Category Archives: Lawn & Garden

“Purple Parfait” Container Garden

1. Choose a container that provides drainage
2. Fill 3/4 full with Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil
3. Add plants:  DEAD NETTLE, Lamium maculatum ‘Pink Pewter’; VIOLA, Viola Sorbet ‘Coconut Swirl’ and Viola Sorbet ‘Lemon Swirl’;  FLOSS FLOWER, Ageratum ‘Hawaii Blue’; PETUNIA, Petunia x hybrida Ultra Mix Blue;
4. Top off to 1″ below edge of the pot with Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil
5. Add water (and continue to water regularly)

Plant Now with Black Gold to Create a Gorgeous Layered Spring Bulb Planter

• Start with a large container with good drainage
• Fill 1/3 full with Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil
• Place a layer of bulbs, cover bulbs with soil and repeat until full.  Three layers works well.
• Finish the top with your favorite fall plants for a great look now.
• Place container outside.  Sit back and enjoy!  When weather warms in spring your bulbs will begin to emerge.

“Spring Zinger” Container Garden designed by Al’s Garden Center

1. Choose a container that provides drainage
2. Fill 3/4 full with Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil
3. Add plants: 1 gal. Camellia Japonica, 1 gal. Dwarf New Zealand Flax, 1 gal. Nandina ‘Fire Power’, two 4″ pansies, three 4″ primroses.
4. Top off to 1″ below edge of the pot with Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil.
5. Add water (and continue to water regularly).

4″ sedums or gerbera daisies are great seasonal replacements for primroses or pansies.

What Makes a Plant an Herb?

From Marie Iannotti, your Guide to Gardening

The very broad definition of an herb is “a useful plant”. That raises more questions than it answers, doesn’t it? Herb gardening, like defining the word herb, all comes down to what you want to do with the plants you grow. We’ll start our conversation about herbs by discussing the various uses and combinations of herb plants in an herb garden design and expand from there.

Herb Gardening Essentials

Planning and Planting an Herb Garden

Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Plenty of sun and water are the major requirements. The trickiest part of herb gardening is allowing yourself to harvest and pick as much as you want. In the long run, it’s better for your plants.

Read the whole article

IN THE GARDEN

~Mike Darcy

This month I want to specifically mention tomatoes as this is the time many gardeners purchase their seeds.  By starting them in February/March, depending on your area of the country, you can start them indoors so you will have nice sized plants to transplant out into the garden at the appropriate time when all danger of frost is over.  Use Black Gold Seedling Mix and a light coating of chicken grit as mentioned last month.

If you are unsure of what tomatoes that will perform well in your area, it is wise to check with your local garden center for help in selection as they will probably have first hand information.  I think it is always fun to try some new varieties and I encourage others to do so as well.  I recently came across Seed Savers Exchange catalog and was very impressed with their selection of tomatoes.  While most of the seeds they offer are heirloom types, I counted 72 different tomatoes, many of which you will probably not find elsewhere.  Their catalog is free and you can order it on-line at www.seedsavers.org… READ MIKE’S FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Garden Design – Budget & Maintenance
From Marie Iannotti, your Guide to Gardening

It’s so easy to bite off more than you an chew in gardening. You’ll probably have a sudden burst of energy in the spring and a strong desire to be outdoors. The garden is your oyster and you can’t see these feelings changing.

I always caution people starting a new garden to start small. Even if money is not object, time may be. You can work around the expense of putting in a new garden, but there is no plant that you can put in the ground and then forget about. Even perennials are not going to keep coming back year after year without some effort on your part. There’s deadheading, dividing, pest patrol and endless watering.

Read more at about.com