Weather Watching Feb 2014 - No More Snow?

Hiya JB, how wonderful to see you!!! I hope you won't make this your one-and-only visit, you are such a (knowledgeable) ray of sunshine to have around!

I hope ya don't mind, gonna regress here a minute -- all the old-timers I have talked with about roses (including knock-outs) say the same thing: The best thing you can do for your roses is IGNORE THEM. Stick 'em out in the back-40 and forget you ever put 'em there. They don't like a lot of primping and attention, just sunshine and good air circulation, that's it. For KO's, if you cut 'em back HARD this time of year, they will fill out WONDERFULLY (by "hard", I mean like, down to about 10" tall, NO JOKE), but otherwise, just wave at them as you pass by. =)

Our (installed) KO's at work get exactly that: full sun, a haircut this time of year, ... and then they get stared at a lot. =)

Thanks Speedie, you are a sweetie. Hugs. We do the same with our roses. Cut them back big time and ignore them. They do well beside the big barn in full sun and plenty of water. Bloom until frost most of the time. Only have two, no names, just were gifts and we stuck them in that garden.

Has anyone ever planted Alliums with their roses? I have read so often that they belong together. Holly loves her roses but they usually look like, awful. I'm thinking what could it hurt? I believe I'm going to try it. Here's a sample article: http://loveliveandgarden.com/alliums-and-roses-so-happy-together/

Ric, I have alliums and roses planted together but no pictures! They're a wonderful combination.

I have grown Alliums but not roses... however, I have read in numerous places that they are wonderful companion plants. The Alliums are supposed to be beneficial to the roses somehow, but I'm not sure how. The article Ric shared mentions "...protect against black spot, mildew, and aphids...", but HOW? Does anyone know?

As for the control of aphids, try http://www.jbc.org/content/279/22/23782.short , but have some coffee before you read the abstract.

Also, Alliums also deter aphids and other pests by confusing them with their strong scent.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2014 9:03 AM

Well, I have plenty of black spot and powdery mildew on my roses! I don't spray them at all, so they look pretty ratty by the end of the season.

I didn't notice any aphids last year, anywhere in my garden. I think that's related to the lack of pesticides -- I have plenty of predator bugs, and ladybugs and lacewings eat up the aphids!

I could very easily (too easily) surround my roses with garlic chives, if they count.
I have read about having something underplanted with roses, to keep the fungus spores from splashing up. and Allium flowers are great for all kinds of wasps, some of which I think are those parastic types or predators.
My biggest problems with roses are black spot, and tiny green caterpillars/worms.

I planted some of my allium bulbs under one of my rose bushes. I hope it helps! I ended up with some black spot last year, too. :-(

Mid Atlantic = black spot !!

Oh the talk about KOs and alliums reminded me about this picture. If you click on this pin, it will take you to many pics from the landscape company's design of the property.
http://pinterest.com/pin/244038873532113768/
I have many of these plants and was thinking about rearranging them like this this fall.

Judy, that is precisely what I was hoping to learn, thank you ever so much!! I tell ya, you truly do know EVERYTHING!! =)

Karen, WOW, what luscious photos!! Man, those people really incorporate those Alliums beautifully, huh? Love that "E" step up from the garden area too, really cool idea!

"Always winter, never Christmas."

Another 6-12" predicted for tonight.

*sigh*

I totally second that sigh, Typ! Hard to believe we have another significant snow storm on the horizon. I guess the cherry blossoms will be late this year? :-(

For a change, I don't think I'll mind icy snow this time around - staying home from work will give me more time to get some math studying done. ;) (please don't beat me for saying that!!)

Someone remind me to check the 'hibernate' option if it is offered again next winter.

Will do, Mamma Bear. ♥

The winter aconites have some big buds, and the daffodils are 6 in tall. I figured I'd better take a picture today, as tomorrow they'll be under a foot of snow according to the forecast.

Nice coleuslover! Stay safe and warm. How are your coleus doing this winter? Hope you can make it to the Spring Swap. It was so great to finally meet you at Jan's last year.

Neat abstract David, even science says it works. Our roses look so bad I may have to plant onions, garlic, and flowering alliums around them.LOL
The article I posted said the presence of alliums make the scent of the roses stronger.
KO roses planted in parking lot islands (as someone pointed out before) are in a microclime, mostly dry air and pretty much no dew over night. That alone reduces the chance of fungal pest, and if the watering crew is knowledgeable, they don't wet the foliage either.

Garlic is called 'Stinking Rose'!

My coleus are doing ok, but getting kind of leggy, longing for more light and spring! I did just cut several of them way back and started new plants from the cuttings. It's hard to get a picture of them. I either get all flower pot, or all ugly lights. I guess I could raise the lights and take a picture. I'll be putting them in the Mt. Laurel Garden club plant sale, Apr 26, unless it's too cold then. Is there a spring plant swap planned yet by this group?


This message was edited Mar 2, 2014 8:11 PM

My Coleus cuttings were getting too spindly--so i also cut them back.
So--both ends are now recovering.
Overall--my Coleus cuttings did nowhere as good as other years...
I am thinking I took cuttings from too near the tops--therefore they were
not as stocky. Also--spending all this time in small cell-packs is a bummer.

Saw Sally's yesterday--WOWSA!!! Hers are fabulous!!!

Oh, well. I will have what i have....G.

Coleuslover, the Spring Plant Swap will be May 31, hosted by Aspenhill at her home in Lucketts, VA
Here is a beginning thread. Hope to see you there.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1347015/

C-lover, the Spring plant swap will be at Aspen Hill, Terri's place, May 31. Mark your calendar!

Found a good representation of my attitude on this thread's main topic.

HaahahahaaahaaHAAAHAHAHAAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! That's GREAT, I love it!!

Boy we got dumped on yesterday. Started with ice, then changed over to snow about 7:30 or so and snowed and snowed and snowed 'til about 5:00 or so. Now I just look forward to the warm up, hate driving on the freezing cold roads after something like this!

Nice to have a cozy, relaxing snow day with my DD yesterday, but I am hating the frigid temperatures this morning! :-o

David---
That picture is hilarious! Whomever made that was very clever....I saved it!

Might send it over to Latvia--they have not had a hard winter at all...

Normally--as we approach mid-March--the garden at the HD would be full of
Pansies and other cold tolerant annuals...
I expect--we may have gotten in the cold crop veggies by now. i will see...
Sunday (last day I worked) all the Bonnies tables were set up.
G.

I got really cold yesterday afternoon riding in the backseat of our 4Runner, bagging papers for Wayne to throw to each of our 8oo newspaper customers. Delivery will be considerably worse today even though main road will be clearer.

Took me 3 hours to warm up! That's the part of winter I am weary of, the clearing of snow that turns to ice and deep frozen ruts or huge mountains just where I need to drive, the slip and fall potential and the potential for damage to our fleet of old faithful vehicles and the shortening of the time to do all of the to dos for this Spring.

Not looking forward to Daylight Savings time this weekend. Guess I don't adjust to change as quickly as in more temperate temps. (I hope it is not just a function of clocking another year!)

And where I will come up with yet another $400 for another 100 gals of heating oil I haven't figured out yet.

Nice sunset and I love to see the bare tree outlines in the light of the setting sun.

This message was edited Mar 4, 2014 7:08 AM

Gita, I suspect that HD and other Big Box store spring flowers will be later this year because Easter is later this year and Easter is what drives earlt spring sales.

Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (the astological equinox, lol)

ROFLOL, Just loved that David.

David, hahahaha
Coleup...sure wish you didn't have to deal with this! Hoping big time we soon see at least average March temps.
My friends with heat pumps all had elec bills over $400 last month.
Imagine if Easter was coming earlier, and stores had already gotten big shipments of plants to sit out last night in 14 degrees (what was shown at 7 am this morning here. )

Loved the snowman David, I'm still chuckling. We were lucky and only got about 1 1/2- 2"s. The bad part was that to freezing rain was still under it. All the places I blew the snow away were icier than where I left it lay. 14*F here this AM also.

We have only a thin glaze under the 6" of snow from yesterday, but it got down to 4* this morning.

I was talking to the Bell Nursery lady today about how late everything is this year--
and how nothing can be planted anyway....
and she said that they HAD TO bring in the Pansies later this week b/c if not--
they would have no room to start the next batch.

No cold crop greens or lettuce or anything yet on the Bonnies tables...Man!
They must all be sitting in the plants b/c of this weather...I wonder if, when they arrive,
they will be bigger than normal.??

Today there were a slew of trees delivered...Mike (my Super) just put them all
in the outside covered Fertilizer Aisle today.
Can't do anything else! The whole Outside garden is still piles of snow and ice.

Time for my Poem "Spring"-----
Wrote it in April, 2003 when also, the snow was not going away.

Soooooooooooo....May I?

**************************************************

SPRING

Make a wish for the sun to shine,
Let the days be yours and mine!
Flowers swaying in the breeze,
Birds all singing in the trees.

Snow to melt and grass to grow,
Tulip- heads in my beds to show.
Geese on wings in the sky above
All living things, so full of love.

The Earth is stirring—my green grass grows,
Daffodils blooming in pretty rows.
Robins hop, and Sparrows nest—
Which fork in the tree will be the best?

I scan my garden and hope for the best,
That all will be well, before I rest.
Where soils is now—oh so bare,
My flowers will be fighting for a place to share.

I worry and fret-- I scan the scene,
Will it ever again soon be green?
Will Roses bloom and Lilacs sway?
Their fragrance wafting over my way.

I have to remind me, day by day,
That nature always has her way.
Flowers grow—and seeds they sow,
And where they land—I do not know!

Here’s a Pansy! There’s a Mint!
Sunflowers!!!—I had no hint!
Here’s a Maple—there’s a Holly,
What’s peeking out there?
It’s Lily of the Valley!

I sit and I savor—on my porch swing I rest,
Again to my Garden, I’ve given my best.
My eyes and my senses caress all I see,
And again it’s given it’s best back to me!

I look at the Earth—I look at the sky,
I see another Summer flying by.
I fear not! Worry not, for you see—
There will always be another spring for me!

Gita (April 8, 2003)