BS: Gardening 2010

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 11 May 10 - 11:24 AM

Back in "the day" Gramma T. used to dig her tulips up every year when it was warm enough to plant dahlias; the tulips then went into the shed to dry out *spread in single layers in carboard boxes) and the dahlias went into the garden. IN the fall, when fronst killed the tops of the dahlias, then the tulips got planted back as we dug the dahlias.

Major pita in my opinion.

Try to find some perennials that will co-exist wtith the tulips.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 May 10 - 10:13 AM

Advice, please.
Despite years of running a gardening program for children, I know very little - I did the grunt work and finances; others actually chose the crops and supervised the planting.

I have a tulip bed on one side of my house that is overgrown and at thi time of year overwhelmed with high grass and weeds. I want to dig them up, make a decent bed with mulch and disperse the tulips a bit better. When do I do it? How do I do it? And what else can go in there for color all spring and summer.
Thanks,
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 11 May 10 - 09:43 AM

yee-haw! I ordered some azaleas; what I thought said 3 to 3.5 inches; and pretty cheap; so I figured, okay, probably worth the wait as they will be more acclimated having grown a couple years in situ anyway....

and it turns out they were THREE 3.5 inch posts at the same price, which makes them outragesoulsy inexpensive and also means that I can lose 2/3rd of them and still end up with what I thought I was getting!

Also have some other shrubs coming...the ones I plugged in last fall from the same company are doing well, so I figure spring plantings shoudl do fine.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 11 May 10 - 12:10 AM

I agree with Stilly about the daffs. Maybe best to wait until the leaves yellow, but I don't think it matters all that much when you dig and move them - but if the leaves haven't yet started yellowing, do not cut them off when you transplant.

If you leave the ones you have where they are, and continue to cut back the leaves while still green, the bulbs will suffer over time.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 May 10 - 11:41 PM

I seem to manage to move daffodils almost any time. I have a pot full I dug up and have been letting dry out some, and have to figure out where I'm going to plant them. I started with a few, and of course, now have lots and lots of them. Every time I think I've moved them from a spot, more appear the next year. And I can't resist leaving there to finish flowering, and then a few of them disappear again. . .

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 10 May 10 - 10:19 AM

I have got to stop ordering plants on-line; for two reasons...

a) they always seem to arrive at an inconvenient time to deal with them

b) the charges sneak up on me...

But the good news is my bayberry bushes are leafing out. yeah!

We woke up to a white world on Sunday - this is after the wind saturday night blew over some outdoor furniture that hasn't blown over in two decades....

Had a pot of annuals almost go through the picture window - luckily it didn't quite make it.

But Sunday morning we had enough snow to cover the lawn and coat the cars; and though it disappeared pretty quickly we had flakes swirling around most of the morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 10 May 10 - 07:37 AM

Thanks, in fact we have a narrow flower bed just by the front of our house which never gets any sun, and consequently the daffodils left by the previous owners which still flower each year, eventually flop forward and look a mess. In the past I have just cut them at the root. This year I want to remove the bulbs and replant them in our back garden where they will get sun for at least part of the day, and hpefully stay vertical for longer, or maybe I should just start again with new bulbs??

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Darowyn
Date: 10 May 10 - 04:31 AM

Because the leaves become increasingly straggly as they gradually draw energy back into the bulb. If you cut them off for tidiness, you will probably have no flowers the following year, so some people tie them into a bundle. It's a compromise.
I dead-head the flowering stems and leave the leaves alone, because there are enough annual bedding plants to keep the borders full and colourful.
Cheers
Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 10 May 10 - 02:50 AM

Some folks tie finished daffodils in a knot - why do they do this?

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 09 May 10 - 11:20 PM

Dry here also, Bobert. How'd the garden tour go?

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 May 10 - 10:03 PM

Grrrr . . . Mr. Mockingbird brings Mr. Cardinal along for the treat of fresh strawberries. I caught both of those buggers at work this afternoon! See how they repay my kindness of feeding them during the long snowy days of winter!

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 May 10 - 07:34 PM

I found the culprit--my strawberries are being attacked by a clever and persistent mockingbird. I'll hang a windsock on one of the spare shepherd's crooks (I'll offer bird food in the hanging seed container, not straight out of the garden!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 09 May 10 - 08:33 AM

Well, this weekend has been the "Blandy Plant Sale" at the State Ahboritum outside of Boyce, Va. and our chapter of the Azalea Society is doing our spring plant sale there... Sales have been a little down this year compared to other years but the weather has been lousy with 30-40 mph winds... We're on our way back up there today... The winds have subsided so maybe we'll do better???

