Last Friday, I wrote about a new hybrid lavender, called ‘Phenomenal,’ that, according to Southern Living magazine, reportedly grows well in the South. New Orleans-area gardeners took note — and flooded my inbox.

There is definitely a pent-up desire for lavender plants that can stand up to South Louisiana’s heat and humidity.

Most of the local garden centers I called haven’t heard of ‘Phenomenal,’ and several sources said it wasn’t really the type of lavender that was the problem in local gardens — but how it’s planted.

“I have French lavender that I’ve had planted in my yard for two years, and it does well,” said Chad Harris, owner of the Garden Gates nursery and boutique in Old Metairie. “If you want to grow lavender in New Orleans, you have to plant it in gravel. Mine is in all pea gravel, with no soil at all. That’s the secret.”

Audrey Driscoll, a member of The Herb Society of America, New Orleans Unit, said her group offers a similar “prescription” for planting lavender and other Mediterranean herbs here.

“We suggest a layer of pea gravel at the bottom of the container, followed by coarse sand, then potting soil,” she wrote in an email. “Finish the top surface with a thin layer of the pea gravel. This can work in the ground as well. The gravel at the bottom followed by the sand provides drainage. These plants want water but want the water to drain off. The gravel on the surface keeps the plant’s underside away from a ‘wet’ surface. A little lime can be added to the potting soil. Think of when you see lavender growing in the cracks of buildings in Europe. It is the lime in the mortar that nourishes them.”

Harris, though, doesn’t think lavender should be watered at all. “There is more than enough water in New Orleans to keep those plants alive,” he said.

Harris’ Garden Gates nursery sells lavender in the fall, not the spring. “If you plant it in the fall it has a better chance of surviving,” he said. “Our falls tend to be cooler and dryer than our springs, so if you get it established you have a better chance of it making it.”

Photo: Maryanne Ventrice, Flickr

If you live in a city, the idea of personal outdoor space might seem like a luxury to you. Chances are much slimmer that you’re sporting a garden out back. But for those longing to see green space in their apartment, hope is not lost. All you need is a windowsill.

Read on to learn five tips for a healthy apartment window garden and how to make your landscape a bit more bearable.

1. Shape and space

Choosing what to grow in an apartment mini-garden is an important — and exciting — decision, but one that is determined by several factors. First up is determining the space you want to grow in. For many, this might be as simple as a window and windowsill, while others may be interested in expanding outside of their apartment and utilizing their fire escape or window bars. Though the latter is certainly possible, it’s important to remember to leave space for footpaths. Hanging planters on handrails is an option around this, should you be interested in putting plants solely outdoors. Once you’ve determined where you’ll grow, it will help you decide what to grow.

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Home Lotus Plant Care Tips

While caring for these plants, you need to indulge in pruning and trimming techniques as well. This will ensure that the plants grow with the perfect structure which is essential. Here are a few trimming tips that will help you understand, when to trim and how to conduct trimming.

Individual Needs
This is something you need to remember when trimming the plants in your garden. The trimming needs for individual plants differ from the other. This is why you need to ensure that you are performing the right trimming as per the plant requirement. In case of a mismatch, you will be playing around with the structural integrity of the plant in question.

Use Sharp Tools
When looking for tips for trimming plants, you will find that most people suggest using sharp tools. When you use dull or rusty tools for this process, you might just affect the plant and injure it by pulling in too many efforts to trim the plant. You will need to make sure that your trimming and pruning tools are sharp just before the season begins. You have hedge trimmers, in case you have grown a hedge. For other purposes you will need to use sharp shears that will make both trimming and pruning as easy as possible.

Sterilize the Tools
Your plants are as prone to infections as you are! Always remember this! If you tend to use tools that are not properly sterilized you may cause infections in the plants. This infection can spread rapidly causing death of the plant. In case you want to avoid any such thing, it is always good to use tools that are sterilized to trim or prune your plants.

Remove the Diseased
You don’t directly begin working on the entire plant. You begin with inspecting the plant properly. You should ideally look out for the broken, damaged or diseased portions of the plant. This is where you will begin trimming your plants from. There are many plants that suffer broken limbs as they begin growing. For perfect growth, you need to remove this portion of your plant.

