WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:06.919 Coming to you from Studio A here at proven Winter's Color Choice Shrubs. It's 2 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:11.880 time for the Gardening Simplified Show with Stacy, Hervella me, Rick weisst and 3 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:18.079 our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson Stacy. November sixteen, twenty the Pilgrims got 4 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:22.199 their first look at the New World when they saw Cape Cod. After a 5 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:28.960 tortuous sixty six day voyage from England, the Pilgrims reached the mainland of America. 6 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:32.840 Now, as I learned this past year, they did not land at 7 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:39.280 Plymouth Rock, but rather they anchored first in Provincetown Harbor, little Sandy, 8 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:43.399 kind of like a beach. Difficult to farm that area, so they decided 9 00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:47.359 to move along to Plymouth Rock. But the reason that I bring this up 10 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:53.000 is this past summer I visited the Hydrangea festival on Cape Cod. I know 11 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:58.159 you have to, Stacy, and they were experiencing something very interesting. In 12 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:03.600 twenty twenty three, because of a polar vortex that occurred during the month of 13 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:11.480 February, pretty much most or any of the Macrophilla hydrange of blooms were lost. 14 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:15.959 And you know Cape Cod and big leaf Hydrange's hydrogenea macrophylla, the kind 15 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.400 of the big pink, blue or purple flowers. They go hand in hand. 16 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:21.719 I mean, if there's no hydrangees on the Cape, people want their 17 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:23.959 money back on their summer vacations exactly. So it was, you know, 18 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.760 it was really disappointing. And then I picked up on some of the ways 19 00:01:29.799 --> 00:01:33.760 that people were reacting to it. And I know some of our viewers and 20 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:38.920 our listeners grow hydranges in containers. So I thought we'd talked about that subject 21 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.719 as we head into the winter months here in Michigan. Of course, I 22 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:52.239 remember the polar vortex of twenty fourteen and it was cold. Yeah, how 23 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:57.879 cold was It was so cold my phone's weather at pros and it did actually 24 00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:05.719 no, my phone would it's so cold refrigerators become redundant. Yes, that's 25 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:10.120 how cold. And that's how cold it got on Cape cod last year. 26 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:15.560 I think it was February third and fourth, Mount Washington, of course, 27 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:22.479 which is always cold, forty seven degrees with a wind chill of minus one 28 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:27.199 hundred and eight, the coldest wind chill ever recorded for the United States. 29 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:31.240 On February four, twenty twenty three, Boston, Massachusetts, a new record 30 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:38.560 low minus ten at Logan International Airport and then February fourth, Portland, Maine 31 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:44.360 all time lowest wind chill at minus forty five degrees. Now, we often 32 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.960 talk on the show about hardiness zones and Cape Cod as I see it is 33 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:53.919 Zone seven A. That's a sub zone that has a minimum average temperature of 34 00:02:54.039 --> 00:03:00.120 right around zero to five degrees as the coldest as the cold So if you 35 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:06.400 start getting into some of those kind of temperatures, you are going to see 36 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:12.719 some damage. And yet Stacey today, hydranges we've talked often about the Let's 37 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:19.599 Dance series are just so much more well suited to survive that winter period. 38 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:23.919 The blooms again on Cape Cod with the macrophillis, the plants were not dead, 39 00:03:24.199 --> 00:03:27.680 it's just the blooms were the blooms were, you know, And that 40 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.520 does strike I think at one of the shortcomings of the hardiness zone system, 41 00:03:32.039 --> 00:03:37.319 which is it only tells you, you know, if the plant will survive, 42 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.479 not if you you know, are actually going to be happy with how 43 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:45.520 it looks at the end. A plant just alive isn't necessarily enough, and 44 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.919 it's certainly not enough when it comes to big leaf hydrangs. If you lose 45 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:52.759 those flowers because of course they blew on old wood, so big leaf hydrangeas 46 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:55.960 they have their flower buds right now for the twenty twenty four summer season. 47 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:00.280 That means they have to make it through all of winter. You know, 48 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:05.280 all those temperatures, deer, possibly well intentioned family members, landscapers. There's 49 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:09.360 a lot of things that can threaten those floribus, but weather is not the 50 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.599 least of them, and winter cold is one aspect. And then if assuming 51 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.879 that they make it through the winter cold, then they still got to make 52 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:18.839 it through spring when they start to leaf out, and you know we get 53 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:25.639 those late season frost. So it's not an easy life out there for hydrange 54 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:30.600 of Macrophylla in most North American locations. Now, Cape Cod has traditionally been 55 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:36.040 an exception because not unlike us here in West Michigan, we have a mitigating 56 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.839 effect from the water, and so it was very unusual, I think, 57 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:45.360 especially for the Cape to get quite that cold. But yet when we talk 58 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.480 about the let stands hydrangeis those are you know, the hydrangees that we've developed 59 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:54.000 here in West Michigan. What we're really looking for is exactly what they dealt 60 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:58.199 with in Cape Cod. Even if you garden under the best possible conditions for 61 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:00.879 big leaf Hydrange's, there's still so much it can go wrong. And what 62 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:05.360 we're really working towards in a number of different ways, is how can we 63 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:14.160 improve on this plant's survivability, it's thriveability so that when those things happen that 64 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.720 are out of our control, like weather, when things happen that are sensibly 65 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:24.160 in our control, but we weren't there to intercept the kid home from college 66 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.480 who was cutting back your garden, or the well intentioned landscape which I have 67 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:33.839 seen so so many times that even then they will still bloom. And that's 68 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:40.240 really our goal is to kind of work with a variety of different characteristics inherent 69 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:43.839 in the plant, to select for those, and I guess you could say 70 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.519 fool proof them in a way, yeah, exactly. Now on Cape Cod, 71 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:54.879 there's a gentleman there called the hydrangea guy Mail Condon, and Male's strong 72 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.319 belief is that a worthy garden is indeed a work in progress throughout gardener's lifetime. 