It rained four times today. Last time was in buckets. I'm thinking of building an ark.

On the plus side, I hardly ever water!

Hope everyone's staying dry, but not too dry!

Jim

Plants seems like the rain than we expected. Many flourishing with new growth. I think it's the combination of water and humidity.

Mike, I think most people are busy outside, not only lugging out house plants, but gardening, too.
But with all the rain many states have undergone, I don't know how much work anyone can get done.
Yes, sometimes it does get boring..lol..

I explained (in an email) some problems going on here, plus no access to a computer for 3 wks didn't help. lol. We need to liven up the forums..lol..Toni

Holy Toledos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now we can get some excitement around here...Oh wait.
WHERE IS MERCIEPOO!!!!?
lol

Hugs to everyone!!!

Mike, I haven't seen Merci for some time..hope she's okay..When ppl stop coming around, it makes one worry.

Merci, are you okay?

Has Pug or Richie been around? He emailed me..said he started a thread but no one replied..I told him I'd search but never found it. Weird. At least I don't think I did..lol..

Well Mike, I think I 'finlly' placed all plants that are going out, out..lol..There's a few more I'm thinking about taking out, but fear doing it, for they might burn.
One is a rare dracaena that cost a bit more than I'd pay for a plant..another is a variegated Spaith (Not Domino,) leaves are more white than green.

So, how have you been? How are your plants? Are they all outdoors? Insects gone? Toni

It's mid of July, 5 weeks to the great fall. It's going to be 10 degrees tonight, 8 degrees tomorrow. I can't believe I have to move plants in and out this time of the year. What the heck!

Hi Mike, I have sent you email about the jasmine and Osmanthus Fragrans variety, if you can't find it, I will propagate one for you.

Best wishes

Yellow, is 10 degrees F or C? Wow..Too cold for July. Ir's time to move..lol.
Please don't mention autumn being 5 wks away..I swear, this has been the worse summer ever. Cold, rainy..
It's 89F today, sunny, and very breezy..the winds feel nice and smell sweet. Gotta love summer.
Since we don't use a/c or c/a, we keep windows opened..Fragrant, flowering plants growing alongside the house, 4 o'clocks, Petunias, etc, permeate the air, and seep in the windows.
The problem is, since we had so many cold and gray days, many plants didn't have time to mature..4 o'clocks are just now budding. Same with many other flowering types.

What I find odd is, have you ever checked out the Palm forum? It's been a while, but there were two guys, one in Chicago Il, the second in Canada who grew palms in their outside garden, year round. One palm stood 5-6' tall.
So, what's with that? How do both manage? Especially, the guy in Canada..since you're saying temps are already freezing, therefore you have to start bringing plants back indoors????
What month do you take plants out? I imagine Ontario is beautiful, but I couldn't live where temps stayed cold most of the year..IL is bad enough. Depressing. Toni

Hi Toni,

It's 10 degree C, if it were F, I would drop dead already. This is one of the worst summer I have ever had so far. Cold and wet, most of my veggies are dead or struggling. Don't count on them any more.

I have not checked the palm forum. I believe the Canadian guy is at Vancouver area which is actually zone 7. We are zone 5. There is no way you can grow any palm at Ontario, unless you build a green house. Even human palms sometimes freezed off. Today we hit record high 25C, tomorrow back to business though, rain and low teens. Yes, depressing.

Hi everyone!!! Missed you all!

Thank God your talking C and not F yellowthumb!! I thought you were living at the north pole. To them, that is a heatwave..lol
I never got your link to jasmine. If I did , I don't remember seeing it..I don't even remember what I wore to bed lastnight, or who I was with..lololol

Toni, I miss you. I hope all is well.
Boy, you painted such a peaceful sweet smelling scene in my mind with the description of your yard, that you should write books. Beautiful.
You should smell my back yard with all my citrus in bloom, the denias, and the jasmines, also the brouvardia, along with all the lilies, and all the other perenials! Especially when it is humid. Finall, one day of it. I was begining to forget what summer is really like.
The whole month of June, and this month with rain, cold nights, and cool days. ALL dry weather. Septemerish feel everyday. Certainly not July weather. My poor plumerias! I just can't seem to get them growing. Not enough hot days. I even have plants that are preparing for fall all ready..YIKES..
That's ok, I will doing what I love most in winter in a blink of the eye, skiing..hahha

I hope your denia is doing ok yellowthumb, and you poor poor toni, who is going to help you haul all your plants indoors within weeks after just putting them all out, the national guard? lol

Just wanted to chime in and send my love to you all, and anyone else that reads this thread, since we are all in the same boat, you know, the one we try to keep afloat along with all our once deprived from summer heat fragrant plants!

