Archive for the ‘Grow’ Category

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Guest Post: Grow Your Own Cocktail Garden

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

This summer get creative in your garden by planting herbs, fruits and vegetables that you can take out of the garden and plunk right into your cocktail glass. Make imaginative cocktails and mocktails with rose, scented geranium, thyme, pineapple sage, peppers and tomatoes. Theme gardening is a fun and sometimes theatrical way to get creative in the garden. If you’re not a gardener but like to create meals and drinks with fresh ingredients, this may be a simple starting point to begin growing plants that would get a lot of culinary use.

5 Plants Guaranteed to Make Any Garden Party a Success!

Basil

Nothing shouts summer to me more than basil! Sweet basil is the perfect garnish for a cocktail called the Bloody Gazpacho, basically, a bloody mary with fresh cucumber, a dash of balsamic, garlic and basil. Basil also has undertones of mint that pairs well in this fruity cocktail:

Basil Strawberry Mojito

In a 16-oz mixing glass, gently muddle together:

  • 4 basil leaves
  • 4 strawberries
  • .75 oz simple syrup
  • Add:
  • 1 oz of lime juice
  • 2 oz white rum
  • 3 oz club soda

Throw in juiced lime half. Top with crushed ice, mix and garnish.

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How To Grow a Beautiful Cut Flower Garden

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

A garden patch filled with a colorful variety of fragrances and textures is most certainly rewarding enough on its own. But you can take this reward to the next level if you strategically plant some flowers that make for vibrant bouquets and fresh floral centerpieces. Plus, this allows you to easily share your gorgeous flower garden with others! Here are some excellent choices for flowers that make great arrangements, and flourish when the are frequently cut.

Flowers Good for Cutting

Perennials:

Perennial flowers are those that live for three or more seasons. Many perennials grow and thrive for years and years. An easy way to remember that is that the “p” in perennial also stands for permanent. (Don’t confuse this with meaning “live forever, though! Perennials can still die and sometimes do during the winter.) Most perennial flowers bloom once a year, and will bloom for a period of 1-2 weeks. Some, like certain hydrangeas, are repeat bloomers and bloom more than once in a season.

Foxglove

Foxglove is an awesome choice for bouquets and arrangements because it adds height and drama. It may be found in a variety of colors, from white to mauve. The blossoms have a very distinct tubular shape, and a bonus is that deer typically will not eat them.

False Dragonhead

False Dragonhead is sometimes called an “obedient flower” because its stalks can be easily arranged to stay in pretty much any shape. This makes it a very versatile garden and bouquet addition. False Dragonhead blossoms grow on long, tall stalks, and we are particular fans of the hot pink variety.

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Starting an Herb Garden is Fun and Easy

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Fresh Herbs

Image from CookThink.com

Herbs have been used for centuries as for both medicinal and culinary purposes. They are incredibly versatile and somehow have the power to enhance just about any dish from chicken, to fish, to salads, sauces, soups and vinegars. So if you’ve ever prepared any of these things, surely you have worked with herbs.

Here at AML, we use fresh herbs whenever we can. And what we love about this is that it means we are snipping leaves straight from our own plants, not pulling a slimy plastic bag out of the bottom of our crisper (blech!). If you’d like to grow your own herbs, this is a great time to start! They are fun and easy to grow, and make attractive borders or container plants. You can have your very own fresh herb garden regardless of the (lack of) time and space you have available.

Six Easy Herbs to Plant, Pick, and Cook

When deciding which type of herbs to plant, think about what dishes are your favorite, and which you most enjoy preparing.

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Direct Sowing Makes for Easy Gardening

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

There are two little words that, whether you are an expert or beginning gardener, are a welcome sight on any seed packet. These two words are: direct sow. Directly sowing seeds in your garden soil makes for super simple gardening.

This process of direct sowing essentially means that you can take a particular seed and plant it directly in your garden, skipping the indoor seed starting process. You may remember from past AML blog posts that seed starting, the process of sowing your seeds indoors then transplanting them outside once they have grown into seedlings, is a process that is necessary for many vegetables and flowers that need a safe, stable environment in which to germinate. But not all seeds necessarily need this. And if you can skip the seed starting process, well obviously that stands to save you quite a bit of time and money.

Directly sowing seeds in your garden is easy, and it is even cheaper than transplanting seedlings from your local plant nursery. You can find varieties of both ornamentals and edibles that may be directly sown. In a few weeks, voila, you have a no-fuss garden that did not even require transplanting!

