New bees Seed Junkie chit chat Come in!! 12-14-09

RRM, I got the cutest little snoman earrings today and LOVE them. Thank you so much you sweetheart. You did a great job on them. BIG HUGS.
Hunneybunch, I got the seeds today and THANK YOU so much. I can't wait to sow them, I went and got a bunch of pots out so I could get started. Thank you so much, I love them all. Christmas just keeps on coming! Thank you for the sweet thoughts.
It looks like everyone had a great Christmas and special time with the families. Now just keep warm and safe for the winter. It can be harsh at times. I keep hearing about all the snow that has been dumped in other places and it's no fun to be without power and cold, I pray each of you are warm and cozy and stay safe.

I just wanted to be sure you knew I don't know what I am talking about, just repeating what I read somewhere. Taking any advise on plants from me could be fatal. LOL. Hope it grows for you - I trimmed mine up a little and stuck a couple in the pot, one of them has leaves coming out on it - I just stuck it in there Christmas Day. I figured it would go into shock or something, shoot out leaves - ya just never know....

Is anyone else trying to grow Nepenthes besides me and Seray and RRM? If you are wanting to try some, let me know, I have seeds and only a few left but will share with the next 2or 3 that yell at me. I have RRM and Seray already packaged to go out Monday so speak now or forever hold your tongue. These are pitcher plants by the way.

mekos, will they grow in zone 6b. If so I'd like some. You have dmail.

hi all,

best christmas ever having my son home, he is doing so good, says he has little to no pain,
only when he coughs and sneezes.

hey mekos i want some of those Nepenthes seeds, do you want some baby sundews i have billions growing on the side of the road, i will wait till spring if you want, that is when i am going to get them for me, or i will go get some and send to you now if you would like

well got to get ready to get out son needs to walk and get meds
talk later
blondie

Hi everybody! Seems like I haven't been on here forever. LOL I just got some CP seeds in the mail and need to know how to start them. Anybody?

Hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas. So glad to hear your son is feeling good blonde and that he was home for Christmas.

The Nepenthes need to be kept at 80-90 degrees to sprout and 70-90 to grow and live. They are tropical and definately will need to be kept inside during winter and outside in summer. They NEED humid growing conditions. I read they are very slow growers but you can devide and root them very easy once growing.
So far I have RRM, Seray, Blondie, Marti001-?, anyone else? Have enough for 1 more. Marti let me know for sure if you still want to try. You might want to google and read up to see how to take care of them and decide by that. I think they are worth the time and trouble but not sure if I can do it and keep them growing myself. But no harm in trying. Got to water in rain water or river water or just no chemicals in the water.Plant like all the others and same soil requirements as the others.

Hi everyone, I am kinda lost, I think...is this a newbie thread for questions or chit chat or ......well anyways.....I am kind of new...been hanging around the forums just reading here and there....I have tons of questions but not sure where to ask them.
Like, I have an elephant ear and read somewhere to bring it inside and let it go dormant for the winter. So does that mean not watering it?
Also, I have lots and lots of French marigold and firecracker seeds...along with echinacea seeds.....so I can contribute to the newbie collection if you want them. So do I just send them to Mekos or Arejay?
Plus, is there a thread here (been searching but only find pitcher plant stuff) about venus fly traps? Daughter has one we have kept alive for 6 months now but not sure if it needs replanted or what.
And last but not least, can you start a lasagna garden any time? and does it work to plant peas and onion sets in it during the spring?
Sorry if this is the wrong spot to ask all this stuff but not too sure how to find things yet...
Julie

Hi Julie, Welcome to our humble abode. We'll be happy to help all we can.
you can send all you beautiful seeds to me.LOL hehe
NO, if you want to contribute you may send to Arejay for the newbie cause to help them .
RRM and Seray probably could help you more with the VFT.
What is your zone # , mine is 7 and if you are about the same, I might can help in some ways. We,re always having fun and games to play to win extra seeds if you like to play along, that will be fun. Hang around and you may find seeds you would like to grow and we always try to help new members get started out in any way we can.

Well, excuse me, I see you are in zone 6. Anyone around here in zone 6 help her out with her EE's winterizeing. I know nothing about that. I'm in 7 and I leave mine in ground all year long. Sorry. Come on girls, where is everyone this morning? Late sleepers I guess.
Lasagna gardens can be done at anytime. You can plant as soon as your zone allows also with the lasagna garden. It's ready when you are. We all made them over the summer. I am letting mine sit till spring to plant because I have plants in the greenhouse to go in them and they won't be ready to plant till then. Others made theirs and planted right away. Hope this helps some and others will be around as the day goes on so hang around and be sure to join in on the fun as it pops up. The more the merrier.
Edited to say since you are new have you sent off for your free packs of seeds from Arejay yet? If not please do. You just d-mail her with your info and send her an envelope with postage and she will be happy to share seeds to help you get started - you tell her what kind of seeds you like and she will try to fill you with closest she has to that.

