Your All Things Plants weekly news: May 4, 2013

There were 7 new gardening ideas posted last week:

The Ubiquitous Primrose

By Paul2032
May 4, 2013
The Ubiquitous Primrose

The definition of the term ubiquitous is "existing or being everywhere at the same time, constantly encountered." Are primroses ubiquitous? (140 words - Read the full article)

(no comments)

Symptoms and Solutions for Seedlings That Need Fertilizer

By Joannabanana
May 3, 2013
Symptoms and Solutions for Seedlings That Need Fertilizer

Sometimes we get so busy watering our seedlings, we forget to fertilize them on a regular schedule. The plants will let you know when they need to be fed by looking sickly. (114 words - Read the full article)

(no comments)

How To Make an Ant Moat for Your Hummingbird Feeder

By Xeramtheum
May 2, 2013
How To Make an Ant Moat for Your Hummingbird Feeder

Love my hummingbird feeders but hate the ants -- after trying numerous ‘fixes’ to keep ants out of the feeders, I came up with my own fix that actually works using a can cap, wire, and cork. (265 words - Read the full article)

(9 comments)

ATP Podcast #16: Gardening With Children

By dave
May 1, 2013
ATP Podcast #16: Gardening With Children

In this week's episode, Dave and Trish discuss gardening with children, including the how's and the why's.

(8 comments)

Make Your Own Potting Soil

By patrob
April 30, 2013
Make Your Own Potting Soil

Mix your own potting soil. Most garden centers sell peat moss in large bags or bales, perlite, and bags of topsoil and compost if you need them too. Adjust the proportions to suit the needs of the plants you are potting.

(13 comments)

What To Do After Spring Bulbs Have Bloomed

By LarryR
April 29, 2013
What To Do After Spring Bulbs Have Bloomed

Cut or snap off seed heads from tulips and daffodils when they begin to form after blooming. This causes the plant to put all its energy into the bulb instead of into the seed pod and seeds.

(4 comments)

Moving Large Containers

By batflower
April 28, 2013
Moving Large Containers

Large potted plants can be a heavy problem when you wish to move them out for the growing season or back in for the winter. Remember that a dry plant is lighter than a wet one. With that in mind, withhold water for a few days. Then, find 4 pieces of pipe or old broomsticks, and hoist the pot on top of them. Then, as you roll the pot across them, keep putting the last roller in front as it gets left behind. Little by little you will have moved your pot outdoors without hurting your back!

(4 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Patricia Snider Memorial') by shive1:
Image from plant ID 4766

Photo of Heucherella (Heucherella 'Sweet Tea') by Tepelus:
Image from plant ID 180782

Photo of Iris (Iris 'Blueberry Tart') by Lilydaydreamer:
Image from plant ID 72646

Photo of Plumeria (Plumeria rubra 'Pretty Princess') by Dutchlady1:
Image from plant ID 588257

Photo of Shoestring Acacia (Acacia stenophylla) by Dutchlady1:
Image from plant ID 130006

Photo of Pacific Coast Iris (Iris 'PB&J') by zuzu:
Image from plant ID 588761

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies
Weather In Your Garden - Spring! daylily Daylilies forum 192
OT - The Porch Swing • Spring 2013 daylily Daylilies forum 153
Sempervivum ID TexasPlumeria87 Sempervivum and Jovibarba forum 41
Our Orchid blooms in May 2013 Ursula Orchids forum 29
Anyone lose a good number of daylilies this past winter (zone 5)? Seedsower Daylilies forum 23
Help with raised bed, drainage & amending soil??? PeachLily Daylilies forum 20
OT Termites! Frillylily All Things Gardening forum 20
ATP Series : The Daylilies of the Herringtons Char Daylilies forum 18
Seedlings May 2013 spunky1 Daylilies forum 17

Some new recommendations from our members:
Marilyn recommended Almost Eden and wrote:

I ordered for the first time this spring, but it won't be the last!

I ordered 7 plants and they were packed very well and look very nice!

A very good company to get plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies!

I love this place!

I ordered one of each plant....

Dwarf Red Porterweed
(Stachytarpheta sanguinea)

Purple Porterweed
(Stachytarpheta frantzii)

Coral Porterweed, Pink Porterweed, Orange Porterweed, Pink Snakeweed
(Stachytarpheta mutabilis)

Butterfly Red Pentas, Egyptian Star Cluster
(Pentas lanceolata 'Butterfly Red')

Silky Red Butterfly Weed
(Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Red')

Red Firecracker Fern, Firecracker Plant, Coral Fountain
(Russelia equisetiformis, R. juncea)

Firecracker Vine
(Manettia cordifolia)

Recommended!

chelle recommended Crownsville Nursery and wrote:

Crownsville Nursery does an outstanding job of packaging for shipping, and my order was sent when requested. There was absolutely no shifting of anything inside the box. IMO, all mail order suppliers should follow their example! I couldn't be happier with the plants sent; healthy, robust and just the right size for transplanting. This was my first order with this company and I'll definitely order from them again. Thumbs-up for Crownsville Nursery!

I ordered:

Spigelia marilandica
Salvia mexicana ‘Limelight’
Salvia uliginosa
Hosta 'Wide Brim'
Mukdenia 'Crimson Fans'


Thumb of 2013-04-28/chelle/3914ec

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Some numbers from last week: