What is happening in your garden right now?

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

Hmmm we have baby maples like weeds  all over. If you were near you could have one or a a bunch. 

Be careful with maples...we have a big one in the front yard and the roots are notorious for spreading EVERYWHERE. Almost my entire yard is a dense mat of maple roots just under (and in some place just above) the dirt. Made it SO hard to plant the flower beds because the roots are everywhere. 

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

 

Didn’t realize I am in Zone 9b too. I have tried growing blackberries successfully in my patio but have not tried blueberries. June is hot enough to bake cookies in a homemade pizza box solar oven. 

I'm zone 9b as well! 

[Pen]

12 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Be careful with maples...we have a big one in the front yard and the roots are notorious for spreading EVERYWHERE. Almost my entire yard is a dense mat of maple roots just under (and in some place just above) the dirt. Made it SO hard to plant the flower beds because the roots are everywhere. 

 

So true!  We also have a weed plum problem.  They are even worse than maples for taking over.  Italian prune type plums wher I don’t even like the fruit that much.  Plus they take a long time to reach fruiting— but rapidly cause dense mats of baby trees, much of which comes up from a single dense root mat.

 

[BlsdMama]

18 hours ago, Lori D. said:

First harvest!

I've been getting a small handful of blueberries every 4-5 days for the past 3 weeks from the 3 new blueberry plants I bought back in February and planted in a barrel. I scattered branches from the Christmas tree (I snipped and saved them when we took the tree down) around for mulch and to add acid to the soil. What a treat to be rewarded so soon!

Jealous.  We planted blueberries three years in a row.  Dead, dead, dead.  I've amended the soil to an unbelievable level of effort.  This year, when I thought they were all dead, I honestly questioned my sanity and whether I'd plant them again.  But, they are a remnant of our time in Oregon so I fight on, lol.  Plus, they are SO pretty in the fall and I love the idea of landscaping with food.  I have high bush on the West side of the garden and half-highs on the south side of the house. ❤️ I dutifully pulled every bloom off the healthy one this year so it could put more energy into the plant.  Crying crossed my mind.

 

17 hours ago, aggie96 said:

Man, I wish I could grow berries here. Last time I tried, it looked like a scene from Hitchcock in my yard. And the birds won.

If I can rig up some protection, I’ll try again. 

I’m jealous of everyone’s fruit trees, too. Why must they take so long to grow?! And carrots, broccoli, and the like. Why must they need more temperate climates?!

I was looking at a Pasta Primavera recipe online this evening to use zucchini and squash. Need bell peppers for it. Think I’ll plant some bell peppers in pots this weekend. 

They do take SO long - but just think, you'll STILL feel sad in five years.  Just plant a few this year and in 3-5 years, you'll be getting the first harvest instead.  We planted the first apple tree on Mother's Day the first year here, five years ago.  It will almost certainly have a "real" crop this year.  Then we added a few trees each year.  Grandpa always grew awful Iowa peaches (a pit and some skin essentially) and was certain I could not grow "real" peaches here.  He had a peach out of our first peaches the season before he died.  He really enjoyed that peach.  It's a very fond memory for me.


*LOL, I'm starting to realize how emotionally attached I am to growing things.  It's been a generational thing that I shared with my parents and especially my grandpa and now my kids.  I hate knick-knacks and don't love clutter, but no one should ever let me in a garden store.

[maize]

16 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

Jealous.  We planted blueberries three years in a row.  Dead, dead, dead.  I've amended the soil to an unbelievable level of effort.  This year, when I thought they were all dead, I honestly questioned my sanity and whether I'd plant them again.  But, they are a remnant of our time in Oregon so I fight on, lol.  Plus, they are SO pretty in the fall and I love the idea of landscaping with food.  I have high bush on the West side of the garden and half-highs on the south side of the house. ❤️ I dutifully pulled every bloom off the healthy one this year so it could put more energy into the plant.  Crying crossed my mind.

