Yardening end of April 2014 continuation

Paul, clems like to have cool feet, we always try to make sure we have some kind of cover over their root zone, many times we use annuals to accomplish that. Once you get them started they grow up anything.
I'll be mowing Alfie's yard again today, crazy, this is the second time this week. I have to sharpen the blades on the mower deck, remove the snow plow, and mount the deck, then I can reduce my mowing time and effort, considerably.

Paul: I have not had much experience with clematis. But from my notes from the year I tried, there are 3 categories and you have to figure out in which category yours falls to know how to prune it.

Category 1 (spring bloomers): Prune it lightly or straight after it flowers, or not at all. I didn't get any in this category, so I am guessing it is more rare.

Category 2 (large flowered hybrids): Prune in February lightly. These bloom in late spring and early summer on shoots from the previous year's growth.

Category 3 (summer blooming varieties such as the viticellas, Jackmanii types, texensis, the herbaceous species such as integrifolia and recta that bloom on new wood and the late bloomers such as Sweet Autumn Clematis (C. terniflora) and orientalis types): Prune Group 3 hard in February as new leaf buds begin to show low on the plant. Cut back all stems to around 8-12 inches (30cm) above the ground, cutting just above a leaf joint. The reason? Group 3 Clematis will quickly become leggy, flowering high up, if they’re not cut back.

Sure looks as if yours is a Category 2.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/clematis/2002095824028038.html

Thanks everyone. I'll hurry up and wait!

Thank you for that info Happy... doggone it, I knew I shoulda pruned mine in February.. just never got around to it. I'll have to wait with Paul.. patiently(??) =)

I'm an iris, for what it's worth. Really cute that Ric and Holly ended up matched!

Sally, I can totally see the iris in you! :-)

I'm a forget me not, too!

I think I should have pruned one of my clematises this winter. One of them is labeled "Group 2/3," so I wasn't sure.

Good news! Lunch and Dinner survived. I spent the entire day cleaning the pond and working on it so that it doesn't get flooded with muddy water again. The area looks like a mud pit right now; I'll take a picture when it looks nicer.

Yes, Gita, I picked Muddy because I usually am after gardening in my back yard ! Right now the bottom part of my back yard consists of mud with a few clumps of grass here and there. Meadows Farms is going to aerate and re-seed it, and hopefully the grass will live this year.

I'm a Forget-Me-Not and a Yellow Rose.

Made all my objectives and even got the tractor ready and mowed the pasture before getting a brief shower near dusk.

Muddy and RIc, I can almost feel that' tired but feeling good about getting things done ' 'feeling you both must have had after those chores.

I hear you. I felt like that myself after a long productive day yesterday. I was outside by 7:30 am and didn't quit until it got dark. I was pooped, muddy, and sore but it felt good :) I took a long soak in a hot bath and went to bed. I have the same kind of day planned today, just waiting for it to get light outside.

I got the fern plugs and bare root astilbes planted on the new "Fern Bank" - 30 ferns and 30 astilbes. Also, Lowell finished up weeding and mulching the left side of the steps on the hillside shade garden while Suzanne planted the things I've been picking up at HD sales and close to 100 tradescantia plugs. Having extra hands to help sure is great. I'm still working on general winter cleanup too - took all the wood that was stacked outside the basement back over to the pile in the drainfield, left over piles of stacking stone, nursery pots, leaf debris, etc... Filled bird feeders, took all the accumulated fishing gear down to the pond, organized the clutter in the conservatory basement, and on and on...

Muddy, that's great news about Lunch and Dinner! :-) And so glad to have a unique FMN/Rose blend in our mix!

Gita, Muddy's being overly-modest about her yard. It's very nice, woodsy, and wildlife friendly, and I'll bet the pond is a wonderful addition! :-)

Aspenhill, sounds like a wonderful and productive day! Would love to see photos of your fern hill--sounds like it will be beautiful when all the ferns and astilbes start filling in! Glad you were able to enjoy some extra helping hands as well. :-)

Ric--pasture mowing before bedtime! I cannot wait to see your place someday! :-)

