How is everyone doing?

I kind of miss all the chat from the Michigan group. By now most of you are probably putting your gardens to bed. I know we will be soon. Overall, how was your gardening season this year? What things did well and what things do you plan to do differently?

Our veggie garden did great. The brussel sprouts didn't do too well. Not sure why. Next year we're going to plant less squash and more big tomato varieites. We have about a billion cherry tomatoes still on the vines out there. The chickens love them. I want to plant a second crop of green beans about a month after the first crop so our green beans last longer in the season. We also want to devote another are to growing pumpkins. We had marginal success with that and will soon pick 3 pumpkins. We want more. They're festive plus the chickens love them and the seeds help prevent worms I'm told.

Next year I want to downsize the amount of planters I fill. As usual, I start out good watering then fall off the wagon. I want more low maintenance and not have so much to water.

So, talk to me. How did your garden do this year?

We left our well-established garden and moved to Kalamazoo in a town home with a tiny patio. There's room out back for some spring bulbs and shade perennials. In front there's an enormous Magnolia tree and a peony. That made me happy because we left behind a beautiful Magnolia that my mother had planted when I was growing up. I left about 7 peonies there. I love cutting them and bringing them inside.

When should I plant bulbs?

You can plant bulbs now and any time up until frost or snow covers the ground. I plant mostly daffodils because the deer and squirrels won't eat them. :) I love bulbs. It makes spring so wonderful after a long winter. You'll have to share pics.

My tomatoes did squat this year. Not sure why. I think that next year I am going to forgo the tomatoes to make room for more annuals and rely on the the gazillion farmers markets within an 8 mile radius for my tomatoes.

On the up-side, my perennials were GORGEOUS this year. Coneflowers, phlox, coreopsis, carnation, shasta daisy, black-eyed susan, lavendar, etc., out did themselves. Soooo beautiful.

With the exception of rosemary, didn't plant any new herbs this year, since last year's herbs came back with a vigor. Thyme, oregano (wow, organo can be really invasive), sage, and savory (including Winter savory, which I knew was a perennial) grew to proportions that I needed to constantly prune so they wouldn't take over.

My absolute favorite flower, the (ahem) zinnia, grew like gangbusters. I like to plant from seed both the State Fair and Oklahoma varieties. I like these varieties for their beautiful color, large gerber daisy, blooms, ease of growth, and long stems for endless bouquets throughout the summer. My zinnias were 4 feet high this year. I always had a bouquet for my home, one for my Mom and sister, and for a neighbor all summer long, all this from 12 plants!

I fill in annuals amongst my perennials and have already decided what to put in next year, I am going with simple wax begonias.
I am

Hello Loon!!! Glad to see your post I have a question for you!!! I know you have had many hydrangeas. I have a medium sized Annabelle and it got all knocked over for a bad storm this summer. So it basically is laying on the ground. Some middle stalks are still standing. But can I cut it to the ground now? Or should I wait until spring I love this hydrangea but do not know what to do. Any help would be much appreciated!!! My summer has been very good. I had another daughter my oldest one get married in July. Very nice day not to hot. Now my son who is in the Army is going to Arizonia for 6mos for new class traing he is going to be working on the unmanned aircraft!!! He is pretty excited about that. Then he will be going to Fort Hood in April for his new home base. My daughter who got married in July also graduated from a community college here in Kazoo. With High Honors!!! She graduated with a Crimianal Justice Degree. So proud of her She is going to be going to WMU in January to continue her Crimanal Justice persuit. My youngest daughter got married last year in Sept. Just had there first anniversary. She is going back to school also at KVCC. For her associates. So lots of exciting new also my son in law is going to kvcc for welding. I finally am getting full time at work. Someone is retiring. No grandchildren as of yet. They are busy getting there own lives in order. Thanks for the thread. Nice to see what everyone has been up too. Ronna

I'd love for you all to post some pictures of your garden if you took any. I don't think I took any since spring when my daffodils were blooming. I like the idea of an herb garden. I'd like to plant some along outside of the fence. That way the mower can knock down any that want to spread. I don't think the chickens will eat them but I don't know that for sure. I love to use fresh herbs when cooking. I do grow some basil in a pot but that's it. Zinneas are one annual I've never grown but am inspired to try some next year. I'll look for the varities you've listed. I did used to grow a lot of wax begonias. They're great except don't be in a hurry to plant them. A late frost even if it's a light frost will do them in. That happened to mine one year. I had planted 6 flats of them as a border all around the yard. I was just sick. Some of them halfway recovered after pruning but after that I never planted before June to be on the safe side. I like verbenea because it's hardy down to 30 degrees and can take a light frost. It blooms all summer but you have to prune it and keep it well watered.

