North Country Maturing Gardener

A WALK ON THE GARDEN PATH

2008-07-20T07:03:00.004-04:00

We're doggie sitting a friends coco-poo. I'm not sure that's how to spell it, but I'm sure you get the idea! This is a VERY sweet dog. Well behaved, quiet and a wonderful lap warmer!
She needs to be walked frequently and I'm more than happy to oblige her. It gets me onto my garden path where I dead-head the daylillies and do light pruning a few times a day. I'm using my legs a bit more and enjoying it. I need to keep it up after she's back home. her family may miss her now, but I'll miss her then!
This morning I came across an article about Al Gore and his new website, We Can Solve It. It's worth a visit. It's a way of getting yourself involved in this movement, which as a gardener, you're already involved somewhat!
There is also another site where New Hampshire folks can take the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge. Whether you take this challenge or not, whether you live in NH or not, it doesn't matter. Just go there and see what it has to say.
As gardeners we tend to be more concerned with our environment because we know how it affects our plants, and hence us. I hope each and every one of you has a compost heap, pile, bin or at least a spot where you can dig compost into the ground! Every little bit helps.
Check out the two links I've given you and do something about it...TODAY!

A WALK IN THE GARDEN

2008-06-28T07:04:00.005-04:00

As I walk around the garden with Ayla (our visiting dog) I am amazed by how much the garden is giving back to me. I'm struggling, as you know, with the fact that my body doesn't want to do all the things I used to do so easily. I guess it's called AGE.
Anyway, the perennials that I have planted over the years are blooming happily. Wildflowers like daisy's and foxglove are popping up all over the place. If they get intrusive, I just yank them. But, they look pretty in most spots, so I leave them and the whole place looks rather like a cottage garden!
I usually carry some pruners to "dead-head" when needed. That also allows me to do a little light pruning where necessary.
This year, for the first time, my climbing hydrangea is blooming! I planted one at the base of a tree, since they are supposed to like climbing trees, probably 15 years ago. It has NEVER bloomed. I took a piece of it and planted it by a huge tree stump. The stump is now covered with beautiful dark, shiny-leaved climbing hydrangea. This year THAT is in the process of blooming. How lovely! The one on the tree still doesn bloom!
I have also planted a red osier dogwood behind the house many years ago. This year that is also blooming...or at least at the moment, it's in bud. I'm anxious to see how it looks in a week or two.
Overall, I'm happy with my "neglected" garden. It's looking a bit scraggly, but nice. It's "comfortable" if a garden could be labeled that.

AN AGING GARDENER

2008-06-16T08:08:00.004-04:00

I'm still occupied way too much inside. I'm getting old and creaky and my garden is suffering. Is anyone else out there feeling like that?
I've spent quite a few years getting the garden to take care of itself. Mostly perennials that flower on a "rotational" basis; heavy mulching; plants suited to their environment; you name it, I've tried it. However, no garden can take care of itself entirely. It will revert back to nature and the original "Garden of Eden" template. What that means is weeds. I've got 'em.
So, when my schedule allows and my body is willing, I will go out into the garden and do some weeding. I will have some compost with me to sprinkle around every plant I pass. I will pull out everything in my path that doesn't belong, and then I will drag my sorry body back into the house to lick my wounds and start again. It sounds terrible.
However, consider that the garden still flowers prolifically all by itself, even with the weeds. I am still proud every time I pass it. I'm so grateful to my mother for introducing me to this wonderful hobby. Actually, it's not a hobby but rather a way of life.
Those of you who are just starting out in gardening, let me tell you that it is addictive. It is SO satisfying to expend that energy, stand back and be able to admire the work that you have done. It will continue to reward you throughout your life. It will make you glow with pride when someone compliments you on it's appearance. It's the source of one of life's greatest 'highs'.
I have had so many wonderful, gardening years. I loved EVERY minute. Now, I'm just getting tired. I wish my body was a bit more resilient, but it's not. Now I will enjoy writing about gardening and answering your questions. I will thank my husband as he bends and kneels, weeding and helping me in any way he can. A garden is hard when the body begins to break down. So, enjoy working there when you can and realize that the day will come when it needs to take care of itself as much as possible. Plant and plan accordingly.

