Gardening Naturally with Claudia

Yard Renovations Continue–Summer 2013

2013-06-10T15:39:00.000-04:00

Documenting our continued yard renovation has been on the back burner for several weeks, due to yard renovation. I really wanted to take advantage of the (finally) good weather of cool temperatures and periods of dryness. Although much more is planned, I have a rainy day to show what has been done. This Solar Eclipse Redbud will anchor the back corner. With it’s variegated green and

Perennials Work Beyond the Blooms

2013-05-29T10:14:00.000-04:00

May flowers are getting all of the attention right now. And in the next few weeks this explosion of color will be spectacular! As you see bright purples, pinks, and yellows pop up, if you are like me, you will head to the garden center to obtain the 'perennial of the week'. Just be aware that in a few weeks, perennials blossoms will fade and you will just have the foliage to view in the

10 Money $aving Ideas for the Landscape

2013-05-05T01:00:00.000-04:00

Nothing takes the fun out of a project than spending too much money and the end result got lost along the way. Landscape projects can quickly get out of hand in costs and size. Realistic plans that are doable are more likely not to break the bank. 1) This is the planning part of the project. Collect pictures of outdoor spaces that may work in your landscape. Many times a professional

Planning a New Landscape-Time to Refocus

2013-05-02T01:00:00.000-04:00

Caretaker of the Home Landscape My landscape had a major face lift this past season. When we lost four big trees, the sun/shade dynamic was clearly changed. So..... I'd like to share my thoughts on the landscape makeover, and what we are considering. A couple of years ago, I wrote an article for the Montgomery County Master Gardeners newsletter on Permaculture. Two Australians,

Landscape - Common Practices that Cost Us

2013-04-30T01:00:00.000-04:00

Landscapes - Are We Making This Too Difficult? God and Grass I received this email a while back. I do not know the author to give credit. But I could not say it any better. (I've added the pictures.) GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started

Arbor Day Featured Tree–The Redbud

2013-04-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

The Eastern Redbud tree, Cercis canadensia has been a favorite of mine since kindergarten. In the early 1950’s our school sold Redbud trees to help a school fundraiser. They were $ .25 each, and we sold 100’s of trees. Each spring I recall that time of my life and smile a little when I see rosy wafts of color in the still stark woods in Southwest Ohio. Along roads and streams the native

Host Plants for Caterpillars

2013-04-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

As we head out to the garden center, keep in mind the beautiful sight of colorful butterflies in the garden. Now is the time to plan a feast for the caterpillars with appropriate host plants. Caterpillars of butterflies have a menu that is as diverse as the different butterflies they will morph into. Some butterflies will come to the garden for the sole purpose of eating, mating, and

Mulch–Choices that Affect the Soil

2013-04-01T14:26:00.002-04:00

Mulch is a covering put on gardens and landscape that can benefit the soil. Mulch can be organic material. Mulch can be inorganic material. mulch can make a garden look finished. Mulch can also make gardening easier. Mulch can save water. Mulch can smother grasses and weeds in the garden. Mulch can keep weed seed from germinating. Mulch can keep soil temperatures stable. Mulch can

Beneficial Insects Attack These Insects

2013-03-20T15:48:00.000-04:00

Beneficial Insects are insects that prey on other insect pests. This list is not complete, and just reinforces the idea that not all bugs are bad. Some larvae of good bugs eat eggs of pests, but initial sightings of caterpillars on a leaf may confuse the gardeners in assuming the caterpillar is a pest, not the beneficial he really is. Top Left: Parasitic Wasp. This wasp lays eggs in and

Companion Plants - Vegetable Garden

2013-03-12T13:00:00.000-04:00

. The companion plants for the vegetable garden will aid the gardener in reducing plant damage from insects, and help reduce the need for chemical remedies. Companion plants draw insects to the garden for several important tasks. One task is pollination. For plants to produce fruit or seeds, these plants need to be pollinated. The second task is survival. The plant world has survived due

Creating A Vegetable Garden

2013-03-10T10:30:00.000-04:00

Having been questioned about the process to create a vegetable garden, I have compiled several methods that I would find easy to build, and easy to harvest great vegetables. This type of bed is called the ‘intensive French Mound’. The rows are built up with layers of garden soil, and compost. Many gardeners prefer to ‘double-dig’ this with the thinking that loose soil below will enhance

Garden Journal–Take Note

2013-03-07T01:00:00.000-05:00

Gardening and farming are dependent on insects to pollinate plants. Plants need moisture. And sunlight affects the plants growth. This symbiotic relationship between plants, nature, and pollinators is critical to the ecosystems that exist. But, according to the BBC news, “the past 100 years or so, many plants that have just used day-length have become locally extinct. Yet plants that have

10 Steps - Greener, Healthier Lawns

2013-03-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Philip Brown for guest posting today. - Claudia, Gardening Naturally About the Author: Philip Brown considers himself a lawn care enthusiast. A loyal employee of Trugreen for close to 12 years, Philip now spends his time sharing what he knows with others. When he’s not blogging about lawn management and lawn care, you can find him tending to his own front yard down in Loganville,

Need to Fertilize–Do This First!