I had a long, good day in the yard yesterday, too--such beautiful weather. I puttered and fussed and just about completed my bed rearrangements due to changed light from now-nonexistent neighbors' trees. Since I started the garden about a year ago, I have been keeping an excel file of the plants I have. (I know it sounds nerdy but it is my way of compensating for my poor visual memory--allows me to keep track of things when I'm not actually looking at them--LOL, and also my way of trying to learn as much as I can and compensate for what I lack in the years of experience that you all have), and I am now approaching *400* separate plants/cultivars in my yard. It feels like a milestone to me given the modest size of my yard (some of you all must have thousands of plants/cultivars!!), and the beds and beds of *weeds* I started with a year ago. Of those nearly 400 plants/cultivars (and no, I'm not counting the weeds in the lawn--LOL!), I am blessed to have left to me from the previous owner: my beautiful pink dogwood tree, a mature redbud tree, several beautiful mature azaleas, a rhododendron, two hydrangeas, a peony, and two rosebushes--and of course the wonderful soil in the beds. I wish she could come by and see what I've done with what she left me!! :-)

And I have this forum to thanks for many of my entries--from the group buys, swaps, and seeds now germinating--yay, for each other's plants flourishing in our yards!!

On the other hand, the 'gone' excel sheet that I have--where I put entries for annuals/tender perennials from last year, and other plants that die on me-- now has about 100 entries--so I guess I've managed to kill a fair number of plants/cultivars as well! :-(

Well, just taking stock as I approach my one year anniversary of gardening, and feeling grateful for all the support I've gotten from you guys on this list!! :-) When I think of all that I've learned in this past year, it is truly amazing, and so glad to have found such a wonderful pastime with such a great group of people.

I got 3 more beds finished, I finished the rock garden that I had started a few days ago, a very small bed by the box pond and one of the beds under the junipers at the end of the parking area. I also re did the stone edging. I told Ric when I came in that if he ever plows snow into those beds again I will plow him. I will never get all those driveway stones out of that one bed. The first two pics are of the left side. The rest are of the right side where the snow was dumped.

beds look good Holly

Terp, I wouldn't trim your clematis either. nice trellis, did you make it?

I'm still discovering what didn't make it from the winter. Looks like our fig is a goner; besides the black branches on top, I noticed lichen growing on the trunk this morning. Several butterfly bushes look dead too. Our buddleia bicolor was from 2004!! never had a problem. Every rosemary >>> dead; even the larger 'Gorizia' that we've had since '05. Joe pye weed is not coming up. Vitex also looks dead, we'll see.

Oh that is such a shame. This last winter really did a job on the gardens.

Holly, I'm with you on those hateful driveway stones. They are impossible to remove totally. We were visiting Aspenhill last week when she showed us a clump of plants that she was wondering about. David spotted one of our dread driveway stones sticking up, and we had our answer!

Good news on Lunch and Dinner. I'll bet they'll be delighted to be able to see where they are swimming once again.

We spent a good part of the day outside, too. Not nearly as productive as many of you, but many plants got planted and multiple carts of leaves were removed from another bed.

Did the quiz last night and am also a double. When it asked me to guess, I said lilac, but it turns out I'm 100% FMN and passion flower.

just in case anything comes back, I don't think I'm going to remove them yet

Had a good time with Harry and mom at a favorite garden center yesterday. We got a bunch of stuff including, begonias, Coronado hyssop, chicken poo, hot and sweet peppers and 4 new rosemary plants. Got to have rosemary! I didn't get any ARP or Gorizia again since we don't use that in the kitchen.

I know buddleias usually do come back late. I just can't remember how late... end of May? Some of ours are leafing out now, which was what I was comparing the "dead" ones to. And, maybe Joe pye comes up real late too. I can't remember

Catmint, I'm glad I haven't catalogued all of my losses. I think they'd be the same number as the survivors! But I do wish I'd started with some sort of a list of plants. I once visited a local gardener who kept a giant 3 inch binder that listed all of his plants. It was remarkable.

Wind, I started seeing signs of Joe Pye weed only about a week ago. Maybe yours is close to emerging. They're supposed to be hardy to zone 3!

My neighbor has giant fig trees surrounding her property but they haven't leafed out yet, either. They're fabulous old trees so I hope they have survived, but the branches look blackened. Maybe only the roots have survived.

Your hostas are coming along nicely, Holly. Most of my hostas are fully leafed out, but I have two that look almost deformed. Just one little pip popping up and not unfurling.

Typ, what happened to that odd looking hosta of yours?

Wind, that is too bad about your fig tree and butterfly bushes. My buddleia seems to be dead, too. :-( FWIW, my Joe Pye 'Chocolate' is currently leafing out nicely.