P.s...Where the heck is everyone? I hope they are all fine. Rick, I still think of you, and hope you're fine. Pug, I am still jeolous of you, and nancy, what the heck.
Mercie, no excuse to not be here because you have no need for our help anymore..lololol
If I forgot anyone, well I didn't forget, just that I goto run and my list would ofmade me late for an appointment.

Mike..:-)

A pic to warm your hearts...

Yellow, had to checkk temp converter..so your temp was 50F?? 50F has been our June and July's night temps, and some days too. Awful. Feels like Oct.
About the palm, believe it or not, one of the guys on the Palm forum lives in Chicago Illinois.
Believe me, Chicago temps can dip below 0F/-18C. The guy lives near the lake which is even colder in winter, yet he has palms growing in his yard. He had pics of one palm, a Windmill, the cold-hardiest of all. I've got a Windmill waiting outside, in a pot. My plan was to plant in the garden this year, but because temps have been abnormal, I'm afraid 2009/10'a winter will be like the Ice Age..Scary, huh?
I agree, this has been one of the worse summers ever. Then again, I keep plant journals. On top, I jot down daily temps. In 2006, June and July's temps were also nasty.
Is the End of Times like some predict??? 2012..

Mike, thanks..lol. Your Gardenia is fantastic..it's so green. Ii wish my leaves were as dark as yours. I have got to start fertilizing, Superthriving and maybe a little Epsom Salts to green it up..I'm embarrassed posting a pic after seeing yours..lol.

How are your other plants doing? I can't imagine keeping Plumerias outside if your weather is anything like ours, especially at night..It's too cold, and they're really cold-sensitive. I'd be afraid they'd freeze..Do you keep them outdoors?
I don't know how you keep Bouvardias going..you have to have a 'green' thumb to keep those guys alive, especially during dry winter months.

Oh don't remind me about hauling plants back indoors..it's enough work taking them out, but bringing back in is a real chore..First, all spiders and ear-wigs are hosed. YUCK. Then each plant is individually sprayed with my insecticide. Then finding a winter home, that's always fun..Every autumn I ask myself, now where was this and that plant kept last year??? lol..it's worse when the house looks empty..
Another of my new loves is Aglaonemas..I found a guy in Thailand who sells beautiful, red leaf Aglaos..I want a few more, lol..and a couple hoyas, too..lol. oh well.
Citrus are out at least until Fl's ban ends, if ever. I can't believe it's gone this long..What IS happening? Is Canker still around or is the Almighty Government interferring as usual? Hurting citrus nursery owners who have been in business for years, and depend on selling out of state to put food on their table, to feed their children and pay bills!!
Sorry, this topic is upsetting.

Mike, do you like Aglaos..I'll post a pic of a new Aglaos..oh they are sooo pretty, want more..he has one but it's 27.00..can't afford it..but the leaves are totally red..

Okay, here goes..Take care..hugs,, Toni

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Toni,

I figured out what happened to merciepoo!!!!!!!!!!

Her gardenias massed together, plotted to murder her while she was sleeping, and then proceeded to buried her in a shollow grave somewhere in the woods, the very ones that she was going to throw her others into.

We need to report this abuse!!

I guess that saying that goes "what goes around comes around" really exists!! Crap, I will never threaten mine again!

You will always be remembered merciepoo...:-(

Yes I keep my plumies outdoors, and yes through all that cold and crappy rain, the rain and cold that I am sure the folks in Texas do rain dances for..lol

MY plumies are all doing well, just growing ever so slowly! The cuttings are struggling even more. Where in the world am I suppose to find hot pavement to speed up the root growing process when the pavement is always wet, and cool from lack of sun...GOD

Those agloes are beautiul!!!! Wish I could afford one!

You should try growing a "caster bean plant" in a container! Oh these are so gourgous!!!
I will post a pic. Also try colius!! God some varieties are so colorful and intriguing!!

God, you should see my plant room now..BORING!!!!!!!!!!!NO life, empty walls and and no BUGS!!!!!!!hahhha

Good to chat. Gotta go and please don't pray for the cold raw weather anymore ok..lol

Mike

Mike you are toooo funny..Poor Mercipoo, she was such a nice person..
Attack of the Gardenias..think they'll make a made-for-tv movie??? What a Horror that'd be.

I imagine your Plumies aren't happy being in the cold..You're trying to root them? How is that done? Perhaps you should bring them indoors..This way they'll have warmth, and your plant room won't be so empty??? Do you have a heating pad and/or light? Any old light will do, it doesn't have to be a Gro-light. Even light bulbs work, as long as those that turn hot don't touch foliage..

Mike, I've grown Castor Beans in the garden..man oh man, in late autumn when they die, trying to pull from the ground is a chore..you need Arnold Schwartzneggar, sp, to help, maybe a crane to boot..lol..Their roots are humongous! But yes, they are lovely, especially purple.
A neighbor, an elderly couple, in their late 80's, grow one Castor Bean in their small garden yearly..He saves the seeds from the previous years plant, sows, then plants..It gets south and west light, grows so big..and the flowers are lovely..
As for the container, all parts of Castor Bean are poisonous. Leaves, trunk and seeds. If one of my birds flew and landed on it, well, you can figure out the results. I can't take the chance.
Another problem is, since CB is grown as an annual or tender perrenial, it 'might' be prone to spider mites. Another reason growing indoors can be an issue. If I didn't have birds I'd try a couple..But they grow into trees..lol..

I have Coleus. Since growing plants in my teens, I always had a Coleus growing.
I overwintered a deep purple Coleus last winter..I've got a few more growing on the side of the house..come autumn, they're going in containers.

So, your plant room is completely empty? Mike, don't do what I do..look at an empty room then buy more plants..lol..come fall, I'm lost. lol.

We could try doing an unrain dance? What do we need? I could run around the neighborhood, shaking morracas, muttering unrain dance chants..lol..

Here's a pic of my Coleus..it's hard to see since there's a neighboring Blood Red Beefsteak plant, too, also an annual from last years garden..The Coleus is now in flower, but flowers need pinching..

Have a wonderful summer..sheesh! Toni

Hi toni...

My plumerias are MISERABLE in this weather..I already lost one to rot! The only one that was starting to bloom at that!!AARRGG

The cuttings are better now. I have set those up on my hot roof in sun all day...Let's see what that does..
Crap,,,,,,,,,,,,I just found it it is suppose to rain all day again tommorrow, in the low 60's..What the heck is going on? It is July!

Well, at least my denias are doing well...

I have the caster bean plants in pot, big pots..I hope they do well..I have never grown one of these before..

TOOOOO late toni..I have already bought even more plants for the sunny room. Just asking for more pests, and less room come this fall...Guess no one should feel bad for me..lol

Take care all. Can't wait till these forums start showing some excitement around here..Did you see me skiing on the gardenia thread just below this one...Boy those cold snowy days...Lol

Hi yellowthumb! And where in the world is our friend merciepoo!!!??

Hi Mike,

One of my gardenia is doing really great, the one that is still in the original mix with half bark half peat.

She really loves being in my yard enjoying the not so hot sun and my TLC. There are over 15 blooms all at once and there are tens of buds waiting to open. New growth also emerges everywhere.

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Hey Mike, here is the jasmine we were talking about. It's one of the best Jasmine I ever have.

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My pom tree is really perking up, the mix is a kind of hybrid of 5-1-1 with lots of cow manure, I am repoting it every year, so manure is fine with me. It's in a huge pot right now, drinks about a gallon of water every day.

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My fig tree is thriving in a half whiskey barrel. I am getting hundreds of figs this year. The mix is made of bark with top soil and lots of cow manure. It's a water hog and I am planing on repotting it every single year.
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YT

Holy TOLEDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You really use cow manure in your pots? Do you think it is the manure that makes them look so good, or just your expert care?
They are marvelous..
P.S.. I lost my Maid of orleans jasmine!!! I let it dry out so dry the other day because I forgot to water it... Just so happens that was the only hottest day of the year..Arg!!!! I lost it, I am so depressed!

