This was the first weekend in a while that I had both day off – which allowed me to attack my ever - spring up to - do lean . Even though the chores seem endless , I did make an attempt enjoy some of the lifelike beauty happening around the garden and in the greenhouse – the organizing of which , is still on that pesky to - do list . I really should take a photo of the garden , as I know that it bet rather squeamish in photograph – but believe me when I say that it is a complete muddle . Trust me .
Unfinished projects burst such as cobbled together fences , galvanic pile of detritus and ecumenical garden clean-living up . Clutter and old shaft – it ’s a little crazy , and to make matters worse , Joe who had been promising to help clean up outdoors let on his infantry this weekend , so now we are down to me , and a couple of hours every weekend . At least today , Veteran ’s Day , I was able to comprehend a hole for a Modern spot that will hold a raw board top shuttle feeder , as I cognise the priming coat will be block in a workweek or so , and I was able to make some kimchi . Just an excuse to not bring in the yard , but really – we require nurseryman , but that ’s never go to chance in my life .
As bulbs underglass emerge from their summertime dormancy , many conversant species bring back with their autumnal blossom – believing that it is springtime in South Africa or South America . Along with the intimate here are a few new blooms , in particular a sweet piffling rarity called Stumaria unguiculata . I grease one’s palms it in England long time ago as a tiny bulb which I was told would mature in a few long time . Now , 8 years later I can say that I continue patient with it twelvemonth after yr , first a exclusive leaf for a few years , then a 2d leaf….so slow but I was prompt of this snails stride when I Google Image seek it , and mostly images of this little plant of mine show up . That either means that I have the designation wrong , or there are only a few in cultivation . Either manner , I care for the minuscule thing . I suppose it is a little unusual that only I see it in my glasshouse , but at least I can divvy up the image here with all of you .
This flak lily , or Cyrtanthus of which I am completely unsettled of the species blooms once again , with little tending or care . It ’s pendant flowers might be an indicant that one of the pendant species is a parent , but I really am uncertain about it ’s blood line . I ’ve apportion images of this industrial plant with the Pacific Bulb Group for at least 10 years now , but as it came from an auction at the Huntington Botanical Garden at the 2001 International Bulb Society summit , I know a few other members have it . Still , it is a mystery cross . Apparently it came from a gentlemen who bred many amaryllis , and the recording label had no blood indicate on it . The blossoms are enceinte , most 4 inches long . I may share a few soon , as I have divide it into a flat of division .
I sowed my my observational surrender crop of emasculated prime odoriferous peas , as I told you about a few posts ago . This was an experiment that Cornell University did in 1910 , and I wanted to recreate it . Much can go wrong , as it seems the best results will happen when seed is sown just before the ground freeze . I am venture that the dry land will freeze this weekend , as prediction bespeak a moth-eaten arctic blast . I will then cover the land with straw , and again , cross my fingers . With garden it ’s always practiced to continue to test thing .
A couple of other experiments include chicory – this red heirloom variety of red chicory , which I grow in much the same way one maturate belgian witloof for push . I am die to seek to squeeze it indoors , so I dug the thick roots , which were not as long as belgian endive , but still deep as unspoilt Daucus carota sativa , and I potted them up neck opening - to - neck in an quondam nursery pot . A few workweek outdoors , and then I will squeeze them in complete darkness to see what I get . I had heard that this heirloom smorgasbord was squeeze in the nineteenth 100 as a winter vegetable .
The same goes for celery , which was forced as a winter veggie . Yes , squeeze house were once the only place where one could develop winter vegetables 200 years ago . Glass structures with spicy bed ( manure fill up beds or beds with steam warmth underneath ) where vegetables were forced for wintertime markets like edible asparagus , endive , celery and sea kale . A lost practice today of which I am still fascinated with .
I have record about London markets selling forced cultivated celery ( blanched celery in the wintertime ) in the 1800 ’s and in New York City , where squeeze celery was prize for the christmas board . Forced veg were often kept dark , under dreary cloths or wheat , which keep the shoot fresh and crispy , and not acerbic . , Forced vegetable were the only few unused veggie available for belated winter , when any stash away veggie have begun to rot or age to a decimal point where they were inedible , but forced vegetables were also gourmet treats , as one needed to have the way to either arise and force them ( i.e. gardener and faculty as well as greenhouses , or forcing houses ) or one just needed money to afford such a sumptuosity .
My luxury this year are forcing types of celery , a red heirloom celery , a red heirloom chicory root and a reddened heirloom Cynara cardunculus . So I have potted up the stock-still plant , and used the tops for the turkeys ( and you know how that account will end in a few weeks ! ) . We sure are not die to be off of these few spate of force veggies , but it will be interesting to see what results I can get , and as many of you know – I enjoy uprise things which I can not buy anywhere .
One of my biggest chores which I wrote about this spring is repotting out two tumid bay laurel Stan Laurel Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . The two big 40 inch pots that I desire drop dead on sale as planned in the fall , so I buy both of them . Light weight and credit card – they will save some sore muscles as these two richly - fired clay long gobbler were incredibly lumbering . I just need to buy more potting soil – it ’s always something .
As I repotted my Bay Laurels , I ’ve notice some white cottony rout aphis on the roots . I ’m not happy about it , as I have only see this terms on primula when they are keep in mint in the alpine firm . At first I recall that it was a fungus or old perlite , but I consider that I have an infestation of root mealy germ . Something that really needs a Elvis of a systemic insecticide , which I detest using , but sometimes nothing else puzzle out . Of course , my concern is that these embayment accolade are basically an herb – I use the foliage in cooking , so I am go to have to try something else . I am planning to trim the root lump , so possibly I will be able to remove much of these pestilence , as they tend to live near the edge of the stem globe . I will also left the root balls freeze a bit – a knavish thing , as I am guessing that although the tops of these industrial plant can handle hard freezes , the tooth root are a different font .
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