Do we have any gardeners among us?

JerseyWendy

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Jul 20, 2012
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I've searched high and low for Lupines this year, and was only able to find 2 plants at a not so close nursery that weren't the 'white' variety. :(

So I went a bit ballistic and ordered...a few...seeds. And then I found some seeds locally, too, and they found their way into the shopping cart. :54: Ended up with 1,800 Foxgloves seeds, 2 baggies of Delphinium seeds, and about 120 Lupine seeds. :rolleyes:

I read that it's quite difficult to start Delphs from seeds. :( I soaked them and chilled them in the fridge for a week in a moist napkin. Did the same with the Lupine seeds (which plumped up significantly). Today I planted them (all). :11:

Half of the Lupines I put directly in the ground, while the other half I'm starting in cells. The Delphs and Foxglove (dust) is also in cells. Foxglove is strewn on top of the soil and slightly patted down, as I know they require light to germinate. Delphs are under about 1/8" of slightly patted down compost.

Anyone have any idea what my chances are of growing any of them successfully? And I've read mixed reviews on whether they'll bloom the first or second year. I know the Foxgloves won't bloom the first year, but what about the Delphs and the Lupines??? :confused:

I'm in gardening zone 6B if that helps. :)
 

labell

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Feb 17, 2014
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East
No gardener here, my yard was lucky to get a few new things. I planted cherry tomatoes, columbine, Toad lilies, Cosmos, Poppies, Clematis and some daisy's (3 different kinds) and a contorted Filbert tree and that is all I am doing this year!

Hubby was VERY happy that I asked him to hold off mowing this year so I could collect dandelions leaves and flowers for the fids. He isn't into yard work either!:p No neighbors close enough to see or care.:cool:

I don't know if your seeds will take but if anyone can do it I would put my money on your green hands!:D
 

LaurenB

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Oct 28, 2014
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Pennsylvania
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Green Cheek Conure - Tiki //
Sun Conure - Nacho //
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Hubby was VERY happy that I asked him to hold off mowing this year so I could collect dandelions leaves and flowers for the fids. He isn't into yard work either!:p No neighbors close enough to see or care.:cool:

They can eat dandelions?! It's safe for them?? My yard is a veritable dandelion oasis!
 

labell

New member
Feb 17, 2014
1,988
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East
Hubby was VERY happy that I asked him to hold off mowing this year so I could collect dandelions leaves and flowers for the fids. He isn't into yard work either!:p No neighbors close enough to see or care.:cool:

They can eat dandelions?! It's safe for them?? My yard is a veritable dandelion oasis!

Yes as long as you know there are no chemicals sprayed and that it isn't close to the road for exhaust fumes it is wonderful for them. I use my salad spinner to give them a good wash and everyone here loves it. In fact it is one of the staple greens I buy through the year except when I can get it fresh from my yard. They can eat the flowers and greens.

FYI it is an acquired taste as it is bitter but I eat the flowers and leaves as well great for the liver.
 
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Christinenc2000

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Oct 8, 2014
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Hubby was VERY happy that I asked him to hold off mowing this year so I could collect dandelions leaves and flowers for the fids. He isn't into yard work either!:p No neighbors close enough to see or care.:cool:

They can eat dandelions?! It's safe for them?? My yard is a veritable dandelion oasis!

Yes as long as you know there are no chemicals sprayed and that it isn't close to the road for exhaust fumes it is wonderful for them. I use my salad spinner to give them a good wash and everyone here loves it. In fact it is one of the staple greens I buy through the year except when I can get it fresh from my yard. They can eat the flowers and greens.

FYI it is an acquired taste as it is bitter but I eat the flowers and leaves as well great for the liver.

I picked a few for BB. He would eat the small ones. If they are big they are suppose to be bitter. But small they are suppose to have a sweet taste.
 

labell

New member
Feb 17, 2014
1,988
5
East
They can eat dandelions?! It's safe for them?? My yard is a veritable dandelion oasis!

Yes as long as you know there are no chemicals sprayed and that it isn't close to the road for exhaust fumes it is wonderful for them. I use my salad spinner to give them a good wash and everyone here loves it. In fact it is one of the staple greens I buy through the year except when I can get it fresh from my yard. They can eat the flowers and greens.

FYI it is an acquired taste as it is bitter but I eat the flowers and leaves as well great for the liver.

I picked a few for BB. He would eat the small ones. If they are big they are suppose to be bitter. But small they are suppose to have a sweet taste.
They all have a bitter after taste but yes the younger new shoots are less so.:)
 

chris-md

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Feb 6, 2010
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Former horticulturist here. It's been my experience that Any perennials from seed tend to be more difficult. To save money I tried lupine, delphinium, and columbine from seed. Over three years of trying, the best I can claim is a single delphinium.

There are a few challenges I've seen. First is sprouting it; some need cold treatments (vernalization) or physical damage (scarification) in order to induce germination, while others may need exposure to light. Thus, they really should be done in pots rather than spread out over the soil. Which makes it even more difficult since it can be hard to tell the difference between a sprouting weed and a sprouting perennial if you don't know what you're looking for. The next is hardening the plant off and babying it through the first year (no small task, you have to watch it like a hawk). Lastly you have to cross your fingers and pray it survives the winter, and that the winter is not too harsh to accommodate a young seedling (because of genetic diversity, not all seedlings are going to have the ability to survive the winter. Some may be a little less Hardy).

