Forgive me for all the questions but I'm just dying to know. If I ordered plants that are perennials are they going to bloom this year? I am interested in a lot of plants, but only if they bloom this year, otherwise I'll just buy some much cheaper seeds. Well, at least the ones that have seeds. If you need specifics I was interested in garden phlox, monkshood, dicentra, and astilbe.

Thanks,
Sarah

no need to apologize for asking questions!! better to ask than make a mistake (and waste some money, too boot!).

some perennials bloom the first year and others don't bloom until the second. if you're buying plants of the type that are second-year bloomers, they should bloom if it's the second year for the plant. most times, that's what you're getting (coneflowers come to mind...i've only seen them being sold with buds/blooms and they are a second-year bloomer). this might not hold true for mail-order places, tho. you'd have to ask them specifically.

i don't know about the 4 in question - i've never grown any of them...i got some astible seeds in trade, so i can answer about that one later this summer!

Start Astible and Phlox by division. Any of your choices will take at least three years to flower from seed and they may not produce plants of quality. Bleeding Heart does self-seed once its established. Watch for plant exchanges in your area. Lone Pine Publishing has a book titled 'Best Garden Plants for Kansas' that has background and suggestions.

Although monkshood is a beautiful plant, all of its parts are poisonous. Avoid it if you have children or pets. Adults should excercise caution when working around this plant.

I have a very well-established garden phlox plant. How would I go about dividing it?

Sarah, I usually divide my garden Phlox when the new growth starts to appear in the spring. First, I dig all the way around the plant and then lift the entire clump out of the ground. I use my spade (or sharp knife if it's a smaller clump) to cut the sections to the size I want. Then I look for any roots that may be damaged or dead and throw those away. I always have my new planting spot already prepared so I can get them in the ground as soon as possible. If I'm dividing my Phlox I try to do this on a day when it's overcast and cooler. After they're planted, I keep the soil well-watered while they're getting established so they don't dry out. Hope this helps!

Alrighty, I'll be watching that clump of phlox like a hawk!! Hey, can I do the same thing with my bee balm (monarda)? I bet I can....

When ordering mail order plants, pay close attention to the size they will be sending. Many are only in 3 or 4 in. containers and will probably not bloom the first year, or only bloom a little. These smaller sizes are easier to ship and may establish better in the garden. There are some mail order companies that ship quart and even gallon size plants which are older and should bloom the first year you plant them, but shipping can be outrageous. Personally, I would wait until you find them at Lowe's or Home Depot...both usually carry all the ones you mentioned in gallon containers for much less than you'd pay for a smaller size mail order.

There actually is a really nice nursery around here too. I don't know which plants are common and which aren't, so I'm left wondering if I need to order something just to get what I want. And the good part about ordering is that I can buy plants NOW and not have to wait. Lol. I am impatient for spring to get here. Especially since the weather is in the 60's and beautiful.

Sarah, I really wouldn't jump on this right away! I perfer to until the stems get a little stronger so I can see what I'm working with and also so I don't damage the delicate new growth.

Yes, you can do this with your Monadra and lots of your perennials (daisies, coreopsis, hostas, etc.). It's a great way to get lots of new plants for yourself and to share with friends.

Awwwwww, man. Rain on my parade. :p I guess I'll wait...

Sarah, this just my preference for my Phlox. It's a different case with my hostas because I always divide them when I see the little tips coming out of the ground and I do the same thing with my daylilies.

By the way, I usually don't order any plants in the mail because I hate to pay the shipping and handling charges. Besides, I've found that many of the nurseries around here will have the same plants and even though they are a little higher it's not much difference than it would be with the shipping charges. :rolleyes: Plus, I get to see what I'm buying and pick the one I want.

Sara -
Now is the time to visit your local nursery. They have the time to answer your questions. Take your list and find out what they carry or what they can order. For items they can't supply, look to mail order.

Sometimes I feel so silly. I always assumed that nurseries were closed this time of year! I think I'll do that tomorrow, I already have a good idea of what I want. I better write it down though, I always forget stuff when I need to remember it.