BEAR WITH ME-I STILL LOVE MY GARDEN!

2008-06-09T11:16:00.004-04:00

MY LIFE IS TEMPORARILY CRAZY!
My husband and I are about to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Our children are throwing us a party in July. They are also asking for photographs from us. This is taking an inordinate amount of computer time...so when I'm done with that, I just want to FORGET about the computer.
And then the house is on the market, so it's having to be kept reasonably presentable.
Just as our time is taken up inside and I am having trouble keeping up with the blog, the house and the party...the garden is suffering as well.
The heat has been horrible the last few days and the water coming from the sky is not too frequent...so I've been doing a little soaking of peonies and other assorted things that need it, like whiskey boxes and hanging planters. They are VERY thirsty.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, remember to SOAK your plants. Don't sprinkle if at all possible.
My elbow is sore, so I'm stopping here. Check out the house!

CHORES FOR JUNE

2008-05-27T06:30:00.002-04:00

JUNE

Plant your window boxes

Prune spring flowering shrubs when they have finished blooming

Thin seedlings

Use balanced, organic fertilizers around flowers

Be sure to fertilize your annuals with liquid fertilizer. They'll thank you for it by blooming continuously!

Stake tall perennials and tomatoes

Use a pine needle mulch for blueberries

Be sure your lawn mower is set to cut the grass HIGH

After the iris are done blooming they can be divided

Gladiolus corms can be planted

Dead-head (prune off) spent flowers from plants and shrubs

Cutting back perennials such as dianthus, veronica and other similar shrubby varieties, will possibly produce a second blooming. How great would that be? They'll also look better!

You may still plant container grown shrubs

Plant broccoli seed for fall harvest.

If you have a water garden, there's still time to plant water
lilies.

House plants can soon be moved outside to a shady, protected spot.

These same houseplants can be lightly fed with half strength
fertilizer.

Mulch perennials and roses to keep down weeds and conserve moisture.

Look for Jap. beetles either early or late in the day and shake them into a bucket of soapy water. The reason you don't do it mid-day is because they'll out run you!

Any annuals can be safely set out now.

If you have an amaryllis, now would be the time to move it outside.

Pinch the leading stems of your chrysanthemum's to encourage them to
be bushier and have more blossoms. Continue doing this every 6 inches
or so, as they grow.

If you have apple trees, hang red sticky-ball traps to control apple maggot flies. Small trees can get by with 2 balls. Larger trees should probably have 4-6 balls.

Stop cutting asparagus when the new spears get pinkie-finger thin. Let them grow into ferns instead. It will feed the roots.

Side-Dress Veggies to give them a little boost

Have you got Hosta's? Are there slugs chewing them? Try this solution, if you haven't already.
Combine 9 parts water to 1 part common household ammonia and spray it on the hosta just before dark. When the slugs hit this, they will dissolve!

Are you remembering to turn the compost every once in a while? You should also wet it down if the hose is close by.

Any questions about June?

Pollinators

2008-05-07T10:39:00.004-04:00

Good morning! It appears that research has shown polluted air affects the pollinators in that they cannot smell the plants they are trying to find! This may account for the bee die off, or Colony Collapse Disorder. This is not proven, but seems logical as the bees don't see well. They utilize the odor to find the plants.
You will notice many of these plants are in the category of wild flowers, or naturalized plants. They are very easy to grow since they don't require much care. If you've been reading my recent articles, most of them are good candidates for Xeriscapes and Rain Gardens.
I guess my point is that perhaps we should try to utilize this list of plants as we replace plantings in our gardens.

Vulnerable Plants-Monday, May 5, 2008 Washington Post
Written by Juliet Eilperin

Ozone pollution not only affects pollinators but also directly harms many plants and flowers, according to a recent report.

Vulnerable Plants

Gary M. Lovett of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Timothy H. Tear of the Nature Conservancy listed a wide variety of East Coast vegetation that is considered vulnerable to air pollution in a paper titled "Effects of Atmospheric Deposition on Biological Diversity in the Eastern United States."

Tear said the effects of ozone on ecosystems "have been underestimated by society and conservation, as well." The list of vulnerable plants they found on National Park Service or Fish and Wildlife land includes:

· Evening primrose

· Huckleberry

· Loblolly pine

· Jack pine

· Pitch pine

· Table-mountain pine

· Monterey pine

· Jeffrey pine

· Red elderberry

· Blue elderberry

· Yellow poplar

· Tall milkweed

· Mugwort

· Virginia creeper

· Quaking aspen

· American sycamore

· Black cherry

· Choke cherry

· Ponderosa pine

· Thimbleberry

· Cutleaf coneflower

· Sassafras

· Goldenrod

· Speckled alder

· American hazelnut

· Sweet mock

· Spreading dogbane

· Yellow buckeye

THE WATER WISE GARDENER

2008-05-03T10:48:00.006-04:00

I have written about Rain Gardens and Xeriscapes. I'd like to do a posting on "Water Wise Gardening". I'll bet all of you reading this blog have little methods that help YOU save water in, around or on your gardens. I'd LOVE to hear about them, so PLEASE write me here and tell me your ideas!
When I've collected a bunch, I'll share them with all of you! My idea is to combine the Rain Garden and Xeriscape ideas under the general title of "Water Wise Gardening". I'll put them into a Power Point Presentation and use it as a presentation for groups looking for something like that. What do you think?

MAY GARDENING CHORES

2008-05-01T08:27:00.001-04:00

MAY

Tulips should be dead-headed(remove spent flower)

The grass can be mowed when it reaches 3-4 inches (sorry, but
it IS that time again!)

Hold off mulching until the soil is warm, or you'll just keep
the cold in!

You can now plant lettuce, beans, corn and carrots right in the
soil.

Tomatoes can be planted when the lilacs bloom. You might sprinkle
a teaspoon of Epsom salts into the hole where they go to provide magnesium.

Marigolds, zinnias and even nasturtiums are good to plant in and around
your vegetables as well as the flower beds. They repel insects!

You can begin to plant gladiolas at 2 week intervals

You can fertilize any bulbs that are up.

Stake your peonies before they get too big. This applies to other tall growing plants. Get the stakes in the ground before they get too tall.

Cut back your tall perennials like bee balm and phlox to control their height.

Harvest rhubarb by grabbing it at the base of the stalk and pulling firmly away from the crown, twisting just a bit. Be sure to throw the leaves into the compost as they are poisonous!

You can prune your spring blooming shrubs just as soon as the flowers have faded.

Dead head your lilacs.

Don't forget to dead head your bulbs as well. Leave the foliage, but take out the spent flower heads.

Have you got Hosta's? Are there slugs chewing them? Try this solution, if you haven't already.
Combine 9 parts water to common household ammonia and spray it on the hosta just before dark. When the slugs hit this, they will dissolve!

Check the apple, cherry, and other fruit trees for nests of tent caterpillars. As soon as the tender, new leaves emerge, so will the caterpillars. Their destruction is just awful! Try blasting them with a strong stream of water from the hose. Bt will also work if you can get it up there. Maybe the use of a sprayer will be practical in this case. I also understand that the Praying Mantis is a big time enemy of tent caterpillars. Perhaps you should order some of those! They should be released into the affected tree at the same time the caterpillars emerge. If you place them before their dinner appears, they will find another yard to in which to chow down.

Plant Annuals no sooner than May 30th!

