Wow, its unrelenting today. I've lost count of how many inches we've received in the last two days, but we did get 3" in as many hours this morning and its still coming down... One of my seedlings was snapped in two from the wind last night!
Enough already! (Rain)
For a while I was land-locked with water over the public road at both ends.
That does not sound good,your drive is looking great otherwise,babies sure look healthy!
The low water crossing on the public road this afternoon:
My greenhouse:
Well, your plants and your place look wonderful, but I surely know what you mean about the rain. I've lost more plants this year than I ever have. When we are dry, we irrigate, but there's just nothing that can be done for plants, in the ground, when they drown. Gretchen, yours look like they are gonna come out of your wet weather, looking wonderful!!!! I cannot wait to see, good luck!!! SherryLike
Hi Root - oh, unfortunately its the norm in this part of the world. We get one of these stalled fronts every couple of years. Seems we're either in a drought or a flood, LOL. You get used to it after you've been here for a while. Thanks -- almost every seedling has y'd and many have buds. I'm bummed about the one that got snapped off. Wondering what to do about it? I alread stuck the top part in the ground under a shade tree. Dunno if it'll root or not, but better than throwing it away. Wondering how the remaining plant will grow. Anyone ever have this happen?
Thank you, Sherry! I hope so, but if not, they weren't meant to be and I'll start over next year :) Nothing I can do about it at this point anyway. This front is supposed to move out tomorrow, so I can hope.... Sorry to hear about the one's that you've lost :(
Wonderful pictures Gretchen, looks like winter does here in the Bay Area. Hope the sun is shining for you soon. I love the shot down the front walk and your driveway is looking marvelous!
I snapped off one of mine at about that stage a couple of months ago and did the same thing....stuck the top part in the ground (its growing!) and the seedling has gone on to resprout new growth and get strong again. These things seem to be pretty indestructible.
Thank you Candy! Unfortunately the chicken wire is a neccessity while these are babies to keep our elderly Golden Retriever out of the beds. He's incorrigible! So that's pretty ugly for the time being. I'm happy that you were able to get your top piece rooted, and that the bottom half recovered! I hope I'll be so blessed :) For now it looks a little funny in my driveway as the broken one is substantially shorter -- wish it'd been on a end. Oh well............
I know the feeling Gretchen. We needed it so badly and then o.k. enough already. You all have gotten much more than us though. Can't wait to see a pic when all those brugs around your drive grow up. That is going to be so pretty.
Thanks, Donna. I know. We were getting to the point where we could use an inch... Be careful what we wish for, right? Of course this part of the world is either feast or famine LOL. I hope you dry out soon!
Your yard is lovely even in the rain! Been dry here all day but I wanted it those showers here too....wah, wah, wah!!!!!!! LOL. Oh, good luck with that seedling too, it should put on new growth for you real quick - esp. with all that rain (hee, hee *wink*)......
Gosh Gretchen, it is too bad you had to get winds and lots of rain. A breeze and a nice shower sure would have been better. I had a Dr. Suess snap in the wind last year. Of course, it was in a premier spot by my arch and it never did bloom. Just not enough time for it to regrow and bud. We are getting drizzle right now. I hope we get about an inch of rain this week, but we all know we have no control over rainfall. If it quits raining for you and the ground soaks everything up, you are going to have an awesome looking drive. I would probably have to pull off the road and take a look if I were driving by.
Gretchen, you drive is really taking shape. Looks lovely. I can't hardly wait for the blooms to be starting. Hopefully the rains won't last too long, or cause too much more trouble for you. Linda
Your brug alley still looks lovely Gretchen. I'm still in awe that you dug all those holes.
Thank you all! I'm learning that these plants are pretty resilient, so I'll be surprised if they don't recover from this latest bout with inclement weather. All are doing really well in the hot, dry weather too. Except for Sunray. She wilts in the heat of the day but recovers in the evening. None of the others have exhibited signs of heat wilt which surprises me. Last week our temps were over 100 all week long.
