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Sorry, I should have thought of that with your high post count. I very seldom go to either of those forums.
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The 2020 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...
- Thread starter annr
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No need to be sorry..
So with this quarantine crap I decided to order seeds and try to do the bulk of my garden this year from that. We'll see how it goes. So far everything looks pretty good except the Zinnia's. They grew fast to about 3" and fell over.
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Trusty Zinnias shouldn't disappoint you even if direct seeded when danger of frost is past. I've got packs of them again this year, some compact some tall. Along with perennial gaillardia, they should colour up the garden until last frost ... in my experience. Zone 4a here.No need to be sorry..
So with this quarantine crap I decided to order seeds and try to do the bulk of my garden this year from that. We'll see how it goes. So far everything looks pretty good except the Zinnia's. They grew fast to about 3" and fell over.
..
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Those are REALLY nice. I can't seem to grow zinnias very well in East Tennessee. It isn't long after planting that you see the impact of powdery mildew and other fungal issues. I have tried treating them with a fungicide but the results were less than spectacular. The real small ones seem to do okay in general. I have some to plant again this season (plants from store). The reason is that my wife likes zinnias.Yeah last year was my first experience with them. I bought already started plants and put them in a variety of larger pots. They did very well and lasted all season. I'm in zone 6a here..
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The last time I covered things I used newspaper. My Dad used to do that with tomato plants. It works. But if it's windy, it can be a problem unless you weigh it down with dirt or rocks. But generally I use whatever is handy.Corns coming up and of course had frost last night .
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I think the trick is to allow the new seedlings to develop a fairly good root system and things hold together better. But there are always a few that crumble and you loose them.... and I swear that I will never plant seeds in tiny plastic squares again, not even to start them. Too much loss on transplanting to larger pots. Also, the weather was so miserable outside where I did the transplanting that I rushed ... and lost the tomato labels. Yikes, the tomatoes I will be harvesting will be interesting, and perhaps even unidentifiable
My sister is at the Smoky Mts NP today.... as soon as it opened on Saturday May 9th, they made the trip from PA. Guess you can tell they love it there. She texted me this morning that they saw 19 bears yesterday afternoon and evening. 12 were mother with 3 cubs each.... that adds a lot to the totals. But a bear is a bear as far as I'm concerned. I will be going on Tuesday to spend the day and you don't know how much I am itching to do this. I have a plumber coming to my house tomorrow (Monday) to do some stuff that I am not very handy doing. I have a great deal of problem soldering copper pipes where they don't leak and it's something that I don't do very often. So, I'm going to spend the bucks and let a "pro" do it. These pipes that need attention are inside my house (bathrooms) and leakage means wet floors and wet walls and ceilings.
We had a very unusual light frost this morning (May 10th) (roofs mostly). My sister told me that the Smoky Mts are capped with snow... that's very unusual for early May to say the least.
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Yeah ... the tomatoes at their tallest were around 10 inches and just teetering in those tiny containers. Always, always plant too many. This year I will pay attention to seed collection and won't feel so obligated to plant all the seeds in a given package. Just because there were 10 seeds per packet and I ordered 3 varieties ... yikes - look at the math. Forget window space, I don't have that many friends to give all the extra plants to
I lost most of my ruby slipper coleus plantings to the cold overnight chill - these were raised from cuttings from last year's plants. So I am trying to root more cuttings from the main plant. These are so easy to root that I kind of resist having to buy new ones.
With these freezing temps and nasty winds, all my plants are hanging out inside until spring actually arrives.
It's great that your sister saw so many bears ... and hoping your luck for sightings is good again this year. Enjoy the day
I lost most of my ruby slipper coleus plantings to the cold overnight chill - these were raised from cuttings from last year's plants. So I am trying to root more cuttings from the main plant. These are so easy to root that I kind of resist having to buy new ones.
With these freezing temps and nasty winds, all my plants are hanging out inside until spring actually arrives.
It's great that your sister saw so many bears ... and hoping your luck for sightings is good again this year. Enjoy the day
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Do you think it’s too late to start zinnias from seed? Those are so appealing!
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Not at all ... I'll be planting directly into the garden after the 24th May (last frost date) or possibly sooner and expect lovely colour for perhaps end June to killing frost.
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You move yet? I think you could start the zinnias now and plant when they are large enough. If you're jumpy about getting them, pick up a couple store bought plants and add your own later to the plantings.
I have quite a few flowers to plant right now that I haven't gotten to yet. Probably will pick up some of usual Lantana soon. Probably going to buy smaller plants this year to save some coin. Hoping not to spend the usual $100-$125 for them this year.
Taldesta, shame about the coleus. I only have one that I grew from cuttings from last year and I haven't planted it yet in the beds. May just do a pot...?
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New interpretation of decadence - up to the elbows in garden dirt
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I looked up the definition of "decadence" to confirm the meaning. Not sure how it relates in the sentence to be honest. We do need hope. Things are beginning to roll forward to a new normal now with the covid-19 virus issue. Now we have Hepatitis E appearing in Hong Kong sourced from rats. What's next?
The gardening thing is a good diversion, but I need to get out more even with the virus. I'm very protective of myself.
The gardening thing is a good diversion, but I need to get out more even with the virus. I'm very protective of myself.
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It is over cast and cool here in central Okla. I set my container plants out on the patio about 3 weeks ago.
I don't do much vegetable gardening anymore, just a grape tomato in a 20 gal pot. Hopefully there will be enough
tomatoes for the wife and I plus the squirrels. I do love this time of the year.
I don't do much vegetable gardening anymore, just a grape tomato in a 20 gal pot. Hopefully there will be enough
tomatoes for the wife and I plus the squirrels
. I do love this time of the year.
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I haven't moved.
In fact, I've hardly moved off the dime. We have been living under a stay at home advisory for about 2 months. I don't think I'll be going to the store for plants, or much else, for the foreseeable future. If anything, I will purchase the seeds online. (I don't think my gardening is an essential service.)We do have a few returnees from last season that are plugging along. The phlox is abundant. The strawberries came back, wondering if they will bear fruit again.
We'll see, there have been too many things with a higher priority or more urgency--even though growing one's produce would be great. Fingers crossed. Stay safe.
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That is a bummer. I could see that happening if it get all the way down to freezing rather than just a frost. At least you have time to replace them.Even covered the frost killed my tomatoes .
To me, I would head back there with my receipt and get it changed but I don't live far from a Lowes. It is the principle of things. I would take a picture om cell and carry my receipt back at my next visit more than likely rather than a special trip unless I needed something.
The other day in Walmart I bought some WM brand wheat thins.... the price was supposed to be $0.98/box. For some reason I had the cashier check the price and it rang up higher. I told him they were $0.98. Called a manager type over and he checked pricing on his cell... not $0.98, and was the higher price. I told him I'm pretty sure of the price.... anyway, I paid and I walked back to the cracker area and I was right. Pulled the tag and carried it back to the cashier... said I had to go to customer service for a refund/credit..... pain in the butt. But out of spite, I did it. You really need to pay attention to the prices that are rung up on things and especially things that are listed as "on sale" or in WM terminology, price reductions.
Do mention it if they ring up a lower price? Yep.