Garden Supplies News

"In Roman times, March was the traditional time to begin wars and it is certainly time to declare war on unruly gardens." For a fine display of tulips and a list of tasks that can be tackled in your garden this month, take a look at this piece. If you can wade through the typos you will find a wealth of helpful hints. Read more..

If the previous article has encouraged you to rush outside and get on with all the pruning, digging and planting that is needed at this time of year, then this item is a reminder that a sudden burst of activity can leave you with unwelcome aches and pains. "It's very enjoyable under the sunshine, but you're reaching, you're pulling, you're pushing, you're digging. So your body is experiencing all sorts of phenomenon that it's not used to experiencing during the week," HealthFit spokeswoman Audrey Epstein said. Read more..

Finally here's a transcript of Sharon Morrisey's monthly gardening chat show where she answers questions from listeners. Covering eveything from low maintenance plants for shady sites to dealing with thistles, she has useful advice for each caller. Read more..

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March 3, 2005 10:06 - Now is the time to start sowing seeds

What is the first sign of spring? Emails according to Gwyn Mellinger. At this time of year he starts to receive emails from folks with questions about which seeds to plant and when to plant them and so knows that the vegetable gardening season is just around the corner. For him the secret of success is advance planning both of what you want to grow and where it will be planted. "There's nothing more disheartening than running out of room when you're setting out plants or drawing furrows for all the seed you've bought" he says. Read more..

Sarah Robertson has some advice on growing plants from seed. She stresses that good hygiene is essential and recommends that that you should sterilize all plastic pots and trays before use. She also discusses home soil sterilization and relates the unhappy result of her attempt. I was persuaded by a magazine article to try sterilizing soil in a microwave. Unfortunately I made the mistake of using a thin plastic container which melted as the soil was heated. A far more sensible suggestion comes from the folks at Organic Gardening magazine. Read more..

For readers in England don't forget that next Sunday March 6th is Mother's Day so now is the time to buy the card and flowers.

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March 4, 2005 09:55 - Cultivator or tiller and a popular graveyard tree

"Each spring, my husband rents a tiller to till the garden before we plant it. It's getting expensive and I hate being so dependent on him. I'm interested in buying something that I can use on my own. Do we need a cultivator or a tiller? What is the difference?" You might expect the reply to involve a review of the different types of mechanical cultivators and tillers but you would be wrong. Nancy Brachey explains that the difference between the two is that whilst a tiller is a gasoline-powered machine, a cultivator is any tool that loosens the soil for crops such as a garden fork, hoe or spade. This leads her to the proposition that soil that is not walked on and has organic material such as compost added will become increasingly loose and friable. This means that you can forget your mechanical tiller since all you will need is a garden fork. Read more..

In this piece Katherine Grace Endicott recalls a dinner with an English gardening lecturer who was so concerned with correct botanical terminology that he failed to appreciate the beauty of the plants themselves. Rather a rant, but well worth a read. Read more..

For something quite different here is Linda Kumar who has suddenly been gripped with frangipani frenzy. If you are looking for fragrance, it brings you � in one sniff � jasmine, gardenia and citrusy notes she claims. It is a popular graveyard tree because it thrives very well in her part of the world without any fussing over it. Read more..

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March 5, 2005 09:50 - Spring is fast approaching and advice is all around

Here is something that you don't see very often, a gardening writer telling you what to do and then admitting that she does not follow her own advice. "Tackle weeds when they are young" advises Diana Balazs but then admits "I have yet to follow this advice and have a front yard of London rocket, spurge and other unwanted plants". Read more..

Next it is the turn of David Bare to remind you that spring is just around the corner and to give you his list of suggestions to get you out into the garden. Quite a long list in his case and a varied one too. After telling you to specialize in a genus (he suggests Columbines) he moves on to mushrooms, herbs, topiary, summer bulbs and finally sunflowers. And you will find several other ideas on his list as well. Read more..

Is everyone writing about spring? No, Sandy Feather is answering a reader's question by telling her what to do in August. Good advice about perking up leggy petunias. Just make sure you don't forget in the intervening months. Read more..