Ronna, it sounds like all your kids are doing great. Glad you're getting more full time work as well. I have an Annabelle hydrangea and I don't think I've ever pruned it. It is planted right up next to the fence though that kind of supports it. I also have a sweet autumn clematis that tends to wrap itself around it and support it as well. Here is some growing information for you with the link.




Plant Annabelle next to a decorative fence.

The pictures above are from Linda Christine of Aiken, SC. This is one of the best ideas I've seen for staking the heavy blooms of Hydrangea arborescens. H. arborescens 'Vaughn's Lillie' is the hydrangea being supported here. The iron fencing was purchased at Lowes. (Linda's garden was featured in the May 2008 issue of Southern Living)


Plant at least three Annabelle shrubs together.

As Annabelle's mature they will grow together and support one another somewhat. Plant them three to four feet apart.


Prune plants only sparingly.

If your hydrangeas tend to flatten in the rain, it may help to prune Annabelle to about 18"-24" tall rather than cutting it to the ground every year. This will allow the stems to thicken a little each year, becoming stouter and better able to support the other branches and blooms. In addition, the heads will be more plentiful but slightly smaller (not so small that you will be disappointed). The slightly smaller heads will be less likely to droop.

If you live in a more northern area, you may not be able to use this tip. The Annabelle stems may not survive the winter, and thus they will be new from the ground each year.

(Go to Pruning: Method 2 for basic pruning techniques)


Put a short wire fence around each plant.

If young Annabelle plants are surrounded by wire fencing before they put out new branches in the spring, the blooms will be held up off the ground. Garden centers often sell short (18"), green wire fencing for lining flower beds. I cut these into lengths that would encircle the base of the Annabelle (sort of like a short tomato cage). Then when the Annabelle leafs out, the wire is completely hidden. The pictured to the right shows Annabelle plants that are each surrounded by fencing (you can't see it).

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/annabelle2.html

I love these last days before frost. I walk the gardens every evening in case they are withered and brown the next day. There are still tomatoes (over two bushels this year from 9 plants) and peppers to be brought in and processed. It was a bumper year for squash and I still have zuchinni and summer squash growing. By the end of the week, I'll pick the limas and shell beans. After the frost, I'll turn the turkeys into the vegetable garden to clean up.

Over all, it was a much better year in the gardens from last. Actually peacefull and from what I heard, next year will be even better.

We got our veggie garden tilled and today I sucked up a ton of leaves with my small lawn tractor and hubby spread them on the garden. Our chickens went in and ate the cherry tomatoes on the ground and after we tilled the worms or whatever they could find. Tomorrow we'll clean out the chicken coop and add that to the mix. I'll then try to get as many leaves as I can to fill the chicken's run with so they have something to root around in this winter.

We had a cat come out of the woods and adopt us. I really didn't want another cat. We have two barn cats but this cat would not leave. He would just follow my husband around. This has been going on for 4 days or more so we finally set him up a spot in the newer pole barn to eat and sleep if he wants to. He was starved . He'd been living on mice. He's a great mouser. I keep saying he. He's a she actually and I hope she's not preggers. I want to get her fixed right away.

We still have my flower garden to cut down and blanket in chopped leaves. We probably will do that next week. We put a deer fence up around it to keep the deer out of it in the winter. It worked good last winter. I'll wait to cut back and cover my roses till end of October or November depending on the weather.

We were blessed with plenty of rain this season. I think that's why everything did so well. I never had to water the garden one time all season.

Thanks Loon once again you have a solution!!! I think I will look into a wire fence. But one thing the directions did not say when to prune the hydrangea if I do. Fall or spring. Very nice to hear from you I am awful about getting on and should more I have learnt so much over the four years of subscriptions! Ronna

If you're going to prune, prune in the fall.


Method II is USED FOR: H. arborescens (Annabelle types) and H. paniculata (PeeGee types) hydrangeas. These types of hydrangeas bloom on new wood (new stems). It is a joy to grow these type hydrangeas because they are determined to bloom every single year, no matter how they are treated. The only time they cannot be pruned is in the spring ('Annabelle') or in the summer (PG) when they are preparing to bloom.

Hi Everyone ^_^

Well I experienced my first bee sting this year.... right on my shin...I hope it never happens again! I was taking my Irises out 3 huge clumps and I got to the 3rd one and there was an underground nest and I had no idea.... so yes half of that clump is still there with weeds and everything...those darn buggers are so aggressive I just let it all go to weeds :(... I couldn't even go out and bar-b-que without them dive bombing my head...not fun... I still see them active when I check I thought they would be gone by now? I'm so ready to get the shovel over there and see what was going on... but still a little apprehensive at the same time.

