We have been seeing this in the park for the past couple months.  It just keeps getting bigger.  GROSS!!!

 

I put the Seek app on it and learned that it is Black Sooty Mold, Scoria spongiosa.  Now here's the interesting part, from Wikipedia:   Scorias spongiosa is a sooty mould fungus that grows on aphid honeydew.  It is found only on American beech trees, Fagus grandifolia.

 

Yep.  This is definitely American Beech.  And when we first noticed it there was a branch above this one, full of tiny white egg looking things.  Seek called them Beech Blight Aphids.  That was September 6th.  I didn't save the aphids picture, sorry, but the Wikipedia picture looked exactly like my Seek picture. 

 

Here's what Wikipedia said about Beech Blight Aphids:   Deposits of sooty mold caused by the fungus Scorias spongiosa build up below the colonies growing on the copious amounts of honeydew the insects exude.  The aphids do not usually cause much damage to overall tree health, but dieback is occasionally seen on very heavily infested branches. If infestations are heavy, twigs may die, but damage to the tree is usually minor. 

 

That's good news.  And fascinating information, if you ask me.  I love learning about this stuff.  Now when I see the aphids and the mold, I'll know that they are doing exactly what they were designed to do:  work together.  More good news.  ;D  

 

I guess it's not so gross after all.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

You heard right:  FREE!!!  Two big, healthy Wisteria vines:  FREE!!!  All you have to do is go get them.  I'm not sure if the barrels are part of the deal or not.  They'd probably be too heavy to pick up anyway.  Check with Pete on that.  But the vines are healthy, and ready to grow someplace else.  

 

Nancy and Pete planted these Wisteria vines in barrels about six years ago.  They grew up over this pergola, and bloomed every spring, but they never got to see them in bloom.  Wisteria blooms in April, before they return from their home in Florida.  

 

Wisteria is an aggressively growing vine.  It needs plenty of space to grow.  More space than Nancy realized.  This pergola was swamped by the vines.  Our Wisteria vines have grown up about 30 feet into a copse of trees near the driveway.  They are so beautiful when they bloom.  

 

If you have room for them, I'm sure you'll love having Wisteria grow up into your trees.  And Pete will be glad to be rid of them.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING !!!!

 

Isn't it funny, it seems like the Bradford Pears were late changing color this year.  But it was this time last year that I wrote about the Pear Trees changing color.  In fact, last year I wrote about them on November 27th.  I think this is the same tree, on the curve above Al's house.

 

They just got started, then BOOM!!!  Cheryl said they seemed to change overnight!!  

 

When EVER they do it, they are gorgeous, and our neighborhood looks so pretty!!!

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

My friend gave me these beautiful dandelion greens from her CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm box.  Of course, I took them, cause you know how much I love green food, and wild stuff.  Not sure if these are wild or cultivated.  

 

I haven't ever seen dandelion greens this big, and I wasn't sure how to prepare them.  So I went looking through all my cookbooks:  Not much there, except, it did say to use the young leaves, because they are the most tender.  What do you think?  How can I tell if they are young?  Fresh, I can see.

 

I'll start by adding the little ones to today's salad, then cook what's left.  Keep checking back, I'll let you know if you should try them.......or not.  ;D

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is Chris's dog, Isabella.  She had fun planting with us.  She ran, she played, she chased us.  She wore herself out!!!  But you can see that she is satisfied with the work we did.  Isabella approved!

 

Did I tell you that we planted 100 daffodil bulbs?  WE DID!!!  In this garden alongside day lilies, at the top of the driveway, and all over his hillside.  Looking forward to spring!!!  It's going to be SO pretty!!!

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

What a gorgeous day to be in the garden.  We spent Friday morning with Al and Chris planting daffodils in Al's garden.  This is the best time to plant spring flowering bulbs, because it's still nice enough weather to work in the garden, and the ground isn't frozen yet.  

 

It doesn't look like much right now, but just wait til March when all those daffodils bloom!!!  I also planted 10 cloves of garlic along the back edge.  They'll come up in the spring too, and be harvested in late June.  

 

If you haven't planted your spring flowering bulbs yet, do it soon.  The cold is coming, and it's really NOT fun planting when you're cold.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We were on our west facing deck a couple days ago, thinking how beautiful this fall has been.  It's well into November and the colors are still bright.  

 

As we were sitting there, the clouds parted just in time to light up the hills, and let us see the sunset.  Wish you were here.

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

I know this isn't a particularly pretty picture, but it does help me make a point.  So take a good look, cause I want you to be able to recognize it even when it has no leaves.  

 

This is what POISON IVY looks like in winter.  After it has dropped all its leaves, it is just a nasty vine growing up the trees.  See all those hairy red roots clinging to the tree bark?  Not all vines climb trees like this, but it is very typical of poison ivy.  And we have lots of it here. This is on the Creekside Trail.

 

All parts of poison ivy contain a nonvolatile oil, urushiol, which causes inflammation of the skin.  ALL PARTS, including the roots!!!

 

SO BE SAFE, BE CAREFUL, AND DON'T TOUCH IT!!!  

 

 

 

 

Nancy and I went for a walk in the woods on Sunday.  What a beautiful sight.  Everywhere we looked, something caught our attention.  The Maple and Beech and Oak  trees are bursting with color, and the creek is running.  We stopped often with mouths agape, enjoying the sights and sounds.  It felt like therapy after a long stressful week.

 

It reminded me of a word I read in a magazine:  SHINRIN-YOKU.  It is a Japanese word that translates to 'forest bathing.'

 

Forest bathing is just one of many Nature Therapies, including garden therapy, and ocean therapy.  They are exercises and activities that improve our health by being  immersed in Nature.  These therapies can restore our mental and physical health, and extend our lives.  If you'd like to read more about Nature Therapy, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_therapy?wprov=sfti1   The article is very interesting.

 

We are so fortunate to live here in Five Forks.  All we have to do is step outside and we are in the forest.  We have safe roads on which to walk, and the Creekside Trail is beautiful in all four seasons.  

 

I hope you are getting out into nature every day, and breathing the fresh air.  Think of it as therapy.  It's free, and we don't even need to go anywhere to get it.

 

 

HAPPY NOVEMBER!!!

 

 

 

 

It's that time of year!!!  Time for the Camellias to bloom.  This one is Camellia japonica, species: unknown to me.  

 

Camellias are very interesting.  There are several common species:  Camellia japonica, with large glossy leaves;  Camellia sasanqua, with smaller glossy leaves; and Camellia sinensis, the leaves of which are used to make Lipton (and other brands of) tea.

 

Japonica and sasanqua Camellias are well suited to grow in western North Carolina.  They like the climate, and they have many uses in the landscape.  The larger japonicas are great for focal plants, growing up to 10 feet, and blooming from fall into spring.  Sasanqua Camellias are smaller and often used as hedge plants, sheared gently to allow their natural growth habit to shine.  They also bloom from fall into spring.  

 

The Sinensis Camellias are tropical and subtropical, better suited to hillsides in China.  They grow low to the ground, and the leaves are harvested when they are very young.  The leaves are dried, and used to make white, yellow, green, and black teas.  Interesting, huh?

 

Deer proof?  Somewhat, because the leaves are kinda tough.  But, not totally;  when their favorite foods are scarce, deer will eat anything.  Some people put little cages around their Camellias, so the deer can't get to them.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!