As I was saying, in March, your gardening opportunities will depend upon where you live.  While some people can do a lot of planting now, others are still dealing with frozen soil; but either way, it’s okay, because winter is simply running out of time.  Indeed, this is a month of drastic changes, wherein many cooler regions commonly experience significant spikes in temperatures, sometimes, to the point where they become unseasonably warm.

So, even if your world looks all white and brown and gray today, by the time April arrives, it may be verdant, and bursting with color.  Heck, a few weeks from now, you may even be complaining about weeds, rather than snow.  Yep, March could come in like a lion, and go out like a dandelion (or, thousands of them!).  Furthermore, instead of seeing it through closed windows (that may be covered with plastic), you may be taking in the scenery from your porch swing or glider, or your favorite lounge chair.

Therefore, now is the time to plan your garden.  Decide on a design, look through seed catalogs, and visit some nurseries.  Perhaps, by the time you’re finished, the temperatures will have risen sufficiently, the danger of frost will have passed, the ground will be thawed, and, well, you can dig it!

Of course, the planning stage is important, no matter what kind of garden you have, or where you live.  Still, many people skip it, and end up disappointed with the results.  To avoid this, first of all, make sure that you know the dimensions of your garden.  Write them down and take them to the nursery, along with a picture of the area that you’re shopping for, and let a professional help you to select the ideal number of plants, in the right sizes and colors.

When choosing flowers, it’s easy to get excited about how gorgeous they’re going to be when they’re blossoming; but consider how they’ll appear for the rest of the year.  Pick some with spectacular foliage, or add some ornamental grasses, to keep the beds looking great throughout the seasons.  Oh, and don’t buy plants that are already in full bloom.  Get ones with healthy leaves and plump buds, and let them peak in your garden.

It’s also crucial to establish a color scheme.  While virtually all of the flowers that you’ll see at the nursery will be lovely, they won’t necessarily look stunning together, so organize an ensemble that adheres to your scheme.  After all, your garden is no place for making strange bedfellows, right?  If you see some irresistible flowers in non-complementary colors, use them as striking accents for your porch, gazebo, yard, or walkway, in planters, planter wheelbarrows, planter trellises, planter tubs, or planter boxes.

That way, your theme will be intact, and there won’t be much ado about hue (I suppose that would be called a “hue-ha-ha”).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

This time of the year is often called the dead of winter.  At a glance, that can seem an appropriate description, whether everything’s covered with snow and ice, or there’s just a brown landscape with barren trees, shrubs, and plants that look, well, dead.

Of course, we know that’s not the case.  Some things are in a state of dormancy, while others are just as active as always.  For example, those tracks in the fresh snow prove that the animals are out in full force, foraging for food; and if you throw some scraps out, or hang a birdfeeder or two, you’ll see plenty of life in your backyard.

You can go out and put down some tracks, too, because there’s plenty to do in the garden in January.  Even when it’s blanketed with snow, the soil is still active, and certain plants and trees, such as evergreens, continue to take nutrients from it.  Because they’re crucial to the overall health of your garden, it’s important to replenish them for your spring growing season.  Composting is one of the best ways to do this, and you should keep tending and turning your compost pile, as well as adding organic materials to it, throughout the winter.

Mulching is another thing that you can do now to keep your plants thriving.  Applying a layer of shredded bark or wood chips, three to four inches thick, will give the soil, your plants, and their roots, extra protection from the elements, especially if an early warm spell tricks them into thinking that it’s time to make their spring debut.

If you’re just not in the mood to go outside right now, or it’s dangerously cold, you can do some indoor container gardening.  Go to a nursery and find the plants that will best fit your needs, your available space, and your level of expertise.

Then, visit CedarStore.com and choose from our great selection of red cedar, white cedar, and pine planters, planter boxes, planter tubs, window boxes, polywood planters and planter trellises, and metal planters, which are available in over a dozen bright colors.

This way, you’ll be doing something positive – bringing the dead of winter back to life!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

If there’s one good thing about today’s economy, it’s that it is bringing out the resourcefulness in us.  With nearly everyone having to cut back on expenses, millions of people are discovering new abilities, as they’re forced to do jobs for themselves that they have, heretofore, paid others to do for them.

These undertakings can range from the simplest tasks, such as mowing the lawn, to big projects, such as landscaping.  Certainly, more people than ever are struggling to learn not only how to design garden beds, but to actually make things grow.  While this may not sound like a monumental chore to some, it can really feel like an impossible dream to someone whose lack of a green thumb results in a flower bed so pitiful that it stands out like a sore thumb.   

If you’re in that number, don’t despair, because there are many places where you can go to get professional advice, without paying an expert to do the work for you.  Remember – the lack of ability is not a point of shame; the only thing to be embarrassed about is not seeking help.  Why, that would be as silly as driving around lost for hours, instead of simply stopping and asking for directions.  And nobody would be that foolish, right?  (A-hem!).

Getting the help that you need is as simple as going to a nursery or home gardening center, where the employees are generally pretty knowledgeable, and will be happy to answer your questions.  In many cases, for true amateurs (you know, the ones who are green everywhere except their thumbs), they will recommend honing their skills on a container garden.  This is a great idea, and one that many talented, experienced gardeners and landscaping professionals use every day, for large and small areas, in a variety of designs.

Whether you’re new to gardening, or have been growing beautiful flowers and plants for years, you’ll love the great assortment of planters and planter boxes at CedarStore.com.  We’re not talking about any plain, old flowers pots here; we have planter benches, with or without lattice backs, planter trellises, tubs, stands, window boxes, and wheelbarrows.  They also come in a wide range of materials, including decay-resistant woods, such as red and white cedar, treated pine, and cherry, as well as nearly indestructible polywood and thermo-plastic coated steel, which are available in over a dozen striking colors.

So, stop in and see our fantastic selection.  We’re sure you’ll give it a “thumbs up,” no matter what color your thumb may be!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy