We were long overdue for a new chit-chat thread. Anyone is Welcome to join us!
Tell us what's going on in your life or gardens. Visuals are great too and always enjoy seeing everyone's pics.
CLOSED: April Showers Bring May Flowers
YEA..... thanks for the new thread!
I'm getting a ebay gift card for Mother's Day and will be adding some new plants. Outdoor plants, no indoor ones.
Creepers Elfie - you need to report him to the state Forestry police too! I'd be at him with a baseball bat if he was messing with me like that. Good thing I have Court to keep me at bay. Poor thing - I hope it levels out a bit.
Froot - yes please to the yellow columbine. ;)
Night all. I'm beat.
A.
I am here!
Happy Friday everyone!
I'll send some of our heat, it was 101 yesterday!
WOW LK, and it is only the end of APRIL!!!!! UGH
Hi all!
We're having some interesting weather here in California also...high 90's early last week then rain this week and we are leveling out in the 60-70 degree range.... Since we get hit with such intense heat... much like the folks in Texas... this is actually a nice respite. I know the garden is enjoying the rain!
Amanda... do you grow a lot of columbines? Do the Monarchs like them? I have two purples (one more of a lavender) and am looking to add some other colors myself - I have to plant mine in partial shade so that when the heat comes I don't lose them. I tried growing from seeds but had no luck at all... any tips? I really like the red/orange color ranges they come in. -:) Isn't this one cool? (
Nancy
So I managed to convince Dad to let me keep some of my plants. I will have to remove all soil, rinse the roots thoroughly, clean the pots and repot them all with fresh soil. I was thinking of rinsing the roots, letting the plants (succulents mostly) sit on a rack to "dry", and then repotting. With succulents I'm not keeping I will remove some leaves and try to root them. What do you think?
Also my T's can stay as well.
Boy I am sad, I didn't realize how much damage those voles did last summer. I was looking thru some old photos from spring/early summer last year and ran across this one. Yesterday I was walking around and where in the picture I had all these daylilies, there is one lone plant there now! I am really shocked, it didn't dawn on me until now....I thought the voles were eating bulbs I didn't even think about daylilies.....
Joyce
What beautiful gardens! I just love your photo. I had the same problem with voles the year before last. They are a blight on the face of the earth!
Checking in from the laundrymat,,, I am missing my internet already,,,
I will get some pictures soon and the I will find a way to upload them.
The move is done and I have a bed to sleep in,, so I am great...
Very quiet here, I am the only person here!! I am sooo hot and tired,, soon as my laundy is done I am going home and to bed!!
Night all
Today is not a good day, I've been crying since this afternoon. I mentioned that Dad told me to get rid of my house plants and that I managed to convince Dad into letting me keep my plants. The agreement was that I could keep plants that showed no evidence of mealybugs in the soil.
Today I went through all the plants. Quite a few had evidence of mealybugs in the roots but there were many that didn't. Unfortunately many that didn't had ROT. I have had depression due to medication and overloved my plants as a distraction. I had been attempting to salvage them but unfortunately it was unsuccessful.
I have very few remaining houseplants. I have a Palm, two sundews, a butterwort, a couple Broms and 6 Tillandsia. That is it. :( Dad says we can get some to replace them but not now, not til my seedlings go outdoors.
Aw, Ang... I'm so sorry.. that sucks! But let me know when you're ready to get some other houseplants and I'll send you some starts from mine- I'll get them started now and see what I have to send.
Speaking of plants- I hope someone can help my son with his problem. He has a lot of celosia plants that he has been growing from seed and they're under a grow light. He told me today that almost half of them have become translucent! Is there some type of bug that would do that? Or what is going on with them?
I've beeng sitting here at the computer and I just realized that a female cardinal keeps going to the small, short tree (new house- have no idea what the thing is LOL) outside the window I'm sitting in front of and she comes in with nest building material and leaves empty.. woohoo! She's building a nest right near my front door and the top of this tree is about eye level to me when I'm outside. My worry is that the next door neighbor lets their cat go outside :( Think I can put something on/around either my fence or this tree to keep the cat away and won't bother the birds??
