Fall Blooms and Roots

September 1, 2016Leave a comment

Time flies . . . it has been a couple of weeks since I posted. A lot has happened. I am less than two weeks away from my doctorate. And, I believe I have a full-time job in my future. A couple cultivators are still in bloom, and I have new roots in the ground. Perhaps returning to school is like planting new roots. You give them water, soil, sunshine, and fertilizer. Then, in time they bloom. Blooms are like jobs – the reward for the TLC given to the roots.

Today’s blooms were Heirloom Heaven:

Heirloom Heaven – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Red Hot Returns (with less thrip damage than before):

Red Hot Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

As promised, here are the Painted Petroglyph roots from a couple weeks ago next to the photo from a few days ago:

Progress toward that 2017 bloom. Like submitting an assignment . . . it takes time.

Fall is here and my attention is turning to my winter indoor blooms. My amaryllis bulbs and poinsettia need to go dark soon. I got a new mum, Thanksgiving cactus, and designer begonia. My Gerber Daisy is in bloom, as is my azalea. Oh, and those geraniums. They tend to be my winter bloomers. I will probably blog about those some over the winter.

I’m also working on my fall daylily fertilizing program. My re-bloomers ran out of steam this year, so that is a sign that they need more nutrients. I have added some great Ned Roberts roots to my Southwest daylily patch – Glen Eyrie, Adios Albuquerque, Twirling Pinata, and Truchas Sunrise. I got extra fans (as bonuses) of Echo Canyon and Desert Icicle that will thicken up my existing plants. My Navajo Rodeo roots are booming this time. And, I think I am already getting my spring daylily order planned. That paycheck will be great to feed my daylily habit.

Tiptoe Through the 2016 Daylilies with Me!

August 21, 2016Leave a comment

I may be dating myself, but I will never forget Tiny Tim singing Tiptoe through the Tulips on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in. When I decided to make this compilation of all my 2016 cultivators (all have bloomed, although some still have scapes/buds), it was a little like tiptoeing through my garden. The song came to mind. I would like to redo this with the day of the first and last bloom (in blooming order) sometime this winter when it is minus something and I need a daylily fix. It serves a purpose of not just lifting the spirit, but providing a timeline for predicting future years. So, here is the movie.

PS – My blooms today were Red Hot Returns, Frans Hals, Heirloom Heaven, and Orange Flurry. Mostly, though, my work was fertilizing pots and moving one daylily to a sunnier spot. I was just reading up on it, and I do think I need to give these guys some nutrition twice a year. It is the desert, after all. I need this foliage to be a bit less anemic when the spring comes around, again. It is all a learning curve.

Red Hot Returns

August 17, 2016August 17, 2016Leave a comment

This daylily name reminds me of a politician’s IRS filing. It was added to the front lawn daylily area because my others are all mid-only bloomers. I like the red and green combo. It has a brand new scape, which is cool because Stella dropped hers for now. (PS – I believe this is the last new cultivator to bloom this year unless someone surprises me.)

Red Hot Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Speaking of Stella, she did show up today.

Stella de Oro – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I haven’t talked about my daylily helpers. Meet my dogs, Maizzy and Kachina. Maizzy is named for my grandkids, Maia and Isaac. And, Kachina was named Tina in the shelter. I had just planted Kachina Firecracker and Kachina Dancer when I got her – so her name was changed to Kachina. Named for a doll and a daylily. She lives up to both names.

Daylily Dogs – Maizzy and Kachina (in that order)

So, it is back to the hunt, for me. And, this time it isn’t Ned Roberts daylilies. Well, not exclusively, anyway.

A Little Piece of Heaven in my Yard

August 17, 2016Leave a comment

Today, Heirloom Heaven bloomed for the first time. This little one was one of my first root plantings last year.

Heirloom Heaven – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

It is a miniature, at least this first bloom cycle. Here it is with my petite finger:

Heirloom Heaven with my finger for proportion

Other blooms were my orange/yellow combos. Frans Hals:

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Oh, and Stella, of course:

Yella Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Today also brought the first of a couple fall plantings. I got one called Painted Petroglyph on fall sale at Shady Rest Gardens. It is not a Robert’s cultivator, but it still belongs in my Southwest garden. It is beautiful. Live long and prosper little one. I also replaced Navajo Rodeo – love the fall sales! I added a few more fans of Electric Lizard, as mine are still anemic.

I didn’t order much this fall, but the daylilies keep me going. I am getting two new Roberts blooms, too. Twirling Pinata and Glen Eyrie. My daughter lives in Colorado Springs, so I couldn’t resist the second one. (Many of the Roberts cultivators were hybridized right there!) I love fall plantings because, by spring they act like they have been here forever! I think I will hit 80 cultivators that bloomed this summer. That’s just over 50%. Keep on mulching!

Oh, and keep on painting. I finally finished Chief Four Fingers in the wee hours.

