Wintrer in California

I DO love it....and the annual statice is so STICKERY! I'd really like to grow the Sea Lavender variety.....maybe on the east side of my house in a little strip bed. If I try to cram one more thing into that bed, however, it may explode...LOL!

I have tried to divide and transplant several types of perennial statice, and they were all unsuccessful. I finally read somewhere that they don't take transplanting well, so it is good to know that it is not just me. LoL.

Doss - I have the death to seeds syndrome too.

I have a question for any growers of flowering quince - Chaenomeles. I have a large bush that normally blooms profusely this time of the year (near Chinese New Year). But this year, due to the mild fall and winter we have been having in my part of California, the leaves of my flowering quince did not drop off at all. In the photo below, it is still very green. I looked for blossoms, and only found a few in about 5 or 6 branches that had no leaves. So, my question is, does the leaves have to undergo senescence and fall off before the flower buds form on the quince? Last week, I handstripped a bunch of branches, but don't know if that will do any good (as in the case of trying to fool mother nature?)

We're having a lovely "soft day" here (as my Irish friend calls it) today----gentle, soaking rain---the BEST for the garden! Sadly I haven't spread my corn gluten yet, so I'm gonna have weed seeds germinating like crazy, but it's always something...LOL!

what is corn gluten and how does that stop the weeds? I have a pathway that is unindated with weeds right now. DH wants to spray weed killer, but I put my foot down! lil fur baby could get sick, overspray could kill my plants, etc.

so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Well, the corn gluten won't kill weeds, but it is an all-natural seed-germination preventive. I try to be totally organic. When I need to kill stuff I usually use a) my Weed Dragon (like a flamethrower), b) boiling water or c) if I don't want anything to grow there, vinegar. All three work really well. Gotta be careful with the vinegar not to get it on good plants, however, as it will kill them, too. Then after the weeds are dead I use the corn gluten to keep seeds from sprouting. It works really well when I remember to do it....

I've bought it for about 8 years from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, and Gardens Alive. My friend also got it at a local nursery, so it's becoming more available than it used to be.

My Native American friends call this kind of rain a "female rain", gentle and nourishing. Hard, driving rains that don't sink into the soil are called male rains. I think it was one of my Navajo friends that told me that.
Thanks for answering 1Anjil's question. I prefer non-toxic and chemicals on our land too. I'll have to see if I can find the corn gluten. Would it be okay to put down after DH discs up the ground for my garden?
Here's one that doesn't make sense. We are being charged $125.00 a year to pay for point-source testing of contamination in the ground water. They are mainly going after nitrates and phoshates, which are big components in fertilizers. We have about 7/acres of land we grow Christmas Trees on. We don't use fertilizer at all, and as little other chemicals as possible.
I really object to be charged for being good stewards for this land when the County allowed sludge to be dumped in the surrounding fields (not our place). The farmers still able to farm are going to be driven out of business because they charge more when the acreage goes up. DH is threatening to use fertilizer now because it's not fair that we have to pay this fee, while he did get a reduction in the fee, that we have to pay it at all just isn't right. Especially when the largest producers of the nitrates and phosphates in my community are the folks with horses.
I like horses, but these days there are more "Ranchettes" with horses than there are farmers. They used to call this area the land of Wheat and Honey, now it is a commuter bedroom community with patches of farm land or partially developed housing tracts. So corn gluten sounds like a great alternative to pesticides and herbicides. Critter and people friendly.
I feel quite strongly on the good stewardship of the land, and more and more we are providing the only good habitat left for so many of our feathered, scaled, furred, four and two footed friends. Many plant people too are loosing their habitat. We will preserve what we can, and hope to rescue natives here too.
As always, thanks for sharing your knowledge. If you hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have known it even existed.
WIB,
SW

After your DH discs up the garden would be a great time to put down corn gluten unless you're planning on starting seeds there. Anytime you dig around like that you usually stir up weed seeds that will then go on to germinate and the corn gluten could definitely cut down on the number that will come up. But if you were planning on starting your own seeds in the bed then don't use it, it'll prevent germination of everything not just the weeds. Planting plants there is fine, it won't have any effect on something that's already germinated.

That shouldn't be a problem in the area I'm thinking of using it in. It will perfect because I'm going to try the straw bale planting. I am getting too creaky, to bend over that far. I have lousy balance these days, so raised beds are in my future. I will most certainly keep in mind that I won't be able to germinate seeds where I put the corn gluten. So it doesn't affect seedlings that are transplanted to a treated area? That is so good to know. I want to reduce my weeding, just can't get as much done these days. If the seed gets an ounce of rain, the weeds come in. I'll definitely be checking this one out.
Many Thanks, ecrane!
WIB,
SW

A brief lesson on pre-emergents from my 20 years in CalTrans landscape.
Most Pre-emergents work by forming a barrier on the soil that prevents the germinating seeds from growing thru it. In order for it to be effective, it must be undisturbed! Timing is critical! The safer ones, including corn glutten, won't affect plants that are emerged, so the existing weeds need to be removed before applying it. After it is applied, you don't want to break that barrier. Always read the product lable, before you spend your money, if possible. Most of them can be found on line from the manufacturer.
Hope this helps.

Carol

Yep, ditto what crane and carol said!

I TOTALLY understand your sense of frustration. Our previous house's sale was held up for 2 years by the county water czer because our area's wells were slightly high in nitrates----there was evidence the strawberry farmers in the next area over (who shared the same aquifer) were dumping fertilizer directly into their wells to water their fields.

I start my seedlings for two reasons---I can tell them apart from the darn weed seedlings, and also because of using the corn gluten as a pre-emergent. Oh, well, that and I'm a control freak...LOL!

Would it be possible for your experiment with DH to skip the discing in one section and see if that gives you any different results? I stopped rototilling years ago because I experimented with that vs. laying down a layer of organic mulch (newspaper was what I used), then sprinkling corn gluten on top of that & transplanting my seedlings. Got much better results than the rototilled areas. The corn gluten breaks down eventually into nitrogen.

In our county, my friend who is a Master Composter does training sessions with local horse-owners on how to organically compost their horse waste. Maybe your county has a similar program? Or maybe you could use their manure as an organic fertilizer on your trees instead of using chemicals?

Thanks Carol, it does help.
I'm planning on doing some research online today for the product as well as checking out the bio hazards for my wild friends.
For years I've been at odds with people about the value of chemical pesticides/herbicides. For the most part I have been successful in not using any. If necessary I look for non-toxic methods. In part because I feel so strongly about the need to maintain the land for the good of all, but also because of my own chemical allergies.
The county allowing WM to spread sludge in my community, and the resultant health hazards to everyone who lives and works here is enough to convince me to be very careful.
My FIL uses chemicals like crazy, and I have a hard time convincing him not to. He'll go about the farm and put stuff down without even asking. I guess I can't blame him, but he abandoned the farm when he was a teen, which is why DH inherited it. I have been here for 25 years and have done my best to make it a better place to live, both for my family and my wild friends.
Even to this day I will not let DH mow the center turn around circle until the Crockeria has finished blooming. I am also protective of the Baby Blue Eyes. Unfortunately, I lost the battle to save the Owls Clover. DH contracted with a crew who decided to spray pesticides in between the rows of Christmas Trees. It breaks my heart. I hope that some day they will come back since I put a stop to it, but those guys have also cut limbs off of Grandmother Oak Tree to allow them access when all they had to do was walk around the tree to enter. I'm still angry about that.
My oldest brother(EB#1) and I, are trying hard to reintroduce the native species on our farm. It's hard, and sometimes discouraging, but we are going to keep at it. Right now I'm trying to save some Lupine. I hope I can collect what little remaining wild seed I can find in the area. Might have to make a field trip into the hills. I used to be able to collect it from stands along the roadsides, until they started developing. Now it is disced or mowed before it seeds. : (
My BFF's Dad, used to work for Cal Trans too. Dangerous job and I thank you for making our roadsides more beautiful.
Walking the dogs this morning I saw some relatively new inhabitants to our farm. The RedWing Blackbirds have been here since all the development is causing them to loose their habitat. Used to be a major stop-over for the migrating ducks. They've built over a lot of the seasonal (vernal) ponds, or graded the land so they don't exist anymore. I sure hope we get enough water in the farm pond for the ducks to nest there again this year.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent again.
Thanks for all the help!
Walk In Beauty!
SW

