April and finally Springtime?

We get the boys today after groceries since they don't have school. I now have Checkers, I Spy, and Operation to play with them! I think they are going to have to help Grandma fill pots so Grandma can get her tomatoes and other seeds going! Grandma's busy!

The Witch Hazel looks great! I wish I had room for one. I went over to my neighbor's to look at hers and no, I have no room. Sadly, I was thinking about getting one.

Yep, do the fish pond right the first time. What's digging 9 more inches gonna hurt? LOL!

I think violas and panseys would look great! The annual blue lobelia would be a nice divider and grow a little over the sides. Dianthus would also be nice everblooming color and could reseed. Mine did and I was thrilled! I love them! I think just three of them would be plenty. It looks like a small wagon. Deadhead the panseys and violas or they will get leggy and die out. Have good drainage!

Wow...... I don't know how but I got a link for October 10 in my 'new threads' and this one from October! How odd.

Pepper ........... do you have any of the tropicana canna's left that you were trying to find homes for? I would love to have some. WIll send you postage or whatever.

Crit

I think I do. I haven't tried digging them out from their spot in the basement yet. I'll look this weekend if I remember and see how much I have left.

Well, the Mavericks won on Tuesday so they played last night. Last night they lost 2 to 1. They played their hearts out only to have them broken last night. They really thought they were gonna win and so did the fans. They had an autograph session tonight and they were upset they wouldn't have another practice. They are all super nice though and were having fun tonight. In fact one of the players put out a little sign poking fun at one the others saying he was born a woman. I laughed my head off on that one. lol. Very sad the season is over but I'm hoping to get season tickets for next season.

As soon as it starts drying out I will get my witchhazel planted in the spot where I want it. It should take off once planted too since the roots won't be so crowded.

Oh, took camera to game but don't have the computer set up to try and download them yet. Haven't had time. Maybe this weekend.

That would be great pepper. Thanks!

You're welcome!!

Boy, yesterday was cold and damp. It felt like November. Today it was 90* and sunny. Suppose to be in the 50-60* range the next few days with chances of showers. I can take the lower temps if we just get some rain!!!! The ground is so dry I haven't even worked up my soil. I did finally go plant some lilies I had that were starting to sprout. It was even dry 6" down. I put some polymer water beads in with them, just to make sure they had plenty of water to grow, then put the soaker hose on them.
DH and I hope to move everything out of the game room to the patio tomorrow, so I can start working on them. See what survived and trim the ones that did. This is the craziest weather. We usually get lots of rain in April. The first of the month we were 4" behind normal rainfall. It's not good. Need prayers!

Crit, you have my prayers and hopes, I know this is a rough time.

Will, I think I will be in Independence Monday if that works for you. I will know more on Sunday. Not sure what time right now, but probably early evening. I have an appt at 3:30 so some time after that.

A friend dug up some starts of her hostas, they are noid but I can add them to the shade garden. One of these days it will be nothing but hostas....yeah!

Happy birthday to you all, I know I missed a bunch of them.

DH went out mushroom hunting and found a bunch. He loves those things, I like them, but not nearly as much as him.

Well better get back out and get with it, came in just to get the mushrooms soaking.

Sounds great, happ. I am here all the time, any day is fine.

We use to hunt mushrooms when I lived in Kansas. I'm not crazy about them but hubby at that time liked them. Don't remember about the kids so much.

DH is so funny about those mushrooms, one time he hit the Mother load, the back of out pickup was lined with mushrooms....he still talks about it. Would of thought he found gold...rofl

Crit all the guys I work with in OKC are wanting me to come down because every time I show up in OK it rains, I was down for a week one August and it rained everyday...rofl. Now that it is so dry they are saying it is because I haven't been down since winter and of course it rained then also. .....LOL

LOL Happ. You better get down there then!! Don't want wildfires starting up there too.

I haven't had time to go mushroom hunting. I want to but need to have my dad with me and we are both really busy right now.

