The DL Spring Gardening Thread

OP, I'm zone 6, too

I'm planting senior prom roses this year. And irises

I've never planted irises, r1, though there was a patch when I moved in. They've died back to just a few, but they're pretty much in day-long shade now, due to an ever-growing white pine, so I figure that has a lot to do with it.

I was told that bone meal worked well when planting grapes, but I only have a half-concensus on that advice.

Experts, chime in. R1 and I need your help!

Hello OP,

Obsessive gardener coming to your aid. The simplest advice is "do it" and keep it watered, because gardening knowledge, and the love of gardening, comes through trial and error, and developing a happy relationship with your plants, as curious as that sounds to non-gardeners. That said...

You grape won't have appreciated being garaged all winter long. They are not picky plants, but put it in the ground as soon as you can work it (zone 6, that should be soon) and keep it watered at first. Cover in case of frost to protect young shoots.

Blueberries -- and why just one, OP, unless you have little space? -- like alkaline soil. You can if you want test your soil for its ph, but easier just to sprinkle - liberally -- bone meal around your plant. While grapes, once established, need little water, blueberries need water all summer. If they crop, they will also need to be netted because birds will attack and strip the plant in a day or two.

Irises need sun and as you suspect will not grow by a pine -- which are also notorious for sucking up all water. Their needles also alter the soil's ph, rendering it acidic, and hostile to most plants. That is why in pine and beech forests you will see little to no undergrowth.

Irises must be divided every few years if you want them to bloom. Break up the rhizomes, throw out the centers and replant the tips. I have irises because I have a huge garden, but if you are starting out, I wouldn't recommend them because they flower for only ten days or so. Better to have a plant with a long flowering season. You should get one of the perennial geraniums - I recommend Rozanne, available in good nurseries -- which will flower reliably from spring to fall, and keep down weeds.

Roses: imagine a very, very difficult but incredibly beautiful boyfriend, who is unfortunately abusive. Go from there.

r3, you are why I love the DL.

Well, ONE of the reasons, anyway. Thank you!

R3=P. Allen Bottom.

You are welcome OP.

My garden is still buried deep in snow, so you can see I'm going a bit stir crazy.

I realize that I didn't address your EXCELLENT idea of the 20 by 40 wildflower garden. Here, you face a challenge. If you really want to do it properly, you need to kill all of the grasses, often non-native grasses, and or weeds, in the plot. Unfortunately, that means spraying, which for ecological reasons you don't want to do. So I would suggest digging out all of the grass, weed, etc, in the plot. If you can, it would be easiest to hire a dozer to scrape the topsoil layer away. Why? (you might ask). Because successful meadows must have terrible soil. Good soil will bring grasses, etc, and choke out the natives.

Then I would begin planting. You might want to use a mix of wildflower seeds -- not a bad idea -- but the problem is that these usually just last the year. So you will have to supplement with native perennials bought in a local nursery or, much better, plugs that you can buy directly from a nursery. Most are open only to the "trade" but many are not. Plugs are much, much cheaper than plants, and the key thing for your bed (which is large, that's great) is that you must mass flowers. You need to think in groups or swaths of at least twenty plants, and repeat in groups of three.

As far as the choice of perennial, you should look for long bloomers with interesting form. I would suggest monarda (bee-balm) in red, not the horrible purple form. Also echinacea (cone-flower) is a long lasting flower with great structure.

There is a huge amount of information now about wildflower meadows. For inspiration, though, look at the pictures from the London summer Olympic park, where they were used to great effect. Piet Oudolf is famous for his plantings -- he did the High Line in NYC, and many other gardens.

O.K. must stop now, or I'll frighten.

Chili peppers are relatively easy to grow in medium-sized pots. I typically have six pots per season growing on my patio where I can test different varieties each year.

My favorites are peter peppers, kung pao peppers, Thai ornamental peppers, and of course jalapeños.

Habaneros are almost too easy to grow -- heavy producers!

What to do with all your peppers? You can always make homemade hot sauce with your blender, salt, vinegar, and the peppers. Easy to bottle and give as gifts. Pick the peppers when ripe and then freeze till sauce-making day.

I wrote a big post and it got rejected. If I have time, I'll write again.

Blueberries like acidic soil. Not alkaline. Use pine needles/bark or spent coffee grounds. If one of your neighbors doesn't have a blueberry plant, you'll want to buy another. A different type that flowers at the same time. Most blueberries need a cross pollinator. Even if yours was advertised as a self-pollinator it will produce more fruit if it has a cross pollinator.

Has anyone tried dahlias?

Try Dr. Earth fertilizer for blueberries. You apply it every three weeks (it's organic, I think, and one small bag and lasts forever).

Irises like their "shoulders" in the sun to grow well. IOW, plant them on top of the soil, only slightly in. The sideways rhizomes need to be visible above ground. Irises are good plants in deer country, because deer won't eat them. I have a few varieties. They are good spreaders - don't know if that's the case in your zone, but they'll spread better if you let their shoulders suntan. Irises are easy to move since their roots are not deep. Why not rip 'em out and give them more sun? They take care of themselves and need hardly any water.

I have all sorts of grasses, miner's lettuce, vinca, flowering quince and mints near my pine tree. Only the mints need watering, as they are heavy drinkers. The pine needle creates acidity thing is up for debate. On a gardening forum, a man posted he checked his soil acidity 20 years prior, then added pine needles every year. After 20 years he tested again and there was no change. It certainly won't HURT to use pine needles, but don't expect much. Most everyone, however, has spent coffee grounds they can add for acidity. If not, any Starbucks will happily let you take a garbage bag full of spent grounds for free.

Any DLers in states having legal weed growing their own this year?

My mother and I planted a Crepe Myrtle the year I bought my house.

It has now grown so incredibly huge. The top almost reaches the roof of my 2 story home and the width is about 8-10 feet.

I would really like to prune it into a Crepe Myrtle Tree as opposed to bush.

Is that possible this late in the game? My mother has now passed away so I don't want to do anything to kill it.

You can cut a crape myrtle down to the ground and it will grow back. Have no fear, trim it to your heart's delight; shape it up, and make it a tree.

The answer to all DL gardening questions should be late at night, with an ax!

]R3] and {E6] is spot on (and rocks!).

Don't worry about your faliures - and they will happen. Consider perhaps some perennial or self seeding herbs in your bed too. Dill and fennel are great self seeders and also attract beneficial insects, plus their foliage is pretty and they are tasty, too.

Nasturtiums are gorgeous and are a good substitute for pepper, both leaves and flowers. Garlic chives have beautiful star shaped flowers that grow in groups called unbrells. Also edible, as are its leaves. Also a ready self-seeder.

Rosemary and lavender are perrenials. So is sage, thyme and lovage. Camomille makes a beautiful ground cover and tea and self seeds. Daylillies are perrenial and edible. If you have space, try composting - most fertilizers are eventually bad for the soil as it depletes it.

Good luck getting a grapevine to go downhill- they want to grow up. I get about a bushel of year from mine and I never feed it. Be careful with mint. It tends to take over, like oregano.

Good luck and enjoy. Keep us posted. There is a lot of trial and error involved. People who say they have black thumbs just haven't killed enough plants.

ps: it may be that this goes without saying, but I second {R3[ and [R6} completely.

I'd also add: fuck roses. Too much work and chemicals..

OP, you need to summon your head gardener and say:

"I want grapes. I want blueberries. That will be all, thank you."

Be firm, be crisp, and grace it with the glimmer of a smile, so they know you care.

You need to trust me on this.

My daffodils I planted last year are all up now and blooming. Forsythia is blooming too, as is Japanese magnolia.

Special request from a Garden Fairie -- please include your home state and zone if you can, thanks! I love the occasional Madonna thread, but this topic is a breath of fresh air!!

OP, I have a bad habit of learning maybe 50% of what I should know before I spend what is (to me) a small fortune at my sexy neighborhood nursery. I buy plants like I used to buy cocaine, and I've always had expensive taste and want more, always. ;-) I'm talkng 25 years ago with the partying (HA!), that chapter is for another thread....

So I bought six "dwarf" blueberry bushes last year toward the end of season. My understanding is these newer breeds of berries don't have the rich, full flavor of a traditional stock, but I have an oddly shaped yard so I have constraints on size in some areas. When I lived in the south I used to do a TON of canning, and am excited to this year too, hopefully I will get one sweet jar of homemade blueberry jam! You MUST have another bb plant there for pollination, so can you do that?

I am becoming ever more obsessed with growing my own foods, more because I'm turning into a homegrown produce snob than a thing else. Is there a name for this subset of being a foodie? Anyway, I am REALLY trying to incorporate heirloom varieties too this year, and I'm doing lots of Square Foot Gardening along with flowers. This is the first year I'm working with a LOT of seeds, so if anyone has experience with heat mats or grow lights, please advise as I have five flats of seeds going for veggies already.

I politely disagree with the opinions on roses. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've bought a few Knock-out vines from these better nurseries, and I've barely done a thing to them besides light pruning, and they're thriving. Knock-outs are bullet proof IMHO. I like the double blooms, I think that's what they call them. I plan to buy some shrub varieties this year too. I've been looking at a lot of espaliers online and am toying with putting one next to my rose vine...