 

They do take SO long - but just think, you'll STILL feel sad in five years.  Just plant a few this year and in 3-5 years, you'll be getting the first harvest instead.  We planted the first apple tree on Mother's Day the first year here, five years ago.  It will almost certainly have a "real" crop this year.  Then we added a few trees each year.  Grandpa always grew awful Iowa peaches (a pit and some skin essentially) and was certain I could not grow "real" peaches here.  He had a peach out of our first peaches the season before he died.  He really enjoyed that peach.  It's a very fond memory for me.


*LOL, I'm starting to realize how emotionally attached I am to growing things.  It's been a generational thing that I shared with my parents and especially my grandpa and now my kids.  I hate knick-knacks and don't love clutter, but no one should ever let me in a garden store.

 

Growing things fills a real emotional need for me as well. My grandparents all came from farming families, my dad grew up on a farm and I spent my early years on the same farm. 

We moved to this house right years ago and my first fruit trees were planted within a month. I've also added more every year, though I am running out of space.

If someone wants an early producing fruit tree I recommend the Illinois Everbearing mulberry tree--grows quickly and produces delicious berries for most of the summer.

Edited May 9, 2019 by maize

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, BlsdMama said:

...We planted blueberries three years in a row.  Dead, dead, dead.  I've amended the soil to an unbelievable level of effort.  This year, when I thought they were all dead, I honestly questioned my sanity and whether I'd plant them again.  But, they are a remnant of our time in Oregon so I fight on, lol.  Plus, they are SO pretty in the fall and I love the idea of landscaping with food.  I have high bush on the West side of the garden and half-highs on the south side of the house. ❤️ I dutifully pulled every bloom off the healthy one this year so it could put more energy into the plant.  Crying crossed my mind.

😥 Oh SOOO sad along with you! I totally feel your pain. This is the third year I've bought and planted blueberries -- they need SOOOO much babying to make it here in the desert. Don't know if this batch will make it through the summer, so I'm probably celebrating prematurely, lol.
 

...I'm starting to realize how emotionally attached I am to growing things... I hate knick-knacks and don't love clutter, but no one should ever let me in a garden store.

Me too! Love the nurturing of living things -- plants, pets, and my little people (not little any more, lol).

[maize]

I'm another who has put a ridiculous amount of effort into blueberries with little return, our soil isn't right for them. I've got mine growing mostly in peat moss now, with lots of blueberry specific fertilizer. We'll see how they do this year.

[Lori D.]

7 minutes ago, maize said:

I'm another who has put a ridiculous amount of effort into blueberries with little return, our soil isn't right for them. I've got mine growing mostly in peat moss now, with lots of blueberry specific fertilizer. We'll see how they do this year.

I know. It's sort of sad to be so obsessed about growing a particular plant that just isn't suited for your area, isn't it... 🤪 Apparently this is my gardening MO: "But if I just try doing ________ this time, surely it won't die again!" 😂

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

 We planted blueberries three years in a row.  Dead, dead, dead.  I've amended the soil to an unbelievable level of effort.  This year, when I thought they were all dead, I honestly questioned my sanity and whether I'd plant them again. 

 

My friends and I plant berries in big terra-cotta pots. It is easier to control PH of soil that way. I also dump coffee grounds and tea from used tea bags weekly into the pots. My kids drink lots of tea while I drink lots of coffee so I have a good supply of spent tea leaves and coffee grounds. 

[Pen]

I’m in Oregon— excellent area for blueberries.  However, weather and blueberry blights have made it hard even here.  

However it is easier to grow blueberries than bananas here

Edited May 9, 2019 by Pen

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

My friends and I plant berries in big terra-cotta pots. It is easier to control PH of soil that way. I also dump coffee grounds and tea from used tea bags weekly into the pots. My kids drink lots of tea while I drink lots of coffee so I have a good supply of spent tea leaves and coffee grounds. 

YES! This gives me hope. I have my blueberries in a barrel, and regularly dump DH's coffee grounds on them. (:D

[Rosie_0801]

I moved the mesh covering to allow room for my lettuce to grow, and dd's chooks got in and ate it all! 😫
But there wasn't room enough for them to scratch it all up, so they should regrow. Luckily they are the loose leaf cos types.

[aggie96]

Ugh! That would be seriously frustrating!!!

