I didn't know about a St. Patrick's Day planting schedule for other plants, but both my grandfather and my father always planted potatoes as close to St. Patrick's Day as possible. Of course you must take into account the weather and soil conditions. I watch the 10 day weather forecast closely, and plant accordingly. For instance, seeing that we have several above average temperatures ahead during the next ten days, AND the forecast for rain today, I spent a lot of time in the garden preparing beds for seeding, then planted my first batch of onions and potatoes yesterday (March 13). I also planted a new Red Blaze Climbing Rose. It seems that if the soil becomes saturated and cold weather returns, you can often miss out on optimal planting dates. Right now, my peonies are sprouting up to about 6 inches and my lilacs are full of unopened buds. Another thing I watch for is the leafing of Oak trees- I feel more comfortable in planting warmer weather crops when the Oaks tell me that warm weather has arrived. Ron Z

Kentucky - I have been trying to figure out how to make some raised beds- or raised pots for the front yard landscaping. I don't want the look of basic garden vegetable beds for around the front of the house though. I thought maybe I could dig 2 ft hole and put a 2 ft raised planter on top of it, that night work. I iam also thinking about making very big planters (they are ridiculously expensive to buy. I am not sure about the aestetic for my front landscaping, but after considering many materials and my craftsmanship capabilities I have a plan. I will just have to try it and see how it looks. It could sit above ground, part in ground or in ground. My design is 2"x2" wood frame cube (or taller) dark cedar stained (ECO friendly and plant safe). Side and bottom panels of 1" hardware cloth. Inner lining of natural burlap. It would sit on 8" concrete blocks (in ground) with the hole side up foradditional drainage. Inside bottom filled with river rocks then another lining of burlap to contain the soil and the plant and finally mulch on top, of course. It would have to be big enough to allow 3'x3' space for the roots to grow in the soil area. Again, the aestetic is the probelm (aside form all the hard work and digging). I think it wold look descent but odd. To build a retaining wall for the space under the front window of the house would not look right eiterh at the height I need it to be. I think the real solution is to pay for a backhoe to come in here and excavate the clay and then have new soil put in - way too expensive for me right now. I do have one narrow strip on the west side of the front yard that I am lining with concrete blocks to build up that soil area. I plan on very tall trellises lining that hill (all my land is hilly) and covering them with rose and jasmine vines as a privacy fence. The probelm is the area is part shade - never sunny and that is not goo for any of the plants I like. I bought the Charles Darrow Hybrid Musk for that location as it is reported by others to grow and bloom very well in shade. I also have some varieties of Jasmine that might do in that spot. I am also thinking of Camelias and Sky Pencil Holly. My Hollies are about 1ft tall now. It will be years before they grow big enough.

I put my Desdemona in the ground, but had to prune over half off. The remaining tiny stalks are green, but after contacting burpee for a third time they just sent me another one. Nothing else was said in the email, just a refund and then a new “order”. I think maybe I sounded a little upset about having to wait two weeks and email three time’s... I personally work a customer service job so to me it was very slow and unresponsive. Very different from my previous experiences. Hopefully the new bareroot is healthier.

Here are some pic update from my J&P sale and Wayside Gardens sale. Wayside Gardens sale roses (The Ancient Mariner x2 , Princess Alexandra Of Kent x2 , Darcey Bussell, Tess of the d'Urbervilles) were stressed from shipping in high temperature then got hit by the sun in my garden even they were under a tree, all the new growths died and it took a while with a lot of extra care before some new growths showed up again. Here are the pics of the 2 with slowest growths (The Ancient Mariner and Princess Alexandra Of Kent) taking today. I wasn't sure that these 2 could make it. I'm glad they did. The first J&P sale roses are doing great (Cabana x2, Hypnotized! x2, Daring Spirit (tree), JP 2020 Exclusive Preview Striped). Cabana Faked Hypnotized! Daring Spirit (tree)