Plant propagation part XVI based on my own experience

It is unmercifully hot here today. I worked outside enough yesterday to justify not planting anything today ( I think). I am planning to start some seeds, but I will get to that later on. It started to storm, but only lasted about 5 minutes, and that just steamed everything up again. LOL

Dave, that is another pretty one. My seedlings haven't bloomed yet, but they are just getting to the point of branching out into their larger pots. I need to plant them in the ground, but I don't think that is going to happen just yet. I may have to sink the pots though to get them going good.
My plumeria seedlings are doing great, but the squirrells have taken a liking to them and keep pulling them out and dropping them. I think i will bring them in and put them under the lizard lights. That ought to get them going. Last year one of the squirrels took a big bite out of one and then just left it alone. They must taste good. LOL

Sharon, Which hardy hibiscus did you order? I started collecting a few a couple of years ago. I love them. I have always heard that plants delight has awesome plants. I may check out their site.
Gotta start dinner, hope everyone has a great night.

Jnette, no not ried peroxide, will do an let you know.

Pughbear yes very hard seeds like palm, don't think they are stale and really want them, well you know that if I have tried so many times....

Worms- so, was that ONE from Burpee $10 cheaper really? Does that include the 1 for 2 price you paid (since only 1 survived)?
Hey you daylily gurus, how do you decide which varieties will make pretty / different crosses?
BTY, is Cubit gone now? I'd only been there once, but can't find it now...

This message was edited Jun 18, 2010 5:26 AM

I went on yesterday for the first time in ages, or maybe it was the day before because I had a message from someone on an email I don't use, telling me how to use cubits. It may have been old, but it did take me to a link. ?????? So who knows?

Avian nut, Since I am so new to hybridizing daylilies, I am just crossing the prettiest blossoms I have blooming at the same time. Today it is Siloam Floy Dodgen with forgotten dreams. I can't wait to see some that I have already planted bloom, just to see what the flowers will look like.


Hopefully it won't be so hot today and I can transplant a few daylily seedlings. I have lots of cuttings to start, but I also have tons of work to do indoors. I hope everyone has a great day.

Dawn, I think the main reason people can't find Cubits is because they use .com instead of .org.

Jeanette

Thought I would check in a second and say hello to you all and you can probably see how green I am with envy that you all have those wonderful daylillies. I just love them and have no place to put them. Those two sweetshrubs I bought and planted are doing so well but today I had to water them along with everything else that is potted outside plus the veggie garden.
I guess I am just feeling because I am tired, but I thought today I could work on paperwork all day and relax from the hard day I had yesterday.....but, it did not rain, it got black as night but NO rain and everything is curling up with this ungodly hot sun and wind.
I think the world is going mad. At least the weather is. I do not even want to go fishing at the shore, it is just too hot. I can not take it any longer. I spend three hours on the tractor mowing yesterday and the wind was so strong I had to keep coming in and washing out my eyes to get the dust out. Moan Moan Moan.
I am going to only now start my paperwork. Hopefully tomorrow will be a more relaxing day than today. No rain expected until maybe Sunday. If we are not building an ark because it will not stop, we are having dust storms because there is No rain.
Hope you are all well. Have a great weekend and stay cool. Hugs. JB

I too am pretty new to hybridization but you have tocheck to make sure they are compatible. there are 2 specific types. triploid and duploid (I think and I am not gonna go look now) being lazy....
I pretty much look at the flowers and try to imagine what they would look like if you mixed them all together into one flower. I am sure a lot of people do that. I also look for specific traits. I like the pie crust edge and the edging that is toothy. I also like the ones that have a contrasting color on the edge, kind of like an eye liner.
I also try to imagine would the 2 flowers make a muddy colored flower which I do not want. One other thing I have learned is to look out for the doubles because they are had to use as a pod parent. I think the stamen (I think its called that) gets pressed into the flower mass. I seem to be able to get pollen from them they just don't seem to want to make babies. I will most likely get rid of my doubles.
I managed to get up early today and got quite a bit done. we are pushing towards the 100 degree mark. I don't care where you are 100 degrees is hot...yea but its a dry heat.... well its time for my lunch and then the afternoon nap
stay cool everyone and drink lots of fluids. here is a pic of 2 seedlings from the same cross with 2 different flowers
Dave

I have a lot to say but not enough time. Dave I just wanted you to see this day lily growing high enough to get sun above the Cannas.

Yes, I am moving the day lilies. But thee Cannas are so invasive, I am donating a whole bunch to the schools and parks.

I have about 15 varieties of Cannas but the Tropicana is Super Woman of the Cannas.

Another section of Tropicana Canna. You cannot complain. The flower is beautiful and the leaves are even more beautiful. And they love full Las Vegas 110 degrees heat.

I love this one. They are planted in a high planter and get the late sun that shines through the leaves of the Tropicana Canna. Very beautiful.

Gosh Sharon, I have never seen a canna get that big. I really do like that striped leaf. So pretty.

When is your husband due back from Spokane? Is he driving? He must be flying. He will be fine.

You will have to visit them often to watch that little boy grow up.

Sharon: That is a big DL. have you thought of selling them on market place? just an idea. I know they are popular. Canna's do take the heat and ask for more. How old is the bed?
well its out to water and mist then do my crosses on the dl's
Dave

Sorry I have not been on the forum lately as I have been overwhelmed with work outside due to the extremely short spring season for me, as that is the time for weeding and planting for me. I am now working on the new "cottage garden" flowerbed and now, instead of my usual routine of planting and "improving the planting hole", I am double digging the new site as well as improving the soil with loads of compost and other goodies to break up the weedy clay soil that we have.

So I am 2 months behind and weeds all around, the nursery area is overflowing with plants to be planted and the weather is heating up as well the unwatered areas are beginning to tighten up and the weed removal will take longer....OH! The weeds in the front gardens are plentiful too, due to all the late rains and snowfalls but the very thing that is good for the plants has delayed my actions of cleanup so the weeds are taller that the flowers....

The veggies are doing well, but I have yet to plant my pole beans, squash and melons....the tomatillos are still quite small as are the eggplants and peppers, but the space is ready for them.

I am just hoping that we do not get any unexpected guests as at this rate it might be fall before we have the property in order. Steve and I both have been mowing the acre nearest the house but other areas need it as well. He is involved now with tearing down and rebuilding the woodshed as it was previously built on an unstable foundation, so he has been quite busy as well. For years he had commented on the woodshed needing work and now he is doing it, but as you all know, when we have gardens, there is the routine work of inside the house to do as well...WHEW!

Only one peony in bloom right now....

nice flower. weeds I think we all can relate. I have had the worst push on crab grass (I think its that one) It likes to root at evernode that touches the ground. I hate turf and most of the grasses that go with it.
Take you time Evelyn I know it gets overwhelming. Lots of fluids and rest yes lots of naps....
I bought this guy thinking he was what the pot said but NNNNNOOOOOO... but he is kind of cute

Oh yea he is a deep maroon not the washed out red like it looks to be

I love Cannas too Shar, though they like a lot of water. Mine are not quite that tall yet, but I give them about three weeks to see a few start to bloom if I am lucky. I fertilized yesterday with 0 10 10 so hope that helps.

Dave Ya know I had so much crab grass when I first moved here. I still have a few spots here and there, but not much. What I did to kill it, is waited till the Winter when it went dormant and just as I put pre-emergent crab grass killer in the areas where it was bad, then I took straight 25% weed killer, called Green Light(and rubbed a cotton swab into the stuff and sat and rubbed the blades where planted beds were and sprayed the other areas that were not landscaped and mixed up with plants. I repeated it a few weeks later on the dieing remnants and it worked. I did it the following year again and that took care of most of it. Once it is there, the roots can run for miles, so you really can't kill it during the growing season, when mixed with plants, unless you pull it down low and push other plants out of the way, to dab the stubs of crab grass left. It is risky.

My plants suddenly look like crap in the heat. Sharon, the hollyhocks are finally going to start to dry up the first pods, so I can send some. I have peach, yellow, maroon, baby pink, hot pink, mid pink, white and some pretty striped rose pinkish ones, that I think someone sent me from here. Some are first year bloomers but I don't know which ones were, I think yellow.

Dawn please let me know if you can spare any peach HH's....thanks!

Sounds like she should have a lot of seed. I love HHs. Just wish I could grdow them. They don't do well for me. The wind breaks them off. I don't know if something in my soil doesn't make them strong enough or what. Wherever I stake them that is where they break at. No matter how high on the plant the support is.

This year I have been working on a new bed..."from the ground up"...so to speak. LOL

I have been in the process of double digging, as that is difficult for me, but my soil stinks as it is always hard clay full of weed and tree roots, since we live in a cleared forest area. I have to go out "to the woods" for getting good soil, as I have no idea this has been cleared...
The ground has to be watered before I can dig that hard clay, though parts of it are easier than others...where other plants were previously.

So I dig a trench, put in amendments and organic fertilizer, then put the soil on top, then a layer of organic compost mixed with peat. I will put notrohumes on the top of this. I am determined to get "moist, well-drained" soil, that every garden book says that plants require. It has been taking longer than I expected since I started it in fall, and then all the cold, wet weather has kept me out until now. I will admit to wanting to finishing this, so I can plant the seedlings and other plants waiting in the nursery bed. While I am doing this, the weeds are growing in the other beds...YIKES! It will be fall before any of this really looks even decent. I will step-by-step renovate all the beds as I go. Even though it is taking time, I feel that they will benefit in the end...if it doesn't kill me! Everything hurts, but I am beginning to feel stronger and the jeans are getting looser as I go. While all of this is going on, of course, everything needs to be watered and I stop and pull a few weeds every time I water as well.

