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Scott L Member 
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Since now is the time to place orders for seeds and plants, I would like to know which ones grow well around here, particularly the less familiar ones. Just to get this discussion started, my favorite plant that is blooming now and has been since late December, are Hellebores. These are fairly expensive ($10-50) per plant but are perennial, have beautiful flowers, and self propogate by spreading their seeds. They have a long flowering period (usually January through March or early April), blooming at a time of year that not much else is. I especially like the pink varieties but the white and purple ones are attractive too. They are unaffected by cold and disease. Although they will grow in most any soil as long as drains fairly well, they do best with some compost and light organic fertilization. If I can figure out how to do it, I'll attach a picture or two on another post. I like to try something new each year so this year Ihave ordered some Gaura's to try. I'd love to here if anybody reading this have tried them. Happy New Year, Scott |
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macca Member 
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I saw on one of those local early morning shows before the holidays that the Guilford Co. Agricultural Extension Service (or whatever it's called) had some kind of booklet available showing what grows well locally. I think it also had info about when to plant stuff.... |
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Scott L Member
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Steve, I didn't mean to post this as a new thread but rather a new topic in the Gardening thread. I didn't know how to put it there since it was a new topic rather than a reply to something already in there. Can you move these posts from this new thread into the Gardening thread? I guess to add a new topic to an existing thread what you have to do is reply to any existing topic with the new one. Am I correct is all this? Thanks, Scott |
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Steve Adkins Member 
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Scott - actually I think all is well. The Hierarchy in the NWO Town Forum is Category - MAAN Forum - Much Ado About Nothing Topic - New Plants We Like Only someone with administrator rights can add Categories & Forums, however any participant can start a topic. Participants have been using the word "topic" and "thread" interchangeably, they are really the same thing. Your comment above: I didn't mean to post this as a new thread but rather a new topic in the Gardening thread. I didn't know how to put it there since it was a new topic..........there is no Gardening Forum, so you were correct to create a new Topic called "New Plants We Like". If participants would like, I can create a separate Forum called "Green Topics" or something like that, so we can keep the discussions about Growing Grapes & the like in their own forum area. I find these topics very interesting as do other folks, they are certainly deserving of their own topic. |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:41 am by Jim Flynt |
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Scott L Member
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Steve, Green Topics would be fine as a Forum to me. I don't know if there is enough interest in grapes to keep that one going or not. We should know in the next few months. Scott |
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DOGGETTJA Member 
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I have Gaura also but find it will not stand much crowding. It just sort of gives up. I love Salvia and you can't kill it with a stick. I have several clumps that I have had for years. Love the smell of it too. There is a Salvia developer in Mcleansville who has dozens and dozens of varieties. He has come to the Farmers Market on occasion when they have had their herb sale. This warm weather really puts us in the mood doesn't it? |
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Cracker Jax Member 
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HEY! Herbs! I don't have much of a green thumb, but I like herbs! Ya'll be sure to let me know if you hear of some good herb sales this spring! The Greek Church on Westridge and Friendly used to do a great one (probably still do) in April and I always enjoyed finding unusual herbs there. |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:41 am by Jim Flynt |
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macca Member
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A mediterranean diet is supposed to be good for you!! ♥♥♥ |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:41 am by Jim Flynt |
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macca Member
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Jim Flynt wrote:macca wrote:A mediterranean diet is supposed to be good for you!! ♥♥♥ Okay, Jimbo! I'm sure you knew I'd have to "google" it!♥♥♥ Plot Summary for Shirley Valentine (1989) Shirley's a middle-aged Liverpool housewife, who finds herself talking to the wall while she prepares her husband's chip'n'egg, wondering what happened to her life. She compares scenes in her current life with what she used to be like and feels she's stagnated and in a rut. But when her best friend wins an all-expenses-paid vacation to Greece for two, Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light. |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:42 am by Jim Flynt |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Jim Flynt wrote: Cracker Jax wrote: I don't think it's the Greek church members who are showing herbs and other plants there Jim. I think they just invite a group of master gardners to share their crops if I'm not mistaken. I have found lots of stuff there that you can't find (or at least I haven't found) at the area nurseries. Bay trees, foxglove, St. John's wort, bergamot, horseradish, angelica, feverfew, savoury, and countless varieties of mint, thyme, parsley, chives, rosemary and basil. I think my favorite purchases from there were loofah seeds which we grew, dried and actually got lots of loofah sponges from, and papayrus which is a lovely little water plant, which I quickly killed with salty little decorative stones that we collected from the beach. |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:42 am by Jim Flynt |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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The Farmers Market on Sandy Ridge has lots and lots of herbs and even a couple of times a year a herb festival. Excellent prices too. Also you can wave to your friends who are watching you on the cam thingy. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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You're right Jim..... New Garden has a very nice selection of herbs if you hit them at the right time, and Home Depot has most of the ordinary ones, but for something different I'd check out the herb sale at the Greek Church. For instance, if you're looking for mint, locally you'll usually find peppermint, and if you're lucky, spearmint or catmint. At herb sales I've found others as well..... banana mint, pineapple mint, apple mint, basil mint, chocolate mint, orange mint, crinkle leafed varieties of various mints and now I'm starting to sound like Forest Gump.... The same can be said for other herbs such as thyme or basil... there are just TONS of varieties of each of them that can't be found at local nurseries. Anyway, I think herbs are fun!!!! I'm not gonna worry about it until spring though cause I'm busy worrying about all this SNOW we're gonna be getting!!! YAY!
