Any Texans with Air Potatoes laying around? I promised a friend in Iowa I would send them some. I will pay to get them here if you are coming to any of the RU's.
Air Potatoes
I'm with Sylvia, will pay for air potatoes. The big bucket by my patio won't be the same without them.
What are they?
What happened to your's Pam.....last I remember they were crawling out your cabinet doors...where you forgot you put them...
"eyes"
That was a 'hoot' when I found them growing down the tops of the cabinets. Actually aq little scary until I realized what it was. In answer to your question, 'eyes', I didn't have any potatoes last year. :(
stephanie, they are beautiful vines with big heart shaped leaves that produce potatoes on the vines. You pick the potatoes before first frost to plant next year. Just set you potato somewhere and when it starts sprouting in the Spring, pot it up.
Cat you pot yours up? I am glad you guys remember them. Usually at the roundups, someone had buckets of them. When I went to Iowa Roundup last june I took some with me to give away. After I told them about the air potatoe, I think they were scared of them, afraid they would take over or something ... everyone except Barbara and Rand. Rand wrote and ask if he should dig his it up to save it. Linda told me to tell we would send him more. Well Linda dont have many this year and I want some for my self too. I wish I could find the picture he sent with it running up the tree in Iowa.;)
Yes, Sylvia, mine is in a huge pot because someone talked about it invading the world. Thought this way I could keep it contained. I don't know why I didn't get any potatoes last year. :(
Hi Sylvia; Isn't it wild, being retired and trying to get everything done???
I was just trying to find a picture of the potatoes trying to grow up the tree. The winds kept blowing them down on the ground. And I would try to train them back up the trunk. I guess it just may not be warm enough here for them to grow good. I would like to try them in a dark container, in hopes of keeping them warmer. I'm thinking I will try digging them up and see if they look viable.
Barbara and I have had quite a rough time this Spring. First, Barb had a mild stroke. prayers and determination, got her through it though. She has no residual effects. and is back to normal Thanks be to the Lord.
Then on the thirteenth of March, I was airing up a tire and it blew off the rim. Sure knocked me for a Lupe. broke up the upper sinus cavity and eye socket on the right side. Now that one I know it was the Lord that carried me through. Had to have a Nero surgeon put that puzzle back together. I have one more surgery to repair the lower part of the eye socket tomorrow. The Lord has carried me this far, I am sure he will be with me for the rest of the way. Anyway with a little more help than last year I am still planning on another big garden this year.
Barb has just started driving again last week but for two of our girls have been taking turns of taking care of us and doing the driving and some of the normal work around the house. I think I will miss them when they feel we can handle things ourselves.
I will mark this post and visit more often.
Russ
stephanietx,
I had the same question
http://home.att.net/~larvalbugrex/airpotato.html
Thanks for that link! I think I've seen those growing before but had no idea what they were!
I am from Florida and I dont remember seeing this plant. I wonder what part of florida. anyway thanks for the link.
I got some from RJ last year and absolutely loved 'em. Have planted them again but don't know if they survived the latest weather events. If so, I would be more than happy to share.
Christi
Sylvia ~ this is the cinnamon vine ~ air potato. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53822/ I had sent you some tubers a while back. It has a pretty vine and tiny potatoes.
I also grow the large one but don't have any taters from the bigger one. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/32235/ In spite of all the dire invasive warnings, I don't find it to be invasive under my care. It rarely makes taters. If this is the one you carried to Iowa, it really is a tropical by zone and I am sure it didn't make it thru the winter.
Russ ~ Whew! Y'all have had a tough go of it. Glad things are back on track. Wish you well on your next surgery. Here's hoping your daughters don't decide to ground you both! LOL Please visit the TX forums more often. Sylvia isn't the only charming one here... 8 ))
Pod, was that you who gave me the little one? I keep them in a pot, but I see one coming out of the ground. Thanks for that picture, now I know what it is. If you got extras, I will take them too. :)
Christie, did you see taters? All the taters i saw of the big one are up in the trees and I dont remember any dropping to the ground.
Russ, I am going to email you ... you just have so much going on, I didnt want to put it on this thread ... bless your heart!
