The Mighty Odin's first outdoor habitat/playpen

Oxalis

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Odin's Gma

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I'll have to check out the banana plants -- they sound great although I do have the dreadful Michigan winter to consider... Thanks for the tip!
I have my concerns about their hardiness in Minnesota also, but I'm excited at the possibility!
 

Odin's Gma

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Finally a weekend at home to clear the massive overgrowth in the playpen.
The wild cucumber is beautiful and certainly provides shade, but shade is not a problem in the playpen, and it was choking out everything!062.JPG 063.JPG

Odin's burrow looked really cool, but he could barely get to it anymore.070.JPG

And at tort level it was a jungle!102.JPG 105.JPG 131.JPG

And after trimming a bushel of beautiful weeds....
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Odin found a little friend in the undergrowth!
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Hello, little Fiver!157.JPG

Odin, as always, remained unimpressed.259.JPG
 

Oxalis

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Bunny!! :<3: Part of the reason Steve's garden is enclosed in chicken wire are the bunnies! Cute though they are, I don't want them to eat all of his food! Any mommy bunny did have her babies in Steve's garden last year. Later we had to chase them out!
 

Odin's Gma

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With the massive amount of extras we have I am actually hoping the bunnies will stick around and help Odin and I keep it trimmed! Maybe in the future I won't be as welcoming, but right now the more mouths the better.
 

Odin's Gma

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What a difference 3 months, a few expansions, and some dirt and seeds can make!

(and many, many hours of labor, but Odin is not interested in my whining)

May:003.JPG

August:003.JPG

Odin is almost impressed. Almost.028.JPG

Maybe a nice big grape leaf and hibiscus flower as bedtime snacks will help?030.JPG

I won't hold my breath.....
 

Oxalis

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Trying to eke out every last moment in the playpen before the deep freeze.
I hear ya -- all the way from Michigan! XD Stevie has been enjoying a bit more sun before it disappears... and who knows how much longer? I think he discovered the last cucumber in his garden too. What a beautiful Hibiscus! Are you growing those yourself? I do know of one species that's hardy to the cold climate as far north as Minnesota, the Hibiscus moscheutos, which Steve has in his garden. You could try it and see if it makes it? :) I'm hoping mine does!

Odin is starting to look more like he knows he's got it made! :rolleyes:
 

Odin's Gma

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What a beautiful Hibiscus! Are you growing those yourself? I do know of one species that's hardy to the cold climate as far north as Minnesota, the Hibiscus moscheutos, which Steve has in his garden. You could try it and see if it makes it? :) I'm hoping mine does!
That is from my big tropical that I bring in and out of the house every year, it has been blooming non-stop for weeks! I was going to bring it a week or two ago but I knew if I did I would lose all those wonderful blooms so I keep putting it off. Maybe this weekend?
I will look into the hardy one, next year we have plans for a big remodel and expansion to the playpen, I am sure I will "need" more plants. ;)

Odin is starting to look more like he knows he's got it made! :rolleyes:

Wait until he gets into his greenhouse! He will be impossible to live with..... :rolleyes:
 

Oxalis

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Wait until he gets into his greenhouse! He will be impossible to live with..... :rolleyes:
I look forward to your responses! They always give me a much needed laugh! :D

As for the Hibiscus moshcheutos, I'm surprised mine hasn't really seemed to grow much larger after it finished blooming this summer. It took root really well though so I'm less worried about it. I'd be out in my garden more often if I only could!! The important thing is that I already have more plans for next year. XD
 

Odin's Gma

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I look forward to your responses! They always give me a much needed laugh! :D

As for the Hibiscus moshcheutos, I'm surprised mine hasn't really seemed to grow much larger after it finished blooming this summer. It took root really well though so I'm less worried about it. I'd be out in my garden more often if I only could!! The important thing is that I already have more plans for next year. XD
I am debating whether or not to plant the small hibiscus directly into his greenhouse or not. I worry that it will get too big and need too much pruning and/or that the roots will eventually choke out all the other stuff I plant. Maybe sink a pot into the substrate so it stays more contained and can be removed if necessary? Can't decide.
 

Oxalis

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I compared varieties of Hibiscus by looking at my local nursery's website and seeing how tall each would grow. Alternatively, you can speak with the gardeners and they may be able to help you figure out what height your variety will grow to. With my enclosure, I have enough height, but I also had to make sure the spread wasn't too large either because I wanted to plant other things. I can pretty much guarantee you that if you have any Hibiscus syriacus variety, you'll want to put it in a place where you need shade! ;) Except Lil Kim as it's a variety that was developed to grow as a "miniature," so this may be suitable for smaller spaces (I almost bought one).

Here's a screenshot of a plant library from a nursery's website:

hibiscus.JPG

I don't know how I know so much about Hibiscus! I just wanted a perfect one for my Stevie! XD
 

Odin's Gma

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I don't know how I know so much about Hibiscus! I just wanted a perfect one for my Stevie! XD
All of the ones I have looked up so far are only hardy to zone 5, and I am just a quick drive to zone 3. :(
Now, that is not to say I may not be able to make one of them work, I am kind of a plant ninja, or goddess, or bridge troll........
 

Oxalis

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Julie G.

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Gorgeous! I have about the same size tort...I am going to build something similar next summer for Morton. Thanks for sharing.
 

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