March and Springtime!

Okay, let's try this again! Please don't reply to that other one. I'm gonna try to get it removed if they'll answer the question. I've already tried to write them, it says my email address is invalid.
They might be saying that automatically, it's the same email I've had for years. Sorry I messed up this one, I wish they'd delete this one too! It's March 2011.

Its time for a March thread! In with Spring, out with snow! Boy, am I ever glad to see everything getting buds! This Weeping Japanese Maple has got buds to my delight, that means it came thru the Winter okay in that decorative pot. I was kinda concerned about it's hardiness only being in a pot, and it wasn't cheap! I am also relieved to see my new Lowes 'Red Haven' Peach tree in the backyard have buds, but I bought it as an October special and I have the receipt, so not a huge worry there.
I hope Spring really is coming in like a Lamb this year!
Here is the Weeping Japanese Maple in the photo, I don't know yet which kind of Japanese Maple, I'll run across the receipt or the label someday I am hoping! : )
Will

This message was edited Mar 1, 2011 7:45 PM

What a way to start March!! Buds are starting to pop and IE went down. At least on my end it did. Grrr... Finally remembered that I had Google Chrome so got on with it.

I am glad too, I'm glad Winter seemed so short! Now, it'll be freezing rain and snow until May 1st! Hope not! I remember one year, I think it was 1996 maybe, it was 90 something degrees in the middle of the month of May! This is a photo of our Weeping Cherry 'snow fountain', well, something like that, I just went outside to the front yard to see the label I put on the tree and it was gone! It probably blew out in the yard somewhere, I didn't see it, I'll try to get it later, I DO like a label! See the Daffodils popping up in the background?! I don't yet see the Crocuses popping up yet, but I'm sure they'll be in bloom soon, they were in Mar. last year!

Yeah Pepper, Google Chrome works great for me too. I only use Internet Explorer if I have to. I think it's a magnet for hackers and virii because it's used by the majority of everybody, in general I think it's more prone to have problems. I like how Chrome scrolls so fast with the arrow buttons on the keyboard also.
Will

This message was edited Mar 2, 2011 3:06 PM

I didn't think Brecks had a good rep? But you guys sound happy with it.
I went to Home Depot downtown and they have a bunch of bags of flowers that are sprouting and not a bad price especially when you have to worry about paying shipping. Anymore that can be a pot full of money.

Iowa has a Menards huh? The first one I ever saw was in Oskosh WI, then they put one in St. Joseph. We go there quite a bit.

I can't seem to get with it and the flowers. I do have orchids blooming, which I love because they bloom forever. Otherwise I am barely keeping the tropicals watered. Stupid spider mites are making me crazy. This is the time of the year i get frustrated and just cut everything off, that gets rid of the spider mites...rofl.

I haven't seen my crocuses pop up yet. My daffies are barely above the soil line and the tulips are popping up more everyday. I actually just went out and planted some of the ones I got from the garden show this afternoon. They have shoots already so I figured I see if they come up before I start giving some of them away.

Hehe.. that'll fix those Spidermites! That sounds like something I'd do too! Yeah, I never really considered Brecks until I saw that deal. It seems like a good deal, I wish they hadn't made such an obvious attempt at recouping they're money with the shipping charges! Well, maybe it's a half-price deal, still not that bad I guess, I'm not writing the Better Business Bureau!

I don't know if I've ordered thru Brecks or not. I know we did Gurneys and won't again. We wanted the purple plum hedge and every time they sent us dead ones. The pink honeysuckle (better known as bush honeysuckle in disguise) thrived of course. lol