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March 7, 2005 10:07 - Signature gardens and garlic moles

Five garden trends for 2005 is the subject of this piece in the Cincinnati Post. If you want to know why cookie-cutter gardens are losing out to signature gardens and why simple, do some of it for me and annuals are all in, you need to read this article. You will also discover that seedlings are out but mega blooms in the shape of Kong coleus are very much in. Read more..

Most plants need plenty of sunlight to perform of their best so, if you have a shady spot in your garden, you can have a problem finding suitable subjects to grow in such conditions. John Grayden has some suggestions but he warns that two of them, Cranesbill geraniums and foxgloves, tend to self-seed and can become invasive if not kept under control. Read more..

In this Q&A session Richard Nunnally answers readers questions on a number of topics including storing bare-root plants, dealing with reluctant spinach seeds, black ants on camellia flowers and a novel way of contolling moles. Read more..

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March 8, 2005 09:59 - Choosing dahlias and an organic windowsill garden

If you haven't grown dahlias before and are thinking about giving it a try, you have a choice between ordering tubers by mail or buying potted plants from your local garden center. As with most things in life, how you choose depends on what you are looking for. There are so many dahlia varieties that no one seller can carry them all. Janet Macunovich who is an advanced master gardener specializing in ornamental plants can guide you through the maze. Read more..

Organic gardening has had its devotees for many years but, in his new book "The Windowsill Organic Gardener, Organic Gardening for the Urban Grower" Jay North proclaims the benefits of taking the technique indoors. As Jay explains, organic is simply growing naturally, without chemical fertilizers or poisonous pest controls. He is planning a series of articles to give you all the information you need and tell you how to get started for around $25. Read more..

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March 9, 2005 10:11 - Daylilies, hostas, primroses and LSD

Daylilies and hostas are Don Bixler's passion; his garden houses 500 of the former and 400 of the latter. It all began with a gift of a dozen daylilies and has just grown from there. Not content with developing his own garden Don formed a local group to share his interest in these plants. The Black Swamp Hosta and Daylily Society now has a membership of 120 gardens in the area. Read more..

Forget snowdrops, daffodils and croci, primroses are the superstars of spring according to Connie Krochmal. These plants give of their best in a shady position in moist soil conditions where they can provide a bright splash of color in the spring. There are over 400 species of primrose and scores of hybrids. In her article Connie gives an overview of the main varieties and offers some tips on cultivation. Read more..

A brief news item caught my eye recently, "Parents be aware. Some teens have found a new way to get high, using a common gardening product". Apparently some high school students in Long Island have been eating flower seeds. It seems that the seeds of morning glory, when taken in large amounts, are said to have hallucinogenic properties similar to LSD.
Source

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March 10, 2005 10:08 - Wisteria, peony and a pebble fountain

"When I first saw the arbor, an impenetrable thicket of gnarled, rope-like wisteria branches wove through the aging basket-weave design" wrote Sarah Robertson. I had a similar experience when I moved into my last house. A venerable wisteria stood on one side of the entrance driveway and its tangled branches formed a canopy as it arched over to link up with a tall magnolia tree on the other side. In the other direction it spread its branches secretly through an overgrown beech hedge and I would find them reappearing at points some twenty to thirty feet away. Despite my best efforts I never managed to gain control of this monster but it did produce masses of fragrant blooms every year. I am planning to plant one in my present garden to hide an ugly shed and this time I am resolved to follow the proper pruning techniques to keep it in shape. To learn what these are, read Sarah Robertson's article. Read more..

The state flower of Indiana is the peony and has been so since 1957. But some residents are now wondering whether a flower that was imported from China in the 1800s is an appropriate local symbol. Now there are moves afoot to seek a change and replace the peony with a native plant. If you want to have your say on the proposal you can do so at the Flower & Patio Show, which runs March 12 � 20 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Read more..

If you have ever wondered how to make a pebble fountain, here are some easy to follow instructions. Charlie Dimmock tells you what materials you need and then gives step-by-step instructions on how to build it. Read more..

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March 11, 2005 12:10 - Guerrilla gardening, herbs, hedges and slugs

"Just because you live in an apartment doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your green thumb" says Alejandro P�rez. "While you may not have acres of farmland or even a backyard corner to dig up, if you have a sunny patio, plenty of patience, and a willingness to experiment, you can have a garden." After raving about his home-grown tomatoes, he tells you how you can create your own container herb garden. Read more..

A reader asks how to rid her garden of slugs and Nancy Brachey cautions against the use of poison pellets because of the danger to pets, birds and small children. To find out her suggested remedy, read more..

"Hedge your beds" is the somewhat corny headline to this piece by Ron Mcparlin in which he discusses the use of hedges as screens in your garden. After pointing out that a hedge is merely a row of plants, he makes some interesting suggestions as to the type of shrubs that can be used for this purpose. Read more..

Finally, if you are looking for a gardening book with a difference, read this review of "You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening" by Gayla Trail. Apparently "she has distilled the gardening process into a series of bite-sized, quirkily written sections for a new generation of land- and time-deprived DIY females". Read more..

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March 12, 2005 10:31 - Bananas, elephant ears and compost

"Spring Is Here and It�s Time to Plant" says Virginia Hayes from Santa Barbara in Southern California. "The scents of jasmine, pittosporum, and citrus are wafting on the breeze. Even the persistent rains couldn�t hold them back. Every green thing has taken on that vibrant hue that only comes once a year when the newest foliage clothes every branch and twig." For a guided tour of the town's floral displays including an excursion into the desert, read more..

If the idea of a little tropical greenery on your balcony or deck appeals then Linda Kumar has some suggestions for you. She shows you how you can grow the ornamental banana, ginger and elephant ears yam. The banana does not fruit but produces pink and purple flowers to add a touch of color to its long and broad leaves. She also recommends the torch ginger which has tall exotic-looking flowers and the yam whose leaves look like upright elephant ears. These yam plants can grow to a height of six feet with leaves spanning more than twenty inches across. Read more..

Another article in the New Straits Times addresses the question of compost. Why you need it and how to make it with step by step instructions are all here. Read more..

The final piece today is for those who save their own seed from year to year. Because some seeds keep for longer than others, it is wise to test their viablity before you make a full scale planting. Terry Wolfley tells you how to do it. Read more..

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March 13, 2005 09:55 - Hummingbirds, Peppers and Edible landscaping

"Love hummingbirds? Want to fill your yard with them? All year? It's easy", says Shreveport conservationist Paul Dickson. "Hummingbirds are attracted to hummingbird feeders, but they can be attracted to flowering plants that you grow in your yard". He has tested some 200 plants and shrubs and found that 80 that are hummingbird attractors. The article includes a list of fifteen bedding plants, shrubs and vines that are his top recommendations for you to plant in your yard. Read more..

The anonymous author of this piece has detected a return to the "grow-your-own philosophy" of the World War II years, although since the article was first published exactly a year ago, he or she may be trying to encourage the trend. The suggestion that you should mix-and match your flowers and vegetables reminds me of the traditional English cottage garden where you would find cabbages next to columbine and peas beside the pinks. But this is "Edible landscaping" and you can read more about it here.

Continuing with the vegetable theme Anne Ramsay devotes her piece to peppers which, she says, are fruits which we eat as vegetables. She describes the five main groups of peppers and gives some hints on cultivation. Her final paragraph includes a recipe for a mixed pepper salad. Read more..

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March 14, 2005 09:45 - Of Shamrocks and Rock gardens

With St Patrick's Day fast approaching here is the first article I have seen this year about the shamrock. After listing the three plants that are generally recognized as the shamrock, the author suggests that they can be grown in pots indoors or planted outside in the garden. Do heed his warning that Oxalis acetosella (wood sorrel) can become invasive. I have suffered from this one myself. The piece concludes with a wonderful article by Master Gardener Valerie Cribbs of Cherry Valley that was first published last year. Read more..

If you are looking for some new ideas to brighten up your yard, how about a rock garden? John Grayden says that it's not as difficult a job to create as it might first seem. He sets out the steps you need to take to construct a rock garden and then makes some interesting suggestions on plants that you can use to create an impressive display. Read more..

My next door neighbour is having something of a garden makeover. The side boundaries of her plot are marked by close-boarded fencing which had become rather dilapidated and so have just been replaced. At the same time a small piece of land at the bottom of her garden on the far side of the stream is being replanted. All this activity is giving me ideas that I can use on my side of the fence.

