Is there a gardener in the house? - Page 5

weenie · 08-17-2006, 10:20 AM

worrywart:
I don't know where you live, but you have to consider hummingbird migration patterns when looking for them.

If you live in eastern US (we only have one species of humminigbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, except for a rare sighting of a western bird wandering through) many hummingbirds have already left the northern parts of the country and head south in a rather leisurely manner. So, it probably didn't take 6 weeks for your bird to find the feeder. It probably is a newcomer to your neighborhood -- passing through from somewhere else. Birds that nest even in northern Canada still have to come through.

A red feeder (or flower) literally sticks out like a beacon to a hummingbird. They do not perceive their world the same way we do. Believe me, if there is a hummingbird within a mile or two of your house he will spot your feeder.

Late summer hummingbird populations are eratic. You may get a bird(s) that sticks around awhile, you may just get an occasional transient.

Is there any wild habitat (woods) near your house? Hummers don't often nest in bare suburban yards. They feed their young primarily insects. In the wild they also eat sap from trees in addition to nector when they can find it. In any case, they are done nesting at this point and most of the birds around are juveniles.

So, don't be sad if you don't see your hummer too often. They will winter primarily in Central America before coming back up next spring. The average first date of Hummingbird arrival can be seen here http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html. Those dates are very accurate.

By the way, leaving your feeder up will not affect their migration. Bird migration dates primarily depend on day length, and only secondarily on weather patterns and food supply.

weenie · 08-17-2006, 10:28 AM

SuNa:

I know this thread is old, but if you are still on here, here's some thoughts on your peonies.

One of the leading causes of poor flowering of perennials and trees is too much fertilizer. The whole point of being a plant is that you make your own food (a fact sort of forgotten by modern day gardeners/lawn fanatics). Feeding with compost is different than fertilizer, and much preferable.

Peonies usually fail to bloom after awhile because the homeowner has failed to notice how tall the trees/shrubs have gotten around it, and now the plant is not in full sun all day. (Guilty as charged - my peonies quit blooming when my forsythia hedge GOT REALLY BIG.)

Also, peonies are sensitive to how deep they are planted. They need to be planted very shallow. If compost or mulch has buried your peonies, dig them up and re-plant them higher.

worrywart · 08-17-2006, 10:33 AM

Geez, weenie, I didn't know any of this so thank you for the education. I'll try to understand, then, if I don't see any more until next year.

worrywart · 08-17-2006, 10:43 AM

P.S. My yard is wooded.

worrywart · 10-01-2006, 01:19 PM

Hey gardening groupies, you knew that with the change of season I'd be back for more of your sage advice. So today my question is: When do you start cutting back your plants (rudbeckia, hydrangea, buddleia)? And when do you transplant those that you've decided need a sunnier location next year? Thanks all!

over30 · 10-01-2006, 02:09 PM

I cut my rudbeckia back today, but not all the way, since I still have a few blooms. I basically did a serious deadheading. I'll do the final cutback after the first frost.

Fall is a good time to transplat or divide most perennials, although some should be done in the spring. I do most of mine a few weeks before the first frost so they have a little time to get acclimated before it freezes.

"As a general rule, plants that flower in the spring and early summer should be divided in the fall. Plants that flower in summer and fall should be divided in the spring before new growth is too large." http://www.lewisgardens.com/prop&dividing.htm

You can do a google search for specific plants. Have fun!

Moominmama · 10-01-2006, 03:26 PM

I tend to do my cutting back in the early spring, when the plants are just barely beginning to leaf out. You can be quite ruthless with buddleia, and need to be, unless you want it to put on five feet each year.

By leaving the last of the season's flowers on to become seedheads, you create some food and habitat for birds, help hold slightly warmer, stiller air around the plant in the winter to help it, and can often get garden impact from the sculptural quality of the seedheads. Doing a hard prune right now can encourage growth, because the weather is still reasonably warm. This growth will be very tender and much more prone to frost damage.

My favorite book on this subject is "Pruning" by Christopher Brickell. It has very clear explanations and drawings showing exactly what do and when.

dmd77 · 10-01-2006, 05:31 PM

A lot of cutting back depends on where you live. In Massachusetts, I never cut back my lavender, because the winter freze took care of that; here in western Washington, I cut my lavender back to one-third in the height of summer because I couldn't stand it one more day. (It recovered beautifully, I might add.) In general, here in WA, I've found I can cut back anything whenever I want to, without damage (I can also divide whenever I want to). Gardener's paradise. Definitely NOT the case in MA.

I mostly cut back flowers by cutting them for the vase. Those that die back in the fall frost get cut back to the ground. I usually leave the pretty seed heads and berries over the winter. In very early spring--Feb and March here--I get rid of branches in the wrong places, cut many things back hard, fertilize (I use compost), and sculpt the plants that need sculpting (camellias, some evergreens that I treat kind of like big bonsai).

Buddleia I cut back to the ground every other year, usually just when it finishes blooming. (And even so, it grows to 10-15 feet in a year and 15-20 in two.)

worrywart · 03-10-2007, 12:17 PM

Wow, it's been months since I've picked your brains about gardening. Well, I'm back. This time I'm curious about some hostas I bought at Costco this week. I've also ordered a few from Cottage Gardens that should ship the first week of April. Does that mean that I should wait until then to plant the hosta roots that I purchased at Costco? And regarding compost, other than making one's own, can you buy it in bags at Home Depot or gardening centers? If so, any particular kind or brand I should look for? Thanks, all.

weenie · 03-10-2007, 01:39 PM

If you bought a plant bare-root it should go in the ground asap (I can't remember where you live - but you should plant if you're pretty sure you aren't going to have anymore deep freezes).

In general, I'd urge you to buy plants instead of bare root stuff. Also, I'd urge you to buy plants from local nurseries instead of Costco. You will get better plant material.

It used to be that commercial compost had to be sterilized to cross state lines (and I presume it is still true) - hence there isn't a lot of it available. Some places have an industry which will sell its composted by-product (for instance, if you live near a brewery). Some towns have compost (if they collect leaves for instance). Go to a good local nursery and ask them for a source.

happycollegemom · 03-10-2007, 02:03 PM

Weel Sweep Herb Farm ( much more than just herbs) in Port Murray, NJ

happycollegemom · 03-10-2007, 02:06 PM

*Well Sweep !

over30 · 03-10-2007, 03:24 PM

When I don't have enough home-made compost, I use a mix of peat moss, manure and mushroom compost, all readily available and fairly cheap in big bags at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. Here's a link to info about the mushroom compost: http://www.mushroomcompost.com/

I fill plant holes with a mix of 1/2 of the original soil from the hole and 1/2 of the above - sometimes I use a little more mushroom compost in that 1/2. I also use the manure and mushroom compost as a top dressing, but mix it with a little garden soil (from a bag, not from my clay-heavy garden).

I would go ahead and plant them now.

Moominmama · 03-10-2007, 05:44 PM

I'll also vote for plant them now. And remember that slugs/snails LOOOOVE emerging hosta shoots. A good time for a preemptive strike.

Also, although hostas are fairly drought tolerant once established, do baby them a bit with water for the first two years.

worrywart · 03-10-2007, 06:59 PM

Okay it's unanimous; I've got to get my Costco roots into the ground. weenie, as a rule, I buy everything at my local nurseries but, you know, when you're trying to avoid the chocolate chunk cookies that smell so awfully good at Costco, you've got to turn to a different type of indulgence. I just can't resist plants ever since we put in a fence.