Propagation Plan
This could be a wet weekend, so I'll have to get started early in the morning to get the yard stuff done. First order of business is pruning and deadheading. I need to deadhead the roses and cut out the damaged canes. Next I'll cut back the 1st year canes on the blackberry and raspberry bushes. (And pick the blackberries.) Finally, I need to have another whack at deadheading the coreopsis. I've already got a gallon bag of seed again this year. I should get another equal amount by the end of the growing season. I really like that the plants keep blooming all summer. I already cut back most of the daisies but can finish cleaning up the front beds. Some of the spent glads need to be cut back as well.
The second accomplishment will be to take cuttings of the boxwood and maple. I may or may not try to root cuttings from one or more of the roses. Boxwood apparently will propagate well from a hardwood stem cutting while maple and rose propagate from softwood cuttings. The American Boxwood Society indicates now is the prime time for taking cuttings and that they could be planted outdoors next spring. I think I'll try to root four or six cuttings in a small pot. I'll cover the pot with a plastic bag to keep the humidity high. I'll try the same method with a few cuttings from the maple tree in the back corner too. I've also got maple seeds to stick straight in the ground or in a pot.
Finally, I have two creeping phlox in pots to set out. I should also divide the existing phlox monsters from the main flowerbed. They're getting a bit out of control. The smaller phlox in the big bed need to be moved. Right now they are completely obscured by the coreopsis and probably aren't doing as well as they might. Next year I might move the coreopsis further back from the edge of the bed and put the phlox back in the front as a border. I really wish I could get some yarrow to grow. I think it's a pretty plant. Although it's supposed to be a fairly easy plant to grow, I manage to kill it no matter what I do. I may try one more time next spring. I've got a sunny corner now that might suit it. Why I think this sunny corner will be different than the other sunny corners, I don't know. I guess it's the eternal optimism of the gardener in me.
Here is the current state of the jungle at the front of the house. The glads started blooming just over a week ago. The black-eyed Susan has been going at it for a couple of weeks. There were a few day lilies in there which were pretty well obscured by the elephant ears, the coreopsis and the glads. Apparently there is an amaryllis in there that survives the winter as well. I didn't know they bloomed in the spring when kept outdoors and I also didn't know they'd live outside. I should try to map out where things are planted in this bed and consider re-arranging it for better visual impact, but I never seem to quite get around to doing that. It looks pretty good as it is.
The second accomplishment will be to take cuttings of the boxwood and maple. I may or may not try to root cuttings from one or more of the roses. Boxwood apparently will propagate well from a hardwood stem cutting while maple and rose propagate from softwood cuttings. The American Boxwood Society indicates now is the prime time for taking cuttings and that they could be planted outdoors next spring. I think I'll try to root four or six cuttings in a small pot. I'll cover the pot with a plastic bag to keep the humidity high. I'll try the same method with a few cuttings from the maple tree in the back corner too. I've also got maple seeds to stick straight in the ground or in a pot.
Finally, I have two creeping phlox in pots to set out. I should also divide the existing phlox monsters from the main flowerbed. They're getting a bit out of control. The smaller phlox in the big bed need to be moved. Right now they are completely obscured by the coreopsis and probably aren't doing as well as they might. Next year I might move the coreopsis further back from the edge of the bed and put the phlox back in the front as a border. I really wish I could get some yarrow to grow. I think it's a pretty plant. Although it's supposed to be a fairly easy plant to grow, I manage to kill it no matter what I do. I may try one more time next spring. I've got a sunny corner now that might suit it. Why I think this sunny corner will be different than the other sunny corners, I don't know. I guess it's the eternal optimism of the gardener in me.
Here is the current state of the jungle at the front of the house. The glads started blooming just over a week ago. The black-eyed Susan has been going at it for a couple of weeks. There were a few day lilies in there which were pretty well obscured by the elephant ears, the coreopsis and the glads. Apparently there is an amaryllis in there that survives the winter as well. I didn't know they bloomed in the spring when kept outdoors and I also didn't know they'd live outside. I should try to map out where things are planted in this bed and consider re-arranging it for better visual impact, but I never seem to quite get around to doing that. It looks pretty good as it is.
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