Annuals can’t survive in cold temperatures, and I think it is worth trying to save some indoors until next year. I did a walk-though my garden and decided to do an experiment to preserve some for next spring. I proceeded to cut some of the annuals that I still have left in the garden, brought them indoors, remove all the lower leaves, place them in water and put them in a sunny window. Almost within a week, I started to see some roots developing. Needless to say, I was happy. If I can maintain these plants alive until spring, then I can put them in good soil and plant them outdoors when the temperature is safe to put annuals in the ground. That will save me some money as well.
Therefore, if you still have some annuals hanging out there, go to your garden, cut some and put them in water until next spring. Make sure you change the water as needed, so the plants don’t rot. Happy gardening!
0 Comments
It is that time again. If you live in the north or in zones where the temperature is so cold that your trees drop all the leaves and you get snow, you would like to read my post. I sort of listed some of the chores that we must do to winterize our gardens.
Cleanup and Maintenance: Winterize your garden and lawn machinery/tools according to the manufacturer's instructions. Rake, rake and rake the leaves again. Yes, it is a hideous chore but someone must do it. Clean, sharpen, and oil garden tools. Drain and store garden hoses and protect outdoor faucets from freezing weather. Don’t forget the birds and fill up your feeders to welcome overwintering birds. Keep wood to feed your fireplace nearby to keep your home warm. Continue feeding pond fish until the water temperature drops below 50° F. Lawns: Mow the lawns until it stops growing and when that happens, apply winterizing fertilizer before the ground freezes. Trees and Shrubs: Prune deciduous trees and shrubs once they are completely dormant. Use some of your garden branches and berries to make your holiday decorations. Save cuttings for rooting indoors. This will bring new plants for your garden, for free. Vegetables: Bad news, if you live in a cold winter area, your veggies are basically done until next year. At this point, I am still enjoying my final harvest of tomatoes, peppers, parsley, celery chives and sage. Perennials and Bulbs: In colder climates, divide and transplant fall-blooming bulbs after the leaves turn yellow and if you want to, plant winter and spring-flowering bulbs. Annuals and Containers: Empty and clean out spent annual containers. Store clay pots indoors emptied of soil, since they will crack with the cold. Houseplants: Cut back on watering your houseplants and do not feed until next spring. The holidays are around the corner and we all like to beautify our homes with decorations, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We can create crafts projects by using materials from our gardens and therefore, only spending few dollars. I like to show you how to make a simple wreath today. In this post, you will find a list of materials needed, and lots of photos to see the step-by-step "how to make it" instructions and of course, photos of the end result. However, if you are you not “crafty”, you can still make this project. WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECTION! Let’s do it together, step-by-step. It will help your budget if you have some dry flowers from your garden, but if you don’t, just get some silk flowers and combine them with whatever you have green in your backyard now. Materials Needed: 1 (8-10”) wreath (purchased at your craft store, natural, gold painted, or you can paint it) 7 Yarrow dried flowers (these are from my garden but you can purchase what you like) 7 green-glossy leaves (I am using leaves from my Magnolia tree) 7 small branches or twigs from a variegated green of your choice Glue gun if you wish. (I just tucked the twigs in the wreath, without glue) Instructions: If you follow my slide presentation, you will be able to put it together step-by-step. To hang the wreath you only need a nail in the wall, since the wreath have plenty of open areas in the back to hang it, or you can put a small piece of wire in the back and twist it in a loop to hang from there. There you go, you made it. Congratulations! |
AuthorI am a blogger, a photographer, a jewelry designer, a gourmet cook, and a recipe book writer. I am also a flea market flipper, an avid gardener, an interior/ outdoors designer, an avid golfer and traveler. Archives
January 2024
Categories |