Burnt cactus, last snow of the year? and start of a new project.

This is a good shot of some cold damage that showed up this winter on my native Opuntia sp. and I do mean native as too this county.  I do believe this winter damage came from the crazy winter from last season, but now is more visible after another winter.

So...when you see some burn on a trial plant from the south west it may be just as normal as the burn as these native prickly-pear.      



Echinocactus polycephalus

Opuntia basilaris, very cold hardy form.

Agave parryii

Sclerocactus parviflorus

And the new project, as if I need another project.  I should finish the ones I already started.lol

I am taking down the siding and putting O.S.B. board up, filling any gaps I find then I will put up house wrap, 1" blue-board and then put back the original siding.  Should make my house much cooler in the summer. (west wall)  

Joshua trees, and one rotted cactus.

Had the perfect day for moving a tree, no matter how small it might be.

This j-tree has been in this spot for a few years and has done nothing.  I think moving it to higher ground may do it good.  

This thrown awaits. 

Dig far enough away from the base as not too disturb the root zone.

I can tell this plant does not like this wet area, because these roots should have a much bigger caudex by now. 

Water in well, roots hate air pockets.

When your done the plant should be no deeper than it was before the transplant.

One I transplanted last week.

And I split it in half and planted this one as well.

I think these two will do much better on this hill side.

One I transplanted planted a year or two ago.  Doing much better now. 

This one has taken off well, now it's roots are high and dry.  Three crowns should look awesome by years end.(only two showing)

The big guy is already starting to grow again.

A sucker clone from the big guy.  Awesome!

And what is left from the other big one.  I tried to remove this stump but still solid.  It could shoot up a few sucker this season, I hope!

New growth on the big j-tree.  Crown is opening up and starting to push new leaves.

 Warm winter and this cactus rotted.  It has been here for years, but now has grass planted near by.  I took a pad off and will plant it in a drier place.  Wet kills more than cold in the north.

Snow day to Sun day.

The week started off like winter was here to stay, and even the dogs chose too stay inside.

The a few later days it was all but melted, and I think I even see new growth?

 Desert Olive

And a Yucca rostrata is starting to grow. 

This might be Y. thombsoniana?

But then it snow again, and few days later...

It started to all melt and disappearr.

I love wildlife!!!

And before I knew it....I had all the winter protection off all my plants and it must of came close to 60 deg. Fahrenheit. 

Echinocactus polycephalus 

A very dead but hardy? aloe.

This was covered over the winter, but before I uncovered it, I noticed a small sucker that was pushed up over the winter outside of the cover...over the winter!

Agave parryii

Is it spring?  YEs, yEs, yes...

 Dry creek not looking like much... progress?

 A Yucca brevifolia that was later moved to a better spot.  It has been in this spot for years and has done nothing.

And this Y.brevifolia will soon be moved to....

This mound. 

A good spot for the J-tree 

And some more of the same pics of the surounding area.

Notch Butte 

The "Three Sisters Peaks", why are the called the Three-Sisters?  In AZ there is three buttes and they also are called the Three-Sisters?



The Three Sisters

Old phone building