Archive for May, 2008

In this week’s podcast, we are focusing on Tips for a Successful Herb Garden.

Herbs are a garden world of excitement and intense sensory delights. They are among Mother Nature’s oldest garden gifts. These easy-to-grow plants have been cultivated for centuries by gardeners who have found in them medical necessities, culinary enjoyment, unique landscape subjects and fragrant houseplants.

Be sure to download the Herb Guide that I have provided for your use. This guide is filled with lots of information that you will find useful. I have included information on annual herbs, perennial herbs, culinary herbs, herbs that can be used for medicinal purposes, fragrant herbs, herbs for dried arrangements and many other things.

If you have a question for us here at Her Gardening Blog, please leave a comment below the podcast. We will be happy to answer your questions and build an entire weekly podcast around them. Enjoy!

 

tips-for-a-successful-herb-garden.mp3

general-herb-guide.pdf

 

Popularity: 6% [?]

Welcome to the May 28, 2008 edition of A Gardening Carnival.

Flowers

R.Pettinger presents Tips For Growing Sweet Peas posted at The Compost Heap, saying, “Some practical tips to help grow sweet peas, one of the great garden flowers.”

Lavender Farms- Young Living presents Potting Lavender posted at For the Love of Lavender, saying, “Lavender has so many uses, not mention it smells fabulous! Try it this year in your garden”

Gardening

Michael Nolan presents Mother Nature?s Practical Jokes posted at My Earth Garden

MyMaria presents Frugal Gardening Tips posted at Financial Tips, saying, “Hi! Many families are turning to gardening as a way to ease the budget. here are some frugal gardening tips to help.”

Mark Schauss presents What do the Numbers on Your Fruits and Vegetables Mean? posted at Toxic World Blog – Detoxify and Heal Your Body.

Deborah Armstrong presents Gardening – Fantasy vs. Reality posted at Gardening – Fantasy vs. Reality Comments

Jamie McIntosh presents Hail in the Garden posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “Hailstorms can bring devastation to the spring garden.”

Surfer Sam presents The Secret Lives of Bees. Honey, Health and Harvests ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying,”The Secret Lives of Bees. About one-third of the human food supply depends on bee pollination. We also use honey and bee pollen as natural food products to promote wellness. Bees are beneficial for everyone. Bees, we can’t do without them.”

Matthew S presents Garden Update: Bio-diversity? posted at Play the Dad? Be the Dad!.

Kids Gardening

Sonja Stewart presents A Child’s Vegetable Garden: Cultivating Fun, Learning, and Responsibility posted at Parenting Squad, saying, “Creating a small, child-friendly vegetable garden is exciting, fun, and educational. A garden has the potential to produce not only tomatoes and carrots but pictures, scarecrows, math practice, and other wonderful moments of discovery. It is a place of limitless possibilities – learning never tasted so good!”

Jamie McIntosh presents Organic Gardens Blog @ Suite101.com posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “Get children out of the house and into the garden.”

Mother Hen presents Squash Eatin’ Squid posted at Ship Full of Pirates.

Lawn Care

Sarah presents Managing Lawn Care During A Drought | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “What to do about your lawn during a drought!”

Amy L. presents Organic Pesticides For A Safe Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “The advantages of using organic pesticides for your lawn”

Sarah presents Choosing The Right Grass For Your Local Climate | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Savvy lawn owners are interested in imported specialty grasses and exotic species from around the world or for their lawn.”

Amy L. presents Using Fall Leaves To Fertilize And Protect Your Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Remarks: Every year, people spend millions of dollars to purchase commercial fertilizers and mulches for their lawns. Yet at the same time, they rake up the fallen leaves from neighboring trees and put them in the trash.”

Sarah presents Why Is Proper Lawn Clipping Height So Important? | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “The importance of the clipping height of your lawn”

Organic Gardening

Teri presents To Compost or Not To Compost… Is that really a Question? posted at Teri’s Organic Garden, saying, “I’ve posted an article about composting and linked to some wonderful blogs and articles concerning composting and the science behind it.”

Sarah presents Organic Weed Control Methods And Herbicides | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Organic methods to keep those pesky weeds from ruining your lawn.”

Sara Ost presents The Dirt on Sexy Soil posted at Sara Ost.

Woman Divorce Support presents Using Organic Fertilizers For A Healthy Lawn | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Many people want to have a beautiful lawn without all of the harmful effects of synthetic fertilizers.”

Vegetables

Melanie Rimmer presents Hug Your Allotment Chairperson posted at Bean-Sprouts, saying, “Hug your allotment chairperson. You know you want to.”

