Fall into October

Sandra I don't think anyone on here really knew I had been sick.

I woke up two weeks ago Wednesday in pain which ended up being my gallbladder - super unexpected. I spent a whole week in the hospital 2 days waiting for them to do the surgery and then 5 days after. Apparently it was one of the top 5 worst ones my surgeon had ever seen - full of gangrene etc. So anyway I'm feeling really good went back to work on Thursday and am feeling pretty much like my old self but of course I am getting nothing done toward fall cleanup since I'm on NO lifting and I assume that means no pulling stubborn weeds and no shoveling too (not that I feel like it at this point anyway) I was right in the middle of redoing one of my bathrooms, new paint on the walls and cabinets and new decor so hopefully I can do a little work on that over the next couple of weeks at least. I guess these things never schedule themselves at a 'good' time but why do they have to happen in the middle of a project???

Karen I'm glad that you are doing much better but you are so right no lifting, means no shoveling and no pulling weeds!!! Please listen to your Dr. If it's like here the projects will be waiting on you when you are well enough to get back to them!!

Wow, glad things are looking up ! I was sick for months before I had my gallbladder out. It is hard on us gardeners to not be able to get out. Spring will be here soon and all will be forgotten! I have had to "sit out" quite a few gardening seasons, so I can well sympathize! Eli has had a cold this week, so we have not even been sitting on the porch for the last few days.

I hope Eli is doing better!! It's so bad when they are little and don't know what is wrong but they sure know they don't like that big bubble with the tip that goes in their little nose. Mine would start screaming as soon as they saw it. I hated it too but it sure helped them.

Yes, I have been playing a game with him to suction his nose. I roll him up in a bath towel to keep his little arms down, and call him an Indian pappose, if I am laughing, he will laugh too. He will tolerate a little before the screaming starts. now we also have baby saline spray to wash them out at home--when Cayla was a baby that was only done in the hospital. It takes 2 to use the saline spray, he really doesn't like that !

I didn't have saline spray either. I was in worst shape at the end of the day then Jimmy and it always got worst at night for some reason.

Sorry to hear little Eli has a cold!! Hope he gets over it soon. I always feel so sorry for little ones when they are not feeling well.

Several of us had lunch at Kathy Ann's today. We ate way too much as usual! Then went plant shopping and Kim, Sarah and myself filled up the back of my pick up truck as usual! Fun, fun day!

Also got to see the Kathy Ann's new kitchen and it is gorgeous!! That girl really has the space to cook in now!

I'm glad Yall had so much fun!!! I bet KA is so glad that all that construction is over. I had to replace the floor in the back 1/2 of the guest house this week and that took a solid week to get it accomplished, but TG is done and Mary just came in from putting the 3rd coat of Quick Shine down. I'll get the guys to move her furniture back in place Monday and she should be good to go home after that. We put that laminate flooring down and with Quick Shine on top even a little water won't damage it, if something overflows. I've started taking carpet out of my rental units and putting in these floors and love it!!!

Yikes, Peg, that Venus fly-trap looks like it is about to take a bite out of your DGD's hair! LOL

Karen, so sorry to hear about your gall bladder surgery but glad that you are on the mend now. Jeri is right--the projects will be there when you get well so just follow doctor's orders.

Awww, Sandra, so sorry about Eli's cold. Hope he feels better really soon! (((((((((((((((Eli)))))))))))))))

Glad all you ladies had a good time at Kathy Ann's. Sounds like you bought a bunch of plants---again! LOL

Can a true gardener ever have too many plants? I was showing Al some knock-out roses today and telling him I thought we should get some. He said, "Where are you going to put them?" I said, "In the sunshine!" ROFL

Hello everyone.. Sounds like you all had a good time at Kathy Ann's..Ms Marilyn I agree a gardener can never have to many plants. Im always thinking of something new to add to my yard. Even tho I have lots of things in pots that Im not going to plant out till next year, but Im always looking for something else...Its definately an addition..

Peggy I love those mushrooms!!!!

Sounds like y'all had a great time at Kathy's (and Dian's). Charlotte, you've got to take a smaller car or get a bigger yard, lol!

We pulled up most of the tomato plants today. I still have a couple of Sun Sugars that are producing a few tomatoes and picked a few Better boys but they are small so I left about 3 plants and the Red peppers are still producing, at least til the first frost.

I did find some blooms on my Confederate Rose and a pretty bloom on my late-blooming Pink Frost hydrangea.

Elaine there were 3 of us in the truck. So not all my plants! Actually most of what I bought was for an traffic island in my neighborhood. We're trying to do a better of job of landscaping it through out the year. I bought 1 mum for myself to decorate with and EE I'll have to take in. Dian gave us all a boa.

