Aug. 2011 dry and hot, like July still!

Thanks for the bit of warning Will. I had thought I might ask my pain mgmt. Dr. if he has any hand Dr.'s that he trusts.

Can't wait to see your fountain set up. We have a big one in our backyard in the patio/pool area.

Crit glad to hear you got some repreve from the hot weather. Did you need a coat?

I gave over an hour talk on tropicals on Sunday afternoon. I think I worked 60 to 80 hours for an hour talk, sort of like a wedding...rofl! I worked so hard getting ready for this master gardener training session that I am shot..rofl and relieved that it is over with. First off I lucked out beause we have had some cool temps and got the gardens whipped back into some sort of shape the last 3 weeks. I have weeded, cut off dead stuff, mulched, mowed, trimmed, potted, decorated and organized! Then made outlines of the talk, tagged all the plants, cleaned the house, made snacks, you name it..rofl. Oh yeah, the tropicals were even helping, 4 out 5 hibiscus were blooming, plumeria was blooming (I don't even believe it was blooming the very first time), daturas had blooms, brug was in full swing with absolutely beautiful blooms, buddha belly, alot of perennias jumped into the act, roses were blooming like crazy, daylilies were reblooming, candly lilies, gosh you name it. Speaking of naming it, the way I quickly tagged everything was I got the little orange flags like they use to mark gas and water lines, put a number on it then made of list 1 thru 79 with the names, I had wanted to include the color and a few facts but I would of needed another 2 weeks rofl. I even managed to get enough starts of one of the ee's boa to give as a gift to everyone that came. Then another master gardener gave a talk on orchids and brought different orchids from her collection and had handouts. We almost looked like we knew what we were doing and talking about... ;)
I don't think I have ever had the gardens looking so good going into fall or my fall cleaning done so early... ;) Course we are talking gardens like everyone knows who suffered thru a horrible hot dry summer, so looking good is relative. Oh speaking of great DH, he took out all the area rugs on Friday and Saturday and cleaned them! Bless his little heart... All that work inside and one person went in to use the restroom...kind of like cleaning before Christmas morning... LOL
So this week I will water with Bayer to kill the critters in the soil of the tropicals and start working on getting them ready for fall and the winter ahead. Boy it feels good to be this far ahead, guess I should hold a class every August...rofl Maybe I can even get some stuff planted this fall.

Yeow happ! Welcome back! Over an hour talk?! Eeek! I'd fold up after about 5 seconds! I'm an introvert! You must be an extrovert. That's why I get on here and declare stuff! In person, I'm a quiet, blithering idiot though! I'm sure you did a fine job, happ. I want to hear what you say! Please feel free to share anything you want here. We are listening ears here. Like somebody once said, I think,
"If you can't learn from others, you'll live life not knowing much!"!

Here's that Cardinal plant and what appears to be little sprouts at the base. I hope those are Cardinal plants, they will also make a fine addition to the landscaping plan!
Don't mind the spider hole, they are everywhere!

Thanks Crit, I hope the setup of the fountain goes well. I'm slowly setting up the pieces to it today. Some of them are quite heavy, so I take my sweet time!
Even the pedestal for the bottom birdbath tier is a heavy sonofagun! It rode in the trunk of my car, it prolly broke that thin sheet that's in there, I've already wheeled it into place.
Gosh, I only want to do this setup once, I hope it stays level!

You're welcome, Crit. Don't let my opinion discourage you from getting treatment for you're hand. I'm sure the exception is not the rule, speaking of my Dad's questionable healthcare treatment, (my opinion).
Will


This message was edited Aug 29, 2011 4:27 PM

Will, itlooks like the cardinal plant to me. I googled and the leaves look similar. Don't plant it though til we know for sure. No need to spread the weeds around!! lol

Will, I understand completely about talking in front of people, as I have gotten older I figured out everyone sitting out there would be terrified to get up and talk and some how that makes it feel easier, plus I knew everyone and it is a subject I love, my tropical plants. I spoke about elephant ears, voodoo lily which no one knew about and I love that plant and had lots of questions, brugmansia which is another plant that I love, it was soooo easy to talk.

I can tell you this it is so nice to come home to a clean garden and a clean house. The only thing I have left I want to clean is the storage shed and the storage room in the house and I will feel like I really accomplished something.

I need to weed around my flowers before fall is over then I will feel great!! And get my witch hazels planted along with a few other plants. lol. Gotta figure out what to do with my magnolia. My dad says no way am I planting it. lol. I need a couple more climbing roses but the good nurseries want you to order 3 at a time and I don't need 3. Or they charge outrageous shipping. Get radishes in the ground, mulch a few places and bring tropicals in and I'm good!! I need t o get my plumeria in a pot quick.

Pepper your list isn't bad to get done. Why won't he let you plant a magnolia?

