FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Today, in preparation for this springs planting, I took some Better-Gro Orchid moss and blended it to a nice texture...not coarse, but not real fine. Roughly a half gallon. It's amazing how it fluffs up when you do this. The pulse switch on the blender works nicely. I *almost* got through before my wife got back from jail. Thankfully I still have all my hair and no bruises! I pulled my seed stash out of the fridge a couple of days ago to let the bags/jars "come to temperature" before opening them. Today I opened them up to see what I wanted to get growing, a major production...possibly. Here are this spring's candidates which I will try to plant all of. The problem I have is squirrels...and deer...and jackolopes (the hateful things are moving in from Texas ). I don't have a protected area outdoors to grow a bunch of this stuff. Actually, I don't have a protected area for the plants that I already have. <sigh>

Ok, so I looked up the price of some chicken wire to stretch around some fence posts and throw some over the top. Ok, so then I looked at Panman's Squirrel Defense 5000 and pm'd him about it...you know, that old "enabler" over in Georgia. We talked about his Squirrel Defense 5000, about me possibly getting a smaller version. Not once did Panman try to dissuade me from getting a coop...not once! I studied the pros and cons of them. I read review, after review, after review. I dreamed about chicken coops. I dreamed about chickens.<sigh> I don't have a really big collection of plants but I'd like not to make the squirrels dig uselessly for that acorn they swore they planted in my pots and in the process uproot and destroy everything.<sigh> So after careful consideration, consternation, meditation, constipation, and a few other "things" I pulled the plug on a....chicken coop! Well, I had tried to plan delivery to be close to this coming weekend, I even waited a day longer after I'd made my decision to click the button on it so the timing would be right. Guess what?...they shipped it early.<sigh> It was delivered today! It was scheduled to be delivered between 9:40am and 1:40pm....it made it at 4:30pm, right on time! Thankfully...no rain, though. So, I help the guy load it into the back of my utility trailer. We did our "take care", "be careful", etc.,. and I told him to do a 3-point turnaround being as this stretch of road is literally deadly. I went to get ready to weatherize the box until the weekend. I came back out and he was still sitting at the end of the drive. Long story short...a pictures worth a thousand words. Sorry, I didn't get a shot of the *third* delivery truck that showed up. Three delivery trucks, one towed to my house by a wrecker to swap for the broken down truck, another showed up to take half the load, and of course the broken down truck. And all it needed was a battery.<sigh> By 6:30pm all was gone. I wasn't expecting the coop today but I'm glad they got it to me and won't be tossing it around another day...I don't think the box could've handled it. I guess I'm just lucky I got it delivered today, after all...kinda makes me feel akin to this fellow. Definitely an interesting day, but productive...a little.

Oh! I forgot to point it out but you can get a look at my wonderful white mailbox in a couple of the photos!!!!

Man I really can’t wait to see everything after you get it all set up though! I’m super excited for you. I aspire to at least this level of obsession when I can afford it again.

I just spent a ridiculous fortune on festival tickets because I never get to do anything, and I really hope I didn’t just flush money down the drain because my health never lets me go do stuff anyway, but I get to see my favorite band and a “vip” experience whatever that is. Look for my chicken coop next year

You should take pics of the progression of putting stuff together and planting and all that. Would be interesting to see. Thank you for cartoons that are relatable too.

ETA- is the mailbox the lil thing way off in front of the fedex truck? Is it pretty or did you make it or something? If so pics with the number crossed out. I’m big about pics in case it was not immediately obvious.

Hey, I recognize some of those seeds. Good luck! It remains to be seen if the Squirrel Defense 5000 will come out of retirement this Spring or not.

Morning Jade! I'm hoping I'm not biting off more than I can chew this year. It's my third one tinkering with carnivorous plants. The last several years have been rather hectic for me and my bride and tinkering with these plants have been a great distraction. As for "obsession"...it's just the "OCD-Me" thing. Now if I can just get everything together and going/growing!

What kind of music festival are you going to? It's been decades since I went to one. As it may be, I met my wife at a bluegrass festival. I "kinda" got a back stage pass once upon a time...actually security got me for filming the Doobie Brothers in an outdoor concert. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to do that. The girl over security looked the videos over, went "pfff...no problem, enjoy the concert". Come to find out when I looked later I had a full cut of "?" (one of their hits)....can't remember the song now, though.

I'm sure I'll take a few photos along the journey...it's yet to be seen how indepth, though. Right now I've got the big box of tubing somewhat covered for the "enhanced" chances of rain the rest of the week....except Thursday.<sigh> Starting Sunday, though, I see several back-to-back sunny days!!!

Yest, the mailbox is the small white speck that you see...it is truly a thing of beauty. I really surprised myself with the creativity I used on it. It was the basic black mailbox, a real bread baker in the summertime...you could toast bread inside of it and fry eggs on top (though the eggs tended to run off the sides of the top). I got tired of pulling seed envelopes and plants out that felt warmer than ambient temps (sometimes lots warmer! ). So, me and my artistic ability took over and transformed that black oven to a real thing of beauty. Here's a shot I took of it after I painted it...I'm thinking of having it framed:

Panman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:03 am Hey, I recognize some of those seeds. Good luck! It remains to be seen if the Squirrel Defense 5000 will come out of retirement this Spring or not.

<chuckle> I figure there's several folks that might recognize some of them!!! Thanks for the well wishes on them...I'm hoping I'll be getting some plants going. I've been "lightweight" on sarrs and I simply like capes (the curling action is...nice (the bugs would argue that point, though! ). We'll see what I can get growing.

Maybe you won't need to deploy the Squirrel Defense 5000. I thought our feral tomcat, George, would thin a few out but...he's a tomcat...and I still see the tree rats jumping limb to limb and digging divots in the grass. George comes around to eat and sleep and see if he can trip up me or the bride...I think we're his crash pad. I think he enjoys the "nightlife".

I've still got to clear the old garden out...I attempted to clear some of the dog fennel the other day...phew!, I ain't as young as I was just a couple of years ago!!! It's gonna take TIME...that old four-letter-word.<sigh> We'll get there, though...eventually.

I have faith in you! You can do this. You know I can’t seem to recall the first word in OCD whilst we go on about if it’s obsession or ocd lol. Real head scratcher that one.

I went to a Bluegrass Festival at a quarry kinda near my house when I was in my very early 20s. It was super fun. Probably could have gotten some decent money selling your cut on the street haha. Anyhow I think the last one I went to was in my mid twenties too. I think I’ve only seen live bands like 4-5 times or something. One was Ozfest which was a blast. Last one was more a concert type even with several bands, classic rock type.

This one I’m just excited to see my current favorite band - Shinedown- with a couple other good headliners and some smaller fry guys. And it’s at the old prison in Mansfield where they shot the Shawshank Redemption. I always wanted to go check it out, supposedly haunted too of course, but I couldn’t see spending the $75 to do an overnight when I’m pretty sure my back wouldn’t abide it. But that’s another VIP perk supposedly. You can do a self guided tour hopefully while some band I’m not into is playing.

It’s called Inkcarceration. Unfortunately they had the picture of the lineup looking like I’d get to see The Offspring that day too, but it’s not meant to be alas.

I really just got VIP for the air conditioned tent though. I don’t do well with extreme heat and I think everything but that tent (and one would hope the tattoo areas) is just the heat of the day and not really any cover. And you can’t leave for a bit and come back either. My back is already howling with delight, worth trying though. Wouldn’t mind getting a coverup there, but my priority for next months check is hotel rooms. Then I can save and see how things go when I get there I guess. I gotta buy a camelback I think it’s called or something like it while I’m at it prolly.

Ooh I ordered two pings yesterday! I’m so excited for when they get here. Hopefully not Wednesday. Going back to colder weather for a couple days and I have PT that day really early.

Oh that mailbox should definitely have its picture hanging in the Louvre. More beautiful than Starry Night. :chef’s kiss:

I suspect you will have a good time at the festival. "Inkcarceration"? I think I'll let you handle that festival...just be careful and don't get locked up in the prison!!!

I've never had a ping. One day maybe I'll "step out" and get one. Mostly "dews" and hopefully "sarrs" for me.

Yes, I studied that mailbox for several weeks trying to figure out the best shade of white for it. I think it worked out stupendously!!! Thank you for the Louvre comment. I actually saw the Mona Lisa there. Seeing the painting in person revealed to me what her mysterious "smile" is about and it's really quiet simple...she'd just passed gas.