We actually made a full day of it! Had a great time. I left my house at 8:45 and didn't get back until after 5:00 pm.

I figured, Charlotte. Just kidding around with you and the rest that rode with you!

Salvias still blooming. Bought from local nusery,only labeled salvia

That looks like the Navajo Red I have blooming now. Gave some cuttings away at the plant swap. Hope they have survived and taken root!

Salvias held up so well in 2011 heat and drought from H--L that I added a lot more this year and have some more in the greenhouse.
Pictured here,Teresa's Pink and cobalt sage

Love that Cobalt sage, haven't seen that color before!

Karen, sorry to hear you had to have surgery! Please be careful during the recovery - it is worse once you start feeling better and still can't do anything. But it is important to be patient! Kyle is scheduled to have his out on November 19. I hope he makes it that long............somedays his hurts really bad, other days it doesn't seem to bother him. They want him out of class for a week - so that is why we picked that day. He will miss two days of classes, but the rest of the week will be Thanksgiving break.

Hugs to Eli - hope he is feeling better soon! No fun when babies are sick.............

I know ya'll had a great time at Kathy Anns! Wish I could have gone.... But I did get the edging up on one half of my foundation planting! Leigh gave it to me for Mother's day so I was excited to FINALLY get it in place! Got a few other things done this weekend, although never as much as I had hoped................

I love salvias!! I now have several in my flower bed out front and can hardly wait to see them all blooming next season!

Today Al and I scrubbed the old tires that we got at the recycle center last week. He drilled holes in the side of each tire that will be facing down when we put the planter together. The holes are to let the water drain out. Tomorrow we will buy several spray cans of paint and get started painting the tires. This planter is most likely the kind of planter that you would NOT put in your front yard if you lived in an exclusive subdivision--ROFL--but since we live in the "boonies" we don't have to worry about what the neighbors think! :D

I ordered an indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer to use in our glassed-in porch and it arrived last Friday. It is battery operated and has two 'units'--one for inside and one for outside. The outside unit communicates with the inside unit and the inside unit shows the temperature in the glassed-in room as well as the relative humidity in there and it also shows the temperature inside the house as well as the time of day. Now all I need is one of those heaters to keep the room warm enough so I can keep my plants out there this winter. We are going to look for one the next time we go to Wal-Mart. Fortunately, our temps all week are supposed to be in the mid-to-high 70's during the day so I won't be needing a heater just yet.

I have had my two Thanksgiving cacti in "hiding" for the last month. Actually I have had them in our front guest bedroom with the blinds closed and the door closed so they have had very little light. I haven't watered them during that time, either. I brought them out today. One of them already has a few buds on it. :o) Hopefully by Thanksgiving they will both be blooming.

I know Kyle will be glad to get his surgery over with. He seems young to be having gall bladder problems. But then I really don't know anything about it.

Marilyn you will probably like your new thermostat but we have one of those and I really prefer mine plain old cheap regular thermometer/humidity meter . The one we have is just like the one you described. It is battery operated and you can tell the inside and outside temperature from the main unit and it also gives you the humidity and time . We really never pay any attention to it and think the battery probably needs to be replaced. Just never did like it. It was something Richard's daughter gave to him. But like I said you'll probably like yours .

This is the thermometer I use. I have several of them and I hang or put them in the center of the area. Some I hang, some I place on something.
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Here is the new link. Hope it works. Can't beat the price - only 3.48.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_79419-88123-90116-LG_0__?productId=3043987&Ntt=thermometer&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dthermometer&facetInfo=



This message was edited Oct 15, 2012 8:30 PM

Genna the surgery itself was easy and recovery was fast - my problem was that I had no symptoms until I woke up in excrutiating pain so by the time they could work me in to the surgery schedule I was hurting for 3 days and then it was filled with gangrene and they had trouble tying off the duct and so I ended up going into the hospital on Wednesday having surgery on Friday and then not leaving until Tuesday because they were just sure I was going to have a complication because of there eing nothing solid to tie the sutures on the bile duct to. Course that hasn't happened so far thankfully, One of my nurses had hers out 2 weeks before I was there she went into the dr's office had an ultrasound at 10:30 surgery at 12:00 and home by 5:30 so obviously it is fairly easy when you aren't in horrible shape. I'm just super lucky mine still was done laproscopically because by all rights he should have opted for opening me up the traditional way and I'd still be laying around hurting:) Instead I went back to work last Thursday so I do appreciate that!