[maize]

1 hour ago, Rosie_0801 said:

I moved the mesh covering to allow room for my lettuce to grow, and dd's chooks got in and ate it all! 😫
But there wasn't room enough for them to scratch it all up, so they should regrow. Luckily they are the loose leaf cos types.

Chickens are so helpful at times aren't they?

I was digging my garden this afternoon in preparation for planting and the chickens were making it almost impossible; in their eagerness to make sure they didn't miss a single juicy worm as it was dug up they were practically on top of my shovel.

The chickens will be relegated to one side of the yard away from the garden once I get it planted.

[maize]

I ordered these red sweet corn seeds and am looking forward to planting them:

https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/corn/corn-ruby-queen-hybrid-prod000673.html

[Arcadia]

40 minutes ago, maize said:

I ordered these red sweet corn seeds and am looking forward to planting them:

https://www.burpee.com/vegetables/corn/corn-ruby-queen-hybrid-prod000673.html

 

My kids would go for the Popcorn Strawberry, Full Season Suntava Purple Hybrid, and the Ornamental Glass Gem when we go to the Pumpkin Patches in autumn.

[ktgrok]

I don't think I shared the photo of our little butterfly garden yet - it's right outside our giant kitchen window so we can see it from the kitchen table. So far just bees and love bugs, and one blue jay eating the love bugs. We have had butterflies in the front bed though - on the lantana that is there. 

[ktgrok]

And some photos of the front of the house. 

[Kakids]

Ah gardens, I love seeing all the pictures.

I currently have:

• two bleeding hearts that have sprouted from last year's planting - can't wait to see how they grow
• no hostas sprouting in the front yard yet - north facing, so I guess there is still hope?
• three of the backyard hostas have sprouted!
• strawberries in the raised bed appear to be over achieving and already have flowers - we may get strawberries this year!
• none of the strawberries in the ground have sprouted yet
• the raspberry canes are still wrapped in the evergreen bushes - maybe I'll get those evergreens out this year. Eagerly anticipating raspberries, since they did berry last year.

 

[Lori D.]

We've had such an unusually mild spring here (it's usually 100˚ by this time every May), that plants are bustin' out all over!

1. Tomatoes -- the biggest yellow pear variety cherry tomatoes we've ever grown -- and tasty!
2. Blackberries -- only about the size of my pinkie fingernail, but at least I *got* some finally!
3. Cilantro -- from just 2 seedlings, the plants grew to be over 3 feet high, and now are a sea of blossoms that will turn in to coriander seeds.
4. Roses -- my iceberg climbing roses died last year, so I bought 2 bare-root replacements; they arrived in mid-March, and here they are 2 months later -- covered in green leaves, pushing out lots of buds -- and blooming!

What are your gardens doing now?

[scrapbookbuzz]

I'm seeing if I can salvage my rosemary plant. I didn't log when I was watering it so I'm pretty sure I OVER-watered it, even though
I know better. Plus, where I live I can't put it outside yet (too cold), so it doesn't really get any direct sunlight. May have to re-think this.
Or suck it up and be done with the experiment - had to grow my own herbs for the herbal course I'm in - finish the course and move on. 
Maybe, when I know where I'll be on a more permanent basis, I'll establish a container garden area in my house or rv with a broad spectrum light so it can get what it needs.

[mathnerd]

On 5/9/2019 at 1:25 PM, Lori D. said:

YES! This gives me hope. I have my blueberries in a barrel, and regularly dump DH's coffee grounds on them. (:D

another tip is to run your coffeemaker one more time without removing the used grounds. This gives a very weak and undrinkable brown liquid. Cool it, dilute it and water your citrus, berries etc. It immediately perks up the plants.

[Spy Car]

51 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

We've had such an unusually mild spring here (it's usually 100˚ by this time every May), that plants are bustin' out all over!

1. Tomatoes -- the biggest yellow pear variety cherry tomatoes we've ever grown -- and tasty!
2. Blackberries -- only about the size of my pinkie fingernail, but at least I *got* some finally!
3. Cilantro -- from just 2 seedlings, the plants grew to be over 3 feet high, and now are a sea of blossoms that will turn in to coriander seeds.
4. Roses -- my iceberg climbing roses died last year, so I bought 2 bare-root replacements; they arrived in mid-March, and here they are 2 months later -- covered in green leaves, pushing out lots of buds -- and blooming!

