blogging

Last Minute Gifts for Gardeners

/ Earth and Oils / 1 Comment

Yep, one day after the Winter Solstice and we are down to three days before Christmas. Of course I would post about last minute gifts, right? Basically, I could give you a list of all the cool things you could get, and yes, I have done that before. But when it comes right down to it, all gardeners want are the basics to get the job done, am I right?!

Here are a few things that I believe are essential and practical for your gardening adventures year round.

  1. Gloves – if there is one thing I am learning, a good pair of gloves is absolute gold. I have gone through several pairs, including a small pair that cost a dollar “just to get by” during the summer months. Though they were pretty, they did not do the job. A couple of good brands to consider are womenswork and bionic gloves.
  2. Boots – I love a good boot for the garden, and pretty much I love rain/wellie boots for all of my gardening/outdoor adventures. The one I have been impressed with and believe they are worth every penny, are these Xtratuf® boots I purchased last year.  I have done everything from clearing brush to slogging through mud and slush and they are extremely warm, comfortable and all boot.
  3. Shovel – I don’t know about you, but the main tool I take with me every time I have yard work to do is my shovel. It helps me from bending over too much with little things like moving rocks, digging a trench, etc. I really don’t have a shovel in particular, only because people all have different preferences, and though this might seem like an odd gift, it’s a gift that only a gardener would appreciate.

 

Again, there are many things you can get, but these come to the top when it comes to gifts you can get last minute at a brick and mortar store and won’t disappoint. What are your number one gardening gifts?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Long Overdue “Hello”

/ Earth and Oils / 5 Comments

Goodness, I went through two seasons without posting one thing! Don’t for a minute think that I haven’t been in the garden– we just had a few other things going on this year that kept me from normal blog writing.

In April, my family purchased some land with a small cabin on it– that was one of scariest things, honestly, I have could ever think of doing. The thought of all the work that had to be done was daunting, and downright terrifying. But, it ended up being one of the best things we could have invested in, and we spent those two seasons learning the land and led me to learning about the different specimens of trees that call our little plot of the world “home”.

20190817_075643.jpg

Early morning picture in August. We have accomplished a lot, but have much more to do!

It’s been really interesting to learn the different types of trees we have, including Larch, which, I always admired from other places, because of the way it’s needles change color in the fall. Here was a little baby tree that was right next to our driveway.

 

The Larch tree can be seen in both summer and late fall.

Now, my big project is to figure out what trees are good for windbreak, but not big enough to block our sunlight, as we are powered by solar energy. So much to learn– getting there little by little! Stay tuned for some more adventures in the woods!

Now, back to regular gardening– yes, I did a lot of moving around in the garden again this year, to enhance growing performance for some plants–and it worked!

20191005_083546.jpg

I am trying to work towards a “cottage” feel in the ‘burbs. I created rock borders for my garage and front yard.

 Garden Takeway:

  • Just because something in your garden doesn’t seem to be doing well, doesn’t mean it’s dying. Try moving it to a sunnier, shadier location–depending on the plant, of course.

My dahlia haul was fruitful this year. I tried a variety pack on a whim, and they turned out better than I expected! I highly recommend to everyone who doesn’t grow dahlias to try– having beautiful blooms all the way into October really makes the growing season feel longer–and how sweet it is to have fresh blooms to cut in the fall!

 

 

Well, I hope this sums up two seasons good enough. I am putting together a holiday gift list that will include items every gardener/outdoors enthusiast will need!

What’s “Rock”ing in my Garden

/ Earth and Oils / 5 Comments

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and stopped for a little bit to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed so much for our country. Weather-wise, it was beautiful–perfect gardening weather. Today, not so much. I am typing this post on my patio, it’s 52 degrees and I am wearing a puffer vest with a merino wool baselayer– #springinbuffalo.

No matter, we deal and get through. I was lucky to get my gardening done, for the most part, last weekend, as I knew we would be camping for the holiday. I like to “experiment” in the garden, without it looking too tacky. I had a solar bird bath that I recently got rid of because it was falling apart. I had put these nice white rocks around it, to add a different look or texture to this particular area of the flower bed.

Now that the bird bath is gone, I decided I wanted to keep the rocks, but maybe add some plants that are for a rock garden. I purchased two, and my daughter surprised me with a couple more that she bought with her grandmother.

I have to admit I was not sure exactly of what I wanted, so I did some research and bought these different, yet interesting specimens:

The first and second pictures are different varieties of sedum, a type of succulent, which quite honestly I love. They are so hardy, unique and come back every year.