We've been having our share of wildfires/grassfires. We got just a dampening of rain. I agree with the OKC folks. YOU NEED TO GET DOWN HERE!!!!!! You can even stay with me. I'm only 2 hours from OKC and it is turnpike all the way ^_^

That is hilarious about the 'shrooms. Did you freeze them? You should of had enough for about 10 years if you did. I think my MIL froze hers in water. I know my GMIL froze her fish in water.

Happy Easter all!

Hi Crit! very odd!

Pepper, no wonder you like the games so much. What a bunch of cool guys!

Can't wait for pictures as "Hazel" grows!

Crit, anyone with no rain has my deepest sympathies. 6'' is pretty deep to be dry. I worry when it doesn't rain here. We've been very lucky over the past few years. I haven't had crunchy dormant grass at all in July and August.

Happ, I take any free plant and try to identify later, LOL!

I can take the birthday wish. Thanks!

How LUCKY to have mushrooms!! We flour and cornmeal them and fry in butter. Oh drool!!

ROTFL!!! They are gold!! You should have breaded, fried and froze them. Those stories are legend :o) Tell DH I bow to him in mushroom respect!

So... you're a rain maker :o)

Crit, not water, they'll soak it up and just break apart.

Yesterday, the boys went home, I got my pots filled with potting soil and now it's wet. I decided it was too messy to let the boys help, and they went to help Grandpa anyway :o) Today I can plant my seeds, and I think I had better mow. The entire yard can use it now. I've already done the high spots once and so has DH.

It's been too chilly to be out and it's rained. So I do believe it's April. Today will be nice and quiet for me. The boys other Grandma does the nice Easter dinner and we just try to eat healthy. We don't do so well when the boys are here, having pizza and doughnuts.

Crit, not water, they'll soak it up and just break apart.

Billyp ..... not sure what this was in reference to. The polymer crystals in with the lily bulbs? What will break apart?

Here is that Dwarf Alberta Spruce shortly after I planted it. See that little kid by it, thats my niece, she had only been walking for a few months then, thats the Easter Egg hunter little girl up there with the brown hair now.

Thanks, I'm gonna get some flowers of some kind in that red wagon, if not this year then next! I went to an Easter Egg hunt in my Mom's front yard Saturday and how about a big Morel mushroom right in her front yard?! I took this photo of our Easter Egg hunt. It isn't even wooded or rural, it is in a city outside KCMO. My Mom said it wasn't there that morning when she put the eggs and stuff in the yard, my niece said an egg was next to it, so my Mom might've seen it if it was there earlier. See my nieces with they're baskets? I planted that Dwarf Alberta Spruce 7 years ago this month, it is getting big! Every time I have gone mushroom hunting lately, somebody had always been there first and got most of them. I've seen neighbors come out of there several times, I ask them, "did you find any mushrooms?", they prolly think they're being all sneaky!

Okay, those 2 photos posted in the wrong order, pretend that top one is the second one and the second one the first one!
I'm gonna have to stop clicking posts so close to each other!
Thanks, Will

This message was edited Apr 24, 2011 11:21 PM

Crit, laughing, the mushrooms. I use notepad, so I answer a post as I read them, then they are all in order :o)

I found a couple of old threads in my thread watcher too, yesterday. One, I was the last to post on, so it was nice to find it. I'd been thinking about some of the people who posted with me, and since it was lilies, it wasn't too far off to start up again anyway.

Will, I love to watch Easter Egg hunts :o) Especially when the older kids join in. The tree looks real nice! Is it about as tall as it's going to get?

People around here know the good places to hunt mushrooms too and they are closely guarded secrets. Look for old dying elm trees, or old dying apple trees.

Love the huge morel! It's been said that if you sit and wait, you can see a mushroom grow before your eyes. I'll bet it wasn't there that morning!

It's chilly... again... and I need to get out and walk. I've not had time, or it's rained. We aren't going to warm up much more than 56*. Brrr!

Happy Birthday to all I missed. :-(

I need to get back to checking in on DG every day. It's been hard to get back into it since I've been busy with other stuff. But I miss you guys!

Crit - I hope you get some rain soon. It sounds bad. Maybe I could send you some of what we're getting. It's been cold, damp, and rainy for several days now. I think after the rain lets up, we're going to have a hot spell.

