Ralph, i am distancing too, and i am afraid April end will not be much safer than now. If we do a trade, i can tuck yours up next to your house. Please stay well. Please everyone stay well.

Well as schools will be out until may 15th at least, I suspect everything else will be still be on restriction.... Probably prudent to expect to keep distancing for longer... :(

Sorry folks. The 2020 Raleigh Plant Swap is cancelled. Anyone wanting to get together for special trading on their own is welcome to do it. I have little to trade and I am super busy at work (which is an odd story...for another time).

It's okay, I hope your work clears up! Thank you for hosting these for us, I look forward to the fall's swap (assuming everything clears up by then)

Thank you so much!

Thank you John. I think it is a wise decision.

Vlad

Vlad, yes, I live in upstate SC, about halfway between Greenville, SC and Hendersonville, NC.

Vlad, we moved here from near where Gail lives and because it’s near the mountains t weather is nearly the same but much less humid.

Does everybody have yellow iris blooming ? If not I will pot you up one.Who was it that had the Elvis iris. I sure would like to have one.Please.Ralph I hope you are doing well.

//

I do not have yellow iris and would love some! Elsie did you want a climbing hydrangea? I have a 24" tall one that you can have. :) It's blooming age too.

Elsie, you gave me yellow iris last fall and it’s beautifu! And it smells lovely too!

Katie,Yes I would love the hydrangea vine.I will pot you up yellow iris.

Karen, Glad it is blooming for you.Mine are so beautiful.

Fall swap trades, I presume? :-))

Hello, here is a link to pictures from my garden for you guys to be able to do a virtual tour. That's what you guys would have gotten at the swap :-)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/P7ijiL2r1BpqViXKA

Pambucol , What nursery did you attend,to get those beautiful pictures???? I love the blooming cactus.Thanks for sharing.

Elsie ... Thank you ... Just our front and back yard, deck, greenhouse.

More cactus bloom pictures to come.

Vlad

Vlad, You really know how to cheer us! especially when we cannot meet for the swap! Thank you so much for posting .

drat! So bummed that I can't celebrate my birthday with y'all this year. Ralph, sorry to hear about your surgery. Hope you are mending well. Everyone else, I hope you are well and look forward to seeing you in the fall. And yes, I need to do better at checking in here.

Also, trying to add to my 'wish list' and can not figure out how to make an actual list. Do yall use the wish list in the ideabook area? Just trying to have more of a presence here than a bi-annual pop in. Really need to do better with hanging out with my plant people.....ok, rambling....

Tanya

Hello,

I did a yard tour through all the parts of our garden ... not quite plant delights but we love it!:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr21lBBrx5980o5Aiflkd1U5aoCG1IuPX

Vlad

Vlad, Thanks for tour how beautiful.I thought you had a lot ,then you went in the green house.I did not see a weed anywhere.Did you pull them before you made the film?? Now I know where the cactus that I got off the grab table came from.They are doing so well one of them has four babies.I just love those that I raise from birth. IT might be awhile before we get to have another swap.Injoy the summer[in your beautiful backyard]. Stay-Safe

Then kyou Elsie. I am super lucky that Christine's Zen thing to do to relax is ... pull weeds ... An to everybody's next question ... no, she will not do that in your yard! :-)

Vlad

Soooo funny !!

Everybody watch out for your Zone 10 tropicals outside given this night's frost warning! Looks like nature's compensation for the mild spring and this year's so far unusual last frost date in the second week of March.

We are compensated for the late freeze in the spring by having a later than usual fall freeze. I personally plan to cover the tender perennials (Wendy's Wish salvia, vinca, pentas and angel trumpet for example) in the front yard in hopes of getting them through because after Thursday night we could have another week or two of above freezing weather. I have have lots of cuttings rooted of some beautiful coleus, African Blue basil, dark red wave petunias and Wendy's Wish salvia to share with you all when we see each other in the spring. Could everyone submit a short post to let us know how you are coping.

Miss seeing all of you so much!

I definitely have been missing our plant swaps, not just for the actual fun of the swap itself but also the fun of the anticipation and admiration of all the plant options you all have!

I lost my beloved job back in April (booooo), but just got a new one and started yesterday, so hopefully this one will be decent until the pandemic abates.

I was really tempted to cover the peppers and some flowers for this week's freeze but with work starting up and the time change decided not to. I harvested a ton of peppers Sunday!