OP, I also agree you will have a hard time getting your grape vine to grow down. I know this may be a very stupid question, but could you move the vine down and train it to grow up to its current position? It's hard to make suggestions without picks. Can you give us a picture? I would love to see it!

Have fun with the experience OP. Lots of wise gardening attitudes here on this thread, so listen well.

One great thing about gardening is that you and others will have plants that need to be divided, or plants that spread or seed themselves abundantly. Gardeners love to share those plants - and it ends up being a really nice free exchange over the years.

Garden clubs usually have annual plant sales and you can often find some great plants there. And advice. Garden clubs used to be primarily for women where I grew up, but I think that's changed in recent years. Again, there are lots of very experienced gardeners there and they enjoy sharing growing tips from their own trial and error history.

I caution you about netting your blueberry plants. Talk to your local extension service or agricultural school about alternatives to just using draped netting. I haven't ever netted blueberry plants and there was always plenty of fruit, but that's just the way my parents gardened. It's true a lot of people choose to use netting for good reason.

Over the years, in various gardens and organic farms where I've worked, I've had to extricate dead or dying birds (the small cute ones that everyone loves,) chipmunks, snakes, butterflies, and other beneficial types of critters which became tangled and trapped in netting. It's an awful death experience for them and hard to deal with if you're an animal lover. There are options for fruit protection for blueberries that are safer for wildlife, so please look into that.

Zone 6 here. Last year was the first time I planted edibles and I basically winged it. Got plenty of fine tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant. The zucchini looked great for a while, but got overtaken by powdery mildew and never produced. The cucumbers also got covered with powdery mildew by the end of the season, but were very productive before then. The cantaloupe vines looked healthy but only a handful of small (though sweet) fruit made it. The strawberries were leafy & sent out a ton of runners, but remained fruitless.

So: any suggestions for handling the powdery mildew? Growing larger melons? Getting some strawberries among the leaves?

Also, how important is compost, and where do you get find it? I just got a compost bin but don't imagine it will be ready by the time I start planting.

Hi R22, I'm still a beginner too though I've experimented a lot in a few seasons, and there is SO much to learn! That's part of what has made me fall in love with gardening. It's my "happy place" lolol....

Regarding the "powdery mildew" you likely have botrytis. Google images to see if it's a match, and let me know! I'm curious. Anyway, I am well-acquainted with it as the peonies in my new house have/had them. Here is what I remember....it is a fungus that lives in the soil, in damper areas, and I think many species are susceptible and it is very contagious and spreads. Last spring I used a product I purchased at a nearby Ace Hardware (we have a "fancy" Ace that is surprisingly good and it is closest to my house) that is a spray that attacks the fungus. The fungus lays dormant over the winter, so it WILL come back if you don't treat it, and timing the sprays correctly is everything. Your plants MUST be correctly treated several times the second they start to come up as it can just ruin everything; it seriously stresses the plant. I'm not certain if you're purchasing veggie plants and putting them in the ground, but I would actually do three treatments as a prevention. At the end of the growing season, I would be sure to remove every last bit of your plants, bag it up, and dispose to minimize it festering in the soil again. I believe I sprayed once every 7 - 10 days, x 3. I got rid of it by spraying and my peonies looked great! They looked SO much healthier and happier the second year. I plan to do the same again this year. I was so desperate that I never researched organic treatments, I'm not sure if that's an option, but I plan to look into that as well. I would definitely make sure the standard sprays are safe for edibles if I were you.

I have a strawberry patch too, and mine didn't bear fruit yet either. I am reading up and found out I may have made some mistakes that aren't reversible. :-/ I found a man who seems like the Yoda of strawberry growing. I believe he recommends pinching off blossoms the first year (and maybe runners?) so that the main plant uses all of its energy for healthy roots the second year. This apparently has a huge impact in year two, and alas, I didn't do that. Also, I planted at the "wrong" time of year which will also affect my harvest. That doesn't necessarily mean I won't get berries, but I do think I won't have a bumper crop. Lesson learned! His url is:

Strawberryplants.org

I would read up on the planting layout on his site, along with how to best prep for the upcoming season. He does say that it is typical that the plants don't bear fruit the first year. I would 100% recommend you read his site because it is very very helpful, including comments. Sorry to be a little vague but I'm in the same boat too.

Compost is extremely important, but the caveat is, what condition was the soil to begin with? My Square Foot beds were say 1/3 each of compost/manure, topsoil, and peat. This year I'm going to try and find vermiculite and work that in too. The point of my ramblings is that the soil I started with was sooooo nutrient rich that I'm in good shape and don't have to be as religious about regular composting as a bed with poorer soils would require. Does that make sense? That being said, I'm starting a compost this year too as it really will make a difference in my gardens health AND it's good for the planet.

Yikes!! I'm scared of how long this post is!

Here is what my peony leaves looked like early in the season, and then it morphed later. Perhaps they had more than one fungus. Is this what you saw? I googled it and saw it on fruits and veggies too, this may be a fungus/mildew. All I know is that spray worked like a charm!

Blueberries need acid soil, R3.

Well, I do declare that my dogwoods and azaleas are looking quite lovely this year, even if I do say so myself!

You are quite correct, R26, I was thinking about my asparagus bed: mid-life senior moment. Blueberries like acidic soil.

Re: netting and R21, likewise correct about birds, especially when netting strawberries, I find. But without netting the plants would be stripped of berries, and I do not have birds caught in the blueberry nets which are off the ground. With strawberries I have to check a number of times a day during season.

R23, I have found that my strawberries need to be redone every year, to fruit heavily the next. I keep two separate beds in rotation. As for mildew, you are right, it is "always" in the soil. It really depends year to year when mildew strikes, and last year, R22, my cucumbers and squash were likewise a disaster.

To make a contribution to the discussion, does everybody grow sweet-scented tobacco -- or nicotiana as a self-seeding annual? Either nicotiana sylvestris or better, alata? I love this plant: it provides form in the late summer and fall gardens, as well as a beautiful scent at night. If you don't have it, buy a flat at a better nursery -- and be careful not to get the colorful dwarf varieties, that have no scent and are ugly as well.

Does anyone have an elevated raised bed?

Love getting out in the yard. I like to try something new every year. I forced Grape hyacinth bulbs and planted them. I won't do that again because I didn't know they expend all of their energy and won't re-bloom again. I was about to plant some tulips but its the wrong time of year. They are Fall planting bulbs, I will wait to plant the Tulips and more Hyacinths in the Fall.

I have 3 Rose bushes and they are easy to take care of. A little pruning & Bone Meal and they are beautiful throughout the Summer. Bought a Climbing iceberg white rose bush. Planted it last June and it is growing well. Experimenting with Kelp, bone meal and Cottonseed fertilizer. Great results. I read roses need nitrogen and the cottonseed provides it. Bone Meal gives you more blooms and provides phosphorous.

Got a Blueberry, Peach, Pear tree too

R2/Garden Gay, thank you on the berry advice! I know threads like this will never catch the momentum of threads like Sous Chef (ha!) but I love it! Do you have a particular recommendation on getting the soil acidic? Obviously I will Google too but I'm curious if you have an opinion on what to use. When you say your strawberries are "redone" yearly, do you mean replaced? Like each year you put new plants in one of the two beds? Do you do anything else, like pinching the flowers off the first year? Have you ever treated the mildew? Also, what zone are you? I'm asking because of your last paragraph.

Sorry R28, but I dont, but hopefully someone will comment as I'm curious too.

R29 how old are your fruit trees? Can you tell us the pros and cons? I have ALWAYS dreamed of that too. I am reading a wonderful book called Grow a Little Fruit Tree, and it's all about using very very "aggressive" pruning techniques on non-dwarf varieties in order to have a smaller and more manageable crop, and having a small tree obviously requires less effort to prune and harvest. "Small" means small enough that you can prune the top without a ladder. I guess 20 years ago this was heresy, but ithis new thinking has spread over the west coat and will eventually be the new standard for homeowners and I guess even commercially too. Plus, the small fruit trees means you can grow a much more diverse selection (if you wish). What zone are you? What type of peach and type of pear????? Do you do anything special to prune or maintain them? How big us the crop? Your roses sound heavenly. And I agree, my roses haven't been difficult either, but maybe I'm just lucky.

r29 Here, Zone 8, New to Fruit trees. Got them at the end of the season and went tree crazy. Everything was 70% off. The clerk told me about Black Hummus dirt, so I bought two bags. I went online & found out its a rich soil full of nutrients & great for root development. I have a Freestone Peach, Moonglow Pear, Blueberry & I forgot about the Lime. They are all still dormant except for the pear. The leaves started growing out last week. Going to get Dr. Earth fruit & tree fertilizer. Its organic and has good reviews. Next project will be herbs later in the Summer

This thread should've been titled

MARY! MARY! Quite contrary -- how does your garden grow?

R29, if you already have those tulip bulbs, I think maybe the sooner you plant them the better. They are supposed to be planted in fall, but keeping them dry and unplanted till this coming fall is probably going to be less successful then planting as soon as you can this spring and seeing what happens. They may not bloom this year, but might grow enough leaves to survive and do better next year.

