Plant Propagation part XXXVI based on my own experience

It's just after 10 am and I hope I'm taking a break but I might be done working for the day.

I don't have pictures yet. To see of l ot of the type of thinkg we are doing check out www.tirecrafting.com. I highly recommend this site to see some of the creative things that can be done with old tires.

This morning we turned two tires which had one sidewall cut out. This is a difficult task and I'm glad for no close neighbors as Tony and I probably look like we are practicing something out of the Kama Sutra as we struggle with the darn things. They make great paths so we make the effort. After turning the tires I placed them and carried some buckets of rocks to fill them. If I make it back out to work some more I'm just going to toss soil through a screen and put the rocks in the path tires. Turning one or two tires a day is enough.

I want to get some more seeds started. And I SHOULD clean house. The dogs got into a big fight this morning. Jenny has a small cut on the top of her head from Amber. I don't know what starts these things but all my dogs were abandoned/mistreated as puppies so they sometimes have rather aberant behavior. One minute Amber is grooming Jenny, the next she's trying to kill her.

It's fairly warm here today. but not very humid. This is still our lovely weather which we give thanks for as it will soon turn so hot and humid that we go into survival mode.

I am putting off utrning on the air conditioning for as long as possible. My goal is to have it off until June 1. My electricity bills skyrocket once it's on.

I seem to be a bit revived so I'm headed back to the arroyo.

Remember to check out tirecrafting.

hugs, katie

I promised a pic of the epi cactus yesterday and you would know that the one that bloomed is one of those with the lost tags. It is still gorgeous though.
It is hot today and I missed the good morning hours this morning because I stayed up too late last night so anything I get accomplished outside will have to be done this afternoon. I am sure that it is probably best to do things later, but unless it rains, I have to get out and water everything.
Hope the weather is calm for everyone today. Katie, I hope you feel better.
I will hopefully be listing a few things in the marketplace this weekend too and for those of you who have waited so patiently for plants, I will let you know before I get them mailed. I am trying to get everything mailed by next week at the latest.
Hope everyone has a great day. I will check in again later.
Linda

Hi everyone,
Chiropractor, bank, eyeglass people to straighten my glasses, Market Place, Hairdresser, Farm Market, home. That was my morning. It was 90 deg. before I even got half way through all that.
Put a few things back up on MarketPlace and have an order already. They love those Jasmine and I only have 7 more of them left.
I have decided to donate my 89 pick up to the Horse Park of New Jersey. I am wasting money keeping it in the barn and not using it. I talked to my accountant today and I sent for the IRS forms and then I will deduct it from my Income Tax. I must find out the blue book value of it. It is really in good condition and the engine is almost new. The Park planted a tree in memory of my husband, and this was his truck, so they may as well have that too.
.
Tomorrow we are having lobster . Sunday or Monday we will have steaks. No party this time, just Rob and Lynn and me. We are all tired and do not feel like feeding the entire family again. That we did on Easter and Mothers Day. Hopefully the kids can get a few hours fishing in before the flies drive them back inland. The wind is coming out of the South so they flies could be nasty.

The roses love this weather. We only have two tea roses beside the big barn and they are full of buds. Here is the pink one.

And the yellow.

JB, Which jasmine do you have for sale?

JB, those roses are beautiful. I have some red minis that are hanging in under my brugs but the big ones don't do too well down here.

Do all of you remember how laid up I have been for months? Well. now I am beating myself up cause I'm worn out after three or four hours. I am an expert at beating myself up. I am reminding myself that I was pretty much immobilized for months.

I got my first tipsy pots tower up today. Not planted yet but its securely in the ground.

My arms are getting better. I just took a bath and need to rebandage them. I have a bad habit of slacking off when things improve.

Jenny has a very sore spot on her head from the fight this morning. She's also depressed. I think she'll bounce back but she's usually so happy it's painful to see.

I'm about ready for bed.

Sleep well, all.

hugs, katie

Linda and JB, your flowers are lovely. Wish we had some decent weather. Can't believe all the campers out here this weekend and they are mostly in tents can you believe? It is pouring down rain every few minutes a new one starts. Been like this all day.

