Chit Chat... Everyone welcome. Part 22

BTW rene this morning before i left I had to replant half of my day lilies the squirrels had dug them up. I was so irritated two of them were already spiking. Mother nature can sure be aggravating sometimes. I am pretty sure it was squirrels though.

Yep probably was. Rabbits have eaten the tops out of 3 of my daylilys. Darn things. Planted some coleous today. The heat is really getting to my daylilys, fadrd by noon. Be safe traveling!!!

Linda,

About those daylilies, if the culprit didn't break the bloom stalk, they should be alright and continue through their bloom cycle if they are not disturbed again after replanting.

Our first winter here we became acquainted with the Fox Squirrel. That guy loved alfalfa. We were putting alfalfa pellets down the plant hole underneath most everything we put in. The Fox squirrel dug the plants up to get the pellets.

Our solution was to take a section of dead hollow tree, stand it on end, put a cover over the top hole and keep the hollow supplied with pellets. He no longer dug the plants and was a great source of entertainment to us watching him.

Now we have too many cats and dogs and he stays a safe 5 acres away from us.

Have a safe trip.

Molly

Molly, what does the alfalfa pellets do for plants?

I agree, Pandorea Vine above. I have the all-white flowering version 'alba' and the pink-throated with variegated leaves 'variegata' that I got from the zoo. They do spread, but not invasively IMHO.

Glad to know that the Lifesaver Plant doesn't stink! I will have to look for one of those for my succulent garden.

The situation with the zoo job has gotten worse. I have gone from being ecstatic about passing the FCHP exam, looking forward to a promotion and possibly long-time employment to help the zoo gardens develop to feeling really disappointed, angry, and frustrated and reluctantly returning to work each day. I expect to not be working there within the next few weeks, but won't quit or be fired. Too many details to explain (without one of my saga posts that will make phicks request a new thread no sooner than we got this one started LOL), but there is a method for both the zoo and I to be able to part on amicable terms.

But dern! Some of the greatest fringe benefits of the job were access to exotic plants and elephant poop! I may stay on as a Master Gardener volunteer and work for free to keep those privileges. LOL

Jeremy

Doesn't sound too good Jeremy , good idea about the master gardener.
lol at your comment re: Paul and the threads.

o.k. another question for you all, what cornflower blue daisy grows from bulbs/corms, req sunny location, zone 3-10. I bought them on ebay ( with some other items ) and obviously the seller didn't know the name either but had a picture that to me looked like Cinereria. I stick that name in plant files and come up with zilch...maybe spelling is off. Couldn't steal the ebay pic but here are the corms/bulbs..Pic below.

Yesterday I was reading here about Medinilla on a thread , never heard of it before and was impressed by it, today in walmart I spotted these leaves and thought I recognise them. Pulled the plant out and yep Medinilla....it was meant to be mine , well o.k. and so was the bowl of cordylines Cor Bryans ,(mm can't find that either in plant files ) and the scrawny pentas, oh and the bag of glads named 'Comet" for $1.50 ....but.....

Jeremy,

A friend taught me to make alfalfa tea as a mild fertilizer. My thinking was, if the tea is good, put the pellets in the plant hole and get benefits.

I haven't found any one tried and true method. I fertilize supplement or amend with whatever suits my mood or budget at the time, organic if I can.

Jeremy, I am sorry to hear things are not going well on your return to the zoo. I sure to hope you find a way to work things out to your benefit and joy.

Molly

Found this frog on one of my brugs. Anyone know the name of it? Paul

Well he's too small to be called Dinner.
However you could call him kermit, or ralph, or maybe geraldine.
;)

rofl sugar!!

Wonder if Paul kissed it , it would turn into a princesss?

Yes, frogs like to be called prince too.
;)

This Lizards Strange Looking

right sugar.

Maybe it is blind that eye looks strange

Paul, I think you should name it Paul, after you. : )

Linda, I am going down to your house in the morning to see if the stuff is there. If I find daylilies uprooted, I will try to get them back in their right spot.

Jeremy, sorry to hear things are not going good. Maybe it will get better. Hope so.

Molly I have 5 cats and still have a problem with squirrels.

Where is Lucy tonite?

Jeremy sorry things are not good at the zoo.

Love Sugars response to the frog!

Lucy thank you so much. The lady at the post office said when they say ground transportation they usually mean UPS . It was not there before we left at 10:15. Glad you are going tomorrow that will give them one more day to get it there. I owe you a dinner or something. Maybe I can send you home with more plants which means more work.

Linda, Just what I need,...more plants. lol I can't get all I have in the ground. I'm standing around watering all day.

So it wasn't a good outing with MIL? Well, Elaine will perk you up. : ) And don't be getting sick like Lorine and Iris did. That wouldn't be any fun.

