An old fashioned hoe will be what I use to get the weeds out from between the plants. What I really wish I had was what is used in the video I found for your enjoyment today. It would sure make it even easier to practice organic weed control!

What is your favorite method for getting rid of the weeds in your garden? Leave me a comment and share.

It is as beloved as it is cursed—the zucchini. Personally, I love this vegetable and I make sure that my garden has at least 2 zucchini plants and 2 of the yellow crookneck squash plants. We eat it most nights and my very favorite way is sliced and lightly steamed with a little butter. I could eat it that way every single day. But my family doesn’t like it as much as I do, so I have to be creative to get that squash into the meal.

I remember laughing a couple of years ago when my little brother proudly announced that they had planted two very long rows of zucchini. He didn’t understand what was so funny about that until the zucchini took off. He swore that those plants multiplied and reproduced every time he blinked. His neighbors locked their doors and their cars after about a week of free gifts from his garden.

It seems that you can never have enough recipes to use up that infamous zucchini from the garden. I have collected many recipes over the years and I definitely have some favorites. I am sure that you do too. So I am offering you a proposition, in order to share the love and create some wonderful masterpieces in the kitchen.

Leave me a comment below this post with your favorite zucchini recipe or recipes. Please include your name as you wish it to be published, so I can give proper credit where it is due. I will compile all of the submissions and create a free, downloadable recipe book for you filled with all of the zucchini masterpieces that are submitted. Now this will only work with your cooperation, so please participate! If this works like I am hoping, this will be the first of a series of recipe books that we create together, using the divine ingredients that we grow in our gardens.

Here is to many, many mouthwatering recipes for our zucchini recipe book. Since I need to have a deadline in order to compile and publish the book, let’s work on this until August 20, 2008. So submit away and let’s create something wonderful and delicious together!

Now, if you think that I have been slacking off and not doing my share of the work at home, you might want to visit my current entry over at Her Home Blog. I am blog-sitting for awhile and you can find out the latest, although not greatest, info on my home. I have been very busy with the renovation of it so that someday, hopefully soon, our family can move in.

So, anyway, back to my lovely, or not so lovely, depending on your viewpoint, weed patch. I decided that something just must be done about it and I can’t put it off any longer. So Friday night, I was found with a small tiller, trying to turn under some weeds between the rows of beans. I was tilling in the moonlight as it was much too hot to do it earlier. The two rows that I completed actually look pretty good today.

Monday will find me tilling more weeds under and then I will tackle the weeds between the plants. I suppose that the beauty of having your garden look so trashed, is that when you actually do something about the weeds, then whatever you do, becomes very noticeable. Your efforts can be appreciated by many.

Although I love having an old fashioned garden, I am surmising that perhaps my dad’s garden plan may be the way to go. He has raised beds and as such, has very few weeds that grow amongst his healthy garden plants. I may have to do something like that next year. Of course next year, I won’t be renovating a home too, so maybe I can keep up with the weeds.

What is your least favorite part about gardening? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo provided by Irish_Eyes

Size

Make sure that your plant has the proper root to soil volume. This simply means choosing a container that will accommodate a plant’s root system and a sufficient amount of soil to sustain it. An oversized pot holds more soil than is needed and that soil can easily become saturated with water. This will disrupt the air/water balance and will increase the houseplant’s chance of dying of root rot. You should never increase soil volume by more than one pot size when repotting.

Drainage

Unless you are growing an indoor water garden, be sure to choose containers that have drainage holes. Water must be able to drain through the soil and out of the pot. Without proper drainage, your houseplant is likely to die. If you are thinking about putting rocks at the bottom of your container to help with drainage, don’t do it. Pebbles and rocks will shorten the column of soil which will allow for the soil to become more easily waterlogged.

Aesthetics

Just because a container has to be functional doesn’t mean that it can’t be attractive too. Garden centers are full of beautiful containers that will fit any style and budget. The right container can make just as big an impression as the plant itself, so take your time and pay attention to those finishing touches, as they have a way of making all the difference.

Tips

• Remember to buy a saucer or tray to go under a container. Many containers are sold with a container already, but make sure to get one if your container doesn’t have one.

• Add caster wheels to the bottom of a large container for easy mobility.

• Use decorative moss, pebbles and driftwood on the soil surface to create visual interest and to discourage pets from digging.

