True, Jeff... but they don't get the freeze we do here in the winter either. They're zone 8.
Yardening late May 2015
Me too, Holly. The wet ground makes it for easy weeding.
And I have sooooo much pokeweed! I don't weed the area behind the shed which is covered in pokeweed. I know the birds love it so I let it be. The downside is that I get little seedlings *everywhere.*
I fertilized the tomatoes again. I'm afraid all this rain is washing away the nitrogen.
I should really get the Sluggo out. I bet they're having a feast!
Yup, that's for sure. I guess you have to find out what's important. I'll take the east coast any day. If I had to move, I think the piedmont of SC looks pretty good.
The weather in San Diego can't be beat. But the downside to all that sunshine is the lack of rain. ;)
I really like the climate in this area. I just wish it were a *little* cooler and less humid in the summer, and just a *little* warmer in the summer.
LOL, I guess that's the PNW!
I believe I could find satisfaction in gardening just about anywhere (with the possible exception of desert climates). S.C. would be a great choice too... I would also consider San Diego, CA and Boulder, CO as good places to live. My water bill in San Diego would probably be $500 a month though. hahaha
I think gardening in the desert SW would be great. My parents live in the greater Phoenix area and their yard is overflowing with cool plants. I am very interested in xeriscaping, which is something that's absolutely necessary out there. I have a xeric garden here but it's only about 3'x10'. It's amazing what you can plant that needs only 10" of water annually.
There you go, you can enjoy gardening ANYwhere ! :)
Gardening in the desert SW is great if one grows desert plants.. Seen some really spectacular yards in Tucson with gravel rather than totally inappropriate lawn. The Sonoran Desert is host to an amazingly diverse flora, and one can install a landscape that is very attractive and essentially maintenance free except for an occasional weed. No need for watering once plants are established.
Well said GT!
So I was doing a garden stroll for the first time in a few days due to the rain and noticed something weird with my ROS. The whole plant was flopped over. This was very surprising because it's probably four years old and seven feet tall. I looked at the base and it could freely move about three inches in either direction where the trunk meets the soil. I tied it up but all the branches are still floppy and not upright. Even weirder thing is that some of it's larger offspring are exhibiting the same symptoms. There is no sign of leaf damage and the trunk is hard still. No sign of insects either. I mashed some clay in at the bottom near the trunk to help stabilize it. I'm wondering if all theis cloudy damp weather has gotten to it. Any thoughts?
((going to hide my ROS voodoo doll))
No really, I'm sorry to hear that and have no clue. I'd guess, waterlogged? the way that drowned potted plants can flop too?
Haha I knew you'd have something to say about it. Interestingly enough, we have a potted Gerber daisy and a couple of the flowers are doing the same thing. If we can ever get some sustained sun hopefully that will help it.
We didn't have any heavy wind gusts that I know of either.
This message was edited Jun 6, 2015 8:30 AM
Mark just read we had 3.5 inches in June SO FAR. one week!
If you dig a hole near the bush, I wonder if you'll find water.
I dug 19 holes this morning. All I found was mud. Actually wasn't as soupy as I was expecting given how much rain we got this past week.
Cam, I had no idea that you were looking for Mud, I have plenty of it in my yard, would you like me to send you some??????
I am cleaning the front bed. Not so much weeds although there are a few, as I just have got to get rid of the daff foliage. I have half of it done and hope to get the annuals planted in it today.
My Hardy Geranium in that bed is huge and I am playing around with the idea of digging it up and separating it now rather than to wait till fall or next spring. Well, have to think on that one for a while.
Thanks but you keep your mud, Holly. I have more than I want here. I wish digging holes was always in soft, fine soil but well.... like life, digging holes is almost never perfect. When you have one of those perfect days and one of those perfect holes, count your blessings and be prepared for the next one to be muddy.
;)
We live in an area full of rock, when we dig hole we count our blessings if there aren't any large rocks. LOL
I hear you, Holly. I recently posted about a run-in with a particularly large rock while planting my Dogwood tree. I'll take the mud over large rocks any day. Even small, fist sized ones can be a bear to remove.
Arrgghhhhuuuuggghhh &^*#*&*&$#
Something ate all of my cucumber seedings! D':
It was probably those *&@$ slugs. I didn't get a chance to sprinkle Sluggo around the yard. Sigh.
They never come back from no leaves, do they? I guess I need to start over.
Oh noooooo!!!
Well, you'll have to replant. Still enough summer left, but frustrating. I did just go around with slug bait this morning.
