reBlogged to beneficials

Posted by The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to beneficials on 2008-02-29, 18:13:06

link to this

Not sure if it is the long winter, or just me getting older but I have no clue what bulbs we planted last fall. Guess I will find out in a couple weeks.

reBlogged to bulbs

Posted by The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to bulbs on 2008-02-29, 18:12:39

link to this

A

reBlogged to weather on Feb 29, 2008, 10:27AM

Posted by Sandy Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:12:29

link to this

Pure maple syrup is made by concentrating the slightly sweet sap of the sugar maple tree. The basics needed for making maple syrup therefore are some sugar maple trees and a method of concentrating the sap into syrup As winter comes to an end, usually in late February or early March, sugarmakers prepare for their annual harvest of the maple trees. The group of maple trees that is used is called sugarbush, or maple orchard. The sugarmaker...

reBlogged to trees on Feb 28, 2008, 12:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-02-29, 18:12:13

link to this

Winter can be a bleak time of the year. However, adding several evergreens, some specimens with wonderful bark and form and you can create a 12 month garden that will be the envy of everyone.

You might want to check on a few of these plants to create the perfect winter garden.

Paperbark Maple (Acer grisium)

reBlogged to trees on Feb 28, 2008, 12:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-02-29, 18:11:50

link to this

Fall crocus are indeed fall-blooming species of this popular spring-blooming bulb (a corm actually). The fall blooming species include: C. kotschyanus, C. sativus, C. ochroleucus, and C. niveus

In general, they are more tender than the typical spring blooming Crocus vernus varieties but if you have the proper garden, they do indeed bloom in the late summer to early fall. While there are other fall blooming crocus grown by collectors, these are the ones m...

reBlogged to crocus on Feb 28, 2008, 12:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to crocus on 2008-02-29, 18:11:40

link to this

BackYardAquaponics is a do-it-yourself aquaponics page with an educational discussion forum that features people who actually do aquaponics themselves and a book with CDs about how to design, build and maintain your very own system by Joel Malcolm.

As the trend on urban agriculture and gardening grows more and more in the US, other countries follow suit, along with their own independently thought up ideas and projects. . ..

reBlogged to gardening tools on Feb 29, 2008, 10:37AM

Posted by admin Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening, tools on 2008-02-29, 18:11:23

link to this

Winters are on ebb and the spring sowings are waiting to bloom. In the absence of anything more exciting in the garden, I invited my hubby, fresh from the memories of his trip to south India, to write a post on his experience. "There is something very amusing about living in a big country like India as I realized first hand when the opportunity to visit the southernmost part of country came my way. My job took me to the southern states of Kerala and Goa. Kerala is nick named ‘God’s own country’ and rightly so, as its natural scenery, backwaters, sprawling coconut trees and crystal clear beaches make it a near heavenly abode. . . .

reBlogged to plants on Feb 28, 2008, 5:04AM

Posted by Green thumb Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-02-29, 18:10:52

link to this

reBlogged to birds

Posted by lisa Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2008-02-29, 18:09:43

link to this

I’ve been asked about this many times now, so here you are! Just know that this is what I’ve learned in my research. (My seeds are still in the packet, waiting to go into the soil.) So no empirical evidence here, just lots of reading. . . .

reBlogged to seedlings on Feb 29, 2008, 3:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to seedlings on 2008-02-29, 18:08:45

link to this

This past weekend I worked on potting up some of my small seedlings into 2" pots, and I also sowed another batch of seeds - 24 species or thereabouts. I made a mess of my soil preparation by using a too-concentrated solution of hydrogen peroxide that caused the soil to bubble and rise just like cakes in the oven.






I did this already, the first time I used peroxide and I thought I had figured it out, but I guess not! Took me a while to dilute it out through the soil and bring the bubbles back down to something I could go ahead and sow my seeds in. Hope the acidic soil doesn't affect germination - but some species have already started to grow. . .

reBlogged to seeds

Posted by Jade Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2008-02-29, 18:08:20

link to this

Red and White Tulip Buds

I have a busy day planned so here is another archive shot of some red and white Tulips. I am not sure where or when I shot this. Tulips are always a special flower to me. You really can’t plant them here in Connecticut unless you have a fenced in area because of the deer. They seem to really relish the foliage and buds.