Holly, the bed looks beautiful! sorry you had to deal with all the driveway stones, but it the end result is gorgeous. I love the way you're able to arrange it all so it looks so beautiful. This is what I have trouble with, I think-- I tend to just acquire plants I like and sort of place them according to sun/soil needs, but there isn't the beautiful look at the end of it. :-( I'm sure there are all kinds of factors involved--right now I am just getting the knack of shorter things in front, taller things in back--LOL!

Ecnalg, I love those days when I'm able to just spend time outside enjoying the yard! Sounds like a nice day. Wow, sounds like FMN is a popular flower among us--and I like the mix with passion flower! :-) I seem to be the lone sunflower...

LOL, SSG! My earlier losses are not catalogued, but I started doing this when I realized that, in my determination to show myself that I *can* grow a specific plant, it was easier to draw on information from a past now-gone cultivar rather than start my database entry from scratch. Especially with annuals and tender perennials, it's helpful.

I also wish I had started keeping track of my plants earlier. At first I didn't even realize the ID tags were useful except to tell me e.g., that I had a 'verbena'--LOL! So several of my earliest acquisitions are sort of no-ID.

My hostas sem to have all leafed out, except for one that I seem to have lost -- Little Miss Sunshine. It was a particular sensitive-to-sun one that I had trouble with all season in my full-shade-lacking yard, so I guess it makes sense it didn't make it. :-( well, it looked nice in the store...

ROFLOL, and can't get up!
Catmint, I don't plan much. Mostly I come home with plants that I have no idea where I will put them and then just look around for an empty spot that meets basic requirements.

well, I think you are being very modest... ;-) Looks beautiful!

SSG, my hostas are leafing out well, and the new growth doesn't look weird so I'm chalking it up to the weather. I took a few pics of the lone tulip that is growing next to the hosta I was worried about. I'll share them here. It's my Hosta 'Guacamole', which I've divided many times and shared with some DGers.

Catmint, "Little Miss Sunshine" seems like kind of a silly name for a hosta that can't take sun, don't you think? ;) Sorry she's gone.



This message was edited May 4, 2014 9:56 AM

that's a beautiful tulip color, Typ--almost a lilac color!
Yes, that is a funny name! :-) I think it was meant to describe its very pale yellow color bringing sunshine to a shady area ;-). Of course I was taken with it, thinking 'oh I'm sure I'll find a shady enough spot for it' (sigh).

Cat, I only wish I could be nerdy enough to consistently keep a list and calendar. I've started a number of times, but then I just lose momentum and it falls to the wayside. I'm not sure Holly and I should both be For Get Me Nots. LOL I usually do have a plan and often envision where I want to plant something I buy, unless Holly convincing me to plant it elsewhere.
Pat, Holly says she'll plow me, Hmmm, maybe next year I'll let her car disappear into the snowscape.
Our lilacs showed promise earlier this year for flowering, there were both leaf buds and flower buds, that last bout of cold seems to killed the flower buds, the plants are leafing out but the terminal buds are not showing any life.

LOL Ric. Well I've known cars to get pretty well buried by snowplows in winter. ;-)
Sorry to hear about the lilacs. It's disappointing when we only get to enjoy them so briefly to begin with.

Wind- sorry to hear about the fig! Yes. I made the trellis. I will probably spray paint it white. It was pretty but I would definitely do a few things different next time. Hope the budleia comes back they're tough plants.

cat and Holly---

I had to chuckle about your way of "planning" a garden....I do the same.
Buy plants--and then walk around looking where i can plant them.

I am more concerned about their size and how they will fit in.
Like cat said--taller to the back--and shorter ones in front.

Sometimes a plant won't do well in the spot it has been growing in--then
out it comes--and either gets planted someplace else--or gets passed on.
I am a bit excited to see the results of the changes I made after the Iris Dig.
Not all of them seem rooted in--too much frost heaving. Hope they make it...

G.

I make changes, too, Gita--I'm constantly on the prowl looking for signs that someone is unhappy with sun/soil moisture, whatever. Seems like there's always something to rearrange! No wonder I can't plan anything--LOL!

Gita, I'd be very interested in seeing how your iris area does since the iris dig last summer! My irises are all doing lots of growing, but no signs of buds yet... The astilbe you gave me is doing amazingly well in my difficult bed next to the shed--it doesn't mind the 2-3 hours of afternoon sunlight, and enjoys the shade for the rest of the day. I'm looking forward to seeing it all bloom.

Cat--

My Iris's are not even really growing leaves yet! Just there enough that I know they are alive...

I have decided that i will plant a lot of Zinnias amid them--to kind of add color to
all the green after the iris blooms (if ever)...

The Alliums I planted in back of all the iris is really growing well--they have bloom buds
coming up. Can't wait--this is the 1st time i will be growing these.
Also--my beautiful, red Monarda has multiplied along the base of the house...
Really liked the bloom from last year.

My short, purple Iris's has no buds yet--but is growing leaves well. late--as usual.
I have plenty of "Lady-in-Red" Salvia (from seed) growing well to plant in front of
the iris. I liked them last year--bloomed until frost...took lots of seeds...

So far--none of my B&B Salvias have shown signs of life from last year.
Maybe it is just too early??? Last year they broke ground kind of late too.
Keeping my fingers crossed....
ONE Cardinal Flower made it through the winter....YEAH! Cone flowers did too.

I am waiting--and need to remind myself that it is ONLY the beginning of May.

Ahhhhhhhh...patience,,,,,,, G.

I'm pretty sure my b&b salvia is gone. I see a few tiny leaves that I think is my Cardinal Flower 'Chocolate Truffle' coming up--fingers crossed.

G. your hummers will be happy your planting Lady in Red again!

our perennial salvias, including Black and Blue are coming up now. keep looking hopefully you'll see some soon

I had chocolate cosmos on order from Chocolate Flower Farm and it looks like the grower had problems with filling the order... guess if it comes it will be later rather than sooner. I had it once before but forgot to dig it up at the end of the season

I'm joining in a little late on the record keeping topic - I have made numerous attempts at record keeping, and it always seems to be a struggle. I have tried hand written lists, spreadsheets, word documents, access databases, Dave's Garden journal, All Things Plants plant lists, and I try to keep the plant tags. As a result, I have it spread everywhere, and I can never find the info I'm looking for when I'm looking for it. Aggravating. I'm trying to consolidate everything into a single access database and an on-line redundancy with ATP plant lists. This feature provides links to the plant in the ATP plant database, creation of categories, assignment of a plant to multiple categories, and general comments. If you haven't seen it, check it out:
http://allthingsplants.com/lists/view/aspenhill/

Catmint, the count you have is really impressive for a second year gardener. I used to worry too about the number of plants that didn't survive, but when I've asked, a lot of us DGers seem to have about the same percentage rate.

On the garden planning discussion - I tend to do both. Sometimes I have an idea for a garden area, and specifically get plants for that idea. On the other hand, I love nursery and catalog plant shopping, so that is where a specific plant catches my eye and then I try to find a place for it. More often it is the latter :) I am a plant shop-a-holic...

Oh, I like that ATP database. I should have started as I was acquiring the plants, but now it seems like such a daunting task.

Sally, can we get another thread going? This one took awhile to load.

Haha...Terri, I'm a plant shop-a-holic too!!

Jeff, I spent all weekend planting the bare roots, plugs, and other plants picked up at HD and Meadows Farms this spring to the point where I am so sore and can barely move today. Do you think that is going to stop me from two great plants sales coming up??? Heck no, but oh my aching back, hip, and hamstrings...

I hear you! This weekend I planted 140 annuals, 75 perennial plugs, and over 30 quart sized perennials. I'm sore as well. I told my Mom last night that I can tell I'm starting to get old when I have to choose between my knees and my back for which gets the heating pad! LOL...the knees won that one. I will be visiting a plant sale or two this weekend as well but I think I'm largely done buying plants for this season. Although, I'm almost hoping my crape myrtle I planted last fall died over the winter so I can go buy another...lol

I do have a bunch of plants coming from a nursery in Montana soon as well as a small order from Plant delights.

I'll tell you one thing...a drill mounted ground auger works wonders for planting annuals! It really helped me knock out the annuals this weekend as well as the perennial plugs. I got two sizes for planting bulbs last fall and it worked great then and came in very useful this season as well.

Aspenhill thanks for your kind words--i guess I have become a plant shopaholic too! :-) plus all those group buys and swaps! :-)

That seems like a very technologically sophisticated arrangement to do an Access database linked to ATP! I especially like including the photo and the historical info (acquired in 2012 from so and so, plant multiplied well, etc) is something I haven't been including in my database but now that you mention it...! :-)

SSG--never too late to start! ;-)

My own DB is just an excel file. A lot of the info pertains to plant care and any ecological benefits. I refer to it a lot-- eg whenever a plant isn't flourishing--plus i have a visual layout grid which helps me try to figure out where to plant or sow new acquisitions.

Seq and Aspen sounds like you got a tremendous amount of work done this weekend! Too funny about the heating pad! :-)