Our master bedroom garden was an unsightly mess. What it needed was an instant rusted corrugated metal fence, although it took me a while to figure that out. The space was initially designed as coyote-safe place for our small dogs and a sunny location for our raised bed gardens in galvanized stock tanks. But the native grasses had taken over, and the heavy-gauge open mesh fence offered no privacy. It was time for a serious landscaping remodel. Bee Zollo, my life partner, and I decided we wanted a space with a cleaner, more modern aesthetic than the over-grown “natural” look that we currently had. The most important element in the new garden was making it more private. This necessitated replacing the open mesh fencing with a new design. We considered a range of wood options, but finally decided we liked the contemporary appearance of a rusted corrugated metal fence using the existing redwood framing which was in very good shape. Inventing the Instant Rusted Corrugated Metal … [Read more...] about Build an Instant Rusted Corrugated Metal Fence
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Top 10 Vegetables for Container Gardening
Container gardens can be an oasis of beauty on a deck, balcony or patio. Even container vegetable gardens can be beautiful. But most gardeners who grow vegetables in containers don’t do it for the beauty. They’re in it for the tasty vine-ripened tomatoes, the spicy hot peppers, the crunchy radishes and the tender salad greens. If you’ve never tried container gardening before, you’re missing out on a great way to learn about gardening. And if you have grown vegetables in containers, you might be surprised at the new varieties of veggies that have recently been introduced with container gardening in mind. Whether you are a newbie to gardening or a Master Gardener, now is a great time to grow a container garden full of edible plants. My list of the Top 10 Container Garden Vegetables is below, along with descriptions, photos and a link to where you can buy the seeds. If you want to read more about container gardening, read Tips for Growing Successful Container Gardens. Start … [Read more...] about Top 10 Vegetables for Container Gardening
Tips for Seed Starting Success
Long before winter is over, I start thinking about seed starting. But I’ve never written down my tips for seed starting success—until now. Starting plants from seed is rewarding in any ways. You get a whole tray full of seedlings for the price of one pack of seeds. You can share them with other gardening friends. Most importantly, you can cultivate many more varieties than are available as seedlings at your local garden centers and home supply stores. Here are a few seed starting success tips to get you started. Also read our story about the Best New Vegetable Seed Varieties. Tips for Seed Starting Success #1 The first tip for seed starting success is really important. Start with fresh, quality seeds that have been properly stored in a dark, dry, and cool spot. Good seeds mean reliable germination rates. Check the date on the seed packet. Discard old seeds or any packs that look like they have been exposed to moisture. Local garden centers are a great source for fresh … [Read more...] about Tips for Seed Starting Success
New Plants and Garden Products Win 2019 Green Thumb Awards
Six of the best new ornamental plants, garden products and edible plants have won 2019 Green Thumb Awards presented by the Direct Gardening Association (DirectGardeningAssociation.com). Honored in the Ornamental Seeds, Bulbs and Plants division were: Illuminati Tiny Tower Mock Orange from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. Peppy Le Pom Ornamental Pomegranate from Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs. Honored in the Gardening Tools and Accessories division were: Vertex Lifetime Tomato Cage from Gardener’s Supply Co. Bamboo Home LED Grow Light Garden from Gardener’s Supply Co. Honored in the Edible Plants division were: Wood Prairie Organic Colossal Potato Collection from Wood Prairie Family Farm. Tomato Purple Boy Hybrid from Park Seed. Winners of the 2019 Green Thumb Awards were chosen by an independent panel of garden writers and editors. The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to … [Read more...] about New Plants and Garden Products Win 2019 Green Thumb Awards
Six Lessons I Learned from Garden Failure
Garden failure happens. I know, because it was a rough season for my garden. Between hailstorms, squirrels and an energetic toddler with a stick, I have witnessed some epic garden casualties. It’s times like these that I have to remember patience and acceptance-- and embrace every garden failure as a learning opportunity. It’s a harsh reality, but it’s true: failing can teach you a lot. Plants die sometimes for no apparent reason. And sometimes you’ll make a mistake-- like the time I planted a hydrangea in my New Mexico garden. That poor plant failed SPECTACULARLY. (It did not like the climate AT ALL.) Just remember that every mistake is a learning opportunity that will help you become a better gardener in the long run. Here’s a list of my failures this year: Garden Failure #1: Sowed seeds too late. The ideal time to sow seeds outside in spring can be a very narrow window, and it varies from year to year. This year, we had a very early warm, dry spring. By planting way too … [Read more...] about Six Lessons I Learned from Garden Failure