In FL, they have what they call "Roundups" & burn them since they are so invasive in that climate. But I have mine planted to cover & wrap around my double carport. Brakes up the big metal look. I have to remove the dead vines every spring but most of mine come back fr the ground.
But alas, Ike blew trees, houses, & most of my baby taters to the winds.
I'm going to Lake George, FL, next wk & will see if I can find any down there to bring back.
:~)
podster; No I'm sure Sylvia isn't the only one with a charming attitude.
We met her at an Iowa RU. I think if we had plenty of stuff to burn, even air potato vines, we would have. That had to have been the coldest and windiest day we could have picked. But it didn't interfere with the festivities or just plain fun. I had to apologize to one couple. somehow I missed having their prearranged trade with me. It worked out though as I got one of my orders shipped in the next week, and mailed her plants to her. Really made me feel bad at the time though.
May just be that when we get all healed up, we may have to find our way to a Texas RU and barbie q.
I don't think that can be this year anymore, as this accident has really put me behind. It is something we can look forward to though.
Just thought I would forward one of Lilyfan's pictures at the RU.
Russ
omg! I think that me on the left end, wearing the donated jacket ... and there is SteveFTW with his arms around the two ladies. Rand is that you with wearing the Tom Landry hat? Where is Barb?
I went back and tried to look. It's kind of hard to see with only one eye open but I think Barb must have thought that one was members only. I remember she skipped out of a couple pics. Yup that be me!
I am hoping that a couple more days, some of the swelling will go down more so I get rid of this double vision. It messes up my depth perception too. With that in mind, it is also, really fun to hunt and peck on the old keyboard. lol
Do ya think Steve was just keeping warm??????? LOL
My trip to Florida has been postponed b/c my GF's mother had a heart attack & she had to fly to Memphis.
So, will try to get a bushel when we do go!!!
:~)
Smockette;
Really sorry to hear of your GF's mother. When things happen, we need to be where we are most needed. Be well and Barb's and My prayers are with you and GF & mother.
I thought he had his hands full with Barb's stroke and my accident with that tire. But he is Omni present, and knows no bounds. May he bless you and yours!!
Russ
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMOCKETTE!!!! I WISH YOU MANY MORE!
LUV YA!
SYLVIA
Smockette; just now went to the birthday list. Happy birthday, wish you many more.
Russ
I'm slow but sure. Just now seeing this thread again.
Thanks for the BD wishes!!
My GF said we may try to have our BD parties in July. Her BD is the 11th. That makes her 2 yrs older than I am, for a whole two days each yr!!! lol
Whenever we go, she has told me where we can get plenty of them on the way to her house. So, it will be on our agenda next trip.
We had plants that we were taking her & her neighbors so we will just keep them a little longer.
:~)
Smockette; DW is from DEC 16 to Mar 9 ( a year older than me! I used to tell people that she robbed the cradle, lol
Of course 72 is a long way from the cradle, So that joke don't fly any more. :>)
Rand you are riot! I am going to tell Barb. lol
Hey Sylvia, are you coming to the RU??
I understand that Steve from Ft. Worth is coming , I assume he is flying in.
Sounds like we will be having a Ball!
Think most of the door prizes, will be supplied by members but they will still be great.
I'm bringing one of my big wind chimes. Hopefully I can find a heavier string/ cord, by then, so it will withstand the weather better.
Russ
Rand I wish I could come ... I love to shop for Hostas there! :) I cant afford it this year. I heard its going to be in Des Moines next year and I would love to go there too.
Since Steve is going, I wonder if he would take my list of Hostas and shop for me? lol I sure hope all my Hostas come back this year. I am missing so many labels in my hosta garden. I had not been able to get out there because of my hip ... but I am better now and dont know where anything is. ... and to make things worse, I came home this evening and they had cut my biggest shade trees down ... I have the hardest time with my Hostas. So I got online this evening and ordered me 15 of those hybrid Poplars ... maybe in a couple of years I will have some shade. hopefully....
This plant is terribly invasive. My best friend in Florida has been desperately trying to remove it for several years. It invaded her "native" garden area from a neighbor's yard and killed a number of wonderful Florida natives. I would never, ever plant this in a warm, frost-free climate, such as the Gulf Coast or Florida . . . . Perhaps if it was surrounded by acres of concrete, but I'd never trust it. I doubt my friend will ever be able to totally remove it . . . . . even though she's resorted to herbicides, a backhoe in places (required to remove the trees the blasted vine killed), etc.
