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dirtdoctortoo

what worked well and what didn't this year

dirtdoctortoo
17 years ago

As we are looking at our first real freeze of the year and having to concede that summer, indian or not, is really over I was reflecting on what worked out well in the garden this year and what didn't. What's every one else's experience?

Stars this year were Amish Paste tomatoes,Beaver Dam peppers, and a planter of pale pink fibrous rooted begonias and deep purple coleus. Duds were Hungarian Heart tomatoes, the eggplant, and my pole beans.

What new things did you try? Any special pest problems? I had some tiny little beetle things on the eggplant that turned the leaves to lace almost immediately. I am just now getting my one and only eggplant of the year. Its pretty wimpy at that. I tried a combo of marine blue browallia and red and white petunias around my flag pole. That looked pretty nice. I'm trying beautyberry for the first time. I hope it over winters.

And I've been waiting for more Thoughts from the Belly too. I always enjoy what you have to say, IB.

Maria

Comments (6)

  • flowergazer
    17 years ago

    I plantd several containers this year and used the moisture pellets, they worked great.I had good luck with begonias, impatients, geraniums and several combo containers.
    I had trouble with my peas, very little production but the beans did great, I trellis my cucs, sugar baby watermellon and tried some early small muskmellons they were really good now to find the seed packet.I bought alot of Hostas and had lots of slugs and voles.My question how to over winter Geraniums and Gerbera Daisy.Thanks

  • tannabanana
    17 years ago

    Good to think about the past season to what worked well and what didn't.

    I learned that if you are going to plant tomatos late you better plant smaller type tomatos. The large yellow ones never did get to maturity (started a few different heirlooms from my dh's grandad's seed).

    The perinnials I started from seed did terrifically - even with getting put in late. Both purple coneflower & Irish eye susans bloomed and looked great.

    Those SVB are pains. Still got 6 pumpkins but I was fighting for them! Growing baby round zucchinis was fun but I prefer the flavor of black beauties.

    Sweet corn is too cheap around here to bother taking up space with it in my small garden - but hey! I had to try. Also had tons of problems with ear worms (again probably because I got it in late in the season).

    Marigolds, as ordinary as they are, are awesome for being drought tolerant in full sun. Hardly ever watered them and they still look great even after these hard freezes we've had.

    What worked for everyone else?

  • Maude_IA
    17 years ago

    We had rain this year just about every time we needed it, so lots of things did well. I had never planted pole beans, and they were a disappointment until the end of August when they began to bear loads of beans.

    I can't say that any particular plants did better than any other, it was all good this time.

    The only other little twist is that we haven't had a destructive frost yet, at least not in my yard. The truly tender plants on the north side where the wind hit them are finished, but the rest of the garden is fine.

  • blue_velvet_elvis
    17 years ago

    I started with all new plants this year because we put a basement under our house. I guess it remains to be seen as to what worked and what didn't come spring.

    I planted plants out of my "comfort zone". Hardy crape myrtles, hydraengas, mock orange, rhodies some other shrubs I can't recall the names of as I haven't had quite enough coffee yet today.

    I moved my "regular" plants, dwarf lilacs, daisies, salvia, other cottagey plants to our other little house where some decided they liked it and others, well, not so much. :~( The geraniums in the window boxes at the cottage are still going nuts as are the petunias.

    I planted a Jackson and Perkins rose that bloomed it's head off.

  • aliska12000
    17 years ago

    I keep my geraniums in the house in the winter. One I should have cut back a few years ago, I neglected it, and it finally died. I just brought my windowbox in and a hanging basket with geraniums. From those, I am starting new plants over the winter. If you planted them in the ground, you will probably have to dig them up and pot them. Otherwise you could break pieces off and root them in a glass of water, change the water when it starts to cloud up, and they should root within 2 weeks or so, then pot them in potting soil.

    An azalea and pussy willow I ordered did well, all the rhododendrons died, were in poor condition when I got them, the dogwood tree died, and the mountain laurel stick was so tiny in the package, I found it later by my chair.

    I've been struggling with rose cuttings all summer, finally got some to root. I scattered some poppies, batchelor's buttons, and gypsophilia, and that did well but the soil is so dry I had to water constantly. The poppies seem to tolerate dry soil longer.

    I don't have a good spot to grow vegetables without chopping up more of the yard, but miss my tomatoes. The spot where I used to grow them on the east side of the house has become shaded by a huge double crabapple tree I planted years ago, didn't think about that, but that's where I rooted my roses until I had to bring them inside.

    Oh, I also planted in pots basil, Greek oregano (real pretty foliage, too hot to the taste for me), cilantro and parsley, alyssum, I'm having trouble getting chives to do much of anything, finally planted some in regular soil, and they aren't doing any better. They should be easy. Will try some fresher seed.

    My big disappointment was in early June, I had help, and we transplated about seven Harisons Yellow rose suckers. Only one survived, will protect it this winter. In retrospect, I should have potted them up and kept them in the shade and gradually acclimated them to full sun.

  • sosusie
    17 years ago

    Flowergazer,
    Check the link below for lots of info, including over-wintering techniques. I did it three ways last winter. One was just shaking off the dirt and tossing in a plastic store bag and keeping in a cool place. The other way, cutting them back some and leaving in the pots in a cool place watering about once a month. They both lived...but for quicker blooming,I learned to start bringing them "back to life" sooner. The link below suggests mid-March so that's what I'll do. It also suggest using paper bags not plastic. It suggests dipping cuttings in rooting hormone and placing bags over them - not just sticking in a cup of water like I did(they died)....guess I'll be re-reading the link and doing what it says this year ;)
    SOS

    Here is a link that might be useful: Growing and OVerwintering Geraniums

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