Fall Swap 2013 Sallyg's DISCUSSING haves and wants

Coming from here'http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1327564/#new
Keep on discussing our haves and wants

I moved my Monarda 'Coral Reef' to a part shade spot to give the babies more protection. I think it's also moister there. Hopefully this will help preserve them for the swap.

Gita,

Sounds great!! Errrr, I just thought about the voles again. I hope they are leaving my bulbs alone, highly unlikely. :(

Thank you for the day lily offer but I'm ok on the DL front.

Daffs are toxic and thus safe from voles

Worry no more!

Catmint, my cannas are from Holly and Ric, and I don't know the species or cultivar name. They've multiplied so much this year. In fact, I think they have literally doubled.

The ones that I did not dig up last year started blooming very early, probably in June. The ones that were dug up, stored in the basement, and replanted this spring started blooming about a month or two later. The ones planted in a container still haven't bloomed, but that's probably my fault for not fertilizing or watering them enough.

The only time I've seen hummingbirds in my yard are when they're feeding on the canna blooms. I have them planted in partially amended clay, barely amended clay, and also very fertile lasagna beds. They seem to bloom best with lots of sun. I think a lot of us have shared this canna from Holly and Ric. :)

ssgardener -- are your cannas winter hardy???

I guess they *are* winter hardy! :)

At least they were last winter. And I've talked to at least 2 other local gardener who don't dig up their cannas and they do fine. One Takoma Park gardener has yellow and red flowering cannas, and a College Park gardener has another variety (can't remember), and they stay in the ground all winter.

Happy, do you want to try them yourself? I think your microclimate's at least as warm as mine, if not a bit warmer.

I tend to kill off everything that is marginally hardy because of wet winter soil. But do cannas need a lot of watering? I'm wondering how they would fare at the top of my awful front hill? I'd love to attract hummers.

I haven't given them any extra water, even in the last few weeks when we didn't get that much rain, or in July when we had our heat waves. The container cannas weren't happy, but the in-ground ones were fine.

Hummers are so much fun! I'm too lazy to keep up with hummer feeders, so I'm really glad they like canna blooms.

Happy--

In our zone, Cannas do not usually live through the winter.
The tubers are not all that deep--maybe 3"-4". If there is freezing
weather for any length of time--they will freeze and rot out.

Why take the chance??? Dig them up, dry them off in fresh air,
and store them DRY in a cool basement. DRY is the magic word here....
A low cardboard box (the beer boxes) will do.

Come close to spring--you caan mist them now and then--and you can
also plant them in gallon pots to get them started early.
I started some of mine a bit late--and a few of them are just starting to
grow to any height. Bloom is still a ways off. AND!!! It is almost September!!!!

It still depends on WHERE yours are planted.....
An easy way to deal with this is to plant the cannas in BIG pots, dig the pots
on your beds, and then just lift them and store them in the house
for the winter...DRY!!!!

Gita

The College Park and Takoma Park gardens I visited had cannas that had been in the ground for many years, even through colder and wetter winters we've had recently. BUT they were in protected locations, close to the house, and planted high in well draining soil.

The TP gardener even overwinters her calla lilies in the ground!

SSG, I've had a couple hummers who have been visiting my garden lately, so the thought of adding cannas to further entice them is really exciting for me! :-) I did put a feeder out there for them, and I don't think they've touched it yet!

That's good to know they need some extra winter protection.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1327565/
The Haves and Wants Thread so that I don't have to keep clicking back.

Cat: I'm giving you L. sempervirens and H. Guac. I have seen HBs at both. I also have Crocosmia which is a summer-blooming bulb which the HBs will feed on, if you are interested. Took a while for my HB to figure out the feeder, too. But now I have to refill it almost every other day.

Happy: All those flowers, particularly the monarda, and no HBs? I don't believe it!? Maybe they just haven't found you yet? Or you haven't found them? Mine is most active in the late afternoon.

Typ, my H. Guacamole have been blooming for months, but it doesn't attract any humming birds. I think it may be because there are so many feral cats in my neighborhood (we have a cat lady) and the birds need to be higher off the ground to feel safe.

