Monthly Archives: April 2017

Monday’s Find :)

Well, I suppose I better fully admit that my addiction to plant collecting had once again emerged. I tried to hide it when I went to Lowe’s on Sunday but it was no use. Then when I went to Clinton on Monday I had to take a trip to the garden center downtown. Notice I said “I had to”. That was not a question. The first thing I saw was the herbs. I saw a few that I would have liked but I was saving them for last. I needed desperately to see what else was available. The next selection was the annuals. There were SO MANY Petunias that their fragrance filled the air. BUT, I hesitated because I really wasn’t in the mood for Petunias at the moment.

Then I walked to the back… OH YES!!!! SEDUM, HOSTA, VIOLAS, SALVIA… Then I saw their prices. HOLY CRAP!!!! Suddenly my wish list got smaller. I decided maybe I shouldn’t buy any. Then I started looking at the Sedum and they called out to me. OH, it was terrible! I had to tell so many they just couldn’t come home with me. Then with the Hosta. She even had a Hosta ‘Samurai’. I had one of those in the early 1980’s. SO AWESOME but she wanted $15.00! Then I spotted a Hosta ‘Empress Wu’! My mouth drooled but it was in a 1-gallon pot from Monrovia which meant it was over $20.00. SO, reluctantly, I passed up her Hosta and went back over to the Sedum. Then I noticed the Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’ like I had in 2014. WELL, I had to have one.

Well, one plant led to another then another… In alphabetical order:

Baptisia x variicolor ‘Lunar Eclipse’

‘Lunar Eclipse’ False Indigo’
Baptisia x variicolor ‘Lunar Eclipse’
Baptisia australis x Baptisia sphaerocarpa
bap-TIS-ee-uh aw-STRAL-is x sfay-ro-KAR-puh

Part of the Prarieblues Series. There are many cultivars of Baptisia I have wanted to try, but this only the second I have owned. A couple of years ago I bought B. ‘Carolina Moonlight’ from Brent and Becky’s but it had some issues. Baptisia haven’t been readily available locally so I was happy to see this one at the garden center in Clinton on Monday. Baptisia ‘Lunar Eclipse’ is one of several in the Prarieblues Series from the Chicagoland Grows program from the Chicago Botanic Gardens. This hybrid featured flowers that change color… They emerge light lemon-over-cream then turn to cream, pale lilac and shades of purple/blue. They grow to a height of 3-4 feet in a full to mostly sunny location. Baptisia attract a lot of butterflies.

Lavandula dentata

French Lavender, Fringed Lavender
Lavandula dentata
lav-AN-dew-lah den-TAY-tuh

Lavandula dentata L. was named and first documented by Carl Von Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753.

Now, folks, I don’t know much about Lavender. I just know it smells girly and has many different leaf and flower types. I have always particularly favored the French Lavender because the flowers look like they have wings on top. A couple of years ago I bought a Lavandula angustifolia ‘Platinum Blonde’. It was taken over by the HUGE Coleus growing next to it and died… I had too many other distractions that year and completely neglected my plants. Lowe’s had Lavender plants when I was there on Sunday but they were the English species so I didn’t buy any. When I saw the garden center in Clinton had a few of the French, I had to have one.

When I add this plant to the pages to the right I will have more information about Lavender.

Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’

New Zealand Brass Buttons ‘Platt’s Black’
Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’
lep-tin-EL-luh SKWA-lee-duh

I bought one of these at Lowe’s in 2014 and it was really neat! Well, it did very well in the pot but went downhill after I put in the bed. It did flower then died cold turkey. SO, I found another one at the garden center today, which was a surprise, so I had to bring one home. Yes, I HAD TO! It was fate that brought me to the garden center and possibly because they had this particular plant. OK, well, maybe that is a complete exaggeration.

According to information on the internet, these plants are supposed to like full sun to part shade and can spread indefinitely. OH, that would be AWESOME!!! It says in large planting, spent flowers can be clipped off with a lawn mower and can even stand foot traffic. Well, I don’t think I will be walking on mine for a while, or even be using a lawn mower on them. They grow a max of 2” tall and the leaves grow 2” long x 1/2” wide. Info says they like full sun to part shade but last time I tried them in full sun so this time I will try part shade. It also says they don’t like their soil to dry out.

They are considered a herbaceous perennial in USDA Zones 4-10 and are even evergreen in zones 9 and 10.

Leptinella squalida are native to New Zealand but the ‘Platt’s Black” cultivar is from a sport discovered in the garden of Jane Platt of Portland, Oregon. According to some, the original is much better and more bushy and healthier looking.

