Gardening on the mountain

[MountainMoon22]

Hi everyone,

I didn't see a thread for this topic, if I missed it, please re-direct. I know that it's nearly January, but my husband and I were so impressed with the beautiful gardens around here, some of which are still going due to the crazy weather, that I'm excited about trying our luck with some of the native plants. We don't know where to start.

Any advice would be appreciated; I'm guessing that there might be an interest in the topic.

[Willis]

One excellent place to begin would be the COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT (http://www.jeffersoncountywv.org/Extension%20off.html)
They may still do soil pH tests and would be able to advise you of native plants that transfer successfully. The agent would also be able to warn against invasive species, too. Late Winter is an excellent transplant time and perhaps, if you know of one of the lots being scoured of vegetation, you might inquire if you could salvage some of the greenery. It's such a shame to see all that Mountain Laurel, Wild Azalea, Euonymus bushes, etc being pushed into a hole in the ground.

[ministerswife]

I've been struggling to make a decent garden up here for years. No way. Not unless I get a "cat" or bulldozer to dig up the ground first (if there really is any ground) and that's "pricey". Nothing but rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Need to make a rock garden or the "above-the-ground" type. Does anyone know who to go to for an "above-the-ground" garden. I'll make you a cup of coffee if you do.[coffee]

[Willis]

The key words are Raised Bed Garden, mw. Google is full of material including THIS (http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06985.htm)
But I think AMD seems more interested in Landscape Gardening- The variation of raised beds would be tiered beds which have been discussed. That methodology decreases runoff which will become an increasingly serious problem as we populate the side of our Mountain.

[grafxgirl]

My husband's grandparents live in the brick house with the front porch on the corner of Johnnycake Lane and Gray Fox and she has amazing gardens. They are so beautiful all year long. I'm jealous and would love something like that. She gives me clippings every year so hopefully one day I will have a yard as nice as theirs.

[MountainMoon22]

Thanks for the suggestions. The garden at Johnnycake and Grey Fox was one of the ones that I thought of when I asked:) They had that pretty pink groundcover type of flower? We bought the house on the corner of Skyline and Moonridge, and you can tell the garden and the trees must have been gorgeous here once, but it was in neglect when we bought the house, we spent the year pruning, digging out dead plants, and finding out what survived.

Two questions: I see a lot of ivy around the side streets near the lake, does anyone know if it's invasive? Also, has anyone had any luck with lavender?

Thanks.

[Willis]

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/hehe.htm
And
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/DirtyDozen.shtm

[grafxgirl]

Do you mean these? They are called phlox. They come back every year and they are a flower that spreads. They are my favorite too. Every year when she thins out her flower beds she gives me cuttings so we can plant them at our house. Each year ours spread a little more too.


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[STR1KER]

Plox rox. We have it in all of our gardens. Peonas are good, mums are pretty hearty, and johnny jump-ups (monkey faces), are good too :) The dirt up here is really rich, but it helps if you mulch your leaves, compost 'em, and use them year round. They also work as a buffer when the weather's still chilly in spring, and it's a great thing for insulating in winter.

[June]

OMG Willis! I had to look up the wild azaleas last year on the internet b/c they're growing on the empty lots next to us. They're so beautiful, I want to sneak over and transplant some onto our property before they're bulldozed over!

My biggest gardening problem has been the "weed hill" that the builder was nice enough to pile up between the front yard and the road. DH bought the house when it was just about finished being built, and the builder did nothing about landscaping, other than planting some grass. When I moved in, we tore out all the weeds, laid weed block and have planted shrubs and ground cover, which I hope will all take off this spring. We still have the front slope where I'd like some phlox or something to take over some of the weeds. And then there's always the bugs that love to eat me alive while I'm trying to pull the weeds...ugh! We've also planted some hollies and evergreens.

I don't know if we'll ever get to the back yard; we def. need to plant some evergreens back there for screening; a whole row of them, since they're building a house right smack on the property line...never thought they'd be able to fit a house back there, but they sure did!

[MountainMoon22]

Thanks, Grafxgirl, we have the purple phlox in our yard, but it's pretty pathetic, I didn't realize it was the same plant. We'll try the co-op too, I hadn't thought of that.