But, it is like this ever year on this weekend and by Sunday noon they have given up and heading out. Only difference is that this year they are in tents instead of RVs so I will bet they will be gone by tomorrow night. I would imagine it is due to the cost of gas.

Last night it was in the 30s!! Low 50s for highs. So disgusting.
I have been feeling like crap. With the weather so cold I have to have the furnace on and th ehouse closed up so there is no fresh air. Can't even breath. And that wears me out.

Evelyn you are going to love this. Bob found my stuff I have been looking for for the plants. It was right there with the rest of the stuff in my gardening things in the kitchen. I thought it was the polymers so I didn't look in that sack. It was a USPS priority bag. Oh well. Tomorrow I will hit the tomatoes with it. 'course as cold as it is, maybe that wouldn't be too smart.

What do you think? Dave? What? I am talking about the Tarantula, Mychorrizae, and the blend of Humic Acid, Hulvic, kelp, etc.

Well it depends on how cold is cold? if its like 50's 60's go ahead. what does the instructions say on the tarantula? If I remember correctly they say optimum is like 65 to 75 degrees but thats off the top of my head. I just ordered a new bag of it so I will double check first of the week.

Oh yea someone asked about forsythia thats not blooming. questions how do the plants look nice dark green leaves or yellowish? when do you trin your forsythia? I think forsythia blooms on last years wood so if you trim them before they break out of the winter then you are cutting off the blooms.

Jeanette you should be fine on the addatives. I would go ahead and apply it.
Where did you see that fema is paying half of terdnadoe shelter? I am interested. if for nothing else the grand babies. I did some supervising in little rock at a friend of my SIL. he is a weather man on the local tv and he showed me his panic room. he said he had to keep on top of the workers as they did not want to fill the cinder blocks up with concreat making it a solid wall. Personally i would have some one like that run off my job site. If they are not willing to do what the job pays then they need to find snother job he (laborer) like to do. The guy lied to him and i have found it true for quite some time. if someone will lie and knows its a lie then they don't have that far a lead to steling from you.

Sharon: I am glad you have good workers helping you.

Pic is of scutellaria alpina - aka skullcap. Its one I love and I am tring to make more. last summer I think I did them when it was way too hot. I woul really like a new greebhouse from santa this xmas

Well have a great day
Dave

Morning, I have a helper too. Yesterday I was sitting at the computer when all of a sudden I had company. Gunny came to visit. He was so funny, he kept tugging at my socks so I would pick him up. Eventually I did and then he helped me. Needless to say not much got done but we had fun.

The temps are back up into the 80 and 90s today and what beautiful beach weather. Of course I am not going to the beach. My tolerance for the "bennies" the NJ term for the tourists is zero. So, I do not go until they leave the island.

I have some planting to do, but believe it or not, if we do not get some rain very soon, I will have to start to irrigate and that will just make me crazy. I had to water the outside pots last night because this is so sudden with the 90 deg. heat, it drank up all that water we had earlier. The newly planted veggies are still o.k. but it will only take another day of this before they will begin to show it.

Dave, I had 17 new people looking at the Jasmine plants this month. Of course I only put them back on Market Place a few days ago. I think Linda ask me which Jasmine and the only one I have had any luck with propagating and selling was Maid of Orleans. That is so common in the South, but here it is very popular especially by those from the Middle East. Of course they do not want to spend the money and seem to always want a "deal" . Which of course I promptly tell them to go find a deal someplace else. They run most of our gasoline stations and I will not buy from them because they do not pay taxes and that makes me angry. They also change ownership every 7 years (think that is the time limit) and then they get Federal Assistance again for opening a business. Really bothers me. I never got federal aid to open a business no matter what state I was in.
I am not bias, please do not mistake my comments for that. I have a great deal of respect for the hard workers, but, I do not like people who use the system for their own
benefit.

