We have some terrain here. I'm lucky to have a few acres of gentle S/SE slope and good, mostly rock free soil. Most small pieces of raw land are junk around here. Up around I-70 and above is actual MO farm land. They grow cattle down here.
Posted on 09/02/2023 5:31:46 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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Does anyone know what this flower/plant is? It’s apparently in California:
https://img.peapix.com/393f5299ba964cb087f532ba1c645948_UHD.jpg?attachment&modal
Mending fence lines never seems to end! Our last ‘fencing disaster’ resulted in the neighbors beef cows and their Spring babies strolling through my garden earlier this year. They didn’t hurt anything, and the owner got them rounded up quick after I called him, but it took a few seconds for my brain to register what my eyes were seeing: “Hey! Those cows should probably NOT be in my garden!”
Nice peppers! I’m just starting on my apple crops, too. It’s going to be a lot, but I am going to make apple sauce, apple butter, apple jam, freeze a bunch of pies for later baking, and also juice for canning.
It’s taken me almost seven years, but I’m getting more and more food out of our land/garden than ever before. And the guy who pays the bills around here is MORE thank impressed. It helps to keep ‘The Overlord’ happy. ;)
It’s a lot of work, but it’s a great feeling when the pantry & freezers are FULL come Winter.
Bon? Do you know what the flower/flowering shrub is in Post 101?
You have a line of T-storms with hail core approaching Sedalia. You can enjoy dinners and maybe look for rain tonight!
https://radar.weather.gov/station/keax/standard
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Allens_Hummingbird/maps-range#
Habitat: Breeds in canyons, coastal shrub, and chaparral; winters along forest edges and in scrub.
https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/learn/birds/hummingbird/allens-hummingbird/
In early spring, a narrow strip of scrub and chaparral along the Pacific Coast starts buzzing with the sights and sounds of the coppery and green Allen's Hummingbird. Males flash their brilliant reddish orange throat and put on an elaborate show for the females, swinging in pendulous arcs before climbing high into the sky and diving back down with a sharp squeal made by their tails. These early migrants mostly spend the winter in Mexico, but some stay in southern California year-round.
Mayflower Madam wants to know the flower/flowering shrub the Hummer is sitting on.
We have some terrain here. I'm lucky to have a few acres of gentle S/SE slope and good, mostly rock free soil. Most small pieces of raw land are junk around here. Up around I-70 and above is actual MO farm land. They grow cattle down here.
Did I ask about that? I don’t remember.
Although there are many hummingbirds around the house we just bought, and I would like to know what plants and flowers they like. We did the sugar water thing for a couple weeks but the feeders get pretty gross, and are bug collectors.
Hanging plants sound like a good idea.
They grow grapes and make wine in Herrman and St James, and make engineers in Rolla!
https://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.php
https://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/prince_of_wales_heather.php (From South Africa)
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/89537/erica-carnea-prince-of-wales/details
This is obviously growing in a woodland enviornment and not in Chapparal! It seems a bit small but then so are hummingbirds.
Your picture does look like it! I never knew that any kind of heather looked like that.
Thank you!
*PING* to garden-related thread:
‘Pick Tomatoes At Color Break [no taste benefit to fully ripening on the vine]’
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4180354/posts?page=1
Thanks! I always pick at color break. Like the article says, avoids bugs and animals.
https://www.gardendesign.com/flowers/hummingbirds.html
In looking at these I wonder about the something like the Flowering Quince, which might be too early for hummingbirds? Beware of the Trumpet vine and Japanese Honeysuckle! Both are pretty invasive.
Good Growing!
Thanks so much!! (Honeysuckle sounds wonderful!)
The storms fizzled out before they got to CoMO.
We didn’t even get a sprinkle.
QUESTION: If you pick cherry tomatoes (Sweet 100s in particular) when still partially green, but with some ‘blush’ of color, will they ripen up? If the Celebrities have any color, they will ripen up on the countertop.
Finally made it to the tomato patch today .... in at 10:15 & the sweat is literally dripping off. I cleaned the patch - still need to pull out the main stalks, but all the branches are cut off. There were some ripe tomatoes, but I also picked any green ones larger than a ping pong ball and I plan on using them for Green Tomato Chutney.
I still have not talked to my brother about his turkey deep fryer stand to possibly use for heating my large canning pot - boy, would that speed things up. Between the jalapeno pepper jelly, the fig jelly, blackberry merlot jelly & now the tomato chutney, I will be canning for at least 2 days, longer if I have to use the stove for heating the pot. The upside is it’s going to be 100 outside the next 3 days, so being inside is a ‘good’ thing.
The spaghetti squash - some of the vines are still growing & blooming & I have some small squash on. I am torn between calling it quits, or letting it go. The weeds have gotten in that raised bed & the squash vines were so thick, I didn’t wade in & pull them, so a major clean out is appealing.
One jalapeno plant is pretty much gone - totally wilted. That one is getting pulled - has some good peppers on it. I may freeze some of them for my brother - already have about 20 in a bag for him. I am “poppered” out & have enough for 30 jars of jelly, so I’m ‘done’ on the jalapenos, for the most part. I may freeze a few for myself for this winter, but freezer space will be at a premium before long - half a hog coming early next month.
Last but not least ... still in LOVE with my herbs. When the borage bit the dust (bloomed out) & I pulled it, the African Blue Basil took off! I cannot believe how big it’s gotten and the blooms are really attracting pollinators. I am going to have to get another one for next year. Sadly, both of the lavender plants in that bed died ... they were larger when I bought them & not accustomed to being outside in extreme heat. One was a Super Blue & that one dying really ‘hurt’. The upside is that the 3 lavender plants, two new & one 2-year old Super Blue on the side of the porch, are doing just great. I plan on taking cuttings from the Super Blue to see if I can root them - that is how to propagate based on some recent reading. Much smaller plants that are acclimated early should do much better. Everything else is doing well - the chamomile is dying, but it’s a perennial & may have self-seeded. Between the chamomile & the borage, I’m curious what will come up next spring!
I did go look at Street view roads near Exit 133. Close to a larger city but you live out in a nice country area!
Qiviut; you are rather busy this week! If you get that broiler you could do your water bath canning outside!
I have a bunch of Sweet 100 tomatoes that I think I will use along with some chili peppers for Chili Sauce. They do ripen if you wait.
I am still pulling other tomatoes off the vines. I have a large number of Burpee’s Long Keeper ripening. I went to the local Grocery store and tried to get some of the cardboard trays from empty apple crates to use to keep them. They were out but said to come back later in the week.
I have a ton of basil that I need to top. (I have all the basil flower vinegar that I need at this point!) Wife loves Lavender! I put it along the edge of a rock boarder so maybe it helps with the heat?
Have a good day!
Glad to know the cherry tomatoes will turn!
In for the day - way too hot outside. It was 98 yesterday & we’ll be pushing 100 the rest of the week!
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