Chris, I kept a small Chocolate Drop (Chip?) coleus plant, that I originally got from you LAST year.
Room of Death LOL!
Surviving the Winter
Love seeing all the coleus...I wish I'd have taken my mom up on her offer to put them in our sunroom for the winter...I could have scavaged off them all winter...LOL!!!!
This message was edited Dec 2, 2010 3:02 PM
This message was edited Dec 3, 2010 6:10 AM
It is a nice sight on a cold winter day, to have pretty greenery inside.
I try to focus on a blooming plant for each month:
December - Christmas Cactus
January - Paper-whites and African Violets
February - Dutch Bulbs
March - Cymbidium Orchid
April - Begonia sp., ferns and other foliage plants. (I'm always interested in cuttings for these)
Most plants are "off display", growing under lights in the basement, and brought upstairs when they are looking their best. I've always dreamed of having a greenhouse, but the lights in the cellar allow me to do a lot. I plan to add more lights and bench space this winter.
I start seeds and cuttings for outdoors from January through March.
Starting in April I'm outside more. I start my outside planting with pansy seedlings around April 1. They have always withstood some pretty hard freezes.
Garyon, you really have a system going... I like that! My goal I just keeping my house plants alive over the winter. Right now my plant area in the basement is in disarray from bringing in all my "stuff". I have 2 large Burgmanisias that I bring in to rest over the winter. They don't need much light during that time, just the basement window on the north side. I have 2 more that I started from seed last spring they need to do more growing and make a Y before they will bloom, hopefully this summer.
Sally, I left my Chocolate Drop go this fall, when I dumped the window box there was a bunch of large ants nesting in the bottom. I was really glad I did not bring it into the house to overwinter like I usually do. Those ants had quite a set-up this summer, the hummingbird feeder was right above it, I am thinking that any spills/leaks keep them fed.
I know I should have taken cuttings but I just was not up to that yet.
Lady--
See if you can find anywhere "Systemic Granules"--made by Bonide.
We had stopped carrying it at HD eons ago. I thought they stopped making it.
Then I went to a LARGE $$$ garden center here--and, behold!, they had this in a couple of different-sized bottles.
I bought the bigger one--4lbs., I think, for only $13.
I sprinkle these granules on top of all the pots I plan to bring in (like--EVERYTHING!).
Scratch it in a bit and then water it in and in a couple of weeks, it will have killed everything that
might have crawled in your pots--from top OR bottom.
I know we have gone over this product here on DG long ago as a very undesirable one---just be
careful how you use it....wear gloves and don't inhale it too much.
Better than having all kinds of bugs in the house! Gita
Gita, I looked for it in Lowes a few times, didn't see it. Next spring I'll check in some of the garden centers. I remember you recommed it before. I'll just have to widen my search.
I always wear gloves, I have several kinds depending on what I am doing.I have enough stuff in me I don't need sucking in up with my hands or nose. LOL
I stopped at Lowes to pick up paint the other day and they had some beautiful plants. It was all I could do to come home without any plants.
I have heard that you can plunge the pots in water up to the rims for a while to drive insects out of the pots. What you do with the bugs at that point is up to you.
Bonide® Systemic House Plant Insect Control is available at Ace hardware if they don't have it on the shelf, ask them to order it, they get their special orders at least weekly. An eight oz. bottle is $7.49 and their catalog number should be 951.
I used to order my Pro-Mix BX this way till I found an Amish farm that sells it near wholesale price. Systemics are still pesticides and should be handled appropriately. Many out gas when watered in and never use them on food proudicing plants. The Temic we used in commercial greenhouses would kill even the spiders, and we made sure no cats got locked in prior to turning on the watering system. Hope this helps! Ric
Snow today, and cold. More is predicted throughout the week. How Buffalo NY got so much snow and we got none is odd. Ours is probably coming. Winter is here.
