Coming out of lurkdom to thank all you enablers

15 years ago

I have mostly been lurking on many of these forums for a very long time and wanted to finally come out and say thank you! I have learned so much from all of you. You have no idea! It seemed like if I had a question or concern, I would just check gardenweb and someone would already have asked. I started out with carpet and knockout roses. Still like them for their ease and contributions of bloom and color in my cottage garden. I also have several Easy Elegance Yellow Submarine purchased from a local nursery. After reading about Buck roses, I purchased Hawkeye Belle, Joseph F. Lamb, Earth Song, and Quietness. I plan to add more. I love the look of old garden roses and on the recommendation of, I believe, Molineux, I purchased Pretty Jessica in May from Heirloom Roses. She is only about 12 inches tall (hopefully growing roots), but she put out two roses in July and right now she has six (!) buds. I just wanted all of you to know that even when you don't know that you are, you're informing and inspiring people. I always thought roses were difficult to grow, especially in my zone 5, but I got the courage to try some and plan to try more. I would love to hear from anyone who grows Austin roses on whether or not they winter protect them. Should I cover my Pretty Jessica with something? Thanks again.

Jacquie

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Comments (11)

karl_bapst_rosenut
15 years ago
Lurkdom can be a great place to learn stuff, but don't be shy or afraid to ask questions.
I grow a couple of Austins in zone 5 NW Indiana. I don't winter protect but do let shredded oak leaves from my yard settle at the base of my roses. Although they die back and require severe pruning, they come back strong and are blooming by late spring. I've had Jude the obscure, The Prince, Othello, and Molineux in the ground for five years. They can get quite tall by season's end.
kittymoonbeam
15 years ago
It's more fun to yak- welcome and glad you're posting and not just lurking anymore
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Alright, all you evil gardenia enablers...
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It looks like you live in zone 7. Why don't you plant the gardenia in the ground? I have two in the ground, and I am in Central AR, considered zone 7. They've been there for years, before we moved in. I know they've gotten down to between 10 and 15 degrees on occasion, and didn't show a strain. I read they defoliate under 10 F, but come back. If your winters do not drop below 10 very often, give it a try in the ground. If your ground freezes, you can just mulch the base, probably. Grow it in acid soil, near a pine tree or other conifer, maybe near an oak, or amend the soil for acid. The one I have out in the backyard is taller that I and as wide, and get covered in fantastic fragrant blooms every year. It roots easy in water, too. Or, in soil, so I've heard. If you know someone who's got a big one, just take a clipping in June or July and put in water in a warm place. In a few weeks, it should have roots (try several clippings to be sure one takes). If you don't know anyone with one, you could trade for clippings here on GW. I am going to try rooting several cuttings this year, so I may have extras myself in a few months. I'm just waiting for that nice hot weather to stay. Good luck with your Gardenia. I hope you can grow it outside, and have one really big.
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coming out of lurkdom
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wow! you guys are so nice! hey, just in case any of you are interested, that big, fat bunny is a greeting card .. i bought him last year, but it is on the market again this year .. such an inexpensive & fun addition he has been for me ... thanks again, phyl
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Enablers, you are all enablers!
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Peppi, Thanks for some levity! I was doing a search for 18 hour bread when this link came up and NO WHERE is there a mention of bread! I raise and process all the chickens we eat-over 75 last year...and those feet take time to clean and definitely make great stock. Unlike your purchased ones, my chicken feet are dissected at the base of the drumstick-so are probably twice as long as the ones you purchased. Am not sure how you stewed yours-as I have not come across the suggested posting. My main way of making any stock is the ASIAN way: cover all bones,onions, garlic, ginger,etc with water, bring to a slow boil, cover and turn off heat one hour. Bring to boil again, turn off heat and let set one more hour. For unfrozen chicken parts of six months of age or less, two hours tenderizes all. For 1 1/2 year old layers or old roosters (the whole bird or just the feet), I bring to a boil the third time, and let set one hour. I cool and then freeze the broth in 1 or 2 quart paper milk cartons. It's a treasure. When we lived in a village in China, the farmers sparingly got the most quick heat from their rice straw (fire fuel), and have used this technique for generations. Besides making stock from the poultry feet, the feet are considered a delicacy to eat...often with a soy and fish based sauce...very rich tasting! I have yet to see an English-Asian cookbook refer to preparing poultry feet. None of the chickens nails were painted! Actually, it was rare to see any Chinese women with nail polish. cella jane
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out of lurkdom - what can you freeze and best way
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Comments (16)
I also dehydrate foods in my old Harvest Maid. I love it, it has a fan and a temperature setting, 9 large trays and it's great for making yogurt too. I get my dehydrating information from the Ball Blue Book and from Michigan State University's web site, Preserving Food Safely. I do freeze eggs, but I beat up two, put them into a separate container and use them for baking. I don't freeze milk because of that change in texture mentioned above. I like some things frozen and some things canned. I always blanch and freeze asparagus, then I thaw it, put it on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast it, just like fresh asparagus. It's pretty darned good (although not as good as fresh, LOL). I also freeze corn, but I can carrots and beans. I freeze celery and peppers, usually already chopped and measured, to use in salsa, Habanero Gold jam, chili, etc. I don't care for stuffed peppers but my stepmom tops and cores them and stacks them, one inside another, for stuffed peppers. She takes them out frozen, stuffs them and bakes them. I freeze french fries by the tens of pounds, and I've chopped and frozen onions but even double bagging them the whole darned freezer smelled like onion. I would think shallots would be the same, but maybe if you have a foodsaver it would help with the aroma. I dehydrate onions and shallots since Craftyrn sent me a jar of dehydrated onions and I found how handy they were! I freeze swiss chard and collard greens, just steam them and freeze them in ziplock bags. I even freeze sliced green tomatoes to fry in the winter and I grate extra zucchini and pack that into ziplock bags for zucchini bread in January. Oh, and welcome to the Cooking Forum. You might try checking at Harvest too, lots of canning/freezing/drying/sausage making going on over there! Annie
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mgleason56
15 years ago
OK, you have to tell us where in Michigan you are. I am 15 miles south of Detroit (Brownstown), but my office is 20 miles north of the city (Troy).
jacquierz5bmi
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi and thank you for the welcome and comments. mgleason, I live in the Thumb area, a couple of hours north of you in a very rural area (Cass City) which is about about 30 miles or so south of Lake Huron which helps to make my zone 5b instead of 5a.
And kittymoonbeam, it is more fun to yak.
karl_bapst_rosenut, I have been reading your comments and your website which has helped me a lot.
aliska12000
15 years ago
I didn't winter protect any of my Austins. Some aren't doing that great in other respects, only their 2nd year, but they all came back, some like crazy and are too large even though I pruned down to 2' this spring and cut out bad canes.

