Plant Propagation part XXXIV based on my own experience

Hello to everyone and welcome:

To those new to our little chat. Plese feel free ask anything, as we try to keep it simple and fee l/we should always pass along our own knowledge. Lurkers are also welcome. Please check in if possible I would hate to loose someone in one of these switches.

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1166860

As with all of the threads I stat I like to welcome anyone new to our little corner of Daves Garden. Please take the time to read all the past threads. Most of them have some great information in them. There are no dumb questions except for the 1 thats never asked.

Anyone new I highly recomend reading the propagation how to 1/4 of the way down the first incarnation of this thread.we have evolved to a mix of good people having fun and discussing issues we are having at the moment. if you need individualhelp just dmail me I am always glad to help.

Here is the 1st post http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/892721/

pictured is my front hosta bed with dianthus for color. even though the dianthus is suposed to be an annual it lasts for me for years at a time. I do dead head (cut off the dead and fading flowers) (no its not following the greatfull dead)

I look forward to some spirited conversation but as mother nature has decided to be nasty this year we will also be chatting about the weather and what we are growing

Dave

thank you for the intrest and welcome

ok so I am here

the pic is to give some of you still playing in the snow something to look forward to. its my north bed I use for cutting stock the dianthus is unknown varieties. the salvia's are may night (the big tall purple) snow hill (the white one) and caradonna (dark purple just opening)

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! That was a super landing.

Dave, Honey, The garden is beautiful. Our Spring garden, with the daffies and hyacinths and hosta is up and looking good. The West side of the big barn has iris and roses coming along and the star magnolia is blooming. Signs of spring all over the place now, but it is warm today with a very cool breeze blowing about 30 mph Nothing else except the leaves on the trees are beginning to push.

I just spent a few hours pulling weeds near where we are going to put the fence. I have a small area where I have some bulbs and the chick weed was taking over. Also the small area between the little barn and the greenhouse needed attention. That is all Iris and bulbs. I am thrilled that I was able to do the weed pulling for that length of time because last year I was unable to go for more than an hour. Thanks to the chiropractor, I am up to over 2 hours. Happy Happy Joy Joy!! Also, 32 hours of rain made the ground perfect to pull that chick weed. I hate that stuff.

I can not believe the daffodils survived the rain as well as they did. I must cut for orders but am putting it off until they look better. They need to recover from the wind and rain. It was a nasty storm also and they took a real beating. They just laid their heads down yesterday and looked like they were crying.

Jen, do you have a picture of what you do with your bales. It only dawned on me I thought I read someplace you put seeds in the bales. Did I imagine that or do you really. Senior Moment, sorry.

Up Up and away................No, I am not Mary Poppins, I am just getting off this chair and going back to work. Lunch is over. It is almost three p.m. and I have a crap load of stuff to do yet. Have a good evening..............I must hurry, soon "wine time".

LOOK OUT!!!!! Lee is kinda here. Snowing outside---again. I am so tired of this. Still no more seedlings, so I am throwing all that starter mix out. Maybe the snow will kick start them...or not!!!

Well jb I am sorry to say you have doosie coming your way. I am down for the count and they are predicting massive storms and terdnado's dry line came through about 11:00 so here we go....

I'm still here. Dragging a lot as I worked for almost three hours this morning - digging, raking, etc.

With all the birds here I feel like I'm living in an aviary. Had a hawk circling around for awhile. There are too many trees for th em to get in here. Though I did have a fledgling who had some trouble figuring out how to get over the back fence last year.

I am really sore but still moving a little. I want to keep from total atrophy before getting my foot taken care of.

I've got the DVD of "Guys and Dolls" on. The music is so good that I could almost dance. If I weren't afraid of falling down.

Cooking enough for the dogs to eat for a couple of days.

We are making so much progress on the clean-up that I'm pushing myself a lot. I'll recover but I need to whine a little. An ex of mine and I used to send each other whinergrams. "Warning - whinergram coming." "Oh, no. Not a whinergram."

