Butterfly Junction

Anybody know what they are?

Lilies, but I don't know which variety.  They're highly toxic to cats.

countrynaturals wrote:Look what I found out in our desert wasteland of a front yard. Never watered. Had no idea they were there. Mother Nature is Amazing.

Those look like our Magic Lilies, also called Resurrection Lily.  They have leaves that come up in the early spring and then die back. Then in late July or early August they shoot up flowers with no leaves.  Then, when the flowers are done, the stems dry up and nothing is seen until the next spring when the leaves shoot up again for a short period of time. It is magic! 

Interesting, OG. We weren't here in the spring, so these were a total surprise. I like the name -- Resurection Lily -- nice.

My grandmother in Lodi had a lot of these lining a path.  They are so amazing, so welcome at this time.

Resurrection Lily
Additional Common Names: Peacock Ginger, Kaempferia
Scientific Name: Kaempferia
Family: Zingiberaceae
Toxicity: Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses
Toxic Principles: Non-toxic

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/resurrection-lily

That's good to know!  I was aware that SOME lilies aren't toxic, but didn't know which ones, specifically.

We call those Ghost lilies; the green comes up in Spring, dies down, and the flower emerges in deep summer!

Scorpio Rising wrote:We call those Ghost lilies; the green comes up in Spring, dies down, and the flower emerges in deep summer!

I like that name, too. I'm amazed that anything would sprout here this time of year.

No garden for me until 2019. WAAAAAA!

I was walking through the back yard at the old house, when I noticed that the leaves had started to fall. I was thinking about my ritual of raking all the leaves and using them to top-dress my beds for winter. Then I realized . . . THEY ARE PROBABLY TOXIC FROM THE FIRE!  My only hope is a nice, early rain, followed by several dry, sunny days, so the leaves can dry out before the weeds start to sprout and I can still get them raked up before winter. If I don't get that scenario, I'll lose the whole season.

Not only that, but I wouldn't feel comfortable planting edibles until all this nastiness is purged from my soil, compost, and wood chips, so, even if I get my wish, I still won't plant anything but green manure this year -- clover, peas, etc. -- and let the compost have it next spring.

I still have lots of house projects, so I won't be bored, and I will be chomping at the bit come January, when I can start seeds for next year. I can't wait to try out that growing system I found in the basement.

Sounds like a plan, CN. Mother Nature threw you a curve ball this summer and all you can do is make the best of it.

I'm still here, but nothing to report. The deer came to visit and ate everything they could find -- including my potted geranium on the front deck. It looks like all of my future gardening will have to be done on my kitchen balcony where those @$%^& critters can't reach it.

Suz,

There are many types of deer deterrents available now.  There's the Scarecrow, for example, that has a motion sensor that prompts a burst of water in the direction of the intruder.

Here's what Amazon has to offer:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dlawngarden&field-keywords=deer+repellent

Deer are plentiful here and there is nothing short of a junk yard dog that will keep them away from something they want to eat.  Dogs with Blue or Red Heeler blood seem to do the best around here.  Has to be a dog that will go after them.  The deer learn real quick that a kenneled dog can't get them no matter how much noise it makes.

I wonder if they are looking for food considering the tens of thousands of acres burned.

We have 5 acres of pasture with beautiful red clover in it, but the deer don't want to bother such common things - they would rather cross the pasture to our yard to find the healthy garden plants. Roses doen't stand a chance!  I had to put a high fence around the vegetable garden and fruit tree area to keep them out of there.  It is rutting season now, so they are tearing up the young trees in the edge of our woods.

Checked the trail cams for last night, and it caught this critter perusing the gardens....

They really are stinkers, but we love them anyway. S, I think they need water more than food, but nothing is safe from them. They don't like the pineapple plants, but they still pull them out of their containers and dump them in the yard.

Ever consider getting a big rubber bucket-type watering thing like I did for horses?  They are heavy, hold about 20 gallons.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Ever consider getting a big rubber bucket-type watering thing like I did for horses?  They are heavy, hold about 20 gallons.

Yes, and our daughter has one we could use, but she advised against it because they're too hard to clean, so we use smaller buckets and just fill them more often. There's nothing we can do about the birdbath but fill it more often.

Last night the deer destroyed 4 young fruit trees, and two High Bush Cranberry Bushes by using them for their rutting.  And, they jumped a 6 foot fence around the orchard to do it. Frustrating when they are so destructive, but it is their season.

OhioGardener wrote:Last night the deer destroyed 4 young fruit trees, and two High Bush Cranberry Bushes by using them for their rutting.  And, they jumped a 6 foot fence around the orchard to do it. Frustrating when they are so destructive, but it is their season.

Stinkers! They do love fruit trees -- also mimosa.

Okay, here's my fabulous fall garden -- eat your heart out, Sanderson.  

Kale seeds in Jiffy Pellets -- 12 for the Salad Bar and 4 for the balcony pots.


Here's the south-facing balcony (outside the master bedroom) where they'll go when they sprout.


That's all, folks.

It's so manageable!

sanderson wrote: It's so manageable!

Yeah -- that's it -- just the vibe I was going for! Actually, I may throw caution to the wind and plant a few artichoke seeds. I lost my 2nd year bed to the fire and they take so long to establish, that I need a head start. I still have one little plant that survived in a 1-quart pot -- amazing!

countrynaturals wrote:

sanderson wrote: It's so manageable!

Yeah -- that's it -- just the vibe I was going for!

You're welcome.