Gardens Inspired

Destructive Insects - Control of the Japanese Beetle

2012-02-26T19:21:00.001-05:00

As of November 2011, The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has identified the Japanese Beetle as the #2 most destructive insect in the USA.

The adult Japanese Beetle feeds on the foliage and fruits of several hundred species of plant life and leaves behind skeletonized leaves and large, irregular holes in leaves. The grubs develop in the soil, feeding on the roots of various plants and grasses and often destroys turf in lawns, parks, golf courses, and pastures. Today, the Japanese beetle is the most widespread turf-grass pest in the United States. Efforts to control the larval and adult stages are estimated to cost more than $460 million a year. Losses attributable to the larval stage alone have been estimated at $234 million per year—$78 million for control costs and an additional $156 million for replacement of damaged turf.

In its native Japan, where the Beetle’s natural enemies keep its populations in check, the Japanese Beetle is not a serious plant pest. But, in the United States, the Beetle entered without its natural enemies and found a favorable climate and an abundant food supply. By 1972, Beetle infestations had been reported in 22 States east of the Mississippi River and also in Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. Since then, the pest has spread to Southern and Western States, but tough regulations and careful monitoring have prevented its establishment there. Without its natural checks and balances, the Japanese beetle has become a serious plant pest and a threat to American agriculture.

Life stages of the Japanese Beetle
© Joel Floyd

Several traps using a floral lure and sex attractant are available, but these traps are ineffective and not recommended for general use unless special conditions are met. The traps have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing damage and populations only when landscapes are isolated from other Japanese beetle breeding areas or when mass trapping (involving everyone in the neighborhood) is used. In most urban areas, traps tend to attract more beetles into the area than would normally be present. In this situation, adult feeding and resultant grub populations are not reduced.

Beetle grubs are best controlled when they are small and actively feeding near the soil surface, usually late July to mid-August. However, with the development of new grub control chemistry (e.g., imidacloprid and halofenozide applications in June and July have sufficient residual activity to kill the new grub populations as they come to the soil surface in late July through August. Control of grubs in late fall or early spring is difficult, because the grubs are large and may not be feeding. Only trichlorfon and carbaryl formulations are available for such rescue treatments. The key to good control is to make an even application and water thoroughly.

Life Cycle of the Japanese Beetle

Gardeners joyfully toil in their gardens to enjoy the beauty of their flowers; Japanese Beetles will deny the gardener their reward. The most effective product I have found to control Japanese Beetle infestations is Optrol from Plant Care Science. Optrol contains the highest amount of imidacloprid approved for sale on the market and is by far the most effective defense I have found. Optrol is a new product and not widely available at your local retailer. If readers are having a challenge finding Optrol, please leave a comment and I’ll try to find a source for you.

Sources referenced while writing this article:
Ohio State University
United States Department of Agriculture

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog. If you enjoy flea market garden style, there is a link to my magazine on the side-bar.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!
-Debra

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Garden tasks to begin now

2012-02-21T14:11:00.001-05:00

Waiting to begin the season of planting, potting, pinching, and all that fun stuff can make anyone sick with anticipation. While thousands of people across the Country suffer from the flu, gardeners in cold winter zones experience a different sort of malaise during the long winter. To avoid infection, keep busy by planning and preparing for the upcoming gardening season. The colder months offer ample opportunity for analyzing what you like and don’t like about your garden. It is also important to take the time to make sure your potting shed is fully stocked and ready for the first signs of spring and that your tools are in great shape and ready to use.

Take Inventory:

√ Fertilizer	√ Soil-testing kit
√ Soil/fertilizer scoop	√ Labels
√ Soil amendments (peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite)	√ Permanent markers √ Stakes
√ Potting soil	√ Wire, string, twist ties
√ Seed-starting supplies, soilless mix	√ Rooting hormone (make your own)
√ Seed flats	√ Hose
√ Clay or plastic pots and saucers in a range of sizes	√ Garden gear (boots, gloves, apron, knee pads, etc.)

Wintertime Tool Care:

Remove rust from metal parts with a sanding block
Lubricate fulcrums and joints on pruning tools
Sand wooden tool handles to eliminate splinters
Sharpen blades (file blade away from your body)
Overhaul major machinery (lawn mower, shredder, hedge trimmers, etc.)

Dream of spring and your garden:

Look for inspiration during this time of year. Do you like flea market garden style? Do you prefer a more formal garden? Traditional? Look around you; inspiration is everywhere!

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!

-Debra

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How to Grow Money Plants

2012-02-13T14:06:00.001-05:00

Honesty

Moonwort is as irresistible to children as sunflowers are to goldfinches. When kids discover the ripened pods in the garden, they immediately know they’ve struck it rich. Children hang money plant seeds from their ears as earrings, make stickpins and brooches with the flowers, create beautiful crowns to wear and gather piles of the gleaming “coins”.

Throughout the season, gardeners count on the dependable moonwort to enhance bouquets and potpourri mixtures (separate the pods and use them singly). Cleaned and dried, money plant pods can be enjoyed year-round in dried arrangements.

The oil painting here is by Jean Bradbury and is named “Honesty”. The Money Plant is also known as Honesty, Bolbonac, Moonwort and Silver Dollar (Lunaria annua).

Money Plant - flowers

To Grow – This plant thrives in Zones 5 through 9 in dappled shade to sunshine. Sow the seeds in warm, moist potting soil in containers or direct sow into the garden in the spring after all danger of frost is past. Allow 10 to 12 inches between the plants (they can reach a height of 36 inches). Mulch plants to conserve moisture, but keep mulch off the stems and crown of the plant. Feed every two weeks with a combination kelp-fish emulsion liquid fertilizer. Take care to water the plants with clear water before each feeding to be sure the soil is already moist.

Money Plant - seed pods

To harvest – Wait until your plant stalks have turned brown before cutting them at the base. Loosely bunch stalks and tie with string, or secure with rubber bands. Hang bunches upside down until thoroughly dried. When dry, separate stalks and gently slip the brown papery covering off the pod. There is no need to use preservatives or sprays on the dried arrangements; they’ll last for years.

Money Plant - cleaned

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in my garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!
-Debra

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How to attract bug-eating birds to your garden

2012-02-07T14:59:00.000-05:00

American Robin

In lieu of using pesticides to rid your plants of damaging insects, why not employ one of nature’s insecticides in your garden – birds? A healthy population of birds can be the best friend a gardener or farmer can have.

How effective are birds in ridding your garden of unwanted pests? Consider an 1885 United States Bureau of Biological Survey study of the eating habits of wild birds. In the extensive study, the stomach contents of over sixty thousand birds of over 400 species were examined and analyzed. The results are fascinating.

Scarlet tanagers were observed in the field eating 35 gypsy moth caterpillars per minute, Nashville warblers ate three tent caterpillars per minute, and an impressive 89 plant lice per minute were consumed by one tiny yellowthroat.

When the stomach contents of a rose-breasted grosbeak were examined scientists found the remains of 14 potato bugs. A downy woodpecker had consumed 18 codling-moth larvae, a red-winged blackbird 28 cutworms, a robin 270 larvae of March-flies, and a flicker 5,000 ants.

Aren’t the quantities and diversity of harmful insects consumed amazing? Unbelievable?

Downy woodpeckers were observed eating up to 43 species of insects, horned larks 60, flickers 89, wood pewees 131, robins 223, cardinals 81, bluebirds 166, phoebes 121 and nighthawks an incredible 600 species.

It is relatively easy to attract helpful species of birds to your landscape; listed here are a few ways to lure birds into your garden:

Situate birdbaths throughout your garden, but do not set them near bushes that provide cover for cats. Keep birdbaths clean and filled with fresh water.

If possible, provide a running fountain or trickle of water into a shallow basin. Both the sound and the movement will attract the birds (avian misters are available in nurseries, bird stores and online).

Plant a diverse array of trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials, and concentrate on reintroducing native species.

Mulch. A protective layer of mulch thwarts weeds, conserves moisture, and entices bugs. You’ll find lots of birds poking through and under your mulch for critters.

Avoid using pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Poisons will destroy the beneficial soil dwellers and may sicken or even kill the birds.

The 5-minute video embedded below is a wonderful teaching tool for children.

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in the garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!
-Debra

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The Versatile Blogger Award | Gardens Inspired

2012-02-04T00:36:00.005-05:00

Sincere gratitude is being expressed to Michelle Potter of The Sage Butterfly. Michelle is a talented writer, Master Gardener, and the author of The Complete SAVing Source Catalog: A Guide to Saving the Earth and Money.

Michelle was kind enough to nominate this Blog, Gardens Inspired for The Versatile Blogger Award in January, 2012. The Sage Butterfly is, and has been, on my list of recommended reads. Please treat yourself to discovering the talent of Michelle Potter.

Thank you very much for honoring me, Michelle.

There are many blogs I enjoy reading on a regular basis. I would like to recommend the sites below for your reading pleasure and am also very pleased to nominate the following excellent blogs for The Versatile Blogger Award:

Black Walnut Dispatch - Mary lives and gardens in Burke, Virginia.

One of my favorite posts by Mary: Better Homes and Gardens Than Yours

Casa Mariposa - The author's current garden is in a suburb near Washington DC.

One of my favorite posts by this author: Downward Dogwood aka The Borer War

Casinha Bonitinha (Cute Little House) - Flavinha Gomes is a teacher and is "crazy for cute houses". One of my favorite posts by Flavinha: Loucura por jardins (Madness by gardens) Note: You will need an online translation tool to reference this enjoyable blog; it is written in Portuguese.

Children of the Corm - Jess gardens in Charleston, South Carolina.

