Caring for Christmas Poinsettias

The best care for poinsettias, which are also known as Christmas Stars, is to keep them in sunny locations, out of the way of drafts. If the plant experiences any sudden chills, it reacts by losing its leaves -- and lost leaves don't grow back. Water only when the soil is dry to the touch.

In late January or so, once you see the leaves are beginning to drop off in earnest, you'll know it's time to change the type of care. Find a partially dark place to store the plant and give it a bit of water (to stave off complete dryness) every seven days or so. This dormant period will carry you through until spring when it's time to cut back and re-pot.

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Hoop House Gardening is Weatherproof Gardening

For those of us in northern climates, indoor greenhouse gardening extends the usually very short time we get to garden to a year-round pleasure.

If you can put a tent, you can build a hoop house (although you can of course build a wood framed one if you're ambitious!) -- there are plenty of kits available from gardening supply stores and online as well. However, there are a few extra steps you should be sure to take to keep your hothouse secure:

1. dig deep for the corner posts and add similar extra support to the walls at front and back
2. wet snow is heavy -- a couple of beams supporting the structure from the inside would keep it from sagging or collapsing (and always be sure to clear the top of your hoop house of snow as quickly as possible);
3. especially for those hoop houses encased in plastic, remember to allow for ventilation so that the garden doesn't get overly warm.

Read the full article: How to Make a Home Garden Greenhouse Like Michelle Obama.

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Grow Lavender Tea in Your Garden - Your Dog Will Thank You

I read that one pet owner who was battling the bane of all dog and cat people -- FLEAS -- had superb results with lavender tea, which she grew in her own garden. This not only makes a flea repellent affordable, but also ensures that you get a pure product.

In fact, for the concoction, you've got to get the flowers (not just the leaves and/or stems) in order to brew a very strong tea. Once the tea cools and after you've tested a small area of furniture and carpet, then you spray everything: the animal(s), their beds (and yours if they have access to your bedroom), your furniture and carpets, and so on.

Wherever your dogs and cats go, cover with lavender spray. You see, fleas simply hate lavender and you should see them actually hopping off your pets!

Remember to repeat the procedure after a few weeks, and the agony of a flea-ridden house should be over.

Not only will your entire home smell lovely, so will your flea-free cats and dogs!

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I'm Dreaming of a Fresh (Safe) Christmas Tree

After you watch this video: A dry Christmas tree can burn in just a few seconds, you'll be more likely to take good care of your Christmas tree and keep home and family safe.

Keep your Christmas tree fresh, moist and green by following these simple steps:

• ask the seller to make a fresh cut just up from the tree trunk so the tree can take in water when you get home
• put the tree in tap water as soon as you get home
• Make sure there's always water in the tree stand, and never let the water level drop below the tree base
• hot spots in your home are danger points, so keep your tree away from fireplaces, heaters, TV sets and any other sources of heat
  
• check tree lights for obvious problems
• turn off lights when you leave the house or will be out of the room for any length of time
  

Read the full article here

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Gardening Tips for the Holidays

Here are a few tips for gardening through the busy holiday season from Plant Answers' Tom LeRoy in Texas:

* Newly planted evergreens should be kept adequately moist during dry winter periods. Too much watering will cause damage of course, but proper soil moisture during dry winter periods will help prevent freeze damage.

* Continue to rake up fallen leaves and add them to your compost heap. If you let them pile up on the lawn where they fall, they'll simply block out sunlight and decrease the winter hardiness of your lawn.

A couple of great Christmas decoration tips here:

• Mistletoe will remain fresh and hold its decorative berries if the end of the stem is dipped in wax to seal off possible moisture loss. Remember: mistletoe berries are poisonous so keep out of reach of small children.

• When using holly or other Christmas greenery to decorate, you'll get a longer lasting arrangement by crushing the cut ends of the stems and soaking overnight in water before displaying.

Read the full article here.

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Wish List Gadgets for Gardeners

In Southern California, the most popular tools and gadgets for gardeners are those that support sustainable gardening activities according to an article in the Los Angeles Times Home & Garden, called Good Gadgets for the Gardener on Your List.

In particular kitchen compost crocks (especially bamboo) are good sellers as are rain barrels and raised bed kits. It's not surprising that solar-powered products appeal to residents in a predominantly sunny locale, where the solar string lights can be used winter and summer, whether as patio lighting or holiday tree decorations.

What's on your Wish List?

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Is Your Garden Stress-Free?

New Journal columnist Dick Poffenbaugh says there are many conditions can cause stress in your plants and stress in plants (as in people) can cause anything from illness to death.

Common causes of stress include the weather, crowding, soil, light, nutrition, disease and pests. Weather can have a major impact that results in plant stress.

