Plant propagation part XVIII based on my own experience

Looks like we all crossposted this time. LOL, never have seen a 3 way 'till now.

Evelyn and Dawn, Maybe I am using these things wrong, 'cause I would not use them in the ground. Up here, and I am sure down there, they would sift down thru the sandy soil never to be seen again if they once lost their water. And, I just don't think you could put enough of them in there unless you had maybe a lot of peat or something to help them hold the water. Sand, I think, would be a killer on them. I am not too sure of your soil overall. Not around each plant.

I don't think I want to sell mine, because I do use them, for containers and shipping plants, and it sounds like mine would just be a drop in the bucket for what you guys are talking about.

You all need to join a coop. Oh, one more thing, I did not know about a powder either, and I doubt if it is something you would want for what you guys are talking about. I would have to see someone use it, or a demonstration to change my mind about that.

LOL, JB, I am sure it must have been me that edited myself 'cause I do not use those nasty words you are talking about. ROTFLMAO. Gotcha!!

JB you had better make friends with those Preying Mantis. They are your best friend.

ut oh .... I live less tham 20 miles from JB but my present temperature is only 74 .... I have been doing some clean up gardening .... the misquitos thought I was a nice meal so I decided to come in and put on some bug repellant. We had a little rain ... showers predicted for throughtout today and tomorrow here so I want to take advantage of the milder temps

They forecast a high of 90 here on Wed.

All my attempts ar rooting begonia have never succeeded. I am open to suggestions.

JB .... I hope everything is better with your cousin If I see any Praying manthis, I will direct them to head your way .... I have never seen a mealy bug .... I had to google info to see what they look like ... frankly I do not like them.

Someone please explain this co-op thing to me ..... what are the details? How does it work?

Mary

This message was edited Aug 1, 2010 3:51 PM

Mary, the best way for you to find that information is to go to the coop forum. Go to communities on your header and find coops. And read the description on that. Then if you still have questions we can help you. But, that would be the best way for you to know.

Howdy:
yesterday was 102 for the temp then add in the heat index. today more of the same. did see a funny automatic sign with the time and temp... it said 205 degrees....lol it stayed up for 3 days....
I use the polymer on everything as we do dryout and the heat is well horrid.
we are starting a remodel on the house so its gonna be a mess but hopefully just a little bit of time not like the 5yrs it took on our condo because we did it one part at a time all on our own. not this one...we have hired help coming.
New windows, siding seemless gutters, front door, man door on the garage plus a new garage door, hardwwods in the dining new carpet, a new pantrey where the wet bar is now.
I get to be forman and not many decissions to make....lol
as you can guess not much going on outside except for the spot watering and the auto stuff. I did breakdown and buy 200 ft of the 1/2" black poly for drip in the beds of the back yard along with the bigginer kit to get all the misc. stuff I might not get or think of. Its going to be nice.
stay cool
Dave

Hey Mary, it is 83.3 in the shade today and 90 deg. in the greenhouse. LOL I am inside watching the PA 500. and sewing sleepy hut covers. Thanks for the good wishes for my cousin. The fact she is in Hershey makes it hard to me to even think of going up there. I do not want to take care of anyone else in my lifetime. I have done it 3 times and there is a limit to my good nature. I adore her but she choose to live there and so she needs to do what she has to do. I am just trying to keep my sanity while I deal with these people who can not remember things. It is so difficult.
I need to loose some weight. I hate exercising. I wish I could just cut off the fat in my middle and throw it away. HA....that would be a great trick if I could do it. Need a sharp knife. I love food.
I must look up praying mantis and see what they eat. I can always buy some like I did those silly ladybugs but I am afraid we will have a monsoon if I by big bugs...we had that Noreaster with the ladybugs. LOL. Later. Hugs. JB

Dave, that is soooooo exciting!! When are they starting? How did you decide who to do it? The remodel? Keep us updated on what is happening.

Dave, Where do you get your polymers? What do you mean everything? In the ground too? That is interesting. You must not have sandy soil huh?

