http://www.greenlandgardener.com Raised bed garden kits, gardening supplies and information. en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:01 CDT You can use soaker hoses as easy drip systems Life can be hectic in the 21st century. With the demands of work and family, you might find it difficult to squeeze in any leisure time for your favorite hobbies. But you want to spend some time outdoors, right? And you might have chosen to grow healthful vegetables in your back yard. So, how do you find the time to take care of your burgeoning garden? What Is Drip Irrigation? Drip irrigation can be a big help. It's a smart, inexpensive, water efficient way to keep your plants looking their best. With a simple-to-install http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=232 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=232 Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT Photo by Rick Grier Raised bed gardens present many advantages to gardeners with smaller growing areas. Because you control the soil mixture in your bed, the fertility is higher than in flat gardens. This allows you to plant your flowers and vegetables more closely, yielding a larger crop. Drainage is also better due to the soil mix and the depth of the bed - this prevents plant roots from rotting when they remain waterlogged. But if you are growing plants that spread and sprawl, like cucumbers, pole beans, cantaloupes or pumpkins, your yard might not be large enough to accommodate those vines http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=231 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=231 Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT Eggplants, nasturtiums and basil growing together Your raised bed garden will yield great results because it is a nutrition-packed place where plants naturally thrive. But what if you could enhance the health and productivity of your fruit, flowers, herbs and vegetables by simply planting certain things in close proximity to their friends and far from their foes? It's called companion planting and it makes sense because when you grow plants with similar nutritional needs and growing conditions in the same area, they will naturally prosper. Even plants with seemingly opposite needs can benefit each other: for example, fast-growing radishes help to loosen http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=230 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=230 Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT You may have been told that you can't grow good fruit from seed. While it is true that you can't expect to plant an apple seed and get the same sweet flavor years down the road, but there are other seeds from the produce aisle that will produce yummy fruit. They're a whole lot more interesting than apples, and can be grown indoors as houseplants while you wait for them to mature! I first started growing fruit from seed several years ago when I desperately craved things to grow on my shady balcony. None of the vegetables or perennials from the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=229 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=229 Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 CDT Whether you're a first-time gardener or an old pro, you will enjoy growing some unusual types of vegetables in your raised beds this year. From lumpy heirloom tomatoes to wild Italian arugula to zucchini that doesn't look like zucchini, you might be the talk of your neighborhood when you bring a dish containing some of these to the next potluck. Heirloom Tomatoes Forget about perfect, round, red tomatoes. There's a whole world of old-fashioned varieties that range in color from yellow to pink, purple or green, in all shapes and sizes. Some varieties are even bi-colored or striped. And as an added http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=228 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=228 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT Gardeners who like to think outside the box might enjoy growing some slightly different veggies this summer season. Popcorn, purple beans and yellow tomatoes are heirloom varieties of old favorites that have been around for hundreds or thousands of years. Popcorn Movie buffs and kids of all ages love to snack on popcorn. But did you know it's been a favorite food for thousands of years? And it's super easy to grow in your own backyard. You'll find seeds for sale in specialty catalogs: choose from a variety of colored kernels, from red to pink to blue or yellow, or even multi-colored http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=227 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=227 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT Pinching the flowers off of Tatsoi to prolong the harvest and induce side sprouting. If you just can't wait for June, when your tomatoes, zucchini, green beans and cucumbers begin to produce their fresh, succulent bounty, try some cooler season vegetables that will please your palate long before their summertime cousins make a showing at the dinner table. Radishes Radishes are great for teaching children how to garden because they reward you with an edible crop within three weeks of planting seeds. Many varieties exist, so choose one or more types that will delight you and the youngsters who are helping you. Loosen the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=226 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=226 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT Garden and life blogger Trish from "Do Cartwheels with Me" reviewed our garden beds and loved them! Read an excerpt below, and check out the full post here. My Garden is Getting a Raise (A Review of the Raised Bed Kit by Greenland Gardener) With last summer's container garden falling a little bit short of a disaster, I've evaluated my gardening options for this season. . . After scouring the web for raised bed garden kits that are easy to put together, will outlast a few growing seasons, and will not break the bank, I came across Greenland Gardener's Raised Bed Garden Kit. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=225 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=225 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CDT I've been enjoying my greens in lots of cold salads. I love to scrunch torn up kale with flavored vinegar and a bit of salt for a nice side item. The cold weather, however, makes me want to eat hot food, not cold food. A few days ago, I googled some recipes and made up my own version of one of them. This is a chicken-ginger-noodle soup with winter greens. I hope you enjoy! Ingredients 2 quarts chicken stock 8 cups of assorted greens, torn into pieces 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces Palm-sized piece of ginger. Half peeled and cut into chunks, half http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=224 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=224 Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 CDT For anyone with a limited amount of space - hello, urban dwellers! - or any gardener who simply wants a dramatic accent to their entryways, decks and patios, this project is for you. What I love the most about this project is that it probably uses materials that you already have on hand, and can be created in an afternoon. Ready? Materials 3 containers in graduating sizes (one should be able to fit into the next larger size) - these are large terra cotta pots I already had Empty black plastic nursery pots - use the sturdy ones, not the flimsy http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=223 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=223 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 CDT One of the most pressing questions for gardening in the spring is "When can I plant my _______ [fill in the blank]?" A lot of the timing has to do with the soil temperature. Most cool-weather plants will sprout when soil temps are relatively cool--between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Other, warm-weather plants, such as tomatoes and peppers, shouldn't pe planted until the soil temperature warms up to between 60-75 degrees fahrenheit. If you're gardening in raised beds, you're ahead of the curve, because the soil in raised beds warms up before soil in in-ground gardens. How do you know if http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=222 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=222 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:00:00 CDT Oh, I really wish winter would just end. I am SO OVER cold weather, and I don't even live where we're getting snow 24/7, like some of our other Greenland Gardener friends. No matter. I'm over it! While working on a new vegetable book series, I've been looking through my photos from the past few years. Here's a little "virtual garden tour" of Filoli, a public garden and historic house museum out near San Francisco, California. When I visited last March, the whole garden was bursting with spring. It's a feast for the eyes--especially if those eyes look out the window http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=221 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=221 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 CDT One of my favorite parts of winter (probably the only favorite part of winter) is looking at all of the new gardening books that are published. I think publishers time the distribution of these books to hit the shelves precisely when we're about to lose hope of ever gardening again. I think I buy more of these becasue I'm tired of looking at the brown grass and bare trees. There are so many great new books out that I'm going to tackle them in different categories. Today: design. New Favorites for 2013 Some of these books were published last year, in the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=219 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=219 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 CDT To me, it's more confusing to grow fruits than to grow vegetables. Fruits stay in the garden somewhat permanently. They seem to have all kinds of insect problems, as compared to vegetables. Pruning at the right time is crucial for fruit development. You have to choose the right varieties of fruit trees or shrubs for your area in order to get fruit. Here are some of the things to consider about growing fruit in the garden: Shop locally. The best fruits for your area are usually grown close to where you want to plant them. It isn't always possible http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=218 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=218 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:00:00 CDT It's the time of year to think about cool-weather vegetable gardening. In the South, you can go ahead and plant cool-season crops. In cooler, more northern locations, you'll need to wait until at least March for extreme cold lovers (such as peas) and April for other plants (including broccoli and cabbage). I used this picture of my Greenland Gardener raised bed garden a lot because it shows just how much you can grow in one relatively small space: In that bed I have Kale (upper left), onions (lower left), and a mixture of broccoli and cabbage in the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=217 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=217 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 CDT Lettuce is one of the easiest garden vegetables to grow if you follow a few tips and tricks. Lettuce is a cool-season crop. Once the days get warmer and longer, it will start to bolt. (Send up a flower stalk.) Don't bother planting lettuce in the summer unless you live in an exteremly cool northern location. There are different types of lettuce--head lettuce and leaf lettuce. You can harvest leaf lettuce in a "cut and come again" fashion. That means using scissors to cut a section of leaves, while letting other leaves in the row grow. The section you cut will grow http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=209 