Foxy Lady: As is ours.. shorter than yours usually ( east coast of Canada) Just an odd year this year.. started late and is nice and warm so going late

Foxy Lady: Our season started late this year and is still going. Im in the climate zone above or close to yours.. I think Im one higher than you near the arctic.. anyway.. I still have cukes coming up an beans. my pumpkins are no where near ready yet either.. heck we even had strawberries up last week.. weird weather this year

Bernice: Really? some folks dont know what raisins are and they are in the US? wow, that surprises me big time. I grew up watching tv ads from the US for the California Raisins ( heard it thru the grapevine song) - In Canada we get nearly every US TV channel so we see all the US ads.

Bernice: OMG what I wouldnt do for 70F every day.. We have had 70 once in the last month.. Its been a cool start to summer here this year

Recipe board.. Best muffins in da world!

skipinnz:WOW! 30 is amazing. I figure with the start of this years season I will be lucky to get 5! Do you make muffins as well? My most favourite muffin is pumpkin! YUM!  

Eriisa: All this talk of flowers makes me jealous. We had snow saturday and I was just getting ready to lime the yard.. Our grass isnt green, the tulips arent up yet nor are the iris's.. I figure were looking at a late start to our season this year.. Wont be much fun since we planned on putting in cukes and pumpkins. U need 100+ days for good pumpkins or more..

Fiona: Thanks on my way to read....

Fiona: I'm searching google now but no info yet. Keep you posted

Fiona: I should read up on that in google. Maybe it's a new thing. Hate to think it's an environment change that causes it.

Fiona: You know until this year I never saw sunflowers grow more than one head.. I thought it was a rare phenomenon but apparently I just never had the luck of growing sunflowers with more than one head.. This year all mine had a ton of tiny heads shooting out from the 'branches' or the big leaves.
So this is common?

Fiona: With sunflower seeds you dont need to refridgerate. Just take all the seeds off the head.. keep what you want to use to plant next year and then the rest can go to the birds outside. I hang my heads on my fence upside down and the birds spend weeks eating the seed. I grow giant sunflowers and every year I harvest about 40 seeds from one head and give the rest to the birds.. Once you have dried the heads out take the seeds and just keep them in a paper bag in a cool dry place.. Dont put in plastic bags because if there is a tad bit of moisture they will rot or grow mold. So paper bags are best.
Good luck!

I made text links so there is no longer a left to right scroll on this board...

Groucho: mmmmm cherries!
Now I wanna dash to the farm market and grab some fresh fruit!

Foxy Lady: Next year I may either start my tomatoes in January or buy ones already started in April. Not the same as starting from scratch tho!

Foxy Lady: Tomatoes take so long here to grow large enough to pick (in Eastern Canada) I start mine indoors in March and still have to wait until the end of August to get nice big ones.. sigh lol

ajtgirl: Ya I know neem doesnt work on slugs,mostly just flying bugs...(Home Depot has a non toxic slug biat, doesnt hurt cats or birds)Sluggo
Did you get neem an try it out on your other pests yet? To date my hedge is infestation free and my sunflowers are soon going to open, completely bug free! I love neem!

Foxy Lady: We've tried beer here a few times but there isn't enough beer cuz there are wayyyy too many slugs. After it rains if you go in the backyard all you see are hundreds of slugs coming up for air.. It is so gross

Mousetrap: I have a real bad slug problem too. Home Depot has a slug bait that isnt harmful to the environment you might wnat to try. Little pellets that they eat and it kills them ( I think it expands too much once in them) Anywho, I have/had about 200 sunflowers in my back garden and only half way survive. Must be slugs favourite food

Groucho: You cant go wrong with astilbe's and hostas. I call hostas, elephant ear plants! And so many varieties with whites and greens thru them.
No matter what type of weather you have they grow well, even up north here!

ajtgirl: hehe Those are NO maintenance not low maintenance! hehe. I have 4 astilibe's that just go nuts every year and get bigger and bigger. They are sooo pretty!

Foxy this is what I found out!

--The different varieties of Pelargoniums often have very unique characteristics. The red leaves could be a response to some kind of stress like sudden change in the weather (hot days and cold nights). If the plant is otherwise healthy, there is nothing in particular to be done about it, but enjoy the show.

Foxy Lady: That was my first thought. I will do a google search and see what I can find out. They look so neat in the watering cans, I have them hanging from a cast iron plant hanger in the yard.

Geranium Q
Anyone know what would cause leaves on geranium to red? Just started happening this week. I have them planted in two big tin watering cans.

Foxy Lady: I did too with miracleGro.
I use a similar product now but very diluted every few weeks to the plants that are in pots as they dont get the natural minerals from the soil
NEEM. is by far the best all natrual product Ive ever used. kills bugs somehow by cutting off their air, doesnt harm birds or cats. I just neemed my hedge and have totally gotten rid of the red lily beetle by using it.
You can buy it at all good nuseries and online

skipinnz: Thanks for that! I love the flowers on them. Very pretty and I had no idea until last year that we could even grow them here with out rough winters!
I'm going all perennial now so am learning tons about different plants from poppy to hollyhocks and even lavender. Lots of fun!

skipinnz: Thanks for the tidbit on Hydrangeas. This is year two for me trying them ( taking them from old mothers day potted plants an putting them in the ground) had beautiful purple blooms last year an just learning now about acid soil and now that affects the colour of the blooms. Ive got 4 now in my flower bed, only one is showing the start of flower buds. So when you say to cut them back ruthlessly, can you elaborate? These are only about 6 to 9 inches high in my flower beds now

Anyone with bug problems should try a product called Neem. I mentioned it before. Works loads better then soap and garlic. All natural from the Asian Neem plant. It isnt harmful to birds or cats so you can spray all over and just get rid of pests with out hurting the wildlife. Mixed with warm water, you just spray all leaves a few times a week an your pest problems are gone for the season.. amazing stuff.
NEEM

Foxy Lady: Glad it's coming back to life! Mine did too. I have bright pink flowers on the one I have. I never imagined they would be so fragile. Course I haven't seen this much rain here in ages. We have had hard rain for 8 days with only half a day of sun in between. Can you say prune fingers? LOL

Dolittle: Likely the links posted below by clever hunk. Do if you put your screen resolution to 1024x768 you'll find that will eleminate having to scroll left to right. Sounds like you are in 800x600

Foxy Lady: Once you nip the buds off it will bloom up again. If you can move it indoors or away from strong rain next time that will help. I have mine in a huge wooden wagon looking pot so it is hard to lug it around. but I will at least put it on the deck next big rain. Mine only just opened up last week too, but we still have the entire summer for em

ajtgirl: the exact same thing happened to my petunias the weekend.. they got too much rain but luckily only about 4 were in bloom.. more coming now!

ajtgirl: Are peonies easy to start? My neighbour has a bunch in her yard. They are sooo pretty when they are in bloom

ajtgirl: East Coast of Canada, Not all that far from you. 5 hours from Maine.

ajtgirl: I planted hollyhock seeds a few weeks ago indoors. They are all sprouting up but are getting spindly. What do you suggest? I cant plant them for another few weeks outside.

Also do you know much about poppys (Or is it poppies??) I started seeds indoors as well. I have never tried to grow poppies before. Right now there are tiny little seedlings. Any advice on how to get them started before planting them outside?

Dolittle: Tell 'riisa to keep blowing it up north!! -13C windchill right about now.. Im not amused

Eriisa: darn righty it can. I first thought that we didnt have any owner ship in the arctic but I was wrong. Any idea who owns the rest of the arctic?

Eriisa: yup are you right ma dear!

Canada has a very large and diverse range of geographic features. Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 2 territories. Canada stretches from the Pacific Ocean on the west, to the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Northern Canada reaches into the Arctic Circle, while southern Canada stretches below the northern points of the United States.

Foxy Lady: Same here. Unreal the rain in the last few days and the wind is pretty bad too. We set up our halloween decorations friday and luckily all are in tact just rather soggy..

amandalove: I live up North and we don't cover our strawberry plants at all. Just let em do their thing. Are they still producing strawberries at this time of year?

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/weather.html

Lamby: Awesome hun, that's just what i needed to know.. Thanks so much for that! ( will send u some giant seeds thru the winter, these things were the biggest anyone around has seen!)

Guess I will try google for an answer to my Q.

skipinnz: That's a kool idea. At what point do you tie the bag on? Most of the seeds are still white. Do I wait until they start to turn black or do they turn black after they come off the flower head? ( total newbie here)

Anyone know how to dry out sunflowers properly? I grew some really giant ones this summer and want to harvest the seeds ( the neighbours all want some for next year) Do I cut em down now that they are all drooping or do I wait unti they are all dried up? ANy ideas would be appreciated.

Foxy Lady: You asked about Goodfoods. He is rightin New Orleans. I've been hoping to hear from him too but that's to possible when the entire city has no power. I know his wife an family got our ok as SR said. If he stayed behind to be with the pets I just hope he got to high ground with them or at least himself. It is nerve racking waiting to hear word.

Lamby: Thanks for the pics on day lilies. I planted 4 lily plants last year and only one set came up of tiger lilies. Imagine my surprise this summer when all 4 flowered and I have bright yellow one, peach coloured ones and bright reds along with the tigers.. I had no idea I bought a variety. They are gorgeous!

Lamby: kool idea for sure.. FYI for all Neem Oil is totally 100% enviro friendly in that it is not toxic, doesnt hurt birds, animals or people.. Bugs cant stand it.. Its from the Asian Neem tree.

Foxy Lady: Ok the first day it isnt raining spray.

Foxy Lady: that bites.. if it really rained hard then its best to spray again today