73 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.199 And I agree with that one hundred percent. But they were stung by 74 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:10.240 this polar vortex, and I noticed that and I attended a seminar that that 75 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:14.680 mal put On and Adriana will post some of these pictures on our website, 76 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:17.800 Gardening Simplified on air dot com, or you'll see them here on YouTube. 77 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:24.800 As we broadcast, they started putting some of these macropillas into seven gallon pots 78 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:30.879 or seven gallon fabric containers that they could lift and put into cold frames for 79 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:36.920 winter. Not necessarily recommending that everybody needs to do that, but again there's 80 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:41.759 a lot of pressure on them because they're a hydrange of city and people expect 81 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:46.560 to see those hydranges in bloom in July. Oh absolutely. And you know 82 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:50.040 that is that has long been an option that if you were absolutely adamant about 83 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:53.800 preserving your hydrange of blooms, that there were these different types of things that 84 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.360 you could do, but you know, wouldn't it be better if you didn't 85 00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:00.360 have to? And that was sort of how our hydrange of breeding program actually 86 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.560 started, is that we had you know, a huge selection of all sorts 87 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:08.560 of hydrangees from all over the world in our trial garden, and every year 88 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:12.399 the owner would cover them up and try to get them through winter, and 89 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:14.839 then finally one year we just said, well, what if you don't. 90 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:18.120 What if we let nature take its course and we start seeing what did survive 91 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:23.240 and we start using that for our plant breeding rather than saying like, oh, 92 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:27.160 we want to develop a hydrange that's super beautiful, Well dah, that's 93 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:30.240 easy. You know. What we want is a hydrange that is beautiful, 94 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:32.639 of course, but more importantly than it performs. And so we started using 95 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:39.319 that sort of natural selection approach so that you know, you won't have to 96 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:43.399 actually plant things in a seven gallon container and move it into a greenhouse, 97 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:46.160 which you know, honestly most people don't really have. And that's fantastic, 98 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:51.199 And that's why the work that's being done by proven winners colored choice shrubs is 99 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:57.399 is so important, and it helps assist us in our love and enjoyment of 100 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:03.800 hydrangs, even if a polar vortex comes along. I put together a little 101 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:07.240 limb a rick for you on this subject. I like hydranges a lot, 102 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:13.399 a lot. You should see how many I bought panicle smooth or macrophilla. 103 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.959 I plant them all around my villa. I even plant them in a pot. 104 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:20.959 I'm not a gardening newcomer, and I just can't wait for next summer. 105 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:26.759 I laugh, at cold with sarcasm. It can't freeze my enthusiasm. 106 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:31.720 Yet my heartiness zone is a bummer. Winter just lasts forever. My hydranges 107 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:37.960 and I say whatever I bundle up in my gortex, they endure a polar 108 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:43.000 vortex. I think we both are quite clever, so I'm here for you 109 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:46.399 and will chaperone You won't have to do this alone. We won't lose our 110 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:52.279 blooms when frigid weather looms. You and I were in the zone. And 111 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:56.559 that brings me to our word of the day, microclimate. Oh, if 112 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:58.919 you have hydranges in pots, do you think it's a good idea to move 113 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.679 them to a micro climate for winter? Stacey, I think the most important 114 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:09.440 thing for hydrangeens and pots over winter is to make sure they are not getting 115 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:13.840 too much water or snow dropped on them. And this is something I tell 116 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:18.919 people all the time. Don't position them in a spot where the snow is 117 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.159 going to come falling down on them from your roof, where icicles are going 118 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.639 to be dripping on them. The biggest threat to the majority of plants over 119 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:31.000 winter in a container is the ice cube that forms in the center of the 120 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.639 container, so that water can't drain through and it causes root rot. And 121 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.200 yeah, of course cold is an issue. And if you're trying to grow 122 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:39.200 something that's not hardy, then yeah, it might not make it. But 123 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:46.960 I have found repeatedly that having frozen soil that causes the drainage to back up. 124 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.240 That's what really doesn't mean fantastic. Of course, as always make your 125 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:56.799 pots have good drainage holes. The bigger the better. In my opinion, 126 00:09:56.840 --> 00:10:01.320 as far as pots are concerned, if you can give them a little bit 127 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:05.039 of protection in winter, it may help. But I certainly don't want to 128 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:11.879 discourage anyone from trying to grow hydranges or macrophillas in contain. Absolutely you bet 129 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:22.320 you plants on trial coming up next here on the Gardening Simplified Show, Prooven 130 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.440 Winter's Color Choice Shrubs cares about your success in the garden. That's why we 131 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:30.120 trial and test all of our shrubs for eight to ten years, making sure 132 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.879 they outperform everything else on the market. Look for them and the distinctive white 133 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:39.039 container at your local garden center. Greeting's gardening friends, and welcome back to 134 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:43.120 the Gardening Simplified Show. Today we are talking about hydranges, getting them through 135 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:50.000 winter. It is probably one of the biggest challenges that people face with hydranges. 