• Conceal less attractive pots and saucers in decorative baskets, crocks or plant stands. Be sure to remove any plastic liners that may prohibit drainage. This is a common problem for many sick houseplants as their roots are literally being drowned and smothered. Remember that the roots need air to survive.

What are some of your favorite containers for your houseplants? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo Provided by kevinrosseel

flowers

AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Ooty: Day 2: Part 1: Ooty Lake - Boat House and Thread garden, Ooty posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

gardening

Jason Isbell presents Needs for a Butterfly Garden posted at Tired Garden.

Amy L. presents Four Secrets to Growing Indoor Miniature Roses posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Every year, thousands of people purchase miniature roses, only to have them die in a few months.”

Ty Cee presents Pinoy Horticulture posted at Pinoy Horticulture, saying, “Pinoy Horticulutre provides information about the activities of horticulture societies and plant enthusiasts in the Philippines”

Laura Williams presents Around the Homestead Today… posted at Laura Williams’ Musings, saying, “Gardening and Canning. We grow and herb garden in addition to a grapes, cherry trees, blueberry bushes, and a traditional garden. We stil have 6 cranberry bushes, 7 plum trees, and 2 fig trees to plant this season.”

Louise Manning presents Woodland birds under threat posted at The Human Imprint.

valereee presents No dirt under your nails? No tomatoes for you! posted at Cincinnati Locavore, saying, “Don’t like to garden? Hire a gardener!”

Jdebosdari presents Dead and Dying Yew Trees and Hedges posted at Ashridge Trees, saying, “Yew (taxus) hedging sometimes causes trouble in the summer after it is planted. Here are a few reasons why and suggestions as to how to help it establish”

Alison presents Help! Tomato 911! posted at Green Me, saying, “Hello experienced tomato gardeners! I need your help pronto or I may have complete crop failure!”

Deanna Caswell presents How to Compost posted at Little House in the Suburbs.

herbs

Gwen Mangelson presents Calendula HERB OF THE YEAR 2008~ posted at Paper Expressions.

lawn care

Sarah presents Caring for Your Lawn in the Winter | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Even though your grass doesn’t need much attention during the winter, it’s still important to follow some basic seasonal lawn care guidelines ”

Sarah presents Diagnosing and Managing Brown Spots on Your Lawn | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “If there are brown spots on your lawn, repairing them and preventing them from returning can be an exercise in frustration.”

organic gardening

Jamie McIntosh presents Control Carpenter Bees posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “No one likes carpenter bees drilling into their decks and homes. However, these insects have an important role in your organic garden.”

Candice Brokenshire presents Harry Hopkins - Motivational Landscaper posted at The Red Barn Cooperative.

Teri presents My Work as an Environmental Biologist posted at Teri’s Organic Garden, saying, “My work as an environmental biologist working with 2 amazing grants - the Public Seed Initiative and the Organic Seed Partnership - both grants involve organic vegetable farming issues and ways to solve them.”

Fiona Lohrenz presents Going Organic…Why We Should! posted at Child Care Only.

vegetables

Chris presents 3 Steps to the Perfect Vegetable Garden (Part Two) posted at Smith Family Garden.

:: Suzanne :: presents works for me? tomato posted at :: adventures in daily living ::.

Dave Trenholm presents Growing Potatoes In Straw posted at Alberta Home Gardening.

valereee presents Garlic Mustard Dill Pickle Relish posted at Cincinnati Locavore, saying, “Those first early cukes are perfect for pickle relish!”

Condo Blues presents How to Grow Upside Down Tomato Plants posted at Condo Blues, saying, “How to plant an upsidedown tomato planter.”

Katrina Cain presents Did You Know That Raw Runner Beans Are Toxic? posted at Were You Wondering….

Miscellaneous

Matt DiChiara presents Alleviating Sick Building Syndrome with Plants in Your Apartment | MyNewPlace Blog posted at MyNewPlace Blog.

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Treating And Preventing Mosquito Bites posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Ahh, summer. The sun is warm, the water is cool, the flowers are blooming, and unfortunately, the bugs are biting. The worst offender of them all is the mosquito, carrier of pain, itching and possible diseases like West Nile. Here’s how to treat and further prevent bites”

AdmirableIndia.com presents Bangalore to Mysore on Bike: Day 1: Part 2: Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Brindavan gardens and Krishnarajasagara or KRS dam posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

GrannyJ presents Deadly symmetry posted at Walking Prescott, saying, “Because I live in the dry Southwest on the side of a hill, most of my in-the-ground plants tend to be wildflowers. sometimes they are not the easiest to get growing!”

