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I miss my summer garden

FrancSevin

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That's my granddaughter. She's about three there. That was last summer.

Incredibly cute
incredibly smart
incredibly spoiled.

Whilst she does perk up the scene she had nothing to do with the garden back yard construction. Everything you see there, I did myself by hand. The fence, every plant, every tree, every stone. It's taken the better part of 35 years to build. I move trees like some people move furniture. Those Alberta Spruce you see in the first picture are 6 feet high. Last week I moved them to another location so the wife could see the small koi pond and waterfall from the back sunroom. The pond area is still being rebuilt. I'll have pictures of it, when completed, in a few weeks.

Now that I know how I will post more pictures soon. They are on a retired computer I have to wake up and download.

Spring is soon to be here.
These Peruvian lilies are all ready coming up, even in the cold of winter. The blooms range from 3 to 4 feet high and bloom in late July. They smell wonderful and the sweet scent fills the backyard for weeks.

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FrancSevin

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Last month we received our certification as a Bird Sanctuary.

We have five seed feeders, 4 suet cages and plenty of natural habitat and foods. Four Bluebird nesting boxes and dozens of bushes with nesting sites.

Over the years I have built a 1200 gallon pond with sand (for grit) and rock on a natural bottom. A huge Yew bush about 50 years old, spreads it's branches out some forty feet wide over it. Those and the Alberta Spruce trees give plenty of cover and nesting sites. Trees of Oak, Walnut, wild Plum, Ash, Redbud, Autumn Olive and American Holly give shelter and fruit.

I only have a 1/3 acre lot but it holds 51 trees of 16 different species. Plus an abundance of blooming shrubs and perennial flowers.

The cedar fence is grounded throughout and keeps feral cats away. We have five in the house but they never go out. House cats are the number cause of songbird species demise so getting certified meant having all the elements, food, shelter, and water plus an absence of feline inhabitants.

All of the walls of our sunroom are glass so we sit for hours watching the wildlife in our little bit of Eden. Half of the bird feeding area was blocked by the three Alberta Spruce trees you see in post#1. So, I moved them. Now, instead of blocking our view, they are the backdrop.

I move trees and shrubs all the time. A skill that comes in handy given the woman with whom I live.. "Honey, wouldn't the couch be better over on that wall," becomes, "Honey, I believe that Spruce would be better over against the new fence."

She's right you know. I should have planted it there in the first place. What was I thinking?

Pics below are of the upper Patio our garden and the pond last summer before renovations. You cannot see the water but it is directly under the big Yew.

The blue tent is protecting the construction site of the new "Beer Garden" alongside the garage. 24' X 11',,,,;It's for family gatherings and BBQ.
 

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Ceee

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I see you have a sunroom. Do either you or your wife like houseplants? I'm a big houseplant person. I just received a houseplant that I ordered from Home Depot/Costa Farms. I always worry about ordering online, but this one is beautiful and in perfect shape. I'm letting it acclimate now before I put it into its new pot.

I used to have bird feeders, but I also had an indoor/outdoor cat with a pet door. The feeders came to be his feeding grounds, and he would drag every little small animal that he could catch into the house. He usually deposited them in my vanity sink :confused:.
 

FrancSevin

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I see you have a sunroom. Do either you or your wife like houseplants? I'm a big houseplant person. I just received a houseplant that I ordered from Home Depot/Costa Farms. I always worry about ordering online, but this one is beautiful and in perfect shape. I'm letting it acclimate now before I put it into its new pot.

I used to have bird feeders, but I also had an indoor/outdoor cat with a pet door. The feeders came to be his feeding grounds, and he would drag every little small animal that he could catch into the house. He usually deposited them in my vanity sink :confused:.
Houseplants you say?

I have two trees inside my house. One is an Avocado about 14 feet high. The other is a Double Hibiscus from China. About 9 feet high. 6" diameter blossoms. I also have a green house on the south side of the house for wintering my exotics and fresh veggies. The 16 feet banana tree residing there just recently fruited and died ( they do that when they fruit.) It had only two babies but they are doing well.

I inherited a 50 year old fern from my grandma 45 years ago. It still lives along with another from my wife's grandma that is almost as old.

The greenhouse is crowded in winter with tropical Hibiscus trees for the patio and a 6 foot diameter Sago palm.

Yeah we have a few house plants.
 
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Ceee

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Wow! I would love to have a green house. I'll just have to stick to growing what I can in my sunroom.
 

