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By Bonehead on Jun 19, 2013 2:57 PM, concerning plant: Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
This is an introduced invasive species from Europe. Now widespread throughout much of North America, it spreads rapidly by stolons, and depletes potassium in the soil. It is toxic to grazing animals, who fortunately do not like its bitter taste. It loses its potency when dried, so is not a particular problem in hay. It is widespread in the Pacific Northwest, and is a 'weed of concern' - one of the lowest classifications of invasives. This is my nemesis in my flower beds, it grows everywhere and anywhere. The only saving grace is it does get a jolly yellow flower and many non-gardeners will comment on my weed-free beds which are in fact overtaken with buttercup. And as a child, I have fond memories of holding the flower below our chins to see who likes butter or not.
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By ssgardener on Jun 19, 2013 2:50 PM, concerning plant: Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen')
Oakleaf 'Snow Queen' didn't bloom for me the first year it was planted, but the next year it bloomed beautifully. The white blooms started turning pink in mid June.

The first year there were rust colored spots on the leaves, which was probably some sort a fungal infection. Nothing was sprayed and it did fine, although the leaves looked tired by the end of the season. Even so, the fall colors were gorgeous.

I sprayed some fish oil on the leaves during the spring of the second year when the rust spots appeared again. The spots have not progressed and the blooms are not affected.

'Snow Queen' has not required any additional watering or fertilizing in my amended clay. Very easy plant.
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By ilovejesus99 on Jun 19, 2013 11:22 AM, concerning plant: Canna Lily (Canna x generalis Tropicanna®)
This canna grows really well here without much care in 77580. The leaves are absolutely beautiful, and even if it never bloomed I would still grow it.
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By sandnsea2 on Jun 19, 2013 10:51 AM, concerning plant: Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Scarlet Pimpernel')
This is is the largest flowering Daylily in my garden so far this year.
The flower is measuring 10 1/2 inches in diameter. It is also very prolific, producing many buds.
A good one for planting at a distance, as you just can't miss it!
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By Skiekitty on Jun 19, 2013 9:59 AM, concerning plant: Rose (Rosa 'Sonia')
This rose is listed as being very fragrant and I have smelled Sonia smelling WONDERFUL. My own plant, however, produces flowers that smell horrendously like pepper for some reason. Very unpleasant. Only reason why I haven't shovel pruned this rose is that it produces flowers in all sorts of bad weather and is very dependable for producing blooms all season.
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By Skiekitty on Jun 19, 2013 8:52 AM, concerning plant: Rose (Rosa 'Crimson Gallica')
This rose is one of the hardiest I've ever seen. I can't say that it's an evergreen in my zone, but pretty close to it. It's the last to lose its leaves in the fall/winter and the VERY first to put new leaves out in the spring. Ice/snow/freezing winds don't faze this rose whatsoever. Gets no protection from wind and has very little mulch around the base. Blooms like crazy in the spring, a very very bushy plant. Not bad with thorns. VERY hardy. Too bad it's a once-bloomer.
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By gardengus on Jun 18, 2013 6:57 PM, concerning plant: Red Barrenwort (Epimedium x rubrum)
This plant has been in my garden for several years. Always a pleasure to see in the spring. One of the first shade plants to show, and the leaves have a good color.
No need for extra care here.
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By gardengus on Jun 18, 2013 5:49 PM, concerning plant: Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
This is a medicinal herb, extremely bitter. Normally used dried.
Should be gathered and dried after flowering.
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By gardengus on Jun 18, 2013 5:33 PM, concerning plant: Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
Sweet woodruff is called sweet because of the foliage and not the flower.
For best fragrance cut plant just after flowering and hang in bunches to dry. It has a fresh mown hay sent sometimes with a hint of vanilla.In the past it was used to freshen bed linens. Today more often used in potpourri.

A native of England, North Africa and western Asia

Will crowed out weeds in moist shade and grow in very dense shade. If it gets too aggressive for your garden,try moving it to a sunnier place and don't water.
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By Calif_Sue on Jun 17, 2013 10:25 PM, concerning plant: (Vitis 'Thomcord')
The result of crossbreeding Concord and Thompson grapes.
They have the blue-black hue and aromatic flavor of the Concord, with a touch of Thompson sweetness and they also inherited the seedless quality from the Thompson grape.

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By flaflwrgrl on Jun 17, 2013 6:03 PM, concerning plant: Tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa)
The tomatillo is native to Mexico & Central America and is used extensively in salsa. Tomatillo is in the tomato family. You grow it just as you do tomatoes. It also benefits from staking or caging, as tomatoes do, in order to keep fungus from taking hold and to keep the fruit off the ground. Tomatillos will, like their cousin the tomato, develop roots along the stem. Also like their cousin the tomato, tomatillos benefit from being planted deep and they will develop roots along the stem portion you planted.