Conditions that may cause stress include drought, too much rainfall, drastic temperature changes, strong winds, storms, etc.

Root vegetables, for instance, are highly sensitive to lack of moisture. If you've got a drought or dry spell to deal with, Mr. Poffenbaugh recommends keeping a 2-inch deep organic mulch over a wide area around each plant.

No too many gardeners avidly enjoy the task of weeding, but crowded plants are stressed plants and should be thinned for optimum growth and yield. In fact, he cites the findings of a comparative study on how much heavily stressed plants yield versus those grown in optimum gardens -- it's pretty eye-opening!

The article abstract is here. You must pay to access the full article.

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Small Trees as Landscaping

Small trees are easy to maintain says Learn2grow.com's Maureen Gilmer, a horticulturist. In her Seattle Times Home & Garden article called Select the Right Tree to Accent Your Garden, she goes on to explain that

much of its canopy is accessible with a ladder, making it easy to prune and care for. Consider an accent tree any species that doesn't exceed about 20 feet in height. Some folks will do some light pruning to keep them even smaller, and to enhance the branching structure for a more beautiful effect during the winter.

If you've got older shrubs on the premises, you may wish to use them as you would accent trees. Ms. Gilmer says that

many old shrubs that reach large proportions can become accent trees if they are pruned to reveal one or more trunks. Good examples of this are lilacs or rhododendrons. In fact, turning an older shrub into an accent tree is the best way to cope with "bare legs" that are revealed when lower leaves are shaded out due to lack of light.

Accent trees can be planted singly or in pairs and can be used in almost any capacity -- from highlighting a hard-to-see front entrance to your home to being a focal point in their own right, flanked by ponds and/or plants of various sizes and colors.

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November Gardening Tips

Sharon Soltzberg, a member of the Board of Directors of the Needham Community Farm, gave some gardening tips for November in the Boston.com Needham column, saying:

• Now is the time to move all unharvested vegetables and fruit from your garden to your compost heap. Damaged or diseased plants should not be put into the compost.
  

• Adjust the pH (acidity) of the soil.

• Tuck your vegetable garden in for winter by planting a cover crop. Pine needles or salt marsh hay can be applied to the paths between the vegetable rows. Another option is to pile some of your decayed or partly-decayed compost on top of the vegetable garden. In spring, earthworms will distribute the compost through the soil.

Read the entire article here.

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Victory Gardens Beat High Costs of Fresh Veggies

Victory Gardens in WWII were grown (in part) to feed troops overseas; these days, many people have taken to growing their own vegetables in response to the general belt-tightening seen during recession and a backlash against the always high prices of fresh veggies.

News Journal columnist, Richard Poffenbaugh, writes that modern-day Victory Gardeners have advantages to those grown some 65 years ago, citing improved practices like raised beds and disease-resistant vegetables. In fact, the development of hybrid vegetables has changed what we plant and eat to a large degree. Mr. Poffenbaugh gives an example, saying:

Twenty years ago, my favorite sweet corn was Silver Queen. But the sugar content changed to starch within 24 hours of picking. The newer sugar-enhanced, supersweet and triplesweet kernels hold sugar content for several days.

One of the best triplesweet varieties is Providence. It has 75 percent sugary enhanced and 25 percent supersweet kernels. It is a gourmet type for sensational eating.

[When compared to] other hybrid vegetables, no improvement has been as great as those with sweet corn.

Read the full article here.

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Community Vegetable Gardens - Food for the Recession

An Ohio college is helping a community hard-hit by the recession to grow vegetables.

When DHL Express closed and put almost 8,000 people out of work in southwest Ohio, Wilmington College started the "Grow Food, Grow Hope" program, setting up 20 plots plus guidance from members of its agricultural program to help those in need to grow their own food.

The wife of the school's president says:

It's not about a handout, it's a hand up. It's teaching them how to supplement their groceries; it's about building a local food system.

The article continues: The families met weekly to plant, weed and finally harvest, with the help of Wilmington teachers and volunteer "master gardeners" from the community. As the first lettuce, green beans and tomatoes ripened, gardening lessons were supplemented by demonstrations on cooking and preserving crops.

Vegetables are expensive, usually much more expensive than junk food. The participants have not only saved money and learned a variety of new skills, but they've actually been eating more healthily.

Read the full article here.

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Low-Maintenance Gardening

Master gardener and author Joe Lamp'l, host of "GardenSMART"on PBS, has "10 ways to minimize your time while creating a beautiful, lower-maintenance yard and garden."

Of them, I think mulching, mowing high and choosing the right plants (and where to plant them) are the most effective time-savers. Joe says a 3-inch layer of mulch works wonders in reducing watering time. He of course advocates using compost to assist in soil quality and says to make sure grass clippings comprise part of your compost (instead of spending the time bagging and discarding).