imapigeon:
Our posts crossed. I know that there are several Master Gardeners from UCR that do put on composting programs for both the backyard gardener, and for the horse people (Riverside County has more horses than any other county in the state, the last time I checked). The problem is that they don't care how they affect the environment. As a matter of fact the horses are causing a lot of nitrate problems, and one of my neighbors was cited and fined for spreading horse manure on his land. The County is going after them next.
In a way I feel bad about it, but at the same time, we have already had problems with our aquifer being depleted in part due to the drought, but also because of the construction of Diamond Valley Dam (known to us locals as the Domenigoni Dam, for the homesteaders who were forced to give up their farm to make way for the Dam.) People are being very shortsighted about what they will be leaving for our children and their children. I was raised to think about 7 generations in the future, and preserving the land for those generations.
We have 47 acres, and DH doesn't disc it all up, just the areas where we plant the seedling Monterrey Pines, and the fire breaks. Because of my tiny mountain range, and Sweetwater Creek (now seasonal but used to have clear water year round), we wouldn't even think of discing the whole thing. I did ask him to disc up the area where I will be planting my kitchen garden, but I am going to use straw bales to plant in, and I will be using straw in between the bales as well, but I don't/can't weed like I used to. Don't want to use Round up, and have been doing some research on the straw bales. Not perfect, but raised beds, and the biodegradable nature of the straw are very attractive in reaching my goals. Which is why I am so interested in learning more about the corn gluten for those areas. I too will be starting my seedling in containers. In part because I sometimes pull up the plants I want to keep, even though I know my weeds. I want to give them a good start and I know I'll always have some weeds in my life, but there are so many of them! This will be a blessing for me if it works. I'll be keeping you all posted.
Many thanks!
WIB,
SW

One year I used straw for mulch, and was just amazed at how well it worked at suppressing weeds. I think you'll have excellent results!

My FIL was the king of chemistry, too. We used to call his yard Chernobyl. He had Roundup in 5-gal containers at all times, and used it WAY over the recommended concentration. Nothing green there except nasty junipers, and then he killed those off & dug them out, too. I hope the people who moved into his house weren't planning on growing anything in the next 10 years!

I know what a challenge it is to go organic & stick with it. I've been a compostin' and vermipostin' fool for several years, and it's finally paying off. My landscaper kept commenting on how good my soil is compared to other yards he's worked in. My inorganic vice is using Raid around the hot tub to keep ants from nesting under the cover in the winter....sigh....I just can't handle that!!!

Have you tried boric acid baits for the ants? Those have worked pretty well for me (I have problems with them taking up residence in my hot tub too...between them and the frogs it's a wonder I ever get to use it!)

I've mixed up boric acid and sugar bait in the past and had some success, but my concern is the toxicity of it to cats. My cats have been known to walk around after me and eat Sluggo granules as I broadcast them. Thank goodness it's not a problem for them. They'd eat the ones with arsenic in them, too, I'm sure.

I once found a clove-oil based Raid that worked pretty well, but once the can was empty I could never find it again.

GASP

impigeon;
Did you ever read Mad Magazine when you were a kid? One of their "Songs", sung to the tune of The Marine Corps Battle Hymn. No disrespect to the Marines intended.

From the ants in my petunia bed,
To the crabgrass on my lawn,
I will fight them off with chemicals,
Til the bugs and weeds are gone.

I will use quarts and quarts,
Of poison spray,
And I won't stop
Til I'm done.

The bugs and weeds are dying now,
But the plants and trees are too!

Sorry I just couldn't resist! : )

On a more serious note. Last summer we had some serious invasions from the Harvester Ants, (the ones that smell bad) and I tried everything from borax to boric acid . I've used the clove based pesticide too, but have found it ineffective, and worse it sets off my allergies. NOTHING worked except spraying Listerine Mouthwash along their trails to the source of their food, or perhaps in your case, imapigeon, heat. We think it has something to do with the alcohol content in the Listerine. It is kinda sticky but once all the ants are gone you can clean it up and they won't return. Upside is that Listerine smells a lot better than the ants.
I think I read about this in a Reader's Digest last summer. I figured something had to be done beside the Raid which would drive me out of the house for at least a week. So I tried it. Let me know how it works for you. Listerine is also supposed to be effective against mosquitos, but I haven't figured out how you'd apply it. Mosquitos aren't a problem for me, anyway, unless I visit family in Texas. They Do grow them big out there! LOL!
Twincol, Yes, there are people like that who knowingly contaminate their water source, and others peoples too. Mostly because they don't look beyond their immediate needs. Most people don't realize how water moves under the earth to enter the aquifers. Most responsible farmers who do use fertilizer add it to the water supply after it leaves the well and before it reaches the crops. Take a look at the chemical stew sometime down at the Salton Sea, which was created by farmers. A beautiful inland waterway, which provided food and habitat for migratory birds is so contaminated by runoff from the local farms that it is in severe danger. Birds are being hatched with damaged genes, the fish are becoming toxic. When I was a kid, it was a great place to fish or go birding. Now it's just a sad mess.
Walk In Beauty!
SW

