popular What have you done today in the Garden?

Nice looking green border, Riley.
Tja, Wisteria pruning— I have been literally pruning mine all summer long.

After pruning mine I would expect to not have to do it again until early fall, but no, in three weeks it will’ve made a new runner as long as I am tall ! The wisteria is now blooming for the third time this season. If it will bloom again before the leaves fall…I don’t know. We shall see.

 

That's such a good idea isn't it @Doghouse Riley . My Hubs made a ' backstage corridor ' too that runs down the entire length of our garden, this enables him to work between the boundary hedging and all the trees and shrubs that dominate that particular border..

You're garden always looks so fabulous, so neat. You were on another forum with me a few years back I use to read all you posts with great interest, didn't you once have pond too...I recall posts about when it was filled in and the fish were found new homes...a neighbour I think.

 

Sjoerd no problem getting back to the water way maintenance issue. The internet connection has been on and off due to the stormy weather here the past few days. Clearing your water way has to be cleared out by rules/laws are the same here too. The irrigation ditches located next to roads must be cleared in preparation for the winter rains that will flood out roads if not maintained properly.

The reeds gathered for my friend who plays the bassoon in the Portland orchestra does play for many plays and holiday plays she gives us free passes. Very generous . Nothing like live music from a full orchestra. It’s heaven to my ears. It’s truly my happy place.

 

Thanks for the kind words.
You are correct about the koi pool.
The fish are doing well at our neighbour's two doors away.

Here's the last garden video I made six years ago, before I had the pool filled in.

 

Stunning then and still stunning now @Doghouse Riley. .

 

DHR I agree with Oreti. Your garden is stunning and then some.

 

Thanks for the tour of your corner of paradise, Riley. You have talent and dedication, for sure.

Your koi reminded me, we had a water feature with koi, too. They got really big. Then some herons came and took them away. Or racoons. Stank voor dank.

 

Daniel—Chuckle. That was a bitter pill to swallow.

 

I want to start a few plants for the xeric border. The ones I put into water cups are not doing anything. So I took cuttings for dipping into rooting hormone and starting in seed starting medium.



Some were fresh today. The sage was all I had, so I used the ones out of water and re-cut for fresh healthy tissue with a clean cut. For the sage, I also trimmed the leaves to reduce wilting.

Before


After



Then swirl for 5 second in liquid rooting hormone. Then use a butter knife for a dibbler - avoid wiping off the rooting hormone - then insert into pre-wetted seed starting medium.



I hope they grow. That silvery leaf Spanish lavender is pretty striking, but the scent is mild. I may be watering it too much for good scent this year. The geraniums are for next year and maybe for blooming in sunroom over winter. Also for the leaf scents.

I put them into produce bags for humidity.



They are in a north facing location for now. It's in the mid 70s outside, pretty good for cuttings, I think.

Will they grow . Time will tell.

I have a question for the Stewbies. Does it make a difference if the growth tip is left on or cut off, for rooting cuttings? The tip produces hormones that inhibit branching lower on the plant, so removing it releases lower buds from dormancy. But what about roots? I don't know .

 

When I take cuttings i usually leave a few leaves at the top and also cut off half of each leaf left so the plant can send more energy to the rooting system than photosynthesis for leaf growth. I always use a rooting hormone. Place in slightly damp soilless medium. Cover with lid to keep humidity high so the cuttings don’t dry out but allow air circulation .
I’m not sure what you’re asking about the roots and dormancy. I just remove the last three sections of leaves at the bottom of the cutting, place in root hormone and place the section in to root in soilless medium. Because where the leaves were removed is where the cuttings will send out roots.

 

I have an area in front of my garage. A few years ago I actually found some sweet woodruff and put it there, for the same reason. However when they cut the tree and drilled out the stump, I've had problems with suckers coming up. The woodruff is doing great! But those silly trees trying their hardest to grow, does not make for low maintenance!

 

I do smoothies two or three times a week, during the school year. I freeze raspberries just for that. Raspberries are fine for diabetes, which is why I try to freeze as many as possible. This year I'm not getting as many as I have in past years. But I am getting a few. I get a cereal size bowl every couple of days, so I think its the year of rest for them. I do freeze kale as well, for the smoothies. I also add yogurt and peanut butter (I love peanut butter).

 

A picture is worth a 1000 words. English ivy is almost gone.luv my mulcher. It’s as clean as a whistle.

Showing cuts thru the hazelwood ‘filbert’ tree. 3 days and 3 chains are dulled on the chain saw. My hands have taken a beating from the vibrations. Ordered another chain. Cuts are half way thru the 18”and 24” trunks.
Weight of dense filbert trees . 1foot x 8 inch limb weights 38 pounds. Very dense wood. I’ve cut 2 trunks.
There are cuts on both sides of each trunk. Showing the notch on right of horizontal cut to cut off to land the trunk where I want it to fall.

Filbert tree on right side of pic next to red maple on the left. The cuts on the trunks are a few feet higher than the white lattice fence behind the trees.

 

Wow, be careful Pac. Those are huge trees. They can fall unpredictably!

 

Yes please be extremely careful @Pacnorwest , it looks like a scary project to undertake .I hope you have someone to assist you.