Mowing high has several benefits for a better-looking and healthier lawn: weeds are shaded and choked out naturally (no weeding for you!); roots grow deeper for a "more drought-tolerant lawn." He says to go native too -- with your choice of plants and trees, that is.

The plants and trees you see growing naturally are the most ideally suited for their local region. The only care they get is when Mother Nature decides to provide irrigation. Native plants are the ultimate in low-maintenance because, once established, they require no significant efforts on our part to keep them growing strong.

For more suggestions on low-maintenance gardneing, read the full article by Joe Lamp'l here.

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Win a copy of "The Well-Designed Mixed Garden"

Garden Detective, Jessica Damiano, is running a contest on her award-winning garden blog. Just tell her what makes you a unique gardener -- and the best response gets a copy of the book The Well-Designed Mixed Garden, the follow-up book to author Tracy DiSabato-Aust's 1998 best-seller, The Well-Tended Perennial Garden.

The amazon.com review calls the book "encyclopedic in scope yet unfailingly attentive to essential details", saying that The Well-Designed Mixed Garden

effectively summarizes an array of basic garden design considerations and fundamentals. There are particularly useful chapters on color theory and on drawing up a plan, with precise instructions on what size plants to purchase and how to space them.

The important subject of plant maintenance is addressed and the author makes good use of photos to show readers how recommended plant combinations actually look.

Now remember, Jessica Damiano is a big fan of the author, Tracy DiSabato-Aust, saying she likes not only DiSabato-Aust's hair, but her unpretentious, no-nonsense style. She continues with:

Her books are chock full of practical tips, useful planting straegies, unusual plant recommendations, and, very importantly, lots of photos, which are mandatory if I'm to consider a plant reference worthy.

Let me know if you win. Send your email to jessica.damiano@newsday.com. I'm off to send mine right now!

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November Gardening Tasks

Master gardener Celeste Lindsay says there's lots of gardening tasks to do in November if you live in a climate like that of Southwest Washington state. Fertilizing lawns, planting bulbs and even garlic should be completed this month.

In her Ask the Gardening Expert column of The Columbian, she says:

• Lawns need another application of fertilizer late this month.
  

• Anytime in fall is a great time to get daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths out of the bags and into the ground [because] these bulbs need at least 12 weeks of winter chill in the ground for best spring bloom.
  

• November through March provides ideal weather for transplanting, installing new plants and generally making garden changes. Plant roots thrive when transplanted in damp, cool weather, and installations of new plants will settle in well. Don’t transplant when the ground is sodden and saturated with water, or when temperatures are below freezing.

• It is garlic-planting season now. Garlic planted by mid-November generally produces more plump, pungent cloves than garlic planted in the spring.

Read the entire article at The Columbian

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All About Seeds

In the Home & Garden section of The Seattle Times, there's an excellent resource article called Seeds, a Favorite Collectible Connects Gardeners. It discusses everything from why people collect and swap seeds (it's not just about saving money anymore) to giving step-by-step how-to instructions with a list of books and sites you might find useful.

Home gardening is growing fast in popularity, and that includes growing plants from seeds. Gardeners list many reasons for taking the time to save seeds from one year and planting them the next, including:

You might want to plant that great-tasting squash again next year, or preserve a hard-to-find plant. You might want to stand up for heirloom or older varieties, which are enjoying a resurgence.

and

You might be a gifted horticulturist . . . who enjoys the challenge of propagating hundreds of plants from seed.

Explicit instructions include general advice like

• Seeds are collected when plants are finished flowering.

• They need to be washed, dried, labeled, and stored in a cool, dark place.

• Depending on the plant, seeds can be started indoors under fluorescent lights in late winter or sown directly into the garden in early spring.

and moves on to plant-specific with "love-in-a-puff (Cardiospermum halicacabum), a fast-growing vine. Its three-sided seed pods look like pumped-up green lanterns; the little round seeds have white hearts on them."

Squeeze the pod and out pop the seeds, which can be started indoors eight weeks before the last frost or sown directly in spring.

Growing plants from seeds is usually thought by newbies to be difficult but professionals insist that "A lot are surprisingly easy to grow", with "three beautiful but underused shrubs — silky dogwood (Cornus amomum), red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), and sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)" cited as examples.

In this case, pot the seeds in sand and sphagnum moss, keep outside in winter under screens, and plant them in spring.

One master gardener

recommends taking cuttings in late spring for "tender perennials," plants that survive year-round in warmer climates but not ours [northwestern US]. This includes scented geraniums, coleus, and angel's trumpet or brugmansia. You can also bring them inside for the winter.

