13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Gardening isn't for wussies. It's been heavy rain here non-stop all season, to the point that after years of waiting, back in July I finally called my son and told him to come fix my leaky gutter NOW before the window frame rotted out!! My cellar has been flooded since May but he fixed the gutter so at least it hasn't been inundated since. I haven't even checked my rain gauge--it's been full since May. Numbers won't make it less.
Flash flood warnings have been frequent all season. I don't live near any large rivers but have seen the damage that extreme precipitation can wreak on my town. Not too long ago every road in town was closed due to storm damage & power was knocked out for 12 days.
Ginormous weeds have come up through more than a foot of mulch spread over two layers of corrugated cardboard. Hostas that normally grow to a modest size were twice that size this year and easily crowded other shade lovers growing in the same bed. So far there don't appear to be a significant number of casualties.
Those of you who're wishing for more rain, be careful what you wish for. The garden fairy just might grant your wish.
gardenweed - I'm one of those who wished for rain. We've been hit by the same storms that have deluged Colorado, though not to the same extent. We had 2" of rain since yesterday, most of it falling overnight. We live in a desert, with average annual rainfall normally below 10" a year. This past week it's been pouring. Our water storage tanks have been overflowing, even with the pumps running nonstop to try to keep the level down.
As a result of the abnormal rain, everything has turned green instead of the normal drab dusty brown. I discovered that the open space, normally a barren area of cactus, rock and sage, is actually a prairie! Native grasses (little bluestem, sideoats, Indian rice) are sprouting everywhere. The rabbits are in heaven. I spent most of today digging out the silverleaf nightshade which I only discovered this week is a very poisonous invasive weed. But I'm so happy for the rain I don't care about the weeds.
Cheryl
Now I'm glad I picked up 3 this year. I stumbled upon them in a nursery I had never been to before and they were only ten bucks each. Sound like I've done OK with placement based on what you've all said about sun.
Steve, would love to see a photo of the area you describe.
GG, pretty cool to get a pic in a catalog!
i potted the cuttings that i got yesterday. i'm shameless about begging cuttings or seeds when i spot something that i like. i originally wanted the darker varitey because honey bees seemed more attracted to it. being a beeker i'm always looking for plants that they like.
mulch mama ( or anyone else )- i'd gladly send you some postage for cuttings if you ever cut yours back.
a small lesson in nomenclature .... naming rules ...
sedum 'autumn joy' is a named culitvar..
there should be no variation in the plants ... other than perhaps size due to cultural conditions .... [hyper-fertilization being the root evil]
so ... according to nomenclature rules... there are no other varieties ... of autumn joy ....
so your question.. more properly.. is .. what if any other cultivars.. CULTIvated VARietieS .... are there ....
so when you say: i've seen autumn glory grow to different heights & bloom in different colors
the correct response is that you have NOT seen various colors of AUTUMN JOY ... because autumn joy only has one color ... [and i am a little more than confused at someone saying its brilliant pink flowers are dusty .. makes me wonder if the plant that mom has had for 50 years is mislabeled] ..
so we are now offering you other named culitvars... in a spectrum of colors... for you to track down.. because you know the PROPER NAMES of them ...
but alas.. they are not autumn joy ....
you will go far in the garden world.. if you start learning the proper .. full.. latin names.. because that is how you communicate with us.. and the nursery guy .... you dont go in.. and say i want the yellow autumn joy ... because his head wills start spinning .. lol ... oh.. he will take your money.. but who knows what you will get .... but it will not be AJ ....
i hope you enjoyed the learnin.. now back to our normally scheduled program ..
ken
ps: i know exactly what you were trying to ask ....
Perhaps we will see next year. My neighbor now says that she doesn't think she planted it - thinks it might have come from seeds from birds, which she feeds. I think that is unlikely because she is always weeding her beds.
But, hopefully it will bloom next year and then I can post the flower for an ID!
Linda
Perhaps we will see next year. My neighbor now says that she doesn't think she planted it - thinks it might have come from seeds from birds, which she feeds. I think that is unlikely because she is always weeding her beds.
But, hopefully it will bloom next year and then I can post the flower for an ID!
Linda
And Hi to you, prariemoon
Talk about inspiration! Your use of the pots and saucers is ingenious; I would never have thought of it. With your permission, I'm going to borrow your idea; I have some similar pots (no matching saucers but I'll rig up something).
