Gardeners - Need your Help! :)
We always hear on the news that whatever you do to plants in most other states ...you do double or triple here. Right now, we've been putting miracle gro on all our plants once a week. Watering inside one ...once a week, and outside ones having been getting water every day. What should we be doing as far as watering, feeding the plant, and any other tips? We think our two front ones are dying (have only had for one week) because when we planted them into the pots, my husband didn't shake the roots loose? I don't know anything about gardening, but he mentioned something along those lines. It also went from a really sunny week to really gloomy and 50-60's this past week. 
This is a lily something. Either the cat or dog ate half of it, so it probably needs some help. It looked so pretty before half the leaves were eaten as a dessert. This is also only been in our house for a week. I thought I had been doing a good job of keeping the animals away from it. 
In the backyard ..my husband bought and is planting (this very second) blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, and this particular one is some sort of glossy blackberry bush. They're all edible. The only thing we know is they have to be watered a lot when first planting (so we were told today). 
We live in a new neighborhood, so we're even in the process of trying to grow grass (seems to grow slow here). Any help to what I'm in for would be nice. I'm hoping yuki doesn't bring in berry feet.  |
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| This may be a dumb question but this is Alaska right?
I don't know what plants to chose, if you know the zone you might be able to get a book to help. Alot depends on the dirt you put in, a good mix for the flowers and water them...they dry quickly (pots). If it gets in the freezing temp, you will need them inside, or if it gets direct sunlight they may burn. I've never planted berries, but Raspberries and strawberries, and wild blueberries really flourished in my home of Saskatchewan. Blueberries liked the sandy soil...at least that was where we found them. What do the neighbours have? Have you met other women that have lived there along time, ask what worked or not worked for them. Good luck. I planted all new perreninals, and hoping the dogs stay out too. Remy likes to sit on top of them. Is that a rocking chair in the picture of the lily? If so I have the EXACT same one. |
Yeah, we're in Alaska ....this week. 
I have no idea if I'm watering too much, too little, what plants should come inside when it's cold, etc. It seems like everyone keeps their plants outside "now." EVERY store here is out of dirt because EVERYONE is planting right now. My husband had to pay a lot for what he has. As far as what the neighbors have... this is a VERY new neighborhood. WE are the only ones (outside of one other neighbor) who has started on their yards. Most people are still waiting for the builders to re-seed the yards. The grass didn't grow in for anyone. Mr. J didn't want to wait and re-seeded and stuff. We have more grass than anyone... and we barely have any. No, we have nothing cool in our house (regarding rocking chair).  |
| If the tope of the soil is dry, and in my pots the dirt shrinks away from sides, then I know I need to water. Otherwise I wing it, on hotter days, I water more frequently.
The chair then has the exact same back and same color as our wooden rocking chair. When you seed the lawn, if the ground is hard you should poke holes everywhere or have someone come in with an areator. Then have a layer of topsoil mix, and then seed. It takes alot of water to get established. |
| I use Bach Rescue remedy 5 drops in a gallon of water
on the plants every 3 weeks in addition to rapid grow. Its really helped alot on plants that were struggling. Works great for us!  |
| My hubby used a really stinky seed topper mixture.
My husband told me not to let the area get dry. So I was watering it for about 5 minutes 4 times a day. Within a week I saw the little babies sprouting up. In two weeks we had grass!! |
| Hi,
Like Daisie mentioned if you know the zone you lived in that would be beneficial. You would also be a successful gardener by not fighting nature..but plant things that are local to the environment. Sorta like someone trying to plant a flower that comes from Arizona to a wet climate such as where I live. Chances are even with the best care the plant is not going to survive no matter how well I take care of it. So back to the zone..you can either pick up a book on zones at the library..(all of North America is listed in gardening books) or just ask the local garden center. Next..check plant labels...they will tell you if the plant you are purchasing is good from zones 3-5 for example..or 5-7..ect..you can bend the rules a bit but not much. The plant labels will also tell you if it's a shade or sun plant...dry or moist soil...that tiny label does help. If you know what to look for..you'll find it so beneficial. Check your soil...is it moist, dry, clay like..??? Again the label tells you what kind of soil the plant you are choosing likes. Not all plants are created equal!! Hey happy gardening!!! Oh last thing forgot to mention don't think Mr J did anything wrong as the tiny plants he purchased probably weren't root bound..(that's the only time you have to stick your fingers and spread the roots a bit) The plants you purchased are annuals..(the outdoor pics) meaning they don't come back. Most plants that are root bound are the perennials - the ones that come back year after year and may have outgrown their original pot. Here on the coast the rule of thumb is not to plant the annuals until after Mothers Day. As your climate is cooler - you may have put them out a bit too soon before they "hardened off". They come from a nice cozy greenhouse and placed immediately outside..a no no..they have to be Hardened off..meaning..placed outside in the daytime and brought in at night..eventually getting them use to the cooler weather than the greenhouse. Just takes a couple days and then you can leave them permantly outside. Hope that helped a bit. Marianne and the boys |
| Thanks, those are helpful tips! I'll have to look more into the zone we're in. I have no clue.
Marianne, I learned a lot from your post! |
| Jo-
that "lily" from the picture is a plantain lily, better known as ye old HOSTA! They are very hardy, and love the shade, so find somewhere shady to plant it outside and it'll do great! One note on the blueberries- they MUST have acidic soil to be happy and bear fruit, so I would make sure to add a soil acidifer around the plant(look for stuff that says for azaleas, rhododendron and other acid loving plants) then just scratch in around the blueberries - since it is already planted, make sure to fertilize with an acidic fertilizer such as MIRACID too, after it is done flowering (if it isn't already) My raspberries and blackberries aren't doing so sparkly (Next time, I'm not buying bare root) generally they like sunny spots with sandy ish soil, but they're pretty flexible. watch out for the strawberries... they creep around, so they'll start to take over if they aren't in a contained spot!
Feel free to pm me if you have ?s!!! |
| Wow, you know so much! I can't wait for Mr. J to come home so I can make him go to the store. Got to take care of our new plants/bushes!
We found out last night that it was YUKI eating the lily. Poor thing only has 2 leaves now. We found a new home for it. Apparently the window wasn't a good idea. |
| I thought it looked like a Hosta. Those things are pretty hardy, but I don't know if they're any match for a sheepdog! |
| The labels usually have a map on them, so it makes it easy to find out what zone you're in.
My suggestion would be to "PRAY" for their wellbeing, growth and long life. Another good prayer would be that you acquire a "green thumb", so to speak.
My hubby tells me that plants shriek (and cringe) when they see me coming! And, yes I read the labels too....  Good luck.
mouthypf |
Quote: The labels usually have a map on them, so it makes it easy to find out what zone you're in. None of these did  Anyway, ever since I was 18 and would buy "a plant" to take care of... I would do the cross your fingers and pray game. Mine always die, but back then... I think in an effort to be the best plant owner ever... I watered them too much.  Quote: I thought it looked like a Hosta. Those things are pretty hardy, but I don't know if they're any match for a sheepdog!
I was surprised you guys were even able to tell what it was. I swear it was pretty when it left the store. I'm still mad at Yuki.  I think we're keeping it inside instead of planting it.
Iriskmj, Mr. J really found your info useful  |
| Yep- get that hosta outside where yuksters will (hopefully) leave it alone... this is their prime growing season, but they're really not indoor plants... It'll be much happier out in a shady spot mine are going gang buster right now... too bad that I don't like most of the ones I have!
I'm glad that advice helped Hope you guys have a very fruitful gardening year! |
| Oh my! While I have gardened high in the Colorado Rockies where the number of growing days was around 60 if we were lucky.....Alaska where you are is around 100 days........I have no idea how the long sunshine will affect your gardening.
I do know you'll need to stick to cool type plants, no semi tropicals for you. Also growing perennial flowers is possible, but they'll all bloom at once instead of staggered like down here. That's why I'm always having trouble with bloom sequence because my earliest garden was at 10,000 feet elevation! Everything happened at once. Alaska is known for those mammoth cabbages thanks to the long sun, so I suspect that will overcome some of the cool weather problems. Anyway, check out this link. Click on the Master Gardener newsletter and do the reading. Then contact your Cooperative Extension Service and their Master Gardeners. These guys are trained to answer your gardening questions. I know, I've been training Master Gardeners for 26 years down here. The MG's will be able to answer questions about soils, insects, watering, etc. Pick there brains.........that's what they are there for! New grasses need to be kept moist to germinate, but once up and growing, you can cut back the watering.......gradually. You don't need disease coming in. Miracle Gro once a week for container plants......try diluting it a bit. Maybe half strength instead. I'm assuming the containers have drainage holes............please! Water until the the water starts coming out the holes. then stop. Make sure the soil is dry before watering otherwise you'll kill by overwatering. Also feel the soil edges......in containers the soil will shrink back a bit.......push it back to the edges. Yes, sometimes the plants come from the nursery and the roots are wound around tight. When setting into the new soil, tease the roots apart a bit, but not to where you tease them all off.......that's not good. Too rich a potting soil can cause problems. So many have too much organic matter and it interferes with drainage and soil aeration. The "lily" could be a Peace Lily or Spathyphyllum. This would be a variegated variety which I haven't seen, but then I haven't kept up with new houseplant varieties. As to if the plant will recover.......depends how much stored enery the plant had before the accident. Good chance tho it will recover. They like bright, but indirect light (no direct sun) Of course if you are in a cloudy period, the plant can move closer to the window. Here plants fry from our sun. Water well, then wait until the upper half inch of soil is dry before watering again. Anything else I've missed?? susan |
| ooops, the URL for Alaska MG's http://www.uaf.edu/coop-ext/publications/index.html
susan |
| Wow Susan, you rock! I feel like a goon calling my husband at work to tell him these updates, but I think he appreciate them as much as I do. Today we're having a neighborhood block party, and everyone wants to do a cleanup of the backyards (just woods, rocks, and moose ...now) because of my husband's nice garden (well.. "start" of one). |
| You realize there is no way to keep a moose from your yard. No fence will keep them out. So enjoy what you have and realize someday Bullwinkle will come and eat everything or stomp it all the bits.
Locally, on the east side of town that abutts the mountain, deer live in the subdivisions. Well, lately some bozo has decided to start hunting the deer, right in the neighborhoods. Police are despertly looking for this idiot. Hope you read the Master Gardener newsletters and other Extension Service info. They are there for you. susan |
| Sorry to keep coming back.............in reading the publications......I've noticed emphasis on warming the soil. Raised beds, raised rows and the use of clear plastic. So if you want tomatoes you really have to work for them!
Also the raised beds would help with drainage for the wet periods. Moss on lawns??? Gee, what's moss........and this year, what's a lawn?? How fortunate most garden insects common down here haven't found their way up there! And I see limestone is recommended for many soils.........something just the opposite here. Our soils over filled with lime. Good luck with the garden. susan |
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