Thursday, April 15, 2010

Working in the Daylily Garden

Hello Daylily Friends,

This morning I noticed my "Snowball" bush growing in front of my garden sign. My Snowball really has nice white blooms that are coming soon. I planted this little beauty last spring, and although I knew that it would grow to substantial size, I nevertheless planted it anyway. I told myself that I would keep it trimmed, and that continues to be my plan. I am anxious to see the white blooms. This is a part of spring that makes spring so exciting!

In my Greenhouse I had my first nice bloom. It is ASHEE DASHEE. It is a plant that I am trying to convert. I did get some stiff foilage, and the scape likewise was stiff. I looked at the pollen, and indeed there were a few tet pollen. This means that when I treat this plant again this fall that I should be able to bring it to a full conversion. Nevertheless, I knew that it was not a full conversion because the flower was just too beautiful. A real conversion usually has an ugly flower. Although I regret that I did not get the "good conversion," I am still pleased with the progress that was achieved. I can also add that outside our ASHEE DASHEE has grown just fine.

I also moved many daylilies from one bed, to another nearby bed. In fact, I moved the daylilies to the two rows that I prepared this past winter. These rows were ready for new daylily residents, and so the move happened. I made the move because I wanted to prepare the rows where the established daylilies were, and I couldn't do this without the move. It was a lot of work, but it is finished. Once the work was complete I took a picture of the daylilies in their new rows; I'm showing a picture.

After I moved the daylilies I took my John Deer Tractor and started tilling the old rows. The tractor really cuts tree roots, and really re-works the soil very deep. I wish that I could use my Tractor throughout my garden, but alas, it is too big. Once I started tilling I realized that the soil was much too moist. I went ahead with my work, but then stopped. I plan to leave the soil overnight, and tomorrow I will use the tractor again. Once the ground has been completely turned, I will set out the rows and begin to get ready for new planting from the Greenhouse in about July. I've got to have our garden ready for the Region 5 show in 2011.

The final point of news for today is the "bud" that I have on OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON. I received my diploid seedling from my friend, Larry Grace. Larry had partially converted OUR FRIEND TOM WILSOM, and I knew from previous experience that a partially converted daylily is easier to fully convert. So, with the appropriate treatment, and a one-year wait, I am about to harvest a full conversion. When you look at the bud you can see that it is very "fat" at the base of the bud. When this happens, along with stiff foilage and a stiff scape, then the likelihood is that a full conversion has happened. I will soon show the bloom and the pollen.

Well, that's the report for today from the Kennesaw Mountain Daylily Garden.

Bill

8 comments:

  1. Quel beau travail au Jardin d'Hémérocalles !!!
    Ashee DASHEE est S U B L I M E !
    ;-)
    Vérone

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  2. Thanks Verone. I fully agree: ASHEE DASHEE is "sublime" in any language. Also she is beautiful. Thanks for your note.
    Bill

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  3. Dad, I like what you have done with your new rows behind the barn. Also, the work you did to mom's garden makes it look almost serene. I love it. :)

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  4. Thanks Sweetie, Your dad loves you!

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  5. Bill,
    I'm enjoying your blog....love seeing all the spring work you and Diana are accomplishing!
    Linda Hassler (considerthelilies)

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  6. Thanks Linda,
    And indeed, it is a lot of work. I am still 2 weeks away from considerable blooms in the Greenhouse. Outside plants are growing nicely. Thanks for your note!
    Bill

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  7. I have two Snowball Viburnam also. They are such nice plants when they bloom. My two bushes are right behind my butterfly bush. Enjoying your blog
    Luke Van de Vate
    muddcreekgardens.com

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  8. Thanks Luke. And I recently enjoyed visiting your garden.

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