Hello from Southern Missouri!

To All: I found DG's a couple of days ago and was instantly hooked. All I want to do now is browse this site. :) You all are lightyears ahead of me... I don't know the name of half of what I have! I sit with a book in my lap so that when I read your threads I can look up what you are talking about!

Background: I bred horses for over 20 years. I had about 40 of them until an injury made it impossible for me to continue. I am down to 10 now and must reduce a bit more. (Golly, it is so hard to sell them.) I hope to be able to ride again one day, but in the meantime the man upstairs has pointed my feet down another path and I have found peace and solace in gardening. I want to grow all that I can. Anything.... you name it, I want to try it! LOL I have 3 ancient reference books that I have been using, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find this site.

I checked the USDA map and it says I am in zone 6. But when I signed up it asked if I was in zone 6a or 6b.... well, I flipped a coin and said 6a, but how do I find out where I really am?

Blessings to All.... Starr

Welcome from Pakistan.

Hi, Welcome to Daves from someone too old to remember all those names you mentioned. LOL! My daughter raises horses near Bedford Iowa. She has always been nuts about horses. I'm sorry you aren't able to ride right now. I do hope everything works out for the best. Here is a site that might help you find your USDA hardiness zone. http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html

Shirley

fsr333 - hello from new york. you are in the right place. if you have any questions about anything just ask and someone will answer. don't forget to check out the recipe forum (my favorite) hope to hear from you soon

gumlla, Brugie, Herbie, Thank you for the kind welcome! I went to the link and found that yes! I am 6a (just barely lol). I will go to the recipe forum and check it out... There are so many things to check out and do here... Wish I could sit at the computer all day... alas, I cannot! My best to you and I hope to meet up with you again here at DG's...

Starr, welcome to DG, I do spend hours browsing this site and you will too, during the winter when gardening is put aside there will be folks on here who are still at it. After all we have folks here from Chile and Australia and Pakistan and Europe -- and it's just one big neighborhood.

I still like to look things up in my books after I've found them here, old habits die hard. And I still find it easier to flip pages than hunt thru files. Besides except when finding out where to plant and what to feed, the flowers don't care what ya call 'em. You sound like a strong determined lady, the world needs you.

Hello BloomsWithaView! Very nice to meet you. Thank you for your kind comments. I never thought of myself as being needed by anyone other than my kids and my critters... and the kids are grown.

Yes, I think you are right! I will spend a lot more time here when winter arrives. That will be a good time to make spring plans and do ALOT of learning. I know some common names, but I really must learn the proper names of these plants so I will know what everyone is saying... :)) ... At this time I have quite a few plants, but I do not have anything rare, uncommon, or valuable. I also do not know what a lot of them are... lol... I take my books outside and study the tiny little pictures in them with a magnifying glass and try to figure out which plant is what, then label it! My family thinks I am nuts... I have plants all over the inside and outside of the house now...

Hope to meet up with you again and thanks for the welcome!
Starr

glad to meet you and welcome to daves
big howdey from Ok.
tazzy = patty

Welcome, Starr!
You do realize of course that we ALL start out the same way... knowing precious little and always ALWAYS learning more. When I first started gardening, I barely knew the name of what I had already growing in my yard, and went on a quest to learn all I could about what I had and what I liked. I wanted to start so many things from seed and wanted to trade for them, but didn't have anything TO trade (or so I thought). I started gathering seed from ANYwhere... finding out what it was that I had so I could list it on my trade list. I was surprised that what "I" thought was common and of no value people were jumping on! One man's weed is another man's treasured bloom! Ya never know!! lol (as for what's what... I LOVE the Plants Database here and I live on it! Whenever I see a name I'm not familiar with, or something pretty I'd love to grow, I immediately go to the PDB and look it up! Lots of good pictures here from folks like us ; )

Hey I saw your post on the pollboard and wanted to ask you something...

"I checked the chemical/inseciticide one because I don't know enough about it. I really need to learn what to do to keep bugs and stuff off my plants. I did learn how to get those bad nasty grubs, though!! I have a sick lilac and and don't know what to do for it... so that is why I checked that box... i like to do all the other stuff... even raking the absolute mountains of leaves that fall... My house is surrounded by trees.. :)"

... what DID you find to get rid of those nasty grubs?!! I need help!
... and to share something with you. There's a forum for Garden Foes that would most likely have the answer to your pest problems. Just check out the threads and see if you find anything you can use. If your ?? are still not answered.. just ask! I've not found a friendlier group of people than the gardening population, and they seem to come nicer even on Dave's.

Anyway... all that to say "Glad to have you join us!!"

BTW... "the family thinks I'm nuts" is a very common thing here (lol)!!!
hehehe
~ Carole

Cajun2, Hello!!! Thank you for such a nice welcome! I feel that I have found a home here at DG's and am on the computer whenever I can... hehe

I will have to go check out the Garden Foes Forum... I had not found that one yet. Sounds like just what I need. As for the grubs there are two ways to combat them. One is the nightime spotting party (which I learned on DG;s) and the other my sister told me about. She said to put soda or beer in a very shallow dish and set it in the Garden. The little devils come out at night so that is when you can get them.. The idea of the beer or soda in a dish is that the grubs are attracted to the them and will either drown or die from consuming the carbonation in the beverage. Seems to be working. I liked the night time spotting party idea, but only tried it once. You go at night and "spotlight" them with a flashlight. You will actually see them out and amongst your plants... then you pick them off and kill them. Hope that helps. We were warm here til this last week. So I dont know if these things will work when it is colder. I will ask my sister if the soda /beer thing will work when it is colder... I dont know if the little beasts go away when it gets cold or not.

I am so very pleased to meet ya! Thanks for writing.We are making plans for a RU to be held in Missouri this next June. It is on a thread called "Is there a MO RU". I would send you the link but I dont know how yet... lol... Take care of you and write anytime, I love correspondence.

Starr

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/458109/ and http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/460979/

Hope you all have a great roundup. They are a blast.

Just highlight the address in the address bar, right click and copy it and then paste it in the text box. When you preview it will show up as a hyperlink. If it doesn't work, try again and preview again. If you need help, just ask. That is what we are all here for....to help.

Brugie,

THANKS!!! I have been wanting to know how to do that...

Hugs,

Starr

I see I didn't post a "Greetings" on this thread, but I do remember I sent you a "heads up" about the KYRU when you first became a member. I've see your name around so I know you are already having fun, I sincerely hope you continue to do so!!! - Judy

Thanks Judy! I am having a blast! I have met so many wonderful people and am learning so much. It is great. Yes, you did give me a heads-up and I wanted to come to the KYRU, but was not able to. I have to plan in advance to have someone take care of the horses, dogs, etc... if I am going to be away. I looked at the pics from the RU ... sure looks like y'all had a lot of fun. We are getting a MO RU going for next year. Did you see the thread on it yet? Stop by that thread and give us some advice... I will be the one to handle the Garden Angel Fund, and will accept all the suggestions anyone wants to offer....

Blessings,

Starr