Albion Strawberries

So, we went to the Pleasantville farm this past Saturday. It's pretty cool to live in a town with an organic farm less than a 1/2 mile from our home.

They are renting out planting beds for a pretty good price. Our yard consists of 4.5' X 108' on either side of our house. The 20X14 courtyard is completely patio'd over. We don't have room for a garden.

We're going to rent a 39" X 24' bed for $200 a year and it includes irrigation and a community shed with tools. Compared to other places in the area this is a really good deal and we can't beat the convenience. The closest place we'd be able to rent a bed otherwise is at least 25 minutes away.

Since we love strawberries, we've decided it's a plant we definitely want in our beds. More to come as we decide on other plants.

I now present, The Albion Strawberry

Category	Edible Fruit
Common Name	Albion Strawberry
Formal Name	Fragaria X ananassa cv. Albion
Description	This neutral bearing strawberry plant provides a continuous supply of strawberries throughout the growing season. It is resistant to root rot and Verticilbium wilt. This strawberry is distinguished by its long, conical & symmetrical shape. It is known for being a firm fruit with excellent flavor.

Uses	Raised planter beds Container gardens (they don't do as well as in planter beds)
Light Requirements	Full Sun
Soil Requirements	Loose & loamy; Slightly acidic (pH of 6 - 6.5)
Water Requirements	1" of water per week (drip system preferable)
Height	6.5 to 8.5 inches
Spread	12 inches
Growing Zone	3-ish year perennial through zone 5
Manicuring or Pruning	Prune the runners in the first part of the growing season (These can be put in pots to root & re-plant later). Pinch the first flowers to encourage leaf growth which leads to more fruit.
Fertilization	Top quality compost encourages beneficial bacteria & earthworms. Fertilization beyond this is generally unnecessary.
Growth Cycle	Begins to fruit in June and should continue through Fall.
Bloom Time	Flowers shortly before first fruit
Bloom Color	White
Propagation	Seeds Cuttings (Runners)
Maintenance Level	Constant weeding is necessary as the shallow root system does nothing to compete with weeds. Weeds can be minimized by mulching and/or straw.
Special Features	Attracts Birds Produces Berries Produces Fruit
Known Issues	Birds love the berries and will pick them off faster than you can unless you take measures to scare the birds away. This can be done with flash tape or by simply putting bird netting over the top (recommended). Fruit will rot when it ripens in contact with the ground because of excess moisture. Straw will help prevent the fruit from touching the ground and act as a protection from the excess moisture. Slugs & snails are attracted to the plants. Keep them away with traps or copper strip barriers.

Crape Myrtle - Razzle Dazzle

I'm partial to plants that stay somewhat small. I'm also partial to lots of color. My front landscape is a sea of reddish-pink, purples, & yellows. If a plant's main feature is that it stays green, it's not in my landscape.

The Razzle Dazzle series of crape myrtle is perfect for me. Not only does it stay fairly small at 3' to 5' tall and wide, it has a lot of color. In the spring, the leaves appear first as a reddish color, mature to green & finally turns back to a deep burgundy in fall. The flowers bloom just as I'm getting bored with the green and contrast very nicely. Even after the leaves drop, it is still pretty because the branches have a nice red color instead of muddy brown.

And yes, I know you could spell "Crape" as "Crepe". I've seen it both ways and I decided to stay consistant by just going with "Crape", so don't give me any "Crap".

I now present the Razzle Dazzle Crape Myrtle

Category	Deciduous Shrub
Common Name	Dwarf Crape Myrtle Razzle Dazzle Crape Myrtle
Formal Name	Lagerstroemia
Description	This is a compact mounding shrub - typicially called a dwarf. It has showy summer flowers, leaves that turns deep orange to red in fall, and a bark that looks nice after the leaves drop for the winter.

Uses	Mass Planting Border Foundation
Light Requirements	Full Sun Partial Sun
Soil Requirements	Well drained; Semi-moist
Water Requirements	type water requirements here
Height	3' to 5'
Spread	3' to 5'
Growing Zone	6 - 9
Manicuring or Pruning	Dead head spent flowers to encourage new blooms; prune away "wild" branches, but allow the shrub to take on a natural shape. Prune in late winter/early spring.
Fertilization	Fertilize in the spring when new growth appears. A general purpose fertilizer is all that is necessary.
Growth Cycle	New growth will appear mid-spring. Flowers show up mid summer and will bloom thru fall.
Bloom Time	Mid-spring thru fall (with dead heading)
Bloom Color	Red, Pink, or White
Propagation	Go to the nursery & buy a new one?
Maintenance Level	Fairly low, especially once established. Faithful dead heading throughout the summer, minimal pruning in late winter & once a year fertilizing in spring will keep your shrub beautiful.
Special Features	Mildew resistant Fall color Drought tolerant once established

I'm The Goofy Gardener

Welcome to my new blog!

I want to have a nice garden like those I see in the neighborhood. I'm petrified I'm going to plant something that is going to overtake the entire landscaping bed - either by being a "creeper" or it will just grow up huge and block all the other plants.

Also, I can't seem to find all the information I'm interested in on any one site. I figured I'd use this blog as a place to combine and present all my research and acquire tips from more experienced gardeners.

I also like to tell stories so it won't all be this is this and that is that. As it says over in my sidebar, I will also share my success stories and my adventures. If you've read my other blog (http://www.lifemakesmelaugh.blogspot.com/), you will get a good taste of my sense of humor. I'm sure I'll have just as many stories about my gardening adventures.


Here's my first "plant" entry:

Category	Grass
Common Name	Monkey Grass Lily Turf
Formal Name	Liriope Muscari
Description	The muscari species appears as a grasslike clump, which can either be solid green or verigated (my preference). In late summer, stalks of showy flowers begin to appear with berries following.

Uses	Edging in planting beds & walk-ways
Light Requirements	Full Sun Partial Sun (preferred) Partial Shade (preferred)
Soil Requirements	Well drained
Water Requirements	Regular watering is necessary
Height	12 to 18 inches
Spread	about 12 inches
Growing Zone	5+
Manicuring or Pruning	Mow or clip plants close to the ground in early spring before the first new sprouts appear.
Fertilization	Does not need regular fertilization
Growth Cycle	Can be evergreen in the south. In mid US, shoots begin to appear in April and look pretty nice thru September. That first frost makes the leaves fall flat (like a really bad hair day).
Bloom Time	August & September
Bloom Color	Stalks of purple, lavender, blue, white or pink
Propagation	Divide in early spring
Maintenance Level	Low
Special Features	Produces Berries
Known Issues	Rabbits think it is candy

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