Gardening, Home and Nature Thread

I haven't been paying enough attention to the posts of Don in Kansas, and his Soggy Times (which at least were posted in October) have some great photos, going back into summer.

Usually during Kansas summers the problem in the garden is not enough water. Once in a while we get a wet summer, though, and this year’s has been the wettest I can remember. We got heavy rain nearly every week, often three or five inches at a time. It’s still happening; it’s only Tuesday, and already this week an inch and three-quarters has fallen. The problem is compounded by topography. I live in one of the flattest areas of one of the flattest states, and there’s very little slope in my yard. Insufficient moisture can be remedied with a hose, but a surplus is not so easily dealt with. Some of the plants in my garden like all the water, as do weeds and mosquitoes. Others don’t. I’ve been experimenting with dryland plants, which often do well out in the prairie, and everything looked happy and vigorous back in June. But the rains never stopped, and I’ve lost a number of species I had high hopes for.

For those interested in Penstemons: species native to Kansas did fine with all the rain. P. strictus and P. barbatus also look healthy despite the downpours. I’ll have to wait and see on the others.

Below, a few snapshots from summer. More at the link above.

Also check out Don's recent Tunes of the Day and ghost story (sort of). He has good taste.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

From By-Tor:

I found a Key Lime tree, known as Mexican lime tree in California, at work, that had dropped a grocery bag worth of fruit on the ground. Fifteen minutes of squeezing yielded a full quart of fresh lime juice. Good for Key Lime pies, obviously, but also marinating meat, putting in drinks( ginger ale and 7-Up for me) and making limeade. I’m thinking with an acid content of 5% it should stay good in the fridge for awhile.

Anybody have a favorite recipe for Key Lime Pie? Another favorite Key Lime recipe?

For some of those with a winter growing season (check locally), Spinach 'Monstreux de Viroflay' (Baker Creek). A cool season crop elsewhere, too.

Ah, Nature

A tiny friend:

More of a Spring picture than a Fall one but I keep forgetting to send it. For size reference, that's jeans denim weave.

Oddbob

Could be laying eggs in our stucco by this time of year.

Adventure

Friends saw mountain goats while hiking in the Superstition Mountains.

Elsewhere in Arizona:

Gardens of The Horde

Hi K.T. -

I'm ready to turn the calendar page to November, but my climbing roses are still putting out buds and blossoms like it's summertime. Even the "pinkie winkie" hydrangea blooms continue to hang on and provide a nice pop of color for the garden.

Cheers,

The Pilot

Love those late flowers!

Hi KT, Hope you are both as good as God can make you!

Attached is a dewy spider web looking all sparkly in the loofah patch (one is ripening on the left).

Miley

Thanks.

The spiders have done art!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Oct. 25

Any thoughts or questions? Check out the late comments.

I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

posted by K.T. at 01:19 PM

| Access Comments