Growing New in 2008 Pt. 2

I'll save the ones I love best. Yes, they'll grow but I'm really going to do my best to save tubers Al's way and not entire clumps.

That clump went to someone who wanted it.

got ya.... I am going to have to try Al way this year.... last year I was too afraid to cut them up.... but after having success with splitting two iris last year.... I might feel braver splitting those up this year

Same here. It's learning what an "eye" is that's troublesome to me. I should practice on some I end up either not liking or know I'd never plant again. Recently I read that it's so much easier to cut them up fresh from the ground than after the neck has hardened so much during the winter. I'll just consider any bump an eye and see how well I do...or not.

I was amazed how many babies my glads had.... I had no idea... how long does it take for the tiny bulbs to bloom?

Pirl-Here are my pots that have all of the dahlias from Dan's and Connolly's. Just a few of them.

Thom, your yard is going to look like a jungle this year! (That's a compliment.) When are you going to host an RU? LOL!

Once all the backyard is gone (beds are done) I will definitely host something here! Within about a 15-20 mile radius I have some really nice garden centers too! So, I figure, another 2-3 years. I'm hoping it gets that jungle-I-don't-live-in-the-city feel soon enough!

Did Al already, or could he give us dahlia dividing and storing 101? I would like to know how to get and store the smaller tubers, also.



Good looking dahlias Thom.

This message was edited May 25, 2008 9:39 AM

Any suggestions on tree peonies - sun ot shade? I have two that go in the ground tomorrow.

Dark colors in part shade, light colors in sun.
Prettiest Peony nursery pictures are fron Cricket Hill, they put Japanese parasols over the dark reds.
I painted the image.

ge thx - i think mine are light and will work where I plan to put them.

Excellent drainage is a must, Bill. I'm not sure about full sun for any of them, but I could be wrong. I'm 0 for 2 with them so far!

I think you mentioned somewhere before. All my beds are raised beds (accounts for the 20 yrads of dirt I've had delivered each of the last three years) due to clay soil. time will tell if I have success. The will be with the AM JM.

In Highland Park in Rochester where some fantastic tree peonies are grown, they are grown under magnolias that are highly limbed up. They are not mulched, and are set in at ground level.The soil seems heavy.

So Pirl, do any of them have a nice scent? And if I'm growing them in containers do I have to dig them up or can I just overwinter the entire container in my semi-heated garage?

Jen - I tested one and left it in our unheated garage (not even near an interior wall) and it's leafed out already. Yours should do fine. They prefer 40 - 45 degrees over winter. They don't want freezing! I held many in the basement at 65 degrees (or above) and they did fine with some Pro Mix and monthly dash of water if they weren't damp.

I bought a Variegated Solomon's Seal yesterday after seeing someone's lovely picture recently.
Planted it next to my fountain.

Sounds like it will be pretty next to your fountain, Deb. Can you post a shot of it?

I will Louise, I was going to wait til it filled in a bit, but right now it's filled in with maple seeds. I can't believe how many are all over from the neighbor's tree. Especially with the wind this afternoon.

The major negative of maples!

They are all over everything here, Deb. I've swept my shed porch at least 3 times today!

Thom, how large is your property?

lol...not that big at all. It's a double city lot. because the property is now 2 separate properties, prior owner sold 1/2 the lot to his sister, it is at a very odd division; essentially the lot is 45'x250'-ish. At it's widest, it's 60', but it's a really strange land divide. My home sits at the top of the property, and the yard slopes down from the back of the home. I am able to enter my basement through a ground level door, but have to walk up 4 small steps to enter my front door. My front yard, from between the sidewalks to my front porch is about 15', give or take.
It's the main reason I want no lawn. I don't have separate garden beds really, just one giant continuous one...atleast that's the way I look at it :-)
With what I do have, and what I want, you'd swear I lived on several acres.

My old house lot was long and narrow city too. 40'wide and 120'long.The front yard was filled w/ overgrown spirea bushes and violets.
I relandscaped so I wouldn't have to mow. The back was another matter, just strait beds to the garage, the house(1800sq ft) was a long rectangle and set on the lot the long way.
I loved it ,but this new house has four times the garden space so I'm going broke breaking all the rules and trying to put the whole garden in this spring.
Your gardens are wonderful,keep the pictures comming.

Dontcha just love breaking all the rules, Jo Ann?

How did you know. Never color inside the lines.

Me neither!
LOL!

Sounds like you boys and girls are having fun, now no running with pruning shears!

I'm not allowed to prune anything, just plan and plant and move some dirt.
I "overprunned" an old vibernum last fall .
The guilt made me replace the bush with a JM so everything turned out right.

That's a good one, Jo Ann!
There must have been something Freudian there!

My DD ,who I now live with was droopy after the Vibernum murder, so I bought a JM and suprised her, looks great too, better than the 20 year old overgrown Vib.
"Film at 11:00"
I'm trying to get over the FROST we had last night.

Oh my goodness!! You had frost? Is everything all right?

nope

Oh, Jo Ann!
I am so sorry!

Oh, Jo Ann! Who's injured, not meaning people but meaning plants? Of course, if any frost-tender people were outside, that's even worse.

JoAnn, we didn't get a frost, and again I'm very close to you. Sorry you did.

Yep it was frost on the roofs and cars, windows had to be scrapped.

I can't imagine. We were sweltering at 88 degrees in the Piedmont today. Lettuce and mustards are starting to bolt. Hotter still in Atlanta where we came in and turned on the AC after spending several hours with open windows, ceiling fans and greener alternatives. The eggplants and tomatoes love it almost as much as the flea beetles :).

Hope you warm up soon so you can get on with your summer gardens.

L

We thought we were getting frost last night, so my DH had a clever idea to put a tarp over the whole north end of the garden where the tomatoes and peppers are. It was like being shade tobacco farmers! We tied the lightweight tarp to the garden fence posts and it just floated about 3 feet above all the plants in that section. This morning everything was ok, and I don't think we actually had any frost.

Jo Anne - I'm so sorry you DID have frost. I hope you didn't lose too many things. When we had the frost in Fla. this winter, we just left things alone and many came back despite the damage. Hope that happens to you!

Hi Louise. It must be a big switch for you. Guess you're used to adapting. I never saw shade on tobacco until I went to MA. and thought all those floating row covers were for bugs. Why do they shade tobacco in the "Natch" and it's out in the open down South? The old drying barns are neat in the Carolinas. Very open so the air can blow threw. The old tobacco barns are all falling down as subsidies are not for tobacco anymore (thank goodness for that).

Does anyone here know about decoration day in May? I have an academic interest in the subject if you live in a community that observes decoration day. Please let me know.

Thanks,
Laurel