Texas

[Italia]

Our plumbagos and salvia appreciate all the rain we got over the weekend. I thought I already posted this pic, but maybe not.

I love plumbago. It is one of my faves. My garden has received enough rain to where I will not have to water again this year. Whoohooo. Thank goodness. Time to disturb the fire ants and roll up the water hoses.

Darn ants........ I think I am loosing the war. My poor feet need a purple heart award and the little devils have learned to make castles out of the D.E. but the plants all got a second life to them.

 

[Italia]

I went to the Texas State Fair this weekend. It was my first time to the Texas fair. I remember seeing a lot more chickens at the Utah State Fair that I attended with my dad growing up. We would often spend more than an hour walking up and down the rows at the Utah fair looking at all the poultry and the breeders would often be there caring for their chickens and answering questions which is how we met the man that I got my Black Breasted Red OEG Bantams that I raised for four years before moving to Oklahoma.

There was a lot of good discussion at the table of the egg contest, but I only meet one bird owner in the 25 minutes I was there. She was a high school age girl who was showing off her White Silky and letting people pet it (I always wanted to touch the Silkies, those feathers are as soft as they look). I was with my parents at the fair, but instead of asking Dad chicken questions like I did when I was 10 years old I was busy telling them what I liked about all the breeds we saw.

I wish I would have been there for the judging (missed it by about an hour) and that I could have met some breeders (I had Single Combed Light Brown Leghorns on the wishlist, but will keep looking).

I have really wanted to go to something like this and never have. Thanks for sharing. I enjoy hearing other peoples experiences of them. Pics?

 

[Italia]

I took some photos of the chickens tonight. Not as good as Jungle's but he has inspired me to learn more about my camera.

I think it's a brown leghorn pullet, 10 wks.


My husband's favorite, Buff Cochin named Golden Girl. 5 years.


Peepers. Welsummer father, EE'r mother. He has double spur nubs on one leg.


Red Star production, two EE'rs...Blondie and Mossy. 10 wks.

your cochin. I'm a huge sucker for the fluffy ones.

 

[Teri Metcalf]

I love plumbago. It is one of my faves. My garden has received enough rain to where I will not have to water again this year. Whoohooo. Thank goodness. Time to disturb the fire ants and roll up the water hoses.

Darn ants........ I think I am loosing the war. My poor feet need a purple heart award and the little devils have learned to make castles out of the D.E. but the plants all got a second life to them.

I agree. Plumbago is just about my favorite flower. Love the color. After all this rain (probably 10 inches in 2 weeks), I don't dare go outside without my shoes on, because of the ants. Although I prefer sandals all year round.

 

[Italia]

Welcome back Mandy!!! I was wondering about you!

GOOD MORNING ITALIA!! Thank you for missing me. 'Juno' has been bouncing my e-mails coming and going. It was a mess. Hopefully I am back.

Lisa

 

[Italia]

I agree. Plumbago is just about my favorite flower. Love the color. After all this rain (probably 10 inches in 2 weeks), I don't dare go outside without my shoes on, because of the ants. Although I prefer sandals all year round.

I will never learn. I am forever clad in flip flops. Even around the horses

I have a lot of barefoot pics of me riding with nothing more than a rope.

I will put on steel toes while working a chainsaw though. Safety first!

 

[jajeanpierre]

My garden has received enough rain to where I will not have to water again this year. Whoohooo.

Italia, I wanted to ask you about watering new trees after it rains. I'm in the Hill Country.

I planted a lot of native trees and bushes last winter and spring. I faithfully watered deeply with a hose every week, occasionally a little more often during the really hot spells. Do I keep the same schedule even with these very heavy rains? Since they are new trees and bushes, their root system probably hasn't grown much past the original root ball. My thoughts are that they will deplete the water around their roots in the same amount of time, no matter how much it rained. Thoughts?

My goal is for them to not need any supplemental water. I doubt I can get away without watering them next year, but I hope to by 2015. How much watering should I be doing for them next year? I was planning to water them deeply every two weeks if there is no rain. Would 1/2 inch of rain be the same as one deep watering of natives planted the previous year?

Thanks for your help.

 

[WildWorks]

Wildworks - I noticed you were from Hamilton, my dad's family is all from Hamilton!

I don't like snakes at all...as long as they stay away from me, I have no problem with them! They are pretty and I don't mind looking at them when they are just doing their jobs (or behind glass).

I have spent most of my life in Hamilton, so I probably know them.

 

[TexasLisa]

I will never learn. I am forever clad in flip flops. Even around the horses

I have a lot of barefoot pics of me riding with nothing more than a rope.

I will put on steel toes while working a chainsaw though. Safety first!

Italia Italia Italia.....You and I would be a pair! I use to go barefooted in Indiana and Oklahoma. Can't do that here. I bought my first pair of work boots this year. Amazing thing happened, my feet didn't get bit.

Lisa

 

[Teri Metcalf]

Italia, I wanted to ask you about watering new trees after it rains. I'm in the Hill Country.

I planted a lot of native trees and bushes last winter and spring. I faithfully watered deeply with a hose every week, occasionally a little more often during the really hot spells. Do I keep the same schedule even with these very heavy rains? Since they are new trees and bushes, their root system probably hasn't grown much past the original root ball. My thoughts are that they will deplete the water around their roots in the same amount of time, no matter how much it rained. Thoughts?

My goal is for them to not need any supplemental water. I doubt I can get away without watering them next year, but I hope to by 2015. How much watering should I be doing for them next year? I was planning to water them deeply every two weeks if there is no rain. Would 1/2 inch of rain be the same as one deep watering of natives planted the previous year?

Thanks for your help.

I'm not Italia, but I'll give you my 2-cents worth. We live in College Station, and we're hoping that we don't need to water again til next spring. Even though your plants are young, they're not likely to put on much foliage til spring, so they may not need much water til they do. If we go through another long dry spell before spring, keep an eye on your new natives. If they look thirsty, give them a drink. I'll bet their root systems have done some growing since you put them in the ground.