Tag: kihakugatogardenposts

F*CKING MASSIVE ROSE

Ignore unhinged jaw of my face I wasn’t planning to be in the shot. Y’know when I said “the Canadian Explorer Rose will be the T-rex of the plant relocation/rescue project” I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW ON THE MARK I’D BE ON THAT DISTINCTION! She’s fucking HUGE! Also hellishly thorny just like grandma rugosa, I actually had to get my gloves out to be able to lug her up (I was stubborn about NOT getting the gloves till that point. Much yelping had ensued beforehand). A lot of her full size was concealed by the overgrowth of weeds where she resided. Such a contrast to the other hybrid rose (which is a Hybrid Tea) which barely reaches my knee, THIS rose could reach my waist+ if propped up. In Canada this size is not unusual for many species roses, but for a lovely hybrid rose this is something I am not the least bit used to, even after having this girl for as long as I’ve had.

Unfortunately as you may have noticed from the photos though; not a lot of roots came up with the rest of her, which is bad, really bad for such a monster (ESPECIALLY if one is transplanting in MID FREAKING SUMMER). So after these photos were taken I took to pruning two thirds of her (which may still not be a liberal enough of a prune-out) which should hopefully make up for lack of roots. I’m hoping her Rugosa background gives her the edge to take to the new flowerbeds (more on that another time) and bounce back, though that does not entirely keep my confidence as I have never had luck with transplanting Rugosas either.

Fingers crossed she makes it through the summer, but if not I at least know which group of Rose hybrids I will seek once again; Canadian Explorer roses all the way.

Photographed July 8th 2018

THEY LIIIIIIIIIIVE.

Most of the liveliest of the greenhouse residents right now. (not listed in order of the pics) Betula

alleghaniensis, Betula

populifolia, Thuja occidentalis, Catalpa sp., Picea glauca, Geum triflorum, Clemtatis tangutica, and Penstemon hirsutus.

These guys are also on the list of “gonna see if I can sell them this year” crops. Especially the Birches, cause they big and they are a pain in my butt lmao.

Photographed May 13th 2018

Spring Flowers/flowerbuds in the greenhouse

2nd year Alpine Strawberry (2 cultivars, though tempted to sell them together as a “mix” due to messed up labels), Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum), Canadian Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) and Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia).

Talk about fast pace to maturity. These are definitely at selling size so this is the year I’ll be trying to sell them off. Whether its to another nursery or to interested gardeners. Of course I plan to keep 3 of each (except the strawberries) species so that I can propagate from my own stock in the future.

Photographed May 13th 2018

Hatiora gaertneri flowers
Photographed February 16 2018

Proof we can’t give seasonal-based names to houseplants; we got an Easter Cactus flowering around Valentines Day. It’s not just their cousins the Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera) that tend to flower “offseason” lol.

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) Germination
Photographed 2018

Stratford collected. Surface sown under growlights and on a heat mat, Generic Promix growing media. Will probably have to be thinned/repotted in the next few days.

Third time’s a charm?
Photographed January 29th 2018

This orchid is the very last survivor of the dwarf orchids and she’s gone through so much hell and isn’t even at top form yet here she is trying to grow her third attempt of a flower stalk. No pun intended in that I’m rooting for her to succeed this time! I have never seen her flowers before so it’d be such a treat to see.

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) seed sown into a Windowbox planter, Photographed January 7th 2018

Have I mentioned that I’m surprised I got any seeds at all from stratford cause of how late in the season the harvest was? Cause I’m still floored I even got so many seeds. Little behind schedule again with seed sowing (I was gonna sow these guys back at the start of 2017 Christmas holidays) but nonetheless in the window of time I’d still prefer to get them their kickstart. Katsura are reputably tender to winter freezes/frosts when young so getting them started now will give them a better chance of survival for the next winter. Window boxes to put it bluntly have very poor drainage for seedlings so most window boxes I’ve been using I’ve been drilling holes into them like patterned swiss cheese to give lots of consistent drainage for when I start watering the trays more routinely. Ngl I’ve been doing the “is there sprouts yet?” checking ever since I sowed these up.

If my memory serves me right within the 20th+ days of this month onwards a lot more seeds are gonna be started from the fridge stratification and it’s gonna definitely fill up my growlights and probably spend through the majority of my currently prepped potting soil <A< sooo good thing I have these lights moved to their new place and already re-set up for the work that’s to come.

Christmas Greetings from the December blooming Schlumbergeras
Photographed December 7th, 10th, & 13th, 2017

Merr Christmas. Even one of my tiny little Schlumbergera seedlings is blooming this month for the occasion! Gotta say though that the Schlumbergera x buckleyi is killing it for standing out this year though, even if the flowers are smaller than the rest!

Apparently it’s World Soil Day (or was, just missed by a few minutes) so here’re my soil-based books.

Publication 494 Ontario Soils- Physical, Chemical and Biological Properties and Soil Management Practices from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Soil Management- Best Management Practices from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs.

Ok I didn’t realize these two books were so localized, also the books are oriented for those heavy in the agricultural business (so mentioning the of certain machinery and practices which a common gardener wouldn’t use), however much of the information they have is applicable to those who want to learn about soil. 

First Houseplant rebloomings
Photographed November 31st 2017

Schlumbergera truncata and Clivia minata did a rush of floral growth since their new room finally got heating for the winter. Funnily the S. truncatas I have began their flower openings around American Thanksgiving (making them for once live up to their common name of Thanksgiving Cactus, normally mine bloom around January), though the yellow flowered form took the lead/show of them all. Sadly there will not be any red Schlumbergera flowers this year as it was one of the few plants that perished from the previous neglect drought. I’m going to have to keep track of what other floral forms have perished before I begin to replace them. I’m nonetheless happy that at least the yellow form is doing well, especially when you consider the fact that it was once considered a far less vigorous colour form/hybrid in the indoor garden market.