The Garden Thread that two people wanted

[notthatamanda]

Post more pictures Jan (not to be bossy). We've got over a foot of snow on the ground here and it was 10F when I got up.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

This orchid was growing on a tree in the common property in our complex - and then the wind snapped it off.  Now have it in a vase.

[Vijaya]

Gorgeous, Jan! Merry Christmas!

[Maggie Ann]

This orchid was growing on a tree in the common property in our complex - and then the wind snapped it off.  Now have it in a vase.

Very pretty.

[notthatamanda]

I really want to be an orchid person, but I should plant those avocados I have sprouting in the cupboard and see how those go first.
It was 60 degrees here on the 24th. The rhododendrons are still covered with buds.

[Maggie Ann]

I really want to be an orchid person, but I should plant those avocados I have sprouting in the cupboard and see how those go first.
It was 60 degrees here on the 24th. The rhododendrons are still covered with buds.

Don't start out with Vandas. They are greedy little suckers. My Dendrobiums (in my opinion the easiest to grow and bloom) have been blooming like mad and one plant that had already had five flower spikes is now growing a sixth spike. The Phaelanopsis have been doing well and are spiking for a second season. One of them has three spikes, three of them have two spikes, and the other two only have one spike. But there's still time. I don't expect my Cattleyas to bloom for another two years since they are only teenagers. I am hoping my orchid cactus (not really an orchid at all) will bloom this year.

[idontknowyet]

My broc are finally starting to head. I have one that's the size of a silver dollar.
And in other good news we picked the first red tomato of the season. Its kinda tiny but still wasn't sure they were going to make it through. Have a few more turning red and seemingly hundreds of green ones growing through the winter. One lovely point about growing them now is zero pest pressure. Zero!

This is my favorite time of the year to grow tomatoes. Other than having to cover them almost every night so the cold doesnt stress them out and stunt their growth.

[idontknowyet]

In exciting news. I am now getting 2lbs of spinach out of the garden almost everyday and several tomatoes. One head of my broc is almost full size and two more are doing well. Several others that might be broc or cauli havent started heading yet.

For some reason my kale is growing super duper slow but i've started getting a few leaves each day.
I think my carrots are growing like crazy but they aren't really ready to pull yet. I've taken out a few, but most of them are a little larger than baby carrots you get from the store.

[notthatamanda]

Planted the amaryllis yesterday. I doubt they'll bloom, they are old, but I put them on a TV tray in the sunniest window to give them their best shot.

[Maggie Ann]

Two more Dendrobiums flower spikes on one plant and one more, possibly two, on another.

The Phaelonopsis are all putting out multiple spikes except one that has only a single spike. I'm looking for a riot of blooms in February.

The Cattleyas are still too young and I'm seriously considering tying them to my oak trees. I think I will wait until the rainy season to let them get a good start.

The Christmas Cactus is blooming like mad and the daffodils are boldly poking their heads up out of the soil.

[LilyBLily]

I've got an amaryllis that has nice green leaves but has done nothing for a year. I even gave it bulb food, so I'm puzzled. If it wants to rest, it could drop its leaves, but it doesn't.

Meanwhile, the lantana that this year I dug up before the first frost has been taking objection to the sunny window by dropping lots of leaves. I don't know if the cold outside is the cause or if the distress was brought on by Christmas lights taped to the window panes. They're off now, so we shall see. Our coldest month is February.

[Maggie Ann]

I've got an amaryllis that has nice green leaves but has done nothing for a year. I even gave it bulb food, so I'm puzzled. If it wants to rest, it could drop its leaves, but it doesn't.

Meanwhile, the lantana that this year I dug up before the first frost has been taking objection to the sunny window by dropping lots of leaves. I don't know if the cold outside is the cause or if the distress was brought on by Christmas lights taped to the window panes. They're off now, so we shall see. Our coldest month is February.

I haven't grown Amaryllis in a long time but I seem to remember the plants did not drop their leaves in between blooming. Now I want to get some.

Our spring is in February, so only a few more weeks of overnight 40s and it should start warming up.

[notthatamanda]

The amaryllis leaves will last for a while, I cut them back and store the bulbs in the dark before I try to force them again. Of course they haven't bloomed again for a while so I'm probably doing it wrong. One made a new bulb off the side so I planted that by itself. We'll see.