I think the fact that DG has active organic gardening and soil/composting & vermiposting forums is a really positive indicator. When I started trying to go organic 30 years ago, I was a "kook" and nobody would even have these conversations with me. OK, I'm still a kook, but at least I have some company....LOL! If I make my wishes known by supporting organic agriculture and not buying chemicals I believe damage the environment, I think things could change. Just call me Pollyanna....GO WORMS...LOL!!

SW, we cross-posted again---seems to be our day for it! Any drops of leftover Listerine always seem to ATTRACT ants in our house, but I'll give it a try for sure!

This message was edited Jan 24, 2009 3:32 PM

One time the ants invaded the house and I didn't have anything else around so I sprayed them with Wild Berry scented Windex and that took care of them--smelled pretty good too! At work people have used other cleaners like 409 when we get ants invading the office. I've also used cinnamon to keep them out of certain areas--a little messy but it seems to work, they won't go across the cinnamon. One time they had gotten into the wall near the back door in my kitchen so I couldn't keep them out of the kitchen entirely, plus I wanted to put down bait so that I could eventually get rid of the ones in the wall too so I put a cinnamon "border" down on the floor to confine them to one small area until the bait could do its job. The only down side is that I'm still trying to get the cinnamon stains out of my grout! Outdoors though I think the cinnamon will be an expensive fix since you'll have to reapply it after the wind blows it away or it gets washed off when it rains or you water your plants.

We drenched the ants with the Listerine, but you may have a different kind. We were out for vengeance! I can handle them outside, but draw the line when they enter the house, or patio. They are welcome everywhere else. They were coming up all the sinks, and from under the baseboards by the hot water tank. I don't do plumbing. We haven't had a problems since we drenched them, but are not coming inside despite the colder than normal temps.
Mr. Clean works temporarily, but they come back after you clean up the mess. Never tried windex because of my allergy to ammonia. Usually use white vinegar and newspaper to clean windows, and mirrors.
Dad used to use cayenne pepper but that was usually for critters not bugs.
WIB,
SW

I've tried cinnamon, and the Argentine ants just seem to go around it after a few days and make new trails.
I've had some luck with spraying orange cleaner, but it also doesn't deter them for very long. I really don't mind them outside (unless they're farming aphids on my plants) but I can't handle them inside the house or in the hot tub. Since the entire state of California is one big ant farm, I know there's no truly permanent solution. They'll be here long after I'm gone...LOL!

Oh, and I've had limited success with coffee, too. But it stains worse than cinnamon, and the color lasts until long after the ants have come back....sigh.

okay let me see if I have this right....


On the corn gluten, If I put down a layer of newspaper, and then the corn gluten.... I can then pour my cement cobblestones on top of that and plant plugs of my blue star creeper in between the stones and it wont effect the blue star creeper? They arent seeds, just plugs I will take from other areas in the garden.

where the path is going, we have a horrible problem with weeds and morning glories! GRR!


and a question on Boric Acid for ants.... will this be a good idea if I have pets? (tiny 4lb poodle and cats?) the pets are all over the yard, and so is my grandson, so I dont want to put anything in the yard that I have to worry about!

one more question if someone could answer..... is it too late to cut back my rose bushes if I didnt do it already? was having surgeries this winter and none of my fall/winter gardening got done :( rose bushes are looking scraggly, but they are still blooming.

Thanks! this is a great, informative thread!

{{hugs}}
AnjL:

I can answer the corn gluten question. Don't disturb the soil any more than you absolutely have to. Put down at least 6 sheets of newspaper, or you can use cardboard, too. Wet the newspaper before you put it down, which keeps it from blowing around. If you use cardboard, wet it thoroughly after it's down. Then pour your cobblestones on top of that. Punch thru the newspaper/cardboard to make the planting holes for your ground cover plugs. After they're planted and mulched, sprinkle the corn gluten over the exposed soil.

As for the rose bushes, I trim mine back after the night-time cold lets up a bit, just when I start to see new growth. I always do mine kind of late, and they don't seem to mind it.

