Since I was never Prom Queen, I gladly accept the Queen of Piddlin' title. Royce in all the years you spent in high school, were you ever Prom King?

The current project here is getting the seedlings out of the hydro unit and into pots and then to the field. Yup, going to try growing the seedlings in pots, zone 6a, and see how many survive. I guess if they survive, they can definitely be called hardy. We will keep them in pots until they bloom and when ugly, they get jerked out and tossed but if they are purdy, they will be planted. Hopefully by the time they are planted out, the weeds will be a memory and the nasties will be a faint memory.

The goal was to get three trays per day but after two trays yesterday, hubby declared he needed a 1/2 day vacation. Since free help is hard to find, I acquiesed to his desire to go to the nursery. He had to twist my arm but off we went. He was in a generous mood so came home with several shade type plants for the new area. Now the big question is when will I get around to planting them, the new hosta and previously purchased plants instead of letting them live in pots? Stay tuned -

After returning, we then "played" with a pile of rocks in the new area. Do you know how hard it is to make big rocks appear like God put them there? The rest of the goal in making a pile of rocks was to keep the cracks and crevices to a minimum to keep snakes from thinking God gave them a new home. Now I have to make moss grow on them. Where IS the HGTV woman when you need her?

Guess I rambled enough for today.

Brooke

Nancy has Ellie raided your garden yet?

Royce in all the years you spent in high school, were you ever Prom King?color>

Never went to a prom. Did not think it would be much fun going by myself, especially since I can't dance. 'Course nobody would go with me. That's ok, things sort of even up. We are all old now and the others LOOK old. I think I am the only one in the class who doesn't look old.

Just curious, how large are the pots in which your are potting the seedlings? Will they be in shade/filtered shade?

Hope your arm is not too sore from the twisting to force you to go to the nursery. Good luck with the rocks. Gosh, I think working with landscape timbers are hard enough. Don't want no rocks.

Brooke,

I had a chance to practice my piddling skills this morning - random weeding, flower gazing, snapping a couple pictures, wondering WHY I didn't label things better last year, NO sweat involved, and a pleasant surprise at the end. Am I doing it right?

The surprise? Four clematis 'Marie Louise Jensen' I planted on my chain link back fence ACTUALLY SURVIVED THE WINTER and are GROWING!! That location is the MOST difficult one in the whole yard, but only part of the fence is covered (with what is probably 'Emerald & Green' euonymus on my side of the fence) or hidden (by golden barberry on my side, or my neighbor's awful old honeysuckle shrubs trying to invade my yard from his side). Nothing seems to totally block out the view of the mess in my neighbor's back yard, and I'm so tired of looking at it. The clematis were another desperate attempt last year to provide a screen and some beauty, and it looks like it's going to work! Hooray! Thank you God for a mild winter. . . .

Royce, I think you've earned the rambling title - NO problem!

Laurel (who is content to learn the fine points of piddling and rambling from acknowledged masters of those arts)

Strange isn't it, how the classmates all look their age but you don't. It worked that way for me too. I went to my 25th just to check up on everyone and sure 'nuff, I was a good 10-15 years younger looking than everyone else.

My arm is stiff and sore today, thanks for asking, but I managed to plant some of the companion plants in and around my barrels and along the walk of the area. It was almost piddlin' because it was so enjoyable and it was cool enough I didn't even consider sweating. I did manage to do considerable piddlin' early because I took advantage of the clouds and took lots of pictures. Soooooo much easier to get pics when there is no sun.

I had a great visitor today and we enjoyed looking, walking and talking for a couple of hours. Kydaylilylady (Janet) came by and we exchanged some plants. It sprinkled off and on but heck, gardeners aren't afraid of a little rain. Eventually we ended up in the sunroom where she was entertained by the two dogs and all their toys.

Royce we are using regular gallon pots and have our fingers crossed they will survive both summer then winter in the full sun. Hubby installed a water system down there today and in extreme heat will water them a couple times a day. Usually when the plant is moved from the hydro unit to the ground, they take a big hit but most never drooped at all. If this is successful, hooray and if it flops, then a year's worth of work is down the tubes. Be sure and ask Janet about the great crop of nutsedge growing in the field - I hope being a successful nutsedge propigator is not my only talent.

Laurel you are so wise to be learning to ramble and piddle at your young age. By the time Royce and I are ready to pass on our titles, you can probably assume both titles. Will this make you Empress?

