Gifts for Gardeners – 2016 Edition

December 14, 2016December 14, 2016 / Earth and Oils / Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe that Christmas will be here in less than 2 weeks! December always ends up being a stressful month for me, no matter how I try to make it OK. One year ago today, it was 70 degrees out– there were dandelions on the ground!!

Fast forward to today– it’s 33 degrees, and at my house, we are getting our first real blast of Lake Effect snow. What a difference a year makes!

All perfect timing to do my annual Gifts for Gardeners list! And the funny thing? I never get any of them!!! LOL

Here are some things that I am going to make an effort to acquire– because they are both practical and nice to have!

Photo Source: muckboots.com.eu

Muck Boots— I LOVE that they are now making a wellie-like winter boot! I love the Royal Horticulture Society version, but unfortunately, you can’t get it in the US. I am sure I could probably order it online straight from Europe.

Photo source: amazon.com

Plant:Exploring the Botanical World –I have heard nothing but good things about this book, and after taking a peek at the preview on Amazon, I can see why. The illustrations are stunning, and the book itself looks in depth and informative. I need to get my hands on this!

Women's UA StudioLux® Beanie LIMITED TIME: FREE U.S. SHIPPING 2 Colors $34.99

Photo source: underarmour.com

Under Armour Studio Lux Beanie — I LOVE this hat! I own two and want every color! They are comfy and cover up my ears just right! So, when I am out filling up bird feeders or taking pictures of Winter Interest in my garden, this will be the first one I pick up!

Photo Source: target.com

Smith and Hawken Terracotta Pots — My garden plan next year includes using more terracotta planters in my garden. I have to start thinking about stocking up!

Joseph Bentley 21 in. Wooden Garden Trug

Photo Source: homedepot.com

Garden Trug — This is the one thing I have wanted to get for some time, but keep pushing it off for something else! This is so simple, practical and beautiful. If we are expanding our veggie garden, I want to be prepared! I might actually buy this for myself and put it under the tree– then I will finally have something under the tree for me LOL!

Photo Source: terrain.com

Garden Trowel and Fork Set— Playing off my namesake blog– you NEED a good set of tools to do work in your garden. This is the perfect, quality set! Besides, what would be a Gift for Gardeners list without the necessities!

Photo Source: rareseeds.com

The Whole Seed Catalog — I just saw this at Barnes and Noble the other day, and got excited, because now that we are expanding our vegetable garden, this will be the perfect periodical to pick out some great new seeds to grow!

I hope this list is helpful– I can guarantee any gardener in your life will be thrilled to get any of these!

Happy holiday shopping!

Real Tips for Christmas Trees

November 28, 2016November 28, 2016 / Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

We are now officially in the holiday season!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love this time of year! I have been busy with family and and decorating for Christmas with my 5 year old who is so excited she can’t even contain herself!

It all started Wednesday night, when my daughter was hit with her first stomach bug. Of all times, the day before Thanksgiving. But, we weathered the storm, and thank goodness 5 year olds bounce back better than someone my age– we had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we even made it down to my parents house the next day for yet another dinner and to celebrate my mother’s birthday!

However, the days caught up with her, and she still wasn’t 100 percent. Saturday, she was left very tired and with an “unsettled” tummy. You could tell in her eyes that we needed to take a break. All she wanted to do was “put up the Christmas tree”.

Now, the week before, I did put up my artificial pencil tree in my living room and we decorated another small artificial tree for the empty room upstairs. But, she wanted to get the “Real” Christmas tree. The one with all the presents underneath!

That, we decided, would be a REAL tree. We put that one in our finished basement. My husband and I decided last year that we wanted to start a tradition by going down to the little tree stand a few minutes from our house and purchasing a real tree.

Now, this was new to me. The last time I had a real tree was ions ago when I was a little girl and my dad would go cut one from the woods on our property. They didn’t do that long. Soon after, they purchased an artificial tree and that was that!

I was nervous, however, that it was too early for a REAL tree. So, I sought advice and researched the subject. We even asked the friendly Christmas tree farm man at the tree stand. Here is some friendly advice for anyone looking into getting a real Christmas tree for the first time:

Is after Thanksgiving too early to purchase a tree?

No! But only if you pick the right kind of tree.

Here are a list of trees that can be considered as your Christmas tree:

Fir trees— Douglas, Balsam, etc. are the best. The most common type of tree you will find at roadside stands and farms. They will not drop their needles quickly if you water them.

Our Christmas Tree is a Balsam Fir.

Cedar — I read that this is one of the best types of trees as well to have as a Christmas tree. They last forever.
Cypress — Another great tree that is said to last a long time!

