Author Archive
Making a Splash with Water Features in the Garden
Posted by: | CommentsBy: Nikki Phipps

Photo by junhee_yeoWant to add additional charm and tranquility to your garden? Incorporate a water feature. No matter what size or type of garden you have, there are a number of water features that will fit into any design or space, as well as any budget. A garden pond can add special qualities to nearly any landscape.
Vinyl or fiberglass pond liners are widely available at garden centers or through water garden suppliers. These come in a variety of sizes which offer flexible options to easily suit your particular needs. They can also be placed either above or below ground so if your space cannot accommodate a large water pond, such as with balconies, containers make excellent alternatives.
Nearly any type of watertight container can be easily transformed into a miniature garden pond. If it’s not watertight, PVC liners are available at most garden centers which will help to waterproof your container. Half-wooden barrels and galvanized washtubs are the most commonly used. Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 39°F;
- Humidity: 52%;
- Heat Index: 39°F;
- Wind Chill: 31°F;
- Pressure: 29.72 in.;
Spring Garden Do And Don’t List
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Spring Everyone! Here in Michigan the daffodils and forsythia are blooming and the peonies are pushing out of the grown like gangbusters! So as far as I’m concerned it’s time to get off the couch and get to work in the garden. With that in mind I have made a small list that I am calling:
“Spring Garden Do and Don’t List”

Photo by seeks2dream
- Do clean out some of the leaves and brush that littered your beds over the winter
- Don’t mangle your plants while you do this and don’t over do the clean-up as leaf debris will enrich the soil
- Do trim your spirea, rose of sharon(you can really hack it back now),butterfly bush, hydrangea arborescence(white hydrangeas), hydrangea paniculata(tree form hydrangeas)
- Don’t trim your pink or blue hydrangea macrophyllas! They bloom on terminal bud from last year
- Don’t trim you viburnum, lilac, forsythia(wait till May), or fruit trees Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 49°F;
- Humidity: 63%;
- Heat Index: 48°F;
- Wind Chill: 49°F;
- Pressure: 30.33 in.;
Vermicomposting – Red Worms and Their Composting Wonders
Posted by: | Comments
Photo by Eva the WeaverBy James W Shaw
Garden farmers nowadays are very fond of using red worms for their organic garden. This is because of the red worms’ ability to convert organic material into compost, a substance that is beneficial to garden farms. While it is important for garden farmers to understand what these red worms need to be healthy and productive, it is also important to understand how their body works and how they digest their food and produce the worm castings that garden farmers use to cultivate their farms.
Red worms are also called red wigglers because of their reaction to being touched. Usually when red wigglers are handled, their natural reaction is to wriggle about, thus the name red wigglers. Red wigglers are manure type worms. This means that they will consume almost any form of organic material. They belong to the family Lumbricidae and they are one of the most popular worms in commercial production today. This is largely due to their popularity among garden farmers. Farmers prefer worms over earthworms for the reason that they are more effective at converting organic material into worm castings than earthworms. Read More→
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 23°F;
- Humidity: 67%;
- Heat Index: 23°F;
- Wind Chill: 9°F;
- Pressure: 29.89 in.;
Choosing the Right Annual For The Right Spot
Posted by: | CommentsChoosing the Right Annual For The Right Spot
Every year when it comes time to plant your annuals there a few things you need to consider. The location of where you are planting, is the danger of frost past, what kind of irrigation system you are dealing with, what kinds of annuals and what sort of feel you want your garden bed to have.
Before you can even make any decisions about the colors and flowers you want to use you need to consider the location of your garden. For example, if you live in Michigan you need to know that Michigan has hot and dry summers, and late spring frosts. In this case you would want to pick an annual that can handle a light frost, such as marigolds, or begonias and can also handle the very hot and dry summer weather. The annual should hold up in extreme heat, but remember that all annuals need to be 
watered regularly, not over watered or you will just have dead annuals.
Is the spot a dry shade, wet shade, dry sun, wet sun, somewhere in between?
You need to know how much sun this location gets. Is it morning sun which is cooler or is it afternoon sun which is more brutal?
Does the spot get 6 hours of sun or less…because if it gets less than 6 hours, a full sun plant will not thrive. You are better off with a partial sun/shade choice.
So the next thing you want to consider is what kind of irrigation system do you have. If you have one that is professionally installed and basically waters the whole bed, then just make sure you adjust it to water only about 3 or 4 days a week for about half an hour.
Plants do not need water every day! In fact their roots need to dry out just a little so that they are encouraged to grow and reach
for the water. If you water a plant too much it will surely die as if you never watered it at all.
Perhaps you do not have an irrigation system and will be watering by hand. Well that is something to consider as well. You will need to choose an annual that can go a few days without water in an emergency…like if you go away for a day or two. Find out from your local nursery what kind of watering is recommended for your particular region. They are usually very helpful and knowledgable. Read More→
Originally posted 2009-06-28 19:42:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 34°F;
- Humidity: 63%;
- Heat Index: 34°F;
- Wind Chill: 25°F;
- Pressure: 29.92 in.;