Brooke

Ack, NO, please, not another title that includes RESPONSIBILITY!! I'm having enough trouble with the title "Mom." (Or, to give it it's proper emphasis and full expression, "But MOOOoooom!" I've had the urge to tell my kids that my first name is not BUT, but I'm sure that would come back to haunt me bigtime.)

I suppose the best title I can hope to aspire to in my gardening senior years will be, "She Who Wants To Be Left ALONE With Her Plants." (For five minutes. Please! Don't make me beg, it's undignified. Okay, I'm getting desperate, PLEEEAAASSSE!!)

Can you tell that my kids were "helping" me plant out winter-sown seedlings today?

Laurel

Brooke, I know your summers are not as brutal as mine, but the summer sun would cook them here. In fact, I cooked one in a 5 gallon pot.

Regarding age, I ripped the following off another GW Forum.

I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist.
I noticed his DDS diploma which bore his full name. Suddenly, I remembered a
tall, handsome dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school
class some 40-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush
on, way back then?

Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought.
This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been
my classmate.

After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended Morgan High School.
"Yes, yes, I did! I'm a Wolverine," he gleamed with pride.
"When did you graduate?" I asked.
He answered, "In 1959. Why do you ask?"
"You were in my class!" I exclaimed.

He looked at me closely. Then that ugly, old, wrinkled ------ asked,
"What did you teach?"

I soooooo resemble that story!

As I said, we may have put a year's effort into the seedlings and end up with bumpka. We hope the multiple waterings will keep the seedlings going and (here's more hoping) the fact the pots are lined up tight against each other, will shade each other. The pot growing method was decided by the man in the family so as all women know, it will be attempted!

But Laurel (sorry I didn't know your complete name) being a Mom is the hardest job in the world with being a wife, running a close second. By the time you assume the titles, you will be able to ramble and piddle with no effort on your part because it will be second nature.

Brooke

I do like this rambling and piddling! Reading about it ranks right up there with actually rambling and piddling! I'm about to go out and actively piddle (is that possible??) for as long as possible before I am compelled to do something like grocery shop. Yech. But, the family does need to eat.

Brooke, I was so inspired by your idea and picture(s) of the Japanese Maple potted with mini hostas that I ordered a mini from Plant Delights. Well, what's with this??! It came (along with two other regular size hosta that I felt compelled to order...one would never do) and it is much too large (!!) to go in my pot with the maple. This means I just must buy another larger pot and heck, I may as well just order another maple because the one in the pot seems to be doing nicely and I don't want to upset the applecart. (Am I rambling sufficiently?)

I have meant to mention also, Brooke, that you suggested patience with the mbm x t lav blue baby seedlings that were so slow to germinate...and you were right! Out of 24, I'm now up to 10 and those last four are thanks to you! Still not great germination rates, but better than they were.

And, Royce, if I can ever finish with today's rambling and piddling (not likely) and those pesky chores, I have some pictures to post for you of a few fragrant shrubs in bloom. You can hold your nose just looking at them!

On the aging thing, my oldest and dearest friend in the world sprouted some of those wrinkles around her eyes a few years ago. I was shocked, I tell you, shocked. I went and looked in the mirror (as she is six months younger than I) to console myself that I, naturally, had not aged so...and there they were! The wrinkles! I'm convinced I acquired them from her.

But Laurel, before you know it, the kids will be in college and...unbelievably...graduating. Then, you'll have to pay for their help...or worse yet, they have no time to help!

Permit me, please to ramble off topic (is there a topic?) for a moment to celebrate! My son has been offered a position in the ph.d program in mathematics at Stony Brook University in New York! He graduates from UA in May and so will be going from the heart of the south up to the north!

Piddling does call, so rambling must stop. For now.

I've been reading about all the piddling and rambling my fellow DL lovers are doing. I do my share of piddling, but less rambling, especially when the weather is nice!

It's finally warmed here in the north. I have flowering trees and a few perennials (candytuft, gold alyssum, creeping phlox) and shrubs (the lilacs smell wonderful and so does the viburnum) blooming. It's so amazing how one short month can make such a big change and I'm blown away by it every year :-) I love running around the garden to see what's up, what looks good, etc. I need to take some photos and post a few. Most of you Southerners have seen these blooms come and go already.

I have half of my ordered daylilies potted and another 20 to arrive. I'll have to plant some of these in the garden to make pots available to pot up the rest. I don't know how long it will take to make space, dig holes, but it has to be done. I only pray that the weekends will be nice over the next few weeks, since I'm still a working girl during the week!

