Container Gardening

Snow drops are out on the West coast but the rest of the country is still covered in snow. Soon it will warm up for the rest of us though and we can get out our pruning shears.

Fruit trees first and then tackle the grape vines. Most people do not reduce the size of the vines sufficiently so make sure you prune a lot. All grapes produce fruit on the new growth and that is the main reason for the heavy pruning.

While we’re on the subject of grapes, the grape plant does not like to dry out and needs fairly even watering. Ground mulching around the base of the plants helps conserve moisture and will help to prevent the drying out of the plant. A good feeding of 10-52-10 plant food is also a good idea. The high phosphate strengthens the plant to produce flower buds.

Lori

Tags: Grapes, Pruning, pruning grape vines

My mom took a picture of a larva the other day climbing the wall in her house. What is remarkable is that the markings on the larva make it appear as if it has a happy smile. Honestly, no photoshop involved. Pretty cool!

We are both wondering what type of larva this is? We are fairly certain it is a caterpillar but are wondering what type of butterfly it will be. Does any one know? Please share your thoughts.

Antje

Tags: larva

Are your grass clippings and yard trimmings still ending up in the landfill?

Why not compost and improve your garden soil. The decomposition of plant remains, and other once living materials, makes a dark crumbly substance that is excellent for enriching your container garden soil. It is also a way to recycle your yard and kitchen waste.

Composting is not new, in the natural world composting happens as leaves pile up in the forest and begin to decay. The rotting leaves are returned to the soil where living plants can finish the recycling process by reclaiming the nutrients from the decomposed leaves.

There are a lot of options for containing your compost. You can use bins, boxes or a less formal binless method of composting by using the compost heap if you have access to a large yard.

The benefits of compost is that it enriches soil, has the ability to help regenerate poor soil, and can reduce the need for water and fertilizer.

A compost pile makes desirable compost only if conditions are proper. The temperature of the pile should be between 35 and 70 degrees celcius, larger piles usually work better, it needs to be damp, and it needs air. Turn the compost pile regularly to add air. Don’t add weeds from your garden if they have gone to seed, nor diseased plants because this will cause future garden problems.

What to compost: coffee grounds, manure, wood chips, eggshells, yard trimmings, leaves, grass clippings, tea bags, fruit and vegetable peelings.

What not to compost: dairy products, diseased plants, weeds that have gone to seed, fat, meat, and pet waste.

Let me know what products work for you.

Lori

Tags: composting

Summer is here and now is the time to relax and enjoy your garden. This is my front garden. As you can see it is in full Summer bloom.

There are still some gardening maintenance tasks but they can be done at a leisurely pace. Water your container plants in the evening during hot dry weather so the plants have the cool of the night to absorb the moisture.

Deadhead your flowers (picking of the spent flowers) to keep your flowers looking great all summer. It will not only spruce up the look of the container, it will often encourage the plant to produce more flowers.

If certain plants get too large, don’t be afraid to cut them back by half or more. Other than lilies or peonies, most perennials will respond well to pruning during the summer. Tall growing plants might need to be staked. This is easiest to do when the plants are first planted because they can be be firmly fastened to the support as they grow taller.

Enjoy the fruits of your Spring labour.

Lori

Tags: gardening

Having humming birds in my garden is a great enjoyment. From their perch, these tiny birds keep a constant eye on their surroundings. With agility and speed, hummingbirds launch at any intruder and after a quick battle the birds return to their perch and are on the lookout again.

A hummingbird’s speed and agility, squeaky chatter, and buzzing sound make them unique and amazing. They are guided by visual means and are attracted to certain shades of red as many red coloured flowers happen to be good sources of nectar.

The following plants are some of the hummingbird’s favourites:

Annuals: Begonia, impatients, canna (red), cosmos, zinnia, petunia, salvia (red), fuschia

Perennials: Columbine, bleeding heart, hollyhock (red), delphinium (dark colours), bee balm

Shrubs: Buddleia, Weigelia

Vines: Honey suckle, red morning glory (annual fast growing vine which produces flowers throughout summer), cardinal climber (annual)

Also, think of adding water, a waterfall with its trickling and splashing water sounds will act like a magnet for humming birds.

By making these changes to your garden you too can enjoy watching humming birds dart in and out of the flowers drinking your morning coffee.

Lori

Tags: attracting humming birds, gardening, humming birds

Butterflies exist naturally over most of the areas of our continent, although species vary from region to region.

