When you begin to plan for next season’s blossoms, consider adding Vinca to your garden’s landscape. Vinca is an easy to grow annual flower also known as “periwinkle”. Starting seeds in a partially shaded area of your garden in rich well draining soil will produce 2 inch blooms that are capable of spreading up to 30 inches. Colors include rose, pink, peach, red, white and more. Directly sow seeds in early spring after the last frost for blooms that will last until late fall. Cheers
Winter is rapidly approaching in zone 4 and I have started to prepare for next season by using one of my favorite soil enhancements. Worm castings are an eco-friendly way to add necessary nutrients to your soil. The castings can improve soil structure, aeration and drainage. When mixed with your current soil the castings will provide the beneficial bacteria and microbes to help sustain plant life. The castings are also capable of correcting soil deficiencies, promoting plant hardiness and disease resistance. Cheers
Our featured flower of the month is the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabillis) and is one of my favorite perennial shade plants to grow. It is hardy in zones 3-9 and produces blooms during the early spring months of May thru June. Its lavish green foliage can reach heights of 24-36 inches. The blooms are rose pink heart shaped blossoms that are suspended on arched stems. To add this plant to your garden’s landscape simply plant in rich well draining soil in the shaded area of your garden. Cheers
Fall has arrived in zone 4 bringing cooler temperatures and changes to plant life.
Blooms remain on some plants but trees are taking nutrients from their leaves triggering fall colors and a rapid departure. Yearly mountain sabbaticals are nearly over as there is a small window for “viewing the Aspen”. The beauty we enjoyed during the spring and summer is coming to a close ushering in new glorious crops like pumpkins and squash. You might see smoke from a chimney, have a limited number of barbecues to attend and soon be invited for comfort foods that may include favorite soups using vegetables from the garden. Cheers!
If you are looking for a perennial plant that will attract butterflies to your garden then plant Scabiosa. It is a sensational flower that resembles a pincushion. Its bushy blooms appear as if suspended from long slender stems. It is an absolute must for pots and small rock gardens. It excels in zones 4-9 and will bloom from spring until fall. I prefer to plant Scabiosa as a border flower in the shaded areas of my garden. Cheers
Our featured flower of the month is the Cleome. The cleome is an easy to grow annual flower that belongs to the Cleomaceae and Brassicaceae plant families. Gardeners have admired this spidery flower with its open trusses of blooms in multiple shades of violet, pink and white. It is a full sun, drought tolerant flower capable of reaching heights of up to 6 feet. I like to start seeds in early spring in well draining soil for blooms that should last until first frost. Cheers
Most great barbeque doesn’t require a sauce to define its taste, but it can enhance the overall flavor. From Kansas City to the Carolina’s, geographical regions play a vital role in barbeque sauce style and flavor. I would like to share one of my favorite southern barbeque sauce recipes called “Golden Mustard”.
6 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup of white vinegar
1 ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup yellow mustard
½ onion minced ½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup water
1 teaspoon paprika ¼ cup tomato puree
Mix ingredients in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Add onions and reduce heat to low. Enjoy
Makes 2 cups
If you prefer a great deal of flexibility within a distinct plant family then you will love our featured flower of the month, the Dianthus. The Dianthus is native to Europe and Asia belonging to the plant family Caryophyllaceae. It has 300 different species that can be grown as perennials, biannual or annuals. Dianthus can be grown in zone 3-9. I planted the annual species in full sun and they provided an excellent boarder flower with a lot of flare and blooms that lasted from early spring through fall. These flowers are a great addition to any cut floral arrangement. Cheers
Spice up your garden with interior floral arrangements. Mixing annuals and perennials throughout your gardens landscape will guarantee a steady stream of blooms during the spring and summer season. Here are some examples of interior arrangements from my own garden that I grew this season. Enjoy!
Now that runoff has subsided I head to one of my favorite rivers in zone 4 seeking a “hookup”. While there’s nothing like the experience of wading up stream and taking in the scenic views, I will also be seeking an elusive strike from a beautiful fish known as a ”rainbow or brown trout”. One of my favorite flies to use is a midge. A midge otherwise known as a “chironomid” is generally found in most river systems. These small two winged insects are a trout favorite.
They come in numerous sizes and colors. I prefer fishing a midge as the trailing fly with a dry fly on top serving as a strike indicator. This style of fly fishing is known as the “dry with a dropper” method which is perfect for attracting fish that are feeding in the center of the water column or rising to the surface. No matter what type of method you utilize, fishing a midge will certainly increase the odds of those seeking the “hookup”. Cheers
