Gardening and Nature

[Sunshine]

We live in a lovely natural habitat that I can see through the window. My DH proclaimed he would buy raised planters, since I had enjoye nurturing potted herbs and veggies at the old house until about Hurricane Michael when we had to throw all the pots off the roof...thats a diffferent story.

So, I have 2 planters onthe pool deck. Plenty of sunshine, but there is a screen that cuts down on the rays some.

I have basil, rosemary, thyme, small grape tomatoes, oregano. And we bought very small succulent plants for my kitchen window: I know nothing about raising succulents. Next to them in shot glasses, I have a thyme and mint cutting I am rooting to put back into soil eventually.

Then I spotted this article by Oliver Sacks, famous neurologist. I hope you can read it. One hopes there are many others like him out there, its about the value of nature and gardening on humans and invalids, and long time hospitalized and nursing homes patients....

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I know the little bit of tending of my plants i do every day is nice. And of course, Laz does it for her work as does Peg.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

Sunshine,, good topic,,,wow,, you really are getting your green thumb a work out,,remember to water early and late day,,

like I said, we are just getting started,, depending on weather,, a half a acre we usually plant,, 30 tomato plants,, zucchinni's,,peppers,,cabbages,,we will probally can and freeze in August,, oh yes , and butcher beef in December,, we are the hillbillys from Iowa,,lol

[agate]

Beautiful garden photos in that article, Sunshine--and I'm so glad you posted it just now, with spring here at last. Looking at plants is very restful. These peaceful views are welcome.

Good luck with the succulents! Most of them are quite easy but they need sun. So I haven't had any in years but recall looking after a couple of jade plants years ago. They thrived on neglect!

[Lazarus]

Beautiful garden photos in that article, Sunshine--and I'm so glad you posted it just now, with spring here at last. Looking at plants is very restful. These peaceful views are welcome.

Good luck with the succulents! Most of them are quite easy but they need sun. So I haven't had any in years but recall looking after a couple of jade plants years ago. They thrived on neglect!

Hi,
I grow a lot of succulents. Thousands actually. You might have more success with some than others but none of them are in love with heavy watering. Mine are shaded in the greenhouse. They seem to like light more than sun. Treat them more like a cactus to avoid overwatering. I had lots of them flowering this winter. Most people do ‘t Get to see the flowers.

[Sunshine]

Today I rolled out to the raised planter in my rollator (C3P0) to check on plants. The herbs and tomatoes look healthy. But, I see evidence of root aphids—-not a good sign!!!

The indoor succulents look perkey despite not enough hours of direct sunlight.

On the same ledge as the succulents, I started cuttings of mint, and Thyme . They are rooting, but the mint leaves lookburnt. Had put one osmocote bead in thyme water. Had put 2 in the mint. Will stick with one. Or maybe none.

I started an oregano cutting next to the other cuttings.

[Sunshine]

Thanks for the tips Laz...I might have to pick your brain!

I put herb cuttings in a glass to root. I thought that maybe they needed some nutrition as well as the water. So, I put one bead of osmocote per shot glass....Is that necessary? Wil it burn the plant?

[Howie]

You've heard of having a "green thumb"? Well, when it comes to growing things, I have a "black thumb". I am Doctor Death when it comes to plants.

[agate]

Today I actually potted a couple of coleus plants brought to me on Thursday by the grocery shopping service I use. I was taking a chance by having someone else pick these out but I'm pleased with the choice. They look like healthy plants that just might survive even me.

While I was at it, I also potted another coleus and a Swedish ivy plant. I had started these as cuttings last fall, and now they're ready to be outside.

Today is the last day when there could be a frost around here.

Happy Easter and Happy Passover to those who observe them! Happy Spring to the rest!

[nuthatch]

Beautiful flowers, Agate!

