The Blog for Your Entire Garden

When you are purchasing seeds from a seed house or manufacturer, there is a risk that some of the seeds, although appearing healthy enough to produce a hardy plant, may in essence not contain enough power and vitality to grow into a strong fertile specimen.

If you save seeds from your own plants, you are able to choose carefully. There are a number of things you must consider when choosing the right seeds that will produce the best plants.

For example, if you were to save the seeds from an aster plant, what things would you look for before deciding? What blossoms should you go with? Remember though that even if a flower does have a fine blossom, it could still be from a weak, straggly plant. You want to look for a plant that is strong, vibrant and healthy. More often than not, what the parent plant looks like, will be how the new seeds will grow as well.

Look for a seed that is sturdy, strong, well shaped and symmetrical. Then if the blossoms are numerous and vibrant, this will be a good choice for a seed. If you find the time, you may want to visit a plant grower or farmer who has expertise in this field. Normally, he will tie a string or ribbon around the plants he is using for the seeds. Inspect the plant carefully, taking note of the points of which he based his decision upon.

In seed selection, choosing not only the largest but the fullest seed is one of the key points in choosing a viable seed that will produce the best plants. Under just the right conditions, these seeds will blossom into healthy strong plants producing more seeds in which you can use for the next batch you grow.

Each little plant must depend for its early growth on the nourishment stored up in the two halves of the seed. The larger the seed you choose, the more nourishment and food will be available for the little plant to feed on as it grows. Once the plants roots have grown to be able to supply food on its on for the rest of the growing plant, the seed must provide enough nourishment for the plants growth. Too small of a seed could result in a plant starving to death and wilting away. The name of the food this seed will provide is called the cotyledon. Most seeds have one or two cotyledons however some plants such as the pines, have several cotyledons.

Another thing to watch out for when buying seeds, is impurity. Seeds are sometimes mixed with other seeds so like them in appearance that it is impossible to detect which ones are which.  Any foreign matter that is mixed with the seeds can cause the seed to become contaminated and lose it’s vitality and ability to grow strong.

The third thing to look out for when choosing seeds, is the viability. We know that seeds which look to the eye to be all right still may not develop at all. Some of the reasons for this are that the seeds may have been picked before they were ripe or mature;  or they may have been frozen, or they may be too old.  Seeds retain their viability or germ developing power, a certain number of years and then are useless. Although, the viability limit varies for different seeds. Learning to harvest and grow your own seeds will enable you to choose only the best and most viable to grow.

The germination percentage of seeds is also a factor to consider when planting. Not only must you know the perfect type of ground to sow your seeds, you must also know how far apart to allow each seed before it will not have the space to grow, and at what times of the year are best for each plant.

You must be prepared that not every seed you plant will grow, even if you have taken all things into consideration. But as time goes by, you will soon find the seeds that have the most viability and strength to make it through and produce strong, healthy plants you can be proud of.

Happy Growing!

Fighting your plants enemies is one of the most important tasks in maintaining a healthy garden. You have a wide assortment of devices and implements to choose from in this fight, but there a generally only two varieties:

1. Those that provide mechanical protection to the plants

2. Those used to apply insecticides and fungicides

Mechanical Protection

Mechanical devices are usually consist of a wooden box. They’re about eighteen inches to two feet square and about eight feet high, covered with glass, a protecting cloth, mosquito netting or mosquito wire. The first two coverings have the additional advantage of retaining heat and protecting from cold, making it possible for you to plant earlier than is otherwise safe. For example, you can use them to get an extra early and safe start with cucumbers, melons and the other vine vegetables.

Simpler devices for protecting newly-set plants, such as tomatoes or cabbage, from the cut-worm include stiff tin, cardboard or tar paper collars, which are made several inches high and large enough to be put around the stem and penetrate an inch or so into the soil.