Will, my witch hazel is doing great, I don't have it planted yet, because I am not sure where to put it, I want it where I can see it bloom in late winter which will have to be by the drive way because I don't usually go strolling thru the gardens in the winter...rofl. Especially the last few years.

I would love to get some Witch Hazel started. I'm in the back yard all the time with the doggies and going out to feed the aminals. (no, that's not a typo. that's what I call them. lol)

Oh Crit I am not a cold person AT ALL! When I lived in Colorado I skiied all the time and loved it, but Missouri winters have been horrible, cold, windy, and way toooo much snow and nothing fun to do. Up on this hill the wind blows like crazy! ughhh.

I tried to ski one time, spent more time on my butt than on my ski's!

That is how everyone learns to ski...rofl.

Kansas City has one of the biggest ski clubs in the nation and when I was single I would go with them skiing, then I got married and DH doesn't ski, so we started going to the beaches which is a much better idea...rofl.

I skied a lot in the 60's. There were no snow boards or hot dog types then. Just enjoyable skiing.
Of course a little parting in the chalet! Winter of 66-67 I had 43 lift tickets on my jacket! We skied almost daily.
Oh, did I mention, lift tickets were $3 most places. Big hills in upper Michigan were $5.

Wowzer that is alot of ski tickets.... ;) We were in the military when I lived in Colorado Springs and we could rent skis for nothing and lift tickets were nothing thru the military, course back then the miliary were paid nothing...rofl. We were lucky tho cause I always worked so we had some extra money. Ski trips thru the club in KC were a riot. Now I do want to say the ski club had/has family ski trips and ski trips for kids and I am sure they were different but for the single ski trips were alot of fun.

We went to Reno, NV for a week, ski all day, casinos/party all night, and truely thought that trip might kills us, our hotel room was for changing clothes because no one was sleeping...rofl. Then we went to Taos, NM on a train, 2 rail cars full of skiers, and of course we owned the club car...rofl. I got married right after that trip and every time I have a anniversary my friend says OMG it has been that long since I had fun! rofl. Mostly we skied in Colorado. Never skied in MN, Utah, or places up North.

I am glad Will mentioned being cautionary with the finger. When my husband's hand was hurt, the "hand" dr wanted to do surgery cutting a tendon. The P. therapist suggested getting a second opinion. The second dr. said "NO way" to give it time to heal. We did and it did.
Then, my dad called one day telling me he was set up for a pace maker the following week. I told him to get a second opinion. He did and the second cardiologist said "no way". Dad lived a long time after that.
Then, there's the ophthalmologist that tells the pt. he/she needs emergency glaucoma surgery and has them coming back all the time for check ups.
I could go on, but I won't. I highly recommend second opinions before a surgery.

I have been enjoying the cooler, dryer air. We have soooo much humidity. It's usually above 50%. Last evening, it was 29%.
Even though the temps were hot: 89*, it was quite tolerable. Like happ, I have been doing a lot of weeding. We're putting Preen in areas we don't want any annuals to re-seed. The ground in some places is sprinkled with weed seeds after we pull the weeds out. It's just been so nice to be able to go outside and get something done. The accomplishment feels so satisfiying.

I should put preen down where I have those purple cone flowers, I sure don't need any more of those. This year they just fried and the finches are already eating the seeds or I would yank them all out. I figured out I can pull them from the stem and if any root is left I pot it up for our plant sale, it doesn't care that I don't dig it....that is called tough!

What perennials do you all have blooming now? I have a plant called turtles head that has a purple bloom that I think could be pretty agressive if it wasn't planted where it is surprise lilies just stopped blooming, I have a couple of reblooming daylilies and if I would get some rain I think I would have more, a few roses, sweet autumn clematis is about to burst open, and some mums....always trying to find fall blooming flowers, oh yeah autumn joy.

I have 2 mums blooming, salvia that reseeds every year, toothache plant which is neat looking, and none of my roses are doing anything that I know of. Sucks. In a few days I plan on eye shopping for roses and maybe get a few though I only want and need 1. lol.

That's pretty much it on blooming right now. Weeds of course blooming. lol

My dad won't me plant the magnolia because it gets so big and we really don't have a good spot for it. I'm thinking that I will just move it to a bigger pot when I dump out my pots for the season. Then just shove it in the corner for winter.

Glad to hear the Witch Hazel is doing great, happ. The state of MO. is selling them to MO. residents for $8 for 25 of them still. That's where I got them, if anybody wants to go in on some or anything, they don't open until Nov. tho. - http://extra.mdc.mo.gov/cgi-bin/mdcdevpub/apps/seedlings/search.cgi?record=all If you want some, Crit, I'd have them sent here as the MO. resident!