One of my favorite posts by Jess: Love & Hate Relationship With The White Garden

Conrad Art Glass & Gardens - Larry gardens on two acres in Wisconsin.

One of my favorite posts by Larry: A change in the vision?

Hayfield - A Pennsylvania Plant Geek’s Garden - Nancy gardens in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

One of my favorite posts by Nancy: About the Alpacas

Jean’s Garden - Jean gardens primarily in East Poland, Maine but also has a small garden in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.One of my favorite posts by Jean: Garden Blogs of the Month: January 2012

May Dreams Gardens - Carol gardens in Indiana.

One of my favorite posts by Carol: The Five Secrets to Achieving Happiness In Your Garden

Pat and Jim's Gardening Adventure - Pat and Jim garden in Strongsville, Ohio.

One of my favorite posts by the authors: Went to the food show, got some yard art

Roses and Other Gardening Joys - HolleyGarden has a garden full of roses and companion plantings in Texas. One of my favorite posts by HolleyGarden: My Favorite 12

Stone Art - Sunny Wieler is a landscaper, stonemasion and artist living in Ireland.

One of my favorite posts by Sunny: Once upon a fairytale garden

The Amateur Weeder - Lyn gardens in Bathurst, NSW, Australia

One of my favorite posts by Lyn: Something Borrowed makes me Blue

The Gardening Blog - Barbie and Christine are "life-long friends with two very different gardens" in Cape Town, South Africa. Favorite posts written by these authors: Ghost Mantis in my garden by Barbie and Gardenias 101 by Christine

Welsh Hills Again - Elizabeth lives in a sixteenth century farmhouse looking out over a beautiful valley in North Wales. One of my favorite posts by Elizabeth: Doors

Women Who Run With Delphiniums - Linnie is an author who "also (must) garden". One of my favorite posts by Linnie: Water water everywhere

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~

As suggested in the rules of The Versatile Blogger Award, offered here are a few notes about me ~

I was born in Detroit, Michigan
I am a trained crisis counselor
I played a clarinet for 7 years
I have been an award-winning baton twirler
I retired as a graphic project manager from a Fortune-500 company
I was a trainer and public speaker for 10 years
I am proud of my Irish and Scottish heritage

Thank you, again, Michelle. And thanks to you too, for stopping by.

Until we meet again ~

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!

-Debra

Grow a Fig Tree in your Midwest Landscape

2012-01-27T20:14:00.003-05:00

Brown Turkey Fig Tree

I was pleasantly surprised today. I discovered that I could grow a fig tree in West Michigan. This 12- to 30-foot tree (or shrub) contributes eye-catching form to rural as well as urban gardens, especially in winter (USDA Zones 8-10) – where gnarled trunk and spreading limbs clothed with leaves stand silhouetted against an open sky. Dark green leaves shaped vaguely like human hands cast welcome shade on hot days and can grow large enough for a child to hide behind. No wonder Adam and Eve, aghast at their newfound nakedness, “sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons”.

Despite their association with Moorish gardens in the Middle East, and other sultry environments, figs can flourish as far north as USDA Zone-5, with winter protection. Gardeners in regions where temperatures drop below 10°F wrap trunks and vulnerable branches in microfoam sheeting (the same material packagers use to protect breakable goods during shipment); a “coat” of burlap placed on top of the foam keeps the tree from heating up too much when sun hits the insulation. Other techniques for protecting figs in winter include severe pruning followed by a heavy blanket of mulch, or burial (after digging a trench adjacent to the tree, loosen the root ball, then lay the tree on its side inside the trench).

“A fig for a care, a fig for a woe!”
–John Heywood (1497-1580)

No matter where you plant them, figs should receive as much sun as possible; the south side of a building is ideal, as heat from the wall encourages the fruit to ripen quickly. Soil can be poor as long as it is well drained. After becoming established, figs would rather have too little water than too much. Feeding is unnecessary and can, in fact, be counterproductive, as excessive nitrogen encourages foliage growth at the expense of fruit. Figs should be pruned the first year or two during the dormant season to establish an open framework. In subsequent years, pinch back stems to redirect growth and maintain form. Experts agree that short-jointed, sturdy shoots are the most fruitful.

Unlike peaches and pears, figs do not continue to ripen if harvested prematurely. This is why figs purchased at a supermarket never taste as good as fresh-picked ones. Low-acid figs are naturally high in vitamis A and C and offer a rich source of calcium and iron. Often, the only problem confronting cooks during harvest is an overabundance of fruit. The solution: dry the figs in the sun and then enjoy them throughout the coming months. Or, transform the excess into jam or chutney. Even the plants leaves can be put to use as “doilies” to decorate cheese or fruit platters. Based on such abundance, it’s no wonder figs make great gifts.

Secure in the knowledge that my gardens are now considered to be in the Zone 6a growing area, due to the updated 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, I believe I will include a ‘Brown Turkey’ Fig Tree in my planting plan this spring.

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in the garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!
-Debra

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Moss Recipes - How to grow moss

2012-01-21T07:01:00.018-05:00

What is moss? Moss is big business. Gardeners who want to add moss to their landscapes can purchase products like a moss kit in a carton or even order moss online; but why? You can easily make your own moss given a "starter" of some native moss, the right conditions and some patience.

The best time to plant a moss garden is when evaporation is low; usually in the spring or fall (in seasonal areas). Mosses can withstand drought better than grass; moss suspends its growth while waiting for water. A shady area in your garden, where flowers and shrubs have difficulty growing, is a perfect spot for a moss garden. Moss does require some light for growth. Mosses cannot grow in full sunlight nor can they grow in deep shade.

A moss carpet is delightfully soft to walk on. Take note, however, “Only farmers and summer guests walk on moss!” -Tove Jansson.

Moss doesn't stand up well to foot traffic. When you walk on a moss once, it will recover the next time it rains. But, if walked on a second and third time before a rainfall, moss may not recover, but die and need to be replaced. If you walk around on moss, you'll kill it faster than you will a lawn.

How to grow moss

Begin by obtaining some moss native to your area. Ask your friends. One of them probably has moss in their landscape, but fights against it instead of allowing it to thrive. Moss can be found in woodland areas, too, but be sure to get permission before digging.

You can “paint” directly onto the area where you want the moss to grow, but be aware that you may breed a crop of weeds in addition to moss, since you can’t control the environment. Instead, sow the moss in tubs and “tent” with a wet towel. Then transplant the moss into your desired area when mature enough.

Moss Recipes to Try

I was given two very different recipes for growing moss. Every gardener has his or her own “tried-and-true” method of propagating moss – who am I to judge which is best? Perhaps you use your own recipe to create moss too. If you possess a moss recipe you have used and love, would you please share it?

Note: use an old blender and mix the concoction outdoors due to the aroma of the finished product.

Grow your own moss recipe 1:

Several handfuls of native moss (separated as much as possible from the soil)

1 large container of plain yogurt

Buttermilk

Mix the moss and yogurt in a blender, slowly add buttermilk until the mixture becomes a runny paste. Use a brush to paint the mixture onto the desired surface. Spray your new moss garden daily with water as it grows - moss thrives when moist.

Grow your own moss recipe 2:

Several handfuls of native moss (separated as much as possible from the soil)

12 oz. can of beer

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender until the mixture liquefies. Use a brush to paint the mixture onto the desired surface. Spray your new moss garden daily with water as it grows - moss thrives when moist.

Video: Saiho-ji Zen Garden (Moss Temple) Kyoto Japan

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in the garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you’ll live forever!

-Debra

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Willow Tea as a Rooting Hormone

2012-01-18T03:07:00.003-05:00

Weeping Willow
(Salix spp.)

Willow Tea is an easy to make rooting hormone used to propagate plant cuttings. And, best of all, it’s free. Willow bark contains natural plant growth hormones; namely, indolebutyric acid and salicylic acid.

How to make Willow Tea:

Collect young twigs/stems of any of willow species with green or yellow bark (Salix spp.).
Remove all leaves.
Cut the twigs into short pieces, about 1" (2.5cm) long, and place them in a heatproof container.
Cover the cut stems with boiling water, just as you would when brewing tea. Allow the willow and water to steep overnight.
Separate the liquid from the twigs by pouring the tea through a strainer or sieve. Your willow tea is now ready to use for rooting cuttings.

Willow tea can be kept for up to two months if you keep it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. It’s a good idea to label the jar so you remember what it is. Also, write down the date it was brewed and the expiration date (two months from the date it was prepared).

To use willow tea as a rooting compound, pour some into a small jar and place the cuttings you would like to root into the tea as you would flowers in a vase. Leave the cuttings to soak overnight – or for several hours – long enough to absorb the rooting hormone. Once absorbed, prepare the stems as you would when propagating any other cutting.

Once planted in your chosen medium, water your cuttings with willow tea to give them an even better start and further enhance their rooting.

Aspirin as a rooting hormone?
Recently, I have been reading articles and forums on the topic of using aspirin as a rooting hormone. I will test these reports with my own cuttings, but for the cost of two extra strength aspirin, what would I have to lose but a little bit of time? The comments on the forums I have been perusing instruct us to:

“Crush two extra strength aspirin in a half-liter of distilled water and let sit with occasional agitation overnight. Now dip your stems in the aspirin water instead of rooting hormone before putting them in the medium and you will have excellent results.”

What do you think? Will you try using aspirin as a rooting hormone?

Video: Propagating Plants from Cuttings

Thank you for stopping by to spend time in the garden. If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Leave a legacy, but garden like you will live forever!
-Debra

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Time-lapse video of flowers as they bloom

2012-01-15T12:24:00.001-05:00

I have been creating a photo gallery of my gardens; please take a peek by using the tab above.
In the meantime, as I continue to work on the photo gallery, I though you would enjoy viewing a video of flowers blooming.