What are your gardens doing now?

 

 

We must be pretty close proximity. I hear thunder and it is about to rain. Crazy for LA in May.

I picked up four bush form Icebergs to plant today. That won't happen due to rain.

I also planted Iceberg climbers this Winter (not bare root) and they are going gangbusters.

This unusual wet California rainy season has been very good for the garden.

 

Bill

 

 

 

[Pen]

Sun and rain:

 

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Pen
Reached WTM photo limit

[Lori D.]

5 hours ago, Spy Car said:

... We must be pretty close proximity. I hear thunder and it is about to rain. Crazy for LA in May... This unusual wet California rainy season has been very good for the garden.

If you are in CA, then I am a state or two away... 😉 

Glad you are having a great spring too! Isn't it amazing having an actual spring this year, to see plants grow, bloom, fruit, take off! (:D

Edited May 23, 2019 by Lori D.

[maize]

My strawberries are happy this year, they seem to like the foliar fertilizer I am trying out.

I tasted my first honeyberry of the year. Not really ripe yet but I'm desperate for fresh garden fruit and it tasted good anyway. Honeyberries are so tantalizing because they turn blue a couple of weeks before they are really ripe.

The climbing rose by the house is blooming and my other roses are putting out buds.

[maize]

In other news I'm almost finished putting up a chicken fence so I can plant corn. I'm trying out a red sweet corn variety and a purple popcorn variety that is supposed to good when eaten young like sweetcorn.

[Pen]

 

16 minutes ago, maize said:

I tasted my first honeyberry of the year. Not really ripe yet but I'm desperate for fresh garden fruit and it tasted good anyway. Honeyberries are so tantalizing because they turn blue a couple of weeks before they are really ripe.

 

 

I’m interested in honeyberries.  I’ve heard they can tolerate more shade than blueberries.  Do you have any variety to recommend or tips about them?

[maize]

3 hours ago, Pen said:

 

 

 

I’m interested in honeyberries.  I’ve heard they can tolerate more shade than blueberries.  Do you have any variety to recommend or tips about them?

I planted my first honeyberries three years ago, got just a couple of berries last year, looks like there will be more this year. 

I have polar jewel, borealis, blue moon, and blue velvet. I think the one with fruit ripening is borealis; I like the fruit but haven't tasted others to compare, that's the only one of mine that has produced fruit so far (blue moon and blue velvet I just added last year; for me at least they seem to take a couple of years to start producing).

Mine get morning shade and afternoon sun.

Nurseries can usually suggest varieties that bloom around the same time as they need cross pollination.

[Spy Car]

5 hours ago, Lori D. said:

If you are in CA, then I am a state or two away... 😉 

Glad you are having a great spring too! Isn't it amazing having an actual spring this year, to see plants grow, bloom, fruit, take off! (:D

We are indeed. After so many years of drought, a real rainy season that still hasn't ended (rain in the forecast for this weekend) is amazing. Everything is green.

I did major replantings this fall. Ripping out thirsty lawns and replacing them with meandering gravel paths with mixed beds of mostly drought-tolerant plants. But, as you know, even drought tolerant plants need water to get established. By dumb luck, I picked the right year to re-plant.

Bill

 

 

 

 

[Lori D.]

18 hours ago, Spy Car said:

I did major replantings this fall. Ripping out thirsty lawns and replacing them with meandering gravel paths with mixed beds of mostly drought-tolerant plants. But, as you know, even drought tolerant plants need water to get established. By dumb luck, I picked the right year to re-plant...

Yea! I feel like I hit the jackpot, too. I've been digging out the weeds and Bermuda grass in our front and back yards for 5 years, and just this spring *finally* had it cleared enough to actually do some planting -- and everything is doing *great* with this extended cooler/wetter spring! (:D

It's so fun to know I'm "sharing" the same plants (the iceberg roses) with a fellow gardener even if it's long distance. 😉  I have a number of plants that came to me from friends who garden, and there's something so special about the generosity of sharing living plants with a fellow plant lover.

So enjoying this thread!

Edited May 24, 2019 by Lori D.

