One Happy Turtle

[Len B]

This guy is enjoying a hot sunny Sept afternoon.

 

[terryo]

I can't stop laughing. That picture is so great!!!!
All my boxies are slowing down now and today I went outside and took, probably the last pictures of the summer.

 

[shelber10]

that looks scary

 

[Skyler Nell]

ahahaha that looks so funny
almost like it's an ostrich or something!

 

[hali]

what a fab pic x

 

[terryo]

I posted some pictures of my boxies in the picture section.

Len, can you tell me how you are hibenating your boxies ...if you are...and where? I'm so nervous about leaving them out this year.

 

[Jacqui]

 

[Len B]

I posted some pictures of my boxies in the picture section.

Len, can you tell me how you are hibenating your boxies ...if you are...and where? I'm so nervous about leaving them out this year.

The ones I can find I put in the big pen. Which I cover in poly which turns it into a greenhouse sort of,The first year it was tall enough to stand up in but I found the ground temps were to low so I lowered the height the next winter and lowered it even more the winter after that.The board going from one end to the other with the pots on it is the height I use now.I remove the pots,cut the ginkgo trees back and remove the pots on the ground that are used as visual obstructions and shade, gather leaves that fell of the maple trees(not mulched) and dump them in the corners for them to get under.wrap the outside walls in poly to keep the wind from getting through the spaces between the 1x6s and poly the top with a piece long enough to reach the ground on both ends, the back side is stapled the length of the pen and the front side is weighted down with a long 2x4 so on nice days i can role the poly back so it doesn't get to hot inside.the top poly is resting on wires and cables so it doesn't cave in when it snows.I use a bush broom to clean the snow off (me and that broom got a workout last winter) .

 

[terryo]

Wow. I'm in NY, so we have pretty harsh winters here. I made a cave on one side of the boxie garden (you can see the pictures in the photo section) And I'm filling that up with leaves, on top of loose soil mixed with peat moss, and some pine straw on top. I'm hoping this will be OK. Then when everyone is down I will cover the whole thing with some pool liner.

 

[Len B]

Wow. I'm in NY, so we have pretty harsh winters here. I made a cave on one side of the boxie garden (you can see the pictures in the photo section) And I'm filling that up with leaves, on top of loose soil mixed with peat moss, and some pine straw on top. I'm hoping this will be OK. Then when everyone is down I will cover the whole thing with some pool liner.

I would think again about the pool liner, don't think it is necessary, In the wild they really don't go down that deep. You would be surprised what insulation value leaves have, The liner will alter the natural decomposition of the leaves and restrict air circulation. a few years ago I laid a bag of mulch on an elephant ear plant after frost had killed the leaves and never went back to open it and pour it out, and in the spring when I removed the bag the bulb had turned to mush from not getting air, not because of the cold temps. The ones I did right all survived. Our last 2 winters the temps have ventured into the single digits and not gotten out of the teens for a couple days in a row and every one survived.

 

[terryo]

Thanks Len...I guess the cave itself will be OK then. I'm taking the smallest one in, as I think she just hasn't gotten enough weight on her. How old are yours before you leave them out?

 

[Len B]

I meant to show the whole pic a while back so you could see why he is Happyface, but I forgot,better late than never.

 

[terryo]

Look at that face.....He looks like a dirty old man!

 

[Jerseynox]

tf is that a chicken or a turtle