Mumsy's Romantic Garden Advice

[MumsyII]

rooting hydrangeas... just proceed as per your basic instructions for rootings? someone just told me they root well... My mom has two or three beautiful varieties. I think I'll root them now and decide where to plant them in the spring. Will they do ok with only afternoon sun or do they need all day sunshine to bloom well? should I keep them in the house over the winter or should I let them overwinter in a sheltered location?

ETA: I adore the picture of puppy girl. I'm so glad I'm not the only person who still played dress up as a teenager. I was more often the knight than the princess though. I even had a sword

Yes. Hydrangeas root as easily as most cuttings. Timing is everything. Too early and too late will not offer good results.

If you make coffee, save the spent grounds and toss over the root zone of blue varieties. The blue will intensify.

The Rodie in the picture is called 'Taurus'. Blooms in May. It's gotten huge over the years.

Shadow and Puppy Girl learned to play dress up from big sis. Queenie was always the actress and would develop elaborate make believe scenarios with her two little sisters. That Boy was pulled in until he hit the tween years and then made his escape.

I'm a seamstress of historical costume and my daughters were all my muse. Two of my daughters became stage actress's. It all began in the garden.

Shadow loved to play 'Juliet' in the wild garden.

 

[midnightroo]

Mass, I will have to try adding the chickens, though they are scared of the hose. Maybe they can come over after I have throughly watered the spot. This week is rainy, but I plan on spraying neem on everything this weekend to try and get a handle on a few gardening issues, one being the stink bug.

My neighbor gave me a hydrangea that the branch got too long and rooted itself since it touched the ground.

Mumsy is there anything you can't do? Gardener, chicken keeper, seamstress, wasp killer, just a jack of all trades.

A couple of photos that I thought might work for a tall border from the hotel we stayed at this past weekend. Don't know the name of them though the heart shaped tree and the evergreen I would like to know if anyone can Id them.

 

[armorfirelady]

Mumsy it seems we are all busy in our veggie gardens. I am so happy to be able to finally being able to pick cherry tomatoes as I work in the garden. They are so sweet right from the vine.

I dug up my potatoes today. Most of the green plants had died back. I found quite a few. Some were small but the big ones gave me hope I can do better next year. I found a couple yucky potatoes though. One I dug up was large but the inside was slimy, phlem like substance that STUNK horribly, I buried it quickly. I didn't even want to take a picture. :/. Here is a pic of the other problem I encountered as well.

This is how they looked when I dug them out. I didn't see any insects in the soil as I dug. Lots of giant earthworms tho. Anyone have any ideas what caused this? I also had some with holes in them. Both red & white varieties.

And I ink I figured a way to dry the sunflowers.
.

I tried drying them on the railing but the birds & squirrels were getting to them. They are hanging outside by my back door so I hope it deters them better. If not into the house they come. They are pretty hanging though.
My other sunflower varieties are at least 8 ft tall!!

And still growing!! They have flowers on top but they haven't opened yet. I am definitely saving some of these seeds for next year

 

[armorfirelady]

Sorry posted wrong potato pic.mthe above one is what I collected today. This is the one with the problems.

Oh and the sunflower pic? All that green you can see between the Lilly's and sunflowers is pumpkins. The potatoes were planted there first and the pumpkins grew over them
I took the pic from my deck and its about 3 ft off the ground......someday I will have my mom take a pic of me in front of them

 

[Kassaundra]

Mass, I will have to try adding the chickens, though they are scared of the hose. Maybe they can come over after I have throughly watered the spot. This week is rainy, but I plan on spraying neem on everything this weekend to try and get a handle on a few gardening issues, one being the stink bug.

My neighbor gave me a hydrangea that the branch got too long and rooted itself since it touched the ground.

Mumsy is there anything you can't do? Gardener, chicken keeper, seamstress, wasp killer, just a jack of all trades.




A couple of photos that I thought might work for a tall border from the hotel we stayed at this past weekend. Don't know the name of them though the heart shaped tree and the evergreen I would like to know if anyone can Id them.

At first they are a little leary of the hose, but as soon as they understand there are bugs and you aren't spraying them they warm right up to the whole idea.

You will discover some have more of an affinity for the whole hunt and eating the squash bugs, let those that really are good at it and like it be your squash bug buddies.

