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One Thing Leads to Another!

The weatherman has promised us that the week ahead will have temps in the 40's. While it may not seem exciting to some, here in Western New York we are thrilled.Friends have reported Robins in the Bristol Hills - but the 1st sighting of Red Winged Blackbirds will tell me Spring has really arrived. Now I am not kidding myself, we will have more snow, but it won't last and that means I will be digging up something soon!

I started my TO DO LIST last week and it has grown from 4 simple things to a small spiral notebook that is almost filled. I did get my tools in order...blades sharpened, rust removed & oiled. Organizing my saved flower seeds led me to ordering some vegetable seeds.

If you haven't ordered seeds yet, hop to it as some are already out of stock.

I don't get anything from the following sites but I am a fan and thought I would share them here. For rare seeds check out Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  I don't think you can beat the prices from the The Arbor Day Foundation - and their guide to placing the right trees in the right spot is great. This year I am going to plant flowering trees that will provide my feathered friends food during the cold Winter here. I planted cherry, peach and plum trees last year. Hoping they made it though the winter and deer nibbling. lol

I hope the sun is shining on your garden! 

Garden Rant: The 78th Annual Garden Rant Awards

Garden Rant: The 78th Annual Garden Rant Awards

Garden To Do List

I am antsy for Spring to arrive but with the "storm of the season" hovering over us going outside is just too cold for me. However a to do list is in order. After all it is the end of February! 

I definitely want to make new vegetable gardens this year so I am stockpiling cardboard and newspapers.  Smothering the ground cover makes it sooooooo much easier than digging it all up. Ideally i do this in January or February but so far this year we have had too much snow so I am hoping for a break after the next snow storm.

Just break down the boxes, lay them down where you want a new bed, throw some compost over them if you have it and soak them. I use snow to cover them but a garden hose soak works well too. If I am feeling really lazy I just lay them down right before a heavy snow or rain. As for the newspapers I use at least 6 page layers, put bricks or rocks on the edges, a bit of compost and a soak.

I am making a list of what i need to transplant.I know I will have enough perennials to trade with friends. I admit I have Garden Envy...I covet my neighbors Lily's. She has so many different kinds and they are just lovely. Of course she has no shade and I have no sun after 3 in the afternoon. You see my place has a hill that wraps around the south and west side so sundown comes here in the early afternoon. The east side has an old Hops Barn that blocks the early morning sun and well,  the north side is my problem child. My yard is about 6 feet above the road and I am looking for a fast growing ground cover that likes shade and doesn't mind road salt for 4 or 5 or 6 months. If you have any suggestions let me know because as far as I can tell weeds are the only thing that grows ...and they are not the pretty kind of weeds.

But I digress...THING TO DO ...oh yeah ..that's the ticket!

• Get my tools in order...clean and oil them
• Build supports for my Peonies, Tomatoes, Gourds, Squash, Cukes, etc.Luckily I saved all the pruned branches last year and I have a lot to work with. More on making trellis later.
• Organize all the seeds I saved from last year and decide where I am planting them.
• Finish the comfort (dream) pillows I started. And a list of new herbs and fragrant flowers I need to  make more .

Well that's enough to keep me busy the rest of the week...at least.lol
Hope the sun is shining on your garden.

make a bed (with cardboard)

make a bed (with cardboard)

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A Gardner's Guide to Graffiti

Last year I came across a perfect way to "graffiti"  my garden and want to share it with you.

Graffiti has always intrigued me in one way or another. From the "tags" on the side of railroad cars to Bansky I always take a second look. And for centuries adding moss to a garden could give surprising texture and an old world look to the newest of gardens. Last year I tried out a couple of recipes for turning moss into a garden graffiti tool and by summer's end found a recipe that worked great in Western New York, where I live. 

Since I am putting my 2010 Garden To Do list together I thought I would share. If you decide to try it out please send me a photo and let me know how it goes.

You will need:

 

1 can of beer (some called for buttermilk &/or yogurt), 1/2 teaspoon sugar, several clumps of moss(unwashed), a covered plastic container, a blender &  paintbrush.

 
To begin the recipe, first of all gather together several clumps of moss (moss can usually be found in moist, shady places) and crumble them into a blender. Then add the beer and sugar and blend just long enough to create a smooth, creamy consistency. Now pour the mixture into a plastic container.
Find a suitable damp and shady surface on to which you can apply your moss milkshake. Paint your chosen design onto the surface (either free-hand or using a stencil). If possible try to return to the area over the following weeks to ensure that the mixture is kept moist. Soon the bits of blended moss should begin to re-couperate into a whole rooted plant – maintaining your chosen design before eventually colonising the whole area.

Hoe and Garden Pictures: The Entire Hoe Collection!

Hoe and Garden Pictures: The Entire Hoe Collection!

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