[grafxgirl]

We have about 15 HUGE azaleas that line our drive. They are beautiful in the spring. I'll have to see if I can find one of the pictures I took of them and post it.

[STR1KER]

Note to gardeners - Yer not supposed to say, "Thank you." when someone gives ya sprigs of flowers/bushes/etc... Old wive's tale my mom told me, that if ya say "Thanks", they wont make it when ya xfer and replant 'em...

[KatherineA]

I've had the best luck with "prairie plants" the deer don't seem to care so much about them and, I think since I am on old farm land, the plants think that they are actually on some kind of prairie.

Prairie Nursery is the best if you like to order plants on line. Jung in Wisconsin is also great, particularly for fruit trees. I ordering on line is not your thing, I have had excellent luck with Southern States in Ranson plants and trees, well worth the dollar or two more that Home Dep. or Lowes charges.

[trollibear]

We've had this discussion before that got started under another topic, that's why u couldn't find anything. Here's the link http://www.shannondale.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=3382&SearchTerms="land+rape" .

Scroll down until you see pics. That's where the garden discussion starts.

We have EVERYTHING growing. We invested in a chipper and every year we chip the leaves and put them in the beds. In spring, we rake up waterever leaves that are loose on top and put them in low spots and holes in our yard. In 9 yrs. time, our beds are absolutely beautiful, and we've leveled out areas in our yard just by using the chipped leaves.

This crazy weather has everything messed up. Saturday I cut off tons of my irises that were up 6 inches. Our vinca is blooming. Snapdragons have blooms. Our herbs are going crazy. We cut them off and tied them in bunches and hung them in the house. "SMELLEY GOOD!"

CRAZY!!!

[STR1KER]

I can't wait to see yer gardens in full bloom!! :) I know when I was there at christmas Eve, I was like daaayyuuummm check THIS out! Just gotta make sure there aren't any snakies hehehehheheh

[trollibear]

Got mothballs today!! Hee Hee! As warm as it's been , we're afraid those slithering bastards will be out soon. Finally overcame my fear of being in my garden. So we sure as heck don't want to see any of 'em EVER AGAIN!!!!!

Come over in the summer and check the gardens out. We can pig on 'strasberries'. It's a cross between rasberries and strawberries. DELICIOUS!! They are multiplying like crazy. We've had to make 3 garden spot for them.

BTW, anyone want some strasberry plants? If they do as good this year as they have been, we'll have tons of 'em. Our gardens can't handle anymore!!

[June]

I'd love some trolli! They sound awesome!

[trollibear]

Deal done!! When and If they ripe in the summer , come on over!!!

I say "if" because 'if' the almanac is right, like it has been about this warm weather.....this summer is 'posed to be extremely dry and hard on farmers and gardeners.

[Wormdoc]

Trolli,

I'd love to get some from you, too! I've never heard of Strasberries but they sound intriguing. I love berries....![varmint]

[worm75]

[June]

quote:Originally posted by trollibear

Got mothballs today!! Hee Hee! As warm as it's been , we're afraid those slithering bastards will be out soon. Finally overcame my fear of being in my garden. So we sure as heck don't want to see any of 'em EVER AGAIN!!!!!

Come over in the summer and check the gardens out. We can pig on 'strasberries'. It's a cross between rasberries and strawberries. DELICIOUS!! They are multiplying like crazy. We've had to make 3 garden spot for them.

BTW, anyone want some strasberry plants? If they do as good this year as they have been, we'll have tons of 'em. Our gardens can't handle anymore!!


:D I just realized, strasberry sounds like something from Willie Wonka!

Seriously though, how do the plants grow? Like a raspberry bush or lower to the ground like strawberries? Do you need to divide the plants this spring? If so, I can take some off your hands!

[WVDragonlady]

June, can you get me some of those also?! I love both kinds of berries and would love to try some!
oh. and the aloe plant is doin real good too.:D

[trollibear]

Stasberries are just like strawberry plants. They look like strawberries but taste like rasberries. My inlaws swear they are strawberries, but trust me, I do not like strawberries. There is a difference in the taste.

They are growing now. Actually, they never stopped 'cause of this weather. They ripen early summer. After we pick them, we just let the plants multiply. We mow off the ones that stretch out of the beds, then seperate the plants. Last year, I pulled some up for my mominlaw. Each big plant had 8-12 babies on them.

We started with 6 plants. The black birds ate 4 of them. The two left just kept multiplying. We have at least a hundred or more now. No lie. Thanks to Bob Zalner who gave us the tip about tying junkmail cd's above them. The birds no longer bother them.

I gave mominlaw about 30 plants. They have doubled too. And she can't keep the bunnies out of them.

We'll have to hold a gardening contest this summer. I've seen some beautiful ones up here. I'm a seed collector. I grab seeds off everyone else's plants. Plus, there's 4 of us that trade plants, bulbs and bushes every year.

The best advice for a mt garden is keep working the soil. It is very rocky here. The chipped leaves has done the trick for us. Plus we use lots of miracle grow. Late fall, I get a box of it and just sprinkle the powder in the beds. No water. The rain and snow washes it in the ground.

[trollibear]

Most of the flowers we have, everyone said wouldn't grow here on the mt. We've learned that you don't have to use just shade lovers. As long as a 'sun lovin' plant gets at least 2 hrs of direct sunlight , it will more than likely grow. So, watch how the sun travels across your yard. The sun peaks thru the trees in some spots for long periods of time.

Pollination is the number one key for success. You need bees and butterflies. In the spring most of our blooming flowers are purple. Bees are attracked to purple. Especially bumble bees. Are yard is full of them. Don't mistaken bumble bees for the carpentar bees. Bumble bees stay low to the ground. Carpenter bees are up high. Bumble bees won't hurt you. We work side by side in the garden every year.

We've even had honeybees which most people don't realize are almost endangered. We need them for our flowers.

Sorry for a long story but.....
A few yrs ago, we spotted a dude in our yard which upset us at first. He's trespassing!!! But believe it or not, he was a beekeeper. He spotted a swarm of honeybees in our yard. He estimated about 60,000 of them. They swarmed on a bush. He asked if he could have them. Well of course!! Who wants 60,000 bees in their yard. If one stings ya, they send a signal to the swarm and they ALL come after you.
His wife went and got his gear....outfit, smoker, etc....and he cut the limb and put them in a huge garbage can. Of course I stayed in the house and watched. A few thousand were left but he said he got the queen so they would leave......either die or head back to the original hive. They did. BTW, he said there has to be one helluva HUGE hive here in Shannondal somewhere for there to be that many in our yard.

Apparently, another queen was born in the parent hive. When she leaves , she takes a fraction of workers with her.

I'll find the pics and get them posted. You won't believe the swarm that was in our yard. Thank God that beekeeper just so happened to go by our house that day!!!!

[trollibear]

Sorry so little. I had to crop it. This is not a log. This is a swarm of honeybees.



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[WVDragonlady]

Holy Crap!!! I always plant basil in with my peppers and tomatoes and the bees just love it! I have both honey and bumble bees all over the beds. We have the carpenter bees here also, and we found that they chase all the other bees( wasps,hornets,horse flies) away. They just buzz in front of you to see if you're friend or foe and then go about thier business.
I was wondering if the cd thing would work. I know some of the bigger birds( crows,ravens,and jays) sometimes are attracted by the shiny stuff, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to use them.
It won't be long before it's time to uncover the strawberries! Yea man! Can't wait. Love diggin in the dirt.

[June]

Wow Trolli! Did he bring you any of that honey?? Ha!

Just let me know when you want me to take some berries off your hands, they sound awesome! And we'll invite Dragon to the mountain to check out the gardens too!!!

Man, the plants are lovin' the rain, but I'm wondering if we'll ever get any snow and if everything will survive a freeze after this??

[trollibear]

NO honey, but didn't expect any. Just glad he spotted them. He was thrilled to have found them. He had lost most of his hives due to some desease the honeybees had. He said it wiped out tons of honeybees. He was so happy to see they were making a come back.

