Plant Propagation part XXXVII based on my own experience

I think the flower is some kind of protea. kb

Here is a better picture of this unknown beauty.

What an interesting specimen! Though I have no idea what it could possibly be. My knowledge of succulents is limited but growing.

JB I could tell you were a softie, despite all your jabs at . . .well anyone. :D

Here's my latest ward. I have a feeling I am going to have fun with her. I never nursed a possum before but she is too small to release. Don't know what happened to her mum. A friend does "pest removal" and got a call to get this critter out of someone's bedroom this week.

I suppose it's about time I went and got my federal wildlife rehab license, but I continue to work with/under a friend of mine who is so licensed.

Friends, sounds like each of us have some aches and pains. I wish you comfort and calm on this last Saturday in June.

Loveya.
A.

Can't say it is cute Amanda. It looks like a rat. And don't kid yourself, JB is just like that new gov they elected. She described him pretty good except that he is a jerk. She didn't say that. She is hiding that fact.

Yeah Corey, guaranteed to make you homesick alright. It WAS your home and you were sick of it. And lucky to be out of it.

Funny how the people that have money, good pension funds, good health care, etc. always want to keep others from having the same. It's always, "I earned mine". BS!! They all got a leg up along the way somewhere if they just admit it. Speaking of course about that wonderful man they have for a gov.

Enough of that!! Before we get kicked off here.

Well, never heard a thing from the Earthbox folks OR the guy who bought them for his son!! Thought surely I would get a call from him. Oh well, Got things to do today and tomorrow, so might plant them Monday. Or maybe I will send them back and tell them I want green ones instead. ROTFLMAO

Celene... I am particularly fond of hedgehogs. People give me the 'are you crazy look' when I say that... don't think most of the people I have mentioned that to even know what a hedgehog is. I have never seen one here in California and I have lived in both Northern and Southern California. Are they native to Ohio? My best friend at work retired 2 weeks ago and is moving back to Ohio to be near family. She is single and cannot afford to stay here in California. I will miss her so much. She is a lovely person - work will not be the same without her.

I wanted to ask about the earthboxes. I have never used them and wondered what the consensus was? I have run out of gardening room and have about 4 baby tomato plants that have popped up from compost... I'd like to try the earthboxes, but wonder if it's worth the investment. Any thoughts?

Also... would anyone like some lavender breadseed poppy seeds? I have an abundance from last summer and find that I will have lots more again this year. The are beautiful flowers and grow well here in southern California.

I have identified the flower. It is a Pincushion Protea, Leucospermum cordifolium 'yellow bird' . I love this place. They have so many helpful pieces of information and people who are willing to share. It is not patented as far as I know, so YAHOO....I got three stems of it.

Our Governor is a Republican. But, he is working very hard with the President of the Assembly and he is a Democrat. The two have become good working partners and finally something is getting done. It should not be political but the Unions make it very difficult because they turn down good things and now the local Teachers are rebelling about how the union never asks they just demand and tell them what they can have. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. This is all about trying to get NJ out of the economic mess it is in due to the lack of leadership of spending. Everyone has their hand out and there is no more money. We are broke as a State. So, everyone must give a little.

Did anyone see that commercial about the woodchucks chucking wood? OMG I laugh outloud everytime I see it.

The Self-cpntained Box Gardens forum has lots of information on Earthboxes, including how to make your own. I have made several and have had mixed results at least in part due to my interrmetent efforts. Most dragon fruit seem to do quite well in them. I have my T R Hovey in one and it seems very happy. kb

We have porcupines here in the more rural and wooded areas, but the hedgehogs of which I speak are pets, the pygmy ones--they're African. I seem to recall that hedgehogs are not native to North America, but don't quote me on it.

Thanks Katie.... I'll visit the forum.

