Lets yak part 2

BRRRRRRRRRRRR! good morning all March 14th only a week till spring! I saw a robin but couldnt see its red breast under its winter jacket it was putting on! I was in the garden yesterday warm and sunny the robin was singing away. Then a huge black cloud rolled across the sky and the temps fell and the winds picked up. Put my coat back on and worked a tad longer fighting with my hair blowing in my face. The leaves that i had started to rake were flying all over the place so i came inside and POUTED!!! I sure hope this is the last cold blast we get and that spring will push winter out of MICHIGAN!

I have spring bulbs trying to grow and cant wait to see some color in the garden-dayme said the other day driving by the garden: Mom your garden doesnt look so pretty right now-nothing looks pretty i told him, the grass is brown the trees are bare, but in a couple weeks life will be breathed back into everything. The yuccas are still green and looking good-lol

My family from alabama is arriving sunday-boy are they in for a weather awaking change when they arrive. LOL How will i ever talk them into moving back home with temps in the 30s and in alabama yesterday it was 80s!! They keep trying to pull me south and every LONG winter I think it sure makes more sense to go south! Darn long tap root growing out of my feet!!! Why did that stork mix me up-i should have been dropped in a tropical setting (chuckle) I know there is a girl in the south that is sweating her bunz off wishing she had been dropped up north! ;)

Jaclynn I was in your area sunday at my sons old house getting some stuff out of there -im sure i will need to go back and help move more-he has a new townhouse in Mt pleasant -kid moves way to much!

So what is everyone doing? You ready for spring? Orders coming? Hoes sharpened? seed packets ready?
give me a week of warmth and i will fill the GH with divisions for sales and trading!

everyone has checked out berts site right- great plants and prices get those orders in!!! Everyone loves to get a box full of plants in the mail! my mailman is going to shoot me this yr i think! LOL
http://www.eflowergarden.com

may the sunshine in your world today!
dori

We've had several days of rain, yesterday it rained so hard that you couldn't see out the windows. We have a creek that runs through our property, and at one point it cuts right across making it impossible for us to cross to the back of our property with our 4 wheelers or even by foot sometimes. So last Summer we finally put in a culvert and gravel/rock road ..................... it didn't take Mother Nature long to wash it out! It will probably be July before it will be dry enough to take a truck back there to bring in more culverts and more rock and stone.

Winds have been strong for several days, but last night they really picked up. Woke us up at about 1 am , and I truely thought some windows could blow out. None did, but we woke up to find my greenhouse had dissapeared to parts unknown. It was one of those octogon shaped tent units that would have been standing for 3 years this summer. I imagine it took off like a kite, I've used the bonoculars, but can't see any sign of it.

We're still under a high wind advisory, but things have calmed down for the moment. Snow is flying again though, and my feet are cold again. :(

You just never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you in Michigan.

oh no thats to bad :( thats why my is cemented in the ground!! Yesterday it was still rattling and i thought this is the end its going to come apart!!! the plexiglass windows were bowing up and down and the lil bell i have was ringing non stop hanging by the door
the winds here are horrible with this flat open farm land.
snowing on and off here and cold cold cold-grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

midland park was under water sunday im sure its worse today-told dh to go there for lunch and take pictures. It was suppose to crest today sometime

this is the creek that runs through the farm here-most of the time you can walk under the culvert , even dries up sometimes!!!!

Hi dori hi kathy
I had to drop off dh at GR airport at 5 am on sunday, he is off to
wash dc for two weeks. so i am home alone. but, i have developed
pneumonia on top of being so sick and there is all this work to do.
ugh.

the doc put me on some inhalers. i hope they help.

Atti woke me up the other night, with the wind and the
lightening and rain. I am glad, because it turned out to be a
tornado warning, and so i got dressed and got money, and corralled
all the critters and waited it out till about 7 am. the poor mastiff, he
shivers and pants when its stormy out, but i am glad he woke me up
because there is no warning system here. and it was too dark to
see if a tornado was in the area.

I have been up every night before too from the coughing. (and the peeing).
even the horses are staying inside to day, i went out to clean stalls and
gave them fresh water and hay, and the wind was so feirce that their
hay would blow away if they went out. I think I will go and let them out
for an hour so they can roll and stretch.

