DH called me while I was at work yesterday. "Now WHAT did you order? Says that you got "Live Animals" in a box." (UPS guy and I are on first name basis....) DH was quite irritated thinking that I ordered some chickens or something. "MORE plants?" he says. I quipped back "Could have been MORE live animals!" At least he was a little better off knowing that it was ONLY my 50 irises from Blue J....
So glad you got some Iris. Never have to many of them and let the H. know it is less mowing for him if you turn the yard to Iris.
What a sweet cat. Love his blk/whi pattern but then I just love cat's/dogs.
Our Britches as we were putting in an Iris Test Bed for PollyK last year.
How cute he is! Looks like he stuck his nose and tail where they shouldn't have been! My daughter picked "Oreo" out from the pound. One look at us and we were smitten.
Oreo is perfect fot the little darlin. We chose britches as looke like he walked under a ladder and got tar dripped on his nose and then sat in it and got his britches dirty LOL.
Oreo is so sweet with the pink nose and 1 pink ear. Looks like we both like the unusual.
LOL! That's great. &:-) My husband is bad.... he encourages me to buy the ones I want! Our bank accts are separate so I do that anyway.... but boy.... he is bad.... "Ooooo I like that one... and that one!" So, of course, I buy it.... LOL!!
He does have a good eye though... He suggested that I get:
First Interstate
Going My Way
Thin Blue Line
Northwest Pride
Twilight Blaze
and Seakist.
&:-)
LOL, mine too, you want it get is what he says, he said a long time ago, "you can have anything you want", huh he I am sure wishes he thought twice about that statement;)
When we first got married 10 years ago, we had a deal because it seemed that every time I went shopping I came home with more plants. He said that he wouldn't complain about me buying new plants as long as 1.) they didn't die in the pots before they got planted and 2.) I kept my beds up.
Well, that was when our house was on about 1/2 acre. Guess he figured I could only fit so much in! About 2 years ago we literally picked up our house and moved it. Now its on about 7 barren acres. Even though I work to pay for all my "purchases", his eyes bulge when more and more plants come to the house seemingly on a daily basis!
Photo is of yard getting dozed. House getting ready to be sided, which is completed now.
Trust me Naomi's hubby does encourage, because when the three of went to Schreiners he would say come and look at this one...you need this one...LOL
My honey gave up years ago on plants, since I do not shop for anything else except for BD's and Christmas gives this year grandkids getting prepaid Visa cards, SIL same, my Honey and I get something for us together.
D
Luckily DH is a better gardener than I am, although we are cutting back because of being ancient.
lol irisMa... being ancient? Good thing that irises are not too picky. &:-)
Dancingbear, that picture is awesome! wow... if I had space like that... woooo!
I'm the same way... I don't buy clothes, knick-knacks or pretty much anything else for myself, but I'm a definite plant-aholic. One year for my birthday DH found a nice pallet full of big lumpy fossil rocks and brought them home for me. OOOH big rocks for my flower beds. We even have folks stop and ask if or where they can buy them. This mother's day he bought me an arch for my new garden, just wasn't too thrilled when my daughter and I painted it purple!
Notice the barren expanse in the backyard too!
Oh, by the way, having to start yard, gardens and everything totally from scratch is more intimidating than I ever expected. DH is a farmer so budget is very limited. Lots of desire, ideas and muscle. I just am having a really hard time dealing with all of the MUD and dust/dirt. I envision a beautiful, lush floral bounty with an area for a huge veggie garden, fruit trees, berries, etc. but it is a very slow time coming.
75 is sort of ancient.
I can only hope that I'm still gardening by the time I get to be 75.. my mom is going to be 82 in October, and just quit working two years ago! She was a Graphic Designer for the International Bible Society.....she still as feisty as ever tho.. &:-)
Age is a mind over matter thing sometimes LOL.
Dancingbear that is a neat arch painted purple and beautiful little girl. I understand that dirt.mud thing but just keep at it and you'll have a lovely yard/garden soon.
ooh! I forgot to add that... LOVE the purple!!!! It would look great with clematis climbing all over it.. &:-)
I've already planted baby clems on both sides. Patience, and I'll be rewarded with beautiful flowers over my arch!
75 isn't ancient any more! I have some of my patients ( I'm an x-ray tech) who seem to have much more pep than I do and are in their late 80's and 90's. The ones in their 90's are like little fireballs. I always have to ask what keeps them so young. Pretty much all of them are GARDENERS!! Must be all of that ingested dirt and pollen! The ones who seem to be the laziest are the ones who are in their 20's. Not all of them, but seems like the work ethic got lost somewhere along the way. That's why my little girl already has chores and helps her daddy on the farm.
