Posted by (Dave C) on March 16, 2010

I know I contributed for at least three of those hits.

Now that the busted shed’s been removed (finally) and the overgrowth of the previous owner has been cleared out, it looks as though the vegetable garden is a go! Vegetables and citrus, here we come.

Truly a blank canvas… I’d send the pictures, but I’m sort of embarassed.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 16, 2010

If you saw the rest of our yards, Dave, you wouldn’t be embarrassed at all. We claim to be gardeners and Mother Nature gave us all a run for our money this year. Since misery loves company——we’d love to see your pictures and what you are starting out with. Then when everything is in bloom we can celebrate with you, knowing how far you came.

Ironically I was searching the web this morning trying to see whether to prune my pink chaste tree. Every year I would prune it back almost to the ground and this year I am wondering why I do that. Maybe it grows on the stems I’m always cutting back. Anyone have one of these? Any ideas you’ve heard of? Since everything else got frozen back I guess we are all experimenting with the survivors.

Posted by (kgardens) on March 16, 2010

Before and after photos are the best. Since I’m basically having to start over in my backyard I have taken lots of “before” pics and am hoping I won’t be disappointed with the “after”.  I have internet searched a whole bunch since January this year.  I look for plants and pictures of landscaping though not so much the hardscape stuff.  I bet my searches are up 110%.  Kay

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 16, 2010

Dave, I have the same “before” photo cringes that you have. 

Kay, I see new growth sprouting at the base of my porterweeds.  YAY!

Susan, there is a Master Gardener pruning class TONIGHT that might interest you.  I may go.  “March 16 - To Prune, or Not to Prune?  6:30 PM Temple Terrace Library, 202 Bullard Parkway (813) 989-7160.” 

I have been digging all the grass out of our front yard for a week now, and I think I could finish with just one more day of hard, back-breaking work…but I am just TOO tuckered out today.  We are planting Florida Friendly landscaping, per the new Fla law.

Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on March 16, 2010

Yeah, Penny and I roll old school when it comes to looking up stuff about plants. If I’m at home with my gardening books, I go there first for answers and ideas.

Almost everything in my yard is budding right now. Losing so much really makes me appreciate every little green leaf and blossom.

Posted by (Chip) on March 16, 2010

Looks like we are all in the same boat! with all the clean up I had in front of me I got a little carried away and dug a hole in my neglected side yard so deep my neighbors thought I was building a pond! But I did get a lot cleaned up and a new compost bed that I should never have to worry about ever. So I will have room to buy things at green fest and have a place to put them! boy would that be different.  ......“Chip”

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 16, 2010

Thanks Gardendipity—-I didn’t read this until it was too late to go to the class. Did you go? Can I pick your brain?

My blue sky vine was going to be replaced too, Penny, but I saw some sprouts coming out of the ground as I was pruning it back. IT"S ALIVE!  (sorry——Young Frankenstein reference) It gets to stay for trying so hard through all that cold weather.

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 16, 2010

YAY for me - a whole luxurious day of NO DIGGING!  I really have about done my body in.  But I’m planting and mulching as I go, and my husband and I LOVE the results!  Already the front garden is full of birds.

Chip, it is really funny that your neighbors thought you were putting in a pond!

Dave, I’m excited to hear about the progress of your new vegetable garden.  That is something I am thinking about doing, and I’ve never planted vegetables before.  My main concern is all the critters that come onto our property, raccoons and cats especially. 

Susan, I wasn’t able to attend the class, sorry because I was going to ask about whether to prune your tree.

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 16, 2010

Susan & Penny wrote about their Blue Sky Vine.  I am now wondering whether my “Morning Glory” is really a Blue Sky instead.

I researched today and found out that Morning Glories usually die in the freezes, but my plant
stayed green throughout all the freezes, only got a little nipped, AND it was still in the pot, I just planted it two days ago (it was rooted from a relative’s cutting). The bloom color is a gorgeous lilac.

I have already been introduced to several new plants through this blog - thanks to all of you!