I was so hot yesterday, and I heard people are already at the lake.
Now its so cold and dangerously windy. with the farm here, boy those
winds kick up.

I am very sorry you lost your gh kathy. Last year i had just bought a
kiddie pool and it blew out f my p/u truck and my neighbor said, well
the wind was blowing to the south west, so go into the forest and look
and a few weeks later, I had the opportunity to go there, and by gosh,
there it was!! LOL. so perhaps your greenhouse is in the woods some
where from the direction the wind pushed it.

We got someones collapsible leaf bucket thing. Just blew here and
decided to stay. LOLOL.

Grrrrr these winds!

I have ordered trees from our conservation distict. and rhodies from
VanVreen. they just called to discuss the order.

I am in a quandry about where to order some roses from I just dont
have enough money to be able to buy $10 roses or more, and then
pay $20 sh/h on top of that. Does anyone know where there might
be a rose nursery that starts them from cuttings and would like to
sell them little? I would give them a very good home. LOL.

Well, I am going slow, but going..
out to check the horse and put them out for a bit.

Take care everyone. Hold on!!!!

Sheri

Windy here in Glennie,sure is helping dry up the drive!
Had company all weekend ,Cliff`s son and family were here from the U.P.
I was sure glad the well pump lasted(it had been going bad for a few days) Webb from Hale came this morning and put a new one on I bet they wished they had come yesterday like they were suppose to.Oh well , they sure had it cold and windy today. It took them about 2 1/2 hrs. They said we should be good for another 20 years. Well now all we have left to do is put in a new hot water heater,and all our major things are done . Yepeeeeeee!
We lost a few more white birch in the wooded part of the yard last night. Save hubby from having to cut them down for the new shed this summer
Spring is going to have to wait for a few more days ,weatherman says colder weather and the nights are going to be in the teens.
I am ready to do some yard work.
Hope everyone is staying in and staying warm. Aleta

No one know what I should do with this brown looking pod thingy that's supposed to be a dinner plate hybiscus. Do I open it? Do I just plant the entire pod in dirt in the house right now? Or do I just stick it in my left nostral?

Why don't you come and see me next time you're in Mt. P. Dori? You might just surprise yourself and have a good time. Just remember how many times I've been your way. *thumbing my nose at you* but love you anyway. I really cold use a friend right now anyway. Some private stuff.

See Ya.

I just heard on tv that we are in for 7 inches on Thursday...say it ain't so....Going off to Chicago tomorrow on amtrak for the chicago garden show - yahoo. The trip is gonna be a killer (there and back in one day), but I need something to take my mind off all this nasty white stuff.

Wind was awful here yesterday, but greenhouse held up! Phew, I thought for sure it would fly away.

I saw a pair of robins a couple days ago. The pond is overflowing and the lake side of the yard is flooded in places. Thankfully, it is dry around the house and yard. I'd hate it if my little white dogs came in black with mud all the time.

I can't take the muddy driveway though. I hired a company to come in and cement it from the road all the way to the pole barn and then make a curve back to the drive out. They won't be able to pour till June.

My daffodils are up about 4 inches in my raised bed. It's cold and windy like everywhere else. We lost our power from 11 last night till 11 this morning. Thankfully, we have a standby generator that kicked in so we didn't have to scramble at all. It seems they lose power around here a lot so I'm glad we invested in the big generator.

Can't wait for it to warm up some or at least for the wind to die down. It makes it even colder.

Jacklynn: I would like a picture of that Hibiscus pod up yer nose!

Sarv48, My goodness. If I had known you were going on the train to
the garden show, I could have gone with you! please invite me next
time, it would be fun.

We had no snow here. What happened to that 10" wxmi was forecasting?
I have learned that when they say 6 to 9 inches, I can count on maybe 1 inch.

I also saw a robin this week. Happy Spring!
My bluebirds are still discussing the house we put up for them in the
back yard. Its been a year so far and they are still investigating it. shoot.
someone else will take it. I put some horse fur behind it to sweeten the deal.
Whats a nest without soft as down winter horse fur?

