BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Container Gardening Lurkers United!

Hi there to one and all...

Lurkers United - sounds like a football team, only I know there are many more on this team for sure.

Are you a lurker? And by that I mean are you an active online reader who reads but may be too shy to post an answer or pass an opinion or make a comment or say your say? I used to be, so I do understand but I say...

DON'T BE please! Your voice is really important wherever you go but especially to me here on this site and lurking only just gets in the way of our easy communication.

I would love to hear about your container garden stories, wishes, even dreams. Use a nom-de-plume so no-one but you knows it is you; use a nom-du-guerre if you prefer when speaking about dealing with pests and all; but please use a 'nom' and post in our forum; I would and do thrive on your feedback.

You have an open invitation anytime to answer or to start your own threads and it is really easy to do so.

Are you registered? That's an easy action too with Bellonline. If you do register, then you will be informed whenever there is a new and interesting article on the site AND you will be able to make requests and post replies and all.

No Spam. No sharing of your email address. Instant deregistration if that is what you want. That's a promise.

Have you seen the fabulous content on the whole of Bellaonline?

Lurk no more - sign up for all sorts of advantages, you will be pleased.

Oh and by the way, if you have a question about your containers, just ask and the container garden fairies will get to work on solving it for you!

P S Why do you choose to lurk - no time maybe; just remember Time is Life!

Cheers now...

Lurking, lurking!

About 7 years ago, I bought a garden in a bowl at a local grocery. It was just a couple of dollars, since the flowers were past their prime. I planted the crocus, hyacinths, tulips, and mini-daffodils by the backyard pond. Over the years, various bulbs have made an appearance. This year, there is an amazing daffodil display...all for a couple of dollars.

I am a lurker in many forums--shame on me. As a BOL editor, you'd think I'd understand how posts are appreciated!

A while ago, you helped me immensely with the great idea of lining the inside of my plastic pots with soaked cardboard to help retain the moisture. It really worked. I now try to stay away from those plastic pots but you can't beat the lightweightedness and the cost as compared to heavier clay or ceramic pots.

I will post some questions in new threads!

Hello to LURKERS UNITED! Can you believe it - that so much time has passed between your post Lori and my answer ... I would like to say that I can't believe it but hey - the proof is in the pudding as they say. Thinking back, it was about then that I started falling about and getting sick, (all is well now) but I don't remember even reading this Lori. Anyway, am so pleased and thought I would just say hi again. Cheers Lestie Container Gardening

Lestie, it is wonderful to hear your voice again. Welcome back! I'm glad that all is well.

Thanks Connie, have a lot to catch up on, not the least of which are my articles and forum etc. Am gaining momentum and soon will be sailing along again. Missed you all I can tell you! Cheers Lestie Container Gardening Editor

Hi Lestie, I signed up and have a question. What's the best way to grow barley greens indoors? Just sprouting them is not effective. Zoe

Hello Zoe - smart lady! You signed up hooray! Growing barley greens is a little time-consuming but very easy; and I say another thanks to you for the idea for a near future article in Container Gardening (just because).

I have opened a new thread on this subject so others will be able to comment etc. and the subject won't get lost in Lurkers United!

Cheers now...

What's the thread? I didn't see it on the menu. Zoe

Hello there Zoe,

I suppose it's easy to say a thread is a subject on its own - like this one here is called LURKERS UNITED and generally and at any time anyone who is a registered member of BOL (and registration to any one of the sites is very easy) can post a message. Generally what they say will be pertinent to the subject i.e. in this case lurking.

But, if someone wanted to know about growing microgreens for instance, they will not look under lurkers united but would go to the thread/forum subject opened up for that subject/topic.

The thread then follows, each thought or opinion or bit of advice etc. etc. and so on is then a thread of information... hope that makes sense to you, sometimes words get in the way! Go well today, cheers

Hi Lestie, Now I am confused. You said you opened a new thread on the microgreens topic. I don't see it in the forums so asked where it is to leave a post, as this one is for lurking comments. What's the name of the thread so I can post to it? My earlier question may not have been clear enough. No outside gardening in Kentucky, USA today. The expected high today is 14F, -10C. I hope it's brght and sunny in your windows! Zoe

Oh my Gooodness Zoe, we are in Summer here in Johannesburg, magnificent blue hot skies 28C plus with magical thunder and lightning rain storms so typical at the end of the day.

