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Yesterday we posted a new video on making free biochar retorts from cans:
We also posted some outtakes over at Patreon.
It’s a fun method, so it needed a fun video.
Have a great weekend.
The post Making Biochar in Soup Cans: The Video appeared first on The Survival Gardener.
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David The Good
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If you go online to search for a book on vegetable gardening, you’ll discover there are literally thousands of titles on the topic. One new standout in the category is The Climate Change–Resilient Vegetable Garden: How to Grow Food in a Changing Climate by Kim Stoddart (available on February 27). Stoddart’s book covers everything a gardener needs to know about growing produce in a time of uncertain climate, including how to capture rainwater, breed and propagate resilient plants, control pests naturally, and even how to handle extreme conditions like wildfire and flooding.
When asked the climate and gardening journalist why she published this book now, Stoddart says, “I’ve been writing and teaching about this topic for more than a decade, but what I have realized in recent years is how important it is to build resilience in the individual, as much as the garden itself,” Stoddart says. “We are living through such stressful times. It is no longer gardening as usual with the challenges of our changing, more extreme weather.” So, in addition to the practical how-to advice, Stoddart says, “I offer hope and an upbeat approach to help gardeners cope with it all.”
We interviewed Stoddart to find out more about what climate-resilient vegetable gardening looks like, and how you can get started. Here’s her advice:
Photography courtesy of The Climate Change-Resilient Vegetable Garden.
Stoddart says if she had to choose one thing for every vegetable gardener to do to increase resilience, it would be to focus on soil health. “In an organic gardening system, soil health comes first, making the soil the most resilient it can be. Going no-till is a huge step to help maintain soil structures and the life within it. It will also help keep carbon in the ground and may also help increase the nutritional content of the food you grow (there is research currently being done in this area).” Then, of course, mulch and compost to feed and improve soil.
“Veggies that are over-pampered can become lazy and develop shallow root structures, becoming reliant on the gardener and less resilient, as a result,” cautions Stoddart. By spreading out the time between watering and skipping chemical fertilizers, Stoddart says, “Plants can be encouraged to root deeper, thereby tapping into the mycorrhizal fungi that can help them take up water and food.”
“Gardening has become so synonymous with spending, but less can be so much more,” says Stoddart, who wants gardeners to spend less time focussed on acquiring the perfect gadgets or tools. “I gardened for free for a few years and it made me realize how valuable natural resilience and homemade or free materials are,” she says. (N.B.: We agree! See Your First Garden: How to Start a Garden for Practically Free.)
Saving some seeds from your garden is one of the best things you can do to create resilience. “Although you wouldn’t want to save seeds from everything (and believe me, I’ve tried), some seed saving is realistic and the rewards are many,” says Stoddart. In the book, she details how home-saved seeds can become more adapted to your growing conditions. “Having been produced on your own plot, after a few years, the plants grown from seeds you saved will be better adjusted to your space,” she says.
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Back in June, friend of the GPOD Cherry Ong attended the Vancouver Hardy Plant Study Weekend and was kind enough to share photos of some of the gardens she toured. Today she’s taking us along to visit Thomas Hobbs and Brent Beattie’s garden.
Paris (Zones 5–9) has beautiful and unusual flowers. This relative of trilliums has mostly green flowers that reward closer inspection.
In this contrast in textures and shades of green, Paris is again in the foreground with other shade-loving plants, while the sheered shrubs in the background give a contrasting formality to the garden.
Here is a beautiful contrasting mix of foliage colors, with the only floral contribution being the pink blooms of the spirea (Spiraea japonica, Zones 3–8).
One part garden seat, one part garden art—beautiful and unusual
I love this sculpture in the garden.
Martagon lilies (Lilium hybrid, Zones 3–8) thrive in partially shaded conditions. The leaves are beautiful and topped by these incredible spires of elegant flowers.
This urn tucked into the foliage of the garden is absolutely lovely. What an incredible piece.
An edge of Sedum ‘Angelina’ (Zones 5–9) provides bright yellow-green color, in contrast to the darker green of the rest of the foliage.
Podophyllum (Asian mayapple, Zones 5–9) with incredibly patterned foliage
I love the texture of this mass of Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum sp., Zones 5–9).
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
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In the low desert of Arizona, creating a fruitful food forest all year round is possible with the right knowledge and plant selection. Imagine stepping into your backyard to find a variety of ready-to-pick fruits each season. This guide will help you learn what to plant for year-round fruit tree harvests in Arizona.
Ideally, a food forest provides an abundance of fresh produce, with the possibility of picking fruit every day of the year. Here’s how to achieve a year-round fruit tree harvest in climates with milder winters, such as the low desert of Arizona.
A food forest is more than just a garden; it’s a thriving ecosystem that offers a sustainable approach to agriculture. Unlike traditional orchards, food forests layer plants in a way that maximizes space and encourages symbiotic relationships. From the canopy to the herbaceous layer, every square inch is designed for productivity and health.
The benefits of growing a food forest are immense – increased biodiversity, improved soil fertility, and a daily supply of fresh produce from your backyard. This blog post explains how to start a food forest.
To begin, select fruit trees suitable for your climate. An important consideration is ‘chill hours.’ Chill hours are the cumulative number of hours that temperatures remain between 32-45°F (0-7°C) during a tree’s dormant winter period. This chilling period is critical for many fruit trees, as it influences blossom and fruit development.
In the low desert areas of Arizona, where winters are mild, making the right choice based on chill hours can make or break your harvest. Aim for trees requiring no more than 400 chill hours, but to play it safe, I often go for those in the 250 to 300 range. If you live in the low desert of Arizona, this fruit planting guide lists several options that grow well.
You can find chill hours information through your local agricultural extension office or online chill hours calculators specific to your region.
Once you’ve got those numbers, pick fruit tree varieties that match your chill hours. Buy trees from local, reputable growers. The growers often have years of experience and can point you toward the trees that will do best in your backyard.
When deciding what to plant for year-round fruit tree harvests, knowing your USDA Hardiness Zone is key—it is a guide to knowing which trees will survive winter temperatures in your area. For instance, if you’re in a zone with mild winters like Zone 9 or 10, you’re in luck for growing a citrus grove. Learn more about how to grow citrus in this blog post.
Similar to designing a raised bed garden, strategic planning is essential for designing your food forest for year-round productivity. Aim to plant trees that fruit at different times, ensuring a continuous yield. Knowing when each plant produces fruit helps you plan and enjoy your garden. Learn how to plant fruit trees in this blog post.
These are general timeframes, and microclimate conditions may influence actual harvest times.
Caring for your food forest requires knowledge of pruning, soil management, and natural pest control.
When you create a food forest and plan for a never-ending harvest, remember that the journey can be as fulfilling as the fruits of your labor. Whether you love gardening or are interested in permaculture, a food forest represents nature’s resilience and abundance.
This article was specifically crafted for those living in mild winter climates like the low desert of Arizona, focusing on plants that thrive there. For tailored advice for different climates, adjusting your plant choices accordingly would be essential.
When venturing into the creation of a food forest, it’s crucial to arm yourself with knowledge from trustworthy sources. Here are a few to consider:
Remember, don’t just rely on one source; tap into several to get a well-rounded view.
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Angela Judd
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Pruning peppers is easy to do, and it has many benefits for keeping your plants healthy, and maximizing their yields.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know, with tips for choosing the right time to trim them, and the tools you’ll need for the job.
I’ll also give you step-by-step instructions for how to prune peppers like a pro, and share my expert tips for success.
If you’re happy with how your plant looks, and the amount of peppers that it produces, then there’s no need to prune it.
But if it’s overgrown or hasn’t been flowering or fruiting, then you should definitely trim it back. It’s especially important if you have a short growing season.
Related Post: How To Grow Your Own Peppers
There are lots of great reasons why you should get into the habit of trimming your peppers regularly. Here are the main benefits:
You can increase your yields by pruning, which encourages the plant to focus its energy on developing more peppers.
Simply snip out the extra leaves and suckers – the growths between the leaf and stem joints – as they form, as well as some of the flowers.
Regular pruning encourages your pepper plant to branch out, which makes it bushier. Not only does this create a nicer looking plant, it means there will be more fruiting branches.
It also maintains their size and shape, which results in full and compact plants, rather than thin and leggy ones.
Cutting back overgrown peppers makes it easier for air to circulate around them, and for sunlight to reach the interior foliage. This helps to prevent fungal problems, which can thrive in dark, damp conditions.
Removing all of the leaves that touch the ground can reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases, and attacks by ground-dwelling pests, like slugs and snails.
If you pinch off some of the flower buds as they form, it will allow the plant to put more energy into ripening the existing fruits, rather than growing more new ones.
This means that it will produce bigger peppers which will ripen faster, and they’re usually more flavorful too.
Related Post: How To Grow Peppers From Seed
You can pinch and snip the flowers and suckers as they appear throughout the summer. But there are two main times when you should trim your plants:
1. Spring – Pruning peppers in the spring as the flowers begin to form will produce hardy plants with well-developed roots, and helps to prevent disease.
2. Late summer – Trimming them in the late summer, before frosty conditions arrive, encourages the fruits to ripen faster to maximize your harvest before it gets too cold.
Related Post: How To Overwinter Pepper Plants Indoors
It’s easy to pinch the small suckers and flower buds off with your fingers. But if you prefer, you can use micro-tip snips of precision pruners instead.
For larger branches, stems, and leaves, I recommend using basic shears to avoid damaging the main stem.
Before you get started, it’s important to clean and sharpen your pruning tools carefully for precision cuts, and to prevent disease issues.
It’s important to note that you should make your cuts at a downward angle so water won’t pool in the wound. Here are the simple steps to follow:
Step 1: Remove dead foliage – Trimming out dead or yellowing leaves and branches is the best way to start. This will tidy things up and give you a good overview of the other parts of the plant that need pruning.
Step 2: Trim back the bottom leaves – Cut away any foliage or branches that are touching the ground. This will protect the plant from soil-borne diseases and ground-dwelling pests.
Step 3: Get rid of the suckers – Snip away any large suckers towards the bottom of the plant, and pinch out the smaller ones that are just beginning to form on top.
Step 4: Cut back overgrowth – If your pepper plant looks leggy or overgrown, prune some of the larger leaves and branches to thin it out. Be careful not to get too carried away, however. Plants need their foliage to grow, so it’s important not to remove too much.
Step 5: Pluck off extra flowers (optional) – You can pinch some of the flower buds off of your plant as they develop to encourage bigger peppers. It’s also a good idea to pluck them off in late summer, around 4 to 6 weeks before frost arrives, which will redirect the energy into ripening the existing fruits faster.
Related Post: How To Dry Peppers
To make your pepper plant bushy, simply pinch or trim the new tips on a regular basis. You can also cut back the long or overgrown branches to create a fuller, more compact plant.
There’s no need to top large pepper plant varieties, such as bell and poblano. But I recommend cutting back the stems of smaller ones, like Thai or jalapenos, when the branches are about 12 inches tall. Trim them back to the second or third set of leaves.
Pruning peppers is important to get the best yields and the largest fruits. It’s also great for maintaining the size and shape of your plant to keep it compact, bushy, and healthy.
If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!
Share your tips for pruning peppers in the comments section below.
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Amy Andrychowicz
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It’s often so hard to make the shady parts of our gardens sing. And many of us have so much of it – shade on the north side of the house, under our trees, and next to our shrubs.
It’s no wonder species like hostas and lily of the valley are so sought after. You’d have a hard time finding more reliable options for filling the shade with life and color.
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But, as the saying goes, no one is perfect. Not even our shade-loving superstars.
Lily of the valley, for example, isn’t as sweet as she looks. In reality, she can sometimes be quite the menace.
In this guide, we’re going to talk about whether this plant is invasive and what we can do to control it. Here’s what’s in the coming attractions:
Before we discuss invasiveness and what it all means, let’s define what lily of the valley is.
Convallaria majalis, commonly known as lily of the valley, is a plant native to Eurasia.
It was brought to North America as an ornamental for its white, bell-shaped flowers that dangle delicately from long stalks.
Not just a pretty face, these tiny blossoms exude an outsized fragrance with notes of sweetness, flora, and fresh greenery that’s marvelous enough to grace perfumes.
The only problem is that its mild-mannered appearance hides a wily nature, and it has at times escaped.
Not content to be constrained, this species has quickly found its way into forests and fields, earning itself a bad reputation and the dreaded label of “invasive” (dun dun dun…).
An invasive plant is one that isn’t indigenous to an area, and that has caused some sort of harm, whether economic or environmental, or to human or animal health.
A species can be regarded as troublesome without being deemed invasive, such as those that are considered noxious.
These terms are important because they allow local, state, and federal governments to regulate and control the plants they deem problematic.
The US federal government defines an invasive species as “an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” in Executive Order 13112, which created the National Invasive Species Council.
C. majalis is not currently defined as invasive by the federal government.
It is, however, listed as invasive by local governments in many areas of the eastern United States, as well as Alaska.
Local governments in Wisconsin, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania all list it as invasive. In many regions it’s listed as a noxious weed instead.
It’s not listed as invasive or noxious in most western states.
So the answer is that, yes, C. majalis may be invasive. It all depends on where you live.
Regardless, this species may grow aggressively. An aggressive plant might be native or not, and it might cause harm or not. What it does do is spread to areas where it isn’t wanted.
Remember, in order to be classified as invasive, a plant must be alien. There is some debate about whether or not lily of the valley is native to North America.
C. majalis var. montana, aka C. pseudomajalis, is considered by some to be native to the region.
There is no doubt that these plants vary slightly from C. majalis, but it’s not clear if this is a variety that adapted from plants that escaped cultivation, or if it’s native to the area and shares characteristics with the Eurasian species while being its own distinct species or variety.
Why does this matter? Because a plant that is native to an area, by definition, can’t be invasive.
An invasive species is one that isn’t indigenous to an area. So if we discover that certain types of lily of the valley are native, they might be more welcome in more areas than C. majalis.
So long as the plant isn’t banned or controlled in your area, you can still plant it. But you might want to keep in mind its enthusiastic growth habit.
If you decide to cultivate it in your garden, you’ll likely want to keep it in check.
The plant spreads through stolons, rhizomes, and berries.
Your first option is to simply allow lily of the valley to grow wild. If you have a large area that needs some erosion control or a partially shady area far away from your other gardens, you can let it spread its wings and fly.
Otherwise, you want to provide it with some boundaries. Literally. Grow it in a bed with distinct borders that separate it from other areas, like a cement border, a sidewalk, or along the side of a building.
This won’t stop the seeds from escaping, so you’ll have to pull any pop-ups you find growing where you don’t want them. Birds may also spread seeds far and wide, so keep this in mind.
That leads me to the other control tactic: regular pulling. If you see a plant stick its head up where it’s not wanted, pull it. Then, thin out your patch regularly, focusing on the outer borders.
In most areas, you can’t thin too much. These plants will come right back with no problem.
You can always divide the plants and spread the love to friends and neighbors – intentionally!
Whether it’s truly invasive or not, there’s always the possibility of finding yourself with too much of a good thing. Don’t let your lily of the valley become more of a beast than a beauty.
Do you have a favorite way to keep this pretty plant in check? Share your ideas in the comments to help others who are struggling to control it.
