The American Holly grows in several zones, specifically Zones 5 to 9, and is well adapted to almost all soil types.  This means the plant is fine in clay or sandy, acidic or rich soil and everything in between.  It is very hardy and thrives in full sun or partial shade.

One of the best features of the American Holly is the fact that it can either serve as a focal point in a garden, growing to heights of 40 to 50 feet, with the typical evergreen pyramid shape.  If it is privacy that you crave, the American Holly can be trimmed down to serve as a hedge.

Despite the functions of the tree, the American Holly offers food and homes to many animals and you will find yourself not only enjoying year round color but also a host of friendly animals to your yard.  It is a well-known fact that the luscious berries that reach maturity between September and October are enjoyed as a food source by birds and deer alike.  I should mention that, although deer and birds enjoy the berries they are poisonous to humans.

Lastly, if you are interested in having a successful American Holly in your yard, complete with berries, it is important to plan for more than one.  The American Holly is a dioecious, which means that male and female are found in separate plants.  To pollinate correctly, there must be more than one tree.  Another detractor of the American Holly is its slow growth rate.   On average, an American Holly can take roughly 4 to 7 years before it even begins to blossom and it gains an average of only 12 to 24″ in height each year.

Still, despite its detractors, the American Holly is a hardy plant that grows in a wide variety of zones, soils and geographical areas.  It is a perfect addition to any yard, whether you want a decorative tree or a nice hedge.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: Camellia
2. Plant of the Week: The Knock Out Rose
3. Plant of the Week: Cyclamen

Even still, I would like to go through them for any beginner gardener out there. If you remember a few week ago, I wrote a post on the beginner gardener: getting ready. By now I am sure that you have had lots of time to think about your garden, what you want and how much time you have for it. I also know that growing season is coming to an end but if you are planning on putting in some bulbs or even starting in the spring, you should look at buying your tools now when the end of season sales start. For this post, I am just going to look at the tools you use for planting and digging and I will go over tools that you use for trimming later.

So without further ado, let’s look at the tools.

The Spade:

Every gardener needs a spade and the type of spade really depends on what you are going to use it for. Generally, you will use your spade for digging. For this reason, you will want to have a spade with a shaft length that is comfortable for your height. Gardening can be backbreaking work, so don’t make it more so by buying tools that are too short for you. The best spades are ones with stainless steel blades since they have a longer shelf life than steel spades and they also cut the soil much easier. Spades are used for the heavy digging when you are removing weeds or putting in trees.

The Trowels:

This is an item that I always called a spade, especially when I started gardening. For years, when I was mostly working with containers and annuals, it was pretty much the only tool that I had. These are the small shovel (or spade-like) tools that you use for scooping out the soil to create holes for new flowers, seeds or bulbs. Again, like the spade, the best type of trowel is one that has a stainless steel blade instead of forged steel.

The Forks:

If you are sticking to small beds or simply using containers, then chances are you will only need a hand fork. These aer used for working in tightly planted areas, removing weeds and also for transplanting seedlings. You can purchase hand forks with three or four prongs and there really is no difference in how they work. Basically, you want one that is comfortable to use, whether it is three or four prongs.

If you are going larger, a garden fork will be something that you may need to purchase one. There are different forks for general digging and others that you can use for working around potatoes. Again, stainless steel is the best option when you are purchasing a garden fork and you will want to find a shaft length that is comfortable. Garden forks can be used for digging and they can also be used for aerating a lawn, moving compost and cultivating a garden.

The Rakes:

Yes, rakes and forks are different and you will need both, especially if you are planting a vegetable garden. Rakes come in many different sizes and you can find wooden, plastic and metal heads for the rakes. Most people prefer rakes with a steel head for their gardening needs. Other than picking up leaves, don’t use a steel head for this since it can damage your lawn, forks can be used to level the soil or for aerating your lawn.

The Hoes:

Occasionally it seems like there are way too many tools for the same job in a garden but each one has a reason for their use. A hoe can be found in several different types such as the draw hoe and the dutch hoe and you may find that you will be purchasing more than one. Again, the best blade is the stainless steel variety but don’t feel that you need to purchase them in stainless steel since they tend to be more expensive than forged steel. You can use your hoe for weeding, breaking up the surface soil, building up mounds for vegetables and also for making a seed furrow.

