New bees chit chat - come on in!! 04/30/2010

Beautiful Al. They were happy to have you home again with them. Look at them show off for you. That is nice.

Lovely tulips Al glad they waited on you to be home before they bloomed

Ok I have 3 iris blooming right now one I'm sure is orange popsicle the dark purple one I haven't got a clue lost the tag to it, and the old light purple/dk purple ones that belonged to MIL

But first up is my snowball bush looking good after the storms yesterday and off start from the one MIL had here.

Next the dark purple one which is actually darker so much darker as to be almost black

This one I'm pretty sure is orange popsicle should be another one in there somewhere near it. It would have been fully open at the top yesterday but we got lots of storms all day yesterday so I didn't go out to see it

And finally the purple ones that have been here as long as I've been married.

Look at the color on this yellow.

Beautiful Mindy. I love them all. I like the snowball bush too. I use to have one but didn't move it when we bought this place and never got another one. But I have the blue and some pink hygranga, (I bet I didn't spell that right) But those type bushes are really pretty all summer. Looks good.

pretty Charleen. I love yellow too. Heck, I love em all. LOL

Can those snowball bushes be started from cuttings?? Our plumber has one in his yard and his wife and him said I can take cuttings if I want. Any suggestion on how to do the cuttings?

Ummmm Mekos would it be possible to get a couple starts of that pink hydrangea? Cuttings woulbe fine it they root that way. I have a niece wanting pink and white and she wants 2 of each color. I had just popped back here to ask if anyone had any to trade with me. I have seeds of the blue ones waiting to see it they are going to sprout for me or not. I can get cuttings from my sister of her green one or maybe even rooted ones since she just told me she needs to divide hers.

Mary I've not had luck with cuttings on the snowball yet so I hope to learn right along with you on this. I have managed to root them by putting on the ground and holding down with a rock but DH keeps forgetting and weedeating the babies when I do that.

Marti, you can layer them or put in water and root them. I've done it both ways and seems to be fine either way. If you layer, just scratch a place on the stem going to touch the ground and get the dirt loose and put it down and add a rock on top. Leave it alone for a few months and this fall you will have a rooted piece and all you do is break the stem. If you want to root in water, place a cutting in a glass jar in a window with bright light and if you want add some root hormone.

Mekos do you take the cuttings after they bloom? and from soft wood?

Mindy my pink ones are just putting out green so will be a while yet before I can pull some pieces but happy to when I can. I have blue also and if you put a few pennys around the stem of the plant it will turn purple. I've done that and made mine purple too. I did have a blood red one but it didn't make it through winter, but we have a local jockey lot /flea market and they sell them there rooted for 3.00 so will pick up some this summer.

Take it anytime you want. I have done it anytime and get the same results. You can also put a stem in the dirt and root it if you keep it wet enough till it gets roots and shaded. I mostly use the older stems but several times I used the new stems that broke off as I moved them or worked around them and they root as well.

No rush Mekos I already told Misty she would have to wait until I found some before I would have any for her. She's into white and pastels so is doing her yard in plants of that color. I have a lilac bush for her right now and a white with red center Rose of Sharon bush. She wants 2 but I only have 3 and refused to part with a second one since I already promised one to her mom.

Thanks for the information on the snowball cuttings Mekos I'm going to try that again right now since we are getting lots and lots of rain this coming week.

I have lots of the rose of sharon pink and lavender and white and now got a few seedlings of Blue satin and blue bird, but taking the extras of those blue ones to the round up this fall. If she wants some of the pink and lavender ones I can save seeds for her or look for some babies under mine. I also have the double wine color and double creamish pink althea rooted also to take to the round up. They have tiny blooms on them now and only about 6 inches tall. So cute.

Sorry Mindy we keep over posting. My computer is running slow at times it barely moves.
Yes now would be a great time to start rooting them.

I have seeds for white ROS but if your sister wants a plant I can start her one.. just let me know Mindy, I will be glad to start her one.

Thanks mekos, I'm going to go get a couple of cuttings tomorrow and try rooting them in water. I'll let you know how I do.

Marti, try one from the bush as layering with a rock if you can and then also get a couple for the water method and see for your climate which works best for you. If it is humid and hot weather it will root fast.

