South Beach Diet - Gardening Questions and Answers

So garden questions don't get lost in other threads, please post your questions or comments here and those of us who are experienced will try to reply. It's important to know where you live because gardening in Florida is really different from gardening in South Eastern Ontario.

gardening in Florida is really different from gardening in South Eastern Ontario.
Ya got that right, chickie. :lol3:

What a great idea! Thanks Ruth :high:

I'd like to share another forum website that has TONS of gardening info. www.gardenweb.com There is a forum for everything you can imagine: annuals, perennials, veggies, daylilies, hostas, landscape design, etc.

Ooh, ooh, me first! I'm in Southeast Missouri (Cape Giradeau to be precise) and I'm wanting to plant veggies in pots. I have no room for a big garden :(
Thinking of tomatoes, cherry tomatoes (love those little buggers!) and bell peppers. Oh, and green beans....
Can these be done? If so, what do I need to do?!?
Thanks!!!!
Jenn

Oh, absolutely, Jenn! I've often grown those things in pots. :yes: The pots should be large and fairly deep. And you'll need some stakes for the tomatoes and beans.

Ellis is right about the large pots. They should be at least 5 gal containers if you want a decent fruit/veg yield on tomato and beans. I am planting a cherry tomato plant in a container today, to keep on my back deck outside the kitchen door, next to some herbs.
BTW, there is a forum on container gardening at Gardenweb (but you have to share what you learn with us ;) ).

So, what are you planting now????

I've got some annuals that I want to get into pots~~petunias, geranniums, begonias and New Guinnea (sp?) inpatients. I'd like to find a Mandavilla vine to put in a large pot on the deck and let it grow and wrap around the railing.

Hey Ruth, any chance we could have this thread as a sticky for the season?

Sure thing. Consider it done! :encore:

I've planted peas, spinach, rainbow chard, radish and mesclun seeds so far. It's really early to be able to do that - I usually am not even tilled until mid-May but my neighbour did my garden tilling so I got right on it. Our veggie garden is huge so I sometimes don't get it all planted at the right time.

I have pansies outdoors in the flower boxes, a forsythia in bloom and a few daffodils. The rhubarb and Welsh onions are well up and I have enough chives to weave a beach hut for the cabana boys! :lol:

In the woods, we have hepaticas!

I've had tomatoes and strawberries in for some time. I recently planted more tomatoes, peppers(red bell, red chili, cayenne), green beans, herbs (parsley, basil, chives, catnip), squash(summer, zucchini, acorn) and okra.

We also have some petunias and veggies that my son planted for his Cub Scout elective.

Amen to the chives, Ruth. Ours are HUGE!

Our growing season just started and it'll be a month or more until I feel safe planting any seeds outside. DH spread some leftover sand in the area where we hope to start our garden. We need to get some "Black Gold" topsoil and a rototiller so we can get the ground ready. We haven't had a veggie garden until this year, so we'll see what happens. I hope to grow a mix of things for me and things for our bunnies. Lots of dill for the buns, lots of basil for me, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini (I'm a nut...but think of all the zucchini patties.... :T ), mesclun mix, kale, carrots, etc.

Do you chickies think there is anything to the old wives' tale about planting marigolds around your veggie garden? Does it really keep anything away?

Anyone have any idea what these little flowers are? They show up around the same time as daffodils, in a wooded area in our garden. The stems are gray-green and fuzzy. We have two white ones and one purple. I used to think they might be hellebores, but on closer inspection, I think not. Could they be cousins of the hepatica you posted, Ruth?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/beachgalgarner/mysteriousflowerswhite.jpg
Here's just one plant, close up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/beachgalgarner/mysteriousflowers3.jpg
Here's the three.

They definitely ARE hepaticas, Laurie. They come in white as well as shades of mauve and lavender. Give them a sniff - they smell wonderful. They aren't hellebores - I believe they are liverworts.

Wow, I'm so excited to finally know what those cuties are! Are they usually wild, Ruth, or did the person who had my house before plant them?

I love their cute little fuzzy stems! :love:

Thanks!!! :grouphug:

I think I have those growin around in my yard as well. I should take a pic of all these things I have no idea of and let y'all smarties id 'em and write it down for future ref.

They are a wildflower, Laurie, but the previous owner could have transplanted them from the woods.
Bamie, you can send me the pics by email if you have a problem with resizing. PM me for my addy.

Hey Ruth I couldn't get them to load. They were toooo big and rather than tryin to resize them or fill up your inbox I put them on my page. They are on page 2 and I asked the questions there so you would know which one I was talkin about. Thanks bunches.
http://groups.msn.com/BamieGurls (http://javascript<img%20src=&quot;images/smiles/blush.gif&quot;%20border=&quot;0&quot;%20alt=&quot;&quot;%20title=&quot;blush&quot;%2 0smilieid=&quot;19&quot;%20class=&quot;inlineimg&quot;%20/>l('http://groups.msn.com/BamieGurls');)

Bamie~ The large bush looks similar to a Weigella.I'll look it up and see, unless somebody else knows what it is.

Bamie~I think the purle flower plant is called Spiderwort or Tradescantia. You can propagate it from cuttings, divisions or seeds. Is the white one in the Toad Lilly or Wild Ginger family??

Weigella, Spiderwort or Tradescantia and DamnedIfIKnow or a PLF (pretty litle flower)! It looks like a lily of some sort. I'll snoop around later.

Thanks for the info Sil. Ruth you crack me up! PLF! rotflmbo!

Here's a pic that I took today. You can see my Wiegela blooming at the bottom of the pic. Just below it (in the center) is my Musa Basjo banana tree starting to leaf out.
I added some of my garden pics into my Webshot albums. I haven't taken any new shot this year, so some of you have already seen these. Just wanted to share. Pics can be seen at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/rnsilvia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard007.jpg

OMG! She has a pool! Let's go, chickies!

YES!!! Come on over!! We can have our own water aerobics class :rofl:

LOL! I can see that water aerobics class! Seriously, Sil, your gardens look like they belong at Butchart or Huntington. :yikes: They are gorgeous!!! I'm starting to think you are independently wealthy and not telling us. ;) If so, do you employ hunky gardeners? :flame:

I just read about a flower that blooms under the leaves and likes shade. I'll have to look it up at home Bamie and see what I can find... :chin:

I'm starting to think you are independently wealthy and not telling us. ;) If so, do you employ hunky gardeners? :flame:
Thanks, Laurie!! Gosh, I wish I was wealthy and/or had a Hunky Gardener to look at, but the gardener is ME :D My DH and I have done all the work ourselves (except the pool). He builds and I plant/mow/weed....

Wow, even more impressive!!! You are incredible, Sil...how did you have time to garden and build your kitchen??? :faint:

I only work outside the home on weekends, so that leaves me 5 days off a week. Also, I don't have any children at home (other than the furry ones ;) ).

Okay, my weed. This thing sprouted in our shared garden bed last summer, and went rampant! It has leaves like parsley that sprout in a radius from a central stock. It makes little yellow flowers that are shaped like strawberry blossoms, but without the central cone. They seem to propogate with runners, but I'm not certain of that. I'll see if I can find a picture. Does this ring any bells?

I hope you can get a picture of it. I'll check my weed book. In the meantime, please keep it on your side of the St Lawrence! We have our own weed bandits over here!

I think I figured it out! Creeping Cinquefoil. Little bugger! I spent at least an hour just digging out two foot square patches of it. :p

While I was looking through the websites for weed identification, I found lots of others I recognised. ;) Guess there are several on this side of the St. Lawrence, too...

