| Soil-less Mediums for Gardening Success |
6 Mar |
Check out this neat article I wrote about soil-less mediums… it was published in the March edition of the OK Master Gardeners’ “Blooming News.”
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You see all of the snow outside and think to yourself, “guess I can’t do anyting in the garden yet”. Not true, you could get emersed into seed starting indoors. This article will discuss the different media available to help you
with your little seedlings.
Sponges
This year I’m using Park’s Jumbo Bio Dome. In each hole of the polystyrene Bio Dome is a “bio sponge,” a preformed plug of sterile medium with a hole already drilled in the top. The bio sponge is simply the best way I’ve
ever found to reliably germinate and grow on seeds. I plant 1 — ONLY ONE — seed in each bio sponge, even for difficult-to-germ varieties, and they nearly always sprout. In all my years, I’ve just never had results like this from any other seed-starting medium, and I’ve tried them all twice. The bio sponge offers the perfect blend of aeration and moisture to help seeds of all kinds grow and cuttings to root! I’ve had a couple of years experience with Bio Dome and I absolutely love it. You don’t have to water seeds as often, the Bio Dome also comes with a seedling fertilizer and when they’re full grown, you just take the sponge out and place the plant directly into the ground.
Available at Parkseed
Coconut Coir
Natural 100% coconut fiber for starting seeds and cuttings. It’s the ideal medium for certified organic growing applications. Lightweight and easy to handle. Expands instantly! Netting-free = no worries.
Soiless Plugs
These are a unique matrix of composted organic material bound together by plant-derived polymers. They are created through a scientifically controlled process which produces large populations of beneficial microbes in
the plug media. These naturally occurring beneficial microbes colonize young roots and help young plants to maximize nutrient uptake. The optimal air-to-water ratio within the plug matrix causes explosive early root growth.
Pellets
Made from sphagnum peat from specially selected peat bogs. Lime and a special fertilizer with a low ammonium content are added to the peat in order to stimulate growth. You just plop them in some water and watch them expand!
Peat Pots & Strips
The most biodegradable way to start seeds indoors. When it’s time to transplant, set pot and all into the soil. Made of peat and wood fiber with soluble fertilizer added. No transplant shock! Start seeds and cuttings
indoors, then plant pot and all in your garden. Roots penetrate walls and pots disintegrate, leaving peat to enrich the soil.
Gelatin?
If you’re a “Thrifty Gardener” like me, you’ll love this article that recommends using gelatin to start seeds. Gelatin is the perfect medium to grow seeds, especially those difficult to start seedlings. Gelatin is made from animal bone and therefore has high level of nitrogen and other minerals. Add to that the sugar from the gelatin mix and water and you have a perfect place to grow those little seeds
You will need:
Seeds Gelatin mix (like jello)
Water Sterilized containers such as baby food jars or small yogurt containers Sheet of clear plastic or piece of glass Powdered cinnamon
Prepare your gelatin per package instructions.
Pour at least 2 inches of liquid gelatin into sterilized containers such as recycled baby food jars or small yogurt containers.
Once the gelatin mix has cooled, push at least 3 seeds in each gelatin filled container.
Place your containers in a warm, sunny spot and cover with clear plastic or glass.
Be mindful of mold forming BUT DON”T DISCARD YOUR SEEDLINGS! Just dust with a little powdered cinnamon to keep the mold in check.
Once your seedlings have sprouted and are about an inch or two tall, remove the gelatin and seedlings and transplant them (in the gelatin) into the seed starting mix that is described above. The gelatin will continue to “feed” your seeds as they grow and you have less risk of injuring your new seedlings.
Or you can make your own plugs
And here’s a great website that shows you how to make your own soil blocker
Potting Blocks
Happy Gardening!
| Landscaping Ideas |
10 Mar |
Whether you’re designing a new garden or want to revamp an old one, gardening projects require a lot of planning.
If you want your garden to be a horticultural haven, use calm and subtle colors in all aspects of your garden. Pastel shades work best, particularly when planted in ‘drifts’ of colour.
Don’t be afraid to have a go at making your own garden ornaments. Something as simple as a sundial or a birdbath can add the personal touch to your garden. Try your local salvage yard for interesting materials.
If you need inspiration for garden designs; have a look at these designs. The right landscaping ideas and container gardening combinations can make your backyard an inviting retreat.
