BajaBLue challenged us to think of a topic, so mine is what are you going to plant this spring?
For me, I will look for one of those orangish Tecoma stans.I want to try it in large container on the patio.
I also have 2 places I want to try dwarf pomegranates.
What are you planting this year?
I want to grow Perennial Dwarf Sunflower, Simsia calva
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SICA7
I want a flame vine, and an evergreen wisteria, whine, and to be home in time to plant them! Chuckl
The vines sound interesting. How big do they get for your area? I have a small trellis I haven't been able to find anything for ( about 4 ft high)
I am surrounded by pine and oak and yaupon, the evergreen wisteria would work for you, but I want something to challenge the smilax, muscadines, and trumpet vines. Gotta beef upthe coral vines before the pines steal their nutrients too.
I want to add some vines to my garden. Maybe a pipevine or something like that.
Is aristolochia a vine? Thought they were like groundcover.
Aristolchia tomentosa is a climbmer
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ARTO3
although some are shorter.
Today I planted buffalo grass seed. What I had left from several years trials. If this bunch sprouts I will order more. I have some flower seeds to start in baggies on napkins because they have totally failed outdoors. But not having a mud flat when it rains would be nice, the drought even got the bermuda in my southern exposure sunny backyard.
With 5 dogs when it rains the kitchen floor turns mud colored. So step 1, have been softening with kitchen drain water a couple of days. Leveled it, filled in dog holes, Chipped it up, to get water to penetrate more deeply. 2 carefully scattered buffalograss seed. 3. Covered with chopped oak leaves and 4. sprinkler.
Hopefully the weather is right for germination. This is my worst patch. If it takes off I know the rest will be easier.
'not pretty but there you have it. Greenhouse full of flowers from Ace Hardware and tomato seeds in pots - just one flat. Put the heat mat on under them today as no sprouts seen since I planted last week.
I've grown pipevine but not the native kind. I love them. Does the native one live through the winter? I think they like rather moist conditions so they would need extra water. Ive grown them in containers.....
All my Ace Hardware bargains
Herbs.....any suggestions?
Would the end if March be too late to set out plants? I know nothing about herbs......
Mine are out already- herbs, they love this weather and grow best this time of year. First pic is the cuttings of African Blue basil I set deep 1.5 weeks ago, the 2nd is to show the fern leaf dill that is already setting seeds in the background of the newly set out Citronelle- Coral Bells. 3rd picture reliable zinnias. The oregano, rosemary, and eau d'claire mint are coming on strong as well as the salvias. Petunia basket and hummer feeder since I have spotted several ruby throats in our garden centers
I keep waiting and waiting for a real freeze. Guess we dodged the bullet this winter, but what does mean for the bugs and mosquitoes this summer!
Very nice basket Kitt. as far as freezing weather I hope it doesn't come, we have many things growing and blooming already, but you know Texas weather, expect the unexpected.
Yup, Easter is the last of March- the winds have been blowing hard across the states really early this year. My zone has more protection with the oak and pines surrounding us- so the plants are early and everything here is a jump and a half ahead of DFW area. As long as it doesnt drop below 34* for very long, all of these plants will do fine. Just hoping those lorapetalums and pines block the majority of any strong winds! Forgot my thymes are starting to perk up!
Red Buds and other plants are starting to bud out already. More so in Austin but its still early.
trying to find homes for my peach trees, gave one to a customer and helped him plant it today
I went to Lowe's to pick up mulch. Picked up a purple basil. If that doesn't bring on a freeze, nothing will.
Not this year- not ESPECIALLY for Baytown, chuckl. Cilantro pic 1) zinnia, sunflowers and not sure what else comin on- (i planted seeds for snapdragon, rocket larkspur, sunflower, zinnia and hollyhock) and,I see some really tiny sprouts in that pic 2!
Kitt, depending on when you sowed the seeds some of your plants may not bloom this year. I sow hollyhock and larkspur in the fall/winter to get flowers in the spring. Zinnias and sunflowers should be fine if the weather stays warm.
I know- older seeds too, but sometimes seeds take 21 days to make up their minds. Hollyhocks seem like do better year 2- or is that something different I am thinking of?
As long as you know, which you obviously do...so don't give up if they don't perform like you had hoped. My larkspur are growing, amongst the weeds, but they haven't bloomed yet.
I almost bought veggie plants this weekend. The only thing that stopped me was the crowded space at Lowes and my 90lb dog. Lol I can't even believe I'm thinking of planting so early.
My larkspur are still small and not even close to blooming. They seem to be more or less on schedule. We are predicted to have a lot of rain this week. Can't wait! I got the weeds mostly gone and mulch down for the year.
Yaaa to the rain! Teacup, are Bluebonnets starting to bloom in your area?
Hollyhocks are bi-annual, generally first year you get a plant, 2nd year a bloom spike.
Wow it is pouring rain! No TV reception.
Teacup, that's strange about the BBs I thought (mistakenly) that they would be farther along in your area. I'm west of Georgetown, very rural, the BBs are starting to bloom in Austin but not even close out here.
BB's have their own timetable... never can tell. I think these are redbuds in bloom from Chattanooga on south- the blooms look faded but so heavy on the branches they could be something else entirely. Daffs are in full bloom from Ky on south as well. Bright yellow blooms scattered all down the roadsides. Hope you guys storms are calmer now
calmer for now. All the redbuds here are in bloom. Drive safe Kitt
I noticed the red buds blooming for the first time on Friday. It seemed like everything popped at once.
My Texas Mountain Laurels are all blooming this year and they are beautiful.
They usually get hit by a late frost, so we are very lucky this year.
my buffalo grass seed was watered and covered and the dogs didn't trample and nothing sprouted. I guess forgetting it in the garage on a hot shelf last summer might not have been the best. Probably not re-ordering.
moved my 4 inch pots of tomatoes up to 1 gallons last night. Planted 3 windflower bulbs from the fridge, 2 years ago Burgess, or maybe last year, and some of my refrigerator wet perlite seeds, including all of my carolina jessamine, and 3 now softened blooming mesquite. the rest of my refrigerator plants are having spring on the kitchen counter, except for the borage which looked like it was sprouting in the bag in the fridge, so I put it back in the fridge
If the borage is germinating it needs to be planted and given light, not the refridge light. Lol It's doing what it's supposed to do. Im concerned it will die if you leave it in the fridge.
ok, potting today
I noticed a post you made on the propagation forum about seeds that have failed when sown in spring...that is probably bc most on the list (from what I can tell) need to be sown in fall/winter. I know this is true for flax.
this winter they wintered in the refrigerator in wet perlite because I didn't have winter rain and I do not water in the winter much. So now the flax is sitting on my counter in its wet perlite while I figure out what to do with it.
Let us know how it goes. Im not sure if they need stratification as much as they need to be established before the heat sets in. I just toss and walk away...I don't water during the winter either, but I have a ton of BBs, larkspur and whatever else is out there and we are just now getting rain. It has taken me yrs to figure out what works in my area, not sure if it will work in yours tho.
The bluebonnets have sprung up on the roadside around here. Not a huge show yet but with this rain the next couple of weeks should be great don't you think!
I can't get bluebonnets to go, but my larkspurs and wild poppies do well. and wild daisies and black eyed susans. Just not blue bonnets, probably the seeds are too crowded, I have limited space