tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-134666872024-03-07T02:14:50.478-06:00growing thingsa garden blog, mostlyPeter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-32506207635096504722023-11-30T22:19:00.001-06:002023-11-30T22:19:11.025-06:00Revive or not? So it seems that the corporation hosting this site is going to clear dormant accounts.
Planting my flag in the ground to say I'm still here. Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-91879852799283654772011-02-13T23:43:00.002-06:002011-02-13T23:43:53.422-06:00PostingJust a filler post. I'll get back to this blog one of these days.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-3976983195592372122010-01-08T22:05:00.004-06:002010-01-08T22:53:22.607-06:00Remembering HarryHarry B. Paulson, Sr. died on Wednesday, January 6. <br /><br />Harry lived in the house behind mine. His obituary ends with this line: <br /><blockquote>Harry will be missed for many things but most notably his feistiness and zest for life.</blockquote><br />Sounds about right. <br /><br />Not long after we moved here, when Harry was a spry fellow in his early eighties, he locked himself out of his house. There was no getting in the first floor without breaking a window. But perhaps one of the second-story windows was open, if just a little. We put a ladder against the porch roof, and I climbed up to check the windows. <br /><br />To my surprise, Harry climbed up right behind me. All the windows were closed. We tried to slip a thin piece of metal through the meeting rails of a bedroom window, hoping to open the clamshell sash lock. No luck. <br /><br />We ended up using my cordless drill to drill a hole through the lower rail of the top sash, and then used a bent coat hanger to unfasten the clamshell. The window slid open easily, and Harry climbed in. <br /><br />Rest in Peace.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-79002915433261116452009-12-24T23:25:00.002-06:002010-01-08T22:04:54.317-06:00Silent NightWith 9 or 10 inches on the ground already, and another 6 predicted to fall overnight, it should be a silent night. <br /><br />Except for when the plows roll through.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/4230511880/" title="snow plow by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/4230511880_322fca836b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="snow plow" /></a>Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-39273560109064754802009-12-19T21:37:00.006-06:002009-12-19T23:42:08.884-06:00Dear Coca-Cola<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/4198498407/" title="Coca-Cola holiday bottle by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4198498407_37dbda0c10.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Coca-Cola holiday bottle" /></a><br /><br />Dear Coca-Cola, <br /><br />To you, this holiday bottle is probably just a fun novelty item. To teachers, however, this is a cheap (and unbreakable) alternative to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round-bottom_flask">round-bottom flask</a>, suitable for young children.<br /><br />I like to use these bottles as lenses. Filled with water and held at arm's length, they produce images like this one.<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/4198309773/" title="Bottle lens by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2660/4198309773_22dbdd7cf2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bottle lens" /></a><br /><br />In a darkened room, one can shoot a laser beam through the water-filled bottle and observe the refraction. <br /><br />Last year, I bought two before they were gone from the shelves at my local WalMart. This year, I got a dozen.<br /><br />Here's hoping that these will be released again next year.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-56375924661621481162009-12-17T22:24:00.003-06:002009-12-20T21:28:54.458-06:00Against the snow<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/4201608957/" title="Astilbe in the snow by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2625/4201608957_0222762a8f.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Astilbe in the snow" /></a><br /><br />Not the best photo, but I like the stark contrast that these astilbe create against the snow.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-44472802402624122162009-10-25T20:44:00.005-05:002009-12-20T21:29:38.934-06:00Last of the tomatoesTonight I used the last of my tomatoes. Picked a couple of weeks ago, before our first frost, they finished ripening inside. While they aren't as good as vine-ripened tomatoes picked in their prime, the 'Garden Peach' and 'Red Figs' tasted pretty good in the black bean chili I made tonight.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-17754911480817198052009-10-14T09:09:00.002-05:002009-10-26T11:05:56.470-05:00Insult to InjuryI realize that in Minnesota, we can't count on the growing season lasting any longer than baseball's regular season. But just as the Twins had a thrilling run in September, Summer pulled out all the stops and gave us a warmer than usual September.<br /><br />On the last weekend in the season, the Twins tied the Tigers to force a playoff, and then won a thrilling one-game playoff to win their division. I wasn't counting on warm temperatures through Halloween, but it was easy to imagine that we'd ease into autumn. <br /><br />It wasn't bad enough that the Twins lost three in a row to the Yankees; we got a hard frost in the middle of that sad series, and measurable snow the day after the third loss.