OH, I almost forgot… Leptinella squalida Hook.f. is the correct and accepted scientific name of this plant. BUT that’s all I could find… Publication details weren’t available on Tropicos.

Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’

Caucasian Stonecrop, Two-Row Stonecrop
Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’
SEE-dum SPUR-ee-um

Sedum spurium M. Bieb. is the correct and accepted scientific name for this species of Sedum. It was first described as such by Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein in Flora Taurico-Caucasica in 1808. You can take a deep breath after that.

Well, I love Sedum so I had to have this one, and many more to come. We all pretty much know the characteristics and growing conditions of the “ground cover” type Sedums. BUT you have to realize that many Sedums have had or now have different genus names. In fact, many Crassulaceae experts who have written many publications use the genus name “Phedimus” due to the leaf shape (and other characteristics I am sure). While The Plant List says this species is Sedum spurium, they say Phedimus spurius. I am certainly not going to argue either way because I am just a gardener.  The taller species, like the ever popular “Autumn Joy” isn’t even a Sedum anymore. They are in the genus Hylotelephium… Sedum is MUCH easier to pronounce! Many retailers and growers are still using the Sedum name, though.

You have to admit the list of 421 ACCEPTED species names is STILL pretty long… Not to mention there are STILL 429 names that are unresolved. That is because in the world of succulents and cactus there are so many that are the same.

Sempervivum x ‘Killer

Sempervivum x ‘Killer’

This Sempervivum cultivar was hybridized and registered by Volkmar Schara of Germany in 2004. According to one website, they are also sold under the name of Chick Charms® ‘Cranberry Cocktail’. That name led me to the Chick Charms® Collectable Hens & Chicks website.

Chick Charms® are selected by Chris Hansen who is also the breeder of SunSparkler® Sedums. He has a collection of over 485 named varieties.

You know, there are over 4,000 named varieties of Sempervivums and SO MANY of them look exactly alike and no doubt many are the same. The result of the same crosses or sports. Just like in this case… They were hybridized AND registered under the name ‘Killer’ and they are also sold under the Chick Charms® name ‘Cranberry Cocktail’.

I had a few really nice Sempervivum that did very well until they met their end in 2014. This one caught my eye at the garden center because they have longer leaves and the rosettes reach 8” across and they grow up to 3” tall.

Well, that’s it for my second trip of plant buying. The next post will be about my new bed. SO, until then, take care, enjoy life and GET DIRTY!!!

 

Ummm… I Just Went To Get Potting Soil

Well, you know… I haven’t much to say for myself (I am laughing as I wrote that). We have a conscious mind and a sub-conscious mind. Sometimes I think my mind hides stuff in my sub-conscious mind believing that no one will see it’s true agenda. But I think it is fooling itself, especially among those who know me best. This afternoon I told my dad I was going to Sedalia to buy potting soil. He looked at me and smiled but definitely didn’t offer his debit card.

When I arrived at Lowe’s I heard this voice in my head. It was my wife saying, “Honey, you better park as close as you can.” Well, now that was really weird because I am not married. Maybe it was my spirit guide and she didn’t say “honey”… Maybe she said “hey”. Anyway, I followed her advice.

When I got up to all the plants in front of the garden center of course I walked around. It is SO NUTS how they are selling sweet corn and green beans in packs for $3.00!!! I didn’t see anything interesting so I went inside. Now, my conscious mind is talking to my subconscious mind, reminding one another that I had thought I needed to find more Hosta. I need more color in the shaded area where they are. Of course, I looked for more cactus and succulents but I was VERY disappointed. Thank goodness for that.

SO, I didn’t do as well as I should have. Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it. i was very careful though… Careful because I made sure everything I bought had labels. SO, when I came home I made sure dad was inside while I unloaded the car. Then I took them behind the shed to my potting bench and went inside to get my camera and a notepad. Dad was watching TV. He asked, “Well, how did you do?” GEEZ!!!! I answered, “I did OK. I bought a big bad of potting soil, perlite and a few plants.”

In alphabetical order…

Adromischus cristatus-Key Lime Pie.

Adromischus cristatus
ad-roh-MIS-kus kris-TAY-tus
Syn: Adromischus poellnitzianus

According to The Plant List, Adromischus cristatus (Haw.) Lem. is the accepted scientific name for this plant. It was described by this name by (Antoine) Charles Lemaire in Jardin Fleuriste in 1852. It was first described as Cotyledon cristata by Adrian Hardy Haworth.

