Garden Thread II

[newleaf09]

To see original garden thread (Garden Thread by Tippyclubb, Apr 23, 2009 05:32PM) please search.  If someone else knows how to make a live link, please do.

It's coming onto fruit season, believe it or not, in the Deep South.  I'll start picking goumis this weekend.  It's a cousin of russian olive, that makes a red berry which can be turned into exquisite jelly (do I have the energy?  Hope so).  A delicate flavor and gorgeous gold color.  Then I'll move to figs (wonderful fig tarts; a sweet short crust, open face and brushed with melted jelly), then concord grapes (terrific grape juice, better than Welch's).  I gave up on the strawberries; too many slug bites.  I watch everything out the window and the day the first bird lands on the plant, I dash out and pick everything.   MMMMM; can't wait.

[Bill1954]

Let’s see if this builds a link to ‘gardening thread 1’:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-Social/Garden-Thread/show/932666?personal_page_id=18009&post_id=post_4459204

[newleaf09]

Works fine, Bill. Thanks.  Lots of good garden posts at GT I at the above link.  New one started to avoid paging down till your hand falls off!   Spring busting out all over!

[GSDgirl]

Thank You!!!  Couple a questions for you.  Is your olive tree anything like the good ole green or black olives?  I guess I mean the taste but then I guess they are cured hence the taste?  Second, what is your opinion on planting bulbs (tulip) now instead of waiting till fall?  If I wait till fall I forget where the ones are already coming up.

[Tippyclubb]

Tomorrow is the big day going to Framers Market to pick out my flowers.  Although, I am a tad distressed because hubby dug up the garden and made it 20 inches larger.  Its huge now, and not sure what the hell to put there and organize it properly.  Since the Riba has been increase I find myself in a fog, indecisive, and almost cussed a few people out in the Nursery for a serious thing like being in my way.  Lol !  They better be careful as I feel the rage building.  Maybe it wasn't the wisest decision to build a larger garden while on tx.  A once simple thing seems so overwhelming.  I guess being fairly new to this doesn't help either.  

Anyway looking for Dalhias today but all they had was dwarf ones.  Know anything about those and how tall & large do they get.  The tag had no info about that.  Been looking all over for Dahlias -no luck yet.  

If I buy the Dahlia tubers and plant them tomorrow how long will it take for them to grow large and flower?

By the way I made a few of my own flower containers -pots this year.  I was very proud of myself.
  

[eureka254]

Dahlias are amazingly diverse.  Some of the dwarf dahlias (ie. Figaro) grow only 8-10 inches tall, with flowers usually just under 2" in diameter.  Most often the nursery flats have dwarf or mid-size dahlias, which may grow to about 18" in height, but the flowers don't get much bigger than 3" or so.  

If you're looking to buy ready-to-plant dinner-plate dahlias (those are the ones that grow 4-5 feet tall and have flowers - you guessed it -- the size of dinner plates), they'll cost you a lot more than buying just the bulb.  The up side of buying the bulb (besides cost) is that you'll have a lot more variety to choose from, rather than just whatever the nurserymen decided to plant.  The down side is the tubers will take 6-8 weeks flower ... so if you were to plant the bulbs now, you'd have flowers around the 4th of July.  

The Park Seed Company is one of my favorite places to order bulbs.  You can go to their website to view nice pictures and very detailed descriptions of a wide variety of dahlias of all sizes and colors.
~eureka
PS,  If you buy/plant the big dinner plates dahlias, buy the necessary stakes and put them in as soon as you plant them -- the flowerheads can be so big that they break the stems when they bloom if they are without support.

[Tippyclubb]

I've had those dinner plants before, and they were heavily staked.This is what I am looking for now.  I did find them once already potted $50 for two.  If tubers takes up to 2 months --summer season is very short 3 months best.  The crisp air starts early September.  I'll just keep searching.

I've seen the Park & Seed catalogs but my favorite is Wayside.  All those magazines have such beautiful flowers.