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-76812687030903046692009-09-08T18:15:00.002-05:002009-09-08T18:20:47.168-05:00Learning from the MastersOne of these years, I'm going to sign up for the <a href="http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG3951.html">Master Gardener program</a> at the U. Until then, I think I've found a pretty good alternative. I've been volunteering to help Master Gardeners with their community gardening projects in my neighborhood. <br /><br />It started a couple of years ago when I agreed to help clear a ditch to make way for a raingarden. Working alongside a couple of Master Gardeners, I learned to identify buckthorn and some other weedy trees. Better yet, I got my hands on a <a href="http://www.weedwrench.com/">Weed Wrench.</a> It's a great tool -- very effective, and fun to use. It's a bit pricey for something I need for a few hours, once or twice a year, but one the local Master Gardeners has one that she loans to people in the neighborhood. <br /><br />Since then, I've helped with three or four other ongoing projects. For a little sweat and time, I've learned a lot about container gardening, native prairie plants, trees, insect pests, rain gardens, and edible weeds. <br /><br />If you are free at noon on Sunday, September 13 and you want to learn about natives, consider helping with the <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/hortonpark">Friends of Horton Park</a> as they work on their native wildflower gardens.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-74228438252467809322009-07-13T19:38:00.005-05:002009-08-02T15:41:01.276-05:00BirdsSpotted a hummingbird zipping around my garden. First time I've seen one this season. It took a hit off some bee balm before dashing off. <br /><br />Robins, with their young 'uns in tow, are raiding the serviceberry shrub and following me around whenever I water. <br /><br />Goldfinches are becoming regular visitors, nibbling at the coneflower seeds. Coneflower is also known as annual bachelor button. It's hard to believe that they can light on a bendy coneflower stem without pulling the whole stem to the ground, but they manage. I'd love to get a photo, but without an SLR, a big zoom lens, and a bird blind, I don't think I can get close enough to the goldfinches. <br /><br />Latin names for the plants, just because: <i>Monarda, Amelanchier,</i> and <i>Centaurea cyanus.</i><br /><br />UPDATE: Managed to get a photo.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3773572399/" title="Goldfinch feeding on cornflower by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2465/3773572399_884bba0e44.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Goldfinch feeding on cornflower" /></a>Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-17529181239416451632009-07-11T22:54:00.012-05:002009-07-12T10:22:50.640-05:00panhandlers with 'tudeThree young women were camped out in the center boulevard at the intersection of Franklin and Cedar Avenues in Minneapolis this afternoon. Unlike most Twin Cities panhandlers, their faces didn't bear the wear and tear of decades of addiction. <br /><br />While two lounged in the shade of a small tree, one held a hand-lettered sign which read:<br /><br /><b>If you voted for OBAMA, you owe me some CHANGE.</b><br /><br />I regret that I left my camera at home.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-45694629546790387732009-06-27T19:19:00.001-05:002009-07-05T00:28:44.985-05:00Insect Artists<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3670966622/" title="DSCN3676.JPG by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3670966622_423f981faa.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN3676.JPG" /></a><br />This is about as good as it gets with insect pests: neatly nibbling interesting designs on an unwanted plant.<br /><br />UPDATE: Thanks to <a href="http://mynortherngarden.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/bee-condo-year-2-return-of-the-leafcutters/">Mary Schier's most recent post,</a> I've learned that these leaves were cut by leafcutter bees. That should be easy to remember. <br /><br />Here are a couple more articles about leafcutter bees: <a href="http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/misc/leafcutterbees.html">one written by an entomologist</a> and <a href="http://completegarden.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/whats-making-holes-in-the-leaves-leafcutter-bee/">one with some great photos</a>.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-90631831644188877282009-06-13T22:20:00.000-05:002009-06-14T00:21:44.531-05:00SpottedFirst monarch butterfly passing through my garden.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-58897647011415459212009-06-06T10:05:00.007-05:002009-06-06T10:38:13.314-05:00Tap RootsTap Roots, a raingarden initiative, kicks off Monday, June 8, with a gathering at the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hmgreening/sets/72157602593732012">Hamline United Methodist Church raingarden</a>, at the corner of Minnehaha Avenue and Simpson Avenue. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1497+minnehaha+avenue+W+st.+Paul+MN&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=WIsqSs-9Aaa0NY_g9OoJ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1">Directions</a><br /><br />Snacks will be provided, ideas will be exchanged, and we'll see what a ragtag bunch of neighbors/gardeners can do to promote raingardens and native plants.