All About ATP: Customize the Number of Posts You SeeATP allows you to choose the number of posts you see in each thread.
All About ATP: Seeing the New PostsViewing new posts has never been quicker or easier.
Indestructible Plant ID TagsThis idea is all over the gardening web, but here is my visual interpretation for tagging those tiny cuttings that all gardeners like to share.
All About ATPAll this month I will be posting tips on how you can get the most out of your experience on All Things Plants. New members as well as those who have been around for a while might learn something new!
The Chelsea Flower Show 2012 (Part 2)The Chelsea Flower Show is an eagerly awaited event after our long winter. It is the first time everyone gets together and can see the new plants as well as creations of sculptors and artists. A lot of gardeners use it as a social event, or to order sensational plants for the coming season in whatever variety interests them. On the final day a lot of the plants are sold off and London is awash with a sea of plants. It is a truly amazing sight!
Tying Up Plants on a Shoestring BudgetWhen your work boots or tennis shoes wear out and are ready to discard, first remove the shoe strings for use in tying up tall flowers or veggie plants.
Dealing with MetersHere's a way to keep plant material from obstructing utility meter faces
Santa Rosa Gardens: A ReviewSanta Rosa Gardens is well known for their selection of grasses and new annual introductions. This week I voice my opinion of my order.
Better Okra GerminationTo get quick germination of okra seeds some people soak their seeds overnight. Better yet is to freeze the seed a day or two before sowing. This breaks the hard seed coat and works much better than soaking. And remember, sowing okra in cool soil will still contribute to seed rot/poor germination so allow your soil to warm up before sowing.
Control Those Weeds: Poison IvyThis is the fourth in a series that will offer descriptions and control measures for some of the most common weeds. For the most part I will be referring to weeds found in the Midwest because that’s where I live and these are the ones I’m most familiar with.
Protect Your Developing SeedsIf you want to save some of your sunflower seeds before letting the birds get them, cover them with the mesh bags that onions come in.
A Quick Tip: Garden ToolsKeep a pair of pruning shears handy for those times when you think you are just going to take a short stroll around the garden; there's always something that needs to be snipped or pruned!
What's Blooming in AugustAugust has turned out to be a good month here at Cottage-in-the-Meadow Gardens. Having suffered substantially from heat, drought, Japanese beetles, and moles during June and July, many of our flowering plants are bouncing back with amazing rapidity and vigor. Come on in and see what's blooming and who our lucky winner is in July's mystery blossom contest.
Tulle in the GardenTulle is a useful asset in the garden. It easily outperforms expensive and short-lived row cover material by allowing more essential elements to reach your plants.
Glossary Tip: SportWhat is a botanical sport? There are different ways of phrasing it but it amounts to a plant suddenly putting off a variant of the original plant; sometimes this process is referred to as a mutation.
Deep Watering TipUse plastic/milk cartons for deep watering by heating a Phillips head screwdriver (I use the gas stove and a hot mitt) and punching several holes in the bottom and sides (3" from the bottom) of a plastic jug or milk bottle. Bury the jug around the tree line or around the base of a shrub. Bury it so that the opening is just above the soil level. Bury as many jugs as you wish around the tree/shrub line. Fill the jugs with water for a slow deep watering. Add liquid fertilizer as needed for deep feeding.
Review: "Garden Up," a Book by Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet'Garden Up' is an excellent book for gardening vertically in spaces large, small or anything in between. It's filled with everything from instructions, directions, and colorful images to lists of plants that will grow in the spaces that are portrayed. This is a must read for gardeners, one that you'll take outside with you.
ATP Podcast #0.3: Interview with Author Chris McLaughlinChris is a gardener and hobby farmer, and the author of many gardening books in the "Idiot's Guide" series. In this podcast, she joined me to talk all about gardening: heirloom vegetables, compost, worms, containers, small plants, and much more!
Louisiana Garden TourJust north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana: my oasis from the beginning until today.
Where Do Cloves Come from?Where do those little dry, hard, brown sticks we poke into hams come from? Seed pods? Vines? Trees?
Adding Screened Bark to Potting MixImprove the drainage and aeration of seedling and potting mixes with pine bark shreds.
Build Your Soil with Organic MatterSandy soil? Clay soil? The best soil needs moisture-holding ability as well as draining ability. The perfect balance can be attained by adding organic amendments such as pine fines or composted leaves/bark/manure. For nutrient needs, please utilize your local Ag Extension office and have your soil tested so you know which fertilizer and amendments need to be added. In some cases, nothing needs to be added!
Recognize the Signs of Heat Stroke Before It's Too LateHeat stroke is a serious condition that many gardeners are at risk of experiencing, especially during the hot, humid days of summer.
Gardening for Honey BeesMost gardeners I know garden for birds or butterflies, but not me. I garden for honey bees and have learned a lot about honey bees and flowers in the process.
ATP Podcast #0.2: Interview with Margaret Roach of AWayToGarden.comA gardener, author, blogger and much more, Margaret Roach is highly popular with everyone who learns about her. Come listen to our audio interview and find out why!
