My churn is a jar fitted with paddles also. It works really well. I guess I should get it out and make butter. That would be kind of fun and certainly an activity for a winter day! Then, slather the homemade butter on some homemade bread!!
I went to Lowe's today. They have a lot of their houseplants at fifty percent off. They are making room for all of the Christmas stuff.
I kind of hate to even think about Christmas. If I just knew what people wanted for gifts, it would be so much more pleasant. My kids want things like a car or a house!! Like most people, they don't wait for Christmas to buy small things. If they want something, they just go buy it. Then, when Christmas comes, they don't have any ideas for gifts.
We have a very pleasant day today. The wind has finally subsided, so it makes for a much more pleasant day. It's still quite cool out, however.
October 2011 - National yardwork month in most states
Got our killing frost last night. That leaves cannas, elephant ears and sweet potato vines to be dug up and brought in. Also need to dump my pots out.
My dad harvested a bunch of radishes today for the first crop of the season. He was all excited over them. Even cleaned them up and cut the tops off. lol. Funny thing is he didn't eat them right then and there because he was chewing gum and didn't want to spit it out. lol
This was taken behind the store. A shot of an old plow and a decorative shed or outhouse. Plus some of the fall colors.
Rusty, it's nice to know they got them built so fast!
Crit, we're warming bck up too. Woo hoo!
Birdie, it would be cool to try it once. I was just reading that a person salts the cream first so the white salt streaks aren't in the butter. I think I read that in the Farm Journal cookbook last night, LOL! I am thinking myself into making bread when I can't be outside any more.
Christmas has become a nightmare for those reasons exactly! It's time for some fun. Give them money as their main giftand then buy boy and girl gifts. Everyone takes a box from under the tree and has fun with what they get. Girls could be a Bed and Bath gift, boys...boys are harder, but you get the idea :o)
I spent yesterday trimming the iris, then burning the trimmings. I didn't get finished, but have a longer nicer day today! We didn't get back from DD's and getting groceries, till almost Noon. Then I was trying to transfer geneology obits from a cousin's site to my own folder after dinner. DH went out, then told me I better get out and enjoy the day, so I did!
Then, it was so funny. Yesterday, MaryE was saying her neighbor was going to turn under his tomatoes, so she went and got because her supply, like mine, was dwindling. So I said I should ask my neighbor. ''Said neighbor'' called out to me at the grocery store and we walked in together. I was able to ask about her tomatoes and went over last night and picked two more tubs of various stages of green and red. Yahoo!
Now I can get more roasted tomato sauce in the freezer.
I tore out Monkshood that just never manages to bloom till the day it frosts. I hated to lose it completely, so I buried some in the dirt pile, LOL! I think I'll pot some today and bury the pot. Or maybe find a different spot for it. It should have been happy. I had moved it to the east side of the arborvitaes years ago, out of reach of the walnut tree dripline, and mulched it. I watered it this spring and summer and the stems still went dry and dead. Only a few green remained. These are the common one's too. I have Ivorine, Stainless Steel and Spark's Variety in the South Peony under the walnut trees. I think a few of these are going back with them. The reason I moved them in the first place is that the stems turned black and I thought I would lose it then. I've had them for years and they limp along.
The best part is, that I finally dug the tiger lilies from the Rose Bed. It's been on my to do list for three years! They... DA da da DA, are in the monkshood bed with two, where should I put these, Balloon Flowers between them. I can't wait to see how it looks next year!
I'm trimming the last of the iris today, Woo Hoo!
Will, having computer problems? I hope it's nothing major.
Monkshood in the Fall. It looks bad and barely gets to bloom.
Billyp, what name are those shrubs/trees, those look like they would be great to replace my dead pines with, they are beautiful.
Will, where are you? Don't make me go to Indep and find you, cause I will be going thru there this weekend.....he has been strangely quiet for quite a while.
No lack of frost around here, some things got it and some things were missed. Can't see the tomatoes but they were wrapped in a comforter so we will see.
Went off and forgot my roses at work, dag nab it.... ;( Somehow I can't warrant a 80 mile drive to go get them, and they will run out of water before Monday!
Have a great day you all!
My monkshood looks pretty lousy also. The one in the front of the house didn't even bloom. I am trying to find a new location for it. My beds are so full.
I took cuttings from Black Eyed Susan Vine "Blushing Susie", penta, superbena: a pink one and a blue one, and Lantana. I doubt if they will make it. I also dug up a couple of superbenas and latanas.
Temperature right now is 35 degrees at 8:30 AM. Then, it's going to be in the seventies and eighties. Nonetheless, we need to start getting our plants moved in. I don't like the ritual of covering plants.