My problem is that the garden was inherited when we bought the house and there are lots of lovely little surprises everywhere...when things come up, I'm often unsure as to whether they are weeds or plants, and when I finally figure it out, they've taken over! :rolleyes:

Speaking of weeds, does anyone have a surfire way to get rid of bindweed? I wage a terrible war against it every year. It's trying to kill my lilac bush and my hosta garden. Darn stuff! :mad:

Funny, I was just going to come in and tell you it was cinquefoil! Bindweed? The only way is to pull it out. Sorry!

Darn...I really hate the bindweed. It is really tough to pull out without ruining my plants. But I guess that's what makes it a weed. ;)

I love the fact there is a gardening thread here. I just bought a house two months ago. I am discovering the flowers that are here. I have violets all over my side lawn and they are so gorgeous! I just love the fact that there will be endless garden projects to do. I have my veggie garden tilled too, but it either won't stop raining or it is really cold! I have to get the seeds in! This is getting late for things like lettuce and peas!

Sandi

Hi Sandi! Glad you can join us in the garden as we lose weight with SB. Gardening is great exercise and there's always lots to learn, too.

I just got back from Wal-Mart and they had some of the summer plants that I've been looking for (but didn't want to spend alot of $$). I got 2 white and 2 pink Mandavilla vines and 2 Purple Fountain Grasses all of which will go in containers on the top deck. Hopefully I can get them potted today.

Next week, if the weather is nice, I think I'll divide and transplant some daylilies and hostas in the back. What are you doing in the yard????????

This morning I spent a lot of time fighting those darn little black flies. I smell like Deep Woods Off! Sarah and cleaned the front porch, we took the lights off the pergola, sorted metal, plastic, treated wood and general crud for the dump and raked leaves. I also forked some old rotten straw into my garden cart and discovered ice underneath! I think I'll sit a beer on it for this afternoon's break! Just kidding!

I bought some Aconite and Tiarella yesterday and will try to get them planted this afternoon plus pot up some more perennial splits for the Plant Sale on the 21st.

Wow, you are all active! Funny about the ice, Ruth! When we were mulching, a whole section of mulch was iced up! I'd never seen anything like it! :lol:

I've done next to nothing in the garden...work and school get in the way! This weekend we are helping at a Habitat for Humanity project, but on Sunday I think DH will be shoveling topsoil. None of our nurseries are open yet, I think, but I'll probably start poking around next weekend. I need some plants for our woodland garden, 1/2 of which is in sun and half of which is in deep shade. I'm really interested in the different colors of coral bells...wonder if I can get them around here. I saw some yellow and purple leafed varieties online. Interesting!

I also ordered a ton of bushes for our side yard last fall. They should be in now, and I need to call and see. They are at a nursery up by one of the lakes, about 1.5 hours away. I hope they all fit in our station wagon! :yikes: We got dwarf sand cherries and Aurora (golden) barberry. We have a wonderful plant, whose name is escaping me now, in front...it looks like english ivy, but has yellow and red spots on it, smells like oranges, and makes little flowers that look like strawberry flowers. It's darling! The sand cherries will go in back, the barberries in the middle, and the ivy-ish plant has been in front for two years. Should finally bring our side yard project to a close. Our house is long and skinny so we have a very long and skinny side yard that was originally closed in as a dog run. We ripped out the chain link fence (I'm using the 'we' liberally here...DH has huge arms from this work! :lol: ), regraded with good topsoil, put in edging, and planted grass. It looks so much nicer now! :)

Have a great day, gardening buddies! :sunny:

Ruth~I would love to add some Tiarella to my shade borders this year, if possible. I dodn't know what Aconite is, I'll have to look it up.

Laurie~~It sounds like you will be very busy soon. I don't know what the plant is that you have (ivy-like w/ strawberry flowers) but we have something like that here called Fragaria or Pink Panda Strawberry; pretty much a tender perennial in my area.

I might be off my rocker, but I think it might be hottunia or houttunia? :?:

I'm not familiar with Tiarella, but Aconite is ringing a bell...

Wow everyone has been busy! I just dug up several peonies from my mom's yard. It's my dream to have a peony hedge. I also have fern peony. Has anyone ever heard of that? It has a peony flower, but the leaves are soft like artemisia.

Sandi

I adore peonies and have many different ones. I even like them when not in bloom, particularly in fall when they get that bronze-like look to the leaves. I find the best ones are the plants I've received from someone in this same garden zone.

I do not have a fern leaf peony but will keep my eye peeled for one.

Sandi, it's nice to see you here! I've missed you! :wave:

I spent about five hours in my garden on Saturday, and am I SORE! :yikes: Initially, I was sort of half-heartedly dividing things, but by mid-afternoon, I was ripping and throwing with wreckless abandon. :D
It's looking really good out there. :)

I don't know who gave me those darned violets (Ruth!!!), but they're all over the freakin' place! :lol:

But they ARE pretty, Ellis. Pass some on to your neighbour.
Did I give you white or mauve or purple?

White, I believe. I'm thinking of selling the darned things. :lol3:

Thanks Ellis for remembering me! I am finally back on plan and came to South Beach since I am on it. I have those violets too! I realy like them, but it is tempting to not mow them over, but I have to or the yard will look like a hay field. How long do they bloom? I spent nearly 3 hours today dividing and planting those peonies. But my hedge is shaping up.

Sandi

Are my violets supposed to be blooming now? :?:
Sandi, you know your peonies won't bloom the first year you move them, eh?

Ruth, I gave some of the violets to Mauvais. :yes: And I think I'll take some up to the cottage!

Mine haven't started to bloom yet, Ellis. Remember that you are in a colder garden zone than I am. One of my neighbours has some in bloom but that is on the south side of her house in the sun. They'll bloom. Taking some to the cottage is a great idea. The ones I naturalized have done well.

I love violets! We've been planting new grass all around the house and each time, DH digs up the violets and tosses them! :mad: I saved one and specifically told him not to mulch over it, but he did. Men! :rolleyes: All of my neighbors' are in bloom, and I'm thinking of making a midnight exhibition to dig some up and transplant to my garden. If they're in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street, they don't really belong to anyone, do they? ;)

We had a luxurious patch of ferns near our parterre, but they completely shaded it from the street. We decided to transplant them to the back of the parterre to give us more privacy from our neighbors and give the parterre a bit more sun. Unfortunately, I don't think they made it. :( Do any of you know if ferns usually transplant well? DH took great care with them.

Well, they can be moved. Early in the spring is best. However, I have moved them in full summer. Some of the leaves died back but they did come back the next spring. What kind of ferns? They usually like shade and not too much sun. Mine are ostrich ferns (http://members.aol.com/palmferndc/ferns/ostrich.html)

Oh, yeah. :yes: Mom moves ferns all the time. Like Ruth said, they're not particularly happy about being moved, but they come back.

Well, we moved ours in the fall, after they had died back completely. They've been in their new location since then, and all the ones we didn't moved have fiddleheads coming up. The ones we moved are completed dark and dry with no sign of new life. :( I'm not sure what kind they are...they get about four or five feet tall and are about a foot broad across the widest part. We actually moved them into deeper shade. They are in a woodland garden with lots of moisture and lots of shade. :dunno:

Good to know that they can be transplanted...maybe DH did something when he transplanted them that killed them off. :(

Hi!

Ellis, I in Albany NY and it is a little warmer here than in "upstate NY". My violets have been out since late April, which is why I wondered how long they might last. Some of the peony I moved entirely with all the earth and they had the flower buds already on. These I think will continue to grow and bloom this year, but will they not next year? I also divided and planted "roots"..if I am lucky I'll assume they will be up next year?