If this guide was useful for you and you’d like to learn more about lily of the valley, check out these guides next:
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Kristine Lofgren
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Born Again Dirt by Noah Sanders
An Agricultural Testament by Sir Albert Howard
Landrace Gardening by Joseph Lofthouse
The Contagion Myth by Thomas S. Cowan and Sally Fallon Morrell
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Book 1 of 8) by Edward Gibbon
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Book 2 of 8) by Edward Gibbon
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Book 3 of 8) by Edward Gibbon
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Book 4 of 8) by Edward Gibbon
A Soil Owner’s Manual by Jon Stika
Comeback Farms by Greg Judy
Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown
Keeping Bees with a Smile by Fedor Lazutin and Leo Sharashkin
Balanced Beekeeping I: Building a Top Bar Hive by Philip Chandler
Balanced Beekeeping II: Managing the Top Bar Hive by Philip Chandler
Handling Sin by Michael Malone
The Rooted Life by Justin Rhodes
The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil by Dale Strickler
Soil Science for Gardeners by Robert Pavlis
The Wheel of Health: The Sources of Long Life and Health Among the Hunza by Dr. G. T. Wrench
For the Love of the Soil by Nicole Masters
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Book 5 of 8) by Edward Gibbon
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome
Metabolical by Dr. Robert Lustig
Satyricon by Gaius Petronius
Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb
The History of Early Rome by Livy
Dissolving Illustions by Suzanne Humphries and Roman Bystrianyk
Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki
Less: A Visual Guide to Minimalism by Rachel Aust
Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life by Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus
De Agricultura by Cato
Don’t Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz
Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
Coppice Agrofrestry by Mark Krawczyk
Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson
The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker
Aeneid by Virgil
Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines by Tim Staples
Becoming Orthodox by Peter Gilquist
The Holy Bible (NKJV) by God
Started then Ditched
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Barefoot Beekeeper by Philip Chandler
Holistic Management, Third Edition: A Commonsense Revolution to Restore Our Environment by Allan Savory
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David The Good
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Cherry Ong’s beautiful little side garden that she calls the Fern Fairway is always a little jewel box of perfect plants and wonderful combinations. Recently (The Fern Fairway in Summer) she shared how the space looked last summer, and today we’re revisiting with photos taken last September and October as the Fern Fairway entered autumn.
To make the most of this narrow space, Cherry has containers mounted on the wall. The plants visible here include Fuchsia ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’ (Zones 10–11 or as an annual), ‘Rita’s Gold’ Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Rita’s Gold’, Zones 10–11 or as an annual), sunset fern (Dryopteris lepidopoda, Zones 6–9), Polemonium pulcherricum ‘Golden Feathers’ (Zones 5–9), and Dryopteris dilatata ‘Crispa Congesta’ (Zones 5–9).
Fuchsia ‘Pink Marshmallow’ (Zones 10–11 or as an annual) graced the path and mostly lasted till early December.
Athyrium filix femina ‘Dre’s Dagger’ (Zones 4–8) thrives and continues to wow!
Small pots show off individual foliage plants to perfection.
Athyrium ‘Godzilla’ (Zones 5–9) is maturing slowly and steadily. For those looking for full-shade perennials, I am happy to report that Leucothoe fontesiana ‘Rainbow’ (Zones 5–8) flourishes.
This Adiantum pedatum (Zones 3–8) is a spectacular division from the garden.
I couldn’t resist decorating, so I fashioned a swag out of dried flowers from the garden—mine and Sylvia’s.
Begonia chloroneura (Zones 10–11 or as a houseplant) is enjoying its summer vacation outdoors.
A beat-up wooden arch that I snagged for free from Craiglist frames Tricyrtis hirta (Zones 4–8), primrose, and some houseplants.
Hawkshead fuchsia is one of my favorite fuchsias, given its dainty ballerina-like white flowers. It truly shines in the shade! Here it is in November.
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
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Spring-blooming perennials brighten up the landscape, providing much-needed color after the bleak winter winter months. And to keep your plants healthy and vigorous, these shrubs will need proper pruning.
But how does a gardener do that properly when bloom time coincides with when you need to trim your plant?
Pruning your springtime bloomers comes with many benefits, whether it’s improved health of the plant, aesthetics, or to encourage abundant flowering.
But there’s more to the process than simply giving your plants a haircut. You’ll need precision, proper timing, and the right equipment.
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Because it’s quite the dilemma, really: you’ve got pretty flowers on branches that need to be removed.
In a way, it’s a lot like getting pieces of chewed-up bubble gum stuck in an awesome hairdo. Whether you cut those magnificent locks away or leave the Dubble Bubble be, you lose.
Okay, not my best analogy. But you get it – it’s an either/or situation.
Or is it?
Thankfully, horticulture differs quite a bit from hair. In this scenario, you can have your cake and eat it too. It just takes a bit of know-how.
That’s where this guide comes in. I’ll cover everything you need to know about pruning blooming plants in spring.
Here’s what I’ll cover:
If you’re gonna take sharp blades to a beautiful bloomer’s branches, it’s worth knowing the reasons why it is beneficial.
Even if a plant doesn’t have any damaged or diseased branches to get rid of, it may still need some cutting back if it doesn’t have the desired shape.
That’s where strategic pruning can be a huge help.
By removing select branches from critical spots, you can drastically change a plant’s form. It often takes less cutting than you’d think!
Along with appearance, health can also be improved via pruning.
All those damaged, dead, and diseased branches? They’re not just eyesores – they’re vulnerabilities.
And it’s through these weak spots that pathogens and pests can enter the plant and cause even more harm.
Additionally, by removing the branches that aren’t pulling their weight, the plant can direct its energy towards new, healthy growth.
But how does this energy redirection work? Well, plants love to keep their roots and shoots in relative proportion.
And once shoots are removed, the root mass is now greater than the shoot mass.
To bring these structures back into balance, the tree will grow its shoots back quicker by increasing its vigor, or its rate of plant growth.
The result? A more vibrant and lush specimen!
Unless you’re naturally endowed with bone claws like Wolverine, you’ll need some external tools for all this cutting.
Keeping with the Wolverine references… I’m guessing you also don’t have an enhanced healing factor that instantly heals all your wounds. Therefore, you’ll need stuff to prevent said wounds.
For the home gardener, the two most important pieces of PPE are safety glasses and puncture-proof gloves.
The former keeps wood shavings and sharp points out of your eyeballs, while the latter might help to protect your delicate digits from chance cuts.
If you need safety glasses, 3M has some blue and black ones available via Amazon.
Want glasses that go over the spectacles you already wear? Check out what Aquilus has to offer available on Amazon.
For green puncture-proof gloves that come in medium, large, and extra-large sizes, head on over to Garrett Wade.
Read more about some of our favorite gardening gloves here.
Often worn at the hip like a trusty lawman’s Colt .45, hand pruners are a popular tool for cutting small branches less than an inch thick.
Specifically, you’ll want bypass pruners, which make clean cuts while also prolonging blade sharpness.
Want a primo set of bypass pruners with swanky orange handles? Check out Gardener’s Supply.
Consisting of short, durable blades and long, strong handles, loppers use the power of physics to make difficult cuts on branches up to a couple inches thick.
For removing live branches in spring, go with bypass rather than anvil loppers, as the latter are better for cutting deadwood.
Need some heavy-duty bypass loppers with extendable handles? Go visit Garrett Wade.
When you run into branches too thick for loppers, that’s where a pruning saw comes in handy.
Longer and thinner than the wood saws you used in shop class, pruning saws are perfect for fitting through a densely-packed bunch of branches.
And as long as the blade is longer than the limb is thick, these tools can handle any cut size.
If you’re interested in a pruning saw with a 12-inch blade, a durable sheath for storage, and a curved handle à la Count Dooku’s lightsaber, check out this Castellari product at Gardener’s Supply.
As you make your cuts, pathogens can easily hitch a ride on your blades and spread from plant to plant… unless you sterilize your tools in between specimens.
And isopropyl alcohol is the perfect germ-killer.
Use a 70 to 99 percent alcohol concentration, with water making up the remainder of the solution.
