California Gardening: So. Calif. Spring RU 2010 - continued

lol They may not come. My son was acting weird today when I talked to him and my dd, may have a previous engagement, that she is not sure if it is that same day. The last time we talked any ways.

Hi all

I'm Heather and I'm addicted to gardening. There! I said it. Out loud even! Oh wait!!! This isn't the 12 step plan to get oneself on the road to fully recoverable gardening is it? Dang! I did it again! Every time I click my mouse to try to get away from this site my computer redirects me back here. WTH(eck)?!?!

Well as long as I'm here allow me to introduce myself. I've been on DG for just over two years now and well on my way to becoming a permanent fixture on the gardening wagon. When I first joined DG, I thought it was a gardener's anonymous group. ^_^ Oh how wrong I was! This place is FULL of enablers! Gardening enablers, that's what you are!

It's my understanding that this RU is one of the steps in the DG addiction plan. I'd like to come give it a try, since at the rate I'm going the only thing falling OFF the wagon is plants that I'm moving from my truck to my garden.

My 12yos is in cahoots with me (yeah? So what if I'm an enabler too! I blame YOU!) and has made plans to hang out in the pool most of the time.

I'm also bringing a girlfriend who lives on five bare acres in Sun City who wants to rub elbows with you folks in order to absorb your gardening addiction, ur, I mean--knowledge. ^_^ (Just because I'm bringing her does NOT make me an enabler in her case.^_^)

So cya soon!

Cayte
(Heather IRL)

This message was edited Apr 19, 2010 3:30 PM

gr8cayte

Welcome, where have you been lurking? We will all be to very happy to meet you on the 24th.
Sylvia

Hi Heather,

YES, we are BIG enablers that's for sure. We post pictures of lovely looking plants and then You have to have one too. lol

We are all looking forward to meeting you and I hope we don't scare you off...
This is a great group of people and it sounds like you will fit right in.

Take a look at the RU plant thread and see if there are any of my plants that you might want.

BTW, one of our DG members that will be attending our RU is a gal named Jo "Roadrunner'. She will be going to 5 DG RU's this year....that's why she's the Roadrunner. lol

See ya real soon,
Donna

YOOOHOO...another new person to attend....should I tell her not to get near my chocolates? She can hog the plants...since I can't take them back on the plane.

See ya'll soon....*ZIIIPP* ya can't catch me!! LOL

You're official, Cayte! Glad to have someone new at our get-together.

Kathleen

Oh I can tell I am going to like you. lol

Jo who said you cannot take plants on a plain. Rodica and I sure to have a bunch!!

Cayte I am so addicted that I have to go out of state to get my fix. I look forward to meeting you!!

I will vouch for all the plants that Marie and Rodica manage to take on the plane!

I am surprised, but I think it would be another story if you were coming into California with them on a plane.

Well the airlines have not said anything I have brough stuff to Louise.
I called and asked before I brought anything.

SHHHHH I'm not parting with any of the stuff ya'll gave me at the Phoenix swap the other day...I just got them in the ground!

LOL Jo

FOUR DAYS!!!!!!!

Yes but you can bring back plants with you Jo!!

Only 4 days to go!!!

Talked to Jo this morning and she is ready to come and have some fun.

Do you know I typically get to her more in California than I do Arizona? I need to fix that!!

Oh, here you are Cayte. Have not been to this thread in awhile. You are too funny. But, it is true. Silly me, I just quilted and had a few perimeter plants on our 1.5 acre plot of sandy, dusty dirt. I needed some info, found DG and was/am addicted. Samigirl is right, it is so easy to procrastinate to the point of even not gardening, when you are on the computer. Lurking for 2 years huh? I know I was not a paid subscriber until after my first RU last March at Kathleen & John's. Now I can spend even more time on the computer! Now, I really pretty much don't quilt, but still go to the Quilting and Sewing Forum. I love the RU's and meeting folks to have a face to associate with the nom de plume (although, after meeting so many face who use their online and given names, my brain was still scrambled).