Native Habitat: Lower Baviaanskloof and Langkloof west of Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, South Africa. This particular species is easily recognized by its felt-like leaves and tangled, hair-like aerial roots.

Crassulaceae Family
Zones 9b-10b (25-35 degrees F.)
Light: Sun to part shade
Flowers: White to near white in late summer to early fall.

Faucaria tigrina-Tiger Jaws

Tiger Jaws
Faucaria tigrina
fow-KAR-ee-uh  tig-REE-nuh
Syn: Mesembryanthemum tigrinum Haw.

Faucaria tigrina (Haw.) Schwantes is the correct and accepted scientific name for this succulent. It was first described as Mesembryanthemum tigrinum by Adrian Hardy Haworth in Observations on the Genus Mesembryanthemum, in two parts in 1795. The species was then moved to the genus Faucaria and was first described as Faucaria tigrina by Martin Heinrich Gustav Schwantes in Zeitschrift für Sukkulentenkunde (Berlin) in 1926.

Faucaria tigrina is found only within the Albany Thicket of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. There are only four remaining subpopulations left in the wild due to urban development and over grazing. It is listed as endangered in the Red List of South African Plants. The first documented discovery of Faucaria tigrina was during an expedition in 1789 by Francis Masson, who was sent to the Cape by the King of England to collect plants for Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. The specimens of F. tigrina were sent to Adrian Haworth, a gardener at Kew, who recognised them as a new species. The genus name comes from the Latin word faux meaning jaw and tigrina for tiger. The genus has 33 species in total, all occurring within the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa.

The “teeth” are an adaptation of the plant to help collect water vapor from the air and direct it down to the plants roots.

I bought one of these in 2014 and it looked much better.

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’

Heuchera ‘Obsidian’

Considered the “black standard” which does not fade even in full sun. I think this is a Terra Nova introduction since this cultivar is on their website. Also it is probably a Heuchera villosa x H. micrantha and/or H. americana hybrid.

Zones 4-9
Ht: 10-12”, 24” in flower
Full sun to part shade
Creamy white flowers in May-July, depending on location.
Low maintenance and medium water requirements.

Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’

Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’

Foliage color changes from cinnamon peach to burnished copper to amber. This is another villosa hybrid from Terra Nova.
Zones 4-9
Ht. 14”, 22” in flower.
White flowers in spring.
Full sun to part shade

Heuchera ‘Venus’

Heuchera ‘Venus’

Silver leaves with green veins. Part of the ‘Planet Collection’ from the Netherlands.
8” tall, 15 “ n flower.
White flowers in late spring to mid-summer.
Full sun to part shade
zones 4-9

Hosta ‘Abique Drinking Gourd’

Hosta ‘Abique Drinking Gourd’
(H. ’Tokudama’ x H. sieboldiana)
Hosta of the Year 2014

Developed by Chuck Pertymun (the Hosta wild man) and introduced by Walden-West in 1989.
Large cup-shaped, heavily puckered, blue-green leaves. Leaves can grow up to 10” wide x 10” across.
Grows approximately 20” tall.

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’

Hosta ‘Forbidden Fruit’

A beautiful Hosta that is a tetraploid sport of Hosta ‘Orange Marmalade’. Introduced by Marco Fransen, Fransen Hosta, of the Netherlands.
Very thick, puckered leaves of glowing orange with a wide blue-green margin. Produces lavender flowers. The plant grows 12-14” and will make a 24” wide clump.

Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’

Hosta ‘Rainforest Sunrise’

This hosta is a sport from Bill Vaughn’s dwarf Hosta ‘Maui Buttercups’. Leaves are cupped and heavily puckered, bright golden with a very dark green margin. Introduced by Jim Anderson of Winterberry Farms in 2003. This is a smaller Hosta grows around 16 “ tall x 16” wide.

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’
Hosta of the Year 2008.

Introduced by Emile and Jane Deckert in 2000. It is a sport of Hosta ‘Blue Cadet’. There have been at least 27 new Hosta’s from this cultivar. This is a miniature for sure growing only 8-10” tall and forming a clump of around 12: wide. The small leaves are thick, blue-green and slug resistant.

Mammillaria pringlei

Mammillaria pringlei
mam-mil-AR-ee-uh  PRING-lee-eye

First documented as Mammillaria pringlei by John Merle Coulter in Contributions from the United States National (Smithsonian Institution) in 1894. It was also documented as Mammillaria pringlei (J.M. Coult.) K. Brandegee in 1900.

