>> Just don't send back any that i sent you
Hah! Ya never know, with my leaky brain-pan.
Sometimes, late at night, I'm trying to rememeber whether something was
asked for, or sent to me, by the person I'm making a pkg for.
Clearly, handling large numbers of seeds erode the brain.
Corey
CLOSED: Free Seeds for New Bees July 2011
The Arctium lappa is a biennual and is not invasive at all.
The only one that spreads via runners is the Arnica montana, but it's easy to pull out.
A plant can be invasive in a particular area, particular soil or particular zone. None of the seeds I sent in are invasive in my zone/garden.
So please everyone who asks for seeds must check if the plant is invasive in his or here state.
Jonna
>> So please everyone who asks for seeds must check if the plant is invasive in his or her state.
That is good advice for everyone, everywhere. Sometimes I call my local "Master Gardeners" since it is such a local question. They seem to enjoy answering the phone for a qustion that has a pretty specific, knowable answer.
Where I looked online, no one at all called any of them "invasive" or hard to get rid of.
Last night I printed and partly cut up several hundreds of little labels! That, and the measuring seeds out with little spoons and little funnels into little ziplocks is the part I like best, becuase it isn't confusing and no decisions or special knowledge are needed.
Corey
What are French Marigold's?
Corey, if you get any French Hollyhocks, I would love to have some. I had them when I lived in Kansas. They have tiny purple flowers, look just like regular ones but smaller.
I think you are doing great with the seed stash!!!
Patti, I am just SO much not the right person to ask what a certain flower is! When you siad I was "knowledgable" in some feedback, I had to post a rebuttal! (but thank you)
The one French Marigold that I ever planted was small (low to the gorund, like 9-12" in my clay, and patterned yellow-and-red blooms. MUCH shorter and fancier than other marigolds. But that's just one variety.
I don't recall seeing "French Hollyhocks" in the "Hollyhock Bag" but I just looked them up. If that means
"Malva sylvestris " and/or "Mallow", I think "yes", and maybe "yes several".
Two people (from KS & Portland, Oregon) said this variety was "invasive": Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina'. But as someone told me about something that others thoguht was invasive: "maybe not, if you know what you're doing". I guess that means always dead-heading. Someone said "deep tap roots. I dunno!
I've added those to the "Want List" for your package, and you can decide if they're likely to be hard to eradicate where you live.
The only "invasive" thing I knowingly planted, I still haven't been able to grow past the 1" seedling stage after 3 tries. .
Corey
Corey ~ You are doing a terrific job with the seeds! Keep up the good work. It is a tedious task for me just to sort my seeds, but when I do, I will send you a good size packet.
I am still starting seeds. Actually I have started a few fall veggies and I hope to get the biennials sown soon, as I wanted to do them earlier, but it was too hot and I know I would not have kept them watered. I suppose I could start some in the seed-starting procedure that I go through each winter; some in the plastic fruit boxes, and larger ones in cell packs covered until germination, on the back porch. That would be the only way I can keep an eye on the new ones. I did put a few in a square foot garden and put some flats over them and now I see a few seedlings, finally. I never know when I do that as it is so hot and I don't know when or if they germinate. It takes a while that way.
Outlaw..... can you tell me what a French Marigold is?
Zebrina .... that's it. They make seeds like a regular hollyhock does. I want them to spread. They are so delicate, and I LOVE purple. Here, they also come back from the roots each year.
Saw the hand doc this morning. He is suggesting surgery on my finger to reconnect the nerves. If I leave it, I have a 50% of them finding each other. Could take up to 2 years and don't know how much I might get back. I expect they are pretty frayed being ripped like they were. My plan was to get a 2nd opinion is the diagnosis was surgery, but he is going to be gone 2 weeks and wants to do it Friday night before he leaves. Yes, night.....lol 7:30 p.m. He said I could wait until Sept. 13 when he gets back if I want to get a 2nd opinion. He said it could be done, but may not get as good results as I would if we do it now. I figure if he wants to do it at night before he leaves, it really should be done, so I'm going to do it. I really need to be able to feel that finger so I can type and run a calculator. That is important for the work that I do, and with going to have to apply for new jobs soon, I need to be able to pass typing tests! Pray for good results.
