Our gardening diaries - from latest toys, flowers to wildlife .. Please upload pics

[alp]

That's a lovely tail. Trouble is when they interbreed, the tails get shorter and not so interesting. What you can do is separate the male and female, but in the same tank and "starve" them a bit and then let them live together. That way, you might have lots of babies. Guppies can take a lot of abuses. Hope you have lots of lovely babies.

It's like my messing about with pollination. Today, I took quite a lot of pollen from the yellow hibiscus and brushed it on the stigma of the red hibiscus. If my blue hibiscus has flowers, I will cross pollinate it with the yellow one.. And I will collect the seeds. Umm... I'm dreaming of some exotic hibiscus already!

 

[MaryMary]

That's a lovely tail. Trouble is when they interbreed, the tails get shorter and not so interesting.

Oh, alp!! Too funny!! Two years ago, I started "guppy breeding " when I had an empty tank, and didn't want to spend a lot of money on fish... because... you know...

So I was shopping for cheap fish on sale at the pet store, and they had "feeder" guppies. They were priced 12 for $1.00. They were mostly boring beige, but some of them had red spots, others blue spots, a few with green spots. (Poor things...not pretty enough to be pets, so they were being sold as food..)

I found an employee, told him I wanted 2 dozen, and very nicely informed him that he would probably have a much better day if he just set me up with a bag of water and a net, and left me to catch my own.

He did!!


Every 6 months or so, I've bought a pair of "pretties" to add more color - usually females, but this time I got two males. I've got some really beautiful gups now.

What you can do is separate the male and female, but in the same tank and "starve" them a bit and then let them live together. That way, you might have lots of babies.

What would this do? I know that a female can hold viable sperm in her for up to 3 broods, so they would need to be separated to make sure the fry were from that male, but they breed like nothing I've seen before!! Damned things are like aphids, I think they must be born pregnant!!

 

[Logan]

Morning all
@MaryMary oh i see,sorry.

 

[alp]

Good morning: @Logan I don't think our lovely @MaryMary would mind..

@MaryMary Your post made me cackle.. The best way to get bargains is to befriend some staff.. £1 for a dozen... Crikey, I feel like returning those £14.50 chair, but son has taken a shine to them. Dilemma. Spent a fortune yesterday. and I thought I was a scavenger!

I think I might ask for a little fish tank to try my luck again as I have all the paraphernalia, thermostat, aerator .. and I probably could use the water to feed my flowers, just like @johnny canoe !

That female might have come already pregnant. A bunny boiler!

 

[BigC]

Useful hints and tips, @BigC ! Where are you with your project(s)?

Unfortunately I'm only getting time at the weekends now due to work commitments..The waterfall Rhubarb Leaf needs fine cleaning to remove all remnants of the leaf then using the Dremel tool some shaping round the edges in preparation for painting and sealing...On the TV console for the bedroom there are numerous jobs still to perform to hide the wires and a French Cleat made to hang it to the wall...still to paint and TV Bracket attached ..so a long way to go on that one yet..all besides decorating the room so it will be the end of the month before everything is complete...

 

[Logan]

@alp Do you have any room for fish?I had to phone up the doctors surgery 3 times before i could get a answer. Still got the infection, got more antibiotics for a week this time. I think next time i'll ask for a week supply the first time. At least i get free prescriptions now that I'm 60. Haha

 

[alp]

Unfortunately I'm only getting time at the weekends now due to work commitments..The waterfall Rhubarb Leaf needs fine cleaning to remove all remnants of the leaf then using the Dremel tool some shaping round the edges in preparation for painting and sealing...On the TV console for the bedroom there are numerous jobs still to perform to hide the wires and a French Cleat made to hang it to the wall...still to paint and TV Bracket attached ..so a long way to go on that one yet..all besides decorating the room so it will be the end of the month before everything is complete...

Make sure you have plenty of sleep. Yes, I have the feeling that you have been busy .. I searched back for a few achillea's photo and will get my son to make some of those candles. Same day as I went to the Hyde Hall. Saw some stunning photos you took in the Eden project too.. Memories are made of these!

 

[alp]

@alp Do you have any room for fish?I had to phone up the doctors surgery 3 times before i could get a answer. Still got the infection, got more antibiotics for a week this time. I think next time i'll ask for a week supply the first time. At least i get free prescriptions now that I'm 60. Haha

A small tank is fine. Now that I have 4 stackable chairs. Haha! I really want to return them, but my son will moan .. Yes, dr appointment is difficult to get. Yes, ask for more, just say that your leg isn't so good.. and wet your eyes a bit!

 

[Verdun]

Morning folks
Sun n showers again today. Feeling cooler right now.
Time to start moving the odd one or two plants soon

 

[alp]

Morning folks
Sun n showers again today. Feeling cooler right now.
Time to start moving the odd one or two plants soon

similar to yesterday. When we drove back from Lakeside, we saw rainbows along the wheels of quite a few lorries.. The surface water was a menace as son couldn't see very well and the windscreen wipers were working overtime. So much to do ..

Yours must be a long and happy growing season, @Verdun . Your asters are throwing up beautiful flowers and yesterday, I saw two asters (or its faux ami) but they are just coming into buds.. Thank heavens I didn't pull them up as initially, I thought they were weeds!

 

[Verdun]

Morning alp
Yep, a very long growing season. We have only a very short dormant season too, prob late Dec to mid Jan.
Very few plants look like they are coming to their flowering end
The odd shower but brilliant sunshine now

 

[MaryMary]

and I thought I was a scavenger!

Mom taught me to be frugal. At seven years old, I was practicing long division, figuring out the price per ounce of peanut butter. ("To the third decimal point, MaryMary...") She later confessed that it saved her money two ways, as it allowed her to get through the cereal aisle without me asking for this and that!!

I think I might ask for a little fish tank to try my luck again as I have all the paraphernalia, thermostat, aerator ..

You might as well, alp! Watching them swim around is very soothing. You should be able to get a tank cheap, if not free. Most people who quit the hobby hang on to their tank a year or two, thinking they'll get back into it. Then they just give it away, tired of it taking up space.

 

[BigC]

My Internal Water Gardening

Down the Hallway

and about 30 more in the garage hahahaha...which is nothing compared to my purpose built shed at my last abode which boasted just under 100 tanks of varying sizes.

 

[alp]

Morning alp
Yep, a very long growing season. We have only a very short dormant season too, prob late Dec to mid Jan.
Very few plants look like they are coming to their flowering end
The odd shower but brilliant sunshine now

You're so lucky, @Verdun ! I have extreme heat - today, I dug up some helleborus and found out that some of them were literally growing on compost on the concrete. Now I built up a border nearly 4 inches high.

The soil was so dry and plants don't like it. As I said, my two aster have tiny green buds whilst yours are blooming... So unfair!

 

[alp]

Mom taught me to be frugal. At seven years old, I was practicing long division, figuring out the price per ounce of peanut butter. ("To the third decimal point, MaryMary...") She later confessed that it saved her money two ways, as it allowed her to get through the cereal aisle without me asking for this and that!!




You might as well, alp! Watching them swim around is very soothing. You should be able to get a tank cheap, if not free. Most people who quit the hobby hang on to their tank a year or two, thinking they'll get back into it. Then they just give it away, tired of it taking up space.

Your mum was a bit brutal. Nobody used anything after 2 decimal points, any way. Well, it wouldn't hurt you, but wouldn't help you any way. Nice to have a mother who teaches. Bet you agree!

Might have a go, but have been sending in too may requests, a bit embarrassing. Hehe!