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=209 Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:00:00 CDT As a movement, composting is finding a new following, and with good reason. It is a perfect way to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle things that the average person considers to be trash. Composting allows us to reduce the amount of waste going into our bloated landfills, giving us the opportunity to reuse and recycle those items into nutrient-dense soil amendments that add important components to our soil. The best part if all is that when we salvage our compostable waste, we are creating that rich compost for free! Of course you probably already know that all of your kitchen fruit, vegetable and http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=216 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=216 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT Now that the new year is upon us, it's time to start thinking about what we will plant in our spring gardens. For many, that involves starting seeds for our garden favorites from tomatoes and cucumbers to herbs and flowers. This raises a question that plagues gardeners across the country; when should you start your spring garden seeds? As a general rule of thumb, it is best to start your spring garden seeds 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Of course there are some seeds that will take more or less time than that, so http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=215 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=215 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT January is the bane of many gardener's existence because there is so little that can be done outdoors for most of us. That doesn't mean we have to stare longingly out the window until March, though. No matter where you live, you can start planting your favorite herbs right now and have them garden-ready just in time for spring planting. If you have a sunny window anywhere in your home, you have the perfect spot to start herb seeds for your spring garden. It doesn't require a lot of specialized equipment or training, and it is so easy that it http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=214 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=214 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT When you start to yearn for some contact with nature in winter, it's a good time to give your houseplants a makeover. Because many types of plants we use for indoor décor enter a dormant period in winter, it benefits them when you do a bit of pruning and repotting. Also, potting soil can become old, develop mildew or fungal diseases, and break down to the point where it loses all nutritional value. Removing Plants From Pots Remove your plant from its pot gently, avoiding unnecessary damage to the root system. When plants are seriously rootbound, you might need to slide a http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=213 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=213 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT Gardening success has only one secret: your soil must be good! Because plants need certain nutrients in order to thrive, plain old depleted garden soil just won't do the trick toward making your tomatoes plump and juicy and your petunias extra-pretty. Purchasing bags and bags of potting soil can break the family budget, but this type of soil will usually produce a good harvest. The alternative is to plan ahead and make your own nutrient-rich soil in the form of compost. Compost Makes the Garden Go 'Round There's no mystery involved in making compost, which will fill your raised beds and give your http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=212 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=212 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT When the doldrums of winter seem too hard to bear, why not give yourself a springtime fantasy? Many avid gardeners mourn their outdoor activities when the weather forces them indoors, sometimes for months at a time. It's easy - and fun - to browse through seed catalogs, either in printed form or on the Internet. So build a big roaring fire, make a cup of steaming hot chocolate and start planning your dream garden while the frost remains on the pumpkin. Most Seed Companies Are Online If you have a favorite seed company, check their website. For example, a quick search for "seed http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=211 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=211 Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT Winter needn't be a time when the garden is devoid of color. Unless you live in an Arctic climate, many kinds of flowers exist that provide color during the darkest winter days. Tips For Winter Flower Success When you grow cool season annual flowers in containers, it's easy to move them to a warmer, more protected area when the forecast calls for heavy frost or snow. Containers also can make attractive additions to any yard: select colorful ceramic pots and color coordinate them with the flowers you grow inside them. If you use your raised bed for winter flowers, plan to build a http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=210 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=210 Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 CDT I'll never forget the first time I saw a camellia. I was interviewing for school at Longwood Gardens. Outside, it was snowing. Inside, as we strolled the conservatories, we delighted upon flowering bulbs, blooming acacia, and around one corner, roses? On trees? That's what I thought they were at first. I wasn't raised in the south. We didn't have camellias, nor did we have a conservatory that grew them. I've seen a lot of plants; few still have the hold on me that camellias do. Relatives of the Humble Tea Plant Camellias are slow-growing evergreen trees and shrubs native to southeast Asia. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=101 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=101 Sun, 16 Dec 2012 00:00:00 CDT One of the most fun things to do if you garden in an area with mild winters is to plant seeds for spring-blooming flowers directly outside into the garden. I did this in mid-January 2012 and the results were amazing.What's nice about the winter-growing, spring-blooming flowers is that they usually require less care. I am fairly certain that I threw the seeds in the garden, watered them, and forgot about them. I might have watered occasionally if we had a week or two without rain, but, overall, it can be much easier to garden in the winter. Fewer bugs, fewer http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=208 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=208 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 CDT Every December grocery stores and nurseries stock up on what's turning out to be a real holiday tradition. You might know them as Thanksgiving cactus, holiday cactus, or Christmas cactus. With their prolific blooms and flattened green stems that tend to drape over their containers, they don't look much like your typical cactus at all, and for good reason. These cacti are all Schlumbergera hybrids from the South American rainforest, and they wouldn't be caught dead in the searing sands that any other cactus would call home. On second thought, these plants would only be caught dead if they ended http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=93 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=93 Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 CDT Waiting for spring flowers to bloom can seem like a lifetime for people who thrive in the warmer months. If you love hyacinths, tulips, narcissus and crocuses, you can easily "cheat" the season and make these lovely ones bloom indoors while snow is still on the ground. This process is called forcing bulbs to bloom. Types of Bulbs, Containers and Soil Choose large, firm bulbs for best results. In addition to the bulbs already mentioned, consider daffodils, glory of the snow, iris and grape hyacinth. Use clay or plastic pots that have drainage holes. Narcissus are especially simple because all you need is http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=207 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=207 Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT Many of the plants we enjoy inside our homes have tropical parents. From the African violet to the split-leaf philodendron, common houseplants thrive best when their environmental conditions are similar to their native homes. This means that they are susceptible to frost damage -- to the point of death if the mercury drops below freezing. Bring Potted Plants Indoors Before your first forecasted fall frost, be sure to bring all frost-tender potted plants indoors. But before you do, clean them up by snipping off all dead and insect-damaged leaves. Also check for aphids, scale insects and spider mites on the leaves and http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=206 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=206 Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT Winter is a great time to start a compost pile. Even though the weather might be cold -- even freezing -- a properly made compost pile heats up and does its decomposition thing, as if to defy Mother Nature. Benefits of Composting When you pull out your summer vegetables and ornamental annuals at the end of summer, what do you normally do with them? If you have been in the habit of taking them to the landfill, you'll save yourself a bunch of work -- and possibly money -- if you dispose of them right at home. Speaking of money, you'll save even http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=205 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=205 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT Fresh, crispy vegetables from your garden needn't vanish just because it's winter. In place of tomatoes, zucchini and the other fruits of summer, you'll be able to enjoy many cold season vegetables when you plant them in fall. Many of the vegetables served at Chinese and other Asian restaurants grow very well during the cooler season, so if you enjoy bok choy or snow peas, fall is the perfect time to get them going. Varieties to Choose Lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, snow peas, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and many root vegetables such as beets, onions and carrots will perform beautifully http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=204 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=204 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT Most yards include both annual and perennial plants. Annual flowers and vegetables are great because they brighten our homes and fill our plates with delicious, nutritious food during the summer months. However, these plants live for a relatively short time and die back when colder weather approaches. Perennials, on the other hand, can live for many years. They include fruit trees and other trees, flowering and ornamental shrubs, many types of smaller flowering plants, some herbs such as rosemary and much more. Some perennials are tropical in origin and behave as annuals when you grow them in climates with cold winters. When http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=203 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=203 Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT When you admire wildflowers that seem to pop up overnight on hillsides and in meadows, you might wonder if you can duplicate nature's efforts in your own yard. The answer is a resounding "yes!" Many wildflowers and also some cultivated flowers perform well when you plant seeds in fall. The advantages are most apparent when these beauties bloom in spring, but fall planting also gives you the opportunity to do some end-of-summer garden cleanup. Preparing a Spring Flowerbed Your summer vegetables will not survive the winter months, so pull them from your raised bed to make room for new plantings. Chop up these http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=202 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=202 Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:00:00 CDT When summer ends, we must bid farewell to tomatoes, green beans, squash, peppers, carrots, other food crops and favorite flowers. It can be a sad occasion to pull out a formerly productive cucumber vine or beautiful zinnia plant that has served its purpose well and provided us with bouquets or tasty meals. But those plants needn't die in vain without leaving behind their progeny. If you practice seed saving, as our ancestors did, you will be helping heirloom plant varieties to survive into the future and save money on next year's seed purchases. Hybrids and Heirlooms Many of the seeds available today are http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=201 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=201 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT Gardeners sometimes enjoy the break that winter gives them from their outdoor duties. But before you pack up your hoe, spade, garden gloves and sprinkler system, take a little time for one final task. Cleaning Up Reduces Next Year's Bugs The Colorado State University website refers to fall cleanup as "yardkeeping," and that's an apt term. Similar to the spring cleaning you perform on your home, fall "yardkeeping" is an important step you can take to reduce the occurrence and severity of insect damage next summer. It will also reduce the diseases that can attack your plants, such as powdery mildew, leaf http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=200 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=200 Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT Citrus trees are adaptable to many climate zones. Even where the winter lows dip into the twenties, it's easy to build a simple frost frame for your beloved Meyer lemon, Tahitian lime, Minneola tangerine and others. Not All Citrus Trees Are Created Equal Before you decide upon a citrus variety for your garden, take a look at your region's average winter temperatures. Unfortunately, snow will kill citrus trees, but with protection you can save your citrus in places where the winter lows don't dip much below the high twenties. Without protection, frost damage will occur to most citrus trees after only 30 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=199 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=199 Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT Until recent years, many people decorated their homes and yards only at Christmas time. Today, however, Halloween and Thanksgiving also have become occasions for heralding the season with colorful or scary displays of seasonal adornments. Fall Holidays Present Endless Decorating Opportunities From fake tombstones "planted" in your lawn to Jack-o-lanterns lighting up the night, Halloween decorating can open up a world of creativity for adults and kids alike. Spicing up your yard for fall can be inexpensive when you use what nature provides. Because both Halloween and Thanksgiving signify the harvest season and announce the onset of winter, your yard decorations will http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=198 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=198 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT I've finally gotten enough done in my garden that I feel ok about planting bulbs this fall. I've been planting and digging and re-arranging so much that I didn't want to plant a lot of bulbs and then dig them right back up again. (Except for tulips-you can only get one year out of those, especially where I live.) I've put in a huge bulb order with Brent and Becky's bulbs. They have all kinds of interesting specialty bulbs, and they also specialize in bulbs for the south. That's me! We put a few bulbs in the ground during a book photo http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=197 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=197 Fri, 05 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT Now that fall is rapidly approaching, doesn't it just make you want to break out the DIY materials and make something? The mornings are cooler, there's a crisp snap in the air, leaves are falling-it all gives me renewed energy and increased interest in creating a seasonal project. One of my favorites is the Pumpkin Topiary, a harvest project that can be created in an hour once you gather the easy materials. MaterialsOne tall planter (footed urn, vase-shaped pot, etc.)Three pumpkins in graduating sizes - look for varieties that offer different looks, shapes and colors like Cinderella, Lumina, Wee Be http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=195 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=195 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 CDT Leafy salad greens, including lettuce, arugula, mustards, spinach, mizuna, tatsoi, and pak choy, grow quickly in autumn. Fall temperatures are moderate. There are many bright sunny days. In many areas rainfall is more frequent and there is less evaporation, so the soil is moister than in summer. These conditions mean that leafy greens will sprout easily. It's thinning them that's hard Thinning seedlings, like everything else, gets easier over time. When you first start gardening, the idea of ripping out any of your seedlings that have struggled to emerge is tough. As they grow in lush little clumps, your instinct http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=190 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=190 Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT If you're an interior design connisseur, a temporary holding area for plants doesn't sound like an appealing addition to your home's decor. Au contraire! Take pride in your indoor garden and incorporate it into your holiday decor. Add some poinsettias and Christmas cacti to the mix, or even echo your home's color palette with some affordable houseplants to bring it all together. There's no reason that your stash of patio plants cant become a well planned and stunning 'indoor seasonal display' with the right attitude. Keep it Together Find a bright area near a window, and designate this spot as your indoor http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=184 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=184 Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT Daffodils brighten the spring landscape like no other flower. They are beautiful flowers as their scientific name (Narcissus) hints. Legend has it that Narcissus was a stunningly gorgeous young man who fell in love with his reflection in a pond. He was so enthralled with his beauty that Narcissus became transfixed at the water's edge. He wasted away in a narcissistic stupor. All that was left in his place was the only flower that could match his alluring beauty, the daffodil. It's hard to think about spring now. I drove down Sheridan Road yesterday and marveled at the kaleidoscope of colors http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=189 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=189 Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT It isn't too early to start thinking about which bulbs you'll plant this fall for a spring bloom. The flowering onions, or alliums, have become popular spring flowers for their colorful, long lasting blooms. Alliums are hardy and tough growing from the South the North and from city to country. Because they are onions, nothing eats them (the only thing that seems to enjoy onions is man). Your allium bulbs and flowers are safe from rabbits, deer, mice, and voles. However, their biggest landscape attribute might be their bloomtime. They flower in late spring to bridge the gap between the spring http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=183 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=183 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT Here's some fall Friday fun for you! If you like fresh lettuce, you'll love growing a salad bowl. Here's how to do it. 1. Get a plastic salad bowl and drill holes in the bottom. 2. Fill the bowl halfway with potting soil. 3. Plant lettuce plants in the bowl and fill in with soil. 4. Water! On cooler days, you can move the bowl into the sun. On hot days, move the bowl to the shade. This is a great project for kids! http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=188 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=188 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT September is harvest time throughout America. Summer veggies are finishing as fall crops start to produce. Pumpkin patches are full of large bright fruits. Ears of dried corn sit atop hay bales. Apple trees are loaded. And fox grapes crowd vines with bright sweet berries. Fox grapes (Vitis labrusca) are native to eastern North America and responsible for some of the tastiest table grape hybrids. Fox grapes are also called slip-skin grapes because the skin easily slips off the pulp. This is in contrast with most other grapes where the skin and pulp are tightly attached. They also differ in flavor. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=182 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=182 Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT Now that we are saying "sayonara" to our summer gardens, we can take a bit of a breather before diving into fall. And we deserve it, don't we? This past summer was one of the hottest on record, with drought as a dreadful side dish. But before you jump into buying plants or creating new gardens, take a little time to make sure your garden is up to the task. Remove all dead or dying plant material. Annuals like petunias or impatiens that are past their prime should be pulled out. If you have a perennial that didn't make it http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=191 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=191 Sat, 01 Sep 2012 00:00:00 CDT Your poor lawn has really taken a beating this summer--from family gatherings, the kids' toys and games of Fetch with the dog, the grass has been sat on, run over and dug into. And remember our insanely hot and dry weather? That didn't help things at all, either. But help is on the way, as fall is the best time to fertilize and give your lawn a tune-up and a jumpstart. Here's what you need to know. Know your grass. If your lawn is Kentucky bluegrass, you will care for it differently than a person who has Bermuda grass. Mowing http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=192 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=192 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 CDT Admit it--you've always admired your next-door neighbors bulb display, and every spring you tell yourself that you're going to add some bulbs to your garden. Well, if you're serious, that time is now. Bulbs planted in the fall are able to establish themselves over the cold winter months before they burst into bloom next spring, so if you make the commitment now, you won't have to settle for Bulb Envy ever again. Choose your bulbs. Always seek advice from your trusted local nursery or county extension office for flowering bulbs that do well in your area. Tulips, daffodils, irises, hyacinth, http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=193 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=193 Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 CDT I never grew beets before this year. It was hard to get over being forced to eat them as a kid by my grandma. Of course, my taste buds have matured and after sampling a tasty beet salad at a Brooklyn bistro last winter, it was time to plant some. Everyone knows beets are good for you. Well, recent studies have shown them to be superfoods full of phytochemicals that act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and cleansers. All parts of the beet are edible: roots, leaves, and stems. You can prepare them numerous ways. The boiled roots are sweet. The stems http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=185 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=185 Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 CDT People ask me all the time, "When did you start gardening?" The truth is, I can't remember. When I think about starting to garden, a few particular memories come to mind. *In the first house my parents ever owned there was, in my mind, a huge backyard. Who knows how big it really was, but when you're six years old, everything is huge. Underneath my parents' bedroom window some lilies grew. I didn't know they were lilies, though. I called them "bubblegum flowers." They were tall pink asiatic lilies and they smelled like heaven to me. Or, like bubblegum. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=186 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=186 Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:00:00 CDT If you live in a very mild climate, you might be fortunate enough to plant year-round. But in most places, there are better and best times to plant most anything. If you're looking to add some trees to your landscape, fall is, in general, the best time to do so. While there are general guidelines for tree-planting, it's always wise to consult your local experts for suggestions on tree selection and proper planting times. Select your trees. Opt for balled-and-burlapped (B & B) or container grown trees rather than bare-root stock. Bare root plants are more likely to flourish http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=194 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=194 Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 CDT If you love the crisp, fresh taste of barely-cooked snow peas, baby bok choy and Chinese cabbage, fall is the time to plant these and other Asian delicacies. Not only do they contain tons of vitamins, fiber and other good things, they are unusual and will certainly generate some lively conversation around the Thanksgiving dinner table. Asian Varieties to Choose for Fall Select seeds or bedding plants of varieties recommended for cooler weather. Shun warm weather lovers such as Japanese eggplant and go for tat soi, bok choy, mizuna, edible-podded peas, Chinese chives, daikon radish, Oriental mustard and many others. Most http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=196 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=196 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:00:00 CDT With all of the record breaking heat and drought this summer, your garden might be a little on the crispy side. While you may not be able to quench your whole garden's thirst, it's easy to keep up with the watering needs of a container garden. With container gardens; water isn't sucked up by the ground like a sponge and you can use saucers to collect runoff. Keep your pots near the back door or hose for easy watering and move them to the shade on the hottest days. Here are some other ways to keep a lush container garden http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=181 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=181 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 CDT If you are new to vegetable gardening, you're embarking on a life-long adventure of trial and error--vegetable gardening pros know some reliable tips and will gladly pass them along, but you will have to experiment to find out what works in your specific garden in the climate where you live. One of the fundamentals is knowing what to plant at a specific time of year. In general, vegetables are either cool-season or warm-season growers, and we all know what time of year we're in now! And from there, if you live in mild Washington state as opposed to scorching http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=180 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=180 Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 CDT For centuries, farmers have relied on the phases of the moon to know when to plant, when to harvest and when to leave things alone. The moon keeps a very regular schedule: every month it goes through four phases, each lasting seven days. During the first two phases the amount of moonlight increases, or waxes, culminating in the full moon. After this brilliant event passes, the moon goes into its two waning phases, when the amount of light gradually decreases and the moon's gravitational pull is at its lowest ebb. Scientific evidence now supports the folklore that surrounds planting by the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=179 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=179 Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:00:00 CDT Just like people, plants have their friends and foes. If you have ever had a poor crop of tomatoes or green beans, don't blame yourself. It could be that your languishing veggies are simply not happy growing near an incompatible plant. When you locate your favorite plants near their companions, not only will they perform well, you might find that insect pests cause fewer problems and that beneficial insects love the area. Scientific Proof Exists Companion planting goes beyond myths and legends. Scientific studies have shown that plants having similar nutritional needs and growing conditions perform well in close proximity to each http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=178 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=178 Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 CDT Mulching with Pine Straw photo by Katie Elzer-Peters Spring is typically the time to garden, while the heat of summer leaves you dreaming of barbecues, lemonade and lounging around. Make sure your garden is just as comfortable as you are this summer by planting heat and drought tolerant plants, keeping existing plants well watered, and by keeping that moisture in the soil with a nice bed of mulch. It doesn't have to be a chore. Head out in the early morning to do the dirty work; equipped with some good music, a water bottle, sunscreen and loose fitting clothes and make your http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=177 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=177 Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Toad Lily Katie Elzer-Peters What's that blooming in the corner of the garden? That plant that looks like an exotic tropical orchid, but is perfectly happy in a chilly zone 4 garden? That's a Toad Lily! (Scientific name: Tricyrtis hirta.) When almost everything else in your entire garden has quit blooming, the Toad Lily is just getting started. Most of the flowers are in shades of purple, burgundy, pink, white, or yellow. Toad Lilies thrive in moist, shady areas of the garden. Mine is planted next to my bird bath so that it gets plenty of water, even during the driest periods of the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=173 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=173 Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Protective Equipment Wearing the right equipment while applying pesticides--whether organic or synthetic--is important to keep you and your family safe. Every pesticide bottle is required to be labeled with the type of protective gear the applicator needs to wear while applying the pesticide. Requirements could range from nothing to long pants, long sleeves, gloves, masks, or respirators. This gear is called "Personal Protective Equipment," and if it is required via the pesticide label, you are required to wear it while applying the chemical. As they say in every pesticide class you take: The Label is the LAW. The difference between commercial applicators http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=171 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=171 Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Adding Worm Castings Katie Elzer-Peters You can't grow healthy plants without healthy soil. This is especially true of veggies, like tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbages, peppers, squash, potatoes, or corn. If you start with loose, rich soil and amend with compost, you are well on the way. Here are a couple tips to keep your soil healthy and productive all season. Mulch your garden. This is one of the most beneficial gardening tasks. Mulch moderates soil temperatures, retains more moisture in the ground, feeds the soil as it decomposes, and adds ornament to the garden. During warmer months, hot dry soil can actually kill surface http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=174 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=174 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT I know you've had the same experience that I have: you carefully tend your vegetable garden, only to have pesky bugs treat it as their personal dining table. And no matter what you do, from organic methods to I'll-try-anything tactics, you can't get rid of them. But I have good news for you today--there is a garden pest that is so easy to control that it will give you an instant sense of gratification, and we all need that on occasion. May I introduce to you the dreaded tomato hornworm? First up: identification. The hornworm is a member of the Manduca http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=175 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=175 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Last summer a hurricane made it from North Carolina up to Maine, largely intact. There were four "Wilmingtons" affected: Wilmington, North Carolina; Wilmington, Delaware; Wilmington, Vermont; and Wilmington, New York. Trees down, flooding, power outages, and other damage are a given. So what's a gardener to do? This year weather forecasters are predicting many more large storms to affect the highly populated east coast over the next few months and few hurricane seasons. I've been reading different gardening blogs about people preparing for the storm, and some seem to have a good handle on http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=172 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=172 Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Harvesting a Pepper photo by Katie Elzer-Peters About 18 years ago, I planted my first vegetable garden. We were living in the country, right outside a major metropolitan area, and I was excited about growing our own food. I had help from my neighbor, a crotchety fellow named Arlen who was a veteran vegetable gardener. Everything was going well--I had straight lines of vegetables, a ton of different varieties, and hardly any unwelcome bugs or pests. Then one day Arlen leaned over the chain-link fence and said, "Whatcha gonna do with those okras? Make loofahs out of them?" In my inexperience, I http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=176 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=176 Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Okra is undervalued and underused in many parts of America. It is probably only common in the south, and that's a shame. Okra is a stately plant with beautiful flowers and a tough temperament. They can reach over 9' in rich soil. But these drought tolerant plants are not fussy. All okra needs is hot weather and minimal watering to produce those delicious pods. Besides being tasty, okra pods are one of the most nutritious veggies containing high levels of Vitamin A, B, C, K, fiber, folates, minerals, and anti-oxidants. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=170 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=170 Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Beans have been a favorite crop for thousands of years. Dried beans and lentils have been found in ancient archeological sites around the world. Beans come in several types, including common, wax, runner, fava, mung, and cowpea. Most varieties require support, even the bush varieties can get floppy without staking. The nutritious protein-packed pods can be eaten whole and raw (although sautéing enhances the flavor) when harvested early before the seeds swell and ripen. After the seeds swell, the pods become tough and inedible. The term "green" bean simply means http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=169 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=169 Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT Tomatoes are America's most popular homegrown veggie. They are actually a fruit because they are formed from flowers and contain seeds. Tomatoes are legally classed as vegetables for tax purposes only (sad, but true). Regardless of what they are called, tomatoes are delicious, nutritious, and easy to grow with a few simple guidelines. Water consistently. Try to keep a steady amount of soil moisture around your tomato plants. Uneven watering, even from rainstorms, can cause cracking and splitting. Try not to let the soil go from bone dry to super wet, http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=168 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=168 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 CDT I don't remember when I first started using shrub rakes. I know it was at a garden where I worked, and they had shrub rakes when I started working there. I think shrub rakes are called shrub rakes, because some people use them to rake leaves and stuff off of shrubs, or maybe out from under shrubs. I like to use them to rake into between my flowers. Shrub rakes have long handles, but the top of the rake where the tines are is about 1/3 as wide as a normal plastic leaf rake. My http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=167 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=167 Thu, 31 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Watching bulbs push through the snow in springtime is one of the greatest sights a gardener could experience. Why limit the wonder to springtime? These subtropical and tropical bulbs (and tubers, corms, etc.) pop up when you least expect it, bringing the element of surprise to a ho-hum border. Blood Lily Scadoxus multiflorus Sounds like an ingredient to a witch's brew, doesn't it? Though it's far from gruesome, this South African plant definitely has a bit of magic hiding up its sleeves. In zones 9-11, leave plants in the ground year round. Elsewhere, plant the red flecked hockey puck shaped bulbs in the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=165 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=165 Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Photo by Noelle Johnson Did you know that roses are the most popular flower in the world? They are certainly my favorite. In fact, I used to have over 40 rose bushes growing in the garden of my first house. As a gardener, there was nothing more rewarding to me to see my rose bushes covered with fragrant blooms. Over the years, I learned what worked best for fertilizing roses including some 'special ingredients' that I will share with you. All roses do best with supplemental fertilizer. Use one that is especially formulated for roses because it http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=164 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=164 Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Photo by Jenny Peterson I love traveling to flower and garden shows each spring--I'm able to see new garden trends that I can pass along to my clients and blog readers incorporate into my own garden. This spring, I've seen a huge increase in terrariums--but they're not your mama's old terrariums from the 1970's! Containers Forget the old rounded fishbowl, and instead think of new shapes and sizes to work with. Nearly any container that is clear glass can work well--mason jars, large storage containers, suspended test tubes, hanging glass balls or giant glass cylinders all look clean and modern. Spend some time http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=163 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=163 Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Old Garden Photo by Steve Asbell Read "The Art of Moving a Garden: Part 1" here. This article could just as well be called 'The Art of Starting a Garden.' The only difference is that we're operating under the assumption that you already have plants from another garden to plant. I just moved a garden of my own and it really was a lot like starting over, with new soil, new sunlight and a whole new look. Whether it's your first garden, second or eleventh, we're going to discuss planning, amending and planting your way to the best garden you've ever had. Planning If you http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=162 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=162 Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT It's Garden Bloggers Bloom Day! I actually wrote it on my calendar this month so I could remember and participate. On Bloom Day, bloggers all over the world post pictures of what's blooming in their garden TODAY. You can go take the virtual garden tour by clicking over to the main Bloom Day post at May Dreams Garden. Carol Michel started this tradition based on this quote: "We can have flowers nearly every month of the year." ~ Elizabeth Lawrence Here's what's in bloom today. in my USDA Zone 8a coastal North Carolina Garden. Bachelor's Buttons I'm very proud of these flowers because http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=161 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=161 Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT There is nothing quite as rewarding as teaching your kids a love for gardening. Children are naturally curious about the world around them and letting them plant and grow their own garden is the beginning of a fun adventure for both them and you.Creating a flower garden with your kids is a fun project to introduce them to gardening. The colorful blooms of flowers, the different shapes and fragrance can open a whole new world to them. Select an area for the new garden. You can create your garden in a planting bed or in a raised garden. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=160 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=160 Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT I've been seeing more and more checkerboard designs in both gardens and at flower and garden shows lately--and I'm realizing now why it's such a popular motif. This theme works well in a variety of garden styles, from the sleek and linear contemporary landscape to the whimsical and artsy cottage garden. You can create checkerboard motifs using plants, pavers, pots or other landscape materials--here are some ideas to create a checkered area in your garden: Pathways Use square concrete pavers and set them in a checkered pattern, filling in the empty spots with gravel, flagstone pavers or grass. Or, use a solid http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=159 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=159 Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Illustration by Jennifer Asbell With their broad and intricately painted leaves, caladiums are the artists of the shade garden. While they're undeniably old fashioned plants, they can also be used in bold and exciting ways that would certainly raise your mother's eyebrow with a "tsk" of disapproval. Who cares? Besides, caladiums' outrageous colors and patterns beg to be paired up with contrasting hues and textures with the loose and wild inhibitions of an artist. Big leaves of pure white look electric among dark leaved plants like black mondo grass or 'Blackie' sweet potato vine. Additional hues of chartreuse, pink, sage and emerald http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=158 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=158 Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 CDT Herb Garden Hanging Baskets Photo by Katie Elzer-Peters Do you love the taste of fresh herbs? You could step outside your kitchen door and snip fresh herbs whenever you need them instead of buying them at the grocery store. Growing herbs is very easy to do-especially in a container. Herbs aren't fussy plants, which is why they are so easy to grow. They don't like excess amounts of fertilizer or lots of water. Another bonus is that damaging insects tend to keep away from them as well. So are you ready to get started? 1. Select an area for your herb container that http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=157 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=157 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Are you constantly on the lookout for damaging insects eating your vegetables. Well, instead of reaching for the nearest pesticide, how about letting 'companion plants' keep those 'bad bugs' away? 'Companion plants' are a vegetable garden's best friend. They repel damaging insects and attract beneficial insects. Every year, I have bachelor's button, cosmos, marigolds and nasturtiums growing alongside my vegetables. They do a great job at keeping damaging bugs out as well as attracting pollinators. Here are some favorite companion plants that you may want to try in your vegetable garden: Alyssum has a beautiful, sweet fragrance and their white http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=156 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=156 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Cutting Back Perennials Katie Elzer-Peters Spring is the season when gardeners and their gardens come to life. After a long winter, the soil warms up, trees and other plants sprout new leaves and sunny days beckon us to spend more time outdoors. But where is a good place to begin your summer garden projects? General Cleanup Whether you are planning a vegetable garden, a flower bed, or plantings of new trees and shrubs, cleaning up your yard of fallen leaves, dead plants and rotted wood will keep you busy and can also provide free fertilizer in the form of compost. Rake up leaves and http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=155 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=155 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Kale is a super food packed with heathly vitamins and minerals. But how do you get anyone to eat it? This quick and easy recipe makes kale a delight and great snack. Ingredients 12 kale leaves 2 teaspoons salt 3 tablespoons olive oil Instructions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut kale into large pieces; cut out the thick stems. Combine salt and oil in a large bowl. Add the kale and mix well. Arrange the kale on baking sheets. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until crispy. Thick pieces and the edge near the stem crisp more slowly. Makes 6 servings. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=166 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=166 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT From mid-spring until fall, your double raised bed garden will overflow with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, eggplant and many other veggies that love the heat. And once you experience the success that a raised bed offers, you might just want to expand you garden with multiple beds so you can grow even more delicious, nutritious summer vegetables. Large Plants Need More Room When planning your warm season raised bed, remember that some vegetables grow quite large. Zucchini, for example, can fill most of a 3.5 by 3.5 foot bed, so don't overplant: plant your seeds 3 inches apart around the edges of http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=154 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=154 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Passionfruit Illustration by Steve Asbell For this final installment of my unusual fruit series, I think I've saved the best for last. Passionfruits are quintessentially exotic, from their ornate and often fragrant flowers to their sweet and tangy fruits. One of the most oft repeated bits of trivia about the passion flower concerns their symbolism. Missionaries to the Americas saw the flower's arrangement and recalled the Passion of the Christ. The five sepals and five petals collectively represent the ten loyal apostles, the fringed corona resembles the crown of thorns, and the five styles represent the five wounds. Since the Passiflora genus can http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=153 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=153 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Just because it's cool you needn't stop gardening. Unless you live in a climate zone with extremely low (and cold) winter temperatures, it's not only possible, but also easy, to plant and grow cool season veggies such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and some of the root crops. These will grow throughout the winter in warmer areas, and in the spring in cooler areas. Raised beds offer the perfect place to grow these and other plants. Start from Seed Some winter veggies start well from seeds. Plan ahead and plant seeds for these crops: lettuce spinach Swiss chard snow peas Plant them http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=152 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=152 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Why buy pricey bagged soil amendments when you can easily make your own? Stop throwing out your kitchen scraps and bagging up your leaves-it's time to get composting. The steps are easy and the materials are right at your fingertips-and your garden will love all the nutrients that your compost will add. Plant health is directly related to soil health, and compost is one of the best ways to make your soil dark, rich and nutrient-heavy. Getting Started You can start a compost pile at any time of year, but the pile will break down into compost more quickly when started in http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=151 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=151 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Foxglove, Spring 2011 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=150 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=150 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Herbs are among the easiest of plants to grow. If you love pesto, you will be enjoying your own homemade sauce within two months of planting basil seeds or seedlings. If you add cilantro to salsa or Mexican soups, it's a quickly growing winner as well. And if you grow herbs in a raised bed, your success will be even greater because of the rich soil you created for your bed. Roadside Growing Conditions Many plants that grow along the roadsides are actually herbs. For example, yarrow is a pretty wildflower that grows in poor, dry soil in many parts of the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=149 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=149 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Whether we're moving on to another home or just moving plants around, most of us will have to relocate our beloved gardens at some point or another. Fortunately, it's possible to move entire mountains (of plants) with a little planning and a great deal of determination. Don't worry if you're limited by time and space; a few cuttings, bulbs and divisions can go a long way. Which Plants to Move If you're planning a big move, think about which plants you could not live without? You know, your collection of rare daylily hybrids, the Japanese maples, or maybe even that unusual variegated http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=148 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=148 Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Flowers of all kinds are a natural for raised beds. Whether they're large, such as rose bushes, or small, such as lobelias, flowers make a statement about you and definitely increase your home's curb appeal. Planning Your Flower Bed Your yard will help you determine what kinds of flowers to plant. If you're in a sunny area, the sky's the limit because many flowering plants thrive in full sun. Some sun-loving plants include marigolds, petunias, salvias, zinnias, daisies and asters. If your property has a shady area, flowers such as hostas, fuchsias, impatiens and baby blue eyes will brighten and beautify it. Some http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=146 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=146 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Photo by Katie Elzer-Peters Rex Begonia Hybrid http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=147 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=147 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Rollinia (a close relative of Custard Apple and Paw Paw) Illustration by Steve Asbell For the second installment of my series on unusual fruit, I'm featuring two ancient relatives of the magnolia with sweet custard-like flesh. The custard apple and its bizarre looking relatives (such as atemoya and sweetsop) are strictly tropical but the paw paw can be grown all the way into zone 5. Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) Zones 9b-11 The custard apple and its kin are unlike anything you would expect from a fruit. Cut one of the scaly green fruits in half and scoop out some of the sweet and fragrant http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=145 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=145 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 CDT Designing at the Garden Center One of the most intimidating parts of gardening for most new gardeners is selecting plants. So often, new gardeners reach for the old favorites that their mothers or grandmothers grew, or go shopping and look for the plants their neighbors have in their yard. There's nothing wrong with either of those techniques, but if you only look to what others are planting, you'll never try anything new. How do you go about creating a pretty garden without a lot of headache? Learn how to design at the garden center! Measure before Shopping Before going to the garden center, measure http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=144 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=144 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT 2012 Tulip Bloom Filoli in California. Win a Wall Garden! We're celebrating reaching 20,000 Fans on Facebook by giving away a bunch of goodies! Today, you could win one of two Wall Garden Kits. Comment to this "ONE Word Wednesday" post (Usually we do "Wordless Wednesday") with one word about your garden, how gardening makes you feel, etc. My word today is "Happy." I saw these tulips at Filoli last week, and they just made my heart soar. What's your word? http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=143 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=143 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT More and more gardeners are turning to creating raised beds in their gardens, and the reasons are numerous. If you'd like healthier plants, higher quality soil and easier garden maintenance, raised bed gardens are for you! Here's the skinny on how building your beds "up" can benefit both you and your garden. Soil Health When plants are placed in traditional ground-level beds, you are forced to walk through the bed to maintain it. This can cause soil compaction, which affects the roots of the plants. Gardeners who start out with less-than-desirable soil (rocky, sandy or clay) will also find that raised beds http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=142 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=142 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Gardening fanatics love reading gardening memoirs, magazines and quote books as much as they love working in the garden. Here's a quote from one of my favorite poems. "A garden is not a place it is a passage, a passion. We don't know where we're going, to pass through is enough, to pass through is to remain." ~Octavio Paz http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=140 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=140 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Certain perennials grow best when they're divided every four to five years. Favorites like daylilies and hosta are good candidates for this bit of garden maintenance, but so are other plants that have spread so that their centers are hollow, or aren't blooming well. You can divide plants in the spring and the fall. If you divide in spring, the plants have a whole growing season to recover, but they might not bloom as profusely. How to Divide Water the plants you're planning to divide the night before. Then, dig the plants up with a spade. Place two http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=139 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=139 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Anemones blooming http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=141 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=141 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Although now I grow many vegetables, herbs, and fruits, when I first started gardening it was mostly ornamental shrubs and flowers. My farming grandfather was unimpressed. He would say, "If you can't eat it, then why are you growing it?" That was always funny to me. It's not as if he did not appreciate the beauty of nature. He loved the splendor of the peach and plum trees in spring and even admired the lovely flowers of okra in summer. But to grow something just for ornament http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=138 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=138 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Once your seeds have sprouted, you'll have to transplant to larger containers. Transplanting Indoors Thin your seedlings according to the instructions on the seed packet. When each has three sets of leaves, you can transplant them into individual pots. Keep the soil mix moist and gradually introduce the potted seedlings to outdoor conditions. Place them in a shady spot for a couple of hours the first day. Increase the time by an hour or so every day and move them to sunnier spot. After all danger of frost has passed and the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=137 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=137 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Starting veggies and flowers from seeds is easy and offers the greatest selection of new varieties and heirlooms. Besides the seeds, you will need a tray or several pots, a seed germination mix or a light potting soil mix, room temperature water, a sprinkler attachment for the watering can, and a sunny, warm location. General Rules for Starting Seeds Indoors Buy seeds with the current year's date stamped on the packet or use fresh seeds that you collected from last year's garden. Sow seeds in a loose potting soil mix. Some mixes are specifically made for germinating http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=136 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=136 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Gardening is so much more than putting plants in the ground and watching them grow-although that's often the most fun part. If you're tired of sitting around and twiddling your thumbs, be prepared to get up and get a move on-there are many garden chores to perform in late winter before the weather warms up! Be sure to get them done early, though-the last thing you want is to put off taking care of these more mundane activities, only realize you've run out of time. Conduct an irrigation review. Run your http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=135 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=135 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Spring bulbs are valuable to every landscape. After a long dreary winter, they provide brilliant colors and sweet scents at a time when the garden and gardener need them most. Everyone knows daffodils and tulips, but there are many other types available. The grape hyacinths are some of the easiest and cutest. Grape hyacinths (Muscari species) are smaller but otherwise similar to their hyacinth cousins with spikes of fragrant, purplish flowers from early spring to mid spring. The common grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) has 6-12" flower stalks in mid spring. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=110 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=110 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT I don't know about you, but I'm way too busy in winter to worry about catering to the needs of my whiny, thirsty plants. By spring my collection of houseplants usually undergoes a mass extinction of sorts, and the plants unfortunate enough to have a drinking problem end up looking dehydrated, miserable looking and just plain dead. Other plants, however, manage to look great despite the bi-weekly waterings and layers of dust that build up on their leaves. Yes, these houseplants are very common and perhaps overused, but not without good reason: They're survivors! http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=115 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=115 Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Your amaryllis used to look like this: But now they look like this: That's a good thing! Now that the bulbs have stopped flowering, you need to let them grow leaves and make food to store for next year (which is this year!). Time flies! Let the amaryllis grow indoors until there's no further danger of frost. Then move them outside. Let them grow until August, or when their leaves turn yellow and shrivel up (whichever is first). Then, remove them from their pots, cut off their leaves, and put them in a paper bag in a cool, dry location. In December, you can bring them http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=134 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=134 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Plant Potatoes You can plant seed potatoes two weeks before the average last frost date in your area. Make sure to start with seed potatoes, specifically for planting, because potatoes from the grocery store have been treated with chemicals to prevent them from sprouting on the store shelves. Cut the seed potatoes, leaving two eyes (sprouts) per piece. Put them in a paper grocery bag to dry. Shake the bag every day for four days. Then plant potatoes four inches deep in rich, compost-filled soil. Then wait for the green sprouts to emerge. As the plant grows, you will "hill up" http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=133 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=133 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Beets growing in Aquaponics. Wilmington, NC Winter 2012 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=132 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=132 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT This time of year, we gardeners begin to gingerly set a toe outside, eager to get going in the garden again. Although it's still a bit early in most areas to begin planting, it's the perfect time to assess any winter damage that your garden may have received. Those of us with palms in our gardens will want to be sure that they are healthy going into the growing season, so follow these tips if yours aren't looking their best. Wait until spring to prune. Although spring officially starts on March 20, wait until http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=131 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=131 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT A couple of weeks ago my wife and I traveled to the Miami Fruit and Spice park, a veritable paradise for both fruit aficionados and candy lovers alike. I want to share some of the marvelously rare and delicious fruit species that we got to experience on that wonderful day, along with some temperate counterparts that can be enjoyed elsewhere. First up on the list are two unrelated plants that miraculously ended up producing very similar fruit on their own accords. One is a tree in the myrtle family, and the other is a vine in the grape family. Both http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=130 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=130 Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT One of my favorite parts of traveling is visiting gardens. I always check out the public gardens wherever I land, but whenever possible, I also try to see some private gardens. If a tour isn't available, there's always the option of driving around interesting neighborhoods, looking at the front yards! Looking at what others are doing always inspires me to add to my garden or try new things. From color combinations, to textural contrasts, to interesting treatments of scale in the garden, I learn best by observing what other people do in their gardens. Texture Contrasts Add Interest The easiest way to http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=129 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=129 Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 CDT Integrated Pest Management (IPM) sounds like it's too difficult for the home gardener, doesn't it? Like something environmental scientists at a major university would bury their noses in. But IPM is, quite simply, a way of handling bugs in the garden. IPM is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that incorporates a variety of commonsense methods. Simply put, if you have bugs in your garden that are causing problems, IPM can help you decide the best course of action to take. It focuses on using the most economical methods and http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=128 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=128 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT Spring will be here before you know it, but sometimes the bright colors on display at the garden center can be a tad intimidating. Colorful annuals are a powerful tool in the gardener's arsenal but only if they're used confidently. They can paint an expressionist masterpiece in the grandest scale, but lose your nerve and you end up with a confused and clashing mess! Luckily, follow a few simple guidelines and there's no need to fear bright colors, unless you're afraid of clowns. I totally understand that. I've just returned from the Season Premier trial gardens at Costa Farms, and http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=126 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=126 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=124 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=124 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT A few weeks (months?) ago at the beginning of the new year, I wrote a post about growing everything I could from seed this year. I'm still into that, but I haven't made a whole lot of progress. I still need to organize my seeds. Best laid plans, right? However, we did take the opportunity to rather haphazardly sow some seeds of cool-weather flowers. Will they come up? I'm not sure. We haven't been excellent about watering them. However, I thought I'd share my technique with you. Making your Own Seed Mix I pick up seed packets here and there all year long. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=123 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=123 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT Gardeners in many parts of the country have to deal with the challenges of creating and maintaining a garden with an active deep population nearby. If plants pulled out by their roots or chewed down to nubs, and infuriating deer tracks through your prized perennial beds are making you reach for your shotgun, take a deep breath! Check out these suggestions for gardening with deer before your prized petunias become Bambi's appetizer: Choose plants wisely. There are lists of plants that deer don't usually like to nibble on for lunch-plants with a http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=122 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=122 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT Tired of the same old same old breakfast pancakes? Enjoy something different with your sweetie. Make pumpkin pancakes! Not only are they moist and tasty, they're good for you too. Pumpkin is a superfood! So, while you're enjoying your breakfast, you'll be getting your vegetables as well. Ingredients 4 eggs 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk 2 tablespoons melted butter ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup pumpkin purée ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon Vegetable oil or butter, for the pan Pecans for garnish Instructions Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil in a blender and process until smooth. Let stand for at least http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=121 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=121 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT UPDATE: The winners are MJ Letterman, and Carrie Blackwell! Please email katie "at" greenlandgardener.com with your shipping address. Congratulations! We have many beginning gardeners as part of your Greenland Gardener community. So, for Friday Fun this week, we're giving away TWO copies of "Beginner's Illustrated Guide to Gardening." Yep-I wrote the book, and I wrote it to make sure that beginners had an easy-to-understand resource that would help them get started with gardening, and be successful the first time out. The book covers topics like: How to read a plant tag How to read a fertilizer label How to plant a sun garden How to take http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=127 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=127 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT Terrariums were hot in the '70s but they've made a comeback. No longer do you need to make one in a giant fish tank, though! You can make terrariums in all sorts of pretty containers. They can be open or closed, glass or plastic, for succulents or plants that like humidity. I made my mom a terrarium last spring. This is a messy project so I did it in the laundry room on top of the washer and dryer (which you will see in the pictures). I took photos while doing it with the eventualy goal of sharing them with you. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=120 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=120 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 CDT During the winter, I sometimes find it hard to get all of the veggies I need. I get tired of chewing! I don't really enjoy frozen or canned vegetables all that much, unless I preserved them myself. (Unlike most of you, I'm not as industrious!) A few years ago, while working on a book for someone, I interviewed someone who was completely a raw foodist. Now, while I can't ever imagine going whole-hog raw food, I have adopted one of the "golden standards" of the raw foodies: the green smoothie. It Looks Like Mud, but doesn't Taste like Mud The key to the http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=119 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=119 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT [youtube:Bb7PmKQX29U:youtube] Here's a handy video that shows how to assemble our Mini Clear Cover Greenhouse. The Mini Greenhouse helps keep your vegetable garden growing longer and start earlier. This easy-to-assemble mini-greenhouse covers your raised bed gardens or outdoor garden beds. It assembles in just minutes! Keep your greens warm, even when the temperatures outside are freezing or get outside earlier in the spring. Keep your plants warm and toasty! Buy a Mini Greenhouse for your garden. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=118 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=118 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT It's official! There's a new USDA Hardiness zone map, just in time for spring! What does this mean to you, as a gardener? What IS the Hardiness Zone Map? Every time you buy a plant or a package of seeds or a bulb, there's a hardiness zone number or range on it. The tag might say "Hardy to Zone 6" or "Zones 5-8." The "zone" that the tag refers to is the hardiness zone. The hardiness zone indicates the average annual extreme minimum temperature of an area. So, for the most part, the hardiness zone of a plant refers to the amount of http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=117 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=117 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT If you're running low on space or trying to add interest to your outdoor room, the only way to go is up! Vertical gardening is all the rage right now, and gardeners are finally learning to take advantage of another dimension of their outdoor space. Sometimes vertical gardening isn't so much a conscious decision as much as it is an accident. In my case, I managed to buy plants faster than I could kill them, and ran out of precious balcony space before I even knew what http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=112 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=112 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT I have an unusual problem: I'm addicted to starting seeds! If I don't have a tray of seedlings to check on every single morning, I get the gardener's equivalent of empty nest syndrome. Hey, I said I had a problem! Maybe I'm addicted to the thrill of experiencing something new every day and watching new life emerge in a matter of days, or just knowing that the little seedlings before me will grow up to be the trees and shrubs of my garden someday. I could just http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=114 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=114 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT So it begins. My New Year's Resolution to start everything in my garden from seed, except for a few annual plants. Recap about why I'm doing this: the plants I grow from seed do better in my garden. Whether it's because of my soil, because I pay more attention to them, or because they don't have growth regulators sprayed on them, I'm not sure. What I do know for sure is that starting from seed will save me money! I'm not planning to start things indoors under grow lights. (I'm even going to direct-sow tomatoes into the garden because it's warm enough http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=116 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=116 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT My one and only New Year's Resolution involves my garden. I'm planning to grow all of my vegetables and cut flowers from seed. I'm hoping that the only plant transplants I buy are perennials and a few annuals for a specific spot in my front garden. Don't Try This at Home Actually, you can try this at home, and some of you are way ahead of me in the "growing everything from seed" game. Aud, from our Facebook page, is one. I grow a lot of vegetables from seed, but I've always bought a million tomato and pepper transplants. Why the change http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=109 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=109 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 CDT There's one photo that started this photo retrospective. The "lettuce cheerleader." This picture makes me smile every time I scroll past it. Here it is, along with some of the other weird and wonderful things you've shared with us this year. And I do mean weird! This is Elizabeth A., the lettuce cheerleader. It was her first year gardening! Next up is the sweet potato that looks sort of like a turkey and sort of like the posterior of a primate. It's from Rick H.'s garden. This fungus attacked Becky P.'s yard. Ace S. always makes me smile with his "veggie face" pictures. The http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=108 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=108 Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT Greenland Gardeners have green thumbs! Here are some of the most amazing harvest photos you uploaded this year. These lovely vegetables are from Mike S's garden. Trish W. grew LOTS of carrots! Praiwan C photographed this beautiful basket of vegetables. Tons of Pumpkins and Squash from Eric N. This peck of peppers was picked by Tom B. Corrie G. picked this harvest right before the first frost in her garden! These pictures are just the tip of the iceberg of gorgeous harvest photos. To see more from the Greenland Gardener, head on over to the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/greenlandgardener http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=107 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=107 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT You uploaded tons of funny wildlife photos. I could put up an entire blog post just with your squirrel photos. But, there are some other funny pics, too. Here's the wildlife you saw in your gardens this year. Beverly L. shared this tenacious squirrel with us. Ann R. shared this butterfly that looks just like a stained glass window with the light coming through it. Barbara L. shared this photo of a moose chomping in a garden up in Alaska. Beverly L. also shared this pretty hummingbird photo! Melissa M. shared this picture of a Katydid. It looks just like a leaf! Barbara B. http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=106 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=106 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT We have had some AMAZING photos posted on our Facebook pages this year. So, to count down to the new year in style, all week we're featuring the "best of" photos on the blog. Check back daily for a new set! The sweet yellow lab in this picture is named "Drake." Drake's owner Marla C. said he loves to eat her potatoes. Judy B's cat likes to drink out of her garden pond! This doggie's owner, Pauline J says this is his "I didn't do it" face. (He likes to eat the tomatoes.) The caption with this photo from Linda http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=105 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=105 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT What's a dish garden, might you ask? If vegetables on a plate is what comes to mind, put away your fork and get out your favorite trowel. This is a creative way to stretch your gardening muscles over winter. Here's the dish on do-it-yourself dish gardening: A dish garden is simply a container that has been planted to look like a miniature landscape. The "dish" doesn't have to be a serving platter, but could be anything from a fancy glazed container to a basic terra cotta pot! Oh, and actual table dishes work http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=100 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=100 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT If you're lucky enough to have carrots in your garden, then this recipe is for you. It's so simple, quick, and easy that you'll find yourself making it often. Honey Glazed Carrots pairs beautifully with roast chicken or pork, and transports well if you want to make it for a covered-dish supper. Tip: If you prefer, you can substitute brown sugar for the honey. You will need to use about 4 tablespoons each of brown sugar and butter. Simple Instructions 3 cups sliced carrots 6 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Bring enough salted water http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=99 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=99 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 CDT The flowering onions, or alliums, have become popular spring flowers for their colorful, long-lasting blooms. Alliums are hardy and tough growing from the South to the North, and from city to country. Because they are onions, nothing eats them (the only thing that seems to enjoy the taste of onions is man). Your allium bulbs and flowers are safe from rabbits, deer, mice, and voles. However, their biggest landscape attribute might be their bloomtime. They flower in late spring to bridge the gap between the spring flowers, like tulips and daffodils, and the summer flowers, like roses and lilies. The http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=97 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=97 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT In over seventeen years of gardening, I have never seen autumn weather like this. It's mid-November and my rooftop garden has yet to have a frost! Only once has the temperature even dipped into the 30s. Jack Frost has visited people all around us but so far has avoided Chicago. Lake Michigan, asphalt, concrete, and phenomenal weather have kept us lucky, and my garden loves it. Tomatoes Keep Growing and Growing The rooftop tomatoes are still producing weeks past their normal ending time. The cherry and grape tomatoes are loaded with colorful clusters. My favorite tomato, 'Sunset's Red Horizon', still has ten http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=94 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=94 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT Everybody starts somewhere with a new hobby. I remember when I started surfing. For starters, I couldn't see. I'm practically blind without my glasses, and I can't wear contacts. (Eventually I got some prescription glasses just for surfing.) I had no sense of balance on my board, so I was always tipping over in the lineup (waiting for waves). That was embarrassing! I would just squint at the others around me and yell "I'm NEW!" As long as I didn't steal their waves when I didn't have the right of way they didn't mind. The point is, don't be afraid to http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=96 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=96 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT This has been an unusually mild autumn, but we all know winter is coming. So by second week of November I decided to pick the remaining summer veggies before an unexpected frost ruined them. The tomatoes were loaded with green fruits. Most were harvested, but my two favorites for this year (Sunset's Red Horizon and Black Krim both flavorful beefsteaks) had so many that I decided to leave a few to ripen on the vine. I broke down the two plants carefully. The supports were pulled from the Black Krim pot and the vines untied. Sunset's Red Horizon branches http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=104 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=104 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT Photo: Katie Elzer-Peters Colorful bromeliads add add a tropial flare to your garden. What are those alien-looking plants you see in the greenhouse at the garden center? They're bromeliads! These unique plants are called epiphytes (which means a plant that lives on another plant). They're not parasites-they don't use the tree they're growing on for food, they only use it for support. Bromeliads collect water and nutrients in their rosettes of leaves. How to Grow Bromeliads Bromeliads are easy to grow as long as you don't overwater them. Bromeliads planted in pots primarily use the soil to anchor http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=95 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=95 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT If you're an interior design connoisseur, a temporary holding area for plants doesn't sound like an appealing addition to your home's decor. Au contraire! Take pride in your indoor garden and incorporate it into your holiday decor. Add some poinsettias and Christmas cacti to the mix, or even echo your home's color palette with some affordable houseplants to bring it all together. There's no reason why your stash of patio plants can't become a well planned and stunning "indoor seasonal display" with the right attitude. Keep It Together Find a bright area near a window, and designate this spot as your indoor http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=98 http://www.greenlandgardener.com/blog/post.php?id=98 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 CDT