lavender

That's what happens to a lot of perennials around here. They rot out in the winter rather than freeze. Our soil doesn't drain very well. They will get through a few winters and you think you are home free and then you get a wet one and it is all over. I have a bank that was build up over shale and stuff grows there that won't grow on the flat. I put it down to better drainage.

So maybe the one from Lowe's will be back up this year? Don't give up on it. I have the big old fashioned one and could probably get you a piece if the hybrids won't grow.  

Do I recognize Wal-marts stock? They have a nice selection this year.

I used to plant kohlrabi. It's so weird! My daughter wanted to pick one to show the kids at school and came walking across the yard with a rutabaga almost as big as she was. I had to laugh.

If you are the one who keeps trying to get that toad lily to grow, good luck with it this year. Mine are one of the last things out of the ground.

I would remove that plant from where an animal can reach it. If the cat shows any signs of disorientation or the other symptoms that Tracy mentioned (or dilated pupils although I'm not sure how you could tell on a cat) it is cause for serious concern. Brugmansia is a very near relative of the Jimson weed or loco weed that so concerns cattlemen in the west.

I pm'd ambrch last night but I see no e-mail address. I'm going to pm Steve to see if he can get in touch with her. I'm worried about the cat.

If you seriously think that your cat is eating the plant you need to do something fast. Brugs like daturas contain scopolamine and atropine that are extremely poisonous. If you are seeing actual chunks out of the leaves unless you are keeping it where slugs or snails can get to it odds are it is the cat. There are no houseplant insects that I am aware of that actually chew the leaves. Outside caterpillars are a possibility. Most houseplant insects will suck the juices rather than chew leaves.

You might check for small green caterpillars or slugs if you had the plant outside this summer. There is always the possibility that the plant contained eggs which have hatched but I'm still worried about that cat.

I like the idea of a double growing season. The best I have ever done is a fall crop of cauliflower. It was much smaller but maybe that was because I stuck in plants that were left over from he spring planting.

It was a weird growing season here last summer, as well. We lost the apples and pears to a late frost and then we didn't have enough rain. I still have red cabbage and there are layers where the leaves are slimy. Most of it is still good but getting the mess out it not easy. I'm guessing that some leaves were dead when I stored it and those started to rot.  

I don't remember anything like that when I lived there.

We built in the spot where an old farmhouse stood. They had used white pines as windbreaks at the eastern side of the house and at the woodline on the western side. They are huge and very brittle. I know one is going to come down on the roof one of these days but taking them down would be tricky with the power lines. They already took out the porch railing during one storm. Branches are always coming down. Probably we notice the pollen so much because there are so many of them and we are in a valley.

We used to get a lot of the quacking aspen fuzz too but I don't see that much of it anymore.

So when is the growing season over in North Carolina? I have a friend who just got back from there and we were talking about it. She thinks it is all over by July.

The white pines around our house do that here. You can see it blowing from the trees and it coats everything. The white windowsills turn yellow. Bet we all know how pine trees get pollinated!

I'm jealous! I'm still seeing snow. I was in Harrisburg for a few days this week and the spring bulbs are starting to poke their heads up there.

I know it is spring because I had seeds germinate in 3 days! The broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and a decorative amaranth were up before I even got the tomatoes in. Must get tomatoes planted before St. Patrick's Day.

From what I can remember they take a very long time to root (or at least mine did) so be patient.

You could try a little plant fungicide in the water but my guess is that the one you used was just plain dead. Not every cutting is going to root or every seed germinate. There are naturally produced hormones that make plants grow roots. You can also buy some of these homores.  If the cutting is too far gone to contain these or produce them you probably aren't going to get any roots.

The ends of pineapples do get smelly and disgusting. Change the water often and it doesn't hurt to wash away any rotting tissue that will wash away.

I can't find the thread but I think we had it identified. A lot of them are much pinker than this specimen. It is closely related to our native jewel weeds also Imatiens and likes the same wet conditions. It also, like jewel weed,  spreads rapidly. I'd keep it away from the deer if I were you. They eat the jewel weed off something fierce.

I'm checking out desert gardening. If we head anywhere it will be west. The humidity in the south might be good for the plants but I don't think I could take it. I know I'm not going to be growing orchids in the Arizona sun so maybe I'll just stay here.

The first time I saw one of those giant poinsettias in bloom it gave me a shock. It's like going to Florida and seeing things you are struggling to grow as house plants growing under the bridges and in ditches as weeds.

Vining plants on a trellis are a pain to repot. Make sure it has good drainage. I repotted mine into a pot that had an attached bottom catch plate and for some reason it wasn't draining properly. Killed it dead after a couple of rains.

I've seen poinsettias grown outdoors and they are indeed impressive. I don't think anyone expects them to be a huge bush when we see them in pots. Jade trees are another one. They grow them as hedges in Calif. I don't know that I've ever seen a hibiscus "in the wild". It must be an impressive site when in bloom. I have one of the double tropical ones in the greenhouse and it is still blooming. Gorgeous and to think I almost let it get frosted because of the size and weight.

How about just putting the pot you have it in in a nicer pot? Are you going to put it back outside this summer?

Hey, Doc, haven't heard from you in a long time. I dragged the aloe off the shelf where it was living as the flower stem got too tall. It still hasn't opened. I have another plant that I have never seen bloom before throwing up a flower. I'll get a picture.

The orchids are blooming up a storm. It is funny how they bloom in sequence. The Phalaenopsis are blooming now and the Miltonidiums are budding.

Good luck with it! Have you tried an avocado? They make nice plants too. I've tried mangoes but never got a seed to germinate. I had a friend who called this "garbage gardening". One man's trash...........

I tried one from the top of a pineapple once. It rooted and grew but never did much in the house and I wasn't able to get it outdoors at the time. You will probably have better luck in the south where you could keep it out a good part of the year.I remember reading that to get them to produce fruit you have to supply a source of ethylene gas like a ripe apple.

Pineapples are bromeliads and I believe they die after they flower. I just had a beautiful zebra striped bromeliad die after it flowered and the flower wasn't anything special.

I was watering today and found this aloe that has put up a flower stem. It's never done it before and I'm all excited. Here is a picture of the bud. I'll post one of the flower when it opens.

Yes, just put it in the soil and it should develop a root eventually. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to shrivel give it a bit more water. You want to make it as easy as possible on it since it will have to develop roots on its stored water supply. Good luck!

Aloes do go semi-dormant in the winter so I'd wait maybe another month before messing with it unless it is in dire need.  If you are going to divide it just tease off the offsets with your fingers or cut through the root mass with a sharp knife. You can get rid of any dead roots when you divide.

Aloe plants are generally planted in shallow pots or bowls because they have a broad root system rather than a deep one. The roots of desert plants cover as much area as possible to obtain as much water as they can get. Planting in a deep pot can cause root rot as the excess soil in the bottom will stay wet. A shallower, wider pot allows the roots to spread nearer the surface in the way they do in nature. If you must use a deeper pot fill the bottom with rocks or gravel.

Use a cactus soil or if you use a potting soil add some perlite or sand. For every three cups of potting soil I'd toss in an extra cup of sand or perlite. Good drainage is important.

Water only when the soil is dry and then give it a cup or so of water letting it drain thoroughly.

That said it is danged hard to kill an aloe plant especially if you have the very common one that is not Aloe vera.

I see manys_momma finally got in contact with Terah from DuBois FreeCycle. Looking forward to reading that one too.

Thank you too, Steelnut.