Yarden maintenance for April

Good luck with it MRosie.

Holly, the Peace Lily you gave me last year that had mealy bugs is now thriving and has over joyed me with two blooms the last few weeks or so. I am hoping the other two Peace Lilies I own will take the hint and at some point decide to bloom also. Did you do anything special to this plant to enable it to bloom?

I will be tending to some Begonias that were purchased earlier this week. I am sure that there are both indoor and outdoor chores to fill my day today. I hope that everyone has an especially good day in whatever direction it goes for you.

Ruby

Let us know about the Lysol, it could be the next big news! I once sprayed Pam on my Amaranth- you know, horticultural oil and all. LOL, It fried in the sun!

Ruby- I just read a plant article in our paper yesterday. THe guy mentioned Begnoias and stated "They are succulent, with juicy stems. Plant them in clay and do not overwater. " Just a tip. I have killed my share of Begonias.

I need to plant some Poppy seedlings that I successfully wintersowed. How much sun do they need? Flanders poppy and Somniferum, I think.

Sally, both species of poppies are full sun. I can't successfully grow either at this location.

Year after year I buy the poppies. They do well in the ground and give me a few blooms. Then, I never see them again. I keep trying. Seeds sown directly don't work. I have not tried starting my own. I just love the darn things.

Day one post lysol.

All looks fine. AND could it be I see new growth at tips? Maybe when on the bug hunt didn't notice. Read a lot about indoor bonsai and using gardenia. A big heap of growing isues - amazed it is still alive. I haven't misted or set on marbles or anything. Beginning of winter - late summer read it needed to be fertilized--- could not find that bottle of fish fertilizer. Mashed up sardines and gave it that. Maybe I got something going -- Lysol and sardines!

Thanks! My full sun is sketchy too. I have 1/2 acre but large trees which cast shadows variously and almost all over. Yet again I guess I'll move something to the part sun spot I had in mind, and make room in full sun.

Missing----

I have one little area in a bed--right next to my AC unit-- that I planted some orange
CA Poppies several years ago. They grew--and I got all excited....

--Then they spread a little--and I was not all that excited any more...
--Then I (think??) I decided I did not want them there--and dug it up and took it to a Plant Swap.
Yay!!! No more Poppies! Oh, you think????
--Every year since then--they are still coming up. Not many--just 2 or 3 stems.
I remember reading somewhere that Poppies cannot, completely, be dug up. Like dandelions....
You leave a bit of the root--and it will come up again and continue growing....

I think i will just let them "bloom where they are planted"......:o)

I do not get too many blooms either--just a couple. I do collect the seeds though.

Sometimes--you just cannot win! Gita

Love the poppies. I planted some oriental poppies from seed last year, but only 2 survived my long absence. I kept them inside over the winter, potted them up two weeks ago, and got ready to put them outside. I moved them in the garage. Guess what! A mouse ate them. There were also a couple of other plants in the tray at the same time. They were damaged, but not completed eaten. Just the poppies were completely gone. We finally caught the mouse, but the poppies were no more :-(

I can't imagine not wanting them Gita - wherever they decide to pop up!

I can't tell you the times I have planted them. Did you get from Home Depot?
Tell me the conditions around your AC ? Does it drain water there? I can't go the AC route- Sitting on a pad and pad sitting on smooth pebbles - north side of house and under an overhang.

One last thought about watering. It's kinda "Zen-like." It is the time to SLOW DOWN, ENJOY your beautiful growing things, and notice what is happening in your yard. After buying a cheapie hose and having it fall apart pretty soon, I bought a REAL GOOD HOSE for a great price at the end of growing season. Well now, that hose is of the no-kink type, it is a great color (Teal), and is a bit heavy and substantial. I love it. We're on well water so have to think about water flow, and cannot use hose splitters or multiple sources drawing on the well at the same time. So, I just get into a '70s kinda mood, and am patient with walking the hose (it's very long) to the edge of the property, then walking it back to water my thirsty, pretty growing things. And I smile alot. Ah! Gardening!

missing---

went out and took a picture of the bed by my AC. Also a close-up of the Poppies leaves.
It does not drain water--this is a central unit. In this bed I have always had a couple of roses.
They look semi-OK in the spring--but then waste away as the black spot gets them.

The Maple roots also meander into this bed. A bit of competition....
The high gutter of my house also leaks on this bed. Because of this--I dug up 2 Peonies that
were right under the leaking gutter. They never bloomed! Not enough sun? Too much water?
Planted them in mt S. side bed. They are growing well. Looking forward to them blooming.

#1 My AC bed. the Poppies are right next to the Unit in the right-hand corner
#2--Close-up of the Poppies foliage growing as we speak.
#3--coleup---your Bleeding heart going gang-busters....This is the small bed right in front
of my front entry door and steps....

Gracye, wouldn't you know soon after mentioning here how I loved watering I was re-introduced to a hose that John didn't replace with the non-kink one. I became so frustrated with this back yard hose the other evening. I kept thinking of what ssgardener had said about lugging it around and stuff, and that was definitely one of my least favorite watering activities. It is a pleasure though to use the other two hoses that have been replaced with the non-kink ones.

I grew poppies one year too and they never returned for me either. I like their looks but thus far haven't been something I would pay for having.

Today I am taking a break from gardening and am going gardening shopping later. I didn't realize that I had used muscles yesterday that have grown flabby over the winter, but I know it today though. I slept till after 10 AM and could have probably slept longer but felt guilty.

I am in search of reasonably priced smallish pots for potting small plants for our Farmers Market. Well, I take that back....I am in search of medium sized pots. The plants I will be potting up are now on the medium side and no longer smallish. Hoping that one of the several places I plan to visit will have something decent. I think that I read some time back that Donnerville was on a thread for finding inexpensive pots. Is anyone familiar with where that discussion was or have any ideas for a Sunday afternoon shopping trip? I should have asked this sooner I suppose rather than two hours before I intend to leave.

Anyway.....as always, very nice reading about all that everyone has going on in the gardens. Continued good luck with growing lots of lovelies.

Ruby

Ruby- if you have some sort of Southern States...we have one and he carries the inexpensive pots one would want. Maybe John can work into conversation with customers that he can use pots.

One time I saw the landscape crew installing dozens of pots of Liriope. I snatched some pots while they had left stacks here and there all over a large parking lot.

Ruby---

I gave Donner a box-full of pots--all sizes when she came here and took me out for a B-Day dinner.

Some of those pots were destined for YOU! But--then you never came to the seed swap.
So--I added a bunch of other, larger pots and gave them all to donner.

Working for a Nursery is the best way to get pots. The re-pot and pot-up and get rid of plants IN pots--
all you need to do is establish a "relationship" with these places and ask for any pots they are throwing out.
To them it is trash--to you--it is gold....

Gita

Hells Bells!! I think I may have pulled those up last year for weeds....

I have a question about alliums!

Now that I'm finally seeing bloom stalks, the leaves are starting to yellow, and some of them are looking almost dead.

Is this normal? I vaguely remember hearing that their leaves don't look good while flowering.

Or is this because of lack of water? I haven't watered that area as much, because I was afraid of drowning them and having the bulbs rot.

Sorry Terri, can't help you on the Alliums. I had them some years ago, but currently don't have any.

As for pots....I am not looking for nursery pots. We pretty much have that covered because John does have a nursery who allows him to get all that he wants to get. Yes Sally, he visited our Southern States last week because they are the only ones nearby who sell Perlite in bulk.

I am looking for more decorative types of pots but am considering using nursery pots at some point and just dropping the cost per plant. I recalled yesterday that Donnerville recently mentioned a discussion on good places to buy decorative pots, and she very kindly sent me to the thread, and I read it a bit ago and got some ideas for later.

Needless to say, I didn't shop yesterday after all the talk I did on here about it. I do plan to leave today and have my course charted. Will start with two Dollar General stores who may have what I want or not. I will also go to a Dollar Tree, Big Lots and possibly Ross and Target. The last week of April or first week of May I will head the other direction and go to Michael's and Tuesday Morning. Anyway.....if I find anything suitable, I am going to be very hoggish, and buy all that are on the shelf. Last summer I found really cute and expensive looking pots at Dollar Tree and regret not buying more of them then.

I hope to find a pot for planting my Caladium in today also. It needs to be 10 inches deep. Wish me luck, and if I find anything to write home about, I will post pictures. Thanks for the input all. I guess I should add that John will take any leftover gallon and up sized nursery pots if anyone has more to get rid of. No problem with Donnerville taking the ones you were bringing for me Gita. I appreciate the thought and offer and am thrilled that Donnerville can use them.

Wishing each of you a wonderful day.