I could cry...today was 80 and so sunny, but I got some sort of virus and feel crummy so I couldn't play in my yard!!! :cry: :cry: :cry:

Sandi

Well, that's what I've heard and what I've experienced, Sandi. :shrug: Maybe that's the secret... move them while they're IN bloom! :lol:
Get better soon, sweetie. :grouphug:

Sandi, I'm so sorry you aren't feeling well! I hope you feel better soon! There is supposed to be some rain today and tomorrow, I think, in our area (about 3 hours west), but it's supposed to be very warm. If you don't mind a little rain, it might be a great time to play outside! :D

We are supposed to go to freezing tonight so I won't be leaving my basil outdoors! Strange when it was up in the 70's yesterday! It rained overnight which suits me. I remember a perfect summer when it rained only at night! I think it was in the 60's before you chickies were born. :lol:

When you move peonies in the spring they sometimes drop their buds but do flower if you have enough of the root. Aren't they tough buggers? I've used an axe to split them. Siberian Iris need a chain saw!

I had a tiny patch of Sweet Woodruff in my garden that came with the house. I just noticed a huge patch growing in another part of the garden, about 100 feet away. It's under some bushes where I often have trouble getting things to grow.

I'm wondering if SW is considered a weed? Or is it just a ground cover that I never noticed before? I'm fairly content with it where it's popped up, but I don't want it taking over more of that area--I have columbine and bleeding heart and chives in that area, and I love them.

Thoughts? :dunno:

It's a ground cover, Laurie. It is not very invasive and smells just wonderful. I'd leave it and hack it back if it starts to interfere with your lovelies. I'm really jealous because I've never been able to get it to grow here! :(

mmmm... I'd love to be able to grow it, too. I've tried it a few times, and it just won't "go".

Isn't it frustrating when you can't get something you love to grow? I have tried growing bearded irisis and ranunculus here, but have had no luck. My mother even divided up a ton of her most sturdy irises and mailed me the bulbs, but none took. :( I love ranunculus and have had none grow, though I plant at least 30 every year. I even soak them and such first to help them take root.

I guess you do what you can, huh? ;) Thanks for the guidance, chickies! It really is a great plant, and the smell is amazing! My neighbor says she knows of some people that make a wine from it! :chin:

Well, this is a good fit! :D Somehow, I'm not seeing Ruth and Sil jumping in between dividing plants, though... :chin:

From the May 12, 2005 Daily Dish:
Fun Exercise Alternative: Gardening


May brings with it the promise of warm weather and outdoor fun. But exercising outdoors doesn't always have to be about hiking, biking, or jogging. Even a simple household task such as gardening can give you a daily dose of physical activity.

Mowing, raking, digging, and trimming can require significant physical exertion that will keep you fit and trim all summer long. According to fitness experts, garden chores can burn up to 200 calories per half-hour. Here are a few ways to maximize your gardening workout:


Mow by hand. A riding lawnmower may be fast and efficient, but a push mower gives you a better workout.
Do your own digging. Digging burns the most calories of any garden activity. The deeper you go, the longer the workout.
Alternate activities. Jumping between weeding, digging, and planting allows you to work different muscles while mixing strenuous activities with more enjoyable ones.
Don't use your back. Gardening can cause injury when done incorrectly. Invest in a gardener's stool to prevent injury when weeding and planting. Listen to your body's signals and try not to overdo it.

Laurie~Too funny, girl. I do push mow and do my own digging but you will not see me jumping out there :rofl:

Poor choice of words but sure paints a funny picture! Switching tasks does help me ....if I remember to do it before I get worn out.

Jumping... :lol3:

:lol: I can just see Sil and Ruth breaking into a chorus line in between dividing plants. :D

You guys are hilarious!!!
I just read this thread from start to finish.
and if you guys still have violets...you know you can put them in your salad!
They are loaded in Vitamin C. I read an article once that said weight for weight they have more vitamin c than an orange!
My kids used to walk around with a little bouquet of violets they'd picked out of my yard eating them!! The funniest thing was my middle DD, I looked out the back door to see what she was up to, and she was sitting on top of the dog house, eating violets! I wish I had a picture!

I just planted a cherry tomato plant in a pot and put it on my deck, but after reading some of the previous posts, obviously I didn't put it in a big enough pot... So I guess I'm off to see if I can find something bigger!

PhinsUp~~I love your new avitar!!!! OMG, my cherry tomato plant has tripled in size since I planted it a week ago.
Today was a good garden day. I left early this morning for a drive in the country over to a local Growers Outlet. Bought several hostas and Heucheras, a canna lily, elephant ears, and some ornamental sweet potato vines (Blackie and Margarite). DH came home from work early so we went to Home Depot for pine straw mulch and a few more plants. I got all hosta and Heuchera planted in a shade garden and mulched the area, then enjoyed a glass of wine with an old neighbor/friend.
I even noticed a Robin's nest in the arbor. She is sitting on at least one egg that I can see. Gotta be sure my cat Miller stays away from her. A pair of Blue Birds are in one birdhouse, finches are in another and the Wrens are back again building their nest in the eaves of my back porch (5th year in a row). I guess they enjoy the peace of the backyard, too. Ya gotta love Spring!!!!

I see a lot of flowers being discussed but not as many veggies - but I have to tell you about a book i found in a used book bin over the weekend. Its called The Apartment Farmer - and it has everything you could possibly need to know about growing veggies and herbs in and outside an apartment. You will be AMAZED. I thought I had a jungle in here already but now I have even more ideas. Highly recommended little book if you, like me, want to start growing your own and are limited in space to windowsills, patios and rooftops!

I grow lots of veggies and know you can grow them just fine in window boxes or planters. I am very lucky (I think) to have a huge veggie garden but have done veggies in small spaces like a balcony or townhouse garden.

Tia, that book sounds great! :yes: Now that we're back in the city (and I love it!), I'm a big advocate of container gardening. We've got a fairly good sized garden for a city lot, but I love to see the innovative way other people here in the city deal with their lack of space.

Does anyone know how to get rid of violets?

Aw, Ellis, how cruel can you be!! Don't answer that. The only good way is to dig them out while they are in flower and before they set seeds. Then mulch heavily and hope! .
Reminder to Self: Never give Ellis violets again - especially the rare white ones! It's like giving somebody herpes. They may enjoy the deed but are stuck with the results! :lol:

Reminder to Self: Never give Ellis violets again - especially the rare white ones! It's like giving somebody herpes. They may enjoy the deed but are stuck with the results! :lol:

:lol3:

Ruth, you kill me! Ellis, I love violets. When you dig them up, send them my way. ;)

I spent most of Saturday buying plants. It was lovely! :dance: We picked up 18 sand cherries for our side yard. It's long and skinny. We'll put the sand cherries at the back of the bed near the house. In the middle will be the yellow barberries we'll pick up next week, and in the front are the funny ivy-like things we planted two years ago. Houtonnia? (sp???) I think...but not sure.

Then I spent the afternoon at a local nursery. I picked up a huge variety of annuals to plant in our front walk beds. A local neighbor does this every year, and her beds look incredible with marigolds next to pink and white striped petunias, next to purple alyssum, next to white pansies, etc. It's looking cute so far...we finished putting them in last night.

I also got a couple of heucheras, though I'm still looking for a lime green one. We got 'Purple Petticoats' and 'Marmalade' (darling! :love: ). I also got a liatris, a major steal on a hellebore, and a new one (whose name I'm forgetting...it's a ground cover with silver/white leaves edged in green and lovely lavender flowers. Should be fun to watch it grow. :)

This morning I spent an extra five minutes trying to tuck my clematis into the fishing wire I stretched from my trellis to the roof of the garage. It looks much healthier now that I pruned it.

