Economic recession, high unemployment and budget conscious families have spurred a revival of interest in backyard gardening. And for good cause, groceries represent a significant expense families.

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/garden.html

wick applicator bait termite scale insecticide gardening trees shrubs pine tree seedlings

I’ve scored some really nice hanging baskets for everyone who signs up for the Gardening PGU on Monday 5/21/12 at 7pm at the Post-Gazette.

There will be lots of other mystery gifts just like at our last class.

I’ll be speaking for two hours about how to have your best garden ever.

I’ll be covering Getting Started in the Garden The class will cover tips and tricks for creating lush vegetable and flower gardens including soil prep, starting from seed, plant selection, garden maintenance, pest and disease prevention, my favorite plants and more.

You might have your garden planted, but that’s just a start. Now the real work begins.

Cost is $35, register at post-gazette.com/pgu

Source: http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/living/doug-oster-gardening/34191-free-hanging-basket-for-pgu-gardening-class-with-doug

pine trees seedlings plants catalog daffodils narcissus plants of georgia maple tree seedling

Using a rain barrel is a great way to conserve water and keep your garden watered for free.   It saves one of our most important resources and making a rain barrel is really not that difficult.  With just a couple of simple steps you can make your own. You will need  a plastic barrel  a drill, a hole bit [...]

Source: http://blog.gardenshoesonline.com/index.php/making-a-rain-barrel/

landscape plans online landscape design backyard landscaping landscape design photos small backyard landscaping ideas

Apple has announced that its Maiden, NC data center will be fully powered by renewables and that its solar power installation there will now be twice as big as first planned.

Source: http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/apple-powering-nc-data-center-100-percent-renewable-energy-doubling-size-solar-array.html

ideas for landscaping free landscape design gardening residential landscape architecture front yard landscaping ideas pictures

Posted by CoolGreenGardens
I was cerebrally unprepared to absorb his jawdroppingly rich and exotic images. Where do I begin?…

Source: http://www.finegardening.com/item/23064/david-fishmans-otherworldly-plant-portraits-will-amaze-you

herbicide for crabgrass insecticides for spiders ants in gardens organic gardening pests insecticide for spiders

Source: http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/1402/what-type-of-potting-soil-is-most-suitable-for-indoor-herbs

landscape depot landscaping services landscaping software landscaping for dummies gardening ideas

My
Gardening Heroes

Source: http://www.mygardenismyspace.com/Gardening-Heroes/my-gardening-heroes.html

bait termite scale insecticide gardening trees shrubs pine tree seedlings trees in atlanta

These are from my dad’s patch in Miami. After he passed away the patch went wild but my step-mom let me take all the pups I could gather. I tried to plant the types together. This is the first type, but it has been much bigger:

Image: http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48918&size=1 This is what it looked like a year ago. I apologize, but there is a Pear branch in front. And a dog. Please ignore. Image: http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48917&size=1 This is the second type: Image: http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48919&size=1

Source: http://www.bananas.org/f12/help-wanted-identify-plants-15708.html

patio design ideas pool landscaping ideas landscaping designs landscape designers landscaper

Serenade Garden Disease Control is an easy to use concentrated fungicide that is safe for use in organic gardening or organic farming operations. Serenade is a true organic product approved by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) for organic growing operations and is listed with the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) so you know that it is safe for your garden! Some of the most well known golf courses in America have trusted this product for years to control many common diseases that attack turf so you know you can rest assured that it will be just as effective at your home. This is a great product for use with your roses but it is just as effective with your heirloom vegetables and your flower gardens. Serenade Garden Disease Control even works for your ornamentals, shrubs and trees. In short, it takes care of anything that grows on your property.

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/Serenade-Garden-Disease-Control.html

landscape architecture magazine free landscaping software japanese garden design affordable landscaping landscape depot

Using a solar cell that can be stretched over a lithium battery to charge, this concept design is also made of biodegradable plastic. A winning idea?

