Toil
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some observations in the woods near my house

I had a nice walk with the dogs yesterday, and saw some neat stuff. I figured I would post here since observing and permaculture go hand in hand.

I'll start with the prettiest. Anyone know what this is? Fungus? Slime? whatever it is, it's cool.

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/db54199f.jpg[/img]

Here is a birch I think. the wood has been so degraded by fungi and weather that the fibers can be ripped apart like paper. I wonder if this could be handy somehow?

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/f2a8d06a.jpg[/img]

More degraded wood, but this is not so far gone. It breaks into chunks.

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/d768c705.jpg[/img]

All of those logs seem to be pockets of activity. Dead wood is important for all the critters of the forest.



On my way home I was reminded of sadness in the world. I saw this cart full of personal affects (I did not rummage), umbrella, and a shiny package. The stuff doesn't look weathered, so it was left recently.

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/d4ad931a.jpg[/img]

Alas, the foil package tells a million possible tales.



[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/ba525e64.jpg[/img][/img]

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soil
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that wood looks like prime material for a hugeklutur bed.

The Helpful Gardener
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In New Haven, wildlife takes on a whole new meaning... :?

I was recently introduced (by email) to a section of New Haven I was unfamiliar with, but it looks fascinating. It's called Natura Rise, the land is located on Savin Ave., Atwood Ave, and Bassett Street and in it's entirety is approximately three acres. The lady who told me about it sent a picture of a bird she had spotted which turned out to be a yellow crowned night heron, not at all common to Connecticut, but a darn sight rarer in downtown New Haven to be sure! DEP is working on a conservation plan and so is this lady...

Pink lady slippers, rare herons; quite the little enclave. Check it out when you get the chance...

HG

Toil
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Will do that sounds cool. Maybe I can help out.

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Sage Hermit
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Hey HG Any advice for growing laddy slipper?

The Helpful Gardener
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Yeah, NO RIPPING THEM OUT OF THE WOODS!

That said, finding them grown legally and well is a bear, and they are usually really expensive when you can find them. I knew one guy who was growing from tissue culture who seemed to have it pretty well figured out, but he was wholesale, and there is the [url=https://www.vtladyslipper.com/]Vermont Lady Slipper Co.[/url], but as you can see they are not keeping up with demand despite the hefty price tags...
I let Mother Nature grow that one and appreciate it all the more when I find it that way... but you now have a lead if this is a must have plant...

You could try to do it from seed I suppose, but it is the hardest propagation I know of; the seeds are naked (no food source) and wait for certain fungi to attach that they then use for food, but if the temperature or moisture parameters fall even a little outside of optimal, the fungus eats the seed.

You can see where the tissue culture lab comes in handy...

HG

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Sorry toil, way OT, but a pet peeve. More ladyslippers lost because people dig them, take them home, and kill them... :x

Maybe you can find those ones at Natura Rise? I always consider it a good hike if I find lady slippers; like seeing eagles when I'm kayaking...

HG

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Ozark Lady
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So, that is why the wild iris won't put up with me moving them! Before anyone gets upset... they were in the right-of-way on my property, and the mowers were coming through. So, I thought, I want those iris before those mowers kill them. So, I dug them and moved them about 20-30 feet out of the way. They died pretty quickly.

I had no clue they were anything but wild irises. I just now googled lady slippers and saw the irises that won't transplant. They are pretty abundant, right in the right of way, is there a way to protect them, or is it better to just let the mowers do their thing, they seem to return every spring anyhow. But, there is talk of widening the roadway, and then where does that leave them? Under the pavement is where.

How can I help them? They won't let me move them to safety, even 10 feet away from the highway they would be safe. My fenceline is 10 feet and the right-of-way is about 6 feet of that. So, if I could encourage them to move next to my fence, they would be safe.

The Helpful Gardener
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Now there is the circumstance that would ethically allow me to attempt a lift on lady slippers. OL, PM me and I will try to help, but don't wish to discuss the process publicly, as this might encourage plunderers...

HG

Toil
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The Helpful Gardener wrote:Sorry toil, way OT, but a pet peeve. More ladyslippers lost because people dig them, take them home, and kill them... :x

Maybe you can find those ones at Natura Rise? I always consider it a good hike if I find lady slippers; like seeing eagles when I'm kayaking...

HG
how is this off topic?

I only wanted to stimulate, not control. I got some shots of the first snowdrops too. Hard to post with my phone.

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rainbowgardener
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Toil - I think HG was apologizing TO you, for his taking your thread off topic! Shows the difficulty of this kind of communication! :)

Re the ladyslippers... nursery grown plants retail for anywhere from $35 - $100 each and having spent that, it is likely to just die. They have huge root zones and are difficult to transplant. They are very fussy about conditions, acidic fungal soil, staying damp but not wet all the time, just the right amount of sun, etc. They tend to grow in association with conifers.

I would love to have one for my native plant hillside, but my soil just isn't right for it and I don't want to spend the money just for it to die.

Toil
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Lol rainbow I understood hg!

I was telling him not to apologize for fulfilling my intentions!

I'm on a phone... ;)

and my grammar was bad. Sorry!

Lol

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rainbowgardener
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Oh OOPS! Well I guess the point is amply demonstrated about the possibilities of miscommunication in this format! :)

Toil
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Lol let's hear about any walks in any woods, fields, marshes, whatever!

The topic is observations if I get to set it.

Pictures much appreciated. :)

Toil
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I didn't get around to these:

The first snowdrops, a couple weeks ago

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/bb4a1632.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/54100aea.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad137/toilpics/19e8d3d8.jpg[/img]



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