I'm so Proud of my Mom!!!

Ok so this has nothing to do with gardening or any type of plant but I'm just so proud of what my Mom has accomplished!!
If you google "liquid computing abacus data exchange" everything that pops up on the first page is about my Mom!!! SHE IS Abacus Marketing Resources & Abacus Data Exchange!! I consider myself pretty computer savvy but I could barely grasp what she has succeeded in doing until I read this article.
I'm very proud of her!! I hope you enjoy reading a few of the articles... and I hope you too can add this to your "Wow I learned something new today" list.
I love you Mom!!!

Tipster Tuesday - "Container"ize your garden

Have you seen some of the beautiful containers they have for planting lately? When I went ot Home Depot last week to use my 15% off coupon I was so torn by which containers I wanted. I knew WHERE I wanted to put it but I wasn't sure WHAT I waned to put in it.
I KNEW I wanted to put it near my front door.
I KNEW I wanted to use annuals (seed to seed in 1 year).
I KNEW I wanted it to be large enough to fit at least 2 different types of flowers.
I KNEW I wanted it to match my house.

Well I found a pot I love and a smaller cheaper version as well. Off to find the perfect flowers!!
My little basket convoy strolled around for a while before I finally made my choice. I chose Bright Red Verbena and Solid White Petunias. I already had container soil at home and a little peat humus so I was all set!! We went home with a few other needed items and a few prices from the lumber dept (to use for a soon to come post). Would you like to see my "creation"?? lol




As it grows through the season it will get alot larger and hang a good bit more. Deadheading will be very minimal but I hate to see wilted dried up flowers while others are so alive and vibrant. My hubby was happy to see them at the door. He of course made a joke about me using a coupon for my gardening as well.... he'll soon appreciate it all

Containers are a great way to grow your favorite flowers, herbs veggies and even some fruit trees. If you live in an apartment or have a very small backyard (like me). You "grow" to appreciate container gardens. There are literally hundreds of different sizes, shapes and colors of containers out right now. Even upside down hanging planters!!
We'll be transplanting our seeded herbs to a container soon. My oldest is starting her first herb garden and she's already snagged a container large enough that she can handle her little seedings all my herself.
Remember that these planters are getting hit by sunlight as well so they will dry up faster if you don't use the right soil. Most "container soil" has little extra enhancements like perlite. If you have peat moss it would be a great add to keep the moisture level up. I would steer away from terracotta pots used in full sunlight. They will absorb the some of the moisture in your soil. This will cause you to give a little extra attention to these plants in the summer.

Do you have a windowsill garden? What do you have in it?
Do you have any favorite containers but don't know what to put in them?? Let us know... maybe we can help.

Daisy

For more Tips, check out Be Centsable for Tipster Tuesday!!

Bulb Sale!!

Hurry these are going fast!! This is the second type they've repenished them.
Stargazer lilies are the Deal of the Week at Holland Bulb Farms!!

Stargazer Lily with 12 bulbs per bag will bloom this mid to late summer (2008) filling your garden with a burst of color and fragrance. These hardy plants can be planted in the spring and will tolerate the winter and bloom beautifully for many years.Grows 24-36" tall. 14/16 cm bulbs. Zone 3 to 9

12 bulbs for only $7.19!!! This is a STEAL!!

They have lots of great specials everyday and some everyweek. HBF has a great Product Guarantee. You'll never have to worry when ordering from them!!

Festival de Fleur

Tis the season for festivals in South Louisiana. This weekend is no different. Festival de Fleur is one of my favorites. It is being held this year once again at Blackham Coliseum. Admission is only $5 per person and children 12 & under are FREE. There is a $1 off admission in last Sunday's paper. There will prob be another on Saturday I would imagine. The proceeds go directly back to the Ira Nelson Center. This was my second home when I was in school so I will gladly pay the admission. There are lots of door prizes so don't forget to register at the door.
Visit their website to get more information on events and contests. This will be a great place to buy plants and get ideas for everything from indoor plants to butterfly gardens. Native plants will be a great pick up at this show. There are always Landscape Designers and plants for sale. The orchid contests blow my mind every year!!
Doors open at 9 am. I hope to see you there!!

Get fired up on Art at Pyromania!! They will be at the same location as Festival De Fluer again this year. You can also visit their site here. They have such cool demonstrations and hands-on activites for all ages. My kids love watching the glass blowing show. Admission is FREE for everyone. This is stictly an outdoor event. The weather will be beautiful!!

So get out of the house tomorrow with your family. Enjoy and support local artists. This is definately an event you will not want to miss!!

Home Depot Coupons to liven up your yard

Thanks to The Coupon Mom here are a couple of Home Depot coupons to help you add some color and a little more life to your front door or back patio.

15% off of pots and planters exp 4/17

50% off of Colorburst packets exp 4/17

Here

You'd be surprised what a little color does to help brighten landscape... and your day.

Add a "pop" as my 10 year old would say. Don't be scared to ask for help while you are there. That's what they get paid for!! Walk around for a while find a few different shapes that really make you smile. Be careful with spacing when buying 6 packs. Grab a bag of good container soil and a small bag of peat humus. Zeus's won't have this variety :) but a quick stop there after would make a great end to a hard day. Look for heat resistant varieties that will bloom through the summer months if you are one of the very fortunate to have blistering heat starting in May. Now be careful because not all the types you will see will thrive in your area. Find your zone here. Cultivars that are not native to your zone may not do as well as others. You can find a great list of plants for your zone here at Spring Hill Nursery. Most require little maintence and it will look as if you slave over it everyday.

What are some of your favorite natives? Need a little help getting started? Can you make almost anything grow? Tell us about it.

Composting your own Garbage

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of composting? For some a huge smile may cross their face, for others a much less appealing thought may pop in their heads. Composting can be the easiest and cheapest way to help your flowers and veggies "be the best they can be." A friend in my playgroup brought up this topic last week and of course I had to chime in. If you are new to composting there are lots of sites that can explain all the How-to's to get started and why.
It is simply the breaking down of organic matter. There is a local facility in my area that I was able to tour when I was in college (for Horticulture). The tour was very informative. I didn't realize at the time how delicate the process was with such a huge amount of compost. The temperatures and carbon to nitrogen balances were fascinating. The facility gives all the compost away free of charge. Just show up with an empty truck bed or a few burlap sacks and off you go. There is always a small amount of trash in the load, like pieces of trash bags, tinsel from Holiday trees, straws, and bottle tops. This is a very minor problem with the amount that you are able to receive. If you aren't in the Acadiana area, look in the phone book. There should be a site in your parish or county that offers compost free or for a very small charge.

If you'd like to start your own composting adventure there are lots of options.
The Compost Guide has some great tips on starting your own compost. You can find bins, pails, and activators at Clean Air Gardening. Here is a great book on how to start your own compost.

Do you already have a compost at home? Tell us about it. We'd love to hear how you got started.