Check the Progress
While you are calculating on your trimming techniques to control the growth of your plant, you may want to check on the progress caused by the trimming. This is one of the most beneficial tips for trimming plants. You will need to step back and see how your plant looks. Is trimming necessary or it can be stopped? You will need to verify the technique you have implemented too. This way you would be aware of how the trimming technique is helping you.

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Vermont Garden Journal host Charlie Nardozzi is getting ready for spring and wants to help you get in the mood, too!

Charlie will present “Early Spring Gardening Tips” on Thursday, April 10th at 6:00 p.m. at the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education at Shelburne Museum.

We’ll begin the evening with a delicious “grazing dinner” by Sugarsnap, and there will be a cash bar for beer and wine. Charlie will share a presentation about early spring gardening, and the take your questions for the rest of the evening.

This event is free and open to the public but because seating is limited reservations are required. Please click here to reserve your seat(s).

Call Ty Robertson at 802.654.4309 if you have any questions.

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Forbes Living

Find colorful, unique items for decorating outdoors and gardens areas this Spring.

Coral Springs, FL (PRWEB) March 27, 2014

The Forbes Living talk show will present a fun and informative segment on garden and outdoor decorating. The program will feature some of the best new products to make outdoor living exciting, fun and comfortable. It will cover projects everyone in the family will enjoy such as how to choose the best patio furniture, cool new pool toys, the right barbecue grill, and more. The show, hosted by Forbes Riley, will air on most cable television networks this year.

Recently named America’s Most Loved Health Fitness Innovator, Forbes Riley is known for bringing affordable, high-quality fitness, health and household products to consumers worldwide. When Riley first met “the godfather of fitness” Jack LaLanne, he changed the way she looked at health and fitness. The two soon joined forces and went on to launch one of the most successful product promotions of all time with the Jack LaLanne Juicer. Today, Riley has helped sell more than $2 billion worth of product, including her very own SpinGym which she patented and developed herself. As the co-creator, co-executive producer, and host of Forbes Living, Riley motivates viewers by informing, educating, branding and creating consumer awareness on a variety of products. Forbes boasts a huge following on her website and social media, and regularly appears on such networks as ESPN, TLC, Fit-TV, Animal Planet, ABC Family and Home Shopping Network.

About Forbes Living

Forbes Living is on the hunt for The Next Big Thing. The groundbreaking talk show puts a new spin on the format by combining the most highly recognized product spokeswoman with new and innovative products, all in a fun, informative and entertaining fashion. The show is slated to premier in July 2014 on prominent networks like WE tv – Women’s Entertainment, Lifetime Real Women, the Esquire Network, FOX, ABC and ION as well as Regional News Networks. Join the interactive fun with Forbes Living TV on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The show’s website provides a contact form that inventors and businesses can fill out to receive more information. Forbes Living TV is an FR Media production.

About FR Media

FR Media brings a superior track record of award-winning video and film background services including video and film, direct response television, commercial advertising and media planning and buying. Staffed with Emmy, Telly and Moxie award-winning staff members from the disciplines of television, DRTV, film, print, advertising and online media, FR Media studios are located in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you have a product you would like considered for the show, go to http://www.forbeslivingtv.com and fill out our Product Inquiry form.

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Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2014 10:00 pm

Extension: Some tips on improving garden soil

Mary Jac Brennan/Forsyth Extension

Winston-Salem Journal

Q: What do you recommend that I add to my soil to make it good soil for gardening?

Answer: Overall, the best time to build better garden soil is in the fall. But there are some practices you can put into place now. Organic farmers use these practices because their soil is the foundation of everything else that happens on the farm. Don’t use your entire garden space during one season. Divide the space into use areas by season. Grow your summer garden, but in your fall garden grow a cover crop such as buckwheat or summer peas. Turn the cover crop and use it as a green manure about three weeks before you want to start your fall garden. Another practice is to use wheat or rye straw as mulch in your summer garden. Place a 4-inch layer of mulch on top of any bare soil between plants and in the rows. At the end of the season, you can allow the mulch to mellow in place and turn it under three weeks prior to spring planting. If you want to grow a winter cover crop, turn the mulch under three weeks prior to planting your cereal rye or crimson clover.

If you are starting from scratch, consider purchasing a bag of quality compost such as Carolina Dynamite or a bagged mushroom compost to add to your garden. Add enough compost to cover the planting area to a depth of 2 inches. Work the compost into the top 4 inches of the soil surface. Prior to adding any compost, collect a soil sample for testing. Sample boxes and the appropriate paperwork are available in our office. You may return filled boxes to our office for delivery to Raleigh or you may send your samples through the U.S. Postal Service. Soil testing is completed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Lab in Raleigh. There is no charge for soil tests from April 1 through Nov. 27. You will receive your report in six weeks. You may not be able to use the reported results for this summer’s garden, but you will have a starting point for your fall planting.

Go online

To watch video on planting radishes, see this story at JournalNow.com.

Q: I am looking for an easy vegetable to grow with a kindergarten class. What would you suggest?

Answer: One of the easiest and fastest growing vegetables is the radish. The word in Greek means “fast appearing.” You can plant radish seeds directly into the garden or into containers and they will be ready to harvest in 25 to 30 days. Perhaps you can keep a calendar of growth with the children as you watch the garden progress. Radish seeds are large enough for small fingers. Space the seeds 1-inch apart or thin extra seedlings after they germinate so that there is proper spacing. The seeds only need to be planted ½-inch deep. There are many colors of radishes, including red, pink, white and black. Radishes are in the mustard family and are considered a cool-season vegetable, meaning that they grow best in the cool times of the year. It is great to garden with children. Children who have at least five contacts with a new food like radishes are more likely to try it on their own.

Mary Jac Brennan is the commercial horticulture agent for small farms and local food for the Forsyth Cooperative Extension. For information on home and gardening issues, contact the Forsyth Cooperative Extension office at extension@forsyth.cc or call (336) 703-2850.

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Thursday, March 27, 2014 10:00 pm.

Spring is here. I was worried that the winter cold might have killed the two raspberry plants I planted in wine barrels last spring, but throughout the containers, new little sprouts are starting to break the soil surface.

They are Raspberry Shortcake plants, the first thornless dwarf raspberry marketed to gardeners for growing in containers. They come from Fall Creek Farm Nursery, which is right in step with two new gardening trends, growing berries and growing food in container gardens.

Fall Creek’s mission is to develop
“new berry varieties specifically for home gardeners.” Their breeders are looking for berries that are easy to grow, have exceptional ornamental value and produce lots of good tasting fruit. They want to transform berry gardening and have registered the name of BrazelBerries for their line of home garden berries.

This year, I want to add blueberries to my berry garden. Fall Creek offers three blueberry cultivars for gardeners. I usually don’t recommend growing blueberries in local gardens because most home garden soils are alkaline (with a pH of 8 or above) and low in organic matter. Blueberries only do well when grown in acid (with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5) soil that is fairly high in organic matter. This is not a problem if you grow them in pots with a potting mix.

While Fall Creek offers blueberry cultivars, my choice is Jelly Bean. Jelly Bean is the most cold hardy (United States Department of Agriculture Zones 4 to 8) of the three and has the largest berries. It is a little “puffball of a plant” growing to a height and width of only 1 to 2 feet, perfect for a barrel planting.

Despite being a compact dwarf bush, Jelly Bean reportedly yields plenty of large, tasty sweet berries in the middle of summer. But it is not just about the berries. The spherical, mounded plant can be ornamental, with bright green leaves in spring that turn darker green in summer and then red in late summer and fall.

I will be placing my blueberry plant in a barrel planter with large holes in the bottom for drainage. Fall Creek recommends growing their blueberries in sizable pots of 16 inches or more in diameter.

When planting berries or veggies in containers, use a quality potting mix
that drains well. A mix that is predominantly peat moss or coconut coir mixed with compost, pumice and perlite works well.

Once planted, Fall Creek recommends that your blueberry plants be in full sun. However, our summer heat and sun is so extreme, a site where they will get some shade late in the day would probably be a good idea.

Keep the soil consistently moist, because blueberries are not tolerant of drought or excess moisture. Fertilize the plants once a year in early spring with a fertilizer recommended for acid-loving plants.

The plants should be pruned in late winter or early spring while still dormant, removing the canes that fruited the year before. That’s because Jelly Bean and the other two blueberries (Peach Sorbet and Blueberry Glaze) produce new canes each year, but will only produce fruit on the canes that grew the previous year.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

When planting dogwood trees remember these tips:

• Plant in the shade.

• Do not dig dogwoods from the wild, use nursery grown trees.

• There are several new varieties that are resistant to the diseases that plague our native trees. Take a look at the Stellar Series dogwood trees, and Kousa.

More tips for the week:

• Now is the time to fertilize roses. Use the slow-release type of fertilizer.

• Spring is finally here! And so are the deer, eyeing your garden for their next feast. Spray today!

• Pollen will start falling in thick clouds in the next week or two. Prepare now to protect outdoor furniture with covers. Lawn and leaf bags work well.

• Spot kill weeds in beds, on paths, walks, patios and other areas around the landscape. Do this when the wind is calm to protect nearby plants from herbicide spray.

• Summer bulbs add color and interest to the garden and containers. Plant bulbs such as caladium, canna (dwarf varieties) and dahlia now.

• If you are planning to add to an existing azalea bed, now is the time to take a flowering branch to the nursery for an exact match.

• Start adding 3 inches of mulch to the flower and shrub beds. Mulch will conserve moisture during the hot months and reduce the weed populations. (I’m all for that!)

• Next week, I will give you the biggest landscape tip of the season — don’t miss it.

Todd Goulding provides residential landscape design consultations. Contact him at 478-345-0719 or www.fernvalley.com.

In this day and age we are overwhelmed by the number of choices at the supermarket. When we take the time to read the labels, it can be somewhat shocking to see the list of ingredients for what we are lead to believe to be “fresh” or “organic”.

Yes, there are companies that provide organic options at these markets but they come at a sizable price. Instead of paying the premium maybe you should consider your own foray into the world of organics. Perhaps you can find your green thumb and start your own little garden?

Here are a few beginner tips for organic gardening that should bring you up to speed on what’s needed to keep it free of pesticides.

Beginner Tips for Organic Gardening

The following will you give you a crash course on the available options and methods behind gardening (without pesticides):

Think Native – Your best bet when growing plants/fruits is to start with ones found within your local environment (the native ones). The native plants already have adapted to the weather conditions and battling insects and other critters.

By choosing native you will find growing them to be far easier than transplanting ones from regions greatly different than yours

Go For Toughness – Vegetables can be quite difficult for the first time gardener because a quick freeze, sporadic weather patterns, or unbearable heat waves can wipe out your efforts in no time at all.

A smart choice for beginners would be to go with fruit – specifically: fruit bearing trees. These are very, very tough. You can plant them and pretty much let them do their thing because they can handle the weather. There are many options whether you’re seeking an Asian pear tree for sale (always a great starter choice), oranges that can handle the heat, or robust apple trees that seem to handle just about any condition.

A little bonus, too, is that once they’re going you don’t have to do much actual gardening to keep them viable – a bit of watering and you’re good to go – no mucking about with fertilizers.

Find Their Companion(s) – Think about how your plants aid one another during their growth. This is the idea behind companion planting.

Part of the benefit of companion planting, in an organic sense, is that many plants naturally repel insects and other critters that would eat your efforts. For example – growing garlic next to plants will repel aphids and ants.

Space also comes into play. A selection of plants that share the ground well, like tomatoes and carrots, allows you to use a smaller area which also leads to less watering and maintenance.

Study the Soil – If you’re using soil from around your area then take the time to get it tested for pesticides and other contaminants. Otherwise, it would be advised that you seek suppliers which offer soil that passes the organic grade.

Consider Tech Options – Gardening has come a long way since digging a hole, throwing in some seeds, and covering it back up. Technology and better understanding of the growth process has introduced, to the market, many different options for growing in small spaces such as through hydroponic gardening kits, vertical gardening kits, or embracing the limited space and following the suggestions of those practicing what’s known as “balcony gardening”.

A Small Bonus

Since you’ve decided to give organic gardening a go you will also gain the advantage that you now have a near endless supply of vegetables and fruit which could be used for juice fasting. On top of that – the leftovers from juicing can be reused as fertilizer for your organic garden. It’s a total win/win!

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You don’t need a gigantic piece of land to enjoy the benefits of organic gardening. Start small, in fact.

Find your green thumb by growing the fruits and veggies you love. When you feel comfortable and experienced you’re always welcome to expand and try new things. Start with great, organic supplies and you will grow great, organic food.

Are you ready to put your green thumb to good work?

Tags: gardening, hame and garden, organic garden, starting a garden

Category: Featured Articles, greenovations, Home Garden