Aw you don’t have any ink lol? I used to be so addicted to tattoos that I ended up with a lot that need fixed or covered up, but I haven’t gotten one I think in at least ten years. I don’t really think I’d get one there it’s probably waaaay overpriced.

You haven’t had a ping?! I thought you’d have tried everything. I really like some of the utricularis (sp?) and drosera, but I spent almost a hundred getting the two plants, some premixed medium and some shells and rocks that have a little calcium plus a heat pack just in case. They look really stunning, and I dig that their “dormant” phase is like a succulent plant that seems to look completely different.

I snagged their premixed because from what I’ve read what I need to plant it in to keep it healthy could be different from what you would need so I’m starting off with just their basic stuff. Also it says to mix the shells and stones, but I’m hoping I get enough to put a very thin layer on top. I think it would look nicer. Also I’m kinda hoping for a freebie. I saw some people mention getting one for spending over $50, but I’m not sure if it’s like an ongoing thing. I’m stoked though no matter what.

Maybe someday I’ll have as much as you do to get started on a proper setup with a buncha plants. I always love looking at what people on here grow. Pretty amazing stuff imo.

The white you chose evokes both a sense of stark loneliness and a feeling of playful innocence mixed with unadulterated joy. Truly a masterwork from the mind of a poetic painter. And did you really go to the Louvre? I’ve never really gotten to travel. Went on a school trip to Canada, but that’s the limit for outside the US. Never even flown. Totes lame I know.

Big lol to your Mona Lisa interpretation. Never heard that one before.

Nope. No ink.

There's lots of plants that I haven't had....yet. Time will tell. I do most of my carnivorous plants in the old trailer or out back of the house, but no AC for the summertime. Maybe they'll throw another small ping in with the two that you ordered...especially since you ordered the grow mix from them!!! Don't worry about having lots of plants...just grow good ones. I've got lots of squirrels around here and have been keeping my plants in small "rings" or "Quonset huts" made of hardware cloth...but I'm got a few to man to keep doing that. It's fun to see the stuff other folks are growing, the varieties and the oddities.

Very poetic description of the mailbox...I will be sure and share your thoughts with it! Hoping for a cooler temperature inside of it was one reason for going to white. The other reason was that from the front porch we couldn't see it against the hedgerow... Plus, Leonardo was simply trying to explode forth!!!

Yep, been to the Louvre...much over-rated. All they had there was a bunch of old paintings and stuff. I'm serious about the Mona Lisa...she's got that "Oops!" look on her face!

Honestly, the best place that I've ever been to is....home.

No progress on the "coop" yet, but I've got all the seeds that I pictured either planted or stratifying...which adds urgency to the coop project!

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:34 pm IMG_9345pp (Custom).jpg

When I lived in Tucson, AZ many, many moons ago, we never had an issue with mailboxes being too hot. One of the solutions was cinderblock or the grey brick such as that as used in landscaping. It might have just been the neighborhood we lived in as I seldom see it done that way any longer but it worked great.

That is good for a residential area mailbox. It would be legal for a rural mailbox on a state highway where people drive 55+mph but it is subtly frowned upon. The "recommendation" is for nothing greater than a 4" square or round post...hollow metal or wooden. The idea is that if someone runs off the road and hits the mailbox mounted on a 4x4 post that there will not be a great deal of damage to the vehicle or possibly cause a serious wreck. I have actually seen DOT replacing heavy-posted mail boxes with 4x4 wooden posts when they were neating up stretches of ROW. It makes sense, but doesn't help combat mailbox vandals. Thankfully, it's been years (decades?) since that has happened around my area.

As for helping with heat, I can see where the heavy stone surroundings might help the temperature but it seems over time it would come to ambient temperature (hot) and be slower to cool off. I've thought about adding an outer shell of some kind to block the direct sun...it'll probably never happen, though!

ETA: I do have another black mailbox the same size as the one that I painted white. I'm thinking of this summer putting a Govee thermometer in each one and tracking the temperature inside during a hot period just to see if there's any difference between the black and white boxes.

They have outlawed brick mailboxes in most neighborhoods around Atlanta.

I don’t think the usps has a law about this but I can see local governments outlawing them.