gardening

"Hot beds are nothing new—they were used by the Victorians and even by the Romans. By reviving and modernizing this ancient vegetable-growing method, Jack First produces healthy plants that crop at least two months earlier than conventionally grown vegetables, even in his native Yorkshire, England. This practical, illustrated guide has everything you need to understand about how to utilize this highly productive, low-cost, year-round, eco-friendly gardening technique. Straightforward explanations, diagrams, and examples show how the natural process of decay can be harnessed to enable out-of-season growing without using energy from fossil fuels or elaborate equipment. With some stable manure (there are also alternative options), an easy-to-construct frame, and a small space to build your bed, you can revolutionize your vegetable growing and be harvesting salads in March and potatoes early in April." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

I've wanted to experiment with these ever since learning of the Victorian English practice of using hotbeds to grow pineapples. - Spidra Webster

"I hope it's okay to feature an ornamental herb from the same plant family two days in a row! Yesterday's sage is joined by this ornamental oregano, 'Barbara Tingey'. Today's photograph was taken in the UBC Alpine Garden two years ago. Some of the alpine plant enthusiasts who read BPotD will doubtless know the origin of the cultivar's name. I noted that one of the alpine garden society's has an award named for Barbara Tingey, so I am supposing that's the connection. A few good places to visit online to learn more about ornamental oreganos: Pacific Northwest Magazine has an article, “Beauty With Virtue”; Denver Botanic Gardens is currently featuring 'Barbara Tingey' oregano on its What's Blooming web page (this link won't last forever!); and sagellyn@Flickr, who often submits images to BPotD, has a photograph of Origanum 'Barbara Tingey' to share as well. Photography resource link: A few months ago, I suggested visiting the photography web site of Mike Mander, Sublime Photography. It's... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Root Division Foxgloves are easily propagated through root division. You can do this in early spring or fall by digging up batches of the plant, separating them at the roots and then replanting them. Once foxgloves have been propagated and have started to grow, the plants require very little special care to thrive except for a deeper watering during very dry spells. The tall flower spikes are able to stay straight without any support or stakes. For healthier blooms, replace the plants after two years. - Halil from Bookmarklet

I use a spade to split roots, just try to split them with 1 quick slash if possible, use your foot for extra strength and do it quickly with as few slashes as possible to reduce plant trauma. Before you do split them remove most of the soil, as you may inadvertently be damaging new valuable growth, as I killed off many new shoots which would of helped the new plant develop/establish quicker and save time/energy instead of spending this energy on germinating new shoots, - Halil

"Lony Ruhmann never considered himself much of a gardener, until he discovered a family of super-sized spuds sprouting in his backyard.  The South Pasadena resident recently spotted the extra large potato poking out of the plant section of his garden, so he grabbed a spoon to dig it out, he told Patch. When he got to the roots, he saw that the potato outsized the spoon - and his puppy, Cassie. "The biggest potato weighs six times more than my dog,'' he said of the starchy find, which he described as "unworldly in shape.''  So, does Ruhmann plan to cook them? Eat them? Serve them to friends?  "My Mom thinks I am the worst gardener in the world, so I am thinking of taking the biggest potato to her – so she can see with her own eyes what I have produced,'' he said." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

I don't know. I'm honestly not sure it's an "Irish" potato. Could be a sweet potato (in which case the size would be slightly less impressive). - Spidra Webster

The picture of a basic wildlife and hedgehog friendly garden gives you some ideas of how to attract and keep hedgehogs and other wildlife in your garden - Halil from Bookmarklet

I've not seen one since I moved away from my childhood home, which was on the outskirts of London! :( - Halil

It's easy to get confused when you're new to gardening, easy guides like this are always handy to help refresh ones knowledge, I'm getting old and forgetful these days, lol. - Halil from Bookmarklet

"Internationally recognized bonsai masters will share their passion for the art form in this annual event that includes exhibits, demonstrations, prize drawings, a “bonsai bazaar,” and a live auction at 3 p.m. each day. Bonsai workshops for adults and children will be offered on Saturday with advanced registration. Proceeds from the event support the Golden State Bonsai Collection at The Huntington. A bonsai is not a genetically dwarfed plant. It is kept small by shaping and root pruning. It is claimed that a properly maintained bonsai can outlive a full size tree of the same species. However, a bonsai needs much care, and an improperly maintained bonsai will probably die. A bonsai is created beginning with a specimen of source material. This may be a cutting, seedling, or small tree of a species suitable for bonsai development. Bonsai can be created from nearly any perennial woody-stemmed tree or shrub species that produces true branches and can be cultivated to remain small through... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

An example: A rose called 'Bardou Job' was found, after having been thought lost for decades, in the abandoned garden of the prison director on Alcatraz island. "I am still waiting for that to happen to me," says Enders, a rosarian who has spent years trying to save old German roses from being forgotten. - Halil from Bookmarklet

