Monday, September 02, 2013
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.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
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.
Labels:
Autumn Joy,
honeybee forage,
honeybees,
sedum,
Transplanting
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Hollywood Plums
Ning harvested the plums |
Hollywood Plums |
Labels:
Asian Plum,
Hollywood,
Plum Hollywood,
plums
Ginkgo biloba seedlings.
Ginkgo biloba seedling. |
Ginkgo biloba seedling. |
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. |
Labels:
ginkgo,
Ginkgo biloba,
seedling trees,
tree seeds,
trees from seeds
Moving an established Sedum Autumn Joy
Sedum "Autumn Joy" |
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.
Labels:
honeybee forage,
honeybees,
sedum,
Transplanting
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Bearded Irises. Historic Iris Preservation Society rhizomes.
Irises from HIstoric Iris Preservation Society |
Bearded Iris Bed #3, mostly modern varieties. |
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. |
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.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Maple Seedling 9 Months Later
Maple seedling 8/15/13 |
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 |
Buddleia X Lilac Chip |
Meyer Lemon |
Meyer Lemon |
Meyer Lemon grew nicely this year. Often in bloom and when it is, the honeybees are there.
Labels:
buddleia,
citrus,
honeybee forage,
honeybees,
Lilac Chip,
Meyer lemon
Me, approx 1979
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Moving an established, dehydrated Sedum clump.
Sedum, unknown variety |
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.
Labels:
apiary garden,
bee forage,
honey bees,
honeybee forage,
honeybees,
sedum,
Transplanting
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