Gardening Time! New Seeds to Plant!

       Yes my friends I know it may seem early to start thinking about this but I always start my seeds by mid February. Here in Indiana it's usually warm enough to plant them by the end of March and even if it's not by mid April it always is. Now there are all kinds of fancy trays you can buy, and even specialized dirt. I'm sorry I don't use any of that stuff.

        There's a couple of reasons I don't use anything fancy, one I'm cheap, and two I've never had the room for trays. I wish I had a greenhouse but alas I don't. So I have always used Styrofoam cups, again for two reasons, their cheep and the plants can grow larger in them, its also really easy to transplant them out of the cups since you can tear the cups and not harm the roots.


         I start almost all my annuals from seeds. Even the  one's they say have to be directly planted in the ground, like Morning Glory's ( and yes I know Morning Glory's can spread like crazy, but I don't care I love them). I start some of my veggie's in cups too, like pumpkin vines, water melons, I feel like it gives them an advantage.


          As for soil I use potting soil, I've even used the generic brands  from my local dollar store. I usually start by putting any hard shelled seeds in water, like Morning Glory's, so by the time  that I get some of the other seeds planted their ready to go. I put two to three seeds in each cup just in case one is bad. The only flower seeds I never do in cups are marigolds, they grow so fast anyway. Plant the seeds to the same depth as the flower packet says to.  Speaking of Marigolds plant them near your tomatoes, helps keep the bugs a way from them.


           What type of flower beds do you like? Neat and In order?  English cottage style, let me know. I like mine really full and crowded, not so crowded that they can't breathe or grow but crowded enough so that it's hard for the weeds to grow! Besides I think it looks more natural, that's just my opinion of course you can do what you like, what makes your heart sing.

            I hope this helps you to get started  and make you excited that Spring is almost here! Until next time we see each other.........

Let's Pretend it's Warm Outside!

       Yes I realize that some of you live over  sea's where it's nice and warm right now(I so hate you! Kidding, I like winter), here in Indiana it's its cold outside, today's temps reached a whole 19 degrees! And we're under weather advisory's I'm fine with that at least til Monday when I have to drive in it!
         Usually this time of year is when I start planing this summers crops and flowers, I like to add two or three new perennials every year and always more mums, chrysanthemums, and live forever's. I always buy them small and cheap and plant them in the spring, I have tried planting them big and in the fall but our weather isn't always predictable and it hurts me when plants die.
       In about ten days is when I will be starting all my seeds. I'm assuming you read the blog before this one, no mater what I end up doing I will still have this space either here or on Bridget's Daughter, so I will still give you all my tips and know how. I love this picture, doesn't it look like the perfect place to meditate, watch the bee's, and just relax?

      Some day I want my whole yard to have a picket fence around it, though my husband says he's allergic to them. Um hun yep to bad.
       Are you planing any new additions to your yard this year? Let me know!






 

Time to Garden inside!

       Yes ladies and gentlemen it's time to do the dreaded repotting! If it is cold and winter where you live its time. This is the perfect time because plants aren't growing much during this time, so less chance of shocking the poor things.  Actually I enjoy doing this and it doesn't have to be expensive, garage sales are a great place to pick up flower pots so is goodwill, dollar stores, I've used five gallon buckets and two litter pop bottles before. Anything will work as long as its big enough and has drain holes, and you can put your own holes in with a hammer and nails or a drill. By the way, five gallon buckets are cheap and I've used them many times to grow veggies in when I didn't have a yard. Let's get our supplies together.
1. Newspapers, if you don't have a garden area where you can work spread them out on the floor or a table.
2. Packing peanuts, gravel, rocks from your driveway(hehe), coffee filters.
3. Hot soapy water with a little bleach in it.
4. Soil (if you buy the cheap stuff get some slow release fertilizer,or liquid)
5. Trowel,or a coffee cup and a big spoon.
6. Pots, have them already washed and dry
7. Plants of course
      Gently grab the bottom of your plants(this is easier if you haven't watered them recently), and the bottom of the pot and slowly pull the plant out. If its hard to pull out make sure roots aren't coming out the bottom, if that's not the problem get a dull knife and go around the edges like you would a cake. If the roots are bound tightly gently pull them a little lose, it won't hurt them and it makes it easier for them to grow, cut off any brown or dead areas.
       In the new pot I like putting a coffee filter over the holes and then some rocks or packing peanuts. Coffee filters keep the dirt inside easier and help the plant retain moister longer. Then put your dirt in and make sure dirt is the same level on the plant as it was before. If using cheap dirt mix some fertilizer in it or in the water that you'll water them with after the transplant. See easy!
      Just a few tips here: when the weather starts chilling and you bring your indoors plants back inside take them directly into the bathroom and give them a shower, run water through them until they seem like they might be drowning, this will get any bugs out that might have made your plants home during the summer. I also shower my plants at least monthly in the winter to get all the dust off their leaves, I just don't drown them. Don't put oil or anything on their leaves to make them shinny, it's how they breathe and they don't need it to be shinny anyway, that's why you shower them, except for plants that their leaves are 'furry' (like violets) they don't like their leaves wet.  If your kitty likes using your plants for a bathroom put rocks over the dirt, those small bags of white rocks are cheap and look nice.
    If you live where it's warm now it's time to start thinking about ordering your bulbs to plant for this fall(check my left side, these are the company's I trust and use) and if it's winter time where you live have you started looking at seeds yet? Thinking about what you want to add to your beds this spring? What veggies you want? I like to try a new veggie every year in my veggie garden. And when I was younger(and broker) I would add a new perennial or two every year. They can be expensive, and that was before I knew to buy them in August or September when they go on sale, I still buy my Mums at that time so they can get established before it gets cold.  I also start a lot of my plants from seeds and next month I have plans to tell you all my secretes, I have a lot of good ones!