Chemical Protection

Chemical protection includes applying poison powders and liquids that fight plant enemies.

ou’ll need a powder gun for applying poison powders in your home garden. If you must be restricted to a single implement, however, it will be best to get one of the hand-power, compressed-air sprayers. These are used for applying wet sprays, and should be supplied with one of the several forms of mist-making nozzles, the non-cloggable automatic type being the best. For more extensive work, a barrel pump, mounted on wheels, will work better for you, but one of the above will do a great deal of work in little time.

Extension rods for use in spraying trees and vines may be obtained for either. A good hand-syringe may be used for operations on a very small scale. But as a general rule, it will be best to invest a few dollars more and get a small tank sprayer, as this throws a continuous stream or spray and holds a much larger amount of the spraying solution.

Whatever type you procure, get a brass machine, as it will out-wear three or four of those made of cheaper metal, which succumb very quickly to the corrosion caused by the strong poisons and chemicals you’ll be using.

Generally speaking, a combination of mechanical and chemical protection methods will keep your garden in the best health. As always, your local plants and conditions to find out which methods and combinations of methods will work best for you.

Happy Gardening!

I’m playing catch up and really trying to get my store in order for spring so I’m a bit behind in my writing schedule.  The software for the store is so outdated and I’ll be updating it soon.  I’m in the process of learning the software as we speak.  Things will be back to better than normal soon.  In the meantime, I wanted to pass along an article from Birds and Bloom magazine titled “New Plants for 2010“.

There is not a single one of them that I don’t just love!  My favorites tho, are the Earlybird Cardinal Daylily and the Zahara Starlight Rose Zinnia, both I believe will be perfect for my hummingbird/butterfly garden!

The good weather is back here in Charleston, SC and I don’t anticipate too many more cold days.  I got some seeds started indoors this morning and that really gets me excited that spring is almost here!

Happy Gardening!

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Bird Photography isn’t just for pro’s.  With a digital, traditional, or even a video camera and a little patience, you can shoot great bird images in your own backyard.

If you wanted to get the best bird photos you could:

1. Spend thousands of dollars on photography equipment.
2. Travel to expensive faraway places.
3. Wade through muddy swamps, fight off mosquitoes, and sweat profusely in the humidity to get that “perfect shot”.
4. Check your own backyard

If you like option “D”, they’re going to love my six step plan for snapping great bird photos.  This method has given me professional quality photographs for relatively little money and work.  All it takes is a little practice and patience.  Chances are, you already have plenty of interesting backyard birds in your area, such as Cardinals, Blue Jays, Black Capped Chickadees, Purple Finches, Song Sparrows, Dark Eyed Juncos, Spotted Towhees and more.  So keep reading, and soon you’ll be able to capture a bird photo you’ll be just as proud of as the pros.  And the best part is you don’t even have to leave your backyard!

Step 1.  Put Up a Bird Feeder

Put up a bird feeder.  Almost any kind will due as long as the birds can get the food.  My personal favorite for this activity is a platform feeder.  Although it doesn’t have a lot of pizzazz, it does the trick.  (its’ basically a plane horizontal stand with low walls on the sides to contain the seed).  You can place this type of feeder anywhere, fill it with any kind of seed and use it to attract any type of bird.

Step 2.  Fill the Feeder with Seed

Fill the feeder with tempting food.  There are many kinds of birdseed, and some are better than others.  I prefer Black Oil sunflower seeds because it tends to attract the most birds.  You could also try Millet for sparrows, peanuts to attract Blue Jays, and thistle for finches.  Try a few different offerings in advance to see what kind of birds you will attract.

Step 3.  Location, Location, Location

Put your feeding station in a good location for photography.  If you don’t have a perfect place, don’t panic.  Find the best spot you can, giving highest priority to areas with good light.  As a general rule, try to follow these guidelines.

• Your best bet is to find a spot that gets early morning sun, which will give you a nice lighting.

• Place the feeder near cover, such as bush’s, trees and other objects so the birds have a spot to perch and the background in the photo looks natural.

• It’s important NOT to put the feeder in the shade.  This will cast shadows on the birds that will show up in your photos.

• Position the feeder near a window, so you can easily capture the moments from inside your home.

