Virginia is in hardiness zone 7.
Helpful Hint:
The next time you boil potatoes, let the water cool and then give your thirsty plants a drink. It contains starch, nutrients and organic water that helps plants thrive. Your plants will love it!
The next time you boil potatoes, let the water cool and then give your thirsty plants a drink. It contains starch, nutrients and organic water that helps plants thrive. Your plants will love it!
December Gardening Tips.....
Protect your plants by mulching around them with pine needles, straw or leaves
Protect your roses by wrapping them with burlap.
Don't fertilize houseplants as they grow so little in the winter.
Give your large-leafed houseplants such as philodendrons, dracaenas, rubber plants, and others, a bath this month by gently washing the leaves on both sides with a sponge dipped in soapy water. Mild dish detergent works fine. This gets rid of the dirt and allows the pores of the leaves to breathe more freely.
With the heat on inside remember your house plants need extra moisture. You don't want to loose them by letting them dry out.
Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing them for the winter.
Start making plans for next years garden. Sit down with your newest catalogs, a cup of coffee
and dream up some ideas for next year. Spring is just around the corner!!
Protect your plants by mulching around them with pine needles, straw or leaves
Protect your roses by wrapping them with burlap.
Don't fertilize houseplants as they grow so little in the winter.
Give your large-leafed houseplants such as philodendrons, dracaenas, rubber plants, and others, a bath this month by gently washing the leaves on both sides with a sponge dipped in soapy water. Mild dish detergent works fine. This gets rid of the dirt and allows the pores of the leaves to breathe more freely.
With the heat on inside remember your house plants need extra moisture. You don't want to loose them by letting them dry out.
Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing them for the winter.
Start making plans for next years garden. Sit down with your newest catalogs, a cup of coffee
and dream up some ideas for next year. Spring is just around the corner!!
January Gardening Tips.....
A good New Year’s resolution might be to start a garden record keeping log. Buy a notebook or journal and use it to keep all your gardening information. List what you plant in the garden including the name of seed companies, plant name, variety, planting date, and harvest date. Make notes during the growing season as to how well the plant does or doesn't do. If the variety is susceptible to disease, record what was used to treat any problems. Use this information to help in planning your garden next year.
Please remember to feed the birds regularly and make sure they have plenty of water. After Christmas try putting your live tree outside and redecorating it for the birds by adding strings of popcorn and cranberries. . Simply anchor the tree in a bucket full of damp sand. Fruits, leftover breads and pine cones covered with peanut butter, dipped in birdseed can also be added. Make sure the edible ornaments are hung well into the tree.
Start cool weather seeds such as geraniums and cauliflower.Start slow growing annuals such as portulaca, snapdragons and verbena.
Should you area receive a snow, gently shake or brush the snow from the branches of your evergreens and shrubs.
Now would be a good time to force some forsythia, jasmine or quince into early blooms. Cut some boughs and bring them in for some beautiful early color. Change the water every four days. They should bloom in about 3 weeks. Paper white narcissus and Hyacinth can also be forced into bloom this month
Should your ground be tillable at all now is a good time to turn over the soil. Insect eggs will be uncovered and killed by the effects of winter as well as becoming food for all the hungry birds.
Now is a good time to do any maintenance around the garden, such as painting, cleaning tools and pots. Now is the time to plan, plan, plan. Spring is almost here…..
A good New Year’s resolution might be to start a garden record keeping log. Buy a notebook or journal and use it to keep all your gardening information. List what you plant in the garden including the name of seed companies, plant name, variety, planting date, and harvest date. Make notes during the growing season as to how well the plant does or doesn't do. If the variety is susceptible to disease, record what was used to treat any problems. Use this information to help in planning your garden next year.
Please remember to feed the birds regularly and make sure they have plenty of water. After Christmas try putting your live tree outside and redecorating it for the birds by adding strings of popcorn and cranberries. . Simply anchor the tree in a bucket full of damp sand. Fruits, leftover breads and pine cones covered with peanut butter, dipped in birdseed can also be added. Make sure the edible ornaments are hung well into the tree.
Start cool weather seeds such as geraniums and cauliflower.Start slow growing annuals such as portulaca, snapdragons and verbena.
Should you area receive a snow, gently shake or brush the snow from the branches of your evergreens and shrubs.
