#gardenchat

We've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:16:21 PST

Please join us over on our new site that has been created to better serve the garden industry promoting positive growing using social media.

You will find :

Complete #gardenchat Twitter information including schedule,topics, gardening how-to's, podcast, giveaways more...
How to Use Social Media to Grow
The Latest Garden Events
Pinterest Gardening - Giveaways , How-to, Trendy Shares
Google Hangout Information featuring LIVE demonstrations for those who grow!
SuperSowSunday Updates : Grow From Seed Info!

MORE......
We want to promote you FOR FREE ... so please connect with us on our new site!

Connect-Share -Grow .com

Adventures In Gardening: Looking Back While Moving Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 17:43:26 PST

A year ago, on December 30th, 2011, Brenda Haas asked me to write for The#gardenchatBlog and on December 31st, I sat down to post my first Adventures In Gardening column.

In fact, it was a Saturday, like today (though thanks to leap year this year, the date/day is a bit off). This was completely 'uncharted territory' for me. I was super excited and scared at the same time! A little overwhelmed, filled with self-doubt and even a little queasy, but for once, I wasn't going to let fear, or anything else, stop me from doing this. I spent over two hours writing and revising my first column, Getting To Know You.

(Some of my favorite photos from this first year of Adventures In Gardening)

Now here we are, my first anniversary of writing Adventures In Gardening and I honestly haven't the foggiest idea of how to commemorate such an occasion! So I'd like to take this time to share my deep appreciation with all of you. Thank you for sticking with me as I felt my way along this new path, during beautiful times in my home & garden, and through heartbreaking bumps in the road like my mothers stroke, my beloved father.in.law's illnesses & passing, Hurricane Sandy and my unpredictable health.

I also couldn't have made it this far without Brenda's continued support, encouragement, friendship and faith in me, nor can I thank her enough for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this blog!

As gardeners, like our gardens, we continue to grow with each passing season & year. I hope you'll continue to grow with me here as we begin life's journey anew in 2013.

Best wishes and peaceful blessings for the New Year!

I'll see you next time in January.
~Jo

aka Bloomin'Chick. Wife, mother of an angel in Heaven, survivor; a real Jersey Girl. (What you see on those reality shows isn't real!) Writer, photographer, joyful gardener (coastal Zone 7b/mountain Zone 6a) & avid reader. Eclectic, creative & happily married late 30-something who lives at the sea w/her heart in the mountains who happens to be disabled with Seronegative Arthritis & Fibromyalgia. I blog about my passions & life at Diggin’ Around and my NJ at NewJersey Through My Eyes.

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Merry Christmas from The Twitter Chat Forum #gardenchat

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 08:17:08 PST

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas : enjoy the season with family and friends.
Have a safe holiday and we will be kicking off the New Year on December 31 growing style!

Adventures In Gardening: Winters Arrival & Amaryllis Season

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:17:47 PST

Happy Winter friends!

The Solstice has come & gone once again and despite cold temps settling in for the long haul, our daylight hours now begin to lengthen bit by bit as we slowly turn back towards the sun.

I tell y'all what, Autumn didn't leave us here without a fight! A wind-swept rain storm brought down more trees & branches, knocking out power again for many, as well as flooding. I'm usually so sad to see Autumn go, but this year I'm glad to move forward! Now, Old Man Winter is making sure any trace of Autumn is blown away before Christmas arrives. Wind is roaring around us here, as we're down in a bit of a valley here on the coast, bringing down more branches and keeping temps in the 30s. We've had bouts of flurries & snow showers throughout the day and even though it's not enough to stick, I'm delighted! It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas!

Indoors, the Amaryllis have begun to bloom and what I fondly call 'Amaryllis Season' is under way! The first to bloom, a new one I'm trying this year (but I've misplaced the name of), had been open since the beginning of December. Today, one of my many 'Apple Blossom' has started to open.

I adore Amaryllis!

In fact, I can't remember a time when I didn't grow them, but I've only been doing so for several years. In my Zones (coastal NJ 7b & mountain NJ Zone 6a), Amaryllis aren't usually able to grow outside like in warmer climates, especially when we have a normal Northeast Winter! (There were a couple of 'Winters that weren't' where I did get them to grow outside, in pots, but the results were lackluster despite lush foliage). I love growing them around our home while my garden outside is at rest. As with most blooms, they're quite addictive! You can never have too many - no matter what my Hubby says! I've grown many shades of red & pink, solids & striped, one that was nearly orange and one that was white, but 'Apple Blossom' is my favorite.