I have some that didn't get planted in the fall that I kept cool in the basement. I am trying to force some indoors now--they're growing, so maybe they'll bloom--and I will try the rest in the ground and in outdoor pots within the next few days, weather permitting. Zone 5 here (give or take climate change).

r29 here. I'm going to wait on the rest of the bulbs. I've already planted the bulbs I forced & they are coming up nicely. Got plenty to keep me busy. I got the fruit trees, rose bushes, plus I'm rooting champagne grape cuttings. I'm also cold stratifying Red Hot Poker (Torch Lily) seeds. I'm going to see how they turn out. I've been hit & miss with seeds. I've had good luck with seeds from the Dollar General. Seriously. I just soak them in warm water for 24 hrs, plant them and they just go. So glad Winter is leaving, Spring is coming

Roses are blooming, Hyacinths are coming in. Everything is coming out of dormancy Also planted a couple of Butterfly Bushes. I want to attract some Butterflies and maybe a Hummingbird this year.

I predict this thread will end in tears.

Zone 5, central New York here. Snowdrops trying to bloom, and winter aconites showing yellow blossoms, but neither have fully opened yet. Crocuses budding but no flower color yet. All of this seems a couple of weeks late.

Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are barely sprouting.

A very cold winter with lots of snow, followed by a few days of above average temps this week, and now back to unusual cold...it will surprise me if the weeping cherry blooms at all this year; everything else is hit or miss. I expect I'll have lost some marginally hardy plants and have a lot of repair work to do this year.

But gardening is a process, right...every loss is a new opportunity to improve

Butterfly bushes must be pruned to about 1 foot above the ground every year around St Patrick's Day.

What about an azalia? Can you prune them this time of year? If so, how far down can you cut? Should you prune it all at once, or just part one year and part the next? I ask because they've gotten too tall with a big crown of greenery at the top and long exposed branches underneath. They just keep going up and up.

I would wait to prune azaleas until after they bloom -- which should be very soon now.

Is after they bloom better than in the fall?

Prune azaleas after they bloom. I have someone cut them for me. I hate them. They get suckers if you don't groom them they will just spread out everywhere. I have my guy cut them down to about 2 feet above the ground. Mine have white flowers and they turn brown very quickly. I wish I had the gumption to rip them out but I hate killing things.

I DID cut out Summersweet, aka clethora, aka sweet pepper bush. (The pink version is called Ruby Spice).

Please don't plant this bush in a garden bed with good soil or it will go crazy. It spreads by very strong runners. It smells beautiful, so I planted it under my kitchen window so I could smell it in summer with the windows open. First, it draws ants, which will crawl right into your kitchen, windows open or closed; they'll get in. Second, it attracts huge black wasps and hornets when it's in bloom. True, I was never stung by one, but if you plant dill to attract caterpillars (that turn into butterflies), the wasps will eat the eggs and the caterpillars. They scare little kids and adults who have stinging insect phobias, which -- to my surprise -- turned out to be most adults.

Lastly, they are thugs. They zipped around the corner of my house, took over the side and were heading for my front garden beds. I had them pulled out at the root and I'm still finding runners.

Take a smartphone or an iPod touch or something with Internet access with you whenever you visit a nursery or big box garden section. Many plants/bushes have multiple names and you may not realize you are buying a mint, or buying a perennial that acts as an annual in your climate. It's good to look things up online. After 20 years of gardening, I stil blow it sometimes. Last year I bought a pineapple sage. The plant had nice chartreuse foliage, like a potato vine. The ID tag showed lipstick red florets which were a lovely accent to the foliage. I often plant annual sages for hummingbirds, so I thought, "This will provide nice foliage as well as nectar for the hummingbirds. It looks like a red version of black and blue salvia, which the hummingbirds love."

Well, it didn't bloom until October, right before the first frost. The hummingbirds leave my area by early September. Plus, it grew huge, crowding out my bleeding hearts. I was swayed by the photo on the ID tag which claimed "bloom time -- late summer." I should have done my homework and looked it up on my phone before buying.

Thanks r42, I've never been happy with azalias, they were here when I got here. Mostly, their foliage is too sparse. Ideally I'd prefer very hardy low maintenance thick green coverage, but don't know what to get. I'm probably pretty limited because of restricted sunlight - dense tree cover and location on the north side of a house. Hot humid summers, milder winters with some freezing.

Has anyone here tried Virginia bluebells or dinner plate dahlias?

I went outside today and did a little light pruning (spirea) and spring cleanup and I was exhausted in no time at all.

I am so embarrassed at myself.

I'd better start building up some spring stamina.

r44 Virginia bluebells(Thomas Jefferson's favorite flower) is a very easy, no-care herbaceous perennial. They come up, bloom their hearts out, then very nicely disappear until the following Spring. Bleeding hearts do likewise, and you get an even longer bloom period. You can find them in the usual pink and white, but there is an all-white variety as well. These two flowers are very light, airy and graceful, I'd make some room in my garden for them.

Dinner plate dahlias are impressive, and will require staking token the heads out of the dirt.

May I put in a mention of one of my favorite flowers, single hollyhocks? They have such old-fashion charm, make a nice tall garden accent, and you can find them in several colors. They all come true from seed, if you sow them late Fall or very early Spring, you'll get blooms in a few months. Let them self-sow and you'll never be without them. The prominent seedpods, called "cheeses" are easily gathered. Dry them, separate out the largeish seeds(they keep their viability for a few years), and share with friends. Butterflies love them, and you can make hollyhock dolls too!

..... will require staking TO KEEP.....

How tall do those hollyhocks get, r46? And do they need staking? Can I start them indoors?

I'm about to start some miniature pumpkins and mini gourds indoors for planting out in pots with small trellises next month, worked nicely last year. And I start elephant ear bulbs indoors in ziplock bags of peat moss with drainage, for transplanting into the garden or large pots in June.

Looking for solutions to rabbits chewing off morning glories and other small sprouts as soon as they grow. Love the bunnies and would prefer not to shoot them, but where are all the coyotes and feral giant cats when you need them?

It's CLETHRA not CLETHORA.

You're welcome.

Always here to help the ignorant by pointing out their failures.

Don't feel bad r45 I was out clearing the flower bed and cleared out some stubborn weeds for about 20 minutes and I was out for the rest of the day.

R3, love your last paragraph. I'd W&W it on its own.

Dammit it all! I had my seedlings out today and I forgot to bring in one and methinks it has expired.

And r49 where are you with that wicked humor in some of the other threads? There's nothing like a delightful roast, I lve to give and receive ;-)

Has anyone ever seen an azalea that produces double blooms?

The standard sized bloom has another identical bloom emanating from the "barrel" or "throat" of the first bloom.

I have searched and cannot find a source for this type of azalea.

Please hale if you can.

[quote] Looking for solutions to rabbits chewing off morning glories and other small sprouts as soon as they grow.

Blood meal.

You can get it at gardening centers or big box home improvement stores. Deters rabbits. Just sprinkle a little bit around the plants. You may have to sprinkle it around again after a rainfall to "refresh " it.

The first time I ever used it, I went outside, opened the bag and sprinkled some in my front garden bed. I heard a tremendous noise -- it was a juvey rabbit, a little bigger than a baby -- running out from underneath my porch, crashing through leaves, branches and a hedge.

Worked.

R54 may I ask where you live? Just curious. I've heard soooo many experienced gardeners swear that the sole way to handle rabbits (who I battle too) is fencing. But I would love to try blood meal, it would save me a lot of labor! Can it harm plants at all? Obviously I can Google but would like your opinion.

Blood meal is actually good for plants.

You only sprinkle a little bit around the garden and I only use it when plants are young. The plants are more tender and some are sugary when they are in the early stage of development and that is what attracts rabbits. I have far less rabbit damage when plants get past the tender stage.

Rabbits have a very sensitive sense of smell. You know how people erroneously say that you shouldn't touch a baby bird or the mother will reject it because she smells humans? Birds don't have a sense of smell. However, rabbits do and they absolutely will reject their offspring if they smell human on the babies.

I don't get the "zone" references. How do people automatically understand what city the OP is referring to? Or do they?

I don't get the "zone" references. How do people automatically understand what city the OP is referring to? Or do they?

Never mind--I looked it up. Sorry to have bothered you.

R56, sorry if I sound dense, but can I sprinkle blood meal all around the perimeter as a deterrent or should it be applied to everything? Just imagining an "invisible fence" of blood meal lol.

r48 Hollyhocks generally grow 5ft. tall, and usually do not require staking. Easier to direct seed them where you want them situated. Keep them towards the back of a mixed planting, due to their height, or make a specimen planting of just hollyhocks. The colors are varied: white; various pinks/reds; yellow; and a DARK purple that appears black in bright sunlight. When my husband was selling his folks house, I collected a bagful of hollyhock seeds, and distributed them to various family members. Also gave some to a nurseryman who named them Althea(now Alcea) rebecca(after Granma)They are now blooming all over the Midwest, just a little legacy from Rebecca.

Hose-in-hose azaleas = double blooms

R61, we need a DL Gardening Club, and a DL Master Gardener. I'm nominating you sweetie! I love your posts.....

Went to the garden center (again), Got some Begonias to line the flower bed. They come back every year. They are already discounting some plants and fertilizer.

r63 Appreciate the compliments, friend. A club sounds great. Used to belong to a community garden and loved all the time I spent there. Never met a gardener that didn't love sharing his or her expertise.

Not to be a downer, but the hollyhocks are prone to bugs and leaf disease. Often the leaves look like an army of caterpillars have had their way with them. In most cases it's cosmetic, but it can cause the plants to die.

Also, watch out for perennial geranium placement. Most varieties spread underground, and are difficult to get rid of if they are planted in a smaller, more formal garden.

I also look on garden forums before I plant anything. It's especially helpful for people in an in between zone.

LOVE this thread ( love threads about cute boys also, but...), lots of good advice and interesting personal thoughts - I'll add just this for the moment - if into vegetable gardening, try some Swiss Chard ("City Lights" variety) - easy to grow so it is great for beginners, quite beautiful, lots of delicious ways to prepare and eat, full of vitamins and the good stuff that greens provide. I initially planted it for "weed control" - I let it grow large so the leaves shaded out weeds - soon started harvesting and eating the newer, fresh leaves - it seldom disappoints - as opposed to (some) roses and (some) boyfriends. (Zone 6). Thanks to all garden contributors.

r66 True enough about the hollyhocks. Powder mildew can be a problem, but a baking soda or skim milk spray will usually take care of that. I believe the plants are sufficiently vigorous to survive the bugs, handpicking is recommended (maybe some well-placed DE?), or just shake off the little bastards. Even with these depredations, their old-fashioned charm make them irresistible. I also like foxgloves, and those things really get shitty post-bloom.

I love Blood meal but never tried for rabbits. Wonder does it work for deer? All the meals are good for flowers/bulbs. Blood, Bone, Fish, Cottonseed. I'm now fermenting seaweed sheets for fertilizer. Kelp grows a foot a day in the ocean and the plants love it.

R69, all cottonseed is highly toxic with pesticide residue.

Do not consume cottonseed oil in your food either.

Are apricot trees self pollinating?

I FUCKING HAVE THE BEST COMPOST EVAH!!!

I'm so impressed, I'm not naturally a gardener but DAMN is this year's compost good!

R70 Thank you. I did not know. I learn something everyday. Good you told me because I don't use the cottonseed much but the bone meal I do. I've used nothing on my fruit trees except pruning and rainwater. I've actually been desperately staying organic. I've been tempted to buy weed & feed because I have a yard full of crabgrass and clover. I just pull, till. I pour straight baking soda on weed patches. See how much this thread is needed

Interesting about cottonseed, though I hadn't thought to use it. And glad to see this thread continuing...

I have a large vegetable garden (very) and I have a truckload of raw manure dropped off in the spring. I mix it with leaves and chips dropped off by the town crew and in a year have wonderful -- and free -- manure. Even if you live in town, this is easier than you think: road crews are always looking for a place to drop leaves, and a nearby farmer will happily drop off a truckload a manure for a reasonable fee. A good garden needs good soil.

I share Bronze Age Gay's love of hollyhocks, especially the black variety (swoon) but where I garden (North-East) there is an infestation of japanese beetles, which devour the flowers. And so I have given up.

New gardeners should think about daylilies for long bloom. The brash Stella variety is overplanted, but there are many, many others readily available that will provide color for two months or so. You can buy "Happy Returns" from Lowes, a nice, smaller variety.

r74 The beetles are so large and sluggish that handpicking is a snap, I can almost hear them screaming when I drop them into a container of soapy water. IIRC there's a BT preparation for Japanese beetles. Have you tried those bag/lure traps?

Be careful with DE. It kills honeybees, bumblebees, caterpillars, butterflies and other beneficial insects and it blinds hummingbirds.

If don't know why people think DE is harmless and a great idea on outdoor plants. It isn't. It's fine for indoor plants, but it kills good insects just as dead as it kills bad ones in the garden.

Hi Bronze Age,

The traps for Japanese Beetles don't really work; the only method is knocking them into a jar of soapy water. Given the degree of infestation in my area, I think I would have to do it at least five times a day. It was easier just to stop growing the flowers that they like -- I ripped out, with regret, my summer blooming roses. Happily I still have my spring ones, which are prettier, even if they are not long-blooming.

BLUEBERRIES: -Yes acid soil is best. I dug out the original soil and replaced it with a mix of peat and fine pine bark mulch. I dug a deep trench - 18" deep. It is also important to space them nearly 4 feet apart. The first year it is best to not have them fruit, far more important to establish roots. This is the 2nd year and they are yielding a lot of berries. I am not netting them until I am certain the birds are an issue.. -Yes a second plant to cross pollinate is vital. They should bloom at the same time of year - some variety's fruit in the spring, others in the fall.

Good luck! The soil and reliable water is going to be key.

Dont forget to contribute something that is beneficial to nature instead of your own needs.

I like to plant Dill in fair amounts for Swallowtail Butterflies. The caterpillars munch the Dill, cocoon on the stems for Chrysalis and the Butterflies emerge. It is a wonderful thing to be part of the process of creating such beauty....

r79 Consider fennel as well, it self-seeds like CRAZY and the caterpillars love it just as much. Sow the seeds thickly so there's more leaves that will eventually intertwine, and increase protection from the birds spying those tasty larvae. Parsley, anise, carrots and lovage would be great additions. I'm a big butterfly fan too.

r77 Sorry the traps don't work for you, I've seen local ones filled with the beetles. Maybe try a different brand? Move 'em around? Install them AHEAD of an infestation?

r76 Judicious use of ANY insecticide is always a good idea.

Any Vertical Pallet Gardeners?

I love this thread. That being said...I was shocked to read what DE can do...it's my favorite non-chemical. I use it sparingly and infrequently as I'm lazy by nature. Thought it was the dream solution. So thanks for that info as I feed hummingbirds as well. I usually put it on the dirt around the plants I want to protect or near the crevices bricks & rocks the snails hide in. But no more. Does anyone use neem oil? Has anyone grown chayote squash/mirliton/vegetable pear? I did this year despite knowing it might be overwhelming.

Excellent point about Swiss Chard, Kansas Boy R67. Rainbow chard also works well in a flower bed, and is a lovely and delicious green (you don't eat your boyfriends, though, I hope).

I've discovered that the best solution for weeds is mulch, not the poisonous crap people buy in quantity from Lowes, but rather free chips from the local road crew that I put on top of a thick layer of newspaper. Weeds can't grow, and it soon grays, nicely, and the newspaper dissolves by season's end. Mulch is the answer to most problems in the garden.

Two years ago I stopped double digging my vegetable garden. Now I just add compost (then newspapers and mulch, around the plant or seed line). Things grow as well or better, and it is SO MUCH LESS WORK.

R82 -- Love dem mirlitons, dawlin'

There is a website discussing New Orleans' heirloom mirlitons you may wish to consult.

I've never tried to grow them but I know people who have tried with the Mexican ones they buy in the grocery store -- without much luck.

r84 Grew them one year, just stuck a sprouting one in the soil and boy oh boy, IT. TOOK. OFF. The vine measured 20 feet at the end of the season, but it produced no fruits( not enough growing time?) Nice foliage though. If you want to cover up an eyesore, this is the plant for you.

[R84], [R85], Thanks for the info re mirlitons, & will look for the website; & the growing season is fairly long but matches my area, zone 9/10. It's probably the Mexican kind; got them from a friend who owns a ranch. And I have a fenced small garden. I've got to build it an arbor or something sturdy or it will be a mess. The fencing isn't suitable. 20 feet! I'm going to wrap it around stakes at first...and then try arbor. This will be a challenge.

r82 At the end of last season my garden center had mulch 5 huge bags for $10. I should have gotten it. The best sales are at the end of the season. Baking soda is good for weeds too. I mix Baking soda & powder sugar together to kill fire ants. I had a huge bed right next to my rose bush and didn't want to use any poison

-

We had one warm day last week. I bought some annuals. Immediately after I brought them home, I got a freeze alert. It's been cold ever since. I feel I did it.

its funny when there are instructions to "plant after threat of frost is gone" then a cold snap comes.

Saw a butterfly in my yard over the weekend.

Last night we had big storms. I have several buckets & save the rain water. Its nothing like rainwater for the plants & flowers and unfortunately WEEDS!

For Ceres @ r86

Does anyone here know much about lawn care? My normally lush, deep green lawn was filled with these small, nasty, hard bumps all over the place late last season. So far this year those bumps are all still there. I want my beautiful lawn back! Please help!

[quote] My normally lush, deep green lawn was filled with these small, nasty, hard bumps all over the place late last season.

Are they worm castings? Your lush lawn is an excellent habitat for earthworms. Worm castings are a sign of having lots of them. Do a google image search.

If they are worm castings, get a small rake and rake them after a rain. They're very nutritious for gardens and lawns, but not when piled up like that.

Cultural Control of Earthworm Castings on a Lawn

• Rake or sweep castings into the lawn when they are dry. Power-rake the lawn in the fall to prevent uneven turf from developing.

•Don't overwater. Earthworms will stay near the surface if it's continuously moist.

•Mow high and keep the lawn healthy to hide the casts and minimize the unsightliness.

• A roller can be used to press down the casts but over time, bumpiness will still occur and it can cause compaction of the soil.

