You know you're a gardener when.........

timmijo, That is true gardening dedication. Welcome!

You know you're a gardener when you'll brave this cold and wind to put down another load of leaf mold.

stormyla, I bow to you. I did nothing in the yard today.
too cold!!!!! well, except put kitchen waste in the bucket on the deck. A token act.

I'll fess up. I was only out there half an hour. DSO finished it up. Needed the truck empty to pick up a load of mushroom soil for another bed for tomorrow.

Happy Birthday HollyAnnS!

Our coldest day yet & I finished planting bulbs and could only stand it out there for about two hours off and on. Felt like the Michelin Man trying to move with so many layers on. If it wasn't cold enough, the wind was brutal, just had to keep coming in to warm up every few minutes.

You know you're a gardener when your hubby surprises you with an early Christmas present by paying your Master Gardener's Class tuition.

Oh Wow, Master Gardeners Class. I would love to take one. I called last fall and was told that they have cut back on the # of classes they run and you need to take a pre-test to qualify for the class. Hopefully I will get to take one someday. Congrats on finishing up the bulb planting.

They must have too many people applying in your area, Holly. It's not that way in our county. I wonder if you could go to the next county over.

Ya have a thread on the NE forum too...in case you haven't seen it.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1062231/

It's not that way here either. After a phone call, I rec'd a letter stating the requirements along with a basic 1-page questionnaire. Could I ask who's taken the class or are already MG's?

I love those Shooting Stars.

Jen, Thanks so much for the heads up.
Good idea Stormy, I didn't think of that since I live in York Co. I thought I had to use York Co. extension office didn't even ask if it mattered and I could just as easily go to Dauphin or Cumberland Counties.

Wow that was weird I thought I posted that link on your b-day thread. Sorry people.

Hi FruitOTV--I'm with you its the cold and wind together that makes it soo tough to endure! I think there is a MG forum here DG. I have not taken it but have found that my library has copies of the Handbook that is given out here, or was. Neat reference, might give you an idea of the material in your area. I don't know how unified they are state to state.

yes are the shooting stars late fall bloomers?

Hi FruitOTV--I'm with you its the cold and wind together that makes it soo tough to endure! I think there is a MG forum here DG. I have not taken it but have found that my library has copies of the Handbook that is given out here, or was. Neat reference, might give you an idea of the material in your area. I don't know how unified they are state to state.

hey stormyla- YKYAGW--you barely endure a frigid session of soil amending only to turn around and GET MORE!!

yes are the shooting stars late fall bloomers?

You know your a gardner when after cleaning the houseplants to begin decorating for Christmas you could start a compost in the corner of the sun space floor. LOL Ric

You know you're a gardener when you want to put your Christmas tree in your picture window but you have to take a weekend to figure out where to put all the displaced houseplants, first.

Oh I know where to put them "upstairs" plant-room. Boy those steps are killers and Ric is carrying most of them . LOL Lets see Jan plants come down to living room, May plants go outside, Sept plants go back to living room, Dec plants go back upstairs. Jan start process all over again. Boy I can't wait till I have a GH.

regarding the Master Gardener question....I have had that designation from Purdue since 1997 - was Pres of our group in S IN for two years. The Master Gardener programs vary a lot - some states have some pretty rigid requirements while others just require taking the course, passing the test, working as an Intern on accepted projects for a year - must accumulate XX numbers of work hours during that year. Once the Intern year is over, it is just a mater of paying your dues, attend classes, get XX hours of Continuing Education.

How much you get out of the classes and the contined involvment depends on:
a. how much you put into the program and projects and
b. how much leadership the program has.

I have seen programs/clubs at both ends of the spectrum.

YKYAGW you take a bag of free bulbs even though you still have
quite a few of the 50% off ones left to plant. I just got back from
the rock garden society holiday brunch. Someone brought 4 crates
full of mixed tulips and some hyacinth from Longwood Gardens. They
gave them to us rather than throwing them away. Now I have a bagful
of tulips to force. Wheeeeeee

Dodecatheon aka shooting star is a spring ephemeral. (Actually, they
are no longer Dodecatheon but I forget the new name).

Tam

tammy - what a great "attendance prize"

YKYAGW you're happier getting flower bulbs than Godive chocolate as a gift.

