Your All Things Plants weekly news: November 2, 2013

There were 7 new gardening ideas posted last week:

By Xeramtheum
November 2, 2013 No-Stress Plant Repotting
Many years ago I totally changed the way I repotted plants that don’t like their roots disturbed and I have never lost a plant since. Since then I have repotted all of my plants this way. When I start seeing roots coming out the bottom, I know it’s time to repot. (278 words - Read the full article)
(no comments)

By frankrichards16
November 1, 2013 Permanent Plant Markers
I use fiberglass rods and Brother laminated tape. Here's how: (152 words - Read the full article)
(12 comments)

By Skiekitty
October 31, 2013 Push the Zone
If you suffer from cold winters and you have tender plants that are doomed to live outside, but shouldn't in your zone, try this: Get a black bucket that a big perennial came in, cut the bottom off, wiggle it around the plant, and fill it with natural mulch (not colored/dyed). I have many zone 7 roses that survive my zone 5/4 winters when I do this.
(11 comments)

By frostweed
October 30, 2013 American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana
American Beautyberry decorates the fall landscape with lovely cascading color while providing lots of food for birds and small mammals. (156 words - Read the full article)
(22 comments)

By Newyorkrita
October 29, 2013 Collect Curbside Fall Leaves for Free Mulch
Each fall the last task to put the garden to sleep is to mulch everything with a thick blanket of fallen leaves. If you are like me, you don't have enough of your own to go on all of your beds. So, I go around my neighborhood and collect the bagged leaves put out by the curb. (127 words - Read the full article)
(35 comments)

By fiwit
October 28, 2013 Tutorial: Easy-Peasy Raised Beds
When I first moved into my house, I diligently dug flower beds by de-turfing the 20-year-old Zoysia grass and tilling up the red Georgia clay. Then one day I realized I could simply build raised beds, and it cut my bed-creation time in half. I can now build an 8ft by 16ft raised bed in about a day, and here's how I do it: (1,098 words - Read the full article)
(43 comments)

By Shawwannda
October 27, 2013 Protecting Your Favorite Plant(s) During Construction
The priorities of a gardener! We were going through the two day process of having our roof replaced and I didn't want my li'l "Dragon" to get destroyed in the process. What's a gardener to do? (139 words - Read the full article)
(3 comments)

The most popular images last week from our plant database:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Crintonic Painted Desert') by Char:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Spring Garden Greetings') by Betja:

Photo of Daylilies by admmad:

Photo of Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Forest') by vic:

Photo of Flowering Maple (Abutilon 'Moonchimes') by robertduval14:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Lake of Fire') by valleyrimgirl:

The most popular Multi-Plant Photos from last week:

Multi-plant photo by 4susiesjoy:

Multi-plant photo by poisondartfrog:

Multi-plant photo by 4susiesjoy:

Multi-plant photo by poisondartfrog:

Multi-plant photo by ge1836:

Multi-plant photo by Newyorkrita:

Noteworthy acorn tips given this week:
11 people gave for the idea "Tutorial: Easy-Peasy Raised Beds" by fiwit
4 people gave for a post in "And the winners are...!" by blue23rose
4 people gave for the idea "Permanent Plant Markers" by frankrichards16
4 people gave for a post in "Banner for October 30, 2013 by angele" by angele
4 people gave for the idea "American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana" by frostweed
3 people gave for a post in "Banner for November 2, 2013 by mcash70" by mcash70
3 people gave for a post in "Digging & Storing Dahlias" by frankrichards16
2 people gave for the idea "Push the Zone" by Skiekitty
2 people gave for a photo of (Phlox subulata 'Cotton Candy') by treehugger
2 people gave for the idea "A Tool Cleaning Tip" by Claudia

Noteworthy acorn tips given this week:
11 people gave for the idea "Tutorial: Easy-Peasy Raised Beds" by fiwit 4 people gave for a post in "And the winners are...!" by blue23rose 4 people gave for the idea "Permanent Plant Markers" by frankrichards16 4 people gave for a post in "Banner for October 30, 2013 by angele" by angele 4 people gave for the idea "American Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana" by frostweed 3 people gave for a post in "Banner for November 2, 2013 by mcash70" by mcash70 3 people gave for a post in "Digging & Storing Dahlias" by frankrichards16 2 people gave for the idea "Push the Zone" by Skiekitty 2 people gave for a photo of (Phlox subulata 'Cotton Candy') by treehugger 2 people gave for the idea "A Tool Cleaning Tip" by Claudia

The most active threads this week:
Subject OP Area Replies

OT - The Porch Swing daylily Daylilies forum 204

Smilies not working correctly flaflwrgrl Site Talk forum 58

Secrets of the Soil hazelnut Permaculture forum 38

Great job! Newyorkrita Tutorial: Easy-Peasy Raised Beds 37

Moving plants inside drdawg Tropicals forum 30

Banner for October 30, 2013 by angele angele Site Banners forum 28

Alfalfa Pellets tgarden711 Daylilies forum 28

Status update on the site dave Site Talk forum 28

I'm sure this has been talked about before... sheryl Containers forum 26

The most active threads this week:
Subject	OP	Area	Replies
OT - The Porch Swing	daylily	Daylilies forum	204
Smilies not working correctly	flaflwrgrl	Site Talk forum	58
Secrets of the Soil	hazelnut	Permaculture forum	38
Great job!	Newyorkrita	Tutorial: Easy-Peasy Raised Beds	37
Moving plants inside	drdawg	Tropicals forum	30
Banner for October 30, 2013 by angele	angele	Site Banners forum	28
Alfalfa Pellets	tgarden711	Daylilies forum	28
Status update on the site	dave	Site Talk forum	28
I'm sure this has been talked about before...	sheryl	Containers forum	26

