Your All Things Plants weekly news: March 9, 2013

News from dave:

Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum Nightwood)
Photo by webesemps:

It's Sempervivum Week at All Things Plants!

All this week is Sempervivum Week, and that means everything is Semp themed! All the articles and ideas this week will be about these amazing little plants.

We have a HUGE "not a raffle raffle" coming on Monday, which will feature prizes for 9 winners! Hundreds of dollars worth of prizes have been donated by various companies, and will be given away to the lucky winners of this raffle.

The raffle is free to participate in. Tickets are bought using the acorns you've all accumulated by contributing to the site. Come to the site on Monday to learn the details, and to buy your tickets!

Mid week our podcast will feature multiple interviews with personalities in the Sempervivum world.

All this excitement and more is happening all week long at the world's best social media website dedicated exclusively to All Things Plants.

There were 8 new gardening ideas posted last week:

By valleylynn
March 9, 2013 Sempervivum 101
Sempervivums are plants that originate on the European continent. Found at high altitudes known as alpine zones, they thrive in this harsh and rugged terrain. Sempervivums are becoming increasingly popular in the United States as gardeners fall in love with the textures and colors of these amazing little plants. (1,079 words - Read the full article)
(24 comments)

By goldfinch4
March 9, 2013 Growing Sempervivum in Containers
An easy and inexpensive way to get started with sempervivums is to grow them in containers. But that's not the only reason to plant them in containers. (1,085 words - Read the full article)
(16 comments)

By wildflowers
March 8, 2013 Glossary Tip - Cotyledon
When the seed of a plant germinates, that first leaf or set of leaves to unfold is called a cotyledon. Cotyledons are developed by the embryo of the seed and are sometimes called seed-leaves. They contain stored food reserves from the seed, used to keep the seedling fed until the next set of leaves, considered the "true leaves," appears. Once the second set of true leaves sprouts, the plant will begin photosynthesis. The cotyledons will wither and disappear soon after the true leaves start to grow. (99 words - Read the full article)
(no comments)

By LarryR
March 7, 2013 A Rant Worth Reading
Sometimes we gardeners succumb to conventional wisdom, only to discover that it may be conventional, but it's not wise. (263 words - Read the full article)
(34 comments)

By dave
March 6, 2013 ATP Podcast #8: Perennial Vegetables
This week Dave and Trish give their usual reports: Dave's favorite idea, Trish's report from around the forums and some stories about our gardening adventures this week. Our main feature is a discussion about perennial vegetables you can grow.
(9 comments)

By ShadyGreenThumb
March 5, 2013 Finding Pots in Odd Places
Look past the plant departments for your plant containers. Find the best pots at the hardware store! (145 words - Read the full article)
(18 comments)

By Skiekitty
March 4, 2013 Cooking Spray Cleans Tools
Rust will come off your tools with an application of cooking spray such as Pam. Spray it on, wait a few minutes, wipe it off. You may have to do this a couple of times to achieve the desired results.
(4 comments)

By jeri11
March 3, 2013 Apples and Bulbs Don't Mix
Don't put bulbs in the refrigerator with apples. The apples produce ethylene gas, which will cause the bulb to abort its flower.
(3 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Jungle Fires') by valleylynn:

Photo of Iris (Iris ensata 'Frilled Enchantment') by lorettalea:

Photo of Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum 'Jade Rose') by serse:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Westbourne Good Old Days') by Avedon:

Photo of (Anemone hepatica var. transylvanica) by fixpix:

Photo of (Brunsvigia marginata) by eclayne:

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies

Echeveria and other tender succulents 2013 clintbrown Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 100

NOIDs for 2013 gg5 Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 75

What to do? jvdubb Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 54

Do you plant veggies in with your daylilies & perennials? Newyorkrita Daylilies forum 50

Please Help....Vertical growth of sempervivum Jookieblue Cactus and Tender Succulents forum 49

Who am I ??? gingin Sandbox forum 46

News from SMG valleylynn Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 43

Sempervivum Sources clintbrown Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 34

