July 2015 Photo of the month winners

[wildwatcher]

Hi havalotta, yes plant them in the same area as mayapple if you wish, but allow them some room, approx. a square foot with the main stem in the middle of said square foot. I don't think the sweetroot would mind if the mayapple roots or other roots eventually encroach upon it, but while it is inmature, you may have to fend for it just a bit~~~that's why I mentioned the mulch!! My seedlings I started this year are only about 10" tall, and not nearly as big as a mature plant, but I think the root grows 'all the time', so I'm hoping for year 2, they will be generally, larger, and should be nearly full grown size by year 3? lol (at least that is the plan) :P

I guess I forgot to mention, these things are an exercise in patience but also I think they are a hardy plant that is easy enough to grow, even if your an experimentalist like me.

Yes, I did try boiling a few sweetroot, a couple years ago, and I wasn't impressed. But hey maybe I was doing it wrong or something, I like them raw better...my wife Destiny just thinks I'm a bit nuts! I have no experience hardly at all with wild food, although I do like an unusual snack now & then from the wild. I have had no ill side effects from my favorite plant, but I don't eat vast quantities of it either, the deer on the other hand love it, and they snack on almost every sweetroot plant in the ravine, I have to be quick to find the stalks they have left standing, and I get a little of what is left.

Yes havalotta, I remember who you are, but I forgot the real name & address so would you send me a PM with the info, and I'll send you 15 seed asap. If you need more than 15, let me know how many you want in the PM.

So did your mayapple come up & prosper OK this year? I want to see pictures of them, yanno just for fun.

wildone

[havalotta]

Oh yes...The mayapples grew real well once our looong Winter gave way.
I know I took photos of them (I so love their little forestlike appearance) and could have sworn I sent a few shots in for looks. Many of them are just about done for the year and are pulling back underground to rest. I'll Pm you my address again. They'll fit in a regular envelope to save costs won't they?

[wildwatcher]

Yes, all you shall get is a simple envelope, with your name on it & a big pinch of seeds. I'm sure those sweetroot seed would love to overwinter out in the dirt, and I wouldn't plant them very deep~~~just a thought, I hope you have fun with them.

Hummmph! I guess I missed your pixs of the little forest guys, but I am glad to know they came up for you well. And now that you have them in there, you may want to leave them undisturbed for a few years before you can start making some divisions & such. The ones I transplanted into my little garden area, have all died back for the season, except 1.... lol, he is still hanging on for a while longer, I guess he thinks he is special or something.

wildone

[havalotta]

Awe how speeeeecial.
I just noticed you've added wildone into your signature line. When did that happen?
Would my calling you that (setting a few minds adrift wondering who I was talking about) have something to do with the addition?

[wildwatcher]

When,,,, hummmmmm you have been calling me wildone for a while now, so usually when I'm responding to you, I sign that way, the rest of the time I'm just plain ole ww or wildwatcher.

[havalotta]

Awe shucks... Specially for me
And you are more than just plain ole wildwatcher around these parts there pardner Wildwatcher
Your humor and the way you write provide for some very interesting informative additions to the site.

[wildwatcher]

Oh tytyty havalotta, yanno I was thinking about your fine example of a huglebed, (that you showed a year or two ago) today!

Yep I too made another little hugel/garden bed, and I excavated somewhat (at the base of a large white oak) and I laid in a few sheets of some scrap plastic I had (to hopefully slow those oak roots down, from zapping my garden bed, one of these days I'm going to break down and actually buy some root barrier cloth!!!) and then I laid in some good dirt, and a layer of some dead moss, and a layer of woody debris, then more good dirt, a layer of freshly plucked up pea vines (the worms seem to like some green stuff in with their woody debris), then another layer of good dirt. I rode it all down with the lawnmower at various stages, and then topped it off with a good amount of leaf mulch.

I have no idea yet what I will put in there, it is mostly shady. I've got my eye on a few volunteer 'french mulberry' shrubs, and maybe another dogwood that might get a new home after the leaves have fallen for the season.

Yanno havalotta, you too are part of the hair spray that holds this place together. ~~~I'm really glad your here, and always interested in your valuable opinions / examples~~~

wildone

[wildwatcher]

Hey havalotta, here is my new garden bed I just described.

And I couldn't resist dropping a virginia creeper in there while I was at it, I've already got a virginia creeper growing on the other side of the tree, & this one, I even got it 'trained to go up the tree'. Just as a side note, I try not to 'excavate' any area around an established tree, more than about 40%/ year, in this way hopefully the tree won't be bothered too much by whatever I'm attempting to do. The established ferns & other fauna, were installed 2 or 3 yrs. ago. Notice, I don't pile leaves up, not very deep on the trunk of the tree, I try to leave the base of the tree as dry as possible.

Well my pincushion moss walkway was looking kind of ragged, I had mixed a good amount of 'hairy-shaggy' moss in with the pincushion, but the hairy-shaggy, didn't seem to like it there. It got wasted into the hugelthing! I think I'll probably, hunt up some more pincushion to redo the walkway, not sure, but I wonder if the tree roots were zapping that other moss? Anyway I'll fix something up in that area.

And just for fun, I thought I better share with you a pix, from this morning, of this years new little master of the woods. He & his sister (she is nearby in the woods) seem to be doing just fine on their own now. Although mom & a few others don't seem that interested in being seen lately. If he is anything like his dad, he will have a nice rack next year.

wildone

[havalotta]

Wow your yard's came a long way!
Looking real tidy in that first photo. Do I see horns on that little fella?

[havalotta]

Originally Posted by Wildwatcher
Submit an interesting picture in this thread before the end of July.......and the winning picture will receive from me, an envelope mailed to the top 3 winners of the POM contest 15 seed of the most widely sought after [no you can't find these on E-Bay] and elusive native plant Apiaceae Osmorhiza Longistylis Umbelliferae

Originally Posted by EllenW

First place goes to Wildwatcher's squirrel photo that was so popular with everyone.

Thankyou Wildwatcher for providing the prize for this months photo contest. Congratulations!
It appears you've won yourself a self mailed envelope of 15 seeds of the most widely sought after and elusive native Apiaceae Osmorhiza Longistylis Umbelliferae!