 

Nepeta x faassemii-Catmint

‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint
Nepeta x faassenii
NEP-eh-tuh  fah-SEN-ee-eye
Nepeta racemosa x Nepeta nepetella

Nepeta x faasenii Bergmans ex Stearn is a correct and accepted name according to The Plant List. It was first documented by Johannes (John) Baptista Bergmans and William Thomas Stearn. Their document was published in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1950.

Family: Lamiaceae
USDA Zones 4-8
2-2 1/2’ tall x 2-3’ wide
Flowers: Lavender blue from April through September
Light: Full sun to part shade
Fragrant leaves
Water: Dry to medium
Propagation: Must propagate by division because the seeds are sterile.

 

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Blue’

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Rose’.

Salvia nemorosa ‘New Dimensions Rose and Blue’

This series produces the richest and deepest colors of any seed-grown Salvia. Salvia nemorosa species and cultivars are herbaceous perennials that are are hardy in USDA Zones 5-8. This series supposedly grows to 12” or so tall with a spread of around 18”. They are very drought tolerant, need well-drainers soil, and prefers full sun. As with all of the Salvia, butterflies love them.

These particular cultivars are seed-grown and were developed by Kieft-Pro-Seeds of Holland.

 

Zantedeschia elliottiana (Golden Calla Lily)

Well, almost everyone knows what a Calla Lily is and they don’t need any introduction. I would like to have a BIG collection! According to the label, they are hardy here. We will see.

 

I did buy a bag of Caladium bulbs, too. Wagler’s greenhouse had A LOT of them last year but none I could see this year.

Well, that’s it for this post. Now I have to add these to the plant pages list to the right. SO, I hope you enjoyed this post. Spring and PLANTS make me feel like blogging again. Stay tuned, have fun, take care and GET DIRTY!

HELLO! It’s Friday!

Hello, everyone! I thought I would walk around and show you a little of what’s happening around here. I did go to two of the Amish greenhouses today to see what they have available. I was good, didn’t get to excited and I didn’t buy a single thing. That seems like a miracle! I was going to take photos but there were several customers always standing around so I decided not to this time.

The Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chips’ are flowering now. They have spread nicely everywhere I planted them. Umm… Don’t know if you realize it or not, or have ever tried Ajuga (Bugleweed), but they spread. They spread, that is, if you plant them where they are happy. Mine are happy here but they seemed to be happier where I had them in Mississippi. I have a photo somewhere to prove that. Of all the Ajuga I have seen, I like the variety “Chocolate Chips’ better. They have really nice small leaves that are dark green with kind of a burgundy tint, hue, or whatever you call it. Did I mention they spread?

Obviously this is a cactus. But guess what the name of it is? Well, actually, I am hoping someone tells me. I need to put it on a Facebook group to get the name. This is the one that Mrs. Wagler of Wagler’s Greenhouse told me it would survive the winter outside. Umm… The one I forgot about until late one night when it was snowing. Well, it survived just like she said. Now it has a fall off on it and buds. Some cactus grow shoots that fall off and root… I call them fall offs because that is what they do. I won’t have any problems identifying this cactus because it has some pretty distinctive characteristics.

The Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) has been galloping very nicely lately. I say nicely now, but later I will probably want to corral it (them). Many of the taller stems have fallen over so I guess I need to cut them off. Despite the Equisetum’s wandering nature, they are one of my favorite plants. I like weird accent plants and I have been thinking about sticking a few here and there. It took me several years to take them out of their pot so I probably won’t be moving them around anytime soon. Not because I am a procrastinator but because I know what WILL ultimately happen.

Yeah, I know. I am supposed to cut the flowers of of the Rhubarb. But aren’t they AWSOME!!! Only one plant does well and the others are so small and weird. I always like growing Rhubarb because they are neat, tropical looking plants. Kind of like Elephant Ears. Dad had a HUGE Rhubarb patch in our garden when I was a kid and I have no idea why he didn’t move some here to the farm in 1996. The new owners of their old house mowed them all down. I remember as a kid I would break off a stem and suck on it for hours. Of course, mom would often cook it for us.

All the Hosta are looking very well. Above is Hosta ‘Guacamole’ with its beautiful bi-color green leaves.

Hosta ‘Krossa Regal’ is always majestic with it’s nice powdery, light blue-green leaves. This cultivar has a nice vase-shape, as they call it. I could never figure out why they call it a vase-shape. Seems more like a funnel. LOL.