Prepping the Daylily Beds is a Bunch of BS!

August 15, 2016August 15, 2016Leave a comment

So, first there are the first fans of spring. Actually, other than my garlic and spring bulbs, one of the very first signs of spring in my yard. Then, there come the scapes followed by peak bloom season. And, then the lovely late bloomers signal time to start preparing for another cycle. I think of the Native Americans and their focus on the changing seasons.

I did have bloomers this weekend. So, I will show those first, followed by the tale of BS in my garden.

Tiger Kitten only produced two buds. This was a one fan root last summer. It’s making progress. Can’t wait for next year!

Tiger Kitten – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella, of course, was here with me all weekend, in both yellow and gold.

Yella Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry lit up my smaller zeriscape garden in the rocks.

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here is my Ned Roberts Southwest spider garden that I put in this spring. The first two pictures are before. It is of note on the second photo that the earth no longer comes up to the top of the bricks. PS – I would have done a higher raised bed, but the yuccas won.

Ned Roberts Southwest spider patch (before) – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Note the level of the soil and mulch within the bricks.

Here is the after picture. Probably no different to most people. The difference is that the earth is now back up to the top of the brick. Because daylilies are funny about planting depth, this meant raising the grade of the garden by first loosening up each daylily, putting the growing medium underneath, and then surrounding each cultivator with the medium. It reminds me of the tale of raising Galveston Island several feet after the 1900 Great Storm. They did it one structure at a time, too. It took all afternoon yesterday.

Southwest lily patch (after) – a lot of work for something that looks pretty much the same. Just ask the daylilies, though, it has been a weekend of prep for a new season.

Today, I filled the gaps with the remaining medium because the daylilies were all in mounds after being raised. Sounds easy enough, except I was mixing up a concoction of steer manure, compost, peat moss, water crystals, soil acidifier, and time release fertilizer. Oh, and given that I tromp around pretty hard with my camera, I also added some little stepping stones so the soil could stay fluffy. I think my motivation is not only the anticipation of the blooms (a type of savoring), but also the number of little gardens that I see on my dog walks that have gone untended. I think how cool the initial intention was . . . . but it is long gone. This Colorado Plateau is a different ecosystem than the South.

I read yesterday that with plenty of water, amendments, and the right amount of fertilizer you can get 2-3 x as many blooms. Might as well give it a shot. For tomorrow, we will talk about grass weeds vs daylily sprouts. Maybe someone out there can help me with that issue!!!

My Last Ned Roberts Spider :-(

August 12, 2016August 12, 2016Leave a comment

Skinwalker adorned my yard with its last bloom for 2016. My Ned Roberts and Southwestern named daylily garden is off to a good start. I had 10 blooms out of that garden this year. There are 50 or so cultivators out there. More on that in a minute.

Other late bloomers were Apache Uprising. I think I have one more bud to go.

And, Yella Stella. She has a brand new scape, so I am still hopeful to make it to freeze. Plus, Red Hot Returns (sounds like a political statement to me) and Heirloom Heaven have still not bloomed. Heirloom Heaven is a ways off, too, from the scape size. September?

OK, so back to my Ned Roberts garden. I carefully built it over spring break, moving buckets of rocks and pebbles that had been there for decades. Then, I dug down deeper, a few inches down into the clay soil. And, I added the brick border. I then filled it with good soil and water crystals. Then, I planted the daylilies.

Now, the earth has settled and the roots are too close to the clay for best production, me thinks. Tomorrow, I gently lift each cultivator up, hopefully without totally dislodging roots, and I fill in with compost, manure, peat, and more good dirt. Back up to the top of the bricks. And, then re-mulch it. Optimistically, that boosts the year two bloom. I think garden spaces take a while to be fertile. It took my garlic patch a few seasons. Good dirt rocks!

Tigers, Skinwalkers, Apaches, and Princes. Oh My!

August 10, 2016August 10, 20164 Comments

Yesterday was my first no bloom day since early June. Today brought several blooms, including my very first Tiger Kitten.

Tiger Kitten – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, after a few weeks of deformed Skinwalkers, today comes a picture perfect bloom. I think the early blooms were premature. What a great Ned Roberts bloom!

Skinwalker – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Apache Uprising made a huge show with three blooms.

Apache Uprising – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, how awesome it is to see my last two Royal Palace Princes in full bloom.

Royal Palace Prince – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella also showed up to meet this crowd in the garden – both my golden and yella Stella.

Yella Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Golden Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, calm little Orange Flurry was present in the background.

Orange Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

That leaves only two unbloomed cultivators . . . Heirloom Heaven and Red Hot Returns. However, that is not bad for mid-August. And, nine total have unbloomed buds. Will I make it until freeze?

This weekend, I start the work of fall mulching. I’m learning more about promoting my rebloomers. And, so more improvements in store for the future.

Daylily Blooms Last Forever!

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016Leave a comment

Perhaps it is the blog. Or, perhaps it is painting with my granddaughter a few days ago. And, maybe it is because I want to keep peak season alive all year. At any rate, I broke out the paintbrush in an attempt to keep my last Zuni Thunderbird alive forever. It was fun. And, it’s been 9 months since I painted one of my cultivators. That’s too long. So, I got my fix.

Zuni Thunderbird – Painting by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Frans Hals appeared for the first time since 2014. I like this older daylily so much that I bought one online only to discover that I had one in my yard from the years when I wasn’t quite this addicted. I like bi-tone daylilies – I think that they are stunning.

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other blooms today in my thinning garden included my last Marque Moon:

Marque Moon – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Pizza Crust:

Pizza Crust – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Apache Uprising among the Prickley Pear:

Apache Uprising with Prickley Pear Cactus – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

My mind is shifting to fall. I’ll be a doctor in a little over a month. I hope that there is a bloom on the day I give my presentation. That would rock. If there isn’t, I will still wake up to my favorite blossoms.

Savoring the Four Seasons with Daylilies

August 7, 2016August 7, 2016Leave a comment

Savoring is the art of being in the moment and totally immersing ourselves into an experience. It means no multi-tasking or thinking about chores. It also includes planning for experiences, as well as reminiscing about the past good times.

So, today my yard takes on all of the above. Here are my in the moment blooms:

Apache Uprising:

Apache Unrising – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Royal Palace Prince:

Royal Palace Prince – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Fairy Tale Pink:

Fairy Tale Pink – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Marque Moon:

Marque Moon – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella do Oro:

Stella de Oro – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

In savoring the 2016 daylily season, I write this blog. Last night, I actually looked through every post I made this summer. It will be so cool to read back on things this winter, while I am painting these beauties. I have tile paintings of Inwood, Cheddar Cheese and Route 66 in my room. I said I didn’t want to ever have a day of the year where I didn’t wake up to daylily blooms. And, so it is. I cannot wait to add a few paintings of my new Ned Roberts Spiders.

And, that is a perfect segway into savoring through planning. I have a few interventions for my Ned Roberts garden to start this month. Things to empower more blooms next year. Last night, I also found a Ned Roberts spider that is pretty rare on the auction, and put in a bid (it’s under $10). I got my potted ones planted yesterday . . . the ones that were only temporarily in pots. And, I fertilized. It’s all part of beginning to savor next season.

The seasons of savoring daylilies:

Spring: Looking for the baby fans, cleaning out beds, watering on nice days, fertilize a little, early bloomers show-up!

Summer: Bloom fest! Photography and active blogging. Savor each colorful bloom. Also, water, weeds, insects, and dead-heading.

Fall: Savor the late bloomers. Take time to smell each one. Begin preparing beds for fall. Fall planting. Begin to consider which cultivators will make the best paintings.

Winter: Break out the paints! Be creative – what new ways can daylilies be painted objects that I see every day during the cold, bleak months? Paint daylilies on pumpkins. Hey, what about daylily ornaments? (I just thought of that one and need to consider how I might accomplish that before Christmas.) I love the daylily solar lights in my garden. More for this winter, too. Oh, the list goes on. And, hey, what about searching for a few rare daylilies to add to my garden in the spring? Look, winter is the busiest season of savoring of all!

A Little Something Different

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016Leave a comment

I went to take my daylily photos this morning and my camera did not cooperate. Dead battery. The hazard to being addicted to daylilies, I suppose. It’s my summer road trip this year, though. So, time to savor it!

Today was different because my daughter and grandkids are in town for a couple of days. Tonight, swimming. Tomorrow, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. And, so for today, a short blog.

The new kid today is one called Fairy Tale Pink. It looks more peach in the sunlight. I love the lines coming from the throat. It is a unique addition to the batch.

Fairy Tale Pink – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Today was Zuni Thunderbird’s last bloom. I fell in love with this whimsical bloom for some reason. I am definitely painting this one.

Zuni Thunderbird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, dead battery. What’s a photographer to do? I substituted with my Kindle for the early photos and used some of the filters that I have on my photoshop app. I’ve been wanting to do that. And, the hour is late . . .

From L to R: Top Row -Fairy Tale Pink, Ghost Ranch, Mini Pearl. Row Two – Soco Gap, Marque Moon, Stella de Oro, Ruby Stella. Bottom Row – Skinwalker, South Seas, Zuni Thunderbird.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Category: Ned Roberts Daylily

Fall Blooms and Roots

Tiptoe Through the 2016 Daylilies with Me!

Red Hot Returns

A Little Piece of Heaven in my Yard

Prepping the Daylily Beds is a Bunch of BS!

My Last Ned Roberts Spider :-(

Tigers, Skinwalkers, Apaches, and Princes. Oh My!

Daylily Blooms Last Forever!

Savoring the Four Seasons with Daylilies

A Little Something Different