136 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:54.120 I could, I mean, I could do so many shows about getting 137 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:58.519 hydrangeas through winter. Like I'm trying to streamline this into one single train of 138 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:03.480 thought, and it's hard, but I'll try to do it by framing today's 139 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:09.080 plant on trial, which is tough stuff. Mountain hydrangea in my yard, 140 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:13.960 one of my favorite plants. It is a great plant. And you know 141 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:16.360 you might be sitting there thinking, well, gee, what's a mountain hydrange 142 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:20.480 You guys were talking about big leaf hydrangea, which are known as hydrange of 143 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.840 macrophylla. We've often talked about panicle hydrangees, smooth hydrangees. There's all these 144 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:30.120 different names flying around a couple. You know, probably about twenty years ago 145 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:31.840 or so, mountain hydrangees come on the scene and people are like, oh 146 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:37.519 great, now another hydrangea to remember. But we're talking about mountain hydrange is 147 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:43.480 today specifically as it relates to what work was talking about with the survival through 148 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:46.240 the polar of war attacks that they experienced on the East Coast last year that 149 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:52.480 we've experienced before. So here's a situation with mountain hydrangs. Mountain hydrangees are 150 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:58.840 known botanically is Hydrangea serrata, and they grow in the exact same areas of 151 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:03.720 Japan where big leaf hydranges or hydrange of macrophylla also grow wild. So these 152 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:09.480 are occurring endemically wild plants. The difference is that in those areas, which 153 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:16.240 are mountainous islands with very tall mountains, hydrange of macrophylla grows on the seaside, 154 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.279 where it's much more mild. The ocean or bit large bodies of water 155 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:26.600 always have some sort of mitigating effect on the worst of winter weather, whereas 156 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:31.600 hydrange of serrata grows way up in the mountains and on top of the mountain, 157 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:35.360 of course it's much colder than it would be down by the seaside. 158 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:39.559 These are probably like temperate areas. You could think of them as having a 159 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:46.200 climate probably similar to like North Carolina humid summers, hot summers, but not 160 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:50.320 super cold winters. They get some snow, but not you know, super 161 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:52.440 frigid like we would have up here. So like probably like a roughly like 162 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:58.120 USDA zone seven to eight on the edge of something like that. So these 163 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:03.440 hydranges that are growing up in the mountains are susceptible or suscepted to a lot 164 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:09.080 more cold weather, snow ice, those wild temperature fluctuations when you get a 165 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.639 really really sunny day and it's heating up and then the temperature suddenly plunges at 166 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:18.799 night. Those are all huge challenges for plants, and they are especially challenges 167 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:24.600 for plants that have their flower buds on the stems all through winter during that 168 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:30.679 hardest part to maintain this delicate tissue. It sounds like Michigan or Wisconsin seventy 169 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.440 degrees one day and freezing the neck. Yes, and it's true. Our 170 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:37.360 winters have become a lot more you know, variable and fluctuating like that. 171 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:43.080 But what has happened is that Hydrangea serrata or mountain hydrangea has naturally developed a 172 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:48.279 better tolerance in its flower buds to that cold. Now, this has been 173 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:52.720 happening over a span of thousands and thousands of years, and so basically, 174 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:56.679 since you know, none of those hydrangas individually are going to live forever. 175 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:03.480 If there have, they had not naturally developed this ability to withstand those cold 176 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:07.600 spells, they would have died out because they never would have been able to 177 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:11.720 reproduce from seed because the flower buds would always be getting frozen off, they 178 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:18.799 would never set seed, and the population essentially would die out. So basically 179 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:22.679 what happened they started from this bigly hydrange on mountain Hydrangea started from the same 180 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:26.600 ancestor, they diverged in their evolution because they were growing in very different areas. 181 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:33.600 Some botanists do consider Hydrangea serrata or mountain hydrangel a subspecies of hydrange of 182 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:37.799 Macrophylla. Some consider it a totally separate species. But you know, when 183 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:43.120 my boss Tim Wood and Dale Deby, the owner here, started going abroad 184 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:46.639 and looking for hydrangels and noticing this, they really saw the potential for this 185 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:54.679 natural development of better cold tolerance, and so they collected seed legally all above 186 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.279 the board here brought it back to the US, and that was how we 187 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:03.399 started to develop the Tough Stuff series from these natural hydrangeas that have developed this 188 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:07.440 better cold tolerance on their own. We have to at this point a quick 189 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:13.240 shout out to our friends in Japan who listen to the Gardening Simplified and can 190 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:18.840 probably very much relate to this. And yes, Stacey, you know we 191 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:24.200 talked about polar vortex and in twenty fourteen here in Michigan, my tough Stuff's 192 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:28.720 survived it with flying colors. Yeah, they are really incredible. We do 193 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:35.759 offer them tough Stuff as a USDA Zone four hardy plant, partially again because 194 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:39.279 of its ability to withstand that cold and because they're also rebloomers, so let's 195 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:43.600 say the worst happens, they are still able to rebloom. But yeah, 196 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:48.320 these are hydranges that I have heard from so many gardeners all across the country 197 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:52.200 that truly do hold their own in a cold climate. Now, if you 198 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.240 live in a warm climate, even better, because that means you're going to 199 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:58.919 have even more flowers. You're unlikely to have this issue that we have in 200 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:03.240 cold climates of your plants, you know, losing their flower buds due to 201 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:08.720 that extreme cold. But because they rebloom, you'll just basically end up with 202 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:12.720 hydrange of flowers from you know, June until frost, which is a pretty 203 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:17.639 great deal. It is a great deal, folks. Stacey's talking about tough 204 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:22.399 stuff hydrange and tough by the way, is spelled tu ff. But you 205 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:27.919 can get the information at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com and of course, Adriana 206 00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:32.879 always adds a lot of great stuff to the YouTube video also to take a 207 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.440 look at them. Yeah, and this is one. It's so photogenic. 208 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:38.200 I mean, we kind of can't help but have a ton of video and 209 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:41.840 photos of this plant because it's so beautiful. So I do want to talk 210 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:45.679 a bit about what it looks like. So you're familiar with the big leaves, 211 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.039 like we talked about, usually the big orb shaped flowers are pink or 212 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:52.919 blue or purple. Now, tough stuff does have that. The flowers can 213 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.159 be pink or blue or purple, but they aren't so orb shaped. Right 214 00:16:56.200 --> 00:17:02.679 now, there are no mountain hydrae hydrange of Serrata that are a mophead. 215 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:04.759 They're all lace caps. So basically what that means is they're going to have 216 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:11.920 that flatter, lacier, more open influorescence compared to that big honk and mophead 217 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:18.160 that everyone associates with cape cod of course, but it's still beautiful. And 218 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:22.480 you know, one of the things that I've said on the show before that's 219 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:26.039 so great about lace cap hydrangeas is that they also sustain pollinators. So with 220 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:30.440 the mopheads, even though a lot of people prefer those just to look at 221 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:34.839 those sterile florets, those big showy sterile florettes obscure the fertile florets where all 222 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:38.599 the pollen and nectar are, and a lace cap those are right out front 223 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:42.960 as nature intended, and so insects and pollinators are really able to get at 224 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:48.240 them. And I personally love the slightly more informal look. It's how I 225 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:52.440 would describe it of a lace cap over a mophead. It just has it 226 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:59.480 looks very at home in sort of like more Cottagy type situations. Certainly any 227 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:02.039 kind of woodland garden. I mean, I really like it. Do you 228 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:06.880 have a preference very natural, very floriferous, And I agree, And for 229 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:11.640 me and my perspective with the tough stuff high ranges in my landscape, perfect 230 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.559 landing pads, oh yeah, for a polony, they're just like right there. 231 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:18.440 And you know, speaking of perfect, they also have a really nice 232 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:22.880 habit. They naturally grow in a nice tidy, rounded shape, so you 233 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:26.960 don't get Hopefully you aren't tempted to prune it because this is the type again, 234 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:29.480 because it blooms on old wood, you wouldn't be pruning it except to 235 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:34.160 remove any deadwood or old flowers in spring. So now tough Stuff has been 236 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:37.400 around for several years. Again, it came out of our breeding here in 237 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:42.279 West Michigan. Really stormed on the scene. I mean I think people were 238 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.799 probably, of course a little dubious, as you would be with any new 239 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:49.200 plant comes out, but have quickly learned that it does live up to its 240 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:53.079 name and it really is a great choice. So with our plant breeding, 241 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.799 you know, we're always looking to improve and so it's kind of I've talked 242 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:02.119 about it before with roses. When you get over one hurdle, which for 243 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:06.079 us, of course was cold tolerance, then you can start looking at more 244 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:11.880 and more opportunities. And so in the time since the original Tough Stuff has 245 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:17.000 been introduced, we've introduced three additional varieties. So I think that now if 246 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:21.039 you will go to your garden center this spring, I would definitely be keeping 247 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:23.880 my eyes out for anything in the Tough Stuff series, but especially tough Stuff 248 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:30.039 Top Fun. So tough Stuff Top Fun a plant that Tom Cruise would appreciate. 249 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.519 Yes, And we were naming this right when that movie was out in 250 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:37.000 the theaters, the newer one, not the originals. It is quite for 251 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:40.759 speed. Yeah, all right, so you know, all the information on 252 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.000 this site. I can barely scratch a service. I mean, there's just 253 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:45.559 always so much to talk about with Hydrange's and I know people are so hungry 254 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:49.160 for knowledge on hydrangees. But we'll put all of this in the show notes 255 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:53.559 at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com. Give you some links. You can see 256 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:56.359 how beautiful the original tough stuff is, and of course we'll link you out 257 00:19:56.359 --> 00:20:02.039 to the newer varieties so you can pick the fit tough stuff Hydrangea for your 258 00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:03.839 garden. We're gonna take a little break and when we come back, we've 259 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:14.079 got that garden mail bag to open, so please stay tuned. At proven 260 00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:18.200 winner's color Choice, we've got a shrub for every taste and every space. 261 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:22.160 Whether you're looking for an easy care rose and unforgettable Hydrangea or something new and 262 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:26.599 unique, you can be confident that the shrubs and the white containers have been 263 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:30.720 trialed and tested for your success. Look for them at your local garden center. 264 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:37.039 Greeting's Gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. You 265 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:41.720 know, I love hearing from our listeners and whether we're helping them solve problems 266 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:45.759 or they just have a comment. About the show. It. You know, 267 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:48.160 when you're in studio a here and it's the three of us and we're 268 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:52.960 just we're talking, you know, we don't we don't know is this going 269 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:55.960 out into the ether? Is anybody out there? So it's always nice to 270 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:59.799 hear that there are people. I love it, especially when people like my 271 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:03.480 cow bell jokes. Thank you, very mulch. I thought that would just 272 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.559 go right over the head. But wow, so thank you very mulch. 