Home Garden Companion

Ilona's Garden Journal




Search More Than 1000 Posts


gardening tips

Q&A From Keywords

by

Sometimes it is interesting what people are looking for when they land on your page. Here are a few questions that people had according to my Statcounter, along with the answers I have for them today.When to mulch garden? Well, for this time of year I would wait until we have had frozen ground, or at least until a few hard frosts have passed over us. The reason is simple, even though it is … [Read more...] about Q&A From Keywords

Feeling Like October

by

Finally, the horrid heat wave is over. fini. All the things I loved about October were evaporating in the July-like heat (one of my least favorite months), but now all is back to normal. Now I can direct you, dear reader, to my October gardening tips, and let you know about a frost date selector ( no, it won't let you select your own choice...just your area;). That way you are prepared for frosts … [Read more...] about Feeling Like October

I ♥ Peat Moss

by

I do. Peat moss has been my garden's best friend for a long time. It is mainly a soil conditioner, and that is what makes it so valuable. I used to garden on heavy clay, and even though my soil is now clay loam, it still benefits from the incorporation of some peat moss when planting. Now the going advice for planting trees or shrubs is to not make any special efforts to amend the soil, the logic … [Read more...] about I ♥ Peat Moss

Garden Trivia

by

Did you know? "In a National Gardening Association study, it was discovered that school children who participate in a garden-based curriculum out-performed other students in science comprehension and attitudes."- The Virginia Gardener"Lack of water, especially when coupled with intense heat, slows down many biological processes in plants. This is called heat dormancy, although lack of moisture is … [Read more...] about Garden Trivia

Making More Plants

by

I worked quite hard in the garden this morning, until the rain came down so heavily that it sheeted off my head and soaked my jacket. But it was worth it- finally, I divided some of the forsythia bush off for new shrubs and transplanted a layer tip start of my Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn'. March and April are prime time for making new plants in the garden; from division, mainly. Softwood cuttings … [Read more...] about Making More Plants

Seed-starting, January thoughts

by

I haven't planted my seeds indoors for a few years, but I think I will do a small amount this year. I thought I would share a couple things from past years experience. One is the caution not to plant too early. You gather together all your seed starting supplies, you are driven by visions of all those wonderful little plants that will save you money, be rarefied varieties, and provide a plethora … [Read more...] about Seed-starting, January thoughts

Roses

by

I have not had luck planting roses in the fall, so I don't try it anymore. I always order my roses in the winter and plant them in the spring. In the Midwest, fall is usually time to put the rosebushes to bed. The manner most used is to cut the canes to about a foot high, mound up soil around them, cover with cones, and hope for the best. The trick with all this is to not uncover the roses too … [Read more...] about Roses

Pruning Your Mugo Pine

by

Don't Butcher Your Pine The Mugo gets large when left unpruned I have to make this small entry, to save someone out there from the butchering I saw was once done to mugo pines. On the other hand, if you don't keep up timely pruning, you will have a monster bush on your hands ( like said example above). Now (Spring with the new growth) is the time to snip the new growth, … [Read more...] about Pruning Your Mugo Pine