Today, I potted the little Madagascar Palm seed package that my friend gave me this year. I don't know if any will come up, the packet said packed for 2010.

I've never been skiing or even played golf!

It is warming back up again here, 99° then 98°, tomorrow and Thursday! - http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/64054:4:US Boy, was that light rain today ever a disappointment! I was in it when it was coming down and I was thinking, "oh good!" But, it wasn't even enuff to cover the ground or in my case, the windshield!

What kind of Magnolia, Pepper? Southern Magnolia or Saucer Magnolia? If it were me, I'd find room for a Southern Magnolia, a broadleaf Evergreen would be very nice to have! They DO take up a lot of room though, and closer to the bottom. And Saucer Magnolia is also neat, it is a great reminder that Spring is here, when it blooms.
Will

Here's an even closer and clearer photo of the Cardinal Flower plant. I hope that's what it is, I'd like to have it for the Hummingbirds and for the color. I Googled it today and looked at some photos too, but I can't tell really.

Ohhhhhh, I would LOVE some "hot" 89* temps. Beats the triple digets we are having!

Will.... that would be terrific. Thanks!

I love the smell of the big white magnolia flowers!

Time to get ready for work. Will let you know what the doc says and if I need a second opinion.

Oh I hope I remember to order some more in Nov.....I would write a note but I would lose the note by then...rofl.
It rained lightly the biggest part of the day at my house, our air condidtioning went on the fritz last Sunday, but the house has been comfortable and DH has goofed around and thinks today he will call the ac guy out....have a funny feeling 1st off he probably won't make it today and 2nd when DH hears how much it will cost DH will decide to do it himself....which means I am guessing the house will be warmer today...rofl.

Hard to believe it is the end of August all ready. Wouldn't mind fall if winter didn't follow, or winter ended the end of December.. ;)

Happ: put a note on the month of Nov. to order the plants. That's the way I have to do it!
Yes, that would be great if we could call winter over at the end of Dec! Summer seems to go by so fast and winter seems to stay around longer.

Oh birdy, I would love more summer, but I wonder if my body could keep up with what my minds wants...rofl. I know I am solar powered but I have noticed I am tireder (?) now than the beginning of summer, so is it I am worn out or lack of batteries being charged by the shorter days? hummmm? Other thing I can't quite figure out is why after all these months and all the playing in the gardens do I still get sore!!! You would think at some point my body would get use to it.

Well happ, it sounds like you have done a tremendous amount of work in your gardens lately. I still have to preen, mulch and re-seed poppies and larkspur. I need to move some perennials around, but not sure it's going to happen. Oh yes, then there's the little perennials I started from seed that I have been watering all summer. I wait until we are getting some fall rains before I plant them. It's so dry now, they would not make it, and I don't want to provide water for them.

Will, that "cardinal flower" sure looks pretty. I like the red in the leaves. Has it been confirmed it is a cardinal flower?

Does anyone have a good weed eater they like that is easy to maneuver? My husb. has one that requires a special blend of gas and is about 7 to 8 feet tall. It is in need of repair of some sort. I have never been able to use it. I'm way to short to control that big thing. I would like your input. I may post on Tool Shed. I think that's the name of the forum.

They make smaller ones. Just have to look for them. Try Feldmans or Tractor Supply. I don't trust Walmart on that stuff unless you don't mind if it only lasts a few years. The best thing to do is to just go look at them and hold them and move like you would if you were weed eating. Find a salesman who knows his stuff too. Makes a big difference.

I hope next weekend I get to get some stuff planted. Gonna be nice!! I need to get my bushes and other plants in the ground for the season.

Will, it's Magnolia 'Jane'. http://www.arborday.org/treeguide/treeDetail.cfm?id=259

Here are some more pics of it: http://www.google.com/search?q=magnolia+jane&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=763&prmd=ivnsfd&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=9M9eTpPQIaT-sQL-8pEv&ved=0CDgQsAQ

I think it will do good in a pot. We have several in a pot at PG. They even put Christmas lights on them. I just need to find a way to keep them warm enough so they don't die on me. I need to do that with my dappled willow bush also. It gets huge so it's staying in a pot.

Silene Catchfly

Never saw a catch fly before, do hummingbirds like it?
It is funny to walk around the house to water, it is kind of shocking how clean it is...rofl. No empty pots, bags of mulch, or anything sitting around. It would be nice if it stayed that way, but! LOL.

Anyone heard from Billyp?

She just posted today on weather. She's falling behind again. lol

Both hummers and butterflies like it. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/royal_catchflyx.htm

birdie.....I got a lightweight battery operated weedeater called the Worx. I has a battery that you charge when it runs out. Battery life depends upon what you are eating. I usually run about 30 minutes before I have to recharge, which is about the time my battery runs out too! ^_^

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

This thread is closed!! New thread for September!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1217625/