Gardening

[Ogryn1313]

I have a ficus (spelling?) tree. Raised it from a little twig and two scraggly assed leaves into a big tree as tall me. I'm quite fond of it....

but please...can anyone here tell me why on earth my cat Skreebo Richardson frequently eats dead and dried out leaves fallen leaves from it?

What's the point?
Is it good for him?
Bad for him?

I just don't know. So please...enlighten me. You might even get head out of it.

[sesame]

Originally Posted by SSA

umm, how else are you going to keep birds from eating your fruit? duh.

Anna, I used to think in the similar line... build protective cages and all that. But all these wireless antennae built on rooftops for relaying mobile communications have virtually caused all small birds to vacate the city. I dont see any sparrow nowadays.

[SluttyShemaleAnna]

Originally Posted by sesame

Anna, I used to think in the similar line... build protective cages and all that. But all these wireless antennae built on rooftops for relaying mobile communications have virtually caused all small birds to vacate the city. I dont see any sparrow nowadays.

I'd say it's the big ass pigeons and seagulls that have banished little birdies from cities. It's the lack of habitat, where's a bluetit going to live in the city? No cunt feeds birds anymore, what are they meant to eat, no fucker has a bird box in the city, everyone's cutting down trees because they get sued if a branch falls on someone. Only big fat bin raiding pigeons and seaguls can get any food, a little sparrow doesn't stand a chance. Out here in the country there millions of cute little birdies, that's cos we have bird feeders and bird boxes and we are nice to birds out here, people are fucking rotten cunts to little birdies in the city.

[Ogryn1313]

I live in the country, well mountains, same shit. I feed the birds all the time. We have a lot of what I call "parking lot birds." Little cute brown guys come hopping along pecking at stuff. And I have a hummingbird feeder. One time 4 of them where there. That's rare to see! We have the odd sea gull here sometimes. I figure they get lost since I'm in Kentucky! Lots of predatory birds like hawks. Buzzards. And cranes..ugly. But I always feed the animals. Especially ducks. Can't help but love them. The bird seed attracts other animals too. I have chipmunks and squirrels all over here.

[SluttyShemaleAnna]

Originally Posted by Ogryn1313

I live in the country, well mountains, same shit. I feed the birds all the time. We have a lot of what I call "parking lot birds." Little cute brown guys come hopping along pecking at stuff. And I have a hummingbird feeder. One time 4 of them where there. That's rare to see! We have the odd sea gull here sometimes. I figure they get lost since I'm in Kentucky! Lots of predatory birds like hawks. Buzzards. And cranes..ugly. But I always feed the animals. Especially ducks. Can't help but love them. The bird seed attracts other animals too. I have chipmunks and squirrels all over here.

We put out a load of fat balls on a feeder for the birds at my grandmas house, and we went to the shops for 15 mins and a when we got back squirrels had stolen them all! They are right little robbers, we had to tie them on with wire the next time so the birds got a chance to eat them.

We get a few hawks in our garden, usually chomping on some unfortunate little birdie, but hey, like that singing baboon in the lion king says, thats the circle of life, lol.

We had to ban ducks from our garden, we chase them out when ever they come in. We had a duck nest for hte last 2 years and the ducks managed to trash the whole garden, and eat all our water lillies, so now it's an offical duck free zone. (the lil ducklings were cute tho)

I remember being somewhere in the US where there were dozens of humming birds everywhere, fucked if I can remember there it was tho.

[Ogryn1313]

An English cousin of mine raises peregrine falcons. I'd like to see her in action with them.

Originally the ducks in my town were found only at the lake in the state park. Over the years they've multiplied and moved out into the rivers. When we have little league games it's not uncommon for them to land on the field and disrupt the games.

But for me, I'd say my favorites are the little squirrels and chipmunks who come around. I could watch them for hours. They're really funny. Problem is, where there are small furry cuties there are also long scaly monsters. Lots of snakes. An 8 foot 5 inch timber rattler was killed here recently. And at night out on sidewalks and parking lots you have to keep an eye out for snakes as they soak up the residual heat. I've been bitten once by a copperhead this way.

Our little police station has no cells. Instead there is a bench with a sturdy eye bolt. They cuff a prisoner to this until they can take him t the detention center. One time, a copperhead slithered out from the pop machine. They say the prisoner on the bench actually dragged the bench outside. That's right, its so bad here even the police station is infested.

[SluttyShemaleAnna]

lol, I'm glad there,s only 1 snake in the UK, the Adder and it's not poisonous enough to kill an adult. They are quite rare too.

[GRH]

Originally Posted by Ogryn1313

I have a ficus (spelling?) tree. Raised it from a little twig and two scraggly assed leaves into a big tree as tall me. I'm quite fond of it....

but please...can anyone here tell me why on earth my cat Skreebo Richardson frequently eats dead and dried out leaves fallen leaves from it?

What's the point?
Is it good for him?
Bad for him?

I just don't know. So please...enlighten me. You might even get head out of it.

I would attribute this to the nuances of felines. I have had Ficus species over the years, ranging from tiny plants to tall trees larger than me. As any tree is prone to do, the trees have dropped leaves at various points of their life. I have two cats, and neither has shown much interest in Ficus leaves. But at the same time, these cats love to eat string, plastic wrap, cardboard, and other oddities. One cat can devour a cardboard box with no interest in string, and will also go after plastic; the other cat has little interest in cardboard/plastic but will eat string and damn near anything that is edible (to include Jalepeno peppers). I think cats are incredibly diverse in what they will mess with...My best guess is that they are seeking some sort of sensory input that we (as owners) are not providing. But fear not, among the typical Ficus plants that I know, none of them are toxic, so your cats aren't suicidal.

