WHat are your big plans for spring 11??

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:29 pm

Simple question: Any big plans for the comming spring..... nows the perfect time to plan!

oppalm · Post by **oppalm** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 7:04 pm

I am in Kansas (USA) , zone 6 and I am planting a number of cold hardy palms in ground this springtime 2011. I have 3 sabal minors 3 years from seed, 4 trachycarpus fortuneis 3 years from seed and 2 sabal birminghams 3 years from seed that are going in the ground. I will protect all of them with chicken wire cages, leaf mulch and covered in plastic. no heat. looking forward to digging holes and dropping them in.

Anyone else?

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:54 am

Im gonna have my work cut out for me. Beides uncovering the bamboo, im hoping my passiflora survived the winter, same with an azalea.

As for planting, :s Im starti|ng, lobelia, passiflora incarnata, tetrapananx, 4 kind of eucalyprus, Akebia vine, 5 kinds of herbs, one kind of Brug, 2 kind of datura, honedew melon, some assorted veggis, canna seeds, about 1000 morning glory seeds, Metasequoia ( and or ginko biliba), some paulinoa, and i have some pommegrannate seedlings goin strong.. Im sure ive missed aabout 1/4 of what im going to be doing...

As of now i have 3 bags of trachy seeds (fortunei, naini tal, and nanus) that im waiting to sprout. Same with a bag of sabal minor. I have Musa seed waiting to be planted ( itinerins, helens hybrid, balbinosa (sp), yunnanensis, some ginger seeds.

Im going to be busy this spring...

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:45 am

I'll try to put Waggi, Chamaerops H. and "Volcano", Washingtonia felifera in. As well as Phormium, Gunnera, Cordilina australis and dwarf banana along with Fatsia, Fatshedera and Firmaniana. Arundo among them.... Dicksonia antarctica... That is what I have potted and waited for the Spring.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:55 am

I hear ya igor. You seen what I have inside, waiting to be planted. I forgot to mention my cordyline. Ive seen some around here, in semi proitected areas, still green, even after -26C ( im assuming they havnt seen those kinds of temps, seeing as theyre green.) IM going to have to protect it like you guys do the trachys, a hut, with some supplimental heat.

Your yard is going to look like a jungle igor

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:59 am

I'd wish if I could... Unlikely if you could manage with a cordilina. Good luck nevertheless...

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:43 am

One thing about Cordylines Jesse,they always look good well into fall but in reality the spears are
already gone while the rest of the plant is green,they eventually turn to mush.

My C.australis has burned off the last 3-4 years only to return from the roots.
This year however it is holding on!

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:55 am

Thats what i thought.... so i checked them. The stems are solid, and the crown didnt pull, and wasnt mushy. Of course you wont really know, till spring, but most of the ones i see still planted, are flat..... and done.....

Im going to be building a hut, and protecting it like you guys do with your palms. I have some cordys in ground, underneeth all the snow, just as an experiment. I feel bad about killing any plant, even for experiments, but at least their a dime a dozen.... The one i have indoors looks really pissed to say the least. Definetly arent the greatist for indoor prospects...... it has a better chance in the ground

I seen pics of yours... thats the "red star" type isnt it?? They arent as hardy as the green types apparantly. Depite that yours looks really good. Same with your tree ferns!

You planning anything big this year jim???

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:19 am

I've got some big plans... Always less time than ambition, so I'll only list a few of my projects now:
1) Continue expansion of the cactus garden on the north slope. I need to take down a diseased Ash Tree that's in the way... These plants are just so rewarding.
<img src="http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/42917 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC00028">

2) Continue to reclaim the 'woodland' section of the property (3/5th's of the land is not useable right now). Need to remove the European Buckthorn and Prickly Ash. Then, the shelter trees that I've planted (Pines, Larch, Oaks, etc) have a chance to gain some size. These can be followed by less hardy and/or exotic looking plants, like Rhodos, Magnolias, hollies, palms, bananas, etc.