To sterilize blades, you can either dip them straight into the solution, or use an old spray bottle to spritz them. Wipe the blades down with a clean rag, and they’re ready to go.
If you need some rubbing alcohol, check out these 16-ounce containers of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol available via Amazon.
For most plants, pruning just before bud break in spring is the perfect time to trigger a burst of vegetative growth for the growing season.
However, if it’s the blooms that you’re trying to enhance, then “just before bud break in spring” isn’t always the best time. So when is?
For a plant to have optimal flowering, the best pruning time depends on its bloom window.
For a plant that blooms before mid-June, or the start of summer, you’ll want to hold off on cutting back until after it has flowered.
This allows for a beautiful floral display that’s unadulterated by the stress of losing its mass.
If a plant puts out flowers in summer or later, then you’ll want to prune it in late winter to early spring, before bud break. This gives the specimen enough time to recover before it flowers.
Different plants have different forms and shapes, so the exact recommendations will vary from species to species.
But in general, here’s your order of operations for pruning, ranked from most to least important.
For any heavy branches, utilize the three-cut method to avoid a gnarly peeling of trunk bark as the branch falls.
And no matter what plant you’re pruning, don’t remove more than a third of its aboveground mass in one go. Any more, and it’ll be very stressful on the organism.
Have cut branches and stems that need disposal? Sounds like you’ve got some fuel for the compost pile!
You know what else has sprung? You, into action, after you’ve read this guide! Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week.
Cringe-inducing jokes aside, hopefully you now have a game plan come springtime. As the years pass and you gain experience, it’ll become more and more routine.
Still have questions? Wisdom of your own to share? Check out the comments section below!
Need more pruning know-how? These guides should do the trick:
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Joe Butler
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Tara Nolan
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The winter doldrums are a reality in the Midwest, especially for gardeners, but an immersive plant adventure at your local conservatory is a sure way to lift your spirits. Fortunately, midwestern cities and towns are blessed with many gardens under glass where visitors can experience the warmth and color of the growing season any time of the year. For me, an annual winter trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago, just a two-hour drive from my home in southern Wisconsin, is the perfect way to get my plant fix and keep my sanity.
While I’ve been to dozens of conservatories throughout the United States and abroad, Garfield Park Conservatory continues to be a favorite. With its mission “to change lives through the power of nature,” this conservatory ticks all the boxes as a welcome winter destination, and the surrounding landscape is exceptional in every season.
Nestled within the 184-acre Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side, Garfield Park Conservatory has two acres of naturalized landscape gardens under glass and 10 acres of outdoor spaces that include a sensory garden, a demonstration garden, and a play-and-grow garden for kids.
The conservatory, which opened in 1908, was designed by the famous landscape architect Jens Jensen to be the world’s largest conservatory under one roof. Still one of the grandest glass houses in the world, it has persisted through trials, tribulations, and weather damage over the years, with the most recent restoration in 1994. Funded by the Park District of Chicago and the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, the conservatory’s mission is to exhibit “landscape art under glass.” Admission is free.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Garfield Park Conservatory features eight indoor show houses and is open to the public throughout the year. The Palm House is the largest room at 65 feet tall and 90 feet wide, but the Fern House and the Desert House are my favorites. Over 250,000 annual visitors, including many schoolchildren, enjoy the conservatory and its surrounding gardens.
The conservatory typically presents five dynamic flower exhibits per year, as well as extensive education opportunities, events, programs, cultural performances, and demonstrations. Check out the website, garfieldconservatory.org, for directions, hours, and more information on this amazing destination. Reservations are encouraged in advance of arrival. I’ll be making my next trip soon, and I hope you will also seek out conservatories in your area this winter. It’s worth it!
Mark Dwyer is the garden manager for the Edgerton Hospital Healing Garden in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and he operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD.
Photos: Mark Dwyer
For more Midwest regional reports, click here.
In the mood for some virtual garden travel?
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Mark Dwyer
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From cherry blossoms in December to spring bulbs in January, I’ve seen some flowers bloom exceptionally early. If you’ve also seen some early blooms, you might be worried about how this will affect your plant when it inevitably gets cold again. Here’s what you need to know about early blooming flowers.
It’s been a weird winter here in Vancouver. For a while, we had a very, very, cold snap. Then quickly, it warmed up and turned bright and sunny…only to get cold again.
I saw cherry blossoms in December—which doesn’t usually happen until late February.
I’m confused. The plants are confused. We’re all confused.
All across the world, we have been seeing extremes. So it’s no wonder I’ve been seeing lots of questions from gardeners about what will happen to their plants if they see early blooms.
If you’re concerned about early blooming flowers, join me as we look at the plant’s life cycle and what will happen to your plants should they sprout a wee bit early.
It’s getting harder and harder for some (I won’t name names) to deny that the climate is changing. We will see very unusual things happening with the weather, and the plants will respond to it.
Some areas are seeing more prolonged periods of drought, while others have heavy rainfall. We may have a cold, severe winter, but they’re getting less frequent as these mild winters creep up on us.
Because of these temperatures, we’re seeing longer growing periods with an earlier last frost date and a later first frost date. In the US, the growing season has increased by more than two weeks compared to the beginning of the 20th century in 48 states. In the UK, flowers bloom an average of 26 days earlier than in the 1980s.
The plants are getting the message loud and clear. They’re responding to the climate the best way they know how, one of which is early blooms.
As the climate changes, the plants are also changing. Anything that’s a perennial, like trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs, will continue to evolve. The strongest plants will be the ones to survive this.
The next generation of plants will create their future. The plants will become hardier in these conditions as the climate changes. The weaker ones may not make it, but the stronger ones do.
It’s always important to consider the plant’s life cycle, like what we do in pruning. Most plants go dormant in the winter by dropping leaves, stopping flowering, and devoting their energy to the root system.
That goes for most plants, like perennials, trees, bulbs, and even our edible vegetable plants.
When shoots come up early, remember that very little of the overall plant energy is above the soil line.
If it cools down again and there’s damage to the plant, most of it is still safe under the soil. There may be some damage to the above plant material, but the rest should be fine.
There may be some gnarly leaves and fewer flowers. She may not be looking her best. But know that she’s looking beautiful beneath the soil and will survive just fine.
Place your trust in the plants. Observe, but try not to worry. You can’t do much—it’s in the plant’s hands!
Perennials can pop up early when they see the cues of spring. But once it freezes again, the plant’s energy will retreat to the root system.
The plant isn’t fully developed above the soil, but it can still withstand some damage to the upper part of the plant. It’s rare that any of that damage will go down to the root.
Soil is very insulating and will help maintain a temperature the plant is hardy to. If you planted it in the right space, that is.
Generally, the leaf buds will be okay on trees. Trees send out many leaf buds early in the season when it’s cold. If they lose some, the tree will be okay.
Flower buds, however, tend not to bounce back as easily.
This year, we had cherry blossoms blooming exceptionally early in Vancouver due to a mild winter. I anticipate that they aren’t going to flower as prolifically this spring. Since they tried to flower early, they likely won’t set out a second flowering.
Bulbs are very used to this seesaw of warm and cold temperatures. Bulbs store all their energy under the soil. Within the bulb, there is enough energy for the plants to grow before there’s much spring sun.
The shoots will begin to pop up when it feels right. Generally, most bulbs don’t mind the cold. Some, like snowdrops and crocuses, even thrive in the snow. Bulbs have very strong root systems that help them bounce back in cold conditions.
The shoots may die off when it gets cooler again. But that’s fine. In the end, you could end up with fewer bulbs that are less robust and not as strong. This is more likely if there is a late freeze and most of the plant has already sprung up.
Some vegetables don’t mind cool temperatures. Imagine you didn’t cover your Swiss chard or kale, and it froze so much that it wilted and died back instead of getting sweeter (which we all hope will happen).