Thank you for stopping by and spending a little time with me. If you enjoyed this article, please post a comment so I will know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Garden like you will live forever!

Debra

More inspired thoughts of spring gardening

2012-01-11T00:55:00.003-05:00

In my Gardens Inspired post this past Saturday, I shared some images I had saved in my files during 2011 that are inspiring my mood and plans for spring these days. Thank you for all of your kind comments and requests to see more.

Fashionista

Fashionista
Altum's Horticultural Center & Landscape
Zionsville, Indiana

Quilt Garden

Quilt Garden

Linton's Enchanted Gardens

Elkhart, Indiana

Peaceful Pathway

Peaceful Pathway

Photography - Michael Hunter

Neuhouser Garden & Gifts

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Washing away winter

Washing away winter

Altum's Horticultural Center & Landscape

Zionsville, Indiana

What is your inspiration?

Thank you for stopping by and spending a little time with me. If you enjoyed this article, please post a comment so I will know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Garden like you'll live forever!

Debra

Inspired thoughts of spring gardening

2012-01-07T05:01:00.005-05:00

Like all gardeners in the frozen north, I spend the winter dreaming of the projects I will take on during the coming season. Ideas are written in the margins of catalogs and magazines and within a very quickly expanding file residing on Pinterest. A digital camera is almost always with me so that when I see a clever or beautiful idea to adapt to my garden, I capture a photograph of it.

As I go through my photographs, I thought I would share a few things inspiring my mood and thoughts of spring these days. How do you get your inspiration?

Flowerpot resting place

Flowerpot resting place

Photography – Debra Anchors

Location - Crystal Gardens in Frankfort, Michigan

DIY Garden Screens

DIY Garden Screens
Photography – Debra Anchors

Moss Maiden

Moss Maiden

“I'm Too Sexy for my Jeans”

by Plantiluer L'univers
Image sourced while visiting BBB Seed Heirloom Vegetable & Wildflower Seeds

Denim Planters

Denim Planters

“Jean-etically Modified Plants”

by Tom Ballinger for BBB Seed Heirloom Vegetable & Wildflower Seeds

I found this fabulous inspiration while viewing Altum's Horticultural Center & Landscape located in Zionsville, Indiana.

Although there weren't instructions for constructing these bodacious beauties, I would place a kitchen size garbage bag inside each leg and then fill each with something that could follow the line of the jeans but also be heavy enough to hold the planter in place. I would then use another kitchen garbage bag for the seat of the jeans, filled with a quality garden soil.

Or, I might thread some rope through the belt loops of the jeans and then attach them to something sturdy, such as a fence. I could then use bubble wrap or crumpled plastic grocery bags to shape the legs.

What do you think? How would you make one of the denim planters?

Garden like you'll live forever!

Debra

Lawn and garden tips – gardening with vinegar

2012-01-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Vinegar has been used as an organic method of weed control, cleanser and as plant nutrition in the landscape for generations. Although these tips are not new, I am passing the information along for readers who may not yet be aware of how useful (and inexpensive) vinegar can be in the garden. I find that 10% vinegar (sometimes sold as pickling vinegar) works best but white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar works also.

Kill grass: To kill grass on sidewalks and driveways, pour full strength white distilled vinegar on it.

Kill weeds: Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on top of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.

Increase soil acidity: In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.

Neutralize garden lime: Rinse your hands liberally with white distilled vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin. Clean pots before re-potting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.

Keep Flowers Longer: Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a 1-quart vase of water. Trim stems and change water every five days.

Fertilize potted plants: To create an inexpensive and mild fertilizer, which also purifies the water, mix 1 ounce of apple cider vinegar and1 gallon of water (an easy way to measure an ounce is to use a shot glass).

Add nutrients to your plants: Mix vinegar and water using a ratio of 1:8. Mix a separate solution of sugar and water in a mixture of 1:8. Combine the vinegar and sugar mixtures. Add to your plants as long as needed.

A source used while writing this post: The Vinegar Institute

Thank you for stopping by and spending a little time with me. If you enjoyed this article, please post a comment so I will know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

Wishing you joyful gardening!
Debra

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Another cycle begins

2012-01-01T00:01:00.016-05:00

In our gardens this year, may we all

Plant three rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul

Plant four rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be obedient
Lettuce really love one another

No garden is full without turnips:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another

To complete our garden, we must have thyme:
Thyme for God
Thyme for study
Thyme for prayer

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.

The author of this thoughtful piece is, alas, unknown.

I am sending you my best wishes of renewal, prosperity, joy and love in 2012 and thereafter. May this be the first of many joyful days to come

Please do not miss this very thoughtful video:

Our global gardening community

2011-12-27T08:45:00.002-05:00

Giverny, France

When gardeners get together, something wonderful happens. Seeds and cuttings are swapped along with experience and advice. The community spirit for which neighborhood gardens are famous has found its way to another level. Our world has changed more in the past century than in the last thousand years. We live in a time when continents halfway around the globe are instantly within reach via telephone, television and the Internet – an exchange of ideas has never been faster or more inclusive.

One of my favorite places to gather with other gardeners around the world is through Blotanical, a gardening community website with links to thousands of gardening blogs around the world. . I love the English Country Garden style; Blotatnical connects me with gardeners in Europe and makes it easy to communicate and build a more personal relationship with others who share my passion.

While taking pleasure in the influence of lands beyond – whether it be formal French gardens, charming thatched roof forms in the UK or discovering Chinese garden design principles – the dawn of this new era is an ideal time to remember that we are all one big community with so much to share. We have many opportunities to reach out to our neighbors near and far by working on a community garden, swapping seeds with friends or sharing advice via chat through our favorite gardening forum. There are rich rewards to be gained from each other.

Thank you for stopping by and spending a little time with me. If you enjoyed this article, please post a comment so I will know. I will be delighted if you would suggest Gardens Inspired to your friends, follow me or subscribe to my Blog.

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Create an Herbal Yule Log

2011-12-21T13:00:00.004-05:00

Start a memorable family tradition by inviting the kids to help with this holiday project.

Find a suitable fireplace log and cover it with glued-on moss (available at craft stores). Use white school glue, since the log is to be burned. To decorate, glue on pieces of cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, juniper berries, pine cones and bits of lichen collected in the woods and sprigs of rosemary and sage. Drop fragrant oil (balsam, cinnamon, orange or bayberry are ideal) onto the moss-covered log. Add a paper bow and a few holly sprigs.

Display your Yule log in front of the fireplace until Christmas Eve and then gather the family around the hearth for the fragrant burning.

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The Magic of Mistletoe

2011-12-17T13:00:00.021-05:00

Mistletoe

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a sprig of mistletoe hung in the doorway to invite yuletide kisses.

Hanging a sprig of mistletoe in the doorway goes back to the Druids, who called the herb “all-heal” and considered it sacred. At the winter solstice, mistletoe (Viscum album) was cut from the sacred oak with a ritual knife and caught in a white cloth so that it did not touch the ground. Hung in a doorway, it protected the home from evil spirits during the darkest time of the year and created a sanctuary where a kiss of peace could be exchanged.

In Victorian times, every kiss required the plucking of a white berry. When the berries were gone, lovers were out of luck.

Happy gardening!

Debra

Herbs to naturally relieve and treat headaches

2011-12-14T14:53:00.007-05:00

Herbal tea

The Holidays. You’re shopping, traveling, wrapping, cooking and wham! - a headache grabs you. A calming cup of herbal tea may be all you need for relief. Try these tried-and-true herb combinations, brewed with 1 cup of just-boiling water and sweetened with honey:

½ teaspoon each of lavender, lemon balm, meadowsweet - or
½ teaspoon each of sage, rosemary, mint - or
½ to 1 teaspoon of feverfew -or
½ teaspoon each of rosemary, marjoram, peppermint

This video will illustrate how to plant mint in the snow, reaping the benefit in a week or two.

Happy gardening!

Debra

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How to Make a Butterfly Garden - Larval food plants

2011-12-07T07:00:00.011-05:00

Butterfly life cycle

Butterfly larval food plants include garden perennials, vegetables, wildflowers and weeds; they also include many trees and shrubs. Instead of planning and planting a formal garden for the larva of butterflies, knowing the best larval plants and encouraging their natural growth (wherever they happen to be growing) on your property works best.

There are four stages to a butterfly’s life:
Egg -> Caterpillar ->Pupa ->Butterfly

Briefly, a butterfly starts as an egg, which hatches in 5 to10 days. The tiny caterpillar starts to eat and as it gets bigger, sheds its skin 4 to 6 times. In 2 to 4 weeks, the caterpillar will be full-grown and transforms into a pupa, the stage during which its body structure will change into that of an adult. Ten to fifteen days later, the adult butterfly emerges. Adults mate, the females lay eggs and the cycle begins all over again.

The links below will take you to lists of butterflies and the plants necessary to sustain them. Be sure not to miss the video on each page to gain even more information.

