Amanda You can use the unbleached paper you get from your local moving company that is designed for packing. It works very well if you can get it cheap enough. Sometimes they have paper that the bundle is dirty or busted and will sell it at a reduced rate.
Jeri lime is actually used to reduce the compactness of clay. Why did you lose the good soil under it or was it already scraped away?
Charlotte I had more trouble with bugs eating that variegated brug that Kenny gave us than any green one. Remember the picture I posted when in one day it was completely stripped of all leaves? The tomato horn worm loves it but you will see droppings. The green grasshoppers love to eat it too. Since I had the back surgery last fall I couldn't bring my pot in and my cutting rotted so I guess I will not be fighting the bugs off it this year. I had to constantly spray it, even the systemic poison wouldn't keep them off it. I loved it though because it was beautiful without any blooms.
Mid-South Gardners Member List II
No it converted to clay. I'm not sure if it was the limestone or the landscape cloth.
I'm going to really go over the variegated brug really good today. The one I have is Maya. I bought mine some where and it is a good size now. When I took it outside it had a lot of really healthy leaves. They are now chewed to pieces. I noticed this morning that some of the other brugs sitting in the same group also have some chewed leaves. I just sat a bunch of them in a group right outside the workshop. I'm going to spray them today and try to get them moved around some. This is the first time I've had trouble with bugs eating Maya.
Ya'll are teaching me something here... Trying to plant swap plants. The area I chose I turned over this weekend.
These plants don't like much water... and it's clay....After all this rain, the area has not drained yet....
So here's a combination my thoughts, a landscaper friends advice, and the above: Dig up about 1/2 foot of clay....build the bed up (I'll use large rocks for the border). put down a mix of lime, sand, and soil and build up about a foot, then plant.
What are your thoughts?
Mary I expanded a bed in my front yard a few years ago so I could put in day lilies. I had zosia (sp is wrong) grass in the area. I dug it up - actually I was able to just peel it up! Then I outlined the bed with large stone. Then I bought in several truck loads of compost and built it up. I ended up with probably 10 or 12 inches of compost in some areas - some not so much. My plants have really like it and have really done well.
MaryandLance - I would never put lime down unless I had a soil test. What's the point?!
Interesting.
I wonder if you put some kind of fill in for drainage and then put your soil mix on top of that . . ..?
Also - I thought I'd read that a lot of sand in clay is not necessarily a good thing. A good ratio for soil is 2 to 1 pine bark fines to sand, but that's for potting, not sure about soil conditioners.
Maybe I should stop talking now. :D
Riverland - I have some of that paper from moving, but not enough to make a dent. I have been gathering cardboard boxes for my own yard and new beds. I told my neighbor friend to start collecting newspapers. :)
Here's a side note on that "unbleached paper." There is something toxic about it. I raise butterflies from caterpillar stage here. I lined a tank with that paper one year - I ran out of paper towels and figured it'd be okay.
I was in a rush, on my way out of town. When I put those monarch caterpillars in the tank on that paper they reared up their heads like something was wrong. My BF told me not to worry. More than half of them died some strange unnatural death over the weekend I was gone. I have never seen such a thing. Makes me wonder what the paper was treated with.
This is paper in a box sold by UHaul for shipping.
A.
Mary never add sand to clay. Read this link:
http://patwelsh.com/wpmu/blog/soils/never-add-clay-to-sand-or-sand-to-clay/
Does the link say that clay + sand = cement? :D
Yes it does! I make hypertufa and I add sand to my portland cement to make it strong.
I think that's what I read or maybe learned in MG class?
Good to know some things stay in my brain.
Wow - Thanks Cperdue, Jeri and Amanda.... you saved me a potential disaster.
I'll bring some soil to the LSU show tomorrow... I'm working at the Hibiscus booth 2p-4p Jeri - if you are around !
Maybe someone there can sample it. Then will stop and look for some gypsum.
We did some composting this year and it hasn't broken down yet completely... Hubs has some cow manure ...sounds like a combination of this would be best... but I'll take any more advice if ya'll have any.
Hope your weekend is as pretty as can be !