Any questions about May?

XERISCAPE PLANTS FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE

2008-04-30T09:36:00.002-04:00

The following is a list of plant materials well adapted for water-wise landscaping in New Hampshire.

Ornamental Grasses: Alopecurus pratensis, Foxtail grass, Zone 4 Deschampsia cespitosa, Tufted Hair Grass, Zones 4 & 5 Molina arundinacea, Purple Moor Grass, Zones 4 & 5 Phalaris arundinacea, Ribbon Grass, Zone 4

Trees and Shrubs: Acer negundo, Box elder Cotoneaster spp Crataegus spp., Hawthorn Juniperus spp, Junipers Kalmia latifolia, Mountain Laurel Prunus Americana, American plum Rosa Rugosa, Beach Rose Syringa spp, lilac

Perennial Flowers Achillea spp, Yarrow, Zone 3 Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Weed, Zone 3 Baptisia australis, False Indigo, Zone 3 Coreopsis spp, Zone 3 Dianthus plumarius, Grass Pink, Cottage Pink, Zone 3 Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower, Zone 3 Gypsophila paniculata, Baby's Breath, Zone 3 Hemerocallis spp, Daylily, Zones 3-4 Perovskia atriplicifolia, Russian Sage, Zone 5 Rudbeckia spp., Black-eyed Susan, Zones 3-4 Sedum spp., Stonecrop, Zones 3-4 Stachys spp, Lamb's Ears, Zone 4

Annual Flowers Cleome spinosa, Spiderflower Coreopsis tinctoria Euphorbia marginata, Snow-on-the-Mountain Gailardia pulchella, Blanket Flower Helianthus annus, Sunflower Portulaca grandiflora Tithonia rotundifolia, Mexican Sunflower Salvia farinacea, Blue Salvia

For Additional Information Please contact the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau at (603) 271-2513 or dwgbinfo@des.state.nh.us or visit our website at www.des.nh.gov/dwgb. All of the bureau’s fact sheets are on-line at www.des.nh.gov/dwg.htm. Xeriscape Council of New Mexico. Complete discussion of the seven principles of xeriscape www.xeriscapenm.com/Principles.html University of Vermont, Department of Plant and Soil Science. Detailed description of how to grow ornamental grasses. http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/orngrass.html Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd. Discussion about landscaping with native plants. Though geared to the Midwest, has some useful information. www.for-wild.org/ References: _____; MIL-Handbook-1165, Water Conservation; US Dept. of Defense; 1997; pp 67-73. Vickers, Amy; Handbook of Water Use and Conservation; WaterPlow Press, Amherst, MA; 2001; pp 140-223. Note: This fact sheet is accurate as of January 2007. Statutory or regulatory changes, or the availability of additional information after this date may render this information inaccurate or incomplete.

XERISCAPING-MAINTAIN YOUR LANDSCAPE

2008-04-29T07:38:00.003-04:00

Maintain your landscape
Low-maintenance is one of the benefits of xeriscape. It should help free you from many common garden chores. One of these is weeding. Keeping the weeds from growing up through the mulch may require some attention. When you begin your garden, be sure to pay some extra attention to it as the garden is becoming established. Thickening the layer of mulch will help. It is so much easier to pull out a single weed, than have a ton of them to deal with!
Turf areas should not be cut too short - taller grass is a natural self-mulch which shades the roots and helps retain moisture. Do not cut your grass any shorter than 3 inches. Also, to make your life easier, don't rake the clippings up, unless you forget to cut and have clumps of grass spread around the lawn. That will effectively kill the grass below it!
Also, in order to make your life a bit easier, so you don't have to cut too often, avoid over-fertilizing. If you over-fertilize, the grass needs more of everything. Don't bother. Instead save the money and go out to dinner!

