Add on to Bonnie's thread school shootings
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6 years ago
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Aloe/ is that a root or a shoot?
Comments (17)Dear Baci, I guess it's a matter of semantics. Thanks to another GWer, I saw your pics. Yep, those are pups, but you've also got a bit of stem on the end of the leaf. This allowed the pups to grow. My idea of a leaf cutting is just that - a leaf with no stem tissue on it. As you probably know, you can grow plants from the Aloe's relatives, Haworthias and Gasterias, from true leaf cuttings - even an 1" cutting from the end of a leaf is enough. I've not grown Aloes as you have, but that's an interesting way to do it. I'd just have to be careful to ensure there is stem tissue there so the pups will propagate....See MoreSpring Swap-Thanks Bonnie
Comments (15)Yikes, Garden!!! I think you are a VERY lucky person! :-) Hardy to 10-20 degrees would be zones 8 and 9. I looked online and some sites say hardy to zone 7--with protection. Most of us around here are zone 5ish which goes to 20 degrees below zero. We've definitely had warm winters for the last couple years, but even with that you must have yours planted in EXACTLY the right place! I tried one of the 'Headbourne Hybrids' Agapanthus that I got at Timberline a few years ago and never saw hide nor hair--or would that be stem nor leaf--of it the next spring. That one is said, "by some people," to be hardy to zone 5. I knew it would be very marginal, but was really hoping! I'll plant yours next to a big rock to give it some extra heat, and maybe I'll mulch it pretty heavily with some maple leaves this fall--which will make it the very first perennial I've ever mulched! I really like Lily of the Nile flowers and really, really hope it makes it for me! The Lirio del Nilo blanco part of the label is "Lily of the Nile white," don't know what "enano" is! It sounds kinda like Italian--but I'm sure it's Spanish! The "arid dry" part!!! Don't you believe it! Recently I was looking up something and ran into info about "xeric plants" in Florida! Don't have a CLUE what they consider to be a "xeric" plant, but I'm quite sure if they tried to grow OUR kind of "xeric" plants they'd rot and die in a couple weeks! I'd stick the Agapanthus in with the "Florida type of xeric plants" and give it lots of water--so it sounds like you're being very nice to yours! When I was checking it out, BTW, I discovered they have tuberous tap roots, and since yours should have a pretty deep root now that it's survived a couple winters it should make it more likely to survive future winters, but if the crown freezes it's still gonna be a goner, so you might want to consider starting to mulch it with something that won't pack/mat down too. I really, really want this to make it, so if we're going to have a really cold winter I might even fill a 2 (or bigger) gallon pot with maple leaves and invert it over the entire plant area. At least putting it in early will give it time to develop a fairly decent root over summer. Thanks for the info. The one I got at Timberline wasn't cheap, so at least if this one doesn't make it I'm not losing bucks again. Thanks for bringing it to the swap! It's the kind of thing I love to play with! About the cabbage seeds, Polygonum, I was thinking it might be bok choy/pak choi so I googled it and came up with something that looks more like the kind of cabbage we're used to! Google it and you'll get lots of info. Sounds like a "sweet" cabbage, and sounds pretty good to me! Is it time for the Fall Swap yet??? I think we should have it in Kersey again so we could all enjoy some more of the wonderful Country Peace and Quiet--and check up on the colt again! I do hope we can come back again sometime, Bonnie, but, no, I'm not serious about invading you again so quickly! But I REALLY did enjoy this swap! Thank you again for hosting the swap, Skybird...See MoreShoot yourself in the foot
