photo credit: Dermot Keigher

Unfortunately I have too many favorites but I always like any tomato seeds and hot pepper seeds. The ornamental pepper plants are beautiful and make great indoor plants.

I prefer heirloom seeds to hybrid seeds. I like the older variety of vegetables and flowers and feel heirloom seeds are better for the environment. But I do understand why some people prefer hybrid seeds.

I like the Malabar spinach because it’s edible and beautiful. It makes a great patio or balcony plant. Being a warm climate plant I start this seed indoors.

The rattail radish makes a great ornamental plant and keeps squash bugs out of the garden. The radishes grow skinny and long – like a bean. It also grows on the plant instead of in the ground. The radish is ok for eating if you use it when its small, but I really like using the seeds for a ground mustard. This radish is a bit warm to the taste.

And I like any and all gourd seeds. Gourds are fascinating to grow, cure and decorate. It’s a plant that adds variety and interest to the garden areas.

I guess that’s why I like different seeds. It add fun to the garden while you are waiting to see what the plant looks like and if it’s really as interesting as it sounded on the seed packet or in the garden catalog.

If you haven’t ordered you seeds yet for your gardens, do it now so that you will get the seeds you want.

And here is a link for free seeds - Free seeds. I use the “grow a row for the poor” seed offer every year. The seeds grow well and its for a good case.

So what’s your favorite seed?

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With Thanksgiving approaching the addition of dried corn stalks, Indian corn, and pumpkins with give your yard, patio or porch area a festive look. The corn stalks can be left outdoors. The Indian corn can also be left outdoors and can later be sprayed with a clear varnish to preserve then for another year. Note: Make sure the Indian corn is stored in an area that mice will not bother it.

Pumpkins need to be covered if there is a frost at night and brought in if there is a freeze. If you clean them well with a bleach and water mix when you first purchase them to kill any germs that may have entered a cut, the pumpkins will last until after the new year.

photo credit: alecim

Gourds, mini pumpkins and fall flowers also make a nice garden art arrangement in a yard. Place them on a hay bale or in a wagon for a farm like feel. And with the fall flowers you can bring them indoors and enjoy the flowers. Mums are particularly easy to move indoors and by pinching them back you will have flowers through the holidays.

I also like to clip the mums and start new plants. Mums will produce roots easily in a rich potting soil. I use a liquid rooting hormone and cover the pot with clear plastic wrap and have a new plant in a month. I them place it in my greenhouse until spring. It has protection form the freezing weather but will go dormant until spring and better weather returns.

Fall is a wonderful time for fall arrangements and bright splashed or yellows, reds, and orange colors. They seem to stand out more vibrantly in the cloudy fall skies we have in NW PA.

photo credit: Chrissy Olson

Check out Backyard Oasis for a few more fall decorating ideas for you backyard and patio areas.

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My favorite mulch in the fall are leaves, and they are plentiful, even in a city. I have many trees but still call the local town and have several piles of leaves dropped off so that I can let them set and turn into leaf mold (A name for decomposed leaves).

How to create mulch from leaves

The first step to take is to pile the leaves in one place using a rake, a wheel barrel or cloth. The leaves in the pile should be dry.

TIP: I use an old sheet to rake the leaves on. They will easy pull to the pile I have created. I also pile the leaves in a U shape I have created with straw bales.

Leaves will break down faster if they have been shredded, so I always make sure I include this step. I usually do this by mowing them in the yard then raking and moving the leaves to the pile.  Often the leaves I have delivered are already shredded.
photo credit: bertdennisonphotography

The next step is to add the shredded leaves to a compost bin. Layering the leaves will help them to compost faster. I use fresh leaf clipping and straw. New or old sawdust and manure will also work well. Again, I try to find free mulching materials.

Tip: Call your local township or park for free leaves. Sawdust can often be obtained from tree companies or construction companies.

I place the leaves in layers of 12-18 inches and add 6 to 8 inches of other composting material in between the layers of leaves. This will help the leaves to break down quicker.

Allow the leaf pile to sit over the winter months. The leaves should be ready for use in the spring. If you need the leaves to break down faster place them in black plastic bags. The bags will heat the leaves and help them to decompose quicker.

Many people use leaves that have sat for several years in their gardens. When they sit for several year they become leaf mold and are very rich in nutrients. This is one of my favorite mulches to use in the gardens and around trees.

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photo credit: dlisbona

When the garden season begins you never know what Mother Nature has planned so my motto is “be prepared!”

