(Via Idaho Gardener)

Posted by admin to Journal entries on 2008-02-03, 20:39:49

OK, so now you know about the hot tub, the stones steps and the seeds. There are a couple more items on the list.

~I have two trees to be picked up at a local nursery. They have been sitting there for two seasons. TWO. A multi-trunked Canada Red chokecherry and a stewartia. See, the Canada red was to replace the Capitol pear in the front garden by the living room window. But someone has to chop the pear down, clean out the stump and roots and it ain’t gonna be me. If I did it someone would get hurt. (I once backed over my own car which is a whole ‘nother story, that I will save for a slow day). So, gentle reader, I am beholdin’ to the same guy who is flabbergasted about the hot tub bargain. And it ain’t pretty.

~I can probably wrestle the stewartia into the car and into place.

~I really want to build a combo art studio/hangout + shed for the mower + lean-to greenhouse. I have been saving pictures and ideas for 10 years. Around the studio/hangout/shed/greenhouse I want to put kickbutt raised beds for the world’s coolest looking and funky and colorful kitchen garden. Maybe I could do this while someone is directing the crane for the stone steps. Yessiree bob, multi-tasking!

~I may have neglected to tell you that I can only get one car in the garage. It’s been that way for about 8 years. SomeBODY needs to do something about this.

You KNOW what they say: There is NO rest for the wicked.

TO BE CONTINUED………………

Post from: Idaho Gardener

more homework

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

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-02-03, 20:00:00

When I bring my houseplants into the house at the end of summer, they seem to sprout bugs, whereas they were bug-free outside. What's up? (answer).

From The Old Farmer's Almanac.

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

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-02-03, 17:31:42

This concept is touted by no less than the National Audubon Society. The concept is to create a yard in which one increases the food, water, shelter and nesting opportunities for wildlife while decreasing water and pesticide use. Generally, one landscapes so that lawn size is decreased, but the diversity of native, non invasive plants is expanded.

(Via Gardening Tips 'n' Ideas)

Posted by admin to Herbs & Vegetables on 2008-02-03, 13:04:33

In my past life as a chef one of my favourite ingredients was the humble clove - or two - of garlic. The piquancy of flavour could add a subtle distraction to a dish or completely overwhelm it. It's strength of character would depend on distinct nuances between varieties, seasons, growing medium and the enlarging hole in the ozone layer...okay, well maybe the ozone layer had very little to do with it.

Yet, while some factors may have less bearing when it comes to growing garlic there are others that can make or break their success. Trust me, I've had more failures than I've had successes in the garlic growing department. But each season I try to improve on what I learnt from the last. With autumn now approaching I'm psyching myself up to start the most bountiful harvest ever - now there's positive thinking in action.

While I've had success with garlic in the past, the results have been very sporadic. One bulb will be a gargantuan specimen worthy of a blue-ribbon in the local show while its neighbour appears smaller than the clove I originally planted. Obviously this is an exaggerated example, but you get my gist.

So what have I learned from years of trying to get this bulb to love my garden?

My gardening tips on growing garlic

1. Early autumn is the best time to plant - usually summer finishes and autumn races towards winter and I often find myself planting cloves on the colder end of this season. If you really want a successful harvest of this allium then the cloves NEED to be in the ground at the start of autumn when the ground still has some warmth in it.


2. The soil needs to be deliciously friable - I know, I know. All we're ever recommended to grow in is friable soil and who ever has that? Well, in the case of growing garlic it's more a necessity than a luxury. Those with clay soils will struggle equally as much as those with sandy soils. The clay soil will restrict the growth of the bulbs in the same way as they encourage bifurcation of carrots. And sandy soils just won't be able to retain the moisture or nutrients that these precocious vegetables demand.

   If you want to grow a good crop of garlic then your soil needs to be a welcoming mat. They love a soil that is slightly on the acidic side so pouring compost and manures into your bed before planting will please them beyond imagination.
   

3. Keep the soil moist - if your autumn and winters are fairly dry then keeping some irrigation on your young bulbs will prove invaluable. Otherwise, you might just want to mulch the beds. They don't need heaps of water but they don't appreciate drying out either.


4. Source quality bulbs for planting - most often you can buy bulbs of garlic to grow straight from the supermarket. However, increasingly it seems that many producers are spraying bulbs with growth inhibitors to protect their stock. Your best source for quality bulbs would be from someone who has already grown their own from a past season or from organic producers.


5. Plant the cloves the right way up! - like any other bulb, if it's planted incorrectly they will never see the light of day - literally. The base of each clove should be pointing downwards while its peak should face the sun. Fairly obvious, one would assume, but the number of people who ask the question illustrates the need to make the point.

Once your cloves are in the ground you can easily engage the set-and-forget mindset. They will mostly take care of themselves and apart from a side dressing off liquid fertiliser once the foliage begins to show, they won't need much more attention.

Then in late spring, when the leaves begin to die down you can begin to harvest these wonderful veggies leaving them to dry out in the sun before storing. And the best way to store garlic is by braiding and hanging.

