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Comment by Dallas the Phallus on May 10, 2012 at 7:24pm

Here is a closer pic.

 

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on May 10, 2012 at 7:21pm

Okay, I looked at the pics, and I'll have to say no on all of those, unless it is a variation of the species. The ruellia seem to flower in clusters, while this one does not. They also have a light stem down the middle, while my plant has solid green leaves.

 

It's also not the vinca minor, as that either resembles or is asian jasmine. Those leaves are too glossy and rigid, while my plant has soft, plush (slightly hairy) leaves. I don't think it's the 4 o'clock either, as those look too fancy.

 

Someone on another site suggested African violet, but all of those have scalloped or jadded-edged leaves, while my plant doesn't. So none of these match just perfectly, though all are somewhat similar.

Comment by Michael R Mills on May 10, 2012 at 6:36pm

Have a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ruellia_makoyana_2.jpg

Comment by Michael R Mills on May 10, 2012 at 6:19pm

I've started looking for it in Flora - this may take awhile.

It's neither vinca or 4 o'clock

Comment by o on May 10, 2012 at 5:25pm

That looks like vinca minor to me.

I've been enjoying all the conversation lately.  I just  got my garden planted a bit late a couple weeks ago.  I'm in So. AZ so it sounds like most of you are dealing with completely different issues than I am.  I also have a couple dairy goats and am looking forward to getting some laying hens come fall.  Is there a "homesteading" kind of group on AN?

Comment by Annie Thomas on May 10, 2012 at 5:21pm

Dallas Gaytheist- are they a type of four o'clock flowers?  I know there are several varieties.

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on May 10, 2012 at 4:56pm

This didn't have a name when I bought it, but the young woman said that it was a tibouchina. Well, it sort of resembles that, when I search for tibouchina images online I cannot find one that matches. Most seem to be shrubs or trees, but this is more like a ground cover. I'm using it in a hanging basket. The flowers open in the morning and drop off by 5 PM or so. Kind of resembles a morning glory flower. Can anyone name it?

 

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on May 10, 2012 at 10:56am

Ooohh, I like the Black Sumatra.

 

People who raise chickens seem to enjoy it. A former coworker had about 3 or 4 and we used to talk about them from time to time.

 

Have you seen The Natural History of the Chicken? It's okay. It's not so much a biological history documentary as it is about people who are nuts over raising chickens. Some of them go a little too far, in my opinion. Here's part 1/6, but looks like all of it is posted online.

 

Comment by Sentient Biped on May 10, 2012 at 10:33am

Dallas - LOL, my partner might have something to say about that!  Plus, his sister, brother in law, and her grandson (who is named after me) will be staying here from China this summer.  It might be crowded!

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From what I have learned about chicken breeds, the commercial egg laying breeds and meat breeds are separate.  The usual meat chicken is a hybrid specially created for meat.  Some breeds are used for both - that would make sense for the hobby person or homesteader but not me since I'm vegetarian.   People do eat Rhode Island Reds, but they are also good egg layers, and have brown eggs which a lot of people prefer even though the nutrition and flavor of brown eggs is the same as white.  There are also chickens descended from Chilean native chickens that lay blue eggs.   There are dozens of chicken breeds, each with its own appearance, performance, and behavior.  

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In my town, we are zoned for having up to 3 or 4 hens per yard.  I did have an illegal 5th hen once.  They don't have chicken police here.  Even with a fenced yard and enclosed coop, once in a while a possum or raccoon will get in and kill the best chicken.  It's always the best one, I don't know how they know that.  I have to admit, I enjoy having the ladies here.  They remind me of what I imagine Tyranosaurus rex to look like, only much smaller and with feathers and beaks.  I can't let them have the run of the whole yard, because they like eating garden plants.  Also they dig up the mulch, resulting in more weeds.  But they have a large area under nice shady bamboo, and a big house with lots of roosting room and nest space.

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I've used eggshells in compost for years.  I can't imagine why not.

Comment by Idaho Spud on May 10, 2012 at 10:13am

Sentinet, your fig tree story reminds me of my experience with a Pomegranate tree.  When I purchased my first house in the California Bay Area,  there was one in the back yard.  After a while, the bark of one branch started sloughing-off, so I cut that branch off before it spread to the rest of the tree.

I stripped it and used it in another part of the garden as a fence stake.  It quickly sprouted new leaves and grew so much fruit that I thought they would rip the new branches off.

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