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English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll wrote, "The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies"  That first delicious spring day is a temptress, luring all avid gardeners out of their winter doldrums and calling them out to play. It’s the smell of fresh soil and those little green sprouts popping up everywhere that makes gardeners come back for more each spring. With eyes bright, a spring to their step and trowel in hand, they head out for a weekend of joy in the dirt. As the baby boomer generation grows into their middle years, they have the recreational time, income and desire to embrace gardening as one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gardening can be an escape from day-to-day stress, even coping with depression and dealing with grief.  Even relatively light work such as weeding, trimming or raking burns about 300 calories an hour. Digging, hauling mulch and heavier work not only burns calories but also improves muscle tone and bone strength.  It's a great way to stay in shape and commune with Mother Nature at the same time.  There are many great tools that can help us do our jobs as well.  When you want to water deep your best

bet is the Deep Drip watering stake.

Gardening tools are becoming more friendly.   Materials such as fiberglass added to nylon, create tools that are extremely strong but also deceptively light, making them particularly useful allowing us to spend more time tending to our flowers, our gardens and lawns.

Kneepads with gel inside make a soft cushion around knees that allow us to get right down on the level with what we're growing.

 

Here's some tips if you're doing some major planting this spring such as Planting Trees and Shrubs:

If you're planting new trees and shrubs this spring, don't spoil them by enriching the soil with organic matter. A hole full of compost and soft organic matter is a comfortable area for the roots, and they aren't likely to spread into the surrounding soil. If the roots don't anchor themselves firmly by spreading, the plant is likely to be toppled by strong winds. Here are a few other tips on planting trees and shrubs:

Labels attached to your plant by wires can girdle the branch, so remove them when you plant.   Set the tree in the soil at the same level that it grew in the nursery. Look for a dark mark on the trunk that indicates the depth.  To protect the trunk from sunscald, rodents, and lawnmower nicks, use a treewrap from soil level to the lowest branch. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you use mulch, don't allow it to touch the trunk of the tree.  Check your plant from all angles to see that it is sitting straight before filling the hole.  Your best level is the human eye when it comes to this.  There is no need to drag out the latest in lazer leveling technology to make sure everything is where it should be.  Just back up a couple of yard and take a look at it from a few different angles.  Some trees and shrubs are easier than others but generally you can "eye-ball" their placement.  Always make sure to do your research on what your specific plant, shrub or tree needs during transplanting.  Site preparation and a good dose of common scense goes a long ways.  Use stakes spairingly.

Stakes often cause more damage than they prevent, so use them only when planting in a windy, unprotected area, or if you are planting a top-heavy tree. If you use a stake, leave an inch or two of slack in the wire and cover the part that encircles the tree with a protective covering.

 

Back in the day flowers use to be for only special occasions.  Research has shown that flowers do more than just brighten up the way our homes look, they also brighten up how we feel on the inside.  Our quality-of-life factor is increased and our ability to handle the normal pressures of life goes up as well.  Flowers color our lives inside and out.

 

Cut flowers make us feel good.

They help us celebrate special events and communicate emotions by saying thank you, get well, I'm sorry, and I love you.  Then there's the special joy of receiving flowers, whether it's a red rose from the local florist or a fistful of dandelions from your daughter. Flowers, especially the intention behind them, mean so much. 
Unfortunately though, flowers wilt. Do you ever feel delighted to receive
beautiful flowers only to feel a little depressed as you watch them fade? While
you can't bring cut flowers back to life, here are some tips for keeping them
looking fresh longer. Let's start with learning the best way to cut your own
bouquets...  Flowers keep best when cut with a sharp knife (un-serrated) and plunged immediately into water. Always make a cut on a slant, as it exposes more stem surface area. Also, remove leaves that will be under water in the arrangement, but do not remove thorns from roses as it tends to shorten their life.

 

When is the best time to cut flowers?
Some people I know would say it's never a good time to cut flowers. They prefer to enjoy them alive and in the garden. But if you do like to cut them, the best time is early in the morning or late in the afternoon when it has cooled. Morning is when the plant is filled with stored food and the flowers are most fragrant.
Maturity also affects their keeping qualities. Cut roses, irises, daffodils and gladiolas in bud stage. Marigolds, dianthus, and delphiniums should be open. After cutting, immediately put flowers in lukewarm, not cold, water.  Cut the stem on a slant and remove any leaves that will be submerged in the vase.

How does water get up the stem against gravity?
The flower stem is filled with cells that work like a bundle of soda straws. As long as the bottom of the straws are submerged, you can draw water up through them. But pull the straws out of the glass while sucking on them and all you get is air.  Flowers do the same thing. Their demand for water is continuous, even when they're cut away from the mother plant. The difference is that cells in the stem have tiny screens that allow water to pass, but not air. So, when the flower stem is cut, a small air bubble forms at the end of the stem and is trapped. This acts like a barrier and prevents more water from getting up the stem -- even if you replace the stem in water.