Picture #1 – Tricolor Sedum

Picture #2 – Aeonium

Succulents:

  • Have fleshy, thick stems that retain water. These plants are made for dry, arid climates,
  • Which means they are very good for rock gardens.

Picture #3 is a blue fescue. I tried to start these by seed a few years ago, but unfortunately they did not take. This is a visually stunning specimen and recommended for rock garden/ rocky areas. I am hoping this does well in this particular spot, because they need part sun, and this happens to be the best place in my garden for these types of plants.

You do not need a lot to start a rock garden, but if you would like to REALLY get serious about it, you can research some unique garden plans.

So, here are my quick tips for a rock garden:

  • Rocks
  • Plants of your choice
  • Gardening tools (trowel, shovel, wheelbarrow)
  • Enjoy!

I literally poured a bag of rocks out and went from there. Maybe some day when I get more rocks to enclose my beds, I will be able to get a little more fancy, but until then, have fun, experiment, and rock out your garden!

Forward to Spring — The Winter Clean-Up

/ Earth and Oils / 1 Comment

Happy Spring, Everyone!

What a wild and crazy winter we had here in the Northeast! As someone who lives in between two great lakes and is used to some challenging weather, I can’t remember a more windy, bizarre winter. With winds up to 75 mph, it definitely was a “hunker down and stay warm” kind of winter. This left me longing for spring faster than usual. Fortunately, my daughter kept me busy, and we have some other exciting things in the mix this year, which will allow me to flex my gardening muscle and challenge me in a different way. Stay tuned for more information!

The Doldrums of Winter

While winter kind of let me down this year, (January was OK, but February and after was blizzard central), I got to do something I haven’t really done since my daughter was born– read!

Amazon prime kept me busy– I pretty much bought books all season long!

They were all great reads, and I think I will be posting my other favorite reads in a future post. However, I am recommending this one first, because, it was the first one I purchased and the first one I loved!

20190327_093232.jpg

The Atlas of Poetic Botany by Francis Halle is a WONDERFUL read. Honestly, this book was an Instagram Ad on my feed, and I was intrigued. It tells of the unique plants the botanist has encountered in his many years studying the rainforest. The illustrations are delightful. The words flow, making it an engaging and interesting read. It does not get boring and dry like some other informational/reference books on plants can sometimes get, hence the “Poetic” in the name. If you want to learn about the interesting plants of the tropics, including a “walking tree”, I encourage you to read this. There is another book in this series coming out in May called, “The Atlas of Poetic Zoology”, and I can’t wait to get that one!

Spring Things

This morning, I was finally able to survey the perimeter of my yard, to see signs of spring that I have been anxiously awaiting. Just the other day, we had snow burying all the little treasures just waiting to pop out and bloom.

 

From left to right, my alliums, hellebores and tulips are looking good! I guess my leaf mulch helped them get through the sub-zero wind and weather this year! (At least, I’d like to think it did). I am really anxious to get outside and clean up the twigs and other crazy things that blew in and claimed residence to my landscape.

Garden Plans

Yes, it has happened– I have officially become that person who wants to try to grow many varieties of dahlias. I like them because they are just so darn pretty, and they make people happy.  You can take them into work and give them to co-workers who are having a bad day, and they immediately perk up. They bloom well into fall and you can have fresh blooms all the time. I guess that’s why I like them so much. So, I saw one of my fellow gardeners on Instagram have a catalog for Swan Island Dahlias. I quickly requested one myself.

20190327_093525.jpg

So, cut flower gardeners, if you are looking for a good selection of dahlias, this one is for you! Or, if you know of another great collection, please feel free to share! I have purchased a few dahlia bulbs from my local store, so it will be nice to try them from the different places.

I don’t know about you, but I am ready to enjoy spring and get my hands dirty!

 

A Thoughtful Approach to the Garden in the New Year

/ Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

Happy New Year, everyone! If you were like me, you have been hibernating this week because of sub-zero temperatures. I have actually been pretty busy with getting everything back to normal after the holidays. Our holidays were wonderful, and I hope yours were too. However, there is something about normalcy that makes me buzz along. As I have said before, 2017 was a great year. I am looking forward to 2018 in the garden. One big thing that has been on my list this year has been keeping me busy during the super cold weather:

20180107_171149.jpg

…it FINALLY came. My David Austin® roses catalog!!! I requested this months ago, and was absolutely thrilled when I finally received it. I would like to pick out a rose or two to add to my landscape this year. I have to plan appropriately, and make sure I find the right place for one. I am very excited to start this next chapter, for me, at least– growing roses!