XERISCAPE IRRIGATION

2008-04-24T06:59:00.004-04:00

Irrigate
Water conservation is the goal with xeriscaping, so avoid over-watering at all costs. Soaker hoses and drip-irrigation systems offer the easiest and most efficient watering for xeriscapes because they deliver water directly to the base of the plant. This reduces moisture loss from evaporation. They also deliver the water at a slow rate which encourages root absorption and reduces pooling and erosion. In general, it's best to water deeply and less frequently.
If you haven't got the ability to use drip-irrigation systems, just lay your hose on the ground at the base of the plant, and turn the hose barely on. In other words create your won "trickle" system! Allow it to stay there for 10-15 minutes per plant. Remember, the water should BARELY be running. You want it to soak in without running off at all. This will take some running back and forth to the garden, but once the plants are established, you shouldn't need to do this but a couple of times during the summer and only at the DRIEST times.
My garden is strictly "on it's own". It's too far from a hose to even do this, so if the plants don't survive, I've learned something. I won't buy that kind of plant again.
When I plant, I water deeply and carefully. With the mulch on nice and thick, the plants should be absolutely fine.

MULCH ON XERISCAPE

2008-04-23T17:31:00.001-04:00

Mulch
Cover the soil's surface around plants with a mulch, such as leaves, coarse compost, pine needles, wood chips, bark or gravel. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and temperature, prevent erosion and block out competing weeds. Organic mulch will slowly incorporate with the soil, and will need more applied, "top-dressed", from time to time. To be effective, mulch needs to be several inches thick. There should be no areas of bare soil.

XERISCAPING-USE APPROPRIATE PLANTS

2008-04-20T08:49:00.002-04:00

Use Appropriate Plants
For best results, select plants that are native to your region.

use drought-resistant plants. In general, these plants have leaves which are small, thick, glossy, silver-grey or fuzzy - all characteristics which help them save water.

select plants for their ultimate size. This reduces pruning maintenance.

for hot, dry areas with south and west exposure, use plants which need only a minimum of water. Along north and east-facing slopes and walls, choose plants that like more moisture. Most importantly, don't mix plants with high- and low-watering needs in the same planting area.

trees help to reduce evaporation by blocking wind and shading the soil.

Xeriscape-Create Limited Turf Areas

2008-04-15T09:40:00.003-04:00

I know this sounds a bit "odd" but some people just really do need turf areas in their landscape. It doesn't appeal or even look good to have it ALL in flowers, shrubs and trees!
When planting new turf, or reseeding existing lawns, get water-saving species adapted to your area.
The idea is to reduce the size of turf areas as much as possible, while retaining some turf for open space, functionality and visual appeal. Then pick the grass seed carefully for your area to find the grass that will live best on as little water as possible. Call your state Extension Office to find out which grass will be best for your location.
Why should you want to get rid of turf in a Xeriscape? As you know from your reading, the whole idea behind xeriscaping is to cut back on water usage. Either because you don't HAVE any water to spare, or because you'd like to be "water wise". If you have turf growing around your home, you know it requires a LOT of water in order to stay attractive. So, pay attention to these recommendations.

Xeriscape-Soil Improvement

2008-04-13T09:51:00.000-04:00

Soil Improvement
The ideal soil in a water-conserving landscape does two things simultaneously: it drains quickly and stores water at the same time. This is achieved by increasing the amount of organic material in your soil and keeping it well aerated. Compost is the ideal organic additive, unless your xeriscape contains many succulents and cacti. These species prefer lean soil.
It may be worthwhile to have your soil tested at a garden center or by using a home test kit. Most Western soils tend to be alkaline (high pH) and low in phosphorous. Adding bonemeal and rock phosphate will help.

BATS

2008-04-03T17:36:00.006-04:00

Here's an article I saw today on Yahoo! It's all about BATS, and I thought you might enjoy and learn something by reading it.

