Spring is here!

Weeds may end up being a problem to many of us forever. I'm only ahead of it (not all of it but most of it) because of the hours I spend (6 to 8 hours a day) but with the heat coming in July I'll just have to get out there earlier.

I love how the sturdiest cardboard works! It's digging the weeds so I can put down the cardboard that takes time. See below for the evil Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' roots grew so happily under strong weed free cloth! Last night I was down at ground level with a knife cutting into roots and then pouring the poison into the cut sections. Today I'll see if that grand plan worked.

According to Mark Viette, the Virginia gardener/lecturer/radio personality, the "trick" is to get the weeds out and 2 to 3" of mulch down before the forsythia loses its blooms. Maybe, if we all had a crew of 30 workers, we could manage it but for most of us it's just not possible.

You're not kidding! Fat chance ariund here! This year especially it was too early and cold, too early, still too early... Oops! Too late!

I can't believe after all your work last year that plant is still popping up! What a scourge! I hope the poison works this time!

Everyone's blooms look so beautiful, very inspiring. It won't be much longer before things start happening here...

Overnight my garden is bursting into life... Some of which is unfortunate, to say the least. Tradescantia, dandelions, raspberries, Garlic Mustard, that other yellow flowering thing with the bright yellow sap...ugh! No sign yet of the dread Apios vine, but that usually comes a little later--like this week, when I'm not there. And of course Deer Tongue, running grasses, Bittersweet--I can't even think of all of them!

But on the whole this year the garden is more lush with desirables. All my efforts over the last 6 years of eliminating, seedstarting, plant buying and dividing, are finally paying off. The wild areas are becoming more tame, and the empty places are filling up. Whew!

I have 4 more clems coming from a co-op, should be here next week. They are not babies, supposedly have good root systems. I lost several last year because I wasn't quite ready. It didn't help that we were away for several weeks. This year I have enough self-watering pots and a good start on an irrigation system, so expect to have better results. And the ones that did make it will be lovely, even though small. All the ones from Brushwood did well. From the co-op I still have 2 Veronica's Choice, one with big fat buds. Some of the others may still appear, the roots looked good when I moved them into better pots.

Soon...

Arlene, one of my gardens is overcome with the dreaded Houttuynia cordata. When I saw it coming up, I tried to dig it out, but the soil was so dry it was like cement. As with everything else this season, it is growing in leaps and bounds. Garden club said to cut and paint with poison, So I intend to try. What do you suggest to kill it?

The Houttuynia garden has about 15 peony plants, 5 rose bushes and a lovely bunch of irises. I will wait until the peonies (loaded with buds) have bloomed and will try to cut back.

Pam, the plant I have with bright yellow sap is the celandon poppy. It leaks yellow with I pull the pods and spreads more than I'd like.
Marcia

If you cut the Houttuynia it will double in size. I will Dmail you about my favorite killer, not used according to directions (or else I'd post it here).

That's it. I just googled it, and found that it is not considered to be invasive. But at my place it pops up everywhere, sun, shade, between rocks, in the walls, so I've been pulling it out wherever I see it.

I also have the low growing Celandine which is listed as invasive. I knew it was a spreader, but didn't realize how bad it is. So far it's mostly only in the big daylily bed, and it's too late to deal with it now. It's recommended that Roundup be used when it first shows up in the spring, before anything else is growing. That shouldn't be difficult-- if I remember in time!

I believe it's now an invasive in NY. How I wish other states would get wise. I have the nasty Celandine as well but I'm doing better with it every year - never shake the roots off or the very tiny bulbs will grow again.

The old, "I'll remember", comes into play again. It's as hopeless as me trying to keep up with, "Tie up the dahlias".

When I first spot the Celandine next year I will try to remember to alert you.

Pam - I've created the alert so now it's just to remember to see when it emerges but March seems likely and April is definite for both the Celandine and the awful Houttuynia.

We arrive in CT usually at the end of March, beginning of April, and everything is still quite dormant. Often there is snow, or at least snow remaining. I remember seeing the Celandine leaves shortly after everything melted, and I remember where. I also remember thinking at the time that maybe it was a problem, but wasn't sure and didn't do anything about it.

How do you set up an alert? Such a good idea! Thanks!

Celandine is my beds as well....I just keep digging them...the most invasive plant in my beds is a dark purple campanula someone gave me....I spent hours this week pulling it out....

It's just an alert on my photo program and useless unless I remember to look!

Oh, Marilyn. That's a major job and teaches us all to be wary of friends bearing gifts. I try to pot up anything from friends and let it grow in the dog's pen for a year to be sure there are no stray weeds. Could you just cut it back and then spray it with a killer as the new leaves form?

I did Campanula White Clips from seed this year. Am I in trouble? I expect some seeding, but don't want a monster...

Arlene, the plant has runners, so I need to dig them up.....Pam, White Clips isn't invasive...I had Samantha last year....never showed this spring.....

Marilyn - spraying the poison on the leaves will kill the roots as well. I have a new spot of Houttuynia and I am using the killer to get the entire plant.