Welcome gr8cayte, you lurking enabler you! LOL! The kids are welcome as you know from our dmails. I know you'll hit it off with our "crowd". : - )
Okay, Now I'm panicking especially since it's supposed to rain. What will be, will be.
We'll be having a good time Saturday, no matter what! : - )
WIB,
SW

No panicking allowed. It will be fun no matter what!!!

We could hang out in the bee barn???

Marie....you're right!! but I'm still not bringing any of MY stuff!! I just planted a wee MG yesterday and it's blooming TODAY...am I good or what?? It's been in my kitchen window (A/K/A greenhouse) for about a month.

I used to be plauged with bunny rabbits eating all my "stuff"...now that I have Ms Prissy ...who barks all day...they don't seem to get into my yard like they used to....does anyone want to borrow her for 3 weeks in June...while I travel to some more RU's??

See ya'lll VERRRRRY soon! Jo

Jules, don't worry about the little bit of rain. It is supposed to be in the low 70's on Sat., which is perfect weather for our gathering. Over the last few years we had to fight the heat and that was very hard on all of us, but we went back every year just to be with our garden buddies. That's what this is all about.

Donna

Ah I hear you quiltygirl! I could spend days on the T2T or the mosaic board (and have, come to think of it!). I keep thinking I'll come out of lurkdom and post some of the things I've done but then I find some other project on one of those boards and am consumed once again. sigh One day I'll post pics so those folks can see all the 'damage' they have done. ^_^ They're bunch of enablers too. Cya soon!

Cayte

Yay!

It's raining (in Winchester)
It's pouring (in Temecula)
and my old man ain't snoring
he's DRIVING in it!

Poor guy.

Cayte

I got home late and went out in the drizzle, before dark to dig up those Mulberry volunteers. They are potted up.

Okay, tell me, when you say "pot up" you mean actually bring them in dirt in a pot or do you mean just make them ready for travel? Or what? I ask because I recently put a bunch of the geraniums in a big, long planter to just pull out of the ground when the time comes to wrap the roots in plastic. Should I put them in pots instead? Cuz I can. But not tonight! ^_^

Cayte

Cayte, yes we do put them in pots if possible. If they are bulbs, just throw them in bags or if they are cuttings, make sure they are wrapped in wet paper towels then plastic. This just causes less strain on the plants for traveling and also gives us time to plant them when we return home.

Donna

Donna, as many Agapanthus as I'm bringing, they're gonna have to be just paper wrapped. I don't have that many nursery pots. I'll put a little dirt around them so they can stay that way for a couple of days however.

Forecast for Menifee for Saturday as of this morning. (according to "The Weather Channel" on Yahoo) Sunny and 75!!!!


3 DAYS!!!!!

Randy paper works for me. Easier to take it on the plane :o)

Randy, just so you know, I'll be potting up the Daylillies, but you'll have to take cuttings from the succulents because you never told me which ones you want. You have a surprise in store for you too. Some are blooming. Lucky guy!
The other good news is, even if my house isn't clean, (unlikely with kids and pets), the weather should be beautiful. The Honey Locust trees are blooming and it will smell like honey. DH is ready to give a bee tutorial and will be happy to show everyone the bee barn.
I am sad to report that his guys mowed the center circle where all my wildflowers were going to seed. This rain may bring out other wildflowers though, and I do have photos. We'll probably see some of the wildflowers when we go on our "hike". I was hoping to go the ridgeline trail which gives an overview of the farm. It also has several Indian sites of cultural significance. (Religious too, but we aren't going there.)
There will be plenty for the kids to do. Even though the weather will be in the 70's, it's usually a good idea to bring a sweater or a windbreaker, we do get daily winds.
I am so looking forward to seeing you all.
I am pretty sure that your Aloe Vera will survive with paper Marie. The amaryllis still have their leaves and we'll see about sending one crinum home with you, hopefully I'll be able to rescue it before DH's guys weed whack it. You are still first on my list of people to get funky bulbs next year. LOL!
We'll all have fun. Panic is subsiding. : - )
WIB!
SW

I have many nursery pots that I can bring, they are not disinfected though, but if you want I can bring some. I have a giant pile of composted horse manure, mixed with wood and yard scraps that someone dropped in my yard for me a year ago, I can try to find some old dog food bag to put some in if someone needs a medium. I live far so I need to help my plants make it if possible.

