reBlogged to fruit trees

Posted by lisa beerntsen Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit, trees on 2007-09-05, 18:39:19

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Fall is a visually stunning season and considering the bleakness of winter that follows, there's every reason to make the most of fall color. About's Landscaping Guide, David Beaulieu,...

reBlogged to trees on Sep 4, 2007, 5:04AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2007-09-05, 18:38:43

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reBlogged to environment

Posted by gardenmoma Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2007-09-05, 18:38:37

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Since the remaining tomatoes were getting a touch of Botrytis, the chutney making plans were brought forward. I would have liked to have harvested a couple of kilos of the larger momotaro. However, I had to make up the first kilo with the firmer skinned iko. The mix was bulked out further with the addition. . .

reBlogged to vegetables harvest

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to harvest, vegetables on 2007-09-05, 18:38:28

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We were getting some rain from around 11 a.m. to noon in La Ceiba, Honduras. So far it is just a normal tropical rain with no wind to speak of. At 12:30 p.m., the rain stopped and then started again about 1 p.m. . . .

reBlogged to weather on Sep 4, 2007, 3:00PM

Posted by La Gringa Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-09-05, 18:38:02

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The blogicito had almost 400 visitors yesterday and 250 as of 11:15 a.m. today. That's compared to about 150 per day normally. The majority are coming from searches for Hurricane Felix information. Probably a lot of those are worried friends and family of Hondurans. . . .

reBlogged to weather on Sep 4, 2007, 1:23PM

Posted by La Gringa Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-09-05, 18:37:39

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View to the west, toward town (La Ceiba, Atlantida, Honduras)

I haven't read all the official weather reports yet today, but I have read that there have been exaggerated reports on television so I thought I would post some photos taken at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday morning, September 4, 2007, in La Ceiba, Honduras. . . .

reBlogged to weather on Sep 4, 2007, 11:15AM

Posted by La Gringa Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-09-05, 18:37:20

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As much as I've been trying to ignore all of you who keep saying summer is coming to an end, it's September and the reality is that it'll be freezing cold and snowy in Chicago before we know it. This morning I realized that HGTV no longer has the 7am garden show. There is no denying it - our gardening days are limited.

Prior to this year, my preparation for winter has consisted of moving my coats, hats, gloves and scarfs from the the back of my closet to the front of my closet. This year I have this damn garden to protect. The future of 26 pink hedge roses lie in my hands. The Belle of Georgia Peach Tree I planted for Mr. W must survive the winter! Okay okay, enough with the histrionics. But seriously, I need your help!

I was hoping you seasoned gardeners would share your fall cleanup and winter preparation (or whatever you call it) routine with me.

reBlogged to autumn

Posted by Gina Reblogged by Old Roses to autumn on 2007-09-05, 18:36:48

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After ten years of tending my gardens at my current house, I'm taking back some beds that have gotten a bit out of control or just didn't turn out how I thought they would.

Here's the non-blooming forsythia that I've posted about before.

And here's that bed after I worked on it yesterday morning. I cut all the forsythia down to the ground and bagged up the cuttings to save for another day of happy chipping and shredding. . . .

reBlogged to gardening

Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2007-09-05, 18:36:39

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Recently I came across a small light colored butterfly in my garden that at first glance I thought was a Small Cabbage White I had seen in my garden here in Chicago. When I approached the butterfly it fluttered away revealing a blue or gray tint to the upper leaves. I knew immediately this wasn't a Small Cabbage White. . . .

reBlogged to beneficials

Posted by MrBrownThumb Reblogged by Old Roses to beneficials on 2007-09-05, 18:35:50

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All of my candy lilies have finished blooming and seeds have started to ripen on the stems of my plants. Two years from now my garden will be filled with these beautiful flowers. Not only did this perennial provide me with interesting flowers during the growing season-but watching the seed development has been just as interesting and informative. . . .

reBlogged to seeds

Posted by MrBrownThumb Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2007-09-05, 18:35:29

