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April Garden Update: Flowers are Blooming!
I realize it has been several weeks since the last time I posted any kind of update. The fact of the matter is, I’ve just been really focused on making sure that I got all the photos and video that I needed for other content. Though the concept of taking pictures of flowers is really simple, sometimes I do get overwhelmed by it – especially in my tiny backyard. It seems like I’m always tripping over something or stepping on something. Okay, enough complaining. Let’s get started. Yikes! This certainly isn’t the best picture, but it does show just how many tulips are patiently waiting to burst into bloom. The…
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February Unheated Hoophouse and Garden Update – Flowers in Hoop House
In my last post, I mentioned that the weather here has been absolutely frigid. Well, a couple days have passed and in true crazy weather fashion, our temperatures are now into the 60s. I should mention that that is very warm for this time of year, as our last frost date is usually at the end of April and into May. Nevertheless, let’s take a quick look at the progress and loss in the unheated hoophouse and in the garden. Before getting into the unheated hoophouse, let’s look around outside. First, the drumstick allium bulbs have started to grow. I know that these are the drumstick alliums because of their…
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Bracing for an Arctic Blast in the Home Garden – Cut Flower Farm and Vegetable Garden / Winter Flowers
Over the past week or so, we’ve been getting absolutely blasted with cold weather and freezing temperatures. Up until now, our winter weather had been relatively mild; something which is very common here in my zone 6b/7 garden. That all changed about two weeks ago, however, when the snow began to fall and the nightly lows starting dipping into the single digits. Let’s take a closer look at our winter flowers. With about eight inches of snow headed in my direction, I started the process of “locking down” the hoophouse, covering the plants with row covers, and hoping that everything would survive. Of course, it couldn’t just snow – we…
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Winter Sowing Results / End of April Garden Update – Cut Flowers and Vegetables
Even though it’s still raining and I still haven’t had the opportunity to plant a lot of my leafy green vegetables, we’re quickly approaching the last frost date for my garden. Here, I generally use the date of May 5th as my frost-free date – though, I’ve heard people say that it changes each year. I just wanted to quickly share what’s going on in the yard, as well as the progress of the winter sowing containers. That’s it! I sincerely hope that you enjoyed the quick tour of all of the plant seedlings I’ve started for the garden. As always, I’d love to hear your questions down below in…
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Johnny-Jump-Ups Are Actually Pretty Adorable – Growing Violas
When I planted johnny-jump-ups last season, I wasn’t exactly sold on the idea that I would like them. In general, I tend to always gravitate towards things that are big and showy. However, I bought them in hopes that they would reward me with even more early season color. For me, winter is a really difficult time to get through, and honestly, I need all the help that I can get! As it turns out, the whole process was really easy. I started the viola seeds around mid July. Simply, I sowed the seeds into a container in the house and then covered the container with a plastic garbage bag…
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Exciting News! An Update!
Hey everyone! It’s definitely been awhile since I’ve posted here. In the past, I’ve mentioned that I’ve simply outgrown the free version of WordPress and would soon need to upgrade. Well, the good news is that that’s finally happening! Woohoo! You can’t see me, but I’m totally doing a happy dance. Starting next month (likely), I’ll be giving this blog a complete remodel. New banners, new format – new look. In addition to the daily YouTube videos on my channel, I’m hopeful that I’ll be making daily supplemental blog posts here, which will feature additional content not included in the videos. I’m so excited to really focus on this new-ish…
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Trying to Hybridize Daffodils for the First Time!
Hi Lovelies! I mentioned a few posts ago that I should have planted more bulbs for spring. Maybe it wasn’t a post, it might have been in the podcast. Either way, I was talking about it somewhere! I’m seriously missing the fact that there are no new tulips, ranunculus, hyacinths, or anything else currently in bloom. However, I’ve still got my daffodils! I’ve got daffodils blooming everywhere! With a little extra spare time on my hands, it was inevitable that I would eventually get the bright idea to try creating my own daffodil hybrid! I’ll admit, when it comes to plant breeding, I am the absolute definition of the word…
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How to Grow Love-in-a-Mist in Zone 6b/7 – Ornamental Cut Flower Gardening
Hi Lovelies, The love-in-a-mist flowers are finishing blooming in the garden, so I thought we’d take a look at my experience growing these unique flowers! NAME: Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella) TOXIC: YES. Always do your research and be responsible any time you add something new to the garden. Be aware of what you’re growing around kids, pets, and everyone else. Many ornamental plants and cut flowers are toxic. Use common sense, always wear gloves, wash hands, don’t touch your eyes or face, etc. Safety first! Before planting, ensure that plants are not considered invasive in your area. HOW: Easy to direct sow. Easy to germinate using the winter sowing method. Broadcasting seed…
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How to Grow Agrostemma (Corn Cockle) in Zone 6/7
Hi Lovelies, I’m testing out a new format to make these posts shorter. Feel free to stop by YouTube for the video that goes with this post. As always, this information is solely based on results in my own garden and will differ depending on conditions and where you live. NAME: Agrostemma githago (agrostemma, corn cockle) TOXIC: YES. Always do your research and be responsible any time you add something new to the garden. Be aware of what you’re growing around kids, pets, and everyone you love. Use common sense, always wear gloves, wash hands, don’t touch your eyes, etc. HOW: Easy to direct sow. Easy to germinate using the…
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In the Garden: ‘Classic Romantic Mix’ Bachelor Buttons
Hi Lovelies, I’ve been doing a terrible job keeping up with posts and comment replies, and in the midst of planting season, I’m not sure if I’ve been getting as much sleep as I should be getting. Anyhow, in my quest to try to post each of the varieties that I’m growing this year, I present: ‘Classic Romantic Mix’ Bachelor’s Buttons. I’ll admit, I really love these colors! I can’t wait until the peonies are in bloom – they’re going to combine perfectly! Coming soon, we’ll take a closer look at the specifics of growing beautiful bachelor’s buttons, but for now, I’ll leave you with these photos!