Ruby

Ruby--

For the first time I saw a big bag of Perlite for sale at my HD..
Not sure what you consider "bulk"--but this one was just a bit smaller than
a mulch bag.
In out HD--it was with all the House Plant stuff and the smaller bags of soils.
You may want to check it out.....Don't know the cost--I can look next time I am at work.

Gita

Sure Gita, check on the price of it and let me know. John heads HD direction more often than the Southern States area of town anyway, so he would appreciate knowing of another source. I believe that our Southern States if closed on Sundays too which is another reason we might need another supplier.

Hmmm....as for mulch bags, he gets mulch by the truck load, so can't compare to a bag of it, though I believe from memory of bags of mulch I have seen, this is about the same size.

A reminder that I need to go outside and secure the bag from opening it last evening. I certainly don't want that stuff to spill everywhere. I have had my share of breathing the fine powder that flies every where when working with it.

Thanks for offering to find out what HD charges. I believe he paid nineteen dollars for this, but I may be wrong.

Ruby

When the heat breaks, I will put my poppies in my sunny driveway bed, and then sprinkle my seeds of Cal poppies around there too. There, I said it, its a plan, lets hope I remember. The pansies there are looking pretty distressd already. Great place for them in winter but they can't last in summer.

Worked my body to a pulp outside today! From 10AM until 3PM. Had to stop--everything was hurting....
Came in to sit down and watch Dr. Phil. Bah--Humbug!

Among other things--I got my patio furniture all set up. Wiped clean--cushions on and arranged....
Brought out almost all my HB's--which almost all seem to be Spider plants. Plus--my BIG Ric Rac.
My Curly Spider HB was getting very pot-bound. Decided to take it all out and divide it up.
NO biggie! It came right apart. So--I got 3 HB's out of this one. All really full.

I started bringing out some of the Clivias as well. The ones that are done blooming....
Have several more inside to go. Anyone want one??? Please D-mail me. They are NOT freebies.....
Jill--maybe you have some friends that would like one???

Next big chore is to dig up all my beds and dig in some of that Mushroom Soil I slaved over to dig up and bring home.
I have a new Clematis coming from Brushwood--FREE!--as they sent me the wrong one when I ordered it 2 years ago.
Mike there is a sweetheart!!!!

Can't decide exactly WHERE to put it--as if I had endless choices----HA! That would be a joke!
I will be getting a Proteus free because of all this. I used to have one--but it slowly died.
I would like to put it in the same small bed--it would get bright AM sun until about 2PM.
I may move it more to the front of this bed---You would laugh if you saw how little this bed is!!!
Maybe I will go out and take a picture.......Ridiculous--NO?

It USED to have my KK Hibiscus in it--but you all know how HUGE that grows.
It got dug up and mover to the small round bed on my front lawn.

Then--It used to have all those fancy Lilies in it --the "Honeymoon" and the "Chinese Trumpet Lilies--Regale"
that I ordered when I got back from my trip to Latvia and fell in love with the Regales...

Well--I think they just did not get enough sun here (GREAT AM sun--until 2PM)--so I moved them to the bed
on the other side of my house that gets full sun. Shuffle....shuffle......that is how all my garden plantings go....
Something NEW comes in my garden--something old has to get moved.......or GO!

Just went outside and took some pictures to show you what I am talking about.....

#1--This is the small (almost a joke!) AM bed that both my KK Hib. and my Fancy Schmancy Lilies started in.
It can't be more than 5' long and 2' wide.....That is where I had my "Proteus" Clematis as well .
Right against the house foundation.....Maybe it did not like all that concrete????
Also-- all my Fancy Lilies grew here. They did awesome the first year--then, slowly, declined....
At the left end--there grows my oldest Peony I have. The pom-pom white one with
touches of fuchsia in the bloom.
#2--This is my S. facing bed that I moved the Fancy Lilies to. Where the wire markers are....
Hoping to see them in their glory--but the bulbs were NOT the greatest when I moved them...
May take a year or two ti get them back to their "glory"......
#3---The Kopper King Hibiscus now resides in a small, round bed on my front lawn. It is GLORIOUS!!!
#4--The "Proteus Clematis" in its glory----before it declined.....
#5--My Strawberries growing really well---This is the bed I USED to grow all my Tomatoes in.
Before I had that raised bed built. I plan to grow Cukes here again--and hope they do better than last year.

My Garden surely is like "Musical Chairs".......Now you know why I have such a short "WANTS" list....
Nowhere to put anything!!!
Gita

I know I will feel stupid when you answer this.....Gita, what are HB's? Anyway....hope that the weekend is enjoyable along with productive for everyone.

