Spring Round Up 2015

Raining today . . . yeah.
Here is a pic of the Albuca spiralis. Cute little devils aren't they.

Dee I found a place to plant some allies. The Albuca spiralis is cute. :-)
Lovely photos too.

Sami, just keep plugging away at your pace, you'll get it done. :-)

We got a smidgen of rain here today. :-)

Looks like I have enough Maypops for my project, which I can't wait to show everyone. :-)

WIB~

SW

The albuca plants are so cute. Can't say thanks enough for finding one for me Dee.

We didn't get any rain, the skies are blue and sun is out. It was chilly when I got up this morning, but when the sun peeked out I felt like playing in the dirt again. I did plant my one tomato and one egg plant. Never tried growing eggplant so will see what happens. I so want to work outside so took a pain pill and hope that gives me time to get some work done. Still finding some odd clay pots around and going to try a distressed paint job on them. If it doesn't work out no great loss. Also have to pot up some baby succulents I took away from the mama plant. I just wish all those pine needles would fall someplace else. I loved the pine trees on the other side of brick fence at first until I had to keep cleaning the needles up.

Pine needles make great mulch, and prevent weeds from growing. I wish I had more. Just move them someplace where you don't want to weed. :-)

I am happy that you were feeling good enough to go play in the dirt. :-)
I have some small clay pots if you want them. I can't seem to keep up with the little succulents. LMK if you want them. :-)

I scored some plastic pots today. I will share. Also got some neat plant cuttings. I'll show youat the RU. I am getting excited because it's only a couple of weeks away now. :-)

WIB~
SW

Good morning everyone...

No rain here... although I waited patiently for it... it was overcast... and a couple of faint drops and that was that. sigh.... really was hoping for a downpour. I watered the gardens yesterday since they were thirsty.

Dee all your plants pics are lovely... the albuca plants are adorable... very unusual. Such diversity in nature.
I also love, love the sweet soft blue of that tweedia and it appears your butterflies are in agreement!

I planted a 'crimson pirate' day lily in the pollinator garden this weekend. I purchased it from "old house bulbs'... This is the first year I have tried day lillies and will have to wait to see how they do in containers... fingers crossed.

Julie... what caused the maypops to shrivel? Did they just get too dry? You've been working so hard on those... sorry to hear that.

I hope to make a trip after work to boething tree farm - hoping my energy level holds out... I need to do some research for the landscape project we are working on at church. We need three more trees to replace 3 that were damaged by the gardeners who thought they were helping us by trimming the new trees... yikes! It's so sad to see the trees damaged so badly when they were just starting to put on some good growth. Hopefully after they were spoken to about the trees they don't repeat this again... it was an expensive 'oops'.

I hope you all have a lovely day in the garden! Nancy

Maybe I should put some of the pine needles in the front by my rose bushes. I hate pulling up weeds around them as the thorns attack me every time. My Mandy has a bad habit of dragging them into the house at times. I don't want weeds anywhere so guess that means I would have to put up with pine needles throughout my yard.

Small clay pots would be good for starting seeds so I would take them. My son is always looking for small containers to start seeds.

Going to start my day early then discovered a can of spray vegetable oil leaked all over a shelf so had to clean that up first. At least that shelf is now clean and I got to throw out some things that I'd never use. Take my rest break then back to playing in the dirt.

Hey all, I think that your Daylillies will be fine in pots. They'd be happiest in the ground.

I think the problem with the Maypops was in planting them in the greenhouse and not being careful enough about introducing them gradually to the outdoors. The ones planted outside to begin with are doing better.

I just got some Orchid Tree seeds. I don't know if they would work for your Church project, but if you'd like, I'll save you some. Otherwise, send photos of the church on a new thread, 'cause I know that some gardener will have the answer for you.

Yes,use those pine needles under the roses to start with. :-)

WIB~
SW

I better get out there now to collect the needles as it is supposed to get to 94 today. Not a good day for me digging in the dirt.

Anyone interested in Aristea ecklonii? I have some extra plants I can bring. They grow well in the Los Angeles area and in my garden too, they have multiplied.