Step 4.  Providing a Perch

Place perches strategically around the feeder.  To get nice, clean shots of birds in their natural environment, you’ll probably have to “create” perches.  Birds like to land on branches near a feeder before eating to make sure the coast is clear.  You might want to experiment a little to see which perch works best and where, but I like a plain dead branch stuck into the ground near the feeder.  It’s sturdy, doesn’t wilt and it isn’t complicated.

Mix it up, though.  You don’t want all of your photos to look the same, so give your feathered friends plenty of perches to choose from.

Step 5.  Go Into Hiding

Find a cover for yourself.  You can devise many ways to hide yourself 10 to 15 feet away from your birds.  This distance should be perfect for shooting your photos.  However, depending on your camera, you can move in a little closer if you don’t have the ability to zoom in.

If you have somewhere inside the house that you can shoot your photos from an open window that’s close to your feeder, that’s perfect.  If not, consider putting up a tent in your yard and shoot from inside the tent.  Another option is to build a temporary cover in your yard.  Hang a camouflage tarp over a couple of metal posts stuck in the ground, this too works wonderfully.

Make sure you’re comfortable, though.  Finding the perfect shot takes patience.  If you have a long wait, you’ll want a chair to sit in to keep from getting cramped.

Step 6.  Check Your Equipment.

Use basic, reliable camera equipment.  You can spend a lot of money on fancy cameras and lenses, but they are not necessary.  The three main things you need are a basic lens, a tripod, and a flash.  The tripod will help you keep the camera still and pointed in the right direction while the flash can help lighten a dark picture and put a glint in the bird’s eye.  Pre-focus your camera where you think the birds are crowing to land.  Some birds stay for a only an instant, so you’ll need to snap the picture quickly.

One final tip.

Video Bird photography can also be accomplished with the same idea in mind.  Bird videos you make yourself will bring you hours of enjoyment watching your backyard birds from the comfort of your own living room. While you are away at work or if you don’t have time to watch your backyard birds in person, this is the perfect solution!  Two Bird Cams are available from my store and I’ve provided two short videos so you can see what you can expect from each.

Hawk Eye Nature Cam

Hawk Eye Nature Cam shoots black and white infrared images at night and color video by day.  You can attach it to a tree, a feeder, or inside of a bird house and see your backyard birds like you have never seen them before.  Video credit to YouTube’s Wildman50.

You can get the Hawk Eye Nature Cam by clicking here

The Audubon Birdcam

Audubon Birdcam is a better quality camera (but also more expensive) however, as you will see it records images are clearer.  This is the obvious solution for serious minded bird watchers.

Here is a video from Wingscapes showing you what you can expect from the Audubon Birdcam:

You can get the Audubon Birdcam by clicking here.

Have fun and enjoy your bird photography!

Happy New Year!

Since today is the first day of the new year, I thought that something to lift body and your spirit was in order.  With a few veggies and a few natural ingredients that you probably have on hand, you can give yourself a treat and help yourself put your best foot forward in the new year. Whether for olive oil soap to other natural and homemade beauty products, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make your own homemade and natural beauty products!  Have some fun with it.

As you know, nature is the newest trend in skin and hair care. For years, we’ve been putting chemicals and preservatives into our bodies that build up and over time, make us feel tired and sick, regardless of whether we eat them or apply them to our bodies. People are finally catching on that natural is better way to treat ourselves.

Whether you find your beauty products at the Department Stores or in the discount stores, practically everyone carries lines of “natural” beauty products. Unfortunately, they often come with a big price tag attached too. Often times many of these products are not actually “natural” so it does pay to do your homework to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

Another aspect of these “natural” beauty products that most of us don’t even consider is the packaging.  Today most of the packaging used by cosmetic companies is not biodegradable and perhaps even not recyclable.  Do mother nature, yourself and your pocketbook a favor and try making some of the products you use yourself at home with ingredients from your own garden.  Your fruits and veggies don’t have ANY packaging!

