Announcing: A Gardening Carnival

Here at Her Gardening Blog, we are dedicated to bringing you the very best information to help your garden grow bigger, better and more beautiful each season. One of the things we are going to be doing each month is to play host to a blog carnival. We have aptly named it: A Gardening Carnival.
Our hope is that we can bring you the best of the best about gardening from around the world. We know that together we can create a fantastic network of gardening information that will become invaluable to you as a gardener. Our hope is that this will help the newest gardener to the fanatic, including myself.

So here is how it is going to work. Each month I will receive entries of permalinks to showcase here at Her Gardening Blog. I will gather them together throughout the month and at the end of the month, I will publish a blog post that will share all of these wonderful tidbits through links that are available for your perusal. I will try to make this as fun as I possibly can so that you will enjoy our carnival atmosphere each month. I will even have specific themes off and on for our carnival, making it a garden party you just won’t want to miss. And oh, so you can schedule time on your busy calendar for our gardening carnival, I will make it easy for you. We will be publishing the carnival on the last Wednesday of each and every month. So that means that our first one will launch on Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

I have already received some great entries that you will want to be sure to read! But I want lots more! If you have an entry that you would like to submit, then please be sure to click here. This will take you to our carnival page at Blog Carnival. Just follow the easy steps listed there and I will be happy to include your gardening article in our gardening carnival on May 28. This month’s theme is anything and everything to do with gardening. Consider it to be Carte Blanche.

So get ready to get out your best gardening gloves and shovels to party at our gardening carnival each and every month. If you have some theme ideas for future editions, please leave a comment. We want this party to be the best and to take you for a gardening carnival ride you won’t soon forget!

Photo by: Michael J Summerville

Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed

You may have noticed that many garden centers have been pushing the purchase of bare root plants. These plants are generally cheaper as they have not been potted into pots and containers. There is nothing wrong with these plants; they just haven’t gone through the extra work of potting them up for sale. This is a great time to get quality plants for less money. If they are available at your local garden center, then grab them before they are gone.

Another way that many people purchase bare root plants is through the mail. This can be a great way to purchase bare root roses. You can find quality rose plants that are not weighed down by heavy pots, thus saving you money while shipping. In this short video, P. Allen Smith shows you how to plant bare root roses, ensuring great results and a garden full of fantastic blooms for you to enjoy all season long.

Now that you know how to plant your bare root roses, start saving some money and get them ordered or purchased now. You will find that the enjoyment that they bring will far outweigh the small cost you paid.

What are some of your favorite plants to buy in bare root and why?

Having a pond can introduce a sense of tranquility within your yard. The soft sound of the water and the beauty that a pond can provide can encourage a stress free environment. But what do you need to do to beautify your pond in order to reap the benefits that it can provide? Here are a few tips to help you to create a beautiful pond and keep it that way:

Fish
The size and depth of your pond will be a determining factor if you can safely add fish to it or not. You will need to ensure that your pond will be able to accommodate them. If you plan to add fish to your pond, you will need to determine if the depth of your pond will allow for it. It is recommended that the minimum depth of your pond for fish be at least 18”. However, 2 ½ feet is considered to be ideal. Remember that your fish will need cool water in the summer and will need to live under any ice in the winter. If your climate is extremely hot or cold, then you will need to ensure that there are a few extra inches added to the depth of your pond. This will have a considerable impact on the health of your fish.

It is usually a good idea to start small and add a few fish at a time. This will allow you to test the water in your pond and the surrounding habitat before you spend a lot of money. When adding goldfish and comets, a good rule of thumb is to add 1 inch of fish per every three gallons of water. For Koi, it is recommended to have five gallons of water for every inch of fish. As your fish grow, you may need to remove some of them to maintain an environment in your pond that is considered to be ideal.

You will need to treat the pond water with a conditioner before you add any fish. This is because tap water can contain chlorine, chloramines and other elements which are harmful and toxic to fish.

Plants
There are four major types of plants that are considered ideal for a garden pond. These plants are:

• Oxygenating-These plants provide the vital oxygen that is needed by your fish and any other pond inhabitants.

• Floating-The addition of floating plants will help to reduce the development of algae in your pond. A mature pond should have surface coverage of 60 to 70% by floating plants.

• Water Lilies-These plants provide fish with needed shade and protection from predators.

• Marginal Plants-These are found all along the outer edge of the pond. These plants blend in with the surrounding landscape and make the pond more attractive.

Maintenance
When you first install your pond, the water may appear to be cloudy until things have a chance to settle. There are also many factors which will encourage the growth of algae. These include strong sunlight, water that is warm and overstocking and overfeeding your pond fish. Using a skimmer will discourage the formation of algae in your pond. You can also add a UV sterilizer which will kill the algae and any other harmful bacteria. This will result in a clearer and cleaner pond. Using safe chemicals in combination with aquatic plants will also improve the quality of your water.

You will need to check the strainer cage of your pump periodically in order to remove any debris and keep it running at a peak performance. You should also clean the filters regularly so they can continue to operate at peak performance. This should usually be done once every two to three weeks for best results.

When choosing items for your pond, you should visit the aquatic section of your local garden center for help and advice. How are you planning to beautify the pond in your yard?

Photo courtesy of FreeFoto

If you are a pet owner and a house plant lover, you’ve probably found that keeping both happy can be a balancing act. Cats and dogs often view our plants as playthings, snacks, and sometimes-even toilets! While there are many plants that are poisonous to our furry friends, here is a list of some safe varieties:

· African Violets (Saintpaulia)
· Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
· Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
· Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis)
· Zebra Plant (Calathea zebrina)
· Wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula)
· Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
· Peperomia
· Jade Plant (Crassula argentea)
. Arrowhead Plant
. Weeping Fig
. Maranta

When shopping for house plants, avoid obvious dangers like cacti. Dogs and cats don’t understand that the spines are sharp! Also avoid any plant that produces berries they are often too tempting for pets to resist. Here are some other plants to avoid or keep far out of your pet’s reach:

Oleander should NEVER be used as a house plant. Although it is beautiful, it is also very poisonous. 1 leaf is enough to kill your pet-and you.
Trailing plants such as Philodendron and Pothos should be kept up high where their trailing stems won’t tempt. While neither is toxic, ingesting Philodendron will give your pet an itchy rash, and Pothos will cause violent vomiting. Dieffenbachia should also be kept away from pets-the sap in its leaves can cause swelling of the throat and literally take your pets voice away. (It does the same thing to humans-this may be why some of its nicknames are “Mother in Law Plant” and “Dumb Cane”!) Ivies will cause a blistering rash, and even Aloe Vera, which is a plant no kitchen should be without (the gel inside is wonderful at healing burns and minor skin irritations), will cause vomiting and intestinal distress if eaten. Pregnant Onion is also quite toxic to pets. Asparagus Fern has spiky stems that can irritate a curious nose.

To be absolutely sure your pets and house plants can coexist safely, know what you’re buying. That way you’ll know which plants you can leave around your pets and which need to be placed out of reach-or not purchased at all!

Submitted by: Sue Walsh

Photo provided by: Dave Vijay

If you were to ask most people what their favorite flower is, more than likely their answer would be the rose. There are several things that you will need to consider when you decide to establish your own rose garden. One thing that you will need to think about when you are planting your rose garden is the amount of sunlight your roses will receive. Roses need to have a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. They will also need to be planted in an area that offers good air circulation. This will help to prevent disease.

You will want to be sure to thoroughly water your roses when you arrive home after purchasing them. If you will not be able to plant your roses right away, then you will need to place them in a shaded area to keep them cool. You will need to continue watering them until you are able to plant them.

The following tips will help your efforts be successful as you establish your garden of roses:

Amending the Soil: Roses prefer a soil that is slightly acidic and well-drained. Prior to planting your roses, you will need to amend the garden bed with one part organic material. This can be a mixture of Soil Pep, Coco-Peat, Peat Moss or manure that is well-rotted to two parts soil.

Planting-You will need to dig a hole that is a minimum of 6 inches wider than the root ball. The hole should also be deep enough that it will cover the graft of the rose. In colder climates, USDA Zone 5 or colder, you will want to make sure that the graft is 2 inches below the level of the ground. This will help to protect the rose from dying back to the rootstock. Most hybrid roses are actually grafted onto a hardier rootstock. If the rose dies back to the roots, then a different rose will begin to grow than what you planted. You will want to apply a root stimulator to the root ball before you cover it with your soil mixture. This will help the plant to become established more quickly.

Mulching-The application of a mulch product such as a Soil Pep does several things. It will aid in the retention of water, help to prevent weeds, and keep the roots of the plants cool during weather that is hot. It will also help to give the roses an attractive and finished appearance.

Watering- A drip system is the best way to water roses because it allows the water to soak into the ground and keeps the water off of the foliage of the rose. This will help to discourage disease. It is okay to use an overhead sprinkler, but be sure to use it in the early morning. This will allow the foliage of the plant to dry and will help to prevent disease. Be very careful that you do not over-water your roses. The roots need air as well as water. Do not keep the soil soaked continually. If the soil is moist around 1 inch below the surface, you do not need to water.

