WOOHOO, I have growth. Cardinal Climbers are up and it looks like the Hyacinth Bean is coming, too.
2010 Seed starting in the MA group
doc,
There is NOT another like clinic set-up like this anywhere like this--as it is my own creation--just for our store....The "Company" has nothing to do with it. Even on my big sign in the entry vestibule it says: "ONLY AT THE WHITE MARSH HD"......All the Mgr's and the regional higher ups love it. Why not! It is all a very positive thing!
My "underlying" goal, besides educating and helping people with their gardening projects, is to drive sales by suggesting "add on" sales the customer might not have thought of.....
Like: If they are buying some Roses--I would (gently) convince them that they need some Systemic Rose Care fertilizer and maybe also a set of bypass pruning sheers----BINGO! That's an additional $25 or so of sales!
I have to chuckle at myself how blatantly self-promoting i can be......:o)
Gita
Here's my table last Summer....
I can see most of the clematis that I planted under some bushes last year. We have about 15 more wheelbarrow loads to go and the bed at the end of the tree line will be finished. I already put in a climbing Don Juan Rose bush and a sickly looking red crepe myrtle that someone gave me. We'll see about those two.
nice Gita!!!
I so much want to help the customers when I'm out and about, but how can you undermine the store? Last July I was looking around and a man was buying 6 packs of radish seeds, and said "I don't know why I plant these they never grow"...I tried to tell him you plant radishes in the early Spring, not in the middle of Summer but to no avail...Also in May/June I see people buying flats of pansies, I want to say "Hold on! They will only bloom about another month, you should have planted them last fall, you're wasting your money!". Or I hear this told to a garden clerk: "I want tulips, daisies, mums, zinnias and daffodills in my bed this Summer...I try to tell them you plant tulip bulbs in the fall for Spring bloom, Mums in the fall for fall bloom, zinnias bloom during the Summer, you can't really have all blooming simultainously but again to no avail...
Karldan--
What store or Garden Center do YOU work for?
I would think any store dealing with plants would welcome someone's advice if they know what they are talking about!!!
Shame on them if they do not!
Hah, 30 years ago I worked in the trade, when I was barely a sprout. I am generally refering to shopping at garden centers, especially at the big box stores, where they really don't have any plant experts. It really makes me sad to see people buying flats of pansies in the early Summer, expensive pots to plant them in, and think they will have lovely flowers. I am all for what you're doing, it's really good for the stores, who suffer from a dirth of knowledgible employees. I guess if you want expert advise, you must go to the upscale nurseries and pay upscale prices.
Gita, nice work. I can see you really enjoy your job, it shows.
Well---
I have NOT worked in Garden for 6 years now-----Been sitting in a high-walled room that is known as the "Phone Center" fielding all the incoming calls to my HD. We ONLY have one Operator at all times.
There are 5 computer stations in this "cage:"--as i call it.....The other stations are for the Expediters who deal with all the flooring and carpet and windows and doors installs. That whole "At Home Services" thing.
It is boring-----but it is 95% stress free. I am not "out on the floor" and do not have to deal with the stress of endless customers, . and pack-down lists, and sweeping the floors, etc.... and walking miles a day to take customers to a product, etc...
WHY am I, the most knowledgeable garden person in my HD store, sitting and answering phone calls for 6 years already????? Well-----I have had 2 knee replacements and I am 73 yrs "young"---and, because of that, my body had gotten away from being on my feet 8hrs a day. It does tire me out by now.
I have now been working at my HD for 12 years.
I am SOOO itching to be back in garden--but i also know that i may have to rely on pain pills to get me through the day. My back, my knees, and, lately, my left hip give me a lot of grief.....BUT--OH! The fresh air and all the plants and flowers beckon me so!!!! And all the customers I get to chat with and help out!
BUT! I am doing this because I want to-----and because I KNOW I can help people out there in the Garden and, hopefully, drive some sales.
Every Spring, HD hires a bunch of PT "bodies" just to fill the department. Oh, they can lift bags of mulch and stones, help load cars, sweep the floors, etc--but know nothing about gardening.....Most of them have NO clue!!!!
This--being out there for a whole day once a week--is a big leap for me. I AM excited!
I used to do it Full time.....I ran the WHOLE Greenhouse for 5 years--then all this crap happened with my knees.....
Six years is a long time to NOT be on the floor......But, i WILL survive!!!!! After all--I do all my own gardening chores at home! No one here to help me with anything.....
It is just one aspect of my devotion to my job and the pride I take in the knowledge that I have.
I AM looking forward to it!!!! Gita
.
best of luck with all you do Gita
I'm supposing that you do take glucosamine/condroiton (spelling) Gita. This helps our dogs as well as the humans.
Roses--Yes i do--but just out of habit.....and only one a day along with all my other supplements....
BOTH my knees are by now made of Titanium--so NO cartridge there....BUT--There is still pain when I stand for a long time--like 3 minutes or so--and then I have to kick my leg a couple of times to make it feel better. Even if I sleep with my leg straight--it will hurt like the dickend sor a few seconds when I go to move it. My Dr. has NO idea why I have this problem. Seems rare. He could only try to explain that in rare instances some tissue tends to grow into the artificial knee and then gets pinched and hurts.....The only explanation he could give....
Had my knees replaced in 2004 and 2007. Everything else is just fine!
Now my left hip is starting to hurt if I walk a bit too much. THAT will be a problem in Outside garden on Sundays.....
However--I got a brand new RX for some Oxycodone (Percocett--30 pills) just recently when I had my surgery. I used up 2. So, now I have a new supply to take one if, and when, I really need one.
