The Gardening Thread

[GordonC]

I have some on the verge of blooming

My yellow stella d'oro bloomed about 10 days ago.
My other lilies started blooming on Tuesday.

 

[GordonC]

Last Fall, I moved a passel of day lilies from an area where they had not bloomed for ~10 years to another where they get both morning and afternoon sun. The blooms have been beautiful! Most are shades and shapes of orange, but some are yellow, purple, pink, striped, red, and today, watermelon colored! Woo hoo!

As much rain as we've had here in East TN the past couple of years, mine have really gotten thick. I should have thinned and moved some last fall but didn't.

 

[Tin Man]

As much rain as we've had here in East TN the past couple of years, mine have really gotten thick. I should have thinned and moved some last fall but didn't.

There is a spray of orange day lilies along one side of my garage which are in sore need of thinning, but my wife won't have it. The plants are so thick, not a single weed has gained any purchase in years. She won't let me touch them.

 

[GordonC]

There is a spray of orange day lilies along one side of my garage which are in sore need of thinning, but my wife won't have it. The plants are so thick, not a single weed has gained any purchase in years. She won't let me touch them.

Same here, at the side of my garage. Difference is my wife wants to get rid of them. She doesn't like lilies except callas, which I have, also. When I go out to water, I will post up a pic of the ones beside the garage.

 

[golfballs]

Need some privacy hedge advice. I have a 6 foot privacy fence, but want a few more feet above it for more privacy. Not sure what to plant.

My concerns are taking up a lot of yard with a wide plant like a privet. I also have a pool so I don’t want a bunch of leaves or debris from what I put in.

Already have Leyland Cypress in a corner so wanting to go with something different.

Anyone have any experience with bald cypress trees? I like the look and am thinking about mixing in some with some other type of hedge.

Anyone know if clumping bamboo will grow in zone 7?

Sorry for the lengthy post. Any advice is appreciated.

What did you go w?

 

[GVF]

Didn't do a garden last year. Relocated this year to the other side of the house out in the open. Wasn't getting enough hot sun where I had it. I normally only plant a garden for the tomatoes. Love doing different heirloom varieties. step son left me about 450 commercial plants after he got done at a growers. One he said gets mega huge fruits. The other necessity is the green beans passed down by my dad. The surrounding neighbors have passed around and grown a particular green bean that no one really knows what it is. It looks similar to the Allen's Kentucky wonder, But so much better. Best green bean around. We always leave the last picking on to dry out. I planted corn this year in an attempt to companion plant. So, I hope it does well. The corn stalks will serve as my bean poles. Corn is about 6 inches now so I planted the green beans the other day. I added a 100% stringless bush heirloom bean to get early green beans. Got watermelon, cantaloupe, squashes, okra. Okra coming on real slow. Prob still not 3".

 

[GordonC]

Here are the orange lilies I have growing beside my garage. You can also see my hillbilly tomatoes in buckets experiment HA, complete with bamboo stakes and zip ties. The pink flowers in that pic, some people call them pink buttercups, are pink evening primrose (just pulled all of those up like 2 weeks ago....can't keep up) and they take over very rapidly. If anyone is looking for something low-maintenance to take over and cover an area, those pink primrose do the trick.

 

[GordonC]

I'll offer these up to my brothers and sisters on VN. I just saw this forum today.

I'm in the Tri Cities area, and if anyone is wanting some variegated hostas, you can have them. I hate to throw these away, but I seriously have nowhere to put them. I'm out and about 3 or 4 times a week in Kingsport and Johnson City. The larger of the two boxes is one of the tortilla chips boxes from Sams, and the small one is a mozz stick box from Sams. Both have plastic bags inside and are being watered daily. These have been out of the ground probably 2 1/2 weeks and are not separated, other than what I could lift out with a shovel. There are still night crawlers in the sod from where I dug them out.




I have several sage plants I started from cuttings in water that have taken root in a window-style planter box....probably 15 plants.... I don't have any pics of those, but I took the cuttings in March, changed the water daily, and put them into MG potting soil about a week ago. They also need to be transplanted by someone somewhere, or I'm going to have to buy more pots and potting soil. HA Again, if anybody wants them, let me know.

