My name is Ann and I live in Franklin. I have been gardening for many years and my flower beds are always in transision. I am in the midst of a major transition because of vision difficulties. I lost central vision in one eye 3 years ago and have now begun having problems with the "good" eye. I am getting rid of plants that are somewhat invasive(can anyone say bee balm?) and plants that reseed too much (black-eyeed susans and rose campion). I have decided to get into daylilies since they have large blooms, don't put out underground runners or drop 5 million seeds that sprout everywhere. I am hoping that someone will have daylilies at the MTPS, especially some of the newer ones with ruffled edges. I am already potting stuff for the plant swap and hope to see many of you there.

Ann

PS - Jan, is your white verbena blooming yet?

Hi everyone--my husband and I are in our fifties and live just outside of Memphis in Germantown. I garden in the front yard (mostly sun) with roses and every kind of perennial I can get my hands on, and I'm doing a lot of shade gardening in the backyard. Love doing the garden tours in the spring with the local Hosta Society and Hydrangea Society, but I'm kind of a shy member. Did the master gardening thing for a while and wish I hadn't lost touch with it. Stuff happens! My husband is a real sport about the digging and replanting. Hoping to see more people from the Memphis area. This is the first posting I've made in quite some time--too many different forums to check!

Laura this is the only forum that you need!

We have a lot of folks come to the MTPS from West TN; you need to join us May 19th!!!

Okay, okay, Jeff...here goes. :-)

I'm April. Been active on GardenWeb for a couple of years now, though I had lurked on it for longer. I live in Madison and usually try to schedule things so I can make the swaps. I can't overemphasize how fun it is, and how nice everyone is. :-)

I garden in Madison, TN, with my very lenient hubby Chip and my two large mutts. We only have about a third of an acre, but at the rate I am replacing lawn with garden, it's probably a good thing I don't have more land or I'd have to garden full-time! As it is, I'm way behind on pruning things, though the cold snap we are expecting this weekend makes me feel a little bit better. :-)

When Chip and I aren't doing something to the garden, we fence (he teaches fencing at Cohn Adult Learning Center on Monday/Wednesday evenings), explore and survey caves, backpack, and are avid history buffs. Somehow, in the weird landscape of my brain, all of these activities are interconnected with my great love of plants, particularly native or heirloom varieties. For example, I think we are the only people I know of who have a fencing strip in their garden! ;-)

Anyway, that's more than enough from me -- see y'all at the swap.

P.S. Ann Bell, I'll be happy to take some of those rose campion volunteers off your hands. :-)

Hi Everybody,

I'm Johnny and my wife is Lori. We own a home that was built in 1903 that is located in the middle of Soddy Daisy. Our city limits border the northern city limits of Chattanooga. I work at TVA as a fire fighter and my wife and I are both volunteer fire fighters for our city. I do vegetable gardening in 23 raised beds using the square foot method. This year I'll be planting a few flowers in my beds to brighten things up. I'm kinda like geneo on the eating part. My wife was pretty much of a city girl so she leaves me to my gardening but she does like to have some flowers out in the front yard. The house is only about 30 feet from the road so I can't plant too much there. Lori even allows me to do all the canning just as long as I clean up the kitchen when I'm done. When I started my seedlings in the kitchen last year I thought I might have pushed things a little too far but she did allow me one corner to put them in just a long as I cleaned up all the potting mess I made.

I would like to make it to the swap (would me my first) but with my work schedule I'm limited on what I can do at times. Lori is allowing me to replace the floor in our laundry room that weekend. She's not real happy that we won't have hot water for about 4 days but it is kind of hard to replace the floor with the water heater sitting on it.

This evening I will be covering things up in my garden since we have that cold snap coming in. I rushed things a little bit. My strawberry plants are in, potatoes are up along with beans and cucumbers. They should survive but if not I'll plant again. Next year I'll probably wait until after Easter to plant most items. Live and learn. Happy gardening.

Hello all! I actually popped in for some cold weather comfort...and now I'm wondering if I should use this as an opportunity to take cuttings. Lose a few plants and buds to Mother Nature but gain several more plus possibly have something to swap and make a few new friends...

I've been a lurker off and on and spent most of my time at the seed swap forum until I caught a case of tomato fever.

I'm gardening again and it feels so good! Moved up to Murfreesboro to be with Mr. Wonderful (aka Joel) and was able to bring most of my plants with me. Literally had more plants than clothes! Joel has been more than indulgent - we have a new bed that spans the back yard and it's already filling in nicely - I can send time lapse photos to prove it! Almost kidding - I do take photos to show how it's grown but many changes are only discernable to loving 'mom' and 'dad'. Did I mention moving the greenhouse? Well, it's settled in nicely and we're waiting to see how it holds up to hail.

About us: Both of us are shutterbugs, who love to camp, read, and cook! Joel cuts hair when he isn't cutting the lawn, cycling, playing guitar, or making bonsai and I take some time away from yardwork to walk with Luci (our sooner), pretend to cycle (novice), sew, start plants, and if there's time left I do bodywork and massage. Will happily barter services and give discounts for plants, seeds, pots, or dirt. Seriously, If I were outside the city even chickens would be welcome! Please be good to your bodies. Take time to stretch a bit, use good body mechanics, select the right tools, take frequent breaks, drink plenty of water, and some sunscreen would be nice too.

Okay, jumping off my soap box and going back to the plants:

Guilty confession: my tomatoes are in the ground - have been for at least a week - no apologies - no good reason - just a bad case of spring fever :)

Plants I'm worried about: roses with buds and tender new growth, oak leaf hydrangea, peonies (that survived a death sentence at Lowe's so they might make it), sweet shrub with buds, mock orange, and a few others.

If it really gets down to 22 degrees is there any hope? I plan to bucket/mulch/cover all that I can.

On the bright side the insect population might be decreased and there could be hope for cuttings!

Any advice is greatly appreciated - feel free to contact me if you're in the area and want to talk plants!

Looking forward to lurking less - anna

Hi All!
My name is Martha, I'm a single mom on a 63 acre farm. We have 1 dog and 3 cats. I live in West Tn and have more plants then I can take care of at the moment but somehow we keep adding more. Think I might have to have the pump on the well fixed this year. My son has inherited the planting thing as I call it and if it is pretty outside we are not in the house........wonder why??? LOL Was in a pretty seriouse car accident in Sept and am just getting back to normal. I love anything that grows and have my mothers and grandmothers green thumb. I talk to it and it grows. Can't wait to see everyone at the PS and I got the flame azalia seeds for ya'll. See ya'll at the river. Oh and by the way My first time was last spring and I went with nothing to trade and came back with 3 days of planting so if your new please come.....
These people are a little plant crazy but they are the nicest folks.
Martha

Hi,

I am Gail and live in the Hillwood neighborhood in Nashville...I have been a gardenweb member for a long time but am a pretty inactive poster. I started with daylilies I bought at Gilbert Wild over 15 years ago and now primarily garden with native plants; they are more likely to thrive in my clay soil and limestone bedrock! This weekend my garden will be draped with old sheets to protect some of the blooms, sigh! I can't cover them all....and just when all the iris have stalks sporting blooms, too bad.
Gail

Hi, I am Kathy. Have been gardening in TN for about three years now. I have a lot of plans, but little budget. I covered what I could tonight preparing for a freeze. I piled a bit of potting soil over a foam flower and a fringed bleeding heart. Some hostas are just going to have to tough it out.

K Ford here. we, the family Just made it to Soddy-Daisy TN 20 miles north of Chattanooga 9 months before Katrina took out the Gulf coast and Abita Springs,LA and my old house,yard, neighborhood etc. It is/was a mess. I was a Master Gardener in the New Orleans area,botanical gardens at the Zoo, and for St. Tammany Parish. But that was then and this is a different box of rocks.Really, I use to bring rocks from Tn to my Abita garden and NOW I have what I wished for..... TN ROCKS but not much soil.... This has proven to be a challenge. I garden for fun but mostly plant nectar producing plants for hummingbirds. I work as a RN in a local ER for a living. I love TN and don't even miss Louisiana, not even the food 'cause I cook. Ok I miss the soil.
Olga Clifton and I started "International Hummingbird Day" in Abita Springs. I look for and try to plant nectar producing plants, I have Hummers here already the feeders are out. Last winter Martha and Bob Sargent came up from B'ham and banded a Rufous at the house here in Soddy.ok sorry got off track. I presently have 4 acres and should start planting blueberry bushes fruit trees and perennials. I like the group. I have been lurking for a while now.