Woman Tribune presents Planning Your Own Vegetable Garden posted at Woman Tribune.

Lisa Spinelli presents Remember the Tomatoes? Heirloom Seeds | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

Miscellaneous

Steven Chang presents Baby Greens and Baby Garden posted at Gagazine.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Yard Yarns (Limerick and Haiku Prompt) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Davexplorer presents Cell Fuel Cars and The Eco Bedroom posted at Your Greeness

That concludes this edition. Thank you to all of our great participants! Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on June 25, 2008.

Popularity: 5% [?]

While chives are a good addition to a fabulous recipe, most people don’t care for them in their lawn. Getting rid of pesky chives or wild onions in your lawn can be difficult and frustrating, but there are a few things you can do. If you don’t mind having the purple flowers in your lawn that the chives or wild onions provide, or you like the onion smell they emit each time you mow your lawn, then you can just ignore them and do nothing. But if you want to get rid of them, here are a few options.

Of course the simplest method is to dig them up every time you see them in your lawn. This is effective and organic, but it is time consuming and they can still spread if you are not careful.

Another method is to use a product such as Hi-Yield Kill-Zall or Round Up. These products contain a chemical called glyphosate. This chemical is effective because it works on killing all plant tissue. It is a non-selective weed killer. This means that it will kill not only the weeds in your lawn, but the grass too. Depending on the severity of the chive problem you have, this can make your lawn not appear very pretty until enough time has passed and you can re-seed your lawn. This is usually within 14 days from when you sprayed the chemical to begin with. Sometimes it will be even longer, because you will need to do more than one application of the chemical for your chive problem to disappear. So if you don’t mind waiting awhile to re-seed your lawn and then waiting for it to re-grow, then this may be the option you will choose.

Another option that is new to the market is to use a product called Weed-Free Zone by Fertilome. This product is a selective weed killer for lawns. It will kill the unwanted weeds in your lawn without damaging or killing your grass. The label includes wild onions/garlic which belongs to the same family as the wild chive. By following the directions on the label, and targeting and applying to the patches of the wild chive you should have success in eradicating this nuisance plant from your lawn. I actually like to use this product for all of my weed problems in my lawn. It is very effective on mallow, clover and dandelions. I like how it kills the weeds and leaves the healthy grass intact.

Getting rid of wild chives or wild onions in your lawn can be a nightmare. However, with diligence and persistence, you can knock them out and have that healthy lawn you crave for the summer. Which method will you choose to eradicate the chives and wild onions from your lawn?

Photo by Matthew Bridges

Popularity: 27% [?]

With the price of everything going up this year, you may want to plan on cutting some costs in the kitchen and dry your fresh herbs from your herb garden. Although it may seem a little early to be discussing this, it is never too early to plan. You may want to increase the size of your herb garden to be sure that you will have enough to use throughout the year, both fresh and dried.

So, how do you dry the herbs you have grown in your herb garden? The good news is that it really isn’t too difficult. Here is a video to help you get the most out of your herb garden this year.

Planning ahead is always essential in gardening. With a solid plan, you will find you will have the greatest results and yields. Though it might seem you are planting an abundance to harvest, if you find you have more than you need for your needs both in fresh and dried, there are still things you can do with the excess.

• You can sell any extra herbs.

• You can share any extra herbs with your neighbors and friends.

• You can always donate any extra herbs to your local food bank or soup kitchen. They will thank you for your thoughtful gift.

Which herbs are you planning on growing this year? Will you use them fresh or dried? Or will you plan for both? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Popularity: 3% [?]

If you have planted an herb garden, you know that there is nothing better than cooking with your fresh herbs. But do you know which herbs go with which foods for the best results? Here are some suggestions to help you get the most out of your herb garden.

• Asparagus- lemon balm, oregano, savory, lemon verbena, parsley, tarragon, lovage.

• Beans- basil, marjoram, oregano, savory, spearmint, thyme, bay, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, mint, rosemary, tarragon, lovage.

• Beets- basil, savory, thyme, bay, caraway, dill, sage, tarragon.

• Broccoli- basil, rosemary, lovage.

• Cabbage- marjoram, mint, savory, caraway, dill, fennel, oregano, lovage, borage.

• Carrots- lovage, applemint, basil, marjoram, mint, orangemint, oregano, thyme, tarragon, anise, bay, caraway.

• Cauliflower- marjoram, savory, rosemary, lovage, dill.

• Eggplant- basil, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, sage, thyme, chervil, chives, fennel, garlic.

• Peas- applemint, basil, orangemint, rosemary, sage, savory, spearmint, tarragon, thyme, parsley, lovage, fennel, dill.