I planted one rose campion on another side of my garage last year, and I have two just like it that I've had in a little pot for over a year and a half. Both of those are still alive, and a forget-me-not popped up in there and has already self-seeded in that dirt. This is a pic of how that one plant behind the garage reproduced itself over the winter and so far this year. All I did to that dirt (it was clay) was add cheapo topsoil bags from Lowe's and some Scott's flower and vegetable fertilizer and mix it up in-ground. They're unusual, but I kind of like them, and they have very little watering requirements. As you can see from this pic, I am going to have to figure out what to do with these next year. But there's that pot with two in there. In this pic, a lot of the little seedlings coming are old timey touch-me-nots. When I was a kid, we used to throw the pods at one another, and they'd pop and the seeds would come out. Nurseries don't carry those that I've seen. I have MANY seeds and seedlings. My granny had those around the old house, and when we tore the old house down, they were gone. I have a friend with a farm up in Russell County, Virginia, and I went up there and got a bunch of pods and started them here to remind me of my granny. Speak up on those touch-me-nots, too. They will take over an area and reseed themselves very freely.




If anybody wants or needs any of this and wants to save a few bucks, post up your e-mail address or #, and I will hit you back. First come, first served, I guess, is the fairest way to do it.

 

[volwindy]

Here are the orange lilies I have growing beside my garage. You can also see my hillbilly tomatoes in buckets experiment HA, complete with bamboo stakes and zip ties. The pink flowers in that pic, some people call them pink buttercups, are pink evening primrose (just pulled all of those up like 2 weeks ago....can't keep up) and they take over very rapidly. If anyone is looking for something low-maintenance to take over and cover an area, those pink primrose do the trick.
View attachment 286117

Beautiful!

 

[Go aeiou]

I'll offer these up to my brothers and sisters on VN. I just saw this forum today.

I'm in the Tri Cities area, and if anyone is wanting some variegated hostas, you can have them. I hate to throw these away, but I seriously have nowhere to put them. I'm out and about 3 or 4 times a week in Kingsport and Johnson City. The larger of the two boxes is one of the tortilla chips boxes from Sams, and the small one is a mozz stick box from Sams. Both have plastic bags inside and are being watered daily. These have been out of the ground probably 2 1/2 weeks and are not separated, other than what I could lift out with a shovel. There are still night crawlers in the sod from where I dug them out.
View attachment 286120



I have several sage plants I started from cuttings in water that have taken root in a window-style planter box....probably 15 plants.... I don't have any pics of those, but I took the cuttings in March, changed the water daily, and put them into MG potting soil about a week ago. They also need to be transplanted by someone somewhere, or I'm going to have to buy more pots and potting soil. HA Again, if anybody wants them, let me know.

I planted one rose campion on another side of my garage last year, and I have two just like it that I've had in a little pot for over a year and a half. Both of those are still alive, and a forget-me-not popped up in there and has already self-seeded in that dirt. This is a pic of how that one plant behind the garage reproduced itself over the winter and so far this year. All I did to that dirt (it was clay) was add cheapo topsoil bags from Lowe's and some Scott's flower and vegetable fertilizer and mix it up in-ground. They're unusual, but I kind of like them, and they have very little watering requirements. As you can see from this pic, I am going to have to figure out what to do with these next year. But there's that pot with two in there. In this pic, a lot of the little seedlings coming are old timey touch-me-nots. When I was a kid, we used to throw the pods at one another, and they'd pop and the seeds would come out. Nurseries don't carry those that I've seen. I have MANY seeds and seedlings. My granny had those around the old house, and when we tore the old house down, they were gone. I have a friend with a farm up in Russell County, Virginia, and I went up there and got a bunch of pods and started them here to remind me of my granny. Speak up on those touch-me-nots, too. They will take over an area and reseed themselves very freely.
View attachment 286121



If anybody wants or needs any of this and wants to save a few bucks, post up your e-mail address or #, and I will hit you back. First come, first served, I guess, is the fairest way to do it.

Nice lychnis. I've read that they are biennials, but have had plants that are fairly long lived. Either way they are good self seeders.

 

[Jxn Vol]

What did you go w?

