I had a message from the USPS this morning. My hostas from Chris are about to be delivered. Hurrah! Of course, it's going to be in the 90s the next three days.
I visited a garden last Friday in Phoenix, NY. Hostas upon hostas, some six feet wide and three feet tall. Such abundance. The gardener there gave me a great bit of advice about identifying hostas: he said," bury the plant tag under the plant. Make another tag to stick near the plant. Even when that one get lost, you know you'll only have to dig up the hosta to find out what iti is."
It sounds like wonderful advice when all your plants are in raised beds, in very friable, loose planting mix and come out as easy as pie. I would hate to have to dig up one of mine just to see what it is.
I am intrigued by the idea of soilless mixes. He would not divulge his own recipe, only to say that no soil was involved.
What are other people doing?
Sigh! So much to learn and do.
I will post pictures soon.
With regards,
Antje is Muddy fingernails
Notification of impending delivery
Moderators: ViolaAnn, redcrx, Chris_W
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Muddy fingernails
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Jun 30, 2006 7:20 am
- Location: Wayne County, NY Zone 5B ( thanks, Lake Ontario)
Notification of impending delivery
Look for me in the garden.
Mapping your garden on paper would be a better back-up system, not requiring the digging up of the plants.
I HATE it when someone (that "gardener") refuses to share a recipe for soil (or food.) Makes them feel like they have a secret, and therefore self-important.
Soil-less mixtures are one thing, but real, living soil contains things plants need to really thrive. I wouldn't worry about it.
ENJOY your new hostas!
John
I HATE it when someone (that "gardener") refuses to share a recipe for soil (or food.) Makes them feel like they have a secret, and therefore self-important.
Soil-less mixtures are one thing, but real, living soil contains things plants need to really thrive. I wouldn't worry about it.
ENJOY your new hostas!
John
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Muddy fingernails
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Jun 30, 2006 7:20 am
- Location: Wayne County, NY Zone 5B ( thanks, Lake Ontario)
Soilless mix
John,
I think he sells that stuff. More power to him!
The map of my hostas is one of those wonderful ideas I wish I had time to do. I started collecting last year and should have done the map then. Now it's out of control and hostas are growing everywhere. I took pictures of all of them but have not yet identified them.
And having to rely on memory...well, that's even worse.
Antje is Muddy fingernails
I think he sells that stuff. More power to him!
The map of my hostas is one of those wonderful ideas I wish I had time to do. I started collecting last year and should have done the map then. Now it's out of control and hostas are growing everywhere. I took pictures of all of them but have not yet identified them.
And having to rely on memory...well, that's even worse.
Antje is Muddy fingernails
Look for me in the garden.
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Rookie_Green_Thumb
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Jun 06, 2007 10:51 am
- Location: Zone 6 KY
I got a great idea from a magazine for those of you all who may be interested in scrapbooking.
Taking your landscaping maps and using those as scrapbooking materials. Use your plant tags and make a colored map on the pages to keep plants identified, and a little description of each one.
I just started, and have only completed one page...but its a fun way to 'garden' on those 90+ days when you just cannot get out there.
Taking your landscaping maps and using those as scrapbooking materials. Use your plant tags and make a colored map on the pages to keep plants identified, and a little description of each one.
I just started, and have only completed one page...but its a fun way to 'garden' on those 90+ days when you just cannot get out there.
Jaime
Antje, It sounds like you enjoyed that tour, in spite of the gardener not wanting to let you in on his secret.
I have some that have a buried label under them, but there's not too many times that I'm going to dig the hosta up just to see what it is.
I keep a list, just a list, not a map, of each individual hosta bed and what's in it. If I move something, I make a note on the master list that it's been moved, and I also try to stop long enough to write down on another temporary list that I keep all year of things I've moved or new plants and where they are. Then, at the end of the year, when things slow down a bit, I go around and make up a new master list for the year. I find if I at least have the name of every hosta in the bed, I can keep track of them.
I may have to go and check the hosta library or a reference book now and then, but usually just the name is enough.
I do occasionally have a few that slip through. I have one pretty little hosta that I got from a friend on the day she bought it, but she has lost her tag and doesn't remember what it was. I just know it was one I didn't have! It's far better to come up with something that works for you when you are just getting started. I'd be lost now without my lists.
Linda p
I have some that have a buried label under them, but there's not too many times that I'm going to dig the hosta up just to see what it is.
I keep a list, just a list, not a map, of each individual hosta bed and what's in it. If I move something, I make a note on the master list that it's been moved, and I also try to stop long enough to write down on another temporary list that I keep all year of things I've moved or new plants and where they are. Then, at the end of the year, when things slow down a bit, I go around and make up a new master list for the year. I find if I at least have the name of every hosta in the bed, I can keep track of them.
I may have to go and check the hosta library or a reference book now and then, but usually just the name is enough.
I do occasionally have a few that slip through. I have one pretty little hosta that I got from a friend on the day she bought it, but she has lost her tag and doesn't remember what it was. I just know it was one I didn't have! It's far better to come up with something that works for you when you are just getting started. I'd be lost now without my lists.
Linda p
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten.....
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Latitude: 41° 51' 12.1572"
My Hosta List
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten.....
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Latitude: 41° 51' 12.1572"
My Hosta List
I dio a simple list too.. going against the clock around my garden,calling the beds : Shed, cherry tree, grapewine ect. .. no reason why 
and then an other list of all the new ones from 2007.. continued from year to year...
If i just remember to do the last list everything can be figued out, specially if you do a note if they die
Pia
and then an other list of all the new ones from 2007.. continued from year to year...
If i just remember to do the last list everything can be figued out, specially if you do a note if they die
Pia
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com