Hi everyone. Hard to jump in the middle, good to start to catch up. Thanks for the compliments on the Country fair photos. Hope some of my photos will be paintings this winter. Elaine, I loved the picture of your baby goats. I wish my pasture fence would hold them, I would love to have another one.

I have been moving all my Tropical plants in for the winter. Every year I say I am NOT keeping any cuttings. Well, I kept more than ever before. Every year I say I am going to have a sale in the Spring with plants, paintings from the garden and some of my pottery hanging baskets. Maybe this year LOL

Have any of you tried making the String Gardens?? I have had so much fun making these this year. Here is one I made using a Pitcher plant. I have also made several with Orchids, Succulents etc. Would be glad to share instructions if you want to make some.

Hey Betty!!! Congrats on your pictures!!!

I'm sure I'm gonna be in the same boat for all the cuttings and babies that I need to dig up. I spent most of my day Sunday, removing root beer plants from inside my G/H. I filled up my wheelbarrow with just root beer plants. I enjoyed putting things back and spacing everything so I can water without the water dripping onto the plants below. I still haven't started to pull the tropicals in. I dread the thought of doing that.

That is cool, Betty! I don't have any tropicals... :~( But if I did I'd go for making one.

Charlotte, so far I do like my new wireless thermometer because I can tell what the temp is on the glassed-in porch without going out there. We have a lot of deer eating acorns on our property right now and Al doesn't want me disturbing them in the early mornings when they are out there. He is a deer hunter and will get a deer during hunting season right here on our own property, therefore he doesn't want to disturb the routine of the deer. Soooo, I can check the temp in my new "greenhouse" without going out there. This morning we had four deer eating acorns just outside our back yard fence. They were out there for almost an hour before they moved on. It is neat to watch them but unfortunately for the deer, one of them will end up on our table at some point during this next year. :o~

Hi, Betty! Those string gardens look really neat. I would like directions, please. I have an orchid and would like to make a string garden with it.

Karen, you were certainly fortunate that you were still able to have the laparoscopic surgery. Glad to know that you are able to be up and around.

I share Betty's and Jeri's "boat". lol Jim has been nagging me about "down sizing" our exotic and tender perennials collection; then I turned to succulents instead. Like Betty maybe I'll sell some of my plants or simply host a Round up to our local gardeners here. But, Betty should you hold a plants sale, please dmail and let me know. Jim and I would love to make a trip to revisit your lovely garden. I also dream of returning to La. and visit my sister's garden as well.

My hat is off to Peggy and Elaine on your creativity with Halloween crafts and show pieces! Great job y'all. Marilyn, can't wait to see your painted-tire planters project unfold. Karen, glad to hear that you've had a speedy recovery! Continue the good healing process and back to gardening soon. I couldn't agree more with huneybunch_2000 on your statement about gardening. Sandra, like most of us here; we're so blessed to have grandchild(ren) to love and care for...

I wanted to say hi to Sarah and Kathy Ann, although we haven't met, hopefully one of these days our mutual love of gardening may bring us together? Who knows? Kathy, those plants I purchased from you way back, are doing great--still. I even crossed some of your brug's and created new hybrids. The experience has been a real blast!

Here I have a few pics. that I took from our local Botanical Garden and like to share. Decorative gourds for falls! And Tillandsia in blooms!

Oh Betty, do share your tips on how to create those string baskets.
Kim

What neat photos, Kim! All sorts of gourds and those lovely purple blooms!

Marilyn, did the salvia that I brought you come out of its shock and recover ok? The momma plant is still totally covered in blooms - the bees and butterflies are on it daily since there are limited things blooming. My hot lips is totally LOADED as well! The three salvias that I brought home from Terrye all went into shock too and lost their leaves, but now they have new leaves on them and two of them even have blooms - so I think they are doing good.

Marilyn, did you trim your hot lips in the fall? I have never trimmed mine, but it is up about 4' tall and the branches are 'falling' open - all the branches are falling to the outside of the plant and the middle of the plant looks empty. My other big salvia is doing the same thing, but it dies back every year and comes back from the roots - my hot lips never dies completely back (or at least it hasn't been) so I wasn't sure if I should trim it back some................ and if so , when?

Had a deer right outside my backyard fence this morning Marilyn. We are the same way, the boys hunt right behind the house.

Karen, glad to hear they kept you as a precaution instead of just sending you home! Seems like they don't seem to err on the side of caution much these days! I have a friend who was sent home from a hysterectomy that she had in LR. Her stitches came out as her husband was trying to get her into the house .... major, serious problem and he had to rush her to the ER here!! Thankfully everything was ok - but the situation was so bad that nurses in the ER took photos for her....said they knew she would need them to deal with the dr.!