Sean presents JAPANESE GARDENS - KILDARE - IRELAND posted at MY SECRET IRELAND, saying, “One of the most beautiful places in Ireland for the Gardening community.”

GrrlScientist presents Introduced Parasite Suspected of Killing Wild Bumblebees in Canada posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “A mysterious decline in North American bumblebee populations is apparently the result of “spillover” of pathogen-infected commercial bumblebees, Bombus species, from agricultural greenhouses where tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are commonly grown in huge quantities. Includes images and data.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on August 27, 2008.

Technorati tags: a gardening carnival, blog carnival

Here is a short video that will show you what just may happen if you leave those house plants unattended on your vacation. I hope you enjoy this tongue-in-cheek video and it brings a smile to your face today.

Now that you know what the consequences may be, what are your plans for your houseplants while you are gone? Leave me a comment and share.

These past two weeks I have been keeping an eye on a young buck who seems to be perusing my neighborhood. He is a beautiful specimen and his antlers are in velvet, even though he only has 3 points at this stage of his life. Anyone who gardens knows that despite the gentle appearance and the coolness of having a deer so close to home, deer are a nuisance in the garden and are difficult to keep out.

So what do I do to safely and effectively protect my corn that I just know he has been eying? There are many different things that you can do, although some are definitely more effective than others.

I found this great article by Kathy Bond Borie that I thought you might enjoy. Her article is appearing on the National Gardening Association Website of which I am a member. Here is some of what she had to say on the subject:

Even if you don’t see deer browsing through ornamental and edible gardens, you’ll know they’ve been there by their calling cards — hoof prints and chewed plants. In many regions deer are growing bolder and less fearful of humans, meaning even gardens in urban areas are vulnerable.

A Fencing Strategy

The only surefire way to keep deer out of gardens is fencing them out. And it can’t be just any fence. A gardening friend of mine was so frustrated by deer chomping on his apple trees that he put up a 7-foot-high electric fence. The deer jumped it. He put a second fence right next to the electric fence. The deer jumped both. He installed a third, 3-foot-high fence a couple of feet away from the second one, and the deer finally gave up. They now travel next to his orchard instead of through it. Apparently deer are intimidated about jumping when they cannot tell how much distance they have to clear. The three parallel fences kept the deer from sighting a clear landing spot.

For the same reason, deer are apt to be skittish about jumping a fence over a long, narrow garden. The two long sides appear too close together for the deer to see a place to land. Installing a fence at a slant so it leans outward from the garden can also work because it makes the fence appear wider.

A 5-foot-high fence can keep deer out if you use taller posts and attach strands of wire at intervals, such as at 6 feet and 7 feet. In extreme cases, you may need to erect a second fence, say a 3-foot-high one, about 3 feet outside of your other fence. Even a barrier made of fishing line attached to posts at a height of 3 to 4 feet is sometimes enough to startle a deer into changing its course. Of course this is dangerous if you have children and pets.

Since deer are creatures of habit, the sooner you can deter their foraging, the better. Baiting an electric fence with peanut butter can train deer to stay out of an area. Tree guards that wrap around the trunks are a must in winter, and I encircle young fruit trees with fencing for the first few years so deer can’t reach the branches. Covering shrubs in early spring with fabric row covers can deter feeding long enough for wild food plants to become available. ~ Kathy Bond Borie

To finish reading her great article, you will want to visit her here. There is a lot of great advice on how to keep deer out of your garden.

Do you have trouble with deer in your garden? What do you do to control the situation? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo provided by marykbaird

All houseplants need fertilizer to supplement their diets. Think of it as a good shot of vitamins and minerals. Although your houseplants feed on light and the nutrients in the soil, a boost of fertilizer can help to promote and support strong, healthy growth.

Fertilizers contain three major nutrients to support stem and leaf production, flowering and healthy roots. These elements are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Whenever you look at a container of fertilizer, pay close attention to the fertilizer analysis which is represented by three hyphenated numbers. For example, it may look something like this: 20-20-20 or 10-6-16, or 10-15-10 like on this bottle of “SCHULTZ” LIQUID PLANT FOOD PLUS . The first number always represents the available nitrogen in the fertilizer. The second number always represents the available phosphate and the third number always represents the available potash in the fertilizer. The higher the number, the greater the percentage by weight of that nutrient.

