Fall Swap 2013 at Sallygs Haves and Wants Discussion

Happy, Walker's Low would be great. Thanks! I will put you down for the phlox. It's actually really pretty. Looks amazing with orange if you're into hot combos. Not really affected by PM. I always pinch the growth back in late spring to encourage bushiness and shorter blooms. Here is the phlox from a few weeks ago with my next door neighbor's DLs that lean into my yard. Normally I trim them to prevent this but so glad i left it this time!
http://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.davesgarden.com-main_site/664x495/imag0266_1_8485c180e3296da3e036bd7a1969518cec3140f0.jpg

SSG: dazzleberry will be a cutting. Hope that's OK!

This message was edited Aug 11, 2013 6:59 PM

ssgardener- the white hardy geranium is 'Biokovo' cultivar from Jill. It is more compact, shorter, with smaller glossier leaves. I actually think it's better than the pink one.

typwc: I'll try to propagate the Nepeta Walker's Low for you -- there are a number of things I've promised you that I will only be able to deliver on if I can manage to propagate them, so be forewarned!

Happy--
Got you down for that Acuba.
It is one stem with a bunch of leaves at the top. That's it!


Paul, you are down for a Lipstick plant...Anything else?

In my earlier notes, I have down that you might be interested in
--a Koromo cutting? Help mr out how to cut it and from where.
--Salmon Azalea cutting--right next to the Koromo. Help!
--and some of the dug-up Daffodil bulbs.

Are you still interested in all of the above? Reminder photos below....
The daff. bulbs I will have plenty of. The Azaleas--I do not really
know about rooting them. Paul wanted to try.
I LOVE that salmon Azalea!!!!!!
G.

Typ, I can be a back up for you on the Walker's Low--assuming mine struggles on!

Gita, of course I would. I'm fairly confident with azaleas so I don't think it'll be a problem to root them.

Gita -- thanks so much for the Aucuba -- one stem with a bunch of leaves at the top would thrill me!

Paul: Your post reminds me -- isn't this when Mike said we should try to root cuttings? Can you remind me how you do it? I think you've explained it before - if you can just link me to that, I'd be pleased. I've NEVER managed to root an azalea from a cutting, though I've been 100% successful in rooting by layering (sticking a heavy stone on a stem and returning a year later).

SO????
Woulds Oct. 5th be too late to take cuttings?
Assuming you may come over for the "dig"?

If not--please tell me exactly where to cut them and how to pot them up
and I can bring them to the swap. NOT that I have not done cuttings....
I think I am the "Cuttings Queen" here.
How many flats do I now have going?

Gita

Catmint -- please don't give up on your Nepeta unless it is really dying before your eyes -- if it is just sulking, give it a chance!

Sally, I'd love to try that Biokovo geranium! I missed it when Critter was offering it last year.

Typ, that's no problem!

Happy, I understand you perfectly! Who knows what will happen between now and then. I haven't dug up anything for the swap yet. :)

Hi SOS, I'll take that landscaping fabric off your hands! I've been wanting to try to make a pallet planter for a while now and this may be my chance.... I also have a 'Black Knight' Butterfly bush, which I grew from a cutting 2 falls ago. I don't know if you want it too? I just can't make butterflies come to my yard and I'm giving up trying! :)

AHHHH--A Post! Finally! No one seems to be checking out DG so far..

Karen--
Decided today to, finally, put down some of the Summer lawn stuff
with Insect control. I had an old, unopened bag from a few years ago--
so it needed to be used up. Tired of having my legs all chewed up.

Been outside re-potting a few things and making labels for all my
trays of cuttings. That's easy work! It is too hot! Close to 90*.
I came in for a break-and there were NO Posts! Bummer!!!....

Read today''s Article on Tumbleweeds--came back--an you had posted...
Goody! Someone to reply to.....I KNOW you must be at work...

Re the Pallet Planter--if you get a chance to drive over to the
White Marsh HD on Pulaski Hwy (at Mohrs lane), and go to the garden area
of my HD--we still have a Pallet Planter sitting outside--still very pretty.
One side is flowers and herbs--and the other is just trailing Vinca,
You can examine the "construction" of it.

I could give you some weed-block fabric too--I think I have an old roll
somewhere in my shed...Need to go look...

I am starting to have too many cuttings now--3-4 trays full-
way too many for the swap. No one is much asking for anything...
Maybe it is still too far away?
Please DO NOT be shy about taking all you want from me.
Check my "haves" and ask away. Or--come over--and take all you want...
The comment I made of "do you want both pots"? was about the "Blue
Spruce sedum". Seems I have 3 pots of it. If I cut them back--and root
the tips--I will have 2 more...