I decided to wait on the privacy hedge along the fence for a few reasons. Instead I installed some additional landscaping around the pool. I put in some cleyera shrubs for some pool privacy. Planning on a new fence with a rock bed and some privacy screen next year.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I don't have any daylilys but I can definitely appreciate a good Kwanso (Double Orange). Stella is a classic as well.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I also approve of the lychnis. Reliable and a great pass a long plant. It behaves as a biennial here in C. TX.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I have been getting into rain lilies as of late, with a nice collection of zephyranthes and habranthus. Also experimenting with some bletilla (Chinese Ground Orchid), various S. African bulbs, lycoris and oxbloods. Starting a few amorphallus, which are good fun. Having a difficult time with my arisaema (Green Dragon) & sauromatum (Voodoo Lily) but more to come on that front later.

Any lycoris guys/gals on here? Ive got tons of l. radiata var radiata (heirloom variety), a few of aurea, albiflora, houdyshellii, sprengeri, squamigera. Ive heard squamigera doesn't do so well without a little bit of cold.

If any of yall need some oxbloods or zephyranthes grandjax, let me know. I've got plenty. I think we oughtta do a VN Plant Exchange next spring.

 

[Tin Man]

Of my sunflowers, one was already 9’ tall and just forming its flower. Storms with fierce winds came through Saturday evening, knocking a dead branch out of a tree which decapitated my big beauty. I’m hoping that the stalk will support numerous flowers from growth out of its joints.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

After our crazy 10 degree storm here in C. TX, I've got a few things blooming; Muscari neglectum (a smaller, hardier Muscari that does well in deep South), Golden Groundsel, and Ipheion (Starflower). Triteleia, Leucojum and Hyacinthoides (Spanish Bluebells) should be close as well. I tucked a few Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) away before the storm, so that's coming soon - as well as the hardy heirloom variety (Hippeastrum Johnsonii). My Crinum bulbispermum should be around that same time too.

Since my last post, I've amassed a pretty nice collection of Zephyranthes (rain lilies) - upwards of 70 different hybrids and a dozen or so species.

Got some new bulbs coming in the mail soon and am most excited about trying both the Taccas in my garden. I don't normally grow tropicals as they involve too much work and it can be difficult to finesse a bloom, particularly in the hot, humid summers of the South.

The Taccas are probably some of the most interesting flowers in the plant kingdom.

Here is T. Chantrieri

And here is T. integrifolia:

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Yall got any spring bloomers?

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Also got the Scadoxus to bloom last year. Probably my favorite bulb from S. Africa thus far.

Scadoxus multiflorus or African Blood Lily

 

[Go aeiou]

After our crazy 10 degree storm here in C. TX, I've got a few things blooming; Muscari neglectum (a smaller, hardier Muscari that does well in deep South), Golden Groundsel, and Ipheion (Starflower). Triteleia, Leucojum and Hyacinthoides (Spanish Bluebells) should be close as well. I tucked a few Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) away before the storm, so that's coming soon - as well as the hardy heirloom variety (Hippeastrum Johnsonii). My Crinum bulbispermum should be around that same time too.

Since my last post, I've amassed a pretty nice collection of Zephyranthes (rain lilies) - upwards of 70 different hybrids and a dozen or so species.

Got some new bulbs coming in the mail soon and am most excited about trying both the Taccas in my garden. I don't normally grow tropicals as they involve too much work and it can be difficult to finesse a bloom, particularly in the hot, humid summers of the South.

The Taccas are probably some of the most interesting flowers in the plant kingdom.

Here is T. Chantrieri

And here is T. integrifolia:

Are the tropical plants in the ground or pots? Bulbs?
We have a bad mole/vole problem in Nashville. They see to ,like everything except blue hyacinths which will bloom soon.
We had about 6-7 inches of ice, sleet and snow and temps below freezing for a week.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Are the tropical plants in the ground or pots? Bulbs?
We have a bad mole/vole problem in Nashville. They see to ,like everything except blue hyacinths which will bloom soon.
We had about 6-7 inches of ice, sleet and snow and temps below freezing for a week.

I have only a few tropical bulbs and they are in containers. I keep most my bulbs in containers since some require different different mixes and some of my Mediterranean bulbs require more winter water. My biggest problem is with Norway rats and squirrels, so I top dress with river rock & pea gravel. If they still get after them, I staple chicken wire to the top of pots. Mole problems are tough, I don't envy that. Most bulbs in the Amaryllidaceae family are rodent proof, but that still wont stop a curious critter from digging them up and testing them out once.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I know some growers put bulbs in chicken wire cages or pockets when they plant to prevent rodent damage. You could try that.