Thanks to all the people that have been visiting lately. I hope to go to the Orchid Show at the NYBG on Sunday so starting next week there should be some fresh flower shots here. It gets to be a little tough this time of year to keep with the general idea of this blog, which was to be posting pictures I shot with in a week of two of the post. I can’t wait to get back to doing that.

reBlogged to tulips on Feb 29, 2008, 7:37AM

Posted by Digital Flower Pictures Reblogged by Old Roses to tulips on 2008-02-29, 18:07:41

link to this

I'll be spending the morning working the front booth at the 18th annual Hicks Flower and Garden Show today. I'll also be there Monday morning. Next Sunday morning (3/9), I'll be testing soil at the back booth.

The display gardens at the show are great inspirations for your own gardens, but it's important to remember you won't get all those plants to bloom at once at home. Though it's winter, they'll have spring bulbs blooming next to summer annuals and even fall blossoms. That's the magic of indoor, climate-controlled forced blooming. . . .

reBlogged to shows

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to shows on 2008-02-29, 18:07:16

link to this

So you'll never have to grab a pencil and paper to calculate when leap year will fall, here's the formula: If you can evenly divide the year by 4, it's a leap year. (Century years have to be divisible by 400, but that won't apply again in our lifetimes so it's moot.). . .

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:06:53

link to this

I know you're out there. Skulking about behind bushes, tiptoeing and whistling, binoculars and cameras in hand.

We'd love to see your photos. Not only can you upload them here, but you can do a different kind of bird watching -- the kind where you don't have to leave your house.

Share your photos and view those of your fellow bird watchers.

reBlogged to birds

Posted by Jessica Damiano Reblogged by Old Roses to birds on 2008-02-29, 18:06:28

link to this

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:06:18

link to this

We’ve been having trouble with rabbits in our yard. We planted some arborvitae toward the back, and the rabbits have eaten away half of the trees. They also seem to like the lawn in the back as well. Will the foliage at the bottom of the arborvitae grow back? Should we even try to save the trees? Any suggestions for the lawn? How can we get rid of our piggy guests? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to pests on Feb 28, 2008, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to pests on 2008-02-29, 18:05:47

link to this

reBlogged to gardeners

Posted by Michele Reblogged by Old Roses to gardeners on 2008-02-29, 18:05:38

link to this

The other day I was wandering around Costco during my lunch break, enjoying a nice buffet of free samples, when I saw something that almost made me drop my Swedish meatball. . . .

reBlogged to compost

Posted by Anthony Reblogged by Old Roses to compost on 2008-02-29, 18:04:53

link to this

reBlogged to houseplants

Posted by Nickie Reblogged by Old Roses to houseplants on 2008-02-29, 18:04:28

link to this

Agina Cutting Celery (Pinetree).... Like celery, minus the crunch.

Upland Cress. Mmmmm... Prolific. Crunchy. Nicely bitter.

Red Sails lettuce and Chervil.

reBlogged to vegetables

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to vegetables on 2008-02-29, 18:03:58

link to this

Did you know that if you had planted spinach in your vegetable garden last fall and mulched it over winter, it would start growing again when the temperature warms up...

reBlogged to spinach on Feb 28, 2008, 8:01PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to spinach on 2008-02-29, 18:03:46

link to this

While Iowa has never allowed that elusive goal of year-around gardening, it is a rare year that doesn't see me at least puttering around out in our woodland garden in all seasons and months. This year is an exception; I don't believe I've set foot out there for a month (of course half of that time I was slurping down margaritas in a cantina on the beach in Zihuatanejo). At any rate, I presently could not even enter the garden if I wanted to, as the gates are all sealed shut by ice and snow. . . .

reBlogged to weather

Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:03:04

link to this

Last week I brought crinums up from Houston. They were happy growing down there, but I'm afraid this freeze that we had last night will knock their foliage back down. We always seem to have a freeze right when we think the cold weather might be over.

I drove by this site last week. This tree and these jonquils are no longer there. Thank you to the contractor who allowed us to dig.Sun is out now and the day should warm up nicely! That is good because there is a lot of work to do in the fields.