This message was edited Dec 27, 2009 12:10 PM

JHulie,
Just bring them in and let go dormant and water about once every 2 weeks or so.

I'm in 8b, so I can't help her. But I do want to Welcome Jar617 to our Forum. We need everyone to help each other out.
Mekos, What Snowman??? That darn mule must have got it my Craft room. I kept hearing him talk about Mojitos and sammwiches.
Can't tell what Charley goin ta do next. Dog gone mule....lol☺

Thanks Flower, I'm not familiar with gardening in other zones. I know Seray is on a well deserved vacation retreat and figured RRM could help with the VFT information she needs.
Awful windy here today. Sun is shining but cold blowing winds are just plain out chilly.
Have a great day everyone.

Charlie loves me, Sending Mojitos and turkey sammiches to him and big hugs too. I'm kinda sorta fond of him too ya know. Thanks!

Thanks for the information! At least I hopefully won't kill it now.

I believe some of the girls, do bring them in and put them in a garage for the winter. They don't water them except maybe when the soil dries out. I have some Gingers that Seray gave me and I just potted them in soil and they are sitting here and I have NOT watered at all. But guess what? I have one that is sending up a little Spike. This is first year forEE. Love them I have them in potting soil but am only watering when soil is DRY> Then I worry. Water is some plants worse enemy in the winter and I have to be careful, or I will "LOVE" them to death. I do hope this helps...

Hi Julie!! Welcome!

Lots of knowledge here - just ask away... Since I'm in a way warmer zone than most of the peeps here I'm not much help with wintering advice... I really don't have "winter" so to speak - lol.

Kelly

Yea, Loca gets to swim all year-lucky girl. Grows vegies all year round and flowers bloom all the time. The kind we all envy and the ones in Florida.

Well, I guess jar617 and I will be learning together. I'm used to zones 8 thru 10, year round gardening. Now I'm in zone 6b and the nursery is closed for the winter. Even WalMart and Lowes has no plants for me to think about. I do have many catalogs and am making out my list of things to order.

Well you guys need to make sure to get your want lists up so everyone can see what kind of things you are interested in growing so if the rest of us have some, we can share with you and make it a little easier on your ordering.

Ys but Mekos, I lived in Daytona Beach for quite some time and what they don't have down there is drizzling days where you can just bake all day and curl up by the fire with a good book and sip hot chocolate all day. (don't mind me,....I miss being there so I have to use the sour grape theory. sounded good at least!)

I need to do that too? don't I??? Wlmart and Lowes are getting a few plants in. Just have to watch where they keep the tropicals. Every place id different. I couldn't believe the frozen plants I saw at one Wal-mart. I was so upset, what a waste of life. Lowes is getting theirs in too. Broms and Orchids, Mekos are being shipped in. Spring is on it's way now.

My HD and Lowe's have everything right now - crazy!

They are greedy for every penny you have. Christmas starts at Holloween now, So Gardening starts as soon as Christmas is over.
Amazing, isn't it???

That is one of the reasons I learned to propagate alot of my plants so I could have more and share some without spending alot of money. Amazing what a $4 bottle of rooting compound can do to help the budget! Plus I can sell any plant starts at the local farmer's market or right from the house as long as they aren't patented.

mekos,
I have so many things I want. I just have to take it easy and get planted what everyone has already sent me. I'm trying to compost the yard using lasgana gardening and leaf mulch. This ground is not fit to grow anything but weeds and pasture grass. When you dig up some and hold it in your hand it is sticky feeling. So I know it needs lots of compost. I have almost 5 months to get something done with it.

Way to go girls, get the soil ready and what a garden you will have this spring/summer! My greenhouse is bursting at the seams with green and a few blooms right now. I got to round up more cardboard for another LONG lasagna bed inside my back fence that I want to plant some brugmansias and a few SUN loving plants. It's full hot sun back there for 3/4 ths of the day-hottest part of the day too. I'm thinking castor beans and brugs and anything that grows tall. That way they can shade some in the front beds from the hottest sun. My soil is hard red georgia clay that nothing will grow in except ANTS. Got a lot more work to do also before spring.

HI Everyone I see you all are in full gardening mode again. Welcome Julie I'm in 6b so here's your options on the elephant ears.. you can either bring in and let die back until spring or you can treat like houseplant and keep it green. Can't help with the VFT though I've managed to kill those but I do remember Seray saying they like peaty boggy soil and rain water, pond water or spring water to drink. Tap water has chemicals in it they don't like.
Mekos shame on you trying to get your hands on her seeds before Robin does. And I'm not posting a want list cause I have so many seeds coming in from the piggy swap I'll be hard put to figure where the heck I'm going to start them all. Where to plant isn't too much of a problem we live on 360 acres so I figure I've got room just means a little exercise to make the beds. Besides, when I'm looking for something I just hollar at you anyway GRIN..
DH is happy with the chckens today four of them have started back laying again so he's happy and promised them some good feed next time we go to Somerset.
And I'm happy with him cause he's getting me a gas heater for the plant room as my gift from Santa. He even put a Christmas card in our box with the return address North Pole and a note stating what my gift was. Gotta love the man.

