No rain in the forecast for the rest of the week... not so good for digging, but maybe I'll finally get the "Deckover" coating on the back deck! It's strange stuff, almost more like pudding than paint, but I like the resulting finish. I've used a gallon and a half so far, but I don't think I've covered quite 1/4 of the deck (I have my "trial" gallon and a very heavy 5 gallon bucket). I'm sure there's a corollary of Murphy's Law that says you always have to buy more paint.
Yardening Fall 2013
For your deck and my DSs triathlon on Sunday, I'll continue to forego any rain.
Critter, I think the Law specifically states that you must have needs of a 1/4 of the paint can, but just a tiny bit too much to only buy a quart of paint. :(
ROFL
I finally got the redbud planted! I'm looking forward to placing a bench underneath it once it's large enough to cast a shadow. :)
I had to widen the bed, which was a lot of work. It would have been fine planted closer to the fence line, but I didn't want to risk it getting pruned by my neighbors once it got a bit wider and reached over their fence line. (I love my neighbor's fig tree, but I don't appreciate how the roots and branches encroach on my phlox and raspberries.)
And of course, all the other plants in this corner will need to be transplanted soon to make room for the tree's growth. Yay, more work for me!
I gotta vent! The stake was tied so tightly to the redbud that it damaged the trunk. There's a minor scrape and several spots that look like pressure points. Why do nurseries do this? It's so bad for the tree. : /
What was used to tie the stakes? I have no idea why installers do this: I tell people (customers at work) to use old panty-hose for staking a tree. They have enough "give" to allow for growth, and are strong yet gentle enough to avoid harming the bark of the tree. If you've got any to spare, re-tie that baby with hosiery, it will be much safer and gentler to your baby! =) I'm so sorry this happened to you, but if you catch it quickly enough your baby should be absolutely fine. I probably don't have to tell you this, but... when you re-tie it, make sure the hose lay across the bark in a different location, not on the wounds. (yeah, Captain Obvious, I know... but better safe than sorry) ;)
Speedie, the stake itself rubbed on the tree. It was *staked* far enough away but tied to tightly that it was pulled up against the tree. Argh!
They used that heavy duty green tie ribbon. I'm actually not going to stake this tree.
I wasn't able to pull out the bamboo stake (probably all wrapped up in the roots), so I just cut it off at the bottom. Is that okay?
SSG, congrats on getting the redbud planted! Sorry to hear about its staking wound--not right on the nursery's part! :-/
Hopefully, the graft is well done and not a hapless as the staking!
Wondering whether your new tree might appreciate a little 'support' while it settles in and heals?
Also might let the nursery where you found it know what is going on and ask their recommendations.
Has anyone heard from Donner???
She has not posted anywhere (that I know of) for ages...
Hope all is well????
I sent her a D-mail--no reply...we always communicated kind of regularly...
Gita
I also sent her a dmail and have not heard back. I hope everything is okay!!
Maybe I will call her later today...if i remember....
Donner dmailed me this morning; said she's been busy with work.
thanks, Happy. I just heard from her as well--she says she'll be at Jill's. Yay!!!
Donner is OK--just insanely busy at work.
Here is a c/p of part of her D-mail to me:
**************************************************************
Hi Gita,
Thank you for asking. I am well, but work took over my life and I am really hating it! It has been forever since I came online last time. I really miss everybody. I am online today only because we are getting close to Jill's bulb sorting party. I have not read/posted anything in such a long time. Missed all the fun.
Gita
Thank you for the heads up about Donner, very glad to know she is ok!!
Ss, it is absolutely Okey Dokey to leave that cut-off stake in the ground where it is, it won't hurt a thang. :) (Don't trip over it!!) < =O
Hey guys, Just wondering what you do with your hellebores right now? I bought my first one in the spring, and now I'm not sure if I should cut the leaves off now or not?
Hellebores typically are evergreen here, I think. I wouldn't cut off any leaves, unless you have some that are really ratty-tatty. I've only been growing them for a couple of seasons, though, so I'll defer to more experienced opinions!
I don't cut mine off either. In spring--it will grow all new leaves under the old, ratty ones
(by then) and that is when I cut the old ones off.
I think it is good to leave them on for the winter--kind of a protective cover....
I have to move one--when is the best time to do so????? Now?
If not now--when?
G.
I only put my first Hellebores ever in the ground about a month and a half ago... and that was after they'd been cut back already. They already looked ratty-tatty, so now I'm just hoping for them to live. ;)
I agree with Gita -- cut the old leaves off when you start to see new growth in the winter/spring. They will regenerate quite quickly.
They are tough plants -- I bet you can transplant them anytime.
Indoor gardening thread
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1336614/
Judy--
I went to visit the MD. Flower and Foliage Greenhouses today to see how my
"Inky Fingers" is doing.
They have it by the entrance into the GH as a decorative accent plant.
I heard many people ask about it--and some ask for cuttings.
NOW--I wanted to tell you that, the information you provided a while ago,
about the "Inky Fingers"and the "Dipt in Wine" is outdated. It is NOT true.
As I mentioned--the owner said that, about 5 years ago--the "Inky Fingers" was still
available to propagate to the public. NOT patented.
Five years ago--it got re-named as "Dipt in Wine" and became patented.
It is VERY likely that the catalog people and their information is also outdated.
The owner (Scott) said he had two more inspectors, or experts come by--
and he asked them about the status of the IF. They told him that It is, definitely,
now patented as "Dipt in Wine" and cannot be propagated (to sell) by any
LICENSED grower.
This is the final, official word on this Coleus. Gita
Gita: Maybe so, but I can't find even a single image of Dipt in Wine on the internet -- and there are many -- that looks remotely like your Inky Fingers.