273 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:11.839 You weren't joking when you said it was a classic. It's a classic now, 274 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:17.039 Stacey. Along that line, we got a great note from barberas Yeah. 275 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:22.640 So I was checking the inbox and was really really loved what Barbara had 276 00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:25.079 to say. She said, thank you for the Native Plant show. I 277 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.559 hope you continue to have shows about this. I don't consider myself a hard 278 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:32.640 core native gardener, but I've shifted my thinking about this and now purchase natives 279 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:36.720 more than other types of plants to help bring back our ecosystem since it's necessary 280 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:40.240 for insects and birds. I feel the more we learned about our ecosystem, 281 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:44.599 the better I learned that we're losing the natural ecosystem because we're overpopulating our gardens 282 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:48.640 across the US with non native species. I also learned that many birds feed 283 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:52.240 their babies specific types of caterpillars or worms, and those feed only on native 284 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:56.880 plants and trumps. The chickadee is one of those birds. If you don't 285 00:21:56.920 --> 00:21:59.680 have the native plant that those insects live on, then the chickay won't be 286 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:03.720 able to feed their babies. I'm also a photographer and love taking images of 287 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:07.119 insects, flowers, and birds. I think the word pollinator is being overused 288 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:11.359 in marketing, since we need all of the insects. Could not agree more 289 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:14.200 with you there, Barbara. If the insects are not there, then the 290 00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:18.960 birds won't be there either. So you know I appreciate that because I do. 291 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:22.880 I don't say it a lot, but you know, I it does 292 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:26.799 bother me a bit that all only the glamorous pollinators, like the honey bees 293 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:30.200 and the butterflies, they get all the credit. But you know, there's 294 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:33.839 some less glamorous insects out there that are doing some very heavy lifting. So, 295 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:38.279 Barbara, I am glad to hear that you are of the same mind, 296 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.559 and we really appreciate you writing in with that comment. Yeah, I 297 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:45.079 love it. I love it. That's great. So, you know, 298 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.599 we're talking about hydrangeas, and there's been a topic on my mind, and 299 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:51.519 then this question came through, and I said, oh, this is the 300 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:57.480 perfect time to address this issue. So it is from Ruth and she says, 301 00:22:57.480 --> 00:23:02.240 my hydrangea is blooming late, a few blooms. Then about a week 302 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:04.319 ago, a frost came. I have a lot of blooms ready to pop, 303 00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:07.119 but it's too late. Should I just clip those off? Should I 304 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:11.400 just clip off those blooms that didn't flower? All the leaves on the whole 305 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:12.799 plant are gone. I'm not going to cut the stems. Thank you. 306 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:18.160 I love your program. So I have heard from so many gardeners who got 307 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:22.279 really confused this October when their hydrange just started flowering, did not flower all 308 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:26.119 summer. And then you know, there you are in October, rake in 309 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:30.519 the leaves and you look over and your hydrangea is just blooming like it's July. 310 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:34.920 What gives Well, the simple answer here is that those are reblooming hydranges 311 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:41.200 and you are seeing the new wood flowers, So reblooming hydrangeas bloom on oldwood 312 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:44.559 like you know the other ones. When we're talking about the hydrange of Macrophilla 313 00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:48.720 and the hydrange of Serrata big leaf and mountain hydrangeas here. So they bloom 314 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:52.160 on oldwood, have their flower buds right now for next season, but reblooming 315 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.920 hydrange is also bloom on new wood. So as much new growth as they 316 00:23:56.920 --> 00:24:00.079 are able to put on during the growing season, they will eventually be able 317 00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:04.559 to make a flower bud. And it's just a matter of time how long 318 00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:08.160 it takes them to do that and how long the conditions last. So when 319 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:12.960 you have hydrange of flowers in October, you are seeing those new wood blooms, 320 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:18.880 it's just late, and depending on your growing season, it's if you 321 00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:21.440 live in the South, you really don't have to wait that long because things 322 00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:23.400 are growing longer and more vigorously, Whereas for a lot of us in the 323 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:27.720 Midwest and north and northeast, we don't have such a long, favorable growing 324 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:32.880 season, So sometimes it does take until October for those flowers to show their 325 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.920 heads. But it's not a cause for concern. And one thing that a 326 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:40.240 lot of people were concerned about when they're seeing this is is it detracting from 327 00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:42.640 my flowers for next year? And the answer to that is no, it's 328 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:47.880 not because these are new wood flowers that were put on this year. The 329 00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:52.599 hydrange is already making at that point in October now here in November, already 330 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:57.119 making it's flower buds for twenty twenty four. So it's not impacting those old 331 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:02.680 wood blooms that are going to give you the main show in twenty twenty four. 332 00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:06.200 So there's no cause for concern. I don't think that you should trim 333 00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:10.119 anything at all off right now, even if you have spent flowers on your 334 00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:12.599 big leaf hydrange, especially if you live in a cold climate. I generally 335 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:17.640 recommend that people keep them in place because they do offer a bit of protection 336 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:21.119 to those buds. It kind of are a little like winter hat for the 337 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:26.279 plant. So Ruth I would say, don't cut anything off, don't worry 338 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:29.880 about it, let your plant be. Mulch is good, and you know, 339 00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:33.799 hopefully with a favorable winter, and depending on what type of hydrange you 340 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:38.079 have, you'll hopefully get all those nice old wood blooms next summer and then 341 00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:41.880 nice new wood blooms hopefully a little earlier. It does help to fertilize. 