Are you really, really sure they're black? Could they be red? 
(No, they're probably not spider mites.)
(No, they're probably not spider mites.)
Gardeners of AW, unite
- Thread starter Fenika
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Yeah, ants like to farm aphids, which is really neat on a sunflower. Not so neat on basil.
Aside from what was suggested, mildly soapy water helps too (with a bit of pressure).
Most my bok choy did fairly well despite the aphids, but I realized (once I realized it was aphids) that mother nature had been keeping them in check with torrential Oklahoma downpours. (The hail was less than helpful, however)
My garden is looking nice, as is my sister's and mom's. I repotted one of the sweet banana peppers, and put a few basil seeds on the edge of the pot. I need more soil b/c I have more work to do.
My sister went crazy and planted a row of tomatoes and peppers all too close. It's a jungle, but already there are plenty of medium tomatoes and a few small peppers.
Aside from what was suggested, mildly soapy water helps too (with a bit of pressure).
Most my bok choy did fairly well despite the aphids, but I realized (once I realized it was aphids) that mother nature had been keeping them in check with torrential Oklahoma downpours. (The hail was less than helpful, however)
My garden is looking nice, as is my sister's and mom's. I repotted one of the sweet banana peppers, and put a few basil seeds on the edge of the pot. I need more soil b/c I have more work to do.
My sister went crazy and planted a row of tomatoes and peppers all too close. It's a jungle, but already there are plenty of medium tomatoes and a few small peppers.
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Definitely black, teeny tiny and I swear at least some of them had wings. I always thought aphids were green or red.Are you really, really sure they're black? Could they be red?
There seems to be a lot going on there, which is a shame because my basil is big and beautiful and my parsley is going nuts out there.
The ants are farming something on the basil. Something hungry.
I really know how to keep myself away from the garden. Ripped my toenail most of the way off, have to get the last bit hanging on removed today. I wanna see my garden.
Oh no, that sounds really really really painful. Hang in there, Rose. There's no one who can stop by for you? I'd be throwing myself at the mercy of strangers at this point.
We had a huge storm here last night. At my sister's, where the garden is, a gate got ripped off and an arbor almost fell over. At dusk yesterday I'd put a few supports in for the potted peppers and thank goodness. One slipped off the support and fell over, but no break and it was easy to sit up again. This morning I repotted that pepper, some cilantro, and added some beautiful looking organic basil from the store to the large pepper pots, on one side. I am tirrrrrrrreeeed.
We had a huge storm here last night. At my sister's, where the garden is, a gate got ripped off and an arbor almost fell over. At dusk yesterday I'd put a few supports in for the potted peppers and thank goodness. One slipped off the support and fell over, but no break and it was easy to sit up again. This morning I repotted that pepper, some cilantro, and added some beautiful looking organic basil from the store to the large pepper pots, on one side. I am tirrrrrrrreeeed.
My MIL weeded my side yesterday for me and tended to my pepper plant. It was really sweet of her and it makes me less worried but I still want to at least see my garden.
Sounds like you were busy yesterday, glad you got those supports in for your pepper plants, I need to do the same, I just can't seem to get over there!
Sounds like you were busy yesterday, glad you got those supports in for your pepper plants, I need to do the same, I just can't seem to get over there!
I'm glad your MIL was able to help
Yeah, I prolly need better supports soon. My sister has some wire mesh she prolly won't mind me cutting up as it is currently supporting nothing. If not, we have so much scrap wood I could make something slightly nicer in a pinch and drive it down the edges. Actually, I like that idea....
Yeah, I prolly need better supports soon. My sister has some wire mesh she prolly won't mind me cutting up as it is currently supporting nothing. If not, we have so much scrap wood I could make something slightly nicer in a pinch and drive it down the edges. Actually, I like that idea....
Alright, I need some help folks. My mom has two planters in part shade that she normally puts pansys in, but it's a bit late now anyways.
I need some vaguely pansy like flowers that I can hopefully plant from seed and will be in full bloom starting at 3-4 weeks from now and going through August at minimum.
Does verbena do well in the heat? I can't remember.
Or maybe a decorative vegetable that likes part shade? A little decorative lettuce on the edges might look nice with something, ya? Both planters get a few hours of sun from about 1 to 4 or 5 or so.
I need some vaguely pansy like flowers that I can hopefully plant from seed and will be in full bloom starting at 3-4 weeks from now and going through August at minimum.
Does verbena do well in the heat? I can't remember.
Or maybe a decorative vegetable that likes part shade? A little decorative lettuce on the edges might look nice with something, ya? Both planters get a few hours of sun from about 1 to 4 or 5 or so.