Comments (20)Amy, I don't know if this will make you feel any better but a similar situation happened to me, except I was the pregnant one. DH & I were married for about 3 years and we worked at the same company. His mother & father also worked there. I had found out I was pregnant and told my in laws, but told them we didn't want to tell anyone else until I was further along. I miscarried about 1 week after I found out I was pregnant. It was not a terribly sad time. It was so soon after I had found out, that we took it as being, "one of those things", or "it was meant to be." I don't think I was pregnant long enough for it to sink in really. Well.... dear old MIL had told everyone that she knew at work she was going to be a grandmother! I could have killed her! Word spread fast that I miscarried but all was well. About 3 months later, a woman that I had worked with about 2 years prior was transferred back to our office. We were so happy to see each other. We got along great and it had been so long since we had seen each other. She threw her arms around me and said, "I heard the fantastic news! When is the big day?" I looked at her with what must have been the strangest expression on my face. I had no idea what she was talking about. She said, "The BABY!! When is the baby due? Do you know what you're having?" and "We'll have to throw you a huge shower!" My bottom jaw must have hit the floor! She heard through the work grapevine that I was pregnant, but the news of my miscarriage apparently hadn't spread that far. I felt horrible! I told her what happend and she was mortified! I'm sure she felt exactly what you were feeling. I felt so bad for her and it was because of how SHE was feeling. I kept trying to comfort her and tried to explain to her that I was ok with everything and it wasn't her fault that she only heard the good news and not the bad. I don't think she honestly believed me. Our relationship was never the same after that. I tried so hard to get her to get over this, but she was never comfortable around me after that moment. I was very saddened by this. I was only 25 and she was 60. She was a very dear friend but I could always sense that she was uncomfortable around me after that. She retired about 5 years after that and passed away 2 years later. We would get together once in a while after she retired and I would stop by her house on my way home from work to give her flowers or some sweets from the store. I know that my situation definitely wasn't as tragic as the one you were in, but I just thought I'd share a story from the other side. And I suppose I should stay on topic with the thread so I'll tell my foot in mouth story. About 7 years ago I was interviewing for a new job. I liked my current position so it was going to take a lot to get me to move to a new company. A previous co-worked was recruiting me to leave and go work with him. So I go for the interview and I'm sitting in this huge conference room all decked out in my pin stripe suit and in walks this dude in a hawaiian t-shirt and shorts! He looked like a typical software engineer and I was thinking to myself, oh boy, what a dork he is. This should be a great interview.... not! So we go through the motions and after it's over we leave the conference room and we hook up with my old co-worker. We're laughing and joking and stuff. It was such a non-typical interview and it was actually fun! They escort me to the front lobby, we all shake hands and say our good-byes. I then said, "Maybe next time, the boss with take the time to fly out from Chicago to actually meet me!" Yup, you guess it.... the dude in the hawaiian shirt WAS the boss! And I actually was offered the job! It was the best job I ever had and he was the best manager ever. Sadly, our company sold our division to a far-away country and we were all laid off. We still kepp in touch and my old boss will occasionally remind me of my unforgetable first impression!...See MoreHow Do I Prepare Perennials for Winter? (archived thread)
Comments (0)sue - I have a small flower garden(perennials) day lilies, gladiolas and such how do I prepare them for a cold, snowy, winter? Do I cut them back, mulch around them, this is my first garden, please help it's getting cold here already. Amanda PA z 5/6 - Many mums are supposed to be hardy, but are not reliable. Here in Pittsburgh, the worst problems for mums are cold with no snow cover, frost heave and wet soil that freezes. Your best bet is to divide your plants that survive and see if anyone local has divisions to trade. Also minimize above problems by mulching, planting in well drained soil, etc. White and rust colored mums seem to be especially hard to winter over. I don't know why. Andie MO/Zone 6a - A good mulch cover is essential to prevent heaving. Leaves are a good and cheap solution. I also walk the garden when we get unusually warm weather in January and February, and tap down the soil in places where I see evidence of heaving. Mums are unpredictable. I have had a bunch of failures, and then again, I have plants that thrive with little or no care. Who knows! JP WI z4/5 - I've had tremendous success with a yellow mum call Westpointer. Two have survived with no care whatsoever (though I'm going to follow advice here from now on). Two Radiant Lynn's have done fairly well too. JJJC