What busy little bees we all are. I am the same as RCN and Stormy about having more to do this fall than I can remember doing in the spring. After reading through this thread this morning I am motivated to finished cleaning up the two small beds that I started over the weekend. Later this morning I need to dig up some tightly planted (due to spilling packet of seed) Columbine and possibly cut down all of my Zinnia, even though they still have lots of color. I need to do these things in order to make more room for some of the almost 35 Gladiolus bulbs that I didn't get planted last spring.
Stormy, do you have a secret to having good looking indoor Geraniums? I have two that I want to bring inside this week before the frost. Many years ago I used to keep them over winter in the house, but haven't been having any luck with the last three years or so.
Anyway, really interesting reading about all you others who have a lot of work to do also. Doesn't make me feel so bad about being behind at this point. Happy planting and cleaning to all.
Ruby
Falland Cleaning up Your Garden...What are YOU doing??
I still have to re-plant about 10 of the red Lilies I got from my neighbor's garden before the new neighbors moved in. Had to dig them up to plant 10 lilies I ordered from jonhscheepers.com. These will be the ones I fell in love with in Latvia--the Chinese Trumpet Lily-"Regale" (5) and the others are Oriental Lilies--"Honeymoon"...(yellow)
Then, I was cutting up some of my neighbor's, now a beautiful red, blooms of her Hydrangea to dry for my Potpourri. I also went and cut back all my big sun-Coleus and cut up those leaves as well. Such awesome color!!!!
Got a bit playful and decided to arrange some of the leaves in a nice, sunburst design on a red towel. I cannot believe how wonderful the colors are mixed--into each leaf! One couldn't ever paint it!!!!
Just for fun----here:
Today--gotta go have my emissions done--It is due on the 15th so I need to hurry!
Back to the Garden.....Besides the red Lilies--I also have to find a spot to plant the Lily "Latvia" a DG'er sent me. How sweet of her......There are 3 bulbs and some "babies"....
....Have to continue pulling up annuals--even though it will be 80* again thids weekend--it's like Summer just wants to have a last grip on everything....
...and have to keep an eye on the splitting Brugmansia seed-pods. They are starting to now......Here's a multi-pod that was the first to split.....
When you pick away the pulpy outside--here is how the seeds look. Reminds me of a brain.....There are lots and lots in each pod!
Don't pick them until they are ripe! That means, when they split .....
my yellow datura had its first pod splitting yesterday- so i cut it off and put in a paper bag. i could have a million seeds if i picked all the pods
Sally,
And--you should! I have NO new seeds from the yellow one this year--as it seems that I only planted the purple ones. A mistake in labeling!
Many more people asked me for seeds tot he yellow one (in the past) than the purple/white one.
You MUST carry on the banner--as I have very few left to share.....Pick every pod you can. No need to put them in a paper bag once they have split. Just remove the seeds to a paper plate and put it in a warm place (top of the fridge is great) and they will dry in a few days. Then bag them up in small envelopes----I guess paper would be the best.....
Sally--have you seriously considered a Seed Swap for the Spring? There was some talk about it.....I would not mind having one here if no one else does. BUT--I thought someone from PA was also "putting in a bid" for it.....Jill has had so many now---maybe it is time to "branch out".....change the miles people have to travel......like, people from PA.
Whacha think????? Gita
Okee dokee- looks like I have a yellow datura job to do. I had two really good plants cuz I fertilized them well. I'll be loaded.
I could consider having you all here sometime. Bear in mind, my house is no showplace. I do have a nice big flat backyard.
Oh Shoot Sally - I was expecting your home to be a showplace and now you've gone and let me down. ha-ha
I would like to hopefully be one of the first to ask for some of the Datura seed from whomever has enough to share.
This continues to be very interesting reading.
Ruby
One of the things that I'd like to do this fall is to take photographs of all of my beds to try to identify what plants make my beds look messy. Then I'd evaluate whether those plant's blooms are worthy of their home. Over the winter, I can plan replacements for the offenders. Does anyone else do this?
FAREWELL TO A 40 YEAR OLD GARDEN
Forty years ago I carved this great garden out of a piece of sick old orchard soil. I return it now to grass I can mow with my mechanical donkey...........namely a riding mower.
My final satisfaction is that it is being returned hundreds of times better than it was when we began using it. Next summer we shall enjoy the new grass and the white clover while the area wildlife and insects nibble and haul off their share.
No one local that I knew even gave it a thought as a use for share garden.....even with free water and a darn good coach. Sad but time rolls on. We will always know where that good soil was put to rest if we have need.....or the ability, to garden it again on that scale.