• Potatoes- basil, marjoram, mint, rosemary, savory, spearmint, thyme, bay, caraway, fennel, garlic, parsley.

• Spinach- lovage, sorrel, basil, mint, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, sage, marjoram, chervil, borage.

• Tomatoes- basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, thyme, fennel, dill, chervil.

• Beef- basil, lemon thyme, marjoram, mint, rosemary, savory, thyme, anise, borage, dill, fennel, garlic, lovage, parsley, tarragon.

• Chicken- lemon balm, basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, spearmint, thyme, tarragon, savory, sage, oregano, lovage, marjoram, garlic, fennel, coriander, chives, chervil.

• Eggs- lemon balm, basil, marjoram, sage, savory, thyme, tarragon, fennel, dill, bay, parsley, chervil, chives.

• Fish-lemon balm, lemon verbena, basil, clary, hyssop, lemon thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, bay, caraway, chervil, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, tarragon.

• Goose- clary, marjoram, sage, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, parsley, chervil, garlic.

• Lamb- lemon balm, basil, lavender, marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, chervil, dill, fennel, garlic.

• Pork- lemon balm, basil, clary, marjoram, pennyroyal, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, chives, fennel, anise.

• Rabbit- basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, sage, thyme.

• Turkey- basil, lavender, lemon thyme, sage, thyme, tarragon, savory, oregano, lovage, garlic, fennel, bay, chervil, chives.

Be sure to use your herbs sparingly, and do not use all of the herbs listed at once. Be creative and enjoy your culinary creations. You are sure to make some divine dishes in the kitchen that are pleasing to even the most discerning palette. What are some of your favorite herb combinations that you have used in your favorite dishes?

Photo by D. McAbee

Popularity: 9% [?]

I have had several requests for some more yummy strawberry recipes. So this week, I am indulging your palette with even more strawberry creations. We are also beginning to harvest another great item in the garden…rhubarb. As so many people love to mix the great flavors of strawberries and rhubarb together, I am including a couple of recipes for the Strawberry-Rhubarb lovers as well. Your mouth will zing with the sweet and tangy combination. I hope you enjoy the recipes I have chosen to share with you!

Please remember, if you have a question for us here at Her Gardening Blog, please leave a comment below the podcast. We will be happy to answer your questions and build an entire weekly podcast around them. Enjoy!

more-strawberry-recipes-and-a-little-rhubarb.mp3

Popularity: 1% [?]

Most people welcome butterflies and hummingbirds into their gardens. If you choose the right plants, you can even encourage them to stay for awhile. Butterflies will find a sunny area such as a meadow that is sheltered from the wind to be the most welcoming. They will especially love such amenities as leaf litter, rock crevices, damp places, brush piles and even weeds.

When you choose plants for your garden, keep in mind that not every plant will attract butterflies in every region. You should also be very careful to not use pesticides unless you are able to target the specific pest without harming the butterflies.

Hummingbirds ingest half of their food every day. Flowering plants provide nectar; spiders and insects supply protein. Hummingbirds will visit a wide variety of plants. The following plants and flowers are some of their favorites.

Flowers

Botanical Name (Common Name)

• Achilla–(Yarrow)

• Alcea–(Hollyhock)

• Allium–(Chives)

• Anaphalis–(Pearly Everlasting)

• Antirrhinum–(Snapdragon)

• Aquilegia–(Columbine)

• Arabis–(Rock Cress)

• Armeria–(Thrift)

• Asclepias–(Butterfly Weed)

• Aster–(Aster)

• Astilbe–(False Spirea)

• Borago–(Borage)

• Calamintha–(Calamint)

• Catananche–(Cupid’s Dart)

• Centaurea–(Cornflower)

• Centranthus ruber–(Jupiter’s Beard)

• Crysanthemum–(Shasta Daisy)

• Coreopsis–(Coreopsis)

• Cosmos–(Cosmos)

• Delphinium–(Delphinium)

• Dianthus–(Pink)

• Digitalis–(Foxglove)

• Echinacea–(Purple Coneflower)

• Echinops–(Globe Thistle)

• Erigeron–(Fleabane)

• Eupatorium–(Joe-Pye Weed)

• Fuchsia–(Fuchsia)

• Gaillardia–(Blanket Flower)

• Heliotropium–(Heliotrope)

• Heuchera–(Coral Bells)

• Iberis–(Candytuft)

• Iris–(Siberian Iris)

• Knifophia–(Red Hot Poker)

• Lantana–(Lantana)

• Lavendula–(Lavender)

• Liatris–(Gayfeather)

• Lobelia–(Cardinal Flower)

• Lobularia–(Sweet Alyssum)