Hi all, I'm Carol B from Murfreesboro and have been lurking for several months.
I have no garden, no flowers, but lots of daydreams! I am hoping to have my first garden here this year. Just talked to a man who will come over and see about breaking up my yard for me. I also have heard of a man that will deliver a truck load of top soil at a decent price, so I may just plant in old tires this year and work the new ground a little to get it decent to plant in next year.
I have quite a few seeds that people have sent to me this year that I hope to get in the ground. Hopefully I will be able to save things and be able to go to next years swap. It sounds like so much fun!
Our yard is about 2/3 acre and it is naked except for a holly bush, peony clump, red tree, half-dead magnolia and one clump of bleeding hearts that turned to mush this week after the frost. It's happened to it before and it comes back, so hopefully it will this year too.
Have a blessed day!
Carol

My name is Vicki and I live in So. Pittsburg, TN (home of the National Cornbread Festival). I have been gardening for years and a few years ago moved to a new location on the side of the mountain. New soil type, not as much sun, got to get started with something different. We've planted may shrubs and trees, but I want to get started back with some roses. I am sorry to say that my Hosta look terrible after the latest freeze! I am looking forward to learning from all of you.

It is so wonderful to see so many new folks here! I can't tell you how awesome these Roll Call threads are to me. I don't care if you are just getting started with a blank slate (Carol) or if you have old established gardens; PLEASE COME TO THE MTPS!!! You have no idea what you are missing if you haven't been before.

For all of you that have tons of plants that need splitting and you have no place to put them or nobody to give them to, why not bring them to the MTPS and share with those that are just getting started. You can't buy good Karma like that!!!

I know that last week took a toll on all of us. Everything at Cheapwood burnt-up except for the Bee Balm but we'll get through it and everything will eventually come back. I realize that some of the plants this year are going to look less healthy than what we are use to seeing at a MTPS but you know as well as I do that by June they will have recovered and be off the hook blooming their little heads off.

Hello, My name is Wayne and the wife is Mildred. We live north of Nashville almost too the Ky state line. I am into water gardening and the wife is into all of the gardening. Some plants look ok and some look bad at the present time. I have never been too a plant swap. I don't know what i would trade if i went. So just guess i will stay here and attend too my fish and the water iris plus a lot more water plants. The blueberries are done for this year and guess the blackberries are also.

Wayne you need to come to the MTPS just to experience it!

You can bring some water plants or anything else you can scrape together.

If nothing else, just bring some food and some good conversation. It will be well worth your trip!!!

Hi. I'm Andi. I'm in Nashville and pretty new to gardening and I *just* found this thread while searching info about Jasmine in Tennessee. (Mine didn't make it last year...neither did my pincushion flowers, an aster, and a few others things!)

I bought a little "cottage" in South Nashville (off Nolensville). It had *no* landscaping. I've been planting pretty hit or miss. I'm trying to loosen up about it and not worry so much. Part of my yard is on top of an old gravel parking lot so I'm trying to plant an "alpine" garden. I've also started some lasagna beds which are producing nice soil--slowly. I've just taken my first trips to BATES--lovely. And, I've planted some foundation plants this weekend. Lots more to do.

Maybe I'll see ya'll at the swap. (Never been...sounds great...but nothing to swap and dad's in town..so we'll see. Fall for sure--I hope!)

Andi...come to the swap whethere you have anything to swap or not...you will make a lot of new friends and there is plenty of food.

I have known people who have bought plants on sale and divided them and brought them to the swaps....we also use seeds, gardening books/magazines, garden type crafts, anything garden to swap with.

