Something Unusual in your Yard

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Rabbits in a hutch in my yard. If comparing myself to neighbors they don't have rabbits, they turned them all loose and I have them. As for plants I have a horseradish plant next to the fence that I actually planted there years ago, but there is a horse radish plant next to the alley and somehow when DH was making compost, horseradish from the front of the property made it to the back. It does not spread. You just see leaves come up and then in winter die and back next year in the same place.

 

[so lucky]

Sorry, the pic didnt really come out all that good.

I can't imagine a rosemary plant that old. Congratulations for keeping it alive.

 

[flowerbug]

both of us are unusual...

 

[flowerbug]

Rabbits in a hutch in my yard. If comparing myself to neighbors they don't have rabbits, they turned them all loose and I have them. As for plants I have a horseradish plant next to the fence that I actually planted there years ago, but there is a horse radish plant next to the alley and somehow when DH was making compost, horseradish from the front of the property made it to the back. It does not spread. You just see leaves come up and then in winter die and back next year in the same place.

i've never planted horseradish because i was warned that it spreads and is nearly impossible to remove. and, well, we have this really bad track record of planting edible plants/herbs and then never actually using them much at all. i'm trying to get out of the habit of making yet more work for myself here and to simpllify things.

 

[Trish Stretton]

Somehow I managed to kill my horseradish before I even got to use the roots. Might be cos I had it in a pot sitting on top of the garden bed thinking it would spread.

 

[digitS']

I'm coming back to this thread to say something about volunteers and some frustrations. I included a picture of a volunteer tomato plant in the first post, I'll get back to that plant in a second.

In my continuing relationship with Coyote tomatoes - trying to direct-sow, they didn't even emerge - next, the seedlings were very late coming up in the greenhouse and nearly overwhelmed by their neighbors in a community container. Several years, Coyote tomatoes had shown up as volunteers in the garden. Very,very early to make fruit, it was fine. I just had to tolerate several plants growing while hoping that one would be a Coyote.

Volunteer tomatoes are often something other than Coyote and, therefore, have little chance of ripening fruit before frost. So, Coyote stands apart!

Here is this year's volunteer with the focus on its fruit:


Pretty bad, eh? It appeared very late in June in the weeds along the neighbors fence. I didn't see it earlier and have no real idea why it's there! The weeds shade it as do some of my very tall sunflowers just across the garden's perimeter path. The plant grew some and set fruit.

Two tiny tomatoes that didn't pass the green stage before disappearing! Two more showed up and they also disappeared! I blamed voles.

The picture shows the 3rd pair. I told DW that maybe these were high enuf that the voles couldn't reach them. They ripened!

I needed them ... My transplanted Coyote in the garden ripened fruit nicely even though it had a fairly difficult start back in the spring greenhouse. Maybe, I shouldn't call it a Coyote. You see, it ain't! It's parent must have crossed with a neighbor - the fruit is the right size and a similar flavor but it's the wrong color. So, obviously a cross .

This morning, that pair of authentic Coyote fruit also disappeared!!!! Turned out, DW picked them. Thank Heavens, she didn't eat them! That miserably located volunteer has created too much stress!

Oh that tomato volunteer photobombing the picture of the Perilla? Apparently, a Sungold offspring. I decided that from sampling the fruit. Last that I could pick! The dang voles or tree squirrels must be getting them here in the yard, at home.

Steve, who has plenty of tomatoes from non-volunteers

 

[Trish Stretton]

Ohhh the joys of gardening.

 

[baymule]

Watermelons. I don't plant them, they come up from rinds we toss to the chickens, pigs, sheep and horses. They grow in the pastures, the sides of the driveway and in the back yard. We have enjoyed delicious watermelons this summer, not a one was planted on purpose. There is a big striped one out by the burn pile, we are going to cut it Sunday. I think next year, I may just plant some on purpose.

 

[AMKuska]

I'm seeing more and more monarchs in my yard. I have never seen one ever until just the last year or two, but now I see them 1-2 every year. @seedcorn sent me some milkweed seeds, and I have a little pot of them growing in my greenhouse to put out for them next year. I'm curious to see if more show up. If they do, I'll make more pots and ask the neighbors to put them out.

 

[ninnymary]

I'm seeing more and more monarchs in my yard. I have never seen one ever until just the last year or two, but now I see them 1-2 every year. @seedcorn sent me some milkweed seeds, and I have a little pot of them growing in my greenhouse to put out for them next year. I'm curious to see if more show up. If they do, I'll make more pots and ask the neighbors to put them out.

My neighbor gave me a card asking me if it was because of me that she has had lots of monarchs in her yard. I think so since every plant I grow has to be either for food or for pollinators. I started this about 2 years ago and have seen a difference. I created a monarch habitat under my Fuyu persimmon tree but I think it gets a little too much shade under there.

Mary