Butterflies and their food plants A – F

Butterflies and their food plants G - Q

Butterflies and their food plants R - Z
How to make a butterfly garden

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Butterfly Gardening A – F: Butterflies and their food plants

2011-12-07T06:59:00.011-05:00

Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly

To attract this butterfly: Provide this food plant:

Alfalfa sulphur Alfalfa, Clover, Vetch

American copper Everlasting, Sorrel, Dock

American painted lady Queen Anne's Lace

Anise swallowtail Citrus trees, Parsley, Sweet fennel

Baltimore Checkerspot White Turtlehead

Banded hairstreak Oak

Black swallowtail Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace, Sweet fennel

Brown elfin Blueberry

Buckeye Snapdragon

Cabbage white Cabbage, Broccoli, Winter cress

Checkered white Cabbage, Broccoli

Clouded sulphur Alfalfa, Clover, Senna

Comma Elm, False nettle, Hackberry, Hops, Nettle

Common wood nymph Grasses, Sedges

Dainty sulphur Marigold, Sneezeweed

Dog face False Indigo

Eastern tailed blue Alfalfa, Clover, Vetch

European skipper Grasses, Sedges

Eyed brown Grasses, Sedges

Falcate orange tip Winter cress

Fiery skipper Grasses, Sedges

Butterflies and their food plants G - Q
Butterflies and their food plants R – Z
Butterfly life cycle
How to make a butterfly garden

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Butterfly Gardening G – Q: Butterflies and their food plants

2011-12-07T06:58:00.005-05:00

Orange sulphur butterfly

To attract this butterfly: Provide this food plant:

Giant swallowtail Citrus trees

Gray hairstreak Mallow

Great spangled flitillary Violet

Gulf fritillary Passionflower

Hackberry butterfly Hackberry

Little wood satyr Grasses, Sedges

Long-tailed skipper Bean

Lorquin's admiral Aspen, Willow

Meadow flitillary Violet

Milbert's tortoiseshell False nettle, Nettle

Monarch (Queen) Milkweed

Mourning cloak Aspen, Birch, Elm, Hackberry, Willow

Orange Sulphur Alfalfa, Clover, Vetch

Painted lady Thistle

Pearl crescent Aster

Phoebus parnassian Stonecrop

Pipevine swallowtail Pipevine

Purplish copper Knotweed, Sorrel, Dock

Question mark Elm, False nettle, Hackberry, Hops, Nettle

Butterflies and their food plants A – F

Butterflies and their food plants R – Z
Butterfly life cycle
How to make a butterfly garden

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Butterfly Gardening R – Z: Butterflies and their food plants

2011-12-07T06:57:00.005-05:00

Spicebush swallowtail butterfly

To attract this butterfly: Provide this food plant:

Red admiral False nettle, Nettle

Red-spotted purple Aspen, Cherry

Ringlet Grasses, Sedges

Sara orange tip Winter cress

Silver-spotted skipper False Indigo, Locust

Silvery blue Lupine

Sister Oak

Snout butterfly Hackberry

Spicebush swallowtail Spicebush, Sassafras

Spring azure Cherry, Dogwood, Meadowsweet

Tawny emperor Hackberry

Tiger swallowtail Aspen, Cherry, Spicebush, Sassafras, Tulip poplar

Viceroy Aspen, Willow

West Coast lady Mallow

Western admiral Aspen, Willow

Western tailed blue Milk vetch, Vetch

Western tiger swallowtail Aspen, Willow

White admiral Aspen, Birch

Zebra Passionflower

Zebra swallowtail Pawpaw

Butterfly life cycle
How to make a butterfly garden
Butterflies and their food plants A – F
Butterflies and their food plants G - Q
Backyard butterfly guide

Garden Tip Tuesday – Tips for Christmas tree buyers

2011-12-06T00:39:00.001-05:00

Measure the height and width of your space before driving to the retail lot.
Check for freshness. Green pine needles should never break when bent.
Some Christmas tree species last longer and remain fresh longer than others in different climates. Ask your retailer which tree performs best in your climate.
Store the tree in water in a cool, shady place until ready to bring indoors.
Cut a quarter inch off of the trunk before placing it in water.
Use one quart of water for every inch of diameter of the trunk; replenish frequently.
Keep the tree away from heat sources (radiators, fireplaces, TV sets, computers).
Test electrical devices (lights and decorations) before placing them on the tree.

If you don't have the means or the space required to enjoy a traditional Christmas tree, consider decorating a tree of Rosemary for Christmas.

Find a list of tree farms in the USA, by visiting the NCTA web site.

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Q & A Saturday - Buying a house with an established garden

2011-12-03T13:45:00.040-05:00

Gardening questions answered by Debra

Q: "When one buys a house that includes an established garden, how should the new owner deal with this bonus? Should you leave the area untouched for 12 months to see what grows there already? Does a ready-made lush garden influence the choice of a new home buyer? Should the new owner dare destroy that 50-year old azalea planted by the former owner's grandfather? Razing the old garden and starting from scratch should not be an option! How can a new landholder adapt personal ideas to the newly adopted garden?" ~Bonnie B, New Jersey

This is indeed a dilemma for new homeowners, but a bit of background information is always valuable. Assuming that the buyers looked at the house before the sale, they should have gotten some idea from the current owners, who would no doubt have mentioned the garden as a selling point. Some sellers even include a planting plan of the garden if it is exceptional and this truly raises the value of the property. If potential buyers are gardeners themselves, they will recognize the difference between a property planted up with colorful annuals to enhance a sale, as opposed to a garden that has been nurtured over the years and includes trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials. I suggest that you leave well enough alone for a full season, perhaps with the addition of annuals for the first summer if the property lacks color. Take photographs frequently and otherwise document the gardens so that you will have base to work from. If the 50-year old azalea isn't to your liking or is diseased or overgrown, the new homeowner should feel free to remove it.

Happy gardening!
Debra

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Destructive insects - The USA Watch List

2011-12-02T12:01:00.033-05:00

Lovely little creatures of nature, but looks are deceiving! The Emerald Ash Borer and Japanese Beetle are slowly destroying the plant life in my area - the Midwest. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have identified the top three pests threatening our landscape plants in the USA as of November, 2011.

Emerald Ash Borer

#1 – Emerald Ash Borer
The EAB larvae kill ash trees by feeding on the phloem and outer sapwood, producing galleries that eventually girdle the tree. Ash trees, found primarily in the forests of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, are desirable urban trees because they grow well under difficult conditions. Its wood is also valued for flooring, furniture, sports equipment (e.g. baseball bats, hockey sticks, oars), tool handles and supplies for dairies, poultry operations and beekeepers.

Japanese Beetle

#2 – Japanese Beetle
The Japanese Beetle is a highly destructive plant pest that can be very difficult and expensive to control. Feeding on grass roots, Japanese beetle grubs damage lawns, golf courses and pastures. Japanese beetle adults attack the foliage, flowers or fruits of more than 300 different ornamental and agricultural plants.

Imported Fire Ant

#3 – Imported Fire Ant
This foreign pest typically travels contained in potted plant soil and can be accidentally collected and baled in pine straw sold as mulch. Fire ants respond rapidly and aggressively to disturbances. A single fire ant can sting its target repeatedly. Young and newborn animals are especially susceptible. These ants will also girdle young trees and feed on the buds and fruits of numerous crop plants, especially corn, soybeans, okra and citrus.

This video demonstrates how to identify the symptoms of Emerald Ash Borer infestation

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Excerpts of this information were sourced from the United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Butterflies welcome! How to make a butterfly garden

2011-11-29T11:34:00.004-05:00

The butterfly counts not months, but moments, and has time enough – Rabindranath Tagore

Do you want flowers with wings? You may not allow yourself to sit down and enjoy the garden in the middle of the day as often as you could. It’s easy to get caught up in planting, weeding and deadheading. But if you only sit down in the evening, you’re missing something – butterflies! They’re most active when the sun is out and the weather is warm. Can you think of a better excuse to take a break than butterfly watching?

Butterfly garden design tips:

Give them shelter
If your garden is windy, provide a windbreak. A hedge of lilacs is good because it provides nectar in spring and shelter the rest of the season. Walls and fences slow down the wind and also make a nice backdrop for plants.

Create a drinking pool
Butterflies “puddle” to take in needed nutrients and salts. You can make an artificial mud puddle with a shallow dish or saucer. Fill your shallow vessel half with sand and half with composted manure. Add water to your mud puddle and top it off with a piece of decaying fruit and watch how many butterflies stop by!

A start in the sun
Although butterflies may rest and hibernate in wooded areas, they only fly well when their wings are warm and dry. A rock in a sunny place is a good spot where they can prepare for a day of flying.

A family-friendly location
Butterflies choose specific plants on which to lay their eggs so the caterpillars will have lots of food as soon as they hatch. If you want to see the caterpillars form chrysalises and emerge as butterflies, grow the plants the caterpillars love. Some foods caterpillars love are milkweed for monarchs, parsley for black swallowtails and snapdragons for buckeyes.

Go easy on sprays
Handpicking and spot treating with insecticidal soap are the safest ways to get rid of unwanted insects without harming butterflies.

Read more about butterflies

Offered below, for your viewing pleasure, is a PBS documentary on the amazing Monarch migration - condensed into 5 minutes.

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How to garden in the shade

2011-11-26T15:15:00.015-05:00

Shade is a good thing. If you don’t believe it, take a look at the shade gardens reviewed by The Houston Chronicle. Nobody could complain about having to pull weeds or deadhead on a hot August afternoon in any of those peaceful spots.

There’s no mystery to gardening in shade. It’s a matter of understanding what kind of shade you have and choosing the right plants to go with it. In my shade guide, you’ll find out exactly what type of shade your garden has. But before you do that, how about a little inspiration?

Here is a list of 12 beautiful and easy-to-grow shade plants.

Astilbe

Bergenia

Snakeroot

Coral Bells

Goatsbeard

Hosta

Lady's Slipper

Ligularia

Martagon Lily

Monkshood

Pulmonaria

Foamflower

Offered below is a video containing more information about which plants to grow in the shade.

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Defining shade – What does shade mean?