Home depot sometimes reduces nursery stock/bulbs by 75%. That has not happened yet this year, and I doubt that I could get them in the ground now anyway. I did cash in on the 50% reduction and bought (and planted) lots of daffodils and some alliums. Tulips are just deer food here, so I've given up on them.
So far this morning my outside activity was limited to taking composting materials to the lasagna garden. Slipped on the ice. Repotted a couple of houseplants inside.
What gardening plans do you have for the coming week?
Grayson
I haven't tried Lowes for bulbs and nursery because last year they just ditched them all early to make room for Xmas stock.
Day temps in the 30s for the next few days here, windy today; I am not planning anything outside!
Same at my HD. Trees and shrubs and perennials got marked 50% off and they sailed out of the yard.
Bulbs sat around and sat around and, eventually, got tossed too.
When Christmas stuff is all over--who needs to look at a display of bulbs?
Such is the world of BIG retail~
They were not even allowed to donate the bulbs to some non-profit group.
More rules and conditions.....
Dig this! We are almost 50% sold out of all things Christmas--and it will not get re-ordered....
Selling all the displays too--if a customer wants it.
Shopping early in the season is the smart thing to do if you want a selection of anything.
Gita
Grayon, I think the Buffalo snow was Lake Effect from Lake Erie and then mixing with the moisture from Lake Ontario. The wind was carried east across Lake Erie , I am just a bit south of the lake, we have had snow flurries since Dec. 1st. with Lake Effect starting this afternoon. It could get pretty nasty around here. We have a little less then a foot of snow on the ground so far. I am looking forward to your snow reporting this winter, it may get very interesting.
No new bulbs for me this year, I checked in on the Brent and Becky's bulb site, last year I picked up some very nice Amaryllis bulbs at a reduced price but it doesn't look very promising this year. They only have 3 verities that are not sold out, and they are not on sale.
Gita I have noticed the last few years that most stores are sold out of nice Christmas decor by the time I am in the mood to shop, and after Christmas all that is left is junky or broken.
I long for the days when Thanksgiving kicked off the Christmas season. When the stores were magically transformed into a season wonderland. I know I'm just old fashion.
Lady--
I also yearn back to those days....I am just as old-fashioned!
Christmas is special--and when one is inundated with everything Christmas--like music everywhere--
I think it dulls the senses when Christmas really arrives. Almost like--it has no special meaning.
Of course--BIG retail has to keep up with it's competitors. It is ALL about one-upmanship!
Do you think HD is going to let Lowes get one up on them??? NAH! Same the other way around.
I've been kidding around with customers that feel the same way.
I say--"You know, pretty soon, Christmas stuff will all be out right after Labor Day". Then--4th of July....
NOT kidding here....
The early bird gets all the worms......
Gita
Ladygardener:
I liked it when Thanksgiving started the Christmas season, too. When we were kids we spent Thanksgiving with my great-aunt and uncle in Hartford, Connecticut. On Thanksgiving night the trees and decorations in the downtown area were lit, and the stores opened the next morning for the Christmas season. There was a great department store there - I can't remember what it was called - with many floors. The holiday displays there were very intricate, and included many animated figures.
It snowed last night, the schools are closed. My outdoor work today will be shoveling. Maybe cleaning and decorating the front porch, too.
Grayson
This is the garden. Over three feet of snow on the ground and snow predicted every day for the next week or so. Outside garden work is limited. I do plan to lay out new pathways and other features in the snow. It's like a huge piece of paper for garden design.
I heard Syacuse got hit hard, you were just a bit late getting it. I guess Cleveland Oh. got slamed.
Word is get everything done today and tomarrow, Sunday it turns nasty.
That is a pretty picture, see you got some sun too.
garyon- wow!.beautiful! I guess for your area thats not too big a surprise though- or is it? We got snow like that last year - it only happens every fifteen years or so. But it was followed up by another appreciable snowfall and was a big deal. I think the orthopedic guys had a good spring fixing a lot of overworked shoulders from shoveling, including my DH's.