Source: http://www.treehugger.com/solar-technology/solar-charger-concept-uses-stretchable-solar-cell.html

landscape design dallas planning a garden tropical landscaping ideas landscaping plans small yard landscaping ideas

Humates are the most critical component of soil fertility. While plants may suffer from a missing nutirent or trace element, they won’t even grow without the presence of humate in the soil

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/humates.html

mulch pergola designs pictures of landscaping landscaping companies hardscape design

Hello home gardeners, I need your suggestions!  You see a couple years ago my dad helped me build the  Blue Garden Shed.  One of the things I was eager to install was a green roof but I determined that I didn’t have the knowledge or the money at the time to do it correctly. As s substitute one of the things I incorporated into the shed was a front door overhang.  I made the overhang so that it could be a planter box in effect it could have been a small version of a green roof.  The problem is – I never planted anything in it!  To this day the front door overhang planter box sits without a single plant growing in it.

What I need help with are a few suggestions to what would look good in the planter box.  But that’s not all, it has to be sustainable.  The plants have to be able to take long periods of dryness (and survive periods of inattention). That might be an emphasis on natives. What would look good?  Probably lots of things but they have to be able to thrive on neglect.

So tell me, what plants would you plant on a front door overhang planter box on a blue shed?  I’m sure you don’t get asked that question everyday!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/hOKSEmRkYlg/what-would-you-plant-here.html

landscaping software landscaping for dummies gardening ideas garden ideas mulch

The death of a Sea World orca trainer revives the question of whether or not it is ethical to keep killer whales in captivity.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Earthfirst/~3/sh92mxia51w/

insecticide for roaches shrubs and trees fungus gnats larvae weeping higan umbrella schefflera

Its starting to get cold outside. I have noticed recently that very few people in the last few years have done anything to prevent those little colds that you always come down with at the beginning of the chilly season. Why is that? I remember being a youngster… wanting to go outside and play in the snow even though i had the sniffles. Mom wouldn’t let me. “Your going to get sick!” she would holler. So i wasn’t ever sick! Read more . . .

Source: http://rosebushcare.buzz-line.net/rose-care/do-we-enjoy-sickness/

grass herbicides pine beetles treatment insecticide for roaches shrubs and trees fungus gnats larvae

I have many roses in my garden, but most of them were chosen for their hardiness and disease resistance. So I am always struck by the intense perfume of my David Austin English Rose ‘Jude the Obscure’. I know when it’s in bloom before I even round the corner where it reigns. In this age where so many plants are bred for “improvements”, it’s such a treat to stumble upon plants that retain the scents that childhood memories are made of. I do hope you have some fragrant flowers in your garden. I’ve pulled together some tips for getting the most from your Fragrant Flowers. Have a favorite to suggest? Add your favorite fragrant plants to our list.

…

Read Full Post

Source: http://gardening.about.com/b/2012/05/20/garden-scents-2.htm

post beetles shrubs & trees catalog plants maple pruning plants for bees

Annual pruning of roses is important to a healthy rose garden loaded with dazzling blooms. When to prune roses will largely depend on where you live and the types of roses in your garden. The three time frames pruning are: spring pruning, late-summer/fall pruning, and winter pruning. It is likely you will actually prune your [...]

Source: http://wildaboutroses.net/when-to-prune-roses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-to-prune-roses

brown recluse spider extermination grass herbicides pine beetles treatment insecticide for roaches shrubs and trees

Creeping thyme or Thymus serpyllum makes a great ground cover that is very easy to grow.  Once started it quickly grows and spread to fill out areas. It’s also an extremely easy plant to propagate.  Why is propagating creeping thyme so easy?  Let’s take a look!

I planted three small seedlings of creeping thyme a couple years ago and now it has grown into an evergreen carpet along our stepping stones.  Creeping thyme forms roots anywhere the stems touch a surface.  Essentially if the area is dark, roots will grow!  Even though our creeping thyme is resting on a stepping stone it still produces a copious amount of roots which makes an awesome opportunity to create more creeping thyme.  All I need to do is trim the area around the stepping stone then separate the rooted stems of thyme into individual pots or into new areas of the garden to cover.  This propagation process is known as layering.

