Mother Earth's Garden

I’m celebrating the winter solstice here in my northern hemisphere garden, the shortest day of the year. This year it’s today, December 21st. I love the winter solstice because it means one very important thing. The days are going to start getting longer. The short days and long nights of winter are not my favorite time of year.

I long for the sunshine and warmth that the longer days of summer bring. So when the winter solstice hits it’s comforting to know that the days will be getting longer, and summer will eventually get here.
I need my daily fill of sunshine, …read more

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Holly is a traditional Christmas plant. It adds it’s beauty to outdoor gardens, and indoor decorations this time of year. I’ts one of my favorite plants this time of year. I love holly’s waxy leaves and beautiful berries.

Legend has it that holly helps to ward of bad spirits, that’s where the tradition to add holly to holiday decorations began. Many believed that a sprig or two of holly added to the door, or entryway would help keep evil out of the house. So add a couple sprigs of holly to a wreath, a vase, or a table centerpiece for beautiful …read more

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I have to admit, I keep my poinsettias long past their days of glory. Many years I’m buying a new one, and I still have my poinsettia from the year before growing in one of my windowsills.

I have a wonderful sunny window in the living room where I usually put my poinsettia, and the sunlight (and a little care from me) usually keeps my poinsettias looking good through the winter months. I always notice they start fading away in the spring no matter what I do.
I’ve never been successful at making them re-bloom. I’ve gotten a tiny red leaf or …read more

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I can’t believe it’s actually December 16th already! I meant to post my December blooms yesterday for Garden Blogger’s Bloom day, then totally zoned out that it could be the 15th already. Christmas is a little over a week away! I still have a couple gifts to buy, looks like I’ll be shopping this weekend.
I do have a couple plants in my house blooming this month, not many. There’s nothing blooming outside any more. We’ve had some freezing cold days in the last couple weeks, with temperatures in the single digits (brrr!).
Here’s what’s blooming at my house in December.
I bought …read more

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During the winter most houseplants go into a rest period caused by the short days and long nights. During the winter months most plants don’t grow or change much. It’s a good time to just let your plants rest, don’t fertilize them, just an occasional water or spritz with the sprayer to keep their soil moist will keep them happy.

I keep my houseplants on a once a week watering schedule. About once a month it’s also good to give them a good look over to check for any pests or bugs that may have found them. Look for telltale signs …read more

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Every year about this time the garden seed catalogs start arriving in the mail. I usually sit them carefully in a pile beside my chair in the living room until the hustle and bustle of the holidays is done. It seems like December always goes by in a blur of activity.

Then January hits and everything comes to a standstill. That’s when I start to get garden fever, or the winter blues, whatever you want to call it. I’m ready for spring! I’m done with winter and ready to start heading outside to the garden again.
That’s when I dive into the …read more

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The other day I talked about feeding the birds through the winter. I have to admit I’m a big fan of watching the birds, especially through the cold winter months when there’s not much other action happening in my backyard garden.

I thought I’d put together a list of gift ideas for the bird lovers on your Christmas list.

If you feel like making your own gift make up a 6 pack or a dozen bird seed ornaments for your recipient to hang on the trees in their back yard.
Make them a bird feeder.
Make up some bird feed in a jar, put …read more

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We finally had our first winter snow this weekend (along with some deep freeze temperatures). Up until this week I still had a couple black eyed susans blooming outside my front door, flowering cabbage and kale still looking good in the garde, and some mums holding on. Temperatures in the teens, and wind chills down to zero (with 60 mile an hour wind gusts) took care of that this week. Now they’re looking shriveled up and I’m sure they’ll be brown in a few days.

The snow was very pretty while it lasted. It looked like Mother Nature decorated for Christmas …read more

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Yesterday I talked about planning your garden for 2010, so today I want to share a few of my garden plans for the new year. I’ve spent some time over the last few weeks reflecting on my 2009 garden, what went right, and what wend wrong. I’ve also thought about what I’d like to grow more of, and what I need less of (or none of) for next years garden.

Here are my 2010 garden plans and goals:

I didn’t plant enough plants for fall decorating this year. I want to plant more gourds, broom corn, strawflowers, and other plants and flowers …read more

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Since 2009 is winding down, and 2010 is about to get off to a quick start, now is the perfect time to take a look at your garden plans for the new year. It’s a great time to sit down and map out your gardening goals, and plan out what you want to plant next year.

For me it’s good to plan things out a little before the garden seed catalogs start arriving in the mailbox every day and filling my head full of new and exciting plants I think I might need to try. If I go into it with …read more

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