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Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 21:28:00
I didn't mean to seem so harsh about hostas (winter is giving me a severe case of the crankies). In truth, there is a week in late spring in our garden when the newly emerged foliage of the hostas is the absolute highlight of the garden... breathtaking would not be too strong a word to describe them then.
Anyway, the hostas can probably stick up for themselves; a couple of them are big enough to be considered somewhat intimidating.
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Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 20:47:00
(
Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 20:43:00
(
Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 20:40:00
(
Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 20:36:00
More Hosta Pictures.. nice to look at in January.
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Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 14:01:45
I know it hasn't been long since Blotanical.com
was updated but one of the things that was missed in this update was some cosmetic surgery on the face of our maps.
So, Blotanical's home page now sports a quick summary of some of its features. A random spattering of the 100 Most Recent Blog additions can be viewed with links off to their prospective sites. Or, you can indulge yourself in the complete list of all the new garden blogs.
Not just content with finding new blogs is the quick summary of the current Most Popular Post. Each garden blog that has allowed their feed to be picked up can have their posts 'picked' by other members. The more picks they receive the higher they're ranked and the more publicity and views they will receive. Great news if you don't want your posts to disappear into oblivion.
There's a ton of other quick links as well including the current Top Member, Most Favourited Blog and Most Visited Blogs. Plus each time you return to Blotanical, the Featured Map presents a new city for you to explore and gives the current prevailing weather conditions so you can see what these gardeners are facing today.
You may also notice the new navigation link to Search All Blogs on the home page. Thanks to Angela Pratt from Garden Bliss for this suggestion.
BTW - if you have any suggestions for improving Blotanical then I'm always keen to hear them.
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Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 13:05:23
After a recent
Gardening Australia episode informed me that compost was NOT suitable as a mulch, I was faced with a new reality requiring a paradigm shift from my current thinking.
Or did I?
Are GA reporters infallible and can their advice be trusted without question? Hmmm... it was time to think this one through a little more.
See, the problem is that I've always used compost as mulch. Not just mulch though as I use it for soil conditioner, potting mix, seed raising mixes, compost tea and even dessert if there's nothing left in the pantry - if you're not a gardener you won't understand that last use.
And now GA is saying that it shouldn't be used as a mulch but rather a conditioner only and then covered with a coarse material mulch. The reason: "...using a finer based mulch is it absorbs moisture and can also form a seed bed for weeds". Okay. I can live with that. If weed seeds are transferred around the garden either by wind or through birds or insects dropping them then it is plausible that they could begin to grow in the compost mulch.
But what are the chances of that happening on a large scale. Fairly minimal, I'd suggest. Sure, if you live next to a neighbour who ONLY grows weeds then that possibility is increased. Yet for most of our gardens the beds would be completely covered with compost mulch thereby inhibiting any weeds growing let alone being dispersed.
After a few weeks of rattling these thoughts through my muddled mind I realised that my practice of using compost as mulch probably wasn't a bad one. Then, in yesterday's Sunday Times, lo and behold the Garden Gurus have an article titled "Six Ways to Keep Your Plants Alive This Summer". [The Garden Guru's is partner hosted by Neville Passmore - an ex-GA journalist].
Their number one point:
Apply a thick layer of dense compost-like Biowise or composted garden humus over all garden beds. Composted organics are the best mulch because they hold moisture and nutrient longer.
Oh...thank you justification!
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Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)
Posted by admin to hyacinths on 2008-01-20, 09:52:00
... Flowers. Some Sunday Hyacinth flowers. The Spring bulbs seem to be popping up all around the garden. There is bird seed germinating in the red nets on the fence too!
The Hellebores have opened fully and are white as pure driven snow. My slow flowering blue shades Polyanthus have flower buds on two of the four plants.
It has just rained incessantly for days. The soil is waterlogged on the right side. It needs a lot of organic material added to help the drainage.
I have two days off soon to get back into the garden.. a few weeds have sprung up too with the wet conditions.
Back to work tonight for me :)
(
Via An Iowa Garden)
Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-01-20, 08:30:00
I didn't mean to seem so harsh about hostas (winter is giving me a severe case of the crankies). In truth, there is a week in late spring in our garden when the newly emerged foliage of the hostas is the absolute highlight of the garden... breathtaking would not be too strong a word to describe them then.
Anyway, the hostas can probably stick up for themselves; a couple of them are big enough to be considered somewhat intimidating.
I didn't mean to seem so harsh about hostas (winter is giving me a severe case of the crankies). In truth, there is a week in late spring in our garden when the newly emerged foliage of the hostas is the absolute highlight of the garden... breathtaking would not be too strong a word to describe them then.
