FIRST FLOWERS OF MID SUMMER 2015

We'll have to swap some dahlias in the spring at the seed swap. I am not experienced enough with them to tell where an eye is until they actually start producing a shoot. I have always been more fond of the smaller ones and the bees like them better too. This was the first year I ventured into the 4-6" range though. I have several volunteer dahlias growing right now. Two look promising enough to bloom this year. Hopefully they are a hybrid of something.

Gita - Indian Pipe is a different plant from Indian Tobacco, Lobelia inflata., which is an annual/biennial. Since it is blooming it probably will not come back next year, but it will produce plenty of seeds in large pods that develop. (hence the "inflata" in its name)

Whoops, my fault - I called it indian pipe first.

Sounds like a plan, Sequoia. Although I usually just pull them apart in clumps. I haven't done the single tuber thing either.

A few pics from this mornings walk around the garden.

ooooohhhh Holly - I really like the combo in the last pic! What is it with the lilies, unopened phlox paniculata? Those hibiscus are spectacular too, but like Jeff, I haven't mixed in any tropical looking things in my garden. I'm content to enjoy them in yours :-)

Loretta, I've had my euocomis for over 3 years now. They've survived near-zero degree temps without a problem. I've read that this cultivar is reliably hardy down to zone 6b.

Seq, my Limelight is about 7x7 feet. It's not as lush as some of the others I've seen around, probably because it's in poor soil. It's a great cultivar!

Pat, I'll try to take a better picture of the Limelight for you. I have the tree form which I prefer.

I'm loving everyone's hibiscus pics. Mine's still not blooming!

Some of us received a mystery plant at the spring swap and there was speculation as to whether it was a Rudbeckia or a Ratbida. It has started blooming at 6 feet and the bloom and foliage verify its identity as Rudbeckia laciniata, Green-headed Coneflower.

Wow, great pics Holly!

That's a big shrub SSG, I bet it looks beautiful from several feet away. I wouldn't mind seeing a pic of the whole bush either.

Loretta, maybe I'd have to bring a whole clump and you could help me divide. I'd hate to divide and not have any eyes.

Why would you lose your eyes he he he...

Haha! Nice Aspen ;-)

thanks greenthumb, mine is about to bloom, and I was going to ask...

Ok, we'll give it a shot. I better start tagging stalks before I forget what is what.

Omg, Holly! Is that what my phlox is suppose to look like? Your gardens are beautiful. I am a big fan of mixing tropicals.

YesTerri, that is the unopened phlox paniculata in the last pic.
Both of those Hibs are the hardy variety. I just can't believe the number of blooms on those bushes this year. Just love Garden Phlox it is one of the best plants in my garden.
Here are two of my other Tropical Hibs and the Phlox David.

Jeff--here is enough info to make you more secure about dahlias.

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Dividing dahlias in Spring--Digging and storing Dahlia tubers--
Planting and care of dahlias:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gROv1nhrRQE

http://www.finegardening.com/video-how-dig-divide-and-store-dahlia-tubers

https://www.dahliabarn.com/dahlia-care/

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Not sure f it mentioned this in any of the above sites, BUT--when you plant
dahlias in the spring--you are going to lay them flat in a shallow hole (about 4"-5" deep)
-if you have a clump and not just one tuber--you have to dig it wider so it takes all the bulbs w/o breaking any of them off.
Cover the tuber(s) with soil about half way up the hole you dug. You will fill it with
more soil as the tubers start growing until the soil is full to the top of the hole.
They grow big and bushy--so you will need to stake them as well.

***Drive a tall support stake at the time of planting!!!! Position it slightly behind
where the top of the tubers is and pound it into the ground.
If you wait to do it later--when you realize the dahlia should be staked--
you may, accidental, drive it through one of the tubers.

I think the links and, especially the You Tube explain very well where the eyes are.
and how to divide the tubers.
***Eyes grow ONLY on tubers that are, DIRECTLY, attached to the old stem.***

Gita

Cam--
I dug up some stems/roots of the NE Aster for you today.
I can't say it went well. The bed (my YUK bed) is always bone dry.
The Maple tree next to it sops up all the moisture.

The stalks of the aster were about 3' long and seemed dry too, even if it had
green leaves at the top. I am assuming this Aster is drought tolerant.
Some of the stems got bent--but I planted all this in a pot fot you, put a tall stake in it,
and toed all the stems in a bunch to the stake--in 3 places.

IF this really damaged the bloom potential--cut the stems back and plant just the roots

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Cam--
Peonies do not like to be moved! They can live close to 100 years and prosper.
Since you dug up the BIG clump (was that for you?), I am sure many of the roots
were 3'-4' long under ground and got severed. No wonder it is pouting.... :o/

Hmmmm---I almost want to suggest that, since the bloom time is long gone--
cut all the tall stems back to maybe 6" and let the plant re-establish some roots.
Hopefully--it will bloom for you next spring.
PLEASE try to plant the mass of roots EXACTLY as deep as they were. NO deeper! OK!

