Thursday's Thoughts: I will Survive Said the little Succulent

I love Succulent plants. Maybe it is the fact that they don't seem to want or need to be pampered, or maybe it is the vast array of shapes and colors of foliage, but there is something about these plants that keeps me mesmerized. I will confess to having trouble keeping them alive over the winter, but perhaps I lose them because I expect them to be more independent than they are ready for during the cooler months. I have managed to keep them alive for a little while, but somehow they always succumb. That being said, hardy succulents are a lazy gardeners best friend.
They lend themselves to almost any kind of container

 you can find and the best part is, if they are hardy and planted outside, then all you have to do is look at them when they bloom and enjoy the brightly colored foliage when they are resting. What could possibly be better.... Okay, maybe a new one.

 I cannot wait to try some new designs in my garden this year.

They are even beautiful when you are propagating them, which as you know is 1 of my favorite things to do. If you are pushed for time this spring, or just want to garden the easy way, or just hate being outdoors in the mosquitos territory , try some succulents. You will really be amazed at the vast array of different colors and textures you will find.

Have a great day!

Silence Is Golden......

And this one has gone on far too long. 




The garden has been loved in some areas and totally neglected in others.
 We had a part of a big oak tree fall and land on 3 of my biggest prettiest Camellia Sasanquas and now my big experiment will be to try to save the shrubs and  propagate  what I can from them out of season.


These are from top to bottom, Camellia Sasanqua :"Taylors Pink Perfection", Apple Blossom, and Sparkling Burgundy. All 3 have been in this spot for at least 15 years so it is very traumatic to see them in this state of damage.

Are you ready for a good experiment? 


Camellias are normally rooted during the summer months when the new growth has hardened a little.
Cuttings taken in late June are usually tough enough so taking cuttings now means they are still very soft.
I plan to use several different methods,  and I will document them here. 
Check back later this week for the methods.


The Jewelry Studio has been totally neglected, but I hope to get back to work there soon too.  I have missed doing the Diva's zentangle challenges every monday. It;s funny how your routine just changes suddenly. Does that ever happen to you?

If you cut it.... Will it grow?

This early part of spring has been just gorgeous in my little garden by the sea. My camellias have really bloomed a lot thanks in no small part to being snowed on twice this year. They are blooming their little hearts out as we "speak".

I love to cut and root things. It is like an obsession for me. I have no more room in my yard, but I still can't quit. Sometimes I trade plants with other botanically obsessed people, sometimes I list a few for sale, but mostly I just grow them because I cannot not do it. I know that is very strange, but it is like when you know you were born to teach, or be a nurse etc. I was just born to root and grow........... ( that is what I tell myself anyway.)

This week since my camellias are blooming I thought I would post about propagating them. The absolute best time of year is July and August, after the new growth has firmed up a little. I have rooted some through the winter, but it does seem to take much longer that way. I guess the winter makes everything seem to take longer.....( really it does though, most plants go dormant or semi-dormant when the temperatures fall into the 40's).

I cut 2 of my camellias the other day because I wanted to take a few pictures of my method. As usual there are zilliions of different methods, but this one works for me.

Camellia Japonica

1) Take a cutting of firm new growth with a growth bud and about 4 or 6 leaf nodes.  Make sure the cutting has a growth bud on the end. 

2). Remove all but 2 leaves and then cut those 2 in half. This will leave the cutting a reason to put out roots ( it has to feed the leaves) and removing much of the excess will reduce the stress on the cutting and lower the moisture loss due to transpiration. 

3) Dip the end in a rooting hormone ( like root tone or fast root or clone-x) and stick in a prepared pot with at least 2 or three of the leaf nodes under the potting media. 

Cover the cutting with a plastic bag, or recycled cut soda bottle ( ie. ghetto greenhouse) this will help to reduce the moisture loss and keep the humidity high enough for the cutting not to be stressed to it's shriveling point.

Set it in a shaded place where you will keep it watered. I have watched my grandmother do this with a mason jar, but I am using plastic soda bottles and fitting them to the top of the flower pot.

Camellia Sasanqua:

This is basically the same method. The biggest difference is that the leaves on the sasanqua are smaller and the sasanqua can tolerate more sun and tend to be fall blooming instead of spring blooming varieties. Sasanquas also have growth buds all along the stem instead of just at the ends like the Japonicas.

Here is the hardest part. Camellias are not in a hurry to grow or root or flower. Rooting can take as much as 6 months to a year and after they root, they still don't hurry to grow. Thankfully they are very long lived shrubs and once established with provide you with gorgeous flowers in early spring when most other things are just beginning to wake up from a long winter's nap.

Happy Growing!

Rooting Sasanqua

Happy St. Patricks Day! I'm doing it AGAIN..................

Happy St. Patricks Day!
                           Wear the Green!

The weather this week has been better than fabulous so yes "I'm doing it again!" I am starting seeds. A while back Samantha G asked me to write a post about my baggie method for seed starting.... Here it is:

I soak the seeds first in hot water. Water about the heat that you would hand wash dishes in is fine. Too hot and it can kill the seeds. I sometimes soak them overnight, but I have also soaked them for just about an hour at the time.  These are cat food cups that I have an abundance of and they only have about 1-1.5 ounces of water in them.

I then fill a cheap  ( from the dollar store)quart sized ziplock baggie. 1/3 full with my seed starting mix. ( usually miracle grow potting soil because it is easiest to come by and it is light weight.)

