Friday, June 23, 2023

Summer ready

I rehabbed my cutting garden to prepare for summer - or most of it in any case.  The sweet peas are still in place but they're on borrowed time.  Most of the other cool season flowers in the cutting garden are gone, their spaces quickly filled with the dahlia tubers I sprouted in temporary pots.

Instead of looking like a jungle, the cutting garden looks a little thin at the moment but I trust that it'll look entirely different within two months

Bed #1:  I removed all the Nigella papillosa, all but one Minoan Lace (Orlaya grandiflora), and all but 2 foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea).  I planted 6 dahlias: 2 'Belle of Barmera', 2 'Fairway Spur', one 'French Can Can', and one 'Summer's End'.  Half of these were tubers saved from last year's "crop."  I also discovered a sprouted tuber I apparently missed when I cleaned out the bed last fall.  It might be 'La Luna', which never bloomed last year.

Bed #2:  I pulled all the larkspur (Consolida ajacis) and Minoan Lace from this bed, leaving 3 foxgloves in place.  I planted the following dahlia tubers: one 'Enchantress', one 'Iceberg', 2 'Labyrinth', one 'Lavender Ruffles', and one 'Mikayla Miranda'.  All but the 'Labyrinth' tubers were saved from last year.

Bed #3 remains a massive mess of sweet pea vines with pink and purple snapdragons still in place in one corner

 

The dahlia tubers I couldn't squeeze into the two available raised planters went into half-barrels.

I pulled the peach snapdragons out of this barrel and cut back the pansies surrounding them.  I added one Dahlia 'Lavender Ruffles'.

I added one Dahlia 'Calin' to mingle with Helianthus 'Sunbelievable Brown-Eyed Girl' and a noID Bacopa

The 'Peach Dalmatian' foxgloves and the pansies and Bacopa surrounding them in the this barrel received a reprieve for now

However, I made some room in 2 of the half-barrels in the front garden for more tubers.  Another Dahlia 'French Can Can' went into this one.  (The rocks are there to discourage the raccoons from digging, which they're prone to doing.)

2 Dahlia 'Catching Fire' tubers went into this barrel.  This was the only case in which I planted tubers in their "final resting place" at the outset.

5 tubers are still waiting for spots to spread their roots, although 2 of them don't appear very vigorous.  The dahlias in waiting are: one 'Break Out', 2 'Lady Darlene', and 2 'Romantique''Break Out' is the only one of these that's a holdover from last year.

 

Last year I started my dahlia tubers in temporary pots in mid-March but they were very slow to sprout and several never did.  This year, because it's been so cool and gloomy and because my cool season flowers were especially late to bloom, I didn't even bother planting my dahlia tubers until the end of April.  Unlike last year, the dahlias were quick to sprout in their temporary pots and only one tuber failed.  But I still had nowhere to put them where their roots could spread out.  I pinched back all my dahlia sprouts once they were tucked into their raised beds and barrels, which delays flowering but generally promotes better branching.  So this year's dahlias will be late to bloom just like they were last year but I'm not overly perturbed about it (yet).

 

After the dahlia tubers were in place, I finally sowed Zinnia seeds (also later than usual).

The Zinnia seeds are already germinating.  Bed #1 was seeded with Zinnia elegans 'Benary's Giant Salmon Rose', 'Hidden Dragon', 'Queeny Lemon Peach', and 'Queen Lime Orange'.  Bed #2 was seeded with Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Lilac', 'Candy Mix', and 'Zinderella Purple'.  Seeds of Zinnia 'Oklahoma Ivory' and 'Pinca' were sown in temporary pots.

 

We've had a lot more sun this week, although our marine layer is forecast to make at least a brief return this weekend and next week.  Just a few days of sun and warmer temperatures have delivered new blooms.  I wanted to share some that might be gone by mid-July when we celebrate next month's blooms.

The noID artichokes on my back slope (left) are already blooming above my head.  Artichoke 'Purple Romanga' in my backyard border (right) isn't blooming but still looks flower-like.

I caught a second Epiphyllum 'Monastery Garden' in full bloom and there's yet another one days away from flowering

The daylilies are slowly making an appearance, usually with only one or 2 flowering at the same time.  Clockwise from the upper left are: Hemerocallis 'Elizabeth Salter', 'Russian Rhapsody', 'Spacecoast Sea Shells', and the ever-reliable 'Spanish Harlem'.

The first Hesperaloe parviflora flowers slowly opening

The shaggy Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are off to a later-than-usual start this year

These color-coordinated plants in a smallish bed in my back border synchronized their bloom schedule with no help from me.  From left to right are: Gazania 'Otomi' (top) and Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' (bottom), Gladiolus 'Guinea' (shown with Lantana 'Irene'), and Lilium 'Orange Planet'.  The lily and the Grevillea are partially hidden by an overgrown Arbutus 'Marina'.  The rabbits ate the lilies before they bloomed last year but luckily ignored them this year as I'd forgotten all about them and never set up protective cages around them.

 

That's it for this week.  Enjoy your weekend!


All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party


23 comments:

  1. You've been very busy. That's a lot of plants that you pulled! I've slowly pared down my dahlia collection to just one smaller variety - unfortunately didn't have the time to keep them looking their best and most of the ones I really enjoy got too big. I love a good pom-pom for their tight symmetry. Hope yours fill in quick. Didn't end up planting any annual seeds this year going to be gone a week here and a week there and with hot dry weather on the way, it seemed like a bad idea. That Gazania Otoni is a gorgeous, lush summer color.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I usually get a much earlier start on my summer annuals but the extended period of gloom and cool temperatures has thrown my entire gardening calendar off. I've yet to plant any annual sunflowers and fear it's too late for that but, as I ordered a LOT of seeds earlier this year, I feel compelled to try. That's a project for this weekend ;)

      Enjoy your summer travels!