Houseplants require nitrogen for leafy growth. As a general rule, houseplants that are grown primarily for their foliage will require a fertilizer with a high first number, a lower second number and a third number that is comparable to the first. Houseplants that are grown primarily for their blooms are given a fertilizer with a high third number (K or potash) that promotes flower development.

Fertilizers are most beneficial to a plant during its growing season, which is February to October. During the winter months when there is less light, you will want to hold back on fertilizing unless your houseplant is beginning to show signs of new growth. Your houseplant’s consumption of fertilizer will follow its growth curve, which in turn follows a light and temperature curve.

General Rules for Fertilizing

• Granular and liquid fertilizers work similarly. Be sure to read the instructions and mix and feed accordingly.

• Hold off fertilizing for at least a few weeks after houseplants are repotted. It isn’t that your houseplant doesn’t need food; it is that they only need so much. Most soils contain unknown amounts of fertilizers and it is easy to overfeed your transplant.

• Water until water flows out the bottom of the container. This step will flush out any built up soluble salt deposits. As salts become more concentrated, it becomes harder for a houseplant to take up a proper supply of water.

What is your favorite fertilizer to use in your houseplants? Leave me a comment and share.

Here is a list of the supplies you will need to build your terrarium:

• One terrarium with air holes or a glass jar without a lid. A glass fishbowl or a pickle jar will do nicely.

• Small gravel or aquarium gravel

• High quality potting soil

• Sphagnum moss

• Plants—two or three plants for every 3 L of space. Be sure to avoid any fuzzy leaved plants as they will hold water and are susceptible to rotting.

• Decorative accessories such as stone or driftwood. Use your imagination!

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 podcast around them. Enjoy!

how-to-build-a-terrarium.mp3

Be sure that you do not reuse potting soil from the pots of previous houseplants. If the houseplant died because of pests or disease, the potting soil could be contaminated. Even if the houseplant died because you let it dry out one too many times, do not reuse the soil. The soil may have far to few pore spaces, which are pockets of open spaces that can be filled with water, to sustain a new houseplant. As soil decomposes, it starts to lose pore space and it becomes too dense for air to infiltrate and for roots to grow properly. However, your pots can be reused. Just be sure to scrub them clean and then soak them in a solution of 10% bleach and water.

Potting Mix vs. Soil Mix

Soil is the term that most people use to describe the black medium in which we pot plants. But the truth is that most of the soil to which we refer is actually soil-less. It is completely free of what we traditionally think of as garden soil. It looks like rich garden soil and it even smells like it, but it is completely different.

Most potting mixes contain at least one of the following material: peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, sand and lime to neutralize the peat moss, bark, pumice or compost. On the other hand, soil mixes contain a blend of soil. So when you’re looking for soil, be sure to read the bags carefully and choose a high quality soil-less potting mix.

Specialty Potting Mixes

There are some houseplants that require special potting mixes like orchids, cacti and African violets. Since these houseplants are so popular, distributors have come up with special commercial blends of each type.

Orchid mixes: To the uninitiated, this planting medium might look unable to sustain anything other than a beaver. Many contain two or three types of bark, coarse sphagnum peat, fine grade pumice and sponge rock. It is a rather odd combination, but it is one that serves an important purpose.

Some species of orchids grow on trees in their natural habitat. These orchids are referred to as epiphytic plants, which are those having their roots exposed to the air. One of the reasons that orchid mixes contain bark and moss is to allow the air to move freely through the medium. This air movement allows the roots of an orchid to absorb moisture and nutrients from the humid air.

Cacti mixes: Even someone who doesn’t know much about cacti knows that these plants prefer dry soil. It should therefore come as no surprise that the standard potting medium for cacti is composed of coarse sand, potting mix, peat and perlite. Although the formula varies from one commercial mix to another, all cacti mixes are designed to provide rapid drainage.

African violet mixes: African violets like a soil that is light, loose and porous. Most African violet mixes consist of three parts peat moss, two parts vermiculite and one part perlite. Lime is also often added to bring the pH level to the 5.8 to 6.0 range. African violets hate having their roots sitting in water, so the loose, porous soil is important for the health of these plants.

What is your favorite potting soil to use with your houseplants? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo provided by anitapatterson