I hope the cuttings from the willow will root for you. It is a young tree I bought a year ago. Treat for bores in any willow asap, just in case.

SW my grandma was English and Cherokee. My sister did our genealogy and found out that everyone registered until my grandma's family, because she had to quit school in 8th grade to help raise 11 other kids, so it was not something that was a priority I guess. The Pow Wow people told my sister, we were on the cusp of being too many generations back though, so it may be possible but might not be. She gave up then.

Oooo hellnzn11 if you have a little piece of willow that no one has claimed I'd love to start one. That's what I miss about NM. Willows grew EVERYWHERE! It was sooo nice. I'm wondering if they can be trained to be happy in a pot?

Cayte

It is a Desert Willow, or Navajo Willow, it grows about 40x40 and like a giant Globe, umbrella shaped head. Lower water use. Equally pretty. I can take cuttings. I am not proficient in this, advise where to cut for optimum rooting? Draw a picture for me, clearly. I hit and miss on it.

No 40x40 containers so pot is out, I 'm thinkin'.

Oh hellnzn11 I hope you not asking ME for propagating advice! I remember being able to just take a willow branch and just stick in the ground and it would make a tree. Kind of like an oleander. That's what I would do with it unless someone has better advice (please someone have better advice!!!). ^_^

Cayte

helenzn,
Younger shoots are easiest to root. Try to get at least 3 to 4 leaf nodules per cutting. Place in water, wrap in wet paper towels for transporting. Hope it helps.
Will take a bag of manure. The neighbor I used to get it from passed away, and I haven't found a new source yet.
You can take any plant and give it the Bonsai treatment. Let us know if that works, and check out the bonsai forum. I don't do them myself, but my kids have killed at least four of them now so I have several empty Bonsai containers if you want one. One still has the poor dead tree in it.
We'll chat about the Cherokee stuff at the RU.
Cayte, that's how I start my geraniums and jade plants out here. I do add water though. LOL!
Just over 2 days and counting! : - )
WIB!
SW

Here's what I found on your willow(s?). DG has them one in the same. I'm so confused! (don't worry, it a common state for me).

Navajo Willow, http://tinyurl.com/2g2wsgw They make it look sooo easy!
Desert Willow, http://tinyurl.com/2a2t498 This has purple flowers. Does yours? BONUS!!!
But DG has them listed as one in the same with PURPLE flowers! Double bonus!!

Cayte

Oh I am sorry mine is the Navajo Willow or Globe willow, I don't know why I said Desert willow. I have seedlings of those too. I am not sure how they are doing, since I planted them in containers in my new micro watering system.

I used to mark my bulbs with my old Weeping willow branches that blew down or trimmed off and the darn things could be on the ground for weeks and I would still get a tree out of the darn thing, but the Globe Willow I never did that with.

I see we have a new subscriber today from Menifee...maybe he/she should be invited to the RU. Jo

Desert Willows (Chilopsis linearis) are beautiful, Cayte. We have one and I want more. It looks dead in the winter, but as soon as it wakes up, it leafs out really fast and the blooms are beautiful. Talk to DP - he knows them best. Also, Chitalpa (Chitalpa Tashentensis) is a cross between the Desert Willow and Catalpa Bignonioides - we have about five of these and love, love them. They flower and are decidious, too.
http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/chitashkentensis.htm