Hi everyone, I am setting up new aeroponic propagators today. Just in time for the cutting season. I am excited about it,. Now maybe I can finally get some things rooted. I am ready. I feel as though I have lost the last 6 months.
I need to go and gather all of my supplies so I can set them up this evening. Tomorrow my son turns 16 so birthday shopping is a must as well.
Katie, I think we are all experts at beating ourselves up. We just have to remember that we do what we can and the rest will have to wait.
trust me, it will wait.
Jnette, I could sure use that rain! It is miserable trying to camp in it though. It is already in the 90's here today and everything is taking a beating in the heat.
Does anyone know what to add to the soil to turn hydrangeas pink? I have a gorgeous pink one that is now as dark purple as can be and even though it is gorgeous, I would like some pink on that side of the yard. If I take cuttings while it is purple, will the cuttings also be purple?
Also, does anyone have success rooting clematis vines? I am thinking I would like to start a few of those too.
I gotta get going, Hope everyone has a great day,
Linda

We were without power almost all night making it hard to sleep - no fan and lots of mosquitoes.

Jenny seems much better this morning. Back to her happy self.

Each of my two fig trees has one fig on it.

If I get dressed and go throw dirt around in the arroyo maybe my mood will improve.

hugs, katie

Cross-posted with Jen.

I think you need alkaline soil for the hydranga to be pink. Same with cuttings. Add lime. On the other hand, I may have it backward.

kb

I can never remember which it is for the colors either. I will look it up.
See ya

Dave, it was FEMA pays 75% but you have to build the shelter to their standards, whatever they are, and he said they cost about $1500. Not bad, especially if they pick up that much of the cost. It was on the news. I will do a little research for you and let you know.

I was the one that talked about my Forsythia not blooming. I don't prune it and it doesn't grow much. I love the shape, it was a Suspensia or something like that, I think meaning hanging? But, just wish it would bloom.

Well, got a lot to do today. Bob is going to an Estate sale but I have enough crap. Once in a while he gets a good buy. I did last week when I bought the Earthbox with the upright support for climbing plants like peas, beans, cukes, or to tie tomatoes to. And it is on good wheels, like 6 I think and rolls very easy. It is like new and I paid $15 for it. Not bad. I planted 2 tomatoes in it for the deck.

Well, going to do a little research for Dave, and then get to work.

Well, I lost track of Sharon. Went back thru the last 2 threads and couldn't figure out when she is coming or going.

Then I got a call from my daughter in Seattle, she said they will be in tomorrow for 2 weeks. I knew they were thinking of coming but not sure when. I tried to talk them out of coming now since the weather is so bad, but guess he has the vacation now since they have to put the time in in January.

Too bad. They like to fish and last year they didn't get out of the house the weather was so bad. So, got a lot to do between now and tomorrow.

So, unfortunately, it appears I probably will miss you Sharon. Are you on here? I hope Vern made the trip ok. I know it is hard on people the older they get and his health isn't that good. Just going thru airports is enough to make me stay home.

Gotta run, ttyl

The color on the hydrangea is set by the ph of the soil alkaline or acidic
here is a link
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html

JB and Dave ~ I am glad that you are both safe from these horrid storms. I don't sell on ebay anymore. It used to be fun. Now it is confusing with their shipping fees and them sending the invoices instead of you. No, I do not like it anymore. Occasionally I will buy something though, just not sell. Dave, your presentation is good. Good idea about including the shipping fee in the selling price. Then ebay won't mess it up.

Jeanette ~ Rain all month of June? Oh, no! It is raining here now, with a chance of snow later. I was hoping for warmer weather, as we did have a few nice days in May. I am not complaining, though. At least we have our home. I see the pictures of people losing their homes and it must be devastating. How is the house hunting coming along? Where are you looking? Sharon will get you a bargain in LV.

Katie ~ You are right about the lime for getting the hydrangea to turn pink. Acid for blue. Are your arms healing with the bandages in place? It must be un comfortable in the heat. I think we will have winterlike weather....and then it will turn hot and all the weeds will shoot up tall and the ground will turn hard in a few days, but who knows??

Linda ~ Did your son like the car you bought him? Oh, you didn't buy the right one? Oh, you didn't buy him one at all...?? Well, I hope he likes whatever you got him. 16 is not an easy age. I remember years ago when my son was 16. It wasn't easy to be a single parent.

Jeanette ~ I think that Sharon is on her way by now. Hopefully all is well with her.

Evelyn I am sure you have it correct but I would think l ....LMAO ... I just figuired it out. I am associting lime with citrus and citrus is acidic. major brain fart lol

are you ever going to get out into the garden again? snow in june??? is your part of california up near alaska??? just wondering out loud...

almost got over heated today. my niec sent me inside whaaa whaaa... its funny to see this 5'3" 120 pound girl bossing me around.

well the boss is calling me out front. Kimis definately healing quickly. she wants to pull weeds for an expansion on the hosta bed in front of the house.

see ya'll later
Huggs
Dave

Yippee i got a bid on the mixed flat on ebay. I was starting to sweat it thinking no one wants the silly things I guess I was wrong as usual.
Dave

well i forgot the pic so I guess its no pic tonight.
On our home from the store tonight a neighbor was on his hands and knees looking intently at the ants and sticks on the drive way. we stopped to make sure he was ok. well he lost his balance and could not make it back inside and to make it even worse his wife was out on an errand. we got him on his feet and kim helped him in side. later we noticed her truck in the drive way, so we were all relieved.
well I was excited and felt I needed to share
Dave

Good for you, Dave. Sometimes we hesitate to "get involved." You did a good deed at the risk of being told to get lost.

I'm happy to report that my arms are getting better. I'm still in some pain but keeping them bandaged at night and when I'm working outside is really making a difference.

We did a little work outside today but mostly Tony watered plants and I sifted some soil. Neither of us was very energetic after no electricity last night.

I did get motivated enough to do some of the housework which I've been putting off. Dust is constant here and I refuse to be a full-time house cleaner. But there are times when one has to bite the bullet.

I got a home-made earthbox ready for three arhat plants and cut the sidewalls out of some of the tires. I'm hoping to get some kitchen stuff sorted out tomorrow.

Although a lot of the seeds I've planted didn't germinate, those that did are really growing fast in the lovely weather. Today I found a bunch of little papaya plants from seeds I had given up on. There's always lots to keep me busy here.

Glad your plants are selling, Dave. You, too, JB.

hugs, katie

that is great Dave, how long is it open?

Katie:
I tried the earth box type method and all I ended up doing was cook the cuttings. you might want to put it in the shade so it does not overheat. It really chaps my behind when I get a loss of cuttings because I did not think about it overheating.

I finally ventured over to the other site. Its got some good peeps there. really thinking about posting there too.
I just hope I don't ruffel feathers as its the last thing I want to do to anyone.

anyhoo its bed time for bonzo. sweet dreams everyone
Dave

I planted 2 tomatoes in an earthbox I bought at an Estate sale. They sure do look good so far. Why did you cook them Dave? Maybe since cuttings don't have roots yet it was too hot for them?

Jeanette I think its got 3 or 4 days left so it might start a bidding war with another buyer. that would be sweet.
when do you look at homes to move too?

yes the lack of roots as well as the box being shut up tight and in direct line of the sun on the south side of the house. I have shade on it but still cooked them

Well, I go to look at them when she comes up with something I will be interested in. Unfortunately my options are very limited.

I cannot see moving if I can't find what I want. I want something with some room. Minimum an acre. Maximum 5 acres. I found what I wanted, but someone else had just had an offer approved on it. Figures.

So glad to see your plants moving on ebay Dave. That's great.

What do you mean the box being shut up tight? Not too sure what you were doing. Wonder if mine will be ok?

My arhat's will be in the shade where they also get a lot of moisture from our watering the hibiscus.

We have to be careful about the heat here. It can get so bad that plants virtually boil in the ground. But in the winter it's too cold for the Hawiian type papayas. I'm putting my TR Hovey papaya from Logees in an earthbox I'll keep it somewhat shaded (and watched carefully) in the summer and then be able to keep it in the sun in winter and we might get papayas.

