I haven't seen any other peninsula people here...I'm in Salisbury.

If you feel like taking a road trip, go down to How Sweet It Is, in Eden, MD - just past where the Salisbury Bypass re-merges with Rt 13. There's also Johnson's Seed & Feed here, right off of Rt 50.

Those would be...what, about 30-45 minutes from you? Definitely worth the day-trip!

Here is a link that might be useful: DE nurseries

Finally!!! Georgetown here, and desperate to find folks to share ideas, plants, the misery of the lack of rain...

I'll freely admit that I know very little, having been too long of the habit of "gee let me stick this in the ground and see what happens" and too long in pure-sand-and-shade Oak Orchard to have there be much use of taking my skills beyond that. But now I have some excellent soil (or so I'm told by more than one source), some areas that get real live gen-yew-wine sun, and I'm aching to learn more about the art and science of gardening.

Right now my major quest is to figure out how to plan a veggie garden for two (I plan on doing sq ft gardening), since until now, "when to plant" has always been defined by when DelTech's Ag department has their annual sale where I bought my tomatoes, peppers and herbs, which were the only thing I had in my garden most years. I can't find squat that focuses on helping me to learn what, when, and how much to plant to suit our needs without waste, at least not anything that's geared towards this particular region.

FYI I've learned how to make rainbarrels!! Now if I can only find a local resource for the plastic barrels, I'd hatch my scheme of trading rainbarrels for help from people who actually know what the heck they're doing when it comes to gardening of all kinds (food, landscaping, etc.).

And I have a friend who lives and breaths for Peppers, so I want to check it out soon. I always went to East Coast Perennials just off Mt. Joy Rd. near 24 (though I think the name's changed since they're not just perennials any more).

Can't help you much with planning--I just do whatever strikes my fancy when the mood takes me. ;)

I know where you mean, although I've never been there. I think it's called East Coast Ornamentals, or something like that. I've never really had an impulse to look there--I go to Lowes for cheap, and buy their discount stuff they've half killed and bring it back to life, and to Peppers for variety. Never heard anyone who's been to ECO before now, so I figured it must be just another nursery, nothing special. Too far away to be worth the trip for something unremarkable.

I don't know anything about Delaware. Sorry. But...

If you are willing to make a trip of it, the Pepsi plant in Baltimore is supposed to sell barrels for $5 ea.

"One 55-gallon drum (available for $5 from the Pepsi Bottling Company in Baltimore. Contact: Charlie Dickerson, 410-366-3500 for more information)"

Hope that helps. :-)

Jen

Here is a link that might be useful: MD Dept Nat Resources

I've bought from Pepper's online and have always been thrilled with the plants I receive. I didn't realize that they were located in DE. Are their nursey prices as good as their online prices? How far from Rehobeth are they located?
Karyn

I somehow doubt that's the same place. The place I'm talking about, which is in Milton, DE, doesn't even take credit cards.

I'm pretty sure it's the same place. I can't imagine two nurseries in DE called Pepper's. 13034 Ceder Creek Rd. Milton, DE. They have a web store called Accents for Home & Garden. I don't believe the web store accepts CC's either, I use Paypal for my purchases from them.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: web store

Wow, that sure is the same one! Surprise, surprise!

Thanks!

Countryside Gardens on rt 40 in Bear DE has good selections but a little pricey. Have you tried mailorder from bluestone perrenials ?? Can't go wrong there.

Kathy

Anyone else here from Deli?? We moved here in July (2012) and trying to figure out what my forum is! :)

I have been to How Sweet It is and it is worth a trip to visit. I love their perennials and shrubs. Their prices are also very reasonable. I notice a lot of folks talking about Lowes and HD for plants. That's fine but try to stay away from their hostas. Hostas nowadays should be bought from a reputable nursery. There is a disease being spread and I have heard a lot of the stock at HD has had the disease. Once you bring an infected Hosta into your garden it is hard to get rid of the virus. http://www.hostasdirect.com/hosta-info/hosta-diseases-virus-x-nematodes

Wow this thread started in 2007. I'm in Wilmington.

Hello Wilmington! & hello Madcosta! ! I'm trying to bring my Pennsylvania Hosta to Delaware.... the few I brought last year were sooooo not happy! :) Our home in PA hasn't sold but we've got a pending offer... and we may be going up "rape & pillage the gardens" over Easter break. I'm trying to learn what I can as far as what grows here & what doesn't like it. I have no idea what I can stretch into loving it and what isn't possible. I"m hoping to find some more action on some of the groups here. :)

Hi Grace,

I usually hang out in a couple other forums but they have gone silent. So I found this forum and there appears to be life, yayyyyy!

The hosta you're transplanting, are you placing it in similar growing conditions? I'm by no means an expert on them. I guess I got lucky when I planted mine, which were all pass-along plants.

Joseph

The temps are warmer here and the "soil" is all sand here.... we bought backs of compost & mg potting soil to mix in with the sand as a quick fix last summer. We moved here July 8th and had to get my few treasured plants into the ground asap.

