A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Preparing for the 2006 garden

Last year I didn't know that by the time potting soil and seeds arrived in our stores it was already well past the time I could start my seeds indoors. So determined that I wouldn't get caught out again I have done my composting and seed buying now before all the supplies dry up in this area. And today two of my seed orders came in. One with some spring flowers that are frequently out of stock that I want to try planting indoors in early winter since they are early spring bloomers in zone 7a. And then some plants that can be planted out in the fall in this zone. So now I have approximately 40 difference species of seeds for my garden. I'm so proud. I bet you can tell that right?

so far I have over 44 species of plants for my garden. That seems incredible to me but there are 16 varieties out there all ready and it is a very skimpy garden so I guess all these additions are necessary lol.

did I say 44 species of plants? How about 62 lol. And I'm still trading lol. It's an addiction lol.

I so know what you mean! I cannot wait to get my garden in. I should be ready for a trade list soon and will be planting seeds this week in the house!

As for what I am doing to get ready for all the new plants... I just put in a border 5 feet into the new garden area. (its about 3-4 feet wide) and pulled 3 stumps out of that area that were some kinds of invasive privots or some such thing. Ugly and glad to have them GONE!

In the end my new area should be about 100-150 feet in length and from 3-5 feet wide depending on the area.

Same here, I've extended some garden beds, I am going to dig a new area for one behind my house because we took out a little patio now it's bare.

I purchased some peat moss half price this week, so I'll put that away for spring, going to pick up some fertilizer next week also for the spring. I like buying ahead that way when spring comes I am ready to plant and I don't have to spend money on all the small things.

I like the fall weather, no flies. I also like going to look at the fall bulbs, gonna have to buy some for that new garden area. My house faces north east so it's shade all the time. This new area will face south, no one will hardly see it but I'm crammin every colourful flower I can find in it. the back will lokk better than the front, hosta's only come in so many shades of green.

Hey tamara,

Burpees has a miniature snapdragon that seems to like the shade just fine and with your cooler temperatures you should get a really nice spring and fall bloom out of them. They bloom over and over again unlike their bigger cousins. Just a thought for your shady area. You don't have to stake these because they fall over and create like a 4 inch bush. That then just gets covered in blooms. I have mine planted in groups of 4 so they really create a bushy appearance when they fall over.

Also I got seeds for the lobelia 'cardinal flower' and 'chrystal palace' both of which are suppose to be shade plants with pretty flowers. I'm not sure about their zone appropriateness for you but just some thoughts about shade loving plants that have nice blooms.

Thanks tkhooper, I have astilbes, bleeding hearts and a few others but I'd like something within the pinks. My house is white and grey. Are snap dragons multi coloured?

Yes they are. I only have the red and yellow and one package of multicolored that I ordered from burpees. Next year of course I'll have all the colors I hope. I think they don't come in any blue shades but all the rest are represented.

It's funny you should mention pink. when I first got to the forum in March I didn't like pink and was very verbal about it. But what I've found after a season of seeing the beautiful flowers in garden chat and my own pink flowers is that I like pink. I have pink in my portulaca, celosia, dianthus, zinnia, holihocks, and may even have one of the pastel pink christmas roses. That pack is an assortment so it's hard to know exactly what will come up. And there are probably others that are pink as well that I haven't discovered yet. The only one in that group that would work in the shade is the christmas rose. And it is suppose to bloom in winter. And from seed can take up to 18 months to sprout. I'm finding that I have several seeds that fall into that sit and wait category lol.

There are some pretty shades of pink. I want multi-colored flowers. I cant wait, I have already planned where I want diffent plants and if they do well, it well be massive color explosion.

Malinda

lobelia 'chrystal palace' are blue and like shade and the coral bells are comming out with new hybreds every year they like shade and the foliage is the color producer so you have the color for a very long time.

I also like the double bloom impatiens. I got some seeds for the red this year but it also comes in the white and I believe a pink color. They are also a shade plant and being an annual they have a very long bloom time which is great.

The Forum also have a listing of shade loving plants that you can look up on the google. There will be plenty of plants there that you can research for just what you are looking for.

Thanks, the prettiesst pink is from my ruffled columbines. Today I got my fall fertilizer for the lawn. I wanted mums also but they only had yellow left and I have enough yellow, so I'll have to wait.

It's pouring rain, I'll start on the new bed this week coming.

ruffled columbines sound gorgeous I'll have to look them up on the image goggle. I really like the columbine and wish that they lasted longer than they do. It's hot enough in zone 7a that they don't last long here before they go dormant.

Well unfortunately for me I didn't accomplish anything towards my 2006 garden today. But I have high hopes for tomorrow lol. I still have some seeds on order that haven't arrived yet.

I've been working on my south lot again - it's one of those projects that's supposed to be the 'last time' for the year.

I weeded, raked, weeded, raked and piled my rakings in behind some logs and also layed them over big bare spots that were recessed, just to try and feed the soil.

When we do the big raking job in November, I'm going to put leaves over it and flatten it down, water it well and let it feed the soil in the winter.

Then some topsoil come spring.

