Category: spring

April is National Garden Month, and the timing grows perfect for digging into a seasonal vegetable or flower garden with in the garden goodies.

This is how we make a garden and a gorgeous video!

Photography by Erda Estremera

My gardening skills this past weekend consisted of lopping off the top of the Sago palm and cheering on my neighbors who planted, gardened, and curb appealed with the best of them.

Sage advice!

Happy Gardens on Facebook

Accents and accessories decorate the spaces and the places in the home, lawn, and garden.

DIY Terra-Cotta Wreath How-To

Gardening Apron

Vegetables, fruits, and flowers thrive in growth and production when watered properly with a slower watering period.

Antique Shoppes At 1100 Barksdale

Optimum watering time for your garden is in the morning as it allows the water to soak into the soil before the heat of the day sets in.  Watering in the late afternoon works well too. Always avoid watering your garden in the heat of the day so your plants will not run the risk of burning.

Water plants at their base. Try your best not to wet the leaves or vegetables/fruits in order to prevent mildew. Leaves that develop a yellow to brown edge indicate overwatering.

Checking the soil with a soil tester can help to rule out gardening disaster.

2 Pack Soil Tester

When it comes to watering herbs use enough water in order to moisten the root zone at least 6 inches deep.

Pinterest

On the subject of herbs, garden goodies, and not so garden goodies let’s look at herbs and flowers that are not only delicious, aromatic, and colorful but help to naturally repel unwanted guests who wreak havoc in the garden.

Rosemary

Known for its distinct woody scent, rosemary naturally repels mosquitoes slugs, moths, and flies.

Mint

Menthol present in mint serves as the natural mosquito and company be gone repellent as it is an unpleasant scent to pesky mosquitoes, ants, and spiders.

Fresh and aromatic to humans, mint makes an effective and pleasing natural mosquito repellent. Simply gather mint leaves, crush, and rub on your skin.

Pairing this spring fresh leaf with your garden is mint to be.

Snake-Plant

Mother-in-law’s Tongue

Also known as the snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue is a super easy plant to grow. It takes well to indirect sunlight, and thrives well as a houseplant as long as it receives partial sunlight.

Durable and tough to kill (my kind of plant), I call it an auto pilot plant as it doesn’t require much attention to flourish, and only needs a drink of water every 7-10 days or when the soil has completely dried out.

Marigolds

Marigolds come in as the best and most colorful choice of insect repelling plant. The strong scent emitted by marigolds repels garden pests such as mosquitos, aphids, and wasps.

Folding Garden Kneeler Seat with Tool Pouch

Successful gardening begins with beneficial tools and helping hand solutions for maximum results.

deVOL Kitchens

Around the Places In The Home dinner table we do love good conversation and fresh tomatoes.

Tomato tips:

Tomatoes at room temperature release more flavor compounds when cut up compared to the taste of tomatoes that have been refrigerated.

Twisted Jute Twine, Natural

Boxer Brown Breathable Fabric Planting Containers and Pots with Handles

Giant Belgium Pink Tomato Plant

Tomatoes and other salad must haves such as cucumbers and melons seem to produce their best yield when grown in a support system such as a trellis, ladder, or cage.

Ring Tomato Cage

Keeping the fruit from making contact with the ground keeps the plants healthier and promotes a cleaner grow.

Patio Raised Garden Bed Grow Box Kit with Watering System and Casters

Outdoor Wooden Garden Potting Bench

Faux Bois French Inspired Oversized Chair

Atelier de Campagne LLC

Estate and garage sales, antiques markets, and vintage shops become garden supplies treasure troves for finding planters, tools, and decorative garden statues.

Louisiana Gardeners

Hummingbird Nectar 

Ingredients

granulated white table sugar

Water (tap is fine)

Directions

Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until sugar is dissolved.

Do not add red dye.

Fill hummingbird feeder with the sugar water mixture and place outside.

Any extra sugar water can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Change feeders every other day and thoroughly clean them each time to prevent harmful mold growth

To prevent the growth of mold, a hummingbird feeder should be cleaned and refilled at least twice a week in hot weather and at least once a week in cooler weather.

USDA – Photography by Lance Cheung

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt,
head in the sun, heart with nature.
To nurture a garden is to feed not
just the body, but the soul.”

— Alfred Austin

Burt’s Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream

Here’s to good gardening times!