Spring is here!

The white still looks good, Leawood, though HF Young is so gorgeous - like a waterfall of clematis.

City: You are brave! I'd be so fearful that the hosta would take the required water for the clematis that I wouldn't plant a hosta near a clematis but that doesn't stop me from wishing you the best luck with the clematis. Unless you were to go overboard I wouldn't worry about the 3-20-20 at all. The manufacturers have a lot to lose if people lost plants due to the strength.

Talk to the clematis and tell it to fill out on all sides. Maybe it will listen or maybe your neighbors will see you talking to it and not bother you.

Brave ? Yep, that's me, a no fear gardener.

I've already had a heart to heart talk with the hosta, so I'm pretty sure the understanding still stands. ;) I saved that hosta from a rental property where it had become surrounded by timber bamboo and the blackberries were starting to cover it ! Three years ago it was but a tiny stub gasping for life. It's now several nice young plants.

The super bloom fert formula I'm attempting to replace was a 10-60-10, which later was changed to a 10-50-10. Thus my habit of keeping it away from perennials such high phosphate levels will tie up micro nutrients and the plant will suffer deficiencies over time. Fine for annuals since they are temporary. Planning a garden wedding or a big party ? I can force your garden to be at peak bloom exactly when the event is scheduled, but those temporary situations plants can bounce back from. I don't have great hope for this new fert, but try them all I must, since the super bloom formulas are just not around here for sale anymore.

Now about little Arabella. Those that have ever had a pet cat will be familiar with the pouting cat, one that will walk in the room and sit down with his/her back to you. That is exactly what little Arabella is still doing. I had placed her so that the 'front' was facing the sidewalk and front steps. I have not touched the plant or pot. This is what I see now. She has done a complete turn away in the opposite direction, and to top that she is facing into the wind ! Too funny not to share.



This message was edited May 30, 2013 1:05 PM

Glorious photo even if it wasn't how you planned it!

I'll check the numbers on my super bloom product and let you know what it is. Of course, that wouldn't help much if it isn't available to you locally.

I was wrong! A few years ago I did put two clematises at the foot of a trellis and a hosta about a foot in front. You can guess what happened and then a columbine decided to seed itself in the midst of the hosta. So now I have a clemostabine extravaganza. I'll take new photos today: these are from last year. It's a situation I should have corrected last year (or the year before) but gardeners and time on our hands isn't the most likely combination.

Pretty clems. My Blue Light is lush this year....

Oh Pirl too bad you are so far away. Having a clemostabine extravaganza would be my specialty. I LOVE that cottage garden look where everything is running together but sometimes I tend to go a little overboard:) I just carved a tall mexican petunia out of my guara and now I see the other tall mexican petunia has a daylily in the middle of it. Was the petunia asleep when I planted a daylily on top of it??? I have no idea but this overplanting and underestimating how tall a plant will be when it is only 2 inches high are the reasons I must have a good shovel ready at all times. Every year I seem to have plants that need to be moved either up in the bed or back behind something else so they can be seen or else they are sitting on top of someone else and need to be moved.

Edited here to actually match the pictures in the order they are.

First photo is of 'the president' beginning to bloom my oldest clem and one of my very favorites. This one was damaged by a falling tree limb in the Christmas ice storm but he has rebounded nicely.

On another note here is a picture of my Jackmanii - the poor guy who just about lost to that euonymus bush. Yep I'm getting a few blooms but the second photo is of the stem. As you can see (I hope) there is a juncture there with two little stems coming out and going up the trellis. I'm trying to decide whether to leave him be or to cover that juncture with soil or mulch. What do you guys think?



This message was edited May 30, 2013 8:48 PM

Today's "Word of the Day" : clemostabine extravaganza

Excellent. Ahh, they're so cute. They just all wanted to be friends. :)

And this:

>>>Every year I seem to have plants that need to be moved either up in the bed or back behind

Agreed. Plus things that were finally in the perfect spot suddenly are not in the right spot because other things grew and the light or moisture changed.

Well, I took a chance that the heaviest rain is past and have now tested my new fert. hoping the sky doesn't open up and wash it all away.
Pril,
When you run across the bloom formula you are happy with I would like to know. This one is too expensive to use on any but 'the chosen ones'. So finding a more common, but recommended bloom fert is still in the cards. I did have an epiphany last night on the subject. One of these days I need to find a popular hydroponic store that sells to growers of medical pot...legal here. Those growers would have a real need for a heavy bloom formula. Now that will be an interesting shopping trip.

Lush is the right word, Marilyn. My Blue Light isn't lush but only two years old. Dr. Ruppel is lush this year!

Kjuddy - I'm so glad I'm not the only one. There was no reason for me to crowd the poor clematises but the hosta grew toward them instead of toward the sun and the silly columbine, which matches the clematis perfectly, looks so happy to sit on top of the hosta. Very circus like or like a pile of puppies.

Your first photo doesn't strike me as Jackmanii - the color is divine! Second photo does look like Jackmanii and if you feel there are roots there you could do air layering, an art I never mastered. It's heart warming when a storm doesn't totally pulverize a clematis and they are so much stronger than they appear to be. All the important parts are under the earth so I guess we shouldn't be surprised when they survive but it's a thrill to see they were "stronger than the storm" (New Jersey's ad campaign that I love).

Sure, citybus, they wanted to be reallyclose friends!

Moving plants is Mother Nature's way of keeping us out of trouble. Heaven knows we might be bank robbers or worse if we didn't have our mutual hobby!

Last year some digitalis decided they wanted the front spot in one border and got over 6' tall before I hacked them down but the seedlings keep on coming. They all seem to be fertile.

Don't the plants take up the fertilizer rather fast? I did look at my container and it's a "no name" brand. I was sure I could memorize it but tomorrow will get a photo. The middle number was 55 and I think I bought it at Walmart. I'll check the box for a sticker and hope it has the price as well. I know it wasn't high priced. Have you tried adding super triple phosphate to the soil to see the results using that - not that it's cheap.

See, now you might run the risk of being followed home by people who are curious about what you're doing! Careful! Try online and see what they offer.

Sorry about that the first picture is the president clematis -I deleted those three times before they showed up in the right order and I still got it wrong - going to edit the words to match the pictures - note to self next time put the pics in and then write about them.

That happens to most of us so it's not just you.

I thought it was too beautiful of a color to be Jackmanii! It's so stunning! The President here has huge flowers this year but not many...yet. Last year it went on for a very long time trying to beat Dr. Ruppel for longevity and flowers.

Awesome digitalis! Mine seed here & there, but never get that size.....

They are that height all over the property so they're often out of scale with the rest of the garden. The columbine is another one that's huge (HUGE) in the back gardens but only one giant in the front.

citybusgardener (do you have a shorter name we could call you?) - here's the product I had mentioned and from the packaging (no price tag) I guess I bought it at K Mart, not Walmart.

Pirl,

That fert is perfect ! We have a K mart out towards the more country side of town, so I could do that. Walmart..not a chance. I've had to go a couple of times because back then they were the only place that had any mustard without soy. Scared me have to death, plus I saw families that made me just want to cry, and it bothers me to this day. Our Walmart is out in an area long called felony flats, and for good reason. Different places, different cultures huh ? Here in the middle of a very liberal, west coast city, hydroponics stores are all around, and in nice neighborhoods. Besides living under cloud cover most of the time, folks do grow indoor veggies and spend lots of money on them. Not scarey at all.


So updates from my garden:
The plants fed the new fert are today looking so good. They seem to have developed more 'muscle', if that's possible is such a short time.

I now have caught Arabella and her tricks. What she's doing is facing east in the early morning, then turning south to follow the sun. Turning a LOT. Sort of like a sunflower would do.

And 'Countess de Bouchard' seems to be a little stinker too. Photo's to follow. I planted her in a large pot when purchased last year and placed her where I want a clem. Facing east on the side of my little garden shed. Gave her a couple limbs to climb up for now, before building anything fancy since this is a test. Cut her all the way back in early spring as instructed here and she has been coming up nicely. She reached the top of her limb and started to fatten up and create buds. It all looked good till just the other day. now it seems the weight of the plant itself has pulled it entirely over the side of the limb..towards the shed, away from the east..main view. And she decided to bloom facing the shed ? west.

First picture shows how she flopped her entire self off the limb, next picture is how pretty she is if you stand to the side of the shed and peek in plus she has an admirer...that more reddish tone vine is a porcelain berry vine sneaking over toget acquainted it seems . LOL Funny stuff what these clems are doing. It's like I have a group of terrible twos living here. :)





This message was edited Jun 1, 2013 8:50 PM

I just Googled K Mart fertilizers and that is their brand. This link will take you to their rose food but at least you'll see the label and the K Gro brand:
http://www.kmart.com/kgro-3-lbs-rose-38-bloom-plant-food/p-043W002823902000P?prdNo=30&blockNo=30&blockType=G30

There are stores to serve the people of every area and many can be depressing while others are a big treat. The Walmart in South Portland, Maine, is similar to a "destination restaurant" but it's a Walmart that is glorious and ours is dismal by comparison and also 20 miles away. I've never had reason to even look for a hydroponic store but it should be an interesting adventure for you.

Some plants do react very fast to nutrients. I've found it true with tomatoes and basil.

Oh, that tricky Arabella was out to fool you! At least now you know her game.

Can you gently move the limbs for the Countess to try and lead her in the position you want? Be gentle!

The Porcelain Berry Vine here chokes trees so my advice (not that you asked for it) would be to cut it out and dig up the roots if possible.

