NENC

Remember - you asked for it, Al and Dave!

You followed through so I have to give you credit for that. I have several non PG captions in my mind already.

Looks good Harper - 2 years though?

I thought I had a good imagination but you've got me beat, Al.

I've heard of professional gardens where they set the mower on a 4" height and mow the impatience twice each summer so I guess some plants can take that treatment.

I love bleeding heart, but haven't planted any yet. I don't have much shade area. Very pretty, Harper. Anybody know where I can buy a nice 30' shade tree LOL?

It's going to rain today (so far just thunder) and 82*, so I was out at 6am to finish taking the tops off my w/s containers. don't want to cook any seedlings. I need to start planting. some things are still sprouting. I finally got some Turk's cap lily sprouts!

Yes - I still have stuff sprouting.

Al, let's see... the pink bleeding heart is entering it's second spring. I planted the white one since then. The white one was a gift because DH mowed the pink one and I didn't think it was coming back. I left the space empty just in case... Now I'm glad I did! It's all trial and error with me.

Great headlamp Pirl! I've got one I use for camping.

I bought a head lamp for DH - he is restoring Our Old House - so it helps with the detail work when he needs two hands :-)

New here and to gardening. We have been in our house for a little over a year now. Starting to feel like I am cursed with a black thumb since quite a few of the plants I planted last year still haven't come back up. And to make things more interesting I have some coming up that I can't even remember what they are.. Sigh lol..

Anyway, I am lurking and learning!

Mel

Welcome, Mel. I hope you enjoy it here. We all are still in learning phases with different plants and sun/shade situations. Take photos of the plants you don't know and we'll all try and help you to identify them.

Ok, I have been here a while but as most know, I don't get on much! As I have said on other threads here, I killed all my houseplants over the winter. Must have been the dry heat! LOL! I tried a small indoor Faerie Garden. Killed it before it had a chance! Now I have taken to the outdoor Faerie Garden that I have wanted to do all winter. I started a thread here so that I can show my progress as I go.
I hope it turns out better than any previous planting! :)

Would it be possible to turn off the heat on the radiator closest to your sunniest window, for the winter? The heat does them immense harm when it's too close to the plants.

I had them in the living room. One was too close to the heat, the other was far enough away. I had a humidifier on most of the time. But had to keep telling everyone in my house not to unplug it. (darn kids LOL) Well, I'm learning, anyway.. Summertime I am able to keep them alive though. For the most part. This will be my second year of seriously taking care of plants. So I think I will do better.

The nice thing about being a card-carrying member of NENC, is there are lots of newbies to commiserate with - and kindly people with experience to help us :-)

Hey, I didn't get a card!

Right! We should make a membership card - okay - but how do we send it as an attachment? Any computer wizards know how to change a Word document into an image so we can upload it?

You could use Photoshop

No - you could use Photoshop - I don't have it :-)

Are you artistic? Maybe you (or some other volunteer) could design a membership card for the New England Newbie Club.

Sofonisba IS creative! Remember the fact that she designs exclusive carpets? One of them might make a nice newbie card.

Right, of course! How stupid of me! Sofonisba, when you have a moment, and you feel inspired, do you think you could create a membership card. We know you are a newbie, so we won't expect anything right away . . . :-)

I just found this thread today.... shame on me... well, being a newbie, of course I decided to do ALL at the same time... so I have no time when I go to bed...

my mom even told me today that I should have started 4-5 projects only this year.... but she understands me... I don't just just walk... I run with things...

this is what I have done so far:
I have planted aout 80 roses - (about 30 are miniatures - some in pots)
I have transplanted 8 huge hostas (don't know how they grew so big since last year!) and they are around trees and some other plants (salvias, scabiosas, lavender etc.)

Veggie garden - all the strawberries are planted and some herbs are planted...
All the herbs and tomatoes have arrived from Green mountain transpants... fabulous plants and really great price...

I still need to plant all the tomatoes, and all the other things... tons of seeds... some dahlias still... and yesterday I got 2 rose trees, and 6 more roses.... and I receive the final 6 from Uncommom Roses and that is it for roses...

lol.... I will post pictures....

Okay, I'll see what I can do.

Kassia, you'll surpass your "newbie" status fast!

Pirl! Don't make us have to conduct an intervention!

Mel, Welcome! Don't get discouraged (you too babybird)! Stick with it and someday you too will be gardening in the dark with a lamp straped to your head!

