The task for this morning was to divide some of my Siberian Iris ‘Ruffled Velvet’ which were in dire need of being divided. Here are a few photos of these beauties in bloom:  

It was the perfect morning to get down and dirty and divide like a champ; it was very cool and overcast – the perfect weather for accomplishing the task and not putting too much strain on the newly transplanted divisions:  

As you can see in the photo below, a hole has developed in the middle of the Iris and that screamed “division time” to me:

In went the shovel and like a hot knife through butter, the Iris split into three divisions on it’s own (hmmm … interesting I said at the time, should that really happen? Bigger issue? … no time to ponder … let’s move on):   

After I moved these on to the tarp (always useful) three became five:

I cleaned each new division up by removing any debris, large clumps of nice NJ clay but careful to keep the roots in tact as best as possible:

Each division was placed in it’s new location in a hole at least two to three times the size of the root ball:

The foliage was cut down to about 4-6 inches so the plant could focus most of it’s energies on root growth:   

BOOM! One Siberian Iris became five and an empty spot in my bed was quickly filled. These will be mulched a bit more and will be well watered for the next month or so to ensure they get off to a nice start:

Soon after, another Iris became four divisions and I filled in another bare area in one of the beds:

I’ve still got four more to divide but that was all that could get done this morning.

These may not bloom next year (or even much the year after that) but I am OK with that. The foliage still provides a level of interest and with their new locations, I am not relying on them to provide much impact in the overall scheme of the garden bed they are in.

It had been awhile since I had a chance to get my hands dirty out in the gardens and it immediately got the blood and mind flowing. Dirt under the nails, on the knees, in the ears – GOOD TIMES! I feel good and ready to conquer more. Bring it!

ONG 

You know what I hate? Seeing Christmas decorations out in the stores in September.

You know what else I hate? Planning for “next year” at work when it is still early in the current year.

You know what else I also hate? Clowns … but that topic is for another day.    

I really try my best to “live for the moment” but also realize that planning is a necessary evil in life. What makes me nuts is always looking back on a prior event and thinking “wow, that really kicked ass” but not enjoying said event like I should have at the time it was happening.

This applies to my perspective on gardening as well. And I must admit I strayed from my “live for now” mantra big time today. All it took was a quick scan of some photos I took of the garden beds back in the early Spring to set me off. Holy crap’n crap were the beds bare. Winter interest be damned! While I have made some strides taking winter interest into account this spring/summer, I still have a way to go. The proof is in the photos:               

It is so easy to get caught up in the flourishing new growth of shrubs and perennials and then the explosion of blooms. What is easily forgotten is that here in zone 6, we have about 5 months out of the year where you would kill to see any signs of green growth or anything of interest out in the yard. While I really should enjoy the lushness we have now and the impending fall blooms, I can’t help but think of the dark days of winter to come.

Some more photos:
 

And some more:

OK … one more set:

Like everything in life, it comes down to a balance of enjoying what you’ve got at the moment, but not forgetting to plan for what is to come. So I’ll love me some of the blooms forming on the Miscanthus while at the same time make room for some hollies I can pick up on the cheap this fall. Problem solved just like that!
 

Happy Halloween!
ONG 

Last week I posted a photo of a caterpillar on my Asclepias Incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) and admittedly did not know what it was. But as I mentioned in yesterday’s entry, so many readers educate me each and every time I post and this time was no different. I was immediately informed as to what it was by so many.

My next step was to do my own research to learn even more. Before I get to that, however, let me share some photos with you:

They are quickly destroying the Swamp Milkweeds as we speak:

And I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch the devastation. It is a sight to behold. Now on to some factoids:

• Females lay eggs on the underside of Milkweed leaves
• The eggs hatch within 3-6 days
• Milkweed is the only plant Monarchs can eat
• Within 9-14 days the caterpillar is 2″
• Monarchs shed their skin 5 times
• The last shedding is when they form their chrysalis 
• Monarchs leave the plant when full grown and find their final locale to ultimately become a butterfly
• The whole life cycle is 9-14 days as they transform from caterpillar to butterfly
• The butterflies then mate 4-6 days after hatching

And once the caterpillar has become a beautiful butterfly, it looks like this:

Ain’t nature grand?
ONG 

This past Sunday, I was enjoying a morning pee like I do each and every morning. The head was still a bit groggy and I was still coming out of my morning stupor. But just like that, I let out a screech heard throughout the house as if I were a tween who just saw the cast of Twilight walk through the backyard. The kids ran for cover behind the couch and my wife was ready to hit 911 on the phone. Why the screech you ask?

Was it from an odd burning sensation down below? Nope, all systems a go there.

Did I spot a burglar breaking into the house? Nope, I am too intimidating for them to even think about it.

My very feminine yelp was due to what I spotted through the window:    

Yep, that is what life has become in my household. After composing myself, I quickly grabbed the camera and starting snapping shots through the bathroom window. I couldn’t have been more excited to see what I assumed was a goldfinch (remember I am  a true amateur in this arena) and I had to have proof of it’s existence.