Can anyone tell me if it's okay to put a black plastic bag over my Christmas Cactus? It's at a north window and gets too much light from the street lights at night. I feel like a box would break off the stems, and I don't have a closet empty enough. Plus, honestly, I don't want to carry them back and forth every night. :(
I only made butter as a kid. I would have to read how to do it. My mom would just hand me the jar to turn the handle. You know, one can make butter real fast with the mixer!
BP: lucky you--to get all those tomatoes. No one around here had very good luck with tomatoes this year. We never grew enough to just eat fresh. That's a first for us. And, "roasted" tomato sauce to boot. That sounds soooo good. I sure hope next year the tomatoes will do better. They say the temps just didn't get cool enough at night this year. So, how do you make your roasted tomato sauce? Please tell.
Here's the link about Christmas cactus:
http://www.humeseeds.com/xmasccts.htm
Happ, swing by and check on Will. Make sure he's still alive. lol. Then report back on here.
Old rake on display. Perfect setting for it.
Thanks! I'm okay! Computer problems hehe! No, not me! Just had a bit of an interruption of sorts, no big thing!
Haha! Happ is coming to Independence to find me! She knows where I'm at, but everything is fine!
Wow, Christmas time already, it was just 100 degrees less than 2 months ago!
I played my Grandpa 6 games of Chess today, he played me better than usual. They've been married for 68 years, my Grandparents, they're getting pretty good up in years, it's gonna be a bummer if they pass before me.
They seem to be doing good and all, my Grandmother tells me she's feeling different, with more aches and stuff and I hope it doesn't get any worse. She asked me if she could paint me anything, I said no, well maybe a piece of fruit or something. She called me today and she never calls hardly, so I went over there for a visit, they are only a few minutes away. I feel like sometimes when I give her a kiss on the cheek and a hug, it might be the last time. Soreness and stuff seems to last longer at MY age, 44, I can't imagine how it must feel to be over twice that.
Wow, they say 79° Sun. (today now..lol) and 86° Monday, 83 Tuesday. I might put a couple houseplants outside to get some sun before the long Winter. The Weeping Fig must be thinking, "this isn't right my leaves aren't getting scorched"! Haha! I'll kinda be glad when it starts freezing so the pollen will ease up and my nose will stop sniffling. I never wanted to admit that I had allergies but I guess I do, I don't feel nearly as bad as I did about a month ago but every now and then I'll sneeze and my nose will run.
Thanks for thinking of me you guys, but things are fine.
Will
Edited to say the day that Nbc Action News says it's going to be 79°..lol - http://www.nbcactionnews.com/subindex/weather/forecast/7_day_forecast Actually, they have got the high temp right every day for nearly a month I saw! I copy their 7 day forecast weekly and put it on the desktop, my friend likes that. I couldn't believe that someone (weather forecaster Gary Lezak) had been right that much!
This message was edited Oct 23, 2011 2:39 AM
Happ,
Those are "Emerald'' Thuja occidentalis Arborvitaes. I love them! When I got them in 2005, they were about 4' tall and only $20.00 apiece. I should have grabbed a lot more at that price! We tie them together from the inside with jute to keep the ice and heavy snow from bending them out and ruining their shape. Top height and width is 12' - 15' x 4'.
I wonder if Will is having computer problems? It seems like everyone is at times.
I picked and took out the last two tomato plants the other day. I needed to to be able to move the rhubarb, which... I did yesterday! I had to dig to China to do it and could barely roll it up and out of the hole, but two are in where they are going to stay and two are left in case those die over the winter.
Oh no! Those beautiful blooms! Well, save the petals for homemade potpourii!
Birdie,
I potted up those I threw on the compost pile. I left those in the dirt pile. I can't completely give them up. I too will try a couple different places. Its a shame because they are beautiful when they bloom!
Make it or not, we're trying. Already my mint looks like it will just dry up. I misted it the other day.
Well, if it's open at the bottom, the cactus should get air. I would worry more about condensation. What about a sheet or tea towels?
ROTFL over cheating with the mixer! I think you figure how much salt, stir to dissolve and put it in the jar. Start turning and it should be butter. If you wanted you could add food coloring, but it wouldn't bother me not to.
She had a lot rotting. A shame! It was too cold during the day and too hot at night for us too. I even waited till longer in June to set them out.
This is how I started making the tomato sauce. It's a wonderful recipe!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/984/
Pepper,
Grinning. Yes we need to know what's up with him. I hope the flu didn't hit any of them. Love the potato rake. (CountryGardens told us it was that on the Weather thread.)
Well, speak of the little devil :o) Glad all is well. I thought maybe the old lady might have, well, you know.