I did, however, find a new-to-me plant that one of the other vendors was selling and, of course, had to have it... It's "Fire Line" Buckthorn (rhamnus frangula) that is a hybrid and, unlike the native buckthorns, is not invasive... It is a vertical (Columnal) plant that grows to 7 feet (2 feet wide) with thin, but thicky growing cut leaves... Nice plant that is just making it's way unto the scene... At least around these parts...

The P-Vine bought a native magnolia (tripetala umbrella) that had some kinda issues as a youngin with a severe twist at the base of the trunk... It's fine, just different... Kinda a Charlie Brown tree... Outta make for an interesting adult...

Gonna dig up a few things and take them to my mom for Mother's Day today while the P-Vine man's (women's) the plant sale...

Very dry here... I'd say 3/10s inch of rain in the last 5 week qualifies as a drought... Lotta oscillator moving...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 06 May 10 - 03:48 PM

Daggum' I love this thread. Great resources, maeve and Bobert.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 10 - 03:25 PM

oh....oh my......I'm not sure that "Thank You" is exactly what I want to say; but WOW! I can get 25 plants /eedlings for about the same cost as ONE plant in one of the varieties I was looking for....

and following items off their page....

Summer flowering azaleas? Not only that, but summer flowering azaleas that are listed as being hardy in zone 4?

According to one site these started being introduced in the 1930's....so I would like to ask why today is the first time I've heard of them? Huh? Howcomewhy?

But the only nursery I've found so far doesn't ship to ny - luckily it is on the way to my parent's place.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 01:25 PM

I did as you suggested, Bobert, and found them. That's a great resource, thank you!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 06 May 10 - 12:37 PM

maeve,

Google American Azalea Society and see if there is contact info for Jay and Lyndy Jackson in Tennessee... They raise thousands of natives from seed...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 11:13 AM

Both sites have a wonderful selection and some very good prices. Too bad it's not possible to get what I'd like to.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 11:03 AM

Oh dear, that sounds wonderful back and all!

Take a look at the magnolias here: http://www.rarefindnursery.com/index.cfm/action/usersearch.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 10 - 10:46 AM

I just found Girard Nurseries...
http://www.girardnurseries.com/

and bought more then I should. 9 azaleas, 5 rhodies, and some other stuff....

my back is not going to thank me.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 10:23 AM

MMario, I expect you've come across this discussion of Dexter hybrids along with sources http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/azalea/msg1110191412134.html, but there's the link just in case.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 09:46 AM

Midcoast Maine, Bobert. I had lots of R. prinophyllum when I lived in NH, but we only moved one transplant that bloomed for the first time last year; I'd like to establish a good sweep of them here in our woodland gardens. Young plants from seed would likely be good, due to the genetic diversity. I'm interested in any hardy azalea/rhody sort of plant but especially R. prino'.

I did find some intriguing plants at Eastern Plant Specialties, including Franklinia. I have a plant friend who thought he might have a few he could sell me this weekend at the FEDCO tree sale. I think I'll invest in an umbrella magnolia tree, too. I love magnolias.

Tomatoes, apples, anything of the sort I'd rather pinch off the early fruit on young plants and gain a healthy, more vigorous plant (as you said, SRS and Bobert.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 10 - 09:30 AM

And I got sidetracked reading other posts - why I logged into the thread was to say I wimped out yesterday and didn't do any garden work other then shopping.

bought a new red and a new yellow (!yellow!) rhody that should be hardy here...

It's frustrating how many are not.

Trying to track down sources for some of the hardier Dexter Hybrid rhodies as well - also hard. Found sources for SPECIMAN plants of many - but I can't afford to ship an 8 x 12 foot plant! (Even if I could afford to buy the thing)

So far have three new rhodies, tywo azaleas and a wegilia to plant. Holes dug for most of them 0- I just need to get the hoses attached so I can water them in situ - until then I keep them in the pots and water them at the house.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 06 May 10 - 09:29 AM

Better in the woods than in our new gardens... There are a couple million acres back there and some rather nasty areas where nuthin' grows but nasty sticky bushes... I was thinkin' of takin' them one at a time and let them live with the sticky bushes... No one will ever see them because no one wants to go anywhere near them sticky bushes...