Helpful online sources cited in the article:

• theseedsite.co.uk/seedpods.html
• www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html
• http://tomclothier.hort.net
• www.seedsavers.org
• www.hardyplant.org/

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Gardening Against Drugs

City middle schools in New Jersey took advantage of Red Ribbon Week, the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program, by planting red tulips as a symbol of the students pledge to live drug-free lives.

Come spring, the tulips will be not only a source of pride, but also provide a great daily reminder to the kids (and even to those who didn't participate) of their promise to stay away from drugs. They can take the lesson home with them too, using the gardening skills they learned to plant bulbs around their own walkways, yards and gardens. In fact, this can be a fun exercise for the whole family!

Talk to your child about the lesson here: on the one hand, you've got something positive and living; on the other hand, something negative and deadly. Kids get the symbolism, but it doesn't hurt to articulate: life (in all its forms) is to be nurtured and the poison of drugs is certainly never a smart choice.

source

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Windowsill Gardening

Great advice from an Ohio-based gardening club (called the Earth, Wind and Flowers Garden Club), where a presentation was given by the club's vice-president, Mary Ann Basinger, about how to successfully grow plants and herbs indoors.

She rightly stated that the most important factor in growing indoor plants is choosing the right place for the right plant, and then continued with other essential tips and reminders:

• if you're bringing plant pots in from outside, you need to properly wash them (first) and then soak them to remove potentially harmful residue;
• good drainage is always necessity (indoor or outdoor) and you can help your plant by lining the bottom of your planters with charcoal and/or coffee filters;
• draft-free and sunny windowsills are prime real estate, of course, with best temperatures being between 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit;
  

Ms. Basinger also gave a recipe for a spray to ensure plant health and prevent bugs:

• one teaspoon of soap such as Ivory (or use a castile soap, which is a good hard soap made from olive oil and sodium hydroxide)
• Pour one-eighth cup of boiling water over to dissolve it
• Add water to make a cup, tossing in a trace of canola oil and a a bit of garlic.
  

source

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Black Plants

Gardener, nursery owner and author of Black Plants, Paul Bonine, "believes dark-hued annuals, perennials and shrubs are an ideal way to bring depth and mystery to the garden." Although black isn't usually the first color that comes to mind when you think of plants and gardens, the dark-hued leaves and flowers (as the book blurb from Martha Stewart Living says) have enormous appeal in a garden.

Dark colors in plants is caused by a compound called anthocyanin, the pigment responsible for turning fall leaves all shades of brilliance and vegetables their own array of colors, like red beets, orange pumpkins and so on .

Bonine's Black Plants guide includes descriptions and photographs of 75 black annuals, perennials, bulbs, and shrubs, among which are the batflower; Salvia discolor; ornamental pepper Capsicum 'Black Pearl,' and the striking succulent Aeonium 'Zwartkop'. With each plant description, characteristics are provided to help you successfully grow the plant: light requirements, soil conditions, growth habits and hardiness zones. Companion plantings are suggested too, in order to best display each plant's unique traits.

For best effect, says Bonine, black plants require contrast in the garden.

Gold-leaf plants work really well - or a backdrop like a light stone wall. They're especially good in containers mixed with other textures and colors.

source article

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No Dirt Gardening: Hydroponics

When you grow plants without soil, but feed them through nutrient-rich water, you've got yourself a hydroponic garden.

In my experience, the plants are held in place by gravel (the roots of water-fed plants tend to be smaller than those grow traditionally in soil), although you can find hydroponics kits that use a bases of sand or even water.

Because the roots of hydroponics plants are fed directly, the plant's energy does not need to be focused on growing a root system large enough to find enough nutrients to survive. That energy becomes re-focused, allowing the plants to grow twice as fast as their soil-based counterparts.

Hydroponic gardens are compact too when compared to vegetable gardens grown in a traditional soil garden. Because there's pretty much no root system to speak of, the plants don't physically take up as much room. In other words, you can reap the same harvest in a hydroponic garden that is approximately five times smaller than the size of a soil-based garden.

This small size means that an indoor hydroponics garden can fit into almost any home, whether it's a corner in your kitchen or part of a sun room. It also means that the electricity used for pumps and grow lamps doesn't have to be a major expenditure.

Obviously indoor hydroponic gardens can be maintained year round, so you can enjoy fresh vegetables no matter the season -- and for that reason alone, it's certainly a type of gardening format you may wish to consider!

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Fresh Parsley in your Kitchen Herb Garden

When it's too cold for gardening outside, it may be time to start your indoor garden. One of the most useful of these is the herb garden -- hopefully grown right in your kitchen.