zone5a ILL - I do not cut down my garden mums. I practice the "old" way, Summer blooming perennials get cut down to about 4", but Fall blooming perennials don't get their trim until spring. I do mulch the mums though and watch for heaving if snow cover is light. I guess what works for you best, stick with. Half the fun of gardening is in the trying! Doug ONT/Z5 - put your coat on and run right out side and dig up those glad bulbs. They are not winter hardy. Clean them up and put them in a cardboard box with dry wood shavings or peat and store them in your cool part of the basement to keep dry. Fruit cellars work fine but not everyone has one.As for your day lilies nothing needs to be done, you can cut the foliage back to the ground after a freeze. Most perennials like a little blanket of warmth over them. Leaves,straw,snow(yes I said snow)to keep them from thawing out on the warm winter days and to protect them from drying winds. You can wait until spring to cut back most. Michigan is probably zone5 most will survive. Rick - I do like to cut back all of my perennials to keep the bugs at bay, and from nesting during the winter. I cut all plants to two inches from the ground. I do not cut back any of my ground cover such as sedums, ajuga, or chicks and hens. I do however cut back bishops weed. It is wise to dig up any canna tubers as they are not winter hardy also. I just take a few clumps and keep them in my basement in a brown paper bag, and then break them up into small tubers for planting in the spring. I prefer evergreen branches to cover my perennials as they do not squash down and smother the plants. Posted by: Barbara MA/Z5 - Because the idea is to let the perennials go dormant before the ground freezes in our area, I don't fertilize after the middle of August. Too much growth would keep the roots from settling in for their long sleep. I usually put a mulch of well composted manure over the gardens (not on the plant crowns, but around them) in late November, then scratch it in the early spring to give the plants a gentle nudge. I then use 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 in mid to late April when new growth is a few inches high. Asle Serigstad - Very careful with fertilizer now! Avoid any Nitrogen, but a very small amount of fertilizer without Nitrogen will be stored in the basal buds, and helps the plants make it through winter. But Nitrogen now would be fatal. mark AL/zone7b - my garden is composed of wooded islands with turfgrass weaved throughout. I just rake the leaves off the grass and into the islands, taking care not to overpile in one place, and Im done. (well, not exactly...down south we have these nasty water oaks that shed their little leaves all autumn and winter, so it seems we're never done raking...) no shredding or composting needed. the amazing thing is I never have enough leaves to suit me, so I "steal" my neighbor's leaves... Asle - The perennials will definitely be safer with a cover of leaves. This is nature's way to protect it self. Do not rake them away till spring. I grow lots of perennials, and I know for sure that more dies out if not covered by leaves etc. Grace PA/Zone 6 - If you have bulbs you should get the leaves off of them early, or the foliage will come up whitish, starved for sunlight. Barbara MA/Z5 - . You've probably noticed that the maple leaves stay very wet at the bottom of the pile; they also compact into heavy mats. In my experience, more perennials are killed by being too wet over the winter than by being exposed to cold weather. I'd rake off the leaves, shred them if you can and return them to the beds as mulch and soil improvement. I do leave some leaves in a shady section of my garden where there are mostly woodland plants, but try to get them off really early (in March while the ground is often still frozen) and it is a job and a half! Ruta - I rake the leaves, grind them up and put them back. That way they give the protection but are small enough to decompose and don't mat or clump. You can do this with a vac/blower which mulches up the leaves, or I got a great tip from another site-to put the leaves into a garbage can and use a weed whacker. Kirk Zone9 Oregon - You are supposed to rake up the leaves of Bigleaf Maple. Those leaves will mat down and they can smother plants. They can even do that in nature. It would be best for you to rake them up. Janet OH - I have done both over my years of gardening .. raked 'em and left 'em. Everyone above who are for clearing off dropped leaves, made their statements for the quite correct reasons. CLEAN THEM UP AND OUT. That is, if you live in a region of winter freeze. They