Birds get the credit, but bats eat more bugs

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science EditorThu Apr 3, 2:01 PM ET

Bats play a bigger role than birds do in controlling tropical insects, and the loss of bats might mean that morning cup of coffee gets more expensive, researchers said on Thursday.

Two separate studies show bats eat far more insects than birds do, protecting plants of the rain forest and, in one of the studies, coffee plantations.

The studies, published in the journal Science, suggest that the loss of bat populations worldwide might affect agriculture -- not to mention make warm evenings outside more uncomfortable, the researchers said.

"Bats are impacting ecological systems in all kinds of ways, and I just want them to get the credit they deserve," said Kimberly Williams-Guillen, a tropical ecologist at the University of Michigan who led one of the studies.

Williams-Guillen and colleagues studied bats at Finca Irlanda, a 740-acre (300-hectare) organic coffee plantation in Chiapas, Mexico.

In previous studies of insect damage, scientists have simply covered plants to keep off birds and then counted the bugs and measured what they ate. They forgot to account for what the bats did at night.

Williams-Guillen and her colleagues set up three types of enclosures -- one that only excluded birds, one that only excluded bats at night, and nets that kept out birds and bats day and night.

During the summer wet season, the coffee trees under the nets that kept the bats out had 84 percent more insects, spiders and other bugs than unprotected plants, they reported.

Birds had far less of an effect, they said.

HANGING OUT ON PLANTS

Margareta Kalka of the Smithsonian Institution in Balboa, Panama, and her team did a similar experiment in what she described as pristine rain forest.

"Insects could freely pass through the nets to eat the plants, hang out on the plants," Kalka said in a telephone interview.

"Both bats and birds had a significant effect on plants. And in our particular study ... we found a bigger impact of bats than from birds," Kalka added.

Plants shielded only from birds during the day had double the insect damage of plants that were uncovered, Kalka said. But plants netted at night to keep bats out had three times the usual insect damage.

The findings have important implications for conservation, Kalka said.

"Bats worldwide are suffering," she said in a telephone interview. "People still don't understand what are the threats to bats. Climate change may be a threat to bats."

Williams-Guillen's team agreed.

"Bat populations are declining worldwide, but monitoring programs and conservation plans for bats lag far behind those for birds," they wrote.

Williams-Guillen also noticed that bats do not only catch insects on the fly -- a technique that helps them eat half their body weight in a single night.

Many also perched upside-down from branches, swooping onto nonflying insects and other pests as they munched on leaves.

Kalka said it is clear why people credit birds with protecting crops.

"People like birds better and they are more obvious -- they are colorful, they are singing," she said.

"People love them -- they see them eating bugs off leaves. It seemed more obvious that birds have a role in pest control. Bats hunt in the dark so it is really hard to study them. They are completely overlooked."

(Editing by Will Dunham and Xavier Briand)

Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

CHORES FOR APRIL

2008-04-02T08:54:00.001-04:00

APRIL

This is a good time to get that soil tested. Then there will be time to amend it before the season gets into full swing!

Start up your lawn mower so you know it doesn't need a trip to the repair shop before grass cutting time. Also be sure the blades are SHARP.

Sharpen your other tools while you are at it!

Avoid working in the garden unless the soil breaks up in your
hand if you squeeze a lump of it.

Instead, turn your compost (assuming it is no longer frozen!)

Hummingbirds begin to appear this month in some places. Clean
the feeders and hang them for the "early birds"

Sow peas in the ground as soon as the frost is gone

Continue with the tree pruning. Get rid of dead and diseased limbs

As soon as your shrubs are done blooming, prune them as well.

You can prune your berry bushes-check a reference or
ask me

This is a good time to pull out weed trees and old bramble branches. They tend to yank out easily because the soil is still soft and moist.

Remove mulch from strawberries

Pansies can now be planted outside

It is the time to divide and plant perennials as well.

If you have any bare root plants going into the garden, soak them overnight before planting. also be sure to trim off any super long or broken roots.