[LilyBLily]

The amaryllis leaves will last for a while, I cut them back and store the bulbs in the dark before I try to force them again. Of course they haven't bloomed again for a while so I'm probably doing it wrong. One made a new bulb off the side so I planted that by itself. We'll see.

One year I just put the pot in the garage and a few months later it decided to grow, completely unaided. I suppose I should do that again, but first I'll have to transplant the moonflower that's in the same pot. Not a bad idea if the lantana is finally going to give up the ghost. I've almost killed it several times.

[notthatamanda]

One of my amaryllis has got a leaf starting. 

[Simon Haynes]

I planted out a load of seedlings, and because our weather here is currently 35-40C daily I bought some treated pine logs (anti-termite) and shadecloth and put up temporary shading for the vulnerable little plants. It's working, but even 2-3 hours of sun is enough to fry them.

So far I've planted out cucumbers, corn, dwarf beans (several varieties), zuccini, lettuce, tomatoes, capsicum and a few other bits and pieces.

The other problem here is the 'soil' across most of this area is 100% sterile grey sand. I've spent a small fortune adding compost, clay and other soil improvers, but the only real solution would be a big front-end loader and a truckful of good earth. Since that's not going to happen, I'll persist. I've managed to get a couple of beds into growable condition, but there's 500sq/m to go.

[LilyBLily]

I planted out a load of seedlings, and because our weather here is currently 35-40C daily I bought some treated pine logs (anti-termite) and shadecloth and put up temporary shading for the vulnerable little plants. It's working, but even 2-3 hours of sun is enough to fry them.

So far I've planted out cucumbers, corn, dwarf beans (several varieties), zuccini, lettuce, tomatoes, capsicum and a few other bits and pieces.

The other problem here is the 'soil' across most of this area is 100% sterile grey sand. I've spent a small fortune adding compost, clay and other soil improvers, but the only real solution would be a big front-end loader and a truckful of good earth. Since that's not going to happen, I'll persist. I've managed to get a couple of beds into growable condition, but there's 500sq/m to go.

I've paid many hundreds of dollars for truckloads of dirt. Each one has has some near fatal flaw:
1. poisonous dirt that kills everything because it's actually decomposing shale
2. bluestone gravel and weeds
3. really bad weeds I'll never eradicate--crown vetch
4. such sterile fill that nothing grows in it AND it won't hold water

The one with excess gravel and weeds was the best of the lot. Add in all the bags of compost and manure and dirt and lime and whatever and I have spent easily two thousand dollars on dirt, with pitiful results time and again. When one figures in that I personally shoveled every ounce of the dirt from the dump pile or the bags to my gardens, they should have paid me.

[notthatamanda]

Wow that's terrible.
When we turned the garden into a raised bed of sorts in the fall I got 3 yards of loam. I found two small pieces of blue plastic in it, but other than that, it was great dirt. My husband just about lost his mind about paying for dirt regardless. There's plenty of competition here so maybe that forces them to keep the quality up.

[Simon Haynes]

Last year I went and collected a trailer of 'garden soil'.  Turns out they believe 'soil' is about eighty percent sand, which I already had plenty of.

The best thing to get is compost. I usually buy the 25 litre bags which are about $4 each - a waste of money compared to getting a whole trailer ($60) but so much more convenient. I get 10 bags and use them to grow seedlings etc in pots.

What I've done this year is to dig furrows in the sand, mix in loads of compost/soil improver, and then plant the seedlings in those lines. Between the rows it's still plain old sand, but I'm not growing anything there.

I figure after a few seasons of this, the sand will gradually take on more and more of the compost. There are two beds I started on a couple of years ago which now have really good soil in, so it does work eventually.

But yeah, when you consider the cost of growing your own veg vs buying stuff, it's not very economical at the beginning unless you're really lucky with soil. I don't mind the expense though, because if I don't grow veg I'll still need to grow something, and unless it's a bunch of cacti or date palms that sand has to go.

[notthatamanda]

I can buy finished compost but that is really expensive. Our earth machine fills up with our scraps in the winter. In April we spread it in the garden, turn it and cover it with landscaping tarp. Increasing hours of baking in the sun, plus some of my friend's worms, by the end of May when we actually plant it is mostly done. 

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

The amethyst vine in the common garden. I have one in my garden but it's not as showy as this one.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

This allamanda is also in the common garden. I have a cutting growing in my garden. It has flowered, but also not as showy as this one.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

One of our storks strolling past my back door. It was about to invite itself inside 

[Maggie Ann]

great photos, Jan.