Will,
I think they have had a wonderful long life together and you wouldn't want to break their hearts by going first. See them as much as you can. You will find questions after they are gone that you wish you could ask them.
I'm glad grandpa plays a good game!
I look at TWC on computer every day. They are right on on the temps, but not the best at the rain. Speaking of, I have high hopes we get some tonight!
I moved two huge rooted rhubarb yesterday. They are in their final spot in the garden. I had to dig to China and roll them out of the hole and over to the new one a few feet away. I couldn't lift them! I finished the iris and cut back more flower stalks. I'll thank me next spring for cleaning up this fall!
I had the arborvitae in 2005 but not a decent digital till 2006. This is 2007 while they are still small. The monkshood is newly planted.
Urchhh, back up. I had the plow named wrong. Pepper's last picture is a hay rake. The plow was the first photo. Thanks to Bernie for catching me on that!
Scared you Will didn't I.....rofl. Glad you resurfaced guy. You going before your DGP's would NOT be what they would want. I do genealogy and if it is possible losing family members is even worse because of all the information that is gone. I was lucky and started doing genealogy before my Mom had her stroke, but then would think of things later. I "interviewed" and taped a long conversation with my Great Uncle and he told me all kinds of stories of ife lduring the depression and my Grandparents (which I never got to meet), it was an amazing time with him. He kept telling me now if I run across (can't think of their names now) that they weren't related to us! If he told me that once he must of told me that 10 times. Course that made me run to the Libery genealogy place, come to find out they were some BAD boys, but sadly they are related to us....that is one thing about genealogy you can't take things personally.
Will the great thing is your DGP have gotten to spend so many years together and with you, that is amazing. So visit more often and there will be no regrets.
Every year Costco has some shrubs like your Billyp and they are 20.00 if you can imagine that, they are probably 5 or 6 feet tall but that may be including the pot. I am going to have to go on a buying spree next spring.
OK, you tow made me look up monkshood.... ;)
I have vines full of cherry tomatoes and big green ones on my other tomatoe vines. I will let them go after Halloween if Mother nature will let me keep them that long.
Everything except for some cannas are tucked away, so watering during these hot periods is a pain....rofl.
Not working on the pergola, there has just been so much stuff going on, I haven't had time. Maybe this afternoon we can hook up the trailer and at least get the wood but I think DH's dance card is pretty full so I don't know. Never drove the truck with the trailer but I might try it, if he can do it I can do it, he wasn't born knowing how to drive with it either.... rofl.
I dug up my cannas and elephant ears today. I thought I had more elephant ears out there but apparently not. lol. Oh well. The ones I have left for now are a good size so that's good. And I reeeeeeeeeaaaalllly glad I gave away so many cannas!!! I have triple what I had kept. LOL!!! Luckily I knew that would happen. Next year I will probably have to give some away again.
Thanks Bernie for explaining the rake!! (I know you are lurking here!!) Forgot to on weather. :~) At least I knew it was a rake but I like it when he jumps in with details. Then I really know what they are!!
Will, about time you surfaced!! Happ would have made you feel guilty for not being on here!! LOL!! Glad you are getting to spend time with grandparents!! I hope mine are around that long or longer. The way they are going too makes me wonder if they won't make it to 100! lol.
Taking the mule out for some exercise.
Not the right pic!! Will try again. My pic thingie doesn't wanna work for me tonight.
Yes you scared me happ! I'm glad to surface!
Kinda like when I play my Grandpa Chess and I say "Check!", he jumps all up like it startles him!
Haha! No billyp, the elderly disabled lady here hasn't finished me off yet! I made a sign in Microsoft Word for the aides to remind them NOT to call the police if she wants to because she sometimes thinks for some reason that we need the police, we don't, everything is fine. She sometimes has so much confusion and anxiety going that make-believe seems real to her unfortunately. The other day she wanted me to bring her a knife so she could cut my throat! The other aide was in there, she just laughs, I say, "why you wanna cut me, I didn't do anything!"! She says she's just joking but if she gets a knife I'm leaving her room!
How about this $20 Persimmon from Powell Gardens in 2004, but planted the following Spring?! It has really grown, I'd say it is quite happy. There is no digging it up or moving it now, believe me I tried to and it wasn't having it. I wanted to move it about 2 years ago, Persimmons are pretty well known for having a tap-root and I guess this one's was in there to stay! So, it is like one of the focal points of my backyard master landscaping plan now. What a difference in those 2 photos, I hope I haven't done more harm than good! The top one is a little smaller because it was from my old 1.3 Mega Pixel Sony Cybershot camera back in the day and it was 640 x 480, my newer camera is much bigger and that was after I resized it down from 2300 pixels something x 1700 something. I could have enlarged the 640 x 480 one but that would've made it kinda blurry, so I left it alone.