My garlic is up about 4 inches now. I am so excited i am almost passing out.
We really need some sort of cash crop to help pay for anything here. I will
go out this weekend and take notes on my different varieties and see which
ones are the gung ho's and healthiest.

does everyone here maintain a list of what they are growing? And what they
plan on propagating? I would be interested in what all we are growing.
I hope to propagate some rhodies and some Valley Forge Elms this year.

I have ordered about 100 different rhodies from Van Vreen's .
I also discovered Annas roses online. she is closed till April, but has rose
cuttings for $1.00 per stem. and some very nice ones too! Lots of old garden
roses, shrubs and healthy ones that America loves. You know everytime I see
a list of roses and I can only find a few that I want, it amazes me how many there
are in cultivation. At least a million different varieties it seems.

I called my nursery today Creekside, and tried to order 3 yards of mixed topsoil,
but she said they weren't open yet for a month. I moaned, and then, she got
serious. She will call her dirt people and ask them when they are planning a
delivery to this area. A month?!~! My cells will be all done by that time and
most everything will be needed to be transplanted up along by then. I got out
my quart pots today, and am sunning them to shake the dirt then will soak them
in my bleach soln to clean them and sterilize them.

I also called my lawn mower fellow, and he is taking orders already! Amazing!
I put on his list for him to come and aerate the lawns with a power aerator
machine since we are so compacted here. I thought about giving the lawns
some fiber, but couldnt figure out what kind. LOLOL.....
Has anyone used the enzyme soln to aerate their soils? Any success?

Does anyone here have a good supplier for greenhouse supplies? I need
less expensive plastic varietal tags with space for me to write on them.
I could also use cheaper cells and trays.

Well, I am going to check the fire, the house seems a bit chillier than usual
today.

Take care,
sheri

Wiggly - I practically live at Creekside greenhouse - they are a wonderful family and I love giving them my business!! Did you know that Tues is senior citizens day- 15% off I think it is.

For my plant markers for the stuff I start inside I cut up plastic drinking glasses and mark on them with a permanent marker- works the best I have found. I did buy some sturdy white plastic markers, but I figured since I need a bunch, these cup things work just fine.

I also watch Fruit Baskets ads in the paper and get my potting soil when it goes on sale. Good stuff...

Sun is shining here, looks nicer out than it is. But spring is a coming. New bluebird house here, but so far no lookers.

36 here in Glennie.
Hubby ,the dog and I went for a ride to Mio this morning,to the feed store . We needed rabbit pellets.
Nice day for a ride..Stopped at the yellow arches in Mio,drove to Rose City and came home the back way.
Went out and cleaned around the greenhouse. I will be starting plants the first week in April. We plant here the first week in June.
I sure do have SPRING FEVER!! Aleta

sheri.......why don't you use some mini blinds.....I save old ones and cut them to size, and write the name of the seed I have planted on that with a black crayon or a sharpie.....

Deann

It is sunny but cold here in AuGres. Last night I happened to look out the window and saw a small herd of deer grazing in the field. I knew that today I'd have to get out there and spray Liquid Fence on the plants and new fruit trees or the deer would be eating them. I walked the property and sprayed everything. It really does work but you have to be faithful about doing the spraying regularly.

The daffodils are up and everything looks good as far as I can tell. I saw bunny turds inside the picket fence so I know a rabbit is visiting my yard. They like to nibble on some of my plants so I'm glad I got things sprayed.

Can't wait for warm weather. Hopefully, the worst of winter is behind us.

Where is everybody in the Michigan forum?

When I woke up this morning it was snowing! Turned out to be short lived flurries that gave way to sunshine. Was a nice day today. I saw two geese swimming in our new pond. I sure wish I had a picture of them. I'm glad they are visiting the pond.

It's still cold but I keep walking around looking at the flowers. Sure wish they'd hurry up and grow some more.........after all...........IT IS SPRING NOW.

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE.

Brenda

Everybody must be in bed-gloomy cold and just plain miserable here....I'm going back to bed and covering up my head. Someone wake me when the sun is shining and it is 60 deg.