Lawns made uneven and bumpy due to years of casting build-up may need restoration or renovation depending on the severity. Topdressing and over-seeding will take care of moderately bumpy turf. In more severe cases aerating and rolling may be necessary to achieve smoothness.

R93 R94 Thanks! I did a google image search and yes, sure looks like that's what's happened to my lawn.

I should have been on top it last year when I first noticed it, but I put in a hot tub and new fence so I got distracted from the problem. At least now I have a place to work from. Thank you!

Bucking fuckthorne!

I have a smoke bush that has grown awkwardly and in a fairly prominent space in my landscape- I cut it waaaay back; save or replace, oh respected gardeners?

My mom is a Master Gardener, but we always disagree; I never could listen to my darling mother. I'm asking you first to gage whether I'm a difficult, horrible child : )

r96 Trust me just sit back & recognize. I can live for another 100 years & I will never outdo or be as knowledgeable about many subjects as my mother & grandmothers. Can't compete so I stopped trying. I just listened and respected.

Nearing the end of planting season so the sales are only going to get better. Lots of discounts

-

Bulbs are already on sale at the big box stores and some garden centers.

Buy the ones that come back year after year now.

And for Southerners, here's a neat site. It features heirloom bulbs that can take the heat:

It's freezing where I am! I can't believe it. And windy. WTF?

R97, if you have a bush that is making you crazy, severely prune it in early spring. It will die or it will come back in a more manageable size. If it comes back in a more manageable size and you want to keep it, just prune it back every year.

Last year hydrangeas didn't bloom my area because of cold weather in May. I have a feeling the same thing is going to happen this year.

R100 I'm in CT and will be sad if it's another bloodless hydrangea year. We had a frost warning last night.

Has anyone ever bought one of those coiled hoses? is it any good?

I have a question. Are ferns "in" anymore? I have two large tall urn-like pots that I usually plant flowers in but this year I want something easier to care for. I thought ferns might look nice but every time I see a fern I am reminded of the 1970's when ferns were EVERYWHERE. The pots will be outside on the patio, they are similar to this:

Link to the pot:

r103 Ferns are a pain, try hostas. They're easy to grow, invariably cold-hardy, always look "neat" and come in various styles, colors and sizes. Slugs can be a problem, but growing them in pots will make them easier to deal with.

Deer can be a problem with hosta.

Some ferns planted themselves by my back deck. Deer won't touch them, so they win. Unfortunately, my hostas all lose after a few weeks above ground.

Last year I got an email from a catalogue I sometimes buy from. "Ten delphinium for $12.99!" I knew nothing about delphiniuma, but I ordered them. They were bare root, so I planted them sideways. Only 5 came up this year. Three are ok, but 2 are spectacular. They are about 5 feet tall. and 3 feet wide with tons of florets. One is pink, the other is deep purple. They face east and east/northeast and get tons of sun in a garden bed that has a soaker hose. So now I know they need all day sun and a steady supply of moisture. I sprinkled some lime around them and feed them diluted Bloom Booster every week. Wish they bloomed like this all summer.

I can't believe it's June, the sun is out and it's not going to get anywhere near 60 degrees today.

Yesterday I had to wear a flannel shirt, a hoodie and a scarf, but it was raining.

I have 4 Big Foxtail Ferns in my front yard that were planted by the previous owner. They are gorgeous and they grow big. They have to be trimmed back.

r107 I like delphs, especially the ones that have a "bee." Haven't been too successful with them unfortunately. Staking and plenty of food seem to be the trick though. Every time I see delphiniums I'm reminded of a Gahan Wilson cartoon I saw years ago in PLAYBOY magazine.

Old thread, but wondering what people are planting this year. Like every spring, it's cold for weeks, then we get a few brutally hot days, then it's back to cold again.

Last year I planted three bleeding hearts -- not the old fashioned kind, but the fringed flower kind. Two came up and are doing fine this year.

I found a few things growing in one of my front gardens that came back last year in the back of the garden. They weren't getting enough sun, so I moved them. I always forget what I plant from year to year. I remembered what they were when they were transplanted and grew in the sun. They were a pretty light blue salvia. But in coming back, they reverted to your basic blue bedder. Oh well, they grew nicely and the bees love them.

Let's see, how does Mother Nature "fertilize" plants. She doesn't! Because nature fertilizes itself.

But you can duplicate it in your suburban yards by applying composted manure. "Top-dressing" this lightly around the plants a couple times a year is all they need.

Not going to bother with tomatoes this year, the squirrels are just too good at getting the ripe ones.

The one plant that I WANTED to reseed this year, borage, did not(although it usually does) Threw in the few seeds I had left from last year 2 weeks ago, but nothing showing yet(same for tithonias) Four O'Clocks are up, jimsonweed,dill, zinnias, wallflowers too. Parsley(which gets bitter its 2nd year), sage and even a rosemary survived the Winter. Planted alyssum and California poppies in pots, around a tall sedum, which the birds are picking to death, although they never have before. Will sow a few pots of sweet basil, mostly for the bees. I also have the light blue sage mentioned above, which may be the best bee plant I've ever grown.

Watering is my main concern, the deck is in full sun and exposed to winds all day long. I'd re-install my drip irrigation system but it always looks like a mutant Tinkertoy.

Last year, I had an arborist remove a number of trees around the yard, and this year, I'm hoping to add some more interesting or productive plants. I had a Southern Magnolia removed from my side yard: I had grown it from seed, but it had gotten too large, and was way past the gutters (I have a two story house). I have a snow banana that I want to plant on that side of the house (West) and I'm planning on order a couple of figs so I can grow my own figs, since fresh figs are almost never available here, and I saw a very healthy fig tree (or huge bush) bearing figs at a local park. I already have a Jujube tree on that side of the house (Zizyphus jujuba) which produces edible fruit, so I'd like to add another tree that bears edible fruit. I have a potted Meyer lemon that has produced lemons which I've used (very nice ones, too). The photo below is of a snow banana that I planted several years ago at my ex-partner's house, that's come back every year with no protection.

I'm extremely new to gardening and the revival of this thread couldn't be more timely. I've been reading a book called The Small Garden by C.E. Lucas Phillips (with a foreword by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire!) and it's been full of good information. Reading everyone's stories has been so fun and encouraging.

Right now I'm in a rental house with no beds in the back so I have some lovely old terra-cotta pots I've filled. I planted a few Zinnias (my first time experimenting with them) two or three weeks ago and all but one of them look like they are starting to die. I'm not sure what I did. The other flowers I planted along with them are all looking fine.

Oh, I forgot to add I'm in Zone 8a, just a little north of Dallas.

r116 Describe what's happening to your zinnias. Perhaps we can diagnose, or if too late, do an autopsy. Usually it's mildew that lays low most zinnias, but I think it's too early in the season for that. Don't overwater, and NEVER wet the leaves. Consider planting some seeds, they're usually up in 5 or 6 days, I've had some that popped up 2 days after sowing. Usually not much of a variety of plants at a nursery, but there are dozens of different zinnias available as seeds. Check 'em out.

I agree with R64.

Garden Gay is the best!

Okra and chili peppers for my garden again this year.

I grow the "Emerald" variety of okra and a medley of hot chili peppers, but not the mega-hot varieties.

I like boiled, fried, and roasted okra.

With my chilis, I either make my own hot sauce from them or dehydrate them and make hot chili pepper flakes that I share with friends. They love 'em. Much more heat-per-shake than regular cayenne pepper flakes.

Thanks for your advice R118. Now I already know one thing I did wrong. I was just pouring the water over the flowers so ALL the leaves were getting wet. Good to know I shouldn't be doing that! Is that the case for watering most plants? Should I be making an effort to miss the leaves and try to concentrate right at the base of the plant?

It started with the leaves, they started to looking like they were "drying up" and turned a light brown along the edges before turning brown all over the entire leaf. I'll get some seeds from the store. I've never started from seeds and so it will be a fun little adventure. I would have not guessed they would be so quick!

Thanks again!

remember that murder in New Jersey where they buried the husband in the garden! But the detective knew that fresh mulch shouldn't have weeds!

^ Kathleen Dorsett

is there a reason why the gardeners in this thread don' t post pics of their plants? I like to see the plants/gardens as well as read about them

r121 Sounds like you have been OVERwatering, especially if the browning started with the oldest leaves. When you do water definitely water just the soil the plants are in, applying water to leaves(especially if they're fuzzy or hairy) and blooms encourages rot, mildew and other nasty stuff. Mother Nature does her own thing, we can't do anything about HER watering habits. Zinnia leaves are thin, paper-y and slightly sticky, once a disease sets in it's usually fatal, unless you apply sprays to try and combat them(. Water deeply when you do, but do not keep the soil constantly wet, zinnias prefer it a bit on the dry side. If the plants are in pots, make sure there's a drainage hole to allow excess water to leak out. Good luck.

That reminds me, I have to spray copper on the roses. The leaves get that nasty black and yellow if I don't.

I really need to transplant the roses but they are full of thorns, goddamn it. I can't even dig them up without getting injured.

r126 use heavier gloves to handle it.