You might be wondering why a groundcover like creeping thyme is useful?  Maybe you already know but we’ll mention it anyway! Groundcovers are a living mulch.  In a garden anywhere light touches will help germinate a seed. You’ve heard the saying “Nature abhors a vacuum”, by keeping the ground covered with a mulch of some kind will prevent weeds from getting what they need to sprout and eliminate any vacuums.  It also keeps the soil cooler in the hot summer.  Creeping thyme can tolerate the hot summers here in Tennessee very easily.  By placing it underneath and around shrubs it can help keep the moisture in the soil where it will work for the shrubs.  Without some type of mulch the water will quickly evaporate.  Creeping thyme has very shallow roots and doesn’t need much water so planting it with other plants that use more water is a great idea. Creeping thyme would make an excellent groundcover for a formal herb garden.

Creeping thyme can take some light foot traffic which makes it a good ground cover for small pathways that are only used occasionally or stepping stone pathways.  You wouldn’t want to plant it in a heavily used area.  Light traffic will help it too root even better as the occasional foot pressing the roots to the soil will just help the thyme get a better foot hold into the soil.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/PZoLnbzxD4U/propagating-creeping-thyme.html

insecticide for roaches shrubs and trees fungus gnats larvae weeping higan umbrella schefflera

It doesn’t get simpler than this for seed starting in controlled conditions: the bare root approach. Spread seeds on paper towel, place another paper towel on top, mist with a spray bottle, roll up (don’t forget to mark the rolls if you are doing more than one), and place in a ziploc-type sealable plastic bag.  [...]

Bare root seed starting

Source: http://feeds.tinyfarmblog.com/~r/TinyFarmBlog/~3/iRlV3I24Ig4/

pests beetles japanese pruning ant treatment organic gardening pest ornamental pruning

The weather was pleasant this weekend so I was able to plant some seeds in my raised beds as well as my cold frame.  I used my Solo spritzer to water the seedlings with Authentic Haven Brand Compost Tea.  My dahlia tubers are already starting to show signs of life in my coldframe. The flowers in my garden [...]

Source: http://blog.gardenshoesonline.com/index.php/springtime-pleasures/

chestnut oak trees ants boric acid landscaping ideas landscape design landscaping pictures

Is it that time already? I feel like I just got my plants in the ground and yet they’re begging to be pinched back and deadheaded. Perennials really are little attention seekers, aren’t they? And after all these years, you would think basil plants would have learned to branch out on their own. Every year we have to train them.  Oh well, I garden because I love it and primping plants is a large part of gardening. After all, they’d be perfectly happy to bloom once and go to seed. We’re the ones who expect them to perform week after week. So grab your pruners and get out there. It’s time to pinch, prune and deadhead.

…

Read Full Post

Source: http://gardening.about.com/b/2012/05/16/pinch-me.htm

bee insecticide pine trees seedlings plants catalog daffodils narcissus plants of georgia

It’s been a while since I’ve written about our vegetable garden so I thought the end of April would be a good time for an update!  There are a few disappointments but overall most of the garden is right on track.  We’ve used raised beds for several years now but most of them have disintegrated.  I’ve replaced some with concrete retaining wall block stone which has a nice appearance and won’t rot out!

Let’s take a look around!

Just outside the vegetable garden we’ll find cilantro already flowering with delicate white flowers.  Our warm weather has caused it to bolt but our cool snaps have started more seeds germinating.  We should be able to maintain a little cilantro in the garden for at least another month!

We were disappointed with our sugar snap peas this year.  I planted a lot of seed but only one plant is left now.  I suspect voles or rabbits are to blame but it’s also due in part to old seed that just didn’t germinate very well.

The potato patch is doing great!  We have 15-20 potato plants growing of three different kinds.  I use grass clippings as a mulch.  Each time I mow the lawn I add more grass to the base of the plants which encourages them to grow more potatoes down below.  It also keeps the soil moist when our rains are irregular.  We really need some kind of rain soon.