[aggie96]

My first successful corn!! Whoop! Already lost a squash and zucchini plant to fungus (oddly not so happy about last several weeks of rain with no sun). Waiting impatiently for tomatoes to ripen for salsa and ketchup. My first ever pumpkins growing (in sling and on trellis)! First watermelon growing (6 so far)! I had to let watermelons jump the beds and sprawl out on lawn. Peanuts going strong too! I eat a hand full of snap peas every day or so. Cherry tomatoes struggling for first time ever. Missing my garden crack. 😉

Anyone know if corn will produce more on same stalk? Or do I pull stalks out and plant more kernels? I would have staggered planting but didn’t have faith it would actually grow.

I love hearing about all the gardens!!

[Tree Frog]

7 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Yea! I feel like I hit the jackpot, too. I've been digging out the weeds and Bermuda grass in our front and back yards for 5 years, and just this spring *finally* had it cleared enough to actually do some planting -- and everything is doing *great* with this extended cooler/wetter spring! (:D

It's so fun to know I'm "sharing" the same plants (the iceberg roses) with a fellow gardener even if it's long distance. 😉  I have a number of plants that came to me from friends who garden, and there's something so special about the generosity of sharing living plants with a fellow plant lover.

So enjoying this thread!

I finally have a local friend who loves to garden. We've been sharing our gardens with each other this year and I've really enjoyed it!

If anyone would like to share plants, I keep having passion fruit vines pop up. I'd be glad to send the next one to someone for a trade. Just be aware, I planted one vine last year and have had about 10 pop up this year, so it would seem to be a fairly aggressive vine in the right climate!

[maize]

1 hour ago, aggie96 said:

My first successful corn!! Whoop! Already lost a squash and zucchini plant to fungus (oddly not so happy about last several weeks of rain with no sun). Waiting impatiently for tomatoes to ripen for salsa and ketchup. My first ever pumpkins growing (in sling and on trellis)! First watermelon growing (6 so far)! I had to let watermelons jump the beds and sprawl out on lawn. Peanuts going strong too! I eat a hand full of snap peas every day or so. Cherry tomatoes struggling for first time ever. Missing my garden crack. 😉

Anyone know if corn will produce more on same stalk? Or do I pull stalks out and plant more kernels? I would have staggered planting but didn’t have faith it would actually grow.

I love hearing about all the gardens!!

Wow beautiful produce!

Corn often (depending on the variety) produces more than one ear on a stalk but all ears are produced/ripen near the same time. If you don't see more ears growing on your stalk now then that stalk is done for the year and you can pull it out, you won't see new ears just getting started on a stalk that has already ripened ears.

Edited May 24, 2019 by maize

[aggie96]

Each stalk produced two ears, so I’ll pull them out this weekend. Peppers will be happy because the corn was crowding them. I might plant a couple more just for fun and some more corn later this summer. Wish I room for more though! I love garden corn!

[maize]

1 hour ago, aggie96 said:

Each stalk produced two ears, so I’ll pull them out this weekend. Peppers will be happy because the corn was crowding them. I might plant a couple more just for fun and some more corn later this summer. Wish I room for more though! I love garden corn!

You want to plant enough at a time that the pollen will fertilize well; corn is wind pollinated and every kernel has to be fertilized individually (that is what all those corn silk strands coming out the top of an ear are for--they catch the pollen, which comes from the tassels at the top of the stalk). Anyway, just a few stalks doesn't always give you enough pollen coverage for full kernelled ears to develop; you'll want to plant a decent sized patch.

Edited May 24, 2019 by maize

[maize]

In case it wasn't obvious I'm a bit passionate about corn. My farmer grandpa was known locally as The Corn King and I helped grow and sell sweet corn on the family farm when I was a kid. That's the background to my username 🙂

Edited May 24, 2019 by maize

[maize]

Since this is a homeschool board here is a unit-study-worthy explanation of corn pollination and fertilization:

https://www.aganytime.com/Corn/Pages/Article.aspx?name=A-Closer-Look-at-Corn-Pollination&fields=article&article=910

[El...]