No, knock on wood and my head I have many years left I hope! I should be so lucky to live to my Grandparent's age. Already, there is no way I could match their length on being married as I'm not married now.
Yeah, I've got a few timer's left in my family, but the one great uncle thats here is so hard of hearing you have to shout, and he likes to sit on their screened in porch and I feel like all the neighbors will know our business.
I really like to know as much as I can, they are very interesting. Just visiting with my other side Grandparents is enlightening. My living maternal Grandpa likes telling how he was shot in the legs in Germany in WW2 and other war stories, he's very interesting. Its such a loss when older family members pass. And the Dust Bowl times they told about and the Great Depression when there was no jobs. I liked the story my deceased Grandpa used to tell about when he was with a big group of men looking for jobs in the thirties, the people that hired came out and they said, "we need 2 welders" and my Grandfather stepped forward and pushed his younger brother forward also when they didn't know how to weld just to get a job. That younger brother is the only one left. I last went over to his house in July or August when it was so hot. I looked all over their house, but I couldn't find them. I could tell they had been in the basement to keep cool though because there was chairs set up down there, (it's an outside entrance basement). They never did come to the door then but they musta been taking it easy and weren't going to the door, or they mighta had enuff heat and went to the library, his wife and him are public library nuts. His wife and him don't have ac, they say they open the windows at night and draw the shades during the day and it is cool enuff. I don't know how that could work but I'm not butting in! I think they also sit around when it's blazing hot with a water soaked washcloth on their head!
Wow, that is a big mule, Pepper, and that plow looks quite aged too, that would be a nice trip.
Will
This message was edited Oct 23, 2011 11:03 PM
Your tree looks very happy in that spot!! Looks good there too!!
Thanks Pepper. I grew another little tiny one from a seed I got last Fall. I intend to plant it somewhere back there, it won't be easy because the yard is pretty small. But, I have to get it planted and going because the Persimmon tree is dioecious, I found that out AFTER I planted that one years ago, but it needs another tree to get fruit.
Happ,
That is so neat about the genealogy. You took advantage of it! Grinning over the ''horse thieves'' in the background and smiling over your Grandpa trying to keep your family good :o)
Boy, those are the prices to look for! I don't know how root bound a tree or shrub that tall might be, but have help to pull it out and see. My size was including the pot, I think. Now I have to see if I can find a picture in the photo album. BD, before digital.
After our jeep ride yesterday I came home and cut back almost all the rest of the plants. Then I came in and cut up a big bowlful of green tomatoes. I will puree two cups to try a batter bread like zucchini bread and freeze the rest in measured bags. Hello green tomato rice and sausage pie this winter!
I'll bet you do just fine with the trailor!
Pepper,
A good size will maybe put out EE babies next year.
ROTFL over getting more than the Cannas you gave away, back! It's too bad you can't sell them at Powells.
You have to respect the mule. They are a personality all their own. He's a big guy/gal!
Will,
Your Grandpa is so cool! What a great memory that will become :o)
Cracking UP! She is going to get you yet. Maybe.... on Halloween. (Just spooking ya :o)
You are so right about them being interesting. Those things they experienced, will never be repeated.
Older people bask in the heat, usually. If you don't have air on and stay in the heat, it may be hot, but you do get used to it. Kind of a circle sentence. In another nut shell, when it was stinking hot, I went out and stayed out. I got used to it :o)
Wow, the tree looks good! It has pretty fall color too. Another bonus!
I see the neighbors moved the shed :o)
That's neat that you started another from seed. It will look good to have a mate and the fruit should be good too.
I'm pretty much done cutting back flowers now. I did dig and reset iris on the garden corner yesterday. I couldn't leave them the weedy mess they were, and I had already trimmed and picked up their debris.
We have another gorgeous day ahead and I suppose I better water. Our rain last night was pushed to Wednesday and is not very certain. Wah!
Cowboys in Iowa :o)
I don't lurk.
I scan this thread & will jump in if something interests me.
Very busy here. Now that garden is winding down, we need to really get into cabinet making big time. I have enough work until after Christmas & 3 more people to go see. Also going to have the antique store open a couple days a week.
Normally I get alot of babies off my ee's but this year they just put on size. That works for me!!
Yeah, those cannas love to reproduce when they are happy!! LOL
Will, watch your back cause Happ's gonna get you!!! :~p
The mule was a nice sized mule. He also helped pull the carriage when the mare was on her break.
Hi Bernie!! :~)
Those IA. cowboys aint real! Yeah, don't be intimidated by a trailer, just remember backing up is easy, you just turn the steering wheel the opposite way that you want the trailer to back up! Lemme see, I've hit a fire hydrant and a fence-post backing up!