Mary, my Mary & I plan on being there around 9:30AM. I have to be back in Central for Cooking for the Kids at lunch and Brooklyn is dancing after the cook off. Everything happens in one day. Plus all the walks are going on in St. Francisville. LOL!!!!
OH Jeri - what a full day... I HOPE to be still asleep at 9:30am LOL.. probably won't... but one can hope ! :o)
Hey there - thanks for making this a sticky thread! :)
I am organizing a plant swap in the Carolinas Gardening forum. If anyone is interested in coming to Greensboro in May, please follow us here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1246510/
Also a plant trade/giveaway thread started here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1249542/
Happy Spring!
Hi Jeri! Just wanted to say again I really enjoyed the Forest Hill trip....even if it was a short one.You, Cindy, & the others are a hoot! I went back to FH the following week and spent the day. Did you see the Nong Nooch Vine at Dougs? He had a few when I went back. Love this vine!
I'll post pictures later tonight on Mid-south gardening of all of you. They turned out cute!
Yes we enjoyed it too, Dollie!!!! Yes I got the Noch Noch Vine in a beautiful hanging basket at Poole's. I was really pleased with everything that I got too!!!
Hello everyone, Got lost for a while. Hope all is well, I'm going to try to catch up. I am still Gardening more than ever, still painting.
Bettye I was just thinking of you this morning!!! Glad you found your way back to us!!! You have been missed!!! Pray all is well with you and your family!!!
Morning Jeri, We are well.
Mother had a couple of Strokes last year and we had to move her to a nursing home. It has been a busy year getting her adjusted. She is doing well.
Lyn is doing well, no more signs of the cancer. She is still in Montana, The boys and their famlies are too busy like everyone else.
We lost out two little dogs "Picabo" and "Doodle" last year at 16 & 17. I said "no more dogs. That lasted for about two months until a friend placed a tiny ball of fluff in my hands a year ago yesterday. I knew she was supposed to be part of my life.....She is...She runs it now. I hope I can get envolved on Daves Garden again. I think of everyone often.
I am going to try to post a picture of Roy, Me and our new addition "Maggie".
Love you all,
Betty
Betty you look great and it has been way too long!!! Glad your mom and Lyn are doing well now. So sorry to hear of the lost of your two dogs!!! You have to admit, to have lived so long they had good lives. Maggie is adorable!!!! I'm glad she has adopted you and Roy!!! Yall look happy!!!!
Hi Betty glad you are back with us. You have definitely been missed. That's a wonderful Picture of you and Roy. Maggie is cute too.
Cindy
Hi Betty glad to see you back!! That's a really cute little furball!!
Hey everyone the New Orleans Botanical Plant Sale is this weekend. Hope to see Ya there!!!
Wish I could make it!! I bet that is quite a sale!!!
Hi, Betty, we sure have missed you!
Hello all,
Just wanted to check in and introduce myself, I've been poking around the different forums and posting here and there for a few weeks. Now that I followed the mid south forum ( and it wasn't easy to get to here.:) ) I wanted to chime in with like minded folks. I'm an imported southerner. Moved to e. TN 2 years ago from NYC where i was only able to garden on an occaisonal roof with 5 gal. buckets. Orig from Cinti OH but lived in So.Cal as a kid. ( had a hippie mom with gypsy blood) Anyhoo, I LOVE it here. I have been able to have flowers and a nice veg garden last year. I have gardened on and off for years, but am now quite the avid plant person. I think the variety of wildlife here has gotten me more interested. I am doing almost everything from seed and chem.free. Last year I was bitten by the hummingbird bug and have started a hummer/butterfly garden. Can't wait for them to come back! Ok, well I look forward to knowing all of you.
Welcome, come and chat on some of the other threads with us and tell us about your butterfly garden.
Welcome Scarlet !
Hi Scarlet!!!! Glad you made it to the Mid-South!!!!
Hi Scarlet, Welsome to Mid South and Tennessee
Hi, Scarlet!
Like you, I moved south from Boston and love the long growing season.
