Coffee break 99

Good to know Bill's dogwood came back fine.

A couple factors seem to affect the local blue spruce trees. First, there is a lot of creeping shade and they are a reasonably solitary tree and don't respond too well to crowding, I believe. Secondly there is a mite that can kill them. And I've read in some places that they can unexpectedly up and die which i don't understand. We have a view of a beautiful and tall older one, so it isn't like every tree is going to succumb to stuff. Mine also took a dive after our fence was installed, so I wonder if there was some chemical that the installer used to kill the growth around them. My two in the front yard are flourishing, though there is also less ledge to fight the roots there.

just received an email from stanley & sons with the listing of 4" pot and 1 gal conifers they have available. of course I just spent the last hour on line checking out the list of course there are a bunch that jump out.

the problem is a need to order 15 of the 4" pots - i've ordered three times now and have had great luck with the plants. anyone interested in splitting an order? d-mail me with an email address and I'll forward the list.

yep. Patti

My DH planted a blue spruce when we moved into this house.....it was a lovely tree for about 20 years, then it was too tall to be so near the house, & he cut it down.

I keep my frazier fir and a blue spruce trimmed to about 6' tall - just one good trim a year keeps them that size.

patti I assume you would like the list - I will forward this to you later tonight when I get home.

Wha, Great. Patti

Coneflower co-op on the "other" site.
Shipping is $ 10.00 regardsless of the size of the order.
Shipping is March 24 or March 31, 2014.


Echinacea Sundown 1 pkg of 2 for $ 8.00

Echinacea Piccolino 1 pkg of 2 for $ 8.00

Echinacea Sombrero Hot Coral 1 pkg of 2 for $ 10.00

Echinacea White Swan 1 pkg of 2 for $ 5.00

Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit 1 pkg of 2 for $ 5.00

Echinacea Supreme Cantaloupe 1 pkg of 2 for $ 12.50

Echinacea Single Collection
1 each of the following 3 varieties for $ 19.00

Echinacea Flame Thrower

Echinacea Leilani

Echinacea Tomato Soup


Echinacea Meteor Collection
1 each of the following 3 varieties for $ 19.00

Echinacea Meteor Pink

Echinacea Meteor Red

Echinacea Meteor Yellow

I like echi's too. Looks like Celeste is the echi queen.

Bill, please send that ole list my way too. There's always room for a few more baby conifers.

Echi Queen sounds better than what I thought of....cone head. Heehee

Nice list, Celeste!

I sent in an echi order yesterday to Bert (Touch of Nature coop). but I am the antithesis of the Echi Queen rather I am an Echi Demon as I keep killing them, but I keep trying. As these are plugs, I will pot them up and try to fatten them up in our green house. Patti

Rosemary & Patti you both should have the list now.

i stopped with echi's as they either died or voles munched on them - still have some left - grew a bunch of Pow wow's from seed last year - should have some blooms this year.

Here are a list of what I am interested in, but I could be convinced that many are not such good choices. I was overwhelmed by the list. Tell me how many you want me to order and I will adjust the list. Thanks, Patti

Cryptomeria jap `Yellow Twigg' 6.00
Picea abies `Gold Drift' 15.00
Picea glauca `Gold Tip' 6.00
Picea glauca `Rainbows End' 6.00
Pinus mugo `Winter Sonne' 7.50
Pinus parviflora `Kinpo' 10.00
Pinus virginiana Wate's Golden 7.50
Taxus baccata `Standishi' 6.00

I did not buy all those listed...those are what is available. LOL

Good prices......I have a few echies, but they seem prone to mildew....the best clump I have was started by a bird or a chipmunk in my side garden......no mildew, bright pink....go figure!

This message was edited Feb 11, 2014 9:03 AM

Patti - that is a good list and I think we can fill the box - I will go through the list tonight and make some choices.

