September 2017 in the northern hemisphere

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, don,t forget to leave enough of the house to live in.

[Maggi Young]

The structure is down now and much needs to be hauled away. The concrete foundation is next. Uuuggghhh! 

 I hope you can hire in some machinery to help with that? Rather you than me - I remember the amount of work it was to remove quitea small piece of concrete path - couldn't even contemplate trying that now.

[Robert]

It did. That year had a much better summer than this (which has been lousy frankly) and a long mild autumn. It was still blooming at christmas in a sheltered spot outdoors that year.

Meanie,

Once stormy weather arrives (and frost) the flowers will not last long. The plant generally dies back during the winter (same with Salvia guaranitica). The last few years it has been setting viable seed with new plants sprouting in pots in the area. This is a first for me.

Ian,

I'll ask my wife if she plans on keeping the house. 

Maggi,

It is amazing what the correct tools will do and how easy a job can be. I hope there is not much in the way of iron reinforcing bar in the foundation. We will have some help! So far the garden in the area has escaped any major "accident". Actually, the cleanup after the building is gone will be tedious.

[Leucogenes]

Today...Liatris punctata and Gentiana sino-ornata "Blauer Kobold"

[ian mcdonald]

The lower leaves on my lizard orchids are forming. The flower stem is not produced until the following summer. Img. 00356.

[Robert]

We are making progress on removing the back part of our house. Now that the framing is gone, the concrete foundation needs to be removed. Progress is slow.



The back part of the house will have a window door and large windows to become a greenhouse room. Another small attached greenhouse-aviary will also be constructed.



Mimulus cardinalis is looking good in the garden. There is "lime" dust from the concrete everywhere in our garden now. I hope the plants will not be harmed - especially the acid lovers. The dust from the gypsum sheet-rock seems like it could be beneficial.



Dieteria canescens var. canescens from the high elevations and the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada is a great late blooming Asteraceae. They will bloom for many weeks. I hope to get a better photograph of this fine species soon.

[François Lambert]

Cautleya Spicata seeds, when the fruit (or is it a capsule) opens you see a small pea-sized black ball, a closer look shows it contains dozens of seeds.  Will try to see if I have any luck at germinating these, apparently they must be sown immediately at room temperature.  Which is a bit strange I think given the fact that if the seeds fall on the ground and stay outdoors they soon will be confronted to lower temps.  Perhaps best also to provide day/night temp swings as I think they are getting in habitat when the seeds ripen.

[meanie]

Cautleya Spicata seeds, when the fruit (or is it a capsule) opens you see a small pea-sized black ball, a closer look shows it contains dozens of seeds.  Will try to see if I have any luck at germinating these, apparently they must be sown immediately at room temperature.  Which is a bit strange I think given the fact that if the seeds fall on the ground and stay outdoors they soon will be confronted to lower temps.  Perhaps best also to provide day/night temp swings as I think they are getting in habitat when the seeds ripen.

Will you clean them first? From my recollection there viability lasts whilst still in the berry but shortens quickly once cleaned up.

[François Lambert]

Will you clean them first? From my recollection there viability lasts whilst still in the berry but shortens quickly once cleaned up.

There is not much cleaning involved, when collecting the seeds they just all fall off.  I have sown the first batch this morning, as other capsules open I will continue to sow them immediately.

[Gerdk]

Ranunculus bullatus from Southern Spain
- I am still pleased by this species year after year -

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Lovely Gerd, how do you grow it?

[Gerdk]

Lovely Gerd, how do you grow it?

Thank you David. I grow them inside just like summer dormant bulbs/corms. Nearly dry in summer and watering then around the
first days in September. Powdery mildew in winter is a problem - I would imagine that good ventilation would help.

Gerd

[Gabriela]

The awful heat wave that hit Ontario has ended, luckily. One positive is that it made Centaurea salonitana buds to open - I had little hope to see the flowers of this one.


Now back to the normal cool, and less time spent watering plants Foliage is starting to turn colourful, the fruits are ripening.
Lindera benzoin


Aster ericoides is blooming and the clubmoss stands green and fresh (Dendrolycopodium obscurum most probably).

[Robert]

Most of the concrete has been broken up and removed from the old 'Sun Room'. It took me two days to break it apart with a sledgehammer! Tio Paisano helped and Jose helped a bit on another day. Soon it will be all gone and I can think about the new garden.



Not much progress on the new greenhouse.



Silene laciniata ssp. californica is still blooming in our garden.



A little better photograph of Dieteria canscens var. canescens.

Many Salvias are looking good in our garden now. Hopefully I will have some good photographs soon.

[ruweiss]

Gabriela,
Aster ericoides´Snowflurry´also flowers in Germany and we always enjoy these
charming flowers in the autumn.