Mentha, there was a thread about local nurseries not too long ago. See it HERE

As for pruning roses, pretty much regardless of where you live the traditional time to prune is when the forsythia are in full bloom. That usually is before the roses start new growth, and sufficiently close to the end of damaging frost (usually!) that new growth doesn't get burned.

John

Hi Mentha, welcome (back) to the neighborhood. I live a bit east of Sevierville, and there is definitely a dearth of good nurseries in these parts. Where I live is even worse than Knoxville. Might I suggest a trip to the UT Gardens right in Knoxville. I don't know if they sell anything, but I'm sure they have some good information on local resources. I met someone who worked there and they seemed quite nice.

Thanks for the link and info. Hopefully when snow hits tomorrow, if it hits, they will finally go to sleep. Even in California at this time they are asleep.

I think Stanley's probably has the best selection of succulents and cacti in this area, but also, the big box stores often have a pretty decent selection with even a few somewhat rare things scattered in on occasion.

UT Gardens does not normally sell any plants except for a couple of fundraiser events during the year. They are a small to mid-sized public garden rather than a nursery of any type.

Another resource might be the East Tennessee Plant Swap. In the past few years, I've given away quite a few cacti and succulents. I may not personally have many to give away at the swap coming up (probably mid-May), but others probably will have some. There will certainly be an abundance and a wide variety of neat plants there, looking for a good home!

BTW, what type of mints do you grow? Some types are invasive (environmentally damaging) here, but there are many that aren't a problem and even some native species. I have four or five species of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum) and four or five other types (Mentha and others).

All my mints are in pots. They aren't allowed out to play because I have about 40 different named varieties of Mentha from citrus to fruit to spearmint, variegated, peppermint, etc. I don't want them to intermingle nor do I feel it's fair to my landlord to let them roam all over the yard.

'Course that wouldn't stop them from being a problem. Mints that are invasive, spread by seed. The spread via rhizomes is secondary, so far as invasiveness goes.

I actually have a few that could be a problem, but, like you, I have them in pots AND deadhead them every time before the blooms have a chance to form seed.

An interesting Mentha, I got last year, was Strawberry Mint. I've had the old standards (Apple, Chocolate, Pineapple, Eau de Cologne, etc), but hadn't seen the Strawberry type until a couple of years ago.

Wow, I just re-read and noticed the 40 types. That's a lot! I've never seen an individual with that many.

I have a few loves, mint is one of them.Heirloom tomatoes is another. I love the way mint never seems to die, there is always something new going on and it's near impossible to kill. My grandmother has one in her front yard that she pulls out every year and it has just made that plant want to survive all the more. My mom hates mint too. This is my little rebellion toward them.

I have Strawberry mint also, I got it from Stanley's or MAYO. I can't remember which. It has a nice scent, smaller leaves, and is a vigorous grower. My mint is used in all sorts of culinary concoctions so very rarely do I see flowers on them. When I do it's off with their heads.

I'd like to grow all kinds of tomatoes, but tomatoes don't like me. No matter how I treat them or what type I get, they NEVER perform really well. It's not even just one problem; every year I've tried them, it seems to be some new problem. I usually end up with a few tomatoes, but the plants just never perform like I'd like them to.

Oh, and I've managed to kill a mint plant (Chocolate Mint) too. I'm not sure how. LOL

The only way I have killed mint is to forget to water it or when somebody or something upturned a pot and I didn't notice it. That may be different here with colder winters. They may not be as hardy here though.

I thought of another question, maybe I should start another post but are there any Cactus & succulent societies or other plant societies in Knoxville? Any plant shows or such? I can't seem to find and listings online for the Knoxville area.

Mentha, we're in west Knoxville too, but then so much of Knoxville seems to think of itself as 'west' that I remain confused even after four years here. Our four favorite nurseries are Thress (on Old Clinton Pike), Ellenburg, MeadowView (on the way to Lenoir City), and Out of Eden (in Maryville).

Thress and MeadowView have cacti, though I don't know if they're in your league. Thress is my favorite but it's a far trek from Choto. They are really good for perennials, shrubs, herbs....

"...are there any Cactus & succulent societies or other plant societies in Knoxville?"

East Tennessee Daylily Society - I am pretty sure they are no longer in operation.

East Tennessee Iris Society - Meets at a small church on Emory Road in Powell, near Karns. I used to be a member, but am not now. They are working on getting a new website designed. If you want to contact them, I can put you in touch. They always have a booth at Bloomsday and (at least so far) have had a yearly, public show (typically at Knoxville Center Mall but that may be different this year).

East Tennessee Hosta Society - I know very little about this group. www.easttnhostasociety.com

Tennessee Rose Society - I know very little about this group. If they are still around, their website is WAY out of date. They were at Bloomsday last year (I think).

Greater Knoxville Cactus and Succulent Society - Very small membership and they meet at someone's house. I think they are barely hanging on.

Knoxville Bonsai Society - Meets at the group leader's (Tom Bjorholm's) home. Reasonably active with at least one public show (maybe more) per year. Their show usually coincides with Bloomsday and is held on the UT Campus. They have also had at least one show at the Knoxville Botanical Garden. knoxvillebonsaisociety.com

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Also, many of the local public gardens have their own groups. These include

UT Arboretum Society - Lots of nice people as well as a few that aren't so much. I used to be on their board of directors, but got tired of the "politics". More of a garden support groups than a club.

Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum - You can become a "member" by donating money to the organization. There are also volunteer opportunities.

Ijams Nature Center - Also a garden support group. My uninformed opinion (gut feeling) about this organization is that it seems to be getting more about making money than anything else.

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So, there are gardening / plant clubs and organizations out there, but for a place the size of Knoxville, you might expect more (or at least I would).

Thanks for the info! I will be sure to check out those nurseries and I am going to be put in touch with the C&S society. I will search for the others too.

If you aren't successful with getting in touch with the C&S Society, and need help reaching them, give me a holler and I think I can hook you up. As a matter of fact, I think I know at least one person in each of those groups.

There used to be a Great Smoky Mountains Koi Club & Pond Society, but I see no sign of them still being in existence these days.

Also, many years (decades) ago, there used to be a Knoxville Rock Garden Society.

It's crazy how all these groups seem to shrink, shrink, and then disappear. I wished there were currently a pond club and a rock garden club here in Knoxville. Looks like there would be a broad enough attraction for each of these clubs, because both could cover a wide variety of interests. The North American Rock Garden Society seems like it would be an exciting organization to take part in, and a local rock garden club could become a local chapter.