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I took these a couple of weeks ago about a quarter of a mile apart. They are the only dragonflies I photographed that day, and are male and female twelve spot skimmers. Not that I knew that until I got home and looked her up.

reBlogged to insects on Sep 4, 2007, 7:42PM

Posted by Sandy Reblogged by Old Roses to insects on 2007-09-05, 18:35:03

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Okay, I know it's a weed that plagues lawns. On top of that, it's invasive -- and we all know what a big no-no that is. Still, there's a side...

reBlogged to weeds on Sep 4, 2007, 4:51AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to weeds on 2007-09-05, 18:34:55

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Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the publishing of Jack Kerouac's On the Road. I was probably too young when I first read the book to grasp every nuance, but it was still an eye-opening experience. I have long meant to go back and read it again... but frankly there are other writers of the Beat Generation whose voices and writings I enjoy more than Kerouac's. (Maybe "enjoy" isn't always the right word--sometimes gut-wrenching would be more appropriate a term--but you know what I mean.)

In honor of this influential novel, and spurred by a recent flurry of "A Long Walk" posts from chuck b., I thought you might like to take in some of the sights that I see while giving my Garden Assistant her morning and evening constitutionals. . . .

reBlogged to gardens

Posted by Blackswamp_Girl Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens on 2007-09-05, 18:34:47

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When I shop for vinegar, I buy it by the gallon because it's a powerful antibacterial agent that's both inexpensive and Earth-friendly with loads of uses both in the home and garden.

Here are some of the ways you can put this household staple to use. . . .

reBlogged to tools on Sep 4, 2007, 7:15PM

Posted by jeffball@usol.com (Jeff Ball) Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2007-09-05, 18:32:43

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There are two ways to increase the length of time you have Amaryllis bulbs blooming indoors. . . .

reBlogged to amaryllis on Sep 4, 2007, 1:45PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to amaryllis on 2007-09-05, 18:32:19

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A webcomic features a talking cactus, at least occasionally, if you search the archives. It's called Girls with Slingshots.

It doesn't have too much in the way of slingshots, but it does have girls and a horny talking cactus named McPedro. The strip... centers around the lives and misadventures of Hazel, a mildly boozy writer with hopes of an actual social life and her best friend Jamie, who is probably more life than Hazel can handle to begin with.

Now you know.

reBlogged to cacti on Sep 4, 2007, 4:09PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to cacti on 2007-09-05, 18:32:00

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Bombax ellipticum

reBlogged to foliage on Sep 4, 2007, 2:12PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to foliage on 2007-09-05, 18:31:52

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Today's link is to a Gardener in Chacala Mexico, who writes about the Ethnobotanical Gardens in Oaxaca. Very interesting.

It is called an "ethno-botanical" garden because the emphasis is on the use the plants of the area have been put to, in the past and currently. The meaning of plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, succulents, cacti, etc in terms of religios meaning, food, medical uses, and everyday household uses, for example.

You know what that means, wink wink nudge nudge, say no more.

reBlogged to botanical_garden on Sep 4, 2007, 9:58AM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2007-09-05, 18:31:42

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Wild, wacky, weird — We love reader submitted photos. Oh, yes, we do.

Dale Mattson came across this monster mushroom on his morning run through Hyland Park in Bloomington. All I can say is hat’s off to you and your photo! (You made my fungi look like button-caps.). . .

reBlogged to fungi on Sep 4, 2007, 7:47PM

Posted by Jaime Chismar Reblogged by Old Roses to fungi on 2007-09-05, 18:31:19

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In my front yard there is a nest of bumblebees (not wasps, they are huge and furry). They have maybe 5-6 entrances to their hive in the ground. I have left them alone all summer because I like bees and was grateful to them for working so hard on their pollinating duties. However, in the last few weeks they have become extremely aggressive, to the point that I can’t go outside and water my plants or mow the lawn. . .

reBlogged to beneficials on Sep 4, 2007, 8:45AM

Posted by Jaime Chismar Reblogged by Old Roses to beneficials on 2007-09-05, 18:31:00