These bulbs combine a couple of aspects of growing I love most: Low maintenance with beautiful blooms. Plop an Amaryllis bulb into just about any container (I prefer one with some kind of drainage holes) filled with your favorite potting soil or pebbles, water sparingly (to avoid mold & rot which happen all too often here), place around your home (in direct sun or indirect) and voila! Stunning blooms.

I usually begin forcing the bulbs around Halloween and stagger them from that point on by a week or two in between so I have Amaryllis blooming from Thanksgiving through Valentines, but, this year I got a later than usual start because Hurricane Sandy drove me to complete distraction.

I'm fascinated by how they change, not just daily, but throughout any give day once they open, which usually compels me to take many (many!) photos of them every day. This year, I created a photo slideshow on picasa called The Daily Amaryllis for my blog, Diggin' Around, which I'll be adding new photos to throughout the weeks to come, so I can share all of this season's Amaryllis photos in one spot. I wanted to share it with you here too:

After today, you can drop by my blog to see new photos! (Scroll down, the slideshow appears in the right hand column).

I'll see you here next Saturday, December 29th, my 1st anniversary of writing for The#gardenchatBlog!

I leave you with best wishes & blessings for this Winter and a Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating next week!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

#GardenWalk Thursday On Friday: @gardeninbetween & @SassyNancy

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:23:17 PST

I'm breaking with tradition for our first #GardenWalk Thursday on Friday for December here on #gardenchat by picking two Featured Tweeters for this week! Both of their photos were so pretty, I didn't want to pick just one!

@gardeninbetween
Imperfect gardener. Love roses, animals, books, flowers.
Speech/Language Pathologist by day (acute care, outpatient dysphagia).
Greater Vancouver, BC.
http://thegardeninbetween.com

One of my fav. photos from my garden.
Love the small buds of Gourmet Popcorn rose next to large poppy buds.

@SassyNancy
Garden Design, Container Gardens, D.I.R.T. girl.
D.esign + I.nstall + R.evitilize = T.rasnformation
Suwanee, Atlanta
http://wallacegardens.com

First buds of the season Amaryllis 'Merry Christmas'

Thank you Louise and Nancy for sharing on Twitter via #gardenwalk!

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here.

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Adventures In Gardening: Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 13:37:21 PST

Hello friends!

Let me start off by asking for your forgiveness for not having photos with this post! I'm having upload issues, but I have linked to the photos which have appeared here on #gardenchat and my blog as well.

Let's see now, where are we?! December is well under way already and there is so much to catch up with you about. The last time I wrote, I was spending the week before Halloween with Hubbs at our Northwestern NJ home in Zone 6a. (Click here). Autumn in the NJ Skylands and in near by Northeastern PA is spectacular and it’s our favorite time of year to be up there, even when it’s cloudy & dim like it was 7 of the 9 days we were up there this October.

Our great week was cut short by a Hurricane named Sandy. We spent that Friday prepping our Northwestern home and headed back to the Coast early Saturday to make final preparations here at the complex and for ourselves. Our 2nd hurricane in 14 months. It was unthinkable. The waiting for her arrival, which began sometime on Sunday and gradually built through Monday, only added to the fear. We lost power at 3:30pm on Monday the 29th. To a degree, that’s the worst; when you can no longer see what’s going on beyond your own windows. Monday night was awful. Overnight the winds were forecasted to diminish, yet they increased, gusting over 90mph again & again... You could feel everything shift, shake. The windows rattled. I felt the floor vibrating under my feet. I prayed we would still have a roof above us by daylight.

Thank God we didn’t have the rain with Sandy that we did with Irene. We didn’t flood this time after losing power (and therefore, the sump pumps). No structural damage either, aside from a few missing shingles on one of the buildings and some siding blew off another. I lost one of my arbors in the back yard, the one at the red gate with all of the morning glories & beans still growing on it. But that was it and we are so deeply grateful. We, literally right here, are so very lucky.

The destruction, locally and widespread, along the NJ coast, throughout NJ (and in areas on NY and CT) has been unlike anything we have ever experienced first hand and hope we don’t witness again. Utterly heartbreaking, though I’m still not sure that does it justice. Life changing. For a few brief photos, click here. (I recently made a decision about sharing my Hurricane Sandy photos publicly: I’ll wait. It’s too soon, especially for those who’ve lost so much. Some I will begin sharing after the holidays, others, I haven't decided when yet). By the following week, I still felt stunned, dazed, numb. It was all so hard to comprehend, process and explain. I attempted to try here.

