Flowers !!!

[Cluttermagnet]

I turned over a planter the other day to drill a second drainage hole in the bottom. It had problems; we lost one Coleus to root rot in that one pot, otherwise OK. I turned it over and it's pretty moist from seepage from the pot. There under the pot was a big, fat slug. I left him be. Many would assasinate them on the spot. I suppose I could have flung him into the woods out back...

 

Oh, heavens, we are soooooo overrun with deer, barbarian. They have no natural predators around here, and it's both unsafe and quite illegal to hunt them (mostly). They are decimating everyone's 'shrubberies' year round, especially in winter.

 

Why can't we have cute little pests like hedgehogs?

 

 

Oh, BTW, not only is that deck beautiful but it has enough wood aloft that a person could conceal various antenna wires and the neighbors would be none the wiser. Not that I face restrictive covenents like a great number of homeowner radio buffs do- thank goodness. I have strung a few wires in the woods, too. They are low visual impact anyway. I doubt the neighbors ever noticed much if at all. Wires tend to fade to invisibility at surprisingly short distances. Darker colors are much better- green, black, brown, etc. Shiny bare wire reflects the sun and shouts out its presence.

 

There, how's that for 'off topic'? My garden doubles as a wonderful bird sanctuary and feeding station, and as a site for my antenna wires.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Cluttermagnet

[ebrke]

The birds paid me back for the high cost of their food by pooping all over my car when I had to leave it out of the garage due to the work in my basement. Ungrateful little devils. Hope yours are more appreciative.

[Guest LilBambi]

Man...

 

[abarbarian]

"it's both unsafe and quite illegal to hunt them" an I thought hunting was the great american pastime.

[ebrke]

"it's both unsafe and quite illegal to hunt them" an I thought hunting was the great american pastime.

Well, it's certainly illegal and unsafe to hunt in the cities and suburbs where many of us live. And the deer are here with us because (1) they used to be here before we moved in and (2) because we've planted lots and lots of stuff in our yards that they think is a banquet compared to their usual diet. I'd have planted differently if I'd realized the amount of wildlife existing here with me when I first moved in. Now I don't have the heart (or the strength) to dig up plants given by a now-dead aunt from her own garden.

[abarbarian]

"I'd have planted differently if I'd realized the amount of wildlife existing here with me when I first moved in." Yeah me too. Something like a twenty foot high mega thorn hedge would have been high on the list.

[Cluttermagnet]

Yep- deer are actually not a forest creature- they are a forest- edge creature. By rampant development, we have created zillions of linear miles of forest edge in our suburbs. The deer love it. No way you can safely hunt them in the suburbs. You'd wound or kill humans many times over. Only safe way to do it is out in the open areas. Tree stands are very popular. You pretty much have to nail them from ambush. In any fair fight, the deer always wins and gets away...

[abarbarian]

Looks like you have boys with toys dressed in orange playing in the woods over there.Whilst over here we take a much more sensible approach to hunting.

 

http://www.athollestatessport.co.uk/country_sports_stalking.cfm

 

[Cluttermagnet]

OK, good point. A skilled hunter with a scope- sighted, high power rifle can take deer by stalking. We have such hunters in America, and I daresay a lot of them are probably pretty good at it and hunt safely. They bag some big deer that live in more mountainous areas. But anyway, we have a lot of amateurs over here and every year you hear about stupid hunting accidents. I would be cognizant of the dates of hunting season and stay out of the forest, personally. Over here, a lot of deer are taken by ambush. As I say, tree stands are very popular. A well- sited stand can be very productive for hunters looking to salt away a little venison. BTW some of those guys do it for sport and they donate the meat to worthy causes- people who are down on their luck financially and can benefit from such a windfall.

 

Hey, anyone who is under trained and not fully qualified can be very dangerous with a hunting weapon. Here we had a famous case where a sitting US Vice President accidentally shot a member of his hunting party. Yikes!