Setting your garden up for drought conditions can be done by using mulch or planting in containers so that they can be moved into shade or closer to water. You can also landscape your yard and gardens for drought by using perennials, using plants and trees that require less water, or by planting re-seeding annuals, herbs and native plants.

I also water in the morning, use deep watering methods and rain barrels for catching rain. You will find a few more ideas at my sister site Backyard Oasis,  How to choose drought resistant plants.

One idea I have used for many years is watering by milk jug (or a small plastic pop bottle for containers)

Fill the cleaned empty milk or plastic pop bottle with hot water. This will clean the bottle and also help remove the label.
I let my bottles and jugs sit overnight to make sure they are clean.

Use a sharp nail to make a hole or two in the milk jug. You can also use a cordless drill with a tiny bit to make the holes. Just remember the larger the holes are on the bottom the faster your water will run out.

Hint: if you use jugs with holes and without, mark the jug. It’s not fun to fill a jug and have the water run out and into your shoes while placing it in the yard.

Place the jug by the plant that needs water. Using this method you get a slow watering what will soak in the ground near the plant where it’s needed,

Pop bottles

I tent to use small pop bottles in containers. Cut off the bottom of the pop bottle. Remove the cap and place the bottle in the center of a container. I submerge the bottle halfway into the soil. This will act as a funnel and take water directly to the roots. This works well for vegetable plants that require a lot of water. And as the plant grows the bottle is hidden from site.

Tips:

If you have a fish tank or pond you can use that water to water your plants and then top off what water is removed. You will help clean the tank or pond and have nutrient rich water for your plants.

When not using the milk jugs you can run a string through the handles and store them by hanging them on a wall out of the way

Here are two sites for ideas on hardy plants. I enjoy Hibiscus plants and Best Flower gardening has an excellent article, Hibiscus-a-must-have-perennial.

Home and Garden Online has a nice write-up on native plants, Native Plants: flower-garden-guide. Native plants add so much to your garden landscape.

Whether you have too much rain or too little with planning and preparation you can still have a beautiful yard and successful garden. It just may be a bit more challenging!

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I need to redo my perennial garden, which was totally washed out and I am planning a new garden in the front yard to help redirect water, just in case I have this problem again.

Compost usually takes anywhere from a few months to a year, depending on how you set your compost pile up.

How to make compost in two weeks.

To make compost in two weeks you need to encourage the pile to work quickly. This is done by using several composting materials; and cheating. Yes, I am encouraging garden cheating!!

Compost materials needed.

Hay or straw (preferably straw)
Grass clippings
Table scraps:  fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds but no grease, fish or meat products.
Any compostable material you can get for free. Leaves, old sawdust, old dirt, manure

Layer your compostable items in a pile. I usually use old bales for sides and create a U shape and pile my material in the U.

Now this is how you cheat. To make you pile compost faster you need your compostable items to be as small as possible. I mow the leaves and straw and blend any table scraps. Layer the compostable items and lightly stir. Dig a hole and put in your table scraps.

Stir the pile every day.

Other items that will help your compost pile break down faster:
Yarrow
Comfrey
And coke… yes, coke will help a pile compost in no time at all.

I have six large pile of compost working now. They should be ready next week. I have used this process for years and it works every time.

Here is a link for more ideas for materials to compost.

And if you are like me, you find free materail to compost with. the money you save can be spent on seeds or new plants.

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May is iris and peony time throughout our section. The real work has already been done on these two and the results indicate just how thorough we were. The main thing now is to provide plenty of water through the flowering season, to produce top quality bloom.
photo credit: Donnaphoto

Each iris plant should have a feeding of one cupful of balanced fertilizer but it should be kept well away from the plant. It will be wise to note the ones that should be divided after flowering and perhaps prepare the soil for planting in new locations.

Peonies are subject to aphid infestation and many times this is first noticed by the presence of ants. These ants live on the honey dew secretions from the aphids and quite often there are “farms” of aphids that are milked” regularly by ants. Aphids cause a blasting of the buds quickly on peonies. Regular spraying with a contact spray will control these critters.

Rose Time

Throughout our section roses are giving their first lush crop of blooms. The annual rose shows are usually staged beginning the second week in May.

In the garden the chief chores are regular spraying at ten day intervals with products to control blackspot, spraying to control aphids, watering. feeding and light pruning to control blooming and habit of growth.

Rock garden plants respond beautifully to feeding and watering this month. Divide and transplant violets and allow a spacing of about ten inches. As the perennials come into flower, keep the faded blooms cut back to encourage new growth and a second crop of flowers. Pinch the early set chrysanthemums is one of the highly recommended plant branching ideas, and feed lightly.

