reBlogged to environment whimsy

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to environment, whimsy on 2008-03-03, 18:31:03

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After reading Gina, at My Skinny Garden's post on the Tickle Me Plant, I felt that I needed to write about my history with Mimosa Pudica, aka Sensitive Plant.
When I was in seventh grade my science teacher had us do a project growing these plants in paper cups on the window sill. I was totally amazed at these little guys. When you touched them they would wilt, and then recover in about 10 minutes. This plant is where I trace my interest in plants and growing things. . . .

reBlogged to plants

Posted by vonlafin Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-03-03, 18:30:20

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Stone in the landscape is a powerful element, and one which is used to great effect in Japanese gardens which are a particular favourite of mine. . . .

reBlogged to design

Posted by Colin & Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2008-03-03, 18:29:57

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reBlogged to gardening

Posted by Tamara Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-03-03, 18:29:07

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reBlogged to gardening

Posted by Nickie Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-03-03, 18:28:58

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reBlogged to seeds

Posted by Nickie Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2008-03-03, 18:28:06

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reBlogged to dogs houseplants

Posted by Nickie Reblogged by Old Roses to dogs, houseplants on 2008-03-03, 18:27:47

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reBlogged to seedlings

Posted by Nickie Reblogged by Old Roses to seedlings on 2008-03-03, 18:27:29

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From the house, I could see something blue in the bed with the snowdrops. Lungwort is blooming. It's a good thing too. I spotted a bumblebee sunning himself yesterday. Hope he finds something to eat.
Bleeding heart foliage is shooting up. It looks too delicate to be above ground this time of year.

You'll see more garden planning here soon. Even with the extra day, February was just too busy.

reBlogged to plants

Posted by Petunia's Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-03-03, 18:27:09

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reBlogged to garden_coaching

Posted by Susan Reblogged by Old Roses to garden_coaching on 2008-03-03, 18:25:25

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reBlogged to gardens whimsy

Posted by Elizabeth Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardens, whimsy on 2008-03-03, 18:25:09

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reBlogged to design

Posted by Elizabeth Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2008-03-03, 18:24:37

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Why do some of my trees and shrubs suffer winterkill some winters and not others? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to weather trees shrubs on Mar 2, 2008, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs, trees, weather on 2008-03-03, 18:23:21

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My specimen plant of Cattleya Skineri (Central American species) is in flower, a little too early for the Ciencias Orchid Show like last year, but I took this neat picture of part of it. . . .

reBlogged to orchids on Mar 2, 2008, 8:51PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to orchids on 2008-03-03, 18:23:09

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I posted back in December that I really liked Pantone's color of the year a blue purple that I had an interest in. I want to expand on that with a theme I'm calling Mood indigo. Indigo is technically defined as the color between blue and violet so I'm using that term loosely to look at flowers that span the color range between blue and purple. . . .

reBlogged to design

Posted by The Occasional Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2008-03-03, 18:22:39

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reBlogged to environment on Mar 2, 2008, 3:58PM

Posted by Rick Anderson Reblogged by Old Roses to environment on 2008-03-03, 18:21:56

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I really like the look of these bromeliads, planted by Eddi, the wonderful hostess at the just perfect Palmwood Inn, in Kauai. I took these pics last October. I think the shape and colors of the plants look really well on this rock wall. . . .

reBlogged to bromeliad

Posted by Nicole Reblogged by Old Roses to bromeliad on 2008-03-03, 18:21:45

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This past week I had my front yard “Black Olive Tree” removed. Yes folks, I, the self-professed environmentalist had a beautiful tall tree cut. I've been sick about it all week but I had to do it.
I planted this tree when I first moved to this house back in 1990. Two years later the young tree (and everything else in my garden) was knocked down by hurricane Andrew. That was a sure sign that this was the wrong tree for my small front yard but I replanted it and the tree continued to grow. . . .

reBlogged to design

Posted by rusty in miami Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2008-03-03, 18:21:15

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After a blustery week of freezing weather and snow, it is now a warm and melting weekend that makes me feel spring is just around the corner. I think I will plant some seeds mid-month of March... this year I would like to try some heirloom tomatoes and maybe daisies for the perennial gardens. . . .

reBlogged to spring

Posted by Ilona Reblogged by Old Roses to spring on 2008-03-03, 18:20:33

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reBlogged to blogs

Posted by Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-03-03, 18:20:03

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reBlogged to awards

Posted by Colleen Vanderlinden (nospam@example.com) Reblogged by Old Roses to awards on 2008-03-03, 18:19:57

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photo credit: Gertrud K.