Mike

Hi Mike,

MOO is tough to kill, you sure it's dead. You can prune it back and it may send out new shoots. MOO handles wet foot 100 times better than a denia.

Yes, I use manure, but only on water hog plants that I am repoting each year like fig and pom tree. Those trees need a long hibernation period and regrows roots very quickly once waking up. Cow manure and top soil will make the mix very water retentive, but sitting on my back patio in the full sun, they love it. I would not use any manure on any other plants like Citrus and Denia, they would drop dead on the spot.

Lol..You are too funny yellowthumb!!
You should be called greenthumb after looking at your plants..Forget the denia, and change your name..lol

Thanks for the encouragement on my MOO...Every leaf dropped off yesterday after being so dry......

I hope it comes back..I will take a picture and post..If I can find my camera..Where did I put it?!!I hate misplacing things...

Hey Mike..has the weather cleared up..it has here, thank God! It's still not what I consider summer, but better than the last 5 weeks.
That's ashame you lost a Plumera..I know how much you love them. What color was its flower? Do you keep them in pots, and how do you overwinter them?

How tall is your Castor Bean? Mike, please dont forget it's poisonous..do you have pets or kids around? If so, don't let either near that plant.
Which CB did you get? Green or purple? Did you sow seeds or buy a plant? I hope it works..I'd love to try it, but got the birds..and my gh is packed or will be come autumn, once plants are brought indoors.

So, what type of 'new plants' did you get? Please post pics..did you find your camera?
My camera has about had it..I thought it was the batteries, but no such luck..sheesh..it works, sometimes.

Your poor MOO...oh that's terrible..they are my favorites Jasmine, mostly because they're very hardy, (not weather-wise) and bloom year round. It's nice having a plant that blooms and emits a sweet odor in winter. Do what Yellow says..cut it back..it might return..or, prune half way..you can also scrape the bark, see if it has any green. I'd check first..if there isn't any green, then you'lll khow whether or not it's going to make it.

Yellowthumb.. your plants are absolutely gorgeous! Wow..
Where on earth did you find a standard gardenia? I've been searching for one, but no luck. The tree form doesn't take as much space as bushes..your 'denia is apparently happy, all those Flowers!! Wow.
What is a Pom? I don't recogize it?
Your Moo is doing great too..It's huge. I see strawberry's growing on the ground next to the MOO..yummy..figs and berrys..lol

I've used manure on house plants, but with caution. I once read adding 'fresh' manure can burn roots, so what I did was buy several bags, save a year so the manure was no longer fresh..it worked great. Plants loved it.
There are some ppl on GW who'd have a coniption fit hearing this, and Mike knows who I'm referring to, lol, but the results are positive. It especially works well for plants that are prone to iron, mineral and nitrogen deficienies.
Do you use mix manure with your fig soil? I feel like buying a fig now..lol..Is your fig hardy? Is it outdoors year round or brought indoors?

I agree with Mike, after seeing your plants, you should change your name from Yellow Thumb to Green Thumb..Toni

Finally, I saw the sun today, at about 4 o'clock! Unbeleivable. They just said on the news that not only have we had the coolest and wettest June, now July too!! Only 2 days this month made it over 80...Sheesh! You wait all winter for this? I always think to myself that it is better than being 6 feet under due to a foce blunt blow to the back of the head by one of my denias!

I found my camera...Took pics this am, and if I have time I will post.. Toni, can't you keep anything electronic alive for long periods of time? lolololhahha

What color is the flowers on my plumie. I never got to see them open. Just as they were about too, they dropped off the earth!! I was so mad and dissapointed, that I almost threw them all out. I pulled that plumie from the pot, and the stupid roots were non-existant with a black stem..oooohhh..
Now the only ones left behind are just full of green leaves. I resorted to the fact that my enviroment stinks to flower any anymore...;-(

To top it off, I let my MOO dry out. After all this rain, only a couple of warm sunny days, that thing dried out and I totally forgot about it..oooohhhh

I have a green and a purple CB...Not near any animals but squirrels..Who cares for those anyways..lol
I will take a pic.