I hope I never, ever, ever have to move again. I think I have roots that go through my feet and into the ground here.

night all, katie

Mornin:
I think I must have messed up my interpritation of earth box. I trien to root cuttings in a clear box with a lid and holes in the bottom for drainage. I snaped the lid down on top and it got really hot in the greenhouse and the thing cooked my cuttings.

well not a lot to do today. except take it easy. its time to take a day and enjoy the family.
I hope everyone has a great weekend
Dave

I think when I said Earthbox, that is the brand name of it. I will take a picture of it. Maybe that will clear it up.

Jeannete my Brug, the big one, is doing fine, but not growing much since it froze all the leaves off in a late freeze. The other one, just got hollow and I am having little hope that it will recover. I chopped it to the bottom of the hollow stem, and will see, but it just did not recover from the freeze. :"(

Good Dave. I will be anxious to see if others will fight over it in the 11th hour.

It is windy as heck here so we watched church live on our computer. Dirt was blowing so hard this morning. My poor neighbor's horses, were just getting sand blasted and the guy has no shelter for them. I am going to turn him in to animal control. I don't think they care but I can't stand to see it, one is pregnant too, I heard. They ate all the desert brush so the dirt just blows now.

Katie do you guys have the thing where they turn off your water sometime in the day so you can't flush your toilets, they do that in the border towns sometimes. It was not fun to find that out the hard way while visiting a relative.

We did not have fun at the beach though the place was really nice. They took h off of his anxiety meds and he was just snippy and rude at times... Ruined my whole anniversary.
Whatever, he said he is going to see if they will give him something else then. They changed my anxiety meds too, so as he was sniping, I was sinking into a sadness. Not a good mix.

Today is a new day. Glad to see Dave has not blown away.

Dawn

During the summer our water is usually turned off during the day. It's one of those Mexican things, I guess.

I'm having a lazy Sunday. Should be doing all sorts of stuff. Instead I'm playing poker. Feeling basically brain dead.

It's getting warmer here. Still not uncomfortable so I think I'll just wait until tomorrow to get ambitious.

hugs, katie

That does it. I spent the last 20 minutes writing you a .long interesting post and DG lost the connection and the thing went someplace. I am getting tired of that happening on this site. Not going to take the time to do it again. Hi to all. JB

I wonder why that happens. I only lose messages when I hit a wrong button.

This is Tony's day off. He just brought me a big truck load of tires. I guess cause he had so much time off for his family's medical problems this week though I told him it was no problem. He believes in giving back. And I'm happy as a pig in poo. Bring me truck load of manure, tires, seaweed and I'm a happy camper.

It's hot but I'm cutting sidewalls out of tires so we can lay out paths and walls. Such fun.

hugs, katie

JB, I have had that happen a lot too. Some times are worse than others. Do you think it is their connection? Wonder how many people are having trouble.

Maybe I will look at their home thread to see.

I know if I scroll up with a post down on the bottom and I go looking for more to comment about, I often lose my post as I scroll up.
I have hit the wrong button too, but I never remember what the button is that is wrong and it has just lost my posts too. If it is a big long one, I TRY to remember to highlight all of the post and control C the post as I go, so if I lost it, I can get a lot of it back. It is frustrating to have a long post disappear, has happened to all of us.

Dawn, are you saying that by highlighting your post and pressing control and c key it will save that much of it? What if you cover an area more than once? I will try this and see what happens.

Ok, now what? I did that but I won't ever know if it works or not will I? i won't know if I would have lost it or not. LOL

Dawn, are you saying that by highlighting your post and pressing control and c key it will save that much of it? What if you cover an area more than once? I will try this and see what happens.

Ok, now what? I did that but I won't ever know if it works or not will I? i won't know if I would have lost it or not. LOL

Ok, it just saved it and I pasted it here. LOL, not bad. I guess the trick is to remember to do it.

LMAO all the posts go over to the other site lol... just kidding. I loose a lot too but mine is from hitting the wrong button and the moment i do it oh crap (#$@#%$##)
Nap 30 ttfn