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reBlogged to flowers

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2007-09-05, 18:30:34

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The September/October 2007 of Washington Gardener is now out. This issue is all about Succulents that are hardy in our region. The article on sedums is especially good. They are a great "no fail" plant, especially for beginners, and one I love to share since it is so easy to propagate. My 'Autumn Joy' and 'Neon' sedums are looking especially good in this drought period. I'll take a few pics of them and share them in a later post. . . .

reBlogged to magazines

Posted by WashingtonGardener Reblogged by Old Roses to magazines on 2007-09-05, 18:30:25

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One of the best things about walking through a lovely garden is the delicious scents that can tempt, delight and surprise you.

reBlogged to gardens on Sep 4, 2007, 4:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens on 2007-09-05, 18:30:04

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adding potted plants to
~yesterdays historic relics is both unique and inspiring~
~
*taken while touring a friends garden
~
"Nature and gardening let us
co-create and re-create with JoY!"
Ted O'Neal.. Garden therapy

reBlogged to containers

Posted by Naturegirl Reblogged by Old Roses to containers on 2007-09-05, 18:29:56

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CHARLIE THE CHAMELEON.

Here he is in his lovely green suit. The earlier picture showed him gradually changing from green to brown as he climbed up the "brezo" windbreak, moving very slowly and his eyes swivelling non-stop.

Our latest sighting today was as he'd climbed out of the gorgeous orange Tacomaria onto a terracotta capstone....see how his colours now blend into the capstone. What a clever, cute little fellah.

reBlogged to beneficials

Posted by ladyluz Reblogged by Old Roses to beneficials on 2007-09-05, 18:29:44

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You've heard of a couch potato? Well, I've become a computer potato and are my muscles telling me about it! All summer I've been promising myself I would go out and do some weeding, finish the memorial garden we are building for our dearly missed pets, use the remaining pavers from the swimming pool addition to build a walkway to the backyard, etc. etc. You catch my drift. . . .

reBlogged to blogs

Posted by Nancy Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2007-09-05, 18:29:31

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I haven't posted for awhile because my shoulder - dislocated three weeks ago - is still in recovery. Although it's much better, the doctor has specifically forbidden most garden tasks for the time being. Given this, I haven't had much to blog about. . . .

reBlogged to blogs on Sep 4, 2007, 2:11PM

Posted by Talbin Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2007-09-05, 18:29:10

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We bought this crape myrtle last year as a tiny foot tall plant that was already blooming with startling red flowers with a few pink and almost white ones mixed in. We planted it in a fairly sheltered site and hoped it would survive the winter which it did with remarkable vigor. It grew a lot this year and the plant now stands 5 feet high. When our other pink flowered crape myrtle budded and bloomed in early summer, this one was still growing with no sign of any buds so I thought it wouldn't bloom this year but I was wrong. . ..

reBlogged to trees

Posted by Ki Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2007-09-05, 18:28:44

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I just got back from a week in the Netherlands and now that I've recovered from jet lag, I thought I would share a few new discoveries.

What do you think? Commet on your favorites.

Skimma japonica 'Magic Merlot'

reBlogged to plants

Posted by Tim Wood Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2007-09-05, 18:28:07

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reBlogged to environment

Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2007-09-05, 18:27:43

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reBlogged to environment

Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2007-09-05, 18:27:36

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Aaahh... September! The dog days of August will soon be a memory. Here's to cool nights and Indian Summer days. Bring them on! Labor Day weekend always begins here with a hot air balloon festival and this year (unlike a cold, rainy 2006) was beautiful. Just the kind of weather Colorado is known for. And the balloons were able to ascend for three mornings in a row. The thing that makes this festival fun is that you can walk right among the balloons as they are getting ready for launch and get a close-up view of everything. I used to enjoy walking among them but a bad knee and hips, plus the crowds that get larger every year, keep me away. So, here is the view I had as some of them came over our house. . . .

reBlogged to gardens

Posted by Bev Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens on 2007-09-05, 18:26:35