I'll keep ya posted about the berries.

Crazy weather!! I'm afraid our stuff will freeze. That's why I keep cutting everything off. The snapdragons that were blooming froze last week. I noticed today that our hibiscus are sprouting back. Sweetpeas are growing too. Simply crazy!!

[Steve]

Great local gardening and native plant group... http://www.g-e-g.org/

Please ignore if someone has already referenced the group.

s.

[WVDragonlady]

Thank You Steve!

[lar]

I was out in my yard and my perennials and bulbs are coming up. What am I going to do? Are they going to come up again in the Spring or are they going to be ruined? They are looking good too. This would be their third season and they are coming in thick.

[sidhe]

They should be okay........ happens every year. Hopefully it will get cold and stay that way so they don't bloom.

[lar]

I'm counting on it, thanks

[ministerswife]

[study]Thanks, Willis, but that's not exactly what I have in mind. The "raised bed" also involves lots of digging and retrenching. What I have in mind is actually, [u]above the ground </u>, like in the big, big, pots, and what have you. The ones 3-4 feet high and about 2-3 feet wide, so you don't have to bend over and all that digging stuff. I have several already, but to make them look good, I need some one with an eye for placement, etc., to show me where to put them. Then, they have to have plants that grow better in the shade, since this is a very shady place in the summer. Thanks again. [coffee][rose]

[grafxgirl]

Ours are coming up to, but they die off as it gets cold again then they regrow and bloom just fine in the spring. It happened to us last year too.

[blue]

To Ministerswife - I think what you are refering to is called "Container Planting". There is a lot of info out there on it.

[June]

Thought I'd post prior to spring to see if there might be an interest in a plant swap? Say if anyone might be thinning their daylillies, instead of tossing them, swap them with someone (say me?) who doesn't have any? I'll be thinning my irises. As for indoor plants, I have aloe and phildendron that really need to be trimmed back. Or perhaps we should wait until next fall? What do you guys think?

[KatherineA]

My foxgloves bloomed for the first time this year, went to seed and made a zillion little foxglove plants - I'd love to find a home for some of these this spring. I also will have some tall asters - fall blooming blue/lavender flowers that usually grow about 4-5 ft. tall. I probably will have some other stuff ... But those I know I will have.

So, I would love to trade some plants!

[June]

I would love to have some foxgloves!

[trollibear]

I'd be willing to swap. I have tons of stuff. The daylilies are taking over in some parts of our yard. We have variegated vinca that I need to thin out. It's growing like crazy now.

We also have lots of ujunga. Great ground cover that grows anywhere! I started with just a lil' batch. It spreads so quickly that I just pull it up and toss it. Now it's EVERYWHERE.

My house is overgrown with indoor plants. Anyone want any spider plants? I can't stand the thought of throwing any away. I have TONS of spider plants.

The stasberries are still going good. Looks like I'll be able to spare a good many.

[June]

I could use all kinds of ground cover! I planted periwinkle vinca last spring, which seems to be doing very well. I'm thinking about doing something along the road that will hopfully take over the weeds...like a groundcover and/or daylillies! With all the gravel and weeds, it looks awful!

I have a spider plant, but my cats gave it a nice haircut recently! It's now in my Dad's room with the door shut, until it's warm enough to hang outside again...looking pretty homely!

With all the warm weather, my tulips and Irises are popping up already!

[Cissey]

Count me in for the swap!! Where and when??

[lar]

Next time someone thinks of it and goes by my house on Mission, what kind of ground cover (?) could I put on the sides of my hill where it drops down to the driveway? It is a rocky, shaley surface.

[June]

quote:Originally posted by Cissey

Count me in for the swap!! Where and when??


What do you think guys? Once it's warm enough to transplant stuff safely? Guess we should play it by ear, and temps!

[June]

quote:Originally posted by lar

Next time someone thinks of it and goes by my house on Mission, what kind of ground cover (?) could I put on the sides of my hill where it drops down to the driveway? It is a rocky, shaley surface.


I'm not sure where on Mission you live, but from how trolli described her ujunga groundcover, both of us could use it!

