(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from the Old Farmer's Almanac))

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 20:00:00

What is the benefit of using red plastic mulch in my garden? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

(Via Country Gardener)

Posted by admin to William Morris, gardening gift, new kitchen, secateurs on 2007-12-27, 16:33:00

My favorite Christmas present this year was a pair of Cray print secateurs given to me by my sister-in-law who was visiting from London, England. "Cray" is a famous chintz design by William Morris from 1884.

The pattern comes from a volume of wallpapers now housed in the Arts and Crafts Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. If you want your own pair, here's a link to them.

I haven't blogged much since the upheaval of the fall when we embarked on a renovation of half the house, which included a new kitchen and took two months, plus a month of move-in and recovery.

The picture here taken in the new kitchen shows the triumphant cook, whose locally raised free-range turkey roasted in the new convection oven was the best Christmas turkey ever.

In any case as the new year is almost upon us, I'm now ready to start thinking and writing about gardening again.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to alpine strawberrys, plans, seeds on 2007-12-27, 15:40:00

I am slightly out of it, from switching from nights to days. Hopefully I will recover from my work to be able to blog more.
As I got up the light was fading.I only saw one bird today the blurry robin in the photo in the twighlight.
The large seed tray with 84 cells has been filled up now with spring onions, basil, coriander, and parsley (one line of seven only)..
I tried out some matchbook seeds today. Ten Alpine Strawberry plants. The cards were torn out and planted in compost with the seeds glued on to the card. The pointed ends go into the soil to the depth of a black line!Simplicity itself.I will chart their progress. They are going to be edging plants on one side of the border!
I'm working friday and saturday. Sunday is roast turkey day, and trying to cook a chocolate sponge with the sauce under the sponge. I used to make one like that but lost the recipie.
My seeds box is sat on the Sofa. I bought a lot and got given a lot too. I have to work out whats going to bloom in my north east facing garden before I try to germinate them.
My shopping list is growing. The climbing roses, and honeysuckle need some support to grow up, as do the sweet pea's. The apple tree needs a bigger pot, and I want some edging to replace my tiles. Maybe log roll? I want to add six inxhes more top soil on the broken fence border.
Winter is good time to dream and plan the next growing season. Dream of springtime and all the flowers to come, and the kitchen garden!

(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 14:21:23

While I was growing up I lived outside a small town in the Fraser Valley, just above the forty ninth parallel in British Columbia. Back then, that was 3 miles from town. I just had to cross the road to find bush to build forts in, and a small river to swim in.

(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 11:51:51

One of the great things about being a gardener is that you never stop learning. Walking round a local park recently, (I live and work in central Israel) I came across a splendid old Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, and immediately wondered why I had neglected to even consider it for the private gardens I build. The principle reason can probably be traced to a reluctance, exacerbated no doubt by commercial pressures, to include some slow growing plants in the garden design.

(Via OregonLive.com: Dig in with Kym)

Posted by admin to plants on 2007-12-27, 10:20:24

People are beginning to panic. The first freeze tends to do that. I should have posted this blog entry earlier, soothing your worries. But I was in sunny California for Christmas. The holiday was exceedingly mild, about 65 to 68...

(Via gardenauthor)

Posted by admin to icicles, winter scenery on 2007-12-27, 10:13:00

(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 09:12:09

It's only natural to have big aspirations on landscaping. But with the right plants and structures, even small spaces can become great landscaping areas.

(Via An Iowa Garden)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 08:11:00

Our woodland garden is, of necessity, fenced in (or should I say triple fenced) so that it avoids the fate of being a deer buffet. However, the rest of our woods is left for the critters; this is the upper part of one of the ravines, with a nice little seep at the bottom which empties into the pond below. These ravines are densely shady and cool in the summer, and protected from freezing winds in the winter, with running water almost year around. A lot of shyer birds of the deeper woods live here in the nesting season, like wood thrushes, vireos, and towhees, which serenade our garden on warm summer evenings.Considering the continuing loss of habitat in our rapidly growing county, the resident critters are pretty lucky to have such a nice spot to live, but we are luckier...

(Via Home and Family: Gardening Articles from EzineArticles.com)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2007-12-27, 07:53:50

Organic gardeners divide the insect world into two camps: good bugs and bad bugs The bad bugs bring death, disease, and destruction, they suck the life out of plants, infest the soil and lay eggs by the thousands. The good bugs remind me of an army of peacekeepers, who come marching in bringing peace and harmony. They work quietly, taking care of the bad bugs by munching on them and generally getting rid of your enemies for you. ...