Clik here to view.
The Dead of Winter - Part One
Dead? Not so much. Winter interest in the garden is key to keep it "alive" during the bleakness of dormancy. Fruit, seed-pods, evergreen foliage, texture and movement is what helps to keep the garden...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Dead of Winter - Part Two
Part two: More plants that offer interest in the dead of winter...continuation of Part One.Corylus avellana 'Contorta' - Corkscrew Hazel  My photo does not do this Hazel justice. The zig-zag and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Worms in house plant soil...
"I have worms in the soil of my house plant". On further investigation, this is not a worm, but a millipede. When just touching them, they curl into a tight spring like circle.Here's a closer view....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lee Valley Garden Tools Catalogue Feb. 2013
There are not many catalogues that I read cover to cover - except the Lee Valley Garden Tools edition.Here are items that caught my eye:Lee Valley's PotmakerGreat way to make little seedling pots for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Common Houseplant Pests Part 3 - Scale
Here's an Agave plant. Notice anything?Take a closer look!Brown fleck in red circle.Here it is on a Yucca plant. And it's not damage or part of the plant.What I've taking photos of are tiny insects...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Forced Bulbs for Indoors
A lovely gift of forced bulbs was given to me three weeks ago and now the blooms have faded. Since this is a perpetual gift opportunity, I want the bulbs to last, so I can plant them outdoors again and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Controlled Burn - Perennial Grasses
This past weekend, I enjoyed learning other gardening techniques - when it comes to handling perennial grasses.The garden I visited, had grasses growing out of a bed of river stones. With the amount of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Red Wigglers - Compost Acceleration
Now that spring is here, it's time to turn over the compost heap out back. After this long, cold winter - all the kitchen waste and leafy matter has added up.Patience is key with any compost. Yet some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cupped Boxwood Leaves - Boxwood psyllids
Have you ever seen boxwood leaves cupped and curled like this?These leaves have curled because of a sap sucking insect called, psyllids. They sort of resemble aphids in size and colour. There's usually...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Easy To Brew Compost Tea
One of the benefits to having this dual batch, rolling compost off the ground, is the ability to catch rain water that has flowed through the compost bin.Here I have great compost tea, ready to use...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Oyster Scale - Lepidosaphes ulmi
I don't see Oyster Scale very often, but on this young lilac, it was hard to notice. Deep brown and shiny bark was what I hoped to see. Instead, these grey, matted blotches point to something else.It's...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Broken Clay Pots - Part 2
In my previous post on broken clay pots, I recommended not throwing them out. If you're like me, and many others, perhaps this has happened to you this spring:Not to worry, there are plenty of uses if...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Boxwood Leaf Miner - Monarthropalpus flavus
My eyes were drawn to my small Korean Boxwood yesterday. This variety is called "Green Gem". I bought it 3 years ago. It had some winter snow (weight) damage on it earlier this spring, but something...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ants on Peony Flower Buds
One question I get asked every year: How can I get rid of the ants on my peony flower buds?Some years, I've seenflower buds so full of ants, you could hardly see the bud.Answer:Â DON'T!This is a common...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Decorative Vegetable and Herb Planter
I love planting in containers, because you can place them where ever a situation needs colour, or to maximize sunny areas in the garden.Why plant just flowers? This year, instead of planting the usual...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update - Decorative Vegetable and Herb Planter
I love demonstrating plants growing. It's been about 2 weeks since we planted this container in our last post: Decorative Vegetable and Herb Planter.Once this photo was taken, we harvested a bowl full...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fragaria (Strawberry) Stolons (Runners)
For folks who know little about plant propagation or the way some plants reproduce, here is one way strawberries can produce mini plantlets that are clones from the parent plant.Here is a common June...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Perennials That Never Fail To Overwinter In Containers
I own a lot of outdoor containers that can withstand the winter months. Instead of hauling them in and out of my garage to keep plants from dieing, I experimented with perennials these past years to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Photo of the Month - July 2013: Viola labradorica
Decided to do a photo of the month. No major info or verbiage attached to the photo. Just God's creation - nature at its best and why I like it.Viola labradoricaOpened seed head. Love how each seed is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Common Garden Pests - Slugs Deroceras reticulatum
One of my fondest memories, is my aunt and I waking up early in the morning to pick slimy, sticky slugs (called Schnecken in German). We'd have a bucket full by the time breakfast was ready, only to...
View Article