Some pics (Spring 2009) of the little work I've been able to get done so far...
<img src="http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/32694 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC01922">

Rhody test bed. Winners from here will get dug up and permanently planted in the woodland.:
<img src="http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/17552 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="Rhodotestbed">

Oh, and I'm going to have to take out most of the Elms too... Thanks Dutch Elm disease....
<img src="http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/44180 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="212">

Here's a small piece of the woodland that has been reclaimed. Rhododendron maximum in a naturalized setting, and Magnolia stellata (which was a gift from the city of Mississauga!):
<img src="http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/47636 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="May2010 046">
Someday the woodlot might look like this (Brueckner Rhodo garden, Mississauga). Ya, I'd say these are 'tree-sized':
<img src="http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/17143 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMG_1351">
Big, lustrous leaves on this one:
<img src="http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/21449 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMG_1353">
<img src="http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/47147 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMG_1354">

Lastly, the the right of the banana enclosure you can see a couple of palms (these were the ones I grew with burlap wrapping for ~4 years) which are now dead. These are being replaced (along with the soil) by a couple of odd-ball Sabals this spring. These will be protected by a palm-house.
<img src="http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/42507 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP1385">

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:40 pm

Wow thats alot of land to play with. Im suprised you dont have a Dawn redwood, or even a ginko with that much room. Thats too bad about the elms..... Are you going to replant something? Or just let it naturaly fill in?

How big is that cactus garden now?

You really have a good place to grow rhodies. Lots of open shade, im assuming somewhat acidic soil ( at least in the wooded parts), really a natrual setting for lots of plants. Too bad tree ferns werent reliably hardy ( or at all) there.

My yards to small for there to be any majro work, besides reclaiming the pea shrub hedge, and the lilacs that havnt been touched in 10 years, Just converting a 5th of the back end into a big bed.... and slowly take over the rest of the back

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:39 pm

Cactus area looks really nice Paul!

Jesse

My big plans for this spring will be trying to cover everything next fall

Otherwise the Bananas should return bigger than ever along with the
Thai giant,Basjoos and Borneo giant.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:41 am

canadianplant wrote:Wow thats alot of land to play with. Im suprised you dont have a Dawn redwood, or even a ginko with that much room. Thats too bad about the elms..... Are you going to replant something? Or just let it naturaly fill in?

How big is that cactus garden now?

You really have a good place to grow rhodies. Lots of open shade, im assuming somewhat acidic soil ( at least in the wooded parts), really a natrual setting for lots of plants. Too bad tree ferns werent reliably hardy ( or at all) there.

My yards to small for there to be any majro work, besides reclaiming the pea shrub hedge, and the lilacs that havnt been touched in 10 years, Just converting a 5th of the back end into a big bed.... and slowly take over the rest of the back

Jesse- I've been planting white pine, red pine, oaks, larch, spruces (only on the margins due to invasive roots)... I've also been planting some ornamentals (Magnolia, Bamboo, Rhododendron). These are all small plants and will take years to get any size.

The cactus garden is, I don't know, maybe 30 feet long by 12 wide? The Opuntia can take a LOT of room, especially the large ones. I'm also testing so many Yucca that I'm rapidly running out of room!

I have terrible soil for growing Rhododendrons. The pH is something like 6.8, but there is a lot of calcium in the soil (an abundance of calcium is death to a Rhody, but since it can't be absorbed as well at low pH it seems that Rhodies can only handle low pH...) and the soil is slightly clay. So, whenever I plant a Rhodo bed I have to dig down into the soil, remove as much as I can, sprinkle sulphur along the bottom of the bed, then I fill the bed in with a soil mixture containing 30% compost, 40% bark mulch and 30% fine ground peat moss with a few handfulls of sulphur mixed in (if chunky peat is available I use less bark mulch)... I let the bed sit for a week or more, then plant the rhodies. Each fall (and spring if necessary) additional sulphur is sprinkled on the beds. I also have learned to avoid the box-store Rhodos (those with Finnish names are OK) especially Nova Zembla, which, according to many old-timer growers on the east coast, is the worst Rhody ever named and released!

Tree Ferns, I can't even keep native ferns alive!

Just rip out all of the grass now, that way you know exactly how much room you have.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:46 am

Jim - I showed a buddy of mine ( from Iowa) some of the stuff in your yard..... Hes impressed and said it reminded him of ome japanese gardens ( his wife is japanese), and said he didnt know anyone "crazy" enough to grow that kind of stuff...... Hopefully ive converted him to our side

Paul - Im glad your replanting back there, too many people here just cut plants down, without even replanting. Its going to look really nice in like 5 years when it all starts to get some hight to them, especialy when the bamboo starts to grow in. Is this why you were looking for a super hardy timber bamboo?

I think were in similar situations for soil, My azalea ended up with some yellow margins on the leaves, its now too late to really amend the soil, with out mixing hort. sulpher into the top of the soil, and top dressing with peat. Im a bit leeary to use sulpher, im a bit enviromentaly conscious and dont wanna harm the enviroment, or any of the beneficial bactiera and organisms in my soil. WHen and if i get a dawn redwood, im going to really have to ammend the soil to acomidate its preferred ph of 4.5 - 6.5.

The only azalea ive seen for sale, are my exubury, and northern lights.... I cant remember off hand what type of rhodies there where. My grandma has forgotten the name of hers, but the leaves are still on the plant ( wilted and mushy but there). That is good advice about buying one. Why are the box store rhodies so bad? Crappy cultiver? Not resistent to disease?

Some people have bad luck with natives..... my buddy in NC ordered the purple pitcher plant ( the one thats native up to alaska zone 2), native to our area paul, and his. He lost all of them.... LOL

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:47 am

Ambitious plan Paul, hard work, but worth it.
Especially viewing the Mississauga pics.

The woodland area you've already cleared would benefit from mulch accumulations, pine needles and leaves allowed to decompose, which lower the pH.
I think adding sulphur only into a planting hole is futile, as plant roots soon outgrow the treated area.
I'd broadcast sulphur widely over the entire woodland area, takes several years to work.

There are little mechanical seeder contraptions that have shoulder straps and you could weave your way walking through the existing woodland.
I wore a drywall mask when I did my woodland garden (less than half an acre), just about choked from S dust.

Your cactus bed looks fabulous.
Will be great to see it expanded.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:25 pm

Jesse

When you go north of where I live it's a whole other ball game,
we are just on the edge of where snow can be on the ground all winter.

I can see where some people might be like WTF!

It is amazing how with some palms,especially Trachys,it's just a
matter of tweaking the temps a little bit to get them to flourish here.

In Takil's native range temps range from about 15 to 50F,a clear cover on a sunny day
almost no matter how cold will reach those temps,the rest of the time it's about management-
any nights below 10F and some heat is needed,funny how simple it is once you get the hang of it...
unless you go and plant 30 palms and 30 cactus

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:19 pm

I've been following this thread hoping to get ideas.
I especially like Paul's cactus bed. Summer was so hot, maybe I should get more into cacti, yucca, etc.
I don't have plans for new palms in 2011. I like what I have and want to focus on growing it up.
I'm designing a narrow garden path on the north side of the house. I want to do small blue-foliage plants to make the entrance to the riotous pool garden all the more shocking.
Along the west wall, I am thinking of fragrant plants--mostly herbs--to let scent in to the bedroom window.

This time of year, I crave anything green, so I also plan more BLEs. I made a pass through my favorite garden center today. The photo below shows their BLEs in a poly tube for the winter.

The lady in charge recognized me and asked about my bananas. Good marketing segue into her BLE collection!

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iH ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_r-MvN4jW1sE/TSPFR ... AG0437.jpg" height="383" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm/ ... e">January 2011</a></td></tr></table>

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:07 pm

As over used as they are, heavenly blue morning glories are one of the nicest blues on a flower (natural) IMO. Can himalayan poppies grow there?

I hear you craving green. Here there only green are pine trees, which can only last so long when half the native trees here are some sort of pine

Im a little short on ideas myself for reliable evergreens here. I wont find out how well the bamboo will be till next eyar, when i leave a culm exposed. im expecting results very similar to paul.... This winter, what is getting me by, is picturing the "skeleton" of a dawn redwood that should be here next year

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:38 pm

My plan...to run around with the least amount of clothing possible!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:51 am

I hope to move a couple of things, plants some wind-break trees and plant more stuff in AZ. I can tell it is going to be a sad spring in Idaho.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:51 am

I have to try and figure out what to do with a section of the yard. Its a prodomently east facing way, and south ( think half a rectangle). There is a small house, which blocks alot of the sun from going to the ground all day. In the summer, it gets direct sun for 3 or 4 hours ( morning sun). The only problem im having, is that 3 feet up the wall, is full sun for at least 5 or 6 hours a day.

Off the top of my head, the only things that really like full sun, yet cool soil are clematis.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:25 am

I've held off several times answering this question.
Daughter is getting married here this September, so I'll have to concentrate to annual flowers (big time)

I've never been even remotely interested in growing flowers.
But the palm hobby will have to take a back seat this year.