JB, LOL, that is why they developed stomach banding. Also Liposuction to do that very thing. Sounds like you need the first. banding. Don't want to think of that do you? The problem is, the more you eat, the less you move around. Then, the more you eat, etc.

That is what aging is all about. Just ask me and I will tell you.

Hate the sound of that hot weather Dave. We had a thunder and lightening storm yesterday so it cooled things off outside. Highs finally got up to the low 70s. But, you don't cool off the house overnight. Guess that is good tho. Now you know why we have trouble growing things here.

Guess I'll go water the tomatoes. Kiss those praying mantis JB.

Jeanette ~ Oh, yes! The weight issue is getting very real for me. For most of my life I have been slender, not skinny. After the first of the year after the last fall...etc, I started gaining weight after quitting all those meds. I don't know if one had to do with the other, but I had actually been losing weight before and keeping it off. Now I have a tremedous appetite...oh, what to do?? No lapband surgery for me...or knives of any kind. Had enough surgeries, thank you!
As for the polymers, I have clay soil, of which is amended, but never enough. Some plants, like hydrangeas are waterhogs, so I put some in when I planted it. It still turned pink, so I guess I had better put in some more peat and some soil sulfer to get my pH lower. I don't know if the polymers would alter the pH? It is Hydrangea 'Endless Summer', and it has been a good bloomer, after it grew back what the deer ate off earlier in the season.

JB ~ I am getting to be like you, about loving food, that is.....also, my hubby loves to cook and all these gourmet recipes. I just do plain and simple with a little stirfry and some stews thrown in...otherwise baked or broiled chicken breast...etc. He, of course, will cook thighs - with the skins on! Of course, he can lose weight any time he wants...and now is BP is going down too. He is getting healthier, and I am going the other way, as for most of my life I have been a "health-food nut".....now I will eat those greasy potato chips and even watch TV, which I rarely did before I was married. I do enjoy the car races, though, as I use to race stock cars in the late 50's in high school...nothing special, but fun. I enjoyed doing things instead of watching people doing things on TV....LOL! Now I probably will not travel the world, or even the country, so I love to watch Globe Trekker, and of course, gardening shows, though we have neither cable or sattelite, just antenna.

Dave ~ You are remodeling your house...are you getting ready to sell it? That will be a lot of work with all of your greenhouse projects as well. Yes, keep us posted.

This is the hydrangea...

JB .... I forgot to ask ... how are the fir trees doing?

Even though I live less than 2o miles from you, we have very different soil .... yours is sandy while I have to contend with clay ... I think the clay is a result of living relatively close to the river.

LOL regarding people who can't remember things .... I am very guilty of that ... especially when it comes to keys!


Dave .... warning .... be prepared for the renovations to take longer than projected.

So is anyone going to enlighten me in regards to co-op?

Mary

Dave ~ Oh, I forgot to ask you. What kind of ground cover did you decide to put in that walkway that Kim wanted to be done?

Jeanette ~ It is cool here at night, so we open the windows as it has been going down to 50°. At least that is what it is been lately in the mornings, though on the hotter days it only goes down to 60°. I have been a naughty girl as I woke up early, but was worn out from the fair yesterday, so have yet to check on the new garden to see if it survived. I watered it last night when I got home and some things were wilting.

Mary ~ From 74° to 90°! Wow what a difference...kinda' like Jnette's weather, huh?

Well, good luck everyone on your summer weather...oh, fall is on it way. Has anyone started any new seeds or cuttings for fall planting?? Gotta' go now...lots to do.

Evelyn

grrr .... just lost a post again.

Jeanette .... I just noticed your post stating there is a forum for co-op. I shall check it out ... thanks

Evelyn ....74 was my temperature ... JB lives less than 20 miles away ... it was 83.3 for her in the shade and 90 in the greenhouse. I hope JB is limiting her GH activities.

JB ... maybe you should use some of those polymer crystals in a sweat band or a tie for around your neck ....you need to stay COOL.

