Myrtle Beach Palm Tree

This large palm tree that you see hidden behind the other deck plants was transported up from the south about ten years ago or so. The tree was so small I was able to wrap it up in a wet towel and stick it in my side pocket of my golf bag.  Ever since then I have been putting the plant outside in the spring and bringing it back inside for the winter. Its now to tall for being inside at my place so a friend of mine is adopting it where it will have room and light to grow inside.

It originally was about the size of the smaller one you can see in the same pot in center of photo.

It is now flowering for the first time ever which surprised me.

Late summer seed starting

Its that time to start collecting seeds for next years planting season.

I collect seeds from my own garden,other peoples gardens (permission or not) and even at local nurseries but don't get caught.

I started a tray of Maltese Cross which is a perennial seen below.
These seeds were taken from my own garden and started about a month ago.
You can see how fast they grow and I have given half these seedlings away already.
They are ready for planting.

Not always the case with some seed trays but I still have hope with below picture.

"The road of life is rocky and you may stumble too,
So while you point your fingers someone else is judging you"

Watering Overcrowded Pots

One problem I am finding is that within certain pots the root systems are very crowded, especially with morning glories.  This causes the soil to dry up very fast and the plants start to wilt with the lack of water. You can water them but the water runs right through and the soil really never gets properly soaked. I use a method called the submersion technique.

Basically fill up a water tight container of some sorts with water, which is bigger that the pot itself.

You can stick the pot in the container first and fill up with water to where water level is just below pot with plant in it.

This gives soil a chance to act like a sponge and soak up the water. 

I usually leave it in for about an hour then just lift pot out and your done.

Photo below I have some cosmos in a peach basket which I turned into a planter.

 "Say you'll be alright come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you"

New Deck Buddies

Just found this little guy hunting around in my plants on my deck.

A nice welcomed visitor.

And His friend....

I suggest we learn to love ourselves before it's made illegal.
When will we learn? When will we change?
Just in time to see it all fall down.

Bee Balm Maintenence

Bee balm being one of my favorite perennials forces me to take very good care of it.
When its basically done flowering I cut it all back to the ground. This prevents powdery mildew and other diseases its prone to.
I take all my cuttings and throw around perimeter of garden to deter the deer.  They can't stand the overwhelming scent, I hope.   

You also might get another growth spurt and maybe also more late season flowers after cutting back.

One idea I came up with is that you can substitute leaves for mint and use in some nice refreshing Mojitos.

 
 "Hey farmer farmer
Put away the DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please!"

Garden Pics--08/10/12

Late summer action from Connecticut.

Starting from left in picture you see Oak leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea Tardiva, and Ligularia.

My prized Ligularia Desdemona

Blackberry Lily in Below photo

I named this section "Bernie's Garden"

My Castor Bean Plant 

 Very Poisonous

Herb Garden

Gino "the butcher" garden pictures

Gino who is a retired butcher is an "Old School" Italian individual.  A nice throw back.
He also likes to sneak into my dads yard and take plants from my beds.  Guess its payback for all the times I have done it with other yards. What? who said that!

Anyway, he has a nice formal garden lining his driveway and a lower level on the property where "Edibles" are grown.

Most of his pottery you see in pics is all refurbished done by himself.

Here is the lower level where veggies are grown.

A nice dense strawberry patch in below snapshot.

 

Deck Plants

I have quite the variety of deck plants and here are just a few pictures with some descriptions and maintenance required for having a healthy container garden.

My deck gets really hot so watering is a huge element to keeping plants happy.

I used to just water out of a can but with so many plants and the time that it takes I just hooked up a garden hose and its a lot faster.  I have a spray nozzle which has a "flood" setting and I water at the base of all the plants rather than just spraying them.  Just a preference I have.

I feed my plants with a little miracle grow by sprinkling it on the soil prior to watering.  This can be done once every few weeks.

I did used Miracle Grow potting soil but that seems not to be enough to really boost the plants.
 If you are in the area swing by and check it out.

Below photo is just some random herbs in front, zinnia in the middle with tomato plants, dahlias, and so many other various varieties to many to be mentioned   

Morning Glories going crazy now, ran extra string to guide them.

 Zinnia with a sunflower mixed in.

Prolonging Dill

I love my Dill and I find just throwing some dill seeds everything 3 weeks or so into where the old Dill is growing you will get an endless growing season out of it.

When I broadcast them I don't even cover with soil.

Its not called a "weed" for nothing.

Ironweed Seedlings- started early spring

Update on those Iron weed seedlings I started back in the spring.

They are all about a foot or so tall now and even have tiny flower buds on them.

This is the one plant I am pleased to have success with growing from seed.

My mature plant where i got the seeds from is now over 9 1/2 feet high now.

I will take a picture when its flowering in a few weeks to show how enormous this plant gets.

Here is a pic I just took using my Aunt Catherine for scale.
I measured it at this time just at 10 feet high. There are a few flowers that are just popping out.
Iron weed plant is in center of photo.

I added another couple of pictures below of some tall sunflowers and ornamental grass in her yard.
Very serious she looks standing with her grass.

Here are the sunflowers still growing as we speak.