Is it too cold to put these in the ground now, actually next week? What would you recommend me to purchase to put in my garden, that requires low maintenance, as I travel about 2 weeks at a time?
Thanks,
Ken
blueskyes now in NJ.
When do I plant these?
What kind of soil do you have? If it drains really fast, anything (almost) that you plant is going to need about an 1" or so of water a week (especially if it's the plants first year in the ground while they are establishing). If you have soil that doesn't drain (it pools water after a good rain), I would plant them a little bit shallower than what is probably recommended and mulch accordingly...that way you might get away with watering a little less. Those 3 DL types are pretty stubborn, I wouldn't recommend this at all, but I've had 'Stella D'oro' that I didn't know what to do with, and have left them sitting ON TOP of the grass, and through the winter I figured they just would bite the dust, sure enough, they grew, and bloomed...stellas are pretty forgiving! As to when to plant...I'll let someone in your area/zone answer that...I'm going to assume that it's probably about a week or two ahead of me...and I would probably (I will be...lol.) putting stuff (perennials that are tough) in the ground the 2nd to 3rd week in April. If you were worried about them sitting in their boxes until you got back, they should be ok...check the boxes before you head out if this is an issue...if the boxes stink, ie smell moldy, check the individual roots and see what's going on. I was looking at the mixes they had at Sam's Club myself!
GL
Hi There!
I am just south of you in NJ, near allentown. I have to get some garden tools, as I left eveything I had for the new owner of my old house and 5000 sq feet of gardens. Got to get some hand tools. I am home today and leave Wednesday and am heading to Sam's to see if the have any more bulbs, atc and hand tools. The soil is about what I had in my old home, covered with chips. The homeownwers association has a crew that tends to the front landscaping. My neighbor decorated his place, a retired guy who is home everyday, and I would like to make this place look 5% of my old home, which will be a drastic improvement.
Ken
Ahhh...You are on the other side of what myself and friends call the "Time Tunnel." Seem like any and every time I've driven from here to Allentown, and have gone through the tunnel, it's about 10degrees warmer, and a different climate altogether! I would probably plant them in the next 2-3 weeks, which should bring us to the 2nd week in April.
And you are going to try and compete with your neighbor for gardening...lol...yeah! Another plant-o-phile...welcome to the NE Fold!
And, howdy neighbor!
Thom
Hi Ken and welcome - again in my case! I welcomed you when you joined DG a few weeks back. You're Dea's friend. I remember you posting that you would be moving to NJ. I agree with Thom on all points - especially about competing with the neighbor! I have always planted my DL's at the beginning of April. You're a bit cooler at 6a so mid April sounds right.
If you will be away a lot and are looking for low maintenance, small shrubs are great. Plant them and enjoy them. Mix in easier perennials like DL's, sedums, etc., and you're in business. You should try for drought tolerant perennials as much as possible. As Thom said, much depends on soil drainage and sunlight. Good luck!
Victor
Welcome blueskyes. As far as I have always heard and practiced, any hardy perennial can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked to a proper depth for amendments and to make a large enough planting hole. If these are actively growing already I might give them a little mulch of straw or loose leaves until they get settled in their new home. Don't forget to give them a nice drink. As to recommending plants that can deal with you being away at two week stretches, I agree with Hem and Victor. You might try to use some of those moisture crystals, good layer of mulch and select plants that have drought tolerant in their description like Victor said. That should give you a fighting chance and if it rains about once a week then you are looking good. Perhaps you could enlist a friend or neighbor to squirt some of your new babies while you are gone if there isn't any rain in the forecast. Good luck and let us hear about your progress. :)
Welcome, Ken. I agree with all that's been suggested, especially a mulch of some sort after you plant them outside in mid-April. You can open the bags now and give them sunshine on a tray of some sort that won't allow leakage since you'll have to give them a drink while they're growing inside.
After you have them planted outside don't be shocked if the leaves look odd. You can cut them back or allow them to remain. All new leaves will grow regardless of what you do. Enjoy them!
wow- what a response. I want to Thank You ALL again for your welcomes and responses. I really miss my old home and 5000 sq ft gardens filled with everything you can think of. It's been 6 years since I moved out and left ALL of my equiptment, which a neighbor grabbed and had to buy a storage (large) shed to accomodate my things. I didn't wanted to bring it to this townhouse I live in now. This website and Dea got me motivated to do something here to decorate the outside and add some color. It will Never be the old gardens, but it will lok nicer than what I have now.
Voctorgardner mentioned shrubs above. So I went outside and took some pictures of the outside areas, which I will plant. This place is maintained by a company that trims, weeds and mulches plus cuts the lawn and shovels the snow too.
The "shrubs" are green and fairly large and have to be maintained in accordance with the association. Here are the pics. Thanks for your help. Also, I picked up 3 more boxes at Sam's Club to plant. they had no garden tools for sale.
Thanks,
Ken
more photos
2 more angles and areas
Ha Ha, the Time Tunnel on the PA Turnpike. I have to laugh. I drive up there during the summer and it IS cooler than down here! Hers another pic
boxes of plants
more
Looks like the 'standard' developer's shrubs there! I assume you cannot remove them? But you can certainly interplant among them. Give us a sense of direction and sun exposure if you can, Ken. (Hee hee - can-can?) You have some slopes so you can certainly plant things that require good drainage there.
The lower area has creeping green. The remainder of the front has holly shrubs, and are TOO large as you will see
Hi Victorgardner,
Greetings from below the Time Tunnel Land. Yes, the "standard" that went into the townhouse areas of this place. I am told that I cannot change the "image", however, I can do what my neighbor did, and be creative. But, my neighbor is here ALL the time. I am gone 17 days a month.
Here's another shot!
Thank you for your response.
Ken
front shot
oooops!
oooops! again
Please call me Victor, Ken. If they are the ones who trim those shrubs, that might limit what you can plant in front of them since it may get in their way. That might be their argument. Any photos of what your neighbor did?
I always call that the big pillow look!
Direction of the sun is to the left of the front photo exposure. Directly above aome shadowing during afternoon. Property is sloped. I believe they will be trimming these hollys', I hope, Or they will see what I'll do to them. Interplanting is okay.
I travel too much and have to take the tree down in my dining room, but never have the time.
Victor,
Big Pillow look? Time to KNOCK the feathers out of them!!!!!!!!!!!. Ill sneak some neighbors place. Wish there was a way to put all the pics in one page.
Ken
I agree, Ken. Nice car!
Victor,
Here's a last pic of my place, actually two. Then I will send my neighbors. He was pretty creative, but still has the pillows too.
Ken
Hi Victor,
Just got that Honda S2000 on Jan 10th. I have put about 1,300 miles on it. Great fun to drive and looking forward to driving it through the Time Tunnel with the top done! Drives really great, but my Honda Accord runs much quieter.
Here's the fianl picture of my Townhouse from front to the left from where the sun comes up. My neighbor is further left and the angle of his place gives himne a bit more sun.
Ken
Victor,
Here's some pics of neighbors. I didn't want to be too obvious so took shots looking from Right side of his place. Of the large townhomes in this place, his is BY FAR the most creative and beautfully done with the space that he had to work with.
Three (3) photos coming
Ken
Here's another one.
2 more to go.
final shot from my deck to neighbors townhouse
As far as interplanting, annuals will be tough - even with the polymer crystals - unless you have someone water for you. Thinking down the line a bit for a second, can you add a large shrub or small tree to the lawn or is that off limits? With that taupe color on the house, there are many nice flowering tree / shrub possibilities.
You may be able to fit a small Japanese maple in one of the areas that is sloped and does not get full sun. Combining it with a dwarf conifer makes a great, no-maintenance combo.
For perennials, I imagine you would want ones that do not require much dead-heading, have a long bloom time and are relatively drought tolerant. Probably don't want one that is going to spread too much either.
So he extended the beds to include the (white?) pines, I guess. I love curved beds.
