Propagation: Propagation part VII based on my own experience

Linda, how is your mom? Good I hope.

Jeanette

I called the plant wholesaler yesterday to see how busy they were and were they taking anymore orders. They are not taking any orders until after Mothers Day. Then they will even begin to sell retail. That is really scary. Wholesale price of flats of annuals is $7.50 a flat at the one wholesaler. The other one is $12.50. That is really a big difference don't you think. They are saying retail price is now only 10% higher than wholesale. I would not get the truck out for that kind of money if I was selling flats unless I was sure I could sell enough to have them deliver them. HO HO. I guess I am just getting lazy. Thing is, there are so many places selling flats these days.
Maybe I will take a break and run down the road and see if they have any gaillardia. Now see what you have done? Broke my working mood here. LOL. JB

Well Dave, as usual you are right. NCF sent an invoice in response to my inquiry and it was marked as 0.00 balance due. I feel guilty. but not so much. :-) I am going to enjoy those plants to the fullest. Lee

As well you should. It could be the only thing they had on hand, too.

Hi: I worked a museum/arboretum and they had a standard coleus. It took a year to get it going but it was KQQL. Its getting crazy out there with the price of stuff going like the stock market. I am glad I am on a shoestring budget. it keeps me out of trouble.
Dave

Lee, I don't understand. What did you feel "guilty" about?

Jeanette

I kind of understand the guilt. Its a feeling of pay as you go and being fair to everyone. Lee don't sweat it they knew what they were doing and made a business decission. Would you order from them had they donenothing? would you order from them had they just sent you new cuttings? Maybe they are having issues with their cutting stock. Thats my oppinion for what its worth.
Dave

HI Jnette, Mom is doing better, thanks for asking. I planted for her last week and I am planning to go start another flower bed for her on Monday. She has a huge live oak tree that blocks all of the sun and the roots stop all of the moisture, so I am looking for plants that can handle deep dry shade. LOL What a challenge right...? I am planning to mail your confederate rose on Monday too. I will let you know when it is on the way.

Lee, I am really happy NCF replaced the cuttings for you. I agree with Dave, they made a decision based on their business practices and you have nothing to feel guilty about. I would have replaced them too.

JBerger, 7.50 a flat sounds cheap. Here the wholesalers want at least 10.00 for an 1801 flat. I was really shocked by the prices of that Nursery close to charleston. I couldn't believe they were charging 8.95 for a 3 inch pot of ivy geranium that looked as though it was just 1 cutting, not even pinched. Their 3" annuals were 4.95-5.95 and the herbs were outrageous too. The thing is, they were swamped and people were buying them at those prices!
They wanted 49.00 for a 3 gallon brugmansia with no name! I thought, boy I really need to start growing more. DH just laughed and said, ok, but where will you put it. LOL I have the house, the gh, the aviary and the yard full.

Dave did you get any sum and substance hostas? I saw some of that variety and I have never seen any so big! They were gorgeous. I thought about mixing them in between Nikko blue hydrangea and maybe adding some green & white caladium bulbs. For some reason, that combination just sticks in my brain. LOL

I have lots of transplanting to do today and it is supposed to rain so I had better go get busy. Hope everyone has a great day, Linda

I got one of the S&S hostas from Dave Linda. How big do they get? THAT big? lol, I guess maybe I better be careful where I plant it huh?

Now, do you guys think that the hostas will die back in my country? zone 5? In the winter? I have a couple that did this winter. First I have had. Even the big ones? Maybe that keeps them from getting real big here.

Jeanette

Jeanette:
for your hostas and any of the landscap, mulching with leaves really helps them do well. I like to pile a hoge pile of leaves on my beds as well as the potted stuff I have growing.
Next is a good watering in the fall and when the temps get up over 40. This is a less important thing on the established hostas but the new ones I would water as much as possible for the first year. below is the hosta libraries page on sum & substance.

http://www.hostalibrary.org/s/s.html

Linda you have dmail. (in a moment if you are too quick for me) LOL.
This year was a bad winter I lost a lot of my cannas. they were in pots and realy should have been in the ground. oh well... I am still leaving them in their pots in hopes I will get lucky and some will be late.
Dave