I'm going to plant my hanging baskets tonight. I hope they turn out nice...can't wait to go home! :hyper:

I love them, Ruth. :( It's just that there are suddenly THOUSANDS of them! :yikes: I think I'll put them in the front yard... maybe I'll spread them throughout the city...
Believe me, they are no longer RARE! :lol3:

Wow, Laurie! You've really been spending! :lol: It all sounds lovely. :)
I'm heading to a garden centre this week... can't wait!

I'm surprised to see that my hops vine has spread to a few different areas of my garden. :?: Do they seed, or what?

Sil, those sweet potato vines are lovely! :yes:

Ellis, you must have a violet preserve or something...I love the idea of your transplanting them throughout the city. You could be the violet version of the Lupine Lady (have you ever read that book?). You could get a bunch of your activitst friends together, dress in black and paint your faces, then go out through the night, spreading violets everywhere! :lol:

Hops vines are so pretty! Do you use the triangular trellis for them? I seem to remember that you said DH used to make beer with them but doesn't anymore?

That sweet woodruff is all over the garden! I'm not sure what happened as I thought it propogated by runners, but it's in all sorts of odd spots far away from the other patches. I pulled some out even though I felt bad knowing you guys can't grow it. It was in several areas where I don't want ground cover.

You are right Ellis... $$$ for all these plants...but most will come back year after year (unless they die first! :lol3: ), so...

I love those sweet potato vines too...especially the dark purple and lime green ones next to each other. Do you have window boxes, Sil?

I love those sweet potato vines too...especially the dark purple and lime green ones next to each other. Do you have window boxes, Sil?
No, I don't have any window boxes. I am planting the sweet potato vines (dark and lime green) in a large container that also has a Purple Fountain Grass in it. The colors of the vines will go well with the purple and lime green of the grass. I'll post a pix of it later.

Oh, WOW, Sil...that will be GORGEOUS!!! :love: I can't wait to see! :hyper: How is your retaining wall garden going?

Ok I seem to be havin a problem with one of my blueberry bushes. It looks dead! They are 2 different kinds. The one is comin right along but the other one is still brown and no leaves. I know they both had blueberries on them last year cause I picked them. The other owner was not goin to pick them (his wife had already moved) and said I could come over and get them any time. Was there something I should have done in the fall? It's the one that had the big berries on it! lol I have no idea what kind it is. Thanks for any help y'all can offer me.

Note on my planters out front..I cannot believe how well they are doin! They are gettin huge! The snap dragons have not done real good for some reason but the tunnies and impatiants are growin like weeds! lol

I don't know much about blueberries except they love moist soil and acid. I know nothing about pruning anything and know I will need to get a book on it by fall.

I have my veggie garden in finally! It's about 12x12 feet, but I still need to increase it just a bit to add the tomatoes. I live in the city, but fortunately I have a large back and side yard. I have just the right amount of space for one person to care for.

I have old fashioned rhodadendrons out front. They are opening up and they are red and absoutely spectacular. I love spring!!! :cool: :cool: :cool:

Sandi

Bamie, what's a tunnie? :?: Sorry that I know nothing about Blueberries...wonder if there is anything online?

Ladies, can I transplant my hostas even though they have started to leaf out? Some of the leaves are still tightly whorled, but most are out and open but still standing straight up. I just realized that several of them are where I don't want them to be...

Laurie, hostas are really tough. Move and even split them whenever you want. Just be sure to water them well in their new home. By the way, tunnies are probably petunias in BamieTalk.:lol: Remember the buttercups that were really daffodils?

Bamie, I know you don't mind being teased. I have to phone you sometimes to hear you! Blueberries, some kinds, are sometimes slow to leaf out so don't give up yet! If you do decide to replace it, try to get a kind that is different from the one you have. They don't like to breed with their close relatives - up here anyhow! I have no idea how you'd get a different kind unless you took a sprig with you and bought one that did NOT look like it!

Sandi, I love rhodies! And veggie gardens! Plant lots of healthy greens, OK?

SIL, the lime and deep purple combo is just lovely. Did you know that you can dig the tubers of the ipomea and keep them over the winter? We use lots of them in the Greenhouse planters and they are just stunning especially when combined with the new grasses and some of the liquorice plants - helichrysum?

Sarah worked on the Dog Garden this morning. The Girls are real landscape architects. :( The remaining plants are kind of huddling in two islands at either end of the yard. They are survivors so I'm considering little wire fences around them - maybe electric? Just kidding!

Thanks, Ruth...good to know. I love the idea of a dog garden. I doubt that it's like this at all, but in my mind, it has several fire hydrants, a big mud puddle, and tons of topiaries shaped like dogs. Oh, and trees that bloom dog treats. ;)

Glad Sarah did some actual work. Grrr....

By the way, tunnies are probably petunias in BamieTalk.:lol: .... They don't like to breed with their close relatives - up here anyhow!
Ruth, I was going to say the same thing :rofl: Sorry, Bamie!! Oh, about the breeding thing~I'm sure that there is an Alabama joke in there somewhere :lol3: :rofl: Again, sorry Bamie :rofl:

Oh come on! I'm from Bama too...I don't have the appreciation for Bama jokes like some of you might have! not crazy about stereo types

There are Alabama jokes? I meant that our blueberry varieties may be different from the ones in Alabama. No offence meant. I'm USDA Zone 4 and I'm not sure what the South is.

Oh, Phins! Don't be offended, please! We just love teasing Bamie about the way she talks...she could be from anywhere and we'd still tease her. She's under the weather right now but wait until she lets loose a torrent of "tee hee"s! :lol: She's wonderful and definitely adds some flavor to this forum. :D

What the hoodle doo is a "Bama joke"? :?: I've been teasing Bamie for months, and she seems just fine about teasing us back. ;) Eh, Bamie?
And if anyone makes fun of my Canadian accent, I will be mortally offended! :lol3:

Oh yeah y'all are just a real riot! lol Just remember Sil you ARE in GA the home of "You Might Be a Redneck!" lol

Laurie...They are right on the tunnies. Sorry I have a bad habit of shortnin or nicknamin things. Must be the southerness in me! lol

Ruth...The one is a different "breed" than the other. Hopefully it will start sproutin pretty soon but the other one already has it's berries on it. They are still green but they are there.

Y'all gave me a good laugh with this!

Does that mean I can't tease you about just saying "eh"? :lol:

When I try talking like that at home, DH teases me about going back to my Canadian roots... :lol: I still can't say "about" properly.

How do you say, "about"? Abaht?

I mean, how does DH say it. :lol:

Bamie, you cutie! :grouphug: I never would have thought Petunias...we just planted a ton in the front yard, and now I'm going to smile when I see them! :D

I think it's cool that you have actual berries this early...oh yeah...you've had spring for several months now, huh? :lol: Sometimes I forget! ;) So, the other bush doesn't have any leaves at all either?

Well I should have finished readin it all first! Y'all just stick to givin me a hard time I can take it! I love it! It does not bother me about all the stereo types us southerners have I know there are inbred redneck hillbilly's all over the world cause I have seen 'em! ( a big TEE-HEE) I know y'all have trailer parks up north just like we do! hahahaha

Trailer parks? Red necks? In Canada? :snooty: Not at all, dah'ling. :lol3:

No the other bush has no leaves no nuttin' just bare!

Well shucks! Alabama blueberries don't need another cultivar to breed berries, obviously. I think the term is self-fertile. Forget my so-called advice, Bamie, and enjoy the berries.

We have rednecks in Delta too so you folks don't have the copyright on it!

