Don's thread about seed planting instructions made me think about many of the common phrases, instructions, descriptions, etc., used. Here are my 'real' meanings for them, in no particular order.
1. 'Requires sharp drainage' - consider a mountaintop.
2. 'Sets seeds so you can share plants with friends' - your life is over.
3. 'A connoisseur's plant' - equivalent of a velvet suit, or, 'so you're the sucker!'
4. 'Great back-of-the-border plant' - hello solar eclipse.
5. 'Rejuvenate every few years' - throw it out.
6. 'Germination requires alternating stratification and warming' - #@$#@!#*&!!
7. 'Organic lawn care' - I have weeds.
8. 'Spreads nicely' - see number 2.
9. 'Makes a statement' - see number 3.
10. 'Requires an organic, moist, well-drained humus' - I believe in Bigfoot.
11.'Understated blooms' - get the electron microscope.
12. 'Drought tolerant' - see number 1.
13. 'Plant in full sun, but shelter from wind and morning winter sun' - tanning salon??
14. 'Amend soil' - 'Hail Mary...'
15. 'Avoid getting water on leaves' - good thing rain falls from the ground.
Real meanings of gardening phrases
Cute Victor!
Thanks Deb.
Funny! I especially agree with #2, and well, #15 - I never could figure that one out. If overhead watering is so bad for foliage, do they expect us to cover our gardens in the rain? LOL!
I my backyard I can't figure out.......full sun but needs moist soil. I'd be standing there with a watering can the whole day
Yes, it's crazy and these recommendations never go away.
very good Victor!
stareing at my monitor smiling, so now they know I'm doing something I'm not suppose to!!
Victor, I went to HD and Lowes the other day, scouting out their plants, occasionally they will get something different in. Anyhoo...I'm walking by all of the "boxed" perennials, and I see it, I grab Paul's arm, and I'm like, "NOOOOOOOOOO." He just laughs, because everyone within ear shot does the head swivel toward me. There she is, the biggest weed anyone can plant in their landscape, yep, 'Kwanso' has made it to the boxed stores, in a box. I'm not sure if it was 1 or 3 per box. I believe the box made a claim along the lines, 'will quickly for a nice clump of beautiful orange/red flowers in the summer.' For anyone not in the know, 'Kwanso' is a type of what is commonly called the "ditch lily/ditch day lily." It is a beauty, BUT, huge BUTTTTTTT if you are going to plant it, plant it away from everything else in your garden, OR put it someplace that you don't care if it 'will grow quickly into a nice clump.'
I've also seen the Chameleon plant sold as a 'quick covering ground cover.' Which, I know there are few peeps here on the NE forum, means/translates into, 'once you've planted it, but lots of round-up, and know full well that you will be either living with this for decades, or tearing it out of your beds for decades/years!'
I liked my ditch lily the first time I planted them, but every Spring/Summer, I find I'm still pulling them out of the beds at my parents house, I simply can't get rid of them :-/
I had a ton of those ditch lilies planted here when we bought the house... that and pachysandra... with poison ivy growing amongst that craziness... even though we had the contractor scrape the slope they were on... I still find them popping up all over... every time I see a pack of pachysandra in the nurseries I just grind my teeth
That's funny, Thom. I'm one of those who made the mistake with chameleon. Ugh.
very funny.
here is one from clematis(my specialty) descriptions:
Hardy but not vigorous (meaning it will survive the winter but not do much other than that)
Ha - never saw that one.
I want to complain to these potting soil companies as well... when potting up these tiny seedlings.. you have no idea how many rocks and large sticks I pull out ... they are ripping us off!
There is definitely a difference. Never had that problem with Scotts or MG.
both have them too... trust me... I get my hands in and break up any clumps before filling trays... it doesn't matter if it's top shelf stuff... or dollar store stuff... they ALL have rocks
when filling planters outside I would never notice... but when filling seedling trays... oh yeah the rocks are bigger than the seedling
I have VERY little space, so I am always watchful for "selfseeds nicely" or "fills in quickly" or "lovely cascading over fences or walls." On the other hand "dwarf cultivar" or "remains compact" can mean that it will stay exactly the size of the 3" pot for its entire life.
Yes, it seems to work at both extremes. 'Petite', 'unassuming' and 'subtle' all seem to mean anemic.
the plant descriptions remind me of the dog breed descriptions at the televised westminster dog show.
such as
a good dog for an experienced family
active dog, good for a family who exercises
loving and protective, good for a one dog family
regal and aloof, a dog who has a high self esteem
a spirited breed
yes that is pretty much the same
I've evolved a system based on the numbers 1 through 5. 1 is a slow spreader and 5 is a (I'm not kidding, I actually say this to people) "plant it and jump back". People understand immediately. The same system works on the subject of seed setting.
Good system!
Forgot to mention that this arrangement lets people know what each plant will do IN MY AREA and will work for anyone, anywhere. For example, the Houttynia (chameleon) doesn't grow well here at all - here (zone 3A) it would be a #1, but for some of you it would be a #5.
Lucky you! I planted it - did nothing for years - then took off. 5A??!