1Anjil,
I can't offer advice on the corn gluten because I haven't tried it yet. But I'm going to!
However, MIL and I were just talking about our roses on Wednesday. She said her gardeners had already trimmed hers, but she wasn't happy with the job they did. She is planning on finishing the job to her satisfaction this coming week. I have not as yet trimmed mine. I usually do it the first week of February. I'm right on the border of Zone A and Zone B. You should be fine trimming your roses any time soon. It's not too late, and they will be fine.
I hope that your recovery from your surgery goes well, just remember to pace yourself and not to overdo it! I'm going to be keeping you in my prayers.
imapigeon, you make me LOL! Yup CA is now one huge ant farm. I should go and take photos of all the different kinds that we have here. Luckily the fire ants haven't found us yet. Those suckers are horrible. I am allergic to red ants.
Even still, I realize what wonderful little carrion eaters they are. I found a dead hawk once, and came back an hour later to salvage what I could (an Indian friend needed some Hawk feathers for his Regalia, traditional ceremonial clothing), and the ants had removed everything but the bone, cartilage, beak, legs and feathers. Didn't have to do much to clean up and my friend was able to use the entire hawk as part of his Bustle.
I'm happy that the ant people live in the oaks too. They protect them from other insect predators and from kids who want to climb them. I just don't want them in my house or on the patio. LMK how the Listerine works for you. I used full strength Listerine in a squirt bottle and totally soaked them. They moved from the half-bath by the water heater down to our master bath. Sneaky little bugs, they took the high way, using the support posts holding up the roof of the patio to move across. Which is where that squirt bottle was really useful. I'm short, and it was hard to reach that high. I may have even used a step ladder, which I'm not supposed to do. I also spray along the edge of the patio, and the base of the house. Actually killed a couple of different kinds of ants, the carpenter ants, which were tearing into my wood fascia and porch supports, and the Harvester ants.
The only problem I have with my jacuzzi is that I can't use it until I get the feral female cat spayed next week. After she recovers I'll get my jacuzzi enclosure back. She is a smart cat. One of her kittens somehow found it's way in there. I opened the door so it could leave. Laugh was on me, she and her kittens moved in. Since I've been trying to catch her for the last two years to get her spayed. I closed the door. The kittens (3) are fine. One sneaky boy is still in there with her, while I have the two girls locked in the utility room where they mostly hide under the 1/2 bath sink. They aren't exactly tame, but they aren't as wary of me either. When I can handle the kits, then they can go back out until it's time for them to be spayed/neutered.
I really wish people would quit dumping their pets off here, thinking that they can survive in the wild. Most turn into coyote food. It's so sad to see someone's beloved pet killed because their stupid owners think that they can survive in the wild. It's a death sentence for most of them.
I still have call animal control to come and get the mama pig and her surviving daughter that were dumped here. Mama raised her piglets, and was perfectly happy living under the neighbors oleander hedge, until Animal Control chased them onto my farm. Where they spent the summer rooting around at the base of the Christmas Trees and tearing up the drip lines to get water. My son is really unhappy because he had to repair all those drip lines. Mama and babies walked into a fenced enclosure all on their own when we were setting up the Pumpkin Patch. They are happy to be there. I can't take care of them, and don't want them. I did find homes for two of the pigs, but my health is deteriorating and my kids won't help take care of them. Time to turn the problem back over to Animal Control with my thanks! At least they are contained and will be easy for them to catch or I don't think animal control would even bother coming out.
WIB!
SW

oh I feel for you on the feral cat....sis had one on her property in WA (18 acres) and didnt get it caught to spay it.... wound up with over 200 cats. unfortunately the hawks got alot of them last year :( she only has a few left and they have been spayed/neutered now.... but she was paying ALOT for cat food a few years ago! She's like me...cant stand to see animals starving.

on the walkway.....


what if I put the corn gluten down underneath the newspaper? last year, I did lasagna beds where there were lots of weeds (last year was first year I started gardening in this yard) and the wet newspaper did keep back alot of the weeds, but some stubborn weeds came back. not sure if they were seeds blown in on top of the newspapers, or if they grew from under the newspaper.... but very few weeds in those beds this year.

I am not doing any seed sowing in the garden at all, start all my seeds indoors. just thinking that the corn gluten would be less disturbed if it was under the wet newspaper....

