The Joy of Gardening

[kittygrrl]

Plant in the rain. Plants & seeds love it..

[homoe]

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

Plant in the rain. Plants & seeds love it..

Living in the Pacific Northwest, that won't be a problem......

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by homoe

Living in the Pacific Northwest, that won't be a problem......

Lucky h.....you really are

[homoe]

Pre-warm soil for heat-loving plants. Transplants that relish warm weather, including peppers and eggplants, are best planted into warm soil. In areas with long growing seasons, waiting to transplant until the soil warms up works just fine. If you want to get an early start, or if your growing season is short, you can give the soil a heat boost to help ease the transition to the garden. Two weeks or more before transplant time, prepare the soil and rake the site smooth. Water if soil is very dry. Spread black plastic over the site, stretching it tight and burying all the edges. Let the sun’s rays warm the soil for 2 weeks before transplanting. Plant directly into the plastic by cutting holes through it with a trowel or gardening knife. The plastic holds heat during the nighttime hours, which also benefits heat-loving crops.

[homoe]

[homoe]

Some plants are shade plants, others need sun, and yet even more plants are partial shade or sun! Don't overlook that part of your plant's description!

Hometalk member The Micro Gardener has a universal solution: Place your container garden on wheels or a trolley, so you can move it around in the event your selected spot doesn't get as much sunlight as you originally thought.

After reading this tip, I'm considering picking up a used wheelbarrow at a yard sale come spring!

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

Thinking this may also help with location location location issues......

It would be lightweight, so easy enough to move from area to area, and has excellent drainage!

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

Some plants are shade plants, others need sun, and yet even more plants are partial shade or sun! Don't overlook that part of your plant's description!

Hometalk member The Micro Gardener has a universal solution: Place your container garden on wheels or a trolley, so you can move it around in the event your selected spot doesn't get as much sunlight as you originally thought.

After reading this tip, I'm considering picking up a used wheelbarrow at a yard sale come spring!

This idea could also solve a limited space problem which we will have. I'm thinking herbs such as chives, parsley, etc might work well in this instance.

[homoe]

Don't let limited outdoor space prevent you from trying out your green thumb. From tasty fruits and veggies to flowering plants, trees and shrubs, container gardening is the trick to growing it all in less space than you may think.



For many years, when we lived in Seattle, we had a balcony but always thought it was to small of a area for gardening. Wish I would of gotten this advice years earlier...

[homoe]

Build a gardener’s portfolio.

Keep tabs on your garden. Create a scrapbook using an inexpensive photo album and add your plant tags and sticks to it each season. Then, make it as detailed as you’d like by adding information as to where the plants were purchased and where the plant was located in your garden. Add your own artistic flair with sketches of your garden or photographs.

[Lyte]

There's a fun and informative series on Netflix called Big Dreams Small Spaces on that very topic … making the most of a small gardening area. It's set in the UK but most of what's in the show is applicable regardless of location.

Originally Posted by homoe

Don't let limited outdoor space prevent you from trying out your green thumb. From tasty fruits and veggies to flowering plants, trees and shrubs, container gardening is the trick to growing it all in less space than you may think.

For many years, when we lived in Seattle, we had a balcony but always thought it was to small of a area for gardening. Wish I would of gotten this advice years earlier...

[homoe]

Originally Posted by Lyte

There's a fun and informative series on Netflix called Big Dreams Small Spaces on that very topic … making the most of a small gardening area. It's set in the UK but most of what's in the show is applicable regardless of location.

thanks .....

[homoe]

Originally Posted by homoe

If you can find a bigger one, say about 16 inches, try a nice mix of senecio, kalanchoe, lampranthus, portulace, aeonium, and crassula.

[homoe]

Give Your Space A Plant-Over...


Plants add instant life to any room but they are more than just a design secret-they can actually change the science of a space. Greenery can absorb toxins, purify the air, and even reduce noise levels.

Pothos, Succulent, Calathes Medallion Dracaena are some excellent choices for the bathroom. They not only thrive in humidity but they help rid the air of chemicals left behind by cleaning & beauty products.

[homoe]

Plants are a mood booster-and no room can benefit more than a bedroom!

[homoe]

House Beautiful mentioned this website https://www.thesill.com/



All this talk of an early spring has me pumped!

[homoe]

Seeds vs Seedlings


In the depth of winter looking through a seed catalog is the gardener's equivalent of planning a summer vacation-a chance to fantasize about warmer days ahead.

Growing from seed allows one to try a wide variety than you'll typically find as seedlings the the garden center.

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by homoe

Seeds vs Seedlings


In the depth of winter looking through a seed catalog is the gardener's equivalent of planning a summer vacation-a chance to fantasize about warmer days ahead.

so true homoe....i live for autumn, hibernate in winter and bloom in spring

[homoe]

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

so true homoe....i live for autumn, hibernate in winter and bloom in spring

Exactly.............

[homoe]

In today's Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Section Forkner offers tips on plotting for spring but what really grabbed my attention was his reference to a 2015 book by Ken Druse.The New Shade Garden: Creating A Lush Oasis In The Age of Climate Change.

Forkner agrees that the garden of the future will be shade ones. Last year was one of the hottest summers on records in the Pacific Northwest and agrees Climate Charge will play an important factor in future gardening endeavours.