Gardening- For those who love to grow.

**Pam** · May-07-09, 11:40 AM

Plant sale at the botanical gardens in Ann Arbor this weekend:

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/happeni...?date=5/9/2009

**9936Sussex** · May-07-09, 05:29 PM

Went to the Northville Farmer's Market this morning [[first of the year) and I saw dwarf hostas. I had never seen them before. Does anyone have any experience with them? They sure were cute!

**Pam** · May-10-09, 05:11 PM

Frost advisory tonight.

A FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM EDT MONDAY.

TEMPERATURES WILL FALL RAPIDLY AFTER SUNSET TONIGHT AS SKIES
CLEAR AND WINDS WEAKEN ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP
INTO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S OVERNIGHT. THESE CONDITIONS WILL
SUPPORT FROST FORMATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FROST ADVISORY MEANS THAT FROST IS POSSIBLE. SENSITIVE OUTDOOR
PLANTS MAY BE KILLED IF LEFT UNCOVERED.

**jams** · May-11-09, 06:42 PM

Finally built up the soil in the corner of my yard that I planned for my shade garden. The hostas and lily of the vally seem to be doing well transplanted from my kind neighbors' allowing me to thin their plantings.

I did buy three ferns for a background planting today. I'm so geeked that in a month or so, I'll be able to sit in the small plot of grass I've allocated in my backyard and enjoy the flowers that are poking out now from the seeds planted earlier.

Hopefully, other gardeners will share their happiness on a side of the forum noted for its political BS.

**sumas** · May-17-09, 07:37 AM

Well, I had my first market day selling herbs. I pretty much ran out of saleable plants so I closed down early. The funny thing is last year I had tons of requests for flat Parsley so I got some from a grower. My error, what I got was celery. Today if I go past Georgia Street Gardens I will drop some off to Cub.

I don't make much money at the West Park Market but it is just so much fun talking to other gardeners. One couple were from the UP, they bought Basil, Rosemary and Pineapple Sage. The farthest my plants have traveled.

My best selling herbs are always Basil, Rosemary and Lavender. Greek Oregano, Cilantro and various Thymes always do well too. I also sell quite a lot of Pineapple Sage because I like it so well.

On a earlier post, germination from seed was discussed. I got some specimum day lillys from a plant exchange a few year back. I have had good luck with germination and hope to pot up about 50 plants. This fall if all goes well, I'll give some away. I took pictures last year but haven't got the film developed yet. I will post pictures later. They are truely quite unique.

For good measure, I am throwing in a dumb luck story. Last Christmas my mother got an Amarylis plant. I was going to regenerate it but it would not cooperate. Despite doing nothing right, it is now in full bloom, with four flowers. Nature is sometimes kind.

**Mackenzie68** · May-18-09, 02:58 PM

I saw the sign for this on my way to the gym today. I'll be there Friday after my dental appointment. Wonder how many holes I can dig between now and then. Or how many dandelions I can transplant to the big paper bag.

http://www.northville.org/Events_Cal...t/FLOWER_SALE/

22ND ANNUAL FLOWER SALE
DOWNTOWN NORTHVILLE
May 22, 2009 9:00am - 6:00pm
May 23, 2009 9:00am - 5:00pm

**lugotown** · May-18-09, 03:23 PM

Belle Isle Botanical Society
Annual Plant Sale

May 23, 2009
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

The doors open at 9 am on May 23 at the Belle Isle Greenhouses. We recommend that you come early to secure the choices tomato and flower offerings. A wide variety of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, unusual perennials, annuals, herbs, geraniums and water plants will be available. This is our biggest and most important fundraiser and is staffed by BIBS volunteers. Plan to enrich your garden this summer!

**gibran** · May-18-09, 04:55 PM

in soil that is less than perfect ..peat moss [[as mentioned earlier) and herds..mint can grow in just about any soil...I had a lot of post building materials and crap soil when my house was built.. I used a lot of peat moss and pebbles under the soil to promote drainage [[used layers) ...I planted ground cover in one area but it spread way to fast ..swithed to herds to do double duty, breaks up soil...warning mint can also take over..but if rotated it helpd fertile soil but it does taste great in cooking and tea...of course eggs shells..and becareful with grass clippings [[weeds)...promote earth worms ..after your fishing trip..place the left over ones in the garden..and I have bought lady bugs to combat little nasties...

LodgeDodger · May-24-09, 09:34 PM

Would anyone know where I might purchase a full-sized barrel locally? Something like a whiskey or wine barrel--must be wood.

Thanks!

**jams** · May-24-09, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Would anyone know where I might purchase a full-sized barrel locally? Something like a whiskey or wine barrel--must be wood.

Thanks!

Try the wine supply shop on Fort Street near Springwells.

LodgeDodger · May-25-09, 12:23 PM

Will do! Thanks, Jams.

**slick** · May-31-09, 11:54 AM

It's harvest time.
This week I have picked lettuce and radishes from the garden. Planted on April 15.

Tomatoes and peppers are in, potates went in a week ago, they are sprouting.

Good luck to all the gardeners out there.

I

**reddog289** · June-01-09, 11:19 PM

<P>My lettuce and peas are getting there.Got a few plants left to go in the ground. Pretty soon it will be water and weed time.</P>

**sumas** · June-07-09, 08:37 AM

Had another great week selling herbs at West Park Market. I get so many great tips on cooking with herbs. This week's advice and must try, is to take a whole chicken, place A large sprig of Rosemary doused with lime juice in the cavity and bake. I love simple stuff that smells and tastes good.

