Doomed gardening

More confessions: I have various bare root wildflowers I ordered a while ago but didn't get in the ground when I should have. They look and smell healthy (as much as that can be said about a bareroot plant). Let's assume for the sake of argument they are hardy to zone 4 (I'm in lower zone 6). (I haven't checked.)

Can I plant them outside this afternoon if enough of the snow melts? I have 3 hours free this afternoon. It is going up to 40 today, but tonight it will plunge into the teens and then it will be bitter cold then next few days -- that is what worries me. I can't plant outside Sunday or Monday because the high will be in the low 30's and I'm afraid the ground will stay frozen. Next weekend the highs are supposed to be in the 30s, and lows are 27, so I might be able to plant some then if the ground isn't frozen, but I'm not optimistic -- this may be my only window of opportunity for a bit.

I'm inclined to do it anyway. They weren't terrifically expensive, so . . . . Otherwise I'll have to heel them in, using a lot of pots indoors, which will be a pain. And I"m not sure they'd be any happier indoors than they would outside. If any of you would set me straight, I'll reconsider. (I've also still got some bulbs to plunk in.)

I doubt any of you has put yourself in this pickle, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy, the rule of thumb that my landscaper friend (and former boss) has always sworn by is that if the ground is not frozen, you can plant it. I've followed that advice for the past ten years.

Were I in your position, I'd either pot them up and stick them in a cool room until Spring ... or just pop them in the ground. Frankly, I'd probably go with the latter since they are hardy to zone 4 ... others might strongly disagree. :)

Hi Happy! My first thought after reading your post is I'd get the bulbs in the ground first. The plants I would pot up and place in a cool garage or basement.
Thinking that potting up the plants will give them a better chance since they are bare roots.

Chris

I don't know how far you are away from me, but if I were in your shoes, I'd put them in the ground now. You could always cover them with leaves or mulch too.
Dawn

Are they still dormant? If they aren't I wouldn't plant them outside now. If they are I'm sure it would be fine to plant them.

You can always pot them up until spring instead of planting them outside if you think dormancy is broken. I wouldn't even worry about individual pots since you'll be able to plant them either way in about a few weeks. I've found those cheap plastic windowboxes are good for heeling in a bunch of plants.

Wow: What a wealth of great ideas. Hart: I love the idea of using windowboxes, and I have one handy. I've got such a short window of opportunity today -- got to get to it. Many thanks.

Late to this thread, but that's what I'd have suggested... get out and plant the bulbs, then stuff the (dormant?) wildflowers into a windowbox and stick them in the garage. Hope you got 'er done!

I refuse to 'fess up to what I did or did not do on the ground that it might incriminate me.

Well, it WAS pretty durned cold out there...

She planted them!!! ... right?

Look out, it appears that we may have another Xtreme Gardener in our midsts.

Wrightie is partially right -- I planted some outside until it was so dark I couldn't see what I was planting (it really wasn't uncomfortably cold but the days are so short), but I didn't get all the bulbs planted. I didn't have time to do everything. I feel really sick about this. The problem is that I've been trying to put in a new fairly large bed, and so even though I want to get the bulbs in, I need to get the plants in first (well, I do about a 10' square area at a time). It has been dug up and amended once (by my stepson), but not very well, so as I go along I redig and add amendments. I'm been putting in a mix of potted perennials (hostas, tryicyrtis, astilbe, etc.), bulbs and bareroot dormant ephemeral wildflowers.

But I know that if I plant the bareroot plants in pots, then that will add a step in the future (I'll still have to get them into the ground) and that may never happen, so I guess I'm ok with taking the risk if it brings closure to this project. (I am determined to get my work-at-the-office hours up this year so I won't have as much time to garden, plus we have some trips on the back burner -- maybe even a trip to England, Wrightie, not that we can afford it.)

The wildflowers would be dormant now under the ground if I had planted them earlier (right?) so maybe they'll be ok. They were very inexpensive -- I got them from Viola Valley, on sale, and the prices there are laughably low, so if only some come up I'll still be pleased. The roots seem very healthy. I'll stick the remaining bulbs in the second fridge in the basement -- I don't know why I didn't do that earlier. Next weekend the temperatures are supposed to go up to the 40s, and it looks as if rain is expected Sunday but Saturday may be clear, so I'll give another shot at it.

What happened is that I ordered the wildflowers in late October, but Viola Valley for some reason didn't send them to me until late November, at which time I had Thanksgiving and an injured hand and then the flu and Christmas to contend with. So that's why I have so many bulbs and wildflowers unplanted.

How exciting, Happy! Where did you put in this new bed - up near the top of the hill? I cannot wait to see it! It sounds divine.