SSG: bummer about the cat lady and feral cats. I wouldn't mind a few cats around here, actually. Our problem is rats. Welcome to Balmer, Hon!

Hi All,
I've been quickly checking in on my lunch breaks but haven't had much time to engage in all the pre-swap festivities. I've been starting to stress about digging, dividing, and potting up in time for the swap and the lack of time to do it. At this point, I'm starting to think that I'll just come and enjoy the company and wait for the spring get-together for exchanging plants. Heck, I still have a lot of plants from last spring's swap still sitting in my staging area! Can't wait to see everyone and meet the new folks that will be there.

Aspen -- you've been so quiet -- I'm pleased to hear from you!

Gita: I have lots of cannas that I've had for years and store in the garage - they're in containers and I don't do anything other than drag them inside. But I'd love to try just leaving them outside!

Catmint: The most boisterous perennials are in front of our house, and we don't tend to look at that very often -- that is why it too so long for us to plant it! So there may well be hummingbirds there that we don't see. For many years we've put up hummingbird feeders in the back and they have been very successful, but we didn't do that this year -- just too many other things going on - not that it takes so long to do that....

Hey Does anyone who's coming to the swap have any garlic leftover from your adventures in garlic growing this spring? I'm not picky about what kind, or whether it's the biggest bulb in the harvest. I had some success with last year's stuff and want to do it again this year.

Teri--

I have been getting ready for the swap for a long time. I am just too
compulsive about everything being "just so".
Please just come to be with us and pig out on the yummy foods.
Take what you want from those of us who have, diligently, rooted a lot of plants.

BUT--I am noticing a definite slack in people asking for things--and, then I am thinking--
well!-- it ISfall! Not the best time to be acquiring annuals--Coleus--or something
you have to bring in for the winter. Right?
What will I do with all the ones I have rooted?? I cannot imagine just dumping them all!!!!

The Spring Plant Swap is definitely 10 times more active. The juices are flowing in all of us...

Who wants rooted Coleus cuttings in September? Or Braz. Plume? Or Bleeding Hearts?

However--I have Hostas and Mums rooted. Also Fig tree cuttings. Lots of of the
Inky Fingers Coleus and also the Mocha ones. Lots of asst. bulbs.......:o(

.WHAS UP?-------The silence is deafening....................Gita.

Gita you crack me up! I love your enthusiasm.

aspenhill- perfectly great to come and just socialize! Anything you like at this swap will be most likely around at the next one too.

Gita, I would love some of your:

Hosta "Green Fountain"
Pink Astilbe
Big Root Geranium
Pretty, compact Mum
Liatris
Rose Campion

I'm finally checking in also!

The lilac from Becky is my Great-Aunt Erna's Lilac. She gave a start to my grandma, who always bragged on the deep purple color of the bloom, "not like those pale lavender lilacs that most people have." Grandma made sure Mom had one, both in VA and then in PA, and Mom grew one for me when we moved to Frederick. So this is a plant that's been around!

October doesn't sound like the best time to divide irises... mid-summer is better, so the new divisions have a chance to grow some roots before winter cold sets in. They'll probably do fine in pots over the winter; the main problem seems to be with heaving. Gita, you might try keeping one pot of rhizomes as a back-up, as well as putting rocks or something on top of your newly replanted rhizomes.

I did an article for DG recently on dividing bearded iris: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4318/

Gita, may I have 2-3 of your African Violets please?

Absolutely! They are not all color-marked.
Does it matter? If they are--I will try to give you different ones.

Glad you all took my complaints to heart. Makes me a bit happier....

Gita

Happy, do you still have the Chrysanthemum x rubellum 'Clara Curtis' available? I think I'd like to try that. Also a little of the Strawberry Begonia (since SallyG sold me on it)? I already have an obnoxiously long list of things to get from you but I'm only giving you 2 things. Is there anything else I have that you may want? I have already potted up your Acanthus, and as expected, it hates me for it! :) It'll perk up soon but I'm learning that it hates disturbances. Plant it where you think it'll stay for a while!

Sally, can I impose on you for one of your Carolina allspice bushes? Would you like to try any of the sedums I have listed?

Catmint, I potted up your honeysuckle. I'm hoping it will make you as happy as it has made me! :)

Looking forward to meeting you guys in "real life" in a few weeks!

