One lady offered me some snapdragon seeds that were VERY easy to grow.

She warned me they would spread fast and some considered them invasive in some areas.

I didn't realize how true that was, and I've had that snap as a weed EVERYWHERE in my yard ever since.

Now I know to believe those warnings!

RickM I too would like to find a bracken fern for sale. A trip to Itasca State Park, there were magnificent specimens everywhere.

We usually go up to Vermont every other year, and I see them everywhere... except for sale. We stopped into a nursery this last time and they knew exactly what I was looking for. But they didn't sell them and there were none growing close by. bummer

They grow like crazy around me. I have no idea if they transplant well or not, having never tried. They do die back to the ground in the fall, then re-emerge in spring, so I'm guessing spring would be the better time to try to find them. Try a native nursery or native plant society in your area, they may know where you might find them.

I found an interesting plant on clearance at a local nursery. It is a small shrub common name Sweetfern. Can find latin name if you like. It looks like a fern grows in full sun to part shade. Hardy zones 2-5. It was only $5 so I had to bring it home.It is supposed to be native East Coast to Minnesota,but I have never seen it before. It looks a bit tired but I was immediately attracted to it.

Thanks Deb. None of th nurseries around me carry it. And to order it, they need to get a batch of something like 32 plants.

Gary, the latin is Comptonia peregrina. It does look different. Unfortunately, it wants what I can't provide... real dirt, preferable sandy. I have clay with rock mixed in.

From http://www.prairienursery.com/...

Light: Full Sun, Partial
Soil: Sand, Loam
Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist
Benefits: Butterflies, Pollinators, Deer Resistant
Height: 2'-5'
Blooms: Apr, May, Jun
Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Color: Green
Spacing: 2'-3'
Root: Woody

Hi Dawn, I havn't read every last word of the above but Debras advise was good. I was overwhelmed when I started. The best way to go is divide the whole strip and make separate gardens out of it.

I live in zone 6a and wouldn't plant anything perennial until spring. Bulbs yes.

I also looked at garden plans on You Tube. There are some nice videos with pretty good plant combinations.

ge1836 said:

I also looked at garden plans on You Tube. There are some nice videos with pretty good plant combinations.

Never would have thought of YouTube!! Awesome!

stone said:

You can't eat that turf, and it's of no use to the birds and pollinators either.

Stone - You've convinced me and I've convinced the hubs! We are going to carve away some useless turf for a veggie bed!! Not going to attempt to grow anything this year, as we will probably get snow in the next 6 weeks but the beds will go in and next year, it's on!!

Dawn I told you it's addictive

dmarie17 said:

Stone - You've convinced me and I've convinced the hubs! We are going to carve away some useless turf for a veggie bed!! Not going to attempt to grow anything this year, as we will probably get snow in the next 6 weeks but the beds will go in and next year, it's on!!

Excellent!!

So Stone and Rita you now have two more people growing veggies next year Dawn we'll have to tell them how they turn out. My daughter is already adding to my list of veggies to grow

Legalily said:So Stone and Rita you now have two more people growing veggies next year Dawn we'll have to tell them how they turn out. My daughter is already adding to my list of veggies to grow

Yes, veggies rule!!

Dawn, mark out your beds and mix in plenty of organic matter before the ground freezes. That way, come spring you're ready to go. Be careful though, you only have 6 months to decide what you're going to grow. (Hey, that 6months is going to fly by!)

RickM said:Dawn, mark out your beds and mix in plenty of organic matter before the ground freezes. That way, come spring you're ready to go. Be careful though, you only have 6 months to decide what you're going to grow. (Hey, that 6months is going to fly by!)

Dawn you don't have to dig up the sod! This is a good time of year to:
1- Put a layer of cardboard where you want the garden, overlapping the edges (or 6-8 layers of newspapers).
2- Then shovel on purchased "Planting Soil" (bags or have a truckfull delivered it is cheaper). Make it 6-8 inches deep.
3- Just let it sit all winter. The grass will be dead.
4- Plant your vegetable garden in spring!

Rick, yes that is the plant. I am short on sunny space but the sandy part is easy. I live about two blocks from a lake and sand is what I had when I first moved here. Have you ever seen this plant in the wild?

Dawn - you may want to check out the Chicagoland swapping thread in the Plant and Seed Swapping forum. Looks like it was pretty active back in the spring.

Well, lots of good advice for you to digest!
As someone said treat the fence now if that is in your plan.
Dream abot the things you may want to hang on your fence..for color and interest when nothing is growing ..a design painted on it...pottery...baskets...metal..... You find these odd things in your travels..but think outside the box. .

A blank slate is a great thing to have. I am planning a walkway with old fashioned flowers ..through a prayer garden. My rule is that ( it is in the middle of wooded area lots of falling leaves ) all things must die to the ground..so that when autumn and spring raking and mulching get going..I am not on my hands and knees trying to mulch around plants and trying to pull leaves out of the scratcy and dense bushes..and raking is uninterupted by things I do not want to destroy.
Also..have to be deer resistant. Blank slates are great!

PeggyC said: Welcome !
Be sure to read the latest newsletter ... you might want to try some 'pocket gardening'. No, I hadn't heard that term before, even though parts of my garden are like that.
We inherited our Garden of Surprises when we bought our home; there are books with everything that was done to this home [including the floor plans] -- but nothing about what had been planted.
Since I don't baby-sit plants [ instructions are: You have been planted- now grow ] .. having things that return year after year is good for me. Shame you don't live closer to NC .. need to work on Iris and Day Lilies later. Could send you some seeds of my newest addition ..

False Sunflowers [ if you plant them the butterflies do locate them and spread the word ! ]



Enjoy playing in the dirt,
Peggy
North Carolina

Love that butterfly photo! Perfect. Magazine quality