England?! Which part? If you have room in your suitcase on the return trip for Cabdury's and Crumble Mix, please let me know. :)

If we really make it to England, we definitely will bring Cadbury's and Crumble Mix (whatever that is). There is the little problem of affording the trip . . . . Also, we like to take my father-in-law on trips -- he's 94, so doesn't have too many more trips in his future -- but while we can cram my girls and ourselves into anything, he needs a room by himself. We would be staying with friends in England (and I'm not sure they'd be thrilled with the FIL though I know they'd say yes), but I really want to go to France for a few days to practice my French. The exchange rate is appalling, and with five of us I can't begin to imagine the cost. But my girls are growing older, so I really think we should. My husband is opposed to it because of the cost. We'd go in June of this year (prime gardening time, sigh) if we can swing it -- or else next year. We are going to visit the FIL in Florida for spring vacation, and Las Vegas in August (DH has a work-related convention), so it could be a busy year.

Thanks for asking about my new bed, and not mentioning that everything I am planting will die (sigh). It is on the hill to the left of the garage, facing the street. It used to be covered tightly with ground ivy, but Jeremy pulled all of that out. So now I am putting in a lot of hostas, etc., which the neighborhood deer may make quick work of. But we have some neighbors with hostas in their front yards, so I am hoping this isn't for nought. The deer don't usually come to our house, but the new planting may be sending an invitation to them!

LOL, it's not going to die, it's not going to die, it's not going to die ... and I remember that bed. It will make for a wonderful entrance. I cannot wait to see it.

I'm envious of all of your trips!

We were in England last Spring when the exchange rate was 2:1. Boy, did that sting! Even simple pub meals wound up being very expensive, oh and DH and I went out for a basic Thai meal and spent USD 100.00 just for that, LOL. While the rate has fallen ever so slightly, it sounds as though it could go back up near 2:1 once the Fed's drop interest rates here again. I wish you a Prosperous 2008 so that you and the entire family may travel stress free (well, at least where $ is concerned).

PS some of the British import stores here carry crumble mix, but my go-to shop in Annapolis seems to have shut down, so I need to start going elsewhere to get supplies.
Crumble mix is found in any grocery's baking aisle - small packets of mix for fruit crumble. Honestly, I can make my own at home, but I would highly recommend that you pick some up for yourself. I *always* pick some up when I go back to Blighty...

This message was edited Jan 20, 2008 11:09 AM

We're pricing the trip right now -- ouch.

In the interest of science, I just went outside and tried to pry a trowel into the ground -- frozen solid. So no planting today, alas.

happy- just gotta say, you have given me a chuckle. Go you, for getting so much done in non-prime weather, (I was pretty much huddled inside ) I love this kind of drama, keep the TV soap operas for everybody else LOL

Well, you know Sally, I have girls ages 13 and 15, so my life is unending drama. (You have a girl as well, don't you? How do you escape it?)

In my case, it's the almost 17 boy that gives me the rollercoaster of 'am I a good parent or totall insane idiot' feeling ha ha
My daughter is right between your two, and midle child, only girl, very quiet at home. She'll no doubt go away some day and if I'm lucky, I'll hear, or not, about her having wild adventures then!!! like me, ahem...
Who else is off today? In the interest of medicine, please do not attempt to stick a trowel in the dirt. You'll no doubt break your wrist.
Brrrr

No kidding. I religiously keep the thermostat very low in our house to save energy, with an automatic thermostat that turns it was down at night. It was so so so cold last night! Brrr.

Oddly, the kids don't complain about the temperature. That is the only thing they don't complain about. Here's an example. We are trying to see if we can pull off a trip to London/Paris this June. My 13-year old is upset because she might miss some "graduation" parties (we'd leave right after her "graduation" ceremy from 8th grade). When did graduation from 8th grade become such a big deal? My 15-year old hates leaving our dogs, and so I know she'll object. What have I done wrong? Sigh.

You are a mommy... That is all it takes!

I have a two and a four year-old and my four year-old told me she hated me after I fussed at her for killing my plant.. My fussing was.. You have disappointed me.... UGH I dread when she turns 15...

Between 1973 and this century, apparently. We had no ceremony that I recall.
Now there's a big deal promotion ceremnoy from 5 at public school. The topper was that somebody had rented a limo... well, one can hope that actually a family member owns a limo. Otherwise thats totally insane.
yes planning family trips can be a pain. We scored five free tickets for this year by changing flights. But where in US to go? Have done Grand Canyon. Considering Pacific NW. the most mileage for free!

Can you go to Hawaii or Alaska? I assume your tickets are limited to continental US.

But there are so many places I'd go to. Yellowstone is gorgeous. I love the Pacific NW. Go see how New Orleans is doing. Are they transferable? I need 4 tickets to Las Vegas for this summer ... I'd buy them off of you in a heartbeat, but if you can't find a good use for them you not the woman that I had thought!

pretty sure not Haw or Alaska
New Orleans I am curious, but......... after thought, not a place for family trip
Yellowstone- awesome but no service there.
Sell them- no we can't, and yes we will use them somehow!