Lee, I'm so sorry about your seeds - and the snow. That's like Michigan's Upper Penninsula. Summers there were like winters here. I'm trying to get my old seeds planted as I think I'll have better succes with new ones. Hopeful thinking probably.

I've been reading at the Instructables website. Lots of gardening stuff. If only my body could keep up with all these good ideas.

hugs, katie

Well, most of us have made it anyway. Sharon, Linda, and Evelyn left? Any I am missing? It was a bumpy right as usual. Winds out your way toss the planes around like toys. I was in the middle of a lightning storm at Detroit one time. Boy, that was scary. I guess planes have grounds on them?

Lee, this year I planted most of my seeds directly into the planting mix instead of seed mix. They seem to be coming up pretty good. Holly hocks in just 3 days. Do you want me to send you some seeds? I think Rudis will make it thru your winters won't they? I have some Marmelades that sound pretty, and others. Let me know. They are very colorful.

Also, the tomatoes are on their second set of leaves. So, they are right on schedule. Peppers are up too.

I spent the morning trying to call the pet rescues in the different little burgs around here to see if anyone turned in my cat, but all I got were answering machines. Even called the vet to find out who to call and she was suppose to call me back with numbers but haven't heard any more from her.

Well, gotta get going, I got a couple of big pots to plant more dahlias in. The ones I planted the other day are up now and I pinched them this morning.

Maybe thats what I needed to do, I would love some seeds, but I have nothing to share. And seems like you and Dave furnished last year's and I really don't want to impose until I can send something back. I have dumped everything I had left over, I think they thought their life was over and just gave up. Thanking all, Lee

Think I owe you anyway. Let me see what I can find.

Hows that storm doing? Does your husband work with him? He should be about ready to do some serious learning. Well, maybe still a mite young. Still a puppy and probably wants to play instead. I keep forgetting you just got him at Christmas.

Does he want to retrieve sticks, balls, etc.? Does that breed of dog like to swim? I can't remember that much about the German Shepherds. Aren't they more of a guard type dog?

I wet down the bales of alfalfa this afternoon, pruned the pyracantha some, but not a very good job. More just so it would quit scratching me when I turned the water on and off than anything.

I am looking for one of those things that you can move the faucet closer to where you can turn it on and off. Do you guys know what I mean? It takes a short piece of hose to attach to the faucet and then a stake that also has a faucet on it and then you can put it in a more convenient place.

Gardner's Supply may have them. Think I gave my catalog away. Guess I'll look on line. Think I need a nap. I never take naps, but I might today.

Katie ~ I occasionally have leg cramps as well. I take quinine sulfate and it goes away in just a few minutes. You probably can get them at your pharmacia. There also is a homeopathic version of it, though since I have the stronger ones I have not yet tried the others. Also quinine water might be available at a market or liquor store. I don't think it takes very much.

Even though you do have your challenges there, it must be a comfort to have those dogs with you for protection as a woman living alone at any age can be a target no matter what. It is wonderful that you try to grow food crops for the locals. Do you grow amaranth and quinoa? Those are supposed to be very high in nutrition.

When you have the time, maybe you can share some recent pictures. I hope that you continue to heal as sometimes healing takes longer than we would like. I have been recovering from several operations, especially the rotator cuff replacement, of which they used an achilles tendon. So my shoulder has been in quite a bit of pain for a long time. It is a challenge to dig and not strain it more, so I do it in stages. It takes a lot longer, but I appreciate it when it is done!

I f you need some seeds, d-mail me your address and I will send you some. I always have extras. Much more than I can possibly sow.

That goes for you too, Lee.

Jeanette ~ I was outside, sorry! I have so much to do. It finally stopped snowing and raining...still the ground is wet, but I can dig in certain areas and fill them with amendments and mix them up well. It is supposed to rain again tomorrow and then on Saturday, too! At least they say it is a warmer system. Are you getting rain or snow this time?

JB ~ Your 'Aimees' are very pretty. At what age do you sell them?

Here is a portion of what I have started. (Steve put the rocks there...) There is yet a lot to be done and I hope not to fill it too tight with plants, but I do want it "full of flowers"!

Aimee would croak here in this heat.