 

[MumsyII]

Mass, I will have to try adding the chickens, though they are scared of the hose. Maybe they can come over after I have throughly watered the spot. This week is rainy, but I plan on spraying neem on everything this weekend to try and get a handle on a few gardening issues, one being the stink bug.

My neighbor gave me a hydrangea that the branch got too long and rooted itself since it touched the ground.

Mumsy is there anything you can't do? Gardener, chicken keeper, seamstress, wasp killer, just a jack of all trades.




A couple of photos that I thought might work for a tall border from the hotel we stayed at this past weekend. Don't know the name of them though the heart shaped tree and the evergreen I would like to know if anyone can Id them.

Hah! After sixty years, I've tried a lot of hobbies. Some of them I kind of liked.

I love the looks of these plants in the three images but sorry. I don't know them. The one in the middle kind of looks familiar but not really sure what it is.

 

[MumsyII]

Sorry posted wrong potato pic.mthe above one is what I collected today. This is the one with the problems.

Oh and the sunflower pic? All that green you can see between the Lilly's and sunflowers is pumpkins. The potatoes were planted there first and the pumpkins grew over them

I took the pic from my deck and its about 3 ft off the ground......someday I will have my mom take a pic of me in front of them

The potatoes in the previous big picture look wonderful. Mine look like that too.

If you dug up a slimy stinking one, that is potatoe blight. The one that spread through Ireland in 1840 and caused famine. Don't put them in your compost pile or you will spread it. Don't plant potatoes in the same place next year or where you planted tomatoes this year. The splitting one's in this image are interesting. I wonder if that is from too wet or too dry soil? I haven't seen that before. They almost look like they were struck with a trowel or shovel while still growing in the ground.

 

[MumsyII]

Mumsy it seems we are all busy in our veggie gardens. I am so happy to be able to finally being able to pick cherry tomatoes as I work in the garden. They are so sweet right from the vine.

I dug up my potatoes today. Most of the green plants had died back. I found quite a few. Some were small but the big ones gave me hope I can do better next year. I found a couple yucky potatoes though. One I dug up was large but the inside was slimy, phlem like substance that STUNK horribly, I buried it quickly. I didn't even want to take a picture.

. Here is a pic of the other problem I encountered as well.

This is how they looked when I dug them out. I didn't see any insects in the soil as I dug. Lots of giant earthworms tho. Anyone have any ideas what caused this? I also had some with holes in them. Both red & white varieties.

And I ink I figured a way to dry the sunflowers.
.

I tried drying them on the railing but the birds & squirrels were getting to them. They are hanging outside by my back door so I hope it deters them better. If not into the house they come. They are pretty hanging though.
My other sunflower varieties are at least 8 ft tall!!

And still growing!! They have flowers on top but they haven't opened yet. I am definitely saving some of these seeds for next year

I love the string of drying sunflowers! What a great idea!

I've been out of action for a couple days. Had that great visit with Puppy Girl but a small insect bit the top of my bare foot and it has swelled twice the size of the other. I've tried icing it and various lotions and ointments. Looks pretty bad. Husband had me soaking it in hot water with Epsom salts and after three treatments today, can finally walk again. Itching and pain much lessened.

 

[Sally8]

Sorry posted wrong potato pic.mthe above one is what I collected today. This is the one with the problems.

Oh and the sunflower pic? All that green you can see between the Lilly's and sunflowers is pumpkins. The potatoes were planted there first and the pumpkins grew over them

I took the pic from my deck and its about 3 ft off the ground......someday I will have my mom take a pic of me in front of them

Several years ago I had this also. I haven't planted potato's since, until this year. I'll see how it goes. It certainly is discouraging.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Wonderful thread! This is my favorite type of planting. I like it wild yet cared for, dreamed not planned, and you have done a stunning job doing just that. There is so much here to soak up and learn from. I loved learning about cuttings and rooting hormones.

I'm trying to do something similar on a newly purchased two acres, but with mostly edible plants. There is a soldier line of crepe myrtles lining the drive. I know people in these parts think I'm a monster for wanting them dispersed, but I can't stand that look when it is on my own land. I think it looks nice elsewhere, but definitely is not for me!