Quote of the Day!

"Wine is bottled poetry." ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Pruning Grape Vines

1. Step 1
   

   The Most desirable time to prune grapevines is late winter or early spring. The extent of pruning is dictated by the amount of new growth.
   Taking out the old canes and letting the new ones thrive is called " balanced pruning"

2. Step 2
   

   Take a look at your vine, look for 2-3 yr old canes.. prune these out trying to maintain at least 3 thriving canes from each vine. Prune out all growth from the ground to the first horizontal support

3. Step 3
   

   This training system is designed to encourage new fruit production at the specific positions of the vine. Dormant pruning can be done anytime between leaf drop and bud break in the spring.check out resources below for pruning shear site.

4. Step 4
   

   Grape growers often prune vines with the intent to achieve a balance between fruit and shoot growth.. a canopy that is too crowded is not good for either. Excessive pruning can reduce the fruit output. For most gardeners, pruning grapevines is relatively easy with a basic understanding of the pruning principals, the right tools and some courage

Tips & Warnings

• Use stainless wire to tie off your vines and create horizontal supports
• cross over shears are the best
• don't prune to early in fall
• don't prune after march 15th

Backyard haven or front porch.....design tranquility!

Even on a busy city lot you can achieve privacy and traquility with fencing and plantings that give you a peaceful sanctuary. Plan ahead....get the vision and step by step make it come into reality.

The garden teaches vision.

Now is a great time to practice visualizing how your garden grows. Is it in neat rows or raised beds or scattered patterns of beauty. I always am impressed how the Olympic athletes visualize their performance before they even begin. Gardening is the same...get a vision....dream....and make it happen!

Thanks to Pat Kasa of Seattle for an article with great tips for growing roses!

'Midas Touch' is a disease resistant, long lasting, repeat- blooming hybrid tea with wonderful fragrance

Roses, Roses, Roses

Bare-root roses are available in garden centers now, and the selection is mind-boggling. Frequently called the queen of flowers, roses have played a starring role in my garden for decades. In my opinion, no other plant could possibly compete with the fragrance and beauty of a rose.

Roses also have the reputation of being difficult to grow, but the challenge of growing healthy roses is part of their attraction. Luckily, rose breeders are leveling the playing field by introducing new varieties that tolerate less-than-perfect growing conditions. And because these new varieties are more adaptable -- even in my sunshine-challenged garden -- I can be successful. You can be successful with roses, too.

When you're buying roses for your garden, be sure to select fragrant varieties. Surprisingly, many beautiful roses have little fragrance. If you make room for some scented gems, they will perfume your entire garden.

Rules of the Road
Roses need lots of sunlight -- at least six hours a day -- or they won't flower freely. Good air circulation also is essential if you want to keep your roses in top form. Find out how large your plants will be at maturity and space them accordingly.

Eliminate weed competition by spreading a 3- or 4-inch mulch of shredded bark or other material under your roses. Because roses have shallow root systems, it's best to tread lightly when weeding around your plants.

Water your roses in the morning so the plants have time to dry out before nightfall. A drip irrigation system is probably your best bet because it delivers water directly to the root zones of the plants and doesn't wet the foliage.

And finally, if space is at a premium, grow vertically. Climbers and ramblers trained on a trellis or arbor can add drama, color, and fragrance to any garden. Just remember that over time climbing roses can get heavy, so be sure your supports are sturdy.

Bare-Root or Container-Grown Plants
There are two traditional planting times for roses; late winter to early spring, and in the fall. Bare-root roses, which are available now, are dug from the field during their dormant stage. The roots are plunged into a box or bag filled with sawdust, and the canes are dipped in wax to prevent premature growth while in transit and storage. Purchasing bare-root roses is sometimes an act of faith. Their dormant stage belies their potential, and there's really nothing to go by except the picture on the package.

On the other hand, bare-root roses are convenient little packages. They're relatively inexpensive, and you can fit a lot of them into the trunk of your car!

Container-grown roses take a lot of the guesswork out of choosing roses for your garden. You can see the flower color and size and inspect the canes and foliage for pest problems prior to purchase. Container roses may be available most any time of the year, but early fall is usually the best time to buy and plant them.

Choosing a Site and Planting
Roses do best when they get at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. Morning sun dries the foliage early in the day, which may be wet from overnight rainfall or morning dew. Since dampness can encourage fungal disease problems, it's essential to provide adequate sunshine and air circulation around each plant.

