A visit to K Mart.....

looking for clear saucers for my new garden bed in the guest bedroom....  turned out to be a nice adventure!  A brand new display of orchids was so attractive!  And so healthy looking!  I looked at the prices and they were very attractive also!  So, one miniature (for $6.93) and one full size (for $10.93) just hopped right into my cart because they liked the invitation to a brand new growing location without much competition right now!

I am thinking the miniature looks a bit lonely and might need a companion?  She is sooo adorable!

And then when I got home, I checked the little succulent fairy garden that I had sprayed with "kill any varmints" bug spray to prepare it to come indoors and decided it could move inside and onto the "new garden bed" in the guest room also!

So, the adventure has begun...…       hmmmm I recall seeing mini rose bushes for $5 at HyVee recently!

Polly moved in to live with us!

I was in Home Depot recently, in the indoor plant area, just in time to hear a sales person explaining to a customer about this distinctive looking plant,  I stopped to listen as the plant had caught my attention right away!  I was thinking of my two pots for the living room that were waiting for plants and decided this was just right for the smaller pot.  So Polly jumped right into my cart and came home with me!  She was only $7, which was a bonus that made me happy!

Polly is an 'alocasia' who needs indirect light in indoor settings.  Average home temperatures 62-82 degrees and grows 12-24" tall.  She will  fit right in to our environment and is looking pretty attractive and is almost her mature height!  Now to find just the right partner for her for the larger pot!

I am so lucky that our new fur family members (Reggie and Redford") welcomed her by just snuffing at her and walking away!  So far the boys have won me over with their disinterest in any plants and flowers I have brought into the house!  They get extra petting for being so compatible with the rest of my growing family who are moving in with us!

Repotting Time?

Time to consider repotting me for Minnesota Winters!

I am surviving Spring and Summer in MN without lake time at the cabin quite well!  Adding some containers and hanging baskets along with more time to spend in the flower and hosta beds has been rewarding!  

But rolling into Sept. has had me thinking about what I am going to do about the long MN Winter and missing my Jan. thru March container gardening in AZ without snowbirding there!  I've been recalling prior to 13 years ago when I had house plants and success with African Violets in the guest bedroom window!  

So, I got rid of the queen size bed in the guest room by replacing it with an adorable loveseat and end table... creating space for some indoor gardening by the windows with a brand new shelving unit at Home Depot on sale!  Then I found a pair of containers I wasn't using and a spot for them in the living room!  (guests will get a blow up  bed now if they show up)

Doesn't this look exciting?     Stay tuned for the next chapters of this adventure!

P.S.  I have "been there...done that.." with grow lights in the basement.  There are stairs between upstairs and basement that just don't work for me any more!  And, 3 years of that was enough when I had big crop failure with dampening off happen!  

Drying hydrangea blooms!

Time to do this if you want to enjoy them for awhile!

I noticed this morning that my Lime Light blooms are huge this year and at their peak!  Time to bring some in the house!

On Facebook today I watched a video on how to pick and dry them so decided to share it with you,

Proven Winners video....how to dry hydrangeas CLICK HERE!

Jumping worms!

In case you are not aware of this threat to our garden beds!

We learned about 'Jumping Worms" a year ago but were not too concerned.  But, this summer we became concerned when two gardening friends discovered them in their garden beds!  Also they have been discovered near our local county compost site, which we use!

Yep, we figure it is time to become cautious and take action to lower our risk!  The best way to tell you about this special worm invasion is to advise you to check out this web site:  CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT JUMPING WORMS

I’ve not been too concerned but recently two major hosta gardening friends here have found them and are busy combating them.   (One has 1,000 varieties of hostas and one several hundred!)   How they got the jumping worms  was from eggs that were in the bagged mulch they purchased in box stores this year.  They don’t mulch their hostas but do use it in some areas on paths thru and near their beds filled with hostas as well as some perennial beds.   The recommendation is to purchase bulk mulch from local sources.  But, like many of us, we like the convenience of bagged mulch as it is easier to transport to where you want it instead of shoveling and wheeling bulk stuff!  Thus, these gardeners had elected to continue to do the convenient thing and find it brought these worms into their garden beds.  Luckily they discovered them quickly and are tackling getting rid of them before they spread, hopefully.

Just thought you should be aware of this issue as we have them found near our county compost site.  But, being heat kills them they are not in the finished compost here at this point in time anyhow.   Our compost site is posted to alert people to be watchful when picking up the compost and using it and to let them know if any of them are found!     So, it is a problem that is close to home.

Needless to say, we have purchased our last bag of shredded mulch!  I don’t use this kind of mulch much, mostly around shrubs and some perennial areas.

I do not mulch my hostas as I don't like how it works its way into the hosta crowns.

Recently I have experimented with a tiny pine wood chips mulch and am anxious to see how it worked thru the winter this year.  I find I don't need it as deep and it stays in place thru rain and looks great!  It is not easy to find, but I found Gerten's in Apple Valley has it in stock and it is priced the same as other mulches!

Is your front door in shade?

How's this for an eye catching combination to welcome people to your shady front door?

It sure caught my attention when I arrived at my gardening friend Barb's front door recently!

Love that unusual variety of fern in the middle!  And then I discovered I was with her when she purchased it this spring!  Needless to say, it is going on my shopping list for Spring 2020 when I go with her again as we will both be looking for it!  (she lost the tag so we don't have the variety name!)

If you've got space for this....it is awesome!

So love seeing plants that are new to me on Garden Tours! 

This time it was a "WOW, what is that!" being asked by a group of us gathering around it!

The answer was "Vertigo" an annual grass here in MN!  Full sun!  It was over 4 ft tall and still not it's mature height in late July!  It is expected to reach up to 96" tall!  Definitely dramatic!  If only we still  had the cabin, this would get planted next spring for sure!  Two of them!   I'll have to see how creative I can get next spring in my minimal sun spots!  I understand Sargeant's in Rochester had it available this year!


For more information CLICK HERE!

"Vertigo"  Proven Winners