LOL, Jrwbirds, The Godivas melt in your mouth in minutes. The Hyacinths will give you at least 2 weeks of blooming delight!! Now, have they come out with a Chocolate Hyacinth yet??

That sounds like a fun time, Tammy.
Guess I should fess up since I just opened a box of Godiva's last week. Not a single one in the box is Hyacinth flavored so you may be on to something.
Thanks for your insight, jrwbirds. Our class is the more casual one you described. Virginia Tech is providing our manuals.

Bulbs just naturally migrate towards Tammy. She's got Bulbdar.

ROTFL... yes. It is completely not my fault. They just kinda
pack up and come to me. Bulbdar LOL

bulbdar lol good one you've heard of animal magnetism...
quoted
"you could start a compost in the corner of the sun space floor"
and you seriously consider doing so! well maybe vermicompost ha.

OH no, not worms in the family room!!

You know you're a gardener when there are gardening related items in just about every room in your house. And yes, it's much worse in the winter.

And oh Holly--I'll give you one year to have the greenhouse packed and STILL be hauling plants around and in and out!!!LOLOL Who do you think you're talking to??

Sally, You forget I have a lot of experience in killing things in the GH not to mention accidents. LOL Ric

Sally, How well you know me. LOL Yes you surely are right about the 1 year. I have been told the GH much like ponds are never big enough.

Are gardening and moderation mutually exclusive? Would make a good question for Dave's voting booth.

YKYAGW you trade in a small city lot for a 10acre rural property so
you'll have enough room and 10yrs later you complain 'cause you don't
have enough planting area for all your plants. :-)

I'd definitely be a YES on that question! Gardening and moderation are
mutually exclusive.

Tam

Oh, but Tammy, be fair to yourself. Isn't a lot of your acreage wooded?

errr.. well... no. Its actually very steep in places and we keep the fields
mowed so someone could have horses here if they wanted. The real
problem is that I've gotten to the point where I don't have time to maintain
more gardens. I think 2-3 acres is the most any one person (who works
full time) can handle. I need to retire so I will have enough time to garden.

Tam

I remember seeing your photos of steep enbankments. You are right. What I have is all that I can maintain too. A geenhouse would become just another chore for me that would be overwhelming. I think that people who have large beds of all one type of plant, like Daylilies or Iris, have a lot less maintenance.

LOL Tammy, Ric and I retired a couple of years ago. We have done some major work and expanded much in the garden. BUT we aren't near as far along as I thought we would be either outside or inside. Not just the big projects that got put on hold last summer after Ric's injury but just general clean up. I thought that my beds would be completely weed free and the house would be so very organized. Boy was I wrong. LOL

You know you're a gardener when you can't WAIT for your monthly visit to Lowe's to pay down your outstanding balance .... but--heh, heh ..... you're REALLY there just to check out the half-price plant cart, hee, hee.

Of course!! If you don't save some they will be out in the dumpster with little green tears running down their, um...Still. let no halfway live plant go unsaved!

YKYAGW...you hide your seed catalogs until after Xmas--but then seed swap discussion starts and you get this fire in your belly.....and...OH CRUD WHERE IS IT?? PINETREE?? YOO HOO!

LOL Timmijo, I used to save all of my errands for HD and Lowes up till I could get 6 or 7 items at once. Not anymore. Might miss the latest & greatest plants.

Sally, you're right, there are such good deals to be had at Lowes. I never used to go over there as I live a quarter of a mile from HD. Fortunately, Lowes is a good bit cheaper on a lot of things than HD, so it's easy talking DSO into going over there for whatever he needs. That way I have frequent excuses to check out their great sale plants.

You know you're a gardener when you'll rationalize any behavior just to get great deals on more plants.

You ALL are just too clever for me!
I can't think of anything to post in the "YKYAG" category........Hmmm.....Maybe a part of my brain that is responsible for any frivolous stuff has long ago fossilized and I cannot think of anything to add here.....
I think I have had all of ONE entry in this category!

Let me think......think...think......^^%***---##@...^o.((+=]].....Hmmmm........I think my brain is half dead!

You know you are a gardener when---when....when.....hmmmm.....when----AHA! When your brain shrivels up and goes dormant along with all your plants for the Winter........OHHHH! HOW profound is THAT?

LOL Gita You have mutated!!!! Spill you guts, just what did you cross with??????

R2-D2??????