It's Never Too Late For Planting TulipsI live in South Carolina where seasons are short, with a lot of warmth throughout the year. In January all the local stores marked down all of there tulips 90% off. These bulbs can be stored in a cool dry place until ready to plant. Here in South Carolina you are to plant tulips in Nov/Dec.
Mini Garden TourLast year, early one morning, I put together and posted a very nice tour of a few of my flowers in bloom. This tour was not planned, so don't expect anything fancy.
Take Close Up Pictures Of Your GardenMe giving tips on photography is a bit far fetched. I know almost nothing on the subject. Still, we all had to start somewhere, and each of us might have picked up some different things along the way. My tip is 'Experiment with close up photography. You might be pleasantly surprised'.
Irish Spring Soap to Deter PestsIf you have trouble with wild cats, minks, or squirrels (or such pests) in your garden or flowerbeds then try grating up a bar of Irish Spring soap and sprinkle it sparingly throughout your garden and flowerbeds to keep them out.
Reusing Old Barn and Fence BoardsThere are a lot of different projects that one can make out of old weathered barn boards. Now I may be a little behind times here, I don't know if decorating with old barn boards is still in style and frankly I don't care.
Use Plastic Baton as Water BulbMy little friend, took a half a plastic baton with the plastic top on and filled it with water and stuck it in my African violet that was doing rather poorly. The water line went down a little and then emptied.
Garden: Rubber Plant CareI have always loved rubber tree plants. I bought over the years I can't even count how many, and it never failed, they all died. They would start dropping leaves like mad till they were nothing but a spindly stick.
Save Money By Growing VegetablesI just read a great book called Food Rules, by Michael Pollan. In the book, there is a great fact that says just investing $70.00 in to a garden can bring you a $600.00 yield in produce.
Craft: Grow Jar For SproutsFashion an inexpensive grow jar from a clean plastic drink bottle, netting (or plastic canvas) and a rubber band. Take a strip of plastic canvas about an inch wide and place it around the top of the bottle, after the bottle neck is removed.
Homemade Garden Hose HolderAn easy, thrifty way to wind a garden hose: I had bought many different hose reels over the years, at considerable expense, but recently came up with this idea: fill a bucket with water (in this case, it's rain water), and wrap the hose around it. That's it!
Reuse Halloween Pumpkins In Fall...After Halloween last year, I took down my scarecrow, but his pumpkin head was still fresh. I added his head to a bale of hay in the front yard for a fall decoration. My granddaughter asked, "How did the scarecrow get inside of the hay?"
Craft: Lettered Step StoneHere is a stepping stone I designed and made last spring. Seems that stepping stones are perennial favorites on craft sites so thought this would be helpful.
Garden: May BushesTo complement a pale retaining wall, I'm using May bushes as cascading plants along the top.
Clear VHS Cases For SeedlingsWhen our library decided to get rid of videos in favor of DVDs, all the old transparent plastic cases went in the waste bin. This is a cloche made from some that I rescued. Superb for plants and less for landfill!
Paint Garden Markers on RocksWe decided to use what we had in abundance to mark our garden rows last year. So we painted the veggie names on large rocks we have all around our house and yard. We simply found some flat-ish rocks and wrote the names on with a paint marker.
Ladder as a Hanging TrellisWith limited space for a garden, I have to come up with new ways to grow things. This is the new hanging trellis I made to grow cantaloupes on. It is an old ladder supported by plant hooks on the fence side and utility hooks and nylon string for the outside.
Garden: Gourds as BirdhousesHere is a photo of a bird house "neighborhood community" that my dad and step-mom created out of gourds they grew last year.
Make Plant Markers Out of Milk JugsThese are cost free labels for any and all flower and/or vegetables you want to identify. They are cut from plastic milk bottles but any clear, or plain white plastic containers that were not holding dangerous liquids, (toxic, or hazardous to handle), are fine.
Gardening IndoorsI live at an elevation of over 10,000 ft and outdoor gardening is difficult. Our growing season is thirty days long. I am beginning to indoor garden. Here it is May 3rd and it snowed this morning but I am looking at my beautiful tomato blossoms.
Use Press and Seal for Seedling ContainersWhen planting your seeds for spring and using those pots that you saved from last year, use "Press and Seal" on the bottom of them when you don't have a tray, to keep the water from leaking out.
Gardening: Wood Shavings in the GardenPlace wood shavings around your plants to prevent them from getting sandy from rain or watering. This also retains moisture, conserving water, and prevents weeds from growing through. Wood shavings can be bought at many garden shops.
Gardening: Contain Your MintMany plants, especially herbs, are very invasive and will spread and quickly take over your garden. To prevent this, place the plant, like this spearmint, in a container. This mint is planted inside an old ice cream maker.
Use a Child's Wading Pool as a GardenMy grandchildren out-grew their little pool, I didn't want to throw it away so I made a small vegetable garden out of it. I am disabled and I can pull my lawn chair up to the pool and work in it.
