It has been about a month since I put all my tender herbs and perennials out in my unheated plant room. They should be acclimated to a drier and less sunny location now. Our weather is about to get nasty and as it is a beautiful day, so I decided to bring in those that could freeze.
First I trimmed the plants all down to the 'nubs' and then cleaned up the sides of the pots to be able to bring them in for the winter. It is very hard to cut off all the beautiful blooms on my impatiens but know that they are much better off as the plants just get tall and leggy and drop over half of their leaves and blooms if you do not. :-( Later they will reward you with blooms.
Next the pots all got wiped down to prevent disease and carry in pests. Several friends with the Master Gardeners will use systemic insecticide to prevent any bug problems over the winter. Somewhere I have some of that stuff and had best find it and apply it!
Happy gardening all!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Herbs the Easy Way
Years ago I decided to try herbs out on the outskirts of my main vegetable garden. It was nice to have them but it was also a pain to go out and gather them for a quick addition to a dish. Sometimes it was raining or the grass was wet with dew and I did not want to get my feet wet or feed the chiggers. If it was breakfast I was working on, I did not want to get caught in my jammies by the neighbors.
When my garage was built next to my house, facing East, there was about a 4' divider between the garage doors and a second space on the south east corner. This looked too blank and needed dressed up. I had 2-24" pots that filled part of the bill but as time went on I clustered several more smaller pots of various sizes around the big pots. I used bricks or blocks of wood under several to vary the heights.
At first, I just had flowers in the pots but realized the opportunity of adding herbs that I could easily dash out and snip. All spring, summer and fall I can easily cut fresh chives, thyme, basil, sage and oregano for my dishes. While I do not use lots of these herbs, this gives me easy access as well as adding variety to the floral grouping. Variegated sage is especially pleasing to see in the mix with the silver, grey-green and white. The different forms of the plants add interest too. Chives have nice and thin upright leaves with the benefit of lavender flowers every spring. Thyme is more prostrate with tiny leaves and flowers-a must for the French. Lemon thyme has a pretty little yellow-green leaf and is wonderful with fresh fruit. Greek oregano has a prostrate habit too but with larger leaves. The tiny flowers and seed clusters are pretty too. It can be brought in for the winter as it is not winter hardy here in Zone 5. Sage is a more bushy plant with medium sized leaves and will get leggy after a few years. The seedlings will probably make prettier plants for the new year. Basil is a bushy annual that grows easily from fresh seed only and has many varieties. I just tried some pesto on some of my end of summer Roma tomatoes-Yum! Rosemary is one plant that I have not learned to use properly but will grow in a pot just fine. It can get very large too. The pot will help determine the size and trimming will help.
The basil and chives love to be watered while many of the other herbs are used to more arid regions and don't need as much attention. Also all of your plants, especially those in pots, will thank you many times over if they are given a weak fertilizer on a weekly basis or sprinkle the time release pellets on them. The pellets are easier and last about 3 months so a second but lighter application is OK. Composted manure might work too but few have access to it.
When the temps begin to drop, bring in the tender perennials and cluster the hardy plants in a protected area. You want to protect the bases with mulch or something so the roots won't freeze. If you have a brick/rock house, the heat radiated from the brick keeps them warmer and take advantage of any pockets where leaves gather to mulch them. Right now I have my oregano in my garage in an unheated plant room and will bring it in the house before we have freezing temps.
For more information on growing herbs in containers click here
When my garage was built next to my house, facing East, there was about a 4' divider between the garage doors and a second space on the south east corner. This looked too blank and needed dressed up. I had 2-24" pots that filled part of the bill but as time went on I clustered several more smaller pots of various sizes around the big pots. I used bricks or blocks of wood under several to vary the heights.
At first, I just had flowers in the pots but realized the opportunity of adding herbs that I could easily dash out and snip. All spring, summer and fall I can easily cut fresh chives, thyme, basil, sage and oregano for my dishes. While I do not use lots of these herbs, this gives me easy access as well as adding variety to the floral grouping. Variegated sage is especially pleasing to see in the mix with the silver, grey-green and white. The different forms of the plants add interest too. Chives have nice and thin upright leaves with the benefit of lavender flowers every spring. Thyme is more prostrate with tiny leaves and flowers-a must for the French. Lemon thyme has a pretty little yellow-green leaf and is wonderful with fresh fruit. Greek oregano has a prostrate habit too but with larger leaves. The tiny flowers and seed clusters are pretty too. It can be brought in for the winter as it is not winter hardy here in Zone 5. Sage is a more bushy plant with medium sized leaves and will get leggy after a few years. The seedlings will probably make prettier plants for the new year. Basil is a bushy annual that grows easily from fresh seed only and has many varieties. I just tried some pesto on some of my end of summer Roma tomatoes-Yum! Rosemary is one plant that I have not learned to use properly but will grow in a pot just fine. It can get very large too. The pot will help determine the size and trimming will help.
The basil and chives love to be watered while many of the other herbs are used to more arid regions and don't need as much attention. Also all of your plants, especially those in pots, will thank you many times over if they are given a weak fertilizer on a weekly basis or sprinkle the time release pellets on them. The pellets are easier and last about 3 months so a second but lighter application is OK. Composted manure might work too but few have access to it.
When the temps begin to drop, bring in the tender perennials and cluster the hardy plants in a protected area. You want to protect the bases with mulch or something so the roots won't freeze. If you have a brick/rock house, the heat radiated from the brick keeps them warmer and take advantage of any pockets where leaves gather to mulch them. Right now I have my oregano in my garage in an unheated plant room and will bring it in the house before we have freezing temps.
For more information on growing herbs in containers click here
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| The unheated plant room |
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| More of the fall garden |
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Fall is Here!
There was finally been a break in the temps a few weeks back. Later we had a big frost to slow down the garden and make the leaves start turning. Before the frost the plants doubled in size and I had trouble getting around without stepping on things. The leaves of all the vegetables are singed and most are pretty much done. As you can see, the squash are really looking rough.
However, the flowers are more intense and more beautiful than ever. They seem to be doing their best to reach the sky with the most intense colors, are larger and in perfect form to impress us all.Get out and enjoy the show that Mother Nature has to in store for YOU!
For more information on organic gardening click here.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Natural Organic Coral Calcium
Coral minerals are created by tiny sea creatures taking in ionic ocean minerals and then producing coral as a result. Calcium has the highest mineral content of the 72 minerals in this coral. It also takes each mineral to work with the previous one to do its job. Because these minerals are produced naturally and organically, they are much easier for your body to absorb.
Minerals are the basic foundation for health. Many doctors believe that as many as 157 diseases are caused by a lack of minerals. After years of farming the same fields with the same crops, the minerals have become depleted and cannot be passed on in the food crops produced.
Dr James Chappell and two other doctors produced a video called "Three Docs on Coral". After listening to this you would never want to be without Coral Complex 3. Google this as Firefox does not like the link.
Coral Complex 3 comes from natural coral that was formed thousands of years ago. Many ailments are alleviated with Coral Complex 3 including: bone spurs, high levels of blood pressure and cholesterol, muscle fatigue and pain, bone health, varicose veins and even sleeplessness.
Here are a few testimonials for this Coral Complex 3 from my Website:http://www.wholewellnessclub.com/nwashburn
Moorehead Minnesota
BoneSpurs
For ten years I have suffered from extremely painful bone spurs on both my feet. I have been to podiatrists, orthopedic doctors and others with help to relieve the problem. I have had cortisone shots, shoe inserts, and special orthopedic shoes but nothing worked. I was discouraged to the point that I felt I must live with the pain. My husband just recently became aware of a product called Coral Complex from a radio show on alternative medicine. He ordered a bottle and after a few weeks began to feel much better and a skin condition he had for a year began to disappear. He urged me to try it and I did. After taking Coral Complex for only a few days, the pain began to subside. After a few weeks of taking it, the pain is completely gone and my feet no longer hurt. I am so grateful to find a natural product that cures the problem rather than just treat the symptoms. Thank you so much for your product. I highly recommend it to anyone who has bone spurs.
Delia of La Mesa, NM
pH
I believe that the Coral Complex with all its nutrients is an excellent mineral supplement. It brought my saliva pH up from approximately 6 (green on pH paper) to 7 (blue on pH paper), balancing my body fluids from acid to alkaline. This helps my overall body health, giving me more energy, I require less sleep, feel more alert, more relaxed all around. Just feel much better.
Ron L. of Alberta
Knees
I am a plumber and have spent a lot of time on my knees. I had to walk with a cane and could not walk up a ladder. I went to a doctor and specialists and they wanted to operate, take my knee caps off and scrape them or replace them. I heard of Coral Complex and started to use it. Now my knees are normal and I walk, kneel and function normally.
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