<br /><br />Natives, with their deep root structures, are ideal for raingardens. Jonathan Dregni, the spark behind this meeting, has more to say about the benefits of natives in home gardens.<br /><br />Raingardens don't have to be elaborate. I've found that there are some simple things we can do when designing a boulevard garden to capture rainwater and slow runoff.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-59098218178006658552009-05-29T09:05:00.004-05:002009-05-29T09:31:25.101-05:00Super Soaker<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3574721387/" title="DSCN3028.JPG by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3574721387_22555380f6.jpg" width="411" height="500" alt="DSCN3028.JPG" /></a><br />Little rain, lots of wind, and warm temps have combined to dry out the soil. <br /><br />As <a href="http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/greengirls/2009/05/28/water-water-everywhere-2/">Connie Nelson</a> points out today, infrequent, deep watering is best. Watering the top inch of the soil helps the weeds more than it helps the perennials and trees. <br /><br />Pictured above is my homemade soaker, an empty bleach bottle with a ring of tiny holes around the bottom. I put a couple dozen small rocks inside to help keep it from tipping over. The hose is set to a small trickle -- not enough to make the bottle overflow -- and I can go about my gardening for 15 minutes or so before moving it to a new location. <br /><br />I'm not trying to water the whole garden with this method, but when I'm puttering in the evening, when it's too late to use a sprinkler, this is an ideal way to give deep watering to a few specific spots that need it. <br /><br />Note: Even a tiny bit of bleach irritates worms, so you want to make sure you rinse the bottle thoroughly before you start using it the first time.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-59657148034033414262009-05-28T23:22:00.001-05:002009-06-04T20:07:35.442-05:00Hardy, indeed<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3574721225/" title="Hardy geranium, indeed by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/3574721225_01faba6b6a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hardy geranium, indeed" /></a><br /><br />I've got a bin full of rocks that's been sitting on the north side of the house for a while. I moved it today and discovered this tiny <i>Geranium macrorrhizum</i> seedling, barely an inch across. It's commonly called cranesbill, bigroot geranium, or hardy geranium.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-52961048806746760972009-05-16T16:27:00.004-05:002009-05-17T00:07:11.682-05:00GreenGirls Plant Swap<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3536357235/" title="GreenGirls Plant Swap by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3536357235_2237b8cbd0.jpg" width="500" height="288" alt="GreenGirls Plant Swap" /></a><br />The <a href="http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/greengirls/2009/05/16/greengirls-plant-swap-a-bloomin-success/">GreenGirls hosted a plant swap</a> in the little park across from the StarTribune building in downtown Minneapolis this morning. I finally got to meet Connie, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3536798014/in/photostream/">Robyn, and Jaime</a> in person, along with some of the regular commenters, like Judybusy. <br /><br />Thanks to everyone who helped me identify the mystery plant I brought along. Turns out it was the much-coveted <a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wildflowers/pearlyeverlasting.html">Pearly Everlasting</a>, a Minnesota native. In addition, I gave away Siberian iris, columbine, black raspberries, yarrow, asiatic lilies, liatrus, bigroot geranium, and seeds from my blackberry lilies. I left with a poppy, some anemones, and a tray of allyssum 'Tiny Tim.' <br /><br />Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-59328992680218857452009-05-16T13:48:00.005-05:002009-05-16T14:10:38.183-05:00Mayday!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3536798380/" title="chilly morning by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3536798380_5acd08dfc6.jpg" width="500" height="343" alt="chilly morning" /></a><br />Okay, 40 degrees is not cause for alarm, unless you've got tender tomato plants sitting outside in these temps. Tonight's lows are forecast to dip into the 30s. The tomatoes and tropical annuals will be spending another night indoors before resuming their hardening.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-46764826894004903632009-05-15T21:57:00.000-05:002009-05-16T16:09:28.579-05:00Roadside Attractions<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3534461389/" title="A riot of Trillium by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3534461389_cc3d747beb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="A riot of Trillium" /></a><br />Driving back from Ellsworth, Wisconsin, I passed this patch of trillium growing under some trees on the side of the road.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-45398043591572380752009-05-12T23:09:00.004-05:002009-05-12T23:14:45.933-05:00You know you're a gardening addict when . . .. . . you see a sidebar ad for a <a href="http://www.soaringheart.com/">company that makes natural beds</a> and you start to wonder exactly what makes their garden beds more natural than any other garden bed. <br /><br />But it's not like the concept of artificial garden beds is completely alien. Consider the <a href="http://www.renegadegardener.com/content/114treecircle.htm">tree circle.