Archive for the ‘Dianne's Blog’ Category
March 7, 2012
Here are two garden reminders that will keep your fingers in the soil, your body fit, and your yard the envy of every neighbor.
For summer color spots and cut flowers, plant bulbs as soon as the ground isn’t too wet or frozen. Buy now to get cream of the crop bulbs. Select bulbs that are firm, not soft. The most common summer-blooming bulbs include lilies, tuberous begonias, dahlias, and gladiolus. For beautiful mixed bouquets throughout the summer months, plant each variety every seven to fourteen days.
Just want you’ve been waiting all winter to do!
“Gardening requires lots of water – most of it in the form of perspiration.” –Lou Erickson
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged Bulb, cut flowers, dahlias, Garden, gladiolas, Horticulture, lilies, plant, plant bulbs, summer blooming bulbs, tuberous begonias, weeding | 1 Comment »
March 5, 2012
The bridge between winter and spring
March is a maddening interval for gardeners. Oftentimes, the soil is still too wet or cold to work. Gardeners go stir crazy itching to dig into the soil, amend beds, and plant until his or her body aches from bending over. Flipping through garden catalogs and magazines only worsens the desire to get close to nature. My solution is to repot, replace potting mix, or create new plantings in unused or new containers.
Conditions for repotting:
Start by checking the existing potted plants around your landscape to see if the plants are root bound or if the mix has hardened, a sure sign it no longer allows good oxygen circulation needed for healthy roots. There are three ways to check the condition of the soil in potted plants: 
1) look for roots reaching outside the drainage hole; 2) if the soil is moist, gently lift the plant out of the pot. If there are more roots than soil, it’s time to repot; 3) stick a hand trowel into the soil six inches deep to see if the soil is compacted or fluffy.
Type of outdoor potting mix
These days, most gardeners can’t afford the ‘best’ potting mix but if possible avoid purchasing the ‘cheapest’. Choose an all-purpose blend of organic matter like peat moss, garden loam, or manure, and perlite. Together these will provide proper drainage and oxygen flow to the roots.
Now comes the fun part
Before heading to your local nursery, note the size pot required of each plant being repotted and how much potting mix you’ll need for this task or if you’re simply replacing the old mix. If you’re starting from scratch select plants with same light and water requirements. When freezing temperatures is a danger, protect frost sensitive plants.
Planting up a pot or two will help diminish the stir-crazy itch of waiting to cross the bridge from winter and spring.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged Container garden, Garden, garden loam, Organic matter, peat moss, perlite, plant, plant selection, pot selection, Potting soil, root bound, Soil | 1 Comment »
March 2, 2012
A Cool Thing:
Unbelievable! Scientists resurrected this Ice Age plant after 30,000 years in deep freeze.
Tip:
I have added a link listing poisonous plants for livestock and critters living in California, to the ‘Helpful Resources’ page.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged California, Garden, garden hints, garden tips, Growing season, helpful resources, Ice age, ice age plant, poisonous plant list, science | 1 Comment »
February 27, 2012
When March arrives, I get excited because nature and garden events are in full swing in and around my neighborhood.
Every spring there is someplace new to discover, things to learn, and be inspired by.
This year, I just learned about the beautiful wildflower tour at North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, one hour north of Sacramento. Tours run March through April, and fill up fast. If you’re interested, click on the link above or call 916-358-2869.
Click here for other March events.
Note: The above photo was taken near my home.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged 2012 spring events, ecological reserve, garden tours, March Days, nature tours, neighborhood, North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, photo, Sacramento California | 1 Comment »
February 24, 2012
TIP:
To keep insecticides from going into the soil, cut old garden hoses into 24-inch lengths. Close off one end by stuffing paper into the opening. Then slip an old funnel or make one out of paper into the other end and carefully fill leaving room for insects to crawl inside. To prevent pets and children from playing with them, secure with U-shaped landscape anchoring pins. To avoid spillage, remove the stuffed paper after laying the hose in the desired area. Before removing the hoses, keep in a horizontal position and close off each end so the dead bugs and insecticide won’t spill out before properly discarding.
Note: Always: 1) wear gloves; 2) write ‘poison’ on hose lengths and on the old funnel. When not in use, store out of children’s reach; 3) properly discard paper funnel.
HINT:
To remove garden stains from hands add a teaspoon of sugar to soapy water before washing.