Here are some planting tips:
1. Dig Deep. Whether you are preparing a large bed for several roses or setting out a single plant, it pays to take time preparing the soil. For a new bed, I start by loosening the top 8 to 10 inches of soil and mixing in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost. Next, I broadcast about 1/2 cup of superphosphate and 1 cup of rose fertilizer over the area. I then mix everything together, level it and let the soil settle for a week or two before planting.

For a single bare-root plant, I dig a hole 14 to 16 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches deep, amend the soil with organic matter and fertilizer as I do with a bed, then plant the rose. For a container rose, the planting hole should be the same depth as the container and about 18 inches wide. I loosen the soil all the way around the rootball to expose the roots, spread them out a bit, then set the plant in the hole at about the same depth it was growing in the pot. I fill the hole with soil that's been amended with compost, superphosphate, and rose fertilizer, and tamp gently to firm the soil down around the roots.

2. Water Well. The first few weeks after planting are critical for new roses. Most important is regular watering. Roses need about an inch of water per week. Building a basin beneath each rose bush and filling it once or twice at watering time will allow the moisture to trickle down slowly and wet the entire root mass.

No Room For Roses?
Roses grow well in containers if garden space is at a premium. Use a 16-inch pot to accommodate roots, and fill it with a good grade of commercial potting soil. Remember that potted roses must have winter protection because their roots are exposed to winter air temperatures. Put them on wheels so you can wheel them into an unheated garage for the winter months.

Armed with these guidelines, planning for a rosy future should be easy. Enjoy!

Quote of the Day!

"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Old, old trees!

Trees can grow to be very old....the sitka spruce in Colorado and the live oak trees on a plantation in Louisiana I once visited. Can you imagine what they have witnessed over the centuries. So with mint julep in hand, I sat under a 300 year old live oak tree and wrote from the perspective of a tree. Strange, I know...but the mint julip assisted!

The witness!

For 300 years history has unfolded beneath my live oak branches.

The lovers who sat in the shade carefully dressed and chaperoned, drinking lemonade…..the children who climbed in my branches, both black and white…..the overseers who tied slaves to my trunk and merciless beat them bloody….and the soldiers who drank cool water and washed the grime from their faces….many have passed this way. I have watched undistorted history, not convoluted by the North or the South, by black or white men. Not revisionist history, but the smell of real history….the sweat and human blood mixed together and running down a brown muscular back, the sound of a crack of a whip or the crack of a rifle, the sight of the best of society departing their carriages, coming down this alley of oaks, dressed in their partying best and fanning themselves on a warm summer’s evening, promenading to the big house.

I am witness to the slave mother laying at my feet in the deepest grief as her children were sold on the auction block, wishing she could be beneath my roots and no longer able to bear children. And the mistress, equally in grief as child after child succumbed to yellow fever….my branches almost touch their gravesites. And now, 300 years later as my heavy branches touch the manicured ground, tourists marvel at my age and the spread of my canopy and what foresight the landscaper had to put us so equally at a distance to form such a beautiful entrance to this plantation. They are without the knowledge of what I have seen…..only listening attentively to the tour guide’s explain the many masters that owned this land of sugar cane and rice.

There are a few among the group, very few, who wonder where the slave’s quarters are and what became of the human lives who built this plantation with raw back breaking labor. The questions become awkward as it interrupts the flow of the volunteer, dressed in hooped skirt and speaking in sweet tones. So the tour moves on, except for one, who leans against my trunk, drinking a mint julep and closes her eyes to feel the history, to smell the heat of the afternoon and to pause a moment to honor all that I have seen. I tell her as she hugs my trunk and pays her respects to all those that have passed before her…..under my branches and upon my roots. Her heart feels my reverence for those journeys as I stand as witness and share it with her.

Plant trees for color in many seasons!

Trees! Giving oxygen...deeply rooted life!

Thanks to a friend that is trying to paint trees, I've been thinking about the life giving, solidly anchored roots of trees and how they have as much structure that is unseen as is seen. Whether it is the flowing branches of a weeping willow or the upright structure of an oak that reaches its branches heavenward, I am in love with trees. They are the center of many landscapes, the heart of the garden in many instances. The specimen smoke tree adds color and drama, the blue spruce against the burgundy of Japanese bayberry is exquisite. Think big in your garden planning....now is the time to plant trees!

