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Post by kazedwards on Sept 25, 2014 21:02:18 GMT -5
Looks like you will have a beautiful garden next year!
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 25, 2014 21:14:43 GMT -5
That is if I can find a semi-permanent site for them, but yes next year should be good.  |
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Post by philagardener on Sept 26, 2014 5:40:11 GMT -5
I'm not sure what this stuff is, collected seeds from it anyway.  Looks like Saponaria officinalis, a.k.a. Bouncing Bet or Soapwort. Grows wild in many parts of the US; seems to really like your garden. Take a few leaves, crush them up and see if you get a mild lather with water. |
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 26, 2014 13:56:08 GMT -5
Thanks philagardener.
I saw it on a seed website under wildflowers listed as Rock Soapwort, I did an image search on google with that name but none of the results looked like what I have, so I was not sure. Yes it does grow well, it spreads slowly but readily and is hard to remove once established, the clump in the photos are growing in a juniper tam with hardly any irrigation.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Sept 26, 2014 21:20:48 GMT -5
Ethin was gracious enough to offer me a tour of his garden this morning. We are one storm away from the possibility of a hard freeze, so I figured it was now -- or wait till next year. I marvel to think about the plant breeding that could be accomplished by a young man in a lifetime.
It is way late in our season, so there were plenty of weeds, but not nearly as many as are growing in my garden. I am thankful that purslain isn't common in any of my fields.
I drooled over the direct seeded tomatoes. I have been trying that for years but never get the right combination of genetics and technique. I loved the prickly pear cactus and yucca. I could tell that the fruit trees are well taken care of, even though the pruning might not measure up fully to Ethin's ideal.
I really liked the way the garden is watered. I intend to give some thought while planting next spring to incorporate more flood irrigation into my strategy.
Thanks Ethin. I really enjoyed the tour.
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Post by richardw on Sept 27, 2014 0:44:39 GMT -5
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 27, 2014 11:25:42 GMT -5
Your welcome Joseph, it was good to meet you.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 27, 2014 11:47:54 GMT -5
richardw they're from commercial stock. Nothing too fancy, mostly solid colors, I guess I'll be looking to make them more winter hardy or quicker to mature. I only have 12 corms but one of my sister has a couple hundred so I should be able to get some more genetic material from her.
When I bought them this spring I was already planing to breed them, mid season I found you thread here about your work with them which raised my enthusiasm.
Good work, those are so brilliant combinations you've come up with!
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 27, 2014 11:55:51 GMT -5
Second to the largest melon for this year, a 7.5 lb red fleshed one, good sugar content and excellent flavor.  Here is what my seed grown Amaryllis start look like after their first summer. ![]()  |
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Post by flowerweaver on Sept 27, 2014 13:05:01 GMT -5
richardw those are some spectacular looking glads! ethin that's a lot of columbine seed! Your garden has been really productive in so many ways.
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Post by richardw on Sept 27, 2014 13:21:25 GMT -5
I guess I'll be looking to make them more winter hardy or quicker to mature. By 'winter hardy' do you many that you cant leave the bulbs in the ground over winter?? Good work, those are so brilliant combinations you've come up with! I thank the bumblebees for that. |
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Sept 27, 2014 17:55:56 GMT -5
I guess I'll be looking to make them more winter hardy or quicker to mature. By 'winter hardy' do you many that you cant leave the bulbs in the ground over winter?? Yes, winters in my area can get as cold as -20f/-28c. It might just be wishful thinking but still interesting to try sometime in the future. |
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Post by richardw on Sept 28, 2014 12:54:47 GMT -5
The frosts we get here dont penetrate much more than 1-2cm down thankfully and thats during a cold winter.
How deep would your soil freeze at temps of -20f/-28c and how affective would deep mulching be in protecting the gladiolus bulbs .
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Post by philagardener on Sept 28, 2014 18:50:13 GMT -5
The frosts we get here dont penetrate much more than 1-2cm down thankfully and thats during a cold winter. How deep would your soil freeze at temps of -20f/-28c and how affective would deep mulching be in protecting the gladiolus bulbs . I can't keep hybrid glads over in the ground here in USDA Zone 7a/6 (-20to-15F). Probably freezes a good foot down in my beds, depending on the winter. I also grow a strain of "hardy gladiolus", mini plants with very pretty red/yellow bicolor spikes, but even those benefit from coming in for the winter. |
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