Leslie, would your friend be able to send me some of those Taters ... i'll pay to ship. :)
Yea, Leslie, we know of the problems they have with them over there but I live north of Houston & have no problems. I have them going up my dbl carport & by the end of summer they look great 'ringing' all that metal.
Russ, I did a L/Sing job last wk. Had to wait for 5 days for most of the hibiscus to come in fr guess where? Florida! lol But in my traveling to diff nurseries for plants, one of my growers had 2 buckets on their front porch! Sign read: 'Air Potatoes Limit 2 per customer' Shows to go ya, that they are in short supply down here this yr. But I grabbed two for me & 2 for my client. Then Friday afternoon, after the client had their new fountain installed, I had 8-10' on each side with no flowers. So, I ran back to the nursery & bought 2 more dbl red hibiscus & 2 more white gaura. AND.... picked up 4 more.
Sylvia & I are going to CSRU this wkend & then she is coming back to my house for the nite. You will have 8 min in the mail next wk!!!!!
:~)
Smockette; Sounds like you had a great time. I do wish that hibiscus, grew here with no trouble. Even the hardy ones are hard to get started.
I tried 2 Texas star,?? something like that. anyway, they only survived through the summer and fall. Didn't come back in the spring.
It was either too dry during the winter or they just couldn't stand our climate. lol
Wow!!!!! 8 potatoes!! I won't plant these next to the same tree this time. Too much shade maybe.
I think for here they need full sun. I do have one tree that does get more sun at the base. I'll try one or two there. Maybe if I plant them on the west side of the trunk, they will get the most sun.
I have to say, you guys are great!
And you do landscaping. I lack the artistic ability to see how something will look and just where to place things. Although I still make an attempt. LOL
May the Lord Bless You.
Russ
Russ I got my trees and they sure are pretty. Are the leaves Red? I got then all in Starter pot, probaly by fall I can put them in the ground. Thank you so much! Linda I might give you one, not that you need more trees, but one from Iowa would be cool!
Now tell me about those taters, where did you get them?
Landscaping? Well you wont believe this! I am taking a L/S course through Ashworth college. I decided I would like to do Landscaping for the Shade. I drive around town and I see all these houses with deep shade and hardly a plant anywhere. plus I love doing this stuff.
Russ you dont grow Hostas? I never hear you talking about them. I hate missing the R/U in Iowa. ... and to make it worse, I got a flyer from Dry Creek Hostas in Marion ... and she dont do mail order. I had a ball there last year. Russ my friend Linda is a sweeheart, is she not? She dont forget anything or anybody ... Russ please tell me the name of the trees again?
Sylvia; The trees are a sugar Maple. The leaves may come on red on very small trees but they are a green, during the summer. In the fall they will turn yellow. Sometimes a little reddish but not often.
Yes I have hostas. I look for different ones once in a while. I have some with yellow edges and green centers, some with white edges and green, then the large all green leaves. They seem to do very well here. They have never failed to come up in the spring and they do multiply. lol
If you need any of those, holler, I'll send you some.
Better yet, I'm getting along pretty good on my hydrogen add on, for the pickup. We May think of coming down, after the garden stuff is all in. Then if there was a BBQ involved. hint hint.
I found a little nicer little maple, today. A nice straight trunk and just a little taller than those I sent. That would be another possible nice tree.
I really do hate to cut down this one by the garage, but I am afraid of the split where all the limbs seem to spread out from there. It isn't so big yet that it would pose a problem, but they do get big.
One of our neighbors down at the other end of town, had a big limb come down two years ago. It totaled their brand new pickup and their car. I cut the limb up for them got it off the vehicles so the adjuster would come out. Strange, he wouldn't even look at any of the damage, until the limb was off of them.
Be well, We'll miss you at the RU.
Russ
Now, Sylvia, how many times have I told you that you shouldn't plant new ones in the fall?
They don't have time for their root ball to spread out b4 freezing sets in!