mat down, cut off light and oxygen, promote bacteria growth. If you are unsure, just leave them be (pardon the pun) then get back to us in the spring complaining about all the hard work and problems created by raking off the leaves from your emerging spring beds, how difficult it was and how much young growth you killed. Doug ONT/Z5 - In the cold zone3 area I would definitely not cut back the first year at least.Yes the stubble will help trap leaves an most important snow to help mulch those plants for winter. Lillies and peony can be cut back to prevent disease. Gail NE Z4B - I think cutting back this fall would depend on a couple of factors. If you have something that is quite tall and or bushy AND you have windy conditions, I would think that it would be a good idea to reduce some of that bulk. If that is the case in your area, I think the practice of cutting back to 6"-12" would be sensible. Otherwise, I would only cut back phlox, peonies, and other plants that you might have that would be susceptible to powdery mildew or black spot or nasty stuff like that. And, yes, you would cut back to green in the spring. AndieMO/Zone 6a - The only thing I will add is that peonies should be cut back because the foliage can harbor nasty diseases that will affect the plant next spring. Asle - Do not cut back until spring. The stems help to catch snow, to giver better snow cover, and also catches leaves and other things for cover. But just as important, if cut back there will be open "wounds", and moisture will go down in the part of the stems left after cutting, causing the root to rot (decay). Skip MNZ4 - Jeff Illes, professor at Iowa State University recently did a study on the cutting back of mums. They discovered that cutting back in the fall resulted in winter damage to the plant. They concluded that cutting back probably removes carbohydrates used for plant food reserves and sets up the conditions for winter plant injury. It is also felt that cutting back ornamental grasses involves the same processes and can also result in winter injury. Janet Oh/Z6 - Over the 32 years I have grown mums (!), I have experienced that NOT cutting back in the fall, resulted in young shoots being pulled (raked) off in the spring during clean up, because mums begin to sprout in my climate (Z6) about April. Isn't it so intriguing how perens. are so productively DIFFERENT in differing climates? Andie MO/Zone 6a - This is such a great debate! Maybe I can argue with myself. Pro cutting: No slimy residue to clean up in the spring; no diseases or bugs wintering over in the dead foliage; a neater look to the garden (O.K., so I'm anal) Con: No snow/leaf catching foliage for protection against winter's cold. A bare looking garden. Min BC/7a - It seems to me that "to cut back" or "not to cut back" depends on a number of factors: (1) local climate (2) the plant type (3) personal preference. I personally cut back some, but leave the others alone. How do I decide? I leave alone those dead foliage and seed heads that provide points of interest - poppies, Chinese lanterns, etc. Others I have left alone because the cycle of colour change, dying and subsequent decay just appeal to me (particularly Hostas). There are others that I would definitely cut - Irises, for example, because they can leave quite a mess after the slugs have picked their way through them, as part of their late seasonal feast. I dig most of my dahlia tubers out, but those that I leave in the ground (i.e., in drier and more sheltered spots), I would definitely cut down - they are aethestically unpleasant, rotting after that first hard frost. I have many more examples, but it will suffice for now. The point is that you do not have to be on one side or the other of the argument ("to cut" or "not to cut"). It makes the whole experience of gardening much more interesting and enjoyable if one could take into consideration each individual plant, it's location and any winter interest it may provide, rather than to apply a single wholesale practice for the entire garden (even though the latter is obviously the easier alternative). Bonnie - I stopped the routine of cutting back perennials about three years ago except for irises and perennial carnations. What I noticed in cleaning up in the spring ever since then was a significant increase in the number of ladybugs hibernating amongst the dried leaves -I assume ladybugs hibernate? - and therefore a much needed army of predators throughout the summer for those nasty aphids. So maybe not cutting back also provides winter homes for good bugs....See Moremtnrdredux_gw
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