Time for bed. Nighty-Night
Corey,
I'm in zone 3a and have various forms of malvas growing here. In my zone, they are quite hardy, and one of the few perennials that put on a nice showing thoughout late august and into september when everything is fading. They do self seed, so you have to keep on top of them, but I personally think they're beautiful. If a seedling pops up where or I don't want it in the spring, or even if several of them do, they're easy to dig up and pass along to another person. I freecycle my extra seedlings in the spring.
If I dig them up when they're no more than a few inches tall, they transplant well, and have not had an opportunity to develop a strong tap root.
Even when they get bigger, they're not hard to pull out, so extras are really not difficult to get rid of. At least in my experience. They're a whole lot easier than daisies or yarrow....LOL
I personally love that they are covered in so many vibrant colours, hold up to my wind, rain and out of this world hail storms....and they always come back with a bunch.
Just my two bits......
Thanks....Heather
French Marigolds are the small ones, maybe 6-8," often single. I love them, use them in planters and in the herb and veggie gardens. They get quite bushy and are covered with flowers once they get going. Very sweet and cheerful looking...
Pam
I've grown a few mariglods which doesn't necessarily make me an expert, but here's my input
French Marigolds (Tagetes patula) are generally short 10"-12" varieties with smallish flowers used in border and edging plantings. A good example is the common generic O/P "Sparky".
African Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are much taller 2'-3' plants often bearing large carnation type flowers that make excellent stem cuts. A good example is the commom generic O/P "Crackerjack"
Before I go any further, I will also say that there are many, many variations on both, which can be found in seed catalogs and DG's plantfiles. If you are looking for something specific, that's the place to find them.
All marigolds are easy and fun to grow, you can add a lot of color and excitement ot your garden for a minimal price just by sowing seeds. The generic O/P's are easy seed savers as well, simply pluck off the completely dried flower heads, trim off the excess flower petals with scizzors and flick the seeds into cool-whip containers for winter storage. Right now (fall) is the time to look for dried seed heads from neighbors and friends for next year's planting.
Al
"Sparky"
Right now!? Fall!!!????? Take that back! dirty words. Lol
why am i planning my winter sowing efforts? Ugh where did summer go?
Another pix of the tall African type
Al
"Crackerjack"
Thanks Heather: probably the difference in opinions comes down to what you said, and what someone else said about some other plant:
"They're not invasive if you know what you're doing"
>> They do self seed, so you have to keep on top of them,
>> If a seedling pops up where or I don't want it ... they're easy to dig up and pass along to another person.
>> If I dig them up when they're no more than a few inches tall, they transplant well, and have not had an opportunity to develop a strong tap root.
>> Even when they get bigger, they're not hard to pull out,
And, I would guess that deadheading every few weeks would cut down on the re-seeding.
Corey
Thanks Al, now that I see your pic of sparky, I know what they are. Yes I love those too!!! I always save marigold seed. I have several variety including African. Just didn't know those were called French Marigolds. ^_^
Al do you happen to have any 'cracker jack' seeds for postage or possible trade?
I lost my baby, a coon hound named cracker. Her full name was 'cracker jack' I'm working on building a memory garden over her grave.
African Marigold "Crackerjack", you bet! Even if the stash doesn't, I have some from Botancial Interest for 2010. 2.5 - 3 feet tall, 4" gold, orange & yellow blooms.
I don't have my "records" with me, but I might still owe you your package. I think I sent it, but couldn't swear to it.
Either way, I'd like to contribute them to Cracker's memory garden. They are very cheerful and vigorous flowers, hopefully that fits your dog.
Aww thanks!!! Yes that was her alright. One win away from grand knight champion. A great coon hound and a better lap dog. She stole our couch and our hearts and i was so excited to hunt her this year since I've never hunted. Let alone racoons. With dogs. I'm a city girl. But we got our little house in the country and our hound and i was ready! Miss her every day, except during thunder storms.
Oh, edited to add her full name was 'fire cracker' we just called her cracker jack' somewhere dustin's brother has all her paperwork. I'll have to check it out.
This message was edited Sep 3, 2011 1:19 PM
If I had ever been able to germinate the perennial Penstemon eatonii "Firecracker", I would send some of them also. They're supposed to be wildflowers, but I guess that means they don't germinate in captivity!