2011-11-26T14:55:00.005-05:00

Not all shade is the same. When you read plant tags you will see many terms for the different types. Before you garden in the shade, let’s break it down.

Light Shade – A light-shade area is completely shaded for only 2 to 4 of the hours between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Filtered shade – The spot may seem completely shaded all day but shafts of the sun squeeze through tree branches or an arbor, for example. How much sun gets through depends on the type of structure casting the shade. Trees with lacy, thin canopies like honeylocusts provide less shade; trees with larger leaves or a denser canopy offer more.

Part shade – A part-shade garden receives 4 to 5 hours of shade. This may be where trees are planted close together so the sun moves farther before it gets around them, or where a tall wall or fence blocks the sun for a longer time.

Full shade – This lasts all day. It’s the dark shade you find under a group of trees with a multistory canopy or under a building overhang. It may occur between the east and west sides of two houses, on the north side of the house or where a wall is so tall the sun never peeks over it. Fully shaded areas are lit by a kind of ‘sky shine’ or reflected light.

Dense shade – No light reaches this area. You find dense shade under a low-branched tree, such as a Norway maple, in a grove of trees or under your deck.

But what if you NEED some shade? Here are some ideas for creating shady spots to garden.

An American Bittersweet Tale

2011-11-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

The beauty of the day was not to be wasted. There was not a cloud in our beautiful blue sky and the sun was positively blinding. The weather was unusual for November 21st in Michigan and the 43°F temperature, under all of that sunshine, didn’t feel cold at all.

I’m not sure what I will do with this bounty, but I have an entire trunk filled with Celastrus scandens, or ‘American bittersweet’ – that wonderful climbing plant that bears clusters of bright orange pods this time of year. Nature has been working to perfect its color all summer and the bittersweet has reached perfection for our use at Thanksgiving.

My parents still own the property of my childhood – forty acres of pines, hardwoods and rolling hills – only 2-miles away from where we raised our family. My father planted the foot-high pine trees we proudly carried home each year from school during the week of Arbor Day. The pines in that small grove of trees are now well over 60 feet tall – and have now become fully enveloped in American bittersweet vines. Our native birds are so helpful. I suspect the Eastern bluebird is the culprit and main distributor of this native plant – Bittersweet attracts them and is an emergency food source for most birds in the winter.

I love bittersweet but it is no friend to its neighboring plant life. The vines the bittersweet will use to reach for the sun will soon overcome anything near it, blocking the sunlight from their host. Such is the fate, I fear, of this plot of mature and beautiful pine trees; the vines have a firm grip on one of them already. But, since this is the only place we have ever found bittersweet growing, and because the American Bittersweet plant is becoming so rare in some areas that it is now a protected species, we are content to let it remain.

Perhaps it was destiny that the Arbor Day pine trees I so proudly carried home years ago were to provide support for this beautiful accident of nature – but it is a bittersweet story.

The video here demonstrates how to make a wreath using Oriental Bittersweet and grape vines. The Oriental variety is prolific, easier to locate and will work as well as the rare American Bittersweet vine in a wreath. I hope you enjoy it!

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Time to Hibernate

2011-11-18T09:00:00.054-05:00

Garden cottage, shed and doll house, too

Mission accomplished. The garden jewelry is stored safely away, awaiting the intoxicating kiss of spring – I will try to be patient.

I commissioned the construction of this garden cottage in early 2002. A pre-fabricated metal structure in the garden would simply not do. Convinced that a storage shed wasn’t required to be ugly, I had been salvaging windows and doors for years, waiting for the opportunity to someday bring the vision dancing in my head to reality. There was no blueprint, only very specific instructions to our contractor. These instructions were, “Do you see these 5 windows and 2 doors? I would like an 8’ x 8’ storybook cottage constructed atop a 10’ x 10’ cement slab. Oh, and please dye that cement slab a dark green.” I believe the adjective “storybook” threw my builder a little. I drew a rough sketch for him and was comforted by his nod to the affirmative.

I was fortunate to salvage a door from a 1930’s physician’s office to use as the back entrance to this little garden house. A back door was necessary, because a friend of mine lived in that charming house behind me. Both of us worked full-time, but Laura and I were plant enthusiasts and practiced our love of gardening together during the weekend - not so any longer. Sadly, Laura could no longer be tempted by our perfect gardening season here and moved to the warmer Florida climate. I do miss her and our weekends together.

The choice of color for our garden cottage is a personal statement of defiance. You see, we make our home just inside the city limits of a small Midwest city. Houses on every side of our back yard border our home. I despise winter. I absolutely will have color playing a dominant role in my garden during the 6-month deep-freeze. I find the absence of color during winter’s long season much too boring. Hence, the purple, pink and yellow colors provide our neighborhood with a promise of spring – accompanied by an exclamation point. A colorful focal point is especially needed when only deep drifts of white and leafless trees are seen in every direction. I will post a picture of the garden cottage when our winter is in full season.

To be completely honest, I must admit to being a bit weary and am looking forward to the winter respite being forced upon me. Now – where did I put all of those seed catalogs?

Garden cottage, winter

Update to this post, January 15, 2012

Here is an image of our garden cottage / potting shed as it is seen in the snow. A true 'exclamation point', don't you think? Sadly our arbor shown in the picture above was lost to the 60 mph straight-line winds experienced here during our early winter. Placement of a new arbor is at the top of my to-do list of 2012.

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How to prevent winter damage to evergreens - The winter season in your garden

2011-11-15T08:00:00.008-05:00

Snow covered evergreens

In winter, when plants are dormant and snow covers the ground, we appreciate the evergreen foliage of conifers such as a juniper and the twigs and bark of deciduous trees and shrubs. Clumps of rustling grass or shrubs and trees with bright berries are welcome in winter, too. Take advantage of garden ‘down-time’ in the winter to make a list of what you would like to shop for at your garden center in the spring.

Spray broad-leaved evergreens with antidesiccant before the weather gets too cold and build burlap shelters around any young or exposed evergreens that need extra protection. Once the ground freezes, spread some pine boughs or coarse mulch over newly planted perennials to keep them from frost-heaving. During the winter, if a heavy snow or an ice storm snaps or crushes some shrubs, you can trim away the broken parts as soon as convenient but if plants get frozen during a severe cold spell, wait until spring to assess the damage before deciding how far to cut them back.

Of course, the very best thing you can do is to protect your landscape against a heavy snow or ice storm in the first place. The video below will teach you how to prevent snow from damaging your evergreens.

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Safety first in the garden

2011-11-11T08:10:00.003-05:00

Avoiding the Emergency Room

When working in your garden and landscape, it is important to create and maintain the safest working environment possible. Gardening accidents rate high in emergency rooms during the spring and summer. What follows are reminders of how to keep yourself, as well as your children and pets, safe in the garden.

DO – always know where your children and pets are and keep them out of the landscape while you work. Lawn mowers and chain saws are killers.
DO – determine locations of underground utility lines before you dig. Buried lines may be for gas, electricity, communications or water. Start research by contacting your local officials. Also, contact local utility companies; they will often send a representative free of charge to help you map their lines. In addition, there are private utility locator firms that may be listed online or in your yellow pages. Note: Keep in mind that previous owners may have installed underground drainage, sprinkler and lighting lines without mapping them.

DO – read and adhere to manufacturer’s instructions for using a tool, especially the warnings.

DO – ensure that the electrical setup is safe; be sure that no circuit is overloaded and that all power tools and electrical outlets are properly grounded and protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Do not use power tools in wet locations.

DO – wear eye protection when using chemicals, sawing wood, pruning trees and shrubs, using power tools and striking metal onto metal or concrete.

DO – read the label on chemicals, solvents and other products; provide ventilation and heed all warnings.

DO – wear heavy rubber gloves rated for chemicals (not just household rubber gloves) when handling toxins.

DO – wear appropriate gloves in situations in which rough surfaces, sharp edges, thorns or poisonous plants could injure your hands.

DO – wear a disposable face mask or a special filtering respirator when creating sawdust or working with toxic gardening substances.

DO – keep your hands and other body parts away from the business ends of blades, cutters and drill bits.

DON’T – wear loose clothing when working around ladders, chain saws, lawn mowers and live fire pits.

DON’T – work with power tools when you are tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

DON’T – carry sharp or pointed tools, such as knives or saws, in your pockets. When you carry such tools, use a pail or a tool scabbard. Keep sharp tools out of the reach of children and away from pets.

Offered below for your viewing is a video entitled, Garden safety for children. I believe it is well worth 3 minutes of your time to view.

Plants Toxic to Pets – Poisons in the garden

2011-11-08T13:00:00.325-05:00

This alphabetical list of toxic plants to dogs and cats has been assembled from many different sources and is offered as a courtesy to my readers. It may or may not be complete; always consult a veterinarian if you believe your pet has consumed a potentially toxic plant listed here. Symptoms range from nausea to death. If you are aware of another toxic plant not listed here, kindly leave me a comment so I can research it and update this listing.