JB straw bale gardening has a lot of threads over the years here. Most people I know plant small plants but you can do seeds too I hear. Veggies most of them do.

I want to try it with some veggies and one with all flowers. There is a process though.

Katie that sounds good. You are still brave to me. Every time we had to go to a funeral in Tecate, someone died and we had to drive in the late night to get to the funeral the next day or sit up all night staring at the body with everyone. You know what I mean. The Tecate border closes earlier that TJ so we dreaded it, because we would always get stopped by the cops for bogus crap. My X would make me act like I was asleep and hide my white face in the pillow. They'd make us pay the fine for the supposed offence and off we would go. Every time that would happen so if I was alone, I'd freak. I'd get pulled over and start screaming or something. lol

I have seedlings popping up all over but I have more elm seeds blowing around than seedlings and the will kill my plants if I don't put pre-emergent fast. I have to wait another week or at least a few more days so I don't kill my flower seeds too.

I will take pictures of my bales one of these days. Maybe tomorrow. Not much to photo tho. Just my hoophouse with bales in it.

I water them for a week to get them started decomposing. Then the next week I will put urea (straight nitrogen 26-0-0) on them. A cup a piece, and water it in. Then water again for another week. then I will put on a fertilizer like Miracle Grow and get it watered in. They should be cooking by now. Hot. Then they will start to cool off. When they get down to just barely warm I will plant my tomatoes. They should be good and ready by then.

I mainly plant tomatoes, some peppers. I always plant a caster bean or 2 to keep the voles and moles out.. Some I might plant a few flowers in just to pretty it up like Dawn says.

I am going to roundup in the middle to keep the weeds down. Most people mow, but I don't have enough to bother with.

I also might try something Bob suggested this year, puting a food grade barrel of water in there to keep it kind of warm at night and also to use the water which should be warmed up from the sun. I think the plants prefer warm water instead of cold.

And this was the next day....

Sorry...Dawn & Jeanette....we cross-posted. It takes a while to upload the picture so I go off and do something else and then come back to it. People think I am on my computer all day, but I am not. I have dial-up and it is very slow at times, especially if I am uploading pictures.

I hope everyone has a nice evening and sleeps well. Night, night!

Well I made it over but I only walked over.

I have been under the weather. Felt like I was run over by a truck. Finally went to physical therapist Wednesday and she worked on my neck for an hour. My neck causes problems over my whole body. I have gone to her for years but have not been since 2006. That is how long I have been well.

Well I just about feel back to normal. Going tomorrow for another hour. Working on my neck has made my shoulder feel better and my toes currently are not wet.

We had 60+ high winds yesterday and 25mph winds today. 78 today. 90 on Sunday. Irises and Roses are starting to bloom. Tomatoes are about 18 inches high. Fig tree is loaded but orange and lime trees are not going to have much fruit. I trimmed back dead wood and there is not much left but they needed a hard trim anyway.

Lee, I am sending you seeds. I will get them in the mail tomorrow. If they do not grow there, try them anyway. You never what is going to grow where.

It is very late for me and I am headed to bed. I will return. Sharon.

Well Sharon, I can't imagine you being under the weather. Seems like you are indestructible. Think we all feel that way to a certain point. Hope you get it back together.

My sister is pushing me to get a storage unit and get packing. I just wish I could find a house first, but if I don't have any money, not that I can't finance it, I don't want to move. I feel like I am in a game of musical chairs and might be the last one standing.

My daughter is coming over Tuesday for a few days and bringing my fuchsias. I can't remember how many I asked her to get me. About 20 I think. Now to find a place for them. This area is not humid like Seattle. Guess I need to set up a sprinkling system. That's a good job for her isn't it? Better let her put on her thinking hat and she can have it all figured out by the time she gets here.

I hope Dave was not near the tornado. Oklahoma got whacked.

Yes Jnette, I thought I was indestructible also. But about 10 days ago I quit gardening because I was just to tired and if I did not stop I was going to fall. I stopped right in the middle of a basket. Never did that before. I rested for 1 day but the problem did not seem to go away. I lost 5 pounds so it was not all a bad thing. Had no appetite except for salsa and chips. Salty and spicy.

