delicious and sweet, and richly flavored. I'm glad they don't all ripen at once.

This is the first year that I've had a significant # and large size for Lattarula. I grew it 3 or 4 years in a container- bad move. Then 2 or 3 years in ground. Now it's come into it's own. They're really good.

reliable euphorbias

This red-leafed Euphorbia is great. I don't know the variety name. Each fall I let it dry out, then put it into the garage (nonfreezing) for the winter. Each Spring I say It's dead, but what the heck, I'll sit it outside and see what happens". Sure 'nuf, it always breaks into leaf again and makes for a handsome burgundy-leafed potted shrub. If I forget to water it, no problem, but it appreciates some pampering for better growth.

A more classic appearing Euphorbia splendens, with smaller flowers. I left it in a spare room, forgetting to water for a few months. Once I discovered my crime, I started watering again and here it is. It's not as tame as the other Euphorbia splendens - the stems are more sprawling and twisty. In the full sun, the leaves take on a burgundy coloration, but inside the leaves are greener.

I grew this Euphorbia splendens from cuttings. It's equally tolerant of abuse. In the full sun, the leaf edges take on a red tinge. It's in a freely draining medium, and I water about once a week. I gave it and the others a boost of Miracle-grow, but otherwise they are very low maintenance.

These are green due to their low water use, and because the red-leaf variety can be kept to grow year after year, with no winter maintenance other than sitting dry in the garage. They require little by way of watering. The Euphorbia splendens is easy to grow from cuttings, so makes a great gift that requires no shipping or greenhouse culture.