A COOL THING:
The largest rose in the world, planted in 1855 at the Rose Tree Inn, Tombstone, Arizona, covers over 8,000 square feet on a very large trellis.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged dead bugs, Earwig, Funnel, garden hoses, Gardens, Insecticide, largest rose in the world, plant, Rose Tree Inn, soapy water, Tombstone Arizona, wear gloves | Comments Off
February 22, 2012
With the onset of spring-like weather, it is tempting to put away frost cloths and to plant vegetation and sow seeds outdoors. But, don’t let the sunshine, green field grasses, and emerging buds fool you. Frost and frozen ground can kill or damage plants and seeds leaving you frustrated, discouraged, and broke.
If you are new to gardening or have recently moved, ask your local Master Gardener Chapter or professional nursery person for your zone’s last frost date. They can also tell you what zone you live in or plug in your zip code here to find out. But remember there is more than one zone system. Guest writer and master gardener Robin Ivanoff explains here.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged damage plants, find us on twitter, Garden, Growing season, Home garden, last frost date, Master Gardeners, Microclimate, plant, plants and seeds, Seed | 1 Comment »
February 20, 2012
The beauty of primroses is they bloom from winter to mid-spring and when the sky is grey you are sure to have hues of sunshine in the landscape.
Although it is best to plant primroses in autumn to establish good root development, they are usually available in six packs fall through springtime. The white primroses above were planted a little over a week ago and the pink ones are two years old returning from their slumber.
Primroses:
- Grow in zones 1-10, 12-24 in part sun, preferably morning sun.
- Are considered a perennial that dies back in hot weather.
- Are used as color spot in beds, borders, containers, and for naturalizing areas.
- Can be grown from seed indoors then transplanted.
- Prefer well-drained soil in amended organic matter. Poor drainage will cause crown and root rot. Give Feed just before blooming with a light organic fertilize.
- Remove spent blooms and dead leaves.
- Water during summer even after they die back with little water come fall. If you like, transplant to a cool dry place, out of sight, during hot months then re-transplant in autumn.
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged borders, color spots, good root development, growing primroses, naturalizing, poor drainage, primroses, root development, root rot | 2 Comments »
February 17, 2012
A Cool Thing:
One of my photographs is being debuted on Nancy F.’s webpage,
Eye Candy of Another Kind on Pinterest.
Thanks Nancy for pinning my photo on your wall!
Tip:
February is the month to
1) fertilize asparagus and strawberries;
2) finish pruning roses;
3) prune Crepe Myrtles
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged cool thing, crepe myrtles, eye candy, February, Garden, monthly garden chores, photo debute, photography, pruning, pruning roses, Rose, strawberries | 1 Comment »
February 15, 2012
A recent day trip to de Young Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco not only gave me an opportunity to look upon exclusive paintings by Venice artists from the 1400 and 1500s, but also splashes of spring blooms gracing the de Young courtyard and city sidewalks.
I wish I could share some photos of the collection by Titian, Giorgione, Veronese, Tintoretto, Mantegna and more, but the museum did not allow cameras with this showing, which ended last Sunday. I can tell you that it was an awesome feeling to stand before the works of artists from the Renaissance-era, paintings 500-plus-years-old.
As if the renaissance collection of Venice wasn’t enough, this beautiful oil on canvas, Tulip Culture, 1889, by George Hitchcock (1850-1913) made my day. (The museum permitted cameras in this area of the gallery and my artist and master gardener friend, Em Rojas, took this photograph.) I would love to be the woman in this painting!
Leaving de Young Museum, what a treat it was to walk through the courtyard with budding Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) trees and along the sidewalk under the flowering plum blossoms—a perfect ending to a fun day in the city with renaissance artists, a splash of spring, and great company.
FYI: San Francisco Botanical Garden’s rare and historic magnolia collection is now blooming! A much-anticipated, not-to-be-missed event, the show goes on from mid-February to mid-March, though some start blooming in late December and last into May.–S.F. Botanical Garden
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged city sidewalks, flowering plum, George Hitchcock, M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, museums in san francisco, plum blossoms, San Francisco, San Francisco Botanical Garden, spring blooms, Venice, venice artists | 2 Comments »
February 10, 2012
Writing paper that sheds water and enables you to write in the rain!
www.RiteintheRain.com
Even though I’m not likely to garden in the rain, I couldn’t resist passing this ‘cool thing’ on to those involved in sports and other outdoor activities or employment where this innovative product could be useful.
It’s a cool thing!
Photos courtesy of Rite in the Rain
Posted in Dianne's Blog | Tagged cool thing, garden in the rain, innovative product, notepades, outdoor activities, RiteintheRain, speciality paper, sports, waterproof paper, writing paper | 3 Comments »
