Green Thumb
Gardening has been a lifelong passion for Wende and she’d like to share her passion with her readers. Follow her as she writes about her gardening adventures, lists tasks to do depending on the season, and gives easy to understand gardening advice.
Ideas for Container Gardening
Now that Spring is here (almost) I'm sure the gardeners reading this are starting to dream of beautiful flowers blooming in their yards. It's also the time for gardening catalogs showing up in mailboxes, sales flyers for Steins and coupons from smaller greenhouses. I always treasure The Gardener's Idea Book from Proven Winners that comes in the mail. I got on their email list a few years ago and they automatically mail it out. http://www.provenwinners.com/ Proven Winners are particularly hardy annuals, perennials and shrubs and are available at several outlets. Their website will search for retailers near you. If you are a beginning gardener, they have lists of the easiest plants to grow and will make you look like a star if you follow their advice and water and feed your plants correctly.
A Little Pruning Can Be Done Now
Now that February is coming to a close, some shrubs and trees can be pruned. This is an especially good time to do this because the leaves are not in the way and you can see where branches are rubbing on each other and causing weak places where insects and other diseases can get in. Here's information from the Steins Gardening Calendar:
Shrubs With Fall Color
September is here and soon it will feel like fall. I like to have plants in my yard that give nice fall color because after summer is over and flowers are mostly done blooming, I miss the color they offered. There are flowers you can buy (mums, ornamental kale, etc), but why not add some shrubs to you landscape that also give fall color? Here's a few that are beautiful in the fall:
UW Extension Weekly Horticulture PodCasts and Reports
If you are interested in hearing what's going on "horticulturally" in Wisconsin each week, the UW Extension holds a weekly meeting where the Master Gardeners discuss the calls they have received from people and also the experts report on what plant, animal, disease or insect trends are happening. They create both a podcast and a pdf transcript of the meetings.
What To Do About Spring Bulbs Popping Up Early
With all this warm weather lately, the plants think Spring is almost here! I noticed buds on trees that are easily seen as I drive by, tulips are trying to poke through the ground, and my parsley is still green and growing in the back yard!