R124, Here you go. These were my spring planters out on the front stoop last year, planted with hyacinths and violas. I looked through some photos, and I'm a little concerned that some of the photos that take in a larger picture would help identify my house, and that kind of thing scares me. Also, my neighbors' houses and yards aren't very well maintained, and it's difficult not to show them.

r128 beautiful.

my neighbors yard was awful. it is an apt. house and has been in terrible shape for the last 45 years. Someone finally bought it, gutted it and redid it inside and out. I have always taken care of the side of that house because no one else did and now my garden looks great up against his house.

I started taking pics of my gardens without showing my house because I worry about the same thing as you. I also have the location on my camera turned off. (make sure you do that.)

I finally was able to buy some common milkweed seedlings. I don't want to plant the seeds -- pain in the ass. They have to be cold stratified, they don't germinate, blah, blah. I did a search and finally found a person on etsy who sells 2nd year plants. They're pretty small, but I've ordered a 4x4 raised bed to plant them in so I won't "lose" them in the very back of my back yard.

I've had other kinds of milkweed that growers swear are a food for monarch caterpillars and they are NOT. Common milkweed is the deal.

It's been cool and rainy for the past week or so here in upstate NY, so I am behind in getting my tomatoes and annuals into the ground and many, many pots. Tomorrow is pretty much the only day I can spend much time on it.

I started about 10 varieties of tomatoes from seed in March, including some heirlooms and a bunch of different cherries. I have four flats of annual flowers and foliage plants from my favorite nursery, on the deck hardening off. I already have hours of weeding to do in our perennial beds. Ugh.

I love gardening, in principle, but I hate it when I get behind and feel overwhelmed.

I know I'll be happy when I can harvest tomatoes an hour before dinner and have fresh flowers in the house every day, but still.

R130, I'm in Texas. A guy mailed me some Butterfly Weed Asclepias seeds last spring (for only a SASE!) and told me to just scruff up some dirt and tamp them down, cover and water. I did, and it came up-- it took awhile and I actually had given up on it when I spotted it-- it was 8" by then. The guy said to remember that they are weeds -- don't overcare for them and they'll be fine.

Bronze Age, I'm sorry to read that your borage didn't reseed. A year or two ago, I read about your borage and how much the bees loved it, so I bought some seeds. It was the first bloom of my garden last year (maybe February) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Had you not recommended it, I don't think I ever would have planted it.

Well, this is a breath of fresh air from the other thread, "Chinese Eating Habits."

I picked up a native Buttonbush for $20 at a local nursery. It's been in the ground about six weeks in a corner with bad drainage (it likes wet feet) and I am so happy to have something useful to wildlife in that spot. It's putting on new growth and has a bud about to bloom.

r132 Yeah, the borage was a bust, but I've seen a nice stand of it on my walks. I'm thinking of knocking on the owner's door and seeing if he might be up for a swap, I've got a lot of cleome seeds, maybe he'll be interested.

r134 A lovely and unusual addition to your garden. Be warned though, the leaves are toxic. Seeds are OK, waterfowl love them. I'm not averse to toxic plants, I've grown Jimsonweed for years.

Still no germination on the tithonia, looks like it's my year to be disappointed. Oh well, I'll have another spot for zinnias, or more basil.

I Bought a Tiny Tuff Stuff dwarf hydrangea and planted it in front of my porch

I think this pic is of two of them together

R135, Bronze Age Gay, I'm sorry about your Tithonia situation. Now THAT is a flower that attracts butterflies in an insane fashion. I currently don't have a good spot for them, but years ago, I had a serendipitous ( an accident for which I take no credit) of planting Tithonias next to a mature clump of variegated Arundo donax, and planted hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab) which twined up through both the Tithonias and the reed, with the Tithonias producing those glowing orange flowers, and the hyacinth beans producing their deep purple leaves, purple-washed leaves, and even purple seedpods, which glowed a translucent purple in the sun. The variegated arundo contributed a sedate chartreuse and cream background to the jarring contrast of orange and purple.

Is it just me or are more people unable to separate plants in a six-pack and make their own gardens, pots, and hanging plants. We live in the day of $30 hanging baskets and $5 single pot "proven winners," and even more expensive large pot perennials that could have been planted for a couple bucks a few years ago.

r138 That's been the system for a lot of years now. Why sell a 6-pack at 3 or 4 or 5 bucks, when you can sell slightly-larger individuals at the same price? It makes me laugh to see annuals in single pots, I'm not gonna' pay those prices, it's ridiculous. ONE basil plant for 3 bucks???? Get real. With a little patience and planning, a dollar or so packet of seeds will get you dozens, if not hundreds, of seedlings(many seeds are viable for several years, so it's an even better deal, just plant what you need, and a few extra just in case) You can still find the 6-packs occasionally at mom and pop old-style nurseries, and some supermarkets get them as well. Best to haunt these places frequently, and buy 'em when you see 'em.

r135 Thanks for the tip on Arundo, that's a new one on me. Hyacinth bean has always been a favorite, there is also an all-white variety. Did you know they are edible? If you like vines, consider Cobaea scandens, the Cup-and-Saucer vine. Seeds are HUGE, and the flowers live up to their name, available in pink, blue and white.

My first rose of the season bloomed yesterday.

Bronze Age Gay, R139, Thanks! I grew Cobaea once about ten years ago, and loved it. But so rampant! Those weird little tendrils allowed it to climb up the siding on the house up to the gutters! Yes, I know Hyacinth Beans are edible: I used to volunteer at the local conservatory, and the chief horticulturist used to try to stump with with different rare plants or odd seeds. He was sure he'd stump me with the dolichos seeds, but they're so recognizable! I know about the white variety, but have never seen the seeds for sale locally. I actually just ordered some seeds for Firmiana simplex (a very fast growing tree with huge leaves) after seeing a big specimen at the Zoo. They're not supposed to be hardy here (Ohio) but the one I saw a few months ago has been there for years.

One of the reasons I'm a big fan of vines is that, for someone like me with limited square footage, I can layer plants. Even with my houseplants, I like to plant groundcovers around the larger specimens, and sometimes grow vines up through the taller ones. I especially like to plant different beans (like Scarlet Runner beans or Sweet Peas) since they 'fix nitrogen' and enrich the soil. Two of my favorite vines so far have been Mina Lobata (Spanish flag) and Rhodochiton atrosanguineum (Purple Bell Vine). This year, I'm going to try a cutting of a rare vine I bought last year as a houseplant, that really needs room to run rampant: Stictocardia beraviensis (cheesy name is Hawaiian Sunset Vine). I'm attaching a photo of a flower that bloomed a few weeks ago in my living room.

Hey, r140, I woke this morning to my first rose bloom too. It on a decades old Rugosa bush originally ordered by mail from a now-defunct supplier. White blossoms with pink centers; sadly, no hips.

It will bloom profusely from now to about mid July, then go bloomless for about a month, but will bloom again from late summer through frost. I adore it, and it is impervious to wind, salt and snow, and throws off plantable offspring every few years when I get to digging.

None of my perennials are blooming yet. Too fucking cold, damp, dreary.

I'm thrilled to see black and blue salvia returning. It's usually an annual here, but it's popping up through the mulch.

Forty eight degrees is a disgrace. It's practically June.

Hi everyone! I have some questions about house plants. I've had a peace lily plant for two or three years now. It no longer blooms and is a little boring. It's also been looking a little sickly lately (yellowing leaves at the end and brown tips). I try not to water it too much, just one (maybe two) thorough waterings during the week. Like I said, I've had it for years now, so I'm not sure why the sudden change. I would appreciate any other indoor house plant recommendations.

Oh! And I also meant to give an update on my Zinnias. One was too far gone and died, but the others are doing so much better with less water. Thanks for everyone's help!

R144, Yours spathiphyllum (peace lilies) tend to be greedy growers. They prefer moist soil, and plenty of fertilizer. Your best bet is to break apart the pot and repot the smaller segments into smaller pots. But, if you don't feel comfortable doing that, at least repot into a larger pot, with more soil and some fertilzer.

r145 Glad to see you rescued a few of your zinnias. Mine are about 8 inches tall, and some already have flowerheads. Can't wait to see what colors I get this year. Years ago, up in Maine, I saw a HUGE bed of bright red zinnias, must've been 20 feet across. It was late July and they were blooming their little hearts out AND in perfect condition. The word was out too, the blooms were covered in butterflies. Wish I had room for something THAT spectacular.

Cornflowers, basil, sunflowers, borage(FINALLY!!!), fennel, coleus, parsley and dill are well on their way from direct-sown seeds. Volunteers from last year include: sweet alyssum, coreopsis, black-eyed susan and jimsonweed. I'm coddling a few tithonias from seeds I started inside on a damp paper towel. Took 2 days for them to sprout, then I carefully cut them apart and put them in individual plastic cellpacks on top of moist soil. Today, Day #8, they showed their first true leaves. They'll be late-bloomers, but I'm determined to have them at least for Fall.

r144 When I grew peace lilies I always let them wilt JUST SLIGHTLY before I watered them thoroughly, then I knew they really needed it. Yellow leaves may be a sign of overwatering, and it's not unusual to lose a leaf or two occasionally. Spaths don't need bright light to maintain their foliage, but they need a brighter spot if you want the "lilies."

