Author: susansdailygarden

Success, Squirrels, and Pencils

Last year was my second year of trying intentional crosses to create new daylilies. This is something just for fun for me, and an opportunity to learn more and try out new challenges. I am not doing it to create anything certified. Nothing fancy. I put all the “same cross” into one pot. This is, as the old saying goes, “for kicks and giggles”.

The crosses between Marque Moon and China Doll were definitely the most successful last year. Of 38 seeds, we have eleven seedlings. We also have other seedlings – of the pencil mishap variety. I labeled some batches in pencil and it got washed away. On those I can guesstimate, but I cannot say for absolute certain what they are. Although a bummer, I’m still happy those worked, and if/when they bloom I will have fun guesstimating what they were.

And then there are the squirrel mishaps – where they seedlings were outside the box and the squirrels dug in the dirt. Those were a loss. Those very naughty squirrels!

Learning as we go here. This year I will do only two or three types of intentional crosses so that everything fits in the planter, protected by the screen.


What’s blooming?

Back from some PTO from work, it it time to catch up.

First, very exciting, I have 11 intentional daylily crosses growing into plants. Crosses that made seed, stratified, sprouted, and are now looking like baby daylilies (because they are lol). Blooms are a few years out, but that is very exciting.

Up north, some grapevine hyacinth that were from a watch ‘em grow garden (forced) a few years ago are blooming away. Very encouraging that the deer are not eating them. I had hoped they would escape being munchies.

Yes, hidden in the woodland foliage, but that is fine for now. I am adding to that area. I just planted some forced daffodils, and they, too, should be deer resistant when they come up next and subsequent years.

At the townhouse, the bluebells clematis wrapped up a couple weeks ago.

They now have their puffs

The tulips, of course, are done blooming. We only had a few this year.

At the historic cemetery the daffodils did well year one.

And the transplanted irises did very well and are continuing to bloom.

Right now at the townhouse the wiegelia is in full bloom.

The first hosta scape is about to bloom.

And the forget-me-nots are starting to bloom.

Lastly, one of the ninebarks is also blooming.

At the historic cemetery, the transplanted daylily won the race to show the first scapes and buds.

More transplanting there to be done this year, for sure – daylilies and irises. The iris bed is coming along nicely. A lot more work to be done there, but little by little. Today it was a bit of border, to keep the mulch from washing out. One more box of 12 sections and that should do it. And then clean up what is on the sidewalk. But more on that later.

Finally did it!

Happy Spring, and Happy Gardening Season!

Things here have been going along at quite a clip! The gardens are back in full swing. Time to start the blog back up and share the garden activity again.
One of our first projects once we saw what had survived the winter was to do a bit of transplanting. The daylily seedling mini-bed that went from brainchild to reality to “oops that is kind of ugly and a bit shy on sun exposure” to “nah, nixing that idea” was pretty much decommissioned last year. It did, however, provide a home for some pollinator created seedlings to mature a a bit. This spring it was time to take a big, potentially risky transplant step, part of which I have been contemplating for years. The idea – swap locations for two beautiful mature Ivory Queen hostas and two daylily seedlings. The Ivory Queen hostas needed to be moved out of their sun overexposure location, and the daylily seedlings needed more sun. Further supporting the decision, one of the two hostas was fairy ringing. They had been in that location a while. It was definitely time for a swap. But would we like the look?

My husband was the digger, and I was the planter. Digging out the hostas was as tough as I thought, and nerve wracking. But the hostas as well as the 2-3 year old daylily seedlings all not only survived, they are thriving. The hostas now have more shade, and the daylilies now have the sun they need.

Good choice.

Happy Spring 2024!

Happy Spring 2024! Gardening season has begun in earnest here. A few weeks ago my forced daffodils started blooming. They are now wrapping up, and tonight will be their first night outdoors. Their greens need to fade back before I can cut them back and plant them in the ground. Location TBD.
Here are the last of the blooms.

The sedum I left out for the birds and bunnies are all cut back, the daylilies, sedum, tulip, and crocus are all coming up, and the Bluebells clematis has buds. Coffee grounds (to prevent slugs) are already on half of the garden areas. It might not be official spring, but spring has sprung in Minnesota. No question about it. And the mosquitoes got the memo too. 10 minutes of sitting out by the little gas fire pit, and the first one made an appearance. Where is that bin of repellents? Better take stock now.

Changes a-coming

Besides the daylilies being done for the year and the linden starting to look very fall-ish, and the sedum making me smile, I feel like yet more changes are a-coming.

Sometimes children – grown and tiny bring you along on their journey. So it is that, besides the cabin build-out up north, an enormous gardening opportunity has presented itself, one that, frankly, is even more than I would tackle alone. But the beauty is that it is not mine.

I find myself astonished that I am looking forward to NOT being the owner. What is going on?

And who was it that looked at me oh those many years ago and said, “Don’t let those daylily seeds go to waste! You know you can save them and plant them!” Yes, indeed. In addition to some going up north and maybe some to the historic garden, I think they may look beautiful in your new gardens 🥰

Critters

It appears the the hot pepper by the transplanted coneflower has become less efficient in repelling bunnies. Their fair share 😉

And at the historic cemetery it seems that the wild turkeys may think some of the transplanted irises are theirs. Or some sort of wild turkeys at least 😂

Daffodils should solve that 🙂

Realistically, this may be it this season

Realistically, this picture may represent the remainder of the garden enhancements this year

50 daffodils bulbs, to go into the historic cemetery fence garden (to deter moles).

Over Labor Day weekend our September calendar filled up to bursting. All good stuff but not in our gardens. (Maybe others 😉 we shall see)

And we have a milestone anniversary right among all that.

So daffodils it will be. And then just gradual clean up and beginning to get ready for the long winter.

The old seedling bed, the last potted plant

The old seedling bed is no more.

I have tucked the last of those seedlings into a more sunny area

and made room for hostas to go into that more shady area.

The last hosta cutting (which was an accidental pulling) is also planted in another shaded area. (I have pulled out some non-productive clematis.)

Now any more transplanting I get done in the townhome gardens this fall is bonus.

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! (In the US) The unofficial end of summer. Soon school buses will be picking kids up again, harvest activities will be planned, and gardens will pick up speed toward eventual winterizing.

But for today, we are enjoying some early morning time outside and I am increasingly enjoying the new daylily seedling bed. It is holding up well and encouraging me to get the hostas out of the other side with very similar exposure.