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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jan Hurst-Nicholson on Today at 12:20:41 AM »Picked and ate a few more creeping cucumber berries.
Make an interesting addition to a salad.
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Make an interesting addition to a salad.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jeff Tanyard on September 26, 2023, 02:10:11 PM »Picked and ate a few more creeping cucumber berries.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jeff Tanyard on September 22, 2023, 06:46:23 AM »Never heard of creeping cucumber. Do you use it in a salad?
Some people do, according to the internet. I've never tried it before this week.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jan Hurst-Nicholson on September 22, 2023, 05:59:08 AM »Never heard of creeping cucumber. Do you use it in a salad?
I've got some tiny c*cktail tomatoes growing from my compost heap. I left them to do their own thing and they started creeping up the bottle brush tree. I've sort of helped them by hanging them over the branches. Should have been nipping off the ends but left them to wander. They are now so high up I have to stretch to reach the ripe ones. Next thing it will require a ladder to reach them.
I see they are also growing in various parts of the garden where I put compost. Might have to cull a few.
I've got some tiny c*cktail tomatoes growing from my compost heap. I left them to do their own thing and they started creeping up the bottle brush tree. I've sort of helped them by hanging them over the branches. Should have been nipping off the ends but left them to wander. They are now so high up I have to stretch to reach the ripe ones. Next thing it will require a ladder to reach them.
I see they are also growing in various parts of the garden where I put compost. Might have to cull a few. 5
Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by LilyBLily on September 20, 2023, 12:33:35 PM »That cycad looks amazing.
I think the woolly aphids are back, but only in very small quantities. I've seen some bits of fluff supposedly floating around--and then veering sharply to land on something. I haven't been close enough to investigate, but I am suspicious.
I think the woolly aphids are back, but only in very small quantities. I've seen some bits of fluff supposedly floating around--and then veering sharply to land on something. I haven't been close enough to investigate, but I am suspicious.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jeff Tanyard on September 20, 2023, 06:52:16 AM »There's some creeping cucumber growing here and there as weeds. I'd never tried the fruit before, so I decided it was time. I picked a few berries and ate them. They do indeed taste like cucumber.
Here's some of it growing up on an azalea. I'll eventually remove it.
Here's some of it growing up on an azalea. I'll eventually remove it.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jan Hurst-Nicholson on September 18, 2023, 05:17:57 AM »The cycad in our retirement village is in fruit. It has been there for many years and is in the original garden on the land that was used to build the village. Fortunately it is mostly hidden from view as they are quite valuable.
"They are also one of the most threatened groups of plants in the world. In South Africa almost 70% of our cycad species are threatened with extinction, with four species on the brink of extinction and seven species with fewer than 100 plants left in the wild."
"Do you need a permit to own a cycad in South Africa?
Because cycads are protected by the national and provincial legislation, as a buyer you must ensure that you know where your plants come from and that you have a permit for owning the plant. Various permits are needed for any activity that relates to cycads such as possession, transport, growing, buying or selling."
"They are also one of the most threatened groups of plants in the world. In South Africa almost 70% of our cycad species are threatened with extinction, with four species on the brink of extinction and seven species with fewer than 100 plants left in the wild."
"Do you need a permit to own a cycad in South Africa?
Because cycads are protected by the national and provincial legislation, as a buyer you must ensure that you know where your plants come from and that you have a permit for owning the plant. Various permits are needed for any activity that relates to cycads such as possession, transport, growing, buying or selling."
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by LilyBLily on September 16, 2023, 12:00:02 PM »That's interesting. Usually, we have both males and females at our feeder, but this year up to five females have been vying with each other to get at the nectar.
Beautiful gardenias.
Beautiful gardenias.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by Jeff Tanyard on September 16, 2023, 07:47:16 AM »Gardenia flowers:
Hydrangea is also putting out new blooms:
Unfortunately, that's simply what they do. No matter how much food you put out there for them, they're still territorial about it.
The ones here are fickle and skittish. One moment, they'll be territorial and running each other off, but the next moment you'll see two drinking from the same tiny hole in the feeder. They go from friends to enemies and back to friends in the blink of an eye.
They're basically the bird equivalents of meth-heads.
It's also possible the males in your area have already flown south. The males migrate earlier than the females; they're the first to leave in the fall and the first to arrive in the spring.
Hydrangea is also putting out new blooms:
Meanwhile, the hummingbirds are still fighting each other over the feeder. They utterly refuse to share.
Unfortunately, that's simply what they do. No matter how much food you put out there for them, they're still territorial about it.
The ones here are fickle and skittish. One moment, they'll be territorial and running each other off, but the next moment you'll see two drinking from the same tiny hole in the feeder. They go from friends to enemies and back to friends in the blink of an eye.
They're basically the bird equivalents of meth-heads.
Quote
These are all females--probably pushed away from those other feeders by the males.
It's also possible the males in your area have already flown south. The males migrate earlier than the females; they're the first to leave in the fall and the first to arrive in the spring.
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Bar & Grill [Public] / Re: The Garden Thread that two people wanted
« Last post by LilyBLily on September 16, 2023, 01:30:35 AM »During our drought, my window hummingbird feeder was mysteriously knocked down on three successive nights. I decided something was thirsty, and I put water in the birdbath that usually holds none. Saw a cat take a drink there a day later. The culprit? It's not a feral cat; it has a collar and I believe belongs to near neighbors, but it is a roamer.
I've been taking the feeder inside after dark, but I fear some damage was done. It's only plastic. (Glass would have broken on the pavers below.) Wasps have been all over it for days. I tried washing it thoroughly and the situation seems better, but this exact feeder is no longer being made. If necessary, I'll use Krazy Glue to fix the cracks over the winter.
Meanwhile, the hummingbirds are still fighting each other over the feeder. They utterly refuse to share. It has been so dry that few other flowers are available for them, although the next door neighbor has multiple feeders so mine isn't the only one around. These are all females--probably pushed away from those other feeders by the males.
They'll leave soon. They usually vanish when the weather gets a little colder.
I've been taking the feeder inside after dark, but I fear some damage was done. It's only plastic. (Glass would have broken on the pavers below.) Wasps have been all over it for days. I tried washing it thoroughly and the situation seems better, but this exact feeder is no longer being made. If necessary, I'll use Krazy Glue to fix the cracks over the winter.
Meanwhile, the hummingbirds are still fighting each other over the feeder. They utterly refuse to share. It has been so dry that few other flowers are available for them, although the next door neighbor has multiple feeders so mine isn't the only one around. These are all females--probably pushed away from those other feeders by the males.
They'll leave soon. They usually vanish when the weather gets a little colder.