Fall DBG Plant Sale

Have we decided when we're meeting at DBG? Member-only shopping starts at 8am, then open to the public at 9am. If we have enough memberships between us we can probably get everyone in. I can bring in up to 5 guests, one is mtnmama. I'd like to meet a little before 8 if we can. Agreed?

Hey guys. I MAY be able to make the sale, but the after 'get together' is a no go. Work bekons that can't be avoided. Big job that afternoon into evening with 'all hands on deck'. Don't know what I may have to give away, but will certainly have tons of butterfly weed seed. Art, may work good on that slope of yours. TTFN

Anything you're looking for, Vadap? We could bring stuff with us to the sale....

TrishaG, we'll look for you in the line shortly before 8:00 A.M.?

I can get 3 or 4 more people in on my DBG membership if necessary too.

I can get in 3 or 4. I will be lined up at 8 as usual.

Am I the only one who doesn't know any of you? How will I find you at the Gardens?

Look for the most motley of crews! lolol! No, I have short brown hair w/glasses and a tall buzz headed husband. Kenton will surely be wearing a flat cap, and Greenjay has beautiful, bright strawberry colored hair....ok enough of the physical descriptions. I will wear red (but I'll also probably be late, that is apparently my MO) Shall one of us bring a sign, like a limo driver at the airport? hehe

My dh and I would gratefully fulfill someone's +2 on their membership.

Should I have posted a caption maybe? Lol
L-R SanteFeTrail (whom I haven't heard from in a while), Greenjay, Vadap, Pajaritomt, TrishaG, JamesCo, my DH Kyle, and me (I broke my foot the week before the sale lol!)
This was our first (?) meeting, maybe second ...we've grown since then!

This message was edited Sep 15, 2008 10:56 AM

Art, I'd be glad to get you in on my membership.

And thanks for the picture, here's one of me. Maybe I should be the one to carry a sign :0).

ahhh lisabees and here I thought you were gonna say 'I'll be the one with the tomato flower in my teeth" ^_^

LOL Dahlia, now there's a thought!

Second meeting, Sus--I was behind the camera:)

I was wondering where you were! I almost asked, but yes...there she was! I had 2 working feet the first time I met you guys.

Now what else besides cookies and little boys am I supposed to bring? Plants or seeds or spores or something? It it's seeds, I think I have about 100 things here, some growing, others waiting to be planted. I don't even know what all I have really, just a vague idea. I guess I could activate my "have" list, it has most of them on there... should I do that? I deactivated most of it because I get too many trade requests compared to the amount of free time and energy I have. Right now I have a pile of seed bags on my desk of the most recent seeds that I activated since they are easy to find. If only someone would trade seeds for childcare...

Paja;
Buds are coming up for my Colchicums. I am jazzed to see them but more jazzed for next weekend.
See you lot there.
Forgive me for being plant-poor as swapsies go. One day I will surely make up for it.
(Kenton) James

Alas, I won't be at the sale, I have a class that day. I do hope to make it next time. It is just as well that you haven't done much swapping -- I have so many plants in flower pots that need to go in before winter, that I really can't handle any more. My plans are so much more grandiose than my energy!
I have lots and lots of arilbreds now -- including Oyez. I am hoping it will bloom in the spring. I bought it from Willow Bend -- your friends. It is growing nicely. I also bought about 15 more colchicums. More Waterlily and another one that is large. Since I knew i wouldn't be able to come to the fall bulb sale, I ordered them from Brent and Becky's and they just arrived.
So did my gift to myself of a brand new chipper-shredder. I have wanted one for ever and when I saw the garden of a friend which was mulched with shredded pine needles and I saw his flowers, I had to have one. It is in my garage waiting to be assembled. Groan.

Paja, plans vs. energy is a problem of mine, too!! Some would say it's my age creeping up but I know it's been stress, this summer. (It makes the lupus go haywire). You understand the health thing. If you are still wanting a couple of fans of the variegated iris, please let me know. It sounds like this may not be the best time--but it could go in the same hole as another since it's easily identified! (They mail well).

Marlon, if you have things readily available you could bring them or list them. What are you looking for? (I checked your haves list and you listed my dog's enemy--cockleburr!!)?

Thanks, mtnmama for the offer of variagated iris. I ended up buying some at the Iris Club's rhizome sale for next to nothing so you don't need to send them. I really do have greater ambitions than energy, and age is part of it, but I have always been that way, to some degree.
Right now I am having my house re-stuccoed and these guys are keeping me busy with opening and closing doors and windows, trimming trees and bushes so they can get at the wall. It is a 3 ring circus around here right now, but is all for the good. I do get a bit planted each day, though.
Now I get to begin the assembly of my new chipper shredder!

Paja, glad to hear you got the variegated...and for nearly nothing! I hope you will see it put on fans more quickly than I do. Every other iris I have seems to add fans pretty fast. Not so, this one. Wonder what I'm doing wrong with it....