Hi Sally, there I go again, overlooking stuff people said!
Eeeek! I just looked up seedrack at Garden Watchdog, not too many happy customers! Last year I ordered 2 things from them and they weren't disappointments. But, this year, I ordered quite a bit more from them, 1 packet of California Fan Palm, 1 packet of Louisiana Palmetto, 1 packet of Black Hollyhock, 1 packet of Sacred Water Lotus and 1 packet of Dwarf Pomegranate. I know the Palms won't live here, but it's okay to dream isn't it?! I'll grow them in a pot for awhile, then I'll give them maybe to my brother and his wife in Dallas, TX. or a friend in Orlando, Fla.
If I get the Dwarf Pomegranate to grow I think I'll keep one in a big pot and give some to an Aunt and Uncle in Arkansas. And the Black Hollyhock? Well, I am just kinda a dark sort! lol Thanks for the suggestion on Garden Watchdog, hope everything turns out alright. I've never ordered from Michigan Bulb, I want they're Banana 'basjoo' bad tho! Oh dear, I am afraid to look up Breck's Lily Tree in the Watchdog, I must have a flowering tree! I might be finding out about Springhill's generous return policy, here is what they say-
"Spring Hill's Lifetime Guarantee
No-Risk Gardening for You
We guarantee all of our plants to be true to name and to reach you in perfect and healthy condition. If, for any reason, you aren't pleased with any plant upon receipt, after planting or once it grows, just contact Spring Hill anytime--no time limit--for as long as you garden. No need to return any plant. We will refund every cent you paid for that plant or send a replacement without charge--whichever you prefer."
One of the 3 P. bissettii Bamboo plants from there is entirely brown, the other 2 have a bit of green. I'll wait a while longer to see if that one is just dead in the foliage or killed to the ground perhaps.
I have a photo of the Bamboos today, that one on the right end is all brown. Those plants aren't cheap, they're like $40 each!
Oh, I know about Honeysuckles! My friend here bought a Hall's Honeysuckle, I think it's a bush Honeysuckle with a label on it! I told her how invasive it is. She says, "No it's not, it's a beautiful plant!" I got my eye on it tho! It's in a pot right now, but we'll see what happens, she wants to put it in the ground!


This message was edited Mar 3, 2011 10:34 PM

Will, find a way to accidentally kill that honeysuckle if it's a bush. LOL.

Haha! I ought to!
Well, on second thought, I think it's a climber, not a bush. I see it's a yellow flowering climbing vine now.

I'm just now getting my internet back after being internetless since Friday night. Turns out my dad put a filter where it wasn't needed and blocked my signal. lol. I'm back now though!! Hating the cold weather today too!!

I don't know what I'd do without the internet! I'd need the internet before heat I think! Well, maybe not...lol Would anyone be interested in helping me grow some of these California Fan Palm seeds I just got in the mail? It is just too many for me. The California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) seed pack has 50 seeds in it! It says it's cold hardy down to 10°F. http://www.seedrack.com/10.html Scroll down to Washingtonia filifera for the California Fan Palm. You could grow it indoors in the Winter for a few years and then give it to a warm weather friend or family person! Or go on vacation to California or Texas or somewhere warmer and sell it there to finance you're trip!
I am giving you these seeds, if they grow for you great, if they are duds, no harm done.
Pepper, billyp, happ, anybody? Just send me an envelope with a stamp in it and I'll get them to you!

I also test drove a light truck at a car dealer today, and was duly turned down when I offered them too little for it I suppose! Maybe I shouldn't have ran in they're office and yelled, "Did I miss out on anything?! I tried to hurry before it's too late!"! Haha! Just kidding, but you know how they always say that in advertisements? lol
They were only willing to come down $50, who does that? I'm trying to get better than 12 mpg soon!

I finally drilled the hole in that black post (after about 30 minutes and 4 dull drill-bits!) and got that futon frame/trellis up there today, I was so glad to do it I got a photo!
See the Surprise Lilies coming up over on the left in the photo?! I plan to get that area mulched eventually.

I think my Bamboo plants in the kitty litter trench is gonna be sprouting pretty soon!
I don't think the all-brown Bamboo plant is dead after-all, I think just all of the leaves are burned and brown but the stalks are still greenish, so I have my fingers crossed!
Will

This message was edited Mar 9, 2011 10:14 PM

This message was edited Mar 12, 2011 8:59 PM

pepper23, welcome back!
I am so ready for decent weather...just to get outside and clean up the winter yuck will be awesomely wonderful! Only one more day and if the wind is not frigid, I just might be out there anyway. But lookout for Friday! Time to get out there to clean and trim and think of more projects. Last summer we worked on expanding the beds (hoping to get a hoop house built), rehabed an old playhouse, and built what was supposed to be a potting/nursery area (ended up as the popular place to hang out). Everything is still a work in progress!
@ shortleaf, we have been fighting bird-dropped honeysuckle for a couple of years. It is so invasive...really do not like it!

Tomorrow I plan on enjoying the weather also and trimming back what mums I didn't do this past fall and a few other plants that I left alone. I'm still waiting on my deutzia to turn green and start budding so I know if they are still alive. I have one that might be dead and need to replace it soon if it is.