A couple of my new non-Austins I might winter protect. I'm inclined not to bother with any of the Austins, maybe one that was kind of a "runt", see if I can save it.

I'm looking to replace some, will look at the Mordens and Bucks. Now I'm thinking more in terms of not growing so many different varieties but having more plants of the same variety that perform better in my growing conditions.

Welcome from coming out of lurkdom, wonder why some lurk so long, I had too many questions I couldn't find answers for. Even the experts are always gathering new information and refining their views and skills. I'm so thankful they are here and willing to help.
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
15 years ago
I would like to apologize for those thoughtless posters who enable you to spend money on roses which would be better spent on the rent or food for the children.

By the way, Tamora is striking in the cottage garden...

{{gwi:212144}}
mgleason56
15 years ago
Harry, Dude, that is really not very nice of you to do. You should be more thoughtful. You know what would look good though planted with that Tamora?

{{gwi:298335}}
President Vignet
jacquierz5bmi
Original Author
15 years ago
harryshoe and mgleason56,
You two are really very bad. You are making me want every rose I see on this forum. Those two are just breathtaking. I may have to add them to my want list for the spring.
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
15 years ago
Any enabling you may have encountered was certainly not intentional.

You must have Souvenir de la Malmaison:

{{gwi:213843}}
mgleason56
15 years ago
Geez, the last thing I want to do is enable! Harry, have you no shame? By the way, this is Papaya.

{{gwi:261208}}
teka2rjleffel
15 years ago
I'm glad we are here to witness your 'coming out.'
You guys are bad with your enabling. Shame on you.
{{gwi:321574}}
The lovely Angel Face

{{gwi:285248}}
Bouquet of Classy Carol

Nancy

Coming out of lurkdom to thank all you enablers

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karl_bapst_rosenut

kittymoonbeam

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Coming out of lurkdom to thank all you enablers

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