I dont want it to end. I still have a bunch of plants that have not matured. Need at least 8 more weeks of growing time, w/70%. I've noticed a bit of depresstion setting in, with the last two days of cloudy skies. I know I'm a whimp.
I really dont mind the rain, in fact enjoy it during the right season.. JUST NOT RIGHT NOW.
So dig out the sacrifices, just 2 more months.. please!!!!
Not a chance -- I'd be happy if it never got above 70! Maybe my garden wouldn't be so happy, but it would suit me just fine. lol.
Vizz, I will support the sacrifice of a vestal virgin. I want the sun back! I hear you about the depression with cloudy skies, not to mention the joint pain in the morning.
FYI, though, in case the virgin sacrifice is not enough for the weather gods, try 5-htp. It's an amino acid precursor to seratonin, one of the neurotransmiiters indicated in seasonal depression. It really works very well. If you are interested in knowing more about it, dmail me since I don't want to side track this thread.
Off to capture some sacrifice fodder. I believe the last time we had to offer a sacrifice, it worked. Oh, and btw, tomorrow and into the weekend is supposed to be high 70's, low 80's around here. Sorry, MzWeazelle.
Oh, I'm not expecting to get my way in this. :-) I just do my best to seek out air-conditioned stores when it gets too hot.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy -- it's going to end all too soon.
Oh Pixy -- I don't think the weather gods would care for a sacrifice of 5-htp, but you could try.
I know exactly what you mean - this summer has gone by too fast! Surely we will get some more!!? There are some neighborhood children I would be willing to sacrifice...
My, my ... am sure glad I live in Washington! Not that I'd be considered a child in any neighborhood.
My DD says the same thing MzW, its too hot, when is the rain coming... then she complains about that. In fact she said something yesterday about getting some speical lighting... Ahh ha, I say to her, I was thinking the same thing... I say to myself. I need some lights for my indoor plants, just the ticket. Kill two birds with one stone. But she will think I've done it all for her. Pretty cool eh?
Pixy: I do pretty good in the rainy season, I really dont mind the rain. I just want a longer growing season. Think my depression was plant smypathy. I just want them to reach their potential, only thing of them, not myself. LOL
Sacrifice Wanted: apply here
LOL karlabb, I have two dogs, I'll toss in.
Shame on you Vizz8! :-)
opps, three dogs... my DD has one I'm not fond of also.
Do you think three dogs, some kids, and 5-thp will do?
Only if you drag them (alive!) up the most difficult side of the nearest active volcano and toss them in, one at a time. Summer would be gone before you got home.
Well that kinda take the puffft out of it.. uh?
I am trying to craft an iron-clad, logical excuse for needing a greenhouse. I need to figure out how to play this one correctly.
Temperatures cooling with shortened days = need a place for all those lovely tropicals (that i've yet to purchase) to go.
Temperatures climbing = plants will be putting on too much new growth, and need protection.
Space - absolutely need more. What have I left out?
DH does not garden, but is very analytical.
Actually, if I had several brugs/hibiscus/bougs it would require space, and that might tip the balance towards having a GH. Hmm, plant the seed & let him think it's his idea...
Suggestions?
I think you've pretty much got it covered. I generally find if I make suggestions, and then wait for about 6 months, my DH will all of the sudden come up with one of his suspiciously familiar and wonderful ideas. Voila!
Think of how much money you can save by starting your own seeds in a greenhouse and protecting the plants through the winter rather than having to replace the freeze damaged ones in the Spring.
I'm not sure that one would fly with the average DH. Now, I managed to get my GH when the DH decided he wanted several hundred thujas and couldn't begin to afford to buy them all. The obvious answer was buy a few and multiply them at home -- hence, the need for a greenhouse. I've had the GH for about 5 months, and not one thuja start in site yet. lol
Forgot the moral of the story. Find out something the GH will do for HIM, then you'll have a point of leverage. :-)
This message was edited Aug 24, 2006 6:55 PM
Which ever you choose it WILL have to be his idea. I've found thats what works. Fortunatly I have a gardering NUT DH. I have to tell him to quit it already, we dont have anymore room for that plant you want. I suggested growing a few seeds last winter for spring.. within two weeks he had 25 flats of seeds going.. OMG, they were everywhere. In the bedroom floors, linning the kitchen walls, hanging from the rafters. There is now an insulated room in the garage to hold over plants for the winter, with pleanty of new windows for light. I'm sure by next fall or maybe even next spring there WILL be a GH in the backyard.
BTW we did save alot of money by not buying alot of plants, but we are still down about 1/4 of the growing supplys, next year we will be even,, not counting the GH.. LOL
What is thuja ?
viv - Thuja is aka Arborvitae, evergreen, tough & widely planted.
