<p>Things are shaping up! Veggie garden is planted, H got the chicken-wire fence around it today, just in time since my beans are beginning to sprout. The bunnies LOVE those 2 first leaves if they can get to them.</p>
<p>Lots of mulching done. This, along with the edging that H did today, makes everything look really nice! Last week’s rain helped too.</p>
<p>Today I spent loads of time cursing all those (beautiful) lilac blooms as I attempted to cut the most of spent blooms from the bushes.</p>
<p>I have a clematis question too! I planted two, years ago on the side of my front porch, in a spot that’s now behind some rhododendrons. One climbs nicely up the porch and looks nice, the other seems much…shorter and didn’t climb. The blooms are beautiful though. Can I move the whole plant? Has anyone had luck with transplanting a clematis?</p>
<p>Off to have an iced tea and put another coat of paint on the deck rails!! :)</p>
<p>One thing I will say about yard work is that you don’t have to do a lot to see a big difference. I haven’t been out in the yard at all until today and after only a few hours of weeding and edging, it looks so much nicer!</p>
<p>Well, I went out and gave the Clematis a good sound lecture about climbing the fence and then I “encouraged” it through the slats. It had somehow managed to create intricate knots that went from one stem to another. This it can do, but climb the fence…no. It took a while to untangle it.</p>
<p>So, I have a set of Blue mist shrubs (caryopteris) and the middle one died. Of course it’s the middle one. Around the same end of the house, I have a ninebark that is the world’s only non hardy ninebark, apparently. DH says move the ninebark; it will get much more sun in the newly vacated spot and actually grow. I think that will look dorky, but it prob would save the ninebark. Opinions?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the climbing rose has made it onto the porch roof and is angling for the bedroom windows. My neighbor even commented on this year’s enthusiastic growth. If we could just have some sun, the blooms will beat the black spot</p>
<p>I have ninebark, both native & mindia Coppertina which is absolutely gorgeous.
It grows well in all kinds of light, except heavy shade, Id look to the soil first.</p>
<p>Emilybee is right. The best time to move clematis is early spring. Greenbutton, you made me laugh- of course it is the middle bush. I have blue mist and it has spread here and there but the main bush died back. I would probably try to move the ninebark as long as it isn’t too big. I swear spring is the time I rearrange all the plants in my yard. “What was I thinking planting that there?”</p>
<p>Dh and I spent the day putting chicken wire around the garden fence as the rabbits have tried to eaten everything. I replanted beets and sowed some parsley. The tomatoes and peppers look like they will recover from the bunny blitz. The beans are somewhat damaged. On the bright side, all my pots are planted and are looking good.</p>
<p>It’s a Coppertina, and I was thinking sun since it is once again getting covered in downy mildew. There’s nothing else planted near it, so it gets plenty of air but not a lot of sun (maybe 2-3 hrs). I almost pulled it out this spring but gave it a chance and it’s trying…but still as a two year old plant it’s maybe 22" tall :(</p>
<p>Greenbutton, I think it will look “dorky” too. But I am big on having everything of a kind grouped together in odd numbers. It would look off to me to have only two of one type shrub especially with a different one between the two. </p>
<p>The only time I have one of something if it is a specimen shrub.</p>
<p>Hopefully the rainstorm season will pass [finally] here in the northeast this weekend, allowing for consistent warm temperatures overnight to stimulate plant growth. This year’s container garden on the deck is nevertheless mildly successful thus far. Lessons learned so far in 2013; basil seedlings did not like the stainless steel garden buckets I transplanted them to. Two sets of basil seedlings (and Jalapeno pepper) turned black at the base of the stems and died in the steel bucket. Dug them up and replaced them with Cherokee Purple tomato seed. Wish me luck. Another lesson learned is that you can’t fool around when it comes to adequate soil warmth for seed germination. The tomato seed I planted in March never came up. The tomato seeds placed in the soil last week have already sprouted.</p>
<p>My 9 Solar Fire determinate tomato plants are petering out and not setting anymore fruit. I only got about 10-20 tomatoes on each plant…the tomatoes are maybe a 1/3 to 1/2 lb each. Next year I think I’ll try an indeterminate and will space plants closer at 2 ft apart and string weave them between stakes for better support. The two Husky Red Cherry tomato plants I have in 5 gallon buckets are still going gangbusters…the cherry tomatoes in buckets are super easy to care for and produce a lot of fruit for evening salads and for just snacking.</p>
<p>So my Stella D’Oro lillies are getting ready to bloom. For once, I’d like to keep after them so they will bloom through the summer. What is best practice for deadheading? Do I go after EACH flower after it is done? Or wait until all the flowers on a stalk are done and cut the whole stalk? Thoughts?</p>
<p>Was in backyard yesterday watering tomato plants…wow, was it ever hot and muggy outside. 93 degrees with “real feel” temp of 113!</p>
<p>A wild turkey hen and 5 of her chicks were in our backyard when I was tending plants. Turkeys are very rare for our area; have seen them before in our area of Florida, but never before in our backyard. Left them alone, but I did get some photos with my cell phone.</p>
<p>If you have containers on a paver patio by a pool and were going to vacation for 12 days; would you put the containers in the shade and pray for rain or heel them into the flower beds?
The containers have flowers: pentas, vinca, lilies, zinnias, marigolds, plumbago, allamandas, purslane, herbs?</p>
<p>First tomato sightings! Rafs and Orange Paruche. Everything growing, except French green beans! Not a one! right next to a row of Purple Romanos going gangbusters - I suspect MURDER.</p>
<p>Mini, try as I might, I can’t seem to keep up with your agricultural acumen. But, I can report some modest success.</p>
<p>Blossoms on the Jubilee Golden tomatoes have become fruit, since the past 10 days or so. The fruit is eating size now but still green as a witch’s nose. The fruit on the Lemon Boy plant has been marble size for about the same time. Frustratingly slow growth. The Cherokee Purple and the Rutgers tomato plants (from seed) have just reached about 10 inches in height.</p>
<p>Once again my local greengrocer fooled me this year, as some seedlings turned out to be different than advertised. Not his fault, he’s a small business guy. Probably gets the seedlings from his supplier for dirt cheap, and he in turn sells them dirt cheap. Anway, the 49er golden zucchini seedlings I purchased have grown into straightneck squash bushes. I love fried summer squash blossoms all the same, but I was hoping for the sweet taste of golden zucchini this summer and fall. I guess the labels got mixed up at the warehouse…AGAIN!</p>
<p>Eggplants have lots of huge leaves but few blossoms right now. Pinstripe plants are vigorous, as are most of the Gretel plants. Japanese and Fairy Tale were planted late and are just now sprouting from the soil. The young Magda looks quite healthy, even though its container may be a bit too shallow.</p>
<p>I am satisfied that another year of experience and research has provided this modest success. I have learned that nothing works better than compost, compost, compost. I’ve used composted goat manure and I know that must be the difference this year.</p>
<p>I am frustrated. Something is eating my tomatoes just days before they are ready to be picked. I had a beautiful yellow taxi that was just a few days from perfect. Looked out the next morning and it was totally gone. Same with my Black Cherry tomatoes. Whatever it is doesn’t seem to care for the sungold. I suspect moles. I think the dog would remove more of the plant. The yellow taxi was pretty big for it to have been taken by a bird.</p>
All right, I guess if I trained my dog I can train a vine.</p>