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Bulb Hunter Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:02:35

link to this

A year and two weeks ago I put up a post about haruichiban, the first strong winds of the year. Just as this year’s winds arrived we had our own mini whirlwind as the Yoshihara family descended upon us. Both parents are long time friends of my wife and the have four young daughters; there. . . .

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 18:02:27

link to this

photo credit: Chris (archi3d)

reBlogged to flowers on Feb 27, 2008, 4:31PM

Posted by Doug Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-02-29, 06:27:43

link to this

Yesterday when I wrote:
“I have a vase of tulips on my dining room table that has reached that ‘falling-apart’ stage. Petals have begun to drop. Colors have begun to fade. Leaf edges have browned and begun to curl. Stems have grown so much longer since being arranged that several now arch gracefully down, drooping completely to the table.”. . .

reBlogged to tulips on Feb 28, 2008, 9:28PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to tulips on 2008-02-29, 06:27:10

link to this

A

reBlogged to winter on Feb 28, 2008, 8:59PM

Posted by inadvertentgardener Reblogged by Old Roses to winter on 2008-02-29, 06:26:19

link to this

A cold damp spring has meant that many of our daylight hours have been spent foraging for fallen tree boughs suitable for sawing and turning into firewood. The trees that border our land are protected from the wood cutters; but the particularly strong Tramontana winds will often tear branches from those trees, and send them crashing through the undergrowth to the ground below. . .

reBlogged to weather

Posted by Colin & Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-02-29, 06:25:49

link to this

Aloe arborescens in full bloom.

These do really well in the Bay Area. They love our winter rains and can be seen in bloom around the bay for months on end. They tend to form large mounds up to 4 ft. tall, but sometimes single stalks will reach up to 6 ft.

Some people prune them into hedges, but I don't like that at all. Big puffy mounds with dozens of bloom stalks all at once is the ideal.

reBlogged to aloe on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to aloe on 2008-02-29, 06:25:15

link to this

Q: I've read your previous postings which indicate that cactus thorns are not poisonous. However, my mother had a run-in with our Agave Americana last year, getting poked in the arm. The vein swelled up and within a few days the swelling had gone down. She still has problems with pain. The same cactus got my finger today; 5 hours later it is stiff and sore and pain is radiating up my arm. I used peroxide immediately and an antibiotic ointment but it doesn't seem to be working. Is there anything you can recommend?
Thank you,
Sondra

A: Sondra,
Agave are not cactus, and there is an important difference. But first, let me insist that I am not a doctor, and any lingering pain should be seen by a doctor.

OK, so Agaves, unlike most cactus, do have a nasty sap in them, that many people will have a reaction to. Whenever you are handling them, transplanting them or pruning leaves, we recommend long sleeves, gloves and eye protection.

But I think the real problem with them is that the leaf tips - i.e. the spines - are huge and thick and very sharp. They can go in pretty deep and cause real wounds, nerve damage, etc. I know I can have lingering pain from getting poked that's probably caused by the time it takes for the nerve to heal. (I once had a pinched nerve and it's the same type of pain).

Whenever we get punctured by a cactus or agave or other sharp plant, we make sure to remove any spines left behind, wash thoroughly, use a local disinfectant and then we like to apply a topical pain reliever. It is a wound so we watch for signs of infection.

But if the pain does persist, we also have been known to go see a doctor.

Hope this helps, and you and your mother get to feeling better.
Peter

reBlogged to agave on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to agave on 2008-02-29, 06:25:06

link to this

Mark Harmel takes pictures of succulents. Here's an agave mostly out of focus, but just the right parts just enough in focus.



Photo borrowed without permission, so go see the original and others too.

reBlogged to agave on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to agave on 2008-02-29, 06:24:44

link to this

Arctostaphylos pajaroensis "Paradise"
This is my favorite manzanita. The soft grey-green leaves are beautiful year-round, while the large sprays of small pink flowers in winter are spectacular. The new leaves come in deep red!

reBlogged to shrubs on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2008-02-29, 06:24:24

link to this

Traveling in Africa for a plant enthusiast can be very rewarding indeed. There are native succulents of the most spectacular types. Some may prefer the animal safaris, but what can beat the sight of a forest of aloe trees?

