Columbines of all sorts

My garden is coming really well. Everything looks so fresh and green.
Seedlings are growing quite fast in this amazing weather and still have things coming up....I noticed a silk oak is starting to sprout.YAY! An annual phlox finally decided to sprout.....It's been one month since I sowed and their just starting to germ.
Some nice kind animal left a present in my garden and instead of burying it, I think I'll sprinkle some seeds on it. Curious to see how they'll grow. Strange...I know :)

Steve

Weather here turned cool and windy yesterday, but I worked outside all afternoon. Some neighbor's cat is intent on using the freshly turned garden beds for a litter box! Really makes me mad. The last two times were in a freshly planted beet bed. I have had to fence in the front border I put in last year, to keep the rabbits out. Seems I do more trying to control the critters bad habits, than gardening! Two male Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks arrived yesterday am, so filled the birdfeeders again. Have a regular menagerie out back most days. No wonder I have critter problems, right? LOL! BAM

BAM - If you keep the soil damp in your beds the cats will leave it alone.
They seem to like that dry, fluffy, fresly turned soil the best...We used to have that problem in our front garden.

Steve :)

Bam orange peels will keep them away as will. thay hate the smell of citcrus.and for rabbits try coffee grounds works for me.slugs hate coffee to

This message was edited May 3, 2006 4:18 PM

Oh my goodness, i can't belive the columbine i have comming up ,i will be planting them until this time next year,Im going to have to make another bed for them ,oh goody more grass bites the dust,Yes

I found my first new seedling of the year a few days ago. It look's like it's a baby from my Canadian columbine. I'm going to have so many self sown Columbine's bloom this year....It will be quite exciting!!! And it's coming up soo fast!

Steve

Me to Steve the little seedlings of most of my columbine are comeing up realy will,little buggers and i though i got most of them when i dead headed them ,but more the meyyier i say and i could allways add some to another bed .

I'll probably have to move the one I found as it's right at the front of the border and will need to be moved back a bit. I love how they seed around....although I could see after a while there could just be to many.
They seem to grow well in my hard clay soil though, so thats a plus!

Steve

Never to meny , i find thay columbine are a very showy plant and look better planted in mass,more of a impact.

You're right, I like alot of them too. But if they swarmed over every inch of soil that would be too much :D

mmmmmmmm yaaaaa i guess it would.But if you let them can you imagine the crosses you would have,Oh you know what im going to do this year im going to save some seed of mine and the rest im going to mix them all together and sprinkle them all over a piece of land i cleared last fall and let them do there thing ,i think it would look realy good.

Thats a really good idea!!! I think I mentioned it before but, I planted A. alpina next to a 'Nora Barlow' and 'Little Lanterns' hoping to get some good crosses....maybe an orange/blue if I'm lucky :D I'm also going to save alot of the seed and wintersow it.

Steve

Thank you both for the critter tips! I have been keeping the beet bed wet, and no further problems (so far). Steve, mayapples grow there? I have not seen a mayapple since I lived in Ohio growing up! There are none around here that I have ever seen. Probably too danged cold! I read all you post, and look at your photos, and lament that everything here is so far behind! But, all in good time. Over-anxious is the word for me this year! BAM

BAM - I've seen Mayapples growing around here, I love their mini 'palm tree' look. The ones around here just started coming up about a month ago, so maybe yours are just starting now?

Digging - Just curious, but what zone are you?

Steve

im in a zone 5b.Steve is that pic of a mayapple,wow what a nice looking plant it dozent grow here.Bummer

I found the mayapple on a walk, I wish I had one. I suppose I could always dig one up.

Steve, I have never seen one anywhere around here. Have lived way out in the country, by a river in a small village, and between two villages now, but have never seen one. So, I think it is just too cold for them. That picture was a sight for sore eyes. Thank you. They used to grow up on the hill on the farm where I grew up. That must have been at least zone 5 there. should look it up. Even bittersweet is not around here. Grows everywhere in the country south of the mountains where my daughter is, but not here north of the mountains. So, I gather some there. Perhaps there are mayapples down there. I must look next time I go down. BAM

BAM - Hopefully you can find some where your daughter is. Here's the link in PlantFiles http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/359/index.html It say's they're hardy to zone 3a. I did hear before that mayapples will only grow in superior soil, so maybe it's to do with the dirt.....?

Steve

Steve what kind of forest is it were you found the mayapple.
It could have something to do with that if its maples and that kind of trees, the ground maybe richer,we have mostly spruce,and fir so the ground is more acid.

It's called Carolinian forest and there is alot of deciduous trees.
I've also seen them in woods along country roads and even in the woods along the highway! I should go for another walk and see what else there is.......

Steve

i cant belive the weather we are having,man it so nice during the day night time its cold big contrass.
But my columbine love it thay are the highest i have ever seen them for this time of year,anyone els think the same about there plants this year as will.

My columbines are quite tall as well.
It was so nice and sunny and warm earlier, but then late afternoon the temp suddenly dropped and now it feels freezing cold and raining out, I can see my breath. I made sure I brought in my cold sensitive plants.

Steve

yes Steve same here i bring in all my annuals every night,afraid it might freeze,and like you i can see my breath,I hope we do get some rain tomorrow the grown is so dry.

It's raining on and off here today. Some plants are just motoring along. My dahlia has hit the lid on my cold frame so I guess I'll have to leave the lid propped open a bit, cause I don't really want gimped growth :)

Steve

Gees Steve your dahlias must be some big,Did you start them from seed,or tubers.
I started mine from seed and thay must be 8 inches now though mine were doing good.

I started it from a tuber. It's only been up and growing a few weeks now. I just took this pic of it earlier today. It's called 'Soulman'.

Steve

wow Steve nice looking plant.you chould be able to plant them in soon .

New thread started for Columbines. Of course keep chatting on this one for as long as you like. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/603904/

Thanks Digging. I hope theres no more cold weather, cause I can't shut my coldframes lid any more. I've been propping it open with a board thats at least 6" tall and the dahlias leaves are already hitting the lid. It's growing crazy!

Uh, don't yell at me if this question had already been asked but, how long does it take for a typical columbine to bloom if sowed from seeds? I got some that are about 2 inches long; they're my babies hehehehe. Thanks.

ed

ed
The first year my columbines develop lots of foilage and then bloom the following season.

HTH
Michelle

Thanks Michelle. That way I won't expect too much this year. They're still adorable without blooms.