Ruby

HB = hanging basket

Thanks Catbird. Cool, I love hanging baskets but only have three hanging inside. I would ideally love to have three or even more ceiling clamps installed so that I could also hang things in the plant room where the lighting is great. Maybe one of these days, I will find someone with the know how to install them for me.

Off topic Catbird.......I found a Hosta for you yesterday that I plan to pot up and bring to the swap for you. It is just a solid green and not fancy at all, but something I rescued at some point and have growing in a container that I will need for something else soon. I hope that it will bring you much joy in the future.

Ruby

Ruby---

Hanging Baskets is NO biggie!!! John can do it with his eyes closed!

All you need is to buy a package of "Swag Hooks". usually 2 per package.
Then you drill a 9/16th" hole (check the directions) and screw the hook into the ceiling.
The directions are on the back of the package.

ALL my heavy HB's hang from these hooks!!! My Epis must weigh 20lbs. or so.
What holds the hook into the ceiling is the "butterfly bolt"....

Here is what they look like. Now--these are ancient!
Places I bought these no longer exist--but you get the idea. Check HD or Lowes.

Gita

I have a pair of black snakes in my old shed...I've named them "Fred" and "Ethel..." so the thread about the hose storage, well, think I'll keep things simple...I like those snakes as they do keep down the varmints! And they're territorial, and that's just fine with me!

Grayce--

I live in a development----busy streets, 4 lane traffic----Schools along the road---small lots, etc...

However--I am only 4 houses away from a High School and the woods surrounding them.
Been here 43 years--and ONLY ONCE did I ever see a Black Snake on my property.
Wish I had more!!!! Need to have someone taking care of the baby rabbits and the Chipmunks and the Voles.

I guess one of the yardin maintenance tasks for April is "plant schlepping"

Because it will be so cool and damp, I brought all of my tropicals back inside. They just kept saying they wanted to be in warm active growth, not shivering in their pots. Thankfully, they all got rain watered, but now I shall have to keep good air circulation on porch.

Potting up or on will have to be on hold.

Judy--
Most of my "house plants" were taken outside in the last few days. Still have the Amaryllis and Aloes
to go. Just do not have the place to put them on yet. Then they will be on their own.

IF near frost hits--I will freak out! Many of my Perennial plants I dug up and divided have
already been outside for over a month. But not the ones I have had in the house all winter....

In the last couple of days I have taken out all my:
--Clivias
--Spider plants HB
--Pregnant Onions
--Thanksgiving cactus
--and a HB of Ivy

I better NOT freeze--or I will be in a frenzy to bring things beck inside---NOT!

I was very tempted to move some of my house plants outside but decided to wait just a bit longer. Glad I did. I am still cleaning and weeding flower beds but I am starting to see some nice progress. Ric is doing a lot more work in the yard than I am and it seems that when I get a couple of days off it is always raining. Need to get the load of wood out of the trailer so I can get a load of mulch as several of the beds are ready.

Jeese, be sure you're drilling into a stud if you want the most success...!

I took out plants that I am pretty sure don't mind a little chill, but left in my Ginger and Plumeria and Coleus. They're clutching at the windowsill wishing they were out but knowing its too chilly. Snow in NW NY and PA!!! Can you imagine?

Gita, in one of my tool boxes, I must have six or eight of those E hooks. I have always loved the idea of hanging baskets but the man of the house balks whenever I mention it. Instead of asking him for help again, I will have the lady who comes and helps me clean do it. She is nice and tall and doesn't seem to mind doing tall jobs. I still need to get the plants out of the room where I want them installed, so it will be down the road still. I too have been very cautious about sending any house plant outside yet. I am really looking forward to the day they can go out, but just haven't chanced it yet.

Yep, been working on houseplants the last few rainy days. Another one for the day it seems. I have plenty indoors to keep me busy, so that is cool. I am sure the rain will have seen to making the weeding jobs still needing done a real necessity. Hopefully, weeding will be much easier with rain soaked soil too, so the rain has been nice and very welcomed.

Good to hear that we aren't the only ones who haven't mulched yet Holly. That was one of John's excuses for not having gotten any yet. Where am I going to put it, he asks. Good grief Charlie Brown, that has never been an issue in the past. He can come up with some really off the walls excuses if he tries. hahaha Anyway......hopefully later this week our beds will be ready for mulch and hopefully some will be delivered to the property by then. Don't anyone hold their breaths waiting though, I won't be.