How often do you water the tree?

Daily! Avoided needles dropping by watering your tree daily! You may have to scrap the cap of sap off the end if you notice the tree is not taking in water. The cut part of the tree is prone to the “pitch” capping over. Be watchful.

Don’t get a pine tree. Ever.

Pine trees don’t keep their needles long at all. Unfortunately, they start falling off after a week!

Well, I hope this little guide helps. If you have any other information, please pass along! I am always looking to broaden my knowledge of horticulture in general!

Twinkling tree and Christmas village courtesy of my daughter!

That December Sun and Other Things I Have Been Up To

December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 / Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

That December sun. The sunset tonight was out of this world. You don’t see it that often around these parts of the world at this time of year! It kind of sums up what the weather has been like for us in Buffalo. Milder than normal temps which resulted in another record broken for us– the longest we have gone this time of year without measurable snow!

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So, you really can’t do anything but take advantage of this weather if you have any last minute yard/garden work that needs to be done. I have been busy with a lot of different things, so here are a few things I accomplished on this 50+ degree weekend:

I broke a record for myself in the garden yesterday– I planted spring bulbs on December 5th!!

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Remember, you CAN plant bulbs right up until the ground freezes. Even if that means December 5th!

My amaryllis bulb I posted about last year is going to bloom again! After giving it TLC and taking my own advice, it’s back and I couldn’t be happier!

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I brought my tropical hibiscus in the house and it is still going strong! I have also made it part of my seasonal decor by adding a few ornaments. You can do this with any container plants you had outdoors for the summer. It makes your interior decor unique and welcoming!

I put a few ornaments on it, but not too many because I have two cats who are a little too curious…

I finally got some time to decorate my urns on my front porch. They are pretty much the same as last year, but without any evergreens just yet. My spikes are still thriving, so it’s just my giant bulb ornaments with spikes and creeping jenny for now!

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Nothing has cost me a lot of money– it’s amazing what a little creativity can do for you! Using your own houseplants and containers from outdoors this past growing season can be used in what I like to call “transitional decorating” — from the holidays to winter. I always like to keep some kind of decorations up all winter because it can get a little dreary without some “cheer” around the house.

I have a special decorating post I have in the hopper all about one of my favorite things — Feather Trees! So, until next time, Happy December!

Indoor Plant Kits and Some Points about the Poinsettia

December 23, 2014 / Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope that your holiday season is coming along just fine! I am actually looking forward to some time off here within the next few days. It will be nice to decompress after a quick and busy December! This is one of my favorite scenes of the season:

This little Christmas tree stand right down the street from me looked so pretty with the snow we got last week!

This little Christmas tree stand on the canal right down the street looked so pretty with the snow we received last week!

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased my first indoor plant kit! You almost always see indoor plant kits/bulbs at the holidays. Two of the most common and popular are the Amaryllis and Paperwhites. Amaryllis are big, beautiful plants that are most generally grown inside. They are said to bloom quickly and easily. Hopefully, mine will as well! Paperwhites are small, beautiful delicate flowers that are, well, white. Both of these plants are very popular indoor plants that brighten up the long, dreary days of winter.

So, for $8.99 at my local garden center, I purchased this one:

Now this is a kit and was extremely easy to put together. All the instructions are on the backside of the box.

This is what is supplied to you:

You have your bulb, potting mix, pot and saucer.

Start by putting two inches of the potting mix in the pot.

2. Place the bulb in the pot and spread out the roots.

3. Take the rest of the potting mix and place around the roots of the bulb. Make sure that the top 1/3 of the bulb is exposed.

The exact reason why I need a potting soil scoop!

4. When you are done, make sure water it first with lukewarm water, and then place it in a sunny spot in your house. Make sure to keep the soil moist– do not over water.

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Your plant should bloom within 6-10 weeks. Enjoy, and take good care of it!

Fast facts about the Poinsettia

I love getting Poinsettia for family members, and myself, for Christmas. I really like the ones you can get in the grocery store that are purple and full of glitter! They are actually a very interesting plant with an amazing history. Here are some fun facts about this beautiful holiday plant!

They are native to Mexico and Central America— they are actually shrubs/trees that can grow up to 13 feet tall in their native environment!
There are over 100 different varieties of the Poinsettia
They are NOT poisonous— contrary to popular belief, they are NOT poisonous to your pets, though if your cat or dog did get a hold of leaf, they would have minor gastrointestinal problems. So, be sure to keep them out of reach!
It became associated with Christmas in 16th Century Mexico— the star-shaped leaves are said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem.

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, and cheers to a great new year in the garden ahead!