Plant Propagation: the Basics, May 2018

And here we are. It's the 3rd of May but it will have to do. We came from here.
https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1470400/?page=11#post_10359572

I have bugs to show. Herbs bolting, 3 hummer feeders out now. I have one male that guards that one feeder, the feeder in the back has 3 hummers that actually share. Putting up some used trellis stuff for the moonvines, found an ANCIENT post the kids made 12 yrs ago, I am considering utilizing as well. Marigold seeds sprouting

hoping for hydrangeas soon. My daughter wants, and read that if I stucky a rusty nail in the ground by my hydrangeas they would turn bright colors. They are Annabelle Snowballs, what do you think? Last year first bloom. After this they were all green. just budding now

I don't do hydrangeas, but if a rusty nail works, then all you actually need is iron. DFW area (red river valley) is - according to some drillers I once knew- iron deficient. I think she was thinking about the litmus test on other hydrangeas...

it wasn't her thinking, it was a comment on a facebook page with a picture of beautiful hydrangeas and she pointed me to it. I know genetics has more to do with flower color. But spiderwort is certainly different colors on opposite ends of my yard

1 Daffodil
2Tulip
3 Tulip
4 Zinnia
5 Tithonia .

Giant Sunflower
Tomato tumbling tom ,
zinnia ,. polar bear
peas
petunia )perquette

I carefully harvested seed from my Asclepius Tuberosa. Put them in a high quality light sterile potting mix in my refrigerator in chinese food trays and watered with rain water. They were in the crisper about 6 weeks before I mixed soil, last year's tomato soil plus some top soil, aquatic plant compost and a little bit of landscapers mix and moved them outdoors. I think in January for the first tray but I didn't keep notes, with grandchildren and memorials. 2nd bunch went out a couple of weeks later. They were gorgeous. Took them to the sale today, I guess someone had pathetic Asclepius Tuberosa to sell because they marked all of mine tropical I sent 60, 29 sold. I picked up the other 31 and will be enjoying them in my yard and neighbor and family yards. I will NOT be growing them anymore milkweed. It's rough work to do it right, and I think my good friend Josephine from DG originally, although she has left, is who produced the scrawny ones because as I was leaving I saw her moving my plants to a sign that said Tropical. She is who recruited me to grow for NPSOT. I guess I should take it as a compliment, I've surpassed my mentor. But I tried her soil mix once and got awful results.

Now, after my phone recovers, I'll upload some pics. At least all my heartleaf skullcap and Frostweed sold. If they hadn't I had a trash can waiting for the plants and I'd have reused the dirt. I was overrun with those 2.

Thank you for letting me vent

Gypsi for sure when other things are going , growing seedlings of any number takes a
convincing effort , as you said , lots of work to do ,,
Morning glory
Sunflower

Hmmmm, parts of the old crowd. My milkweed doesnt like where its at, still alive but hasnt grown. Its maybe 1" tall, have been considering where to move them and how to make them happy, but I have a trellis to patch together from odds and ends...

I make a couple of dollars a pot, but it is a lot of work, and I unloaded my truck and loaded plants til 1:30 am, then got up at 6:30 to drive the plants to the sale. I already run a pond service and a bee service. I think this club is for retired people. I am not the youngest but I am close.

You just reminded me Ju - my morning glory and moon flower (ipomea) seeds aren't in

Gypsi , Crimson ramblers there they germinated overnight , 2 days a whole sprout ,

Kitt , None of my milkweeds have returned so far this season ,

I even planted some seeds yesterday. Some marigolds seeds I dead headed at a nursery.....Some miniature sun flowers that I got as a gift and some Red Mexican Bird of Paradise and some Pink Mexican Bird of Paradise. The last time I bought the Pink seeds, it took three years for them to bloom and they were yellow and red. This seller guarantee the color but I do not know if I will live long enough for them to bloom. We are going to be in the high 90s and hit 100's Wednesday and Thursday. That should push the germination.