Yes a white pine at the end. I think he extended the beds. This guy is very creative. Older guy in his 70s, and he is out there everyday working early in the AM. Like I used to do in my old home.
Thanks for the help
No problem. I'll keep thinking and suggesting stuff - I'll try to concentrate on shrubs.
I'm big on multi-season interest with shrubs. Two that quickly come to mind that stay low are Itea virginica 'Little Henry' and Fothergilla gardenii. Both have nice white spring flowers and dynamite fall color.
Here's another favorite of mine for the front of the sunny border.
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=C870
Ken, you could also consider putting in an irrigation system. Dripworks has very reasonable prices. I spent about $60 and one afternoon putting one in that keeps an 80 foot border watered when I'm working too much to lug the hose around. You would need a timer also, but I found it to be a very worthwile investment. Especially since on more than 1 occasion I went to bed forgetting to turn the water off. The $30 timer saved a couple of hundred in water bills.
HI Victor Gardner!
Soryy I disappeared so quickly. I had training to go to and some other unexpected things that kept me from being on here! Sorry. I will be back in NJ on late Saturday night or SUnday.
Ken
HI Sydney
Thanks for your help and email. I have been running since we last chatted. I apologize if I didn't respond. I was on the site until a week ago Wednesday, when I had to re-pack and head to Florida (Miami). I had just gotten home to NJ on Monday the 17th (late) and had only Tuesday the 18th off. My trip had begun on March 8th. Kind of back wards as this is how I remember.
I had my annual flight training and PC (Progress check) in Miami at the training center from Thursday March 20th until Easter March 23rd, and returned back to NJ on Monday. I had to take my annual checkride on Easter Sunday.
Not much work at home yet. Thanks for your help. I have an Aunt May (91) who lives in Sanford, NC (SW of Raleigh). Her 61 YO son was supposed to show up Easter weekend, but called at the last minute and said his sinus infection kept him from coming, as he and his wife never showed up here for his mothers 90th birthday! I am now in Sanford, arriving here on Wednesday late in the evening. I had Tuesday off, that was it! My AUnt ended up in the hospital from anxiety due to her screwed up weekend, as she has seen her son in 7 years. The Son and DIL are just waiting to collect the house and possesions, obviously.
ANyway, I spent 3 days, including late morning and early afternoon with my AUnt. I am taking her out to lunch and then drive back to NJ, and OFF until April 4th. Then back on the road for 17 days. I fly for a large cargo airline and based in Stansted London. Most of my flights are from Amsterdam/Frankfurt or wherever they need a Captain. I fly a B747-400 for ATlas Air.
Well, have to pack up at thie Holiday Inn Express in Sanford and go see Aunt May and take her to lunch and head north. I plan on driving through Frederick MD to see what it looks like.
Ken
%$#^^&*())$$
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
March 29, 2008
11:06 AM
Heya! I just saw your post, don't know if your already on your way to lunch or not... but I'm guessing I've missed you.
Next time you're heading through this way, give me a holler and I'll zap you directions to my place! We're just a few minutes from just about any highway that passes through (there's an interesting tangle of interchanges around here).
My cell phone is 301-***-&*^%. Give me a buzz & drop in for a cuppa!
:-)
blueskyes
Stewartsville, NJ
(Zone 6a)
March 30, 2008
1:33 AM
HI
Thanks for your email Jill! As you know I am at the Marriott Fairfield Inn, which is nice. Best is that the romano's Macaroni Grill is nearby and a Honda delaer, and a Sam's Club, and a Costco. Based on these places, this place frederick qualifies as a place to move to!
I am at 908.391.1461. I am in Room 305, Fairfield Inn is 301.631.2000. Hope to see you and Jim on Sunday.
Ken a/k/a Blueskyes
Hi Victor,
Do you remember me. I ahd sent you photos of my townhouse. Well, After 19 days on the road, actually 20, I will be back in NJ for a few days, wedding in the NL, then back 27-May 5, 2008. I have these bulbs to plant. Any ideas, much appreciated. I understand you have some beautiful gardens.
Ken
blueskyes@verizon.net
908.391.1461