All gardens are soaking it in, ideal conditions for so much and the blossoms and butterflies and blooms and birds are all in overdrive.

I love it. And even though winter will be coming to us, well, I am a sissie when it comes to comparisons. Here our cold winters hang around 12C. Imagine that - and usually the skies are crisp and blue blue; it's enough to lift anyone's spirits.

Cheers now

Hi Lestie, I envy you your glorious summer weather. Before moving back to the southeastern USA, I lived in the Southwest, New Mexico, in the high desert. Big Blue skies there, and awe-inspiring cloud formations and sunsets. Maybe I can post a few pictures of it sometime. I lived in a fairly remote area. It was an altitude of around 1.6km and 65km from town. Very quiet and peaceful. I left thinking I needed more people contact, yet often miss the quiet and solitude. The area was intensely beautiful and soothing to the spirit. I found it difficult to leave. Sunflowers grew wild there immense fields of them like smiling crowds waving in the sunny breezes. Cheers,

Hi Zoe, you write so well my imagination is satisfied. Maybe where you are you will consider growning a sunflower in a suitable container? Could be a speciman plant and of course would need enough sun - but if you can't, then perhaps you can consider some other type of balcony or wall decor using a sunflower motif to remind you of the joy of those days and to celebrate you new choices.

Cheers then to she who does not lurk! smiling!

A sunflower would be nice. I want to do a lot of herbs though as I use them for medicine. The wheat grass article will be interesting, can't wait to read it. I made wheat grass and drank the juice way back, like 1970s. Good stuff, healthy too!

Greetings Lestie! Did you receive the message I sent you a few weeks ago through your newsletter contact page? I'm still getting your forum post and newsletter. Cheers!

Hi Zoe - no I did not, so sorry that you have not had a reply, I will search for it and get back to you soon. Am pleased you are still getting the CG newsletter and forum posts - life is good not so?

Hope you are well today!

Cheers

Hi Lestie, My emails to you and two others were sent through the contact the editor link at your newsletter page. I received automatic responses that they had gone through. ========================================================================================================================================= We're about six weeks from spring here-broccoli in the window sill sound pretty? Hope there's lot's of sunshine in your world.

Hello Zoe,

I did not get your emails so don't understand what has happened.

Can I help you with something? Please let me know - perhaps you have a general email address I can use?

Thanks and hope you are well today,

Cheers

Hello one and all,

Seems like LURKERS UNITED is still strong and doing well in the league reading season.

Do you have any container-related questions or observations? Lessons learnt, successes or failures? Challenges? None? Okay then... what have your gardening experiences been like recently - cold winter, green spring and all.

'Come along now' as they say in classrooms all over the world, why not join in and say your say.

I look forward to hearing from you, cheers now

Hello one and all,

Looks like LURKERS UNITED is doing well in the leagues when it comes to reading! Why not come out and play along by posting replies too?

Do you have any lessons learnt to share? Any gardening advice or observations to talk of? Any experiences to tell about over this past freezing winter and now into the green spring? Any summer container gardening stories to speak about as you prepare now to go into your winter? Thank heavens the world is still turning.

'Come along now' as they say in classrooms all over the world, say your say - it will be as welcome as it is easy.

Cheers now

Well, not really lurking today, but I want to tell you about a DIY craft that I want to try to make some little herb pots.

Take a clay pot and paint the outside with a light color. You could also use a glazed pot or light colored plastic pot. Use nail polish to make a design. Use this video to see the technique that you can adapt to garden pots.

Watercolor Mug Tutorial

I would finish it off by writing the name of the herb on the pot and applying a coat of acrylic finishing spray to make the design permanent.

Lestie, not really lurking, just looking for you! I wanted you to know that I took your Apricot Dessert and turned it into the inspiration for a new dessert. You know that I am unable to leave a recipe alone--just have to mess with it. That's a good thing, since all of the recipes on my site have to be original. Thank you for, once again, being my food Muse. Hugs!

Look for it next Saturday.

The article is up on the Sandwiches Site in the Desserts and Sweets section.

Lestie, I found my peppadew jar lurking in the pantry. I am going to use it this week and publish a review.