They are cute and the GS is adorable.
North Central Texas Fall Roundup Plant Talk
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who gave me so many plants last weekend. Between what I got at the trade and what I bought at the wildscape sale I am still trying to find places for a few items. I took these today to show where I put most of what I got. I am calling it the mostly TX border as most but not all the plants in here are native. The fence in the back was my husbands idea to add more privacy. Didn't have the heart to say what I thought of it. I am sure there are too many plants in here and for some odd reason I picked some very large specimens. Will have to wait and see what spring brings me.
Cheryl
An opposite view.
With a trellis like that, you are the envy of clematis lovers.
Very nice, Cheryl. Especially like the stone border.
I bought a couple of passions flower vines at the plant sale and I am hoping they cover some of the ugly fence lol.
Cheryl
The green fencing is only temporary, just to keep the dog out of the fresh dirt. I will replace that with something shorter and more attractive when I mulch the area. I am also thinking of putting in a soaker hose or 2, anyone have any advice on how to do that?
Cheryl
Passion flower will do the trick. You will love it.
I had installed a soaker hose system with my irrigation system. It didn't work out well because it didn't work up hill (even slight grade) and if there was a tear or enlarged hole all the water would spurt out . I think there are better ones available now and I probably tried to make it too long instead of rigging it up to more sprinkler heads.
Are you planning to attach it to your faucet?
I have a hose out to a bed at the end of my property and have buried soaker hoses (2) attached to it. I ran it down the back of the bed then looped through back weaving in and out of plants; all of it covered with mulch or dirt. They do put out more water nearer the hose connection, so don't double it too close there. It's worked very well for about two years now. The rest of my yard is on a sprinkler system, but not that bed, I just turn it on a couple times a week for a good soaking.
Cheryl,
We installed Netafim drip irrigation tubing connected to a retrofit head at the site of one pop-up sprinkler in 2 zones of our irrigation system this summer. It has emitters every 12 inches that emit .9 gallons per hour. Learning just how long to run it and then adjusting when we have rain has been a little hard for me to learn but overall a lot more satisifed with it than my attempt at soaker hoses. You can buy pressure regulator and timer, etc., to hook it up to a waterhose type connection also, or just use a pressure regulator and manually turn it on when needed. We bought the Netafim at Ewing Irrigation in Mansfield (South Arlington). It comes in 100' to 250' rolls. They also got the retrofit head for us to use on the pop-up sprinkler riser. We just capped off all the other risers on that zone and use one riser per zone for the Netafim. Can't have other sprinkler types on the same zone at the same time.
Link to Netafim: http://www.netafim.com/product/technet-090-16-mm . There's a brochure in pdf format you can download on that page.
If you have other questions, I'll try to look through the mass of stuff I have in a notebook. It took us longer to make up our minds what we wanted to use than it did to do the actual installation. Ours was harder because everything was fully leafed out and crawling around between those plants putting the tubing down was a real chore I've sworn I won't do again. Won't plant until the Netafim is down.
Glenna
PassionFlower Vine will do very well there. And you'll have gobs of Gulf Fritillary butterflies thanking you.
Carla
Your passion vines will do great there. It appears that is a vinyl lattice, and may need some support in the middle. Attach some 2x4 pieces in the centers to even them out and screw the lattice to the new supports.
Although I like the purple incensa variety the best for their fragrance, the Constance Elliott is practically an evergreen. It's the hardiest variety and will not freeze in our deep freeze cold snaps and ice storms. Other varieties will freeze back to the ground, and my experience has been poor for coming back the following spring.
As to the butterflies - well, I leave that call to you. They will wipe out your passion vine.
Here's my results this year with the Gulf Fritillaries this year.....in two weeks time.
It's coming back strong now, but was producing 30-40 white flowers per day and lots of fruit when they struck.
Bulbine question: Love this "little" plant.
Have a nice stand growing in the bed. I know they will freeze.
Should I dig them up, trim them and overwinter them inside or in a greenhouse, or will they freeze and come back in the spring.
I think the one I bought was incensa, hope it comes back next spring. As for the butterflies, well I have a good variety in the yard but I don't want their offspring to eat up all of my vine!
Cheryl
I brought all my plants inside today. It's getting chilly here. I now have "trails" through which I can walk in my house. Is it considered hoarding if the "trails" are caused by numerous plants? It's like a jungle in here:)
I have been trying to sort my hardy and not so hardy plants, looking to be ready when the first freeze hits. If this weather is an indication, it might be an early one this year, but i hope not, I hate winter.
