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Everything posted by carolm
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My baptisia is being real pokey this year. All I see now are a couple of shoots about 4" long emerging from the ground. I don't remember it taking this long to get started before. Is this normal?
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I had one small cranberry bush viburnum that got attacked last year. Scouted daily for larvae, seemed to make it through the first onslaught and was flushing out again. Then came the second round from the adults. Seemed the only option was chemical controls. I replaced it with a clethra.
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Most likely spider mites. They like the dry winter house conditions. I've found either insecticidal soap spray will knock them down. If you don't want to go the chemical route, them spraying water instead will work, but you have to be perisistent with this method.
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monkshood? hard to tell without seeing the whole plant. or was that the point?
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I assume this was taken in mid-late spring?
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Yep, its finally starting to flush out. Never seen it take this long in the 20+ years that I've had it.
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My wisteria hasn't yet flushed out with either leaves or flowers. Buds are still tight although I see maybe 4-6 green shoots starting. Has anyone else experienced this? Wondering how long I should wait before I start cutting back dead wood.
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door number 1
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The top one.
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Insect hatches are usually tied pretty closely to growing degree days. MSU might have some info as to when mantid eggs hatch, and the number of growing degree days we've accumulated this season. (I've recorded around 90 so far but that's just in my yard).
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I'm no expert, but something is missing...
carolm replied to Digging in the Dirt's topic in Plants Indoors
must remember to buy grocery store bulbs.... -
Ivy is rooted in the ground and gets its nourishment like any other vine. Two potential problems with any kind of vines growing on trees is competition for sunlight--(leaves of vines shade out tree leaves), and the vines themselves girdling the tree as they get larger and thicker.
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Overwintering a Penstemon
carolm replied to Digging in the Dirt's topic in Flowers, Vines, Groundcovers
You could bury the pot directly in the ground and mulch it well. -
baptisia?
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Not used to looking at plants that closely, but maybe lily of the valley?
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Ah, forgot about goatsbeard! I think I like that better. Thanks, Margaret.
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Looking for a tall, (2-4'), perennial to put under my sugar maple. It would probably qualify for a part sun site but definitely dry due to competition from the tree. Came across solomon's seal, (Polygonatum biflorum), as a possible candidate. Anyone have experience with this plant? Its going to grown on an easement in a open bottom plastic pot sunk into the ground. Thanks!
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I've grown plumeria for a number of years and found a 1:1 mix of potting soil and perlite does the trick.
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I've found that a combination of yellow sticky traps and Azamax soil drenches help keep fungus gnats in check. But I'm convinced the problem started with the "organic" potting soil I brought. Guess it was organic in more ways then one.
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Starting New Guinea Impatiens from Seed
carolm replied to John Blair's topic in Flowers, Vines, Groundcovers
Probably just as important as light and temperature is timing. Start your seeds too early and you'll be dealing with mature plants weeks before they're able to be planted outside. You might be faced with the prospect of having to transplant them to larger pots, (which will take up much more space), or keeping them in the original containers and hope they don't get too stressed before the warm weather comes. -
I've heard they don't like citrus.
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Keeping bugs outside when plants return inside
carolm replied to Your Letters's topic in Plants Indoors
I've had good luck keeping the spider mites at bay on my plumies by giving them a good spray of insecticidal soap before I bring them in. Once inside, I use Azamax as a soil drench for the fungus gnats. Works ok, not as good as chemicals, (which I refuse to use inside a house that's closed up tightly). -
If you don't like the way the leaves look in the garden in spring, you could always pull them out to let things get started, then pile them back on in late May or June. I've done that before, mainly because I have things that I want to reseed. Shredding them might help keep them in place. Like Dsmith said, plants grow through a heavy leaf mulch in the woods all the time, and they do just fine.
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Additives in water okay for birds, wild things?
carolm replied to Janet Macunovich's topic in Wildlife in the Garden
Perhaps barley balls? I've seen them sold as a way to keep ponds clean.