A frosty morning here on the hill. 12 degrees and overcast with snow flurries falling from the east and nuthatches landing on the platform feeder like hover jets in high winds. I have yet to figure out the aerial maneuvers of these birds but it must have something to do with avoiding predators. . . .
I'm compiling ideas for a column on holiday gifts for gardeners. What's on your wish list? Let me know as soon as possible, and you might get a mention in print or online.
Tell me about your favorite gardening tool, gadget, plant or accessory by sending an email to jessica.damiano@newsday.com. BE SURE TO INCLUDE your first and last name, hometown and email address.
Happy shopping!
reBlogged
to tools
Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2007-11-25, 00:53:30
Here in Kentucky, we got to enjoy a few Thanksgiving snow flurries. For many, it put them into the Christmas spirit and made them want to go shopping early on "Black Friday". For me, it made me want to go see how the garden is doing. While the masses were up early fighting the crowds at the stores, I was taking these pictures of the snow on our cabbages.
reBlogged
to weather
Posted by Marc Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-11-25, 00:53:19
I like to plant one whole bed of tomatoes with some eggplants and capsicums. In previous years I've settled on 32 tomato plants, 6 capsicums and 10 eggplants. I also, in previous years, grew everything from seed and would crank up the propogator in August for the October/November/December planting of the heat loving and frost hating vegies. This year, I have not been growing from seed. I have purchased seedlings at fetes and garden nurseries. I will probably go back to propogation next year. It is much cheaper, you get a greater range of vegetables in seeds and though a lot of work it is very satisfying.
Here is a shot of the beds being prepared for the tomatoes.
My husband and I are staying through the weekend with my parents and grandparents. My parents have a second home here in Sun City, Arizona.
Right now the television is blasting in the Arizona room, the computer is permanently on in the office/guest bedroom, there are eight incandescent lamps on plus two ceiling fans, the large refrigerator hums in the kitchen, and in the morning I’ll awaken at 6am as the contractors build a new addition to the house. . . .
reBlogged
to environment
on Nov 24, 2007, 12:24AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2007-11-25, 00:52:14
We’ve just been discussing potted plants on A Spot With Pots and I thought rather than leave a very long comment I would post about it here instead. I’ve talked about this before in a post a few months ago, and other bloggers have certainly discussed this too. . . .
reBlogged
to soil
on Nov 24, 2007, 9:51AM
Posted by Patrick Reblogged by Old Roses to soil on 2007-11-25, 00:50:57
Lepidote rhododendrons are certainly stars of our early spring garden; Rhododendron Pink Diamond is pretty spectacular in the late fall, too. Most lepidotes (small-leaved rhododendrons) are essentially evergreen, but Pink Diamond is pretty much deciduous, and as this picture from last week shows, it develops very nice color, equal to many better-known fall foliage shrubs. In the spring it is covered by large frilly pink flowers.
reBlogged
to shrubs
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2007-11-25, 00:50:31
Yes, the food overload from Thanksgiving yesterday is still affecting my brain. The first snow of the season has arrived and stuck around a bit. The above photo is from yesterday morning, but most of that snow is still here. (And no, I didn't get the leaves picked up out front. That has to wait until it gets above freezing tomorrow.) In the south suburbs of Chicago, where I went for the Thanksgiving gathering, there was no snow. I'm not sure where the line is, but that area is clearly a half zone warmer than the Northwest suburbs (Zone 5b v. 5a). . . .
An earlier poll showed that most of us haul multiple plants indoors for the winter months. It's a safe bet that we also move all our delicate flower pots...
reBlogged
to containers whimsy
on Nov 23, 2007, 8:15PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to containers, whimsy on 2007-11-25, 00:49:02
I was hoping that this sign "Fire Protection Available" posted at the nursery meant that we could look through one of the Firemen's Calendars and choose which fireman we wanted to take home with our tree. Alas, such is not the case. But wouldn't it be a grand idea? "Yes, I'll take three trees and three firemen; June, August and September. Thank you very much."
reBlogged
to trees
Posted by weeder1 Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2007-11-25, 00:48:44
The CC has finished its unfurling of its petals. The stamen and pollen are now exposed ready for some pollination. It is a spectacular star shape this morning, with the red petals opened like a windmill. They are almost Translucent so the Red shadows darken the centre. It stands out compared to the leaves behind it. Its an insects eyed view :)
reBlogged
to houseplants
Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to houseplants on 2007-11-25, 00:48:33
This morning I found a nice big seedhead lying on the ground; it is from Arisaema ringens, a cobra lily or jack in the pulpit from eastern Asia. This is a very vigorous, easily grown arisaema... perhaps the easiest of all Asian species. The floral structures are short and blunt, as is the seedhead. The seeds are now tucked into the dark, wet soil, so I hopefully will have lots of baby cobras next spring.
