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Posts tagged flower gardening
Focus Plant: Catnip
Jun 28th
Honeybees on catnip
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is well known for its affects on cats. Anyone who’s ever seen a cat given a catnip toy knows that they lose all their reserve and act like they’re totally uninhibited, drunk possibly.
Catnip seems to have that same affect on all the pollinators. Right now my catnip is in full bloom and it is covered in every sort of flying nectar drinker I’ve ever seen. There are bees, green flies, butterflies, etc. They just don’t seem to be able to get enough of the nectar.
I originally planted catnip, because it was supposed to repel ants. More >
Drowning In Weeds
Jun 16th
We all have the best of intentions. We see our yard beautifully landscaped, not a blade of grass out of place. The flowers are blooming happily, raising their faces to the sun. Funny, we never envision our garden choked with weeds, or the grape trellis breaking and our grapes now lying on the ground. We don’t see the reworking of the deck taking weeks, instead of hours.
Gardeners are optimists. If we weren’t we’d never plant a seed, because planting a seed is an act of faith. You believe that the seed will grow. You trust that not only will it More >
Birth Of A Daylily
Jun 10th
A year or so ago I noticed a new little daylily plant coming up. I hadn’t planted it there and it was obvious it had come up from a seed, as it was tiny. I decided to just leave it and see which plant it was from. I expected to look like one of the two daylilies nearby, either yellow or peach.
This morning I opened the door and it was blooming. A big glorious bloom that doesn’t look much like either of the two daylilies I have. I was pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting it to be a copy More >
Focus Plant: Zinnias
Jun 7th
This is the year of the zinnia! Zinnias (Zinnia elegans), are super easy to grow annuals, that will provide a plethora of blooms perfect for cutting the entire summer season. There are dozens of varieties of zinnias. They range from tiny to gigantic, and just about every color in the rainbow can be found.
If you just want a flush of color there are the “Profusion” series that are low growing, small flowered, but masses of them. Or you can make a statement with zinnias that get upward of 3-5 feet with blossoms 5-6” across. There is a zinnia for everyone.
Not More >
Understanding Annuals
Jun 2nd
This is the big show for annuals. Summer months are when they get to show off. Since annuals only live one season, they bloom profusely in an attempt to set seed. Their goal is to see the next generation born.
From early spring until hard frosts in fall there are annuals that you can grow in your area. You just need to be aware of a few tips when purchasing annuals. There are some annuals that do best with cool, mild days. In some areas of the US they will bloom throughout the summer, due to the mild climate, however, the More >
And The Winner Is
May 27th
‘Old Mexico’ zinnia by 2 days. The ‘Thumbelina’ zinnia is now open as well. Both are yellow. Last year all the ‘Thumbelinas’ were pink, so I’m really glad to see that I have something other than pink this year.
This is one of the most exciting times of the year. Everything is popping into bloom or sprouting from the ground. Because the soil is nice and warm seeds are sprouting in just a few days. I planted corn, beans, squash, and watermelons less than a week ago and all of them are coming up.
The flower seeds I sprinkled in the front More >
Anticipation
May 19th
Spring is well underway and the vegetable garden is starting to produce masses of peas, greens, lettuce, and strawberries. The spring bulbs and perennials have flowered and the early summer ones are starting to blossom. The most anticipated time is when the first flowers grown from seed blossom.
This is a truly fun time as you wait to see what colors the flowers will be. If you’re growing a new variety, waiting to see how big the flower is, what markings is has, how it compares to your favorites, is like waiting to see who won best actor or actress at More >
My Favorite Flowers
May 16th
To be honest I love all flowers, but I have two that I particularly like. They are both what I call “drop and grow” flowers. This is because if you happen to drop one of their starts on the ground they will invariable start growing wherever they land. Pests or diseases rarely bother these plants, and their flowers are big, bold statements.
So, what are these magnificent additions to your garden? Irises and daylilies. Irises are just so totally amazing looking with some of the petals gracefully arching upwards and others flowing down, and they have the startlingly bright little “beards” More >
Don’t Forget The Flowers
Jan 28th
Flowers can be planted at more variable times that the food bearing plants. Perennials, plants that come back every year, can be planted almost anytime the soil is not frozen or in the middle of the summer heat. Of course spring and fall are the best times, as the soil is more easily worked and the plants have ideal growing conditions
Annuals are usually planted in late spring after the last frost. Most garden centers will get annuals in only after it is safe to plant them in your area, but ask if you’re not sure. You can also start them More >