The past few years we have had scant to no flowers on our hydrangea bushes because of late frosts. Though it's been chilly for an unusually long time this year (including today), there wasn't a late frost and my hydrangea bushes are full of hundreds and hundreds of green clusters that will become flowers. The bushes themselves have become huge, so I will be sure to cut many of those stems and bring the flowers indoors.

r148 Hydrangea blooms also dry very well, some to a lovely celadon green, others to a nice ecru or tan. Stand a few in a vase in not too deep water, then let the water evaporate. It's the slow dehydration that helps the color change and preserves the individual florets from shattering. They will become brittle, but they are not too fragile, you'll be able to keep them for several years, if you wish. If you'll be drying many blooms, chicken wire set over buckets with about an inch or so of water will do the trick.

It would be fun if Hook's little toady Smee got a big number like "Rose's Turn" or "Don't you get me wrong" or whatever.

The second in command to the villain should always get to sing

Um, ok R150. I guess so.

Anyone in the mood for a little fruit?

Today, while I was working (my work computer faces my backyard) I had the pleasure of seeing several Zebra Swallowtails laying their eggs all over my pawpaw trees. Pawpaw trees are their host plant, so I love knowing that I'm encouraging more generations of zebra swallowtails where I live. It's amazing how butterflies can locate their host plants across many miles. I know there are pawpaw trees in the woods that aren't that far from here, but for them to find a small cluster of them in my backyard really impresses me. And, I think I posted this before, but I planted an Dutchman's Pipe vine at my brother's house, and after a couple of years, it attracted pipevine swallowtails to lay their eggs on it, even though the closest natural habit for those vines is several counties away.

I planted some tropical milkweed plants about a week ago, and hopefully I'll be able to post a photo once they take hold.

R153 That's very cool about your butterflies. It's quite fascinating that they are able to find the trees in your backyard!

I bought some common milkweed seedlings and I'm having a hella time keeping them going. Why are weeds more difficult to raise than non-weed plants?

Are you trying too hard, R155? Don't overwater them. They don't like overwatering. When did you plant them?

R153, I've (very slowly) learned to plant things that are good host plants for native butterflies and moths, are at least, are good nectar sources. The Mourning Cloak butterfly (Camberwell Beauty in the UK) depends on willows, birches and elms, and I have enough of those nearby not to want to plant any of those greed trees near my home.

R155, I pretty sure, in the US, the 'common milkweed' is Asclepias syriaca. The milkweed that's usually offered as a garden perennial is Asclepias tuberosa. Swamp milkweed is Asclepias incarnata. And tropical milkweed is Asclepias currasavica.

They all have different needs. Asclepias tuberosa is able to handle pretty dry soil conditions, but can't tolerate a lot of lingering moisture. Swamp milkweed, on the other hand, can tolerate big extremes of too much water, and not enough. Tropical milkweed is pretty tolerant (but read the attached: if you're in a warmer zone, you may want to be sure to cut it to the ground several times a year. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) on the other hand, is pretty much a common thug of a weed. I like it, but I'd just as soon dig a piece of root from an abandoned roadside somewhere (it grows everywhere where I live) than try to raise seedlings. Raising seedlings at home can be very dicey: lots of issues with fungus and fungus gnats.

Crap, forgot the link.

II haven't been overwatering the common milkweed, but we've had weather extremes. It rained for days, then was in the 90 and dry, now is back to rain and cool temperatures.

R159, To be honest, raising many plants from seed is difficult for the home gardener. The potting soils that are sold in the US tend to have fungus gnats, and they're not disinfected. I worked in a greenhouse when I was young, and you might get by with that kind of thing,with full sunlight, and lots of air circulation. But, for the average homeowner, you're almost set up to fail. If you really want to grow common milkweed (a truly wonderful host plant, and pretty attractive by itself), I'd encourage you to look for the wild thing. If you can dig up a piece of the tuber, you'll never be without it (and it grows in places like railroad sidings and parking lot hellstrips that no one should care about). Just don't plant it near something precious, since it's pretty invasive.

I've never been able to dig it up. It grows in a field near my house, but I've never been successful at digging it out.

Butterflies are the spirits of those near and dear to us who have passed away.

They will always find you r153.

R161, Thanks. The roots are very deep, so they're not easy to transplant. That's also why it's so hard to eradicate once it's established. I've grown both Asclepias tuberosa and Asclepias curassavica from seed, and found that the native A. tuberosa was pretty fussy, but A. curassavica pretty easy. I've never tried A. syriaca from seed, since it's so common nearby. I remember digging a piece of root from a railway embankment back when I was a teenager, and had to kill the whole stand once it started taking over. But now, I wouldn't mind a stand of common milkweed, place inconspicuously. You may need to buy a plant from a nursery if none of your seedlings survive.

r162, Thanks. Now you've got me to cry which i think is good, I guess).

I bought the seedlings online. I have 3. I bought some more and am await shipmentment. It's very hard to buy milkweed plants online. They sell out very quickly. And when they are available, they're pretty tiny. The seedlings I have are two years old, but are really tiny.

I suppose if I get just one to live I will eventually have a stand. I put them in a small raised bed (4'x4'x7."

Maybe they are like cosmos and really take off after the solstice.

I meant the common milkweed seedlings sorry.

I know it's easy to buy swamp and tropical milkweed plants online.

Here's a tip for some of you who are having trouble with milkweeds from seed: The seeds need light to germinate. The attached silky tufts we see in the Fall allow the seeds to gain wider distribution, but it also stops the seed from being buried when they eventually hit the ground. Ergo, just lay the seeds on the surface of the soil, if your sowing them outdoors put a layer of shade cloth or newspaper over them until they sprout.

It's not recommended to dig up wild milkweeds, the successful transplantation rate is not high and we need every one we have to do its thing in situ. Considering sowing seeds in cellpacks that contained other flowers you've brought home from nurseries. The seedlings can live for a few months in them, their taproots don't grow THAT quickly. You can move them to their permanent site in August, they'll have plenty of time to establish themselves. Remember, all you need is a few, each pod that matures will release dozens of seeds which you then can use to start seedlings next year, or just lay them on damp soil and trust to Mother Nature.

You can save all the milkweed fluff and do what that lady in Kansas did. She made a quilt, and instead of using a piece of regular quilt batting, she stuffed in handfuls of the fluff between the top and backing and quilted them into place. Even I don't have THAT much patience.

I just got a shipment of 5 other common milkweed and they are MUCH. bigger than the ones I received from a different seller. They are from Northeast Pollinators, so if you are in NY or New England, they will ship to you.

Any good online sales? Since the season is ending?

R169, Logee's always has monthly specials. These are the current ones (they're in New England, so a bit pricey, but very high quality, and they carry things that almost no one else does. They even carry those wonderfully scented Parma violets that are nearly extinct.

Thanks. I'm thinking of getting something good for late Summer

I'm exhausted.

Weeding, transplanting, pulling out fucking trumpet vine (I'll try to kill it in the fall), did window boxes, more weeding so I can plant the new milkweed, fertilizing. Finally we have bees.

Something is digging up my cosmos seedlings. Could be the Guinea fowl looking for bugs. Dammit

I never have luck with Butterfly Bushes, seeds or plants. Gave the plants water but they always doe out

R172, I was about to post that, when you go after the trumpet vine, use Roundup Poison Ivy killer, so you can really kill. But then I see you have Guinea fowl (I absolutely love those little guys), so I can't recommend it now. It's a shame: at my house, as well as at my brother's house, I had planted Campsis x tagliabuana 'Madame Galen' (a hybrid trumpet vine) which has HUGE orange flowers, and that also doesn't sucker. Both of them developed really thick trunks and were spectacular, but my brother managed to cut through the trunk on his (confusing it some nearby plant) and my father saw through the one at my house, which killed both of them. I made the mistake of planting the native trumpet vine here, and it's a terrible nuisance, although I admit I enjoy watching the hummingbirds when they appear.

R173, Back when I was a teenager, I bought a packet of butterfly bush seeds from Thompson and Morgan, and so many came up I had to limit myself to the strongest seedlings. I ended up planting them all over the yard, and over the years, they slowly died out. I still have a plan for a border of shrubs that can be cut down to a stump every year to regenerate: I'd like a variety of butterfly bushes, but also tamarix and vitex (chaste tree) and Russian sage: all with greyish foliage, and flowers in shades of blue, white, pink and purple. And I'm still planning on buying this rare butterfly bush that becomes really tall, and can be grown like a small tree.

I'm afraid the impatiens virus is back. I bought red impatiens at Lowes, then I bought white impatiens from Home Depot. I put them all in my shed window boxes. The white impatiens are now skeletons. I'm keeping my eye on the red ones.

My butterfly bushes are in garden beds that have drip irrigation. I give them diluted miracle gro three or four times a season and the soil is fairly rich. They are in full on blazing sun. I cut them down every year around St Patrick's Day as low as I can. The pink beauties are spectacular. I also have spirea in those beds and cut them down to about 6" at the same time. I'm always pulling butterfly bush seedlings out of the beds.

I diligently deadhead the butterfly bushes and get blooms into late September. I sometimes deadhead the spirea if I have time, but mostly I leave them alone because the butterfly bushes bloom as the spirea florets die out. The bees love the spirea. It blooms earlier than most nectar plants I have, so they are covered with bees in June. I don't know if butterflies like them because I don't get butterflies until after they bloom.