Have a good day everyone.. I'm going to a Junk Jubilee to see what I can find to re-purpose. Need to keep busy as today is the 3rd anniversary of my late hubby's passing away :(
Hugs to you all
Chris
Hugs to you Chris, this must be a really tough time for you. Keep busy and smile, that makes the memories better.
Thanks Carolyn, I thought the voles were eating bulbs didn't realize they were getting the daylilies.....what did they get of yours?
I was out in the garden and I know it has been a strange year, but I have a daylily blooming....it is still April! Now that is just too odd.....
I am moving potted plants around, the ones I overwintered for our plant sale, plants I overwintered for me. It has really been dry here so everything is getting a good watering. Beautiful day after the awful winds we had on Friday.
How strange to have daylilies, iris, and peonies all in bloom.....
Susie, I am blown away. The box arrived and holy cow!!! I took a picture and will post on the other computer when I get it started up. I am thrilled to death....absolutely. Well, not literally. lol. Thank you so much. I will prepare you box and get it on its way today. Hope mine comes through as well as yours. I see how you did it and will do likewise.
Wonderful having your fav birds build a nest where you can watch them, Chirs.
If I can help you replace plants, Ang, just let me know. Most of what I have left are 'foliage' types. Were you able to keep your carniverous plants? Not that I have any, but if you lost them too, your son must be equally disappointed.
Mary, Susie is always so generous with us and am sure she would like to see how pleased you are on her May thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1253114/
Will do. Thanks
Susie, you absolutely outdid your self. I was so blown away as I took each plant out of the box, like there was no bottom and no end to the variety. why, you even took time to send me chicken to eat while I potted up the plants. Thank you so much for your generosity and hard work to gather all of these together. I don't know that I have ever received a gift that pleased me so much!!!
You had asked me to post a few pictures from my garden. so here are a few from last summer around July 15th.
Nice package! Susie is a pleaser. :D
Ummm - about strange blooms in the garden - yesterday I noticed that my New England Aster had blooms on it. :/
What dedication having such a beautiful garden, Mary. Wow! A few nights ago, I went through photos from three years ago when I started from scratch. Generosity from our fellow gardeners never ceases to amaze me.
Nancy, Your Columbine bloom is breathtaking and love how one color melts into the next. I know you said you weren't good at starting seeds, but several of mine self-seed by just falling on the ground and new babies pop up the next year. Always have to be careful when I'm Spring weeding not to pull them up. You and anybody else will find several of us on LK's "She's About To" thread and. Know you're welcome there. I posted several photos of Columbines on April 24th and will save seeds from any of my plants for the asking.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1246622/
Mary sure happy they arrived safely i want one of each i your garden :HEHE very very pretty ;)
well off to get daddy to bed .
susie
Just so you know that I got them all safe and sound in their pots. they will be in the ground very soon. Can't guarantee all will make it through the winter but will do my best. I believe all but one or two are okay here. Thanks so much again
I just realized something. Seeds and plants don't read their own directions. This year I tried to plant things according to size but ones that were supposed to be small are towering and ones that were supposed to be huge are tiny. I'm making notes so that next year maybe I can get things put together better. LOL
Voles /moles.....I don't know what I have- but whatever they are- these destructive things are tearing up my yard and uprooting my plants. I have to keep stomping around in my garden to press the soil down around the plants. Anyone with good suggestions to get rid of them? Bought something from Lowes' ....didn't work.
So, so irritating!
I have fallen in love with the orange iris that some of you are showing. Keep me in mind someone!!
Joyce
We managed to get rid of the voles with the cones in Lowes that are for voles. The cones have poison in them and I found out this morning that DH is still putting out this poison to make sure they don't come back. The nasty things destroyed some clematis and then was going after the plants in the berm of my pond. I was nervous about having poison so close to the pond, but the voles had gotten so bad, when DH was bending down by the pond, the voles were jumping up right in front of his face. Nasty little creatures - they eat the roots of the plants. Vel - you may very well have voles.
Mary - Susie puts together wonderful boxes. You can tell that she puts a lot of thought and care into her boxes.
Ang - I am so sorry things are not going well. I know your Dad's main concern is for you and your health. I have some things I can send down your way when you are ready.