I then needed to do my research to learn more. That is what I love about writing this blog. It has opened my eyes to so much more and it inspires me to go out and soak all the information in; that and I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of you all. Here’s what I learned:

• The American Goldfinch is the state bird of New Jersey, Iowa and Washington.
• Can be identified through it’s short conical bill and short notched tail.
• The male is a vibrant yellow in summer.
• The breeding season is in late July when food is at it’s peak supply. It is also when when the male is at it’s bright color. Now I know why my wife made me wear a yellow parka all the time.  
• The American Goldfinch enjoys the consumption of seedheads (like the Purple Coneflower in the photos) and is agile enough to hang on while consuming the seeds.
• Unlike most men, the male is monogamous and produces one brood per year.
• Prefers open meadow areas.   

Now I know many of you know a lot of this already and I know the American Goldfinch is a commonly sighted bird, but for me it just shows how much of an influence this blog and the readers have on me. The desire for information and learning more outside of my comfort zone.     
 
I can’t state enough positives about the experience of blogging and interacting with the readers. I don’t share my appreciation nearly as much as I should, but the amount of information that is shared in the comments  section is absolutely incredible. I have learned so much from you all and it sure beats having to google for the information all the time. Never in a million years did I anticipate this level of interaction, and for that I am forever indebted to you all (that may have been a bit dramatic but you get the point).

Thank you
ONG     

We just spent the past week “down the Jersey Shore” and there will be a post about that in the next few days (sure to be filled with the usual NJ references). But for now, I will focus on what welcomed me when we returned home.

Some good and some bad.

Either way, it is amazing what develops over the course of a week. Let’s start the pictorial tour:    

An obvious “bad”. I watered everything thoroughly before we left, but it was inevitable that the containers would take a beating and I, like a dope, didn’t make plans for someone to assist with watering before we left.   

On a positive note, the plum tomatoes, fingers crossed, appear to be developing without blossom end rot for the first time. However, since they are also in containers, they were in desperate need of water and I quickly obliged them the minute we returned.   

There are a ton of buds on the Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ (the one that was not pruned as part of the “experiment) and I anxiously await their floriforous (Is that a word?) display.

A whole bunch of new blooms on the Pennisetum ‘Little Karly’. Moi loveth les grasses.

Yes, snuck in another Panicum shot. With my best Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin voice (RIP) … “Isn’t she a beauty?”

Yes, Hemerocallis (Daylily) ‘Happy Returns’ has happily returned. Welcome back you little minx!

Call me crazy, call me nuts, call me obsessive … but this Russian Sage exploded in bloom this past week; it looked sort of ratty before we left. Happy times!

Now this rocks! Found close to ten of these on my Butterfly Weed plants. I was going to research exactly what these are but figured you will all know immediately upon seeing it. Because you are that awesome and smart. 

The Viburnum ‘Emerald Lustre’ berries changed from green to a dark purple and that makes me a joyous person. Please come and enjoy all of God’s creatures.

The Boltonia ‘cultivar unknown’ is beginning to bloom. Woo friggin hoo!

This is growing out of my my topsoil pile (still to be used in the yard) and I have no idea what it is? Please … do tell what it is.  

I am not ready for it yet, but the Viburnum ‘Shoshoni’ is showing the first signs of changing to it’s beautiful autumn color.  

The Helenium buds have formed and this will be the first time I will witness their blooms.

I would like to extend a personal vendetta against the mutha f’n rabbits who munched on all of my Lobelia ‘Fried Green Toamtoes’. Consider yourself warned! 

And last but not least, one random bloom on the Physocarpus ‘Summer Wine’. Ahhhh … hearkens me back to the late Spring when so much was in bloom … and there was plenty of water.

Be prepared for a NJ shore post (sans Snooki) in the next few days.
ONG

I recently turned a $25 gift card from The Home Depot into two Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ plants. They were sitting in hiding between hundreds of tired looking Arborvitaes and figured “It’s not like I’m going to spend the money on anything else in this store. I couldn’t fix a leak or patch a wall if my life depended on it.” So the decision was made.  Let’s give these babies a try.

I found the perfect location for these plants and was all ready to plant them when a very vital and critical decision came into play. Keep the gigantic, otherworldly and beautiful blooms on the plants …

… or be the smart gardener and cut off the blooms so the plants could focus their efforts on root growth. The plants will already be stressed being planted in the heat of summer (my bad) so removing the blooms will not exhaust them completely trying to maintain those flowers. Plus, the exhausted plant is much more prone to insects and diseases.  
             

The classic long term versus short term benefits debate. So I figured, let’s try both and experiment a bit. Let’s get all scientific and shit. Plus, it’s not like the appeal of this plant is all about the blooms. I love the large, dark colored leaves.   

So plant #1 remained as is with the buds and blooms attached:

and plant #2 had all of the buds and blooms removed: 

We will track this experiment closely and I am hoping to see visual proof that the removal of buds and blooms really does benefit the plant in the long run as expected. This sort of reminds me when scientists closely monitor two twins who are raised under different circumstances. Well maybe not … but you get the point.

Later
ONG