HI: Sum & substance will go 18" x 80" its huge. I also got in the last two I was suposed to get in august. they cost me 5.50 to get them to me anyone wanting any just let me know. flat rate shipping has been 4.95 plus the 60 cents delivery confirmation.. I will be off and on today its another rainy day and I am feeling it big time. I did manage to plant 1 traw of brown's yew 40 cells. I feel its a good day when I get one thing done in the GH
Dave

You guys are all right. Guilt is probably not the right word, but I guess it boils down to the fact that I want to be fair. I have since received a nice note from them telling me that they meant to send the starts instead of the cuttings. I feel a whole lot better since it was their decision, not a mistake in the shipping dept. Believe me, I appreciate it. and now I can plant directly into the hangers.
Dave, I agree with you, one thing done is better than nothing. I still have Mr Sciatia bouncing around, so it is slow and easy for me also.
Linda, Glad your Mom is doing alright. It is always hard when someone is down, and we try to help them. I know, I have my Mom and my Aunt that I try to help.
I did go down to the only GH here in Miles, and boy!!! talk about prices. They no longer sell via 6 pacs, or even 4 pacs. Now it is 4" pots, with one start, and they start at 5.95 So I trashed that idea, and will make do with what ever plants that make it through this stupid weather. One thing I was looking for was Mexican Feather Grass. I used a lot of it last year, but it is nowhere to be found this year. Love the lite airy look it gives to planters. Lee

Stipa tenuissima? You can get seeds for that, Lee - I know I got some from Parks. Maybe that's not the one you meant, though.

I looked at my grass from last year and I think there are seeds on the crazy things. I will take some off and try them. They blend with the strands of grass so well I didn't notice them. Do they have a hard coat ?. These look like a tiny spear. Probably try the paper towel trick. Thanks for the info. Lee

Just when I thought we were going to have normal weather, we are now having rain again and it is to continue on and off for the next four days. Which bridge should I jump off of????????
Hey Dave, Hope you are o.k. I know you have been busy and I am hoping your business is doing well. Ebay has slowed down a bit, but April was great.
I got some Yellow, peaches and cream and an orange christmas cactus yesterday. I am hoping to do as well in propagating them as I have on the fushia. They look like nice plants but they need some TLC.
Have a great day everyone. Hugs from the old lady. JB

Hi: I spotted that last night on a oklahoma gardening. Mexican feather grass - Nassella tennuissima ( I think the spelling is right). Lee is corect its a fantastic must have that is hardy here in oklahoma if my memory is doing me justice today.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1494/
Dave

Hi: I noticed we have it listed as stipa here. I am not sure of but I would go with stipa ore the nassella genus. Being oklahoma gardening is put out through the oklahoma department of ag I tend to side with the oklahoma dept of ag.
Dave

I also read where it is a noxious weed in some areas. Guess I will have to beg for seed from someone. I just bought a couple of fiber optic grass. Maybe it will do for this year.
Lee

Lee & everyone else: I am hopeful I will latch onto a few for myself. If I get seeds I will share. I do have some seedlings going of a stipa sirocco http://www.harrisseeds.com/storefront/p-1943-stipa-sirocco-mpltd.aspx
They have these which I would like to get in on an order of these.
http://www.harrisseeds.com/storefront/p-9677-stipa-capriccio-mpltd.aspx
If we buy more than 5 lots of 100 they are 10.20 each 100 pellitized seeds. I would like to get between 25 and 50 of them. Anyone want to do a co-op?
Dave

I think it was one of those botanical switch-the-name-in-the-middle-of-the-game thingies - you will probably find it under either name in a number of spots. I know that I got my seeds from Parks... wonder if it's still good...

Hate to hear that it is getting out of control. I know that it re-seeded itself for me in Phoenix, but I have no idea where else it would be a problem. Lots of things are out of control there.

Dave, I would be willing to share with you on both of the stipa's I don't know if a dollar off is worth doing a co op tho. Do they mean of any of their seed, or do we have to buy 5 packs of the same seed. I am sure I can find enough different seed to fill the 5 if it can be different. Anybody know how fast it grows? do you think it is too late to start for this year?

I just found a real good, the best I have seen, seller for the ornamental grasses. Here it is:

http://www.paseseeds.com/

Some are pretty expensive, but some are not so bad. The Nasellas are $2.99 for 50 seeds, but I don't think they are pelleted.

Also, there is an ornamental grass forum in Dave's. Just go to communities and find it.