I installed two new hummingbird feeders in the back landscape near the KOI pond. Two females found them right away and kept the info to themselves. Front feeders have about 8 hummers. Three males and 5 females. Well today one of the males found the feeders in the back and there has been a battle all day. A lot of noise and flying around.

My cats are the lizard champions of the neighborhood. This is the one I saved today. Also I have had a gnat bugging my laptop screen for over 10 minutes. I noticed it was chasing my arrow from my mouse. So I just moved it around for a second and out it came and now it is smashed. Don't mess with Seniors.

And our greenbelt owl is back. One here, at least 3 more to go.

Doodle kitten has been put on a feeding diet- he got so huge and was being a butt about pushing Shadow away, not even sure he noticed he was being a pig...I can't leave a feeder on the front porch or possums show up and push the cats away... I got my trellis up, have cukes and maybe a squash eartagged for it in a day or so. One of my Prudens Purple plants I had to cut 6 maters off it for blossom end rot after our rain, and I got behind on suckering and have them growing extra mater main stems that are flowering. I have 3 Blue jay males, one red tailed hawk cruises my yard, 3 male woodpeckers bigger than the Blue jays, and a dozen squirrels driving the dogs nuts. The squirrels found a female mulberry in the yard and were fighting over the fruits. The day before the storm I had maybe 8 to 10 ruby throats, I think many were traveling as they fed peacefully all day, except for those buzzing males in the front yard, so 3 feeders out now, but the crowd fed and moved on. The 2 hanging baskets of petunias draw them as fast as the feeders, that and the hummingbird sage up front. The gold lantana draws the black swallowtails and gulf frits and sulphurs. I even had 1 whole honeybee...and am losing the fight against the bugs finally. Did get my arch up, chuckl, now for a bit of white touchup paint.

Part of my milkweeds haven't come back either. Kind of glad to have my seedlings

Lots of rock moving, board nailing and fires. My back porch where 7or8 hummers hid out...oh. Bug. Grrrr

leaf footed bug?

Squashed bug. I am kinda after any orange and black bugs, but I think it is a leaf foot - at least THAT one is. I am backing off squashing with fingers- that green leaf hopper felt like a grass bur when I tried for him... here are a few others I squish as capable, and the hopefully a trellis for vining stuff and shading my delicate basils...

Great idea on the trellis Kit. We have nothing here that looks like those bugs. Thank Goodness. Your landscape looks so clean. You can see all of the hard work you have been doing.

Peanut, the alpha female cat brought me a present this morning.

We are 99 today. I think I will garden after dinner. I just have some dead heading to do on the geraniums, amaryllis and roses. I also need to make some hummer sugar. I did some turning over of the compost pile and disturbed a whole lot of baby worms moving them to the top of the pile.

It is time for the dogs second walk and then make up my mine what I am going to make for dinner.

Keith and I are communicating on Facebook Messenger. He is doing fine and in the start f his spring. Just got back from his annual trip to the garden center's in the big city. You can reach him on messenger under Wendy Irvine.

Photo is present from Peanut and the other is my battery operated new mower I purchased myself for Christmas. Yes a little early but I terminated my mow and blow guys and my gardener gardener is going to do my small amount of mowing. Or my grandson has also volunteered but he has 4 hrs a day tennis lessons and always doing homework.

Chuckl, that yard looks manicured- well, the weeds are currently mowed, but wear shoes. Sessile, false strawberry, arkansas traveler are all weeds, burs, and I don't really think the bermuda has quite come out yet. Snickerdoodle is sitting waiting on us to come back on a run to Hickory Corral for supper. That 12 yards of dirt is being hand fed to the foundation where it has washed out in last years 3 huge floods. I had just finished going after the poison ivy that escaped my wrath the last time I went after it. Soaking seeds tonite, think I shall try morning glories in a hanging basket...and the cukes to go on that trellis. Its weak, but I have brace boards that can be added if necessary. Made a run into town and picked up some more Happy Frog- Thank you Sharon & Jen for that bee in my bonnet. The tomatoes do love that stuff. My daughter asked how big I was going to grow the jalapenos before I pick them, will have to get that picture still.

your yard looks beautiful Kitt. The weed parts of my grass are 9 inches right now, the grass is about 2 inches. What with the bees, no more weed n feed, I'm sowing dutch clover in my thirsty st augustine. And what with saying yes to a bee tree removal I got zero yard work done this weekend or today. But It'll be ok. Still no time to dump pics into computer... pond tomorrow

busy busy! Joe got the tomatoes in and the beans are up. He will put the peppers in today. I am excited to see my milkweed showing up. The frostweed is also up. well almost everything is up now, except the jack in the pulpit. Not much rains here. I'm asking Joe to spray all green stuff with Peroxide and water. pICS FROM END OF apRIL.. HUGE CHANGE NOW, WILL TRY TO CATCH UP LATER.. Off to work I go, hi -ho///

Peroxide and water, what does that do for plants? I understand the seeds, but hadn't heard of it for plants. George Henry the black swallowtail bf is still perched on his rebar. I am still trying to find a good medium for potting plants, hopefully these mgs will tell me what they think...

I want to know about peroxide too. About to wrap my peaches in nylon netting to protect from borers and birds. If I ever get time I've got the netting.

Friday's photos Amaryllis, Tomatoes around the onion bed, Upper garden, green blackberries on vines, bumbles in the salvia, euonymus shrub making bees happy, clematis in the front flowerbed.

Spirea Japonica with poppies, prairie phlox and lance leaf coreopsis. Green milkweed in a field nearby, hope to successfully start seed on those some time, failed last year. Deep rose I moved a few times as the garden evolved, can't remember it's name but it was similar to my old Don Juan when I got it. Premier climber rose cluster, pond we cleaned yesterday

pretty flowers from all of you . Looks like your all doing pretty well ..

Sharon . Nice to be Appreciated from the pets . Cleaning but the chill brothers got tired 1 and 2
3 Dogwood
4Apple
5 flowering crab

those cats do that sleeping pretty well. If my Tux was around they wouldn't be sleeping for long. I was gone all day yesterday and he is my shadow today. Had to give him a stuffed animal to tackle so I could do my situps in peace.

There are dogwoods in Texas but I am not blessed. Your apple and flower crab are gorgeous

I love the euonymus , and the dogwood. I have neither, and am too old now to start them LOL Peroxide sprayed on roots and plant stems and leaves help fight fungus and bugs. Two parts peroxide to 8 parts water. ( in a spray bottle) My other spray is dawn with a drop of castor oil, and one part mouthwash or alcohol for aphids, mealy bugs etc. ( water first in spray bottle, then soap, dropper of oil, dropper of mouthwash or alcohol, top with water, shake well) my clematis are full loaded, blooming profusely.

My clematis coming back from roots finally is about 6" tall. Fertilized yesterday. Havent killed any plants yet, knock wood, there is still time. I did transplant 1 morning glory, still wilts in full sun, so waiting on recovery. Making ice cubes of cilantro, oregano and peppermint leaves. Trying to cure poison ivy on my right elbow, and trying harder not to scratch it off my skin. Hmmm, did I remember to take my allegra?

Well, didn't think it would happen but the cat came back. Out of the blue last night I got an E-mail from a dude by the name of Tyson Yen who is the new Community Manager for DG. Apparently he introduced himself on a thread a while back and someone put a bug in his ear to contact me. We had a very long telephone conversation this morning and he seems genuinely committed to making Admin accessible to the membership, something that has been non-existent ever since I joined the website. He is definitely quick to respond right now. He contacted me last night, I replied to his message quite late. I suggested that he contact me by telephone as there was a lot to cover. I went to town this morning and had a response from him already when i got home asking if we could talk today. When I responded he called me within minutes. I agreed to give him a chance to make things right so I guess you are stuck with me again. Sherry, he should be contacting you as well. If there is anyone else who has issues that need to be resolved, I have his E-mail address. Send me a D-mail and I will share it.
Keith

kitt my morning glory are only now staring , five crimson rambler and two Granpa ott
Another large leaf variety is in my front flower bed