My workers is going to be here tomorrow and I will have 95% of everything done by the end of Saturday. But then the whole family is coming for the reunion the next weekend.

I have two fuchsias in hanging baskets that are below two palm trees in one bed. The baskets are hanging from the palm trees. The fuchsia are a rose color with a blue eye. I found a petunias to match. They do have an automatic irrigation. I have one area the irrigation is a fogger Just sprays a fine mist. That area is in my courtyard. I have indoor plants living there during the spring and summer I also planted impatient in the same basket.

Evelyn, I love the way you trimmed your tree so you can see the structure of the tree I love tree trunks. Your flower bed is going to e beautiful.

We are going to be 90 degrees on Sunday, Spring in the desert.

Dawn, have you had enough.

I got an order from Lazy S I ordered last year., Has 10 different rain lilies. It is totally fascinating to watch myself when I really like something. I will search the world over to find every color. I must have everyone I can find. I am now talking to myself and not ordering anything the first time I see it It seems to be working better. No compulsive buying.

Funny thing, last night I had my earphones in my ears and was watching something on my laptop. Vern got curious and came over to see what I was watching. It was a video on propagating. I think he was disappointed. He was watching "another" lock up raw or hard times. He loves prison TV. I would go nuts if I did not have my laptop.

I will try to take a photo today of a tree in the park. It has 5 bird nests being built in the same tree. It is the tree the grackles use. It is right by the sidewalk and when you walk with the dogs they just go nuts. I try to imitate they noise and that also drives them crazy. Usually have two trees full of mockingbirds but I do not see them this year. They actually dive bomb you when you go near the tree. It is fun to watch someone walk by the trees that are not aware of the mockingbirds and watch them duck when they are bombed.

Anyway, just wanted to check in. I am going to go shower and get dressed and then read the papermwith my cup of tra before I go for physical therapy. Later. Sharon.

Good afternoon all:
yes last night was an exciting one. we had6 or 7 twisters form and a couple were close. I don't know how many actually hit the ground. the closest one was like 3 miles away but never hit the ground. It would have been a big mess as it would have been in the middle of town with a lot of expensive homes and Twin Hills country club.(had a pga tournament there twice). I do know one was abot 20 to 30 miles away and ran a ways but it was in the boon docks. I didn't get a chance to watch the news today so I don't know what did damage and what didn't.
I am down for the day today. I hate the spring storms.And to think I was doing so well. everyday doing soemthing to improve the nursery or garden. today is cold and windy. like 20 to 30 mph with gusts on top of that. well it seems that way I will check the news in a few to see what it is exactly.
I am in big trouble now. I am going to an herb fest tomorrow so its going to be a dangerous day, well for the ole savings account it will be. I am hopefull I will add more herbs to my garden so I can finally start making my own tea. I did get a trade in yesterday with a acouple of things to add to the mix.
well thats it for me today. staying battened down and mooooovvvviiiinnnngggg sloooooooowwwwllllyyyyy. have agood day. and smile it make the world wonder what you are upto. oh yea wann make someone really nervous? when sitting with them or some place where there are strangers. start looking at the ceiling above them. just glance there a few times but make sure they catch you at it ... its a big hoot. I also like to play with the people who have to have things in a special order. mix em up...it drives them crazy. a couple of years ago my wife rearranged the letters of her daughters NOEL to spell LEON. The son in law asked us to quit doing it...lmao... he thought I was the one doing it...well I did start it, because her daughter would come over and rearrange the kitchen for us.
ttfn feeling a bit devilish

I found you! It seems like I can't stay caught up for anything these days. The weather is gorgeous here and I have been spending every minute I can outside. I am still transplanting seedlings. ! I never know why I plant so many at once. LOL
Azaleas and iris are in full gorgeous bloom right now and it is breathtaking. I just love the spring when every shows off.
This one is misty lady and right now there must be 6 blooms on it. I had irises for years and they never bloomed. Last year they started blooming and this year they are gorgeous.
Gotta go package a bracelet.
See ya

Hi Everybody - I have been up and around for a few hours. Took my first successful ride on my ATV which was fun. Also kind of scary as our roads are not the best, especially by the beach. I was careful. I'm sure I'll be going up and down hills with one-track roads very soon but I'm not pushing the learning curve.