Now would be a good time to force some forsythia, jasmine or quince into early blooms. Cut some boughs and bring them in for some beautiful early color. Change the water every four days. They should bloom in about 3 weeks. Paper white narcissus and Hyacinth can also be forced into bloom this month
Should your ground be tillable at all now is a good time to turn over the soil. Insect eggs will be uncovered and killed by the effects of winter as well as becoming food for all the hungry birds.
Now is a good time to do any maintenance around the garden, such as painting, cleaning tools and pots. Now is the time to plan, plan, plan. Spring is almost here…..
February Gardening tips....
Finish your ordering now. Particularly good choices of perennials and bulbs are phlox, daisies, coreopsis, asters and lilies. Order gladiolus corms now to be planted after all danger of frost has passed. If you stagger your planting of Gladioli over several weeks from now until mid-March they will bloom over a period of three months.
Check stored bulbs, tubers and corms and discard any that are soft or diseased.
Don't start your veggie plants more than six weeks to eight weeks before you are ready to plant.
Fruit trees and grapes should be pruned in late February or early March before the spring growth begins. This is a good time to plant or transplant shrubs and trees while they are still part dormant.
DO NOT prune Azaleas, Oak Leaf Hydrangeas, Forsythia and spring blooming Spirea. Their buds are set in the fall and blooms will be lost if you prune before they bloom.
If you are into houseplants some that are easy-to-grow include grape ivy, Rex begonias, and some of the variegated philodendrons, all of which tolerate low light and dry conditions. The peace lily likes a lot of water and will wilt when dry but comes back to life quickly when watered. A fun project could be to start plants from leftover vegetables. Use the tops of carrots, beets or other root veggie. Set the veggie in a shallow bowl filled with pebbles and water. In a few days you should see sprouts beginning to grow. Sweet potatoes produce beautiful lush, green foliage within a few weeks when suspended from toothpicks in a glass of water.
If you plan to grow plants such as onions, celery or asparagus give yourself two to three months from sowing the seeds until time to transplant so you should start these this month.
Catch a beautiful spring like day and take a walk around your yard and make plans to add some new items in your garden. Look at pictures from last year and see where you can make improvements. Adding some color here, a new bush or two there can make a world of difference.....
Finish your ordering now. Particularly good choices of perennials and bulbs are phlox, daisies, coreopsis, asters and lilies. Order gladiolus corms now to be planted after all danger of frost has passed. If you stagger your planting of Gladioli over several weeks from now until mid-March they will bloom over a period of three months.
Check stored bulbs, tubers and corms and discard any that are soft or diseased.
Don't start your veggie plants more than six weeks to eight weeks before you are ready to plant.
Fruit trees and grapes should be pruned in late February or early March before the spring growth begins. This is a good time to plant or transplant shrubs and trees while they are still part dormant.
DO NOT prune Azaleas, Oak Leaf Hydrangeas, Forsythia and spring blooming Spirea. Their buds are set in the fall and blooms will be lost if you prune before they bloom.
If you are into houseplants some that are easy-to-grow include grape ivy, Rex begonias, and some of the variegated philodendrons, all of which tolerate low light and dry conditions. The peace lily likes a lot of water and will wilt when dry but comes back to life quickly when watered. A fun project could be to start plants from leftover vegetables. Use the tops of carrots, beets or other root veggie. Set the veggie in a shallow bowl filled with pebbles and water. In a few days you should see sprouts beginning to grow. Sweet potatoes produce beautiful lush, green foliage within a few weeks when suspended from toothpicks in a glass of water.
If you plan to grow plants such as onions, celery or asparagus give yourself two to three months from sowing the seeds until time to transplant so you should start these this month.
Catch a beautiful spring like day and take a walk around your yard and make plans to add some new items in your garden. Look at pictures from last year and see where you can make improvements. Adding some color here, a new bush or two there can make a world of difference.....
As you can see, last year in February 2010 we were so ready for Spring.....
March Gardening Tips....
Fertilize Azaleas, camellias and other acid loving plants with the appropriate fertilizer. Remember regular fertilizer will damage Azalea roots. Prune your Azaleas when they have finished blooming.
Prune summer and fall blooming shrubs now. Prune flowering shrubs AFTER they have finished blooming.
