Fall 2013 chat

We came from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1316245/#top

Happy Fall!

This summer we had just one heat wave, for 10 days, in July. Since then it's been blissful with August temperatures in the low to mid 70's, lovely breezes and rain generally only at night. September weather has been glorious. Some have had excessive rains while California has had more heat than normal.

So, who's blooming in your garden?

Liberation performed admirably in spring and then another grand flush in early September. Now Venosa Violacea is in beautiful bloom.

She is a beauty. Mine bloomed last month, but has been finished for a while. It's much cooler here... When the weather changed in early August, it felt like fall. Now it's really getting cool. Tonight we're expecting temps in the 40's.

Today I finally moved one of the two Veronica's Choice to join the other one on the other side of the arbor. So strange... One climbed to the top of the arbor but didn't bloom. The other, the one I just moved, bloomed in the spring, but barely climbed at all. When I dug it up, it had layered itself about 3" away from the main root, which was a fairly decent size. I left the new little roots connected, and planted it the same distance away. It's fine with me that one is taller and one is fuller. Very curious about next year!

The Jackmanii has been perfectly fine in a pot so far, but I'll try to get it in the ground tomorrow in its place on the now empty side of the arbor before we leave.

After this, we'll be away until the end of October. I'll have November to finish putting the garden to bed, then we close up for the winter. This summer felt way too short, partly because of weather, and partly because I felt like I never caught up with everything I wanted to do. Even so, I made huge progress this year on the lower lawn, finally getting all the beds cleaned out and re-organized. Next year should be a lot easier :-)

You certainly did do a lot, Pam......gardens look fab! I haven't done anything, just too busy running to see Mom in the nursing home every day, & getting Suey to her chemo treatments.....babysitting.....no wonder my gardens suffered this summer!

Pam - love your plants and adore your vistas! What joy they bring to those who view them!

Marilyn - I hope things get better for you. Humans and pets take preference over gardens.

Wow, I'd have loved a summer like that. We had 41 days of triple digit heat...and very little rain. But that's what we accept in return for 60 degree highs in the winter. ;~)

My Crystal Fountain (bought in late May, planted a month ago) just made another bloom and is enjoying the arbor next to the porch and the shady spot for her roots. I have seeds, but have no idea if they're viable or if anybody would like some.

Our climate makes the summer time the "down time" for us, garden wise. We just wait it out, water in the mornings, and keep stuff alive through the drought. Now that we have a teeny bit of fall cooling (mid-90's for the highs) we can get back to it. A few drops down to 15 or 20 degrees overnight, but generally, we can garden all winter down here.

Interesting how different it is for us all, isn't it?

Welcome to the Clematis Forum, Texas Dollie!

We have enough warm days in winter that I can generally spend time in the garden a few times a week. Winter is somewhat of a down time with enough sun to still enjoy being outside...except for the sunny, snowy days! It's also the time for planning for the next gardening season.

It's so nice to sit back and see the climate everywhere and know we love (or accept) whatever we get for weather.

Our Crystal Fountain did give me some September blooms as well.

My V V is blooming, between all the brown leaves, she is sprouting and will have some more bloomes. Etelka

I love its face! It always looks so happy to me!

Lovely to see clems this time of year!

Clems are always good and so are grandbabies.

Here's our little Robert Francis Donovan, born at 1:44 this morning!

Congratulations, Pirl. Another grandson, and so cute!

Thanks, Zuzu.

My son reported the baby "...is a good sleeper, so far..." but the baby wasn't 15 hours old when he said it!

Congrats pirl! A sweet new addition! My third grandchild, Lynden, just turned 6 months old, time flies way too fast. Oldest grandson will be 15 in Jan, eeekkk!
Hope your little guy isn't too far away for visiting.

He's just a beautiful little baby! You're very blessed, Pirl! My youngest grandchild is 5 & in kindergarten.....would love to see another one, but probably not happening!

Thanks, Sue. My oldest grandchild is Megan, 22, then her little brother, Charlie, who is 7, so this baby arrived in time to relieve any winter boredom I might face.

Thanks, Marilyn. I am blessed in so many ways! We can wish all we want but this baby is one wish that did come true.

Arlene -

Congratulations on your grandson!

Thanks, Carolyn. I'm eager to meet him.

Beutiful day here, My clematis is budding all over, I guess the last hurray, before the frost. I will have few days to tend to the garden, this week was very bussy, made a large cake for a nice gentleman on 101 birthday, still lives alone and tending to him self. Etelka

You are such a nice person to be so good to others! Congratulations to your nice gentleman on his 101st birthday. Does he garden? He must have some hobby to keep him in shape.