Mindy,
Is there any place in Monticello that has smooth river rock or is it just the shale that I find on my side of Cumberland Lake?

Mindy that is nice. He sure must have really had a great chat with Santa to get that for ya. I'm looking into a propane tank with the heater for mine just in case the power goes off this winter. I don't want them to freeze after all I have put into growing the stuff.
I guess you should be giving Santa a really big hug for that.

Mindy, 360 acres...that is a dream come true for me....I rent but the house sits on 40 acres and the landlady lets me do what ever I want...her words were...make yourself at home....So I did..chickens, gardens, and all....


Well, ladies, you all have a great night..chat with you in the morning.....

Good morning everyone. Mary all I've seen is the usual pavers you see in Somerset. Might be some smooth rocks along the creek haven't been down there in a long long time. Have you checked the creeks around Somerset?
Mekos, the propane tank is what he's getting for mine. I had told himi I wanted a heat source that didn't depend on electricity because when the wind blows hard around our area sometimes our electric goes off when the tree limbs hit the wires somewhere. They've been working on clearing limbs away from the wires but still happens. And then I took into consideration that sometimes we get a blizzard which can knock us out of power for over a week like it did last time we had one. We are at the end of the line so to speak so everyone else gets their power back before we do. DH told me last night he was going to fix up another section of the building where my plant room is for me to use but I think I'll turn that one into my craft room. He only took one section for himself for his riding mower repair shop. He got lots of big hugs from me.

Good morning all. Well, they finally got the highways open again, so we can all get home after the holidays! Gotta love the snow! Heeheehee! It sure is good to be able to travel and get home. Spent all day yesterday, (after they opened the roads) digging everyone in and out! Now to get ready for the new year!
Welcome, Julie! You will love it here, as we are all a fun loving bunch, and are happy to help!

Good morning all! The sun is shining here and supposed to be up to 40. The baby is off to daycare; feeling well by the way, so I might actually get something done today!
I am going to winter sow some moonvine and hardy hibiscus to see what happens. I have tons of white/pink and pink/pink hardy hib seeds if anyone wants a few. They are in the freezer for two weeks, there were bugs in the seed pods when I cleaned them, gotta get those froze to death before I share. From what I understand, the darn bugs really don't do much harm, they make a tiny hole in the seed but the seeds germinate anyway. Some though seeds I suppose!
I also have about a billion mixed single hollyhocks if anyone wants some of those.

I am trying to germinate some crepe myrtle right now - just started them last night so we will see how they do.

Have a great day fellow gardeners - God has bestowed one more lovely one upon us, make the most of it - I know I am gonna!
Lori

I'd like some of your hollyhock seeds. I love hollyhocks and am trying to get as many as I can to plant along a 192 foot fence. I can't have a real wide garden along the fence and I think a long row of hollyhocks would look great. Check my have list to see if I have anything you'd like in trade.

Marti - I sent you Dmail - I will be more than happy to share with you!

You need any red 4:0'clocks to plant with them?? I got quite
a few of those, Marti. How about you Lori? Need some 4:0clock's
Charleen

RRM - I have Four O'Clocks - are yours a deep red or the common kinda pinkish ones? Mine are all NOID and mixed, I don't have any that are really red though.

See, now you found something that I know I can grow! Four O'Clocks are one of my favorites! Easy to grow - throw the seed on the ground, water once in awhile if you think about it and boom - flowers.LOL Even I can't mess those up without lots of effort!

Good morning everyone....well ok, afternoon....but I slept in today. I looked outside and saw it was white so crawled back under my comforter.......now it looks like a blizzard is coming and I don't mean from Dairy Queen..........
I do not have much to trade but if any hollyhock seeds are still available, I would love some...I need to add more to my have list at the end of this week....
Well, might lose a rabbit...kinda rescued three from a farmer's auction...they were born without any ears...had them all summer and now into winter....the doe got out and my daughter's dog attacked, one bite, in the middle of the back...she's not doing to good.

I am off to fix the kids lunch....strange having them home on a Monday morning....but I love having them here because they are at that stage where they are trying to get their mouths and brains synchronized...so there is no telling what will come out of their mouths........I laugh a lot these days just hearing them talk.

Ok, Ladies...Have a good day!

REd. Good Lord girl, you are a mess!!! I have problems growing things too. It takes lots of Practice. So Hang in there and Just keep planting.
If you want some seed just send me a d-mail jar617 so I can get an address. You don't have to send anything.
Enjoy those Kids!!