I know happ is! Maybe I can interest her with a Blackberry Bush so she doesn't ring my neck!
Yeah, they moved that nasty old shed a long time ago billyp, there have been 3 residents in that house since that before photo up there. In fact they are my friends in that house now, they are a young hispanic married couple, I've seen their newborn even.
Yeah, she's gonna get me yet! I hate it that I bring her so much grief in her later years but I came here to help my friend, there's no way she could do it alone. She took a sick day from work today because her Mom kept her up all nite yelling. She took out FMLA a while back because that happens all too often unfortunately, my friend works from home when she needs to.
That Persimmon does have nice Fall colors, that is so cool, it is perfect for that spot, now if I just didn't worry that it's roots were gonna push thru the pond's liner!
Tomorrow, ima paint that red shed! My friend changed her mind on what color to paint it tho, from green to a light red/red/orangey color, she wants it to kinda match the house now. That's an interesting paint process at Walmart, how they do the mixing, its starts out white then a computer adds other colors to make the perfect tint you picked out. I'll do the painting tomorrow if it isn't too windy for my paint sprayer.
Here is something of a "before" photo of the shed.
I once took an interest in some relatives in Cottonwood Falls KS., only to find out they were some sort of rounders, even the women! I was like "good gosh, I come from a long line of imbeciles!"!
I think I'd make a good cabinet maker but I don't have the space for a shop, I like wood working.
I'm gonna make a point of visiting the older generation of my family this year.
BP: thanks for the roasted tomato sauce recipe. It looks like a really good one. I wonder If I could use Rosemary instead of Oregano. I have a couple of rosemary plants. I wonder if rosemary is a little more pungent than oregano?
I don't have a food mill. My mom had one, but I didn't get it when she died. I suppose it sold in the auction. I guess I need to buy one. I have run across recipes occasionally that call for a food mill. I am sure they're not very expensive. It's just finding a "place" for it when it's not in use. We're busting at the seams! I need to have about six garage sales!!
Did you put the monkshood in pots because it was too late to put them in the ground? I was told monkshood need total shade, but they stretch and lie down in my total shade.
We've got three nights in this week in the thirties. :( We started taking plants inside today. Even though it's nice outside today, I don't want to wait and have to do it all in one day.
Regarding Christmas Cactus: I thought about a towel or Sheet, but there would be some light getting through. Plus, I wonder if a towel would be too heavy for the stems? I have asked on the Cactus forum if anyone has used black trash bags. No one has. I did research on the Christmas Cactus, and some of the websites suggested a black trash bag to keep the light out, but I am leery of doing so.
Pepper: We used to have gobs of President Cannas. They would multiply like crazy. Then, my husband had unexpected surgery over Thanksgiving which is when we usually dug them up. We were so involved in his care, we forgot to dig them up that year, and they were no more. :(
We have had pink spider dahlias that we have never dug up that come back every year for about 15 years. They are quite pretty.
Just for the record, I didn't plant that Persimmon Tree crooked! Look at it lean now! I hope that's a Persimmon Tree thing! Well, it doesn't look THAT crooked to me in this photo. I once planted a Leyland Cypress at my Mom's and she cut it down because it was crooked, she said I planted it crooked!
Bernie,
It always gets done, but it amazes me how! You are truely efficient and apparently make no mistakes that slow you down.
Will,
Cracking UP! Don't ever sign on to be a driving instuctor:o)
ROTFL over the diversion! So that's how you stay alive! :o)
So they stayed. I remember you talking about them way back, when he was going to have his cycle repo'ed. I'm glad they're doing ok!
It is sad that you bother the woman, but in reality I don't think she has actual feelings, just words. And I think those words are going to happen no matter what.
I hope your friend had a restful day.
Google the roots on a Persimmon. They usually list trees to not plant near your sewer and water lines.
Laughing, I'm old enough to remember the person adding the color. Our town actually sold paint and we still have the reddish brown under the cabinets that she mixed for us.
ROTFL&L!! At least you aren't an imbecile! The family must have split before your parent.
Oh yeah, the shed needs paint!
Birdie, I think the spices are up to an individual. We don't care for basil so I don't use it. I bought it because I'm game, but it doesn't float my boat.
You could smash it thru a strainer. It would be time consuming removing the skins, but it's doable. I will use my China Cap that I use for canning. The first batch, I froze, seeds and skin included.
There are small mills, and I've looked at them, but never needed one that bad. Or had the room. I was lucky. I did get Mom's CC and other canning things.
Yes, I will replant the Monkshood next year. At the heat of the moment, I was going to just let them go. But ''Saver Sally'' decided to bury and also pot most of them back up. I have more on the compost pile and it's killing me to just let them die. I think they like sun, if ithey're moist, but not soggy.
