Pic of honeysuckle cuttings I sent to swap. Flower bud is entirely pink.
Got Questions? - Bec's Mid-Atlantic Swap
Recipe thread ^_^
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1104290/
Thank you Sally for the recipe link....looking forward to more tasties.
Ruby
Thought I'd get some action going again. You folks have been quiet the last little bit. I am almost embarrassed to confess that I am still working on getting things in the ground. He heat last week was so bad and I dare not get out in it. I ended up for the most part getting a bit less than an hour each evening to tend to plants from the swap. Thankfully the temperatures have been better this week and today I am planning a major plant - in. I still have questions for people though. Many of the plants I picked up planting tips already but some I am unfamiliar with and need some feedback on their care.
Hart - you first. Already know the Blues need lots of shade and they have a happy home already. I am now wondering if you'd tell me about Pussy Toes. What conditions do they prefer and what can I expect from it? You gave me a small container of it - does it spread? I know nothing and am open to anything you have to say about it. Sun or shade? Thanks doll.
Jill - The wonderful Clematis needs go in today also and I need to know conditions it prefers. I truly love Clematis and am hoping this one does well for me. Thank you.
Sally I haven't yet done anything with the Passion Vine you gifted me with and need to know how to care for them and what conditions they need to grow. Also the "Firecracker" plant - where does it prefer to live and how much space should I allow for it?
Not sure the person who has such neat handwriting and labeled the plants so nicely
on the white labels but I have a few from you. Sally - you maybe? I believe I remember towards the end of the day that you came over and made me the new proud owner of a lot of your leftovers. I am definitely not complaining but rejoicing. Can't wait for them to liven up my gardens. Anyway....
Am looking for care tips on -
Agastache
Verbascum - White Mullet
Digitalis Grandi Flora
I also have three other small seed starting cups of something that the only thing written on label says - Broken Colors and two others with no identification that are planted in the seed starting cups.
Any one with any care tips on any of these plants - please feel free to speak up. I need all the help I can get. Again thank you all for such grand goodies. I love the swaps and the rewards of attending them. All of you folks are high in my book of good people. I love each of you - even the ones of you I haven't met yet - Cole.
Speaking of Cole - I have the Hardy Begonia from you and need to know about it too. I have a couple from an older swap and they aren't doing too great. I think they need more sun than I have them in currently. Any tips of growing a strong Begonia? Thank you.
Looking forward to hearing some good planting and care tips from you folks.
Ruby
Passion Vine--Have grown it only a few years . Had it in a partial shade bed, and in a sort of moist PM sun area. Seeems fine in both. Give it a place it can climb and preferably where you can either mow donw the stray sprouts or reach to pull htem out. You WILL have stray sprouts up to five feet underground !!! Heed this warning!!
Firecracker Lysimachia. This I also warn you will spread , not five feet in a year but maybe a foot. Makes pretty maroon rosettes in spring, then starts to stretch. This too I have had in partial shade/sun areas. In too much shade I suspect the leaf color won't be as nice. Also the maroon fades to bronze before bloom, and I think turned all greeen after bloom, so became surprisingly boring midsummer to fall.
Those otherrs I think were from Gita. She labels nicely. I know Broken Colors were her four oclocks.
Ruby,
Looks like most of the plants you are looking for care tips on are from me. Hope these note are sufficient.
Agastache – lots of sun and good drainage. Some people recommend adding grit to the soil and planting a bit elevated.
Verbascum blattaria f. albiflorum (White Moth Mullein) - These are first year biennial plants. Just give them lots of sun and they should do fine, they actually prefer poor soil. Next May/June they will put up their white flower spikes. Let them go to seed if you want more the next year. They self seed, but not excessively so, and are easy to remove if you find you have them in undesired locations.
Digitalis grandiflora – Need half day of sun to bloom their best. These are true perennials that will form a clump as well as self seeding. Again, these plants are easy to contain.
The Broken Colors are not from me, but they are Four-O-Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), a non-hardy tuberous perennial grown as a recurring, self-seeding annual in our neck of the woods. They can get several feet high and wide and tend to be a bit floppy. Plant in full sun, 1 to 2 feet apart.
Ruby, I am hoping your clematis is C. montana rubrum... there is a chance it is a seedling of sweet autumn clematis... keep an eye on the leaf shape (C. montana will stay deeply lobed, with pointed tips on the leaf), because you don't want that SA thug. Full sun to mostly shade, it's not picky. Deep amended planting hole. And I wouldn't plant it right away.. it was barely rooted... give it a chance to fill that pot with roots, or up-pot to a 1 gallon at some point and plant it this fall.
Agastache seems not fussy here. With that Va hillside I bet anyplace is good for it.
The pussytoes are extremely drought tolerant. Those came from the very rocky and dry slope next to the road. You might need to water them until they've rooted in but definitely plant them where they get very good drainage. I've never seen them growing anywhere except in full sun. They do spread, not super fast, but I'm not sure if it's from rhizomes or seeds. I left the seedheads on some of the plants I sent you just in case.