Some of Our favorite direct-sow Plants

1. Marigold Dwarf Lemon Drop $1.59

2. Cosmos Celebration in Pink $4.99

3. Zinnia Cut & Come Again $1.89

4. Zinnia Green Envy $1.89

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Six Great Ways to Celebrate April: National Gardening Month

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Image source: Squakfox.com

We always think of the act of gardening as a celebratory event. But during the month of April, our green thumbs get an extra special boost because it is National Gardening Month, as designated by the National Gardening Association (NGA). So even if you have never planted a single thing in your life, April is an excellent time to get started.

6 Great Ways to Celebrate National Gardening Month

(1) Host a Plant Swap Party

The basic gist of a plant swap is to ask your friends to bring a few plant starts that they have divided from their gardens. Most perennials can be easily divided and therefore are easy to share. Make sure that you, as the host, have extra containers on hand, and plant markers, such as Popsicle sticks or plastic spoons that can be written on with a permanent marker. Make it clear to your guests what they are expected to bring to swap- you may wish to include seeds and bulbs, or even tools and gardening books. We think plant swaps are an awesome idea because they can truly save you a lot of money. To make your plant swap special, consider serving iced tea and a yummy garden-inspired treat, like these Rose-Walnut Scones. (And you can learn how to make your own rose water here!)

(2) Organize a Neighborhood Garden

Chances are, if you live in a big city, you’ve witnessed an awesome trend that has started to grow lately. Driving down the street, you may notice an unexpected green patch next to an apartment building, or a plot of flourishing herbs and vegetables next to a vacant lot. These community gardens have been started by individuals who wish to maintain a garden, but don’t have a yard in which to do it. The community collectively shares the responsibilities and decides what to grow- some are flower-filled relaxing spaces, while others are vegetable gardens from which the harvest is donated to a local food bank. For tips on how to start your own neighborhood garden, check out this guide from Urban Harvest.

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Let Your Kids Get Dirty: Tips For Starting a Children’s Garden

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Spring is rearing its lovely, glorious head, and before we know it summer vacation will be upon us. Then comes the inevitable time when you find yourself repeatedly calling to your children, “Why don’t you turn off the TV and go play outside?” We remember that our moms used to say that to us, too. But without anything outside of particular interest to a child, well, he is or she a lot more likely to stay glued to that comfy butt-spot on the couch, gazing at the tube.

What you need is something to entice your kids to get out in the fresh spring and summer air; something that will keep their bodies and minds healthy and active; something that affords them a learning experience while still keeping them entertained. What you need is a children’s garden.

Now if you shudder at the thought of your kids tromping garden mud through your kitchen every day, try to relax. A children’s garden does not have to be a big backyard plot. It can be a few pots on your balcony or a window box outside your kitchen. In fact, starting with a little space is a good idea to help keep your kids, and you for that matter, from feeling overwhelmed.

Tips for Beginning, Sowing, and Harvesting a Children’s Garden

Focus on Edibles

If there is one thing that kids find super rewarding about gardening, it’s that they can eat the results of their work! Many kids only know fruits and veggies as things that come off of grocery store shelves, so take this opportunity to show your children where vegetables really come from, from seed to harvest. A children’s garden also gives you the opportunity to plant things that you would not normally find at the store. Like these Carnival Blend Carrots, for example. They come in funky purple, white and yellow shades, making them way cooler than the average carrots. Or how about these Sugar Snap Peas that are so crunchy and sweet, your kids will want to eat them right off the vine. Plus, the vining plants are really pretty. Fun, Easter egg colored radishes grow well in pots, as do these cute little Baby Round Zucchini- a treat that you will never find in a produce section.

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10 Tips for Growing Easy Edibles From Seed

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

Vegetable seeds are like people- some of them are more picky than others. With some seeds, you can pretty much drop them in the ground in the spring and leave them alone til it’s time to harvest. Others, however, require a little more TLC and attention. This spring, we are going to be focusing on growing vegetables and herbs that are on the low maintenance side. And if you are a beginning gardener, well then this is a great place for you to start as well. After all, who doesn’t want all of the benefits of a home garden without all the hassle?

Now that spring is just around the corner, it’s time to start preparing to start your seeds. The term “seed starting” refers to the process of actually planting your seeds indoors, and waiting until they sprout into seedlings before transplanting them into your backyard garden or a larger container. The process of seed starting allows you to begin growing your seeds while the ground is still hard and frozen outside, and gives you a much better chance for success once you transplant your seedlings outdoors. Starting seeds is a process that is easy, fun, and does not require a lot of supplies. Follow these 10 steps to seed starting to get your own easy vegetable and herb garden up and running this spring.

