Gardening tips? (disease)

[Jaymes]

Weeell, I've dug up a small patch in a spot with moderate indirect light. What kind of flowers or herbs would do well in a place like that?

There are deer around, as well, and I'd love tips on how to keep them away.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Jensa

Weeell, I've dug up a small patch in a spot with moderate indirect light. What kind of flowers or herbs would do well in a place like that?

There are deer around, as well, and I'd love tips on how to keep them away.

We live in the country and the joke around here is that the deer meat is exceptionally good because they're all corn fed.

I haven't found anything that works at repelling deer although some people say they've had success by hanging a bar of Irish Spring (or some other smelly soap) every 3-4 foot around the perimeter of the garden.

I just plant extra.

[michel]

This must be a first ! Me giving gardening tips !; how about a climbing rose, on a wooden lattice frame ? - I would have thought the deer would stay well away from the thorns. You could then plant some herbs around the base, if you want to.

[ness]

I dont give advice on gardening ... simply because I seem to keep weeds alive and kill the lovely flowers.. yeah yeah laugh it up lol.

However I did find a site that you might find useful for keeping deer out of your garden


http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/p...920004911.html

Hope this helps

[Jaymes]

Originally Posted by Melody

We live in the country and the joke around here is that the deer meat is exceptionally good because they're all corn fed.

Rofl, I wouldn't doubt it! The deer around here nibble out of our gardens all year, then go into hiding come hunting season. Smart little buggers.

I haven't found anything that works at repelling deer although some people say they've had success by hanging a bar of Irish Spring (or some other smelly soap) every 3-4 foot around the perimeter of the garden.

I just plant extra.

I'll try the soap thing along with planting extra. Thanks for the advice

Originally Posted by michel

This must be a first ! Me giving gardening tips !; how about a climbing rose, on a wooden lattice frame ? - I would have thought the deer would stay well away from the thorns. You could then plant some herbs around the base, if you want to.

It's a pretty small area, so I don't think I could plant climbing roses... once I get a more permanent place I'm definately going to try that, though, since it sounds lovely.

And thanks for the site, Ness. On second thought, I may try a combination of the soap and egg thing.

[Prima]

Oooooooooh!

what part of Georgia do you live in? You're either a zone 7 or 8. (the zones depend on lowest temperature) Knowing that, you can tell what plants will absolutely fail. (You don't want that...it's like seeing a friend leave )

I'll give you a little list here, and you can ask for more...these are usually easy ones, and will grow in zones 7-8 or thereabouts. There's flowers as opposed to groundcovers, etc. And...they're ones that I like! Google 'em to get pictures. The times of year are when they flower.

FOILAGE - lots of leaves. Mostly annuals (they supposedly die after a year unless they're self-seeding, but sometimes last for three-ish years)
Geraniums: easy to grow. This says they thrive in full sun, but I've seen them grow without it. Spring-fall.
Forget-me-nots: A really cool song. Easy, self-seeding. Spring. Partial-full shade.
Impaitens: Easy to the max, the plant of most beginning gardeners. Resistant to disease. Early summer-frost. Any sun.
Petunias: I hate them. You're not allowed to plant them.
Bedding Begonias: very easy, resistant to pests and disease. Shade-semishade. Spring-frost.
Shasta daisies: easy, great flowers! Summer-fall. Full sun-light shade.
Perennial primroses: easy. Filtered shade. Spring.
Lobelias: Easy, disease resistant. Poisonous. Full sun- partial shade. Summer-frost.
Rose periwinkles: Easy, drought-resistant, self-seeds. Full sun-partial shade. Summer.
Yarrow: you might try this, it's good for drying. Drought-tolerant, good for cutting, but says it needs full sun. Summer.
Glodeflowers: good for cutting, easy, disease resistant. Partial-full shade. Spring-summer, repeat blooms.
Pansies: I don't like these, either. Full-sun to partial shade. Good for cutting, edible flowers, easy. Winter, spring, or summer.
Bleeding hearts: Easy, self-seeds (look and a picture and you'll see why!) Partial shade. Spring or summer.
Coral bells: good for cutting, evergreen, good groundcover. Full sun-partial shade. Late spring-summer.
Violas: easy, good for cutting, edible flowers. Full sun-partial shade. Spring and fall.
Columbines: self-sows, good for cutting. Poisonous. Partial shade. Spring-summer. Gorgeous!
Also consider: bellflowers, asters, toadflax, hepaticas, lavateras

BULBS: I. Love. Bulbs. They never, ever die. They go from easy care to ridiculously easy care. There are so, so many, so I'm listing my favorites:

Fritillaries
Scillas
Lily-of-the-valleys
Spider lilies
Tulips (several diff. kinds)
DAFFODILS! (several diff. kinds)
LILIES! (several diff. kinds)
CROCUSES! (several diff. kinds)
Grape Hyacinths
Poppy anemones
Tuberous begonias
HYACINTHS! (several diff. kinds)
Persian Ranunculus
Oxalis
Grecian Windflowers
Triteleias
Wand flowers (are okay...I don't really like them)

Honestly, what I like to do is go to a big greenhouse. Go to the perennials or bulbs, and just pick ones that look nice. Then check to make sure they're the right sunlight, and you're good to go.

The thing people don't get is...treat the plants like people. After you're cooped up in the car, you get out and shake out or run a bit...or stretch. When you take a plant out, loosen the soil up so it's not so tightly packed and take off any nasty (rotting, etc) roots! When you move to a new place, you take your stuff. When you plant a plant, leave it some of the original soil. Not all of it, but some of it, especially if your soil seems a lot different.

For herbs, lemon balm is ridiculously easy. If you spoil it, it becomes a weed! I like mint (think: mint tea and mint juleps) Most of your basic herbs are pretty easy. Rosemary...that can be easy. I like chives

Wow...that's a lot of advice...sorry I was just gardening today...I get carried away

[Jaymes]

Wow, thanks Prima! I'm definately going to look into a lot of those and see if I can bum a ride to the store sometime tomorrow or the next day to check out prices on a few of those.

[Prima]

*blows you a kiss*

Let me know what you find.

[Jaymes]

Well, I got a scraggly lemon balm plant (I felt sorry for it... it was the only one that wasn't completely wilted), and some lemon balm, peppermint, and rosemary seeds.

Right now they're in little peat things designed to give them a safe place to grow, and I'm checking them every day. I can't wait to see little green shoots sprout up.