Outside of hiring someone to help me, I hope to get things in good order by the end of summer. I was hoping for more dry springtime weather, but that did not happen, so I will do my best each day and hope to get all of this done, as well as have some time to start some more seeds for fall planting. Right now, it is pretty nice out there, so if you don't hear from me for a while, you know where I will be...

Here is a picture of the new "cottage garden" bed...just past the weeds...LOL...just looks like dirt right now...you will get a picture of it when it has flowers in it later on....

Evelyn yes I will mark that down on my seed trade list. They have not dried up yet though. Soon I suspect as the heat has made them all fade from their previous glory quite a bit. They are all singles though, just so you know.

Got bark collars for my dogs today, this should be interesting???? in a bad way. Hope they get it fast.

Thanks, Dawn...singles are just fine.

I came in and had a sandwich, as well it was hot. Now there is a cool breeze...so.....back to work....OOMPH!

Happy Father's Day to all. It is in the 90's here and I am just giving up trying to keep things watered and cool. It is a lost cause. The wind and the heat will soon have everything just withered. Crap!

My cannas are tall but they love our hot sun. They are mulched very heavily so they do not take to much water but they do like their water.

I would love the hollyhock seeds. I drove past a home in an older part of town the other day and there was a blooming Rose Hollyhock, single. I got out of the car, looked at it and decided to leave it alone. The next day I was in the same area delivering my friend some figs and there it was again. I again, got out of the car and looked around the garden area. The only reason they were growing was because of the race of God. No water, no weeding and many spent blooms on the ground seeds already eaten by the birds. I have four seeds pods now in my possession and will forward with the red and white ones. My very light yellow is blooming but the other one has not bloomed yet. And they are in the same area as the black bamboo so I am again waiting to dig up the black bamboo. I will take some photos of some other cannas so you can see the difference. I will also photograph the black bamboo, which only gets black the third year. And my baby hardy hibiscus plants. Dave, I also have other Day Lilies, I will see if I have any in bloom.

Jnette, Vern went to Vancouver, Washington by plane. He will be back tomorrow afternoon. I watched 1 1/2 hours of Masterpiece Mystery Theater. Now that the front landscape is in mostly shade, I will venture outside and do a little watering. And take some photos..

JBerger, we both posted at the same time. Welcome to my world.

Me too on the HH's please...
yes the black bamboo does turn in its 3rd year. I got some my 1st year on dg and its the 3rd year for them and hes showing some black.
I don't know why but today it decided to be a bad day.
More tomorrow
Dave

I have taken a few photos of my landscape. First is my Pink Garden. Very small.

These are two African Sumac I have in the back landscape. There is another one the same size in the front landscape.

Another group of Canna. They are in the front near the driveway. There is 4 different varieties in this pot.

This another Canna. In front landscape by garage window. Great giant flower and great color in the leaves.

This a raised bed completed with very large boulders. Palms trees with Baby Tears as ground cover. Baby tears is in total shade. Bed is about 3' deep.

Light Yellow Hollyhock.

This is the way I like My fig vine to look. It goes up over 20' but I only have it sculptured this was up to the reach of my arms because I cannot get on ladders because I fall off of them. This is the vine my hummingbirds make their nests in every year..

Thank you Sharon, really enjoyed the tour of your yard. Every thing looks so nice for as hot as hou say it is there. How come? Must water a lot.

Very pretty.

Evelyn, I think this is what you need to do. Look at the size of this boulder. They were brought in on a flat bed and moved with equipment that lifted them into the air and then placed into the landscape. This boulder is on the north side of a very large planter that is raised 3' from the sidewalk. There are over 10 Boulders this size making this bed but you do not see all the boulders. The boulders were free, the cost was picking them up and placing them in the landscape. I had blow sand (Nevada Dirt) so my idea was to raise the beds and then compost on the spot to create good soil. We built the house 9 years ago and I am still running into bad dirt. But that is because i insist on making more beds. I promised myself I am done with that. I did have each bed filled with landscape soil. It was somewhat better than blow sand but not even close to what I have today. That is why my worms are my best friends. When I dig and run into very large amounts of worms and their families, I know my soil is healthy, so my plants are happy.

MULCH, MULCH, MULCH. And Shade. I have trees placed to provide shade for the majority of the beds. Filtered shade and in the winter some of the trees lose their leaves and warms the garden and the house.

I love your yard Sharon. You never told me what color HH you wanted. I also have seeds for Mystic Merlin Malva, which is like a HH only gorgeous purple flowers on them. They seed themselves and can be a shrub hedge or tall plant or short, wide shrub.

Wrong pix.

MM Malva

Dawn, are they pretty protected from the elements? Tied to the fence? Mine wouldn't last.