Saturday Gardening Thread: Spring! [KT]

Spring has sprung! At least in Kansas, where Don visited the botanical garden.

Winter hung on like the respiratory crud that was going around earlier this year, but it looks like it's finally gone. It won't officially be spring until the first tornado watch, but I did find a little color on my visit to the botanical garden this past weekend.

As always, his photos can be viewed in greater detail by clicking over to his post. You can work the jigsaw puzzle, too. He also took a photo of some daffodils that jumped the gun a little, early in the month. A photo that gives hope to those still struggling with ice and snow.

Outdoor Carnivorous Plants

Our resident outdoor carnivorous plant specialist, Tony Litwin, has sent in some early spring photos. This is one area of botany where knowing scientific names of your plants counts:

It's me again with pics of my plants I would like to share with everyone. Pic 1 is of Drosera Filiformis Florida Red( tall red plant ) and Pinguicula Primulflora( greenish yellow flat plant ), pic 2 is of Sarracenia Alata Rubrioperculata( tall green plant ) and Sarracenia Leucophylla Chipola River( tall white plant ), pic 3 is of Sarracenia Rosea Chipola River, pic 4 is of Sarracenia Flava flowers and pic 5 is of Sarracenia Alata Pubuscens.
Most of the rest of my plants are still coming up and are quite small right now, but in a month or so, I will have some very tall pitchers on some of my Flavas and Atatas. Anyway I hope you enjoy these early spring pics and I'll send more later in the spring when they are all up and eating.

"When they are all up and eating . . . . "

Fascinating plants. Interesting forms. Which one do you like best? I'm kind of partial to the second one.

The edible garden

The only thing I have been eating out of the garden this week is chickweed. We will be doing more on weeds later. Edible and otherwise. You harvesting anything?

If anyone is planning on planting a grape vine, let us know and we will try to help with regional choices. Important in the case of grapes. In the meantime, we can answer questions like, Why do grapes explode in the microwave?

Critters

Dr_No sent in the following bit of anthropomophism:

The bird, viewed with just the right amount of Willing Suspension of Disbelief, could appear to be in the process of taking an on-stage / pre-performance bow prior to displaying his aquatic talents in the waiting water below ... or, maybe not. Sometimes a bird is just a bird ...

On the other hand, we set things up so we can watch their shows . . .

From Hank Curmudgeon:

explains the use of "eye spots" on insects in an instant.

Illiniwek send the following update last week:

nothing popping up here yet but the 2" daffodils, but we had a warmer week and hopefully got most of the frost out of the ground.
This group of geese have come by a few times.
Hopefully last week was the last of the snow.

Quite a view . . . .

Gardens of The Horde

The Invisible Hand sent in some photos this week from San Clemente, but I am running out of time, so I am just posting one today, showing the menacing encroachment of the nasturtiums. If only all our problems were like this. I like the slightly creamy yellow ones in front:

Have a great weekend.

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at g mail dot com

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 12:57 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Not

Posted by: Lump at March 23, 2019 12:59 PM (+N2cG)

2 Oh no.

The nasturtiums are taking over the turf.

Cut those babies back and add them to a salad.

Saw the first scout Purple Marlins today.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:03 PM (OE84+)

3 No kidding -- there's a carnivorous plant that will do Canada Geese?
I predict some heavy -assed planting of that little number. Instant hit.

I may have just looked at the pictures in the wrong order.

Posted by: Stringer Davis at March 23, 2019 01:09 PM (8ZmvG)

4 Geese don't like lasers.

Get them at daybreak and they will scatter and become someone else's problem.

Green is said to work best.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:13 PM (OE84+)

5 Stringer Davis at March 23, 2019 01:09 PM

You sound like one of The Horde.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at March 23, 2019 01:14 PM (BVQ+1)

6 Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. -- Genesis 3:17-19

Posted by: Insomniac at March 23, 2019 01:14 PM (N9BA5)

7 golfman at March 23, 2019 01:13 PM

I have heard that geese don't like concord grape flavoring, either.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at March 23, 2019 01:15 PM (BVQ+1)

8 Thanks, Insomniac.

I have to leave for a while. Going to a place where the weeds are tall. Will be back later.

Posted by: KTbarthedoor at March 23, 2019 01:16 PM (BVQ+1)

9 The carnivorous plants are cool and just a tad creepy!

Posted by: Cheribebe at March 23, 2019 01:19 PM (fnWQo)

10 Last week I mentioned our chives survived the winter and are growing fast. There are plenty to cut for use on eggs, spuds and in yogurt. A wonderful fresh taste. If the weather forecast holds we figure the lettuce and baby spinach can get planted soon.

For all the great ideas on the gardening thread (which I keep track of) this year will be a rather basic veggie garden: herbs, greens and tomatoes.

Posted by: JTB at March 23, 2019 01:20 PM (bmdz3)

11 Dear KT et al,
Please excuse hogmartin's mom from the garden thread today. She is working at the Morgan County Master Gardeners Gardenfest and will not be able to attend the thread.
Sincerely,
hogmartin's mom's son hogmartin

http://tinyurl.com/yy9fa5zn

p.s. the guy who's doing the seminar on invasive plants is named "Mow"

Posted by: hogmartin at March 23, 2019 01:24 PM (t+qrx)

12 Crocus rocks!

That said, mine have peaked. Now its time for the Daffodils and Hyacinths.

Posted by: Diogenes at March 23, 2019 01:25 PM (0tfLf)

13

Would like me some carnivorous plants.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at March 23, 2019 01:29 PM (0rsWa)

14 Beautiful pics, as always KT ...

Posted by: Adriane the Practical Critic ... at March 23, 2019 01:30 PM (LPnfS)

15 What is the growing medium for those carnivorous plants? Is that hydroponic rocks?

Posted by: Bilwis, Devourer of Low Glycemic Souls at March 23, 2019 01:30 PM (jp0Bv)

16 What is the growing medium for those carnivorous plants?

Meat. Duh.

Posted by: Insomniac at March 23, 2019 01:31 PM (NWiLs)

17 Pretty neat. They're all over here in NC.

https://bit.ly/2OjNOZT

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:34 PM (OE84+)

18 If anyone is planning on planting a grape vine, let us know and we will try to help with regional choices. Important in the case of grapes.
---
Well, actually, yes. I'm looking at planting a few things in zone 5b, according to the plant hardiness zone map https://tinyurl.com/yalm3z5z

Grapes, cherries, plums, pears, apples...

Posted by: bud at March 23, 2019 01:36 PM (p5Z6t)

19 Posted by: bud at March 23, 2019 01:36 PM (p5Z6t)

What?

No hops?

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:37 PM (OE84+)

20 Tony Litwin
That is a serious amount of work you have put in. Great results. Very interesting

Le Garde Vieux
Who grows nothing himself

Posted by: Le Garde Vieux at March 23, 2019 01:37 PM (swldI)

21 There are indicators that spring has arrived besides the date. The juncos and white-crowned sparrows, some of my favorite little song birds, have disappeared. They only come around when the weather is very cold and despite a few nights below freezing the the birds have gone back to the mountains. I've found them to be reliable clues that the worst of winter is over.

Posted by: JTB at March 23, 2019 01:38 PM (bmdz3)

22 (p5Z6t)

What?

No hops?
Posted by: golfman

Maybe later. Hops, and hazelnuts too.

Posted by: bud at March 23, 2019 01:39 PM (p5Z6t)

23 Gotta have hops for Bud.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:41 PM (OE84+)

24 the tall green plants are pretty neat, remind me of our jack-in-the-pulpits (Arisaema tripphyllum) which are wild but also cultivated I guess. But they don't eat anything, afaik.

https://tinyurl.com/y68p63yw

ground has thawed, but still too wet to work. Just started some cantaloupe seeds ... fed most of my various melons to the chickens last year, may try vacuum pack, freezing cantaloupe slices this year. Always nice to have a long list of good intentions.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 23, 2019 01:42 PM (Cus5s)

25 2. You probably do no have purple marlins. They are a salt water species. Perhaps Purple Martins.

They sure do like mosquitos so lucky you.

Posted by: Le Garde Vieux at March 23, 2019 01:43 PM (swldI)

26 Gotta have hops for Bud.
Posted by: golfman

*groan*

Posted by: bud at March 23, 2019 01:46 PM (p5Z6t)

27 Interesting camouflage technique by Hank Curmudgeon! If he doesn't move, nobody will see him.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at March 23, 2019 01:47 PM (kQs4Y)

28 You probably do no have purple marlins. They are a salt water species. Perhaps Purple Martins.

They sure do like mosquitos so lucky you.
Posted by: Le Garde Vieux at March 23, 2019 01:43 PM (swldI)

Correct you are.

