Good topic Janet!

My #1 goal next year is to get mulch down prior to my plants becoming clumps. This spring we wanted to get the weeds eliminated before we applied mulch. I still had lots of chopped up leaves on most of the beds and they looked great so I thought we could mulch later. WRONG - by the time we were ready to mulch, the daylilies had grown so much it was hard to work around them and my plants are actually fairly well spaced apart. I am now fighting a constant battle with the weeds. Next year, mulch will be put down by the end of February, first of March even if I have to wear longjohns! (I'm not a cold weather person)

I will not crowd my hosta beds and at the first sign of a problem with one of them, (raising hand and swearing on Bible here) I will check it out and start the appropriate treatment for Southern blight. Ignoring the problem only makes it worse.

I will keep to my plan when I slather pollen around and not do too many of the what if's. I brought in about 25 plants with a grand plan in place and ended up not using several of those - put those with the ones I didn't use the year before and you can see I didn't stay on track. (picture raising hand here too)

I promise to not add any additional beds next year - no shade, no sun, no inbetween beds. There is enough beds around to keep me off the streets and out of trouble - any more and I may give up gardening.

I am NOT buying any more daylilies or hosta next year. With the material I have in both of these, I have enough to hybridize with if I live to be a hundred. (raising hand here, again)

Janet - (this is from amateur gardener to a true, died in the wool for several generations farmer) - sounds like a nutrient deficiency in the tomato patch - some minor nutrient possibly sucked out of the ground by the corn. OR did your Dad use the two year, kill everything Round Up in the area? I sure wish I could get my hands on some of that so I wouldn't have to battle weeds multiple times a year.

Brooke

I agree - great topic and one I had already been thinking about to hopefully improve next year.

The biggest disappointment was with seeds planted in the spring. I tilled the area early last year and sprayed Roundup several times, to eliminate weeds, grass and nut grass last year. I did not till this year because I thought it might stir up pest seeds. When I planted, the STUPID seeds just sat there without germinating until everything else got a head start. The weeds, grass and whatever totally got away from me. Also, when summer hit, the ground was as hard as a rock.

I had severe pod fall in the greenhouse over a short period of time (3 to 6 days). Not sure what happened.

Turned on heat in the gh a month earlier this year, hoping for earlier blooms. Noticed little, if any, difference..

Positive things: Found a place that sells pine fines (ground pine bark). Can get a large pickup load (2 cu. Yards) for $28. Unfortunately, it is 70 miles from me. Brooke told me about Trimec to help control weeds. Still experimenting on something to spray purple nut grass in the small seedling patch.

Changes for next year:

1. Turn on gh heat later.
2. Put up shade cloth earlier.
3. Spray foliage (with water) of greenhouse plants fairly often. Not sure, but think the plants like this.
4. Next spring, till area just prior to planting seeds, to keep soil from being so compacted.
5. As an experiment, I might haul in a load or two of pine fines and spread over a small area in which I will plant seeds. It should make a nice mulch, but is too expensive to do over the entire area.
6. Try to do a better job of pulling weeds, etc. in newly planted beds. However, rather than have the mess I had this year, spray with chemicals earlier.

A non-change is to continue to mulch older daylilies with pine needles (pine straw). Locally, it is called needles on the trees and on the ground, but once raked, it is called pine straw. I have pines on my property and it is free for the raking.

Royce

Hi All, this year I made some very good purchases but I only took one daylily out of the garden. I am at capacity and I need to take at least one out for every one I put in. Mardi Gras Parade, Orchid Candy and a few of my red seedlings really need to go. Siloam Bo Peep and Little Wine Cup either need to go or move.. My seedling beds look very nice although I planted so many that I don't have any room for more next year. I will have to wait until they bloom and I can cull the dogs before I can plant more.

Edward

I need to move and get a bigger yard.

No, seriously, I need to thin my daylilies to keep the best performers, and exile the "also rans" to my parents' house or my church (which has ACRES of space to fill).

