Plant Propagation ,The Basics Continued July 2015

Ju, what's the name(s) of your red beauties? The leaf shapes are much like my Kopper King, which by the way are only in full bloom now here in zone 6a.

Gita, I can propagate H. Kopper King in water. I have found it works best if you can rip a small stem from the base, keeping a sliver of base/root material on the end (it looks like a heel cutting). Your annual plant looks like it's 7'...lol, that's huge.

Thanks for the compliments on H. Amethyst.

Mipii
I will try the rooting of my KK. Not overly ambitious to do it though.

Last time I measured the Amaranth, it was 100". So--8'5" or so...

juhur---
I felt the trunk of it today and it was as hard as a baseball bat. Fills my hand
when I close my fist around it. Amazing what can grow from the tiniest of seeds?????

I collected seeds from the one last year--and i am sure hundreds fell to the ground as I did it.
SO--WHY did only ONE grow? Pretty mysterious....

Gita

Gita that sure is Amazing !!! Sure you are not related somewhere to Jack ? When the Giant Falls from the top , lol Oh that was Beanstalk , not an Amaranth ,, oh well ,,

Mipii (Robin) That Was years ago from Michigan Bulb , it is simply listed as Big Red , Couple people tried to give me the name But that is all I can remember it as ,
There is a Fireball out there also ,
I have few from seeds going , a small one (way to small really) has all dark red leaves , I am trying to propagate it that way , if the cell structure holds the color , I will try a base root cutting or something ,, but ,,, a large MAYBE IS , I have to get it to grow first ,!!!
I lost a red leaf Yarrow to grasshoppers , and have nearly gotten a Daucus Carrota with red leaves which is on my list to try again next , takes a little time

Congrats on your red leaf , I'm crossing my fingers for you. I have a variegated leaf of H. Amethyst I'm doing the same thing. If we both succeed perhaps we could arrange to join the two in Holy Matrimony, lol. Could you imagine a bicolor/ tricoler leaf?

Get some protection on that little red...

I have seen a few plants like that . very few .
I have a solid leaf Hibiscus about 9 inches tall all green leaf , And others are all smaller .
I think the fireball May of root run , a foot away there are two stems nearly 21/2 ft tall I cannot explain ,,

Most of plants were no shows or one bloom poor looking this year .. love all I see and What blooms I get , makes it all clear that way nature does

Mostly when I get the plants in inground pots that I have
i will start some more , Smooth blue Aster seeds for these little critters . Pearl crescent , host plant

Mipii... that is an amazing plant... thanks for sharing the photos!

I remember when Burpee first started selling the seeds - thinking how pretty they are and wondering where I had room for one... -:)

We're in the low 100's here so everything is under stress - it's the most challenging time of year for my garden.

NF2932 100 Degrees , Would challenge me too !!!

Here is the Hibiscus seedling I am talking about Red Leaf ,, pretty old now to be this small

A big old Purple Zinnia , seeds from Jen

Thanks NF, the plant is smaller than most Hibiscus, so are the blooms. I can't even imagine trying to keep my garden hydrated in 100+ degree temps. I'm struggling at 85...geesh.

Oh Ju, that red leaf seedling is incredible, keep up the great work! I understand how it's size compared to it's age is worrisome, hang in there. Hopefully looking back it was a good sign, like building up it's root structure first. Good luck.

Mipii Thank you for the hope and luck ,, Plant genetics and cell structure . Change something and they rarely do as normal.
I will pic a nice sunny spot and set it in the ground this winter , My attempts at these things usually takes 3 to 5 yrs ,, I realize I am not suppose to cuss here ,, but old age impatience is Hell
really , lol
When younger I could wait a decade or more no problem , no concern ,, it's weird ..


Happy Goldstrum this year .

I hear yah Ju, aging sucks for gardeners. Nowadays, I get half the things done while putting out twice the effort...lol.

I have to set up a table to do a lot things , knees and back only take mild mild bending .
Brings to mind , nothing more than sporadic bending or back spasms it is ,,
Set another coneflower in a pot today a red one .
Finished maybe a cement pot ,
after I do a few more I will be back ,
I have a five foot trough I am getting setup to make a planter of .

Let your mind run to this, Hopefully my pots will stay together and I will not end up ; Took this today

....those hussies......and in plain daylight! ...

Yeah, I agree Gita...great shot though, sometimes it's nice to be a fly on the wall, lol.

LOL,you guys and your minds. Weird.

ju admonished me Mipi for sending you an email on the wrong thread. Told you that i have tried growing plants in those cement blocks but the cement sucks the moisture out of them and they come out looking kinda morbid, deformed, or???

Anyway, now you get the message. jen

great shot, Ju. I have really enjoyed everyone's post's on this thread. I think I told you all about the very tall plants that I was worried were weeds, but instead of yanking out, I just cut them down a couple feet. Well they are Gaura , the blooms are very pretty.. had no clue they would grow to ten ft tall, tho. The plants that the seeds came off of were only about 3 ft tall, but now that I remember, it was in a ditch area, and some farmer might have mowed once or twice before I got there..I'm so tickled, tho, knowing they will come back every year. Just need to move the poor sun starved cannas out from behind them to a different spot 3rd and 4th pic is the north end of my green wall, that surrounds my patio..5th pic is the used to be potato container, now holding the sweet potato pieces that I turned into plants, seeds of zinnias from last year, and some mexican ruella from rooted cuttings in the middle. I had to cut down the three mammomth sunflowers there behind it, it was too heavy and every time it rained it would fall down into the tub.

I wish Ju would come here and make me some cement planters big enough to hold everything the whiskey barrels hold, then I wouldn't have to dig everything out every three years and replace the barrels. *sigh* I have been using old plastic tubs here lately, I'm going to have everything painted dark green for next year.
Nancy, I know this sounds weird, but have you thought of using shredded foam and newspaper and cloth scraps in your planting areas? I have found that in the tubs I have added these things to,( in the bottoms) things seem to thrive in our triple digits without having to water so often.
Joe used to think I was nuts for keeping dish pans in our sinks, but now he is the first to dump the dish water and rinse water in the flower beds. He really likes to dump aound our trees in times when there is no rain. This year has been exceptionally nice with a rain every other week or so, but we still dump our saved dish and shower waters.
I've been playing with my photos, designing cards to be printed for me to use at work..

Beautiful pics, I love your Ruellia, great card ideas, yep that's Guara...10'...wha? You posted so much it's hard to comment on all of it Debra...you must be feeling better. Great vignettes with your foliage choices. What's the little pink flower peaking out from behind the Ruellia? I like your Joe training...lol.

Whew, got through it...

I'm sorry you were admonished Jen, thanks for getting the info to me though (chuckle), I really need it cause that was great info. Were they homemade cement pots you used?

Hi Robin, I do feel better, which is why I'm awake, but Joe just admonished me for being up when I have to work tomorrow.. LOL the pink flower is one of my 4 o clock collections.. lots of seeds of all these things.. if interested.
these marigolds are huge..
I love watching the banter between Ju and Jen.. :)

Pretty butterflies Debra the Gaura are kind of nice , delicate , wafting in breezes all that Mine are still filling in .. Things grow slowly here .
I use to use old dishwater to water with , soap percolates the earth ,,,

all I said to Jen was Mipii is not this thread .. Trying to make defensive or paranoid somebody seems to be lately lol , wonder who that could be .. lol

yeah ,, Mipii lots to follow here sometimes ,, a thread to play some ..

Debra keep at getting well ,, I will have to see if someone is traveling your direction and maybe work something , one season , have people in K C I sort of do ,, cousins I don't know real well , a niece in college , that kind of thing ,,

Sending a few flowers back to you all
Marigolds
Coneflowers in fade
White Zinnia (Jen
Obedient plant (Debra
Sunflowers (me

Well Mipii I Traded the Ice Plants I still have a few from you .We will get to that ..

Well, hate to disappoint you all, but do have to give credit where it is due. If it hadn't been for JU admonishing me, Mipi never would have gotten the info she wanted, and that info was short on better explanation. i.e. They were the purchased cement blocks,different than those JU is making. His contain paper etc. which would hold the water, I would imagine, where the just plain cement blocks you buy are just that, and suck up the water you put in for the plants. See there JU??? I can be nice once in a while.