You know the "t' and the "l" are so close on the keyboard.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 01:47 PM (OE84+)

29 Geese don't like lasers.
---
I read that as "tasers", and laffed.

Not a fan of squatter geese.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at March 23, 2019 01:49 PM (kQs4Y)

30 "Saw the first scout Purple Marlins today."

and you thought the purple martin poop was bad ... wait till the marlins poop on your windshield.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 23, 2019 01:50 PM (Cus5s)

31 We did lots of weeding and mulching this week, a lot of it to the aerial and vocal accompaniment of the most handsome red-tailed hawk I've ever seen. He's a local resident and calls almost constantly while in flight. At first I thought it was just because he was an immature, but that was over a year ago so I guess it's just his personality to "talk" all the time.

We've nicknamed him Bitchy Hawk, or BH for short.

Posted by: Art Rondolet of Malmsey at March 23, 2019 01:58 PM (S+f+m)

32 Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. -- Genesis 3:17-19
Posted by: Insomniac

Hiya Mr. Sunshine !

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 01:59 PM (gW+6p)

33 it's kinda neat to drive by a pond and see fifty geese hanging out ... as long as it's not my pond. They are messy and hard on the landscape plants.

fortunately my house is close enough to the pond that they don't stick around long. Unfortunately the wood ducks (or others) don't like to nest here for the same reason.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 23, 2019 02:00 PM (Cus5s)

34 Hope people came through those storms that swept through the country the last few days. We had high winds and about 3 inches of rain but no damage so we got off easy. Bluebell is about 20 miles north of us and had it tougher with hail and more wind but I heard no reports of damage on radio reports. Hope they were accurate.

Posted by: JTB at March 23, 2019 02:00 PM (bmdz3)

35 A hawk took out a squirrel in my yard earlier in the week.

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:00 PM (gW+6p)

36 Hiya Mr. Sunshine !
Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 01:59 PM (gW+6p)

Hey JT! Just keepin' it real, yo!

Posted by: Insomniac at March 23, 2019 02:00 PM (NWiLs)

37 my thinking is the red tailed hawks screech to get the little mice/rabbits to turn and look up, and then the hawk sees those little eyes.

Posted by: illiniwek at March 23, 2019 02:02 PM (Cus5s)

38 Illiniwek: "This group of geese have come by a few times."

They look quite healthy. What are you feeding them? Kaboom! With Vitamins? They are beautiful.

Posted by: AnonyBotymousDrivel at March 23, 2019 02:05 PM (6eEQ+)

39 Things are beginning to happen here in Idaho's Treasure Valley (that's the Boise area, for any new Horde members). My midget yellow crocus are already starting to fade - I'll try to get a photo before they do. The blue hyacinths behind the kitchen are blooming well; the white ones are just getting started. Daffodil leaves aren't very big yet - I think they need water, so maybe it's time to get the garden hoses out of storage. Tulips both in back and in front of the house are a few inches high, looking healthy, but it's too early for buds. Hyacinths out front, normally slower than the ones out back, have at least all sprouted.

Some of the fall cilantro, and 2 (possibly 3) of the fall spinach plants are still alive - they need water as well, but rain has been a bit scarce, and we had very little snow here in the valley. At least the mountains got plenty, so we should have a full summer of irrigation water.

It must be spring because my husband's already done the first weed spraying. We have an unfortunate number of Bur Buttercup, and since I spend the summer in sandals, things that make burrs are bad in my book. It's also time for the annoying box elder bugs to make their appearance...

I've weeded all but one of the beds that need it, and turned the soil in 2 of them. In one bed, I still need to deal with the Chamomile That Took Over the Universe (and I thought the *chives* were bad.....). I tried shifting the compost pile but I think it's mostly still frozen inside.

We sawed up a pile of branches that had been sitting around the paddock, so now that mess is gone; though anything too small to be useful firewood went into the messy fall burn pile. I'm still working on the pile of leaves out front - I actually have to move the entire remaining pile around every other week, so the grass underneath doesn't die.

Indoors, we planted 2 seeds of Tomato 'Black from Tula' given to me by a friend in the next town west of me, who got them from a master gardener. Looking forward to seeing how they do.