I have seedlings from LA seed wins and they will need potting too. I'm wondering if it pays to put them in smaller pots (quarts) and move them up to gallons before putting them in the garden? Or maybe from quarts directly into the garden. I don't think I can winter over in pots here.

Katie, what a coincidence! My son was offered a position in the PhD Math program at the Univ of Virginia, so he'll be in the opposite position--a northerner heading south this fall! I'll finally get to visit Monticello sometime in the future :-)

Happy gardening!
Marcia

Oooooh nooooo, wrinkles are catching? Tragic news there!

Of course you need more minis. I love them because I can have so many more hosta. They, being the hosta society, classify some hosta as minis that IMHO, don't come close to being a true mini. The stats are done on leaf size and not the actual size of the plant. Some of the truly, small minis I have here are Cat's Eye, Blue Mouse Ears, the crumb series, Bread Crumbs, Crackers Crumbs, Cookie Crumbs,longissima Early Sunrise, Cherish, Orphan Annie, Medusa, Masquerade, Tiny Tears, venusta, Saishi Jima, Hydon Sunset and Green Eyes. I know I have more out there but can't think of them! All of those are small enough they won't overpower a small JM in a container.

Congrats on the successful seed growing season to you both. Marcia how big are your seedlings - are they big enough to go straight into the ground? Unlike hosta that seem to like being slapped/moved/repotted when they are seedlings, daylilies prefer not being disturbed very much and will be happier going into the ground as soon as possible.

Brooke

Brooke, is their some technical problem that you are unable to show us pictures you took while piddling? I did not consider that you were putting many pots together and they might shade each other. Might work. In my case, I had only one that I left in full sun and it was cooked.

GG, looking forward to the pictures. The Carolina Allspice is still blooming here and the fragrance is delightful.

Yes Royce there is a technical problem - the pics were still in the camera in that little disk thing. Since I have confessed I am not a technical wizard, the husband has to get them out of the camera and onto the hard drive for me.

Thankfully, with the rain, he did that today and I did the rest of the technical stuff, like resizing, moving to Picturetrail, etc. I had not done this for a couple of months, so it was slow going, again, for me. My short term memory thingee is broken.

As I said, this past year might have been for naught but the husband wanted to try it, so we did.

Brooke

I could have swore I posted to this thread but my post must have vanished to where odd socks go. Anyway, here is a picture of my seedlings, and some annuals and perenials that my wife bought for the garden.

{{gwi:632024}}

Nice seedlings Edward - what's the spotted leaf plant just to the right of the seedlings?

Brooke

Hi Brooke, it is a Coleus.

Brooke, my seedlings are smaller than Edward's, just having been started in March and April, so they have some growing to do yet!
Marcia

Hi Marcia, the top two containers were planted in January.

Edward

Edward's deck sort of looks like out my back door. Two flats of tomatoes that are almost ready for the garden, a flat of peppers, 2 flats of zinnias, some verbena that needs to grow more, dill, sage, parsley, basil seedlings, and some pots of columbine, phlox, false indigo and the big bunch of hosta seedlings that Brooke gave me on Sunday.

I think we're about in the position that I can go ahead and plant the zinnias I'm getting tired of watering all this stuff. We're aren't even discussing the 5 BIG tubs of bare root daylilies that I brought back home from market last week. They're holding over to go to a different market this weekend. Whoever buys them will be getting a major deal this year. 5-6 fans for the normal 2 fan price of $5. Maybe I can cultivate some new daylily junkies!

Janet

Here I go braggin' again but my pot ghetto is huge and the sad part, I keep adding to it. I had a dental appointment yesterday so I stopped at this one nursery I only get to about once a year. Sure 'nuff, more plants followed me home because why waste the gas later when it was so convenient to pick up everything now. I rationalize more plants and remind the hubby I saved enough gas to pay for the plants!

I did get the flat of impatiens I need because this year my attempt at growing them from seed was a big bust. I also tried to grow geraniums from my own seed I had saved. Now if these geraniums reseed in my garden by the end of the year, why couldn't I grow them under lights? Two different mini petunia colors to go with the petunias I did grow from seed, for some containers. I also got the purple fountain grass for a new pedestal planter I have, some salginella for color in the Sharp's Pygmy whiskey barrel to accent the mini hosta I planted with it. A Henryi clematis to replace the one I lost due to a honeysuckle shrub eating the other one. Have I mentioned how much I hate honeysuckle, both the shrub and the vine?

Put all those purchases with the ones from last week, the spring daylily purchases, the conversion attempt daylilies, other seed grown annuals that did cooperate, all my spring hosta purchases, my hosta seedlings, the canna in pots and about 15 trees I have in containers. I will not - repeat - will not buy another plant until all of these containers are planted into the ground.

