The Unc-tanical Gardens

[Mr.Fastcast]

Been getting a lot of rain over here,how about you? Thank God for the Monsoon.The other day it got down to 71,that's pretty good for July.Nothing like the smell of the desert in summer(creosote,etc).

Still looking over here.

 

[unclefishstick]

i got a few days off from watering,had a week of cloudy weather but i think we only got an inch,maybe an inch and a half....still,thats enough for desert plants,lots of stuff was blooming yesterday when i was hauling rocks from the mountains...yeah,it was a nice break from the heat,still pretty cool for end of july in desert,really been helping with the landscaping plants,all the natives just exploded into fresh growth and flowers...

 

[Mr.Fastcast]

Ya,where still way under for this time of year,as far as the amount of rain we should get.It's always nice to get that rain in the winter too.

I had another surge of blooms on one of my plants.I actually thought of trying to germinate them.I figured I couldn't lose,but I threw them away.There's still more on the plant though.

 

[unclefishstick]

i think i got some rebutia seeds to sprout,its hard to tell with cactus seedlings whats what...im pretty sure the river is already dry this year,usually theres water until fall at least....well there used to be water until fall that is...

 

[Mr.Fastcast]

i think i got some rebutia seeds to sprout,its hard to tell with cactus seedlings whats what...im pretty sure the river is already dry this year,usually theres water until fall at least....well there used to be water until fall that is...

Nice,I grew up around water, and I really miss it! What's really cool, is,I live right by a creek and it actually has water in it,sometimes.

 

[unclefishstick]

i spent 12 years living on islands so i understand what you mean about missing the water,just makes it that much more special when you do find flowing water in the desert...im looking forward to getting out there on my new touring rig,lots of this state i have only really seen blasting by at 75,its going to be great to see it at 10 mph...

 

[unclefishstick]

got a pallet of flagstone last week and got it all installed...

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[unclefishstick]

bird of paradise

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chocolate daisies

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strawberry hedgehog cactus

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mixed opuntia cluster

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my first melon!

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[Mr.Fastcast]

That looks like you've done this before? Either way,it looks good.

I'm wondering how these new,and old plants will do come mid winter,I mean the cacti.

 

[Mr.Fastcast]

Man,you ever notice how those MBOP smell?,just like pine trees. I mean the foliage.

 

[unclefishstick]

That looks like you've done this before? Either way,it looks good.

I'm wondering how these new,and old plants will do come mid winter,I mean the cacti.

the natives should do fine,im going to lose some of the exotic cactus i have in ground im sure,and a few are right on the edge of zone tolerance....we shall see...about half the native species will die back over the winter and can be pruned down to the ground and a fresh plant will spring up when its warmer,mainly its perennials,probably half evergreens...
nope,first flagstone work,dry stacking isnt that complicated,and i have done plenty of brickwork,same principles apply...and these kind of walkways and such need some settling time then i can go back and put down paver sand and pack it in..


and most of the cactus will be in a greenhouse or coldframe or inside depending on there overwintering needs..

Man,you ever notice how those MBOP smell?,just like pine trees. I mean the foliage.

theres a lot going on in that respect,like you were saying about the turpentine bush,theres all sorts of highly scented stuff out there...but i thought it was the bark mulch! always smells like pine

 

[unclefishstick]

noticed yesterday this echinopsis was going to flower...the size of some of these blossoms in relation to the size of the cactus itself is sometimes wildly out of proportion...

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[Mr.Fastcast]

As big as that thing is,I hope it smells good? Your comment on the size was my first thought also.

 

[unclefishstick]

its not overwhelming by any means,just a sort of generally pleasant smell,some of the others are more highly perfumed.

 

[unclefishstick]

boy,glad i got those pics,the blossom is already closing up,maybe it will re-open in the morning...

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[unclefishstick]

well,actually just got some rain,maybe 1/10 of an inch,but good enough for a day off from watering...picked up a few cactus and an either aloe or haworthia of some type...moved some of the cactus onto the back porch since they get a good amount of direct sun..
released another 1000 ladybugs into the veggie garden...they are munching aphids as we speak..

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[Mr.Fastcast]

It stopped raining here a couple of days ago.

My hedgehog is about to bloom,so I'll get a before and after shot,in a couple of days, or so.I can't believe I've had that plant for this long.

 

[unclefishstick]

getting hammered with rain again tonight,looks like maybe a second storm heading in,amazing how fast these desert storms move...all hell broke loose for about 5 minutes,and just like that,its over...

 

[unclefishstick]

been quite a bug battle here this summer,released about 2000 ladybugs over the last week,they were free but lots of deaders but im seeing them all over the place...

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maters,not been very large or super productive but there has been a non stop wave of them for 2 months and doesnt look like they will end until summer does..

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[/FONT]yellow squash

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red bell pepper

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[unclefishstick]

new mexico big jim green chili

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purple tomatillos

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smart"pot"atoes...been piling mulch and grass clippings into the pot as the plants grow,going to put some soil in there next and maybe stack a second smart pot with the bottom cut out on top as they grow...

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more cantaloupes,looks like there could be lots of them,thank god i only planted 2 seeds...

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also have a row of mesculin mix coming up,a bunch of italian red and tokyo green scallions coming in,some walla walla onions and i just planted some beets....thinking of filling the 100 gallon smart pot i have with some roots707 i can get cheap and doing a carrot and beet bed for fall...