I`m still here in Glennie.
We have been doing alot of running ,hubby had eye surgery so it has been back and forth to the eye doc.
I have been spending alot of time looking at gardening books.
I need to find some good nuseries to go to . The ones around here have the same thing every year ,would like something different for the flower pots this year.Any suggestions?
I have been planning things for the greenhouse next winter now that it will be heated all winter with the outside wood furnace
Yes we sure need some spring weather Soon!!!! Aleta

Hi Brenda......I am back from Florida....came home yesterday.....better watch those Canadian Geese......I remember the first time I allowed a pair of Canadian Geese to live on my pond and raise some babies.....what a mess......you could not walk around the pond for all of the poop they deposited....yuck..........and they even hissed at my dogs.....Now when they show up up I chase em off.....they can go raise their babies in the other pond on my property.....but now I have the Mallards, and they chase em off....they are like two junk yard dogs....its really funny to watch them......

Deann

Hi Deann,

I thought I had geese but upon closer inspection they are a pair of ducks. :) They seem quite at home on the pond. I also saw some funny looking birds. They have long legs and they walk but are only about 6 inches high..........like baby cranes. I don't know what they are. Anyway, it's fun to watch what comes to the pond. I've been seeing tons of deer on both ends of the property. They must be hungry for grass or something. Good think I got everything sprayed with deer repellant. I hope it holds up.

I keep that in mind about the geese. I can't walk down there yet. I think it's too muddy but I can drive by and blow my horn. Ha!!

my family is still here from alabama so it will be a while till i can yak-only catching seconds to check in!!

HUGZ all~
dori

Good morning all,
The family is back in the south and my DH will return today from the nascar weekend in Bristol Tnn. I have a horrible cold now, just in time for gardening! grrrrrrrrrrrrr

Looks like our weather has finally broke, I did some raking in the big garden yesterday and pushed some iris back into the ground-there was alot of ground heaving in the one iris bed. grrrrr Im going back to the way i planted them when i first got them!
I even did some hoeing in the daylily beds it was so nice out. Today i plan to work outside as much as possible. I may pot up some stuff and put in the gh. I even have some blooms now-crocus and those tiny iris. :)
This is a good time to start transplanting things, they are still dormant but about to wake up. I want to move a row of iris and 2 rose of sharon trees to make room for all my tomatoes. Im going to have to transplant the tomatoes soon to bigger containers before they head for the GH, same with all my daylily seedlings.

Its time to check your winter sown containers, make sure the soil is still full of moisture and that they are getting some sunshine. I only have a few planted with sib. iris seeds
I have a container in the GH that i planted catalpa seeds in, well there are other seeds in there as well cuz I have all kinds of green growth going on-I know some are flower seedlings and they are about 1in high and it gets really cold in there at night still-its amazing how strong plants really are. I saw larkspur seedlings throughout the garden that are 2inches high already!!!!

The boyz are on spring break now and we will be at the casino for a night with the inlaws, Id rather be gardening.

I hope the sun is shinning in your neck of michigan and you can get outside
HUGZ all
dori

It's a sunny, beautiful day here this morning. Still a little cold for me to work outdoors. Maybe by the end of the week, its supposed to be near 60. I need to rake leaves out of the flower beds and straighten up all the daylily signs that the snow and heaving have pushed up out of the ground. Deanne is in my area today and I am so sorry that I missed her email last night to get together with her. I wasn't on the puter last night. I am sure she is already on the road and I am unable to contact her.

Cindy

yes deann had to go with her dh while he gets some heart test-keeping them both in my prayers!

cindy i stood all the daylily tags up last week and no one can keep me inside as long as i have sunshine! ;) lol
thinking maybe i could till! :) time to plant peas too!

It`s sunny and 48 here in Glennie. I have been out raking the flower bed in front of the house.
I will add Deann and Hubby to my prayer list. It is to get 50 here today ,so will be outside most of the day or as long as this Fribromylaga will let me. I work a little and sit a little,so I do get something done,and Hubby does all the heavy stuff for me. Aleta

You are brave Dori, I have to have it a little warmer. I get earaches quite easily if I am in the cold too long. I guess I could wear a hat to cover my ears.

It really is time to plant peas? I didn't know you could plant them this early.

gorgeous day today and I had to be gone all day- drat. But they are saying 60's by the end of the week. My beds are so full of junk this year- small branches, tons of leaves etc. They have never been this bad. We had to cut down three huge pine trees in my shade beds, and I am afraid my hostas are going to burn up. Plus the astillbe will complain too. Oh well....

It does feel nice out ....