Most of my garden was pretty twisted up and shocked into silence by Hurricane Sandy’s winds. And the snowy Nor’easter we had a week after the hurricane didn’t help matters much. I had beautiful Autumn colors in the garden, along with roses up through Thanksgiving after the storms. (Click here and here). I discovered a couple of Knock Out rose blooms this week that some how escaped the grasp of the off & on frosts. My pink Wax Begonia’s made it until yesterday. And the Snapdragons are still going strong! Snapdragons in December in the Northeast, who knew?! I’ve never been able to keep them going past Spring much less into December! (Click here).

We’ve surrounded my containers with fallen leaves and topped them off with fresh soil & mulched leaves as we do every late Autumn. One of the ‘Apple Blossom’ Amaryllis is about to bloom in the living room (click here) while other Amaryllis are just beginning to return. (I love to have them blooming off & on through Valentines).

I’m so glad to be back here with you! Were you affected by Hurricane Sandy? Is your garden now at rest? Have you started (forced) any blubs indoors? Share with me in the comments below!

Until next time…

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

You're Invited to a Virtual Cookie Party

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:19:15 PST

It’s the season for giving!! This Holiday Season #gardenchat Twitter Chat Forum is combining our talents with the inspiring #spicychat community (admin – Rashmi Primlani of @PrimlandKitchen ) to host an extra special virtual cookie party to share with your loved ones. Please join us this coming Thursday, December 6th at 8 PM EDT for our Cyber Cookie Party. More the merrier, so make sure to share this invitation with your family and friends. R.S.V.P: Tweet ” I am Attending #GardenChat #SpicyChat Cookie Party this Thursday on Twitter”

Poinsettias are easy to keep and Costa Farms knows how!

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:22:27 PST

Keep them in a sunny room with ideal temperature range is 60-70 degrees. They do not like drafts, and, they do not like being placed near high heat like a furnace vent or fireplace. Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry between watering. Poinsettias are forgiving. If they begin to dry out, water them and they bounce right back. If the leaves turn lighter green, give more sunshine and......they bounce right back.

Join us Monday on #gardenchat Twitter when @costafarms guest host sharing all about Poinsettia. We welcome you to bring your questions at that time or submit on this blog post!

#GardenWalk Thursday on Friday: @GrowingSpaces

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:19:13 PST

@GrowingSpaces
Producing Geodesic Growing Dome Greenhouse kits for over 20 yrs in CO.
Promoting self sustaining, healthy living through education.
(Moderator: Stacey Couch)Pagosa Springs COhttp://www.geodesic-greenhouse-kits.com/LandingPgs/twitterlanding.php

@GrowingSpaces is our final #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter" of November!

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here.

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Seed Planning 2013 Giveaway Winners Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:58:59 PST

Thank you everyone for joining in the Twitter chatter during #gardenchat Monday special event with our friends Kerrie and Carol from @SeedKeeperCo sharing seed planning for 2013 tips, You can see the complete conversation with links on our transcript page : Click Here.

During the event the @seedkeeperco featured a fabulous giveaway that will get you organized in the garden this coming season. To see complete giveaway details visit Seed Planning for 2013 on #gardenchat with @SeedKeeperCo .

Using random.org the winners of this fabulous garden goodies are:

1 Seed Keeper Home Farmer > @kwolchak
1 set of What Did I Plant? Labels > @LeslieinPayson
1 set of Small Glassine Envelopes > @SolakNC
1 set of Large Glassine Envelopes > @hilmcleod

Please be sure if you are listed above to send your shipping information to @seedkeeperCo bu Monday November 26, 2012 to qualify for this giveaway.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed on #gardenchat about seed planning 2013!

Seed Planning for 2013 on #gardenchat with @SeedKeeperCo

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:52:52 PST

November 19 we welcome Kerrie and Carol of @seedkeeperco as our guest host on #gardenchat sharing seed planning tips for 2013. During this event you will be able to ask questions and contribute sharing your garden tweets from 9-10 p.m. ET.

