There's a Fungus Among Us!

I just noticed yesterday while I was out doing some weeding that my peony foliage has become infected with some nasty white stuff.

Remember when it looked like this?

Innocent and pure

It now looks like this.

Tainted

EWWWWW!

So before I accused it of being the Paris Hilton of peonies I decided to do some research. I found out that my peony is infected with......

POWDERY MILDEW!!! DUN-DUN-DUH!!!

I have several choices:

1. Shun it for being a promiscuous, dirty, little flower.

2. Chemically treat it into oblivion therefore tainting my ground, my water source and possibly killing the entire city. (I just can't have that on my conscience right now.)

3. Look to see if there are any organic treatments which will bring harmony to Nature and peace to the Middle East. **Cue singing birds and rainbows**.

You're right! I chose #2!

I mean I chose #3!

There is a great organic gardening forum at gardenweb.com and there were several suggestions which are as follows:

1. Spray with a 50/50 solution of non-fat milk and water
2. Spray with a solution of chamomile tea (mmmm...chamomile)
3. Spray plant with a solution of 1 tsp baking soda and 1 quart of water (every 5 days)
4. Removal and disposal of any affected leaves (the plant will grow back in the spring and most likely not be affected by the mildew but leaving it on can lead to plant disfigurement...whatever that means..."I am not a monstah!").

So how did this happen? Essentially it looks like the humidity of the summer may have been the main culprit as well as the way in which I watered it. Some more advanced gardeners say that watering the peony at the root is best instead of over the plant...did I say that in my previous peony post and not follow my own advice? (*looking back to May 16th). No! I didn't...ahh well...gardening is always a learning process!

I think I might try the baking soda and water mixture just because I have those things in the house. If all else fails I will cut the sucker down. I will keep you posted!

Hot for Hostas!

My container hostas in the sun (Oh no! Don't worry, it was 9 in the morning, they are in the shade by 10am). I planted several more at my mother-in-law's house under her pine tree. *Note to self: take pictures of MIL's hostas.

These are hosta seed pods which developed after the very light lilac flowers died. I was actually going to save these and see if I could replant them to get more hostas but then I started reading this and decided....ummmm...NO!

What? Glass block background isn't "arty" enough for you? Boo.

Brown spots= bad. Time to move those bad boys into the shade!

I LOVES me some hostas and all you beginning gardeners out there should take a serious look at them too because you get beautiful plants with little effort.

Hostas are a great plant to grow in the shade. They always seem to thrive under big shady trees that take over a yard...kind of like ferns. However after reading up a little bit apparently there are hostas that do really well with some sun exposure.

Most major home stores carry hostas in their gardening department usually in the spring early summer, which is the best time to plant them. They are relatively cheap ($3-$5 bucks) and come in such a variety of foliage colors (greens, yellow, creams, blues) and textures it will make you head spin . Hostas grow larger with each passing year so make sure that if you put them into a container, it is large enough the following growing season. The good news is that hostas can be easily divided and planted elsewhere or given to fellow gardeners. Next spring I will have a hosta (I'm looking at you Big Daddy in the blue pot) that needs to be divided so look forward to that post!

Now hostas do get kind of yucky looking in the fall winter when they are dying back so be warned. I usually leave the foliage there for the winter even though the neat freak in me wants to cut them back because of how ghastly they look. However in the spring you will see little shoots coming up and THEN you can cut back those dead leaves til your heart's content!

I keep mine in my containers/flowerpots on the patio because that is where I get the most shade. I actually had them planted in the ground for awhile but they started to look a little sickly from too much sun and I took them out. You can see on the one picture the brown and yellow spots on the leaves....that indicated to me that it was time for Mr. Hosta to move to some darker territory.

Here is a great picture from the American Hosta Society where you can see how grouping these plants together makes an interesting garden without flowers, but with great visual impact!
There are so many different types of hostas out there and each one varies in their sun needs, although most prefer part shade. Don't know which type of hosta you have brought home? Here is another link I have provided that has pictures of hostas and their names for your identifying pleasure!

Houpt Hosta Habit

Hosta Basic Information

Light Exposure: Varies depending on the type but typically Partial/Full Shade
Type: Perennial
Zones: 3-9
Colors: Green, blue-green, cream, yellow, variegated leaves
Flowers: white or purple
Bloom time: Spring to fall
Best uses: Under shady spots, interesting foliage, cut flower arrangements
Special Notes: Hostas are a favorite deer food! I don't have many critter problems in the city aside from the occasional dreadful pigeon but we may need to discuss deer repellent methods for our country dwelling friends.