I usually have resolutions for the garden and my home every year– and I have decided that my resolution will be to “go with the flow”. Plans don’t always work out, but other opportunities come along, and that’s fine too!

This time of the year is a great time. Garden planning, pouring over seed and plant catalogs– picking out what you would like for the garden this year. Nothing has to be fancy or expensive that you do in the garden. Little additions and improvements go a long way.

I say this because I was talking to a few people who said, “they can’t afford to garden.” Anybody can afford to garden. The smallest addition, which includes buying a packet of seeds, or buying small garden decor that add value to your landscape goes a LONG way. Gardening is one of the best investments out there– the joy and value it adds to your life cannot compare to a lot of other things. It’s a work in process– just like your home. Do a little bit when you can, and do more when you can. It’s all perspective, I guess. Don’t ever think you can’t. It doesn’t happen overnight, so enjoy the journey that comes with it.

So, with that, I hope you have a great start to the new year, and happy gardening!

Dahlia Tubers- the Short and Sweet of It

/ Earth and Oils / 8 Comments

Why is it, the older I get, the faster time goes? I didn’t even get to post at all in the month of November, and I feel like it was just yesterday that I actually dug up my dahlia tubers and gladiola bulbs. I have been meaning to write this blog post for a month now, and I apologize for the un-timeliness of it. I like to post when its relevant, but sometimes, it doesn’t turn out that way, and again, I apologize.

So, this is going to be a short and sweet article on digging up and storing dahlia tubers, and if you should or shouldn’t separate them right after you dig them up.  I got the advice from research, family and friends. The general consensus is that most people wait until spring to separate their tubers. 

20171104_111115.jpg

I was very excited to get so many tubers from my first ever Dahlia! 

Why?

  • When stored away for the winter, dahlia tubers grow eyes, or buds, from the crown. You want viable eyes to ensure healthy growing tubers for the next growing season.

There is also nothing wrong with separating tubers now, it will not harm them. There is debate as to if you will get any viable eyes if you separate before winter, but I believe it to be based on an individual basis. Every gardener’s tubers are different, and given the difference in many factors, including storage, temperature, etc., you may or may not get eyes at all.

Go with what you feel is right for you. You really can’t go wrong. Gardening is all just Trial and Error.

Oh, wait, I forgot– how do I store tubers?

  • Dahlia tubers need a cool, dry place to sleep for the winter. I have placed mine in a small cardboard box and tucked it away in a very dark corner of my basement. Basements are the best place to store away tubers and bulbs of all kinds.

I know this article will still help some people, as they are not in lake effect snow- prone areas of the world, so you still have some time to pack things up and get them ready for winter. For the rest of us, this can be a reference for the newbie Dahlia grower who needs a quick reference to ensuring a great growing season the next year!

Guest Blogger: Amsterdam Tulip Museum Online

/ Earth and Oils / Leave a comment

I can’t think of a better time than now to talk about tulips! As everyone is out picking out their bulbs for spring, please take a look at this great article that our guest blogger Chris has written up all about this historical flower!

 You can get more information and shop their beautiful gift shop at:

www.amsterdamtulipmuseumonline.com 

Give them a follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest as well!  Enjoy!

Broken Tulips: The Beautiful Curse

Broken Tulip Single Tulip Tulip Breaking Virus Plastic Sheet Takao Inoue www.takaoinoue.com

Bold. Flared. Striking.

Broken Tulips are like nothing else in the Tulip world…like nothing else in the flower world. Their distinct streaks immediately attract the eye and don’t let go.

At the height of Tulip Mania, it was the ‘broken’ flowers that had speculators running wild. Viceroy, Admiraal Van Der Eijk, the legendary Semper Augustus – they all had the distinct, broken pattern.

Semper Augustus Tulip Broken Tulip Tulip Mania Tulip Catalog Red and White Tulip

But today, these once-legendary flowers no longer exist. And Broken Tulips in general have fallen out of favor with growers and breeders. What happened? With their striking looks, wouldn’t the industry want to share these flowers with the masses? Wouldn’t they want to be able to offer a piece of the Tulip Mania history?

Unfortunately, the source of this beauty is also a curse. While Tulip Fanatics had long noticed that broken Tulips often seemed smaller and a bit weaker, it was not until 1928 that scientist Dorothy Cayley discovered the cause to be a Virus.

