Tag: plantblr

Cannas: “I lived bitch”

As it was the first time I’ve tried overwintered any plant in the new garage and the fact the plants in questions were worse for wear AND the fact it hadn’t been watered whatsoever all winter, it’s amazing that they are pushing their own independent growth all on their own despite it all.

To be truly honest I did not think I’d be seeing any Cannas this 2018 as my overwintering tubers have in the recent years have done horrendously across the board (whether due to environment, diseases, or just my own exhausted negligence). It’s nice when plants can go above your pessimistic expectations of their survivability, it’s somewhat healing. So these guys are now outside near the greenhouse and given a deep hose soak. Let’s see how quick they take off from here.

Photographed May 13th 2018

I feel pain for anyone who has to ID Trilliums for a living though. Many of them can look so damn similar, google tends to overlap images for different species as if they’re identical so you’re out of luck using that as a reference, and without context of natural geography along with other visual details you’re pretty much screwed over unless you know very very subtle anatomical details (if you’re lucky you get very obvious details like the colour of the ovum before v after pollination, but even that can only get you so far).

Take “White Trillium”  for example; Most of you upon hearing that name probably imagined Trillium grandiflorum. However, counting that species there are actually at least 15 kinds of white trillium. 2 of which are Sessile form, 4 of which are Asian species (yes Asia has a small select set of Trillium species). Not going to share images cause as I said, google isn’t dependable for all of them but among the species of white trillium there are (*sound of me turning the pages of my old Trilliums book before I begin*);

Among non-sessile NA species

  • Trillium flexipes
  • Trillium erectum forma album
  • Trillium grandiflorum
  • Trillium ovatum
  • Trillium cernuum
  • Trillium nivale
  • Trillium persistens
  • Trillium rivale
  • Trillium rugelii
  • Trillium simile

Among sessile NA species

  • Trillium albidium
  • Trillium parviflorum

Among Asian species

  • Trillium camschatcense
  • Trillium hagae
  • Trillium tschonoskii

Some genera like Trillium can be so goddamn messy augh I haven’t even included hybrids and stuff. It’s nonetheless amazing.

Sister’s Rose of Sharon dramatically pruned down to size. Broke the 1/3rd rule here (I think I took off over half, the highest branches were up to the eavestrough) but it needed the reduction for various reasons, + Rose of Sharons are rather vigorous so I think it will grow back just fine. Kind of wish I brought some additional equipment, a sketchbook, or had some other people’s shrubbery to work on cause now I have nothing much else I can do while in the city (guess I could do a cold walk in the park but idk).

Also wish i brought my wallet so i could grab something to eat rn lol, I’m famished.

Photographed April 29th 2018

Reminder to Ontario Canadians that despite the snow, now (March-April, this year April due to weather) is a good time to get to pruning. While pruning isn’t always needed, it’s a good way to maintain the health and performance of your woody flora when the opportunity is available. Also remember; save for specific rare cases (or very vigorous species), ideally only take off 1/3rd of the living growth of your woodies (it does not hurt to get rid of the deadwood first to make this easier to measure). Also trees like old apple trees may respond to their first-ever prunings with bad watersprouts, so be ready for more pruning in the next year as you get them in shape.

And this shouldn’t need to be said but ALSO NO CHAINSAWS OR CRUSH PRUNERS IF YOU WANT GOOD HEALTH IN YOUR PLANTS FFS

I’m tired af but at least I got the greenhouse’s leaf litter problem thoroughly dealt with woop woop. Fingers crossed tomorrow that I also; tidy up the pots/trays, water and mulch the majority of the plantlife and also maybe prune the clematis crop, or at least clean off the MESS those clematis are leaving.

Right now with the freezing rain warning the entire fruit orchard is flooded with water right now, right to where the paperbark maples and pawpaw saplings were planted (former hates wet feet, latter can take floods provided it’s in a far warmer climate). Knowing how the weather goes around here (especially in January/February) it’ll probably freeze solid after the next few days of rain which may give them quite a severe shock. Guess we’re getting a full test of canadian hardiness on these rare expensive trees aren’t we?

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101 reasons Gato considers this area zone 4 and below and not zone 5/6 for so many plants-

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.