Came home and washes dishes and filled the washing machine so's to tackle the pile of laundry. But right now my ankle feels like it's on fire so I may just fill my outdoor bathtub and soak for awhile. The wind is blowing something fierce and my poor brug flowers are shredded. Some ofo the seeds I have been planting are sprouting

Sharon, sorry to hear you've been laid up. I hate it when my body says, "No more." But when it happens there's nothing to do but lie down.

Our temperatures are still in the 70's so it's very nice except for the wind.

I have some broken blue glass tumbling. I'll be sending some to a DG friend who is blue glass-deprived. Do any of you do mosaics. I'd be glad to send a box of blue glass if anyone wants some.

Tony is fixing a spot for our trailer where we'll be able to get it in and out easily. Make it easier to get seaweed, palm trees, manure and other good things.

Had to get Neighbor Tom to help me get the ATV started. We're getting along quite well which I'm happy about. It is funny, though, he is an engineer and has trouble understanding enjoying the process, working a little here and a little there and the other ways that Tony and I work. Dana thought for awhile that I wanted Tom for a husband. I told Tony that if I were married to Tom I'd be a widow. I've no desire to be involved with a person whose idea of contributing to the relationship is to criticize. I've had enough of those.

Out to fill my bath tuv.

hugs, katie

Dave, so glad you didn't get hit by those twisters. They sure did make a mess didn't they? Glad you are all safe anyway.

I went down to the hoophouse to water the alfalfa bales and noticed the garlic I planted last fall is up about 4 inches. I looked the other day when we were out there and I couldn't find it at all. Just goes to show what enclosing it in the plastic does. Also, the alfalfa is greener where I am watering it and the heat from the plastic is affecting it.

I've got 5# of chicken thighs and drumsticks on cooking for the dog food. I guess the cat isn't going to come back. Darn it. Now I know how you felt JB about your kitties missing. Hobo used to like to sit in the big windows and look out at everything until she got cold and then would come over and snuggle up to me so I would put her blanket over her. She would stay here until she got too warm. Funny little bugger. I miss her.

Sharon how do the fuchsias do down there? Even with the misters I wouldn't think there would be enough humidity. I am going to put lobelia in the baskets with mine this year. Bacopa is nice with them also.

Just spotted another deer. Seems there are a lot lately. No, they are off of the living room deck which is nowhere near the alfalfa.

Have you guys ever seen the little birds drinking out of the hummingbird feeders? I have seen chickadees and pine siskins both drinking from them. And it isn't like there is no water out there. Very strange in deed. I have never noticed it before.

That iris is beautiful Linda. They really are, aren't they? My mom used to have so many. I had some but they all turned white so I got rid of them. I had lilies turn dark purple too. Strange. Must be something in the soil.

Jeanette: a simple little ight bulb will boost the temps as much as 10 degrees also. well we are in for it now. tonight 35 with an additional windchill... yuk ouch. I am going to bed and cover up till spring....

Dave, I thought you knew, Spring is here. No S*** Charlie! Who is Charlie? Anyhow, there was a bear in the tree by one of the Jersey Turnpike entrances. He must have gotten awake and the weather did not suit him, so he went up a tree and stayed there until the guys in the green uniforms came and got him down. Poor baby. He thought it was Spring also. Think how confused God's creatures must be. I see the Dakotas are having snow and now we are to have more rain. The sun never did come out today. I sold 17 bunches of daffodils today . that makes 43 doz. so far. There are a lot left and they are still coming.
I just love this time of year but I would be happier if it was 93 doz. instead of 43. A lot of them are going to just die in the field. We still have two weeks until Easter so I may make a few more bucks before it is over.
I made a deal with my friends who own the Farm Market to buy her hybrid bulbs after Easter if she does not want to use them. Beats the price of Breck's but the people are telling her they are the most beautiful cut daffodils they have ever seen. One woman has been coming back every week for a fresh bunch. I love to hear that.
The Aimee's go for sale the first year of rooting. I would guess maybe 6 months or less depending on the amount of sunshine, then the 6 inch pots are usually 9-12 months and that is when I start to make standards out of them. At 12-24 months they really begin to look like little trees. They are so adorable if you like that sort of thing.
Time to call it a day. JB