We pick our way along vertiginous, boulder-strewn ledges and down slick limestone slopes where only the tiniest indentations give hoof purchase. At one point, a succulent aloe cactus proves too tempting for Seputsoe, creating multi-horse gridlock around a hairpin bend. By the time we splash across the river, there’s no doubt which of us is best qualified to navigate.

OK, so the article from London was really about a trip on horseback across the highlands of southern Africa, where they did not come across any aloe trees at all. Still, I'm just saying, there are aloe forests in southern africa and they are pretty neat.

reBlogged to succulents on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to succulents on 2008-02-29, 06:24:01

link to this

Lilly was here beside me a few minutes ago licking and cleaning her baby. She loves her stuffed animals and just like a child she drags them all out and her favorite place to leave them, for some strange reason, is on the stairs. . . .

reBlogged to seeds

Posted by Robin's Nesting Place Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2008-02-29, 06:23:33

link to this

If you cast your eye over the Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas logo you will notice a flower on the left which resides in my garden - Grevillea 'Austraflora Canterbury Gold'. It's a fabulous shrub that took off in no time and flowers on cue at the end of every winter.

If you look closely at its leaves you will notice that they are an elongated oval shape much like the foliage you would find on an olive tree. And predominantly this is is what you would expect to find throughout the shrub - until now, that is.

It seems, for reasons that are unclear to me, that the leaves have been mutating. Some, like the one pictured in this post, have taken on a three-tongued look while a few others sport double forks. And there appears to be no logical rationale behind where they are located on the plant.

My first investigative step was to understand the origin of this plant. Not surprisingly it's a hybrid, a blend of G. juniperina and G. victoriae var.leptoneura - Juniperina is the name given to plants due to their prickly, or needlelike, foliage . G. juniperina is a prostrate form with fine needles for foliage while G. victoriae var.leptoneura is a shrubby plant sporting similar leaves to my grevillea.

So, it makes sense that the hybrid could be throwing back some mutating leaves because its parent's foliage was vastly different. While the hybridization of this plant has produced an amazing cultivar it certainly hasn't been a perfect match.

Not that I'm at all worried about it though. I think it makes an interesting talking point when you can show off a plant with different leaves. Kind of like a circus with a bearded woman!

reBlogged to foliage on Dec 31, 1969, 6:59PM

Posted by scrobins@westnet.com.au (Stuart) Reblogged by Old Roses to foliage on 2008-02-29, 06:22:11

link to this

Here is the online link to this week's The List: Top Home & Garden Events on page 22 of today's print edition in the Washington Examiner. You can find the Examiner in the many red streetboxes around town. I saved a screen capture of the listing as a JPG and posted it here -- which you can now click on to read at 100%. . . .

reBlogged to magazines blogs

Posted by WashingtonGardener Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs, magazines on 2008-02-29, 06:21:07

link to this

Just down from the Main Entrance Path was a viewing Area. Two benches and this gorgeously ornate Sundial. I like the weathered look, and the design on it. Another coffee was made her.It had views of the Woods, the Main Borders, The Entrance, and Bettys Tea rooms. . . .

reBlogged to botanical_garden

Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2008-02-29, 06:20:39

link to this

From the Queen Mothers lake its a short walk into the Woods. The tree's have been here for years and some from when it was first made into an RHS garden. Hidden amongst the Tree's were the Jewel Like Rhodadendrons. I need to go back in a month to see the woods ablaze with them in flower. I spotted three early flowering Rhodies. The flower buds are like jewels and open up many cupped flowers. These were high in the air though. To smell the flower you needed to lower the branch a little. There are lots of different varieties here in their collection. . . .

reBlogged to botanical_garden

Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2008-02-29, 06:20:09

link to this

After a day in my own garden I thought I would try to capture the essence of Harlow Carr. The RHS's most northerly garden. A beautiful silver Birch sits opposite the main entrance. The blue sky and clouds are behind it. The woods of Harlow Carr are in the foreground. . . .

reBlogged to botanical_garden

Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to botanical_garden on 2008-02-29, 06:19:38

link to this

reBlogged to herbs recipes

Posted by Amy Reblogged by Old Roses to herbs, recipes on 2008-02-29, 06:19:08

link to this