Fertilizing schedule JWWC Daylilies forum 34

The most active threads this week:
Subject	OP	Area	Replies
Echeveria and other tender succulents 2013	clintbrown	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	100
NOIDs for 2013	gg5	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	75
What to do?	jvdubb	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	54
Do you plant veggies in with your daylilies & perennials?	Newyorkrita	Daylilies forum	50
Please Help....Vertical growth of sempervivum	Jookieblue	Cactus and Tender Succulents forum	49
Who am I ???	gingin	Sandbox forum	46
News from SMG	valleylynn	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	43
Sempervivum Sources	clintbrown	Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum	34
Fertilizing schedule	JWWC	Daylilies forum	34

Some new recommendations from our members:

4susiesjoy recommended Dyna-Gro and wrote:
I was originally given these products as a gift, but they have become a mainstay of my indoor gardening. The KLN product they sell has worked far better for me than any other rooting product I've tried and it stays viable longer than the rooting hormone powder. I use the Bloom plant food for my flowering houseplants and the Grow food for my seedlings. It's liquid so it's easy to dispense. I've tried a lot of different plant nutrition products and this is my favorite.

Ladylovingdove recommended Water Mill Gardens and wrote:
Awesome daylily growers. They send HUGE plants and are so lovely to do business with. Here is a sample of this year's plants from them.

Dot

clintbrown recommended Prairie Moon Nursery and wrote:
Prairie Moon Nursery is a great source of native plants. Their Echinacea paradoxa bloomed the first year for me. They were shipped dormant, but they were excellent quality and grew quickly.

clintbrown recommended Swallowtail Garden Seeds and wrote:
Swallowtail Garden Seeds is always prompt and accurate. I always get excellent germination from their seeds. Check out their Agastache selection. That alone is reason to visit their site.

MarilynK recommended Jung Seeds and Plants and wrote:
Not the fanciest, not a specialty gardening site, Jung Seeds and Plants is just a down-to-earth garden retailer with a good selection of gardening seeds, plants, and sundry other gardening-related items.

I haven't bought plants from Jung's, but I have bought seeds. I have had great success with their seeds -- good germination rates. Some of the seeds offered here are cheaper than at other sites. For example, the new Santa Cruz Sunset begonia is about a dollar cheaper for the same amount of seeds than at some other sites.

My order was shipped within a week of placement, which is good.

One year I was missing some seeds in my order. I called customer service, and within a few days received the seeds and an apology -- as well as four packs of bonus seeds. Not bad!

Some new recommendations from our members:
4susiesjoy recommended Dyna-Gro and wrote: I was originally given these products as a gift, but they have become a mainstay of my indoor gardening. The KLN product they sell has worked far better for me than any other rooting product I've tried and it stays viable longer than the rooting hormone powder. I use the Bloom plant food for my flowering houseplants and the Grow food for my seedlings. It's liquid so it's easy to dispense. I've tried a lot of different plant nutrition products and this is my favorite.
Ladylovingdove recommended Water Mill Gardens and wrote: Awesome daylily growers. They send HUGE plants and are so lovely to do business with. Here is a sample of this year's plants from them. Dot
clintbrown recommended Prairie Moon Nursery and wrote: Prairie Moon Nursery is a great source of native plants. Their Echinacea paradoxa bloomed the first year for me. They were shipped dormant, but they were excellent quality and grew quickly.
clintbrown recommended Swallowtail Garden Seeds and wrote: Swallowtail Garden Seeds is always prompt and accurate. I always get excellent germination from their seeds. Check out their Agastache selection. That alone is reason to visit their site.
MarilynK recommended Jung Seeds and Plants and wrote: Not the fanciest, not a specialty gardening site, Jung Seeds and Plants is just a down-to-earth garden retailer with a good selection of gardening seeds, plants, and sundry other gardening-related items. I haven't bought plants from Jung's, but I have bought seeds. I have had great success with their seeds -- good germination rates. Some of the seeds offered here are cheaper than at other sites. For example, the new Santa Cruz Sunset begonia is about a dollar cheaper for the same amount of seeds than at some other sites. My order was shipped within a week of placement, which is good. One year I was missing some seeds in my order. I called customer service, and within a few days received the seeds and an apology -- as well as four packs of bonus seeds. Not bad!

Some numbers from last week:

79 new members.
179 new threads.
4,160 new posts.
1,407 new images to the plant database.
149 new comments in the plant database.