Sand garden

[Sharon]

Re: Sharon...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
...how much sun do you cannas get???

The ones I had for about 7 years got between 4-6 hrs. of direct sunlight per day. I had them in different places throughout the yard. They were beautiful and the tree frogs and hummingbirds loved them. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to cut them back before the frost one year (I never dug them up-just cut 'em back) and I think they all rotted to the tubers becuase they didn't come up last summer.

 

[Larry Gude]

Do you concur...

...that Christy ain't got enough light in her back yard?

 

[Sharon]

Re: Do you concur...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
...that Christy ain't got enough light in her back yard?

I can't really say. The only time I was there during the day was a couple years ago. She has a lot of trees and I'm not sure which direction the sun moves thru her yard. If she can't get at least 4 hours of sunlight on them they might not bloom properly. They still might grow if she just wants foliage but I'm not too sure about that.

 

[jazz lady]

Originally posted by Christy
I'm thinking of planting some wavy grass plants and Cannas by the pool, but instead of mulch I was thinking of using sand. Steve thinks sand will be a big pain in the azz when it comes to upkeep. Has anyone ever used sand before that could give me an idea of upkeep?

I just watched an episode of "Monster House" where they used sand as mulch surrounding the pool. In the owner follow-up segment, they said the stuff got EVERYWHERE - tracked into the house, blown into the pool, clogging the pool filters, etc. They got rid of it and replaced it with regular mulch.

 

[Christy]

Larry, we did indeed get rid of a load of trees in the back which opens up that area to full sunlight.

It's also a "low traffic" area, so I don't think people will really be walking on it very often.

The way the area is sloped, the sand will run off over the hill (more like cliff) rather than the pool.

I'm gonna try it for one season, if it is a disaster, it will be par for the course. I really shouldn't be gardening at all.

Now Larry, I need your guidance on keeping Gardenias alive. I LOVE them and they had them on sale at Wentworth nursery, so I just HAD to buy them and will more than likely subject them to a slow and painful death. The lady gave me a "care" sheet, and I think I'm in trouble. It says to "mist" the leaves daily (like that's gonna happen). I plan on keeping them indoors.

 

[Larry Gude]

Christy...

...set them in an open area of the yard, get 1 gallon of varnish or paint thinner or even gasoline and put some into a typical gardening squirt bottle. Mist the leaves lightly.

At this point, take a picture of the gardenia. Then, throw a match to it. Once it get's rolling which should be oh, about right away, dump the rest of the fuel over it (be careful!).

Re-apply until there is nothing left.

Or, if you want to, do it your way, just kill it slowly over the next few weeks.

Remember, gardening is suppossed to be fun. You can dance around the flames or chant or even roast marshmallows, though I wouldn't eat them myself. Give them to neighbor kids. Pigs like them too. The oily taste makes them think of their proper future at the breakfast table.



You are so right. Gardenias are a huge, enormous pita. The misting thing is that they like it humid. Like Florida.

(Sorry about the pig crack, couldn't help it!)

You've got Sharon as an experienced canna person, I say go for it!!!

 

[Sharon]

Re: Christy...

Originally posted by Larry Gude

At this point, take a picture of the gardenia.

Larry's right! It's the best it's ever gonna look.

It's some kind of conspiracy that they slowly die after they come home so you feel like a gardenia I've never had one longer than a few months.

 

[Christy]

Re: Re: Christy...

Originally posted by Sharon
Larry's right! It's the best it's ever gonna look.

It's some kind of conspiracy that they slowly die after they come home so you feel like a gardenia I've never had one longer than a few months.

Next time I'm taking you both to Wentworth with me, so you can smack me, then I can smack the Wentworth gardening guru for talking me into buying two.

 

[Christy]

Re: Christy...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
[B

Impatiens flourish, not even you or Vrai could kill them, their are some dramaticaly bright colors to liven the dark feel I remember and...they're cheap. Tear them out in the fall.

[/B]

Dammit! I thought I was becoming a skilled gardener when I managed to keep all my impatiens alive last summer.

 

[Sharon]

Hey Christy, have the buds/leaves started dropping from your Gardenia yet?

 

[RoseRed]

Originally posted by Sharon
Hey Christy, have the buds/leaves started dropping from your Gardenia yet?

Meamie!

 

[Christy]

Originally posted by Sharon
Hey Christy, have the buds/leaves started dropping from your Gardenia yet?

Not yet, but I haven't looked closely. I figure since they don't have much chance for survival, I must distance myself.

 

[Sharon]

Do you still have the Gardenia Christy?