JB: I am sure there are some wholesale sellers that could give you a great price instead of buying second hand or retail. Have you checked with ball or harris to see about buying daff bulbs for your operation? I don't think it would be too difficult if you could get a big strong person to roto till the area before you plant. maybe even someone with a tractor attachment would be helpfull also. Just a thought. I will dig into it if you really are thinking of adding more daffs to the operation. I just thought you were about done fighting them.
Dave

Well, more rain and snow is in the forecast, but it is a little warmer. Guess the Dakota weather is spitting on us before it hits them. I acctually went out for a little while today, was still in the 50s but not so much wind.

JB, I would check with some of your local stores., Most of them throw out the bulbs after they have bloomed and not sold. I know Walmart does. It is so sad to see all that waste.

I am feeling a little better. The sugar has dropped a little, and I have lost a couple of #. Maybe when it gets better outside, things will look better to me.

Thank you all for the offer of seeds, I look forward to them, hopefully they will start for me since they don't know me like mine did :)
ttyal, Lee

DAve, I'm sorry about your run of bad weather. Wish I could send you some of our sunshine and 70's temps. But not our winds. My poor brug had about twenty blossoms - all torn to shreds.

My Hawiian babt wood rose has made two seed pods and they do look like little roses. If I want the seeds I have to break the roses.

This has been a very rough day for me pain-wise and now I also have a bunch of mosquito bites. However, in ten days I'll be leaving for my podiatrist appointment so I'm doing OK. Don't know why or how but I am.

I ordered the soil block maker from Johnnys seeds and lots of seeds which should be less difficult than some which I've been trying. I'm ready for a llittle more success. I'll be doing a lot of sunflowers and milk thistle and other things for the birds since I seem to have developed a large population of them. Also flowers for butterflies and bees.

Logees was finally able to get my credit card OK'd so I'll be getting three blueberries that are supposed to be quite heat tolerant and a T R Hovey papaya. I'm making special planters for each of them so they'll be planted as soon as I get home.

If I come on here and just babble please be patient. I really don't feel awful as much as I do fuzzy. My breathing gets shallow and I kind of rock back and forth - and I'm fine. I hope you can understand that. I'm just taking it a day - or an hour - at a time. Nothing else to be done. Thank God for vicodin.

hugs, katie

Good ideas from Dave and Lee JB. Kind of like brain storming where everyone tosses in their ideas. You can think about them or omit them.

Lee, I still have to go thru my seeds. Will do that this weekend. It is only in the 50s here too, but it has helped to put the lid on the hoophouse, so to speak. The plastic helps warm up the ground, the bales of alfalfa and also the garlic and horse radish I planted last fall. I put those all in a raised bed of cement block inside the hoophouse.

The seeds I have in the house are coming up. The tomatoes have their second set of leaves. The lights help a lot.

Katie we crossposted.

What size block makers did you order Katie? My daughter was making some, got the 2 smaller sizes, but when it came to buying the larger one for $100 she balked. But she found that you have to have the soil just the perfect consistency for them to hold together. She did like them tho. Until she ran into the problem with not having the largest block.

The whole idea of them is the air pruning of the roots. She liked that idea and they worked great as far as she went.

Katie try hazzards greenhouse. they have an extensive list of seeds and they are well priced as they are based for wholesale but sell to retail people too. you just have to sign up to be able to use the shopping cart.

http://www.hazzardsgreenhouse.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=Hazwho

I shop them first then compare $$$ but most of the time they are the best $$$

ha ha got ya jeanette

Oh my gosh you are all so chatty when I'm at work that I can comment on the posts. I can't even begin to remember it all though I want to comment on almost all of it.