The fuzzy little blooms in the spring look like pussy toes. Very cute. They never get tall, even when in bloom the bloom stalks are only about 6-7 inches tall and the foliage just hugs the ground.
My four o'clocks always came back up and self sowed a bit too. It's very easy to pull the extras if you don't want them. I never had them flop at all although they might wilt a bit when dry. They are very drought tolerant, though, and perk right back up after watering. They thrive in sun or part shade. They're very late to emerge in the spring. They're supposed to be poisonous to Japanese beetles and a lot of people plant them near their roses for that reason. The beetles are attracted to the four o'clocks first, eat the leaves and then die.
The seeds look like peppercorns and if you want to collect some just in case your tubers don't overwinter, when they turn black put an old towel or something underneath to catch the seeds and give the plant a good shake.
They have a very nice scent and bloom in the afternoon, hence the name.
Thank you everyone. Got some good tips on everything. Next time it isn't in the 90's I will get back out and get them in the ground. Hey - It might even cool off enough in the evenings for me to get a few things in then and I may not have to wait. Looks like another stretch of these horrid temperatures again.
Jill - I am interested in knowing why you dislike the Sweet Autumn Clematis? I am not familiar with it.
Alrighty folks I will see what I can do with this info but be prepared for me to have more questions later. Again....thank you to each of you.
Ruby
I finally pulled up my Sweet Autumn clematis entirely.. it is a thug. If you have a fence for it to cover and if you don't have nearby woodland etc (it can be invasive with its seeds, which I didn't know when I got mine), then it may serve a purpose for you, but I would not plant one on purpose again.
Last summer I tried cutting it back to a foot tall to see if it could be controlled, but it still covered its own arbor and two adjacent ones and tried to eat the deck stairs. Just sayin'.
Hi Jill - I looked up the SA Clematis after writing the question to you yesterday. The first picture I saw was of one growing as tall as a two story house. I understood then about your warning.
Thing is.....I believe that I already have two of them growing along a fence line between our back yard and our driveway. I am thinking that Wind from New Jersey gave me to first one some years back and I think that I came home from another swap with one that Chantell was gratefully getting rid of. For the moment they haven't over grown the area devoted to them.
Isn't it amazing how something gigantic can grow from a spindly little piece of delicate vine? Anyway....I will do as you say and let it grow in its container for now and plant somewhere in the fall. I will let you know what it does next year.
Thanks for you help.
Ruby
Sally - the firecracker bush was planted last evening in a spot all its own for now. Last year John pulled up a couple of very large bushes we had growing in the back yard that we weren't crazy about. The bush you have us has filled the spot left by the other one and I am looking forward to seeing what it will do for us. Thanks for the info.
Will hopefully find homes for the other things today or this weekend. I hope that everyone has a great weekend.
Ruby
Sorry to have taken so long to get back on the Hardy Begonias I sent to the swap. Busy dealing with bugs in the garden and on my computer! Must say I prefer the outdoor bugs as I can see them. Yes, Gita, even without my glasses! Seems flatid planthoppers like the new growth on most all of my plants
I grow my hardy begonias in filtered morning sun under a Japanese maple flanked by hydrangeas. I love how they glow in the sun. My bed also catches a few random shafts of setting sun for a few magical moments each evening.Here are two pics
Judy
An interesting post about Hardy Begonias can be found at mombu.com/gardening/bonsai/hardybegonia
Two great descriptions of others experience with the marvelous plants. Hope you all enjoy them.
Judy
Judy I planted the hardy Begonia near my dogwood with the spiderwort around it. I plan to move one clump of Spiderwort over by the Tovara and wood poppies to add the grassy texture there. That will leave more room for the Begonia.
I have everything just about planted I think. David I found a good spot for Dioscorea. Any hints of Wintergreen? I have kept it in the pot because I'm afraid if I put it in the wooded bed it will get dry too fast. hart's clustered bellflower is struggling, drying out every day. Boy, we've had some rain but things seem pretty dry out there. I guess its all the wind we've had too and hot late spring.
I'm making comfrey 'compost tea' and diluting it in every watering can I lug around. That stuff stinks!
Sally, the spotted wintergreen is supposedly an inhabitant of "dry woods" and occurs naturally in dry areas in our heavily wooded lot. Water it regularly for a week or two, but once it gets established it should be fine without any intervention on your part.
Thank you for posting Judy. I planted the Hardy Geranium a few evenings ago and it should get primarily morning sun and filtered sun in the afternoon. I have two of them in pretty much full sun and they have done okay too. Thank you so very much for sending so many Bleeding Hearts to the swap. I am the proud owner of several of them. They too are happily planted and seem to be doing okay.
I too am getting most every thing planted that needs to be planted and am looking forward to seeing them in bloom next year. Thank you to everyone for so graciously sharing the goodies with me.
Ruby
Glad you all are enjoying your plants as am IThe heat has certainly slowed my garden progress and I'm not enjoying as much garden time as I'd like.
This am was able to plant these cannas from Gita. Can't wait for their red/orange blooms.
And this coleus , also from Gita.