Those vegetables tend to grow back again. They might not grow back as much as before, but anything under the soil will be okay.
So your root vegetables, like parsnips, beets, or carrots, will be doing great underneath the soil, even if the cold damages the leaves above the soil.
We plant garlic in the fall (I always do so around Halloween). Sometimes, you can plant it a little too early or have a warmer-than-usual fall, and the garlic will send up shoots in the fall.
When it freezes, the garlic will die back. But don’t worry; the garlic will start the whole process again in the spring.
You can even plant garlic with shoots growing on it, like when you buy them a little late. This won’t affect your garlic overall.
Yes, there is a gold standard when it comes to garlic. Garlic growers won’t want shoots affected by the freeze or provide any stress to the plant as that can affect the overall robustness of the plant.
But will you still get garlic? Absolutely.
Let’s say it’s late spring and starting to get to summer, and we suddenly have an unexpected freeze. In this case, the plant’s chance of survival would drop.
At this point, most of the energy the plant is expelling is now on the upper part of the plant and not beneath the soil where it is protected.
Most perennials will bounce back, but the damage may be more significant if they are further down in their seasonal growth.
Rising temperatures and earlier springs will mean that bees will wake up earlier. It’s estimated that they wake up five days earlier than twenty years ago.
With more species blooming at the same time than in the past, there isn’t such a continuous, even supply of flowers for the bees. This mismatch between when the flowers and bees are active could threaten the bees looking for food sources.
This will also reduce plant pollination and their ability to reproduce and yield crops. Rising temperatures may also mean the bees come out earlier, but they need their timing to align with the flowers to avoid being affected.
Each plant (or seed or bulb) will respond to different environmental factors, such as temperature, amount of sunlight, light quality, and more.
As these conditions change, chemical production inside the plant triggers the growth. In response, the plant will begin to sprout new growth.
Many plants start growing when temperatures get warmer or the days get longer. Each plant will have specific responses, some needing higher temperatures or more light before growing. Others require less.
Likewise, cooler temperatures can tell the plant to redirect the energy back to the roots, set seed, and die back for the fall.
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Stephanie Rose
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We often erect a mental wall between planting an orchard and planting a vegetable garden. Either you have neat rows of trees, or you have neat rows of vegetables.
Here’s an orchard:
And here is a vegetable garden:
The former is a long-term investment that takes years to pay off. The latter is a quick return with more fertilizing, weeding, and daily effort.
Of course, if you’re a bit more free-spirited, you might go for a food forest instead, with various trees and perennial vegetables together.
Over 12 years ago, we planted this food forest in South Florida
However, let’s go back to the common vegetable garden/orchard divide. Getting fruit in an orchard may take 3-6 years, but then you get yields that can last for generations. Vegetable gardens provide quick and abundant harvests, yet you have to plant again every year.
Yet you don’t have to choose between having an orchard or growing a garden. And if you grow both, you don’t have to plant them separately.
You can combine them, particularly in the early years of an orchard.
Thus far, we’ve had good luck incorporating orchards and vegetable gardens together, getting the quick yield of annuals with the long-term yields of trees.
In our Grocery Row Gardens last year, we managed to grow 163lbs of cucumbers, over 150lbs of sweet potatoes, 760lbs of watermelons, 18lbs of Jerusalem artichokes, 10lbs of okra and about 40lbs of potatoes in between our fruit trees.
Grocery Row Gardens are multi-layered polycultures with trees, shrubs and veggies
The vining crops acted like ground covers through growing season, with cucumbers dominating in spring, then being surpassed by watermelons, and then finally the watermelons being supplanted by sweet potatoes into the fall.
Our trees gave us nothing in yields as this was our first year; however, we still got over 1,000lbs of food from the system!
If you have an orchard, why not plant fast-growing crops between your trees? This works especially well in young orchards where the trees haven’t blocked much of the light yet. By the time your trees get big and start producing bushels of fruit and nuts, you will have already harvested tons of food from the space. Think pumpkins, sweet potatoes, watermelons and other ramblers, which you can start on hills and let run. Or get more intense and plant potatoes, corn, or other crops in beds between the trees.
Just something to think about. Our little backyard orchard/vegetable Grocery Row Garden system is outlined in this handy little booklet.
Even if you don’t plant a Grocery Row Garden, you can really up your game by adding some annuals to your orchard or food forest, particularly in the early years of establishment.
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Welcome to a compilation of hilarious rock puns that’s sure to rock your world!
Whether you’re a seasoned geologist or simply someone who loves a good chuckle, these rock jokes are bound to deliver a good laugh. Get ready to rock and roll with these puns, quips, and geological gags.
1. What do you call a rock that never goes to school? A skipping stone.
2. Why did the rock become a musician? Because it wanted to be a little boulder.
3. Why are rocks so cheap? Because they’re always on shale.
4. What do you call a dubious rock? A sham rock.
5. Why do tectonic plates always argue? Because there’s too much friction between them.
6. What did the stone want to be when it grew up? A rock star.
7. Why did the miner stop digging? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
8. Why did the rock take confidence lessons? To help it feel boulder.
9. Why did the rock and the stone break up? The trust in their relationship eroded.
10. Why didn’t the stone get back together with the rock? He had too many faults.
11. Why did the rock shower every morning? It wanted to start with a clean slate.
12. It takes a boulder person to read through this list of rock puns.
13. Where do you take an injured rock? To the Rocktor.
14. What happened to the rock after continuous hours of interrogation? It finally cracked.
15. Where do wealthy rocks live? Rockefeller Street.
16. What kind of rocks are sour? Limestone.
17. Why was the gemstone scared for his exams? Because he thought he wasn’t going topaz.
18. How did the rock feel when he got covered in algae? He was lichen it.
19. What did the rock order at the bar? Soda on the rocks.
20. What did one volcano say to the other volcano? “I lava you so much.”
21. Where do rocks like to sleep? In bedrocks.
22. How did the stone feel after his workout? Rock solid.
23. How did the rock feel about going to jail? Petrified.
24. Why can’t minerals ever lie? Because they’re always in their pure form.
25. What did the rock say to the word processor? “Boulder.”
26. What did Sherlock Holmes say when Watson asked what kind of rock he was holding? “Sedimentary, my dear Watson.”
27. When were rock jokes the funniest? During the stone age.
28. What did the rock say when it ended up at the bottom of the hill? “That’s how I roll.”
29. Why did the rock go to jail? The quartz found him guilty.
30. What did the sedimentary rock say to the metamorphic rock? “You’ve changed, man!”
31. Why is it hard to be a diamond? Too much pressure.
32. Why did the rock decide to hit the gym? Because he wanted to be bigger and boulder.
33. Why was the rock emotionless? Because it had a heart of stone.
34. What do you call a rock that complains? A whine-stone.
35. Why are limestones ignored? Because they’re too chalkative.
36. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Geode. Geode who? Geode bless you!
37. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Shale. Shale who? Shale, we dance?
