Fall is the best time for planting and transplanting perennials, usually October through December.
Josephine.
Hot August Blooms & Garden Views
We have this vine that grows up in our backyard bush. We think the bush is a type of crabapple. The vine, I really don't know, but it's a bit of a nuisance, and it likes to twist around our tiki torches that are next to the bush. This year, the vine bloomed! What is it!??
(Lonicera japonica) Japanese honeysuckle;
http://www.invasive.org/species/subject.cfm?sub=3039
Josephine.
The marigolds are going crazy in the heat among the watermelon vines.
One of the bazillion volunteer Rock Roses is blooming amidst the butterfly bush. I haven't had one of these growing in this bed for 2 years, but I've got at least 10 volunteers that have sprung up in the past month or so. I've pulled more and I've transplanted one to a place in my backyard.
the pink lycoris is Lycoris squamigera.
Thanks, frostweed. I'm going to try and keep after it. If it were a native, I would have let it go a bit more. I haven't been able to completely eradicate it as it's too close to the bush at the base, but I keep cutting it down several times every year. I don't know what to do except to cut it and the bush out. This year, I just haven't been after it as much as before, and it has just about taken over half of the bush.
Yes it grows fast, but if you keep cutting it will eventually give up.
Carolyn,
If you seriously want to be rid of the verrry invasive honeysuckle cut it down and take a small paint brush and paint whats left of the stems with a roundup like product for brush or poison ivy. Regular weed killer won't be strong enough, must say for brush on it's label
If you're an organic gardener, feed it a steady diet of horticultural vinegar (10%). That'll take care of it, too.
All of those would do the job but I think it is growing very close to a shrub, and those things might harm the shrub, just a thought.
Thanks, Josephine - I actually knew that, but this heat has really messed with my MS and I'm having a really hard time remembering things like that for some reason!
Deb
That's why I wold use a paintbrush, to make sure it only kills the undesirable vine. It works from the plant down and will not kill any other thing it did not contact above ground.
Stephanietx, I try to be organic, but there a few times I break down and get out the petrochems. I did this year for the mosquitoes, which liked to killed us all. I don't know why they were so bad this year.
I have been using a clove oil/citrus oil blend as a herbicide. I wonder if that would work if brushed on.
Thanks,
Carlo (not Carolyn ;-)
Ooooooooooops senor
My first Cowpen Daisy bloom!
Berries on the Pigeonberry. I love this little plant!
My little NOID cuphea is starting to bloom. Stacey (aardvark1) and I are wondering what variety it is.
This blue Veronica dies back in the winter and then struts its stuff all season long. There's also the small white flowers of the frogfruit in the background.
Lovely flowers Stephanie.
The orange cosmos (Ladybird Orange, or something like that) adds some punch to the garden at this time of the year.
Thank you, Josephine! I really do enjoy them!
how does that pidgeonberry grow in the wild? is your soil alkaline? do they grow in dry or moist conditions?
All I can say is that it grows! LOL It grows well if you don't water it for awhile. It grows well if you do. It does prefer shade or mostly shade, though. This year, I haven't seen as many berries on it as in years past, but they're picking up now. It dies back in the winter, but comes back in the spring.
I love pidgeonberry I have had it in mainly shade, but have lost it over winter 2 times. Grrr! Do you mulch it well or have well amendedn soil?
It is mulched fairly well. It's under the overhang of a big oak tree so it gets lots of leaves that fall down on it. I just leave the leaves on it all winter then reduce the depth of them in the spring. We learned fairly quickly that it does no good to use any other kind of mulch. It just washes away. I don't think we amended the soil with much. If anything, just some cotton burr compost.
hey do you stand by that cotton burr stuff?
pictures of daily blooms..the pampas is making a statement that it will soon be fall
About the only thing that's "happy" in my yard is the variegated liriope and Southern Wood Fern, and that's because they're on the north side of the house and get very little sun. Everything else, including me, is worn out from the August hot weather blues !!!
Glenna
We like the cotton burr stuff, but you have to make sure you get the good stuff. Some of it is horrible! We also use mushroom compost, but I don't think we put any in the bed with the pigeonberry. Last fall, I found pigeonberry growing in some of the weirdest places in my back yard in good soil and bad soil.
Hey Glenna----It looks like you live in a Gingerbread house!
:-)
Well, actually it is an eclectic mish-mash style that we've put together adding on and remodeling what was an almost flat-roofed box when we bought it 29 years ago. And sometimes we can't even remember why we chose to do certain things. ROFL.
Glenna
This is the 2nd year for me growing Pigeonberry (in the shade behind a PossumHaw Holly) and I am more impressed all the time. Not only is it low maintenance, but the berries are loved by Mockingbirds and White Winged Doves. I mean, I know it's called "Pigeon"berry for a reason, but it still seems odd to watch a Dove eat a berry. :-)
Carla
I am also developing a fondness for Pigeon berry, it sure is pretty, and I am trying my luck at propagating it, wish me luck.
Josephine.
Speaking of something getting eaten, yesterday this was a nice pot of chocolate mint that had grown from a cutting Sheila gave me in July. Last night I left it sitting on brick front steps, almost ground level, second pot a little higher up not touched. Wonder if rabbits are fond of chocolate mint ??? Slugs are on my suspect list too. Guess I'll put out some beer for the thief tonight, see if I catch anything. May have a drunk rabbit running around. LOL
Glenna
This message was edited Aug 26, 2009 12:33 PM
Wow! that was one busy little somebody.
Here's the outside of my deck a few days ago. The lawn area is now almost covered with hay bales for next year and the concrete patio on the other side of the deck is covered with plants - flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs.
All this started with a few Topsy Turvy tomato planters hanging from the rafters - the gardening bug bit me after that and now I'm outside from sunup to after dark, planting, trimming, tying, moving plants around. :)
Keeps me off the streets....
Have a great day!
Elizabeth
what are you doing with the hay bales?
That looks great Elizabeth, good job!!!
Are you going to do bale hay vegetables?