Awww--doc! So sad--but so eloquently written.....
Was it just getting too much to take care of?
oh doc. I am sad.
I just got to old and unable to care for it. That is why we tucked it away for safe keeping. We will still have just a few plants by the patio next summer.
Doc, If it wouldn't invade your privacy too much you could put a notice in Craigslist asking for some garden lovers to take it over. You'd still have a great supply of fresh produce. And some avid pupils.
Stormy, I tried to do a messy bed thread
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/898453/
but it didn't take off the way I had hoped. I tend to experiment a lot with plant placement, my record keeping has not been the best so I hope to use this winter to do more planing.
I experimented with OSP vine as a ground cover and that seems to work well for me. I also want to use more coleus in mass planting next year.
Doc, I can relate to you. I know I have to cut back some on my beds, just getting to be to much for me to take care of, but I love gardening so much I just try to push myself.
Hi All, I'm back from an almost 3 week trip and while you all have been laboring in your yards and gardens I was beaching it. Now I'm very behind and will really be putting it in hi gear for the next couple of weeks.
Doc, sorry to hear about your garden. I know you will miss it terribly.
Gita, That is a beautiful display of Coleus leaves.
I did move some of my house plants back into the house before I left and my son Jamie moved the rest of the plants into the house last week while they were staying here, when it looked like we would get frost. I have gotten quite a few more plants over the summer than I had at the beginning and picked 4 more up while in Fl.
I took this when I got home earlier. Hard to tell how many plants are in here guess between 30 - 40 pots. Some were pretty dry. I'll be busy both inside and outside. I've got to find some places to put some of these. They are pretty tightly packed into an area about 7ft by 10ft sure am glad I got rid of that extra chair in the livingroom. LOL
what a great indoor garden space.==but I couldn't keep up with that right now. I'm wondering how my banana will do in the bedroom this year..
I love Holly's sun room too. Waaaaa.......I want one.
Ruby
Doc, sorry you had to say farewell to your garden :( I often look at the monster we're creating as the landscaped areas continue to expand every year and wonder what we're thinking - the maintenance of these areas will be much harder in another 10 years but we can't help ourselves and the planting continues!
stormy, not sure if the photos I take can be considered an effort to identify "messy" beds but over the winter it's fun to study them and make decisions for what might be lacking or what needs to be removed. I've tried real hard the past few years to take photos throughout the year to compare and just wish I had started years ago to give me a 'history' of the plantings.
Holly, you're back!!! We haven't started bringing any of our plants inside yet but Rick's already whacked quite a few of them back. It's always so sad to lose all the beautiful foliage but they're just too darned big to bring them indoors without the haircuts! I've missed your posts and hoping we'll be seeing photos from your trip?
Ruby, I'm whining with you LOL I've been watching what looked like construction on the back of a woman's home in the area and sure enough, after being gone all weekend the frame is now up and it looks like she's getting a sun room! I may just have to stop by and pick her brain since the size looks perfect for what I want :)
One of these days I will get the sunroom that I want. I know I will, I know I will, I know I will. ha-ha Debra, we are finding ourselves doing exactly what you and Rick are doing plant wise. Here we are filling up most every spot within our yard and also outside of that area also. We keep adding and adding. I always feel better after reading here about other's foibles. It is so good to know others are erring right along with us.
Take care.
Ruby
I do love my living area but it is really crowded now. Hopefully now that Josh is moving his stuff out I will have more space in an upstairs room to move some of these up there. He has been moving things out while we were away. This winter I will be going through the house cleaning out closets and getting rid of things.
I think I may be a little fixated on the future Greenhouse. This summer I kept picking up new plants and thinking I only have to keep it this winter and then I can put it in the Conservatory next year. As a result I have quite a few more plants this winter than I did last year. I even brought home a pot of Creeping Fig from Fl. with the intention of growing it on one of the Conservatory walls you know the wall that isn't even here yet. LOL Of course I so love the Fig covered walls in Savannah I just couldn't help myself.
I really missed everyone while I was away it will take me awhile to get caught up. Maybe a laptop computer for Christmas so I won't be quite so out of touch when we travel. There is a small computer shop in our area that sells refurbished computers at very good prices.
