Feb

27

Plotting and Planting

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Now is a great time to determine the layouts of your upcoming gardens. With your seed catalogs in hand, sit down and decide what you will plant where, and what you will move, divide, or dig out. Do you need to start a new garden or two? Start plotting it out on paper now. Here are some garden samples, and a few good plants to include:

1. A Kitchen or Culinary Herb Garden- Place this garden within easy reach of your kitchen door. If the garden is handy you will be more likely to slip out, and snip some herbs to throw in your soup, or dip. Some great herbs to include, Coriander, Thyme, Lavender, Mint (in pots if you are afraid it will be invasive), Basil, Rosemary, Chives, Fennel, Garlic, Oregano, Lemon Balm, Dill, Sage, and, Tarragon. You may also want to throw in some edible flowers such as Scented Geraniums, Calendula, or nasturtiums, just to name a few.

2. A Butterfly Garden- Here is a great Butterfly Garden Site

3. A Shade Garden- Include hostas of varying colors. In zone 5 some other great plants for shade include, Ostrich Fern, Lady’s Mantle, Sweet Woodruff, Astilbe, and Lungwort. You can also include a few Impatians every spring to add instant color and splash.

There are many other specialty gardens out there. Once I start I can’t stop. I have several specialty gardens and borders in my back yard. I think it is an addiction. I am addicted to gardening!

Feb

25

Getting A Jump On Spring Gardening

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It’s almost March, can you feel the warm breezes of summer yet? Here are a couple things you can start working on in the next couple weeks to prepare your garden for those warm summer months:
1. Prepare new beds, or beef up existing beds by adding mulch and organic matter to work in when you start digging in the garden.
2. Prepare your cold frame. You don’t have to purchase an expensive cold frame, you can make your own. Either make a wood frame with an old door or window hinged on top. Easier yet use straw or cement building blocks to make the frame. Then just lay an old door or window on top. You have a cold frame for little or no cost!
3. Check all of your gardening tools. Sharpen tiller and mower blades. Check your hoses for leaks, and weak spots.
4. Prepare your containers. Scrape out, and wash all your containers from last year to prevent disease. Look the containers over for cracks, or breaks, and purchase replacements for pots that will not make it another year.
5. Divide and move any perennials, bulbs, or shrubs that have gotten too large, or have outgrown their space.
6. Gather your gardening supplies, such as stakes and tomato cages. Check expiration dates on your organic pesticides, and fertilizers to determine what can be used this year.
7. Prune your fruit trees, grapevines, and shrubs. Check with your local extension office for information on pruning your specific tree or vine.
Wow! What a list, and I thought I would not be able to start gardening for a few weeks yet!

Feb

23

Glorious Seed Catalogs

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Are you pouring through your seed catalogs wondering what you would like to grow in your garden this year? Here are some of my favorite resources for seeds, and other gardening supplies:
http://www.burpee.com

www.seedsofchange.com

www.gardensalive.com

Seeds of Change offers certified organic seeds, and some of the best heirloom varieties I have found. They also offer a 5% discount if you place your order online. I always go through and hi-light my favorites (half the catalog) then I go back and narrow it down to my absolute favorites, and a couple new choices.

I also love Gardens Alive for their all natural gardening products. If you start receiving their catalog they often have coupons, and discounts on the front cover. I love their products. They are environmentally friendly, but strong enough to help my garden thrive every summer. I take an inventory of the supplies I have on hand from last year ( if they are not past their expiration date), before I sit down to make my order.

Burpee is another favorite of mine. I can drool over their catalog for hours. I find it very helpful to create a rough outline of my upcoming garden before I dig too deep in the seed catalogs. The outline helps me stay on track, it also keeps me from getting to crazy with my ordering!

Some of the catalogs, and websites also have great outlines for specialty gardens. If you would like to grow a butterfly garden, a shade garden, or hummingbird garden, check out the seed catalogs for layouts, and suggested plants. These special gardens are also often bundled together with a discount.

Have fun checking out your favorite seed catalog or website.


Feb

21

Starting Seedlings Indoors

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You have been pouring through the seed catalogs since Christmas, and have ordered your seeds, or are getting ready to order your seeds. Spring fever is hitting hard! Here are some handy tips for starting your tomato, pepper, and other seedlings indoors. Pick out those mouth-watering heirloom varieties, and lets get started. You also get to have your own little piece of summer indoors.

1. Start your seedlings in a warm place, and if possible with plenty of sunshine.

2. If you have a heat mat use it under the planting tray until the seedlings emerge, you can also place the tray on top of the refrigerator for the first couple days. This will keep the soil warm, and improve germination. Be sure you move the tray as soon as the seedlings emerge, to a location with plenty of sunshine.

3. It helps to cover the top of your tray with a clear lid, or plastic. It holds the heat and moisture in while the seeds are germinating. When the seedlings emerge be sure you remove the cover to give the seedlings air, and prevent them from staying too moist.

4. I have also found it useful to give my seedlings an occasional drink of Chamomile tea (cooled) to help keep them from getting Damping off disease. The Chamomile has anti fungal properties to help keep your seedlings strong.

5. You should start you seedlings about 6-10 weeks before you plan on placing them in your garden. For most locations in the North, start your seedlings in February, or March for the best results.

6. You can use special seed starting soil, or peat pellets to start your seedlings. Use only fresh sterile soil.

7. Ensure your plants are receiving plenty of light, if plants do not receive enough light (especially Tomatoes) they will become leggy and spindly. This will make them easy to break, and less hardy than shorter stockier plants.

8. Try to keep your seedlings moist, but not soggy. The best method of watering is from the bottom up. Put water in the tray and allow the seedlings to soak up the water. Only give the seedlings as much water as they soak up in a couple minutes, if any water remains in the tray dump it out.

Your efforts will be rewarded with delicious home-grown tomatoes, peppers, and other delicious fresh vegetables this summer. There is nothing better than walking out to your garden and plucking a perfect tomato off the vine, taking a bite, and tasting the sunshine.