Whew! This thread will have to have a lot of editing if anyone wants to use it for gardening references!

Ruth, you're down two pounds!!! :cheer: :cheer:

Gardening thread? This is the GARDENING thread?!?! :rofl:

I'm so sorry if I offended any Southerners!!!!!!! I did not mean to!!!
Bamie's right, I live in the South, also, plus I'm originally from Calif (home of the Nuts, Fruits and Flakes) so ya'll can have at me!!!
Oh yeah y'all are just a real riot! lol Just remember Sil you ARE in GA the home of "You Might Be a Redneck!" lol
See, Bamie's feeling better and getting back to herself again. I love ya, Kelly :grouphug:

Well I should have finished readin it all first! Y'all just stick to givin me a hard time I can take it! I love it! It does not bother me about all the stereo types us southerners have I know there are inbred redneck hillbilly's all over the world cause I have seen 'em! ( a big TEE-HEE) I know y'all have trailer parks up north just like we do! hahahaha

OMG, Bamie, you are too funny!!!1 You really made me LOL!!!! :rofl:

It makes me all shivery when you gals talk that that way. :love:

OK, let's get back to gardening. Here are some pix I just took. I went out today and bought a few plants for my retainer planter area. (see pic) Not sure where exactly they will go in the planter yet. Forget the small prints, way too small to see.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard017.jpg

OK, let's get back to gardening.

Ah, Sil, do we have to? :lol3:

Bamie, I hear you...there are definitely rednecks everywhere...and there are also lovely people like you and Sil and Phins. :D

Sil, have you been pouring Miracle Grow on those plants??? They are huge, lush, and gorgeous!!! :love: I especially like the red one...is it a Canna? Beautiful! :cloud9: I want to see your planter with the sweet potato vines! :mag:

Oh, oh! Now I see it...it's the middle small one, right? Is that a BUNNY in the planter??? :love: How awesome! The container garden is just darling...and such great use of color. I think Sil's garden might be pretty close to what Eden looked like. :yes: If I could only see Ruth's garden (hint, hint) my life would be complete. ;)

Oh, Sil!! How BEAUTIFUL!!!

Laurie, I had to copy/paste each one seperately so now all three are in one post. Yes, the red plant is a Canna. There is also a banana (Musa Basjo), Ruellia, Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolia) and hosta. I also want to add some white in there such as a Creeping Gardenia and some white and purple Spiderwort.

Now that we have to get back to gardenin"....lol

Ok Sil what is the flower in the last pic with the purple blooms? I have those in several places in the yard and have no idee (idea) what they are. It's the middle one on the thumbnails. I need to take a pic of my flower boxes I am just soooo happy with them. They are just growin so good out there. The ones around back have not done as good no real sunlight! Oh sometimes all these trees is a real pain! Your flowers are beautiful!

Ok Sil what is the flower in the last pic with the purple blooms? I have those in several places in the yard and have no idee (idea) what they are.
They are Spiderwort or Tradescantia. I have them in white, fushia, and several shades of purple. I just bought one that has purple flowers and lime green leaves.

Bamie, it's Tradescantia or Spiderwort although you may have another name for it! I'll be back with other names.

I just bought one that has purple flowers and lime green leaves.

WOW! :love: That sounds amazing, Sil!!! I love lime green things in the garden. I'm trying to find a lime green heuchera (coral bells) to go with my dark purple one. :mag:

Thanks for making the pics bigger, Sil. They are amazing!

Bamie, I would love to see your window boxes!!! :hyper:

Did you know that you can dig the tubers of the ipomea and keep them over the winter?
Ruth, how exactly do I do that? Dig up, brush off soil and keep in a cool dry place? Put them in a brown paper bag or on sawdust or something?

Spiderwort! What a name...neither of which I like! lol The other one I can't even pronounce nor will I remember! teehee Maybe I'll call 'em spidewars. lol

Thanks chicks!

Bamie, I would love to see your window boxes!!! :hyper:
Me too:yes: And what about you Ruth~~where are your pix ???????

Thanks for all the compliments!!

Sil, pretend they are begonia bulbs. Clean them off, keep them in peat moss and dampen the moss if it looks too dry. Actually they might winter over in your Zone. What garden zone are you?

I'm in zone 7-7a (upper GA). I've never overwintered bulbs before but would love to. So, I completely cover them in peat moss and keep the moss damp?? Where do I store them~cool dry place?

Cool dry place for sure. You might check with others in your area (and I'm jealous!) because there may be some you can overwinter. Ipomea is tropical and is does best in hot weather so would probably have a problem in your so-called "winter".

Which one is Ipomea? (what would you call that one, Bamie? ;) )

Spidewars...that's a good one, Bamie. :yes: The other one, I think, is pronounced, "tran (rhymes with can)-dehs-KAN-tee-ah".

Thanks Laurie! Ipomea would prolly be a Ipee! lol Ok I'm gonna go take a pic of the flowers if they are perky. (haha) (the impatiants) DS watered em lastnight but it sure was a quick one.

I think I got it! Hopefully they will show up good. Most of these did not have blooms when I first got them. I can't imagine what they will do when I start puttin bloom fertalizer on em! lol

Ipomea are the sweet potato vines.

Oh well then I would call em tater vines! lol! Do they grow sweet potatos? (Dumb ? even though there r no dumb ?'s) If not why are they called that? Which ones were they in the pics?

Bamie, Your window boxes are fantastic. The Geraniums and Tunnies are just beautiful!!! Great job!!!

Yes, the SP vines do have potatos at the ned of the season. One year, at school when we dug them up, a class member took some home and cooked them. They said they were tough and tasteless. They are grown for the ornamental value around here. They are the lime green and purple plants (small right now) in the grey container with the bunny. They will eventually grow and overhang the container. Oh, they would do great in your window boxes in the sun.

Ruth~~Thanks for the info on over-wintering them.

Thanks Sil! (New Gunia? Impatiants no Geraniums) But I like them as well I just don't like the smell. I have a sensitive sniffer.
So it's the stuff that favors bear grass? (atleast to me) Maybe it's cousin! lol Sounds neat maybe I should look for some next time I decide to plant.

I'm sorry. The pinks ones on the far left looked like Geraniums. I love the NG Impatients.
OK, now what is Bear Grass??

What is Bear Grass? I can't believe someone is askin me about somethin! lol It is a green or maroon grass that looks alot like the tater vine. lol www.blueplanetbiomes.org/beargrass.htm (http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/beargrass.htm) I have to confess I know about it because we have it in our floral line with H.I. and I have some in an arrangement I did. I love it. We also have exotic bear Grass that is the maroonish color. There my secret is out I have artificial greenery everywhere! lol And I love it! lol

Add on: What I have is just green with no flowers or anything on it. Great for florals as filler and such but after reading I'm not sure we can grow it in our parts of the land! lol

Thanks for the info on Bear Grass. Yes i have seen it in flower arrangements and never knew what it was. But it does not favor the sweet potatoe vine. Here's my pic again. The plant in the background with the long skinny leaves is the Purple Fountain Grass. The SP vines are the small, flat leafed plants in the front. Some are lime green and some are dark green/purple. These small plants will grow into vines that will hang over the container. You can take cuttings from them, which I plan on doing. The plant on the far right is Bath's Pink which is done blooming for the year.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard017.jpg

OOOOHHHHH! (see the lightbulb come on!) My bad! I thought it was the other.....duh-huh! Ok I got it now...color me informed! When it said purple....Thanks for the info I feel much better cause I was a lil confused by it all since it was supposed to be a vine. Thanks Sil!

Just like the Discovery Channel. Now I know about Bear Grass!