Keith Nice to have you back , Good that that the DG admin responded to you
Lots to here still with the green space ,

We've always just ignored admins foibles, but I am glad (not surprised) to see ya back Ox. I am finding new to me bugs to fight, my dau loves her little curry plant, but I found something else that does, too. Naturally. Think I got the blossom end rot ended, still allowing those peppers to grow, chuckl, idle curiosity of how big they will get, started 2 hills of cukes, and nursing the poison ivy that cropped up at the end of my tshirt sleeve. Nasty itchy stuff.
Found 2 flying hole making culprits on morning glory leaves, so debating a plan of action...didn't see them, but they are small. Sulphur on the petunias, black swallowtails on gold lantana, and I believe one small one was my newly hatched caterpillar.
Meant to mention, Gypsi, I have seen lilac and blue spiderwort growing right next to each other, so soil doesn't mean much to that plant.

This message was edited May 11, 2018 10:02 AM

huh. ok. Well my blue spiderwort up under the pine seems to have not returned but I now have purple in two places. Good to have you back Keith. Working on my butterfly garden but first I have to mow. Kids and I are painting some kind of mural on my garden fence on sunday, have to get it primed today.

Spiderwort does like the little blue eyed grass usually does, throws seed, comes up when the soil makes it happy. Or like clover, grows til it changes the soil to so rich it dies out. Eyeballing white dutch clover for an area myself...

I can't keep the blue eyed grass alive in my yard, too well drained I think. Does it like wet feet?

The garden is complete, now .....Dames Rocket, wild columbine, Mock Orange, Iris, alliums, violets, pink primrose, wild blackberry all fully bloomed. Have no clue where Spring went, My Jack in The Pulpit failed to return and it was a HUGE colony. I'm so sad.
Keep Posting, I will lurch while I am home in tween jobs.
Keith, it's like I tell Joe, No one ever dies on the TV shows, and eventually everyone comes back home... ( here) welcome home.!
Your Gardens are a joy to see and makes me think I am needing to improve my skills constantly, so I need you here. Have a fun weekend. Color, I need color, the eye that has been bleeding inside is improving with the most recent shot into it. YAY!

have a couple of granddaughters tonight and kids tomorrow. Happy Mother's Day everyone. I'm off to try to get them ready for bed

Gypsi, Happy Mother's day to you. And Happy Mother;s day to all the mother's on this thread.

Debra, your garden looks good. Best wishes on the healthy return of your eye bleeding problem.

JU, has your area warmed up yet.

Keith, welcome back and have you warmed up yet. Our hockey team is in your neck of the woods. We lost tonight.

Gypsi, I have attached photos of the inside of my KOI pond filter. Filter guy, who is a relative, and my gardener worked on it today and I think they found the problem. I was supervising and with a little bit of kludging I think they fixed it. I actually came up with the kludge. Now has fresh sand and hopefully the pond will get back to normal.

Been a real pain for about 5 months and pool equipment companies would not touch it because of the live fish. Pond guys would not come because they did not work on "commercial" filters. So I had to wait for Nephew who worked along side my brother, until he graduated from college. Very knowledgeable but also has a full time job with the government and 3 kids and a very busy life. I am just thrilled it may be fixed because a new one is close to $1000. You can see the problem. One of the spindles broke off. Not only broke off, but disappeared. Two spindles were removed to clean and where the one was missing, they bought a plug and glued and then placed a screw to the plug to assure it would not let loose. Photo was taken after all the sand was removed and shop vac used to clean. These two needed a supervisor because men cannot do more than one thing at a time. And both of these guys proved that today. But I did pay them both well, so no complaints in the end.

Sharon , much warmer now here , 79 yesterday with 80% humidity , 81 for today
I have worked on spindles before ..

Debra , good your doing well , hope the eye heals well

yesterday a visitor