I'm in the country, and it's so dry here not much can get really invasive. I'd love to get a patch started down by the road. Anything flowering that will take summer dry is always welcome. The bees around here use tree pollen mostly as most of the year native flowers are scarce.
CLOSED: 2014 Fall Round Robin On the Wing
Kathy have you got the Robin yet?
I'm already thinking I'm going to be the one with the Robin over Christmas. But maybe not once Kathy gets a look at the lines at the Post Office, LOL.
Well, the seeds from the robin have been wintersown! And now I feel like I should have put more stuff in the robin, I still have seeds and I ran out of containers, LOL. When the robin makes it's final leg, if anyone did not get what they want and want to post a "what I still want" just in case, let me know.
Merry Christmas all!
Wow, Memays, you are efficient! How many containers did you winter sow?
Gardenweb winter sowing wars has started if anyone is interested. It's listed in the "winter sowing"forum.
I have 60 containers going - I'm very excited. As we go through milk and juice I plan to keep adding. Mostly butterfly/hummingbird plants.
444 pots and this is only the first wave.
Memays, the reason I have so many "pots" going is I'm trying to get Aristolochia fimbriata started en masse as a ground cover for my butterfly garden. I've had some germinate but they're kind of spindly. We'll see how they do, if you'd like some seeds I have extra, they're fresh and germinating, yah hoo. Of course I also have like a dozen other plant seeds on the mats. So far the aristolochia, buddleia and the pink dandelions are only ones that are really taking off. I'm using jiffy pots from Greenhouse Megastore, they have great deals on germinating supplies. It's like .50 for a 10 cell jiffy tray, they're plantable and biodegradable.
The Robin is on it's way to Kathy and I supplied her with the conf #. It should be there Friday.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Sue G
Thanks for the offer Dee - I planted an Aristolochia fimbriata last spring and if it doesn't come back I may have to ask for seeds- but fingers crossed it will leaf out come spring. The only items I am still hoping to add some kind of way are golden zizia and lobelia cardinalis. I'm hoping some trades from garden web come through for those but if not the new prairie moon catalog is out and I can use that for backup. The other thing that will be interesting is if all these winter sowing jugs grow how to incorporate the plants in some semi-cohesive manner. Of course I'm sort of assuming some trial and error.
Best, Meredith
Memays, Let me know if you want some Lobelia cardinalis seed...I might have some left over from last year...will have to look. (give me a few days...) Right now my car is stuck in the driveway....................glad the bird won't get here til Friday! (should be dug out by then...lol)
Ok, the bird will be arriving after Christmas....darn, we're getting snow tomorrow night and wind....up to 8+"...so not sure when I'll be able to pick up the bird. Did get unstuck today, son-in-law came and pulled me out, but not sure if he'll have time if I get stuck again as they will be busy..... Will let you know, but just wanted to warn you dee since I know your looking for it..lol.
Merry Christmas to all!!! (and Happy Holidays to those who celebrate other ways..!!!!)
Poor Dee, she has no seeds, LOL. I have so many seeds, I've already started sowing them indoors so I'll have time to get them all done this year. But the Robin is so special. It makes me feel like a kid at Christmas opening it up! Having to wait a few days will give me a chance to decompress from Christmas, I'm such a stress cadet this year. No real reason either, hormones I guess.
I have a sprouting avocado pit in my kitchen, just waiting for me to make time to get it potted up and outdoors. My peas, outside in 5 gallon bucket are doing great. Will try to get pictures tomorrow.
Wow! Avacado pit is very cool.
My brother sent an amaryllis for Christmas around thanksgiving and it's got to big buds just pushing out of the bulb. That reminds me I'd better bring the other bulb up from the basement soon. :)
I have a red hibiscus blooming like crazy upstairs, and one of my fuschias is about to bloom indoors too. Enjoying the flowers like a little bit of sunshine. Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.
xo
A.
My sister in law brought me a lovely red Christmas cactus plant, she said it was lovely and full of buds which proceeded to fall off before she could get it to me. I know they force most commercial plants to make them bloom for the holidays so I think it will rebloom once it settles in. My pink one is very pretty and has a lot of buds yet to open.
My Chrismas cactus blooms in December all on it's own.
anyone have any Black & Blue Salvia seeds are they easy to grow ?? I had a plant but it only lasted 2 yrs but that I bought at a Nursery.
I Need some short salvias any ideas .
Susie, if you remind me in the Spring I can send a black and blue cutting to you. This is what it looks like in bloom. My plant is now dormant, but it comes back reliably each year. I haven't taken seeds from it, but happy to share in cuttings.
Meredith
Sorry, forgot to report I got the box on Friday!! Am going thru it now and will try to get it back out tomorrow as low temps on Tues and Wed will be keeping me indoors!!!!
Dj, dug my Salvia Black and Blue and it's starting to sprout indoors now. Will be trying for cuttings in a few weeks to root indoors. So put it on your list of wants...lol! Did your plant make it outdoors thru the winter where you are??? Did I not need to dig it up..lol?
I have never heard of Salvia Black and Blue. I have the S. 'Blue Queen', S. White, and S. 'Rose Queen'. All are drought resistant and easy to grow. I trim them back after they bloomed for more blooms later. Height 24".
I started S. Blue Queen from commercial seed, the others I purchased as plants. I know there are other Salvias but they are not hardy in my zone. Only in zones 8-10.
Salvias are growing with other drought resistant perennials such as Sedums, ice plants. It is the only border that does not have iris and dayliles since it doesn't get watered often.