I think what the grower was saying is that the information, On line, is
NOT up to date. Patenting something old--into something new--can happen
in one year or less. In the case of the IF--seems it was paatented 5 years ago.
Who knows how often, and IF, the information on-line is ever updated?
I am just passing on this information from the professional growers
and all the rules and info that they have to comply with.
They get randomly inspected--and IF they find anyone propagating a patented
plant, they can be shut down. VERY serious consequences!
So--when they have people, that know about these kind of things, come and
tell him that the "Inky Fingers" is in that category--I have to believe what
the owner relayed to me--that it IS.
I, personally, do not wish to further argue any point involving all this.
I am NOT the expert.
We--the general public, can propagate anything we want, patented or not,
for our own personal use--as long as it is just for our own use.
Can we sell it? NO!
G.
Makes sense.
It is true that once the content (picture) is posted, somebody would have to first be aware of the change, be aware of the wrong picture, tell the tech department ( if they have one) to change it. Its a huge pain when they'd rather do something new . I can see where these mistakes could linger. But you would think or HOPE that one of the nurseries would fix the picture, jeeze
I finally took the time to make a new bed and plant the iris rhizomes that I got on the "Iris Expedition" that Jill, Cheryl, and I went on in the spring of 2012. If you've never had the chance to see thousands of iris in bloom, it sure is worth the trip. Anyway, you pick out what you like when they are in bloom and then pick up the rhizomes in July. It was so hard to narrow down selections, but I ended up with 20.
Thank goodness iris rhizomes are so forgiving - I "temporarily" stuck them in pots and there they've stayed until now. All but two were still alive after all this time. They are now in their own iris bed 6' wide and about 30' long. Looks kind of pitiful right now, but they have good roots and with room to grow, I'm sure they'll spread in to nice big clumps in a few years. One long overdue chore off the list!
Terri,
Where did you go?
Exline Iris Garden in Berkley Springs.
http://exlineirisgarden.com/
We have a big problem. My husband planted a bunch of azaleas over the weekend, adding HollyTone and pine bark mulch. Someone (we assume raccoons) had a field day pulled each plant out on Saturday. He replanted yesterday. They are all pulled out again. So I'll replant, but I'm sure they'll be pulled up again.
Any ideas what I can do to deter whatever animal it is? Is it the HollyTone that is attracting them? The azaleas are in the shade, so I wouldn't think it would be grubs in the soil, and the soil hadn't been disturbed for a long time and was quite hard, so I don't think it is a matter of nuts being planted.
Wow, Happy, so sorry to hear this! Are these small azaleas that they're pulling out?
That is strange. How big are the azaleas????
Happy--
You may just have to put a 2' high wire fencing around each Azalea.
A heavy-duty roll of green, plastic fencing is also available at HD. $10.
I use that around my beds to keep rabbits out.
IF it is racooms--they are VERY strong and will pull out, pull up anything they want.
You may also consider a critter repellant. Most of these have Coyote urine in them.
HD sells a bottle of it--and it shows about 4 different animals on it that it repels.
Who knows how well it works????? I think various urines may work--as it
would become "marked territory"....Even used kitty litter was suggested.
I just read yesterday a very long, comprehensive article (from a link provided) on
some Thread....I was at work---don't remember the Post...but it had to do with
Racoons in the attic. SCAREY what they can do!!!!
Maybe you can look at the "Ravenous Critters ans Pests" Thread right here on the MA.
Or search for "Racoons in the attic"....??
Gita
Gita
Paul: Yes, they are mostly small-ish pots.
Gita -- that sounds like good advice, but boy, I really don't feel like buying and installing a lot of fencing.
Liquid fence mentions repelling deer and rabbits -- but doesn't' mention raccoons or squirrels. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Liquid-Fence-1-gal-Ready-to-Use-Deer-and-Rabbit-Repellent-109/202269512#.UlLQtczD_tw And it isn't cheap.
I've had problems with critters pulling out plants before, but usually if we replant a few times until they no longer seem "new" the critters give up. So maybe I just have to replant every day for a week and see if things calm down.
I wonder if milorganite will help?
The deer pull out plants from my awful front hill and drop them (without eating them). But we don't have deer in the back yard so I know that isn't the problem.
There is a tornado warning out for Montgomery County....
Milorganite is the first thing that came to my mind, I would try that first.
Will do. I'll give it a week of milorganite and daily replanting, and then reassess. I'll hold off on adding new pine bark in case that is part of the problem. I can use compost - it has been sitting in a pile for a long time doing its thing so it shouldn't present any new excitement to the critters!
Happy--
Milorganite is a great product---and it should have a scent about it to repel
animals--as it is the by product of our Sanitary Water Treatment Plant.
It is my favorite lawn fertilizer too. HD has it. Most people have NO idea what it is.
Since i am going back to Garden at my HD next week--they will find out!
A think anything with a Bio-waste (poop) scent to it would repel critters.
The product I was talking about is called "Critter Rid". here is a link to it...
http://www.homedepot.com/s/webapp/catalog/servlet/Search?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&keyword=Critter+Rid%20repellant&Ns=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1&selectedCatgry=SearchAll
Gita
Poo -- the critter-ridder gets fairly poor reviews, and doesn't mention raccoons -- just skunks, groundhogs, dogs, cats and squirrels. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Havahart-Critter-Ridder-Granular-Shaker-3146/202072055#.UlLkOszD_tw
But one of the reviews reminded me of the motion-sensitive water sprayer -- I might try that if I get desperate enough. I think this will be a short-term problem, until the novelty of the new plantings wears off.
Happy--
It wouldn't hurt to spread some manure around your Azaleas.
Anything urine-soaked....? Hey! We all pee.........:o/
Good luck! Gita