Celene... that makes sense. I should have realized they were not native to North America. They really are interesting and beautiful animals. Speaking of that... Emerson is gorgeous! I have wanted an orange kitty all my life and somehow never gotten one. Seems my animals always choose me... someone shows up and just ends up becoming part of the family. Right now I have a calico and a black and white. Both are beautiful in their own way. The calico is 14 years old and the other cat is about 9 or 10.

Last year my husband brought home a little black bunny who literally ran up the driveway of the shop he was working at and sat there looking at him.... the bunny must have been a lost pet because it was very domestic... but the area was pretty industrial, so it did seem like a strange thing to have happen. He brought the bunny home as we had inherited a hutch and I been hoping to acquire a bunny. It's strange how all the animals seem to pick us rather than the other way around!!
Oh... and speaking of dogs eating strange things... I inherited a min-pin... he also showed up at the front door and after a couple months of putting up signs and visiting the shelters, we decided he must have picked us so we gave him a home.... anyway... he has a fondness for grasshoppers which works out well for me... he is fast as lightening and the little critters can't outhop him... he loves them.... kinda like a doggie potato chip!

Amanda... I used to live in a town that had tons of eucalyptus trees. In fact my neighbor had a stand that ran the entire legnth of his home. Every night the possums would come and visit the eucalyptus. Maybe they are distant cousins to koalas?

NF- indeed they are related - the Virginia Opossom is a marsupial - most of which live in Australia as you know. There is also a possum native to Australia/New Zeland very closely related. Must have happened during the Pleostene era in the Pennsylvania period when the continents merged to form Panagea. I wouldn't be surprised to find them eating eucalyptus! I just saw some for cheap at a garden center nearby. That would be a neat experiment. :D

Do you guys know what a Sugar Glider is? It is a flying squirrel. We used to have a lot of them that would run up to the peak of our roof and fly off into the trees. We had a light out there and they are nocturnal. So, it was fun watching them. But then we had a lot of the trees near the house cut down because it made everything so dark plus a fire hazard so we don't have them doing that any more.

But, one of the pet shops has them and sells the babies at $100 a pop. Quite a bit I would say.

Yes, the pygmy hedgehogs are cute. I have never even held one tho. They look like porcupines. BTW, Celene, or any of you that have the porcupines in your area, do you know how to get the quills out of the dogs if they get them in them? Normally their noses? You cut the ends out so it lets the air out of them, deflates them. And then they will come out easily with pliers.

My daughter has a lot of the earthboxes and plants them every year with vegetables, tomatoes, etc. peas, carrots, lettuce. etc.

You are lucky to have the bunny. I would love to have one or two just for the manure. Best fertilizer.

What is the difference between poppy seeds that this is for cooking and the others are not? I would love to have some seeds.

JB, that is a real pretty flower on that plant. How tall does it get? How long are the stems on the flowers? Do they have a lot of blooms? Must not if they are a succulent huh?

We crossposted. That would be interesting. If he didn't like it, you could enjoy the smell anyway. I love it. We don't have them here that I am aware of, but there used to be, and probably still is, a rest stop in North CA that has a lot of those and it smells soooooo good.

I don't think the protea is a succulent. They are from South Africa, I think, but are now grown in So. Ca. among other places. Probably the longest lasting cut flower. kb

Jnette, the sugar gliders in the pet trade are marsupials, flying squirrels are placental mammals, and are rodents. However, some flying squirrels get sold as sugar gliders to unsuspecting owners.

Celene, that is really interesting. My hairdresser is going to feel very bad if she got taken. I am going to stay out of it. Not going to tell her. lol

Well we have had 4 days of grandchildren. Sarah Emily Ballard graduated with full scholarship to BYU. She was Valedictorian, one of 12, so she was first on stage, first to speak and first to get her diploma because her last named started with a "B". AND, I heard today there were 702 graduates. Big thrill the first 15 minutes and then waiting for 1 1/2 hours to go through 702 more graduates. All the grandchildren go to public school because their parents did not want to raise elitists. Must want them to grow up as Democrats. Got you Jnette.