I want to LABEL MY DAYLILIES this fall. I've passed the 50 daylilies mark, and my memory can't keep up all the time - let alone remember all the seedlings I hope to have soon. Let's see, things to get: copper sheeting, wire coat hangers, and OH YEAH, time to do it right. . . .

I plan to start my seeds indoors this fall - they're happy in the fridge right now, and I'm running on empty in the ambition department. Harvesting seeds and labeling them are all I can manage at the moment.

I think I'm going to have to dedicate space for seedlings - where, I'm not sure yet. There might be another raised bed in my future, and a little more lawn might bite the dust next year. I might ask a friend of mine if I could build a raised bed just for seedlings on her property (large lot, partially a small-scale farm). That way I could have space for my plants, and she could enjoy the blooms, and I could check on them as often as I want without disturbing anyone. We'll see. . . .

Having other perennials and daylilies planted together is fun, but I need to remove a few thugs - the Siberian irises in particular need to be thinned. And I'm not too enamored with the 'Wonder of Staffa' asters (which sprawl and wander all over the place). And the 'Betty Prior' roses have been a dismal failure - must remove them, and try something else. . . .

That's all I can think of right now. I'll think of more after I submit this message, I'm sure!

Laurel

oohh wow.. a great conversation starter for sure.

First off, I would like to keep from going overboard with my off season purchases but I have done if for the past 3 years and am not sure I have the cure yet. I was better at asking for particular delivery dates so the staggered schedule helped me get everything potted up --

For next year, I MUST stop buying duplicates. Many times it is accidental -- but sometimes it is just because I like the flower. I must be patient and let my flower multiply.

This year has been a learning experience with the greenhouse. I have enjoyed it but still have bugs to work out. We purchased a shade cloth and have moved things around a bit..but I am sure I will learn even more as I go through my first winter with one.

My seeds.. oohh that should be a separate post..lol.. I started most of my seeds indoors this year and was doing quite well with my lighting set up and my fans.. THEN my brother moved in. Well he didn't like the light on at night and I can't blame him.. but I couldn't get him to turn them on in the daytime so that my seedlings could continue to thrive. It was a painful battle to try to save what I could and only have about 40 seedlings from winter sowing that were successful. My son wants to enlist in the Army -- totally different subject -- and he has the room in the house that gets the warmest in winter. If he does, my seedling rack will move to his room...otherwise I will wait until spring to plant them. I have all the plans ready to built 8 raised beds in all. I am going to start with two and add on as my seedling needs increase. Goal for 2007 growing season would be to have those 2 beds constructed and ready for plants.

Many of you know that I was in school for the majority of this year -- especially during bloom season. I graduated in July so I will have more time to do all the things gardeners love. I still haven't mastered freezing pollen and still struggle with how to beat the bees when they are working through the night it seems..lol.. but that is a goal for next year as well. I got pictures of many of my flowers but not all. I am hoping to create an album with all, but that is a lofty goal at best.

My junior gardeners at the school where I teach are very active. I have struggled, at times, to keep up with their excitement. Many of you know that they buy and sell on the LA a bit and they are always looking for a bargain. We had a booth at our fall festival and the children enjoyed talkign to everyone about daylilies and selling what few pots of flowers they could bear to part with. I get a real sense of satisfaction watching them learn as they explore what works best -- most are from very low income families and parents are working long hours to make ends meet. By working with their children, I give them another purpose for their after homework hours than running the streets. Most have small established "potted" gardens on their apartment porches -- with a special thank you to Home Deopt for donating the big pots.. ookkaayyy.. I am getting off that subject..but my goal is to find more energy to keep up with theirs.

Overall, my year was very successful as I continue to love daylilies, am amazed at each bloom that opens, and always yearn for just one more..lol

Shelly

I definitely learned a lot of things NOT to do next year:

1. I will not add 300 daylilies in the same summer.

2. I WILL weed more often.

3. I will not add any new daylily beds (except the one I have planned).

4. I will not buy daylilies just because the price is good.

5. I will stick to my list when buying new daylilies.

6. I will give away or sell the daylilies that don't thrill me.

7. I will pay more attention to bud count and increase potential.

8. I will ignore the BOGO sales at the end of the season unless some are available from my list.

9. I will sacrifice some daylily room to plant more tomatoes (two plants just is not enough).

Thanks, Janet -- I have my New Year's resolutions done early! (Oh, and I will lose 15 pounds next year.)

Chris

These are hard.

4. I will not buy daylilies just because the price is good.

5. I will stick to my list when buying new daylilies.

6. I will give away or sell the daylilies that don't thrill me.

See, I told you I'd remember something after I posted!

This year, I am SO grateful for everyone on GW (and from the daylily and winter sowing forums in particular) for their help and encouragement. It's been a tough summer in particular, and every day I look forward to hearing from my long-distance gardening friends. My daylilies brought me lots of joy when things were really not going well and I was very discouraged and sad. (And I swear that I'm going to name some seedlings from the two crosses I made the day the flood crested in our yard but missed our house - names like "Standing On The Rock," or "Near Miss," or "Watcher In The Water," or "God Is Good.")

Laurel

edward, I disagree - 4, 5, and 6 are good gardening guidelines.

THIS is hard ---> Oh, and I will lose 15 pounds next year.

Ummm, Chris? While you're at it, could you lose 20 for me too?
Thanks,
Kathy

Kathy, I lost 25 lbs last year and so far 18 has stayed lost.

Edward, that's wonderful! Care to share any tips? Did you join a gym or weight watchers, etc? I keep saying I'm going on a diet, but I only last about 3 days...then I'm tired of it and I start craving chocolate. Sweets are my downfall. Why don't I crave celery sticks or an apple?
Kathy

I'm with you, Kathy - I've got one heck of a sweet tooth. I did lose 30 lbs. this spring/summer just by switching from my 24/7 Mountain Dew habit to boring ol' water. I still miss my MD, but not the 30 pounds!!!
Tammy

Okay, sign me up for the MD diet...that sounds fantastic...just one problem, I don't drink MD. Oh well.

Chris' sound excellent to me. I think I will add that I need to stay away from the LA! How many more can I possibly need and/or stick into my small yard??! (No answer to this question)

Brooke, you really hit a chord with me. That's it. I, too, have more than enough to enjoy, play around with, whatever.

I'm going to add one that shouldn't be hard if I do all of the above. No more spring arrivals. This rust thing is not fun. It puts a serious damper on trading, selling or even just giving away.

Fussy plants, whoever they are, just have to go. Some go on their own (die), but others I seem to let hang around...no more, they are taking up valuable space.

Water more. I have been watering of late, but think I needed to be more consistent. And maybe that Osmocote in the spring just isn't enough. If I'm not so busy planting new things in the spring, I just might have more time to amend the soil (better) around the things already here.

Finish up the areas I plan to plant in....and stop. The dogs need to be able have some grass to walk around on.

Recently, I was looking at a nice daylily and I realized I own both the parents. Something I think Brooke told someone a while back came into my head...why don't you just try to make your own??! It would be fun and a lot less expensive...although would take patience...so, there's another one.

Enjoy everything more.

The main thing I did was switch to diet pop and cut back on fastfood burgers to once or twice a month. I have also tried to increase my activity but that seems to go in cycles.

I spoke of one thing that I don't want to do again next year. Here's a few others

Make sure my Snapshot gets watered in on time. Either by rainfall or man made rain. I'm sure paying for it now. I have crabgrass knee high in the rows right now.

Don't plant more garden than I have time to take care of. There's not much point in me wasting my time planting lots of green beans and other stuff if I don't have time to weed and pick it.

Use the winter to do projects that can be done then and have them out of the way for summer. I want to lay fabric mat and mulch between the rows. It could be in fact more comfortable for me to do that in the late fall and early spring. Less sweat expended.

I also want to make new labels for everything in the field. Right now what I'm doing is less than satisfactory. It's easy to find a plant to dig when they're blooming. If you've walked the rows like I have you soon learn when they're blooming what's what. But have that flower fall off and there's this sea of green out there and the label is under the foliage things just aren't as much fun.

Janet