Candy, I loved your seeding story, cute!!! I haven't seen you around in a while, and I want you to know that my grand, Madeline, and I planted your datura seeds, 31, to be exact, Madeline counted them, and, drum roll, in TWO days, 19 were up, and on the third day, all 31 were up!!! Thank you oh so much, you have made Madeline and I VERY happy!!!
Gretchen, yet another thing I loved in your pics, your brugs are groomed to perfection, despite the rain, you have a real talent, I love their shape, I am most impressed!!!!!!!!! What age are the brugs around your drive, 2 years, or younger???? They are beautiful and oh so healthy!!!
Gosh Gretchen, hope the rain stops soon. We really need some rain but I don't want as much as you got. We had a lot of rain last year and I lost lots of plants, bulbs and some trees from the roots rotting.
Sherry! Thank you!!! They need to have all the bottom leaves removed now that they've y'd. I got started on them tonight during a break in the rain. Tomorrow's another day. Believe it or not, all those planted along the drive and on either side of the walk (you almost can't see them for the lantana and cosmos), are from seeds started January 28, 2004. So that makes them not quite 6 months old. All but a couple have y'd. Several have buds. I'm almost more excited for the hybridizers than for myself. I hope to have something special for at least one of those people. They work so hard at their crosses! Most of the seeds came from the seed bank at BGI, but a bunch from a couple of generous DG'rs as well. Just hope they make it through this storm!!! Gretchen
Wowzer!!!!!!!!! Gretchen I'm even MORE impressed, I cannot believe they are such babies. Man, oh, man, you have done a WONDERFUL job and, good grief, there are so many of them. If there is a queen of newbies, I'd say you would be at the front of the line!!!!!
Thank you again, Sherry! At last count there were 30 cuttings and 50 babies. All but 5 are planted directly in the ground. Of those still in pots, there is a substantial difference in size. The drawback will be that I'll have to wait much longer for blooms next year, since I'm leaving them in the ground. Of course if there are any special ones, I will take cuttings to hold over in case we end up having a hard winter. I really believe they are much happier in the ground, though...
Ada: Somehow I missed your post -- so sorry! And, I'm sorry you lost some to all the weather. My Mother and Dad are in the Asheville area, and I keep hearing about all their rain this Spring. My soil has some clay but is pretty well drained and all the beds have been amended, so I hope that doesn't happen here. Was afraid it would last month as we had lots of rain then too. I did notice today that I'm losing a French lavender due to rot, and probably some of my new daylilies (but I hope not). Anyway, time will tell...
Sherry, you and Madeline are to be congratulated! At least if you disappear we will know what happened to you. The thought of 31 of those Daturas is mind boggling. Keep your machete close by so that they don't engulf little Madeline....that's how fast they grow.
I have limited myself to a single plant. It's been in the ground for about a month, close to two feet tall, has 3 seed pods already and lots more buds. If it's anything like its Mother, it will take over the world given the chance. :-)
I haven't really been gone, check for me over on the Photos, Tropical and other forums with some plants other the Brugs.
Brug news:
Buds on some of the cuttings from DG'ers!
My 'Inca Princess' is getting a whole new crop of buds.
My 'Charles Grimaldi's are in a rest period
My Brugmansia sanguinea "Scarlet" (that's what the tag said) has a bud!!! This was planted last fall as a 4" seedling. It has had a very hard life.....the wind topped it off 3 times this past winter, so it's stem is very misshapen, but it has persisted and is about 5 feet tall now. Did I say it had a BUD!!
Gretchen, the mountain areas have gotten a lot of rain this Spring but it never comes here. LOL I surely hope you don't lose any plants due to too much rain. I was pulling back mulch to help mine dry out last year. With the crazy weather we have, you never know if you should mulch heavy to conserve mositure or if we need to give them a canoe and oars. Best of luck.
Wow! That's great about the buds, Candy!!!