WIll - I haven't seen an Easter egg hunt for a long time. Thanks for sharing the pics. My grandkids in NE had one with their cousins. It was cute to see them in their Easter dresses with heavy coats on. It has been really cold there.

Will, I am sorry but I left work really sick today around 11. I am guessing I ate something I shouldn't have eaten, I feel horrible. I have to be at work tomorrow so it had better not be the flu! Not going to stay on long, just wanted to say sorry Will. The rose is in the back of the car in a pot so I think it will be ok, I will try later this week......sorry for being short (no pun intended) on the phone but I just feel awful and needed to go back to bed.....

Happ, it is okay, really, don't give it another thought. You're health is much more important. We covered everything in the phone conversation, seriously, don't give it another thought, that stuff isn't going anywhere. All we are doing back there is preparing to roll that unlicensed car in the garage, the plants aren't going anywhere.
Haha, I am nearly as tall as the average man I'll have you know! lol The screen name is actually after the only pine tree native to Missouri - Pinus Echinata or Shortleaf Pine. It was nearly logged in Missouri to extinction back in the day. It has quite a story, kinda like me, I can spin a yarn! That tree is kinda a survivor, unlike me I guess, I haven't ever really survived anything, well except destitution years ago, but who doesn't have that in they're life at some point! But, neat tree anyway!

You're welcome Ima, it was pretty cool here too, I looked at the thermometer in my Mom's front yard Sat., it said 58°F! Come to DG when you can Ima, I know what you mean about getting busy at times!

Haha! Billyp, only 2 people in that photo up there were Easter Egg hunting! That small girl and the girl on the right. That girl on the right is 5' 8" I think and only a 12 year old! She was shorter than me last Summer, now she is the same height or taller! Hehe, that thing down by her foot is a thermometer actually, a nail in the tree stopped working, so the thermometer just sits on the ground. Thanks billyp, I like that Dwarf Alberta Spruce too. It is astonishing that it does so well, it is nearly full shade in that spot. See all the big shade trees in that yard? She always is watering it. I'm surprised that in neither of those photos that there is not a garden hose to it! At the same time I planted 2 DAS's here that have only ever gotten rain-water and they are in full sun even! These here are much smaller and oddly enuff, not even as full.
I think they can reach 8 feet tall or so at maturity. If that one at my Mom's ever encroaches on the sidewalk, possibly someday, it might need to become a topiary! lol

I am kinda bummed about some grasses and some little roses that I put in the garage over the Winter, all that stuff might be dead. I was thinking they wouldn't need water over the Winter because they were dormant I thought. My friend here ran with my confession and I think she thinks I did her roses in inadvertently.
I am holding onto hope that they'll start getting buds, hope is alive I say!

Crit, I'd trade you the rainy weather! I need to travel 90 miles one way and mow some grass, I can't do it with all this rain! But, no rain is a bummer, I'm not making light, that would stink.
Will

This message was edited Apr 25, 2011 8:37 PM

We finally are getting some good rain. 2.25" this weekend. Praise GOD! I feel better for the time being. Hope we don't go that long again.

My son's nickname is Short. I started calling him that in High School and he hated it. Later when he started driving semi that was his handle, then when he started his trucking company, he named it Short's Trucking. Everyone thought that was his last name. lol Oh, he is a mere 6'7" tall. Was about 6'4" in high school. ^_^

ImaMes, I figured you were busy and would be back. I'm thrilled that the Oak Leaf Hydrandea is living! I can't wait for it to grow and bloom!

I know how it is. You know you're behind and it takes so long to catch up. I've learned to just read the last current day.

Aww on the Easter dresses :o)

Happ, I think something is going around. Someone else on a thread was sick and my Grandson had a bad day of diahrrea after Easter. I hope you get over it soon!

Will, I think it's a neat screen name. It's kind of like honoring it. Those in conifers would get it right away.

Smiling, I'll bet they still had their eye out for eggs :o)

DD has one, but never waters it now that it's established. It grows slow and is only about 4' tall. I'm thinking that's all the taller this one will get.

All you can do is bring them out, water or let it rainon them. My miscanthus "Little Nicky," which is a zebra, just started growing. I cut last year's dead away yesterday.

