Yardening Fall 2013 Part 2

Becky, that is amazing progress since starting from ground zero this summer!!

thanks, SSG! I got some very interesting information from the manager at Coleup's Ace hardware nursery, and came away with multiple different kinds of 'non-soil'! :-0 Still need to get some topsoil tomorrow.

Saw some super interesting plants (thanks so much, Coleup!!), including the red twigged dogwood that was so beautiful but I did *not* buy!! 8-/ Even though it called to me so plaintively...

My "non soil" of choice for many years now has been Pro Mix BX, lightened occasionally with extra perlite, with moisture crystals for water retention (but that's a good tip about adding compost, thanks!). I've also used a pine bark based mix from a local nursery (bought in bulk a few years back for larger containers), and lately I've been trying "Tapla's mix" of pine bark fines, chick grit, and Turface clay granules.

CatMint, I wasn't good at resisting ANYthing today, LOL. There's a red-barked maple I'm eyeing at Lowe's, hoping it's still there when their half price clearance starts!

LOL Critter--unfortunately I didn't resist *enough* things today!! :-)

cat,

What was the "interesting information" you learned from the Ace Mgr.?

And what other kinds of "non-soil" mixtures did you buy?
Just curious.... Gita

hi, Gita. Got some interesting info about various plants as we browsed around the nursery--e.g., the sparkleberry needs a male pollinator (sorry Sparkleberry, I don't have space for 2 of you). He also felt that my Ilex Nellie Stevens must have a male pollinator somewhere in the vicinity to fruit so well, and that my nandina does not need a male pollinator. So that was all interesting to me!! What he's saying runs counter to what I've read on the Missouri Botanical and other websites, which indicate that "‘Nellie R. Stevens’ can bear some fruit without fertilization from a male pollinator because it is parthenocarpic (from Greek parthenos meaning virgin and karpos meaning fruit)" and that for nandina "best fruiting occurs when grown in groups. Single specimens may fruit poorly." Although it is quite possible that there's a male pollinator for my Nellie Stevens somewhere in the neighborhood, my own single specimen nandina is indeed fruiting poorly this fall. So, it's very interesting to hear all these differing perspectives!!

In terms of 'nonsoil' ;-) I learned that to create my new full sun beds (begun with the lasagna method) it'll work great for me to combine a soil builder, some Pro Mix as supplement, and topsoil. I have been totally clueless about all of this, confusing soil conditioners with topsoil. So I need to stop this morning to get some topsoil! Then I can complete my new beds. Yay!!

What a day for gardening!
My overgrown Gold thread mop, center in front of house foundation, are almost all down and out to make room for smaller and more interesting things I've gotten. Also taking out years worth of winter creeper that grew under them. Moving the smaller bushes into there leaves more space near the front door for better summer color.

Sally, I remember looking at that at your fall swap and talking about taking it out. It looked nice, but foundation plantings probably look better when they don't get too big. I think you'll be happier with the other things in that spot.

Sorry I did not keep up with pruning when they were little. They were swallowing up the windows and I've always disliked things growing over windows. They were also too shaded and not as gold as they should be. I'll try hard not to crowd the space right away again though, ha, good luck on that...

Yeah, good luck on that!! Heehee

Cat--
Top Soil can be deceiving to what people perceive it to be.

The bags of "Top Soil" sold at HD is the junkiest possible soil there is.
It has no organic content and is meant to fill in holes in your lawn and elsewhere.
It costs $1.39/bag. Scotts Top Soil is a bit better--at $1.98/bag.

SO--what did the man suggest you buy? "Top Soil" can mean all kinds of things.

People see "Top Soil" and think it is the great, dark, moist soil we like top soil to be.
Nope! Now--"Garden Soil" is more like it. Every manufacturer makes it.

For a great mix-in, that is all organic--may I suggest "Leaf Gro"? $4.99/bag @ HD.
It is made from composted leaves, etc... and is pretty good stuff.
Dark...moist..and crumbly. Especially recommended for planting shrubs and trees.

Go check it out before you buy "top soil"... . Gita

Yes, I also have LeafGro!

Gita, he recommended that I buy 'Mr. Garden' Top Soil. His own store did not carry it, so he recommended a nursery near where I live.

Sally, I went out and cut a couple yellow plumes off the volunteer celosia today and they were *full* of seeds. I'll save them for you and anyone else who would like some! This particular celosia grew from seeds that overwintered from last year, has grown huge, blossomed profusely, and been a magnet for the pollinators.