And there are some of the tools of the trade. You can also purchase a wheelbarrow but they are only necessary if your garden is large. I find my kids wagon is perfect for lugging bags of top soil around the yard to each of the planters but if I am moving loose soil or debris, the wheelbarrow is perfect.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Pruning Shears – One Among The Four Must-Have Gardener’s Tools
2. Be Prepared – Five Basic Tools for your Rose Garden
3. The Main Purpose of a Garden Spading Fork

There are a number of ways to winterize your roses and it depends on the climate you live in and also the type of rose that you have. Obviously a shrub rose is not going to be cut back but it will still require some maintanance to ensure that it is healthy the following spring. The topic of winterizing your roses is one that is often debated. Some feel that roses don’t need to be winterized, some feel that only a few types need to be and others follow a general rule of thumb, “if it’s a rose, it should be winterized.” I usually follow the latter but don’t feel that you need to.

Now that you have assessed your rose bush and the climate you live in, let’s get to winterizing in general. Since there are a number of different varieties of roses, I will cover them in sections.

Rose Bushes:

Rose bushes, such as hybrid roses, only need minor pruning to prepare for winter. This means that you remove all of the leaves and if you feel it is necessary, cut back the canes of the rose bush until they are about 3 feet long. Once you have cut the canes back, you can use a rose bush cone or chicken wire and stakes to create a circular enclosure aroudn the rose bush and pile some soil around the base of the bush. Generally, you want to use about 12 inches of soil. Once the soil has frozen, pile another 4 inches of mulch on top of the soil and make sure it is spread around the entire bush.

Climbing Roses:

Climbing roses do not need as much work as a rose bush does but it will still take a bit of time to secure your climbing roses for winter, usually because of the fiddly parts the job entails. Before you remove your climbers from the trellis, or fixture that they are attached to, you will need to go under the bush and remove any small canes that seem to be growing uncontrolled. After that, remove the climber from the trellis and lay it flat on the ground. Cover them with soil and leave them for the winter, come spring you can reattach them to the trellis.

Before you winterize your climbing roses, make sure that they need to be. Many varieties of climbing roses are hardy enough so they will not need any winterizing to be done.

Rose Shrubs:

For the shrubs in your yard, all you will need to do is crawl under your shrub and cut away any dead canes so there is ample air circulation through the plant. After that, you’re done, except for the usual care of your rose bush before winter, such as removing dead blooms, ect.

With all rose bushes, it is recommended that you remove all of the leaves that you clipped off from the area. Don’t leave them in yoru garden since they could be covered with insect eggs. Another recommendation is to spray your roses with lime sulfur after you winterize them and throughout the winter if you can. This is not a necessity but it will help alleviate blackspot in the spring.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Climbing Roses Grow On Longer Canes
2. Five Ways to Take Care of your Roses in Winter Months
3. Rambling Roses: How to Tame those Climbing Roses in your Garden

Now that I have just walked down memory lane with you, let’s get to the important facts, mulching. It isn’t the best job in gardening but it has its purposes. Mulching, if you aren’t sure, is used for a variety of reasons including provide temperature control for the roots, controlling weeds and repelling insects. There are a number of items that you can use for mulching and they all have their pros and cons, much like everything else.

Although rubber mulch isn’t the organic answer for mulching, it is an eco-friendly option since they are reusing old tires. The number of tires discarded in Canada alone each year is roughly 28 million tires. I’m not sure if you have been in a tire shop with about 10 stacks of tires, probably 50 to 100 tires max, believe me, it is crammed and I can only imagine what 28 million is like.

With rubber mulch being offered to consumers, it helps alleviate some of the problems of used tires. If we are looking at this simply as a gardener, rubber mulch has many benefits. It has been proven to never decompose and it provides many of the benefits that other mulches provide.  It keeps the temperature at a proper degree, reduces the growth of weeds and allows nutrients through to the plants.  It can be as decorative as you want it and actually comes in several colors, including green, blue, terracotta, black and brown.

