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I don't know the name of that color Mekos but watermelon color is perfect. :) They are pretty! Did you grow yours from seeds you collected? I'd like to try to sprout some of the burgundy ones.

You know I have see what I thought was crepe myrtles around here but am not sure as I have never been able to stop at the houses I have seen it and ask for sure if that was what it was.
I know I sure would like to give it a try.

Several years ago. Got the dwarf this spring but it is small and trying to root some now. I have seeds from the lavender one and will have some more seeds of the watermelon and light pink and white soon. They are blooming now.

Has anyone got this in seed or small tree? It's called a dichrostachys cinerea. Princess and her earring tree. I want one so bad. You guys help me find one.

What color do you want Flower. I know I can get the seeds. Might come up with a sprout. Mekos will have to tell us how to sprout them.

Plants and seeds here Mekos. :)
http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/DICHROSTACHYS_CINEREA.htm

I now have seeds. Thank you so much. I love that thing. Is that pretty or what?

Very Pretty!!!

Well if you sow seeds now, they won't sprout until spring. they got to go COLD for a few weeks to make them think winter has sprung, then will sprout around spring so already sprouted ones will grow faster.

Ok cold stratification it is. The seeds have a tough covering. Did you soak this off or just plant the whole thing?

Squeeze the tough ball and it will open and give you several seeds inside it. Keep real cold for several weeks and then soak 24 hours. Plant and w-a-i-t. One of these days you will see tiny babies.

Thanks a bunch! I'll give it a try.

OK what kind of tough ball are you squeezing here? LOL

Crape myrtle seed balls. They are round when they come off the tree but you open the ball and find the seeds inside.

OK I didn't know that. Really made me wonder about you all. LOL

mekos,
your all the time starting semi and hardwoods, how do you do yours?

What color of balls would you like me to send you Flower. I have watermelon colored, liliac and deep pink. Didn't you say you wanted a crepe myrtle. It won't grow outside there but will go through the winter in your greenhouse.

I want to know how you do it too Mekos.

This message was edited Aug 8, 2009 10:28 PM

You collect the seed balls in the fall after they turn brown or black looking, and as they start to open. I pick them when I notice some are opening and put them in the dirt in a pot OUTSIDE and forget them until spring and they sprout in the spring/early summer. They have to go through a cold season to sprout, but you can fool them by putting in refridgerator for several weeks and soak them and plant, but will take a long time to sprout. They grow slow at first. I don't sow many things because no where to put them. But this spring, I want to have plants to sell here in my hometown and I want plants we can't find around here. That is the reason for the tropical seeds now. But some are not cooperating with me. I have lots of different plants this year and want to start cuttings during the fall to be ready for spring /summer pots. Normally, I don't do all these plantings. My health hasn't been good and this year for some reason, I've been able to do more than I have in the last 3 years combined. So while I can, I'm doing it. Might not be able to next year. MY have list started out just to list what I had with correct names just for my own information, but then found so many things I'd never heard of and wanted to try them. And here we are now and still many that is not listed because they are not IDed yet. I been mowing down stuff(I call weeds) you guys call flowers. Things you call weeds are beautiful to me, go figure. I grew up with a weed we called bitter weeds in our pasture (made milk tast bitter if the cow ate it) and found it being sold at wal-mart as a flower, now. Man, how times are changing.

Good night everyone. Talk to ya tomorrow.

Nite all. I am headed that way too.

seray just what ever you want to send well be ok.

Thanks all for your help, folks, you've been very informative on these crepes. Didn't realize I had a such a winner on this subject. Mekos, we need to talk about your dwarf plants sometime.

Al

This message was edited Aug 9, 2009 12:45 AM

*yawn* mornin' everyone

Hi cue, everybody still asleep or getting ready for church?

Morning Cue and Flower. I've been out digging in the lasagna bed before it got hot. Just like moving the logs and getting rid of stuff near the edge of them and I'm ready to being layering. Hoping the shopping trip tomorrow doesn't get cancelled so I can pick up some stuff to put in it.

