What's happening in your early fall garden?

Heathers are tough.

Surf: Yes That was a few years ago though...ck. with one near you.
I actually hate that nursery now...Park's was so much better.

crystalspin, we used to grow and sell pineapples as houseplants eons ago. And it is super easy to grow a pineapple from the top of any pineapple you get in the market. When you cut it off, cut downwards into the core of the pineapple so that you have a circular wedge of the core attached to the top. Let it dry in a cool area. Be patient. When that core is totally dry and the leaves of about the first two inches at the base are dried out, carefully start to peal them off. You should see root buds and/or even long roots going down the sides. Stick it in some soil and grow just like you would any bromeliad.
And by the way, yes they do grow pineapples in California now!!
They used to tell us we couldn't grow Kiwi's and blueberries either!
A pineapple that has ripened on the plant tastes so much better than what they ship us from Hawaii or even what they pick here in California. Because, of course they can't let any fruit get ripe before they pick it or they couldn't ship it.

Thanks for instructions, not that I am likely to grow one anytime soon. But if I had wanted to, I'm sure I would have just whacked off the top, flat, and put it in water; it never would have occurred to me to let it dry out. Counter-intuitive.
~'s!~

Now I want to try that...

Yes, Jas, Park was much better.

Friday was about 100 degrees here, so I was not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. On the other hand, it was rather cool today with a little bit of rain. Japanese anemones are great late summer bloomers. Here is my purple one. Only down side is that they spread so much - you have to really be diligent about pulling out unwanted ones.

The white ones are a lot taller, and do not spread quite as much. They can get up to 5-6 feet tall.

Wow, so much to respond to:
I'm extremely jealous that Dale's been up in Northern Ca and I haven't been able to get up there for awhile.
Armstrong Nurseries are booooring
J anemones spread? I'm really going to have to have some of those now.
Growing pineapples was a novelty kinda thought for me before and I haven't bothered with it, but after PC's post think I want to grow them. Not one, as I probably would have before, but lots of them for eating. Thanks for the inspiration....

Just remember Sherry, if ONE is good, 17 is better ! (As if I need to tell you that ! )

I have yet to see Japanese Anenomes in any nursery here...where do you all get them ???

That's exacty my motto, JD...

I can see right now that I have a pineapple in my future......

Jasperdale - Japanese anenomes are one of those "pass along" plants. That is how I got my two - saw it at a friend's house, and asked for some. And yes, they do spread a lot, at least in my zone. I have heard from others in other parts of the country that this does not happen. With the purple J. anenome, I have to have at least three thinning and digging sessions a year to keep them in check since they reproduce greatly through underground runners. I have given lots away - the odd thing is, they don't always establish well and some people that I gave them to has not been successful with growing them, but once they do take hold, they can take over.

If anyone is ever in the Sacramento area, I would be glad to dig some up for you.
It would be fun to try growing pineapples, but I, sadly, do not have the space for them.

http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/japanese-anemone-fall-blooming.aspx?nterms=74852
I just read this article on Japanese anemones that said they only go to zone 7. HAH! My friend in San Jose has a whole shady backyard full of white ones, and she's shared with me. Mine are just getting started, but I have one nice big bloom stalk this year.

There are way more pretty pinks than I knew about---they are not easy to find here. I did find one by chance a couple of years ago, and planted it in a pot. I think I'll have to put it in the ground. I've dealt with bermudagrass---I get a kick out of these warnings about things like Japanese anemones and alstroemerias being "invasive". I'll take invasive and gorgeous any day over bermudagrass, which is just invasive and invasive.

I think all of the ranunculaceae are toxic in varying degrees-----just an FYI

Ranunculaceae, as a family, are never food for any creature but insects.