Gita

David,

Since my Indian Tobacco will make a lot of seeds--I'll save them for YOU!
I am sure you can find a spot somewhere for this native plant.....
I will allow it to go to seed and die off right where it is now.
G.

As far as new blooms--I do not have too much to show you
Bloom time is pretty much done. Waiting for some fall blooms--that's it.

1--My BIG POT in the WS bed. After I took this picture, I cut some of the
Sweet Potato vine back and stuck them all in a bucket of water.
They WILL root! Will anyone be interested in these by mid-September?

2--The Rbeckias are swallowing up my whole front bed!!! What to do?
Yank most of them out and,,,,,???????
Somewhere under that pile of yellow is my beautiful, double-pink blooming Azalea.

3--Two blooms together on my KK Hibiscus...

4--My tall, red Hibiscus. better picture than before...

5--Thr other tall, perennial Hibiscus--"Luna". The beetles love them both!

I'm a big fan of tropicals, but it's sometimes hard to make them look like they belong.

I can't wait for my hibiscus to get that big!

I'll take pics of 'Limelight' when the sun isn't hitting it at such a harsh angle.

Thanks in advance for the Aster, Gita... if it survives. I hope it does but will understand if it doesn't.

I dug up three large clumps of Peonies and divided the clump I have with SSG. The roots didn't seem quite that deep as they were not that hard to dig up. But yeah, Here was cutting of some of the roots, of course. I'm watering it heavily every other day in hopes of keeping the roots strong. I just cut them back nearly to the ground so the roots down't have to share the water with the stems and folieage. Hope they make it !

Gita, want me to help you get rid of some of those Rudbeckia ? I can bring you over a rabbit or two.

ssg- I know how you feel; though I've started using Brugs and EEs, I am not smitten with some other tropicals.

Cam, my peony's also looking awfully thirsty and sad. I didn't get to plant it until noon the following day, so mine may be even sadder than yours. :) I think the roots will be fine, though, so I'm just going to keep watering it and hope for the best.

Yep, same here, SSG. I'm betting they'll be fine as long as we keep the roots wet.

Hmmmmmm--not sure you should water the roots every day????
There is no foliage to absorb it. The roots are long and fat--like carrots.
They are NOT like roots on a plant.

At least I don't think they need daily watering.....they may start rotting...
Let them be for a few days in between. OK?

I said every OTHER day, Gita. Still too often in this heat ?

On the Indian Tobacco, Gita, no need to save us any seeds, but thanks for the offer. We have at least one blooming in our yard right now.

Wow, SSG, that shrub is huge.

The roots or tubers on the peonies sort of remind me of long sweet potatoes.

I'm not watering everyday, but it's been dry enough that I've watered all of the new transplants pretty regularly. All of the thunderstorms we had in the last couple of weeks dried up when they reached my house. My soil is dusty.

Thanks for the tips Gita.

Here are some picks from yesterday:

Origanum Rosenkuppel
NOID Phlox
Echinacea tennessensis 'Rocky Top'

Cool picture of that Echinacea, Sequoia.

There's been lots of activity since Sequoia and Sally asked about my Scutellaria incana, but I'll answer anyway!

Like greenthumb and ecnalg said, Scutellaria incana gets about 4' tall (mine are closer to 3' after dead-heading) and takes some shade. Mine get morning sun. I bought my first 3 plants from a local Girl Scout troop and recently got several more from greenthumb and ecnalg. They're all in my monochromatic purplish-blue front bed.

Rocky Top you'll always be, home sweet home to me... Good 'ol Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee...

yup aspen, me too...

I had no idea that was a song!

Wow, what a number, I didn't know it was a song either. Who sings it?

It is the unofficial fight song for the University of Tennessee.

He he, we know who the country music fans aren't in this group... Rocky Top is one of the classics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUyj3dRN5QU

I like this version or the Springer Brothers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzG97IPg0y8


Oh ,, the old instrumental version of the "Wreck of the old 97" I ain't there yet , but ,, but ,,, but ,,,,^_^

Juhur, that's the version of 'Rocky Top' that went through my head when I read Aspen's post.
< =D WOW, this song has been sung by lots of artists, I had no idea it was so many!

speediebean Been around a while that one , I like Bluegrass and Folk always did ,
Two others , while straying from meaning , That have been done by as more artists ,
are: Orange Blossom Special and Foggy mountain Breakdown ,
I use to follow Back porch Bluegrass It was a good radio show half a century gone ,
Several good new artists we do not hear from often ,

My favorite music is this ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyirKmsQUqI


This message was edited Jul 26, 2015 7:29 AM

A little off topic but since we are talking Old songs, I found Paint your Wagon on the western channel this morning. Having a great time watching it. What a hoot.