Crit, I'm so glad you're getting rain. I know just how it feels. It's almost like you are growing because of it, LOL!

Cool name for your Son :o) Cool that he took it as his own. We have a short guy in town and instead of it being a teasing nick name, he calls himself "Low Rider."

Yesterday, I hoed, raked and planted 6 short rows of spinach before it started to sprinkle. Then I FINALLY sowed all the seeds I needed to put under the lights in the house.

It was not a warm day and I wore a stocking cap in the garden! When I walked around town, I wore my headband and gloves. This morning it's balmy. It rained off and on yesterday and into the night. It's raining now, lightly.

DD and the boys came yesterday and brought me 10 dozen eggs. Dad will get about half of them. I'll use 4 today, in 2 rhubarb custard pies. Spring tonic that rhubarb is :o)

She also brought the meat grinder with juicer attatchment. I can't wait to try it with tomatoes for juice this year. If it works, I'll only have to heat the juice, as it skins and seeds!

Will I was referring to your name shortleaf...rofl.
I feel better, was still feeling pretty rough this morning, but I made it..... It sure wasn't very warm at lunch...didn't feel like 65.....hey your poor southern MO, AR, OK hope you all are ok! I need to include eastern MO in that also......we have been lucky so far...knock on wood!

Will I had a friend who was told by someone not to water her tropicals all winter, well they all died......My rule of thumb is, if it is a bulb you might get away without watering it all winter or something like a huge ee, but anything with just roots I would water, lightly once a month. If the ground isn't frozen outside and we haven't had rain I have heard you should water outside, not that I do that.

HI Ima, I know how hard it is to get back on Dave's once you fill that time with something else.....that happened to me back in Jan. when I was dealing with so much stuff.

Will - Sorry about your roses and grasses. The exact same thing happened to me several years ago.Then I heard that you are supposed to water them a little about once a month over the winter as Happ said. Maybe yours will come back with some TLC. Hopefully, your friend understands that you didn't kill her roses on purpose.
Easter Sunday was cool here, too, 48*. I didn't wear a jacket to church thinking it would warm up, so I froze when I went flower shopping afterward. It was cold and damp and still 48*! Well... that kept me from blowing my budget...I didn't hang around too long. haha!

Happ - I hope you get feeling better soon.

Crit - So glad to hear you finally got some rain!
That's cool that your son used his nickname for his company. 6'7" - Wow, he's a big guy!

Billyp - I'm so glad you're oakleaf hydrangea survived the winter! Last Fall I planted some babies in the woods along the fence between us and our neighbor, and this Spring the deer ate three of them. (Stupid deer!!!!) One is coming back, but I think the other two are goners. Oh well, I have more hydrangea babies coming up underneath the big one. I'll be able to replace the ones that don't come back. Deer are a real problem around here. And it has gotten really bad in the last two years. This year the county/city decided to have an extra deer hunting season to try to curb the overpopulation. I know many gardeners who were happy to hear that! They did that in St. Louis last year and apparently it helped a lot. Hope it works here.

After all the rain we've had for the last week or so, the sun finally came out this afternoon. First thing I did was go out and spray all my plants with deer repellent. I hope it doesn't rain again tonight...at least for a day or two. :-)

I missed part of the 7 day forcast so all I know is 57 for a high tomorrow and windy. Ugh!! I missed the rest of the week but I bet you there is rain in there!! I hope it warms up next week for Mother's Day. I have a ton of plants in the greenhouse that need to get moving to their new homes. It just has been to wet and cold to plant.

Hehe happ, yes I know! I'll take any opportunity to crack a joke! I have accepted my height..lol Happ, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.

Oh, just a reminder to anyone who might be interested, MDC's online seedling sales ends the end of April. - http://extra.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mdcdevpub/apps/seedlings/search.cgi?record=all Here are the shipping terms - http://mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/landowners-and-farmers/seedling-orders/2010-2011-seedling-order-form - scroll down to "costs to you", it's quite cheap there. They aren't greedy on the sales tax, it's 2% less. I figured it for an $8 bundle, the tax is 46 cents.

