Summertime And The Gardener's Are Busy

In the mist of our second storm. Last night a tornado went through Burlington New Jersey and ripped up trees and damaged homes. We had heavy rain, winds, thunder and lightening. While watching the news tonight it showed the damage. I've been blessed where I live and have never had a tree uprooted or damage due to a storm. Hopefully round 2 won't produce any tornadoes. Philly is having another heat wave. The temperatures are supposed to cool off tomorrow and the next few days. Maybe I can get something done outside then. Today I came home from the garden center and deadheaded some flowers, swept the sidewalk and took some pictures outside. When I came inside I was soaked and wet even wearing light cotton clothing. The weather has been brutal. The plants and flowers are actually surviving except the black eyed Susan I planted against my better judgement. It's alive but looks horrible. Such a beautiful plant to loose. I hope the roots live and it comes back in the spring. I will probably pull it before my front is judged for the garden contest and put one of the perennials I just bought in it's place for the day. Come on people in contest do this all the time. First I have to keep them alive without planting them in the ground until judging.

The yellow coneflower in the bed, my favorite will be disposed of due to aster yellow. Don't really want to throw it away but my book on perennials says that aster yellow can be transmitted to other plants and why risk everything in the bed for one plant. Surely the judges will see that the plant has aster yellow. Coneflowers can be planted in the same spot without transmitting the disease according to what I read. I bought 2 others on sale today. Actually to me, they weren't on sale because last week when I went to the garden center one gallon coneflowers were only $9.00. Today they were I guess one quart in size. I bought them because perennials are now getting scare with the nearing of the end of the season. I missed out on ornamental grass in large tubs I planned on buying today. They were sold out and I don't think there will be any more of them until next season. Around the end of September last year I did get plants dirt cheap and will look for some around the same time this year. I go to look at plants enough to not miss anything. Hopefully whatever I plant in the fall will survive unlike last fall when most of the perennials I planted didn't survive our harsh winter. Can't blame myself for the weather.

In a weeks time the sweet potato vine has started to take over and trail down the planter. It also has new growth in another direction. My daughter will hate this. She complains every summer that she can't get up the steps for the flowers. It would be ugly if she damaged my sweet potato vine. She knows how I feel about my plants. Just joking. I picked my first 2 tomatoes today. I looked out the window and saw the plants bent over from the storm last night. A large part may not survive but plenty of the plant will. The elephant ear is growing larger by the day. I love it. It will need to be dug up in the fall and stored until spring and hopefully survive for another year.

It's like it grew over night and I can't capture how large the leaves are.

Of course I have to show my dragon wing begonia seedling. Growing bigger, no bloom yet though.

The canna doesn't look pretty in the pot, oh well. It couldn't be in the center. I have one in bloom in the yard. Wonder how long it will take for this one to bloom. Will save the one in the yard to squeeze in some where if it's still in bloom when the judges come.

The impatiens are doing well.

I just knocked all the soil and plants out of the pot on the bottom step. My daughter might have sat on the steps and moved the pots because they are not in the place where I put them.

Chocolate covered cherry coleus seedling. Not as pretty as I thought it would be. I won't order this seed again. I do tend to like darker coleus's.

Creme brulle coreopsis is living. Hopefully the daisies are in bloom for a while.

Poor thing. The canna looks bad too. A waste of money but I did it.

She had a slow start but not now.

Look how thick the stalk is.

My coleus seedlings still not planted. I should have kept them inside for house plants. Too late. I don't like to bring plants inside once they've been outside.

Hosta still not too damaged from slugs, heat, and lack of water.

Bleeding heart still surviving in the heat.

First red cherry tomatoes to go in my salad tonight.

Gladiolus. I don't normally like them but the color drew me and they were really cheap. I need to put them in a larger vase.

Veronica for out front when something dies probably the black eyed Susan. It's pale pink.

First Year of Blogging

June has been one year since I started blogging. I must say that I've enjoyed it and hope to continue for as long as health and interest allow me. If I could freeze the year 2013 I would because my mother would still be with me. No manner of imagination could prepare me for her leaving. When I plant bulbs for spring and they bloom, I will think of her since she passed in the spring. How are your gardens doing in the heat of summer? I love gardening. I'm like a child in a toy store when spring comes and I can go to the garden center and look at the new arrivals. I want some of everything, but of course I can't buy everything. That's where seed starting comes in. I can abate some of the cost by trying to start some of my plants from seed. Last season was not a great success for maintaining seeds until time to plant out. Winter sowing was not successful at all. I tried, learned and will try again in the winter. My methods were surely the problem not the seeds.

This fall and winter I don't plan on buying seed starting mix only pellets. Fungus gnats were a nuisance and the cause of most of the seedlings not making it until maturity. If a small hole is in any bag I believe gnats may be able to get in. I don't want any new soil or bagged medium in the house. I tend to under water not over water so I don't believe too much watering was the cause of the gnats. Since I buy houseplants throughout the year I believe that gnats come into my house in the soil on other plants. I will have to work on this and try to spray and water the soil with insecticidal soap before allowing them to come into the house. This summer I plan to start watering the house plants with this in the hope that any that may remain in plants now will be killed. Wish me success.

No pansies will be started in July. I want to get the houseplants ready for winter, clean up the seed starting station, buy new light bulbs, and disinfect all containers I plan to use when ready. Already looking forward to pansies arriving in October. End of season seed sales will keep me busy selecting seeds I'd like to start for next season. I think I will stick to the basics that I normally like and work for me; coleus, geraniums, petunias, vinca, and now begonia. I would like to start begonia in October or November since they take so long and want larger seedlings when it's time to plant out. 