I had to look up that plant, aristea eckloni, Dee, what pretty blue flowers. I will take one of your plants, thanks. The article I read said they bloom more after a fire, now I'm sorry but I really don't want to see any fires in my area. Our sun is hot enough to cause a fire. I'm still cleaning up some clay pots to get ready for planting.

That's funny about the fire. Mine bloom every year with the daffodils! They are pretty and the seed is viable and will make more plants. I got them from my friend in Claremont where she has them in mostly shade and they bloom anyway. Mine are in full sun and put on a good bloom show. So Jules you might try these under a tree.

Sounds good to me Dee. I would love to have some.

Been busy keeping up with the watering, transplanting, and yes, planting more seeds.

Got really dehydrated yesterday morning. Watch the heat and drink lots of water people. Been seeing the snakes out and about the last few days, so watch out for them too.

You know years ago when I was working at the park, one of the maintenance guys told me to carry a squirt gun with me when hiking. It is a great snake deterrent. They really don't like being squirted. Thought that I would pass that along for any who might need to know. :-)

Dee, guess what! The Cerrulea tweedia had a baby when I was off doing other things.:-) I'm very happy to see that it is happy here.

Well, watering, weeding, trimming, raking await. Have a good day. :-)

WIB~

SW

Ladies,
Time is getting close for the Round Up. I was thinking about the food. Let's do something different this year.

I was thinking that we could make a gluten free pizza from scratch. The store nearby sells the gluten free pizza dough, and we could put whatever ingredients you like on the pizza and cook whilst we talk. What do you think?

We might want a salad and a desert too.

I also want to take a moment and tell people that they are still welcome to join us for the RU. I have invited a local sometime DG member who lives close to us. She doesn't get out much and may not be able to come, but she loves succulents, and I know that Dee and she would have a lot to talk about. :-)

Let me know what you are thinking about the food. :-)

WIB~
SW

Sounds fine with me on the gluten free pizza. Funny, my sister is on the Paleo diet which is gluten free foods. She eliminated all wheat out of her and grandson's diet and is cooking some great meals that both of them like. I'm afraid I'm a bad candidate for that as I can't get rid of food and change my eating habits. They even have lost weight. Well, back to the food...........
Salad and desert sounds good too. So many gluten free foods on the market now.

I am so late in getting myself moving today, but since it is nice and cool for a change I may gather up some of my clutter.

Pegi/Samigal

Sounds great to me. I'll be spending the night before in LA somewhere but I can always pick stuff up at a market on the way there if you let me know what you want me to bring. Is there going to be 3 or 4 or us? Just thought I'd like to know so I bring enough of the Bletilla orchids and Aristea.

Hey all,

I'm pretty sure we need to feed Pegi's son and my husband, but I think that it will be just the three of us this year for the plant trade.

I got an email from my friend and I don't think that she will be able to come. :-(

Nancy will not be able to make it this time, but we have plans to get together when we can.

It will be good to see you two. :-)

I am really looking forward to it, and it is coming up quick. :-)

Had a tiring day, and will check in tomorrow.

WIB~

SW

Getting closer to the big day. Sorry Nancy won't be able to make it. Let me know what to bring, Tim is bringing his girlfriend too. But she isn't a flower person, but Tim has her into planting veggies. Better get back to my clutter as I need to play a little in the dirt today too.

I may have to bring the vege seed box too then!! Or at least a baggy of with some of the more interesting ones in it.

Sami, how about you bring some kind of a salad, and we'll let Dee pick up a desert? It's okay with me if you bring that salad in a bag, since your bowl is already here. I keep teasing you about the bowl. Still won't let DH use it. :-)

I can't help but think of SoCal, this time of year, because the flower she gave me still comes up and blooms for me. Then I can't help but think of how she got cancer, and I mailed her bowl back to her since she needed it for the holidays. She said not to worry about it, but I know how I am, so I sent it back. It's always sad when we lose a friend.