Boy Mindy you got more energy that I do this morning. Didn't sleep well last nite stomach thing going on.Yuck !!!!!!

well, i said i wasnt gonna do any gardening today, since i hurt my shoulder, howver, just spent the 3 hours weeding and trimming and watering...LOL.. so much for that idea. even went and weeded my neighbors bed since he is outta town.... i really need to just stop.

as for the lasagna bed... do what i did. just putin it whatever you find in the yard.. or neighbors yard. grass clippings, hedge clippings, leaves etc... the only things i bought were topsoil and composted manure (cuz dont have them lying around the yard...lol)

I was lazy yesterday Flower and I was in the mood to dig this morning.
Cue that's what I need to buy for the bed is what you did. I think DH has enough cardboard in the garage and I have grass and weeds for the green. I'm too lazy and not too fond of my neighbors who are here all the time during the summer to clean up their yards LOL. She has plants but lacks the goodwill to share even though I've given her some stuff from my yard (though not anymore) . I just wait until they leave in Oct for FL then go out there and collect seeds from the plants. She doesn't mind me doing that but doesn't offer anything on her own.

well, i dont offer my neighbors either.. we just have an understanding that if we each have something the other wants... we just say so...LOL. if she wants a cutting of a plant i have.. alll she does is ask.. and visa versa. I just dont push my stuff on my neighbors...lol, they may not like the same flowers i do.. and my neighbors tend to like very low maintenance stuff.. and most of mine.. well... isnt. also, my neighbors dont have too many things i like except maybe a purdy Loropetalum hedge that I try in vain to root, so far, only 2 remain of the 10 I took several weeks ago, but he trims it regularly so I am never without material...lol.

I don't push my plants on her but if she says she wants a start I used to give it to her but when I tell her she has something I want a start of no reponse. DH was fussing last week that she didn't giver her mom any sweet corn though she had plenty to give her a mess of it. I just shrug and think that's her way. Her mom on the other hand will give me all kinds of stuff if I ask her. It's funny to me. we were neighbors where I grew up they lived up the road from us and we usted to get fresh milk from them until they quit selling it. Now the daughter is a part time neighbor who is here from the end of March through the middle of Oct and for 2 weeks around Christmas.

Boy I am glad I share what I have with you all. I don't think I would share with my neighbors as I have no use for them. We live far enough away that I don't have a problem with them Thank Goodness. And if any of you wonder why It was because he and son and a friend were out target practicing and they were shooting our direction and shot our Camper. Ask him nicely to shoot the other direction and came back to the house and b4 I could set down it was bombarded again so had to call the Sherriffs Dept to get it stopped.

Ouch Flower my neighbors aren't that bad just the ones behind us aren't my type but the ones who have a place they are fixing up before you get to mine are really nice and they are giving me starts of plants now they know I'm nuts about them though she said she doesn't have alot of outside ones due to Dan killing them by accident he forgets where he helped her plant them and either runs over the with the mower or weed whacks them down. He had heart attack a few years ago and suffers from memory problems ever since.

Hi Everyone

Looks like everyone is working on their lasagna today. Me too. I got all the papers down. Went to the dump and helped an older man with his stuff and he gave me a huge box of papers. LOL I think he thought I was crazy until he say the 250# of Black Kow in my truck.

Finally got all that laid down. Started on the green and only had about 1/34th of what I needed. I noticed you were using weeds Mindy. Do you worry about the seeds sprouting? I don't need another huge bed of weeds. LOL Maybe I should cook the bed after I get it finished. Are you guys doing that.