Upcoming tasks include pulling dead leaves off the daylily behind the house, which has begun to sprout - getting some Roma tomato seeds started - turning the soil in the rest of the raised beds - turning the compost as soon as it thaws - and raking yet more leaves.

Posted by: Pat* at March 23, 2019 02:05 PM (2pX/F)

40 I planted asparagus in my yard a few years back.

You have to wait 3 years before you can pick it and eat it.

Not pick it, but cut it and as long as you don't cut it too close to the ground, it will grow back and you can cut it again. Ad infinitum.

But then, a #$^&* groundhog ate ALL of it right down to the roots.

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:06 PM (gW+6p)

41 So, today I ordered asparagus seeds from Amazon. and I'll try it again in the fenced in area of my garden.

I don't remember where I bought the seeds the last time, and I and my car were getting more than a little tired of driving all over heck's half acre trying to find them.

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:11 PM (gW+6p)

42 That butterfly photo is amazing.
Most of my twenty orchids are in bloom.
Went berserk with spring fever I guess and bought six palms to be planted in our property as soon as I can convince my husband to do so. Being in so fl that doesn't sound too looney. The crazy part is that I also bought three hydrangeas. One has big beautiful white blossoms and the other two pinkish white. They are absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, I am in zone 10b. Not hydrangea friendly. I am thinking of planting them instead a little further north in a zone 9b property. Does anyone have advice with planting hydrangeas in Florida zone 9b? That house faces east and it is about 2 miles from the coast. The soil is soft and rich dark brown with a clay like quality.

Posted by: Martell at March 23, 2019 02:12 PM (lhj2a)

43 >>>But then, a #$^* groundhog ate ALL of it right down to the roots.<<<

Long Stick Goes Boom.

Posted by: Fritz at March 23, 2019 02:14 PM (LuPts)

44 >But then, a #$^* groundhog ate ALL of it right down to the roots.

Long Stick Goes Boom.
Posted by: Fritz

I hear ya, but I live in the 'burbs and I try to keep a low profile

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:17 PM (gW+6p)

45 Where does Tony Litwin live? I understood that most carnivorous plants were near-tropical critters.

Posted by: MW at March 23, 2019 02:17 PM (hNTtn)

46 I had no idea it could actually get too warm for hydrangeas - I live in zone 8a, and Hydrangeas are one of the old-time,virtually foolproof foundation plantings that you stick in the ground and watch them bloom for the next 50 years. As with any flowing plant, they like sunlight, but I've got a big one that really only gets noon and some afternoon sunlight, and it does great.

I like the traditional hydrangea (typically I'll get blue, pink, and purple blooms all on the same plant) but there are some new hybrids out, like the pure white. One is almost scarlet, and they are striking! I don't like Oak Leaf hydrangeas as much as my wife does, but they seem to be incredibly hardy and grow to be very big very fast.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2019 02:24 PM (k1TUh)

47 On birds, wish I'd thought to grab my camera! Early this morning I had an entire flock of Cedar Waxwings swarming my birdfeeder and birdbath, just behind my patio. Cedar waxwings are quite communal - you either don't see any, or you see 20 - 30 at once.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 23, 2019 02:26 PM (k1TUh)

48 44 >But then, a #$^* groundhog ate ALL of it right down to the roots.

Long Stick Goes Boom.
Posted by: Fritz

I hear ya, but I live in the 'burbs and I try to keep a low profile
Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:17 PM (gW+6p)

Air rifle. With or without hav-a-hart. With, if you need to do clandestine termination.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at March 23, 2019 02:27 PM (di1hb)

49 4 Geese don't like lasers

Terrific. Now I have a yard full of cats.....

Posted by: Cicero Boom chicka boom Kaboom! Kid at March 23, 2019 02:29 PM (bsGzI)

50
I hear ya, but I live in the 'burbs and I try to keep a low profile

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:17 PM

Allegedly there are some air rifles with serious noise suppression but with some serious power, like 1,250 feet per second. I have a noisy one because not too many neighbors.

I kinda doubt you could kill with it, but you'd give the critter a hurting in the @ss it would not soon forget.

I've given up on anything but container growing on my balconies because of the deer. Now it looks like the hunters may not be permitted to kill them next season because of their variant of mad cow makes them unsafe for human consumption. Great. I counted 16 in the backyard last night. For about two minutes. Then they mysteriously disappeared.