1, Like all pre-emergents, the corn gluten forms a barrier and the weed seeds don't germinate through it. You could do both, but I definitely think you want some on top so anything that drops or blows into your ground cover will be less likely to germinate.

SW, when I worked at a nursery just outside of town, people would drop off cats too. We found homes for several (including 2 at my house that had a good home for for 10 and 17 years). Just like with the chemicals and so many other things, it's ALL about people being willing to take personal responsibility for their actions. I think I might have been mighty tempted to learn how to cure bacon if those had been MY driplines that the pigs tore up!

imapigeon,
My husband doesn't eat pork, although the thought did occur to me. He is also an easy going person, and since our son had to mend the drip line, it didn't bother him much, and gave our son experience. However, these are miniature pot belly pigs and there ain't much meat on them bones. You are a soft hearted person like me. I too can not stand to see a domesticated animal starve. I can't afford and don't want to feed the truly wild ones. I am planting forage for the birds and smaller beasts. The coyotes haven't been going hungry and I hope that the hawks don't either.
DH and I just took a walk across the farm. It is so beautiful this time of year. The green is emerging, and the native chamomile (aka pineapple weed) is starting to come up. DH found several pack rat nests. (see Photo) This one he is standing next to for scale (DH is 5'9") while some are bigger and others are smaller. The pussy willows are starting to bud out, and pretty soon my allergies will be driving me crazy, but it is all worth it. I noticed while on our walk, that the areas where DH disced but did not overlap the rows have stripes of green. Too much area to cover the whole place, but the corn gluten should work well in my garden.

1Anjil, I don't know if you need to do both, but if you have the money to, what would it hurt? Although I think I'd trust imapigeon on this since, she has experience and I don't with the corn gluten. Even if new seed comes in (I get a lot of presents from the wind blowing and birds), at least there are fewer weeds and they are easy to pull. Then compost or feed to chickens. : )

WIB,
SW

SW, that's quite a nest! Looks like the floor of my closet right now.....sigh.

We just had a couple of cold little squalls come through---but at this minute the sun's shining and everything smells wonderful!

Here are some pics. of roses that were pruned back exactly 2 weeks ago, today...and sprouting already.

Thanks, i think I got it ....I'll put the gluten on top of the planted areas.... lol! I dont wanna do double the work, and nope....money is tight in this area of CA too! :(

another...

third one

last blooms of a two-fer tree rose: Livin' Easy and it's yellow counterpart (forgot the name) excuse the vase !

Jas, you have some great rose bushes. I am right on the edge of Zone 9A-B, so I always wait til February. We been known to have freezes in Feb. But gosh, darn, look at those pretty new, red leaves! : )
Here's another photo from our walk today. A macro (in the breeze) of the pussy willow. It's been cloudy and cold today (for me). The ground is nicely damp, not saturated but keeping the rain in the soil. We had a few patches of sunshine, but a great day for a walk, just had to put on the Arctic Wool Coat! LOL! Weighs about 15 lbs. It's ugly, but it's warm!
Anjil, I think you made the right decision about the corn gluten. Just waiting for DH's tractor to get fixed so I can set out my garden! : )
imapigeon, it does smell great outdoors! : ) One of the pack rat nests was about 4 1/2 feet tall. I couldn't get a good picture because of all the dead undergrowth. Told DH it belonged to a Grandfather and we should leave it alone. I once found one that had been washed away by the flooding creek and discovered several shiny objects, including a boyscout tie clasp. Too funny. Now if only I could find my opal ring!
By the way I've often been accused of being a pack rat (I consider it being thrifty and recycling) and would feel blessed if just my closet looked like that! : )
WIB!
SW

Jas, sorry about our last posts crossing. I noticed today coming home from our walk that my American Beauty still has a few nice roses as does that pink & white cabbage rose, but they are starting to loose some petals, and I don't see any new ones forming.
I excuse the vase, don't know what it did wrong, but it's excused. : )
Another photo of moss growing along a vein of quartz in the creek bed cut.
WIB!
SW

lol about the vase !

Cool moss picture.

Moss doesn't survive long, so you got to get your photos while you can. Same as for the weird fungi that show up around the rainy season.
I took that picture in part because of the moss, in part because it shows sign of earth faulting. The vein of quartz just makes it more apparent and a nice contrast for the moss. : )
I took this one of my intrepid pup, Spirit.
What did the vase do?
WIB,
SW

The "vase" thinks it's the canister to my blender!

Cute dog !