Birdbaths I've used in the past (which the birds actually used for bathing!) seemed too deep for the little ones. So I cleaned up some rocks and placed them strategically in the birdbath; gave them something to land on without fear of falling in deep water.
i keep the traditional hanging feeders filled with black oil sunflower seed and safflower seed, assuming only the cardinals would be attracted. As a special treat, I'll sometimes add some peanut hearts and shelled sunflowers. The feeders designed for woodpeckers are filled with a mix specifically designed for them. (This is the one premixed product I do buy and the woodpeckers love it.) I usually add some crushed peanuts to it. Of course, the titmice, chickadees, mockingbird and blue jays get their turns at it too. For the sparrows, I put white millet in the platform feeders. Finally, I have a thistle seed sock hanging out for the goldfinches.
Unfortunately, it seems no one has informed the various birds what they 'like' and 'should' be eating. My cardinals often gorge on the millet while the sparrows and goldfinches can be found more often than not at the platform feeders! As imposing as the grackles appear, they're usually well mannered, allowing the smaller birds equal time at the platform feeders. And occasionally, a cute little wren will venture to a feeder, take a few pecks, realize that the millet is not insects and quickly leave.
And then, there are the doves. Ah yes... They will eat anything. As big as they are, a few have impossibly turned into acrobats, hanging nearly upside down to get at one of the hanging feeders. And they're the only bird that has shown any aggression, always at other doves..
The hummers are the true acrobats; have seen three at the same time and assuming that's all there are... hope I'll attract more next year.
Apologies for being long winded ...can't seem to learn any other way.
gary
Hi Gary,
I canâÂÂt take credit for the upturned pot, I canâÂÂt remember where I got the idea, but it wasnâÂÂt my own invention, but feel free to borrow that idea, I think you will enjoy it. The saucer on the top is more shallow and the small birds use it the most.
Rocks work too, good idea.
We use black oil sunflower and safflower too. I put the safflower in the one feeder we have that is not squirrel proof, because they seem to be much less interested in safflower. Once in awhile we will add thistle. Doves are one of our favorites but because of the squirrels I donâÂÂt have a platform feeder. I used to get a lot, when I had corn on the ground, but I stopped doing that, out of caution about bringing rodents into the yard. We still see a pair or two of doves over the seasons and they manage to pick up enough under the feeders.
No hummers here yet, but I will try again in the spring to put out a feeder. Sounds like you have a lot of fun watching all the birds. I wonder if you ever do the bird count that the Audubon Society organizes every year? I would be curious how many birds your Spa attracts.
No apologies needed, I usually have more than enough to say too. (g)
As with all other plants it could be a right plant for a right place
When withered foliage of spring bulbs is gone Aurea provide nice ground cover for otherwisw would be bare spot. Of course, area is contained.
Don't have picture handy, but 100% agree that it's a great addition to containers.
I planted creeping jenny - the golden one - with some pavers. 3 years later - it hasn't even filled in at all. and it doesn't look golden either - got more dark greenish.
Not sure what I'm doing wrong - but it is about the same size as when I planted it, about 12 plugs along 15'
I have had L. sprengerii for a number of years, and divided the clump two years ago. The divisions have yet to bloom, but the main clump goes on. This Lycoris is unbelievably spectacular--cobalt blue flowers that slide into pinks and oranges. Gorgeous, gorgeous, but slow to enlarge.
Oh....now I'm following what you meant by 'surplus'. I have never tried that potting mix for containers, because I was not able to find the ingredients. I decided after awhile, that I would stick to what I normally do for containers, because it was just too much trouble. (g) I guess if I used a lot of containers I'd feel different about it. Sorry I couldn't be more help. :-)
I've heard the turface makes an excellent soil conditioner for all kinds of plants especially bulbs, just work it in. I think it was the Missouri botanical garden that recommended it... Not sure though. I'm trying to find a source but my fall plant budget is already shot and I'll have to wait for next year :(
The only ones I have with browning near the bottom are the ones that weren't getting enough water. I found out that some of my darn rainbirds don't always move back and forth, letting some areas dry out too much. The asters with enough water are all green, but sprawling over walkways like crazy. But the bees are going crazy for them all.
Think renovating beds maintains the wider distribution of locations in which New England asters thrive in gardens.
Example (re above comments): I periodically hack out the nasty (superficial) roots of the neighbouring silver maples that invade our front flower beds. Have lots of healthy 'Alma Pötschke' in the front.