Some new recommendations from our members:

lovemyhouse recommended Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs and wrote:
After I won second prize in the ATP Bulbs Not-a-Raffle Raffle and chose Old House Gardens, Dave duly sent OHG my contact information. I subsequently received an email from them, saying that the bulbs offered were only marginal for my area and asking whether I would be willing to take substitutions better suited to my zone. Listen to expert advice and get personally selected products? Heck, yeah, I would take substitutes!!! When I got the bulbs, I saw that they not only had substituted for me, but also had matched the dollar amount of the original selections, which meant I actually received 23 bulbs--nearly double the original quantity. Each selection was tidily packaged in a brown paper bag and clearly labeled. Plus, instructions, a catalogue, and a Double Pink Poppy seed packet were included in the box. Such outstanding customer service even when they were not getting any direct cash for the transaction might be something to keep in mind if you are considering placing an order now or in the future with Old House Gardens.

plantladylin recommended Touch of Nature, Inc. and wrote:
Although my order was quite small with this company (I only ordered 3 Amaryllis bulbs), I give Touch of Nature an A+ for customer service and communication, which were exemplary. I received a confirmation e-mail with an estimated shipping date very soon after placing my order and another e-mail including tracking information when the product shipped. My order arrived today; packaging was superb and the bulbs were large and very healthy (with one being the largest Amaryllis bulb I've ever seen!) I highly recommend this company and will definitely do business with them again!

tropicalover recommended Wellspring Gardens and wrote:
This is a place I do a lot of business with because everything I have ever received (have done business with them for many years) has always been of high quality. Wellspring is at the top of my list!

jmorth recommended McClure & Zimmerman and wrote:
Though I'm not a fan of M & Z's parent company, this division receives praise for bulbs received therefrom. Some of the cultivars cannot be found elsewhere. They have a good selection.

Dodecatheon3 recommended Maryott's Gardens and wrote:
Don't hesitate to order from Maryott Gardens. They offer rust-free healthy plants, they are very generous with bonus/gift plants, and they are a top-notch operation. Bill & Marilyn Maryott have a great website & beautiful flowers at excellent prices. Take advantage of their weekly summer specials offered on highly desirable varieties when a new order is placed or additions are made to a current order. The daylilies I have received from them are healthy and are growing very well. I will definitely order from them again. This past June I went on a daylily garden tour with Bill and listened to him lecture. He is a wonderful fellow and is very knowledgeable, a good teacher, and gracious to everyone.

Some new recommendations from our members:
lovemyhouse recommended Old House Gardens - Heirloom Bulbs and wrote: After I won second prize in the ATP Bulbs Not-a-Raffle Raffle and chose Old House Gardens, Dave duly sent OHG my contact information. I subsequently received an email from them, saying that the bulbs offered were only marginal for my area and asking whether I would be willing to take substitutions better suited to my zone. Listen to expert advice and get personally selected products? Heck, yeah, I would take substitutes!!! When I got the bulbs, I saw that they not only had substituted for me, but also had matched the dollar amount of the original selections, which meant I actually received 23 bulbs--nearly double the original quantity. Each selection was tidily packaged in a brown paper bag and clearly labeled. Plus, instructions, a catalogue, and a Double Pink Poppy seed packet were included in the box. Such outstanding customer service even when they were not getting any direct cash for the transaction might be something to keep in mind if you are considering placing an order now or in the future with Old House Gardens.
plantladylin recommended Touch of Nature, Inc. and wrote: Although my order was quite small with this company (I only ordered 3 Amaryllis bulbs), I give Touch of Nature an A+ for customer service and communication, which were exemplary. I received a confirmation e-mail with an estimated shipping date very soon after placing my order and another e-mail including tracking information when the product shipped. My order arrived today; packaging was superb and the bulbs were large and very healthy (with one being the largest Amaryllis bulb I've ever seen!) I highly recommend this company and will definitely do business with them again!
tropicalover recommended Wellspring Gardens and wrote: This is a place I do a lot of business with because everything I have ever received (have done business with them for many years) has always been of high quality. Wellspring is at the top of my list!
jmorth recommended McClure & Zimmerman and wrote: Though I'm not a fan of M & Z's parent company, this division receives praise for bulbs received therefrom. Some of the cultivars cannot be found elsewhere. They have a good selection.
Dodecatheon3 recommended Maryott's Gardens and wrote: Don't hesitate to order from Maryott Gardens. They offer rust-free healthy plants, they are very generous with bonus/gift plants, and they are a top-notch operation. Bill & Marilyn Maryott have a great website & beautiful flowers at excellent prices. Take advantage of their weekly summer specials offered on highly desirable varieties when a new order is placed or additions are made to a current order. The daylilies I have received from them are healthy and are growing very well. I will definitely order from them again. This past June I went on a daylily garden tour with Bill and listened to him lecture. He is a wonderful fellow and is very knowledgeable, a good teacher, and gracious to everyone.

Some numbers from last week:

43 new members.
129 new threads.
3,214 new posts.
918 new images to the plant database.
75 new comments in the plant database.
20 new Multi-Plant photos.