-
Hello, please take a minute to check out our awesome content, contributed by the wonderful members of our community. We hope you'll add your own thoughts and opinions by making a free account!
Misc 2018 Banter & Venting Thread
- Thread starter GeorgiaGirl
- Start date
- Status
Azaleas, Redbuds, Viburnum, Clematis, and Oakleaf hydrangea
There was a cardinal nest with 3 speckled eggs in one of my bushes very near a window that I first spotted 5 days ago. This was exciting and interesting. I was looking forward to observing and hoping to see the babies. It was fascinating to see momma (beige with a red beak but not red all over) doing the hard work of constantly looking out for predators while trying her best to remain on the eggs. I never saw daddy near the nest. It was also fascinating to see how well hidden the nest was as it was on the side bordering my house and thus unexposed to the yard side. Also, I noticed that each time momma returned, she would sneakily come up from underneath instead of flying to the top of the bush and letting predators know where the nest was.
Unfortunately, when momma was gone, I noticed one of the 3 eggs was gone a couple of days later. Even more unfortunately, yesterday I found the nest on the ground with no eggs. I was saddened. I'm guessing a predator got the eggs at night. This shows how difficult it must be for a small bird to actually have hatched babies. The momma was dedicated to protecting the eggs for probably a week or more and yet it was all for naught.
The nest was put back up on the bush but I don't expect it to be reused.
Unfortunately, when momma was gone, I noticed one of the 3 eggs was gone a couple of days later. Even more unfortunately, yesterday I found the nest on the ground with no eggs. I was saddened. I'm guessing a predator got the eggs at night. This shows how difficult it must be for a small bird to actually have hatched babies. The momma was dedicated to protecting the eggs for probably a week or more and yet it was all for naught.
The nest was put back up on the bush but I don't expect it to be reused.
Last edited:
Today is the 10 year Anniversary of the Mother's Day Tornado Outbreak in Georgia. I remember that morning so well. Where I was at, it sounded a lot worse than the actual damage that occurred. However, most of the streets in town were blocked by fallen trees. It was a mess.
You really can't go wrong with Azaleas. I just bought a house in east Cobb and there is literally no landscaping, all oak/hickory cover. I need some type of greenery in the front that can handle the shade.
ForsythSnow
Moderator
Planted some oakleaf hydrangeas and two cryptometia trees.
pcbjr
Member
What works down here may not work up there, so I'll forego suggestions ... except one ... plant at least 8 feet away from your house (10 feet from the exterior wall if possible); it gives roots room without compromising the foundation, allows the plants to form a natural shape, and really preserves the exterior paint ... keeps mildew and bugs off/away from the exterior (plus, with a good heavy bed of mulch about a foot out in front of the plants' faces, spread back to the dwelling, it deceptively makes the homestead look bigger, and reduces the amount of lawn to mow, as well) ...
I love azaleas but they can get fickle when they are out of filtered shade. How much shade are you looking at? I would recommend hostas, rhododendrons, and gardenias if they aren't in full sun
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Bermuda seedlings are coming up purple I see that it might be phosphorus deficiency. I I'm really nervous about hitting it with more fertilizer. Any suggestions
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
NoSnowATL
Member
This stuff has been purple for about 5 days. My test plot was purple for a few days until I hit it with 10-10-10.
No soil test I majored in soil science and thought I had it under control. My big thing is not really being familiar with bermuda grass and I've never really seen any grass purple. When the rye was living it would turn gold until fertilizing. I got some lesco starter 18-24-20 and broadcast this evening before watering.
I'm just worried about losing 2 full days of tilling and 10 of water
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Last edited:
NoSnowATL
Member
You should be fine, I would just water daily in dry patterns and let Mother Nature do her thing. Water and heat is all she needs at first, Bermuda germinate in 2 weeks and grows pretty fast. I would roll the yard and not use fertilizer until the grass gets established. And if you have pets or kids I would keep them off, seedlings are very sensitive to foot traffic and you don’t want the soil compacted. I’m sure you know this but as you I major in this as well at UGA. If you want something hard try growing centipede grass. SMH. You doing everything right it sounds like. Good luck
Thanks I appreciate the insight. Not a fan at all of centipede I wish zoysia seed wasn't so expensive
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
If it’s real shady, like 2-4 hours of full sun or less, try hostas,camellias sasanquas, aucubas, yews, camellia japonicas. Or hydrangeas, the blue or pink ones ( the. Colors depend on soil acidity: blue= acidic soil, pink: alkaline soil
Cardinals are very neat. They mate for life, the females do most of the work, in all aspects of their lives! Females are always at the feeders first, to make sure it’s safe, then males come in! All cardinals are born with female coloration/markings, as they mature, they either stay female( females of course) or gradually turn to all bright red ( males) the nest and eggs probably won’t make it, but they can have 3-4 batches of eggs a season! Research brown-headed cowbird; that’s a really interesting bird! It actually never makes its own nest, it lays its eggs in other birds nests and those birds feed and raise them!There was a cardinal nest with 3 speckled eggs in one of my bushes very near a window that I first spotted 5 days ago. This was exciting and interesting. I was looking forward to observing and hoping to see the babies. It was fascinating to see momma (beige with a red beak but not red all over) doing the hard work of constantly looking out for predators while trying her best to remain on the eggs. I never saw daddy near the nest. It was also fascinating to see how well hidden the nest was as it was on the side bordering my house and thus unexposed to the yard side. Also, I noticed that each time momma returned, she would sneakily come up from underneath instead of flying to the top of the bush and letting predators know where the nest was.
Unfortunately, when momma was gone, I noticed one of the 3 eggs was gone a couple of days later. Even more unfortunately, yesterday I found the nest on the ground with no eggs. I was saddened. I'm guessing a predator got the eggs at night. This shows how difficult it must be for a small bird to actually have hatched babies. The momma was dedicated to protecting the eggs for probably a week or more and yet it was all for naught.
The nest was put back up on the bush but I don't expect it to be reused.
cd2play
Member
Just watched Toronto win on a walk-off homie in the bottom of the 12th.
Rain_Cold, maybe your A/C will be a simple fix. Low Freon or stuck capacitor or something!? They do always break at the hottest times! How old is the unit? Our A/C guy said 10 years is fantastic life for ones these days! Ours totally died last year after several years of “ band aid” fixes, it was right at 20 years old, and it was a Trane brand! Replaced it with Ameristar brand, that’s supposed to be Tranes “ economy “ version! But the efficiency and difference in power bills, is amazing! Good luck, and yes, a window unit will get you through, but so will a hotel, or visit to Moms!
I'm going to have to google cryptometia trees, I've never recall seeing them before.
What works down here may not work up there, so I'll forego suggestions ... except one ... plant at least 8 feet away from your house (10 feet from the exterior wall if possible); it gives roots room without compromising the foundation, allows the plants to form a natural shape, and really preserves the exterior paint ... keeps mildew and bugs off/away from the exterior (plus, with a good heavy bed of mulch about a foot out in front of the plants' faces, spread back to the dwelling, it deceptively makes the homestead look bigger, and reduces the amount of lawn to mow, as well) ...
Duly noted, the last thing I want or need is roots penetrating a house built in 1973 with a basement. I'm definitely with you on the mulch.
Some of the yard stays 100% shaded. Right in front there are three azaleas, but I'm not sure which kind they are. Both the back and front yards are basically shaded by black and scarlet oaks. Rhododendrons aren't a bad idea either, those need the shade.
I can tell you are well versed in this area, I have some learning to do. My wife loves blue hydrangeas, so a couple of those would fit in nicely. I would guess my soil is slightly acidic with the oak-hickory composition of the trees, but without having it tested I can't really be sure.
My left neighbor has a chain link fence in his back yard, against that fence is the only part of the yard that gets decent sun. I feel like most people would plant leyland cypress there, but I was thinking something more native like Virginia Pine, is that a bad idea?
ForsythSnow
Moderator
I just realized I misspelled it. It's cryptomeria. They are a somewhat fast growing tree that is planted quite a bit around here.
I gotcha, yeah those look kinda like Arborvitae. They are definitely all over the place, and they look good too.
- Status