Posted by: Newest Nic at March 23, 2019 02:40 PM (jYje5)

51 Think the season is over but Illinoiweks pic makes me think, Yumm, roasted goose breast. I had the skidsteer guy out Thursday to clean my horse pens and had him dump in one back pen that I'm thinking to try to plant a grass and clover mixture in. Its an icky gray day, but it misted for just half an hour and quit so I should see if the tractor will start and try to work the partially composted manure into the dirt so I can plant while its still spring.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at March 23, 2019 02:47 PM (pAkRe)

52 Allegedly there are some air rifles with serious noise suppression but with some serious power, like 1,250 feet per second.

If it exits the rifle and silencer above the speed of sound (1100 fps, I think), you're still going to have a sonic *crack!*. Go bigger bore and lower speed for quietness with more punch.

Posted by: t-bird at March 23, 2019 02:48 PM (dBiBP)

53 47... Tom Servo,
We used to have a few days each year when cedar waxwings were in our area. Several houses had some kind of climbing vine with berries that attracted them in groups. It was a fascinating sight. Sadly, those vines have died out and we don't see the waxwings anymore.

Posted by: JTB at March 23, 2019 02:51 PM (bmdz3)

54 Ah spring.
The warbling of Sandhill Cranes overhead.
The screeching of the lawn vac.

Posted by: DaveA at March 23, 2019 02:54 PM (FhXTo)

55 Several years ago I was taking a walk through the 'hood. As I'm walking a squirrel was ahead of me and climbed up a telephone pole. Suddenly a Hawk swoops don to grab it but missed. The Hawk lands on the ground and stares at the squirrel. I stopped walking and stood there to watch.

So the squirrel got pissed. Started chattering, came down the pole and went after the Hawk. I mean it charged the bird. Hawk kind of flew away onto a fence. The squirrel wasn't stopping. Charged the fence and started climbing up. The Hawk then flew away.

I started laughing. Never seen anything like that. Made my day...

Posted by: HH at March 23, 2019 02:55 PM (mIJBI)

56 If it exits the rifle and silencer above the speed of sound (1100 fps, I think), you're still going to have a sonic *crack!*. Go bigger bore and lower speed for quietness with more punch.
Posted by: t-bird at March 23, 2019 02:48 PM (dBiBP)

Subsonic .22.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 02:57 PM (OE84+)

57 We had a giant ligustrum tree (about 30 feet tall) at our old place in town. Needless to say, the berries were a major attraction for the cedar waxwings on their twice-yearly migration through the area.

Unfortunately when it gets warm, as it does in Texas, the berries ferment and the CWs get totally blotto. And then fly. Into windows. And die. We found 6 dead CWs on our front deck in one 24-hour period.

If you search for "drunk Cedar Waxwings," you'll see a lot of reports of similar behavior.

Posted by: Art Rondolet of Malmsey at March 23, 2019 03:01 PM (S+f+m)

58 Pets nood.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 23, 2019 03:02 PM (Dhht7)

59 Charged the fence and started climbing up. The Hawk then flew away.

I started laughing. Never seen anything like that. Made my day...
Posted by: HH at March 23, 2019 02:55 PM (mIJBI)

Sorta like MH's (I think) post from the other night.

https://nyp.st/2FuZplY

Disclaimer. Not responsible for music.

Posted by: golfman at March 23, 2019 03:02 PM (OE84+)

60 My folks had a crabapple tree that was the local bar for waxwings during fermenting season.

Posted by: MW at March 23, 2019 03:04 PM (hNTtn)

61 We have barely made it above 50 degrees here in central Hoosierland, and then not more than one day of warmth before the cold returns. Hoping the snow we had on St. Patrick's day will be the last of it. On a happy note, the birds have been singing like mad, particularly the wrens. This week we had a pair of bluebirds at the feeder, a rare treat. The local pileated woodpecker has returned to the tree stump in our yard to continue his mission of grinding the stump.

Posted by: Mrs.Leggy at March 23, 2019 03:04 PM (Vf4Y7)

62 46.
The three hydrangeas that I just bought are the macrophylla (mopheads) type. It is recommended that they be planted in shady spots with only partial sun. Doing a little research I just found out that the paniculatas variety can take more sun.

The problem here in south fl is that the amount of sun especially in the summer can wilt even desert roses. Also our propertys soil is mostly rocks. Therefore need husband with a pick to help with planting. Our more central fl location has cooler nights and a richer softer soil. I can literally dig a hole for planting larger plants with a small shovel and my hands.
It's fun for me to have found potted hydrangeas for planting here in so fl. I'll do more research and try to give them the best chance of survival.

