Dead heucheras??!! I have a few ordered that I'll be planting next month. Luv that foilage. My lavender is not looking too good either. Maybe I'll try from seed and direct sow into the big planter they are/were in.

Hello to Sarge up there. I'm so slow sometimes. Sorry about that.

I think the Japanese Maple may be a goner.

On a positive note, the weather is gorgeous today.

rain is an issue at this time right now & the lingering cold weather . However, I think it is for the spring bloom and plants to come out of hibernation . i have started some seeds indoors . as it would be quite some time before they were ready for the outside ground or planting . and larger plants will take hold and grow much better than smaller ones will. I will still plant some seed to off- set the growing of plants and harvesting of crops though as this will increase productivity and better garden usage also. so get ready with your seeds and pots folks and plant some indoor seeds .

Sarge

The rain this weekend is forcing me to slow down a little and do inside things. I wore myself out with yard work this week, both here and at a client site. My muscles are screaming from all the abuse!

We have 30 degrees forecast for tonight, so I need to go out between showers and drag a few plants back inside. It feels like a huge step backward.

Three and a half more inches for us over here to the west last night with more on the way today and possibly tomorrow. Makes me cranky (crankier).

Daffodils are blooming and the flowering quince is preparing to bloom soon as is the forsythia, of course. Lots of buds on the azaleas. Still can't tell about the Japanese Maple.

Red, I take it you have a landscaping business ... or ???

I do landscape design, and will also do complete installs or periodic bed maintenance depending on the client. My absolute favorite client lives nearby and lets me set my own schedule, so that helps balance out these periods of crummy weather.

I wasn't able to finish up at one site yesterday because it was still too squishy from the previous round of rain. 3+ more inches last night and tonight is going to make it very difficult to get the bed cleanup finished in time for the mulching crew this weekend. I can just feel spring slipping away from us (tick..tick...). By the time it finally dries out, it will be hot and we'll have missed our spring window. It's making me cranky today, too. Well, that, and I'm doing laundry and housecleaning instead of gardening.

The hyacinths are all up and starting to bloom, some of the mini daffs and the daphne are still going strong. The pansies planted in the fall are really looking good. This is also the best time of year for our willow. The fresh, bright green of the new leaves is always so cheerful, and momentarily distracts from the constant twig dropping and invasive root issues. By fall, I'm always ready to chop it down, but each spring it gets another reprieve.

Red, how do we get rid of this rain???

Your business sounds like fun ... work, yes, but fun too.

I am rooting and preparing to plant some corkscrew willow cuttings so at least all this water will be good for something. Maybe? Between bouts of wet weather I suppose I have gotten things done but I surely could use a nice stretch of dryness.

My forsythia is looking good this year. Sedums are really starting to grow. All looks good there. Still waiting on some things to know if they made it or not.

Enough with the rain, right? Kids are home this week (Knox County spring break), so I was going to get some work done in my own yard for a change, but it's raining again! I did get a couple things planted and some other things transplanted this weekend, so I can cross them off my to-do list.

What's a gardener to do in the rain? Go plant shopping! I went to Meadow View yesterday (with a coupon no less) and still didn't come home with anything. They are getting more plants in, but still nothing there I "needed" from the limited inventory. The restraint is killing me. :rofl:

My pot ghetto needs some attention. Some of the stuff is for an upcoming install, but most of it is plants I dragged home without a plan. Planting is easy - it's making decisions about where it's going that is the problem.

As weather is breaking one thing to look at is rain barrels! And if you don’t have them setting them up, they are easy to do and save you a ton of money . Now is the time to get them cleaned out, checked for leaks, make repairs, gather up materials, set them up, or “D” all the above if you have not done so yet. There are so many sites on the web your head would swim . However, there are many Cubits that offer the topic and in depth help from folks that have them set up already that are willing to help you.

Plants do much better and will have a better production rate with out the chemicals that are put in the water by the works folks . Try it once and you will never water with any thing else but rain water trust me .

Sarge

I agree. I have a large rainbarrel (75-80 gal) and love it. May get another one.

Tee,

a good way to determine just how big of a rain barrel system you need is to look at your water bill over the winter months (this works if you do not have a green house) the less water used in winter will be the amount of the system size you would like to be close to . not to say you need a 2500 gal. system you cut that down by a 1/3 of the ratio.

my set up is about 175 gal.. however, i found myself in need of water in the dry spell so since i have the room to do so i want to go to a 300 gal system. but the garden is a 30 x 30 and there is seedlings and plants that all get watered from the rain barrels.

you can always find Large Caged square type containers. on line for sale just remember not the ones that have had harsh chemicals in them . most soaps are fine any of the cooking oils (Unused type) that have been in the tubes these can be cleaned with some effort and made usable for a rain system and not have so many containers to set up .

Sarge

Thanks for the info.

Well, Spring has sprung here ... 70s all week and maybe even 80 one day. Bee-you-tee-ful!!! The sun feels soooo awesome!!! And no rain in the forecast until next week.

I'm moving all the plants left in the garage out under the carport today. Need to go get some more soil and some mulch. Planting and gardening is on ... big time!!!

Yesterday my indoor seedlings got their first trip outside for a little sun. More potted plants went outside, and one more shrub got planted. It's helping to continue clear out the garage, which is a project that clearly lost steam as soon as I could go play outside instead.

Also did less fun stuff like weeding. I'm seeing hostas coming up in the beds, and the leaves on the Japanese maples are starting to unfurl.

Today I need to hit Lowe's and/or Home Depot. My main hose needs replacing, as it's about to burst. There is a weak area that bulges out about a inch when the water is turned on. The hose has held up well for years, and I want to get the same brand (NeverKink). Oddly enough, these hoses are some of the WORST for kinking when they are brand new, but once they relax, they're awesome. We used them at the nursery.

Good to know about the hose brand.

I only have a couple of hostas but they are up too.

Really nice planters and pots of semps and sedums at Walmart today. Gallon size only $5.

Nice plants! I better "happen" to be at Walmart soon. You never know when plants will jump in your cart when you just go to pick up a few groceries.

I'm going to turn in early. In my effort to get caught up in my own yard, I way overdid it today, and have the sore muscles and sunburn to show for it. Got a lot done, though.

with so many local greenhouses and local folks that I deal with They get by dollars first Not Wally-World local growers don't import theirs and the plants will last longer and seem to be ready to go in the ground as they are tempered for the area from the farms of the area.

that is how it is done in my area anyway. give your local folks a chance first they will work with you too .

Sarge

Ouch. I do give several local growers my business and frequent them at our farmers' market and elsewhere. They carry only a few, if any, succulents (my favorites) around here and sometimes a bit too costly for them to special order. Walmart is less than a mile from my house as the crow flies and saves me a whole lot of gas to go there. I can even walk. Being on a fixed income, that is very important to us.

Red, I worked myself a bit sore yesterday too. Wasn't it a beautiful day?!! I really slept well though. Got to head back to the store to get some soil and manure and a few other things for a new bed I've started as well as for some planters. Time for more heavy lifting.

Ooooo ... just saw the most beautiful Red-winged blackbird land in the tree out back.

Everyone enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Tee,

I was not trying to be mean about where you shop or how you spend you money. I too am restricted with a fixed income . Shopping or going to a local nursery / greenhouse and supporting them is just one way that would build a relationship with them and is often beneficial to you in the long run. As the working relationship grows it too can become a friendship that helps both you and their business.

I have found that very often many times when my local growers have weak or scraggly plants, I often get those for next to nothing or for free most of the time . Even on veggie, flowers, trees, and just about any type of plants they have. So finding a good local supplier is a good thing as is a good working & friendship with them. You get the lil pots to grow seedlings in (free) plants and such (free) and help support local growers , and when it is wet and nasty you will always have a place to go visit to help out if you have formed a friendship with the owners for (free advise on your own plants that you are having trouble with ) so you and the local growers both win .

Sarge

No problem. Yes, I have found what you said to be true. I am 62 and hubby is 63 so we have quite a bit of life experience under out two belts. I have a great relationship with local growers at our farmers' market but, alas, none of them are succulent growers so I have to look elsewhere.

I'm dirt poor (I spend all my money on dirt! ), so I shop EVERYWHERE (literally, if there is a single plant anywhere in the store, I'll have a look). I try to favor the locals if they have what I'm looking for. There aren't enough locals, though, to provide everything I need. We lost one of my favorite nurseries this year, and it hurts whenever I drive by there. It was my favorite place for starter perennials and it was close enough to sneak in a quick visit while running other errands.

Some of the big chains are strictly top-down management, where corporate will dictate the suppliers, but sometimes the local manager has some discretion. Our Home Depot gets a lot of its stuff from a local grower, but I'd never have guessed had I not talked to him one day. That was a really nice surprise.

I noticed the plants at our Walmart and Lowe's come from various growers and suppliers according to their stickers. Although at both places, all of their pots of starter veggies and herbs are from the same source. And the prices of them are set by that supplier apparently because they are the same at both stores. At least the suppliers all appear to be in the USA. I suspect as gas gets more expensive, they will need to rely on local, or at least nearby, growers more and more. Not a bad thing in that respect.

Hey, some in Tennessee even want to print our own currency.

Dirt poor ... good one!