I can't do the heavier work because of arthritis so DH does it as he is only 80.
LOL! I wish you both many more happy years of playing in the dirt!
Its going to be so beautiful when you are done! Wish I would have started when I was younger. It seems like every year I kept adding more garden areas, but I think it is time to stop. I turned 61 this year and work full time, and its becoming almost impossible to keep up with all of the work involved, weeding especially. I went out this morning and looked at my perennial garden. Totally needs deadheaded and weeded again, and it seems like I just did that a few weeks ago. My beardless need fertilized again, my tall bearded garden is totally engulfed in tall grass again, need to get that fertilized for the new growth (on the irises, not the grass). I have about 50 TB that I need to move to a different area. Need to get my seedlings out of pots and planted too. I usually order new tall bearded from Snowpeak, Keppel, Superstition, Mid America, Napa, Blue-J. This is the first year I haven't ordered any new ones, and it is really killing me. There were so many that I would have loved to order, but money is pretty tight this year, and I really don't need to add any more work, as I am having trouble keeping up with what I already have. I haven't even had time to resize and post pictures of all the irises I took this year because it seems like all I have been doing is trying to keep up with the weeds. But you know what? I wouldn't give it up for anything. I think it is what keeps me going, otherwise I would be sitting in the house playing on the computer or watching TV.
I think that is why gardeners live longer, the weeds keep them going!
Love your kitty!
Enchanter, Blyth 2003
Mshadow, if you would like some iris I could always get a really nice box together for you, to add to you collection, I too have enough work out there to keep me busy from sun up to sun down and still plenty to do, but I agree it keep what mind I have left sane, (that could be questionable:)) and I have ordered more than I need and yet I did not order from some places I would normally, as I told my husband, well at least I am not doing drugs, or some other weird thing, could be worse:)
I have a dear friend who will turn 80 next month, and she can work circles around me when it comes to yard work, digging, planting, etc. -- and I'm only 65!
Marie, that is so nice of you! Thank you so much for your offer. I think I had better skip new ones this year and try to get my weeding done. Maybe next year I will get in on your wonderful iris swap.
Mshadow I wished we lived a lot closer, I'd bring my daughter over to help weed. Of course I'd probably be ogling all your beautiful plants at the same time!
I really miss my parents and grandparents because we used to all garden together. Shelling peas on the back porch is one of my very favorite childhood memories! Grandma kept telling me with a big smile "Maybe you could get a few peas in the bowl and not in your belly!" That's part of why I want to make a special garden with my daughter. Maybe she'll have some special memories of it and us together. Funny, it wasn't the things my folks bought me that I remember best, it was silly things like planting potatoes with my Dad and weeding flowers with Mom. Don't always realize what you had until it's gone....
Thank you Dancing Bear!
I really miss my parents too. My mom loved flowers. My 2 daughters have small flower gardens, but they live 2-1/2 hours away, down in the city. I guess some if my love of flowers rubbed off on them.
Its wonderful that your daughter has chores. Most of the kids I see anymore are so lazy and only do what they want. The world has changed so much since I was growing up. I am really glad my children are grown.
Greetings BIF's!!! We have spent the spring and summer running to doctors for my husband. In June he had a fundiplication surgery and has lost 45## NOT FAIR! Hopefully he is on the mend. We are planning a trip to Rye, CO. in September, so we can cool off. He doesn't complain about what I spend, as long as he can buy guns!
I'm having a hammer toe fixed next week, so I need to dig a few iris for Parsons auction 1st Sunday in August. The week after that is the sale and auction for the Joplin club. I'm not sure what I can dig for that with a wrapped toe! If it wasn't sooo hot, I would dig now.
Mom used to give me(age8or 10) money to run down to the local greenhouse and buy flowers. I would then plant flower containers in the front of the house. We had iris then, but I wasn't enamoured . This complete addiction started about 15 years ago. I'm looking for an iris addiction meetings! LOL I'm thinking you peeps aren't going to be much help. Happy Wed. pic Burst
My mom passed away went I was in my early 20's at the age of 53 and to this day I miss her. We were in the garden, she telling me what to do and where to move things in our small yard, at the time, I hated it because I was in my teens now I remember those with relish...strange thing I do not need any material things from Mom like my brother does all I have to do is close my eyes and she is there with me...
I know she has been in a happier place for her! But I do miss her.
D
DH didn't really understand how upset I got because when we moved the house I lost most of the flowers mom and grandma had given me from their gardens. To me those were the most special gifts. He said "just go out and by another ___". Just not the same. Every time I saw the flowers it was a wonderful memory of them. My very favorite flowers are the ones that have been given from friends and family.
