Hi. ^^ This is my first post, but ive been lurking for about a year now. You guys got me through the winter here. =P I live in western australia, and we've in the middle of our summer. My garden is looking fabulous and my tomatos are starting to ripen so I thought Id post some pictures. This is my second year with a garden, although I helped my parents in theirs a lot growing up. I mostly like to grow edible things.

( Pictures! =) )

I know things are slow this time of year but I thought I'd go ahead and pose a question, even if I don't get around to planting till later. I live in north Florida, zone 8B, and I have a small area by my driveway/gate that is begging for a plant. It's a difficult spot - it's shady, sandy, and usually dry except for when it rains (the gutter spout is right next to it so I'm sure it would get overflow). Any suggestions?

I got my very first seed catalog yesterday in the mail.  I didn't have time to do much more than flip through a few pages but I can see how gardening can become an addictive hobby quickly. I'm excited to be able to sit down and ooh and ahh over all those bright, colorful, glossy pictures.

Note to self: You're still poor.  You cannot buy a bunch of stuff, no matter how pretty the pictures are!  lol  :-)

I realized a few years ago that Chicago gets cold enough to kill any rosemary plant that I'd put in the ground. Its not like tarragon or lavender that both come back in the spring.

So I put mine in a pot. It did well all summer and then promptly died this fall.

I bought another one, and well... Its dying.

Do any of you have any tips for keeping a rosemary plant alive during the winter?

Thanks!

Wood Blewits are mushrooms that are commonly hunted and eaten in Western Europe, and are even cultivated there. They occur all over North America as well, and can be found during colder months growing on leaves, pine needles or garden mulch. They're pretty distinctive--you don't see a lot of violet mushrooms! They typically occur in small clusters or in fairy rings, have a very distinct, fruity aroma and leave a pale pink spore print.


So I was in a park on Friday and I found a dozen or so. As I was pulling them up, I had an idea...
( More pics and whatnot, and THE PLAN. )

So last year when I was all pregnant and stuff, I started a gardening project.

I wanted to expand the 24"wide flowerbeds in front out by another yard and edge it with white blocks so we could replace lawn that we watered for either heat/dry resistant plants or edibles that we would water but get something out of.

I knew from experience that pulling up St. Augustine grass sod is a nightmare. It took hours and hours to pull up just a few square feet.

So I had the bright idea that I'd have the lawn guy cut it short, and then Kendra and Sam and I laid out the blocks and covered the short grass with layers of cardboard and then about 2" of cheap soft-wood mulch.

I went to work it in today, and I was expecting to scrape back the mulch, pull out the cardboard and then remove dead grass.

Imagine my surprise when I broke through the mulch and there was about 2" of completely decomposed cardboard and grass. Nothing to pull out. Just had to shovel it around and try to work it into the clay-heavy Texas dirt.

I almost want to start buying blocks and mulch and planning next year's sod-to-bed expansion (The goal is to have very little "lawn" left at the end).

I need suggestions though: are there any more-green ways to do this? I know the softwood mulch isn't the most ecological solution to the issue.

What would be the greenest way to improve the soil so it's less heavy and clumpy? I have a lot of compost, but when I mix it into the soil, even in a 50/50 mix to fill flowerpots or whatever, when it gets hot and dry it turns to a solid, unbreakable mass. Mass quantities of vermiculite?

i_hope_that
For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.

diygifts
Feeling crafty? If you've got a few last folks on your holiday gift list, this is a great place to seed your creativity and generosity. You'll also discover wonderful DIY tips to decorate your home and entertain guests. Offering a no-frills-no-skills attitude that welcomes the cash-challenged and arts-phobic, you're sure to get ideas and make friends in the process.

cooking_club
A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.

I got a surprise gift of two poinsettias today, and I've been doing some reading on how to care for them. Direct sunlight, water when dry, etc. My house gets no direct light through the windows though, will putting it under the reflected florescent light with my other plants be ok?

I've also read up a little on how to get them to bloom year after year. Something about cutting them back after they start to wilt, then putting them outside in the summer, bringing them inside during the fall, and giving them at least 14 hours of total darkness through roughly Thanksgiving before bringing them out into the light again. Does this sound about right? Thanks guys. :D

Edit: Photo behind cut. Does it need to be replanted? I can never tell for sure; both are about the same size.
( Photo )

stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.

We got a few 70 degree days across the weekend so I went ahead and took the caterpillars back outside to the milkweed plant, and set up a mini greenhouse with a heater. It's easier to maintain than keeping them in a tank inside, and they get to have fresh plant to eat.

They've gotten HUGE! I am betting Frijoles margaritas with one of my friends that they will change by Monday.

One big fella munching away

The 2 remaining bigs

Little Numero Fiveo still catching up

Well I finally got my dahlia bulbs dug up yesterday before we settle into a deep cold snap here in the Boston area. Can you suggest a good way to store them for the winter? I have tried peat moss in paper bags with mixed results. Since I paid some good money for these plants I would like to give them the best chance of surviving the winter. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hey Gardeners: What plant do you most want for Christmas?

My gift to myself this year is 1 1/2 bushels of daffodil bulbs that I caught on sale for $60. (I had thought they'd take an extra coupon to bring the total down to $35 but no, they won't.)
It'll be here TOMORROW! And naturally it's below freezing so I can't get out and do any early hole digging today.

Hi everyone!

I have a question about taking a clipping from one of my plants. All I know about this plant is that it is some type of begonia. I have had it just over a year. I was given two pieces of it. I kept one for me and gave the other to a friend. All I remeber from the peices were that they were each a sigle leaf.
could anyone tell me the proper way to cut this to ensure that I do not harm the plant?
Photos uner the cut. Thanks for any help!
Happy holidays :)
( Read more... )( Read more... )

Thanks to everyone for your responses on my last post. I'm going to make it a point to go by and take a picture of the plant in question.

Does anyone know of a low cost/free site or book that can be used for residential landscaping ideas? If I had the money, I'd pay a professional to draw up plans and then just do the installation myself. Since we are in a new house, we are working with a relatively blank canvas (aside from all the trees) and I am a little overwhelmed with the thought of breaking ground (aside from a garden) on a full acre.

I've noticed more and more LED holiday lights (like these or these) for sale and had an idea. I wonder if those LED mini lights can be used to create a grow light for my overwintering plants. Here are some other question I have and need to do some research on:

- Are the holiday mini lights enough light? How much do I need?
- Are they the correct light spectrum? Do I need to get reds, blues, whites?
- Will they really use less energy than my current fluorescent ones?
- Where is a good source of lights? Hopefully, there will be some left at the After-Christmas sales.
- Has anyone here use any LED grow lights and how well did they work?

I'll have to do more research, but here are some initial findings:
How to Make LED Grow Light Panels
DIY Your Own LED Light Grow Box Today!
Hydroponic DIY – How to Make an LED Plant Growing Box!
Cheap LED Light and Grow Box

I know I shouldn't have done it, but I couldn't help myself. I bought a bonsai from Walmart.
It seems to be in good condition. They must not have had it very long. It was quite dry when I brought it home, but I fixed that.
Now I need to know how to keep it healthy. While I have been fascinated by the art of bonsai for years, I have never taken the time to really find out how to care for a plant that has been developed in this way.
I will of course google to find care instructions, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any personal experience they would be willing to share. It would also be wonderful if someone could tell me what species I have.

taste_buds
Holidays provide a built-in excuse for indulgent entertaining. This all-purpose foodie community covers everything from homemade hangover cures to dinner party menus. Need quick advice? Get five-minute snack suggestions, low-fat ingredient substitutes, and even measurement conversions. Delicious recipes garnished with humorous advice. Yum.