Your All Things Plants weekly news: July 13, 2013

There were 7 new gardening ideas posted last week:

Lilies for the Garden

By pardalinum
July 13, 2013
Lilies for the Garden

Hybrid lilies (genus Lilium) are sorted into eight divisions that are based on their genetic background. The most common and readily available lilies for the garden are from Division I, Asiatic hybrids; Division VI, Trumpet hybrids; Division VII, Oriental hybrids; and Division VIII, Interspecific or hybrids that don't fit into any of the other seven divisions. (1,082 words - Read the full article)

(2 comments)

Natural Air Freshener

By threegardeners
July 12, 2013
Natural Air Freshener

I always leave a few Milkweed plants under the windows in the garden. When I open the windows in the evening the scent coming into the house is intoxicating.

(one comment)

ATP Podcast #26: The most heat tolerant plants

By dave
July 11, 2013
ATP Podcast #26: The most heat tolerant plants

In this episode of the All Things Plants podcast, Dave and Trish go through their list of the most heat resistant plants. Tropicals, cacti, succulents, tough-as-nails perennials, annuals, wildflowers and much more!

(10 comments)

Glossary Tip - Top Dress

By goldfinch4
July 10, 2013
Glossary Tip - Top Dress

To spread an even layer of soil amendments over the top of the soil. Top dressing can be used to add fertilizer, smooth out the surface, improve soil texture, prevent weeds, hold in moisture, or add a finished look.

(no comments)

Black Birch and Toothaches

By Sharon
July 9, 2013
Black Birch and Toothaches

It was a tree just like any other growing in the mountains of Southeast Kentucky, but it glowed like gold in the fall mountain sunshine. I watched Aunt Bett use her pocket knife to cut a little twig from it. She rarely used her pocket knife. Usually, she just broke off what she needed. Then she began to chew on the cut end of the twig, and I began to pay attention. (1,346 words - Read the full article)

(8 comments)

Catching the Tomato Horn Worm

By WormslovUsharon
July 8, 2013
Catching the Tomato Horn Worm

When I have horn worm damage on my tomato plants, I follow the poop. They are usually just above it. And I also flip old poop off so I can follow the new and not waste my time with the old.

(4 comments)

Dealing with Cutworms

By Robynznest
July 7, 2013
Dealing with Cutworms

Wrap newspaper pieces around the trunk of the plants when planting to help keep cutworms away.

(17 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Waves of Joy') by tink3472:
Image from plant ID 551896

Photo of Miltassia Shelob (Miltassia) by Ted5310:
Image from plant ID 127407

Photo of Lily (Lilium 'Black Beauty') by jmorth:
Image from plant ID 77538

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Daniel Boone') by dormantsrule:
Image from plant ID 44719

Photo of Parry's Agave (Agave parryi var. huachucensis) by tarev:
Image from plant ID 71524

Photo of Bee Balm (Monarda 'Peter's Purple') by robertduval14:
Image from plant ID 75391

The most popular image sets from last week:

Image Set by eclayne:
Image by eclayne

Image Set by webesemps:
Image by webesemps

Image Set by woofie:
Image by woofie

Image Set by valleylynn:
Image by valleylynn

Image Set by ge1836:
Image by ge1836

Image Set by ge1836:
Image by ge1836

Noteworthy acorn tips given this week:
6 people gave for Black Birch and Toothaches

4 people gave for a post by Leftwood under "Seeds from Columbine"

4 people gave for Lilies for the Garden

4 people gave for a post by Polymerous under "Moon Gardens"

3 people gave for a post by Polymerous under "proposal for new microbadge"

3 people gave for Glossary Tip - Top Dress

2 people gave for a post by Bonehead under "Crocosmia (Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Woodside Select')"

2 people gave for a blog post by tinpins

2 people gave for the image set #208 by webesemps

2 people gave for a post by RickCorey under "Untitled"

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies
2013 OT Lilies magnolialover Lilies forum 73
Custom menu bar links dave Site Talk forum 48
OT - The Porch Swing • Summer #2, 2013 daylily Daylilies forum 31
Mini Sedum in mini containers Otter Sedum forum 29
Lots of invisible updates this morning - report bugs here dave Site Talk forum 27
Seeds from Columbine Jude Ask a Question forum 23
A new member gone missing??? enidcandles Site Talk forum 23
Needed: site banners for Lilies week dave Site Talk forum 23
Beta testing an experiment: Ask a Gardener dave Site Talk forum 22

Some new recommendations from our members:
bpsgarden recommended Maryott's Gardens and wrote:

Amazing daylily company. Most of my daylilies have come from them. An example, my last order was for two BOGOs and two regular daylilies. I was also expecting their free summer special daylily worth $30, although there is a $65 free special right now that is beautiful, and because they state they deliver no less then a double fan I figured there would be at least 14 fans total. Instead I had 42 counting all the extra bonus lilies they sent!!!(that is counting the little fans too). I was so excited. They sent me two of their special $30 daylilies too. This was my second order from them this year. Some of the first daylilies I received already have flowers. The shipping seemed a little high to me, but when I got my order it had the price of shipping right on the box so I know I wasn't overcharged. I had a couple of questions also, and they got back to me right away. I would recommend them for anyone who wants large healthy daylily plants delivered right to their door. The first picture is only a week after I got that plant. I hadn't even had time to take the tag and dead leaves off (and weed or mulch yet, as you can obviously see in my new flower bed. lol) and I already had a bud. That wasnt the largest of all the plants I received either. The second picture is of my first daylily of the year. I removed most of the buds just so the plants can get established but saved a couple on the really large sets of fans - thanks to Maryott's, I am enjoying my flowerbed already.

greene recommended Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and wrote:

Positive experience: This was my first time ordering and I am very pleased. I did a little unofficial test on seeds from three sources and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange won hands down. Fast germination, good percentage, and strong, healthy plants. I also like their paper catalog; it had a 'homey' feel to it. I will definitely order again.

Dodecatheon3 recommended Bluegrass Daylily Gardens and wrote:

Wonderful plants at good prices. My daylily order was received in early-mid May as requested. The plants quickly grew new leaves & all but one plant out of five has scapes less than two months after planting. Nice bonus fans & plants. There was a mix up with my order & Chuck did a FANTASTIC job making it right! Great communication through email too. Highly recommended.

Some numbers from last week: