Garden and Yard Talk

[Huntn]

Over the weekend dug up some of our mature amaryllis plants to separate the bulbs that had grown up around the original bulbs. They have gotten quite large and where they started as a single plants, they are now a clumps of plants. The original bulbs were about the size of your fist or a baseball, but digging them up they had at doubled, tripled in size, this was also to make room for the 8 new amaryllis bulbs with fancy white blooms. My wife love these but they are a one trick pony all blooming at the same time which can be magnificent, but then they are done for the season. My wife has started adding some variety of bulbs.

Our amaryllis patch end of season

big bulb​

Some of our friends in the Twin Cities area wanted some of the spare bulbs discussed in a separate thread about shipping costs.

 

[Alli]

We just put down our first bulbs this year. Some are coming up already. It’s fun!

 

[Huntn]

Saw a picture of a rat tail cactus which looked outstanding as a hanging plant in a hot climate.

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Amazon had them at $55. Called around and went down to Cactus King in Houston who said they had them. Simultaneously impressive, a huge cactus yard and a mess with zero customer service and no toilets!

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And their two rat tail cactuses were barely hanging on, looking neglected. The place is designed for landscape contractors, not home owners. So I searched some more and found one on eBay, $12+ $8 for shipping from California and it looks great!

Not sure why this is appearing on it’s side...​

 

[Alli]

Very similar to one we have.

 

[Huntn]

Very similar to one we have. View attachment 1039

Love that pot, is it concrete or other?

 

[Alli]

Love that pot, is it concrete or other?

Concrete. Shipping cost more than the pot, but it was worth it.

 

[Huntn]

Concrete. Shipping cost more than the pot, but it was worth it.

There are several lawn ornament places around Houston with concrete ornaments and pots. The ornamental statue, a couple of urns and the sea serpent are our favorite. We brought the geisha down from Minnesota with us.

Hard to see the urn...​

 

[Alli]

Hard to see the urn...

Almost impossible!

Love the serpent.

 

[Huntn]

Feb 1 and one lone Amaryllis among about 20 decided to bloom... still relatively chilly here in Houston, lows at night high 30’s, days 50-60F Lately.

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[Huntn]

The Southern Weather disaster seems to have concluded and I’m looking at my once proud:

Alocasia​

Reduced to:

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Described as hearty in zones 9-11 (we are 9), it remains to be seen if this will rise like the Phoenix or have to be replaced...

These are tubers. Next time, I’ll know to cut it back in advance and cover it up.

 

[Alli]

The Southern Weather disaster seems to have concluded and I’m looking at my once proud:

Unfortunately, it looks very much like my yard. Almost everything took a hit. Surprisingly, the daffodils are still holding up their saucy little heads.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Unfortunately, it looks very much like my yard. Almost everything took a hit. Surprisingly, the daffodils are still holding up their saucy little heads.

View attachment 3633

Have I mentioned that I just adore and absolutely love daffodils, complete with saucy little heads in a lovely, life-affirming shade of yellow?

 

[Alli]

Have I mentioned that I just adore and absolutely love daffodils, complete with saucy little heads in a lovely, life-affirming shade of yellow?

Why no! I don’t believe you have mentioned that...in this thread. LOL

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Why no! I don’t believe you have mentioned that...in this thread. LOL

Well, yes, my question was rhetorical: But, - herewith an aside and hint, both: I can never see (feast my eyes on) too many pictures of daffodils......

 

[Alli]

Well, yes, my question was rhetorical: But, - herewith an aside and hint, both: I can never see (feast my eyes on) too many pictures of daffodils......

Hint taken.

 

[Huntn]

Hark. It’s Ah-liieevveee!

Can you see them?​

Have I mentioned that I just adore and absolutely love daffodils, complete with saucy little heads in a lovely, life-affirming shade of yellow?

We used to live on Daffodil Path, Minnesota cold weather warriors (Daffodils) and made sure we paid the name homage!

 

[Huntn]

For anyone who likes gardening, I have to recommend Gardener’s World from the UK starring Monty Don. Very Zen like. It’s a great show with a large variety of guests and their gardens and is available for viewing in the US on, Acorn, Britbox, Amazon Prime, BBC2? and Dailymotion videos. My wife is a fanatic and it’s gotten her back out in the yard.

Watch Gardeners' World (2020) | Prime Video

All new season of this perennially popular gardening program returns with an all-new season budding with inspiring ideas and down-to-earth advice. [BritBox

www.amazon.com

 

[Huntn]

28 March 2021
Besides the lone wolf amaryllis that bloomed in early Feb, all the rest are about to pop. Here’s one, front yard:

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The elephant ear continues to make progress:

6 plant shoots in this photo
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And we have decided to allow a little bird to have it’s nest under our gazebo. She’s not all that happy when we are hanging out back there, but it comes with the territiry she chose. I’ve not yet identified it, but it’s small with brownish red coloring, maybe a wren of some kind. Right now my guess is a House Wren or Carolina Wren.

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[Huntn]

April 2021 flower bed Project
This strip of yard, approx 6x35’, the wife wants to turn it into a wild flower bed. The idea is that wild flowers should be relatively rugged and not depend on regular water as there is no sprinkler system in this part of the yard. So you know who gets to do the brunt of the work.

Since we live in a community that has covenants, I decided to run this by the home owner Association who approved, but I said flowers and mulch, not specifically wild flowers which can seen unruly. So we’ll see what kind of reaction if any we get from them. Anyway in the picture I just scalped it with the lawn mower, and per Monty (Gardener’s World), I’ve started to vigorously rake it to expose the dirt, not supposed to remove all of the grass.

Today, I’ll buy a stack of pavers to define the property line which will be flush with the ground (already checked and got an ok from the neighbor. I really need to get this area raked and the seeds spread as it is getting late in the season to start such plants. You want them going before it gets stink’n hot. And I’m going to drop a border of crushed rock around it using landscaping edging to make the area look more defined and refined to counter any unruliness of the wild fires themselves.

This area will also get some tuffs of ornamental grass and 2 Acoma dwarf (white) Crepe Myrtle bushes, 7-10’, but we will prune them as they commonly are around here to resemble trees, pruning them up with a couple of main stalks In the bottom 6’ or so. Typically each year, they are topped And new growth is encouraged.

So has anyone worked with wild flowers? I was surprised that they are typically sewed in existing grasses, but that makes sense when you see them growing in the wild in pastures. Any suggestions?

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[SuperMatt]

I’m in a condo but there is a planter outside. We put in mint and cilantro and dill last year. Mint and cilantro have already started to reappear. I replanted Dill seeds but no action yet.