Let's be honest....what have you bought so far this winter?

Hi pixie - thx. After seeing the post the list is longer than I thought it would read. And I haven't even visited a garden center yet. Every year I say i'll stop and then the catalog start arriving and I can't seem to resist. Looks like another 20 yards of dirt to build more beds again this year. I hope winter ends on time this year, 2 years ago I was done by memorial day, last year it took me until the end of JUne because it was so wet.

I got my Park's order yesterday:
Lupine, Sunrise (annual) - love these!
Sweet Alyssum, Pastel Carpet mix
Penstemon, Esprit Mix
Linaria, Flaming Passion

Primrose Sue - I have the Sunrise Lupins as well - I have never tried them. Any secrets to your success?

I know they resent transplanting (according to Park's), so I start them in peat pots. I guess as long as they have good, rich soil they're all set. I've seen them sold as perennials, but not in my yard!

Okay - so I will make large paper pots for these. :-)

When do you start yours?

This message was edited Feb 13, 2008 12:18 PM

You are right Sue, Lupines do not like to be transplanted. Unless you buy a large, well established plant at a nursery.
I often go out as soon as the snow is gone and sprinkle them in the dirt. I have no idea when to plant them indoors, but what ever you plant them in is what needs to go in the ground.

Celeste - "as soon as the snow is gone" - ya mean Labor Day!?!

Yeah, around there Sue. LOL

But if you wanted to start them inside, PrimroseSue, when should I start - or can I winter sow them in paperpots - say around March 1?

I can't direct sow anything - there are too many squirrels digging up the ground.

Nice list Allison, I love sugar baby watermelons! Mmmmm

Michaela, just had a mental image of squirrels with galoshes and hats and shovels out there today... mebbe? Too much Disney! I'm inside, snuggled up. x, Carrie

are the plants really compact Pixie?

No, not really, they still spread quite abit. LOL But not as large and as the regular sized watermelon.

welcome wha!
Where do you people put all these things?! goodness...

So, referring back to jiffy pots, etc - Michaela, do you find that paper pots work better? The cow pots co-op looked interesting, but kinda expensive and you had to buy pretty many.

I thought the newspaper pots were good until it was time to harden off.... when adjusting to the rain they kind of fell apart and became very weak.... had to pick them up with my trowel one at at time... so they wouldn't fall apart... I had a few just totally break up and dirt and tiny plant went smashing to the ground.... other than that... i loved them (other than sitting there for hours on end making them up, with rubber gloves on so the ink wouldn't be turning my hands totally black)

i am not nearly patient enough to make them, so i think those are probably not for me!

last year i made so many it was like auto pilot when i was watching tv at night

I am inside, on the big bed, with all sorts of things I am supposed to be grading, Carrie. I hope the squirrels drown.

Well, I didn't imagine this Beatrix Potter squirrel having FUN out there, m'dear, she was freezing her ears off!

Beatrix Potter had staff to help her on the farm. I've been to her home in England. She probably had a LOT fewer squirrels to contend with than I do. And they were probably cute little red squirrels - not the huge oversized rats we have.

apparently the grey squirrels are evicting the red squirrels in England nowadays, and it is quite a controversy about how to get rid of the greys.

That was kind of a sweet movie, though, hmm? x, Carrie

Regarding getting rid of squirrels in England ; The Joy of Cooking cookbook has a recipe for cooking squirrels . . . .

HaHa

There have been some on the DG Recipes forum.

The English squirrel problem sounds like us with our deer. I love looking at them, but keep the ticks out of my yard! If I could afford to put a deer fence around my property, I would!

Michaela, squirrels don't dig up my ground, but the dang skunks do! But I let them, because they're just eating up my grubs. Are Timon & Pumba for rent?

Okay, I'll bite . . . who are Timon and Pumba - and do they eat squirrels?

from the Lion king. Disney. i think they eat grubs and insects?

Yes, they do!

I kind of figured those watermelons weren't really compact like they say..... hope I can find room

but I opened another pack of alien looking seed today

Hi everyone... I just got 8 packages of 4 o'clocks .... they better kill tons of japanese beatles...

the flowers don't kill the beetles.... they attract them... you have to go pluck them off the flowers and throw them in soapy water

Has anyone here tried growing annual phlox? They look lovely, but I don't know how they'd do around here....

http://www.selectseeds.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/02155.2.5792569971518498859

Meanwhile, on the sci-fi named plants topic, I have an iris called "Starship Enterprise"...

And it's a beauty!!!!! Does it have a scent?

I looked at those Phlox, they are lovely and I think you should be alright. They say they bloom w/in 10-12 weeks so you have plenty of time...I'd try em!!

I purchased some of the annual phlox seeds this year - the pretty pastel colors (Burpee heirloom mix).

Hi Pixie - yes - it has a scent, although right now I can't quite remember what it smelled like! The "Immortality" reblooming iris smells like grapes to me.
Maybe I will try the phlox. I probably have to put my delphs back in the garage for a little more chilling, but yesterday my DH and I spent most of the day pumping the garage out so I moved them into the house.....This is the first year that they haven't just taken off gangbusters.....
Photo: Immortality iris

I have Immortality too, also have this lovely purple one that smells like grape cool aid!

I love the way Iris smell, a fresh fruity grape smell as remember on these too. I have had them for two years and lose half the buds to rot because just when they are blooming we get a week of rain. Then all the buds get that mushy brown tissue paper consistency and fade away. Hoping for sunnier weather this year. The name is 'World Premier'.

I must say, those 3 Iris's together would make a beautiful bed! LOL