Jeanette

You guys, I just looked at Dianeseeds.com and her Mexican Feather is $2.75 for 100 seeds. Now, she doesn't have near the selection as Pase, but the ones she does have are very reasonable. 100 to 1500 seeds and I don't think any of them were over the $2.75. Not that I looked at anyway. And her shipping is $2.95 up to $50.

Jeanette

Dianeseeds doesn't look the same as the Harris ones. I think the second one of Dave's is the right plant, at least it looks very similiar. I really appreciate the info, and the price at Diane's is very good, I will check further for other things I have been looking for. Thanks, Lee

Oh I see yall have found my feather grass. LOL This grass is just wonderful in containers it drapes down over the other plants in the containers. This year I'm going to try growing in my front grass bed and see if I can get it through the winter here. I love the silky quality of this grass.

Janet

If you guys like the ornamental grasses you should check out the first site I posted. It is so hard not to order them all. I ran a check on what I put down the first time around and it is almost $80. Now I have to go back and cut it down.

BTW Dave, my sister was over a bit ago and said she is so pleased with the hostas she got from you. Me too. They are really nice plants and we sure couldn't beat the price.

Thanks a lot. I will leave you feedback.

Jeanette

Janette: I am glad you and she were happy with them. Thank you for the feedback. Great sites on seeds. The stip from harris is just where their breaks fall. I bought the sirraco last winter and they are slow to come up. My pampas and monadii are getting pretty large.
the hostas have jumped in size for me. I am hopeful to get a bech in on the other side of the green house. I found a bunch of good 2x6's from home depot's bargin bin. They put these carts with left over's from trimming and odds & ends from the wood dept. anyway they sell some good wood for 50 cents each. All I need to get is 4 - 2x 4 x 8' new wood. Once thats done I should be able to do 50 trays inside and 20 trays on my propagation cart with the extra shelves from inside.
I am amazed at how many plants I have aquired in the last year between propagating and trades. If the rains would quit we can get our soil for the beds in and get everythig organized.
Oh yea I spotted seeds on my norway maple. anypne needing any for postage please let me know.
I do have a few more hostas available if anyone needs any just dmail me. I am just letting everyone in on what I had to pay. I don't make money on them to this thread only. I got the last few in last week. cherry tart and dancing queen. They are going to be the best once they grow out of their liner stage. I did get most of them listed on ebay to scape some $$$ for my next adventure in plants.
see you all in the AM
Dave

Dave, do you have a list of what hostas you have left? I could ask my sister if she wants any more, and maybe my other sister. let me know. They sure were nice, and packed very good.

BTW, did you get the site for maple seeds and seedlings that I sent you?

Jeanette

Jeanette: I don't remember a site for JM seeds, but my memory is suspect at the moment. it seems to be on holiday. I just wish I could catch it on some tropical beach. lol I would apreciate it if you could resend it I would be forever gratefull.
Dave

Hostas
Blue Angel $2.15
Dragon Tails $4.41
Guacamole $3.15
Masqurade $2.65
Night B4 Christmas $2.76
Pandora's Box $3.16

Blue Mouse Ears OUT
Earth Angel $2.42
June $2.13
Patriot $1.89
Paul's Glory $2.03
Sagae $2.76
Stained Glass $2.06
Sum & Substance $1.99
Cherry Tart $5.50
Dancing Queen $5.50
also have NOID green hosta its a monster & fast grower I know it gets about 48" across. I usually split it before it gets any bigger. I did notice a cream colored margin dusting. its little 4" x 1" marginal markings that seem to take a while to apear. I am selling splits and 2-3 eyed 4" for 99 cents. I really should get this all on the market place.
Like I said I don't make any money on the tc plugs I got in. I can fit 4 to 5 plugs in a 4.95 box with a 60 cents delivery confirmation so the total is 5.55 for under 5 plugs and 11.55 for the 4" and more than 5 tc plugs. the pic is of a plug Night before christmas. all have been in pots growing so they have gained a bit of new growth. some more than others.
I am hopeing to get the last 2 potted up wednesday. I did manage to sow 4 trays of seeds today. Its a great day when I am able to get just one thing done outside its a banner day.
I plan on closing the growing supplies co-op on friday so if you want anything please hollar and maybe we can get it worked into the order. So far its just myself and one other person splitting a case of 2 different trays. 1801's and 50 cell prop trays.
Have a great evening
Dave

I will check with my sisters on the hostas Dave. I am sorry the Mouse Ears is out. I had wanted to get one. I really don't need any more of those type of supplies. Wish I could help you out on it.