Coneflowers...damn!...now I want ice cream....

More gorgeous gifts from Aunt Todd's Virginia garden....I am so jealous of her acres of land and tons of flower beds!

Another more common name for coneflowers is Echinacea. You hear about it all the time during cold and flu season because it commonly used to decrease the symptoms and duration of the cold or flu. This bit of information sharing does not give you license to go around the neighborhood and eat their flowers to prevent illness...so back off, petal chomper!

The particular yellow variety shown above is called "Harvest Moon". I have seen coneflowers more commonly in purple varieties with orange centers like these:

photo courtesy of BlueRidgeSeeds.com

You can save the seeds from the coneflower to plant for next year. Here is a link with actual pictures of the seeds and corresponding discussion. Make sure you scroll all the way over to the right to get all 4 pictures!
Coneflower Seeds

I might attempt to save the seeds and plant them next year (I can HEAR you laughing! Just because I have minimal luck with seeds....bite me...). I'm sure Aunt Todd has tons of coneflower seeds laying around but if not the neighbors down the street have them in abundance...time for a little midnight dead-heading, flower-napping. (Disclaimer: Nature is My Bitch does in no way endorse the kidnapping or eating of flowers. Savages!)

**Note: Actually after reading a little more I found out you don't have to do this at all. You can just let the flowers die back naturally and they will bloom again next year! Apparently it's called "volunteer seeding"...I personally don't give a toss what it's called...I call it "a couple more free hours on Facebook". Lazy gardening at it's best! Thanks Nature! You're a pal...sometimes.....

Coneflower/Echinacea 411

Light Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Type: Perennial
Zones 4-9
Bloom Color: Golden Orange, purple, range of pinks, violet, white or cream
Bloom Time: July-August
Best Uses: Attracting birds, bees and butterflies
Special Notes: Deer resistent, drought tolerant

Like, OMG, Lamb's Ear is like, sooooo cute!

Sorry. My inner teenager popped out there for a minute. Go back to watching MTV Cribs or texting or to the mall!

SO ANYWAY...

Say the words "Lamb's Ear" and what immediately comes to mind?

Furry, perfectly white little baby lamb's frolicking in a daisy filled meadow?

ME TOO!

Lamb's Ear in the plant world are not as cute but I still love them. They have interesting foliage, are perennial and are easy to grow. An almost perfect plant. Unfortunately, they don't flower, but I guess you can't have it all. (Correction: They DO flower...although mine never have...effing nature...stupid plant..)

Believe it or not Lamb's Ear are actually considered a weed and are extremely invasive in warmer climates. And usually anything considered a weed, well, grows like a weed.

They are called Lamb's Ear because they are extremely soft plants and the leaves look a little like sweet lambie ears. In fact, if you ever catch yourself in the woods these are the leaves you would love to have on hand. They are the Cottonelle of leaves. They are also a beautiful silver color which look great in any type of landscape.

Of course there is a downside to these cuties...

1. They can be invasive. When they do flower (which again, mine never have or I have been too lazy to notice) cut the flowers off to prevent seeding OR dig the suckers up and share them with neighbors and friends!

2. When they start to die back in the fall and winter they are the ugliest and scraggliest looking sad things. They get brown and yellow and flat. I would include a picture of what they look like but it might make you cry.

Here's the info!!

Lamb's Ear Basic Info
Zone: 4-10
Light Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Type: Perennial,
Bloom Time: Spring to Early Fall
Colors: Silver Green

Best Uses : Interesting foliage, Low maintenance, container gardens, ground cover or edging plant
Water and care notes: Frequently however make sure soil is well drained and plants aren't sitting in puddles of water. Put some mulch under them to keep the leaves off the ground and sitting in water.If you start to notice brown or yellow leaves at the bottom, cut them off or remove them.
At the end of the growing season, I usually leave the dead leaves be figuring that it protects the new growth and cover the whole plant in mulch for the winter. You will see new leaves start to pop up in the spring.

Flowers to make you smile

How gorgeous are these flowers? They are gladiolus from Aunt Todd's garden! She lives in Virginia and hers always bloom early.

The kicker with these is that she got the bulb's (for gladiolus they are called corms) from a dollar store! I never thought to look for bulbs there. Talk about a bargain!

We will review and discuss more about gladiolus when MINE bloom. *Pout*

Bok-Bok-BAGOK!

That's what chickens sound like right? Yeah, I have no idea...I'm a city girl, remember?
Anyway, Hens and Chicks may be the EASIEST plant I have ever taken care of. I don't know why I don't just do an entire blog devoted to them.