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March 15, 2005 09:45 - Guerrilla Gardening and the ultimate tossed salad

Here's a list of ten things that you can do now in anticipation of the official start of spring next week. Most are practical and have a familiar ring about them since you will have read several articles already this year on how to prepare for the coming season. The ten tips come from Jim Dunn of Briggs Nursery in North Attleboro who gave me a little surprise with his tip number ten. Read more..

The Adventures of Hesperus and Athena or Guerrilla Gardening with the Girls almost sounds like an ancient greek myth but it is nothing of the kind. Rather it is the hughly entertaing saga of a thoroughly modern mum and her offspring entering gardening mode. Read more..

"The ultimate tossed salad" is how Michelle Meyers describes Hayward Community Gardens. "From Portuguese fava beans, Afghan garlic chives and Mexican nopales, one can tour the world by walking Haywards seven-acre fertile crescent." Read more..

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March 16, 2005 09:51 - Maniacal March and drought worries

Three Saints plus an April Fool is how Wes Porter starts his piece on "maniacal March". Having got that off his chest, he highlights the new trend for forced spring flowering bulbs that can be grown outdoors. Then he's back to the calendar rubbishing the ancient wisdom that Good Friday is the day for sowing parsley seed. All good fun. Read more..

"A statewide drought declaration has Washington's billion-dollar nursery-and-landscape industry worried that it could suffer if customers downsize gardens out of a desire to save water or a fear of losing new greenery to possible watering restrictions" reports Warren Cornwall from Seattle. "With the drought emergency declared, nurseries are trying to assure people that they can still exercise their green thumbs while also conserving water." The report includes a link to hints on how to save water and have a green garden. Read more..

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March 17, 2005 09:59 - Which vegetables will you grow in your yard this year?

If you want some help in planning your vegetable patch for the coming season, Maggie Wolf has some suggestions. "Which vegetables give the most bang for your gardening buck?" she asks and then takes you through a list of the common crops pointing out the good and bad features of each. By the time you reach the end of her piece you should have a good idea of the crops that are worth growing in your yard and those that are best bought from the market. Read more..

"Arching succulent branches rise from a circular rosette, their dusky-blue-and-cream coloring a perfect foil against the hand-shaped pot glazed in shimmering shades of turquoise. This unbeatable combination is the work of a friend with an unerring eye for visual clarity, and the artistic sense to create dramatic vignettes that are both elegant and compelling" writes Sarah Robertson. Can you guess what is the subject of her admiration? Read more..

Back to vegetables and how to make the best use of your space. Monty Don tells you how he uses raised beds and explains the benefits of this technique. In essense, once you have constructed the bed, you will never need to walk on the surface so the soil will need less cultivation and have better drainage. He is writing about an English kitchen garden at Berryfields, near Stratford-Upon-Avon but for a book that has a similar theme in an American context, have a look at Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. Read more..

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March 18, 2005 10:07 - Gardening the water or How to turn your back yard into an ecosystem

Once you get past the rather peculiar title and subheading you will find an interesting and informative article by Suzanne Hively. The subject is water gardening which has become increasingly popular in recent years. Apparently sales of water garden supplies since 1994 have increased at a rate of 20% a year. After discussing the cost of various types of water features, her article gives some helpful advice on what you will need to create a garden pond. Read more..

If you have found the last item useful and would like to learn more about water gardening, then visit A Garden Pond.

With talk of drought in some areas it is always useful to have some new ideas for plants that are able to tolerate such conditions. Barbara Chernick from Sooke gives you her selection which includes cistus, hen-&-chickens and wormwood among others. Read more..

With the official start of Spring only two days away many garden merchants have special offers to entice you into their stores. Here are just a few that I have noticed recently:

Dutch Gardens are offering $25 worth of free bulbs and plants!

Brecks have a special offer on coneflowers. Capture this old-fashioned beauty now for just $19.99 while our supplies last!

Gurney's Seed and Nursery have a potato special for St Patrick's Day. For one low sale price of $16.75, you get three different types (75 sets in all), each with a unique flavor and great growing characteristics.