Hope to see you on the 19th

SEE YOU AT THE RIVER

Jan

Well, well, well, look at this roll call:) How awesome!!

My Name is Kathi Pulley, My Husband is Steven Pulley. We live in Waynesboro, With my 4 kids, and When Stevens kids stay over, well that makes 7 total!

I don't know how many plant swaps I have been to so far, but I remember being nervous the first time I went, but everyone there just makes you feel so welcome, it's like you have known them all your life. :) Such an awesome bunch of folks.

I have always loved playing in the dirt, mudpies when I was little, and now Just watching things grow, and there is nothing like a nice home grown tomato. Except maybe picking an apple off a tree in New Hampshire and taking that first bite.

I hope to see everyone at the swap :)

Andi we're on Blackman Rd. between Trousdale and Edmonson. Coome buy and we'll help you out with some stuff!

Thank you Kathi! It's always nice to hear how much folks enjoy themselves at the MTPS!!!

Hello everyone,

R. Joe Reich here, hence the screen name, but most people never get it. :shrug:

Short Version:
--------------
I moved here about a 1.5 years ago from Detroit, recently bought my first house in southeast Antioch by the Four Corner's Marina, and my wife is due with our first child in only 5 weeks (today)!

Long Romantic Story Version:
----------------------------

I moved to Nashville back in October of 2005 from Detroit in an effort to get away from an ex-girlfriend. We had been dating for just under six years and it dawned on me, shortly after buying our first house together, that the relationship really wasn't going anywhere.

She never wanted to have children and was so obsessed with her equestrian hobby that she never had time to spend with me. Now I know why daddy's never buy their daughter's ponies...they'll never come home.

So I packed up and moved here to Nashville, with whatever fit in my Toyota Echo (sub-compact) without a job or a place to live lined up. All I had was the address of a girl I went to high school with down in Columbia.

Whatever you call it, fate, destiny, karma, etc. I had gotten here on a Friday, had a job with a 15% raise by Monday and a perm roommate situation by the following Wednesday that wouldn't require rent until my first paycheck which was going to be a month away.

After about two months of getting settled in I managed to score a first date with this hot little chicka that I found online that first week of isolation, but she had routinely blew me off except for this one first time.

Came to find out that she had moved her at the very same time as me up from Miami, FL - talk about meeting in the middle, heh - and I don't know, something really sparked, I had a second date the next day and we've managed to spend every day together since. We managed to wait a little over six months before getting married - at her mother's pleading - and we now have a little one on the way in ONE MONTH!

We just bought our first house in Southern Antioch and I'm trying to figure out how gardening is going to work down here because the soil (and rock) conditions are vastly different from both of our previous experiences.

Oh, and I managed to lose a little over 75lbs. since I've moved here...

Joe if you will come to the plant swap on the 19th just 2 hours from you...you can ask all the questions you want...there are some magnificant gardeners at these swaps, + several Mashter Gardeners...+ you will make new gardening buddies and even get plants to start your yard with. For more info go to www.midtnplantswap.com

Congrats on the new baby to come...he/she will have you wrapped around their finger in a week.

SEE YOU AT THE RIVER

Jan

I'll see what the wifey says... She's just gotten to the point where her back hurts if she's on her feet too much so it's a little up in the air.

Bigorangevol - Thanks. I've sent you an email....since we're neighbors.

Everyone- I'm gonna see if I can get to the swap although I don't have anything exciting to offer. Maybe some columbine babies and some seeds? (I don't do canning or make jam or anything....this year I hope to make some fun stepping stones so maybe I can bring those next year!)

Cheers!

arjo...the important thing is if your wife is able...to just come. Bring her a lounge chair so she can sit down...we encourage everyone to bring chairs to get a load off their feet occasionally anyway.

Hope you get a chance to.

Jan

This message is to all of the people on this site that want a garden but don't have much to share or really don't know what to bring..........Come once and you will know, you will learn, you will be welcomed and you will be hooked. If you have problems there is someone here that can help you with them. If you don't know much, they will be glad to teach you, if you don't have much you will get several plants, if you are a fanatic about a certain plant this group rocks. These people are the best, they would rather be muddy and dirty with their hands in the earth and wear their hearts on their sleeves. I had the best time last year at my first swap....I didn't have anything to share but came home with three days of planting to do and found more friends then I could have ever imagened. So if you are a neewbie or if you simple lurk and your passion or new love is gardening you need to go. And by the way this place is so beautiful..... you'll fall in love and I have heard the fishing is good too.
Martha

Hi Tennessee Gardeners, I am hoping you can help me with some problems we are having in our Antioch (Nashville) garden.

1. We had some black mulch put down by our lawn guy last summer. This spring as we were digging in the mulch, we have noticed a white "dust" or fungus inside the mulch. We have noticed that where we disturbed the mulch an orange thing grows for a few days. This orange thing is about 12 inches wide and looks like foam insulation. What is the white "dust"? Good, bad or indifferent? What is the orange thing? Is it connected to the white "dust?"
2. Has any one tried to use wet news papers to keep weeds at bay? I read in a "pass this to ten other people" email about how you can use wet newspapers under soil or mulch.

Thanks for your help, Beth in Antioch

PS I wish I could come to the plant swap, but having another camping trip to go to. But I have some sunflower seedlings, if someone local wants to come and get them.

Hi all,
My name is Berni, live in Riceville near Cleveland, TN....have been for 20 years. Did a 3 year stint in Gallatin area about 10 years ago...loved Old Hickory! Haven't been on the site in a very long while but with the cost of everything going thru the roof, I will be doing some intense gardening! My husband is "Abe" and this is the first year he wanted to get involved....mostly because he's getting sticker shock from the price of food. He has gotten very anal in his old age..complaining about my weed filled gardens every year..lol, but I can't wait to see "his" weed free garden...(we both have always worked - no time) so this should be a wake up call to him. He wants a greenhouse now! Musta been that cold snap...really did something to his brain! Glad, though.
Happy to be in E. TN and finding such a really great group of people.

My name is Evan, and I live in Murfreesboro with my wife, Jennifer, and my shih-tzu Max. I'm relatively new to gardening (about 2 years) and just recently discovered this forum. I wish I could come to the plant swap, but I'm afraid I have a conflict. I'll get it on the calendar for next year, though.

We want everyone to be able to come to the Spring swap this Saturday but if you can't make it then plan now to pencil us in for the Fall MTPS on Oct 20th.

Yah I finally get to join in.

We just got the news and our place in in the works. Hello all my name is tamara hubby is tom and we are moveing to greenville county to or OWN place 4.6 acres this summer. He is a farmer from PA and I a gardner from FL. We have lived here for 1 1/2 years now. We shall be keeping some trees but I am planning a formal herb garden and animal friendly plantings all around our place. We are both big on wildlife so I have selctions I will be basing on that plus we will have our own animals. In other words growning our own food.

Well, MTPS is too far for us to make might there be an ETPS? I tend to like to go native when possible. I find many native plants are never used and hard to find sometimes. Even though they might be the best choise for many people. I am still in planning stage since we did not know when all this would happen. Guess I shall be very busy this fall.

It's great to meet you all. I have lots to learn about TN gardening.

Tamera we have folks that come from all ends of the state as well as all neighboring states. We've even had them come from as far away as West Virginia! There are motels nearby and you can camp at the swap location itself.

There is an East TN plant swap but you just missed it by 11 days; sorry.

There is also the Mountain Madness plant swap in the Knoxville area which was 18 days ago.

Late to the party, as usual! Martha, I am so glad to hear you are doing well! I have been spending most of my time out of doors and travelling with a garden buddy. We went to Charleston to Middleton Place for a garden event in October 2006; to Atlanta in early Feb. for the Southeastern Flower Show; and just recently to Savannah, Ga. for a hidden garden tour. One of these days I will make it to the MTPS, but meanwhile I just try to work, take care of my family, nurture my plants and try not to cuss them when July and August comes. By the way, I live in Midtown Memphis. This forum has always been a comfort and a source of guidance for me. Thank you to all.

LeighMac... could you "define" for me a "hidden garden tour"? (re: trip to GA) I'm not sure if what I have heard/known called such is the same as you. Not a title/label/term/phrase I hear often so I want to be sure.

You're only about 200 miles from where I am I think...

Hi. I'm Cindy. I live in Dayton, TN. I have lurked on this website for almost forever now. We've been at our home for over 20 years and my gardens have changed almost as often as I have. My hubby doesn't garden but at least he has (almost) learned what plants look like and doesn't weed-eat or mow them anymore. My next project is to redo my hill/slope in the back yard.

Hi all, I just ran across this posting, and I am new to this site, 6 weeks and counting. I'm Dee Dee and I live in the Knoxville area between Oak Ridge and Knoxville. My Mother and I share a place. I work for the University of TN (Go Big Orange) and I love to garden and just be out side in the yard/garden(s). My Mother is retired and I tilled and planted a garden and three large flower beds to help give her a hobby. She loves it and does mostly watching while I weed, water ect...but she checks for bugs and the such. I've one dog 'Daisy' and one cat 'Kitty' and two grown Sons. I grew up gardening, my whole entended family gardened partly out of necessity. And, ladies when you think that tilling and hoeing is for men, well I was determined to do the garden this year and dab blame I did at 48 yrs. old :) Great for toning muscles lol.
This is a great site and I lerk alot, reading the postings and learning alot and also smiling alot at the photos.

I'm sorry to have missed out on the plant swap here in Knoxville. I wish there was another one sooner!

Take care all.

I am Justin from a small town near Knoxville. I have been gardening since I worked at a garden center in high school. I am 26 and married to my high school sweetie and we have a house in Rockwood with a nice yard and a gigantic white dogwood.

Hi everybody,

My name is Chris (Christine). I've been hanging around GardenWeb for a couple years here and there, but I don't post much usually. I've learned a lot here. To be honest, it's difficult for me and probably some others to just "jump right in".

I live about 25 miles north of Chattanooga. Closer to Cleveland TN. I've been here about 8 years. I've had the opportunity to garden in very different enviroments/climates in New York State and in southeast Texas as well as TN.

I'm 49 and have been growing plants literally all my life. I am obsessed with all kinds of plants. I planted my first tree when I was 4 years old (it's still alive and well) and had indoor plants since I had my own bedroom at about 10. The women in my family gardened (food and flower) as far back as I know of which is my Great Grandmother, so I come by it honestly so to speak and was around it constantly as a kid. I'm afraid I tend to be a little self-righteous in that I think there is no more noble pasttime or hobby or addiction or obsession than growing plants. After all, that IS the balance of nature... none of us can survive without them, plant nut or not!

I have not been to a swap, but would love to attend one after reading many of these posts. Although I tend toward being a loner, I've always found plant people to be the best there are... kind and down-to-earth. I have down-sized my flower beds this year and would love to share my plants. I have a particular fondness for shrubs (and propagating them) and a fairly good collection of indoor plants.

I wonder how long it takes to keep straight who is who and from where in a group this large???? I've posted in a few different threads to try to find out who lives in my area, simply to narrow things down and connect with a few people. A group this large can be a little overwhelming.

Thank-you Jeff for starting this thread. It's a great opportunity to learn about a lot of the people on the group and also introduce myself to you all.

~Chris

My name is Lucas and I'm from Rockwood, but I'm moving to Somerville, which is in the county next to Memphis---5 hours from little ole Rockwood. I just got a job with the UT Extension Service as an Extension Agent there, and I'm pretty excited about it. I haven't been on here in forever, but it's good to see some familiar names!

LUCAS!!! Cool to see ya back dude! Stop by and visit on your way from the 'wood to Shelby Co. Lavonne and I will hook you up with dinner and a place to crash. Congrats on the new gig; that's great! Quit being such a dang stranger.

Happy Fourth of July from Frankewing, Tennessee!!