I am NOT a pain wuss! I can deal with most minor levels of it....
Remember my motto? "If you don't mind---It doesn't matter!"....
Have a great Easter--Y'All.... Gita
Gita, I cut my percocet in half and only use them when the knee(s) are really painful. Also, right knee replaced 12/6/06. Left knee still hanging in there. I also use knee braces if they really hurt (usually in winter) but back to seeds..................ahhhhhh
Buttoneer---
None of these "more potent" pain pills real affect me any. I seldom take any--but if i do-I can feel some relief in about 15-20 minutes....
I still have vials of some from all my past surgeries.....Almost like a collection. They always prescribe you 30 of something--and i seldom use any.
I was also prescribed 600mg. Ibuprofin--which should also work....Haven't taken many of those either....
G.
Well, the percocet come in handy when your kneesies hurt. Have a good evening.
When you are in pain, take your pain meds, that's what they're for... NSAIDS like ibupofin will help with the cause of pain sometimes also (inflammation, swelling), and the stronger pain meds keep your pain pathways from getting sensitized... gritting your teeth and putting up with pain rather than treating it just gets those nerves all jangled so that pain signals hurt more.
I know nobody likes to take meds and people worry about addictions etc... but the opposite extreme isn't good either. Less pain = better healing. OK, that's my 2 cents!
I've got more baby tomatoes and some other goodies that I'll need to transplant soon. Very excited to see my Malabar "Spinach" germinating (those seeds turned the water pink when they were soaking, how weird is that?). And I got a big box of begonias and other goodies to pot up and get started inside. :-)
Critter,
What does the temperature need to be to plant the begonias outdoors? If you pot them up inside, do they need to be in bright light or will a warm entry way or cool garage be adequate?
mine are in the computer room on the north side of the house... just have to turn them when they start leaning toward the one window in the room... once the frost is gone they can go out.. I usually give them a week in a shady spot that only gets an hour of sun in the morning for about a week.. then put them where they are going
I should add..they would do better with more sun inside... but I don't have a spot for them
Picking up my plugs today. I'll post pictures later.
woo hoo!!!
Onewish,
Are yours tuberous begonias. Can they tolerate more sun when they sprout?
yes and yes
this one came from a co-op that went bad last year... I was so disgusted over the whole thing I didn't plant them until June outside in 1/2 day sun
Beautiful Onewish. I'm so excited.......for the first time ever, after all the seeds I've tried, I have ONE passiflora seedling. Now to keep it alive.
I got 3 out of 8 passi seeds... still don't see life from the one I planted in the ground last spring.. should it be showing yet?
I don't know. I've never successfully gotten that far.
new adventures!!!! always fun!!!!
Onewish, I'm glad you posted about the begonias.. I had some started from seed last year that I hardened off and planted out around memorial day, but I've never started them from tubers before. Thanks!
if they have buds I bury them a few inches deep... if completely dormant put soil only up to the sides of the tuber... until the shoots are about an inch.. or two... and then bury them a few inches deep.. if water sits in the hole n the middle and it's dormant... it can rot... try and keep water out of the middle until it's active... I only do mine a few inches deep until they are out in there homes... then 4 inches deep ... if you are keeping them in the container you are starting them in ... make sure you have enough head room to end up with 4" on top of the tuber.. don't want the shoots snapping off if it's windy or heavy rains
Allison, those are good clear directions, makes me want to get some.
they are easy... just have to plant them the right way... LOL.. my first instinct is to put them upside down... always looked like the hole goes down... but it doesn't.. curved side down
Oh, cool... will be easy to start them inside laying them on the surface (maybe in some little window boxes I got at the dollar store), then plant them deeper when they go outside. Yippee!
the roots will grow from the sides... so I usually go 1/2 way up the tuber
I was figuring on pressing them down a bit -- just not covering, as you suggested. Thanks!
Ok guys the plugs came in today. Last year we got them a month earlier so the plants were smaller and some of what we got this year weren't available yet last year. I was really pleased to see the size of them. Here is the list
Bacopa White 32 cells
Heather Mexican 32cells
Begonias (Dwarf 6") 87plugs
Impatiens 174 Plugs
Lobelia 174 Plugs
Begonia Dragon WIng Pink 56 Plugs
Pansies 72 plantes
Pentas 9 pots
Lantana 9 pots
Coleus 87 plugs
Alyssum Mixed
Marigold Discovery & Sweet Cream
I know you guys really what to get a look at the coleus. I have no idea what is in the mix but I found it interesting that last year they were so small that you couldn't tell if there were different ones in the mix they all looked the same. LOL
Realized that I should have cropped that up a bit. Here is a better look. 87 tiny little coleus.
R_R_R did you plant Blushing Susie? Mine haven't come up yet but they weren't planted very long ago. Neither have my Passi Seeds yet.
Onewish. The Passi I have that I think is hardy hasn't shown any growth yet so I don't think your seed planted out side would be growing yet.
OK guys wish me luck hopefully I can keep most of these alive.
I've been sitting in the sidelines till I got my lettuce planted, and finally got it done. I put in Black Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, and a romaine mix containing Craquerelle du Midi, Forellenschluss, Little Gem, Rosalita, and Rouge D'Hiver. I've only heard of a couple of those, but all are considered Robust. I also got 2 varities of spinach hybrids, Melody and Harmony. I'm hoping to freeze some of that. Ric
nice Holly!!!.. too hard to tell what the coleus are when they are that size.. and they always change later on... PPPPLLLLEEEEAAAASSSEEE can I have some of that nice marigold you had?????!!!!??????? I am sure I have something you would like to trade for... PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEEE
:)