For those of you who enjoy gourds, May is the month to plant. These plants are among the novelty group and are most interesting. Be constantly on the alert for weeds… most of these have an uncanny way of getting established very early.

Investigate the new herbicides for control of weeds by chemical sprays; many hours of hard work can be saved by using them. Read and follow the directions carefully. There is still time to replant water lilies and other aquatic plants. And why not plant a few herbs for both seasoning and unusual foliage for arranging?

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A person who is seeking to escape the general cacophony of life and find a soothing and comfortable retreat often looks towards a garden. Gardens filled with trees, shrubs and green grassy meadows and with beautiful garden decor are beckoned forth to enjoy the serenity that it has to offer.
photo credit: faeryboots

A stroll through a lovely garden full of flowers that are in full bloom would cheer up any manic depressive. Gardens have traditionally been places of relaxation and unwinding. Buddhist monks created versions that were also used as meditating spaces and were serene enough to bring spiritual tranquility to the soul.

Die hard enthusiasts of gardening go to great lengths to procure the right kind of look. This includes adding items like fountains, exotic lighting, statues and gnomes, furniture etc. Accessories or ornaments are add-ons that enhance the aesthetic appeal of any garden by adding to its personality. An artificial brook or a sculpture can change the entire mood that is evoked by the ambience of your outdoor space.

Garden decors are accessories that enhance the natural beauty of the garden by including within it fountains that spew water, bird baths and bird houses, statues, furniture and lighting fixtures that transforms the landscape at night. Sculptures, fountains and patios are the most common accessories. Some gardens, especially English ones, sport gnomes within.

Large gardens tend to include artificial brooks or springs that create natural sounds that are soothing to the ear. It is extremely enjoyable to listen to the sounds of nature, either of tiny birds chirping excitedly as the splash around in a birdbath or of the gurgling brook.

Traditionally, gardening has been seen as a hobby and a recreation and most gardens were tended to by the home owners themselves. Nowadays there is an increasing trend to employ the services of specialists such as garden designers or landscape architects who do not come cheap. What these experts bring with them is a wealth of knowledge on aesthetics and choice of accessories and decors as well as the ideal ingredients for a complete garden.

Gardens need to reflect a particular mood; especially a cheerful one and the inclusion of the right garden decor can see to it that the desired results are achieved. The stand out from amidst the shrubs, trees and grassy meadows and enhance the appeal of your garden considerably.

Gardens are being increasingly preferred to back yards as venues to host parties and outdoor activities such as barbecue parties and birthday events. Most Americans invest a large amount of time an money, so as to have a personal space of their own. There are many manufacturers that supply garden decors that are ideal for hosting parties and barbecue events. These accessories are inclusive of grills, outdoor kitchens, patios and furniture and heaters that keep guests warm even during the cold weather.

Ideally, accessories should be catalysts that trigger subtle changes in the overall landscape and should not be the prime features. Trees, shrubs, grassy meadows, exotic and colorful plants and gravel drives should be the main components with a sprinkling of garden accessories amongst all that.

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photo credit: zenera

Another part of my garden planning is that the gardens are never just a flower, vegetable or herb garden; they are always a mix of all. All the plants compliment each other and often have insect control benefits when planted side by side.

Geraniums and marigolds help control insects and some small animals so I often use them in garden borders. Okra controls Japanese Beetles so they are grown in pots and moved around the yard. I myself don’t like Okra as a vegetable but it makes a great insect control, has a beautiful flower and works well as a dried crafting material.

The herb, Borage controls insects and tomatoes also like the plant.

In small backyard design spaces and on patios I will plants cucumbers, small melons or climbing beans against the walls or a trellis. Plants lettuce below the vines to save on space, keep the soil cool and add a lush full look to your plantings.

Use lettuce leaf lettuce and Swiss chard as a flowerbed edging. And with all the colors or leaf lettuce now you will be able to add a variety of color to the garden for all seasons. Head lettuce and flowering cabbage looks good behind the lettuce.

I use cabbage and kale as a show of vegetable mixed in flowers and herbs.

Root crops are easier to harvest in containers. I will find nice accent pots or unique planters and add the root crops as garden décor to the gardens and plant a new root crop every two to three weeks to keep a fresh supply of small root vegetables growing the entire season.

