What's Growing on You? Never liked much, but now maybe? (2013, veggies)

[rdflk]

For me it's daisies, coneflower and echinacea. Never even liked them before...but they're growing on me.
I have to do some research on zones, hardiness, care, bloom time, invasiveness, etc, but at least they're a "maybe" this year -- as opposed to yet another Jacob's Ladder or daylily.

[zugor]

Right now the only thing growing anywhere in my yard is the depth of the snow covering it.

Closing in on 2 feet at this point.

Spring seems very far in the future at this point.

I haven't even seen any catalogs yet but maybe when the roads are passable and the mail can get through there will be some and I can daydream.

[beachmel]

I think the idea of growing more of my own herbal supplements.......is growing on me. More people are educating themselves on the benefits of plant-based medicines. Because of that, prices are going up. Time to start thinking about growing more of them, right here at home.

[rdlr]

Lillies! I never liked them because, to me, they really stink! They don't last long and are ugly when they are done blooming.

But...In somebody else's yard, they are pretty, or in large beds. I just can't get near them because of the stink.

[in_newengland]

After several feet of snow are gone I might think of growing stevia, the natural sweetener. I'll have to google and get requirements for growing it to see if I can do it here. At least it would be organic and it wouldn't be mixed in with anything else if I grow it myself. It is expensive in the stores too so I would save money.

[kinkytoes]

I agree with the other posters RE the herbs. We can count our blessings that we have the ability to grow these ourselves. Good luck with the stevia iNE.

I now like pokeweed. When I first moved in I did kill a lot of it and I thought it was a bad ugly weed. Granted, the berries are very poisonous, but so are parts of many other ornamental plants. I found out it was native. Then the love affair began. I now let it grow in some of the wilder areas in my yard. Not only does it have pretty little white flowers, but it is undemanding, has ornamental berries and red stems. It is a neat plant.

If push comes to shove, it can also be eaten if prepared properly. I have no plans to eat it and I do not recommend eating it, btw. In the areas of the country where it is eaten, it is called "poke sallet." A big plus this year was the unexpected fall color:

[chiroptera]

I'm going to be planting more bee-attracting perennials this spring. I was swarmed by bees and badly stung as a kid so I've always been mildly phobic about them. But there's been so much in the press lately about the decline of pollinators and colony collapse disorder that I figured it would be a good idea. As long as I don't plant them too close to my house LOL.

I'm also going to be putting more herbs and spices in pots this year.

[Ohiogirl81]

I always hated zonal geraniums, and hated the smell. Now I pot them all over the porch, the back stoop, the garage, the shed ...

Originally Posted by zugor

Right now the only thing growing anywhere in my yard is the depth of the snow covering it.

Generally at this time of year, the snowdrops would be blooming and the croci would be poking their leaves out of the soil.

I have a feeling it's going to be a late spring ... *pout*

[chiroptera]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I always hated zonal geraniums, and hated the smell. Now I pot them all over the porch, the back stoop, the garage, the shed ...


Generally at this time of year, the snowdrops would be blooming and the croci would be poking their leaves out of the soil.

I have a feeling it's going to be a late spring ... *pout*

Hard to tell!
Last winter in Michigan was incredibly mild - but we had a very late frost that either ruined or delayed planting, followed by (in my county anyhow) a record-breaking wet, rainy, stormy early summer
This was one of the most brutal winters on record, yet IIRC, Farmers Almanac is calling for an easy spring and summer.

[Torpedos]

Originally Posted by chiroptera

I'm going to be planting more bee-attracting perennials this spring. I was swarmed by bees and badly stung as a kid so I've always been mildly phobic about them. But there's been so much in the press lately about the decline of pollinators and colony collapse disorder that I figured it would be a good idea. As long as I don't plant them too close to my house LOL.

I'm also going to be putting more herbs and spices in pots this year.

What is the reason to attract bees? Do you have veggies that need pollinating ? If you do, I say get the mason bees instead of honey bees. They are better pollinators and don't sting.