Gardening

Was out in the gardens all day yesterday...weeding.  Gardening is my meditation...my yoga.  (Of course, we don't have an acre and a half.)  I have been "studying" shade gardening for 6 years now coveting my ferns and moss.  (The Waynesville property is ALL sun.)  It's also been 6 years of fighting with the "critters" (deer, bunnies, moles, chipmunks, ground hogs...and whatever else invades my gardens in the night).  The deer must be hungry...they are eating some of the things they don't usually eat...my barberry bushes.  They've nibbled the black eyed susans and the monk weed.  Time to spray the deer fence!  Shredding Irish Spring soap around your plants helps as well. (my father made the cute sign )

My hydrangea has bloomed after two years of nothing!!!!  Isn't it cute!!!!  It is my fault for the two years of nothing...I pruned...actually, cut it back thinking the bare woody stems were dead.  It's important to know that mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned back - EVER - unless they are very old. Removing dead stems is the only pruning that must be done for the health of the plant, and these can be removed at any time. Dead blooms can also be removed at any time. Guess I didn't "study" this info.

Did you know that gardening and home canning can lower your grocery bill? Burpee Seed Company (www.burpee.com) estimates that for every $50 spent on seeds and fertilizer, a gardener can yield $1250 worth of produce. As it’s not feasible for a family to enjoy all of that fresh produce all at one time, home canning allows you to preserve that fresh, home grown flavor from your garden for use all year long, and saving on your grocery bill.  Will be "studying" canning (I did can some homemade soup once for my daughter to take back to college with her)!