Seed packets are wonderful mementos!

For-get-me-not seed packets are given out at the Boise Breast Cancer Detection Center reminding us to have our mammogram once a year. And, another idea I loved.....handing them out as a remembrance at a memorial service for a loved one. Wouldn't it be fun to hand out at a goodbye party as well for neighbors that are moving? Any more ideas?

From tiny little seeds....a garden grows!

A gardener's poem!

A gardener walks her path with grace,

Among the froth of Queen Anne’s lace,

Paints with plants and flowering trees,

A lovely home for birds and bees.

She sits on porch, a shady place,

Sharing fruit of garden’s taste.

A bite of berry, sweet reddish hue….

Vase of lavender, heads of blue.

How fine is this on summer’s day?

But oh, the price there is to pay.

In denim jeans smeared ore with dirt,

This gardener clothed in sweaty shirt.

She dug and hoed and planted deep,

The seeds of love so time would reap,

A harvest worthy of such work,

Where spotted lady bugs would lurk.

Tis’ feast for eyes and taste buds too,

Tomatoes, peppers and meadow rue,

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,

A gardener’s work in nature’s rhyme.

Tis’ a labor of love she often said,

But early went to feathered bed.

Again to rise with chirping birds,

Coffee first before the words….

“Today I’ll tackle the front yard.

A rose to climb with fence to guard,

Needs food and water, just like us.

The sun is up, I really must…”

Can a gardener be a lady sure,

Knee deep in mulch of brown manure?

Or does she simply let the glow,

Reflect in smile from row to row.

She steps around her greenest friends,

Pruning, weeding til’ daylight ends.

What view do humans get of her?

Elbows and fine, plump derrière.

Crocuses are croaking!

The first burst of color are crocuses.....a lively contrast to winter's bleak tones. Bulbs planted in the fall in mass colors will multiply as the seasons pass. After blooming and the green dies back you can divide them and plant more patches of spring color.

Summer rose blooms begin with expert spring pruning!

The beautiful peace rose!

Pruning rose bushes!

Early spring is the best time to prune rose bushes.....removing dead wood and shaping the bush to open the center for good air circulation and sunlight in the center. I like to leave at least five healthy canes around the outside edges of the plant.
Use clean sharp pruning tool and cut at a 45 degree angle...seal wound with white glue to prevent infestation of cane borers or fungus. Remove any rubbish and do not put in with compost. For climbing roses....just cut back the winter deadwood and shape them for the grandest and tallest specimens that your trellis or fence can hold.

Now is the time to prune fruit trees!

Before the buds swell and begin to emerge it is time to prune unwanted branches from your fruit trees. Growers often neglect the annual training and pruning of fruit trees. Without training and pruning, however, fruit trees will not develop proper shape and form. Properly trained and pruned trees will yield high quality fruit much earlier in their lives and live significantly longer.
A primary objective of training and pruning is to develop a strong tree framework that will support fruit production. Improperly trained fruit trees generally have very upright branch angles, which result in serious limb breakage under a heavy fruit load. This significantly reduces the productivity of the tree and may greatly reduce tree life. Another goal of annual training and pruning is to remove dead, diseased, or broken limbs. Proper tree training also opens up the tree canopy to maximize light penetration. For most deciduous tree fruit, flower buds for the current season's crop are formed the previous summer. Light penetration is essential for flower bud development and optimal fruit set, flavor, and quality. Although a mature tree may be growing in full sun, a very dense canopy may not allow enough light to reach 12 to 18 inches inside the canopy. Opening the tree canopy also permits adequate air movement through the tree, which promotes rapid drying to minimize disease infection and allows thorough pesticide penetration. Additionally, a wellshaped fruit tree is aesthetically pleasing, whether in a landscaped yard, garden, or commercial orchard.

General Fruit Tree Pruning Instructions

1. Always use sharp shears or saws so your cuts are clean. Use pruning shears on young trees and limbs less than 1/2 inch diameter, and lopping shears for your bigger cuts. For mature fruit trees, use a pruning saw.

2. Begin by removing dead wood and broken branches. Then cut out any wood that crosses or rubs against any other branches. This opens up the middle so the sun can get to all the fruit.

3. Make your cut close to a bud, to a joint in the branch, or to the trunk; never leave a stub. The pruning cut should be just above a bud. Make the cut at a backwards angle of about 30 degrees.