Reasons why I love Hens and Chicks
1. They grow just about anywhere, even if there is a little bit of soil.
2. They are drought resistant.
3. They are evergreen in the winter and maintain their visual interest.
4. They look cool.

Reasons why I don't love Hens and Chicks
1. They make other plants look bad and very prissy because of how easy they are!

Hens and chicks are easy to divide and grow in other areas. All you do is take the little chicks or slightly larger ones growing off the big hens by grabbing them gently and pulling. Then plant the little root in the dirt. It's literally that easy that other plants should be embarrassed!

Step One: Grasp.

Step Two: Pull gently.

Step Three: Find dirt and cover root.

Hens and Chicks Basic Info
Zone: 3-11
Light Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Type: Evergreen, Perennial, Succulents
Bloom Time: Pretty much all the time! Little chicks usually grow during spring/summer/fall and go dormant in winter.
Colors: Green with tinges of red/burgandy

Best Uses : Interesting foliage, Low maintenance, container gardens, rock gardens
Water: drought tolerant, make sure soil is well drained and plants aren't sitting in puddles of water.

Happy Fourth of July!

Here are some pictures of plants that I will be discussing in the near future!



Hens and Chicks
I actually forget what these are called! Time to break out the information cards!

Geraniums

Lamb's Ear

Asiatic Lily

Hope you have a happy and safe holiday! Try not to eat too many hot dogs!

Lacecap Hydrangeas

As I mentioned previously I have two types of hydrangeas growing in my yard. I already talked about the Mophead Hydrangea so now it's time to focus on the Lacecap. Don't tell Mophead but Lacecap is my favorite! It's even got a prettier name! I mean seriously, let's play word association--Mophead=Dirty Water, Lacecap=Cute Babies. SEE!

Anyway, Lacecaps are in the same family as Mopheads so they require essentially the same growing habitat and care. My Lacecap is actually a transplant from the Hubs parent's shore house. Uncle Richie (have I mentioned him before? Son of Granny G of the Green Thumb, which he apparently inherited) tore it out and was going to throw it away! Sacrilege!! So I took it home and transplanted it into our yard. My husband was SOOOO HAPPY we had to drive home with a dirty, uproooted plant in the car.

What makes it even more special is that the leaves are variegated. I've been able to identify it as a 'Mariesii Variegata' (oooohhh, fancy Latin!!). Variegated Leaves means that in addition to the green that is on the leaves there is also a pattern or spots of white on them.

Variegated Leaves
Also very cool about this particular plant is the fact that I am getting 2 different flower colors this year--blue and a pinkish-purple, seen below. This has never happened before and I found out, when I was educating myself about hydrangeas over the past couple of days, that the pink-purple color may be the result of lime seeping into the ground near the plant from my concrete sidewalk and patio. This seems to be a good working theory as the pink-purple flowers are only really showing up in areas bordering concrete!

Blue

Purple
Here is the standard info on the 'Mariesii Variegata'
Zone: 5-9
Light Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade
Type: Perennial
Height/Spread: spreads to 4 feet by 4 feet over time
Bloom time: Different types bloom May to October
Colors: blue, pinks, white or off white
Best Uses: attracts bees (see previous posts about Xerces Foundation!)and butterflies, interesting foliage after flowers die, very unique flower, best suited for seashore locations (this would explain why it was planted originally at the shore house!)
When to plant: Spring or Fall
Water: Daily, ground should be moist

Mophead Hydrangeas

I have two different types of hydrangeas (Mopheads and Lacecaps) currently growing in my yard. They are both in bloom and the color is gorgeous!

The first ones to flower and bloom were the two I have in the front of my yard flanking the sidewalk. I never really care about what I am planting as long as it catches my eye. Here is a dramatic rendering of me at Home Depot/Lowes/Garden Center choosing plants:

ACT ONE

Enter stage left, me, slackjawed and overwhelmed my Nature's bounty before me, wandering aimlessly.

ME: "Thems is purty!", impulsively picks up flowers and runs to cash register.

ACT TWO

ME: Honey, I'm home! Look what I buyed at the flower store! Ain't they purty?

HUBBY: *SIGH* Where are we planting that?

ME: *sticks tongue out at him* Party pooper!

THE END

So I did a little research on the net via a couple of sites specifically hydrangeashydrangeas.com which has pictures (ALWAYS a plus in my book!) and I think I identified them as Mophead Nikko Blue Hydrangeas.