My yard's prep work almost done. Hah, every gardener knows our work is never done. So far my lilacs have bloomed, peonies were fantastic, as were the poppies. I grow mostly perennials and ornamental shrubs. More people should go to Eastern Market. For my planters, I get fillers and fluffy stuff there. Local nurseries want $5 and $6 dollars a pot, at the market I get it all for roughly $1.60 a pot. My current favorite filler is Diamond Frost. My new favorite perennial is Turtlehead.

**reddog289** · June-08-09, 01:39 AM

Ok Sumas, You sell parsley. I planted it last year and it came back. But I myself don't cook and havn't delt with this. The stuff is, In places almost 3ft tall and looks like it is going to flower.I can't belive how the herbs take off in the garden.I myself wonder if these shoots of parsley are weeds or what?

cheddar bob · June-08-09, 02:07 AM

Planting my first garden this weekend. A little late to start I know, but I just closed on the house on Friday so I didn't have much choice in the matter. Luckily, the previous owners where fanatical gardeners so there's compost piles and the soil should be good.

**jams** · June-08-09, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by cheddar bob

Planting my first garden this weekend. A little late to start I know, but I just closed on the house on Friday so I didn't have much choice in the matter. Luckily, the previous owners where fanatical gardeners so there's compost piles and the soil should be good.

Congrats Cheddar bob, welcome to my favorite hobby.

Still time to get warm weather crops like tomatos, cukes, etc. in especially if you use transplants.

Peas, lettuce and other cold favoring plants, hold off on for a planting later in the summer for a fall harvest.

reddog289 A weed is just any plant you do not want, as I have been arguing with our local city inspectors who claim the ferns I purchased [[within the city) and planted are weeds and are to be cut down, despite the obvious careful placement of them as a background to the other plantings. Hell, I could make an argument that grass is nothing but a domesticated weed!

Parsley, dill, or for that matter any perennial or self seeder will usurp a great deal of room in just a year or two, so careful consideration needs to be made of its siting. I've a section of my garden that is dedicated to allow parsley, chamomile, dill, oregano, etc free reign to spread as they will.

In your case though, to keep the parsley in check snip off the flowers as they appear in order to prevent new seeds from forming and reseeding itself.

sumas Great news from you. I'm just sad I can't check it out in person. Afer a year of only very part-time work, I've been fortunate enough to be working so much lately, I can bitch a bit about not having time for myself. And my new-found favorite perennial is Astrilibe, perfect for color in my shade garden.

**jams** · June-08-09, 09:17 PM

Yay, I finally found some free raspberry plants.

My Mom's neighbor let me dig up a few today to start my stand behind my garage.

In just a couple of years I should have enough berries from these plants and progeny to make several pints of my favorite jam.

One thing gardening teaches you is an acceptance that some things just require time to enjoy the benefits.

Enjoyed my dinner tonight, a salad of young bib and leaf lettuce mixed with raw peas from my garden made for a great side dish to stuffed pork loin

Lorax · June-08-09, 09:23 PM

I'm growing Belladonna and Hemlock and having a Republican fundraiser later in the week.

I'm inviting Batts to speak just before tea time.

**jams** · June-08-09, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lorax

I'm growing Belladonna and Hemlock and having a Republican fundraiser later in the week.

I'm inviting Batts to speak just before tea time.

The Socratic Method?

Lorax · June-08-09, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by jams

The Socratic Method?

Yes, in a word.

However, if we advertise it as Socratic, Batts may get the wrong idea and bring his Village People CD

**reddog289** · June-09-09, 12:23 AM

Thanks Jams, I have a small section in my garden for herbs. I guess then I have to maybe put a barrier between the herbs and the rest of the garden.

**sumas** · June-09-09, 06:33 AM

If you don't want invasive herbs, than never ever grow lemon Balm or Garlic Chive. I won't sell these at the market along with assorted mints. I know how invasive these plants are and don't want people mad at me.

I have raspberries to dig, Jams if you want more. I took out a large patch last year because my neighbor's tree now shades the whole patch ... no sun, no raspberries. Some went to Georgia Street and some to a friends farm. I have 10 to 12 plants still, some mature and some newbies. If you want them, I could bring them to West Park or leave them for you at Georgia Street. I am also digging Lillies of the Valley for a customer at the market.

I am thinking of doing a free table at the market too. So many of our gardening customers during week want great plants removed. I try to find homes for them but many just get pitched. It makes me sad.

**redvetred** · June-09-09, 07:20 AM

Here's a trick you might consider if you want to plant invasive herbs or most any plant but don't want them to overrun your garden - plant them in a pot sunk into the ground. I have a couple of invasive grasses that I like the color, texture and form but can't risk them overrunning the flower bed. I planted the grasses in 12-inch deep terracotta pots and planted the pots into the ground with only about the top 1/2 inch of the pot showing. This was more than three years ago and the grasses are still within the pot and under control. I know the same technique is used to control non-clumping bamboo and works fine.

**jams** · June-09-09, 09:26 PM

Thank you, Sumas,
mavbe a third alternative? I'm at Foran's almost every afternoon until 6 or 7. I'll happily trade a drink or two for raspberry plants, or even a serving of Rueben dip, now on the menu, thanks to the cooking thread here.

And, of course, Gannon's next door at Eph's, so between the two of us, we might be able to offer you a spare pickle barrell as well .