I finally settled on a spot for Mom's swing, four years later. I've never gotten much going under the Redbud and now it is tall enough that the branches can arch over the swing. I had to dig up some edge bricks from the bed and swing the line out some (tee hee, less grass, more bed..) so the swing legs sit in the bed. Moved a hosta, Siberian iris. Pulled Vinca. Now I am pooped.
I spent the day walking around with plants in my hand trying to find
some place to plant them. It is really crazy--that I buy all these flowers
w/o a definite plan as to where to put them. I hate myself.....:o(
Of course--I was counting on some Caladiums for height--but have none.
I did plant them in pots and have kept them outside in the sun (warmth)
but so far--nothing. They were all Aaron (white). Would look nice.....
Also--I am still struggling with the bulb foliage all over. Even if I did cut them in half.
Junky! That is what it looks like....
I did work on my kitchen side bed today--planted what I had....I am sure it will
look OK when they grow. The Begonia Grandis is going to town in this bed!
There is a gigantic Lily growing in my kitchen bed--It is now 3' tall and full of buds.
The stem is as fat as 2 thumbs. I had a tag--wonder if it is buried somewhere...
I remember planting the bulb in 2013--but nothing came up.
Same for my Crocosmias---Cat gave me 3 bulbs--nothing last year--but they
are up this year. Waiting for the blooms.
Makes me think of the saying: "All things some to those who wait"....
G.
I'm not sure there'd be water down there Sally, we didn't get that much rain. Our area only got 1.5" or so. Oh well, I'll give it some time and see what happens.
Gita, I usually over buy plants too but I did pretty good this year. I even had some extra space in the front yard garden.
I love Begonia grandis! The leaves looks pretty all summer and the fall flowers are gorgeous.
I had to cut down all of the bulb foliage from the front yard today. I just couldn't wait any longer!
In the back yard, I did a better job of planting taller perennials around the bulbs, so they're all hidden very nicely.
I pulled up most of the daffodil foliage from my side garden yesterday, but have plenty left to do.
Sequoia, that's very strange; do you think something might have eaten the roots?
I don't know Muddy. It has not improved at all today either. Not sure what's going on. I'll give it some time and see what happens. It's just really weird and confusing. A guy I know at our local nursery blamed it on new top growth being too heavy for the old wood. I don't think that's the case though because the top growth has only been about 8-10" so far. If that was the case then it would do this every year, which it hasn't. I'll try to take a pic of it sometime tomorrow.
Must have been the day for it. I spent a good bit of my day cutting the daff foliage in the front bed.
The weather was so much nicer for working outside today than it was last weekend. I was really happy with the progress I made on planting all the flats of plugs. Lots more work to do tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to another full day outside.
Seq, I have a 4-foot tall lily that has flopped over. Not broken, but just leaning 45 degrees at the soil line. I do think it's rain related with me -- we got about 3 inches this past week.
I wonder what's going on with your ROS. Maybe voles are messing with the roots? But that wouldn't explain why the seedlings nearby are having the same issue.
well...voles could be messing with some seedlings too, right? If the wilted and unwilted ones are all together, it can't simply be waterlogged soil. My ROS looks fine, wouldn't you know...
I find here and there wilted single stems of perennials, something like Catnip. THose I blame on an insect, but I have not examined them. Like, just the top few inches is wilted, and right below that, the leaves look fine.
Not much bloom last week, what with all that rain. Rose Campion is in full bloom in a big patch under/along the trees. Black and Blue Salvia will start soon, with common Milkweed, in a big bed. wild Fleabane is all over but it stays for now since not much else is available.
I had to go out this morning, it's so nice. Cut down my daft foliage too and plucked Morning Glory seedlings from the yard ( where do they come from?), also pulled two 'weeds' that turned out to be peanuts growing. If I see more I will leave them and see what developers.
Have to spend today quilting a small lapquilt for the show next weekend. This quilt will be donated to a veterans home. It will have a dark blue binding.
A few pictures of the front yard.
Was there grass in front before you moved in, Catbird?
Grass, no but a large variety of weeds. I cleared it down to dirt and went from there. I moved in here in August 2012. Wonder what the yard at my previous abode looks like.
What a nice quilt, and garden! ((applause!))
That looks really good Robin, the yard and the quilt. Both are a lot of work.
I got my first pick of strawberries, almost a quart.
I better give us a new thread...
Robin--
Love your quilts!!! Such a nice design--like snakes having a picnic....
with food crumbs all around the edges.
Anyway--that is what my brain ID with. You are SO talented!!!!
edited to add-- that i LOVE the stacked stone dividing the areas.
It "divides" and :defines" two different areas. Yet--they look like it was all natural.
Just like Jeff did in his landscape job.
Gita
This message was edited Jun 7, 2015 7:01 PM