I think the most disturbing thing is that Pirl is working on a potted plant out in the dark. Couldn't she have just brought the plant in or at least under a light! ;^)

You know Dave, you pointed out the obvious, but I didn't see it until you said something. Nice bunny pot Pirl!

Gee whiz! I was just demonstrating my "Auto Head Lamp". Jack didn't take a photo of me with a carpet covering my "rear deck" and legs as I was outside weeding in the cold weather: it worked!

No question about it, Pirl you have some of the most unique gardening equiptment.

Thanks. Personally I love using the big auger. It makes it so easy to plant bulbs.

Planted, Peas & Beets in ground from seed. 20 Cherry Tomatoes Plants. Sunday night husband said cover them, we are going to get a frost. OK - I did

Don't EVER use plastic bags. Half of the tomatoes died.

I would rather say I murdered the clam.

Thanks, Sofonisba! Save the membership card for a rainy day, when you can't play in the dirt :-)

Okay!

planted 4 roses this morning.... oh no time for fun!!!! have to come to work!!!

Today I am potting up lots and lots of seedlings - because I am such a newbie, I started too many, and now I have to find homes for them. I planted candy lily seeds in a clear plastic container (the type you get fruit peel in). I water them too hard and now most of the seeds are growing between the sides of the container and the dirt! I have to rescue these today. :-)

Just found this great thread, with a club that I hope will have me! . . . 'cause I am a complete newbie to NE gardening! Like other club members, my enthusiasm outstrips my knowledge. Like Seandor, I spent today potting up LOTS of seedlings, both my Winter Sown ones (was 50 jugs too many?) and a whole lot from my Rube Goldberg light-garden in the basement. Bottom line: I overdid it with the seeds and now I can't stand to discard any of the seedlings. No one TOLD me you don't have to sow ALL the seeds in a packet (whining.)
I also have dahlia tubers from last Fall reclining in peat moss on a heating pad under lights, with a plastic cover- -no sprouts yet (sob!) and they are sporting a bit of white fur. . . not good.
Fortunately, Mother Nature took over with the tulips and daffs that I planted last fall, and I couldn't ruin them --here is a photo of how one border looked BEFORE the fierce winds of the last few days, which blew off all the tulips' petals.
And Spring is here. Did I mention that the sight of green things poking up from last year makes my heart sing?

Nice flowering bulbs! I also planted all the seeds - because I assumed as a newbie I'd be lucky to have 2 of each kind sprout!

Now, my big fear is that tomorrow morning I will find the 100 plus little seedlings that I had already planted have been beaten to a pulp by the rain tonight. sigh. I expect I will be out first thing in the morning, trying to prop them out of the mud.

today I finished potting all the larkspur - I have 88 I think. I also did carnations, clasping coneflower, and candy lilies.

Hi CapeCod!! You're a member by default!! Welcome! Beautiful tulips and pine tree by the way.
I did seeds last year and failed miserably! This year I didn't. I kill plants daily.
Harper

great spot & photo capecod

Allison

Hi CapeCod... welcome here... I am with you... nobody told me that I didn't need to plant all the seeds in a package... I even got 2 packages of some of the seeds just in case some didn't germinate.... well, I have tons of seedlings....

being a newbie, I have no idea what to do with an area in front of my house... doesn't get sun until 1pm and them is really hot and sunny for the rest of the day... and it will be shade again in Oct-nov....

Try coneflowers. There are some really lovely ones. I think they will take the blazing heat.

Welcome, Mel, you'll like it here. Good for beginner's and those who have gardened for years who still make tons of mistakes (LOL) and need lots of help.

babybird, nice to see you here again. and CapeCod, too. love the splash of great color you got with your tulips..

See! New England Newbie Club includes everyone! We're not selective :-) In fact, even experience gardners try to sneak in (thank goodness!) We Newbies need their valued advice . . . always treat these people with great respect - they may save the plant you love!

Kassia wrote: "being a newbie, I have no idea what to do with an area in front of my house... doesn't get sun until 1pm and them is really hot and sunny for the rest of the day... and it will be shade again in Oct-nov...."

I'm wondering whether daylilies might be possible in your front borders? Perhaps some sedum, too? I am a card-carrying NENC member (thank you, DG). . . I bet some more experienced NE gardeners will weigh in.

And thanks, everyone, for the warm words of support to a newbie.