I went with mostly gold as the place in our yard that I want to put them is very green in the winter. I have little idea of what the deer are likely to leave alone, though I will most likely cage them for the first winter or two. I do have a great place, down the road for a nice collection of dwarfs in the fenced area, but my DH would shoot me if I mentioned this idea of another bed expansion. I can eliminate or expand that list if the number I listed isn't helpful for what you want to order. Patti

Hahaha, Celeste. I really thought you had gotten those echis.

Those conifers sound great!!

Nope...this is what I did buy: :)
Echinacea Meteor Collection $19.00
Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit 1 pkg of 2 for $ 5.00
Echinacea Sombrero Hot Coral (pp23097) 1 pkg of 2 for $ 10.00

Ok. Here's my list. If any of these are especially hard to grow, then I'd change my mind:

Cham lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguro'
Cham nootkantensis 'Aldrich mt'
Cham obtusa 'Gold Fern'
Pinus thunbergiana 'Kotobuki'



I think Stanley and sons is the only place to get the Aldrich mountain
Alaskan cedar. I'm quite naive about whether anything but Eastern Red Cedars carry the cedar apple rust organisms.

Here's a photo of HayHay on her 9th birthday.....my sister gave her this dress with octopi all over it....guess it's for the beach!

very cute. birthday girl & dress

Hay hay and her octopus dress--very cute.

What a pretty girl, and how cute is that dress!

Love the dress! Happy Birthday HayHay!!

here is a date to put down - RU at my home on June 8th - Louise the RU planner will be starting some threads soon.

Penciled in the date. Hope I can make it. Patti

What a sweetie she is! For some reason I REALLY like that dress.

Woohoo!!! Wha

Cool, I just put it on the calendar! The 8th is a Sunday.

Thanks....Hayden is a sweetie pie....have set the 8th aside on my calender...hope the snow has melted by then.....

my thoughts exactly :)

Oh please Yes!

Yesterday........

Wish I was there....my stepson called yesterday & invited me to Sarasota....I'm seriously thinking about it....

You should definitely go! The beach shot above is on the North Carolina coast. Beautiful here!

It was cold last night, but beachy again this afternoon. We took our friend to the airport in myrtle beach, about an hour away, this morning. She had a great break from the iowa weather and was able to recuperate from her surgeries with lots of time with us. She had a nurse come every day to the. Inn where she was staying, and all went well. She needed some space and some rest time, and we were able to balance things well and enjoyed being with her.

Someone has a great perch! Glad you were able to have some time with your friend....I'm sure she appreciated it! I'm definitely going to FL......taking the train, as I hate flying! I have to wait until the closing on Mom's house, then I will just go.....I need some warm weather!

YAY, train trip!!!!!!!!!

Glad your friend got the needed rest and recovery time.

We're looking forward to next weekend when the Texas kiddos are coming in for a visit. so you know next Sunday I'll be cuddling up with the baby. Not so much a baby anymore-she's 5 months old already. Can hardly wait. The older grandy will be 3 in April. Holy moly time flies!!!!

Good decision, Marilyn! I hope you enjoy every minute! The train is a great idea!

Have fun with the kiddos, Jan! I think 5 months still qualifies for ridiculously constant grammy cuddles!

I have caught Hank's cold....ugh. Our friend caught it too and had to fly all day feeling lousy. It is still a good place to be sick. LOL. Things are blooming here despite the cold temps this morning.

Stay warm and well, my friends!

I just got back from Florida and we went by train. A sleeper is the way to go, and lots of time to catch up on reading.

I agree, Debi! Such fun! Where did you go in Florida? I still keep thinking we love there, but noooooo.

We stayed in Miami, Key Largo, and Key West. Key Largo was my favorite.

How wonderful that sounds, Deb! I'll be going to Sarasota to visit with my stepson. Jan, what a treat to see your Texas babies! Louise, hope the cold fades quickly, bake in that NC sun.....My brother, Joe, remains in the hospital.....he has a blood clot near his spine & the docs aren't sure what they are doing yet...may have to operate....prayers for him, please.......