We have a nice crop of red romaine lettuce coming along.  I scatter sowed lettuce in this raised bed and it has done pretty well with no real maintenance.   I need to see if I can get another crop started before the weather gets really hot for the summer.

Of course one of the most delicious parts of the garden is the strawberry crop!  It’s done pretty good this year.  I was afraid with the late frosts that we wouldn’t have anything but we do have some delicious and sweet strawberries to pick! My strawberry bed needs reinvigorated so I’ll fertilize after we harvest our strawberries.

I planted two types of melons and a row of bush beans this week in the garden but we don’t have germination yet.  It won’t be long though!  I still need to plant cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, basil, and many other crops in the garden.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/R66CEs0-Bhk/vegetable-garden-end-of-april-2012.html

pine tree seedlings trees in atlanta boric acid and ants controlling grubs shrubs to plant

Humates are the most critical component of soil fertility. While plants may suffer from a missing nutirent or trace element, they won’t even grow without the presence of humate in the soil

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/humates.html

landscaping photos landscape design services landscape plans online landscape design backyard landscaping

Last week I attended the Bloom N’ Garden Expo in Williamson County, TN.  It’s a neat event held each year that offers garden speakers, display gardens, and (of course) plant vendors!  I’ve been getting pickier in my plant selections over the past year or so because I want unique plants for my garden.  I’m not trying to fill it up anymore, just trying to make it interesting!  Also money is an issue.  Despite advertising here on this blog (which doesn’t earn much) and my fledgling nursery venture we’re still really just a single income family. I don’t want to spend money on plants I can raise from seed or through cuttings.  Nor do I want to spend money on plants that I don’t have a good place to plant them.  So I’ve been getting more picky.  Fortunately at these kinds of shows there are unique plants to find like the ‘Beni Shichihenge’ Japanese maple I bought!

‘Beni Shichihenge’ came home with me because it has some really interesting variegated foliage.  It begins with red on the leaf edges in the spring which eventually changes toward a creamy white variegation.  This Japanses maple is a slow grower and at its top height will reach about 12 feet tall.  For now it will grace itself in a pot either on our front porch or back deck.  I don’t have the perfect place planned for it yet and I’m hesitant to place it in a landscape that is also known as the Bambi buffet!

I bought ‘Beni Shichihenge’ from an extremely knowledgeable and very personable nursery owner out of a North Carolina nursery called Nichols Nursery.  Tim Nichols told me that they have over 700 varieties of Japanese maples in their nursery which also has an online presence at Mr. Maple.  I think you can guess how it got its name!

‘Beni Shichihenge’ was grafted onto another Japanese maple root stock.  This is commonly done with Japanese maple cultivars since most of them don’t enjoy growing on their own roots.  Seed grown grafting stock gives these fancy cultivars a good chance of survival with a strong root system.  One common root stock used for grafting Japanese maples is Acer palmatum ‘atropurpureum’ which is a red leaved Japanese maple.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/BW9nfOVIydY/beni-shichihenge-japanese-maple-acer.html

organic garden pest pest organic ant bait boric acid brown recluse spider spray crabgrass herbicide

There are few shrubs I like better than viburnums and truly the ‘Shasta’ Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tormentosum) is one of the more beautiful selections of viburnums. The viburnum pictured below is in its fourth year of growing in my garden and has never looked better!  Loads of white lacecap flowers cover the branches in a two row fashion which lends to its name.  In the fall this viburnum is supposed to have reddish colored berries but so far I haven’t seen any.  This is most likely due to not having a pollinator viburnum close enough for cross pollination. 

There are several different cultivars of doublefile viburnums that grow to varying heights and widths.  The ‘Shasta’ viburnum grows about 6 feet tall but can reach widths of 10 to 12 feet.  This probably means placing it right next to my deck may not have been the best location!  Some creative pruning will allow me to keep it in bounds and provide me with a lot of cutting material!

In the fall this ‘Shasta’ viburnum sports beautiful purple-red colored foliage.  I suppose this could vary depending on soil, moisture, and weather conditions.  Tomorrow morning I’ll show you a fragrant viburnum you would just love.