Then Jacob the youngest turned 8, had a birthday party and got baptized. My daughter and her family are very staunch Mormons and they get baptized when they are 8.

Graduation BBQ, birthday and 100 degree heat. And then we had 20 mph winds. Like walking out in your landscape with a huge blow dryer blowing in your face.

I took a few photos for Dave today. Day lilies he might want a start. I have to dig all of them in this area because of Nut Grass. I will have some to send but no many because they are two years old. I also have photos of the LA iris pods. I am going to dig irises and LA irises this next week.

Tomorrow I am going to do my US taxes. My accountant called with a Get It Going message. I do not owe them any money so I did not see any big hurry but she does so I am going to do it tomorrow.

My doctor's appointment with the ear specialist has been moved to Monday early am.

Talk to you all tomorrow afternoon. Sharon.

I will post photos tomorrow. I am crashing and going to bed. Way past my bed time.

Jnette, let their vet tell them if they got taken. Normally, the pet store will do nothing but shrug their shoulders and say they have no way of knowing what animal was actually sold to the client.

Gardening today...yesterday I went to a wedding.

Amanda, google opposums. I think they may carry diseases and may not be good as a pet. I think they have teeth and that can hurt.

Take it from me, opposums are unwanted here. They dig and eat the roots of our grass.

Just be careful.

Katie, you are right on the button with the Protea. Good girl. Here is what DG says about them.

They are listed in the Category of Shrubs. They get 4 to 6 feet tall and and not hardy in zones lower than 9b, they like full sun and bloom in mid summer, late summer and early fall. It attracts bees, butterflies . It is drought tolerant and suitable for xeriscaping.(not sure what that is)? There are many colors and they are good for cutting.

Their leaves and stems look like cactus. I wonder if the Protea are some way related to succulents or cactus? Hmmmmm?

My "incompetent" friend and I used to breed anything we thought we could make a buck on. Honestly we had a great time and we had more fun than many of our friends who had more fun with people. We preferred animals because they were not as two faced and nasty. LOL
We had miniature horses, dogs, peacocks, I did the tropical birds, donkeys, steers, chickens, and we ran out of things when we heard about the Sugar Gliders. We researched them for weeks and finally decided against it because of their sleeping habits and they were not really "playmate" type pets according to what we found out. We also have flying squirrels in NJ and the sugar gliders are nothing like the flying squirrels. Not the ones here in the East. Celene, I am so glad you made that comment because had I said it first, Jen would tell me I am wrong. She likes to make me look wrong because I have a Republican Governor. He He He is really cute and chubby too.
He is going to be on Meet The Press this morning. Enjoy if you are out of bed, which I doubt you will be. I can not image anyone getting sold a squirrel for a suger glider. ROFL. They bring a couple hundred dollars here too.
Will check in later. It is a beautiful day here but it did not rain enough, so I am out to water again. Have a wonderful day and say a prayer for those poor souls in ND and SD who are getting flooded. These natural disasters are getting more all the time and really make me wonder if this isn't part of the end of the world coming little by little.

see you later

I have to agree about the opossums. They are not exactly the wanted critter here either. They are dirty little critters and some people who are really hungry eat them, but not me.
Groundhogs eat only greens and they have big teeth too. If they are rabid none of them are safe to have around. I like cuddly animals. No snakes, reptiles of any kind, spiders, none of those things do anything for me except give me goose bumps to think about them. LOL Gheeze I hate snakes big time.

You're right Sharon, they say if you want to live like a Rep. then vote Dem. LOL

And yes, JB, I just watched your phony jerk of a Gov. He really loves himself doesn't he.

Sorry Dave, but they started it. Just read back the last 3 or 4 posts. You betcha!! : 0)

Good morning everybody, it is a beautiful day out there. Bright sunny and deep blue skies. Gotta go to Spokane today to buy some stain for the deck. Bob has got to get a coat or 2 on it so I can put my plants back.

Well, got to take a shower and get moving. ttyl

Thanks for your concerns about the opossum. They are not dirty little creatures. They are nature's sanitation engineers!