Forgot to say hi to Gita. Hi Gita

So glad you are feeling better Debra. That pleurisy is so painful. I have never had it, but have seen people who have and had it explained so I can see why it would hurt so bad. Nothing to mess with.

And what good advice to Nancy about using paper etc. in her plants. I shred all of my mail etc. and put it in my compost pile. It could be used mixed in with mulch too. You can't find straight cut shredders any more. They are all cross cuts which really gets it small. I would rather have the straight cut for putting in the plants. But, it still works.

You guys, your pictures are so cheerful and pretty. And such a good idea using them for cards Debra.

Well, I was going to a political potluck today to meet the guy we are pushing for next year, but I didn't feel good so Bob went by himself. I am anxious to hear what he thinks of this guy. I do think I would like him too.

JU you said you have a 5' trough you are going to use to make a planter from. Wow, that would be neat. What is it for? You mean like a watering trough for animals? That is cool. I am anxious to see how it turns out. You must be pretty confident of your recipe for the mix by now huh? It is interesting the different mixes the folks over on the Hypertuffa thread work with. They all seem to have some they favor over others. I wonder, I really haven't paid that much attention on that thread much, if they use certain mixes for certain things? Like what makes the difference? Size? Shape? OR??? What do you think? Maybe what it is to be used for?

You know, this would be a great thread to save, earmarked, for winter viewing. I love to look at the flowers in the winter. Not only makes me feel better, but gives me ideas for the next summer.

ttyl, jen

Jen A few that are few weeks old , I have left out in the rain just to see how their Hydrating ,
I am still trying to get up to the concrete paint ,, Hoping it will delay effect of the frost directly on anything , that is what causes plastic and concrete to break , Frost stretching , and ice in any cracks , causes all the damage
Probably some Agastache will go in the trough , ? deciding still.

Got my smooth blue aster to plant , seeds this evening


floating by , sky high oh Jen ,, brown sugar or white sugar , one lump or two ,, tea hee , tea he

Planting in concrete blocks is not a good idea. There are many links out there
warning of toxicity. Here is one link--there were many others.


https://beauregardparishcountrylife.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/gardening-note-toxins-in-concrete-blocks-and-concrete/

Gita

Gita I have read that as similar ,, Sealers and worms to tell if okay ,, you know , old home brew ,,

Stir and stir the concrete around
Let it dry as losing a pound ...
worm and worms into the ground .
Tell by your wellness any evil microbs might be Around ....lol

I gave up though ,, I grew Warts !!! lol

Here are some little starts today
1 michigan lily
2 , 3 , False Indigo
4 Michigan lily
5 pot coneflowers , young Campanula

Cement containers , guess I am in truble with Gita's link

Gita I have a ? How about spray insulation expanding foam .???
I am still wondering ,?
I was playing a little earlier , not meaning to be a smarty , it is part of the way I type ,,,

Hey--I am NOT an expert on any of this--I just remembered reading
somewhere about not planting things in the holes of cinder blocks.

You can put plants in small pots and set the pots in the holes...no harm then.

The "Great Stuff" spray foam---I don't know what is in it...
All i know is that if you spray it--it will ooze our of the holes and turn an ugly yellow.

I think there are different spray foams.... I'll go check Homedepot.com

http://www.homedepot.com/s/spray%2520foam?NCNI-5

Gita

That's the stuff , I made a few of that I will seal them with Floor paint , lol

See MOM !!! LOL I get Kiddie like ,, oh well ..lol

WOW--They have about 20 different versions of this "Great Stuff"----
one for any job you need.
Did you scroll all the way down? There was one for stone.

well, I guess I need the great stuff for all the cracks in my foundation and basement walls..
meanwhile I do have a few cinder blocks being used, no problems so far..
I told Joe I am ready for him to start cutting stuff down, I am just too tired to mess with it anymore this year.. maybe I am still a bit ill, I worked today, here I am up, since he is too, he listening to music shows and me sorting seeds for who knows why..

my gardens get way to full when I start throwing seeds down.. now I am overwhelmed by the output..