Maybe dinner out would be a better deal. I am not going to get sick. I think one of my sisters took that with them. I am just going to have fun and bring lots of new plants back for you and me.

Ya'll are too funny with froggy 'Paul'. Hope he's not one of those nasty things that were imported.
Jeremy, hope things work out for you. And you can still get that poo from the elephants.
Molly, do you get the alfalfa pellets at feed store (the kind for horses)? It is suppose to be very good for irises, but I wasn't sure if it was the right kind.
Those are pretty hoyas and epis.......... I must NOT get any more tropicals. sighhhhhh
Magi, is that a black and blue salvia??
Linda, put cayenne pepper or hot sauce around the daylilies.
HELLO, Lucy

Elaine

I have lots of hand sanitizer....

Hey there Elaine, are you ready for your favorite aunt? : )

Of course,,,, got the mhome back yesterday and getting ready to play some golf. Now if we just get some rain tonight to keep my plants happy.

Hey Elaine see you about 5 or 6 tomorrow. Maybe Lucy will sprinkle some cayenne pepper around for me tomorrow when she goes out there.

We haven't had rain in a long time, and looks like it is gonna be a while yet before we do.
Everything is turning into a crispy fire hazzard out there. I have never played golf, but my son plays about 3 times a week. : )

Ok, I found my cayenne red pepper. What do I do, just sprinkle it and sneeze? lol : )

Lucy I hope it rains everyother day while i am gone.

ELAINE???????

I hope it does, too, Linda. But, I don't see it in the forecast. : (

Linda, I will be home by then. Been playing in 1st grade this week. Mostly sweet children.
Lucy, if that Red Buckeye doesn't make it, I have more. Will send some things back with Linda. Which brugmansias did I give you? Are you interested in more? Do you have black & blue salvia? Did the anise hyssop seeds come up for you? Daylilies?

Elaine do you just sprinke the cayenne pepper around the plants???

yes, just sprinkle around. You can use chili powder too. Just hold your nose, silly. I put some on my orchids and they haven't stuck their little noses back in them. Of course rain will wash it off,,,if we ever get some again. Looks like this storm is going north of us, again.

I planted the buckeye in a pot and have been keeping it watered. I don't know if it will make it or not. We shall see. : ) Looks ok, so far.

I don't need anymore brugs at this time, I am fighting spidermites right now on 4 of mine.

I would love a black and blue, if you have one.

Yes it is Elaine :)

Have some other agastaches (sp) and salvias budding so looking forward to those. And taking pictures of course. :)

We had the sprinklers on last night and this morning the lawn care guy came and sprayed ( for bugs and broad leaf weeds in the lawn ) .I thought oh goodie now he has sprayed we have to water again within 48 hours so I get an extra watering session this week. I went out to lunch today with an Aunt and promised her some baby brugs I had grown from seeds and some other bits and pieces. Went to get them for her and all my baby brugs and mg's and some other plants have bad burn marks . Then I realised it must have been the spray this morning carried on the breeze ...ack.

Need to find out what they are using , also not happy with the lawn care/mowing edging lot. Anything that is hanging they chop it off, I did have a lovely variegated specimen agave that now has squared ended leaves, I actually pulled it up from the garden and potted it this week . . It really bugs me you would think they would have the sense to know which areas need edging and if a plant is draping elegantly , it is meant to be so

Oh nice to know chili powder works to I have lots of that and it need s to be used.

Oh my Fleur, that sounds like a guy I hired one time to lightly trim my front hedges, and he got to my white camellia he trimmed it down to the size of my hedge. That's been 6 or 7 years ago, and the plant has not looked right since. It didn't even bloom for 2 years. I could have croaked. I could have killed him.

yawning here. does anyone know what this is? It looks like a salvia. I rescued 75% off at Lowe's with no tag. I might go to there website and find it I guess.

Last May, my old 18 yr old girl cat died, and now my 18 year old male is dying. He hasn't ate in a few days, and looks bad. My 12 year old has a hurt leg and is hopping around. Not a good week for my cats. Lil Sissy, she is about 5 is doing fine. Just thought ya'll might need to know all that.

another pic

That's a salvia of some kind, but I don't know what kind. I love salvias. I need to get some more that are not Red, I have plenty of red right now, with those Lady in reds I planted.

Linda, look around in Geargia and see if you see any I don't have. I really love the one I bought at Robins with you, the other day. : )

Oh, Lucy, now you know I needed to hear that. I am soooo sorry. These animals are just like part of the family.
Big Hugs,,

Going to have to learn or try to take these salvia cuttings.

omg Elaine you are a golfer?, you need to come here and play, http://www.silverthornclub.net/ ( think we are on no 7 but would have to check ) but please no more screens and windows out. I keep getting quite a stash of golf balls.