lavender

Can the snowdrops be buried under snow without harm? The crocuses always get slimy when they get snowed on.

Beautiful! I have to get some of those. I saw yellow crocuses blooming today at Doc Fugate's house on Maple Avenue. Mine will be weeks yet and then it will snow on them.

Here try this! Just click anywhere on the page or hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse over the page. http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

Moss appears where there is moist conditions usually from poor drainage or in areas that are damp and get little sun. It indicates poor fertility of the soil. If you improve the fertility of the soil the moss might just disappear. They first step would be to try a high nitrogen fertilizer this spring. If that doesn't work you could try adding some compost or other material that might improve the drainage of the soil. Trimming branches to allow more sun to reach the area might help.

The nice thing about the new petunias is that the 'Wave' series and those related to it don't get slimy when it rains nor do they have to be dead-headed. Me, I'm a pushover for the colored leaf plants. I guess that is why I like the coleus. so much. I carried some over the winter. I don't know if I'll be able to find the really bright ones this year and I did love those pots. Plug for Lyon's Greenhouse that had the most beautiful coleus last year for those who do like them. Dianthus are a great plant and some of them make it through the winter. Mine seem to do best in full sun but we live in a valley surrounded by trees.

It's the plant in the middle of the petunias. Comes from a non-hardy bulb. I don't have a picture of it in flower but here is a link. http://www.dutchgardens.com/Pineapple%20Lily/25441,default,pd.html I always put it in that big iron kettle for the summer although one year I had some in the ground and they made it through one winter. Froze out the next. It is hardy where snellma is. I took pics of the pots last year just to keep in mind what grew well. The coleus were spectacular. So were the pansies. The smaller pots didn't do as well; not enough rain and I couldn't keep them watered. I can't claim the pot at the library. That was someone else's idea and a very good one. I've got a picture of a pot of silver 'Wave' petunias somewhere. They took over an entire very large pot the summer before last. I'll see if I can find it.

This last set is geraniums and purple petunias from the library and callas, petunias and a really dark coleus from my yard. The sweet potato vines might be a good option for you too.

Purple 'Wave' petunias and pineapple lily from my front porch. The second one is pansies and sweet potato vine with a mini canna in the middle also from the Brady Street lot.

Begonias under a sand cherry on the Brady Street lot and in the same location coleus, sweet potato vine and lobelia. The dark coleus at the back of the pot is 'Jungle Love'.

Here are some pots I planted last summer. Let's see if I can get these pictures downsized without blurring. The first is one of my favorites. It is asparagus fern and yellow and orange coleus. It is planted under a tree on the lot at the corner of Long Ave. and Brady Street. This was shortly after I planted it but it got huge before the summer was out. It's mate was in my yard planted with darker coleus and was under some white pines. I don't know what order the pictures will go in but you can see the differences in color.

Scared us! Hate to see something bad happen to a kitten. Or a kid. We actually pulled the daturas out at the library because of the kids.

The New 'Wave' petunias are spectacular or if they don't get too much sun there are some fantastic coleus out there. I had one last year called 'Jungle Love' That was really exotic. Will post picture of a pot with some coleus in it when I get a minute.

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.

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.