Ric and Josh started collecting some lumber for a few new projects right before we left and Josh and Jamie finished dragging home the rest of the wood while we where gone. Josh is adding a covered area behind his garage to store firewood and some other things and our share of the lumber will go to a large trellis over the parking area that my Wisteria will climb on. Ric also got a call while we were gone about used brick at his Uncles house. So we need to get up there and see what he has and how much. Ric would love to remove the stone parking area and replace it with bricks. Just getting the compacted stone out will be a job, but since the stone would go to Jamie's house for his long driveway we could get him to come dig it up. He's young and has lots of muscles. Well I guess we will have to see what is up at Uncles house before we get too far. We may be hauling bricks again before the end of the week.
Here is a better shot of some of the plants filling up the living room. Anyone that had seen the shots of my Tropical corner on the patio will recognize them right in the front and my big pot of Coleus. I'll be taking cuttings from that and getting rid of the big pot later this week.
Absolutely gorgeous Holly!!! I love it. Whenever you share about the projects that you all have going on it sounds a lot like what goes on here too. Always, always, always something to be done.
Oh yes, a laptop is essential for the traveler that you are. We do miss your smiling presence when you are away.
Take care everyone and have a wonderful day today.
Ruby
Thanks Ruby, Afraid I will have bug issues though, only a few of the plants were treated for bugs before they were brought inside and I see some little white bugs here and there so I'll have to get on that right away before it gets out of hand. I also haven't been able to completely get rid of the scale on my Brazilian Plume flower but so far they haven't showed up on anything else. Got to get some neem the house will stink for days. Yuck!
Ric and I spent the last two days over at Josh's house. His place is looking pretty good mine on the other hand is going down hill fast. Ric and Josh are working on his garage. I'm still weeding and have a lot more to do. It's drizzling here off and on but there are a few blue patches between the clouds. Got to go we're heading back down to Josh's again today. Hey the little bit of rain we got will make the weeding easier. LOL
I read somewhere on DG to use some JOY dish liquid in water and spray for bugs. Seems to be going well for me as far as I can tell- tho spider mite weather has gone.
Hello,
Wrote this to Holly on the Fall Post. Thought you all might want to read this too--especially if you are, or might someday, grow Brugs.
Yesterday--I "did in" my BIG Peaches and Cream Brugmansia. Will post pictures....
****************************************************************
You can plant Brugs in a big pot and then dig the pot 1/2 way into your bed. This will not only keep it steady, but it will provide the soil access and cooler temps. Then you can dig up the pot to bring it inside.
OR---You can plant the Brug in about a 5 gal. black nursery pot--with 1" holes cut out all around--and then bury this pot in a larger pot almost up to the rim . This pot-in-a-pot planting makes it easy to just dig out the smaller pot, trim off all the roots that have grown through the holes, and put it in a plastic bag to keep the exposed roots from drying out and store it dormant that way.
Even if you do the pot-in-pot way of planting--you can still bury the big pot into a bed and let it grow that way. Then proceed as above...
I have always had problems with my potted Brugs blowing over in strong winds, if I just keep them on a patio or some such-- as their leaves are like wind-sails!
I learned all this when I first started growing Brugs. from a then Brug expert on GW. I have seen him now posting on DG. His name was ..TNgreenthumb...
I was "pumping" everyone for information on Brugs back then...One HAS TO learn about something new they are about to grow...
Here is my Peaches and Cream Brug (the HUGE one) I dug out of the bed yesterday (in it's pot) and, with great trepidation, cut it way back so I could bring it into my basement.
Next year--I will surely have to root-prune it--it is getting "massive"...
Have a zillion cuttings in water--but I am not really going to keep too many of them. Will "play around" with a few...
As you can see--the roots have grown out of the bottom of the pot. These will be cut off flush. The plant will lose all leaves in the dormant state except for the growing tips.
Here is a picture of what it looked like after the "carnage"...
Hope I did this semi-right...has worked OK in other years...
The main thing is NOT to cut anything off below the "Y"--or the plant will have to re-"Y" next year before blooming.
However--in this case--ALL the cuttings will already be from ABOVE the "Y", even if they don't show it, and will bloom earlier next year.
The property behind all this is my neighbor's, not mine......
Here's the bed it grew in. I am sure you saw my picture of it with the yardstick laying across.
What hurt the most in doing this was--that on EVERY branch I cut off there were zillions of new flower buds. It would have been a flush from Heaven had these all been allowed to bloom out.
Can't take the chance...any night now it could have been frost...or--we might have Indian Summer for another month. It's all a gamble!
Gita
Going outside today to continue.....Have 2 more Brugs to do something to/with.....
I KNOW I will drag the Rose Souvelons inside--still not sure what to do with the ForeverMohr!
