This is the time of year many people are planning their hanging baskets for porches and decks. Here are a few useful tips for great looking plants.

1. Hanging baskets look nice with a variety of color and heights. If you choose mostly upright plants try to include a few plants that will vine over the side. Morning glories, any vine, or petunias will add the draping look, which add depth to your basket design.

2. Use good soil in your baskets. Plants placed as closely as they are will need good soil to flower the entire season.

3. To help plants in hanging baskets and containers continue flowering, choose a liquid plant food fertilizer. 15-30-15 is a good choice.  Fertilize the established containers and hanging basket plants at least once a week. I myself use a compost fertilizer.

4. Hanging baskets take a lot of water, Water daily to keep them flowering. You can also add straw to the bottom of the basket to retain moisture and make the basket lighter. Some people use Styrofoam peanuts to make the baskets lighter.

5. Use a watering can with a long spout to get the water deep into the basket. You can also take the plants off the porch or deck and sit on a bench to water.

6. If you have your baskets in direct sun choose plants that are drought resistant. They will not need as much water.

7. Rotate your hanging baskets a quarter turn once a week. This will keep them growing and flowering evenly.

8. For a litle fun try a different style of hanging baskert or add pottery pieces to you flower arrangements.

 With a little care and attention you can have beautiful hanging baskets all season long.

Tags: Add hanging baskets to your porch, preparing hanging baskets, caring for hanging baskets,

Lettuce is one of the earlier crops to plant in your garden. It thrives in cooler weather. You can also grow it successfully in cold frames to extend your growing season. 

There are the leaf varieties and head lettuce. I myself have found the leaf lettuce easier to grow but it needs harvested almost every day to grow well and not turn bitter in warmer weather. I also plant a fresh crop every two weeks. This is one crop I plant near the door and in containers. It’s easier to take care of plus I have fresh garden salad at arms length. 

Head lettuce takes 60 to 90 days to grow depending on the variety. I start my head lettuce in April and will start a few more heads in August for a late fall crop. For more information check this site out: http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/homegard/let.pdf

For my lettuce crops in the summer, which are mostly leaf lettuce, I plant the plants on the cooler side of my house.  Or I will plant them near tall plants that will shade them from the summer sun. For more information check this site: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1312.html

Lettuce is a heavy feeder so use a compost fertilizer to ensure a good crop. You can also rotate crops particularly with leaf lettuce. I will replant leaf lettuce areas with radishes, beans or a second crop of cucumbers. 

Lettuce Facts

• Lettuce leaves consist of 95% water by weight. This is what makes the lettuce crisp.

• The average American consumes over 30 pounds of lettuce every year

• Lettuce is a member of the daisy family. It first became popular back in Greek and Roman times. They believed that lettuce salads enhanced the appetite in preparation for their gigantic feasts.

• Lettuce has been in cultivation since at least 550 B.C.

Tags: head and leaf lettuce, growing head and leaf lettuce, popular garden crop, cool weather crop. lettuce facts

Our earth is and amazing place, beauty and natural wonders everywhere.

Earth Day facts: More than 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day in 1970. It was inaugurated after United States Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin called for an Environmental Teach-in Day to be held on April 22, 1970. More than 500 million people in 175 countries now celebrate it each year.

Celebrate Earth Day by planting a plant tree or shrub, picking up trash and starting a new recycling plan.

Do you have a plan to help our earth today? Each person who plants a tree or picks up trash makes a big difference.

Tags: Earth Day 2008, celebrate Earth Day, help our environment, recycle, plant a tree