I wonder, if you put rods in the pot so the bag wouldn't actually touch the cactus, it might work.
Good thing about Cannas is someone always shares, and my favorite, "they still sell them'' :o)
I hope DH's surgery was a one time thing and he's OK!
Will, it looks like the tree is crooked on it's own :o)
Out of hardly anything, we had a very short hardish rain. woo hoo. Now if we can just get more! In the East the sky is a bit cloudy with the prettiest apricot and light blue color.
MORE thunder! MORE rain. I love it!!
birder, I so wish I could leave dahlias in the ground. Those are one of my favorite plants but I either don't get them out of the ground in time or don't get them in the ground in time. I think they are one of the most beautiful plants. Guess I should try doing them in pots and let them over winter in the pot, that usually works best for me. Course then storage is a bigger issue. I worked with a guy in Independence and he had a micro climate in his back yard that allowed him to leave cannas in the ground year round. My cannas except for a few I planted this spring are in pots but those pots stay out all year, but I can seem to get them dug up cause the soil is so loose in them.
Christmas Cactus bloom for me if I let them go really dry, and then when I begin watering again they will bloom, I have never put them in the dark. That maybe why the ones outdoors bloom and then one indoors don't bloom cause you take too good a care of them.... ;) I have read all that alternating stuff with a box to keep out light and the same with poinsettias but they bloom outdoors in Texas and no one is covering them up to extend the night hours. Mom nature does that automatically in the winter, so once you bring the outdoor ones in (frost time the nights are longer) and then they bloom. I am not expert but works for me.
Happ, I think that is good advice on the cactus since it's personal experience.
I adore the tall dahlias and I too have storage issues.
I have had small gladiolus bulbs over winter when I missed digging them up.
It not need to cover black plastic bag at all (never). I has 8 of cc (christmas cactus) that it help in attached garage with direct light not much... So, in winter that not need water until it springtime or after frost over and can put outside in shade not get sunburn on cactus... water moist not heavy until it dry then water little...
CC will bloom in December but it pending on bloom will take long time to open very slow...
I did send the link about CC's care...
Yes, Rusty, thank you for the Christmas Cactus link. It was an excellent article. I have been doing a lot of research on the cactus.
I have an unheated garage they like. I also have a 1/2 bath that I could close the vent on, and it would stay quite cool and has no windows. I could put it in the half bath with a light on a timer. I also have a downstairs garage that works well to get C. cactus to bloom. But, what good does a blooming Christmas Cactus do, if it's in the downstairs garage? or in my half bath? or in my upstairs garage? My problem, would be getting the plant adjusted to a different location and different temps. The buds would all drop off. So, I don't think moving the plant to a "special" place is the answer.
So, I am trying to create an environment suitable for the Christmas Cactus where it is located.
The ones I put outside and take to the downstairs unheated garage bloom very well. They aren't pampered at all. The two I have in the house are fairly large and left inside. So, I was trying to get them to bloom. Perhaps as happ suggests, I should put them outside in the summer and bring the into the "location" I want them and perhaps they will bloom.
My dahlias are not supposed to withstand our freezing temps. I have them by a big rock and they flourish.
I also have Glads that come back every year and make offspring each year. They aren't suppose to withstand our temps either. They're just out in the open. Go figure.
Is it Christmas ?
This cactus is in our south dining room window.
This one is in south living room window.
These are all new windows with the low-E feature.
Out of 8 Christmas cactus in our house this is the biggest, about 3 feet across.
Looks like that big cactus is super happy there!! LOL
Wow Bernie, those are some big Christmas Cactuses you got there, and 8 of them, you got a Christmas display flowering show going there.
Yeah they stayed there billyp, I haven't seen that bike in over a year, I think it went back. They are nice, they even had me in their house to see their baby about 3 mos ago.
No painting the shed today, much too windy, they said gusts up to 40 mph! I put caulk around the living room window frame and cleaned those windows instead.
I even have a photo of my window cleaning endeavors! In the photo I only had the first 2 storm windows off to clean all the windows good. I need to paint that window frame next.
Hehe! The shed really needs to be replaced or repaired because it is in bad need of something but my friend here isn't really all into that, she pays the cost to be the boss so I stay mum!
Haha! Yeah, I think the family took a better turn after that set of bullies! In 1999, I went to Cottonwood Falls, KS to the courthouse and searched thru the microfish only to find the hooligans! I had already heard of them from my paternal Grandfather, the hooligans were my great grandfather's siblings.
Yeah, she had a restful day Monday, she's back to work again.
So billyp, how is your new driveway holding up, no cracks? On The Peoples Court today a guy was suing because his concrete sidewalk started crumbling.