They had 20 bags of topsoil on for 15 bucks, but I didn't get any - spreading 20 bags of topsoil is just too much like work right now. I might even get somebody to do it.

I know it won't be Jeff 'cause he wouldn't hear of it.

Heh! Heh!

I got a lot of wild plants transplanted in spots and took from my table garden - a lot of stuff there this year. All that seeding I did over the winter maybe? Yeah, maybe . . . well, I'm not 'farming' in the office this year. I've promised myself I'm getting back to my writing.

I think I have to stay outta' that gardening for a couple of days - I seem to have developed some kind of muscle problem in my leg - very bad cramps twice today. I've just taken a muscle relaxer (Oxy somethin' or other). Jeff had them when he went through the kidney problem in spring.

It worked - I took one, drank water and heated up some tea. By the time I put milk in the tea, the pain was gone.

I think I can sleep now.

There's a good book I'm into (a non-fiction - power consciousness kinda' thing). So maybe I'll hole up in my bed tomorrow with that.

Carly. don't ya just love this cool refreshing weather. I find that I get so much done in the fall. Daughter is buying me a bagful of bulbs for my birthday, so now I get to plan out where to put them all. Yippee.

I'm the one that's always in the garden, teen daughter is the writer in the family. She has had a dozen articles published in the newspaper and three years ago she had a poem published in 'Treasure chest', it's a book published for the poetry institute of Canada. I am after her to send in some short stories to another magazine. I think that becoming a writer is the most wonderful thing.

Now that I'm done rambling on, take care of that leg Carly and enjoy the Oxycontin.

Well if I can somehow twist my hubbys arm, I'd like to have him dig up a new bed for me that will be specifically for bulbs....Wish me luck with that...LOL He likes have grass in the yard, and I like having more flowerbeds.....

lol Good luck Loz.

Loz if we were neighbours I'd be in your yard with my shovel. I could dig all day.

Well today I managed to get about one and a half buckets of compost out of the bin and put them on the shady slope where I want to plant the christmas roses. That will be so pretty if I can just get the soil ready in time.

I got my fall fertilizer spread, harvested everything out of my garden, tomorrow is canning and pickling day. This week I'll get that new garden bed dug(hopefully). Today DH and I are off to the woods to get the last of our wood cut then that has to be split next weekend.

It rained the last few days so that threw me off schedule. It's so cold here 41*F (5*C for my fellow canucks). We had frost again. I've got to get my bulbs planted by the end of this month.

Good luck with all your plans. It sounds like you are going to be very busy.

loz,

On boyfriend's 'Honey Do' list is to at least cut out the sod in a 2'x 20' strip out front for early tomatoes. He's ok with the lack of grass, less of it for him to mow, it's just getting him out there to cut the sod out after a long summer of yard work that will be the challenge. Funny thing is, it's no effort for him to shovel the S-N-O-W off the driveway. Crazy Canuck..

Cheers,
Julianna

I am soooo excited (doesnt take much, I know) but this is really exciting stuff. Yesterday I found out I have spider lillies in the yard, unfortunately they are hidden in this back area of our yard, but they are really pretty. My husband laughed at me because I saw this pretty flower, hurried up and wiped off my body, (I was in dirt, messing with compose, real dirty) turned on the computer and did a web search and found out what they were. There are alot of them. What a pleasant surprise

Malinda

That is a really great suprise. And since they bloom later in the year it'll help with the 4 season garden if you decide to try to have something blooming or at least interesting through out the year.

My big excitement is topping off my roma tomatoes and getting cuttings. I so hope they root. Then I would have a really early start for my tomatoes next year. Of course finding a place for them in the house is going to be interesting lol. But then that's part of the adventure.

Dont tell me we can take cuttings off our tomato plants? I never knew that -- TK I need to borrow your brain just for a week so that I can extract all your information -- I can send a sasbe.



Malinda

Hey Malinda,

You want papito, or Bills or Will Creeds or obwans brain not mine. Mine is disfunctional on it's good days lol.

Up in the veggie room under ""Dim Bulb" Question" I asked if it were possible and Papito came up with the information necessary to do it. I took 4 cuttings this morning but two already appear to be wilting so it maybe too hot or I may have waited to long to do it. According to the information provided it should be done in July and August I guess right before it fruits maybe?

As you can tell I'm a beginner and not exactly sure what I'm doing lol. But I have my fingers crossed.

I just reread your post and got a chuckle out of it. I never thought about sending my brain off to visit without the rest of me. But that would save the 3 days of bedrest when I arrived. I don't travel at all well.

Papito provided the link and the info up in veggies I think you'll find all the information you need there to try it. I wish you the best of luck. If I wasn't already in my nighty I'd probably go check my cuttings one more time today lol.

Well I live in a nice secluded area, so you would probably go bonkers, like I did moving here at first. I am used to the metropolitian "city" area, but now I am getting used to the slower ways of life

TK, I sent you a message in another post asking if you want some red spider lillies I found in my yard. You were so kind with your seeds you sent me, I would love to share some bulbs with you, just let me know or email me.


Malinda