4. Prune stems just above a pair of opposing strong shoots or buds. If shoots or buds are staggered, choose a strong one and prune just above it.

5. Keep more horizontal branches, and prune more vertical branches.

6. Remove suckers (shoots) from around the base of the tree.

7. Get rid of all debris which can harbor pests and disease

Dormant Spray!

Prune out branches and shape trees and bushes before the blooms and foilage appear!

It's time to apply that oily based dormant spray to fruit trees and deciduous shrubs....they suffocate any eggs that are waiting to hatch. Dormant oil spraying should be done on a clear day when there is little or no breeze. The ideal temperature for application is between 40° and 70° F., preferably temperatures should remain over 50° F. for at least twenty four hours in order to get the oil to spread out over the tree and cover all crooks and crevices. Complete coverage is required for effective control of all overwintering pests. Apply this spray under pressure with a pump sprayer, or with a hose- end sprayer two times; when all of the leaves have fallen (late November or early December), and again in early February before buds begin to swell. In some instances, gardeners are successful with only one application during the period of early December through late January. But if the infestation or disease was very bad during the previous season, two sprayings would be the best bet.

• Always wear a mask when spraying your plants with chemicals.
• These products should never be used on evergreens because they are much too strong and caustic, and can cause damage.
• The use of a dormant oil mixture may destroy many annual flowers growing under or near plants being treated. Completely cover such tender vegetation BEFORE spraying.
• Fungus spores can also overwinter on fallen leaves. Be sure to rake and dispose of leaves if you know you have a disease problem.

Tiptoe Through The Tulips!

Tulips coming up through the late winter soil are the first sign of spring. Depending on your location....they emerge as early as February for blooms in March, April and May. Some are early bloomers, some are mid-bloomers and some later bloomers. Hopefully, when you planted them last fall, you read the package for height and seasonal blooming guidelines. Give them a little light fertilizing when you see they are breaking through the soil and clear away any old foilage and leaves to let them breathe.

Quote of the Day!

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. " ~H. Fred Dale (Thanks, Anne)

Cool weather plants for early spring beauty!

Pansies get a bad rap for being sissies! Think again! The pansy is an early, sturdy, bloomer that is hardy colorful and tough...sometimes even in the snow. So the next time you call someone a pansy....it's a compliment.

Happy Valeninte's weekend......I'm going to buy some primroses and pansies for the pot on the balcony.

Pucker up....it's almost Valentine's Day!

"Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker." ~Author Unknown

Flowers from the heart!

Harbinger of spring.....pansies and primroses!

"Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer." ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Quote of the day!

"There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder." ~Charles Morgan

Top ten romantic plants to give!

Plants needs regular care, just like your relationship. There are many plants that represent loving relationships. There are many civilizations, where we find plants that represent love and romance. Similarly, you can also find a series of instances in literature, where plants have helped love bloom. Thus, here comes top 10 romantic plants.

1.Rose Plants: For ages, roses represent love and passion, so the rose plant is the top romantic plants of all time. You can add little bits of vibrancy to your garden with this plant. The radiance and shine of roses will surely put new life in your landscape.

2.Orchids: With lively colors and its elegant beauty, orchids make a wonderful choice of a romantic plant. Orchid flowers come in lovely colors thereby representing love and passion. The mind blowing smell of orchids can be called the smell of heaven and love.

3.Lily Plants: Lily plants comes in different single colors and symbolize the innocence of love. The delicacy of lilies expresses the feeling that you are under the most powerful spell of the universe.

4.Sunflowers: A flower with bright golden color and always facing the sun represents the symbol of loyalty and the ability to endure during hard times. So, if you are wondering how to spread and convey the most powerful feeling of love select sunflowers.

5.Berry Plants: Berry plants comes in different types and colors like red, dark lavender, purple, blue and express the magic of love in an earthy way. The dark colors of the berry plants also represent the dominating and wild passion involved with love. Thus, berry plant is another on the list of best romantic plants.

6.Pansy Plants: This cool weather plant represents the dreams of romance and nostalgic feelings. Thus, if you want to feel love beating with your pulse go for pansy plants.

7.Daphne: The blooming of love between two hearts is equal to spring. The aromatic smell and full bloom is going to win your heart and transport it to the warmth of blooming springtime.

8.Rhododendron Plants : Blushing in love is quite common and thus Rhododendron plants are the best way to express your shyness in love for your sweet heart. Celebrate falling in love with this romantic plant.