[GRH]

Bob90, be careful to not get the cacti seeds too moist, to avoid rot. I have nine cacti (and several succulents) that I've had for many years. The core of my cacti collection is actually older than my marriage of five years. You can (sometimes) graft cacti onto a more vigorous rootstock...It's one type of species that is more easily grafted than others, you can graft both rootstock and stems (as you often see in stores).

[GRH]

Anna/Sesame, I used to do landscaping in zoos...So I know FULL WELL the battle that a gardener can have between preserving plants and maintaining an aesthetic regarding preservation of plants versus keeping a visitor friendly experience.

Specifically, I worked with kangaroos, and as a browsing species, they were notorious for stripping bark off of trees. The solution to this wasn't too bad, as the trunks of trees could be wrapped with bamboo-wraps or wire cages in a way that wasn't too obtrusive. But I must agree, birds are the most difficult. They used to completely strip our banana trees and would reak havoc among our blooms/fruit in certain exhibits. There was only so much you could do to deter birds, without just excluding them from an exhibit space.

So Sesame, any details about your specific inquiry? I'm still waiting...

[sesame]

Ok, Gwd, tell us about the simple preparation of soil for a bonsai banyan tree. The soil would be very little and yet rich in nutrients that should sustain the plant for 6 months. Then perhaps another soil change will do. The fertilizers should be organic. Ok, youre ON. now

[GRH]

Originally Posted by sesame

Ok, Gwd, tell us about the simple preparation of soil for a bonsai banyan tree. The soil would be very little and yet rich in nutrients that should sustain the plant for 6 months. Then perhaps another soil change will do. The fertilizers should be organic. Ok, youre ON. now

Damn you Sesame, you have to make me feel stupid!!! The wife has had an interest in bonsai for a few years now, and I have attempted to humor her with little success.

There used to be a bonsai nursery that we would visit, and we got several pieces of gardening literature from this place. There were several bonsai pieces I saw that were hundreds of years old, but I hate to say, I fear that I have always been too cheap to really do bonsai "right," for a variety of reasons.

What I understand of bonsai at large, much less banyans specifically, is the necessity of good drainage. Theoretically, you want a small volume of soil, but that is largely a matter of relativity regarding the plant size, etc. The drainage is very important, and as best I can tell, bonsai masters invest a lot of thought into the ideal mix of sand, grit, organic, etc. materials in their growing media. Among growers I have met, they have told me that a proper bonsai should be watered nearly daily, and fertilized almost weekly (this is assuming the proper draining media).

Obviously, this sort of protocol reeks of more chemical solutions to fertility than an organic approach. But if they are right regarding drainage and a nearly daily watering schedule, you want a medium that will freely drain with no problems...

And if you are insistent about a media that will provide organic nutrients over a long period, I'm not sure what to say. I have done some of my research with compost products that have provided adequate plant fertility over several weeks. Here is where I am cautious in making advice. Compost products are HIGHLY variable in quality, some have led to good growth and others have led to very little good growth. This largely relates to the maturity of the compost (and a variety of factors).

Also, some organic sources break down fairly quickly and others very slowly. For instance, bone meal is a very slowly decomposing source of fertility. Compare that to manure. Manure depends largely on its state of decompositions and its source...For instance chicken manure provides a much higher percentage of nutrients and is more likely to burn a crop.

Actually, this topic is somewhat akin to my own research. I am seeking to see what organic sources of fertility do with irrigation methodology over time...Bonsai in particular depends on a very specific type of irrigation/drainage, so this seems relevant.

[Ogryn1313]

Originally Posted by GRH

I would attribute this to the nuances of felines. I have had Ficus species over the years, ranging from tiny plants to tall trees larger than me. As any tree is prone to do, the trees have dropped leaves at various points of their life. I have two cats, and neither has shown much interest in Ficus leaves. But at the same time, these cats love to eat string, plastic wrap, cardboard, and other oddities. One cat can devour a cardboard box with no interest in string, and will also go after plastic; the other cat has little interest in cardboard/plastic but will eat string and damn near anything that is edible (to include Jalepeno peppers). I think cats are incredibly diverse in what they will mess with...My best guess is that they are seeking some sort of sensory input that we (as owners) are not providing. But fear not, among the typical Ficus plants that I know, none of them are toxic, so your cats aren't suicidal.

Ficus..so that's how it's spelled. Thank you. Cats certainly are full of nuances. Mysterious little loveable balls of fur. Seems each one is unique, not two alike of personality. That relieves me to know it's leaves are not harmful to my cat. It's getting to be a drag to constantly be policing them up out of fear. I'll let him eat them then. Thanks for the answer.

[sesame]

Originally Posted by bob90

Cant beat growing something from seed though

I beg to differ sir. I think seeing a cutting, a small branch grow into a whole new plant is much more interesting. So is grafting. Its a miracle to witness One branch belonging to One species of plant can fuse itself into the stem of anothet separate species!! And Life finds a way to continue growing, living, surviving. Its Amazing!!

[Ogryn1313]

Back to my ficus. It sheds leave alot. Often you see smaller branches which look promising like they'd grow into bigger ones. And they end up dying. My ficu is two main "trunks." One splits into a y at the top. And from these a few smaller branches. But I've seen ficus trees with several large trunks. I've seen them rival bushes.

Why is mine so diminutive? I know the size of the pot matters and I have it in the biggest one I can find in my area. It doesn't seem to want to grow into a bigger ficus let alone with many branches. Any tips?