I'd suggest visiting your garden center if you want it to bloom that fast. 3-4 weeks isn't much and if you visit your garden center you can find one that loves partial shade and have it blooming right now.
That's what I was afraid of Grown plants cost more, but at least my mom will have instant gratification when she returns on Sunday and sees what I've done.
So, any suggestions for plants that will continue to bloom through August then? I'm in DE, which is next to MD and it's hot hot hot here.
Grown plants cost more, but at least my mom will have instant gratification when she returns on Sunday and sees what I've done.So, any suggestions for plants that will continue to bloom through August then? I'm in DE, which is next to MD and it's hot hot hot here.
If you can take the plants inside try hibiscus. They thrive in the heat but they need to be taken indoors if it is going to get under 40. They are beautiful do well in pots.
Hmm, no, this is something for the planter. Are hibiscus cheap enough we can allow them to die overwinter?
ETA: I have some extra pots, I can put a few Hibiscus in that...
ETA: I have some extra pots, I can put a few Hibiscus in that...
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Impatiens have bright flowers and tolerate shade...they do well in S. Jersey, so that might be a match. They should also be easy on the wallet, since they are not uncommon.
Hibiscus are awfully large and rough-looking, IMO.
Most grocery stores and all garden centers have multicolored petunias in perpetual bloom.
Get yourself some red, white and bluish-purple ones and design a 4th of July display with them.
Go to a Dollar Store and get a couple of small American flags or a red, white and blue pinwheel to finish it off with flourish.
Voila! God Bless America.
Her neighbors will love it.
Most grocery stores and all garden centers have multicolored petunias in perpetual bloom.
Get yourself some red, white and bluish-purple ones and design a 4th of July display with them.
Go to a Dollar Store and get a couple of small American flags or a red, white and blue pinwheel to finish it off with flourish.
Voila! God Bless America.
Her neighbors will love it.
My hibiscus bushes are about three meters tall and do fine in the winter, because they're in the ground and can't be taken indoors. Of course, it is a Dallas winter, which is far milder than what you face in more northerly climates. They can go about... oh, two months between waterings once established. And that's if you get no rain whatsoever. Some years I don't water them at all. They bloom nonstop from June to September, if not longer.
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I've never been fond of petunias. Forgetmenots tolerate shade very well. They're a bit weed-like so they grow fast and flower often.
I repotted my houseplants last night. Everyone is doing fine so far. Some kind of additive in the spider plant's soil was keeping it much too wet. It wouldn't drain!
I've decided to do away with the long window boxes and give all the herbs their own pots. That way I can rotate them in and out of the sunny spots so that no one feels under sunned.
Dollar store on payday!
I repotted my houseplants last night. Everyone is doing fine so far. Some kind of additive in the spider plant's soil was keeping it much too wet. It wouldn't drain!
I've decided to do away with the long window boxes and give all the herbs their own pots. That way I can rotate them in and out of the sunny spots so that no one feels under sunned.
Dollar store on payday!
This city and its inhabitants are epically cheap. I could regale you with stories about the ridiculous amounts of money people want for old and broken junk. I'd heard tales before I moved here and thought it was just urban legend. It's not.
I gave up on used furniture last month and went to Jysk. Everything else is from the dollar store because it's cheaper that way.
I gave up on used furniture last month and went to Jysk. Everything else is from the dollar store because it's cheaper that way.
Well went and looked at my garden yesterday. The corn is growing strong as is the squash. A few of the pumpkins died back in the frost but they're coming back. My herbs are pretty much toast other than the garlic and onions. Lost all my watermelon plants, most of my strawberries. My lettice never came up. I have two whole carrots out of the fifty I planted. I have a good bunch of raddishes growing though. None of my potato plants survived so I have to plant more. Lost two pepper plants. Broccoli is doing great. I can't believe how many plants I lost in that freeze though.
Yikes Rose. That's a lot! Most outdoor gardens here are only a week or two old though, so you should have time to recover.
Honestly, icerose, I'm surprised so much of your garden survived, not that so much of it died. The carrots should have survived, though. Oh well. Look at it as a stroke of luck.
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yeah the carrots just didn't come up but there are some squirrels in the trees nearby and I've found a few of my garlics dug up so I suspect the carrot seeds fell prey to little critters more than anything else.
I'm surprised my bigger plants for the most part survived. I did aim for more cold hardy plants but they were all rather young so at the same time they didn't have a lot of time to become tough. I'll be replanting my potatoes and carrots and in a month my lettuce and peas. We'll see about the others.
I'm surprised my bigger plants for the most part survived. I did aim for more cold hardy plants but they were all rather young so at the same time they didn't have a lot of time to become tough. I'll be replanting my potatoes and carrots and in a month my lettuce and peas. We'll see about the others.