Monday, April 14, 2014

Protecting Plants From Late Spring Snow

When I looked out my window this morning I could not believe my eyes, because the snow was falling onto my newly green lawn and my flower gardens.
Tulips in snow

White powder from the sky is covering the newly opened tulips, lilacs, redbud blooms, irises with buds, and this morning I noticed the hostas had broken the soil surface.  

My entire yard and garden are flourishing because of the warm spring-like weather.  This April Snow will destroy my plants because of the hard frost advisory.

Normally I cover my plants with blanket frost protection and I will use the row covers for my crops in raised vegetable garden; however, I cannot cover the entire yard and all of the gardens.

I am hoping for the best, that the wintry mix moves far enough away from my area to prevent the temperatures from dropping into the low 20s.   

Related Garden Posts by Sgolis


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Testing Soil to Determine Right Grass Seed for Lawn

Before you can grow a lush green lawn I recommend that you know what type of soil you have.  Grass seed is formulated to grow in specific soil types and if you want a lawn that will be admired by all then test your soil.  

combination lawn; sun and shade
Choose grass seed blend for combination lawn; sun and shade


I would recommend that you buy a soil test kit to check the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium pH levels.  I you can buy and inexpensive kit at amazon.com, or any garden center; Lowes and Home Depot also sell soil test kits.  


Know that if your soils pH is 6.0 to 7.0 then you are in good shape because you have the perfect soil for growing a lush green lawn.    When you know your pH level you will be able to shop for the right grass seed for your lawn. 

 


View this video to learn how to test your soil pH


Attribution: Lawn with sun and shade: http://mrg.bz/5a7gsg

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Yard Sale Find Creates an Inexpensive Garden Path

While shopping at our neighborhood yard sale I found some capstone at a yard sale and then my brother gave me some cypress mulch.  I knew immediately that I had the makings of a practical and inexpensive garden path.
Garden path

When it comes to creating garden paths in my yard I tend to design paths that are practical and cost-effective.  I do not have a lot of money to invest in garden hardscapes so I tend to make the best with what I have or buy inexpensive materials from yard sale finds.
Stepping stone path with mulch

Path Location
The capstone path would be located adjacent to my side steps and then would wind around my black-eyed Susan flowers, ornamental grasses, and herb garden beds, thus providing me with easy access to gardens without walking on the grass.  It would also put an end to dirty shoes tracking mud or dirt indoors.



Garden Path Installation
When planning a garden project I prefer to design by drawing the path out and then work with my husband in the preparation and installation. 

Husband's to-do list:

  1. Remove the grass with a lawn trimmer
  2. Level the soil
  3. Lay out the stones for easy stepping
  4. Remove the dirt so he can set the stone into the space so that it is even with the soil.


When my husband completed the layout for the stepping stone path I then filled in around the stones with cypress mulch. 


The finished recycled capstone and cypress mulch path looks wonderful, even my neighbor likes the mulch surrounding the stepping stones.  You do not have to use the stone steps, you can create an easy garden path by using the mulch only. 

The total expense was $10.00: 14 capstones for $10.00 plus cypress mulch was given to me.   

View another landscape posts by Sgolis here

Monday, March 10, 2014

Harsh Winter Causes Damage to Bearded Irises

Today while cleaning the winter debris from the bearded iris garden I noticed that many of the rhizomes had suffered from erosion due to ice and snow.  Instead of being under the soil many of them were fully exposed which concerns me.

Irises in the garden
My iris garden with many buds 

The first thing that I did today was clear the iris gardens of all leftover leaves, sticks and check the rhizome for damage.  I expect many of the plants to perish as it was an extreme cold winter with heavy snow and ice. 

Tomorrow I am going to amend in my wheelbarrow top soil with organic compost and diatomaceous earth.  Then I will spread an even layer over the irises, covering the exposes rhizomes and leaving only the tip for nutrient collection from the sun. 

I am hoping that this natural fertilizer and borer pest control will aid in healthy spring iris growth and bloom production.

The photograph of my iris garden.  Enjoy!

Other Yard and Garden Secrets Posts that you make like:


Friday, March 7, 2014

Pruning Japanese Honeysuckle Vines – Early Spring Cleanup

Today was warm and I worked outdoors cleaning up the river rock wall by pruning the Japanese honeysuckle vines.  Last year the vines had not been pruned and they became invasive.

I like the honeysuckle because, in the summer when the flowers bloom, they attract hummingbirds and honey bees but if they are not trimmed back they will take over the river rock wall.  Here is a photograph of the honeysuckle that has grown in too thickly on the rock wall.
Japanese Honeysuckle on River Rock Wall
Japanese honeysuckle on the river rock wall

I used extended-handle hedge shears to cut the massive vines that had grown in so thickly and to protect my hands I wore heavy-duty pigskin yard work gloves with knit wrists.  When pulling vines you need to protect your hands otherwise they can get cut.  

Pruned honeysuckle
Pruned Japanese honeysuckle on the river rock wall

I got the river rock column cleared by cutting the vines away and I also cleared four feet of vines from the wall.  Once the vines were removed I raked away the leaves that were embedded into the vines.   I am happy that I took on this early spring yard cleanup job because by pruning the vines from the rock wall I will also be discouraging the snakes from taking refuge.

Other blog posts by Sgolis that you may like:


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Getting Ready to Plant Organic Spinach Seeds


Even though it is too cold to plant spinach outdoors I am getting ready to plant Ferry-Morse organic spinach seeds in containers.  I like to have my salad bowl of spinach close to my kitchen and thus the containers will sit in the sun on my back deck.