How about a well started 10" HB of the REAL Swedish Ivy? The all green one.
I have two--and the older one which, lo and behold, has become so lush!
I was almost ready to toss it this spring. Cut it all back and made 2 new HB's.
from all the cuttings. They are growing well--and I have already cut them
back once to make them bush out more.
Then--this root-bound older one just started growing and is now so pretty.
It will be a "keeper" for one more season.
When is the last time you have seen this in any store for sale???

I have had this plant forever--maybe 20 years--and have always kept it going
by renewing it from cuttings. Just re-potted two smaller pots in two bigger
pots as well (not HB) . These are a bit older...from early summer--i think...

Same as my BIG AW Begonia. I cut it back every spring--and it just
re-grows all big and lush. You can have anice 6" pot of this one as well...

I think people that do not take their House Plants outside for the summer/fall
season are losing out in a major way... Plants just LOVE being outside.
One just has to mind the light exposure..that's all.

Here are a few pics I just took...Gita

1--My "old" Swedish Ivy HB by my front door.
2--The newly re-potted ones--from a 4" pot to an 8" pot.
These have been in a more sunny location--and the leaves
are a bit more yellow. I have about 4--4" pots of this available.
3--Here is the 6" pot of the AW Begonia---I have two available.
4--This is the Mama AW Begonia--that was cut back to the nubs in spring.
Yes! it re-grows like this every season! It sits on my shady front steps.
5--Here is a tray-full of 32 cuttings of the "Inky Fingers" Coleus.
Getting all perked up! PLEASE ask away! That is a lot to keep over...
These are in 4-packs--not 6-packs...There are 8-- 4-packs in the tray.
They can be cut in half--and then there will be 16-- 2--packs available.



This message was edited Aug 12, 2013 3:02 PM

Gita: Your ability to root cuttings is the stuff of legends! I've already asked for a lot, so you know I'm not shy -- but what I would have asked for if I hadn't already asked for a lot are daffodils (love the idea that yours are late blooming), foxgloves (I adore them and haven't started any this year) and Swedish ivy. I'm so excited about the inky fingers that you already have me down for -- just gorgeous. But as we say at our house, these are "wants," not "needs", so put me at the bottom of the list! I'd also like to invite myself to the great iris division, if that's ok.

happy--Legend???? I am a legend??? By whose say-so?

I do not do anything special to root things. I do take time, and prepare
the cutting by stripping off bottom leaves, making sure it has at least one
leaf node in the soil, using a pro Mix type of soil, watering it in as soon as I am done--
and then putting the tray (or pots) out of the sun. THAT IS IT!!!
I NEVER root any garden plants in water! Directly in soil is best. They all root.
For cuttings of annuals--(like what i am doing) no rooting Hormone is needed.
I do use it for thicker, woodier cuttings...
That's it! I do not fuss over anything. Do not do anything special--just water when needed....

One more thing--My plants are all healthy--with no bugs--so they do not have to struggle to root.
I also root things well in advance--so you, actually, get a ROOTED plant.
I never pull something out of the ground the day before and put it in a pot
and give it to someone. That seems unfair.

Now, happy, you are welcome to come to the iris dig--BUT--It is NOT a "Great Iris Dig!
Where dig that come from????
One person asked if she could come to learn how it is done--and then another one.
That was OK with me...There is NO "Great Dig"!!!
Honestly--it would not be worth your time. I am being honest here!

I, (we), will dig all the iris out of this area, by taking turns...maybe??
Put them on the grass, and then see where a good place would be to divide them.
Throw away the old roots...replant some of the good ones.
I plan to amend the soil there before planting any back in. This area has not had any
new coil or compost dug in since who knows when. These are in my S. facing bed
along the side of the house. Tight quarters....
I will re-plant some of the same iris--and maybe put some in pots--and, of course,
the "helpers" will not go home empty handed.

I have TWO small areas with too crowded Iris in them. Like--maybe 3'x3' each. That is IT!
I don't think even two people could dig there at the same time!

Happy--if you want to come--you are welcome--just you may be disillusioned...

I will put you down for some of all you asked for. There is enough to share.

1--This is one of the clumps we will dig up. The other one is next to it to the right.
about the same size.

Did not mean to hit send on the above--

This is from 2011--but here you can see the bed....and the Iris clumps-
(a bit smaller than now) just past the red flowers.

That's IT! G.

Gita, how do you keep your plants free of bugs?