I'm kinda like the car salesman, The Wiz, you have to buy a car from him because of his numbskull gaze, my diversion is plants!
Yeah billyp, it's too bad that I bother the woman at times, but usually we get along fine.
Will
This message was edited Oct 26, 2011 9:51 AM
Wow Will, those windows look really nice! Windows are kind of hard to get clean. You always see a smudge.
CC: Nice Christmas Cactus. I was on my deck this AM and noticed my little ones that I started from cuttings are starting to get buds on them. And get this: the pots were standing in water!! So, I am thinking it's the light/darkness more than anything else. I am trying to remember to close the shades at dinner time and open them in the AM. Plus, I closed one of the heating vents. I can always take them downstairs, but I am afraid the buds would drop off when brought upstairs for them to be enjoyed.
It's overcast today. We're suppose to get a little rain. I have been watering my flowers. They're still blooming. The trees are starting to loose their leaves.
Man, Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be here before you know it. Do you have any "traditions" for those holidays? Since my grandparents and parents have died--traditions have gone by the wayside.
I picked up a real nice African violet on the clearance table at Lowe's recently. The leaves had been damaged a little bit--it is only an appearance thing. The plant is very healthy. Eventually, I will cut the torn leaves off.
A question to the cooks out there. I made a deep dish apple pie recently. I used Granny Smith Apples and Johnathons. I thought those would be the correct apples. My apples turned to mush. What do you think I did wrong? The only thing I can think of is I cooked them too long? I have used this recipe before and it turned out delicious. I used a pizza stone this time. I have done this with a peach pie and the bottom crusts is nice and crisp.
Well I picked all the tomatoes off the vines, well not really all of them but a roasting pan full, you should see all the tomatoes I left. Good grief.
I took off yesterday trying to get things ready for 29 degrees. I got cannas dug, ee's dug, plants I am going to overwinter in one spot, some things watered it is sooooo dry at my house digging was horrible, picked up the yard ornament stuff and ready to put away. Seems like I can never get done, I look and there is more......
Doesn't this look like harvest bounty.
My Christmas cactus bloom at so many different times, which is fine with me. Last year I bought 4 different colors I did have.
birder, they just cooked an apple something on channel 19 on America's Test Kitchen and they used those same apples because they were suppose to be the perfect apple if they were in season, but more toward late winter or early spring they said to use red delicious because they actually store better. Wonder if they were too ripe? Ohhhh, love the idea of the pizza stone, I hate soggy crust! yuck. Wish I could remember more about what they said....on the show.
happ: Well, that's what I thought when I bought the Granny Smiths and Johnathons, but they sure turned to mush. I am thinking I cooked them too long. I was wondering if anyone has had the same experience.
Here's some in put from a fellow Dave Garden member regarding Christmas Cactus. I thought you might be interested.
I am going to go ahead and respectfully disagree with some on this thread-- it is NOT the temperatures that are the important thing for getting a Schlumbergera to bloom. Short day/ long nights are what triggers bud formation. My cacti routinely make buds in 70* temps in my living room where there are no lights turned on after dark. I have some blooming now. It has been said that even five footcandles of light will prevent a Schlumbergera from blooming.
Thanks birder. Those windows really needed a cleaning, I don't think they've been cleaned in 20 years or so. Today, I cleaned the inside of those same windows with Glass Plus. I took off all the brass things like the locks and the handles and cleaned them with Brasso. I even rubbed Pledge on the frame and finished by slathering the wood frame inside with Holloway House Lemon Oil to make them shine like a new dime and smell heavenly.
I took a photo of them from the inside. I know that seems silly to even take a photo of the windows, but this way I can say, "I did too clean the windows, here they are and here's the date I did them on". I tell you, I sometimes have to show folks! Anyway, I'm all about elbow grease! In case anybody is wondering, the aluminum foil in those pots is to keep the cats out, I don't think they like the feeling of foil on their feet! I would love to keep them out of my pots, last year they did that big Ficus on the left like a litterbox! I took that photo around Noon today, it has cooled down considerably, the tv man is saying 49° this afternoon.
I brought in 4 little Italian Cypresses that I grew from seeds and a hanging planter of Strawberry Begonia tonite. I set my pot of TropiCanna(s) from Pepper by the garage door, to bring in soon. That is such a nice plant, it is going to make a great addition to my tropical area. I only have 4 Banana 'basjoo's and 2 Hibiscus 'Luna Red's in it so far, oh and 4 lava rocks, a big scallop seashell and 3 or 4 pieces of driftwood. That area better look tropical next year because I am jeopardizing my greenman reputation with about 500 lbs. of black (dyed) mulch all around that by gosh!! lol
Ewww.. 29° happ? I hope it doesn't get quite that cold soon, I mean the next couple days soon. That is alot of tomatoes there happ, assorted too!