Will, I have no place to put that palm otherwise I would try it out. I would leave it outside with plenty of mulch in a protected location and I bet it would thrive.

Beautiful day for a day on the weekend. I spent raking. Do you uncover your mums already? They are usually my last to be uncovered cause I have lost so many in the past.

I am amazed how much stuff made it thru the winter, with all these lows we had. I just about didn't make it and I had heat!

Hey shortleaf, I am game on the palms, dmail me your addr and I will stick it in the mail monday if I don't forget........

I don't cover my mums. I sometimes leave the dead stalks on them thru winter but mine all make it thru winter with no trouble. I'm down in a holler so the temps don't always get as bad nor does the wind.

Went shopping today after work with my mom and nephew. My nephew all of a sudden had a sugar high and just went bonkers while in the store. Man alive that boy about drove us nuts!!! LOL. Mainly he was tired because he refuses to nap with us and was fighting to stay awake. lol

I'm not sure what stuff of mine survived. I'm seeing mums and sedums pop up. I have a bulb or two with a starburst shape coming up but not sure what they are. It appears both my deutzias survived but I won't know for sure til the buds are bigger.

Ok happ, its a deal! Whenever you can get to that is fine, don't sweat it, those seeds aren't going anywhere, anybody else want any?
I dunno Pepper, you're missing out! Just think, a Palm tree in you're yard, you'd be the envy of everybody there! lol
I'll send you several seeds, happ. Happ, can I suggest you plant one outside just for grins, to see if it'll survive the Winter in a sheltered spot and mulched, and another indoors? I think I'm gonna try something like that with the seeds, they didn't cost much, I just want to be sure a few grow okay, so I can take them to Texas or somewhere.
I was wrong about Brecks, I thought they were trying to recoup they're big (generous) discount on the shipping charges, the shipping charges are included in the free $25. My order after shipping of the Purple Prince Lily tree was $27.94, after the Breck's free $25, I got the 3 bulbs for $2.94! That trellis thing up there might be supporting 2 climbers! It just occurred to me, "why have just one"..lol
You can see the one already down there, it's a honeysuckle of some kind. I accidently "reduced" it way down in size a couple years ago, when I took down an old rotted fence there. My house-mate here and her mother really liked that Honeysuckle vine. I unintentionally raised they're ire good when I cut it down. "It'll be back" I say, but I'm sure they know it'll be a few years before it's back to it's former glory, to my dismay! lol
Happ, I am entertaining putting that dark red climbing Rose from you next to it, can I still have that?
Oh, I got photos, not2simple, of all the Honeysuckle in the yard, it had taken over. My friend here and her mother let it grow everywhere, it was 5 feet high in many places. There was no grass, just Honeysuckle. It wasn't a good kind, it was that awful invasive bush Honeysuckle, my friend here had it ripped out 3 years ago but little sprouts of it still come up everywhere.
Here is a photo of some little brass troughs we had in storage taking up space. I polished 4 of them up with Brasso© cleaner, (they shine like a new dime!), I am putting together a terrarium out of an old unused 10 gallon aquarium. Those troughs are going to house 2 Hens and Chicks in each one! I plan to mix up some sand and some composted Cotton Burs together for the Hens and Chicks to sit in. I'd like to make that a desert terrarium and I think the Hens and Chicks are near perfect to kick off my desert terrarium. I'll try to find some little cacti for a dollar or 2 when I see them in the store to go in my terrarium. I've already picked out some of the little limestone rocks I collected last year to go in the terrarium. Any ideas on stuff to go in my terrarium?
Thats Bo the cat in the photo, she likes to lay there.
Oh, the labor outside never stops, I too was raking and using my electric chainsaw just yesterday.
Will

This message was edited Mar 12, 2011 9:37 PM

Will, TropicMan I think it is, grows that palm outside year round in 6a. That's why I suggested at least 1 going outside. lol.

Go ahead and send me seeds then. lol. Don't know where I will put it but I will see if I can even get it to sprout.

I still have plenty of work to do outside too but waiting for a nonbusy off day that is also really nice. I need to hack my grass back though I'd rather burn that thing back. lol. It's too tall for that for me to do it safely so will just use my pruners. Grass loves to be burned every now and then. It's good for them. Need to clean up some beds and eventually check my roses to see if they need any trimming.