How about you Cue did you use weeds? All input is appreciated. :) Much Thanks!

i did use weeds as a green layer, but made sure it was the bottom most layer i used them on and made sure to cover that layer with a nice thick layer of shredded newspaper... also made sure there were no seed heads on them as well.

another green layer i used was the fresh cut pine branches fromt he back. i occasioanlly have to keep the wild from encroaching in my yard and the sand lines are everywhere, so all i did was spend 30 minutes stripping pine needles off of branches, lol. dead leaves (half decayed, mind you) as a nice brown layer, and a weeks worth of cofee grounds were sprinkled (not layerd) over them. grass clippings i got from my yard and both my neighbors yards and made for a nice layer as well... peat moss in a think layer throughout the bed instead of one thick layer. the top 4 inches are; light sprinkle of peat, 1 inch layer composted manure, 1 inch layer of top soil, light sprinkle of peat, 1 inch layer of composted manure, and 1 inch layer of top soil.

when finished, I let it 'rest' for two days and kept it watered.. then on the third day, I planted my seed and all are sprouting. yesterday, I mulched with graqss clippings... and just keep it moist. so far, everything is looking good. far more vigorous and healthy then when i sowed the seed inside in seed trays!

Thanks a bunch! I have so much chamber bitter weeds mixed with the others I was afraid to risk it. I have a huge bed of bloomed out cannas and I've been cutting those back. I think that will give me enough green for the first green layer. For the second I'll start on the extra banana plants. :)

Ok back on track. LOL Appreciate it.

Hey Cue, I guess I forgot to list those loropetalum plants I have, man I knew I had more not listed but couldn't remember the name until you mentioned that. HHmmmmm. I wonder what we can do about that?
Morning everyone. I was still printing out pictures of Mom's 85th birthday party for her scrap book I'm making for her birthday cards and pictures of the dinner and all who came. Figured I'd put a picture and then the card they gave her beside the picture and mom could look at the book and all would be there together. My printer cartridge ran out of ink and had to go this morning and get another one. I refill the black one myself, but just buy the color one when it goes out. Just finished printing out the pictures and got to go Tuesday to her house to put it all together with her. Well the auction will end tonight at 8:00pm and pick the winner. I think Blondie really wants this one, I think she was the only bidder, too.
Al, you just say when.
I got news today, I may be a new grandmother again. My daughter-in-law is expecting. They want one so much. BIG SMILE!!!

HI Everyone
Seray the weeds I'm going to use won't have any seed heads on them at all. But, I read somewhere that if you compost weeds you should get them just before they bloom as that's when they are supposed to be in prime condition nutrition wise. Don't have a clue if it's true or not but I'm playing it safe and only using ones that are healthy but no seed heads. And I'm not including the roots on them just in case. I'm considering putting clear plastic over mine after I get it filled up and let it sit over winter to kill andy weeds that dare poke their heads up through my hard work. Most of my stuff for that bed are seeds right now and the plants I do have are being put in another bed until I'm ready to move them.

mekos.. you know... you can take that color cartridge down to your local Walgreens and have it refilled for $12.99. same with the black one... saves you the mess of filling the black.. and saves money on the color. just thought i would mention that...LOL


and congrats on becoming a grandma....again...LOL!

This message was edited Aug 9, 2009 4:53 PM

ok ROBIN!!! Where int he heck are you????? come out, come out wherever you are! You have been too silent for far too long! We miss you.. you neeeeeeed to be here woman!!!!! dont make me come up there and find you.. cuz I'll be bringing LUCY along with me ;) she will sniff ya out in no time.

Wooo! Don't mess wit Lucy, Arejay. She scares me.
Thanks for the tip Cue, but I've been filling my black for a couple years and Got enough ink for 2 more so for 4 years it cost me $5.00 total to keep black ink going and the color I tried at wallgreens last year and they broke the cylinder inside that devides the colors, and the color wasn't correct when I got it back, so I just buy it new each time.
I figure in a couple years more, I'll get a new laser printer.
Oh well, auction time. Talk later.

HI Everyone. Robin sure has been quiet since her birthday party and vacation. Robin you aren't sick are you?