 

We have no hunting allowed around where I live. The population is too dense. But we do have organized deer hunts in a local park in the fall I think. The park is closed during that brief hunt, probably a week or less. They must qualify before being issued a permit, and they are only allowed to shoot large solid slugs from the barrels of shotguns which are rifled. They may shoot only from tree stands, i.e. they are basically aiming down. Their accuracy is pretty good. And a shotgun slug is not going very far, unlike a high powered rifle round which can cause unintended fatalities a mile or two away... Rifle hunters have to be good, and they have to exercise a whole lot of thought, consideration, and common sense when making the decision as to whether or not to take any particular shot.

 

 

On Topic Comment: Deer are very destructive of ornamental plants and food crops but cannot be safely hunted in a large percentage of their range. Consequently, the deer population is completely out of control here, and they are very destructive pests indeed.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Cluttermagnet

[ebrke]

Hey, anyone who is under trained and not fully qualified can be very dangerous with a hunting weapon. Here we had a famous case where a sitting US Vice President accidentally shot a member of his hunting party. Yikes!

True story--about 40 years ago, someone with about 5 dairy cows on property near my former husband's grandfather's posted property had a bullet whistle by his head during hunting season. He was so steamed he actually ran into the woods and confronted two scared hunters, screaming at them "Does my black and white cow look like a d***** deer to you?" Inept hunters are dangerous. Edited July 28, 2014 by ebrke

[Cluttermagnet]

am quite reluctant to call tree stands, hunting.

often, for most of the year, the hunter, for lack of a better word, piles corn up so the deer congregate about it.

so, they end up with a 25 yard shot. wow. 25 yards.

 

to give you non shooters an idea, 25 yards is pistol distance.

100 yards is standing up with a rifle using iron sites - any decent rifle shooter can do that all day.

and 300 yards sitting or laying down with iron sites is no biggie.

 

so, i say again, am hesitant to call tree stand sitters, hunters. they're baiters, and masters at that.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Yep, so true. Hair raising story for sure!

 

True story--about 40 years ago, someone with about 5 dairy cows on property near my former husband's grandfather's posted property had a bullet whistle by his head during hunting season. He was so steamed he actually ran into the woods and confronted two scared hunters, screaming at them "Does my black and white cow look like a d***** deer to you?" Inept hunters are dangerous.

[abarbarian]

Cluttermagnet I was partly joshing and partly serious. Over here we have strict gun laws which tend to keep guns out of the hands of numpties, we also have fairly rigid land rights with very few areas of open access for hunting.

 

As to deer population we have schemes in place where the deer are culled by professionals humanely and selectivly to keep the deer population stable. This allows us to enjoy the deer in the wild and the deer to have a decent life.

 

[abarbarian]

Here are some day lilies growing under the oak tree. Transplanted them two years ago and this is the first time they have flowered. Red splashes are crocosimia Lucifers(4to5foot high).

 

 

 

 

 

[abarbarian]

This plant should be 5 to 6 foot tall but it got battered by the storms and is growing slightly twisted and deformed.This is a new part of the garden I extended last back end so is not fully populated with plants yet. I try to grow perinials due to me knackered legs.

The badly eaten stalks between the holly and the plant are Solomons Seal and they have finished flowering and are very roughly tied back.

Notice the excellent tree surgery

The last picture is taken from the hill looking down on chez barbarians.Can you spot the kitten ??

 

 

 

 

 

[Cluttermagnet]

I can't get over what a lovely setting you have there. My stereotypical impression of the average home over there is the crowded village setting with tiny gardens out back. I have been amazed at what the British ham radio guys can do, antenna wise, with such tiny antenna fields- er- gardens.

 

You, my friend, appear to live north of the city limits a ways. Nice!

[abarbarian]

Ah ha you could not describe my accommodation as typical, either for normal folk, or for poor unemployed folk like myself. Even though I live in a battered wooden box with a tin roof you could say I was living in state of semi luxury in an almost paradisical setting. It all depends on how you view luxury and paradise.

[Guest LilBambi]

Beautiful! Wonderful! Wide open spaces! Ah.....