Good Morning Everyone..........Back from Dearborn, and now the wait. The doctor wants to compare the pictures from yesterday's stress test to the last one done...so we very well may have to head back to Detroit area again before the week is over......Keeping fingers crossed things will remain the same....and I thank you all for your prayers....much appreciated and accepted.......

I was out in my garden on Sunday cutting back dead stuff, and in my mum garden, i have at least 2 inches of new growth coming up.....Woke up some of my Roses by pruning them, and my Marilyn Monroe rose may have bit the dust..........most of the others look ok.....so far....won't really know for at least another month.

Aleta.....Isn't Hodgers Nursery in your area??? I was thinking of taking a drive up to Glennie as Jackson Perkins said they supply them with JP Roses. I was going to buy some direct from JP but am protesting the shipping charges for just 2 roses....they want over 9 bucks to ship.....

Will get out to garden today for sure...suppose to be just beautiful in the 50's.....Welcome Back Spring....about darn time....

Deann

Deann, Yes that nursery is about 6 miles from our house, It is right on 65.
They started planting in February and have thousands of plants and hanging baskets . I haven`t seen a sign out for them being open. Usually it is on the big sign out front. We drove by Sunday and they had all there doors open and I did see flowers on there hanging baskets. I do give them alot of business in the summer.
I will keep you and yours on my prayer list and hope the results are good.
Yes I will be outside today ,we have a lot of work to do on the yard this year. Hubbby will be getting 4 loads of topsoil for our new garden and I don`t know how many loads of sand to level off part of the woods for one of those portable sheds. I am lucky I get horse manure from my father and it is about 10 years old so it is like black dirt. He sell it to everyone else,but since I am such a great daughter I get it free lol. He is 83 years young and has 10 horses and 8 brood sows ,Right now he has 17 little ones and soo to have a bunch more 4 of his sows are to have them any day. The 4-H kids like his pigs for show. I like them cause I get one for my freezer ever year. Hubby makes smoked sasuage the last time he made 150 lbs and it is so much better than yu buy in the stores.
EVERY ONE HAVE A GREAT DAY!!! Aleta

Deann I will keep Jim in my prayers. I know he is to much of a stinker to be kept down,keep us updated.

I raked 3/4 of my big garden yesterday and dayme heped me by burning piles(what a fire bug)and kept up with me as i raked. What a great day it was,even though i have this terrible cold the air and work felt good-i could use all my lungs as i was huffing and puffing. So far this morning its really cloudy and warm-but im ready to go go go.

My dh got back from bristol race around 6pm we yaked and got the 4 of us ready for dinner. Went to the local family diner(didnt have to cook)and he talked to us about his weekend at the racetrack-he got some great shots of the race and our favorite nascar driver!!!

well the temps up to 43 and the garden is calling me..........
hugz all!

Aleta......can I ask a favor.....I don't have a telephone book here to look up the nursery's telephone number.....can you get that for me....would appreciate that.....

We still have not heard from the Doctors office, so I'm thinking everything is ok....still keeping fingers crossed.....

Tomorrow another beautiful day.....Looked at my winter sown stuff today, and nothing is coming up as yet......some of my friends who live on the western side of the state have stuff coming up already in thier winter sown jugs....maybe tomorrow...

Deann

Deann, Oakwood Hospital takes their good old time getting their reports to the doctor. I had a test done there two weeks ago and still haven't heard about it. Just thought I would let you know so you don't worry about it.

Cindy

Deann the phone for Harger`s is 735-2277..
It is to be in the upper 50`s and sunny today. Hubby has a dentist appointment this morning in Oscoda,but when we get home it will be out in the yard. Lots of clening up to do ,good ole Mother Nature did her tree prunning.......Boy I`m sure loving this Kubota tractor with the front end loader no more hauling leaves and brush on a tarp ,Just load the bucket and dump in the woods. Hubby says he will be away for a day and he will cone home and find the flower beds moved all over the yard............LOL
Everyone have a great day !!!!!!! Aleta

Hang onto your hats!! Wind here is awful and there are tornado watches off to the east of us. Hail an inch thick just a ways away....where did spring go all of a sudden???