38. Knock, knock. Who’s there? Gneiss. Gneiss who? Gneiss to meet you!
39. How do geologists like their whiskey? On the rocks.
40. Why did the geologist quit his job? Because he wanted a clean slate.
41. What did the rock say to the geologist? “Don’t take me for granite.”
42. Why did the geologist keep their old rock collection? Because it had a lot of sedimental value.
43. What did Darth Vader tell the geologist? “May the quartz be with you.”
44. What’s a geologist’s favourite fruit? Pome-granite. (more fruit jokes here)
45. What’s a geologist’s favourite type of music? Rock & Roll.
46. What’s a geologist’s favourite band? The Rolling Stones.
47. What’s a geologist’s favourite restaurant? The Hard Rock Café.
48. What’s a geologist’s favourite sweet treat? Rock candy.
49. What’s a geologist’s favourite movie? Pyrites of the Caribbean.
50. What’s a geologist’s favourite kind of magazine? Rolling Stone.
51. Who’s a geologist’s favourite comedian? Chris Rock.
52. Who’s a geologist’s favourite actor? Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
53. What happens when you keep reading geologist jokes in your free time? You know that you’ve really hit rock bottom.
54. Why should you never expect perfection from geologists? Because they all have their faults.
55. Why are geologists so good in school? Because they don’t take anything for granite.
56. How do geologists like to relax? In rocking chairs.
57. Why don’t geologists argue? They’re too pelite.
58. Where do geologists study? At sedimentary school.
59. Why are geologists good at romance? Because they’re very sedimental.
60. Why don’t geologists like alcohol? Because they like to be stone-cold sober.
61. Why are geologists never hungry? Because they lost their apatite.
62. How does a geologist show their displeasure? They give the coal shoulder.
63. Why was the geologist tired of his work? Because it was mostly boring.
64. What happened after the geologist finished his work? It was a lode off his shoulders.
65. What did the doctor prescribe to the sick geologist? Tech-tonic.
66. Why was the geologist puzzled at the comedy show? Because some of the funny jokes fluorite over his head.
67. Did you see the geologist towing a crate of rocks behind his car? He had a wide lode sign.
68. What do geologists use to clean themselves? Soapstone.
69. Why was the geologist agitated? Because he had lost his marbles.
70. Why don’t geologists argue? Because they’re too pelite.
71. Why shouldn’t you lend a geologist money? Because they consider a million years ago to be recent.
72. You rock my world
73. Let’s rock and roll
74. Between a rock and a hard place
75. Power to the pebble
76. Pebble to the metal
77. Rock solid advice
78. Rock steady
79. Rock on
80. I need some assi-stones
81. Not to quarry
82. Rocky road
83. Quarried sick
84. Getting off to a rocky start
85. Rock the boat
86. On the rocks
87. Opportunity rocks
88. Solid as a rock
89. Don’t take me for granite
90. It’s a hard rock life
91. Hit rock bottom
92. Stony faced
93. A stony silence
94. Feeling sedimental
95. Feeling a little boulder
96. I won’t gravel
97. A clean slate
98. Rock solid plans
99. For the crater good
100. I lava you so much
101. Metamorphically speaking
102. You’re a gem
103. May the quartz be with you
104. Of quartz it is
105. Geode bless you
106. Geode willing
107. Geode forbid
108. An act of geode
109. I don’t want to chalk about it
110. Chalk it up to experience
111. Look who’s chalking
112. Keep your coal
113. Coal as a cucumber
114. In coal blood
115. Get coal feet
116. Gave me the coal shoulder
117. Shale of the century
118. Shale we dance?
119. Seek and ye shale find
120. I get the schist of it
121. All ore nothing
122. Believe it ore not
123. Be there ore be square
124. Now ore never
125. Heads ore tails
126. Friend ore foe
127. Give ore take
128. Don’t flint-ch
129. Igneous is bliss
130. A grain of basalt
131. A basalt on the senses
132. Have a gneiss day
133. Gneiss to meet you
134. Gneiss going
135. No more Mr. Gneiss Guy
136. This rock was magma before it was cool
137. A cold as stone
138. Turned to stone
139. Stepping stone
140. No stone unturned
141. A heart of stone
142. Rocks in your head
143. A pebble person
144. Cobble something together
145. A plutonic relationship
146. Gravelling at my feet
147. Rock around the clock
148. App-rocks-imate
149. My per-rock-ative
150. “I really like rock puns.” “My sediments exactly!”
And there you have it – we’ve left no stone unturned in our quest to find you the perfect rock joke. Hopefully they have put a rock solid smile on your face 🤣
For more family-friendly jokes and good puns, head this way:
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Catherine
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I mentioned it to my partner Fred and one day, months later, he came home and said he found a company nearby that sold used shipping containers. He was excited to explore building with it as he’s a traditional builder of commercial and residential structures.
2) How/where did you find the shipping container? (I wouldn’t know where to start!) And how much does something like that cost?
We found a company that sold used shipping containers in Newburg, NY (A-Verdi). It’s a 40’ foot container with 9’ high ceilings.
3) Was it hard to get it to your house?
The company delivered it on a flat bed.
(sent you pic)
4) Did you have to prepare the ground first before building the structure?
The first thing was to decide what we were building. We decided we’d build a barn to store construction tools/materials. The hayloft is where we store lumber. Also how useful would it be if it was moveable? We cut it in half to create two 20’ long storage areas with space in the middle for our boat. Before the company delivered the container, we leveled the area and poured Item 4 on top. This is a mix of stone made specifically to be compacted. It’s often used for driveways, parking areas, etc.
(sent you pic cutting container in half and using compacter tool on stone).
5) Where is this on your property?
This is opposite our vegetable garden and can be seen from our kitchen window
6) What inspired the exterior look? Was there a specific barn or images that you looked to?
I designed our vegetable garden fence nodding to chinoiserie and our home is a modern style farmhouse so this structure had to relate to those things. I toyed with doing a Union Jack design on the barn doors but chose this simpler look because there’s a lot going on with the garden fence across the way!
(Sent you pic of barn through fencing)
7) What color is it painted? Are you going to paint the exterior of the containers (inside the barn)? Looks like they’re unpainted based on the pictures.
It’s Benjamin Moore Dash of Pepper and I chose it because it helps the barn blend into the landscape. I also kept the interior cavity walls as is on the shipping container—that color and signage! One of the fun things about a reuse project is seeing at once what it was and what it is.
8) What is the roofing material?
Standing seam metal roof
9) Is it insulated?
It isn’t but we recently decided to turn one of the storage bays into a home gym. We plan to cut a hole on the side facing the creek on our property and we’ll install glass doors. We’ll be insulating it and adding heat.
10) How much did this project cost? Can be ballpark. And would be neat to get a sense of just materials cost vs. labor.
The container cost about $2000. We had leftover stone and wood we used for the construction. The biggest expense was the roof, around 10K. It’s hard to estimate labor as we did it ourselves over a year+ period in between client work.
11) Biggest challenge?
As amazingly sturdy as these structures are, once you cut into it, it needs a good bit of reinforcement. Our barn was never more sturdy than when we built the roof.
12) Biggest surprise?
We move the entire finished structure with chains hooked up to our skid steer. I didn’t expect it to be so light after it was built.
13) What do you use this building for?
Storage for building materials, boat and eventually a home gym
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What happens when a Japanese-style garden meets the southern California desert? For the very Zen results, let’s visit a serene gravel courtyard that landscape architecture firm Terremoto designed for Mohawk General Store in Santa Monica.
Photography by Caitlin Atkinson, courtesy of Terremoto.
“This was an attempt to create a garden that was both Japanese and desert simultaneously,” landscape architect David Godshall says, adding that client Kevin Carney wanted a space to have movie screenings and to create a backdrop for fashion shoots.
The garden, formerly occupied by gardening shop Potted, had existing hardscape (some concrete slabs) and a few specimen plants—including two large palms—that the team salvaged from the previous design. “For the rest of it, we started from scratch.”
“We made the design process conversational,” Godshall says. “We went cactus shopping with the clients. Then we went boulder shopping. After we got all the elements on site, an incredibly hardworking crew shadow boxed them into place. Then there was a lot of looking at how things looked, walking around, and shifting it around.”
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Carol Verhake gardens in Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Zone 7a), and after two years without getting any snow, she got a beautiful snowfall this winter. Here are some shots she took of the garden looking beautiful under its white blanket. If you want to see her garden during the growing season, check out this post: Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together.
Ampelaster carolinianus (climbing aster, Zones 7–9) is primarily a fall bloomer, but with mild weather it can stretch right into the winter and, as here, have flowers topped with snow.
Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora, Zones 5–8) is evergreen in the warmer end of its range, and the fronds look amazing topped with snow.