I don't know, but I suspect the only reason it doesn't grow as fast as your others is that it is variegated. I find that most variegated plants are slow growers compared to others of the same genus. I know you live anything variegated, but have you not found that to be true?
I do have some variegated periwinkles that grow like mad, but other than that I think variegated varieties just don't have the chlorophyll that the non-variegated ones have. At least that's my theory. If I learn anything more I will let you know.

You're more scientific than I, Paja. Your theory makes sense to me. My variegated grasses do great but some of the other stuff is like the iris. Maybe leaf size plays into the formula, too. Whatever it is, I've had the iris for over five yrs. and it's still pretty small!

hmmmmmmm my variegated hostas and variegated sedums grow like weeds. Do you think it might that some hybrids are just slowpokes cuz they've pushed the parent too far?

Maybe. I don't know much about that sort of thing. I usually avoid variegated stuff because it doesn't seem to do as well for me. Just received a variegated phlox -- I probably wouldn't have ordered it if I had known. I will let you know how its growth compares to the other phlox I received at the same time.

Which one is it paj? 'Becky Towe' does really well here. Its my book of lists.

Yes, I bought Becky Towe, Ping Pong, Eva Cullum, and I think the last one was Starfire Red Summer Phlox. I am glad to hear that Becky Towe does well in Alberta. I didn't realize it was variegated until it arrived. Hopefully it will be okay here.
I ordered it from Forest Farm which has really great everything. Last year I got Phlox Nikki and David from them. Both did great.
Today I planted yet another daylily. Still have lots to go.

I think you're gonna luv Becky, It's a HUGE performer here. Good choice paj. I kow nada about the rest but please post on how they do cuz I just luv phloz. Nikki died on me but then I'm more zonely challenged. She is still in my book of lists to try again. I TOTALLY have to get my fall act in gear. One of my dear friends/seed company business as well is moving. I'm adopting alot of her plants until she gets her new garden established. Paj this is my Iris Queen friend. Her mission is to save her african exotic bulbs. If you're interested in her iris collection please let me know by dmail pdq. I think its about $15.00 to get all her iris done at the same time for the pyshosanitary certificate but I know nothing so will have to check. She has way cool iris so I think it will be worth it for you and she will be EXTATIC to find a good home for her iris. Anyhoo I'm going to visit weekend after next . Let me know Paj or anyone else if you're interested.

Nikki has done well for me and it is the first phlox I ever planted. It is really a vibrant color. See below:

Paja;
You are right about variegation. It is technically a genetic defect, a mutation in which one (or more) layer of plant tissue is lacking or low in chlorophyll. This is generally a disadvantage in nature ( I think I read that there is one or two exceptions) and is usually quickly "weeded out" by natural selection. Even your rampant Vinca major is not as rampant as its original species. It is also usually unstable and just as it mutated to variegation, may mutate back on new growth. But horticulturalists have isolated and improved our fine selections of variegates today to give us a brilliant and reliable palette to work with in our gardens.
Then there are the folks (and we can't blame them. Much...) who hate variegates citing a resembalnce to diseased plants...

This weekend will hopefully get some of this plant-blather out of my system in a safe way.
(K)

Thanks for the info about variegates. I thought I had read that somewhere. But sounds as at least a couple of them are really vigorous. I have great hopes for Betsy Towe, now that DN has vouched for it.
You will be interested to hear that a dentist down town has planted a banana tree in his front water feature -- in full sun. I will be watching this spot in the spring to see if it survives. I planted mine in full shade and as you know, neither made it. The rhodie continues to thrive, though and it appears to be covered in little green buds at the tips of the branches. I hope they don't get frozen this winter.
I know have quite a few arilbred iris in my garden, including that beauty Oyez. I have learned a great deal about how to grow them -- namely that as long as they are in a well-drained spot they like the same treatment as any bearded iris. I am really looking forward to their spring bloom. Arils are a different case and mostly need desert conditions for growing. One of our hybridizers in Albuquerque has a frame over his iris beds that he can cover in case of rain at the wrong time.
Here is a picture of my one arilbred flower this spring, Stars over LPaso.
Have a great Saturday.

paj, have you ever used Wilt Pruf on your Rhodies. When I remember I spray the ends of the branches and the buds with it and it does protect to some degree. My soil is so very alkaline that it is difficult to grow any acid loving plant.

Donna

Hi guys... I'll be at the 8:00 am sale this year. I am looking forward to meeting you all as well. If needed I can get one person in with my membership too.

Tim, do you want to dmail your phone number to TrishaG, Kenton or me? We can meet up with the whole gang, then! Would be great to get to visit!
Diane

OK, I'll be there in the morning with bells on. Ok, maybe not w/bells. I have to take a nap in the afternoon before going into work, so no after party for moi. See you all there. Paul.