During the #gardenchat on Monday participants maybe eligible to receive products from the SeedKeeperCompany.com site ( listed below)

GIVEAWAY

1 Seed Keeper Home Farmer
1 set of What Did I Plant? Labels
1 set of Small Glassine Envelopes
1 set of Large Glassine Envelopes

To Qualify for Giveaway
1. Participate on #gardenchat Monday 9-10 p.m. ET
2. Be sure to follow @seedkeeperco on Twitter.
3. Share with us what your favorite seed to grow is by tweeting out during #gardenchat " My favorite seed to grow in the garden is ...........................#gardenchat "

* If your name is Tweeted during the event as a winner you must contact @seedkeeperco with in 24 hours of chat to qualify. Please allow 3-4 weeks for shipping if you are chosen to receive product.

We'd love to hear from you ... leave a comment!

#GardenWalk Thursday On Friday: @BloominChick

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:39:44 PST

@BloominChick
Writer/gardener/reader/photog.
Happily married 30+mom of angel in heaven who happens to be
disabled with Sero-negative Arthritis & Fibro.
Also tweet from @OfclGardenWalk
Coastal & Northwestern NJ.
http://digginaround.blogspot.com
http://newjerseythroughmyeyes.blogspot.com

Yesterday for #GardenWalk Thursday, in keeping with our "...Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens This Month," I shared this photo along with that yesterday and after the last 10 days (because of Hurricane Sandy), I am thankful & appreciative of so much, I didn't know where to start!

(And that's truly not an exaggeration!)

It's not the best photo and things are on the messy side since the Hurricane last week and the Nor'Easter this week, but I am just so thankful...

What are you thankful for in your garden this month? This season? This year?

Share with us on #GardenWalk Thursdays in November!

On #GardenWalk Thursdays in November, tweet a photo of what you're thankful for in your garden, include the #gardenwalk hashtag in your photo tweet and You may be our #GardenWalk Thursday on Friday "Featured Tweeter" of the week here on the #gardenchat blog!

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here.

See you next week for our next #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter"!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

PS: I'm the only one who shared a #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Garden photo tweet via twitter yesterday which is the only reason I ended up featuring myself here today!

#GardenWalk Thursdays Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:10:52 PST

Let me start off by saying that I hope all of our fellow gardeners, along with your families & friends, affected by Sandy (and now a Nor'easter) are safe!!!

Apologies for not being able to post sooner and get us started last Thursday, but, a Hurricane named Sandy had other plans for those of us in NJ (and NY) last week and as a Nor'easter now starts to move in, I feel an urgency to get this post up & running Now!

#GardenWalk Thursdays Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens for the month of November!

What are you thankful for in your garden this month? This season? This year?

Share with us on #GardenWalk Thursdays!

On #GardenWalk Thursdays in November, tweet a photo of what you're thankful for in your garden, include the #gardenwalk hashtag in your photo tweet and You may be our #GardenWalk Thursday on Friday "Featured Tweeter" of the week here on the #gardenchat blog!

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here.

See you next week for our first #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Being Thankful In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter"!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Let's Talk Gardening Future!

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:41:02 PST

Tonight we welcome Global Garden Friends as our guest host on #gardenchat!

Topic 11/5/2012
The future of gardening....growing vegetables/herbs/fruit indoors using hydroponics/kitchen garden units. Is a smart idea due to growing world population, increased food prices, and decreased quality of food while at the same time being exposed to insecticides, etc. Growing indoors means you can grow all year round. And much more....

Find out more about their products and gardening tips and ideas at :
• Facebook , Twitter and Google+ addresses -
http://www.facebook.com/globalgardenfriends
http://www.twitter.com/ggardenfriends

Product Giveaway

10 sets of, 1 x Ultimate Plant Cage(Value: $17.95)

10 x 20 packs of clips- 20 pack Ultimate Plant Clips(Value: $4.99) per person.

Friends at @ggardenfriends want to get YOU in the garden with this giveaway valued at $230!

HOW TO ENTER :

1. Comment on This Blog Post sharing WHAT YOU LOVE about gardening and be sure to include your Twitter name so we can connect with you!

2. Head Over to https://www.facebook.com/globalgardenfriends and LIKE THEM on Facebook leaving a comment on #gardenchat image posting : LINK HERE so we know you visited!

3. Participate on #gardenchat during the 11/5 Monday night scheduled event. WE must see you on the transcript saved to qualify!!!

4. Tweet NOW to support the #gardenchat growing event " Join #gardenchat tonight at 9 p.m. with @thegardenchat and @ggardenfriends"

Winner will be announced on Wednesday at noon on Twitter #gardenchat stream. If your Twitter account is picked you must respond to @TheGardenChat by MIDNIGHT 11/7 Wednesday by email / DM or tweet! Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery of products.

*#gardenchat / @TheGardenChat is not responsible for any product shipping : the product is donated by @ggardenfriends .

Belated #GardenWalk Thursday on Friday: @susanhemann

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 06:17:24 PDT

@susanhemann is our final #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter" of October!

@susanhemann
I'm a multi-media artist.
I love to make art dolls, paint and photography.
My other blog: http://gardening-enabled-style.blogspot.com
Love to garden and read.
Cleveland. http://susanhemann.blogspot.com

#GardenWalk Thursdays will have a new theme for November! More details coming asap.

For everyone in Sandy's path, best wishes & stay safe!!!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Adventures In Gardening: Is On Autumn Vaca!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:06:04 PDT

(Taken this morning on our way into town).

Hello friends! I'm writing to you from Northwestern NJ Zone 6a this morning, our Skylands home, on my Blackberry, to let you know Adventures In Gardening is on Autumn vacation, but I'll be back soon to hopefully share photos of an amazing area garden in Autumn!

Be sure to stay tuned to Diggin' Around & New Jersey Through My Eyes for more Autumn photos from yours truly!

Catch up with my prior posts: http://gardenchatblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Adventures%20In%20Gardening
or click on the Adventures In Gardening label at the end of this post.

Until next time...
-Jo
aka @BloominChick
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

#GardenWalk Thursday on Friday: @RedneckRosarian

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 06:02:56 PDT

@RedneckRosarian is our third #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter" of October!

Chris inspired me to start sharing my daily garden walks in my garden a couple of years ago & as a result, I (unwittingly?! accidentally?!) created the #gardenwalk hastag!

@RedneckRosarian
Growing roses has become a passion.
I blog my gardening adventures at RedneckRosarian.com
Host of Rose Chat Radio on Blog Talk Radio.
Helena, Alabama. http://RedneckRosarian.com

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here. To get in on all of the #GardenWalk Thursdays Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens In October, click here.

See you next week for our last #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter"!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

#GardenWalk Thursday on Friday: @modernmiagarden

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 06:21:25 PDT

@modernmiagarden is our second #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter" of October!

@modernmiagarden
Wanna-be vegetable gardener, suburban homesteader, home school teacher, and superhero in disguise.
http://modernmia.com

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here. To get in on all of the #GardenWalk Thursdays Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens In October, click here.

See you next week for another #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens "Featured Tweeter"!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:41:24 PDT

@dirtandmartini

@AngEngland

@SassafrasGarden

#GardenWalk Thursday on Friday: @BG_Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 07:12:12 PDT

Bren aka @BG_Garden is our first #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn featured Tweeter of October!

@BG_Garden
Growing, preparing and preserving from my home garden. New Media Photography serving garden shows, events & more. Admin of popular Twitter chat forum #gardenchat. Ohio: Midwest USA. www.bggarden.com

For #GardenWalk Thursday, she shared this beautiful photo from her garden along with a great video of her garden in Ohio that she made yesterday morning!

To find out all about #gardenwalk Thursdays, click here. To get in on all of the #GardenWalk Thursdays Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens In October, click here.

See you next week for another #GardenWalk Thursday Celebrates Autumn In Our Gardens featured Tweeter!

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Worms Way Giveaway on #gardenchat

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 09:15:39 PDT

You are going to want to join in the conversation on Twitter #gardenchat this Monday with a giveaway that will get your growing year-round for sure! Worm’s Way has contributed the following package (which will also include a one-time 20% off lighting fixture coupon) All of these products retail at $127. Worms Way is so excited to host and help people get started/learn more about their indoor gardens!

FloraSeries Performance Pack http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=FSPP400

Sunleaves Garden of Ease (Hydroponic System) http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=SGE200

1) General Hydroponics pH Control Kit http://www.wormsway.com/detail.aspx?t=prod&sku=GPC500

To be entered in the drawing to win the above products you must

1. Participate on #gardenchat Twitter chat 9-10 p.m. ET while @WormsWay guest host all about growing indoors. Participate means you have tweeted at least 1 time on the hashtag #gardenchat

2. Follow @wormsway on Twitter .

3. Share with us on this blog post what you enjoy growing year-round in your home or garden.

At the end of the #gardenchat @WormsWay would like to give out a discount code for everyone who attends this Twitter chat for 10% off their purchase on wormsway.com from October 1^st-October 7^th.