If you don’t have a viburnum in your garden you need one!  Really you do!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/2ruU3EsXIBo/doublefile-viburnum-shasta-spring-2012.html

bee insecticide pine trees seedlings plants catalog daffodils narcissus plants of georgia

Pruning roses is important to plant health because it encourages new growth and removes winter-damaged limbs. Different classes of rose required different methods of pruning at varying times of the year. Climbing roses and rose bushes are two classes of roses which required slightly different techniques for pruning. This article will help explain some general [...]

Source: http://wildaboutroses.net/how-to-prune-roses-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-prune-roses-2

grubs in soil pests beetles japanese pruning ant treatment organic gardening pest

My
Garden Flora and Fauna

Source: http://www.mygardenismyspace.com/FloraandFauna/floraandfauna.html

ants in gardens organic gardening pests insecticide for spiders organic pests ants and boric acid

Humates are the most critical component of soil fertility. While plants may suffer from a missing nutirent or trace element, they won’t even grow without the presence of humate in the soil

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/humates.html

boric acid ant bait bees plants soggy soil grubs in grass gardening with shrubs

Source: http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/4192/what-are-the-secrets-to-growing-great-strawberries

backyard designs backyard landscaping ideas landscape pictures garden planning landscape services

I found this article and it is saying that they are growing bananas in Punjab India.

Farmers take to banana cultivation in Punjab It says they are using a cavendish variety to deal with the fog and frost. acoording to the link below the weather is between -2ºC (28.4ºF) and 40ºC (104ºf). Which is warmer and slightly cooler than where I am. Though that is probably from all areas. Punjab, India – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Source: http://www.bananas.org/f2/bananas-punjab-how-do-they-deal-15703.html

designing landscape landscape design plans front yard landscaping pictures modern landscape design landscape ideas for front yard

Art collectors, seeking more display space, rebuild their home with care.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=b5635cffb86a569b4238a9ae4441efef

landscaping photos landscape design services landscape plans online landscape design backyard landscaping

Looking for a good florist in the San Antonio, Texas area? Finding a good flower shop can sometimes be a challenge. So, we did some research and came up with a list of the 7 best flower shops in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas. We’ve chosen what we think is the best of the [...]

Source: http://www.gardeningchannel.com/7-great-flower-shops-in-san-antonio-and-new-braunfels-texas/

landscaping images landscaping ideas for backyard how to landscape landscape maintenance designing landscape

We’re always looking for ways to save money and with today’s economy what it is it’s not just wise, it’s crucial for gardeners to save a buck when they can! 

Gaillardia from a Discount Rack

There are several ways gardeners can save money on their garden that are really easy to do and don’t require anything really crazy.  Today’s Friday Five post offers up 5 tips to help you save money on your garden.  Don’t forget to share your favorite ways to save money on gardening in the comments below!

 5 Ways to Save Money on the Garden! 

1. Let’s start with an important one that I mention often – compost!  Compost is composed of a humongous number of living organisms that bring life to the soil.  They break down big stuff and make it into small stuff that plants can use.  What is that stuff?  Nutrients and elements that range from nitrogen to small tiny micronutrients important for plant health.  And don’t forget what compost does for water retention and regulation!  Compost is easy to make, just set a pile of compostable materials in an inconspicuous location and continue to add organic matter!  Keep out stuff that draws vermin like meats and dairy while balancing green and brown materials as evenly as you can.  Turn as often as you can to speed up the process.  Of course I don’t do that nearly as often as I should!  It works even then! (Just slower.)
2. Visit plant swaps!  There’s one this weekend at Henry Horton State Park that I used to go to until my daughters joined dance class and have had recitals every year scheduled on the same day. Plant swaps are a great opportunity to unload your extras and bring home something new.  Every swap is a little different so check out the rules first and see what you can and can’t bring.  Swaps are a great way to deck out a barren landscape.  Often there are plants people don’t want to bring home that no one wants – maybe you do though!  Be careful because many of the plants could be invasive or aggressive in your garden.
3. The discount racks are another way to garden cheap.  I visit them regularly to bring home new varieties I can nurse back to help.  Often they aren’t in bad shape at all but just need to be cleared out for new stock.  Last week I brought home two ‘Guacamole’ hostas from the rack for $2 each.  I divided one into three plants and planted the other.  Which ends up being $1 per hosta!  Pretty cool!  This brings up number 4…
4. Propagate!  Division, cuttings, and seeds are all really great ways to save money.  If you have friends with a plant you like ask to get a division of it next time they divide it or get cuttings or seed form it if appropriate.  Making cuttings of plants you want to plant enmass is a great way to save on a new garden bed.  
5. 

   Save your water!  Saving water is an awesome way to save money and be environmentally friendly at the same time.  Rain barrels probably come to mind first and their great but sometimes saving water is more about using your water efficiently!  Water deeply when you water and water less often.  Plants generally don’t want to be soggy (unless they do ) and will grow better if they stretch out their roots to find the water deeper in the soil. Mulching around your plants is also great to retain moisture in the soil.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/7jsX7lKeetc/5-ways-to-save-money-on-garden.html

pests beetles japanese pruning ant treatment organic gardening pest ornamental pruning

Summer’s end doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to bid farewell to your favorite garden flowers. Preserve those summer bouquets instead and use them for a variety of decorative purposes, such as wreaths, potpourri and floral arrangements. Preparing Flowers to Preserve Regardless of the preserving method you choose, the process for selecting and preparing flowers [...]

Source: http://www.gardeningchannel.com/how-to-dry-and-preserve-summer-flowers/

landscape design companies landscaping design ideas landscaping design landscaping landscaping photos

This very well could be the most amazing weekend yet. The forecast is calling for sunny skies in the San Diego-70′s and every flower that can possibly be open right now is in peak glorious bloom. Normally that would be enough for me to say this is the place to be this weekend but it [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/Blithewold/%7E3/GUM3EmELqU4/

online landscape design backyard landscaping landscape design photos small backyard landscaping ideas diy landscape design

Agra-Cycle, Inc announces planned organic waste recycling project that will compost 10 Million tons of organic waste by 2022

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/organic.html

front yard landscaping ideas pictures patio design ideas pool landscaping ideas landscaping designs landscape designers

Enjoy the Garden’s extended hours on Tuesdays by Gardening at Night! Join us to water, weed, and harvest by light of the rising moon. And, of course, gardening and good conversation go hand-in-hand. Topics will include lunar planting, biodynamics, and plant lore. Tuesdays, June 26, July 24 and August 21

Source: http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-events/gardening-at-night/

landscaping companies hardscape design how to design landscape garden layouts landscape planning

Wandering downtown as the Asheville Fling begins

Taking pictures

Of sights

Seeing terrors

Transported

To peaceful

Blue pearls

Source: http://outsideclyde.blogspot.com/2012/05/random-asheville-fling.html

foot fern organic pest solutions post beetles shrubs & trees catalog plants

We moved to the Memphis area four months ago and your show was one of the very first we heard. We were moving in on a Saturday morning and had a radio

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/how-do-i-prune-roses.html

yard design landscape architecture magazine free landscaping software japanese garden design affordable landscaping

This Latin name translates as “many flowered” or “abundance of flowers” and the Floribunda rose surely lives up to its name. These roses are among the most colorful of the modern roses. Their blooms are arranged in low-growing large clusters.

Many consider the Floribunda a better variety than the Hybrid Tea, their ancestor, largely because of its capacity to continue producing blooms over an extended period of time. Furthermore, they are much more hearty and resilient than Hybrid Tea roses. Read more . . .

Source: http://rosebushcare.buzz-line.net/rose-care/plant-floribunda-roses-for-all-season-blooms-2/

japanese beetles traps boric acid ant bait bees plants soggy soil grubs in grass

Many people think that the care of roses is a difficult and complicated process.  As mini roses are smaller and more delicate than standard roses, some think that miniature rose bush care is even more difficult.  This is not necessarily true.  As with anything worthwhile in life, properly caring for roses is a matter of educating yourself and paying attention to a few key details.