Making most of the beauty products you need yourself isn’t too difficult. So if you want beauty products that you know are natural and are also inexpensive, just make them yourself. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes you can make at yourself.

To get you started, I found these simple recipes with just a few ingredients each.
Olive Oil Soap

• 80% olive Oil
• 20% coconut Oil

Or, to make about 4.5 lbs of soap, you would use:

• 40 oz. olive oil
• 10 oz. coconut oil
• 16 oz. water
• 6.9 oz. lye
• Between 1.5 and 2.2 oz of fragrance or essential oil, according to your preference.  You can find basic soap making instructions and other olive oil soap recipes here.

Face Mask

Eating good food helps give you the right nutrients you need to look good.  You can get more of these vitamins and minerals by putting the good stuff right on the skin.

Combining a mashed carrot, mashed avocado, and a beaten egg with a half cup a few tablespoons of honey creates a great face mask that provides vitamins, and improves the tone and texture of your skin. Just stir well, apply, let sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash off with cool water.

After you’re washed and nourished your skin, you can use grated cucumber or diluted lemon juice as a toner to help tighten your skin and close up your pores to close your pores and keep your skin looking great.

Hair Conditioner

Many people pay a lot of money for a conditioner that actually makes your hair look and feel good. Here’s a great natural recipe to save you money and help your hair.

Just mix an egg yolk with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to hair. Let sit for about ten minutes and rinse out. You can use this every so often as a conditioning treatment for healthy shiny hair. If you like being experimental, you can try mixing other kitchen items, herbs, and natural items with eggs for healthy, shiny hair.

Hand and Foot Cream

A quick face mask will help make you look great in not a lot of time, but hands and feet require extra care.

Use ½ cup of olive oil mixed with natural sea salt and massage into your hands and feet. Leave a few minutes to soak and then rinse off with warm water.

When it comes to natural beauty products, these recipes are just the start.  You can find hundreds of different combinations in natural beauty books, magazines, and on the internet. Or you can go to your kitchen cabinet and make your own special creations.

A new year and a new decade.  Many opportunities await!  I am optimistic that the new decade holds many new opportunities for us all.  May you enjoy happiness, health, and prosperity in the coming year.

When winter arrives, the beauty of your garden doesn’t have to be locked away in cold storage.  You can keep your yard bright and interesting by adding a few winter garden shrubs with eye-catching seasonal appeal.

The first step is to tour your winter landscape.  No need to bundle up yet, we’re starting indoors.

Examine your yard through the windows you use the most during winter.  For example, I always start my day with a cup of coffee in my sunroom.  The view outside of those windows is important to me.

Now, bundle up and step outside.  Walk through the yard.  Look for spots with room to plant shrubs or for flower beds that can be expanded to add shrubs in spring.  Note the light and soil conditions of each area so you can match new plants to the growing conditions.

With the chosen spaces in mind, you are now ready to make a list of specific shrubs for your backyard.

Color

Color is a good place to start.  The holiday lights and decorations that adorn many homes during the holidays are clues that we all crave a little more brilliance in winter.  Planting a few colorful shrubs can fill that need.

Red Twig Dogwood, also known as Redosier Dogwood, is a longtime favorite.  It has unique red stems that make a nice backdrop to overwintering perennials or an accent plant for evergreens.

Regular pruning keeps the color vibrant year round (though in spring and summer, the leaves disguise it).  Simply remove older brown stems at ground level in late winter.  This encourages new growth, which is the most vivid in color.

The Yellow Twig Dogwood variety Flaviramea, adds a different look to the garden.  Just a few of these yellow stemmed beauties add magnificent color to the otherwise dreary winter landscape.

Another winter garden shrub with colorful stems is Japanese Kerria.  It’s glossy bright green stems are sure to catch a second look.  The slender stems stand upright and provide a welcome contrast.

But it’s not just about color.  The texture of the bark can add interest, too.  Burning Bush, also known as Winged Euonymus, has stems with corky ridges.  It’s look is especially pretty after a snowfall.  However, gardeners in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, where this plant is invading native woodlands, should avoid using it.  Instead, consider its native counterpart, Eastern Wahoo.  Although it lacks the corky bark, it produces small pink and orange fruit.

The Oak Leaf Hydrangea has several attractive features for winter.  The coarse textured older stems are covered with peeling cinnamon- brown bark.  This, combined with dried flowers, creates cold weather charm.

Another way to increase appeal is with uniquely shaped shrubs.  Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick is the first to come to mind.  It’s curled and twisted stems, which become more apparent after the leaves have fallen, make this a nice focal point for a patio garden, mixed border or foundation planting.  Remove any straight stems that sprout from the roots beneath the graft.

Fruit and Berry Plants

One of the most common ways to create a bright spot amid the snow is with fruit bearing shrubs.  You’ll appreciate the color and the birds will appreciate the food.

Holly is the traditional vary for the holidays, and Holly trees and shrubs come in many Evergreen varieties that also produce colorful berries.

Southern gardeners have a wider selection of Evergreen types that work in warmer climates.  Northern gardeners need to look for heartier cultivars of the Meserve Hollyies, such as China Boy, China Girl, Blue boy, Blue girl, Blue Prince, and Blue Princess.  As the names imply, there are both male and female plants.  It is suggested that at least one male for every five females be planted to help guarantee fruit.

A heartier alternative is the Deciduous Holly, known as Winterberry.  The lack of leaves in winter is not a problem, since red fruit covers the upright stems.

Also, take a second look at the off-season potential of a longtime garden staple, the Rose.  Not only are the rose hips colorful, but you can also gather some of the hip covered stems or unique indoor arrangements.

The colorful fruit of Beautyberry adds a seldom seen pinkish- purple hue to the winterscape.  For the best fruit display, prune regularly and avoid excess fertilizing.  When selecting this plant, look for the American Beautyberry, which puts on a good show of berries.  But if you like a challenge, search for the purple Beautybush (Callicarpa dichotoma).  It’s more difficult to find, but it’s graceful appearance and impressive fruit display will make the effort worthwhile.

The Flowering shrub

A hydrangea, a shade garden favorite, takes on new character in winter.  Both the Snowball and Panicle varieties produce flowers that dry on the plant.  These brown blooms and tiny capsule like fruit provide a nice contrast to the fine texture of nearby overwintering ornamental grasses or perennials.

But let’s not forget about flowers, and I don’t mean just for southern landscapes!  Most gardeners can enjoy the fall and winter blooms of Witch Hazel.  Common Witch Hazel unfurls fragrant strap- like flowers for about a month between October and December.

For those who like an early start to the growing season, plant Vernal Witch Hazel.  These long bloomers start flowering as early as January in the south, to late February or March in the north.  The blooms last for 3 to 4 weeks, providing a much needed lift to the spirit of anyone with cabin fever.

Evergreen’s

We can’t discuss winter shrubs without at least mentioning Evergreen Conifers.  They’ve long been the backbone of a winter garden, providing a green ray of hope in otherwise barren landscapes.

Although thousands of varieties provide virtually endless possibilities, there are a few basic pointers for selecting the right conifers for your yard.

Look for Dwarf Pines, Spruces or Juniper shrubs for hot sunny locations.  Arborvitae and False Cypress will add texture with their somewhat lacey appearances.  Hemlocks and Boxwood shrubs provide a bit of year- round greenery in sunny or shady locations.

Shrubs also form great backdrops to the other colorful and interesting shrubs we’ve discussed.  For a winter yard that really stands out, consider planting mixed borders of evergreens, deciduous shrubs and perennials.

Each will lend its own form of beauty to awaken your slumbering garden.

Enjoy your winter shrubbery!

P.S.  Nature Hills is offering all trees, bushes, and shrubs at 25% off and free shipping on orders of $50.00 or more!

Click Here to Order Early and Save!