Broken Tulip In the Garden Tulip Breaking Virus Red Tulip Broken Takao Inoue www.takaoinoue.com

Spread by aphids, this virus infects the Tulip bulb and causes the flower to ‘break’ its lock on a single color. This results in the intricate flaring, feathering streaks on the petals. The color variegation is a result of of the laid-on color of the Tulip (its anthocyanin) being suppressed, leaving the underlying white or yellow to show through.

Exact symptoms can vary depending on the Tulip, the strain of the virus, and even elements such as time of infection. However, once a bulb is infected, all of its daughter offshoots will be as well.

Over time, the virus weakens the bulb and inhibits proper offset reproduction. With each new generation, the bulb typically grows weaker and weaker, until it has no strength left to flower and withers away. It is for this reason that growers today view breaks not as a benefit but as a danger that must be purged (else it infect and weaken other Tulips around them). And this is also why legends of old, like the Semper Augustus, are now lost forever.

Broken Tulips Bouquet of Broken Tulips Tulip Breaking Virus Takao Inoue www.takaoinoue.com

Fortunately, there is still hope for these incredible flowers. A few broken breeds, such as the Absalon and Mabel, have somehow remained free of the worst effects of the virus and been able to successfully propagate in perpetuity (Absalon has existed since 1780!). And small groups and societies continue to grow and breed Broken Bulbs, unable to resist their beauty (see below for an example of a recent breed so beautiful that the provider asked to be unnamed for fear of a flood of demand).  One can only hope that, in time, we will find a way to safely return this beauty to the mainstream of the Tulip world for everyone to enjoy.

T. Wakefield Tulipa Wakefield Wakefield Flame Broken Tulip Tulip Breaking Virus

If you are planning to grow Broken Tulips in your garden, extra precautions should be taken to prevent the virus from spreading to your healthy Tulips (and Lilies). It is recommended to plant them far away from other flowers, as the virus (spread by aphids and other sucking insects) can be difficult to contain once it spreads.

Broken Tulip photographs courtesy of Takao Inoue (www.takaoinoue.com), final image provided by a small grower society that asked to remain anonymous.

Learn more about Tulips with our Virtual Tour!

Our Veggie Patch Round Up and a Fall Report

/ Earth and Oils / 2 Comments

And just like that, fall has been underway for almost a month, and it has been fun, yet productive.

Though I have to admit it has certainly not felt like fall, temperatures in Western New York have been higher than they were all summer! So, I really didn’t get into the “Autumn spirit” until a couple of weeks ago, because I can’t justify decorating for fall when it’s 90 degrees outside!

I have had a wonderful time with my family pumpkin picking, apple picking, fossil digging, bike riding, and taking a drive to my parents house to see that their leaves are turning before ours!

wp-1508095889207.jpg

In between our busy activity schedule, I have managed to get some important Fall work done in my garden– seed collecting and cutting down perennials that look ragged. I also just purchased another 100 spring bulbs to plants out in my back yard, because I want to see spring everywhere in my yard, and not just certain spots! I know I am a little behind on the bulb planting, but with the weather the way it has been, I feel like I have a little more time to get the job done!

My dahlias are STILL blooming, and if there is any great joy I am getting more so this growing season, it’s definitely the dahlias. I love being able to go out in my back yard and cut those beautiful blooms through the fall. I will be writing up a post very soon about my dahlias and what I have learned from my first year growing them! You can see my beautiful blooms on Instagram @thebenttrowel.

Now, it’s time to talk veggies! Last year, we planted tomatoes as an introduction to a “starter” veggie garden. They did VERY well. We planted cherry and beefsteak tomatoes, which I recommend to anyone who wants to start a veggie garden but who’s unsure of how to start. Tomatoes are very easy to grow– a good “get your feet wet” veggie, I say!

This year, we expanded our veggie crop to include cherry tomatoes, corn, cayenne peppers, habenero peppers (my husband LOVES hot peppers). I happy to report, most everything did well, but because of our cold and rainy summer weather, some veggies took longer to ripen than usual.

Here’s the lowdown:

Tomatoes— we planted cherry tomatoes this year, and we did not get nearly as many this year than last year. In fact, we still have some that are green, and they are taking a long time to ripen. I plan on letting them go a little longer, but unfortunately, I have will have to pull them soon.