Angel's Trumpet

Acocanthera (flower and fruit), Aconite (flowers, leaves and roots), Acorns (every part), Alfalfa (foliage), Almond (seeds), Aloe Vera (sap), Alsike Clover (foliage), Amaryllis (bulbs), American Yew (bark, needles and seeds), Amsinckia (everything above the ground, especially seeds), Andromeda Japonica (every part), Angel's Trumpet (every part, especially seeds), Angel's Wings (leaves, roots and stems), Antherium (leaves, roots and stems), Apple (seeds), Apple of Peru (every part, especially seeds), Apricot (inner seed), Arrowgrass (foliage), Arrowhead Vine (leaves, roots and stems), Asian Lily (every part), Asparagus Fern (berries and shoots), Australian Nut (every part), Autumn Crocus (every part), Avocado (fruit, leaves and pit), Azalea (every part)

Bittersweet

Baneberry (berries, foliage and roots), Bayonet Plant (flowers and foliage), Belladonna (every part, especially black berries), Bird of Paradise (fruit and seeds), Bitter Cherry (seeds), Bitter Nightshade (every part, especially berries), Bittersweet (every part, especially berries), Black Locust (leaves, pods, seeds, shoots and inner bark), Black Nightshade (the unripe berries), Bleeding Heart (foliage and roots), Bloodroot (every part), Blue Flag (the bulbs), Blue-green Algae (every part), Bluebonnet (every part), Boston Ivy (berries and leaves), Bouncing Bet (every part), Boxwood (every part) Brackenfern, Braken Fern (every part), Brake Fern (every part), Branching Ivy (berries and leaves), Buckeye (bark, buds, honey, leaves, nuts, seedlings), Buckthorn (every part), Buddhist Pine (every part), Bulbs (every species in the genus Amarylliaceae, Iridaceae and Liliaceae), Bull Nettle (every part), Burn Plant (sap), Buttercups (new leaves and stems)

Chinese Lantern

Caladium (every part), Caley Pea (every part), Calfkill (every part), Calla Lily (every part), Candelabra Cactus (leaves, milky sap and stems), Carolina Horsenettle (every part), Carolina Jessamine (every part), Castor Oil Plant (every part, especially seeds), Castor Bean (every part, especially seeds), Ceriman (leaves, roots and stems), Chalice Vine (every part), Charming Dieffenbachia (every part), Cherry (every part), Cherry Laurel (flowers and foliage), Chicks (every part), Chinaberry Tree (berries), Chinese Evergreen (leaves, roots and stems), Chinese Inkberry (fruit and sap), Chinese Lantern (leaf and unripe fruit), Choke Cherry (bark and seeds), Christmas Flower (leaves, milky sap and stem), Christmas Plant (leaves, milky sap and stem), Christmas Rose (flowers and foliage), Chrysanthemum (every part), Cineria (every part), Clematis (every part), Climbing Nightshade (every part), Clover (foliage), Cocklebur (burs, seeds, and seedlings), Common Burdock (burs), Common Nightshade (unripe berries), Common Privet (berries and foliage), Common Tansy (flowers and foliage), Coral Plant (every part), Cordatum (every part), Corn Lily (every part), Corn Plant (every part), Cornflower (every part), Cornstalk Plant (every part), Corydalis (leaves, roots, and stems), Cowslip (new leaves and stems), Crab's Eye (beans), Creeping Charlie (every part), Crocus (every part), Croton (foliage and shoots), Crowfoot (new leaves and stems), Crown of Thorns (every part), Cuban Laurel (every part), Cuckoo Pint (every part), Cycads (every part), Cyclamen (flowers, foliage and stems), Cypress Spurge (flowers, foliage and sap)

Doll's Eyes

Daffodil (every part), Daphne (bark, berries and leaves), Datura (every part), Day Lily (every part), Deadly Nightshade (foliage, sprouts and unripe fruit), Death Camas (every part), Death Cap Mushroom (every part), Delphinium (every part), Destroying Angel Mushroom (every part), Devil's Backbone (leaves and stems), Devil's Ivy (every part), Devil's Trumpet (every part), Dieffenbachia (every part), Dogbane (leaves, roots and stems), Doll's Eyes (berries – red and green, foliage and roots), Dracaena Palm (foliage), Dragon Tree (foliage), Dumbcane (leaves, roots and stems), Dutchman's Breeches (leaves, roots and stems), Dwarf Larkspur (every part)

Eggplant

Easter Flower (leaves, milky sap and stems), Easter Lily (bulbs, flowers, leaves and stems), Eggplant (every part except the fruit), Elaine (every part), Elderberry (every part), Elephant Ear (leaves, roots and stems), Emerald Duke (every part), Emerald Feather (every part), Emerald Fern (every part), English Ivy (berries and leaves), English Yew (bark, needles and seeds), Eucalyptus (every part), Euphorbia (flowers, foliage and sap), European Bittersweet (every part), Everlasting Pea (every part)

Four O'Clock

False Cactus (leaves, milky sap and stems), False Hellbore (every part), Feverfew (leaves and stalks), Ficus (peel and sap), Fiddle-leaf Fig (every part), Fiddleneck (every part above ground), Flag (bulbs), Flamingo Plant (every part), Flax (foliage), Fleur-de-lis (bulbs), Florida Beauty (every part), Fly Agaric (every part), Four O'Clock (every part), Foxglove (leaves, flowers, seeds and stems), Foxtail Barley (seedheads), Fruit Salad Plant (berries, flowers, foliage, and sap)

Glacier Ivy

Geranium (every part), German Ivy (every part above ground), Ghost Weed (leaves, milky sap and stems), Giant Dumbcane (every part), Gill-Over-The-Ground (every part), Glacier Ivy (berries and leaves), Gladiola (bulbs), Glory Lily (every part), Gold Dieffenbachia (every part), Gold Dust Dracaena (foliage), Golden Chain (flowers and seeds), Golden Pothos (every part), Grapes (every part), Green Dragon (leaves, roots and stems), Green False Hellebore (every part), Green Gold Nephthysis (every part), Ground Ivy (every part), Groundsel (every part above ground)

Hellebore

Hahn's Self-branching English Ivy (berries and leaves), Heartleaf (every part), Heavenly Bamboo (every part), Hellebore (flowers and foliage), Hemlock (every part), Henbane (seeds), Hens-and-Chicks (every part), Holly (berries), Horse Nettle (every part), Horse Chestnut (bark, buds, honey, leaves, nuts and seedlings), Horsebrush (foliage), Horsetail (every part), Hurricane Plant (bulbs), Hyacinth (bulbs, flowers and leaves), Hydrangea (every part)

Impatients

Impatients (every part), Indian Poke (every part), Indian Rubber Plant (every part), Indian Turnip (leaves, roots and stems), Inkberry (every part), Iris (bulbs), Ivies (every species – berries and leaves)

Jatropha

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (leaves, roots and stems), Jamestown Weed (every part), Janet Craig Dracaena (foliage), Japanese Show Lily (every part), Japanese Yew (bark, needles and seeds), Jasmine (flowers, foliage and sap), Jatropha (sap and seeds), Java Bean (uncooked beans), Jequirity Bean (beans), Jerusalem Cherry (every part), Jessamine (fruit and sap), Jimson Weed (every part), Johnson Grass (leaves and stems), Jonquil (every part), Juniper (berries, needles and stems)

Kalanchoe (leaves and stems), Klamath Weed (every part)

Lords and Ladies

Laburnum (flowers and seeds), Lace Fern (every part), Lacy Tree Philodendron (every part), Lambkill (every part), Lantana (berries, flowers and foliage), Larkspur (every part), Laurel (every part), Lilies (all species – every part), Lily-of-the-Valley (every part), Lima Bean (uncooked beans), Locoweed (every part), Lords and Ladies (every part), Lucerne (foliage), Lupine (every part)

Mexican Poppy

Macadamia Nut (every part), Madagascar Dragon Tree (foliage), Majesty (every part), Mandrake (every part except ripe fruit), Marble Queen (every part), Marigold (new leaves and stems), Mauna Loa Peace Lily (every part), Mayapple (every part except ripe fruit), Mescal Bean (every part), Mexican Breadfruit (leaves, roots and stems), Mexican Poppy (every part), Milk Bush (every part), Milkweed (leaves, roots and stems), Milo (foliage), Miniature Croton (foliage and shoots), Mistletoe (every part), Mock Orange (fruit), Monkshood (flowers, leaves and roots), Moonseed (berries), Morning Glory (every part), Mother-in-Law Tongue (foliage), Mountain Laurel (every part), Mushrooms (varieties: Amanita, Death Cap, Destroying Angel, Fly Agaric, Panther Cap, Spring Amanita – every part)

Nap-at-Noon (every part), Narcissus (every part), Needlepoint Ivy (berries and leaves), Nephthytis (leaves, roots and stems), Nightshade (berries), Nutmeg (nut)

Oaks (acorns, buds, sprouts and young shoots), Oleander (every part), Onion (every part), Orange Day Lily (every part)

Panther Cap Mushroom

Panda (every part), Panther Cap Mushroom (every part), Parlor Ivy (every part), Peace Lily (every part), Peach (pits and wilting leaves), Pennyroyal (flowers and foliage), Peony (flowers and foliage), Periwinkle (every part), Peyote (buttons), Philodendron (leaves, roots and stems), Pie Plant (leaves and uncooked stems), Pimpernel (flowers, foliage and fruit), Pin Cherry (seeds), Pinks (every part), Plumosa Fern (every part), Poinsettia (leaves, milky sap and stem), Poison Hemlock (every part), Poison Ivy (every part), Poison Oak (every part), Poison Weed (every part), Pokeweed (every part), Poppy (every part), Potato (sprouts, unripe tubers and vines), Pothos (every part), Precatory Bean (beans), Prickly Poppy (every part), Primrose (every part), Privet (berries and foliage)

Quaker Bonnets (every part), Queensland Nut (every part)

Rosary Pea

Ragwort (every part above ground), Red Clover (foliage), Red Emerald (every part), Red Lily (every part), Red Margined Dracaena (every part), Red Maple (leaves), Red Princess (every part), Red Sage (berries, flowers and foliage), Red-margined Dracaena (foliage), Rhododendron (every part), Rhubarb (leaves and uncooked stems), Ribbon Plant (foliage), Richweed (flowers, leaves, roots and stems), Rosary Pea (beans), Rosemary (foliage), Rubrum Lily (every part)