I'll check for seeds on my Chocolate Eupatorium tomorrow.

Coleup got me a Chocolate Eupatorium that's blooming right now, not sure if it will have a chance to set seeds before freezing, but I'll watch it. I did grab some seeds from my Ironweed (veronica ) when I was in the back garden this afternoon. Looks like I'll have seeds from 'Blue Spice' basil and "Hot & Spicy" basil, unless they get hit by tonight's "patchy" frost.

Topsoil... LOL Fun story. My FIL and I had discussed the best approach to improving the lawn this summer. He was planning to get some topsoil spread around before overseeding, and I kept emphasizing to him to be sure to actually check the soil they brought *before* it was spread all over the yard, just to make sure it was decent, because if they brought him cwap he could refuse to pay for it but he wouldn't be able to make them pick it back up off his lawn. Anyway, to prove to me that he'd checked it and that it was exceedingly nice loamy topsoil, he mailed me a baggie of it. !!

thanks catmint!
haha jill !

Heheh, the proof is in the pudding or I guess I should say the 'baggie'.

Who wanted Chocolate Eupatorium seeds?

not sure I might have asked LOL

I keep debating a crape myrtle that I somehow grew from seed. The only one I've ever found so I sort of doubt its the self sown wild invasive-in-the-South one. It might be a seed from Gita's 'red crepe myrtle from HD' seeds, that I planted in some pot and eventually came up. Its getting big enough for a permanent home but I don' know that I have one- for a myrtle of unknown color and final size and habit. But yet, there it is...looking at me...

LOL, Sally! I still have my baby crape myrtle that I got as a stick with bare roots from Pepco last April. I don't know what it's going to turn out to be, either, but I have a place all picked out for it once it's big enough to put in the ground! :-)

Cat--

Do you think the red & yellow celosia is a "special" variety? or--is it the same
that you can buy in cell-packs or 6" pots everywhere.

Yours look nice and bright. Will you save me some seeds from both?

That reminds me---I have seeds from tall, maroon/purple Amaranth.
Should sprinkle them around...OH!! forgot! have to plant my 10 Alliums somewhere too...

Thanks, Gita

It grew much better than the small plant I purchased, which was part of the Century series. No telling what cultivar the volunteer is but it seeds well. I'll definitely save you some Gita!

Re: crape Myrtle!!! I saw evidence of crape murder in the neighborhood. I was sick!!! A whole yard of crape myrtles with ALL of their branches chopped off. Somehow I don't think that is how to prune them. Is the term pollared for that type of pruning?

Jan, you should take a picture to send it in during Southern Living's Grumpy Gardener Crepe Murder Photo Contest. I've followed it for a few years and it's horrible and hilarious at the same time.

I think it is pollarding.

Cat, can you save a few celosia seeds for me too? Thank you!

yes there is something called pollarding but I don't know how it differs from chopping the whole top off a treelike thing! And yes I don't think you're allowed to 'pollard' a Crepe! My mom bought one and had no clue it would be so tall, so that led to frustration and attempts at pruning.
I say YUK to the common wild pink color of Crepe but red Crepes are pretty. Still...wonder how long I'd have to wait to see bloom color.? And they don't bloom well with shade, I read, so squozing it into a semi shady spot would probably disappoint us both.

Typ, you got it!!

Sally, I don't see any flower pods on my baby crape for next year. It's still less than 2 feet tall. I'm not sure what any of that means, but thought I'd share anyway! ;-)

not sure either Robin, but thanks!
about pollarding
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=156
but really, how can it be a good idea? glad its rarely seen. It sounds almost like forcing a tree to grow a bush on top of its stems.

Since I have a choice, I think I'll just focus on getting things that I have the vertical space for...

My HD had a couple of 'Natchez' (white) crepe myrtles left when I was there on Saturday... don't remember the price except I thought it was a good one LOL (half price, and somewhere between 4-6 ft. tall). If somebody wants white, I'll drop by and see if it's still there.

I worked out front this afternoon so Joyanna could play with friends... I kept digging until I couldn't see the holes I was making LOL. With the lavenders gone (will replace next spring with a smaller variety like Provence), I tucked a row of little mums along the driveway and also put in my 3 Silver Swords, a blooming toad lily, and the huge Astilbe 'Fanal' that Coleup scored for me. Only thing left to fit into that bed are some tulips (50) that I think I can tuck along the curved outer edge, behind the grape hyacinths. Then scatter some fertilizer and top with mulch, and that bed will look better than it has in years!