I found a whole pkt of commercial Crackerjack marigolds and I'll split them with you. I always got good germination in the past. (sow inside 4-6 wks B4 last frost or OUTSIDE AFTER last frost )
Corey
Awesome! Thank you so much!!!
Your very welocme. And unless my "records" are messed up, I still owe you all the other seeds we've discussed (including French marigolds, for contrast.
Slow Corey
Lol! It's fine. Take your time. They're all for winter sow....which is creeping up on us quickly! Besides, i change my mind what i like every 5 seconds. Lately my focus has been on my native woodland shade garden. So....if you have anything in that category that's my good too. Lol I'll pretty much love whatever i get. Unless it's mint. No mint. Lol
>> native woodland shade garden.
If my Brunnera establish themselves, next year I may be able to send roots. Good in shade. Rather like Forget-Me-Nots, but different genus.
But I only have a few Brunnera seeds, and they do seem to need stratification. I had 4 / 120 seeds germinate without stratification.
nhuntley sent them to me this year: some roots and some seeds.
Outlaw - I will put together a list of native plants for you for shade. I'll share with Corey and if we can scrape together some seeds we'll figure it out.
I was a natives only purist for a little while. Thankfully (?!) you folks on DG have caused me to have a change of heart.
That's a good thing A.
Lol Amanda! I know what you mean. Somehow every dg here seems to have sent me irises?! I like them, but didn't know the first thing about them. Now i will have a gorgeous iris garden.
And Well the shade garden is literally in the woods behind my house. There are quite a few natives already here, so far I've found red baneberyy, white baneberry ( dolls eyes), false solomon's seal, solomon's seal, Jack in the pulpit, and then there are things I'm sure I've yet to discover.
The front gardens are a whole other story. Lol I'm actually planning a complete overhaul for spring since i mostly focused on getting things in the dirt, and not the collective plan. It's lookin a hot mess. -_-"
Anyway. I found that what i truelly love is hydrangeas and ferns and hostas. Love the look often seen around old Victorian houses. Not a lot of color, but to each his own. There are plenty of other areas where i can put the bright flowery stuff. :) here's a picture of the garden I'm referring to...
LOL oitlaw. I'm thinkin' "someone" is a Clean House watcher with the "hot mess". lol
This is a mimosa tree stump that we had to cut down this spring. We are going to dig out in front of it and put in a pond. I am going to leave some of the suckers that are coming up from the roots as part of the background, and keep them trimmed down. Then have a miniature garden somewhere in the design, along with plants planted around it. Add a pump and some fish and walaaaaaaaaa................oasis in my back yard! ^_^
I've never seen this clean house you speak of... Including in my own house! Lol it's a disaster. We moved in in December and still have unpacked boxes. I'm actually on a break right now. If you can see the mess on the porch there it's a combination of everything i moved out of the kitchen to mop, plus painting supplies since we painted the house this weekend. Red & blue, i don't like it but my DMIL picked it out since this was her childhood home, and we rent from her. I just nod and smile. And pretend that i like it, for her, but also it just feels wrong to think red white and blue is atrocious on September 11th. Lol
Oh yeah, adding that so help me Corey if you send red white and blue seeds. I'll sing loudly, badly, god bless the usa, and courtesy of the red white and blue, and every other ballad i can think of! Lol
DMIL wants me to plant red geraniums.
LOL...."a hot mess" is something Neicy Nash says on the show "Clean House" where they go in and clean out and redo the house so it is real nice,
Don't feel bad, we moved to this house in December '09 and I still have boxes I haven't unpacked. lol It is a bigger house but I had a 10'x10' storage rented of my stuff. The house is bigger but not a lot of storage area.
My Mom loved geraniums, they are an old time favorite. I have to admit, I like them too.
I don't dislike them. I just never felt drawn to them, especially since they aren't hardy here, i usually have a hard time justifying the extreme expense of the nicer hanging baskets of them here. The ones at the big boxes always look dead. :(
I think i'm just stubborn About my gardens and want what i want. Lol
Oh you guys...
You might remember I'm a territory rep for Metrolina Greenhouses. Largest heated single site greenhouse in North America.
anyway. WE supply big box stores up and down the east coast. Trust me the plants don't look like that when we ship 'em!!!
