Grandma's Garden

The Catalogs keep coming!

2011-02-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

I love the spring catalogs. They have such rich, colorful pictures of vegetables and flowers! Of course, they are fully mature, probably 4-5 year old plants! The way I see it, you better be patient in order to get those type of results in your garden...and lucky. The last couple of years I've had some nasty critters eating away at my tomatoes. I hate using pesticides....or fungicides for that matter. I'd be happier if I could just get huge 'maters without using anything besides a good rich compost on them.

Well, now's the time to be planting those seeds. So, Ladies, START YOUR SEEDS! (gentlemen too:)

Spring is coming!

2011-02-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is. I know that it's gonna be a while still, but it is February and then it will be March. March is spring! So, to get ready, I've been pouring over my catalogs and looking up fact about plants on the web. It seems like the perfect time to get ready, also you could start some seeds now if you have plenty of sunny window space. If you don't have lots of sun, the plants will "draw" toward the light. They will grow tall and spindly. Not the best type of growth. About the only thing getting tall and leggy is good for is tomatoes. You can dig a trench and plant the whole thing in there except for the top two inches or so and it will develop a great root system. Just bend the top and firm the soil around it. At every possible joint along the stem it will develop roots. That's about the only one that you can do that with. We always (my Mom and Day) started tiny little plants like Petunias in January. The seed is so little that you have to transplant it at least twice cause it comes up in clumps. I remember my Mom transplanting the tiny little things holding a leaf with her fingernails. Ah, those were the days in the greenhouse. Always warm in there, even in the coldest of winter days.

So, start looking at the seed catalogs now, and take a look at perennials. Some take two years to bloom, so you might as well get them in the ground now!

Until next time, happy gardening!

I finished!

2010-11-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, just yesterday I received my diploma from Stratford Career Institute! Isn't that special? Now that it's late fall/early winter, I can't go outside and do much except clean up and wait 'til spring.....but I sure can plan! I have some cool ideas ready for whenever I can get everything together. Both on the front of the house and the backyard. I promise I'll take before and after pics for everyone to see. For now, sleep well little plants. :)

New Plantings

2010-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

I usually don't like fall much. It always shows the ending of things. Trees drop their leaves. Grass begins to turn brown. Summer bloomers are dying down and tender plants will die soon.

This year is slightly different. Although all those things are still happening, I'm planting for next year now. The perennials I ordered have been delivered and I've planted all of them. As they begin to dig in and get their roots established, I'm reminded that next year they will perform for me! Also, I'm planning a new landscape for the back. The front will have to wait a while, but the back will have a new look.

I have a problem looking "outside the box" for this project. But cutting down all the spent plants leaves a different landscape and lets me gain a new perspective. I'm able to "see" some new stuff! So, look forward to pictures of new things next spring!

I'll talk to you soon, you can be assured I'll keep you updated!

Judie

The Mailbox

2010-10-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought it was time to update the mailbox this year. By Labor Day, it still sported the weeds that took over after the spring bulbs died down! What a mess. It was full of crabgrass, I had to pull it all out. But then, with it freshly cleaned, I began to think about what I would like instead. I finally ended up with some Angelica Sedum. It will look amazing next summer and fall as it turns many hues of bronze, yellow and orange. Behind that I planted some Blue Salvia. One problem. The Salvia didn't have much information on the label and so I was taking a long shot with it. I didn't know if it was an annual or perennial. Seems it is a perennial in the southern states! It's zone 9!!! We're zone 4-5. I'll have to give some special care to get that little cutie to come up next spring!

I've been cleaning out back again. Try as I might, I can't seem to see "outside the box" to come up with something that I really want back there. I did plant some Pampas grass that I dug up from an empty homestead in Polk City. They say Pampas grass won't grow here. But it was growing in Polk City, so it should grow here! I hope so. That and a few other things will be a big cover-up in the corner of the garden.

Pictures are coming...I promise! Until next time then, Plant something!

