Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723 
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 27, 2015 17:19:54 GMT -5
Liking the photos Jean!!!
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 27, 2015 17:21:58 GMT -5
Cool photos of the cactus. Thanks Here's a couple of pics of some kind of yellow jacket paper wasp from the Oregon Coast. This nest is about the size of a basketball. 
I use to hunt for these (nests) in North Dakota-wait till winter,than go get them and sell them.....I don't know why people like them,I sure don't... |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,611
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Post by jamesp on Sept 27, 2015 17:23:13 GMT -5
Cool photos of the cactus. Thanks Here's a couple of pics of some kind of yellow jacket paper wasp from the Oregon Coast. This nest is about the size of a basketball.
Briars and hornets, painful escape |
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Post by paulshiroma on Sept 27, 2015 19:16:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the tour of your yard, Jean. Great photos.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,611
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Post by jamesp on Sept 27, 2015 19:39:09 GMT -5
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 8, 2015 11:44:19 GMT -5
Took a look at the wasp/yellow jacket (whatever) nest this morning. All the little critters have gone away. Must be that time of year.
Pitaya (aka Dragon Fruit), following the fragrant flowers. Plant is climbing a dying hibiscus, will have to get it better supported! 
Turning red and ripe 
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,611
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Post by jamesp on Oct 8, 2015 12:13:33 GMT -5
pitaya ? Is it tasty ? Those three sided limbs, are they real waxy and full of moisture ?
They are beauties.
stopped by and sprayed your bees.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 9, 2015 0:27:37 GMT -5
Yes, jamesp, pitaya. They are very tasty, purple-ish/red, with small black seeds, sweet. Here's a photo found online  I think the dragon fruit I have is more red inside, not white. Will try to find a pic I took of it. I have never seen these for sale in a grocery store, probably would not hold up to well to shipping. I do see them for sale at the swap meet, $5 ea. The three sided stems are typical for this plant. Kind of waxy, but not particularly juicy. When you sprayed the bees, you must of missed a couple. I saw three of them on the empty nest later in the day. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,611
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Post by jamesp on Oct 9, 2015 4:13:22 GMT -5
Meat of fruit looks similar to opuntia fruit. Just not obnoxious deep purple in color.
I have seen those at International Market Jean.
Cactus fruit = Tequila ??
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 9, 2015 12:05:39 GMT -5
Here's a couple pics I took last year (8/28/14) of a ripe pitaya 
Yes, much redder inside than the one off the internet. Looks slimy, but actually has a medium/firm texture. Took picture, then I ATE IT! 
Opuntia (ie., prickly pear) fruit would be similar, full of seeds! My Cereus validus (common name, Orange apple cactus) cactus in the front yard had many flowers on it this year. Would go in cycles, putting on a huge show every time it rained. Right now it is covered with old fruits from the last few months. They start out green, then turn orange/red. The birds (mostly sparrows) have been having a field day. On any given morning, I can look out and see half a dozen feasting. They are such pigs, they probably drop more than they eat. I'll take a pic in a little while.
Cactus fruit does not make tequila. Tequila is made from the heart (uproot plant, cut leaves off) of the blue agave. 
Here's a couple You Tube videos on making tequila
I have some agaves in my yard, but not blue ones. AND, much easier for me to purchase my tequila at the store, thankyouverymuch!
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indiana
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2015
Posts: 285 
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Post by indiana on Oct 13, 2015 14:46:24 GMT -5
I've picked up Dragon Fruit in the grocery but I only see it once a year for a short time. Great stuff!! I've only had ones that were white inside.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 4, 2015 14:18:35 GMT -5
I didn't even know there were other ones besides red/purple inside until I went hunting online. I found a recipe for Dragon Fruit Jelly, made with the addition of lemons (natural pectin). It is delicious!!
I picked probably the last one of the season a couple weeks ago. It was softball sized. I took it to the desert for TG, shared it with our friends. Some of them knew what it was, but none had ever tasted it. Everyone liked it.
Should probably get pictures of it, but I have an heirloom tomato (Mr. Stripey) growing in my garden right now. It was a volunteer from seed dropped probably this last summer. The plant is doing great (this is the one the tomato hornworms were eating on). It was flowering, but fruit was not setting. I almost yanked it up, but laziness got the better of me. I saw yesterday that it has at least three tomatoes growing on it! Have never had tomato plants growing in December before. They usually go south around August, when it gets hot and dry here.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 9, 2015 10:56:05 GMT -5
Took some pics of what's left in the garden.
The December tomato plant. All these photos taken 12/4/15. 
Never before in December! 
Hope the colder weather and shorter days still allow them to ripen 
Some red jalapenos. Not real big, have shown them little care the last several months. Drying in the oven as I type. 
And some of the Black Cobras I just picked, also in the oven. Grind them up when dry to make - what else - ground chile powder, in various flavors. Now, that's a dangerous proposition. Get the windows open, wear a respirator! 
I also use the black cobras fresh to heat up the jalapeno jelly a notch. Not making any right now, though.
The weather has everything totally confused! I have a tree aloe in the front yard that is blooming right now, several months early. The plant had flower spikes in March 1992 when we first saw this house! Cloudy day, these are actually much redder than this. 
That's it for now, thanks for looking. |
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Post by drocknut on Dec 9, 2015 11:03:53 GMT -5
Nice pics, hope you get a ripe tomato in winter, that would be a rare treat.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 9, 2015 11:10:45 GMT -5
Thanks, Diane. Forgot to mention, picked the first avocados off the tree a few days ago, will be ripe in about a week. BLATs, Yum!
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Post by Pat on Dec 9, 2015 11:21:09 GMT -5
Several days ago, it got down to near freezing at night. My best Black Cobra suddenly took a turn for the worse. The other Black Cobras still look healthy, but no buds yet. rockpickerforever you have a lovely, diverse garden! |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,611
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Post by jamesp on Dec 9, 2015 11:23:24 GMT -5
The aloe is a Medusa martian. Man eater. Blooms of blood. Probably 300 snakes hiding in that sucker.
Those peppers look hot. REALLY hot.
What could you do with 10 acres Jean ?
Those agave goiters are substantial.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 9, 2015 13:10:54 GMT -5
Several days ago, it got down to near freezing at night. My best Black Cobra suddenly took a turn for the worse. The other Black Cobras still look healthy, but no buds yet. rockpickerforever you have a lovely, diverse garden! Thank you, Pat! It gets close to freezing here (infrequently), too. The main thing is when you know it is going to be cold, hold back the water. The plant will survive dryness to a point but will drop dead if it has wet feet and then freezes.
Keep them alive, and you'll get flowers then fruit in the spring. I'm sure the reason my plant is still producing is because of its age and size. If your small plants don't make it over winter, I'll send you some more seed.
The aloe is a Medusa martian. Man eater. Blooms of blood. Probably 300 snakes hiding in that sucker. Those peppers look hot. REALLY hot. What could you do with 10 acres Jean ? Those agave goiters are substantial. No, not a man-eating martian, lol. Just a plant that thrives on neglect, why it does so well for me.
The peppers ARE hot, REALLY hot. Suthenas probably couldn't handle them. Ha! Maybe the Jamaicans, they like the hot stuff.
What would I do with 10 acres? Hmmm, I don't know, but you can bet that I wouldn't have time to frequent the forum. I'd be too busy bustin' my butt! Some kind of cash crop would be nice, but nothing illegal... Nobody has invaded my yard and chopped down any of the San Pedro cactus yet.
Actually, just bought a half dozen new cactus and succulents in 4" pots at the swap meet on Sunday. I've been buying run of the mill succulents from this guy forever, but this time he had some new stuff. Rarer types, things you don't see at the garden centers or Home Depot. Was going to go and take some pics anyway, will get a few of the new additions.
At one time, I had dreamed of having a cactus nursery. They do well here.
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Post by drocknut on Dec 10, 2015 11:49:48 GMT -5
Thanks, Diane. Forgot to mention, picked the first avocados off the tree a few days ago, will be ripe in about a week. BLATs, Yum! Oh no, the avocado tease is back  |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Dec 11, 2015 12:47:28 GMT -5
diane Oh, you bet ya! The few I picked on Dec 6 are not ripe yet. Had to eat carne asada last night sans fresh avos. We will be heading to Quartzsite in January, but just for the three day weekend (not the usual ten days) on the RTH BBQ at Tony and Chris's. Wouldn't miss that for the world! Will have to remember to pick some avos in advance for the event. They don't ripen on the tree, ya know. They would travel better (harder) if they were just picked, but they need at least 10 days before they are edible. I usually try to bring them almost ripe, so folks don't have to wait long to eat them. Kind of a trade off. Then I have to give them all away before driving home, California AG don't want to let them back in. I know our host and hostess don't mind if I have a bunch left over at the end. If I don't hand them directly to Tony, Chris will hide them away, and Tony wonders why he didn't get any, lol. Maybe should start a new thread for this, but does anyone have thoughts on fieldtrips in Q next month? Someplace old, someplace new? (No flatireite, heh Diane?) Need something for Friday January 22, 2016, and maybe a shorter one the day of the BBQ. Will need time to heat up the chili relleno casserole...
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Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
Nov 15, 2024 17:44:51 GMT -5