Plant a Tree for Each GrandchildWe planted a tree when each grandchild was born in their honor. We took a picture of the child along with the tree as it was being planted. This tree, a Red Maple, is Cameron's, our oldest grandsons tree.
Use Dried Greenery In Your Fall/Winter...Although the outdoor flowers are dying, you can still use lots of garden items for decoration, inside and out! I like to make fall and winter arrangements in antique milk jugs that I got from auctions of relatives. In one, I have just filled with corkscrew willow.
Simply EnjoyEnjoy the planting, enjoy the seedlings sprouting to life, enjoy the sights and smells too but most of all, enjoy the healthier lifestyle that gardens provide to all that see it.
Animals and Plants TogetherAnimals and plants together, make for a welcoming and appealing flower garden. I get a lot of comments.
I Love Dandelions!I love dandelions! They are so good for you and your liver. The leaves can be used in a salad or dried to make a tea. I love their smells and colors, they are beautiful.
Ask Kids To Help With WateringIf you're having trouble with your spray nozzle or if you need more help watering - remember kids are more than willing to help!
Vintage Wooden Toolbox PlanterTake something old and make it new! This vintage wooden toolbox (a $2 yard sale find) now holds pretty flowers instead of ordinary old tools.
Maple Seedling: So, This is How They GrowI pulled this maple tree seedling from one of my outdoor potted plants this morning and thought it might be of interest to those who might want to share it with their children, as it illustrates perfectly how seeds become plants.
Garden: Our Lawn After Fertilizing and ReseedingThis spring I used starter fertilizer and planted Scott's Thermal Blue grass seed and just look at our lawn! It had so many large bare spots after the drought last summer! This seed is great and grows fast!
Tomato "Fence" For SupportWe used a used cattle panel down the middle of our tomato row. Plant recommended distance and vine in as they grow and tie as needed. You can grow way more tomatoes in a lot less space than cages.
Natural Garden DecorReally the only decor I use are the beautiful butterflies and bees that come around to visit.
Starting Seeds In FebruaryOn February 1st, we planted tomatoes, peppers, basil, and peppermint. We are going to experiment with our Wall O Waters this year, so are preparing our plants well ahead of the normal Mother's Day planting date in our area.
Grow Cuttings To Give AwayThere are many plants that let you take cutting to start new plants. Why not start some in "give-a-way pots". I have several transplants waiting for the right person.
Garden Arch For Protecting PlantsHubby used a garden arch to put planks on for some plants I was saving to take with us when we move (don't know when that will be now). It started to get cold here in So.Ca. and I was afraid we might have a freeze like last year.
Tree Stump GardenHere is a picture of the little garden scene I have in my front yard. We cut a tree down and the stump was there. I just planted some flowers and put some yard decorations around it and here is how it turned out. It looks much better than it did.
Walking OnionIf you like onion, the Walking Onion is a fun one to grow. Completely edible from the bulbs to the greens to the little bublets that grow on it's tips, this mild tasting onion is a great conversation starter as well.
Rescued OrchidI buy plants that are marked down at stores that need to be re-potted. This way I get nice plants, but at a bargain price and save the life of a plant.
Jupiter's Beard in the Path GardenJupiter's Beard is a good cut flower. It self seeds. They need little water and is surviving in poor clay soil here on the "Path Garden". It could be a weed soon.
Growing Plants in Stackable Milk CratesAfter my seeds are growing and in bigger containers, I place them in crates, against the patio doors and windows which are facing west. I am known to have at least 20 crates! The light and air can get through to all plants.
Growing Sunflowers in PotsIf you don't have much time or don't have a green thumb try growing sunflowers. They area very easy to grow and fast growing. This one is in an old cast iron pot on my porch. They come in a large variety of colors. I purchased my seeds from eBay.
Buy a Few Seeds, Bring a Lot of SunshineGo to literally any store and browse through the humble paper packages of flower seeds until you've found some bright colored ones that bring a smile to your face. I bought a simple package of white daisy flower seeds with yellow centers and I planted them next to an old tree in the back yard.
Sadie the Garden Diva and Garden ArtThis is one of our garden art decorations. I picked up an old chair at a thrift shop and repainted it, added fairy wallies and decoupaged them to chair. Added the planter and positioned "Sadie" the Garden Diva!
Lawn Watering Tip!Don't water your lawn at 1 in the afternoon when it's 86 degrees. We have had no rain to speak of in more than 2 months.
Making Raised Beds with StyrofoamIf your ground is solid rock, the best way to raise veggies is in a raised bed. My husband built a raised bed garden this year. The "blocks that hold the garden together are, believe it or not, Styrofoam. This was salvaged from boat docks a few years ago when they banned its use in the local lakes.
Some Bearded Irises are Re-bloomersSome Bearded Irises are re-bloomers. That is they bloom twice or more in the same year. You should get the most for your money by checking before buying. Sometimes there is a special one though.