Thanks you guys, I take words of encouragement! That over-wintering is confusing, some plants came back and are leafing out, and some are still brown.
I kinda also suspect the unheated garage, that it didn't get cold enuff for some things to go dormant, much of the time it'd be 55° F down there. Even though there was no open vents in there, there must be escaping heat coming from all the ducts in there or something, and the furnace/blower itself is down there. In retrospect, I think I woulda been alright to just leave most of them outside. Oh, they have been getting rained on alot, so I'll just have to wait and see if they sprout!

I like that bulb and root advice, I hope my Elephant Ear bulbs do that! They haven't started sprouting yet, I would be more ill if they succumbed!

I'm holding onto hope that the Roses are still alive, she knows I wouldn't purposefully neglect them!

Now, that is some eggs billyp!

Hehe, now if my nickname were "Four eyes", I'd be in trouble, that would be true! lol Eeek! "Low rider", that would take some confidence to call yourself that!
From what I saw of the forecast tonite, it is warming up here and gonna be quite pleasant for several days, tho forecasts have been wrong before!
I was suprised at the lack of rain in the forecast.
Will

I was glad with my procrastination of getting my plants taken outside last weekend. We had pea to marbel size hail yesterday evening that covered the ground so much it looked like snow!!!!! It would of beaten them all to death. I stand by my rule here not to put anything out until May 1st. You just can't trust our weather. Although the nice rain we have been having would of been good for them, it would of been for naught after that hail!!!!

Happ, I'm glad you're better. It's no fun being sick this late in the year <:o(

I too never watered things till last year. We all have the same dormant idea I think.

I've heard to water the pine trees. It's hard for them to get moisture when the ground is frozen, but they lose moisture thru their needles all winter. A nursery guy suggested burying a PCV pipe along side it when planting, and watering thru the first and second years.

ImaMes, there will be warmer days to start with a NEW budget! LOL!

Yeah, stupid deer! You will have to get some chicken wire to keep things safe. I'll have to remove the fencing over mine and replace it. I won't let anything eat it now!

It's funny, last year they quit selling deer licenses because we didn't have enough to hunt. SIL didn't get one last year and I missed the burger. I found a loin in the freezer and cooked it like round steak, with mushrooms and mushroom soup. It was tender and delicious! It really smelled good when reheating.

Pepper, I find April is starting to be depressing. I'm so glad we'll be into May.

Will, I wish I had a garage warm enough to overwinter things.

Low Rider works for him. Everytime I see him drive by, the song goes thru my head, LOL!

Alas, another chance of rain today and tomorrw. I doubt we get much, but I am so sick of the wind coming from the North!

Well, my paste and copy never caught all the post. Crit you saved me, LOL!

You were so smart to not put the plants out! I don't trust the weather any more than the forecaster anymore.

Was the hail from a thunderstorm?

This message was edited Apr 27, 2011 6:00 AM

Happ, I'm glad you're better. It's no fun being sick this late in the year

Well, I've tried twice. I'll save the copy and try later.

Crit, I am with you I do NOT put plants out until May and in my case not until the middle of May. I was at the nursery a few weeks back and people were carrying out these huge tomato plants, and I just knew in my heart of hearts they were going to stick them outside cause it was 80 that day......course we have been in the 40's almost every night, I don't think those tomatos will like that. Yuck on the hail on the flowers.....we had two tornados one year way to close and the winds were awful. After the storms I was walking around and couldn't figure out what had happened to the iris, they had all these hash marks all over their beautiful green leaves, then the light bulb went off and it was the mulch blowing so hard it scarred the leaves.....

I feel human again, I went home and planted up some lily bulbs just because if I didn't I was going to lose them, but then I went to bed.....I feel sooooooooo much better....

Ima, if you ever get any more spare babies on the oak leaf hydra. and time (time being the hardest to come by) I would love to beg one from you. I would gladly pay shipping and all that.

Short I have overwintered ee's all the time and several don't get watered all winter and seem to pop back, but it takes them awhile to come out of dormant. The best thing is to water a little once a month then they pop back faster.....if you kept the plants at 55 the ee's probably went dormant, but the roses would not of. I have a mg in our group with a commerical greenhouse and during the winter that is what they keep the greenhouse at if the sun doesn't shine.