That's why I want to get my flower beds up and stocked again. I used to be able to share my flowers at work with my patients. Nothing like a beautiful bouquet of fresh cut posies to brighten up a dreary hospital room! And, in my opinion they are much lovelier than a purchased arrangement! Daughter loves to help me make bouquets for folks. I so want to instill that giving aspect into her, which is another side that seems to be missing today.
Mshadow, I just started using "over-the-top" grass killer and IT WORKS. Cost about $30/quart, but you only use 4 oz/5 gallons of water. I put it on my tall bearded, daylilies and peonies. It took about 3 weeks to die, but all of the grass died. It doesn't work on anything but grass, but I am thrilled. Grass is the worst to get out as far as I'm concerned -- I always just ended up digging the clumps, removing the grass roots, and replanting. This has helped so very muych. I also use Preen, which although not perfect, does cut down on the weeks. I am going to try the corn gluten which people say is the same as Preen but cheaper and "greener" next year.
Sue
Achy Breaky Heart
Missirisbert, do you know if "over-the-top" grass killer works on Bermuda grass? Boy, that would be terrific! Oh yes, and how about nutgrass? And also, do you know where I could purchase it? And did you use Preen at around the same time as applying "over-the-top", or did you wait until the grass died to apply the Preen? And did you use a sprayer and try to avoid the iris and daylily plants, or just spray everything and not worry about those plants? I know -- TOO MANY QUESTIONS!
So sorry.
Betty
I love reading your 'stories' about you, your daughter, DH,etc. Perhaps it's because you have some of my Iris. :o) No, I appreciate how caring of a Mother you are...and you are doing everything right as far as the values you want to instill in her. Children need to know that they are the most valuable being in their Mom & Dad's life. It's 10 times harder now because because of all the technolgy.
Nice going!
Betja,
I have been using "High Yield" grass killer for a couple of years, and it can be sprayed right over any irises or daylilies. Does not seem to hurt them at all. As MissIrisbert said, it takes a few weeks to kill the grass, but unfortunately does not kill nut sedge. The only thing that works on the nutgrass is "Sedge Hammer". Both the "High Yield grass killer and "Sedge Hammer" can be purchased at your local Coop. The Sedge Hammer is quite expensive. I use a tank sprayer for both. Mix a small amount of liquid dish soap in the sprayer to ensure good wetting of the leafs with the spray application.
Dennis
Thanks Sue and Dennis. I think I am going to invest in some High Yield. It would be worth the time it saves if it kills all the grass. This spring I used Preen, which worked great for the regular weeds. In the spring I thought I had gotten all the grass roots dug. but it looks like all I did is divide the roots underground so they could grow more! LOL
So High Yield works on bermuda grass? Fantastic! Unfortunately, I don't have anything like a local coop here in Bakersfield -- no iris society, daylily society, etc... But I'll start looking around for it. Also, with "Sedge Hammer, can you spray it directly over your iris and daylilies without harming them, or do you have to spray to avoid them? I love the fact that High Yield can be sprayed everywhere without worrying about hitting my special plants...
I found it on line doing a Google search.
This is the same product I was telling all of you about last year. It works really well but only kills the grass. No other weeds flowers or plants are affected by it in the areas that I use it. Of course if the grass has already gone to seed your going to have those plants come up again if you don't use something to prevent them from reseeding. Someone asked if it effected my iris or daylily blooms this year and I can honestly say that I had no deformed blooms. I haven't used it again this summer but I probably will sometime in the next month or so just to clean up the flowerbeds some.
Good luck and may all your gardens be full of blooms and weed free.
Love Ya All, Marian
Hi Marian!! Miss you on the forum. Thanks for the input.
It works great on bermuda grass -- that is my nemesis also. The roots entwine themselves with the irises so much, it was very frustrating! I used Ornamec "over-the-top" (not high yield), but they both work the same way (it comes with a small bottle of wetting agent to use).
Betja, if you don't have a co-op, you can get it on-line as well. I bought mine at Bunton's Seed store, so maybe a seed or garden store in your area would have it as well. I use Preen in the spring, then again mid-summer, but it won't stop the bermuda. The Ornamec does. I still get some weeds, but not "blankets" of them that I used to get. Also, in places where I have been using Preen for over 3 years, there are very few weeds, so, eventually they are all killed. I use a sprayer and just spray all the grass I don't want growing where it is growing! Doesn't bother roses, iris, daylilies, peonies, lilacs, hosta, or lilies-of-the-valley!
The bottle says you can use it anytime the grass is actively growing. I remember Marion was a little hesitant to use it last year, so I'm glad it worked well for her!
Sue
HI MARIAN.