For pet owners, it does provide a non-toxic mulch that shouldn’t harm your pet if they ingest some, although I am not completely convinced about this.  Much like stones, I can see the consumption of rubber pebbles causing some quick jaunts to the vet to have them extracted.  The pebbles are said to be odorless and shouldn’t attract many insects. Since they do not decompose, you shouldn’t have to replace them often.

The price for rubber mulch is fairly high, with a yard of coverage ranging in price from 50 to 100 dollars but many manufacturers of the product really pump the fact that rubber mulch does not decompose and it is resistant to wash away.  Of course, I often wonder how resistant it is to walk away, when children collect the pebbles from your garden.

Rubber mulching is a great choice for any gardener but before you invest in it, you should figure out what it is you want in a mulch.  If you are looking for something that provides protection and nutrients, then this is not the mulch to go with.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. The Basics of Mulching your Rose Garden
2. Much To Do About Vegetable Garden Mulch
3. How To Start Organic Gardening

Still, even with that knowledge safely tucked away, there is still one point about fall that many people are thinking about in late summer and that is the fall bulbs. There are many to choose from but for this week’s plant of the week, I thought I would look at the Cyclamen, which is a beautiful fall bloom that you will want to see in your garden.

The Cyclamen can be planted in late August and early September and you will begin to see blooms in October, although this can vary with blooms occurring between September through to November and some varieties also have blooms as late as January.

It is a hardy plant that can survive low temperatures that are found in Zone 5 and it does well in shade. It has small shooting star-like flowers that come in several different colors; pink, white and rose-purple. The stems are usually between 2 to 4 inches, which make them an excellent plant for the front of a garden. The leaves are two toned and provide ample color throughout the fall and winter.

Lastly, this is a plant that can be brought inside, and you will often see it at Florist’s or the garden section at the grocery store. All you need to have success with this plant indoors is to provide it with enough humidity and a cool temperature (the recommended temp is about 55 to 65 degrees).

So if you are looking for a beautiful fall bloom, I would suggest the Cyclamen.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 1

Photo Credit 2

Photo Credit 3

Related posts:

1. Plant of the Week: The Knock Out Rose
2. Plant of the Week: American Holly
3. Plant of the Week: Camellia

But enough of winter, the snow will be upon us (or some of us) soon enough and we’ll be relegated to indoor gardening or greenhouses for those of us who have them.  Late summer has a number of tasks that should be done in the garden and below is a helpful list.

• Weed your flower gardens and continue with the general maintenance of your garden by dead heading all the flowers and removing pests.  Check out our post on organic weed control.
• Fertilize any plants that seem to need it. 
• Plant any bulbs that you have that bloom in the fall.
• Sow any of the vegetables from your garden that are ready in the late summer.  Another task for your vegetable garden is to dry off your onions and store them.
• Harvest your herb garden (if you have one) and dry the herbs.  See our article on “Do It Yourself Microwave Herb Drying”
• If you are planning to have strawberries next year, this is the preferred season to plant them.

And lastly, enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Early Summer Gardening Tasks
2. The Beauty of a Summer Vegetable Garden
3. Some like it cold: It’s not too late to get your fall veggie garden growing

I am notoriously bad about planting bulbs. I tend to forget to buy them. Then if I remember to purchase them, I get so busy that I don’t get them into the ground until I look outside and see a fine snow coming down. Last year, I managed to get them planted just in time but it wasn’t a very warm day when I did.

Now that I am so bad with bulbs, I like to plant some in containers. This way, if I forget to put them in the ground before it snows, I can cheat and have a few planters of tulips in the spring.

When you choose to create a tulip container, remember that you don’t have to stick with only tulips, any type of bulb will work and you can mix it up with colors and types. Basically, all you need is a container, potting soil, pebbles and the bulbs, of course.

Start by adding a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the container, make sure they are level and it should be about 2 inches in depth. Next, cover the pebbles with soil until it is about 8 to 9 inches below the top of the container. Place the bulbs evenly into the soil. You don’t have to bury them at this stage since you will be adding soil to the top.