• Lupinus–(Lupine)

• Mimulas–(Monkey Flower)

• Monarda–(Bee Balm)

• Nasturtium–(Nasturtium)

• Nepata–(Catmint)

• Origanum–(Oregano)

• Penstemon–(Beard Tongue)

• Petunia–(Petunia)

• Phlox–(Phlox)

• Physostegia–(Obedient Plant)

• Rudbeckia–(Gloriosa Daisy)

• Salvia–(Sage)

• Scabiosa–(Pincushion Flower)

• Sedum–(Stonecrop)

• Tagetes–(Marigold)

• Veronica–(Speedwell)

Vines

Botanical Name (Common Name)

• Campsis–(Trumpet Vine)

• Clematis–(Clematis)

• Lonicera–(Honeysuckle)

Trees

Botanical Name (Common Name)

• Aesculus–(Horsechestnut)

• Malus–(Apple)

• Salix–(Willow)

Shrubs

Botanical Name (Common Name)

• Buddleia–(Butterfly Bush)

• Caryopteris–(Bluebeard)

• Chaenomeles–(Flowering Quince)

• Cornus–(Dogwood)

• Lonicera–(Honeysuckle)

• Mahonia–(Mahonia)

• Philadelphus–(Mockorange)

• Pontentilla–(Cinquefoil)

• Ribes–(Currant, Gooseberry)

• Sambucus–(Elderberry)

• Spiraea–(Spirea)

• Syringa–(Lilac)

• Vaccinium–(Blueberry, Lingonberry)

Now you have an idea of some of the favorite plants for butterflies and hummingbirds. Which of these do you already have planted in your yard or garden? Which ones are you planning to add to your garden or yard?

Photos by Prisonbreak and Bert Glibbery

Popularity: 4% [?]

When planning an organic garden, many people will ask about hydroponic gardening. It is often perceived that if the plants are not being grown in soil, that they must be grown organically. This is a misconception. Organic gardening and hydroponics really are not the same, although you can grow your vegetables hydroponically and organically. Just be aware that the vegetables you buy in the store may say they are hydroponic, but that doesn’t mean that organic principles were used to grow them.

Today’s video will get to the bottom of the hydroponic/organic myth and help you to understand what makes them different.

Remember that if you choose to grow your tomatoes and other vegetables hydroponically, you can still use organic methods in your greenhouse. You can use organic pest control and fertilizers to help your plants grow. You do not have to choose to use any non-organic pesticides to have a successful garden.

What are your thoughts on organic gardening and hydroponics? I’d love to hear them.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Many people are already planting or preparing to plant tomatoes in their vegetable gardens. It seems that many people want to know what the secrets to growing Terrific Tomatoes really are. I will be covering this soon, but to help you get started on the right foot, I highly recommend this great post by Debra Roby:

I promised you an entire post on planting, growing and carrying for your tomato plants. Almost everyone with a garden of some kind decides to grow tomatoes; they are by far the most popular vegetable (well, actually fruit.. ) that’s grown. So let’s get digging.

Start by digging your tomato its appropriately healthy hole in soil that is completely warmed. Don’t rush to plant these too early, because tomato plants will just sit in the soil until it warms up. Sit and invite disease and insects.

Loosen the soil about 2.5 times larger than the size of root ball, and dig the hole DEEP. Sprinkle some bone meal or powdered milk around the bottom of the hole; the calcium should help prevent blossom end rot if summer weather fluctuates much this year. If you’ve thought past years tomatoes weren’t very flavorful, slip some chopped up banana peel into the hole too. As it composts (rots) it will add necessary potassium to the soil as the fruit is forming. Do not add fertilizer with a high nitrogen level (first number 20-30). This nitrogen will give you lush green plants but not much fruit. ~Debra Roby

To finish reading Debra’s great post, I suggest you visit her here. It is full of some great information to help you to get started on the right foot with your tomatoes.

There are still many different things that you can do to help your tomatoes be the talk of the neighborhood and the star of your summer dining table. There is nothing better than a garden fresh tomato and I for one, will not do without one!

What are some of your favorite tips or tricks to growing tomatoes? Or perhaps you have a question? I would be happy to help you all that I can. Please leave a comment and let’s get those tomatoes growing for your summer barbecue.

Photo by Derek Benjamin Lilly

 

Popularity: 1% [?]

When planting your perennial flower garden, it is helpful to take into consideration the different colors of the plants. The color of the flowers will create a specific mood and ambiance in your garden. Here are some of the colors you may be considering for your garden and the perennial flowers and plants that will fit into that color category.