Debra, you are old enough to know better than to go back to work too soon after having pleurisy. I really don't want to say "shame on you", but "Shame on you". How many times do we tell other people not to come back to work until you are well? And then turn around and do the same thing.

I don't think Pleurisy . is contagious, but does prolong the pain and puts you right back in bed. Oh well, I know you know better so will quit lecturing. Do hope you get better.

It is getting late so will get off here and go to bed. All the news on the TV anymore is just the fires all around us. All we have to do is look any direction at the mountains and can barely see them because of the smoke.

ttyl, nite all. jen

Yes Debra , overwhelmed , but beautiful blooms , imagine if you never had or saw any of them , As for sorting seeds , well ,, for goof balls , like me , and so far when the siver spotted skippers or sulpher Butterflies find the plants next year , You will be part of making more pretties survive ,, us mean old people ,, See Good Things ,, That's one as to why ..


Enjoy the Campfires Jen ,, just Think ,, if you had horns and Tail , you could jump in , and feel right at home ,,, matches with Sunday , you know ,, Fires and Brimstone and all

I was thinking of using Loctite spray to seal the pots with , ? possibility ,,,hmmmm

Take a wellness break Debra, then soldier on. Once you are well, you'll feel more like keeping things up.

Ju, there are numerous cement sealers you might be able to use.
http://www.artistic-garden.com/hypertufa-curing/
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1466292/finishing-and-sealing

I will get back to my algae epoxe fiber eventually Hot day , early things went rather wrong so not much doing and a early shower will likely be my day , I will look over a few things , plants , pots just to see their okay ,
Mipii(Robin ) I read the first page of the links I will read more in a while , Thank you , Info for IDEAS !!! lol

Identified my red elm growing next to the garage , been trying for three seasons ,,

well wishes all
and especially you Debra

Ju... I think all my monarchs came to visit you this year.... they sure do love that tilthonia... I've been seeing lots and lots of small brown... almost moth like flutter-by's on the lantana this year... and many gulf frittilaries... no swallowtails at all this year... and few monarchs compared to las tyear....the elm leaves are neat.

Debra... I think you must have magnificent soil!

Kind of hot and tired now , I am still getting more Butterflies , playing at my containers , smooth blue aster , one sprouted yesterday the day after it was planted ,
If and when I get to the Iris boxes I have I a few to send , still have not got them separated . ..
Somethings are right , some wrong ,, nice season though really ,,,

Elm is a Host for a dozen moths and Butterflies here , tree pots in the list to make ,,

I didn't know that Ju... it's always a surprise to me all the different plants that the butterflies enjoy. Cool... Lots of my milkweeds are putting out seed now... I have been lazy... I am just planting them right back into the pots.. if they actually get cool enough to germinate this wintr... I will have lots more milkweed... these were the tropical type... I got a few plugs from Monarch watch... they are quick growers unlike some of the others.
The aster bloomed in one day? Very interesting... that is super quick... I always thought asters were slow to germinate. I have never had any luck with them at all. Pretty flowers and I know the butterflies really love them. Glad you're enjoying the gardens... keep those butterfly pictures coming!! Love those. -:)

aster are hard to start but they grow over everything when they grow ,

Nancy , here you go , forst two this morning , other during the past few weeks ,
Gives me Butterflies ,, maybe it will help your jaw feel better ,, just don't smile ,, ^_^

nice shots, Ju. I have had the yellow and black, the black monarchs, the gulfs, and the larger white with pale orange color so far. I am not home all day so can't see what I am missing. I sure love that you love flutterbys..

I had to make cuttings of wind whipped coleus, just stuck them in ground against the big pots under one of the arbors, it is the old bean patch, am surprised they took off so quickly.
Nancy my soil is hard red clay, but I have been leaving leaves, throwing sand, gypsum, and compost on all the garden beds for the past 5 years, now the top layer is okay, but go down about 8 inches and there is the hard red clay. ugh.
Here is my ipomea pandurata from seed. I stuck the plumeria top in this tub, it rooted in Spring, it is surrounded by asters and what not, this huge marigold yellow, Ju's cutleaf coneflower, cuttings of coleus and oleander last week .. will post pics of tomorrow to show you the difference.