| April 27, 2004 Early this month, I bought a tomato tree for hubby from Gardener's Choice online. Because there was a minimum order, I also bought a Nikko Hydrangea (I really wanted Endless Summer, but ah well...). I waited four long weeks. Then today--at last!--the box arrived! But it was tiny. I somehow expected it to be bigger, like when you get live plants from a florist via mail. When I opened the box, my heart completely fell. Both plants are wilted messes. I would have thought they'd be packed with something to provide moisture, but they weren't. I read over the instructions (which say wilting is normal and the plants will recover) and planted both. I used Miracle Potting Soil for each hole, and watered them in very well. My fingers are crossed. On a happier note, I see that the red rhodie in the front yard is beginning to bloom. Today I also pinched back the tips of each leading shoot on the taller Dahlia; my jackmanii clematis had been growing tall, but I discovered yesterday that the tall vine was bent over and broken :( I know it will grow back, but I want it big NOW! |
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| Iris blooming on May 3, 2004. |
| May 4, 2004 Last weekend we were busy with family stuff again, and today it's raining. Plegh. Poor Hubby hasn't even had a chance to prepare the site for our garden shed, and my gardening to-do list keeps growing: Move primroses from the front (where they aren't too happy) and into the back yard; Transplant the fern in the pot out front to the back yard; Weed the front beds; Weed the iris bed; Weed the back yard; Weed the veggie garden; Thin veggies; Repot the large prayer plant (houseplant); Plant the free seeds I received from Gardener's Choice; Fertilize blueberries. I wrote an email to Gardener's Choice, alerting them to the problem with the tomato tree and hydrangea they sent me; today I will mail off my request for a refund. :( The rhododendron in the front yard is really bursting with bloom now, even though the rhodies in back are barely budded. (They may not bloom this year.) I have another dahlia coming up, and the iris are beginning to bloom, too. The bearded iris with the dark purple bottoms and ecru tops were first to bloom; then the dark purple iris began blooming yesterday. The sky blue iris began opening this morning. The bleeding heart that decided to come up is the white one. It, too, is budding. Hopefully, the red one will grow next year? I have my first rose bloom of the spring, on the old red-to-pink rose in the front bed; the pink rose on the front side bed is also getting ready to bloom. Last night, however, I discovered white aphids on the two roses I transplanted this spring. Already! Hubby will spray for them tonight, if possible. |
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