Cheryl

Long time no see. How have you been?

Hi Cheryl, good to see ya again!

Kathy, I use PlantSkyd. It's a blood based organic repellent. Works great and lasts a long time. However, it smells really bad til it dries.

Chris, thanks much. I just ordered it from Amazon.

Good luck! Rabbits are such a pain in the gardens. Luckily this year the hawk population is up, so the rabbit population is down.

Hi all -- the sun is out today so I finally got around to raking the last of the leaves off of the beds!! Man this winter has been long!

Kathy -- sorry to hear about you folks health... send you prayers for peace, comfort and energy!!

It is so interesting to see what everyone uses in their gardens to do this and that. Your story of the mushroom mixture containing salt reminded me of something my sister-in-law said....she sprinkels softener salt in her garden around (not on) the plants to keep the weeds down -- says she doesnt see weeds all year. Anyone else ever heard of this???

That's a new one to me. I'm surprised the salt doesn't eventually build up and harm the plants.

Well today it's freezing here and rained all morning. PlantSkydd came today via Amazon Prime and I had to put a coat on to go out to sprinkle it.

I ordered these baby plants online and will post pics when they come.

Autumn Leaves, Cherry Cola, Root Beer , Midnight Bayou, Brass Lantern and Golden Zebra.

Christine - I've never heard of water salts. I'll have to google and read up tonight.

Yeah - I was thinking that it would harm the plants or something too! I have NO idea if it would really work or not! Let me know if you find out anything on-line in your searches!

Carolyn and Chris - I've been good! Just seems as the kids get older, the busier I get with running them around! Our daughter is ready to get her license in July and I'm looking forward to it with mixed emotions! Our son will be taking behind the wheel at the beginning of summer. And we are expecting 2 new additions to our home - in the way of new puppies. Our Gracie is only having 2 though, not sure why - maybe age - she was 6 in Dec. - earned her field titles so my husband decided to breed her. Not my idea, but whatever!

My relocated heuchera bed is doing really well. I lost another Berry Smoothie though, the only one I lost in that bed. I've not had any luck with that one - had 3 and lost two and the last is hanging on by a thread. All the rest them have come through winter well. Caramel has always been my favorite but I think Southern Comfort may be overtaking that position.

Weather here has been very chilly and mostly rainy so not much is getting done - I remember last year how warm it was early and almost everything got done by Mother's Day! This weekend was wonderful though and got alot done. I painted some of my pots and can't wait to get them planted. I just wish it would warm up so I can feel confident planting them without worrying about having to cover them. Why is it that these darned weeds don't realize it's still too cool to be growing???

Cheryl

You do sound good. I remember the kids learning to drive. Actually, I miss those times. It was great to have 'alone' time with them as they were learning how to drive, that is after they each had a bit of experience behind the wheel and we could relax some.

We finally seem to be having some decent weather. I am not holding my breath though, seems that can change at a moment's notice.

My heuch beds look good so far. Not sure if I have lost a Zebra or not yet, as I still need to get the layer of leaves off my beds. The weather has me getting clean up done quite late this year.

Carolyn,

We should be sending you a few good days of weather but then more rain to come (sorry!). It just warmed up today and got sunny here. It's been a good time for rain for me though as Gracie had her puppy (we lost the other one during delivery - Gracie had just a horrible time giving birth :(( ) and I've been busy keeping an eye on her as her being a new mom. I was able to get out today and cut down the dead hydrangea stalks finally and do some fertilizing. I have to say since I've been using this cotton burr compost my heuchera have never looked so good - so big and healthy. Finally!!! I will get out there and get some pictures - hopefully tomorrow while the sun is still shining. Carolyn, I certainly hope you haven't lost a Zebra, they're so gorgeous - how many do you have? I'd still like to get a few more Tiramisu, I just love the color of them. It's weird, one that I have is doing fine but it is rooted in the ground by a very thin long root and it actually sits toppled over. I'm not sure what to do with it! I know what you mean about being late with the clean up - the last time I remember it being this late, we had a bad frost around Mother's Day.

Take care, hope you get some good weather to get out and work!
Cheryl

Cheryl

I had two Zebras and now I only have the one. He's still a little baby too.

I did finally get to Spring cleaning in the largest of my garden beds. You can see one of my heuch beds under the Fringe tree on the far left....

Now, I need enough decent weather to get the rest of the beds cleaned up. Hopefully that will happen on Memorial Day.

Gosh, do you think it will e ver stop raining! The plants seem to be loving it, but we sure can't work outside.

Carolyn - love that photo!!! Hopefully you will get a break soon!!

Well, my new ones from Ella's perennial co-op are in the mail today so I'm looking forward to them.

I ordered:

2 Heuchera Berry Marmalade
1 H. Root Beer
1 H. Ginger Ale
2 H. Peach Crisp
2 H. Southern Comfort
2 Echie Mama Mia
2 Echie Amazing Dream

I did procrastinate on a shipment of huge (gallon size pots) of Heuchera Georgia Peach we received at work (Walmart of all places). They would have been easily $30 plants anywhere else--we had em for $7 and I waited like an idiot--never again and next time I'm buyin 3!

Donna, sounds like a nice order you've got coming! Be sure to show us pictures.

Carolyn, pretty garden and your heurchs are doing well! What grows up the trellises against the fence?

Chris

I have a number of clematis that grow up the fence. They are starting and some you cannot see over the tops of the peonies. I love clematis as well as heuchs and tiarellas..

Thats a pretty combination! I have about 25 clems too. Clematis, lilies, heuchera, peonies and sempervivum are my big weaknesses.

Mine too. Dont' forget tiarellas.

I have some type of succulent I cannot identify - I should send you a picture

I only have one tiarella. I don't know why....

I can try to ID your succulent but not sure I'll be much help. But I can share the photo with others to help if I don't know.