...and then there's the worry about weather mid-September

Will enjoy reading/seeing everyone else's projects.
Barb

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 12:45 pm

im in the same boat barb, im still not into floewrs to much, but ive leaerned how importiant they are to a garden, so grudgingly, i have some planted LOL

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:14 am

Hopefully my musas outside will survive, they are under snow right now. I will also bring the large pups outside to plant around the gardens. They are way cool those musas. I am really into flower gardening, but want to work with a lot more flowering shrubs and things that are less maintenance like bulbs etc....Can't wait for spring! Honestly!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:20 am

Barb,
congratulations!
That is very exciting.
It will make a fun change of style, gardening-wise, for you this year. Keep us updated. --Erik

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:25 pm

Congratulations!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:24 am

Thanks, but I'd prefer to line the driveway with 10 foot palms versus annuals

Barb

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:13 am

LOL I hear ya there!! Well at least the annuals are usualy one year only....

Be careful with 4 oclocks. Super nice plant, and is root hardy to zone 7, but self seeds quite prolificly here..........

Do you have any ideas as to what to plant for it??

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:23 am

I got my seed order that was apperantly lost in shipping.... I recieved an email saying they gladly re shippped the order yesterday. And i look in the mail... the original order shows up!!!!!! So I may get 2 orders !! ( it was shipped decenber 6th, not yesterday)

Passiflora Incarnata ( best chance i got with a passiflora)
Pauliwnia tomentosa ( gotta try it here)
Mina Lobata ( sometimes called Ipomia lobata, look it up.... very sexy

)
Brugmensia "Summer sunrise" ( flourecesnt orange fowers, going a bit darker towards the outside of the pedals)

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:27 am

Since I need easy to grow flowers (for people who hate flowers) went with only two: cosmos and osteospermum.
Seeds are ordered.
Wish they were palm seeds

Having a heck of time with my palm seeds this winter.
T.wagnerianus popped, then died, probably old seed.

Nannorhops, Pritchardia and Cyrtostachys haven't popped (the last one is a long shot anyway).
Barb

edit: our posts crossed.
Lost in shipping? More likely frozen solid to the mailbox.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:32 am

LOL, im waiting for a ton of seeds to sprout, 3 kinds of trachy, chameadorea, eucalyptus, 6 or 7 random fruits ** ugh LOL

Mabey look into some dahlia tubors? Some get quite large, you just dig them up and store them like canna. Or give them to your daughter so she can plant her wedding flowers from the yard.......

Cosmos are easy. Same with annual poppies ( try california poppies, might do better in your drier climate, but id look it up myself)

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:07 pm

I have loads of mad schemes for the Spring.

I will most likely complete the palmscape by acquiring some Saw Palmettos. Last year's mail order specimen showed up distressed and croaked. Same with the Mazari I bought, so I may try for another one of those as well.

I have to complete the Japanese Garden with some larger shrubs.

I am going to create an exotic shade garden on the north side of the house. It will probably included a Camellia, Skimmia, Fatsia, Cast Iron Plants, and tons of ferns. Tempted to try one palm there...

Gingkoa Bilboa tree in the front yard.

Much more, but I also have to paint the Lordhaus and that is going to eat up a lot of time.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:12 pm

paint the Lordhaus

A good pressure-wash might give you a few years...

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:06 pm

Dont forget about bamboo for the shade and japanese gardens

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:18 pm

lucky1 wrote:
paint the Lordhaus
A good pressure-wash might give you a few years...

Actually, that is part of the plan. After I strip the old paint- which is beginning to peel in earnest. Plus, I want to paint the brick parts as well. Moderate earth tone- blend in with the flora.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:36 pm

Charles, I might hire someone to do that just so I could get on with the gardening project.

And you could keep an eye on the work while you're out there...

Re the earth tones...good plan, goes with everything you might plant.
We've got 30+ year old "orangeish" bricks at the front entrance, also a double-flue wide chimney in the same (yuk) color.
No point in painting one if you can't do the other, right?
Barb

ROBRETI · Post by **ROBRETI** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:13 pm

Way to go , Jacklord!!!! I hardly wait to see the pics. Palms and Camellias, oh man.... I guess Sabal would be fine in shade, eh?
Rob

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:34 am

I need to move somewhere warmer

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:35 am

For once, it is warmer where you are than where I am right now. --Erik

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:57 am

Holy hell eric your right LOL. IO bet those thermacubes are workin over time.... you get any snow dude?

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:00 am

Not enough snow to make a difference--about 1 cm.
Thermocube in the palm hut is going strong; it is -5 oC in there right now. Fine for the palms in there but the Musa basjoo pseudostems (leaves long gone) won't like it.
We didn't get up to freezing yesterday and won't get close to the end of the week. :verycold: