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It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!

So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?

What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?

Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)

Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?

Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?

What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?

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My garden is like Way’s. “Ooooooo pretty. Where can I put you?” Except the poor plant trembles with fear.
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Way, that’s a good way to garden and I should try it.
Most everything here is viewed from a distance so I use the ‘squinty blob’ technique. I point my eyes toward a bed and squint, then try to imagine the general shape and foliage color and texture that will look good with what’s already there. The problem with that is I’m actually planting for the next owner unless I buy everything BIG.
Maybe I’m going at it backwards……
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My garden designs consist of ….that’s pretty , let’s plant and see if that lives .
I do pay attention to shade and sun etc .
But my successes are hit or miss . I’d guess 70% success rate .
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It’s time to pull out the garden design books!
I like this time of year when I don’t feel pressure to work outside so I have time to plan the big things I need to do next year. It’s also good to note and reflect on what I accomplished this year, otherwise it’s hard to see progress.
Next year is going to be a big ‘surface’ year. I need to start putting aside $ for gravel and compost and figuring out how many cubic yards I will need of each. I am really, really bad at that. I mean REALLY.
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Most of it hit North of us, Nacy. I heard that there are power outages and flooding Portland to Seattle and on the coast.
Not bad at all here, just a few limbs down. The silver lining for me is that most of the remaining leaves were blown off the trees at once so a couple hours of blowing between showers and I should have them off the driveway and down in the ravine.

I hope your neighbors get their burnt roof tarped before your rain hits. I feel so bad for them - their holidays are not going to be very pleasant.
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Peasuep, I heard there was a lot of bad weather Northern West Coast.

We just need rain!!! It's coming they say......
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We had quite a rain/wind storm here last night. I went out in the deluge to drag a big Redwood branch off the driveway but today I need to walk around the property to assess damage. Thank goodness DD gave me a good pair of tall rubber boots and a small chainsaw as housewarming gifts.
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Good one, Send. I’m going to start a notebook to remind myself next summer when I’m schlepping hoses and practicing my sailor language!
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Maybe I will buy a Christmas Cactus to keep the other one company.
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Peasuep,
About sprinkler systems.
A neighbor did not turn off or adjust their sprinkler system at winter time.
They would go on at 4:00 a.m., overflow the walkway, and freeze into a section of ice, causing a slip and fall hazard on the walkway.
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I don’t know why mine bloom at all. One was a rescue from my DD. All the leaves from the soil to about 6” up have cat gnaw marks. The other we found in the basement when we finally moved in 4 months after buying the house. I think it had lived down there, all alone, without attention. I’m glad they left it but I wish they had taken the piano.
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My sad uncooperative Christmas cactus has been on my screened porch since spring, receiving plenty of natural sunlight. We haven’t had our first freeze yet, though that should happen this week, so it’s been outdoors with light all season. I did the putting it in a closet for provoking blooms, as I’ve done several times. No matter, it’s still green and bloomless as it’s always been. I’m pretty convinced it’s a dud. My dad used to say for frustrating garden plants “it needs to be fertilized with Roundup” ha! I haven’t gone that far, but I’m definitely giving it the side eye
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Ours is obviously a Thanksgiving cactus. Its right up almost touching an east window. I usually forget to feed them.

I want a salmon one too and have a place I will try one when I can find it. I've never put one outside.
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Nacy, that’s brilliant.
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I've never feed mine. Honestly its under a starling nest all spring. Every spring I put it in the same place, and the starlings come back to the same spot.

So I wonder if that does it. I have insane blooms and it grows like mad
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I am going to have a talk with it.
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I don't think I've ever fed mine lol
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My car was left in the driveway and had frost over the back window.
So, I am supposed to bring what's left of my Christmas Cactus indoors?

Okay, I will.

There is a daylight lamp I can put next to it.

And maybe feed it.
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Just to add, if it hasn't been said, they bloom better if they are in a room that has more natural light.