My sister just got a job in the toddler room at the Barrie School (http://www.barrie.org/), within a year she should have her own classroom. Right now she is an assistant. Their room now is pretty drab and she asked me for perennial and indoor plants for her classroom. I have a large wandering jew that I trim up every year to start a nice big plant and a mother in-laws tongue to give her.
Anything will be greatly appreciated!

I think I'm going to have to drag her to the swap now. Haha.

typwc: Not a problem. I am not 100% the chrysanthemum is Clara Curtis -- it might be something else -- maybe 'Sheffield Pink' -- because it hasn't proven a bit invasive for me and Clara Curtis is supposed to be invasive. But mine is on the top of a retaining wall so I'm not sure where it could invade. And I'd love to add Allium and
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Fire King' to my list from you -- do you think the latter would work in a container?

This message was edited Aug 21, 2013 9:37 AM

Happy, I'm so glad you want the allium! It's becoming one of my favorite plants as it plays so nicely with others, naturalizes quickly without being a pest (seems to double every year), looks great as a cut flower. http://davesgarden.com/showcase/image/view/39758 this pic doesn't do it justice.... but I can't find another one right now.
Yes, I think the crocosmia would probably do very well in a container, but it probably shouldn't be too far from the hose. The plant itself seems fuss-free but it may suffer from spider mites during super dry weather. http://davesgarden.com/showcase/image/view/68816

Paul--

I am sure I have some indoor plants to share for your sisiter.
Are there bright windows in her classroom?

Like:
Swedish Ivy HB
Angel Wing begonia
Purple Oxalis
Holiday cactus
Spider plants
Wandering jew--rooted


LMK. Gita

Paul: I would think the kids would especially enjoy African Violets and Holiday Cactus, because of the blooms.... although would your sister be able/willing to water during extended breaks, like winter break?

typwc: Have you found the Crocosmia to be at all invasive? (The reason I need it in a pot is that deer eat the flowers, so it won't do on my awful front hill, and I don't have enough sun out back.)

I think it depends on how you define invasive. I don't think I would really call it invasive. It has multiplied and spread pretty quickly. But it hasn't been thuggish to its neighbors, and unwanted plants are easy to identify and pull out. Digging out each bulb is hard because even very small ones that get left will grow next year. I moved my clump from the front yard to the back and when I did, a few pieces got left in the front yard. But like I said, easy to eradicate. I've never seen any seedlings popping up in weird places either.

Does it need full sun (I assumed so)? I spent all my time this summer on my awful front hill -- so now that I have time to look at it my back garden is in dreadful shape. I'm now preparing those beds for replanting and thinking through what will go there (I need plants that are not too tall -- 2' is ok -- that can handle a hill in part-sun, in a spot that doesn't have great air circulation, and are long-lived -- I am reasonably responsible about watering in the back ). I can't use Sedum Autumn Joy because our wild birds peck it to death. I don't have to worry about deer. I have so many hostas elsewhere in the yard that I don't want more. I do have daylilies there, and iris. False indigo has not done well there -- I think it needs full sun despite many websites that say otherwise. I have a lot of astilbe I'll plop in there.

I really don't know how it would tolerate shade because it's always been in full-on, blistering daylight. Most of my yard is full sun, all day everyday. I like the sword-like foliage even when it's not blooming (I believe crocosmia is related to irises, so they have similar strappy leaves). I like the way the leaves move in the breeze. Just the foliage alone may be enough to interest you?
Well it'll be an interesting experiment. If you grow it for a year in a pot and then decide you don't like it, toss it or pass it along to someone else. I won't feel bad :)

Ok, typwc, I'll give it one good try!

Typwc yes on carolina allslice and can i have some dazzleberry please? Thanks!

Chantell, I can't remember if I already told you this, but at the spring swap I promised your nephew a pup of a hardy banana (musa basjoo), since his non-hardy banana didn't make it through last winter. But mine's not doing very well! It's barely 10 inches tall and looking awfully sad. I think there's too much root competition and shade from a miscanthus.

Btw, if anyone wants a Miscanthus gracillimus, I'll be splitting 2 large ones next spring.