Fertilizing-Roses prefer a fertilizer that is balanced. You will want to choose one that has a fertilizer analysis of 15-15-15 or 5-10-5. You will want to fertilize the rose plants when they are in full leaf. Fertilize them again after the first bloom and finally about six weeks prior to the first anticipated frost. Do not fertilize them later as they canes of the roses need a sufficient amount of time to harden off properly before winter arrives.

Pruning-Roses are pruned in order to not only give them direction, but to promote their health and vigor. Pruning gives the plants shape, removes wood that is unproductive, removes wood that had been damaged by winter and provides a good circulation of air. The best time to prune your roses is in the early spring before the new growth begins. This should be done sometime after the last killing frost.

You will want to prune out any wood that is weak or has been damaged by the winter. Cut the wood about 1 to 2 inches below the damage. Remove any branches that are crossing. Be sure to leave any of the new and healthy canes. Also remove any of the suckers that are growing below the graft. When you are pruning, you will want to cut ¼ inch above the dormant bud eyes that are facing to the outside of the bush. The new growth on the plant will come from these eyes.

Pest and Disease Control-For an easy control of insects, you will want to apply a systemic rose fertilizer about every six weeks. You will also want to spray your roses with a systemic fungicide to help prevent disease.

Winter Care-Your roses will need to be prepared for winter. You will want to prune them back to around 18 inches. Be sure to mulch around the rose plant. This should be around 6 to 12 inches deep and you will want to use Soil Pep, leaves or soil. In colder climates, it is also helpful to place rose cones or rose collars around your roses. If you choose to use rose cones, you will want to make sure that the cones are well ventilated.

Realizing that there are many acclaimed rose growing tips, what are some of yours?

Photo provided by: Vema

There are many different herbs which can be grown indoor quite successfully. All you will need to do is provide them with a bright and sunny spot, a great container, some soil and a little love.

An indoor herb garden will require the same kind of care as a house plant. However, they will also provide you with indoor plants that offer pleasant aromas and can be used to flavor many of your favorite recipes in the kitchen.

You should start your indoor herb garden with these five herbs: oregano, rosemary, mint, thyme and chives. These are the herbs that most cooks use most regularly and these herbs will do well in an indoor garden. However, herbs such as basil do not do well in an indoor garden.

Be sure to place your herb garden in a windowsill that receives lots of sunlight. This will help your herb garden to survive. The ideal windowsill would be one that faces the south or southeast and gets at least five hours of sunlight per day. Your garden should also be placed away from any drafts.

1. Purchase some small herb plants from your local garden center and greenhouse.

2. Obtain a container or pot that is 6 to 12 inches deep. You can use a 6” pot for each individual plant or use a long or wide container and plant several herbs in it.

3. Choose a light potting mix that will offer good drainage. You can find a good quality potting mix at your local garden center.

4. Place a 2 to 3 inch layer of potting mix in the bottom of your container or pot.

5. Position your herb plants in the pot or container.

6. Fill the rest of your container or pot with the potting mix, while gently pushing it around the herb plants. You will want to leave around an inch of space at the top of the container or pot to allow for watering.

7. Be sure that you water your herb garden sparingly. Herb plants do not like to sit in soil that is wet.

8. Feed your herb garden once per month with a fertilizer that is labeled to be safe for edible plants.

9. Give your herb plants some time to acclimate to their new home. You will be able to start using your herbs once you are able to see new growth.

Be sure that you use pots and containers that have drainage holes. This will ensure that the roots of your herbs do not rot. You can protect your windowsill from water by placing the container or pot in plastic saucers that are a little wider than the container or pots.

It is important to give your herb garden the proper amount of water. When your garden receives the right amount, it will thrive and flourish. However, when you overwater, it can be very harmful to your herb garden. By keeping an eye on the moisture level of the soil, you will have a good idea of when your herb garden needs water. You will want to water the garden just enough to keep the soil moist. If you give it too much water, you will be depriving the herb plants of oxygen. If the leaves of the plants begin to turn yellow, it is a sure sign that they are getting too much water.

You should also be careful to not trim too much of each herb in your indoor herb garden. You will want to be sure to never trim more than 1/3 of the foliage of the herb plants.

Choosing to grow an indoor herb garden can be very rewarding. You will have your very own supply of fresh herbs to use in your favorite recipes. How will you use your herb garden while in the kitchen?

Photo provided by: Malinda Welte

When you think of insects and your garden, you are more than likely thinking about how to get rid of them. But there are actually some insects that are beneficial to have in your garden. These little soldiers can do a lot of good and you will be glad that you took the time to invite them to build a home in your garden. Some of these beneficial insects are the ladybug, praying mantis, beneficial nematode and the green lacewing.