We live on a couple of acres and have seen many jackrabbits around. They are pretty big and oh so fast, but his little guy was found in some grass/weeds by my patio several years ago. It's a wild baby jackrabbit and was only about 5 inches long.
My DH had been hoeing some weeds right up next to the patio slab and happened to see it. Being careful not to touch it, very gently using a shovel, he put it on the slab so he could see it clearly to make sure it was not injured. He called me and I photographed it. It wasn't injured but didn't move a bit. DH then gently returned it to where it was found in the weeds. He stopped all work and left it alone, hoping the mother would come for it, but sadly, it was dead the next morning. Each of the following 2 days we discovered another dead bunny in the same area, all uninjured. We felt terrible!

I did a little research about jackrabbits and learned that the young are born in a fur-filled depression. Most litters have between three to four young. The female will move the babies to separate locations to make them less vulnerable to predators. The babies only nurse for three to four days and are independent by the time they are a month old.

I get so nervous when I see the neighbors mowing their acreage this time of year. My DH walks around any area he intends to hoe or mow now, just in case. He looks for quail nests also, since we have so many quail around. All the other neighbors have dogs so I think a lot of the wildlife gravitates to our property.

I love seeing the deer, but lately there are none around, most likely because there has been a mountain lion/cougar seen several times by some of the neighbors and warnings in my Nextdoor Group after a few people in our area lost goats to the mountain lion. That's one animal I wish wasn't around! Makes me nervous when DH goes for a walk. He doesn't go walking in the early morning or late afternoon now, but that mountain lion has been seen in the middle of the day. It also left footprints in my planter that the fountain is in, when it went up to get a drink! Yikes!

Sunshine, I always think of alligators in Florida. Do you have any around you?

[Sunshine]

You’ve been busy Agate! I look forward to doing stuff like that with my plants :)

[Sunshine]

Nuthatch: I love your story about your bunnies, and assorted wildlife :)

Yes we have alligators. We live on a waterway which is filled with alligators, it is a fairly undeveloped waterway, old Florida— big oaks by the water withhanging branches filled with bromeliads and the such.

The house is far enough back that the water doesn’t get anywhere near it even ina hurricane. But, you are mindful when you approach the edge of the water that there might be a baby or two.

Alligators move VERY FAST...

One of my favorite signs is near myPCP building — in the parking area is a fenced in retention pond with a sign that says to beware of alligators.

No part of Florida is immune to alligators. They are protected species and have flourished under these protections. Every now and then the state licenses a certain number of hunters to capture a certain number of gators.

When I used to canoe in the river, it was unnerving to see the gators nostrils peak out of the water, or the gator sunnng itself on a log...because the canoe was so close to the water. We brought a large knife with us—-just in case :)

[Lazarus]

Thanks for the tips Laz...I might have to pick your brain!

I put herb cuttings in a glass to root. I thought that maybe they needed some nutrition as well as the water. So, I put one bead of osmocote per shot glass....Is that necessary? Wil it burn the plant?

Not sure..I don’t use osmocote but too much fertilizer could burn the plant...it should recover? I wouldn’t fertilize anything before it had firmly establish good roots. Good luck! I just spent a couple of hours in my greenhouse to start selecting, cleaning and repotting plants to bring to the first market of 2019 NEXT SATURDAY. oi-Vez.
H

[Lazarus]

Sunshine! You brought a knife? Not an ax? How large a knife would a person need to fight off an alligator?!
“When I used to canoe in the river, it was unnerving to see the gators nostrils peak out of the water, or the gator sunnng itself on a log...because the canoe was so close to the water. We brought a large knife with us—-just in case :)”


When I just posted this there were a bunch of attached images. I tried to edit the post to erase them but that did not work. I stupidly clicked on one image and my iPad kept flashing a “not secure” message. I hope they are gone but if not do not click on them!!!!!!!!
I see they are gone but I am leaving this message for others to see.

[Sunshine]

The best strategy is to punch them in their nose and they will release you.
You can stab them in the nose or the mouth.

They grab you and then roll over, thus drowning you, and then they eat you. They are aggressive creatures.
You could bring a gun, but you might not be able to use it.

I would take a shark any day over a gator.

[Lazarus]

I never learned to swim....no chance encounters for me!