I wasn't upset about any of that yesterday! I love "you guys" y'all!
Ruth-do you have any info on improved meyer lemon trees?
I have a cute one on my deck in a container, and it has little lemons on it...I'm just afraid I'm gonna end up doing something to kill it! The blooms smell heavenly!
There is so much I want to do in my yard...but don't have the $$ to do it right now. All I have planted in my back yard is tomato plants! I planted some okra on my fence to serve as a blinder...but it hasn't come up yet...I think I'll get out there today and replant it! it was pretty cool out when I planted it, and I think okra likes it hot! I planted it in a flower bed, since it is in the hibiscus family and has lovely yellow blooms! My front flower bed has pansies in it but they're starting to get leggy...It's about time to start over there.
Shoud I dig up my tulips? or leave them down...same question for ranunculus.
ttyl

I wasn't upset about any of that yesterday! I love "you guys" y'all!
Oh, Phins, I'm so glad. :grouphug: I hate it when there's discord here... we just want everyone to be happy and to love each other. :love: Now doesn't THAT sound sappy!! :lol:

Gee whiz! I don't know that I can answer the tulip bulb question properly. We leave them in the earth all year. The foliage dies back and can be cut off when brown. You'd be best to check with a local garden centre or center. :lol:

You sure are right about okra being a hot weather plant! I wouldn't even think of trying it here although I have had some success with melons.

Lemon trees are completely outside my area of expertise. Around here they are house plants. Is it having a problem or are you just being an overprotective plant mom?

Over protective Plant MOM

Here's a link that may help. http://www.growquest.com/Fruit%20trees/dwarf_improved_meyer_and_standar.htm
Great looking plant!
I wanna move to a warmer garden zone or else have my very own greenhouse!

Look who has a nest in my arbor. She's sitting on 2 babies right now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard021.jpg

Phins, what garden zone are you in?

What a beautiful place to start a bird home, Sil! :love: Wow!!! Is it a mockingbird? A robin? Hard for me to tell..

Bamie, I'd never heard of Bear Grass...thanks for the new info...it looks fun! Your windowboxes are GORGEOUS and you are right...once you get miracle grow on those guys, you won't be able to see out the windows! ;) I love the stone on your house, too. Wow!

Phins, if your climate is like CA, you can leave the ranunculus in the ground, but you have to dig the tulips back up or they won't bloom. Dig 'em up, separate any new bulbs, and brush off the dirt. Then put them in paper bags in a cool, dry place. About six weeks before you want to plant them, stick them in the crisper drawer in your fridge. Then plant and enjoy! :D (things are so much more labor intensive in a warm climate, Ruth...it's nice to spend the winter just relaxing. ;) )

Does Sunset have a garden book for the Southeast? I know they put one out for the Northeast. They are the BIBLE for gardening, truly. They define your small section of the US down into over 30 areas, taking into account many other factors beyond the normal zones. Great info. Anyways, if there is one, it might have info on your lemon tree. In CA, we just let them do their thing and water them...they take very minimal care. :D

Laurie and Phins~~The Southern Living Garden Book is our bible for the South. It covers Upper, Middle, Lower and Tropical South.

Cool! That sounds great! It really helps to have a book that is specific to your area and can tell you more information on whether something really can grow in your area. ;)

Hmmmm. I never heard of diggin up tulips before. I just let mine die off cut 'em back like the buttercups and they come up the next year. If I have to dig them up and all that jazz it ain't happenin. I don't even know where they are all planted. Maybe that explains why I saw some leaves that I thought were tulips but they never produced anything? ???????? I need to look up how to take care of grapevines since I have one out back and I saw some wild blackberries out there as well! I need to get them on a fence! (well DH needs to!) lol
I'm so glad I could bring something to this thread with the bear grass! lol
Thanks for the comps on my flowers and all!

Bamie, you lucky girl! Must be that winters get close enough in Alabama that you don't have to dig them up. In CA, it doesn't, so if you don't stick them in a cold cellar or the fridge, they don't figure out that they need to bloom. :dunno: I'd feel the same way...way too much work! I love that out here you just plant 'em and forget 'em! ;)

I gave in and went to the garden centre in Brockville with money! So silly as I can get everything for free at Lorraine's!

However, I did buy a Butterfly Bush (http://www.rubythroat.org/BushButterflyMain.html) which I've never had and some different types of tomato plants plus some leeks. I'm an addict! Now I'm dying to get out there and plant! Neighbour Moel connected the pump to the garden well for me so I'm all set - except I have an appointm,ent tomorrow morning at 9 with the orthopaedic surgeon in Brockville. If he says no gardening until he fixes my knee, I'll ignore him!

I hope to get stuff into the ground this weekend as rain is expected on Monday!

Oooh, butterfly bushes are so nice!!! And I love fresh tomatoes. Can't wait to plant ours!!! Are you planning on making leek soup? ;)

Oh Ruth I want to get me some Butterfly Bushes! Maybe I'll plant one of those out front. We ripped out all the stuff out front cause it was not anything we wanted. I may put some rose bushes out there as well. The ones that grow tall and spread. I love roses!

Bamie, I think they will do well in your area. Up here, they have to be cut to the ground in fall and start over in spring. Sometimes they winterkill if they are too wet.
Laurie's right about the tulips, by the way. They need a chilling period to do really well.
I'm outta here to dig more darn perennials for the Church!

Especially for Bamie...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/beachgalgarner/growtunnies.gif

Ellis, how did those annuals turn out?

DH planted our bushes on Sunday. The sand cherries were in cold storage I guess, but they sat outside for about 2 weeks and still have no leaves. Do you guys think that's normal? :?:

Hmmm....did you keep your bill? And were they guaranteed? They may take a few weeks to leaf out once they are in warm and wet earth but I'd keep an eye on them and take them back if they croak.

I still haven't got all my annuals in. It rained all weekend. :(

It's so darn cold and miserable here that I'm afraid to plant my bedding plants! Usually by now I have the Village planters done and most of my own stuff in. Even my pansies are looking like little waifs out there in the cold. I may wait another week for the Village stuff but I'm running out of time! Right now I have the six hanging baskets for the gazebos in my car but need to put them out soon so I can get groceries and dog food meat!

Yup, sure did. Would hate to have to take them back, especially considering the journey (nursery is 1.5 hours away) and the work...but we will if they don't make it. They cost a pretty penny. :faint:

How's the weather looking there, Ruth? It's yucky here...any chance of :sunny: up in Delta? :mag:

Sun? We've not seen the bugger since Friday! We are heading for a "high" of 53º today and the forecast is partly cloudy all week! Yick!

Really?! It's lovely and sunny here, Ruth! Windy and cool, though. Which I love. :D This is my ideal weather.

Laurie, good luck with the sand cherries!

Sending warm sunshine up that way Chicks!
Laurie...That was a cute one! I need to cheer my ones out back on because something keeps digging them up! I have no idie (idea) on what the lil varment could be. The cat that used to come around is no longer with us via an acident on the road. :-( I hope the owners know/knew I have not a clue as to who it belonged to. It liked dog food cause it would get into Dunkin's food in the garage. Oy (as Laurie likes to say) Talk about runnin a rabbit trail! Back on course this is the gardenin thread! lol

Bamie, did you add blood or bonemeal when you planted? We have foxes who will dig up things to get at it.

Bamie, I LOVE how you talk! :love: I wonder what it could be...do you have a lot of squirrels? Ours love to dig in the flowerbeds.

