Plant Gardens 101

Ever consider the art of bonsai. Bonsai are not the trees themselves but refer specifically to the process by which to grow and care for the trees. Bonsai is an ancient art, first believed practiced by the Chinese, who shaped their trees into animal forms and then later modified and some say improved by the Japanese.

Bonsai trees are beautiful when grow properly and can make anyone’s garden the envy of friends and neighbors. You will gain many skills when taking up Bonsai. You will learn new plant knowledge, pruning skills as well as feeding and caring skills Bonsai definitely had its rewards but if you are considering this or have already purchased your first tree then you should pay close attention to the advice given in this article. In it will be some advice for the Bonsai Beginner. (more…)

I can hear you thinking that you have no idea about growing vegetables. The truth is that you can easily learn enough to be growing useful crops very quickly, and each session spent in your garden teaches you even more. You will learn much that is unique to your own situation, such as local soil conditions, your particular aspect in relation to the sun, and oddities that relate to your local microclimate. You will learn most of this by getting out and giving it a go.

The taste of home grown vegetables is vastly superior to that of the commercially grown produce. Have you heard people complain that tomatoes no longer have any taste? They will have when you grow your own – you will never taste better. The lack of taste with the commercial crop is not all the fault of the growers, as they are under pressure to produce a crop, of uniform size and colour, to the schedule of the wholesale market, and ultimately the supermarket. You set your own schedule.

The freshness of your own crop is a big plus. Vegetables I have bought from the supermarket, and stored in the refrigerator, have started to become inedible after a few days. I have had home grown produce still fresh in the refrigerator after 2 weeks!

(more…)

A hoe with a triangular blade, used to make the furrow in which seeds are planted.

Do you enjoy cooking or gardening? If so, an indoor herb garden may be a perfect choice for you. They are fun, useful, and easy to maintain.

If you live in a colder climate, you know how hard it can be to grow things. With an indoor herb garden, you can have all the fun of gardening year round. They also add a special something to a kitchen windowsill. The different shapes and colors of the herbs make a fantastic decoration as they fill your kitchen with a wonderful aroma.

But enough of those reasons! The real benefit of an herb garden is having delicious, fresh herbs at your fingertips. No more running to the supermarket to pick up an overpriced bundle of herbs that you’ll have to throw out in a week! Instead you can simply clip off what you need and toss it right into your recipe. All the while knowing that it wasn’t grown with nasty pesticides and fertilizers. (more…)

A glimpse of the rising stars that will appear at a nursery near you. In August, I was asked to judge the 2009 New Varieties Showcase at the Farwest trade show in Portland, Oregon. Thirty-nine annuals, perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees were up for consideration. We three judges, clipboards in hand, represented various gardening perspectives. Dave Etchepare is a manager from Dennis’ Seven Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers in Portland and The Garden Doctor on KEX radio. Roger Mille, Homescaper LLC, looks at design considerations. I’m both a garden journalist and a home gardener. Our task was to choose a best plant in four categories, plus one overall winner for Best in Show. Using the criteria of landscape usefulness, uniqueness and retail appeal, we spread out to inspect the professionally designed display garden and make our separate decisions. Then we met to reach consensus.

The trend for colored foliage is still hot—blues, reds, purple-black and chartreuse were the dominating hues in the display—but among plants that didn’t make the final cut, I liked the tiny green leaves of tropical creeping mint, Mentha longifolia Mini Mojito™. In a winter greenhouse, the matting foliage could soften edges, scent the air and get popped in a drink. For descriptions of all thirty-nine entries, go to www.farwestshow.com/nvs. (more…)