Prinophyllum is actaully one of the 17 native decidious azaleas that grow all over Virginia and North Carolina mountains... We have it growing at about 800 feet above us in the mountains... They are difficult to transplant but can be grown quite nicely from seed... There are some folks in Tennessee that grow lots of natives from seed... I'm not too sure if they ship but I do know they have a nursery... Where are you again, maeve???

As fir the tomatoes??? My thinking is that you'd not want to stress out a root system that is trying to develope itself without the addded strain of making fruit... I'd oinch them off, as well as any suckers, to give that plant a good root system to prodice some serious fruit later down the road...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 10 - 09:25 AM

I need to remember to take cuttings of my azaleas this year - I forgot last year.

I'd be interested in a source for Rhododendron prinophyllum as well...

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 May 10 - 08:31 AM

I don't want to think what those stumps must look and smell like in your woods, Bobert.

I have a question for y'all. I bought tomatoes several weeks ago and kept them watered until I could plant, and I bought some more last weekend and they also went in the ground. These plants are about 12" tall and have fruit already. Some are more hunched over with fruit.

I don't usually get fruit this early on my tomato plants, though I've seen early flowers. Do you leave that early fruit or do you pinch it off to let the plant grow and become more robust before bearing fruit? I have some poblano pepper plants that were the last two in the garden store and kind of puny, and had each a 1" pepper that I picked off to give the plants a break. Those plants were only a few leaves, at least the tomatoes are better established. What do each of you do?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 06 May 10 - 08:28 AM

That sport sounds good, Bobert.

Will that azalea show have hardy azaleas like our native Roseshell (Rhododendron prinophyllum), shown here? I'm looking for an affordable source. Small plants are preferable.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 06 May 10 - 07:45 AM

Bless you, dad... Pinch a few fir me, will ya'???

Lotta stuff happening here in "The Holler"... The North Carolina contingency of azalea nuts will be here next Wednesday so we are trying to get everything looking perky... Ain't easy as we are in a severe drought so if we're awake we're borrowing water from that big aqua-tank in the mountain (our well) to run the oscillators...

The stump pile has gotten a little cranky... 90% of every thing in it has burned but there are now about 5 of the largest stumps that are charred and don't want to give up the ship... I drive the drive the tractor in there and and use the bucket to turn them and they will burn for an hour or so and then just half smolder... Poured all my olf motor oil on 'um but that didn't do much good... Think I'll just let them burn until they won't and then take them one by one back in the woods (with the tractor) and let them live there...

Lettuce and soinch seeds just didn't sprout... Never had that happen... Gonna get some new ones... Maybe they had gone bad??? The 4 Pink Lady Slippers seem to like where I put them so we'll cross our fingers that they like it here... The soil and light are just about as close as to where I found them...

Gotta a "sport" on my Khomo Shekibo with a double flower??? Marked that branch and gonna take a cutting in late August and see what I get... If it does make doubles then ol' Bobert will have himseolf a new hybrid...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 04 May 10 - 08:27 AM

Amen to that, Janie.

Yesterday I fiddle farted around, spread a little (very little) mulch; planted two containers of pansies (dark blue-purple, almost black) and brought home a wegilia that is currently on the porch but will get planted out ....the hole is dug. I'm satifsfied if I get anything constructive done after working all day and the two hours of commute.

I have some potatoes I am going to grow in containers that I need to get planted - and I should be receiving a parcel of plants from ups this week - a couple bushes and some daylilies if I remember correctly.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 03 May 10 - 11:22 PM

It is good to read what all ya'll are up to (or down to:>) in your gardens. Sister Annie jumped in when she was here at Mom & Dad's last week, and between the two of us we have their flower/shrub borders looking good. Dad planted tomatoes and onion sets as soon as I got the little raised bed veggie garden cleaned up and loosened, and Annie got a couple of bags of composted manure spread on them.

Dad, who has everything wrong with his spine from neck to tailbone that a doctor can put a name to, suffers from severe chronic pain, but continues to do as much work as he can in the yard and garden. We were at the hospital today for 5 hours for him to have a lung biopsy done under heavy sedation. He was fairly clear by the time we got him home. He snoozed in his recliner for an hour, then got his cane and walked over to chat with his neighbor while Mom and I fixed supper. I went out to call him a few minutes before supper was ready and found him bent double, leaning heavily on the cane, pinching pansies. I opened my mouth to raise a fuss as he laboriously and with obvious pain straightened up. We looked each other in the eye, I shut my mouth, and joined him to finish the job before helping him step up onto the porch and into the house to wash up for supper.

That pain is going to be there, whether he is bent over in the garden or not. The cancer, which at this point is something new to us and not part of the current pain, is going to be there, no matter what.

Let him pinch pansies to his heart's content.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 03 May 10 - 07:57 PM

Big day here in Pine Grove Holler... The stump pile in our pond field is now surrounded by the able people of the Satnley Voulenteer Fire Department and the flames are up to about 25 feet... Hooray!!! Another step closer to finally, after 5 years, having control of these 6 acres that will one day all be gardens of one sort or another...

Now, let me get back out there... Something to behold!!!

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 10 - 06:55 PM

I finished digging a big chunk of the garden on the other side of the driveway (this is it's third year, and after extending it a lot last year I've pushed it even further this year). So far tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and some herbs and flowers planted. I have another chunk to dig and build up, but that will happen gradually and probably be ready for some fall stuff.

I've been picking about a pint a day of strawberries for the last couple of weeks. It's my tiny little square yard of berries, and it's funny how when neighbors stop by to say hello, the simple sight of fruit in the garden brings such a surprised and pleased reaction. We've all grown so far away from the earth, when growing fruit is a novelty.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 02 May 10 - 08:42 PM

I love yuccas, WYSuzie... They're purdy tough plants, have a nice shape and need very little attention...

My really big next job is to fix my run-off pond... It is dry... Should have 3 feet of water and fogs and all that but...

...going to read more on bentonite clay and make a plan...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 10 - 05:54 PM

Our garden plan this year is a 50' equivalent of two rows, all in earthbox-type containers and other vry large containers gathered in the last several years from FreeCycle. This will run along the chainlink in the new Dog World ("DW"), which is in full sun for 6+ hours per day.

Seedlinbg started include tomaters of several sorts, peppers, climbing peas, bush beans. There will be s'petunias tucked in for color.

Facing all this will be a nice sitting area under a shady tree. There will be some hanging pots on the front-facing side of DW as well-- portulaca.

And I have a yucca I am reviving to beak up and plant along the front face of DW, too.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: LadyJean
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:07 PM

I've been trying to grow bushel gourds for 5 years. The first year I got a seed to germinate, planted the vine, then the gent who used to cut my lawn, I call him The Terminator, did for it, as he did for about $100 worth of plants and the solar lamps I put across the back.

The next year I couldn't convince a seed to germinate. The things take forever, IF they germinate, and that's a big if.

This year, a friend suggested I snip off the ends of the seeds or soak them. I did both. The seeds germinated. The plants died. Any mudcatters growing bushel gourds?

Otherwise, I am going to HAVE to start digging beds soon, and mow the lawn again. Then I get to clip my yew hedges, yet again. I dream of seeing the last of those hedges.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 01 May 10 - 08:16 PM

Well, the garden-tour-from-hell is coming up in about 10 days... It the North Carolina contingency of the Azalea Society and they will be here in force... So we're trying to get about 100 azaleas moved into a new bed in the pond field... Don't know why 'cuase as hot as it is all the blooms will be spent but that is the plan...

My pond is no offically dry!!! That sucks... I've been reading up on bentonite clay and looks like that is the answer... Sounds like hard work... But if I get it done before any major rains come then the pond should hold for years... But it sounds like the kinda stuff that is gonna require some younger backs...

No lettuce or sinich in the garden... We may have to replant... Not sure why it didn't come up... I know it dry but we've run the oscillator on it 3 times... That shoulda gotten it going???

I'm beat... And also have a bad summer head cold so after a day out in the sun working like a Trojan I really don't fell all that perky either...

But, ahppy gardening...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Maryrrf
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:25 AM

I've mostly got the garden done, except for a patch where I'm going to plant herbs, which I'll do this afternoon. I've got lettuce, kale, collards and radishes which I'm harvesting now, and onions and potatoes which are growing nicely - I planted them in March. A couple of weeks ago I planted seven Rutgers tomatoes, and today I put in a couple of cherry and grape tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash and snaps. Down at the farm where I buy my seedlings they didn't have any okra, so I'll pick up some today and plant it this afternoon, along with parsley, cilantro, dill, basil and maybe some sage and rosemary. It's all looking good! I planted a little less than last year (I had way too much) and spaced things out a bit more.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: MMario
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 11:57 AM

It's been raining for three days - so I didn't get anything done this weekend.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Apr 10 - 12:10 AM