In order to get the most from these beneficial insects, you will need to closely monitor your garden area. Be sure to check your plants regularly so that you will know when there are pests present. When you identify a pest problem, you will want to determine which type of beneficial insects will be the best solution. You will also want to be sure to release the beneficial insects when the pest population is low to medium. You must have a fast response to the problem in order to get the best results.

Here is a little information about each of the beneficial insects that you will want to purchase and introduce to your garden:

Ladybugs
Ladybugs are more than just pretty or a fun moment and a childhood rhyme. They like to eat aphids, thrips, spider mites, whitefly and whitefly larvae. They also love to feast on other plant pests which are considered to be sap sucking. Watching these insects in action will have you singing a new tune and requesting that they stay in your garden.

Praying Mantis
This bug is just plain cool. They are fun to watch and they are a huge benefit to your garden. They attack many of the flying and crawling pests that will eat your plants and flowers. Here is a short video that shows one of these cool bugs feasting on a potato bug:

Beneficial Nematodes
These are impossible to actually see with the naked eye, but the work they do is visible. These bugs prey on several of the soil born pests that can bring devastation to your yard and garden. They are considered to be especially effective on the crane fly larvae.

Green Lacewings
These insects make a great addition to your garden and you will find them to be especially beneficial. They feed on aphids, whitefly, thrips, leaf-hoppers, spider mites, scale crawlers and many more pests.

Introducing these friendly and beneficial insects into your garden can be a fun project. Most are fun to watch and it is a safe and organic solution to the pests that may plague your gardening efforts. What are some other non-traditional pest control methods that you can think of for your garden?

In case you haven’t read this post by Debra Roby at blogher, I thought that I would share a little of it just to give you a taste of a great blog post on Container Gardening. This post is very thorough and you will learn a lot of great information that you really need to know when considering gardening in containers.

Here is what Debra had to say:

This weekend I planted a very special part of my garden: the pots of succulents that grace my front steps and the kitchen pot garden that I keep on my back deck. Why?

Container gardening gives you options that you might not otherwise have in gardening:

• Plants that can be moved with the sun
• Plants where you want them, whether there is dirt or not
• Plants to experiment with
• Plants even when you have very little space.
• Plants replaceable for seasonal color.

From Gardening 101: Container Gardening

Debra has some really great ideas on how to make container gardening work for you. She tells you how to choose a pot and how to prepare the pot for the plants you choose to place within them.

One of her best tips is to pour WARM water into the soil mix to prepare it for planting. This enables the peat moss in the mix to absorb more water and not repel it. This will help the plants to get the water that they need. She also tells you how to prepare the bottom of the pots so that your containers will drain properly. This is imperative to the health of the plants as too much water can cause root rot.

Debra finishes her post with techniques to help you to get the watering down pat. Watering plants in containers is different and she gives us lots of suggestions on how to best accomplish the task. She lays out the information in an informative yet laid-back manner.

It is a very enjoyable read and I highly encourage you to visit her post on container gardening. When you do, come back here and tell me what you thought. What did you learn from her post and what do you still want to know?

Photo provided by FreeFoto

When I received an invitation to participate in the All About Parenting Blog Carnival, I knew just what to do. There needed to be an entry about Kids at Play in the yard and garden. What kid doesn’t like to play outside and explore the yard? Here are a few ideas to make the most of the time your kids spend playing in the yard and garden:

Toys for the Yard and Garden

There are several different toys available for play in the yard and the garden. These can range from inexpensive to moderately expensive. Kids like to pretend they are working along-side you, so why not find some kid-friendly tools? There are many different options available for plastic gardening tools and wheelbarrows to even lawnmowers. Remember the bubble mower? It was a fun way for the kids to pretend that they were mowing the lawn just like mom and dad.

Perhaps you want your kids to have gardening tools which are a little sturdier than the plastic ones. You will find several smaller tools such as spades and rakes at your local garden center. They will have several options to choose from to outfit your kids and encourage play in the garden.

Bugs and Butterflies

Maybe you have a budding entomologist on your hands. These kids will enjoy playing with the many different bug catchers and bug houses that are available for purchase. You can also make a simplified home with an old fashioned canning jar and a lid with holes punched in the top. This will provide hours of fun and excitement as they catch, observe and then release the many different bugs they will be able to find right in their own backyard.

If you have fireflies, show your kids how to catch them at dusk during the summer. This will provide a fun experience for the family.

Don’t forget to have a butterfly net on hand. Your kids will love chasing the bright butterflies and trying to catch them.