What a fabulous group of consultants you all are! Thanks for the ideas, and I'll keep you posted. I will now attempt to digest the contents of the instruction booklet that came with my digital camera. My hard drive is fixed (yea!) and ready to go. Don't know if my brain is - drained from work. Maybe I should water & weed first - that'll calm my pea-brain a bit!
Yeah, Arborvitae -- couldn't remember that name earlier.
DH is convince that all 4 acres need to be ringed with a line (preferably a double line) of Arborvitae, for privacy. I haven't asked what he plans to do with all the privacy. We've been married for almost 20 years -- what do we need all that privacy for? lol.
Here's what you do to get a greenhouse: This winter, you'll need to be 'winter sowing' thousands of seeds. The seed flats will be on every available surface and will need special lights and heat mats. They will be in the way when you try do make dinner, and they will be in the way when he tries to do anything on any surface. You'll be so apologetic but explain that you are trying to save money on plants. Be sure to have several 'temporary' set ups in the room he uses the most.
If he is really dense or just doesn't make the connection, you'll want to craft a small 'greenhouse' out of heavy clear plastic in the corner of the family room . Just tell him that some of your plants need more humidity and heat and this is the only way to get that accomplished.
You'll be getting a greenhouse pretty quick.
"what do we need all that privacy for?" Well, I don't know about the arborvitae as a fence, since they suck up so much water, but at only 20 years of marriage, you should definitely be needing the privacy! LOL
Pixy,
Thanks for the info on the arborvitae. Believe it or not water is something we just don't have a lot of, at least not during the summer. Maybe I can convince DH to try something else.
Hey, 19 years of being within whispering distance of the neighbors and now he thinks it's necessary to grow a 20 foot fence for privacy? No body's listening or looking out here, and if they are no green hedge is going to thwart them. :-)
I like the idea of one's garden being an extension of his/her house - outdoor rooms if you will. Think of the shrubbery as enclosure or walls. I like the idea of sitting in my garden & reading a book (right, like that ever happens) or going outside in my bathrobe with the newspaper and a cup of coffee to enjoy the morning. Sometimes, I'll be so eager to get out and plant my newest acquisitions that I'll jump (o.k. at my age there is some groaning & cracking of bones - it's just an expression!) out of bed, hair sticking out all over the place, throw on sweats and go at it. I like the privacy that a fence or hedge provides for these less than glamorous activities. Sometimes, it's just peaceful to sit outside and be mesmerized by the water flowing in ones pond or fountain or watch the birds and the many other delights a garden contains. I like the thought of doing this in perceived privacy. There may be busy sidewalks on the other side of my fence/shrubbery but on the garden side I can experience solitude and by suspending disbelief for a moment be deep in an enchanted forest of exotic plants & magical beasts. In my jobs, I work with lots of people all day & it's kind of nice to have a little place to escape the eyes of the world. That's not to say that I don't enjoy inviting pepole into my space & often when I'm working in the part of my yard that is outside of the fence, neighbors, and garden - minded passers by will stop & chat & we'll go inside for a tour or tea or wine (lots of wine). It's like inviting someone to come into your home. I enjoy the privacy of my sitting areas when sharing them with friends as well.
This message was edited Aug 25, 2006 6:58 AM
Herpst, I concur.
I think some of us prefer hedges also because it helps give definition to the space you're dealing with. Hedges (large/tall) also help block noise. I have a hedge of Laurel across the back of my property, & besides providing places for the birds, it has dampened the noise level. I was surprised how quickly it reached above the fence top - blocking the view of neighbor's roof. Not that we care about roofs! It was just a way to gauge the growth of this hedge. Wish I had room to plant another row...
Okay, I'm not saying that there aren't real reasons to plant a hedge, and unfortunately those most in need usually don't have enough room to plant one. I just found it amazing that the first thing my DH thought about doing after moving away from the city was growing a hedge. Actually I think that was #2 -- the first thing was probably building a big shop in plain view of the house. Now there's a use for a good thick hedge!
LOL MzW,
LOL!
I confess that I garden in my pajamas. and that's before brushing my teeth or washing my face, etc. I love the privacy of my backyard. We don't have a hedge, although I think there used to be one, but we have a lot of space between our house and the house by us and behind us. Tall cedar trees on both of the adjoining properties block the vision of people, as well as the sun during three seasons of the year. I love being able to garden without having to worry about what people think.
Oh, and of course, there is all of the sitting and reading and lounging in the hammock. Of, for sure!
We had the same thing when an old small house was torn down to be replaced by a two story bemoth. Soooo I planted four clematis across our fence line. It only took a year and we now have no one looking at us as we sit on our deck and we don't see (we still hear) their two dogs.
