Connecticut Outdoors 2011 (Andy)

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:36 pm

New year, new thread and hopefully some new flowers this summer. Not much to show but my cactus "islands" look nice in the snow

: jan806.jpg (67.82 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

*Barracuda_52* · Post by ***Barracuda_52*** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:25 am

Great pic Andy, yours looks like mine coverd with white stuff and cold brrrrrrrrrrrrr..

masscactus · Post by **masscactus** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:01 am

Whats happening in Connecticut?

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Fri May 27, 2011 12:11 pm

Not too much yet. Most things are starting to take off a few others are having a bad year, two E. vivipara bit the dust which was interesting. First flower of the year was yesterday. Stay tuned big BIG update is coming in a few weeks.

Other bad news was that I was finding damage to new Opuntia pads which I blamed on slugs but after days and days of looking I couldn't find any slugs. By chance I went out one dry day with a flashlight at 10 pm and boom there they were, little grey caterpillars! Just what I needed a new pest

I collected one for a picture

: wormy.jpg (118.39 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

3 straight days now at 10 pm I have found at least of these things. Where are the toads when you need them the most? I know where I'll be just after sunset tonight

masscactus · Post by **masscactus** » Sat May 28, 2011 10:47 am

Caterpillars destroyed 2 hibiscus that were in place here when we bought the house. They are now doing their best to spread too. Constant battle. They are tiny, hang out underleaves and eat them until there is just a "skeleton" left.

"Stay tuned big BIG update is coming in a few weeks"

Cool!

*Barracuda_52* · Post by ***Barracuda_52*** » Sat May 28, 2011 3:07 pm

Sorry to here about the caterpillars, this yr we got lucky and no caterpillars for us like we had bad outbreaks of last few yrs, this yr its super bad bad outbreak of deer ticks.

Hope to see a spring update on your garden Andy..

John P Weiser · Post by **John P Weiser** » Sun May 29, 2011 1:45 am

Did you squish them bad boys!!!! They look like they'r asking for it!!

Sorry to hear you have to battle them. I hope you get them all.

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Sun May 29, 2011 10:53 am

John, they were dealt with quite severely!

Post by **daiv** » Mon May 30, 2011 2:50 am

I suppose these aren't regular cactus feeders, but just munching beasts with a liberal pallet.

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:57 am

Update: part 1

Starting with a few before and after raised island garden pictures.

May 2009

: biggarden03.jpg (131.32 KiB) Viewed 2423 times

June 2011

: biggarden02.jpg (166.83 KiB) Viewed 2423 times

A few closer pics from the above.

O. notofficiallyrecognizedatthistime

: debrec02.jpg (108.98 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

O. polyacantha, Look at that John, can it be!!

: poly.jpg (60.91 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

O. humifusa

: budtime.jpg (73.48 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

Next garden

late July 2009

: newgarden03.jpg (190.63 KiB) Viewed 2423 times

June 2011

: newgarden04.jpg (94.79 KiB) Viewed 2423 times

This second one is only about 4 x 7 feet (1.2 x 2.1 meters) but there are 66 separate plants in there!

A closer look

baileyi buds

: baileyi06.jpg (88.52 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

: baileyibud01.jpg (104.34 KiB) Viewed 2424 times

: coccineus.jpg (86.16 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

: polyschw.jpg (111.6 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

: smith01.jpg (144.88 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

Escobaria 'burst'

: vivipara01.jpg (107.43 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

Dude its June, time to get going already!

: whipplei01.jpg (91.51 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

Sometimes its hard to tell if a plant is growing much when you see it often. Here's a two years apart comparison, yes they grow.

: baileyi01.jpg (27.38 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

: baileyi02.jpg (27.92 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

Lots of E. reichenbachii var. baileyi seedlings

: baileyi03.jpg (96.46 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

: baileyi04.jpg (87.1 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

SB211

: baileyi05.jpg (92.9 KiB) Viewed 2426 times

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:27 pm

Great lookin gardens and plants Andy!

iann · Post by **iann** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:11 pm

there are 66 separate plants in there!

I hope they're not all as big as Opuntia humifusa

John P Weiser · Post by **John P Weiser** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:33 pm

Andy
Looks like that poly. is going to show it's stuff!

RayC · Post by **RayC** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:40 pm

Looking good Andy

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:46 pm

Beautiful stuff! "O. notofficiallyrecognizedatthistime " is not officially recognized!

But I would hazard a guess that it is Opuntia X columbiana. It looks almost identical to a clone I have been punishing for years that I got from Bill Beaston.

peterb