FrancSevin

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The "Green House" is a conservatory for exotics that cannot survive our St Louis winters. It is 18 feet long, six feet wide and 16 feet deep. The glass walls are just storm window units screwed to 4X4 post and rafters.


With an opening from the lower level and a patio door on the main wall air circulates easily.
On sunny days it heats the house with the assistance of a small fan. The Floor is brick that holds and radiates the heat for hour after sundown.

In summer deciduous trees shade the glass cube so it doesn't overheat.

Works out great.

BTW, Did you try the celery trick?
 

FrancSevin

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Waiting for it to get a little warmer, the temps here are still dipping into the 30's at night.
You can do it in a kitchen window.
Cut down to about 2"-3"
Shave off the brown dead tissue at the bottom.
Put it in a Dixie cup of water.

You will see results in 3 to 4 days.
Keep it wet to the top of the stalk.


Later pull it out and you will see tiny roots. Pot it up to the old stalks and watch.

Free houseplant, And it is lovely.

AND>>>>>; Edible
 

Ceee

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Finally got my hands dirty today.

Like I said, I'm a big houseplant person. I just re-potted two of these. Both are going in the house.
I have a lot of stuff in my back yard that may have died from our unprecedented winter storm. I'm going to give it a little more time. Grass doesn't look so hot either but will probably come around.

Next up is the celery thing.

 

FrancSevin

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Finally got my hands dirty today.

Like I said, I'm a big houseplant person. I just re-potted two of these. Both are going in the house.
I have a lot of stuff in my back yard that may have died from our unprecedented winter storm. I'm going to give it a little more time. Grass doesn't look so hot either but will probably come around.

Next up is the celery thing.

That is beautiful. Very large leaves means it is quite vigorous and healthy.

On the celery. If you put it in water, the outer stalk may turn soggy and brown. Just pull them off and toss them. Then change the water. If you go directly to soil, just keep the soil really wet for a few weeks. Either way works.

I haven't taken a picture of my latest one yet but I will try early next week.
 

FrancSevin

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Hope I did this right. I didn't cut any off the bottom but did score the bottom. It's going outside.

Scoring works just fine. The idea is to remove the hardened surface so water will get into the stems. If you don't, the stalk will just sit in the water and rot.

What you have there is perfect. Keep the soil moist for about two, three weeks. Put it outside after new growth begins

The outer stalks may die. Don't fret. The new growth comes from the inner stalks. Mostly the center.

I have had growth from all stalks. Just cover them with soil so they are not unsightly.
 
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FrancSevin

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As I said before, I keep this plant in my kitchen Herb garden.

I will add the leaves to salad lettuce as well.
 

NorthernRedneck

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I'm taking inspiration from your pictures with all the plants. We want to make a conscious effort to pretty up the deck with plants this summer.
 

FrancSevin

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Have you ever ever used milorganite? I use it on some hardy ferns, and they seem to love it. It stinks for about the first one to two days, but then smell dissipates.
I have used Milorganite for over 40 years. Great stuff.

It is pure organic.
There is good reason why it smells.

Do you know from what and where it originated?
The answer is hidden in the name.
 
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Ceee

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I have used Morganite for over 40 years. Great stuff.

It is pure organic.

Do you know from what and where it originated?
All I know is that it's poopy stuff. I don't care. It works. I put it on my lawn one time but was concerned about my neighbors complaining about the smell. Nobody ever said anything. Now I just use it sparingly on green only plants. It really is great stuff. Does it work on flowering plants?
 

FrancSevin

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All I know is that it's poopy stuff. I don't care. It works. I put it on my lawn one time but was concerned about my neighbors complaining about the smell. Nobody ever said anything. Now I just use it sparingly on green only plants. It really is great stuff. Does it work on flowering plants?
Milorganite was developed in the fifties as a lawn fertilizer. Back then, many homeowners accepted free delivery of it from the local sewage treatment plant dropped in bulk on their driveway to be spread out by the homeowner. Yeah, it stunk for weeks. But the greenest lawns on the block used it.

The city of Milwaukie got the bright idea to dry it out and bag it for retail sale. Hence the name Milorganite.

The packaging used to warn not to use it on food crops. I see no reason not to, as manure is the very same thing. And, we use it all the time on our food crop gardens.
 

Ceee

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Nice! Are those crepe myrtles that I see blooming?
My crepe myrtles seem to be okay, but I'm worried about my azaleas. Some seem to be okay, but some not so much.
 
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