I’ve been to a few flower and trade shows this spring and I can now confirm the hottest plant you’re going to see in containers and gardens this spring is the Sempervivum (Hens & Chicks). I’m seeing these things tucked here, there, and everywhere in display gardens and containers. . ..

reBlogged to plants on Mar 2, 2008, 10:37AM

Posted by Doug Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-03-03, 18:19:48

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reBlogged to geranium on Mar 2, 2008, 9:56AM

Posted by Sandy Reblogged by Old Roses to geranium on 2008-03-03, 18:19:23

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I let some of my 'Summer Glory' lettuces go to seed. I noticed today the achene had put out its little parachutes, so I gathered some of the heads, tied them together, and left them in the dry, hot sun. I'll hang them upside-down in a plastic bag until the seeds fall out. Then, in a plastic baggie and the fridge for the summer.

reBlogged to seeds

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2008-03-03, 18:19:03

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ECHO had two rice beds -- one dry land, the other a more typical flooded paddy. The docent told me that the dry land technique produced superior yields -- something like twenty-three pounds in a twenty-five by twenty-five area. The flooded paddy had about half the yield, but was much less labor intensive. (Rice is grown in water primarily to reduce weeds.). . .

reBlogged to rice

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to rice on 2008-03-03, 18:18:54

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reBlogged to containers

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to containers on 2008-03-03, 18:18:34

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All over ECHO they use perennial peanut as a green manure crop. It also acts, clearly, as a weed block and a living mulch. ECHO agrees with me in rejecting IFAS's warning against using mulch (green or otherwise) near citrus trees. As long as the tree has some airflow, fungal problems are unlikely and the benefits outweigh the unlikely detriments. All over the farm, I noticed that they mulched with plant debris from the surrounding crops -- avocado leaves and branches (unchipped) piled high around avocado trees, mango trimmings under mango trees. I'd read everywhere that such use of a crop's own detritus was a sure-fire pathogen vector, but it doesn't seem to be the case in practice. Once again, what logic dictates, nature ignores.

reBlogged to plants

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to plants on 2008-03-03, 18:18:26

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I was really impressed by the wick gardens in the Urban Garden area of ECHO farms. No fancy equipment or special potting mixes. Instead, they use old bits of fabric (nylon, presumably -- it wouldn't rot) and discarded rubber and plastic mats. A bucket with a three-eights inch hole drilled into the lid (above) is filled with compost and manure "tea" (made in the barrels in the background). The bucket is inverted, and the fertilizer solution flows out. When the carpet/mat becomes saturated it creates a vacuum that seals the hole and the water flow ceases. Evaporation and absorption lowers the water level, the vacuum is broken, the solution flows out...

reBlogged to gardening

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening on 2008-03-03, 18:18:07

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Jujubes. You can eat either the green ones, which were slightly crunchy and more balanced in its acid/sweet, or the yellow and leathery one, which tasted exactly like dried apple. I don't know what this varietal is, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the flavor, though I was eating fruit that I'd picked up from the ground around the tree. Judging by the smell around the tree, you could make some pretty potent wine from these.

The Jujube tree at ECHO is huge, much larger than the ones I've seen advertised that top out at twenty feet. Gnarled and twised, like a mulberry.

reBlogged to fruit trees

Posted by Central FLA Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to fruit, trees on 2008-03-03, 18:17:41

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Interesting. Need a gift for a gardener?

Clothes off our back is auctioning off celebrity Custom Created and Signed Pure & Natural® Brand Gardening Kits

"Proceeds from the auction benefit the Earth Pledge "Seed Blitz" program, which teaches urban children the value of growing and using plants to help them connect to the earth. "

The auction runs until March 10th.