Urban Basement Garden
Sogo Garden
(Designer: Lizzie Taylor & Dawn Issac)
Float Garden
(Designer: by Jack Merlo)
Cocoon Garden
(Designer: by Jack Merlo)
Moss Garden
(Designer: by Jack Merlo)
Roof Garden
Design From Auckland Botanical Gardens
Blue Stick Garden
Mediterranean-style courtyard
Garden Designs From Chelsea Flower Shows
(Designer: Andy Sturgeon)
| Dream Vacation |
3 Mar |
Zarcero, Costa Rica
Zarcero’s fresh, spring-like air and high-altitude temperatures are a wonderful respite from the tropical Costa Rican heat.
Located along the northern edge of the Central Valley, the small town is known for its crisp climate and dramatic mountain landscapes. Culinary connoisseurs will love the area’s local produce, much of which is organically farmed. Vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, and savory cheese (locally known as queso palmito) are some of the district’s distinct delicacies. Fresh sour cream, sweet buns, and a sugary treat of crystallized grapefruits filled with a creamy condensed milk round out the town’s notable gastronomic delights.
Without a doubt, Zarcero’s most popular attraction is its surreal topiary gardens. Wavy arches carved from conifer cypress invite visitors to explore artist-landscaper Evangelisto Blanco’s latest inventions. Here, spectators are given a rare opportunity to step through the looking glass. Shrubs and trees manifest as dancing animals, stylized creatures and other unique abstractions.
| Seed Bombs |
1 Feb |
Handmade from a mixture of eco-friendly, locally sourced and recycled materials such as used egg boxes, shredded office paper, organic compost and flower seeds, this bomb contains nothing flammable, though I wouldn’t board a plane with it hidden in your underpants.
If you’ve resolved this New Year to become more engaged with your surroundings, to interact with the environment, then you might want to consider becoming a bomber. With Seedbom, a friendly bomb that grows, you can join forces with nature by becoming a guerilla gardener. Got a neighbor whose garden is an eyesore? Or do you pass a barren empty lot every day that cries out for vegetation? Toss in the Seedbom and watch the dull and lifeless turn into the green and verdant.
As the manufacturer reassures, the bomb is made only from post consumer paper, used egg boxes, the occasional tea bag, natural waste plant fibers, organic compost, organic fertilizer, flower seeds, recycled card packaging, and…love.
Note: After publishing this post, I received a comment from the designer and manufacturer indicating that the product is not yet available in the US: “Etsy is a US site but people in the UK can still order from the site and their payment will be changed into UK pounds through Paypal. I would love to sell in the US but cannot at the moment due to the fact that there are regulations in place for the exportation of seeds and it would be irresponsible of me to send UK native seeds to the US. I only hope I can move things along fast enough to be able to sell a version of seedboms in the US soon as like you say it is a popular idea and I am getting a very good response from people in the US.”
| God Award: For The Love Of P Allen Smith |
15 Sep |
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
1. For your television show Home & Garden and how bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors.
2. Your Arkansas accent and tone of voice. You could talk to me all day.
3. I sometimes find myself watching you and going, “Damn, he answered my question like he knew what was on my mind.” You cover all bases on gardening and home decor.
4. The fact that you do your television for non-profit tv.
5. Your many books.
P. Allen Smith’s Living in the Garden Home: Connecting the Seasons with Containers, Crafts, and Celebrations (P. Allen Smith Garden Home Books)
6. Your passion for gardening.
7. My admiration for the fact that you get to garden all day and make a living at it.
8. You’re killin the plant game.
Check out his website and show him some love.
| Giant Rat Eating Plant Found in the Philippines |
12 Aug |
Looking equal parts pitcher plant and Jurassic Park, a giant rat-eating plant was discovered in the Philippines.
The BBC describes the newly discovered species as a new kind of pitcher plant. And this one is evidently “among the largest of all pitchers and is so big that it can catch rats as well as insects in its leafy trap.” Which makes it a pretty mean carnivorous plant–it catches insects, rodents, and other small animals in its tubes as they tumble down into them. The plant then closes its tube, trapping the prey inside.
Pretty cool. [ Treehugger ]
| What’s Blooming? |
9 May |
Japanese Maple next to a hosta
Purple Shamrock “Francis”
White = Dusty Miller, Pink = Dianthus, Purple = May Night Sage
A white spider chillin on my dianthus
*More rose photos coming soon! Also check for my color combination experiments.
| Today’s Garden Project |
4 May |
Although I despise the color red, for some reason I’m drawn to it as an accent color for my garden. I was shopping around at the plant nursery and found “Sum and Substance” hosta, which is one of the largest hostas and only paid $6 for a quart sized plant.