Ruth... No I don't plant with any of that. Only potting soil.
Laurie...Do we have squirrels.....lol That is an understatement! Tons of 'em! They are everywhere out there. I don't usually see them on the porch though. We have some other lil things that dig holes in the ground...I can't think of what they are called right now. There lil brown lookin things. Well if they start out front they are in big big trouble....I'm talkin TROUBLE! The ones out back have not done real good any way cause there is not much sun out there. I'm sure y'all will know the name of that lil critter! lol

lil brown lookin things Stripes or no stripes? Chipmunks are striped. If no stripes they could be moles or voles or even field mice. They could also be beer drinking beavers who have wandered down from Canada to get away from the cold! :rofl:

Chipmunks...They have stripes! No beer drinkin beavers around here...they think it's to hot! They are probably stuck in Ky.! lol Thanks...I knew I could count on y'all! I knew it was something famous! lol

:lol3: about beer drinkin' beavers...I think that's what our groundhogs must be...Canadian Beavers that lost their tails in a drunken logging accident and are living a sober life in upstate NY. ;)

Sober in Upstate NY? Didn't they switch to wine?

So the 'lil brown critters' are chipmunks eating Bamies buttercups and tunias. It certainly is an education working on this board! Let's set up a conference call and listen to Bamie talk. Too cute.

I love it! :D

Ruth...I bet they did switch to wine, which would explain why they weave when they walk. Snooty little buggers! ;)

Well now that I have identified the culprets how can I get rid of 'em and keep them from diggin up my stuff! You know maybe some kind of granules or something that keeps them away but does not harm them. No I'm not tryin to kill 'em off! Just tryin to keep 'em outta my stuff!
A conference call how fun! Just watch "Sweet Home Alabama" and you can get all the southern slang you want! lol

Mothballs, Bamie, mothballs. Or else call Walt Disney Studios to come and get the little darlings! Careful with mothballs if there are small kids around though.

No small kids here! Thank goodness! Oh good that is supposed to keep snakes away as well! Will it run the squirlls off? DH likes to hang out ears of corn for them. Maybe he will just have to move it to the back of the yard! Thanks Ruth!

Hey bamie, I used a Hav-a Heart trap to catch the chipmunks I was having trouble with and turned them loose in a park.
they are pretty easy to catch in those traps...you can get one at the local Co-op.

Hey all!

Do I have to stake my red pepper or cucumber plants? I forgot :?: My tomatoes are already staked.

Your cucumber plants will most likely need something to climb, Amy. :yes:
Red peppers... if they're just a bush plant, they may be okay.

Or, if you have space, just let the cucumbers sprawl. I do that and sometimes put black plastic or a layer of straw under them.

Phins... That would mean I would have to pick it up and let it go and I don't do lil critters! They scare me. They would hear me screamin like a girl all the way to Canada! I would rather use mothballs and hope for the best. Not to mention with all the critters I have my neighbors would think I had done turned into a trapper or something! lol I have a ton of trees so they are all over the place out there. If I didn't know better I would think I was running a habitat for 'em! lol

I can't remember ever stakin our peppers and I know we did not our cummies. (cucumbers) Maters ya got that! lol If I was gonna plant anything maters is what it would be but peeps that work with DH always send me plenty every year.

Well looks like the ol' mothball trick does not work on snakes afterall! I just saw on our local news about how there are a lot of snakes out and they said the ol maothball trick does not work it's a myth but that Snake-A-Way does. So I'll be gettin me some of that at my local Co-Op. Only draw back is you have to reapply everytime it rains!

"snake-a-way" :lol3: That just sounds like something Wile E. Coyote would order from ACME! :)

Bamie, your words just fascinate me! "maters" :D

Mothballs are supposed to work on stray cats too. I wonder if they would work on squirrels?

Ruth, what would happen with small kids? Are we worried about them eating the mothballs? I have a four year old neighbor...nearly five. I assume she'd be safe as long as she didn't eat them? :?:

My potted tomatoes have the bottom leaves turning yellow and dying. It has blossoms and some little green ones starting to grow on top, so I think it's healthy. I just snipped off all of the yellow shoots and hope all the nutrients will continue to feed my baby tomatoes. Should I be worried? Does it have virus or something, or does that just happen at the bottom?

Also, it it normal for mesculum lettuce and sorrel to get all wilty and flop? I just cut off everything in that pot and hope it will grow back.

Mamaeli, I'm not sure about lettuce, but interested to hear, since I hope to plant some this year!

With the tomatoes, yellow means they aren't getting oxygen. They might be overwatered, or the soil might be too tight around the roots and need to be aerated (which would be odd, since I'm assuming you bought them already grown?). Do you think you might have overwatered?

Not to worry about the tomatoes. The bottom leaves often turn yellow and fall off. I usually remove them and plant my maters as deep as I can - right up to the top few leaves. The stems will grow more roots if they are underground and that makes for a healthier plant and more tomaotoes.

Mesclun should be OK cut back. Did it dry out at any time or get overwatered? Roots need oxygen and will"drown" if they sit in water for more than a half hour. Be sure your pots have good drainage.

Now, I need to ask why you are growing sorrel in a pot. It is a perennial and does much better in the ground where it can stretch its roots.

So do you chickies think that if I scatter mothballs in my flower bed I'll keep the squirrels away? Any chance that stray dogs (there are two loose in my neighborhood :rolleyes: ) might ingest them and get sick? :(

Could be BUT they should not be running loose anyhow. Actually I have never seen my Girls pay any attention to stuff like that after the first sniff. Bone- and bloodmeal are a different story, however!

Amen, Ruth. :( We've called the SPCA several times, but the dogs always run off before they get here. One has a collar but we can't get close enough to read it. So annoying as they are both large dogs. They terrorize our dog when they are out and they crap on our lawn. :mad: Not too fond of that situation, but that's life. I feel badly for the dogs, though...what if they get hit? :(

Laurie, I put chicken wire in my garden and bits of it in my pots. It keeps the squirrels and cats out. :yes: You don't have to have it all over. I just cut up squares of it and place it between the plants with the pointy edges bent up. It works really well.

Thanks for the reply. Everything is potted because we live in a townhouse with a yard the size of a postage stamp. We also plan on moving in Sept, so I decided not to dig up the yard. I bought the tomatoes about 4 or 5 inches high and planted them in planters about the size of a large treetrunk, the largest I could get at Lowe's. The lettuce and sorrel are starting to regrow nicely, so I'm not too worried. The tomatoes are huge, though, and I'm afraid the pot is too small. Is it safe to separate them at this point? I have two plants in one pot, and the tallest stands about up to my shoulders. The smaller one is to my chest. Dare I risk it?

I wouldn't risk it! The shock will make the fruit drop before it ripens. However, two plants in one pot is very crowded. Be sure to fertilize well so they don't get too weak.
You could also pinch off the tops to get them to focus on fruit rather than further growth.
My tomatoes are three inches high! I wanna move to the South!

Wow, I can't believe the last time we posted in hear was May! :eek:

I just bought a hydrangea with a lovely gift cert I received for graduation. It has one flower bunch and another set of buds.

Question--would it be useful to cut off the flowers before planting to stimulate more flowers and root growth? Or am I just wanting to do this because I know the flowers would look incredible in my house? ;)

My lilacs just finished...they were so lovely! :D I finally was brave enough to brazenly prune my clematis, and held my breath to see if it would make it. Not only did it make it, but it's sending out way more tendrils than ever before and looks like it might climb to the roof! :dance: I can't wait to see it flower! :D

How's your garden?

My hubby is the green thumb in my family. We (ie he) planted tomatoes both yellow and red, red peppers, cucumbers and zucchini. We were going to plant beans and sugar snap peas again this year but the rain wouldn't stop long enough to get into the garden and now it is to late as it will be to hot for them to survive soon.

