So many things to do
It seems to never end with all the work left to do. Still have a lot of raking to do. Many bulbs to plant, fall clean up, as we have had a long Indian summer. Just had our first real freeze last night. Amazing the calla lilies are still standing tall with no damage.If any one wants to get in the garden come on over, the fence was knocked down and there is a lot of stuff to do here.
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The list for mne is endless! (post #15966, reply #1 of 20)
The list for mne is endless! I didn't get around to the fall cleanup and deadheading this year. That may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Last week we had a a really deep freeze with four nights of single digits and five days that didn't get out of the twenties. That doesn't mean a lot to some noreasters, but it can be deadly here in zone 8. I'm hoping the spent foliage I never got around to removing will have created some comforting blanket for the plants that aren't rated for that kind of thing.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
I'm also zone 8 so let me ask (post #15966, reply #2 of 20)
I'm also zone 8 so let me ask you this. Some years I cut back the banana stalks and throw pine straw over them and most return in spring. Should I leave them intact for better protection? They turn slimy like the cannas do, so would leaving them be cause any rot? The last winter was very harsh for us and I thinking a little extra protection wouldn't hurt.
What does (Increasing forum (post #15966, reply #3 of 20)
What does (Increasing forum cache count for this post) mean? The bar is at the top of topic header, and I'm just curious if it is the reply count or simply others looking in?
Here's where the zone numbers (post #15966, reply #4 of 20)
Here's where the zone numbers stop working. Bananas don't grow here at all, so I don't have a clue. Cannas slime here too, and I have occassionally not gotten to it for awhile without losing the plant. Bananas might be the same, but I just don't know.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
For hardy bananas in the (post #15966, reply #5 of 20)
For hardy bananas in the ground I've seen people make wire cages around them and fill them with leaves for insulation, trying to save as much pseudostem (stalk) as possible. I think they're trying to increase the chance of getting fruit the next year and I don't know if it helps hardiness or not, but I don't think it hurts it. What bananas are you growing? I've got several but they're all in pots so far. If you want to learn more about bananas go to www.bananas.org. There are some really amazing photo essays of the lengths people go to every year to dig and store their plants for winter.
North Carolina - zone 7
Thanks for the link. I do not (post #15966, reply #6 of 20)
Thanks for the link. I do not know what kind of banana I have. It produces finger size fruit and is 5' tall. Seems to be fairly hardy to my area planted in the ground.
Some places gardening ends (post #15966, reply #7 of 20)
Some places gardening ends for the season? Here in northern California, we garden 13 months a year.
Seriously-we go inside when it rains, but then we better get back outside and get after those weeds in January, or we'll have a mess on our hands by March.
Here in NC I go inside for (post #15966, reply #8 of 20)
Here in NC I go inside for hail, sleet, or hurricane force winds.
North Carolina - zone 7
Here we have three seasons, (post #15966, reply #9 of 20)
Here we have three seasons, summer, autumn and the rainy season. We know it's spring because the rain is warmer. One learns to adapt. I'm suspected of having webs between my toes, but it's just a rumor.
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
I'm with Karen ,hail, sleet (post #15966, reply #10 of 20)
I'm with Karen ,hail, sleet and danm hurricanes. After a good blow and there are many chores to do as I wipe tears from my face.
If you look upon your (post #15966, reply #11 of 20)
If you look upon your gardening as a chore, wotj that must be done, that is what it will be, work. Like children gardnes need constant attention so we can often see the joy they bring to us. Instead of saying, "Oh, I have so much work to do in the garden", think more in terms of "Oh boy, I get to go out into the garden today."
The sign of a good gardener is brown knees, not a green thumb.
Sage counsel, Kimm. Happy (post #15966, reply #12 of 20)
Sage counsel, Kimm. Happy Holidays
Marty
"The plants have been good to us." Lester Hawkins
I certainly did not intend on (post #15966, reply #13 of 20)
I certainly did not intend on comparing gardening to a 'real' work. I look forward to being outside all of the time. As for my use of the word chore it is reference to CHORES after a hurricane. Picking up what is left after a big blow.
And I am not whining about so many things to do. I love to garden. Not only do I stay very busy 'in a good way' in our gardens but I will go weed a friends garden that is having a baby. Or just help a friend with their garden just because I feel like it. So sorry you misunderstood my meaning. Oh boy.
My salad greens in my small (post #15966, reply #14 of 20)
My salad greens in my small greenhouse are getting ahead of me! Some pak choi are heading up, along with odds and ends I threw in the bed when I seeded for fall.
The garden in general is still under a good blanket of snow as we have been having fronts moving through from the west, wonderful insulation. The soil is very soft and lofty because of the frost action, neato! Good for my clay soil.
How cool is your greenhouse? (post #15966, reply #15 of 20)
How cool is your greenhouse?
North Carolina - zone 7
Karen, I'm not sure if you (post #15966, reply #16 of 20)
Karen, I'm not sure if you were asking me or someone else. I'll answer any way.
My greenhouse is fine, warm during winter days and I can always lower or raise the vents and open the door to keep temps normal-ish.
A lot of winter vegetables don't mind being frozen during the winter and will defrost and be pick-able as the sun thaws them.
Yes, I was asking you -- just (post #15966, reply #17 of 20)
Yes, I was asking you -- just wondering whether my greenhouse is cool enough for growing lettuces and other salad greens right now.
North Carolina - zone 7
Karen, how has your (post #15966, reply #18 of 20)
Karen, how has your greenhouse managed in the fierce winds and cold we've had? I'm assuming you have had weather similar to ours: winds 25-35 mph and temps in the teens and twenties. It was 13 degrees Fahrenheit this morning and blowing a gale. Can you keep your greenhouse warm enough in conditions like these?
Northern Virginia, Zone 7A.
Yup, that's pretty much the (post #15966, reply #19 of 20)
Yup, that's pretty much the same weather we've had down here, though I think the low this am was only 15. The greenhouse is programmed to heat to a low of 56 at the main thermostat hanging from the center but there's more of a spread around the inside during these cold nights. Last night it was ~43 at the edge and 49 on the bench farthest from the heater. I've tried to move things around inside according to those internal microclimates so everything's still looking good.
North Carolina - zone 7
Most salad greens are happy (post #15966, reply #20 of 20)
Most salad greens are happy from about 20 degrees up to early spring type temperatures, 40's on up. If you sowed now you might be on the early side but if the humidity isn't too high and the temps. are moderate you could experiment with a patch of spinach, which is hard to beat.
I usually start planting for fall in mid Sept. while the soil is warm and damp enough to crack seed the cases.