February In The Garden

I have actually held off on this post because there has not been a February in the garden.  However, I thought I would post it anyway, kind of a look back at what might have been if we didn't have two feet of snow.

The Rhodies look pretty good, full of buds.

PJM (April 16, 2010)

February in Zone 5 is a looking to do something month!  If there is not a ton of snow on the ground, it is a great month to prune trees.  Remember, do not cut completely flush with the trunk or you will end up with a much bigger wound than necessary.  There is something called the branch bark ridge that looks like a collar at the end of the branch, stay right outside this area.  If you have large trees to be trimmed, this is also the best time to schedule a professional. 

Type III clematis can be cut down to around six inches.  I usually like to leave a couple of buds showing.  Do not cut the Type I's or II's now, or you will not have many flowers this year.  They will flower eventually but usually with smaller blooms.

This is Hagley Hybrid and I can't get to this one yet.

Hagley Hybrid (Type III)

The snow has melted around Comtesse de Bouchaud but I will just wait until I can prune all of them, type III's I mean.

Comtesse de Bouchaud (Type III)

These areType II Clematis, Fireworks and Bee's Jubilee, so I will not be pruning these at this time.  If they need it I will prune after flowering.

Fireworks (Type II)

Bee's Jubilee (Type II)

Spend some time organizing fertilizers, garden gloves, tools, etc. 

I have started my impatiens under lights, need twelve weeks to bloom.  It is too early for the petunias and the amaranthus.

Keep planning those renovations and if they require a landscaper schedule early when they do not have much work, prices will be cheaper.  We scheduled the relaying of some of our patio last year in March when the company did not have much work.  We will do the same this year for another section and some evergreens that need to be replaced.  They love having early work to keep their men working before the busy season begins.

I have been babying this yew since last year and I think I have lost the battle.  It will have to come out, not sure this one will require a landscaper to remove - we'll see.

Visit Tootsie today for Fertilizer Friday!

The Winners

The University of Illinois does a test garden each year at which I am hoping to volunteer this year.  It is about thirty minutes from my home so it won't be that difficult to do even with a busy gardening season coming up.

Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry

This is a perennial grown from seed that flowers the first year.

Echinacea Pow Wow White

The U of I is expecting this perennial to come back strong this year.

At the end of the growing season the plants are rated by the University of Illinois researchers and also the public who can visit and write down their favorites on a survey.

Gomphera All Around Purple

Coleus Versa Crimson Gold

The seeds are planted in the spring with most of the flowers being annuals with some perennials that bloom from seed the first year.

Marigold Moonsong Deep Orange

Zinnia Profusion Knee High

Zinnia Uproar Rose

Angelonia Angel Mist Spreader Purple

They are tended by volunteers from the Illinois Master Gardener Program and noted for floriferous traits, long blooming period, color and disease resistance.

Impatiens Sun Spreading Corona

Impatiens Sun Compact Magenta

These are all 2010 Winners, some winners nationally and all deemed winners by the University of Illinois Horticulture Department

Begonia Inferno Pink

My feelings are if anything could be a winner for the summer of 2010 it must be great!

The Boxes Have Arrived

Even the UPS man asked what are these?  I told him they were my plant starting lights and he looked at me like what are you talking about!  Isn't it a little early, he said, no I explained that these were for indoors and then we put them outdoors.  He petted Reggie who barks non-stop at him each time his truck pulls up.  You would think Reggie would know him by now!

I am planning on using a sterile synthetic soil because if it has any real dirt in it the seedlings can suffer from a sickness called "damp off."  This is devastating to see happening, watching one plant after the other fall over at the soil line and die,  expensive and not fun to watch.

There are lots of pieces

It's ready to go, each set of lights plugs in separately.

These are the little peat plugs that came with the pans and covers.  It was difficult to find just the trays, it seems everything comes in a kit.

I have decided to use the little peat pots for the very small impatiens seeds.  I filled the container with warm water until they were saturated.

There are only twenty-five seeds of this new introduction so I can't afford to lose any.

I would normally used a sterile synthetic soil and will for some of the other seed starts especially the larger seeds.

The lights are on a timer 14-16 hours is appropriate for seed starting a cover is necessary in the beginning to retain moisture (many years I just used a sheet of plastic).  I do not have a heated pad under these or the seeds would germinate faster.  Lights are adjusted low and will go even lower when the cover is removed (when all the seeds have sprouted).

They are really small but are beginning to sprout!

Wild Thing Impatiens

Hopefully, this is what I'll get!

Curtain Call

Gardeners are a creative bunch of people and most of us have others things we do when we are not gardening.  One of my other lifelong endeavors has been sewing, clothes in the beginning for myself and my children then home decor, curtains, draperies, dust ruffles, duvets, pillow shams and pillows.

A trip to Chicago to a very old warehouse building

Sometimes I get ahead of myself in regard to what I can accomplish and have to rely on the trades to get me through a project like the fabric and fringe I had for a year to make new animal print pillows for my husband's chair.  He finally convinced me to bring the materials into the store and have them made.  I hate to give in to this because I know I can save a lot of money doing it myself - they're being made!

Yesterday, my daughter, sister-in-law and I took a trek into the city to a place that few fellow seamstresses could envision.  It is called Fishman's Fabrics (10,000 square feet of warehouse space established in 1903) and it is the largest collection of fabrics, supplies and trims that I have ever seen, overwhelming.  I had been there many years ago but as I remember was so confused by the multitude of materials I didn't buy a thing.

The city is still in disarray with cars totally buried in the snow, forget about street parking, and many chairs and tables holding parking spaces.  We were lucky enough to get into their small lot because we got there early.

There are three full floors of fabrics, every type imaginable, at bargain basement prices, racks of silks, velvets, sheers, linings, etc.  It is easy to get lost in there going from room to room to room on each floor.  The elevator is out of the 1920's, you know with the iron cage that comes down when you get on and you have to raise it up manually when you've reached your destination.

Racks of laces

Trims

More trims

Glitzy trims

A sale on trims

My daughter found some beautiful materials for draperies and valences for two of her rooms.  She is an excellent seamstress but has very little time, so seeking out the trades to help out may be an option.  My sister-in-law teaches Home Economics including sewing so she has many projects going at all times.

Checkout time

I didn't buy anything today either, they brought me along as a "color consultant."  This is the first time I've been called that, but I did enjoy the experience.

Everblooming Daylillies

I have daylillies everywhere in my garden, peeking out, popping up, trimming the border and structuring the back of the border.  There is no such thing as an everblooming daylily but you can make it look like this if you plant varieties that bloom from spring through fall.

Eileen Clymer (Extra Early)

Happy Returns (Extra Early)

When I first began planting daylillies I had no idea of all of the various bloom times, reblooming, petal types, etc.  I learned the hard way with all of my daylillies blooming within a few weeks of each other, and then it was over.

Miss Amelia (Early)

I am beginning to organize my daylillies in regard to bloom time, trying to have some blooming at all times during the zone 5 growing time.  There are very extra early varieties like Eileen Clymer (which I planted in the fall) and Happy Returns which blooms in my raised bed each year, not as great reblooming for me.

Mary Todd (Early)

Chicago Weathermaster (Early to Mid-Season)

Rain does not spot the petals

Red Rum With Broadway Lights Shasta (Early)

Joan Senior (Early to Mid-Season)

Miss Amelia, Mary Todd and Chicago Weathermaster and Red Rum are all earlier bloomers in my garden.

I have Midseason blooming varieties like Chicago Apache, Chicago Rosy, Arnies Choice, Ice Carnival, Dark Ruby and Hyperion.

Chicago Apache (Mid-Season)

Chicago Rosy (Mid-Season)

Arnie's Choice (Mid-Season)

Ice Carnival (Mid-Season)

Dark Ruby (Mid-Season)

Hyperion (Mid-Season)

Tetrina's Daughter (Mid-Season)

I have some later season blooms and some new ones that I planted last fall in my front garden bright oranges and yellow. 

Cherry Cheeks - Mid-Late Season

Nutcracker Suite (Mid-Late Season)

Sandra Elizabeth (Late Season)

For a small property, I have a lot of daylillies but they work well because they bloom and then can be cut back to grow new foliage.  I have some stands of daylillies that are up front but I think they are most effective when planted with perennials or annuals in front of them.  They are not pretty when they are done blooming and need to be cut back the the ground so that fresh foliage can grow.

These are the new plantings from last fall, and I can see that I have an abundance of mid-season bloomers.  So if I add anymore they should be in the extra early and late categories.

Entrapment (Mid-Season)

Lady Lucille (Mid-Late Season)

Maua Loa (Mid-Season)

Space Age (Mid-Season)

Each flower blooms for one day, hence the name daylily, and it is not necessary to pick off the "mushies."  However, many mornings I walk the garden to clean up the mushies in a bucket, not necessary except for looks.