Hi yellowthumb, and where the heck is my MERCIEPOO!!!!
Hope you are well toni, and anyone else reading this post..Miss you all. Hi nancy!!:-)

jimshy,

Are you done building the ark yet? I am thinking of catching a ride with you?..lol
Hope you are drying out....
Mike:-)

Hi Toni,

I am surprised that you can't find a tree gardenia at States. Normally during the beginning of the summer, all kinds of stores (Box stores and Canadian Tire, yes our tire stores sell gardenia and banana tree as well) sell the tree gardenia here, they get them from Florida in batches. You could see people getting out of the box store with a loaf of bread on one hand and a gardenia tree on the other. Everybody loves Gardenia here, but most of average gardeners are bloody gardenia murders. If they are able to see a couple of flowers, they name themselves green thumb. Most of denias die in a month or two.

The POM is a pomegranate, an exotic delicious fruit loaded with anti-oxidants. Her flower is deep red like a fire in summer. My tree is huge, she literally offers me over a thousand flowers each year. The tree seems to be on fire. At the fall, the tree is loaded with fruits, the fruits can take a couple of months to ripe which become deep red. Anyway it's one of the best tree you could have.
This is the pom tree when she was very young.
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Another pom tree in fruit.
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Yes, I use 20% aged cow manure in the mix for water loving plants that I repot every year. They love it with angry new growth. The fig in picture is only the 3rd year, she was a one gallon little plant three years ago. Now the trunk is over 2 inches.

Hi Mike, don't give up on the MOO, it's tough plant. I bet it will come back. Once I mailed order a MOO barerooted, all leaves gone, most of the root wilted and it came back just fine.

Hi Mike,

I have lots of lurk with a plumeria tree. I just don't have the space for it. I have six flower spikes this year. I am going to take a picture soon. This is last year's picture.

She is a happy girl.

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What!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plumie flowers...Too bad I am at work and I can't pull the pics up..Shoot, I have to wait till I get home!!!

Can't wait to see your pics then chat again..

Mike..do you have a garden? If so, why not plant Plumies outside..Believe me, you'll have beautiful, fragrant flowers..I used to buy Plumes from a guy in HI for 1.99 each. They stood from 7" to a foot..and bloomed all summer long..(in the garden)
I had no idea they were so cold-sensitive, so they froze, 'one night.' But if you have garden space, try planting them or if you're scared, plant a few. Make sure you dig up before nights are in the 50's or lower.

Milke, our camera is ancient..lol..we got it several years ago...I've taken hundreds of pics since..But I agree, there's a problem w/me and electronics..lol

It's good you finally got sunshine..plants will now be happy..it seemed winter was back again..sheesh.
We haven't had rain since last wk, but yesterday, while talking to a friend who lives SW Il, (on the phone) it was thundering so loud by her house..sounded like a war..

It was super sunny here yesteday, and mostly sunny w/some clouds today..temps are in the 80's..Finally..thank God!

Yellow, I love your plants..Where are they overwintered? In your home or do you have a green house? They're huge..my goodness..lol..

Ah, duh, yes Pom equals Pomegranate..it's been years since I had one, it was grwon as a bonsai..that little plant produced flowers and little fruit..the same with a Natal Plum. I'd like to get one of each again, especially after seeing your beautiful Pom tree..it's gigantic and beautiful.

What's the plant to the left of the Pom? I can't make it out..

What do you do with your Plumes during winter when they go dormant? Did you keep them potted?

Yellow, your plants are beautiful. Keep doing what you're doing..don't let anyone tell you not to use manure and whatever other soils you add. Toni

Thanks Toni for the encouraging words.
The plant to the left is a Magnolia little Gem, it's one foot tall but with a giant bud, the flower is over 10 inches wide and has a complicated sweet, spicy, mint, rose, plumeria and ginger smell. My wife woke up one sunny morning and asked me what's this smell, I sniffed around like a dog to this plant.
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I let my plumeria go dormant, they are reluctant to do that anyway. Took very long to lose their leaves, they also lure me with some fragrant flowers even no light. Give me light and I will offer you more flowers.
I learned a great deal from Al, the soil principles in container, the important thing is not to remember the formula literally, but to understand what each plant requires and your specific environment.