Sarah, since you mentioned in your "Mail Order" thread that you were going to a nursery tomorrow. Why don't you just print out your Garden Layout and take that with you tomorrow. They may be able to offer some valuable input.

The nursery carries almost everything I want! That is great. It all costs a little more than what the mail-orders wanted per plant, but this way there is no shipping-shock. Plus I went by walmart and found some "bare root" bleeding hearts. I don't know how well they'll do, but I'm hoping a few of them survive.

Sarah, I got all my 'Bleeding Heart' plants at Wal-Mart and they did great!

I didn't even open the bag. I'll have to peek in there now that you mentioned that!

Patches, what do you have near your bleeding heart? I love the B. Heart and the Japanese Painted Fern and I'd like them to be the "focal point" of the garden, but I've read that the b. heart dies out shortly after blooming.

There is no "green" on the b. hearts. But a few have about 2 inches of old growth that is yellow/white. Should I pot them up or put them outside now?

Sarah, I have hostas, ferns, and astilbe near the bleeding heart. One of the ferns is my Japanese Painted fern. Yes, unfortunately, the Bleeding Heart does die shortly after it blooms

Sarah, I guess it's still pretty early to see any green on yours since they probably just got them in. Geesh, I don't what your ground is like in Kansas, but I live in Illinois right across the river from St. Louis and our ground is very wet and really mushy like a sponge since all the snow is melting. Now, I'm worried that all this water is going to rot my bulbs. We have thunderstorms predicted for Saturday so that means more rain.

The ground here is saturated. I guess in Western KS they are having severe flooding because the ground is so saturated that there is nowhere for the melting snow to go. We're supposed to have T-storms on Friday and Saturday. Why is it, my first saturday off in 6 months and it's going to rain?? I'm hoping that it doesn't so my hubby can get me some manure to till into my garden!

Places like the Walmart give one a good idea of which Perennials bloom .
They are usually selling the blooming ones come spring.....
Lots if lovelys at good prices.. I have gotten them .

Go look and make notes, they carry what is in your area.

Hey, Sarah, I was just wondering if you're only planting flowers in your garden or will you be planting any vegetables? Are you planning on using fresh manure? I have never used fresh manure in any of my flower beds, but I did use some aged manure when I put in my Shade Garden.

When I took a Horticulture class, at the college two years ago, we were told that fresh manure tends to be much too strong and raw for most growing plants, since it contains a lot of available soluble nitrogen in the form of ammonium or proteins. Most raw animal manure contains the wrong form of nitrogen and the wrong form of bacteria from the original animal's digestive tract and this can burn or kill plants because it is too hot for gardening use. Plus, fresh manure also contains too many complex undigested materials like pathogens, or NaCl salts from animal feeds that may harm plants or soil organisms. So, I always prefer to use my own compost because it has all of these things broken down and digested by aerobic microbes, and I know my compost will never burn or kill my plants. I'm not an expert on manure, but this is what I have in my notes, and I did get an "A" in the class!

We were also given links to some important information sites for our research. So if you're going to be planting any vegetables, maybe you should check out this link to a site for Washington State University regarding the dangers of using livestock manure in the garden.

http://gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/compost/manure/manure2.htm

I'm going to be putting down some fresh manure and tilling it in. It will, however, be waiting the recommended 6 weeks, so that it has the chance to mellow. I consider my garden, until mid-april to early may a giant compost pile. It's got lots and lots of leaves and just needs some greens to convert it into something usable for my plants. My veggie garden (also getting fresh manure) doesn't include carrots (which never grow for me) or radishes that I'm going to eat (just to ward off cuke bettles) which is what that site said were the most "at risk" group. I was going to grow lettuce but if I put down the manure it won't grow, so I may just have to wait until fall. Thanks for the reminder and extra info!

Land of Oz

You should put the fresh manure on it in the winter..No smell later .

Good point dodge. I probably would have too, only we just got the truck this week. The hubby doesn't like the idea of manure in the car trunk for some reason...

LANDofoz

I am a farmer and we don't have to use the truck. Tractors.. I dont think I would like using the truck for fresh......

He is correct.. I use rotted down manure in my gardens........It really makes a difference in the soil....My flowers show it ..
little bit of Lime in the fall also helps.

barb