And thats a great idea-- look at that as a giant sheet of graph paper to play design with. Now I HOPE for a decent snowfall to do the same.
Sally, be careful what you wish for. LOL
Famous Last Words---- LOL LOL
" it only happens every fifteen years or so""
It's the "so" that gets you!
It's warmer this side of the window. There's a nice view to the outside from a warm living room.
Oh look at all that snow. I love snow can't wait till we get some but then I usually don't have to shovel it. LOL
So Ric tackled the big Holly bush out front a few days ago. We have let it go wild for years and Ric was talking
about doing a Topiary with it. Here it is before he started.
Here are the trimmings really I only wanted a few greens for swags LOL
I swear there is a whole large bush here.
Can we have a picture of what's left? What shape are you working towards? You'll certainly be able to deck the halls!
So this is what we have right now. It will take a few years to get it the way he wants it. Will have to fill in a bit and then he can sharpen up the shape. It's a geometric shape a square box on the bottom then a 4 sided pyramid on the top. Wish I had gotten a pic of when he was working on it. He took 4 long pieces of bamboo which he put up like a tepee and then added 4 more pieces tied across from pole to pole to make the box shape on the bottom. Can't get over how much taller it looks now that it is slimmer.
Sorry Garyon, I got pulled away and sidetracked. LOL
You can get an idea of how much we took off the circumference by looking at the grass line.
Working on a Topiary is a lot of fun. Nice job, Ric! It will look wonderful when it fills in. If you do get some snow don't forget to get another picture, the white background will show off the shape more.
G. nice cc.
Here is a picture out my front door a little while ago.
Impressive!
Thanks for the reminder Ladyg I will we are getting a little bit right now don't think there will be much.
Does anyone use the "Garden Journal" feature in Dave's Garden?
I use it to "try" to keep track of my plants. Mostly it is just a plant list with basic info like where and when I acquired a plant and where I planted it. I could add a lot more info in those notes like growing habit and blooming info, but I haven't started doing that yet. The plant list is divided into different groups like House Plants, Trees & Shrubs, Perennials. I have a "This to That" which shows what parts of my garden looked like before and after. The This to That is pretty empty, working on that would be a good winter project for me. Last year I tried to use it to list pictures of plants I would have to offer at the Plant Swap and tried to put in a link to it but I never did get that working right. I'm rather computer challenged so it took me a bit to understand how it works and I still don't get it right all the time. You are very welcome to go and look at mine if you would like to see it.
You can try this link or just go to my info page and follow the link there.
http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/hp/HollyAnnS/
I use it, but sometimes don't keep up with it like I intended to. It is a nice feature to keep track of what you have or had and lost.
It is easy to check on a member's Journal. Just click on their name on their post. You are welcome to take a look at mine too.
Holly I see you had one of my gloriosa daisys from the swap, did it reseed itself for you?
Yes it came back again this year I just love that plant such a pretty one.
I did work on my Journal a lot when I got started, and I think I still have it fairly complete, at least with listing what I have, and had, and a few 'must haves' that I've read about.
PS don't try to keep listing must haves, that is an endless list LOL
I can see now that its gotten rally cold, that my indoor plants really will help me survive the winter. I have a geranium blooming away!
Thanks. I'll try this year. I can never get a pen and written journal together in the same place at the same time. Maybe this will work better for me. I've started several over the years and never got past April.
I found that it is helpful if you can locate your plants in the Plantfiles and send them to your journal. Sometimes the entry will link back to plantfiles so you can review pictures of the plant others have posted. If the link doesn't show up I'll copy and paste it in my note section.
Some plants are not listed, in that case I do my own entry in the journal or add it to plantfiles if I have a reliable tag on the plant.
Only downfall is my tendency to pull dirty plant tags out of the yard or pots and leave them on the computer desk for months before actually entering them in Journal...