If you are the winner of the above products being donated by Worms Way please allow 3-5 weeks for delivery. The giveaway in this blog post can ONLY BE SHIPPED TO USA.

Can't wait to Tweet with you about how everyone can get growing something indoors on #gardenchat Twitter Monday October 1, 2012.

Adventures In Gardening: A New Spin on #GardenWalk Thursdays!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 05:52:38 PDT

Happy Saturday from a damp & cool coastal NJ Zone 7b!

Since I last wrote, Autumn has been fickle weather-wise: teasing us with beautiful, quintessential Fall days then slamming us with unbearable humidity other days & sometimes drenching us with rain.

But, while the garden is starting to slow down & thin out a bit, it’s still going strong with nearly everything in bloom!

Is there anything more delightful than roses in Autumn, I ask you?!

And that’s when it hit me! Changing up #GardenWalk Thursdays - seasonally that is! (Lots of things are hitting me at random as of late; Autumn is my most creative time of year). Even monthly themes, throughout the year. Why this hadn’t dawned on me before, I’ll never know!

Beginning Thursday, October 4th, #GardenWalk Thursday celebrates Autumn in our gardens for the month of October!

Tweet a photo of your favorite Autumn bloom, color or harvest from your garden on Thursdays, including the #gardenwalk hastag in your tweet & you may be featured here on our blog on Fridays!

I hope you'll join us for #GardenWalk Thursdays!

Until next time…

~Jo

Be sure to catch more of my daily garden photo shares via #GardenWalk where you can see what's growing around the world right now & share your garden with like-minded folks!

Is Indoor Growing So Different?

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:09:34 PDT

Getting Started: Don’t Get Overwhelmed

Guest Post By : Emily McGowan / Worm's Way Group

Hanging up the garden hat for the winter is difficult for most gardeners, but for indoor gardeners, the change in temperature is simply the beginning of a new and different season! With all the meters, nutrients, and systems, indoor gardening can seem intimidating at first, but if you keep in mind certain fundamentals, you’ll be eating home grown veggies or decorating your home with fresh flowers in no time!

New Considerations

Whether you’re choosing to grow in soil or a hydroponic system, the most important concept to understand is that you control everything about your indoor garden’s environment. Seasons don’t matter as much, unexpected rainfalls (or droughts!) won’t get you down, and you may never have to deal with pests if you take proper precautions (such as washing your hands and keeping pets out of the growing room).

Before you start your indoor garden, take a few moments to jot down your intentions. Are you looking to grow flowering, fruiting, or vegetative plants? Tomatoes take larger, sturdier setups than do small heads of lettuce. Measure out the space you’ve designated for your indoor garden so that you know how much light you will need—square and rectangle spaces in well ventilated rooms work best! Ideally, rooms should have access to a water source and drain for easier watering and reservoir upkeep if you choose to grow hydroponically. Proper ventilation and air flow is important for keeping temperature and humidity in check and having oscillating fans in your growing area will even help strengthen plants. A good rule of thumb is if the indoor environment is uncomfortable for you, it’s likely uncomfortable for your plants as well.

Soil Growing

Container growing with soil indoors isn’t much different from its outdoor counterpart. But, there are a couple things to keep in mind if you choose to keep growing in soil:

If you’re bringing soil in from outside, you should test the pH level and make sure it is suitable for your plants—typically plants look for a slightly acidic medium, around 6.0. If you purchase potting soil from a store, it’s likely already pH buffered, so you won’t have to worry about testing.

Be sure to empty out the saucers or trays that gather excess water regularly, so that stagnated water won’t be reabsorbed into the plant roots. If you have many indoor plants, consider placing them all in a grow tray with a drainage grid and set the drain over a small bucket for easy water disposal.

Hydroponic Growing

Getting started with your first hydroponic system will require a little extra setup, but the rewards are truly worth the effort. Hydroponic gardening uses 60-90% less water than soil growing, and yields faster, and oftentimes better, results because of the completely controlled environment. Important factors to consider when starting a hydroponic garden are:

What type of system and media should you use? There are several types of popular hydroponic systems that vary in price, size, and technical difficulty. Growing media choices vary by plant and system.
Just as an outdoor garden, make sure you have time to check on a hydroponic garden at least once a day. You’ll need to test the pH of the water/nutrient solution daily with a meter or good old fashioned litmus paper test, and check the TDS (total dissolved solids) level to help you maintain the proper concentration of nutrients (if a TDS meter seems too daunting, this is an advanced step that can be skipped). You’ll also have to drain, clean, and refresh the water and nutrient reservoir once every two weeks.
Nutrient packages will vary by plant and system. There are endless online resources on which nutrients are best to use at different stages in the plant’s life, and Worm’s Way is always willing to talk to you about which nutrients your indoor garden will benefit most from.

If you’re interested in learning more advanced hydroponic gardening techniques, we recommend George Van Patten’s book, Gardening Indoors with Soil and Hydroponics.

Should I DIY?

Some gardeners are off put by the expensive equipment they see online and in the store, and wish to pursue a DIY option instead. We don’t recommend making your own lighting systems because they are not always safe and reliable, and the materials needed can often be just as expensive as purchasing a small grow light at an indoor garden store. However, as far as DIY hydroponic systems go, you can upcycle two liter bottles to make a very simple passive system, or for larger plants, you can use a five gallon bucket and a small air pump.

If DIY is out of the question, but you still want to stick to a small budget, we recommend the Sunleaves Garden of Ease, the VitaLUME Compact Fluorescent, and a Lightwave Fluorescent Fixture—all together, they’ll make a great system for under $130. But whatever your approach to indoor gardening, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed! Indoor gardening can be as easy or as complicated as you make it. You may have to pick up a few new habits, but hey—as gardeners, we’re prepared for anything, right?

Happy Indoor Gardening!

Join us Monday October 1, 2012 when we welcome @wormsway as our guest host on #gardencchat Twitter

Don't miss out on the product giveaway being featured on this blog from Worms Way Group later this week!

Conifer Topic Product Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:27:20 PDT

Congratulations to @ediblelandesign whose number was chosen using random.org from last nights #gardenchat event.

During the scheduled time of this event giveaway #gardenchat had 1066 Tweets. Random.org picked Tweet number 425 who was Twitter user @ediblelandesign on the transcript.

Thank you everyone who participated in this event.

@ediblelandesign will be receiving a pair of Corona Tools Dual Cut By-Pass Pruners and a leather Scabbard. Please be sure to visit @CoronaTools and thank them for supporting #gardenchat with wonderful products that will keep you growing successfully!

Find Monday #gardenchat transcripts on the Official #gardenchat transcript page HERE.

No Fail Conifer Day Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Bren Haas) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:41:32 PDT

Monday is Conifer Day on #gardenchat Twitter and we invite you to follow along as images and tips are shared Monday from noon - 10 p.m. ET on Twitter @TheGardenChat by following #gardenchat. During this day event you will want to follow the tweets to find out how you could receive a pair of Corona Dual Cut Pruners. During the noon - 10 p.m. ET hours view images from a private conifer garden as well as Hidden Lake Gardens located in scenic state of Michigan.

#gardenchat Monday 9 -10 P.M. ET Topic is Conifers with @Whadyacallit / Ron Elardo of Conifer Quarterly Magazine.

Check out #gardenchat topic information at our Website : #gardenchat

Thank you Corona Tools for sponsoring #gardenchat Conifer Day

JOIN IN the conversation so you maybe the #gardenchat Twitter participant that maybe chosen to receive this pruner along with leather cabbard valued at $50 :

1. Be a Twitter user who shares on #gardenchat Monday September 24th

2. Tweet about conifers anytime from noon - 10 p.m. ET

3. Be sure to Tweet "Join us in the cyber gardens on #gardenchat : topic Conifers 9-10p.m. ET @TheGardenChat

One #gardenchat Twitter participant who has followed 1-3 steps above will be chosen using random.org at the end of the #gardenchat live event 10 p. m. ET. The #gardenchat Twitter participant that is picked using this service will be notived by @TheGardenChat on Twitter Tuesday September 25 at Noon ET on the #gardenchat hashtag! If you are the #gardenchat Participent whose name is drawn YOU MUST contact @TheGardenChat / @BG_Garden by Monday October 1st #gardenchat hour.

No purchase necessary - product was donated by Corona Tools and will be shipped within 2-4 weeks of announcement 9/25/12.