I overwinter all my plants in a solarium attched to my house, it's not a green house. In ottawa, we have very little sun, average 2 or 3 hours each day in Dec, Jan and Feb.

Sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!LOL

For one day....Now it's back to drabby cloudy cool dark all day weather with drizzle and very sticky, then tommorrow rain all day with temps in the 60's again!!

What the heck is going on? We can't keep more than 3 days of sun at once, and now it is almost August...:-(. It hasn't reached 90 hear since April!!

Yellow, sorry, I thought you were female..lol..
Your Mag is doing great..Is it a variety normally grown outdoors? I have a Star Mag in the front garden, blooms early spring. But the soil is lacking something..plus it's 'never' been fertilized..it's about 8 yrs old, bought at Home Depot as a baby.
Yours, in a container, looks much better than mine, in the garden..sheesh.
Al and I disagree on soils, and other plant related issues, so I'm unfamilar with his soil ingredients.

Yep, no matter what, Plumes go dormant when they feel it's time..When I worked at a plant store, a guy from Mexico would come in and help with big jobs..he and I talked about native plants in Mexico..he was telling how tall they grew, and how most ppl considered them weeds. lol. He joked how they looked in winter..he called them big bare sticks..also joked how we here in US pay big $$ for a stick..lol

Yellow you are blessed finding a home w/a built in solarium. How i'd love one. I have a small, 8x12 gh, but it's a pain working outdoors in winter..and crowded. Plants are placed outdoors in summer.
A woman I buy bird seed from, (Cockatiel seed) has a huge solarium, sky lights, and garden windows..instead of plants, she has birds..over 500 cockatiels living in the solarium. Her house would be perfect..lol..there are nearby trees so humidity is higher. But tree aren't so close they block the sun.
Ironically, she has a dozen or so plants..they're before a glass door which IS obliterated by tall bushes..Yet, her plants grow beautiful..Her Clivias are huge, as are their flowers and berries. She also has Ficus alli, and some rare specimen plants.
For someone who has little sun, your sun-lovers are doing fantastic. Fig for one..I know they love sun...

Mike, it's been sunny all day..about 2pm the sun hid behind clouds..now it's thundering, but the sun is shining..lol..wonder if we'll have t-storms..At least it's warm..that's my concern..I love sun, but prefer heat to cold days..wonder if I'll see a rainbow..lol
Mike, maybe climates will change?? We'll get Fl's temps and they'll get ours...lol..Humidity, sun, and heat.
We can then grow palms outdoors, year round..and other tropicals..the only problem is I've acquired over 100 succulents the last 3 years..they might not like 90# humidity..lol..Toni

Yellowthumb, soon to be greenthumb!

Where the heck did you get the magnolia? where? I want to buy one..
I have to run but I told you I could'nt wait to get home and see the pics.
WOW! Great job..
TTYL..:-)

Toni...........100 succulants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 What the hades..lol
Where do you put the 1000's of plants when they do finally come in? No wonder it takes you weeks to start..I suggest you hire a person to help you lug things in the older you get..lol
Wait, getting older for you is years away still..:-)

Hey Mike..you better rephrase the 'getting old' comment..lol..j/k...hey, we're all 'maturing,'..tomorrow, we'll all be a day older, etc, etc..right?

Mike, there's a place in Il that sells Mags..I can check to see if they've any in stock if you'd like.
When it comes to trees, they send tall stick=-like plants..most ppl think they're dead, BUT, plants need to sit in water about an hour then planted in soil..Soon baby leaves form..prices can't be beat..1.98 for one plant and .01 for two. So two plants equal 1.99.
Most of my outdoor perrenials came from this nursery.
They're contracted with other nurseries so go by different names, but the green housed are one and the same.

We went there twice..oh their gh's are huge..It's in Bloomington, Il, near Springfield..We stopped on the way after staying in Springfield a few days. Their addy is www.direct-gardens.com or www.direct-gardening.com I'm not sure..

They have flat-rate shipping..which is good and bad..if you buy one plant, shipping is/was 7.99..but the good news is, if you buy 100 plants, shipping remains 7.99..or was..it's been a while since I ordered.
Since Mags are considered outdoor plants, if you go to their site, look unfrt outdoor trees or perrenials. LMK if you want me to check.

