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

 



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

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

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

Grow Plants for Less Than 12 Cents Each

Here's How!

Several weeks ago my neighbor Dianne Carnicom told me she planned to start her tomato plants indoors using small paper cups for pots. These are sold as oral hygiene cups used for rinsing and growing up I remember dispensers available to mount on a bathroom wall above the sink. She bought a 100 pack for $2.29 plus tax.

I was interested to watch and wondered how cheap her process would be to start her seeds.

She began by using a toothpick to poke holes in the bottom of each cup. This allowed proper drainage and air to flow through and around each seed. As, Dianne and Mike use raised beds for their vegetable garden, she didn't want to plant too many but did plant extra to sell at the garden club plant sale in May.

Seen above she paid $2.49 plus tax for the seeds. Soil was the only other expense used for the 20 pots planted. A bag of organic potting soil was bought at a local garden center for $6.85 plus tax. She probably used less than 1/8 of the bag of soil and less than 1/2 of the seed pack for her 20 pots.

The next two steps were to fill the pots 2/3 full and place one seed in each pot. The organic soil added extra nutrients to start the seed and only using one seed per pot prevented thinning plants later and healthier root growth when transplanting to the garden space or a larger pot when needed.

Last but not least, Dianne watered each pot and placed them inside in a sunny location (morning sun with approximately 5 large windows. Their house temperature also remains constant at 68 to 70 degrees (important for sprouting seeds indoors). I was surprised to see the sprouts so soon (sorry about the photo shown) but obviously, Dianne did all the right things!

You can use the same steps to sprout different vegetables and flowers inside for gardens, pots or yard spaces for 12 cents or less each plant.

Here's how Dianne did it:

Seeds $2.49 + tax - used 1/2 or less         $1.25
Soil $6.85+ tax - used 1/8 or less             $  .85
100 Cups + tax - used 20Xless than .01   $  .20
                                                                 $ 2.30 divided by 20 = 11.5

Total - 20 Plants                                       $  .12 or less

Now don't take my word for it because I'm better at gardening than math but there is no doubt it's cheaper to grow your own plants from seed than buy the plants later in the season, if you have the time.



Until Next Time......

Happy Gardening 2014!

Posted by Wilma Smith

Time to Plant Flower and Vegetable Seeds

 

I think I'm still on the "Weather Roller Coaster," we've been riding January and February 2014, but it's exciting to start thinking and talking gardening this week.

During the first (below or at zero temps) cold snap some of my pipes burst in the pump house and  I had to visit Lowe's for PVC pipes. Exiting, I found they had moved their seed display to the front of the store and was impressed at the extend of vegetable/flower seeds, bulbs, fruit trees/bushes and small tools available in the display.

I knew then, it was time to plan, organize and buy seeds to start our garden this year!

Depending on your situation in your yard and garden, seeds can be started in little bio-degradable cups like these or straight into prepared soil outside. You can also make your own seed starters in small Dixie cups or even egg cartons.

I usually start my seeds in small leftover plastic pots, outside. If you have florescent or grow lights in the basement or garage you can also jump start your seeds earlier than February. Make sure if sprouts become leggy to alternate with natural sunlight.

 

 

Since we garden organically, I bought several packs of early crop seeds like sugar peas, carrots, spinach, radish and lettuce. We'll buy other early crops like onions and potatoes at Arnall's Seed Store. Deberah, also ordered 2014 seeds on line to plant now to grow plants for the garden when the temperature warms. Plant vegetables and flowers seeds now to be ready for spring and summer seasons.

 

 

 

 

Also, now is the time to plant or transplant fruit trees and bushes.  Make sure you prepare soil by digging a spot large enough for the roots, add good soil/humus (like leaves or fine wood mulch) make sure you have proper drainage (no water standing) and keep the soil moist. When you see new leaves forming, you'll know you've done it right.

 

Nothing better but to pick your first apple, peach, blueberries, figs or strawberries, either just eat or make a pie or jam!

 

  

 

Lowe's has a great variety of flower bulbs and tubers for now. When the fever hits and spring is in the air (warmer week-ends), inventory will dwindle, so plan and buy now for the best selection.

 

  

 

 

I like this bulb/planter tool because it's sturdy and saves the back when small holes are needed, especially for packed dirt. 

 

Buy and plant flower seeds now for your yard and garden. Even if you have container or raised beds used for flowers. All you'll need is a hoe and rake to break up the soil, spread the seeds (depending on seed size) then rake soil over the seeds. Water if there is a dry spell. Initially fertilizer is not required for tender sprouts.

Many summer flower and vegetable seeds need planting early to insure hardy roots and healthy plants for May and June crops and flowers.. Check the back of seed packs or on line for how long it takes to germinate and when you need to plant.

Good luck planting!!!


Until Next Time........

Happy Gardening 2014!


Posted by Wilma Smith

Benefits of Snow on Your Yard and Garden

 

 

Since Georgia only gets a good "blanket of snow" two or three times in a decade, I wondered if snow has any benefits in the yard and garden. Surprisingly, after a little research I found there are several reasons why snow helps plants growing everywhere around your house.

 

Snow is a great insulator on bulbs, shrubs and trees, especially if you weren't able to apply a heavy mulch on plants prior to late fall. So, the saying a "blanket of snow" (just like a good cover while sleeping) actually makes plenty of sense.   

 



 

 

Snow like rain deposits nitrogen into the soil, approximately 2 to 12 pounds per acre. When snow melts, it could be one reason why northern states (including Alaska) green up so well after the snow melts in the spring.

 

Jeff Lowenfels, a member of the "Garden Writers Hall of Fame" (www.gardenerjeff.com), calls snow the "Poor Man's Fertilizer." You can also listen to his radio show "Garden Party" Saturdays from 10AM-12PM on station KBYR 700 AM.

 

 

 

 

Although, snow is no sure cure to rid the yard and garden of harmful insects, most harmful pests don't like the cold temperatures. I like to think our roller coaster of warm and cold weather this winter season has fooled them into thinking spring is here and moving into top layers of soil, laying larvae and then both freezing when the temps change abruptly. 

 

Just like bugs, this roller coaster can also fool plants into thinking warm weather is here. That's another good reason a "blanket of snow" is good for plants in your yard and garden. It insulates but also lets plants know it's not time to sprout. So.........



Until Next Time.....

Happy Gardening 2014 and Enjoy the Snow!


Posted by Wilma Smith