[jdwithhcv]

I'm putting in an herb garden (as soon as I change out of my red shoes) and would appreciate any tips.  I'm in Connecticut - zone 6.

jd

[newleaf09]

You know that tall silvery shrub they use for screening in landscapes?  We had it in Colorado, anyway.  That's russian olive.  You can see in my photo page where they got the name.  Fruits do look like red olives.  I've heard of people growing real olives in S. LA but it's too wet here for such a desert-like plant.  Don't want my heart broken; I've got plenty of other things to kill!  On my 4th species of lilac.  It's days are numbered.

I always move bulbs as soon as the foliage burns down. You'll notice that they draw the roots back up, too, at that point so they'll never know you moved them. If you can't get to it, leave a marker.  I work with a volunteer group that does a whale of a fall heirloom bulb sale and right now we're pestering everyone to mark their treasures for fall sale digging.

[Tippyclubb]

Most herbs are easy to grow and require 6 or hours of sun.  Keep mint in a container or it will take over a garden.  Most herb will need to be pinched back at the first sign of flowering.  If you let them flower it changes the taste--especially basil.  I pinch Basil back all summer to get rid of the older leaves, as the young tender ones are sweeter and more flavor.  Older leaves tend to be bitter.  I do pinch back the other herbs all summer too, but not as often as the basil.

Rosemary has always been a problem for me.  Pretty much stays the same size it is when bought.  I may be pinching back in the wrong place. Any Rosemary fans with advice.

[newleaf09]

Rosemary is one of the mediterranean herbs.  Think alkaline, dry, warm, well-drained.  Also thyme and french tarragon (love it but too wet here for it not to fungus out). My southern advice probably won't help for MI.  People who have problems sometimes do better keeping it in the pot to guarantee the drainage.  Here it gets shrub sized and we don't pinch, just harvest as we go.  I use it to make the borders on French parterre gardens instead of boxwoods.  Trim it with an electric trimmer to keep it small.  On treatment I have worked with it and got so sick of the smell I thought I'd throw up.  It may be off of my list until I'm off meds.

[GSDgirl]

Tippy, I don't pinch my rosemary but I never saw it flower.  

Newleaf, I saw your olive and never saw it used in landscaping around here.  I'll have to ask my friend at the greenhouse.  I have a lilac and don't ask what species LOL, that spent 3 years in a container, no extra water, sub zero winters, and one of those summers pushed over the hill by hubby.  I rescued it last year and planted it, if it flowers I'll snap a pic.  

JD, I would guess Conn would be a lot  like Pa, no?

[jdwithhcv]

Denise, Yes, I think its pretty close to PA, zone wise.  I have a nice raised bed all ready to go, so I get good drainage and I think enough sun.  I wonder if I'm ambitious enough to do the Martha Stewart - style knot garden with the perennials.  That would be fun.  If so, I'll post some pics when it gets going.

[Tippyclubb]

No my rosemary doesn't flower either.  Lol !  I should have clarified that for jd.   Hmmm, maybe like newleaf  wrote, they like dry.  I water mine often when its hot , maybe that's the problem.  Will keep trying and hope to make some rosemary potatoes this summer.

[GSDgirl]

Oh my gosh, rosemary potatoes, RM chicken yum yum, RM & garlic bread.

JD, I just planted cilantro, bay leaves (those buggars are expensive already dried) dwarf purple-ish basil, chives and regular basil.

Hubby plowed up about a half acre for a garden.  he THINKS his adult kids are gonna help NOT
I bought 9 broccoli, 9 cabbage, and something else.  I have watermellon, pumpkins, zukes, corn, sprouting & my dad has really nice peppers & tomatoes for me.  We can't plant many veggies outside yet.
I need to get carrot seeds, potatoes, onion sets and more but the "garden" needs plowed again

[Tippyclubb]

Just this week I bought fresh fish--head and all, had them gut it .  Stuffed it with Rosemary sprigs, lemon , garlic, purple onion.  I have never cooked fish with rosemary and it was out of this world delicious.  

[GSDgirl]

I'm laughing while I am typing but here goes...........I choked on a fish bone when I was a little kid and haven't eaten fresh fish since.  I laugh everyting that fishbone story comes up.  

