Archives for May 2017
Leave the leaves!
Spring in Chicago has been lush but short. The pink blossoms of the redbud trees are already fading and disappearing among the new green leaves, and sweeps of glorious yellow daffodils blooms have shriveled up, leaving boring green leaves. Many gardeners are tempted to cut back those leaves as soon as the flowers fade on […]
Can I grow fruit in pots?
There are lots of different types of fruit you can grow in pots, says Jean Vernon I grow a lot of fruit in pots in my garden, even trees. The secret is to use BIG pots and make the very best of the planting area For example I’ve got an Apricot tree (from Thompson & […]
Growing Early-Blooming Dahlias
Many gardeners love dahlias for their wide range of colors and large, showy size. But the drawback to dahlias in northern climates is that they can’t tolerate winter’s cold, so the tubers must be dug out each fall and planted outdoors each spring when all danger of a frost has passed. This means that it […]
Just add water
Outdoors or under cover, a small pond is the surest way to bring myriad wild life – and all its benefits – into your growing space. Ponds add life – it’s as simple as that. Not only can they look good, but even a small pond will dramatically increase the range and kind of wildlife […]
Secrets for Making Cut Flowers Last Longer – volunteers with Random Acts of Flowers know how
At this year’s San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, a colorful bounty of bouquets stopped me in my tracks. Now that’s not unusual for me at a flower show, but this booth was different. The space was stacked high with countless containers of flowers under a huge sign—“Random Acts of Flowers.” What is that? I […]
Planting Beans
The greenhouse’s most bonny specimens at the moment are beans, almost bursting out of their pots and modules desperate to get out into the ground. And it won’t be long. I have a few types on the go. Most shamefully I have broad beans, which is an admission that all of those I sowed in […]
Every greenhouse gets an Oxalis sooner or later
Now here’s a genus I promise you are going to grow at least one species of some day. You may already have one. A delightful purple leaved miniature clover like creeping plant, Yellow Oxalis, Oxalis corniculata. It’s one of the commonest of greenhouse weeds, which means it’s seldom thought desirable. Okay, it does spread invasively […]
Portland Japanese Garden’s Cultural Connections
A handcrafted thing is a joy forever. Whether it’s a clay pot made by your five-year old or a bespoke greenhouse from Hartley Botanic, the skills and artistry it captures brings pleasure and satisfaction each time you look at it. Suminori Awata would agree. He is the 15th generation in a family of stonemasons that […]
A time to sow
The latter days of April were an unnerving experience for many gardeners. I watched rain soaked, fearful and powerless as heavy rain and hailstones battered my apple blossoms and chill winds blew, yet now that ‘weather’ has passed, I’m thankful that the garden seems remarkably intact. A quick check with the soil thermometer revealed that […]