by Geoff | Feb 13, 2012 | Gardening
Ten days ago I pruned my peach and plumcot trees. Given our exceptionally mild winter, the first week of February was already on the late end of optimal pruning time. I still consider myself a novice pruner, but while at the State Master Gardener conference in California last year, three basic principles for fruit tree pruning were clarified for me during a workshop. With both of these trees that I planted in 2009, my goal is to achieve an open-centered...
by Noel | Feb 7, 2012 | CobraHead, Environmental Issues, Gardening
Here’s a snowdrop that’s shown up over a month early. A lot of snowdrops and crocus have sprouted with our unseasonably warm weather. I’m going to drop some leaves over them to see if I can help them hang on until their normal blooming time later in March. Early blooming due to warm spells can be a real problem. Tender new growth can be frozen when the temperatures return to really cold. I worry about my fruit trees where new buds that come...
by Noel | Jan 30, 2012 | CobraHead, Gardening
Geoff posted last week about the heat mat set up he is using to start some pepper plants, here. I use a heat mat and grow-lights as well to start peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetable seedlings that need a jump start, and I’ve also found the set up useful to give some bottom heat to my sweet potato starts well ahead of the time I need to get my peppers started. Since I don’t need very much space for the sweet potatoes, I use the mat and lights to...
by Geoff | Jan 24, 2012 | Gardening
We’re pleased to announce that our BioMarkerTM plant markers won a Green Thumb award from the Direct Gardening Association this year. Now in its 15th year, the Green Thumb Awards recognize the best new plants and gardening products available each year from gardening catalogs and websites. The Direct Gardening Association (formerly the Mailorder Gardening Association) sponsors the annual Green Thumb Awards. For more information, visit the Green Thumb Awards page....
by Geoff | Jan 13, 2012 | Gardening
Last year I skipped using a heat mat underneath the flat in which I started my hot pepper seedlings. That was a big mistake. I had a germination rate of less than 10%. This year I picked up a new heat mat and have had great results. It’s already time to start hot peppers in Austin. They can be transplanted into the garden as early as mid-March and it takes 8-10 weeks from the time seeds are sown until the seedlings are ready to transplant out. Hot peppers...
by Noel | Jan 6, 2012 | CobraHead, Environmental Issues, Gardening
The weather in Wisconsin has been super freaky. With highs of 50 yesterday and again today following a December with no snow and exceptionally mild temperatures, a lot of the locals are saying, “what the hey, this ain’t all bad!” I have to say yes and no. It’s kind of scary, and from a gardener’s perspective, in most ways not so good. I love a deep snow cover on my garden beds. The snow offers insulation and moisture. And too...