The leaves are starting to fall......getting messy.....
Gita
Gita, You are one dedicated hard working gardener! Your Brugs are gorgeous and show all of the care you so lovingly give them.
I did my Coleus cuttings today. The big coleus pot that I had out in the Gazebo got brought into the house while we were away and today I turned one "BIG" pot into 3 jars of cuttings. Well that's one less pot in the house. I'm going to tackle another big pot this one has Tuberose, OSP and Persian Shield. I was thinking that I should be able to take cuttings from my Persian Shield just like I did the Coleus? Then I can dig up the Tuberose bulbs and OSP tubers to store this next spring.
Now have 15 coleus cuttings inside and all rooted in four inch pots. Repotted half a dozen violets and transplanted a dozen plantlets from cuttings. Replanted eight or ten Christmas Cactus. This will if pinched tight all winter be swap or gift plants for spring as well as my planting needs. The other bring in plants are in water as a start to rooting and saving. So far my losses on new starts is a total of one violet.
I've been at war with Fungus Gnats. That's a first but I have them about all done in with weekly applications of Neem Oil to get the eggs and yellow sticky to capture the majority of the adults. Little buggers they are! The most effective move I made was to dig out a bit of potting soil and place a quarter inch thick sand mulch while running the potting soil on the dry side. All of the above seems to have put a hurting on them.
My one Begonia gave me back a bulb nearly three times as large as the one I planted last spring. The two I had in smaller pots were root bound by other plantings and did not grow well or enlarge their bulbs. Note to me..... bigger pot nest year.
doc,
I have several pots of X-mas (ahem...Thanksgiving) Cactus. I keep them outside all Summer in part sun/shade. I also keep them outside well after the "bring-your-plants in" date. As of right now--they are starting to have a lot of flower buds at the tips of the leaves. Another week outside--and i will bring them in. They need that cold snap! Then--they will all burst forth in full bloom in time for Thanksgiving.
I am interested in your "pinching". Do you mean you are pinching back your "X-Mas cactus"? Or--are you talking about your Coleus?
I have tried (once) to root Coleus in water--and they DID root--but it just became too long a time to keep them healthy and going as cutting until planting time and I gave up.
DO you pinch X-mas Cactus? When? How far down the stem?
I have done it--but have NO serious expertise in doing this.
I have seen VERY old, and thriving, X-Cactus. What is the secret? My oldest one is all woody and Yuk! Pieces of it keep falling off. NO! I am NOT over-watering it--at least I think I am not! It just seems the older stems rot off after a while and are no longer productive.
NOT overly concerned--as I can always buy new ones on clearance after the Holidays.
I also pick up any broken off sections and try to root them. Sometimes it works---sometimes it does not. no BIGGIE!
VERY few people know that there is a TRUE Christmas cactus. NOT the one we all call that. There is a difference in the leaves of the TRUE one.
The third one is the Easter Cactus--also called "Star Cactus". This one blooms around Easter--DAH!
Her is what that one looks like.
Gita- my dad has a huge old TG cactus too- woody and loses a branch here and there just like you say.
Sally,
So does my Sister in AK. Hers is lush and ever-blooming.
I am convinced that it is the cool temps--the bright light--and the long days.
She also has an Amaryllis that I gave her--and she never has to let it go dormant----yet it blooms beautifully, Also--it is NOT leggy. Agaain--I am sure it is the location---location----a very bright, cool window year round.
Wish we had those conditions.....
Hey, sally---want any cuttings from my peaches and Cream? I have butchere it by now.....
Gita
I start Christmas Catcus using four joints. The bottom two joints are treated using any known root booster including some teas that have natural hormones such as kelp meal or dehydrated kelp, alfalafa tea some think is as good a root booster as any, willow tea and others. I rarely use purchased hormones. The bottom two joints are soaked in booster a day or two and then planted two joints deep. As to pinching it is always at the joint. I let an arm grow only two joints in the begining untill I have a well branched plant using three cuttings per four inch pot. I get nearly 100% good rooting and rarely loose one. Damp to dry is what they seem to like most. They definately do not like wet feet. On new plantings that means when the third leaf gets a quarter of an inch long it gets pinched. I feel that old plants need to be harshly trimmed back and thined out. The new growth will soon fill in for the cut back with healthy new growth. I feed them nothing but very weak teas weekly with my watering.