Yarrow looks good this time of year>

All these colored yarrow are tempting. I may have to get Blooms to try them! She has more property than me. And she like purple and pink.
~'s!~

Twenty five years ago, I kept telling everyone I knew to please save their pineapple tops for me because I was going to be the first California pineapple grower! But no one would believe me. Then about five years ago, discovered that someone had finally beat me to it!
The secret to getting the plants to bloom is to stick a piece of ripe fruit down into the center. The natural gas ripe fruit gives off ( I forget the right spelling, ethyline? Same stuff they use to ripen fruit picked green) causes the plant to go into flower production.
Then, like any bromeliad, after the first fruit, it puts out side spikes and suddenly you have lots of them!
PS Splitleaf Philedendrons - Monstera deliciosa, is just that, delicious! When these guys get big enough to bloom, they have a calla or spathiphyllum type of flower. The spike in the center ripens into something akin to banana flavored pineapple chunks like corn on the cob. Honest!!

Hmmm,well, I love the scent of my philodendron when it blooms. I had forgotten that you could eat them. I'll try eating it when it blooms again.

Since I can't eat Pineapple it's fascinating to watch, but frustrating as well. DH and the kids will enjoy it though. I didn't do anything to make it flower and don't allow rotten fruit to hang out. If it gets too soft or overripe, the chickens or pig gets it. The chickens like to eat weeds too. Especially those extra water hyacinths. I was wondering how they would handle the winter, or if I should leave them in the gh. Either way, they need a bigger pot.
Should save out an old apple to help ripen the bananas faster?
GTG
WIB!
SW

I can't eat much of it either, SW. However, in Costa Rica they had a white pineapple that was much milder and I really enjoyed that. Keep looking around for one at the grocery so I can get the top!

Here's a comparison of the color of Eriogonum giganteum (St Catherine's Lace) - early summer on the right, now on the left. She'll turn solid rust before long.

That is gorgeous KC. : - )
Banana bunch went boom. So I cut off the stalk and brought them in to finish ripening. Otherwise the bugs eat them before we do. Then DH got out his chain saw . . . .
I rescued the ground orchids in time, but he managed to break off one of the branches on one of my succulents. No longer perfectly symmetrical, but I think the broken part will root. He should at least call "Timber"!
This is what cut off, and had to have help carrying them inside. They might be small bananas but they are heavy!
WIB,
SW

Looks like you'll be making banana bread soon sw. What a lovely bunch!

I'd let some go ripe and freeze 'em! But your family is big enough to take care of them, surely. Yummy.

KC,
We'll be bringing some with us to the beach. We could drop you off a bunch? (She says with a big Grinchy Grin). Still have another huge bunch out there that should be ripe when we get back. I'll leave some for the kids, but they are getting tired of them. LOL!
LMK, we'll be headed out that way about 2:00 or so.
Check out this mutant. It's like two bananas in one.
WIB,
SW

Salvia vanhouttei 'Paul':

Salvia mexicana 'Ocampo':

Odontonema / 'Firespike':

Odontonema closeup:

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish':

Plectranthus ecklonii:

My new vigna caracalla has buds that are just starting to open:

The vigna's so happy now that it has an arbor to grow on and is reaching for the sky:

The ever-rampant Blue Dawn MG:

I do love it when you get in the mood to take pictures, Sherry!

SW, you're sweet - you eat those bananas - they'll help fatten you up for the winter. :-) Actually, I managed to find a big bunch this week at the store, so the birds and I are set.

Wilson's warbler in the blueberry plant.

The second one's really out of focus (even more than the first one), but you can see it's little "cap" better.

Love your pix, wc!

This message was edited Sep 20, 2009 11:22 AM

Hmmm, I don't think I've seen that bird around here...will have to check on whether or not we're in its range.

Forgive me while I ruffle my feathers for a moment.

I reported this bird to an Orange County Birding group and they (condescendingly) informed me that it is not a rarity, only a COMMON transient.

Well, la-tee-dah.

I cancelled my membership.

Harummpphhh.

Good for you ! I would have done the same thing !

Ditto!