I do wish you the best of luck in this endeavor. I ultimately sided with buying the plants from the nursery (except I gave up pm lupine, it's not often you see them in nurseries in my area)
 
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JerseyWendy

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Jul 20, 2012
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Thanks so much for the info, Chris. Time will tell, I guess. :)

My garden is pretty slow to wake up this year, due to a pretty late (and harsh) winter.

Here is what I've got blooming so far, and the annuals I just planted last week don't really count, LOL.

Annual bed in the front:



Tree Peony





The flower of a different tree peony



Columbine



Frilly Tulip



Garden Phlox



One of my early Clematis

 
Dec 14, 2014
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R.I.P Kiwiberry, GCC.
Wow! I love gardening, but I only have a balcony, I guess it's balconing then?
We have a cabin but I've never really worked there. It's fun nonetheless!

I love all the flowers you have going :)
 

chris-md

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Feb 6, 2010
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Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
Lovely garden Wendy! I love the double columbine and the tree peonies :)
 

thekarens

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Sep 29, 2013
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Gorgeous garden Wendy! I have a brown thumb, but my partner likes to work in the yard. Our plants are native and geared towards attracting hummers and butterflies.
 

Anansi

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Beautiful flowers, Wendy! Though nothing beats the experience of seeing your garden in person! Breathtaking!
 

Sunset_Chaser

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BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS flowers Wendy! I can't wait until it warms up enough so I can plant some more!! Your garden is BREATHTAKINGLY LOVELY!!!!
 

veimar

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Feb 5, 2014
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I do a lot of veggie-berry gardening (as much as my injured back allows), and I keep a "butterfly garden" where I add plants all the time. I'm not sure what kind of delphinium are you talking about - there are several kinds of them. My absolute favorite flower out of all is a blue delphinium called "summer night" or "diamond blue" - it's so bright that the blue shines through the night! :) It died last year, and I couldn't start it from seeds... :( I cannot find it anywhere!!! :( I usually buy the flowers occasionally when on clearance, and always the grown seedlings, not the seeds. I never had much success with flower seeds compared to veggies. In my experience the veggies/greens germination rate is about 70-95% (I had some with 100%), and flowers are only about 15-20.. Again, I don't have much experience with flower seeds - after a few failures I stared buying the plants, and they grow beautifully. I bet you'll have a beautiful garden this year!!
 

veimar

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gcc Parry; lovebird Coco; 3 budgies (Tesla, Franky and Cesar); cockatiel Murzik, red rump parakeet girl Onyx
Oh, just wanted to add, that my flowers bloom out and have plenty of seeds falling to the ground every year - they never germinate! As far as in my butterfly garden they only spread with the new shoots.
 
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JerseyWendy

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Jul 20, 2012
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I do a lot of veggie-berry gardening (as much as my injured back allows), and I keep a "butterfly garden" where I add plants all the time. I'm not sure what kind of delphinium are you talking about - there are several kinds of them. My absolute favorite flower out of all is a blue delphinium called "summer night" or "diamond blue" - it's so bright that the blue shines through the night! :) It died last year, and I couldn't start it from seeds... :( I cannot find it anywhere!!! :( I usually buy the flowers occasionally when on clearance, and always the grown seedlings, not the seeds. I never had much success with flower seeds compared to veggies. In my experience the veggies/greens germination rate is about 70-95% (I had some with 100%), and flowers are only about 15-20.. Again, I don't have much experience with flower seeds - after a few failures I stared buying the plants, and they grow beautifully. I bet you'll have a beautiful garden this year!!

Hmm, I've never heard of the "Summer Night" or "Diamond Blue" delphs. I grew "Blue Butterfly" for about 5 years, and they reliably came back, but 3 years ago we had an ultra harsh winter, and I lost many plants, including my 3 Delphs.

The seeds I'm trying are the "Magic Fountain" series and "Summer Blues".
Delphinium

I know where I would have probably had luck getting some nice Delphs, but I didn't feel like taking a 50-60 minute ride to that particular nursery, especially because I know I wouldn't have stopped to 'just' buy the Delphs once there. :54:

Funny you mentioned vegetable gardening. That's my hubby's thing. We had tomatoes come up from last year, LOL. He's currently growing wayyyyy too many radishes cause I love them so much, plus some lettuce, potatoes, cucumbers have come up, some newly bought tomato plants, green beans, and various herbs. :)
 

Birdman666

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Sep 18, 2013
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
If by gardener you mean I spend money on plants, make the effort to put them in the ground, and then watch them shrivel up and die...

THEN I QUALIFY...

I built the pond, because at least I had a snowballs chance in hell of keeping water lillies and fish alive. Every other living thing in my yard was on death row... just waiting for their number to be called.
 
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JerseyWendy

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Jul 20, 2012
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My Lupines have started germinating. :D I know, I know...that doesn't mean they'll grow, but so far so good.



David Austin's Darcy Bussell is showing her pretty face:



One of my hubby's favorite plants. I think it's a Rock Rose.



Some more Clematis have opened up, too:







Yellow Tree Peony



Mountain Laurel will FINALLY bloom for the first time.

 

Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Gorgeous blooms, Wendy! Thank you for sharing your green thumb!
 

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