I've still got a couple that need to come down, then will probably plant something next year. One giant ass mimosa tree that is the bane of my existence. Also have some shrubbery out front I'm gonna tear out and replace with rosemary bushes.

Most are doing well, but the Japanese beetles were ruthless to the two Plum trees and I think they may have killed the apple tree. That would be three apple tree failures so just maybe they aren't a good idea down here.

The peach and pear trees are thriving the best. So I will probably stick with those when I replace the apple tree.

The limes look great! That would be really cool to have citrus growing!

I have kind gotten in touch with my feminine side lately and canned salsa last weekend and tomatoes this morning. :D


I feel for you on the Mimosa tree, they suck IMO. Always a mess!

So taking the fruit off didn't hurt them?

I did that to my lime tree and it is really thriving now and did great through the heat of the summer here.

That is great, and I truly appreciate the advice.

Our trees are doing pretty well thanks! I fought the japanese beetles all summer, they were raping the plum trees, rose bushess and cherry tree.

I have been getting two to three ripe figs a day off of my largest fig tree. It has gone crazy and I have two others that are getting pretty large their first year.

I had no idea fresh figs could be so tasty! I cut them up and mix them with vanilla yogurt, very good.

I lost the apple tree and two of the Colorado Blue Spruce. Second apple that died, so I am done with them. Replaced the apple with a Pear tree and put in three large Austrian pines and two pretty good sized Crepe Myrtle trees. :D

You'll find A LOT of that in this area. I've learned in the six years I've been here that hardly anyone is native. The people that grow up here move to big cities and are replaced by people who are retiring from Big cities.

I had forgotten about that part of this thread Mike. That makes a lot of sense as we know very few natives to the area. Are you going to be sticking around?

Since that post, I did spend the money with a lawyer and put him in his place. He came over here blowing and going one day and I finally had enough. I am starting to think he has dementia.

Other than that, it has been a great summer with lots of long boating trips. Our favorite is to go to Coyotes in Kimberling City. :D

It's funny that you mention that. I've actually learned a lot more about the industry I work and have moved into the arena of helping people out of those things, rather than get them in. That said, it requires traveling, and the wife and I are talking about leaving. I'm hesitant to say that we will. I love it here. The cost of living, the beauty of the area. Living right on Table Rock is a tough thing to just say "Welp, don't want this anymore!" too. I think we'll hang out for a while longer, but eventually if the wife keeps pestering me about it, she'll win.

You have regular nights you go to Coyotes? I may have to show up one night if you do.

Right on, great thread.

Years back my wife would have problems carrying. We lost 4 in 8 years of trying to conceive. It seems the Dad is always forgotten with miscarriages so I was talking to someone about it & they mentioned planting trees for each in rememberance.

So I planted a Hemlock, Douglas & 2 maples in back as my extended family.

In the front yard our neighbor has a good sized Maple that was planted originally. Well on our side I'll get little shoots from the Maple that sprout up. So far one's up to over 6' & there's about 4 other ones in various sizes. It's cool cause when I start them out, they're only about an inch tall.
I plan on planting the biggest Maple up closer by our house since the main area of the house gets full sun in the summer.

A trip out into the private forest can find yourself several of the evergreen variety.
That's where my Hemlock & Douglas came from. I never realized it but those Douglas firs grow fast. Mine's already about 55'-70' tall and it covers the neighbors back yard living area year round view.

Also out in our front yard I found a rock out @ the in laws. It's sort of a center piece in our front yard & I've planted little moss around the north side of it. The moss has spread like crazy. It puts out these little white flowers, look like sunflowers.
I've also put in strawberries all along the walkway.
Last year I germinated some sunflower seeds for the neighbors so they could have a touch of Kansas in their yards, lol.

I really enjoy planting things. It really bums me out if something dies.
Also, the last couple years I've been growing cannabis hydroponically. Nothing currently, I have a couple in 5 gallon buckets of dirt, they're about ready.

We have a deck that's about 4-5' off the ground in back so unfortunately it gives us views of all our neighbors. I've gotten just about all of them out of view though with strategically placed trees.

Those Japanese beetles played hell on our arborvitae's the past 2 summers before this one.
We had a couple mini heat waves so they're saying the beetles had to burrow deeper to escape the heat basically ruining whatever they were in.



Also, when I planted the Maple in back my neighbor was having some fencework done so I asked him to bribe one of the workers to bore down with their fence post digger where I was planting. I didn't even really dig a hole, just sat the base of it on top of those holes & mounded it.
Up here it's best to mound them since where we're at the soil is full of clay. PUt it this way, when I put in sprinklers I had to use a pic ax to dig the trenches. Broke about 3-4 of the skinny little shovels before giving up.

My wife & I planted 6 of the arbies, short, tall, short, tall..... We built one long ditch (hole) for them thinking we were doing the right thing since there wouldn't be any sitting water with any one treee. Well, there's only one left. Should have have mounded them more. The one left is on the farthest low end.

All of those things are very nice and we have a tendency to take them for granted. When we have visitors, they constantly remind us of the beauty.

Glad to hear you have switched to helping people out of the time shares. I am sure that is a great opportunity. As you know, we tried like heck to get my Dad out of his and dying turned out to be the only way.

We usually just go to Coyotes when we take a boat ride down there. I am not sure if they are on reduced hours since labor day, but will check. It is about a 45 minute boat ride, which makes for a nice trip. We also go to Cape Fair Marina, that now has a satellite branch of Flat Creek restaurant in it and is also pretty good. On occasion we go to the main Flat Creek, but I don't like taking the boat in there as it is pretty shallow. Their food is great as long as you like fried food!


Wow, I am so sorry to hear about the miscarriages, damn.

Sounds like you have really done a great job of planting though!

Where are you located? It really is a bummer when something dies, especially when you have worked on it for a couple of years!

Did your Dad pass? Getting people out legally has only come about in the last few years. I didn't even know it existed until 2-3 years ago. I'm sorry to hear if he's passed.

I really didn't know how bad the things were until recently. They didn't use to be. Corporate greed changed that in the last decade or so.

It would damn near kill me to actually live in a bigger city anymore.

And I was hood as hood gets when I got here.

A weekend or week at the most and I'm ready to be back in the country. I can hit gravel and drive over a hundred miles and only even drive on blacktop a couple times. It's awesome, we will just start driving and see where we can end up by seeing a turn and taking it. I buy tons of cars and other stuff that way. Plus the cell phones don't work most of the time, it's a great way to spend time with your kids talking and being silly and stuff with no distractions. We stop and look at interesting stuff, talk to old farmers running their equipment places on the road, trees, animals.

Wouldn't trade that for anything

Crepe Myrtle trees are beautiful! I want one but have no where to put it. :D

When that thing starts blooming, show us some pictures.

I've got two little ones my mom planted last year. Thought they had croaked but they are coming back

I think they can grow as a bush or a tree if trained properly?

This one could go either way.

http://www.whatgrowsthere.com/grow/w...8/IMG_8166.jpg