Mary

Mary ~ Jnette told you about going to the coops forum...sorry, have you already done that? That is where they are and the place to inquire about them...maybe someone else can tell her more about them.....

I had better go before I get myself into trouble as I have been at this computer...waaaaaaaaayyy too long!!

Mary, the firs may not come back but we are hopeful. We pulled out the smaller ones because they were completely gone. It is getting very dry just now. We were to have some rain today and it did nothing but spit a few drops.
I am not a coop person Mary so I can not help you with that. Sorry. I do not understand how they work and am too darn busy to look it up.
When I worked at Perretti's Standardbred Farm in Cream Ridge they used to say the red clay soil was difficult to grow good grazing grass for the mares. But, it is great for potato farming. That is what the farm was before the made it into a horse farm. LOL
Thanks for your concern. Where exactly is Morrisville? What bridge do you cross to get to your house? You are West , not North towards Trenton, right? You said you go to Cherry Hill. The closest I get to that is Mt. Holly....my doctor is there.

Mary, I was just going to ask you the same thing. Did you read about the coops like I told you this a.m.? Ok, once you have read that, we should be able to answer any questions you might have. So, ask away.

Evelyn, do you mean your Endless Summer blooms on new wood? Mine doesn't. Mine have winter killed back to the ground both the last two winters and did not bloom last summer or this summer. I wonder why that is. Mine bloomed blue when I first got it. So, yours is blooming pink huh? Well, at least you know what to do with it.

JB, Mary's suggestion on the sweatbands of polymer was a good one. There is a group making those and sending to the military in Afghanastan. Guess they are very much appreciated.

I forgot the measurements to make them. Sounds like a good idea for myself. Maybe I will make some too. Sure, right. I can't even get other projects done that I have started.

Guess I had better go make some hummingbird food.

Janette I wish I had sandy soil, but I have pure clay, hard pan and Caleche, that I am always amending. When I have a lot of moisture crystals in the containers it keeps them watered through the heat and lack of water in the summer. I don't often use them in ground except where my new trasplants go in ground, so they can make it with the little roots in the heat of the day and when my inadequate system busts a crack in it and I don't notice for a few days.

JB, correct me if I am wrong ..... I thought you said you have sandy soil. Please do not be upset with me but I could not help but laugh out loud when I read your description of the rain you received. we got a wee bit more ... but not much more ...it seems mother nature is mocking us.

On my last trip outside I met a praying matis upon opening the back storm door. I said "Mr Mantis I am giving you immediate orders ... go to JB .... she lives in Wrightstown, NJ ... it is that away ... she needs your help much more than I."

So sorry to hear the bad news about the fir trees. How you can sustain such a good sense of humor is beyond me.

Morrisville is west of Trenton, NJ. There are 3 bridges that directly connect between Morrisville and Trenton. One is the US rt 1 toll (75 cents toll from NJ to PA) .... I always wondered why when you crossed a toll from NJ to anywhere else you always have to pay ... and there is no toll that i know of going into NJ anywhere.

One of the non toll bridges is closed for repairs until Sept. The other non toll brige is right next to the toll bridge. Most non-locals are not aware of its existence. As a result it takes longer to go over the toll bridge because of traffic ... even at non peak times. Most locals only use the toll bridge to go into NJ from PA.

I decided to take a picture of the Elephant Ear plant today .... I know why my daughter insisted that I grow it and not her .... it likes a lot of water (1 to 2 gallons a day) and my daughter has neglectful watering habits.

Mary

Jnette ~ If only we could even fulfill our own to do lists, huh? I am going outside to take a picture of the new "Cottage Garden" bed....I'll be back either this evening or tomorrow A.M. Maybe better at night, when I have my work done...today was a disaster.

You can see from this picture how dry the ground is now. My garden beds are better, but I need to keep after them...