9.Primrose Plants: These bright spring colors, express love in the most sassy way. Thus, no doubt Primrose Plants are considered as one of the most romantic plants.

10.Lilac Plants: Fragrance, warmth, and lush beauty are expressed if you pick lilac plants. The best way to celebrate your love in an old fashioned are represented with Lilac plants.

Valentine Gift of Spring!

Roses aren't the only flower for Valentine's giving. Tulips are that refreshing reminder that spring is on the way and a lovely bouquet is the perfect gift from the heart. And just in case your garden tulips are peeking their tender leaves up through the ground before the frost season is over.....cover them with a little mulch.

The romance of red roses!

Valentine's Day is the day for romance and nothing says it like red roses!!!!

Red roses, as we think of them today, are the traditional symbol for love and romance. The modern red rose we are now familiar with was introduced to Europe from China in the 1800's. However, the meanings associated with them can be traced back many centuries, even to some of the earliest societies. The color red itself evolved from an early primal symbol for life into a metaphor for deep emotion. In Greek and Roman mythology the red rose was closely tied to the goddess of love. Many early cultures used red roses to decorate marriage ceremonies and they were often a part of traditional wedding attire. Through this practice, the red rose became known as a symbol for love and fidelity. As the tradition of exchanging roses and other flowers as gifts of affection came into prevalence, the red rose naturally became the flower of choice for sending the strongest message of love. This is a tradition that has endured to the present day.

Red roses continue to be the most popular way to say "I love you" to someone special. The rich heritage of the red rose has culminated in its modern day image as the lover's rose. They are the definitive symbol for romantic sentiments, representing true love, stronger than thorns. Red roses are a meaningful gift, perfect for expressing feelings for a loved one on Valentine's Day, an anniversary or simply "just because." For the budding relationship, a red rose bouquet can also signal the beginning of romantic intentions. They can send a message of commitment and an invitation to take the next step. Even the simplicity of a single red rose can elicit a powerful response. Whatever the occasion, red roses have an allure that is hard to resist!

Quote of the Day!

"If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden." ~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi


There are gardens that we have left behind and some are yet to be designed...but for every seed we've planted, every start we have shared that has rooted in another's garden, there lies a piece of our heart....a gift to Mother Earth. One of my favorite things to do every spring is to visit my friendship garden....a collection of plants that friends have shared over the years. I sit there saying hello to each friend that has given me a piece of their heart.....now rooted in mine.

Beneath the winter is eternal spring....all the seasons are related!

As surely as the seasons are related…

All of life is surely one with

another.

Not just the recognizable DNA,

but the fiery spirit of survival scattered

throughout the planet we share.

Is it a form of worship to

feel the

Oneness...

the wonder of our

kinship?

The man who compulsively washes

his hands of harbored guilt...

The woman who arrests the

sobs that are imprisoned

within her breast...

we are cousins.

The celebrating dancers,

whose rhythm is our own...

The seamstress and poet whose

seamless rhyme is sewn into

our threaded hearts,

we are

brothers

and

sisters.

Do not feed your hand to guilt

but take instead, the hand of

a friend that travels this linked path.

Let your pain explode from

jailed bosom and roar

as you fling it skyward.

It is to be shared and

understood by your human family.

It is the gift of related commonality...

of Oneness.

Dance and sew,

Sing and

write poems,

paint the colors

of our

relatedness.

For, we are all one

with another.

That is why we came..

To love

one

another.

Photograph by Mark Lisk ....follow his blog at marklisk.blogspot.com

February skies!

In each bare branched winter we lay our heads

on a silver pillow of feathered seams….

waiting for the dormant season to change.

We, in winter’s chill, sow cataloged seeds into the

earthy furrows of our buried dreams.

And, in quiet, frosted solitude…….

welcome the frozen snow

as our snugly blanket of comfort…

Resting in faithful trust….

Knowing

that spring

comes.

Always!

Quote of the Day!

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment? For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone. That is where the writer scores over his fellows: he catches the changes of his mind on the hop. ~Vita Sackville-West

It's Groundhog's Day!

Winter's spring fever!

It happens every winter.....spring comes in my mind before the reality of winter is over. View one is reality on February first....view two is the total reality of what is to be in a few months. Sigh! Hope the groundhog cooperates tomorrow!