I envy you the ease with which your hydrangeas grow. Post some photos. Hydrangeas are such lovely flowers.

Posted by: Martell at March 23, 2019 03:07 PM (lhj2a)

63 bud at March 23, 2019 01:36 PM
East, West or Central matters to grapes, too. Mostly because of humidity.

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2019 03:09 PM (BVQ+1)

64 Definitely need to get seeds started inside, have lettuce, green and wax bean, spinach, and possibly pepper seeds.

Posted by: Skip at March 23, 2019 03:24 PM (BbGew)

65 Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 02:06

Bummmer about the groundhog. We had an asparagus bed on the farmer, planted by my Dad and Grandma when they moved there in 1947. Taken care of they can last for yrs.

Tried to transplant some when the farm was sold, only one plant lived in our backyard. I'm going to add some more this yr.

We always cut the spears just below the ground. They always send up new spears but around here your supposed to stop harvesting about the middle of June.

Posted by: Farmer at March 23, 2019 03:24 PM (T5tjg)

66 Susanville always gets a dusting of snow in April and if you're up with the dawn you'll be treated to a frosty daffodil.

Posted by: torabora at March 23, 2019 03:26 PM (9wxTN)

67 For those who would like to know, I grow all of the species of American Pitchers Plants(Sarracenias), the southeastern Butterworts(Pinguiculas) and Sundews(Droseras) only, as well as the southeastern Bladderworts(Utricularias). I grow them in a mixture of peat and pertlite and put a layer of volcanic rock on top to help keep the splatter down when the torrential rains come in about another 2 months. Right now except for a few that have open pitchers on them, the majority are just sending up pitchers and they will do so from now until November. Whats funny is watching the Wasps commit suicide climbing down into the open ones and not coming back out again. Carnivorous Plants are natures revenge on all the bugs out there that eat plants.

Posted by: Tony Litwin at March 23, 2019 04:08 PM (uGbDu)

68 We always cut the spears just below the ground. They always send up new spears but around here your supposed to stop harvesting about the middle of June.
Posted by: Farmer

Ok thanks !

Posted by: JT at March 23, 2019 04:20 PM (gW+6p)

69 bud at March 23, 2019 01:36 PM
East, West or Central matters to grapes, too. Mostly because of humidity.

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2019 03:09 PM (BVQ+1)

East coast.
'Way Downeast.
Maine

Posted by: umm, pie. at March 23, 2019 04:29 PM (GzeO9)

70 Crap. Weatherman just predicted snow for tomorrow.

Mother Nature usually flounces off with one last .big snow around the last of March.

I had to leave all my beautiful crocuses behind when I closed a couple years ago. Every fall, I'd plant a few more bulbs. Few people ever saw them because they were in the back, but I got to see them every morning and every evening.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin at March 23, 2019 06:11 PM (ebZss)

71 Arriving home after a week outstate, I found a bat apparently trying to crawl into the garage under the door. There's room for that. He was kind of grouchy and wouldn't open his eyes. I think he woke up early from hibernation.

Posted by: Gordon at March 23, 2019 07:58 PM (iojhl)

72 Tony Litwin at March 23, 2019 04:08 PM
Thanks for the details.

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2019 11:05 PM (BVQ+1)

73 "Went berserk with spring fever I guess and bought six palms to be
planted in our property as soon as I can convince my husband to do so.
Being in so fl that doesn't sound too looney. The crazy part is that I
also bought three hydrangeas. One has big beautiful white blossoms and
the other two pinkish white. They are absolutely gorgeous.
Unfortunately, I am in zone 10b. Not hydrangea friendly. I am thinking
of planting them instead a little further north in a zone 9b property.
Does anyone have advice with planting hydrangeas in Florida zone 9b?"
Martell at March 23, 2019 02:12 PM

Personally, I would rather take my chances with hydrangeas than with palms (unless they're in pots). But as you discovered the macrophyllas are not suited to a lot of sun in warm-summer climates. The color of the pink ones will be dependent on soil pH - in acid soil they may take on a bluer tone. Might it be possible to grow them in part shade in a big pot with the kind of soil you really want for them?

Posted by: KT at March 23, 2019 11:22 PM (BVQ+1)

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