I had my gallbladder taken out after being deathly sick for 3 months. I was pregnant with Kyle and had to get out of the first trimester before they could do surgery. I was hospitalized 3 times for infection and dehydration before we got to the point where we could have surgery....... then had to have the old fashioned kind .....

Betty that string holder is neat............. don't have good luck with tropicals because i don't have anywhere to keep them during the winter. Kim, those gourds are neat too! I love gourds but I have never tried growing any...........

Kim,
Roy was asking about you and Jim yesterday. We would love for you and Jim to come back for a visit. We will plan something next Spring.

I have made the String gardens several different ways. This is how I made two of the balls. I'm sure there are lots of other ways. This one is made from a twig Ball from Michaels. I used the middle size, about 6”. I gently separated the twigs enough to get the roots inside. I lined the inside with sheet moss, put in the root and filled around it with Orchid potting mix. I discovered it is best to use the mix without the perlite in it. The little white pieces work their way through the moss and show. I have also used peat moss instead of the Orchid mix. I used a crochet hook to pull the hanging string through the root ball. I used jute wrapped wire to hang this one. You want something that will not be weakened from getting wet.

I have also made them with sheet moss and not used the twig Ball. This time I used fishing line, this was blue line I think you can get some that is black or clear I think I would use that if I bought some, the blue is just what I had. I cut 4 pieces of string about twice as long as it will take to reach around the root ball of the plant you are using. I laid them in a bowl a little larger than the finished size crossing each piece in the bottom of the bowl. I had 8 ends of string hanging out of the bowl. I laid the sheet moss on top of the string, added the plant and some potting mix. I tied the strings around the moss and roots to make a ball. I also wrapped the ball with more string to make it secure. With the orchids I left some of the roots exposed.

That is so neat, Betty! I am going to try that with my orchid in the spring unless it blooms at that time. Hmmmm, maybe I should do it now before it blooms! :D

Genna, the salvia you gave me still looks like dead sticks but I am not giving up on it. I'm just hoping it will come back from the roots in the spring. Everything else I received at the RU is doing great, thank goodness! I never did cut back the Hot Lips when I lived in Cabot because it would put out green leaves on the old branches as well as putting out new growth from the bottom. However, once I was sure the old limbs had put out as many new green leaves as they were going to I would cut off the ends of the branches that were dead. If yours is falling over, it might be time to prune them back. I would wait until after the first really good frost to do that. They should put out new growth from the bottom next spring.

I cut my hot lips back sometime in the middle of the summer because they were so tall they were falling over into my walkway. They are blooming now and are back as tall as they were before I cut them. The cuttings I took to RU were some of what I cut off the plant and just didn't want to throw away.

A lot of things benefit from being cut back. I have a book about when and what type perennials need to be pruned back. They recommend cutting back a lot of things during the growing season.

My asters were shot up like crazy the first part of the summer. I knew they would be way too tall by the time they started blooming in the fall so I cut them way back during the summer. It didn't affect the blooms. It shot back up again and is blooming like crazy right now.

I agreed with y'all about Salvias, they're lovely to have in the garden. Marilyn, will those be hardy in Mo. where you're? I can't imagine how different it will be from Cabot? Charlotte, how I love those asters! But due to lack of sunny spot in the garden, I can't afford to have them. Please share pics. of your asters. Betty, thanks for the tips on the "string baskets" such lovely projects to do around the garden. Thank you. Do tell Roy Jim and I can't wait 'til we see you again. Jim said why wait 'til spring when it's so beautiful with the leaves color in Tenn. this time of year. lol Jim's enthusiasiam tells his heart is in the right place. But boys, this time of year is the most busy time of year. There are so many things needed to be done around here, and we'd like to make some trips visiting loved ones that live out of State as well. Genna, aren't those photos neat? I can't wait until I return to visit our various local Botanical gardens.

1. some succulents, this one turns color not because it's autumn, but because it's over expose with sunlight. :)
2. Ficus in driftwood with peat moss worked in the root ball.

Charlotte, that Raydon's aster that you gave us - I had given a start of it to my sister and she was just raving about how beautiful it was the other day! I lost mine last summer when I couldn't drag the hose down to that far bed............. but she has several little plants and she is going to give me one back. Actually, I haven't walked down to that bed lately, and there actually could be a small piece of it, but I doubt it. Anyway, she has really enjoyed it - and has it in two or three beds now.

Marilyn, sorry to hear that. I really think I should have just cut all those tall stems off when I potted it. That is the first time I have ever layer rooted anything and I didn't realize until after the fact that it was still getting a lot of nourishment from the main plant, and that was a LOT of plant to support on a small root system. That plant dies back every fall, and I cut it to the ground, then it comes back - it is usually about 4' tall every year ...... hopefully it will come back in the spring...if not, maybe I can just root some the old fashioned way for you.