342 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:47.440 You know, I'm not the biggest fertilizer, but it does help because that 343 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:49.279 fertilizer. This is true of any reblooming shrubs. So whether you have like 344 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:55.799 a bloomerang lilac or sonic bloom Whigela, fertilizing in that growth period of like 345 00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:00.839 May through late July gives it that extra boost it needs to put on that 346 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:04.319 growth and get those flower buds out. So crucial. It's the ruth. 347 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:08.640 It's the new wood catching up to the old wood. And that's the beauty 348 00:26:08.680 --> 00:26:15.400 of reblooming high dranges as well. Who was it? Was it? Cousin 349 00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:19.839 Eddie said to Clark, It's the gift that keeps giving. It's that time 350 00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:25.480 of year, so enjoy. Yes. So what else we got in the 351 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:29.440 mailbag here? Oh? Okay, Raquel has a question on growing figs in 352 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:33.240 a cold climate. Oh boy, I received a fig tree cutting in May 353 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:36.960 of this year and it's grown to three feet tall now and has six little 354 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:41.680 figs. I brought it in before temperatures dip below thirty and it's inside under 355 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:45.319 a grow light. I just recently heard about chill times, so I've we 356 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:49.359 all need some children, It's true. Yeah, So I've tried to do 357 00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:55.000 research, but I've only gotten more confused I read it needs about one hundred 358 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:59.079 hours approximately four days of chill time to go dormant. Did I make a 359 00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:02.119 mistake bringing it? Should I move it to the garage? I live in 360 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:06.359 Zone five B, Iowa gets pretty cold here. Protect it. I live 361 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:10.720 in a small apartment. Put it in a cool closet. Please clarify. 362 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:17.440 I know so Raquel has kind of the perfect storm of challenges here, but 363 00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:21.359 I do want to address first of all, I grow figs successfully here in 364 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:23.200 the US. I just had my best or in the US in Michigan. 365 00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:27.359 I just had my best harvest ever I had. We got probably fifteen or 366 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:32.799 twenty figs off it. Now it's a little bit milder here. But fighs 367 00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:37.279 are hardier than a lot of people think that they are. Yeah, it's 368 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:38.960 a fig leaf of your imaginaty, No, it's not a fig leaf of 369 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:42.440 your imagination. They really are a little bit hardier than people think. But 370 00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:47.799 you know, now Raquel is in Iowa, so Middle America. You know, 371 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:51.079 it's definitely don't have the benefit of some of the mitigating effects of water 372 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:56.160 like we have. But that doesn't mean that the plant can come indoors either. 373 00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:59.039 That's going to be really really stressful on it. So, yes, 374 00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:03.680 the chilling requirement is part of the issue. And figs, like many edible 375 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:07.920 fruits, need to be exposed to some amount of cold temperatures in order to 376 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:11.799 develop their flower buds and eventually fruit. In the case of figs, that's 377 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:18.920 about one hundred hours total of temperatures below forty five. So I know that's 378 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:21.759 not the kind of chill time you're looking for. You prefer it warmer, 379 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:25.279 but definitely under forty five. And of course it's not going to get that. 380 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:30.160 It's not going to get that in your house. And even with a 381 00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:36.200 grow light. You know, plants that everything except like the most tender tropical 382 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:41.839 plants, really needs to be outdoors. It's really difficult for these plants to 383 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:45.640 try to adapt to the indoors. You know, there's the light isn't as 384 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:48.039 strong even if you have a grow light. The air circulation, I think 385 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:52.000 is so crucial. You know, we don't have good air circulation in our 386 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:55.440 houses, and a fan is not really going to cut it either, because 387 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:57.920 it's not the same as you know, actually being outdoors. And another thing 388 00:28:57.960 --> 00:29:03.920 that's so crucial to plant health is the fluctuating day length that they experience outside, 389 00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:07.799 you know, going through that whole cycle of waning daylight like we have 390 00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:11.759 right now, and then back through increasing daylight after The lands aren't to a 391 00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:17.400 static environment, no they're not, so it's really going to struggle indoors. 392 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:22.279 It could struggle outdoors, but I think that it will be better out there, 393 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:23.960 and I think that you just have to do the best that you can 394 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:29.240 with the facilities that you have. Now. It's not unheard of for people 395 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:33.799 in cold climates who are growing figs to actually dig a trench and put their 396 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:37.000 whole Plantlet grow it in a container and lay it down in the trench. 397 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:41.640 That's an old fashioned thing to do. If you have that garage that you 398 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:44.960 described, I would put it in the garage. Ideally, hopefully your gridge 399 00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:48.240 has some sort of window or light, but I would put it in the 400 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:51.519 garage to kind of protect it from some of the worst of your weather. 401 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:53.960 The trick though, is to make sure that you are checking it for water, 402 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:59.839 because it cannot stay completely dry all winter. That will really be stressful 403 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:03.400 for it might not live. But on the other hand, you're never gonna 404 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:06.759 water it like in summer where it's coming out the the bottom, so so 405 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:08.599 water it well, put it in your garage, and then check it. 406 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:11.480 I would put a calendar reminder to check it, like every two weeks or 407 00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:15.480 so, just to see make sure it's not getting too dry. If you 408 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:18.480 do need to water it, just a bit to moist in the top should 409 00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:22.680 be more than sufficient. And I still can't guarantee that it'll survive, but 410 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:26.039 I think that it will be much happier and you will be much happier, 411 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:30.039 Raquel. Trying to grow it outdoors than in and send us some of those 412 00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:36.039 figs. Yeah we have Chicago hardy and yeah, they were absolutely delicious. 