Jane let me know when they have the sale at the farmer's market! I've never been to one out there!!!! I'll be sure to wave!
Last edited on Jan 17th, 2007 01:52 pm by Cracker Jax |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:43 am by Jim Flynt |
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S. Smith Moderator
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I know this topic is supposed to be about plants we like, but the mere mention of mint (how do you like that alliteration?) practically sends cold shivers down my spine. Don't get me wrong -- I really do like mint. I just didn't know a few years ago when I started my little kitchen herb garden how incredible INVASIVE that stuff can be. Before I knew it, it had taken over my little herb garden and my whole natural area. Then it started growing out into the grass. You could pull it up, but anywhere you left one of those little roots, a new sprig would grow. Before long, I found myself spraying Roundup whenever I saw a sprig growing. I finally killed it!!  But it's taken me years to get over the trauma. Here's my sage (a nice little "stay-put" herb) advice: Plant your mint in a pot. Last edited on Jan 31st, 2007 04:17 pm by S. Smith |
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bama80 Member 
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S. Smith wrote:
-or in a Mojito. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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bama80 wrote: S. Smith wrote: LOL Bama!!!!! |
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S. Smith Moderator
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bama80 wrote: S. Smith wrote: Thank you, bartender bama. Are you mixing? Oops. I'll "off topic" myself. |
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Starcatchr Member 
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Last Spring I stopped by the Orchid Farm (in the Seagrove Pottery area) and bought an orchid whose name escapes me. It has resided faithfully on a table near the window for about a year, not blooming, not growing, not passing on, just sitting there making me feel guilty. I water it when itl gets dry and gave it some orchid food a couple of times. What must I do to bring a little happiness into its life? |
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Scott L Member
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Starcatchr, I don't have much success with orchids either but some of my family in Maryland do. They claim that orchids like high humidity so they sit the pots on top of a large flat tray filled with stones and water. They also spray theirs with water mist once or twice a day. Once every three weeks or so my sister runs a lot of lukewarm water through each pot. I have not kept up with all this which is probably why I haven't had her success. I'd love to know if you figure something out that works for you. Thanks, Scott |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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The other thing I heard about orchids is there is basically only one variety that amateurs should try to grow and since I can never remember what the variety is I have stopped trying. Although I am impressed yours is still alive. I pretty quickly killed the ones I have bought. Alive is good. At least you have something to work with. |
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Starcatchr Member
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Uh-Oh, any plant that needs attention twice a day (misting) needs another home. Thanks for the info, though. The lukewarm soaking sounds like something I could do every three weeks. I'm going to feed this baby one more time and see if it can get off its laurels and bloom. Or, at least, LEAF! I'll send an update in a few weeks. Thanks again for the answer. |
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Scott L Member
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I suspect the variety you are refering is called Phalenopsis. By reputation it is the easiest but like I said, I haven't been able to keep this one alive for long either. I have had more success with African Violets but one can kill them too without too much effort. Scott Last edited on Feb 19th, 2007 11:21 pm by Scott L |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Oh Scott that is funny about African Violets. I bought one the other day that was blooming and told my husband I figured I could keep it alive until spring got here and the real flowers bloomed. |
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S. Smith Moderator
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I used to have an elderly lady neighbor who loved to garden. Each spring after it got warm, she would actually take her African violets outside and plant them in the yard. She would make sure they had plenty of mulch around them and keep them fertilized and from gettng too dry. They would grow beautifully there until it started to cool off. Then she'd repot them and bring them back in the house for the winter. I had never heard of this before. |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Sandra Did the violets bloom planted outside? I might try that this year assuming my poor little Lowes Violet makes it til then. |
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S. Smith Moderator
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DOGGETTJA wrote: Sandra Did the violets bloom planted outside? I might try that this year assuming my poor little Lowes Violet makes it til then.Yes, they flourished and were gorgeous. |
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Starcatchr Member
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Sandra, do you remember if the outside violets were planted in a sheltered spot? I've always heard that you're not supposed to get water on the leaves. Please tell me that it's an old wives tale! |
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Scott L Member
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Sandra, Also were they planted outside in any special soil? I would think they'd prefer light, very well drained soil. Scott |
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Scott L Member
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I am trying a new tree this year, American Elms which used to grow here until the Dutch Elm disease wiped them out almost everywhere in the 1950s. Some of us seniors can remember them along the streets of towns and cities thoughout the eastern states. My research has found two named American elm varieties that are quite resistent to this and other Elm diseases. I have purchased and planted two 6 foot "Valley Forge" elms on our property and have eight very small "Princeton" elms in a nursery area to grow larger before transplanting to a permanent location. For those of you who are worried that these are "Yankee" trees, the Valley Forge trees came from Missouri, and the Princeton trees came from Tennessee. Are any of you growing something new this Spring? |