Of the 1,800 or so cultivars bred between the end of the 19th century and World War II, many are extinct. More than 300 survivors grow in Enders' garden an hour's drive from Hamburg. "I do not have a favorite—or perhaps, I have quite a few," says Enders, author of Bourbon Roses (available, in German, from Amazon). We see why it's difficult to choose: - Halil

According to my research, this is the original rose plant that the Barbier family used to create their rambling roses. For more info about the family and their roses please see this post: The Barbiers and their Roses http://ff.im/XhWJj - Halil from Bookmarklet

A gorgeous looking rose bloom with very dark glossy green leaves, would love to see one in real life, looks wonderful. Most dog roses don't have glossy leaves, at least non that I've seen. Anyone...? - Halil

*bump* I should use # tags, but I'm lazy - Halil

The Heritage Rose Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1986, devoted to the preservation of old roses. - Halil from Bookmarklet

*bump* - Halil

"One of things my town has going for it is that it provides community gardens (not just sports fields). Unfortunately, there’s so much demand for these gardens, there’s a long waiting list. Of course, it’s understandable why there is a demand for these plots. They make growing food easier and more enjoyable. How so? The tilling the compost delivery is done as a service. However, the most important reason is that it’s a way to connect with a community of people that are interested in gardening. People willing to share their gardening knowledge and help you out when you need it. NOTE: I’ve heard that a good way to foster conversations at an allotment is to put the water faucet in a central location rather than deliver it to each plot. Why? When the gardeners go to get water, they are likely to interact with other gardeners doing the same. While community gardens/allotments are great, it’s possible to improve upon it. One of the ways to do this is to create a local space that’s similar... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"This native vine grows best in moist soils near a water source. The vines become a very dense ground cover when allowed to naturalize. The valley oak riparian forests of old had an understory that had a high concentration of these blackberry vines. Birds, rodents, coyotes, bears and many insects competed with the native people for this early bearing fruit.  The California Blackberry flowers in March and April, producing small flavorful blackberries by late May and June. Don't eat the red ones - they are tart and sour. The berries turn a deep dark purple, or black, when ripe and ready to eat. The prickles are tiny compared to the non-native Himalayan Blackberry, but you still need to be cautious when picking these tasty delights.          Leave some berries for wildlife, okay?" - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

I wonder if anyone has tried selection? If they bred an improved variety, it could conceivably be better suited to SoCal conditions than regular blackberries (not including Himalaya berries, which seem able to thrive anywhere). - Spidra Webster

Hmm haven't done roses but bumping for a smart so cal gardener like Spidra or Anika - SteVe C

Jaclyn, don't be afraid to cut them right back to four to six inches high, they will come back just fine. While you are at it go ahead and apply some compost to help build the soil and feed the roots. Cottonseed Meal is a good slow release fertilizer that I like to use with my roses. - GregTraver

"Good Bugs, Bad Bugs! by The Wisdom Garden Students have 15 minutes to draw a local insect using their imagination, before they are shown a photograph of the real insect and learn about its role in the garden. After presenting their drawings to the class, students are taught facts about each insect and how to properly identify it in their outdoor classroom. Only a few materials are necessary for this lesson (drawing paper, pens/pencils/crayons, and bug identification sheets). Learn more about the program. Garden Math and Science, by East Fort Worth Montessori Academy This lesson incorporates two activities that can be done in the garden to teach mathematical concepts alongside study of plant traits. Students are asked to calculate ratios, areas, and other measurements for plants in a garden bed while they also consider why chickens lay colored and white eggs. Learn more about the program." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

The species was introduced into cultivation in 1902, where it survives as a single clone reproduced by vegetative propagation. The single surviving clone is a popular ornamental plant, grown for its rich dark red-brown flowers. It is not self-fertile, so no viable seeds are produced, and the plant has to be propagated by division of the tubers. - Halil from Bookmarklet

I once had a beautifully and carefully cultivated bed of chocolate cosmos that my elderly neighbor for SOME REASON mistook for weeds...and in a gesture of neighborly kindness whacked them down to the ground with his weed eater while I was away for the weekend. I have never cried so hard over a plant in my whole life. - Hookuh Tinypants

:( That's horrible, sorry to hear that, did you ever manage to get them back to their former glory? - Halil

"Until the 19th century, the flower trade tended to be local, with flowers generally cultivated small-smale in nurseries and in large houses' gardens. This photograph shows a woman standing in a walled kitchen garden full of flowers." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"There seems to be some major miscommunication going on between Pasadena City College's landscape designer and the landscape maintainers. Every large grass and flax on campus was butchered in this way." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

ours on campus got a haircut last week. they look like this too, little rounded things. - Marie

It's so ridiculous. If they wanted plants that small, they could have just planted small plants. Each of these grasses here grows about 3' x 3' when left to its nature. I think the yardener is named Procrustes. - Spidra Webster

