Garden chat & photos for torts and people ♫ ♫

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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I've had this cactus for many years, it's been in the same pot in the same place since I potted it. It has survived but didn't thrive. This year it is growing multiple pads for the first time. It came from Arizona. View attachment 325231This is my Lace Leaf maple that is very colorful this time of year, but by mid June to July it looses most of it's color.View attachment 325232
Neat plants!
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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A Land Far Away...

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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Maro2Bear

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My Opuntia are putting out lots of new pads...they sat kind of dormant in our sunroom all Winter.

The other good (often neglected) plant to grow for the leaves are banana trees. Here are some fruit pods from ours, but I only feed tge leaves to our Sully

Banana Pods
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Cactus Started a Year Back
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Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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Oxalis

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Love that frog. Are you keeping the tree?
Saw another tree frog just this morning. They are so cute ... and loud!

Oh absolutely. Seems to be doing fine under the maple tree. We don't mow the grass there either so the little tree should be safe. We also purchased a few eastern red cedars this spring too.
I am amazed at how many things advertise having cactus in them. Haven't saw that one yet.
I've recently been keeping a few of the True Nopals in my fridge, drinking them after yard work when I feel especially dehydrated.
My Opuntia are putting out lots of new pads...they sat kind of dormant in our sunroom all Winter.

The other good (often neglected) plant to grow for the leaves are banana trees. Here are some fruit pods from ours, but I only feed tge leaves to our Sully

Banana Pods
View attachment 325395
View attachment 325396

Cactus Started a Year Back
View attachment 325397
Those banana blossoms look so strange! The cactus looks happy! :)
 

Jacqui

Wanna be raiser of Lemon Drop tortoises
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Yesterday, when we went for Jeff's Oncologist appointment, there was a big white box near the door. On the way out, we stopped to see what it held. There was a note that told the story. In 2008, a person had their last cancer treatment. Sorta to celebrate that huge milestone, they planted a canna. Through the years, it has thrived and multiplied. They shared with friends and family. Now they had brought a box to the center to share with others. By the time we came upon the box, it was pretty bare. Took two small pieces to plant. All I could think was how great this was all the way around. Think of how many lives were touched and without ever meeting each other. How much hope was shared out of that simple, single white box.

I have had okay luck with cannas in the past, but never managed to over winter the tubers right. Really want to do it right this fall.
 

queen koopa

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So I have been putting ground cinnamon in my garden for bug deterrent (soil and some leaves) so far I have noticed its working on my seedlings. I just had to order more and realized when I opened it that it was powdered cinnamon ?‍♀️?‍♀️ I know theres a difference due to the smell... anyone know if its still gonna work?
 

Oxalis

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Oxalis

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A couple photos from our yard this spring.

We've seen a lot of tree frogs this year! They really like hiding out in our patio umbrella. (Yes, we are always careful when we open and close the umbrella.)

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Here's one resting on my New Jersey tea plant (Ceanothus americanus). The plant is now in bloom, which means it's time to harvest tea leaves! ?

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Last month while we were busy gardening, a snake had decided to investigate under our patio and was startled when we approached. Then he gave us quite a scare trying to flee. We directed him away from the house into some brush. I've noticed him in Steve's outdoor enclosure a couple times, so that'll be something to keep an eye out for in the future.

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The irises and poppies in bloom earlier this month, in a flower bed I still haven't gotten around to tending.

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Our dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) just after a May rain. The Chinese cousin to the giant trees out west, the dawn redwood can easily reach 100' tall and grow 2' or more a year. While we usually try to stick to native plants, my husband and I felt this tree really needed a good home. I don't know how long it was at the store (or if they gave it too much fertilizer) but it was really root-bound and needed to get in the ground. It seemed neglected, so it's our rescue tree. It's looks good this year but might need a stake at some point to help it grow slightly more upright.

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Oxalis

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The recent rain left our yard covered in mushrooms! The first to appear were a bunch of smaller yellow ones, now the taller white ones are taking over.

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Did anyone else have a less than perfect gardening season because of mosquitos? This was probably the worst year for mosquitos I've ever experienced.
 
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Maggie3fan

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I was in Michigan in the late '70's for a month and those were the worst mosquitos I have ever experienced then or since then...awful bugs
 

Yvonne G

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Many, many years ago, so many in fact, that I can't remember the deets, but I know my husband went on a m/c ride and passed through the Mojave desert. He always brought me some sort of souvenir from his road trips, so he stopped at a little roadside stand that was selling things of the desert, and bought either a packet of saguaro seeds or a tiny saguaro in a 1" pot. I nursed that plant from day one, kissing its butt and treating it right. When it was big enough to plant in the ground I planted it outside here at the house I'm living in now, and I've been here almost 30 years, so the saguaro is at least that old. Here's what it looks like now, along with me and Maggie's grandson:

saguaro 11-16-21.jpg

I cautioned the City engineer in charge of the road widening that nothing better happen to this plant under pain of death (his). LOL! he even put the caution on his construction drawing.
 

Maggie3fan

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This year my Thanksgiving cactus does not have as many blooms as usual. This one is red...
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this small one is a Salmon color with white...I am looking forward to it's blooms when the plants gets bigger as it is just growing like crazy...

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