A (Mostly) Green Spring
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
4 years agoRelated Discussions
I do like spring. Even when it's mostly weeding.
Comments (2)My favorite garden read's for today, Jennie and kneewalker. Stinging nettles are tasty and nutritious when young now. Did anyone see that movie 'Into The Wild' when the guy died from eating a poisonous plant in Alaska? Weeding is so time consuming, I've got shot weed ready to burst a hundred seeds per plant into the next year. I'm trying to get rid of more of my lawn because it is a half acre and takes long to mow. I don't like using glysophate in weedy flower beds now because birds are eating the weed seeds. Gotta mulch heavily with compost or bark and plant to smother weeds. Thanks for the inspiration you gals, gonna give my garden a workout, and hopefully lose a few pounds,too....See MoreMy Spring 2015 Garden - mostly Austins
Comments (20)Thanks, everyone! Re rose sizes - Wollerton Old Hall, grafted, will start its third year in my garden. I grow it freestanding - its 6 feet round and is only 5 feet tall as the canes have arched over. It will make a great climber. Strawberry Hill is 5 years old and also grafted. I grew it as a shrub and the pencil thin canes couldn't support the trusses of flowers. When it started throwing out canes 6 feet long, I started growing it as a climber by fanning the canes against a fence. It's definitely much better grown that way. The canes are thin and pliable, and if it weren't for the thorns, training this climber would be a dream. Unfortunately, it doesn't get too many laterals. The laterals are long so have to be tied back. It blooms on the ends of canes. It's now 8 feet wide in either direction, and only 2-3 feet deep. Flower size varies from 4 inches to 2 inches. Let me know if there are other roses you want to know the size of, Iris_gal. Nik - PAoK has powdery mildew and blackspot all through the year in my garden. Does that help to disenable you ? :-) Catspa - I started growing Austins for instant gratification and to be replaced once my tea roses were big enough. Well, the teas grew backwards and most of them died, and more than 7 years later the Austins continue on in my garden. I'll PM you. I'd like to know more about what you observed with your Madame Antoine Mari. I checked the roots of Mel's Heritage and there were no visual indications of any problems. I don't have gophers here. I had a daylily blooming in March which has flowered for the last 10 years only in August. In case you are interested, my post on Mel's Heritage is here....See MoreI just collected some "mostly green" flower trusses of Rhod. maximum.
Comments (6)I have grown rhododendrons from seed the last couple of years but not Rh. maximum. However, the process for sowing most hardy rhododendron species is basically the same. Sowing in situ just does not work in my opinion. Too many factors that you cannot control (weather, insects, animals etc.). How I do it? I use a sieved professional rhododendron potting compost to which I add some coarse sand for drainage. On top of this mixture I put some fine peat moss (usually this can be found in professional potting mixtures). Many people use spaghnum moss instead. I sow the rhododendron seeds on top of the peat moss. Do not cover the seeds as they need light to germinate. Lightly mist the top of your sowing. Then put a clear plastic cover on top of the pot and place the pot somewhere light but out of direct sunlight. Temperature should be about 20 degrees Celsius/ 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Most rhododendron seeds germinate in 2 to 3 weeks time. I've heard that there are some clones of Rhododendron maximum that take longer to germinate but I do not know if this is true. I usually sow rhododendron seeds in early spring. If you have access to growing lights it can also be done in autumn or winter. For the first few months the rhododendron seedlings are very tiny and vulnerable. I leave the clear plastic cover on for at least 6 to 8 weeks and then remove it. Keep sure to keep the pot out of direct sunlight. I do not water the seedlings from above as this can lead to fungus problems. I pot the pot in a saucer with water and when the sowing mixture is saturated I take it out. Some people prick the seedlings out after 2 to 3 months but I leave them in the pot for at least another year. After 1 year I seperate the seedlings and grow them on in individual pots (small ones to reduce the risk of the seedlings getting too wet and getting root rot). I don't have any problems with weeds in my rhododendron sowings as I use a weed free potting mixture. If you leave your rhododendron seedlings in a pot for some time you can get trouble with liverwort but as long as this does not smother the seedlings everything should be OK....See MoreSt. Augustine Lawn mostly dead after installing SOD last spring
Comments (15)I think I have a plan for what to do. I think in the spring I am going to purchase 200 sq. ft. of Zoysia and put down 100 Sq. ft. on top of what is there now and then clear away as much as I can and put down another 100 Sq. Ft. in the cleared area and watch it for a year to see what happens. I both die then I am probably out of luck and nothing is going to work. If the cleared 100 Sq. Ft. grow then I will do that approach. If the un cleared area grows well then follow that by just laying down over the old dead stuff or perhaps I will find that it does not matter if it is cleared or not. The fungus if that is what it is may not affect the Zoysia at all but I won't know until I try. Any thoughts on this approach?...See Morevesfl (zone 5b/6a, Western NY)
4 years agoingrid_vc so. CA zone 9 thanked vesfl (zone 5b/6a, Western NY)ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
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4 years agoingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agolinc1164 (Zone 7a central NJ)
4 years agoingrid_vc so. CA zone 9 thanked linc1164 (Zone 7a central NJ)ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
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