Monthly Archives: July 2011

Lilly-Of-The-Nile — A Warm Season Lily Bulb

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Tracy

As the summer days stretch out and the heat seems never ending, Lilies-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus sp.) spring into bloom, bringing cool blue, purple or white color to your container garden. The plants look unusual in containers, with long, strap-shaped leaves that … Continue reading →

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Caladiums Provide Color For Shady Container Gardens

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Tracy

Since shade gardens get so little light, they need lots of color to brighten up. When it’s hot in your shade garden, you might be stumped for something to plant in a container other than impatiens. During times like this, … Continue reading →

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Tip — Now Is The Time To Shop For Big Box Garden Center Bargains

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Tracy

July isn’t quite over yet, but my local big – box store is already stuffing it’s shelves with back-to-school gear from backpacks to glue, crayons and scissors. Now is a great time to take a look in the garden center … Continue reading →

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Photographing Flowers – More Tricks and Tips

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Tracy

You’re trying to take pictures of an exquisite white rose, and ending up with an image that looks more like a cotton ball. It’s probably not powdery mildew. Instead, it’s your picture taking technique. Yesterday I wrote about the importance … Continue reading →

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Taking Pictures of Flowers – So Easy a Monkey Can Do it?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Tracy

There’s an old story that goes like this: The Company that made the first portable personal camera rented a bunch of monkeys. When the time came to premiere their new product, they had the monkeys all carry the cameras into … Continue reading →

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There is Something Fishy about Aquaponics

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Tracy

Right now where I live, growing tomatoes is a challenge. Tomatoes usually produce fruit if the temperatures are between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In my area, we practically went from floods and 50 degree weather at night to 100+ … Continue reading →

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Crabgrass — It Makes me Crabby

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Tracy

One would think that growing vegetables in containers would mean an end to weeds. But much to my chagrin, I still have to contend with crabgrass. There are a lot of funny stories why crabgrass is called crabgrass. Some people … Continue reading →

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Container Garden Hints for Pollinating Insects

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Tracy

I can remember as a teen seeing a picture in a social studies book of a person in Japan hand-pollinating cherry trees. The caption stated that in some parts of the world, farmers hand pollinate trees because the numbers of … Continue reading →

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Making Herbal Sachets

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Tracy

When it’s hot outside and I don’t feel like going outdoors to garden, it’s a good time for drying herbs and making sachets. Good herbs for herb sachets include Lavender, Mint, Rosemary, lemon balm, lemon verbena, scented geranium and chamomile. … Continue reading →

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Quick and Easy Garden Salsa

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Tracy

On my anniversary, my husband took me to a restaurant that served fresh salsa prepared with tomatoes that had been mesquite grilled before serving. The result was a rich, smoky taste that I just loved. Salsa is one condiment that … Continue reading →

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