Posted by (Dave C) on March 17, 2010

Does anyone have any idea how to keep the pests out of the vegetables? Perhaps a chicken wire fencing over the top of the raised bed?

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 17, 2010

Gardendipity—My morning glories don’t even last all the way through the summer let alone a winter. I always have to plant again. Except for this one dark purple one that the birds brought me. That would go away but always come back in the spring for about 3 years.

The Blue Sky vine has a big blue flower that is bigger than the morning glory blooms I have had in the past. You should send Penny a picture of your vine/flower so you can identify it. She and Kim have a wonderful group of plant experts they can ask.

Posted by (Chip) on March 17, 2010

There is no good answer Dave the only fool proof way to keep birds or other animals out of your Veggie’s is to grow them indoors or in a screen en closer but then bee’s would not be able pollinate them! I just Grow more than I need and hope for the best. ....“Chip”

Posted by (Chip) on March 17, 2010

The best thing I like about morning glory’s is they replant them self’s. We got them coming back in all of the places they were before.  Diane and I went to Parks Dale farms yesterday they have got a lot of nice looking plants cheep to $1.95 for miniature rose’s so the pink hill just got a little pinker.They have full sized rose’s for $9.95 I had a full blown case of the “I want’s” If you go don’t bother looking for miniature pink rose’s I got them all!  {the have other colors ]....“Chip”

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 18, 2010

I took some photos of my “morning-glory-or-is-it-really-a-blue-sky-vine” plant yesterday, and I’ll e-mail them to Penny today and see if she can tell what it is from the photos.  Thank you!

Yesterday I FINISHED digging up the front yard.  YAY for me!  I’ve got some plants in it to get it started, and put down a total of 30 bags of mulch in the front yard (I could use another 10 bags, but maybe later after my stiff, sore body heals).

Today is a day of rest and low-key “relaxing gardening” and tomorrow is Grandbaby Friday - got the 2-year-old all day and then in the evening were babysitting the 7-month old twins.” 

The heavy digging is over and the babies are coming to play.  Life is good.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 18, 2010

Oh I feel for you, Penny. Old plants are like old friends and to have to cut them all up is physically painful. When I got my new fence I made sure all my vines were crawling up a trellis. They can get woody enough sometimes to pry fence boards right off their posts. In fact I have to replace an old wooden trellis my Carolina Jessamine is attached to but am waiting until she is all bloomed out. I hate to cut back anything that is flowering.

Best of luck with your plant babies.

I am home with a full blown sciatica and my back hurts just listening to Gardendipity talk about lugging 30 bags of mulch. Ouchy! I bet it looks great though. Was that a blue sky vine she had?

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 18, 2010

You are both so sweet. I’ve tried a few stretches but I am bent over and waiting for my acupuncturist. He always gets me back in the game.

I did the same thing when the fence guys came. I was like a mother hen clucking about. I have to say they were very good. If you lose any susan vines I can still share.

Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on March 18, 2010

Susan—your comment about hating to cut something back when it’s flowering sounded so familiar!

This has been a tough time to decide about pruning. I waited on some things because of the cold, but now they are getting new growth right alongside of the icky brown stuff. Now what?

I’m not the most adept pruner (although I enjoy it!), but I’m going to carefully cut away some of the old stuff I haven’t gotten to yet.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on March 18, 2010

Being a hairdresser I have no problems pruning. Trim, cut, shape. Go ahead and trim back to the new green, Kim. Then you won’t have to go back later and trim away what brown you left behind. We will all be pretty again in no time.

Posted by (Gardendipity) on March 18, 2010

Penny and Susan helped me figure out what my plant is. Turns out it is a Bush Morning Glory - thanks ladies for the help! I’m thrilled!

Susan, I am so sorry about your back and I hope you feel better fast.

Penny, I’m worried about all your special babies! Maybe the fence folk can stand on your neighbor’s side to put up the fence instead of your side.

Kim, I have the same problem, green growth amid dead branches. I’m just so grateful that they all survived the freezes that the dead stuff isn’t really bothering me too much.  It’s a small price to pay.