Your All Things Plants weekly news: November 23, 2013

There were 7 new gardening ideas posted last week:

By Bubbles
November 23, 2013 Constructing a Garden Tuteur
Garden tuteurs, or obelisks, give your garden upright forms to train vines and other climbing plants. They also add interest to an area by lifting the eye upward. Tuteurs can be as plain, or as ornate, as you wish them to be. As simple as a few bamboo canes lashed together, or as elaborate as a tall metal structure fused into a rather fussy design, these pyramid shaped frames have been part of gardens for hundreds of years. (589 words - Read the full article)
(one comment)

By RickCorey
November 22, 2013 Dry Saved Seeds in Paper Envelopes
Save paper envelopes from bills and junk mail and dry your saved seeds and seed heads in envelopes instead of on paper plates. They take up less room and are less likely to spill. (672 words - Read the full article)
(5 comments)

By TBGDN
November 21, 2013 Benefits of Mulching
Mulch has many benefits when applied to certain perennials, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. In nature, mulch is formed and supplied generously by means of decaying plant litter, falling leaves and pine needles, and rotting trees. In the garden, we must help. (283 words - Read the full article)
(7 comments)

By Newyorkrita
November 20, 2013 How To Deal with Poison Ivy
Leaves of three, leave it be. What if you accidentally touched it? Here's how to stop the rash of Poison Ivy before it starts. (134 words - Read the full article)
(16 comments)

By SongofJoy
November 19, 2013 Brush Piles
Very few projects are as easy to do or have as much benefit for wildlife as the creation of a brush pile. (356 words - Read the full article)
(8 comments)

By lovemyhouse
November 18, 2013 Creative Gardening Planters with Children Toys
When designing a children's garden area, get creative with planters. (189 words - Read the full article)
(16 comments)

By jmorth
November 17, 2013 Fall Wildflowers Report from jmorth's Garden
New England Asters are starring in this show. These are the 6' wild kind, mostly purple, some pink. Absolute butterfly magnet, often 5 or 7 varieties on sunny days. The rich purple of the asters is complemented by the shiny gold on tall Goldenrod which tops out at up to 10 ft. Another wildflower, the golden sunflower, Maximilian, is also in prime flowering mode. It is a very floriferous fall sunflower that also can be a huge Monarch attractant just before the Monarch migration passes through here in the fall. (306 words - Read the full article)
(9 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Asters by jmorth:

Photo of Job's Beard (Sempervivum heuffelii 'Aphrodite') by SleepyStar:

Photo of Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) by pniksch:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Long Stocking') by blue23rose:

Photo of Iris (Iris ensata 'Greywoods Etcha Sketch') by pirl:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Elfin Magic') by floota:

The most popular Multi-Plant Photos from last week:

Multi-plant photo by pirl:

Multi-plant photo by eclayne:

Multi-plant photo by TBGDN:

Multi-plant photo by Bubbles:

Multi-plant photo by duane456:

Multi-plant photo by pirl:

Noteworthy acorn tips given this week:
5 people gave for the idea "Brush Piles" by SongofJoy
5 people gave for the idea "Constructing a Garden Tuteur" by Bubbles
5 people gave for the idea "Fall Wildflowers Report from jmorth's Garden" by jmorth
4 people gave for the idea "How To Deal with Poison Ivy" by Newyorkrita
4 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #703 by pirl
4 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #695 by 4susiesjoy
3 people gave for a photo of Asters by jmorth
3 people gave for a photo of Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) by pniksch
3 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #707 by eclayne
3 people gave for the idea "Benefits of Mulching" by TBGDN

Noteworthy acorn tips given this week:
5 people gave for the idea "Brush Piles" by SongofJoy 5 people gave for the idea "Constructing a Garden Tuteur" by Bubbles 5 people gave for the idea "Fall Wildflowers Report from jmorth's Garden" by jmorth 4 people gave for the idea "How To Deal with Poison Ivy" by Newyorkrita 4 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #703 by pirl 4 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #695 by 4susiesjoy 3 people gave for a photo of Asters by jmorth 3 people gave for a photo of Bird Of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) by pniksch 3 people gave for the Multi-Plant Photo #707 by eclayne 3 people gave for the idea "Benefits of Mulching" by TBGDN

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies

Color Echoes, anyone? pirl Perennials forum 58

Bukiniczia cabulica valleylynn Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 43

About the stars woofie Site Talk forum 42

frog badge Gleni Site Talk forum 38

Weather In Your Garden - Falling into Winter 2013 daylily Daylilies forum 35

Interest Thread Atlas Gloves Co-op ilovejesus99 Co-ops, Group Buys and Classifieds forum 30

Happy Thanksgiving TBGDN Sandbox forum 23

Growing again! Trish Sandbox forum 22

Banner for November 22, 2013 by dave dave Site Banners forum 22

The most active threads this week:
Subject	OP	Area	Replies
Color Echoes, anyone?	pirl	Perennials forum	58
Bukiniczia cabulica	valleylynn	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	43
About the stars	woofie	Site Talk forum	42
frog badge	Gleni	Site Talk forum	38
Weather In Your Garden - Falling into Winter 2013	daylily	Daylilies forum	35
Interest Thread Atlas Gloves Co-op	ilovejesus99	Co-ops, Group Buys and Classifieds forum	30
Happy Thanksgiving	TBGDN	Sandbox forum	23
Growing again!	Trish	Sandbox forum	22
Banner for November 22, 2013 by dave	dave	Site Banners forum	22

Some new recommendations from our members:

OldGardener recommended Filaree Garlic Farm and wrote:
Because I waited too long to order garlic this year, the usual vendors were no longer shipping. So... I accidentally discovered Filaree Garlic while searching for someone who was still shipping and what a happy accident it has been! Although they are more expensive (they are organic and you pay the extra for it), the quality is fantastic! I ordered 6 different types and cannot be happier with what I received. This is especially surprising given that it is so late in the season and they state clearly that, to get the best quality, order early (they ship the best and largest first and work their way down). If this indicative of their "tag ends," I cannot wait to see what I receive next year with a more timely order. The quality truly is better than anything else I have received in the past from other vendors. I did have to contact customer service when USPS missed the delivery date and their site showed that my package was being held in one location. As it turns out, there had been a storm that delayed sorting the package. Customer service was quick to respond and lovely to deal with.

pirl recommended John Scheepers, Inc. and wrote:
The ideal company for allium ordering. All 495 bulbs arrived healthy and bloomed well. Their customer service people are excellent. I kept adding to the order and they never gave me a problem - most accommodating.

pirl recommended Greywood Farm and wrote:
Darlyn Wilkinson is the owner and hybridizer of Greywood Farm. I've had the pleasure of dealing with her for several orders of Japanese irises though she also hybridizes and sells daylilies and hostas. She sends the largest, healthiest Japanese irises and I am more than thrilled with every plant I've received from her. Considering the amount of fans she sends, for both JI's and daylilies, who could be less than thrilled? Probably the nicest aspect of dealing with Darlyn is that with every spring delivery I've received from her, every plant blooms about two months from receipt. There is no year or two delay in seeing what you bought! Why accept less from any other beardless iris vendor when you can have the very best at Greywood Farms?

Some new recommendations from our members:
OldGardener recommended Filaree Garlic Farm and wrote: Because I waited too long to order garlic this year, the usual vendors were no longer shipping. So... I accidentally discovered Filaree Garlic while searching for someone who was still shipping and what a happy accident it has been! Although they are more expensive (they are organic and you pay the extra for it), the quality is fantastic! I ordered 6 different types and cannot be happier with what I received. This is especially surprising given that it is so late in the season and they state clearly that, to get the best quality, order early (they ship the best and largest first and work their way down). If this indicative of their "tag ends," I cannot wait to see what I receive next year with a more timely order. The quality truly is better than anything else I have received in the past from other vendors. I did have to contact customer service when USPS missed the delivery date and their site showed that my package was being held in one location. As it turns out, there had been a storm that delayed sorting the package. Customer service was quick to respond and lovely to deal with.
pirl recommended John Scheepers, Inc. and wrote: The ideal company for allium ordering. All 495 bulbs arrived healthy and bloomed well. Their customer service people are excellent. I kept adding to the order and they never gave me a problem - most accommodating.
pirl recommended Greywood Farm and wrote: Darlyn Wilkinson is the owner and hybridizer of Greywood Farm. I've had the pleasure of dealing with her for several orders of Japanese irises though she also hybridizes and sells daylilies and hostas. She sends the largest, healthiest Japanese irises and I am more than thrilled with every plant I've received from her. Considering the amount of fans she sends, for both JI's and daylilies, who could be less than thrilled? Probably the nicest aspect of dealing with Darlyn is that with every spring delivery I've received from her, every plant blooms about two months from receipt. There is no year or two delay in seeing what you bought! Why accept less from any other beardless iris vendor when you can have the very best at Greywood Farms?

Some numbers from last week:

38 new members.
124 new threads.
2,823 new posts.
929 new images to the plant database.
118 new comments in the plant database.
35 new Multi-Plant photos.