Garden chat & photos for torts and people ♫ ♫

[Alicia Hoogstra]

Oh, I just love that first one!

That one is "Strawberry Fair" Siberian Iris's. What zone are you in?

 

[Jacqui]

That one is "Strawberry Fair" Siberian Iris's. What zone are you in?

5b

 

[Alicia Hoogstra]

5b

I would be happy to share! I'm in the same zone!

 

[Jacqui]

I would be happy to share! I'm in the same zone!

Wow! Where do you live?

 

[Alicia Hoogstra]

Wow! Where do you live?

Grand Rapids Michigan
Where are you?

 

[Jacqui]

Grand Rapids Michigan
Where are you?

Nebraska. Had my hopes up you might actually be near enough to visit.

 

[Len B]

A few pics from today, First the purple bloom cactus from Texas opened andit's close to purple, almost.. I did get a cactus bloom open today that isn't yellowI no longer use these as a food source but the banana trees after a slow start are starting to show themselves. Here's 4 of the larger groups.

 

[Oxalis]

Grand Rapids Michigan
Where are you?

Representin' the mitten state!

A few pics from today, First the purple bloom cactus from Texas opened andView attachment 241804it's close to purple, almost.. I did get a cactus bloom open today that isn't yellowView attachment 241805I no longer use these as a food source but the banana trees after a slow start are starting to show themselves. Here's 4 of the larger groups.View attachment 241807 View attachment 241808 View attachment 241809 View attachment 241810

Love the plants! They look so nice next to the cactus and tortoise sculpture! One of Stevie's outdoor cactuses from you has revived from our winter. Whew!

 

[Len B]

Representin' the mitten state!
Love the plants! They look so nice next to the cactus and tortoise sculpture! One of Stevie's outdoor cactuses from you has revived from our winter. Whew!

Good. I ended up loosing just one complete plant. Others had some damage but survived.

 

[Len B]

Since this patch is almost finished blooming I decided to pick some fruit this morning. Picked 282 fruits, Wish more tortoise keepers were close enough share with. . Also saw the first one of these this morning

 

[Maro2Bear]

Since this patch is almost finished blooming I decided to pick some fruit this morning.View attachment 242539 View attachment 242540 Picked 282 fruits, Wish more tortoise keepers were close enough share with. . Also saw the first one of these this morningView attachment 242551

Nice update Len!

 

[Yvonne G]

A few pics from today, First the purple bloom cactus from Texas opened andView attachment 241804it's close to purple, almost.. I did get a cactus bloom open today that isn't yellowView attachment 241805I no longer use these as a food source but the banana trees after a slow start are starting to show themselves. Here's 4 of the larger groups.View attachment 241807 View attachment 241808 View attachment 241809 View attachment 241810

That purple one is a Cholla, right? I have several Cholla that bloom dark pink or purple. Most of the opuntia (at least the ones I have) are yellow.

My banana trees are finally starting to grow. The two from you that I planted in the front are now about 2 and a half feet tall!

Since this patch is almost finished blooming I decided to pick some fruit this morning.View attachment 242539 View attachment 242540 Picked 282 fruits, Wish more tortoise keepers were close enough share with. . Also saw the first one of these this morningView attachment 242551

Is that a rose beetle?

 

[Len B]

That purple one is a Cholla, right? I have several Cholla that bloom dark pink or purple. Most of the opuntia (at least the ones I have) are yellow.

My banana trees are finally starting to grow. The two from you that I planted in the front are now about 2 and a half feet tall!


Is that a rose beetle?

Yes it's a cholla. In a few years you probably will be giving banana trees away because your climate is much better than mine for them to multiply and spread. Out here they are called Japanese beetles I don't know if they have different names in other parts of the country.

 

[Yvonne G]

No, that's right. I just remembered my mother-in-law killing them off her rose bushes. Forgot their name until you said it.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Are banana trees edible by torts? Or just ornamental?

 

[Len B]

Are banana trees edible by torts? Or just ornamental?

edible

 

[Oxalis]

Picked 282 fruits

282?!?!? I definitely couldn't have guessed that from the photo! Nicely done! I saw a few flower buds on my Opuntia for Steve this year, yey!

Yes it's a cholla. In a few years you probably will be giving banana trees away because your climate is much better than mine for them to multiply and spread. Out here they are called Japanese beetles I don't know if they have different names in other parts of the country.

I think it was last summer when I really started seeing a bunch of them. Hopefully I don't see as many in my backyard this year.

 

[Len B]

282?!?!? I definitely couldn't have guessed that from the photo! Nicely done! I saw a few flower buds on my Opuntia for Steve this year, yey!

I think it was last summer when I really started seeing a bunch of them. Hopefully I don't see as many in my backyard this year.

When I looked at them I guessed about 150 so I got 2 bags figuring about 75 per bag and when I got to 75 i knew I was way off so I put a 100 In the first bag and then 100 in the second and had to get another bag.for the rest. As for the bugs they have never been real bad here, If there are a bunch in one place I will gather them up and drop them in the pond for the water turtles treat. Once they hit the water they can't fly away and are terrible swimmers.

 

[Len B]

When I took this pic on April 29 I wasn't sure what had survived our very harsh winter, Today's pic shows that everything is back Here's another pic to show how some opuntia can survive in all the wrong conditions. I put these in this wheelbarrow last year. The bottom is rusted out so I have screwed hardware cloth in the bottom to keep stuff in. the only substrate would be leaves and pine needles that have fallen in over time.Today I noticed one was blooming.

 

[Oxalis]

When I took this pic on April 29 I wasn't sure what had survived our very harsh winter,View attachment 243305 Today's pic shows that everything is backView attachment 243306 Here's another pic to show how some opuntia can survive in all the wrong conditions. I put these in this wheelbarrow last year. The bottom is rusted out so I have screwed hardware cloth in the bottom to keep stuff in. the only substrate would be leaves and pine needles that have fallen in over time.Today I noticed one was blooming.View attachment 243307

Of course. Silly Opuntia!

Your first photo with the banana plants and elephant ears reminds me of the many plant catalogs we've all received in the mail!