The day was comming, but finnaly arrived. The fireman came to paint my firehydrant in front of the house, so they asked me if they can move some of my plants. I gave them a shovel, and they dug up some of my Shasta daisies, very nice guys, they thank me for keeping my flowers, but it has to be 3 ft. from the hydrant. Now I have a nice clump of daisies to replant someplace else, but that is ok, they painted my hydrent nice yellow, and the garden looks good. Etelka

Having those flowers there does look very nice! Thanks, Arlene.....I have some brush on herbicide that I can try.

It does look nice and neat, Etelka. I can understand their need for the space. You could add some mulch if you don't want to constantly weed that spot. Very nice of them to be so considerate.

Marilyn - it works fast. The newest leaves accept the poison easiest and the heat of the day is the best time to apply it.

Thanks, Arlene....here is Omoshiro just opening....

Your Omoshiro is wonderful, Marilyn. I just love that clematis and have three of them.

It has been glorious this past week.

I guess Omoshiro is an early bloomer. Certainly is a pretty bloom.

Our buds are "juicing up" but not enough to open yet. I can see that some of the plants are still growing like crazy and expect them to bloom later. They love to show off, and I think it's great.

Love that Omoshiro is so early...and so pretty!

Aside from the Montana grandiflora and the Omoshiro (two of the three are in bloom) the only others that opened so far were Lemon Chiffon and Guernsey Cream - but just one flower on the latter, three on LC. All blooms are welcome after this long winter and too cool spring (but not as bad as 2011).

Lots of buds, so hoping flowers open soon on some others......2011 was a killer!

That was the worst year ever for clem's.

Pink Champagne is in full bloom and absolutely gorgeous.

How did I forget to mention Pauline has been in bloom since May 1st? I bought it in honor of the Pauline that pirl stands for and just love it.

Just beautiful!

Thanks, Marilyn. I'm at the library since my computer is in a foul mood and tells me "Please wait". Now I've waited five hours and it still says the same thing. It's only 7 months old and I hate it. Computer guy will check it out tomorrow.

The monitor here shows the colors of the clem's as eye piercing instead of the true colors.

Sprayed my Houtt. even in the light rain. I don't know if I dislike the computer more or the Houtt.

My computer is about 5 years old, but has been reliable....knock on wood! Our library is closed on Sundays....open half days on Wed. & Sat. We are a small town, the library is very busy, but no funds to keep it open more than it is.....

We always vote for the library budget and I can't grasp how many people feel it's of little value.

Here as well......sad.

It is tragic really. I know we have kindles and that type of thing - but there is something about a book.

My mother had a book store for a number of years. I have such fond memories of the bookstore and so do my children. I had often thought that I too would love to have a bookstore, but unfortunately in this day and age, I don't think something like that would make it. How sad.

Pinched back my clems tonight. The 3rd time. Now to let them continue to branch out and then flower. I can't wait!

When I want to read a book I do not want to hold a hard piece of plastic in my hand. I want the look, feel and smell of a book. Nothing can replace that for me. Might be a sign of aging but too bad.

Tonight, when it was too dark to take photos, I noticed a malady on Lemon Chiffon. All the newest flowers are in a permanent floppy look. I haven't been using any products in the area at all, no less harmful ones.

A few more warm days and there will be clematises galore all over!

It is a gray cloudy day, but I still have my colors. Etelka

I agree about holding a book......let my grandkids have their Kindles! Pirl, maybe the Lemon Chiffon didn't like the sudden 80 degree temps......I have another clem blooming, will take a photo later today.....Pretty colors, Etelka.

My first Oriantal lilly, and a clumsey bird dropped a sunflower seed in the middle of the flowers, and it is beutifull

talking about the Kindle the preacher at my church tries to keep up with the "world" preaches out of it, and it is not a comfortable feeling watching him loosing his space. Maybe he should use a Telepromter, then I will realy look for another place to worship, just wenting.Etelka

You do have your colors, Etelka, and they are so lovely. Your gardens are so nice and neat. They must be a treat for your neighbors! Isn't that the lily, Royal Sunset? Ours have tiny buds so patience is needed here. The sunflower was the bird's gift to you for all the beauty you give them.

When preachers have to resort to teleprompters they will lose many followers.

Thanks, Marilyn. Kindles may be fine for others, just not for me.

Regarding Lemon Chiffon - maybe it was the sudden heat but we didn't hit 80 and doubt if we went past 70. If I spot any black leaves I will cut that stem to the ground and apply some fungal powder, just to be safe. One of our clematis lovers is KimmyCoCoPop and her Lemon Chiffon is huge. I wish mine were! This photo was taken before the three problem blooms showed up on a stem to the left.

Here is my 2nd clem to bloom...I think it's sieboldianii. but I'm not sure......

Very pretty, Marilyn. I love how clem's nestle in with plants. On which rose does it grow?

That's Whiteout which has Knockout for a parent......I'm not happy with it, & one of these days will replace the 2 I have along with a red of the same parentage....no scent, very thorny, small flowers......live & learn!

I love roses but they really need scent for me to buy them. The first thing so many of us do, when we see a rose, is bend to sniff it and it's almost disappointing when it has no scent. We all go through that live and learn experience.

Moondance is a creamy white with a wonderful scent...if you want one that color.

Is any one else having a great flush of blooms this year. I dont remember mine blooming so good in years.