More importantly though, because I did cover them and some flowers from the potential frost a few weeks ago... my tree dahlia is actually blooming! I never thought I'd get it to bloom before winter! It fell down in the winds (I need to move it to a sheltered spot, it grows way too big to support itself) but it's still gorgeous, and I can see the flowers up close!

Propped it back up on the eucalyptus that grew something like 12' this year

That was my big accomplishment of the year... otherwise I tripled the raised beds in back and added some nice trellises that worked out far better than I expected this year. It was the year of the beans! Was getting a few pounds of green beans a week... I'll plant less next year, not sure I can eat that many haha (so nice to get some actual vegetable success for once though)

And a random yard picture to join

Missing everyone as well! Jaime- Beautiful yard! I Love the tree Dahlia! I grew it for several years and would get maybe one little flower before the killer frost. Sigh, just gave up..

No work this year.. I’m not sure I miss it or not! Ha I did take on the virtual/ home schooling/ childcare for 5 of my grandchildren which has been quite interesting. I only have a few more weeks left ( deployment over) ... yea

It’s forecast for 30 tonight which in the Sandhills means anywhere from 25-40. I might have gone a little crazy on propagating so have a LOT to offer. Will do a final cutting run tonight ... just can’t stop myself from making plant babies!

I miss everyone, too. Jaimie, did you grow all those peppers from seed?!!! If I manage to keep my chiltepin pepper seedlings alive this winter, one is coming your way. And that tree dahlia is amazing. I think I got one from Lorabell at a past swap but couldn't get it to bloom or be happy in the greenhouse over winter.

I've been pretty busy with work the past 9 months so not as much time for the garden as I'd like, but I also can't help myself with the propagating. The garden and greenhouse are my coping mechanism, now as ever. Thank you to Ralph for starting a roll call to check in on everyone.

We had been planning to share more gardening updates in the main Carolina forum - and we have taken plenty of pictures - but, ironically, we've been more busy during the pandemic than in the good old pre-COVID days. The problem is that our lab collaborators are more restricted in doing experimental work so they have more time to focus on data analysis - and it falls upon us to do it for them. But this is a good problem and we are fortunate to have so much work to do in these challenging times, so we won't be complaining.

We actually posted something a few weeks ago on the difference between two dark varieties of Capsicum annuum: "Black Pearl" and "Purple Flash" in our thread on black plants, but this was nowhere near what we want to share so hopefully hearing from everyone will motivate us to publish more.

Jaimie, what species of eucalyptus is that and how long did you have it in the ground?

So good to hear from our garden friends. This year my garden bloomed with gardenias, Major Wheeler, Butterfly ginger and Marigold. I seem to have trouble with Camellia. Ralph's "black magic" ee did exceedingly well. Thank you Ralph. A lot going on and hence not been in touch !!

My Vegetable garden produced a lot of peppers ( Anaheim and Jalapeno), baby white Eggplants, tomatoes, Malabar spinach, Fenugreek, ton of basil, Luffa squash by the bushels, Snake gourds too!. My Oregano bed is so large i may thin it our in spring. Any takers??

My plain plectranthus amboinicus aka Cuban Oregano, is spreading far and wide everywhere. So is the bed of Sunchokes!!!

Overall happy to have a garden to cope with the pandemic, and what a harvest.

Casalester, I don't know what type it is. I'm think it's Eucalyptus cinerea but it didn't have a label. It's been through 3 winters so far. First one died to ground, 2nd one didn't (I don't think) it was about 3ft tall in January 2019, 3rd came through at around 12ft tall this January, and now I measured it at 22 ft! I've been quite impressed at it's growth

I didn't expect it to keep surviving, but so far it's doing well, I do expect it to die back on a harsh winter though

Karen, yep grew them all from seed! I got a lot more last year, this year I must have started too late so plan on starting even more even earlier. I pulled out all the seeds yesterday to plan my attack and sad to see I'm missing a lot... did just make another seed order, but... doesn't have all the ones I want. Oh well... I went and measured that tree dahlia (it got instakilled in frost haha), it was 16 feet tall! I'm so glad it did bloom for me, but don't expect it more than every few years :(

Jaimie, fascinating. The deep freeze in January 2018 has killed several local eucalypti - most likely E. cinerea, some very impressive specimen, including our two smallish confirmed E. cinerea. See our thread on Mediterranean plants. It would be great if you could post more information and pictures there, as this is a topic of great interest to many zone pushers. Where did you get it from?