Beautyberries (Callpicarpa spp.) have gorgeous purple berries in the fall that often last well into the winter, as some birds prefer them after a freeze or two has softened them up. That’s good for the birds, as they provide food for later in the season, and it’s good for the gardeners, as they get to enjoy the lovely berries for a long time.
Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar, Zones 5–9) looks beautiful in the snow. It’s hard to beat the classic beauty of conifers in the winter.
Edgeworthia (Zones 7–10) produces these large, beautiful heads of flower buds in the winter that push open into incredibly fragrant yellow blooms in very early spring.
Snowy winter days often show off garden structures and art at their very best. Here a trunk of a dead rhododendron has new life as a sculpture topped with a Moravian star.
This beautiful structure made from fallen limbs is what Carol calls her “love shack.” It is always beautiful, but wow does it look great in the snow!
One of the most dramatic features in Carol’s garden is her stone moon gate, and it is also looking its very best in a snowy landscape.
Witch hazels (Hamamelis spp., Zones 5–9) are great winter bloomers. These cherry yellow blooms can take freezing temperatures and snow without missing a beat.
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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GPOD Contributor
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We work so hard to make our landscapes look incredible during the growing season. Why neglect them in the winter?
Dogwoods can provide an easy way to add a little color and shape to an otherwise bland space.
If you’ve ever stared out of a window at a garden that once was a riot of flowers and foliage, only to be miserably greeted by bare ground and dead plant material in the middle of February, you know how important a little colorful interest can be.
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And dogwoods don’t just add color to the garden. You can collect the stems and use them in floral arrangements indoors to liven up your interiors, too.
That would be enough to recommend them, in my book. But as an added bonus, they can be exceptionally beautiful during the warmer months as well.
In other words, they are truly the type of plants that offer four seasons of excitement in the landscape.
We’ll look at 15 exceptional options in more detail. Here’s the lineup:
All dogwoods perform better if you trim off some of the older stems to make room for the new growth, which tends to have brighter colors.
They also have the brightest hues when grown in full sun even though most can tolerate some shade.
You can learn more about growing dogwoods in our guide.
Without further ado, let’s start with a fiery option:
In Zones 3 to 7, C. sericea Arctic Fire® or ‘Farrow’ lives up to its name, with fiery red twigs on a dwarf plant that stays under four feet tall and wide.
Unlike the species, it doesn’t sucker, so you aren’t going to have to fight to keep it under control.
Dark green leaves pop out in the spring, followed by white flowers that give way to white berries. Use it as an informal hedge or display it in a large container to highlight the winter color.
You can bring one home from Nature Hills Nursery as a three- to four-foot bare root or a live plant in a #3 container.
I’m particularly fond of the stems on C. sanguinea ‘Cato,’ also known as Arctic Sun®.
Released in 2009 and hardy in Zones 3 to 9, the stems have a beautiful ombre of crimson at the tips, gradually transitioning to yellow at the base.
It looks like a warm sunset in the middle of the most colorless time of year.
The green leaves turn golden yellow in the fall, with white drupes as an accent.
In the spring, star-shaped white flowers – actually leaf bracts – appear in clusters all over the dwarf four-foot-tall and wide shrub.
Visit Nature Hills Nursery for a plant (or two) of your own.
There are lots of red-stemmed dogwoods out there, but few can rival the fiery scarlet hue of C. sericea ‘Bailey.’
Even without its medium green leaves, it makes a massive statement in the winter, with the stems stretching 10 feet tall and wide, or even a bit wider.
In the spring, white flower clusters decorate the ends of the branches, followed by bluish berries.
The autumn leaves take on a reddish-purple hue, but honestly, you’ll be rooting for them to fall so you can enjoy the bare stems.
Nature Hills Nursery has this bold bush available in three- to four-foot bare roots, or live plants in #3 or #5 containers. Grow it in Zones 3 to 9.
If you have a large area that needs some brightening up, get your hands on ‘Bud’s Yellow.’
This C. sericea cultivar will spread up to eight feet tall and wide, and it will send out suckers to start new plants.
Perfect for those slopes or streambanks that need some support and some color as well, the bright yellow stems are so vibrant they almost look neon.
This variety is also disease-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about fungal issues marring the medium green foliage.
Enjoy white flowers in the spring and snowy berries in the fall, accompanied by cheery yellow foliage.
Bring home a three- to four-foot bare-root or a live plant in a #3 container from Nature Hills Nursery for growing in Zones 2 to 8.
When this plant was developed at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota, in 1986, they picked an excellent name.
The cardinal red stems on this 10-foot-tall and wide shrub offer a vibrant contrast to winter gray and snow.
The fragrant white flowers are followed by cream-colored fruits in the fall, when the foliage turns deep purple. It’s a fabulous option for growing in Zones 3 to 8.
Visit Nature Hills to pick up a four- to five-foot bare-root or a live plant in a #3 container.
Bringing a bit of spice to the humdrum dormant landscape, C. amomum ‘Cayenne’ stands apart from some other dogwoods because its bright red stems will hold their color even in warmer regions.
With green leaves that turn orange-red in the fall, highlighting the pale blue berries, it makes a suitable addition whether you want to mitigate erosion or just add some color to the garden.
This shrub is both canker- and Japanese beetle-resistant. It grows rapidly to about six feet tall and 12 feet wide.
Want to add some spice to your life? Head to Nature Hills Nursery for some ‘Cayenne.’ It grows well in Zones 4 to 9.
A variegated cultivar of Tartarian dogwood, Creme de Mint™ (C. alba ‘Crmizam’) has medium green leaves with cream edges. In the fall, the foliage takes on a pinkish-red hue.
Once the leaves fall to the ground, bright chartreuse stems add some color to the landscape.
The white spring flowers will attract bees and butterflies, and the fall berries in bluish-white will feed the birds that visit your yard.
And this shrub won’t become overbearing, staying at a petite five feet tall and wide. It won’t sucker and spread where you don’t want it either.
Add a hint of mint to your garden by visiting Nature Hills Nursery for a live plant of your own, for growing in Zones 3 to 8.
Beautiful C. alba ‘Baihalo,’ known commonly as Ivory Halo®, is a delight from spring through fall with its dark-green foliage edged in ivory white, along with yellowish spring flowers and bluish-white fruits in the fall.
But as beautiful as the foliage is, you’ll be counting down the days until those leaves turn purple-red in the fall and drop to the ground so you can enjoy the vibrant red branches.
Just picture how much they will stand out against the winter snow in Zones 3 to 7.
This dwarf shrub stays at about six feet tall and wide at maturity, and while it will spread via suckers, it isn’t as prolific as some of its relatives.
In garden design, you always want a few elements of dark black or brown to anchor an area. A Tartarian dogwood cultivar, C. alba ‘Kesselringii’ is just the thing for the job.
In the spring, summer, and fall, the dark red stems act as a dramatic focal point underneath the medium-green leaves.
But it’s even more dramatic when the stems turn dark purple in the winter, acting as a visual anchor whether your landscape tends towards greens and browns or snowy white.
This fast-growing shrub will reach six feet tall and wide within the first year after planting, and it’s decorated in yellowish blossoms in the spring and sometimes into the summer, as well.
In the fall, the foliage transitions to a beautiful burgundy hue.
This all-season pleaser is suited to a wide range of climates in Zones 2 to 7.
Okay, hear me out. Pacific dogwood (C. nuttalli) doesn’t have the bright yellow or red stems that make other species so popular in the winter landscape.
But don’t pass over this option if you live in Zones 7 to 9, where you might not have long periods of snow but you still crave some winter interest.
The white or pinkish-colored flowers are much showier than anything on this list, coming in at nearly three inches in diameter.
They appear once in the spring and again in the early fall, followed by orange or pink drupes that persist on the tree well into the winter until the wildlife devours them.
That’s part of what makes this 20- to 40-foot-tall tree an excellent display option in the dormant season.
