Gardening

[Lois Lane]

Butterfly Bush aka Buddlea is pretty hardy here in GA and I believe you can grow it fairly far north. It needs plenty of sun. My favorite is the yellow honeycomb. AFter the frost, I cut mine completely back and then it comes back bigger and better the next year.

We had 3 gorgeous butterfly bushes in our yard last year (I live in Chicago). This year, only one of them is sort of coming back--SLOWLY. The other two died.

[dagwood]

Thanks for the info, guys. I will look into butterfly bushes for her next year.

[julitta]

I need advice on my tomatoe plants. I decided to try them again this year. My problem is that they are HUGE. They are taller than I am. No one I have shown has seen plants get that large. I wonder what's up with the soil? They have grown way taller than my cages, and the branches are bending, and breaking due to the size. I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas on how to save them?

[Rattus]

I'll second that request for info on tomatoes as ours are doing the same thing. We planted the same variety we always do (Early Girl), but the plants are at least twice the size they usually grow to and are destroying the garden around them. Uh oh, I just had a quick flash on "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes".

[julitta]

That is so funny. I should make a sign that says Killer Tomatoes! Mine are destroying my garden too. I made half tomatoe plants, and half flowers, with a path in between so i could dead head, and pick tomatoes. I can not even see my path anymore, and the branches are resting on top of my salvia, and pushing up against my trellace of morning glorys. i can't get myself to just chop it all back because they are full of flowers, and tomatoes. I'm hoping there is a better way.

[Sun84]

That is so funny. I should make a sign that says Killer Tomatoes! Mine are destroying my garden too. I made half tomatoe plants, and half flowers, with a path in between so i could dead head, and pick tomatoes. I can not even see my path anymore, and the branches are resting on top of my salvia, and pushing up against my trellace of morning glorys. i can't get myself to just chop it all back because they are full of flowers, and tomatoes. I'm hoping there is a better way.

From what I understand about tomatoe plants, and this is by no means an accurate statement verified by any authority -- just overheard from some grren thumbs that I know, is that you can't hurt a tomatoe plant by cutting it. In fact, by cutting the plants back, and pinching off 1/4 to 1/3 of the flowers it will help to increase the overall size and beaty of the tomatoes come harvest time. I don't think you'd go wrong by pulling a hatchet job -- besides think of the fun!

[nlmcp]

I'm so frustrated. I have weeds coming out of my ears, I weed and weed and they keep coming back.

Plus something got into my daisies and black eye susans and mashed them all down. Those were the best looking flowers in the garden and now most of them are crushed.

(I think it was a woodchuck, one has been wandering around)

[queenb]

nlmcp, them groundhawgs are mighty tasty roasted with sweet taters.
julietta, , sun84 is right; just cut 'em back. If you don't want to cut them, get some tall stakes and pund them in around the sides of the cage and start tying the plants to those. I wish I had this problem!

[doxie]

queenb - I feel your pain! My poor tomato plants are barely alive due to our lack of rain. The 'maters that have actually ripened are a lot smaller than they should be and they aren't very tasty. Hopefully, we will get some rain this weekend.

[I <3 Ivan K]

ok evreyone that drives by our house loves our fence... It is an apple tree criss cross fence. the apple tree's are trained to make a diamond shape criss cross. It is really tall now and makes a good fence