I'm getting planting in very late for here, but with our long growing season, it doesn't matter too much. I am finishing these raised beds, and as they look right I'll be planting. I put tomatoes on one so far, and need to add more soil and compost to a couple more. I have plans for two more after that, but those will happen in the next month. And the kitchen door garden needs attention. It's an all-volunteer operation right now--garlic, onion, oregano, coriander, basil. So I'm not complaining, but it needs some harvesting (the oregano) and some organization (the middle is kind of empty).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: maeve
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 08:43 PM

We made a third harvest from the spinach and kale planted last October. Sweet peas, sugar snaps, baby spinach, carrots, beets, lettuce, and chard continue to grow well. Flowers in bloom today include: bloodroot (single and double), several kinds of pulmonaria/lungwort, various little bulbs, plum and shadblow trees, and cherries.

maeve
many kinds of primroses and daffodils, many colors of violets,

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 08:34 PM

This season's "landscape job from hell" is over... Whew... Right at 100 trees and shrubs...

We had our second tour yesterday morning... We were on our way out so we just left them to their own devices...

Also found sanke today... 6 foot blacksnake in the middle of the road... Usually, I don't mind grabbin' them but he was too big so I found a long branch and pushed him off to safety....

Planting under trees is hard... Trees are hogs... Ya' have to either do raised beds or dig large holes and put lots of pine fines in with the soil when you plant so the roots will get a good start before Meany Tree gets there... Don't get me wrong... I love my trees... But ya' gotta have some level of respect for their wants and needs...

Azaleas in bloom everywhere you look...

Went into the wooods this evening and found a few more "mergals" and also found a nice native azalea in bloom... Pink with fregrance... Cut a small portion offf that had 4 flowers in bloom and 2 getting ready to bloom and brought it home to the P-Vine... She was so excited... The Pink Lady Slippers are all doing just fine...

Pond is about dry... Gonna have to either gets some pigs to tamp the bottom down 'er somethin'???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 25 Apr 10 - 08:19 PM

Raising a bumper crop of oak seedlings this year. Just spent 2 hours grubbing them out of the little bit of garden beds I have, and the yard is full of them. That is one thing to consider with using shredded leaves for mulch - the thousands of acorns.

Gardening under trees is presenting some challenges that I simply had not considered. (The pecan sprouts where I used to live were real bears to dig out - much harder than the oaks - but exponentially fewer of them sprouted, as they required burying by the squirrels to germinate. I did not know how easily acorns germinate, and that they do so simply lying on top of the ground. Thinking more and more in terms of large swathes of natural areas around the perimeters of the front yard that I cover in mulch, add a few plantings to, and then let nature sow what it will.

stumbled across a baby snake - I think an Eastern Garter Snake, while mowing the other evening. With all the birdseed that gets scattered, I'm glad to have a snake or two to control rodents, even if they also get a few nestling birds. Had several black rat snakes at the other place, at least one of whom wintered in the crawl space. They followed the voles in that nearly wiped out a number of plants and bulbs before the snakes got them under control.

Not planting any ornamentals in pots, and not expecting to plant much in the ground this year (again), since I know I'll be out of town a lot on weekends to help with Dad - but am slowly pulling a design together and starting to take small steps in preparing beds for the future. Thinking very hard about time management, and struggling to consider that when I think about garden design and what to plant. It is hard to be practical:>)

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Alice
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 12:19 PM

We have a rule of thumb here: don't plant your garden or flower beds until after Memorial Day... and be ready to cover them for spring snow.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Maryrrf
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 11:37 AM

A friend gave me six tomato plants (Rutgers variety) and some spring onions - so I went ahead and planted them. He put his in a week ago. I usually wait till May 1st, but figured what the heck, I'd give it a try. The mint is going crazy and I've been enjoying mint tea. I planted potatoes about a month ago, and some of them came up but it was very spotty. Lettuce will soon be ready!

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 08:11 AM

Well, after being here in Pine Grove Holler for 5 years we have been asked by a smallish group if theu could tour our gardens... They are coming this Wednesday... I wish it was next week but I'll take off from my landscaping job today and tomorrow and get the stuff planted that needs to be planted before the tour...

Spent yesterday in Charlottsville, Va. with the Azealea Society... We set up a booth at one of the stops of the "Charlottesville Historic Garden Tour" where other venders and associations were invited to participate... We were next to a booth that specialized in native wild flowers and they had a tray of them set up as a quiz... I reckon I surprised them by knowing them all!!! No, not the Latin names but the common names... We had a purdy good day, however, and sold about $700 worth of azalaes and got 2 new members (possibly 3) for our chapter... That was really more the goal than selling plants...