How to Care for Miniature Rose Bushes

The care of your mini will primarily depend on the rose type as well as where it is planted.  Some rose plants are bred to be miniature in both size and blooms.  Other rose bushes have a larger growth habit; however, their blooms are miniature.    Then again, a rose plant can have miniature blooms and also be classified as a shrub rose, a climbing rose, or a carpet rose.

If your rose plant is grown outdoors, simply follow the same procedure for rose bush care that you would for one that is of a standard size:  plenty of sun, plenty of water, enriched soil along with deadheading and pruning when appropriate.  (Remember that climbing rose bush care is different than for a standard shrub rose.)

Source: http://wildaboutroses.net/miniature-rose-bush-care/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miniature-rose-bush-care

online landscape design backyard landscaping landscape design photos small backyard landscaping ideas diy landscape design

My
Gardening Heroes

Source: http://www.mygardenismyspace.com/Gardening-Heroes/my-gardening-heroes.html

landscape companies landscape design dallas planning a garden tropical landscaping ideas landscaping plans

 

These baby robins will be ready to leave the nest in a few short weeks. Photos by Doug Oster

The garden is exploding with life. Good bugs, bad bugs, weeds and beautiful flowers all trying to make their mark.

 

I’ve watched as a robin spend the spring meticulously crafting a nest hidden away in th protection of a thorny raspberry bush.

She sat for about two weeks on the sky blue eggs and when I saw her flying back and forth to the nest with food for the babies, it was time to take a look.

Three of the four eggs produced fledglings.

There’s a nest in another part of the garden that’s about a week ahead of this one. I’m hoping to get some video of the babies being fed.

One of the most fulfilling things about being in the garden is observing the wildlife sharing the space. Although I did see a fat rabbit hanging around lately.

 

Max the Wonder Dog guards the garden path.

 

Our gardening season is probably three weeks early, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the year goes. Even though insects are thriving, beneficials are doing just as well as pests.

If stinkbugs are a concern, get the Rescue Stink Bug Trap out now. This is the first time we’ve had a trap early in the season. It should be in place to catch the emerging adults before they can breed. The trap has a limited range, so it’s not attracting stink bugs from other areas, just in your garden.

Rhododendrons are finishing their blooms. The best time to prune them is right when they are done blooming. The plant starts putting on buds for next spring just a few weeks after spent flowers fall. If the shrub is getting leggy or in the way, now is the time to correct the problem.

 

 

Source: http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/living/doug-oster-gardening/34154-sleeping-baby-robins-stinkbug-and-pruning-tips-for-an-early-season

landscape ideas design a landscape professional landscaping landscape designer backyard landscape design

Bokashi Bran will allow you to compost any organic waste indoors using nothing more than a sealed bucket. It is an excellent way to increase organic matter, an essential part your organic garden

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/Bokashi_Bran.html

front yard landscaping ideas professional landscape design yard design landscape architecture magazine free landscaping software

Last week I put together a couple flats of shade garden plants that I’m attempting to grow from seed.  I’ve had pretty good success before with my heucheras and thought I would give a few other shade plants a try!  A couple years ago I intended (but never got around to) to begin sowing shade garden plants and began saving seeds for coleus, hostas, and heucheras.  I saved the seed in baby food jars (we have plenty of them around) in the refrigerator.  I even labeled the jars with the year I gathered them so I know that they were harvested in 2010. Seeds stored in the refrigerator can remain viable for several years so my odds are good at getting some sort of germination!

I sowed four types of seeds: coleus, hosta, heuchera, and hellebore. My hellebores (Lenten Rose) surprised me the other day with a ton of seeds. I researched and read where they like a period of warm weather followed by cold weather and may need stratification to germinate.  I also read where seeds sown fresh may germinate.  Being hasty I decided I’d chance some of the seeds by sowing them fresh.  So far none have germinated but I’ll let you know when or if they do.