One thing, before I go on, is the fact that the tulip bulbs can be planted in two layers. This creates a wonderfully full container when your bulbs sprout up. Also, make sure your bulbs bloom during the same period of time if you are using several different kinds.

Okay, back to planting those tulips. Now that you have your first layer of tulips in the container, cover them with a firm layer of potting soil. Take the next layer of bulbs and place them in between each bulb from the previously planted layer. They should be above the first layer with each bulb from the top layer resting between the necks of the lower bulbs.

Cover with soil, leaving about an inch between the top of the soil and the top of the container. Then simply sit back and wait for them to grow.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. What You Need to Know Before Planting Tulips
2. Tulips in the Garden
3. Soil Preparation for Tulips

Still, eco-friendly is a great choice and one that I heartily agree with, especially when it comes to gardening.  I often shudder when I see those signs, “stay off the lawn, pesticide use,” and I think of all the hours of enjoyment that will be missed simply because someone sprayed their lawn.

If you are eco-friendly, or trying to go eco-friendly, here are is a handy organic tip on weed control that will keep you and your garden happy and healthy.

Weed Control:

I remember one year my garden became overrun with dandelions.  I was in hell.  Not because of the dandelions, nope I’m actually quite fond of this sunny little weed, but because of my over zealous neighbors who, I was positive, were casting hexes my way on a daily basis.  Two long days were spent going over the lawn on my hands and knees and digging out the dandelions.  I had a huge stack to toss into the compost by the time I was finished and my neighbors smiled at me in what appeared to be relief. 

Unfortunately, not even a week after my adventures in weeding and the neighbor across the street, who could care less about how the neighbors felt, allowed his lawn of dandelions to mature and I watched in horror as they spread across my lawn again.

Now I take a completely relaxed view of dandelions and the only time you see me out there pulling them out is when I’m harvesting a treat for my son’s bunny. 

Of course, this probably doesn’t offer you much advice right there but the most organic way to control weeds is to dig them out.  Yes, it’s hard work and probably one of the worst jobs in gardening but it has to be done.

Now, the alternative to digging out weeds in places other than your lawn, is to use an old piece of carpet or a piece of black polyethylene.  All you need to do is place the strip over the weed(s) and leave it.  The lack of light will eventually kill the weed and it is not a next day cure to weeds.  Generally, you need to wait several months for all the roots to die but in the end, if the patch of weeds was large enough, you save yourself the backache and the planet from chemicals.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. What Is Organic About Organic Plants?
2. Organic Gardening Supplies Every Organic Gardener Needs
3. How To Start Organic Gardening

What you need:

• Wire Wreath Form
• Sphagnum Moss
• Small Well Rooted Plants
• Floral U-pins
• Fishing Line
• Rubber Gloves
• Scissors
• Bucket

Before starting, a nice leisurely stroll through your local garden center is a wonderful way to find the right theme for your wreath.  Go in and absorb the sights, sounds and smells around you to gain inspiration for the wreath.  Plan your visit around the central idea of the wreath; a busy garden center might inspire a wreath that is colorful and filled with busy cheer.  A quiet early morning visit may inspire a wreth that exudes serenity.

Now that you have the mood, you need the plants.  There are hundreds of plants that can be used for living wreaths but it is important to use well-rooted plants.  When choosing the plants, take into consideration the soil composition, light requirements, and moisture needs of the plants since they should all be similar.  Succulents do very well in living wreaths and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.  If you are looking for some blooms in your living wreath, plants such as pansies, violets and many other flowering plants can do well.  Plants that have quick growing roots such as ivy also make an excellent choice for a living wreath.  Herbs such as mint, rosemary and lavender to name a few can be added to a wreath to create a desired ambiance.  Take time when choosing your plants and play around with placement before you commit to the purchase.

When you sit down to create your living wreath, make sure you do it in an area that can be cleaned easily.  Like many creative processes, this can be very messy.  I usually place a garbage bag down and work on top of it.  This makes clean up a breeze and saves time for the more important stuff, like admiring your work.

