A Gardening Thread

[DireWolfSpirit]

My perennials are sprouting nicely. In the fall I planted tulips and various other flowers (I've forgotten the exact flowers though lol) in rings around a tree stump.

It will actually be a surprise when some of these bloom and I find out what the other flowers are.

Back by the patio we planted peonies and near the kitchen window one of 2 lilac plants has survived. Soon I want to plant 2 more lilacs.

My mother's house always had peonies and lilacs and the fragrance is outstanding, with luck we will get the pleasant smells wafting through our screens, at least that's the plan.

[Spockydog]

2 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

I have a lot of friends that work North Area BCU. I could easily find you and your seedy operation. 

 

You'll never take me, copper! 

Pop round and I'll do you a wee baggy. I can guarantee you, it's far better quality than the stuff your colleagues confiscate on a daily basis.

Seriously though, you'd think the law would prefer people like me to grow their own, instead of financing criminal gangs, whose fingers are probably in more than a few different types of illegal pies.

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Spockydog

[Elder Sister]

@Tears of Lys, I got married about 2 years ago.  He's amazing, thinks I'm amazing, and doesn't mind when I spend $200 on dahlias.  And he's constantly rescuing animals.  He's a dreamboat.  <3  I hope you're doing well - I think about you often!

I spent the afternoon in the woods yesterday and dug up several buckeyes and wild azaleas on a river bank.  I'm hoping they do well...I'm trying to establish some "natural-ish" looking beds with river rock, different types of wild ferns that I've dug up, and some hostas as well as Lenten roses.  It's coming along.  

Mr. ES and I also found some tracks that we feel strongly are panther, but that's a subject for another thread.  I suppose.  

Edited April 5, 2021 by Elder Sister

[Fragile Bird]

I would like to strangle some squirrels. Last week I planted Easter lilies at the cemetery, hoping that the threatened cold front wouldn’t get as far south as the city, but it got too cold at night for them and they wilted away. So Easter Sunday I planted two pots of tulips and damn it all, squirrels dug them up and chewed up the bulbs, snipping off the greenery first as they are wont to do and then gnashing away at the bulbs.

I’d like to gnash them, darn it all. One lousy day they lasted.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

The first major rain of spring is happening here. It's so beautiful outside and the lighting in the clouds looks awesome. It's about time to get the operation up and running. 

Edited April 6, 2021 by Tywin et al.

[lady narcissa]

So my potted basil and mint have grown like gangbusters in 2 weeks and are threatening to jump out of their pots and take over the neighboring ones.  Any advice on harvesting from them / thinning them out but not killing them off?  I've only ever had herbs for short term use before, I've never tried to long time sustain them.  I can't move them to larger pots because of limited room but would like to keep them going in their current pots for as long as possible.

[Elder Sister]

17 hours ago, lady narcissa said:

So my potted basil and mint have grown like gangbusters in 2 weeks and are threatening to jump out of their pots and take over the neighboring ones.  Any advice on harvesting from them / thinning them out but not killing them off?  I've only ever had herbs for short term use before, I've never tried to long time sustain them.  I can't move them to larger pots because of limited room but would like to keep them going in their current pots for as long as possible.

Mint is a total thug - I love it, but the only way to grow it is in the pot.  

Don't let either start flowering - keep them trimmed and fertilized and they'll stay bushy and gorgeous all summer.  Once basil starts flowering, you have to mercilessly cut it back or it starts getting leggy.

 

[lady narcissa]

2 minutes ago, Elder Sister said:

Don't let either start flowering - keep them trimmed and fertilized and they'll stay bushy and gorgeous all summer.  Once basil starts flowering, you have to mercilessly cut it back or it starts getting leggy.

Can you provide more information on the "trimming" and what pieces should be trimmed and where to trim?  I probably won't use the correct terms but - do I but off some branches from the main stalk?  Or do I cut out entire stalks?  Or both?

[Larry of the Lawn]

I'm challenging my mom to a Tallest Sunflower competition. 

[Fragile Bird]

3 hours ago, lady narcissa said:

Can you provide more information on the "trimming" and what pieces should be trimmed and where to trim?  I probably won't use the correct terms but - do I but off some branches from the main stalk?  Or do I cut out entire stalks?  Or both?

Mint flowers from the end of the stalks/branches, not only the main stalk but the ends of the branches too. You’ll see closely bunched buds that will look different from new leaves. Cut them off freely, even ruthlessly. Mint is almost indestructible. In the wild it’s invasive and aggressive.

I’ve often told people if you know someone you really loathe, sneak into their garden and plant some mint somewhere. 25 years after my mom thought she’d like some mint in the garden I’m still digging it out.  

[Tears of Lys]

On 3/30/2021 at 8:29 PM, larrytheimp said:

Thanks for the info on powdery mildew, I've tried soap before but have not tried baking soda with it-- maybe I will try a couple delicatas this year.  I've avoided copper because of all the birds in the yard the other local critters.  

I did salvage a bunch of zucchini blossoms last year when the mildew hit, which made some nice quesadillas.

Am super bummed about my artichokes, I did them in 15 gallon pots last year and tried to winter them over inside in a south facing window over a radiator.  They did ok until all of a sudden in Feb they got the worst case of aphids I've ever seen- where tf did they come from?!?!  I tried soap washes and removing then all by hand (very fun on spiky plants) but I don't think they're going to make it.  I've had them outside when the weather's been good but have kind of given up.  

Have you noticed any ants around your place?  Ants will actually cultivate aphids by carrying them around and placing them on plants so they can then harvest the sticky sweet secretions the produce while they're decimating your plants.  It's quite fascinating really, if it weren't so annoying.  You can take a cotton swab and dip it in alcohol and then stick it on the aphids and watch them wither and die!!  Ha-HAAAAA!!!      Even if you can't save your artichokes, it will be very satisfying, I promise you.  

[Tears of Lys]

On 4/8/2021 at 10:01 PM, lady narcissa said:

So my potted basil and mint have grown like gangbusters in 2 weeks and are threatening to jump out of their pots and take over the neighboring ones.  Any advice on harvesting from them / thinning them out but not killing them off?  I've only ever had herbs for short term use before, I've never tried to long time sustain them.  I can't move them to larger pots because of limited room but would like to keep them going in their current pots for as long as possible.

Try cutting off a good 3-4" stalk of basil, removing the bottom leaves and stick it in water.  It usually takes root quite freely and replant it.  You can discard your overgrown basil and start fresh with a young-un!  

 

[S John]

On 4/9/2021 at 6:58 PM, Fragile Bird said:

Mint flowers from the end of the stalks/branches, not only the main stalk but the ends of the branches too. You’ll see closely bunched buds that will look different from new leaves. Cut them off freely, even ruthlessly. Mint is almost indestructible. In the wild it’s invasive and aggressive.

I’ve often told people if you know someone you really loathe, sneak into their garden and plant some mint somewhere. 25 years after my mom thought she’d like some mint in the garden I’m still digging it out.  

Yes mint goes crazy. My grandmother kept a huge garden when she was younger and more spry. She has an acre or two, about half of which is cleared and her garden was maybe 1/4 of the cleared area. At some point she discarded some mint plants at the edge of the woods and when we would visit my grandmothers house as kids one of the favorite things to do was visit (and chew the leaves of) the GIGANTIC mint bushes that had sprung up at the edge of the trees. They were bigger than we were, though that probably wasn’t that hard when you’re 8. I’m supposed to visit this summer I’m gonna try to remember to go down and see if they are still there.

[lady narcissa]

Thanks @Fragile Bird and @Tears of Lys !  I think what I am really trying to understand with both the basil and the mint is if I cut off a branch or a stem, will that cut off growth at that point or will it split and start again from that point? For example, I have a jade plant and a branch broke off but now I have two new branches growing from the cut point - will basil and mint do this?  Or will from the roots, the plants generate and send up new branches?  I have a shamrock/oxalis plant that is constantly sending new shoots up from the roots as the old ones die off.

My mint is in a pot and there are 6 branches that have grown 11" high. They are very orderly and contained just getting to the point where I'm wondering how much higher they can go before they start leaning over. And I'd like to use some. But if I cut off a branch is that the end of it? Or will it regrow?

[Zorral]

I have been reveling in the new varieties of tulips with petals that ruffled, 'pinked', pointed -- and the new colors too.  Tulips had become one of my top favorite flowers, but these have kicked them into a whole new category of favorite. Are any of you growing these?

 

[Mlle. Zabzie]

8 minutes ago, Zorral said:

I have been reveling in the new varieties of tulips with petals that ruffled, 'pinked', pointed -- and the new colors too.  Tulips had become one of my top favorite flowers, but these have kicked them into a whole new category of favorite. Are any of you growing these?

 

I’m trying.  LOL.  The squirrels and chipmunks love them, sadly.

[Zorral]

8 minutes ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

I’m trying.  LOL.  The squirrels and chipmunks love them, sadly

So like squirrels and chipmunks.  I don't know how we have so many here, with all the squirrel communities in the trees of Washington Square Park and around the NYU 'campus' -- such as it is.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

8 minutes ago, Zorral said:

So like squirrels and chipmunks.  I don't know how we have so many here, with all the squirrel communities in the trees of Washington Square Park and around the NYU 'campus' -- such as it is.

Maybe availability of enough other food (dropped pretzels, goldfish, etc.?). I always enjoy the drifts of tulips coming up Park Ave. as well.

[Cas Stark]

I have poor luck w/tulips, much better results w/hyacinth bulbs.  One year I must have planted 60 tulip bulbs, the next year they all came up.  Fabulous.  But, after that, because I think I planted them too deeply, most either don't come up at all or only show leaves but no tulip.  Out of that 60, right  now only about 15 bloomed

[Mlle. Zabzie]

9 minutes ago, Cas Stark said:

I have poor luck w/tulips, much better results w/hyacinth bulbs.  One year I must have planted 60 tulip bulbs, the next year they all came up.  Fabulous.  But, after that, because I think I planted them too deeply, most either don't come up at all or only show leaves but no tulip.  Out of that 60, right  now only about 15 bloomed

What zone are you in?  You may need to dig them up every year and stick them in the fridge for them to “set”.