Thursday, October 8, 2015

Wilma's New Gardening Page



Thanks everyone for your support viewing my posts on twosistersgardeningblogspot.com. over the last several years. Due to technical difficulties and new endeavors, I will be posting weekly on a new gardening page breakinggroundfarmandnursery.com.

Thanks again and hope to hear from you on the new page!

As always, Happy Gardening 2015!!

posted by Wilma Smith

Be Back Soon!!


"Two Sister's Gardening" will be back soon with lots of great gardening tips, photos and fun!!


Until then....

Happy Gardening 2014!!

Posted by Wilma Smith

Friday, June 6, 2014

What's Blooming in June



 
 
If you remember the old saying "April showers bring May flowers," I guess this year I'm late because here it is the month of June and plants in my yard and garden are just beginning to bloom. The truth is these plants are summer bloomers and I need to add spring bulbs and perennials to spaces, if I want more color and blooms in March, April and May.
 
Especially in June day lilies that only bloom once a year burst out for several weeks. The first three photos are planted in the back of my house. I bought this pink beauty several years ago from a local day lily farm. I have four or five other pink varieties near by but the are not ready to bloom this week. 
 
  
 
 
 
In the same area are an older orange-red variety (probably 25 years old). Day lilies are native to Asia and before 1930 ranged in colors yellow, orange and red. Around the 30's, the U. S. and England began a hybridization fervor and today you can buy them in rainbow colors, double flowers and day lily plants that bloom once or more in a summer season (spring to fall) depending on the variety. There are many pluses to this beautiful flower. Generally, easy to grow, takes little maintenance (unless you plan to sell them), resistant to disease and pests, adaptable to most soil and drought resistant when necessary. And the best part they are perennial!
 
 
 
 
 
Also in the backyard I have a butterfly shrub. As you see above mine is white, but they also come in blue, pink, red, violet and yellow. Of course this shrub attracts butterflies and other beneficial insects through it's flower nectar. It can grow 5 to 10 feet tall and does need trimming in the fall or early spring for best blooms. The butterfly bush will bloom summer to fall. Besides trimming dead branches and old blooms prior to summer, add mulch in fall. It is also a native of Asia and the formal name is a giveaway, "Buddleja."
 
 

 
 
Moving to our vegetable garden, I have several varieties of wildflowers. The definition of a wildflower is a flowering plant that was not intentionally planted. Most are annual and depend on the seeds from old blooms to come back up the next summer season. Above you see a "Mexican Hat." Mine return every year in the same area because in fall or sometimes before, I cut them down with a mower.
 
Don't confuse native wildflowers with mixes you buy at your local garden store because many seeds in the mix may not return after several years. Often many seeds in a bought mix include seeds not suited for our area. Walter Reeves on Walter Reeves.com recommends buying wildflower mixes specifically made to plant in the south. He also recommends to re-sow your spot every fall for maximum show the next year. Some good for our area are Cosmos, Cornflower, Shirley Poppy, butterfly weed and Coreopsis.
 
  




I have my biggest day lily bed at the front of the garden. For several years I have tried to add new colors or different lily varieties. I love this burgundy/purple bloom.




I added this Easter Lily last year and the photo doesn't really do it's beauty justice. Usually, they bloom April through June.

The Easter Lily originated from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. It has long been a large money maker in the U. S. Market at Easter for gifts and cemetery flowers. I gave the original to my mom last year and she was going to throw it out after it quit blooming.

The name originated from early Christianity based on the resurrection of Christ, as it is said the flowers sprang up in the garden he visited the night before his crucifiction, as well as, it was noted he recognized the flowers expressed in Luke 12:27.





Another wildflower that continues to return every year close to the garden is Black-eyed Susan. I love the way this plant always comes up in a bunch. It is a great flower for our area to extend the blooming period of other wildflowers. Other perennials like daffodil, day lily ad Queen Anne's Lace do the same thing if planted in close proximity. Once my Susan blooms die, I either pick the old blooms to store for next year, or mow them down.




Seen above is the Trumpet Vine. It is native to both woodland China and Southeastern United States. It is a climber that attracts birds, especially the humming bird. This vine has grown midway of my driveway without any help from me. I have never done anything to encourage it's growth or blooms except enjoy!




Another bloom in my drive is seen above. I suspect it's a member of the sunflower family but haven't researched to find out it's name or any other information. I only know it's a native of our area. If you have a guess or idea, please let me know. I do know it's not a Jerusalem Artichoke and there are lots blooming or about to bloom.




I like the leaves as much as the bloom.

 
 
  
Here's a close-up of one of my Black-Eyed Susan blooms. Can you guess the bug on the petals?
As far as I know, it is not a pest, but a delight to children (and grown-ups). As a kid, I would catch them (as many as possible) in a mason jar and put them on my bedroom window sill at night.
 
So, you've seen are what's blooming in my yard and garden this June. Hoping your enjoying the blooms at your house!

 
   
Until Next Time........
 
Happy Gardening 2014!
 
 
Posted by Wilma Smith

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Mother's Day Salute - Native Mountian Laurel!





For several days, my mother has been happy about the "Mountain Laurel" blooming in her back yard.
No doubt, this bush is beautiful and I understand her delight in a native plant she dug off a North Carolina mountain side (native) and kept it growing for so many years in her yard.



Amazingly, this native bush, kalmia latifolia is kin to a native blueberry bush and a native rhododendron bush you can buy at any local garden center like Lowe's or Home Depot.

Native "Mountain Laurels" bloom May to June and love the acidic soil and part shade planted close to larger hardwoods at the edge of a yard.


 
 
I salute her for the love she has for this "Mountain Laurel," but more, for being such a fantastic "Mother" since I was born! "Happy Mother Day Mom!"
 
Everyone Salute Your Mom to tomorrow, "Mother's Day", Sunday, May 11th
 
 
Happy Gardening 2014!
 
Posted by Wilma Smith
 


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Growing Tulips in Pots





In December at the Crossroads Garden Club Christmas Party, my mother ended up with two bags of tulips as her gift. The bulbs sat in her garage all winter and when I ask her what do you want to do with the tulips, she told me let's pot them. What a great idea! As, you see above this year potting her bulbs was a great choice.




I found a large cedar pot at my house belonging to her after years of sitting in my pump house. We rinsed it out and bought a bag of potting soil, planted just one bag of tulips, adding fertilizer and soil two inches above the bulbs. The other bag was put in a plastic bag and placed in her freezer.



 
 
Several weeks later (even in the cold weather, which may have helped), the tulip plants were up including the flowers! Mother told me yesterday, she really didn't think they would do so well, this late in the season. But no doubt this year the cooler weather prolonged the spring season to plant lots of bulbs, seeds, and early plants anywhere in your yard, garden, raised beds and pots.




The tulip blooms tell a different story and  mother is enjoying the big pot on her back deck!




Crazy, but nights are still cool this week and the gardening season is just beginning. Local garden centers have lots of seeds, plants and bulbs left for ya'll to get started (anyway you like, pots, seeds or plants) in the borders, yard or gardens.

Gotta love the tulips above!!


Until Next Time.......

Happy Gardening 2014!


Posted by Wilma Smith

Friday, April 18, 2014

Let the Gardening Begin!





Finally!! We were able to break ground, till the garden spot and plant ten or twelve rows with plants and seeds. The roller coaster winter weather made us cautious not to plant too early, plus the ground needed to warm to approximately 50 degrees for seed germination.

Many of the seeds planted were early crops, such as, carrots, radish, beets, kale and bok choy. Unfortunately, our seed stash didn't include lettuce or spinach. We'll add them in a few days. And since we felt behind this season we planted pole beans (Rattlesnake because they yielded so good last year), two types of cucumbers and several varieties of squash (yellow, French Ronde and scallop).

The Easter cold snap didn't hurt the plants very much (a few wilted leaves), except for the French Ronde squash. I cut all the wilted leaves off and so all the plants should recover, as the root systems are healthy.

We mixed fertilizer and added to each hole and row. The ingredients included lime, bone meal, green sand (a soil conditioner) and blood meal to give everything a boost (an organic shot in the roots) in their early growing stage.





I like growing types of perennials in the garden and yard (seen above is a type of bunch onion) that will survive winter. These perennials give you a start early in the season without any effort, except for the initial planting. Varieties of the onion family are perfect. Included are bunching green onions, leeks and garlic.

Asparagus is also a good veggie to plant for long term, just remember it takes several years for it to mature and yield the delicious spikes like you buy in the grocery store.





Strawberries are another good choice. As you can see above the cold weather didn't hurt ours and they are already bearing berries. Shortcake in two or three weeks!





And there is nothing like digging fresh garlic in the winter for a big pot of spaghetti or any special comfort dish. Garlic is easy to grow any season.



 
Above is a "Big Bertha" tomato Deberah bought at the Newnan Master Gardener plant sale several weeks ago.
 
 

 
 
She also bought sweet green bells, as seen above, sweet banana and three jalapeno.
 
It was good to stop the roller coaster long enough to get our garden started this season. So, "Let the gardening begin 2014!"
 
 
 
 
** A Special Note: Mr. Basil our garden cat recently used two of his nine lives due to an obstructed urethra. He was at the vets for a week and couldn't go outside for another week to make sure he got his meds twice a day. Tia kept vigil at his crate the whole time only leaving to eat and use the bathroom.
 
She was a better mama than me!
 
 
Until Next Time...........
 
 
Happy Gardening 2014 and I hope everyone has a Blessed Easter!
 
 
 
Posted by Wilma Smith

Monday, March 24, 2014

Narcissus - King Alfred

 
 
For several years my mother's and my "King Alfred," jonquils (perennial narcissus bulbs) didn't bloom. This year to our surprise they busted out with amazing blooms! Mother told me she applied fertilizer last year, however, I didn't apply any and haven't for 5 or 6 years. "King Alfred" is a beautiful, cream colored, perennial bulb, with a large corona bloom in the center.




Narcissus, also known as, daffodil and jonquil is a bulbous perennial originating from North Africa and West Asia.  All are members of the Amaryllis family. Blooms come in single, double and triple centers, as well as, colors white, cream, light and dark yellows in the center corona.





Just like most plants we grow in our garden and yard, the myth about these flowers start centuries ago across the ocean in Greece.  Narcissus was obsessed with his own reflection. As he knelt and gazed into a pool seeing his reflection, he fell into the pool and drowned.  After his death, narcissus flowers sprang up in and around the area.





No doubt, as seen above, gotta love ""King Alfred's." If, I remember they are about 25 or 30 years old!  I am trying to figure the why's and how's about the prolific blooms this year.  My only solution to this perplexing is the cold weather, snow and again cold weather!






Since mother felt under the weather last week, took her a bouquet of King Alfred's   Enjoy and love you mother.  Hope you feel better soon!!



Until next time......

Happy Gardening 2014!


Posted by Wilma Smith