My DH and I moved here almost five years ago and we're finally getting our yard more organized. This year I have a perennial garden and a few smaller annual ones. We've also planted several trees and I can't wait to see how it all looks next year after they get settled. We have about five veggie plants and five watermelon vines growing and we'll wait to see how all that turns out.

Thanks for starting this thread. It is nice to see so many "neighbors"!! :)

~Kat

Thanks for the offer Jeff, but I already moved last week and now I'm settled in! I'm gonna try and start posting more, since I have a computer in my office!

My husband Mike and I have lived in the Nashville area since 1994. We have five children, four of whom are attending MTSU. Mike and I are professional writers by trade. I am definitely an amateur gardener, with a variety of flowers from marigolds to roses. Last month, we bought an older home in Tullahoma and I am looking forward to getting to know the plants and trees in our yard.

Hello! My name is Tina and live near Decatur TN with my better half and lots of animals. I work in Dayton, Kington and Sweetwater most days so I travel a bit. I just joined this forum and board. Looking forward to attending the plant swaps, having fun while meeting new gardening friends.

Happy Gardening!
Tina in TN

Hi, my name is Kelly & I'm new to the forum & board.

I'm south of Nashville & have a very modest veggie garden, that I hope to expand next year.

I'm hoping to make it to the MT Plant Swap in the fall!!

Thanks for all the info you put up here...

My name is Susan and I am a plantaholic. I live in Nashville in the Crieve Hall area. I have a garden with no master plan because when I see a plant I love I bring it home and dig it in wherever it will fit.

Today millions of green beetles (not Japanese)are swarming in our yard. Apparently they have just emerged from the ground. At first I thought they were locusts but this is not the year for that special treat. My neighbors to either side appear to be swarm free. Is this happening in anyone else's yard? Wonder what these uncoordinated, fly into everything insects like to eat?

Susan: Those are June bugs. They are late this year, because they usually come out in late May. They are close cousins to the Japanese beetles but as far as I know they aren't anywhere near as destructive. Come to think of it, I have no idea what they eat. They are "mostly harmless".

By the way, welcome to the Forum!

Susan we are on Blackman in Crieve Hall! Come by anytime. Look for the UT mailbox.

my name is craig, and i moved to knoxville 6 years ago.

i love gardening.....and have done quite a bit in my garden.....making hedges, planting shrubbery, groundcovers, doing wildflowers, and planted some berries (blue, black, and yellow/red raspberries).

i was wondering what those pesky green bugs were. they just seemed to hover and go after some norwegian spruce trees that i had planted. after spraying, they seemed to vanish in an hour. ??? sorry neighbors.....hope they don't eat you out of your garden.

Depends. Japanese beetles are very pesky green-and-bronze bugs. June bugs are larger, but not quite so pesky, green bugs. (There are two kinds of bugs called "June bugs" -- one is brown and one is green.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_beetle
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/junebeetle.html

Welcome to the forum!

Hi. My name is Amanda and I'm a garden-a-holic. LOL. Seriously though, I only began gardening this year and already have plans for probably the next two or three years.

I live in Chattanooga in what used to be my in-laws' house. When we moved in, there were already some hostas, two crepe myrtles, several azaleas, forsythias, two peonies, and a few other things.

Well, I am working towards ridding myself of the forsythia. They are lovely, don't get me wrong, but I find them entirely too evasive. And to me, it is simply too much work to keep them trimmed back to a manageable size for something that blooms for only a week or two.

I can happily say that I've added much more than taken away. I have planted cannas, daylilies, roses, bearded irises, and clematis. I definitely have plans for more roses and daylilies and cannas - just not sure where I will place everything.

I am currently trying my hand at rooting some rose cuttings. I have Seven Sisters, Mr. Lincoln, and Climbing Blaze all struck. It is hard to not check for roots, as I am not known for my patience, but I have managed to leave them alone for the short time they have been in their pots.

Finally, my husband and I are anxiously awaiting the birth of our second son. My due date is August 25th, but it could honestly be any day now. Our first son is 7-1/2 years old, so this is almost like having a first all over again. Although we're certainly out of practice, we're looking forward to experiencing all the 'firsts' all over again.