Bearded Iris Beds. Cleanup and getting ready for Winter.

Historic Bearded Iris Bed #2

 Iris Bed #2, mostly historic irises, almost set up for winter.  I'll harvest the big basil plant, and remove a ground cover catmint that is growing too well, and it's ready.

I had grown marigolds and sweet alyssum from seeds, along the front and back edges.  Those overgrew.  Nice for a few months.  Now with rains starting, they shaded the irises to much, and competed. So I pulled out the marigolds and sweet alyssum.  I fed them to the hens.  The hens seemed to like them.  Those flowers, then, will be eaten second hand, as eggs and 4th hand, as composted chicken poop used for vegetable garden.  Nothing goes to waste, if I can avoid it.

Bulbs for the Iris beds

Iris Bed #3

 All of these bulbs were labeled as deer resistant.  Checking the internet, they are also listed as rabbit resistant.  I planted them in clusters among the irises, in beds #1 and #2, and in rows along the edges.  The hyacinths are "Sunrise Mix", the Daffodil / Narcissus varieties are "Thalia", "Jetfire", and "Minnow".  The Allium is "Purple Sensation"  That might be too big, but there are only a few.

I also planted some bulbs I think might be Camassia - not sure.  I dug them up and left them sitting under a tree.  Or they could be a big Allium.  If they grow next year, I'll know.

I don't think these will compete much with the bearded irises.  They will add color in later winter / early spring, when I need it.  Before the irises bloom.

iris Bed #3

Pepper Based "Critter Ridder"

 As for Bearded Iris Bed #3, that is mainly established clumps of modern varieties, I moved from the Vancouver yard.  There are still chili pepper plants from the bed's previous life as a vegetable bed.  Those can stay until they are killed by frost.

I dug out one of the catnip plants, and moved it to the bee garden.  Two or 3 others to go.  Also the chives.  The chives were much more vigorous than I expected.  Both big and competing with the irises.  I think the borage will only last until frost, too.  Not sure.

Along the western edge, are scallions I planted from seeds, this spring.  I think.  They might be multiplier onions.  I filled in, between them, with more multiplier onions.  They will be pulled for cooking, this fall / winter / spring.

A few more plants to remove, then it will be all about the bearded irises, with a few  other plants in between.

Then there's the mole problem.

Bearded Iris bed #3 has been troubled by mole digging for a couple of months.  A few weeks ago I added "Critter Ridder" to the soil, and on top the soil.  I thought that worked.  But today there was a new mole hill.  So I added more.  "Critter Ridder" has a pungent, peppery smell, both black pepper and capsaicin pepper. 

For the newest raised bed, I'm using 1/2 inch steel hardware cloth, instead of chicken wire, bottom.  Maybe that will be better.  Or maybe, the mole climbs over the side.

I don't know if it's the moles.  Several of the iris rhizomes, planted at the soil surface, are now fully buried.  I dug a few out and replanted higher.  It's possible the rhizomes pull themselves deeper.  Or the moles undermine them, and they sink.

Apiary garden / Bee garden

Bee garden

Pink sedum

Pink sedum

Today I added a few plants to the bee garden.  I bought some a couple of weeks ago - some coreopsis starts, and a Caryopteris plant.  I think those were from the marked-down table at Home Depot.  I've been watering them so they don't die.  Now they are planted.

I also moved some very large chive bunches.  I think the bees should like the chive flowers.

I moved the first of several catnip plants.  They, and the chive plants, are much too big for the iris beds.  The bees seem lukewarm about the catnip flowers, but they did forage them a little.

Not much foraging going on today, as far as I can see.

The pink sedum was a stray plant in a border at home.  I don't recall buying it.  It's probably a volunteer.  Maybe a seedling from Autumn Joy.  The flowers are white with pink center.  Nice.  The plants were very lanky  and floppy.  I suspect that is due to the shady / north exposure.  Next year, in full sun, maybe it will be more compact.

Thinking about next year.  I'll put down some sort of underlayment to cover the grass.  Newspaper or brown paper.  Cover with straw, or chopped tree trimmings if I can get them.

Also want to move more Hyacinthoides hispanica from the yard at home.  They naturalized there.  Fairly easy to dig up and move, if caught at about 2 to 4 inches tall.  Once in place, they don't appear to miss a beat.

Brugmansia.

Brugmansia and Charlie

Kitchen Garden

Today...

I picked a bowl of ripe figs.  Most were Petite Negri and Hardy Chicago.  Two Lattarula.

I picked a big yellow bell pepper.

And a few Thai peppers.

Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe

 The first cantaloupe.  I've been watching for ripeness.  Today when I picked it up gently, the stem detached itself from the vine.  So it's ripe.

The flavor was good.  Tasted just like a cantaloupe.

This is a convenient size.  Like a grapefruit.  It ripened soon enough for us to get a taste.  There are a few more on the fine.  None went to waste.  The chickens like the seeds.

Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe

Butternut Squash

 One of the watermelons developed a big hole in the size.  Then spoiled.  So the chickens got it.  They liked it

Another watermelon is looking almost ripe.  Maybe tomorrow.

The butternut squash is my first attempt at Winter squash.  Nice size for the two of us.

