Category Archives: Gardening

Garden Dreaming

Posted on January 22, 2013 by

Seeds copyright Lucy Bridges via flickrHere’s a thought to warm up to: garden season is a few short months away. And if gardening is one of your goals for 2013, now is the perfect month to start planning.

So take advantage of the long nights to dream about the longer days of the year, those sun-filled garden days…

Decisions, Decisions

The first step in garden planning is deciding what type of garden you would like to have. Among the choices:

  • Vegetable.  Nothing tastes fresher than spring peas right off the vine or a sun-warmed June strawberry.
  • Wildlife. Native plants, which make less demands on the water supply, provide food and habitat for birds and other wildlife.
  • Butterfly. By planting the right host and nectar plants you’ll get the chance to see the miraculous life cycle of these beautiful insects.
  • Flower. Invite essential pollinators into your garden while adding beauty at the same time

Gather Information

Now that you know what type of garden you want, it’s time to dig a little deeper and gather information and what to plant. Visit websites, flip through garden magazines, talk to friends and neighbors about what grows best in your neighborhood. All the while, keep these essential questions in mind:

  • How much sun will the garden receive? If you’re going to grow vegetables or herbs, they generally need full sun. Full sun is considered to be six or more hours of direct light.
  • Do you have enough space? Trees and shrubs will grow and what is small in a pot today can grow, depending on the plant, larger than your house. Be aware of septic systems and electrical lines when siting gardens or plantings.
  • Where is the best place to plant? Don’t be afraid to think outside the fence. If you have more sun in your front yard, grow the vegetables there. I have seen some beautiful, very appealing front yard vegetable gardens.

Make a Plan

Some people like to draw out the garden on paper, others prefer to list the plants on their computer. Whatever you plan out, cut it in half. While those five varieties of heirloom tomatoes would be lovely, do you really have the time, space, and the energy to water and weed all of those plants this summer time and preserve all those extra fruits in the early fall?

Remember: a garden can always be expanded to fit in one more raised bed or another section of perennials, but it’s a lot more difficult to scale back mid-season.

Spring will be here before we know it, and when that time comes stay tuned for more garden tips and tricks. In the meantime, happy planning. And do share what your garden plans will be for this year.   — Kathi

Photo copyright Lucy Bridges via flickr

Autumn Is The Time To Plant

Posted on September 27, 2012 by

Most think spring is the perfect time for planting. The nurseries are stocked with colorful plants and everything is in bloom…but that’s the problem. Spring turns into summer and before you know it the temperatures are in the mid 80s and it hasn’t rained for weeks.

In our recent New England springs, the weather has gone from a late winter freeze into summer heat wave within a few days. This puts stress on a plant that is pushing out new leaves to make food (going through the process of photosynthesis), trying to reproduce (make flowers), and grow new roots.

What most people don’t realize is that autumn is the perfect time to plant. Here are just a few reasons why:

  • Now that leaf, seed, and flower production are complete, plants have nothing but cooler days to contend with and roots are the only thing they have to grow.
  • Along with the cooler temperatures comes end-of-season sales. That Oxydendron (Sourwood) tree you wanted all season? It now costs less and it’s showing its beautiful burgundy autumn foliage.
  • Watering is also easier now because, unlike summer months, town water bans have usually been lifted.
  • Need to patch your lawn? Do it in the autumn! Spring and fall are seasons when grass is the greenest. Grass will sprout in the warm days of the autumn and continue to grow until the ground freezes.
  • Plant bulbs for spring color in the autumn. Bulbs need to be planted in the autumn to develop roots before the ground freezes. Early blooming crocus give pollinators such as honey bees nectar early in the season when very few other flowers are in bloom. Daffodils are deer and rodent resistant and live for many years. Tulips add late April and May color.

A little bit of work in the cool of the autumn will give you a beautiful yard in the spring. So what are you waiting for? Get planting!

Photo via FreeDigitalPhotos.net