If you winter mulch your garden beds, begin to remove mulch when forsythia and daffodils bloom.

PLANNING AND DESIGN OF XERISCAPE

2008-03-19T14:39:00.002-04:00

Planning and design
⁃ Attend some seminars, read up on the topic and try to get some expert opinion on how to go about the process.
⁃ Group plants with similar water needs to create distinct watering zones
⁃ Place least drought-tolerant zone closest to a water source , be it dappled shade or near a water feature.
⁃ If your yard is sloped use terraces and rain gardens to minimize runoff and erosion. Terraces over 12 inches will require some kind of support.
⁃ Incorporate water feature into highest water use zone. Try to get it into a shade area to reduce water loss from evaporation. Try using dwarf trees or shrubs to create dappled shade.
⁃ Use most drought-tolerant plants in southern or western exposures.
⁃ Minimize use of rocks, plastic and sand in high heat areas. These simply raise temperatures and cause runoff problems.
⁃ Try to plant in the fall when it's cooler and plants need less water to become established.

PRINCIPALS OF XERISCAPING

2008-03-18T13:50:00.004-04:00

There are 7 principals of Xeriscaping. I will list them here and then elaborate on them further in the days to come. Here they are!

Planning and Design
Soil Improvement
Create LIMITED turf areas
Use Appropriate Plants
Mulch
Irrigate
Maintain Landscape

Some of these are pretty "common sensible" while others may be a bit of a surprise. Many people think Xeriscaping is only for South Western, HOT, or excessively dry climates. That's definitely NOT true as you will come to learn. So, stay tuned.

A LITTLE BREAK

2008-03-15T08:28:00.004-04:00

I have a few lady bugs that keep us company during the winter. When I see them, I dump them into my house plants. I don't know if they are doing any good there...but they are supposed to eat "bad guys", so maybe that's why I don't seem to have problems with inside insects. I'm not really an indoor plant person, but as an outside gardener, that makes sense to me. Can anyone shed light on that?
Also, yesterday I went for a walk (literally...I didn't go to buy anything) around the inside perimeter of the new Wal-Mart in town. Just as a note, this place is so big it took me 15 minutes to make one pass! ANYWAY, in their gardening section (you didn't think I'd pass right by THAT did you?) were some pots that are WONDERFUL for african violets and other plants that love to be a little moist, and don't like their leaves or feet wet. They actually are two pots, one inside the other. The outside pot is glazed everywhere, while the inside pot is porous. so you plant the violet in the porous pot and set it inside the glazed one which you have filled about 1/3-1/2 with water. The porous pot absorbs whatever the plant requires; you don't have to play nursery-maid; the leaves stay dry; and NEVER does anything get waterlogged or soggy. The soil provides the moisture the plant requires...all by itself. These pots are also wonderful for just about any plant if you find yourself taking a lot of vacations. You can always set them in a larger container (read "sink") when you're not there.

DEFINITIONS AND BENEFITS OF XERISCAPING

2008-03-14T14:24:00.002-04:00

• Xeriscaping refers to conservation of water through creative landscaping. It reduces watering and maximizes the use of natural precipitation. Right now over 50% of residential water used is applied to landscapes and lawns. Using Xeriscaping can reduce landscape water use by 50-75%. That is a BIG number!
• The word comes from a combination of two other words. "xeri" from Greek word"xeros" meaning dry, and "scape" meaning a view or scene. Even though literally meaning "dry scene" in means using slow-growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water.
• Began in response to severe water shortages. Initially it was used in dry, warm climates in our American west, it has evolved to be used all over the country, regardless of the climate.
• Water-wise landscaping saves water, money, upkeep and time and provides a beautiful landscape.
• The word "xeros" means dry, but a xeriscape is not dry. Rather it uses very little water.
• A well thought-out plan is essential for a water-wise landscape.
• The amount of rain that falls is beyond our control. However, we can create a garden that can withstand the rigors of drought without sacrificing beauty and variety. Drought-resistant plants are the natural selection.
• Xeriscape means "Dry Landscape" but a better definition is a "smart landscape".
• A method of landscaping that conserves water by incorporating good design and sound horticultural practices.
• Xeriscapes can utilize any landscaping style. The principles can be applied to any part of a yard or geographic region.
• Means low maintenance, not zero maintenance. Careful pruning weeding, and watering will increase water savings and the beauty of the garden.
• Water costs will be rising. A xeriscape will help you stay ahead of the "savings" curve!
• It will also provide wildlife habitat. Wildlife is attracted to native plant materials.

XERISCAPING

2008-03-13T11:52:00.003-04:00

How much do you know about Xeriscaping?
Xeriscaping reduces watering and maximizes the use of natural precipitation. It is both similar and totally different from a Rain Garden. However, they have so much in common that I think I'll move right to Xeriscaping from Rain Gardens. For this I might suggest that you do a bit of reading about it. Here's the Amazon link where you can check out some books that give you a more detailed version.

RAIN GARDEN PLACEMENT IN YOUR GARDEN

2008-03-11T07:33:00.004-04:00

The weather has been miserable here over the last couple of weeks. We had a ton of snow which has been here all winter. Then it poured. Then it got REALLY cold. Now, there is a thick snow cover, but that's covered with a thick coating of ice. So, whatever little bit of melt that occurs just forms puddles because it can't possibly penetrate the ice.
As I drive through the neighborhood, I see puddles on the snow-cover. It dawned on me yesterday that these are the perfect locations for RAIN GARDENS! These are the spots where the water runs and settles. REMEMBER these spots and be aware that they will be wonderful places for those RAIN GARDENS! Sometimes nature is wonderful, isn't it?

RAIN GARDEN-WHAT GOES THERE?

2008-03-07T08:53:00.002-05:00

What goes into a Rain Garden?

• Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they generally don't need fertilization and tend to be quite tolerant of local climate, soil and water conditions. They have evolved to fit their environment and are naturally drought, flood and pest resistant.
• Plants should be composed of a selection of native wetland edge vegetation, such as wildflowers, sedges, rushes, ferns, shrubs and small trees. These plants are reasonably resistant to the stress of both periods of pooling as well as dry periods between rain events.
• There are many "normal" plants that can tolerate having wet feet. Look for them in the local nursery. Then watch them. If they don't work, put them elsewhere. • If the plants have deep root systems they can find water deep in the ground during dry periods. These deep roots also create conduits for the water to travel down into the ground during periods of heavy rain.
• It is best to avoid invasive species. Don't create a weed nightmare!
• Plants with large root structures will make the rain garden more effective and less susceptible to disease.
• Choose hardy species than can tolerate both wet and dry.
• If you have poor soil drainage, you'll want plants that are more water-tolerant as the water will remain there longer.
• Don't use seed to plant your rain garden. They will wash away in the first rain, leaving the garden vulnerable to erosion. Be sure to use reasonably established plants instead.
• As with any garden, pick plants for your soil type and sun duration.
• Most native plants are very attractive to butterflies, frogs, turtles, toads and birds who depend on them for food and shelter.
• Put in a pedestal birdbath and perhaps a feeder to encourage the birds to come.

LOSING WEIGHT WHILE GARDENING!

2008-03-05T08:01:00.008-05:00

I get the Johns Hopkins Health Alerts. This morning I got the email that I get every week or so. It said this:

"Light gardening and yard work can be surprisingly taxing: Performed at a moderate pace, a 154-lb person can burn 330 calories per hour digging up weeds and raking."

I am really happy about that because I'm also trying to lose weight! Unfortunately, there's about 2 feet of snow on the ground covered by about 1/2 inch of ice...I guess I won't be losing any weight THAT way for awhile!
Anyway, I thought you'd like to know gardening can help you lose weight!