A cheerful amaryllis makes a perfect holiday gift and I was happy to receive one this holiday season! For those of you who may have received one and are not really sure how to go about getting it started, follow these instructions for blooming success.  It’s really so simple and these showy plants will brighten up any room they are placed in.  Do keep in mind however, that if you place them in bright direct sun, your blooms won’t last.

Here is how to pot and care for your amaryllis:

Choose a container with drainage holes that’s about 2 inches wider in diameter than your bulb and several inches deeper than it’s roots.  Add about an inch or so of loose potting mix to the container.

Place the bulb in the container and add potting mix around it, being careful not to damage the roots.  Leave the top third of the bulb exposed.

Moisten the soil and press it down gently to secure the bulb and eliminate air pockets.  Water and light will bring the bulbs from the dormant stage into the growth stage so put the amaryllis in a warm spot with indirect light.  Water lightly until the flower bud and leaves emerge.  Once this has happens, move to a cooler, lighter area and water regularly, keeping the soil moist but not soggy.  Keep the flowering blub away from bright light to extend flowering.

You can extend the length of the flowering time in two ways.  Traditionally, by staggering the plantings.  You can plant one bulb a week into a larger container and when the flowers start blooming in 6-8 weeks, they’ll start a new bloom every week or so for each bulb that you have planted.

Another, and I think more convenient way is to do all the planting at the same time but to use different varieties of bulbs.  With this method, you can plant all at once but the bulbs won’t  come into flower all at the same time even though planted together.  Different varieties bloom early, mid-season and late season taking various amounts of time to bloom.  See list below for some ideas.

Early Blooming Varieties

These bloom 5-8 weeks after planting

Single flowering:
Orange Sovereign, Lucky Strike, Apple Blossom, Minerva, Roma, Vera, Mont Blanc.

Double Flowering:
Lady Jane, Mary Lou, Aphrodite, Pasadena

Miniatures
Donau, Scarlet Baby, Giraffe, Amoretta, Pamela

Mid-Season Blooming Varieties

These bloom 7-10 weeks after planting

Singles:
Red Lion, Lemon Lime, Liberty, Royal Velvet, Hercules, Wonderland, Rilona, Picotee

Double Flowering:
Double Record, Unique, Blossom Peacock, White Peacock

Cybister Varieties
Emerald, Ruby Meyer

Miniatures
Papillio

Trumpet
Pink Floyd

Late Season Blooming Varieties

These bloom 9-12 weeks after planting.

Singles
Las Vegas, Clown, Piquant, Toronto, Vlammenspel, Happy Memory, Charisma

Double Flowering
Promise, Dancing Queen, Flaming Peacock, Andes

Cybister
La Paz, Chico

Trumpet
Amputo, Misty

You can mix and match.  Planting the late bloomers in late winter will give you your first spring blooms.

Happy Blooming!

P.S. Receive a free Paperwhites gift bag project http://gardendecorativeitems.com/blog/paperwhites-project

Winter Blooming Bulbs

Did you know you can grow your favorite flowering spring bulbs indoors?

In many parts of the country, frost is already on your windowpane and you dread that soon, your once flower laden view from the kitchen window is will appear just plain dreary?  At this time of the year you may be asking yourself “What it is a cooped-up gardener to do?  Well here is an idea.  Raise flowering bulbs inside!

Yes, the same types of bulbs you planted outdoors this fall.  The ones that won’t poke their heads up out of the ground until spring can be blooming in your house all winter.  Whether you like tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and even some unusual kinds of bulbs, they are sure to brighten your heart and your home.

“Forcing” bulbs to bloom inside flower pots in your house is quite simple and great fun!  They are sure to help you feel better as the bright colors and sweet scents they bring are guaranteed to cheer up anyone who has cabin fever.

Pots of blooming indoor bulbs also make great gifts for Christmas, Hanukkah or just to banish winter doldrums, right on up through Valentine’s Day (read on for details on a free flowering bulbs gift project).  As long as the rooms they are displayed in are not overheated, the early blooming bulbs will be gratifyingly long lasting.

Are you ready to give it a try?