      Delete
  2. I'm impressed with your stamina, especially when it comes to planting annuals. It may have something to do with your dedicated participation in the IAVOM meme, though I suspect you are a bloom mavin anyway.
    Although I grow a few Dahlias, I wouldn't if it meant digging them every year. I even heard it is beneficial for them to be divided and move every few years, but they seem to be doing fine with less effort on my part ;-)
    I'm excited to see all those gorgeous blooms making an appearance in your vases all summer long.
    Chavli

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm an unabashed "flower floozy" as Annie Hayes of Annie's Annuals used that term, Chavli. The IAVOM meme has only fed that natural leaning ;) I know a lot of people who leave dahlias in the ground and in areas like mine, where summer rain is virtually unheard of, most people recommend leaving the tubers in the ground. However, the dahlia tubers I've planted in my garden's borders have never done well, probably because I keep those areas too dry. In contrast, they've thrived in the raised planters of my cutting garden but those are well watered year-round and I change out the planters' contents and replenish their soil with the change in the seasons so the dahlia tubers can't stay in place without risking water-promoted rot and/or having a shovel cut through them.

      Delete
  3. You've gotten so much done. I'm very lazy about the dahlias and just leave them in the ground, although I know I should lift & store. Your artichokes are striking, I really should add one for the vibrant bloom. The epiphyllum is beautiful. You have many blooms to look forward to, so glad you share them with us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks tz! Most California gardeners I know leave their dahlia tubers in the ground but, as I explained (in verbose terms) in my reply to Chavli, that doesn't work for me because I turn over the contents of the raised planters in my cutting garden on a seasonal basis. It IS extra work to dig them up annually!

      Delete
  4. You’ve certainly been busy. Those artichokes are gorgeous enough they’d never have to flower and I’d still be happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That purple artichoke is a stunner. I haven't seen it in garden centers since I picked up mine in 2017. According to my log, it's supposed to grow to 4-6 feet tall but mine has stayed much smaller, unlike the noID variety on the back slope that are well over 6 feet tall this year.

      Delete
  5. Can't wait to see all your dahlia bouquets Kris. On Gardeners World last week Monty said if you leae them in the ground they'll do much better if you give them plenty of water early on before they start blooming. We had a wet late winter/early spring and my dahlias that overwintered are so much further along and healthier than usual. Have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dahlias do need LOTS of water once they germinate but, according to sources like Swan Island Dahlias, getting a lot of water when they're dormant leads to rot. Mine have done best when I plant the tubers directly in my raised planters and hold off on watering them until they sprout.

      Delete
  6. Everything seems to be a bit out of their normal schedule this season. We had an exceedingly hot and dry Spring so everyone got their warm season crops planted. However, a brief cold snap this past week toasted any that weren't covered. Sometimes being a bit late pays off. I always shake my head at some of the crazy names daylilies are given. Who comes up with these I wonder?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! I made exactly the same statement about that 'Scapecoast' daylily's name in a Instagram post, Elaine. Apparently, there's a whole series of 'Spacecoast' daylilies bred in Florida ;)

      Delete
  7. Beautiful! A couple of my dahlias have flowered and quite a few more will be there in a few days, all being well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid my dahlias are going to bloom late again this year but, while I was worked up over that delay last year, I'm taking it in stride this year, Nikki. Our spring season flowers were late so it seems natural that the summer ones will lag a bit too.

      Delete
  8. Wowza you got so much accomplished! Most all of spring's extra exuberance cleared up and everything tidy and ready for some heat and sun.

    I've been slacking off somewhat in the garden--pedal-to-the-metal all winter and most of spring--now, dithering. Dahlias in big (15 gallon) pots last year seemed to do as well as the ones in the ground, so I wonder about put them in the ground at all. Pinching them this year--delays the flowers but as you say, better branching.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't have any plastic pots in the 15-gallon range - if I had, I would've left at least some of them alone. I still have to clear the sweet peas but that'll almost definitely happen this week.

      Delete
  9. Looks like our dahlias and zinnias will bloom about the same time this summer, that's a first! You have a great variety of tubers, they ought to be magnificent! Eliza

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was REALLY late getting the Zinnias started this year but at least the marine layer is fading so maybe I'll avoid mildew on their foliage this year ;) I planted the first sunflower seeds this past weekend too - fingers crossed on those!

      Delete
  10. Your garden is magazine-ready! Seriously! I love your Epiphyllum 'Monastery Garden' (what a name!).

    ReplyDelete
  11. That Epiphyllum 'Monastery Garden' bloom is lovely, I've got a plant that's about to erupt in dozens (okay, maybe a dozen and a half) of blooms but they're bright red. I'd love to find one in that more muted tone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Okay I just counted buds on my plant. OMG. 59! There are 59 buds on one of my epiphyllum. Ha.

      Delete
    2. I look forward to seeing that Epiphyllum in bloom, Loree! With all those buds, I'd welcome it in any color.

      Delete

I enjoy receiving your comments and suggestions! Google has turned on reCAPTCHA affecting some commentator IDs so, if you wish to identify yourself, please add your name to your comment.