413 00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:38.839 I was really amazed at what a good crop we got this year and a 414 00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:44.400 plant fun to watch grow. Some plants are just fun to watch grow. 415 00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:48.920 That's a plant that's it's got sum much history and very very cool plant. 416 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:52.000 So where there's a will, there's away, Raquel. So use what you 417 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:56.480 have and let us know how it turns out. We're gonna take a little 418 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:59.000 break. When we come back. We've got branching news, so police stay 419 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:07.640 tuned. The Gardening Simplified Show is brought to you by proven winners Color Choice 420 00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:12.519 Shrubs, our award winning flowering shrubs in evergreens have been trialed and tested for 421 00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:18.119 your success, so you enjoy more beauty and less work. Look for proven 422 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:22.319 winners, color choice shrubs and the distinctive white container at your local garden center. 423 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:29.319 Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. It's time for branching news. 424 00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:33.119 It's not breaking news, but we do not make this stuff up. And 425 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.839 by the way, as Stacy mentioned, we love your notes, your messages, 426 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:41.400 your mail. Thanks keep it coming. And on YouTube, we had 427 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:48.279 someone mention the googly i video from Saturday Night Live, and I love that. 428 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:56.039 It was a Christopher Walkin' video arguably one of the most iconic, or 429 00:31:56.079 --> 00:32:01.240 at least close to I think last week we talked about the blue oyster cult. 430 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:06.440 Yeah, and I need more cow bell. Well this week googly eye 431 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:10.200 video on Saturday Night Live. A man who is very scared of plants, 432 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:15.000 so Christopher Walkin would put these googly eyes that you can find at craft stores 433 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:20.759 on his houseplants so that he could see what they were up to, because 434 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:25.000 you can only really tell if you look into somebody's eyes. Great stuff. 435 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:30.519 We'll post the link there at Gardening Simplified on air dot Com. I did 436 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:37.319 find out that googly eyes that you find in the craft stores originated, they 437 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:42.119 believe, from a comic strip from the early nineteen hundreds called Barney Google and 438 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:49.200 Snuffy Smith. So cartoonist Billy de Beck in nineteen nineteen created the character Barney 439 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:55.119 Google, and his defining physical characteristic was a set of very large googly eyes. 440 00:32:55.160 --> 00:33:00.519 Do you remember the themes on Barney Google? Yes, to Google googly 441 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:05.200 eyes. That's right. I was not born in nineteen nineteen, but I 442 00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:10.200 have an old soul that is very well done. Nice, thank you way 443 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:20.720 to bring it the good. Who would think that those little plastic do dads 444 00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:22.319 that you buy at the craft store could be so much fun? Of course, 445 00:33:22.359 --> 00:33:27.640 in this case, Christopher walking and put him on cactus because you cannot 446 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:30.720 turn your back on cactus, nor can you trust cactus, so put some 447 00:33:30.759 --> 00:33:37.200 googly eyes on them. Retired firefighter who built a fire station themed man cave 448 00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:44.039 in his back garden has been crowned winner of Britain's Best pubsd of the Year. 449 00:33:44.119 --> 00:33:46.920 We're gonna put that link there. Also, it's an engine house that's 450 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:53.279 a pub shed in his yard, complete with oh boy, you can get 451 00:33:54.279 --> 00:34:00.640 fire themed beers. A golden ale called brass helmet, a ruby ale called 452 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:07.279 old Steamer, a stout called Smokey. Spent well over three thousand dollars to 453 00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:13.400 put together this shed in his backyard, and he's the winner. This is 454 00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:15.000 a big deal in great Britain. Oh yeah, I love looking at the 455 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:22.000 contestants. They do a great job. Oh it's great. So my shed 456 00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:25.039 in my backyard, that's where I store my limbo stick. Oh yeah, 457 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:30.199 and it was stolen. It was stolen out of my shed. How low 458 00:34:30.280 --> 00:34:36.079 can you go? I was waiting for the punch line. I was believing 459 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:37.960 that you might have a limbo stick, But then the pauses were just a 460 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:43.440 little too suggestive. Yeah, you caught me. I did build a shed 461 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:46.880 last week, though I nailed it. Okay, not a pigment of your 462 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:52.679 imagination. Growling clacking teeth. The rumble of hoofs as night falls at one 463 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:59.400 of the United states most scenic golf clubs, sinister noises reverberate off the red 464 00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:05.519 rock can onion walls. I guess there's a golf course in Arizona Seven canyons 465 00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:09.960 and the grass gets torn up all over the place. The pictures are amazing, 466 00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:16.480 they say. The perpetrators are javelina, a pig like creature with raking 467 00:35:16.760 --> 00:35:22.679 canine teeth, and they have the capacity for chaos. In the town of 468 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:29.320 Sedona, they've become a viral sensation. Have you ever heard of javelina? 469 00:35:29.719 --> 00:35:34.400 Yes, it's pronounced havelina, havelina. Yeah, oh, okay, see, 470 00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:37.199 I'd never heard of it. And you know, there are obviously there's 471 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:39.760 a lot going on right now about feral hogs in other areas, but havelinas 472 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:45.280 are actually a native pig to Arizona, and they're pretty pretty interesting creatures. 473 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:49.840 Wowe if you're not a golf course manager. Yeah, exactly, because they 474 00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:53.280 say when you come upon them and see them, it's like the Tasmanian devil. 