Oh, I have a hollyhock coming up that I planted last year!! I also got some more this year too. Need to get them planted soon so they can bloom this year hopefully.

Great Pepper! Thats encouraging that they grow in 6a, we can't be far off that with the heat island effect here in suburban KC maybe!
Oh, I bet they sprout for you! I have been storing the seeds outside,
so they don't dry out and die indoors at this room temperature. I don't think it is getting cold enuff out there to harm the seeds.
Glad to hear about you're hollyhocks, I'll send you a couple of my new Black Hollyhock seeds too, I know Hollyhocks have a lot of seeds and they are easy to grow from seed, maybe someday they'll be a ton of those seeds to share! : )
Here is the 4 brass troughs after I cleaned them up with Brasso©.

Hi friends, don't forget to set you're clocks up an hour tonite!

Will

This message was edited Mar 13, 2011 12:24 AM

Short funny you asked about the rose because I was just looking at it yesterday, thinking I need to dig it and get it in a bucket before it starts growing. There are lots of green branches so it has survived so far. Since I will be bringing you the rose then just wait on the seeds and we will swap then. I am sure in the next couple of weeks I will be coming to the city to see my sisters and I will bring the rose.

Ok, that'll work, see ya then happ, I'll get the seeds bagged up and ready. Thanks for the Rose, I can't wait to get it! My friend here is excited to have it too. Only, this time I'll get to plant it where I want! If it was up to her she'd plant it in the shade where it wouldn't bloom as much! I listen to her and everything, but we don't always think alike when it comes to where to plant stuff! I dug up a Butterfly Bush, two Hydrangea bushes and a big, expensive Weeping Cherry Tree 'Snow Fountains' and relocated them last year because they were simply dying or not doing they're best where she put them with no sun!

You guys will love the Black Hollyhock! Pepper, don't sweat mailing an envelope, I owe you from the envelope of Mother of Millions you sent me a few years ago, I forgot to reimburse you for that. I'm getting your's in the mail this week.
I have you're addy in Dmail from the Hibs you sent me last year.

I test drove another car today, a 1995 Honda Del Sol. I sure would like to have it. Altho, it's only a 2 seater. The gas mileage would be great, a 4 cylinder with a 5 speed transmission. I'm not too sure about sealing the deal though, they seem pretty adamant on the price and it's $700 above the Blue Book value already, so we'll see tomorrow. They'll prolly sell it to someone else, my luck isn't too good! About 3 days ago, I was going to go see a light truck for sale and an hour before I was to meet him to see the truck, he called to say he had sold it, I told him, "thats ok, I'd do the same thing". Thats the way it should be, "first come, first serve" and cash talks, if you hold something for somebody on Craigslist that'd be a mistake likely.
Economical vehicles are in demand now. A car dealer rejected my offer on something a few days ago and it had rust-holes for Petes sake! Car dealers are proud of they're cars and they don't budge except a little, very little..lol
On Craigslist I bet 19 of every 20 cars is a dealer car, if it says "dealer" I usually don't even look at it!
Well, enuff ranting and raving I suppose!
I too cannot wait for Spring, so much to do, and I look forward to it!
Will

Ok, who's sending the snow down here? We don't want it!! LOL

Will, looking forwards to the seeds. Thanks!!

You're welcome. I can't believe it, it is snowing! I'm certain it won't stay long, but it's white coming down! Well, weather.com says it's going down to 29°F tonite and tomorrow nite, I guess thats cold enuff!

Once again, I was wrong! lol It did indeed stay on the ground alot! And I got Palm seeds in the mail! Well, the Palms are supposed to be hardy to 10°F, so I hope that includes the seeds!
When it rains it pours! If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all!
Here is the snow a few minutes ago with 2 squirrels having some lunch. I think one was having pumpkin seeds and the other took something (likely an acorn) to the top of a light.
Will

Don't worry, tomorrow it should all disappear. LOL

I'm looking forward to the warm-up. I haven't looked to see if they changed the forecast for this week. I don't think I want to! They were saying 70° Thursday.
That would be nice, altho, I think they said rain. I'll wait and see I guess!
Will

I definitely am thru with winter! If my raised beds are dry enough, I am going to be out there tomorrow putting on manure, compost dirt, and laying out a 3'by3' bed for my winter onions. These poor things have lived in pots for two years. I think I might clean up the spirea early this year. I will do most anything outside as long as the evil, cold wind isn't blowing
Debbie

Debbie, I am like you, as long as the north wind can't get me I don't mind being out. Course problem is I am on top of a hill in the country and it is always windy EXCEPT when it is 100 degrees and I need the wind...LOL I have winter onions my DFIL gave me and I gave some to a friend who dropped a couple in their gravel driveway (in the country), those things rooted..rofl.