You may want to visit your local garden center and buy a container of ladybugs or a praying mantis sack. This will provide hours of fun as the kids let the ladybugs crawl on their hands and they sing the “ladybug, ladybug, fly away home” song. They will enjoy watching for the baby praying mantis’s to hatch. Not only is this a fun activity, but it will be beneficial for the plants in your garden as these bugs get rid of the bad bugs.

Feed the Birds

When it comes to birdfeeders, it doesn’t need to be expensive. While you can purchase a ready-made bird feeder, why not have your kids make one instead? It can be as simple as making one out of a milk carton to taking a pinecone, spreading peanut butter on it and then rolling it in birdseed. Attach a string to hang it from a tree branch and then watch the enjoyment that it brings to both the birds and your kids. Your kids will like feeding the birds and watching them flock around the feeder.

Stepping Stones

One of the best presents I ever received from my son was a stepping stone he made for my garden. He had fun making it and I enjoyed placing it in my garden path. These can be as simple or as fancy as you like. The kids will enjoy making them and then seeing them in the garden. It is a great way to display some creative artwork.

Plant a Kids Garden

What kid doesn’t enjoy playing in the dirt? There are many different things you can plant in a kids garden that will bring lots of joy and excitement all season long. Here are a few things your kids may enjoy planting in their garden:

• Easter Egg Radishes—While they may not enjoy eating them, it is fun to see the many different colors that these radishes grow in.

• Thumbelina Carrots—These carrots grow much shorter and your kids will think they have grown their very own baby carrots to enjoy.

• Bright Lights Swiss Chard—This chard grows in a rainbow of colors that your kids will enjoy seeing.

• Beans—Try Scarlet Runners and Royal Burgandy. These beans will provide lots of color and flowers for your kids to enjoy. There are also many varieties of bush beans that they will enjoy growing and some of them even grow in colors such as purple, but change to green when they are cooked. Kids will enjoy the color-changing magic that these beans possess.

• Potatoes—There are many different varieties available from the standard Russet to the Yukon Gold, Banana Fingerling or for colored fun, try the Blue potato or the Huckleberry variety which is purple.

• Squash/Pumpkins/Gourds—Squash plants are fun and make a big statement in the garden. Pumpkins are fun and provide excitement in October. Try Baby Boo pumpkins, which are small, or Autumn Gold which starts out growing in a yellow-orange color from the very beginning.

• Flowers—Plant annual flowers such as zinnias and marigolds. The kids will enjoy having their own garden from which to pick flowers from and give to mom. They will also enjoy the bright colors.

There are several other things that you can do to promote play in the yard and garden. What are some of the things you can think of that I haven’t mentioned? Please share a comment below!

Planting a flower garden should be more than just throwing a few flowers into the ground and hoping they will grow. A beautiful flower garden takes a little preparation and planning in advance. There are several things to take into consideration when you are planning your flower garden.

Location, Location, Location
Where will you plant your flower garden? Will you place it in the middle of the lawn or against a fence? Will you plant it in the sun or the shade? Will your flower garden have a little of both? Determining these things will help you to pick out the best plants for your flower garden.

Do You Have a Theme?
Do you know what purpose you want your flower garden to have? Are you going for a Cottage Garden theme with wispy flowers? Or perhaps you want a practical cut flower garden that provides continual blooms? Maybe you want a flower garden that is dedicated to wildflowers. Whichever you choose, it is sure to be a theme that will reflect your tastes and desires. You will be creating a place of enjoyment and pride.

How Often Do You Want to Plant?
Do you want to plant your flowers each year or would you rather that your flowers come back each year? Maybe you will decide that you would like a mix of annual and perennial flowers in your garden. You may even decide to mix your flowers in with other shrubbery.

Choosing Your Plants
You will need to decide if you plan on using flower seeds or flower starts. Both will provide remarkable results within your garden. Visit your garden center to get some good ideas. Seed will usually be cheaper than plant starts, but plant starts give you an instant gratification of seeing something growing in your flower beds.

Decide on your color choices. Do you want to attract birds or butterflies to your flower garden? If so, then choose plants that they will like.

Watch the heights of the flowers you plant. You will want to be sure that all of the low growing plants are in the front of your flower bed, with the taller plants in the back. There is nothing worse than getting those reversed and not being able to see the lower growing plants. Find a combination that appeals to your eye. Also be careful to allow enough spacing between each plant. Flowers need room to grow and breathe.

Growing a well planned flower garden will bring you lots of enjoyment throughout the year. What are your plans for your flower garden this year?

Photo by: kakisky