What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Beekissed]

I find that amazing...
Here's my garden this morning.

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Thistle, I LOVE your garden gate! I almost did the same thing with a bedstead I had here, but it wasn't big enough to span my gate gap. Instead, I turned it into an outside sink/butcher table/potting bench that I can move around where I need it most. Just used scrap lumber we had lying around to convert it and a Restore sink that cost $8.

 

[ducks4you]

I believe in the zoning maps. For instance, people used to plant boxwood in our neck of the woods, but severe cold that hadn't been seen in decades (expect for a short super cold spell in the 1990's) were suddenly dying bc they needed one zone higher than us. Now the AG dept locally is recommending yews bc they are more cold tolerant.
I think we make the mistake of planting things that aren't going to live through the worst of our local climate and they are mostly plants that are zoned higher. Even flora local to places like Alaska don't do well bc our days get more gradually longer/shorter and our humidity is not as constant, so you shouldn't be entertaining plants from lower zones and those with far different climates than your own. You can do it, but I don't have enough time to put into my hobbies. Around my small farm, things that walk/trot/cluck get my attention first. Things that grow leaves have to sustain themselves until I can give them attention.

 

[Nyboy]

No benefit if plants die. I no loner buy from White flower farm.

Sad I love to visit and see their display gardens, wish they where closer

 

[flowerbug]

The entire industry advances ..

. with higher replacement purchases.

The seed catalog companies purchase rather than grow their seed. I wonder what mega companies supply nurseries, both local and mail order. Or, am I being too cynical ..?

Steve

i'm quite surprised that some of the local smaller growers supply others, but i don't know their customer lists... i've almost gone to work for one of them several times but keep talking myself out of it.

 

[thistlebloom]

I believe in the zoning maps. For instance, people used to plant boxwood in our neck of the woods, but severe cold that hadn't been seen in decades (expect for a short super cold spell in the 1990's) were suddenly dying bc they needed one zone higher than us. Now the AG dept locally is recommending yews bc they are more cold tolerant.
I think we make the mistake of planting things that aren't going to live through the worst of our local climate and they are mostly plants that are zoned higher. Even flora local to places like Alaska don't do well bc our days get more gradually longer/shorter and our humidity is not as constant, so you shouldn't be entertaining plants from lower zones and those with far different climates than your own. You can do it, but I don't have enough time to put into my hobbies. Around my small farm, things that walk/trot/cluck get my attention first. Things that grow leaves have to sustain themselves until I can give them attention.

They have changed the zone maps in such a way that it appears that where we (for instance) used
to be in Zone 5 are now zoned 6. I don't believe we have gotten significantly warmer to insure that a zone 6 plant will survive here.

I always plant for zone 4 at my house, unless it's a cheap easily replaceable plant I'm willing to gamble on.
And for my clients, who are all in a less severe area, I won't plant anything but zone 5, no matter what the zone maps say about them being in 6.

I don't think it's nursery driven. They won't continue to do business with locals if they recommend a plant that's not winter hardy. Most of them have replacement policies and so it would hurt their bottom line if they had to replace dead plants, to say nothing of having irritated customers lose faith in them.

The above does not apply to the Big Boxes who write off the entire live plant enterprise, the plants are a way to get you in the door.

 

[Smart Red]

Suppose the switching us to warmer growing zones could be a visual way to 'prove' global warming? No problem if plantings all die from cold if it advances the global warming mantra.

I started gardening as a solid zone 4. Then, although I've not moved more than two miles south of my first garden, I became a zone 5 gardener -- the warmer half (I can never remember whether 5a or 5b is warmer without checking my signature). Still stick to zone 4 plants for food, but will try a cool zone 5 when I'm able to plant in a micro-climate.

 

[ninnymary]

I pruned 5 hydrangeas that I have in pots and 2 salvias. Everything looking nice and tidy.

Mary

 

[ninnymary]

I fertilized 2 blueberries that are in bloom. I also fertilized an apple tree, mandarin, lime tree, peach, and nectarine that are in containers. Fertilized meyer lemon and avocado trees that are in the ground.

My goal this year is to really stay on a fertilizing schedule. Usually I fertilized once a year and then get lazy. It really doesn't take that much time or effort so I have no excuse.

I will fertilize my raspberries in a month or so when they start showing new growth.

Haven't done my roses yet.

Mary

 

[ducks4you]

The only plant I have in bloom is a red geranium.

 

[Nyboy]

Mary I have a potted Meyers. I go to citrus forum on garden web. Everyone agrees meyers heavy feeders some fertilize 2x a month