Soapwort

Saddle Leaf (every part), Sago Palm (every part), Satin Pothos (every part), Schefflera (every part), Scotch Broom (every part), Scouringrush (every part), Senecio (every part above ground), Sensitive Fern (every part), Sheep Laurel (every part), Silver Queen (leaves, roots and stems), Singletary Pea (every part), Skunk Cabbage (leaves, roots and stems), Snake Plant (every part), Snapdragon (flowers and foliage), Snow-on-the-Mountain (leaves, milky sap and stems), Snowdrop (every part), Soapwort (every part), Sorghum (foliage), Spathiphyllum (bulbs, flowers, leaves, and stems), Spotted Cowbane (every part), Spotted Dumb Cane (every part), Spotted Water Hemlock (every part), Spring Amanita (every part), Spurges (every part), Squirrelcorn (leaves, roots and stems), Squirreltail Barley (seedheads), St. Johns Wort (every part), Staggerweed (leaves, roots and stem), Star Jasmine (flowers and foliage), Star-of-Bethlehem (every part), Stargazer Lily (every part), Stinging Nettle (leaves and stems), String-of-Pearls (every part above ground), Straight Margined Dracaena (every part), Striped Dracaena (foliage), Sudan Grass (every part), Sweet Cherry (seeds), Sweet Pea (every part), Sweetheart Ivy (berries and leaves), Swiss Cheese Plant (leaves, roots and stem), Syngonium (every part)

Tobacco

Tangier Pea (every part), Tansy Ragwort (every part above ground), Taro Vine (leaves, roots and stems), Tarweed (every part above ground), Texas Mountain Laurel (every part), Thornapple (every part), Tiger Lily (bulbs, flowers, leaves and stems), Tinsel Tree (every part), Tobacco (leaves), Tolguacha (flowering - every part), Tomato (foliage, green fruit and vines), Touch-me-not (every part), Tri-Leaf Wonder (leaves, roots and stems), Trillium (foliage), Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia (every part), Trumpet Lily (every part), Trumpet Vine (every part), Tulip (bulb), Tung Oil Tree (every part)

Umbrella Plant (every part)

Velvet Lupine (every part), Venus Flytrap (every part), Verbena (flowers and foliage), Vinca Vine (every part), Virginia Creeper (sap)

Wandering Jew

Walnuts (hulls), Wandering Jew (leaves), Warneckei Dracaena (every part), Water Hemlock (every part), West Indian Lantana (berries, flowers and foliage), White Clover (foliage), White Hellebore (every part), White Sanicle (flowers, leaves, roots and stems), White Snakeroot (flowers, leaves, roots and stems), Wild Barley (seedheads), Wild Black Cherry (seeds), Wild Bleeding Heart (leaves, roots and stems), Wisteria (pods and seeds), Wolfsbane (flowers, leaves and roots), Wood Lily (every part), Wood Nettle (leaves and stems)

Yellow Jasmine

Yellow Jasmine (every part), Yellow Oleander (every part), Yellow Sage (berries, flowers and foliage), Yellow Star Thistle (flowers and foliage), Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (every part), Yews (bark, needles and seeds), Yucca (every part)

If you believe your pet may have been poisoned, contact the ASPCA for advice and assistance. This video contains more information about potted plants which are dangerous to pets.

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How to prepare your garden for winter

2011-11-04T13:00:00.080-04:00

As the temperature drops and the days grow short, it's time to think about your landscape and how to best ready your garden for the frigid months ahead.

Protect immature trees
Place plastic or wire mesh tree guards around the trunks of your young shrubs and trees to shelter them from gnawing mice and rabbits. Be certain the tree guards are at a height taller than potential snowfall; the staff employed at your favorite garden center or hardware store will be happy to suggest options.

Continue watering trees
Trees, especially evergreens, need to be well hydrated until the ground is frozen. Since evergreens don't lose their leaves, they continue to transpire (give off water vapor) throughout the winter months. It’s important that evergreens have enough water stored to last until the ground thaws.

Rake and clear leaves
Don't let fallen leaves pile up. Clear fallen leaves from your turf weekly instead of waiting until all the leaves have fallen. Your lawn continues to need sunlight – it’s producing sugars for storage in the root system to sustain growth next spring. You can smother lawn grass and weaken it if you don’t clear leaves from your grass in the fall.

Utilize all of your fallen leaves
Shred the fallen leaves and use them as mulch in your flowerbeds. You can also add shredded leaves to the compost pile. Decomposed leaves are an inexpensive and nutritious treat for your garden.

Plant spring bulbs
There is still time to plant your spring-flowering bulbs. Bulbs can be planted any time in the fall until the ground freezes hard.

Note that snowfall can both shield and jeopardize your garden. Snow on the ground insulates the soil but snow that piles up, or icing on branches and evergreen foliage, can cause breakage. Do all you can to remove the snow before it puts your ornamental trees and shrubs at risk.

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How to Dry Flowers - An Everlasting Garden

2011-11-01T13:00:00.268-04:00

Set aside a special spot for flowers perfect for drying

Everlasting Harvest

I admire those clever crafters who with silica crystals, borax and microwaves can transform virtually any flower so you’d swear it was still alive. Personally, I lack not only the skills for such work but also the dedication. That’s why I am content with “everlastings”, the flowers I can dry in a single step and without extensive knowledge of chemistry.

Strictly speaking, the name ‘everlastings’ applies only to members of the family Inuleae, relatives of sunflowers and strawflowers. However, in the interest of practicality, I’d vote to extend this category to include any flower with a tightly constructed, papery flower head which, if cut at the proper stage of maturity, will keep its structure and perhaps its color as it dries.

Pearly Everlasting

Larkspur

Preparation and Planting –

Not surprisingly, my loosely defined group includes plants of all sorts – annuals, perennials, biennials and ornamental grasses. They are sun-lovers that require at least six hours of sun daily (money plant is a notable exception, as it thrives more in the shade). Everlastings also require well-drained and reasonably fertile soil. A slightly acidic to neutral pH is best. Dig the soil for the garden deeply, turning the soil to a depth of at least 14 inches while mixing-in a couple of inches of compost.

You can satisfy your desire for everlastings by planting one or two rows at the edge of your herb garden. But, if you’re feeling more ambitious, you can instead plant a separate garden dedicated to everlastings. Plan this for aesthetics as well as utility and this garden can be attractive in its own right, even before you dry it and transfer it to vases. Your garden center staff will be very helpful as you choose the best plants for your site.

Proper planning is essential for ease of maintenance. For example, allot separate growing areas for annual and perennial plants. The two groups have very different needs – perennials perform best if given just enough water and fertilizer, whereas annuals need to be fed and irrigated more generously. Besides, the digging and replanting that annuals require can be done more efficiently if you aren't tiptoeing around perennials. Keep in mind the plants’ relative heights when you arrange them within the garden, too.

Lavender

Statice

Harvest and Drying –

The standard advice for harvesting most cut flowers is to take them in the early morning while the dew is still on them and the plants are full of water. Commonly, flowers are cut before full maturity so the buds can finish unfolding in the vase. But, when it comes to everlastings, you should ignore the standard.

If you cut everlastings when they're wet, they are likely to discolor as they dry. And, because the drying halts any further development of the blossoms, you should cut the flowers at the stage at which you want them to remain. In most cases, this will be when the flowers are fully bloomed but still fresh and at full color.

Harvesting is straightforward. Cut the flowers with a sharp pair of scissors and strip the leaves from the stems. Then, with rubber bands, fasten them together in small bundles of 25 stems or so, segregating the different species into separate bundles. Hang the bundles upside-down (so that gravity will keep the stems straight) in a dark, warm and dry spot where the temperature stays between 70° and 90° F. You will know the flowers are dry when a bent stem breaks with a snap. At that point, arrange the everlastings in vases or stow them in boxes with a cedar block (or a pinch of cedar shavings) in a cooler but still dry spot. The cedar will deter insects.

Globe flower

Immortelle

Everlasting Flowers that keep their color when dried:

Everlasting (annual)

Globe flower (annual)

Immortelle (annual)

Larkspur (annual)

Lavender (perennial)

Love-lies-bleeding (annual)

Mealy-cup sage (perennial)

Statice (annual and perennial species)

Strawflower (perennial grown as an annual)

Yarrow (perennial)

Everlasting Flowers that lose their color when dried:

Baby’s breath (annual and perennial species)

Globe thistle (perennial)

Grasses, annual – Canary grass, Foxtail millet

Grasses, perennial – Squirreltail grass, Pampas grass,

Money plant (biennial)

Sea holly (perennial)

Strawflower (annual)

Yarrow

Mealy-cup sage

Strawflower

Love-lies-bleeding

Tips for growing and displaying pumpkins

2011-10-27T13:00:00.089-04:00

Raising a pumpkin isn't difficult; just about anyone can do it. But, growing a great jack o' lantern requires concentration plus rich soil, plenty of water and protection from insects, animals and high winds. Successful pumpkin gardeners give their vines lots of room and they feed them often (compost, well-rotted manure, an organic plant food/fertilizer and frequent doses of manure tea are good soil enhancements). A hot-weather crop, pumpkins should be sown only after the weather warms; seeds planted too soon will rot. It’s wise to remember to rotate your crop (plant in a different area every year). Pumpkins cultivated in the same patch of soil two years in a row will be susceptible to insect attracts. Good companions include petunias and nasturtiums, both of which repel squash bugs.