If that's you in the photo, Etelka, you are LOOKING SO GOOD!

That is me, Pirl, never trust a skinny cook, I was going to take my kitchen aipron off for pictures but they rushed me out, all I could do is grab the cake and light the candles. Poor man , I had to help him to blow out the candles, I guess some of my wishes could come trough. He asked me one time if I was dating, I said no, are you he said no. When I asked him if he has a good friend for me, he replied "all my friends are dead" but he is a nice man, he was a banker in his younger years. Was married for 72 years to the same woman, when she just went to sleep at age of 92. What a life. Etelka

You really look great!

What a nice love story. I hope his remaining years and happy and healthy.

You can come help me blow out the candles next year!

It is a deal, Pearl, we will blow out together, my B-day is in July too. Etelka

Yes, I remember, Etelka. We're 23 days apart...and several years!

How nice to see someone his age upright & able to function......my daily visits to Mom in the nursing home leaves me very depressed......

Marilyn - I went through that for four years with my original mother-in-law and just seeing the other people in the nursing homes was so depressing. We finally moved her down to Long Island to be closer to us and the night nurse happened to be someone I knew - my sister's neighbor. Just knowing she was sitting, watching TV and eating ice cream with my MIL during the very late night hours was so reassuring. The nurse still tended anyone who needed assistance but she was great company for my MIL, who ended up dying at 65.

Hard for everyone.....I know my Mom knows she's in a strange place, but I know that she's safe.

Your mom will be in my prayers.

wow!!! i guess i didn't realize they bloomed all season! i saw this today, while out at the apple orchard! how pretty!
i cant wait to get some for my front garden

The Class 2 clematises bloom in spring. Warm springs bring early blossoms and then they often bloom again in September.

Don't be afraid to buy from HD, Lowe's, Walmart if you spot something you love. They will grow if planted deeply and with the right amendments and often if just planted deeply and with no amendments at all!

Thanks, Pirl.....

Hi everyone, I've got serious catching up to do!

Arlene, congratulations on your beautiful grandson, he is just gorgeous!

Etelka, it is so nice that you could Bless that "young" man with what I'm sure was a delicious birthday cake.

Marilyn, I hope all is well with your mom.

Clematis Huvi has a 2nd flush of blooms now. It's nice to have a bit of color at this time of the year. Also, my Brushwood order came today. The plants all look healthy. Unfortunately, when I unpacked the box, I noticed Temptation was broken down to the base of the stem.

Annette

Annette - your Huvi is a delight and twice as much for blooming now. We still have Liberation in bloom and Venosa Violacea. I almost killed two others with my spraying but God let them live. I've cut back all nine at the fireplace. They all looked so untidy!

Have fun with your Brushwood order. I'm sure Dan will replace Temptation as soon as you notify him.

Thanks for the sweet words on little Robert!

Huvi is a great color, Annette....thanks for thinking of my Mom......

Arlene and Marilyn, thanks, and you're both welcome :-)

Annette

A few clematises in one area were looking very weary and very tired. I cut most back to a very few inches. Am I alone or have others out there done the same thing?

This may be the year I cut all of them down and start anew.

I haven't started cutting mine back yet. I usually wait till later during the fall/ winter. However, it appear we're getting a blast of cold air next week, with temps at night going into the 30's for a few nights. I haven't even planted the new plants I got from Brushwood yet. Every time I plan on working in the garden, it rains.

Arlene, do you put compost around the clematis in the fall?

Annette

I'm doing it this year, Annette, since I freed up enough room to get in there to do a little cleaning first. I've done 16 so there are a lot more waiting for me.

Two of the three Omoshiro's are in bloom and the other one has quite a few buds.

The beauty of Omoshiro never ceases to amaze me! I'm glad you're still getting some blooms at this time of the year.

Are you using the chart as to which ones to cut now and ones to cut later?
Or just cutting them all down? I have done that and they seem to survive ok? I had to move some this fall do to not getting enough sun.

I agree, Annette. It's basically so simple and yet so lovely.

Every now and then I cut many of them down. It's too difficult (for me) to try and clean up around them with all the stems present. They do survive just as well but they're not as tall for their spring bloom.

Normally I'd never consider cutting down any in the montana class but this year I have no choice but to cut my grandiflora back to the very woody canes - supposedly a recipe for disaster - since we'll (hopefully) be installing new fencing for the dog's pen and it just can't be done with the clematis there. We'll find out if it resumes growth or not. It really is a monster as the name implies.