[trollibear]

Sorry, don't know where my head was when I posted ujunga. It's called ajuga.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/hyer1972/Gaden%20photos%20spring%202006/Garden%20Photos%202006/4f3e5341.jpg

Spring and early summer , it grows spikes with little blue flowers. It's also known as blue bugle.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h212/ravenshift/Garden%202006/7a2eb55f.jpg

[trollibear]

Lar, you might want to try sweet william on your hillside. We started with 2 packs of seeds. One white. One red. Over the years , they have crossed and we now have tons of diff colors.

Leo and I both get excited every year when they are about to bloom. We can't wait to see what new colors they are. In the fall, we keep the seeds and just throw them everywhere in the beds. They are a great ground cover with beautiful flowers.

Just remember they are a bi annual. They only bloom every other year. So if you start with seeds, the plant will grow but usually won't bloom until the 2nd year. But as they reseed, and plants multiply, you'll always have blooms.

[katybelle]

I would love to be part of a plant swap as well. I have iris (both lrage and Siberian) black eyed susans and others. would love some various ideas for "rock garden" type plants for a rocky, 3/4 time sun hill behind my driveway. My periwinlke amd phlox do well there but I want more variety and/or something with color past early spring.

Katybelle

[lar]

I like that ujuga.

[June]

They're beautiful, Trolli! And I would love some black eyed susans Katybelle! Somehow, I think I'll be bringing home more than I'll be giving...I hope not!

Can't wait for spring...March is right around the corner!

[trollibear]

Cool. Glad you guys are interested in some plants. I hate throwing things away. As we thin some of the gardens we end up making new gardens just 'cuase we don't want to get rid of anything.

We've got spring fever. I want to be out working in the gardens so bad. If we can't have snow, then bring on Spring.

[derricksonb]

Does anyone know what plants or flowers would do well in an office without windows, just flourecent lights? We want to bring some into our department to add some color to the place.

[June]

quote:Originally posted by derricksonb

Does anyone know what plants or flowers would do well in an office without windows, just flourecent lights? We want to bring some into our department to add some color to the place.


I think my philodendron may do well in your office. I've seen them in offices before, along with plants such as peace lillies and ficus. I could give you a small philodendron once I have one rooted, if you'd like to try one out. That way if it doesn't look like it's going to live you could bring it home or toss it!

[June]

quote:Originally posted by trollibear

Cool. Glad you guys are interested in some plants. I hate throwing things away. As we thin some of the gardens we end up making new gardens just 'cuase we don't want to get rid of anything.

We've got spring fever. I want to be out working in the gardens so bad. If we can't have snow, then bring on Spring.

NEVER throw plants away...call me first!!! :D

[MountainMoon22]

Snake plants do well in offices, we had them in areas of our office without windows, and they thrive on flourescent lights and people forgetting to water them...

[June]

It looks like we're in for some good weather starting next week! Since many of my bulbs are currently pulled up due to putting in a new walkway for my Dad, would anyone be interested in a plant swap anytime soon? I'd be willing to host in my front yard or on my front porch! I also have baby aloe plants to offer up.

[DogpatchDawn]

Now that I am officially a resident on this beautiful mountain, I would love to swap some plants. Only one problem, I have no idea what I have. I have been told that our yard blooms like crazy in the spring. Those strasberries sound wonderful. I've been told not to assume anything is a weed until we go through a full cycle. If there is anyone out there who'd like to educate me on all the plants in my new yard, I'd be thrilled. There are a ton of bulbs (I assume) with little white drop flowers all over the front (back if you ask my husband) yard. They have jumped out of their rock lined circles and run across the yard in many places. I dread mowing them so I need to find out how movable they are and move them or find good homes. :) Dawn

[Chutney Daftcraft]

Up on Aerie, by the entrance to the trail - there is sarsaparilla all over the place - or at least there was when I moved from there.

[Jenniffer]

I'm taking you up this time when you invite me on your hike up there, City :) Just bring oxygen, and everything should be OK ;)

[June]

Dawn, It sounds like you have lillies of the valley out front or back, from your description. They spread everywhere like crazy!