In your case, Samigal, I am glad that you can come collect your bowl in person. :-)

I am not moving well right now, I somehow messed up a tendon in my foot. So I have to stay off it. I am bound to the chair for a few days. Sigh.

Dee, I have lots of ME growing, but no caterpillars. :-( Can I beg some to get started from you? Still planting MW seeds. I don't think you can ever have enough. :-)

So looking forward to seeing you in just over a week. :-)

Have a good gardening day, and stay safe from the storm expected this evening.

WIB~

SW

Jules, you are so funny. You can really keep that bowl, let DH use it. I have no use for it and I know it will come in handy with your family. Funny story goes along with how I came to own that stainless steel bowl. I think of SoCal a lot too, she is missed.

I will bring a nice salad then, anything else I can bring just let me know.

Been playing with putting my pictures in computer. I have such a hard time remembering how to do it. I finally got them in now to find them later. Just can't seem to put that in my memory bank.

This is the old dirty plastic pot I spray painted. Sure made a difference. I think I'll plant that sweet potato plant in it.

O.K. I'll bring the desert.
I haven't seen a catapiller since the hot weather went away. I've had a few butterflies come out of cocoons recently though.
I think I'll start setting plants aside this weekend and make a list of what else I have extra. I'm not selling plants anymore so the extra ones really do need new homes. Any I can pawn off, uh give away, to you girls would be great.

We got rain last night, so glad to see it. But this AM the sun came out and very cool out there. I do hope we get some more. Read that the pollen season is really going to be bad, not happy to hear that although I don't suffer as much as some.

One more week!! Dee you can pawn, give away, any plants my way, I'm not the best plant sitter, but I do try.

OK, here's a list of extra plants/seedlings I have. Any interest let me know and I'll bring one out for you.
Disocactus flagelliforus (rat-tail cactus)
Echium wildpretti (seedlings)
Brugmansia (pink flowering, rooted cuttings)
Fockea edulis (seedlings, really kind of cool caudex type plant)
Christmas Cassia (Jules, did you want one of these, I have a few survivors from last year)
Epiphyllum guatemalense f. montrosa (twisty epi-cactus seedlings)
Anyone wanting Agaves - I have some good ones.

I'll be bringing for sure:
Bletilla orchids
Aristea ecklonii
Albuca spiralis

Hey Dee, I would love a brugmansia. I had one or two, but due to DH being sick and me neglecting my flowers I lost them. I always was on the warpath too to figure out "who" was eating holes in the leaves. Don't believe I had a pink one. The twisty epi-cactus seedlings sound very interesting. I'm leaning more toward succulents now because of the water shortage. Wish I had some great plants to trade.

A Happy Mother's Day to all. I'm really missing my mom, she has been gone 7 years, she was my best pal in the world.

When I was a teenager my mom held up her hand and said to me, "You'll be lucky if in your lifetime you have this many good friends, and you'll count me as one of them". She was right.
I lost my mom 32 years ago, just two years after I lost my sister.
I still miss them both, they were my best friends.

Sad but true Dee.

Five days and counting til I see you two again. I am pretty sure that I will be smiling all week just thinking about it.

Still want to know what kind of pizza toppings that you like. Please LMK.

Thanks. :-)

WIB~

SW

I like just about any topping, no anchovies, and Tim said no sausage. Don't go to too much trouble, please. So looking forward to coming, Tim just told me his girlfriend has cherry tomatoes on her plant already, so 2nd year of learning to garden for her puts me to shame.

Sami

I'm ok with pepperoni, tomatoes. I agree don't go to much trouble, I eat like a bird these days anyway. Wheat and egg whites are the only things I really can't eat.
I'm bringing desert, I'll have to think on that one. Maybe something easy like ice cream or sherbert.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Dee, sorry to hear the news. Sent you a dmail. :-)

Please bring me a pretty Echium wildpretti. I loved yours. :-) Yes to all of them. Especially the Christmas Cassia. You know me, I'm a sucker for plants. :0)

Dee forgot to ask what kind of toppings you like on your pizza?