It's Raining

2010-09-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's raining today. The yard is only partially cleaned up, I still have a couple of areas to cut down garden phlox and pull weeds from. I guess I'll have to wait a while for things to dry up. Hopefully there will be some good days that are fairly dry and fairly warm yet.....I have some planting to do, like those around my mail-box and I can't plant in mud!

I know pictures make this blog much better, but this time of year, all you can see are the empty places! That might give perspective tho, so I'll go snap a few as soon as it stops raining! Meanwhile, take the time to clean up YOUR garden. Stuff left on the ground from this years growth can carry forward lots of unwanted insect infestations and fungus. Don't use the cut down infected growth in your compost pile (if you have one), you'll be spreading the spores and insects into your humus.

Take care, and go plant something!

The Mailbox

2010-09-16T16:18:00.000-07:00

As I think about the perennials I ordered for around the mailbox, I can't help but think how much different it will look! I have had bulbs and annuals there most of the time I've lived here. It will be nice to have it kinda take care of itself! Again, I'll post pictures when it starts looking decent!

BTW.. I was surfing around looking for information on Garden Phlox when I came upon a good site about gardening. This might be a reference for lots of garden know-how. I feel that this person has been gardening a long time.

http://www.douggreensgarden.com

Autumn...cleanup time!

2010-09-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

You know how toward the end of the season it seems like the weeds take over? Well, they certainly did in my garden this year. Today I witnessed that as I began to cleanup the spent perennials and discovered the vast number of weeds that had crept in. I pulled, dug and raked to get the ground ready for next year.

I have finished my course in Gardening and Landscaping, so I've begun to work toward a bigger plan for my new garden. You might remember that I started a fern corner, I guess that was the first step. Now, since I have some ideas about the rest of the back yard, I've dug up some Mondara that was taking over a rock garden area. It always looked like a weed, and I was tempted to cut it down and then it would bloom this red fluffy star-type of flower. It wasn't real showy, so I decided to dig it all up. I suppose there will be a few that I missed that will come up next spring, but then I can see them and dig them up too.

I've planted Pampas grass as my first permanent plant for the new garden. (Except for the ferns :) It seems that everyone says that they don't make it through the winter here, they're not hardy enough. However, there are several stands of the white-plumed grass growing near Polk City! So, we'll see.

I have an order in for some other plants to put around my mailbox....ones that will be better than the foxtails that are growing there now. I'll be sure to take pictures next spring to update everyone!

I will be posting more often now, as I add plants and ideas to my garden. I've been a little lax, but I'll be better, I promise!

A Great Vacation!

2010-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Just a few days vacation can make all the difference in the world to your attitude! On a beautiful, not too hot day, I spent several hours in the garden, cleaning up debris and running all the sticks and trimmings from the garden through our chipper shredder. Now I can move easily through the area leading to my fern garden and the mulch the chipper produced is wonderful for keeping in the moisture.

Today, it's raining. It's perfect. We went to the Iowa State Fair yesterday and it was fairly hot, but not to the point of exhaustion. Having this day of rain is relaxing, cooling and a great time to spend indoors catching up on friends and family.

Take care, and we'll talk again soon.

Down the lane

2010-07-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

In the back of my garden, I have a little area that has a path through it. We mow it every time we mow and it is fun to walk down it. There are garden phlox blooming on both sides as well as the Clematis. I took my camera out and recorded a video but I'm unable to load it here for you. Maybe someone with more technology will read this and give me hand??

2010-07-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there was this huge storm last night. It was around 9-9:30 and we wondered how everything outside would do with the wind. I have this little maple tree that I pulled up as a sapling in the yard that I planted in a big container. It's working on it's second year now and
Ray says, "don't you think you should plant it????" Well, when you buy a tree in a container at the nursery, it most likely is 3-4 years old. That gives it a nice root ball and it's a happy camper. So, if I were to plant it this year, it would probably not survive as well as it would if I wait. Ray also worried about it during the storm and wondered if we should bring it inside. No....I say, the wind helps it develop roots capable of holding it upright as it grows. If you coddle it, it will be weak!