Corn— If there was any surprise in the veggie garden this year, it was definitely the corn! We planted 10 plants back in May, and we were just hoping for an ear or two. I was a little nervous with the weather, as corn tends to like hot conditions, but we had wonderful results! The corn was big, and I have to honestly say, was the best tasting corn I had ever had!

20170806_164338.jpg

This corn was the best I have ever tasted! 

Cayenne Peppers — This was my husband’s pet project. He is all about very hot foods, and wanted to try to make his own rubs for chicken, beef or pork. The cayenne peppers ripened before everything else in our garden and were a beautiful bright red. My husband is trying to overwinter a plant and see if it makes it next year.

20170923_183945.jpg

Cayenne peppers among the sunflowers!

Habenero Peppers — These were the most difficult out of everything we planted to grow. We planted these with everything else back in May, and we didn’t even start getting any kind of pepper until end of August, early September. I think these plants were the most sensitive to our finicky summer weather. We had blossoms forever, and kind of gave up hope. But, they ended up tricking us, and we got some pretty nice peppers!

20170923_184003.jpg

This little baby was well worth the wait!

So, that is the veggie patch round up, which will surely expand next year, and naturally, we will learn more as we “grow”.

What did you plant in your veggie patch this year? What would you recommend?

 

 

 

Beginners Guide to the Cutting Garden

/ Earth and Oils / 1 Comment

How interesting it is that my first blog post since July would be on my 3 year blogging anniversary!! So, thank you to all of my followers and fellow bloggers who take time out read my blog posts– I really appreciate it!

This summer was wonderful for me and my family. August was filled to the brim with activity, which led to the void of blog writing for the month. I feel bad that I let it go like I did, because I have made it a habit to post at least once a month.

None the less, I am back, and now that fall is nearing, and school is back in session, it’s time to get back to routine. So, blogging, here I come!

I have mentioned in previous posts my desire to start a cutting garden. I purchased several different seeds and hoped for the best. I think this was a great start to a beginning cutting garden, and I would like to pass this along to anyone else who is thinking of doing the same some time.

A couple of things to remember:

-It’s all trial and error. That’s gardening in a nutshell. Experiment with different seeds and bulbs. See what does well and what doesn’t. It takes a while some times.

-There are some really easy seeds to start with. As I detail below, some seeds you should just buy and plant. It’s that easy.

I planted:

1. Bunny Tails. This is the second year trying these, and no dice. I will try one more time and see what happens. Degree of planting difficulty: MODERATE- they tend to be picky about where they are planted.

2. Zinnias. O.M.G. These were so easy! And beautiful– pinks, oranges and some peach colored ones to boot! I hear they also self-seed, and keep coming back every year. I recommend getting a packet of zinnia seeds should you ever want to start a cutting garden! Degree of planting difficulty: EASY

zinnia

My peachy-keen zinnia!

What came back for me from last year:

3. Cosmos. I think this was in part because last year was so warm for us– we were having 70 degree temps in November– and my cosmos kept going. I didn’t cut them down until this spring. Degree of planting difficulty: EASY

cosmo

4. Morning Glories. These actually surprised me. But, they too, were like the cosmos, and I left the brown stems up until this past spring. Even though they aren’t your typical cutting flower, they were wrapped around my cosmos, so I just lumped them in with them. Degree of planting difficulty: EASY

The bulbs I planted:

5. Dahlia. I was nervous, I have to admit. I planted dahlias a lifetime ago, it seems like, and they did nothing for me. This year, I have had great success, and am reaping the benefits. Dahlias are all over my house. Degree of planting difficulty: EASY

dahlia

*Beginner’s Tip– You will have to stake your dahlias. They are very top-heavy, and they fall over easy. 

*Dahlias are hardy in zones 8-10. If you live outside those zones, you will have to take the bulbs out and store them in a dark, dry place for the winter.

6. Gladiolus. I got these bulbs as a birthday gift from a co-worker, and they did not disappoint. I got beautiful pink and purple stalks that I have been enjoying all summer. I cut a few stems and I was very surprised at how long they lasted! Degree of planting difficulty: EASY

glads

*Gladiolus (“Glads”, as they are commonly referred to), are hardy in zones 8-11. Bulbs, too will have to come out if you are outside those zones. However, I have heard from some fellow gardeners that if you mulch heavily and live in zones 6-7, you can actually keep them in the ground and they will come up again the next year.  

So, I hope this helps you. There are SO many more cutting flowers out there. If anybody has one they recommend, please tell me. I will be expanding next year for sure!