Tomatillo takes anywhere from 75 to 100 days to produce fruit. The fruit itself looks like a green tomato, only smaller, but it is encased in a papery shell, which is green & purple and then turns brown. There are purple & yellow varieties. While growing, the fruit with its shell looks much like little Chinese lanterns. When you remove the papery husk, the fruit itself is sticky & can leave some residue on your hands. Just wash the fruit (& your hands) before using. Tomatillo is frost tender, just like tomatoes, but it will bear fruit right up until frost.

When the fruit is ripe, it splits the paper husk. Store them in the fridge, in their husk, for up to a month, or you can put them in a paper bag in the fridge.

It is difficult to describe the flavor of the fruit. It is sweet & tart & tangy and it has citrusy undertones. It's really quite pleasant tasting and I add them to tossed salads to give them some zing and I throw some into stir-fry dishes.

Tomatillos will self sow if you leave fruits to rot on the ground. Next spring you may discover many volunteers all over the place.

TOMATILLOS ARE NOT SELF POLLINATING. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 2 PLANTS OR YOU WILL NOT GET FRUIT.
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By jmorth on Jun 17, 2013 3:25 PM, concerning plant: Bishop's Weed (Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum')
Introduced to England by Roman invaders as an edible salad ingredient and pot herb. The young leaves are translucent and shiny green. Tender and aromatic, they are excellent additions to salads as are young stems. When older, stems cooked with cheese
Used as treatment for gout in Middle Ages and Renaissance. Saint Gerard's (1726-1755) gout was reportedly cured by the plant and is where one of its common names (Herb Gerard) originated.
Naturalized in many areas of North America, including most of Canada and the eastern United States
Can be invasive.
Mine usually are grown in dry shade. Sometimes summer heat would take its toll, leaving leaves in dire straits, but mowing once seemed to revitalize it.
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By Horseshoe on Jun 17, 2013 2:01 PM, concerning plant: Italian Edible Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria 'Cucuzzi')
What a fun plant to grow, folks!
Considered an edible gourd, this one does double duty. When picked at the 10" stage, the fruits are eaten either raw or gently cooked/stir-fried. Delicious. If left to mature on the vines, they tend to gain in size, become hollow inside, and the outer skin becomes hard like many other gourds. Great for crafts or other decorations. One of my friends even made a didgeridoo out of one for me!

Train them up a fence or trellis for the straightest fruit or let them sprawl on the ground for a more curved/twisted product.

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By ssgardener on Jun 17, 2013 7:29 AM, concerning plant: Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia 'Dr. Seuss')
This brug is supposed to have a nice scent, but I couldn't notice any scent at all. They may need to be more mature before the scent is noticeable. The blooms are huge and have a beautiful soft yellow color.

They don't like to dry out, but mine was planted in the ground in amended clay and required very little supplemental watering, even during a very hot and droughty summer. It was a small cutting that grew fast and bloomed beautifully starting in late summer. Unfortunately, I let it dry out too much over winter, which killed it, so I'll be trying it again with better winter care.
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By gardengus on Jun 16, 2013 8:52 PM, concerning plant: Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)
This herb has its best flavor fresh, but it has a tendency to bolt (set seed) quickly .
You can tell when it is going to bolt. The new leaves are very fine.

Cut the plant and refrigerate, putting the stems in water and loosely covering the top (greens) with a plastic bag.
I have been able to keep it fresh about 4 weeks this way.

It can also be cleaned and frozen whole. Chop before thawing and add to your recipe.
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By ssgardener on Jun 16, 2013 8:38 PM, concerning plant: Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora)
Common foxglove is very easy to grow from seed, and also very easy to wintersow.

I had great luck with it last year, but this year all the white foxgloves got some sort of a fungal infection. It was very sad to see the white blooms and leaves turn black and rot away. The yellow foxgloves that were planted next to the white ones did not have this issue.

I won't be planting the white ones again. It's too much to wait 2 years for the blooms just to have them rot away like that.
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By ssgardener on Jun 16, 2013 8:14 PM, concerning plant: Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla 'Silver Heart')
This is supposedly a heat tolerant variety of variegated brunnera. When I purchased it early this spring, the leaves were tiny and looked lanky, but bigger leaves have come in and filled in pretty nicely. I'm still waiting to see if it holds up to heat and humidity. Right now it receives 50% bright shade and 50% direct sun, but there's no sign of melting or burning.
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By ssgardener on Jun 16, 2013 7:22 PM, concerning plant: Full Moon Maple (Acer shirasawanum)
I've had this JM for less than a year. It doesn't have the yellow-green foliage of "Aureum," but the leaves are still a light shade of green. So far it's handling the heat and humidity really well without any additional watering. The tag that came with the JM says "Full Moon," which I believe is the common name for this species and not a separate cultivar.
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By KentPfeiffer on Jun 16, 2013 6:05 PM, concerning plant: Iris (Iris 'Ghost Writer')
Sibling to Haunted Heart
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By pardalinum on Jun 16, 2013 10:40 AM, concerning plant: Lily (Lilium 'Serenade')
Serenade is a L. speciosum hybrid.
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