Category Archives: Gardening Information

Information on gardening how to. Informative blogs with plant information and  pictures.

When to Prune? Old versus New Wood.

Pruning old wood versus new wood?

When do I prune?  What is old wood versus new wood?

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf Hydrangea

In my description of many flowering shrubs and trees, I refer to the correct time to prune as to whether the blooms come from old wood or new wood.  Knowing the correct time to prune is is important so you don’t interrupt the plants bloom cycle. Knowing if your plants bloom on old wood or new wood will determine the best time to prune in order to promote healthy growth and “flower power”. This often depends upon the bloom time and the species.

What do you mean by Old Wood?

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Winter Seed Sowing

Seed Packs

Seed Packs

 

I have been meaning to write this blog for some time on a new method I’m trying for winter seed sowing.  As the winter months get closer to spring, I get “cabin fever” and ready to start gardening.  I came across an article on how to do winter seed sowing so I wanted to share this with you.  This method is good for “hardy annuals” and perennials and gives you a head start on your garden in January and February.  Winter seed sowing is an interesting method of outdoor seed germination which requires two things – Mother Nature and a miniature greenhouse made from empty milk and water jugs.   Continue reading

How to take Hardwood Cuttings

Hardwood Cuttings of Deciduous Plants

Purple sandcherry

Purple sandcherry

Well, it’s December and my Christmas shopping is almost complete.  So what do I do now?  I take cuttings of deciduous shrubs  to make additional beautiful plants just like the parent plant.  Deciduous shrubs are those that lose their leaves during the winter.   Taking hardwood cutting is easy and fun. Before you do hardwood cuttings, the parent plant must be dormant. This occurs after a hard freeze where the temperature has dropped below 32 degrees for several hours. Continue reading

How to build a raised flower bed

100_1272Building a new raised flower bed can be easy and rewarding.  Raised beds are a good option if your soil is poor, drainage is bad, and grass/weeds are growing where you want your bed placed.  I like to build my new beds by starting off with thick layers of newspaper, feed sacks or cardboard.  Line your flower bed area with whatever you are going to use to support the sides of your bed – Large rocks, brick, landscaping boards, etc. Continue reading