Scanner art by Craig Cramer, gardening & more
Just in time for the holidays, I’ve got my first Amorphophallus (don’t know the species) about to flower. So how bad is this going to stink?
I keep a few pots around because I love the foliage. Now I’m wondering if I’ll have the same love for the flower. Chances are good I’ll move it to the office Friday and let it ride out the putrid period while no one is around over the holidays.
I’m not sure I should admit that I watched these. Apologies to my friends south of the Mason-Dixon line. (These don’t lend credibility to some of his other views.)
Coming soon to a garden near you?
Late blight. It hasn’t exploded yet this year in the Northeast. But it turned up in Maryland and Pennsylvania in May. Then in the last week or so in Connecticut and on Long Island. Keep an eye out for it (right), and keep disposing of those volunteer potatoes. More info on what you can do here.
Leek moth. Prefers leeks, but also infests onions, garlic, chives, and shallots. Amy Ivy says it’s in northern New York. Listen to Amy’s podcast. View factsheet.
Basil downy mildew. Almost forgot this one, probably because it’s not a threat in my garden. (Because I never got around to planting any basil.) Read/listen about this plague on NPR.
Oily rain – Can’t wait for summer storms to blow some of this up our way.
On that cheery note, it’s off to the office to catch up.
More image dumping …
The dreaded bishop’s weed. But I think Piet Oudolf said you can’t have too many umbels in the garden.
A sporty dianthus I got from David Mitchell at the May Plant Sale.
Peonies, before they took their annual dive.
Tradescantia.
Another mystery bulb I need to look up.
Closer
Nice garden spot off Tower Rd.
Spotted this Georgia O’Keefe quote in Jon Winokur’s Curmudgeon column in Funny Times:
I hate flowers. I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move.