We also planted petunia's and peonies this year. We also keep adding to our tulip bulbs every year in the fall. And although we didn't plant them this year (last year's new try) our hostas are doing wonderful.

Sheba's mom, your garden sounds wonderful!

Hey, my coworker just told me that she bought brown bell pepper plants (the peppers will be brown, not that the plants are) yesterday. Who knew they came in brown? :?:

Yeah, and who WANTED them in brown!? :lol:

:lol3: Ellis, you slay me, girl!

"Yes, I'd like my vegetables to be the color of poop, please." :snooty:

You chicks slay me. :rofl: Have to agree brown poop peppers sound really gross.

Oh my gosh! I go away for a few weeks and I come back to "brown poop peppers" :rofl:

To get things back on track, here's a pic of my banana plant that I took this morning....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard031.jpg

And I just planted this area with some tropical plants~I hope they do well in this heat...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v722/rnsilvia/backyard025.jpg

2bfit1 your yard is beautiful!!! Wish I could have some of the plants you have but they wouldn't survive in our back yard. One because it is the dogs domain and two because of our dry hot summers and icy cold winters.

Sil, you lucky girl, you. :) It's SO beautiful! :cloud9:

Sil, it's gorgeous! I'm sure this is a silly question, but any chance that your banana plant will grow bananas or is just named that because the leaves look like banana leaves? :?:

Thanks guys :) No, Laurie, it won't grow any bananas due to our short growing (read: warm) season. They usually take about 18 months to put out bananas and I think that this one ( Basjoo) is more ornamental anyway. But it's pretty good for north Georgia, anyway.

Oh I think it's beautiful, as is all of your garden, Sil! It's good to 'see' you again...is everything okay or were you just on vacation?

2befit1- Your backyard is my idea of Heaven on Earth...SPECTACULAR!
Thanks for sharing :)

Hi , I'm looking for help... I'm new to gardening (my 2nd year) I planted Peonies last year, which died immediately. Much to my delight, they came up this year. Each sprouted about 5 blooms - the blooms faded and now I am not sure what I should do... do I deadhead them? Will there be more blooms this summer?
Thanks for any help !

Schatzi~Thanks for the complement on my yard. I'm not an expert on peonies. I think it would be good to deadhead them so that energy can go to the rest of the plant. I don't think they bloom twice in a season but I could be wrong. I would like to add some to my garden. I know they can be tempermental at first but once they get situated, they are fantastic plants.

.is everything okay or were you just on vacation?
Everything is fine, I've just been real busy and trying to take any opportunity that I can to be outside in the sunshine :sunny: while it lasts.

Sil....It's as pretty as a picture!:lol: Oh wait it is a picture! :lol3:

Schatzi... I have several pennies (as I like to call them) I do cut off the blooms after they die and then just let them be. They will not bloom anymore just once a year. I am thinkin about putting some kind of cage or something around mine next year because the blooms are so heavy they tend to fal over on the ground. Especially if it rains and we usually get plenty of that during that time of year. Here they bloom in early- mid May. Hope this helps!

Thanks Bamie and Bfit1,
I'll dead head tomorrow... Bamie, mine did the same: Big Gorgeous booms that were too heavy and fell over...Even if they only bloom once, the foliage is lovely

I think once the shrubs get bigger they are not as bad to do that because I had them at my other house and it was bigger and they did not all fall like that. That's why I thought maybe a lil fence around them might help hold 'em up!

What the ****!? Maybe my pennies (hee hee hee... love ya, Bamie) didn't BLOOM this year!? :?: I'd better check...

Bamie, I do love you...you just crack me up with your names for things! :D

My neighbors have a dark green, 2 ft high cage around their 'pennies'. They put it around when the plant starts growing in the spring and by the time it blooms the cage doesn't even show anymore, but it definitely keeps the blooms upright. :)

When they just start to sprout through the ground, place a tomato cage around it. This will allow the plant to grow up through the support of the cage and it will support those lovely blooms. My neighbor does this and it works great. She leaves the cage in place during the winter to "mark" where the peony will be.

Oh you cut them back? I have never cut mine back I don't think?????

Laurie....There I thought I reinvented the wheel with my cage idea! lol Just kidding. I would use green as well so it will not really show.

Now if only I had a way to keep my stalk lillies (don't know their real name like the one in my avatar) from falling over. Maybe when they come up I should hook 'em to a dowl rod or something. Who knows?

Ellis...Maybe yours just have not bloomed yet. Hopefully they didn't forget to come out and play! haha

Bamie, around here, things die in the winter, so we usually cut the dead stuff off. I think that's what she meant. There, they may not die, so you may never have to cut them back, but you could check a gardening book to be sure. :chin:

I'm not sure what your lily is...Ruth and Sil, is that a daylily of some kind? :?:

Crap! I don't see a darned thing on my pennies! :?: Is it possible they're still stressed from being moved two years ago from Ruth's garden to mine?

Thought the newbies might like to know this is out here.

We have been eating yummy yellow cherry tomatoes for about 2-3 weeks now and last night hubby brought in the first early girl big red one. Our pepper plants have little bitty peppers on them and the cucumber plant has started blooming. Didn't get the squash to grow from seeds this year (think the birds got the seeds) so we are going to try them from plants next year.

We planted peatunias in our flower boxes and even with the 100 degree tempatures we have been having they are just doing great. We also planted 2 peonies this year and they are doing really good. Hostas have finally bloomed and are just gorgeous.

So how is everyone else's garden/flowers doing?

My garden is a disaster with weeds higher than the plants in the veggie plot! I have been eating beefsteak tomatoes for the past week and another crop of beans will be along shortly. Lettuces are done but I do have more spinach coming on. My pink lilies are absolutely fabulous this year.

I had a tomato & a cucumber from my garden today at luch time...YUMMMYYYYY

Ruth and Ellis, I know you both have your hands full at the moment, but if you do get a chance to help me with this I'd be very grateful :)

I have two bay trees, each is about 3 feet (1 metre) high. I have them in big pots, either side of the garage door. One of them is lovely and bushy, deep green leaves, with little shoots coming off it. The other looks small, and a lot of the leaves are brown and falling off. Now it does have some new shoots, but it sure does not look healthy.

They were quite expensive and I'd hate to see either of them die - I know nothing about gardening and chose them because the man at the centre said they were easy to care for :(

So, any idea why one is healthy and obviously thriving, and yet the other is looking pathetic and really struggling? :dizzy:


'm sorry I dont know the correct Latin name for the plants, I'm sure I can find out if you need it, but they are the same trees you get bay leaves from to make a bouquet garni with, if that helps!

Artemis, I'm not sure why that might be, but since they were expensive, you might want to take a picture and some of the leaves to the same garden center from which you purchased them and ask for help. I believe the common name is "Bay Laurel", but I don't know the latin name either. :dunno: Sorry!

My garden is going well. I've been able to work more on it with the weather being colder and with more time on the weekends. Next week is my last one of practicum, and just in time, because the veggie garden looks like it's going to start producing a lot of yummy things very soon! :crossed:

Things to check are:
Too much water (roots are rotting).
Not enough water (roots are drying out).
Roots are too tight together~Is there a way to take a look at the roots of the one tree that is turning brown. It might be that the roots are "girdling" around in a circle and not spreading out. This will prevent the tree from getting moisture and oxygen, eventually strangeling the tree.

For the first time in my adult life (30 plus years) my summer garden failed miserable, too much rain. I know that sounds strange after summers of draught sp.

Anyway I thought I would try a late summer and fall garden, is it too late for beans and tomatoes in SC?

Thanks,
Wanda :)