Category: Garden

Mossarium: update

On By CarynIn Craft, Garden

The natural moss that I gathered from the back yard for my mossarium all died in a dramatic going-brown-and-crumbling way, except for one small patch. I bought some cultivated moss to replace it (it came in a multi-pack, ooo).

Photo description: four kinds of moss and the plastic container they were shipped in

I tucked the moss in crevices that I formed in my clay terrarium base, and used the sheet moss on the vertical slopes. To keep the sheet moss in place, I used short sections of a broken toothpick as tiny stakes.

Photo description: using a section of a wood toothpick to stake down sheet moss

I left some open areas of dirt, but not many. I quite enjoyed the placing of the moss, although I’m hoping that this round survives.

Photo description: mossarium with new moss applied to the small artificial hill with labradorite steps spiraling to the top and jewel orchid at the crown

I do have extra sphagnum moss and another similar looking moss. I put them back in the container and will keep them moist until I figure out something better.

Orchid mount

On By CarynIn Flora, Garden

My orchid count has doubled. I purchased a jewel orchid for my terrarium, and now I have a full size orchid from family. I’m rather fascinated with mounted orchids, despite the daily misting requirements, so I took a piece of lake drift wood that I collected years ago, placed the orchid, and wrapped the roots lightly with sphagnum moss. I secured the whole thing, until the orchid can establish contact, with fishing line wrapped gently around. To catch overspray, I put the mounted orchid in a leaf dish filled with orchid mix.

Photo description: orchid on its new mount with sphagnum moss to help keep the roots moist
Photo description: opposite side of the orchid setup

The center leaf has continued to grow, so I’m hoping the orchid continues to enjoy its new habitat.

Peaches

On By CarynIn chickens, Garden

My friend let my kids and I come pick peaches from her yard again this year. So many peaches. We sorted and washed, and laid them out to dry on the counter and covered them with mesh to keep the bugs off.

Photo description: peaches on paper towels covered with tulle fabric

I peeled the peaches with a peeler (blanching is frustrating and hot), and sliced them off the stone by cutting wedges and popping them off as I cut. The sliced peaches went into freezer bags for future use. I boiled the skins and obtained a beautifully colored liquid.

We shared some peaches with the chickens, who loved them so much that I needed to put out one for each chicken so there weren’t squabbles.

Photo description: Black Star hen pecking a peach

Containment

On By CarynIn Garden

I absolutely love our Gregg’s Mist flower in the front flower bed. We walk out the front door and there are almost always butterflies flitting about, but the plants were starting to encroach onto the sidewalk.

Photo description: Gregg’s mist flower in the flower bed on the left, almost taking up half the side walk in places, Sophie the cat sniffing the grass

I didn’t want to trim the plants back because the healthiest growth was near the sidewalk, so I found some green wire push-in fence and installed it along the sidewalk. What a difference!

Photo description: Sidewalk clear and Gregg’s mist flower contained
Photo description: Gregg’s mist flower and oxalis (and some stubborn grass) behind an almost invisible wire fence

I like that the fence is inconspicuous. I really like that as the plants continue to grow, I can just tuck them back inside the fence and not have to cut them.

Volunteer: Clematis pitcheri

On By CarynIn Flora, Garden

My husband spotted something unusual coming up out of our crossvine, inverted pitcher-like purple flowers that were very different than the crossvine’s peachy-orange vessel flowers. The iNaturalist app gave us the category “clematis and leather flowers”. Searching leatherflowers, the purple leather flower, Clematis pitcheri, was a visual match. We certainly didn’t plant it, but it is quite welcome!

Photo description: two purple leather flowers coming up between crossvine leaves

For those curious, the flower is quite robust, and the curling tips feel very much like leather (as a leather worker, I feel confident in that assessment.) I did not dissect a bloom, but if it continues to do well and produces more than just three flowers, that will be a future project.