I got an email earlier this week from a reader who had a question about lasagna gardens. Lasagna gardening, also known as sheet composting, is a super-simple, no-dig way to...
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to mulch gardening
on Apr 23, 2008, 4:58AM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to Gardening, mulch on 2008-04-24, 06:26:00
Spring is a great time to divide your over-grown perennials. They're small and manageable and they're actively growing. So any damage from stress is quicly repaired. ...
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to propagation
on Apr 22, 2008, 9:01PM
Posted by Reblogged by Old Roses to propagation on 2008-04-24, 06:25:37
The first tulips started blooming today. The ones that were not devored by rabbits and deer. The leaves on the trees are getting ready to pop out as well. I would say spring is definately here, but then again I did here a rumor of snow showers next week. I really hope that isn't true.
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to tulips
Posted by Lisa Reblogged by Old Roses to tulips on 2008-04-24, 06:25:26
Sarracenia alata, the Pale Trumpet or Texas Trumpet, a carnivorous plant seen during a dayhike in a bog during a weekend trip to the Big Thicket.
Our wild orchid expert led us to the rose pogonias.
We spent the night in a 1920’s log cabin.
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to wildflowers
on Apr 23, 2008, 3:05PM
Posted by Bill Reblogged by Old Roses to wildflowers on 2008-04-24, 06:25:12
This is turning out to be one of the most beautiful springs, with blooming times that seem to rush in upon each other. The weather has given us the full effect of trees and plants that often get ruined in Ohio's fickle fluctuations. The only worry I might have is that things are a bit dry for this time of year. We had so much rain , with saturated ground and inundations that flooded the steams earlier in the season, but now all is quite dry. . . .
reBlogged
to spring
Posted by Ilona Reblogged by Old Roses to spring on 2008-04-24, 06:25:02
Here's a shot of one of the small things I'm doing to help reduce my footprint. I use a drip irrigation system. This photo is the top of my upside down tomato planter. I decided to plant pees that will vine up the hangers. The tomato probably won't make it becaues it's so hot these days. To set fruit most tomatoes need 75 degree nights.
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to watering tools
Posted by ldybug Reblogged by Old Roses to tools, watering on 2008-04-24, 06:24:40
The clump of poppies I was wondering about - something very interesting... One of the plants has variegated foliage! No kidding! Dark, deep green down the center vein (nice, normal poppy leaf color) fading to a lighter green, to lime green and finally to a nice, bright white on the edges. Not transparency-ish, but a deep, snow white. One plant out of the whole clump - very cool! And I know it isn't diseased or sick. It really does remind me of the coloring on a variegatedhosta. If the leaves were obviously not poppy, I would swear that's what it is! I'll have to keep a sharp eye out for the bloom color. Plants amaze me...
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to poppy
Posted by Tina Reblogged by Old Roses to poppy on 2008-04-24, 06:24:16
I think one of the more unusual bulbs we have in the spring garden is the regal Crown Imperial. Its flowers are bold, bright, and indeed very stately. Standing tall at about 3 feet high, the colours stand out from the rest of the emerging leaves and bulbs in the borders, and if they are near a path the pretty flowers can be inspected at close quarters. . . .
Corydalis schanginii ssp. ainae is certainly a mouthful for a small plant; it hails from southern Russia to Kazakhstan, with gray-green finely cut foliage and tubular yellow flowers with a purple nose and a long, pinkish-white spur. Very, very interesting...
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to flowers
Posted by IBOY Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-24, 06:22:04
I believe this is a species tulip, Tulipa clusiana but I'm not sure. I bought a bunch a few years ago but this is the only one remaining. A shame because it is a rather beautiful one. . . .
reBlogged
to spring flowers
on Apr 23, 2008, 9:17AM
Posted by Ki Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers, spring on 2008-04-24, 06:21:30
a note to readers... True Dirt will be unavailable for a period of up to a week (starting in the next few days) in order to make needed improvements to our server. I will be back with a new post as soon as we are up and running again..... Briggs...
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to blogs
on Apr 23, 2008, 2:45PM
Posted by briggs Reblogged by Old Roses to blogs on 2008-04-24, 06:21:03
For those in the Charlotte area, the Wing Haven plant sale is this week. As far as I can remember, you won't find any invasives in their offerings, but will find a grand assortment of natives and appropriate xeriscape selections. Even if you don't make it to see their exquisite offerings, check out the handy dandy calendar. It's got all sorts of tips for easy-on-the-earth gardening, as well as things to do to keep the birds happy. . . .
Yesterday the magnolias (the whites, not the pinks), forsythias, and daffodils popped open. It's like a secret signal is given, and certain blossoms unfold.
The same goes for insects and animals. There's a magical timing where certain living things follow these invisible agendas that allow things to unfold in a magical way.
There's so little we know, but more and more evidence indicates that. ..
Or how you say the name.. The sun was shining two days ago when the Anemone Blanda flower opened fully. I have them in shades of purple, white, and pink all in the left border. Anemone comes from the Greek word for Wind, as they propogate by the wind dispersing the styles from the fruit. They are a Genus of 120 species related to Buttercup family. . . .
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to flowers
Posted by snappy Reblogged by Old Roses to flowers on 2008-04-24, 06:13:37
I love reading out of print wildflower or garden books, especially when they are from the 1800's or early 1900's. I love the descriptive writing styles and the peek they give us into the gardens and woods of their time. Today I am reading How To Know The Wild Flowers by Mrs. William Starr Dana. This edition was updated and published in 1900. I looked up Trout Lilies, which are also known as Yellow Adder's Tongue, Dog's Tooth Violets. . . .
Look up. Look out. New leaves are turning all over the place! I think if you had the patience you could practically sit and watch the births like chicks hatching. I don’t have that kind of patience - or that kind of time! But I’m glad to have taken a look up and out this morning. The Cut Leaf Full Moon Japanese Maple (Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’) was my morning’s favorite and another that sports puppy fur - which reminds me, no one has shared the answer yet to the fur’s-purpose question from the other day - my guess is still for frost protection.
reBlogged
to trees
on Apr 23, 2008, 3:27PM
Posted by Kris Reblogged by Old Roses to trees on 2008-04-24, 06:10:39
My dad helped me with putting up a bird house at my plot. Well, he actually transported it, dug the hole, and put it up for me. I can't say I did more than take the photos. Thanks Dad! Its an old chickadee house that was in my backyard with no residents for many years. I'm hoping it may find an occupant at the gardens.
Here's an update on the bluebirds nesting in Rock Meadow. My parents and I went for a walk and checked the houses where I previously saw nesting bluebirds. I had seen three pairs. (My photos are here.) But that was before the tree swallows arrived. Now we could only find one of the pairs left. Its in a house at the far end of the meadow. The swallows are very aggressive and as we watched, it they swooped and dove at the bluebirds. I wonder if the bluebirds will stay to raise a family? Doesn't really seem likely. I'll keep an eye on them. Here's an excellent article on swallow-bluebird competition, that Jim pointed out to me. I was pleased to read that, though swallows are aggressive, bluebirds are larger and stronger and are able to defend themselves. Go bluebirds!
I have a lot of potatoes that I've been saving. They are very anxious to get into the ground. All are sending out sprouts. All are supermarket spuds. I thought the mail order seed potatoes were too expensive. Last year supermarket my potatoes grew great.
My collection includes a nice Idaho baker, a Yukon Gold, a whole bag of mixed fingerlings (a mix of La Ratte, Russian Banana, French and Rose Finn), and a white sweet potato.
My plan is that Friday is potato planting day. This will be my first crop planted at my community plot! Exciting. Solanum tuberosum
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to potatoes
Posted by kathy Reblogged by Old Roses to potatoes on 2008-04-24, 06:09:59
This was my garden work for today. I spent a pleasant hour in the backyard this evening transplanting several trays of peppers and tomato seedlings. They have all grown up well, with the exception of the last two rows of tomatoes. They fried in the sun today since the plastic cover didn't cover them properly. I lost all of my New Girl seedlings. Oh well....
I was transplanting the small tomatoes seedlings from the crowded seeded tray I started them in, into larger individual pots. The pots and trays of transplanted seedlings are all out in the yard now. Its gotten so warm! Wonderful. Today was close to 80 degrees F!
I think I'll cover these freshly transplanted seedlings tomorrow to protect against the bright sunlight. (Not quite sure how to do this yet... Lattice, row cover, both?) Plus I'll activate my sprinklers about 10 am to give good soaking prior to the heat.
What better way is there to celebrate Earth Day than sowing sunflowers? I had these seeds left over from a couple years ago--hopefully, they're still viable. If they are, I'll have, after thinning, maybe a half-dozen yellow Mammoth sunflowers (8-10') and maybe a full dozen of these reddish-brown Velvet Queens (about 5').
I'm still craving more color in the front yard, so today I planted a few Whirlybird nasturtium seeds. I really like nasturtiums for their bright color, their re-seeding ability, and their generally easy maintenance. What I don't like about them is that they often end up looking scraggily, with long shoots going off in all directions. This variety, however, is supposed to stay in compact mounds. We'll see. . ..
I kept passing by the asparagus bed last week. Each time I frowned because this is what I saw. This may not look bad to you, but this patch normally produces more asparagus than my family can eat. Do you see those spindly spears? At first, I thought it just needed manure. [...]
reBlogged
to tools weeds
on Apr 23, 2008, 10:27PM
Posted by Dee Reblogged by Old Roses to tools, weeds on 2008-04-24, 06:08:39
via As the Garden Grows on 1969-12-31, 19:00:00