:~)
I beg to differ ... the growers say you can plant anytime if the ground is not frozen .. then again I am a hosta grower and my Hostas come to life in the spring ... why should I dig them up? Linda I planted my Silverleaf maples last fall .... the stores were sellling them ... what was i suppose to do?I sure wish I could find more of them ... they were already 10 or 12 ft tall.they must have been on special or something ... they were dirt cheap! you should have seen me and Greg grinning when the leaves started developing. lol Whats happening when the bark start busting open on the tree? Also its growing new limbs all over the tree ... how far down should I trim them.
Rand why dont you know the names of your Hostas? lol thats part of the fun of growing Hostas. lol I would say send them in a heart beat ... but I think I have enough NOIDs. lol
Rand whats a Hydrogen add on? Does that have anything to do with that corn you guys are growing up there? .. like energy or gas replacement? dont hear too much about that anymore.
Rand didnt you say you had relatives in Texas ... are they in the Dallas Area? How is Barb's health? I dont need to ask about yours ... you running around cutting trees down or off cars .. I should say. lol you sound like a right neighborly guy ... :)
Nope Slyvia; I ain't squeezin corn, nor makin bio fuel.
I'm making Hydrogen from water and piping it into the air intake. It makes what gas is burned, burn better. Which in turn will give a little more power, better mileage and less hydro carbons to the atmosphere.
This was something that was during one of the world wars. After the war was over Britain ordered them all dismantled. They were used because fuel was in very short supply.
Of course mine has a few different gadgets, to do the same job only drawing less amperage. There are many ways to get better mileage from the gasoline you burn. Most only give a minor increase, about 2 or 3%. There are only about three that really give a big increase. One would be rather dangerous, which is to heat the gas and turn it into a vapor. ( highly volatile )
Hydrogen is not as volatile, and can be made on demand and delivered to the air induction system and used without having to store it up. Also since water is 2 molecules of hydrogen and 1 oxygen, it will also deliver a minimal amount of oxygen, which also increases the volatility of the gasoline, making the lowest grade octane even better.
I've know about this before but when they pushed the gas prices so high it finally got off my blessed assurance and I'm doing something about it, even if it is only for my own benefit. The government don't really want us to use less gasoline as they would loose the tax money from it.
(Peace) I'm off my soap box.! LOL
Russ
WOW Rand! I am impressed, you sound like some kind of scientist or something! In addition to being a nice guy, you got brains! The two dont usually show up in the same person ... ;) seriously ... I never heard of any such thing ... then again ... its me! Do you have to add something to your car to do all that? We had our Roundup today ... saw Linda ... but we both were running late and she forgot to give me your eight potatoes. We have another Roundup going toward Louisana next saturday ... I will be sure and get them from her and send them right away.
There are a few things that need to be done, to produce the Hydrogen. There is also some electronic gadgetry to influence the on board computer, to not dump extra fuel to the engine when the Hydrogen oxygen mix is causing a clean burn. But it isn't major changes to the vehicle. There is a lot of information out there on line ( BUT) , you have to be able to sort out the fake from what will really work.
I will give you a couple web sites, later. but got to be on our way to church, in a minute or two.
Russ
Dont bother yourself ... I am no where near being a mechanic and I dont have a man to try and explain it to. lol Plus I freak out when something goes wrong with a car. I bought this big Xterra (2004)then I started hearing this crunching noise, come to find out it was all rusted underneath ... cost me 700.00 and I had not made the first payment ... the first mechanis told me they must have gotten the car from up north or someplace because that dont happen to cars here. The second Mechanic said it was probaly in that flood up in Houston. I kicked and screamed and hollowed ... my lawyer friend said to go ahead and pay it ... I did ... but I still wonder how much rust is still under there and what is it going to affect next.
My younger son, who had just completed a business law course at Tech, took his recently purchased used Ford Mustang in for a minor repair at the dealership where he had bought it and was told by the service manager that it had been wrecked prior to his buying it. He left the car there and told them it was theirs. After a couple of weeks, they contacted him and asked what they could do to rectify the situation. He bought a new car at a significant discount. Sylvia, put some pressure on the seller to make it right on your vehicle. Nissans are good (we have a Frontier and a Quest), but you should not be having to deal with rust problems on one that new.