"REAL down-in-the-dirt gardeners know about “Slug Life” – amirite? So get out there and represent! True gardener cred AND a totally fun way to laugh your way through slimy Springtime invasions! Short sleeve ladies' cut in super-soft, 100% ringspun cotton jersey." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

I larfed. - Spidra Webster

The snowdrop is a popular annual flower which is celebrated as a sign of spring and can attract large numbers of visitors to places where they are growing. The reason for their popularity is that snowdrops can form impressive carpets of white in areas where they are native or have been naturalised. There are a number of snowdrop gardens in England, Scotland, and Ireland. - Halil from Bookmarklet

Thanks to Halil for the heads up on this show. I'm sure some of this goes on here in the US. Although some of the vandalism they're showing is coming from other gardeners either upset at allotment management or violently envious of people who win vegetable-growing competitions. - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

It's amazing how luxurious some of their allotment sheds are. - Spidra Webster

"Plants with shaggy golden mops of hair. Plants with pom-poms, ridiculous feathers, skinny stems and spiky tops. Plants that twist or sway into the sky like a drunken pencil. There are some gardens in the South Sound with some very strange creatures in them. They’re Dr. Seuss plants – trees, shrubs or vines that look like they belong more in a children’s book than a real garden – and if you love the idea of living in a fantastical landscape, you’ll want to plant at least one. No, we’re not talking roses or rhododendrons here. We’re talking twisted conifers, weeping cedars, contorted hazelnuts – plants that make you smile. “Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) plays with line the way he plays with language,” says Olympia print artist Nikki McClure, well-known for her own clean line. “He uses repeating elements, mixed-up pieces in his illustrations, like the sounds of his words.” Dr. Seuss not only wrote books every child and adult loves, but also he created a visual language that’s instantly... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

It's a shame they didn't provide photos for the article. I found myself wondering whether anyone had ever designed a Dr. Seuss garden. There are plants I definitely think of as being Seussian. There's a Dr. Seuss sculpture garden, but I have yet to see a regular garden that claims to be inspired by Seuss. - Spidra Webster

"Why? Because it depends on your definition of a garden. Penelope Hobhouse in Plants in Garden History says ‘The first western gardens were those in the Mediterranean basin. There in the desert areas stretching from North Africa to the valleys of the Euphrates, the so-called cradle of civilisation (the Fertile Crescent - my comment) where plants were first grown for crops by settled communities, garden enclosures were also constructed.' Thus. if the definition of a garden is based on a matter of the scale of cultivation - gardening as supposed to agriculture - then the first gardens were the made by the Neolithic tribes people who gave up hunter gathering, domesticated wild cereals and adopted a sedentary, agrarian lifestyle. The oldest of such sites so far discovered by archaeologists is Tell Aswad in what is now Syria, where ‘the earliest systematic exploitation of domesticated cereals (emmer wheat) dates to c. 9000-8500 BC’. However, I am not aware of archaeological evidence to... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

First time I've seen someone use "as supposed" when they presumably meant "as opposed". - Spidra Webster

"Left unpruned, red raspberries are their own worst weed. When canes get overcrowded, they compete for sunlight, causing the shaded leaves and buds on the lower half of the plant to die. Without those buds, you’ll have fewer fruiting branches and a much smaller crop. Crowded canes also compete for nutrients and water, which leads to small, poor-tasting fruit. And the shady, moist conditions around a dense thicket are a magnet for fungal diseases, such as gray mold, spur blight, and anthracnose." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"It's not often you witness a the birth of a conspiracy to commit a crime against horticulture. What you're looking it is a ticking time bomb that was just installed last week. I'll give it until fall to become a bona fide CAH. By then each of these lantana will start mounting their neighbors, like hyenas in heat. Why? Each lantana is a variety that's capable of achieving a spread of four to five feet. There are three rows in a five-foot parkway, some planted within six inches of the sidewalk. You do the math. So by September, at the latest, the gardener will start shearing the tips that protrude into the sidewalk and over the curb, while the remaining growth with rise, tangle and mix it up like Medusa's ‘do. If you want to observe this slow-mo train wreck, cruise up Chapala and keep your eyes peeled to the right as you reach West Arrellaga." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"When members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can’t make it to their local extension office, their extension office comes to them—with a gift of better health through home gardening. Kevin Welch, a Federally-Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) educator at North Carolina State University, developed a garden wagon to reach more members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) with community garden information. Many of the local Cherokee communities are fragmented across five of the most remote counties in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funds FRTEP, which supplies assistance to American Indian farmers and ranchers, supports 4-H and youth development programs, and provides education and outreach on tribally-identified priorities in a culturally-sensitive way. “The U.S. Census identified 34 percent of the EBCI as living in poverty. Families don’t have access to enough healthy, affordable... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Headline's a bit unfortunate out of context. - Spidra Webster