I have broiled or baked fish with onion cooked on top with the lemon or OJ & garlic, gonna have to try rosemary.

Newleaf,  When threads get long click on the last one that you read and it will go there instead of scrolling.

[Bill1954]

Wow, here in northeastern California, rosemary is used for landscaping… it runs wild all over the place. It is dry here, though… maybe that’s the difference. It’s often used as a groundcover for drought resistant plantings.

[Tippyclubb]

I found my Dahlia's not dinner plate, but these will do.  Yeahhhhhh!!!.  No Roses yet--the ones around are in bad shape, or way too expensive.  Hopefully, they come in soon.

Was downtown at 8:30 for the Eastern Market flowers show.  Traffic all backed up, and hundreds and hundreds of people.  What a mess and became so aggravated with all those people, I left with nothing.  Has to be the tx cause normally it doesn't bother me.  Ended up going somewhere else ( more expensive though ) and bought some great stuff.  I am exhausted now.  Lol.

Here's a question about Foxglove and Delphinium.  Will they be okay in a spot with morning sun only?  Around noon turns to shade.

What about Golden Chalis full sun or part sun.

I know they have that info on line but its not always correct.  Besides it more fun yacking with you ladies.

[portann]

I'm going to go out looking for those dinner plates later today, if I have to crawl there. They sound fantastic and I'd like to put them in the back so I can look through my front entrance through the garden doors into the rear of the property. Is it okay to put them in absolute full sun, the sunniest spot we have?  The little ones only suggest sun to half-sun.

Good cool overcast day and I've been transplanting like crazy and ready to die of exhaustion. I got to the point where I threw things in wherever there was room and disregarded the light requirements.  Put in some small dahlias and genera daisies, for the first time thanks to you guys and thinking they'd be perfect for the July wedding. Found some columbine at Costco and threw them in with those I germinated from seed. I was tired and deluded enough to think I already saw a hummingbird at the feeder.

Tippy, I'm as cranky as h-ell and am post-tx. I thought I saw my neighbor about to approach me and I muttered to my husband that if she comes over again for one of her long chats, I'm going to tell her off! Luckily for her, she just waved.

Don't know about foxglove and killed off my delphinium years and years ago. I'm a throw- it-in gardener, so it's really amazing how pretty a property we have. I give the credit to Mother Nature, not me.

[portann]

...gerbera daisies, I meant, and big, showy ones with spectacular color.

[Tippyclubb]

port heres a copy and paste link  about Dahlias      www.dahlia.com/ - 11k   click on growing tips.  Dahlias need a least 6 hours of sun but prefer more.  Mine get full sun and do well.  I have the little ones every year and they need full sun also.  Although, they do tolerate some shade, but will not produce as many flowers.

Hopefully, you'll be feeling better the closer the wedding gets.

[sunqueen]

I'd kill to get my hands on some fresh figs. The farmer's markets have had an abundance of kirby cucumbers and key limes. I made 18 jars of cuke, lime and thai chili pepper jam this week. Brilliantly hot. Put up 6 jars of lemon ginger jelly too.

I wish I had the talent to grow things outside. My micro greens are doing beautifully though!

~grin

[portann]

I'm squealing.....we have one!!!!!!.........our first hummingbird arrived!

I'm watching it now and wanted you to be the first to know.

Gosh, Tippy, that nectar has been sitting there untouched for a month in cool weather.

Do I have to change it so it's safe to drink or is it okay for a little while?

Your idea worked - I'm sure it's the big red ribbon that attracted it way up here on the second floor balcony.

Now how do I keep that stuff yummy, yummy?

[jdwithhcv]

My digitalis (foxgloves) do fine with partial shade.  Delphiniums like a bit more sun and I have never had much luck growing them from seed.  The dwarf ones are easiest - less staking required.

My brother learned the hard way about hanging his hummingbird feeder from the eaves of his porch.  He gets tons of hummingbirds, but the black bears come right up onto his porch to drink the nectar!