My family went to New Orleans when I was 7. I had a great time. There is things to do with children..

We've taken our kids to New Orleans several times and loved it.

How about Arizona? It is so different . . ..

I really liked New Orleans in about, 1999, pre Katrina.
Saw some of AZ in 2006 with Grand Canyon. Definitely could see more..

What a fun project to worry over. I like planning trips as much as I do taking them.

Happy, I hope your plants make it through winter. Wildflowers are wonderful to grow.

Taking a family vacation is great for the whole family--you'll have the memories. Mine traveled the Southwest and West when I was a teen. We traveled up the California coast to the Redwood Forest and on to Washington State through picturesque Oregon. I will never forget those scenes. Also saw Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, a huge bat cave!! The colorful rock formations of Utah and Arizona are fantastic, the mountaineous highways in the high Sierras in Colorado are breathtaking!!

I've always wanted to go to Europe and the U.K. but travel isn't cheap now. A lot of friends are going to places like China and South America instead. Costa Rica is nice during February!!

Thailand is pretty spectacular this time of year as well!!! [oh, the memories!]

My boss just got back from Thailand.. She loved it..

My son is taking Wushu, a Chinese martial art. It is beautiful, and now he is interested in Chinese culture and going to China. We will probably try to do that when there is a big world Wushu tournament going on. I love to watch those guys do amazing things with sticks and sabers. One other trip I want to take one day is to the big space observatory in Chile. I have an interest in astronomy just for funsies. I would love to camp out in that place all night watching the sky. I would go to Thailand just for dinner!! I love Thai cooking. Glad to hear it is fun to visit there. Hmmm.

fnff, I went to Taiwan after college to study mandarin, travel, etc. and stayed in Asia for five years. Lemme know if you ever want to chat about that stuff...

Wrightie, thanks! Yes, I'd like to talk it up!! Probably will start a new thread....?

Sallyg--do you like Colorado? Denver Botanical Gardens, the first for native plants!! There's a lot to do there for the outdoors adventurer in the mountain ranges, and a dude ranch in Montana or Wyoming would be great if you guys would like a wild Western adventure. Miami is cool, too. It has these huge flea markets and an Art Deco District, and nice beaches and restaurants. I went down there once when my dad lived there and saw the Parrot Jungle and the marina, Art Deco strip. Put my mind back in time!! Went fishing on a deep-sea charter boat. Lots of fun. Toured the Keys by car.......the weather, ooohh, the weather!!!

:~)

So ... Happy ...

Are they DEAD?

Now dear girl, all I can be sure of at the moment is that they are icicles, packing inside of rock hard lumps of dirt. Whether they will immediately rot when thawed is anyone's guess. Correct that. Any sane person would assume they would rot when thawed. I'm just not altogether sane.

I had vowed to get back to planting this weekend, but it doesn't look as if it'll get warm enough to thaw. Which may be a good thing because I have major work deadlines on Thursday. . . .

Well, I wouldn't know about sanity, but I do like plantcicles. I'll be "pulling for them" from my warm, cushy chair.

Did someone say work? Yuck. So sorry that you have to think about work on a Saturday!

Happy, my deepest sympathy. "Plant at the proper planting time for your zone" is the gardening wisdom that always rings in your ears when you fail to do so. I just hope spring will bring surprises and not disappointment for you......

I'm certain that they will survive and thrive! :~)

I shall send them lots of good energy ... just to be safe.

Thanks for your support.

That's what I love about DG -- you guys are supportive even when I do something totally idiotic that is bound to fail. The wildflowers were so so cheap, that I won't feel too bad if they don't grow, and if they DO grow, I'll be thrilled and grow many more! Some I planted outside. Others are potted up in pretty good dirt and nicely labeled, and in my living room; I am trying to decide where to put them next. I might give them a good watering and them put them in the garage for a bit, where is it cooler, and then on a relatively warm day move them outside.

By the way, here's another dumb thing I did (at least, dumb with the benefit of hindsight): I heard that coir was the newest thing to use as a growing material, and I loved the idea that it was environmentally correct (as opoposed to peat). It decomposes slowly, and so allows lots of air to get to the roots. . So, I searched the the intenet for the very best price for the very best coir, and was feeling very pleased with myself when it arrived! Then a few days ago, someone posted a link on DG (I can find it if you haven't seen it) to a comparison of plants grown in various soils, including coir. Guess which plants looked the worst???!!! Anyone want a huge container of coir?

(The only happy part of this saga is that I didn't open the containers yet, so I haven't damaged my plants.)