March 19, 2005 10:02 - St Fiacre, wiggling worms and the bunga raya

Do you have childhood memories of digging in dirt (and it's OK with Mom!), watching wiggling worms and seeing colors and fruits appear from nothing? Debbie Swanson believes that many enthusiastic gardeners will recall similar experiences and so will be keen to introduce their own offspring to this popular hobby. What is the best way to start? She has asked around at her local garden centers and has been given a number of interesting suggestions ranging from marigolds, pansies and zinnia to plant a pot of grass indoors. There are plenty more ideas in her piece. Read more..

There can be hardly anyone who has not heard of St Patrick since his saint's day is marked in such a conspicuous fashion each year, but how many people know of St Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners? Well here's your chance to learn a little about him. Adrian Higgins tells you something about his life and includes a reference to the garden ornaments that bear his name. Read more..

The national flower of Malaysia is the bunga raya which is what we know as the hibiscus. In this piece Linda Kumar tells the story of how the hibiscus came to be chosen from six other flowers that were in competition for the honour. She describes the different flower colors that are now available and gives some helpful hints on care and cultivation. Read more..

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March 21, 2005 10:27 - A weekend break and space age gloves

I think that many people must have gone away for the weekend since I can find little gardening news to report today. I took a weekend break myself and spent a night with my daughter in London. Last week we had a couple of really warm days when you could be forgiven for thinking that winter had passed to summer missing out spring altogether. I saw the first butterflies of the year, a couple of yellow brimstones. Today in Southampton on the south coast of England the weather has returned to normal and we are back to the cooler temperature of a typical March spring day. This means that it is warm enough for me to put my sweet pea seedlings outside during the day to start hardening them off but bringing them in again at night in case of a severe frost. The bulbs I planted last October are now in full bloom. Daffodils are prominent with crocus and hyancinths coming on well. One disappointment was the miniature iris bulbs which have completely failed. On the other hand the tulips have all sprouted plenty of leaves so should provide a good show soon.

On Saturday I mentioned an article about ways to encourage children to take an interest in gardening. There are two more articles today on a similar theme. Alice Clayton writes in the Middletown Press and Diana Swigert in the Times Recorder.

Finally a press release that may be of interest to rose lovers. What is claimed to be the first truly thorn resistant glove using space age material proves the salvation of prickly gardening tasks. Read more..

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March 22, 2005 10:51 - Spring is here and the garden merchant's offers are everywhere

Now that Spring has sprung many garden merchants have special offers to entice you into their stores. Here are just a few that I have noticed recently:

Dutch Gardens are offering $25 worth of free bulbs and plants! Their Oriental Lily collection comprises 5 Fata Morgana Asiatic Lilies, 3 Muscadet Oriental Lilies, 3 Casa Rosa Trumpet Lilies and 5 Orange Tiger lilies all for $27.95.

Brecks invite you to create a cool, leafy retreat in any shady spot with their special shade collection for just $19.99. This includes 10 Lily-of-the-Valley plants whose clusters of tiny white bells add charm and fragrance to every spring garden setting. You will also receive three Arum Italicum bulbs and three Toad Lily plants whose showy flowers bloom in late summer, just when other perennials are beginning to fade.

Gurney's Seed and Nursery have special offers on vegetables,
herbs, flowers and fruits. But their sale ends tomorrow so if you are looking for cucumbers, squash, tomatoes or even their strawberries, Bed & Berries Bonanza, you will have to hurry!

Finally Thompson & Morgan have just announced a new hyancinth variety. It is claimed to have a pure black flower and is the result of several year's selective breeding. The bulbs are on sale for $17 each but are only available in the UK at present.

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March 24, 2005 09:53 - Save your water for the birds

Writing in the Seattle Times, Diane Wright starts her piece with a reference to the Northwest drought and gives advice on plants that that need little water. Moving on through Container Gardening, Mulching and Fertilizing, she then discusses Backyard habitat. Here she talks about ways to encourage birds and wildlife to visit your yard. One of the best ways to attract them is with water she declares. So grow drought-tolerant plants and save your water for the birds. Read more..

Fifteen thousand foxes, countless squirrels and a reputation for tepid, drizzly weather is how England's capital city, London, is described in this article. To learn why Londoners have a green patch of their own rather than just an apartment window box, read more..