Corn and Indian corn make an interesting look mixed in with taller flowers. If you plants corn, a medium height flower and low vegetables of sprawling flowers you can make a great mini garden for the end of the driveway or an accent mini garden. I also do the same with gourds and mix them in with flowering vines and a lower height flower or herbs.

Strawberries, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and peppers also make great accent plants with their bright fruit. There are many ornamental peppers that have variegated leaves that also add more beauty and color to a garden area.

When it comes to garden planning there are only a few planning basics like spacing, light and water that need to be followed and all the other garden rules are fun to bend and break.

If garden planning seems to be a task you don’t like try out GrowVeg.com to see how easy planning a garden can be.

Gardening can be work but it also can be fun and that’s the part of gardening I always make sure is well planned, fun!

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photo credit: Valerie Everett

I prefer straw bales as they contain less seed and last longer but straw is more expensive so my choice for the garden depends on the best buy I can get or which crop I am growing. For squash plants and gourds I use hay bales. For my tomatoes and peppers I use straw.

Hay Bale Gardening method

So, if your soil is poor or you want to use the raised bed method but are short on soil,  you may want to consider growing your crops in hay. First get bales that still have the string tightly around the bale. This gives you control in moving the bale.

And if you know where you want your garden position the bales. The bales get heavy when wet so you will simplify preparing the garden if you select your garden area when you purchase the bales. If possible let your bales set outside during the winter. This gets the bales wet throughout.

If you are just getting your bales, give the bales a thorough soaking, and let them begin to break down before you plant your vegetables. If the weather is warm, soak them several times during the day for four days.

On the fifth day, apply your choice of liquid fertilizer to the top of each bale. I use liquid compost I have made. Manure tea works well too. Repeat this for three or four more days depending on the crop you will grow. (Gourds and heavy feeders get four days on added fertilizer) When you are done soaking the bales allow one or two days for the bales to set.

Next apply a 50-50 mix of topsoil and manure on the top of each bail or your own compost soil mix. The soil is about 4 inches thick on top of the bale. This will hold the moisture in the bale, add nutrients to the bale during the season and is a place to plant seeds.
photo credit: Average Jane

Moisten the bales with a fine water spray. You are now ready to plant your bale garden. Pull apart the bale by hand to make a hole to put your plant. I also add some soil if I am planting a transplant. Each bale should hold two tomato plants, four pepper plants or two squash plants. Cucumber and lettuce are spaced differently. I use the square foot gardening spacing guide. An example would be six to eight cucumbers, three yellow squash or 12-15 bean seeds per bale. And lettuce would be spaced 6 inches apart.

Annual herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley grow well in bales. I tend to mix them in with other vegetables. Watermelon and cantaloupe can also be planted in bales but I like to have a stronger fertilizer mix for these heavy feeders so plant them in a straw bale square.

Root crops don’t so as well in bales. Their roots are crowded but I have found they thrive in containers and are so easy to harvest – just tap the container to loosen the soil and dump the container. And grow potatoes in loose straw for a great crop.

Hay bale gardening is easy and the garden area has a unique look. I also use a square bale garden formation for heavy feeding plants, lay out the bales for an interesting garden and have mossed the sides of the bales for a very artistic flower garden. hay bale gardening a versatile form of gardening.

Tips:

• Buy your bales off season for a better price. Sometimes in late spring they will be free for the hauling.
• Plant flowers around the base for a fun look to your bale garden.
• Stack the bales two high if you want a garden that is easy on the back.
• Straw bales have less seeds in the bale but cost twice as much
• Bales should last two years.
• When you are done using the bales, compost them for more soil for another gardening year.

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photo credit: jcestnik

At that time I learned I needed to sit down a draw out a garden plan. Why? It makes better use of your garden space and helps with succession planting. There are also plants that just grow better with other plants or that attract the same insect so it’s not best to group these in one spot of the garden.

I actually like to plan my garden in the cold winter months. It reminds me of spring and the new garden season coming up. It’s when I set with the seed catalogs and dream of the perfect garden. My one garden was an acre on year and I actually needed the plant to help others find my crops easier.

I don’t make a habit of referring a product so when I do it has to offer a unique product or enough information that I find it to be a “must have product.”

I recently discovered GrowVeg.com What I like about this program is you can lay out a garden plan very easily. This will be most beneficial to anyone planting a garden for the first time or has limited growing space.

Their blog site also has wonderful information. I was lost in their articles for quite some time. Whether you are a new gardener or have gardened for years, there is always something new to learn. Take a look the GrowVeg.com site and garden planner.  There are also many helpful articles that will benefit your garden. I think you will be impressed.

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