Starting Coleus in the fall with cuttings takes only three or four weeks until new growth shows. I rarely start with more than two leaves and a growing terminal leaf. As soon as the new growth is up and showing a new joint I pinch it at each new joint. I use very small #11 Exacto knives for this surgery. This forces side growth and I treat the side growth the same way. They to are fed only weak teas. I place only one cutting in a four inch pot. It may be a well branched ten inch plant making new growth from all pinched or cut joints by spring. Greenhouses only grow them for a month or so but they are sprayed with a growth retardent and pinched so they make up fast and small. I do not like their potted liners or small pots. They will not grow right until the retardent wears off and that sometimes takes a month. My babies take right off as soon as they hit my new soil or pots. My roots balls make the commercial plants look pretty bad.
In all of my plantings I use a pinch of Mycorriza and a very light pinch of organic fertilizer like 4 -2-4. That is all I do with fertilizer because I want smaller stronger plants that will stand up to the elements. If they speak to me for help I use nothing but a weak tea again not wanting soft fast growth. I do watch them with an ear to what they say not what others or I might think. Strong healthy smaller plants will out perform those that are over fertilized by any method. I keep pinching all summer. I do not grow for seed. You would have to adjust to stopping the pinch about eight weeks ahead of your season end to get seed. It is true that an individual may wish to push push for market reasons. I grow for me.
This message was edited Oct 17, 2008 10:47 PM
Gita- I do want peaches and cream cuttings! I'm so sorry that "dream house with sunroom" hasn't quite materialized yet for me to have rescued the whole beautiful thing.
doc- thanks for your C Cactus advice. That's just what my dad needs.
I play with Christmas Cactus often using three different cuttings in my first repotting. I now have one pot that blooms from Thanksgiving through Easter. Presently I surmise that I may have more than I need by spring. I just like to start them and see them develop. At some point no one gets out of my house unless they are carting something off to thin my growings.
On the subject of violets I now see Lowe's has what they are calling space violets. They are a bit different than what I usually see. I seem to have a snippy feeling. :) I do know the manager. When they pick over their stock I have little problem getting cuttings. Amazing what a loaf of home baked bread will do if one uses it right. :)
I have some questions, doc....
On the X-cactus, you say you root pieces that have 4 sections. Is this a straight piece? I was under the impression that there had to be a "y" at the bottom before they would root?
Then...(don't remember his name) but this man in Germany (?) once posted pictures where he roots single sections.
I realize that my X-=cacti need a good pruning back. When is the best time to do this?
I have dry Kelp Meal and use it when I plant new, rooted cuttings. Used to be able to buy it in a 40lb. bag---no more! Now I have to buy the 4lb. bags by Espoma--and they cost $$$ too. I also used to buy liquid seaweed in a gallon. That would last me 3 years. I watered everything I planted in with that. Now I only see fish emulsion WITH seaweed. Would that make a good dip?
Sally,
I have a ton of cuttings to the P&C Brug! I have 4 of them already bubbling away. Then, when I cut back the plant, I cut everything off that looked like a cutting. Can't have them too long--so I potted up 6 short stubby pieces in soil. I have 2 jars full of cuttings that I will take to 2 people at my Veggie Stand I go to (Hubers), and then I still have a small bucket-full with cuttings.
I should mail you some....Don't quite know how to package them--but I am pretty resourceful....You can root them in water using the bubbler method or you can root them in sterile pots in--like a seed-starter mix with Pearlite and some sphagnum moss mixed in. Whatever......Brugs are tough and root easily as long as they don't get rot and fungus.
Will package some up for you.....
Will cut off some of the Rose Souvelons and the ForeverMohr as well....
ALL these have been cut from above the "Y".....
Need to work today at 3PM. Better get going.....
Gita
Doc, I'm sorry too that you had to say farewell to your big garden. I'm sure you'll find creative ways to grow some goodies in containers (check out the new earth box forum... that's not quite the name... here it is, http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/boxgardens/all/) on your beautiful patio. Have you considered sowing it as a wildflower meadow rather than returning it to grass?
The cute little Xmas cactus that I got from Doc at the Feb swap is still going strong! I should take some cuttings from my bigger one, too.
I've been busy this morning moving plants inside. Didn't do any spraying or drenching, so my fingers are crossed... a good dose of Neem is probably a good idea. DH let me put a row of scented geranums in 10 inch pots on the bench behind the family room couch... so the morning room isn't quite so crowded. I did have to promise I wouldn't just replace them with more pots in the morning room, LOL (at least not this year hahaha). I potted up a hanging basket with ornamental sweet potatoes ('Blackie' and 'Tricolor') and saved a few tubers also... 'Blackie' made bright purple tubers!