The good news is there are only 2 1/2 hydro trays of daylily seedlings left to pot up. THEN, I can deal with the pot ghetto.

Brooke

New daylilies and some zinnias got planted last night. I see we're supposed to have good weather through the weekend at least. That means while people in Louisville are getting smashed in the infield I'll be in the field getting some much needed stuff done this weekend. I think it's time to cultivate some garden and get some beans and squash planted. Time for some tomatoes to see the real world. They're safer there. Last night my son was playing with the neighbors overweight Lab retreiver. Lovely, sweet dog build like an 18 wheeler. In her exuberance she tried to wipe out a flat of tomatoes. So goes the life of a dog.

Hopefully one of my last daylily purchases will be on my porch this afternoon when I get home from work. They were supposed to be here the first of April but the seller made a mistake and put 5/1 on the order instead of 4/1. Everyone makes mistakes. It will be interesting to see the performance of early planting vs later planting. A few years ago I thought my plants did much better getting in the ground the first of April so that's when I usually have them sent.

Janet

I'm slowly whittling away at my container ghetto from winter sowing. Yesterday I planted (with my four year old's help) two kinds of snapdragons, ratibida, bunny tails grass, yet another sunflower, California poppies, scarlet oriental poppies, and two kinds of rudbeckia. I also had some time ALONE (my sister had the kids for the morning), so "on the way" to the grocery store I also stopped by my favorite local nursery. So, in addition to groceries, I came home with a dozen impatiens, some coleus, a nice 'Husky Gold' tomato (my favorite - beautiful plant, tasty fruit), some creamy white mini petunias, an asclepias, and an ivy geranium.

Now if only we'd have some RAIN - this has been a VERY dry spring here in Upstate NY, and I've had to hand water all my seedlings daily. If it's hot today, I'll drag out the hose and soak the kids too. . . .

Laurel

We need rain too. Last night a 'possum or some critter 'helped' by digging up two plants I had just planted that day. I re-planted them this morning. Such critters are a big help. I LIKE planting the same plant more than once! :-)

I have a bunch of wintersown seedlings that need a home. And I've received half of my DL wins but they are still in pots. Another 20 are still to arrive. I haven't had any communication from a couple of LA sellers, so if the plants don't arrive this week, I will email them again.
Marcia

There are tons of blooms in the garden today including5 different tulips, the forsythia and the april Rose Rhododendron. I am out pulling dandilions so I don't see them bloom. I am considering planting my January sown seedlings this weekend. I may wait until next weekend. I can tell it is spring because I need to wear my mesh hood to protect against the Blackflies. Thursday is the babysitting plant distribution and plant auction at my daylily club and I am starting to get excited. I hope I get Don Herr's Jolly Good Fellow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jolly Good Fellow

It seems some of us are trying to whittle the pot ghetto down and into the ground. Yesterday I managed to get rid of a couple of pots and some of the impatiens and coleus planted. My one shade bed is finished for the year - now I have more shade beds to complete and the sun loving annuals into the ground.

As soon as the daylylily seedlings are into their new home we can get the newly arrived potted daylilies into permanent homes. I was nice to hubby yesterday and gave him a rest from the seedlings and let him enjoy lawn mowing. Too bad we don't have one of those hay machines that makes those little square bales because I could feed Janet's cows next winter.

Marcia it is interesting you never had any communication with one of the LA sellers. I had one that never acknowledged anything regarding a win. No payment, no ship date, no nuttin' but I did get the plant I won, on the date I wanted it, it was a good plant so felt compelled to leave good feedback. He never posted any feedback for me, not that I care.

Edward if JGF is anything like S. SWEETNESS, it will be very prolific for you - good luck and hope you get it.

Where's Royce - he isn't rambling but might be practicing his piddling or did he meet with another accident from some of his STUPID equipment failures.

Brooke

Brooke, I did get a shipment this week from the non-communicator, so that's good. I still have 3 shipments to go, one shipping next week, one not until May 22, and one I thought I would get this week, but maybe it will show next week.

Spring is progressing here. The dogwoods are blooming and most trees except for the oaks have some leaves. DH said he'd help me dig up more grass today :-)

Here is part of the daylily pot ghetto. I have other non-DLs that need a home, too.

{{gwi:632025}}

A couple other photos: first bloom this year on a tree peony, a spot near my little pond, dogwoods.
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Brooke, STUPID equipment is always a good guess, but not this time. Have just been reading and hanging my head in shame after looking at all the purdy pichures.