Well, I love winter but I'm completely unprepared for an early frost. So if we're all doing some sort of anti-freeze dance I'm in. In a pinch all the plants will go into the garage with a light and heater, but my peppers are still producing tons and I'm no ready to get them ready for winter just yet, and I have a couple of tomatoes that have set fruit... and I'm hoping to get some of it before frost. I've become obsessed with checking the weather forecast several times a day... I'm really hoping the odds are in my favor!
Me too, I bring the plants into the garage then take them out after it warms up, what a drag! I ended up doing that about 15 times last winter.
You need to get one of those wire racks on wheels in Texas! As much as the weather changes and threatens here, it would be a back saver.
I really have too many for a rack right now, but with the little wagon it helps.
I am hoping that next year after i get the front planted I won't have so many plants to carry over the winter.
I don't know how I can ever get all of the beds I have now full. But I have so many more sun plants and less full sun areas as the trees get bigger!
Are you putting another large bed up front or trying for the whole area at once? Guess your HOA won't be like the one Mitch ran into will it?
We don't have an HOA thank goodness.
We are doing one bed at a time, but eventually it will all be 4 large beds and mulched paths.
We already have one bed around the large tree planted, one large oval by the front walk will be ready to plant soon, and I am working on mulching and edging a 5 foot wide wrap around bed about 125 feet long by the curb.
It is going to take a while, but I think it will be very neat, we shall see.
Chuck, I think that if you mulch it well during the weather, your Bulbine will survive. If it really gets nasty (ice/snow), you might put some kind of box or something over it and/or cover it with a sheet or something to protect it. Divide it in the spring.
Josephine...I was over right after you had gotten the plants in the one around the tree. I should have made a larger one for my natives out front long ago. They don't sell the stones in the color and size we have used out there anymore.
Take some pics of your beds, I need ideas.
Cheryl
I will, I will try to record how we went about it.
Josephine.
I don't like winter much, either. I really need to get out and get some things planted, but my yard is too muddy to walk around in.
Kate, my tomatoes and peppers have finally taken off, too and they're loaded with fruit - it would be such a laugh on me if we got a sudden freeze because really - it would be just so typical of everything that's happened in my first foray back into gardening.
When that happens, you'll find me in the corner, chuckling quietly and commiserating with people that you can't necessarily see.... ;)
Josephine/Frostweed
You gave me a Frostweed at the Spring RU. It's almost bloomed out with seed heads now. What is the best way to collect the seed?
Plantfiles says to let them dry on the plant, but there is no picture of the seed. Do you have a picture of the seed you can post to Plantfiles?
Doing a seed swap with a guy in France that wants some. So spreading your namesake around..........
Chuck
Thank you Chuck you are so sweet to do that.
I don't have a picture of the seed, but it looks similar to Sunflower seed, but flat and a lot smaller.
Just gather all the dry material at the top and the seed should be in there, but be sure to let it dry on the plant so the seed will be mature.
I will try to take a picture of the seed head and the seed and post it soon.
Josephine.
Frostweed,
I pulled a green seed pod apart yesterday and examined it with a magnifying glass.
I know exactly what part your are referring to now.
Whoever posts the first seed picture wins............
Run for the cameras!!
I just don't think they are ready yet.
I have Frostweed seeds from last fall I believe, I will add a photo and let you know when I do.
Here you go...
I didn't do a good clean up but I think you can see where the seed is.
Yes, that is it, good picture Sheila, and you win whatever it is.
Excellent, thanks, you win the grand prize - posterity in Plantfiles.
Could you post that to the Plantfiles.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62734/
The one area in Dave's Garden that I believe could use more emphasis is better information and instructions on collecting seeds of plants that are not so obvious. Better information or instructions on dividing plants or propagation of plants would be helpful also. Usually you find dozens of pictures on flowers and plants, but scant information in other areas.
Anna, did you or your husband get brave enough to try any peppers? :)
dfwdennis, if you are coming to Aunt Anne's, I will share some 'special' peppers, I got @ E Tx RU, with you!
LMK
:~)
Actually, got a little chicken to try it in food that I share with my husband.
They are drying nicely and will soon add some to the "pickled cucumbers" soon. Will let you know.
Mmmmm... if those pickles turn out good then I'll have to get the recipe.