2013-03-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

When should I fertilize? How much should I fertilize? Which fertilizers should I use? What do the numbers on fertilizer mean? Many gardeners and homeowners will frantically apply fertilizer to the yard. Or they will randomly throw fertilizer on the garden. The more the better. The sooner the better. If a little is good, more is better! Whooow. Back-up the horses! Take a deep breath, and

Poison Plants - A Garden Style?

2013-02-23T12:10:00.002-05:00

I read Murder mysteries. And a story I read had a host of suspects who had visited a ‘Poison Garden’. So I, naturally, had to see what kinds of poison plants were in this poison garden. Here are some plants I found for a mystery lovers poison garden. The bright purple of Monkshood, Aconitum will catch the eye in the garden. It grows in Zone 5-8, prefer part shade.The tall spires make a

Landscape Ideas For the Backyard Retreat

2013-02-22T01:00:00.000-05:00

People are choosing to live a more laid-back life. As our kids, jobs, and elderly parents need our time and energy, we are seeking a backyard retreat. We do not need to travel far, and the accommodations are familiar. Why take a couple of hours for a road trip, when the lounge area in the backyard is right here! Nature has a way of calming us like nothing else. The rustle of leaves, dappled

Outdoor Spaces–Important to Homeowners

2013-02-20T11:37:00.001-05:00

Homeowners are making outdoor spaces more and more livable. The health and wellness of the family is the important factor driving the homeowner’s decisions on all types of purchases. Today’s Garden Center Magazine has determined that even though the number of backyard vegetable gardens has dropped since 2011, 53% of homeowners still grow some vegetables or fruit. The majority of homeowners

American Persimmons–‘Fruit of the Gods’

2013-02-18T09:07:00.000-05:00

Guest post writer today is Mark Webber of Webber Landscape in Dayton, Ohio. Mark also hosts a radio program, ‘GardenTalk’ on WHIO radio, AM1290. Mark has had the premier gardening talk show in our area for twenty two years, and I am pleased to have him as a guest. Plant of the Day "American Persimmon" aka "Fruit of the Gods" Originally Posted by Mark Webber on January 18, 2012 at 1:02pm

Trends In Gardening–Purple, Sexy, Modern, Purple

2013-02-17T10:26:00.001-05:00

According to a Better Homes and Garden article, purple is the ‘trendy’ color to incorporate into the landscape. Finding a pleasant yet vibrant color scheme for the landscape is important. The foliage of plants is a valued element, and yet when most think garden foliage, they think green. Dark foliage plants add a sleek, modern element to the garden. ‘Fads’ can be used in annual containers.

Foliage – Create Great Gardens

2013-02-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

More than color, foliage is that element of the plant that creates its identity. Foliage can be big, bold, leafy, round, waxy, ferny, and strappy. The type of foliage creates texture, contrast, and may be the focal point of a section of garden, or foliage can be the backdrop to any manner of visual delights we care to place there. I have been known to rush to the garden center to purchase

Shrubbery Garden - Elegant and Easy

2013-01-31T13:11:00.000-05:00

I get to my local library often, and the elegant shrubbery garden that surrounds three sides of the building is always changing. The garden was donated by Dorothy R Yeck and named after her. The design was created by Craig Jaynes who is a talented landscape designer. The ever changing garden caught my eye this week. It was a mild gloomy day here in South West Ohio, and the Woodbourne

Winter Gardening Chores and Tips

2013-01-24T15:44:00.001-05:00

Many simple chores that do not take an exorbitant amount of time outside (it’s too cold), should be getting checked off of your to-do list. What a benefit to have these chores finished when the spring finally arrives. If you didn't get around to mulching the beds before, it can still be done if the mulch material is not frozen stiff. Materials like pine needles, straw, leaves, and evergreen

The Fairies Are Present–Krohn Conservatory

2013-01-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

The winter here in SW Ohio seemed to be put on hold for a while last week. So Saturday, we headed to the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio. The sun was shining and the main garden theme highlighted spring even though we are still in the midst of winter. I cannot begin to express my delight at the color, and the aromas of the blooming plants. Let me show you a little of this delightful

Feed The Birds

2013-01-21T11:20:00.001-05:00

Simple Suet Recipe The temperatures are dropping to lows that we have not seen in years. The ponds, puddles, and slow moving creeks will be frozen for many days. So I replenished the feeders and the heated birdbath in anticipation of the severe temperatures. This may look like peanut butter fudge. The is a homemade suet I made for my bird visitors. The recipe is simple, use whatever

Hydroponics–Just Add Water

2013-01-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants with nutritious water solutions delivered in several different manners to hydrate the plants’ roots. The advantages hydroponics offers the grower are no weeds, no digging in soil, no soil born insects and diseases, and higher yields from crops. Many use hydroponic indoors relieving the gardener from the hot sun, wind, and other climate issues. These