You can start with parsley, easily grown from seed (no matter what naysayers might otherwise state!). Just remember to get a pot that's deep enough to hold the long root and use a new bag of potting soil. Lots of sun is necessary for parsley to do well: if you don't get a minimum of 5 hours direct sun, then supplement with fluorescent lighting.

Curly parsley (petroselinum crispum) contains Vitamins A and C as well as other valuable nutrients, so it's a healthy and breath-freshening green to include in salads and use liberally as garnish.

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Chinese Lanterns

The Chinese Lantern is a perennial flower that grows up to 24" in height, and is native to Asia and Japan. They make a fabulous addition to any dried flower arrangement and dress up flower gardens with their unique look and brilliant color. The husks (which contain a sour red berry inside) are orange-red and resemble Chinese lanterns, hence the name -- although they are sometimes also called the Winter Cherry or Strawberry Tomato.

If you'd like to grow Chinese Lanterns in your garden, all you really need is a sunny spot (but not full sun) and rich soil. Giving the plant enough room (ie., planting 24" apart) will ensure that you see the maximum amount of lanterns possible.


NOTE: the leaves and unripe berries of this plant are poisonous and can be fatal if eaten.

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Power Flower

I found a new internet game that's all about fun with flowers! It's made by Vogel, the natural health company, founded by Alfred Vogel. You can download the game directly from the site. The goal of this game is to

pick fresh Echinacea plants to your heart’s content in a mountainside setting, notch up scores and power ahead! But watch out, don’t get distracted by all the bees and butterflies whizzing around!

What's your score?

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Hanging Baskets - Top Care Tips

A quick and easy way to add a splash of color to your porch or yard is to hang baskets of blooming flowers from brackets. To ensure the flowers stay healthy and beautiful, here are a few tips:

• make sure you water them well. Flowers in hanging baskets are easier to forget to water than those in pots and planters on the ground. Also, watering them on windy days can help keep the plant from coming apart;
• if it's early spring and there might be some ground frost at night, bring the plant inside overnight;
• secure the pot to the bracket with a twist-tie. It remains nearly invisible, but will help keep the pot secure in the event it's accidentally bumped or some neighborhood kids try to abscond with your flowers (whippersnappers!);
• remove any brown or wilted blossoms and leaves to keep the plant looking at its best;
• remember to fertilize for best results

If you have a very sunny spot, strawberries do well in hanging baskets.

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Japanese Gardens

Japanese gardens have become increasingly popular over recent years, with their soothing contemplative atmosphere achieved through the use of natural materials like wooden benches, raked sand and carefully placed rocks -- as well as running streams and quiet pools.

Along with the popularity, demand for plants to fit in Japanese gardens has grown. It's thus much easier to find bonsai plants from commercial growers than ever before. You'll usually find trained, mature plants which will do well but make sure your climate is similar to that in which the bonsai was created. Local nursery trees which are pot-conditioned are an option as well and can be worked on as a bonsai immediately. Look for bonsai characteristics such as branches low on the trunk.

Restraint is the keyword to Japanese gardening, which means you don't need many plants unless you wish to do so. The hard landscaping and uncluttered look provides a semblance of space, even if you're working with a smaller lot.

Some of the traditional elements found in Japanese gardens (in addition to water, which can be real or symbolic, and arrangements of rocks and stones) include a stone lantern, a wall or hedge enclosure and stepping stones.

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Gardens for the Cottage

Cottage gardens are usually informal in style and require little in the way of heavy-duty planning or landscaping. Usually you've simply got lots of colorful plants with a vegetable patch thrown in somewhere, connected by meandering brick paths or stepping stones.

Perennials that self-seed like pot marigolds (calendulas) enhance the look of colorful chaos, especially if you allow them to grow where they will. Pot marigolds in full sun are quick bloomers too (typically blooming in less than 8 weeks) so you'll see results almost immediately, and you'll get a mix of bright yellows, reds, and oranges in your garden from summer through fall. You can even add the petals from this herbal plant to your salads, as they are indeed edible.

Another hardy annual is the Limnanthes douglasii, colloquially known as The Fried Egg or Poached Egg plant. This sun-loving flower carpet boasts fragrant golden and white blooms in spring and summer.

If you don't want to have a dedicated vegetable garden, plant vegetables among the flowers. Runner beans, for example, have attractive foliage with red or white flowers. The taller plants that grow to six feet tall obviously need support, but there are dwarf runner beans that are short enough to be able to stand alone.

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Formal Gardens

If your personal preference is one of crisp lines and symmetry rather than a more natural grow-where-you-will approach, the neat edges and traditional designs of formal gardens might be the perfect oasis. In fact, if space is at a premium in your yard, a formal garden is actually easier to plan and manage than a garden is more natural looking.

A popular choice of formal garden is called the knot garden. These do not tend to be full of colorful flowers, but rather a variety of greens, shaped to have strong lines and interwoven patterns. Back in the hey-day of the 16th-century when knot gardens (parterres in French) were enormous, they were actually designed to be seen from the upper balconies of mansions and grand country estates in addition to being a place to walk around and sit in.

The appeal of knot gardens (on a much reduced size scale) continues to be the geometric designs of the clipped hedges, as well as the restful greenery throughout. However, there's a lot of work involved first to establish and then to maintain, so a knot garden really isn't one for the "lazy gardener".

To stay true to tradition, the spaces between the hedges should be filled with stone instead of flowers. The color of the gravel itself should be used to best display the series of shaped beds: white can help brighten a small, dark garden, but black can be used to great effect in a very bright space.

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Gardens in the Shade

Most gardens have a shady spot, and sometimes the growing area that's affected by shade thrown by a building or tree cover can be quite large. However, you can nearly always find some plants that will do very well in these sun-free areas. Just remember to differentiate between dry shade and moist shade, and choose the plants accordingly.

For example, the Japanese laurel (aucuba japonica) is suitable for dry shade, as are the elephant ears and heartleaf formations of the Bergenia hybrids (a strain of hardy evergreen herbaceous perennials, some of which bloom in winter).

The Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a shrub that does well in moist soil, and actually grows best in heavy clay soils. Snowberry (also known as the white coralberry) grows well in sun or shade, and is a vigorous plant that spreads rampantly -- in other words, a great choice for a difficult patch of shade.

Another plant that grows very rapidly in moist, shady conditions is the Salmonberry. In fact, this shrub can do well in full shade and is so hardy it can become invasive if not maintained.

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Garden Plants that Attract Wildlife

Birds and butterflies are nice visitors to have to your garden, and you can plant specifically to attract them (as well as control pests naturally, such as with beneficial insects like ladybugs that dine on garden eating aphids).

A thick hedge is a natural environment to wildlife where a fence or stone wall isn't, and the shrubs you might consider here include, for instance, the hardy Japanese Laurel (aucuba japonica), which will not only bring birds, but also a lovely splash of color with the red fruit in autumn set against the bold foliage. A prickly evergreen hedge like holly with its spiny leaves actually provides birds with food and a safe place to shelter during winter storms, hide from predators as well as to build nests and rear their young.

If you like bees in your garden (personally, I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to wasps and bees!), border your garden with lots of Autumn Joy plants. Brilliant red clumps of little blooms make the "risk" worthwhile :-)

For pure yellow that brings only butterflies (o those creatures of no stingers), I like the look of alyssum saxatile -- known as Basket of Gold. It flowers from mid-June til October and is an attractive ground-hugging perennial flower that can actually grow as tall as 12".

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Good Design Crucial in Smaller Gardens

Design is important in gardens of any size, but becomes especially important in small gardens. This is because a small garden can be taken in at a glance. First impressions, then, are immediate when to comes to small gardens. For a good impression, you need to have attention to detail go hand-in-hand with simplicity of style.

When planning a garden, work it out on paper first. If it's a dramatic redesign and must be accomplished over several seasons (due to growth cycles and/or financial considerations), you'll need to rely on your blueprint to accomplish your long term goal. Even if you have a fabulous memory, it might help to keep a chronological series of pictures too.

First plan the practical bits, such as hiding any unpleasant or purely functional features (like composts or sheds) and adding trees or tall shrubs as screens for privacy. Once these basic fundamentals are decided on, the rest of your plan can be a "blank slate".

One way to make a small garden appear larger is to draw the eye to a focal point surrounded by well-chosen plants. A small pond with a fountain is a simple feature to add -- but can be stunning visually. The eye can also be led to a prominent bird house or garden ornament or even a small patio with outdoor furniture.

Finally, a variety of plants must be sketched in: the shapes of the shrubs and flowering plants can be as interesting as their colors; while the scents of herbs and other aromatic plants can be as lovely as the blooms themselves. Obviously you'll need to choose where to put shade plants vs sun-loving plants, and you should try to get "activity" for as long as the growing season allows, with staggered blooming seasons.

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Container Gardens with Herbs for Your Patio, Terrace, or Deck

Herbs in pots are nice as accent greenery and because the aroma they give off is lovely. Of course, the added bonus of growing herbs is that you can clip them off to add fresh flavor to your meals!


Parsley, chives and thyme grow well in pots as does rosemary, oregano and sage in all its various shades (golden, purple and variegated). Savory and basil are other popular herbs to add to your container garden.

Herbs are not shade-loving plants and need at least 4 hours (preferably 6) of sunlight per day. If you pinch the ends of the plants off once in a while, it'll help promote growth. Since you'll hopefully be using the herbs in your kitchen, this bit of "pruning" won't be too arduous! Remember too that you can dry the herbs and stick them in the freezer for later use.

Useful and decorative, herbs are also low maintenance plants. They don't require fertilization as a rule and the perennials (like mint, oregano, chives and thyme) will grow back after winter. As with flowers, the amount of water that herbs require varies from plant to plant. However, since outdoor container plants tend to dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground, you'll need to be vigilant with your watering schedule.

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How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Most cats don't like the smell of citrus. If you scatter lemon rinds through your garden (or put out bags of dried orange peels among the plants), the scent can do a lot to keep cats away.

People have used mothballs and cayenne pepper to protect their garden beds from neighborhood cats, but these can cause harm to animals and children, so are not advisable. If the smell of grapefruit peels and the like aren't doing the job, you can also try various oils (including lavender, mustard, and eucalyptus) or even coffee grounds sprinkled among the flowers.

Certain plants can be grown in your garden that are said to help in many cases, rue being at the top of the cat-repellent list with lavender also frequently mentioned. Even the American pennyroyal, which yields an essential oil used as an insect repellent, gives off an odor that cats give a wide berth to, and their purple-blue flowers make a nice color splash.



One gardener said she cut up lengths of hose and placed them around the bushes and plants. She had heard that cats are afraid of snakes and that they'd stay out of her garden if they thought it was full of snakes. No word on whether her "scaresnakes" worked, but it's a good way to recycle old garden hoses.

Of the many commercial cat repellents on the market, one called Shake-Away, sounds promising. The harmless, organic powder is supposed to smell to cats like the urine of predators (fox, coyotes and bobcats). The promise is that you shake the product throughout your garden and no cat will venture in. Another similar product I heard about is called Coyote Urine. With this one, you mix the powder with water and then spray your garden.

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Protecting Your Plants from Frost and Insect or Fungus Damage

There are two main ways to protect your plants in your garden. The protection is against frost and/or insect damage as well as disease. Protective measures are:

1. physical structures; and

2. chemical applications such as insecticides and fungicides.

Covered frames are used not only to protect plants from insects, but also allow heat retention. In this way, you can plant earlier in the season when risk of ground frost might otherwise keep you from planting.

To make a frame, you can use a simple wooden box, with a standard measurement being some eighteen inches to two feet square and about eight inches high. If you don't need the frost protection, then a cover of mosquito netting or mesh should be sufficient for pest protection; while a glass cover or heavy plastic will give you added feature of keeping the plants warm. In fact, many gardeners like to start their vine vegetables like melons and cucumbers, early in the season and they tend to do quite well with this small nursery effect.



If your plants tend to be eaten stem up by cutworms (those notorious garden pests!), try protecting the stems with "collars" made of hard plastic or tin (although the latter can be sharp). If you put a collar around the stems, about an inch into the soil and a few inches high, you should get some pretty good protection for a very low cost.

Before you purchase an insecticide or fungicide, you must determine exactly what the problem is in your garden. Certainly it's best if you don't have to use these chemicals, and can either get rid of the pest or fungus naturally. Remember too that insecticides kill the bugs, while fungicides kill the fungus - neither can actually treat the damaged plants.

If you're not sure what you're dealing with, your local nursery or garden center can often give you expert advice if you bring in a sample of the damaged plant (or the actual insect). For a small garden, you can probably get away with applying the chemical with a hand-held mister (like a typical spray bottle you likely already have in your home). Read the instructions carefully, and make sure you apply the insecticide or fungicide on a calm day with no wind.

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Geraniums - Hardy and Versatile Flowers For Your Garden

The geranium has got to be one of the sturdiest and most versatile plants around.

They are extremely popular in hanging baskets, of course, as well as window boxes, and do quite well in pots (which makes it easy to dress up your patio). Geraniums grow to be quite lush, and so can be the focal point of a garden bed or mixed together with annuals like petunias, vinca vine, lobelia, and verbena. If you ever need an accent or splash of vibrant color in your garden, geraniums will fit the bill.

Although geraniums grow well in part shade, you won't get the prolific flowering that you'll see when they take advantage of full sun exposure. (If you've got no sun to speak of, try coral bells--they're gorgeous and colorful). Geraniums are known to be "heavy feeders", which means they do best if planted in rich soil that is fertilized regularly. Like most plants, too much water can kill geraniums, so let them dry out between waterings.

Some other hardy flowers to remember include the forget-me-nots (which are perfect if your garden tends to be in part shade). Their bright blue blooms are vivid and look very nice when mixed with hardy (not annual) geraniums -- the low mounds that range in color from blue to white and red to pink and purple.

For height in the garden, plant columbines or bleeding hearts. The columbine perennial grow to about three feet tall and their blooms are lovely shades of pink and red. The bleeding hearts (which don't like direct afternoon sun) can grow even taller, and have delicate flowers in several shades.

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Drought-Tolerant Landscaping

Water-conserving or drought-tolerant landscaping, is also known as zeroscaping, and smartscaping, as well as xeriscaping and xerogardening.

Whatever you call it - it's all got to do with gardening with the use of native plants or those that naturally need very little extra water, necessary especially in dry areas, like the western United States. As a matter of fact, apparently the changing climate is making this type of gardening much more popular of late.

You'll see plants like cactus used, of course, but lavender, thyme and juniper are also known to be great xeriscape plants.

Planting the right types of drought-tolerant vegetation is only one part of smartscaping: another is getting out the old rain barrel to collect water. Not only do you conserve water, but you can lower your water bills!

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Creating a Garden Plan - On Paper For Best Results

From simple box gardens to lavish, landscaped yards, how much space you have is obviously the first consideration in the planning of a garden. Small gardens can be comprised of a series of boxes as well as small flowerbeds that line walkways.

Following at a close second, though, is how much sun your garden will get. For best results, you should always choose the sunniest spot possible. Unless the layout of your property deems it necessary, a north corner should not be considered. It simply doesn't get enough direct sun for most general flowering or vegetable gardens (although you can certainly plant shade-loving plants such as ferns and begonias).

Southern exposure is ideal, planted so that the rows of vegetables and flowers run north and south. In this pattern, the plants receive the sun's rays throughout the morning on the eastern side, and all the afternoon on the western side. If the garden faces southeast, the western sun exposure is lost, so the best distribution of sunlight is had by running the rows northwest and southeast.

Whatever you choose for your garden, the idea is to get the most sunlight that you can, as evenly distributed as possible for the longest amount of time daily. Remember how you turn your indoor plants regularly, to even their growth, as one side (then the other) stretches for the sun? It's a visible demonstration on how important it is to have even distribution of sunlight on every plant.

By sketching a simple diagram showing how the sun moves throughout the day, you can detail how much total sun each area of your garden will get. In a garden with southern exposure, the sun shines evenly on both sides of the garden. This will bring best results for most plants. A garden that faces north is almost entirely cut off from direct sun; while those gardens placed in northeastern and southwestern areas of the property receive an uneven distribution of sun's rays.

A paper plan shows you where to place shade plants and those that require direct sunlight. This will help you buy the right types of seeds, bulbs and/or seedlings. You can also make note of any raised beds you wish to incorporate as well as groupings of certain plants, whether for purposes of height, color batches, or even as to when each section of the garden will be in bloom.

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Keep Your Garden Insect Free and Healthy

One of the most frustrating things that can happen to any gardener is to find holes in most of the leaves on the plants in your garden. It is something that can happen very quickly - foliage that had been fine at last inspection is suddenly riddled with holes. Garden pests include anything from insects like aphids, hornworms or corn borers to slugs, worms, caterpillars, birds, snails, the even the occasional gopher. Although earthworms are good for the soil in vegetable and flower gardens (as they aerates the soil), woodland gardens can quickly be destroyed by their leaf consumption.

Before the entire garden is lost (together with all the hard work you put into it), some action must be taken. Since insects can thrive just about anywhere--under the soil, in old weeds or piles of leaves--always try and eliminate such breeding grounds that are either in your garden proper or nearby it. Remove old leaves, weeds, and any other decaying matter where insects and fungi could be living. Remember to regularly turn over your garden soil and break apart any clumps of dirt so that you can eliminate the living spaces any insects that might be hiding underground.

The use of beneficial insects in your garden (like ladybugs, honeybees and beetles) is certainly a natural and safe method of keeping your plants safe, although if you've got a serious infestation of mealybugs, you might need to play a little hardball.

A preventive measure is dormant spray, which is used (as the name suggests) during the months when plants are dormant. If you misuse the product, you risk killing your entire garden along with those of your neighbors, so follow the directions carefully. If birds tend to be destructive in their appreciation of your garden, you might try using a bird feeder to attract them elsewhere. Wind chimes can be very decorative and also prove effective in reducing the number of birds in your garden.

You likely have a gopher problem if you are seeing mounds of dirt around your yard, and your plants keep inexplicably dying. Gophers are root eating and even tree trunk gnawing rodents that can grow more than a foot long. The best method of protecting your plants is by digging a trench of about two feet in depth all around your garden, and installing a fine mesh fence. When planting trees in an area that you know is rife with gophers, you'll need to estimate the diameter of the tree's canopy, and drop a fence there.

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