Dawn, have you tried lime? I am sure you must have. That is what I have heard to use for the type of soil you have. No, I don't think you would like sandy any better. I put composts and manures in mine and the next year all there is is sand. I don't know where it goes. I put a dozen bags of each, manure, compost, and a potting soil one year in a strip about 12 feet long by maybe 3 feet wide. I planted thornless blackberries in it. The next spring, all but one plant were gone, the last one was there, but missing the roots, and I thought some kind of vole. Or maybe deer. Anyway, all that was left was sand. I wanted to plant something else in there, but there was nothing but sand. Now you tell me where it all went.

I don't put any of my ground soil in containers. I only put stuff I buy in them. But, I do put the crystals in them. But, only as much as I can scoop in my hand. And that is hydrated.

If I needed any I would try to find someone to do a coop on them. But, if I asked someone to do it and didn't order any I would look awfully silly. I posted the names of some people that might agree to do a coop.

Wow, it took me an hour just to read today posts. You all are very talkative today. Daughter-in-Law Hesther and family are at BBQ so it is quiet. When she and the children are here, then my daughter and her 5 are here. So much for my very quiet home. I have done little gardening with this family visit but I do have my ez clone, 30 slots, full of cuttings. I received a large shipment of irises yesterday. So I have to spend a few hours making markers and then on Wednesday, every one will be gone by then, plant about 100 irises. The beds are ready because of the help of the landscape mow and blow guys digging and placing 5 different gardening areas. I will take before and after photos.

I have half of my worms moved into a new container and tomorrow I will complete the second one.

With the box of irises I got from Dee, irislover, in Oregon, I got a cigar box with a bunch of iris seeds. I am so excited because I love to try anything different. It is time like this I wish I was 40 instead of close to 68. But when I was 40 I had very little money so I guess I will stay where I am now.

Evelyn, when are you 69. Maybe we should celebrate together. Mine is on August 4, my son on August 5th. He was born 1 day after my 21st birthday. Right after that the birth control pill came out and no more children except our Schnauzers.

DH is much better. Last Tuesday and Wednesday was very scary. I thought he was dying but it was the Oxi pain pills. They actually shut down his whole system with just one per day. Now he is on a must weaker pain medicine that is helping him with his broken rib. He actually got out of bed yesterday at 10am and today at 8:30am. He had been getting out of bed around noon. He does not sleep well until around 3am. I went to bed at 9pm and slept all night. That felt wonderful.

Evelyn your menu sounds very boring. You can still eat healthy and not eat such bland food. Tell me what you like and I will give you some ideas on d-mail.

We just broke a record in Las Vegas. Every day in July was over 100 degrees.

Dave, I remodeled my old home before we built this home. It started with the upstairs master bedroom and making two bedroom i to one large great room upstairs. That was the original plan and then it moved down stairs and a complete remodel of the kitchen. Renovation of them pool decking and pool. It looked beautiful when it was completed but 3 years later we decided to move. The neighborhood was not going anywhere but down. We sold it at the top of the market. But it did take longer than expected to finish the remodel. It was 3700 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and two great rooms. One upstairs and one down. We had no intention to ever move. We had paid off the home and were ready to plant our feet but now we are here with the same plans. This home has the master bedroom down stairs and that is much better. But now the house is larger with 3 bedrooms and an office. I actually have empty drawers because I made sure I had plenty of storage.

Welcome Merrymath. I did not enjoy math when I was in school and only went through high school. BUT, in my career, I used algebra the majority of the time.

JB, you can order lady bugs and praying mantis on line. We ordered some for the greenhouse just the other day because it is full of aphids. We planted Persian cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes. They are growing rapidly. We pray our timing is correct because it will starting cooling down toward the end of August and we need them in the first stage of blooms at that time. We are planting corn outside the greenhouse in very large about 2.5 feet tall cement pots that were used in the landscape of the office building next door. They were no longer using them. We had to raise the corn so the rabbits would not eat the new sprouts. Remember, this greenhouse is on the golf course. The family of the young man I am mentoring in gardening, own the office building, golf course and greenhouse. Actually they own many. They are trying to sell their home and move up west in the Red Rock Area. they have 5 acres. They want me to consult with the vegetable/fruit garden area. Their home is 12,000 square feet, so is not easy to sell. It is also on an acre.