These were I-phone pics.  I misplaced my camera.  The colors are a little off. My hand is not that pink.  But the melon looks right.

Some of the harvest 9/21/13

Carini Fig

This was the first ripe Carini fig.  A fig forum member in the East Coast sent me cuttings from his family's heirloom variety.  I started the cuttings in Jan or Feb.

This tree is one of only 2 that produced main crop figs in their first year from cuttings.  The other was LSU Tiger.  That one was half eaten by some animal, and spoiled before I could taste it.

This is not a known variety for the Pacific NW.  That it grew in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which become colder than here, gives me some confidence.

I intend to protect the tree from some of the winter weather this year.  The new growth is greener than growth on older fig trees, so might be more frost tender.  Plus, there are animals that eat the bark, during the winter.

Nice, big, juice fig.  Mild sweeet flavor, somewhat like Lattarula.  I like this fig, and have big hopes for it next year.

Planting a Crabapple Tree. "Prairie Fire."

I saw this tree in the sale section at Home Depot.  Not wanting to do the work to plant another tree right now, but it's a good kind of fatigue.  Given that the tree fruited this year, maybe it will have viable spurs to bloom next Spring.   Plus, apples are pretty rugged so it has a good chance to survive.  So I bought this tree.

Crabapple "Prairie Fire" before unpotting.

 I'm not crazy about buying tall trees at the nursery.  I think small trees have a better chance to establish.  However, there's the issue of browsing deer.  So I selected the tallest specimen.  Around 8 feet or 9 feet tall.  A bit lanky.  It will fill in.

Unpotted, hole prepared, added "Plant Success" inoculant.

 I expected this to be a ball-and-burlap tree with compost added to the container, and it was.  Not excessive root growth.

Added some "Plant Success" mycorrhizal inoculant.   This soil has not had chemical treatment for 2 years.  I don't know about prior to that.  Reasonable to try to add back some beneficial microbes. 

The lower branches were sharply bend downwards.  I suspect trauma in shipping and handling.  I removed the worst. left the rest.  Expect to prune branch tips when leaves have fallen.
I researched this variety online.  It is multi - disease resistant.   It has pink flowers in the Spring.  If the flowering time is right, it can serve as a pollen source for other apples.  As a type of apple, it will add to the bee forage.

This variety has small fruits that birds eat during the winter.  Another plus.

Planted, mulched, minor pruning.

Fall Blooming Bearded Iris

This was an interesting find. Last summer I moved some bearded irises from the Vancouver place to the Battleground place.  I haven't kept up with weeding or watering them.  Today I noted one is blooming.  The variety is "Liaison".  Behind it is Buddleia "Lilac Haze" and Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Bearded Iris "Liaison"

The leaves look a bit unhappy.  It's an unusual time to bloom.  We are at the start of rainy season.

Bearded Iris "Liaison"

Figs.

LSU "Tiger" Fig

 This is the first fig from the LSU "Tiger" fig that I started from cutting earlier this year.  There is a red tinge.  The fig was near ground level.  An animal had removed it from the tree and ate out the other side.  As a result of exposure, the inside was somewhat moldy and did not appear edible, so I did not taste it.

This is the first fig of the year from the Battleground place.  The situation for this tree - just a start - is so unnatural, I won't predict what that means for next year.  By "unnatural", I mean the tree was started from cutting in January, given TLC on the deck all summer long, and planted in the ground in late summer.  The big test now - will this Louisiana - bred fig survive a Pacific NW winter?

"Petite negri" Fig tree

 Petite negri fig tree.  from fig forum, properly named "Aubique petite".   Lots of ripening figs now.  Tree is about 13 years from a small twig-sized start.

"Hardy Chicago" fig tree.

Fig harvest today

 Hardy Chicago fig tree.  Fair production now.  I missed some, overripe.  About 10 years from a cutting start.

Also harvesting Lattarula figs.  Those are the sweetest of the bunch.  The fig harvest photo includes a few figs - I had a much larger bowl of figs not included.

Not pictured, yet, is a ripening fig on Carini.  Like the Tiger fig, also on a tree started from cutting this year, and at ground level.  I placed some plastic mesh around the fig last night.  Check today for whether the fig is still there and intact.

Bee forage

Bumblebee on Buddleia X "Peach Cobbler"

I don't see a lot of foraging by the honeybees.

Buddleia - bumblebees like them, and continue to forage.  But not honeybees.

Sedum Autumn Joy and similar - a fair amount of foraging.  I'm glad I moved these mature plants to the Battleground yard.

Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Sedum "Autumn Joy"

Lots of bees on these succulents.

Not much forage remaining on Oregano.  At this point, oregano is no longer a significant source.  Given how much it was foraged earlier, I want to add more, next year.

Anise hyssop is also done.  Coreopsis and Caryopteris are nearly done.

I can't imagine there is much more nectar and pollen remaining.  At this point, the honeybees will need to depend on what they have stored.  If that runs out, I might need to add some sugar water.

Harvest Early September

Harvest Last Weekend

Charlotte Peach with Yellow Jacket

Pepper barrel

Hawaiian Pineapple Tomato

Fresh Peaches

Today's Catch