Growing pumpkins:

To grow a symmetrical pumpkin (one which doesn’t have a flat side), use a trellis for smaller varieties so that fruits don’t touch the ground. Gently rotate larger, earthbound pumpkins a little at a time every few weeks.

Pumpkins need about 14 feet of space in all directions to grow well. Gardeners with space limitations might consider applying for a plot at a local community garden or adopting a vacant lot (permission and access to water will both be required).

A soil pH of 6.0 and 7.0 is optimum.

Try growing a square pumpkin. Set young fruit inside a half-gallon cardboard milk carton, and then snip away the carton as the pumpkin outgrows it.

Prepare to surprise a guest of honor with a pumpkin emblazoned with his or her name. Etch the name into the immature fruit and watch it grow along with the pumpkin.

As for varieties, sculptors of all ages will want tot try ‘Connecticut Field’ (an heirloom plant) and ‘Jack-O-Lantern’. For cooking, try ‘Small Sugar’. The best pumpkin for both cooking and carving is ‘Howden’. Ask the staff at your favorite garden center for suggestions.

To prevent critters from eating your pumpkins, put up a fence. To keep mice from gnawing pumpkins on display, spray your gourds with acrylic coating.

Display your pumpkins:

When it comes to pumpkins, excess is best. While many gardeners enjoy growing the biggest pumpkin possible, miniatures are equally irresistible. Of course, if you don't have the space to grow your own pumpkins, your garden center will have them available for purchase.

Use the hallowed-out shells of small varieties to serve fall soups. Or, fill the shells with dips for a Halloween party.

Clean harvested pumpkins and gourds with a clean cloth dipped in a ten-to-one solution of water and bleach.

Cornstalks and pumpkins can be brought into service to create a charming vignette in front of your home.

You can extend your pumpkins’ display time by coating them lightly with acrylic or varnish.

A garden chair can be used to display your sculpted pumpkins off of the ground and closer to eye level.

Decorate a tree with miniature pumpkins (such as ‘Jack Be Little’, ‘Baby Boo’, and ‘Sweetie Pie’). Fasten a string around each stem and hang them from the tree’s branches.

Use items you have. Pumpkins piled into a wheelbarrow with mums as a backdrop creates a beautiful fall display. Don't worry that you didn't grow mums this season - your garden center will have many to choose from!

Spooky, sinister and scary plants

2011-10-25T13:00:00.010-04:00

While some plants are merely pretty, others are downright ghastly. Sinister names communicate an unorthodox beauty, while dark-hued flowers evoke tales of evil. In particular, the pursuit of black petals and foliage has captured the imagination of hybridizers for generations, despite the knowledge that in nature black is actually deep purple, red, blue or a combination of all three. Scour your garden centers for perennials on sale that you can plant yet this fall.

Creepy connotations aside, “black” flowers, seedheads and bulbs lend drama to the garden; some add a truly outlandish touch: The black voodoo lily presents a complete flower head up to three feet long; the plant’s putrid odor attracts pollinating beetles. For gardeners devoted to the art of darkness, it’s always Halloween.

Count on these bizarre beauties to add a touch of mystery to beds and borders –

Black dragon

(Coleus blumei)

Black Prince Pansy

(Viola x wittrockiana)

Devil in a Bush

(Nigella damascena)

Also named love-in-a-mist

Devil Lily
(Lilium lancifolium)
Also named Kentan or Tiger Lily

Devil’s Backbone

(Kalanchoe daigremontiana)

Also named Mother of millions

Devil’s Darning Needle

(Clematis Virginiana)

Also named Old Man's Beard or Virgin's Bower

Midnight Oil

(Hemerocallis, Daylily)

Mourning Widow

(Geranium phaeum)

Also named Cranesbill

Queen of the Night

(Tulipa Darwin)

Also named Black Tulip or Cottage Tulip

Voodoo Lily

(Amorphophallus konjac)

Also named Devil’s Tongue

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What is organic?

2011-10-23T13:00:00.052-04:00

Leaves Compost

Does the fertilizer label at your garden center mention plant or animal based ingredients, like manure or seaweed? It’s probably organic. Does it sound more like a chemistry class? Then it's probably a synthetic or inorganic fertilizer.

Here are the differences to help you decide which is best for your garden:

ORGANIC

1. Slow feeding

2. Rarely burns

3. Won’t kill beneficial bacteria in the soil

INORGANIC

1. Quick feeding

2. Often less expensive

3. Can burn and damage plants as well as beneficial soil organisms

Tree bark enlivens the garden every season of the year

2011-10-22T13:00:00.184-04:00

It’s easy to look at a tree and take little notice of its bark – easy, but odd in light of bark’s many gifts. Rubber, cork, varnish, frankincense, myrrh and even chewing gum are all derived from bark, as are medicines such as quinine (the salvation of malaria sufferers) and witch hazel. Your garden center will have a nice variety of trees known for their decorative bark and fall is the perfect time to plant one.

Gardeners value bark for its fascinating good looks (and sometimes for its usefulness as mulch) than for its economic potential. Thin or thick, paper-like or deeply textured, bark can be relied on to enliven landscapes even in the dead of winter. Snow clings to bark and sunshine bounces off its richly textured surface. Bark colors vary widely, with lichens enhancing the composition as the years go by. Because bark’s inner layer delivers life-sustaining nutrients and oxygen, it pays to protect young trees. Under-plantings of ground covers, ferns and hostas will keep lawn mowers and foot traffic at a safe distance.

Attractive bark encircles each of these species like custom clothing:

Koreana Stewartia (Stewartia Pteropetiolata): A palette of tan, emerald, lime and gray highlights the mottled surface of this tree. The rich colors persist throughout the year – Zones 5, 6 and 7

Paperback Cherry (Prunus Serrula): Boasts paper-thin, mahogany-hued bark that glistens when the sun hits it – Zones 5 and 6

Paperback Maple (Acer Griseum): Displays its exfoliating bark characteristic while the tree is still young. In winter, snow clings to the tree’s peeling cinnamon-hued surface, adding interest to the landscape – Zones 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8

Dainty and Fragrant Cyclamen

2011-10-21T13:00:00.060-04:00

Cyclamen Garden

Cyclamen Petals

Mornings are getting darker, days are growing shorter and soon our gardens will be asleep for the winter, resting as they store energy for use in the spring. How will you warm your home with color this winter? For me, I think the cinnamon-like scent of cyclamen will fit right into our indoor space this time of year.

When it comes to color intensity and duration of bloom, few houseplants can match cyclamen. Blossoms rest like butterflies atop silvery heart-shaped foliage - their lovely pinks and salmons wake up a room when massed on tables or stairs.

Hardy only to Zone 8, cyclamen can be seen in outdoor gardens in places with temperate climates such as San Francisco. Gardeners in colder regions can enjoy these graceful plants indoors where, given the right treatment, flowering can last as long as two months.

Exposure: Choose an east or west-facing window; direct light will cause leaves to wilt and turn brown.

Temperature: Cyclamen prefer temperatures on the cool side. A nighttime range of 50° to 60° F will suit the plants well.

Water: Plants should neither be too dry (neglected plants perish quickly) nor too moist (the tubers will rot). The best method is to place pots in shallow, water-filled trays and allow plants to drink from the bottom up for no longer than 10 minutes.

Food & Care: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every week or so during the bloom period. To prevent seed from setting, remove spent blossoms with a sharp tug on the stem. Don’t just cut off the spent flower or the stem will rot.

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Rosemary as a Christmas Tree

2011-10-20T13:00:00.077-04:00

Yes, it may be too early to think about Christmas, but October isn't too early to consider growing a rosemary plant to decorate for the holidays. A great option as a decorative element in an office setting, rosemary will lend its fragrance to the room as well as its beauty. Due to its antiseptic and astringent properties, run your hands through the sprigs and leaves for a fast and fragrant hand sanitizer. The timing couldn't be better to choose the perfect rosemary specimen and begin grooming it for December.

Rosemary cannot survive outdoors through a Zone-5 winter (it’s a Mediterranean herb), but why not try growing one in your home now for use through the winter months? Your favorite garden center may have one available right now. Many grocers carry rosemary plants in their produce section for purchase this time of year, too. Care for it, decorate it, and use it to boost flavor in your meals: rosemary is an adaptable plant.

I love to have plants around the house in the winter, especially fragrant ones. I love the look, smell, and taste of live rosemary and find that it is very easy to cut-away pieces from the bush and shape it into “tree” form. Just keep your tree shape in mind as you harvest pieces to cook with. Leaves and even entire sprigs of the rosemary plant are used in meat dishes and stews, with roasted potatoes, and other vegetables – in fact, it can enhance the flavor of almost everything from appetizers to desserts (try it with baked apples).

Rosemary’s secret is that it likes to be continually damp but doesn't like to stand in water; so, it must be well drained. Rosemary will not grow well with water around its roots, but it will die if the roots dry out.

Our ancestors supposed that rosemary strengthened memory and researchers in Japan have evidence that rosemary does improve memory. I think that’s reason enough to have one around, don’t you?

Here’s how:

Place the plant and its pot into a larger one filled with gravel. Be sure the bigger pot has a hole for drainage. Put a saucer underneath the pot to catch the water.

Water your rosemary at the base of the plant every day or every few days. Let the water run right through the plant and out into the saucer or into your sink, but be sure to empty the saucer.

Occasionally, gently rinse off any dead leaves and other debris that tends to build up around the base of the plant. You can let it soak in the sink for a little while and then drain it well.

Like many plants, rosemary likes humidity, so you can take the plant to the shower with you. Once each week or twice a month, place rosemary in your bathroom and take a leisurely, steamy shower. Your plant will love you and your bathroom will smell amazing!

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