Glad you found us here. :)
A.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
I made the big leap and put all my veggies in my 3
new raised beds (built by great husband) this weekend. Whew! Now its a matter of hanging my nose over the edge of the beds to babysit these plants. I will not miss ferrying them in and out of the house. I got over excited by the unseasonably warm temps and planted okra way too soon. It was a gamble, and I lost. The 2 nights of 32-36 degrees we had last week put an end to them. Lucky there were seeds left, so those are just now poking their heads above the surface. They should be ready right on time. Did anyone else lose during that brief cold spell?
I was fortunate. Only my haricort verts showed a little burn around the edges - they were the most recent sprouts and probably more tender.
Do you think we're clear of it yet? I have had a few of my WS seedlings looking a little sickly so I brought them in until the temps get back to 60-70. I'm not eager for the high heat though, believe me!
Better luck with the new okra starts. There's a southern food I've not grown a fondness for! ;)
A.
Okra is a funny thing. I hated it for years. Turns out it had always been overcooked. Ick. Since my husband really likes it I started adding it to my tamale pie (you know, taco meat with corn,rotel and cornbread on top) and it was good. No slime factor. Then it went in chili, gumbo of course, it is popular also in indian food. As i used it more, I enjoyed it more. Last year I grew about 6 plants of clemson spineless that were un spectacular to put it kindly. Each one gave me about a pod every other day. My dirt was clay and they were kinda crammed together. I learned here at DG that they don't like to be crowded. This year I will have more plants, and in my new raised beds with decent dirt they can have elbow room.
Weather...sigh... Sunday and Monday may have evening lows around 37-40. I worry, but I believe we are out of the woods. Although, anything can happen. I am looking forward to summer, but not the humid southern scorchers. It beats cold,grey and ice though,so bring on the sun!
No slime?!
Inconceivable!!!
As for the cold and ice - I can't argue with you there, though I melt in the heat. I hear San Diego is nice nice nice year round. ;)
A.
Jeez Louise! what a wild start to the week! Weather forecast was talking mid 30 temps for Sun & Mon nights. Ugh! I just put all my plants, and veggies out. Shopped for some last minute fillers for butterfly/hummer area on Sunday.(of course I spent 2x my budget!lol! even with using the clearance rack.) Anyhoo, picturing all my hard work with starting almost everything from seed just to end up frozen...I almost cried. Then I got to WORK! Anything in a pot came in the house. Covered everything in yard with sheets, drapes, old tshirts, anything but underwear! My Husband is a carpenter/painter so we have dropcloth(too stiff) and some very thin plastic sheeting. This stuff is like gossamer...we stapled it over the raised beds with some 5gal buckets to keep it off the plants. Then, I stayed glued to the thermometer and worried. Sunday, never got under 50. worried some more, spent half the time checking the weather reports. Monday, never got under 43. So, all's well that ends well. Who would have thought that gardening was such an emotional rollercoaster! LOL!
Awwww - that sounds like a mess. Are you just going by TV weather reports? I keep close tabs on several weather sites for local reports. While the overnight forecasts can vary by several degrees, if any one of them says 35, then I do the drill.
I watch Wunderground Weather, Accuweather, NOAA, mainly if I'm in a panic.
We didn't get frost, but it was pretty close the other day. I brought my tiny stuff in too - just because the leaves are yellowing from the on and off sun and hot and cold days. Looks like it will level off this week. I know my friends in east TN/western NC had snow over the weekend, so I feel lucky. :D
No tv reports. I hate daytime tv. Chances are if I turn it on during the day, it will be some show with people arguing. Talk show, judge show, whatever, arguing. UGH! Oops, sorry about that rant. Anyhoo... I check accuweather,wunderground and weatherchannel online. Once they start talking about going under 40deg I get worried and start getting down the linens. I think it will be smooth sailing from here on out. For real this time.
Today's weather is wild! Stormy skies with very brief heavy rains. I took down the hanging basket on the porch, no sense getting bopped on the head with a flying fuschia!
It has been really windy here too - which is not typical for the piedmont. This low storm system has been a real duzie... I will be glad to see it go.
Got behind on this thread..... wanted to say welcome to scarletbean!
Also, wanted to say Hello to Picabo..... been missing your posts Betty. Asked about you a few months back on one of the other threads because I wondered where you had been. Sorry to hear about your babies, but glad you have a new baby to rule the roost. and so glad to hear that your daughter is cancer free!!
Genna