Gardening Question of the Day for Monday, April 21, 2008
(Via Gardening Question of the Day (from The Old Farmer's Almanac))
I've heard that "fire days" are when you can cut thistle and it won't come back up. Is this true, and what are the days? (answer).
I've heard that "fire days" are when you can cut thistle and it won't come back up. Is this true, and what are the days? (answer).
From The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Have another mud pie for dinner
(Via Idaho Gardener)
Ed Bruske, garden guru and cook faboo goes off on a tangent this weekend about the world food crisis. No need for me to repeat what he wrote, just clickety click on over to <a href="http://“>THE SLOW COOK, and read it and WEEP. How can we call our societies civilized when people are starving and others are profiting from their hunger? I have probably oversimplified the situation…….not.
Post from: Idaho Gardener
Comment on by Laura
(Via Comments for Anne's Garden)
Thats a beautiful old stump! I have one that grew into an old chain link fence. Im trying to get my husband to chainsaw it out for me so I can put it in my garden
51 things to do in the garden in 20 minutes or less
(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
Gardening, as a pastime, is not really something that can be enjoyed in 20 minutes. It usually requires spans of time far greater than this and can easily make hours seem like minutes. But, then there are times when 20 minutes is all you get - and you better use it wisely.
Gardening, as a pastime, is not really something that can be enjoyed in 20 minutes. It usually requires spans of time far greater than this and can easily make hours seem like minutes. But, then there are times when 20 minutes is all you get - and you better use it wisely.
The weekends are predominantly my garden fixes. They usually consist of a few hours working on a new project, maintaining areas (such as the lawn), or getting dirty by moving plants around the yard. Yet, if the only time I got to spend in the garden was on weekends then my quality of life would be poorer for it.
I return home from my full-time job between 5:30-6pm most days, and after a 15 minute coffee with my wife and quick wrestle with the kids I'm left with 20 minutes of sunshine - albeit fading - before dark. This small window of opportunity can be the difference between feeling connected with my garden or becoming melancholically apathetic towards it.
So here's 51 things we can do in the garden with only 20 minutes available;
- 'Smell the roses'
- Pick some flowers
- Start a new hanging basket or container plant
- Turn the compost
- Pull some weeds
- Rake some leaves
- Prune a shrub
- Plant some annuals
- Fertilise your plants
- Sow some veggie seeds
- Repot a cacti
- Restock the bird feeder
- Take some photographs
- Pick some fruit
- Gather lavender flowers for some pot-pourri
- Water your container plants
- Shape your topiary or hedge
- Test your soil for future plantings
- Propagate some new plants
- Make some natural pesticide
- Train a vine
- Deadhead your finished blooms
- Plant some bulbs
- Start a new compost heap
- Pick some veggies
- Begin making some compost tea
- Repair your lawn retic
- Repot some of your container plants
- Transplant a shrub that hasn't been growing well
- Plant a fruit tree
- Pour scolding water over weeds in your paths
- Mark out a new garden bed
- Collect some herbs for dinner
- Stake a tree or your tomato bushes
- Thin out your veggie beds
- Spread some mulch
- Divide some bulbs
- Collect seeds from your spent annuals
- Refill the bird bath
- Sweep your garden paths
- Clean your garden tools
- Build a climbing frame for your beans and peas
- Move your container plants into better positions
- Dig up a dead plant
- Clean garden walls from unwanted moss
- Enjoy a garden walk
- Mow a small lawn
- Make some wind-protection for a tree or shrub
- Sow a green manure
- Clean the water feature
- Map out a new garden bed
So, the next time you find that you only have 20 minutes to get out in the garden you won't have an excuse. There is so much we can do in our gardens even when time is limited.