On the right side of the bed is the HUGE Hosta ‘Potomac Pride’. Awesome large, dark green,  puckered, heavily veined leaves.

This photo of Hosta ‘Red October’ looks a little off. It is darker green than this. Anyway, it is doing very well, too.

Last, alphabetically, is my beautiful Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’. Now folks, seriously, this is an AWESOME Hosta. If you don’t have one, you need to find one. Large, thick, puckered blue-green leaves that are quite slug resistant.

After taking a few photos I went to the chicken house… I went inside and picked up the water bucket to get fresh water and came out…

And “you know who” was on the roof! I think he gets sillier every day!

When I came back to the chicken house I went into the bantams pen. Clara was screaming at Elizabeth and Elizabeth was complaining because Clara didn’t want to share the top nest.

Rooster #1 was laughing at them saying, “Women.”

I went back into the main area of the chicken house to get the bigger chickens eggs and “This One” was in a nest. “This One” always gives me the evil eye and bristles up ready to strike. I think she sharpens her beak just for me. Seriously, I have never had a more ferocious hen! Lately I just leave her alone. Not worth upsetting her, getting pecked only to find she doesn’t have any eggs under her yet.

The two unnamed Sedum are doing very well, too. I just call them Unknown #1…

And Unknown #2. I can figure out their names in time. I just have to sit down and go through several hundred photos and descriptions. The thing is, they may have been placed in the Phedimus genus. Or maybe they were put in the Phedimus genus then put back in Sedum. I DON”T KNOW!!! I do know that they were Sedum, then Phedimus at one point but the last time I looked some of them were put back in the Sedum genus. Some experts who write books with one name or the other argue with each other about what belongs where and why. I think they need to sit down to an AWESOME dinner and forget all about it for a while. Find something they can agree on to talk about.

Well, I better go for now. Hope you enjoyed this post! Take care and GET DIRTY!!!

 

THE GREEN AND THE ROOSTER

Hello everyone! The little Old English Game rooster has completely made himself at home. Dad says he wears himself out going from one yard to another all day. We talk a little in the morning when I let him out of his coop then he follows me when I go get fresh water for the other chickens. Then he goes right to the back porch. By the time I put the water in the chicken house and get the earlier eggs he is back again. The cats don’t pay any attention to him but I think they find his talking and crowing rather annoying.

One day as I walked by the back door the rooster was on dad’s lap. Dad started petting and talking to the rooster and I could tell they had become buddies. I should have taken a photo that time, but that was one of those precious moments I didn’t capture. I did get this photo a few days later.

The grass is growing so fast now as with every spring. It seems I am on the mower or trimming every day. I need to harrow the hay field and close there gate so the cows can’t get in. May just have to forget the harrowing. I also need to get the garden ready!!!

OH, YEAH!!! I almost forgot about our evening visitor..

 

The raccoon stayed and ate cat food even after I turned on the light. He got a drink after he ate the rest of the cat food then looked up at me and left.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I will try and make a new one sooner next time. There are a few photos I can take, so maybe tomorrow or the next day….

Until then, be safe, be happy and thank your creator for your many blessings. Don’t forget to GET DIRTY!

#2-IT’S A BULL CALF!

Our second calf was born this morning and it’s a bull.

He was sleeping but his mother went over and woke him up as I got closer.

He had to give me a good look. I was his first glimpse of a human.

The little heifer born March 30 is doing fine and is full of energy. The tried to hide behind her mother so I couldn’t get a photo.

There were some beautiful clouds in the sky.

There were some Blue-Winged Teal on the pond…

Well, that’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed this post and hope to bring you another real soon. I am still working on one that is still a draft. Maybe I can get it finished tomorrow unless we have another calf.

Have a great day or evening, depending on your time zone. Take care and GET DIRTY!

First New Calf of 2017

Our first calf of 2017 is a heifer born on March 30. This is her first calf, too. She did very well and is very proud of her new little girl.

One down and 7 more to go. Last year we has 4 bull calves and a heifer. This year we have started out with a heifer.

Of course, July has to have her photo taken and a good rub down. She is looking so much like her mother is it to hard to tell them apart. They both like their head scratched, which isn’t such a good idea anymore. Scratching your calves your calves on the head when they are born gets addictive to them. Kind of like sticking your babies thumb in their mouth to pacify them. It is something you regret doing later on.

I have been working on a post all week that I have not finished. I wanted to get this one done about the calf, though because it is a current event.

Well, I better get off here for now. Take care and enjoy your weekend. OH, if weather permits, GET DIRTY!!!