But darn it I have no where to put it! I have no full sun locations left, and I don't think betony will thrive in partial shade, will it? Huh huh will it?

Because if it will, I can give it a home if no one else snatched it up....

EXACTLY WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP SHOPPING????

ken

its MI .. its 10/19 ....

time to STOP BUYING GARDEN PLANTS...

at some point.. soon!!! .... the bargains will die .. and it will be a waste of money ....

ken

It's still a great time to plant and optimum time for bargains. I've planted into November in past years and can't remember ever losing anything over the winter.

I'm not the only one still planting - nursery had a good amount of people in it Saturday, lots of folks taking advantage of the 50% off trees and shrubs, and yes people were BUYING not looking, loading up their cars and pickups with some darn good-looking woodies. A different nursery yesterday had folks rifling through the bulb bins.

I'd better not tell you location of Shoe Avenue, though...

ken

Terry

Danielle

But, I did not get it. I looked at the betony I have (no clue which cultivar), and the leaves are wider and more scalloped and more attractive to my eye than Hummelo, plus there was a bloom on one of the Hummelo, and it just doesn't thrill me.

However, I did pick up a pot of "Maresii" balloon flower and a "May Night" salvia for $3.25 each :0) I was tempted by "Astra" balloon flower, but I have to check where I would put it to show the white flowers well. They had a lot of them, I can always run back up there during the week.

I totally understand impulse buying in autumn, although I trained myself years ago to respect my zone's crazy-long cold season. Now, I *only* have to learn to curb that enthusiasm for buying tender annuals in late April.

At least I know how to care for plants until it's proper planting weather... I refuse to let something adorable get snapped up totally by those who'll plant them too early and kill them. That's my latest justification, at least, for joining in and buying early. ;)

~Chills

They all made it - except for the Scabiosa columbaria 'Pink Myst' - which I will never buy again, because they don't overwinter well even if they're planted in the Spring.

The video below says October is a great month for planting bulbs and planting/transplanting trees & shrubs (except for birch, oak, fruit trees, and ornamental grasses).

its all about how well they were cared for since spring.. by the seller ...

if it is bigboxstore.. and they spent the summer on the blacktop.. getting water every other week or so ... they arent even worth the discount ...

if your source is a good nursery.. who hand cared for them all summer... and you are able to pull them out of the pots to see what the roots look like at the nursery ... then there are bargains to be had ...

sometimes we forget.. that experienced gardeners are not the only audience .... we should step back.. and warn those with less experience.. that a bargain.. is not always a bargain ....

especially when buying conifer.. trees.... and i suppose .... woodies.. whatever those are .... there are plants that were never meant to be grown in pots.. and can be very problematic ... and bargain or not.. you should understand loss is an option ....

ken

"Woodies" generally refers to ornamental plants with woody stems, and most today are grown in containers rather than Balled & Burlapped.

If the ground isn't frozen, and the plant is healthy, and provided with good after-care (well-watered after planting, mulched and planted in the right soil/light conditions) most plants will survive and thrive, after all animals don't know about "growing seasons" and they've been planting plants for years.

This DOES NOT APPLY to heucheras, LOL. :p

and yes.. your large paragraph ... IF THE PLANT IS HEALTHY .... and that was my point...

ken

Last year in the fall, I brought home a 6ft tall Ilex 'Blue Princess' It was balled and burlapped and looked like someone did an awful job of pruning it. One main branch crossed the middle to the other side at a 45 degree angle. It was spindly. But I like hollies and it was only $15. So I dragged it home. When we unwrapped the rootball, about a third of it was like concrete. [g] We pruned it severely and pinched the tips of each branch back in the spring but it's still looking pretty sparse. I have a feeling maybe next year, it might turn itself around. If not, the $15. was worth the education.

Also planted 2 Viburnum carlesii 'Compacta', which were in 3 gallon pots. Got them very cheap, $10 apiece, they don't look great, but we'll see.

I'm adding compost, and watering everything in very well and will mulch, but after having tendonitis all Spring and summer, I'm pushing it this year till the weather or my wrists force me to stop planting. :)

(All that denial must have affected my head)

The shoe part is totally off-topic...I think.

I love going for all the bargain plants at this time of the year. I have also planted potted perennials and shrubs all the way into November here in zone 5b without problems. The only problem is the lack of space! Guess what I did last year? I bought so many of them that I had no space for, so I gave some of them away to my friends! And they liked them too... in fact, I was so mad that the ones that I gave them did well in their yard, but the ones that I kept did not do as well! LOL!!! BTW, my friends did not plant all of them - they overwintered some of them in their gallon pots and then planted them in spring. They also did well too!

Oh well, it's mxk3's money, so let her spend it and keep the economy going!!!!!!! ROTFLOL!

Danielle

And…I did buy some heucheras! I do every year. At a $1 a gallon pot it’s worth the gamble. I completely edged a bed one November with them. If I had had to pay full price no way would I have been able to do that.

I was burned on ornamental grasses last year, though. They looked OK in the spring but died as soon as it warmed up. Those I'm afraid to try again. I don't know enough about them.