I spent all day today in the garden. Got my new soil beds ready--yay!! And I planted the rest of my bulbs--double yay!! Now to plant my new acquisitions from this weekend!!

I'm thinking of digging out some more azaleas to make room for the new shrubs. There's a huge clump that has been growing in front of the Red Bud. They are very large but I'm wondering how in the world they've managed to find root in the midst of the Red Bud roots. I guess they were planted a long time ago when the Red Bud was much younger? I'm wondering if these are best left undisturbed? That leaves the set of large azaleas that grow on the western side of the house. But morning shade and afternoon sun can be a difficult combo...

My mom had huge old azaleas in morning shade and afternoon sun.
I think yes the azaleas grew along with the redbud so they worked it out. You might find some low branches that have rooted . If they are full to the ground.

sounds great jill, a fresh start. Wild abandon is nice, but sometimes tidy is too...i'm finding.

Oooh Critter, Natchez CMs are currently my favorite. I can't have one because my yard is too small, but I just love everything about them. The shape. The flowers. The bark!

Yesterday I pulled up most of my annuals from the front bed. Many of them were still flowering a bit but I don't know when I'll have the time again before the killing frosts come. It was actually really hard to pull the plants.... I feel like this was the best year I ever have had in the front bed and almost like the flowers were friends. I usually welcome the end of the season, but less so this year.

I also pulled all of my Elephant Ears, and laid them on the porch to start drying. This year I have tried pulling them before they get touched by frost. I've brought in most of the plants I want to try to overwinter: several coleus varieties and my acalypha.

Otherwise I am pretty much done, I have a few plants from the Fall Swap that still need to be planted. I have some seeds that still need to be collected, some to sow. I have some grass seed to throw down. Bulbs to plant. A few more things to bring in, but a little at a time.

Just trying to bank up some UV to get through winter!

:-) The only "wild abandon" part left is a big patch of garlic chives that I'm considering spraying with roundup or maybe flaming (no way to dig them all; I've tried!). I'm sure a few clumps will return... but spaced clumps will look more tidy. I do still need to prune back the knockout roses -- should that be done now, or in early spring? Anybody know?

There's worse things than big azaleas... do you have room to plant in front of them? You could also remove the bigger ones if, as Sally mentioned, you find low branches that have rooted... best of both worlds, then.

The CM next to our back deck is mostly Natchez... it's a multi trunk tree, and one of the trunks turned out to be a pink variety, very pretty when they bloom together! I need to do some more pruning on it, as it grows well in that spot. I've been limbing it up over the years, and it does have a pretty shape... no topping it, I promise!

thanks, Sally. yes, they are full to the ground! I think I should not disturb them--their roots are probably pretty well intertwined with the Red Bud's roots.

So that leaves the enormous azaleas on the western side of the house. It's an interesting spot. There's an aging lilac tree there, as well as the azaleas. The lilac prefers full sun and the azaleas part sun, but they all seem okay. So hopefully it will work for a range of light needs... Anyway, I can dig out the azaleas and use the space for my new shrubs and perennials, and hopefully they will all do okay.

Happy, I'll set some azaleas aside for you. Anyone else interested? They are all in the pink and white range. The photos below are of the azaleas in front of the house from last spring, but the ones on the western side are pretty much identical.

Your daughter is a beauty!

Thanks, Happy! :-)

My garlic chives are somewhat contained just by being in the small front bed, but yes, they can be invasive. They do bloom all together in late summer / fall, so they set seeds pretty much all at once... therefore, deadheading isn't a continual chore like it can be with some plants. If you don't want them to drop seeds, just cut them back when the first seeds appear (dried pods on the bloom heads open to show black seeds)... that's about now in my garden! It's nice to have them for autumn blooms to feed the butterflies & bees.

I don't think red bud roots have the same reputation as maple roots as far as out-competing anything planted under them... If you can't dig down into them, you could probably do a raised bed with landscape fabric on the bottom (won't stop roots for all time, but should let other plants get established).

Off the top of my head I believe Pollarding is commonly used to keep trees at a certain height. When it is executed properly the tree is quite appealing when it leafs out. It is also commonly used with fast growing trees to make lumber. Across the pond it is used more often.