It's hard to believe that fall will be here soon. Life brings changes, and people and living things age with each passing year, seasons will continue to come and go. Each day is a chance to make a difference. Thank you for all who took time to view this blog and to all who left comments. I look forward to continue viewing your blogs.

Don't Plant Perennials in the Heat

I planted the tickweed and black eyed Susan vine today against gardening recommendations not to transplant perennials in the summer heat. Do as experts recommend not as I did. They looked beautiful when planted and watered. Later in the day I was sorry. Can't wait to go outside tomorrow and see what they look like. I was anxious to get them in the ground an acclimated before the garden contest. In the future I will follow recommendations and not plant them or wait for a cloudy or cooler day. Looked pretty when I finished though but I'll be upset if they die. Hyacinth vines were also planted on the trellis, one small salvia that my sister gave me yesterday, and the red salvia was moved to another location. It didn't seem to be thriving in the spot it was in. Didn't want to but the blooms on the lambs ears was deadheaded and I deadheaded some other plants and it actually looked even neater than yesterday.

Can't wait to see how the daises do in it's second year. I had some before that took over the flower bed. Didn't know then what I know now and that shouldn't be a problem this time. Waiting for the canna to get taller and bloom. Last year the one in the yard didn't bloom until September.

Undecided as to deadhead them or not. Looks like aster yellow to me. I hope not because I will have to get rid of the whole plant.

And Then There Was Light

Ninety-four degrees today with blowing winds. Started working in the front, day 2 and moved to the back. My yard is extra shaded this summer due to Norway maples hanging over the yard from my neighbors trees. In the fall I hope to have the branches cut on my side but until then, I'm the tree lady. Got my pole and cut the branches that were hanging too low.  Almost broke my neck on a small 3 step ladder when one branch fell on me and I thought of caterpillars. They were on the tree as I thought. Knew that they are on the tree because I can see webs on the tree and I found some on the plants last summer. 

I can't believe what a difference it made. The yard is so brighter.The plants that were shaded will love this. Hosta's are shade plants but all plants need some light. This should eliminate the powdery mildew that plagued the plants last summer and this summer. Too much shade, heat, and humidity. Discovered that one of three black eyed Susan's planted in the fall was up. Made me happy. Next year maybe they will multiply. For now, a single stalk will do. Carex planted in fall is still there under the peony and hosta. Will need to move them in the fall because they are completely covered.

So what do I envision for the yard next season? Yes I am thinking of next season. I've surprised myself. Since I couldn't die when my mother left and was left here to live, I guess I should. I didn't think I would enjoy anything but it gets better. I will never stop missing or thinking of her. She is my inspiration and love. I love you mom. Next season I would love for the flower bed near the fence to be filled with perennials that come up like the front flower bed. 

I will push the limits of dappled shade by putting in ornamental grass. There is one ornamental grass I know of for shade but it's low growing and I want tall grass.When more branches are cut from the maples it should give this area a little more light. I want all shrubs to be in containers and hopefully I'll find a rose bush for a container that I like when the prices drop with the nearing of the end of the season. This fall I plan to plant bulbs earlier, maybe and absolutely clean up the yard at the end of the season because this was a nightmare this past spring. I hope that it will look good enough to enter it into the garden contest next year.

All the branches I can reach blocking those houses will be cut.

The branches almost killed my peony. Last year I had to cut off the foliage due to powdery mildew.

And there was light.

Houses now visible. I wasn't trying to see them but to get the branches cleared to get more light.

Love the elephant ear but the fern is another thing. It's branches are laying down covering all the plants. Hidden are impatiens, begonia, and spider plant. I have to do something with it.

Day Lillie's are in this pot. I made the mistake of letting wild violets take over the pot and drain nutrients so they aren't big and have little blooms this year. The violets will be pulled.

Peony were not dead headed after blooming. I'm surprised how good it still looks.

Black Eyed Susan among the hosta.

Lots of empty spaces. slugs ate 3 heuchera and some hosta. The rose bush actually looks good with no black rot yet this year. Several astible have gone for the season one actually formed a small feathered flower. One is left and looks eaten and will soon disappear until next spring due to the heat. I would like to dig that one up before it disappears and put the roots in a plastic bag with small holes to create a bog. I wonder if it would last all season this way with extra moisture staying in? The box woods have still not been planted in the ground. The yard is part of my project before I go back to work to get some perennials in the ground so they can have good root formation before the ground freezes. I look forward to planting bulbs in the fall. Squirrels dug and ate the plants in the black container. I was shocked. A coleus and petunia are left along with huge holes in the soil.

I really like the red impatiens. Will repeat them next season but with more. Can't believe the rose bush is this full at this time of year.

There is one blueberry left on the bush. Still waiting to be planted in a container as is the hosta. I ate 4 super tiny blueberries off already. Can't wait till next year when I may have some sizable blueberries.

My coleus seedlings still in their 5" containers. They will go in the ground along the fence. I will use 5% dust on them to hopefully keep slugs or other insects from eating them.

This area of the flower bed has always been difficult to plant. I did actually have large sunflower plants here one summer. Lots of possibilities.

Waiting for red tomatoes.

The 5 feet tomatoes. The garlic has to be pulled. The tops have long since dried up. Hope it's okay.

The coleus and geraniums are what is left of my seedlings. I threw the other geraniums out. Petunia that have been sitting all summer. Planned on planting them and then life had other plans. I will get to them.

The hydrangea were so beautiful. I hated to see the color fade. They are so small that I don't want to cut off the blooms until the end of the season. I don't want to kill it like I have kill other hydrangea. I thought petunias would not bloom in shade but they proved me wrong. I will have to try them in other areas of the yard next season. The blooms actually seem to last longer in the shade. Can't wait to see it bloom next spring and see the blue color.

Bleeding heart. Amazing that it's living in the heat. New blooms would be nice.