Here’s what you’ll need:

Good quality bulbs.  Get them at your local garden center or order from a fall bulbs catalog or the online equivalent.  Either way, inspect each bulb carefully before planting, using only bulbs that are firm and crisp.  Return or discard ones that appear soft or are rotting.

Flower pots.  Different bulbs have different requirements, but generally speaking, a plastic pot or tray that is broad and several inches deep to accommodate their root systems, is fine.  A drainage hole is a must, so excess moisture can escape.  You may need two or more pots, depending upon your plans.

Growing medium.  Sterile potting mix is ideal, because it’s a light and welcoming and contains no organisms that could cause your bulbs to spoil.  One 2-quart bag should be enough for a few pots.  Special note: paper whites may be raised in pebbles or gravel.  Hyacinths and crocuses can be raised in mix, but also grow and bloom in nothing but a glass of water if the top half of the bulb is not the immersed.  Special fluted “ jars” are available, often wherever bulbs are sold.

Labels.  If you are potting more than one kind of bulb in different pots, it’s easy to mix them up before they bloom.  So be sure to write each type of bulb, as well as the date planted, on the label.  You can also use masking tape or a popsicle stick as markers, but mark each flower pot to avoid confusion.  This is especially helpful if you are staggering plants for blooms all winter.

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1

Pot the bulbs.  Fill the pot almost full with the moistened potting mix.  Then, using your thumb, create a shallow hole for each bulb and plant it right side up.  Usually, the pointy end should face up.  If you’re not sure are, look for the beginnings of a roots in the bottoms or base of the bulbs, which are also often flatter than the tops.

Forced bulbs don’t need to be planted as deeply as outdoor bulbs, 1 or 2 inches deep is usually fine, make sure to leave a bit of the bulb’s tip showing.  Also, it’s OK to crowd bulbs in a pot, whether they the same kind or mix and match bulbs; just make sure they are not touching.  You can ring them around the perimeter and tuck a few in the middle for a full display or line them in a row for a long narrow container.  Now, while you are planting is when you’ll want to label each pot with the type of bulb and the planting date.

Step 2

Chill the plantings.  When outdoors, fall planted bulbs get a natural winter chilling.  For your indoor bulbs, you need to mimic these conditions in order to inspire them to start growing.  Place the pots in a dark cool (but not freezing) site.  Somewhere around 35° to 45° Fahrenheit for the first 12 to 20 weeks is perfect.  Consider sites such as on the steps going down to the basement, in an unheated sun porch, in your garage, or even in your refrigerator.  An outdoor cold frame is also an excellent choice.

Step 3

Check on them.  Once or twice a week is enough, check to make sure the growing medium has not dried out.  Give bulbs a light watering if they are dry.  It may take from 6 to 10 weeks for green growth to appear.  Watch for sprouts, as well as for white roots coming out of the pots bottom.

Step 4

Transition.  When you see sprouts in the pot with growth of about an inch high, move the pot into a cool dimly lit room for a week or two.  This allows growth to continue to ramp up at a gradual rate.  Stems and flower buds should become evident.  Water as needed.

Step 5

Move into light.  At the end of the transition period, move your potted bulbs into a brighter room and they’ll bloom in 4 to 6 weeks.  Keep growing medium lightly moistened to fuel growth.  A slender stake can be used if the stems are tall or top heavy.

Step 6

Give Bulbs a Second Chance.  When blooming is over, you can either retire the spent exhausted bulbs to your compost pile if you have one.  Or, If you’d like to try saving them, allow the foliage to die back naturally (This transfers food reserves into the bulbs).  Then plant them outdoors, once the ground and weather have warmed.  You can expect the tired bulbs to take a year off while they recover, (the exception is hybrid tulips, once forced, they will not bloom again.)

This is so easy to do and you’ll be gratified all winter long with your indoor flower garden.

Enjoy!

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Oh those beautiful red holiday plants.  I’m seeing them everywhere as the holidays approach.