My hosta grew in shade but with bright light... if that makes sense... When I brought it here, I knew I was going to be in trouble! lol We're loving the sunshine but it was quite a shock for the plants. I have a back wall of the house that faces the sunrise. It will be part shade into full sun until the sun goes over the house at noon. I'm hoping it can adapt.

I bought a variety of Caladium & a few Elephant Ears to plant against the same wall.... they have the same "shade to part sun" lighting requirements. I'm hoping to put them around the back of the house as well & give it a colorful tropical feel.

I have so much to learn here! My growing zone was 5b in Pennsylvania, the soil was completely different, the lighting is completely different... even "full sun" in PA was as sunny as it is here!

People in my neighborhood grow hosta in the bald open sun and they have grown nicely. I'm not sure what variety they are but most likely they are commonly available ones.

I think you're doing well to incorporate organic matter in the sandy garden soil. It will help with retention of water during the brutally hot summer. I plan to incorporate vermicompost I made using composting worms as well as rice husks into my morning glory growing containers. The vermicompost is for adding beneficial bacteria to the soil profile. The rice husks are to add to porosity to the soil so air and water can get to the roots more easily.

Maybe your plants looked all of ours because of the fierce heat and dry spells we had last summer?

Since we moved here in the beginning of July, I believe that my hosta were sunburned in a very short amount of time here.... The poor things were dug in the shade & cooler temps of PA and plopped in the ground here the next day. .... I hope they forgive me! They weren't happy but managed to stay alive... there was definitely some green there at the end of season. Depending on when our home in PA sells, I'd love to go up and grab more from the gardens.... too expensive to keep buying more.

We were so busy last year, I tried to keep on top of just the front flower bed with watering... was it drier than normal last year? I heard it was record heatwaves for most of the summer.... we don't have anything to compare it too.... it was so much different than PA.

You must be in southern Delaware with the sandy soil.

Your plants should transplant ok if the installation is done early enough in the year to give the plants time to establish themselves before mother nature turns up the heat.

We're in Lincoln, just a bit South of Milford... and about a mile or so on the west side of Route 1.

Big happenings yesterday! I saw some daff sprouts from my new bulbs! I soooo needed to see that!

You should be having yellow flowers from the daffodils soon. Our Helleborus are flowering now and crocus are popping up all over the garden.

We are in Glasgow. We used to own a cottage in Kitts Hummock, 8 miles se of Dover. We successfully grew two live oaks and two needle palms (7' by the time we sold the place..) Actually contrary to some zone maps, very little of Delaware, only Wilmington and Newark and points n are in zone 7a, and the Delaware and Maryland shore areas are actually in the northernmost reaches of zone 8a (which is why they can grow european fan palms, windmill palms and we can't.) Those of us who live south of Newark and Wilmington can grow needle plams in protected spots, and with luck and an even more protected spot sabal minor (dwarf palmetto.)Delaware is the northeasternmost Southern state. We can/ and do grow live oak in protected spots, loblolly pine, laurel oak, japanese privet, and a limited number of palms south of Wilmington and Newark.

I am in western Sussex County in Delaware. I love gardening here because we have sandy loam soil. Jeff's Greenhouse in Bethel has a huge nursery where they grow what they sell.

I'm here in gold ole Kent County. I've only been to a few, but I did like East Coast Garden Center in Millsboro

Im in North Wilmington as well. I live by Old Country Gardens which is pretty great but you have to take out a home equity loan just to buy some shrubs. We lived in New Castle for a few years and still venture down to Countryside Nursery for everything. I love it there. Prices are decent and most of the people are very helpful and knowledgeable.

Rehoboth Here!!

Hello,

New to living here, not being here many times over many years.

I've dealt with Commonwealth Nursery in Massachusetts for about 15 years and have always had spectacular success with their plants.

My house has 3/4 acre and is very much a blank slate. I plan on ordering numerous plants soon for fall planting.

Just a little notice: If you are looking for a flashy web site you ain't gonna get it here. Very basic, BUT customer service and plant quality is tops.

Best!!

Mike

Hi Mike... not sure if you are on facebook but there is a group called Southern Delaware Gardening & Delaware Gardeners. The Southern Delaware Gardening group has alot of Sussex County gardeners. I'm in Lincoln, the North side of Sussex Country. There are a few highly recommended greenhouses in the area... one is Pepper's greenhouse in Milton. A great selection of trees, bushes, perennials, annuals, herbs & veggies, grasses, you name it. "Alyssa" that is in the facebook group ... this is her family business. Also... if you are on facebook.. there's another group to check out... the group is called "Who would you refer in Sussex County". You can ask for referrals on anything at all. You can also use the "search feature" on the group page & look for previous answers to questions.. everything from the "best" pizza, to dog grooming & Dr's offices. Welcome to Delaware! Tamra

Hi Tamra,

Thanks for the greeting and info.!! I have been to Peppers (I agree, it a great place).

Not on face book yet, perhaps a bit later.

I will do some exploring soon.

Perhaps we will cross paths at some point.

Thanks again!

Mike Zufall