Penny’s a Nurture And Hold (NAH): Nah, I won’t pull that out yet, it’s still got a green shoot. She likes dragonflies, lady bugs and new stuff only after weeding, pruning and fertilizing.
Kim’s a Want It Now (WIN): Everything pretty, everything now. She will resort to full-spectrum insecticides in desperate situations, and believes it’s her duty and right to buy new plants every weekend.
Both advocate Plant Choice (SOMEthing besides crotons. Please!), lots of color and low maintenance. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re smart enough to learn from each other - and from you.
@TheDirtTBO
The Dirt
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Posted Aug 17, 2010 by Kim Franke-Folstad
Updated Aug 17, 2010 at 07:00 PM

OK, I know after my whiney Dirt column in Sunday’s Tribune, you are all feeling very sorry for me.
Don’t. We’re back in the blooming business!
Maybe Mother Nature heard my pleas for help. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the five tubes of Miracle-Gro LiquiFeed I used on Saturday. But the flowers are finally coming around and opening up in my garden.
The lantana, which have pretty much been dormant up until now, are suddenly covered in purple flowers. The buttercups are happy as can be. And the hibiscus tree I planted several weeks ago had six blooms on Sunday.
The one shown above greeted me this morning.
Best of all, though, is the return of the birds of paradise. So great!

So thank you all for your kind thoughts and limited eye-rolling. I wish you all the same luck I’m having.
Now, if I could just get my red banana tree to stop looking so wilted on hot afternoons …
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Reader Comments
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on August 17, 2010
Yay! Looking good, Kim. All they needed was a good feeding, huh? I wonder if Miracle-Gro is like dessert or a main course to them? That bird of paradise looks pretty dang happy.
Posted by (Chip) on August 18, 2010
Nice looking blooms Kim. Maybe they just wanted to make an entrance! You know make you wait for it!...“Chip”
Posted by (kgardens) on August 18, 2010
Glad your garden is blooming again. Hibiscus usually will bloom a lot in the fall so you should have more continuous blooms very soon. I can’t believe it is almost time for cooler weather! Your bird of paridise is gorgeous. Thanks for the update.
Posted by (kgardens) on August 18, 2010
OK - paradise.
Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on August 18, 2010
It was nice that some of the flowers returned just in time for the weekend (my 16th wedding anniversary!).
We spent a lot of time just sitting out on the deck and admiring the blooms.
(That was after feeding, weeding and trimming, of course.)
Good to know about the hibiscus, Kay. I have a couple of trees—and some persistant shrubs. (We tried to cut them down, but they came right back.) Should be looking good soon ... I hope.
Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on August 18, 2010
Kim, My blooms have slowed down in my garden, so I will enjoy yours. Pumpkin
Posted by (Chip) on August 19, 2010
I had to restock today,I was out of must everything. The kids potting bench and chicken coop will wait. We have a full moon coming up and I want to be ready. last years Brussels sprouts did so well we are doubling them. I got sticker shock at the price’s on the black hen do we have a shortage of chicken poop? Maybe the kids is on to something! she wants a portable chicken coop and move it over areas that she wants to plant later. And just a few chickens 3-5 at the most. But I let my work here get ahead of me ...“Chip”
Posted by (Janna) on August 20, 2010
Nice of your blooms to return in time for your anniversary! Hope it was a happy one. I’m going to have to get some LiquiFeed. I’m still looking out my back door at a whole lotta’ green.
Posted by (Chip) on August 21, 2010
You all just got to go to BackYardChickens.com they have big monster sized coops and tiny tiny ones, they got them on wheels [there is one that looks like a port a potty on wheels!] but there are a lot that are very creative. some with very detailed how to directions. I spent an hour just looking at what they call tractor coops [that means you move it with a tractor] some were small enough for one or more people could move them. these are the ones I am interested in. The potting bench and coop will have to wait, I let my garden alone and I have got a lot of work to get ready for the fall..“Chip”