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Starcatchr Member
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My new plant for the year is a Daphne Odora. Had one long ago and it did beautifully for years. Went out to admire it one late winter day a couple of years ago and noticed a large dead spot - which eventurally spread over the entire plant. This was after a very cold spell so I think its demise could have been weather related. Anyway, I'm trying it again. Do you have any tips on caring for this beautiful shrub? By the way, good luck on your Elms. |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Starcatchr- I understand from several people that the Daphne is very short lived. 8 years is the average life and then they just die. I have one and it is probably at least 8 so I expect it to kick the bucket at any time. Some where I read you should just plant a second one near by when your plant is 8. |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:43 am by Jim Flynt |
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mstone Member
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Jim Flynt wrote: DOGGETTJA wrote:Starcatchr- I understand from several people that the Daphne is very short lived. 8 years is the average life and then they just die. I have one and it is probably at least 8 so I expect it to kick the bucket at any time. Some where I read you should just plant a second one near by when your plant is 8. ...... and so does Pappy !!! Good one, Jim! Night all. |
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Starcatchr Member
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GRITS Member
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I have peony bush that desperately needs to be moved from it's current location. I have heard that if the plant is disturbed as far as transplanting, it will not bloom or it could die. I really don't want to harm this beautiful bush, it is one of my favorites. What should I do, and when is the best time to transplant a peony? |
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rasin Guest
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Found via google at http://nga-gardenshop.stores.yahoo.net/peony-l-g.html ********* Transplanting & Dividing If you need to move a peony bush or have one that is flowering poorly due to overcrowding, transplant it in fall. Cut back the foliage to the ground. Dig around the outer edge of the peony clump, trying to dig up as much of the root system as possible. Move it to a new, sunny, well-drained location and set the clump in the hole no deeper than it was previously planted. To divide the clump, remove any loose soil, and with a sharp knife cut the clump so each section has 3 to 5 eyes (buds) as well as a good root system. Set the divisions in new holes as decribed above. Keep well watered this fall |
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Scott L Member
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Peonies and many other plants may quit blooming for any number of reasons. The most common reason is a reduction in sunlight which can be caused by overcrouding or by the growth of nearby bushes or trees. These restrict the sunlight required for the formation of flower buds, reduce soil moisture, and eats up soil nutrients needed by the desirable plant. I have found that pruning the competing bushes/trees along with adding organic matter under the peony or other smaller plant often restores it to blooming status. My mother gave me a peony many years ago and its never bloomed until this year, after I had trimmed back a competing deciduous magnolia tree. Good luck. |
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GRITS Member
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Thanks rasin and Scot, I appreciate the great info. I actually planted my peony 5-6 years ago from tubercles. The plant never came up until 2 years after planting. The bush didn't bloom until last year for the first time ever. I had forgotten about the plant, and actually thought it had died. Now you can see why I do not want to touch it. Seems like they are very sensitive |
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Scott L Member
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I find that propogating plants that grow here naturally and that I enjoy is generally more successful that growing plants that are native to somewhere else. I would like to know of plants native to Guilford County that others enjoy so I can try them on our property. As an example, we have a rather strange looking small (10-40 foot) tree that grows in small patches at rear of our property. It has rather large leaves in groups of 5 and has a rather tropical appearance in the Spring and Summer. I looked it up in an Eastern US plant guide and it looks like it may be an "umbrella tree" which is a variety of desiduous Magnolia. I have transplanted a few small plants of them closer to our house with good success. It prefers rather moist soil conditions with some but not too much sunlight. It has a beautiful form all year but large blossoms and seed pods in the Spring and Summer respectively. I bet there are other cool plants that grow here if we take take the time to notice them. |
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Scott L Member
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Starcatchr wrote:Sandra, do you remember if the outside violets were planted in a sheltered spot? I've always heard that you're not supposed to get water on the leaves. Please tell me that it's an old wives tale! Maybe it's an old husband's tale!  Last edited on May 23rd, 2007 12:19 am by Scott L |
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FatPappy Member 