Everything bloomed beautifully this year... cone flowers, shasta daisies were gorgeous, my hydrangea had the most blooms on it I've ever seen this year. Then the heat came ;) geez-o-peets!! hard to keep it all hydrated! And then the bee's were all crazy out there, they never ever bothered me ever until I got stung :(... I'm hoping for a better "beelaxing" summer next year... ^_^

I went and got some cornstalks and a straw-bale 2 beautiful full big mums and a pumpkin from Hessels and I brought up my scarecrows and did a bit of decorating this year haven't done that in a few years.... It's really cute I will take pictures when the mums are bloomed. I fertilized and put my lawn to bed and I still have clean up in the back to do and fertilize back there to. Today we have rain....I'm glad so the fertilizer can get pushed down in the soil so I don't suck it back up in the lawn mower :) :)... My king coleus still going strong... my begonias are still looking nice to...

It's so nice to hear from everyone! ^_^

Delane

Glade to see every one I was not a good gardener this year my dad was sick and died on August 23 so much of my time was split between him and work but in spite of all that every thing bloomed and looked good !! I still have all the yard clean up to do if it would just stop raining ;0(
hope every one has a great fall !
Gloria

thanks Loon I will prune now. Only give it a haircut!!!

OK, I'm going to post a picture. :) We've been blessed with a couple nice days to work outside. I sucked up more leaves and put them on the veggie garden. I'm hoping tomorrow we can weed whack the perennials down (yes I said weed whack) and put more shredded leaves on it. I want to put the snow fence up on both sides of the perennial bed. That worked good last winter to keep the deer out of there. My climbing roses finally got to climb and bloom this year. :) It keeps the chickens out too. They love to root around in there. I give up trying to train them. They have a mind of their own. They keep the soil around each plant scratched up good so I don't get too many weeds. They deposit fertilizer while in there too and I bet you couldn't find a grub if you tried.

We adopted another cat. She came wandering out of the woods and won't leave. She fits in with my other two barn cats and she's a great mouser so she's staying. We're getting her spayed on the 18th.

I sure hope we keep getting these nice autumn days but if this year is like the others winter will arrive suddenly. Hopefully, I'll have all the fall chores done cause once it hits I just quit. Too windy and cold here by the lake to work outside.

Brenda

Brenda.... She is so beautiful I bet she loves coming to her grandparents house. Nice decor for the upcoming holiday. What is the granddaughter going to be for halloween? Acute bunny or maybe a kitty? Sounds like you have been very busy with the before winter chores. So have I and I have the next two days off and hopefully will be outside with the sunny weather. Just will be glad to be off :) Thanks for the adorable photo of your granddaughter. I am so sorry I can not remember the beauties name. Have a great day. Ronna

Hi Ronna. That is Stacey, my one and only grandchild. She does love coming here to visit. She can be free and run around. She is going to be a princess again this year. We got her the costume at Crackerbarrel restaurant. She led her grandpa right over to where the costumes were and showed him which one she wanted. :)

I heard on the news we are going to have about a week of above normal temperatures so there is plenty of time to roll up the hoses and get all the patio furniture put away along with sweeping out the pole barn and garage etc. Thank goodness. I used to hesitate doing this stuff early but learned it's better to do it a bit early than a tad late. :) I hate working outside in the cold. THe biggest job I'll have is cutting back my roses and covering them with the rose cones. They are so beautiful now I hate to cut them back but I have to or they won't fit under the cones. I'd like to wait till November but not sure if I'll get a good day then or not. I may cut them back now and then cover them next month. It works good for me. I get zero winter kill on my canes and when I uncover them in spring they're already putting out new growth buds. The deer don't get to dine on them.

I feel bad that the Michigan forum here at Dave's seems to be abandoned just about. Did a lot of people let their memberships go or what? I miss the chat. Maybe everyone is busy with fall chores. Maybe when winter comes we can all get together and talk more. I hope so.

I just renewed.I Most of the forums I was watching alot of the people are gone.
something about the new owners not being so nice about things yu post and checking if yu write about another sight..
I have been able to find a few on other sights,and Facebook I was a lurker,but enjoyed everyones comments..

Brenda I'm still here I'v been kind of out of the loop for a while with my daad dieing and work and all but I check in offten glad your still here its not what it used to be is it
Gloria

Brenda

My dues are paid till next year, but somehow, someway it just does not seem like Dave's anymore. I just think alot of folks got soured by the sale of this site. Myself, my health issues have me slowed down to a crawl, and hopefully as I begin to fell better I will post more. My garden was a disaster this year. I never worked in it, and it really looks like The Garden of Neglect. Next year will be better. Keeping fingers crossed.

