Too Much

January and February of 2010 brought storm like the area has never seen before.  The latest being nearly 50 inches of snow in a 2 day period.  The attached photo is a view less than 24 hours after the snow began to fall.

Casualties in and around my house were all too common.  Evergreen trees and bushes took the most damage- the heavy snow toppled many or broke of branches like an angry pruner.  Another unforeseen issue was related to the volume of snow that fell.  Quickly, everyone ran out of places to put all of the snow.  Like me, most forgot was was living below the piles first created by mother nature and added to by our shovels.

The snow was so deep I forgot one area contained a prized mini maple tree.  It had already been buried by natural snowfall and in my rush to get the walks and driveway clear I put another 2-3 foot of snow on top of the area where the tree was covered.  Not long after things thawed I discovered what a mistake this was.  The fine branches of the tree held the snow and weight as long as it could.  At some point it became too much and the branches gave way- cracking, splitting and clear breaking away from the main branches of the tree.  The overall damage is shocking and it will take many years for the tree to recover to the beauty and shape it held just months ago.

The last nasty way so much “green” was effected were by the hands and blades of the plow drivers.  I was lucky and had no such damage on my property but see it in quite a few places.  Run over saplings, scrapped up yards, toppled planters, trees plowed into, trunks scrapped raw and more.  In some cases I wonder what the plow driver had against the tree or plant!

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Once you start a garden, that is not the end of it. Many prefer to have smaller gardens at their homes. This is because the smaller gardens do not require much maintenance, energy, time and money.

Whatever the size of your garden is, it requires special care in order to make it blossom throughout the year. Here are our top 6 gardening tips to help you”

1.  You can mix the plantings of flowers, herbs and vegetables if you don’t have enough space for 3 different gardens.   For those multi-purpose patches, you need to make sure you do not have plants that will attract too many pests to them that might harm the other type of plant.  Aromatic herbs are great to use because they typically deter many types of insects from hanging out in your garden.

2.  Weeding regularly will help make the job easier and your garden look nicer.  Plus it can help keep down on pests and disease that could harm your plants.
3.  One of the gardening tips that a lot of people don’t follow is to make sure you leave enough room in bettween your plants for air circulation.  Circultaion is important to keep down diseases and also the spacing between plants helps to insure each plant can get enough nutrients from the soil and they are not competing with each other for nourishment.

4.  Water your plants carefully.  If you water with a hose, make sure you don’t splash the water on the leaves or flowers of the plant because this can actually invite pests and diseases.

5.   Plan your garden carefully before you go out and buy the plants.  Make sure you know how much room you have and how many plants the garden can accomodate.  Be sure you make not of whether your area is in full sun, partial shade or both so you can buy the right types of plants.

6.  Make sure you fertilize in the proper amounts and use the right type of fertilizer for the plant.  Flowers will need different types of fertilizers than vegetables and there are even special fertilizers that work best on specific plants.

Follow these 6 gardening tips and your garden will be off to a great start!

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It is likely that the Romans and Egyptians came up with the idea of container gardens. During the 1950’s, this form of gardening grew in popularity in southern California. Ever since then, the interest has spread steadily. If you are considering this method, then it is important to not only select the right container, but it is also important to select the right locations as well as the plants.

So what kinds of plants can you grow in a container garden?

Sage

This is a perennial plant. This plant should have plenty of sunlight. It is also important to make sure the soil drains well.

Rosemary

Rosemary asks for plenty of attention. This plant also asks for soil that is rich in lime and don’t forget about the sun.

Chives

Chives like having rich soil with plenty of sun. You should also trim it in order to get healthy chives. Chives are generally evergreen when they are in mild climates. In the harsh winter regions, they become dormant.

Dill

This is a popular annual that loves fertile soil. It also requires lots of sun. If your plant seeds out during the early spring, then it will steadily grow.

Basil

This tropical annual is perfect for container gardening. In fact, there are many types of this tropical annual that exist. Most of the varieties are known for growing quickly in soil that is warm. During the season, they should be lightly fertilized. Oh and don’t forget to break out with the Italian supplies so you can prepare a great meal with fresh basil.

Saw Palmetto

These plants like having soil that is well drained, but moist and don’t forget about the sun. They like having a lot of sun shining down on them. This is a tropical palm that bees love going to in order to make honey.

You may think you are limited to the types of plants you can use with container gardening, but honestly, there are so many plants that will work well in containers that you can fill your container garden with virtually any plant you want!

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Luckily, just about anyone can have a great flower garden – whether you have a huge plot to plant tons of flowers or just a simple pot to plant a few in.  Flower gardening is pretty simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to be successful at it.

When you have decided to have a flower garden, it is important that you plan it properly. At first glance, it may seem like a daunting task. However, after you learn some basics of gardening, you will start to see it all unfold.

We have found two basic types of flower gardening methods. The most common gardening that is done today involves using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Over the long run, these chemicals are known for destroying the helpful organisms in the soil. It is also known for tossing the plants and flowers away from their natural balance.

This method of gardening will be focusing on treating the pests and plant disease without building up the immune system of the plant. It is also harmful to the environment. Unfortunately, this type of gardening is being practiced by many of the commercial farmers and gardeners.

Another method, the method we really like, is known as organic gardening. This works to made a natural balance for the garden. This approach will be taking the laws of nature and using them to grow healthy plants that are free from pests and diseases.

With this method of flower gardening, you will be focusing on building the soil up and wisely using the plants. You will be maintaining a good balance. Pathogens are known for attacking the weak plants that are living in poor soil.

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Sweet Basil

These plants will make your garden look attractive. When we plant the seeds, we prefer planting them where they will be growing in the garden in the middle of May. Germination for this herb generally occurs in seven to ten days. When it comes to transplanting these plants, we have found that it is not difficult at all. It can grow up to eighteen inches.

They need to have around twelve inches of space between plants. The Dark Opal Basil has a deep red foliage with pink flowers. This would make an excellent herb to grow along a walkway. You can use basil to flavor tomato pastes and tomato juice.

Borage

Herb gardening can be beautiful especially if you grow borage which has blossoms that are pink in color, which turn blue like a perennial pulmonaria. This is an annual and you should plant it directly in your garden during the first part of May in the North. They can grow up to two feet and they should be spaced ten inches apart.

The germinating period is seven to ten days. You shouldn’t transplant them except when they are small. You can use this herb in tossed salad to add some tasty flavor.

Chervil

This plant will germinate during the fall and can live during the winter. If you are an inexperienced gardener, then we recommend you growing the plant as an annual. You should plant the seed in the middle of May. This herb can grow up to two feet and should be planted eight inches apart. It grows quickly as it is mature in as little as six weeks. With this, you should resent transplanting. You can freeze the fresh leaves in small packages after you carefully wash them. Chervil is popular for flavoring egg dishes.

Chives

This plant is a perennial and is good for herb gardening as well as a fun addition to your flower garden!   They start growing from bulblets. We have found that they are easy to grow from seed. Ours started growing under fluorescent lights and germinated in only ten days. They look like fragile pieces of grass. When you transplant them, expect them to slightly wilt. During a long drought, they will continue to grow well. You can use them in a rock garden or as a border, because the flowers are very pretty. Chives go great in egg dishes, salads and sauces.

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