Just found another bloom buster product at KMart:
http://www.kmart.com/kgro-1.5-lb-super-bloom/p-043W004158185000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

So the continuing saga of my Terrible Two's.

Today's surprise, see photo. Does this look like a pretty white flower with creamy yellow center that grows to potentially 40 feet blooming in EARLY spring?

Ha ha. Fooled me. Purchased and potted to larger container last year. Doesn't even look like something I would ever buy, what with the flower looking downward. Normally I know exactly what is where and what a plant can be expected to do, within reason obviously.. This surprise business is so weird.

Pirl,
I looked around Kmarts lawn and garden section online, and it looks to me like Scotts probably makes these store brand ferts. Long story but the original ferts I have used for years and years are the old Peter's brand. Peters was sold too many times and is not longer made. Peters son went into the business and now makes Jacks classic, using his dad's old formulas. But the only way to get that is online if your not in the greenhouse business. Scotts let the formulas wither away. They recently did put out a 20-20-20 ( old Peters basic formula) that is sold only in independent nurseries. Trouble there is most of them do not want a Scotts brand on their shelves. I did find one shop that did bring it in, but didn't bother more than to notice it ,since I still have some left from my old bulk bag. Their new 20-20-20 is ridiculously priced to, just to add insult to injury.

But.. your brilliant suggestion now shows me this Kmart house brand set of products, most close or identical to the old Peters. Many of us have been looking for several years Pirl, so I will take the trip out to the Kmart, test the product and if it is what it looks to be, I'll be getting the word out ! THANK YOU !

P.S.
I had no idea the Porcelain Berry Vine is such a problem for many in other places until I saw that here at Daves' Garden. Mine a good 15 years old now and as polite as a vine can be. I've not noticed any gone wild around town and since I walk and bus everywhere, I have the privilege to look close at everybody's gardens on a regular basis. In fact that's one of the best parts of being a mass transit rider.. that and not having to be the one dealing with idiot drivers. I can read my garden magazines, knit or crochet a few rows, chat with interesting people, and look out the window while the bus driver does all the hard work. :)

EDIT : I figured it out !
Name added like you did Pirl. Removed the question about how to do that.

I'm Pam.

This message was edited Jun 2, 2013 7:54 PM

So nice to meet you, Pam! I have to wonder how many of us clem lovers felt you might be a guy!

Your pink nodding flower bears no resemblance to a white flower growing to 40'. What was supposed to be the name of that one?

I liked Scott's and Peter's. Is the Jack's classic as in the petunia food? That works so well! It was just luck that I even found the bloom buster item in my outdoor storage unit while looking for Epsom Salt.

You are fortunate not to have the pest version that we have here - the Porcelain Berry Vine that eats small sheds and medium sized trees. It took us years to rid ourselves of that one.

If you can get more photos of the pink flower I'm sure we can all help you identify it. My first guess would be Duchess of Albany.

It was supposed to be White Anemone Clematis / Clematis montana var. grandiflora.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2763/
In fact it had jumped in my cart as a discount, past bloom special because I had admired yours .I don't generally buy mark downs since they have had too much time in a pot that they outgrew for awhile now. While this can be a $ saver, it's one of those things where once a plant has been stressed, it's more likely to be vulnerable to problems looking for a nice place to be. Then there's the whole 'a customer may have changed a tag' thing. Oh well.

It has had a hard time compared to all my other new clems, and right now there's just this bloom and a bud. So it may be next year I'll quiz this group on ID. Time will tell. It is finally starting to look better than it has so far this spring, so that's something. I wondered if it was dead for awhile.

Here's the page for Jacks.
http://www.jrpeters.com/Products/Jack-s-Classic.html
The drop down boxes at the top stay visible and get you around.

I spoke to the buyer at one of our bigger/better nurseries recently, asking about Jacks. Once again he said he has no distributor, so that must be why none of the local places have it. The buyer has been trying all along, since everyone knows how well it works and it will sell. Although, with all the times the company changed hands and production was off and on, it's only the better buyers even looking. Most just gave up from what I know.

When I worked on a screen name I was currently having folks ( not here) just telling me to, "run to the store" or " get a pick-up load of __". Figured city bus gardener might avoid some of that. Then I think that turned out not so good. Maybe it looks like I'm hiding something. So now with my first name, I think that will be better.

Yes on the Porcelain Berry Vine. Some folks have added good photos in the plant files showing it eating big things. I'm keeping my eye on mine just in case it ever gets ideas.

Our grandiflora gets cut back weekly now that it's June so maybe you can view it as a fortunate error. It truly is a monster. It is beautiful but it's a lot of maintenance to keep it cut back and keep it out of C. Liberation, next to it. Some customers do tend to stick the name/care tag in the wrong pot so I like it when the label is stapled to the pot but I know that's not always an option. Even then I question if it has the right name. That led me to buying online since I have serious issues with nursery help telling me that Henryi comes in many colors.