The coleus seeds I saved had a reddish colored leaf that I bought each year and planted in our shade garden.  I haven’t been able to find the same variety this year so I’m hoping that what I get from the seed I collected comes fairly true to type.  They should look like the picture on the right when grown but could vary quite a bit. If I had found just one coleus like it I could have easily propagated more though cuttings which probably would have been much faster but unfortunately I couldn’t find what I wanted so I’ll just improvise.  Improvisation is always fun!

I’ve grown heuchera from seed before and it’s pretty easy.  I usually just sprinkle the very tiny seeds on the soil surface and water. Don’t cover with soil. Then you wait.  Keep them watered and wait some more.  They could take a couple weeks to germinate.  If they don’t you wait some more!  Heucheras don’t come true to type (usually) but I really don’t want them to.  I’d would love to see the neatest heuchera ever developed grown in my backyard – wouldn’t you?   There’s no germination yet so I’m waiting and checking daily in anticipation!

The hostas have germinated.  Or maybe I should say the hosta has germinated!  So far I only have one but they couple take a couple weeks to all germinate and there’s no guarantee that I’ll get more than one hosta from this batch.  I’m planning on saving seed this year as long as the deer don’t eat my hosta flowers!  I may even try to hybridize a couple.  I’ve been wondering what a cross between a ‘Sum and Substance’ hosta and a ‘Ginkgo Craig’ hosta would look like!  Hosta offspring vary greatly in their appearance.  We’ll see what grows if the flowers develop (and aren’t eaten)!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHomeGarden/~3/qunFr_PC6Zw/sowing-shade-garden-seeds.html

landscaping photos landscape design services landscape plans online landscape design backyard landscaping

Found a few of these munching on the leaves of my tomato plants. Anyone know what they are?

Source: http://www.walterreeves.com/name-that-plant/tomato-eating-caterpillar/

garden ideas mulch pergola designs pictures of landscaping landscaping companies

Source: http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/4232/how-can-i-fix-a-lawn-which-has-become-patchy

trees and shrub narcissus daffodils fruit trees order shrubs japanese beetles grubs

One of the nice things about having your own Blog is the ability to go off topic when you want, today is one of those times.
After sharing about my surgery and subsequent heart attacks I’ve heard from more than a few readers that have gone through some deep stuff the last few years. This is for you kind folks. There have been some incredible breakthroughs in medicine recently. I wrap up this piece with an interview with Suzanne Sommers who banked some of her stem cells and was was able to regrow a breast lost to cancer. It is my intent that you are able to experience a bit of Hope as well.

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/Pain.html

landscape architecture magazine free landscaping software japanese garden design affordable landscaping landscape depot

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety busted up a few Prius C hybrids to see how they held up in crashes. Here’s what they found…

Source: http://www.treehugger.com/cars/prius-c-hybrid-earns-top-pick-safety-rating-iihs.html

herbicide for crabgrass insecticides for spiders ants in gardens organic gardening pests insecticide for spiders

When’s the best time to divide hostas? (answer).

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Source: http://feeds.almanac.com/~r/almanac-gardening/~3/MOYpNaZJ30c/question

backyard design landscape ideas design a landscape professional landscaping landscape designer

Avenger Weed Killer is a very powerful non-selective weed killer that is effective for use on broad leaf weeds and annual grasses. This is a very fast acting product, you will have visible proof of results in 2 hours or less! The emulsified formula makes it very easy to see where you have already applied it. This product is safe for organic gardening and organic growers alike. Avenger Weed Killer is an approved product for organic farming operations by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) is listed with the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) and registered with the EPA. Made from d-limonene a concentrated citrus oil it is deadly to weeds yet friendly to the environment. Unlike acidic weed killers that use industrial strength vinegar, this will not negatively affect your soil’s pH level.

Source: http://www.organic-gardening-for-life.com/Avenger-Weed-Killer.html

best shrubs black widow brown chestnut oak trees ants boric acid landscaping ideas