I think the carnivores are ok. I found no evidence of babies, eggs or females on them. I did find a few flying males stuck on them though. They are like gnats, they will land on a near by plant or wall.
Mr E seems more interested in the outdoor venus flytraps than these new ones. Had they been lost he wouldn't have minded lol. He's more thrilled that his traps caught a huge fly.
Dad offered to replace a couple but I'm not looking to replace my houseplants right now. I'm going to focus on the outside. I have Spring seedlings that need to go outside before I replace anything. I plan to add more herbs, some vines for the hummingbirds, monarda, etc :D
This message was edited Apr 28, 2012 5:56 PM
Velma, I'll be glad to divide my Orange Iris with you. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I've read you need to wait six weeks after the blooms are spend, cut off the bloom stalks, and then it's OK to dig and divide them. I only have a handful and am really new growing them. My clumps are really starting to grow together and am running out of room for plants that don't like to be mulched.
Ang, I have extra Humminbird vine seeds, and two kinds of Monarda plants in the garden, Jacob Cline and Raspberry Wine that have grown together, and extra seeds of these herbs:
Blood Dock, Red Sorrel (Baker Creek packed for 2011)
Borage (Baker Creek packed for 2012)
Capnip (Burpee packed for 2012)
Cardamon (pods I picked up at an Asian shop last month)
Fine Verde Basil (Baker Creek packed for 2011)
Genovese Basil (Burpee packed for 2012)
Lemon Basil (Baker Creek packed for 2011)
Summer Savory (Baker Creek packed for 2012)
Red Rubin Basil (Burpee packed for 2012)
Basil Pistou
Let me know if you'd like any of these. The Seed Robin landed today, and I need to get it back in flight early next week.
I have a pomegranate bush that bore well for a couple years, then started dying back and for 2 years has had no fruit at all. I believe it is those D--- cute chipmunks tunneling. This year it has one large dead limb but otrherwise looks goo. Too early for bloom yet, so don't know if it might bloom. Do any of you know anything about what might be happening with this pomegranate?
I spent as much time as I had energy yesterday getting plants out of the greenhouse and cutting waist high grass.
The sun felt hot and bright like it was July instead of April.
I have hear that if you put castor bean seeds in the holes, the voles/moles will eat them and die. They are poisonous and is supposed to kill them. If they don't you will have pretty plants growing.
Linda -
that is interesting - I had not heard that one. Makes sense though.
I heard chewing gum does the same and I bought bubble gums and chewed on them and then put them in the tunnels but I think that sweet made them come back looking for more.
Fruitofthevine, so kind of you to offer. I noticed you are pretty active with tradings so I thought you had your hands full. Do I have anything growing in my "little garden" that you could use?
Desperation led me to cut the barb wire fence and now I am trying to add plants over the fence. If I get arrested someone please put up the bail money..............help a fellow gardener!
Spent the weekend in Nashville with DH's family - he, his brother, brother-in-law and cousin ran the marathon yesterday and did well! I got to meet more extended family, and they were wonderful. I'm a lucky girl. :)
A marathon? Wow! Tell them great job. It has been in the 80's here for several days. The kids came by today and started on the backyard. All the Yucca is gone. By the time that was done the chainsaw was dull so the halloween tree is still standing for a few more days (there's a picture of it on my DG blog). They tried but the chain was so dull it barely made a dent. We thought a hollow tree would be a breeze. That will teach us to think.
Someone told me some Brugmansia are hardy to zone 8, is this true?
I don't know Ang - but I was surprised to find the Datura given to me at the last RU by Faye, I think, is sending up shoots at the base of the old woody stalk from last year. I didn't think it was hardy here, but there it is.
Well, I guess I'm in for May
Monkey -
checked your blog - love the one entitled 'ramblings' Thought I was the only one that did that. Made me laugh! ^_^
MARY/ORBERON46 if your talking about being in the may plant exchange hosted by me dj9 then you will have to come over to this thread / forum to sign up .
MAY PLANT SWAP ;BY DJ9 ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US SIGN UP ENDS TUESDAY MAY 1ST 8 AM EST.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1253114/#new