By planting flowering plants that are their favourite food sources we can easily attract the local population of butterflies to become regular visitors to our gardens. Butterflies are guided by scents and smells. Certain flowers give off a fragrance that butterflies find attractive. A welcoming garden for butterflies should include some of the following:

Annuals: Petunia, nasturtium, heliotrope, snapdragon, sweet alyssum, verbena, and nicotania
Perennials: Yarrow, columbine, lavender, coreopsis, dianthus, echinacea, and globe thistle

Remember, a butterfly is the adult stage of an insect that starts as a caterpillar, so remember no caterpillar no butterfly. If you use insecticide in your garden you may kill caterpillars.

If they don’t show up right away, don’t give up looking. In the mean time enjoy the flowers.

Good luck and have fun!

Lori

Tags: butterflies

This article is written for all of you confused about what the numbers mean on the side of your fertilizer purchase.

In order for a plant to grow and thrive it needs nourishment. Nature provides plants their basic needs such as oxygen, sunlight and water (though we may have to top up the water needs of the plants). However, if you want a great garden you will have to provide the other nutrients needed for healthy plants throughout the season.

Many different nutrients are important for plant development. Fertilization will improve crop yield and plant performance. The three main nutrients in fertilizer which are important for plant development, and often lacking or depleted in soil, are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

#Nitrogen (N): This nutrient is responsible for the healthy green colour of your plants, nitrogen deficiencies result in a yellowing of leaves and slow down in growth.

# Phosphorus (P): Affects early vigour, promotes healthy root growth and flowering. Plants with a shortage of phosphorus are often stunted.

#Potassium (K): (Also called potash.) This nutrient promotes healthy plants and disease resistance.

The numbers on a bag of fertilizer are percentages of the composition of the main 3 nutrients that soil needs and that are in the bag. So, a bag of 10-15-10 fertilizer has 10 percent nitrogen, 15 percent phosphorus and 10 percent potassium and the rest is filler and has no value to the plants.

Lori

We received the first snowfall and it is time to take out the snow shovel.

I would rather be gardening but instead I am putting the garden tools in the shed, draining the water from the garden hoses and coiling them up. Remember to gather up and clean your spade, hoe, rake and don’t forget the little ones such as pruners, scissors and trowels and store them in a dry place. Also, gather all the solar lights, remove the batteries, and store them in a place where they don’t freeze.

This is the time to get your tools, especially your mower, ready for the next season. With a little maintenance now of your gardening tools you’ll be ready to go to work next year when spring fever strikes.

Also, take a look around for the tools you do not have and put them on you Christmas wish list.

What are your favourite tools in the garden and cannot do without? Let us know.

“Don’t count the days, make the days count”

Lori

Had enough of raking leaves?

Raking leaves is a big part of autumn gardening. In my yard, the maple and cherry trees are bare now. With the windy weather the elms are finally losing their leaves and the yard is scattered with them. These leaves will be saved for the compost heap.

The best tool for the job of cleaning up leaves is a fan type rake made from good quality plastic. Next, pay attention to how you’re raking. Many of us tend to reach out too far causing us to over stretch our shoulders. Try moving your feet instead. Rake in an upright position, with one foot in front of the other to avoid back injury. It’s also important to switch from left to right instead of favouring your dominant hand. So, remember to keep things balanced with regular switching.

Lori

On this cold and frosty morning in the Okanagan, I am writing my first blog and I hope you will join me in this venture. If you have any questions, with the help of fellow gardeners out there, we should be able to provide you with answers.

As the fall progresses we put more of our plants to bed for the winter. Gardeners know that one of the tricks to successful gardening is a good thorough fall cleanup. You can make the basic cleanup chores happen gradually and naturally by giving your garden the once-over every week. As you spot plants that have stopped blooming or are killed by the cold, pull them up. This saves your poor aching back the huge effort later, and keeps your garden looking presentable. Doing bits of work as you spot a problem also provides you with the opportunity to see where you need some fall interest and to get any transplanting done as you clear the areas.
Plant spring bulbs and lilies, garlic and spinach before the ground freezes. Planting the spinach now will give you early spinach. Pull annuals when plants cease blooming or are dead from the frost. Clean up plant debris from beds and borders before mulching, and spread compost or other organic matter over the garden.

Garden Quote

What is a weed ? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

Lori (more…)