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2021 Mid-Atlantic Garden, Lawn, and Other Green Stuff Thread


mattie g
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LOOOOVE the herb box/stand, @Mrs.J!! What a great design -- love the tilt-out tiers.

I've always wanted to try growing my own herbs, but have been afraid to try. Not exaggerating -- I tend to kill ALL plants (with exception, of course, of weeds). It's not intentional, and I honestly try to do the right things in terms of sun/watering, etc. I just don't have green thumbs. I killed marigolds on our patio last year...and you have to try mighty hard to kill those.  :( 

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On 4/15/2021 at 10:33 AM, vastateofmind said:

LOOOOVE the herb box/stand, @Mrs.J!! What a great design -- love the tilt-out tiers.

I've always wanted to try growing my own herbs, but have been afraid to try. Not exaggerating -- I tend to kill ALL plants (with exception, of course, of weeds). It's not intentional, and I honestly try to do the right things in terms of sun/watering, etc. I just don't have green thumbs. I killed marigolds on our patio last year...and you have to try mighty hard to kill those.  :( 

Growing herbs is easy. Kinda like growing weeds, put in a pot and add water and you are good. 

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On 4/15/2021 at 10:33 AM, vastateofmind said:

LOOOOVE the herb box/stand, @Mrs.J!! What a great design -- love the tilt-out tiers.

I've always wanted to try growing my own herbs, but have been afraid to try. Not exaggerating -- I tend to kill ALL plants (with exception, of course, of weeds). It's not intentional, and I honestly try to do the right things in terms of sun/watering, etc. I just don't have green thumbs. I killed marigolds on our patio last year...and you have to try mighty hard to kill those.  :( 

 

16 hours ago, mscott said:

Growing herbs is easy. Kinda like growing weeds, put in a pot and add water and you are good. 

Yea you should be able to do herbs. Certain ones like Rosemary like to be drier anyways. Mint which I have in the bottom is basically a "weed" the way it grows. And Oregano does very well. Basil can be picky with water but it usually bounces back after getting a hit of water. I do what I use a lot of. Basil, Rosemary, Oregano and mint. Might do tarragon this year also. And there is a group of plants out there that love sun and are drought tolerant. The front of my house bakes in the morning sun so I get a lot of the drought tolerant ones. 

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From yesterday, for whoever it was that said they'd get their laptop and head to the patio.... :)

(Kind of in-between flowering now--azaleas and phlox finishing up, waiting on the cranesbill/perennial geraniums near the edge to get started. Peonies well sprouted as well. And the narrowleaf blue star shoots seem to have the beginnings of buds on them. Also hoping that the siberian irises that were put in back in summer 2019 might actually bloom this year (I've read it can take a few years, so fingers remained crossed.)

Also, @Mrs.J, the gnome setup is fabulous!

 

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1 hour ago, jacindc said:

From yesterday, for whoever it was that said they'd get their laptop and head to the patio.... :)

(Kind of in-between flowering now--azaleas and phlox finishing up, waiting on the cranesbill/perennial geraniums near the edge to get started. Peonies well sprouted as well. And the narrowleaf blue star shoots seem to have the beginnings of buds on them. Also hoping that the siberian irises that were put in back in summer 2019 might actually bloom this year (I've read it can take a few years, so fingers remained crossed.)

Also, @Mrs.J, the gnome setup is fabulous!

 

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And there you are, @jacindc -- parked in one of those marvelous Adirondack chairs, that I said weeks ago I'd probabaly never move out of, if *I* had this incredible front yard garden AND my Kindle handy at any given time.  :D  Such a beautiful yard....keep up the great work!

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9 minutes ago, Eskimo Joe said:

Free Warnings for Mason-Dixon and the I-81 corridor. Cover your plants!

SIGH. Was really hoping we could avoid any more nighttime cold snap this season. I lost all but about ten blossoms on a full-canopied, 15-foot pink dogwood tree in my front yard two weeks ago during the last foray into the low 30s at night...unfortunately, I know a lot of you here have a lot more at stake than that.  :( 

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22 hours ago, vastateofmind said:

SIGH. Was really hoping we could avoid any more nighttime cold snap this season. I lost all but about ten blossoms on a full-canopied, 15-foot pink dogwood tree in my front yard two weeks ago during the last foray into the low 30s at night...unfortunately, I know a lot of you here have a lot more at stake than that.  :( 

yeah that brief stretch of warmer weather earlier this month did a number on my flowering trees. We have a huge weeping cherry tree in the front yard that blooms the most beautiful blossoms for only a couple days before the eventual turn to green. this year about half of the tree started to bloom and then we got cold again. the rest of the tree didn't even bother to bloom after that. :( 

this was from last year. bloomed fully at the end of March (also a little early) 

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48 minutes ago, mappy said:

yeah that brief stretch of warmer weather earlier this month did a number on my flowering trees. We have a huge weeping cherry tree in the front yard that blooms the most beautiful blossoms for only a couple days before the eventual turn to green. this year about half of the tree started to bloom and then we got cold again. the rest of the tree didn't even bother to bloom after that. :( 

this was from last year. bloomed fully at the end of March (also a little early) 

That is one of the most beautifully shaped/mature weeping cherry trees I've ever seen......it must be breathtaking in full bloom! I shouldn't get this emo over springtime flowering trees....weather is gonna weather, no matter my feelings...it's just that the most gorgeous blooming period for most of these trees typically aligns with that transitional period where our temps are most likely to have psychotic mood swings!