475 00:35:54.800 --> 00:36:00.480 Scary stuff. And here's another interesting thing about these Okay, I thought 476 00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:05.400 they were javelina. That sounded strange to me. Maybe that was just a 477 00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:09.639 Disney character from my childhood or something. But they get in there and they 478 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:15.960 tear up that turf thereafter earthworms. Yeah, and of course there's gonna be 479 00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:20.079 boatloads in the golf course where they're watering and fertilizing, and the grass is 480 00:36:20.119 --> 00:36:24.760 super lush, especially in a place like Arizona where it isn't otherwise, So 481 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:30.079 I think that they're much less destructive, you know, in natural areas, 482 00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:34.159 in most residential areas. But yeah, if you have grass with juicy, 483 00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:37.920 juicy earthworms, you better watch out there. So they're kind of like this 484 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:43.920 cross between a pig and the Tasmanian devil. I don't I'm not so sure 485 00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:47.400 I'm gonna run across one of those. Well, I think you would probably 486 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:52.760 be less freaked out really if you saw them. Yeah, they're really very 487 00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:59.599 cool creatures. I had I'm pro Healina Okay Good. A new survey explorer 488 00:36:59.639 --> 00:37:04.880 to mere cans Love for all Things sweet and Results found indulging in their sweet 489 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:09.320 tooth is the activity most likely to bring back the childlike wonder of the holidays 490 00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:15.119 for fifty six percent of people. So eating sweets and desserts beats out opening 491 00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:20.599 presents and playing in the snow. Well a lot of people that get to 492 00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:23.320 play in the snow, so that could be skewing the results true, Good 493 00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:30.239 point. The results found also that forty eight percent of people have hidden their 494 00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:36.960 favorite treats to avoid sharing them with anybody else. That's a very holiday spirit 495 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:39.719 of them. They hide them in kitchen cabinets. A kitchen cabinet that usually 496 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:45.360 doesn't have food or a bathroom cabinet. So there you go. And the 497 00:37:45.400 --> 00:37:51.360 best flavors at the end of the year gingerbread, salted caramel, peppermint, 498 00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:59.719 maple, pumpkin, spice, chi cinnamon, and bourbon bourbon I mean, 499 00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:04.800 were cranberry, chestnuts, cocoa, egg nut. Yeah, those are all 500 00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:07.840 well. Bourbon is often in the eggnogs, and it is one of the 501 00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:13.079 main flavors of eggnogs. It's whiskey business, that's what it is. Yes, 502 00:38:13.400 --> 00:38:17.119 wow, all right, and you know, of course no water chestnuts 503 00:38:17.119 --> 00:38:21.760 in there. Do you like water chestnuts in seven layer salads? I don't 504 00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:23.880 like water chestnuts. Just had to throw that in, all right. They 505 00:38:23.880 --> 00:38:27.480 are pretty interesting plants. You know that. We do have an invasive water 506 00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:31.719 chestnut in the US that has very cool seedpods but is a terrible invasive plant. 507 00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:35.039 But I don't want to eat it. No, No, that's okay, 508 00:38:35.079 --> 00:38:37.320 you don't have to. Okay, thank you, you're a grown man. 509 00:38:37.159 --> 00:38:42.880 Pass the flag. Surging olive oil prices, driven in part by two 510 00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:47.400 years of drought in Spain, has meant opportunity for criminals across the Mediterranean. 511 00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:55.519 Warehouse break ins, dilution of premium oil with inferior product, falsification of shipping 512 00:38:55.599 --> 00:39:01.239 data are on the rise in olive growing heartlands of Greece, Spain and Italy. 513 00:39:02.320 --> 00:39:07.760 Perhaps worst of all, gangs using chainsaws to steal heavily laden branches and 514 00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:14.119 even entire trees from unguarded groups. Oh my gosh, isn't that's sad? 515 00:39:14.719 --> 00:39:17.960 Well, that's not very sustainable business model. No, it's not sustainable, 516 00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:23.480 I mean even for a criminal enterprise. But it has added to this shortage 517 00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:30.519 and the price going up on olive oil. But they're having some really serious 518 00:39:30.559 --> 00:39:35.880 problems of theft of branches. So it sounds like those thieves need a botany 519 00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:40.000 lesson. They do need a botany lesson, they really do. Ah. 520 00:39:40.239 --> 00:39:44.760 All right, Let's move on to something a little more fun here, and 521 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:51.480 that is a Christmas trees journey to the living room can take many forms nowadays. 522 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:54.920 Most live trees come from a farm. Others are carefully constructed out of 523 00:39:55.039 --> 00:40:00.320 polyethylene or PBC. But the White Mountain Nash Forest, so this is a 524 00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:07.800 national forest in New Hampshire and Maine. I believe it crosses the border. 525 00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:10.559 Correct me if I'm wrong, But is in that area. They give you 526 00:40:10.599 --> 00:40:15.639 a different option. With a purchase of a five dollars permit, you can 527 00:40:15.639 --> 00:40:22.000 cut down your own wild conifer, so you can go off into the White 528 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:28.159 Mountain National Forest and cut yourself a Christmas tree for five dollars. I found 529 00:40:28.199 --> 00:40:32.079 that really interesting. It sounds really interesting. That might be one of those 530 00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:37.679 things that is easier said than none. Though. Yeah, you can't. 531 00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:42.320 You know, you can't go out there and get a Clark w Griswold tree 532 00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:45.519 something that big. As a matter of fact, they say the tree must 533 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:50.440 be less than six inches in diameter at chest height, and the stump left 534 00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:55.039 behind must be ten inches or smaller. So yes, it's not the Griswold 535 00:40:55.159 --> 00:41:00.400 family Christmas tree. But still for five bucks to be able to have that 536 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:04.320 experience, I think that's pretty cool. Yeah, it could be very interesting, 537 00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:08.039 or it could be a disaster. There's always that chance. You've got 538 00:41:08.079 --> 00:41:14.480 to bring along a saw. They won't let you use a chainsaw, which 539 00:41:14.480 --> 00:41:16.440 I was thinking about the other day. A great thing for a Christmas list. 540 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:22.239 I have the CD the Texas Chainsaw Orchestra. Have you ever heard them? 541 00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:25.119 No? I haven't. Oh my word, they're fantastic. You can 542 00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:30.800 get it for like about twenty six bucks on Amazon. And on the album 543 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:40.119 they play with chainsaws and they do Happy Birthday American Woman, chain gang and 544 00:41:40.199 --> 00:41:47.480 I will Always Love you, Wowder reports The Texas Chainsaw Orchestra just one of 545 00:41:47.519 --> 00:41:52.400 those things that I like and I think would be great in Christmas stockings, 546 00:41:52.519 --> 00:41:55.199 So giving them a little plug here. Hey, it's been fun. It's 547 00:41:55.199 --> 00:41:58.920 been a ball as it always is. And Stacey, thanks so much, 548 00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:01.679 enjoy doing the show with Thank you Rick, and thanks to Adriana, and 549 00:42:01.719 --> 00:42:05.440 thank you so much to all of you for listening. We appreciate you and 550 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:07.360 hope you have a great week ahead. I have a great week