Wondering what kind of plants to plant with your kids?Here is a great article on simple plants
that one can grow with their children from ArcaMax.com titled Plants For Beginner Gardeners.
Question: What can I plant with my 5-year-old that is easy to grow and low-maintenance?
Answer: Choose things that are quick to germinate and grow or that have sensory delights for children. Radishes germinate easily, mature quickly (about 20 to 25 days), and kids seem to love to pull them out of the ground. There's an 'Easter Egg' blend with round radishes in an assortment of colors. Sweet peas are extremely fragrant and pretty. (Soak the seeds in water overnight for easier germination.) Sunflowers and hollyhocks are magical. You might want to use some transplants also.
Try bedding plants such as lamb's ears (which are soft and wooly), pansies, and Johnny jump-ups (their little faces are fun). Chocolate mint is an easy-to-grow herb. In fact, all mints are so easy to grow and invasive that they are best planted in containers submerged in the garden (unless you want them to take over). Marigolds and cherry tomatoes are other good choices.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Grow Yourself a Grapevine!
Here is another great how-to article from my good friend Mike McGroarty on grapevines.
Grow Yourself a Grapevine!
Most grapes are really easy to propagate, and middle
of the winter is an ideal to do it.
1. Cut some vines from the parent plant. You can cut
these vines as long as you want, I've worked with vines
12' long.
2. Cut the vines into cuttings. Start at the thick end of
the vine. (the bottom or butt end). Notice the bumps on
the vine. Those are bud unions, and on grapes they can
be as far apart as 6 inches. Make a cut right below, but
not into a bud union. Then skip a bud union, then make
a cut right above the next bud union. The second cut can
be as much as one inch above the top bud union. Each
cutting should have three buds. Top, bottom and middle.
3. Remove any side branches (curly cues) from your cutting.
4. Take your finished cuttings out to the garden, dig a
trench about 8 inches deep and place your cuttings in the
trench, leaving the top bud sticking out of the ground about 2".
Pack loose soil around your cuttings.
5. That's it you're done! If you have some rooting compound
for hardwood cuttings you can dip the cuttings in rooting
compound before placing them in the trench, but you really
don't need it. They'll root without it.
6. Water them as needed when it's dry, but don't keep them
soaking wet.
7. Some grapes are typically grafted, but you can still try
rooting them this way, it might work. Concord, Niagara and
Catawba for sure can be rooted this way.
(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm
Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty
P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/
Grow Yourself a Grapevine!
Most grapes are really easy to propagate, and middle
of the winter is an ideal to do it.
1. Cut some vines from the parent plant. You can cut
these vines as long as you want, I've worked with vines
12' long.
2. Cut the vines into cuttings. Start at the thick end of
the vine. (the bottom or butt end). Notice the bumps on
the vine. Those are bud unions, and on grapes they can
be as far apart as 6 inches. Make a cut right below, but
not into a bud union. Then skip a bud union, then make
a cut right above the next bud union. The second cut can
be as much as one inch above the top bud union. Each
cutting should have three buds. Top, bottom and middle.
3. Remove any side branches (curly cues) from your cutting.
4. Take your finished cuttings out to the garden, dig a
trench about 8 inches deep and place your cuttings in the
trench, leaving the top bud sticking out of the ground about 2".
Pack loose soil around your cuttings.
5. That's it you're done! If you have some rooting compound
for hardwood cuttings you can dip the cuttings in rooting
compound before placing them in the trench, but you really
don't need it. They'll root without it.
6. Water them as needed when it's dry, but don't keep them
soaking wet.
7. Some grapes are typically grafted, but you can still try
rooting them this way, it might work. Concord, Niagara and
Catawba for sure can be rooted this way.
(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm
Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty
P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Janurary Garden to do List
January Gardening To Do List
Zone 1
Order seed and nursery catalogues
Check dahlia and canna roots for plumpness, freedom from mold
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs, and scale
Cut back on feeding house plants
Protect bases of fruit tree trunks against rodent damage with wire mesh
Plant living Christmas trees if ground is workable
Clean and oil garden tools
Plan flower and vegetable beds
Zone 2
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Zone 3
Order seeds
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Zone 4
Order seeds
Sow seeds indoors for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Zone 5
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Zone 6
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Zone 7
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant conifers and broad-leaf evergreens
Zone 8
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 9
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant citrus
Move living Christmas tree outdoors
Sow frost-tolerant perennial seeds indoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennial seedlings outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-season and winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season and winter vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 10
Order seeds
Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant winter-, spring-, and summer-blooming bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant citrus
Protect citrus from frost damage
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root shrubs and vines
Apply dormant sprays to trees, shrubs and vines
Prune evergreen shrubs
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines
Plant bare-root trees
Sow cool-season vegetable seeds
Plant or transplant cool-season vegetable seedlings
Sow warm-season vegetable seeds
Zone 11
.Order seeds and plants from catalogues.
Sow seeds of hardy annuals outdoors (larkspur, bachelor's button, poppy)
Set out plants of early-spring blooming perennials (primrose, calendula, viola, pansy)
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, vegetables
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs
Prune fruit trees if you have not previously done so
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees, roses
article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zonejan01.html
Zone 1
Order seed and nursery catalogues
Check dahlia and canna roots for plumpness, freedom from mold
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs, and scale
Cut back on feeding house plants
Protect bases of fruit tree trunks against rodent damage with wire mesh
Plant living Christmas trees if ground is workable
Clean and oil garden tools
Plan flower and vegetable beds
Zone 2
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Zone 3
Order seeds
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Zone 4
Order seeds
Sow seeds indoors for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Zone 5
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Zone 6
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Zone 7
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant conifers and broad-leaf evergreens
Zone 8
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 9
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant citrus
Move living Christmas tree outdoors
Sow frost-tolerant perennial seeds indoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennial seedlings outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-season and winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season and winter vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 10
Order seeds
Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant winter-, spring-, and summer-blooming bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant citrus
Protect citrus from frost damage
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root shrubs and vines
Apply dormant sprays to trees, shrubs and vines
Prune evergreen shrubs
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines
Plant bare-root trees
Sow cool-season vegetable seeds
Plant or transplant cool-season vegetable seedlings
Sow warm-season vegetable seeds
Zone 11
.Order seeds and plants from catalogues.
Sow seeds of hardy annuals outdoors (larkspur, bachelor's button, poppy)
Set out plants of early-spring blooming perennials (primrose, calendula, viola, pansy)
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, vegetables
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs
Prune fruit trees if you have not previously done so
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees, roses
article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zonejan01.html
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