Native to Mexico, the poinsettia originated in a region near the present-day city of Taxco. Joel Robert Poinsett, a Southern plantation owner and botanist, was appointed the first United States Ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829). While visiting Taxco, he was struck by the beauty of the brilliant red plants he found blooming in the region during December. He had some of the plants sent to his plantation in Greenville, South Carolina, where they flourished in his greenhouse.  With over 70 million plants sold nationwide each year, the poinsettia is now the number one flowering potted plant sold in the USA.  While the botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, was given by a German taxonomist in 1833, the common name, poinsettia, became and has remained the accepted name in English-speaking countries,although no one seems to be able to agree on how to spell the plants name, poinsettia, poinsetta, pointsettia, pointsetta, and some just resign to referring to them as Christmas plants.  In any event, there is no doubt that the plant has almost become as synonymous to Christmas as the Christmas tree has.

Everyone seems to love the beauty and color they offer but who likes just throwing the plant in the garbage after the holidays?  If you don’t like watching your poinsettia plants die each year, try these steps to try re-blooming it.  It  takes some patience and commitment, but the reward is that your holiday plant will  bloom again next winter.

After the holidays:

Place the poinsettia in a very sunny indoor spot and keep soil just barely moist.  Fertilize as package recommends.

In March: Trim to six to eight inches tall after its leaves fall.  Continue to water and fertilize.

In May: When your poinsettia shows strong new growth, re-pot and bring outdoors.  Give plant 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.  Protect from harsh afternoon sun.  Fertilize weekly.

Mid-July: Trim 1/4 of the growing tips to encourage branching.  Leave at least 2 to 3 large leaves on each stem.  Continue watering and fertilizing.

Early autumn: Bring indoors when nights fall below 60° F.

October 1 to December 15: Place your poinsettia in complete darkness from 5:00 PM until 8:00 AM in temperatures around 65° F.  Any light dash even for a moment – will ruin your efforts.  Place in a sunny location during the day.

Mid-December: After plant starts to color, a long night is not as necessary, keep giving poinsettia 6 to 8 hours of bright sunlight until completely colored.  Then stopped fertilizing and place the plant in its holiday location.  Your poinsettia may not be quite as plush or bright as those in the nurseries, but it will still be beautiful.

Note: There is a widespread misconception that these beautiful plants are poisonous and although every year I hear folks relaying this misinformation, it’s simply not true.

For more information on Poinsettias and how to select and care for them, visit the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

Merry Christmas!

I’m hearing that parts of the country are already getting snow not measured in inches but in feet!  When I hear this, my mind wanders back to the days that I lived in Western NY and I remember how beautiful it was but also what a pain the neck it was!  I also remember that it was the time I worried most about “my” backyard birds.  I felt like they’d never survive without my feeding and providing shelter for them.  That of course is nonsense as mother nature provides everything birds need to survive the winter.  My providing for  them just helps ME to be able to enjoy their presence year round.   You almost can’t beat the simple beauty of seeing a red Cardinal or a Blue Jay in a snow covered backyard.  It’s simply spectacular!  If you want to see birds in your backyard during winter, just provide for their 3 basic needs.  Food, Water, and Shelter.  It’s that simple.

This brings me to the months issue of Birds and Blooms magazine.  Anyone who knows me know that I love this  magazine!  This months issue was so full of craft ideas and beautiful winter wonderland photographs that I just couldn’t put it down!  I wish I had a copy to give to every one of you!  I found so many ideas this month I couldn’t help myself but to share it with you.

This month on their website they are sharing how to make birdseed ornaments with just a few ingredients and some cookie cutters.  Another idea and a very inexpensive way to feed your feathered friends that they mentioned was to attach dried corn cobs to tree limbs.  This will be especially attractive to Blue Jays!  When the corn is gone you can spread peanut butter on the cob and roll it in birdseed for an extra treat.  (a very inexpensive way to feed.)  Whether you are a subscriber or not, their website is a really great resource for anyone who loves gardening or birding and I highly recommend that you visit the site here.

With a few simple tasks you can enjoy year round birds in your backyard.

Happy Winter birding!