Sometimes Marti it is best to have a pot of soil and cut off several pieces and put it into the pot and wait for it to root. They don't take to water very well. Have to keep changing it, it gets sour. You can dip it in rooting hormone too.

This message was edited May 2, 2010 7:24 PM

I think I'll try it all three ways. See what works for me. Thanks for all the information.

Thanks Mekos I'll check if she wants pink ones or not. I have 2 Blue bird seedlings that srouted and more seeds not sure if I have any white ones. Dh got some sprouts plus seeds from a freind's dad last summer and the seeds I planted most came up but I haven't got a clue what color they are yet. I have purple here. Don't think I've seen a pink one only the white, purple and lavendar ones around here when I was growing up. I would like to have one of each color for myself. Mekos I've never seen the double ones in person bet they are pretty. Seed are fine with me I like sprouting seeds.
RRM I would like seeds of your white one they seem to sprout easy for me here.

ridesredmul
I would love some of those Oalis..

I got out today.........YIPPEE


Tubby

Hi Tubby!!!! How are you doing? Been missing you. How is your garden this year going? What ya planting?

yellow la. iris started blooming yoday they get to go to yhe garden show they will bloom to earley and won,t get to go have to stay home. they have won blue ribbons 2 years in a row. mother nature will have her way. just go with the flow thats all i can do. still have purple blue and pink they should open by thursday. i can takr smothing make people happy.oh well i need to go to bed im not going to wory about this love to all nettie.

Top of the mornin' to all!!

Here is my Victory Falls - it opened this weekend. This one is new to me this year, just got them in the fall, can't believe it bloomed.

Good morning everyone. Rain and thunder storms all night but at least we didn't get washed away like some did. These storms are so bad and last night a church was floating down a road. My word! That is awful. News said 15 killed by these storms. Tornados all around with them. Everyone in the path of all this be careful. I saw on the news where so much more was coming. God bless us all! I'm so sorry for all in the path of this destruction.
Hope everyone is safe and taking cover.

These are my neighbors irises - been neglected and didn't bloom at all last year. I really want to hop the fence and steal them!! Don't know if I can get my hands on them or not, she has had a stroke and isn't near as friendly as before. She sure has some pretty ones in there. My favorite is the white with purple in the back.

Hi Lori, sorry we over posted, beautiful bloom. I love the color! You have some beautiful blooms and doing great with your gardens. Have a great day.


Hey girl, you need a white one?

This message was edited May 3, 2010 7:55 AM

Thanks Mekos, I have a white from my mothers, doubt it will bloom this year. Next year the irises should be awesome! Can't wait. Thank you for the offer! On second thought, I bet it isn't the same as mom's, send it on! I will send postage or candles or something - just tell me what you would like.

Here I stand, just another cactus in the desert... more to come folks!

Al

Enid, I have an idea! I'll come down, and you keep the neighbor busy, and I'll dig! TeeHee! She'll never miss them, lol. She does have some pretty ones, and I love that Victory Falls. I have decided to do a new iris garden, and do it all in iris with country names, especially the ones with names from around here, Cheyenne, Badlands, Lasso, etc. Gives me an excuse to get more irises! LOL! Of course, the iris with other names will still keep coming as well, just go in different beds. Can't ever have too many!
Am I the only one who has problems with getting coneflowers to grow from seed? And Black Eyed Susans! My god, they are like weeds, and I can't get them to take off at all.

Sorry, Al, over posted with you! More pictures!

Photo of the Red Rock area of Sedona AZ taken from our apartment balcony at Diamond International Resort. We had purchased a friend's time share "points" they were willing to sell even slightly less expensive than a good hotel for the entire week.

Al

Weather was clearing most of the week, but we finally got our rental plane reserved for Saturday. Owner/Pilot "Paul" took us for an unbelievable guided ride out of the Sedona Airport. I got to ride co-pilot in the right seat, wife Ellen sat comfortably in the back. The airport sat on a flat top mesa, once off the runway we were already flying at 6000 feet! Whoopeee dooo takeoff!

Al

This is one of many views taken from the plane.

I don't want to plug up our chat thread and my computer is bumping the pictures up sooo slowly. When I get more time I'll start a separate photo thread.

I've got work to do today, will get back later.

Al

Great pics Al... Looking forward to more. I so love Sedona!