Mike, did I say I had 1000 plants? lol..Nowhere near that many..not even half. It's more like 300-400, most small to medium. If they were all trees like Yellow has, we'd have to move..lol.
I had larger tree but gave most away..A beautiful braided Ficus that set fruit each fall. I miss it so..The woman killed it months after she took it.
I also gave a friend most of my larger Philos.
But nope, not 1000..lol..
I've talked to ppl on the AV forum who have 500-1000 AV's..Can u imagiine caring for each? lol.

You seeing any growth on your MOO? Have you scraped the bark? If so, is there any green? How about the stems..do they break when bent or flexible? If you feel it's still alive, add ST, place in bright light..Moo's are the best.

Mike, one plant I suggest you get is Murraya odorata. It's related to citrus but less work. They bloom year round. Flowers are strongly scented..Oh boy, are they! After flowers fade, green/red berries/seeds form.
I found a Murraya by accident.. a group of Murrayas were placed in the front of a store, left to die. I passed it up the first time, but ended up buying one the last minute, the second time we shopped. I'd bet they tossed the remainers in the trash.

If you ever see one, especially tree-shape, go for it. They set out hundreds of white, fragrant flowers when days are sunny, and I know how much you like flowering plants.

Speaking of succulents, I made a small succulent garden in our yard..different varieties. Wish I'd started earlier but with all the rain we were getting they might have drowned. Toni

Mike, I was looking at Worldplants.com, another nursery I sometimes shop, when what pops up..A Magnolia. It's 8.00
Not the nursery I mentioned above.
Let's see if I can post the link.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magnolia_dianica01.jpg

http://www.worldplants.com/Mindex.htm

Try the second addy first..Toni

Toni!!!

Thankyou soooo much for the info...

I will look it up tonight! Yes, I said 1000's!!!lolololol

Imagine if you had a biiger place? lol

A murraya? Hum, I will have to look that one up. Never heard of it before? Is it as difficult to care for as denias...lol
It is funny how you can come acroos a plant never known of before...I have done that too...
Hope you are well. Shessh is summer going by fast ha
Can't wait to start skiing again...right!

Where the heck is merciepoo anyways? I think a denia did do her in....:-(

I miss nancy too....

Hey Mike..did you find the Magnolia? If so, did you buy it? lol..
I wonder how it'd do indoors though..my mag (outdoors/ground) is already going dormant..It's decidious, so it's bound to drop leaves in winter, unless the Mag yellow grows is a special species???

I've posted my Murraya before, but maybe you didn't know what it was..Here's a pic..

{{gwi:83883}}

Mike, Murraya is way easier than Gardenias. Numerous flowers bloom at once..sometimes hundreds. Murraya is closely related to citrus..the flowers are sooo fragrant.
If you ever find one, go for it..They're in bush or tree shape. Wonder if it'll root from cuttings???

Anyway, here's my murraya. Toni

Hi Toni,

The Murraya can not look any better. My mag is a special one, it's a dwarf version Magnolia Little Gem. Will readily flower in a container. This year it is growing like crazy in my 3 gallon container. I bought mine from lees tropicals. They have some nice collections.

Wow!!!!!!!1

Toni....That plant is so beautiful. I can smell the flowers from here, I think!!lol

Where did you get that? I want one. I also told yellowthumb I wanted others too...Where the heck am I going to put them all????

Well, get this. My friend is building a sun room for me..YES. A sun room. I wish they had an invention of some kind of laser light that beems across a room and zaps all the pests that attack the plants all winter.
Man with all these plants, if I don't use your pesticide, it is going to be a long winter and a long thread on this one...lol!!!
By the way, you will be hearing from me soon. After all this time, problems, and stuff, I just realized it has been a while since we talked!!!Sheesh
I am sure many of us will have plenty of time once the first frost comes though..I get the feeling that merciepoo will be back too...Now I am starting to worry about her. Have the gardenia GODS got a hold of her?

Hugs to ALL of you....Going to take some pics before the rain moves in..I will post..:-)

Hugs!

Hi Toni, Mike,

I heard you guys talking about pesticides. Do you have any home made ones? I am constantly having the spider mites problems this year. Normally when I put plants out, all the mites are gone. I think it maybe because of the mild weather we have.