Sharon the winds were so bad the other day, that I called 911 on the cell, so I will get a big bill for doing it, but this road had three separate spots with 0 visibility from flying dirt. I started crying and praying. I was in one 3 years ago and there was a big pile up and two guys died right in front of our truck and we saw a semi plow in without even slowing down, into all of them. I think that is how the guys died, they hit two vans and another semi and the two Candadians did not have a chance in their convertable sports car. It was terrifying. I told the CHP to close the road down and reroute traffic.

You guys what should I do? My bulbs never bloom. Almost none of them ever do. No matter what I try they don't do it. Even when I only have a few and they are spaced, they don't bloom.

Sorry you feel bad. Does Bacopa have purple spikes or yellow flowers? Someone sent me some once but I don't know if it was that that lived. I have some ground cover with purple little grape hyacynth like spikes on it.

Gophers and others eat many bulbs. Except daffodils.

I got the small and medium block makers - each about $25. I will report on how they work.

I took an antihistimine and it has calmed the bug bites. Also made me sleepy which is also good.

I may get Tony to do laundry with me tomorrow. We both grew up with wringer washers so we work together well with the one I have now. He's great about helping with whatever needs to be done with no macho crap. In fact, since he has some back problems and I don't I'm often the "strong" one in whatever work we're doing.

I was trying to make a cheesecake but I'm so spacey that I've barely got the ingredients together. Think I'll mix it up and cook it tomorrow.

night all.

katie

Dawn. most bulbs do not make it through the winter in the Southwest. It does not get cold enough, long enough.

Dave, I am so glad you are OK and I hope you make it through the night. Sounds like a good song.


Our temperature today was 872, tomorrow 84 and Sunday 91. and then back down with high winds on Monday. You all should come out one time to experience high winds in the Southwest.

My Physical Therapy was great today. My roter cup is OK but I bruised the hell out of the tissue around the cuff.

Linda, we are so lucky because the rest of our friend are having a spring from hell.

Katie, heat is not the problem with Blueberries. They have to get cold and stay cold for a specific period of time. My blueberries are blooming and I will have blueberries. I figure they will cost about $65 a pound.

I am headed to bed because my worker sill be here at 8am and I will finish the courtyard, plant the dichondra seed and get the plants and seeds mailed this weekend.

Katie, give me your address and maybe i can send you something that will grow in "Your Desert". I took the dogs for a walk this morning but did not get back u ntil 4:30pm so did not get a lhoto taken of the tree with all the gackerl nests. Tomorrow. This morning I had many very small birds all over the Peace Roses. I assumed they were esting aspohids. i was not drerssed, so I could not wander into thr front lndscape. Vern did not have a god day today. yesterday he was great. Tomorrow is another day.

This is an Oxalis I purchased at a nursery earlier in the week in the pond section. I love Oxalis. In California they are classified as an invasive weed. Well in Nevada if they grow, we think they are wonderful. If you pay attention, pull starts, they are not invasive. Love the color but I think I need to move into partial shade. I am alone in the neighborhood because everyone has left town, with their children, for spring break. Europe, Hawaii, New York and California. See you tomorrow night,. Have a great day. Sharon.

Cross Post. When I was about 5, I was helping my mother with the laundry. Got my arm caught in the wringer. I was screaming and she came running from the clothes line. She ran it back down. The doctors in Utah wanted to cut off my arm. They took me to Las Vegas which probably took all day. 1947. The doctor in Las Vegas said it would be OK but my tensions on the bottom of my right arm are very visible and they get purple if I get cold. Better than no arm. And you can no longer see the tensions for the sagging skin. Goodnight.

We get plenty of cold here Sharon, at least 2 to 3 months of frost. OH I can tell you how to keep the gophers and squirrels off of your plants. Jalapenos in a large can, blended with cooking oil, murpheys oil soap or dish soap and water, a 1/3 cup of amonia. About 4 times a year. Use watering can. you can use just the juice too and strain and put in sprayer. Lost about 16 roses one year and more the year after that, so I experimented and it works.