Sherry: I ended up with 72 of those seedlings from Candy's Datura Mother plant (gave a bunch away) and planted about 15 or so. They are monster plants that grow so fast you'll wonder what you were thinking when you planted them... I've whacked and re-whacked all mine, and deadheading is a daily chore, but they are beautiful and I'm sure you two will love them!
I like your style Gretchen! I too think they do much better in the ground. As soon as I can get a cutting (backup is what I call them), mine are going in the ground!! If I wasn't such a sissy, I'd put them in the ground now. Until I know a little more, I just have to take it slowly. I think I've lost one of the special brugs I purchased, my Maya, and it just breaks my heart!! It's almost as bad as whelping puppies - some times a baby is lost, and it always hurts, so badly! What ever, I cannot believe you have 50 babies!! That's wonderful!!! Of course I sit here with about 15+ purchased babies, 6 local purchased plants, and 21 seedlings (not counting all my other plants), so I'm getting on up there too. Again, like you, I REALLY believe they are happier in the ground and I'm working toward that with all of mine. My goal is to have everything in the ground, with backups wintered inside...
Thanks Ada! Isn't that the truth!
Sherry: You are well on your way to the addiction state, I'd say! The biggest evidence of their being healthier in the ground is that they don't wilt during the 100 degree days. I was totally expecting them to do that, and they haven't. I think you've had a problem with that, or maybe it was someone else... Anyway, I think I was just darn lucky that we had an early Spring and I got them in the ground then we had a nice amount of rain last month. Now they seem to be established. Unfortunately I had a few extras that I was saving for someone and ended up planting a few weeks ago, which didn't make it. It was just too hot and although I gave them plenty to drink, they just couldn't take the stress.
Oh, yes, addicted, of course, Gretchen, everything I do, I take it to an addiction, whew!!! YES, in our zones, ground is better, it just breaks my heart to see them swelter in those pots. I am going to try Root's double pots and see what happens, he's in my zone and it sounds like it could work for me too............I'm off, I have to take my daddy/aunt to the eye doc, early in the am. My precious grand, Madeline, will be watching my garden, dogs, and new pet fish, in our fountain, for me while I'm away. I am truly blessed!!!
Yes, I would have to say it sounds like you are truly blessed, Sherry :)
For all of you that don't know, I live just a few miles from Gretchen. The weather man said on the news last night we have had 10 in. of rain in the past 2 days. My backyard looks like a swimming pool. Gretchen, your driveway is going to be spectacular in a couple of months. You have to be one of the hardest workers that I've ever met.
Gretchen, your driveway allee looks just wonderful now and when there are blooms will so beautiful. I wondered which state you lived in, minigrannie answered that question. Your haave worked so hard to get all those brugs looking so good. What is hanging on the fence?? around your greenhouse, from the photo I couldn't tell. Your whole place looks so nice. We have had a nice steady rain all morning, and here it is just what we need and want. Donna
Hi Sylvia! Thank you! Well, we survived it for the most part. I have to get busy now and clean up all the mess! Then tomorrow is my day to mow -- as DH says "you can hear the grass growing".
Donna -- thank you, too! I'm not sure what you are seeing on the fence. I looked at the photograph again, and there are plants up against the fence. I was standing on the porch as it was raining so hard I didn't want to get the camera wet. There are some brugs in the foreground, bottom right hand corner...
Gretchen, send some of the rain to us! We need it - urgently!
Monika -- I wish I could! We had a reprieve yesterday, but it looks like more today! I hope you get some soon!!! Gretchen
It has rained yesterday Gretchen!!! We got 2in., not much but better than none!
Gretchen, did it rain at your place yesterday? The only rain we got was fairly early in the morning when I was standing on the driveway waiting for DH to back the car out of the garage. We ran errands with me looking like a fat drowned rat. LOL
Monika -- 2" is usually a "Godsend" at this time of year, here! That's a pretty good amount. Glad you received it!!!
Sylvia -- we only received a few sprinkles yesterday, but it looked like it was going to cut loose all day. I got the place mowed in record time because I kept thinking I would get rained out... where was your bumbleshoot??? Well, I hope thats it for at least a week or so!