Here's another reminder that "Spring has officially arrived! We finally made it though winter and the green shoots are ready to start busting out all over your garden. What a great feeling! We're sure that you'd appreciate a little added incentive to get out there and plan your 2005 garden, so we're holding a special Spring Kick-off Sale: Everything on our website is 20% Off!"

You may need to join their newsletter to get the benefit of this offer but have a look at Gurney's Seed and Nursery site before March 27th when their sale ends.

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March 29, 2005 10:06 - Of crabgrass preventers and sweetcorn among other things

Spring has arrived early for Marian Ophardt so "It's time to get our crabgrass preventers on lawns" she says. Now that diazinon has been withdrawn, she advises on the alternative treatments that are available. You need to wait until the soil temperature reaches 50 to 55 degrees which is usually when forsythia starts dropping its flowers and redbud trees are in full bloom. But before you start make sure that your problem really is crabgrass and not Bermuda grass which is not affected by the pre-emergent herbicides. Read more..

"It's too early to plant, but not to buy" according to Marty Hair. This article discusses the trend by the big box outlet stores in stocking plants for sale earlier and earlier in the year before the soil has warmed sufficiently to allow them to be planted out safetly. At first glance you might assume that this is just an attempt by the stores to sell more goods, but it seems that it is not quite so simple. Read more..

"Sweet Savings on Sweetcorn" is the corny headline from this merchant who proclaims "Nothing's better tasting than a fresh ear of sweet corn. Those plump kernels that pop in your mouth with lots of juicy flavor are one of the best pleasures of summer." To take advantage of their Sweetcorn Special visit Gurney's Seed and Nursery

"Not just fillers, but real garden gems, use these special selections to blanket raised beds, adorn rock gardens and bring new life to pathway edging and patio containers" is how Brecks describe their special Ground Cover Collection available at the reduced price of $19.99.

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March 30, 2005 10:05 - First Tulip Mania then Daffodil Madness?

"It's spring. I've cleaned and sharpened my tools. I've seeded my cold weather veggies -- kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce -- into flats, and I've made out my shopping lists. I'm ready to hit the ground running. Unfortunately, my patch is covered with snow and even if the weather warms and it thaws in the next week or two, it will be a couple more weeks after that before I can work in the garden" says Nancy Szerlag. If you are as well organised as this, what can you do in the meantime? Look for new ideas and inspiration in magazines is her suggestion. Read more..

First he planted tulips, but when they were decimated by deer, he moved on to the one bulb that deer don't eat, the daffodil. Not just a few bulbs either. His four acre yard west of Topeka is now home to somewhere between 25,000 to 30,000 daffodils. I thought that I had made quite an effort last October when I planted an assortment of spring flowering bulbs including a good selection of daffodils, but I can see that I will never match Carl Smith. But then my garden is nowhere near four acres. Read more..

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March 31, 2005 09:45 - 'Nonstop Deep Red' and 'Sun Devil Mambo' and more

"Tired of plain red begonias? Bored with pale-pink petunias?" asks Kathy Van Mullekom. "That's OK because the coming gardening season promises new looks on old favorites." Starting with the said begonias and petunias she describes the new varieties such as 'Nonstop Deep Red' and 'Sun Devil Mambo' that are available this season. Moving on through Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Vinca 'First Kiss Blueberry' and Zinnia 'Magellan Coral' you are only half way down her list. This is an article that you will want to print out and keep handy when you visit you local nursery and garden center. Read more..

'Urban Gardening Taking Root' is the title of this press release from Bonnie Plant Farm. Urbanites are proving that space limitations will not confine a gardener from pursuing his or her interests. From windowsills, to patios, to balconies, to roof tops, productive small space or mini-gardens are taking root in metropolitan areas across the country.

Nothing tastes better than vegetables picked fresh from your own garden, and Bonnie Plant Farm, the nation's largest grower of container vegetable plants, offers some advice for a successful small space garden.

Although this is just a plug for the company, it does contain some useful hints for aspiring urban gardeners. Read more..

For more on container gardening have a look at Container Gardening Plans.

Here's a bargain for anyone who wished they had planted more bulbs last fall. Brecks are offering Tulips, Daffodils and Hyancinths at up to 66% off the full price. And they promise that the bulbs will bloom in just 2-3 weeks. Take a look.

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