I'd consider adequate watering, when necessary, part of the the general maintenance of mixed perennial beds.
Find I have to stake all of our New England aster, except 'Purple Dome'.
Would be interesting to know what annual maintenance was done to maintain a Michaelmas daisy (fall) "room" in large Sissinghurst type gardens.
This post was edited by SunnyBorders on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 10:23
As PM2 says:
I went out into our garden and couldn't see any phlox leaves that looked very like this. The brown (necrotic parts: yes), overall no.
There are other fungal diseases of phlox besides powdery mildew.
For a garden centre, take the leaf in a sealed clear plastic bag!
I'm just guessing here --- scale, perhaps?
Good advice to go to a garden center with a large sample in a plastic bag as Pm2 and SB said. That's what I'd do, and have done, whenever I'm not sure. Go to a full service place with a horticultural staff; they'll be able to identify the problem with a quick look.
Molie
Any excess winter sown perennials used to get set down in trenches that I then filled in with garden soil so the plants sort of simulated being planted for the winter. I never lost any that road. Winter sown shrubs/trees just get planted in large containers and spend the winter on my east/west facing breezeway. Most are winter hardy and all have survived since 2010. Heads up--many mail order/nursery-grown plants don't make it, I'm guessing because they're grown in greenhouses. Winter sown plants are much more hardy.
I usually leave plants waiting to be planted along a section of fence that leaves them in shade most of the day and keep them watered until I can get them in the ground. If I still haven't got them in the ground by Fall, I have dug them into the raised vegetable beds, pots and all and covered with chopped leaves for the winter. This has worked surprisingly well. I don't have the room for a bed dedicated to holding plants either, and I'd rather plant them where they are going for the most part and just give them extra care in that placement.
sumner, I think I will have to pass on that ivy. Its already growing right in there amongst the other solid green border of green loveliness and its high on my top 10 list of hated plants. Green on green with green under green. The contrast is just amazing! And, he doesn't have to do a lick of work at all to keep it all going and going and growing strong by just letting nature take its course.
You just need some good invasive volunteer hackberry forest tree roots lining that side where your rudebeckias are. That'll whittle them down to scale. My stuff stays real short, the stuff that will grow at all, thanks to Mr. Green.
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 18:24
echinaceamaniac, Before you throw in the towel on Salvias for having short bloom times, have you tried any of the Salvia greggii bush types? I don't grow the low bedding types but I have lots of these as they will take varying amounts of shade and are not picky about soil and are very drought hardy. With extra water they will bloom throughout summer with very heavy blooming in both spring and fall. They go great with Russian Sage.
Another salvia with an unbelievably long period of bloom is Salvia penstemenoides which is also called 'Big Red Texas Sage'. Its a native once thought extinct in the wild until rediscovered a few years back growing in a small area. Seed is commercially available and germinates easily. This salvia attracts more hummingbirds and hawkmoths than any other plant in my entire garden and blooms heavily on tall stems, each tall stem having endless deep reddish/purple flowers for weeks and weeks. It makes my courtyard very active and it smells good too, sort of like an antique cabinet. The leaves are very interesting and pretty too. Unlike any other salvia I have ever grown.
Here is a photo of one growing in the wild from the Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center website.
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 1:42
Here is a link to the previous post about this plant.
Here is a link that might be useful: Previous post
I have no help with identification. I have the plant. It appears at the edge of my pond in early September. It grows at the North end where it faces south and has full sun in its face. It grows at the South end where it is in almost full shade. It does not grow on the east or west side of the pond. I look for it but don't even see it until it blooms. Probably because of all the Iris pseudorochis (sp?) foliage in the way.
I have trouble thinking of it as a helianthus because it is so much smaller in scale. Lovely, isn't it.
Thanks for posting those pictures, woodyoak. I'm really over wimpy plants and things that need to be babied.
For now, I've put Lamb's Ears (Stachys byzantina) in the spots. The leaf size and color worked well, and I had some I could move there, so I can give it a try for free and decide if I'd prefer something else.
Yikes Woody, I've been pining away over 'My Monet' and have never been able to find it locally. Maybe it's for the best..plants that get crispy or stay small in places with summer rain are definitely to be avoided here where summers are dry.
ruth--I agree with Thyme, I cut my Symphytum (Axminster Gold) back multiple times during the season and fresh new growth is forthcoming.
Kathy in Napa