Judy
I've been outside a lot lately, just getting back in to catch up. Critter, that's a nice pic of the honeysuckle blom. I see it has some yellow in it. I thought they may be solid pink or magenta. I'm not worried about aphids--we don't seem to have trouble with those in this yard. I think the predators keep them in check nicely.
Ruby--you love ginger, too? I'll post my recipe for the 3-ginger cookies next time I am in. It is from a cookbook, and it uses fresh ginger, crystalized ginger and ground ginger spice. The spicy cookies give you a nice, warm "rush."
Sallyg--thanks for the clarification on which was the "bubbly shrubby." The foxglove is holding up, though it looks like I knocked it over with a water spray from the hose. It is among other tall perennials. I think I will relocate again once the roots take hold. Your bellflower planting sounds good-I just put mine in the herb garden along the holly hedge for now because that area gets protected from the sun and wind.
Coleup-did you find out who got your honeysuckle?? Your picture of Itea Henry's Garnet" is pretty. I'll have to look and see if I can find one of mine.
Foxy, the coral honeysuckle is more magenta.. the american honeysuckle has shades of cream, yellow, and pink -- the blooms change as they open and mature.
Looking forward to getting the ginger cookie recipe Foxnfirefly. Good thing that I got Canna's from Gita too because when we were talking about where to plant them John remembered that we had several that he dug up last fall and stored. We would have forgotten all about them. Gita - those Canna's have at least doubled in height and look great. I too am anxious to see their blooms. You grow some awesome plants.
Still hot this week folks. I will go outside shortly and water our back beds. Watered most everything in front beds last night. Only a couple more things from the swap to get in the ground. Had to access this page to note the planting directions.
Stay cool folks.
Ruby
Other than coleup's mystery honeysuckle, was there only one more honeysuckle for cuttigns at the swap? Jill's American honeysuckle? My cutting has survived.
Judy (coleup) my cutting of Hibiscus has had a rough road but it's also still alive at this point. What a trooper (trouper?)
I brought cuttings of the red honeysuckle. This is what it looks like blooming.
OH! way cool, that is probably it, cuz I had all those mockorange cuttings too. Thanks!
Hi everyone - Sally, the firecracker bush has one tiny cluster of bright yellow flowerettes. Hopefully it will continue to like the home where it is planted and grace us with more lovelies in the future.
David, the Campanula that was in such lovely bloom at the swap seems to be happy too. It has shed all the blooms by the time we planted in permanently and I thought the blooming was over for the year. Imagine my surprise a week or so later when checking on it, I found it once again in full and lovely bloom.
Coleup, the Cleomes all seem to be happy too and have been blooming to beat the band.
Can't recall what might be going on with the other goodies I received at the swap but will do a walk around maybe later today and check back with reports if I have any. Oh yeah, Becky.....all but one of the cacti are in bloom and all seem happy as can be. I love their small size and it is really exciting to see the greenery they are putting out.
Thank everyone for all the great things we brought home from the swap.
Ruby
I am embarrased to say that I still have a couple of plants from the swap that have not been permanently placed. This one I don't have an ID for. Hopefully its bestower will recognize it and post an ID. Pot with partly removed label is distinctive.
Foliage shot.
I don't recognize it, but the fuzzy stem and leaf edges should make it easier to ID...
any chance tht is garden variety evening primrose/ sundrops?
All my plants are in grounds but not all happy with the dang heat wave. Some might be better off if I had left them in pots.
No need for embarrassment greenthumb. I will have to raise my hand too for those who still have things in pots. I am down to needing to do something with two of them. I planted several others earlier this week and just remembered that I haven't been watering them. I hope they had enough dampness from recent rains to be okay until I can get out there tonight and give them a big drink of water.
Sorry, can't help with the ID. I like the plant though. You folks all have a good weekend.
Ruby
I still have 3...really no one should feel bad...it happens..now that I think about it...it may be 4...I just keep watering em!! ^_^
Oh, I do have some of hart's clustered bellflower still in a pot and they are alive (barely) and the ones in ground appear dead (thoroughly)
But the honeysuckle cutting that rooted, has buds!
I have been delightfully surprised that most everything I brought home from the swap still being alive minus the fresh cuttings from Gita and Hart. I had so much fun getting together with all of you great folks that day. I sure hope another get together will be planned and that we will be able to attend again.
Hope that everyone has had a decent summer and hasn't suffered too badly with the heat and dryness that it seems most of us have experienced. One thing about hot and dry it has been good for growing some of the fruits we love. Gotta look for the good anywhere we can, you know?
Take care all until we meet again.
Ruby
Ditto here Ruby even tho only my plants attended!
By now some of you who got Hardy Begonias from me should have some clue as to wether you got pink or white or both. Hope they are doing well. Tovara here are also just sending up seed stalks.
Judy, the tovara I got from you is looking real good, bushy.
Hey Jill! Remember those pepper plants you blessed me with at the plant swap? I have little peppers now. The varigated foliage on the fish pepper is very attractive.
And here is the sweet pickle pepper? I got from you.. I did let them ripen more before I picked them.
I'm glad they're doing well for you! You can use the Fish peppers green, but I think their flavor is just outstanding when they're red-ripe. Both are cute plants! Good growing!