Today I washed my container out with dawn antibacterial dish soap and rinsed them well in the shower.  Then I let them air dry.  When the containers were completely dry I then mixed organic matter with potting soil in the container and set them aside.

(If you do not have compost for your organic matter then buy a bag of manure)

Now the containers are ready for planting spinach seeds and as soon as the weather warms to an average of 20 F I will set the containers outdoors in a full sun area and plant the organic spinach seed ½ inch under the soil and space 8 inches apart.  When the seeds are all planted I will water them well.    

Caring for Spinach:



Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet.  If the soil should dry out the spinach will have stress and the plant will bolt.  Watch for weather that may dip below 15 F.  If the weather is extremely cold, cover spinach plants with row covers.




Other Garden Posts by Sgolis
Tips for Growing Strawberries

Attribution: This spinach photo is in the public domain in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CDC_spinach1.jpg

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Protecting Spring Bulb Gardens from Whitetail Deer

 

When I looked out my picture window I saw doe deer and fawn in my yard nibbling in my spring bulb garden.  I ran outside and waved my arms in the air and the deer left my yard. But I knew they would be back and I needed to take steps to protect my spring bulb garden from the whitetail deer.
Whitetail deer doe and fawn in garden

Every spring I have a problem with the whitetail deer because I cannot convince them that my spring bulb garden was not planted to nourish them.  Every doe deer in the forest finds its way to my spring bulb gardens. 

Over the years I have tried to discourage the deer with Contech Scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler s a natural way to scare deer.  This water spray deterrent works well in the summer but is not a good deterrent during winter. 

Other deer deterrents that I have had good results with is a  potent pepper spray and deer scam, however, these products need to be reapplied and depending on your weather; snow or ice these products can get costly. 

Last fall I put down a deer forage plot but that died back due to a cold snowy winter.  I found in the past that if I proved the deer with their dietary needs that they will leave my spring bulbs alone.  

Since it is whitetail deer in garden season and I need to keep the deer out of my garden I went to Atwoods ranch and yard store and bought 40lb bag of natural apple corn for $7.49 and a mineral salt lick.  I set up a feeding station that was downwind from my tulip garden. 

My husband and I waited on the side deck and at dusk, we saw the deer coming up the side yard path.   The doe deer come out of the woods to enjoy the corn and to lick on the mineral block. 

Notes by Sgolis: 


  1. This wildlife compromise worked because the deer have stayed away from my spring bulb garden because their dietary needs are being met with the mineral lick and feeding station.  
  2. When spring greens up the deer will no longer need to be fed as there is ample forage in the forest. 



Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Yard and Garden Cleanup After Ice Storm

I am looking over my yard and garden to do list and I need to cleanup the lawn and the spring bulb gardens. Last month’s ice storm caused us to have many down branches.  We removed the large branches but there many smaller branches they need to be picked up. Hopefully I will accumulate enough sticks to  ask my hubby to add them to the wood chipper because they will make nice mulch for the garden.

When I finish the removal of down branches from the lawn, I will then concentrate on the gardens.  

Our one maple tree holds onto its leaves until late winter however many of the leaves did come down after the ice storm and fell onto my spring bulb garden. I think it is a good idea to remove the leaves and any mulch from the early spring gardens as it will make it easier for delicate crocus to come up. 

Hopefully the day will stay warm as I also have on my list to replace some parts of my mulch garden path .  Winter was hard and did pull much away from the path.  All In need to do is fill in because it is spotty. 


I hope I can get everything on my list completed, as it late January and before you know it spring garden beds will be blooming. 
Daffodil spring bulb garden

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt Keeps your Yard and Garden Healthy

Protect your lawn and gardens in winter with environment friendly ice melt.  This toxic free ice melt is the only product that you can use especially if you have gardens close to your hard surfaces.

Non-toxic ice melt keep your garden healthy

The other products may be cheaper but before you buy read the ingredients.  If you value your soil, and your flower beds, then think twice about using toxic chemicals to melt ice.  Those chemicals will penetrate through the soil and kill your plants at the roots.

Saving a few bucks at the hardware store for a harsh and harmful to environment ice melt sure won’t feel worth it when your wife is making you remove all of the chemical damaged garden soil in the spring to replace with new soil for planting.

Instead pay the few extra bucks and rest easy because Morton Safe-T-Pet Ice melt is salt and chlorine free which means it is safe for your yard, gardens, pets and kids. 

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Making Mulch out of Christmas Trees

Before you drag your Christmas tree to the curb for trash pickup, think about recycling it by turning it into nutrient rich  mulch for your yard and garden.

My husband never wanted to make mulch out of the Christmas tree but when he saw all the mulch that he got that was free of charge he realized it was a great savings.  My husband collected all of our neighbors trees that were put out for the trash and by doing this we had enough Christmas tree mulch for our gardens and for our trees or shrubs.

There is some work in getting your tree ready for the wood chipper.  But before you remove all of the branches call your areas recycling center to see if they can chip the whole tree for you.  If not do the following;

  
1.   Remove all of the branches and stack them neatly in a rubber 32 gallon trash bin. When all of the branches are remove set the tree trunk on top.
2.   Call a buddy to see if you can borrow their wood chipper if none is available you may be able to rent one for the day or take your Christmas tree branches to a recycling place that makes yard and garden mulch free of charge.
3.   Use the trash bin to collect your mulch. Then apply the mulch to your garden beds or encircle your shrubs and trees with the fragrant and nutrient rich mulch.