I'm not gardening very much this year, but here's something I find fun: there were pansies in a basket last fall which died. Now there are pansies in the yard!  I dug a few up and put them back in the basket. 

[maize]

8 hours ago, elroisees said:

I'm not gardening very much this year, but here's something I find fun: there were pansies in a basket last fall which died. Now there are pansies in the yard!  I dug a few up and put them back in the basket. 

Volunteer plants are the best!

[maize]

What happens when desire to plant exceeds space to plant in: here is my parking strip.

Edited May 24, 2019 by maize

[aggie96]

Well, in honor of your corn passion and my corn crop, I will be eating ALL of my corn this weekend ala Texas style (side of steak)!  😬 No corn will be left uneaten! I pulled the stalks today, which was very sad because I want more.

My son has had so much fun watching everything grow since March. He doesn’t like to eat any of it (peanut butter and nuggets only kid 😡), but he has at least tried everything so far! That’s victory all day long in my book!!!!

[Spy Car]

On 5/23/2019 at 10:09 AM, Lori D. said:

Yea! I feel like I hit the jackpot, too. I've been digging out the weeds and Bermuda grass in our front and back yards for 5 years, and just this spring *finally* had it cleared enough to actually do some planting -- and everything is doing *great* with this extended cooler/wetter spring! (:D

It's so fun to know I'm "sharing" the same plants (the iceberg roses) with a fellow gardener even if it's long distance. 😉  I have a number of plants that came to me from friends who garden, and there's something so special about the generosity of sharing living plants with a fellow plant lover.

So enjoying this thread!

I must admit, I resisted planting Iceberg roses for a long time. I love white roses. In my area, Iceberg is so common one could almost say it is ubiquitous. 

So I went for other varieties. Several big climbers of Mme Alfred Carrier (a beautiful old French rose) and a lot of Sombreuile (a Wicherania climber with a beautiful old rose type form [flat and quartered], and a now-obscure hybrid tea from the 1940s (IMS) called Snowbird, among others.

I wanted something "different." 

Well, it took a while but it finally sunk in why Iceberg is planted everywhere in Los Angeles. It blooms like mad (no other rose I know comes close in its ability to put off flowers almost non-stop), and it is a tough plant. It is why even gas stations have beautiful plantings of Iceberg.

So, I've moved to the position "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I have 6 Icebergs to plant today. After I finish this post and my coffee.

I'm mixing the plantings with herbs like rosemary, lavenders, many types of sages, and catmint to create a drought tolerant version of a cottage garden.

I guess I've dawdled long enough. Off to plant.

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Innisfree]

3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Well, it took a while but it finally sunk in why Iceberg is planted everywhere in Los Angeles. It blooms like mad (no other rose I know comes close in its ability to put off flowers almost non-stop), and it is a tough plant. It is why even gas stations have beautiful plantings of Iceberg.

This is interesting, Bill, so I'm glad you mentioned it.

Iceberg is not ubiquitous in my area, but I got a couple of the climbing form from Aldi's this spring on spec. You're making me glad that I gave in to temptation. 

Do you find that the initial growth is very slender and delicate? This spring I got eight new roses, all bare root, from different suppliers, and the Icebergs are by far the least vigorous in appearance so far. They are healthy and growing, though not rapidly. I hope they'll end up doing as well as yours have.

Also-- any particular advice on growing rosemary well? I remember the pictures you posted a while back.

[Spy Car]

1 hour ago, Innisfree said:

This is interesting, Bill, so I'm glad you mentioned it.

Iceberg is not ubiquitous in my area, but I got a couple of the climbing form from Aldi's this spring on spec. You're making me glad that I gave in to temptation. 

Do you find that the initial growth is very slender and delicate? This spring I got eight new roses, all bare root, from different suppliers, and the Icebergs are by far the least vigorous in appearance so far. They are healthy and growing, though not rapidly. I hope they'll end up doing as well as yours have.

Also-- any particular advice on growing rosemary well? I remember the pictures you posted a while back.

The Iceberg climber is particularly nice IMO. I'm very fond of climbing roses. The bush form of Iceberg is ubiquitous in my corner of Los Angeles, but the climbing form isn't very common. You scored. Iceberg puts of flowers like no other rose. Expect the growth to become more substantial. It is a tough rose. The bush form will get quite large, although many people keep them very cut back. 