Will let you know on the hostas. jeanette

Jeanette: I do understand about the want on mouse ears. they went fast. I might do another buy this year. I just need to let the dust settle from this one and the supplies. I have spent quite a bit of money this year.
I did get in cherry tart - a small hosta with chartreuse leaves with red petiols (leaf stem) and Dancing Queen
http://www.hostalibrary.org/c/c.html
http://www.hostalibrary.org/d/d.html

Both are so different and neat.
Anyway I really love them and wish I could keep them all... sniff sniff but I can't whaaa whaa LOL
Dave

What a wonderful site Dave!! It is amazing!! I couldn't figure out how big they get tho. I might just have to find a place for nothing but hostas and maybe some small ferns and astilbe. I love them all.

I will let you know. If you know how big they get let me know. Also, how much are they?

Jeanette

Those hostas look really pretty. I sure like the idea of the hostas planted with the astilbe. I have an area that is mostly hydrangeas and asparagus fern. I am thinking some hosta in that bed would be gorgeous.
Gotta run, I am planting a weeping cherry and some cinnamon vine at mom's today. Hope everyone has a good day, i will check in later.
Linda

Hi Jeanette:
If you click the link at the top it will give you the details. It took me a while to figuire that out. here is cherry tart ...$5.50 A small hosta that can get upto 15" wide
http://myhostas.net/db/view/Cherry+Tart

Dancing Queen ....$5.50 is a large hosta going to about 22" wide.
http://myhostas.net/db/view/Dancing+Queen

The size is a rough guide from the grower. I did spot where they called one a large plant and it goes to about 50". Of corse thats one of probably thousands they deal with.

I am out of the earth angel and sum & substance.
As for the ferns I have a few sources for both ferns and astilbe. The issue is they are in quantities of 20 @ $2.35 on ferns and 25 for astlibe @ $1.69 - 2.35 each. If you want I will open a co-op for them.
Also the tc people also do heuchera as well as pitcherplants, yucca and 4" japanese painted ferns. The 4" have to be bought in lots of 18 but can be broken down into hostas, ferns and Tradescantia 'concord grape' I believe its known as spiderwort.
I can get together a list of the 4" hostas available. the 4" are what you see at home depot for what ever they sell for. I thought it was kool finding one of HD's sources...LOL
I am just trying to help and if someone else wants to either share an order or run a co-op please let me know.
My wife thinks its a curse that I am always in marketing mode on how to make something into a paying proposistion (spelling...lol). I also like to share the good price with my friends which she does not understand. Oh well I am a mushroom...always in the dark and fed ....hmmmm...LOL Looks like rain again today whaaa... I will catch up later this afternoon
Oh yea... I spotted a different leaf pattern on one of my dragon tails. Might be a new variety ...keeping fingers crossed
Dave

Dave, don't open any coops on my account. So far one of my sisters, the one that bought the dozen hostas, said she was going to slow down for a bit. She planted 500 plants over the weekend. Sounds like you, only she isn't selling hers. Hers are probably tomatoes etc.

Jeanette

It Stopped raining a few hours ago and I am hoping it will dry out. I have done nothing for days and I want to get my four wooden boxs done before Mothers Day. My daughter brought me some geraniums so I must put them someplace.

Dave you have been so busy, I hope you sold the things you wanted to sell.

Could I ask a couple of you to do me a favor. I am having a problem with my computer and the upgrade of Internet Explorer. Seems since my website was redone, I can not send myself an email. If I give you the link, would you please go to the site and scroll down the front page to the EMAIL JB thing and click on it and send me an email as a test? I can not do it and my webmaster says she can, AOL said they can and I am trying to find out why I can not. Please forgive me for getting off the topic, but I need your help.
Just one person is fine, more is fine. I need to know what the heck is going on before I can have it fixed. http:// www.JBsbirdsandmore.com is the link.

I do appreciate your help. Thanks so much. Hugs, JB

Sent it JB, hope you get it fixed. Nothing more frustrating. Jeanette

Sent one!

Hey Dave, I'm going to have one of the Dancing Queens (for *me* this time!) I'll send you a new list.....

I sent one also, but had to go through MSN to do it. Internet explorer wouldn't connect me directly. Maybe this will help. Lee

Might I recommend Firefox to you all? It has been a very nice change from I.E. ...