Planted some tomato seeds this morning. Black Russian tomato, True BrandyWine, and Copia. I have one more packet to get started but had to come to work and the name escapes me now. Actually I have several more packets to start but they are hybrids and not hierlooms. I got these from Bakers Creek, our MG group sells heirlooms but not these.

BillyP never heard of rubarb custard pie before, it sounds wonderful!

I too never watered things till last year. We all have the same dormant idea I think.

I've heard to water the pine trees. It's hard for them to get moisture when the ground is frozen, but they lose moisture thru their needles all winter. A nursery guy suggested burying a PCV pipe along side it when planting, and watering thru the first and second years.

ImaMes, there will be warmer days to start with a NEW budget! LOL!

Yeah, stupid deer! You will have to get some chicken wire to keep things safe. I'll have to remove the fencing over mine and replace it. I won't let anything eat it now!

It's funny, last year they quit selling deer licenses because we didn't have enough to hunt. SIL didn't get one last year and I missed the burger. I found a loin in the freezer and cooked it like round steak, with mushrooms and mushroom soup. It was tender and delicious! It really smelled good when reheating.

Pepper, I find April is starting to be depressing. I'm so glad we'll be into May.

Will, I wish I had a garage warm enough to overwinter things.

Low Rider works for him. Everytime I see him drive by, the song goes thru my head, LOL!

Alas, another chance of rain today and tomorrw. I doubt we get much, but I am so sick of the wind coming from the North!

Well, my paste and copy never caught all the post. Crit you saved me, LOL!

You were so smart to not put the plants out! I don't trust the weather any more than the forecaster anymore.

Was the hail from a thunderstorm?

Happ, nope, tomatoes like it hot! I feel for those beauties too.

I'll post the recipe in the next post. It will be the second time today :o)

The Oak Leaf had Fall color :o)

(AHA! I know why it wouldn't post all of it the second time. I needed to erase the first line that did go thru!)

If you have problem with deer, rabbits, squirrels or any other of God's creatures that like your plants as much as you do, put a circle of human hair around them, and if they grow tall and are eaten from above, weave some throughout it. They won't like the human scent and will leave it along. My DH laughed at me until we didn't have one tomato or green pepper 'stolen' last year. I watched. lol

p.s. If you have hair like I do, just save it out of your brush in a plastic bag all winter. Or if you don't or just need more, ask your hairdresser. They are always glad to save you some to put around the ground.

Will, thanks for the info on the sale. I need to get some Witchhazel and Spicebush both.

See the car really is in the garage! lol In the photo up there it is still a yard ornament, not anymore! You can see it in the photo, in the garage even, it's under a car cover. Now, the yard is still a mess.
I steered the heck out of that car! It wasn't running, so no power steering, it was quite laborious. I musta looked like a heel with 2 ladies pushing and me steering, I offered to push, but they wanted me to steer, they weren't good with a manual transmission car either. One lady broke her heels she said. But, we got the unlicensed car in the garage in any case! All that debris in the foreground is an unassembled exercise machine that my friend brought home some 13 years ago (it's been outside all that time), she refuses to let that thing go. Even now, with code enforcement on her, she wants to box it up and keep it. All that code enforcement wanted her to do was put away the car she says. I think she keeps the fitness machine as a reminder of something not to do, kinda in a self-deprecating way, that stuff is rusted and way beyond repair and/or assembly! Some of the parts could be reused if she wanted, like pulleys and cables. I don't say much, it's her stuff and her yard, I will likely be boxing it up soon tho.

Hmmm.. I never thought of that, a garage greenhouse eh? We'd have to sell the car first to do that, but it's an idea. I wasn't able to wait quite until May 1st before setting out my plants because of needing the garage's floor space. Its an attached garage, I think the heat in the house keeps the garage pretty warm.
I am now working on a big planting of Wisteria by this one section of chain-link fence.


This message was edited Apr 28, 2011 6:49 PM

You're welcome Pepper.

Well, my dad decided to use Forsythia as our replacement for bush honeysuckle instead of the witchhazel or spicebush. Darn it!! lol