Anyway.....enjoy the rain and have a good week coming up.

Ruby

It is not so much the chill but the combo of damp and chill for at least several days to a week! Mildew, rot, damping off...YIKES.

The broccoli,spinach, chard and lettuces are liking it though.

This weather makes the case for a potting shed I could use for potting not just storage/catch all! Reminder to clear out when weather good, so can use when weather bad. And how about that outdoor sink I've thought about hooking up...? Guess I'm a fair weather garden project starter and completer.

Does washing pollen and bird droppings off of vehicles count as yardin work? Amazing how much more bird poop since I fed them thru the winter for the first time in a long time.

Also, lots of tree trimming now that leaves are out and dead branches , many 20 - 30 feet up are apparent. Did manage to get the gutters cleared before the rain. Going out shortly to eradicate any gypsy moth caterpillers that may have gotten knocked down by rain and may be making their way back up...Seems they got a big head start this year as most are huge already.

This message was edited Apr 23, 2012 9:10 AM

Oh my gosh Judy.....I got tired reading of your plans. We have what was bought as a greenhouse some years ago which too turned in to a storage area. I believe that John did make a path at one point last year and was able to use the potting area in it for actual potting. Now, if there were more than a path in there, I could have some space for workiing out there too.

The greenhouse I purchased from Sam's Club was made of plastic and was a manufacturing dud. The plastic tended to warp terribly and thus it was not weather proof by any stretch of the imagination. The company that manufactured these buildings were good about replacing parts, but the replaced parts did the same as the original ones did. Anyway, it has just served as an expensive storage area thus far, but there has been talk of possibly trying to figure out a way to actually use it for its intended purposes at some point. Again, don't anyone hold their breaths while waiting for that to happen.

Ruby

Do you all have your annuals planted out already? I broke down and purchased a 6 pack of Dragon Wing begonias. I was going to put them in the ground and hanging baskets as soon as the soil dried out a bit. It's not too early, is it?

I bought a lot of annuals the other day. Mostly 5" fancy annuals. Grabbed 4 Persian Shields
while they had them. These will go fast. Some Dragon Wing begonias--my big Mandevilla
and a couple of trays o 6-6packs of annuals.
Still have them sitting on a table, all covered up, on my roofed-over patio.

Yesterday--I had to go and throw old sheets over the tender plants. Better go take them off---
and then put them back on tonight. Still gonna be just in low 40's....What a bummer--after all
this gorgeous weather we have had!

Sunny and nice--haven't been outside yet. G.

Ooh, Gita, I love Persian Shields! Does HD have them now? I had them in full sun last year and they were sooooo thirsty! Do they do ok in the shade around here?

So when will you be planting them in the ground?

I will have some begonias at the swap, dragon wings, and dwarf. Persian Shields are one of my favs and hard to find around here. I did save a couple from last year they are pretty tall and bare. I was thinking of cutting the tops off and seeing if they would root in water. What do you think Gita, would that work?

SS--

I did not buy them at HD. I got them at "Maryland Flower and Foliage"--a wholesale grower.
However--anyone can shop there....This place is only about 4 miles from my house.

I do not plan to plant them in the ground. I want them in some big containers with other, complimentary
color flowers I have. Did some beauties several years ago. I called it my "Purple Pot". Will look for the pic.
Went out and looked at the tag. It said: "Plant in part sun or shade". Mine always grew in dappled AM light.
Two or three years ago--if any of you remember--NO Nurseries anywhere carried the Persian Shield.
Seems some malady had hit all these plants and no one in the whole Country could get any to grow.
Can't say I saw them last year much either. Maybe the supply is just slowly rebounding?

He had 4 trays (8 5" pots in each) sitting on the floor. May be all he had....I wanted to get mine early.
Last night, before I covered all my plants with tattered sheets--I noticed how droopy
the P.S. looked. I don't think they cared for the cold winds.....So--I took them inside for the night.
Will do that again tonight.

Holly---I have never tried rooting the P.S. Give it a try! What do you have to lose?
Right now they are still tender--kind of like a soft-wood might be. May be the right state to root them....

Not the best picture--but you will get the idea. Taaa--Dahhh--My "Purple Pot"...

I have been out weeding. Perfect day for it. Cool but not cold the ground is wet enough that the weeds pull easily but the ground isn't wet and muddy to work it.