Garden Stories
Garden.True.North is about gardening in Zone 4,
sharing thoughts, ideas and tips for all northern gardeners.
sharing thoughts, ideas and tips for all northern gardeners.
Definition of “Falsy”: Okay, I’ll let you look up the definition. For this article I’m using the term to define plants that have in their common name the word “False”.
I wander around nurseries with hardly any idea about what I want, hoping that I will see something interesting to fit my garden. I’ve found some good plants this way. And I like wandering around greenhouses. However, this is not the best way to select plants because when I get home I end up walking around my garden with said plant in hand wondering where to put this new acquisition. I have some criteria for perennials in my garden: longevity, low maintenance, hardy in my climate, resistant to diseases and pests, no winter protection needed, long blooming or attractive foliage, not invasive, and doesn’t need staking. But sometimes I just want to have fun and I throw all those important criteria out. Sometimes that fun is something that has an interesting name.
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Do you want no raking, no removing debris, no hauling mulch and drastically reduced work in cleaning up your perennial beds this spring? The equipment you will need is your lawn mower and broadcast spreader. And the timing is just about now, well not quite now with snow and ice still on the ground. But pretty soon. Read more to discover the Winter Sown method of seed starting. The pictures are of a milk jug seed container cut in half, then taped shut until the weather was warm enough to expose the seedlings to the elements.
There are many systems for indoors that claim to do a great job delivering moisture for houseplants. But as gardeners we know that each plant has its own finicky needs and the challenge even for hand watering is how to provide just the right amount. Several winters ago, I tested a few systems prior to going on a two-week trip. While my neighbor has proven to be even more reliable than myself, it was time to find an alternative way to take care of the plants.
My fall chore list has become shorter over the years as I have discovered easier methods of dealing with leaves on the lawn with frequent mowing with my mulching lawn mower. Leaves that land in the perennial beds are left there to provide protection over the winter. The only area that I clean up is the vegetable garden by removing dead material after the frost. I have been taking pictures of my gardens all season long so I can reference them in the off-season. My camera is an essential garden tool to record successes and failures, to document what needs to be done next year, and to steal ideas from other gardeners.
Believe it or not – it is almost time to start bringing in your houseplants from the summer vacation outdoors. Don't wait until the first freeze/frost warnings are posted for the fall. Many of our houseplants are from the tropics and get stressed when nighttime temperatures dip lower than 50°. I start by moving the houseplants to shadier spots in the garden around the beginning of September. This gives them time to acclimate to the lower light conditions in our homes. Activities for September
August tasks are sparse, take time to enjoy the garden and harvest the edibles and flowers. The spring flower bulb catalogs are now coming in the mail, time to look them over and place your order for fall planting. I'll post later on when to plant those bulbs, usually in October after our first frost.
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Classes*Gardening in Small Spaces, April 30 at 5:00 pm Spooner Library, Spooner Archives
March 2024
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