I came up with the idea that I wanted a huge terra cotta pot painted red to really contrast the color of the hosta and show it off. First I had to shop around for the best deal on pots and ended up at Garden Ridge. Everything there was 25% off so I got a 24″ pot for $20. Next, I went to Ace Hardware and got a gallon of exterior high gloss paint. I bought a gallon because I expect to do tons of pots in this color, but a quart should be enough to complete 1 pot.
With 2 coats of paint, I ended up with this….
Pots like this usually retail for over $100.
| Esco’s Chillin |
25 Apr |
| What’s Blooming? |
17 Apr |
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“Golden Showers” Climbing Rose
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Lil Snoop by my fish pond.
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*Click on the picture to see a larger version
*Click on the words below the pic to get more info on the plant.
| Help Save A Great Gardening Show |
12 Apr |
HGTV is apparently taking Paul James’ “Gardening by the Yard” program off the air. One of the few gardening shows on TV, Paul brings a mix of humor and education to the subject of gardening. He has the ability to entertain you as he teaches the many facets of gardening.
Make your feelings known to HGTV and their advertisers. Visit this blog for the addresses of sponsors and HGTV tomorrow and let them know what we want, quality gardening programming.
P.O. Box 360945, Strongsville, OH 44136, USA
| Gardening 10 Commandments |
28 Feb |
Every gardener has some commandments that the hold dear and follow. These are my 10 commandments for frugal gardening:
1. Thou shalt have fun: If you aren’t having fun while gardening, find another hobby
2. Thou shalt save money, not spend money: If you are planting a frugal garden, the bounty you receive should ultimately save you money over the amount you put into the garden
3. Thou shalt not acquire needy plants: Nothing makes it into my garden if it has specific needs or is just constantly needy (I sat through a garden club lecture & demo once where the speaker included the word critical more than a half dozen times…nothing goes in my garden that has a word like “critical” attached to it!)
4. Thou shalt not acquire fleeting plants: Anything I plant needs to stick with me. In other words, it can’t be a fleeting, flash in the garden bed sort of annual. No spot-of-color sort of event in my garden. Plants have to come back again and again; and on their own too!
5. Thou shalt keep digging to a minimum: The less digging the better. I’m all for raised beds, container gardening and getting anyone else to do any necessary digging!
6. Thou shalt be willing to try new things: I will try anything once. I know, this is a slight contradiction to Commandment #3, but it is my garden & I reserve the right to try anything once. I can always pass it along to someone else if it doesn’t behave itself and it may turn out to be something that is perfect for my garden that I can use again and again.
7. Thou shalt not acquire thirsty plants: Besides my veggie garden area, I don’t want anything in my garden that will expire if it doesn’t get a daily drink of water. Things need to hold their own here as I don’t have a drip or irrigation system and I just don’t seem to be the kind of gardener that remembers to water everything at exactly the right time. Plants with good root systems will win out every time, over those that are more delicate.
8. Thou shalt favor plants with multiple uses: Plants that do two things, instead of just one, will win a spot in my garden every time. Shrubs that are green all year and flower sometime during the year are great, as are trees that show off early spring blossoms as well as provide shade during the summer. Plants that are interesting in my borders or cottage gardens plus provide veggies for the table are favorites and any plant that has a fragrance is a sure addition.
9. Thou shalt not hide your garden in the back corner: The older I get, the closer my gardens get to the house. When I began gardening, most of my beds were in the back forty; nice because there was lots of room and they could be interesting…or not. No one but me usually saw them. With my move to this current property, my gardens are located right outside my front door. This was initially due to not having any other ground ready to plant plus the proximity to a water faucet.
I will never do the back forty kind of gardening again. This is just way too much fun. Everyone that comes to my house, from family to the UPS driver, has some sort of comment about the gardens. And, since people are always visiting; I’m so much more interested in working to keep the gardens up to snuff!
10. Thou shalt disturb weeds often: My last commandment has to be the advice I received from a great old gardener friend: Disturb the little, almost invisible weed seeds on a regular basis (read this as daily) and there will be no need to spend hours weeding. So true. The more time I spend just cultivating the dirt in between the plants & rows, the fewer weeds I ever see, the little weed sprouts just get too discouraged to grow.
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