My weed patch that is supposed to be a seedling patch, is pitiful. We had rain yesterday. Most of the daylilies are not looking all that great. Earlier, I mentioned I am trying a high nitrogen Osmocote fertilizer. I have decided it's too expensive. I am now thinking I might try 10-10-10 and top dress with nitrogen. Would be a lot cheaper. Lots of scapes showing and will probably have my first outside bloom tomorrow. Don't exect much from it.

I am enjoying the pictures, even if they do shame me.

Royce

Royce, we're just not showing you photos of all our weeds :-)

Beautiful pictures Marcia! One question, why would we be so stupid as to show pics of our weeds. I've deleted some gorgeous pictures of some of the beds because it showed the glorious crop of weeds around it. Weed eating is not a favorite past time for the hubby.

I made a (can't even call it a dent) small blip in the pot ghetto yesterday because I planted all my annuals in the ground. I still have some containers to do but that can wait while I work to get more things into the ground. The potted, with many scapes, daylilies can now look for permanent homes.

Right now it is drizzling (not forecasted) but hopefully, can get the two tacky gh's down and out of the way so I can move my benches from the deck of the building to hold my tropical bonsai, so all lights can be turned off. THEN, I can take the newly arrived hosta and the companion plants I purchased for them to their new location. I'm not planting them just yet but going to stick the pots in the ground where I think they will permanently live.

After all those chores, I will only have about 100 hosta seedlings to contend with and where they will live for the summer. I do see a light at the end of the very long tunnel.

Brooke

We have now gotten rain. Don't know for sure if daylilies are growing, but weeds/grass certainly are. Blooms are just beginning in gardens. Had first bloom yesterday. It should make good compost.

Brooke, would like to see pictures of your tet CONNIE BURTON. I bought the dip last year. It was the only one I bought that was not to be used in hybridizing. As I have said before, I am a big fan of Tom Wilson daylilies.

Well Royce, the CONNIE BURTON bloomed again yesterday but again it was cool and not a great bloom. It was good enough for me to collect the pollen! The best part is the plant divided and I now have two fans of it. If and when it warms up enough I will try to get a picture.

Today and tomorrow there could be storms and then several days of below temps in the forecast. Thankfully, no frost but upper 40's at night. These temps will certainly not be good for picture taking.

No scapes in the field, no scapes in the transplanted seedlings, no scapes in the garden - did I mention I have no scapes around here except on the potted southern plants I brought in.

Brooke

I have scapes on a lot of my southern plants. I've had two blooms on the not LONDON CALLING. I still can't decide if it's SPEEDO or STRING THEORY. Maybe I'll be able to tell next year. Either way it's going to be a nice looking plant.

Got straw under all my tomato plants last night. The straw really helps with weed control, clean fruit and conservation of moisture and with around 120 plants all of that is important to me. After letting the weeds take the entire patch two years ago the kids don't even complain when I tell them we need to go get the straw down.

Looks like it's possibly going to be raining for a few days. Time to do some piddling. Or maybe even something as foreign as cleaning some house....

Janet

Brooke,

Well, I don't feel so bad now - no DL scapes up here at all, either, and I'm quite a bit north of you. I've got REALLY nice bloom stalks on my irises, though, and I think I'll borrow my sister's digital camera when they bloom so I can share some pictures here.

I am eagerly anticipating the rain we're supposed to get tomorrow - it has been extremely dry in Upstate NY this year, and I've been running around the yard every day watering seedlings. And my allergies are outrageous - the pollen is a fine yellow-green dust coating EVERYTHING here. I hope you've been unaffected by the storms moving around you.

It's interesting what has LIKED the dry spring weather and what hasn't. The daylilies do NOT seem to like the dryness, except for the 'Kwanzo,' which is inordinately vigorous this year. I've been making watering rounds daily to be sure my new daylilies don't dry out. The irises are LOVING this warm, dry weather, and have great foliage and many bloom stalks, with only a couple exceptions.

Laurel

Janet - here is a pic of SPEEDO {{gwi:632029}} Can you tell I used it to hybridize?

Brooke

Brooke,
SPEEDO might be what I have. It's always hard to tell with a splotchy first bloom from a newly planted plant. The picture in Trimmer's catalog seemed to indicate that both of the plants had a more green throat but your picture shows a much more yellow throat, consistent with what bloomed for me. If it reblooms or has a better looking bloom I'll be back for your picture to compare again.

Janet