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Scott L wrote:I looked it up in an Eastern US plant guide and it looks like it may be an "umbrella tree" which is a variety of desiduous Magnolia. I have transplanted a few small plants of them closer to our house with good success. It prefers rather moist soil conditions with some but not too much sunlight. It has a beautiful form all year but large blossoms What color blossoms? It sounds like what my granny used to call wild magnolias. There used to be a bunch at the edge of the woods next to a creek. I remember wonderin' as a kid if all our fancy plants have wild cousins runnin' around out yonder. Wild magnolias, wild strawberries, wild roses, wild carrots, were some of the names I heard. It always gave me a almost primeval feelin' of connection back in time to somethin' broader whenever I'd encounter one o' them wild cousins. Almost like a reawakenin' of some long buried memory that persisted, an' now that it's back, the enlightenin' perspective it offers changes everything. OK, I'll quit that line o' thinkin' 'fore y'all start wonderin' what kind o' wild plants it really was I found out yonder... |
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macca Member
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I like it, Pappy! And some of those things folks call weeds and wildflowers are some of the prettiest things! You just keep on waxin' poetic, whatever the inspiration!! (And I think nature is a great inspiration!!) |
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Scott L Member
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Guilford County keeps an inventory of historic buildings. We also should have an inventory of unique native plants and other natural features such as waterfalls, springs, and creeks that have been here for centuries. Own towns should pass ordinances to insure the preservation of these locally important resources so that development can't distroy them. You are right; there are lots of wild plants and hybrids of native plants, many are beautiful and much more easily grown than imported plants, e.g. tulips, persimmons, strawberries, magnolias, grapes, woodriff, etc. |
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Scott L Member
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The flowers on my umbrella trees are white, slightly fragrant, and each appears only for a couple of days in mid Spring so they are easy to miss. They are followed by a tennis ball sized seed ball with seeds that are lighter than the ones on the traditional Grandiflora evergreen magnolia that is more commonly seen here. The umbrella magnolia is less full than the grandifolia so its easy to grow other native wildflower plants under it. On its own it will grow 40 or so feet tall butI usually trim the top of mine when it about 8 feet to force it to grow wider. I've never had any insect or disease problems. Last edited on May 27th, 2007 04:16 pm by Scott L |
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S. Smith Moderator
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My hubby got some tomato plants last year and the tomatoes are almost black. I don't know the name of them, but he says they are delicious -- not acidic at all (I don't eat tomatoes, so don't ask me). He says the only problem is that it's hard to tell when they're ripe because they're always dark colored. |
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Scott L Member
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There are many varietes of black tomatoes, the most common of which is called Black Krim. They have become quite popular in the US but originated in Russia except for recently bred ones. Many vegetables were not originally their current color. I have heard that until recently the skin of carrots was purple. Yummy! |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:44 am by Jim Flynt |
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Scott L Member
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Absolutely! This is why we refused to allow the removal of trees closer than 30 feet from the foundation of our house when it was built 20 years ago. I've been told by contractors that people purchasing homes like everything growing including large trees removed from the property to be purchased so they can plant their own things. Its a very sad state of affairs if this is true. |
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Starcatchr Member
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I have a lace cap hydrangea that is planted much too close to a wall. I plan to move it, but would like to take some cuttings first in case it doesn't live through the move. Any ideas on the best way to propogate this plant? |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Hydranges are fairly easy to propogate. I would pick some youmg branches take the lower leaves off, stick in some good dirt, water real good and cover tightly with a jar. I do this in the shade and before you know it it roots. |
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Starcatchr Member
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Thanks! I'll try it. |
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Possumhund Member 
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My favorite herb is french tarragon; goes wonderfully with chicken, fish, and in sauces. It's a bi-ennial so after the second year it loses vigor and needs to be replaced. Trouble is I cannot find a source for it these days. Even a web search does not turn up any vendors. Anyone know where I could find some? |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:44 am by Jim Flynt |
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Possumhund Member
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Nix- New Garden did not have it 2 weeks ago when I stopped by, nor do any of the other garden supply shops I called. Does NG restock frequently and perhaps that's why I missed them? |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:45 am by Jim Flynt |
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Jim Flynt Member
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Edited by Poster. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2007 11:41 am by Jim Flynt |
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FatPappy Member
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The Japanese beetles seem to be giving us break this year, compared to other years. |
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DOGGETTJA Member
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Pappy I noticed the same thing at my house. I thought maybe that extreme cold this spring that killed the peaches also killed the beetles. |
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Starcatchr Member
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Shhhhhhhh! None on my roses, either. |
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Scott L Member
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Since this forum is closing, if you would like to discuss this topic I can be reached at scottlawrence@triad.rr.com |
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