Hi yellowthumb...
How are you?
Since toni is the expert and the one that told me how to make it, I would probably start a new thread...And make it look like this..She will respond.

"Toni, please share your homemade pest recipe"

Just in case she doesn't come back to this thread, she will see the new one..

Take care for now my friend!

Howdy..I responded to the thread a few days ago, then the puter went out...sheesh.

The weather here in IL is terrible...Aug 1st, nearing autumn..it's been autumn-like the last few wks/month/rain, clouds, and cold..the winds are strong..I've been out back at least 5 times to pick up felled plants, plus indoor AV's, in the windows, went flying. A nice muddy-mess to clean up, behind the couch.

Yellow thanks..I've heard of Little Gems, but it could have been another plant..Whatever, your Mag is MAGnicant..lol..it's growing indoors? In summer too?

Mike, I got the Murraya at Osco Drug Store in the late 90's..lol..there stood a group of Murrayas by the front door..I passed them the first and second time while shopping..The third time, I felt it was an omen, I was meant to have one..The next thing I knew, a tree was in the cart..lol...they were orignially 29.99, then 19.99 then 14.99..I got it at 14.99..I considered it a bargain, since it was a tree.

Mike, you're getting a sun room? Wow!!! Is your friend building a room that's already built or from scratch? Do you have blue prints? Did he ask how you wanted it to look? For instance, is he putting in large windows? Sunroof? Fans? Heat? I get excited hearing about such a project, plus end results..You are so lucky. What demensions will it be? What about flooring?
When will he start and finish? You must take before and after pics, if the room is pre-built..I hope he finishes before you bring plants in this year.Yes siree.. Do you think it'll be completed?
I am sooo happy for you..

Mike, I know you were kidding about a laser light sucking up bugs, but there are such things..The problem is, dont know if they're meant for indoors..They attract 'flying' insects..
Also, investing in a Citronella plant might do some good. They also sell candles. There are two types..One, is a Geranium/Pelargonium, smells like Raid..
The second is true Citronella..Here's a link..it explains how to grow/use true Citronella.

http://www.life123.com/home-garden/plant-guides/groundcover/citronella-grow-your-own-mosquitio-repellent.shtml

Cut and Paste the addy, otherwise it'll take long to type out..lol..

I've talked to people who crunch up dead Scented Geraniums leaves and place on top of soil. I truly think it works. Certain scents, not all..there's numerous scented Geraniums, but smells like Rose or Vanilla wouldn't do the job keeping them away. Accents sells Scented Geraniums at decent prices.
Mike, what month do you haul plants back indoors?

Mike..you embarrassed me..I'm not an expert..lolol..guess I lucked out contemplatiing what would kill plant bugs without using chemicals. I thought, "hmm, if I happened to be a mite, what flavors would turn me off?" lol..
I too had bug problems in all the years of growing plants, especially during winter once heat was turned on and air was dry.
Before computers, I read as many plant books as I could find. Library and purchasing. Also, growing plants, trying to duplicate their native habitats. Eg. Tropical = rainy/sunshine..C&S's, desert climates. Growing is the best experience learning.
The first thing I did was start misting, and hose/shower. Second, purchased a humidifer. Third, bought a small, rotating fan. Started mixing soils, etc.
But no matter how much one reads, there are times a certain plant attracts mites. Some plants are prone. That's how I thought myself to be a mite..lol, and came up with the home-made recepie. End of story.

I just noticed Mike said he started another thread, and this post has turned into a short story..Sorry..See what happens when we talk plants..lol..hugs, Toni

Hi Toni,

Yes it's in a container, and moved indoors in the winter. This mag is growing very quickly. The leaves just keep unwrapping one after another. It's two feet taller with 3 main branches and it's still growing.

Hi Mike, when you are going to start up the new thread?

YT

NO!!!

I wasn't kidding about laser zapping spidermites and any other stupid pest on our plants all winter..lol

I am going to invent one that kills all pests indoors..

They have one for fish tanks that keep killing the bacteria as it makes swipes through the water, keeping it clean. Why can't we create one that keeps the room clean of pest, zapping them as they forage on the leaves?

HUGS to you toni, and hi to everyone!!