I woke up at 1:30 this morning 'cause I was cold. I looked at the temp on my electric blanket and it was out. Then I realized everything was pitch black. No electricity at all. I reached over and got my cell phone and called the PUD. He was a real a--h---. He wanted me to go check my breaker. I told him no way it was so dark. He asked if I didn't have a flashlight. I said yes, but I was not going down to the basement. He asked if I could see lights in my neighbors. No, too far away.

He said nobody else in my area had called. I said no, 'cause it was 1:30 in the morning and the only reason I was awake was 'cause I got cold. Anyway, I made him get a crew out and fix the electricity. Finally at 4:00 it started getting warm. He was a real snot. I think they are told to not do it unless they have to 'cause we just got new turbines from Austria of all places. Hell, we got all kinds of money.

Well, going to try to get a good night's sleep tonight. ttyl,

We crossposted Dawn. Sounds like Jerry Baker. I get stuff from him all the time.

I swear to God some people would argue about anything.

Yesterday I had a woman from Alaska who wanted to buy some Aimees. I told her due to Federal Gvt. and Local Ag restrictions, it would not pay me to ship outside the USA. I told her to call Logees and see if they already have the necessary certification to ship to Alaska.
In Oct. 2009 the Federal Phytosanitary Inspection program requires that a broker or shipper involved with sending plant material outside of the USA register and create an account . This of course costs money. There are administrative fees, iinspecection fees, and all sorts of crap so I have chosen not to get into that expense for the sake of shipping to other countries and outside of the continental USA.
Very simple I thought. She ordered................I told her I did not ship to Alaska and was not going to ship outside of the USA. and that is where I made my mistake. I was not specific enough I guess because today she wrote back and said ALASKA IS IN THE USA. Which of course pissed me off because I know where the hell Alaska is, but it is not in the continental USA which I should have said. To make a long story longer, I wrote back and told her I know where Alaska is and explained to her the problem. We are talking over $100. just to get the account going..........not this chick, then if the Federal Inspectors decide they do not want to let the plants in the country or state, they just throw them away. Not my plants. Each state and country have their own regulations regarding plants and if you do not comply, you loose money and plants.
What is so difficult about that? I swear if I hear from her with one more question or smart ass remarks, I will scream. I am not a happy camper today.
Weather is down to 39 deg. Winds are 40 mph and gusting higher, we are trying to get this stupid fence up and the rain is about to begin around noon.
Good news is that Barney came through all his tests NEGATIVE and the doctor and I both agree if it was his pancreas he would be sicker all the time. If it was "diver" he would also have other symptoms, and so we have ruled out the ones that we were concerned about and we are going to keep him on a fat free diet and she will check him every month. His age of course is the big thing and now he is on fiber, baby vitamins and denosyl.
Must go check on my SIL, he is doing this fence alone today and I worry about him. Later, JB.

The blueberries are supposed to be low chill. We'll see. They may just end up on the long list of things that don't work here - at least for me.

Bad leg cramps last night. I haven't been to twon to get quinine. I eat lots of bananas.

Tony found a frog in my outdoor plant room this morning and relocated it down to the river. I may put a toad house in the plant room as they eat a lot of bugs. I water a lot so I have damp earth which is probably why they show up here. Might as well make them welcome. I do not feel the same way about mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and snakes. We don't have gophers. We have lots of spiders - I don't like them but they're OK outside.

I'm tired of people who only see what needs to be done, not what's been acomplished. I had a neighbor who would come over, ignore any improvements and say things like, "Looks like the same old sh@t." One day, after several of these comments I said, "You should realize that I serve the useful purpose of being a person to whom everyone else can feel superior." He hasn't been over lately. Neighbor Dana was over the other day for a tour of the garden. I had converted two of my old wooden chairs found at the dump into plant chairs with a little rescued table between them. A tableau, as it were. Dana said, "But you can't sit in them." Duh.

I'm not quite awake yet.

Nine days to go. Then I leave for Ca.

hugs, katie

Crossposted.

In another Forum we came up with the idea of the Granny Goons - a group of us old women who would travel around as necessary to straighten some of these people out.

kb