Opps!!! 8:10 and I gotta go...

Happy gardening!!!

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 12:12 AM

Ah, Alice. Spring, inching its way into the northern Rockies, whether they like it or not, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Alice
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 03:13 PM

Only a few frozen drifts of snow remain after a couple of the warmest days so far this year. A drift of icy snow that has been there since October still covers the flower beds on the north side of my house.

I found one daffodil that had bloomed yesterday and a few crocus. This has been the worst winter for heavy snow damage. The raspberry canes were almost completely broken down. Lots of pruning and clean up to do.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 03:04 PM

Bobert, have you gotten a little digital camera yet? Now that you've been at that place for a while we need to get another look at it. Especially while these azaleas are in bloom!

I ate my first strawberry out of the garden this morning. Mostly I worked in a drizzle to remove a caked down pad of red oak tassles and live oak leaves from the street at the curb (neither tree grows in my yard--it all drifts in from neighbors). The mail carrier drives along the curb lane six days a week and compresses it, and the rain this weekend only cut a channel through it. I know the city will want it removed, so I went out with the hose and swept and tossed clumps on the lawn to mulch in, and washed some down the street and cleaned up next door so it wouldn't simply become their problem.

This week is the first opportunity I'll have to do some serious gardening. It's busy at the end of the semester, though, so I'll steal a little time when I can. I'm usually out there much earlier in the year, but we were doing all of the college applications and visits. My son has decided to go to the University of Arizona in Tucson, by the way. (During last week's trip I set up a visit with one of the guitar majors there, recommended by the dept. head. I think that was the tipping point. He'll probably end up some king of computer engineer, but he'll be a fabulous guitarist on the side!).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Janie
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 09:15 PM

Pink Lady Slippers, as I understand it Bobert, grow only in symbiotic relationship with tree roots - I think oak - and rarely, if ever, survive transplanting. Annie has a yard full of them, but has never been able to move them.

The Komo Shekeboo you gave me has been in bloom for about a week. It is looking much better now that I am alternating the soap and neem oil about every 10 days. Seems to be more vulnerable to the lace bugs than the other azaleas, but I think if I can get it well established this year (2nd in ground) it will be better able to sustain a little damage. The other 2 azaleas are still in pots and doing well. One (the tag in it has disappeared but it was the one P-vine started from a cutting, not seed, surprised me by setting a few blooms - a beautiful, very pale, soft pink. The solomon seal is thriving as are the hellebores. The white hellebore you gave me is my favorite - so pale creamy! Ferns are doing really well also.

I want so much to get up to see your place. It will happen.

Subject: RE: BS: Gardening 2010
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Apr 10 - 08:13 PM

So much stuff happening here it's almost too hard to report it all...

First of all... We are in drought!!! That sucks... Whatever happened to "April Showers", anyway... We're having to move the oscillator all day from one bed to another but...

... we have lettuce, beets and spinich poking up...

Lots of azaleas in bloom (like hundreds)... My favorite, Komo Shekeboo bloomed today... But we are in the process of putting in some new beds and are going to start by moving as many "whites" into the beds as possible and then move the colors in... Whites should be 50% of any garden design according to Designer Bobert...

I went looking for "mergals" (morelles one last time for this season and found just enough to put in an omlet... The underbrush has gotten too high to find 'um for this year... Oh well...

Back to the "Pink Lady Slipper"... I was trying to find where I found that other one and did... I got down on the ground and started looking around and there were about 15 others that were just coming up... I carefully dug up the three that were definately in the logging road and brought them home... The others I'll keep my eye on over the next few weeks... The P-Vine looked them up in one of her books and it says that they are extremely rare so I guess we oughtta be happy to have these four... We'll plant them in our woods in an eara that best resemebles where I found them... I think they'll do just fine...

We also found a dicidious magnolia with bright yellow blooms at a local nursery... The P-Vine spoted it from the road and told me to "turn around"... The nursery got two of them in and he had just sold the other one that morning so the P-Vine used some of the money she keeps in her garden slush fund to buy it... Hooray...

The gardens are reallu shaping up and we hope that anyone here who is a gardener who is in the area will stop and take them all in...

(Janie???)

Well, that's bout it, for now...

B~