</a>Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-30516614058407646732009-05-09T11:34:00.013-05:002009-05-17T09:15:19.847-05:00Friends School Plant Sale<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3515136787/" title="four story wagon by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3515136787_6765c27fcf.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="four story wagon" /></a><br />This is the weekend of the BIG plant sale. And yes, there are big plants for sale. <br /><br />It's the 20th annual <a href="http://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/">Friends School Plant Sale.</a> Like many perennials, it gets bigger every year. A few years ago, it outgrew the school grounds and was transplanted to the State Fair Grandstand. Now it's spilling out into the area around the Grandstand. <br /><br />This was my first year volunteering at the sale. For a couple hours, I directed people to the checkout line and answered questions. I spent the next two hours tidying up and returning plants that had been misplaced. <br /><br />The folks running the sale managed to wrangle a few hundred shopping carts to make it easier to buy too many plants, but the traditional way to do the sale involves bringing your own tricked out wagon. <br /><br />The wagon in the photo above belongs to one of my neighbors. Check out the Plant Sale blog for photos of <a href="http://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/archives/438">other improvised</a> <a href="http://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/archives/317">plant carts.</a><br /><br />UPDATE: On Sunday, I saw <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3537371541/in/photostream/">this tricked out wagon</a>. Now I know what I'm gonna be doing in the middle of next winter.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-83825334490607596972009-05-08T10:22:00.001-05:002009-05-09T11:18:36.557-05:00Late Risers<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3512747333/" title="liatris by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3349/3512747333_407293c870.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="liatris" /></a><br />Liatris takes its time waking from winter dormancy. <br /><br />Nancy, the chief cook and bottle washer of <a href="http://www.thevagary.com/">The Vagary</a> explains that liatris and some other prairie perennials have adapted to emerge after the risk of spring wildfires has passed. <br /><br />Many perennial grasses fall into this category, too. I had been worried about the little bluestem I got from a neighbor late last fall, but it is finally showing signs of new growth.<br /><br />I'm glad I didn't rip out the grasses, thinking that they had died. There's a reason to hold off working in the dirt until the second week of May.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-69323574285719821232009-05-03T22:30:00.005-05:002009-05-09T09:20:22.412-05:00Hello Lily<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3506897720/" title="Oriental Lily by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3506897720_7aea3a69e3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Oriental Lily" /></a><br />This lily emerges from the soil looking like a blossom.<br /><br />I was overrun with lily bulbs last fall, so I put some of them on the boulevard to see how they stand up to the conditions right next to the curb. So far, so good.<br /><br />I've put up a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/sets/72157617783302851/">Flickr set</a> for this plant.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-42383646162557565042009-04-24T21:53:00.001-05:002009-05-09T10:35:03.218-05:00Moss Loss<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3509768476/" title="Irish Moss - winterkill by peterhoh, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3509768476_c7126b956a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Irish Moss - winterkill" /></a><br /><br />This clump of Irish moss survived a few winters, but not this one. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/2548083293/">Here it is last June.</a>Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13466687.post-34365548333770760132009-04-17T11:36:00.003-05:002009-05-09T00:50:50.447-05:00Spring, awakeningAlong the side of the house, near the hose faucet, there's a patch of lawn worn bare from walking. It's where I watch for a particular, lowly sign of spring: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterhoh/3469216808/">worm castings</a>. <br /><br />They finally appeared this morning. <br /><br />Neighborhood lawns are halfway between brown and green. Lilac buds are ready to burst. Columbine have started to unfurl their leaves. Tulips and daffodils are up, but not yet in bloom. Any day now, Prairie Smoke will blossom. <br /><br />As the <a href="http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/greengirls/2009/04/16/time-to-plant-your-cool-season-veggies/">GreenGirls</a> suggest, I've planted some cool-weather crops (peas and beets) in containers. <br /><br />I am slowly clearing the garden beds of leaves I laid down last fall as winter mulch. It would be faster with a leaf blower, but as long as my knees work and I have time, I like doing it by hand. Being close to the dirt feels right. There's a certain pleasure in lifting matted leaves and uncovering a pale, purplish shoot of some half-forgotten perennial.Peter Hohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06916196998855947137noreply@blogger.com0