Beautiful sunshine morning!

Oh, I hope it doesn't get quite that hot! But, even 100°F is better than snow!
Here is a squirrel having an acorn on the ramp. They get one and then jump up somewhere to eat it. There is this stray cat out there always pestering them, trying to catch them, it never does.


This message was edited Mar 15, 2011 12:22 PM

Here is that cat after it charged a bunch of squirrels. See that squirrel up there on the left of the tree, up high just looking down at that cat? It too just ran from the white cat, about 3 squirrels did this time. If you look closely you might see more, I wasn't really on time with the photo. I don't know how many times it has chased squirrels, it never catches any! Its entertaining watching it all, all the squirrels go up the tree at the same time! One time, it chased 6 squirrels up the tree! I think the cat better stay with field mice, we have seen it with mice.

Oops, here is the photo of the squirrel eating an acorn.

Here come the Crocuses!

I still like this one from last year, but I like the one above better, heck, it might be the same one!
Will

I need to check on my crocuses now that I know what the foilage looks like. lol

Got the seeds today Will. My mom was super excited over the palm seeds. LOL. I need to find pics for her to look at so she knows what the whole thing will look like. I need to get the hollyhock seeds out. Just gotta figure out where! lol

Still calling for high 70s Thur. Rain I think starts Fri.

Glad they got there okay. 1 day in USPS, not bad. Glad to hear you're Mom is excited about a Palm tree in MO. It's kind of a rarity around here, that would be neat if they do okay there too. From what I read, cold and wetness isn't tolerated much by W. filifera. I found Wikipedia to be okay I think - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washingtonia
Maybe if plastic is put down and mulch is used heavily. I read it gets more hardy with age. I think just getting it to that stage of maturity might be the challenge to look forward to! I'm just thinking out loud, that would be so neat to have a Palm tree! Now I'm even more excited to plant mine. The Wikipedia site talks about W. robusta alot too, but it sounds like W. filifera is more cold hardy than W. robusta. I might keep some as potted plants until they get bigger, maybe I'll try both, some inside and some outside. Yeah, unbelievable temperatures coming up soon!

Here is my 'Bruce' semi-dwarf Plum, it was only half price off that Lowes label, it was a "late October special" last year, still glad to see it coming to life.
Will

I'm gonna do the same. Some inside, some outside. Once I find a spot for it, it will be alot of potting soil in the hole, newspaper around the base and mulch on top. Trick is finding the right sheltered spot. I have to watch out for my dad running over it. LOL

LOL happgarden about the onions, they are tough and if they can get a hold they grow! Today was wonderful, got some work done...almost have the raised beds ready to start planting! I even got DH helping when he got home.
Debbie

I am taking vacation tomorrow and Friday....yeah! Suppose to be beautiful so I need to drag the tropicals out of the garden room and solar room long enough to clean them really good. Hope the wind isn't blowing 1000mph. Way too early to leave them out. Well with a palm tree (hardy) and a hardy banana, I will look like a tropical paradise or tropical weed patch...rofl.

Short, I will dig the rose and put it in a bucket, then try to get to Indep. next week.

Went by the iris farm last night to get some stuff and they burn their fields, which kills any iris borers that might want to take hold. He said since they have been doing that they have been able to stop spraying, which makes sense. Course you all in the city would get in big trouble if you tried that, but I have a couple of iris patches away from the house and I think I will do it and see what happens. I hate spraying but I have gotten iris borers last year so I am on the war path for them.

Need to get my concrete blocks so I can get my raised beds started. Looking forward to that project, which is the only new project I am starting this year (I hope).

Winds will be gusting up to 30+ mph tomorrow. Hold on to your hats people!! lol. Will reach 80 too!! That's too hot for this time of the year. Ugh!!

Here is some pots of seeds. Like the miniblind labels?! lol One old busted up miniblind made about 300 labels!
Will