Because of this carnage we have switched to E. neglecta, believed to be more cold hardy and surviving all the way up to Northern Virginia. We actually need to post an update on this to that thread ourselves.

Who else has been seeing January in November? I've had daffodils and hellebores already in bloom, ones that usually open after the first of the new year.

We are way ahead of you, Karen. Our Forsythia 'Kumson' is blooming (normally February/March). It is a strange appearance for it to have both leaves and flowers.

I've got an unruly patch of no name forsythia that usually blooms intermittently from Dec through spring, but I haven't seen any on it yet this year. I'll have to check on it this weekend when I can get out there in daylight. I bet 'Kumson' is pretty with both foliage and flowers. Can you post a photo?

Yeah ... my bletillas are up and of course already destroyed by the freeze the last 2 days...

Was it buds or just foliage?

I posted this on the regular Gardenweb page and I reposting here in hopes more of you will see it. · Phil is now offering the plants in Perennial section free to a good home garden/yard. Please take only what you will use in your own yard/garden so EVERYONE can benefit from these plants being in their yard/garden. This is her gift for ALL her Facebook fans, and WPTF fans, and those who need a break in plant costs for their yard/garden this year. These perennials are for adding to your existing yard/gardens. We know there can be many who will benefit from this plant boost for their yards/gardens. Take just what you will plant so everyone benefits. PARK IN RETAIL. Wholesale is open during the week. MANY landscapers, businesses, deliveries use the Wholesale entrance all day. Unfortunately the brand new sod by Perennials was significantly damaged recently, and needs a break from being driven on so the ruts can be repaired.
Dec 11 ·

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2 Comments

Karen, everything for my bletilas. Foilage for sure, but usually the buds are at the same time... All burned to hell. I pretty much am understanding that I need to get a few segments in a pot and keep it in the greenhouse

Spring is here! Everybody wake up!

We have finally had more time to start posting updates on our activities in the last year (see the main Carolina forum https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/carolgard ). Hopefully, you guys can post some updates as well.

See a new thread from Our Leader: 2021 Raleigh Spring Swap ????

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6093865/2021-raleigh-spring-swap

We've been looking for a climbing hydrangea for a while, but it has to be either evergreen (H. integrifolia or seemanii) or native (H./Decumaria barbara). No deciduous non-natives (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris, Schizophragma hydrangeoides).

In camellias we are looking for red flowers. Interested in any Loropetalum.

Of our major extras, we still have a few pots of hardy grapefruit, Poncirus trifoliata × Citrus paradisi 'Dunstan', which is doing very well planted out.

CasaLester, The climbing hydrangea is indeed H. anomala subsp. petiolaris, so definitely not the one that you want.

I don't have any red flowered camellias, only white and one pink. The loropetalum I have is Proven Winners Jazz Hands White.

I unfortunately have no more space for shrubs or trees or I'd take the hardy grapefruit. I don't need anything in return for the loropetalum. I will hold it for you. (Is you fine, or should I use they or them or another? I'm not so great at pronouns but I try.)

Jazz Hands White will be great! We already have a pink one and were hoping that we could complement it with a white variety. ("You" is fine.)

Hello Katie

I would love the Camellias . Provided we are meeting at swap.

Is anybodys yellow iris that I gave you blooming.Mine has flowers today.

Katie, I will bring you a yellow iris that you wanted last spring.[yes it is encore]

Hi Elsie, good to hear from you!!

Sabji, I have a ton of them I am getting rid of and I likely won't be able to fit them all in my car to bring to the swap. Do you want me to let you know the various named varieties and you can pick from them? If you want them all, we could work something out, but I have at least 10 or more (haven't fully counted).

Elsie, that would be great, thank you! If you still want the climbing hydrangea from last spring I can bring it for you.

Hello Katie,

Thank you so much! Garner is not far for me.

I can come to pick em up !

We are vaccinated , both dozes, continue to wear masks and follow all CDC guidelines.

I can message you, after you "follow" me on my profile page. I am already following you. We can then message a time and day convenient to both of us.

Hope you like something from my trade list on this new thread

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6100024/spring-2021-raleigh-swap-special-side-trades#n=7