Haha! Me a driving instructor?! Yeah, I don't think I could consider that. I'm really a good driver though. I'll have you know, I have a clean driving record! I've never had a DUI, actually that's pretty easy, because I rarely drink. I've canceled several auto insurances because they had raised my premium and I always know it's for no reason. But, I regret hitting that fireplug in the driveway, it bent the fender good. You can see the bent fender here - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=8841002 I guess it could be bent back, altho I'm not quite sure how to do it, that's solid metal. Initially, I did have to bend it a little to get it off the tire.
Where is that Patti or Crit? It has been a while since she injured her finger, I hope it's healing up with time.
Anybody want some Mimosa seedlings? I have 4 or 5 of them that volunteer grew right in the middle of some pots of dirt, so I left them, happ, can I interest you in a Mimosa(s), they are hardy here, anybody?
Well, time to get on the treadmill, I am trying to work off this belly! Would anyone like me to grow them a Persimmon tree from a seed? I know where to get the seeds, at least 2 if you want fruit.
Will
Don't pay the ransom, I've escaped!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
I know, I haven't been around for a while. Been busy trying to unpack/repack boxes in the garage so we can get both vehicles in there this winter. Guess it is about time....been here 2 years December. :-) I brought home a bunch of stuff from work before we closed too that I am sorting and putting where I want it.. Things I want to keep, but not put out I am repacking in better boxes so we can put on the shelves DH put up in the garage. It's a BIG job. DH asked that I do just 2 boxes a day, but some days I get on a roll and do a bunch. Other days I don't feel up to doing it and don't do any!
In talking about the CC's, I'm wondering if some of those are Thanksgiving Cactus. They are hard to tell apart. I have 2 small Zygo's that are still outside and putting on new segments. I think they are buds but then they turn out to be another segment.
pepper .... I am trying to gather up different colors of Canna's if you have more that you need to find new homes for. If planted in the ground, which is what I plan to do, you don't have to lift them here. I do have some in pots that I lift for the winter. Am afraid to leave them in the pots for the winter. Especially after the winter we had last year, I'm afraid they would end up mush.
When my mom died several years ago in August, I was going to go over to my uncles, who lived in Tulsa, and get some family stories from him on tape. He told us a bunch of stories when he was there for my mom's funeral. He was a great story teller. MY BAD, I kept putting it off then he died in November that same year. :-( My grandparents came here from Italy and Germany. I still have a couple of aunt's left but they are in other states.
Finger is all healed on the outside ..... just waiting to see if the nerves rejoin. Dr. seemed to think by the time I see him the end of November I should have pretty good feeling back. Sometimes I think maybe it is getting a little better on the end, but the side is still totally numb. Still need prayers that is heals up and I get feeling back. I'm always afraid of cutting it, smashing it or something and not being able to feel it.
I too have mimosa seedings all over the place, plus some seed I saved.
I'll try to check in more often. Thanks Will for asking about me!
Crit, good to hear from you and better to hear your finger is healing. It took my husband's six months.
If I were you, I would try to visit the elderly relatives. You only get a few years to find stuff out. My cousin just informed me my grandfather came to America from Ireland, and he was actually from England. NOw, we're wondering what's what. I think every family has some interesting stories that need to be passed on.
I know there's Thanksgiving Cactus, Christmas Cactus, and Easter Cactus. I have tried to figure out which ones are which. I think the Thanksgiving Cactus are the most common in households as they show up in the stores for Christmas holidays around Thanksgiving. Tina Bolin wrote an article on Daves Garden about the different types of holiday cactus:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/392/
I found it very intresting. I have one holiday cactus that has narrower leaves than the other cactus. So, I am sure it's a different kind, but I sure can't tell which is which.
Crit: I spent the entire day yesterday going through "stuff" in the upstairs garage and in the downstairs garage. I wanted to throw things away, but mostly re-organized stuff. Some of it had been scattered around in four different places. I need to go back through the stuff again and part with some of the stuff. I hate doing that kind of job.
I also brought in many of my plants from outside yesterday. I did some geranium cuttings. They needed to be trimmed up. If they don't make it, oh well.
We received about an inch of rain a couple of days ago. Temps have been cool. Tonight it is suppose to get down to 33 degrees. Every plant has been brought in. I still have a few yard decorations I need to bring in. The flowers have sure been beautiful this fall. The snapdragon blooms are larger than normal. It's like they are happy with the cooler weather. I know they do prefer cool weather.
I still have spring bulbs to plant and larkspur seed to sow. That job will have to be done tomorrow.