Rosemary is about the least demanding plant there is, so long as winters are not too cold (not an issue here). I did plant a few "Arp" rosemary plants this year that are said to be the about the most cold-hearty variety.

Rosemary does like free draining soil. Amend soil as necessary. Other than that is is almost carefree.

I'm tired, sore, dirty, and sunkissed. Many holes dug. Still, need amending. Too hot to plant now. I may have a mostly planted out bed this evening. Fingers crossed.

Bill

 

[Innisfree]

Rosemary in general is marginally hardy here, but Arp is supposed to be hardy, so that's the cultivar I planted. Yes, the soil is heavily amended to be well drained. So did you fertilize to get the growth in that picture? If I remember correctly, you'd grown those plants from cuttings, and that is just more growth than I'm used to seeing in a year. Maybe that's the difference between California and the mid-Atlantic. 

[Spy Car]

43 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

Rosemary in general is marginally hardy here, but Arp is supposed to be hardy, so that's the cultivar I planted. Yes, the soil is heavily amended to be well drained. So did you fertilize to get the growth in that picture? If I remember correctly, you'd grown those plants from cuttings, and that is just more growth than I'm used to seeing in a year. Maybe that's the difference between California and the mid-Atlantic. 

I never fertilize herbs. Not beyond what's in compost. 

Rosemary takes awhile to mature here. It was a common sage that grew into a big bush very quickly.

Bill

[Arcadia]

Not sure if the photo is iceberg roses but they are used everywhere here for landscaping. Husband, kids and I have been suffering from hay fever so we have been indoors as much as possible with the air purifier running.

[Spy Car]

13 hours ago, Arcadia said:

Not sure if the photo is iceberg roses but they are used everywhere here for landscaping. Husband, kids and I have been suffering from hay fever so we have been indoors as much as possible with the air purifier running.

 

Yep, that looks like Iceberg. In cooler weather, it will take on a little pink and then turn pure white.

Bill

[ktgrok]

I'd never heard of iceberg roses, but they had me at "nearly thornless", lol. Going to look for them. 

 

[Spy Car]

3 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

I'd never heard of iceberg roses, but they had me at "nearly thornless", lol. Going to look for them. 

 

I'd check with a good nursery about how Iceberg roses fare in your area.

It is my understanding that Iceberg is somewhat prone to both black spot and powdery mildew. These rose diseases can be controlled with means like spraying with Bordeaux mix, Neem oil, and other treatments. But it does raise the difficulty. Here in Los Angeles, we have a very low black spot pressure and this wet winter/spring is the first season when I've seen a little powdery mildew. It might not be as easy to grow Iceberg (or many other roses) in some locations. That you don't see it growing would make me want to know why before you plant heavily.

I did get a laugh yesterday. I was driving through a rougher area of town and in the median were planted a long section of Iceberg roses. The bushes were huge. 5 to 6 feet tall. Covered with blooms. Looked like they had zero care. Car traffic nearly grazed them, and they danced in the turbulence as vehicles past by. I thought of the forum discussion and wished to snap a picture, but...

Where Iceberg is happy, it is an unbelievably good rose. Here it graces everything from beautiful estates to 7/11s, gas stations, and street medians. Almost always in bloom. Very low care. It is an absurdly great rose. Just be sure that you are not in a black spot/powdery mildew hot-spot if you are not into battling rose diseases.

Bill 

PS I got the Phase One plantings of the bed I was working on this weekend finished yesterday. Then we got some light rain. That never happens in LA in late May. Everything is small now, but it is going to be very pretty. I put in 6 bush Icebergs (plus there is an Iceberg climber that's working up an arbor that spans this bed and another at our home's entranceway). I also planted 5 Mexican sage plants (that put off bold lavender flowers) and 3 Russian Sage plants that flower in a softer shade of lavender. Still, to come (Phase 2) I will add Walker's Low Catmint (more lavender flowers) and other herbs to grow as a ground cover between the roses.

I am so sore. But my wife is very happy. It is a "love letter" for her.

Bill

 

Edited May 27, 2019 by Spy Car