Shhhh, the garden fairy is sleeping under the vegetable leaves.

reBlogged to tools

Posted by Tina Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2008-03-03, 18:16:43

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Planting new shrubs and bulbs may be a bit precarious given the rain situation but the time is now if they are going to survive at all. Transition from cold dry winter to a hot humid spring is rather demanding on the new plants meagre resources, and the change is sudden and dramatic. . . .

reBlogged to bulbs

Posted by Colin & Carol Reblogged by Old Roses to bulbs on 2008-03-03, 18:16:32

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

Posted by blog@cactusjungle.com (cactusblog) Reblogged by Old Roses to succulents on 2008-03-03, 18:16:10

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What do a Desperate Housewife, a Hero, Wild Hogs and a little Nip/Tuck have to do with gardening? Stars from each of these (and more) are putting autographed gardening...

reBlogged to tools on Mar 1, 2008, 8:01PM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2008-03-03, 18:15:05

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reBlogged to weather on Mar 2, 2008, 6:25AM

Posted by inadvertentgardener Reblogged by Old Roses to weather on 2008-03-03, 18:14:36

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A combination of garden shrubs that I've always thought is way underutilized, is weigelas and old fashioned roses; in fact now that I think about it, I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. Not fancy enough, I guess.

reBlogged to shrubs

Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to shrubs on 2008-03-03, 18:14:24

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Next week I’ll be reviewing The Truth About Organic Gardening by Jeff Gillman, and Jeff will be critiquing my use of a common herbicide. To add to the fun and excitement, Timber Press and I...

reBlogged to organic on Mar 2, 2008, 12:11PM

Posted by Kathy Purdy Reblogged by Old Roses to organic on 2008-03-03, 18:14:12

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reBlogged to design

Posted by Jane Berger Reblogged by Old Roses to design on 2008-03-03, 18:13:12

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reBlogged to gardening whimsy on Mar 2, 2008, 3:00AM

Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening, whimsy on 2008-03-03, 00:39:07

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How long will it take to force my freesia bulbs? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

reBlogged to bulbs on Mar 1, 2008, 11:00PM

Posted by The Old Farmer's Almanac Reblogged by Old Roses to bulbs on 2008-03-03, 00:38:42

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A courtesy guide attempts to control the crowds at the worlds' largest orchid show. . . .

reBlogged to orchids

Posted by Matt Reblogged by Old Roses to orchids on 2008-03-03, 00:38:26

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Flamingo Flower
Anthurium
(an-THUR-ee-um)

I am always trying to take pictures of this plant and this is about successful as I have been. Every time I turn around there seems to be a new color or pattern available. Here is a link to Wikipedia that describes some information of some of the 1,000 species that make up this genus of the Arum family. . . .

reBlogged to flowers on Mar 1, 2008, 12:16PM

Posted by Digital Flower Pictures Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-03-03, 00:37:25

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If you could donate the seeds of one plant which was typical of your area to a seed bank, what would it be? Here in northern Italy there's no question - it would have to be the Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra Italica).

There are seed banks all over the world - repositories of seeds intended to preserve genetic diversity and prevent extinction due to factors such as climate change, and to ensure replacements for vital crop seeds after natural or man-made disasters. But if a disaster did happen, it might well wipe out not only the local vegetation but also the seed bank itself. . ..

reBlogged to seeds

Posted by Sue Swift Reblogged by Old Roses to seeds on 2008-03-03, 00:37:01

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Unfortunately I only have one compost bin which I continuously add materials to, so I never have a complete “batch” of compost at one given time. In order to be able to filter out the finished compost from the non-composted material I created a soil sifter (sieve). . .

reBlogged to tools

Posted by The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Reblogged by Old Roses to tools on 2008-03-03, 00:36:38

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The Daffodils I bought from Harlow Carr flowering in the Boots chemist jug. These are large trumpeted and smell quite sweet.Its Mothers Day here today.
The winds have been blowing hard all night damaging tree's and fences. My garden fence is damaged again at the back. The plants just go with the air flow then spring back up.

reBlogged to daffodils

Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to daffodils on 2008-03-03, 00:36:17

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There are more than a few little areas in our garden that still lie somewhere between a blank slate and a half-baked idea... steps to nowhere, paths that end in a brier patch, or meandering walls of uncertain purpose.
But, always being a glass half-full sort of a gardener, I like to say that these are all just areas that ooze with potential.

reBlogged to landscape

Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to landscape on 2008-03-03, 00:36:09

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