They have opposable thumbs and tiny little swirly fingerprints just like we do.

I do not intend to keep it as a pet. We are involved in all sorts of animal rescue and have lots of experience with possums. They do have teeth and bare them to scare away predators and people. They have a fascinating physiological ability to "play dead" for 4 hours or more - their body functions all change to mimic death - stuff ooozes out of their mouth - very cool! :D

I am aware that folks eat them. I am not one of them.

I know this makes me sound crazy, and I admit that. Much as we can't prevent squirrels or voles or rats or any other critter respect our manicured lawns or flower beds, the possum is just another critter passing through.

Have a great day peeps. :)

A.

Lots more informative reading this morning. I am learning a lot from this thread. Have a few comments though everyone's posts were thought provoking.

Just wanted to say I love the Kitty pic Celene. So cute.

Sorry to hear that Katie is experiencing so much pain currently. Some years back I suffered with chronic pain syndrome and thankfully it turned itself around after some years of pure torture which many times had me thinking I couldn't tolerate it one minute longer. Blessed Be.......it finally lifted and I am so glad and grateful for pain free days. My heart hurts for those who have to live with it. Hope you feel better soon.

NF, I love your take on the animals finding you. When I think about it, it seems to be the same with us too. All four of our dogs over the years have been rescues. We are now down to two black boys who don't have the personalities of the two that have left us, but they are great company and also entertaining for old folks such as ourselves. I walk with a cane when in the yard, but both of these guys get so very excited whenever I go to the yard with them. I sometimes wish I could run and play with them. One evening last week my grand children were here and the livliest of the two dogs had a great time running around with my four year old grand daughter Emily. That did my heart good to see them both having so much fun playing together.

Sharon - I read with interest about your fight with nut grass. What is your plan of attack. Hubby thought he had gotten rid of it last winter when he dug it up but dang if it didn't begin sprouting again this year. It sure ruins the look of a beautiful flower bed. Any good ideas from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Here is wishing everyone a great Sunday. Yep, looks like a beautiful day here in Virginia too.

Ruby

Ruby and Sharon, won't Roundup get it? Like wearing a rubber glove and take a rag soaked and rung out and wipe each piece? It doesn't take much to get down to the roots.

Sorry, I don't know what Nut grass is. Guess we all have our own weeds.

Amanda, if it makes you feel better, I like opossums as well. Not as a pet, but because they're interesting. The opposable "thumb" is on the hind food, which makes it even more interesting, at least to me.

Morning all you sweet people! The sun is shining in NJ and the temp is mid 80s and humidity high, but, it is a pretty day and I am going to try not to loose my temper today. That could be difficult because I must go to the Joint Base and get my vehicles re registered because I switched plates and therefore I need to switch permits. Nothing is easy especially now with three wars and all the active duty people who must get in line first. It just takes longer. Many of the employees are Federal civilian employees and have attitudes. That is where it makes my hair stand on end. If you do not hear from me in a few hours, you know I am locked up.

I am sending a picture of the tomato field across the street. Tomatoes as far as you can see and stakes for each plant. Beautiful sight on a morning like this. All they do is spray and fertilize them. I hope they get good money for their crops because they sure do spend the time. He has severak crews of about 20 men each working in his fields. He is also the Mayor of the Township I live in. Nice guy and I can remember when he had no money and borrowed to feed his family. Also, he is waiting to go to trial for Tax Fraud now because he has neglected to pay his Federal Taxes. LOL Only in NJ LOL.

Must get moving. JB

Now we know where the picture of the tomatoes came from. : 0)

Oh my, you should see my tomatoes. My SIL is a nurseryman by trade and he has this thing about trimming bushes. He makes me crazy because he trims when he feels like it and not when it is time. He cut all the buds off the roses along with the deadheads. The other day he was trimming and he decided to trim the tomato bushes. So much for early tomatoes at this farm. LOL But, the place looks well kept and I love him.