Then I dump the seeds and the water they are soaking in all into the baggie. I seal it up and label it and then put it in a warm spot and wait...........and wait...........and wait...... ( I am not very patient sometimes.)

Most seeds like temperatures in the low 70's-80's for germination and some like light and others dark. Most of the seeds I am planting will take anywhere from 7 days to 2 months to germinate.
I then check on them at least every couple of days. As long as there is condensation in the baggie, there is enough moisture and humidity for them to do just fine. You don't even have to open the bag. When I use quart sized bags and the seedlings reach the top or have at least 2 pairs of true leaves, I know it is time to take them out and transplant them into pots, or their growing spot. Depending on where you grow them, you may need to harden them off for a few days before planting out in full sun.
This week I have started : coneflowers, rudbeckias, stokesia, jasmines, vines, and tons of other things. When they all come up I may need help getting them planted.
There are many many methods of seed starting, but this one works best for me. Since I have started growing in bags, my germination percentages have increased exponentially.
Good Luck.

If you have a way to start seeds that really works well for you, leave me a comment and let me know. I love to experiment.

It's getting colder....

Well, it is finally beginning to get cold now. Not that I would have been disappointed if it had not, it's just that being a gardener and wanting to grow things year round ( or whenever it suits me) the first frost is something that is looked forward to and yet dreaded at the same time. Is it just me, do any of my other gardeners out there feel this way too? I know there are places where this little event happened months ago, but for us, it really is right on time and I feel as though I haven't saved/cut to root enough plants just yet. There is still room in the greenhouse to walk between the plants so I can't possibly be done right?
Today, as I bought firewood I thought, ok what else can I cut and root before Sunday.  Sunday  (when our temps will really drop) is scheduled to be our first "killing frost" so I am trying to cut and root everything I can between now and then. I really should be outside and writing this later, but right now I think I will stay cozy or maybe I meant to type lazy.

I am starting lots of lantana ( 4 varieties)

this time and camellias ( this is an experiment, I have only ever rooted them in summer)

   and Azaleas.

Have any ideas? I am experimenting with flats, seeding trays, and I really want to try jelly rolling some cuttings with plastic and sphagnum moss. Have you tried this method? I really don't want to have heat mats running all of the time, but depending on the temperatures, I may have to. ( really I can't get to my water heater and the top of the freezer doesn't get warm, thanks to the energy star ratings.)

Maybe it's just me, but are any of you out trying to save plants before the cold zaps the life out of them? I will keep you posted, maybe my experiments will be successful this winter and in the spring, I can show you lots of new ways to propagate things......................

I should be in the Garden but...

There are so many things to do this time of year in the Garden, but I have yet to begin. I can find all kinds of excuses, (i.e it's too hot to breathe outside, the bugs are so bad and I hate being bitten, I will do the cuttings tomorrow etc.)
July is the best time of year to make cuttings and propagate new plants. By this time, the new spring growth has toughened up a little and there is still plenty of warmth to help the cuttings get off to a good start.
One of the best ideas I have come across for doing a lot of cuttings in a small space is called a Forsythe Pot. I don't have a clue who came up with this method, but it is incredible. Some claim it is almost foolproof.
The way to construct it is simple. I use a large 10-14 inch pot and fill it to within about an inch of the top with a very light propagating mixture. Some use plain vermiculite, others regular potting soil, but you really need something that is well aerated and lightweight. Next, use a small ( 4-6") terra cotta clay pot that hasn't been glazed in any way. Place a cork in the drainage hole of the small pot and settle it in the center of the larger pot. Keep the small pot full of water and stick the cuttings between the two pots. The water will seep through the sides of the small pot and maintain the moisture level of your rooting medium. Make sure to leave enough space between your cuttings to allow good airflow and then set the whole system in a shady spot where you can keep an eye on it and make sure the inner pot is full of water. Depending on the plant type you are propagating, you should have rooted plants within 6-8 weeks. I have been successful rooting Camellia, Azalea, Althea, Bottlebrush and a host of other plants this way as well.
Here is a tutorial I found that you may also find helpful.
I'm off to cut some chocolate vines and banana shrub and maybe some brugmansia too. If i get too hot, I'll come back inside and make some earrings I have been thinking about.
Happy Rooting.

Welcome to my world

Welcome to my world. I live in Pawley's Island, SC a tiny little barrier island known as the oldest seaside resort in America. I'll try to keep it full of fun things. I am usually always in the garden which has been a work in progress for about 18 years. One of these days I will quit re-designing the whole thing and actually let it grow. I love to grow anything I can find and I am always experimenting with different propagation methods, ways to germinate seeds and feed plants. If there is a new plant, I've gotta have one and if I can grow it from seed, that is just icing on the cake. I have recently accepted thatPlants are like POKEMON! Ya gotta have them all! ( and I am getting close) .
If I am not in the garden, my aviary is my other "happy place" I raise Quaker parrots, Cockatiels and Budgies. There are about 50 or so birds in the aviary and most of them talk and all of them provide lots of entertainment.
I love to make jewelry with wire and beads. My husband makes copper sculpted flowers which we will be selling in my etsy shop. I also love to travel and photograph everything, especially flowers and landscapes. You never know what you might find here, so stop by often and be sure to say Hi.