Gardening

[inthegarden]

Doxie It hard to tell without a picture but... It could be the rain... It could be several things, plants can go through shock, especially trees and shrubs, when they are planted. It takes the plant awhile to get reestablished in new ground and for this reason, I always recommend using a Liquid Root Stimulator, it seems to help. It sounds like this might be what you are experiencing. Also, I would check the hole that you dug and make sure the plant is not sitting in water.
You have to remember, the plants come straight from a grower, who has given the plant perfect conditions, light, water, fertilizer etc. So naturally they will have some readjusting to go through and will drop leaves and blooms.
Knockouts will bloom heavy, and then drop those buds, rest and then set new buds and bloom again.
Give them some time and see if just plain old sunshine will help.
I hope this helps.

[Writerinthewind]

I'm going green as far as harmful chemicals this year. I have four very young grandchildren, so this is why.

I make my own fertilizer and I'm seeing pretty good results!

How to Grow Flowers with Epsom Salt | eHow.com

[psycobabe007]

Has anyone tried to stretch potting mix with more peat moss or heard of that? I am container gardening and trying to make a more organic mix for my veggies and herbs. I got the organic potting mix from Miracle Gro in some pots. Usually I add bone meal or another organic food for the plants but I am trying to grow more this year and trying to stretch what I have.

I am definitely trying the topsy turvys this year for some peppers and tomatoes. Going to do some in containers too just to compare and contrast (my scientist nature ).

[inthegarden]

Has anyone tried to stretch potting mix with more peat moss or heard of that? I am container gardening and trying to make a more organic mix for my veggies and herbs. I got the organic potting mix from Miracle Gro in some pots. Usually I add bone meal or another organic food for the plants but I am trying to grow more this year and trying to stretch what I have.

I am definitely trying the topsy turvys this year for some peppers and tomatoes. Going to do some in containers too just to compare and contrast (my scientist nature ).

You can, but I wouldn't use more than a 2 part(potting soil) to 1 part( peat moss) mix. Peat Moss is an acid soil conditioner, be sure to crumble and moisten it before you mix it in, or it will aborbs the moisture from the soil.

[psycobabe007]

You can, but I wouldn't use more than a 2 part(potting soil) to 1 part( peat moss) mix. Peat Moss is an acid soil conditioner, be sure to crumble and moisten it before you mix it in, or it will aborbs the moisture from the soil.

Ah, thanks . I was thinking I should mix some compost in as well.

I also got to get the flower beds taken care of. I got coleus, impatiens, and torenia to plant since the 2 little plots I do have are mostly shade.

[doxie]

Doxie It hard to tell without a picture but... It could be the rain... It could be several things, plants can go through shock, especially trees and shrubs, when they are planted. It takes the plant awhile to get reestablished in new ground and for this reason, I always recommend using a Liquid Root Stimulator, it seems to help. It sounds like this might be what you are experiencing. Also, I would check the hole that you dug and make sure the plant is not sitting in water.
You have to remember, the plants come straight from a grower, who has given the plant perfect conditions, light, water, fertilizer etc. So naturally they will have some readjusting to go through and will drop leaves and blooms.
Knockouts will bloom heavy, and then drop those buds, rest and then set new buds and bloom again.
Give them some time and see if just plain old sunshine will help.
I hope this helps.

Thanks! I think it was all the rain. We've not had rain since Wed. and the knockouts are looking a LOT better. They were blooming when we got them but haven't bloomed since. One of them (we have 3) now looks like it is about to bloom. I guess they just needed some sunshine. I want two more to fill in that part of the yard, but I am going to wait another week or two to make sure that they do ok before I buy any more.

[Gutmutter]

I have a million things to do for my daughter's upcoming graduation weekend and out of town guests, but I saw a picture on the cover of a gardening magazine at the Y of a little container water garden I wanted to copy. I quickly found out nobody in town sells water plants, so I went out back in the woods and got mosses, ferns, and stuff from the stream. I took a larger than dinner plate serving plate with a honey colored glaze and put blue marbles in the bottom (the flattened kind you buy in a bag). Then I arranged the mosses and ferns sparingly and created areas where the water is deeper by moving out marbles. Then I placed some large art "marbles" I have around with some interesting rocks. The results were better than the mag cover! I was quite pleased with myself. I have it on the table out by my fountain pond. It can also be viewed from the sliding glass doors inside.

[inthegarden]

your table garden sounds lovely Gutmutter

My daylilies are starting to bloom. Due to all the rain we have had this spring, the reds, purples and pinks should be vibrant.

[Gutmutter]

We have a frost advisory for tonight! Waaaaaaaaaah!

[canuckinchile]

Frost I'll have to check our weather! I'm happy because we moved into this house last April, and the Irises had gone YEARS without being tended. I split them and replanted and I have a lot that are about to bloom. I had tall plants last year and only one flower, so