ATP Podcast #56: Saving Money by Growing Your Own FoodIn today's podcast, we discuss the ways you can dramatically help your grocery budget by growing vegetables! We focus on the easiest to grow plants that will also give you the most "bang for your buck." We also have our usual other segments, plus a bonus pinboard of bad ideas!
Vole WarsGrowing plants entails a constant battle with the elements, insects, viruses, and bacteria. Even when we learn to live with these, other mammals slip in and upset our best efforts. Deer, groundhogs, and raccoons are major problems, but there are other small mammals that are both elusive and very destructive.
Summerizing Your Southern GardenUp north, they winterize their gardens. Down in the south, we summerize them! Among the many pleasures of gardening in the south are long growing seasons and comfortable winters, but our long and hot summers can be brutal for us and our plants. Here is some advice on dealing with drought and heat in our gardens.
Asparagus, a Spring DelicacyLike asparagus? Try it fresh cut from the garden. You will find the flavor and texture far better than supermarket choices. A few easy steps will place this wonderful vegetable on your table in no time at all!
Easy Transport of SeedlingsWhen I planted my first daylily seeds, I wanted to be able to put them outside easily for some sunshine, but also to bring them in at night. My wagon filled the bill.
Growing Fuchsias, the BasicsYour fuchsias can be moved to their final positions, whether into containers, baskets, or open ground, as soon as they have developed a good root ball. Carefully remove the plant from the pot and check the roots. They should be white and should fill the pot evenly.
Shady Nooks“Oh for a book and a shady nook, either indoors or out, with the green leaves whispering overhead,” John Wilson
ATP Podcast #55: Shade Gardens and Watering TipsIn today's episode we talk about some of our favorite shade plants. Trish shares some of her observations about irrigation, and we have another pinboard of bad ideas segment.
Mutating and Sporting in the Shade GardenMost variegated hostas are mutations or sports. Many beautiful ones never reach the open market.
Hardy Fuchsias in the GardenHardy fuchsias should be planted in the garden during June, if possible, so that they can get a good root system before the cold weather. If they are not planted until July, they should be growing in at least 5-inch pots before they are planted out.
Shade SailsWe rarely see shade sails here in the United States, in contrast to countries like Australia, where their use is quite common. We stumbled upon them totally by accident and necessity about 9 years ago. After a nasty storm that tore our large awning off the western side of the patio, we needed a new form of sun protection fast. We installed these only as a temporary solution, but found that they would always be a permanent installation at our home.
The All Things Plants Top 25 List of Shade Garden PlantsLet's open Shade Gardens week with a list of the most active entries in our database. Among the thousands of plants that want full or mostly shade, which ones have the most pictures, comments and other details added? Let's find out!
Incorporating Native Plants into Your LandscapingWell worth the effort, and easier than one might think.
Easy Way To Store Plastic PotsI have tons and tons of plastic pots of all sizes and was running out of room on shelves to store them. I hit on the idea of using rebar and it works perfectly.
Using PVC Pipe for Plant HoldersPVC pipe can be used to hold hanging baskets when you have no hangers for the pots.
ATP Podcast #54: Weeds? Weeds!In today's podcast we talk about weeds. What to do about weeds? Is there such a thing as a good weed? What weeds can be tolerated, and even used to your benefit? And for the rest, how do you get rid of them? We cover all that, plus the usual segments, along with a bonus pinboard of bad ideas, in today's episode!
Keep Your Hands Clean When Spraying Wasp NestsWhen you are spraying those pesky wasp nests that are up under the eaves or on the ceilings of your porches, some of the spray invariably ends up running down the can and onto your hand. I use the disposable nitrile gloves doctors and dentists use, and I only need to use one on the hand that's spraying. When you're finished, just peel it off so that the poison is on the inside of the glove. Then simply throw the glove away.
How Hot Is This Jalapeno?Sometimes we pick a jalapeno that is so mild it might as well be a green Bell Pepper, and other times it is almost closer to a Serrano!
What Do I Do with My Big-Box-Store Orchid?When I lecture to organizations, I always have a "Question and Answer" session at the end. Always, and I do mean always, someone asks: "My orchid (usually one bought at a big-box store such as Lowe's or Home Depot) was in bloom when I purchased it and it has never bloomed again," or "My orchid was in bloom when I purchased it and within six months, it was dead." "What did I do wrong?"
Tomato Transplanting TipThe very best tomatoes grow on a healthy vine with a well-established, strong root system. Here's how to get one!
Clinging Seeds SolutionFor those seeds that are clinging to the inside walls of the plastic or cellophane seed packets, making it almost impossible to get them out, I found that rubbing the packet with a fabric softener sheet (dryer sheet) does a good job of stopping static cling.
Growing Variegated Garden PhloxThey are sometimes startling in the contrast between their leaves and flowers, but variegated cultivars of Phlox paniculata put on a bright and colorful display in the garden.
Variegated Vinca Vine - Love It Or Hate It?I seem to have a love-hate relationship with the variegated vinca vine. I know its invasive tendencies, but I still admire it for its hardiness, its striking blue-purple flowers, and its lovely variegated foliage.
Variegated Plants in My GardenVariegated plants add wonderful variety to the garden, and one of the loveliest in my garden is the perennial Jacob's Ladder Brise d’Anjou.
Foliage Can Carry the ShowFlowers are gorgeous but they can be here today and gone tomorrow. Foliage however, can carry the show 24/7 and throughout the growing season.