You will need a wire wreath form but it does not have to be a simple circular shape; hearts and other shapes also look nice.  You will also need fishing line, scissors, floral u-pins, a bucket and rubber gloves.  It is very important to wear rubber gloves since you will also be using Sphagnum Moss to line the wreath and hold the plants.  Sphagnum moss can cause a skin infection if it is handled without gloves. 

To begin, you will need to tie the end of the fishing line to a starting point on your wreath.  Place the Sphagnum Moss, which needs to be soaked for 30 minutes before hand, around the wreath form and make sure that it is generously layered.  Arrange the plants on top of the moss.  It is best if you lay them loosely so you can position the plants until you have created the mini garden that you desire.  After you are happy with the placement, take the first plant closest to the fishing line and place it in the Sphagnum Moss.  Secure the plant with more moss and loop the fishing line around both the moss and the plant.  Repeat these steps all the way around the wreath and keep a close eye on the shape to prevent the size from fluctuating around the wreath.  When the wreath is complete, tie off the fishing line and place the wreath where you want it.

Living wreaths do require a significant amount of care.  The plants need to be trimmed and controlled with floral pins and the living wreath will need to be watered every day.  The best way to accomplish this is to place the wreath in a garbage can lid and soak it for a few minutes in cool water.     

A finished living wreath can be a work of art and can be used in a multitude of ways.  Deep greens and seasonal flowers can create a welcoming wreath during the holidays.  Create a wreath with nothing but fresh herbs and place it in a kitchen.  Not only do you have a wonderfully scented kitchen but you can use the clippings to spice up any dish you desire.    

Romance can be achieved by adding candleholder spikes into the wreath and setting it on a table.  Be sure to securely fasten the spikes with fishing line.  Add a touch of mint or another favorite herb to give the romantic setting a seductive scent.      

A great way to bring the romance from indoors to out is to create several small wreaths and place them on candle spikes down a walkway.  The flickering light of the candles warm the colors of the wreaths at night and can provide a charming decoration during the day.      

One of my favourite ways to use a living wreath is to fill it with soothing greens, warm colors and a soft blend of lavender and chamomile. Add it as a table decoration or as a wall hanging in your bathroom spa.  The need for scented candles will be unnecessary with the relaxing smells that drift from a well-placed living wreath.    

The living wreath has become more than a way to bring the garden indoors during winter months.  It has become a way to create a decoration, a miniature garden, and a central object for relaxation and meditation and there is no end to their enjoyment throughout the whole process of creating and owning one.

Sirena Van Schaik

Related posts:

1. Creating a Living Wreath Part One
2. Types Of Gardening Gloves
3. Creating A Beautiful Bonsai Garden

Where should it go?

Location, location, location!  It’s not something that only Hollywood directors (or those making fun of them) spout.  Any avid gardener who owns a greenhouse will tell you that unless you start with the perfect location, your greenhouse is going to be a dud.  After all the time you will spend in building it, setting it up and planting, that is the last thing that you want.

Sunlight is a must for a greenhouse but it doesn’t have to be a full day of sunlight.  One of the suggested locations for a greenhouse is somewhere in your yard that is the furthest East.  The main goal is to provide your greenhouse with as much sun as possible and the best sun for optimal growth is the morning sun.  After the morning, it is fine to have shade on the greenhouse and there shouldn’t be any problems with the overall health of your greenhouse.

Another factor into having a successful greenhouse is to place it in an area that has excellent drainage.  The best way to ensure that you have adequate drainage is to build the greenhouse slightly higher than the ground.  This will ensure that your greenhouse won’t flood and excess water will drain away.

Lastly, a successful greenhouse is one that is accessible. If it is difficult to get into or if there is no way to run electricity out to it, then chances are, your love of greenhouse growing will quickly evaporate.  Take into consideration what you want to do in the greenhouse and provide places to work that are both inside and beside the actual greenhouse.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

Related posts:

1. A Guide to Greenhouse Gardening
2. Plants For Your Greenhouse
3. Your Greenhouse Foundation