Thinking Spring

I know, we can barely think of summer being over, with fall hot on it's heels, but this is the time of year we have to think of our spring garden.  I order my bulbs online from http://www.johnscheepers.com/ or http://www.vanengelen.com/ depending upon the quantity.  Scheepers deals in smaller quantities.

A couple of great daffodils that performed above and beyond last year in my garden were Itzim and Rinjveld Early Sensation both early bloomers and long lived.  Remember to think of tulips as annuals but I have had luck with many of the emperor tulips coming back (not quite as large).  If you want a specimen garden, I would order new tulips each year.  I do this with the Monte Carlo tulips because I want to make sure they bloom around my tree in front of the house.

Itzim Daffodil

Rinjveld's Early Sensation

Early Sensation on South Side

Orange Emperor Tulip

Sweetheart and Orange Emperor

Hyacinths many times will not bloom in the tight bud form as when first planted, but will split into several stalks of florets.  So, again if you want specimen plantings, put in new ones.  Muscari comes in many different varieties, one of the best being Blue Spike.  I have several varieties and colors, Valerie Finnis very nice up close, but you want some impact when they are at a distance.

Muscari

City of Harlem and Pink Pearl

City of Harlem Hyacinth and Sagitta Daffodil

Monte Carlo Tulip

I am also going to order some lilies as they were great during this very hot summer.  These companies also sell amaryllis and paperwhites for holiday planting (inside of course).

The Neglectful Gardener

Usually I wouldn't think of myself in this category, but lately all I can do is water the drooping containers before it gets too unbearable to stay outside.  I spritz a japanese beetle once in a while and prune an overhanging plant as I retreat to the house.  I see many more chores I should be doing but just can't stand the heat!

The single Knockouts have performed much better than the doubles this summer.  They seem to be able to take the heat with normal sized blooms whereas the doubles had very small blooms most of the summer.

Pink Mediland Rose has just begun reblooming after a season full of japanese beetle damage.

Pink Beauty has bloomed sporadically but has also been susceptible to the japanese beetles.

I have pruned only three of the seven boxwood that line my patio, maybe if I did one per day it would seem like less work.  Some of the grasses need to be cut back on the outside edges because the rain has put them over the pathway.  The Rhus Aromatica has been sheared about seven times this year (usually two is sufficient) and it has the scale back again.  I am ready to yank them and put in something more carefree, what?

Just one bloom on Nelly Moser - take note of the bites!

I am not even sure what this one is anymore, hopefully not Polish Spirit which I pulled out.

Rainbow Knockout just opening up again after an onslaught of the beetles

Mulch is piled up by the shed to lay on the north side path.  Who even wants to slit open the bag not alone distribute it in this weather?

Angelonia

Fibrous Begonias and Impatiens

My husband asked me if I get discouraged around this time of year.  He is not a gardener, but he even noticed the mundane nature of these daily garden chores.  He has taken on the job of watering the hayracks on the north side fence and I think he is becoming depressed over the way they look - half dead!

Nicotiana

Why do we do this year after year?  No other endeavor can I think of, except gardening, has the ability to bring the earth back to life, nurture it, replant it, beautify it and live off of everything it supplies.

The Invasion Of The Killer Tomatoes

You know I have a small raised bed vegetable garden that this year has become a layered garden.  The lettuce is long gone, green onion sets all eaten, seed onions still growing, carrots are very tasty and have enhanced two meals so far and still going, bumper pepper crop and cucumbers doing well on the 45 degree angled trellis.  I usually do not like cucumbers but the home grown ones taste so much better than those waxed ones in the store.

Mariachi Peppers

But, my five tomato plants are going crazy - completely tangled together because the Beefsteak in the Dura Cage fell over when one of the legs broke.  So, I have to guess which tomato I am eating although some are such a distinguished shape that it is easy.

Brandy boy is not a true red, almost pink, and large like a Beefsteak - not thrilled with the taste.  I have two Celebrity tomatoes which are determinate and reliable each year producing plenty of tomatoes - not the taste of a Beefsteak but much better than store bought.  I am also growing a Pineapple Heirloom Tomato, but I have not tasted this one yet.  I think I have picked a few but not totally ripe yet.

Bush Cucumber

Dahlia in Veggie Garden

The Basil has been great this year already producing a delicious pesto and plenty more to cut.  I have already given tomatoes to my family but I am wondering how much sauce can I make?

Lessons Learned

As much as we have complained about the rain and the heat this year, it has certainly been a learning experience.  I have a new appreciation for plants that do not need to be pampered and they are not always the ones that I thought would be in that non-pampered category.

Blue Paradise Phlox reblooming after deadheading

Perilla

Sandra Elizabeth is worth having in the garden this time of year.

It was certainly worth replanting the hayracks.  They are filling in quickly in this hot weather.

All of my waterwise plants have done great, but I am happily surprised about the sturdiness of the impatiens and coleus.  Believe it or not, the dahlias that were shriveling up in my hayracks and containers are coming back to life in the veggie garden.  They obviously were not getting enough moisture in containers.  Most of the petunias have done well except for Pretty Much Picasso (this petunia has been a loser for me), geraniums suffer in this intense heat and too much rain. 

This is one of the dahlias that I transferred from the containers to the veggie garden.

The only blooms I have had on nasturtiums this year

As I have said before, the containers that I put together with potting soil and Soil Moist are doing much better than the pre-planted containers from Costco or Home Depot.  It is not possible to add soil most to these store bought containers and because of this they are the ones that suffer in the heat. 

I love this verbena that came in a hanging basket.  I don't remember seeing this for sale by itself.

Mossing the containers on the top and the hayracks all around has definitely helped these containers survive.

I am ready to give up and let nature take over, but at the time of year when I would be ordering bulbs for the fall planting, I am like the mad waterer trying to keep everything alive.  This is a summer I will not regret giving up, but I may change my mind in January!

Mum's The Word

There are many alternatives to the yearly display of mums in our containers and in the landscape.  My husband feels they are a waste of money because they bloom for such a short time and rarely come back (in our zone) the following year.  If you do put them into the landscape and they do return they must be pinched in a semi-circle shape several times up until July to get that mounding shape you see in the nursery.

Each year I say I am not going to buy many mums, and each year I see a variety that I cannot pass up.  I never realized until a couple of years ago when I began to research certain varieties that there are certain bloom times.  There are early season varieties, middle and late, so if you are going to spend the money it is worthwhile to span the fall season.  I see many people walking out with plants in total bloom and know that they will not be pretty for very long.  Select your mums when the buds are still tight with just a few opening up so you can see the color.

Helga is an early mum in a creamy white.  The insects seem to leave this one alone and it blooms for a long period of time.  I also have had luck with Helga returning for a couple of years.

The pale colors and dark tones look lovely up close, but if you want your mums to pop out of the landscape from any distance, choose the bright yellows and oranges.  I love white mums or creamy colors, but some of the pure whites attract slugs at night.

I have begun to use some perennials in my containers in the fall.  Sedums, like Vera Jameson look wonderful hanging over the edges of a containers, ajugas, cabbages, sedge grasses, some bright orange pansies all look great and all can be transplanted to the garden late in the season.  I have my Vera Jameson from last year hanging over my vegetable garden.

Upright White Peacock Cabbage

Yellow Stemmed Swiss Chard

In the landscape, cabbages will hold up until December and some of the pansies are guaranteed to come back in the spring.  http://www.plugconnection.com/downloads/mums-f2008.pdf  This is a link that will give you an extensive list of mums, their chacteristics and bloom times.

If you must have mums, and I will probably give in and buy a few, bring your list with you of the bloom times so you can have them throughout the fall season.