Fine, he says. It really was a very nice storm.

Still doing stuff....:)

2010-07-12T19:05:00.001-07:00

Even though the days are hot and the mosquitoes are hungry, I'm still working towards the garden! I'm working online towards my Landscaping and Gardening degree! This module is about drawing up the landscaping plan. I'm learning to draw to scale, perspective and different ways to use architect's tools to help. I've never worked much in graphic design and hope I get the hang of it! To be able to create the best possible plan for my home garden is my first goal. Later I might reach out to others that would like to plan their gardens.

So, for now I'm inside in the AC environment away from the screaming mosquitoes and working hard toward my degree! Later.

Beautiful days, plenty of itching

2010-07-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to admit that I haven't done much in the garden for a few days. I'd like to say it was weather related, but.. no it's not.

When I was a kid, I used to play outside all the time, and I'd come in way after dark. Sometimes even though I had been hot and sweaty during the day, my mom would have me just wash up a little instead of a bath. My feet were always a mess because of course I was barefoot most of the time, but still I just washed up. That was a mistake on my part, but hey, I didnt' know any better. The mistake was not washing WELL....well enough to wash off all the chiggers that were using my body as a host. There were summers when I had hundreds of chigger bites...and no one seemed to have a clear idea of where they came from, or how they managed to get under tight places such as elastic without me knowing it!

Well, recently Ray and I went fishing. Now I've not had many chiggers since I was little, but after that trip I had once again managed to get bites under the elastic. So, I finally went to the internet for some answers. Seems the things are almost invisible to the naked eye. They catch a ride on their host by climbing up to a high blade of grass or weed, then when you come by they just hop on. They like tight fitting places, not just elastic, such as behind the knee when you're wearing jeans. They burrow in and begin to secrete some enzymes that liquefy skin cells, then they eat their fill. When they're finished, they just drop back into the grass, or wherever you happen to be. At this point, you probably don't even know you've been biten. It takes a day or two, then the itching begins. It lasts about a week. It tends to make you a little gun-shy to go out into the garden. Even though I haven't gotten chigger bites before in my garden, as wet as it is this year it could happen.

So....All I've been doing is mowing. On the John Deere tractor. For those of you that are prone to getting chigger bites...be sure to spray a bug repellent on your shoes, your socks, your legs from the knee down and the outside of your jeans. Even then, I'd come home, strip and shower as soon as possible!! Wash the clothes in hotter than usual water and dry in a hot dryer.

Either it's rain or heat!!!

2010-06-22T18:54:00.001-07:00

Yeah, like it's crazy hot right here. I'm sitting in the office, (with no AC) a fan blowing directly on me and still I'm sticky and hot. My windows are open and I'm hoping the outside air will begin to cool down, but my best chance for cool is to go on back into the air conditioned house!

I've been going out to look at the garden often, but it's sooooo, hot and because of this wet weather it's full of mosquitos that I'm not out very long. I did take some pictures of some of the bloomers and growers out there, and I've included them here today. I've had a few days off and would have spent lots of time in the garden if the weather had cooperated!

Even in good weather tho, ya still have to break off the gardening to take a stab at the dust bunnies in the house.....however in my house it's DOG bunnies. My two pugs leave many bunnies for me. So I've been using this time to clean up so I'll be ready when the weather gives me a break!

Back to Gardening

2010-06-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, even though I miss my Dad and can't ask him questions anymore, I have to still take care of my garden.

This is what they call "late spring" and is the right time to put down a good fertilizer on your lawn. If you are using the Scotts brand, it's the number 2 bag for this time. Otherwise, any good lawn fertilizer is okay because it's just a regular feeding time, not necessarily using an herbicide for crabgrass or other broadleaves. If you haven't used an herbicide, it's not too late though. The best time is when the weeds are actively growing and there will be no rain for a day or two. Read the instructions because you might have to spray the lawn with water briefly to give the herbicide something to stick to. This type of product is usually called a "contact' herbicide, not a "systemic" or "pre-emergence" type. So, in order for it to work, it needs to sit on the leaves for a while. BTW.. check for sure by reading the label on your fertilizer too, you might be wanting to water it in or ask for rain for the next day!

