What's blooming in your yard?

[marstec]

^Your first one is a member of the legume family. I think it's called trefoil aka bird's foot. Your yellow weed growing in the dogwoods reminds me of yellow brassica flowers (members of cabbage family). The one you call asters may be fleabane. Last one is clover and its presence indicates low nitrogen in your soil.

[snuffaluffagus]

Thanks for the names, marstec .

Hmmm, soil you say? I don't think we have any of that over here, lol. Only 1cm down and it's all clay and slate, hmph!

How does one go about correcting low nitrogen?

[marstec]

Clover helps to "fix" nitrogen, meaning that the plant goes through a process to give nitrogen to the surrounding soil. I'm married to a lawn nut and he would declare war on clover. Make sure your soil isn't too compacted, aerate it if possible, and you can give it a shot of lawn fertilizer, which is mostly nitrogen (it's the first number of N-P-K in fertilizers).

[snuffaluffagus]

I'm not sure if aerating would work because of the clay but yes, it's very compacted. I might try it this Fall though. I tried calculating how many bags of fertilizer I'd have to buy and I came up with 60 bags per year, ouch ! There are a few equestrian schools and horse boarding facilities around here...I'm wondering if it would be cheaper if I bought some manure from them. But then I'd have to worry about my dogs spending their days doing nothing but rolling around rubbing it into their coats, lol.

[marstec]

I'm not sure if aerating would work because of the clay but yes, it's very compacted. I might try it this Fall though. I tried calculating how many bags of fertilizer I'd have to buy and I came up with 60 bags per year, ouch ! There are a few equestrian schools and horse boarding facilities around here...I'm wondering if it would be cheaper if I bought some manure from them. But then I'd have to worry about my dogs spending their days doing nothing but rolling around rubbing it into their coats, lol.

What kind of fertilizer would you be buying? When you say you need 60 bags, are you talking about cow or sheep manure? Lawn fertilizer (ie. Scott's Turf Builder) has much more nitrogen than manure (about 60 times as much!), so you wouldn't need a whole lot...in fact, too much and you would be harming it.

[snuffaluffagus]

I was looking at the Fafard brand fertilizer...the one you use Spring, Summer, and Fall. I'd need approximately 20 bags each time I fertilize (3x per year). If I used the Scotts organic lawn food, I'd need at least 14 of the largest size bags 3x per year. I have to figure out a less expensive way to fertilize .

[marstec]

I was looking at the Fafard brand fertilizer...the one you use Spring, Summer, and Fall. I'd need approximately 20 bags each time I fertilize (3x per year). If I used the Scotts organic lawn food, I'd need at least 14 of the largest size bags 3x per year. I have to figure out a less expensive way to fertilize .

Where the heck do you live?? One large bag of Scott's lasts me a whole growing season!

As I mentioned earlier, just look at the "N" number and get the highest one and apply it according to directions on the bag...it will work a lot faster than the organic products.

[Tbites]

The wind was awful here to and many of the heads of my hydrangeas broke with the weight of the rain and then the wind. I haved to find cages that are 5 feet tall to put around them the ones i have now just don't cut it.

You can make 5' cages with concrete mesh or cattle panel...super strong though it might not fit the esthetic of your garden. I've been wanting to bring some into the garden... but I can't justify renting a truck to transport them home

[Tbites]

I was looking at the Fafard brand fertilizer...the one you use Spring, Summer, and Fall. I'd need approximately 20 bags each time I fertilize (3x per year). If I used the Scotts organic lawn food, I'd need at least 14 of the largest size bags 3x per year. I have to figure out a less expensive way to fertilize .

If all you need is cheap nitrogen send all the boys to pee outside

[Tbites]

This one is either the walker's low or the regular catnip... I trimmed this one like crazy to dry up for my kitties ... anyone know if I remove all the flowers now.... will I get another set of buds ?

So excited... my first tatume squash is starting


Summer Crookneck is blooming... first squash


I didn't have the heart to kill off the second summer squash seedling so it's now getting ready to bloom in the sweet potato bed.


(BC Gal, I think Marstec only wants blooms in this thread... so I'll post more garden pics in another thread later. )

[Tbites]

Man, why do I always have these humongous pics ?

[marstec]

Tbites,
Your garden looks great. There's lots of growing season left, so the catmint would certainly grow more flowers. Do you have any problem with them self seeding? My Walker's Low is very well behaved, but the regular catmint goes all over...I don't like the smell of the foliage at all. My neighbour put a large peony cage over her catmint to keep it contained.

I planted four zucchini seeds, of two varieties and only two germinated, and of those two, only one is doing well....I am envious of yours already blooming.

Speaking of blooming, I would love any plant pictures to be posted here, blooming or not. I'm so glad it's evolved into a general gardening pictures thread...my gardening friends have moved away of late, and I love being able to talk "shop" with fellow gardeners here.

[Tbites]

Tbites,
Your garden looks great. There's lots of growing season left, so the catmint would certainly grow more flowers. Do you have any problem with them self seeding? My Walker's Low is very well behaved, but the regular catmint goes all over...I don't like the smell of the foliage at all. My neighbour put a large peony cage over her catmint to keep it contained.

I planted four zucchini seeds, of two varieties and only two germinated, and of those two, only one is doing well....I am envious of yours already blooming.

Speaking of blooming, I would love any plant pictures to be posted here, blooming or not. I'm so glad it's evolved into a general gardening pictures thread...my gardening friends have moved away of late, and I love being able to talk "shop" with fellow gardeners here.

What's wrong with your zucchini.... maybe if you post a pic we can help ? Note to self: do not check on threads in the middle of house cleaning... I'd better get back to it while i'm still on a roll lol

[marstec]

What's wrong with your zucchini.... maybe if you post a pic we can help ? Note to self: do not check on threads in the middle of house cleaning... I'd better get back to it while i'm still on a roll lol

Lol...nothing wrong with checking in here between cleaning. I am a card carrying member of the Procrastinator's Club!

I think the one zucchini might have met with an "unfortunate incident" during our last wind storm. It doesn't seem as "tethered" as the other one. I am going to plunk another seed nearby - it was one of the striped Italian ones so maybe they are a bit more finicky than the regular ones? I gave them lots of room and a nice location this year. Usually, my summer squash plants get placed in the wrong spot and with lots of competition...plants can be so ungrateful.

[Tbites]

Thanks Marstec....

I don't know if I've had a problem with self seeding... I often pull anything I haven't planted since my backyard is infested with so many weeds ... but I wouldn't mind if it did self seed since I grow them for my cats. If you look carefully in the pic posted above, my plant IS contained with hardware cloth to protect them from neighborhood cats... imagine if it wasn't