[notthatamanda]

Thanks for the pics Jan. I never knew there was an allamanda plant. I wonder if I could grow it indoors and it would flower?

[Maggie Ann]

Thanks for the pics Jan. I never knew there was an allamanda plant. I wonder if I could grow it indoors and it would flower?

All parts of the allamanda are poisonous. I wouldn't recommend it as a house plant.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

Thanks for the pics Jan. I never knew there was an allamanda plant. I wonder if I could grow it indoors and it would flower?

All parts of the allamanda are poisonous. I wouldn't recommend it as a house plant.

I did not know that.  Will have to take more care when handling.

[notthatamanda]

Thanks for the pics Jan. I never knew there was an allamanda plant. I wonder if I could grow it indoors and it would flower?

All parts of the allamanda are poisonous. I wouldn't recommend it as a house plant.

Good to know. Got the first inch or so of the foot of snow we are expecting. More garden pics Jan, please!

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

Bromeliad in the common garden. Quite exciting when it flowers. We are into our hot summer months and lots of flowers in bloom - unfortunately so are the numerous weeds  . Spending most of our gardening time weeding.  We have gardeners allotted to us for our own gardens, and garden services cut the grass and trim bushes etc, in the common garden, but if we plant a garden we more or less have to look after it. Unfortunately an outside gardener, who we occasionally employed to help out hasn't been allowed in since the first lockdown due to virus fears. 

[Maggie Ann]

I love bromeliads. Flowers mean babies/pups, but they take several years to bloom.

[notthatamanda]

We got the foot plus of snow they promised us. I am waiting on a grow light bulb. As soon as I get it I will start the tomato seeds. I usually fail hard at seeds, but who knows, maybe this is my year.

[LilyBLily]

We got the foot plus of snow they promised us. I am waiting on a grow light bulb. As soon as I get it I will start the tomato seeds. I usually fail hard at seeds, but who knows, maybe this is my year.

Good reminder. I mean to start tomato seeds this month, too. We get plenty of light from a south-facing window.

[Simon Haynes]

We've just had four days over a hundred degrees (37C+) but fortunately there's a cooler spell starting tomorrow. It won't last, as we're in midsummer here in Western Australia.

Tomato plants, capsicum, corn, asparagus, beans all coming along really well. I'm moving all the old woodchip mulch/shredded trees from the front garden to the rear, and then I'll get some fresh mulch to replace it. (A local tree pruner will deliver a huge truckload for fifty bucks.)

I put up some treated pine poles and shadecloth a couple of weeks ago, and that plus daily hand watering is helping to see the plants through the very hot, dry summer.

My fig tree (grown from a cutting) is shooting up - 4-5 years from now it should provide a nice big shady area.  I have two more in pots, as well as half a dozen mulberry bushes too. Lots of work, but gardens can be very soothing and relaxing too.

[Vijaya]

Ooooo, lovely pictures Jan. You reminded me that I must take my phone on my walks--I've noticed some very pretty mushrooms and want to identify them. At first I thought they were misshapen tomatoes.

Simon, I love fresh figs. We have a couple of cuttings too.

[notthatamanda]

We had mushrooms that looked like mustard on toast. My friend came over one day and asked me if my kids threw their lunch out the front door without me knowing.

[idontknowyet]

We've just had four days over a hundred degrees (37C+) but fortunately there's a cooler spell starting tomorrow. It won't last, as we're in midsummer here in Western Australia.

Tomato plants, capsicum, corn, asparagus, beans all coming along really well. I'm moving all the old woodchip mulch/shredded trees from the front garden to the rear, and then I'll get some fresh mulch to replace it. (A local tree pruner will deliver a huge truckload for fifty bucks.)

I put up some treated pine poles and shadecloth a couple of weeks ago, and that plus daily hand watering is helping to see the plants through the very hot, dry summer.

My fig tree (grown from a cutting) is shooting up - 4-5 years from now it should provide a nice big shady area.  I have two more in pots, as well as half a dozen mulberry bushes too. Lots of work, but gardens can be very soothing and relaxing too.

I'm thinking of adding some mullberry bushes/trees. Are they easy to keep up?

Have you tried growing sweet potatoes. Thats some great weather for them.

[Post-Crisis D]

I'm thinking of adding some mullberry bushes/trees. Are they easy to keep up?

Mulberry trees grow like weeds.  They will grow from seeds.  They will grow from cuttings.  They will grow everywhere.  You can cut them down and they will grow back.  If they grow somewhere you don't want them, remove them as soon as possible or they will be hard to pull out and if you cut them down they will grow back.

And, still, the birds will clear out the mulberries before you have a chance to get them.

[Simon Haynes]

Mulberries are great for making mulch. Massive leaves, all of which fall off in Autumn.

I'm trying to start some sweet potatoes now - I have 2 trays of pieces on the kitchen windowsill which ought to sprout soon. Otherwise I'll plant the whole ones I have in the fridge.   Before I can plant them out I need to prepare a new bed, which is currently 100% sand, and also organise more shade.  Too hot for that kind of work.

[idontknowyet]

Mulberries are great for making mulch. Massive leaves, all of which fall off in Autumn.

I'm trying to start some sweet potatoes now - I have 2 trays of pieces on the kitchen windowsill which ought to sprout soon. Otherwise I'll plant the whole ones I have in the fridge.   Before I can plant them out I need to prepare a new bed, which is currently 100% sand, and also organise more shade.  Too hot for that kind of work.

sweet potatoes dont need shade they loooooooooove the sun and heat

[Simon Haynes]

Western Australian heat?

[idontknowyet]

florida 100+F for 9 months they were super happy

[Simon Haynes]

We get a really, really dry heat here. Isn't Florida humid?

[idontknowyet]

Florida is humid, but sweet potatoes dont like a lot of precipitation we manage that with sandy soil.  2 inches a week. I think i watered once last summer.

This guy grows em but i dont know if he's in your neck of the woods.

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

Florida is humid, but sweet potatoes dont like a lot of precipitation we manage that with sandy soil.  2 inches a week. I think i watered once last summer.

This guy grows em but i dont know if he's in your neck of the woods.

We are also very humid here in Durban. We are into the worst of the humidity. It usually only lasts for Jan, Feb, March. There is a saying about Durban: "It's not the heat - it's the humidity. "  Don't feel like doing much gardening when you are working in sauna conditions.

[idontknowyet]

Florida is humid, but sweet potatoes dont like a lot of precipitation we manage that with sandy soil.  2 inches a week. I think i watered once last summer.

This guy grows em but i dont know if he's in your neck of the woods.

We are also very humid here in Durban. We are into the worst of the humidity. It usually only lasts for Jan, Feb, March. There is a saying about Durban: "It's not the heat - it's the humidity. "  Don't feel like doing much gardening when you are working in sauna conditions.

Thats florida from March to Oct sometime November but rarely

[Simon Haynes]

I watch Mark's vids every time he uploads a new one.  Will check that one again, but he's about 5000 miles away and in a more humid/temperate climate.

Our summer is kind of like Death Valley but with more sand.

[idontknowyet]

I watch Mark's vids every time he uploads a new one.  Will check that one again, but he's about 5000 miles away and in a more humid/temperate climate.

Our summer is kind of like Death Valley but with more sand.

Hehe you make is sound like such a nice place to live!

[Simon Haynes]

Exaggeration for comic effect is my stock in trade ;-)

Perth is a beautiful city.  A green jewel on the coast hemmed in by thousands of miles of harsh terrain. We're fortunate the climate is so dry because evaporative aircon ('swamp coolers') work beautifully well on 95% of our hot days.

But it sure sucks the moisture out of the ground, and this is the first year I've even tried to grow veggies through the middle of summer. The shade is helping, ditto thick mulch and hand-watering every day.

For half the year we have two allocated days for automated watering per week, based on the last digit of the house number. Watering is banned in winter.

[Post-Crisis D]

For half the year we have two allocated days for automated watering per week, based on the last digit of the house number. Watering is banned in winter.

We used to have water restrictions in the summers in the '80s.  Odd-numbered houses could water on odd-numbered days and even-numbered houses could water on even-numbered days.  They eventually did away with the water restrictions after figuring out they made things worse because people would water on their day whether they needed to or not lest the lawn need watering on a day they couldn't.

[Simon Haynes]

I actually have a bore here, but apparently it hasn't worked for 30 years. With a bore you can water an extra day a week.

I would love to get it going but I'm probably looking at $3000, and, well, that's a lot of vegetables.