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Message |
    
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1584
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - 10:27 pm: | 
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Who else spends lots of time caring for a line of shrubs?
I've got privet that I've been doting over for a year now, and I need to talk to someone else who is obsessed with making a neatlly trimmed shrub along the property border.
Don't make fun.
J.B. |
Monster©
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 4328
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - 10:34 pm: |
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Jersey Bush
I'm kracKing up over here |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8786
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - 10:36 pm: |
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What kind of "talk-with"? As in a therapist: I can't get over my obsession with my shrub? Or, as in trim technique: I work from right to left in a sweeping motion?
I am generally obsessed with my gardens. Not happy with how they look this year. I am impatient to move things around, but it's the wrong time of the season. I don't like my shrub; I give it just enough attention to avoid Garden DYFS problems.
I am willing to compare notes, but can't help with the shrub OCD. (BTW - you could try Paxil for that....)
If it's not being too forward, I'd love to see your privet. It's my fantasy hedge. |
MittenReckitt
Citizen
Username: Mittenreckitt
Post Number: 84
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - 11:05 pm: |
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With 1500+ posts in 8 months, I'd say shrubs aren't the only thing you're obsessed with...
Couldn't resist...it's been too long :-)
MR |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1591
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 - 11:50 pm: |
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Greentree,
I saw a guy spraying his privet with some miracle grow type stuff, I was hoping he'd respond. This process is a labor of love. I go out and cut out the dead wood. I fertilize. I water. I trim it so it's thin on top and let the sun hit the bottom.
After I trim it I go out and look at it. I know I'm not alone. Is everyone paying people to keep their shrubs?
J.B.
Mitten, too true. At least I'm getting outside. |
AngelaK
Citizen
Username: Angelak
Post Number: 72
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 12:00 am: |
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I bought a cordless hedgetrimmer and a portable scaffold for my hedge obsession. I've been out of town all week. I can't wait to do a little trimming when I get home. I have a bit of a pruning thing going on too.
It's hot in Chicago! Cubs won, 9-3. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 382
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 7:38 am: |
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Here 22 years...privets probably longer. Many parts are dying. Hesitant to cut them down to the nubs for them to regrow as would lose my privacy. Any other suggestions? (When are we having our walking tour of everyones gardens?) |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1592
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 8:27 am: |
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Sherri,
You have to cut out the dead wood. It probably isn't giving you any privacy anyway. Then, see which of the individual bushes has potential and which don't. The losers get cut back aggressively, and the strong grow stronger from improved air circulation from the removed dead wood.
You have to put up with s patchy looking hedge while it grows back, but you don't have to cut the whole thing down at once. Then when the first round of holes grows back, reevaluate for the next weakest groups. My privet are on a five year plan. It's the end of year one and there's a clear improvement. With IMPROVED privacy.
J.B. |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 714
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 8:59 am: |
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Good advice, JB. We've been doing the same thing, and have a much improved hedge (though still not near perfect). Not only improved privacy, but no longer butt-ugly (and therefore unemployable).
Needs a trim now, but it's too dern hot for me
mj |
Tuxedo
Citizen
Username: Tuxedo
Post Number: 89
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 9:05 am: |
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Sea Kelp Fertilizer |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8795
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 11:35 am: |
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I do the same thing with my garden. I walk around, constantly deadheading. Sometimes I get home from work, have to pee really badly and still go straight to the garden (in heels) to pull a couple weeds.
I have been know to stand in the backyard for an hour, watching the sun and timing shade so that I can plant appropriately.
BTW - I'm very sad. I knew that it was the wrong thing to do, but I dug up some shastas and transplanted nicotiana and lantana a couple weeks ago. I lost on lantana and two nicotiana this week.
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Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 384
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 12:07 pm: |
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Sorry for your loss greenetree (couldn't help the segue). I am an anal gardener but this darn blasted heat his putting a damper on my enthusiasm. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8797
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 - 12:11 pm: |
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Thank you, Sherri.
I'm not always the brightest bulb on the tree when it comes to common sense and the garden. It's a good thing that I have an office job. Otherwise, I'd be out there trying to fix what I broke. So, what are the signs of heatstroke again?  |
SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 361
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 1:20 pm: |
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Cordless hedge trimmer: what brand and where did you buy it?
