A geek friend just sent me this link today... hope you get a kick out of it... for a second I considered doing one... LOL
http://www.botanicalls.com/twitter/
For the not so crazy gardeners...
If it's a girl plant she'll be calling all her friends and running up the bill!!
oh you are so right!!!!
Seems like a lot of work to do for just one plant.
I was going to say the same thing...seems like too much work for me.
The day I have my plants calling me is the day I need to check into a mental ward.
This is just the geek thing my husband would get a laugh out of....
Might be good for a large hotel or office facility, or you could stick your finger in the pot. :)
I was waiting for the punchline at the end.
I've cut off all communication between my houseplants and the outside world.
I heard of talking to your plants but this is ridiculous.
That's what you think, Al.......just yesterday I had a phone call from your Black Jack. He was so offended that you said he was little in some earlier post. It was difficult to console him sufficiently, but I just let him get it out. I think he'll come back for you in the Spring.
Ive thought about making some of mine free range and letting them have a glorious summer outside.......but not coming back in.LOL
Free range.....LOL....That's pretty funny!
I went free range with all my plumeria, hibiscus and brugmansias last spring and sent them to the local landfill. Hopefully they're all mulch now.
Oh I knew you guys would start all sorts of conversations!!!
No brugs or daturas for me this year either... and even dahlias ( I cryed this week when I checked them... tons of mold... oh what did I do wrong??? my neighbor just dig up shake it and throw it in the garage...no protection and they do well... mine? I washed, dried, put on boxes with holes etc... oh I am going to cry again... I can't deal with the loss! I will not subject myself to that again...
I tried it but had to give it up. When I was unavoidably away for a day, my plants in desperation dialed 911 for a hose truck and the firemen were less than thrilled.
oh that's a good one!!!!
LOL Don!
Kassia, I have only had luck storing dahlias once or twice. It gets to expensive so I am growing them from seed this year. So far out of 8 that I planted, 6 have come up. I think I'll try for 8 more now!! LOL
good to know Celeste!... I don't feel so guilty for giving up on them... I had so much fun with them last year... the ones Andy gave me (Bishop's Children) are ok... and those I have plans for them... an entire border... I can just picture it... I love the colors!
I listened to Pirls advice and bought a packet of seeds. Like she said, you don't have to dig them up if you don't want and your only out a dollar or two if you don't. Much better than $3-$8 a piece. I lost at least 15 this year, but it was my own fault.
If they ended up moldy then they were too damp. Barely moist isn't easy to describe on paper, Kassia. I'm glad the Bishop's Children did well for you.
I have 31 bags of them in the basement and they're all fine but I'm now inspecting them every two weeks since it's warmer down there than the 50 degrees they want.
Yes, Pixie, at 2 cents a plant it's worth it to grow them from seed. I have the Unwin seeds for this year. Last year a kind person sent me some seeds and they ended up nearly 6' tall - way too tall for the front of the border where I had planted them!
I bought the Dwarf Unwin Mixed colors too! Very excited they sprouted so quickly.
And they form such nice clumps by the end of the summer. They're so cheap you can just shake off the dirt (or not) and put them in a large bag, someplace cool but not close to freezing, and store them like that. No big loss if they don't make it. I've even brought pots into the garage, where it must get below 32 degrees, and they survive. There's one out there now and I should bring it inside and give it some water and sunshine (no sun today) and see what color it is. It was one of those "I won't forget what color this is" pots. Naturally, I can't imagine what color it was!
Hey, I can try that... when did you plant the seeds???
I even saved some seeds from bishop children... you know I love that size dahlias... which other ones are that size??? any orange???
Paul is a complete techy...if I show him this...oye...I would have to turn my cell phone off.
I usually, which translates into try, water my houseplants 1x a week. We have radiators to heat the house, so it gets really really dry in here. I should probably water them more...to lazy.
I've tried on several occasions with dahlias...so far the best thing, was the pizza boxes and perlite. I soaked them, and swished the tubers around in a bucket of water to get as much dirt off of them as I could, let them air dry, and then, pizza box, with the perlite, or vermiculite, which ever one I find first. Throughout the winter, I just spritz them occasionally, that's about it. I've also used shoe boxes to overwinter the dahlia tubers that I didn't want to divide, along with my huge elephant ear bulbs.
I wonder what the tubers or elephant ears would say if hooked up to that contraption?
Kassia - I don't know how well the seeds from the Bishop's Children will do but I have seen them for sale. A few seeds go a long way. Last year the four seeds turned into 6' tall dahlias so go carefully. The Unwin seeds (small border dahlias) will be started next week: my patience has run out.
For most of the winter I don't water even once a week, Thom, and just resumed more regular watering about two weeks ago. They're all happy.
do you start the seeds inside???
Yes.
well, I have no room for that...ah it will not be the same this year... but it's life...
Maybe your tomato loving nephew, Victor, would like to have an indoor plant growing system as a gift and then you, being the adored aunt, can show him how to grow plants.
Adored aunt??!!
Victor - I was writing to Kassia about her nephew named Victor, not you.
I know! Was just kidding.
This message was edited Feb 29, 2008 10:38 AM
Well, I suppose the gardener "who has everything" would like one of these systems.
lol... my Victor is so cute... he would love to have his inside tomato plant... he likes to eat the tomatoes but hates to have dirty hands... he can't function with dirty hands... he totally has issues... Alec on the other hand is absolutely happy to garden with me...
this year I am enlisting the help of Philip (the geek one) ... I told him I have some Lego type of tomato cages to make out of pvc pipes so I will need him to put it together for me... he said sure... as long as he does not have to plant anything...
Get Victor some of those gloves that nurses and dentists use and maybe he'll get used to soil without getting his hands a mess. Sounds like you have a good trio of helpers there, Kassia.
I am telling you I am getting smart... I am changing my approach this year... I am finding their strengths and making it work for me.... I mean for the garden....
Exactly. If Victor can't take getting dirty let him water the plants and help with the PVC cages. There's always something adults can find for kids to help out and make them feel they're contributing something to a project.