10 Tips for Seed Starting

(1) Select easy to grow seeds

How do you know which ones will be easy? Patricia Becker, center director for Common Ground Organic Garden Supply and Education Center in Palo Alto, California, says that beginner gardeners who are trying to decide which plants to start from seed can follow this general guideline: The bigger the seed, the easier it is to grow. She says beans, peas, corn, and edible nasturtium flowers are all easy plants to grow from seeds. You can also consult Fern’s list at Life on the Balcony of 10 simple to grow fruits, veggies, and herbs.

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Edible Container Gardening is Fun & Rewarding!

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Guest Post by award winning blogger Fern Richardson of Life on the Balcony.

Life on the Balcony Seed Collection

Life on the Balcony Seed Collection

You may think that growing your own food is hard. Or that it’s not worth it if you don’t have acres of land. But I am here to tell you that you are wrong on both fronts. Edible gardening is not only a great way to get fresh herbs and vegetables, it’s also pretty entertaining!

If you want to give vegetable gardening a try, these are five interesting edibles that you can grow all in one 2ft x 4ft planter box:

  1. ‘Sunspot’ Sunflowers
  2. ‘Purple Petra’ Basil
  3. Garlic Chives,
  4. ‘Spacemaster’ Cucumber
  5. ‘Better Bush’ Tomato.

The nice thing about these five plants is that they are as attractive as they are tasty. Wait until your seedlings are ready to start growing outside and then plant one tomato plant in each back corner. Tie each tomato to a stake. In between the tomatoes, plant three sunflowers in a tight triangle formation. In front of the sunflowers, plant one cucumber. On one side of the cucumber, plant the garlic chives, and on the other side, plant the basil. You’re done planting! That was totally easy, right?

Are you ready to get started? You can purchase the Life on the Balcony’s Seed Collection for $10.95 at aHaModernLiving.com

To keep your plants happy, water them whenever the top two inches of the potting soil feels dry. Fertilize them every other week with a 1/4 strength vegetable fertilizer.

Here are some more tips for edible container gardening success

  • Always start your seeds in “seed starting” potting soil. You will have much better germination rates.
  • To keep your seedlings well watered before you transplant them, place their seed starting pots in a shallow tray filled with water. The water in the tray will naturally wick up into the soil as needed. This will also help you avoid toppling your seedlings with water from a watering can.
  • When (and it is “when” not “if”) pests attack your plants, use an integrated pest management approach to control them.
  • Maintaining a regular watering and fertilizing schedule is the most important thing you can do to have an abundant harvest.
  • Learn how to preserve your harvest through drying, canning, or freezing. Waste not, want not!

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Posted in Garden, Grow | 5 Comments »

Hot New Pots for Plants: Greenbo Railing Planters

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Here at AML, we cannot help but be super excited for the approach of spring each year. Not only does springtime mean that we get to enjoy brighter skies and warmer temperatures, but it also means that we get to try out all of our cool new gardening products as we dig our hands into some fresh spring soil. This year, we are totally pumped to try out our new Greenbo Planters- the new generation of pots for plants.

What we love about the Greenbo Planter is that it takes away the need for ground space, or even porch or balcony space, to have a container garden. The colorful planters snap right onto any railing that is up to 4 inches in width. There are no screws or brackets involved, all you have to do it place the planter right on the railing and it stays where you put it. The designers seriously thought of everything. The planter won’t fly away or rust on your railing, and it has a little drip tray that can be removed from the bottom. This way, not only will the planter not drip all over the place when you water your plants (the neighbors below will thank you!), but you can also remove the tray and recycle the water. The vibrant pots won’t even fade in bright sunlight or rain. Nice!

Greenbo Railing Planters $27.00 at aHa! Modern Living

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The Fall Garden’s New Hue: Violet

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

As the days grow shorter and autumn settles upon us, we love to witness the changes that occur in our backyards. Everywhere, shades of orange, gold, maroon, and dusty brown are appearing. But this year our favorite fall color is one that you may not associate with the season: it’s violet. For autumn, we love a splash of rich, royal purple in our gardens.

Did you know that on deciduous trees, leaves turn shades of red and purple due to an increase in natural sugars that form anthocyanins? These same plant pigments are responsible for the deep, beautiful color of red grapes, red cabbage, and even the super-intense color of beets. When it comes to fall foliage, the weather in your area really influences the intensity of the colors you may receive. Dry, cool weather increases the amount of sugar found in tree sap, and sunshine pumps up the power of the anthocyanins. So, the best climate condition for plenty of deep purple and red foliage is a combination of sunny days and dry, cool nights.

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