In depth gardening advice from an expert gardener
Putting up Christmas lights by dmswart
I know that this is a Garden blog, but TheGardenLady thought that at this time of the year there might be a need to earn a few extra dollars. This is a time to do something extra special for someone and for yourself. So this column will be a few suggestions, related to gardening- of course, that might bring in some extra money or might work into a full time job for you and will help people in your neighborhood.
Christmas Tree Candles 2009 by steveluscher
One of the most wonderful Christmas trees that I have ever had the good fortune to see, I saw when I was first married. I won’t tell you how many years ago. My husband had recently finished graduate school and I had two small children. We lived in an apartment complex where an international community of graduate students lived. One of the couples was from Switzerland who lived near us had two little children. When Christmas time came the wife told me that she was getting all the decorations from Switzerland. But most important, she had asked her parents in Switzerland to send her all the handmade Christmas decorations and the special candle holders and candles that were used to decorate a Christmas tree in Switzerland. And she told me that when the tree was decorated she would invite me and my family to see her tree.
Continue reading “Christmas Tree Candles and Zimsterne Cookies”
Master Gardener pull up by Garden Organic
TheGardenLady has often suggested that when you, the readers, need your soil tested or if you have horticultural, gardening or insect problems you should call of go to your local Master Gardener Organization or to your Extension Office. I am sure that many readers know about this excellent program, but in case there are some readers who wonder what TheGardenLady is writing about, TheGardenLady thought that it might be interesting to have a column devoted to the Master Gardener Program.
First let me tell you something about why the program started. In the 1970s there had been such a rapid urban growth in the US, with so many new homeowners interested in home gardens and plants that County Extension Agents who helped farmers were overwhelmed with questions. The County Extension Agents couldn’t really help all these new amateur gardeners and professional nurseries and farmers, too. So someone in Seattle, Washington came up with the idea of training volunteers in horticulture. In exchange for the training those trained must commit to a certain number of volunteer hours to help the County Extension office solve home owners’ horticulture, plant and gardening problems thus freeing the extension agents to work with those professionals in the plant business, farmers or nurseries as well as having the time to do more research.
…and the final product! Happy Christmas everyone! by David Stephensen
TheGardenLady thinks there is nothing lovelier for Christmas than a cut, fresh tree. But of course, there are those who don’t want to see a tree cut, or who don’t have the room for a large tree. Or there may be those who would like multiple Christmas trees in the house for the Holiday season and either don’t have the money for numerous large trees nor the room for numerous Christmas trees.
Whatever the reason, why not consider buying a tree in a container or if you find it with burlap around its roots. Go to your local nursery. Many are still open during the holiday season. Check out their small evergreen trees in pots. Some will hold the tree for you to be picked up closer to Christmas. When you bring it in, it can then be decorated and used indoors during the holiday season. And hopefully it can be planted in your or a friend’s garden or kept on your balcony or patio after the holiday is over. How to care for the tree is here.
The tree goweth by KTandCoffee
Many dwarf evergreen trees or young evergreens can be brought indoors with root balls intact and decorated for Christmas and then kept alive outdoors to perhaps be used indoors next Christmas.
The Sage (Salvia Pratensis) by panga_ua
I love puns. I was wondering if TheGardenLady readers enjoy them, too.
Mostly when friends forward puns to me, I keep on getting the same puns over and over again. Now I want fresh, new puns. So this GardenLady while stuck in the house on a rainy blustery day decided to try her hand at creating some puns.
The nature pun I came up with is: If an elephant gave birth to a baby girl, would she name it pachysandra?
Or, here’s one that my son and granddaughter came up with: When standing behind a French cow, you’ll get a whiff of the dairy air.
“Groan” you say. Can you do better?
Continue reading “Punning Fun for Sages of All Ages – Nature Puns”
Cachepot by HORM Design
Are you looking for unique or unusual presents for the holidays? This GardenLady has a few suggestions. I love the items that are not necessarily sold in the malls. And you know that TheGardenLady loves local items whenever that is possible especially because it supports the economy. So you will be able to find gifts in your location. And since it helps in these harsh economic times if the prices are reasonable, the shopping for gift suggestions are going to have modest price tags.
The first suggestion is to check out your local nurseries for presents. Many small nurseries not only have plants and flowers for the holidays, (And what could be nicer than a pretty new poinsettia for Christmas or a bouquet with blue and white flowers for Hanukah?) but also these nurseries often have surprising and unusual gifts. One of my favorites, Ambleside Nursery in NJ has the most delightful gifts. I think I can often do my entire holiday shopping at Ambleside Nursery. For example, they have the most extraordinary creche sets from around the world. And their Christmas tree ornaments have been among the most unusual ones that I have ever seen. One year I bought little mice ornaments for gifts. I eagerly look forward to seeing what surprises they have this year.
Tytebærblom/ Cranberries Flower by haraldna
Thanksgiving is over and after all the cooking, that generally means leftovers. I have never been a fan of leftovers, except for one; and that one is my homemade cranberry sauce. I used to buy it in cans until I learned how easy it is to make whole cranberry sauce from scratch. I buy the cranberries when they are on sale. I toss the bag into the freezer. When I am ready to use them, I rinse and cook the cranberries to serve with any type of fowl. In fact, my family thinks cranberry sauce is a necessity whenever I roast a chicken or a turkey -the cranberry sauce and chicken or turkey are a culinary marriage made in a heavenly kitchen. So for me, cranberry sauce is not just for Thanksgiving.
cranberry sauce by ~ Dave McCaskill ~
Continue reading “Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon): How to Make Cranberry Sauce”
Summer by Guiseppe Arcimboldo by fuzzyshoe
If your family is anything like my family, when we get together with young children we like to do an activity that everyone can participate in. Since everyone in the US is gearing up to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, TheGardenLady thought you may want a creative fun idea for this holiday; something that you can do with family and friends of all ages, from the youngest to the oldest. Of course, even If you are a reader of this blog who does not celebrate Thanksgiving, you might want to consider ways of using the idea in your home when you have your get together.
Continue reading “Thanksgiving Fun: Artistic things to do with fruits and vegetables”
Cooktown Trip (Group 28) – An Environmental Disaster – Mother in-law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) (Snake Plant) by emblatame (Ron)
TheGardenLady received this question from Pauline.
Does [Sanseveria] grow outside? I live in New Zealand. (Auckland)
Depending on which of the approx 70 different species of Sansevieria you are interested in growing will determine where they can be grown outdoors as a landscaping plant. Sansevieria plants are native to tropical and sub-tropical regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa and need the same temperature where they came from to thrive in your area.
The most common Sansevieria grown in the US is the Sansevieria trifasciata grown as a houseplant unless you live in a frost free zone which in the states would be
USDA Zones 9b to 10a: which is about -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
TheGardenLady saw them growing in private gardens in California. However, I have read that in frost-free areas, Sansevierias can become quite invasive because of their vigorous and spreading rhizomes.
Continue reading “Do Sansevierias Grow Outdoors in New Zealand?”
Zebrinium – (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) by Jasmic
TheGardenLady received this question from Jackie.
Are ‘weeping nutka’ or zebra grass acid loving?
Weeping nutka and zebra grass are two different grasses.
Continue reading “Which Grass Is More Acid Loving – Weeping Nutka or Zebra Grass?”