My hot lips has more blooms on it right now than I think it ever has - it is completely loaded. It is funny because part of the blooms are completely white, part are completely red, and part are the hot lips blooms - but it is stunning.

Kim, we cross posted. ...... I agree there is SOOO much to do this time of year - of course, I am wayyyy behind in yard work because of that year we spent commuting to Little Rock every weekend!! I have been working and working and working trying to get as much done as possible before the time changes! I know after that, I won't have time to accomplish anything after work! I have been spending anywhere from an hour and a half to 2 hrs in the yard every afternoon, but man it is a SLOW process!! I did manage to get one small bed by my concrete pad completely cleaned out. It is an 8 X 14 ft bed between my concrete pad, and my fence. It wasn't too bad in part of it, but the two sides that back up to the fence were overrun with bermuda, and in places it had reached all the way across the bed. I basically dug up the entire bed by hand, even had to dig up a lot of the DLs and bulbs I had in the bed in order to get the bermuda out of the roots, and in between the bulbs. Now, I need to get some edging up inside the edge of the fence to try to prevent it from coming back in. Then I am going to add a couple of DLs to the bed and mulch and it will be complete.

Yesterday, because I didn't have the edging to finish up that small bed, I went back out and started on my large bed in my circle drive - yet again!! This is the one I had clean and newly mulched in June....but you sure wouldn't know that now! I poisoned about a 2' strip X 30' or so that was overrun with bermuda - and I have been working at trying to dig the roots out of that area. That is just around part of the edge of the bed.... then I have to start working on the interior. I HOPE to have it done before winter sets in. Doubt I get to touch the other two beds. :( I feel like if I can get the big bed done, and get my foundation bed done I will have accomplished a lot. Having a HARD time finishing the foundation bed because I can not locate the plants that I want !! Everyone is sold out of everything! It is odd to me how they say the best time to plant shrubs is in the fall, but nobody carries any to sell then!! I also have to get my daffodil bulbs ordered and get them in the ground next month as well .

And to top it off. ..... I would REALLY love to play hookey and go to the war eagle craft fair this weekend !!! I haven't been since 2000 and I am REALLY wanting to go................. :(

Genna

That ficus is really neat Kim! I bought a miniature japanese maple back in May. I have been intending to make a papercrete container for it. Papercrete is hypertufa using paper pulp instead of spagnum moss. But it was just too hot to get it done this summer and now it's getting too cool and too many other things on the list ahead of it! I temporarily planted it in a short round container and put lots of different wild moss in the container with it. I just went out to my MG project which is out in the woods and walked down a service road and was able to pick up 4 or 5 different types of colors of moss. I had intended to underplant it with miniature hostas. Need to take a picture of the mosses.

Marilyn do you have any problem with the deer eating your plants? We do at Wildwood. The entire property is fenced with a tall chain link fence but somehow they manage to find a way in. We planted a bunch of hosta and the deer ate everyone of them. Damaged them so much they didn't come back. They also eat on our camellias. We have several other things they like to snack on but other things they leave alone.

A friend of mine that has a house on Petit Jean also has a lot of problems with the deer eating her plants. She had a huge muscadine vine and the deer ate every single one of them. She is talking about putting an electric fence around certain things.

My woods area is outside of our 'yard' and the deer are bad to eat the camellias back in there some years. I guess it depends on what else they have to eat. Didn't seem to bother them last year - but two years ago they ate every single leaf!!

Without our big dog this winter - they will probably venture closer to the house! :(

Kim: I love the ficus and the succulent! I am now in zone 6b but I won't know until spring what plants will survive the winter up here. Our temps are usually about 10-15 degrees lower than they are in central AR but they really don't have bad winters up here as far as snow is concerned. I guess I will just have to wait and see.

Charlotte, so far the deer have not bothered anything that I have planted. :o) I have one hosta in my shade bed and it is doing fine. The only thing that looks like it has been nibbled is one of the penstemons that Elaine gave me. I separated what was in the pot that Elaine brought and wound up with 3 or 4 penstemons. Only one of them has been nibbled and since it is so small, I think it might have been a bug of some kind that nibbled the leaves. The other penstemons are doing fine. The deer have plenty of acorns to eat right now so let's hope they don't get tired of an acorn diet. By the time the acorns are all gone, the plants will all be dormant and there won't be any leaves on them for the deer to eat! LOL

The spring and summer is when they have eaten things at Wildwood.