WatfordFC: Rose posted a product called Neem that is safe to use.It's back a few pages.Be careful with that MiracleGro i got carried away once and burnt my plant.

Foxy Lady: I did too with miracleGro.
I use a similar product now but very diluted every few weeks to the plants that are in pots as they dont get the natural minerals from the soil
NEEM. is by far the best all natrual product Ive ever used. kills bugs somehow by cutting off their air, doesnt harm birds or cats. I just neemed my hedge and have totally gotten rid of the red lily beetle by using it.
You can buy it at all good nuseries and online

i have some really wonderful fairly large pieces of driftwood.... does anyone know of some plants that may grow on it??

Foxy Lady: Miracle Grow doesn't work on bald heads though so it's a bit of false advertising.

Rose: I had posted a comment right after you posted about the Neem,that was deleted.I'll post it again .I bought the Neem but never got to use it my hubby is very funny,were now using black and red pepper .So far i gotta say the rabbits are leaveing the garden alone.

Groucho:

Foxy Lady: Yeah, yeah. ;) I knew that. Ok, for a legitimate question: What are some of the best plants that do will in shade and partial shade (is there a difference between partial shade and partial sunlight??)

;)

spicieangel: what were those air plants we were talking about a few weeks ago, Ms. ajtgirl? think those would be apt candidates for Ms. angel's driftwood project...

Groucho: I know i'm going to spell this wrong but i find impatience's do well in the shade.All living things need light but some flowers will wilt in sunlight.

plaintiger:tilandsia, is the plant and if the climate is tropical then Elk & Staghorn ferns could also be considered.

The climate is Pacific Northwest

skipinnz: ah, right - tillandsia. thank you. :)

Groucho:You could try tree fern(ponga) but they can get tall. How big an area are we talking about?

skipinnz: not sure of the total square footage but it's pretty big.

I plan on part of it being used for a play area for the granddaughter. The other part a garden area and here is where I want some flowers/flowering plant and greens. It's very Pacific Northwestern, woodsy. I have tall trees in the yard and love the shade they bring.

Groucho: Well a couple of sugestions are Chatham Island forget me nots & Cyclamen. Both are low growing but have nice displays of flowers.
They also do well in colder climates with little sunlight.

I already have ripe tomatoes in my garden. Am so excited...will have beans before long too!

Dolittle: sounds lovely! i've been thinking about a veggie garden lately, but really got noplace to put one where i live now. :/

plaintiger:I don't have a veggie garden, just plant in spaces in my flower beds!!:^)

plaintiger: You can do some container gardening.

Dolittle: Were just getting flowers on our tomato plants our garden is behind due to the weather.

Dolittle and Ms. Fox: that'll work!

plaintiger: do you know where i would go to get the air plants and what is it you mean something like i had as a kid an air fern???

spicieangel: i don't know offhand, sorry - though if Ms. ajtgirl does mail order - or if You're in the New York area - She may be able to help You. if not, and Your local gardening center doesn't sell them, there's always buying online. :)

and i imagine they are something like the air plants You had as a kid, though i don't know for sure.

skipinnz: Don't forget about the Hosta's, beautiful green foliage and blooms that attract butterflys and hummingbirds..:}

Doris: Ha Ha good point, our's seem to be on the menu everynight and the slugs and snails dine until the sun rises. You can get some nice yellow verigated varities also.

Groucho:

Are you looking for annuals or perennials for your shady spot?  Any type of fern would be lovely although they do not flower.
 

Spicieangel:

are you going to keep them inside or outside?  What is the climate etc? Orchids can attach themselves to driftwood but need a little special care

ajtgirl: my drift wood is very large and it provides a border for my yucca plants, i live in Virginia near the chesapeake bay its 1 pm and 91 right so thats an idea of our temps im looking for something simple to care for

Geranium Q
Anyone know what would cause leaves on geranium to red? Just started happening this week. I have them planted in two big tin watering cans.

Rose: I've never seen that happen but could it be the tin?

Foxy Lady: That was my first thought. I will do a google search and see what I can find out. They look so neat in the watering cans, I have them hanging from a cast iron plant hanger in the yard.

Foxy this is what I found out!

--The different varieties of Pelargoniums often have very unique characteristics. The red leaves could be a response to some kind of stress like sudden change in the weather (hot days and cold nights). If the plant is otherwise healthy, there is nothing in particular to be done about it, but enjoy the show.

Rose: Wow thats interesting cause i never saw that,it could be our weather.

ajtgirl: I'm looking for low maintanence ;)

spicieangel:
.Do those yuccas survive the winters there?

If so you might be able to add a lot of tropicals around them

Groucho:

Ferns, daylillies, astilbe, hosta

ajtgirl: hehe Those are NO maintenance not low maintenance! hehe. I have 4 astilibe's that just go nuts every year and get bigger and bigger. They are sooo pretty!

Rose: I'm on board with that!! ;)

Groucho: You cant go wrong with astilbe's and hostas. I call hostas, elephant ear plants! And so many varieties with whites and greens thru them.
No matter what type of weather you have they grow well, even up north here!

Rose: thanks ;)

ajtgirl: what winter?? lol no it doesnt get to cold and we hardly ever have any snow being so close to the bay. So my yuccas survive very well.

this link is short:
http://flowerfields.in-carlsbad.com/

it is the Carlsbad Flower Fields Virtual Reality Tour(360 degree panoramic pictures)

spicieangel:

I wonder if you could plant some orchids on your driftwood, if your winters are so mild.  You don't really plant them, more like attach them with some moss and wire or string and the roots grow into the crevases.

If you drink please Don't Drive

Foxy Lady:

plaintiger:

I thought this was interesting.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13422446/

why is my Betulia dying

WatfordFC:

I have searched google to try to find a picture of a betulia but had no luck
All I could surmise is that it is a variety of begonia....perhaps similar to a rex begonia.  Is it an indoor plant?  I know that rex begonias can be tricky as too much or too little water can kill them quickly.  Also it is suseptible to spider mite infestation.

ajtgirl: It prefers sunlight, and its on my patio at the moment. I have been feeding it miracle gro, but it looks so sick.

Foxy Lady: nice. what's a strawberry jar?