Any other recommendations? I killed a Home Depot/some national brand trimmer after 3 outings. |
tjohn
Supporter
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 4616
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 1:24 pm: |
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This is a very good cordless.
http://www.watering.co.uk/acatalog/Pearsons_Mail_Order_Gardena_Hedge__Clippers_2 5.html |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 1128
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 3:41 pm: |
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I recommend regular applications of Messenger for everything that grows that you care about. I'm sure it will improve your privet, JB!
http://www.edenbio.com/usa/agriproducts/?m=1
PS. They sell it at Millstone |
AngelaK
Citizen
Username: Angelak
Post Number: 75
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 12:22 am: |
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SO1969,
I got a Black and Decker 18 volt cordless. It's pretty light and does a good job. No problems so far, but I've only trimmed once or two at this point.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001Q2EMA/sr=1-4/qid=1154665099/ref=sr_1_4/103 -6116652-1294246?ie=UTF8&s=hi
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AngelaK
Citizen
Username: Angelak
Post Number: 76
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 12:28 am: |
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Oh and they had it in stock at the Lowes in Union. The reviews on Amazon were helpful, tho. Home Depot had the lower voltage model that wasn't in stock. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1651
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 9:10 am: |
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Monster,
My 2yo (whom you met at Bunnys) saw your avatar and says:
"ewww - wook Momma - eww - dat guy"
 |
SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 362
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 2:31 pm: |
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Thank you, AngelaK and tjohn. |
Monster©
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 4361
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 4, 2006 - 6:25 pm: |
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so umm, does that mean he doesn't like it doula.... |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 1146
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 6, 2006 - 1:46 pm: |
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For those of you not familar with toddler-speak:
ewww = yukky |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1604
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 3:57 am: |
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Back to the original topic:
Has any one done a hedge of Barberry? I saw it in a gardening book and it was maroon. Does it stay that color year round? Are the berries a problem?
Will it live in our zone?
J.B. |
tjohn
Supporter
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 4676
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 7:58 am: |
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Barberry will thrive in New Jersey. There are different varieties, one of which is sort of wine-colored. Barberry bushes have thorns, so if that is a problem, don't plant them. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8947
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 9:49 am: |
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I am close to tears. My landscaper went on vacation and his idiots, I mean workers, trimmed all the shrubs. The blooming spirea, my hollies, the Moutnain Laurel I've been pruning into a tree, the ugly-••• arbor vitae that took 3 years to bring back and now back to their butt-ugly, double-bagger condition that drove me to fire the grasscutter who hacked them up years ago.
My landscaper e-mailed me back to enquire as to how he could compensate me to relieve my distress. Can't wait to discuss it with him. I envision professional deep root fertilization of my shrubs, to start with. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1609
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 1:23 pm: |
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In spite of all of the hassles and sweat, that story is why I do it myself. Plus I'm cheap.
J.B. |
Jersey girl
Citizen
Username: Critterlover
Post Number: 88
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 10:35 pm: |
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I had a similar experience, greenetree. My dear spouse often cleans out the gardening beds for me. Along with many, MANY perennials, over the years I've lost a tiny but thriving cherry tree, a peach tree, and many rose bushes that were suffering from heat exhaustion, but could be revived in short order with proper watering and fertilizing during the next season.
You have my sympathy. At least the landscaper has offered some restoration.
My husband didn't do that! LOL! (If you are reading this, I am only kidding with you, Dear.)
Jersey girl |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8982
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:32 pm: |
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Thanks, JG. I actually have bigger problems. TS is not happy with the tree trimming. She keeps saying that the large pin oak was "butchered". I keep telling her that it was a misunderstanding, that the four of us (me, her, the two different tree guys who looked at the job) all thought we were in sync on removing an entire limb.
But, everytime we are in the back yard together (which was a lot this weekend, she yells at me. I just duck and cover. 
At one point, she muttered something about "that's why I do these things myself". (Maybe she & JB are related?) I just looked at her and said "were you really going to go 30 feet up with a chain saw?" |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1629
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:40 pm: |
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Actually we talked about it. I said, "No 30 ft. high with a chain saw unless we're both sober."
We couldn't resolve that. Maybe it was my hip flask, which I keep in case of snake bites.
Or the small snake I also keep...
J.B. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 8987
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:42 pm: |
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Get your story straight, there, JB. In another thread, your snake is not small. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1632
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 11:57 pm: |
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Don't beleive what I say when I'm sober.
Or, for that matter, don't believe what I say when I'm drunk.
As for my snake...
Only TS and the framistan know.
J.B. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 9012
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 9:58 pm: |
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I spoke to my guy. He is sending a tree specialist to fertilize the arbor vitae. And he is squeezing me in for a small landscaping project that I was going to do myself this Fall.
I'm happy. Things happen; it's all how they get handled.
I will try not to cry when I look at my spirea; they will be back next Spring.
BTW, JB.... I'm shocked that you tell me this about TS. I never would have thought she'd be interested in anything like that. Framistans just aren't her thing. So she says..... |
Elizabeth
Citizen
Username: Momof4peepers
Post Number: 157
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 9:02 am: |
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JB - on the corner of prospect and I want to say Parker there is a row (trying to become a hedge) of barberry. It's on the Parker street side headed toward Maplewood town center. If you're still thinking about a hedge of barberry, you might go look at it. |
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