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7 minutes ago, vastateofmind said:

That is one of the most beautifully shaped/mature weeping cherry trees I've ever seen......it must be breathtaking in full bloom! I shouldn't get this emo over springtime flowering trees....weather is gonna weather, no matter my feelings...it's just that the most gorgeous blooming period for most of these trees typically aligns with that transitional period where our temps are most likely to have psychotic mood swings!

Thank you! Its my favorite tree in the yard, we have a massive oak tree in the backyard that is a close runner up. But yeah all my flowering trees (magnolia, dogwood, crab apple) budded early this year then just stopped after the first cold snap. the magnolia and crab apple are in bloom now, but the wind did a number on the magnolia blossoms yesterday. 

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23 hours ago, mappy said:

Thank you! Its my favorite tree in the yard, we have a massive oak tree in the backyard that is a close runner up. But yeah all my flowering trees (magnolia, dogwood, crab apple) budded early this year then just stopped after the first cold snap. the magnolia and crab apple are in bloom now, but the wind did a number on the magnolia blossoms yesterday. 

Can relate...  We have half a dozen cherry trees we planted 2 years ago.  We were looking forward to a decent bloom this year.  Just as they approached full bloom they stopped after the same cold snap and migrated straight to green.  What did bloom was taken care of by the wind.  Maybe next year (sounds like our annual ritual for snow! "next year")  

Took in all our tomato plants and geraniums last night.  Glad we did - Got down to 30 here with a fairly heavy frost on the grass and roof.  

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Been hardening off my tomatoes and jalapenos for the last 10 days. Everyone seems to be doing OK, so I'll probably end up planting late next week.

I need to build a new raised bed for cucurbits (mostly just cantaloupes right now), so might do that this Sunday or in another week or two. No rush, as my cantaloupe seedlings are only just getting their first true leaves, but it's been on my mind for a while, so I just want to get it done!

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2 minutes ago, Eskimo Joe said:

I'm somewhat optimistic that we're done with Freezes east of I-81 for the spring. Not sure if some valley near Cumberland still has a surprise frost up it's sleeve, but the long range guidance looks favorable for planting out even the frost sensitive plants.

Yeah, I'm thinking about putting my maters out next weekend but will wait to see what the long term forecast looks like before I do.

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24 minutes ago, vastateofmind said:

Just picturing your maters a month or two hence, makes my mouth water for nice, fresh BLT...  :D 

One of my favorite things to eat in the summer is caprese salad, with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, as well as homemade mozzarella (which is surprisingly easy to make). Add a few drops of good extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle of high-quality aged balsamic (I don't care what the "purists" say), and a bit of fresh cracked pepper and you've got yourself a quick and delicious summer lunch!

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@vastateofmind here you go. :D I add in annuals for more color pops but that will not happen till Mother's Day. Beds will also be refreshed with mulch at that time and the bulbs will be cutback. 

Here is my front bed

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Here is the rose bush, day lilies and White Salvia

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Here is the Sedum

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This is my bed out near the sidewalk it has day lilies cat mint and Lyropie.  

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6 hours ago, Mrs.J said:

@vastateofmind here you go. :D I add in annuals for more color pops but that will not happen till Mother's Day. Beds will also be refreshed with mulch at that time and the bulbs will be cutback. 

Here is my front bed

Here is the rose bush, day lilies and White Salvia

Here is the Sedum

This is my bed out near the sidewalk it has day lilies cat mint and Lyropie. 

Awesome, TY for taking the time to share!!  :D  I'm so jealous, your beds are well on their way to a good-looking summer....our front beds currently are a sea of chickweed and maple "spinners," but that will change shortly with the landscaper visiting in the next week or two with a crap-ton of mulch and a couple new perennials to try....  ;) 

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I have gotten to really hate maples.  I planted three "Autumn Blaze" in our back yard in 2002 since our back deck faces the broiling WSW.  I read they were medium sized and don't seed.  WRONG.  They are 40-50 feet and make billions of spinners.  They are so covered with them now that they look like late November brownish foliage.  Ugly.  Probably won't be leafed out for four more weeks.  I'm surprised my neighbors haven't complained.

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15 hours ago, BlizzardNole said:

I have gotten to really hate maples.  I planted three "Autumn Blaze" in our back yard in 2002 since our back deck faces the broiling WSW.  I read they were medium sized and don't seed.  WRONG.  They are 40-50 feet and make billions of spinners.  They are so covered with them now that they look like late November brownish foliage.  Ugly.  Probably won't be leafed out for four more weeks.  I'm surprised my neighbors haven't complained.

With you 500%. We have one major move (southward!) left in the tank for us, and I vow NOT to have any deciduous trees within 100 feet of my next home, if possible. I'm all for shade, especially when facing southward, but the root damage that trees can do to underground pipes, along with all of the annual messes that we've covered here, has turned me off from having mature trees close to my home...with the possible exception of palm trees;) 

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We are looking south too in about 5 years.  We are just done with 6 months of dead bare trees every year.  It's way too long of a dead season with very little snow anyway.

Gardening notes -- got the potted fuchsias and impatiens already going on the deck with the long range looking pretty safe for no frosts or freezes.  The hummingbirds have already found them.  This weekend I will get an early start on planting the beds with tropical milkweed, lantana and annual vinca.  Deer and rabbits need not apply -- nothing here for them.

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