What not to do with your Husbands new Lawnmower.

Relocating Spring Bulbs

Recently my husband decided to remove the flag pole from our front yard. I am not really attached to it as it came with our house when we purchased it this February. But, surrounding it were daffodil and Hyacinth bulbs that have been neglected for about 3 years.
This spring, as soon as they would put off a flower they would begin to wilt and be dead within a week. I knew they needed to be transplanted because there were far to many in such a small area, but late spring is probably not the best time for this. All my garden books say to transplant bulbs in the fall.
My husband couldn't wait that long. So my children and I spent about 3 hours Saturday digging them up and placing them in a bucket. I have been told that you can store them in sand or vermiculite until the following season, but there were about 200 bulbs in there I kept thinking "what if I kill them all? There is no way I could ever replace them.
So... I armed my children with little shovels and we began to dig. We were able to separate them into four piles that we placed all over the front, back and side yards. All of this from one little bed!

We just removed the top two inches of grass and roots, placed a few bulbs here and there and sprinkled them with bone meal. Usually you would only fertilize right before a bulb blooms, but I wanted them to hurry up and grow new roots.
I'm not sure if this will work, but I figured its worth a shot. I guess we will know next spring!

My Tomatoes

So this year is the first year that I actually have a yard to grow in instead of my second story balcony. So this year one of the many plants I have decided to add to my gardeners belt it tomatoes.

Now it took me awhile standing the Lowes garden center to decide which variety to go with. At first I thought about a cherry or grape tomato but I knew that my children would rob me every afternoon and I would have nothing to show for my work. Then I thought about a plum tomato, but those are best when cooked and do I really want to spend my summer in the hot kitchen making sauces. I decided no so moving on I discovered the Better boy tomato. Is there anything better in the summer than a garden fresh tomato on your salad? I think not.

So I took my little six pack home and sat it upon my porch. Now what? It was still too cold for ground planting. How long was I to leave these tiny little things in the plastic pack? So after about two weeks of contemplating this, I finally retrieved some terra cotta pots from my shed and went to planting.

To my surprise, they actually started growing! I left them in the pots for about six weeks. I pinched the tops off after they had four healthy shoots ( just like they say to do). And they grew even more! So finally I picked a spot close to our fence and planted them, knowing that they would probably just die. I had ran out of potting soil so I just used the ground dirt and my son 'Helped" me fertilize them and I was sure they were burnt, and then it rained for 13 days.

I was sure they would drown so imagine my joy when I trekked through the mud to check on them yesterday and my little babies are now almost 3 feet tall!! Just goes to show that there is such a thing as beginners luck. I can't wait for that first tomato.

Growing mophead hydrangeas

When I think of a flower of the south, the one that comes to mind first is the Hydrangea. Visions of snowballs as big as my head all over my grandmother house in the summer is what led me to purchase my first bushes and plant them in front of my entryway. Mine are the heaven blue variety and look stunning against my tan house.

Mophead hydrangeas are the most common grown. They are personally my favorite, although there are five different varieties available in the US.

Where do I plant my hydrangea?

Hydrangeas like moist well drained soil so either plant them where the water will run off or add a few shovel fulls of compost when planting. They also like the sun but should be protected from the blazing afternoon for the most blooms. If they begin to look wilted they are thirsty, but mine do best if watered in the morning.

How do I change the color of my bloom?

The color of your bloom all depends on the ph level of your soil. You can buy a tester kit for fairly cheap at your local home store. For blue blooms your soil needs to be acidic or have about a 5.5 ph level or lower. For pink blooms try to get the ph level to about 6.5. If your soil falls in between don't be surprised to see multi-colored or purple blooms.

How do I prune my bush?

You will have a healthy looking, larger bush if you will prune it back by about 1/3 very early each spring. They can be pruned to be kept smaller but if you are wanting a shrub less than four feet high this would not be an Idea choice. Hydrangeas bloom on the previous years wood and on new growth, so for the most blooms each try not to cut back too far.

Planting Roses

Many gardeners pass over rose bushes simply because they do not know how easy it can be to grow beautiful stunning roses all spring and summer. Here are six simple steps to beautiful healthy roses.

1. Dig a hole twice and wide and twice as big as your pot. If you are planting bare root roses dig about 8 to 10 inches deep and the same width. Add two or three handfuls of compost and form a mound in the middle of your hole.

2. Spread roots at the bottom of your bush. Place over the mound and pack well. Open spaces around your plant can cause root rot and kill your rose bush before it has a chance to start. Place your rose in the hole deep enough that the root ball just comes level with the ground. Refill hole.

3. Pack ground around bush and form a water well to catch any excess water. Sprinkle the ground with a rose food. I also place a banana peel around the base of your rose and cover the area with mulch or pine bark.

4. When your plant starts to show new growth remove mulch and fertilize with a super phosporous or high nitrogen general fertilizer.

5. The key to continuous summer blooms is to prune off flowers as they fade so that the bush can conserve it's energy into making new blooms.

Also, never be afraid to ask your local greenhouse or home store questions about what to use. That is what they are there for and most enjoy helping the beginner gardener get started.

How to plan your first garden.

As a beginner gardener, the first thing that you will want to decide is which type of garden will work best for you. Some things to think about are:

1.) How much time you will be willing to commit each week to your garden?
2.) How dry or wet is your climate?
3.) How many hours of sun will your garden receive each day?

If you are willing to work your garden everyday and have an hour or two each day you may enjoy a formal garden. A formal garden is characterized by it's clean rigid lines. If you prefer full thick shrubs and hedges pruned and shaped, and uniformly grown flowers with predictable colors and blooms and immaculately manicured lawns this is the garden for you. Keep in mind that to keep your lawn shrubs full and green they will need sufficient water and mild temperatures. A formal garden is best suited for zones 4-6. The boxwood, holly, and yew are just a few suggestions for shrubs. Hydrangeas are also beautiful and available in many styles and colors to match your scheme. Bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths and tulips are very predictable and require little care after planted. If you choose to plant roses in your formal garden be sure that they will get at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.

The first year I planted my roses I tried to plant them in partial I only saw about four or five blooms that year. It is very important to pay attention to the instructions that come with your plant. If it says full sun then it may live in partial sun, but it will not look it's best and you will be disappointed.

A cottage garden will require less time and care but can still be breathtaking. You can spend about two to three hours a week on average. A romantic cottage garden should include gentle color schemes with soft clusters of flowers both tall and short, grasses and vines trailing on fences or trellises that seem almost random but not neglected. Clematis and morning glories are almost a given when talking about a cottage garden. Clematis are very fast growing and available in a wide array of colors. Peonies, cone flowers and lillies are also stunning when mixed with shorter flowers like petunias and daisies. Also consider placing a rose bush towards the back for some added color. Varieties like the Angel face or Scottish rose are very fragrant and produce multiple blooms throughout the spring and late summer. This garden will need to be watered three to four times a day. If your garden will be in partial shade consider adding a few hostas or some ground cover like creeping flox.

Just enjoy your garden and try to experiment with new things when you can. If you are having troubles or have questions try your local garden center or ask someone you see working thier yard. Fellow gardeners most always like to share thier secrets.