My butterfly weeds are just beginning to bloom, and right on schedule those neon-yellow aphids have homed in on them. I've always seen them on common milkweed , though they never seemed to do any actual damage, and disappear after a short time. There's so many on one plant I just had to ZAP! 'em with a soap spray. I'm assuming it worked since many of the dreaded beasties have turned black and aren't moving.

Echinacea are in full bloom, not a bad show for having been planted just a month ago.

Tithonias are just setting buds, hoping for a great show on them, to attract lots of pollinators. The zinnias are going crazy, have seen several butterfly species on them. Swallowtail caterpillars are munching the parsley and dill. My one borage plant is finally putting out lots of foliage, anyone for a Pimm's Cup?

I sowed what I thought were snapdragons, but what has come up and are about to bloom are definitely not snaps. Can't wait to be surprised. Found an old-fashioned single dark red hollyhock growing nearby, so I stole a seedpod and am attempting to sprout them inside(5 days and no sign of activity) They are one of my faves, but have never had luck with them.

I am starting to harvest okra and my chili peppers are blooming.

Raccoons can be cute, but also a very a real nuisance. A number of years ago, my Mom noticed a leak in the kitchen ceiling, went up the second floor and looked in the storage closets (because of the pitch of the roof, there are two storage closets that run from the front of the house to the back, tucked in under eaves). There was a hole torn in the corner of the roof that was letting in rain. She called a contractor and had it repaired the next day. But they inadvertently trapped a raccoon inside, so we heard it knocking about inside for several days. It's terrifying to open a door and turn on the light, to have this dog-sized animals hissing at you. I was finally able to trap it in a humane cage, but it was caught in the middle of the night. I had to get dressed and pick up the cage (with the hissing animal) and take it down to my car, where I drove around to find a place to release it. In the meantime, while it was trapped, it climbed over all sorts of things that were in storage, breaking lots of Christmas ornaments and old framed photos.

Wrong thread! Doh!

R177, My tropical milkweeds have been blooming, and I have to keep removing the seed pods to keep them going. I probably need to cut them back hard, to try to get more stems. In the meantime, I spread the seeds through the planters, hoping to get some seedlings to help fill in.

When I was a kid, my Mom always had a row of hollyhocks in pink, white and red along out back fence. But they were always disfigured by rust. If you've had problems like that with hollyhocks, the fig-leaved hollyhock is rust resistant and longer lived than the common hollyhock. But the flowers are yellow instead of being on the red spectrum. But at least it's sort of a soft sulfur yellow which doesn't clash with other colors the way some other yellows do.

A month or so ago, I saw a zebra swallowtail laying eggs all over my pawpaw trees that I can view from my office window. But since then, there have been a couple of times when hordes of sparrows have alighted on the trees, working through eating as many caterpillars as possible.

Hooray! I bought and planted milkweed plants this year and I have two monarch caterpillars!

Butterfly weeds are finished blooming and the aphids have disappeared. There's a few pods on the plants that were not heavily attacked. Hope to be able to have some seeds to plant before Winter sets in.

Echinaceas are blooming with gay abandon, in several shades of red and orange. Goldfinches(?) Chickadees(?), at any rate, some mostly yellow birds with black markings have been picking at the seeds in the drying flowerheads. Have never seen these birds before this year.

Zinnias are hanging on as best they can, almost completely consumed with mildew. Will try some new varieties next year that are supposed to be mildew-proof/resistant.

The dill held great promise for swallowtail caterpillars, I watched a female lay approx. 30 eggs(she studiously avoided a huge pot of parsley). Surrounded the pot with a chickenwire cage, and many of the eggs hatched. Only eventually saw two caterpillars of appreciable size, where the others went is anyone's guess. Was it possible birds got through the wire?

Squirrels laid waste to my hollyhock seedlings. Snatched a few more seeds and will try again.

I've been impressed with the tithonias, although haven't seen any butterfly activity near them. The plants are tall, dark green and slightly fuzzy/downy. Flowers last about a week, will try to harvest some seeds.

Anise hyssop, woodland sage, zinnias and coleus is all I have for the bees. Drink up, girls.

Don't know why my borage hasn't been setting seeds, it's usually a terrific re-seeder. Maybe less sunlight is the trigger?

Those seeds that were supposed to be snapdragons turned out to be Anchusa, a VERY tall forget-me-not. So tall they had to be staked. Blooms are so tiny that they're really not worth it, unless you particularly like periwinkle-blue flowers.

Planted some tall sedums surrounded by alyssum, in big pots atop brick pillars. and the birds pecked the sedums almost to the roots. Had the sedums for many years and the birds never bothered them before. I was all set for some pink Fall color and now there won't be any.

[quote]I'm also planting a 20' by 40' wildflower garden

That's a waste of space. Use it for something practical and incorporate some beneficial plants to attract pollinators and parasitic insects.

R183, Yes those a goldfinches, and they love echinacea and rudbeckia as well as all sorts of thistles. Back when I had a sunnier garden, I always grew Echinops (blue globe thistle) and they always attracted goldfinches. I also used to grow cardoons from seed (the same species as globe artichokes) and they're very ornamental, with huge purple blossoms late in the season. If you want to plant something to contrast a bit with the dill, see if you can locate bronze fennel. I use to grow it and had it naturalize for years, and it was always a host for several swallowtail catterpilars.

Goldfinches are only yellow in warm weather. In winter, they turn drab brown. The females are drab olive green.

I've never been able to get a good Still pic of a goldfinch because they are always in motion. It's even hard to get a video because my lens goes crazy trying to focus on them.

I lost all of my impatiens to blight.

Funny, my cosmos haven't bloomed. I scatter the seeds in my side yard every year and they bloom in late July, but it's almost September now. And my butterfly bushes bloomed anemically this year.

My Dark Knight caryopteris is full of bumble bees. There used to be a lot of butterflies, but more and more neighbors are using pesticide companies. The neighbor to the right of me leaves every year on Labor Day weekend and they don't come back until Memorial Day. Yet they had a pesticide truck there a couple of days ago, spraying everything. Idiots.

Still getting fresh okra every other day and my chili peppers are turning red. Bumper crop for both this year.

R187, Caryopteris are actually pretty easy to propagate, if you want to have more of them. You can root cuttings in a pot of moist perlite or vermiculite, or if you're not used to taking cuttings, you can layer them, too. Just find one of the longer branches and bend it to the earth, and place a rock or a brick on top of it to keep it in contact with the earth, and it will usually root.

I have 4 monarchs, which is the most I've seen in recent years. I have the usual bumper crop of painted ladies.

I don't get most butterflies until October. My butterfly bushes are at their best in July. I deadhead them so I'll have flowers for the butterflies in October, but it's kind of odd that the butterflies only get the last, smaller flowers if the season.

I had some monarch caterpillars on the common milkweed I planted. Don't know if they made it. My milkweed plants are turning brown and shriveling up one at a time. I don't think that's how they are supposed to naturally die back. I never had any idea how hard it is to grow healthy milkweed and get butterflies. There are tons of pests, diseases, predators, other weeds crowding things and needing constant pulling up.

It's s jungle out there. A miniature jungle

Have seen just a single, female Monarch nectaring on the last of the tithonia blooms.

Several Anise Swallowtail caterpillars are feasting on parsley, my pot of dill gave up the ghost.

Borage is at last setting seed, have about 50 to plant next year.

Looking forward to a cool day so I can transplant CAREFULLY the butterfly weed that did so well. Then put everything to bed for the year, turn off and drain the hose tap and sweep the deck. See it in the Spring!

Welcome, Spring. I'm in north Texas.

The Redbuds are in bloom now; what a welcome sight. Some kind of native wildflower went to seed in a pot last fall that I don't remember from last year, Wine Cups or a cousin of that, maybe? The bluebonnets are blooming.

The Purple Martins have arrived from their South American migration,, along with Barn Swallows and King Birds. This is my first year having a Purple Martin house. I love them.

The common milkweed I planted last year is coming back up. I’m surprised because it seemed to have some kind of virus last year and turned all black and slimy. But it looks like normal milkweed now. I’ll weed out the little cedar bed where I planted it, but that’s about it. I had no idea how difficult it would be to try to get monarch eggs/caterpillars to survive all the predators and I’m not about to take them indoors with milkweed leaves in an empty aquarium. There’s just so much I’m willing to do for nature. They’re on their own.

I’ve got what looks like a strange tree growing in my flower bed. It shot right up and is about 5’ high now with a very straight “trunk” and opposite leaves that are shiny & light green. No idea what it is.

I bought 3 salvia Amistad from burpee, 20% off $20. They’re small but in very good shape. The problem with Amistad is that the garden centers/ big box stores don’t carry it til midsummer around here and I wanted to plant it now so it has room to spread out. So the shipping charge was worth it to me. Hummingbirds go crazy for it.

R193, where are you? It's not a good tree, whatever it is.

R193, if you can post a photo of that tree, I'll try to help identify it. But I agree with R194, it's almost certainly not a desirable tree. I would guess it's some species of Fraxinus (Ash). They come up all over my yard.