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hello!
for the past two years i've been gardening in north florida and it's a whole new ballgame for me. one thing that i've never had happen before is eggplants turning yellow. they get yellow or yellow and green stripes, or some have barely any purple color at all. I imagine it's some aspect of the soil, but i'm not sure? Also, for over a month now my eggplants have been growing and flowering LOTS, but no fruit set. I know it has been hot here, but is that the issue? There are plenty of pollinators.

reBlogged to eggplant on Sep 4, 2007, 11:06AM

Posted by gretchen Reblogged by Old Roses to eggplant on 2007-09-05, 18:25:54

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Chinese Scholar Garden
Staten Island Botanical Garden

The showcase and centerpiece of the Staten Island Botanical Garden is the New York Chinese Scholar Garden. There is a separate admission charge of $5 (US) for this garden. The other gardens are free. I gladly paid and didn’t think to ask if my New York Botanical Garden membership fee would get me break. It didn’t matter as the show was well worth the admission. It is a remarkable garden that has surprises around every corner. I had my trusty Coolpix set to black and white and also had the D70s with the 60mm shooting color. In hindsight I probably should have put the wide-angle lens on the D70 but I like the challenge of trying to get shots with the 60mm prime. I have been wanting to shoot more B&W so I actually used the little camera more. There was a multitude of shots to be had with all the angles and details in the garden. . . .

reBlogged to botanical_garden

Posted by Digital Flower Pictures Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2007-09-05, 18:25:02

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I was up in Osceola, on the Tug Hill Plateau, over the weekend, and I saw this excellent fence. It was installed by the town highway department to corral their dirt pile (which is according to the young kids the most fun thing to play on EVER). Our camp happens to be right next door to the highway department (don't ask), so we have extreme close personal access to the dirt!

reBlogged to fences

Posted by Jane M. Reblogged by Old Roses to fences on 2007-09-05, 18:22:37

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A reader recently made a very good point: If you do a google search on "Fall Garden Faire," an old blog post of mine comes up—one from last year, stating that the FGF is cancelled. The reason this happens is that the post got picked up by Garden Voices, so it got a lot of views. If you continue reading that post you'll find corrected information in the comments. But that was last year. This is now! The FGF, now known as the Fall Garden & FARM Faire, is on, Sunday September 9, 10 to 4 at the Roycroft campus in East Aurora. Admission is free.

This has consistently been a great event, and I urge you to come by. Look for us with the newest UGJ, hot of the press.

reBlogged to shows

Posted by Jane M. Reblogged by Old Roses to shows on 2007-09-05, 18:22:30

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Hey hey hey, Ba de ya - say do you remember.

Ba de ya - dancing in September. Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day.

Our hearts were ringing.

In the key that our souls were singing.

As we danced in the night,

Remember - how the stars stole the night away, yeah yeah yeah.

......

Yes, that was Earth, Wind & Fire. Great song that always makes me smile whenever I hear it. . . .

reBlogged to autumn

Posted by Tyra in Vaxholm Reblogged by Old Roses to autumn on 2007-09-05, 18:22:07

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It's only been nine days.
But I do believe I've finally found the plant that can survive the low-light spot in my kitchen.

I planted the Bolivian Jew (Calissia repens) on 8/25:

And this is what it looks like today:

I'm about ready to declare that my Houseplant Predicament has been resolved. But I won't get overly confident quite yet. I'll just pinch back the long stems, keep turning the plants and rotating them through the line-up, and sneak a few satisfied smiles.

reBlogged to houseplants

Posted by Beth Reblogged by Old Roses to houseplants on 2007-09-05, 18:21:38

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reBlogged to flowers

Posted by the clueless gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2007-09-05, 07:15:49

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Due to a mistake I chose to read Quakertown by Lee Martin.

It was listed as a mystery, and I’m a great lover of mysteries. Because the main character is a gardener and it takes place in Texas, I snapped it up right away.

It is not a mystery. But I’m glad of the mistake because this turned out to be a great book. . . .

reBlogged to books on Sep 3, 2007, 10:18PM

Posted by Bill Reblogged by Old Roses to books on 2007-09-05, 07:14:07

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