It's time too to be staking up your tomatoes, or caging them, as well at clematis and other creeping vines. A trellis or fence works fine for these beauties.

If you have pictures of your garden efforts, or questions, I'd welcome them. You can leave them on the blog or send it to my email judiemorris@q.com. I'd love to hear from you!

My Gardener Dad is gone from my sight

2010-05-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

The inspiration for my chosen study, gardening is gone now. Not that he is gone from my thoughts, but I cannot ask any more questions of him. He was very ill in Taylor House Hospice and I sat with him. Today, Friday, 5-28-10 we laid him to rest next to my Mother.

I owe him everything from the very first tiny plant he carefully helped me to pat into the soil to the lifetime desire to help things grow. He was my mentor, my go- to answer man about so many things besides gardening. From answers to big questions to answers to silly questions. From being a character full of mischievousness and orneriness to a steady, loving, gentle person. He is not replaceable. He is and always will be my Father. He will be missed and loved by his whole family.

Finally! Some warm weather!

2010-05-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

I've been out in the garden even tho it's been cold. The Fern Garden is beginning to fill in a little, but until it really looks like a "Garden" I'll wait to post a new picture.

My latest area of study is pests and diseases. I've found that many of these pests can be countered by using a special soap. Hurray for a green treatment! Big caterpillars on tomato plants can just be picked off with a gloved hand. Even some smaller ones can just be removed too, but most are so small you just have to treat the whole plant.

Keep a watch on your garden. If you see leaf damage, gray molding or stunted growth, it's time to check for pests!

BRRRRRRR!

2010-05-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

So, with this cooler May, I'm waiting for any more additions to my garden! Seems like Mother Nature is trying to tell me to slooooowww dooooowwwnnnnnnn. Sorry, can't do that!

While the weather has been cool, I've been cleaning up areas of the garden that has plenty of sticks and branches blown down. I'll be putting those through the shredder for additional mulch! I also have been surging forward in my studies for Gardening and Landscaping. Now I know for sure that my Dad is a very smart guy. I keep reading over and over how things are done that he already did when I was growing up.

Be sure to watch the lows in temperature and cover your tender plants or bring them in if they're not too heavy. I still have a patio hibiscus in my front room!

Don't let this cool weather get you down, soon enough we'll be turning on the AC to cool off after an afternoon of weeding and watering.....

2010-04-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a look at the finished Shady Fern Garden

Busy Spring!

2010-04-30T10:33:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's been a busy spring so far...I've already had issues from "gardener's weekend" sore muscles! A few days ago, a friend and I went to Goode's greenhouse just to look around. I came home with a backseat full of stuff! As I work through my lessons in Gardening and Landscaping, I felt it would be a great addition to my garden to include a shady fern corner. I visited several places and looked for ferns, but until I went to Goode's I came up empty. So, after stocking up on Lady Fern, Christmas Fern, Male Fern, Sensitive fern, Rock Fern, Ostrich Fern and a few others, I came home and began!

First the area was full of weeds and sticks etc so I had to clean it all out. I actually made a scale map based on the size the ferns are to be when mature. Everything I've read says you shouldn't have the ferns touching each other. (No fraternization I guess ;) After that, it was easy to place them and dig them in. The area is extremely rich soil because I've been using it for a compost for years...so I didn't need to add anything. After adding a few impatients for color, I covered the whole thing in chipped branches that we ran through our chipper for mulch. The rain came at a perfect time!

willow avenue pottery

2010-04-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

willow avenue pottery

So much to do!

2010-04-13T10:03:00.001-07:00

It seems there isn't as much muscle to go around in my garden! I have been raking, dividing hostas and replanting as well as collecting all the winter debris. Spring is really my favorite season as everything turns green again and blooms or begins budding and growing!