Your rooting talents do indeed sound remarkable! :-)

Oh Gita, You don't need to be so humble! :) Sometimes I even mess up the "easy" things like coleus, so own that title!

This sounds like it's gonna be a regular old Iris diggin' party! Woohoo!

Gita, how does the swedish ivy like to live? in shade? I don't have a lot of sunny spots in my house but if it's okay with shade I'll take a baby plant. I've got two inky fingers and I'm planning on keeping them over this winter. or else I'd definitely be asking for more!

I get bugs on some plants outside---but not too many.
Sometimes Spider mites---just now--I have white Flies on one of my daturas
and I have been spraying for them. Last year--I had scale on one of my H-plants--
I had bought it at HD and I have observed, that many plants from Big Box stores
often come with insect problems--you just don't see it until a year later..
They are sometimes grown in open fields in FL. So there!
I get Funguses (lost all my petunias to crown rot), rabbits chew off my plants...
A couple years ago--all my Impatiens died of that Downy Mildew....It IS a battle.

BUT--even though I bring in over 100 plants every winter--I never have any bugs in my house.
The very few times I have had any--they were on recently purchased plants.
Please be wary of this--and inspect any plants you are buying VERY carefully.

It may be because I treat every pot that will come in with Systemic Granules about 2-3 weeks
before they all come in.
I also think that, once you have bugs on your plants & in your house--it is very hard to get
rid of them--especially if you have Mealy Bugs (as they hide in very small places)
or if you have a Mite infestation. Scale is also a bad one...
G.

--Anyone want some baby AV's???? You can see that I have plenty!
--Maybe some small Holiday cactus? Got those too--all grown from leaves/segments by me...

karen--I keep my Swedish Ivy in filtered light (outdoors) The one in front of the house
(the old one I just posted a pic. of) gets very little sun, as my front faces kind of North.

They can take AM sun--and even half a day of it--like the ones i just re-potted in the 8" pots.
The leaf color is quite lighter if they get sun--but the plants were thriving.

If you hang a Sw, Ivy from the porch/deck roof--that would be perfect.
May I pass on to you one of the new HB's, please? They are well on their way.
I do not want 3 of the same HB to find a place for. Or--will that be too big?
If you cannot handle the big HB--then I will give you one of the 4" pots.
Indoors--they appreciate the best light you can give them. Some sun is good.

Also--don't be alarmed--as around Nov. or Dec.--mature plants will bloom from the
tips of the stems-and the dropping, tiny, white flowers make a bit of a mess....
I cut them off...
Maybe you would be happier with a small Spider Plant? I got them too...

Karen--even if I now I am good at something--and I am good at many things--
I AM still humble about it.
It took me years to learn to say "Thank you"when someone paid me a compliment...
Then I realized that that is all that needed to be said--and there was no need
for anything else.....
Cultural stuff......G.

I like the swedish ivy better, and I think a hanging basket would be too big for overwintering, so I should go with a 4" pot. Thank you!

I'm definitely still working on gracefully accepting compliments. But you do seem to really be talented at plant propagation.

Karen--
OK! I know it seems to work for me---but, truly, I do not do anything special.
Experience and acquired knowledge is all you need.

Makes me wonder what the people DO that have difficulty propagating things????
I mean this question sincerely. Can you share it here, please?

Maybe?????????
Do you fuss too much? Do you try to follow some written "rules" about techniques?
Techniques are what works for you---with a bit of knowledge attached.

Many times-I suspect--people try to root too many things in water. I never do!
Water is OK for some plants--IF you only leave the cutting in water until small
roots start to show. Those little, white nubs and tendrils...
Then--you have to plant it on into soil--as if you allow a whole tangled web of
water roots to grow-and THEN plant it in soil--it will not work.

Water roots are different from soil roots. It is hard for the plant to transition
from one tot he other. Try it w/o the water and see if you get better results.
IF you have a plant that has grown too many water roots (Spider Plants seem
to be an exception here) and now you want to plant it in soil--cut off all the long
water roots, leaving just about 1/2"-1" of the roots be and pot it up.
This will help a lot...

Maybe another factor in successful rooting is knowing WHEN to take cuttings...
eg.--softwood vs, hardwood. WHEN does the plant enter either of these states?
You need to know that.

WHEN do you root a spring-flowering shrub--for example? Like Azaleas?
Spring flowering shrubs bloom on last year's growth. SO--as soon as the bloom is done--
it will start making new, growth. This growth will, most likely, be soft, green growth.
NOT too good for rooting.
If you wait until the new growth starts to harden off a bit--you will have the "softwood"
stage and you can try and root it at this time.August-September is often a good time.
On woody shrubs--(Azaleas, Rhodos, Camellias, etc) now is a good time to root cuttings.
Trying to root last year's hardened wood cuttings may be a lot more difficult-or impossible.

With annuals--it does not matter a whole lot. But--try to do it before colder weather arrives
and the plants start to decline. No later than mid-October--if the weather has not turned cold.

So many times, I have had to cut back a Brug that is in its most glorious bloom flush (October)
and have had to cut off the stems with dozens of buds on it--as I did not want to lose the time-frame
for optimal rooting. This KILLS me!!!

There IS a lot to know about the cycles of plants and the best times for propagation...
I cannot tell you when or how. That needs to be your own learning curve.
Many of you ask a lot of questions here--but do you really absorb the answers?

Off this topic for a bit---How many of you know WHERE, on any given plant, the seeds are
and how you can collect them??? You have to find out by DOING it...
Don't just cut off all the dead flowers and chuck them! You may be throwing out seeds for
your future garden.

Quick!
WHERE are the seeds on a Cone Flower???? How do you get to them?
Where are the MATURE seeds on a Zinnia bloom?

Not that I would ever want to grow a Canna or a Clematis from seed--BUT--
if you let the flower heads mature to the end--you may find seeds in these.

OK! I am getting brain-dead by now---ALL my knowledge has leaked out.....:o)

Gita

It was a "quiz" question, Karen.

I once documented, with pictures, where seeds on a Cone Flower can be found...
a bit of an "ouchy" job--as rubbing the dried spiks to get to the seeds is
like rubbing needles.

I got a lot of seeds-as I was always dead-heading all the Cone Flowers
in the garden at the HD.
Here....

Thanks UMD_Terp.

And thanks to you too, Gita.

Just added Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' to my HAVE list if anybody is interested.

Donner, sign me up! The plant looks gorgeous!

I just inherited some Clethra Alnifolia and Aster cordifolius 'Avondale.' I'm not sure I can keep them alive if I pot them up now for the swap (as opposed to planting them in the yard) but if you have a particular yen for either or both, PLMK and I'll see what I can do. (I have a lot of both, and I plan to use a lot but I should still have extra, so the issue isn't quantity -- it is survival.)

This message was edited Aug 13, 2013 8:29 PM

Got you down for that Acorus, typ.

I have a potted lilac to offer.

Its nickname is "Aunt Erma" (I think), from Becky's garden, but I'm not sure about the exact species. I believe there are a couple of other cultivars planted in the same pot. It didn't flower this year (probably not enough cold this last winter), so I don't know about the bloom color.

I think it would be happiest planted in the ground, but I can't figure out how to make it fit in my yard. Would anyone be interested? It's over 6 feet tall including the container, which is very pretty, btw.

I'd love it if no one else wants it -- my husband has a very soft spot in his heart for lilacs since he is from Michigan where they grow like weeds.

Devon - IF you're able I'll take a little of both the Clethra Alnifolia and Aster please

Chantell -- you've got it -- they are still sitting in plastic grocery bags on my patio but look alive -- I'm planning to get them planted up and/or potted this weekend.

The person who gave the Clethra to me said she had potted some of hers up and it didn't make it -- but that she had also simply transplanted some and it did fine. So I'm going to try potting yours up and then sinking the pot into the ground until the swap.

This message was edited Aug 17, 2013 8:42 AM

Chantell, you said on the "Haves and Wants" thread that you have Daphne odora 'Aureo-Marginata' cuttings. Have you ever tried to propagate them? Someone on GardenWeb said "If you want to propagate them, you will need to take cuttings soon after the bloom cycle." http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/gagarden/msg0217544317760.html I'm wondering if now is too late. I just got the little pots needed to make forsythe pots (see http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/DG4419.pdf ) so I could try putting cuttings in that....

duplicate post

This message was edited Aug 17, 2013 7:38 PM

I've been adding to my Haves, putting new things at the top.
Way cool link there happy.

CHantell, I'll look for an extra catnip plant for you.

May I suggest that--every time you update your "haves" list you put, at the top,
"Updated 8-16 (or whatever the date is) so we do not have to scroll through
all the listings under everyone's names to see what's new.

This would really help!! Gita

good idea!!

Devon - LOL I don't propagate anything...so I'll take the daphne off the list and offer it next spring. Thank so much for letting me know!!

Chantell -- I don't have a CLUE if that is right -- it is just something I read. I only mentioned it to see if you had had any luck.