Comments on: Try to keep up http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/ a garden journal about public garden maintenance, seasonal tasks, garden events, stories about gardening, volunteers, flowers, bugs and wildlife Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kira http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/comment-page-1/#comment-8135 Kira Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:27:53 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3922#comment-8135 I love that foxtail barley. I've never seen it before. This heat has been really tough. I do a morning inspection (and tasting of my cherry tomatoes) before the heat kicks in and then I do my garden work after 4pm, hoping for a breeze. Thinking back to a piece you wrote for the East Bay Times about self-seeding annuals (like the cosmos you mention above), I have a question: are these plants able to self seed when they are surrounded by mulch? I was thinking that if the mulch is meant to keep weeds from growing, wouldn't it also stop seeds from sowing? I'd love to see my cosmos come back, but it is in a mulched bed. Thanks! <em>Kira, Sounds like you've got the heat routine down! To answer your question, it probably depends a bit on the mulch and when/if you replace it next season. In the Display Garden we use a light layer of shredded leaves, which does more to retain soil moisture than hold down the weeds and self sowers. It would be harder for your cosmos to find their way through a coarser mulch (bark or woodchip) but you could try waiting to see if any seedlings emerge before replacing it next year. -kris</em> I love that foxtail barley. I’ve never seen it before. This heat has been really tough. I do a morning inspection (and tasting of my cherry tomatoes) before the heat kicks in and then I do my garden work after 4pm, hoping for a breeze. Thinking back to a piece you wrote for the East Bay Times about self-seeding annuals (like the cosmos you mention above), I have a question: are these plants able to self seed when they are surrounded by mulch? I was thinking that if the mulch is meant to keep weeds from growing, wouldn’t it also stop seeds from sowing? I’d love to see my cosmos come back, but it is in a mulched bed. Thanks!

Kira, Sounds like you’ve got the heat routine down! To answer your question, it probably depends a bit on the mulch and when/if you replace it next season. In the Display Garden we use a light layer of shredded leaves, which does more to retain soil moisture than hold down the weeds and self sowers. It would be harder for your cosmos to find their way through a coarser mulch (bark or woodchip) but you could try waiting to see if any seedlings emerge before replacing it next year. -kris

]]> By: Frances http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/comment-page-1/#comment-8114 Frances Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:42:43 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3922#comment-8114 Hi Kris, you have done a masterful job if you are doing all that labor in high heat and humidity! We also grew the Panicum and Hordeum this year. The Panicum is pretty cool, in a trough container and responded well to being cut back. The Hordeum is so tiny, but supposedly hardy here so maybe it needs more time. It was great to meet you in Buffalo! :-) <em>Frances, It was great to finally meet you too! Now you've got me curious about isolating the panicum - I might have to try it in a container next year and I'm really glad to know that it wouldn't mind being cut back. I'm liking it better and better. -kris</em> Hi Kris, you have done a masterful job if you are doing all that labor in high heat and humidity! We also grew the Panicum and Hordeum this year. The Panicum is pretty cool, in a trough container and responded well to being cut back. The Hordeum is so tiny, but supposedly hardy here so maybe it needs more time. It was great to meet you in Buffalo! :-)

Frances, It was great to finally meet you too! Now you’ve got me curious about isolating the panicum – I might have to try it in a container next year and I’m really glad to know that it wouldn’t mind being cut back. I’m liking it better and better. -kris

]]> By: Ginny Smith http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/comment-page-1/#comment-8105 Ginny Smith Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:35:16 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3922#comment-8105 Cousins from Philadelphia, Camden, Me., and Rhode Island met up at Blithewold this past weekend for a reunion of sorts and I have to say, you guys are doing a great job in this awful weather. I especially enjoyed the vegetable garden. So many kinds of basil! Also liked how you've interplanted flowers. They provide a beautiful ornamental touch that's easy for home gardeners to replicate. One reason we like to meet here is that the house and gardens still have the comfortable feel of a family home. The gardens aren't pretentious or fussy and we felt perfectly at ease talking on the porch of the house for quite a while. It was a wonderful afternoon, despite the heat. Hope to visit again. <em>Ginny, I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit! Thank you so much for your comment and compliments - that's just what we hope to hear. Please come back soon - and introduce yourself! -kris</em> Cousins from Philadelphia, Camden, Me., and Rhode Island met up at Blithewold this past weekend for a reunion of sorts and I have to say, you guys are doing a great job in this awful weather. I especially enjoyed the vegetable garden. So many kinds of basil! Also liked how you’ve interplanted flowers. They provide a beautiful ornamental touch that’s easy for home gardeners to replicate. One reason we like to meet here is that the house and gardens still have the comfortable feel of a family home. The gardens aren’t pretentious or fussy and we felt perfectly at ease talking on the porch of the house for quite a while. It was a wonderful afternoon, despite the heat. Hope to visit again.

Ginny, I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit! Thank you so much for your comment and compliments – that’s just what we hope to hear. Please come back soon – and introduce yourself! -kris

]]> By: Layanee http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/comment-page-1/#comment-8102 Layanee Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:23:05 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3922#comment-8102 You are keeping up very well by the looks. I was just wondering today how the vegetable garden is looking? <em>Layanee, the vegetable garden is looking really full! Every time I go down there, I'm amazed at how much everything has grown - it's already time to watch those zucchinis - one day too many and they're more suitable for target practice than dinner... -kris</em> You are keeping up very well by the looks. I was just wondering today how the vegetable garden is looking?

Layanee, the vegetable garden is looking really full! Every time I go down there, I’m amazed at how much everything has grown – it’s already time to watch those zucchinis – one day too many and they’re more suitable for target practice than dinner… -kris

]]> By: Blackswampgirl Kim http://blog.blithewold.org/how-when-what/try-to-keep-up/comment-page-1/#comment-8100 Blackswampgirl Kim Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:15:31 +0000 http://blog.blithewold.org/?p=3922#comment-8100 I'm drooling over that foxtail barley... but really want to know your secret for eryngium planum. I only WISH mine would look so beautiful and lush! <em>Kim, hmmmm... I didn't know there was a secret to eryngium - it even looks pretty good in my garden at home... It's in rich soil here and poor at home - so it can't be that. It's watered occasionally here, but not at home - so it can't be that. I'm sorry I don't know why it looks so happy! -kris</em> I’m drooling over that foxtail barley… but really want to know your secret for eryngium planum. I only WISH mine would look so beautiful and lush!

Kim, hmmmm… I didn’t know there was a secret to eryngium – it even looks pretty good in my garden at home… It’s in rich soil here and poor at home – so it can’t be that. It’s watered occasionally here, but not at home – so it can’t be that. I’m sorry I don’t know why it looks so happy! -kris

]]>