I went to the Joint Base today with my registration in hand to get my auto decal switched on the Jeep. First of all, they no longer are using decals, so that was a trip for nothing.
In order to get on base all you have to do is have your Military ID. So, much for that.

When I got home I looked at my registration because I was going to put it away and God Forbid, I noticed I had the wrong car with the wrong tags. They re-registered the truck and sent me the registration, I never looked at which auto was on the registration , I looked at the license tag no. and assumed it was the jeep. Now I have mailed back my tags for the jeep, put the truck tags on the jeep since the are my Marine Corp Special plates, and have been driving all around with no registration. LOL. Can you believe that. I called Motor Vehicles Special Plate dept. and told her what happened and she said drive with both registrations and if anyone stops me have them call her. LOL The new registration is in the mail, the one I received was the regular truck renewal which I had sent in weeks ago before I knew I was going to sell it. What a morning.

Washed the Barn Swallow Poop of the Jeep and the lawn mower , now I must wash the golf cart and then they can start all over again. I hate wild bird poop. It is like concrete when you do not get it off fresh. Those little buggers do a lot of copulating and crapping.
They are on their second clutches already and it is only June. Gee Whiz. Sex in the barn, on the roof, in flight.......they are worse than rabbits.

I am weary and think I will rest a short time before I get out and start all over again.
Have a good day everyone.

JB - it does sound like an uphill battle all around. Hope you got in a siesta. :)

A.

Well, at least you had tomatoes. Even if they got cut off before ready. It has been so cold here that the bees are still sleeping. I have a lot of blossoms, but only one little tomato. Must have been an ant.

I do poke my finger in all the blossoms, but so far nothing.

Yeah right. Just call that woman huh? Where have I heard that before? JB who??? Never heard of her.

Wish the bees would take lessons from your barn swallows. Maybe there would be more of them. Don't hardly see any more.

I bought a power washer yesterday so Bob is going crazy washing everything in sight. Now he is waiting for the deck to dry so he can put a coat of stain on it. He has to do it between rain days. Tomorrow is one of those. From the looks of the sky it may be before that.

Sharon, where are you?

Dawn, how are you doing? Still pretty sore huh? Are you doing PT? That would hurt a lot but help. You have to remember that it is working the muscles so they will work again and not be sore.

Linda, got a little helper huh?

Dave, I think it is time to move this. We have a lot of stuff on here.

Lee, I know where you are. Helping your friend that is flooded. How are you coming with all that work. You be careful.

Evelyn, we finally warmed up. It was really in the upper 70s today. Suppose to be in the 80s next week.

Katie, how are you doing? The rest of you, I have run out of steam. Hope everyone is doing good.

Hi Everyone, I'm still coughing some but after sleeping yesterday afternoon and agin this morning after Tony got here and drinking lots of wtaer with extra vitamin C I think I am getting better. It's too hot and humid to do much but it's hard having a cold, too. Luckily, the dogs are all good models for taking it easy. We haven't heard from Jon so Scout may be permanent. She's very sweet and all the dogs are getting along quite well which is the only concern I had about her joining the pack.

I've been studying my tissue culture material. We have a lot of other stuff to catch up with before I do much but I may try a rosemarry cutting soon.

With what energy I have I've been sorting out sewing materials to give to Tony's family. They all sew and I have enough for several lifetimes.

It's time for bed. I'll chek in with you all tomorrow.

hugs, katie

Quick check in to say Good Morning. I am alive and well and kicking. A bit tired with Mr. Barney having a restless night, but otherwise all is well.

They trimmed some of the Christmas trees yesterday. Now he has everything trimmed around the entire property. Looks great. Grass is all cut and there are very few flowers blooming. They are all finished. We have nothing but greens, hosta kind of stuff. Our Black eyed susans will be coming along soon.

In the Greenhouse it is just the most wonderful sight and smell. The big Jasmine is in full bloom and the aroma is breathtaking. I sit in there and just take deep breaths. The Aimees have aphids again inside. I noticed that this morning. I did not look at the ones outside. They are blooming and as much as I want to cut off the blooms, I want them to stay on this year and reproduce and mature. Those twelve 2 year old plants look wonderful. By next Easter I should have them ready to go to the Market. That is if I can keep them alive over the winter. LOL

Off to water the birds and clean up the floors. See you all later. JB

I am feeling almost human again. Was able to drive to town and get groceries for the first time since I got home. Had a nice visit with my friend Saul who owns the grocery store.

In garden news, my hwite bouganvilla is blooming and it's beautiful. My blueberries are not doing well. One is dead; I cut the other two way back.

Not much news. It's still hot and humid here and probably will be until mid-October.

hugs, katie

JB:

>> Cory, if you get homesick for Jersey, there is a radio station I am sure you know about, NJ 101.5 RADIO, that has a website where you can see and hear the programs etc.

The NJ radio show that I miss is "Opie and Anthony". To anyone who knows what they were, or are, apologies in advance! They were rude EVEN FOR NJ !!!

>> Our new governor is ... is beating the heck out of the Unions (NJEA) especially the school money. He is cleaning up NJ big time.

I guess one can be FOR education but DOWN on certain unions. I used to be down on unions, before working for a living. Then I got to know management a little. Frying pan, fire.

Actually, education is one of the things I DO consider a worthwhile part of government. My sister teaches Jr High School English in Connecticut. She moved from one community where the PTA meetings fielded questions like "why do my kids have to go to High School when they could be earning money as plumber's assistants". That region also has very widespread poverty and crime, for some reason. All the industry moved out decades ago.

Now she works in a rich Yuppie town where they worry about WHICH colleges their kids will get into.

Does ignorance cause poverty, or is it just that when money is tight, we forget that jobs go wherever there's an educated work force?

Corey

Smart Crows:

Oh, yeah!

I read about a bunch of people trying to outwit flocks of crows that were decimating their fields.

They built a blind where a guy with a shotgun could hide until the crows forgot he was there. They never forgot.

So TWO guys went in, and one left. The crows knew one was still there.

Eventually they found that if 6 guys went in, and five left, the crows knew the difference between 5 and 6.

But 7 in and 6 out confused the birds, and they eventually came back, and the remaining guy got a shot at them.

But those birds could COUNT to six!

Clearly, those crows had a pretty good school system, for birds.

Corey

OMG Opie and Anthony, it has been a long time since I heard of them. The Jersey Boys, were just fired from 101.5. Have no idea what happened but they are history. They did not renew their contracts for some reason.
Christie is talking on 101.5 as we speak. Want to go listen. Later. GOod Night. JB

Howdy:

we are moving we are here now

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1193154/

I am sorry for being away for so long. I had too much to ship and was snowed under the last 2 days. we shipped over 300 plants and about 10 different orders. I will try to catch back up to make sure I don't miss any questions or I need to reply.
sorry everyone. its been kind of funny watchin 2 cripples tryin to box up so much stuff. lol...

The pic is of one of my crosses i am starting to see some great new flowers from my crosses.

have a great evening
Dave

Isn't it funny how it feels when you put the shoe on the other foot Corey? i.e. Union vs non-union? My nephew swears he is a staunch Rep. but is thrilled to have a union job. First one he has had and loves it.

I have a corn (no Corey, not corny) story to tell you about the crows but can't remember the end of it and will have to wait until Bob gets home to ask him. It is a true one. And yes, they are so smart. When we first moved over here we thought there were so many crows but discovered the real use for them was cleaning up the roadkill so decided they weren't so bad. One day tho, we came upon a dead deer in the road and a crow, a vulture and an eagle all feasting. When we drove right up to them and honked the horn, they all left except one. Which one do you think it was? The eagle. It refused to move. Had to drive around it into the other lane.

We crossposted Corey.

Was the Mayor at the time of "The City" guiliani? I understand he was pretty rigid.