I just put all my stuff in the greenhouse and now they are saying snow next week...I don't know if I have the oomph to lug it all back in.....think maybe I will just rig up some kind of blanket covering for the nighttime.

we are under tornado watches and have had penny size hail off and on and a BIG BEAUTIFUL rainbow!!!! I didnt see anything about snow-just temps on the 50s!

I havent moved anything to the GH yet-but hope to soon!
I need to take a run to the GH supply company next week!!!

hold tight eveyone and may God keep an eye on us all!
back later got to feed family!

sarve48

I have not moved stuff to the greenhouse yet either....but you may want to cover what you got in those plastic slip covers you can buy at Lowes or Marnards for a buck. I use visqueen myself but just at night as I am not heating my greenhouse. Was in there yesterday, and it was hot. I will probably start my seedlings in a week or so.....you know we still have to get our April Snow Storm yet....so hang on and as soon as we get that outta the way, its official, spring has sprung!

Deann

im here again!!
i had family here for a week-they came from alabama for that really cold week in the 30s(lol)
They left on Saturday and the temps went up to mid 40s and sunny on sunday and then we hit the 60s, the boys were on spring break that week and I worked in the garden raking and burning. I got everything raked and ready! The boys even helped-gave them each 5.00! Got one row of peas planted last Wed afternoon and thursday stayed at the casino for a night, dh won 200.00!
Yesterday I played catch up cleaning on the main level of the house. Today I have a houseplant trade to get in the mail. Thursday a group of us are heading to Munger to a GH supply company to get soil and other items then a luncheon at great wall buffet.
I did transplant some plants in the garden and potted some in the GH for the plant trade and yard sales. My tomatoes in the house are puching 6inches so I will be transplanting them soon and moving to the GH to grow until they can go outdoors.
I see the weather will be hitting 60 soon and cant wait to get back out there-i even weeded some last week!
I have spring iris and crocus blooming and wish this cold,rain-snow crap would move out of here.

going to start more seeds the next couple of weeks and get more plant trade stuff ready-so i will be in and out and online and offline!

happy spring
dori

36 and snowing and blowing here! Been working in the yard and greenhouse ,also getting ready for a new garden plot. It will be in the backyard and 40ft by 60ft ,should be large enough for the 2 of us.
We are finding out we need a different heater for the greenhouse, if I am going to heat it year round. We did not
check out the btu`s on the one that is there. It is a third of what we need. The heater that we are going to put in is lg enough to heat it at 30 below to a temp of 60 degrees or more. Boy, I am sure loving this outside wood furnace .Now Hubby is moving the hot water heater to the garage,so I will have another storage spot near the small bathroom. We will be hooking that up to heat by the furnace in the winter. We buy wood by the 10 pulp cord loads,so we have no problem having wood for the winter.
The best thing about this furnace no more tracking through the house to stack wood for the wood stove we had in the livingroom and the fact the livingroom is bigger.now
Hubby is loving it ,too! He has a heated garage and the saw sharpening shop is warm when he has to sharpen saws in the cold part of winter.
Well,dryer buzzer is going off ,so I had better get going.
Everyone have a great day!!!! Aleta

Aleta......did you get one of those outside house furnace that burns wood to heat your greenhoue?? How big is your greenhouse...I quit heating my greenhouse cause it cost too much...I was heating with propane....My greenhouse is 12 x 12.....

Deann

i wont be heating mine till i get some seedlings in there in a week or two-then only at night with a space heater just to keep it above freezing!!
mine is 12x16-solar heat by day can climb well into the 100s!

Deann...... We bought a Woodmaster 4400 .,It will heat 5500 sq ft .We bought it to heat the house,and Hubby added the greenhouse it is right now 8x10 but with the new heater he is having put in it could heat a larger one (maybe I can get him to add on).
It seems so nice to have the whole house the same temp,not roasting in one room and freezing in the other.
Cliff on the coldest days only had to fill it every 12 hours and now that it is warmer he is filling it only once a day.
We have about an inch of snow on the ground. The weatherman said we could have it in the 60`s by the middle of next week. I am ready for it to get warm and stay there. Aleta

It`s Sunny and 50 here in Glennie. Supose to get around 57today and then cold for the weekend .
Going to work in the greenhouse today still have room for 15 more flats.
Hope everyone has a Great Day!!!!!! Aleta