Edited to add that I saved seeds from all 3 but only the Blue came true from seed. Both the whites and pink bloomed blue.
This message was edited Dec 28, 2014 8:18 PM
ty Kathy I have it added & yes the yr i planted it & It came back the next yr it was on the northside of my house I was going to move it to more sunlight but never got around to it .
Just a reminder to all I Usually start a plant swap in april usually for Bulbs but then for plants May- sept I have not posted it will post in March & will remind u all then.
well i have 2 drs apt today 11:30 & 12:30 so you all have a great day.
Box went back out this morning and should arrive in Calif by 12/31...
Yahoo, we know what I'm doing New Year's Eve.
Have fun Dee!
Now THAT's a fun New Year's. :)
Not sure...did it get there? Sometimes they list it as 2 day travel when it should be 3...Hope it made it tho!!!!!!
Burry here.........last night at 9pm it got down to minus 18 or 19*.....then it warmed to minus 13* for the rest of the night.....today was a balmy 20-25* ABOVE zero....lol. And new snow just in time for a nice blanket!!!
-19* !!! I was complaining about 13*, I guess I should get over it, huh? No snow here, just cold. Brrrrr.
I don't think there is mail delivery on New Years. I ordered pet supplies from my regular online go-to and it was supposed to be 4 day priority.
I ordered online on 11/25.
Four or five days later the package had arrived in MS. It made it from CA as far east as Memphis, TN, before it turned around and headed west again with an expected delivery date of 12/17.
I was really p.o.'ed, but seriously - at this time of year does every one really get p.o.'ed about the postal service? What they do - is amazing. Of course, they shouldn't guarantee things they can't effect, but there should be some compense when the "guarantee" falls thru.
Poor planning on my end is usually the reason, so I accept my full share of the responsibility.
Hope Dee has the Bird and is enjoying her time with it. We've had a couple of very mild days over the last couple of weeks - more like it! - and almost makes me long for spring. Sigh - but the yard is still a prairie/meadow mess. What I need THIS year is for someone to come in with a thrasher or to burn the entire yard! That's what nature would do. OR I'd have some bison and elk to trample my prairie. Or something. Hee Hee. Instead I will have my Corona Loppers and other tools out there in the next month or so, slowly tearing things down.
I don't use week-killer. But is there any other way to get rid of things like, say, blackberry runners once they've started?!
See? It has immense wildlife value, but it's really not very accommodating of other friends in the garden. Dilemmas.
Better get back to paying work!
Love, happiness, and good health to us all in the New Year.
xo
A.
Just stopping by to wish everyone a Happy New Year!! Hope all your butterflies are well nourished.
Have a great one!
Al
The Robin hasn't arrived yet and no mail delivery today, boo hoo.
Amanda - you think blackberries are bad to remove without weed killer, try poison oak. My daughter has informed me we shouldn't use Round-up even on poison oak. But how do I keep it from coming in the yard without spraying it? Even if I put on a hazard suit and dig it out it comes back from ANY little root piece. Well it will be her problem when I'm gone, he he he.
It froze hard here last night, that only happens every few years. I did cover some plants but I should go out and check for damage. I wonder if the Cannas are laying on the ground, that's always kind of a pitiful sight.
Dee
I heard that there were places getting snow that rarely get it, so I feel for everyone who is getting this weird weather. We are getting the cold, but no snow YET. Weather man says next week, maybe, too early to predict. The sunshine is deceptively inviting...until you step out the door. Then a brutal wind slaps some sense into you and you say"What was I thinking?" and head back indoors. lol No gardening today!!!!
Hello All,
This is my first robin, so I just went through the posts to see where the bird was at. And, not that I'm waiting (impatiently) but I thought I would share the stats with you so far....Based upon my rudimentary math, we have managed to get the bird to 8 participants in 6 weeks. This averages one address per 3/4's of a week, or 5.25 days. Working on this calculation, I should be getting the bird (hee hee) on January 18th and 3/4s, but that's a Sunday, and Monday is a holiday, so that would make it January 20th. No pressure though ;-) Further application of this algorithm should result in the robin arriving back at Amanda's house on or about February 10th.
If you aren't laughing right now, you should be.
J
I'm still waiting and I'm hoping it will arrive today. The mail has been getting here late afternoon so I'm trying not to lurk at the mail box and scare the neighbors. I have the grand-kids until six but after that I'm free to dig. I'm pretty good about getting it back out post haste so you can figure it will leave here Monday morning at the latest. Who knows how long it will take to get to Michigan from here. That's a long way, I've never driven that far east from here, LOL.
Thanks Jen for giving us those calculations on when the bird will land, it should be interesting to see how they play out. Of course it will be all in fun. When dealing with the USPS there are a lot of variables. They do some strange things....lol
Well, no Robin. I'm going over to the neighbors just to make sure they didn't leave it on her porch, she is out of town.
Jen,
You're not experiencing gardening withdrawl or anything are you!? :)
We may need to track the Robin, it didn't arrive today.
Just wanted to check in. I am here waiting...next on the list after Susie.
Still sorting and packing seeds.
Judy
OK, I tracked the package and it arrived in area and is out for delivery today, whew, that had me worried. I'll do my best to get it back out on Monday. I think I better take that Christmas tree down right now, once the Robin is here I will not be interested in completing such trite activities as cleaning-up and laundry.
All done!!! Found some wonderful new flowers and even a few veges.
It will go out to Deejay9 on Monday. I'll Dmail you with the tracking #, that was really helpful Kathy.