The new property has two wells so that would be wonderful.

Still have not dug anything to send because they would fry before they left town. Probably end of August, first of September. Probably about the time Evelyn will get snow. LOL.
I will be back to normal, as normal as I can be, on Wednesday. Take care and love you all.

Sydney, I do not know you but if these folks do, then you are OK in my book..

Jnette, when I have a problem area like yours where the soil and plants disappears, I use very low 42" wide planters. They are 36" inches deep. I get them at Lowes for $149. They are fiberglass. They come in an off yellow and I paint them the color I want, which is mainly coffee brown. They have been on sale for $72 but not recently. I use them under trees or any place I have tree root problems. I have actually placed them on a slant in some neighbors landscape.

First photo are new pots I placed up the driveway, with help of laborers, about 10 days ago. First photo is before painting and before placed into large hole in ground to make pot level with driveway.

Photo of large pot lower in the ground and painted brown.

Photo of large pot painted gray and angled. This is a neighbors landscape. I changed this landscape, with many laborers and her husband's platinum American Express card in three days. Her father had died unexpectedly and the memorial was held at their home.

This last photo is a dirt area that was right in the middle of the patio. Nothing there but bad dirt and dog toys. Same property and same day. Instant garden.

These are photos of my EZ Cloner per the request of Dave and jnette.

Side view.

Inside sprayers.

Ok Sharon i am sold send me one...lol... so really where do I find the best price. I need a toy for the winter months. I would hate to try cross stitch again...
yes we are remodeling and we have no plans to move for a very long time. I am stuck in tulsa while my parents are still alive. they are celibrating their 48th wedding aniversary next month or is it august already? we bought new furniture this last week also. I am sooooo ready for the 60" hd tv 1080p 120+htz refresh is killer at those speeds. Kim did about have a fit when the homedepot guy told her that the 300 dollar floor was actually going to be closer to $1000.00. she thought we just needed 3 boxes ...nope it was 10 boxes...lol oh well looks like we will be on concrete floors for a bit.
we are not doing the marathon remodel like we did back in 03 we were finished in 07 and sold it. Kim bought the condo thinking she would be a single lady and quietly eek out her lkife quietly....yea right ... the whole cotten pickin family moved in...
I took before pics when we moved in. we just ordered our new front doors very cool with beveled glass.
We are known for our clay. remember we were known for our sod houses "sod busters". A good drought tolerant grass is bermuda... we have it and some fescue in the shade. the poor fescue is trying to die....
Ok who has the endless summer hydrangia? I need some for mom. I really hate to go pay the what 20 or 30.00 for a nice plant at the local no kill nursery (lol) she is insistant that she gets some. of course she will plants stuff in the spring and do well untill it gets above 80 and then its on its own. I don't know why. she does manage to grow african violets though. I think I am upto 4 kinds of hydrangea, 3 double rose of sharon, a couple of yews and a few wiegelia and a named variety of boxwood so its no more buxus spp. now it will be wintergreen boxwood or Korean boxwood. Of course I need to get rid of my liners and gallon plants for cutting stock. I need to stop and get my head wraped arround the plants I got in as cutting stock. I am trying to get to where I have everyone named so its not a huge ???? I really wonder if its all a conspiracy to have the "right" type of box wood or hydragea or spirea.
The magical walkway is still pebbles and stepping stones. I am not sure if it will get planted or not I will need a bluezillion to cover the 100+ feet of walk.
I am sowing seeds and doing cuttings. every day I try to get 1 thing done. friday it was a nap ... phone would not allow me to. I planted some dianthus, corriopsis, ox-eye daisy, alaska shasta's, and a few others. My scull cap is finally ready to come out off the mist. so is the little blue flowered thingy ma bob ground cover. I just got in my seed order last thursday. penstemon, another variety of scullcap, 3 kinds of grass and a few other things. I will tell you they aint no 99 cents a packet of seeds either.
oh well enough whaaa whaaa whaaa for nor I think I will scuffle off to bed and try to sleep. Tomorrow's goal is to do the cuttings from my gold mound spirea's. I think I have about 100 of the Spiraea japonica 'Shirobana' or pepermint spirea rooted and ready to come out to harden off.
Oh yea I need to take pics of the monsterous bench I built and had to shoe horn into the greenhouse. Its still a work in progress though. I just increased bench space by 15 trays so now its 40 trays a turn, I just need to clone my self so I can box and ship. hey will that daisy cloner clone me?????
pic is scullcap - scutellaria spp

Sharon, that instant patio circle is beautiful!! Wish I had design ability like that!

Sharon, thanks for postngi all those pictures. Awesome creations.

I would participate in a co-op for polymer if and when there is one. I am trying to learn slowly about the co-ops by following new posts on that forum.

JB ... do you still have that easter egg plant?

Mary

Mary, I think they are all dead. I have seeds if you want some. But, the plants are shot. I am lucky if I can get one to survive for my own pleasure and more seeds. I need to look at them today. Off to town. Later. JB

wow we are up way to early. oh well so am I. its cutting time. Gold mound spirea 50 to 100 cells.

mary you had asked about co-ops: 1st a warning then a go for broke. Be sure who you are dealing with and everything is spelled out. check feedback on the host/hostess. also know what you will recieve for how much and the cost to ship the item to you. Most are good hard working people like us here but there is the odd idiot that ruins it for the rest. its like trading know who and what and are you willing to take a chance? ask us we might know who is running the co-op. I have had some great deals and i have also regreted a couple. mostly my fault for getting involved.
read read read
please let us know what you find as I don't have the time to keep up on the co-ops
Dave

Dave, I woukd never participate in a co-op without first contacting this thread. I am just watching the co-op forum ... I will post anything that could be of interest.

JB you have d-mail.

Mary

Mary, Dave is right, but I have joined a lot of coops, gotten some really good prices, and only been stung once and that was because too many people wanted in on it and the hostess could not handle it. She/he did not have enough help.

Since then Admin has rewritten the rules to hopefully keep that and other things from happening again, but they cannot cover everything and because members do like the coops and want them, sometimes I think the "committee" who is suppose to keep watch over them relaxes their own rules and then we get another bad one.

So therefore, like Dave said, we have to take care of ourselves.

Mary I am sure you follow the inner voice. we just hate to see our people get hurt or even come close to it... we gets a wittle bit klazy ...

"here'ssssss Johnny'" lol

Pretty boy.

It was a fairly pleasant day to work outside. Presently it is cloudy and looks like rain .... but guess what .... are you listening JB ... RAIN IS NOT IN THE FORECAST!

No sign of Mr Mantis today .... is he on his way to JB's?

In the middle of June I planted 2 very neglected cantolop seedlings. They have had prolific growth and lots of blossoms.

For the most part the most promising stary of a fruit is in this picture.

Then today I discovered this one. at first I thought I had spotted some brown leaves on the lop plants.

Yesterday, my grandson finally poured some more concrete into the forms. Here is a picture of the progress.

He is doing a good job Mary. Looks nice. How thick is he pouring them?

Well the grandchildren and their mother are heading back to Spokane in the morning. It has been a great visit and I have a list of gardening to start on Wednesday. DH is feeling much better. The Oxicodene (spelling wrong) just about killed him. Shut his complete body function down and after he quit taking it it took 5 days for him to return to normal. He actually has color in his face today instead of that gray/yellow look.

Our morning are now beautiful. In the 80's with a small breeze. Our highs are in low hundreds and it actually feels cooler.

This is a photo of one of my Hardy Hibiscus now in bloom. They grow in -4 to 100. I have them in partial shade.