Experiments in Gardening – 2012

New Tests at the Top

Dividng Plants in September
I’ve got a few plants I’m trying to divide Sept. 13th. One plant became seven. We’ll see how they do this late in the season.

 

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Anise Hyssop – Can I cut off a piece and root it by sticking it in the ground?
Answer – Yes – but keep it well watered.

Coreopsis If I cut this to the ground, will they come back?…..Results: YES. and will FLOWER

Dames Rocket
If I pick the seed green, will it ripen and open the seed easily.
Answer – NO.
Seeds seem to ripen best on the plant. If you have to cut green seeds out – pitch them.

Gairailladia – Blanket Flower If I take seed off the plant and cover it with dirt – will it germinate immediately?
Answer – NO – all seeds have a period of dormancy.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/plant-biology-ripening-seeds.html

 New England Aster
1. Cuttings taken in spring. They are starting to bloom in Mid-September
2. I also cut plants to the ground in Mid-august. They are now coming back and blooming low to the ground.

Salvia
Is it better to just dead-head it or cut it back to the ground?
Answer –  cut it back to theground. Note – this is also true of veronica

Transplanting
Aug 25 – took out zinnias in front and transplanted in VB, tropical milkweed, buddleia, blazing star, purple french hollyhock, milkweed cuttings. Also transplanted four echinacea from test bed – these are seeds I planted last fall.
RESULTS –

Verbena vonareinsis – C
Malva purple – B
Tropical Milkweed – A
Gaillardia- blanket flower – B
Meadow BS – C
Buterfly Bush – C – need to cut quite a bit off.

Zinnia Seeds
Will Zinnia Seeds from this years plants germinate?
Results: Yes! I saved some seeds from this years crop – usually it takes months for these seeds to be ready to plant, but these germinated easily.

 

 

 

2012 Butterfly Count

March

Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, 27th – pearl crescent, 29th- Painted Lady LE on Pearly Everlasting and Pussy Toes, 30th-Eastern-tailed Blue puddling. 31st – Tiger Swallowtail

April
2- dusky wing and silver-spotted skipper.
3- CW LE on dames rocket, Black ST LE on parsley(school), ETB puddling.
6 – Red Admiral – puddling soil

Purple Dome New England Aster

I saw this plant at the Missouri Botanical Garden in 2011 and admired its compact shape and great flowering. This was September 28th – a great time for the Monarch migration. I’m going to give it a try this year and found it at these sites.

– American Meadows – $4.26 or six for $3.73 each.

– High Country Gardens – $8.49

– Eden Brothers – $7.50 

-I ended up buying six plants from American Meadows for $30.24(includes shipping)

2012 Butterfly Gardening Calendar

March 5 – Gardeners of St. Charles County

April 3, 10,11,12 – Truman Middle School – plant garden

April 12 – Truman Middle School – plant BG

April 14 (Saturday) – 10am – Powder Valley – FREE- reservations needed. Phone: (314) 301-1500

April 18th – Uthoff Elementary – add plants to  BG. – Judy S.

April 21 – Dave T group to visit the garden.

April 30 – Ursuline Academy – Butterfly Garden – 3:15pm Barbara H.

May 1 – Crestwood Elementary BG – Kathy S.

May 5th – Concord School – Joey – Eagle Project – Butterfly Garden.

May 16 – ForgetMeNot Garden Club to visit here.

May 19th – St. John the Baptist.- Butterfly Garden – Jean

May ????  – Shenandoah Valley – Nancy N – 2nd grade class

June 16 – NABA BG program

Laura and G – done

Yvonne – done

Ward – done

Dan and Daci – done

Jackie P – done

Linda G – done

Tina – done

Jo – done

Elaine – done

Toastmasters – done

Mailman – done.

Planting Outdoor Seeds – Dec. 1st

I planted at least 2000 seeds in three different areas. These are all seeds which need cold-stratification or seem to endure our cold winters and readily start from seed in the spring.

Note – I only planted Red/Cream echinacea in the mailbox area.

2012

verbesina virginica

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	Try yellow Chapel Hill lantana in the front of the house.  It’s  low growing and the color is nice.
	Buy amorpha canescens
	Plant plain ordinary Basil – not fancy.
	MoBot –  Lantana camara Luscious Grape – nice purple low growing.
	MoBot –  New England Aster – Purple Dome – nice shape – dome like – not leggy – lots of insects.link1 – seems like quite a few other places have this.
	Mobot – Sedum erythrostictum ‘Frosty Morn’ – lower growing -= spreads outlink 1 –
	Mobot – Daisy Duke shasta daisy – blooming Oct. 1st.
	Verbesina virginica – picture is with monarchs – is called frost weed – likes shade?http://www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=3062
	Also try – Husky Cherry Red – patio tomato “Red Bell” – patio pepper melampodium – parkseed – low growing Black eyed susan – tiger eye