Tag Archives: planting

Gardening As A Whole Curriculum

Now that spring is here, most states are starting to thaw out and warm up. This an excellent time to begin a garden, no matter how small, and teach the kids about botany, art, vocabulary, water conservation, nutrition, and so much more. I’m a firm believer in getting the most bang for my buck and most use out of every moment. Each lesson you teach your kids can incorporate many subjects, not just the most obvious one at hand. Gardening is no different. The house we live in now has a nice back and front yard, but even when we … Continue reading →

Dahlias

Dahlias have a special place in my heart as a flower because of the association I have with them when I was first dating my husband. He proudly showed me to the back of his property, a tiny yard that was literally a two-foot wide strip of dirt on the opposite end of the driveway the home shared with two other homes. Growing in that little spot of dirt was a single Dahlia. Even without my association, you can see that there is something nostalgic and romantic about Dahlias. They are colorful; they are flamboyant; they are heirlooms. From the … Continue reading →

Five Clever Landscape and Gardening Tips

It is never too early to start planning out your garden. Here are some great little tips that are both clever and practical. Strong trees and bushes To encourage strong new growth and hearty stems on your trees, bushes and evergreen plants, add these extras when planting. Dig your planting hole and then scatter the following” 10 unused match heads and 1 cup of epsom salts. Make your own sprinkler stand If you want to water a section of your garden while working on another task, use your spade as a makeshift stand. Just stick the spade into the soil … Continue reading →

A Garden of their own

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The next two days are officially get-ready weekend for my family. Our second little girl is due to be born in a few weeks, but my wife is already 4cm effaced, so it could be any day now (the bags are packed and in the trunk!) We are very fortunate to have my mother staying with us through Sunday. She will assist with all things home-related: weeding, planting, laundry, cleaning (yes, she does windows!). We must get the house ready, inside and out, for the summer season and for our new arrival. While most of this cleaning activity interests me … Continue reading →

Herb Gardening

I have always thought it would be great to have fresh herbs at hand whenever I want them. There are certain types that I use often and some can be rather expensive, besides the fact that some are just more flavorful when they’re fresh. When you buy them at the store, you really have no idea how long they may have been sitting on the shelf, or how long they have been sitting before they were packaged, and in time, they lose a lot of flavor. I have purchased parsley that barely had any flavor at all. So, this year … Continue reading →

All Thumbs or Green Thumbs

Okay, I have always wanted a green thumb. I would desperately love to be one of those people who can sneeze on flowers and make them grow. Sadly, my garden needs a lot of help and generally from someone with more of a clue than me. I brought this up in conversation with my mother recently and here is what she suggested: Go With What You Like. Basically, too many people make gardening harder than it really is. The next time you are at a nursery or even at Home Depot and you see a plant you like. Get it. … Continue reading →

Gardening For Dummies

Yep, you read it here. Welcome to Gardening for Dummies. Yes, I know that’s a copyrighted book title. I own it – the book, not the copyright. You see, the book was written for people like. People who would LOVE to have that beautiful landscaped garden and are absolutely clueless on how to get one. I was just discussing the need to get outside over in the Fitness blog where I normally write and as I need to get outside, one of my goals for this spring is to clear, plant and cultivate a garden. I had a modicum of … Continue reading →