Trim back rose canes to about an inch below the blackened area and all rose canes to about six inches above ground level.
Trees which bleed such as birch and maple should not be pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.
Fruit trees should be pruned this month along with your grape vines. Grape vines should be pruned every year.
Liriope (Monkey Grass) can be trimmed back with the lawn mower set on the highest setting. Trim and fertilize (don’t over fertilize) ornamental grasses.
Now is a great time to transplant houseplants to a new pot. If your plants have been in the same pot for several years it's a good idea to give them fresh soil and a clean home.
Annual flowers including impatiens and petunias can be started indoors now as well. Hardy annuals can be put out now even if there may be another frost. March is also the time to sow seeds indoors for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and other warm season vegetables. Start your tomatoes later in the month to prevent the plants from becoming too leggy.
Pick a spot in your garden for herbs. Many of them such as rosemary will come up year after year.
Remember Spring begins on March 20! Come on Spring, we're ready!!!!
Fertilize Azaleas, camellias and other acid loving plants with the appropriate fertilizer. Remember regular fertilizer will damage Azalea roots. Prune your Azaleas when they have finished blooming.
Prune summer and fall blooming shrubs now. Prune flowering shrubs AFTER they have finished blooming.
Trim back rose canes to about an inch below the blackened area and all rose canes to about six inches above ground level.
Trees which bleed such as birch and maple should not be pruned until after their leaves are fully developed.
Fruit trees should be pruned this month along with your grape vines. Grape vines should be pruned every year.
Liriope (Monkey Grass) can be trimmed back with the lawn mower set on the highest setting. Trim and fertilize (don’t over fertilize) ornamental grasses.
Now is a great time to transplant houseplants to a new pot. If your plants have been in the same pot for several years it's a good idea to give them fresh soil and a clean home.
Annual flowers including impatiens and petunias can be started indoors now as well. Hardy annuals can be put out now even if there may be another frost. March is also the time to sow seeds indoors for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and other warm season vegetables. Start your tomatoes later in the month to prevent the plants from becoming too leggy.
Pick a spot in your garden for herbs. Many of them such as rosemary will come up year after year.
Remember Spring begins on March 20! Come on Spring, we're ready!!!!
Strawbale Gardening - 2014
April 1, 2014...
My 1st attempt at strawbale gardening....
My 1st attempt at strawbale gardening....
April Gardening Tips....
Early spring is a great time to enjoy crisp, sunny days outdoors as you clean up your gardens and watch your plants start to grow. Nothing is more welcome than the first blossoms on snowdrops, crocus, forsythia and other plants that herald the beginning of another growing season. Frost is likely every night in April but some cold hardy plants can shake off the cold weather and keep right on growing.
Now is the time to seed bare spots in your lawn. Lightly rake your lawn to remove dead grass, sticks and debris so the seed can make direct contact with bare soil. Mix compost or peat moss and slow-release fertilizer for your garden in preparation for planting.
Tomato seeds can be started indoors now. Provide good light and when the plants are about 1” tall they can be transplanted into 4” pots. Transplant outdoors in late May.
Prune spring blooming shrubs such as forsythia and spirea after they have completed flowering.
Summer flowering shrubs such as hydrangea may be cut back to the ground. These plants bloom on new growth and will quickly grow back and bloom in mid-summer.
Divide flowering perennials such as daylilies, hosta, etc. Lift out the whole clump with a spading fork and divide with a sharp knife. Make sure to replant at the same depth.
Plant cool season vegetables now such as leaf lettuce, spinach, radishes and onion sets. Snapdragons, bachelor buttons and sweet pea seed can be planted outside in April as well.
When buying plants consider buying plants without blossoms. These plants will bllom sooner and grow better than plants that are already in bloom. Plants that bloom in the pack will be set back as they may be overgrown or rootbound and may cease to bloom for about a month.
Glads can be planted each week until the middle of June to extend the blooming period. Plant the corms four to six inches deep and six to eight inches apart.
For daffodils, hyacinths, and other spring flowering bulbs Do not cut the foliage until it dies naturally.. The leaves are necessary to produce strong bulbs capable of reflowering which was pointed out to me by my Mother-In-Law after I cut mine off the first time..
National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. Plant a tree, or support an organization which does.
Consider putting up a birdhouse in the garden to attract insect-eating friends and just for the enjoyment of having these beautiful guests in your garden.
Post a rain gauge near the your garden to measure the rainfall so you will know when to you need to water. The garden needs about one inch of rain per week from April to September.
Early spring is a great time to enjoy crisp, sunny days outdoors as you clean up your gardens and watch your plants start to grow. Nothing is more welcome than the first blossoms on snowdrops, crocus, forsythia and other plants that herald the beginning of another growing season. Frost is likely every night in April but some cold hardy plants can shake off the cold weather and keep right on growing.
Now is the time to seed bare spots in your lawn. Lightly rake your lawn to remove dead grass, sticks and debris so the seed can make direct contact with bare soil. Mix compost or peat moss and slow-release fertilizer for your garden in preparation for planting.
Tomato seeds can be started indoors now. Provide good light and when the plants are about 1” tall they can be transplanted into 4” pots. Transplant outdoors in late May.
Prune spring blooming shrubs such as forsythia and spirea after they have completed flowering.
Summer flowering shrubs such as hydrangea may be cut back to the ground. These plants bloom on new growth and will quickly grow back and bloom in mid-summer.
Divide flowering perennials such as daylilies, hosta, etc. Lift out the whole clump with a spading fork and divide with a sharp knife. Make sure to replant at the same depth.
Plant cool season vegetables now such as leaf lettuce, spinach, radishes and onion sets. Snapdragons, bachelor buttons and sweet pea seed can be planted outside in April as well.
When buying plants consider buying plants without blossoms. These plants will bllom sooner and grow better than plants that are already in bloom. Plants that bloom in the pack will be set back as they may be overgrown or rootbound and may cease to bloom for about a month.
Glads can be planted each week until the middle of June to extend the blooming period. Plant the corms four to six inches deep and six to eight inches apart.
For daffodils, hyacinths, and other spring flowering bulbs Do not cut the foliage until it dies naturally.. The leaves are necessary to produce strong bulbs capable of reflowering which was pointed out to me by my Mother-In-Law after I cut mine off the first time..
National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April. Plant a tree, or support an organization which does.
Consider putting up a birdhouse in the garden to attract insect-eating friends and just for the enjoyment of having these beautiful guests in your garden.
Post a rain gauge near the your garden to measure the rainfall so you will know when to you need to water. The garden needs about one inch of rain per week from April to September.
May Gardening Tips.....
We can still have a frost or two so be prepared…
Now is the time to prune early flowering shrubs such as Forsynthia, Spiraea and Weigela. After they finish blooming cut back to the ground a 3rd of the oldest growth. For the remaining growth, cut that back to a 3rd of their height.
Lightly prune lilacs after they finish blooming.
This month is the time to plant Gladiolas, Dahlias, Lilies and tuberous Begonias. Plant Gladiolias at 2 week intervals until the first of july to have blooms until frost.
Daffodils can be divided and moved after the foliage has died back naturally!
Plant Fuchsias & Impatients by mid month. Toward the end of the month it should be warm enough to plant Zinnias, Marigolds and Salvia. All are good border plants.
Remove spent blooms unless you plan to harvest the seeds.
Fruits and veggies
You can now plant Carrots, lettuce, potatoes, corn, beans, peas. You should wait until late May to plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc.
Water roses with a soaker hose to help prevent the spread of black spot disease.
Vinca minor and English Ivy are ground cover plants that grow well in shade.
You can use grass clippings as mulch in flower beds and vegetable gardens if you let the dry well before use. Make sure the lawn has been treated with a herbicide.
For better blooms next year, resist the temptation to cut back your daffodils until they have almost completely died back.
If you aren't planning on making wine from your dandelions this year, why not EAT them? They contain more vitamin A than carrots and twice as much spinach.
To reduce weeds around trees and shrubs mulch….
You should hang your hummingbird feeders early in May, when these small birds usually make their appearance. To make your own hummingbird food, use one part sugar to four parts water. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then let cool before filling your feeders. Don’t add food coloring or any other sweetener. Replace the liquid at least every week, more in warmer summer weather. Plant their favorite food such as trumpet vine, fuchsias, columbines, bleeding hearts or foxgloves. Hummingbirds are attracted mostly to the color red and to trumpet shaped blooms.