However, when I find a beauty on the clearance rack, or even just hanging there waiting for clearance (I try not to take advantage of this - I do pull plants that need to be rotated to clearance). I remember in particular this purple ivy geranium you have all heard me talk about . The nice/unusual plants are usually the first to go. I was surprised to see this geranium still hanging, albeit mostly bloomed out, so I picked all the blooms off the plant so no one would buy it (who would buy a geranium with no blooms!?!) before I could hijack it out of there.
It could be my favorite plant. I don't really have a lot of "houseplants" per se, but those that I bring in from outdoors I consider to be . . . I have really grown to love geraniums overwinter - last winter I had an orange geranium with blooms as big as hydrangeas - I swear!!! It's crapped out out there this summer. The giant plant/rootstock just came out of its pot with only a little green left, but there is a nice new little plant in the pot where it used to be. I hope it's an orange geranium!!! I picked up a gorgeous salmon colored number this spring and the stems are the most interesting brown/black/red and odd colored leaves. Of course, now that I've abused it all summer not so much looking like that. I just recently gave it a haircut.
Those HB have 4 or 5 good sized plants in there. We (the stores) sell a 12" HB for about $5. You really can't beat it. Much of the time the plants don't have an ID if you're into that, but for me, it's become the way to go. I put some snapdragons in the ground last November and they have bloomed all summer. I'm calling them perennial now. I am cutting them back a little at a time so they can send up new shoots, and little by little they are making a spectacular comeback (these are yellow skyrocket).
these are the snaps that some crazy @$%^Y$%^&@!!! came by and cut down all my seed pods and stole them one night. So I have no seeds to share. I was so pissed off. But the plants are still lovely. I think I know who it is. This woman walks the neighborhood with her dog and a paper shopping bag. I'm on to her - I watch her combing thru people's garbage and stuff. Nothing wrong with that - but touch my snaps again and I'll have to get the shotgun!!!
Moral of the story - don't turn your nose up at retail big box plants. We supply Lowe's Home Improvement, Walmart, Sam's Clubs, many grocery chains like Food Lion, Lowe's, and Harris Teeter - at least in my neck of th woods.
Ok. 'nuff said.
A.
Didn't you say you had some starts of that purple ivy for me after it's haircut?
Oh dear! So sorry Amanda, didn't mean to sound like I'm bashing big box plants. I buy enough of them, on clearance even, just never tried geraniums.
I'm sure it's not the fault of the greenhouse that ship them, I've seen some crazy things at various stores, including bone dry hydrangeas and stopping wet cacti. Lol
We've seen the same problem time and time again here, too, especially at Walmart. Lowes doesn't seem quite as bad. If we're lucky enough to get the plants right off the delivery truck, it's usually pretty good quality. If Walmart employees have to take care of it for a week, it's usually pretty dead. Like these folks have never seen a plant before, let alone a water hose or what to do with one.
Al
I know. It's sad to see how they are taken care of, or NOT, after they are delivered to the stores!
I'd ko to work in the garden section, but something tells me I'd get fired for spending too much time deadheading, pruning, watering, relocating the burn victims, and those struggling towards the sun.warning customers of potentially noxious plants, or poor perfomers. Lol I'm just too honest for a sales job.
At least it would be nice to have someone that knows what their talking about.
believe me! I am as disgusted as anyone to see what happens to a plant at Walmart in July. :/
Some stores have people who know what they're doing. Some don't. Regrettably, management doesn't allocate enough staff/hours to the garden department. Try getting them to rotate those dead plants off the display - you couldn't let rotten bananas sit in the produce department. I don't get how they don't see it's the same outside.
Anyway - I'm not offended personally. Just saying. :D
Yes, Patti - I did say that - I don't know why but the cuttings didn't fare so well and ended in one of my garden beds. Have to wait till the next haircut. ;)
Have a groovy day!
A.
I went to WalMart in Bakersfield one day and they had plants on sale for a really low price and they were a plant that I wanted. BUT once I looked at them I left them at WalMart. They were covered with little white fuzzy bugs!! I pointed it out to the employee in the garden area and told her the plants should not be sold and needed to be remove and guranteed. She said they knew about the bugs, thats why the plants were on special sale. To get rid of them.
ha ha ha ha!