Mine are in my 3 season room, with a lot of windows, and honestly hardly ever use the electric light in that room.
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Cwillie that's exactly what I do! Mine blooms cloesset to Halloween, but I don't care it was beautiful, starting to go the other way now.
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Some Christmas cacti bloom at Christmas, some are known as Thanksgiving cacti because they bloom early, and some hold off until Easter. Mine bloom best when they are most neglected, especially if I've left them outside over the summer and neglected to bring them in until frost is imminent.
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Daughter, have you tried putting it outside in the summer, mine is outside from about June till September, in the Northeast

Peasuep 😜, that's adorable 😍
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Fear not Daughter, your Christmas cactus does not hate you, it loves you! You are supplying food, water and sunlight without requiring anything in return! You are allowing it to express itself freely in its own way without judgement! You are giving it time and space for self reflection and self actualization in an environment of acceptance and understanding!

Toss that worthless thing and start over. ; )
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It’s official I’m afraid. My Christmas cactus hates me. My mother always had such lovely ones, loaded with blooms. I’ve followed all the advice, and mine just sits and looks like the plain green plant it always is, won’t even have the courage to die, but certainly won’t bloom either 🤷‍♀️😥
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Golden, I’m sad for your runt Catalpa and hoping the others survive. Catalpas are such amazing trees I’m surprised how underused they are. Maybe it’s the mature size that discourages people.

The leaves are almost done falling here so if we get a dry spell I’ll be able to reclaim my driveway. Oh wait, the big, bronzey oak out front holds most of its leaves all winter but at least when they do fall they don’t soak up water so they’re easy to blow.

Christmas (Thanksgiving?) cactus are both blooming; deep pink and white. I’d like a salmon one but this little house does not have room. It’s challenging, here, for houseplants and I miss my big, bright, sunny kitchen, but only in the winter.
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Psue - From my reading it seems that the red ones are edible, the white ones poisonous. I have some dried sumac here that R bought. Apparently it has a citrus-y flavour. You can read online when and how to process it.

Bay is a wonderful addition to stews and soups. No idea what it looks like in the natural.

I think you are wise to get a professional to ID your fungi. They can be deadly. I know puff balls are ok but I have never picked and eaten them.

Witches butter? Very colourful.

Just installed some grow bulbs to help the plants through the winter. The Christmas cactus is covered with buds. Hope the extra light doesn't disturb it. 4 of the catalpa seedings are still alive - the runt shrivelled up and died. They need more sun light than we usually get here. The other plants survived last winter but extra light won't hurt them.

I think the extra light is affecting me positively, but it will take more time to be sure. I feel "brighter" lol. 💡💡💡
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Golden,
I have never tried to eat sumac. I know there is a poison kind but this is not it, so I would be willing to try it. It smells wonderful when you crush the leaves. How do you prepare it? I also have some kind of Bay tree/shrub but I don’t know if it’s the culinary sort.

We have a big variety of fungi that give my DD, GD and I endless pleasure although we like our livers so choose not to eat any of them. Id like to get a professional in to identify them. There is only one fungi I’ve eaten from our woods and it’s called Witches…something. It’s small, bright orangey-yellow ruffles that don’t taste like much of anything but apparently they can be candied and used as a dessert garnish.
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Psue -sounds beautiful. Those moments can carry you through the day,

We had sumac where I grew up in Ontario. Such an interesting and colourful plant. Have you ever used it for cooking?
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I took a picture this morning with my antique phone. There was fog in the woods behind the house but the sun was sending long rays through the trees. Down by the path there was a doe and a buck I’ve names Twinkle Toes because of the way he pursues her, backlit and steaming. It would have been a beautiful photo if I didn’t have such a cruddy phone.
I know this is not about gardening but it’s about my Garden.
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My Sweet Sumac is STUNNING right now! This yard did not come with a lot of Fall color built in (I will be adding more) but the few little patches it has are outstanding this year! Bummer that I can’t see much of it from the windows. If the chipmunks hadn’t eaten the cushions off my front porch love seat I’d sit out there and stare at it.
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