Hey ruggy! Good to hear from you again. Just checked out your website and boy are you organized! Looks great!

I am itching too and have been buying and gathering seeds to start for planting out when it warms up. The Phila. Flower Show starts this week and as a member of the PA Hort. Society, my sisters and I went to the member's preview yesterday. The show also has vendors so I was itching to get to them yesterday.

I bought a thick set of tubers of red hot poker at the show that I will need to plant. I had tried some red hot pokers from seed a couple years ago and last winter, I decided to keep them outside (but protected), but early last spring, they began to decline and didn't have well-formed tubers, finally drying up.

I also bought a manettia inflata (firecracker vine) as this is supposedly a good hummingbird plant. They have sold those for years but this is my first time trying it. Last year I started planting for hummers and I have been adding to what I have so far (some are overwintering inside right now). Have already made a mail order list for a few more plants that I wanted to try for the hummers.

A couple weeks ago, I bought some fresh tomato and pepper seeds of different varieties and I can't wait to get started on that. Have to decide which ones to grow as I must try to limit myself to 1 plant per container. LOL

Nice site, Ruggy. I hear you on being anxious to get started!

I have my 2 decks all planned out. I even drew maps this time! I have just placed a big seed order and am going to try my hand at growing seedlings for the first time. This year I am going for lots of veggie production. I am converting at least 4-6 of my former flower containers to veggies, and buying 2 Earthboxes. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, lettuce, peas...So that's a lot more veggies than last year!

And instead of growing a morning glory screen to cover the AC unit, I'm going to try scarlet runner beans. Pretty AND edible - that's what I'm going for this year. We'll see how it goes.

containergirl - sounds like you are ready to roll! The SRBs may even attract some hummers for you. The past couple years, I have started growing annuals and perennials that are good for hummers so I can increase my visits. I've grown SRBs the past couple years and will definitely be starting some more this year.

The veggies should be fun - I just got some new tomato seeds in last week and will be starting them in a couple weeks.

Since it is finally warming up a bit, I am going to be out there this weekend doing the late winter pruning on my clematis and my pee gee hydrangea and doing some other cleanup of the perennials and old annuals. I know a bunch of my pots have been frozen for awhile so I am going to try to start watering any of those that are thawed.

Sweet pond setup there!

Started getting ready? I'm going full force. Just moved out of my shaded north into a west-facing place. Trying to get everything up and growing so there's something well-established to survive/block the sun when it gets to be 100 degrees out there.

I'm having trouble with seed-starting through... the kitties like to tip over the little pots and dig in the big ones.

Here is a link that might be useful: My efforts to date

Very nice whytephoenix!

I'm lucky enough to have a room I can keep my beasties out of to start the seeds, they do have an intense interest in the seedlings! It will be some time before I can really do anything outside... despite it being 70 the last two days, I woke to snow and ice this morning... blech.

So I'm contenting myself with the baby plants and planning, lots of planning... I picked up a new shelving unit at Ikea that I need to treat with Thompson's to go on one end of the balcony, and I'm currently planning this year's pond setup and the fishing line and christmas light trellis for the viney things. Mostly buying the supplies and writing up plans... I've scheduled vacation the first week of May to get everything done and open the balcony for the season.

Also planning a screened kitty condo on the main balcony that I have to design and start shopping for (I'm not confident in my kitties' ability to stay on the balcony, and I'm too high up for my comfort!) I'm planning on putting a pet door in the slider that opens into a screened play area for them, complete with a little lawn and some thick branches to climb on. Some people think I spoil the "children"....

I just noticed this week that I've got some cattail sprouts peaking up, and my lilac seems to have survived and has some buds... I hope it really takes off this year, cause it's still just 3 twigs in the dirt... LOL

I can hardly wait till it's time to get all the plants potted up and outside!

I have a very long and wide L shaped balcony, the short side of the L facing north and the long side facing west. I am in Zone 6b. I would like suggestions re winter interest for the balcony and am on my way to buy large planters that can remain outside for our freeze-thaw cycle. The balcony is very windy as well as it faces the river 6 stories up.
I am thinkin a couple of red-twig dogwood and would like evergreens. Any suggestions.
The summer is easier but I would like suggestions there as well.
S

Sorry, meant to start a new thread, not horn in on this one!

Well, I did it again... LOL

I went to the garden center to LOOK at a new pond... ended up buying the pond, 6 hanging pots, and 4 large planters... They don't even have plants yet and I'm already compulsive shopping! LOL

I also added 7 new ceiling hooks today, and the lights for the trellis are on order. I've got hops and a "reblooming lilac" on order too. The little plants are growing and I managed to successfully clone 10 cuttings (no luck on the million bells though, I simply can not propagate those!).

It's taking all my restraint to not work faster out there, when I KNOW there's more weather to come yet... LOL

Hi guy's I'm a newbie and yes I couldn't wait to get my hands in some dirt. I have a small balcony and thus far I've planted morning glorys, Nasturniums,and killed a flowering crabapple tree. While I'm here I may as well ask a question about the tree. I planted the tree about a week ago in a pot that was way too small, and it seems to be dead with the exception of a few leaves. I repotted it yesterday in a pot that's 4 times the size of the origianl one. My questions is will my poor tree bounce back or should I just chuck it in the trash. Thanks guy's in advance and it's nice to be here. LOL!!!

Hi Sherina. I have no idea about crabapples, but I wouldn't chuck it yet. It's so early here in Chicago, you never know what can happen. I would imagine that it's going through a bit of a shock from its recent transplants, and it just may bounce back. I'd be willing to bet it's going to bounce back with a little time!

I myself recently potted a tree rose, and it's showing absolutely no signs of life. But I have the patience of a saint and will let it sit there till July if I have to LOL!

Thanks containergirl, I was glad someone came along and gave me a ray of hope. I will give her some time.LOL!!!