Marypause50 ~10 years later still a blog about gardens, simplicity, friendships, gratitude, health,

Spruce Up Your Garden Accessories

    Now you are planted, so then what? What is the most affordable, fun way to spruce up your garden? I say it's all in the 'garden accessories'. Whether it is benches, chairs, tables, birdfeeders, birdhouses, birdbaths, chimes, lanterns or chatchkis, the wear & tear on them being outside most of the year takes its toll. These items add charm to your garden & are worth the effort for you to do your own upcycling!

    I like to start by washing off items & seeing if they are worth saving. Sometimes a good cleaning is enough. There is nothing like nature's patina on certain accessories to add a certain charm to your space. Rust plays a big part in evaluating the damage factor & also fading from UV light. The wood & metal bench pictured to the left is structurally sound but was in desperate need of some TLC this year (and last, and years before that!). Sometimes it means finding the time but this truly did not take long at all. I like to use the Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Multi-Purpose Spray Paint (Krylon is nice too) to freshen up some of my garden stakes, planters, bird feeders & decorations. It’s easy, fun & for little money has a big impact. That worked beautifully on the bench because the paint is for wood & metal. I had the pillows from past years (bought to hide blah parts). I chose two colors. I sprayed the metal inset first one color. (wear disposable gloves) I let it cure for a few days before I painters taped it off with newspaper too. I then sprayed the rest of the bench, metal & wood parts all one color. Very easy, just choose a barely breezing day, & for an item this large, remove anything important nearby (cars, house, etc.) that might catch the overspray. A few fast-drying coats & I was done. It is soooo rewarding & for less than $15 in paint it is now a custom-colored bench, just right for my space.

   So look around & see what fun you can have upcycling your own garden accessories. Be adventurous without leaving your own backyard!

Successful Planter & Container Gardens

   To begin your beautiful adventure into successful container gardening, choosing the right size container (with drainage holes!) is extremely important. Pick a large enough container for the sun exposure you receive. A very large container in full sun will dry out less quickly than a smaller size. If you are committed to a container garden, then you must be committed to watering every (or almost every) day. The more you allow your containers to completely dry out, the less successful you will be. Potting mixes are abundant at garden centers now. I choose types with fertilizer & also continue to feed throughout the summer. For my sun locations I use the 'blue' bag moisture control mixes.

   When choosing your container plants always consider the sun exposure you have first of all & then plan your choices. Most of all, have fun with it! To get started you can check out a site like http://www.provenwinners.com/container-gardening for ideas & inspiration.
   To help save you money & add to your success here are some of my own plant buying experiences:

~ For sun & part sun the plants that are traditional but DO NOT do well in containers generally are: ageratum, dahlia, geranium, marigolds, gerbera daisy, snapdragon (hates container heat), osteopermum (only blooms in cool temps), verbena, rosebud impatiens.
~ Here are some excellent sun/part sun choices: Angelonia, begonia ‘dragon wing’ variety (available in pink & red, green leaf; one plant grows so large it’s all you need), euphorbia ‘diamond frost’, calibrachoa, canna, mandevillia, papyrus, cordyline, new guinea impatiens (requires LOTS of water), Marguerite daisy, heliotrope, salvia, coleus, bacopa, zinnia (pinch these for perfection!). New compact petunia varieties like Cha-Ching Cherry & petunia wave varieties are wonderful too. Also, tree standards like lantana, hibiscus, citrus & magnolia are lovely.

~ For shade remember to NOT USE the regular bedding impatiens. The downy mildew fungus is not going anywhere & can be costly. Instead try torenia, coleus, dragon wing begonias (personal favorite), wax begonias, fuschia & new guinea impatiens. Perennials like hosta, dicentra, lamium & ivy are wonderful too. 'Search' my past blogs on container gardening & watering. Happy Planting!

Getting Ready to Plant ~ Simply

   It's that wonderful time of year for gardener's everywhere ~ time to dig & plant and get our dirty on! (In the innocent gardening sense...) So here are some tips to get you rolling this spring:

~ Don't be too anxious with your annuals. Before putting those annuals in the ground it is wise to check your plant hardiness zone for your area. Due to warming climate changes you may be able to plant specimens that never fell in your zone wheel house before! Also, we will be seeing plants, shrubs & trees that never made it to colder zone garden centers before. Check out the link below to find your new USDA zone.
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

~ Again, don't be too anxious with your perennials. If you are starting from scratch or want to do the overhaul and are not sure about the look of certain plants, etc. then pace yourself. Garden centers will get the perennials in at their bloom time (because they will sell more this way!) If you have knowledge then go to town on buying. But waiting & and buying/planting  every 2-4 weeks works well. You will see the perennials at their height & color better giving you a visual of the completed area or bed you are working with.
~ When planting your annuals, perennials & other transplants, remember to really break up the root ball. Remove all the soil if necessary to free up the roots. The peat they are often planted in will repel water away. Not a good start.
~ Deadhead & pinch your spent flowers regularly for a spring/summer/fall of blooms. You can do this immediately with your annuals for a bushier plant. Leggy is not good in an annual.

~ Try planting your tomatoes with the buried stem horizontal instead of buried deep vertically. Remove the leaves first. The plant will lean initially but will shoot up towards the sun in no time. This gives you more roots and a shallower watering depth. Work amazingly well!

~ Hand watering can never replace an inch of rain. So, really, really water deeply & consistently any new plantings this season. A rain gauge will help you judge what’s needed week to week.
Yay, we made it! Happy Planting!