Springtime cometh

Now that the winter season is almost over, it's time to look forward to those spring flowers, not the houseplants like the Christmas cacti. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful, but spring adds that breath of fresh air and knowing that wonderful warmth will soon follow.

Right now my landscape is drab and brown from the cold winter. I am looking forward to seeing the pops of fresh and bright colors of those springtime flowers. Let's see what pops up first and bursts into bloom!

Wintertime and Our Gardens, Homes, Barns, Farms

Think about how your gardens will look in your winter season.

In my area we just got more than 16 inches of snow. Some places have a scant dusting, others have warm and even tropical temperatures in the winter.

Pick varieties of plants that will survive in your areas. Every year you may come across a plant that is borderline for your hardiness zone. If you really love it, give it a try. Only buy one to see how it reacts to the temperature, humidity, and waterfall.

Even within your yard you can find little micro-climates to nestle sensitive plants in. There could be stones that hold the heat in the winter from the sun or absorb the heat in the summer. An area could be shaded from the sun by trees, plants, walls, or buildings to allow more heat sensitive plants that can tolerate shade; these same items can protect plants from cold winter winds and reduce the windburn.

Put in evergreens and plants with interesting bark and fruit for the areas with very cold and snowy winters. In the warmer seasons, the evergreens can be used as a great backdrop for brightly colored annuals or perennials.

In the more tropical areas, your gardens are more stable year-round. I am not familiar with these areas, but you sure have such beautiful flowers with amazing colors to make your gardens stand out so well.

This is about what my garden looks like a few days ago with less snow. Now it is getting MUCH deeper.

Let me know what your gardens look like. You can even email me at Anne@SuperStarGardening.com.

Ever'green' trees or not...

Well this is certainly not a 'green' tree -color wise or conservation/nature wise! But it surely gets your attention.

My tree is green in color. Unfortunately this year it has to be artificial; I have had mine for many years now.; I use it when circumstances don't allow me to get a real tree. I would so much more want a beautiful tree to replant outdoors, but this year it just won't work. I am definitely making plans for a real green tree next year. I just to come indoors and smell the aromatic fir or pine scent wafting in the air.

I do have just the place to plant several trees in up-coming years.

I am looking to start a hedgerow with special bushes dedicated to a variety of berries for the birds for their winter food. In back of them I thought that some evergreens would look great while providing a wind break from the winter's freezing winds. This windbreak would be much appreciated by the plants, birds, and other little critters. A brush pile in that area would make sense too. I hope that everyone enjoys their holidays!

What Kinds Of Plants Are In Your Window Boxes...

Yes. What kinds of plants are in your window boxes?

Here I have purple verbena, variegated flowering maple, and Wave petunias in a window box which is on my doorway railing trailing down over the edge. I planted some with beets and kale because my ground has so many stones in it; they call it boney gravel. Gravel you think of as small stones...NO, this is from small ones up to two feet across! Lots of the big ones.

The beets are getting to the right size to pick. I think I will put in more kale seeds because that will last into the frosts. We tend to get many early frosts here. That seems to be changing now. The USDA even has changed our hardiness zone classification from a 4 to a 5. I am still a little wary of putting out too many things that might get hit hard by the really low temperatures. I will wait at least another year before I test that.

I have marigolds and basil and thyme in another window box. I am going to get a few more herbs started before it gets too close to fall; time seems to be moving fast this year. I might as well go out and plant more seeds now while I am thinking of it.

Are you Outside Gardening And Need Relief From Those Nasty Bugs, Try This…

I  found these two mixtures to help repel  insects , so I do not get bitten. The other day I forgot to spray something on me and I now have more than thirty bites to show for it. It was in the evening and they all seemed to descend at once!

Check this out:

What is a hot air balloon doing in this blog?

Are you thinking "What is a hot air balloon doing in this blog?"

Well, yes. There it is. Sometimes when we are out gardening we see amazing things!

As the summer progresses, many folks launch their own balloons usually early in the day. At least that is when I have seen the most of them. Usually I have looked up alerted by just an unusual movement from where there shouldn't be any or that strange 'whoosh' sound made by turning the gas on. There will be more hot air balloon festivals coming up too. These usually have launches in the morning from 4:30 am to 9 am, and end the day with launches in the early evening until about 7 pm. Some festivals have times at dusk to 'light up' the balloons. This is amazing to see.

Get out in your garden to dig some dirt or weed or water your plants...but keep an eye to the sky. Sometimes you will be astonished at what you might see.

Annuals versus Perennials .....oh, which one is better...

Annuals versus Perennials ...oh, which one is better?

Annuals are so great because either you can just go out and buy some and you have instant color for almost the rest of the growing season if you care for them correctly. You do want to think a bit about how the colors complement or contrast with each other. Also how the heights vary from the front to the back of your garden beds so you do not hide the shorter plants. The height and colors you have work through with your  perennials too.

Perennials need to have planning involved so that the timing of their blooming periods overlap yet follow one another to achieve some color in your garden throughout the growing season. You have to realize that there will be areas of just green spaces where some perennials will either be coming into bloom or going dormant. To offset all the green, you can take into effect the foliage of your perennials. This means pick some gray greens like silver mound, chartreuse, or a variegated type, or you could pick different leaf styles like a finely cut fern leaf, a heavy waxy sedum leaf, a wooly lamb's ear leaf, or spiky type yucca spears and so on.

Money-wise annuals are cheaper for one year, but over the long haul you will be shelling out money each year, so that cost will mount up. Perennials will cost more at the beginning, but after you are all set, you will only have to care for them and enjoy the view.

I think that there is a bit of a compromise and use the best of both worlds. Put in as many as you can afford with the perennials, then fill in where you need color with the annuals.

Do what works well for you. Most of all enjoy your garden because that is what is important.

How To Pick Just The Right Plants For Your Garden...

Have you been checking out the various garden centers and nurseries in your local area? This is a great time to do this. Just before summer sets in, there is a shift in the varieties of plant material available.

There is also a change in the blooming of the perennials as we move along though the seasons. I find that if I check out the perennials when they are in bloom, then I will be sure to get the right colors that I am looking for in specific areas of my gardens. For me locally there is Seawright Gardens in Carlisle MA where they specialize in day lilies and hostas. In a couple of weeks I am going to visit there and pick up several varieties of day lilies and hostas. My problem is limiting the number that I want because they are all so beautiful.

Check out any specialty places that might be local to you. If not, find a knowledgeable garden center or nursery and they can special order plants in for you if you have something specific in mind for your garden.

How to Improve Your Garden in the Winter

Now that it is wintertime, a great thing to do is check out your local family farms, gardening centers, and nurseries.

First, support them by buying their products if they are open in their ‘off’ season.

Then see if they have any classes teaching you how to be better gardeners. My favorite place in the Massachusetts – New Hampshire area is the Lake Street Garden Center in Salem NH. They are very knowledgeable and deliver a wealth of information to help you be better at gardening and, in turn, making your garden fabulous! Check them out at lakestreet.com.

I love going there in the winter. As you enter you smell that nice earthy aroma…It makes you feel like it is springtime already.

If you have a family farm, nursery, or garden center, get some great ideas at SuperStarGardening.com.

How To Keep A Gardening Journal…

One of the most valuable things that I have done is to keep a gardening journal. Here I write down when and where I planted something and what its requirements were, when to expect it to sprout and bloom, and what the weather was like i.e. 4-6 am, 72°raining heavily or 7:45-9pm 96°humid, very cloudy. Then I jot down if I put in a tag and what it said or was it just a number; also list what special needs the plant might have.

If the plant has significantly different water needs or fertilizer requirements over the course of the year, record those as well. This can have a major impact on its growth.

The sun or shade is another major factor because certain plants prefer different light requirements. Most vegetables like tomatoes and sun-loving flowers like geraniums like at least 6 hours of sunshine a day, whereas, most ferns and Jack-in-the-Pulpits prefer the shade.

The ferns and Jack-in-the-Pulpits also like moist soil. Other plants like their roots a bit drier between waterings. Note this in your journal. Also plan ahead to group plants with similar needs together; it makes gardening easier.

Later if you are going to plant in a certain location, you can go back and see what you successfully used. You may want to use a plant that is related to the ones that already grow successfully in your garden. Think reasonably.

In your journal you may find that brightly colored are great on cloudy days and during the evening hours the white and pastel colors stand out more as well as you notice their fragrance more too.

Keeping your journal for your garden areas pays off big time in the long run. Whenever you are thinking about planting in a certain spot where you have taken notes before, you can go to your journal and see what worked best. This way you cut down on your time experimenting with various plants that may not work in certain locations. Try these first before you waste your money especially with the cost of some really fancy plants.

Good luck and see you on our garden’s path…
P.S. Check out these:


With this one, remember it is never too late to start planting for harvest...

Hurry The Summer Is Going By Fast....but....

Hurry the summer is going by fast....but I still have a few plants in six-packs!

I have made a commitment to get out there and plant them this week before it is too late and the snow starts falling on them. My time has just been passing me by so quickly that I can't believe it!

I just picked off about a dozen cabbage worms (caterpillars) from my broccoli and cauliflower plants. They were so camouflaged that I missed them until I saw the leaves disappearing. That's when I took a much closer look to discover the little droppings and the little devils themselves.

Discover New Ways to Improve How Your Garden Grows

How to stimulate your mind to be more creative for your garden. The best way that I know to do this is by checking around at your local garden nurseries, garden centers, or greenhouses.

Just wandering around through the plants to see what is available locally is fantastic. This way you can directly ask the staff any questions about the needs of the plants you like best to see if the plants will be a good fit for you and your garden.

BUT...an even better way is to find out if these places offer lectures, workshops, special speakers, etc. This way they will introduce you to plants that you may have never thought of using. Most of the time they will give you all the pros and cons of each plant and its relatives. This way you may find out that the one plant which does not seem to do well for you has a relative that suits your garden situation much better; a happy plant will grow and prosper very well and live a much longer life (if it is not an annual) for you.

The majority of lectures are free. The workshops' fees are usually to cover the cost of the materials.

I find it has been very beneficial to me. It keeps you up on the most recent discoveries with plants, pest control, new products, and so much more. Along the way you meet wonderful folks to share your learning experience with you.

My favorite garden center, Lake Street Garden Center in Salem NH, is not very close to me, but I definitely find the little trip is well worth it for such valuable information and ideas.

Check around your area to see what might be available for you!

What's in Your Garden?

What are you growing in your garden?

• Are there vegetables or herbs for food?
• Flowers to brighten your life and home...or to dress up your salads or your plates?
• Are you experimenting with one or more new types of plants that you never saw before?
• Or never ate before and you want to be daring?
• Or saw in a magazine, book, or someone else's garden and you loved it and want it in your garden?
• Are you growing a giant version to enter a contest at a country fair in the fall like giant pumpkins?
• Are you staying safe with your old standbys?

I am doing a combination of vegetables for food and flowers to make my yard and home pretty. I will soon post some photos of what I have. As the summer goes on, we will watch them grow...along with any 'situations that happen to them.

Such as....my granddaughter planted a bean plant (a mystery type that I think at the moment is a bush bean, but as time goes on we will see) at school and brought it home. As it was getting sun on the railing of our house one afternoon, we pulled down the driveway and immediately saw that it was uprooted and one of the beans was in a neighboring pot half eaten. My daughter 'bandaged' it and splinted it with a drinking straw. We think it was a chipmunk. Over the next week we will see if it survives.