[Cluttermagnet]

A year has passed, it's summer again, and we've all managed to avoid getting

shot by crazed deer hunters in day glow orange vests. Birds are singing and

flowers are blooming. Which brings me to the topic of this post- a couple of

photos of the colorful crop on the deck this year...

 

 

This is a mix of New Guinea Impatiens, Coleus (the bigger plants), and a Hosta in the pot at the end.

 

 

More New Guinea Impatiens and Coleus. On this side, also a bunch of Caladiums. I managed to

save all the bulbs from last year. Simply planted them kind of late and they mostly all came up.

They were real slow to do so. For a while I thought my yield was going to be low- but in time,

bunches of them showed up. So what cost Betty a bit last summer was free this year, other than

the minor cost of potting soil. The pine in that other planter is a Mugo. The planter is

insulated with styrofoam all around, and has been very good at allowing this tree to overwinter.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Cluttermagnet

[ebrke]

Terrific display, David!

[abarbarian]

Super show there mate, very colour full.

[Cluttermagnet]

T'anks, guys!

 

[Capt.Crow]

There are some Tiger lillies in the garden and the usual crop of spring flowering bulbs. There is'nt one single apple on the two trees this year .Only saw one bee this year . The cherry gooseberry and blackcurrants all OK.But I have never seen the walnut trees so heavily laden.

Abarb,,,,,,,,

Nent head.any where near you .Had a friend there used to make candles

[abarbarian]

There are some Tiger lillies in the garden and the usual crop of spring flowering bulbs. There is'nt one single apple on the two trees this year .Only saw one bee this year . The cherry gooseberry and blackcurrants all OK.But I have never seen the walnut trees so heavily laden.

Abarb,,,,,,,,

Nent head.any where near you .Had a friend there used to make candles

 

50 miles NNW of me captn'.

[Cluttermagnet]

Tonight our first hard frost is expected, 31 degrees F. I brought in the

Begonia and put it back in the dining room. May try some newspaper

over a few of the plants out on the deck, but it's basically over for

this season. I think I'll bring in all the planters with the Caladiums.

Don't want frost to kill the bulbs. I'll let them die off and dry out

thoroughty, then dig the bulbs up and store them in a cardboard box

in the basement for spring planting. This past year featured entirely

free Caladiums from bulbs saved from the previous year. Hope I can

do it again. I'll try to make it a tradition...

 

David

Edited October 18, 2015 by Cluttermagnet

[zlim]

Frost possible last night, tonight, and tomorrow night.

 

Apparently it didn't get quite that cold last night. Tonight is forecast to be in the 20's.

My 2nd bloom white Iris is still looking good.

 

The plant ended up producing 4 or 5 iris.

[abarbarian]

Tonight our first hard frost is expected, 31 degrees F. I brought in the

Begonia and put it back in the dining room. May try some newspaper

over a few of the plants out on the deck, but it's basically over for

this season. I think I'll bring in all the planters with the Caladiums.

Don't want frost to kill the bulbs. I'll let them die off and dry out

thoroughty, then dig the bulbs up and store them in a cardboard box

in the basement for spring planting. This past year featured entirely

free Caladiums from bulbs saved from the previous year. Hope I can

do it again. I'll try to make it a tradition...

 

David

 

My dad used to overwinter daliah tubers in wooden boxes filled with fine dry sand and kept out in a cold store. The sand has to be bone dry about four inches below and above the tubers and he had a loose cover on the boxes.

[Guest LilBambi]

My aunt used to keep them in a cool dry place in the basement.

[ebrke]

I moved my outdoor potted plants into the garage Saturday and Sunday nights. The long-range forecast was good (and warmer) and I figured they could get at least another couple of weeks of life if I got them through those cold nights. Thank heavens it will be warmer tonight--eight trips around the house carrying a plant gets a little tedious twice a day.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

i thought basements by definition were cool, damp places?

 

Depends on where the basement is located. Basements in Tampa or New Orleans would be warm and wet. Basements in northwestern New Mexico would be cool and dry.