The great thing about hydrangeas is that you can typically change the color of them by messing with the pH levels of the soil around them. How do you do this? I have no idea, so let's find out. Hydrangeashydrangeas.com has such a concise explanation on how to change the colors that you would be best off going right to the source! Here is the link:

How to Change The Color of Your Hydrangeas

(Note: You can purchase both dolomitic lime and Aluminum sulfate at your local garden store!)

Interesting facts I learned from hydrangeashydrangeas.com:

1.It is easier to change a hydrangea from pink to blue than it is from blue to pink.

2.It's also easier to change the colors of a hydrangea that is in a container as opposed to in the ground.

3. Planting hydrangeas near a concrete foundation or sidewalk will often affect the color since the pH of the soil can be changed by the lime coming out of them, making it difficult to obtain blue. This completely explains why some of the flowers on my Lacecap Hydrangea are turning a purply pink near the sidewalk and the patio! I just thought I was a magical gardener!

Here is some basic information on the Nikko Blue hydrangeas:

Nikko Blue Hydrangeas

Zone: 6 to 9 (although I am in Zone 5 and I have never had a problem!)

Plant Type: Deciduous shrub

Height: 4 to 6 feet

Spread: 4 to 6 feet

Bloom Time: July - August (mine started in early June)

Bloom Color: Blue in acid soil; Pink in alkaline soil.

Sun: Sun to Part shade

Water: Daily, very thirsty suckers!

Prune: July, after blooms have faded

Tranplanting Established Plants

I know! What a boring title...but it is what it is.

I've transplanted a lot of things with no real adherence to any sort of rule and have never had any problem (*crosses fingers*). I was reading stuff recently about "making sure you transplant plants in the late afternoon to reduce shock" and some other rules I have never heard of. You may as well tell me to make sure you light candles and massage it to make the transition easier because Ms. Lazy is sooooooo not doing that. Besides by the "late afternoon" the only things I feel like doing are drinking wine and chasing the ice cream truck down the street (not necessarily in that order but it does make it more fun.)

Needless to say I didn't heed any of that advice.

However I do think there are some very basic things you should keep in mind with any transplant or new planting for that matter.

1. Try and look ahead to your local weather forcast. It probably isn't the best idea to be transplanting stuff on the hottest day of the year (for you OR the plant!)...look for a milder day. The day I transplanted this stuff was in the low eighties with little humidity. Of course the best time to transplant anything is in the spring or fall but Nature will not contain ME within those parameters. HAHA!

2. Make sure the area you are moving the plant to has the same amount of light/needs as the old home.

3. Prepare the new home for the plant first. No point in digging up the plant and having it sit out for an extended period of time while you are digging away. Besides it might start to mock your digging technique and then you might want to hit it with a shovel...what? plants don't talk to you? Hmmmmm...shame....


I HATE tearing up the ground. It's a HUGE pain in the butt and makes me wonder why I even bother. The best way I have found is to use an edging tool and make a grid pattern in the area you want to remove (not a great picture...sorry)and take out the grass in patches. This little area took me several hours to tear out to give you an idea of the time commitment. I wish I had people to do it for me...sigh...

Another tip that I have found useful is to get a large plastic tarp to put your refuse on. Also in the event that you don't get a chance to clean it up that day and it rains you can pull the tarp over it so it doesn't get wet. Because while clumps of grass and dirt suck, nothing sucks worse than WET clumps of grass.

Dig your hole to about 2 times as wide and deep as the root. Yeah, I realize you don't know the exact size of the root because it's still in the ground. So what are you waiting for? Go dig it up now!! Digging a hole won't take you that long.



4. Give yourself plenty of room to dig around the root/bulb of the plant so as not to damage the root/bulb. I kind of use a 6 inch rule from the root of something this size.




Dude, that mofo was HEAVY!! Heavier than my almost one year old son! I almost fell over when I tried to pick it up!!

5. Water that sucker like there is no tomorrow after you plant it! I would also recommend mulching but then again I am a mulch whore...I freaking love the stuff for making everything look "finished" plus it helps keep weeds down and holds moisture in....which reminds me...I need to go get more!!

Moving on up...to the next yard!! (sing The Jefferson's theme in your head)

I was assessing my little yard today and the flowers that I have planted and have come to the conclusion that for some reason I may have been stricken with a dab of color-blindness this year. I have WAAAAAYYY too many different colors going on flower-wise, as you can see...it looks like a psychedelic circus and not the good kind (Is there a good kind? you ask. Yes! I answer.) Plus the one torch lily I have is HUGE and needs some room to breathe.

The photos don't actually look that bad...trust me...it's too much


The Monster Torch Lily


So what do I do?

My lovely neighbor, who is an overworked and underpaid police officer in this fabulous city is allowing me to take over her yard and plant some of my stuff! YAY! As an added bonus I am moving the flowers that have a tendency to be the ones the mysteriously "disappear" (read: picked by jerks) on a routine basis near the sidewalk.

The Blank Canvas


Here is what I am planning on transplanting into her yard and some basic info on each of the plants.

Asiatic Lily (the orange ones)

Light Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
Type: Perennial, Multiply over time
Bloom Time: June
Colors: white, red, orange, pink, yellow
Best Uses: Cut Flowers, Interesting foliage
Water: 1 inch per week.
Water at the root and not at the top of the flower to reduce rot.
When to plant: Spring

Torch Lilies (aka Red Hot Poker or Kniphofia)

Light Exposure: Full Sun
Type: Perennial, spreads to 3 feet over time
Bloom time: Different types bloom May to October
Colors: Red, orange, yellow, cream
Best Uses: attracts hummingbirds & bees, interesting foliage after flowers die, very unique flower, can be divided
When to plant: Spring or Fall




Tools Needed for Project:
Gardening gloves
Spade (Shovel with pointed end)
Edging tool
Tarp
Heavy duty garden refuse bags (get them at Home Depot or Lowes)

This Ain't the Summer of Love!

Asiatic Lilies


Hydrangeas

I have been sick for the past week and haven't had much time to devote to the garden. A big shout-out thank you to Mother Nature for providing us with regular rain because God knows I haven't been doing it!

The summer flowers are starting to bloom! Yay!! Hopefully no one walking by picks them (which they are wont to do)....funny I don't remember planting a public garden or posting a sign that says "Free Flowers--Pick at Will!"

Grow your own. Jerks.

Peonies

I love peonies!

I know I'm probably going to start a lot of posts that same way!

"I love (insert flower/plant here)!"

I bought a pink peony last year in honor of my husband's grandmother, Granny G. She loved roses and pink....pink I can deal with, roses not so much.

I thought I had killed it last year because I didn't pay as much attention to it after I planted it. That's not even true, I paid NO ATTENTION to it AT ALL! In my defense, I was in the last trimester of my pregnancy and was more content to sit on my couch in the air conditioning with my swollen feet up. So when it browned and shriveled, I was upset about it but I just figured I would buy a new one! However I didn't dig it up just because I hadn't decided if I wanted to plant a new one or plant something else. Imagine my surprise when I started seeing little green shoots popping up in the spring! So the lesson is...don't pull it up until you are absolutely sure it's dead!!!

Basic Info
Light Exposure: Full Sun
(zones 8 and 9 would benefit from partial shade)
Type: Perennial
Bloom Time: Spring/early summer (Typically May 1 to May 30th)
Colors: White, Range of Pink, red, lilac,
Best Uses : Cutting flowers, Interesting foliage
When to plant: Fall

Peonies should be fed a half a cup of low nitrogen fertilizer in early spring and again halfway through the growing season.

Make sure you regularly water your Peony during the dry summer months.

Peonies are VERY top heavy. They need to be staked. You can find peony rings at most garden centers designed specifically for this and they are typically less than $5.00.

Remove the flowers as soon as they fade to prevent seed development, which will use up needed food reserves, and effect next years bloom.

In the fall, after the foliage browns and dies, cut the stems back to three inches. Trimming and disposing of the cuttings helps to prevent disease in peonies. You should also place mulch around the plant to help protect it during the winter.

During the early spring you will start to see green shoots coming from the base of the plant.

Put it in the ground and see if it grows!

When my husband and I bought our house our little lawn was a blank slate. All the neighbors told me that the previous owners had tried to grow things but they never seemed to live, failing to mention that they had a dog who they let pee all over the lawn. For some reason I don't think dog pee is good for plants but what do I know?

Undettered, I started planting pretty much right away. The first thing I put in was a lilac bush. For those that care, (I don't.) it is a Firmament lilac, I just liked it cause it smelled pretty. I bought at either Lowes or Home Depot and needless to say it is still growing like crazy!

After that I decided I wanted some spring flowers because I freaking love tulips! I actually ordered a mixed bag of tulips and grape hyacinths from one of those mail order bulb catalogs (Spring Hill or Brecks)because they offered a free $25 dollars worth of merchandise. It's a great offer for when you are first starting out because essentially your aren't losing anything but a few bucks...oh and the time you took putting all the suckers in....oh well! This was spring's crop of tulips and you can see they are gorgeous! The little purple/blue flowers are the hyacinths.

I will do a whole thing on planting bulbs in a future post!

Here are the links to Brecks and Spring Hill Nurseries!