Long range weather suggests that the weather next week, will be much the same as this past week. Temps are supposed to be in the mid 60's on Saturday. Which means it might be cloudy. It's all good, we can hang out in the gh which is always warmer, and the house while making Pizza. :-) Do bring a sweater so we can go out to the Butterfly Garden.

Samigal, you already know what I like. Bring hugs. :-)

Have a lovely day.

WIB~
SW

Okay, you already answered about the toppings. :-) Thank you.

You know I think I'm loosing my mind. I wrote the above post on Sunday, and you know what? I forgot to hit the send key. I'm loosing it. :-)

Cookies always work for me Dee, and they travel well. :-)

Samigal, bring a sturdy box to haul away those small pots. :-)

Nice and cloudy this morning, and I still have a lot to do, so I'm off.

WIB~

SW

Cloudy here too, but sure we will see the sun later. I do hope we have a nice day on Saturday, we never know from day to day any more.

Cookies always work for me too, but then anything that is sweet is my down fall.

Sami

Gluten free of course, Dee. :-)

I was out working on the Greenhouse, and then ran out to make some space by the Gourd tunnel for some of my plants that I need to get out of the greenhouse. I still have a lot to do before Saturday, but I am finding some nice starts, that I wasn't expecting, and so I get sidetracked. Oh well.

Just wanted to check in and see if I was missing any thing.

WIB~

SW

Just a quick note, despite being soggy, we are still having the Round Up tomorrow starting at 11:00. It's not too late to join us, but you must dmail this evening so I can send you directions.

Have a safe journey folks. See you tomorrow.

WIB~

SW

Rain has stopped here and sun came out. Hope we have a nice day tomorrow. It can start raining on Monday again. See ya.

Sami

Good morning all...

I just wanted to thank Julie for hosting the RU yesterday and to say how nice it was to meet everyone. Dee... I know you had a long trip... hope you are home safe. Peggy ... very nice to meet you and hoping your back is feeling better this morning.

Steven and I had a lovely day and some cool plants came home with me... so I'm itching to get back to gardening... but for now... off to pick up my grandson and then to church.

Have a great day..... until we speak again....all my new So-cal gardening friends!! Nancy

Loved the BEES!! -:)

I had such a good weekend, thanks once again Jules for having us out to your place. I know my kids enjoyed it. Have all these great plants sitting out in front waiting to be moved to their new homes.

Me too !!!
I just got home today after a fun four day weekend. Of course I had the most fun at the round-up. Thanks so much Jules for keeping the tradition alive. I look forward to it every spring.

Hey girls, I really enjoyed the RU too. I am sorry that I haven't been able to check in, there has been lots of family stuff going on. I am kind of tired, but should be able to check in more often.

Miss you all.

WIB~
SW

I surely understand about family stuff. I wish I was with my sister now in Minnesota as she has been going through such an ordeal. Her DH has had health problems for a year and now has suffered a stroke. This getting old is such a rough time for all.

Busy with plants, my "Fizzle Sizzle" is starting to bloom, having a hard time trying not to give it water. Maybe I should put up a sign to remind me which plants like it dry, like Jules has in the greenhouse for her hanging plants. I had a cutting of an epi from years ago (my first round up) and although it is beginning to look neglected it has a couple of blooms on it and I'm so excited. I had potted up the newest one and of course went on line to look it up. Amazing what I learn about my plants, not if only I could remember everything.

Samigal/Pegi

I've been busy readying the garden for summer. I transplanted a couple of medusa heads I received from Jules like three years ago, they are 8" across now!!! I wonder when they'll start having babies of their own. I took like 50 agaves to a local wholesale nursery today and swapped for a few plants I can actually use. She gave me 6 Budleia in 3 colors and 3 gallon size succulents. We were both happy with the swap, I need more plants like a hole in the head but we managed to find some I'm excited about. I still have enough Agaves to start my own nursery, LOL. And when I went to chop down the bloom spike on my Agave tequiliana it had bulbils, so now I have a whole tray of them rooting. Jim is yelling "dinner" at me, gotta go.
Dee