reBlogged
to seeds wildflowers
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds, wildflowers on 2007-11-25, 00:47:30
I can hear my mother now. "Why don't you pick up after yourself? You're always leaving your toys laying all over the place it's no wonder you lose keep losing stuff!" It snowed yesterday. One of the things I love about Chicago is that it always seems to snow on Thanksgiving. I left these outside after cutting back my shrub roses the other night. At this rate, all my tools will be rusty next year. Mom is right - I should be more careful with my toys. . . .
reBlogged
to weather
Posted by Gina Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-11-25, 00:47:00
The weather throughout this season has been so mild and with an end of surprising color. I see again why I planted goldflame spirea and even the maples in the field gave forth a deep oranged-yellow and long lasting display. I think we are often more thankful when taken by surprise with the gifts of a season. It is like we are viewing the old pleasures with new eyes and sensitivities to their life enriching beauty. . . .
reBlogged
to weather
Posted by Ilona Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2007-11-25, 00:46:36
"The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July."
~ Henry David Thoreau
~ Out the window (waning colors)
reBlogged
to autumn recipes
Posted by joey Reblogged by Old Roses to autumn, recipes on 2007-11-25, 00:46:15
There is a new organic gardening blog, Ewa in the Garden. Ewa recently left a comment here, which prompted me to have a look at her blog. Located near Warsaw, it makes her the first Gardening blog I recall coming across from Poland.
She’s built a great looking pond in her yard, something I’ve often thought [...]
reBlogged
to blogs
on Nov 23, 2007, 10:05AM
Posted by Patrick Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2007-11-25, 00:45:50
I have not one, not two but three trees growing in my kitchen these days. They had gotten too tall for the garden dungeon in my basement, so I have set up space and lights in my kitchen to overwinter them. I have a feeling that my mother-in-law will be rolling her eyes (discreetly, of. . .
reBlogged
to trees
on Nov 23, 2007, 9:51PM
Posted by Hanna Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2007-11-25, 00:40:03
Just returned from an overnight in Mamaroneck where I enjoyed a great Thanksgiving meal. Heidi did pretty much all the legwork for the meal, the last time I was up she had shown me all the recipes she was thinking about. My contribution at that stage was to recommend a more savory stuffing (pork sausage, sage and onion) instead of the sweeter one (with apples) and then help with the finishing touches, like chopping herbs as pictured. . .
The National Weather Service is predicting lows in the mid-20s tonight. So bring in those houseplants, if you haven't already!
This will be the first freeze of the season here.
I first started writing this post in the Fall of 2006. I drafted it in October 2006, but never published it. I think I was too overwhelmed by the impact of what I was writing to release it. The IPCC...
Since we’re in the holiday season we need to add another day to celebrate. I know you’ll want to mark your calendar.
The Day is December 12th – National Poinsettia Day...
reBlogged
to poinsettia
on Nov 23, 2007, 10:12AM
Posted by Plant Pro Reblogged by Old Roses to poinsettia on 2007-11-25, 00:35:35
NIMG afterthought...as the growing season fades into the "off-season", I had an afterthought regarding the "Not in My Garden" thread that Kim started back in September. My post was a little imcomplete, because I forgot to mention one important NIMG for me-vegetable gardens. Up here, it's a challenge to raise vegetables, mostly because of these beasts....
reBlogged
to pests fence
Posted by lisa Reblogged by Old Roses to fence, pests on 2007-11-25, 00:35:27
I'm spending the post-Thanksgiving Day lull catching up on my chores and starting a few new craft projects for gifts. In the spirit of Buy Nothing Day, I will stay away from the stores, though that has not stopped me from surfing some shopping sites online nor plowing through the big stack of newspaper ad circulars. Still, I'm in the frugal spirit and haven't seen much of anything that interests me enough to pull out a credit card. . . .
This stuff is amazing. It's really nutritious, tastes good, easy to cook, decorative in the kitchen garden, isn't fazed by hot, humid summers, and shrugs off the first few frosts of late Autumn. Oh, and it's easy to start from seed right in the bed. I just cut a bunch of it to have as part of Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. The stems are like cooked celery (but less stringy) and the leaves cook just like spinach. This is Swiss Chard 'Bright Lights' with stems of red, orange, yellow and white.
reBlogged
to chard
on Nov 23, 2007, 2:11PM
Posted by jdolangreen Reblogged by Old Roses to chard on 2007-11-25, 00:33:00
via Robin's Nesting Place on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
~ Out the window (waning colors)