Combined with the reddish bark and branches that take on a gracefully arching habit, it makes an architectural statement rather than a more colorful one.
Planted en masse, the aptly named C. alba ‘Prairie Fire’ looks like a field of flaming eight-foot-tall and wide shrubs highlighted against the winter snow.
But what makes it particularly special isn’t just the bright red winter twigs or the beautiful cream flowers, followed by white berries.
The bright golden and red fall foliage also sets it apart from many other dogwoods, which tend to be a little lackluster in the autumn.
In the spring, it’s equally attractive with its golden-yellow foliage. Grow it in Zones 2 to 7.
C. sericea adapts to climates in just about every part of the US except the warmer areas of Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona.
It can be grown in Zones 2 to 8, and is native to southern Canada, and the northern and western US.
This shrub will grow up to 12 feet tall and 14 feet wide, spreading via suckers.
While it’s hard to beat the bright red winter color, it’s nothing to sneeze at during the rest of the year.
The creamy white blossoms are long-lasting and gradually give way to clusters of white berries. The silky, medium-green leaves change to hues of red varying from rust to burgundy.
While these dogwoods can tolerate some shade, the bark color will be muted outside of full sun.
Fast Growing Trees has this beloved species available in quart, two-gallon, or three-gallon pots, in single or four-pack quantities.
C. alba is commonly known as Tartarian or white dogwood. It’s native to Siberia, northern China, and the Korean peninsula, where it grows as a small tree or large shrub.
Beloved for its red stems and vigorous growth habit, it can reach 10 feet tall and wide.
The oblong leaves are medium-green, with creamy-white blossoms and white berries. The fall foliage is bright red and orange.
Unlike the US native C. sericea, this species doesn’t tend to send out as many suckers – which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your needs. It’s hardy in Zones 2 to 7.
A Tartarian dogwood cultivar, C. alba ‘Elegantissima’ is the definition of a year-round performer.
In the spring, the variegated medium green and creamy gold leaves emerge, along with white flowers. In the fall, white berries cover the shrub in clusters, highlighted against the orange, red, and gold foliage.
After everything drops to the ground, the rosy red stems are left behind to brighten up the garden in Zones 3 to 8.
Make sure you have the space for this plant, which grows 10 feet tall and wide, producing suckers that allow it to spread.
Make one yours by visiting Nature Hills Nursery.
Yellow twig dogwood (C. sericea ‘Flaviramea’) is appreciated in the garden for its dark green foliage, white flowers, and white fruit, but it’s the bare winter twigs that really stand out.
They have a bright golden-yellow hue that beams, contrasting with winter snow like a ray of sunshine.
When mature, it can grow to six feet tall and just a touch wider, and the plant will spread via suckers as much as you’ll let it.
That makes it perfect for areas that you want to fill in with color, or spots that could use some erosion control, like stream banks and slopes.
It’s not quite as winter-hardy as the species, growing in Zones 3 to 7.
Head to Fast Growing Trees to purchase individual plants or four-packs of two- to three-foot or three- to four-foot live shrubs.
Whether you live somewhere snow-covered from December through March or you want to add some spice to a bland, gray garden, dogwoods fit the bill.
Which one of these sounds like the right one for your landscape? Let us know in the comments. And be sure to tell us if we missed one that you’re particularly fond of.
Now that you’ve sorted out the winter interest, you might be interested in learning more about dogwoods, like how to deal with problems, or choose a few others for your garden. If so, here are some guides worth checking out:
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Kristine Lofgren
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Julie shares about her experience with making fetid swamp water in Singapore:
When I used to live in Singapore, every Chinese New Year, when the cookies, crackers, snacks and mandarin oranges were finished, my local community garden would collect all of the plastic tubs and fruit peels from the community and buy some brown sugar and black-strap molasses in bulk, to make an enzyme liquid to use in our garden. It took months, but the longer you leave it, the better it gets. So we had loads left over from the year before, and we used in regularly, diluted down in water to spray on the soil and as a foliar spray too, to help our plants and trees thrive. The only thing you had to remember to do was ‘burp’ the tubs regularly, so gas didn’t build up and make them explode!
That comment was posted below my video on growing sunn hemp.
The JADAM version of Korean Natural Farming practiced by Youngsang Cho does not use sugars in fermentation; however, we have seen others use it, just as Julie relates.
Anaerobic composting isn’t the devil it’s made out to be. It can be very useful, especially when you have limited resources and wish to make the most of a small amount of fertile materials.
Of course, if you take the Dave’s Fetid Swamp Water approach and start using your anaerobic “tea” only a couple of weeks after you start the fermentation process, the stench is incredible.
It creates an aroma so thick you can feel the clouds of odor pressing against your body as you walk through the garden, which then condense into sulfurous snakes that creep directly through your nostrils into your brain.
If you get it on your hands, woe unto thee!
The noxious fumes persist for a day or more on the skin, even after scrubbing your way through a fresh bar of Zest. If you caress your spouse’s hair, she’ll recoil in horror and wonder if you are a reanimated corpse instead of the man she married. If you pet a puppy, it will burst into flames, giving you a memory you’ll recall with shame and horror for the rest of your life.
It’s that bad.
Yet plants don’t have noses and they do just fine with it, happily growing amidst the fumes.
It’s much better if you wait longer to use it, until it’s burned off the worst of the aromas. And if the Singaporeans are right, it just gets better for the garden.
I’ve smelled year-old swamp water made from fish guts and it was not unpleasant. I’ve also had a batch of mixed manure and weeds and other materials (including chicken guts) that mellowed out into a mild soy sauce aroma.
All this reminds me – it’s almost spring and we need to make a batch.
(You can learn more about “Dave’s Fetid Swamp Water” in Compost Everything.)
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Ever wondered why spending time outdoors is so important for children’s mental health? This article by children’s wellbeing author and psychotherapist Becky Goddard-Hill will help you understand the powerful impact playing outside can have on a child’s mood and wellbeing.
Becky is the author of the brand new book ‘How I Feel’, a feelings-focussed activity book for children aged 3-7. Its primary aim is to encourage younger children to become more emotionally literate and better able to both understand and manage their feelings.
The book contains 40 play-based activities to help young children talk more coherently about their emotions, encouraging them to be kinder, happier, calmer, and braver. It aims to encourage self-belief and growth mindset and help children to understand and manage their feelings better.
It’s beautifully illustrated and packed full of lovely things to do. It has been written so children in KS1 will be able to read a lot of it themselves, and it contains lots of great parenting tips too.
Here Becky shares why encouraging kids to get outside matters so much for a child’s mental health.
1. Stress Reduction: Spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation, leading to improved mental well-being.
2. Increased Vitamin D: Sunlight exposure helps the body produce vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in mood regulation and may reduce the risk of depression.
3. Enhanced Cognitive Function: Outdoor play stimulates creativity, problem-solving skills, and cognitive development, contributing to overall mental resilience.
4. Improved Mood: Physical activity and exposure to nature release feel-good chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins and serotonin, which can uplift mood and combat feelings of sadness or anxiety.
5. Connection with Nature: Time spent in natural environments fosters a sense of connection with the world around us, promoting feelings of peace, wonder, and gratitude.
6. Social Interaction: Outdoor play encourages social interaction, cooperation, and communication skills, which are essential for healthy emotional development.
7. Reduction in ADHD Symptoms: Research suggests that outdoor activities may help reduce symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and improve focus and attention span.
8. Resilience Building: Overcoming challenges and experiencing risks in outdoor environments helps children build resilience and coping skills, preparing them to navigate life’s ups and downs.
In summary, encouraging children to spend time outdoors is essential for their mental health and well-being. By providing opportunities for outdoor time, exploration, and connection with nature, parents and caregivers can support children’s holistic development and help them thrive emotionally and mentally.
*How I Feel is available from all good bookshops and is out now.
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Catherine
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