Here's a toast to a bountiful harvest of your own home grown garlic.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Primula, blackbird on 2008-02-03, 11:20:00

Sunday Rest is how I labelled the photos today. I only took about twenty pictures. I woke up late with a terrible headache, which even three mugs of coffee did not shift.
I went outside to see if sweeping the wind brought debris would help.
I moved a lot of the leaves and twigs into a pile at the bottom of the garden. They will eventually be thrown back into the compost bin.
The Yellow Primula flower is the sole survivor of the attacking insects. I spotted a small caterpillar on the flowers at night so I think they are the
culprits, as I have not seen any slugs or snails.
I think if I leave the Caterpillars they will change into beautiful Butterflys which are truly natures Spirits.
The Snails are being bashed by the birds on the pavers. I find the shells with holes in the side, as they have become a gastronomic delight for a hungary bird.
When I moved in there was a mini community on the Brickwork of the Outhouse. I think they have been ravaged by the birds and have moved slowly to places damp and shaded away from prying beaks.
In both borders the Blue Shades Polyanthus have flower buds on at last, which is good as the Primulas have been chomped on, and rotted by damp soil. As one flowering plant starts to end, another is just at the start of its flowering cycle.
I think the Red spears that are growing under the Viburnum might be Euphorbia. I will have to be patient to see what they grow into.
The Female Blackbird is one of my regular visitors now, feeding on the left hand border, and sitting on top of the fence.
She is tough and chases away all the boy Blackbirds out of her patch.
The benefit of the birds regularly visiting the garden is their natural pest control. I have been philosophical with the holes that are appearing in the Primula flowers and leaves.
C'est La Vie. I want the Garden to be Organic, a self supporting natural eco system. The mouse was back today darting out of the pavers to grab some nuts. He reminds me of Scratt from Ice Age. The mouse has more luck than Scratt though at gathering the nuts!
Sunday then was bee coloured. Yellow Primula, and Blackbird.

(Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)

Posted by admin to media, nursery, nurseryman, retail on 2008-02-03, 10:31:17

These instructive words and more can be found in an article by Valerie Easton of The Seattle Times. Her article, “Word to Live By” talks about the importance of having a trustworthy nurseryman or woman available.

“There’s nothing as instructive as pumping a knowledgeable nursery person for information”, continues the article. Yes! I love reading stuff like this on a cold, rainy Sunday.

(Via An Iowa Garden)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-02-03, 09:11:00

Rhododendron April Rose is one of those "sunglasses" shrubs; extraordinarily bright raspberry mauve flowers cover this twiggy, four foot tall plant. It is one of the earliest lepidote rhododendrons to bloom in our garden, and really lights things up. It is a cross between R. mucronulatum, carolinianum, and dauricum, and is a Mehlquist hybrid. I've never completely decided if I'm madly in love with it or don't care for it... on the downside, its color is hard to match up with the rest of the spring garden, it is kind of twiggy, with leaves that don't look the best after a hard winter, and it blooms so early it sometimes gets completely nailed by late freezes. On the upside, the individual flowers really are rose-like, it is covered every spring with flowers even after sub-zero winters, and it certainly does brighten up the early spring garden on gloomy days. I think it might benefit by being combined with one of the early very pale pink or blush white rhodys to tone it down a little... or, I could just wear sunglasses.

(Via An Iowa Garden)

Posted by admin to Uncategorized on 2008-02-03, 09:11:00

Rhododendron April Rose is one of those "sunglasses" shrubs; extraordinarily bright raspberry mauve flowers cover this twiggy, four foot tall plant. It is one of the earliest lepidote rhododendrons to bloom in our garden, and really lights things up. It is a cross between R. mucronulatum, carolinianum, and dauricum, and is a Mehlquist hybrid. I've never completely decided if I'm madly in love with it or don't care for it... on the downside, its color is hard to match up with the rest of the spring garden, it is kind of twiggy, with leaves that don't look the best after a hard winter, and it blooms so early it sometimes gets completely nailed by late freezes. On the upside, the individual flowers really are rose-like, it is covered every spring with flowers even after sub-zero winters, and it certainly does brighten up the early spring garden on gloomy days. I think it might benefit by being combined with one of the early very pale pink or blush white rhodys to tone it down a little... or, I could just wear sunglasses.

(Via gardenauthor)

Posted by admin to N.E. Patriots, Superbowl Sunday, football, woodchuck on 2008-02-03, 06:21:00

Hi - Chuck, here. I know, I know... I haven't posted since September 28th, when I extolled the wonders of Topsfield Fair and offered to stand guard over your vegetable garden, while you were gone. There was a dearth of offers for this service, so I turned my attentions to home improvements... dug a winter burrow, complete with hibernation chamber and grass mat. After an early fall of non-stop eating, I was upholstered with an extra layer of fat and ready for hibernation.

Now, here in New England, we woodchucks hibernate from October until mid to late-March. No need to wake us up on Groundhog Day (like my poor relative, Phil, in Pennsylvania, yesterday)... we are going to breathe once every six minutes, until spring arrives - either which way, I figure we've all got at least another 6 weeks of winter, so enjoy!

But, when I awaken this spring, I'll have a few choice words for that usurper, Simon P. Squirrel. I understand that, in my absence, he's appointed himself as a member of our blogging team... we'll see about that in April! ("Game on," Simon!)

As you may have observed by now, news of the outside world occasionally filters through to my chambers. I understand that this is something called "Superbowl Sunday," which humans celebrate by feasting all day and evening... I hear they line up on the couch, stuffing their faces right up until bedtime, watching other humans exercise all evening - engaging in something known as "football." I also understand that the least popular game food is a tray of raw vegetables, called "crudités." What are those humans thinking? All I can say is, hold the dipping sauce and save some crudités for my April "breakfast!"

Being a native New Englander, I'll be rooting for the New England Patriots, from deep within my bunker. So, at the risk of offending my fellow New York marmots, or groundhogs (who, I assume, are rooting for the NY Giants), I have just one thing left to say......................................

(Via OregonLive.com: Dig in with Kym)

Posted by admin to plants on 2008-02-03, 06:00:00

I first prepared this list at the request of Debbie Teachout-Teashon, founder and administrator of the Rainy Side Gardeners site, one of the best in the Northwest if not the whole country. But why not recycle it? Lists, especially of...