Deann

Good to see you Deann. I know it's been a bad year for you. I'm praying next year will bring you good health and a great garden.

I think you are right. Many have left Daves and moved on to other places. It's too bad. My dues are paid for another year also. The poultry forum is still pretty active and that's where I'm at most of the time. I'll have to think about whether or not to renew next year if things don't pick up. I liked this forum especially because it was all local folks from here in Michigan.

We've been having a great fall I think. I dread winter coming. Yesterday we went out into the woods and cut down some ash trees and made a 20' ladder for our chicken run. Now there is more places for them to roost. It was a fun project. We're not very good carpenters but the chickens don't seem to mind. I would like to get better and maybe make some stick furniture or trellis out of the ash trees. I might look for patterns this winter.

Loon, I agree this has been the most beautiful October!!!! Love the weather. I am not sure why but I did not know Daves was sold? Oh well I am not on that much have been redoing and cleaning for the upcoming weather! yuckie as it may be! But you have to love Michigan for the four seasons and the beauty of it! But I have made many new friends even though I have never met many of you. Love reading about the gardens and seeing photos of families and friends. Thanks for starting this thread great to see all the new posts. I am not sure about re "upping" in the spring either. Am really not on enough. But I love the resources here on Daves! Have looked and learned so much. Will try and get on more now. Ronna

well I started CUTTING every thing down for the winter clean up SO sad when every thing is gone it looks so bare out there but now I can see what I have to do in the spring and thats a lot of digging things that have out grown there homes lol
Gloria

Gloria, do you want me to send my hens over? They just LOVE digging in my garden. I can't keep them out. They do a pretty good job of digging around the flowers which is where the weeds are but leave holes where they like to nestle down into. They dig all around the trees and keep the bugs out of the root area. They've been going in the garden and stirring up the leaves I've put in there. They leave a little fertilizer behind as well. :)

I have everything done almost except the roses. I'll cut them back and cover them around mid November. We got about ten more bags of leaves to put on the new garden spot we tilled up this year. We'll put them down and till them in and let the rot over winter. I wanted that garden spot for all the vining vegetables that like to run like the squashes and pumpkins.

My little granddaughter somehow managed to break me a big rose off and brought it to me. Melted my heart. I don't know how she did that without getting stabbed by throns. She seems to love flowers as much as I do.

I don't cut down my perennials any more. I have my husband weed whack them down. It goes much faster and is less labor intensive. :)

I have roses in my flower beds and I could just see my little mister whacking them down too so I guess I'll do it my self ;0) now about thouse chickens LOL
Gloria

Re: Daves being sold. I heard some people grumbling about it earlier this year, but other than that, I saw no difference. Yes, you're right, it seems like a lot of people left. I really don't understand it; it surely didn't change anything for me and I don't know why it would for anyone else. Maybe I'm extra naive.

I've gotten most of the garden cleaned up but am waiting for the dahlias. I can't cut them down when they're blooming! So, I have mixed feeling about frost this year since I have a lot of work to do and it's hanging over our heads. Here on the lake we miss the early freezing weather.

We've fixed frames around the hydrangeas but don't think we should put the leaves in them until after the leaves are killed. Are we right? We have never protected them before but they don't bloom very good so we'll trying to shelter them this winter.

Hi Kay,

You are right. Wait till the leaves start to drop and die on your hydrangeas before putting on the protection. At my old house downstate I had the most beautiful mop head hydrangea you ever laid your eyes on. It was planted right up next to the foundation on the north side of my home with the cement driveway on one side of it and the cement block patio in front of it. It had it's own little nitch. It got huge and I would put the acidifer (aluminum sulfate) on it to make the flowers so very blue. I got so many compliments on it. When we moved up here, I bought a new hydrangea TWICE and was careful in digging the hole and ammending it with the right soil and mulching etc. I can't get the thing to barely overwinter let alone bloom much. Last winter I even covered it with a rose cone thinking that might help it but it did not. I don't know whether to invest in another one or not. I just think the conditions here are not right for that plant. It makes me sad because I love that plant.

One other thing you can try to do to protect it is to spray it with Wilt-Pruf. It puts a sort of waxy coating over the canes protecting next year's buds. Do that before you pile the leaves on and I sure hope it works for you. It's also good to spray on rose canes. I won't be cutting back the roses or covering them probably for another month or so. I just hope we get a nice day to do it since I have so many to cover.

It got down to 35 here last night. We're slowly sliding into winter I think. It is supposed to be in the 60's next week. Today I'm grooming the dog while hubby works on cleaning out the pole barn and putting the blade on the tractor. Have a great weekend everyone!