I'm glad to hear you managed to bring the pink one back from nearly dead. I'm guessing you tried the expensive bloom product to encourage more blossoms.

http://www.jrpeters.com/Products/Jack-s-Classic/Petunia-FeED.html That's the petunia I have now and the product I use. It's good and it works well to provide lush plants. I can attach a "before" picture now so we can compare in a month to see the (hopefully) lush plant.

Even with your citybusgardener name I think I may have been one guilty party to suggest "buy a few bags of compost" or some other thing, never realizing that you really do travel by bus to buy your gardening products. The name never struck me as you hiding anything but it never hit me as your mode of transportation. Many gardeners buy so much that a U Haul It could be useful.

Knowing that the montana class can get overwhelming didn't stop me from buying Mayleen (thanks to Annette's photos). I'll be planting it this week.

I see there are no holes in your lily leaves, Pirl.....no red lily beetle, or did you find a cure?

I haven't posted any lily photos lately, Marilyn. No lily beetle damage that I've seen but deer have eaten the tops off many of them. So far we don't have the lily beetle but that's just a matter of time, I'm sure.

We can continue our clem talk at the new thread:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1316245/

Hi Mike,

Home Depot, a bag of five mixed white clematises, in 1995. (Sorry!)

Here's another photo, taken yesterday.

Please join us on the new thread. This one is loading too slowly for people.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1316245/

So this is where all the information is at. Thanks to Arlene I have discovered the name of my Clematis and glad that I finally checked out this forum don't know why it took me so long.
Arlene helped me name my Clematis as Proteus and I guess I should share my pictures with you all too.
But as I was reading these posts someone was talking about a Epson salts bath and someone else asked what that was so I read on hoping to see it and I didn't see anyone explain what it was so I must ask for myself what is it and what does it do and how much do you use any info would be much appreciated.
Here is my one and only Clematis Proteus which I've had for about 30 years or so give or take. And I take no credit for it just are having a very good season this year with nice mild weather and lots I mean lots of rain besides the fact that it is so old it probably has a great root system. This was probably the first plant I bought when we bought our house 33 years ago.
Thanks again for any information
Jan

This thread is too long for many so please join us on the new thread and I'll mention the Epsom Salt drink:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1316245/

"Countess Bouchard" is blooming. I have it on the same trellis with 'HF Young', which I thought might bloom at the same time. Oops. I was wrong.

That is so stunning!

Very nice!

Bump for Pam!

Last May I mentioned I'd alert you when I first spotted the Celandine growing: the time is now!

I noticed it last week so you should see it sprouting very soon, if it hasn't already.

Thanks for remembering, Pirl!

This was supposed to be our first weekend back at the house, being re-opened today, leaving first thing tomorrow. But there's a glitch... The plumber can't get the water on! The east side of the house, where the well is, is still covered heavily with snow and ice. Most likely the pump is still frozen.

Oh well... What's another week :-(

Considering the forecast is for all rain this weekend maybe it will all work out well and the snow and ice will melt. The first weekend in April should be glorious!

I'm amazed I remembered but as soon as I spotted the evil Celandines I did remember that you wanted an alert. They are in full leaf now.

We're probably a week or two behind you. I expect by the time I get there, though, they'll be going strong.

Thanks again for the heads up!

Hi Arlene and everyone!
My clematis are almost 3 foot out of the ground up the trellis
9 trellis of them..So excited..
It was the coldest winter here in the deep south almost 30 years!
Sheri's healing flower bed is looking good right now
mulched and all is green and will be making a good show by
May lst.
Arlene the iris we traded..they look super good
will attach a photo of them to show the height to you..
They will do a whole lot more growing in the next 2 weeks
or 3.
Sheri /sheridragonfly

Our spring is very late,:-( The plumber couldn't get the well pump started, it's still covered in snow and ice. A neighbor says the local lake is still frozen. The result is, we didn't go to the house this weekend.

Next week, we have other obligations, so any discoveries of what survived this harsh winter are two weeks away. Oh, well...

Just got back from FL yesterday to find snow along the coast, but none here.....thank God! Only one ice pile left by the drive & today's 50s, & tomorrow's 60s should melt it....I hope!

Yes, let's hope. Not all of our clem's are showing growth but I think it's due to the weather. Once we get a week of warmth they should show some promise.

My first born child and my first Clematis, Daniel D. full of nice size buds. Started to plant my containers and in the back of it I pulled chicken wire to replace the short fence the tree man destroyed. I planted 4 different clematis to run on wire, it will be beutifull when blooming time comes. I planted V Violoenchella, Blue ice, Sunset, Hanry good mixture of colors. Etelka

So nice and neat, Etelka! I'm sure it will be glorious and you know we want photos!