Yellow

The color yellow is perceived by the eye before the other colors. The members of this family attract and dominate the garden. You will want to plan groupings of yellow or gold as deliberate focal points. This will help to emphasize the features of your garden. You can also use yellow discreetly in order to make a surprise impact among a quieter planting. The color yellow is both warm and cheerful. It is reminiscent of the sun as it comes from behind a cloud. The following perennials have a yellow flower:

Alyssum                Butterfly                     Weed Columbine

Coreopsis             Corydalis                     Cushion Spurge

Daylily                 Evening Primrose          False Sunflower

Gallardia             Geum                           Golden Marguerite

Iris                     Lamiastrum                    Leopard Bane

Ligularia             Lupine                            Marsh Marigold

Mum                 Poppy                             Potentilla

Rudbeckia         Sedum                            Solidago

Sunrose            Trollius                            Yarrow

Blues

The color blue is stimulating, but it can be restful at times. In the distance, blue flowers will draw the eye after them and push the boundaries of the garden outward. At twilight, blue can seem to glow. The color blue will give your garden a cool feeling. The following perennials have a blue flower:

Ajuga                     Aster                                 Aubretia

Balloon Flower        Blue Eyed Grass                 Blue Flax

Brunnera                Campanula                        Catmint

Columbine              Delphinium                         Forget-Me-Not

Geranium                Globe Thistle                      Iris

Jacobs Ladder          Lavender                         Lungwort

Lupine                     Monkshood                     Mt. Bluets

Russian Sage           Salvia                             Spiderwort

Veronica                  Vinca                             Viola

Pinks

The color pink is soft, gentle and luxurious. It evokes an atmosphere that is peaceful. Sunlight can bleach the delicate tints to a washed-out paleness unless deeper tones of pink are used to add strength. However, in the evening light, the pale pastel pinks will appear luminous. The pink flowers will form a gentle and restful background to or between a more definite area of color such as the strong complementary blues and yellows or violets and oranges which paint distinct pictures. The pinks also help where related colors such as vivid and warm reds, oranges and yellow focus the eye and demand attention. The following perennials have a pink flower:

Arabis                             Aster                                 Astilbe

Aubretia                         Baby’s Breath                    Beebalm

Bergenia                         Bleeding Heart                  Butterfly Weed

Canterbury Bells             Centaurea                         Columbine

Coral Bells                     Coreopsis                          Cupid’s Dart

Daylily                           Delphinium                         Dianthus

English Daisy                 Filipendula                          Forget-Me-Not

Foxglove                      Geranium                           Hollyhock

Iris                               Japanese Anemone             Jo-Pye Weed

Jupiters Beard              Lamb’s Ear                         Lamium

Liatris                          Linaria                                 Lungwort

Lupine                         Lythrum                             Miss Willmott Potentilla

Mum                           Obedient Plant                    Oenothera

Painted Daisy               Pasque Flower                    Penstemon

Peony                         Phlox                                 Pink Panda Strawberry

Poppy                         Primula                             Prunella

Purple Coneflower       Salvia                               Seapinks

Sedum                        Soapwort                         Spider Wort

Sunrose                      Thalictrum                         Thyme

Toad Flax                    Turtlehead                         Veronica

Yarrow

White

The color white helps to create a cool and restful mood in the garden. White gives a feeling of space. The neighboring colors will seem to glow more and be deeper. White flowers can separate the hues that contrast without altering their appearance of color. White can also make the color associations more pleasing and acceptable to the eye. Bright white will lighten up a shady area.

White flowers are an excellent choice for an evening garden during the summer. As the darkness begins to creep in, the white and pale pastels will remain distinguishable until all of the light is done. A border that is mixed with clumps of white will be given direction and coherence when the white clumps are repeated at regular intervals. The following perennials have a white flower or white variegated edge:

Arabis                         Astilbe                     Aubretia

Baby’s Breath             Bishops Weed         Bleeding Heart

Boltonia                     Bugbane                 Campanula

Candytuft                  Columbine                 Delphinium

Dianthus                    English Daisy             Forget-Me-Not

Gooseneck                Hosta                       Lamium

Liatris                        Lily                            Lily of the Valley

Lungwort                  Lupine                        Obedient Plant

Phlox                        Poppy                         Sandwort

Sedum                     Shasta Daisy                Snowdrop Anemone

Snow-in Summer     Sweet Woodruff            Thrift

Veronica                   Vinca                            White Coneflower

Yarrow

As you can see there are many different choices available for a perennial garden that will keep coming back year after year. While I have listed many varieties, this list is not inclusive. What are some of your favorite perennials and how will you use them in your garden this year?

Photo by: kakisky

Popularity: 88% [?]