My classes are going great...I spend a lot of time on the train reading and re-reading my books. There are so many great ideas in these books, I've begun to make a list of plants I want. Because I have a really shady corner, I think I'll start a fern garden there. So many different ones are available that I'll have plenty to pick from. If you have a really shady place, or a place with dappled sunshine, ferns are very carefree and require little attention after planting. They make a great addition to the garden with many different shades of green and textures. Some are huge, up to 12 feet tall, and some are tiny just barely 2-3 inches. They pair up great with spring bulbs, or perennials for spring through summer color.

Enjoy this best season of the year (and be ready for some sore muscles) when everything begins to grow!

2010-04-01T09:15:00.001-07:00

Riding on the Choo choo!

2010-04-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I am leaving tomorrow to visit my daughter Suzanne. She and her husband Chris have just brought a little girl into this world and I can hardly wait to go. I'll be leaving tomorrow on the train! I've never ridden the train here in Iowa, Cambridge to London being the only other time I've ridden. Can't wait to load some pictures here from my latest granddaughter!!!!!

I'll continue my course while traveling; lots of time on the train. With the beautiful spring days, there are bulbs and little tiny early bloomers all over. The winter has taken it's toll on many bushes though. Especially since the rabbits have been hungry! And what about all those ladybug-beetles????? They're everywhere!

Finally it's here!

2010-03-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

The "it" I'm referring to is the new college course for Landscaping and Gardening! I've been so excited about it that I've already completed two modules and am working on the third!

The coolest thing happened. As I was reading about starting annuals from seed, I realized that it was all very familiar. My Dad and Mom did this when I was a kid. They started flat after flat of marigolds, petunias, salvia, etc. and when the seed had germinated we had to transplant them. All the steps I read about were already imbedded in my tiny brain from those greenhouse memories. When I realized that I was so familiar with this and that Dad was the intelligent one, I gave him a call and said "Dad, how'd you get to be so smart?" He just laughed and then we talked about old times in the greenhouse. We used to use a maching called a shredder to make the soil fine and then we mixed it with sand, vermiculite and perlite. Some fancy words for kinda styrofoam additives! We had a great long talk about it.

Spring is almost here!

2009-03-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'm getting into the spring cleaning mode. Tomorrow is Saturday and I don't have to work, so I think I'll begin. I've been thinking about how much cleaning I need to do and have been wondering when I would find time to do it. I think the most important thing is to just get started! A little bit everyday would take me quite a way down the road.

So, about the education thing. I really want to learn more about growing things. I did look at some online courses, as well as maybe some long distance ones. I'm not sure I like the tuition thing, so....huh. Maybe I could learn quite a bit from googling separate areas of interest. I bet there is a ton of stuff on wikipedia. Anyway, I still want to learn more and get some great stuff growing in the yard.

If any of you should find any great sites that you think I would like, please put a link on my blog. I'd love to go and visit all I can....

The husband says it's time to eat (yes, he's cooking and it smells good!) so I'll talk to you all later!

Does it really matter?

2008-11-13T17:49:00.001-08:00

Today, I read my daughter's blog that has this counter on it. It constantly updates the number of animals killed for food in the world. This nags at me with a sort of uncomfortable reality. I'm sure that's the very reason it's there, but I'm trying to decide if it really matters.

We, as thinking, physical beings, need to eat protein and animal protein is readily available. We should consider that if we were a little lower on the food chain and we knew that humans were killed for food, we might have a different attitude. We probably wouldn't consider killing animals to survive much of an issue in that light. But, because we have no such threats in this society outside of wild critters in the jungle, we can choose. We can choose to eat animal protein or vegetable protein. We can choose to sleep at night even though we ate beef, pork or fish and have no qualms about it...or we can choose to feel that killing animals is not acceptable and never eat meat again.

We have all heard the horror stories of the industries. The ones about abuse to the animals while they are being raised, while they are being transported and during the killing process. We have heard about the packing plants and what they do and don't do. My thoughts are that probably all of this is true to some point. I'm sure the industry looks more to the bottom line than the cruelty issues. As for the people that are standing in line at the meat market, they are blissfully unaware of the history of the chicken they are purchasing. You could call it the ostrich syndrome, where they just stick their head and the sand and don't look. "What I don't know won't bother me." At least those plants are supposed to be regulated.

I must admit, that hunk of red tissue in the package at the market doesn't look much like a spotted black and white cow you could see munching on grass. Thankfully. If we had to butcher the cow that we raised from a calf and then had to to cut it up into those hunks of tissue, maybe we'd all take another look, because we'd be creating memories. To those that have been raised by parents that were raised by grandparents that had been doing that all their lives, it probably wouldn't seem difficult, just a chore. The rest of us are all removed in our modern lives. Maybe in some distant past there were those that didn't want to do the distasteful part of getting their meat and so they began to barter with others. That likely led to the modern day practice of packing plants and grocery stores. All I know is that if I had to kill a cow to eat, I'd probably find other food. But, since I don't, I'm not sure that I feel so close to the animal that was butchered to let it bother me. It's not like a choice to not buy that chicken will lead to fewer chickens being raised for food. It will still happen and someone else will buy that chicken. If I chose to stop buying chickens altogether, it might save some in the course of my life, but there are so many people buy them that it would be like a drip in the universe. Just check that counter on my daughters blog.

So, after all is said, does it really matter?

The Doctor visit

2008-11-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

A while back, I had been told that my regular Dr. was going to retire. Now this isn't the best news I could have gotten, but I guess I've had worse. I had seen the other Dr. in the office there, but wasn't sure I wanted HIM to be my regular Dr. for annual exams etc. It's been a long time since I've had a male Dr..... So, I was only partly ready to go through with this when I was told that there was a PA in the practice that was very good and she would be the one I could see.
Well, maybe she would, but I never got that far because the "nurse" (witch) that I had to see first to draw blood was terrible and I never want to go back there. (PS...this was the second time she acted this way too!)

So, today I visited with a new Dr. One that might be good when I truely need a Dr. She was a little testy today; I had lots of questions and she seemed liked she wanted to move on to her next appointment. At the end she just cut me off, saying it wasn't fair to her other patients to stay and just talk to me. So, we shook hands, and I left. Hopefully, there wan't a copay because I didn't stay around long enough to ask. Also, they didn't ask to have my records forwarded.
**Sigh***...I guess I'll have to wait to see if it will work out.

On to "greener" pastures

I've been trying to shut up my house for the winter. All the little nooks and crannies that let air in are being identified and we're working to get them plugged. This will cut down on the energy we're using. I'm also experimenting with the furnace in the office. I'm keeping it really low then turning on a space heater while I'm at the keyboard. Hopefully this will also reduce energy.
I won't know until I see the bills!

As for the NEW EDUCATION....I probably will be getting more into this after the holidays. I'm spending so much energy working, finishing up with the buildings and planning my holiday tasks that it's no time to begin another project. While the winds blow in January and February I can be learning, then begin using my new skills when spring arrives. Ah yes, there will be a spring although I've heard that it will be a long hard winter, maybe harder than last year. Just look at how early it's beginning!

I would be interested in any site you might find while surfing that pertains to my NEW EDUCATION, whether it's regarding greener ways or gardening/landscaping/horticulture. I'm sure there are millions of pages out there, so just the highlights please :)

Thanks for visiting, and
Happy trails!

Nothing new

2008-11-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

I've been busy trying to find out exactly where I'd like to study, but until now I've really not found the exact learning center. I expect to pay for the education, however some places really don't offer much for the $$ they are charging.

So, as result, there's nothing new.

On to another topic. I've also been studying retirement and ways to make sure my funds will be able to last for another couple decades after I retire. Of course, I probably won't retire early, in fact it probably won't be until I'm 65/66 because of social security rules. It's a fascinating topic and one I'm trying to understand. With the bear market, it's a perfect time to buy stocks. The prices are low for companies that are worth much more than the current stock price. It's pretty obvious that if you have extra funds you should be buying stocks. Even Warren Buffet, the stock market master is buying now. He hasn't bought stocks for many years, has had his money in bonds, but he says he'll be investing now that the markets are depressed.

So....I'm working hard at using all the calculators available to work up a viable retirement plan. Doesnt' it seem odd that I'm thinking about this? I've never planned so much in my life!
Ray says he wants to live in the south during the cold winters. I'm not sure we can save enough to do that, but it's worth a try! Especially when he wins the lottery! HA!

Okay...back to green thinking....

Happy trails!

It starts with the seeds...

2008-11-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

When I began searching for information, of course I googled. When I put in "online gardening classes" I got www.gardeninginstitute.com and have found this to be quite useful. It offers some individualized classes on a pay-for-class schedule that could be useful. But that wasn't the one that caught my eye.

I also learned that Penn Foster offers some classes. I've received some information from them but I'm not sure they're the best for what I want.

When I found this one: http://www.scitraining.com/Courses_US/Gardening_Landscaping/Outline.htm I was very interested. I send away for some information and may decide on this program. They offer several modules for learning from the basics into landscaping.

I think that eventually I'd like to study landscape design and of course plan to do it very green!
If you'd like to get started on thinking "green", try this link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/06/how-to-green-your-gardening.php

Until I decide on the choice for my new education, I'll be searching online for the perfect site. I'll keep you up to date on all the great stuff I find.

Until then,
Live green!

Where to start...

2008-10-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

I've been interested in gardening/plants/flowers all my life. I got it from my folks in a very legitimate way. Mom and Dad had a greenhouse in the back yard. My Dad told Mom when they were considering building it,,"The flowers will be growing while we're sleeping". I guess that was his way of convincing her, but it must have worked. I don't remember ever NOT having this greenhouse.

We would grow annual plants starting in January. Dad would plant the seeds, then Mom and I would transplant them into pots and packs. Later, when the season started, people would come to our house all day long to buy plants. In the winter, Dad would plant the whole greenhouse in snapdragons that he would sell to a wholesaler. Sometimes around holidays the greenhouse was full of specialized plants...lilies before Easter or poinsettias before Christmas. So, I guess planting things became a way of life for me at a very young age.

Dad did all this while he worked full time at a florist wholesaler...the same one he sold snapdragons to. At some point, he stopped that and bought a flower shop. For twenty years he and Mom ran the shop and I worked there as well. Lots of times my kids were there too while I helped out for a particular order or holiday.

My desire for flowers has always been strong. I'd love to live somewhere where the season doesn't kill off plants. You go through all the work of planting and coddling them only to have Mother Nature freeze them to the ground. But then, I'd miss the seasons. Spring is my favorite. The world seems to burst into color after the cold, almost as if renewed by it.

This new education. It's all about getting the most from Mother Earth. Learning how to achieve the best of each planting. Finding ways to more efficiently utilize water, mulch and fertilizer. Looking at ways to do all this much "greener" than ever before.

So, this is the start of my new education.

The beginning bud.....

2008-10-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

So, here I am, wondering what to do. I'll soon be at the BIG birthday and feel somewhat scattered. You know, the feeling that time is fleeting by and if I'm going to accomplish something I'd better get on it. But the question is.......what? I've been looking at my interests and trying to sort out the types of things I really enjoy. I really love my pets and feel that if I knew more about them it would be cool. So, I've considered doing some online classes in Veterinary tech stuff, but don't know if that would be good or bad. I might start seeing imaginary illnesses or symptoms. Knowing a little might be too much!!!

So, I’m moving on to the next interest. This is the one I’ve grown up with but don't feel competent in. There are many pages of information online regarding gardening, but I think I would like to actually study with an online study course. Some of the basics are missing and maybe I could pick them up with a legitimate course.

I envision new concepts of “green” sustainable gardening and feel that there are ways to create beautiful, simple landscaping changes that will benefit both the eye and the wallet. I’m really getting into the green concept. Although I guess I’m not showing it much. As this “bud” begins to grow, perhaps I will find ways to make my family's life greener.